#joyce is FIERCE and if I was a mom who dragged my kid back from hell I'd be worried too
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The Babysitter Chronicles - Byers
Steve POV 5+1 (immediately follows s2) || wc: 3.9k || cws: check tags || full fic ao3
Henderson || Mayfield pt 1 / Mayfield pt 2 || Sinclair || Wheeler || Byers || +1 Hopper
Can be read as a standalone
~~~
Steveâs filled with dread, standing in front of the Byersâ front door at 6:30am on a Saturday morning. Out of all the kidsâ parents, heâs pushed Joyce off as long as he could manage. But heâd promised Mike heâd try, and according to Jonathan, this is the best time to catch her.
That doesn���t change the fact itâs not even light out, and a boy she probably hates is about to knock on her door. Hell of a way to start the day.
He knocks anyway.
Joyce opens the door in a soft grey t-shirt and baggy black sweats. Her hair is brushed through, mascara coats her long lashes, and the smell of fresh coffee wafts through the open door. At least he can find small consolation in the fact sheâs been up for a while.
âHi Joyce, I mean Ms. Byers,â he stumbles, off to a great start. âSorry to catch you so early butââÂ
âNo,â Joyce interrupts, voice firm.Â
Steve stands there, mouth hanging open around an unfinished sentence. He watches as her eyes harden. She squares her shoulders and stands straight-backed and tall, only reaching about Steveâs shoulder. Joyce Byers in all her fury still makes him feel small, like maybe this was a bad idea.
âIâm sorry, Steve,â Joyce says. âBut I know why youâre here. And the answer is no.â
âOh,â he responds lamely, deflating even further.Â
Her voice is soft, but sheâs unyielding. âThe kids like you, and I know their parents are ok with you watching them. Which is fine, for their kids.â
She pauses, and Steve knows whatâs coming. Mentally prepared himself for the worst-case scenario. All of Dustinâs logical arguments and Lucasâ hype talks couldnât prepare him for how thoroughly Joyce flays him open.
âBut, Steve, I would never trust you with my kids.â
Even though he's desperate to run, he plants himself like a tree on her front stoop. He's trying not to be that guy. The kids deserve the best version of him, and on some level, he knows cutting out the bad parts of himself includes letting Joyce Byers drag him through the mud.
He tries to hold her gaze, really he does. Her dark eyes are filled with conviction, but he can see the gentleness to them as well. Almost sad, like heâs making her do this to him.Â
Joyce grips the door, knuckles white with tension. She takes a step out onto the front stoop, forcing Steve to take a measured step back. The door stays cracked and the smell of burning toast reaches his nose. Nausea rises in his throat.
âThey shouldnât have even been in those tunnels in the first place,â she says, voice growing louder as she gains momentum. âWe asked you to watch them, we trusted you with them, and they still almost got killed! And I know, I know, you helped Jonathan and Nancy last yearâ saved them from that, that thing crawling out of our walls.â
Her eyes flicker over her shoulder, like the demogorgonâs still haunting her house. He follows her gaze, like Billy could still be standing in her living room with a blood-stained, toothy smile.
She sighs, exasperated. At her wits end for being pushed into a conversation sheâs probably been dreading for weeks, since it seems she knew what he wanted. âBut youâd be with my baby, my Will, everyday. Heâs had bullies since kindergarten, and itâs only gotten worse since everything.
âHe doesnât deserve more bullies. And from what Iâve heard, youâre no different. Just like your father.â
Steve flinchesâ canât help himselfâ the sentence ringing through his head.
Just like your father.
âNo, no Iâm not, I swear,â he chokes on the words as she steam rolls his pathetic lamentations.
âYouâve pushed my boysâ and kids just like themâ around your whole life, making them feel small for having less money, less friends, less stuff. Every time Jonathan came home with a new bruise or bloodied knees, how do I know that wasnât you?â
Steveâs watering eyes are fixated on the small, furious woman before him, flushed with a rage familiar to any decent mother protecting her kids. Heâs trying so hard to hear her, but his head is filled with static and his mouth feels stuffed with cotton. Steve wipes his hands down the front of his pants, then shoves them in his pockets.
âYou called my boy queer! Something Iâm sure you heard from your father. I saved for months to get him that camera for his birthday and you just smashed it, like it was nothing. Like weâre nothing.â
Neither of them notice the pair of shadows moving beyond the door frame in the living room.Â
âI cannot allow someone like you around my boys,â she hammers home. This is what Nance meant by a thesis statement he thinks deliriously. âSue and Karen might be alright with it, but my answer is no.â
Steve sniffles and nods stiffly as turns to leave, hoping to at least make it to his car before the tears start. He knows he deserves what sheâs said, knows the truth of it in his gut, but heâs stood here long enough. Now itâs time to run and hide, like his mindâs been screaming to since she set her sights on him.
âMom,â Jonathan says, out of breath like he ran here from his bedroom. Heâs appeared over Ms. Byersâ shoulder like a ghost, or a ninjaâ silent and on the attack. âWhatâs going on?â
Heâs a sleep-rumpled version of his mom, wearing a plain, soft t-shirt, and grey sweatpants scattered with light bleach stains. Steve notices he still has pillow creases on his left cheek. His gaze follows the red indent down to Jonathanâs jawline where a small, purpling bruise is haloed by faded red lipstick.
All of the air in Steveâs lungs is punched out of him, hard and fast. A feeling he should be used to from Jonathan Byers.Â
Steve thinks he sees a flash of pastels in his periphery, dashing through the trees to the road. Or maybe itâs his imagination. It doesnât matter, because he canât look away from the uncomfortably familiar mark on Jonathanâs neck.
Jonathan must notice. His hand flies up to his neck, wiping the mark and finding a smear of red on his fingers. The spell holding Steve breaks, and he can breathe again.Â
Their eyes meet, and Jonathanâs cheeks now match the stain on his fingers. Itâs awkward and Steve doesnât know how to fix it or how to make this easier. Because Steve never knows how to fix things, only how to break them. Something Joyce seems well aware of.
Distracted, Steveâs just now noticing the small shadow creeping up behind Jonathan. He sees the young boy poke his head out from behind his brotherâs back as he takes a small step towards the commotion.
âSteve was just leaving, sweetie,â Joyce answers, voice soft and sweet as she turns away from him to go back inside.
âWait, no thatâs not what I meant,â Jonathan continues. He shakes his head and roughly pushes his unruly bangs from his eyes. âSteve, why are you here?â
Jonathanâs looking at him like he knows the answer. And he should really, considering the only reason Mike agreed to have Steve as his babysitter was because Jonathan promised heâd talk to Will about it, and then theyâd talk to Joyce.Â
A long train of telephone Steve was relying on to get a head start at Joyceâs good will. Which, apparently, never happened.
Steve plays along into Jonathanâs prompting. Sheâs already said no, so whatâs one more try with a little back-up.
âI was asking if I could babysit Will, since I watch the rest of the gang too. Canât leave any party members behind,â Steve says, parroting Dustin.
âAnd I was just telling himââ Joyce starts, before sheâs interrupted.
âI think Steve would be a great babysitter,â Will says. His hairâs a mess, and heâs straightening out his matching Star Wars pajama set as he steps further into view.
Joyce rushes over to him, squatting down to meet his eyes. âWill, honey, you donât need a new babysitter. You can still spend time with your friends at their houses, when their parents are home.â Jonathan takes the distraction to wave Steve into the house, silently closing the door behind them.
âBut the other parents donât know aboutâ you know,â Will hesitates, before mustering up the courage to say âabout what actually happened to me.â
âBaby,â she says, gently running her hands up and down his small arms. âYou know we canât tell them. We went over this.â
âItâs not about them knowing the truth,â Will says. Steve watches as the boy tries to make himself bigger, taller, even with the slight shake in his voice. âThey just look at me like Iâm broken. Theyâre sad when Iâm around and they just think I was kidnapped or lost orâ whatever the story is. That I was sick or something.â
Steve canât help but imagine Will Byers, always the shy, quiet kid in the Party, having to constantly withstand the severely misguided pitying glances from adults who arenât read-in on vast government conspiracies and alternate dimensions. Steveâs almost nineteen and can barely manage alone.
Her brows are knitted tight and her lips downturned the more Will confesses. âWell, Jonathan canââ
âI donât want Jonathan to watch me anymore.â
Joyceâs eyes widen, confusion painted across her face as her mouth drops open. Steve turns to glance at Jonathan to find that, unlike his mother, heâs not surprised at all. In fact, thereâs a light shining in his eyes and a small uptick to the corner of his mouth.
The tension is thick but familial, leaving Steve unwelcome and gawking at a private conversation. Which he supposes he is: both unwelcome and gawking.
âGo on, Will, itâs ok,â Jonathan encourages. He shines with a proud smile, like heâs watching his little brother walk for the first time.Â
Willâs hesitant, his eyes downcast as he shuffles side-to-side. Waiting for him to continue, Joyce stays quiet. Steve canât help but feel envious of Will and Jonathan at having a mom patient enough to hear her son outright, even when she doesnât agree with him. She saved him from an alternate dimension, but sometimes the little things are just as important.
