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marriedtobigfoot · 8 months

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Steve ends up heartbroken, lonely and depressed after season 2. Nancy called him bullshit, even after he ditched all his old friends for her. Billy Hargrove took his spot at the top of the food chain. He can have it, Steve doesn't really want it anymore. But Steve does want to find some sort of connection. Someone to have in his life who isn't an 11 year old kid he barely knows. He tries to go on a date one night, take a nice-seeming girl to a party. He wants to find connection, to kill the loneliness that's been building for months, but just as he's feeling kind of good about things, his date ditches him.

So. He decides to drink his feelings. He gets majorly fucked up, and ends up laying on the ground in the backyard, contemplating how much life seems to hate him.

Only to literally get tripped over by Eddie Munson, who was at this party selling pot and is very confused as to why Steve Harrington is alone on the ground with a bottle of vodka clenched in one hand.

Eddie ends up chatting a little with Steve, nothing substantial, but enough to know that Steve is very very drunk, and also very very sad.

He asks if Steve wants to go back to the party, and Steve staunchly refuses. He doesn't want to be around a bunch of annoyingly happy people.

He asks if Steve needs a ride home, and Steve just kind of shrugs. His parents just left for another trip, so home is kind of depressing right now too. But he doesn't exactly have any other friends he can stay with so. Home it'll have to be.

Only Eddie can *tell* he doesn't really want to go home, though he has no idea why Steve wouldn't want to return to his veritable mansion after a shitty night. The reason doesn't matter much. He offers to let Steve crash at his place. Steve can take the couch, or hell he can stay in Eddie's room if he doesn't mind sharing, that way he wouldn't risk being woken up when Wayne comes home that morning.

And well, Steve agrees. Can't think of any reason not too. Munson has been nice so far, he's got a good easy-going energy that Steve likes. Why not stay the night.

By the time they get to Eddie's, Steve is *slightly* more sober. Not much, but he's slurring his words a little less, and he can walk with only a little help.

Eddie grabs them each a little plate of leftovers, because he has no idea if Steve's eaten at all. It's quiet while they eat, Eddie doesn't push Steve to talk, and Steve isn't sure what to say. Eventually Eddie sets the plates aside and give Steve an easy grin.

"So, do you want the couch, or are you crashing with me?"

Steve thinks about it for a while. He hasn't shared a bed with a guy-friend since he was a kid, and he's heard rumors about Eddie, whispers in the hall about the way he looks at other guys. But...Steve can't really bring himself to care. He's tired, and he really doesn't want to be alone.

"I don't mind sharing."

Eddie sets them both up in his room, letting Steve choose which side of the bed he wants, and they both settle in. There's a respectable distance between the two of them, and Eddie says a quick goodnight to Steve, figures they won't talk and just go right to bed.

Except Steve isn't sober, and he really isn't in a good headspace, so he can't stop himself from blurting things out into the quiet of the dark room.

"Are you really gay?"

Eddie stiffens next to him, he can feel it, he can hear the way that the other boys breath cuts off and he seems to stop breathing all-together.

"It's okay if you are, I'm not going to be an asshole about it, I'm trying not to be that guy anymore. I guess I was just curious."

It's quiet for another beat before Eddie seems to loosen just a little. He starts breathing again at least.

"Yeah I uh- I am. Gay. And if that's weird the couch is still open, I can-"

"It's not weird."

"Okay."

Steve let's himself mull over this confirmation, and then his mouth starts moving again, without his permission.

"Is it lonely? Cause I mean, it's got to be hard to date in Hawkins. People here are shitty. Unless you've got like, a secret boyfriend or something."

"No...no secret boyfriend. It does get a little lonely sometimes. I'm lucky though, I've got my uncle, and my friends are pretty great. That's enough most days."

"What do you do when it's not enough?"

"Hmmm?"

"When your uncle and friends aren't enough, what do you do? To try and...make it better?"

Eddie is quiet again for a long stretch before he shrugs.

"I try to focus on something else. I'll play my guitar or work on a new campaign, read a book. Something to take my mind off it."

"Oh."

Now Steve is the one who seems tense, his jaw is tight and he's got his arms wrapped around himself. His next words come out as a whisper, but Eddie manages to catch them.

"I don't know how to do any of that."

