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asgardwinter · 2 years

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The Divorce (2)

summary | The problems from the Upside Down follow your return to Hawkins and even if all you want is to get away from them you can’t leave it unsolved. Once you got involved back in 1983 there’s no going back. It seems you can’t untangle from that small town, not your mind nor your heart.

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pairing | Steve Harrington x fem!Reader

warnings | angst, break up mentions, brief mention of a panic attack, mention of drugs (no use though), they’re pretend they don’t care but they do, SEASON 4 SPOILERS (episode 2)

word count | 2,5k

author’s note | earlier than i expected but i’m really excited about this series :) if you like it, please consider leaving a comment!

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“Can I… help you guys?” You asked after an awkward moment of silence to the party reunited in front of your mom’s small front door.

Like a magnet, your eyes locked with Steve’s brown irises, a chill running through your spine. Your eyes shifted from Steve to Dustin and then to Max, who was just in front of the door and seemed to have taken the lead in that moment.

“Hi.” Max said, the atmosphere wasn’t quite pleasant and everyone could feel it. “Can… Can we talk?”

You looked again at all those people perched at the door. They only reunited for a reason and you knew what: something must’ve gone wrong again, something Upside Down related. Before opening the door and giving them free passage inside, you looked around to see if any cop was looking there. Apparently they had more things to worry about then a bunch of kids entering the neighbors house, so you invited them in silently, closing the door after the last one of them — Steve — got into your small trailer.

There were enough people to almost fall off the windows, but they found a way to accommodate themselves there in the small couch and the few chairs. You turned to look inside before closing the door, bumping into Steve in the process.

“I’m sorry.” You mumbled as you tried to pass by his left side.

He tried to give you more room by stepping to the left but instead he only got more in your way. In a try of just getting that over with you grabbed his forearms and switched your places, so now his back faced the door and you were almost in the “living room”.

You were half laughing, but when you looked up to find his serious expression your laughter died in your throat, giving a free pass to the memories you tried to suppress. You cleared your throat and let go of his forearms, turning away from him to look at Max who seemed anxious to start talking — everyone seemed a bit anxious to be honest.

“I need to say that you guys are worrying me.” You tried to joke but your heart was growing fast and you didn’t like it. “Everytime you’re together it usually means things are going out of the tracks again. Me included”

“I wanted to ask if you saw something…weird last night.” Max blurted out. “By The Mmunson’s trailer.”

“I think you could know better than I.” You answered with confusion filling your heart. “You live right in front of it. And I’m so sorry but I wasn’t here last night, I came back today before even the police were here.”

“Where were you?” Steve’s curiosity got the best of him.

“None of your business.” You retorted in a very mature tone.

“So, you don’t have any idea about where we can find Eddie Munson?” Max interrupted the beginning of a very childish discussion between you and Steve.

“Well, we…we don’t talk that much, as much as neighbors do, actually. And now that I moved away it’s been way more distant.” You said, walking to the “kitchen”. “But, maybe you can find him at Rick’s house.”

“Who?”

“Reefer Rick.” You said, but it didn’t ring a bell in any of them. “The drug dealer. Eddie gets his drugs from him.”

“Great!” Dustin cheered. “Do you know where he lives?”

“Sorry, that’s another piece of information I don’t have.”

“Any last names? Family members?” He insisted but you just shook your head, the guy was more like a myth than a person. “Well, shit.”

“I think I can find him.” Robin said, getting up from the couch. “We just need to get back to Family Video.”

You smiled at her and went to open the door, everyone was quickly trying to get out and move faster. The possibility of finally getting to Eddie was a bit exciting, even if all they wanted was some peace and quiet for the time being. You were quick to grab your jacket that was hanging on the side of the door, lock the entrance and get to follow them toward Steve’s car.

“Hey, hey.” Steve called your attention as he opened the car. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“To find Eddie.” You said simply, getting in the backseat after Max and Dustin. “I know there’s something you guys aren’t telling me. If this was just a missing person or a murder you’d be talking to the police.”

“You don’t need to do this, okay?” He started. “You’re not here anymore, this is not your problem.”

“I get that I don’t live here anymore, but if I’m right to assume this is connected to all that shit we already went through I deserve to know.” You lost your temper for a mere second. “I’m just as involved in this as you, guys. So can you just tell me so we can get this over with?”