âWhen Jonathan dropped me off at Steveâs for DnD last week, it was fine⌠at first.â
âYou both told me that was at Mikeâs,â Joyce interrupts, turning a motherly glare at Jonathan who sheepishly avoids eye contact. She rounds on Steve again, closing the distance between them in three long strides to get in his face. âThis is exactly what Iâm talking about, Steve. What if something had happened and I didnât know where to find him because of you?â
âMom,â Jonathan interrupts, irritated. âThatâs not fair. We are the ones who said it was at Mikeâsâ Will and I. I knew you wouldnât let him go if you knew it was at Harringtonâs place, so I told Will to lie.â
âYouâre damn right I wouldnât have let him go,â Joyce argues, turning back to Jonathan. âHeâs not safe there! I know Steve Harrington and I know his parents. What if they had been home?â
âThey havenât been home in weeks,â Steve mumbles. He doesnât mean to say it out loud, catching himself off guard. Years of practicing the lie, and he slips in front of the last three people on earth heâd want to know about his home life. Heâd never complain, not to them.Â
She shoots him a confused glance, an emotion behind her eyes Steve refuses to consider. But it seems sheâs the only one whose noticed he said anything at all as Jonathan speaks up again. Shaking her head, she shifts her attention back to her son. In the midst of the chaos, Steve breathes a small sigh of relief.
âMom, it was fineâ everything was fine. Justââ Jonathan stops. He gestures to Will to keep going.
Will puffs his chest up, holding his momâs gaze as he barrels on. âI liked having it at Steveâs. It smells nice, like candles, not like farts and laundry detergent like Mikeâs basement. He had all the snacks we like, and heâs got a huge table that can fit all our stuff.â
The kidâs smiling now, and goddamn if it doesnât melt his heart. Steveâll be disappointed if Joyce says no, but at least he knows for a fact Will felt comfortable around Steve and liked being at his house.
âBut after Jonathan picked me up, Lucas said they stayed up and watched movies all night. That Steve even made an ice cream sundae bar and there were a million toppings.â Willâs arguing is starting to sound like a petulant child, a slight whine to his tone, and Steve can tell Joyce is losing her patience.
âWill, thatâs something you and Jonathan can do. Weâd love to do sleepover nights with your friends.â
âNo, Mom,â Jonathan states, strong in a way Steveâs never seen from him before. His only tell is the waver behind his voice. Steveâs willing to bet Jonathan would rather face down another demogorgon than take on his own mother. Yet here he is, sticking his neck on the line for Will.
âWhat do you mean, no?â Itâs barely a question.
âI donât want to babysit Will anymore.â He quickly closes his eyes and shakes his head, like an etch-a-sketch. âNo, waitâ Iâm not babysitting Will anymore.â
The room falls deadly silent. Joyceâs lips flatten into a thin, white line, matching the color of her knuckles. She looks ready to explode, like how his father used to look before the first blow.Â
Steve flinches when she takes a step towards Jonathan, and she clocks his reaction just like before, but ignores him to glare at her oldest son.
âI want to spend more time with Nancy.â Jonathanâs eyes are wide, like he forgot Steve was there, and he can see an embarrassed flush painting his ears. Steve just shrugs. It is what it is, heâll get over it like he always does. Jonathan relaxes a bit. âI want to get a job so I can take her on dates that are more than just driving out to the quarry.âÂ
âJonathan,â Joyce jumps in, âyou canât get a job. Youâre grades are slipping as it is and you donât have timeââ
âExactly! I donât have time for a job right now. But if Steve starts watching Will after school and some weekends, I can get a job and keep my grades up and spend time with Nancy.â
Sheâs shaking her head, but Jonathan plows on before she can jump back into the fray.
âBilly Hargrove is a goddamn monster, Mom. He almost killed Steve! And we all know the kids wouldâve found a way to get to the tunnels no matter what. Steve was beat to hell and still went with them.â Jonathan points at Steveâs face in emphasis, like a fucked up version of a pretty model showboating a new car. Except the model is the guy who stole his girlfriend, and the car is a has-been with a fucked up brain and no future.
âAnd last year,â Jonathan continues, âNancy and I would be dead if he didnât come back for us. After everything that happened between us, he had no reason to turn around. Hell, Iâm not sure I wouldâve.â
He doesnât know Jonathan Byers well, but Steve knows for a fact Jonathan wouldâve faced death to save himâ to save anyone. Itâs not even a question.
Joyce still doesnât seem convinced. âEverything that happened last year is exactly what Iâm worried about, Jonathan.â
âItâs my fault, not his!â Jonathan shouts. âItâs my fault he got sucked into this mess, itâs my fault Nancy left him, and itâs my fault he broke the camera!â Color drains from his face. Steve freezes, staring at him.Â
Steve still hasnât told anyone why he broke the cameraâ none of them have talked about it, and he never planned to bring it up. Ultimately heâs thankful that the pictures exist, since it provided the only clue to Barbâs death and the Upside-Down.Â
But he doesnât understand why Jonathan took the pictures. And it doesnât change the fact Steve closes his blinds every night.
âWhat do you mean, your fault?â Joyce asks, out of sorts.Â
He stammers a bit, looking to Steve for help. Steve doesnât want to have this conversation at all, let alone in front of Jonathanâs entire family. He glares back at Jonathan, tersely shaking his head once.
Lie.
He gets the gist, relief stark on Jonathanâs face.Â
âSteve caught Nancy and I sneaking around when we were looking for Barb and Will,â Jonathan quickly recovers. âWe didnât want him poking around, so we let him think we were flirting. But some pictures I had taken of Nancy fell out of my bag, and Steve saw them. Thatâs why he broke my camera.
âWe ran into him and his friends later while they were spraying up The Hawk. I didnât know it was all Tommy Hagenâs idea, so I got in Steveâs face and I hit him first. He called me queer, and thatâs shitty. But he apologized, saved our lives, and bought me a new camera. Soââ
Jonathan turns to him and holds out his hand. It reminds Steve of his father, but also of Hopper, which he decides is a more apt comparison.
He reaches out and Jonathan grasps his hand firmly, shaking it up and down just once, yet continues to hold on. Forging a new pact for the future.
âSteve, Iâm sorry about everything.â He seems genuineâ eyes wet, shoulders set, and back straight. Steve tries to match his posture. He might not be as good with words as Jonathan, but he can at least show this moment is just as important to him. âBut you helped protect the kids so we could save Will. And you saved Nancy and me. Soâ I trust you.â
Steve canât handle this. Itâs too early in the morning for heavy emotions and deep confessions, but Jonathanâs searching for forgiveness in the face of a former bully. Steve steps up to the plate and meets him halfway.
âI shouldnât have broken your camera, I know how expensive they are and how much it meant to you. I was angry and I wasnât thinking. And I, I ummââÂ
Steve realizes heâs never really had to apologize to someone before. Sure heâs apologized to Nancy, but it seemed like a normal thing for guys to always apologize to their girlfriends. Heâs apologized to Dustin, but thatâs more like placating a rowdy toddler.Â
This feels different, somehow bigger. Maybe itâs because Jonathanâs his own age, or someone his parents have programmed him to think is lesser than himself. Maybe itâs the deep regret thatâs made itself a home in Steveâs stomach, rotting away at the memory of a vicious word spat haphazardly at a stranger.
âIâm sorry I called you queer. Thatâs fucâ I mean messedâ up, and Iâm sorry.â Steve sighs, running a nervous hand through his hair, less painful with the stitches removed. He almost misses the stinging sensation. âItâs something my dad says all the time and it was the first thing I thought of, and I hate that. Iâm not my dad, I never want to be like him.â
Jonathan nods and pulls Steve forward into a hug, and when they separate Steve feels lighter. A heavy weight he hadnât known about, removed from his shoulders with Jonathanâs help. If he didnât know any better, heâd think Jonathan felt the same way by the smile on his face.
âYeah!â Will shouts, unprompted and overly excited for the tone of this entire conversation. Thereâs a wide grin on his face when he holds up his hand to high-five Steve and cheers âwelcome to the Bad Dads Club!â
Steve scoffs, shocked but completely delighted and confused at Willâs eager declaration. Joyce smacks her hand to her forehead and mutters something like jesus christ under her breath, while Jonathan barks out a laugh.Â
He grabs his little brother by the shoulder and shakes him like a rag doll until Will breaks out into giggles. âWill,â Jonathan says, failing to keep a straight face, âremember when I explained the difference between family jokes and not-family jokes?â
Willâs smile fades slightly, red embarrassment splashing his cheeks as he quickly glances between Jonathan and Steve, realizing his social blunder. Jonathan squeezes his shoulder and gives him a sad, reassuring smile. But Steve wonât be the reason for the small frown tugging on Willâs lower lip.
Steve holds out his hand, palm up. He smiles at the kid, eyes alight with mischief. âBad Dadâs Club,â Steve says, like itâs more than just a fucked up childhood and is instead forging a pact, binding them through one shitty commonality.Â
Will returns his smile and high fives him, who then turns to his brother. Jonathan laughs again when he pulls Will in for a hug instead, shrugging at Steve.
Joyceâs gaze travels between the three boys standing in front of her, and Steve can see the moment she cracks.
Her stance has softened. Her lips are still pursed, her eyebrows only slightly furrowed, but her arms hang relaxed at her sides and sheâs looking at Steve less like she wants to throw him out and more like she doesnât know what to do with him.
âYou get one week,â Joyce says sternly, pointing a finger in Steveâs face. He goes cross-eyed looking at it, but he can still see Will and Jonathan high-five. âOne week of picking him up after school. I get done at Melvaldâs at six, so you can bring him home at six-thirty.â
Before Steve can wholeheartedly agree, she rounds on Will and Jonathan next, who stand at attention, trying to stay serious through their own excitement.Â
âYou,â she points at Jonathan, âbetter keep your grades up if youâre getting a job.â
âAnd you,â she gestures to Will, âbetter have all of your homework done when you get home. If you canât get it done at Steveâs house, then you donât get to go.â
She backs away from them, taking a deep breath in and exhaling loudly. âIs all of that clear?â
Waves of yesâs pour from their mouths. Will wraps his arms around his momâs waist and Jonathan lightly punches Steveâs shoulder.Â
âThank you, Ms. Byers,â Steve says as he turns to leave, âIâll make sure you donât regret this. Any of you.â
She sighs, a small sad smile on her face. âI really hope thatâs true, Steve.â
On the drive home, he realizes she never mentioned the slip-up about his parentsâ absence. Heâs grateful for it. Talking with adults has never been his strong suit, and his conversations with each of the kidsâ parents are starting to weigh on him.Â
The Byersâ might not have as much money or means as the Harringtonâs, but that doesnât stop Joyce Byers from being a damn great mom. So heâs not surprised she took note of his own small mishaps. Maybe sheâll bring it up one day, maybe she wonât. All Steve cares about is that he finally has the opportunity to earn the trust of the fiercest parent he knows.
