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ladykailitha · 9 months

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Well Met By Moonlight Part 5

Hi guys, I want to thank everyone who commented on the most recent Royal Pain and all the people that commented on the Midsummer's AU. I saw some that I hadn't seen comment in awhile and it made me so happy to see them back. I missed you all.

Here we have more of Wayne being badass. I know it feels like he's the main character right now, but trust me it will shift to the younger members soon enough.

And I got the chapter two to work finally, so I will be linking to the original from now on.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

***

Sun down on the following Saturday saw Wayne Munson in front of the whole town. Businesses closed. Only the hospital, fire and police station remained opened and they only had the most basic of crews.

Behind him on his left were Steve and Nancy and on his right were Billy and his bride, Heather. In front of him were the five boys that had attacked Steve.

Mayor Roberts stood between the two sets holding a microphone, he too was flanked. Sheriff Danny Powell stood on his right and Jim Hopper stood on his left.

“Welcome everyone. It is a sad day in Hawkins when we have to meet like this. I know it is hard on the lives and livelihoods of the people of this fair town. But a sickness has come to this town. The mindset of those not like being othered, seen as monsters and demons.”

The crowd murmured and hummed.

“But this town was not founded on those ideals. It was founded on peace and brotherhood between all its people. The humans, the vampires, and the werewolves. For nearly one hundred and fifty years this town has stood as testament to kinship that it has fostered. Which is why it is with much trepidation I have made the decision to let Sheriff Daniel Powell go as police chief of our fair town.”

The murmurs became more angry and sharp.

“He was told by several members of this community that these five boys before me were up to no good. That they would cause harm. Vampires and werewolves alike came to your sheriff with concerns and he waved them away. Regular people such as yourselves came to him that these boys meant serious harm to the supernatural members–nay to your neighbors and still he waved them away. Is that the type of man you want to protect and defend your town?”

Sheriff Powell looked down in shame as the crowd let out small cries of distress. Because no, that wasn’t what the town wanted. Most of them had thought him a good man. But this cast doubt on that very image. If he would turn a blind eye to a threat to a supernatural person, would he do the same to a black man or woman of ill repute, just because he didn’t care for their kind?

“Jim Hopper has graciously offered his assistance in stepping back into his old position of police chief. He will hold it until it is time to elect a new sheriff and with hope he will run then, as well.”

Hopper smiled and shook his head. “We’ll see,” he growled.

Mayor Roberts smiled back. “I will now turn the time over to Wayne Munson.”

Powell moved off to the one side and Mayor Roberts and Chief Hopper moved to the other. Wayne stepped up and an eerie silence descended on the crowd.

“It appears I’ve been too soft on this town,” Wayne growled, his voice reaching every corner of the town hall without the aid of the microphone. “Hunters think they can just come into my town, my territory and hunt people like a pack of feral dogs.”

The boys were forced to kneel in front of the crowd. Their hands were tied behind their backs and they bowed their heads.

“These are the children you raised,” Wayne told the crowd. He picked up something from the table next to him and held it up. “A foot trap made of silver. Considered inhumane to animals used to trap a nineteen year old boy, not much older than themselves. Yes, Steven Harrington is no average boy, but he is young nonetheless.”

He threw a few feet in front of the crowd, it clanging noisily to ground, the people in the front leaping back. He picked up the shattered pieces of the cross they had nailed Steve to.

“They bound him in silver to a wooden cross!” Wayne snarled. He threw the pieces after the trap.

The whole crowd gasped in horror as the pieces clattered to the floor. He picked up the final object off the table and held it above his head.

It was a metal bat. Not silver, but deadly all the same. The tip was rust red. Wayne threw to the ground as he had done the others. “They were beating him with this.”

“These are your children!” he growled. “Have I not been good to you? Have I not been kind?”

There were murmurs among the crowd.

“You have forgotten you are are under my protection!” Wayne roared. “Without me the pack and coven would have free rein of the town, like the roving gangs of old. You are fortunate that the current alpha and Dominus are generous. Do you not recall the terror that ruled under alpha Jack Sullivan before I tore his pack to pieces? Do you not remember the children that were be experimented on under the Dominus Dr Martin Brenner? Before Billy Hargrove came and cleaned out the lab and the coven that reeked of death?”

The crowd was stock still. Pin dropping would sound like thunder in that hall.