They all exchanged careful looks, all that ended with an impatient ruff from Robin and she turned in her seat while Steve pulled out the driveway. “We really think this student death is connected to the Upside Down.”

“No shit.” You rolled your eyes, trying to keep calm like this was just another day. “Fill me in, then.”

Maybe coming back to Hawkins was really a huge mistake after all.

…

It wasn’t long and you found yourself in Steve’s car again, this time going to the possible location of reefer rick’s house. Robin made some new arrangements in the seats and suddenly you were sitting side to side with your ex-boyfriend on the front seat. Max, Dustin and her were enthralled by some conversation you weren’t able to focus on with Steve driving by your side.

“Why do you know so much about where Eddie Munson could’ve been? I thought you two didn’t even talk.” Steve said out of the blue.

“Why do you even care, Harrington?” You turned your head to look better at him and raise your brow in challenge, but his eyes were focused on the road — too focused. You were dying to throw some of his words back at him, but you bite your tongue.

“It’s not because we’re not together that I stopped caring about you. He can be dangerous.” Steve mumbled under his breath some halfass excuses.

“You’re just afraid someone will think I trade Steve Harrington for ‘the freak’.” You retorted, turning your head towards the window to look outside and try to not commit an aggression.

“If you say so.” He ended the subject quickly.

The very uncomfortable silence grew between you two. It didn't matter that there were more people in the car, that it was months after that traumatic 4th of July, your mind still drifted back to 1985, to that whole month you behaved like strangers.

…

The ride was silent, too silent for your taste.

With the radio being permanently turned off for the past weeks and the conversation dying after some short comments about the weather there was nothing to be done. Steve’s eyes were focused on the road — too focused —, and you faced the building you already knew like the back of your own hand, appreciating them and gathering every detail like it was all new.

The first time you dealt with an Upside Down occasion you and Steve pretended to not know each other until Nancy started to greet you at school. After that it was only weeks until you found yourself sitting on a hidden corner at school and Steve trying to calm you from a panic attack, something triggered by someone who closed they’re locker too forcefully.

All you could remember was Nancy shooting the demogorgon.

The second time it was simpler even with the amount of events. Steve dealt with a breakup at the same time he was trying to make sure the kids would make it out alive from the tunnel. That was the first time you actually talked about it — the weird situations you found yourselves into and also how it was to feel broken. You got out of that alive and the rest of the school year just made you closer.

It was the time you really talked about everything and it was great. So great you began dating, and you’ve never been happier.

That third time was terrifying. Not only were the monsters getting stronger, but the Russians weren’t helping whatever you were doing. The fight was filled with desperate promises.

“I’ll keep you safe.” Steve swore. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

But that was before you got caught in the foreign base and stood behind to save the children, that was before the torture and the bruises they left in you, Steve and Robin.

Before throwing the car against Billy’s.

So there you were, July 11th, not actually talking about nothing during the daily rides Steve would give you to your summer job. All that and you were going away for college in a month.

“Steve, is everything okay?” You asked, eyes searching for any response in his face.

All he did was tighten his grip in the steering wheel without even changing his stern demeanor. “I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I?” He forced a weak smile out and your heart clenched.

You turned your gaze away from him, trying to hold the tears, trying to bury the feeling that it was all crumbling down.

…

“I overheard.” you answered his early question, wiping the tears that were starting to gather in your eyes.

“What?” Steve asked, confused about what the hell you were talking about.

“I overheard Eddie talking on the phone with this guy one day. I was taking out the trash and he was being really loud in his room.” You explained, still not looking at him. “We met when he was going out, made some small talk, he said he was going to crash at a friend’s house.”

Steve was confused, after all that angry discussion you just gave him the answer like that. But he wasn’t going to complain. Instead, he only nodded and announced to everyone that you’d got the Reefer Rick’s.

Before you were all out of the car, Dustin rushed to ring the doorbell.

One time.

And then again.

And then furiously until he stopped just to start punching the door.

“Okay. Well, that’s settled. I guess he’s not here.” Steve said, looking at Dustin.

“Eddie! It’s Dustin!” The kid shouted while still ringing the bell. “Look, we just want to talk, okay? No cops, I swear. We just want to help.”