~~~
#content warnings ->#they all have shitty dads#references to will and jonathan being bullied#re-hashing steve and jonathan's fight when steve called him queer#joyce calling steve a bully#joyce is FIERCE and if I was a mom who dragged my kid back from hell I'd be worried too#but steve's a sweetie she just hasn't realized it yet#i went SO HARD on jonathan and steve#the catharsis of them apologizing#joyce byers#steve harrington#jonathan byers#will byers#good babysitter steve harrington#protective mamma bear joyce byers#emotional hurt/comfort#steve harrington whump (but it's so small guys(gn) you're gonna love it)#the babysitter chronicles#queeniewritesstories
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The Crown - Steve Harrington
word count: 4462 warnings: dedicated to @high-functioning-fangirl02 <3
Youâd give your life to protect these kids. Â
These kids youâve known since you started babysitting them in the sixth grade. Â Back when Mrs Henderson hired you to watch Dustin. Â Which essentially meant that youâd watch all of them. Â But that was alright, over the past seven years of being their designated babysitter, youâd grown to love them all.
Mike Wheeler, the snarky little love-struck shit that you spent grieving with since losing Eleven. Â Lucas Sinclair, the sweet boy with the occasional attitude whom you helped construct his Ghostbusters costume. Will Byers, the full time sweetheart that made you cookies for Valentineâs Day after hearing you complain about being dateless. Â And of course Dustin, cute little button nosed Dusty with a trash mouthing tendency, whom looked up to you like a role model.
Hell, you were their role model. Â Driving them to and from school, covering for them on late nights so they could finish their D&D tournaments. Â Fiercely protecting them a year ago when Hawkins was Demogorgon infested. Â Standing up for them when youâd see some upperclassmen picking on them.
Those who dared glance the wrong way towards The Party in your presence, were rumored to run home crying with a bleeding nose and terrified shriek.  You never put down the rumors⌠because maybe it had happened once or twiceâŚ
Over time The Party was no longer just a band of middle schoolers. Â It had opened up to their babysitter, being you, a senior girl who had not many other friends. Â Nancy Wheeler, Jonathan Byers, which the boys always claimed was strictly because of family relations. Â Not because Dustin was still harbouring a crush for Mikeâs older sister. Â The town Sheriff, Jim Hopper, whoâd proved himself not to be an asshole, and turned out an alright guy. Â Joyce Byers, whom you loved like a mother and whom treated you like her own daughter. Â Youâd frequently been titled âthe daughter she wished to have hadâ which always raised a snarky response from her sons. Â Maxine (just Max. Â Never Maxine) Hargrove, a high spirited and not your typical girl that you grew fond of easily. Â Especially since she was nothing like her big brother.
And then there was Steve Harrington.  Who⌠really just was at the wrong place at the wrong time and ended up getting roped into the mess that Hawkins Lab had created.  King Steve, as youâd known him before youâd officially met last year by fluke accident, was always the popular boy that had a pretty girl hanging off his arm.  You werenât sure why that changed so quickly, why he didnât put himself out there as much as he used to, didnât party hard anymore, wasnât bragging about the new girl he was with that week like he was known for.  Maybe that day, when he walked into the Wheelerâs house right as you Nancy and Jonathan were awaiting the Demogorgonâs arrival, maybe he changed then.
Or maybe it was after heâd been sucked into⌠whatever this all was⌠and he changed to keep the secret.  Or maybe it was after Nancy had broken up with him, around the same time he started growing closer to Dustin.
But right now as you watched him directing the kids, you were more aware that he wasnât King Steve anymore, that you had been before. Â Sure, youâd realized somewhere along the way he was different. Â But it wasnât until now that you noticed it completely as it was.
âNo listen you little shits, no one, is going anywhereâ Steve ordered, holding a wash rag in his hand and pointing it between each of the boys, and girl, that stood in front of him.
âFrigginâ pointless just staying hereâ Dustin grumbled, walking out of the room whilst still muttering. Â Mike groaned loudly, dramatically, and left to the living room with Max and Lucas. Â You knew that he was still plotting you get out there tonight. Â Consequences and dangers be damned.
You looked to Steve with a sigh, a lazy smile on your lips as you walked past him to go after Dustin. Â He watched you go, letting out a breath as well as he put his hands on his hips and standing alone in the hall with his thoughts.
Heâd give his life to protect these kids.
âDusty?â You called gently as you walked into the kitchen, seeing Dustin sitting on the floor against the dishwasher. Â Your brows furrowed as you sat across from him by the cabinets. Â âYou alright kiddo?â
âWould I be sitting in here brooding if I was?â He quipped, though you knew he meant well.
âSweetheart youâre too adorable to be a brooderâ You laughed softly, pulling your knees up slightly. Â âA pouter maybe, but not a brooderâ
âThanks y/nâ He responded dryly. Â You rolled your eyes in response to his sarcasm.
âCome on kid, open up a little. Â Itâs meâ Your words were soft, which did prompt Dustin to consider explaining to you his thoughts. Â âPlease? If we make it out of this alive Iâll take you to the arcade. Â Iâve got a big jar full of quarters Iâve saved up-â
âOkay okay Iâll take the bribeâ Dustin caved with a laugh that made your mood lighten.  âLook itâs gonna sound lame and cheesy but⌠everyone else is helping.  Jonathan and Nance and Mrs Byers and Hopper and Elle, but what am I doing?â
âYouâre staying safeâ Your answer came out instantly, but it didnât seem to be the one the boy was looking for.
âNo Iâm not, Iâm sitting on the sidelines, watching everyone else go be heroes and getting hurt. Â Iâm not doing a damn thing!â
âHeyâ You hummed softly, and scooted over closer to put your head on his shoulder. Â âYouâre a hero Dustin. Â Donât tell yourself any differently. Â All of you are, Mike too, and Lucas, and Max, and-â
âSteve?â Dustin offered, and you nodded, looking at him confusedly by the strange tone of voice he used.
âOf course, whyâre you looking at me like that?â
âNo reasonâ Dustin shrugged nonchalantly, brushing off the uncomfortable air between you both.
âAlright well, you should believe meâ You continued. Â âEven if you donât think so, youâre all my heroes, got it Henderson?â The boy smiled and nodded, prompting you to push the cap of his hat down playfully before he could get up and leave the room.
âMikeâs probably still planning his attackâ He told you, but you shrugged and waved a hand.
âLet him plot and broodâ You said, and Dustinâs mouth fell open.
âHow come Mike can brood but I canât?â You rolled your eyes, still waving your hand for him to get out of here.
âJust go plot with him, I know youâre itching toâ You said, and he grinned wide at you, glad you were letting him go plan their escape and attack.
âThanks y/n!â He called, already racing out of the room. Â âYouâre the best!â You laughed, shaking your head as you stood back up and dusted off the pants of your overalls. Â Steve came in a few moments later, watching you almost suspiciously.
âWhat?â You questioned, and he shrugged, shaking his head.
âNothing. Â Just wondering why youâre permitting them to conspire against usâ He said.
âTheyâre not conspiring, theyâre just discussing. Â No harm in thatâ
âUm, every harm in that. Â As in all of us, being harmed, because of thatâ He said, but you didnât really seem to care what he thought about it.
âTheyâre fine, weâre all fine, donât freak out so much momâ You said, walking out towards the kids and seeing them all circled up and discussing their big plan.
âIâm not a momâ Steve argued, and you chuckled, turning to see him, his dish rag on his shoulder, hands on hips. Â It only made you laugh more.
âMhm, alright. Â Well then what would you call yourself?â You replied sarcastically, nodding towards his own stance, and making Steve second guess himself.
âThis- you-! Alright whatever just stay away from the windows and go be safe somewhereâ He muttered, walking into the living room where the kids were. Â You rolled your eyes again, but couldnât help the smile on your lips.
Perhaps, you thought, King Steve was the king of something else now.
You watched as he was waving his rag at the kids again, yelling at them for plotting behind his back, and reminding them that no one was going anywhere. Â But even as Dustin pouted, Steve was rubbing his hand over the thirteen year oldâs head. Â Almost soothingly, like he felt bad for ending their little meeting.
âWhat a momâ You mumbled, and headed back into the kitchen for something to eat.
You used to resent Steve, back when he was the king of school and didnât care about anything more than he cared about his popularity and his hair. Â Back when he didnât give a shit about pretty much anything. Â And looking at him now and seeing him watch over these kids, you could physically feel your heart swelling. Â If that isnât character development, you werenât sure what was.
You werenât sure why it made you feel so bubbly either.
âListen runts, weâre staying here, weâre staying safe, and weâre not dying!â Steve said, for what felt like the fifth time. Â But Mike kept arguing back at him.
âEveryone else is out there!â
âEveryone else knows how to fight all that shit!â Steve retorted. Â âWe are staying, hereâ He repeated slowly, waving his rag between each word. Â âYou got that?â
âYouâre just saying that cause y/nâs here. Â If she wasnât here, weâd all be getting in your car and going!â Lucas spoke up. Â Your brows furrowed at that.
