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dwobbitfromtheshire · 2 months ago

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Fire & Rain

A Stancy fanfiction

18+ MINORS DNI

Tw: loss of a baby (not Nancy), tw: Steve has bad parents.

A/N: It wasn't supposed to be this sad, but then I started thinking about my stepmother and how she lost a baby and my bitch of a birth mother told us that she was glad that the baby died, so I worked out some stuff, I guess. Sorry in advance for the smut. It's not my strong suit.

Nancy knocked on the door of Steve’s house and waited for an answer. She heard the sound of a voice but couldn't make out what they were saying. She knocked again.

"COME IN!" She heard Steve’s voice clearly that time.

Nancy opened the door and walked in. She moved toward the living room, but he wasn't in there.

"Steve?" She called out.

"Nancy?" She heard him ask in confusion. "Uh, I'm in the kitchen!"

She turned around and followed his voice. She was surprised to find him kneeling on the island, cleaning it with a dish towel. Not a single part of him was touching the floor.

"What are you doing?" Nancy asked.

"Cleaning the counter," Steve said with a scoff.

"I don't think that's what you're doing," she replied.

"Oh, you think you're so smart, and you know me that well that you figured me out, huh?" Steve asked, and she looked at him. "Yeah, no, both of those things are true."

"Is there a spider on the floor?" Nancy asked with a teasing smile.

"There might possibly be a spider on the floor," Steve said. "Yes."

"Don't you think by now that it could have climbed its way up the island?" She asked in amusement.

Steve shrieked and leaped to the other counter quite impressively.

"Nancy!" Steve yelled.

"Oh, come on, you've taken on demogorgons, Russian soldiers, and demobats," Nancy said. "But you're afraid of a little spider?"

"Yeah, talk to me after a demobat lays an egg inside of you that the doctors have to remove," Steve said. "Stupid Robin. Did she have to say the thing about the spider laying eggs in my hair?"

"The demobat did what now?" Nancy asked.

"Oh, did I not tell you?" Steve asked.

"No," she said.

"Yeah, I'm fine now," he said, and she crossed her arms.

"You know, the spider might have crawled onto that very counter," Nancy said.

"Nancy! What are you doing to me?!" Steve yelled.

"Fucking with you," Nancy smirked and then she picked something up before holding out her hands to Steve. "Is this the spider you're so afraid of?"

"Get that thing away from me!" Steve hollered.

"Do you want me to kill it?" She asked.

"What?! No! I mean, just because it looks scary doesn't mean that it deserves to die," Steve said. "I mean, maybe he has a wife and kids. . .or a husband, or both, and they adopted a bunch of orphaned baby spiders. . .take him outside, let him find his way home."

Nancy smiled sweetly at him before wandering outside with the spider. When she came back in, Steve was sitting directly on the counter and letting his legs dangle over the sides. She hopped up beside him.

"I found a tree with a spider web on it. I hope that's his house," Nancy said.

"Or that other spider just got a new roommate," Steve said and paused. "You probably think that I'm crazy."

"I think it's sweet," Nancy said and paused. "You know, maybe the spiders are both single now. Maybe they'll start to fall in love, tragedy strikes, and the female will spend several months growing in her grief. Maybe she couldn't rid herself of the guilt over her best friend dying. Maybe she couldn't say how she really felt because she was afraid of how she felt and that he wouldn't understand. Maybe she needed to run away for a little while. Maybe she'll find her way back to him."

"And maybe he always understood that she needed someone else to be there for her. . .maybe he didn't fight for her back then because he didn't to push her into anything that she wasn't ready for," Steve said, and he paused. "Do you really think she wants to run back to him?"

"I know it," Nancy said. "They weren't on the page - or rather, web, then, but they are now. She's ready now."

Nancy touched her fingertips softly to his face, just like she used to do before she kissed him. Steve looked at her and smiled, his hazel eyes lighting up with joy. He knew what this meant. Nancy leaned forward and pressed her lips against his. Steve didn't waste a single second before kissing her back, cupping her cheek with his hand. She missed the way his lips felt against hers, the way he smiled into the kiss, and the way his hand seemed to envelope half of her face. God, she missed him. She broke the kiss, smiling as she stroked his cheek. Steve was beaming at her. Nancy frowned.

"So, explain to me how you got pregnant and didn't tell anyone?" Nancy asked.

"I wasn't pregnant!" Steve laughed. "I mean, not really."

"Steve, were you or were you not carrying a baby inside of you?" Nancy asked.

"I mean, technically. . .sure, according to them, it had half my DNA, which meant that it was half human but. . .it was still half demobat, too," Steve said and threw his hands up in the air. "Nance, you're ruining a wonderful moment!"

He hopped off the counter and started furiously cleaning the counter.

"I think you need to talk about it," Nancy said softly. "I don't want to push you, though."

He continued cleaning the counter with the dish towel before pausing and throwing it down. He sighed, rubbed his forehead with his hand, and put his hands on his hips.

"They called it an obstruction or something," Steve said. "I didn't listen very well when they said it would kill me."

"What?" Nancy asked.

"The egg. They said it was an obstruction or a clot, I think, that formed from problems with the bat bites," Steve sighed. "They didn't tell me it was like an egg until after they removed it. I told them to take it out of me because they said it was going to keep growing until it killed me. . .I didn't even think. . .I just - it was from the Upside Down, and they had to take it out to study it. . .they destroyed her."

"Her?" Nancy asked.

"One of the other doctors revealed, I think out of guilt, that it was a baby," Steve sighed. "I was just thinking about what she could have been, you know. Would she have been a monster, or would she have been like me?"

"Steve, did they know before what she was?" Nancy asked.

Steve paused, looking at her as if deciding on whether or not if he should tell her.

"My parents. . .it was the one time my parents were in town. My mother decided I put on too much weight and decided I needed surgery. I told her I was fine, but she always knew how to get to me. That's when they found the egg. They're both my medical proxies, and they paid one of the doctors to lie to me. So, yeah, the doctors knew. . .my parents knew. . .all because they didn't want the shame and embarrassment of having a son impregnated by a creature from another dimension. Never mind that they just completely took away my choice," Steve said, pinching his nose.

Nancy could tell he was trying so hard not to cry. She couldn't believe that his parents did this to him. Steve slid to the floor, his back pressed to the island. Oh, she wanted to kill his parents.

"Does anyone beside your parents know about this?" Nancy asked.

"No, I didn't even tell Robin. She had already freaked out about possible rabies, and everyone was busy. . .you were busy with your breakup with Jonathan. I didn't want to impose on anyone," Steve said. "I don't know. . .I just felt ashamed, I guess."

"Why?" She asked, kneeling down in front of him.

"I mean, what kind of life would I have given her? A life of being hidden away? Locked up because if she went out, people would have wanted to study her or kill her? I would have been a terrible father," Steve said.

"Are you ashamed that you didn't want to keep her or that you DID want to keep her?" Nancy asked.

"A little bit of both," he choked up. "Am I terrible person?"

"For wanting the baby but at the same time knowing you're not ready for the kind of life you'd have to give her? No, Steve, you're not a terrible person," Nancy said. "Your parents are shitty people for making that choice for you."

"I'm definitely going to change my proxies," Steve sniffled. "You think Claudia would mind?"

"I think I walked in Claudia and Sue that one time arguing about who would adopt you once," Nancy said in amusement. "So, I think so."

"Before, I never really noticed how much of a cage this house is. I mean, there there were times that it definitely felt like it was a cage, but all the good times that I had here, it usually made it less noticeable. All the times with Robin, with the kids, with you. . .it's all I could focus on. But now Robin's house feels more like home, Lucas's and Dustin's. . .All my parents wanted from me was how good I'd make them look, and they left me in this ugly little cage, wanting me to maintain my perfect appearance. . .even if it made me sick," Steve sniffled. "Nothing I ever did was good enough. I was a little relieved that you didn't come around after everything. . .I don't want to bring you down like my dad did my mom. I don't want us to be like them."

"Is that what you're afraid of?" Nancy asked, cupping his cheeks. "I don't want us to be like your parents either. I made my choice a long time ago that I wanted to be with you. I just got lost a long the way."

1983

Nancy let out a sigh of relief as she escaped Barb's rant about cheerleaders. She had a thing about them, and Nancy wasn't sure what it was. She loved Barb, but if she had to listen to her talk about Heather Holloway and Chrissy Cunningham again, she'd blow a gasket. Of the cheerleaders, they were the nicest that Nancy had ever worked with. She remembered when she had briefly joined, and Barb didn't talk to her for like two weeks, which she thought was dramatic. When she realized that it wasn't for her, Barb talked to her again. Every time she asked Barbara about it, her face would turn red. She was sure that Barb would tell her when she was ready.

"I hate being stupid," she heard a voice exclaim.

Nancy was in the library when she heard the voice. She frowned. She followed the source of the voice and found it coming from one of the small rooms in the back of the library. She cracked the door open and peered in to find Steve Harrington, king of Hawkins high, crying over his homework. Well, almost crying.

"Do you want some help?" Nancy asked, slipping inside.

She couldn't help herself. She saw someone in distress like that, and she just had to help.

"Harringtons don't need help," he said, straightening up.

"And who told you that?" Nancy asked.

"Just some asshole," Steve said. "Not to be rude, but who are you?"

"It's not rude to ask who someone who is. . .and I was rude first, anyway. I interrupted your crying session," Nancy said.