He sounds almost choked, and Eddie is caught off guard. He's never seen Steve Harrington as anything other than solid, as happy. He's the king, after all. He's supposed to be all smiles and great hair. Only...Eddie's noticed that he hasn't hung out with his old friends lately, that he's eaten alone at lunch too many times to be anything other than strange.

"Steve...are you lonely?"

Eddie expects a denial, for Steve to laugh it off and tell Eddie that he's perfectly fine and fulfilled. Or maybe he expects a shrug, a non-answer. What he doesn't expect is the gut-wrenching sob that seems to tear past the other boys lips.

He doesn't expect to turn and see Steve Harrington's face, a scant foot from his, shining with tears.

He panics a little at the sight.

"Fuck- I'm so sorry-"

"Don't be." Steve tries to wipe his eyes, to hide the tremble in his voice. "Not your fault there's something wrong with me."

"What do you mean?"

"It's like I'm broken man, like nobody can stand to be around me. Tommy and Carol hate me now, Nancy- hell even my own parents hate being at home with me for more than a week. It's like I'm repellent or something. Couldn't even get a date to stick around for a whole night."

And Eddie's pretty sure *he* might start crying now. He'd never have expected this much from Steve, all that sadness to come pouring out. It wouldn't have happened if Steve was completely sober. Without thinking, he reaches out.

Eddie puts a hand on Steve's shoulder and waits to see if the touch gets rejected, but Steve seems to lean into him, so he lets his hand linger.

"This probably won't help, but I don't think you're repellent. And that's coming from somebody who your whole group used to torture. I don't know much about you, but I kind of liked having you around tonight."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Steve gives him a tiny smile. His eyes are still wet with tears, and the smile doesn't come close to reaching them. He seems impossibly small here in Eddie's bed.

"I don't know man. I just wish-"

He cuts himself off, apparently deciding his words are too far, but Eddie urges him to keep talking.

"What do you wish Steve?"

"I just wish that... there was somebody out there I could have a future with. Somebody who actually loved me, you know?"

It might be the saddest thing Eddie's ever heard, and he blames that fact for what he does next.

He takes his hand off Steve's shoulders and instead hauls Steve closer to him, fitting the other boy against his chest and wrapping his arms around him. It's a move that might get him decked, but he doesn't think it will. And he'll be damned if he doesn't hug Steve right that second.

He doesn't get hit. Steve tenses for a second, but it's just that one instant before he's melting into the embrace.

Eddie feels more tears falling against his shirt, and he couldn't care less. He keeps Steve close, let's him cry into his chest, runs a hand through that famous mop of hair.

He isn't sure how long it takes for Steve to calm down, but eventually he does. His breathing evens out, and he shivers a little before speaking.

"Thanks man."

And Eddie takes another leap of faith.

"I could be that person, you know."

"What?"

"I mean. You know Im... not straight. It may not be exactly what you're wanting but. I think I could picture a future with you. If you want to, just for tonight...I could be that someone who loves you."

Steve looks at Eddie, like he's a puzzle that he needs to solve, before a other shiver seems to wrack his body.

"Just for tonight?"

It comes out as a whisper, but Eddie hears it all the same.

"Yeah. For tonight Steve."

"I think...I think I'd like that."

Eddie gives him the sweetest smile he can muster, and nods.

"Alright sweetheart."

Eddie isn't exactly sure what it means, to love Steve for the night. After all, Steve is straight. He figures it doesn't matter much though, it's only for a night.

He keeps a hold on Steve, let's him get comfortable tucked against Eddie, and he does what feels natural. He runs a hand up and down Steve's spine, traces shapes into the soft fabric of his shirt. He tangles their legs together, and in a moment of insane bravery he presses a kiss to the top of Steve's head.

He's met with a sigh, full of relief, and figures he's on the right track.

"Just close your eyes Stevie, I've got you."

"Can you tell me about it?"

"Hmmm?"

"The future. You said you could see one. Can you tell me?"

And he asks so carefully, he sounds almost afraid, Eddie can't say no to that.

"Do you want the fantasy future, or the realistic future?"

"The real one."

"Alright then. Well, if I'm not going to be a rich and famous rockstar...I'll probably graduate and get a job somewhere in town. A real job, maybe working on cars or something. I'm good with cars. You'd come over all the time, have dinners with me and with Wayne. You'd have to meet Wayne. And we'd have more nights like this, sleeping close."