âWhatâs that supposed to mean?â You asked, ignoring your search for food and now strutting into the room where everyone else was. Â âAm I dragging you down?â You asked, almost sarcastic, but wondering what heâd actually meant by his announcement. Â Were you dragging them down?
âNo, Steve would just protect your ass over our assesâ Max shrugged, and the others nodded.
âWhat the hell? Everyone here is protecting their own asses, Iâm not getting killed for a bunch of kids!â Steve said, making flustered and jerky movements. Â You brushed off their newly sprung argument over where Steveâs bat is swinging and who itâs swinging for.
Apparently, The Party was certain that heâd die for you, rather die for them. Â But you didnât care much about what they thought. Â Theyâd always thought that you and Steve were meant to be some power couple, but you supposed it was just cause you were the same age and the kids only ever saw you two together. Â There was no real evidence (as far as they showed) towards the âchemistryâ you and Steve supposedly had.
You wandered to the window, curiously looking out it with your arms wrapped around yourself.
âWill you just shut up?â Mikeâs yelling made you jump a little, and you turned to see your friends all still arguing with each other. Â You smiled slightly, meeting Steveâs eyes as he gave you a bored look. Â You just laughed a little bit back at him. Â Steveâs expression softened into a small smile. Â Your face flushed with heat, and you nervously turned away from him to look back out the window again.
A light blinded you almost instantly, making you squint your eyes and put a hand over them to try and clear your vision.
âWhat the hell?â You muttered, leaning closer to the glass to see what was going on. Â Headlights, there was a car here. Â Someone was here. Â âSteve?â You called, not turning away from the window. Â He came over right away, looking outside to see a familiar Camaro parked in the driveway.
âShitâ He grumbled, walking towards the front door.
âWhat- where are you going? Who is it?â You asked, following quickly after him, but Steve quickly turned to make you stay back.
âJust stay in here-â
âSinclair!â A voice hollered from outside, and you jumped, eyes widening as you recognized it. Â âI know youâre in there!â
âBilly?â You whispered to Steve, who nodded. Â You stepped backwards, eyes never leaving Steveâs. Â âWhatâs he doing here?â Your voice was quiet.
Billy Hargrove, was the most vile, horrible person youâd ever met. Â And his wicked ways of bending people to his will, shook you intensely to your core. Â It was no secret to the others that Billy not only terrified you, but would seductively torture you every day. Â Sure, youâd been picked on before, but this was different. Â Every day heâd come to you, hoping to get something out of you, just to mess with you.
âCome on babe, a little kiss, just a little one, we can discuss the rest laterâ
âYou donât want to get a ride home with me and have some fun?â
âWhenâre you finally gonna give this up and just put out?â
You shuddered slightly, practically feeling his hot breath against your skin just thinking about the things heâs said to you. Â Stopping you in the hallways, finding you at your locker, approaching you while you waited at Steveâs car for a ride home.
âI know youâre in there you little pig! Come out here or Iâll have to go in!â His voice was dangerous, threatening. Â And you felt a legitimate fear for your life, and the kidsâ.
âItâs fine, youâre fine, I promiseâ Steve said quietly, out of earshot of the others. Â âAll of you stay here, stay away from the windowsâ He ordered, giving you one last look before you turned and went to The Party. Â They needed you right now, all huddled around Lucas and Max to make sure if Billy were to look inside, he wouldnât see them.
âCome on guysâ You said softly, ushering them as far away from the window as you could. Â Steve, on the other hand, opened the door and stepped outside.
Instead of hiding in a room, completely out of sight of the maniac, you all ducked under the windowsill to see what was happening.
âAm I dreaming or is that really you Harrington?â You felt your entire body quivering upon hearing Billyâs voice. Â Dustin, who was crouched next to you, turned and gave you a worried look, but your eyes were dead set on the outside.
âYeah itâs me, donât cream your pantsâ Steve responded, walking out towards him as he pulled off his leather jacket.
âWhatâre you doing here amigo?â Billy asked, the cigarette hanging off his lips moving as he spoke.
âI could ask you the same thingâ Steve responded, void of emotion. Â âAmigoâ
âLookinâ for my step sister. Â Little birdie told me she was hereâ
âHuh, thatâs weird I donât know herâ Steve lied easily, and convincingly. Â You prayed to God that Billy believed him.
âSmall? Redhead?â Billy replied disbelievingly. Â âBit of a bitch?â
âAsholeâ Max muttered to herself inside.
âDoesnât ring a bell, sorry buddyâ Steve replied, still not sounding like he cared even an inkling. Â Billy nodded, taking out his cigarette.
âYou know⌠I donât how this, this whole situation Harrington is um.., itâs giving me the heebie jeebiesâ Billy said, looking at Steve a little more threateningly.
âOh yeah? Whyâs that?â
âMy thirteen year old sister goes missing all day, and then I find her with youâ Billy pointed accusatory hands towards Steve, giving him a disgusted look. Â âIn a strangers houseâ He continued. Â âAnd you lie to me about itâ Steve chuckled bitterly, shaking his head and looking away for a moment.
âYeah, maybe you were dropped too much as a child or whatâ Steve said snarkily. Â But Billy just grinned his twisted grin and licked his tongue over the front of his teeth. Â âI donât know what you donât understand about what I just saidâ
You felt a chill go down your spine as Steveâs protectiveness took over his tone. Â Dustin beside you mumbling a quiet, âHoly shitâ
âSheâs not hereâ Steve said carefully. Â Billy nodded, looking pointedly towards the window where you and The Party were all huddled and looking out of.
âThen whoâs that?â He asked, pointing his cigarette towards his sister.
âDown!â You hissed, and the five of you dropped to the floor so fast you all groaned from the impact of the floor.
âShit!â Dustin cursed. Â âDid he see us?â
âOh shitâ Steve grumbled. Â âOkay listen-â Billy pushed him to the ground before he could explain anything. Â The boy kicked him, before storming up into the house.
âWell well wellâ Billy smirked, seeing you and The Party standing there together, you in front of all of them. Â ây/n l/n, what a lovely little surpriseâ You grimaced, but he didnât seem to care. Â âAnd Lucas Sinclair, not so much a surprise at allâ You moved over more in front of Lucas, whoâs hands grabbed onto your arm out of fear. Â âI thought I told you to stay away from him Maxâ
âBilly, go awayâ Max retorted, but her voice wavered.
âYou disobeyed meâ Billy leaned over his step sister tauntingly. Â âAnd you know what happens when you disobey meâ He added in a hushed, volatile voice.
âBilly-â
âI break thingsâ He uttered, before pushing you aside, crashing your body into the wall. Â Before slamming Lucas up against the cupboards.
âBilly stop!â Max and the others began to yell, Dustin rushing over to help you up, but you were already standing up on your own.
âGet off of me!â Lucas cried.
âSince Maxine wonât listen to me, maybe you willâ Billy muttered. Â âYou stay away from her. Â Stay-! Away from herâ He yelled awkwardly. Â âDo you hear me?â
âI said get off me!â Lucas screamed again, followed by a knee between Billyâs legs. Â You gasped, feeling a moment of pride as Billy stumbled back and released him.
âYou are so dead Sinclair!â Billy hollered. Â âYouâre dead-â
âNoâ Steve grabbed Billy by the shoulder, spinning him around roughly. Â âYou areâ And with that he swung his fist and planted it hard enough against Billyâs jaw to make him topple over.
âSteve!â You yelped out of surprise. Â He looked at you for a moment, nodding in reassurance as he shook out his hand. Â Itâd been a while since heâd hit anybody. Â Billy stood back up, laughing menacingly. Â âYouâre a fucking psycho!â You screeched before you could stop yourself.
âLooks like you got some fire in you after all huh!?â He yelled at Steve. Â âIâve been waiting to meet this King Steve everybodyâs been telling me so much aboutâ He stepped closer to Steve, glaring at him.
âGet outâ Steve muttered, pushing Billyâs chest lightly to move him away from him. Â Billy stepped back and stood there for a moment. Â And after a few seconds passed you were certain that he was going to stay back.
Until he swung swiftly at Steve, but missed as Steve ducked just in time. Â You gasped, clapping your hands over your mouth in terror. Â Steve stood back up and swung his fist again, hitting Billy and making him stumble again.
âYes! Get him Steve!â Dustin cheered, and the others began to as well. Â You couldnât find yourself to say anything, just wince every time a punch was made. Â Steve hit him two more times, and Billy ran into the kitchen sink. Â Leaning back and wincing in pain.
âKill him! Kill him!â Mike was yelling. Â But Billy grabbed a plate of the counter, smashing it over Steveâs head, and making him fall to the ground.
âSteve!â You screamed now, taking long strides to get over to him, only to be pushed away by Billy. Â Who hit Steve as soon as he stood up again. Â He grabbed Steve by the shoulders, staring him down.
âNo one. Â Tells me what to doâ He muttered angrily, and threw his head forward hard into Steveâs knocking him down again.
âFucking hellâ You mumbled, tears beginning to prick your eyes in fear that Billy was actually going to kill Steve. Â The mullet wearing psycho leapt onto Steve, pinning him down and swinging punch after punch against his face.
âStop it!â Mike yelled at the top of his lungs, but it did nothing to end Billyâs attack.
âSteve!â Dustin hollered.
You stood frozen, every scene in front of you soundless, and moving slowly. Â You could only feel your heart in your chest, sending you into an anxiety attack, you were sure. Â But it barely mattered to you in that moment. Â You turned away, and your eyes landed on something.
The syringe used on Will earlier.