"I was not crying," he scoffed.

"Because Harringtons don't cry?" she smirked.

"Exactly, you're getting it," Steve said.

"Nancy Wheeler," she introduced and sat down next to him. "I'm pretty smart for a sophomore. I'd be glad to help."

Steve had looked at her and then at the closed door before sighing.

"I don't want to be ashamed of asking for help," Steve said. "So. . .can you please help me not be an idiot?"

"The fact that you want my help suggests that you're not an idiot," Nancy said.

"You're that confident in your abilities?" Steve smirked.

"Oh, yeah," Nancy said.

"So, I'm not an idiot?" Steve asked.

"Everyone learns differently, I think there's definitely hope for you, Steve Harrington," Nancy said.

"Well, when I was younger, I used to pray to Santa," Steve revealed.

"I actually think that's pretty cute," Nancy smiled.

"In first grade, Tommy told me that the moon was made of cheese, and I believed him. I ended up arguing with our teacher about it," Steve said.

"Okay, that makes Tommy an asshole. You were just very trusting," Nancy said.

"What's it going to take for you to call me an idiot?" Steve asked with a smirk.

"You want me to call you an idiot?" Nancy asked.

"I like hearing it come out of your mouth, especially since I know that you actually have more faith in me than. . .well, some people," Steve said.

"You're an idiot, Steve Harrington," Nancy said.

"And you're beautiful, Nancy Wheeler," he said. ". . .So, I'm definitely not a lost cause then?"

"No, I refuse to believe in the "all jocks are dumb" stereotype," Nancy said.

"You know, you look familiar. . .didn't you used to be a cheerleader?" Steve asked.

"I used to be for like two weeks," Nancy said.

"And in volleyball. . .okay, you're going to actually think that I'm an idiot for this," Steve paused. "Someone told me your name was Chrissy Cunningham when they pointed you out to me, and I believed them. So, when I tried to ask you out by asking for Chrissy Cunningham. . ."

"They sent you to Chrissy," Nancy giggled. "Was I perhaps standing next to Chrissy at the time?"

"You were!" Steve exclaimed, and Nancy doubled over with laughter. "Yeah, she thought it was funny, too. Jason dragged her away before I could ask about you. So, it's nice to put a face to the name."

"I hate Jason," Nancy said, shaking her head.

"Yeah, me too," Steve frowned. "Chrissy totally deserves better. I hate hanging out with them when Tommy wants to talk to him and Tommy Hayes. I don't get it. . .just because we act like animals on the court doesn't mean that we have to act like that all the time."

"You don't want to act like that?" Nancy asked.

"I mean, sometimes I like to goof off, but sometimes I actually want to like, you know, talk," Steve shrugged. "People don't want to actually hear what I have to say."

"I do," Nancy said softly. "Tell me what you're having trouble with."

"I, uh, I have trouble with the words. . .sometimes they swim which is a real bitch because sometimes I like to read," Steve said.

"Well, maybe I can read this out loud," Nancy said. "Do you think that it will help?"

Steve shoved the book towards her, and she smiled. Barb was so wrong about Steve Harrington. There was a soft side to him that no one ever got to see, which was a shame because it was pretty damn great. Maybe people just saw what they wanted to see of Steve. As she looked into his hazel eyes, she smiled. . .yeah, she wanted this man.

Present day. . .

"Let's burn it the ground," Nancy said.

"What?" Steve asked.

She just realized that there were so many signs of Steve’s parents' neglect and abuse, but she had completely missed it.

"Let's burn the fucking cage to the ground," Nancy said, smirking. "Could be therapeutic for both of us."

"It would piss off my parents," Steve smirked and then frowned. "Where would I live?"

"Well, you have the Buckleys, Sinclairs, and the Hendersons to choose from," Nancy said. "Take your pick."

"Yeah, let's burn my parents' house down!" Steve exclaimed excitedly as he jumped up and pulled Nancy with him. "Holy shit, are we really doing this?"

"Yeah, baby," Nancy said.

Steve kissed her harshly, cupping her face as he pushed her up against the counter. She dug her hands into his hair as she deepened the kiss. They hadn't even started yet, and there was already a fire burning deep within her. Steve broke the kiss, and she smirked when she saw his hair sticking up all over the place.

"I, uh, should probably pack up the rest of my things," Steve said. "The rest is all at Claudia's and Robin's."

He blinked rapidly at her, his mouth open, as he tried to think clearly. She smacked his ass.

"Well, get a move on," Nancy said.

"Yes, boss," Steve said.

She smiled as she watched him climb the stairs. He wasn't gone long. He had a handful of bags that he stuffed in the car before walking back into the house and moving through the rooms to make sure he got everything. Steve ended up coming back into the kitchen with another bag.

"That's everything?" She asked.

"Oh yeah," Steve said. "Unless you want to grab that beer in the fridge, I'm good."

Nancy grinned and grabbed the beer before taking Steve’s hand. They stuffed the rest of the Steve’s stuff and the beer in his car before parking the car away from the house. They went back inside to prepare the house. Nancy called Hopper to give him a heads up so he could call the fire department. They didn't want to burn the woods down. Together, Nancy and Steve set to work to make it look like an accident. . .although they might have spilled a few of Steve’s father's fancy alcohol along the way. A little while later, though, they were standing out by the car and watching the flames lick the house. Steve stared at it in wonder, his eyes filling up with tears.

"I really thought the baby could have been a girl," Steve said.

Nancy put her arm through his, her own grief welling up inside of her.

"You would have fought really hard to give her a really good life, Steve," she said. "You would have been a great father, and whatever other kids we have, you'll be just as great."

"Other kids?" Steve asked.

"I would have been there for you, Steve," Nancy said. "And even though the baby wouldn't have my genes, I totally would have loved her."

"But the baby would have interfered with college," Steve said.

"I'm still taking time off, but if can you handle six kids and an apocalypse, then I think I can be a mom and go to college," Nancy said.

"You want kids with me?" Steve asked.

"I want it all with you," Nancy said. "I want it to be there. When I see the future, I see you."

"Really?" Steve asked.

"You don't hold me back. You never did," Nancy said. "The only thing that ever did was my fear of turning into my parents. I never apologized for hurting you, and I'm so sorry, Steve."

"I forgave you a long time ago," he whispered.

"I love you, Steve Harrington," Nancy said.

"I love you too, Nancy Wheeler."

"I wish Barb could see the real you," she whispered, and he placed a kiss on her forehead.

They took another moment with the house before driving off to Mount Weathertop, Nancy following behind Steve in her own car. They grabbed the beers, a radio, and a blanket before climbing up to the top. Yeah, they could definitely see his house burning from here, and the firetrucks were on their way. Steve and Nancy sprawled out onto the grass, sitting on the blanket with the beers between them.

"I wish we had some marshmallows," Nancy said.

"We'd need really big sticks," Steve said.

"Weelll. . .," Nancy trailed off, looking at Steve's lap.

"Shut up, it's not that big," Steve blushed, and she laughed.

Nancy grinned and pulled a pocket knife out of her boot. She stood up, opened the knife, and took a beer. She poked a hole in the can and proceeded to shotgun the whole thing. She curtsied, grinning victoriously at him. Steve laughed.

"You think you're so impressive?" Steve asked.

"I am so impressive," Nancy replied.

She closed the knife and tossed it to him. He opened it and poked a hole in his own can of beer. He drained the can, smiling. He let out a belch, and Nancy let out a louder one. They burst into laughter.

"I didn't think you'd ever want to do that again," Steve said.

"I didn't either, but it took a long time for me to accept that I wasn't trying to be anyone else that night but myself. I was only trying to have a good time with you. I had everything planned before the little get-together was even an idea. I had a new sweater, I had a new bra. . .I wanted to sleep with you that night. I wanted to be with you every night after that. I liked you because you were never afraid to show me the real you, and you showed me that there could be a good balance of trying new things but also still feel true to yourself," Nancy said.

"You showed me that I could be myself and that I deserved better than Tommy and Carol," Steve said.

"It's not wrong to have a little fun," she said.

Nancy turned on the radio. Africa by Toto started playing.

"Our song!" Steve and Nancy exclaimed.

"You think it's our song, too?" Steve asked her.

"It's when I realized that I didn't have to worry about you pressuring me into doing something that I didn't want to do," Nancy said. "When I told you no, you backed off, and you actually studied with me. Plus, the thing with teddy bear was pretty fucking cute. You respected me and my wishes. . .Oh, it took everything for me not to jump you right then and there."

"You wanted something real with me, and that means so much to me," Steve said. "I thought that I could really fall for this girl."

Nancy bit her lip, staring at him. She moved closer to him, standing on the blanket.

"Do you want to take off your clothes?" Nancy asked.

"Right here?" Steve asked.

"Why not on top of the world?" Nancy asked, her eyes twinkling.

Steve stood up and took off his shirt. Nancy's eyes snapped to his chest before trailing all the way down to his pants. She touched the scars on his stomach. She had seen the bat bites before they had healed, but there was a new scar there.

"I know, it's very ugly - " Steve started to say.

"You're beautiful, Steve Harrington," Nancy said.

"Guess that makes you an idiot, Nancy Wheeler," Steve said, and she laughed.

He slipped off his shoes while Nancy began undoing his pants. Steve slipped off his pants and his boxers. He left his socks on.

"Your feet still get cold during sex?" Nancy asked in amusement.

