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hippiegoth97 · 9 months ago

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Time of the Season: Eddie Munson x Reader

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Description: The one and only Steve Harrington is hosting a party at his house on Halloween night. You help set up and attend said party with your best friend Robin, and you're dressed up as Joan Jett. While you're drinking and dancing, you notice a very handsome man dressed as Ace Frehley from KISS making eyes at you as he leans against the wall. You approach him, and after a little chat and a dance, you make your way to somewhere more private...

Content Warning 18+ Only, Minors DNI: smut, female reader, teasing, groping, suggestive dancing, alcohol and Marijuana use, shotgunning, fingering, oral sex, role-play (kinda?), role-switching, praise/degradation, spanking, consecutive orgasms, (very) rough sex, unprotected sex, overstimulation, choking, squirting, and a tiny dash of fluff

Word Count: 10.2k

Divider by @strangergraphics

Time of the Season

"Fuck! Have either of you seen my aviators?" Steve asks, walking into his room as you and Robin are getting ready for his Halloween party. He stands in the doorway, donning his Maverick flight suit from Top Gun and some combat boots.

"No, dingus. We've been a little preoccupied with our own costumes, thank you very much." Robin replies, applying some red lipstick to finish off her Debbie Harry ensemble. You'd helped her volumize her hair to get the right texture, and in return she helped you straighten and feather yours for your Joan Jett costume. You've dressed up as her iconic I Love Rock 'n Roll album cover, it's one of your favorite records. You were lucky enough to find the perfect fuschia blazer at the second-hand store, making it impossible to mistake you for somebody else.

"Sorry, Stevie. I can help you look, once I'm done stabbing myself in the eye with this damn pencil. I'd hate for your Tom Cruise fantasy to be blown apart. Plus, I know you love wearing sunglasses indoors." You always tease Steve, but you do it with love. You've bonded with him and Robin the last couple years, always hanging out and working with them at the video store. You'd had classes with Robin during senior year, and she asked you to help her study. And King Steve had taken you out on a date once, far be it from you to deny Hawkins High royalty your company. That was an awkward experience to say the least, you two had zero romantic chemistry. But you liked being around one another, and shared some common interests. So, friendship was the only logical option.

"Thanks, Y/N. At least somebody wants to be helpful today." Steve says, glaring at Robin in the reflection of the mirror. She sticks her tongue out as a retort, fluffing her hair a teensy bit more until she's satisfied with it. "And hey! It's not a fantasy, I basically am the Tom Cruise of this hick town. I gotta fight the ladies off with a stick sometimes, they just can't get enough of me." He speaks in a cocky tone, and you and Robin collectively roll your eyes.

"Not us, though. We're probably the only two women in Hawkins who can resist your charms, Harrington." You put your eyeliner back into the bag you brought your costume in, turning to face him. "Alright, where did you leave your sunglasses last?" You ask, scanning around his room to see if he was dumb enough to leave them in plain sight. It literally takes one second to locate them, sitting on his damn nightstand. "Nevermind, found 'em." You point to them with a smug grin, and Steve scoffs before looking where you've indicated.

His eyebrows furrow in annoyance, snatching them off the table. "Dammit." He grumbles, slipping them onto his face in an attempt to hide his embarrassment. He storms off downstairs to finish getting the booze and snacks set out, the party starts in about ten minutes.

"I could've told him that, I noticed them sitting there hours ago." Robin says, and you both share a laugh.

"That better not be at my expense, assholes!" Steve shouts from downstairs, which only makes you laugh harder.

"Wouldn't dream of it, Stevie!" You call back, trying to speak clearly through your guffawing. "You're so bad, Robin." You say to her, quietly enough so he won't hear you.

"I never said I was good." She quips. "I suppose we better help him out, people will start showing up soon." You nod, following her lead down the stairs to the kitchen. You find Steve mixing up a slime green concoction in a large punch bowl, and he's currently dumping two large bottles of vodka into it.

"Why does the punch look like swamp water?" You ask, scrunching your nose.

"Ecto-Cooler, duh!" He says, gesturing at the mass of empty juice boxes in the trash. "It's also got Sprite, a little orange juice, and lots of vodka."

"Jesus, you're really trying to get everyone hammered, aren't you?" Your eyes bug out as you watch him fill the bowl practically to the brim with all that booze.

"Of course! What kind of Harrington rager would tonight be without it?" Steve speaks matter-of-factly, tossing the glass bottles into the garbage. He carefully stirs everything up with the ladle, almost spilling the punch everywhere in the process.

"Fair enough." You pick up a plastic cup, taking the ladle from him to taste the green mess. You figure it needs a quality check before it's deemed suitable for party-goer consumption. You look at it swirling around your cup questioningly, before bringing it to your lips. It's surprisingly good, not tasting of alcohol whatsoever. You down the whole thing, letting out a satisfied sound once you swallow. "Fuck, that's good. Very dangerous though, can't taste anything but the juice."

"That's the point, my dear Y/N." He takes your cup, refilling it for you before serving one for Robin and himself. Not a moment later, the doorbell rings. The guests are beginning to arrive. "Hey, can you get the music going while I get the door?" He asks, and you nod agreeably. You head over to the stereo, Steve has the best music setup you've ever seen. It can play any format imaginable, and the sound system is the best that money can buy. You've been tempted to steal it for yourself at times, you'd never be able to afford such a thing on your own. You pop in one of your primo party mixtapes, putting the volume up as high as you can without distorting the sound. The music kicks on, roaring guitar blasting into your face.

You've always been a major rock 'n roll fan, there’s just something about the sound of an electric guitar that drives you wild. It fills you with adrenaline, surging through your veins to compel your body to move. Metal, thrash, punk, glam, psychedelic, you love it all. If it's rock music, it speaks to your soul. Over the next hour or so, the house gradually fills up with the costumed masses. Everyone's guzzling the punch, and you and Robin have had a couple glasses each. You've got a good buzz going, dancing goofily with her and Steve in the sea of bodies. He's had a bit more to drink than you, bumping into people clumsily as he moves to the music.

"Hey, that guy over there has been watching you for a while." Robin shouts in your ear, subtly drawing your attention to a man leaning back against the wall with a cup in his hand. His gaze is striking when you meet it, and he smiles while lifting his cup to acknowledge you.

"He's really cute! I don't recognize him though, most people here went to high school with us. Do you know who he is?" You shout back, smirking in his direction as you look him over. He seems oddly familiar, but you can't quite place him. He's dressed to the nines as Ace Frehley, who just happens to be one of your favorite musicians. He's got long, dark hair, dramatic makeup applied just right, and a space-age jumpsuit with matching boots to top it all off. You wave at him, the alcohol in your system overriding the shyness that would usually be clouding over your mind.

He chuckles, waving back before looking away bashfully. Well, he's certainly handsome, and charming, as far as you can tell. "I have no clue, could be anybody under all that makeup. You should go talk to him!" Robin nudges you, and you stumble forward a couple steps. You blush madly, hoping he didn't see that.

"Alright, I'm goin' in." You say to Robin, straightening your blazer while taking a deep breath to prepare yourself. You strut over to him confidently, clearing a way through the crowd to reach this mystery man. You lean beside him once you make your way over, and he turns to look at you. "Nice costume, Ace." You say, looking him up and down. God, he's even hotter up close. He's got huge brown eyes that stare into your soul, setting your insides on fire as he meets your gaze.

"Thanks. You're lookin' pretty good yourself, Joan." He replies, earning a giggle from you. You're so glad he knows who you're supposed to be, nobody else has managed to guess it correctly. Everyone else thinks you're one of the goddamn Ramones.

"Are you having a good time?" You ask, wondering why he's being such a wallflower. You move a little closer, oddly drawn to him.

"I am now." He replies, his tongue playing at the corner of his mouth in amusement. Damn, he really is charming. Usually a line like that would fall flat as a pancake for you, but the way he says it sounds so sincere.

"Not really one for parties then, I take it?" He shakes his head, taking a sip from his cup.

"Nah, 'King Steve' over there wanted me to supply certain recreational substances for quite a hefty fee. And far be it from me to miss out on a Harrington rager on Halloween. It's impeccable for business." 'Ace' speaks so smoothly to you, his voice slipping into your ears like dark velvet. You're not even put off by him revealing himself to be a drug dealer, you're not one to judge. Especially since you like to partake in such things on a semi-regular basis.

"Ah, an entrepreneur, huh? I'm not just another sale, am I?" You ask, not meaning to be accusatory. You're just genuinely curious, wondering what this interaction could lead to later on.

"Nah, I'd never make such a pretty girl pay. Especially not one dressed up as one of the best musicians of our time." He replies, taking his turn to inch closer now. He peers down at you as his boots give him a considerable boost in his height, reaching forward to stroke your arm gently. It's innocent enough, he's just being friendly. But you'd be lying if you said you aren't starting to sweat inside your costume.

"You wanna dance?" You ask abruptly, thinking he'll probably say no. He's just about to reply when “I Was Made For Lovin' You” comes on over the stereo. His expression is apprehensive, but you hold out your hand like it's nothing at all. "Come on, they're playing your song, Ace." He nods, chugging the rest of his drink and crumpling the cup before dropping it on the ground. He takes you up on your offer, letting you lead him to the dance floor. You find a decent spot, slinging your arms over his shoulders. His hands go to your waist out of instinct, but he's very unsure of himself now.

"I'm not much of a dancer, Joan." He says awkwardly, but you just smile kindly at him.

"That's okay, just follow my lead." You guide him to sway side to side to the beat, and he's thankfully able to keep up. You bounce back and forth, loosening up gradually. He smiles at you as you hold him close, actually enjoying himself. He's even singing along, and he's got a great voice for it. It sends a chill down your spine as he recites the words in your ear. Given the message of the song, he's basically singing about how much he wants to fuck you. Halfway through the song, you let his shoulders go, turning around to press your back against his chest. He almost stops holding your hips, but you keep his hands in place. You maintain a steady pace, casually rubbing your ass against his crotch as the song plays out. You hear him moan against you, which sends a jolt of electricity between your legs.

The song ends, quickly transitioning into “I Wanna Be Your Dog'”. "They're playing your song now, Jett." He says, biting your earlobe. You whimper at the sensation, unable to believe how hot you're feeling right now. You move sensually against him, sliding up and down his body while the suggestive lyrics leave your lips. You take hold of his hands, running them all over you at the opportune times with the song. From your thighs to your breasts, you teasingly let him feel you up. His stiff cock is poking into you, and you're becoming very wet with every single motion the two of you make. You turn back around, stroking his chest seductively while leaning up to sing into his ear.

"So messed up, I want you here." Every break between the lyrics amplifies the impact of what you croon to him. "And in my room, I want you here." You lick his neck as the guitar slams before the next line. His breath shudders onto you, your boldness makes his head spin in the best possible way. "And now we're gonna be face to face." You look in his eyes as you sing this one, poking your tongue out to lick his bottom lip playfully. He just stares in awe of you, his hands grabbing your ass through your leather pants. "And I'll lay right down in my favorite place." Your hand snakes down, ghosting over his erection. "Yeah, you know what that is." You squeeze him gently, and he moans again. Your arms return to his shoulders after a moment, singing the chorus while keeping intense eye contact with him until the song fades away.

He's positively burning with lust, eager to lead you away from the crowd to somewhere more private once you've finished. "C'mon." He says, tightly gripping your hand as he pulls you out of the ocean surrounding you. He's unsure where to go from here, and you take the reins.

"Upstairs, this way." You stammer, unable to wrap your head around how vulgar you'd just been acting with 'Ace' in front of everyone. Although, you're not sure how many people were actually paying attention due to how strong that punch is. You practically run up the steps, anxious to be alone with him. You don't even know each other's real names, but you just know you want to fuck his brains out. It's a party, and you have every intention of making the most of it. You locate Steve's parents room, not wanting to violate his own with this handsome man you’ve managed to capture the attention of. "In here." You practically yank him inside, making him trip over his platform boots.

"Jesus, someone's excited." He quips, quickly maneuvering himself to land on the bed as opposed to the floor. You let his hand go, shutting the door and clicking the lock. You're about to pounce onto the bed, when he takes you by surprise. He pins you against the door, gripping your wrists and holding them above your head. "You've gotta be the sexiest girl I've ever met, and I don't even know your name." He speaks lowly, citrus-scented breath fanning over your face.

"Sure you do, it's Joan." You reply, practically panting as your eyes flick to his lips. You're not sure you want to give up the act just yet. You don't know if he'd like you as yourself, it's better to keep playing pretend. He chuckles at you, even more turned on than before.

"I see, you wanna play it that way? That's fine, I can be ‘Ace’ all night if you want me to." He plants a tantalizing kiss to your lips, just long enough to take your breath away. He lets go of your hands, backing up until his ankles hit the edge of the bed. His boots clomp loudly on the floor as he walks, reminding you of Frankenstein's monster which makes you laugh. "Come here, baby." He gestures at a spot for you, and you happily take it. You sit as close to him as you can, hoping he'll make a real move soon. He pulls out a joint and a small lighter from somewhere in his costume, maybe he has a secret pocket sewn into it. You can tell he's not quite loosened up enough yet, hopefully the weed will calm his jangled nerves. He puts the blunt between his lips, igniting the end. He takes a long puff from it, turning to you. "You ever shotgun before?" He asks, voice strained from holding the smoke in.

"Yeah." You say simply, and he gently takes hold of your chin. You're met with those impossibly large brown eyes again, utterly spellbound. You open your mouth slightly as he positions you, closing your eyes as you prepare yourself for him to kiss you. His painted lips meet yours, and he blows the smoke into your mouth. You suck it in, holding it as best you can before letting it flow back out into the air. He's about to take another puff to do it again, but you grab the sides of his head to smash your lips onto his. He almost drops the blunt, not expecting you to be so ravenous. He returns the kiss, smudging his makeup all around your face as you bite his lower lip. He gasps, letting you slip your tongue through the opening he gave you. He tastes so fucking good, like tobacco, weed and orange juice.

He fights you for dominance, quickly winning out. You moan into the kiss, wanting him to take you now. But you suppose it's not polite to waste a man's pot, so you pull away. He smiles at his face paint leaving a large streak across your chin and mouth, handing you the joint. "Here you go, angel. Let's focus on one thing at a time, and then we can do whatever you want. 'Kay?" He speaks so kindly to you, he's nothing like any other guy you've hooked up with. You take another hit, looking forward to the mixed buzz of weed and booze. You hand it back over, letting the smoke out in a large cloud when you can't hold it any longer.

"I hope this isn't weird, but I swear I know you from somewhere. I can't quite place you, though." You speak quietly, just watching him smoke. His beautifully applied makeup is a bit fucked now, the black and white mixing into a gray hue. You still think he looks sexy as hell, but you kinda wish you knew who you were getting high with.

"It's not weird at all, I can't say I can figure you out either. I mean, I imagine we went to school together. Probably kept to different circles though, not talking to each other even once. But that's alright, better late than never, I always say." He puts a hand on your thigh, squeezing it gently. It only serves to heat you up further, and you slide your blazer off your shoulders. "Feeling a little warm, Joan?" He asks, giving you a sly look. You just nod, blushing wildly as you set it aside.

You take turns passing the blunt back and forth, shotgunning a few more times as you can't get enough of each other's mouths. Before you know it, it's all burned away and the world is moving in slow motion. You've laid down together, legs hanging off the edge of the bed as you stare mindlessly at the ceiling. You're zoned out, only hearing the sounds of your breathing and the din of the party continuing downstairs. You almost forget he's here at all, when you feel his hand on your thigh again. You turn your head to look at him, noticing he's laying on his side to caress you. His head is propped on his hand, elbow dipping into the bed. "Hey there." You say quietly, your head clouded by the alcohol and the drugs as his touch makes your skin tingle. You're taking his image in again, truly appreciating how gorgeous he is.

"Hey." He replies, waiting for your permission to move further. He wants you, in every way you'll give yourself to him. You mirror his position, bringing your legs up onto the bed.

"You're very cute, you know. You're also very odd, though." He quirks an eyebrow at you, confused as to what you mean.

"Oh? In what way?"

"Well, you're kind of a contradiction. You're simultaneously quite confident, but also very unsure of yourself. It's not a bad thing though, I'm highly attracted to odd things." You speak in a seductive tone, peering at him from under your eyelashes. You reach a hand forward, delicately dragging your finger along his body. The material of his costume feels strange under your skin, it's slick and shiny, but not quite leather or latex.

"I'm glad you find me so fascinating, baby. And yeah, I'm usually a pretty cool guy." He says sarcastically, not taking his own words seriously. "But it's not every day that I encounter such a beautiful creature like yourself. The moment I saw you, it really threw me for a loop." He takes your hand in his, still apprehensive to give you both what you so desperately want.

You're growing impatient, you've had an unbearably strong pressure building inside you from the moment you started talking to him. "You can come closer, I don't bite." You smirk at him, hoping he'll accept your invitation. "Not too hard, anyway." You joke, laying back onto the bed to draw him in.

"Aw, that's too bad. I happen to like it rough." He quips back, drawing a brief giggle from both of you. He follows your lead again, adjusting himself to lay over you slightly. He strokes your cheek lightly, gazing deep into your eyes. "Forgive me if this is corny, but you really are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."

"It is a little bit, but it's really sweet. You're also the most handsome man I've seen. Now shut up and gimme a 'KISS'." You reply with a laugh, weed always makes you want to say bad puns. You pull on the elastic fabric of his costume, bringing his mouth onto yours. You instantly melt at how warm and soft his lips are, and he moves to fully position himself over you. His hands wander to your chest, shifting your bandana and chain out of the way so he can grope your tits. You moan against him, grabbing the back of his head to tangle your fingers in his hair. You gently tug on his beautiful locks, and he makes very attractive sounds in response.

His knee goes between your legs, rubbing against your clothed heat. You let out another moan, only to have it swallowed up as he shoves his tongue in your mouth. He's driving you crazy, giving you so many sensations at once. Your drug-addled mind can't get enough, all you can think is more, more, more. His lips migrate to your neck, leaving a trail of his makeup along the way. You can feel it smudging all over your skin, but you're oddly aroused by it. He's leaving traces behind, marking you as his, at least temporarily. "Those pretty noises you're making are so fuckin’ sexy, Joan." He speaks darkly between kisses on your throat, drinking in every single moan and gasp you let out.

"Your touch feels so good, baby." You say breathlessly before he bites down on your neck. "Fuck! I need more." You almost yelp at the pain, but it simmers into a feral hunger. You pull harder on his hair, yanking a beautiful, vulgar noise from his throat. He's not afraid to make sounds like most guys are, and it just makes you even wetter than before. His knee continues to grind against you, ramping you up. He stops kissing you, sitting up a bit to pull at the hem of your shirt. You happily let him remove it, anxious to feel his large hands massaging your breasts. He reaches behind your back to undo your bra, discarding that as well. His eyes bulge at the sight of your bare chest, appreciating the sheer beauty of it. "See something you like?" You ask cheekily, blushing as he gawks.

"Yes." His eyes meet yours, and he nods while smirking at you. He quickly begins planting wet kisses all over your chest, painting you even further with reckless strokes of black and white. His tongue swirls around one of your nipples, before he sucks it into his mouth.

"Oh, Ace." You moan out, feeling a bit silly saying his pseudonym in such a dirty way. But you suppose that's part of the fun, letting the thrill of pretending to be someone else overtake you. That's what Halloween is all about, right?

"Mmm, I love it when you say my name, baby." He smirks against your flesh, moving over to give your other breast equal attention. He's so hard inside his costume, unable to believe he's got you writhing helplessly underneath him. Part of him wants to take his time with you, slow and gentle. But the other part? Well, that second, darker part of him wants to fuck you senseless until you scream. He's battling with himself, wanting to be a gentleman for your sake. But he keeps the notion in the back of his mind that, if you ask, he'll gladly let his primal half take hold. "Let's get the rest of these clothes off, hm?" He gets up from the bed, going to the end to unzip your heeled boots. He slips them off your feet, letting them drop carelessly to the floor. He grabs your ankles, pulling you so your legs dangle off the edge once more.

The motion startles you, and you let out a small shriek of surprise. He falls forward, catching himself on his hands on either side of your head. His crotch grinds against yours, and your mouth falls open to release more cries of pleasure. "More." You almost whine at him, and he chuckles darkly. He crushes his lips onto yours, giving in to his animal instinct a little to test the waters. You respond well to it, digging your nails into his scalp. You expect him to slip you the tongue again, but he doesn't. Instead, his lips slowly travel through the valley between your breasts, all the way down to your navel. He teasingly dips his tongue into it, which you don't expect to find hot. But it surprisingly is, making you gasp.

His hands quickly unbutton your leather pants, sliding them down your long legs. His breath hitches when he sees you're not wearing any panties underneath. He's getting a perfect view of your pussy as he's removing the remaining item of clothing. You're so wet and shiny for him, he can't wait to dive right in. "God, you're perfect." He says in complete and total awe of you, breaking his stare to glance at you for a moment.

"Thank you." You smile awkwardly, your cheeks turning deep red. He's so complimentary, taking every chance to tell you just how beautiful you are to him. He bends down to take off his own boots, they've been killing his feet all night. Once they're discarded, he kneels before you. You take your cue to spread your legs, letting him grip your thighs to sling them over his shoulders. Most of the paint around his mouth has been wiped away onto your own skin, but you don't really care where it ends up at this point. You just want him, all of him. You're panting in anticipation, waiting for him to start eating you out. His warm breath fans over your clit, the sensation is dialed up to eleven from the weed. He licks an apprehensive stripe from your hole to your sensitive bud. "Fuck." You groan, letting your eyes roll to the back of your head, balling the blankets with your fists.

"Mmm." He hums against you, sending a thrum of vibration through your cunt. You gasp, arching your back off the bed. His hand lays on your stomach to hold you down, and he's licking you back and forth at a healthy pace. His mouth feels so good on your most sensitive parts, the perfect amount of pressure and speed to build up your orgasm. His tongue slips into your cunt, something you've never had anyone do to you before. This man is just chock-full of surprises, and you love every second of it.

"Fuck, your mouth is amazing." Your head pushes into the mattress, hair splayed about like loose threads. You're getting closer and closer to the finish line, and he hums at your praise to push you further. You taste so good on his tongue, sweet and musky. He'd go like this for hours, if he wasn't nearly bursting with the need to sink his cock deep inside you. He increases his speed, wanting to make you cum. He wants to see how pretty you look when you lose control. "Just like that, baby. Oh, God. Don't stop." You whimper, your skin slicking over in a thin sheen of sweat. He scans over your body as he continues working you up, admiring how fucked-out you are for him. Damp hair clinging to your face, eyes screwed shut as your mouth sits agape to let out to dirtiest noises he's ever heard. Your knuckles bright white from strangling the covers, chest heaving up and down as you await your bliss. He wishes he had a camera, this has gotta be one of the most beautiful things he's ever seen.

The waves you know so well are crashing into you, washing through your body in the most delicious way. "You gonna cum for me, Joan?" He asks, taking only a second to speak before returning to his task.

"Uh-huh. Keep going, I'm so fuckin' close." He obeys the command, picking up the speed just a tiny bit more to send you flying off the edge. "Oh, my god. Oh, fuck!" You cry out, insides clenching around nothing as your high overtakes you. Your legs tremble, threatening to clamp onto his head. He laps up your juices, his continued contact on you makes your cunt spark. Exploding stars have blinded you, twinkling in your vision while you ride this out.

He pulls away, letting you come back down to earth. His hands stroke your thighs gently to ground you, you find that his touch is so comforting. "You taste so good, sweetheart." You can't get enough of the cute little names he calls you, angel, sweetheart. They're so simple, but quite endearing.

When your breathing mostly returns to normal and your sweat has turned cold, you sit up to look at him. He's still on his knees, with your legs resting on his shoulders. He's smiling up at you, and you mirror it. "You're very good at that, Ace." You compliment him, moving your legs so your feet can touch the floor. You cup his beautiful face with your hands, leaning forward to give him a tender kiss. The position is a bit uncomfortable, so you slide off the bed to straddle him on the floor. He grunts as his back hits the hardwood, hands gripping your hips roughly. You can feel his dick pressing against your dripping pussy, grinding yourself against him out of instinct. He groans into the kiss, squeezing your flesh with his hands. He might leave bruises, but you can't be bothered to care at the moment. "Is there a zipper on this thing somewhere? I gotta get you out of this suit." You say frantically, biting his neck harshly.

"Fuck. Yeah, it's in the back." He's boiling in the damn thing, anxious to take it off. You suck his flesh into a dark purple bruise, releasing it once you're satisfied with how it looks. You ease off, letting him sit up so you can unzip his costume. You return to his lap, reaching behind to pull the zipper down his back. You slowly reveal his bare skin, pressing wet kisses on every inch as you uncover it. The top of the suit bunches at his waist, and you're feeling up his beautiful chest and admiring his tattoos.

"Nice tats, baby. They're very sexy." You trace them with your tongue, nipping his skin playfully between your teeth.

"Thanks, I notice you don't have any though. Such a shame, I think they'd suit you well." His fingers stroke your sides seductively, the lightest of touches making you shiver.

"I've always wanted some, but I don't make much money. They cost quite a bit, and I have other needs to fulfill." You reach between his legs, groping his erection again. He groans at your touch, eyes burning into yours with lust. You keep his gaze, sliding your hand up to go inside his suit to feel him fully. You gasp as you realize he's also been going commando, gripping his length greedily. "Speaking of needs, you want me to suck your dick, hot stuff?" Your tongue plays at the edge of your mouth, tempting him to let you have your way.

"If you want to." He replies with a shrug.

"Gee, that's real enthusiastic, Ace." You say sarcastically, rolling your eyes.

"Sorry, you're so forward, it throws me off." Your face falls slightly, worried you've spooked him. "No, no. I like it, trust me. It's very hot. I'm just not used to it, I guess." He rubs his neck awkwardly, not meaning to put a damper on things. Your hand is still in his pants, and you start stroking him again.

"I see. Are you trying to hold back with me? You've been pretty anxious this whole time." You bring your face dangerously close to his, watching as he lets out filthy noises while you slowly jerk him off.

"Maybe. I don't wanna be too rough with you. I like you, a lot." His voice stutters, loving every touch you give him.

"Let me assure you, I can take it." You poke your tongue out to lick his lips. "So, stop being such a gentleman, and tell me what you want." You take his bottom lip between your teeth, pulling on it to give him as clear a message as you can. He clears his throat, taking a moment to compose himself despite your hand deliciously working him up.

"I want you to blow me, sweetheart. I bet that pretty mouth of yours is really good at it." He smirks, letting that other side of him take the wheel.

You chuckle lowly, excited that he's finally letting his inhibitions fall to the wayside. All it took was a little push. "That's what I like to hear, baby. How 'bout you take that suit all the way off, and I'll get into position?" You give him a brief kiss, letting his dick fall from your grasp. He whines at the loss, but happily listens to your instructions. You get back onto the bed, laying on your back with your head hanging upside-down off the edge. You watch him fully undress, eyes widening when he reveals his cock to you.

"See something you like, angel?" He asks, looking up to see you in your odd position. "Jesus christ. You're a kinky little thing, aren't you?" He's never seen a woman so willingly lay herself to have her face used like a fucktoy, you really are something special.

"It took you until now to figure that out? Damn, I guess I don't dance as well as I thought." You tease, beckoning him over with your finger. He happily walks over to you, giving his length a couple needy strokes before positioning himself to enter your mouth.

"You ready, baby?" He asks, waiting for you to open those pretty lips of yours. You allow him access, licking the precum from his head before he shoves himself down your throat. "Fuck." He groans, gagging you as he hits deep within your hole. You swirl your tongue around his length, stimulating him while he gets used to how hot and wet you feel around him. He holds the back of your head with his hand, the other laying on the bed. He gradually pulls out, before sliding back in. "God, you feel amazing." He sighs, unable to believe he's actually fucking your face like this. He starts thrusting rapidly, gagging you repeatedly just the way you like. You love giving head, it gets you so hot and bothered to hear every sexy little noise your mouth and throat can draw from a man's lips. You drag your hand down the front of your body, slipping between your legs to circle your clit. You hum against him at the sensation, still so wet from him going down on you. He takes notice of what you're doing, and it only makes him closer to cumming. "You like it when I fuck your pretty face, Joan? Such a dirty girl, touching yourself like that."

You just moan around him, drinking in his filthy words. Tears sting your eyes as he keeps thrusting into you with great force, an endless stream of curses and uses of your 'name' flowing from his mouth. This whole thing is so fucking hot, you can't resist slipping two fingers into your pussy. "Mmm." You groan around his cock, the vibrations driving him mad. He thrusts harder, faster as he watches you finger yourself. Your free hand massages his balls, gradually feeling them tighten in your grasp. He's very close, you can tell by his thrusts losing coordination. You could get yourself off at the same time, if you just move your fingers a little faster. But you can wait, right now it's about pleasing him. You pull your hand away, tightening your grip on him just a teensy bit to up the stakes.

"Fuck, Joan. Careful with those, I only get two of ‘em." He jokes, though he'd be lying if he said it didn't feel pretty good. You know every possible move to make him go wild, like a goddamn mind reader. He's nearing the end, slamming his cock down your throat as his orgasm creeps up on him. "I'm gonna cum, baby. Be a good girl and swallow." You hum in agreement, eager to have his load shoot into you. He moans loudly as his release rolls over him, his hips bucking erratically against you. His cum runs down your throat with ease, and he stays in your mouth up to the hilt for a moment while he calms down. His hands rest on either side of you, and his breath comes out hot and heavy. It's getting a little uncomfortable to keep him sheathed so deep in you, so you tap his hand with yours to get his attention. "Oh, sorry." He chuckles, slowly pulling out with a groan.

You gasp in air, it’s difficult to have to keep breathing through your nose. Damn fall allergies. "It's alright, Ace. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself." You roll over to look at him right-side up, wiping the tears from your eyes. "Come here, we can take a little break until you're ready to go again." You sit up, reaching your arms out to take his hands in yours. He lets you lay him down on the bed, and you cozy up next to him. His arm wraps around you, and you lay sideways to see his handsome face. You're still feeling the weed and alcohol coursing through your system, you find yourself craving this man's touch. You want him inside you, but you want more than anything to know his name. "I think we can stop playing games now. What's your real name, handsome?" You ask quietly, running your fingers up and down his bare chest.

"You first, sweetheart. You started it, so you end it." His eyes bore into yours, a large smirk on his lips. He's daring you, challenging you to smash the illusion away.

"Fair enough, dick." You chuckle, and he laughs as well. "My name...is Y/N. Nice to meet you."

"That's a pretty name, such a shame you wanted to keep it from me." His expression changes, and you wonder if he's figured out whether or not he recognizes you from somewhere. "I'm Eddie, pleased to make your acquaintance." He takes your hand in his, kissing the back of it.

Your eyes widen, you've finally put the final piece of the puzzle into place. Dealing drugs, the tattoos? You've been hooking up with none other than Eddie Munson, resident freak. "Munson?"

"The one and only. Does that change anything?" He's worried you'll kick him to the curb now that you've figured him out, nobody likes to hang around a freak like him. But you seem different, and he hopes he's not wrong.

"No, not at all. I'm just...surprised, I guess? I mean, you just seem like the kinda guy that wouldn't waste his time on a girl like me." You avert your gaze, suddenly not so confident anymore. You've always really liked Eddie, admired him from afar. His cafeteria tantrums always made you laugh, and he'd catch your stare every now and again. He'd always wink and smile at you, which made you absolutely weak in the knees. But you guess you aren't important enough for him to remember.

"Hey, don't say that. I was the one checking you out, remember? Sure, I never would've walked over, but that's only because you can have any guy you want. The town freak is nobody's first choice, Y/N."

"You are to me. I had a major crush on you back in high school. You didn't care what anyone thought or said about you. Your style is bitchin', and you have perfect music taste like no other. I always wanted to talk to you, but I was too scared. I thought you'd laugh at me." You blush at the thought, recalling every chance you had to speak to him. In class, in the hall, at lunch, even when he smoked outside his van in the parking lot after school. So many opportunities, and you never took any of them.

"No way! A crush…on me? I think I would've been able to tell if someone as beautiful as you was interested in me." He thinks back for a moment, trying to remember anyone that would've given him an indication they liked him. He gasps once he puts it together, you were the one that always looked his way in the cafeteria. He could feel your gorgeous eyes burning into him hopelessly, and he'd return your gaze with a wink and a smile. He remembers how flustered you'd get, quickly looking away and blushing like crazy. "Oh my god! You're the one who always stared at me! I think I called you 'sexy stalker' in my head." You both laugh at that, you can't help finding the nickname endearing. "I was always waiting for the day you'd eventually get the courage to come talk to me. You seemed too shy to respond well to me going to you. I didn't want to scare you away."

You scoff, unable to believe that you two could've been together this whole time. "Well, clearly we ended up finding our way to each other. I hate that it took so long, though. If I would've known you liked me back, I would've run right over to that goddamn table and tackled you or something." You giggle, finding this whole thing so ridiculous.

"And you have no idea how many times I wished you would. I used to try and telepathically tell you to come to me, but I guess you never heard it." He chuckles, unable to stop staring at your paint-streaked face. He strokes your cheek oh so gently, the energy in the room is different now. It was heavy, laced with pure lust before. But it's morphed into something deeper. Intense want, need, even. You've both denied yourselves of something that is clearly meant to be, and now is the time to right that mistake. "I really like you, Y/N. Even more so now that I know who you are." He speaks so seriously, trying to let you know he's feeling something deep and meaningful.

"I really like you too, Eddie. It's crazy, to think you're finally right where I've always wanted you to be." You gaze into his eyes, realizing you should've recognized them so much sooner. Costumes and makeup are a hell of a thing, aren't they?

"Where's that, in bed?" Eddie can't resist cracking jokes, the tension between you now is palpable.

"With me. In any way I can have you." You press your lips onto his passionately, essentially confessing that you're in love with him. Well, in like, you suppose. But does that distinction really make much difference? You clearly have potent feelings for each other, and whether it's love, or lust or like, it doesn't matter much to you at the moment. You just want him, you've always wanted him more than anything in the world. Your mouths move in sync, meeting and turning and tonguing perfectly against one another.

"Come here." Eddie says, breaking away just for a moment to pull your body onto his. His cock rests behind your ass, already becoming hard again. He captures your lips with his again, not wanting to stop kissing you. His hands hold your waist, leading you to rub your slick folds against his length. You both moan at the sensation, teasingly ramping things up. You assist in keeping his rhythm, whimpering down his throat when your clit makes contact with him.

"I want you, Eddie." You pull away, leaning down to attack his chest. You're so hungry for him, it's almost unbearable.

"I want you too, Y/N. You have no idea." He watches you move on him, savoring every lick and bite you give his needy flesh.

"Tell me what you wanna do to me." Your peer up at him, a devilish look on your face. You'll let him do whatever he wants, but you want to hear him say it.

"I want to fuck you, sweetheart. Hard and fast. Slow and gentle. Any way you'll let me." His breath stutters as he speaks, and he doesn't stop there. "I want to have you, call you mine. And I want you to call me yours." You're surprised at him, so willingly admitting how he wants to continue seeing you after tonight.

"Your wish is my command, baby. Can you sit up against the headboard for me?" You politely direct him, slipping off his body so he can get in position. He does as you ask, no hesitation to be seen. You love how easily he obeys you, it's typically hard for guys to relinquish even a tiny bit of control. But Eddie gives it away enthusiastically, and it's so fucking hot. "Good boy." You tease, smirking when his cheeks flare red. You tilt your head, fascinated by his reaction. "You like it when I call you that?"

He swallows hard, almost embarrassed. "Yes." He says barely above a whisper, shifting his eyes away from yours. You straddle him again, taking his cock in your hand to regain his attention.

"No need to be so shy, baby. I like a man who's capable of letting go." Eddie looks at you again, softening when he sees your kind smile. You could never judge him for what he likes in bed, you just want to make him feel good. You lift yourself onto your knees, dragging the head of his dick against your dripping cunt. Your breath hitches, anxious to sink down onto him. "You ready, darling?" You ask, needing to be absolutely sure he wants this just as much as you do.

"Yes. Please stop teasing, I need you." He almost whines, hands going to your waist to help guide you. You bring him to your entrance, locking eyes as you slowly slide down until he's fully inside you. "Fuck." He groans, your walls hugging him perfectly.

"Oh, god." Your lungs evacuate themselves of all oxygen, his tip hitting your cervix as you take every last inch of him. You wrap your arms around his neck, still maintaining eye contact. You take a moment to adjust to his size, clenching your insides to push him just a tiny bit further.

"Jesus, Y/N." You're so warm and wet inside, it's mindblowing. He lets you take your time, stroking his hands on your thighs to relax you. You feel yourself loosen up, and you lift up at an agonizing rate, almost letting him fall out before coming back down hard.

"Fuck." You moan, this angle makes him hit your g spot just right. You begin to ride him, slipping up and down steadily. Eddie holds you close to him, planting hot kisses all over your tits as you move. "Oh, Eddie." You love everything he does to you, his mouth is like fucking magic.

"Mmm, I like it when you say my real name, princess." He nips your flesh with his teeth, making you whine. Your head falls forward, concealing your face with your hair. But Eddie wants to see every expression that crosses your face. "Don't hide, baby. I wanna see you enjoying yourself." His voice is gentle, but demanding. You put your head upright once more, letting him see the effect he's having on you. An endless stream of filthy noises and curses leave your supple lips, flowing directly into Eddie's ears. "Good girl. Tell me how it feels." He's taking a more active role now, and you're not complaining. Your mind is scrambling, every little sensation making it that much harder to form coherent thoughts.

"Your dick feels so good inside me, baby. You fill me up so well, it's like you were made for me." You bounce harder on him, your ass smacking against his thighs. A large knot begins to tie itself within your belly, twisting and tangling every time you land on him. You can't help craving something else from him though, he picks up on your change in expression.

"Is there something else you want, sweetheart? I'll give you anything you desire." His voice is low and husky, eyes blown out with unbridled lust. Eddie loves what you're currently doing, but he wants to let his inner beast out of its cage and absolutely ravage you.

"I want you to fuck me from behind, just go as hard as you can. I can tell you're holding back again, but I want you to wreck me. Let the animal out, claim me as yours. Please?" You can't believe you're begging him like this, far be it from you to beg a man for anything. But you can't fight what you want, for that will always be a losing battle.

"You got it, baby. Get on your hands and knees for me." He answers, patting your thigh for you to move. You nod, ceasing your bouncing to carefully slide off of his cock. You hold back a whine from the loss of contact, focusing on getting into position. You turn around, arching your back to display yourself to him. Eddie gets onto his knees, crawling up behind you. He lowers his head, taking you by surprise as he licks a long stripe from your clit to your hole.

"Fuck, Eddie." You moan out, gripping the edge of the mattress roughly in your hands. He shocks you again, shoving two fingers into your cunt. "Jesus christ." He's toying with you, drawing it out. Although, you can't say it's not working for you. He lays his chest over your back, speaking into your ear with a low growl.

"Beg me to fuck you, sweetheart. Be a good little slut for me." That's the first time he's pulled that one out this evening, and it only makes you more turned on. Arousal drips from your pussy, running down his hand and wrist to his elbow.

"Please fuck me, Eddie. I need you, I want you so bad." You can't believe how pitiful you sound, almost pathetic. The tone in your voice makes his cock twitch, it takes everything in him to resist plunging into you at full force just yet. He pumps his digits into you, wanting to set you off one more time before taking what he wants. "Eddie, please. I'm not gonna last much longer." You feel the knot threatening to snap, winding up tighter and tighter as he fingers you mercilessly.

"Oh, I know, darling. I want you to be a good girl and cum for me first." He stops laying over you, sitting on his knees while placing his free hand on your back.

"God, you're such a tease." You joke, which earns you an unexpected smack on your ass. The pleasurable sting makes you gasp, which quickly morphs into a lewd moan. "Fuck, do that again." He does, this time on your other cheek. Any second now, you're going to lose it. He picks up the pace, going as hard as he can without hurting you. "Oh, baby. You're gonna make me cum. You feel so fucking good."

"Go on then, make a mess for me. Such a filthy little slut, begging me to spank you, and finger you, and fuck you. Such a needy little thing, desperate for anything I give you." His words are what it takes to sever the strings, the knot bursting into a million tiny pieces.