Steve let's out a pleased sounding hum, and shifts his face so it's buried even closer in Eddie's neck. He can feel Steve's breath on him.

"We could save up money and get a little place together, somewhere outside Hawkins. I have to stay kind of close, for my uncle, but maybe Indy?"

Steve nods, mutters something about staying close 'just in case'. He sounds like he might fall asleep, so Eddie keeps going.

"We could get an apartment, nothing too fancy. We would get two rooms, so nobody gets suspicious, but we would share a bed most nights. I'd play with my band on weekends, just for fun, and you'd join some little local sports team. I'd make sure to schedule DND nights so that I never miss a single game, even though I don't understand a damn thing about sports. We would come home for holidays, but most of the time it would just be us. I'd take good care of you, make sure you never go more than a few hours without me telling you I love you. I'll show up wherever you're working just to give you a hug and a kiss, and make sure you don't forget it. And I'll annoy the hell out of, but you won't mind too much, because I'll make you happy too."

Eddie can think of more. He can think about so many things. How he could give Steve one of his rings, even if they couldn't legally get married, even if Steve would never want that. Just as another reminder that he's loved. They could take trips together and go out to parties where Steve will never have to worry about getting ditched. Eddie doesn't do things halfway, and he has a hell of an imagination. He could picture them growing old together, if he tried, if he let himself. But this is just for tonight, so he doesn't. Instead he runs a hand through Steve's hair again, and listens to his quiet breathing. He thinks he may have fallen asleep, but he's wrong.

"That sounds nice."

It comes out muffled, spoken into Eddie's neck, but he manages to make it out, and he let's the vibration of it sink into his skin.

*It's only for tonight.*

He has to remind himself, because Steve is just feeling lonely. He doesn't want that future with Eddie, he just wants to feel loved.

But even if it's just pretend, just to help Steve for a few hours, he's okay with that.

Steve may think he's broken, but Eddie thinks he would be easy to love for a long time. Loving him for one night is nothing. He doesn't even have to try.

Tomorrow Steve will wake up sober, and he'll thank Eddie for letting him stay over, and they won't talk about it. Eddie will drive Steve back to his car in silence, and they'll say their goodbyes. They may not talk ever again, they never had before.

But for tonight? Eddie Munson will love Steve Harrington, and Steve? He'll let himself be loved, let himself beleive it. And he'll love Eddie right back.

Just for one night.

And if Steve ever needs it again? Eddie will love him for another night. And Steve will give that love right back. He's got plenty to spare, after all. And there's far worse people he could share it with.

#steddie #stranger things #steve harrington #eddie munson #steve harrington whump #steve is sad #eddie helps #pre-season 4 #this takes place between seasons 2 and 3 #I wrote this in a fit of insanity while I was supposed to be working #hope yall like it

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spoodrm4n · 2 years

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But I Wouldn’t Let You (pt. 2 of And I Would Do It Again)

Parings: Steve Harrington x Henderson!Reader

Summary: You wake up in the hospital, having no memory of how you ended up there or the fall of Star Court. Steve comforts you and stays with you while you heal. You both end up having a heart to heart at the end of the day. Angst to fluff! Takes place at the end of season 3, leading into season 4.

Warnings: angst, mentions of injury, mentions of blood, mentions of memory loss.

Word Count: 3.7K (not sure how it ended up being the same length as part one lol)

A/N: Started making this as soon as someone requested a part two. Thank you so much for all the positive comments on part one! I’m new to writing fics so the encouragement is appreciated! Thank you.

READ PART ONE HERE

You blinked up at the white ceiling, the beep of the heart monitor grounding you and keeping you above water. The vision in your left eye was worse for wear, darkness overtaking a part of it. Your whole body felt sore and you had tried to move and sit up, but you decided against it as the pain flared up. You didn’t remember how you had gotten here– or how long you had even been here. You had woken up alone and the clock on the bedside table read 4:47am. You supposed you should’ve called in a nurse or doctor, but there was no button in sight. You had only been up for a few minutes before a doctor came in, Steve trailing a bit behind him.

What was Steve doing here?

“Ms. Henderson, how are you feeling?” The doctor spoke and you stared dumbly up at him, swallowing.