“Shhhh.” Robin said as she tried to look inside.

You went to her side, trying to spot anything that could serve as a clue inside the house, but that was not too promising.

“Rick!” Dustin kept ringing the damn doorbell, making your head pound and patience run low. “Reefer Rick!”

“Don’t scream that.” Steve scolded him, but it had no effect.

“Rick!” Dustin insisted.

“He’s not there.”

“Reefer Rick!”

“Just…” Steve started to say something but his sentence got cut in the beginning.

“He could be really high.” Dustin suggested and you laughed.

“Just please stop ringing that damn bell, it’s pointless.” You asked Dustin, who only shrugged.

“Is that a foot?” Steve asked, looking inside.

“No, that’s a shoe.” Dustin corrected him.

“Hey, guys?” You heard Max call from a bit far, her flash light was pointing to the boat house that had the door half open and a light that was lit.

“I guess we found him.” You said.

…

“Hello?” Robin asked as she entered the boat house. “Is anyone home?”

“What a dump.” Steve complained.

You decided to go on by Robin’s side, trying to stay as far away from Steve as possible. That proved a good decision as he started to mess around with an oar.

You were trying to focus on the walls, maybe there could be any marks or clues there, but that was until Max called you.

“Hey, look over here.” You and Robin got closer to her, the stream of light of her flashlight pointing at some garbage that was probably left by someone who was using the facility. “Someone was here.”

“Maybe he heard us. Got spooked and ran.” Robin suggested.

“Or maybe he’s still here.” It was your time to make a guess.

“Don't worry. Steve will get him with his oar.” Dustin teased Steve, that stopped his quest for a second.

“I know you think you’re being funny, Henderson, but considering the fact that everybody in this room has nearly died about a hundred times, personally, I don’t find it funny in the sligh…”

In one moment Steve and Dustin were discussing and in the other Steve was pinned to the wall by Eddie with a pocket knife to his throat.

“Whoa,whoa, whoa, Eddie! Eddie! Stop!” Dustin shouted, getting Eddie's attention. “Eddie, it’s me. It’s Dustin. This is Steve. He’s not gonna hurt you, right, Steve?”

“Right, yeah.” He confirmed in fear.

Your heart was racing, all you could look at was the sharp object being pressed to Steve’s throat. your hands were in the air so fast you were sure your brain didn’t process the situation properly.

“Steve, why don’t you drop the oar?” Dustin continued to play the mediator and you were so glad for it. Neither you or Robin had the cold blood for that.

The moment the oar touched the ground, Eddie jumped and pressed the knife more to Steve’s throat, your voice joined Dustin shouting for him to stop.

“He’s cool!” Was it you or Dustin who had said that?

“I’m cool, man. I’m cool.” Steve repeated, trying to reassure Eddie.

“What are you doing here?” He asked.

“We’re looking for you.” DUnton answered

“We’re here to help.” Robin said, her voice calling his attention.

“Eddie, these are my friends. You know Robin, from band. This is my friend Max, the one who never wants to play D&D. This is Y/n, you know her from the trailer park, she’s your neighbor. Eddie, we're on your side. I swear on my mother.” The silence that followed his discourse didn’t sound too good for the whole speech. “Right, guys?”

“Yes. Yes, we swear.” Max said.

“On… On Dustin’s mother.” Robin confirma.

“Swear on his mom.” You repeated.

“Yeah, Dustin’s… Dustin’s mother.” Steve said.

Eddie looked at him for a moment before letting him go. You took a step forward to steady Steve, looking at his neck in search of any scratch.

“Are you all right?” You whispered, to which he only nodded.

You sucked a breath in relief, letting go of him again — what was the problem with you and holding him in the past few hours? — and looking back to where Eddie had sunk in the ground. He looked so lost.

“We just want to help.” Dustin reassured him.

“We want to know what happened.” Robin said, getting closer to Eddie and Dustin.

“You won’t believe me.” His voice sounded so broken now, way less braver than minutes earlier.

“Try us.” Max challenged him.

And just like that he started to describe the previous night.

#asgardwinter writes #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington x you #steve harrington x fem!reader #steve harrington #steve harrington angst #series: the divorce

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