"Eddie!" You scream, overcome with pure ecstasy. Your legs shake violently, and your pussy clamps down on his fingers as juices spill out of you and onto the bed.

"That's it, you're such a good girl for me." He coos, slipping his fingers out of you before shoving his cock in right after.

"Oh my god!" You cry out, you're still in the aftershocks of your orgasm. But Eddie has no plans of letting up, immediately pounding himself into your pulsing cunt. The pleasure doesn't stop, it just rolls over to build up another hit.

"Fuck, you're so wet for me." He groans, feeling you quiver around him. He wants to wear you out, make you cum over and over while screaming his name. He holds your hips in a bruising grip, slamming himself against you viciously. Eddie's dick hits your sweet-spot again and again, and all you can do is moan while holding on for dear life.

It doesn't take long before your legs threaten to give out again, your third orgasm of the night rocking through your body. "FUCK!" You shout, your insides strangling Eddie's length. More juices spurt out of you, making him groan as they wash over him and spill down his thighs.

"Fuck, Y/N. Good girl, it feels so good when you soak my cock." You're getting him closer to the finish line, but he still doesn't stop. He goes even faster, just like you wanted. You've never had someone go so fast and so hard like this, snatching orgasms from you one after another. It's like nothing you've ever experienced before, you're still riding the wave while a brand new one begins building right underneath. You can't believe how hard and how much you keep cumming for him, but you have no intention of stopping until he's finished.

"Baby, can you choke me? I'd love to feel your big, strong hand around my neck." You hope that's not weird to ask for, you're not sure he'll be into it.

"Anything for you, my dirty little slut." Eddie reaches forward, easily wrapping his fingers around your throat. He applies light pressure, cutting off your oxygen just the slightest bit to test your limits. Your head feels light, and you give him a loud moan. "God, you're such a perfect little freak for me." You're eating up his praises, every single thing he says is music to your ears. He squeezes a little harder, still thrusting like a jackhammer to bring himself to his own end.

You can tell he's getting close, his pace begins to stutter as his high approaches. And the feeling of his hand around your neck while he fucks you senseless is putting you right there with him. "Fuck me harder, I wanna cum with you."

"You got it, angel. I'm almost there." He snaps his hips even harder, the contact of skin to skin stinging the two of you. You're both sweating profusely, making it difficult to maintain your position. Obscenely loud moans and slapping of flesh fill the room, drowning out the bumping bass downstairs. You're sure someone can hear you, but it doesn't matter. All that matters is getting this final, intense orgasm with the man of your dreams.

You feel the wave threatening to crash over you, you've never been so incredibly built up before. You're worried you might die, everything feels too fucking good. Eddie reaches between your legs, circling your clit to seal your fate. "Oh, god. Fuck! EDDIE!" You scream so loud, it sounds like you're in pain. But that couldn't be further from the truth. An absolute flood of cum explodes from you, soaking yours and Eddie's legs and the bed beneath you. Tears spring from your eyes, you're becoming overstimulated. Your walls snap around him harder than ever before, milking his cock for all its worth.

"Y/N!" He cries out, you've really done a number on him. You're squeezing the life out of him, and his load mixes with the massive downpour of cum that soaks everything. He can't stop himself from bucking into you erratically as he rides out his own high, which just keeps the fluid pouring out of you. You're sobbing at this point, it's almost too much. Eddie slows down, regaining control once the pleasure subsides. You collapse on the bed, slipping off of his dick. You can barely move, or think. And all you see is stars. "You okay, Y/N?" He asks, noticing how much you resemble a starfish at the moment.

"Mmhmm." Is all you can say, as your limbs are now made of mush with no bones to be found. Satisfied with your answer, he falls backwards to catch his breath. Your hearts pound so loud, you can hear them in your ears.

Suddenly there's knocking in the door, and you notice the music has stopped. "Y/N? Are you in there? We heard screaming, and Robin said you came up here with some guy." It's Steve, sounding very concerned on the other side of the door. "We just wanna make sure you're okay."

You lift your head, speaking back to him. "Yeah it's me. I'm fine, just finished getting my brains fucked out by Eddie Munson, if you must know." You say cheekily, highly satisfied with yourself.

A roar of cheers erupts in the hallway, it appears the party moved upstairs to investigate what the ruckus you and Eddie made was all about. "Way to go, Y/N! Just please replace the sheets? My parents will kill me if there's a mess left in there."

"Will do, your highness!" You retort, laughing at the spectacle that's been made out of your sexual activities. You turn to look at Eddie as the audience makes their way back to resume the festivities, and he's smiling like a kid on Christmas. "You alive there, Munson?" You ask, matching his blissful expression.

"Well, I'd say it was a pretty close call. That has to be the best sex I've ever had, I thought I'd died and went to heaven or something. And I don't even go to church." He quips, sitting up with you.

"Me either, God's overrated. Now you, on the other hand? I'd worship you every day of the week." You move to sit sideways on his lap, letting him wrap his arms around you.

"Ooh, I like the sound of that. And I'll happily do the same for you." He leans in, giving you a tender kiss. You're both completely spent, happy to just sit like this. He pulls away, looking at you seriously. "So, what do we do now?" He asks, unsure what the next step is. And that's in terms of tonight, or otherwise. He wants to see you again, and again and again. But it all depends on you.

"Well, I was thinking a shower. There's a bathroom attached to this room, thankfully. And then after that...we can rejoin the party if you want, or stay here together and rest." His expression falls a little, thinking you don't want anything from him after tonight. You quickly take notice, reassuring him that's the opposite of what you mean. "And then, when the night is over, I give you my phone number so you can call me and take me on a date."

"Really?" He's smiling again, somehow surprised that you mean it.

"Yes, dingus!" You smack his chest playfully, rolling your eyes at his uncertainty. "I'm practically in love with you! I'm not gonna let you go so easily, especially not with your particular skill set." You chuckle, making him laugh as well.

"Sorry, I don't mean to be so insecure. But I'll happily take you up on that shower, and your phone number. And just so you know, sweetheart, I am never letting you go either."

The end.

#fanfiction #hippiegoth97 #smut #eddie munson #stranger things #hawkins #1980s #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson smut #eddie munson x fem reader #eddie munson x fem reader smut #halloween #spooky #eddie munson x reader smut

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andvys · 2 years ago

Text

I knew you'd linger like a tattoo kiss | part 20

Warnings: angst, kinda mean!Eddie, mentions of an ED, fluff at the end

Pairings: Steve Harrington x fem!reader, Eddie Munson x fem!reader

Summary: Tension arises between you and Eddie when Steve steps back into your life.

Word count: 8k+

A/N: If there's any typos or mistakes, you didn't see them! @hellfire--cult thanks for feeding me ideas, I'm blessed to have you

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You can’t explain the awful feeling in your stomach or the suffocating feeling in your chest.

You have trouble understanding why it all feels so wrong when it’s all you have dreamed of for so long. Steve kissed you in a way he had never kissed you before, not even when you had just started dating did he kiss you with so much passion and love the way he did last night.

His touch was gentle, his lips were soft and he was so desperate to feel you against him – you were just as desperate and the kiss just showed how much you still love him, how much you still want him, how much you crave him even after everything that happened between you both. But, not even the passion of the kiss could erase the things he had done to you.

The moment it all caught up to you, the moment something else came to your mind, you pushed him away and you ran, you ran away from him and now you feel guilty for it but you couldn’t stay, you couldn’t stick around any longer.

You found Robin and Chrissy, blabbering out what happened to you before you begged them to take you home.

Now, you are laying in your bed, staring up at the white ceiling. You’re glad that you haven’t had much alcohol last night. The sharp pain in your lower stomach is already bad enough, you wouldn’t want to deal with both a headache and the awful cramps.

You don’t know how, but you manage to drag yourself out of the comfort of your bed. When the pain in your stomach gets sharper, you suddenly regret the plans that you had made with your friends for today.

Your heart leaps to your throat when your phone starts ringing. You don’t bother to hurry down the stairs to pick it up. You know who it is but you aren’t ready to talk to him.

Eddie had done nothing wrong, he had never done anything wrong.

But the thought of talking to him or even facing him fills you with an awful feeling, one that you can’t describe. You know you can’t run from it, you had made plans with Robin, Chrissy and Eddie.

You let the phone ring and disappear into the bathroom, you close the door and drown out the voice of the shrill sound.

You hope that a hot shower will help you get rid of that sickening feeling but your mind can’t rest and every time you think back to that kiss, you feel that immense guilt. Why? You wanted it, you wanted it just as much as he did.

Steve is single and so are you, there is not a reason for you to feel guilty about something that you had wanted for so long.

Or, maybe you feel guilty for doing this to yourself… again. Because why are you letting him back in? Why are you giving him the chance to hurt you again?

It doesn’t matter how he feels about you, it doesn’t matter how much he loves you, it doesn’t matter, not anymore.

He hurt you too many times for you to just let him back into your life like this.

You cannot give him the chance to hurt you again.

The clock strikes 2 when the doorbell rings. You furrow your brows when you look at the watch on your vanity, the one you never wear. Eddie is always on time when it comes to you but never when he picks up Robin first, she is always running late. You take one last look at yourself, fluffing out your hair a little more before you drop the lipgloss on the table. You smoothe down your skirt and reach for your little purse, picking out your favorite cardigan on the way out.

The doorbell rings again when you walk down the stairs, “I’m coming!” You sigh.

When you open the door, you don’t expect to see him on the other side. The smile that tugged at your lips instantly falls and tension arises in your body.

“Hi.”

Steve.

Your shoulders slump as you take in the sight of him. The soft and apologetic eyes, the hopeful look in his features. The messy hair.

“Hey,” you whisper.

“C-Can we talk?”

You’d rather not. The fear that he will pull you back in is too big.

“What about?”

You keep holding onto the door, staring at him as you try to calm the feeling in your chest. He had already walked you home last night, even though you tried to protest against it, he could’ve talked to you then but he stayed quiet, you did too.

He licks his lips as he looks down nervously. The atmosphere around you had changed yet again. You were ready to let him back into your life. You smiled at him again, you talked to him again, you wanted to be his friend – he ruined it all with a kiss and he knows it.

“I-I’m sorry, sweetheart.”

As you look into his eyes, you know, you just know, he is genuine about it. There’s remorse lingering in them and fear – fear of losing you again.

“Steve,” you sigh.

“I-I wasn’t – I wasn’t thinking about how much I would hurt you again a-and, I-I just wanted, no, needed to kiss you again. I messed up, I was a selfish prick. And I promise, it won’t happen again if you don’t want it.” He is pleading with his eyes as he looks down at you, “I loved every second of it b-but I shouldn’t have done it. I-I just, please forgive me, dolly.”

Steve had never begged for forgiveness when you were still together, he had done so many awful things, he hurt you so many times but he never begged for forgiveness, he just dismissed them and moved on and acted like he had never done anything wrong.

“I won’t ever do it again,” he says, even though kissing you is all he wants to do. “I just, I don’t want to lose you again.”

You don’t want to lose him again either.

Something about the look in his eyes and the sadness in his voice makes you feel guilty.

You nod.

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Yeah,” you breathe, “just, promise me that you won’t kiss me again.”

“I promise!” He exclaims with wide eyes, “I promise, I won’t do anything you don’t want me to do. I-I know that we’re not exactly friends but I-I’d love for us to be friends again.”

Right now, you don’t see the Steve that hurt you. You see the boy you used to play hide and seek with. The boy who used to pick flowers for you. The boy who used to pick you up in the afternoons to get sundaes at Benny’s. The boy you made a pact with when you were little kids – that you would stay friends, no matter what.

And Steve really needs a friend. He doesn’t have Tommy anymore, he doesn’t have Nancy anymore – who is left?

“Steve?”

“Yes?” He asks, furrowing his brows when you completely dismiss his words.

“Who do you hang out with?”

“No one,” he says without a single moment of hesitation.

It might be his fault but you still feel bad for him. You and Tommy were his only friends and now he has neither one of you left.

He has no one.

No friends and not even his parents to come home to – they are never there.

Maybe it’s the image of him alone or maybe it’s just the look in his eyes that makes you feel heartbroken, sad for the man in front of you, the one who used to be your everything.

Suddenly, you feel the need to keep the promise that you had made as kids.

You open your mouth to speak but the sound of a car – a van pulling up to your driveway makes you freeze in your spot. Your heart leaps to your throat and you swallow harshly.

Eddie.

Oh no. You had been ignoring his calls all day, breaking the promise that you would call after every party – you didn’t, at least not last night. You couldn’t.

He gets out of the van and closes the door. You are so focused on him that you don’t see Chrissy and Robin on the other side of the van. Eddie stares at Steve’s car with a frown on his face and when he looks your way, he freezes.

Steve notices the panicked look in your eyes, the nervousness is written all over your face. He turns around. Eddie stands there with a frown on his face, anger in his features and disappointment.

Robin and Chrissy share a look when they find Steve on your front porch. They are the firsts to walk towards you, glancing at Eddie nervously.

You tear your eyes away from Eddie when Chrissy walks up the stairs, brushing past Steve, completely ignoring his presence.

“Hey!” She smiles but with a questioning look in her eyes. You know what she is thinking; what is he doing here?

“Hey Chris,” you smile and greet her with a hug. She places her hand on your shoulder when she pulls back, eying the skirt you are wearing, her eyes lighten up, “oh my god, is it the one we bought last week together?”

“Yes!”

“I love it, it’s so cute!”

“Don’t you have the same one?” Robin asks, chuckling as she approaches you, eying Steve weirdly.

He rolls his eyes and sighs.

“Yes but it’s not the same color, Robs!”

Robin gives Chrissy a teasing smile before she looks over at you, “hey wild child, are you good after last night?” She tilts her head in his direction, raising her brows at you as though to say ‘what the fuck is he doing here?’

You would’ve laughed at the nickname she just gave you if it wasn’t for the intense look that Eddie is giving you as he walks up the stairs as well. You see his clenched jaw, he is angry – angry that you ignored his calls, angry to see him here. But there is also a hint of sadness in his brown orbs and you can’t take it – you can’t stand to see even a sliver of sadness in his eyes.

He quickly masks it with something else, just the way he always does.

“Thanks for the call, sweetheart,” he says sarcastically, furrowing his brows with a fake smile on his lips, “I mean for thanks for letting me know that you got home safe. Oh and super nice of you to keep ignoring my calls all day too.”

You can’t even look at him so you look down.

Steve’s brows stayed furrowed, the tension and the awkwardness isn’t hard to miss. Eddie looks at him in a way that almost makes him shrink under the weight of his eyes. So he turns back to you. You are blinking, chewing on your bottom lip and breathing heavily. You feel guilty, so guilty that you can’t even look at Eddie. Steve’s heart drops a little. He remembers how he felt when Nancy kissed him, how he couldn’t look into your eyes without feeling like the guilt was eating at him. He felt horrible, even when it wasn’t a kiss he initiated or even let happen, he still felt guilty, just as guilty as you are feeling, right now.

But you and Eddie are just friends, right?

Robin and Chrissy look at each other awkwardly.

“Eddie, I-I’m sorry,” you say softly, “I had the worst headache–”

“Yeah, I can see that,” he mumbles, glancing at Steve.

Steve rolls his eyes at Eddie’s attitude.

“Look, can we just go?” Robin asks, wanting to escape the awkward situation.

“Yes please,” Chrissy mumbles.

You look up, slowly looking between your friends. You already know that Robin and Chrissy are both going to be too busy with each other and Eddie is clearly pissed – you have seen him angry before but the anger was never directed at you and you know very well how he can be when he’s pissed.

Before you can stop the words from spilling, you look up at Steve.

“Steve is coming too.”

All four of them turn to you, looking at you wide eyed – as though you had gone crazy.

Chrissy looks annoyed, Robin looks confused, Eddie looks at you in disbelief and Steve, he stares at you with softened eyes.

“I invited him,” you lie.

Steve shakes his head at you, he doesn’t want you to feel like you have to include him, this is not what he came here for. He just wanted to apologize and make things right.

Robin looks away with a clenched jaw and Chrissy looks down to hide her eye roll.

“Can I talk to you, sweetheart?” Eddie asks, tilting his head.

“Yeah,” you whisper, nervously.

You walk past Steve and the girls, clutching your cardigan tightly as you step out on the porch. Eddie places his hand on your lower back and leads you down the stairs and towards his van.

“Eddie, I’m sorry. I-I didn’t mean to ignore you–”

“Did something happen?” He asks and finally swallows the anger down. He can hear the trembling in your voice, the shakiness of your hand which might be caused by something else.

He feels the urge to cup your cheeks so he can see your eyes but you keep looking down at the graveled ground.

You simply shake your head.

“Why didn’t you call me?” He asks softly, this time.

“I was really tired and I drank too much, I wasn’t thinking.”

You raise your head a little, daring to look at him.

“You’re lucky Robin called me otherwise I would’ve broke into your house.”

Your lips twitch and you break into a smile, “wouldn’t be the first time.”

He can’t help but smile back at you, his anger melting away.

“I-I’m sorry for inviting him, I know none of you want him around.”

“Then why did you invite him?” He asks, not out of anger but out of curiosity.

You can see the annoyance lingering in his eyes, the same annoyance you saw in Chrissy’s and Robin’s eyes.

You don’t know why you feel the need to explain yourself but when you look at him, you know you have to.

“He is just a friend now, I promise. I-I don’t want him like that – he’s just my friend.”

Eddie’s eyes skip over your face. Your brows are furrowed, eyes pleading and filled with honesty – he just doesn’t understand what the guilt is for.

“I still don’t understand why he has to be included.”

“He’s alone, Eddie.”

His brows knit together and he shakes his head.

“No, he isn’t? He’s with Nancy and bitchy Carol and fucktard Tommy–”

“He broke up with Nancy and he doesn’t have friends. Not anymore.”

Oh.

If there is one thing Eddie knows, it’s loneliness. And he can’t help but pity him. There isn’t much that he knows about Steve except for the things that you told him and his absent parents – it’s something that he unfortunately can relate to. He knows what it’s like to have no one. But fear grows inside of him at the news of Steve being single.

“Fine, don’t expect me to not mess with him though.”

You roll your eyes, snorting at his words.

“You two will be menaces to each other.”

Whenever Eddie felt vulnerable, angry or hurt, he’d put on a mask, he would hide his true feelings by putting on a front. He had never felt that need to do that with you, not until now.

He watches you with a weird feeling in his chest when you walk back to Steve.

Robin gives Eddie a pitiful look but the latter refuses to show how insecure or sad he is. He puts on a fake smile and looks over at Steve.

“I always wanted to take your girl for a ride.”

Steve’s head snaps towards him, halting his movements, he stops jingling with his car keys and gives Eddie a weird look.

“Excuse me?”

Robin and Chrissy look at you before they turn to each other, erupting into a fit of giggles at the double innuendo.

Eddie briefly glances at you before he nudges his chin into the direction of Steve’s BMW.

Steve squints his eyes, “yeah, keep dreaming, Munson.”

Eddie chuckles, “I will.”

“Wait, are we taking your car?” You ask, turning to Steve.

Robin mumbles something under her breath and Chrissy shushes her in response, nudging her shoulder.

“Can we talk, y/n?” Steve asks.

“Yeah, at the movies.”

You know exactly what he wants to talk about. He doesn’t want to intrude and he probably feels awkward to be around your friends.

“Come on.”

Steve sighs, knowing that you won’t take no for an answer, he just gestures for you all to get in his car. He expects you to take the passenger seat but instead, you take Eddie’s hand in yours and lead him to the passenger side.

“You can sit in the front,” you smile at Eddie as he looks down at you in confusion.

“I’ll sit in the back with Chris and Robin.”

“Uh–”

“Let’s go before the movie starts!” You say before anyone else can protest.

Eddie and Steve share a look, not a very excited or happy one, it’s more one of annoyance. Neither of them want to spend time with the other. But they get in the car nonetheless.

Chrissy and Robin get in as well, begrudgingly so.

“Are we still going out for pizza afterwards?” Robin asks, looking between Chrissy, Eddie and you.

Steve looks at you through the rearview mirror, seeing the way you scrunch your face up in disgust.

“Yeah, we can order some when we get back to my place,” you mumble, “I definitely need some McDonald's today though.”

Robin raises her brows in surprise, “what, is that hangover food for you or something?”

Chrissy chuckles beside her.

“Not exactly.”

No. It’s not your hangover food. Steve knows it. You only ever craved McDonald’s once a month.

“Hey Robin, did you tell y/n about your new job yet?” She asks, trying to ease the tension in the car.

Your lips part when you look over at your friend, “wait, what new job? You found something new?”

“Yes!” Robin says, pretending to be excited, “I’m starting next week.”

“Where?”

“Scoops Ahoy!”

Chrissy smiles, nodding in excitement.

Steve turns around, looking at you, surprised. His lips twitch and you almost laugh. Eddie glances between the two of you.

“Oh,” he furrows his brows, “the ice cream shop, huh?”

“Yup.”

Robin doesn’t even acknowledge him properly, just nods into his direction. Oh, this is going to be interesting.

“So, have you met your co-workers yet?” You ask.

She twists the rings on her fingers, shaking her head.

“Nope, I guess, I’ll meet them on monday.”

“You don’t have to,” you giggle.

“Huh?”

The look of confusion amuses even Steve.

You point your finger at Steve, who waves at Robin mockingly.

Her eyes widen, for a moment she looks shocked before she lets out a groan of annoyance, “you gotta be kidding me..”

“Hey there, co-worker,” Steve says, unable to hold back his chuckle.

She slumps back, looking very miserable before her eyes light up and she sits back up, “wait! Does that mean that you have to wear one of those sailor uniforms too?”

At that, Steve groans and looks away.

“Sailor uniforms?”

“Come by on monday and you’ll see Steve in a pair of skimpy sailor shorts,” Robin winks at you.

While you and Chrissy laugh and even Eddie joins in, smirking at Steve, “are you gonna wear some slutty shorts, Harrington?”

“Shut up,” Steve mumbles, closing his eyes.

“Alright, alright,” Robin mumbles, “can you start the car, dingus? We’re gonna miss the movie!”

“Yeah,” he sighs as he starts the car.

The drive to the movies wasn't the most joyful one you’ve been on. Eddie kept pestering Steve about his music choices. Steve kept rolling his eyes at him and Chrissy and Robin kept whispering to you.

‘Why is he here?’

‘Why did you invite him?’

‘Are you with him again?’

‘What about –’

You never got to hear the end of Robin’s question, Chrissy slapped her shoulder before she could finish it.

Walking into the movie theater has always been a nostalgic feeling to you, it always takes you back to your childhood. It’s oddly comforting. The smell of popcorn and butter makes your mouth water and you can’t wait to dig into the sweet treat.

After buying the tickets, Chrissy takes your hand and leads you over to the lounge area while the others go to buy the snacks.

The moment you take a seat, she starts bombing you with questions again. Rambling and throwing one after the other at you, not even giving you the chance to reply.

“Chrissy–”

“No, please don’t tell me that you’re getting back with him,” she says, crinkling your nose. She watched you cry over him more than once, even before the break up.

You shake your head, “no,” you mumble, taking a look at the others as they stand by the counter.

“I just – he’s different now.”

Chrissy scoffs at your words, rolling her eyes.

“Right, they all change when they get dumped.”

“He didn’t get dumped, he broke up with Nancy – and it doesn’t even matter! I don’t want to date him, I-I just, we’re friends now, I guess.”

Chrissy knows that Steve had always been more than just your boyfriend. He was your best friend, long before she became friends with you.

“I just don’t want him to hurt you again, y/n.”

You tilt your head and smile at her, “please, don’t worry about me. I won’t let that happen, not again. We’re friends. That’s all.”

She nods at your words and glances at the others. Steve and Eddie seem to be fighting about something, she can’t help but chuckle in amusement.

Eddie rolls his eyes at Steve, leaning closer to him to mock him about something.

“What’s so funny?”

She tilts her head at you, “well, I guess, Steve tagging along makes things more entertaining.”

With furrowed brows, you take a look at them – Eddie is holding a bag of popcorn in one hand, throwing some at Steve with the other.

“Guys!” You hear Robin’s annoyed voice.

You snort.

Robin is the first to come back, annoyance written all over her face,“they are so immature.”

She hands Chrissy the bag of popcorn and a box of Reese's pieces.

“They’re men, what do you expect?”

“You’re right,” Robin says to Chrissy.

“Sweetheart, tell Steve that you prefer salted popcorn,” Eddie says when he comes back, “he insisted on sweet popcorn.”

Steve rolls his eyes at Eddie, stopping next to him.

“Here we go again,” Robin mumbles under her breath.

Steve already knows your answer so he doesn’t even look at you expectedly. Eddie seems to look like he knows your answer too and he does, but today it isn’t the right one.

“Uh.” You get up and look at your best friend with an apologetic look in your eyes as you reach for the bag in Steve’s hand. “I’m sorry…”

Eddie’s eyes flash with confusion and his face falls. If you didn’t feel so guilty already, you would’ve been amused by the look of betrayal on his face. He is so dramatic. You’d be lying if you said that it’s something you don’t love about him though.

“W-What?” He scoffs as his lips set in a pout, “we always get salted popcorn!”

“Yeah and it’s my favorite but I’m craving something sweet today. I’m sorry, Ed’s.”

Eddie rolls his eyes and looks away from you, “and how did you know that?” He asks Steve.

Steve could have been smug about it, especially, seeing as it makes Eddie mad.

He shrugs, “it’s just something that we always used to get when we came here,” he lies.

Suddenly, you want to run, you want to escape. So you grab your purse and leave the group, pretending to look at the ticket that you were holding all this time. Chrissy gets up to follow you and so does Steve.

Robin and Eddie stay back though, glancing at each other.

It’s not that they hate him. They don’t. But they know what he did to you, they know how much he hurt you, how much you suffered because of him and he had done nothing to earn your trust back. He just weaseled his way back into your life and you let him.

And despite his jealousy and the fear of losing you, Eddie still isn’t as angry as Robin is – because he thinks about your words; ‘He’s alone, Eddie.’

Eddie and Robin follow the three of you, he watches you, he watches how you interact with Steve and Chrissy, laughing at something he said.

“I’m so fucking pissed,” Robin says.

“Why?” He asks but keeps his eyes on you.

“Because he will just hurt her again. I can’t believe she feels bad for him after the shit he did to her.”

“Well, can’t really fight her when she’s this stubborn,” Eddie shrugs.

“Yeah, but he doesn’t want to be friends with her – I mean, when Billy kissed her he was like all rough and shit, and then Heather – fuck, when Heather told me she kissed Steve, I was fuming!” She says, looking up as she groans in anger.

Eddie feels like someone had dropped a bucket of ice cold water over him. He freezes and halts in his tracks, eyes widening as he feels his heart sinking to his stomach.

“W-What?” Eddie mumbles.

Robin stops walking when she notices that Eddie is no longer beside her. She glances at the three of you before she turns back to him and sees the look of confusion and sadness in his eyes – fuck. She should have known. She should’ve known that you didn’t tell him. That is why you didn’t call him. That is why you didn’t pick up any of his calls.

“S-She kissed Steve a-and Billy?” He asks with widened eyes, “please, tell me you’re joking, Robin.”

Robin’s own eyes widen as well and she starts shaking her head wildly, “no! It was spin the bottle.”

A part of him feels relieved but the other part is still tense. His eyes begin to hurt.

He curses at himself for not being there last night. You wouldn’t have to kiss Billy if he was there, you wouldn’t have to kiss Steve.

“B-But it was just a game, right?”

A guilty feeling overcomes Robin and she already begins to regret that she even mentioned it.

She wants to say ‘yes, it was just a game’ but Robin was never a good liar and even if she tried, he would know that she is not telling the truth.

“It was just a game,” Eddie repeats, “her kissing Steve was just a game, right?”

He doesn’t even care about Billy, the kiss with him was just a game.

“Eddie–”

“Come on, Robin,” he mumbles, shakily.

He knows he has no right to be upset over a kiss. You are not even his to lose. But he always hoped, deep down, he always hoped that there might be a chance for him someday.

“She told me that he kissed her again afterwards – outside.”

Eddie’s shoulders slump, his heart feels heavy in his chest. He feels so stupid to think that you wouldn’t do this. You could only resist him for so long. Steve Harrington still has your heart after all.

“But Eddie, I don’t think that it meant anything to her. She rejected him and then came to find me.”

Her words do nothing to make him feel better.

Robin looks at him, anxiously. She knows how resentful Eddie can be when he’s hurt and by the look on his face, she knows that he is deeply hurt.

“Are you guys coming?” Chrissy asks, interrupting Robin who was just about to say something.

Eddie looks down with a clenched jaw. He doesn’t even want to be here anymore.

“Yeah. Come on, Eddie.”

Eddie follows begrudgingly. He knows that he shouldn’t feel that way. It shouldn’t hurt as much. You are still just friends after all, you are not his girlfriend, you are not his, your heart isn’t his.

You never gave any signs that you wanted him back, not even once.

He shouldn’t be this upset. He shouldn’t feel so jealous.

But it isn’t just the kiss or the kisses.

You have only spent one evening with Steve, kissed him twice and you are already distancing yourself from him. Ignoring him and his calls. He is already losing you.

His mood only gets worse when he finds you sitting next to him, giggling at something he said to you. He rolls his eyes and sits down on the other side of you.

You turn away from Steve and towards him, smiling at him, “hey.”

“Hey,” he grumbles.

He doesn’t even see the creased brows or the saddened look in your eyes, he’s staring at the white screen.

“How was the campaign last night?”

“Good.”

“Okay,” you mumble and lean back again, you frown in confusion. Is he this upset over some salted popcorn?

Steve looks over at Eddie, his jaw is clenched, he blinks faster than usual, he is pissed. He was pissed before but not like this, he seemed to have calmed down on the drive here and even while they were at the counter, buying snacks, he seemed fine and even laughed and teased him, now he just looks angry.

He glances at Robin who sits next to him, she is chewing on her bottom lip and bouncing her knee, completely ignoring Chrissy’s rambling. The room might be dark, but Steve can see the guilt in her eyes.

“Hey Robin,” he whispers.

She rolls her eyes at him, “what?”

“You didn’t tell Eddie about the kiss did you?” He whispers, careful that you aren’t listening.

She freezes a little and that is enough of an answer. Shit. Steve doesn’t really care about Eddie or about what he feels. He understands him but he still doesn’t care.

He cares about you. Back at your house, he saw the way you avoided Eddie’s eyes, the way you looked so scared and guilty, you were scared of his reaction that’s why you avoided him. You didn’t want him to know.

Now he knows and you don’t know that he does.

“Are you not gonna tell me about it?” Steve hears you asking him.

Eddie doesn’t even glance at you, he only leans further away from you.

“I would’ve told you if you picked up the fucking phone last night.”

You’re taken aback by the anger in his words, by the curse words that he never ever directed at you.

Normally, you would have said something but the guilt that you are still feeling makes you unable to talk. Besides, you are too intimidated to say anything back, scared that he will lash out on you because, clearly, he is deeply upset about something.

Steve watches how you turn away from him, you roll your eyes but the sadness gives away how hurt you are by Eddie’s attitude towards you.

Steve glares at Eddie, the urge to whack him across his curly head is strong.

He nudges your shoulder and gives you a soft smile when you look at him, “you okay?”

You hesitate, “...yes.”

Eddie narrows his eyes to look at the two of you and he keeps doing it during the whole movie.

Normally, you would comment on certain scenes, so would he. Normally, you would laugh together and you would lean your head on his shoulder, he would wrap his arm around you.

Today, he leans away from you and after a few attempts to talk to him or make him laugh, you give up when he keeps brushing you off. You lean away from him as well. He doesn’t comment on anything and neither do you anymore. He is still pissed and you are still tense, your mind is filled with thoughts that you don’t want to think about and despite the painkillers you took earlier, your stomach is still cramping. You are hurting today.

Despite the funny moments in the movie, you cannot laugh, in fact, you feel like crying – whether it’s your period making you overly emotional or just Eddie.

Eddie is giving you the cold shoulder and it hurts, it fucking hurts.

He had never done anything like that to you before.

You have been close friends for almost a year now and not once had he said or done anything to hurt you. But now, he is giving you the silent treatment, the cold shoulder and you can’t stand it because it’s something that Steve used to do to you.

Whenever he was upset about something, he wouldn’t talk, he wouldn’t tell you what was going on in his mind, he wouldn’t tell you what you did wrong, he would simply give you the cold shoulder and ignore you for the rest of the day.

And now Eddie is doing the same to you.

Eddie who you thought would never do this.

The moment the credits start rolling, you jump up from the seat and push past Eddie. You rush out of the room after making up some excuse that you have to use the bathroom.

“Is she okay?” Chrissy asks Eddie.

“How would I know?” He snaps at her and gets up as well, leaving the others behind as he makes his way out as well.

Chrissy scrunches her face up and looks at Robin, “what’s gotten into him?”

“Jesus..” Steve runs his fingers through his hair, “what a brat.”

“Who?” Chrissy asks as she takes a proper look at his face for the first time today, “Eddie?”

“Yeah.”

“You’re right,” she mutters under her breath as she gets up, “I can’t believe I’d ever agree with you.”

Steve isn’t offended by her words. He knows that your friends never liked him and he doesn’t blame them. They have always been protective of you and of your feelings, something that he wasn’t when you were dating.

“Let’s just go,” Robin says, “I need the pizza now.”

After some internal pep talk and five minutes of trying to keep yourself from breaking down, you leave the bathroom and step back into the empty hallway – almost empty hallway. You are almost startled by his presence. Out of all your friends, you didn’t expect to see him waiting for you.

You halt in your tracks. He is looking at you the same way he did when he just came to your place.

Eddie looks at your eyes, he notices the glassiness right away, whether you cried or not, he feels awful, despite the jealousy and the anger that he is still feeling.

“Who pissed in your coffee this morning?” You finally snap at him.

If he wasn’t so on edge already, he would’ve laughed and he would’ve loved the cute frown on your face.

If he didn’t have a sleepless night, he maybe wouldn’t have been so pissed but the sleepless night was your fault.

Even through the angry haze, he can see how beautiful you look today – you always look beautiful but something about the way you look today makes his heart race even faster. Maybe it’s the new skirt or maybe it’s the way you did your makeup or the fact that you are wearing his ring – you always wear it but, somehow, it means even more to him that you are wearing it today, even after the kiss with him.

Eddie never gets to answer your question.

Your friends join the two of you and interrupt your little tense moment.

“Let’s go, we’re gonna order some pizza.”

You tear your eyes away from his, sighing as you walk past him.

“Yeah, can we order? I don’t feel like eating there.”

Robin and Chrissy nod. They pull you away from Eddie and Steve.

Both men stay behind for a moment, Eddie looks at the ground, a mixture of guilt and anger still deep in his features.

Steve wants to say something and he opens his mouth but decides against it. Anything that he will say, will only anger the metalhead even further and he doesn’t want to risk making things worse.

So he turns around and walks away.

You are surprised to see Robin and Steve sharing a knowing look when you all get back into his car, they both take a look at Eddie, who is silent, unlike on the drive here.

Chrissy leans closer to you, she cups her hand over her mouth, “did something happen between you and Eddie?” She whispers, giving you a look of concern and confusion.

You shake your head at her and shrug. You are just as confused.

Her eyes soften when she sees the worry and the hurt in your eyes, she gives you a sad smile and takes ahold of your hand, trying to comfort you.

Your lips twitch, you squeeze her hand back before you turn away, looking out the window instead.

The day started off good, the sun was shining and the breeze was warm but, just like your mood, the weather had taken a turn for the worse. The clouds appeared like dark shadows over the pretty blue sky and the breeze turned into a harsh wind. It isn’t raining yet but you know it’s about to start falling any minute.

Somehow, the weather always matches your mood.

“I thought we were getting pizza?”

You were so focused on watching the clouds move, you didn’t pay attention to where you were driving.

Your eyes light up a little when you see the McDonald’s sign.

“Y/n doesn’t want pizza,” Steve says as he pulls into the drive through, “she wanted burgers.”

For a moment, you forget about Eddie’s anger, the pain in your stomach or the guilt. Your eyes widen and a smile tugs at your lips, you have been craving burgers and fries all day.

“Oh! Fries too, please, Stevie!”

You don’t hear Eddie’s scoff over Steve’s chuckle, “I know, dolly.”

Eddie rolls his eyes and clenches his fist.

“Does anyone want anything?”

Eddie mumbles a ‘no’.

Robin simply shakes her head and Chrissy leans closer to Robin to look out the window, reading the menu board.

“Oh, can I have a strawberry milkshake?” Chrissy asks shyly, already reaching for the walled in her purse but you stop her, placing your hand over hers.

“I got it, Chris.”

“Don’t sweat it,” Steve mumbles, looking over his shoulder, he glances at you both, “I’ll pay.”

She raises her brows, forcing a smile as she mumbles a quiet ‘thanks’.

Robin is awfully quiet and you just notice it now when Chrissy leans back and you get to take a look at her. She keeps running her fingers through her hair, looking out the window with tense shoulders, just like Eddie.

What the hell is going on?

Chrissy looks just as clueless as you though.

When Steve hands you the bag and the milkshake, a few minutes later, you almost squeal in excitement. Chrissy laughs at the look on your face and takes the milkshake from your hand.

“Do you wanna share?” She asks, offering you the drink after taking the paper off the straw.

“No thanks, I need the fries now.” You rip open the bag, the smell of greasy food makes your mouth water, “I’m so hungry,” you mumble as you reach for the fries.

“Want some?” You ask Chrissy and Robin, “I’ll share, it’s too much for me anyways.”

Robin shakes her head, “nah, I’ll wait for the pizza.”

Chrissy takes some, “you’re missing out, Robin.”

“Right?” You mumble through a mouthful, “you gotta dip them, Chris.”

“Not in a strawberry milkshake though!” She laughs, “it’s gotta be vanilla.”

Steve glances at you through the rearview mirror. His heart flutters when he sees the smile on your face.

“Do you guys want some?” You ask, offering some to Steve and Eddie.

“It’s all yours, hangry,” Steve chuckles, using an old nickname.

“I’m not hangry!” You slap his shoulder.

“You want some Eddie?” You ask softly.

He shakes his head, continuing to give you the cold shoulder. So he really is mad at you. Eddie never says no to fries, he steals some from your plate every time you go out to eat – or he finishes the ones that are left on your plate when you get too full to finish eating them yourself.

You exhale and slump back in your seat, feeling sad all over again.

You look down at the fries, suddenly, not feeling as hungry as you did before. Still, you continue snacking on the fries, choosing to save the burger for later.

Chrissy looks at you worriedly when you frown and look down at your food, sadly, not as happy as you did a few moments back. She knows that you had been struggling in the past few months, you haven’t been eating as much and whenever you do, you quickly lose your appetite. Whether it’s the past memories that take away your appetite or something else – you have a problem. A problem that Eddie usually tries to help you with.

She doesn’t know what happened but she can’t help but glare at the metalhead.

But Robin is acting off too, so when you finally arrive back at your place and you all walk into your house. Chrissy takes Robin’s hand and pulls her away to the dining room to talk to her.

“We’re gonna order the pizza!” Chrissy shouts as they disappear in the hallway.

“Uh – okay.”

Throwing your cardigan and your purse on the dresser, you walk into the living room.

“Should I get some drinks?” Steve asks you, following you.

“I can do it–”

“No, sit down, I’ll get some,” Steve mumbles, giving you a smile before he walks past you, disappearing in the kitchen.

You reach for the remote to turn on some music on the TV, you always need the background noise, even in a room full of people. From the corner of your eye, you see him. You are surprised that he’s still here, you figured that he’d take his van and leave the moment Steve parked the car in your driveway.

A part of you wants to say something but the other part doesn’t. You don’t want to give him the silent treatment back, you are just scared of his explanation.

On the way home, you kept trying to figure out what made him so angry.

Did he know about the kiss? Did Robin tell him? Is he upset about that?

Even if he knows, he can’t be upset about it – even when you think about what Nancy said to you, it still makes no sense. Why would he be upset? You aren’t together. You are not his girlfriend.

Then again, it doesn’t explain your guilty feeling either. Just like you aren’t his, he isn’t yours. You have no reason to feel so guilty about kissing Steve – you can kiss whoever you want.