Sleep⌠put him to sleep⌠your thoughts were broken as you reached for it, looking at it in your hands for a few seconds, before stepping forward and slamming the needle into Billyâs neck without a hesitation.  Mike and Dustin gasped, standing back.  Everyoneâs eyes stuck on the syringe hanging out of BIllyâs neck now.  A disgust filling them up at the sight.
âShit y/nâ Dustin mumbled, his hand covering his mouth to stop vomit from flowing.
Billy stood up, wobbling slightly as he turned to look at you. Â He pulled the needle out of his neck, vision beginning to fail. Â âThe hell is this?â He asked, trying to step towards you threateningly, but he was wobbling so much you didnât even move. Â No longer afraid of him.
âYouâre fucking done Hargroveâ You muttered, and before thinking twice to second guess yourself, punching him across the jaw, and sending him back on his ass. Â Billy groaned, staying down where heâd fallen against the couch.
âShit what did you doâ He mumbled, growing dizzy from the mix of drug and pain.
A few moments later he completely passed out.
âFuckâ You hissed in pain, putting your bruising knuckles against your mouth. Â You didnât think punching someone would hurt so damn much.
ây/n holy shitâ
âAre you okay?â
âThat was badass!â
The Party was fussing and cheering for you, but you didnât respond, kneeling down by Steve next and counting up all the cuts and bruises he was beginning to sport. Â He was unconscious, that was for sure. Â But heâd be in for a world of hurt when he woke up.
âCome on, help me get him back to Jonâs bedâ You called to the kids.
It was difficult moving him, but after ten minutes youâd managed to get him into Jonathanâs room to lie on the bed there. Â You were sat next to him, a cold wet rag in your hand, and the open first aid kit on the ground. Â It took you awhile to clean off all the blood and apply bandages where you thought they were necessary. Â There was a frozen bag of peas youâd put over one of his eyes to stop the swelling, but so far it still looked pretty bad.
The Party had sat with you for what felt like a long time before you told them to go back to the living room and wait for the others to return home. Â Dustin put up a small fight about it, but eventually gave in and listened to your order. Â And now it was just you kneeling on the ground by Steve, watching over him carefully. Â Making sure he was breathing okay, and that nothing would begin to bleed again.
âWell King Steve, you got quite the ass kickingâ You mumbled, just to yourself. Â Your fingers placed a few stray hairs on his forehead back into place. Â âBut your crown is still thereâ You smiled to yourself, fingertips gently brushing his hair.
ây/n?â Your eyes looked back at him as he mumbled, almost incoherently. Â âWhat happened?â The poor boyâs eyes werenât even open.
âYou put up a really good fightâ You told him softly. Â He winced, the pain probably beginning to settle in.
âDid I win?â He groaned, eyes clenching shut momentarily. Â You bit down on your lip and shook your head, even though he couldnât see you.
âYou put up a really good fightâ You repeated yourself, playing with his hair again. Â Steve sighed, knowing the answer.
âIs he gone?â He asked, eyes finally beginning to flutter open.
âYeah⌠yeah he wonât be back any time soon, Iâm sureâ You answered.  Steve looked up at you, smiling down gently at him.  He smiled back instantly, and moved his arm to push your hair back, but even at itâs slight movement you winced in pain.  âYouâre in pretty bad shapeâ You told him quietly.  âBut youâll heal up alrightâ
âAre you okay?â He asked, and you nodded.
âYeah, yeah Iâm fineâ You shrugged slightly. Â âWeâre all really worried about you. Â Dustin thought you were deadâ Steve chuckled painfully, shaking his head a little bit.
âAre they alright? Max and Lucas?â
âYeah, weâre all good Steveâ You hummed with a slight nod. Â You leaned forward, a little closer to him to check on the eye swelled under the bag of peas. Â You frowned, seeing the black and blue bruise that only seemed to be spreading.
âIâm alright, donât fuss so muchâ Steve said, putting his hand over the bag and pushing it back against his face. Â Your eyes met his for a moment.
âYouâre pretty bruised up Harringtonâ You sighed, taking the wet rag in your hand and dabbing it gently on his bruised cheek. Â âThereâs not an inch of your face sparedâ
âItâll be fine, Iâll heal upâ
âYears from now, maybeâ You replied sarcastically, and he smiled at you while you carefully pressed the cold cloth to his face.
âYouâre beautiful, you know that?â He murmured, and you looked at him for the briefest of seconds before going back to work. Â Now is not the time to talk about feelings, you thought to yourself.
âYeah? Go play hero some more and youâll never see anything againâ You told him, and he shrugged slightly, not having a response to that.
âI just wanted to remind you. Â In case you havenât been told in a whileâ He said. Â You bit on the inside of your cheek to keep from smiling too much. Â You looked down at him, your eyes softening slightly.
You leaned over closer to him, pausing for a moment before pressing your lips lightly against his. Â It was a chaste kiss, only lasting a few seconds as you didnât want to hurt him anymore than he already was. Â When you pulled back, you smiled nervously at him, and he only smiled back at you.
âYouâre lucky you didnât die Harringtonâ You said, and got right back to work on pressing the rag to his wounds.
âThat I amâ He replied cheekily.
You giggled softly, smiling down at him and wondering just when heâd changed so much.
You knew heâd give his life for these kids too, just like you would.
love me some babysitter steve
xoxo ~ jordie
#stranger things#stranger things x reader#stranger things fanfiction#stranger things imagine#stranger things scenario#steve harrington#steve harrington x reader#steve harrington fanfiction#steve harrington scenario#steve harrington imagine
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happy birthday bb!!đđđđđđđ đđ I hope this is ur gayest year yet!đâ¤đ°đđ And hmm for prompts (im assuming u want candiles?) hmmm maybe can u imagine jenny meeting like giles' parents or some family anf seeing pictures of him when he was younger and just mocking tf outta him??? sbdihdidfnkf OR also imagine them both hooking up in band candy instead of joyce... dgjdbdjd what would young jenny be like hmm...
this turned out angstier than intended but uh. here it is. whoops.
read on ao3!!
Jenny was curling her already-curled hair nervously around one finger, the ringlets soft and bouncy in a way that looked unnaturally glamorous on her. She looked a bit like a movie starlet, with her long black wrap and even longer deep blue evening gown and impeccably done makeup. She didnât look at all like herself, and Rupert didnât like it all that much.
âYou know they arenât expectingââ he began, then decided to try a different tactic. âYou could have just worn that red dress you wore to prom.â
âThis is England,â said Jenny. âTheyâre a bunch of you.â
âI resent that statement,â said Rupert, affectionate and patient; heâd been with his love long enough to know that she was at her most sarcastic when nervous. He stepped forward, winding his arms around her stomach from behind, and felt her relax into his chest. âYou look beautiful,â he said. âTruly, you do.â
And he meant it. He did, even if it was colored by worry. Jenny looked incredible, but what bothered Rupert was that she didnât look comfortable with the way she looked. She had been breathless and smiling at prom, wearing a knee-length red number adorned with dark lace that left room for her to dance, and her hair had been done up in a haphazard bun. This polished, perfect look clearly wasnât something she felt at home inâthough she certainly did seem at home in Rupertâs arms. âYou think so?â she said in a small voice.
âIâm an expert on the subject,â said Rupert, kissing the top of her head in a way that wouldnât muss her hair. âYouâre absolutely stunning.â
âOkay,â said Jenny, staring distantly at herself in the mirror and swallowing, hard. âButâI donât know, I meanâweâve known each other for what, one year?â
âNearly two,â said Rupert patiently.
âAnd I donât want them to start asking about marriageââ
âMarriage,â said Rupert, âis a wonderful gesture, but one that the both of us donât really need to affirm anything.â He brushed a few locks of hair away from Jennyâs neck, pressing his lips there. She sighed. âIf there are any questions you feel uncomfortable with, Iâll handle them.â
âWhat if they donât like me?â
It was clear Jenny hadnât meant to ask that question, because after she did, her face went sort of pink and she bit her lip, looking almost ashamed of herself. Rupert felt a strange, painful mixture of worry and a protective sort of love, and turned her gently around so that she was facing him. He placed a finger under her chin, tilting it up. âWhat my family thinks of you is positively irrelevant to me,â he said, and wished they were far enough into a long-term relationship that he could say everything he wanted to say without the shy hesitation in his chest.
Jenny seemed to get the words unsaid, though, because she gave him a whisper of a smile and rubbed her nose lightly against his. âI love you,â she said softly. âLike, kind of a lot.â
âI love you kind of a lot as well,â said Rupert, and kissed her, a soft brush of a kiss that only lasted a few seconds. Jenny was smiling fully when they pull back; a sweet, comforted smile that made Rupert feel quite warm. âAre you ready?â
âYeah,â said Jenny, looking a little apprehensive at the notion, and reached up to run a hand nervously through her hair. Rupert caught her hand and kissed the knuckles, and her expression relaxed into another smile. âYeah,â she said again.
The museum was full to bursting with various high-profile Watchers, most of whom did an almost comical double-take upon seeing the black sheep of the Council not only have the audacity to show up at an event, but show up with a date. Rupert kept his fingers interlaced with Jennyâs as he scanned the room for his father; Jenny shifted nervously on the balls of her feet and nearly tripped over her long dress.
It was his father who spotted them first, giving Rupert a small, polite smile as he crossed the room to them. Jenny was clutching Rupertâs hand with an intensity that hurt, and he had to make a real effort not to wince. âFather,â he said, and inclined his head. There always seemed to be some strange distance between him and his father, even now; he wasnât sure how to feel about that.
âRupert,â said Mr. Giles, then eyed Jenny, very clearly sizing her up.