“I’m okay,” you spoke, voice hoarse. Steve came out from behind the doctor and handed you a water bottle. You took it and twisted the cap off quickly, drinking greedily. How long have you been here?

“That’s good. Feeling any pain anywhere?” The doctor asked, peering above his glasses at me and I shook my head once again, lying to him. You had started to feel the effects of the pain medicine wear off when you woke up.

“What happened?” You choked out, sitting up on your elbows with a wince. Steve placed a hand on your upper back, easing you into the pillows behind you.

“What’s the last thing you remember?” The doctor asked and that made you a bit frustrated. You sat there for a minute, eyebrows furrowed in thought. You were at Scoops with Robin, Steve, and your little brother and you were figuring out something… a code. A Russian code. A secret Russian code and you all had found a secret underground Russian base. You remembered getting taken, getting interrogated and beaten half to death, escaping and getting shot. The details were fuzzy after that.

“I-I was shot. That’s the last thing I can clearly remember. Everything is a bit fuzzy after that,” you shrugged. “How long have I been here? Is Dustin okay? Everyone else?” Concern gripped your throat and you felt your breaths become quicker at the thought of your brother being hurt– or even worse. Your ribs ached with every breath, thinking the worst as Steve rubbed your back.

“Dustin’s fine. Everyone’s fine, I promise.” Steve soothed, rubbing circles on your back.

“What happened?” You raised your voice, wanting answers. The doctor sat down in a chair across from your bed, facing you.

“This might be hard to believe…” You drank in his words. It all sounded absolutely insane, but you had just escaped from a Russian base hidden under Hawkins so you could believe it. They had told you that you had been asleep for a few days now and that the situation was under lock and key and that they planned on closing the lab down at the end of this month.

“Is Max okay? I mean, that can’t be easy to deal with. And El? Who is taking care of her?” You turned to Steve once the doctor– who wasn’t even a doctor in the first place, was done explaining everything to you.

“I’ll leave you two alone. You should be good to leave tomorrow afternoon.” With that he left and you and Steve were alone. He was sitting on the side of your bed, now facing you.

“Max is holding up as well as she can. She’s tough. El is living with Joyce, Will, and Jonathan. I think they’re moving across the country to California in a month. We’ll check up on them once you’re well enough, yeah?” He reassured you. His hand had stopped rubbing circles on your back a while ago, now just resting there, thumb rubbing up and down slowly. You weren’t sure when Steve had gotten so intimate with you, but you weren’t really complaining. Your face was hot with a blush. “Dustin and Robin were here earlier with us, we all watched a movie. It was Star Wars– the one with the little teddy bears.” He imitated the little noises they made and you laughed.

“Ah yes, my favorite Star Wars movie– the one with the teddy bears.” You mocked him, rolling your eyes. If only Dustin were here to witness this blasphemy.

“You know, I think I know where your brother gets it from.” Steve narrowed his eyes at you, a pout on his lips.

“Woah, he’s way worse than me, that’s no debate.” You defended yourself.

“Do you remember anything before you passed out? Remember our conversation in the bathroom?” The tone of the room shifted completely. Steve’s voice was quieter now as he turned to look at you. His eyes scanning your face.

“I passed out in a bathroom? Gross,” You scoffed, shaking your head at the thought. “Those mall bathrooms are absolutely disgusting.” You tried to lighten the mood a bit, but failed.

“I’ll take that as a no.” Steve sighed and moved his arm from around your back. You frowned a bit at the loss of contact. “Y/N, I thought you were going to die. And I was scared shitless. I didn’t really know what to do when you just collapsed right in front of me. I couldn’t do anything to help you, I just had to watch and I felt so helpless. I was so scared.” His voice was just a whisper now. You felt your stomach flip uneasily at the thought of Steve watching you die. You didn’t want anyone to have to deal with that– especially him. “I had just gotten you and I thought in that same moment I lost you.” You could see the tears threatening to spill over.

“What do you mean ‘you had just gotten me’?” You tilted your head to the side just a bit, searching his face for an answer. You saw his face fall a bit before he was biting his lip. “Steve.”

“God, it’s more nerve wracking the second time,” you heard him mutter under his breath. He took both of your hands in his, being careful of the IV in the back of your left hand. “I like you, a lot. I have for a while now.” And suddenly it was all coming back to you.