Besides, you went on a date with Ray and even kissed him before he turned into a major douchebag – Eddie never got upset about the fact that you wanted to go on a date. So he can’t be upset about this either, right?

It has to be something else.

Is he sick of you?

Did he finally realize that you aren’t worth his time?

Did he have a sudden change of heart just like Steve did when he went from loving boyfriend to awful boyfriend overnight?

Did your radio silence piss him off that much?

He is still standing by the doorway.

You can’t help but roll your eyes at him and of course, it doesn’t go unnoticed by him. You still don’t say anything though, too afraid to make things worse.

The tugging in your chest gets even worse, if that is even possible.

“What’s wrong, dolly?”

All appetite is lost the moment you hear the mocking in his voice. You still blame your emotions on your period but deep down, you know that it’s not that.

You feel the coil in your throat, the hollow feeling in your stomach and the sickness in your chest. You don’t know whether you want to throw up or break into tears.

You can’t take this, not from him.

His words weren’t even bad or offending in any way but to hear the tone in his voice, to receive the cold shoulder from someone who you wouldn’t hesitate to give your everything to, makes you feel like you’re taken back to Halloween – where it all fell apart.

“Did you have fun last night?”

His question makes you frown. For the first time, you look at Eddie with a glare.

“I did.”

“Yeah, I figured,” he scoffs and looks away.

What the hell?

Chrissy and Robin walk into the room, both looking a little tense.

“Uh, pizza is ordered,” Chrissy says awkwardly.

She notices your heavy breathing and the way you are blinking quickly. The way you keep glancing at Eddie who refuses to look at you.

Steve comes back into the room with a few cans of coke, he places them on the small table. Steve’s presence seems to anger Eddie even further and Chrissy is starting to get annoyed by the attitude that spawned out of nowhere.

“Hey, are you okay?” Chrissy asks you.

Eddie is not looking at you. He isn’t even glancing at you. He doesn’t care. Why doesn’t he care anymore? What happened?

Your eyes burn. You can’t sit here any longer, you get up and walk away.

“Hey, do you not want to eat your food?” Steve asks, pointing to the takeout on the table.

“Not hungry,” you mumble.

“But, you haven’t eaten all day!”

Suddenly, Eddie feels even worse than he did before. He let his anger control him, all fucking day.

Steve sees your trembling lip and the tears in your eyes when you look back for a split second before you brush past Eddie and disappear into the hallway.

Chrissy calls out for you, jumping up from the couch, she runs after you, bumping into Eddie on purpose with a death glare.

He looks down with a sigh.

Steve has had enough of his behavior. He shakes his head in disbelief before he walks over to him, startling Eddie by grabbing his shoulder roughly, pushing him forward.

“What the fuck, dude?” Eddie snaps at him, trying to push Steve’s hands off of him but the latter has a strong grip on him and he pushes him towards the entrance, ripping the door open, he pushes him out.

For a moment, Eddie thinks that he’s getting kicked out.

Robin jumps up, looking panicked as she watches them both leaving the house. She follows behind, opening the door that Steve just slammed shut.

“What the hell is your problem?” Eddie asks, pushing Steve’s hands off with force.

“What’s my problem?” Steve chuckles in disbelief, pointing to himself.

Eddie scoffs and looks away.

“Get your fucking jealousy in check before you keep hurting her!” Steve yells over the harsh rain that is falling.

“She is not – I-I’m not..”

“Yes, you fucking are. You were fine before the movie, so I’m guessing you –” he points at Robin, who breaks eye contact right away and slumps, “told him something and I have a pretty fucking good idea of what it is!”

Eddie’s shoulders slump, he looks down, his eyes are burning.

“It’s just–” Eddie’s words get cut short because what can he say? How can Eddie tell him he is mad because he can’t compare himself to Steve Harrington? How can he tell him that he isn’t just jealous but also hurting? How can Eddie say anything at all when he has no chance whatsoever?

For a split second, Steve is able to see through Eddie, the look in his eyes gives it all away.

“Eddie,” he sighs, hurting himself with what he is about to say. He could lie to him, he could leave it all like this, be your knight in shining armor and pick you up after today but he won’t use Eddie’s insecurities and your vulnerability to weasel his way back into your heart.

Steve looks up, taking a deep breath.

“She pushed me away when I kissed her and I think we all know why.”

Eddie’s eyes widen.

“Now get your ass up there and fix it,” Steve says angrily.

A million questions run through Eddie’s mind but now is not the time to ask them. Steve won’t take no for an answer. He simply nods before he walks back into the house.

Robin crosses her arms over her chest, she is impressed by Steve. She’s a little surprised, she expected a fight to break out, she didn’t expect this to be cut… so short.

“Good job, Dingus.”

He rolls his eyes at her, “let’s get inside.”

Chrissy is standing in front of the bathroom door, leaning against it as she keeps trying to convince you to come out.

“Please, y/n,” she sighs, softly.

Eddie eyes the cheerleader warily, for someone with such a kind face, she sure gave him the kind of death glare that even intimidated him.

He takes a deep breath.

“Can I try?”

She turns around at the sound of his voice, snapping her head up with a frown. Her brows knit together, her mouth twists and she rolls her eyes but steps away from the door nonetheless.

“Yeah,” she mumbles, “don’t mess it up, Munson.”

That is a threat. Yeah, with the look on her face, it definitely is a threat.

He really messed up.

He knocks on the door softly, closing his eyes as he tries to calm his breathing.

“Sweetheart,” he speaks with a much gentler voice than before, “can we talk?”

Silence.

“Please?”

He opens his eyes when the faint click of the lock sounds through the hallway. He grabs the doorknob and twists it, he opens the door and steps inside. You are sitting on the edge of the bathtub, wiping away the tears that keep rolling down your cheeks – because of him.

But why? Why would you cry over him?

You look up at him with glossy eyes and you rise to your feet.

“D-Do you hate me Eddie?”

His eyes widen and he shakes his head quickly.

Eddie doesn’t even hesitate, he immediately pulls you into a tight hug. His own heart breaks, not once in his life did he think he would hurt you but, here he was, causing you pain because of his own selfishness.

He can feel you clinging to him, your arms are wrapped tightly around him, your tears are seeping through his shirt but he doesn’t mind.

“No baby, you didn’t do anything wrong. I was just being stupid,” he sighs, not even noticing the nickname that rolled off his tongue so naturally.

“I don’t want to lose you, Eddie.”

The trembling in your voice and the sadness makes his heart hurt even more.

Not once in his life was anyone ever scared to lose him, yet, here you are, the girl that he loves, scared to lose him. You could have anyone, you could have Steve but you are scared to lose him.

Whether it’s platonically or not – you are scared to lose him and that has to mean something.

“You won’t lose me, I promise, you won’t,” he whispers and kisses the top of your head. “I’m so sorry – fuck,” he blinks his own tears away, hating himself for what he did. “I’m such an asshole.”

You only hug him tighter in response.

“No, you’re not,” you mumble, “just don’t do it again.”

“I won’t. I promise, I won’t.”

“I’m so–”

“Stop apologizing. Just hold me,” you mumble into his chest, “we can talk later.”

“Okay,” he whispers, hugging you even tighter.

This is what you need. To be held and comforted by him.

You lean your chin on his chest and look up at him, “will you stay with me tonight?”

For some reason, your question has him stunned.

You have had sleepovers before, many sleepovers in fact. But, something feels different. He doesn’t know what it is but something has shifted.

Something has shifted between the two of you after last night, he felt it earlier already and he feels it now as well.

His heart thumps wildly in his chest and he’s sure that you can feel it because he can feel yours.

“Yeah, I’ll stay with you.”

tagging mutuals

@taintedcigs @mysticmunson @wroteclassicaly @corrodedcorpses @corrodedseraphine @xxhellfirebunnyxx @take-everything-you-can @trashmouth-richie @sherrylyn628 @nemesis729 @succubusmunson @chrissymjstan @somethingvicked

#steve harrington x reader #steve harrington x you #steve harrington imagine #steve harrington angst #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x you #eddie munson imagine #eddie munson angst #stranger things angst

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steddieasitgoes · 2 years ago

Text

written for @steddiemas Day 1: Deck the Halls read on ao3 | ao3 collection

Steve’s annoyed.

More than annoyed, really.

He’s supposed to be at the Munson’s, sitting between Wayne and Eddie, watching the Hoosiers play. Well, trying to watch the game, at least. Eddie has a habit of dozing off before the first quarter ends, head thunking against Steve’s shoulder so he can’t move for the rest of the game.

But no.

His mom just had to call and demand he set up their stupid Christmas tree before she and his dad get home tonight because the annual Harrington Holiday House party is this weekend, and she doesn’t have time to do it herself. Honestly, he’s surprised she’s trusting him enough to decorate the thing. He can count on one hand how many times he was allowed to hang an ornament on the statement piece in their living room.

He can’t even celebrate the decorating victory, though, because he’s still trying to assemble the goddamn thing. Nine-foot trees really aren’t meant to be set up by one person. At least, that’s what Steve’s learning as he tries to balance the next segment of the tree over his shoulder as he climbs up the ladder.

Focused on not falling, Steve doesn’t hear the front door open or the stomps of boots coming into the room. It isn’t until Eddie tuts does Steve startles, nearly toppling over.

“Woah, there big boy,” Eddie teases, reaching out to steady the ladder. “Don’t fall.”

“Don’t scare me then,” Steve snaps. It takes a moment, but he manages to get the next piece into the slot before carefully climbing down the ladder.

“Christ, someone’s feisty today,” Eddie says, hands up in surrender. “I guess it’s a good thing you bailed on me and Wayne to uh…” He glances at the half-assembled tree in the middle of the room. “What are you doing exactly?”

Steve rolls his eyes. “Building a stupid Christmas tree.”

“I’m sorry, you what?” Eddie asks, shaking his head. “You can’t build trees. You grow trees.”

Steve snorts. “It’s an artificial tree, Eds. My mom called as I was headed out to your place. Said I needed to get the stupid thing up and fluffed before she got home tonight because she needs a full three days to decorate the damn thing for the annual Harrington Holiday House party.”

“This thing is blasphemous!” Eddie says, circling it like a predator stalking its prey. “I thought rich people love Christmas trees. Don’t you like custom order the biggest one to show off your wealth?”

“Uh, no? My mom says real trees make too much of a mess.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Eddie says, abandoning the tree as he stalks towards Steve. “You mean to tell me you’ve never had a real tree before? Is that what you’re telling me?”

“You’re being weird,” Steve says, shaking Eddie’s hands off his shoulder.

“I am not being weird. You’re being weird. You’ve never had a Christmas tree! Do you even know what they smell like? Steve, you haven’t lived until you’ve smelt a freshly cut down Christmas tree!”

“Jesus, I didn’t know you were so passionate about this,” Steve snorts.

“You think this is bad. Wait until I tell Wayne. He’s going to flip out!”

“Wayne has never flipped out in his life.”

“Yeah, well, there’s a first for everything.” Eddie crosses his arms and then immediately uncrosses them, clapping his hands instead. “That’s it. You’re coming with us this year. Don’t make plans for next Friday! I’m stealing your Christmas tree virginity.”

“Don’t say it like that,” Steve groans, wrinkling his nose. “But fine, I’ll go with you. If you help me with this thing.”

“I don’t think that’s a fair trade-off, Stevie.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t really give a shit,” Steve says, bending down for the next segment of the tree. “Now grab an end.”

Steve yelps when he feels a firm hand squeeze his ass. All it takes is one deathly glare over his shoulder for Eddie to stop cackling and get serious.

🎄 🎄 🎄

“I’m going to sue your family,” Eddie whines, collapsing on the couch a few hours later.

“Don’t be a baby,” Steve scolds before dashing off into the living room to grab a couple of beers.

“Excuse me! That thing attacked me! Multiple times! Look at the evidence,” Eddie shouts, yanking up the sleeves of his Hellfire shirt to examine a dozen or so scratch marks up and down his forearms. “And don’t even get me started on my hands! How am I supposed to play guitar, Steven!”

“I told you to wear gloves,” Steve shrugs, returning to the room. He passes Eddie the cold can of beer before sinking into the couch beside him.

“I shouldn’t need gloves because you shouldn’t need to fluff a tree! They already come fluffed because they’re not rotting away in a box all year.”

“You poor thing,” Steve playfully tuts. “Guess I can’t hold your hand now since they’re so beaten up.”

“I never said that,” Eddie squawks as he yanks Steve’s hand into his own.

They sit in silence after that. Nursing their beers as the Christmas tree stands in its makeshift glory in front of them. Steve can tell which side he fluffed and which side Eddie did. The giant gap between the top two layers is obvious, and he knows he’s going to have to climb the ladder and fix it before his mom gets home, but that’s a problem for future Steve. Right now, he wants to sit here with his boyfriend even if his boyfriend is gearing up for another faux Christmas tree rant.

“Don’t tell me your mom is one of those people who only puts those stupid decorative ball things on the tree, too.”

“What do you think?” Steve says, hiding his smile behind the can of beer.

“Jesus H. Christ!”

🎄 🎄 🎄

It takes a bit of convincing and a formal invite from Wayne, but Steve keeps up his end of their deal, joining the Munsons on their quest for the perfect Christmas tree for the trailer.

Eddie has a habit of embellishing when he tells stories, but Merrill’s farm lives up to all the hype. As done, the process of selecting and chopping down the perfect tree. Steve gets stuck being the tie-breaking vote when Wayne and Eddie end up arguing over which tree to bring home. Naturally, Eddie throws a minor fit when Steve sides with Wayne, whining that he likes him better than his own boyfriend, which has Wayne rolling his eyes.

Steve gets to make the first chop but passes the ax off quickly. He doesn’t want to impede on their tradition any more than he has. Besides, axes have never been his thing. He prefers to swing bats instead.

“See, isn’t this much better than building a tree?” Eddie asks, slinging an arm over Steve’s shoulder as they stand off the side while Wayne pays.

“It definitely smells better.” Steve inhales deeply, scents of pine and hints of peppermint flooding his senses. Someone should bottle this stuff up and sell it as a cologne, he thinks. He’d definitely wear it.

“It’s easier, too.”

Steve scoffs. “Speak for yourself! You’re not the one who helped Wayne drag it all the way up here.”

Eddie laughs, eyes sparking mischievously. “Wait until you have to help him load it into the truck. That’s always the worst part.”

Steve eyes his boyfriend through squinted eyes. He ducks out of Eddie’s grasp and settles his hands on his hips. “You set me up! You just brought me here so you wouldn’t have to do manual work!”

“You wound me, Harrington,” Eddie gasps, clutching a hand over his heart as he staggers backward. “How can you think so lowly of me.”

“Because I know you, Munson,” Steve teases.

“Alright, alright, fine,” Eddie says, slinking over to Steve. “Maybe I had ulterior motives, but it's only fair after what I suffered helping you with that abomination you call a tree. At least now you’ve experienced a true Christmas tree experience.”

Steve can’t help but laugh, shaking his head as Eddie beams proudly at him.

“Ready to go, boys?” Wayne asks, rejoining them. They both nod, watching as Wayne makes his way over to the heavier side of the tree.

“You don’t have to carry it, Wayne,” Steve says, mischievous flooding his own veins. “Eddie and I will carry it to the car.”

“You bastard!”

“Hey,” Wayne scolds, swatting Eddie’s shoulder. “No swearin’ ‘round kids. I ain’t raise you like that.”

Steve bites the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing as he watches Eddie sigh dramatically before carefully shoving Wayne away from the tree. He waits for Eddie to follow his lead, squatting down before he counts them off. On three, they hoist the tree over their shoulders and start heading back out to the car.

🎄 🎄 🎄

“So, what do you think?” Eddie asks later, passing Steve a mug full of Wayne’s signature hot chocolate. “Is it better than your tree?”

Steve knows the answer immediately, but he takes a moment. Wants to make Eddie squirm as he admires the tree in front of him. It’s not perfect. It’s a little crooked, and there are hundreds of pine needles littering the floor. The lights are bright, though, and the branches are full of homemade and sentimental ornaments that span decades. A homemade star sits on top in lieu of the traditional angel. A star, Eddie tells him, he and his mom made by themselves the year before she got sick.

It’s perfectly imperfect.

His own traditional, straight out of the pages of a Home and Garden magazine doesn’t stand a chance against this one.

“Yeah, Eds. It’s better than my tree.”

“Victory!” Eddie shouts, nearly spilling his hot chocolate all over himself.

🎄 🎄 🎄

A month later, Steve’s belly is full of the Munson Christmas feast, but instead of lazily lounging on the couch enjoying his food baby, he’s carefully taking ornaments off of the dead Christmas tree that nearly caught fire twice since he’s been here.

“I take it back,” Steve says, carefully taking an ornament off of the dead tree. “Artificial trees are better.”

“They are not!” Eddie whines, wrapping the ornaments Steve hands him in tissue paper.

“I don’t know, Eds. I’ve never had to take down a tree on Christmas before!” he grumbles, reaching for another ornament. “This sucks.”

“It’s all your fault. If you chose my tree, it would have lived for another week! I just know it.”

“Sure it would have,” Steve snorts.

“Look on the bright side, at least we have firewood for the New Year's Eve bond fire now. We can’t do that with your stupid tree.”

“Nope, because I get to use my tree again next year, and you have to buy a new one. Think that’s another point for fake trees.”

Eddie screeches, wrapping his arms around Steve’s middle and tugging him off the ladder and onto the couch. Despite their full stomachs and tired eyes, they wrestle and laugh as Wayne shakes his head from the doorway, a light cigarette perched between his lips.

“Cut it out, you too,” he scolds when things get more heated between them. “Need it out before it really goes up in flames.”

#steddiemas #steddie #steddie fic #steddie ficlet #steve harrington #steve harrington fic #eddie munson #eddie munson fic #dani writes

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ladykailitha · 1 year ago

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Sweet Surrender Part 1

Welcome to the Paper Hearts sequel I've been banging on about for a while. This picks up literal hours after the first one ends so...yeah. Read that first.

I'll be using the tag list from Paper Hearts for this, but due to the purge I do have FIVE slots open.

This is mature. The second chapter is their first time, so just a heads up. Also it has extended to 4 chapters and might end up being five. I tried so hard to stop that. I honestly did. But alas! I had even given myself permission to make the chapters as long as they needed to be, and STILL it added an extra chapter.

*sigh*

Summary: After the events in Paper Hearts, Eddie and Steve navigate their first date, their first time, Eddie's friends, Steve's ex, and prom! It's a lot, but they'll make it through.

****

Steve only had mere hours to come up with the perfect Valentine’s day plans. But he knew what to do.

He bought flowers. Not roses. But white daisies. Beautiful and simple. He showered and merely changed into a long sleeved shirt and his nicest jeans he had. He told Eddie not too worry about getting dressed up. He had different plans.

After checking in with his kids to make sure he it all correct, he went to pick Eddie up from his trailer.

Wayne answered the door and he blinked at the sight of Steve Harrington at his door again, this time with flowers.

“Got lost again?” he teased, opening the door wide enough to let the young man in.

Steve grinned in response. “Not this time, no.”

“So I’m guessing the flowers aren’t for me then,” he said, indicating that Steve should sit on the sofa.

“No, sir.”

Wayne smirked. “Uh huh. And where are you going that you have to leave so early?”

“Bloomington,” Steve said, cheerfully.

Eddie came out of the bathroom fluffing his curls. “What’s in Bloomington?”

“It’s a surprise,” he replied, standing back up. “These are for you.”

Eddie’s expression softened. “Stevie, you didn’t have to do that.”

“I believe a request was made for the full Harrington charm,” he said with a smile.

Eddie took the flowers. “I don’t think we have anything to put these in.”

Steve’s smile turned into a grin.

“All I need is a pair of scissors and a tall glass.”

Wayne got out the glass while Eddie got the scissors. Steve held up the flowers to the glass and then with two mighty snips, the flowers were much shorter. He put them in the glass and filled it with water from the kitchen sink.

“There you go,” he said handing the glass to Eddie.

“Wow.”

Wayne chuckled. “I’ll admit I was little worried about the flowers, but I guess I wasn’t banking on you being so resourceful.”

Steve blushed and ducked his head.

Eddie decided to save his boyfriend from the embarrassment and said, “You ready to go?”

Steve brightened. “Sure thing.”

Eddie grabbed his leather jacket and they made their way to the car.

“You really aren’t going to tell me where we’re going?” he asked as Steve held the door open for him.

“Nope!” Steve replied cheerfully and then hurried to get over to his side of the car.

****

On the way down, Steve and Eddie talked about music and what influenced those choices.

“You don’t like pop?” Eddie asked. “I thought that was a prerequisite of being king of the social ladder.”

Steve shook his head. “And if what Max says is true, Billy Hargrove is a metal fan, so... no.”

Eddie tilted his head to the side and regarded Steve for a moment. “She that red-headed girl I see him with sometimes?”

“That’s the one,” Steve said nodding his head. “She’s his step-sister, but she hates his racist, homophobic, abusive ass.”

Eddie grimaced. “Is she going to be okay?”

“She’s got a lot of people looking out for her,” Steve said with a nod. “It’s hard sometimes, but we make it work.”

“Argh,” Eddie scoffed. “I can’t believe Hargrove is a metal fan. That’s a disservice to the genre, sweetheart.”

Steve chuckled and shook his head. “That’s what Dustin said.”

“Wait your pocket nerd is a metalhead, too?” Eddie asked, his eyes going wide. “How the hell did you fall in with this kid?”

“Oh, entirely by accident,” he huffed, “I assure you.”

“Huh.”

****

They arrived in Bloomington and Steve deftly navigated the town as if he was born in it. Eddie watched him in fascination as the other boy took what was clearly a well known path.

“I had to ask several times to make sure they were talking about the right shop,” Steve said pulling up to a two story building. “Because my dad used to take me here all the time when I was a kid to get baseball cards, but apparently in the ten years since I was last here, they’ve expanded quite a bit.”

Eddie stepped half out of the car onto the pavement, standing up. “Holy shit, Stevie.”

Steve chuckled and got out of the car. He leaned on the roof of his car, with his arms folded between him and the cold metal. He smiled fondly. He knew this was a great idea.

“Azathoth’s Emporium?” Eddie asked in awe. “Holy shit, Steve. This is like the Holy Grail of game shops in Indiana.”

“Yup!”

Eddie looked over at him and leaned on the roof top as well. “You are off to a banging head start there, darlin’.”

Steve slapped the roof and said with a grin, “Just wait until you see what’s inside.”

Eddie scrambled to get out of the car and close the door behind him. He caught up to Steve and leaned into his space. “I could kiss you right now.”

“Count how many times you want to do that,” Steve whispered back, “and tell me the number so I kiss you that many times when I drop you off at home.”

A feral grin spread out over Eddie face. “You might regret that.”

Steve tucked a hair behind Eddie’s ear and murmured, “I think I can safely promise that I won’t.”

“Full Harrington charm, huh?”

Steve threw his head back and laughed. “Right in one, babe.”

Eddie stayed close to Steve as they entered the shop. All around them were games and figures and posters and dice and cards and comics and everything thing that Eddie could have ever dreamed.

“Come on,” Steve said softly, grabbing his elbow to steer him toward the stairs. “What you want is on the top level.”

Eddie looked around in awe. “Maybe just a little...” he waved at the first floor with a quivering lip.

Steve swung round to look him in the eye. “I’m saving that for the grand finale, I just want to show you something first.”

Eddie brightened up immediately and dutifully followed Steve up the stairs. It was a light wood stairs with black iron wrought banisters. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from anything. Steve looked back and chuckled.

Then Steve started looking down each aisle searching for the particular part of the store but he needn’t have bothered. Toward the back was a large red dragon looking like it was bending the shelve it was standing on.

Eddie stopped in his tracks. “Stevie...there’s a dragon over there.”

“Yup!” Steve chirped happily. “And we’re going over there to meet him.”

“Mmk!”

Eddie hurried to catch up to Steve as he motioned for him to move faster.

There were figures, books, dice, DM screens, character sheets, and just about everything Eddie could every dream of for D&D right there in front of him.

“Stevie...” he whimpered. “I didn’t know there could be something like this here.”

Steve looked around and then gave Eddie’s hand a squeeze. “Come on. I’ve got money to burn and a boyfriend to spoil.”

Eddie’s head turned slowly to face Steve and when he saw he was serious, his face transformed into the most besotted grin. He skipped over to the display and began hopping around, looking at everything.

Steve just watched with a smitten expression on his face, please that his idea panned out. Eddie ended up picking a DM screen, a pad of character sheets, two figures and a red and black speckled dice that reminded him of his guitar at home.

“Ready to go see what else this place has to offer?” Steve asked as Eddie loped over to him.

Eddie nodded.

He picked up a couple of comics he had been dying to read, a book or three, and an action figure of Superman.

Steve got a couple of baseball cards.

As they walked out to the car, Eddie complained. “I don’t think it’s fair that you only got two cards when I got all these.” He held up his bags to show his point.

Steve laughed. “Eds...those cards are rare. They weren’t cheap. I assure you that I got the equivalent of what’s in those bags.”

Eddie eye him suspiciously. “Are you sure?”

“Yup!”

Steve put their stuff in the trunk and they drove off back to Hawkins.

“What’s next?” Eddie asked with a grin. “Not that this wasn’t amazing. I just have a feeling you were just getting started.”

“Dinner.” Steve glanced over at him and smile at the deep blush on his cheeks.

“I’m not exactly dressed for something fancy,” he muttered, picking at the hole in the knee of his jeans.

“Fantastic!” Steve said, happily tapping his fingers against the steering wheel. “There was no way I was getting somewhere expensive this late into planning. Their reservations would have been full on months ago. I’ll take you somewhere fancy, make no mistake, besides I wanted to do something fun. Sitting for three hours in stuffy clothes being judged by the staff and other patrons for looking at the menu for too long is NOT fun.”

Eddie looked up at him for a moment and the ducked his head again, this time blushing with pleasure instead of shame.

“We’re going to Benny’s!” he announced proudly.

Eddie’s eyes darted up and at Steve for a moment. “Wait, really?”

Steve hummed his agreement. “It won’t be as busy by the time we get there and we can share a shake afterwards.”

Eddie lifted his head and shimmied haughtily. “And what makes you think we have the same taste in milkshakes, Stevie?”

“I was hoping you’d want to share the triple chocolate brownie shake with me,” he replied with a half shrug.

Eddie’s eyes nearly fell out of his head. “Um...statement retracted, we obviously have the same tastes in milkshake.”

“I hoped so.”

They got Benny’s and had a wonderful meal and by the time it was time to share their milkshake they were the only ones left in the place.

They sat next to each other and playfully fought over every bite, chasing each other’s spoons and smearing it on each other’s faces.

Benny and the waitress just shook their heads and left them alone. Finally they said goodbye and Steve walked Eddie to the car to open the door for him.

“I’d normally take out to the quarry to do some star gazing before taking you home,” Steve murmured as he held open the door. “But there are a couple of problems with that.”

“We’d freeze our asses off?” Eddie guessed. “And considering how delightful yours is, it would be a damn shame to lose it.”

Steve chuckled and went around to the other side of the car, allowing Eddie to close his own door. “And there’s school tomorrow. So how about this, if you aren’t busy tomorrow, I’ll take you star gazing then. I’ll bring lots of blankets and thermos of hot chocolate if that’ll sweeten the deal.”

Eddie pretended to think about it, tapping his finger to his lips. “Sounds amazing, sweetheart!”

Steve grinned and took him home. He followed Eddie inside, a little pleased that Wayne wasn’t home at that moment.

“So, rockstar,” Steve cooed, pulling Eddie close to him after they had shucked off their coats, “How many kisses do you get?”

Eddie held up his hand that he had been using to to keep tally marks. “Looks like ten.”

Steve grinned and cupped Eddie’s cheek and placed a gentle kiss to his lips. “That’s one.”

Eddie took a deep, shuddering breath and let it out slow. Then Steve kissed him again. This one a little deeper.

“Fuck, Stevie,” he muttered after the fourth kiss. “You really are good at this, aren’t you?”

Steve hummed his agreement before diving in for kiss number five.

By the tenth kiss, they were making out, standing in the middle of Eddie’s trailer, bodies pressed together like pieces of a puzzle.

“Shit,” Steve breathed, pulling away only far enough to press their foreheads together. “If we don’t stop now, I won’t be able to keep my hands off you. And we still have school tomorrow.”

Eddie chuckled. “So what you’re saying is that after our little star gazing trip to the quarry tomorrow, we’ll be coming back here for sex?”

Steve’s head shot up and he looked Eddie in the eyes. “And you’d want that with me?”

“Sure would,” he whispered. “It’s hard enough stopping right now, but make no mistake, I want it all with you.”

Steve gulped and then nodded. “Yeah, me too, Eds. Me too.”

“Go on then,” Eddie whispered. “I’ll see you at school tomorrow.”

Steve smiled and then said his goodbyes. He walked out to his car and leaned on the steering wheel, looking up at the lit windows of the trailer park. The first time he’d come here was because he had been stupid. Running without direction or purpose. But he couldn’t deny that it had probably brought him here. Staring up at his boyfriend’s home and staring dreamy-eyed up at it like some love sick fool.

He shook his head fondly and started the engine. “You’re an idiot, Steve Harrington, but at least you’re someone’s idiot.”

He pulled away and drove home. When he got into the kitchen there was a message on the answering machine.

“Steven,” his mother said sharply. “I understand it’s Valentine’s Day but you should be home by now.” There was a gruff voice in the background and then his mother’s voice rang out on the tape. “Your father has just informed me that it’s barely 6pm in Hawkins. So when you get this, just be aware we are extending our stay. You father met some Japanese business men that he’d going to be trying to get a deal on their microchips. We won’t be home for at least another week. We’ll be transferring $500 to your account to make you get enough to eat. Be home soon. Kisses.”

Steve let out a long sigh. As much as he hated having his parents gone, this was a blessing. He had almost cleared out his allowance for the month on his little Valentine’s trip with Eddie. Not that that was a problem. Quite the opposite, but still that extra money would really help him out.

He really couldn’t wait until tomorrow now. He didn’t have to worry about his parents asking questions on where he’d been.

****

Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

Tag List: FIVE SLOTS OPEN

1- @mira-jadeamethyst @rozzieroos @itsall-taken @redfreckledwolf @spectrum-spectre

2- @slv-333 @zerokrox-blog @gregre369 @a-little-unsteddie @chaosgremlinmunson

3- @messrs-weasley @maya-custodios-dionach @goodolefashionedloverboi @val-from-lawrence @carlyv

4- @wonderland-girl143-blog @irregular-child @bookbinderbitch @bookworm0690 @dam28lh

5- @anne-bennett-cosplayer @yikes-a-bee @awkwardgravity1 @littlewildflowerkitten @genderless-spoon

6- @dragonmama76 @ellietheasexylibrarian @thedragonsaunt @useless-nb-bisexual @fullpoetrybread

7- @disrespectedgoatman @counting-dollars-counting-stars @tinyplanet95 @moonshadows-13

8- @skyewaytohell @swimmingbirdrunningrock @croatoan-like-its-hot @lolawonsstuff @lololol-1234

9- @dotdot-wierdlife @ravenfrog @dauntlessdiva @thelittleclare @steddieyourself

#my writing #stranger things #steddie #ladykailitha writes #post season 2 #paper hearts

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munsonsreputation · 2 years ago

Text

I THINK THERE'S BEEN A GLITCH

CHAPTER ONE - WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE JUST FRIENDS

series masterlist | chapter two ↣

🎧 soundtrack

steve harrington x fem!baker + artist

word count: [20.2K]

warnings: no use of y/n, lots of mentions of self deprecation, reader talking about an emotionally exhausting past bf, steve talking shit abt his parents, cursing, steve & reader crushing on each other so mutual pining, lots of sweetness and fluff <3

summary: you make friends with a girl named Robin who politely and hilariously mistakes some red paint on your jeans as blood. Who knew it would lead to you and her becoming friends and her inviting you to meet her other ones? The even bigger mystery is how her best friend, Steve, is starting to become someone you’re falling for.

Steve Harrington’s living room was packed. Not that it was particularly out of the ordinary since his place was the go-to spot for hangouts, but today it had been packed for a different reason and a new arrival. Though it seemed Robin was the only uneasy person even when she was the one who had begged for this to happen.

Trying to cope, she began fluffing up the couch pillows and straightening the books on the coffee table while she rambled.

“She’s cool. I mean, she paints, for one, like totally realistic paintings, but she also really loves baking!”

Mike rolled his eyes, puffing dramatically and deciding to take a flop down on the couch where she just tidied up, “She sounds like my grandma.”

“Piss off!” Robin hissed, smacking his knee as the rest of their friends watched on at the repartee.

Steve was the skeptical one about the whole situation, considering what could happen if Robin’s new friend wasn’t entirely who she was supposed to be. It’s not that he didn’t trust Robin’s whole intuition about people, but you seemed too good to be true. Almost like a fantasy because the person Robin described to all of them for the past few weeks was pure perfection.

Even everyone else was beginning to question if meeting at Steve’s house for the first time was a good idea, realizing that you could be a creep or a murderer, but they were just being a tad bit dramatic. Before he could think too much into it than he already was, the doorbell rang, catching everyone’s attention and eyes that darted towards the front door.

“I’ll get it!”

Robin clapped her hands excitedly, darting to the door and unlocking it with vigor before opening it wide enough so she and everyone else could get a good look at you.

You stood in the doorway with a big smile and your hands full. One balancing a bright yellow ceramic dish on your palm, and your other arm busy holding a covered frame between your body.

You wore a white skirt, decorated with itty bitty eyelets that resembled a daisy cutout and a white top with the same pattern to match. A brown shoulder bag draped across your chest and a pair of strappy sandals on your feet.

Only when you inched forward, meeting cheek to cheek with Robin, in an endearing hello, did they finally get a good glance at what you looked like.

Bright eyes, wispy lashes, and lids covered in the tiniest amount of sheer glitter. A glow from within on your cheeks and high points, like the sun and pretty pink petals were rushing to the surface of your skin. Dewy lips coated in gloss and flickers of sparkles that shined through your smile that you wore throughout the interaction.

“I’m so sorry I’m late!” was the first thing that came out of your mouth and the first time they had heard your voice.

Robin shook her head, opening the door wider and prompting you in, “don’t be!”

You looked around in curiosity, taking in the architecture and feel of the home before being greeted with a few smiles and waves from the strangers around the living room.

You returned it, though it never really dared to leave your face to begin with. Softly speaking out a few, “hi’s” and “hello’s” to them before turning towards Robin and holding out a big frame towards her.

“Happy Birthday!” You declared gleefully as she stared at you confused.

The rest of her friends murmuring something about possibly forgetting her birthday, just as puzzled as her.

She stuttered, trying to recall if she might have told you the wrong date or something, “I-It’s not my birthday?”

Your cheek met your shoulder shrewdly, once again pushing the gift towards her, “I know! But I wanted an excuse to give you this.”

You juggled the canvas into your hands, trying your best not to drop the pie pan. Robin reached her hands out, taking the pie from you as you flashed her a thankful smile, pulling the cover off the canvas to present her with a small gift of gratitude.

“Tah-Dah!” You singsonged, turning the canvas towards her and watching the shock and amazement that covered her face before a wide smile appeared followed by the “oh’s” and “ah’s” of her friends that you completely forgot about.

Robin spun her arms to the left of her, hastily handing the pie to Steve who took it and placed it on the coffee table. The front entrance of his home, now the new crowded spot as everyone marveled at the artwork. He quickly joined in, not wanting to miss an ounce of it, finding an open spot between you and Robin.

He took it all in, eyes fixed on the print that was gushing with blossoms of her favorite colors: sage green, mauve, and pale yellow. But it wasn’t an ordinary painting—the petals were formed with dollops of the paint, and it probably took days to dry. It was rare, something that he and the others had never seen before.

His fingers brushed the paint petals, careful not to mess up your handwork,“This is incredible….”

Flickering his gaze to you, he flashed you a toothy smile, letting his hand pull back from the canvas and stick out towards you.

“I’m Steve, by the way.” He extended his arm, making a sweeping gesture to catch your attention.

Tearing your eyes away from Robin’s heartwarming reaction, your sights drifted to the hand, then to the owner of it, instantly captivated by his friendliness and allure. Your stare lingered a bit too long, lost in trying to memorize him, so you shook your head, internally cursing yourself for the trance you fell into.

“Oh, sorry! It’s nice to meet you!” Quickly you handed the entire piece to Robin, adverting your full attention to the new acquaintance whose house you just barged into.

You knew just from the looks of it that he was Steve Harrington, the guy that Robin had described to you as being her insanely attractive yet idiotic best friend.

His hair, like Robin had described, was unquestionably perfect, falling into place as if he didn’t even try. Robin let you in on a secret that he was infamously called “King Steve” throughout high school for being so good with the ladies—now you were sure you knew why.

He chuckled when you grabbed his hand firmly, shaking it with vigor like how a father would but without the cynical look on your face. Instead, you looked genuinely thrilled, twinkling eyes and a broad smile gracing your lips.

“Great to finally meet you. Robin’s been yapping all week about her new friend.”

You laughed quietly, finally letting go of his hand and reaching over to sling your arm across Robin’s shoulder. She leaned into you, nuzzling her head against yours with a content look on her radiant face.

“Well, she’s been raving about all of her friends, so I just knew I had to meet you all.”

Robin smirked, finally giving you a hug and murmuring a curt thank you for the generous gift and turning to all of her friends while keeping you close to her side.

“Everyone, this is my new friend. I met her last week and now we’re attached to the hip!” Robin announced, her voice carrying a mix of affection and playful teasing.

Steve feigned a gasp, holding a hand over his heart, “Replacing me already?”

“Oh shut up, dingus!” Robin reached forward, whacking him with her palm as he yelped and pretended to be offended.

A curly-headed boy sporting a baseball cap stepped forward, “Ignore those two, they’re literal children…I’m Dustin!”

You reached your hand out, shaking his before casually everyone began introducing themselves to you.

Part of you was trying to remember each name connected to a face, but it was also a tad bit overwhelming with so many of them. Making friends was never an easy task for you, but you liked your own solitude, so you didn’t mind. But that also didn’t mean you didn’t long to have friends who you could talk to or hang out with from time to time and share your life with.

So when Robin tapped you on the shoulder at the grocery store to inform you your period had arrived you were visibly horrified but relieved that she offered you her jacket as you two found the restroom. And in the bathroom you let out a ridiculous laugh, covering your mouth as she stared at you in the mirror’s reflection confused.

“Red paint! This is paint! I must have sat on it or something!”

You and Robin hit it off, talking for what seemed like hours inside that grocery store bathroom. The two of you had a habit of over sharing, but it helped you bond and grow closer. After exchanging numbers and spending afternoons on the phone talking and getting to know each other better , she invited you over to a hangout with her friends.

“You guys must have scared her or something.” Robin shook you a bit in her hold to grab you away from a little daydream.

You blinked, looking over at her, then back to her friends watching until you came through, “sorry! sorry! I zone out sometimes…I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. She does it all the time.” Steve pointed at Robin who stuck her tongue out at him.

Nancy, the brunette who you remembered as one of the kids’ older sister, stepped forward hooking her arm inside yours, “Okaaaay, here, why don’t you come sit?”

She wore a warm smile and guided you further into the living room. Her touch was gentle, and the gesture alone made you feel like she was happy to have you here, easing a bit of your anxiety. When she unhooked her arm from yours, you mouthed a “thank you,” and she shook it off, just smiling and patting the empty seat beside her.

You placed your purse down on your lap, while Robin sat on the other side of you. The rest of the friends finding their own area on the opposite couch or on the floor, making you feel less suffocated and more like an inviting circle.

“Robin tells us that you’re mega cool!” Dustin exclaims followed by a thwack on the head by the red head Max and her boyfriend Lucas who sports the bucket hat.

Timidly, you swung your head low, feeling a mix of bashfulness and gratitude for her words when you weren’t around. You glanced towards Robin, who beamed with pride because she genuinely thought you were the coolest person she had ever met—probably even on the planet.

“I don’t think I’m cool…like at all.” You admitted, rubbing a hand up and down your arm.

Robin rolled her eyes, shaking her head at her friends then looking back at you, “She’s too humble, I mean really, she is so super duper cool and I’m shocked she’d even consider being my friend.”