“Five years for Brenner,” he continued. “Ten years for Sullivan. Mere drops in the bucket of time for someone as old as myself, but to you? Far too long. That they were able to hide from me their ills for as long as they did, was an abomination. But they were summarily dispatched when I did find out.”

The crowd became restless.

“So I have passed judgment upon these youths,” Wayne said. “The two younger boys, Joshua Bentley and Chance Nelson will learn the ways of the pack and of the coven. Spending six weeks with each sect to unlearn the hate you taught them.”

The crowd let out a sigh of relief. That was good punishment for the two boys.

“Andy Duncan will be tried as a child,” he continued. “For criminal mischief and conspiracy to commit assault. It is likely that he will be forced to spend his time at a youth facility where he will remain until he turns eighteen. Then it will be up to the courts to move him to an adult facility or release him.”

The crowd took up the murmuring again as this was a little more harsh then the other boys, but still lenient.

Wayne grabbed Jason and Patrick by their collars and hauled them bodily to their feet.

“As for these two boys,” he snarled, “the mayor wants to try them as adults for use of an illegal trap,” the boys rolled their eyes, “assault with a deadly weapon,” Patrick gulped, but Jason was still smug, “conspiracy to commit murder,” Jason was mentally counting the number of years he would get and tilted his head like it was acceptable while Patrick turned white, “and for attempted murder.”

Jason looked shocked for the first time, he didn’t think they would go for the attempted murder charge, he had been told by his lawyer that it was unlikely because of how young they were. “And because of the laws of this town are unique, they will also be tried for supernatural hunting. A crime punishable by death.”

Patrick fainted and Jason threw up. Josh who had been sitting nearby, leapt out of the way of the vomit.

“But I am merciful,” Wayne continued, slowly lowering the unconscious Patrick to the ground. “They will spend time with me for six months and then I will make my own recommendations to the judge on the charges to proceed with.”

That was when Jason fainted, right into the pile of his own sick.

The crowd’s relief was palpable. Everyone was murmuring with agreement and elation.

“Let this be a lesson to you all,” Wayne concluded. “I am merciful, but test me one more time and you too will face my wrath.”

“Go!” he barked and everyone in the hall turned and fled.

All that was remaining was the mayor, Sheriff Powell and the six supernatural beings.

“Will you being staying in our town?” Wayne asked Powell.

Powell shook his head. “No. I got a job lined up in Chicago. I wasn’t meant for small town politics. I put my own prejudices ahead of the lives of the citizens of this town.”

“You still gonna be a copper?” Hopper asked.

Again he shook his head. “No, I can’t risk making the same mistake in a bigger town. I’m going to teach self-defense.”

They all nodded.

Mayor Roberts patted Powell’s arm. “You’re a good man who made a bad decision, don’t let this moment define the rest of your life.”

Powell nodded. He gave the mayor’s shoulder a squeeze and walked away.

“There goes a deeply troubled man,” Nancy said. “Do you think he’ll be all right?” She hugged her sides.

“Chicago is the best place for him to find that out,” Billy said. “It will either consume you or learn enough about yourself to survive.”

Steve put his arm around her and she leaned into his comfort.

“I hope the town can heal from this,” Mayor Roberts said. “There has been so much pain and hurt in this town in the last decade. I’m not sure how much more it can take.”

Wayne shook his head. “This town survived two world wars and a Great Depression, it will survive this.”

Mayor Roberts smiled sadly. “It is good to have such a long perspective, my friend.” He squeezed Wayne’s shoulder and slipped away, leaving behind the three vampires and three werewolves.

Hopper scratched the back of his head, sheepishly. It was strange look on the werewolf. “I’ve never been police chief and not the alpha before.”

“I prefer it,” Billy said with a low growl. “It means the werewolves are a little more even in terms of power in this town.”

Steve nodded. “I agree. It’s better this way. The sheriff needs to be supernatural in the way that the mayor must be human. A vampire sheriff would be weak during the day and even having a thrall as deputy would divide the power in a way that would make them weak. But a werewolf being sheriff ensures that everyone has a say.”

Wayne nodded back.

“Thank you for coming out, Steve,” he said, “I know this wasn’t easy for you, reliving your trauma.”

Steve scoffed. “If I didn’t, I would look weak and open myself and the pack to further attacks. Not just from the anti-supernatural quarter either. Other packs would think us easy prey. Vampires would attack us to feed on.” He glanced over at Billy and Heather and sneered. “I don’t have the favor of the current Dominus, not like our previous one did.”