"Yeah, that hasn't changed," Steve said.

Nancy giggled as she took off her own clothes. Standing naked before him, she started running her hands over every bit of naked skin she could find on him. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him. He moved his arms around her as well, returning the kiss as he pulled her flush against him. She yanked him down onto the blanket, pushing him onto his back, and straddled his waist. Steve broke the kiss.

"Fuck, condoms!" Steve exclaimed.

"Yeah, I found them in your car," Nancy said and pulled the box out of her pants pocket.

It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you. There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do. I bless the rains down in Africa. Gonna take some time to do the things we never had, ooh-hoo.

Nancy sank down onto Steve, letting him fill her up. . .letting him all all the way. It felt right, in this moment, with him. She loved the way he felt, the way he looked when she was on top, with her hands on his chest, and she loved the way he looked. The cool air on her skin felt amazing. She felt exposed. . .so raw, and she never felt as open with him as she did right now. She began to move her hips.

"Fuck! Nancy!"

"That's right, say my name, baby. You're mine, all mine."

It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you. There's nothin' that a hundred men or more could ever do. I bless the rains down in Africa. Gonna take some time to do the things we never had, ooh-hoo

Hurry, boy, she's waiting there for you.

Suddenly, she was letting him flip her onto her back. Steve groaned as he rocked into her, her nails digging into his back. . .determined not to let him go. Everything about this felt right. She was no longer running away from her feelings anymore. It wasn't something she could bury or deny. She wanted Steve. She wanted all of him. She could feel the euphoria building up in side of her, the fire burning bright, and it was like the stars were exploding above them, crying out with them. She hugged him tightly with her legs.

"Steve!"

I bless the rains down in Africa (I bless the rains). I bless the rains down in Africa. I bless the rains down in Africa (ooh, I'm gonna take the time). Gonna take some time to do the things we never had, ooh-hoo

Steve collapsed against her, his head pressed against her chest. They were exhausted but in the best way possible. Nancy ran her fingers through his hair, smiling as he listened to the sound of her still racing heart. Suddenly, the radio crackled, and the people on the radio started arguing.

"Why the hell did you play that song so many times?!"

"I JUST KNOW SOMEONE OUT THERE ENJOYED IT!"

"JOHNNY!"

The radio crackled again and another person came on.

"Uh, you guys know that we're still on the air, right?"

Suddenly, Africa by Toto started playing again. Steve and Nancy laughed.

"Yeah, we definitely enjoyed it," Steve said.

"Hm, it'd definitely take a lot to drag me away from you now," Nancy said.

"Yeah?"

"I'd burn anyone who'd try to take our dreams away from us," Nancy whispered.

"You would?" Steve asked.

"Yeah. You're mine, Steve Harrington, all mine."

Steve was enjoying the feeling of Nancy's dancing across his exposed back when he heard the sound of thunder.

"Is it going to rain?" Steve asked.

"It didn't call for rain this evening," Nancy said.

A moment later, Steve and Nancy were running back to the car with their clothes in hand as the rain came pouring down. They were shrieking and laughing the entire way. They quickly shoved their things in the car. Nancy pulled Steve out into the rain, dancing naked with each other. Nancy was sure they'd get sick but she didn't give a fuck. She slammed her lips to his.

THREE WEEKS LATER. . .

". . .So, let me get this straight. . .hahaha, Eddie, yeah, I know I'm not straight. . .you two just happened to be away. . .reuniting when Steve’s house happened to catch fire?" Robin asked.

Chrissy, Eddie, Steve, Nancy, Robin, and Vickie were sitting in the living room of the Munsons' new home, hanging out when Robin brought up the subject of the fire.

"Yes, it's lucky we were so busy," Nancy said, hers twinkling.

There hadn't been much room in the living room, so Nancy was perched on Steve’s lap. Not that Steve or Nancy minded or anything. Her hand was on the back of his neck, playing with his hair.

"I didn't even realize it had been my house when we were together," Steve said. "My attention was elsewhere."

"And then we ended up getting caught in the rain before we could even put our clothes back on," Nancy said.

"Worth getting those colds for," Steve grinned.

"Wild," Eddie said with a grin. "Didn't know Nancy Wheeler had it in her. Doing it out in the open like that."

"I'm not ashamed to admit that I can be a bit of a freak," Nancy said.

"She can be a biter, too," Steve said.

"Hey, so can Chrissy!" Eddie grinned. "I still have a bite mark on my - "

"Eddie!" Chrissy scolded playfully.

"It's okay, Vickie bites too," Robin said, blushing.

"Well, it's really not our fault that we have such delicious partners," Nancy grinned.

"Okay, great, you want to eat us. . .the fire, though!" Robin said.

"Jesus, Robin, you act like you're suspicious of them. What? Do you think they're lying and that they burned Steve’s house down?" Eddie asked.

"Well, something happened, and Hopper knows!" Robin exclaimed.

Nancy buried her face into Steve’s shoulder, trying not to laugh.

"Oh, babe, you and your conspiracy theories," Vickie said, patting her knee. "So, how is it living with Dustin and his mom?"

"Good, Dustin's super excited. It's like a sleepover for him every night. Claudia loves it, too. Even though I told her I was saving up for a place, she says there's no rush. She casually asked if I would be staying until Dustin graduates college. She's also been making disappointed noises whenever I call her Claudia. She's not subtle. I think she wants me to start calling her mom," Steve said.

"Are you going to?" Chrissy asked.

"I mean, yeah, trying to work up the courage," Steve said.

"Just casually drop it, man," Eddie said. "I did it with Wayne the other day. It didn't go over well, though."

"Because you called him daddy and immediately told him you broke one of his mugs!" Chrissy laughed.

"You told me that it used to get you out of trouble with your father when you were younger," Eddie said.

"I'm a girl," Chrissy giggled.

"Ah! Double standards!" Eddie exclaimed, throwing his hands up.

Robin was pouting next to Vickie, her arms crossed. Nancy looked at Steve.

"I think we should put Robin out of her misery," Nancy said.

"Yes! Please, kill me!" Robin exclaimed.

"No, we're not going to kill you," Steve said.

"Is it a conspiracy theory if you happen to be right?" Nancy asked.

"YOU BURNED DOWN STEVE’S HOUSE?!" Everyone yelled.

"I WAS RIGHT!" Robin screamed.

"Yeah, we'd appreciate it if it stayed in this room," Steve said.

"Why?" Chrissy asked.

"That house was nothing more than a cage. It suffocated both me and Nancy," Steve said, shrugging. "We both wanted to break free from it."

"I know your parents were awful, but were they really that bad?" Eddie asked.

"Well, last time I saw them, my mom went on a rant about how fat I was and convinced me to have surgery to correct it. I didn't go through with it, but I did have some. . .uh, complications from the bat bites. It wasn't the first time that my parents made me feel bad about how I looked, but I wanted it to be the last," Steve said.

"I'm so sorry, Steve," Chrissy said. "I know how hard that is. Biological mothers can be total bitches."

Nancy slipped off Steve’s lap so he could hug Chrissy. She smiled as they hugged each other tightly. She caught Eddie's eyes. They were both angry for their partners and sad that they had to go through that because of the unrealistic expectations their parents had for them.

"You want us to do your house next?" Steve asked and Chrissy laughed.

"Hell yeah! I'm up for a little arson!" Eddie exclaimed, slapping his knee.

"I'm not going to condone turning us all into arsonists," Nancy said, rolling her eyes. "It was a one-time thing. It was therapeutic, though, but I'd suggest finding a different, less dangerous outline. Don't be like us."

"But it sounds fun being like you," Eddie whined.

Nancy sat down in the chair, pulling Steve into her lap this time, her hand resting on his stomach. She caressed it gently as she looked around the room. She couldn't help but think about forest fires and how a fire can help bring new life after it destroys the forest. After all they've been through, she could feel new life being breathed through all of them.

Oh, I've seen fire and I've seen rain. I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end. I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend, but I always thought that I'd see you, baby. One more time again, now. Thought I'd see you one more time again. There's just a few things coming my way this time around, now. Thought I'd see you, thought I'd see you, fire and rain, now.

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harrington-love · 1 year ago

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All The Little Moments (That Brought Me Back To You)

Summary: A piece in which Nancy Wheeler falls back in love with Steve Harrington

Notes:

My first ever (completed) Steve Harrington x Nancy Wheeler piece. Of course, this is dedicated to my wonderful discord pals who have become my own found family. This wouldn't have been possible without their love, encouragement, and support. This story focuses more on Nancy's perspective, thoughts, and feelings in her season four scenes with Steve, with a few of my own made up events that follow the very last episode. As for the actual canon events and dialogue that happened in season four, I do NOT claim those as my own. I also do NOT claim the characters as my own. All the credit, rightfully so, goes to the writers of this fantastic show. This is just a retelling :) This story is for a mature audience, so if you are not 18 years or older, please do NOT read this piece. Lastly, this story also features a bit of Jonathan x Nancy for narrative purposes, but if you're looking for a happy ending for them, you won't find it here. (Most likely you won't find it in the show either. Oops. #TeamStancy)

WC: 10,303

Divider: @saradika (Check out all of their beautiful headers and dividers!!)

Nancy doesn’t even know how it happened.

One moment, in the dark and quiet of the night on a boat at Lovers’ Lake, eyes twinkling and a faint pink dusting her cheeks, she’d whispered a heartfelt “Be careful” to the boy who, if she was being honest, wasn’t a boy anymore.