Jokingly, you nudged her, making her laugh, “Don’t sell yourself short, Robin—“

Before you could continue uplifting the spirts of self esteem, the boy with the unruly hair…Mick? Mike!

Mike cuts in, eyes zeroing in on your torso where you begin to follow.

“What’s that on your shirt?” He squinted, pointing at the recent stains on your top.

Peeping your eyes down and looking meticulously, the stain was barely noticeable unless someone was really looking—anyway, the white color was a bit off from the shade of your actual top, and there had been some sort of residue left.

Nancy realized it at first, seeing that the stain couldn’t be seen to the naked eye, unless her brother was being a disgusting little shithead. She swiftly grabbed the decorative pillow behind her, chucking it towards him.

“You’re such a pig, Mike!”

Everyone switched their attention from you, and instead pestered and teased Mike for being so “observant” with you here in a spaghetti strap top.

But you attempted to stifle your laughter, not wanting him to feel so embarrassed despite his sudden interjection. You were hoping he wasn’t being a stereotypical depraved teen who couldn’t focus when your shoulders were out.

Instead, you attempted to swipe at it with your fingertips, but alas it didn’t budge and stubbornly clung to the fabric, “ It’s just paint and apparently…” You tugged the portion closer to your nose, scrunching it up, “Sugar. Powdered sugar.”

The young boy almost looked impressed at your ability to articulate the specific ingredient despite the verbal onslaught he had just faced. “Sick.”

Robin clicked her tongue, jutting her chin out toward Steve who sat across from you in a recliner.

“Steve, give her something to change into,” she told him, prompting him to sit up, looking at you and instantly nodding.

“Yeah, of course, follow me,” He motioned you to follow his lead as he stood up, yet you remained sitting, tipping your head slightly up at him.

You raised one of your brows, “Are you sure? I’m totally ok with it. It’s my fault, anyway.”

“I’m sure…c’mon, it’s the least I could do.” Steve nodded again, waving his arm towards himself, and you got up.

Trailing behind Steve up the stairs, you marveled at the simplicity of the home despite its expanse. The wallpaper was a muted gray with cream accents and walls encasing the space leading up were decorated with a few framed photographs that you assumed were Steve and his family.

From what Robin had told you, his parents weren’t home too often, if at all, which explained why the photos were outdated and mostly from his childhood, having no evidence of recent portraits.

The hallway towards the bedrooms had a running rug across the wooden floors. The fuzzy textile felt worn yet homey against your feet. Steve’s bedroom was located at the end of the hall, and when he opened up the door, you seemed to feel more of his personality shining in that space.

“Ignore the mess.” He apologized, twisting open the door to let you in first.

In contrast to the living room and main quarters of the house, his room felt more like himself.

The wallpaper in his room, plaid with white, green, and black accents and, of course, matching curtains. His bed was somewhat neatly made with the pillows fluffed and gray sheets on the mattress. A few drawers to hold what you assumed were part of his closet and other belongings.

But his desk, which looked to be the most messy yet contained spot of his room, littered with tapes, books, and other papers. The only thing hanging on his wall was a photo of a vintage car that you couldn’t name for the life of you.

You turned your head to look at him, where he stood, watching you taking in the space with a grin,“You’re actually really neat…neater than I am.”

Steve let out a grunt, chuckling to himself as he turned to his accordion wardrobe doors and opened them in search of finding you something without a stain. It didn’t help that he had forgotten to do a fresh load of laundry, but that the rest of his clean shirts were polos and hoodies.

“So are you from Hawkins?” He wondered, sifting through the hangers.

“No, I’m from Roane, actually! I only really come to Hawkins for the art store but last weekend I decided to run my errands here since I was already in town and that’s how I met Robin.”

You explained, your fingers absentmindedly rubbing the fabric of your shirt between the stain still trying to get it out.

Steve plucked a hoodie from the rack, holding it up in front of you, trying to decipher its comfort. The fabric was way too thick, and he was certain that in this Hawkins weather you’d be drowning in not only a puddle of fleece but sweat too.

Shaking his head, he gave you an apologetic glance that you didn’t seem to catch.

“You live alone?” He planted the item back on the hanger and continued to look.

“Yeah, but I actually used to live with my boyfriend…or ex-boyfriend now,” You clarified, giving up on the stubborn stain and sighing, “we were together for a little while but he just decided things weren’t working out and so he left.”

He looked back briefly, eyebrows raised in curiosity, “How many years were you guys together…if you don’t mind me asking.”

You shook your head, reassuring him that it was alright, “Six years.”

The widening of his eyes made you giggle, but it wasn’t unexpected considering someone your age having a relationship that long wasn’t typically normal.

“Excuse me? Six years! I don’t even think I’ve had a single friend stay in my life for six years.”

“Seems like a lifetime, right?” You joked with a comical lift to your voice and he nodded like it was the obvious answer, which it was.

He knew that you both weren’t too far apart in age, both in your early twenties, but it was just shocking to hear that you were in a six year relationship at your age. The longest relationship he had was a year with Nancy Wheeler and even then that seemed like forever, but you must have really fallen deeply in love with your ex if you lasted that long.

“We kinda just grew out of each other. It’s kinda inevitable after dating all four years of high school then two years after that. We just realized that we wanted different things in life and by different, he wanted me to “finally start taking life seriously,” or whatever the fuck that meant.”

You rolled your eyes dramatically, making air quotes with your fingers.

So that explains it, he thought to himself.

“He wanted to move out of Indiana?” Steve questioned, turning his attention back to his closet.

You made a noise, unsure if that fully answered his question. But you moved up beside him, silently asking if it was okay to help him sift through the hangers. Nodding, he shifted over, giving you space to look through the untouched hangers.

You went back to his question, giving him an actual answer, that you hoped would sum up the story that was way too long to tell in whole.

“Not necessarily…but he just didn’t like the fact that art was not only my hobby, but my passion. He always wanted me to get a real job, you know, those boring ones where you sit at a desk all day and think about what you did so wrong in your past life to be doing paperwork for the rest of it.”

His eyes followed as your face contorted with revulsion as if that was one of the most heinous jobs in the world, but for someone like you who thrived off creative free rein, it truly was. Steve threw his head, laughing at your expression, finding it truly amusing because for someone like him, he also realized that even if he was a lost young adult, he’d much rather keep working at a VHS store than walk into work everyday wearing an uncomfortable suit and dozing off in meetings.

His amusement turned your scorned face upside down, abruptly reeling in the fact that he actually found what you said to be funny. And you hoped that he wasn’t being overdramatic just to make you feel better, but you were positive that it wasn’t because it was the type of laughter that had the skin by his eyes creased because of how hard he was laughing—even his arm slinging over his torso, like the laughter was so infectious that it hurt.

The sound of his hilarity, leaping off the walls of his room like music to your ears, wishing you possessed the ability to always make people laugh this freely, just to witness moments like this. Eventually, though, he settled down, snapping his fingers at you and pointing with a still carefree smile on his lips.

“That was a good one! Now I’ve gotta use that when my dad keeps bugging me about getting a real job.” He praised, finally turning back the original spot in his closet and plucking it off the rod.

It was a bright yellow long sleeve, the fabric not too thick or thin, but just about right. You reached for the sleeve of it, feeling the material between your fingers, and Steve’s eyes waited for your approval.

“Feels nice.” You said with a nod, dropping it from your fingertips and letting him slide the garment off the plastic hanger before placing it in your hands.

He glanced back at the bedroom door, then back to you, “I’ll wait outside the door so you can change.” He offered, letting himself out and closing it behind him.

Inside the room, Steve could hear the soft rustling as you moved, wondering if what he gave you was good enough or if you were being too nice and not wanting to offend him by saying the yellow color was awful. Meanwhile, you placed your top on the lid of his hamper, making a mental note to come back here and retrieve it before you headed back home.

His voice came through on the other side of the door, breaking the brief silence.

“Sooo…your ex-boyfriend. I’m sure he was a computer science major, right? Totally douchey with a superiority complex?”

You snorted, pulling the garment over your body and slipping your arms through the sleeves. “You think computer science is douchey?”

He leaned up against the door frame, humming a reply and then finding the words.

“Yeah, totally, I mean nothing screams douchey than a guy who thinks he’s better than someone because he works with computers and not a paintbrush.”

Your movements slowed as you pulled your hair free from the collar and fitted the excess material underneath itself so it wasn’t drowning over you.

There was suddenly that fond pleasant feeling brewing in the pit of your stomach and in the cage of your chest. When Robin had mentioned that Steve was charming, she wasn’t kidding. There was no reason he should have this much of an effect on you so soon. Yet, here he was, effortlessly tearing down your ex-boyfriend and making you feel better about your own endeavors.

After a few seconds of taking a deep breath to collect yourself, you reached for the doorknob, turning it open to see his body supported by the one arm propped against the wooden frame. You bit your lip, watching his gaze fall down your face to his shirt on your body.

“Then I’d say you’re right…you guessed it,” Your arms flared out before coming down to your sides, standing there not knowing what else to say considering he had hit the nail head-on.

For the first time in the last fifteen minutes since he met you, this was the only time you seemed so sheepish. Out in the living room you looked so confident, even when it was obvious that the attention towards you was a little overwhelming, you still could change the subject or revert it somewhere else. Here with your eyes glued to your feet, not meeting him, he felt like you were trapped — that he might have said something that hit a little too close to home and made you uncomfortable.

His eyes softened, clearly full of regret for being so upfront about a situation he only knew surface level stuff about. Just because you had talked to him a little about the horrible stuff your ex said, didn’t mean he understood the whole story. That there clearly was something deeper, possibly trauma that he didn’t know about and here you were forced to endure the awkward silence and flooding memories of what had happened all because he couldn’t shut up.

Your view of your feet against the wooden floor was suddenly interrupted by Steve’s hands reaching forward, accompanied by his voice.

“I—I’m sorry, for bringing it up…I didn’t mean to make you feel bad or anything! I-It’s just, he sounds like a total dick and you should know that what he told you isn’t true—“

He spoke rapidly, stumbling over his words and making short pauses, making sense because the last thing he wanted to do was make you feel uneasy.

You furrowed your brows, snapping your eyes up to his.

“No, no! You’re fine, it’s just that, no one has really said that stuff about him…about him being an asshole. And…I don’t know, it kinda feels nice to hear.”

Underneath your reassuring expression, your lips twitched up and Steve swore you were about to burst into a full on prideful smirk because of the jabs he took at your ex. So his words indeed took you aback, but in a good way.

He validated your feelings about your past relationship and suddenly there was a shift in the mood, and Steve closed his eyes, taking a relieved breath, grateful that he hadn’t scared you away with that conversation.

Meanwhile, you laughed softly to yourself, feeling a rush of giggles bubble up in your chest, seeing him relax under your certainty.

He opened his eyes, looking at you, trying to look stone-faced, “But, seriously, he’s sounds like a huge asshole,” He couldn’t help the cackle that escaped through his lips, breaking his solemn face, followed by you pushing a hand out and pressing his shoulder gingerly.

“The hugest! I’m being so serious!” You added, only making the two of you laugh harder, not caring to contain it in the small space between the bedroom and the hallway.

A simple moment in time was all you needed to know that Steve was genuinely a good guy, not just a pretty face with an idiotic mind attached to him. As the laughter died down, Steve stepped back, holding his hand out and gesturing you into the hallway with him and back down the stairs where you two were met with the noise of your friends chatting in the living room.

Robin slapped a hand over her forehead once the two of you came into view, earning a raised eyebrow from you and Steve, both of whom stopped a few feet into the area. She exaggeratedly dropped her hand to her side, feigning exasperation.

“What’s the matter?” You crossed your arms across your chest, looking genuinely troubled and waiting for an explanation.

All eyes turned to you and Steve now, grunts and smothered laughs coming from everyone, while you guys both stood there, oblivious to their reactions. Dustin, unable to contain himself, started convulsing with laughter and clutching his stomach, even going as far as to throw himself into Mike’s lap before getting shoved off.

Then he stood up in front of both of you, pointing an accusing finger at Steve’s shirt he lent you.

“What did you do to make him hate you so much that he gave you that horrid shirt?”

His face twisted in disgust, and he mockingly gagged, sticking out his tongue and dramatically turning away. Steve should’ve seen this one coming. He swatted Dustin’s hand away from you, shaking his head with a playful scowl. Then placed his hands on his hips, adopting a father-like pose, something else they also teased him for.

He had worn the long sleeve a couple of times before, and each time he did, everyone poked fun at him. Commenting on the revolting color, comparing it to poop or vomit instead of the ground seed condiment he claimed it paralleled, according to the saleswomen at Macy’s who convinced him enough to buy it. And now that’s why he stopped wearing it, growing tired of the kids, but especially Robin and Eddie, calling him ‘Baby Poop Harrington’ in the middle of Star Court and Family Video.

“You guys just don’t get fashion,” Steve argued, raising his eyebrows and forehead toward the others in an unconvincing manner. He fanned his arm, gesturing at you.

“It’s mustard, and it clearly looks good on her.”

The compliment was sudden, causing your eyes to enlarge somewhat and cheeks to blush. You hoped that no one caught it, being too busy to notice you looking downward at the shirt pretending to examine it in order to play it off when in fact you were rubbing your lips together to stop the smile from rising with your cheeks.

The banter continued to go on, which made you relieved, as you were able to get some composure and flicker your sights back up to everyone else arguing with Steve. Eddie huffed out a laugh, stretching his arms behind his head where he lounged on the opposite couch. He pointedly stared at you and the outfit, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.

“Nobody said it doesn’t look good on her. We just said the color isn’t very pretty.”

Nancy tilted her head, observing you and the shirt closely. Her eyes widened in realization, and she nodded in agreement.

“Actually, it does look really good on you. Maybe the styling was the issue.” She glanced at Steve with a grimace before waving it off and marveling at the color.

Steve raised his voice, as if trying to convince them through sheer volume. “I wore it with blue sweatpants!”

“Exactly!” the group chorused, their voices overlapping in mock protest.

You couldn’t help but snort out a short laugh, finding the entire situation amusing. You exchanged glances with Steve, realizing that this was obviously a very passionate but lighthearted topic within the friend group, kinda like their own inside joke.

Steve ignored the rest of the laughter and teasing, falling back into his comfortable recliner as you sat yourself back in between Nancy and Robin.

Lucas, the one seated next to the redhead who was his girlfriend, tapped his fist on the coffee table. “Can we cut into the pie? It smells delicious, and it’s been calling my name for the past thirty minutes.”

You nodded excitedly, rubbing your hands together, “Sure, it’s cherry by the way, so hopefully you all like that!” Your hands fell into your lap, looking over at Steve.

“I just need a knife to cut into it and some plates and forks.”

Steve rose up, giving you a nod, “I’ll go get it,” he said before walking through the archway into what you assumed was the kitchen.

The kids had gathered around the coffee table, smelling the air to get a whiff of the baked good you had spent the whole morning baking, and even Eddie got up from his relaxed state to push the kids aside and get a smell.

You felt a little bad seeing as though Steve had already gone out of his way to open up his home to you and then lend you clothing after a mishap that was entirely your fault, yet you were still sitting here, not helping.

You looked over at Robin, patting her knee smoothly, “I’ll go help Steve.”

Before you could stand up, she grasped onto your wrist, waving the other in the air, signing off that he could handle it alone, “He’s fine, don’t worry about it,”

But of course you insisted with a reassuring laugh, feeling her touch drop your hand, as you got up. “No, it’s fine, I really should!”

Before she could protest or take your spot, you were already striding away, following into the archway that Steve had just gone through. His back was facing you, arms reaching into the cupboard to grab a stack of plates that clinked together.

“Let me help,” you announced your presence with eagerness, walking up beside him.

He looked over at you, relaxing his arms back down,“Hey, no, you're not supposed to be helping!”

Your fingers tugged the bottom of his borrowed long sleeve, the fabric dancing between your fingers as you shot him a mischievous smirk, “Oh, c’mon, it’s the least I could do.”

He smiled at your mocking tone having no choice but to give in, “Fine, but just this once,” pretending to let out an exasperated sigh like you were a nuance, when in fact you weren’t.

He nodded his chin to the set of drawers where the utensils were prompting you to grab the needed amount of forks while he gathered the remainder of the plates.

“Does it ever get lonely living alone?” He asked, voice carrying a hint of interest, while shutting the cupboard and walking to the other side of the kitchen to retrieve a knife.

“Hmmm,” You thought for a second, shrugging as you bumped your hip into the drawer, shutting it gently.

“Sometimes, but I’ve grown pretty used to it. There’s some positives like not feeling so bad when you forget to start the dishwasher.”

He chuckled, grunting an agreement for the simple joys that living along could bring, but he also wondered about the negatives, “And the cons?”

Your heart skipped a beat already knowing the answer right off the top of your head because it was something that ate away at your heart every day. Leaving and coming home to the same space, roaming the halls and rooms—all of yours but only yours, the kind that was lonely.

“Not having someone you can go home to, or at least looking forward to coming to.” You confessed with a frown.

Steve sympathized, knowing that feeling all too well considering the home life he had been living since he was a teenager. Left alone with no parents around to really parent him in the first place, there was a fine line between being a teen and also being the adult to make the house a home.

He’d try to, even when his parents were away on trips, doing a load of dishes and laundry. Cleaning out the overgrown weeds in the yard. Vacuuming and mopping the floors. All of this in hopes that when his parents did come home and see how it had been maintained, that maybe they’d want to stay home and spend time with their son.

But alas, that meant nothing to them. If anything, it proved his parents’ thoughts that Steve was more than capable of being home all by himself. Making the home even emptier that it already was knowing that his parents would purposefully be gone longer now.

“Y’know, it’s nice having this house all to myself, but it gets lonely too. My uh—my parents aren’t really home much, my mom follows my dad on all his work trips…kinda making sure he doesn’t cheat on her or something.”

He let out a dry laugh while you cringed, expecting that it is in fact a joke, but he continues letting you know it isn’t.

“Anyway, ummm, it’s nice and all being able to throw parties and invite people whenever, but sometimes I just wished there was more here.”

Looking around the room, he gestured all around and exhaled, “Like family dinners where we actually talk or even just coming home from work and seeing my parents watching tv on the couch. I swear, I haven’t seen them sit in the living room or turn on the tv since I was like twelve.”

Placing the forks on the stack of plates, you turned apologetically to him, resting a comforting hand on his arm, seeing the way his face fell and his voice wavered on the edge between resentment and misery.

“I’m so sorry, Steve.” You withdrew, apologizing, though none of this was your fault.

Steve cleared his throat with a hoarse cough, swinging his head. Placing the knife down on the plates, as he ran his hand down his face, “No, don’t apologize, it’s stupid. I should be grateful they left me with a house to myself, right?”

He let out a laugh, as if that was going to make you feel any better for the way that he was feeling. Robin only mentioned little about the absence of Steve’s parents, and you knew it wasn’t any of your business, but it made you feel for him. For how lonesome it must be for him to be estranged from the people who gave him life, yet left him under their roof and pretended like he didn’t exist.

You, however, made the choice to live alone. After you graduated high school, you hightailed it out of your parents’ house and got a lease to your now apartment all by yourself. It wasn’t until a few months later that your then boyfriend moved in, but still after the breakup you got to keep the place all to yourself, which was valuable in a lot of ways.

But it was also sad.

You didn’t have many friends that you kept in touch with from high school. If anything, they weren’t really the nicest nor supportive types of friends that you wanted to keep anyways. They agreed with your ex that you had to start taking life seriously and cease pursuing art, but you never listened to them. So maybe it was better off to live alone in your own seclusion rather than just keeping them around for company.

In spite of those not so kind friends of that past, things felt a lot different with the group that you met today. Like you could let your walls down and finally open up the door.

Your finger twiddled against one another, letting out a proposition, “M-Maybe you can come to my place and hangout? All of you…I mean!”

You were crossing your fingers that he didn’t catch the slip up that made it sound like you only wanted him to come over.

His hands stop at his jaw, fanning over the skin there, before turning slightly towards you with a surprised look on his face.

“Really?”

You nodded eagerly, “I haven’t had guests around for a while and I would really love for you—you guys to come and visit.”

There was that slip again, but Steve was too engrossed to catch it.

“I would love—“

“Jesus Christ, what’s taking so long!?”

The holler coming from the living room burst that bubble between you and Steve, ultimately making you giggle when he groaned heavily, muttering an, “I’m so sorry about them,” to you while you shook your head and followed behind him while he grabbed the kitchenware.

“You guys were taking forever!” Mike wailed, making Steve roll his eyes as you gave a gentle laugh at his impatience.

“We were barely gone two minutes.” Steve replied, placing the plates down on the table while you carefully grabbed the knife.

“It’s my fault. I was talking to Steve about having you guys over sometime.” You said, looking up at the boy before making the first cut into the pie.

Robin gasped behind you, clapping her hands ecstatically, “Oh my gosh, please! Steve and I are off on Thursday!”

She turned towards Steve, looking at him dubiously. “We’re off on Thursday, right?”

“Yeah,” He snickered, nodding his head as he slid you a plate to lay the first slice on.

Steve picked up the plate, giving it to El just to spite the impatient Mike who sat beside her and groaned until you finished cutting the next slice which was given to Lucas. So you continued to cut as Steve served everyone.

“Jonathan and I have a half day on Thursday, so we should be able to swing by during the afternoon.” Nancy spoke before digging into her slice.

The last two slices remained as everyone dug into their portion while you plated it up. Passing Steve a plate, “You first.” You said quietly with a smile.

He grinned, thanking you with a nod before taking a seat on the recliner. You got yourself the last plate, scooting back towards your original seat.

“Where do you guys work?” You looked towards Nance and Jonathan.

He swallowed his piece before speaking. “Hawkins Post. I work on photography and she writes.” his fork pointed to her before she nodded and continued.

“Technically, we’re still interning, but we’re hoping to secure a permanent job once our internship is up.” She told you as you nodded your head.

“That’s cool! Roane has a weekly paper, but it’s usually just filled with the same political crap about our Mayor trying to drive out local businesses and replace them with big chain stores.” You said wistfully, shaking your head.

She chewed faster, murmuring out a reply before she was able to respond with actual words.

“Our Mayor, Mayor Kline, is actually doing the same thing! Jonathan and I have been begging to do a story about it to help save the mom-and-pop businesses, but our boss Tom,” she exhaled heavily, shaking her head with annoyance, “he agrees with the Mayor and totally shuts us down every time.”

You pouted, placing down your untouched plate, and placing a warm hand on her shoulders, “God, I bet you they’re such assholes…I wish I could help, but seriously, if at any point you guys do figure out a way to make it happen, I’ll be happy to help any way I can.”

Your voice was somehow sweeter than the pie that Steve was scarfing down as he watched and listened on. Everyone was too busy in their own conversations to care about the one you and Nancy were having, but not him, though he was more so focused on you. He just hoped he didn’t look like a sloppy toddler that was too distracted to realize food was all over his mouth.

Steve was just so enamored by your grace and everything that was new to him.

He noticed the way your eyes would trickle over with all of these different sentiments while Nance confided in you about the struggles at Hawkins Post. But he assumed this was just how you usually were, a part of you, so invest in people and wanting them to know that they could talk to you and you would do your bestest to give your deepest empathy.

Only one thing he couldn’t understand was how anyone, let alone your ex-boyfriend, let go of someone who was as pure and generous as you. Steve Harrington was sure, even after only meeting you today, that you were the sweetest person he had ever had the honor of encountering. That if he really knew you were too good to be true like this, he would’ve begged Robin to invite you sooner.

“Can I have your slice if you’re not going to eat it?” Dustin’s voice broke in, his plate already finished with only crumbs left behind.

Tearing your gaze away from Nancy and switching to the boy who looked on at your untouched plate on the table. You grinned, leaning forward to push the plate closer to him, “Go crazy, I’m not hungry, anyway.”

So not only were you kind, you were also patient—Steve was making a mental list without even realizing it and knowing what for.

Here you were giving up your slice for the little teenage twerp that just insulted the top you were borrowing only a few minutes ago. If Steve were in your shoes, he’d tell the little shit to think about making fun of mustard again before thinking he’d give up a slice of his pie for him, but then again, you weren’t Steve and you definitely weren’t an asshole.

“Dude, let her have her slice!” Eddie chastised with a mouth full of cherries and pie pastry.

Max flicked him on the head with a grunt. “Yeah Dusty, no wonder Suzie broke up with you.”

Dustin glared, pulling your plate to him, “Oh shut up, I told you me and Suzie are perfectly fine and still together!” he hissed, not hesitating to take a bite of his pie.

You shifted yourself to face forward, eyes on the kids who were thoroughly not convinced about Dustin’s so-called girlfriend.

“Suzie?” You spoke curiously, “Does she live in Hawkins?”

They all shook their heads, and Dustin spoke with a full mouth, but still you could hear him clearly. “She lives in Utah! Her family is crazy Mormon though, so I can only call during certain hours to speak to her through my Cerebro.”

Your eyes widened, “Cerebro? Like from X-Men?”

“You know X-Men?” the kids all shouted.

You laughed, nodding your head undoubtedly. “I only have a few, but X-Men #7 is one of my favorites.”

“Holy shit, you weren’t kidding when you said she was mega cool.” Dustin’s eyes darted to Robin’s, which made you laugh.

“So tell me more about Cerebro.”

Honestly, it was hard for any of the kids to find other people who understood or got them the way that their older siblings and friends did. It’s mainly the reason why their friend group was so small and tight-knit in the first place and they’d be lying to say they weren’t the first to oppose the idea of bringing in a new person to the group.

But you seemed genuinely engrossed in the kids’ lives, not just instinctively nodding your head and humming so that they could feel like you cared, but you really did. Asking questions about Dustin’s summer camp where he and Suzie met and finding it quite adorable that he would go out of his way to build something to speak to a girl on the other side of the country.

Halfway through your conversation with the kids, Steve got up, heading towards the kitchen in hopes of finding you something to eat, seeing as though Dustin took hostage of your food. It didn’t help that he absolutely sucked at cooking and had nothing in his fridge to offer you other than a coke which definitely wouldn’t make up for your pie loss.

With his back turned to the fridge, he could feel a presence behind him, trying to be quiet, yet failing, and he knew it was you, or at least thought it was because of the earlier instance.

“I thought I told you that you were a guest and you should be enjoying yourself in the—what the fuck Robs!”

She cackled, hunched over laughing to herself once Steve finally turned around and noticed it was, in fact, not you but her.

“Jesus, what’s the matter with you? Sneaking up on me like that!” He crossed his arms over his chest at Robin who was trying to settle down.

“You’re so gullible! Like I wasn’t even trying! I was just trying to see what you were up to and you thought that I was her!” She laughed maniacally, failing to contain herself.

“Yeah, I came in here to try to find something she can eat, seeing as though Dustin lacks consideration and didn’t think to ask if she ate anything before coming here.” He sighed, turning around and opening back up the fridge, like something would magically appear before his eyes.

Robin calmed down, nudging him away from the refrigerator so that she could get a look. Her fingers instantly pulled open one of the drawers where the fresh fruit that were barely touched were.

“This will do.” She grabbed an apple and orange, passing it off to Steve.

He raised his brows, “Don’t you think she wants something else?”

She shook her head. “Nope, she loves fresh fruit! Told me how much she loves them in her salads and how she picks up fresh ones from the market to make sweets and drinks with them.”

“Fine. Just go back in there and I’ll cut these up.”

She held her hands up in defense, slightly mocking in a higher pitched voice as she walked backwards, “Oh okay, Chef Harrington, thank you so much for your service to our pretty guest.”

He closed his eyes shut, shaking his head as he heard a snicker come from Robin before she fully exited and gave him the kitchen all to himself where he cut and peeled the fruit, neatly placing them on a plate for you. Steve wished you would have snuck in just to get another chance to talk to you alone because he wasn’t quite sure if he could hold a conversation with you when everyone was around.

You didn’t intimidate him per se, but he liked speaking to you one-on-one when there were no idiotic teens around to make him feel weird for asking such silly questions. But you didn’t sneak in, still holding the conversation with the teens as he walked out and placed the plate on the coffee table in front of you.

“Here you go,” Steve announced softly, not wanting to break the conversation.

You looked up at him, seeing the plated fruit slices he had arranged in a circle, “Oh, you didn’t have to! But thank you!”

“No problem.” He grinned, heading back to his seat.

“So what about you?” You turned your gaze towards El, the quiet one of the bunch who sat and listened for the most part. “What do you like to do?”

“Poetry.” She said faintly, making you smile as you popped an apple slice in your mouth.

“I used to do a lot of poetry too when I was your age.” You told her, and she looked at you curiously.

“I have a ton of journals from when I was in high school, but ultimately I think my calling has always been art.” You smiled at her, seeing the way she lit up at that.

“What did you write about?”

“Typical teenage stuff. Growing up. Strict parents. Bullies. Boys.”

“Do you have a boyfriend?” Max cut in.

You took a deep breath, unsure of how to bring this up, “Umm, well, I uh, y-yeah—well, no yeah! I meant no! I don’t have one! But I used to, but we broke up.”

“How long were you together?” Mike asked.

“Stop being invasive, Michael!” Nancy quietly scolded, earning a glare from Mike who paid her no mind and went back to you waiting for an answer.

“Umm, you know, a really long time, but it was so long ago that—“

“Estimate?” Lucas countered.

You swallowed anxiously, not really wanting to talk about this, but feeling you had to answer before it got awkward, “Like six—“

“Jesus, you twerps are nosey. Just let her and El talk about poetry.” Steve surged into the conversation, getting up to retrieve an orange slice from the plate as he ruffled the hair on the teen’s head walking back to his seat in order to play it off.

You took a deep breath through your light-hearted smile, eyes dancing towards him to shoot him a grateful glance for his quick thinking.

The last thing you wanted to talk to the teens about was your tumultuous relationship that came to a world crumbling end. Plus, the teens were in their own relationships. You didn’t want to jeopardize their ideas of their own relationships because of your past one. They were smart and kind, and didn’t need to hear about your ex to know that about themselves.

Steve didn’t quite know what else your ex did to make you freeze up like this in front of everyone, but he wasn’t going to let it happen. It was his fault anyway for bringing it up in the first place and he had to make up for that, to let you know that he had your back, even when it came to his own friends who were just as innocently curious as him.

He got the chance to peel back a layer of your history in private, something that he knew was a privilege to learn about, but he wouldn’t let you be put on the spot like this when you weren’t ready.

There was an ease to the room once Steve made it clear that your love life wasn’t up for discussion right now. Everyone just seemed to forget it was even brought up in the first place. El smoothly shifted topics back to poetry and took the moment to ask you if you still wrote from time to time, which you happily gave her the answer to.

Thankfully, poetry wasn’t the only topic of discussion.

Eddie had told you about his band Corroded Coffin that played every Tuesday and Sunday at the Hideout Bar where he also worked. The kids had been begging to go to a show in order to see him and his friends live, but since the bar had a very obvious and strict age limit, they’d just have to wait until they were 21.

Robin finally told you about her and Steve’s creepy manager Keith who had been smuggling R rated tapes from Family Video, which they then used against him in order to get days off whenever they wanted. Things only got funnier when Steve revealed that Keith had accidentally forgotten to switch the tapes back to the original casing, which led to a very angry mother coming in and demanding to speak to the manager when her son had brought home “Star Whores: Attack of the Silicone.”

At some point, you found yourself excessively laughing with Nancy and Robin while Jonathan reenacted his father, Hopper’s reaction to a stash of weed that he had bought off of Eddie. Hopper actually sounded pretty cool considering he was police chief and didn’t make the boy flush it down the toilet. Instead, just asking for a bit because he wanted to try to make weed brownies.

You definitely needed to meet him one day and hopefully ask him how the baking process was.

Lucas, on the other hand, had vented about the captain of the basketball team, Jason, who was a total asshole and didn’t know how to shoot a three pointer to save his life. Max suggested that one of them attack him from behind and break his leg so that Lucas could be the star player for the season.

But somehow Mike had an even more vicious plan, to poison him and take him out for good—but of course he looked at you, with cautious hands held out, “We’re just kidding by the way!”

To say that you enjoyed yourself this afternoon would be an understatement because, for the first time in forever, it felt as though your social battery wasn’t draining. You would want to spend the rest of the day here in Steve’s living room listening to them talk about their lives and ask you about your mundane one.

But time always went by fast when you were spending it with people who were so fun and carefree, so when you caught the hour on Steve’s clock, you knew you had to get going.

Everyone gave you a hug, thanking you for stopping by and of course bringing the pie, the same one that they were begging you to bring the next time you would come into Hawkins. And you sure did promise you would. Robin, being the sweet friend she was, attempted to convince you to stay a little while longer, but you knew you had to go, and you’d make it up to her another time—hopefully a girls’ night in the coming weeks.

Steve was the only one missing from the living room having excused himself to the kitchen a little while earlier to get the dirty dishes done. He even warned everyone to make sure you stayed in your seat and didn’t come in to help him clean up, knowing you would sneak up and try to offer it. After releasing a very tight and giggly hug from Robin, you stood up, making your way to the kitchen.

“Steve?” You knocked your fist against the archway, catching his attention as he turned to look over his shoulder.

“Hey, need something?” He asked, quickly shutting off the faucet and drying his hands on the kitchen towel hanging near the sink.

You shook your head, gesturing down to your purse slung over your shoulder, “I’m actually heading out now. Gotta get home before rush hour.”

He stooped dramatically, making you laugh as you offered your most sarcastic yet sincerest apologies for the departure of your presence.

“C’mon, I’ll walk you out.” He gestured, leading the way while you waved goodbye to everyone in the living room before following Steve out the front door.

“Thanks again for letting me come over.” You chirped, with your shoulders coming in shyly.

He waved it off, smiling down at you, “It’s no problem, it was really nice meeting you…I can’t wait to come over to your place.”

“I’m looking forward to it too…I just don’t know if I’ll be half the host that you were.”

“Don’t, you’re gonna be fine. Drive safe alright?”

You brushed your hair back behind your ear, nodding as you smiled once more, “I will, see you around Steve.”

Your arms didn’t hesitate to wrap around his neck, hugging him ardently. Even if you were wearing his clothes, smothered in the scent of his detergent and him, his senses were filled with you.

A bright vanilla aroma coming from you, and with your hair blowing in his face, he could help but drown in it, hoping this wouldn’t be the last time he’d get to hug you like this.

But alas, he had to let go, his large hands giving your shoulders a warm one over before finally pulling away and seeing your smiley face.

He stood by the porch, watching as you got into your car, taking note of every little detail of your movements.

Placing your purse in the passengers and checking the contents making sure you didn’t leave anything behind buckling in. You checked your mirrors while twirling the ends of your hair between your fingers, securing the locks against your back and the chair. After a few seconds, he could hear the gear change and watched as you twiddle your fingers upon the steering wheel, waving one last goodbye as you reversed out of his driveway.

“See ya…” He mouthed, with a tight smile, waving before you drove off.

The distance between Hawkins and Roane Country was almost an hour, which gave you a lot of time to think about today and especially wonder about Steve Harrington.

Honest to God, every time you’d catch him in your peripheral, beaming and nodding along at your conversations, you found yourself almost tumbling over your words. He was that distracting, in the best way possible.

There was something endearing about him, perhaps his ability to read your social cues or maybe the fact that he actually showed interest in you and whatever you were talking about. Even if he didn’t get it, you could tell he was listening intently, eyes following you wherever your hands and sights drifted, like a willow bending right to the wind.

You wished you had the guts to strike up a conversation with him in front of everyone else, but you were sure that if you did everyone would take note of how your shyness reached a whole other level with a pretty guy sitting in front of you. Steve was easy to talk to, but you didn’t know if you were easy to react when it came to anything he said.

His words. His smile. His laughter.

All of it trickled with a honey so sweet that it made your stomach ache and blood rush hot. A feeling that was so foreign after all of this time, yet you couldn’t help but want more. To get to talk to him, even if it was just him insulting your ex with low blows because he deserved it.

But his raw emotions. Him letting his guard down. His thoughtfulness.

It exuded the warmth of freshly ground cinnamon, something that had layers to it. Like a punch in the gut that surprised you in a way that was too profound to explain further. He didn’t even hesitate telling you about his parents and how troubling it felt to be given so much from them yet so little at the same time.

It felt like you were throwing a bunch of colors onto a canvas, not knowing where this was headed, maybe off a cliff or down a dead-end street. Or maybe back home with you where everything would be bliss. You could never really tell.

With Steve, it felt different, very complicated.

Perhaps you were getting too far ahead of yourself, after all, his actions weren’t too far fetched from the others who made you feel just as comfortable and made you laugh just as hard. Yet you didn’t feel this way towards Eddie or Robin and definitely not towards Nancy and Jonathan.

But feelings like these oftentimes just over complicated things, like this very moment right now where you shouldn’t be contemplating this in the first place.

It was too soon to ever know and you could bank on it being counterfeit. Something you’d look back on and laugh at because maybe it was better off with you and Steve being friends, just like everyone else. Nothing more, nothing less, just friends.

The afternoon glow cascaded your kitchen, a soft ochre hue bouncing off your window pane and showering your body in the warmth. Stevie Nicks’ voice sang through the space on your radio while you stirred the florals in the boiling water.

A few knocks echoed through your door, accompanied by various voices that grew louder. Looking over at the time on the microwave, it read “3:12p.m.” in bright neon green lights.

They were on time.

“Coming!” you shrieked out, cutting the music and lowering the heat on the stove before you walked over the door, undoing the latch and twisting the lock open.

With a wide grin, you stretched the door open, and their chatter subsided, turning their attention towards you, their eyes glittering with anticipation.

Your apartment wasn’t the biggest or the most lavish, but it was undeniably you. Just from the front door alone, your personality was oozing among the space—plants were displayed on a shelf near the door alongside a handmade pottery bowl for keys and small belongings that rested on a small table.

Straight ahead was your kitchen just as personalized as the entrance. The counters complimented with a delicate flower-patterned backsplash along with wooden cabinets you had stained to wash out the unpleasant color that came with the place originally.

It was so very much you.

“Come in! Come in!” You ushered them with animated welcoming arms.

The teens stepped through first, peering around as they traveled further into your home. Your living room another lively space with an olive green couch and swinging chair you splurged on and surprisingly hung all by yourself. And of course, unfinished and half-painted canvases decked the walls.

You met cheek to cheek with Robin and Nancy, the same fond welcome you had gotten accustomed to giving to your lady friends. Eddie and Jonathan took you in for a side hug, giving you a smile.

Steve was the last one to enter with a vase carrying a blend of lively flowers in one of his hands. He wore a striped polo, one of the many that you saw hanging in his closet, a pair of blue jeans, Nike’s Cortez’ that was totally his style, and of course his world famous smile.

“I’m so glad you made it.” You murmured, opening your arms as he walked into you and wrapped his arms snuggly across your back.

You squeeze your arms around him affectionately, inhaling the subtle aroma of mint and sandalwood that he wore. Something that you became familiar with since your last interaction where he walked you out to your car and said goodbye to you in the same way he was saying hello.

Of course, Steve had made it. There was no way he was going to miss it. Not after you graced his home with your presence. If anything, Steve was the one who rushed everyone into Eddie’s van to get here on time to see you.

He looked down at you, seeing your eyes flutter open as you both released the hug, yet never stepped back to open the proximity.

“Been looking forward to it all week,” he brought the hand holding the vase up, prompting them towards you with a grin, “…and these are for you.”

You let go, wrapping your fingertips around the glass, admiring the blues, pinks, whites, and greens of the arrangements. Summer flowers, the kind that bloom the entire season before spring comes along and cuts their time too short before winter arrives.

You had been busy for the past couple of weeks that you didn’t even realize that you had forgotten to take a trip to your local florist to pick up some of your favorites, nevertheless Steve’s would suffice.

Closing your eyes, you breathed in the citrusy sweet fragrance from the baby pink peonies in the bunch, then you opened them back up, orbs filled with gratitude as you stared at him.

“Steve, these are beautiful. Thank you!”

He shrugged his shoulders lightly, “Unfortunately, none of us are good bakers, so I’m glad you like it.”

Laughing, you gestured him towards the living room where everyone had already gotten themselves comfortable, while you made a quick pit stop towards the kitchen to place the flowers on the windowsill to get some sunshine.