Jenny smiled, uncomfortable, and her eyes flickered to Rupert with a strange sort of worryânot for herself, but for him.
Abruptly, painfully, Rupert knew why she was so afraidâher own family, the one she gave so much of her life to, had cast her out and told her sheâd failed them. She didnât talk about it much, but there were certain days of the year that she was quiet and subdued, sitting in the living room with scraps of letters and photographs and a glass of wine half-forgotten on the coffee table.
She didnât want that for him. She didnât want her failings to cost him his family.
âFather,â said Rupert, and tucked his arm around Jennyâs waist, steadying her with a quiet strength. âThis is my girlfriend Jenny Calendar.â
âRupert,â said Mr. Giles again, somewhat dismissively, âI donât entirely know why youâre here. This gala is invitation-only.â
Jenny flinched like sheâd been hit, and Rupert felt a twist of worry in his chest for her sake. He was used to his fatherâs somewhat abrasive manner, knew there was an awkward sort of softness buried very deep underneath, but Jenny was fiercely protective of him and it showed in that moment. âHeâs a damn good Watcher is why heâs here,â she said, and gave Mr. Giles a positively stunning smile, eyes glinting dangerously.
Mr. Giles took another look at Jenny, then looked back at Rupert with a somewhat disapproving frown, then turned to Jenny. âHow old are you, Jenny?â he asked, sounding doubtful that heâd be pleased with the answer. âYou look at least ten years younger than my son.â
Jenny turned pink, stepping away from Rupert immediately and giving Mr. Giles a nervous smile as though not quite sure what to do. Rupert kept on thinking about the way Jenny had reacted upon seeing her uncleâs corpse on the bed (arms crossed against her stomach, lips pressed together in a half-grimace, shaking where she stood) and suddenly realized that it had been an egregious mistake to bring her to meet his father before anyone else. âExcuse me,â he said, and took Jennyâs hand in his, tugging her away from his bemused father and towards the dessert table.
As soon as they were out of earshot, Jenny said in a strangled tone of voice, âIâm justâI donât wantââ
âI donât give a damn about my family, Jenny,â said Rupert.
âYou say that now because you have one,â said Jenny, looking up at him and forcing a smile. âOkay? I miss my mom and my cousins and all those dumb little nieces and nephews who thought I was the shit because I knew stuff about computers and I could fix a car. I even miss being told by everyone that I was a bad influence because then at least I was, I was part of something, you know? And I say I donât miss it, but I do, and I know you would too if you didnât have it to fall back on. You donât realize how much you miss these things until theyâre goneââ
âRupert!â came a delighted voice from behind him, and Rupert turned, startled. Lavinia Fairweather was standing with a glass of champagne, looking positively delighted.
âA moment, please,â said Rupert, worried.
âOh, no, itâs, itâs okay,â said Jenny, whose eyes looked suspiciously watery. She scrubbed at her face with her wrap, smiling nervously. âWeâll just, um, who are you exactly?â
Lavinia frowned, then softened in that horrible-maiden-aunt way that always made Rupert a little nervous. âOh, poor thing,â she said, stepping up to Jenny and straightening her wrap. âRupert, you didnât take her straight to your father, did you? Thatâs no way to treat a lady friend.â
âUm,â said Rupert, who was getting the sense that he was losing a worrying amount of control over the situation. But Jenny was softening at a friendlier Giles relative, and the shy, hopeful look in her eyes was much too much for him to risk pulling her away from what might make her feel a bit better.
âIâm Lavinia,â Lavinia was saying to Jenny. âRupertâs aunt.â
âYouâre kidding,â said Jenny disbelievingly. âYou look younger than me, andââ She paused, flushing, and Rupert caught her sneak a glance at Mr. Giles. âIâm probably way too young to be dating someone like Rupert, right?â she said, sounding only half-joking. Oh, Rupert was going to have words with his father about this one.
âAbsolutely not,â said Lavinia. âRupertâs always been behind the curve when it comes to maturity. Hold on, I have photosââ She dug in her purse, fishing about.
âOh for the love of god I canât believe she carries them with her,â Rupert muttered, and tried to decide whether to run and hide, drag Jenny away, or both.
Unfortunately, his resolve completely shattered when he saw the way Jenny was smiling. âThatâs kinda what I thought,â she said, and stood on tiptoe to kiss Rupert on the cheek. âHeâs always been a little behind the curve in all respects, and I love him for it.â
âGood lord,â said Rupert, and kissed Jenny properly, if briefly. She tilted her head up, eyes half-shut.
âOh my goodness theyâre sickeningly adorable,â came Sophieâs voice, and Rupert winced a bit, pulling back. âThis must be the new lady friend, then?â
âLover,â said Rupert, trying in vain to make himself sound like an adult.
âDo notcall me your lover in front of your aunts,â said Jenny, and whacked him lightly with her wrap.
âPictures!â sang out Lavinia, brandishing a handful that looked likeâoh god they were from his fighter pilot phase. Kill him. Kill him now. Jenny shrieked, nearly knocking Rupert over as she all but raced to get a better look at the photos. âWasnât he a darling?â said Lavinia innocently, giving Rupert a wicked smile over Jennyâs head.
âPlease,â said Rupert. âBe merciful.â
âYou inflict your father on this poor, sweet girl and tell us to be merciful,â scoffed Sophie, peering at Jenny in a way that wasnât at all like Mr. Giles. âGoodness, but she has a lovely face! You two would make be-autiful childrenââ
Jenny laughed, biting her lip, and looked at Lavinia and Sophie with sparkling, almost hungry eyes. âMy aunts back home,â she said, âthey always used to harangue me about having children. I hated it. Still do, as a matter of fact.â
âSensible,â said Lavinia. âI like this one.â
âCan I keep the photos?â said Jenny hopefully.
âOh, of course!â said Sophie brightly. âWe have many copies.â
âHoly fucking shit,â said Jenny, staring at one in her hand. âRupert, are you wearing one of those dorky pilotsâ helmets? How old are you in this picture?â
âTwenty-two,â said Lavinia cheerfully. âHe was taking a trip down memory lane and I wisely decided to capture it.â
Rupert buried his face in his handsâmostly for show, and possibly to hide his smile.
They ended up finding their way back to Mr. Giles at the end of the gala. Jenny, though buoyed by time with Gilesâs aunts, still looked nervous, but Giles had worked everything out.
âFather, to be quite frank,â he began, âI introduced you to Jenny because I wanted to make it clear that she is and will continue to be an important fixture in my life. We didnât intend for the situation to become openly hostileââ
âIâm thirty-six,â said Jenny, cutting Rupert off. âAnd I have commitment issues, and one time I shot your son with a crossbow by accident. Also, I think the Watchersâ Council should start evolving with the times and stop being a bunch of creepy old librarians sitting around and making decisions about young girls.â
Mr. Giles looked vaguely bemused. Then he said, âGood lord, you two are a matched set.â
Jenny bumped Rupertâs shoulder. âThat wasnât a compliment,â said Rupert to her. Then, frowning, âWas that a compliment?â
âMake of it what you will, Rupert, I wash my hands of you,â said Mr. Giles exhaustedly. âFired from the Council, showing up at galas with a woman nearly a decade younger than youââ
âI know, right?â said Jenny brightly. âHeâs definitely doing better than you are, anyway, with that horrible suit youâre wearing.â Belatedly, she realized what sheâd just said, and clapped her hands over her mouth, looking wide-eyed up at Rupert.
âWe should go,â said Rupert immediately, and tucked his arm into Jennyâs to steer her out of the hall. He didnât dare look at his father.
âOh my god I just insulted your dad,â Jenny started saying as soon as they made it onto the front steps. âOh my god that was not how I intended that to go oh my god I am so sorry I didnât mean to insult your dad I just so cannot control the sarcasmââ
âHis suit really was horrible,â said Rupert, and smiled a bit at Jenny. âAnd I donât particularly appreciate when people are condescending to a woman whoâs been nothing but kind to me.â
âLove really does make a man blind, sweetie, I spent the entirety of last year telling you off for dressing like a ninety-year-old,â said Jenny, and tugged on his lapel, pulling him into a kiss.
#asks#fic#SO THESE FICS MIGHT B LONGER THAN Y'ALL ANTICIPATED....WHOOPS#calendiles#rupert giles#jenny calendar#oneofthelesbianfreaks
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I can't believe I posted this right before boop-pocalypse....
Anyways here's to round 2
The Babysitter Chronicles - Byers
Steve POV 5+1 (immediately follows s2) || wc: 3.9k || cws: check tags || full fic ao3
Henderson || Mayfield pt 1 / Mayfield pt 2 || Sinclair || Wheeler || Byers || +1 Hopper
~~~
Steveâs filled with dread, standing in front of the Byersâ front door at 6:30am on a Saturday morning. Out of all the kidsâ parents, heâs pushed Joyce off as long as he could manage. But heâd promised Mike heâd try, and according to Jonathan, this is the best time to catch her.
That doesnât change the fact itâs not even light out, and a boy she probably hates is about to knock on her door. Hell of a way to start the day.
He knocks anyway.
Joyce opens the door in a soft grey t-shirt and baggy black sweats. Her hair is brushed through, mascara coats her long lashes, and the smell of fresh coffee wafts through the open door. At least he can find small consolation in the fact sheâs been up for a while.
âHi Joyce, I mean Ms. Byers,â he stumbles, off to a great start. âSorry to catch you so early butââÂ
âNo,â Joyce interrupts, voice firm.Â
Steve stands there, mouth hanging open around an unfinished sentence. He watches as her eyes harden. She squares her shoulders and stands straight-backed and tall, only reaching about Steveâs shoulder. Joyce Byers in all her fury still makes him feel small, like maybe this was a bad idea.