Steve.

He was a man, a beautiful man who had taken her by surprise over the last few days they found themselves together. She was amazed at how easily they were able to fall back into laughter, how effortlessly a smile stretched across her lips at one of his corny jokes that she’d heard a million times, but always made her laugh as though she was hearing it for the first.

There was something else though, that accompanied this feeling of amazement. Something deep and warm and fond, that’d been present as she plucked spiderwebs from his perfectly styled hair. She felt it when he had offered…no, insisted on joining her at the library. It was present in her urgency as she leapt from the boat into the deep depth of the water to find him, to save him, just like he’d done for her so many times before.

The next moment, she’s protecting him with a boat oar from interdimensional bats with razor sharp teeth that gnaw at his bloodied flesh. The force behind her swing is enough to kill them, making them pay for causing harm to the man that’s spent his teenage years protecting others from it.

She inspects his wounds when he stands, fingers gently grazing the marks on his arm and shoulder. He makes a joke that he’s never been better despite having a pound of flesh torn off his body, and instead of scolding him for his inability to be serious for one moment, she lets herself breathe. And maybe even smile.

Hiding in the shadows of the Upside Down’s version of Skull Rock is when Nancy is overcome with a whole different feeling entirely. It’s not a new feeling, however. She felt it in the Hawkins High girl’s bathroom sophomore year, back pressed against the tiled wall as Steve’s lips nipped and licked and kissed at her neck. It was there in the dim light of her bedroom when he’d kissed her slowly with wandering hands. And again in the darkness of Steve’s room, naked and vulnerable, tangled between his bedsheets.

She watches Steve stumble, dizzy and weak from blood loss, and urges him to his knees. With no other option, she kneels in front of him, close enough to feel his breath on her cheeks. The bat bite isn’t infected as far as Nancy can tell, but the wound is completely exposed and she won’t risk him being subjected to more pain.

She rips the bottom part of her sweater clean off. Her eyes ask permission, fabric held between nimble fingers. He grunts his consent, hands cradling the back of his head as the sweater piece grazes the sticky wound. She wants to make sure it’s secure, tying the fabric around his lower back, faltering slightly when the sound that leaves his lips mirrors a noise she’s heard before. He’s in pain, she knows this, but he’s a whimpering mess in front of her and past memories of her hands and tongue exploring his body are at the forefront of her mind.

Nancy makes the mistake of glancing up at his face. Half lidded eyes burn with something dark, and Nancy knows it can only be described as lust because she’s looking at him the same way he’s looking at her. He’s breathing deeply, pink lips parted, and for a moment Nancy thinks what if…

And then a few seconds later the ground shakes and Steve’s pulling her body into his chest, arm a snug shield around her collarbones. Her fingernails dig into his skin and if it hurts he doesn’t say anything, his steady breath next to her ear the only noise she hears. It’s a comforting sound, one that signifies he’s alive, and when the ground stops shaking she holds onto him for just a split second longer. Steve doesn’t mind one bit.

Eddie asks questions about the Upside Down and sometime after he receives his answers, Robin suggests finding grenades and guns to fend off the creatures. Eddie’s brows furrow, disbelief in his voice at the admission that Nancy Wheeler, out of all people, keeps guns locked away in her bedroom. There’s a husky voice behind her that says “You almost shot me with that one,” when she mentions owning a revolver.

Her head tilts slightly, a snicker on her face as she recalls the first time Steve was ever introduced to anything pertaining to the Upside Down. With a bloodied eye and a bruised ego, he’d come to the Byers’ house to apologize to Jonathan, only to force his way inside after one glance at her bandaged hand. He refused to leave until he knew she was okay, but he wasn’t moving quick enough for her and the lights had started to flicker. She couldn’t risk him being involved in the mess. Gun aimed at his chest, she’d said, “I’m doing this for you.”

Nancy chuckles now, a light and airy huff. So much has changed since then, including the two of them. “You almost deserved it,” is her answer, a coy smile on her lips as she gazes back at him. They don’t say anything afterward, basking in the silence and in the heat of each other’s closeness.

The moment is ruined by a denim vest being thrown in Steve’s direction. She and Steve blink, startled, and Eddie mentions something about modesty. Fuck modesty, she thinks.

Steve puts the vest on, much to Nancy’s dismay, but then her eyes trail over his form and she decides he looks good in it. Even if he is battered and bruised, he’s still just as handsome as he was back in high school. Maybe even more now.

And while she watches him flick on the flashlight and lead the way through the forest, she can’t help but be impressed by how much he’s matured over the years. She’s used to taking charge, being the one people follow, that the feeling of letting someone else lead is almost unfathomable.

And yet Nancy finds herself letting Steve guide the way, any and all complaints dying on her tongue. He’s walking into a strange and frightening world with determined eyes, a set jaw, and a confidence she isn’t used to. There’s no protest on his lips or hesitation in the way that he moves, a stark difference to his seventeen year old self. She’s enticed by this version of Steve, the one that sees danger and runs toward it, not from it. The one that has so naturally fallen into the role of a leader, someone that Nancy can trust to keep her safe.

She can’t help the smile that spreads across her cheeks as she follows him into the unknown.

They’d been able to make contact with Lucas, Dustin, and Erica, and eventually found their way to Eddie’s trailer. It was there they discovered a gate that would lead them back to Hawkins. All they had to do was climb through. Easy enough.

Robin and Eddie had made it up the rope smoothly, landing comfortably on a mattress waiting for them on the other side. Nancy is halfway up the rope, ready to emerge on the other side of the portal, when something in the air shifts and suddenly she’s falling, her back eventually colliding with hard ground. Her eyes open to the horrific sight of a dead Barbara Holland cocooned in tentacles at the bottom of Steve’s empty pool.

Visions of that night replay on a loop. Some are of Barb’s pained screams as she was brutally taken from the world. Others are of herself and Steve, bodies pressed against each other, soft moans filling the quiet of his room and tongues licking into mouths. “You’re so beautiful,” he’d said, right as his hips pressed flush with hers. She’d felt all of him that night, a moment that was sweet and pure, or should have been, overshadowed by unresolved guilt.

Nancy doesn’t like to cry if she can help it, but she sheds tears for her best friend who was taken much too soon. She cries for the girl she used to be before being introduced to a world of horrors, and the childhood innocence that was taken from her all in one night that she’d given into passion.

The rest of Vecna’s visions are just as awful as the next, and Nancy can’t bear to think of a world where Hawkins is destroyed and taken over by monsters. A world where her mom, Holly, and Mike, don’t survive. A world where her friends are beaten down, traumatized, and irreparably broken.

The world that Vecna shows her is Hawkins’ reality in a few days' time, and Nancy’s not sure if he’ll even let her live long enough to see the city crumble. But he sends her off with a message for Eleven, and when the visions subside, her body falls limp. She’s too weak from the crying and the yelling and the pleading to catch herself as she collapses.

But Steve does. Of course he does. He’s gentle when he maneuvers her onto the ground, head on his arm with his hand cradling her cheek, thumb rubbing at stray tears on her lashes. Her breaths are slight gasps and she’s riddled with fear, unable to hear anything over the sound of her own panic.

“It’s okay, I’m here. I’m right here.”

The words aren’t just comforting, they’re a promise. Her eyes don’t leave him when he says it, assuring her over and over that he’s here with her and he isn’t going anywhere. She focuses on mimicking his steady breathing, the concern in his hazel eyes lighting a fire in her chest. Safe, sound, and supported in Steve’s arms is when she comes to realize that he never stopped caring about her.

The plan for defeating Vecna includes a trip to the War Zone for as much ammunition as they can take without becoming suspicious. Eddie surprises everyone by hot wiring a caravan for the adventure, and Steve shocks the gang by driving it quite well under pressure.

Nancy takes the seat beside him, enjoying the comfortable silence before asking, “How does it handle?” He jokes with a smile, “Pretty well for a house.”

She doesn’t feel pressured to keep up the conversation. Silence is never awkward around Steve. But she watches as his mouth bobs open slightly and turns in her seat, full attention on him. He almost looks sheepish.

He tells her about his dream of a big family, three boys and three girls. Her brows raise at the number, but soften as she remembers for the last two years or so Steve’s been taking care of seven kids just fine. Dustin, Lucas, Erica, Max, Will, El, and Mike truly don’t know how lucky they are.

Even if the number of kids sounds like a bit much, she still listens to his dream. A dream that involves two active parents, happy and in love, traveling the country in a van similar to this one, creating memories with their children every summer. Stops along the way include Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon, and learning how to surf in a small town in California.

She says the dream sounds nice and there’s nothing but truth in her words. His eyes divert from the road, locking with hers, a soft “Yeah?” falling off his lips. Her head bobs forward, a gentle “Yeah,” leaving her mouth with a smile.

He turns back to the road but she can’t. All she can do is stare at him, beautifully bathed in daylight. And a dream that once sounded like a nightmare suddenly doesn’t sound so bad after all.

Once more in the caravan, the teenagers rehearse the plan to attack Vecna. They only have one shot to do it correctly, and Nancy wants to be thorough. Once she’s satisfied, she leads them across the grass to Eddie’s trailer.

The rope is still dangling, connecting both worlds, and Dustin tells Steve to be careful before he climbs, expertly flipping into the Upside Down. Robin isn’t impressed, but Nancy can’t say the same because she is impressed, evident by the way the corners of her mouth raise endearingly.