Making your way back to everyone you saw Nancy and Jonathan sat on the couch looking worriedly at the teens, “Guys, don’t break anything!”

They both warned in unison, watching as the youngsters made a beeline to the comics and magazines you had lying around on the coffee table.

“No worries, I break something like every other day in here. Totally klutz!” You assured her with a wave, seeing her take a sigh of relief and Jonathan sending you a gracious nod.

“This place is cooler than you described!” Robin blurted, fidgeting her fingertips against each other as she continued to look around trying to spot some things that she remembered you telling her about over the phone.

Striding towards the cluttered coffee table, you noticed the kids not having much space to flip the books and magazines. You had spent the entire morning doing laundry and touching up a painting for your upcoming gallery that you had skipped cleaning the mess up before they had arrived.

You apologized, moving to pick up some paint bottles you had lying around “Sorry it’s a little messy…I was busy all morning,” placing them back in their designated bin underneath the table, while they waved you off, not bothered by the mess at all.

“Did you paint this today?” Will sought, setting down the comic and shuffling towards the easel where a semi-wet canvas laid.

You nodded, walking over and standing next to the piece, and holding your hands behind your back shyly.

“It’s supposed to look like the sunset from a few days ago.”

The sky filled with purple, orange, and yellow tinges to encapsulate the sundown you caught on the drive back to Roane from Hawkins.

“Did you use a photo as a reference?” Mike inquired, squinting his eyes to really take in the detail of the sky and hues used.

You shook your head, knocking your temple with your finger, “I have a really good photographic memory…once I see something I can usually replicate it when my brush hits the canvas.”

“How fascinating.” Will murmured, allowing himself to walk along the walls, looking at all your other paintings you had hanging up.

You clasped your hands together, a genuine sense of respite washing over you as you noticed everyone appearing at ease.

Robin was completely in her own world, fascinated with your overflowing vinyl collection that littered your tv stand.

Nancy and Jonathan were talking softly amongst themselves, smiling as they pointed and admired parts of your apartment, hoping they could have their own one day.

Eddie had taken a seat on the floor, back resting on the couch cushions as he flipped through a comic he picked up.

Steve looked to be just as comfortable, swinging slightly in the hanging chair admiring everyone else, happy that his friends were comfortable in the new space.

You clapped your hands together faintly, just enough for yourself to hear the celebration, “Just feel free to look around! I have a patio over there, but there’s nothing much out there except plants and a little table.”

They looked up to where your finger pointed at the sliding door on the other side of the living room, a cream meshed curtain pulled back to let in the natural sunlight.

Then, you turned your attention to Eddie, bending down a bit to tap his shoulder and point again at the terrace outside, “Eddie, I put out a small glass dish out there if you wanted to take a smoke, just in case.”

You noticed that he had excused himself to Steve’s backyard in order to take a smoke break, so you figured you get that set up for him just in case.

He flashed you a sincere smile, nodding “Thank you,”

You nodded, patting his shoulder before standing straight and excusing yourself to the kitchen to get things prepared.

Steve didn’t quite know if he was more so appreciating his friends finally opening up to a new place that wasn’t his own or seeing you being so welcoming to people you only met a few days ago. Nevertheless, it felt nice, a little warm feeling inside to know that you were so kind and open to them.

He also didn’t know if it made him a weirdo for wanting to stray wherever you went, getting up to follow you into the kitchen just to get a chance to talk to you without the lingering ears of his friends.

You stood there with one hand on your hip and the other stirring some mixture in the pot before turning off the heat completely.

“What’s this?” his soft voice whispered over your shoulder, producing you to bounce slightly before glancing back.

He had a small apologetic smile on his face, almost like a wince.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.” Steve said as you shook your head, lips curled into a grin when you turned back to stir the liquid.

“Lavender and mint.” You bubbled, drawing the saucepan off the stove and holding it out, just enough to get a sniff of the aroma.

His hand cupped together in the air, wafting the sweet steam towards him, “And it’s tea?”

“Yeah!…Or you could refrigerate it and make it into lemonade, though I should’ve done this hours ago so that I could…you don’t think it’s too hot for tea do you?”

Your forehead scrunched up in woe, setting the pot back down and reaching to slide the window in front of you open. Sticking your hand out, you flipped it back and forth, trying to feel the air and its warmth.

It was totally warm out, but Steve wouldn’t let you know that. He just shook his head, following your actions and sticking his hand out to feel the air, “No, it’s like the perfect weather…I could go for some tea.”

You looked toward him, giving him a sickly sweet smile as you turned to the opposite side of the kitchen, heading into one of the cupboards to grab mugs.

“Let me help you.” Steve offered, taking the ones from your hand with ease and placing them onto the counter.

He didn’t allow you to grab the other seven remaining mugs, as he did it himself, lining them up perfectly so it would be easier to pour and serve.

“Do you like milk in your tea?” You questioned, padding over to the fridge and seizing every bottle of milk you had.

He thought for a second, eyebrows scrunched together, trying to recall a memory, but he was sure that the last time he had milk and tea was when he attended one of his father's boring business conferences when he was a child.

“I’ve never tried it, is it any good?” Steve asked, leaning against the counter’s edge to watch you clutch the mason jars against your chest.

You smiled with a nod, fingers holding up one of the glass jars you had labeled, “almond” before placing them all right next to the mugs.

“You make your own milk?” He looked surprised, picking up the jar and inspecting the liquids that looked store-bought.

“It’s super easy and because it doesn’t take my time I just make a new glass every week.” You told him as you waltzed over to the boiler, picking up the pot before cautiously pouring a serving into each mug.

He watched you closely, noting how you bit your lip in concentration, making sure each mug got the same amount of tea, not wanting anyone to have less or too much than they wanted. You smiled to yourself, eventually letting go of your bottom lip when the last mug was filled perfectly, spinning around in your sock covered feet to place the remaining liquid back on the stove.

He did his best to hide his smile, endeared with your behavior for something as simple as pouring some tea. You rubbed your hands together, finally turning back to him and nodding your chin at the mugs.

“You should get the first taste!”

“You sure?” He asked, already reaching for the ridiculously adorable strawberry mug that you usually always drank out of.

You giggled, bowing your head as he finally took a sip. His lips smacked against each other to search the flavor profile in an attempt to impress you with the enhanced taste buds that he clearly didn’t possess, but somehow he was still able to make you laugh, which was enough.

“It’s sweet but still a little minty—what milk do you usually go for?” He sat his cup down, fingers brushing over the jars, looking over the different milks you had.

Oat. Almond. Cashew.

“Oat, it’s the most neutral out of all of them and doesn’t disturb the flavor, in my opinion.” You responded, letting your elbow rest onto the counter to place your chin in your palm.

You watched him crack open the jar, pouring a tiny bit into his cup before looking at you, silently asking if it was enough. The jutting of your chin and smile prompted him to pour a little more, just until you squeaked and you both laughed before he sealed the jar shut.

The two of you watched the milk flow over the once sheer lilac brew as if it was going to stir itself. Only remembering now, you gasped dramatically, moving up to pull open the drawers on the opposite side of the kitchen in order to grab a handful of spoons.

“Sorry, I totally forgot!” You apologized, handing one to Steve as he snickered, shaking his head while he stirred his drink.

“Don’t have to apologize. You’re too nice of a host already.” He encouraged you, taking another sip of the tea and giving you wide eyes when it rushed down his larynx.

“Holy shit…this is good!” He said surprisingly, as you smirked, moving towards him to make yourself a cup.

Your fingers grabbed onto the vintage basketball mug before pouring in your own splash of oat milk. “Oh! I forgot to mention, I like to add honey sometimes. Do you wanna try?”

You tiptoed, attempting to grab the bear shaped bottle of honey, and Steve had easily raised his arm up, clutching it for you.

“Thank you.” You whispered softly, taking it from him.

Steve was just happy to help, beaming warmly and watching you squeeze a tiny bit of honey into your cup and he happily did the same when you passed him the bottle.

You both took a sip at the same time, smiling tightly as you watched each other before swallowing. It was silly. So the two of you chuckled. Shaking your head at how silly it was.

“I didn’t mean to stare at you while you…sorry, that was weird of me.” You palmed your forehead dumbly, closing your eyes with a slight smile as Steve chuckled and hummed something that sounded like a “no” as he took another sip of the sweetness.

He shook his head, waving your worries away as he kept his hand on the handle of the mug when the other came down to rest on his hip, “I didn’t mean to stare either…I just didn’t want to look away from your tea-drinking skills.”

You cocked your head to the side, letting both sets of hands wrap around your warm mug as you rose a brow at him.

“My tea drinking skills?”

He smirked, nodding confidently, “Yeah, you know it’s a real art to not spill all over yourself. People do it all the time.”

There was a playful look coating your features, your eyes squinting shut as the smile took over before your laugh, shaking your head ridiculously at him.

“You’re impressed way too easily, Steve.”

Maybe it was the fact that you both were sipping tea in the middle of summer or perhaps the airflow in your kitchen was poor, but either way it didn’t take much for you both to notice the fervor that developed. You two were only inches apart. The space could be closed just by one sway towards each other’s bodies.

The lump in his throat bobbed as he swallowed, watching you take another sip as you tore your eyes away with the heat rushing to the apples of your cheeks. You looked pretty like this; he was sure you always did, but something about you here in your own kitchen surrounded by everything that was you felt just about right.

“I can’t help it…” You snapped your eyes back up at him, seeing him lift his shoulder with a placid grin on his face as he spoke.

“I’m always going to be impressed when it comes to you. Even when it’s just tea and a pretty—”

“What’s this!?”

The two of you jerked your eyes to Robin, leading the rest of the pact behind her into your kitchen. You swore he was just about to call you a pretty girl, certain even, but there were a million things he could’ve said.

Pretty mug.

Pretty kitchen.

Pretty apartment.

Pretty girl.

Pretty you.

No! He wasn’t. There was no way.

You quickly leaned off the counter, gesturing to them as Steve scooted over to make way for everyone else. They all picked up a mug, conversing amongst each other as they began drinking and popping open the milk and honey, serving themselves.

“It’s Lavender mint tea! I also have homemade oak, almond, and cashew milk so hopefully none of you are allergic…but if you want, I could run to the store and pick up some whole milk, it’s only down the road anyway so it won’t be long—“

Steve could sense the anxiety in your ramble, unsure if it was because of him and the line he had casted out towards you, or maybe because of the sudden intrusion of his friends that made it feel like you two had been caught when in actuality you both weren’t doing anything wrong.

Steve halted the jabber, resting a reassuring hand on your shoulder as everyone helped themselves to the tea, not aware of what you had been saying.

“None of them are allergic, so you’re fine…don’t need to go all out for some kids from Hawkins,” he looked around at his friends who were too busy to care, “everything you’re doing is perfect.”

You clutched the mug in your hands, taking a sip again feeling your heart thump at his words. You didn’t understand what sorcery was going on, but you did know that Steve Harrington had a way with words and every sweet thing that left his lips made you feel like you were floating.

Steve swore that he could see a pink blush creeping onto your face, but the mug you had tilted closer to your face hid it. It was cute; he didn’t know why you took so weirdly to compliments. It was something that he noticed right off the bat when you two first met. The way that if anyone said something nice about you, you felt the need to downplay it or not respond at all.

But Steve would keep complimenting you because you truly were someone that deserved to know their worth. So he smiled, continuing to watch the way you tried to hide your blush, while he sipped on his tea.

Robin wasn’t clueless to the two of you, sure she didn’t have the best timing, but she could read the both of you. The way you and he would stare at each other for too long and even how you’d both stray to each other if the other ran off somewhere else.

She knew where this was going.

Coughing lightly to clear her throat, she tapped you on the shoulder.

“Do you mind showing me the bathroom?”

You nodded, a tight smile on your face as you brushed past Steve, but not without your arms grazing before you led her out of the kitchen and into the opposite hallway where your bedroom and the bathroom was.

“It’s in here,” reaching forward and twisting the door open to reveal the bathroom.

Robin smirked wickedly, seizing one of your arms and pulling you into the restroom before shutting the door.

You shrieked and snorted all in one, startled at her action and trying to steady the mug in your hand so you didn’t spill any.

“Robs!”

She pressed her back against the door, a woozy smile on her face as she widened her eyes at you, “What the hell was that in there?!”

Your eyes widened, and you shook your head frantically, “Oh my god, shush, he could hear you! It was nothing!”

Robin laughed, as you tugged her a ways bit from the door, hoping that no one, and especially Steve, didn't hear the conversation that was happening inside here. She opted to close the toilet lid, sitting on top of it while you leaned against the counter, still sipping on your tea to avoid talking about this, but Robin seemed to have no plans to stop.

“It didn’t look like nothing! You guys were like milliliters apart, and his eyes were all dreamy and full of stars when he was staring at you!”

Her hands twiddled around in the air, trying to show you what she meant, and you knew exactly what she meant because you saw his orbs in the same light. Like an ocean of stars and glitter every time he had his eyes on you long enough for you to catch it—to make a wish on them.

“His eyes are always dreamy.” You countered out loud, instantly regretting that statement as Robin clasped a hand over her mouth to stifle her squeal.

You bit back a smile, turning your head the other way so she couldn’t see the way you were absolutely blushing out of your mind.

“I knew it! I could feel the tension in that kitchen and I just knew it! And the other day? You two just couldn’t stop looking at each other. You guys are totally crushing and are gonna fall in love!”

God, you couldn’t even remember when’s the last time you actually had a crush on someone attainable. All the guys you liked were fictional, from books, tv shows, and movies, because at least those guys were mesmerizing and actually respectable people. But Steve felt like that too, that one out of a million that you could actually see and have the privilege of being around let alone talking to.

He was so out of your league, there was no possible way he could’ve meant what he was going to say as a genuine romantic compliment. He was just being friendly. Just being the same Steve that Robin described to you before you had even met him. The same Steve who graciously covered for you when you didn’t want to talk about your asshole ex boyfriend.

The Steve that had you thinking about him on your drive back home wishing you were watching the sunset with him—

You heard the snap of her fingers, before feeling her stand up and make her way in front of you where she stood and clutched your shoulders, causing you to look at her. Shaking your head, you sighed heavily, finally prompting her a response after those grueling composing seconds.

“He’s just nice, Robin, and I’m sure he’s being kind because we just met. I barely know him! You said it yourself, remember? Steve’s a nice guy.” You said seriously, setting down your mug on the open counter space as she pouted and shook her head.

“No, I mean yeah, Steve is nice, but he’s being abnormally kind to you. The kind of kindness where it’s all sappy and lovey. It kinda makes me want to throw up, but also makes me want to kick my legs like an idiot because seeing him this way after all this time is actually nice.”

She explained with a complicated look that quickly turned into smiles and fondness, realizing that Steve was actually putting himself out there and you just were too foreign to it all. She watched as you took another deep breath, letting your shoulders stoop against her hold as you held your head in your hands.

“I stood there like an idiot Robs. He said something really nice to me and I…I just stood there! Gosh, he probably thinks I'm totally dumbass or something.”

She scoffed, shaking her head, giving your skin an encouraging squeeze when you finally looked up at her.

“Trust me, Steve doesn’t think you’re an idiot or a dumbass, or anything bad. He's genuinely so enthralled by you. And this is the same guy whose attention span is shorter than mine, so that’s saying quite a lot if, after the first hangout he’s already asking more about you.”

Your eyebrows curled into a frown before raising curiously, silently asking Robin to tell you what she meant before she licked her lips, eyes darting around the bathroom trying to pick one out of the many scenarios where Steve had asked about you.

“Umm, okay, this one!” She decided confidently, nodding her head and furrowing her brows roughly to mimic Steve earlier this morning at the florist.

“Which flowers do you think she likes best? She’s like super into florals, right? Is she allergic to anything? Jesus Christ, I don’t want to show up with flowers that she’s allergic to. That’s like fucking embarrassing Robs. Okay, you know what, I’m just gonna pick the prettiest flowers and hope she doesn’t end up sneezing or anything.”

You snickered at her impression of Steve’s voice and mannerisms, feeling your heart swarm as you thought it was pretty sweet that he was taking the time to ask about you, let alone think about putting in so much effort into those flowers he had brought for you.

“That’s actually really adorable,” you admitted, while Robin smiled and tilted her head, watching you thoughtfully.

She removed her grip for your shoulders, hands softly clapped while she shrieked while you rolled your eyes playfully at her delight. “See! I’m like cupid or something! Just yennooo…try throwing out a compliment and if it feels weird or wrong, then you’ll know. But I think we both know how it’s gonna go!”

“Sure cupid,” You rolled your eyes lovingly before going deep again, “I just don’t want to mess things up, alright? If somehow we’re both reading this wrong, I don’t want to lose him as a friend. It’s gonna put me in an awkward position if he doesn’t feel the same, so just for my sake, let’s just keep this conversation between us?”

You held out your pinky finger towards her, where she immediately crossed her fingers over her heart and proceeded to hook her pinky with yours.

“Promise!” she vowed, kissing her thumb as you giggled and did the same to yours.

When you two unhooked fingers, she crossed her arms and looked back at the toilet then at you, “I still really gotta pee, so…”

You tsked, chuckling lightly as you picked up your mug and gave her a thumbs up before exiting the bathroom to give her some privacy. When you walked down the hallway back into your living room, everyone looked relaxed, sitting on the couch or just hanging around the floor enjoying their cups of homemade tea while they talked amongst themselves.

Steve was in his previous seat, rocking back and forth in the hanging chair still nursing his lavender mint tea. When you came into view, he flashed you a smile, almost a questioning one, asking if everything was alright considering you were just in the bathroom with his best friend for quite some time. You assured him a nod and a small curl of your lips, ushering him to nod back.

That god he didn’t seem phased by the previous kitchen interaction.

“What’s that?” You requested, settling on the carpeted floor where Will and the rest of the teenagers were sitting near the coffee table flipping through a book.

Will glanced over with a shrug, sliding the book towards you, giving you a chance to see the art that covered the pages. You were amazed, setting down your mug and pulling the book closer as you looked into each stroke of the pencil and all the shading.

“Will, these are beautiful.” You nudged him casually with your elbow, making him smile, while he watched you flip through the next few pages where more illustrations filled the sheet.

One of the pages that caught your eye was a figure, one dressed in a cloak with a pointy wizard hat, and it looked a bit like Will. Maybe a self-portrait of some kind for that fantasy game he and the boys played.

“They’re not as good as yours, but I wanted to bring it so I could show you what I’ve been working on.” He told you, while you frowned and reached to rest your hand onto his, giving it a squeeze.

“No, these are amazing. I mean, this is just incredible…when I was your age all I could draw were stick figures.”

The laugh that Will let out made you smile and so did the reinforcing words coming from his friends, egging him on and telling him how awesome all of his sketches were. You knew that art was subjective, and even when you yourself were hard on the work that you made, you also had to find it within yourself to be kind.

And you wanted Will to feel the same way, because he truly had a talent for art and you wished you had someone when you were younger who encouraged you to pursue it sooner.

“I actually have a bunch of spare paints and brushes, and other supplies that you can take home.” You told him.

Shifting to your knees as you began reaching under the coffee table where some storage bins were located, filled with some paints you hadn’t yet used. You began pulling them out one by one, setting them on the coffee table and talking to Will about each of the brands and colors.

From Steve’s place, he could see more of you than Will whose back was facing him. He saw the way your nose crinkled distastefully as you expressed your dislike of certain paint brands because of the opacity and smell. Then how quickly the look of disgust was replaced by a bark of hilarity as Will told you something about his mom brewing a fresh pot of coffee to battle the horrible smell of some of the paints he used.

Steve hoped it didn’t make him a creep for always watching you, but it was out of admiration than it was out of flirtation. He preferred watching you because there was a way about you—an ease, almost one that even yourself didn’t quite notice, but he did.

To him, the best way to describe the feeling he got around you was almost like a secret garden.

One filled with every kind of flower blooming under the radiating sun. Trees growing so tall with birds settling on the stretching branches. The air the perfect kind of cool where bees and butterflies pass through as they soar through the sky. A calm waterfall trickling into a pond that calls out to everyone to jump in freely.

For Steve, it’s like jumping in and getting lost in you…exactly as he’s doing right now.

In simpler terms, people gravitated towards you, not solely for your sweetness or kindness, but for how genuine you actually were.

Even in Steve’s own experiences, he knew he was guilty of just nodding along and pretending to understand what any of the teens were talking to him about.

Video games. Computers. Poetry. Skateboarding. Dungeons and Dragons. Painting. Boyfriends. Girlfriends. Crushes. Whatever it was; just going in one ear and out the other while they kept talking and talking and talking.

But not you.

If anything, you immersed yourself into their world even when it wasn’t something that you could fully wrap your head around like that fantasy game. Yet you never failed to ask questions in order to learn more about it, but it was mostly because you loved to see their faced light up when talking about something that they enjoyed without needing to worry about sounding nerdy.

He wished he could talk to you about anything, and he knew he could, but just not right now. Not with everyone sitting here when all he wanted to do was tell you how down to earth you were and how it was even impossible for you to be real.

But indeed real you were meeting his eyes for only a split second before you turned it all back to Will as he spoke.

“Do you think I could try to paint something?” Will asked you timidly, almost anxious of being a nuance, but you bubbled out an excited yelp, scrambling to your feet as you rushed to your bedroom in order to grab a blank canvas that you were sure you weren’t going to use.

“Where is it?” You puffed, hauling open your closet door in hopes of you finding it in some bin that you stored all your excess supplies in.

A knock sounded on the doorway wall, prompting you to call out a reply instead of actually looking at who it was, just assuming that it was Will or one of the other kids.

“Need any help?”

Steve’s voice had you ceasing all movements, encouraging you to take a deep breath and realize that the whole kitchen thing was over. Right now, you needed to get it together and not make things weird. You exhaled softly, peeping back from behind your closet to see him leaning against your door frame with a small smile before you nodded.

“It’s so bare in here.”

He joked, looking around the room where the only piece of artwork hanging was one above your bed. A total lunar eclipse with its blood-red moon shining bright against a dark sky with tiny stars scatters around it.

You gasped subsequently, finding the smaller canvas and standing up from the ground, “I like that my bedroom is sorta away from all the chaos out there.”

Your hands motioned to the outside of the door, making circles and rolling your eyes, as if the living room was such a chaotic mess, when it really wasn’t. He chuckled, shaking his head before raising his brow at you.

“Anything else we need?”

Yeah, some fucking composure, Steve, because now I’m thinking of a compliment to spit out so we can get a feel of whatever the fuck we have going on.

You nodded, dropping the canvas on your bed and strolling over to the bottom drawers of your dresser where more supplies were stored.

“Yeah, some new brushes and a paint pallet for him.”

He watched you, totally oblivious of your nerves and instead in awe of how considerate you were being, by lending Will new items rather than just letting him borrow what you already had.

“You’re going to spoil the kid rotten.” He quipped, seeing as you couldn’t pick between two different shades of blue paint tubes and instead, just threw both of them into the pile you were amassing for Will.

You looked up, looking as innocent as ever and shaking your head, more than happy to spoil the kid.

“These have just been sitting here waiting to be used and Will will probably use it more than I ever will.”

He chuckled, coming down beside you, kneeling on the floor to help gather the paint tubes in his hands knowing you wouldn’t be able to carry it all by yourself. Your fingers brushed each other as you both grabbed a few, eyes flickering up to each other with a quiet laugh, continuing on before he spoke just as delicately.

“You’re really too sweet.”

Now’s the opening…just be smooth and throw it out there.

“I’d like to think I am,” you replied, snickering to yourself, when on the inside you were screaming.

He looked to you, seeing as though you tried to brush it off, “No, really, I mean it, you’re probably the nicest person I’ve ever met…no one has ever put this much thought into a hang out before.”

You looked almost smitten under his gaze, tucking your cheek into your shoulder and trying to play it off as a shrug despite the smile he could see seeping upon your face. He found it cute. Though he didn’t know why you tried to hide it, he wanted to make you smile and make you feel good about yourself.

“You really think so?” You asked unabashedly, following his head nod with a grin.

“I’d go as far as saying you’re the sweetest girl I think I’ll ever meet.”

Play it cool.

“You must not have met many girls then?” You stood up, hearing his chuckle as he followed your lead.

“Don’t really want to meet any other ones anymore.” He countered.

Strike and get a feel of it.

You grabbed the canvas off your bed as you swooped by. “Robin wasn’t kidding when she said you were charming.”

“She said that?” He said comically, and you giggled nodding and walking out of your bedroom with him trailing behind you.

Throw it out there.

“Yeah, which isn’t totally surprising, considering the fact that you’re pretty sweet yourself.”

There was a glint of teasing to your voice, not that it was too different from the sweetness that dripped from it regularly, but he could tell there was something more there. He didn’t want to think too hard about it, not wanting to ruin the moment with his never-ending questions, so instead he clung to it, hoping he’d get the chance to hear something like that coming from only you ever again.

“Here you go, Will,” you crooned cheerfully, entering the living room with Steve trailing behind you with the paints.

Will’s eyes lit up with excitement, sitting up on his knees as you two placed the items on the coffee table. You sat beside him while Steve went back to the chair, watching in on you explaining to Will each of the pigments and their properties.

This time he wasn’t doing a lot of listening, his mind still caught up in your words and if it meant what he thought it did. He was going to call you a pretty girl back in the kitchen, that is before Robin and the rest of the gang had stumbled in to stop him.

Was that compliment supposed to be a response to his?

Was what you said even a compliment?

Of course it was…hell you could’ve you said he reminded you of a golden retriever and he’d take it with pride and brag to everyone that a pretty girl compared him to a cuddly animal.

But was he just maybe reading into it too much?

You were always dishing out compliments to everyone, saying how great and talented they were, but not with the undertone you had spoken to him with. Perhaps he had misheard you and now he was doing all of this overthinking just to end off at the same place you both started, which was friends.

Just friends.

“Steve, could you come with me and Eddie to the kitchen, please?”

Robin and Eddie both stood, looking at him sharply as they shuffled into the kitchen, signaling for Steve to follow their lead.

He furrowed his brows, standing up quickly and heading for the kitchen, “What’s up?”

“You’re being fucking weird!” Eddie's whisper shouted, pointing an accusing finger at him.

Steve looked taken aback, looking at his two friends puzzled. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“Don’t think I can’t tell when you’re thinking too hard. What’s the matter?” Robin softly prodded, crossing her arms across her chest.

“W-what? No, I’m fine…I’m just thinking…” He said, avoiding Robin’s knowing eyes as he looked at Eddie instead.

Eddie rolled his eyes, “You keep following her everywhere, yet you’re not making a move. Everyone in that damn living room can feel the tension between you guys.”

“There is no tension!” Steve claimed quietly, peering back and making sure you still were laser focused on the painting.

He looked back at his two friends, resting his hands on his hips, “I’m being friendly alright. I want to make her feel comfortable and help out the same way she did. That’s all.”

Robin threw an unconvinced look his way, before gesturing towards Eddie, “When you met Eddie, you made fun of him for nicknaming his guitar sweetheart, it’s not the same.”

“Because Eddie isn’t a girl!” Steve argued, only causing Eddie to raise a brow, holding a hand over his heart pretending he had just been wounded.

“Are you saying I’m ugly, Harrington?”

“Oh my god,” Steve grumbled, rubbing his fingers over his temples.

Robin reached forward, grabbing him by the shoulders and forcing him to look at her, “Dude…stop thinking so hard about it. If you like her, just be cool about it. Ask her out if you want. I don’t know…j-just do anything besides what you were doing out there because you looked like you were in pain and it was just weird.”

Did he really looked pained?

Steve blinked, trying to process debating if he wanted to ask Robin if he really looked that bad or for some fucking advice to man up and ask you out already. He didn’t know what he was avoiding, knowing that usually if he liked a girl, he’d just go in and take the shot to ask, but with you, he just couldn’t.

There was too much to lose if something went south.

His thinking was cut short by Eddie who began snapping his fingers, pointing victoriously like he and Robin cracked some sort of secret Russian code or something.

“We were right!” He started poking at Robin’s cheek as she grumbled yet bit back a smile.

Eddie pointed towards Steve again, not bothering to hide the smirk on his face, “What’d I tell you? Harrington is usually so quick to slide on in and ask a girl out and now suddenly he meets a gorgeous down-to-earth-painter-baker-girl and now he’s whipped!”

He drummed his fingers on Robin’s shoulder, making her laugh before turning to her best friend, suddenly bright pink in the cheeks.

“You must really really like her if you’re not using those god awful pickup lines to make her fall for you.” She said half jokingly.

Steve shrugged, moving away from the two and instead reached for his tea mug and taking a sip of the now semi-warm liquid. “Maybe…I—I dunno…I just don’t want to rush things because she knows about King Steve and I don’t want her to get the wrong idea.”

Robin tilted her head, looking apologetic, “She told you I told her about that?”

He shook his head, looking at her dully, “No, but she did say you said I was charming, which pretty much gives it away…also you’re such a terrible liar.”

“Am not!” She gasped, lightly punching him in the arm.

Steve didn’t look so convinced, arguing back without hitting her, “Yeah you are!”

“Fuckin’ kill me,” Eddie sighed, rocking his head at the two.

“Is everything ok?” Your cool speech came ringing in the small kitchen, making the three of them stutter, trying to not look so suspicious.

“Y-yeah, fine! Umm, they were just wondering if you had more tea!” Steve lied, turning his eyes back to Robin and widening them, signaling for her to let go of his shoulders, which she did.

He made his way over to the stove, peeking into the pot that had only a bit of tea left.

“Oh, I can make some more if you’d like?” You responded, moving further into the kitchen to meet Steve at the stove.

With your back turned to Robin and Eddie, they both motioned their way out of the space to give him more time with you, but not before shooting him a suggestive wink.

“Uh, no, no need for that. I’ll just take what’s left…Eddie and Robin have ummm, small bladders! I don’t want them complaining the whole way home later.”

He closed his eyes shut, shaking his head to himself while you attempted to stifle a laugh reaching for his mug and pouring the rest of the tea into his cup.

“Here you go,” you said, turning to him with his mug filled.

He flashed you an apologetic smile, saying a quiet “thank you” while you shake it off.

“Need anything else? A snack?”

His ears heard you loud and clear, but his eyes were stuck on the living room where Eddie and Robin were wildly gesturing their hands in the air, mouthing, “Just do it!”

For my friends to stop being dumbasses is what he wanted to say, but he shook his head, tearing his eyes away from the two friends and giving his sights back to you.

“No, this is all. Thanks again.” He reassured you, earning a smile as you both walked out of the kitchen and back to the living room.

Taking your place between Max and Will who were painting, you were able to get a glimpse of the work they had completed for the short time you were gone. Max had wanted to join in after getting tired of the comic she was reading.

“Oh, this is amazing—shoot, I’m so sorry!”

You weren’t quite sure why you were here apologizing at the fact that Max had accidentally turned towards you with a paintbrush in her hand, smearing gold all over the front of your shirt, but here you were.

“Shit, it’s my fault. I’m so sorry.” The red head said, clutching a hand over her mouth as you shook your head.

“No, it’s my fault! I shouldn’t have snuck up like that. It’s okay, the paint comes off easily in the wash, I’ll go get changed!” You yelped, getting up and jogging down the hallway into your room.

Max turned to Steve, glaring at him.

“Really? Eddie and Robin have small bladders? That’s the best excuse you came up with?”

He scratched the back of his neck, leaning forward, “W-what?”

“Max just bought us some time to tell you how weird you’re being.” Lucas smirked, glancing at Max who looked proud of her quick idea.

Dustin snorted in agreement, finally tearing his eyes away from his comic, “If you’re gonna keep staring at her and following her around like a minion you might as well as her out!”

“I’m not asking her out on a date with all of you here!” Steve countered, staring at all of his friends like they were insane.

Robin rolled her eyes, looking at Nancy, then him, “You asked Nancy to have six kids that time we went road tripping a few years ago. What difference does that make now?”

Mike groaned, covering his face in discomfort remembering overhearing that conversation. “I didn’t have to be reminded of my sister hypothetically having six babies with Steve.”

Jonathan snapped his eyes to Nancy who widened her eyes at Robin, “When was this?” He asked.

Nancy shook her head, brushing him off, “A long time ago, so it doesn’t matter. And they’re right, you and her obviously have chemistry, so why not just stop wasting time and get it over with?”

“No, we don’t,” Steve shook his head, not sounding as convincing as he’d like.

Nance tilted her head, giving him those doubtful eyes, “Really? Do you actually believe that for one second?”

“You keep following her around like a lovesick puppy.” Jonathan admitted, forgetting about the stupid six children thing and saving it for another day, seeing as though Steve really expected that they all couldn’t see right through you and him.

“Every time I look over at her to see if I’m doing something right, you’re in my peripheral ogling at her like a piece of art.” Will responded, tearing his eyes away from his canvas.

“It’s kinda cute.” El said with a giddy smile.

“She’s always smiling at you for some reason.” Max continued.

“Which is funny considering that you’re not that pretty to look at,” Eddie quipped, earning a scowl from Harrington.

Robin rolled her eyes at the men’s consistent banter, knowing she had to work fast before you came back out.

“What we’re trying to say is that she clearly likes you and you like her. You can try denying how you feel, but we know how you get when you start crushing on a girl, so don’t think your lying is going to fool any of us.”

She told him, which would've been reassuring, but asking a girl out in front of a crowd of people wasn’t something that sounded like a good time for him or you. It was just going to put you in that sticky spot with all the attention and most likely to say yes to save him the embarrassment.

He couldn’t do that to you.

“Well, I’m still not asking her out with you guys down my throat. Her and I are just friends. I need to get to know her first. Hell, I don’t even know what her favorite color is or if she likes sports? These are things I should know before I ask a girl out!”

Who was Steve kidding and when did he start caring about frivolous shit like that? You and him could have nothing in common and still he would fawn over you and snowball this crush into something more. Even going as far to turn himself into Picasso's reincarnation if that would make you like him better.

“I’m back!” You grinned, sauntering down the corridor sporting none other than a cropped Red Sox t-shirt.

Steve’s favorite team, of course.

Eddie grunted, already on the tip of making a subtle note, just to see if he was right.

“Nice shirt, but didn’t they lose—“

“Oh, don’t even get me started! The game was totally rigged and if Buckner didn’t mess up that inning, Boston would’ve taken that championship home.” You said intensely, taking your seat between Max and Will once again.

Everyone’s eyes turned to Steve’s, watching them muddle with even more affection than before. You were his total dream girl. He knew it, and so did everyone else.

“Everything alright?” You chuckled after the short seconds of silence.

Grunts and hums came from everybody attempting to not fixate their gaze solely between you and Steve, but it was a bit tough considering the stare that Steve had locked on you.

“Peachy, just trying to remember that date because it was so memorable, and I wished that someone here would make a move and remember it.”

Robin emphasized her words sharply, snapping her fingers to get Steve’s attention in order for him to stop staring at you before you caught him.

Eddie joined in, coughing loudly to “clear” his throat only stopping when Steve finally snapped his eyes away from you.

“Yeah, you know what’s so funny about dates is that they mark something special and really help solidly the—“

You lifted your eyes from Will’s painting just in time as Steve shook it off the stare.

“October 27th 1986 but the series went from October 18th through the 27th if we want to get specific.”

Holy fuck. Holy shit. Holy Mother Of God.

“I—I gotta go to the bathroom!” Steve spat out speedily, resting his mug on the cramped coffee table and shooting up.

You creased your brows together, watching him trudge down the hallway, clumsily, “The first door on your right—“

“Right! Yep! Got it!” He called out, reaching for the handle and nearly propelling himself through the door and slamming it shut.

You tilted your head, letting out a grunt before turning your eyes to Robin, “I—Is he okay?”

She nodded with a broad smile, sitting up from the couch and knocking Eddie’s arm with her elbow, “He’s actually the one with a small bladder so…yenno, when nature calls am I right?”

“He and the toilet are gonna be awhile, a date if you will,” Eddie snorted, making you choke on a laugh before giving them a slow head nod and turning your attention back to Will and Max.

This was by the far the longest time Steve had ever spent staring at himself in the mirror for something not related to his looks. This time around, he was staring for another reason, trying to find the Steve within him that would actually pull the trigger and ask you out already. It was clear as day that he liked you. He didn’t need anymore confirmation of it, he knew his feelings.

But he also knew you were worth more than this and more than the old Steve.

The old Steve could easily swoon you with a pickup line and flirty eyes: the King Steve that you had heard about from Robin. But that wasn’t who Steve was anymore and it sure as hell wasn’t the version of himself he wanted to be when he was with you.

He wanted to be better, to show you that you actually did deserve someone with character within them. Even after all this improvement and trying to actually search for a relationship that consisted of love rather than just sex, he didn’t know if he was good enough for you. If you’d even want to go on a date with him.

He wouldn’t know if he didn’t take a chance.

But what if all you wanted was to be friends?

Would that ruin your friendship with Robin?

Could you possibly imagine yourself ever being friends with her again after her best friend made a pass at you?

He liked you, but he loved Robin and knew this friendship meant a lot to her. The last thing he wanted to do was jeopardize it because of a crush even if Robin was fully in support of it.

Maybe you and him were supposed to be just friends.

“Steve! Dude, c’mon we gotta go.” Dustin’s voice came from the outside of the door, knocking firmly against the wood.

He furrowed his brows, unlocking the door and pulling it open, “Go? Go where? We just got here.”

Dustin sighed, gesturing back to the living room where you were helping the others clean up, “Nance called home and Mrs. Wheeler said that Holly had an allergic reaction. We gotta get home ASAP!”

“So why can’t Nancy and Mike go home and we stay?” Steve hissed more harshly than intended.

The boy shook his head in incredulity, crossing his arms over his chest, “Need I remind you we drove here in Eddie’s van? We all need to leave together or else you’re stranded in Roane, but by the sound of it, you wouldn’t mind at all.”

Dustin wore a knowing sneer while Steve bit down on his tongue, not really wanting to lash out on the kid who was pointing out the very obvious feelings that he did a horrible job at hiding.

“C’mon lover boy, we got a hive covered six-year-old who needs the hospital and we gotta house sit for a few hours.” Dustin said, finally patting Steve on the arm before turning on his heel and heading back to the living room.

He followed closely behind, seeing everyone begin the file out the door where you hugged each of them.

“I hope everything is ok with your sister! Please, just don’t hesitate to call if there’s anything I can do to help!”

You tightly wrapped your arms around Nance, closing your eyes as you rubbed her back affectionately and heard her murmur a “thank you so much,” before pulling away.

“Bye! Thanks for having us, again!” Dustin saluted with a toothy grin before you giggled and hugged him.

Steve was the last one left in the doorway with you, keeping his hands to his side not knowing if he should open up to hug you first or not.

“Oh! Hold on, don’t go anywhere. I gotta give you something!” You pointed your finger at him and jogged through your apartment into your room, coming out a few seconds later with his yellow pullover folded neatly in your hands.

You held it out to him, wearing a smile on your face. “I washed it and ironed out the wrinkles. Sorry if it smells like honeysuckle, it’s just the detergent I use!”

His heart ached even more knowing this thing would smell like you until the next time it’d be washed. Only fueling the crush he had and taking every ounce in his body not to jump at the opportunity to tell you how down to earth you were and how much he’d like to take you out on a date if you’d let him. But instead, he could only muster out a few sentences.

“T-thanks! I won’t mind at all…and thanks for having us over, even if it was only for a little.” He laughed, watching you shake your head.

“No, it was really fun having your guys over, and umm, I invited everyone to come to my art gallery this weekend, and it would really mean a lot if you could make it, if you’re free.” You said tenderly, rubbing your hand over your opposite arm watching a smile break on his face.

He nodded, “I’m free this weekend so I’ll definitely be there.”

“Thanks! Robin has the directions and whatnot.” You spoke, nodding your head as you both stood there for a second totally forgetting that he had to go until Eddie beeped his horn.

You snapped out of your stance, instantly apologizing, “Shit, sorry! Okay, I’ll see you!’

Steve wasn’t at all prepared for your arms to wrap around his neck, hugging him closely, feeling your breath fan again his skin as he hurriedly draped his arms across your back, squeezing you tight, “Y-yeah! See you then…”

Pulling away from Steve felt difficult just as hard as it would be knowing that you wouldn’t be able to see him for a while. It didn’t help that you and him didn’t get to speak as much as you’d like because you really wanted to get to know him more. To ask him about life in Hawkins and how he liked Roane so far.