His lips on yours, your hands holding onto the edge of the sink in the bathroom like a lifeline. His hands cradling your face ever so softly. His promise of a date, his guilt over your injuries and wishing they were his own, his confession, you passing out and him catching you before you hit the tile floor.

You surged forward, crashing your lips onto his, hands moving from his hands to the back of his neck. Your fingers found their way through his hair and you were pulling at it, desperate. One of his hands found your waist and the other held the side of your head, fingers grazing your jaw and ear. Steve Harrington liked you. Steve Harrington was kissing you. Holy shit. He leaned back from the kiss, forehead resting against yours.

“I really thought– for a god forsaken moment– that I had lost you.” He kept his eyes closed and you frowned as a tear slipped down his cheek.

“I’m right here. I’m here, Stevie. I’m okay.” You reassured, hand moving to swipe the tear from his cheek. He opened his eyes then, coffee brown irises meeting your own.

“I know. I know,” he said back, kissing you again; just to make sure you were really there in front of him.

...

You had been out of the lab’s hospital for almost a week now. You had received your fair share of visitors; Lucas, Max, Will, Mike, El, Jonathan, Nancy, and of course Robin. Steve had taken it upon himself to take care of you while your mom had to go to work, to which your mom had almost cried at the kind act. Dustin was checking up on you constantly, obviously shaken up from almost losing you as well, but he had to go back to school. Robin was over most nights after her Family Video shifts, often bringing a movie with her for you, Steve, Dustin, whoever was visiting at the time and herself to watch.

“So I’m out of a job, is what you’re saying.” You groaned as Robin rambled about the mall incident being covered up by a fire. She was sitting on the foot of your bed, cross legged with this week's newspaper spread out in front of her on your bed.

“I’d say so. Unless you want to scoop some ash into a cone for willing customers.” She smiled up at you and you shook your head, a smile on your face. “You could come work with me and Steve!” Robin suggested, eyebrows raised enthusiastically.

“We’re getting the band back together?” Steve walked back into your room, a glass of water in hand and your pain meds in the other. He handed them to you and you kissed him on the cheek quickly in thanks.

“Only if Y/N wants to. Which I’m not sure why she wouldn’t. We could totally convince Keith to hire you on. If I could convince him to hire Harrington, you would have no problem at all.” Robin jabbed at Steve and he rolled his eyes, sitting on the bed by you. Your mom was at work today and Dustin was over at Mike’s house along with the rest of the kids.

“I’ll apply in like a week's time. I mean, I feel better already. I really wanna go somewhere tonight. I haven’t been out in so long.” You groaned, throwing your hands up.

“Um, false. You were out literally four days ago.” Steve argued, stealing the comic page of the newspaper from Robin.

“Driving home from the lab doesn’t count Steve.” You glared at him. You loved Steve, but he was being a helicopter parent right now.

“I’d say it does.” He shrugged, put the comic down and looked at you. You stared back, glaring at him, hoping that if you did it long enough he would relent.

“Hardly, Harrington,” Robin spoke up and you pointed from her to Steve, emphasizing your point.

“Steve, I need sunlight. I’m getting all depressed just sitting in here all day. Can we just go on a drive or something? It doesn’t have to be anything big, okay?” You begged, pouting. Steve looked at your puppy dog face for a minute more before he was sighing, running a hand through his hair. You had won this one.

“You wanna come, Rob?” Steve got up from the bed, grabbing his keys from your dresser and shrugging his jacket on.

“I have to be at Family Video in like half an hour, so I’ll have to pass.” Robin said, standing up and grabbing her bag from the foot of the bed. Steve came back over once he had slipped his shoes on and helped you up. You got to your feet slowly, hands steadying yourself on his shoulders.

“I’ll drive you so you don’t have to walk. It’s no trouble.” Steve offered Robin as you moved to put a sweatshirt over your head. You huffed as you stretched your arms above your head and it pulled on the stitches of your healing bullet wound. Steve was helping you in an instant, lowering your arms a bit as he pulled the material over your head. “You okay?” He asked, seeing the pain written across your face.

“Fine, just need these pain meds to kick in.” You mumbled, grabbing your white high tops and bending down slowly to put them on.

“Hey, hey, let me.” Steve crouched down in front of you and you stood back up, arm cradling your side.