Nancy lands on the mattress with a thud, reaching for the outstretched hand presented in front of her. She lets Steve pull her to her feet, but he doesn’t know his own strength and pulls her a hair’s breadth away from his lips. Her eyes burn into his, but for a brief moment they flit to his lips and back again. She’s not subtle, and he notices, but he won’t be the one to pull away first.

Robin, Nancy, and Steve bid goodbye to Dustin and Eddie who are left in charge of distracting the demobats. Nancy watches as Steve takes a long look at Dustin, torn between staying with him or leaving him behind. She comforts him with a hand to his shoulder, assuring him that Dustin’s in good hands with Eddie by his side.

The trek through the woods is cold and dark, and someone as uncoordinated as Robin shouldn’t be running through trees and hopping over logs, but she darts off ahead anyway. Steve makes a comment about her being a “Klutz” but really he can’t poke fun at her too much because he’s had his own share of clumsy moments.

There was a time when baby Steve crawled backwards and ended up falling down a flight of stairs, thumping his head on the way. “That makes so much sense,” Nancy jokes, and she’s not expecting Steve to agree with her.

Steve knows he’s a confident guy, but he has times where he just can’t help but feel like an idiot. The word makes Nancy grimace because he’s anything but. He’s had his fair share of questionable friends, choices, and morals, but idiot is too strong of a word to describe his past self.

Over the last few days, Steve has done nothing but surprise Nancy. But the biggest surprise of all is when he stops in his tracks and looks at her with the most vulnerable look she’s ever seen and thanks her for giving his head “The biggest thump of its life, two years ago.”

Her shoulders deflate as he turns, assuring her he needed that thump on his head. How it changed him for the better, and how he’s able to move forward now, albeit slowly. He wonders what would have happened between the two of them if some other girl had knocked some sense into him.

He thinks they would have made it if they were meeting for the first time now. And Nancy, not one who is usually rendered speechless, cannot find her voice. Because really, is there any right way to respond to your ex-boyfriend laying his heart in the palm of your hands?

Steve asks her if she recalls their conversation in the caravan, the one about his dream of the Winnebago and six kids. Of course she remembers. There was never a moment she’d seen him more honest and so…hopeful. As if they weren’t hours away from their potential death, and the only thing on his mind was a future with his own little family, one filled with laughter, love, and limitless smiles.

And Nancy finds that her eyes begin to water and her throat tickles when he says he forgot to mention the most important part of his dream. Mist clouds his eyes, voice unwavering.

“You’re there. You’ve always been there.”

Steve knocks the breath from her lungs with just six simple words. Six words that she never expected to hear, but are somehow the most beautiful words he’s ever said. After all this time, without even saying the word, she realizes that he loves her. Steve Harrington, the boy she inadvertently hurt two years ago while trying to process shame and guilt and grief, saw a future with her. Steve Harrington, the man baring his soul to her, giving her his heart and expecting nothing in return, still wants her. Needs her. Loves her.

She can’t stand here and say nothing. She wants to say something, but Robin has other ideas as she calls out for them, confirming they were heading in the right direction after all. When Nancy finds the courage to glance at Steve from under wet lashes, she’s met with a sigh and a head nod before he takes off after Robin.

And the feeling comes back again. The one she felt at the Creel house and on the boat at Lovers’ Lake. She doesn’t have a name for it but it grows stronger and burns brighter whenever she’s near him. It feels warm and safe and calm and exciting all in one. She doesn’t remember the last time she’s felt this way, but she thinks she could get used to this feeling.

They tried. They truly tried with everything in them. But the clock had struck four times and the ground opened up and the city of Hawkins fell before their eyes. The already small city was becoming a ghost town, cars flying down streets to flee from the aftermath. They'd lost Eddie and Max in the process.

They all felt responsible for what had happened to their once quaint town, and the only way to give back, to try and make things right, was to volunteer their help to the remaining citizens who were injured, hungry, or homeless.

Piling boxes into the back of Steve’s BMW is put on pause at the sound of a pizza van rolling into the Wheelers' driveway. Just when they needed something good, Eleven, Mike, Will, and Jonathan hop out of the vehicle, accompanied by a boy with an incredibly eccentric wardrobe.

Jonathan. The boy she hasn’t heard from or thought about for days, is scooping her into his arms and lifting her off the ground. He promises to tell her everything that’s happened over the last few days, but he kisses her forehead and whispers “I’m glad you're safe” before holding her once more.

Their reunion is short lived, with Jonathan bouncing off to introduce his new friend to the rest of the crew. She feels unproductive standing alone, suddenly realizing that they probably have a few more boxes to stack in Steve’s car. Unfortunately for Nancy, she turns around to the sight of the BMW driving off. A chance to be close to Steve disappearing down the road.

It’s Eleven who asks for someone to take her back to Hopper’s cabin, words pulling Nancy away from the vanishing vehicle. Nancy gently squeezes her hand and promises everyone will accompany her to the cabin. She deserves even a moment of normalcy.

The realization that the cabin needs a bit of remodeling hits them when they pull up to the vacant home. Eleven, Mike, and Will busy themselves with black trash bags and old garbage. Jonathan proclaims he’s handy with a hammer, so Nancy offers to help him board up the windows even though her mind is elsewhere. There’s tension all around them, if fleeting eyes and tight lipped smiles are any indication.

Nancy tries to distract herself by hammering a nail into the wood, but then Jonathan says, “I’m sorry I wasn’t here,” and the first thing out of her mouth is, “I'm glad you weren’t.” Because someone else was.

Jonathan’s brows furrow and she realizes how that sounds, backtracking to explain she’s glad he was taking care of Mike and Will. He’s always been good at that. She doesn’t know if he says it to be petty, but it’s her turn to look confused when he says, “I’m glad you were here.”

He makes an offhand comment about Steve being in charge if Nancy hadn’t been, and his tone doesn’t sit right with her. She feels the need to defend Steve and she knows Jonathan had expected her to laugh along with him, but his comment isn’t received well and instead he turns away, muttering an uncomfortable, “Yeah, I’m sure.”

They resume hammering, but it’s not long until he asks the dreaded question. “Are we okay?”

And really, how is she supposed to answer that when essentially nothing between them has been okay over the last few weeks? Conversations between them have been flat and plans have been rescheduled more than once or completely ignored. She’d started questioning whether he really wanted to see her. On his list of priorities, where was she?

She lies and answers, “Yeah, totally,” and states how hard it’s been with life throwing wrenches in their big plans. Big plans that include attending Emerson, Nancy studying journalism while Jonathan practices photography. She’s hounded him about it before, so she doesn’t see the harm in asking one last time if he received his application letter in the mail.

Unsurprisingly he says it hasn’t come yet. The disappointment she feels isn’t caused by the missing letter, but more from the thought that she’s being lied to. He hadn’t even looked her in the face when she’d asked, but she still wants to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Something soft lands on the tip of her nose and she gently brushes it off, about to hammer the last of the nails when something else lands on her finger. She glances at Jonathan, who flicks a piece of the substance off his wrist, and their attention is grabbed by Will calling out to them.

They rush over to join Hopper, Eleven, Joyce, Mike, and Will, who’s hand is locked on the back of his own neck. There’s goosebumps on his skin when he whispers, “Something’s wrong,” and whatever is falling from the sky is plummeting faster and more frequently.

Hopper weaves around branches in the forest and they follow him curiously, all pausing once they arrive on the peak of the hill to see Hawkins overcome by thick smoke, illuminated by a bright red sky. Screams and shrieks scatter throughout the burning city, and Nancy, unblinking, swallows when she puts the pieces together.

Hawkins is merging with the Upside Down. The creatures are beginning to take over the city, growling and screeching and tearing apart anything in their path. And she’s two seconds away from gearing up for the fight of her life.

And this time, they’d won.

Hawkins, Indiana, as Nancy knew it, is destroyed. 37 killed. 14 missing. 65 wounded. Homes, buildings, schools, stores, all demolished or unsalvageable. She estimates it will take at least a year to fix the damage that has been done. But hell, Nancy would take a demolished city over losing her loved ones any day.

Nancy never considered herself fond of hugs, but she is giving them out like candy on Halloween despite everyone being tired and dirty, covered head to toe in blood and ash.

Mike, teary eyed and lips quivering, reciprocates her bone crushing embrace without protest.

Eleven, fully drained and on the verge of collapsing, practically falls into Nancy’s arms. Nancy makes sure to kiss the top of her head, whispering, “I’m so proud of you,” loud enough for only El to hear.

And Jonathan, who struggles to untangle his limbs from Will and Joyce, finally wraps his arms around her.

Steve is already staring at her when their eyes meet. He’s alone, filthy and exhausted, hands on his hips as he sucks in deep breaths, but he finds the strength to lift a palm and give her a shy wave. And suddenly Jonathan's arms feel anything but comforting. He feels cold and distant and awkward, unable to compare to Steve’s warm skin, toned muscles, and tenderness. Nancy decides it’s been too long since she’s felt his embrace, and he looks like he needs one, too.

She doesn’t make it three steps in his direction before a piece of paper crunches beneath her boot. It’s crumpled and covered in soot but she picks it up anyway, unfolding the creases and squinting at the tiny print.

Her heart sinks into her stomach when she realizes she’s holding Jonathan’s acceptance letter to Lenora Community College. She only reads the first two lines before it’s promptly snatched from her fingers.