âIâm sorry, Steve,â Joyce says. âBut I know why youâre here. And the answer is no.â
âOh,â he responds lamely, deflating even further.Â
Her voice is soft, but sheâs unyielding. âThe kids like you, and I know their parents are ok with you watching them. Which is fine, for their kids.â
She pauses, and Steve knows whatâs coming. Mentally prepared himself for the worst-case scenario. All of Dustinâs logical arguments and Lucasâ hype talks couldnât prepare him for how thoroughly Joyce flays him open.
âBut, Steve, I would never trust you with my kids.â
Even though he's desperate to run, he plants himself like a tree on her front stoop. He's trying not to be that guy. The kids deserve the best version of him, and on some level, he knows cutting out the bad parts of himself includes letting Joyce Byers drag him through the mud.
He tries to hold her gaze, really he does. Her dark eyes are filled with conviction, but he can see the gentleness to them as well. Almost sad, like heâs making her do this to him.Â
Joyce grips the door, knuckles white with tension. She takes a step out onto the front stoop, forcing Steve to take a measured step back. The door stays cracked and the smell of burning toast reaches his nose. Nausea rises in his throat.
âThey shouldnât have even been in those tunnels in the first place,â she says, voice growing louder as she gains momentum. âWe asked you to watch them, we trusted you with them, and they still almost got killed! And I know, I know, you helped Jonathan and Nancy last yearâ saved them from that, that thing crawling out of our walls.â
Her eyes flicker over her shoulder, like the demogorgonâs still haunting her house. He follows her gaze, like Billy could still be standing in her living room with a blood-stained, toothy smile.
She sighs, exasperated. At her wits end for being pushed into a conversation sheâs probably been dreading for weeks, since it seems she knew what he wanted. âBut youâd be with my baby, my Will, everyday. Heâs had bullies since kindergarten, and itâs only gotten worse since everything.
âHe doesnât deserve more bullies. And from what Iâve heard, youâre no different. Just like your father.â
Steve flinchesâ canât help himselfâ the sentence ringing through his head.
Just like your father.
âNo, no Iâm not, I swear,â he chokes on the words as she steam rolls his pathetic lamentations.
âYouâve pushed my boysâ and kids just like themâ around your whole life, making them feel small for having less money, less friends, less stuff. Every time Jonathan came home with a new bruise or bloodied knees, how do I know that wasnât you?â
Steveâs watering eyes are fixated on the small, furious woman before him, flushed with a rage familiar to any decent mother protecting her kids. Heâs trying so hard to hear her, but his head is filled with static and his mouth feels stuffed with cotton. Steve wipes his hands down the front of his pants, then shoves them in his pockets.
âYou called my boy queer! Something Iâm sure you heard from your father. I saved for months to get him that camera for his birthday and you just smashed it, like it was nothing. Like weâre nothing.â
Neither of them notice the pair of shadows moving beyond the door frame in the living room.Â
âI cannot allow someone like you around my boys,â she hammers home. This is what Nance meant by a thesis statement he thinks deliriously. âSue and Karen might be alright with it, but my answer is no.â
Steve sniffles and nods stiffly as turns to leave, hoping to at least make it to his car before the tears start. He knows he deserves what sheâs said, knows the truth of it in his gut, but heâs stood here long enough. Now itâs time to run and hide, like his mindâs been screaming to since she set her sights on him.
âMom,â Jonathan says, out of breath like he ran here from his bedroom. Heâs appeared over Ms. Byersâ shoulder like a ghost, or a ninjaâ silent and on the attack. âWhatâs going on?â
Heâs a sleep-rumpled version of his mom, wearing a plain, soft t-shirt, and grey sweatpants scattered with light bleach stains. Steve notices he still has pillow creases on his left cheek. His gaze follows the red indent down to Jonathanâs jawline where a small, purpling bruise is haloed by faded red lipstick.
All of the air in Steveâs lungs is punched out of him, hard and fast. A feeling he should be used to from Jonathan Byers.Â
Steve thinks he sees a flash of pastels in his periphery, dashing through the trees to the road. Or maybe itâs his imagination. It doesnât matter, because he canât look away from the uncomfortably familiar mark on Jonathanâs neck.
Jonathan must notice. His hand flies up to his neck, wiping the mark and finding a smear of red on his fingers. The spell holding Steve breaks, and he can breathe again.Â
Their eyes meet, and Jonathanâs cheeks now match the stain on his fingers. Itâs awkward and Steve doesnât know how to fix it or how to make this easier. Because Steve never knows how to fix things, only how to break them. Something Joyce seems well aware of.
Distracted, Steveâs just now noticing the small shadow creeping up behind Jonathan. He sees the young boy poke his head out from behind his brotherâs back as he takes a small step towards the commotion.
âSteve was just leaving, sweetie,â Joyce answers, voice soft and sweet as she turns away from him to go back inside.
âWait, no thatâs not what I meant,â Jonathan continues. He shakes his head and roughly pushes his unruly bangs from his eyes. âSteve, why are you here?â
Jonathanâs looking at him like he knows the answer. And he should really, considering the only reason Mike agreed to have Steve as his babysitter was because Jonathan promised heâd talk to Will about it, and then theyâd talk to Joyce.Â
A long train of telephone Steve was relying on to get a head start at Joyceâs good will. Which, apparently, never happened.
Steve plays along into Jonathanâs prompting. Sheâs already said no, so whatâs one more try with a little back-up.
âI was asking if I could babysit Will, since I watch the rest of the gang too. Canât leave any party members behind,â Steve says, parroting Dustin.
âAnd I was just telling himââ Joyce starts, before sheâs interrupted.
âI think Steve would be a great babysitter,â Will says. His hairâs a mess, and heâs straightening out his matching Star Wars pajama set as he steps further into view.
Joyce rushes over to him, squatting down to meet his eyes. âWill, honey, you donât need a new babysitter. You can still spend time with your friends at their houses, when their parents are home.â Jonathan takes the distraction to wave Steve into the house, silently closing the door behind them.
âBut the other parents donât know aboutâ you know,â Will hesitates, before mustering up the courage to say âabout what actually happened to me.â
âBaby,â she says, gently running her hands up and down his small arms. âYou know we canât tell them. We went over this.â
âItâs not about them knowing the truth,â Will says. Steve watches as the boy tries to make himself bigger, taller, even with the slight shake in his voice. âThey just look at me like Iâm broken. Theyâre sad when Iâm around and they just think I was kidnapped or lost orâ whatever the story is. That I was sick or something.â
Steve canât help but imagine Will Byers, always the shy, quiet kid in the Party, having to constantly withstand the severely misguided pitying glances from adults who arenât read-in on vast government conspiracies and alternate dimensions. Steveâs almost nineteen and can barely manage alone.
Her brows are knitted tight and her lips downturned the more Will confesses. âWell, Jonathan canââ
âI donât want Jonathan to watch me anymore.â
Joyceâs eyes widen, confusion painted across her face as her mouth drops open. Steve turns to glance at Jonathan to find that, unlike his mother, heâs not surprised at all. In fact, thereâs a light shining in his eyes and a small uptick to the corner of his mouth.
The tension is thick but familial, leaving Steve unwelcome and gawking at a private conversation. Which he supposes he is: both unwelcome and gawking.
âGo on, Will, itâs ok,â Jonathan encourages. He shines with a proud smile, like heâs watching his little brother walk for the first time.Â
Willâs hesitant, his eyes downcast as he shuffles side-to-side. Waiting for him to continue, Joyce stays quiet. Steve canât help but feel envious of Will and Jonathan at having a mom patient enough to hear her son outright, even when she doesnât agree with him. She saved him from an alternate dimension, but sometimes the little things are just as important.
âWhen Jonathan dropped me off at Steveâs for DnD last week, it was fine⌠at first.â
âYou both told me that was at Mikeâs,â Joyce interrupts, turning a motherly glare at Jonathan who sheepishly avoids eye contact. She rounds on Steve again, closing the distance between them in three long strides to get in his face. âThis is exactly what Iâm talking about, Steve. What if something had happened and I didnât know where to find him because of you?â
âMom,â Jonathan interrupts, irritated. âThatâs not fair. We are the ones who said it was at Mikeâsâ Will and I. I knew you wouldnât let him go if you knew it was at Harringtonâs place, so I told Will to lie.â
âYouâre damn right I wouldnât have let him go,â Joyce argues, turning back to Jonathan. âHeâs not safe there! I know Steve Harrington and I know his parents. What if they had been home?â
âThey havenât been home in weeks,â Steve mumbles. He doesnât mean to say it out loud, catching himself off guard. Years of practicing the lie, and he slips in front of the last three people on earth heâd want to know about his home life. Heâd never complain, not to them.Â
She shoots him a confused glance, an emotion behind her eyes Steve refuses to consider. But it seems sheâs the only one whose noticed he said anything at all as Jonathan speaks up again. Shaking her head, she shifts her attention back to her son. In the midst of the chaos, Steve breathes a small sigh of relief.
âMom, it was fineâ everything was fine. Justââ Jonathan stops. He gestures to Will to keep going.
Will puffs his chest up, holding his momâs gaze as he barrels on. âI liked having it at Steveâs. It smells nice, like candles, not like farts and laundry detergent like Mikeâs basement. He had all the snacks we like, and heâs got a huge table that can fit all our stuff.â
The kidâs smiling now, and goddamn if it doesnât melt his heart. Steveâll be disappointed if Joyce says no, but at least he knows for a fact Will felt comfortable around Steve and liked being at his house.