“Okay, Henderson, you need to take it easy. You can’t be moving around like that,” Robin fussed, running her hands down the back of your sweatshirt, smoothing out the wrinkles.

“I’m fine guys. I’m not going to just fall apart.” You groaned, swatting Robin’s hands away. You just wanted to feel normal again and you couldn’t really do that if all of your friends were constantly fussing over you.

“I don’t know, Y/N. Could’ve fooled me,” Steve muttered, standing back up to face you.

“Seriously. Can we just go?” You crossed your arms against your chest and started walking towards the front door to leave. Steve and Robin walked behind you, whispering amongst themselves. You walked out the front door and went to sit in the passenger seat of Steve’s car. You gently lowered yourself onto the seat, careful not to jostle your ribs or your stitches. You let out a breath as you got situated and Robin sat in the seat behind you, Steve in the driver’s seat.

“You okay?” Steve looked you up and down, seeing how tense you sat and how your arm was wrapped around your torso.

“Fine. Let’s go,” you supplied quickly, sinking a bit lower into the seat, willing the pain medication to kick in soon. Steve pulled out of your driveway and onto the street, on our way to Family Video to drop Robin off.

“By the way, thank you, Robin, for picking up my shifts for the week. I really can’t thank you enough.” Steve spoke up over the radio after a minute.

“It’s really no problem, Steve. Gotta take care of our bestest friend Y/N. No other cause I’d take a shift for.” She chuckled, patting you on the shoulder gently. You smiled at her in the rearview mirror.

“Thank you guys. You really didn’t need to do any of this.” You felt like a burden suddenly, realizing you were making Robin work more hours and making Steve lose money. You could’ve handled being on your own.

“Don’t be ridiculous. If Dustin were here right now he would be scolding the shit out of you for being guilty. And before you argue, I know that look,” Steve interrupted you, pointing a knowing finger at you.

“I just mean that this shouldn’t be your guys’ responsibility.” I shrugged, glancing out the window at the scenery.

“We wouldn’t have it any other way, Y/N. We love you and don’t mind taking care of you and keeping you company. You took a bullet for us; it’s the least we can do.” Robin argued as Steve pulled into the Family Video parking lots. She opened the door to get out. “I’ll see you both later tonight?” She raised an eyebrow, holding onto the car door, waiting for an answer.

“Yeah, I’ll pick you up when your shifts done. See you then!” Steve called after her as she closed the door and bounded down the sidewalk towards the entrance. Steve put the car back in drive and the two of you were off, going down one of Hawkin’s many backroads. The car ride was silent as you turned over Robin’s words in your head. You took a bullet for us; it’s the least we can do. You had, hadn’t you? You started to think if you ever got the opportunity to go back and change the situation, reverse roles, maybe even stop yourself from getting involved in cracking the code in the first place, that you wouldn’t. You wouldn’t change a thing about it. You would take that beating again, that bullet again and again if it meant they came out okay. If it meant Steve came out okay. You felt sick to your stomach as you realized the depth of your feelings for him– or maybe it was the pain. You squeezed your eyes shut, willing the nauseousness to go away.

You felt the car come to a stop a few minutes later and opened your eyes, finding yourself at one of the deserted shores of Lovers Lake. You turned to Steve, finding that he was already looking at you.

“What are you thinking about?” He broke the silence. You swallowed and turned to him, the pain medication finally kicking in, making your body relax a bit in the seat.

“I wouldn’t change anything I did.” You said simply, eyes locking onto his.

“You wouldn’t change anything?” He tilted his head to the side, eyebrows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“I meant what I said in the bathroom that night. I wouldn’t change anything. I would do it over and over again if it meant you guys were okay– you were okay. I would go through it all over again with a smile on my face because I know you would be okay.” You reiterated seriously.

“Come on,” Steve was getting out of the car now, walking over to your side and opening the door for you. You looked up at him and he scooped you up into his arms and carried you down to the shore of the lake. He set you down gently and joined you, sitting beside you, legs touching.

“Steve?” You questioned, waiting for his response. You could see a million thoughts flying through his head when you looked at his eyes. You could see the inner turmoil he was facing as his lips drew into a thin line and he gazed across the water. The sunshine reflected off of the surface, making it a shimmery teal.