“What are you doing? Where did you get that?” Jonathan’s voice is frantic as he fails to hide the letter behind his back. His eyes are everywhere but on her, the tips of his ears turning as red as Nancy feels.

Her tongue is sharp and unforgiving, ripping the letter from his grasp and holding it up at eye level, forcing him to confront her. “You lied to me.”

The streets begin to clear except for the firefighters and National Guard, but Nancy stays glued to her spot. This isn’t just about him anymore. She’s supposed to be part of his future. She needs answers. “Tell me why. Start talking.”

And part of her wishes she never asked, because it’s the most honest Jonathan has been in months, brutally so. “Lenora is home,” He says, absentmindedly kicking rubble. “I can’t leave Will and my mom. I can’t do it, Nancy. I won’t do it.”

That’s why he’s been distant, she thinks. He knew this whole time. He knew he wasn’t coming with me.

Jonathan is notoriously pessimistic when it comes to love and relationships, but she never realized just how hopeless he felt when he pictured their future. He rambles on and on about how she would have given up Emerson to be with him in Lenora if she had known the truth. About how they would fall out of love and grow to resent each other, just like his parents did. How their kids would end up hating him. The future he pictures for them is a bleak one, a never ending cycle of hardship and heartache.

It’s not noble. It’s not chivalrous. His confession toes the line of being downright presumptuous. All this time she was so sure of what she wanted, of who she wanted, but now she questions if she truly ever knew Jonathan Byers, and if he ever really knew her.

She hands the letter back to him, nothing but a deep set frown etched into her skin. They don’t move and they don’t speak because his confession had said enough. A life with Nancy Wheeler would be a miserable one. He doesn’t see happiness or joy or hell, even love.

But another man does. And all this time, she could have been with someone who saw a future with her, who wanted a future with her. She glances around for him, coming up blank when he’s nowhere in sight. Dusk is approaching darkness, but she won’t let the lack of light stop her from finding him.

So she begins to walk.

By the time Nancy finds herself outside of the Harrington household, nighttime has fallen over the city. The sky is dark ink, illuminated by the moon and a few scattered stars. Devoid of gray smoke and red lightning, it’s the prettiest sky Hawkins has seen in days. She’s surrounded by woods, quiet and peaceful, and for the first time all day Nancy feels calm.

There was once a time where Nancy could anticipate what Steve would say in a given situation. She knew him well enough to predict his thoughts and finish his sentences. But years later she’s unsure of how he’ll respond to her showing up on his doorstep, if he’s even home. She thinks about turning around and heading back to her place, but the thought is fleeting. She needs to see him.

She knocks three times and waits, teeth finding her lip as her stomach churns. The lock clicks, and she doesn’t have time to rethink her decision before the door creaks open, revealing one very confused Steve. One look at him has her assuming he must have gotten home not too long ago. Dirt and blood still stain his face, and the warzone outfit is snug on his body. He looks like a hero. She thinks he is one.

“Nance?”

Soft, breathy, tender. Nance. It still warms her heart like it did when she was sixteen years old. He’s the only one who’s ever called her Nance, still the only one. It never would have felt right coming from anyone else.

She answers with a bashful “Hi,” apologizing for disturbing him so late. He says it’s not a bother, that she’s not a bother, and her heart swells. He makes her feel special, even if sometimes she doesn’t feel that way.

Steve moves to the side to let her through, gently closing the door behind her. It’s been years since she’s set foot inside his house, but there’s a certain comfort she feels when she glances around and realizes not much has changed, from the soft yellow lights in the living room to the myriad of family pictures lined perfectly on every wall. She zeroes in on a photo of a young Steve, basketball clutched between fingers and a toothy grin stretched across his cheeks. It’s her favorite one.

Nancy could beam at photos of little Steve for hours but she knows he’s probably waiting for her to say something, to explain why she showed up on his doorstep. He’s patient, wearing the faintest smile so as to not pressure her to speak, but the wheels in his mind are working overtime, ultimately coming up blank with a reason as to why instead of going home, she came searching for him.

Nancy can’t help but reach for him, arms snaking around his middle, head pressed against his chest as she buries herself in him like she’s wanted to for hours. There’s a weight lifted from her shoulders, one that can only disappear in the safe and protective hold that Steve provides.

And he returns her hug without question, because Steve Harrington would be incredibly foolish to fumble the chance at having Nancy Wheeler in his arms again if only for a moment. He hugs her like he used to, arm around the top of her shoulders, chin resting on her head, one hand in her curls.

And they say nothing for a while because they really don’t need to. The embrace says enough for the both of them. Neither one wants to break away first, basking in the feeling of being in each other’s arms, even if they’re sweaty and bloody and covered in remnants of interdimensional monster guts.

His whisper of, “What’s this for?” ruptures the silence, and instead of responding she squeezes him a bit tighter because there’s something about him that is just so damn comforting. The chuckle in his chest vibrates against her cheek, and it’s the sweetest sound she’s heard all day.

“I just missed you.” It’s a quiet and earnest confession, one that hits Steve right in the heart. He recalls so many late nights thinking that he’d never get the chance to have her in his life again. That he’d fucked up one too many times to deserve a woman as incredible as Nancy Wheeler.

But here she is, standing in his house, wrapped in his arms, telling him she missed him. He has half a mind to pinch himself to see if he’s dreaming. He hopes the universe would never be that cruel to him.

“I missed you too, Nance,” He swallows timidly, fingers brushing the back of her head as they did when he’d snuck into her bedroom to hold her for a few hours, escaping through the window when the soft drag of his fingers had eventually lulled her to sleep.

“More than you could ever know.” Steve could stand there and hold Nancy forever, and he wants to, but he heaves a sigh because he doesn’t trust himself not to bend down and kiss her breathless, so he reluctantly pulls away first because he’s trying so hard to be respectful of her relationship with Jonathan.

He clocks the disappointment that swirls in her bright eyes and he excuses himself quickly before he does something he’s not even sure that she wants. He busies himself with the thought that he should clean the days’ old bat bites on his hip that have no doubt reopened, so he tells Nancy to make herself comfortable while he freshens up in the master bathroom.

Steve doesn't realize she’s followed him until he begins to strip off his clothes, tossing them onto the bathroom floor. His jacket is discarded along with his stained shirt, leaving only tattered combat pants on his body.

Only then does he look up and lock eyes with Nancy, who stands in the doorway shuffling her feet. She’s wearing a look that he recognizes all too well. Eyebrows pulled inward, teeth chewing at the corner of her bottom lip. She wants to ask him something, but she can’t find the right words.

He asks if she’s okay and she nods, toeing across the tile until she’s standing in front of him. Her eyes glance over the blood stained bandages around his abdomen, fingertips grazing the skin just above. “Can I help?” She questions finally, eyes pleading. She hopes he accepts her offer. It’s about time someone took care of him. “Please?”

She could ask him to pluck the stars from the sky and he would simply find a way just because she asked. If Steve Harrington knows anything about himself, it’s that he will always be soft for Nancy Wheeler.

He does his best to hop up onto the sink, groaning every now and again as he tries to shimmy into a comfortable position while Nancy moves around the bathroom effortlessly. She looks like she belongs here with him, and his mind does what it does best and wanders to the future. To their house. To them. Together. A dream he wishes wasn’t so far out of reach.

Steve expects her to busy herself with the bites on his hip first, but Nancy’s finger gently lifts his chin until they’re eye level, warm cloth brushing over his skin. He can’t bring himself to peel his eyes away from her face and the way her gaze holds so much concern for him. Not that he wants to look elsewhere anyway. She’s focused on cleaning the grime off his face, but every now and again her eyes flick to his and she gives him one of her tight lipped smiles. He returns them everytime.

And she’s gentle with him. So gentle that his head grows heavy in her small hand and his eyelids begin to flutter, exhausted from a hard day’s work. He has half a mind to let himself doze off in her palm because he knows he’s safe with her, but his eyes are forced open when Nancy murmurs, “Can I ask you something?”

He can’t tell what’s exactly on her mind but he gauges it can’t be that bad since her voice isn’t wavering like it usually does when she’s nervous. He nods, trying to ignore the sudden heat on his cheeks when her fingers delicately run over the fading bruise on his throat and the scar on his jaw. “Did you mean it? I mean– what you said…about me? About us?”

Us. He’s thought about them so many times. About what it would be like to reconcile, start fresh. To talk about the mistakes they’ve made, and to make promises in the dark of the night as they hold each other close, to never hurt each other again. Not purposely, at least.

But there’s a worry in his stomach that his honesty will scare her, especially if she hasn’t thought about him at all. He weighs his options and decides on the truth, because Nancy Wheeler is nothing if not persistent, and she would keep asking until she received the answer she was looking for. When Steve finds his voice, it’s strong and sure. “Of course I did.”

His certainty squeezes Nancy’s heart. There’s many things Steve has been uncertain about in his life. School, career, and aspirations being a few. His feelings for Nancy were never one of them.

The admission turns her shy, pink cheeked, and her head falls to the side away from his burning gaze, and that just won’t do for Steve because he already misses the pretty color of her eyes. His favorite pastime is getting lost in them.

So now it’s his turn to raise her face until she has nowhere else to look but at him, thumb brushing a streak of dirt on her cheek. He swears she leans into his touch, so he cups her cheek more firmly. “I meant every single word, Nance. I hope I didn’t scare you, but I just…I needed you to know.”