It just didn’t help that you felt like you crossed a line after telling Steve that he was “pretty sweet himself.”

Was that too forward of you?

Maybe it was too corny?

Did it throw him off?

It probably did throw him off. It had to have been that. After you replied with that sad excuse of what was supposed to be a compliment, Steve started acting weird. Strolling off to the kitchen with Robin and Eddie, probably telling them all about how you sucked at flirting. Even excusing himself to the bathroom in a haste when he clearly didn’t have to use it.

For a minute, you thought that you really did blow your chances with him, but it all drifted away when you caught the smile and wave that he threw at you from the passenger seat of Eddie’s van.

He looked happy, yet sad to be taking off, kinda like how you looked after needing to leave the Harrington house. You just didn’t want to get your hopes up living for something that had a small probable chance of ever coming to life. There was no telling what mood you and Steve would be feeling the next time you saw each other, and you didn’t want to jinx it before it was too late.

You just closed the door, pressing your back against the wood knowing that everything in your system was dying for the moment you and Steve would see each other next.

For now, you’d have to pad across your apartment thinking about him wherever you strayed, wishing he was following close behind like he always was. But he wasn’t.

The only trace he left behind was his scent lingering in the air and the strawberry cup that was yours, but you didn’t mind if it belonged to him now.

Truly, you were screwed, living for the hope of it all.

💌 reblogs, tags, comments, + likes are greatly appreciated 💌

a/n: chapter one is here!!! ive been working on this for a while and was actually supposed to make this series only 3 parts but i love it so much (and tumblr is laggy lately) that i wanted to split them up into more parts and ill also be opening my inbox to blurbs for what im coining "glitch universe" very soon!!! i hope you all love this chapter and stick around for the rest!! a big thanks to effie again for helping me proof-read and hyping me up through all this!!!! happy reading to all!!!!! 🍰🍓🧸

taglist: @translatemunson @kennedy-brooke @manda-panda-monium @tvserie-s-world @givemeth @steveharringtonswife @astolenkiss @loving-and-dreaming @awkotaco24 @engenelxver @elfiaaaa @pbs-theundeadmaggot @johnricharddeacy @gaysludge @scoopshxrrington @micheledawn1975 @ihatepeanutss

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thisapplepielife · 2 years ago

Text

Written for the @steddieholidaydrabbles December challenge.

Twenty-Eight Across

Prompt Day 28: Proposal | Word Count: 1000 | Rating: M | CW: Heavy Petting, Fade to Black Sex, Afterglow | Tags: Established Relationship, Future Fic, Long-Term Love, Fluff, Softness, Proposal, Eddie POV

The sun is just barely starting to creep over the horizon, and Eddie snuggles closer to Steve in the warmth of their bed. He wishes he could sleep in, but his internal clock gets him up with the sun, no matter if it's his day off, or not.

But he won't complain about being awake for lazy, cozy mornings in bed with Steve. Even if Steve's still asleep, his hair a mess, fluffed out on the pillow under his head.

These quiet, sun-kissed moments are some of Eddie's favorite minutes all week. The slow climb of the sun, illuminating Steve a little more with each passing second. And Eddie gets to watch it happen in slow motion, up close and personal.

He never dreamed he'd get to grow up and be this happy. This settled.

That he'd have all this chosen family, surrounding him with love and affection that he hopes he returns tenfold.

Twenty years. He's been with Steve for twenty years.

From when they were just scared kids, having barely survived the fucking apocalypse, to grown men, with jobs and lives.

And yet, he still wants more. He feels selfish that he even thinks this life he loves isn't enough, just as it is.

Eddie gets up and showers, and when he gets out, the mirror is steamed up, so he writes Steve a message.

Marry Me?

He looks at it, then scrubs it away with the hand towel. That's not good enough. Nothing he's ever thought up has been good enough. Steve deserves something perfect. Something romantic, and that's not exactly Eddie's strong suit.

He goes to sit at the table, and starts doing the crossword in the morning paper, drinking his coffee.

He works on one across: pop the question. Three letters. Eddie scribbles in ask.

Then there's four across: that guy! Three letters again, and Eddie writes in him, taking another drink of his coffee.

Seven across: Vedder, of Pearl Jam, and Eddie laughs, writing in his own first name: Eddie.

Ask him, Eddie is the crossword gods really fucking with him, at this point. He's definitely lodging a complaint with Nancy at the paper. It feels like he's being taunted, and he's taking it personally.

He does a few more, then twenty-eight across is crazy long, and when he reads the clue, generic proposal, he counts out the letters, and sure enough: will you marry me?

Now, the universe is definitely taunting him.

He folds the paper over, not in the mood to finish.

Then, Steve clears his throat from the doorway to their bedroom. Eddie turns to look at him, and smiles, just seeing him. He's sleep rumpled, in just his boxer-briefs. Looking beautiful, and happy.

His belly has gotten a little softer with middle age, but he's never been more beautiful in Eddie's eyes. Eddie feels so lucky.

They have this whole life they've built together. They don't need to be married to be a family. They've been that since they decided they were in this thing together, forever.

"Finish your crossword?" Steve asks, leaning against the doorframe.

"Most of it," Eddie answers, standing up and crossing the room, gathering Steve up in his arms. He's still warm from bed, and Eddie leans into him to steal a little of that body heat for himself.

"And?" Steve prompts.

"And what?" Eddie asks.

Steve chuckles, laying his head against Eddie's, leaning close to his ear, "Will you marry me or not?"

Eddie pulls back, looking in his eyes, and they are playful.

"You did that?" Eddie asks, slightly disbelieving.

"I did that," Steve confirms. "With Nance's help. But I did it, since you kept chickening out."

Eddie laughs, squeezing Steve tighter, "You weren't supposed to know that."

"I know everything about you," Steve whispers, and a shiver runs down Eddie's spine. Because it's true. Steve does.

"That so, Harrington?" Eddie asks, "What do I want, right now, then?"

"To go back to bed," Steve whispers, reaching down to cup Eddie's dick through his pajama bottoms. Palming him, rubbing his fingers back and forth.

Thumbing him, catching the head of his dick, even through his pants, well-practiced at the art of taking Eddie apart and driving him slowly mad.

Jesus H. Christ.

Yeah, that's exactly what Eddie wants. So, he nudges Steve's backwards, and Steve goes, willing, still working his hard dick through his clothes, still touching him, still kissing him.

Wanting to marry him.

Eddie presses Steve back against the sheets, ready to warm them back up again. He lines their dicks up, and grinds down. Pressing against him, making Steve squirm beneath him.

They know this dance well, and they fall into all the right moves. Getting each step perfect.

"So, you never answered my question?" Steve says, curling against Eddie. Pressing their warm, sweat-slick, naked bodies together.

"Yes," Eddie answers, meeting Steve's eyes, "of course, yes."

Steve smiles, "Good. I got tired of watching you be so nervous."

Eddie laughs, "That obvious?"

"Just for the last year or two," Steve teases, hooking his chin over Eddie's shoulder. "I knew you wanted to do it, so I wanted to let you, but it was getting painful."

Eddie laughs, full and loud. He loves his man.

"And I just want to be your husband. So, I asked. I hope you're not disappointed."

"No," Eddie says quickly, "never. I could never be disappointed by getting to marry you. It was perfect. Better than anything I've thought up."

"That's not true," Steve says, "I really liked the jumbotron plan from last fall."

"Goddammit, those fuckfaces," Eddie swears, banging his head against his pillow, "all our shitty friends talked me out of that."

"I know, and all our shitty friends hate sports, honey. You were thinking of what I like, and you were right. I mean, in general, you shouldn't use the jumbotron unless you're sure of the answer."

"I was sure of the answer," Eddie whispers, and feels foolish.

"Good. You should be sure, always."

Notes: I googled to see if I could find the clue that would produce will you marry me as an answer, and came up with this article of someone that did it in real life. And that clue was "generic proposal" - which, perfect. I also found another instance that someone used "words with a certain ring to them" to get to it, but I liked using the proposal one since that was the prompt word!

If you want to write your own, or see more entries for this challenge, pop on over to @steddieholidaydrabbles and follow along with the fun! 💍📰✏️

If you want to see more of my entries into this month-long challenge, you can check them out in my Steddie Holiday Drabbles tag, right here!

#steddieholidaydrabbles #proposal #future fic #boys in love #steddie #steddie ficlet #eddie munson #steve harrington #steve x eddie #stranger things #thisapplepielife: short fic #thisapplepielife: steddieholidaydrabbles

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temptingfatetakingnames · 1 year ago

Text

Dancing in the Dark Final Part

AO3 / Part 1 / Part 2

Eddie wouldn’t say he drove over the speed limit when he took his friends home, but he certainly toed the line. He also wouldn’t say that he kicked them out of his van as soon as he pulled up to their places, but that would be a lie. He was…anxious to get back to Steve. He hadn’t wanted to leave him in the first place but they both had people they needed to get home.

Designated driver duties done for the night; Eddie was on his way to Steve’s place and he was freaking out a little.

Okay, he was freaking out a lot.

Him and Steve were friends. They had slept over at each other’s places before. What they hadn’t done is sleep in the same bed after admitting they liked each other. Steve was struggling, and Eddie didn’t want to add to his stress by being nervous or weird about it. Steve needed sleep, that’s what Eddie was going over to help him with.

Sleep.

Nothing else.

…Maybe cuddling – to help Steve sleep.

The beamer was already in the driveway when Eddie pulled up to the Harrington House. He turned the van off and wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans before he got out. His heart was a fluttering thing in his chest as he approached the door. Before he could knock, it swung open. Steve smiled. A real one, small and soft, and Eddie felt himself melt into a gooey puddle. Oh. The power that little smile already had over him was dangerous.

“Hey,” Steve said, smiling wider.

“Hey,” Eddie replied, smiling back, and they stood staring at each other in the doorway like lovesick fools.

“Come in,” Steve said and stepped back so Eddie could pass in front of him as he closed the door. Eddie was a little unsure where to go. Living room? Kitchen? Right up to Steve’s room? It was late and Steve was probably tired but adrenaline was coursing through Eddie like a goddamn freight train. His fingers tapped against his legs.

“Need anything? I can grab you some comfortable clothes to change into?”

Eddie hadn’t gone home to grab an overnight bag because he couldn’t bear to be away from Steve any longer than was strictly necessary. He nodded and Steve grabbed his hand, leading him through the house and up to his room, turning off the lights as they went.

Right to bed then.

When they got to his room, Steve let go of his hand to go over to his dresser. He pulled out pajama bottoms and a worn-out t-shirt. Eddie wasn’t going to tell him that he usually just slept in his boxers… if he slept in anything at all.

“Thanks,” Eddie said as Steve handed him the bundle of clothes. He went to change in the bathroom, giving them both a moment alone. The reflection staring back at him from the mirror was of a person he barely recognized. Wide eyed and red cheeked. He was so fucked. He dropped his head into his hands, shaking it back and forth. After his little internal crisis, he changed into the pajamas. They were soft and baggy on him. He and Steve were pretty close in height but Steve was broader than him, more muscular. As he was about to head back out he heard a soft knock on the door.

He opened it to Steve, a toothbrush in his hand and wearing his own pajamas.

“For you,” he said, holding it out.

Eddie took it. “Sorry, I really should have stopped at home first but I –” Eddie cut himself off before he admitted that he hadn’t wanted to waste any more time away from him.

“All good,” Steve replied, “I always have extras handy.”

He walked into the bathroom and fluffed his hair in the mirror before grabbing his own toothbrush. After squeezing out some toothpaste onto his brush, he passed the tube to Eddie, who did the same. They brushed their teeth, eyes meeting in the mirror and Eddie couldn’t help feeling slightly seduced by the look he was being given. It made his body feel warm – to have Steve Harrington looking at him like that. He wanted to kiss him. The urge to reach out almost impossible to resist. But he did.

Sleep, Eddie reminded himself. He was here to sleep… and talk. No kissing.

Not yet anyway.

When they were done, they walked back to Steve’s room and nerves lit up his spine as Steve turned on the small lamp beside his bed and turned off the main light. The room was cast in an intimate glow, the lamp only giving off a small amount of light. Steve flipped down the covers and slid under them, looking at Eddie with a searching look as he hesitated to do the same thing on the other side. Eddie crawled into the bed, heart pounding wildly, with none of the grace Steve had displayed.

They laid down on their backs, faces toward the ceiling, letting the night settle around them. Steve was warm beside him, a powerful force of gravity, pulling Eddie closer. Steve must have felt it too, because seemingly at the same time, they turned towards each other. Edging closer and closer on their respective pillows until Eddie could feel Steve’s minty breath on his face. Slowly, so slowly, Eddie reached out and put his arm over Steve’s shoulders, drawing their bodies closer. Steve didn’t resist but melted forward until their bodies aligned tightly against each other, legs intertwining.

Eddie didn’t know what to do with the feelings in his chest when Steve sighed and snuggled in against him. They felt too large for his body, threatening to erupt and spill out everywhere. Steve Harrington was in his arms. Soft and warm. Eddie breathed him in deeply, a delicious smelling cologne still lingering on his skin.

“Good night, sweetheart,” Eddie said.

He felt Steve’s response against his skin. “Good night, Eddie.”

Silence descended and Eddie closed his eyes, trying desperately to calm his pounding heart so he could go to sleep. He didn’t question Steve’s need to leave the small light on. There had been many nights that he hadn’t been able to sleep without them. Flashlight in one hand and a walkie-talkie in the other.

“I’m not tired,” Steve whispered.

Eddie couldn’t help but snort and Steve laughed a little.

“Alright,” he capitulated. “I am tired, but I don’t want to sleep yet.”

“Is there something you want to talk about?”

He went quiet, thinking, and Eddie held him close – wondering if he would fall asleep before answering.

“You said you want to know more about me… so, ask a question. Any question and I’ll answer it.”

“What’s the secret Robin has on you?” Eddie asked immediately and was instantly more awake because of the riotous blush that erupted on Steve’s cheeks.

“Any question but that one!”

“Too late sweetheart, you said any question!”

Steve gaped up at him but Eddie just looked calmly back, eyebrow raised, waiting for the answer. He refused to look away and after a moment Steve released a resigned huff and hid his face into Eddie’s neck. He fought to suppress his body’s shiver as Steve’s breath ghosted over his skin.

“It was you,” Steve said so quietly Eddie had to listen closely to hear his voice. “In the van when you called me Big Boy…” Steve trailed off, like that answered his question. Which it very much did not. What was him? He gave Steve a little shake.

“Shit. You’re really going to make me say it?”

“Say what?”

“You gave me a goddamn sexual crisis! Robin was absolutely no help as I struggled for months to figure out what I was feeling was a crush…” Heat bloomed warm and quick on Eddie’s face at Steve’s admission.

“But you didn’t see me,” Steve continued and Eddie’s good feeling disappeared as quickly as it had come. Steve huffed a laugh that sounded suspiciously close to a sob. “But no one did, so that was nothing new.”

Eddie wanted to say that he was wrong – that he had seen him – but he wouldn’t lie. He saw him now… and hoped that was enough.

“You hid yourself too well, Steve. I had no idea you felt that way. I’m sorry it took me so long to see behind that mask you show everyone… but I’m looking now. I see you… and Steve?” Eddie asked and waited for him to lean back and look up at him. When he met his eyes, Eddie said, “I like what I see.”

Emotion burned in the hazel depths staring back at him. Fierce and bright and Eddie threw his no kissing rule out of the window and captured Steve’s lips with his own. As much as he wanted to bite and consume, he kept it gentle and soft. Steve’s eyes fluttered closed and he deepened the kiss, tongue questioning at Eddie’s closed lips. Without thought, they parted and Steve surged forward. His hands came up to Eddie’s cheeks, before slipping behind his neck and into his hair. The kiss became wet and slippery, messy in their desperation to taste each other. There was no longer anything gentle about it. Eddie nipped at Steve’s plush lower lip and was gratified when he moaned deep into his mouth. Eddie clutched him closer before releasing him and backing up as much as Steve’s hands in his hair would allow. They needed to slow things down… and breathe.

Steve let out a slow breath. “I wasn’t expecting this,” he said. “I wasn’t expecting you. All of this because of a song?”

Because of a song? No. Because of how Steve sang it. So raw, like he was pulling the lyrics out of himself bleeding. Eddie had never heard anything like it. He wasn’t sure if he ever would again.

You can't start a fire You can't start a fire without a spark

“It wasn’t just the song. But it did…open my eyes, I guess? I had never seen you be so vulnerable before. You always act so tough, so unshakeable. The way you sang that song showed me that I didn’t understand you at all, that I had seen the surface of you but didn’t look any deeper. Everything you said about your fears and your dreams – I get it. I really fucking get it.”

Steve was nodding along with what Eddie was saying, his fingers idling playing with his hair.

“It was easier… to try and lock it all away. If I just told myself that I was fine, that everything was fine – then it would be. But the box wouldn’t stay shut. Not this time.”

I'll shake this world off my shoulders

Eddie had experienced horror. Had lived through hell. It was easy to forget that Steve had experienced it, too – but for longer. He remembered being absolutely stunned when they had finally told him the whole story. Demogorgons, Russians, Mindflayers, Vecna. The men and the monsters Steve had fought. Eddie was still fucked up over his one encounter, he didn’t know how the rest of them did it.

“You didn’t talk to Robin?” he asked.

“I did. Of course, I did. She’s my best friend but she’s moving on – it’s over for her and I wanted it to be over for her, too. So, I stopped bringing it up. She didn’t question it. To her – to everyone – I was back to my old self. Easy, simple Steve Harrington.”

“Steve, I –”

“I know that I hid away parts of myself,” Steve interrupted. “Hid them well enough that no one could see them. I don’t blame anyone for not seeing through me, I just…” Steve sighed and trailed off. He flipped onto his back so he was staring up at the ceiling, hands across his chest.

I could use just a little help

Eddie hesitated but Steve had told him to ask questions. So, he asked the other one that had been burning a hole in his tongue the whole night.

“Why did you sing that song?”

“I didn’t want to sing at all but Robins stubborn and I knew she wouldn’t let it go. I wasn’t planning on singing it, but I heard you guys – laughing and joking. Abba, Duran Duran, Madonna.” Steve said and paused. “I didn’t want to be easy, simple Steve Harrington anymore.”

There's a joke here somewhere and it's on me

Shame burned through Eddie, sudden and sharp. An uncomfortable feeling that he had little experience with. He had no idea that Steve had heard them, but he should have. Their table had been right in front of the stage, and they certainly hadn’t been quiet about it. At the time, he probably wouldn’t have thought that Steve would care.

“I decided at the microphone – to try and show you all who I am, what I’ve been feeling. To see if it would make any difference,” Steve said and turned back to face him, a hand under his cheek. He smiled slowly, softly. Beautifully sad. “I guess it did.”

He was too far away, so Eddie drew him against his side again. Without hesitation Steve tucked his head under Eddie’s chin and clutched his back.

You can't start a fire Worryin' about your little world fallin' apart

“It did,” Eddie agreed quietly. “You shocked me – shocked all of us. I’m sorry we made you feel that way. I’m sorry I made you feel that way. I’m not happy about how we ended up here, but I am happy to be here, with you warm and lovely in my arms. I want to get to know you better, which means no more hiding what you’re thinking and feeling. Promise me, Steve – no more hiding.”

“Lovely? …You think I’m lovely?”

“Steve,” Eddie warned.

“No more hiding, I promise. I’m happy to be here, too.”

“Good,” Eddie said and kissed his forehead. “We should go to sleep.”

Steve poked him hard in his side instead and Eddie laughed before telling him what he wanted to hear.

“Yeah, Steve. I think you’re lovely.”

As if there was any doubt.

A mumbled response that Eddie couldn’t hear came from the man in his arms.

“What was that?”

“Think you’re lovely, too.”

Eddie couldn’t keep the massive smile that came over his face or the warmth that settled into his heart. Gooey puddle, that’s what he was.

“Good night, sweetheart,” Eddie whispered into the dark.

“Good night, Eddie.”

He held Steve tightly all through the night. Held him against the darkness and the loneliness and the nightmares. Held him because he was precious and worth protecting.

Even if we're just dancin' in the dark

---

@newtstabber @warlordess @tillystealeaves @imfinereallyy @heartsong18 @saltyseagoat83 @aceofwands @djohawke @th30ra3k3n @lazy-duck @surreal-honeypot @awkwardgravity1 @yoriposts @alycatavatar @tearsonthemoon222 @roastingdragon @mightbeasleep @helpimstuckposting @goblintendencies @dannys-guilt-ridden-cockroach

I tagged everyone who commented on the first part asking for more, I hope that's okay!

I think that will be it for this little fic, I wanted to finish off the night and give a bit more of a conclusion. I truly hoped you enjoyed this mostly fluffy and a little bit angsty final installment. As always, it's a pleasure to share with you all <3 Good night!

#steddie #steve harrington #stranger things #steve x eddie #eddie munson #steve harrington can sing #open mic night

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a-is-away · 2 months ago

Text

chapter 9: don't you want me

summary: in which eddie and alex have a drunken night in.

warnings: swearing/strong language, drinking, drunk people, flirty! steve, steve x alex, love triangle, mentions of domestic violence, (sort of) fake dating, sexual themes (ooooooh)

part 8: https://www.tumblr.com/a-is-away/779867095860232192/chapter-8-children-of-the-grave?source=share

[alex.]

“WHAT ARE YOU looking at?” a voice over my left shoulder made my hair stand on end. i jumped about ten feet in the air, swinging around to see steve harrington looming over my shoulder.

“holy shit, steve, go away!” i yelped, whacking his chest. he laughed, stumbling back.

“damn, you’ve got a mean swing!” he laughed. i can’t believe this asshole is laughing at my genuine distress.

i huffed, fluffing my hair away from my face. i pushed the video cart down a new aisle. “leave me alone.”

harrington followed me around, walking around the other side of the aisle. he stopped my cart by standing opposite of me. “i will once you answer my question,” i looked up from my stack and made eye contact with him. his face had a distinct puppy-dog quality to it. “what are you looking at?”

wanting him to leave me alone, i answered: “eddie and i are having a movie night tonight and i’m trying to decide what to bring.”

“ah,” he turned away from me. crossing his arms then his legs, he stood against one of the shelves. “what’s the deal with you two anyways?”

pride flared in my chest. “what do you mean?”

“are you two, y’know, a thing?” blush spread across my face and my ears burned.

“oh, god, no,” i denied, gasping like a sad, floppy, fish out of water. “he’s my best friend,” i answered, definitively. he didn’t seem like he liked my answer, judging by the prodding look on his face. i continued, “we’ve been friends since middle school. i used to be the smart kid. goody two shoes, top of the class, always sat at the front. big teacher’s pet type.”

“doesn’t sound like you’d be best friends with the…” he started. i raised my eyebrows in warning, and he snuffed out the insult he was about to hurl. “the troublemaker, we’ll say.”

“you’d think,” i continued, “but doing all that put a big fat target on my back. i found a friendship with him, because he had plenty of targets on his. he didn’t think i was annoying or a show off, and i thought he was cool. we liked the same music and had the same hobbies outside of school. we’ve been best friends ever since.”

he turned back to me, his arms still crossed. “so that whole thing on stage the other night was just an act?”

i furrowed my brows and stared at the ground. i wracked my brain. did everyone think us performing and singing was a sexual thing? i mean, i did put my head on his shoulder and we sang into the same mic. so close it felt like a puppetmaster was guiding our strings rather than us having an awareness and a control over ourselves. but, hey, sex sells, so maybe that wasn’t the worst conclusion. “that wasn’t really supposed to be a thing, honestly,” i said, looking at him. “but, yeah, that was just a performance.”

steve nodded. he pushed my cart down the aisle a little as i backed up, continuing to put tapes away. “so then, as far as your movie night goes, what are the options and activities?”

we had spent the morning rewinding tapes, slipping them back in their boxes, then shelving them again. i was currently sorting through the comedies. “well i need something funny or lighthearted. plot optional. activity wise, i told him that i’ve never tried alcohol before so we were planning on drinking together.”

“you’ve never drank before?” he asked incredulously.

“well, no, i haven’t,” i said with a huff. “i wasn’t really cool in high school so i wouldn’t know what it’s like to do all that stuff.” i began to put vhses back at a faster pace, irritated. he touched a nerve that i didn’t realize was so sensitive.

“yeah, well,” he picked up a couple of my vhes and began putting them back as well. “it wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.” i paused. i looked at him. his eyes looked distant.

“steve ‘the hair’ harrington admitting being cool isn’t everything? alert the media!” i said, trying to lighten the mood.

it was his turn to huff. “yeah. i mean, after i didn’t apply for college and my dad wanted me to get some ‘real world experience’ before working for him, i began working for scoops ahoy, and let’s just say all that popularity went down the drain.” he gave a thumbs down. meanwhile, my eyebrows nearly shot up to my hairline. i turned and faced him.

“wait, wait, wait,” i held in a laugh. “you worked at scoops ahoy? at the mall?”

“yup,” he took a stack of vhses now and pulled the cart towards him. i leaned over the cart and rested my face in my hands, looking up at him while half-bent over like a nosy child.

“did you wear the-”

“the hat? and the sailor uniform? yeah,” he rattled off, seemingly used to the endless questions.

the thought alone made laughter bubble up in my chest. “oh my god. can you say the line?”

he rolled his head back and shut his eyes. “please don’t make me.”

“oh you’ve got to say it now. say the line.” i poked his shoulder, moving in on him.

he hung his head. his hand covered his face as he mumbled out, “are you ready to set sail on this ocean of flavor with me?” i guffawed with laughter, doubling over on the vhs cart.

“holy shit, no way!” i cackled. “ocean of flavor! how did robin let you get away with that?”

“hey, she worked there too! it’s how we met, thank you!” he shoved vhses back in their spots and pulled the cart out from under me. i stumbled, laughing still.

“oh, my god, stevie, i needed that,” i followed him along as he walked to the next aisle. the aftertaste of the nickname caught in my mouth. stevie? that was… new.

“y’know, that’s not even the most interesting part,” he said. he leaned back on his hands on the cart. “i was there when the mall fire, happened, too.”

the mood switched on a dime. “really?” i said, in awe. “i thought there weren’t any survivors. what happened?”

steve stood up straight, walking past the cart and leaned over me just a bit. “if you want the full story,” i felt two inches tall, “it comes at a price.”

i gulped. this was like making a deal with the devil. “price?”

“dinner and a movie. with me,” he said. the wind had been just about knocked out of me.

“a date?” i asked, precarious. my heart raced, my palms perspired, and i felt simultaneously twenty pounds lighter and heavier.

he nodded, a sense of swagger and confidence in his posture. “just one date, lexi.” he held up a finger.

a smile slinked across my lips, although i tried to fight it. i bit my lip and looked to the floor. my stomach fluttered. risk-taker and girl who goes on dates were never my characteristic traits, but now that i stood pinned by steve’s gaze, i had only one option.

inhaling, i said, “fine. one date. but it’s just so i can hear that mall fire story.” he grinned, triumphant. he poked my shoulder.

“alright, how about teen wolf? i think it’s finally showing at the hawk,” he said. i felt dizzy. did i actually agree to a date with harrington?

i heard myself agree and set a date for after work next week. i mumbled out the words, “well i will let you finish these up, i need to go through rental records.” i made my way to the desk and when i saw steve go back into the adult section, i threw my head in my arms and huffed. my head was reeling. then, guilt sank in, hot and fiery in the pit of my stomach. was this a betrayal to eddie? but steve was different. he had shown me that he had changed. he showed up to the show, he would stay late after work to help me. plus, to see him around the kids, it was encouraging.

i heard the front door chime and i sat straight up. “welcome to family video!” i turned on my customer service voice and was shocked to see dustin and mike walking in. they marched up to me. “oh, hey, guys, steve is…”

“guys, what the hell? i told you i’d pick you up after eight,” steve fussed, his hands on his hips, walking out of the adult section.

dustin was the first to speak. “we’re not here for you,” he said, matter-of-factly.

steve looked dumbfounded and just a touch hurt.

“we wanted to talk to alex about hellfire,” mike piped in. pride flushed through me.

“yeah?” i was honestly quite flattered.

steve rolled his eyes. “whatever, talk about your nerd game, i have actual work to do.” he walked backwards and back into the adult room.

“what did you want to talk about?” i grinned, leaning over the counter. “i get off work in about thirty minutes, so you’ve got until then.”

dustin and mike slung their bags on the ground and leaned on the counter with me. “so, ophyra, she’s an ex noble right?” mike started.

“correct. her kingdom was overthrown by a band of mercenaries when she was young, so she decided to take to the streets and become a thief to survive,” i explained giddily.

“so, i was thinking, what is aguilos somehow was part of the mercenary group that killed your family? like, he himself didn’t do the killing, but the faction is the same one,” mike explained, dustin nodding along with him.

i gasped. “ooh, that could be really interesting,” i said, “and maybe eddie could write in a big reveal that causes a rift in the party but ultimately they have to band together for the greater good.” i began to ramble on with mike, explaining how dramatically our stories intertwined. the thirty minutes before the end of work flew by. steve would periodically slowly walk around us, clearly snooping, just to get a hint of our conversation. although, every time we mentioned anything particularly nerdy or fantastical, he would roll his eyes and walk away. i wondered whether or not it was bad enough to get him to rescind his date invitation.

after a while, my eyes darted to the clock. “ah, my brothers in arms, unfortunately, i have to get going,” i lifted up the partisan of the desk in front of me, slipping around it. they began to follow me with much dismay.

“are you sure? i’m sure eddie won’t mind,” dustin insisted. i guffawed in response.

“oh, i’m sure he absolutely would mind. eddie despises tardiness from others,” i said, beginning to slip off my vest and walk towards the employee’s only door. “you boys would do well to remember that.”

they exchanged looks. before i made it through the door, i stopped, turned on my heel and crossed my arms. “this is where we part ways. you can now go bother steve, but i better not see you two in the adult section,” i peered down at them, pointing at them in a rather maternal fashion.

mike rolled his eyes and dustin harumphed. “whatever! we’ll see you friday!” they took off, undoubtedly to the restricted section. i walked back through the door and punched out, collecting my things from my locker just as robin made her way in through the back door.

“hey, rob,” i smiled, “thanks for covering tonight.” she began to fumble with her lock, twisting her combination.

“oh, yeah, no problem,” she gave me a toothy smile, “i don’t mind, but i’m sure steve does.”

remembering the afternoon, my face heated, “oh?”

“yeah, he’s, like, totally bummed,” she cracked her lock then opened her locker, throwing her bag inside. “he likes hanging out with pretty women.” she teased.

i flushed further, “oh, i’m sure he does.” i held my arms and chewed my lip. “so much in fact, he asked me to see a movie next week.”

robin turned in a flash to me, grabbing my arms over where i held them already. “holy shit, no way!” she left in a flurry, and i heard her yell something along the lines of “you finally did it!” to steve. laughing, i punched in her ticket for her, knowing she’d forget, and shut her locker back, clicking the lock. i shuffled out the back door, walking around the side of the building to the front parking lot. i unlocked my car door, started my car, then made my way back home.

mom and dad had left early this morning, so when i pulled into the driveway i had my music turned up a little louder than usual. i parked a little further up so eddie could easily park behind me, then walked up towards my house. i unlocked the door, slipped inside, and ran upstairs to change.

after changing into a pair of grey and black sweatpants and a dio shirt eddie gave me for my birthday, i picked up the phone and ordered a large pizza, half hawaiian and half pepperoni and olives. we both had our own little freaky orders for pizza.

by the time i had prepped the movies and various other snacks, i heard the front door open and a loud, “honey! i’m home!” sounded before the front door shut.

i yelled back, “ricky!” in classic ‘i love lucy’ fashion. i made my way out of the living room and into the foyer, giving him a quick and gentle hug. “are you ready for the best movie night and alcohol fest and hang out ever?” i asked, examining the bag that he had carried in. eddie picked up the bag, presenting it to me.

“inside we have: budweiser, bartles and jaymes, and smirnoff. we can mix it with whatever you’ve got here, or just do shots, dealer’s choice,” eddie winked, gesturing to each container in the bag.

“where did you get all this?” i asked, watching as he began to walk into the kitchen, following side by side.

“fake ID. i’ve been twenty-one for three years now,” he explained, taking the drinks out of the bag and setting them on the kitchen island. the light from the kitchen window streamed in behind him. it was golden, swirling his black hair in a halo that almost knocked me off of my feet. he was angelic in this light. i smiled.

“there’s a song in there somewhere,” i mused. “when does the drinking start?” i asked, excitedly.

“oh, whenever,” he replied, taking out the bottle of smirnoff. it was a large glass bottle with crystal clear liquid inside. “but we have to start with vodka. liquor before beer, you’re in the clear.” he also grabbed out some red solo cups he no doubt swiped from his house, then poured a tiny bit into each. he handed me mine. “the trick for shots is to breathe out, then drink. it has something to do with the oxygen in your mouth making it burn.”

i listened intently, swirling the liquor around in my cup, eyeing it carefully. “no chasers?”

“ah,” he said, snapping his fingers, then pulling out two mountain dew cans from the paper bag, sliding one over to me. while cracking it open, he said, “nothing finer.”

i gave him a half incredulous look as i opened my own can. guilt settled into my chest as i eyed the cup. “i’m not a bad person if i drink this,” i affirmed to myself. my mother’s words echoed in my head. memories of her scolding me for mentions of eddie or stating desires that did not fit into her cookie-cutter idea of a life. i remembered one time how she struck me across the face for snapping back at an insult she hurled at eddie. since then, around her, i simply bit my lip and ignored her words.

eddie must have seen my eyes glaze over because he walked up to me and held my face. “absolutely not, alex. you’re the best person i know,” he said, his expression warm and gentle.

i dodged my eyes and laughed nervously, “you must not know a lot of great people, then.”

he ducked down and found my eyes. although i tried to again look away, he followed me, both of us twisting while i tried to move away and he pursued just the same. i couldn’t help but laugh.

“i know only the best,” he smiled, softly, as i relented my eyes to him.

i smiled, flush settling onto my cheeks. i held up my cup to him. “you ready, then?”

eddie walked backwards to his side of the counter. he took his red solo cup in his right hand, his mountain dew in the other. “bottoms up,” he cheers’d our cups, then with an exhale, we both downed the clear liquor.

much like the cigarette, it burned. as it went down my throat, it felt like the alcohol had melted through the roof of my mouth and swam into my sinuses. hacking out a cough, then heaving back in, i fought the acid climbing up my throat with a deep chug of mountain dew. holding my wrist to my mouth, i huffed, “eugh. that’s horrible.”

“vodka’s the best because it doesn’t taste like anything,” eddie said, only requiring a small sip to cleanse his palette.

“no, that definitely tasted like something. it tasted like ass,” i huffed, shivering, then sipping again from the mountain dew can. eddie barked a laugh, then poured me another.

looking at him with wild eyes, he said, “you need two to start feeling anything.”

taking the next shot that was not any better then quickly chugging more mountain dew, i huffed in a few big breaths. “god, that’s terrible. we’ll see if it’s worth it later.”

eddie smiled, mussing with my hair. “trust me, it’s really fun, i promise.”

i heard the doorbell ring. i set my drink down and said cheerily, “pizza!” i took off to the front door, plucking bills out of my back pocket for the delivery guy. i opened the door, took the pizza from the delivery driver, thanked him, then gave him his payment. i slid back into the kitchen, the underside of the hot pizza box nearly burning my hands.

“pizza gods, we thank you,” eddie clapped his hands together, gesturing upwards to the sky.

i giggled in response, then said, “want to see the movies i picked out?” he nodded and followed me with his bag of booze. moving to my living room with the bigger television set, i put the pizza down on the coffee table. i then knelt down and held up three vhses to eddie. “risky business, sleepaway camp, and,” i paused for emphasis, “sixteen candles.”

eddie looked impressed. “you have picked out almost every genre of movie. well done, girl.”

“never doubt me, eddie,” i smiled. “which one first?”

“oh, absolutely sixteen candles. we have to start off strong,” eddie set the bag down and then threw off his jacket onto my parent’s white with bamboo print couch. he flopped down, watching me intently as i loaded up the vhs.

the movie started and we found ourselves almost snuggled up together. my knees were tucked in and rested against his, pizza box on our lap. our drinks sat on the table on top of coasters, mine green and his yellow. when i ate, i ducked my head down over the box as to not drop any food anywhere, and he graciously did the same. we almost knocked heads on multiple occasions as we ate.

about thirty minutes after our shots, i felt my joints loosen and the stress roll off of my shoulders. my movements felt flimsy, and my head swam a bit. “i think i’m feeling it,” i told him.

“already?” he quipped, smirking at me. he sucked on his thumb, removing a bit of pizza grease from it. my gaze lingered on his tongue darting out of his mouth for a moment too long. i looked back to the movie with a swallow and a nod.

i reached forward to the coffee table and gulped down a few sips of my drink. the more i drank the less i noticed the alcohol taste. “it’s not the worst,” i said. my head felt heavy. i chugged until the drink ran dry. before i could stop, i felt air bubble up in my throat and i belched. my face went red with shame and i began apologizing, “holy shit, i’m so sorry!” eddie cackled with laughter, tipping his head back and putting a hand on his forehead.

“nice one, alex!” he borderline giggled, and i buried my face in my hands.

“that’s so humiliating,” i said. i leaned over and hid my face directly in his chest. he put his arm around me in a hug.

“i guarantee you, there will be more humiliating things you’ll do than burp,” he laughed, rubbing my arm.

“oh, god,” i flushed, “i hope not.”

“it’s a right of passage, alex,” eddie said, finishing off his drink. “being drunk is fun but it’s also regret. you take one with the other.” he leaned forward and grabbed two more of the same drinks. “another one?”

i took it from his hands, cracking it open. with another chug, i felt the stress and worry of everything drift away. i rested my head on eddie’s shoulder and sank into the haze.

i wasn’t sure how we ended up out by the pool, but after four more drinks, anything felt possible. we had stumbled our way out, kicked off our shoes and socks, and dove our feet into the frigid cold pool and crisp night air. our drinks were left on the pool deck beside us.

we were talking about corroded coffin when steve’s nagging questions swirled around in my head. gulping down another sip of lukewarm beer, i turned to him. “hey, eddie,” i found that it was harder to talk with my usual deftness of tongue. he looked at me sidelong. focusing carefully on my next words, i said, “steve said something funny to me today.” he furrowed his brows. suddenly, the memory of our date plans invaded my brain. eddie would freak out if he knew. my inner conscious (potentially the small ounces of sobriety left in my body) decided that i couldn’t, wouldn’t, talk about it. we were having too much fun to ruin it over some date that wasn’t even a real date.

it wasn’t a real date, was it?

putting all my effort into selecting my next words, i said, “steve asked if we were like, sleeping together.” saying it out loud felt ridiculous. silly, even. i paused, waiting for his inevitable hideous laughter.

instead of eddie bursting out laughing like i thought he would, he just said, unreadably, “oh?”

i nodded. i felt too warm in spite of the nipping cold surrounding me. “so, like, it gave me an idea. if he thinks we’re a thing, maybe on stage that could be our, y’know, like, our thing?” i felt stupid. downright moronic. and the drinks didn’t help, they just made the embarrassment more searing. he looked out to the rippling water of the pool. oh, god, i made it weird. i put my head in my hands before i heard his words, rubbing my face harder than i usually would just to get some relief for my swimming head.

“like fleetwood mac?” he asked, a positive lilt in his tone.

“yeah, exactly like fleetwood mac,” i said, “but, like, we aren’t actually together,” i clarified. i peered up between my fingers at him, and i saw his sultry and playful smirk dance across his lips.

“i like it.” my heart soared. “we’ll pitch it to the guys at band practice. i think we should try it out at our gig next week, see how the crowd feels it.” i felt like jumping for joy. eddie liked my idea! my face cracked into an unabashed grin.

“yeah!” i cheered, giggling like an idiot. “wait, eddie.” he looked at me, and before i could manage to hold back, i blurted out, "are you a virgin?"

his mouth dropped open and he let out a breath. "uh, well, no." he answered.

my ears turned red. "oh, my god, that was such a tmi question," i held my mouth. "that is so humiliating."