“But I wouldn’t let you. I won’t let you, ever again.” He finally said, eyes still fixed on the small waves. “You’ll never get the chance again.”

“How can you be so sure?” You asked, fiddling with the sleeve of your sweatshirt.

“Because I wouldn’t let you. I’d be better this time– faster, more aware, more careful.” He argued, shaking his head.

“It wasn’t your fault, Steve.” You put a hand on his knee.

“Like hell it wasn’t. I got you dragged into this mess because I couldn’t keep my damn voice down. I got drugged and tied up. It was my fault. And I won’t let it happen again.” He was louder now and you flinched a bit. He looked at you now and blinked. “After you passed out in the bathroom, I had to leave you there in the corner because of that damned Mind Flayer. I couldn’t help you right then or I would’ve gotten us both killed. Once we finally got help, they said you were critical– that if we had been one second later you would’ve been gone forever. Those three days you were in that lab I lost my mind. I was going crazy and I couldn’t do anything to help you and I told myself over and over that if we got lucky enough to make it out of this, I wouldn’t let you do anything like that ever again. I won’t let you.” Your heart broke as tears fell down his cheeks. You did the same as you did in the lab, swiping them away gently with your thumb.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you like that. I’m sorry, Steve.” You whispered, tears starting to fall from your own eyes.

“You’re one of the few people that really know me and you actually care. People tend to not really give a shit about me– it’s not something I’m used to, so when someone finally did, I held onto it like a lifeline.” He admitted, sobs bubbling his throat. “I love you so much.” You felt yourself freeze up at his confession. You stared at him, mouth slightly agape, tears still running down your face.

“Steve–” He cut you off, pulling you in for a kiss. You kissed back, a new mix of emotions pouring out as you replayed his confession over and over again. You found yourself smiling into the kiss, giddy as hell. You started giggling which turned into a full on laugh and Steve pulled away. You wheezed, not sure if your tears were still out of sadness or joy anymore. Your ribs hurt and you felt sore all over.

“I can’t believe you’re laughing at me right now.” He whined, crossing his arms over his chest.

“No, no, no. I’m not laughing at you. I-I just. I had to get shot for you to tell me you love me?” You said through your laughter. Steve cringed at the implications of your words.

“I mean, no. But when you put it like that–”

“Steve.”

“What?” He looked utterly confused now.

“I love you too.” You smiled, sobering from your laughter.

“Only took you almost dying to get it out of you.” Steve rolled his eyes, pulling your face towards his and peppering you in soft kisses. Your face was still discolored from bruises, but he still thought you were incredibly beautiful. “You’re gorgeous, Y/N. I love you.” He said in between kisses.

“I could get used to that,” you chuckled. He stopped kissing you after a minute.

“We should go back to my house. That medicine is making me tired,” you yawned, rubbing a hand over your face. Steve stood up beside you.

“Are you sure it wasn’t the emotional conversation we just dumped onto each other?” Steve laughed, giving you a hand up. You took it and stumbled to your feet. He hooked an arm around your shoulders and led you to the car.

“Yeah… maybe that too,” you smiled. Steve opened the car door for you again and you ducked in, getting comfortable as Steve hopped in the drivers side. He started the car and turned the radio down, seeing you yawn for the third time. You shifted to where you were resting your head on your arm, eyes closing.

You groaned as a pair of arms picked you up, jostling you from your sleep. Steve shushed you, closing the car door with his foot and carrying you to your room. He nudged the door open with his hip and laid you down in the bed, taking your shoes and sweatshirt off for you. You mumbled a quick ‘thanks’ to him and he smiled down at you.

He kicked his own shoes off and took his keys out of his pocket, putting them back on the bedside table. He climbed in beside you and pulled the covers up on you both. You scooted closer to him, eyes still closed and half asleep. He pulled you into his chest, arms wrapping around you, being careful of your wound. He knew Dustin would get home in an hour or two and find him in bed with his sister and throw a fit, but with you in his arms, he couldn’t bring himself to care about the repercussions.

“I love you, Y/N.” He said quietly, planting a kiss onto your temple. He was met with the sound of your steady breathing. He looked at the brown leather watch he always had on, checking the time he had before he had to go pick up Robin. He smiled when he saw he had a few hours and settled in, drinking in every second he had with you.

He promised himself that he would never let it happen again, but he wouldn’t change a thing either.

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