There’s not a single part of his dream that made her uneasy. It was unexpected, maybe. But scary? Not a chance. There was something hopeful in the way that he spoke so lovingly about a simple future. And over the last few days when she had gathered herself for bed and settled in for the night, she couldn’t help but wonder what a life with Steve could look like. The more she thought about his vision, the more she was drawn to it.

“Look…I know you’re with Jonathan,” There’s an ache in his chest that’s just as painful as the reminder that Nancy’s heart belongs to someone else. Steve doesn’t want to think about how he’d given another man a chance to love her when it should have been him all along.

But that man was responsible for so many of Nancy’s smiles. She deserves to love and be loved back. Steve can’t truly find it in his heart to be mad. “And I know he makes you happy. I’m so glad he makes you happy. That’s all I’ve ever wanted for you, Nance.”

Her fingers work at disinfecting the wound on his hip, but she’s not even sure if she’s doing it correctly because his words have her in a trance. She can’t tear her gaze from him, raw sincerity swimming in hazel eyes.

Steve’s shoulders deflate with a long overdue exhale, sliding off the sink to be closer to her because she’s entirely too far away. “And maybe telling you about my dream while you’re still with him is a selfish thing to do, but Nance I have to be selfish one more time because I’m not sure if I’ll ever get another chance to say this to you.”

She drops the stained cloth when he cradles her face in his hands and it’s her turn to melt between his fingers. Foreheads touch, noses bump, and lips are just a hair’s breadth apart as Steve says, “You’re the one for me, Nance. There’s not a single person in this world who could compare to you.”

Steve swallows around thick emotion because this woman has had his heart for almost three years and she deserves to know just how much she means to him. “And if there ever comes a time where we can try again…where we can try us again…I promise I will do whatever it takes to make sure you feel loved the way that you need. You are the most important part of my dream. Not kids, not Winnebago summers…you.” A pause, another shy gulp, and one final confession. “And that’s because I love you, Nancy Wheeler. I love you . I love you so damn much and I haven’t stopped and I don’t want to stop because loving you is what I was meant to do. I hope you'll let me."

She knew it was coming. She knew it was coming and yet she wasn’t prepared for how his words would set her body aflame. How they would light up her heart with the warmest glow. She thinks there’s nothing more enticing than a man who knows exactly what he wants, and he wants her. Steve Harrington, after all this time, after the hurt, the pain, the betrayal, sees Nancy Wheeler as the biggest part of his life.

And for Nancy, everything begins to make sense. The feeling comes rushing back. The one that’s deep and warm and fond and has been present ever since Steve Harrington walked back into her life. It blooms in her chest and pools in her eyes when she gazes at him, the most honest and sincere and beautiful man she’s ever known. And she finally has a word for it.

It’s love. Nancy Wheeler has been falling back in love with Steve Harrington and she’s finally ready to accept it. She’s enchanted by him and the way he’s grown to be confident and driven. Dependable and sensitive. Brave and honest and thoughtful. He’s everything she wants, everything she knew he could be. What a fool she’d be to not leap at the chance to be with him again.

She feels him start to pull away and before he can she circles her hands around his wrists, cementing his hands to her face because even if she’s away from him for one second, it’s a second too long. His eyes are shiny and she knows hers are too because the evidence slides down her cheeks.

She stuns him when she whispers that she’s no longer with Jonathan. As serious as the moment is, she allows herself to breathe a chuckle at his comically wide eyes. And sure, neither she nor Jonathan uttered the words “I’m breaking up with you”, but what kind of relationship could they have going forward with Nancy knowing the only future Jonathan envisioned for them is one that would leave her unsatisfied?

Nancy Wheeler swore to herself that she would never end up like her parents, two people who married for convenience without ever considering that convenience wouldn’t be enough to keep their marriage afloat. Her mom is unhappy, dad emotionally absent. To sustain a marriage you need more than just practicality.

And she loves her parents, she really does, but Nancy wants to do things differently. She wants respect, love, passion, partnership, and so many other qualities that would never be present in Jonathan’s future, but seem to line up perfectly with Steve’s. The choice is easy.

Steve listens as she recalls Jonathan’s future, one where she would be settling in a loveless relationship, and Steve’s hold on her face tightens because he knows he’s capable of giving her so much more than Jonathan could ever imagine, and he plans on showing her.

And then Nancy beams hard when she talks about hope and how his dream gives her some semblance of normalcy after all these years of chaos. How with him, she'll be able to have a career and a beautiful family to come home to. She thinks it’s what they both need.

But one part of his dream may be a bit too chaotic, and with a smirk she asks if they can compromise and settle on two kids and a cat because six kids might prove to be a handful. A puff of air ghosts over her lips as Steve leans in. “Nancy Wheeler, if it was possible I’d carve out a piece of my soul and give it to you.”

He laughs, but Nancy knows he would if he could. His love for her is insurmountable. This is what it feels like to be loved, adored. To have a partner who sees emotional vulnerability as a strength. To be with a man who loves and loves hard. She never wants this feeling to end.

“I know,” She affirms with a nod, hands sliding from his wrists and up his shoulders until her arms wrap around his neck. His palms descend down her sides, resting easy on her hips. “I know you would. But I’ve been waiting days for you to kiss me again. So please, please kiss me Steve. Don’t make me wait any longer.”

Steve Harrington is beautiful all the time, but his beauty shines differently when he’s in love. “I’ll kiss you for the rest of our lives if you let me.”

And he seals that promise when his lips glide over hers for the first time in two years, and Nancy knows it's the best kiss she's ever had. Their mouths mold perfectly against each other, tongues licking ardently as teeth playfully nip on plush pink flesh. Body to body they cling to each other, hot and desperate and wanting.

They only break away for a moment to rid each other of the rest of their clothes before stumbling into the shower, giggling and touching and melting under the other’s touch. The water is hot but neither one of them mind because now without the weight of the world on their shoulders, they’re able to breathe and relax in the comfort of shared space and warm lips.

Their kisses are fervent, but time spent touching and exploring bodies is slow, unrushed. Fingertips graze over pebbling nipples and pectoral muscles. Hips and a happy trail. Hands knead and rub skin, attempting to coax strings of more and fuck and please from slick lips. Things are different between them now, they’re different, but the way they love on each other is the same.

She breathes a gasp into Steve’s mouth when the hard muscle between his legs brushes up against her, the tip pink and pretty and slick with arousal. His cheeks are flushed from the shower steam and underlying shyness, and his eagerness turns Nancy’s need into a craving. He wants her just as much as she wants him.

Patience is a virtue, but it has never been one Nancy is fond of. There’s no hesitation when she forces him down onto the marble bench in the corner of the shower. He’s taken by surprise at first, eyes round and lips parted, brows slightly pinched.

Her voice is pleading as she says, “I need you," straddling his lap with her thighs on either side of him. She dives in again, connecting their lips in a frenzied passion as she finds a steady rhythm, rocking her hips against him. Her slick coats him and he hisses, hands bruising her skin as she’s pulled flush against his chest.

Steve whispers her name, hoarse and needy, but she’s zeroed in on grinding her hips in a way she hopes will make him fall apart. His tip catches on her clit and she moans, maneuvering her hand to find the hard length of him. Before she can sink down and claim him, he groans her name again, still wrecked, catching her wrist in his palm. “Nance, shit–fuck–baby, wait.”

She’s about to whine like a petulant child because she’s so close to having him the way that she’s been wanting to for days, until she notices the familiar emotion clouding his honey eyes, halting her movement entirely. For the first time all night Steve appears nervous, insecurities breaching his naturally confident aura.

He swallows, mouth upturned timidly. “I need to know that you want me, too.”

She frowns then, ready to counter and call him crazy because how could she not want him, but he shushes her with a light peck to her lips. “I need to know that we’re in this together, Nance. I don’t want you hiding or running away from me, not anymore. I said I want you and I meant it. Every single part of you. The parts you love, the parts you hate. The good, the bad, the ugly, the beautiful. I want them all.”

She’ll never grow tired of him saying it, never get over the way her heart beats for him. She’s well aware of what he’s asking of her, and while communication and trust have been areas she’s struggled in, she knows she can try for him. She doesn’t want to leave him in the dark again, never leave him questioning where they stand.

She leans into his touch when he cradles her face in his hands. “And if we fight, we fix it. We don’t go to sleep mad. We talk. We apologize. We help each other, support each other. Look Nance, you’re all I’ve ever wanted. And at the end of the day, I just need to know you’ll still want me too,” His next words come out low, but she hears them loud and clear. “You’ll want us.”

She pulls back to look at him, inspecting him as she would a delicate painting. The gears in his brain are working overtime, and Nancy knows he’s being plagued with thoughts about their past relationship. Guilt worms its way into her chest at the remembrance of how they’d left things, of how he’d begged her to say just three little words. Nancy needs him to know he’ll never have to beg again.

Her fingers find damp chestnut hair, pushing the wet strands away from his face before settling her palm on his cheek, thumb running over a small smattering of freckles. Her heart soars when he leans into her touch too, gazing at her with nothing but love in his eyes. She knows exactly what he needs to hear. “I love you.”

His mouth parts in protest because he can’t let her say those words unless she means it. His heart broke once when she couldn’t say them before. It doesn’t deserve to break again if she feels like she owes him. “Nance, please don’t-.”