"no, it's fine," he smiled, laughing nervously. "told you you'd do something more embarrassing."

i laid back on my back and hid my face. "oh, my god," i said. curiosity still burned in me. "but... what happened?" i asked as he laid back with me.

he looked at me hesitantly, then breathed out. "well, it was at a metallica concert. her name was stacy, she was older than me, and was hot as hell. long legs and this long brown hair." a slight sense of jealousy burned through me. "she went to state, and after the concert she brought me back to her dorm and, well, the rest is history."

"college girl, huh?" i played it off, leaning into him, then away. "did you ever see her again?"

"nah," he stretched his arms up and rested them under his head. "still got her number though."

i hummed a response and nodded. he looked at me, "what about you?"

a shiver ran down my spine, "uh, nah, not me. not yet."

"what's taking you so long?" eddie laughed, "you're hot stuff!" he said, a little too loudly.

"i just!" i barked back, "haven't found someone i trust enough yet." our gaze lingered on one another.

he nodded, as if to say it was fair, then said, "well, i think we should go practice that number, yeah?" i smiled back at him as swept his feet under him and stood up. he extended his hand to me. i took his arm in mine and followed him to stand, shaking off my icy cold wet feet. we trodded inside, wandering to the kitchen, then taking another insufferable shot. before i knew it we were upstairs in my room, facing my wall as if it was an audience. he had brought the remainder of the handle of vodka upstairs with us, and we stood, practicing our songs.

“so, so,” i slurred, “i think we should do like,” i walked up to him and we stood chest to chest. “you put your head here,” i put my hands on my chest, tilting my head back. “and like i sing with my head back.”

eddie’s pupils dilated. “like in your boobs?” my face went hot and i found myself at a loss for words. his drunk voice had the faintest bit of southern twang to it.

“uh,” i gulped, “yeah, but like, don’t move your face or anything, you just rest it there.”

he grinned, his face red from the alcohol and blush of our conversation. “okay, i’m not complaining,” he said, a wicked tone in his voice. “so like,” he put his forehead on my neck, putting his arms in position to play guitar. his breath fell on my chest, “like this?” my breath quickened. eddie’s head fit into the swell of my breast, and he looked upwards at me. every part of me was swimming. electrified.

“uh, huh,” all logic had left me. he brought his head upward, looking into my eyes. i smelled the alcohol on his breath. saw his pupils dilate. gaining a bit of composure, i went for the handle of vodka on my dresser and took a gulp. “we are so good at this,” i said, handing him the bottle. his cool eyes trailed downwards down my body then to the bottle. he knocked it back.

“why don’t we play some music and practice with it?” i moved across my room to the boombox in my closet, trying everything to shake the feeling in my hands and my head. he was drunk, i was drunk. my conscience fought with me. i took out a shoebox of mixtapes. i found one from a few years ago, labeled “9th grade” with stars and hearts. at this point, i was still trying to keep my music safe enough for my mother’s ears, so i was curious as to what type of stiff music was on it. putting the tape into my boombox, i stood up and met eddie. eddie sat on the floor, drumming his hands absently on the handle of vodka. i sat down across from him.

the electric ticks of don’t you want me by the human league crackled to life on the boom box. i let out a laugh. “oh my god, i love this song,” i said.

“god, alex, lame and mainstream much?” eddie said judgementally.

“come on, this song is so good!” i took his hands in mine and stood up. “just dance with me,” i clumsily brought him to his feet. he stumbled close to me, his face rosy and his hair messy. the song began singing, and with a few pokes to eddie’s chest, he started singing along.

“you were working as a waitress in a cocktail bar,” he started, “when i met you.” he slid away from me and to the left, assuming his stage position. okay, so we’d practice with this. he kept singing and i danced a little, moving my fingers on an invisible keyboard.

when he got to the pre-chorus, i harmonized with him, “don’t, don’t you want me?” i slinked towards him, his eyes trained on me. “you know i can’t believe it when i hear that you won’t see me.” we were definitely pitchy and out of tune, but the alcohol gave me the confidence to belt through it.

when the repetitive “don’t you want me”s sang out during the chorus, we sang back to back, then twirled to stand in front of each other, our foreheads meeting. our bodies pulsed to the beat. we both breathed, out of breath. my verse started, but i found myself at a loss.

i stared at him up through my eyelashes. my every thought became him. his curly black hair, his big brown eyes, his soft lips. lips. mouth. tongue. i licked my bottom lip. he mirrored me. his eyes searched mine. i searched his.

i wasn’t sure how we had gotten so close. how his head had ducked toward mine, or how my hand had ended up in his hair. i wasn’t even sure how i had stood on my tip toes, or how he steadied me with his hand on my waist.

all i knew was that in a matter of moments, his lips were on mine. at first it was a brush, then it was a hard, forceful, intentional kiss. his arms grappled around me and mine clutched around his shoulders. my heart pounded. my lips and hands were clumsy, the alcohol pouring through my veins. i felt… alive. invincible. his tongue swiped across my bottom lip and i sloppily mirrored him. heat flushed throughout my body. then, guilt creeped in. as if my sober mind resurrected to tell me how terrible of an idea it was. you'll regret this, she purred.

i pulled away. his eyes fluttered open, deep brown eyes peering into mine. “i’m sorry,” i choked out, heaving in deep breaths. my hands were still on his shoulders.

he shook his head. “don’t,” he ran a hand up my waist. “this is just practice, right?” he said convincingly. i didn't know if he was convincing me or himself.

my heart fluttered. my stomach sank. i didn’t know what to think, or do. “right,” i blurted. right, just, practice. if it was just practice, why was he was so gentle yet needy, so careful with me? why did i want to grab his face and do it all over again? why did i not want it to end?

i bit my now-swollen lip and stepped back. the music still played from my boombox. “i think we should get ready for bed,” i said, voice now croaky. he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear, held my chin for a moment, then stepped back, his hands in his back pockets. his movements were out of control. he was drunk.

he spun, stumbling for a moment, then he collapsed on top of my bed. “good idea. goodnight,” he murmured. once in a lifetime by talking heads was next on the mixtape, and i walked over and shut it off. my own movements were winding and jerky. i did not have complete control over my body. i was drunk, too.

climbing under the covers, with eddie now sound asleep, i curled up and laid facing away from him. my heart was still pounding.

that didn’t just happen, right?

a/n: AAAAAAAAAAA

part 1: https://www.tumblr.com/a-is-away/778657655075094528/chapter-1-i-think-were-alone-now?source=share

part 2: https://www.tumblr.com/a-is-away/778730940998500352/chapter-2-road-to-nowhere?source=share

part 3: https://www.tumblr.com/a-is-away/778843558479380480/chapter-3-hold-the-line?source=share

part 4: https://www.tumblr.com/a-is-away/778918955907678208/chapter-4-for-whom-the-bell-tolls?source=share

part 5: https://www.tumblr.com/a-is-away/779107967954010112/chapter-5-no-one-like-you?source=share

part 6: https://www.tumblr.com/a-is-away/779110159190491136/chapter-6-fight-for-your-right?source=share

part 7: https://www.tumblr.com/a-is-away/779240191185518592/chapter-7-metal-gods?source=share

#eddie munson #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson x oc #steve harrington x oc #love triangle #friends to lovers #friends to enemies to lovers #canon divergence #stranger things #stranger things 4 #canon-typical violence #dual point of view #stranger things spoilers #fluff #angst #eddie x oc #eddie munson blog #stranger things fanfiction

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justhere4thevibez · 2 years ago

Note

nonny, I'm SO SORRY this took so long, but I made it a bit extra long to make up for it 💛 enjoy!

---

“Somebody’s in love!”

Eddie jerked his head up, panicked that Henderson had finally caught him staring one too many times at Chrissy Cunningham. At her crinkly nose and her short little skirt and her delicate hands and… you get the idea.

Fortunately, Henderson was not talking to Eddie, but to Steve Harrington, who’d been fluffing his ever-obnoxious hair in the reflection of one of the video games at the arcade.

“Hey, twerp, when your hair looks as good as mine, you’ll spend time in front of a mirror, too,” Harrington said, bopping the brim of Henderson’s hat affectionately.

“Excuse you,” Henderson said indignantly. “My hair looks amazing, thank you very much.”

Thank fuck. He’d gotten away with it again. Automatically, his eyes drifted back over to Chrissy, where she was giggling with Max and Will…

Fuck. She was looking at him now.

He dropped his gaze, spinning the opposite way to find a game, any game, to distract him from being a fucking idiot and staring at the most stupidly pretty girl in Hawkins.

“Hey, Eddie.”

He looked up from his game—apparently his subconscious had directed him straight to Pacman, what the fuck—to find Chrissy looking up at him with wide, baby blue eyes. She had to be some kind of fucking enchantress with eyes like that, blue enough to pull him in with her siren song and leave him to drown.

What a way to die.

“Hi,” he said eloquently, clearing his throat and trying over again. “Um, having fun?”

“Yeah,” she said, a genuine smile blooming out over her face. “It’s nice to hang out with people who don’t… care. About, like, social status or being cool.”

Eddie clutched his heart in mock hurt. “Are you saying I’m not cool, Cunningham?”

“Oh, I didn’t mean—” she stopped, a shocked smile crossing her face. “You’re teasing me, aren’t you?”

“Me?” Eddie bent down until he was eye to eye with her, keeping his expression grave. “I’ll have you know I am a serious man. Not a nonsensical or shenanigan-rous bone in my body. Some might even call me…” he paused for dramatic effect before slumping back against Pacman, pressing his hand to his forehead. “Dignified.”

She burst out into a peal of laughter, her eyes almost squinting shut with her smile. Fuck, he wanted to eat it, let that sound melt across his tongue like cotton candy.

“Do you mock me?” he asked in a shocked whisper. “I cannot believe our own benevolent queen would treat me thus.”

“I—” another giggle escaped her lips before she managed to silence it. “I would never. I actually…”

She trailed off, blushing a little.

“You what, your highness?” he asked, tilting his head with an expectant smile. “Your wish is my command.”

“I, uh, was wondering if you’d teach me,” she said in a low voice, like she was sharing a secret. “I don’t really know how to play these games.”

Eddie held out his hand with a flourish. “Step right up, my lady, and I’ll show you the ways of the man of Pac.”

“Thank you, kind sir,” she said, slipping her hand into his and letting him guide her.

Her hand was so fucking soft he was afraid the callouses on his fingers might tear her skin up. But she didn’t seem to mind his touch, lacing her fingers firmly through his. His brain stuttered to a halt momentarily, and he had to shake his head to clear his thoughts. Focus, idiot.

He pointed out the controls to her as he gave her a brief explanation of the game, and she nodded along, content to absorb his words. And if he leaned over her shoulder a few times to point out some things, well, he was just doing his civic duty as an arcade game instructor. He didn’t try to press against her or even touch her, he just liked basking in her presence. Hell, even standing near to her was closer than he ever thought he’d get.

And she didn’t seem to mind. When he leaned over her shoulder to tap on the screen, she snagged the sleeve of his jacket, twisting her tiny fingers into the leather.

“You can come a little closer,” she murmured, tugging on his sleeve. “I don’t bite.”

He took a hesitant step forward, keeping a couple inches of space between them. He didn’t want to fucking assume anything even though the hem of her skirt brushed against his bare knee where the fabric had worn straight through on his jeans. Fuck, this might just be heaven.

“What’s the matter, Munson?” she asked teasingly, giving his jacket one last insistent pull. “You scared of me?”

He almost stumbled forward, and now he could actually feel her against him, her angular shoulder pressed against his ribcage and her ass brushing up against his thigh. She leaned her head back against his shoulder, nestling it in the crook of his neck, and for a split second he forgot to breathe.

“Yeah, Cunningham,” he laughed, daring to curl his hand around hers on the joystick. Who needed heaven when you could have Chrissy Cunningham pressed against you like this? “I’m fucking terrified.”

#hellcheer #ficlet #vibez answers #eddie x chrissy #arcade games

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cheerscoops · 1 year ago

Text

Wherever You Point To I’ll Find ~ Steve Harrington x Chrissy Cunningham

Nobody expected a budding romance between Steve and Chrissy when they were invited on this graduation road trip. But, as the two spend more and more time together away from the pressures their families, they just might find that they’re the perfect match.

masterlist | prev. | next

Tags: modern au, road trip, mutual pining, fluff, angst, discussion of mental health and body issues, eventual smut, adult themes and swearing throughout

Word Count: 16.1k

A/N: tumblr gave me hell trying to get this posted, so hopefully it goes up this time

Anyway, this chapter brings the story to just under 50k, and I still have 6 more chapters to go. It's wild to me that I've already written that much about these two, and that number is going to more than double before I'm done. Thanks for following along with this story so far!

After giving Steve an ample amount of time to look around the shack, the group was back on the road. They stopped for pizza on the way and ended up making it to Myrtle Beach before it was too late. The only snag in their plan was the fact that most hotels in the area seemed to be fully booked for the night.

“Check this motel up here,” Nancy said as Steve started to turn into the next parking lot. “I’m sure they’ll have vacancies if nothing else. I can’t believe I forgot to book a hotel sooner."

As soon as Steve put the car in park, Nancy hopped out to go check and see if they had any vacancies. There was no reason for them all to get out of the car if they weren't going to be staying there. They waited as Nancy talked to the clerk for a few minutes, and soon she was jogging back to their car.

"So, the good news is that we have a place to sleep tonight."

"And the bad news?" Eddie asked.

"They only had one room left, so we're all going to have to share. But there are two beds, so Chrissy and I can share one, and you and Steve can share the other. It's either that or we all sleep in this car."

"I think the four of us can manage to share a room with no issues," Steve said. "It's better than sleeping in the car."

"Or camping again," Chrissy added.

"Definitely better than camping."

"Then it's settled. I'll go grab the room key, and then we can get ourselves situated."

The beds in the room were a little bit smaller than they would have liked considering they were sharing, but they could make do. They all took turns using the bathroom to get ready for bed, and Chrissy tried not to freak out about having to share a room with Steve. She didn't know why she was so on edge about it. It wasn't like she had to share a bed with him or anything like that.

But then he came out of the bathroom without a shirt on, and she had to force herself not to stare. Honestly, it should have been illegal for him to walk around like that. He wasn't allowed to have this kind of effect on her. It wasn't fair.

She tried to busy herself with fluffing up her pillows, but it didn’t help that she and Steve had both chosen the sides of the bed that were next to the end table shared between the two. If she really wanted to, she could have reached out and touched him.

Despite the fact that she'd slept on the ground the night before, she had slept surprisingly well, and she was attributing that to sleeping next to Steve. She felt so safe with him, and now her mind was wandering towards how nice it might have been to share one of these beds with him. She could snuggle up next to him, and maybe he'd wrap his arms around her and hold her close. She'd fall asleep feeling protected, and she'd wake up to another one of his sleepy smiles. Maybe even a good morning kiss.

No. She wasn't allowed to have those thoughts. There was nothing between them no matter how much she might have liked that. She still didn't know why he'd been so upset with her when she showed up at his tent, and there was no way he was interested in her if he was that cold towards her. He'd only let her stay with him because she was scared, and he was too nice to turn her away even though her very presence annoyed him. That was the only logical reason why he put up with her. Why anyone put up with her really.

She pushed those thoughts away and rolled over so her back was to Steve. Maybe if he wasn't in her line of sight, she could fall asleep without thinking about how nice it would be to be his.

***

When she woke up the next morning, Chrissy felt awful. Not because she'd slept poorly. She'd surprisingly gotten a decent amount of sleep despite feeling like she was freezing from the way that the room's air conditioning was blasting and being afraid that she was going to invade Nancy's side of the bed.

No, she woke up feeling horrible because it finally dawned on her that she was going to be expected to wear a swimsuit and show off her body in public. She hadn’t been sticking to the carefully formulated diet her mother dictated for her, and everyone was going to notice how horrible she was certain she looked now because of that.

As everyone took turns using the bathroom to get ready for the day, Chrissy sat on her bed completely zoned out. There was no way she could go through with a beach day. She’d feel awful and exposed the entire time, and she knew she wouldn’t enjoy herself. However, she also knew that this wasn’t her trip. She was just along for the ride, and she felt like she had no right to dictate what they did when everyone else was really looking forward to their beach days. She thought that maybe she could say she wasn’t feeling well and opt to stay back at the hotel for the day, but she knew that would never work. She knew her best friend, and she knew that if she said that she was staying back at the hotel for the day, he’d give up his day to keep her company. Or, even worse, he’d convince everybody else to stay with her, too, and she’d effectively ruin this trip for everyone. She’d just have to suck it up and go to the beach with everyone else. Maybe she wouldn’t even look as bad as she thought she would, and then all of this worrying would be for nothing.

When it was finally her turn to use the bathroom, she gathered her belongings and locked herself inside to change. When she got a look at herself in the mirror, that ever present gnawing feeling in her chest only grew stronger. Normally, she loved her high-waisted bikini because she felt like it covered her problem areas nicely, but today was different. She thought she looked so bloated, and she knew it was because she’d eaten nothing but junk food the day before. She’d been trying to eat mostly healthy options on the trip so far, but the day before had been filled with fast food. Fat and salt and grease and all the things she was supposed to be avoiding if she wanted to be the perfect girl that she was expected to be. She’d ruined everything with her lack of self-control, and she could hear her mother’s voice repeating I told you so over and over and over in her ear.

It was then that she decided that she wasn’t taking her coverup off for the entire day. She’d sit there in her oversized t-shirt and shorts and watch everyone else enjoy the water. She couldn’t let anyone look at her, or she’d feel even worse about herself and the choices she’d made that led her to this point.

While Chrissy was struggling to get her t-shirt to drape just right to hide her body, Nancy was starting to get impatient back in the room.

“I’m going to head down to the car,” she said as she grabbed her beach bag. “We need to leave soon if we want to have any hope of finding a decent parking space. Just head out to meet me when she’s done, okay?”

Steve knew that Nancy wasn’t going to be okay with waiting very long. She was a stickler when it came to the schedule she’d made for their trip, and she wasn’t going to be happy if they had to park too far away and then walk the extra distance back when they were exhausted after a long beach day. He didn't want to make Chrissy feel rushed, but he knew that Nancy was going to start complaining about their schedule being thrown off if they didn't leave for the beach soon. So he tried to make his urging seem lighthearted.

“C'mon, Chrissy,” he said, throwing on his Kermit the frog impression. “We've gotta get moving right along.”

Chrissy was immediately pulled away from her self-loathing thoughts as she whipped out of the bathroom.

“I can't believe you told him,” she said, glaring at Eddie. “You promised you wouldn't say anything.”

“Tell me what?” Steve asked.

“I didn't say anything,” Eddie replied.

“Oh yeah? Then why did he do that?”

“Tell me what?” Steve asked again.

“I didn't say anything,” Eddie repeated, ignoring Steve again. “He's just like that.”

“Oh.” Chrissy got very quiet and stared at the floor.

“Can someone please fill me in on what's happening?” Steve asked.

“Do you want to tell him, or should I?” Eddie asked.

“It's silly and embarrassing,” she said, avoiding making eye contact with Steve. “I'm just a really big fan of the Muppets.”

“Why is that embarrassing?”

“I don't know. It just feels childish for them to be my favorites, I guess.”

“Well, I don't think it's childish. The Muppets are cool,” he tried to reassure her.

“You're making fun of me.” The pit in her stomach grew, and she couldn't help but feel so small. This was why she didn't tell people about this part of her personality. As soon as anyone found out she loved the Muppets, she instantly became a joke in their eyes.

“I promise I'm not making fun of you,” he told her. “There's nothing for you to be embarrassed about.”

“Really?”

She finally looked up from the ground, and Steve was smiling at her. Not a mocking smirk like she'd feared, but a kind one. A smile that said whatever opinions he had of her hadn't been changed by what she'd just told him.

“Really. I mean who doesn't like the Muppets?”

A wave of relief washed over her, but it was short-lived because Eddie was incapable of letting her hold on to a single shred of her dignity.

“She sleeps snuggled up with a Fozzie Bear plushie,” he said before racing out the door to meet Nancy down at the car.

“Do you think Nancy would be upset if I drowned her boyfriend?”

“You're really that embarrassed by still having a stuffed animal? Even though I've given you two of them in the past week?”

“Fozzie is different. A gift from a cute boy is very different from a stuffie that I've had since I was a little kid. Nobody will take me seriously if they know I still take comfort from a stuffed animal.”

What she wanted to say was that no one would find her attractive if they knew about Fozzie, but saying that would mean admitting out loud that she wanted Steve to be attracted to her, and she couldn't bring herself to do that just yet. Especially on a day like today where she knew she was the opposite of desirable.

He chose to ignore the fact that she'd called him cute. As much as he would have loved to tease her for that, he could tell that wasn't what she needed right now. He didn't want to risk her going quiet on him again, and he was pretty sure that's where she was headed if he didn't do something.

“Can I let you in on a secret?” he asked as he closed the gap between them.

She nodded and looked up at him.

“I still have the stuffie that I slept with as a baby.”

“You do?”

“Yeah. I mean, I don't sleep with it anymore or anything like that, but I've kept it safe and hidden through multiple cleanings by random people my mom hired to clear the useless clutter out of the house. Sentimental reasons and all of that. So, I get it. I'm not going to make you feel bad for having an attachment to a childhood toy. I think it's normal, and if it makes you happy, there's nothing wrong with that.”

“Thank you.”

“You're welcome. I need you to keep that information to yourself though. Not even Robin knows about it, and I'd like to keep it that way.”

“I think I could be persuaded to keep that secret for you. Unlike Eddie, I don't spill secrets for fun.”

“Go easy on him, okay? He might have been the one to bring up Fozzie, but it was kind of your fault he had the opportunity in the first place when you really think about it.”

“I guess so. He's lucky I love him, or I really would drown him.” She beamed up at Steve. “So, what kind of animal is it?”

“That's classified information.”

“Come on. You know about Fozzie. It's only fair.”

“Sorry, Chrissy. I've given you all the info about it that you're gonna get. Now grab your bag and head out to the car before Nancy comes back in here and drags us out.”

“So bossy,” she teased.

Steve reached out to pinch at her hip, but she dodged him as she grabbed her beach bag off the bed. She stuck her tongue out at him before racing out the door and heading towards the car with him following close behind her.

The ride to the beach passed without incident, and they still managed to get a decent parking space, so Nancy was pleased. Everything was perfectly fine until they'd set up their spot on the beach.

Chrissy may have solved the issue of not wanting to expose her body that day, but she'd conveniently forgotten that that didn't mean everyone else would be staying covered up as well. That fact was made all too apparent when a shirtless Steve approached her with a bottle of sunscreen.

“Would you mind helping me get my back?” he asked as he handed her the bottle.

“Yeah. Sure. No problem.”

He turned around so that his back was to her, and she had to stop herself from falling over. She'd seen him without a shirt on before. Just a few brief times during the trip and only before she looked away out of embarrassment. Those few brief moments hadn't prepared her for this.

She knew he was fit, and that was even more obvious as her hands ran up and down the length of his back to work the sunscreen into his skin. Actually feeling his muscles under her fingertips was almost too much for her.

But the thing that truly made her blush was how fixated she was on the freckles and moles that dotted his skin. This man was a mosaic, and she wanted to sit and count them all.

She couldn't do that though. If she took too long doing this, it would be weird, and he'd be uncomfortable around her, which was the last thing she wanted. So, she rubbed the last bit into his lower back before dropping her hands away completely.

“Okay. You're all set.”

He turned back around to face her and took the bottle that she'd offered back to him. She hoped he didn't notice the blush that she was certain was now gracing her cheeks, and if he did notice, she hoped he'd think that maybe she was only a little sun-kissed already.

“I can get your back for you, if you want,” he offered.

“Oh, you don't need to do that. I'm not going out in the sun anytime soon. I was just planning on staying here under the umbrella for a little while.”

“You're not going to get in the water?”

“I'm not really a beach person,” she said with a small shrug. That was a lie, of course, but it was necessary. She needed a reason to explain why she wasn't taking off her clothes, and that was as good as anything else.

“Why didn't you say something sooner?”

“I didn't feel like it was my place to object to a multi-day, already planned portion of the trip. But seriously, don't worry about me. I'm happy to just hang out in the shade.”

“Do you want me to sit out with you? Keep you company?”

“You don't have to do that. Go have fun with Eddie and Nancy. Maybe I'll come hangout with you guys in a little bit, okay?”

“If you're sure. I don't want you to be bored over here by yourself.”

“I'll be fine. I promise. Don't worry about me.”

He left her to make herself comfortable in the shade of their beach umbrella, but he would have been lying to himself if he said he wasn't a little worried about her. He thought she'd seemed excited about the beach when they'd talked about this portion of the trip in the days leading up to it, and now she was isolating herself from the rest of them.

He didn't want to dwell on it too much, but he kept finding himself glancing back towards where she was sitting. She looked fine though, so he told himself that she was just having an off day.

But then she didn't eat lunch. When everyone else was ready for food, she told them that she wasn't hungry just yet, but they didn't need to wait for her. He'd offered her some of his fries anyway, and she'd looked at them as if he'd just offered her a mouthful of sand. He didn't press the issue, but it worried him more than her sitting out all morning did.

He didn't know why he cared so much when he was still feeling somewhat hurt about the way she'd reacted when she found him reading. He shouldn't have cared if this girl who judged him was choosing to avoid having fun with her friends or skipping meals, but he did. And the more she kept to herself and gave flimsy excuses, the more he felt the urge to make sure she was okay.

When everyone else was ready for dinner, she claimed that she'd eaten a late lunch, so she wasn't hungry, and Steve's concern for her only grew. He'd tried to be subtle about it, but he'd spent the better part of the afternoon keeping an eye on her after she'd declined joining them for a swim. Other than a trip to the restrooms, he didn't think he'd seen her leave her spot under the umbrella once. Maybe she'd gotten a snack at some point, but he doubted it. Something was seriously wrong with Chrissy, and he didn't know how to fix it. He didn't know if she'd even want him to fix it. He just knew he had to do something.

When the sun was just about to set, Nancy and Eddie wandered off to have a private moment together leaving Steve with the perfect opportunity to try to find out what was wrong. He approached her with two rocket pops that he'd purchased from a nearby ice cream cart, and he offered her one as he moved to sit down next to her.

“I'm really hoping you like rocket pops,” he told her as he handed her the treat. “I wasn't sure what flavor you'd choose, and I always got these as a kid because I was really indecisive, and they're three different flavors, so I figured I couldn't go wrong with this one, you know?”

With the sun setting, the breeze seemed especially cool, and he noticed that she was shivering a little as she hugged her knees to her chest. Before she could say anything about the popsicle he'd given her, he turned around and grabbed his windbreaker from where he'd tossed it that morning. He draped it around Chrissy's shoulders and gave them a little squeeze.

“That sea breeze is no joke,” he said as he offered up a small smile.

That was somehow the wrong thing for him to say because the next thing he knew, Chrissy was crying. This was the last thing he wanted to happen, and he was struggling to figure out what he could do for her.

His struggle was short-lived because Chrissy spoke up.

“Why are you so nice to me?” she asked. She was avoiding making eye contact with him, choosing to stare at the popsicle instead.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, what is all this?” she asked as she wiped at her eyes with the back of her free hand. “The popsicle and the jacket. The plushies. Making me feel safe when I was scared and reassuring me whenever I'm upset about something. I've been racking my brain, and I can't understand why anyone would be so nice to me. And I know you said that sometimes people are nice just because they want to be, but I don't deserve that kindness. I don't.”

If he didn't think she'd brush him off, he'd pull her closer to him and hold her until she stopped crying. This was obviously something that he couldn't fix with a popsicle and a smile.

“Who made you think that you don't deserve to be treated with kindness?”

Chrissy shook her head and wiped at her eyes again.

“That's okay,” he told her. “We can just sit here quietly. You don't have to say anything if you don't want to.”

So, they sat in silence. She waited until it had started to melt a little bit, but Chrissy did eat her popsicle. Steve wasn't counting that as a win though. Not when she was still so upset and shutting down on him. Not when he could still hear the occasional sniffle coming from her direction.

Once the sun had almost completely set, Chrissy started to feel braver. Maybe it was because Steve had sat with her while she cried and hadn't tried to force her to speak or maybe it was because she felt more hidden without the sun beating down on them - she just knew that, for the first time, she wasn't afraid to tell someone what was going on in her head.

“My mother,” she said, breaking the silence.

“What?”

“You asked me who made me think I didn't deserve to be treated with kindness, and I'm giving you an answer. I don’t talk about this with anybody because it’s not exactly the easiest thing in the world for me, but I don’t have the best relationship with my mom. I’ve always been the family disappointment, and nothing I do is ever good enough in her eyes.”

“I find it really hard to believe that a girl like you could be the family disappointment,” he told her. “You’re perfect.”

Chrissy huffed out a laugh.

“That’s because I have to be. Perfect, I mean. And I thought that maybe not being around her during this trip would help, but I can hear her telling me what a failure I am every time I do something that she wouldn’t approve of, and it’s actively ruining this trip for me. I usually love the beach, but I sat out today and punished myself for my bad eating habits because I could hear her telling me that it was obvious I’d gone off my diet and that everyone was going to stare at me because of how horrible I looked. Even now, I can hear her saying how foolish it was for me to waste calories on a treat when I’ve already done so much damage to myself with all of the junk I’ve been eating on this trip so far.

“She’d be furious if she ever found out that I was badmouthing her, but right now, I don’t care. The other day, you asked me why I never sing, and that’s her fault, too. I’ve wanted to be in musicals for as long as I can remember. I love them. I love the way that they make me feel, and I wanted nothing more than to provide other people with that same feeling. But then I was eleven, and I was singing along to whatever musical it was that I was obsessed with at the time, and my mother came in my room specifically to tell me that I had a very unpleasant voice, and I needed to stop doing that because it was never going to get me anywhere. So I did.

“I did everything she told me to. I joined cheerleading because she said that was something that I was better skilled for. I dated the boy that she wanted me to date. I became friends with the people that she wanted me to be friends with, and now pretty much all of them don’t even talk to me anymore because they sided with that boy during our breakup. The only thing I haven’t gone along with is cutting Eddie out of my life. I’d be a truly miserable person without him, and I won’t let her take him away from me, too.

“It’s like she’ll never be happy if I’m not miserable though. She picks and she picks and she picks until I feel so small that I just go along with whatever she says because that’s easier than standing up for myself while she takes away everything that has the potential to make me happy. And even if I do everything that she wants, I’ll never be good enough for her. She’ll never be proud of me.”

Chrissy hugged her knees closer to her chest and willed herself not to cry anymore. Letting all of that out had felt good in the moment, but now she was embarrassed that she’d word vomited on Steve and let him see through the cracks of the imperfect mask she wore.

“I’m sorry,” she told him. “I don’t talk about this with anybody, and I just dumped all of that on you. I shouldn’t have done that.”

“Don’t apologize. It’s clearly something you needed to get out, and I’m glad I could be here for you.”

“Thank you.”

He might have seemed calm and collected on the outside, but on the inside, he could feel the anger building in his chest. Chrissy deserved better than that, and he had no way of fixing this. He didn’t know if it was something that really could be fixed.

But he understood how she felt. Her situation was different from his, but it pained him how much he related to her. So, while he couldn’t fix the hurt that she was feeling, maybe he could show her that she wasn’t alone.

“You know, your mom’s voice will get quieter eventually,” he told her. “Once you’re spending less time with her and more time with people who care about you and see the best in you.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because you and I are more alike than you think.”

He smiled at her, but she could tell there was something sort of bittersweet to it. There was a sadness in his eyes even though he was very clearly trying to be positive for her benefit.

“You know how I had that job at Scoops Ahoy?”

She nodded.

“Well, it wasn't exactly my decision to work there.”

“How does that have anything to do with the way my mother talks to me?”

“My dad and I have never exactly seen eye to eye about who I should be and what I should be doing with my life. I'm the family disappointment, too. I grew up knowing that I was never going to be good enough to be the man that he expected me to be. That's just how it was in my house, you know? I was always a problem because I didn't anticipate exactly what he wanted. Being on the basketball team or the swim team wasn't good enough unless I was the captain and did the best or the most in every single game. And even then, I still wasn't good enough. I could have scored the game winning point, and he would have complained that we didn't win by enough, which was obviously my fault because I didn't score enough. Stupid stuff like that.

“So when I graduated high school with mediocre grades and didn't get into a single college, I figured he was going to be even worse than normal. By then, I'd gotten pretty used to tuning him out, but it still hurt. It still sucked to hear nothing but negativity from him. He didn't say anything about it though. Just hung up the phone when I called to tell him since he and mom were on one of their long business trips at the time. That almost hurt worse. Yelling and belittling me? I can handle that. I was used to that. But him being so angry that he couldn't even speak? That was a whole new level.

“When they got home, the house wasn't up to their standards,” he huffed out a laugh. “It's so stupid to me now that it's almost funny. It wasn't even messy. I hadn't put the recycling in the garage, and there was a basket of laundry I hadn't folded yet in the kitchen. Maybe I'd left a towel on the floor or something, too. I don't really remember. I just know that he acted like I'd burnt the house to the ground instead of it actually looking a little lived in for once. He went on this tirade about how me not getting into college didn't mean that I could sit around the house doing nothing all day and wasting his hard-earned money. Told me that I didn't realize how good I had it and that it was about time for me to get a job and develop a real work ethic. Which is so stupid because I'd worked the past three summers as a lifeguard at the community pool, I was babysitting pretty regularly, and I was already actively looking for a job. I just hadn't found something yet. He didn't know any of that though. That would have required him to actually be present or to talk to me about something other than what a failure I am.

“Anyway, he made me apply for every single open job in Hawkins - even ones that I was in no way qualified for - and he made me put him down as a reference on every single one. That way he could bad mouth me to everyone who was interested in hiring me. He decided that the Scoops Ahoy uniform was humiliating enough, and that's why I ended up working there for the last year.”

“I'm so sorry,” she told him. “That sounds awful.”

“It wasn't all bad,” he said with a shrug. “I mean, the sailor uniform was awful, but at least it was comfortable. And I got to spend the year working with my best friend instead of in a boring office job with a bunch of mindless drones who kiss my dad's ass. The job was more for the humiliation than anything else, and he didn’t kick me out or cut me off, so I was able to save pretty much everything I made, so I'll eventually be able to move out and get my own place without using any of his money to do it. I'm glad that I never have to put in another shift there, but I don't hate that I had the experience.”

“Silver linings?” she asked.

“I guess so.”

There was more he wanted to say to her. Needed to say to her really. He was just afraid that he’d hurt her when she was already so vulnerable. It had to be said though, so he took a deep breath and huffed out a sigh before speaking again.

“The worst part about it was that I felt like I deserved it,” he started. “My dad has been telling me that I’m too stupid to make something of myself since I was old enough to understand what he was telling me. I was too stupid to get into college, so I was too stupid to work at his company or do any kind of job that wasn’t completely mindless. The only thing I was smart enough to do was scoop ice cream. I still struggle with the lasting effects of my dad’s words, so I know that what you’re dealing with isn’t easy. But, when I’m surrounded by the people I care about, my dad’s voice disappears. It gets a little easier to tell myself that I’m better than that.

“That’s why it hurt so much when you were surprised that I was reading. I’m used to my dad and people who don’t know me or have made assumptions about me thinking I’m dumb. ‘Of course, Steve Harrington can’t read. He’s just a dumb jock. He probably doesn’t even know what books are.’ But I thought that you and I had really been connecting with each other. That you’d seen past all of that and I could be real with you. So, it really stung knowing that you saw me as that stupid, and it reinforced the fact that maybe there is a little bit of truth to everything my dad has said over the years.”

Chrissy’s heart sank. None of that was true. She’d never once thought he was stupid, and she couldn’t let him think that about himself. She scooted closer to him on the blanket and grabbed one of his hands, gripping it tightly in her own.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “So, so incredibly sorry. I don’t think you’re stupid at all, and I’m sorry that I did something or reacted in some way that made you feel like you were. That was never my intention, and I would never purposely do something to make you feel bad about yourself. I will admit that I was surprised to find you reading, but not for the reasons you thought I was. Never for those reasons.”

Steve avoided looking at Chrissy and instead stared at where she was holding his hand.

“Why were you surprised then? If you don't mind me asking.”

“You’re just so different from what I expected,” she admitted. “I may not have officially met you until this trip, but it was hard not to hear stories about the King of Hawkins High just like I’m sure you heard plenty of stories about me. You’re so different from the person that I was led to believe you were, and the Steve that I’d heard so much about didn’t seem like a reader. Not because of how smart you hypothetically were or weren’t but because that just didn’t seem like a hobby you’d enjoy. But I think it's wonderful that you're a reader. I loved getting to see a side of you that not many other people have gotten to see, and I hope I didn’t ruin whatever connection we had. I would hate it if we couldn't be open with each other anymore because of something I did.

“And, for the record, there are a lot of things that are far more important than being the smartest person in the room. You're funny, you're so incredibly kind, and you care about people with your whole heart. I mean, just look at how much time you've spent taking pictures of a squirrel figurine just because you know how happy it's going to make your friend. You're so selfless, and I see you putting everyone else's needs above your own constantly. You've been doing that with me this whole trip.

“I know I haven't known you for very long, but anyone who spends five minutes with you can see that you're the very best kind of person, and your dad is a fucking idiot if he can't realize that.”

Steve was quiet for a moment. Partially because of how touched he was by what Chrissy had said and partially because he was pretty sure the strongest curse word he'd heard her say so far was “darn,” so he hadn't been expecting such a forceful statement from her.

“Thank you,” he finally said as he gave her hand a small squeeze. “Now, you say the same thing about your mom.”

She shook her head.

“I can't.”

“Yes, you can. Your mom is clearly a fucking idiot if she can't see that you're perfect just the way you are. I know it, and you know it. You just gotta get up and say it.”

She hesitated and bit her lower lip before shaking her head again.

“I really can't.”

“C'mon,” he said as he poked at her side with his free hand, smirking when she giggled and tried fidgeting away from him a little. “You'll feel so much better if you get up and yell it. She'll never find out because she's not here to hear you say it, and I'll hold your hand the entire time if you want.”

He moved to stand and then offered her his hand to help her up. She let him pull her to her feet, and soon they were standing together hand in hand.

“I'm right here,” he told her, giving her hand a small squeeze. “You don't have to do this alone.”

Chrissy nodded and took a deep breath as she turned to face the shoreline. She could do this. She knew she could do this. With Steve by her side, she could do anything. Everything would be okay.

“My mother is a fucking idiot!” she yelled out at the horizon. Her eyes went wide, and she covered her mouth with her free hand. She was silent for a moment, but when she moved her hand away, Steve could see that it had been hiding the largest smile.

“I did it. I can't believe I did it,” she said as she turned to face him.

“You did.”

Chrissy dropped Steve's hand before practically leaping at him to wrap her arms around his neck. He caught her and wrapped his arms around her waist, but the force of her body colliding with his knocked him off balance on the uneven ground, and soon they were falling backwards into the sand. He landed flat on his back with her directly on top of him, and after the shock wore off, they both dissolved into a fit of giggles.

“I'm so sorry,” she said through her laughter. “I didn't hurt you, did I?”

“I'm okay. Are you?”

“Never better.”

Neither of them made any moves to get up or separate their bodies from each other. One of his hands was resting against the small of her back, and she felt so seen as he looked into her eyes. With their bodies pressed together like that, she could feel his chest moving with every breath he took, and she was certain that he could feel the way her heart was pounding against her ribcage. If there was ever a moment for her to kiss him and finally express that she was interested in him the way that she hoped he was interested in her, now was the time. She just had to make her move.

He reached up to brush her hair back behind her ear as she leaned in, and just as their lips were about to touch -

“Chrissy! Steve!” Eddie called out, effectively ruining their moment.

Steve cursed internally as Chrissy immediately moved off of him and tried to put a little distance between their bodies. Eddie had the worst timing in the world.

Steve tore his gaze away from where Chrissy was now hiding her face behind one of the sleeves of his jacket and looked over at Eddie who was carrying a very sleepy-looking Nancy on his back.

“Are you guys ready to head back to the motel?” he asked. “Nance is falling asleep on me, and I'm probably next.”