âBut after Jonathan picked me up, Lucas said they stayed up and watched movies all night. That Steve even made an ice cream sundae bar and there were a million toppings.â Willâs arguing is starting to sound like a petulant child, a slight whine to his tone, and Steve can tell Joyce is losing her patience.
âWill, thatâs something you and Jonathan can do. Weâd love to do sleepover nights with your friends.â
âNo, Mom,â Jonathan states, strong in a way Steveâs never seen from him before. His only tell is the waver behind his voice. Steveâs willing to bet Jonathan would rather face down another demogorgon than take on his own mother. Yet here he is, sticking his neck on the line for Will.
âWhat do you mean, no?â Itâs barely a question.
âI donât want to babysit Will anymore.â He quickly closes his eyes and shakes his head, like an etch-a-sketch. âNo, waitâ Iâm not babysitting Will anymore.â
The room falls deadly silent. Joyceâs lips flatten into a thin, white line, matching the color of her knuckles. She looks ready to explode, like how his father used to look before the first blow.Â
Steve flinches when she takes a step towards Jonathan, and she clocks his reaction just like before, but ignores him to glare at her oldest son.
âI want to spend more time with Nancy.â Jonathanâs eyes are wide, like he forgot Steve was there, and he can see an embarrassed flush painting his ears. Steve just shrugs. It is what it is, heâll get over it like he always does. Jonathan relaxes a bit. âI want to get a job so I can take her on dates that are more than just driving out to the quarry.âÂ
âJonathan,â Joyce jumps in, âyou canât get a job. Youâre grades are slipping as it is and you donât have timeââ
âExactly! I donât have time for a job right now. But if Steve starts watching Will after school and some weekends, I can get a job and keep my grades up and spend time with Nancy.â
Sheâs shaking her head, but Jonathan plows on before she can jump back into the fray.
âBilly Hargrove is a goddamn monster, Mom. He almost killed Steve! And we all know the kids wouldâve found a way to get to the tunnels no matter what. Steve was beat to hell and still went with them.â Jonathan points at Steveâs face in emphasis, like a fucked up version of a pretty model showboating a new car. Except the model is the guy who stole his girlfriend, and the car is a has-been with a fucked up brain and no future.
âAnd last year,â Jonathan continues, âNancy and I would be dead if he didnât come back for us. After everything that happened between us, he had no reason to turn around. Hell, Iâm not sure I wouldâve.â
He doesnât know Jonathan Byers well, but Steve knows for a fact Jonathan wouldâve faced death to save himâ to save anyone. Itâs not even a question.
Joyce still doesnât seem convinced. âEverything that happened last year is exactly what Iâm worried about, Jonathan.â
âItâs my fault, not his!â Jonathan shouts. âItâs my fault he got sucked into this mess, itâs my fault Nancy left him, and itâs my fault he broke the camera!â Color drains from his face. Steve freezes, staring at him.Â
Steve still hasnât told anyone why he broke the cameraâ none of them have talked about it, and he never planned to bring it up. Ultimately heâs thankful that the pictures exist, since it provided the only clue to Barbâs death and the Upside-Down.Â
But he doesnât understand why Jonathan took the pictures. And it doesnât change the fact Steve closes his blinds every night.
âWhat do you mean, your fault?â Joyce asks, out of sorts.Â
He stammers a bit, looking to Steve for help. Steve doesnât want to have this conversation at all, let alone in front of Jonathanâs entire family. He glares back at Jonathan, tersely shaking his head once.
Lie.
He gets the gist, relief stark on Jonathanâs face.Â
âSteve caught Nancy and I sneaking around when we were looking for Barb and Will,â Jonathan quickly recovers. âWe didnât want him poking around, so we let him think we were flirting. But some pictures I had taken of Nancy fell out of my bag, and Steve saw them. Thatâs why he broke my camera.
âWe ran into him and his friends later while they were spraying up The Hawk. I didnât know it was all Tommy Hagenâs idea, so I got in Steveâs face and I hit him first. He called me queer, and thatâs shitty. But he apologized, saved our lives, and bought me a new camera. Soââ
Jonathan turns to him and holds out his hand. It reminds Steve of his father, but also of Hopper, which he decides is a more apt comparison.
He reaches out and Jonathan grasps his hand firmly, shaking it up and down just once, yet continues to hold on. Forging a new pact for the future.
âSteve, Iâm sorry about everything.â He seems genuineâ eyes wet, shoulders set, and back straight. Steve tries to match his posture. He might not be as good with words as Jonathan, but he can at least show this moment is just as important to him. âBut you helped protect the kids so we could save Will. And you saved Nancy and me. Soâ I trust you.â
Steve canât handle this. Itâs too early in the morning for heavy emotions and deep confessions, but Jonathanâs searching for forgiveness in the face of a former bully. Steve steps up to the plate and meets him halfway.
âI shouldnât have broken your camera, I know how expensive they are and how much it meant to you. I was angry and I wasnât thinking. And I, I ummââÂ
Steve realizes heâs never really had to apologize to someone before. Sure heâs apologized to Nancy, but it seemed like a normal thing for guys to always apologize to their girlfriends. Heâs apologized to Dustin, but thatâs more like placating a rowdy toddler.Â
This feels different, somehow bigger. Maybe itâs because Jonathanâs his own age, or someone his parents have programmed him to think is lesser than himself. Maybe itâs the deep regret thatâs made itself a home in Steveâs stomach, rotting away at the memory of a vicious word spat haphazardly at a stranger.
âIâm sorry I called you queer. Thatâs fucâ I mean messedâ up, and Iâm sorry.â Steve sighs, running a nervous hand through his hair, less painful with the stitches removed. He almost misses the stinging sensation. âItâs something my dad says all the time and it was the first thing I thought of, and I hate that. Iâm not my dad, I never want to be like him.â
Jonathan nods and pulls Steve forward into a hug, and when they separate Steve feels lighter. A heavy weight he hadnât known about, removed from his shoulders with Jonathanâs help. If he didnât know any better, heâd think Jonathan felt the same way by the smile on his face.
âYeah!â Will shouts, unprompted and overly excited for the tone of this entire conversation. Thereâs a wide grin on his face when he holds up his hand to high-five Steve and cheers âwelcome to the Bad Dads Club!â
Steve scoffs, shocked but completely delighted and confused at Willâs eager declaration. Joyce smacks her hand to her forehead and mutters something like jesus christ under her breath, while Jonathan barks out a laugh.Â
He grabs his little brother by the shoulder and shakes him like a rag doll until Will breaks out into giggles. âWill,â Jonathan says, failing to keep a straight face, âremember when I explained the difference between family jokes and not-family jokes?â
Willâs smile fades slightly, red embarrassment splashing his cheeks as he quickly glances between Jonathan and Steve, realizing his social blunder. Jonathan squeezes his shoulder and gives him a sad, reassuring smile. But Steve wonât be the reason for the small frown tugging on Willâs lower lip.
Steve holds out his hand, palm up. He smiles at the kid, eyes alight with mischief. âBad Dadâs Club,â Steve says, like itâs more than just a fucked up childhood and is instead forging a pact, binding them through one shitty commonality.Â
Will returns his smile and high fives him, who then turns to his brother. Jonathan laughs again when he pulls Will in for a hug instead, shrugging at Steve.
Joyceâs gaze travels between the three boys standing in front of her, and Steve can see the moment she cracks.
Her stance has softened. Her lips are still pursed, her eyebrows only slightly furrowed, but her arms hang relaxed at her sides and sheâs looking at Steve less like she wants to throw him out and more like she doesnât know what to do with him.
âYou get one week,â Joyce says sternly, pointing a finger in Steveâs face. He goes cross-eyed looking at it, but he can still see Will and Jonathan high-five. âOne week of picking him up after school. I get done at Melvaldâs at six, so you can bring him home at six-thirty.â
Before Steve can wholeheartedly agree, she rounds on Will and Jonathan next, who stand at attention, trying to stay serious through their own excitement.Â
âYou,â she points at Jonathan, âbetter keep your grades up if youâre getting a job.â
âAnd you,â she gestures to Will, âbetter have all of your homework done when you get home. If you canât get it done at Steveâs house, then you donât get to go.â
She backs away from them, taking a deep breath in and exhaling loudly. âIs all of that clear?â
Waves of yesâs pour from their mouths. Will wraps his arms around his momâs waist and Jonathan lightly punches Steveâs shoulder.Â
âThank you, Ms. Byers,â Steve says as he turns to leave, âIâll make sure you donât regret this. Any of you.â
She sighs, a small sad smile on her face. âI really hope thatâs true, Steve.â
On the drive home, he realizes she never mentioned the slip-up about his parentsâ absence. Heâs grateful for it. Talking with adults has never been his strong suit, and his conversations with each of the kidsâ parents are starting to weigh on him.Â
The Byersâ might not have as much money or means as the Harringtonâs, but that doesnât stop Joyce Byers from being a damn great mom. So heâs not surprised she took note of his own small mishaps. Maybe sheâll bring it up one day, maybe she wonât. All Steve cares about is that he finally has the opportunity to earn the trust of the fiercest parent he knows.
~~~
+1 Hopper coming VERY soon!!
#content warnings ->#they all have shitty dads#references to will and jonathan being bullied#re-hashing steve and jonathan's fight when steve called him queer#joyce calling steve a bully#but steve's a sweetie she just hasn't realized it yet#joyce is FIERCE and if I was a mom who dragged my kid back from hell I'd be worried too#i went SO HARD on jonathan and steve#the catharsis of them apologizing#joyce byers#steve harrington#jonathan byers#will byers#good babysitter steve harrington#protective mamma bear joyce byers#emotional hurt/comfort#steve harrington whump (but it's so small guys(gn) you're gonna love it)#the babysitter chronicles#queeniewritesstories
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