It’s her turn to silence him with a kiss, breathing her love into him between the small part in his pretty lips. “Listen to me. I came back to you because I love you. I want us to work. I know we can. I couldn’t give you the love you deserved back then, but I have the chance to do it now and I’m going to make sure you never question it again. I promise.”

It’s a promise she plans on keeping every day because he’s worth it.

“I thought about you,” She whispers then, free hand settling on his unoccupied cheek. She attempts to blink away the sting in her eyes. “I wondered where you were, what you were doing, if-if some other girl was giving you the love I wish I would have. Because you were good to me, Steve. You were.”

She hopes he hasn’t spent years pondering over his competency to be a good partner. He wasn’t perfect, she never expected him to be, but he was sweet and kind and thoughtful. His flower deliveries were simply ‘just because’. He valued her opinions, even if he disagreed. His dumb jokes made her belly laugh, and his kisses were sugary sweet and dizzying and consuming. She was never left to wonder if he loved her. He showed it in his own way.

“After Barb died, you tried,” There’s a hiccup that passes through her lips, more following when she struggles to catch her breath. Her tears are disguised by water droplets, but Steve knows they’re there because he knows her. His thumb reaches out to catch them.

“You tried to help me the best way you could but it just–wasn’t what I needed back then. Things might have been different if I had just told you…if I had just let you in. Instead I got drunk and I–I called you bullshit.”

It wasn’t one of her finest moments, holding his heart in her hands and dismantling it piece by piece. Blaming them, blaming him, for Barb’s death. She wishes she could take it all back.

“I still remember your face when I said it, and I need you to know that I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. You’re not bullshit. You never were. You cared about me in your own way, and you loved me so much and you still love me even after all of this, and I–.”

“Nance, hey. Baby, breathe,” She’s enveloped in secure arms, Steve’s lips pressing against her forehead as she curls in on him, body shuddering from the overwhelming rush of tears. She doesn’t like crying if she can help it, but she needs this. Needs to tell him everything she couldn’t before. “Baby, we both made mistakes. We both could have been better. I should have been better for you, and I'm so sorry I wasn't. But the reason we can have this conversation now is because we’ve both grown up, yeah? We can’t change anything about the past, even if we want to. So let’s promise to work on our future, okay?”

Our future. It sounds so beautiful when he says it. She can't believe this man is hers. This wholesome, mature, gorgeous man is all hers.

“Our future. That…sounds nice.” With newfound flirtatiousness, she purrs the same words that were uttered in the caravan. The grin on Steve’s cheeks is bigger than the one that had spread across his face that day.

She doesn’t miss the rasp in his voice or the way his nose skims against her jawbone, lips migrating down to her neck. He plants a kiss there, gentle and teasing, her pulse racing underneath the plush of his lips. “Yeah, baby?”

Baby. It feels so good to be his again, but she thinks it’ll feel even better when she asserts him as her own, core fluttering in anticipation. “Yeah, Steve. It sounds really, really nice.”

And when she finally sinks down on him, there’s nothing on their minds except love. Sheer, reciprocated love. No shame or guilt about past faults. No worries or insecurities about the future. They’re simply Steve and Nancy. Nancy and Steve. Two past-turned-present lovers giving themselves to each other, clinging together to make up for lost time.

They could ravish each other now and goddamn they want to, but it’s Steve who chooses to slow things down a bit first, easing himself into her because her pleasure and comfortability are his top priorities. Steady thrusts help her adjust to his length, and deep thrusts make sure she feels everything, reminding her he’s here and he’s not going anywhere.

She squeaks on a particularly deep thrust, almost missing the sweetness that drips from his words. “You’re all mine,” He assures, breath hot against the column of her throat. He doesn’t know if it’s possible, but he swears he feels his dick grow even harder when she whines, “I’m all yours.”

One thing about sex with Steve that hasn’t changed? He’s a sweet talker and he’s damn good at it. He sings her praises, litanies of, “You’re so good for me,” “You take me so well,” and “That’s it baby, you’re so beautiful,” stealing the breath from her lungs. She’s never felt more desired than when she’s with him, never felt more worshiped. And Steve will never go another day without reminding her that her beauty is simply unparalleled.

He’s touching and loving on her everywhere. It’s what he does best and it’s what she deserves and fuck, her head is dizzy with pleasure. Hot, open mouthed kisses are dotted along her neck and throat. She exhales an airy giggle before it morphs into a moan when teeth drag over her pulse point. He wraps his lips around her skin, sucking and biting while a hand grips her jaw to keep her in place. Steve thinks she’ll look lovely decorated in faint red and purple love marks. Nancy must think so too, head angling to provide him more canvas space for his artwork.

Somewhere in between muttered curses, messy kisses, and multiple tugs on damp hair, the atmosphere shifts. Nancy’s desperate pleas electrify him, especially when her cunt squeezes around him. He’d never dream of denying her anything, not while she begs so sweetly to be filled.

Skilled hands slide down to palm the fat of her ass, spreading her further open so she can take more of him, all of him. He teases her a bit, fingers slowly skimming over her puckered hole, and she reels forward to kiss the smirk off his face, scolding him with a bite to his lower lip. The action is filthy but it’s so Steve, equally sinful as he is passionate.

And Nancy is eager to watch him fall apart beneath her. She rides him the way he’s always loved, grinding and bouncing and squeezing him as she meets each thrust. She’s warm and wet and snug around him, and she knows the damp curls on her pubic bone are driving him wild because his eyes are glued to the place they connect.

Steve groans, deep and husky, as eager fingers alternate from playing with the hair on his chest to scratching the skin of his back. She’s claiming him, branding him as hers, and the thought of forever belonging to Nancy Wheeler has his cock twitching.

He encourages it, a “Go ‘head baby, mark me,” that spurs her on. She’s never been rough with him before, all shy smiles and quiet gasps, and he loves this new side of her. There’s a sting when her nails rake over the muscles in his shoulders particularly hard, most likely payback for his earlier teasing, but he appreciates the mixture of pleasure and pain.

There’s a neediness to her voice when she demands that he tell her that he loves her, hips changing from a quick grind to a slow rock that causes Steve’s eyes to roll in the back of his head. He pants out, “I love you. I love you so much,” and every fiber of her being believes him.

And he wants to hear it too, not because he doesn’t believe it but because he’s still in awe that she does. “Say it,” he pleads, hips hammering upward while blunt nails clamp down on her hip bones. “Need to hear it again, baby. C’mon, tell me you love me.”

She babbles, “I love you, I love you, I love you” bouncing off the shower walls in time with the sharp snap of his thrusts. Her proclamation is loud and true and drives both of them to the edge. “Steve, I’m–shit…”

His teeth sink into his lip to keep him from screaming, nodding as he gruffly moans, “I know, Nance. I know, baby. Let’s do it together, yeah?”

Her whimpered, “Please” is the green light. One hand grips her skin while the other snakes between them, thumb brushing against the one sensitive spot where Steve wishes he had used his tongue first. The noises she makes are always beautiful, but the sounds he can pull when he gives extra attention to her clit are unmatched.

Steve presses against her, flicking his finger back and forth in a practiced manner and Nancy mewls, head bumping against his. Her thighs are weak and she’s practically panting against Steve’s mouth, but it’s the first time they’ve fucked in two years and she needs him to finish with her.

He spills into her the moment she clamps down onto him, riding out their climaxes while clinging to sweaty, fucked out bodies. Nancy finds fun in teasing him, rotating her hips in an agonizingly slow fashion because she knows he’s sensitive and she loves it when he whines. The tips of his fingers assault her ribs with quick tickles, drawing a squeal from her lips before they catch their breaths and kiss each other stupid.

They stay locked in each other’s embrace for as long as they want to, because there’s nowhere they need to go and no place they’d rather be.

It’s 12:03 a.m., and everything is perfect.

Atop the kitchen counter, Nancy sits comfortably in baggy blue sweatpants and Steve’s slightly worn Hawkins’ High basketball tee, glass of red wine held between her fingers. She sips gingerly, eyes never leaving the beaming boy in front of the stove who stirs a pot of macaroni and cheese, his own wine glass perched beside him.

Steve feels her eyes on him, peeking up from the pot to flash her a wink as she hides her giggles behind another sip of wine. Satisfied with the tenderness of the macaroni, he flicks off the flame, drains the water and mixes the cheese in, adding a splash of milk and a bit of butter to make it extra creamy the way Nancy likes.

A bowl is handed to her and she accepts the late night comfort meal with an enthused squeak before shoveling a spoonful into her mouth. She moans dramatically as it melts on her tongue, rewarding him with a cheesy kiss right on his sweet lips. Nancy loves knowing the blush across his cheeks is from her.

Steve stands between her legs, quietly rotating between gentle chews and quick sips, and just watches her. There’s no frown on her face, no worry lines etched into her forehead as she eats without a care in the world. She looks as at peace as he feels.

They stay in this position even long after they’ve finished eating, Steve between her thighs and Nancy perched on the counter, legs wrapped around his back to lock him in place. They talk and joke and laugh more than they ever have. Healing is easier when you’re surrounded by love.

And they kiss. They kiss long and soft and slow because they can. There’s no danger, no battle or impending doom threatening to keep them apart. Instead, there’s a future filled with sunshine and warmth, hopes and dreams, loving promises and new opportunities to learn and grow and build a beautiful life together.

Because after everything they’ve overcome, they deserve it.

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