“Yeah, we can go,” Steve replied. “Just gotta pack up our umbrella and blanket first.”

“You good, Chrissy?” Eddie asked, finally noticing the way she seemed to be trying to get that jacket to swallow her whole.

“I'm fine,” she said without looking up at him. “Perfectly fine.”

Truthfully, she couldn't have been more embarrassed if she tried. She'd been about to kiss Steve after insisting that they were just friends, and now Eddie was never going to let her live it down. And the worst part was that she didn't even get to kiss him. They didn't kiss, the moment had passed, and she was afraid she'd never get the courage to be so bold again. Maybe, if she was lucky, Steve would take charge and be the one to kiss her, but she was afraid that their one perfect moment had passed them by to never be recreated again.

She tried not to dwell on that too much, but it was the only thing she could think of on the drive back to the motel, and it was the only thing she could think of as she waited for everyone else to be done with the bathroom so she could take a shower. That thought was surely going to consume her.

While Chrissy was in the shower, Steve headed out to attempt to find a vending machine so he could get them all a drink. Once he was gone, Eddie flopped over next to Nancy on her bed.

“Eddie, no,” Nancy groaned. “You'll fall asleep.”

“I won't,” he insisted even though his voice was barely loud enough for her to hear him.

“You will. And then where will Chrissy sleep?”

“She can sleep here, too. I don't mind.”

“No room. Get in your own bed.”

“Five minutes.” He buried his face in her neck. “I'll get up when she's done. Promise.”

When Chrissy exited the bathroom, Eddie and Nancy were curled up next to each other and fast asleep with him softly snoring as he held her caged in his arms. Chrissy would have thought it was cute if it didn't send her straight into a panic. If Eddie was sleeping in her bed, that meant she was sleeping in his bed. And, if she was sleeping in his bed, that meant she was sharing with Steve. Steve who she would have kissed if they hadn't been interrupted. They were going to be sharing a bed that had barely felt big enough when she was sharing with Nancy, and she was certain it was going to feel ten times smaller when she was laying next to him.

She cautiously sat down on the edge of the bed and tried to make herself seem casual even if her insides were in knots. She was just about to get up and go hide in the bathroom when Steve reentered their room.

“I came out of the bathroom, and they were like that,” she blurted out before he could say anything. She didn't want him to think she'd planned this or encouraged it in any way.

“I had a feeling that might happen,” he admitted. “I didn't expect either of them to be up when I got back, if I'm being honest. I figured Eddie'd at least fall asleep in our bed though.”

“He didn't.”

“No, he did not.”

Steve moved to hand Chrissy one of the water bottles he was carrying before grabbing his pillow off the bed and tossing it on the floor.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“Eddie took your spot, so you need a place to sleep. You take my bed. I'm fine on the floor.”

“Oh. I thought we could share.”

Of course, he didn't want to sleep next to her. That was too much for her to expect. He probably hadn't even wanted to kiss her, and she would have made a fool out of herself if they hadn't been interrupted.

“Are you sure?” Steve asked. “It'll be kind of crowded, and I don't want to make you uncomfortable.”

“I'm not letting you sleep on the floor. I think we can manage just fine, don't you?”

“Yeah. Okay.”

He grabbed his pillow off the floor and placed it back on the bed before climbing in and making himself comfortable. She followed his lead and climbed into the bed next to him after turning off the lights, but she tried to keep as much space between them as humanly possible. He had been worried about her comfort, but she was worried that she'd crowd him too much. She had a bad habit of clinging to anyone or anything that was sharing her bed with her. She could have blamed it on her being afraid when they were sharing the tent, but she'd never forgive herself if she made things even more awkward between them now.

Steve noticed that she was trying to put space between them and failing miserably. He knew what it had to be about because it was the same thing that he couldn't stop thinking about: she'd almost kissed him on that beach. He was sure that's what was about to happen. If they hadn't been interrupted, she would have kissed him, and he would have gotten to tell her how much he'd been wanting to do exactly that.

But that hadn't happened, and now they were in this weird limbo where they didn't know how to talk to each other anymore because that missed moment was hanging over them. He was afraid that the awkwardness building between them wouldn't go away until they'd actually kissed, and that definitely wasn't going to happen tonight. Not when Eddie and Nancy were sleeping in the next bed. But he had to do something so they could both relax.

“So, my Fozzie impression is nowhere near as good as my Kermit,” he said as he rolled over to face her. “But I can give it a shot if you're missing him.”

Chrissy shot up into a sitting position and playfully glared down at him.

“Are you making fun of me?” she asked.

“Oh, no. I would never,” he said with a teasing smirk.

Chrissy gasped and placed a hand over her heart in mock offense. The next thing Steve knew, she'd pounced and was tickling up and down his sides.

“Chrissy!” he sputtered out through his laughter. “Why?”

“C'mon, Steve,” she said as she continued her playful torture. “You wanted to be Fozzie, and Fozzie just loves to laugh.”

He tried to fight her off the best he could, but she was quick, switching spots around his torso whenever he tried to grab at her wiggling fingers, and it was hard for him to anticipate where she'd move next when his eyes were scrunched shut with laughter. She couldn't help but smile and laugh along with him as he flinched whenever she hit an especially sensitive spot.

Her hands traveled lower to squeeze at his hips, and he was finally able to grab ahold of her wrists and pull her hands off of him. His laughter died down, but his smile never left his face as he tried to regain his composure.

“This is adorable. Where else are you ticklish?” she asked, wiggling her fingers in his direction while he kept her hands trapped.

“No more. Please.”

“Can I have my hands back then?”

“Never. You've lost your hand privileges for being evil.”

“I'm a big sister. It comes with the territory,” she said with an innocent smile and a tiny shrug.

“Well, if that's the case, I should probably let you know that as an only child, I don't like losing at anything. Ever. Including tickle fights.”

Before Chrissy could protest, Steve was scrambling to switch their positions, and she was laying flat on her back with him hovering over her. He kept her wrists pinned with one hand and the other hand rested against her side. He made no moves to tickle her yet. Just held her there to build anticipation.

“And what if I said I wasn't ticklish?” she asked.

“I think we both know that would be a lie.”

He punctuated his point with a quick poke to her side in the spot that had her giggling and moving away from him earlier, and he smirked down at her as she bit her lower lip and squirmed in his grasp.

“Steve, we're gonna wake up Eddie and Nancy.”

“You weren't concerned about them at all when I was the one being tickled,” he teased with a flutter of his fingers against her side. “And since I was viciously attacked for offering to do something nice, I think this is only fair.”

He kept his touch teasing and light, just enough to make her start giggling and squirming, tracing patterns on her side with the hand that wasn't pinning her wrists. Truthfully, he just wanted to see her smiling. He wanted to erase any memory of her tears from the beach because he never wanted to see her that sad again. And if playing around like this made her happy, who was he to deny her a little fun?

Once he felt like he'd teased her enough, he released her wrists to make it a fair fight and started tickling up and down her sides much like she'd done to him. Her laughter picked up, but instead of trying to stop his hands like he'd done with her, she tried to tickle him back. She got in a few good pokes, but every time she tried to really get him, he moved to attack an exposed armpit, and soon her arms were retracting to try and protect what he was assuming was her most ticklish spot from the reactions she was giving him.

When he found a spot on her ribs that had her kicking her legs and laughing so hard that she snorted, she tapped out.

“Truce,” she managed to get out through her laughter. “Please.”

“Since you asked so nicely.”

Steve's hands slowed to a stop, but he made no moves to remove them from her sides. He just held her in place as she came down from her giggle high.

“I can't believe I snorted,” she said once she'd caught her breath. “That's so embarrassing.”

She covered her face with her hands.

He really wanted to kiss her.

Instead, he removed his hands from her sides and pulled her hands away from her face.

“I don’t know. I thought it was kinda cute.”

Chrissy was thankful for how dark the room was because she was sure her face was beet red. He couldn't call her cute when her skin was still tingling from the way he'd just had his hands all over her. She wasn't strong enough to handle this.

“We should probably go to sleep,” she told him.

“You're probably right. We've got another big beach day tomorrow.”

“I might even swim this time.”

“I'd really like it if you did.”

Steve rolled over to make himself comfortable, and without him practically on top of her, Chrissy finally realized how cold it was in the room. For such a crappy motel, they were really blasting the air conditioning, and the blankets on the bed just weren't cutting it. She didn't remember being this cold the night before, but she was pretty preoccupied with trying not to obsess over the fact that Steve was sleeping shirtless in the next bed. He was wearing a shirt tonight though, so she no longer had that distraction.

She started to think that maybe she wouldn't be so cold with Steve's arms around her again. All she had to do was get him to cuddle with her. How hard could that be?

“Hey, Steve?”

“Yeah?”

“Is your offer to be my Fozzie for the night still on the table?”

God, he really wanted to kiss her.

Steve rolled back over and opened his arms for her, and she scooched over to him. She rested her head on his chest and draped an arm over his waist as she snuggled as close to him as humanly possible. As he wrapped his arms around her in turn, she immediately started to feel a little warmer. He was like a furnace, radiating heat and making her feel more comfortable.

Once she was fully settled against him, he leaned in towards her slightly.

“Wocka wocka,” he said in his best attempt at a Fozzie impression.

Chrissy gasped, and the arm that she had draped around his waist moved to tickle his side again.

“Hey!” he laughed as he grabbed her hand and pulled it away from his body. “I thought we had a truce?”

“My real Fozzie doesn't speak,” she said matter of factly. “He only snuggles.”

“My apologies.”

He gave her hand a little squeeze, but neither of them made any move to let go of the other.

“Goodnight, Steve.”

“Night, Chrissy.”

And so the two drifted off to sleep still holding hands.

Sometime in the middle of the night, Eddie woke up to use the toilet, and when he exited the bathroom, the light illuminated Chrissy and Steve snuggled up together in their sleep. He wasn't sure if he was really seeing it or if it was just a trick of his still half asleep mind. So, instead of turning out the light and going back to bed, he crept closer and took a quick picture of them with his phone. He couldn't guarantee that they'd still be like that in the morning, and he needed proof that this had actually happened to show Nancy once she was awake. It was going to be a lot harder for the two of them to deny that something was happening between them now.

***

When Chrissy woke up the next morning, she was laying on her side with her back pressed up against Steve's chest. His arm was draped over her and holding her close, and as far as she could tell, he was still fast asleep. A quick glance around the room told her that they were alone, but she could hear the shower running, so she assumed at least one of their friends was in the bathroom right now.

Normally, she was a morning person - the kind of morning person who liked to get out of bed and start her day immediately to be exact - but she was content to laze about in bed for the entire day if it meant Steve would keep holding her like that. The longer she stayed laying there the more her thoughts started to turn on her though. Even if he was cuddling her in his sleep, maybe he hadn't wanted her practically on top of him the night before. Maybe his initial offer of being her Fozzie for the evening really had been a joke, and he hadn't actually wanted to have her clinging to him like that. She'd been far too forward with him, and he wasn't interested in her in that way at all. He'd tell her that himself once he'd woken up.

And her mother would absolutely lose her mind if she knew that her daughter had shared a bed with a boy. Even if it was purely platonic - which Chrissy wasn’t even sure if it was - she could hear her mother calling her a tramp and telling her that only a common whore shared a bed with a man that she wasn't married to.

The more she thought about it, the more she needed to get out of that bed immediately, but Steve was holding onto her pretty securely. She tried to wiggle her way out of his arms, but he just seemed to hold onto her tighter.

“Good morning,” he said as he gave her a little squeeze, settling deeper into their blankets.

And, just like that, all of Chrissy's bad thoughts washed away. There was nowhere else she’d rather be when she could hear the smile in Steve's sleepy, scratchy voice. Any doubts in her mind about whether or not he'd really wanted to cuddle with her vanished when he only seemed to snuggle closer to her now that he was awake.

“Good morning,” she said, rolling over onto her back so she could look at him. His hair was sticking out in all directions, and he was looking at her with the sweetest, sleepiest smile. Her heart melted just a little bit at the sight. “You sleep okay?”

“Best sleep of my life. You?”

“Never better. Thank you for being my temporary Fozzie. I kind of really needed that comfort after everything we talked about. Plus, you're really warm. Kept me from freezing to death last night.”

“I see how it is,” he teased. “I'm just an object to you. Making me feel real cheap here, Cunningham.”

Steve tried to act offended, but it was hard to believe that he actually was when the smile never left his face which only made Chrissy start to laugh.

“And now she laughs at me! I save her from certain death, and she laughs at me. I’m wounded. Seriously wounded.”

This made her laugh even harder to the point where she snorted again and immediately moved to look away from him.

“Okay, I think I need to get up now,” she said as she started to work her way out of Steve’s grasp.

“No, I don’t think so. I’m not ready to start the day yet, so you can’t be ready either.”

“But what if I wanted to get breakfast?” she asked.

“Nope. You’re trapped. How tragic.”

He pulled her to lay with her back against his chest again as he burrowed deeper into their blankets.

“Well, if I’m trapped, I guess I have no other option than to accept my fate and stay here,” she said as she made herself comfortable again.

“A wise decision really. And, for the record, I don't mind being your personal space heater. It wasn't exactly an unenjoyable experience for me either.”

“Good to know.”

With Steve holding her like that, it was all too easy for her to fall back asleep until Eddie burst back into their room from outside.

“I come bearing sustenance!” he announced, holding up a couple of white paper bags.

She wasn't sure how long she'd dozed off, but the shower was still running, so it couldn't have been very long. But with Eddie back in the room, she was starting to feel self-conscious about how snuggled up with Steve she was. He didn't seem to care though, and he made no moves to stop cuddling her, so that helped to quiet those thoughts. If Steve didn't care about how much Eddie was about to tease them, she could try not to care, too.

But the teasing never came. Instead, Eddie just sat down on the edge of the bed that he'd shared with Nancy the night before and passed one of the bags over to Steve.

“I wasn't sure what you guys wanted since you were still sleeping when I left, but I went to this burrito place around the corner and just ordered whatever sounded decent,” he told them.

Steve moved to sit up and Chrissy had to stop herself from looking visibly upset about the fact that he wasn't holding her anymore. She moved to sit up as well and took the bag from Steve when he offered it to her. When she peeked inside and saw the size of the burrito that was left for her, she could feel her stomach starting to churn. It was massive. Much larger than anything she ever would have ordered for herself. She could already hear her mother telling her that everyone would think she was a pig if she dared to eat more than a single bite of that monstrosity, and she wanted nothing more than to set the bag aside and nibble on one of her granola bars instead.

But then Steve was nudging her with his elbow. She pulled her gaze away from her breakfast to look up at him.

“Fucking idiots. Remember?”

He offered up a small smile, and soon the furrow of her brow softened as she smiled back.

“Yeah. Fucking idiots.”

And, just like that, she was able to enjoy her breakfast. Nothing bad was going to happen to her if she ate this breakfast burrito. She didn't even notice the weird look that Eddie was giving them until he spoke up.

“What was that?” he asked.

“What was what?” Steve answered.

“You know what. Anything you two wanna share with the class?”

Before either of them could respond, Nancy opened the bathroom door and poked her head out.

“Eddie, could you give me a hand here? My bikini top is twisted, and I'm having trouble fixing it on my own.”

Eddie pushed himself off the bed and made his way into the bathroom where Nancy immediately closed the door behind him. She was already fully dressed, and there were no issues with her top like she’d said.

“After you showed me that picture, I thought we agreed that we weren’t going to pester them about what happened between them last night?” she asked in a hushed tone. “They’re not going to tell us anything if you put them on the spot like that.”

“Well, you’re ninety seven percent of my impulse control, and you weren’t out there.”

“Okay, so how about instead of questioning them before they’re ready to tell us what’s happening, you text Robin that picture and get her opinions on this situation? She might have a better insight into whether or not Steve's really interested in her or not.”

“But I already know Steve's into her,” Eddie admitted. “He's just waiting for her to make the first move.”

“When did he tell you this?” Nancy asked. “Actually, better question: why is this the first that I'm hearing about this?”

“While we were camping, and I could have sworn I told you.”

“No. This is completely new information for me, and this changes everything. What are the chances that Chrissy makes the first move though?”

“Slim to none.”

“That's what I was afraid of. Group text with Robin?”

“Way ahead of you.”

All Eddie did was drop the photo he'd taken of Chrissy and Steve asleep together, and soon Robin was spamming them with messages.

Robin: !!!!

Robin: what?

Robin: when?

Robin: how?

Robin: details! I need details!!!!!

Eddie: don't know. last night. also don't know.

Nancy: but they're clearly flirting with each other

Eddie: and neither of them are willing to make the first move so it's physically painful to watch them

Robin: has he done the hand size thing yet? that's a classic move on his part

Nancy: no. not in front of us at least. but they've been holding hands quite a bit, so I wouldn't be surprised if he has.

Robin: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Robin: why is this the first I'm hearing about this?

Robin: I demand constant updates!

Eddie: any tips for getting steve to kiss her already?

Robin: leave them alone as much as possible maybe? they're both probably feeling pressured because of you two constantly staring at them

Nancy: I am not constantly staring at them

Nancy: eddie on the other hand

Eddie: hey! I don't stare.

Eddie: I occasionally observe to make sure my best friend is having the best vacation possible

Eddie: it's what she deserves

Robin: sure

Robin: just let me know when they kiss!

“So, what do you think?” Eddie asked. “Think we can manage to give them some alone time?”

“I have an idea for that actually. Get back out there and give me five minutes to tie up some loose ends in here, alright?”

“As you wish.”

Eddie made his way out of the bathroom and back into the room’s main area where he found Steve and Chrissy still sitting practically on top of each other in bed even though they’d had plenty of time to move apart while he was gone. As much as he wanted to continue pestering them about how snuggled up they were when he came back from getting breakfast, he was trying to behave and do as Nancy said. There would be plenty of time to question them later, so he focused on finishing his burrito instead.

“I know we’re supposed to stay here for another night, but I can��t stay in this motel another minute,” Nancy said when she finally emerged from the bathroom. “That bathroom is disgusting, and we need more space than this. I did a little research this morning, and I managed to find a bed and breakfast not too far from here that has two open rooms, so we’re staying there for our last night here. Make sure all your stuff is packed before we leave for the beach so we can deal with checkout now and never have to come back here again.”

Chrissy felt a little conflicted with this new information. On one hand, the idea of a cozy little bed and breakfast where she’d have more space and a shower that didn’t look straight out of a horror movie sounded heavenly after two nights in their cramped and dingy motel room. However, she knew that meant that her opportunity to snuggle up with Steve for another night was officially off the table. She knew it was silly of her to expect that they’d end up sharing a bed for a second night in a row since that hadn’t been part of the plan for the night before in the first place, but she was still somewhat hopeful that Eddie would have fallen asleep in the wrong bed again to give her another chance.

“Sounds great,” Steve said before turning towards Chrissy. “Do you want the bathroom next, or should I go first?”

“You go first. I can wait.”

Steve finally got out of bed and gathered up the things he'd need in the bathroom. Once he was inside the bathroom, Nancy put part of her plan into action.

“I'm sorry you two had to share a bed,” she said as she started to repack her suitcase. “I told Eddie that he couldn't stay with me, but I fell asleep and couldn't stop him from doing the same.”

“That's okay,” Chrissy told her. “We didn't mind.”

“Still. It wasn't really fair to you. I know how small these beds are, and it couldn’t have been comfortable for either of you.”

Chrissy remained quiet. Part of her wanted to talk about last night with Nancy. Getting another woman’s opinion on the situation sounded so appealing to her, and maybe she’d have advice on how to proceed. The issue was that she didn’t want to talk about this in front of Eddie. She loved her best friend. Honestly, she did. There was nothing about him that she’d ever want to change, but she knew him. She knew that he would tease her about this, and that wasn’t what she needed when she was so unsure about how she was feeling and whether or not she was making a fool of herself right now.

Almost as if she could read the uncertainty on Chrissy’s face, Nancy turned her attention towards her boyfriend where he was lounging on the bed and finishing off his burrito.

“Do you mind going to get us something to drink? Maybe just some water bottles from the vending machine? Please?” she asked him.

“I thought you wanted me to pack my stuff?”

“Well, you aren’t packing right now, and I would be very grateful if you gave us the opportunity to have a little private girl talk.”

Eddie glanced back and forth between the two for a moment before pushing himself up from the bed and heading towards the door.

“You’re lucky I love you,” he said. “Both of you.”

“Thank you,” Nancy called after him as he left.

She waited until she was sure that Eddie was gone and made sure she could hear the shower running to be sure that Steve wouldn’t be able to hear them either before turning her attention back towards Chrissy.

“Steve didn’t do anything to make you uncomfortable, did he?” she asked as she moved to sit down next to her. “Because I’ll go in that bathroom and strangle him right now if he took advantage of you or forced you to snuggle up to him like that. Just say the word, and I’ll do it.”

“It wasn't like that,” Chrissy insisted. “Steve was very much a gentleman. Honest.”

“Okay, good. Because I really would have strangled him if that wasn't the case. Can I ask you something else then?”

Chrissy nodded.

“If he was such a gentleman, why did you get so quiet when I brought up the beds?”

“I just didn't want Eddie to tease me.”

“Why would he have teased you?”

“Can I be honest with you?”

“You know, I really want us to be friends,” Nancy said as she considered Chrissy's question. “Of course, we've technically hung out together before, but that was always Eddie's doing. We were both there for him and not for each other. Other than Robin, I don't really have any friends that are girls, so when Eddie invited you to come with us, I was excited for the opportunity to finally get to know you a little better. I want us to be close, so you can absolutely be honest with me, and I promise I'll be honest with you in return.”

A smile lit up Chrissy's face. She'd never voice these fears out loud, but she'd spent a great deal of time afraid that Nancy only put up with her because of her friendship with Eddie. That Nancy only saw her as her boyfriend's annoying best friend and tolerated her being around for the sake of her relationship. So, hearing that Nancy actually wanted to be friends with her outside of the context of what Eddie meant to them really helped to push those fears aside. She never did this kind of thing with the other cheerleaders, but she trusted that she could share what was currently on her mind without fear of judgment.

“Well, if I'm being completely honest here, I'm the one who asked him to cuddle with me.”

“You did?”

“I did. I mean, he offered, but I thought it might have been a joke at first? But then I asked him, and he didn't even say anything. Just opened his arms to let me get closer to him, and he seemed to care more about my comfort than his own. It was very sweet actually.”

She stared down at her lap as she remembered the feeling of Steve's arms wrapped around her, and she couldn't help but smile at the thought. What she wouldn't give to fall asleep like that again.

“Chrissy Cunningham,” Nancy said with a beaming smile of her own. “Is that a blush I see?”

“I don't know. Maybe?” she replied.

“I think you like him.”

“I don't think that really matters. We barely know each other.”

“So? Do you remember when I interviewed you and Eddie for the school paper? For your production of Pygmalion?”

Chrissy nodded.

“That was the first real conversation I ever had with Eddie, and I knew I liked him by the time I left that auditorium. I felt terrible about it because I thought there was something going on between the two of you, but the feelings were still there regardless. So, I don't think it matters how long you've known him. All that matters is what you're feeling and whether or not you want to act on those feelings.”

“I'm not saying that I like him,” Chrissy insisted. “But, say that I do have feelings for him? Am I making a fool out of myself?”

“I don't think so. I've seen the way he looks at you, and I think that he could maybe like you, too. You just have to be willing to put yourself out there.”

“That's easier said than done. I've never just told a guy that I'm interested before.”

“You haven't?”

She shook her head.

“Jason was my first real relationship, and he was the one who asked me out. I've been second guessing a lot of that whole experience lately, so I have no idea what I'm doing here.”

“I don't know what I can say other than Steve is a great guy. He won't make you feel bad about yourself even if he doesn't feel the same way. I should know. I have firsthand experience with him.”

“Does that make this weird for you? Me asking you for advice on how to flirt with your ex, I mean?”

“Steve and I weren't right for each other, and it was never going to work out between us. Maybe if this had happened right after we broke up, I'd feel differently, but I view him the same way that I view my younger brother now. He annoys me to no end, but I can't imagine my life without him in it, and I just want him to be happy. If you'll make him happy, then I'm happy to give you a little nudge in the right direction.”

“You really think I could make him happy?”

“Yeah, I think I do. There's just something about the way he smiles at you. So, maybe just give him the opportunity to make the first move if you can't bring yourself to do it. I don't think you'll regret it.”

“Thank you.”

Chrissy didn't know what else to say. She might not have been sure how she would make it known that she was interested in starting something with Steve, but Nancy had effortlessly cleared away a sizable amount of her nerves about the whole situation.

“You're welcome,” Nancy replied. “Now pack up everything you don't need for the day. I don't want to spend a second longer in this place than I absolutely have to.”

With that, Nancy got up to finish packing her own things and get a start on Eddie's bags as well. Soon enough, it was Chrissy’s turn for the bathroom, and she found herself rushing through her morning routine to be ready as soon as possible. After the conversation that she’d had with Steve the night before, she was actually looking forward to their day at the beach. Her mother’s voice was still there - she knew it wouldn’t disappear completely overnight - but it was slightly easier to ignore it when she could recall Steve telling her that she was perfect.

So, when they were finally settled into their beach spot for the day, it only took her silently repeating that her mother was a fucking idiot to allow herself to take off her cover up and let other people see her wearing a bathing suit. Even if she felt a little self-conscious, she knew that her nautical themed bikini kept the parts of her that she was the most self-conscious about covered with its high-waisted bottoms. She could be brave about this, but she still felt herself freeze when Steve looked in her direction. As he approached her with his bottle of sunscreen, she told herself to play it cool. She could handle this. She knew she could.

“Mind giving me a hand again?” he asked, offering her the bottle.

She took it from him and helped him apply the sunscreen to his back again just like she’d done the day before. When she was finished, she handed the bottle back.

“Mind doing the same for me?” she asked.

She turned her back to him and pushed her hair over her shoulder so it would be out of his way. She tried to keep her cool as he took his time making sure he covered every inch of exposed skin on her back, but this was very different from them being snuggled up while fully clothed. Her skin was on fire with every little touch, and she hadn't realized just how large his hands were until could feel how much of her back they could cover at once.

After what felt like an eternity and still not enough time, Steve placed his hands on her shoulders and gave them a small squeeze.

“You're all set.”

“Thanks,” she said as she turned around to face him. “I appreciate it.”

“You're welcome. Cute suit by the way,” he said as he reached out to fiddle with one of the decorative white buttons closest to the top of her bikini bottoms. “I like the blue. It really makes your eyes pop.”

“Thanks,” she said, avoiding meeting his gaze. This was the exact kind of opportunity that she knew Nancy was talking about that morning. It would be so easy for her to just reach out and run a hand up his arm. She could smile at him and give his bicep a little squeeze. Look up at him and bat her eyes. Move a little closer to him and make it so much easier for him to lean in and kiss her. It would be so easy.

But she couldn't bring herself to do it. Not there and not in that moment. Flirting with him while she was so exposed felt too intimidating. She needed a little push which meant getting some alone time with Nancy to get her opinion on how to proceed.

“So, are you gonna get into the water with us today?” he asked, pulling her away from her thoughts.

“I think so,” she replied. “But I was hoping to have a little girl time with Nancy first if that's alright with her.”

“Absolutely not,” Eddie said. “You already had girl time this morning. It's my turn. You can't have her.”

With that, Eddie grabbed Nancy around the waist and lifted her to run away from his friends and towards the shoreline with her giggling and shrieking the whole way.

Chrissy and Steve shared a look, and she backed up slightly when she saw the mischievous smile that lit up his face.

“I'm not sure I like whatever you're thinking right now,” she said as she took another step backwards.

The smile on her own face betrayed her, and soon, Steve was lunging to grab her. He lifted her with ease, and she clung to him as he ran to join Eddie and Nancy.

“Don't you dare drop me,” she managed to get out between her giggles.

It wasn't lost on her that Steve was treating her the same way that Eddie was treating his girlfriend, and she could feel her heart flutter as he gently let her down once they were about waist deep in the water.

“Look who's decided to join us today,” he announced to the other couple. “And only slightly against her will.”

“I was going to come out here eventually,” she insisted.

“Allegedly.”

Chrissy splashed in his direction which only led to him splashing her back, and soon they were enmeshed in an all out water war with Eddie and Nancy finally allowing Chrissy to act like the carefree girl she deserved to be.

***

When lunchtime finally rolled around, the group sprawled out on their blanket with sandwiches and chips from a nearby cart. After a morning of playing around in the water, they were all ready for a bit of a break.

“What are you looking forward to the most about being in D.C. tomorrow?” Nancy asked Chrissy as she started to unwrap her food. “I realized this morning that we never really got your input about what you wanted to do on this trip, and I could easily rearrange our schedule to include anything that we left out that's on any potential list you have.”

“Oh, I don't really have a list. This is your trip and not mine. You don't need to change anything on my behalf.”

“Don't be silly,” Nancy insisted. “This is just as much your trip as it is ours. If there's anything you want to do, I'll make sure it happens.”

“It's fine. Honestly, I'm just happy to be along for the ride.”

Steve frowned. If they hadn't had their heart to heart the night before, he might have believed her. But, knowing the pressure she was under to be agreeable and not be seen as a burden, he had a feeling that she wasn't allowing herself to do something that she felt might be an imposition. He felt compelled to make her realize that she was allowed to want things, and he thought he had a pretty good idea on how to do it.

When they finished eating, Steve excused himself saying that he was heading to the restrooms. Instead, he went in search of a vendor he was certain that he'd seen earlier. He quickly found them and purchased a single seashell collection jar. With a scrap of an old receipt, a sharpie, and some tape that he had in the glove box of his car, he made a new label for the jar.

Once he was happy with how it looked, he made his way back to where he'd left the group, and he found Chrissy by herself.

“I think Eddie and Nancy ran off to build a sandcastle,” she told him as he sat down next to her. “I told them I'd wait for you to get back.”

“This is for you,” he said as he handed her the jar. He watched as she eyed the label.

“The Chrissy needs to be nicer to herself jar?”

“Whenever I catch you being mean to yourself, you have to put a dollar in the jar. Every single time until we're back in Hawkins. And that includes you insisting that this isn't your trip, too. You might not have helped plan it, but you're an important part of it. For all of us.”

She was quiet for a moment, turning the jar over and passing it back and forth between her hands as she considered what Steve had told her.

“And what happens with the money at the end of the trip?” she asked when she finally spoke up.

“Well, if I see you putting yourself first, I might give you a dollar back, but I was thinking that we'd put this money towards doing something fun together after the trip.”

“Just the two of us?”

“Yeah. Just the two of us.”

“Okay. I can agree to those terms. Do I have to put a dollar in for saying I'm just along for the ride then?”

“I'll let that slide since it was before I made the jar. I just want you to realize that you're allowed to want things.”

“You know I'm not used to that.”

“I do.”

“Then you also know how hard this is going to be for me.”

“That doesn't mean I'm not going to help you get used to it.” He reached over and took one of her hands in his. “You deserve to be a little selfish sometimes.”

Chrissy didn't know if she could be selfish and put herself first. That went against everything her mom had forced her to believe over the years. She was supposed to be agreeable and go along with what everyone else wanted or else nobody would ever want her. But then there was Steve who was giving her hand a little squeeze and smiling at her and telling her that it was okay to care about her own happiness. She didn't know if she could do what he wanted her to do, but when he cared about her this much, she knew she could try.

***

Once they'd finished another long day at the beach, they made their way to the bed and breakfast that Nancy had found that morning. Nancy pulled Chrissy inside with her to check in, leaving the boys to unload and carry in all of their bags from the car.

“Now, you can say no to this, and I won't be mad at all,” Nancy said once they were out of earshot. “But I was maybe wondering if you'd be willing to share a room with Steve tonight? We have a room with one bed and a room with two beds booked, so obviously you would get the room with two beds. It's not like I'm expecting anything to happen between you two, and I don't want you to think this is me putting any pressure on you to make that kind of move on him or anything. It's just that Eddie and I really haven't gotten much alone time on this trip, and I'd really like to have a night for just the two of us, you know? But only if you're okay with sharing with Steve by yourself. If you're uncomfortable with that, just say the word, and you and I can share like we originally planned.”

The idea of sharing a room with Steve was both exciting and terrifying for Chrissy. On one hand, she'd never spent the night alone with a boy with a before. Not unless you counted Eddie, and she certainly didn't since there was no physical attraction between them. It was different with Steve. She still hadn't built up the courage to make a move or even let him know that she was open to him making a move, and sharing a room with him definitely threw that door open in a way that she wasn't sure if she was ready for.

On the other hand, the idea of potentially getting to sleep snuggled up to him again was so appealing. And knowing that there were two beds in the room helped to calm her nerves because she didn't have to share with him if she ended up being too afraid to ask him for another night of cuddles. They could just be two people sharing a room. Nothing had to happen between them.

“I can share with Steve,” she decided. “I don't mind.”

“You're literally my favorite person right now,” Nancy said as she pulled Chrissy in for a hug. “Thank you. I owe you one, okay?”

“Don't worry about it. Just enjoy your alone time with Eddie.”

Nancy got them checked in just as the guys entered carrying their bags.

“Steve, you're sharing with Chrissy if that's alright with you,” she said as she passed Chrissy her room key.

“I am?” That certainly wasn't the sleeping arrangement he'd expected.

“The room has two beds, and she's already agreed to it. You're allowed to say no though.”

“If it's fine with Chrissy, it's fine with me.”

“Perfect. We'll see you two in the morning for breakfast then.”

With that, Nancy started to make her way towards her room pulling a very confused looking Eddie behind her.

“So, are you actually okay with this, or do I need to make you put another dollar in the jar?” he asked once the other couple was gone.

“We shared a bed last night, Steve. I'm past being uncomfortable with sharing a room with you. Besides, it'll be just like our first night at the motel. The only difference is that we don't have to share our beds or listen to Eddie snoring.”

“Fair enough.”

They made their way to their room, and Chrissy called dibs on the first shower the second Steve had set down their bags. She wanted nothing more than to wash the sand and salt water out of her hair and put on some comfier clothes, and she wanted to do it as soon as possible.

When she'd finished in the bathroom, Steve took his turn which left her to think about their sleeping arrangements. To her, it was clear which bed Steve had claimed for himself. He'd set his bags at the foot of the first bed, and Chrissy's belongings were set on the second. She could easily accept this and climb into her own bed while he was in the bathroom.

But Nancy's voice was in the back of her head reminding her that all she had to do was take an opportunity to let Steve know that she was open to him making the first move. And what better way to let him know that than to be sitting on his bed when he came back into the room? And even if he didn't make a move and all they did was cuddle like they had the night before, that was still better than nothing at all. Maybe it was a little bit more bold than she was used to being, but she couldn't let herself sit on the sidelines while her life happened around her. She had to take charge in the little ways she could or else nothing was going to change.

So, without giving it another thought, she climbed onto Steve's bed and tried to make herself look casual as she flipped through instagram stories on her phone. Forget the fact that she was a bundle of nerves about how he was going to react to this. She could be cool and casual.

When Steve exited the bathroom and saw Chrissy lounging on his bed, he stopped in his tracks. He hadn't been expecting that from her after she'd made a point out of saying that they didn't have to share their beds that night. Yet there she was sitting on the bed that he'd claimed as if that was the most obvious place for her to be.

He was almost afraid to comment on it because he didn't want to scare her away. So, instead of saying anything, he just grabbed his bags and moved them over to the other bed. Then, he climbed onto the first bed to sit next to Chrissy.

“I don't know if you noticed,” he started. “But I kinda thought this was my bed.”

“I noticed. I just happened to decide that I wanted this bed, too. And I believe I recall a certain someone telling me that I was allowed to want things.”

Steve let out a laugh and smirked over at her.

“Careful, Chrissy. First, you invade my tent. Now, you're taking over my bed for the second night in a row. I'm starting to think you might have some ulterior motives here.”

She could have told him that she was hoping he'd take the hint, but she couldn't bring herself to make that final push. Instead, she playfully pushed his shoulder which only led to him pushing her back, and soon they were in a full on elbow war. Then, Steve got in one perfectly placed poke to Chrissy's side that left her giggling and squirming away from him. The same mischievous smile from earlier lit up his face again as he turned his full attention towards her.

“You know, I never did get back at you for ignoring our truce last night.”

“You wouldn't dare.” Chrissy's eyes went wide as she started to curl in on herself in anticipation.

“Oh, but I would.”

He was poised to strike, but before he could, she started laughing without him even touching her.

“Now, this is adorable,” he said with a wiggle of his fingers in her direction. All he had to do was hover his hands over her and act like he was about to touch her to elicit a ticklish reaction from her.

“Cut it out,” she said between her giggles as she tried to block his hands.

“Cut what out?” he asked. “I'm not even touching you.”

“You know what.”

She squeaked as he feigned moving to squeeze her hips, and she curled up even more in a failed attempt to shield herself.

Meanwhile, in the hallway, Eddie was trying to listen to what was happening in their room.

“Eddie, what are you doing?” Nancy asked when she exited her own room and saw him.

“C’mon. Aren't you curious about what they're doing in there? All I can hear is Chrissy laughing though, and we both know Steve isn't that funny.” he asked.

“Not enough to be pervy about it like you are right now. Get back in here and leave them alone.”

Back inside, Steve was about to tickle her for real when he heard voices outside their room that he was pretty sure were Eddie and Nancy. He paused his playful torture and signaled for Chrissy to be quiet with a finger pressed to his lips before getting out of the bed and creeping towards the door with her following close behind him. He waited a moment to make sure he could still hear them before banging on the door which earned him a very loud “fuck!” from whoever was on the other side.

“Good night, Eddie!” Chrissy called out.

They heard Nancy apologize on Eddie's behalf, and once he was certain they were gone, Steve turned his attention back towards Chrissy.

“Now, where were we?” he asked.

“Well, I think I was thinking of taking a late night stroll.” She wrapped her arms around herself in an attempt to shield all of her tickle spots from him.

“Really?” he asked. “Because I was thinking we were doing something else.”

He didn't give her a chance to run. He was quick, and he was able to pick her up and gently toss her back on the bed before she even knew what was happening. She didn't try to get away though. She just laid there giggling in anticipation as he climbed back onto the bed.

There was a moment as he climbed over her where he was struck with just how well they seemed to fit together. It would have been so easy for him to just lean down and kiss her, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He didn't want the story of their first kiss to be that they were in bed and it just happened. Chrissy was special. She deserved better than that. And even if that wasn't the case, he didn't want her to think that he was trying to pressure her into doing something more. He could wait another day to kiss her. For now, he could be content with another tickle fight and hopefully another night of her snuggling up to him for comfort.

***

When Steve woke up the next morning, he was sad to find his bed empty. After Chrissy had surrendered in their tickle fight, neither of them had really been all that tired, so they'd put on a movie and ended up falling asleep cuddling again. But now, she wasn't in his bed, and he missed that warm and fuzzy feeling he'd had waking up next to her the day before. There was barely any light in the room, so he figured it had to be fairly early. Maybe she'd only gotten up to use the bathroom, and she was going to be coming back to snuggle up to him any minute now.

A quick glance around the room told him that wasn't the case. Chrissy was sitting on the window seat with her head tilted to rest against the glass. She looked deep in thought, and she was slightly illuminated by the beginnings of the sunrise. He didn't think he'd ever seen a more beautiful girl in his life. No one could ever hope to compare the way that Chrissy looked to him now.

He pushed himself out of bed to ask her to come back to get some more sleep with him, and moved to sit next to her on the window seat, but she spoke before he could make his request.

“I wish that we could stay in this moment forever.”

Her voice was barely even a whisper. So quiet that it made him question if he was actually supposed to hear her. He did though. He heard her, and he realized that he was wishing for the same thing, too.

So, instead of making his request, he opened his arms for her. She moved to sit on his lap, and he wrapped his arms around her as she leaned back against his chest.

Sitting there with Steve, Chrissy felt the safest and the most content that she'd felt in a long time. And, as they sat there watching the sunrise together, she knew what she had to do. Today was going to be the day she told him how she felt. If it wasn't painfully obvious to him already, she had to let him know. Before the day was through, she was determined to open her heart to Steve Harrington.

#cheerscoops #harringham #stissy #steve x chrissy #chrissy x steve #steve harrington x chrissy cunningham #chrissy cunningham x steve harrington #my writing #wyptif #steve harrington #chrissy cunningham

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