Hopper looked down at his feet.

Billy smirked. “Come on, Heather,” he drawled. “Let’s go, babe.”

Heather simpered. “Anything you want.”

Billy licked his lips slowly. “Promise?”

She giggled and they walked out, with his arm around her waist as he whispered dirty things to each other.

Wayne watched them with a shake of his head. There were some disadvantages to having such a young Dominus. With a sigh he turned back to the werewolves.

“Thanks for doing this, Jim,” Wayne said, patting his back. “I know it’s not easy to come back this job, especially since you were hoping to spend more time with Jane.”

Hopper sighed. “I just hate that I have to step up in this way.”

Steve kissed the top of Nancy’s head. “Let Hop take you home, I still have some things to go over with Wayne.”

Nancy nodded and slipped out from under his arm.

Steve and Wayne watched them go.

“I was always surprised you made her alpha female,” Wayne said thoughtfully. “Not after what happened between you.”

Steve hummed. “I didn’t have a lot of options. It was either Joyce or her and I didn’t trust Joyce.”

Wayne nodded. “Who would have you picked if you had your choice?”

Steve smiled fondly. “Robin hands down, but right now she more valuable to me as a keeper then alpha female.”

“You really do have a good head on your shoulders, Steve,” he said, his smile crinkling his eyes. “Now, go reassure my boy that kiss on Nancy’s head was friendly, eh?”

Steve frowned. Wayne pointed to the back of the hall where a solitary figure waited.

Steve shook his head. “Has he always been the jealous type?”

Wayne laughed. “No, just when it comes to you.”

Steve hopped down from the stage and strolled over to Eddie. He wrapped his arms around the other boy and kissed him deeply.

“Oh,” Eddie said with a blush.

“Yeah,” Steve murmured. “Only you, okay?”

Eddie nodded.

“Come on, sunshine,” Steve said, his voice low and gravely, “I’m going to spend all night showing you how much I’m only yours.”

“Point me in the right direction, big boy.”

The two went off, not as giggly and overt as Billy and Heather, but just as heated, and definitely more in love.

Wayne looked up at the ceiling. “If there is a god, watch over those two, please. They are going to need it.”

***

Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14

Tag List: @spectrum-spectre @estrellami-1 @zerokrox-blog @artiststarme @swimmingbirdrunningrock @gregre369 @pyrohonk @renaissan-vvitch @goodolefashionedloverboi @chaoticlovingdreamer @maya-custodios-dionach @messrs-weasley @val-from-lawrence @a-little-unsteddie @i-must-potato @danili666 @carlyv @rozzieroos @wonderland-girl143-blog @itsall-taken @justforthedead89 @emly03 @bookworm0690 @bookbinderbitch @littlewildflowerkitten @vecnuthy @redfreckledwolf @scheodingers-muppet @mira-jadeamethyst @just-a-tiny-void @potato-of-the-lord @goosesister

#my writing #stranger things #steddie #werewolf steve harrington #vampire eddie munson #ladykailtiha writes

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familyvideostevie · 7 months

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october twenty-fifth

day twenty-five: steve harrington you want steve to go to the halloween party with you, but he’s being dense | friends to lovers, fluff | 1k

The diner is pretty full for an October weeknight. You had to cram into a booth that is for sure not made for five people. You sit across from Steve, both of you pressed to the window, Robin and Dustin next to you and Eddie on the other side.

The last two weren’t actually meant to be here, but they shouldn’t affect the plan.

Because this is, in fact, a plan. An ambush, really. One that you and Robin hatched and one that Steve does not realize he’s the victim of.

“We’ll take him to the diner and you’ll talk about Nancy’s party and how you’re going to ask another guy and it’ll make him jealous!” Robin had said in a rush over the phone.

“Okay, fine, but he doesn’t like me, Robin. Not like I like him.” You’d thought you kept a tight lid on your long-standing crush on Steve, but Robin, easily the smartest of all of you, figured it out no problem. She's his best friend, after all.

“Not true,” she had insisted. “I know him. And, yeah he hasn't told me about this, but I have eyes. Trust me, okay?”

So here you are.

You take a deep breath and turn in your seat to Robin. “I don’t know whether or not to ask Justin or Thomas,” you say, following the mental script you wrote. “I mean, either of them would make a good Danny.” You made sure to pick guys you know Steve isn't fond of.

“You’re going as Sandy?” Eddie asks. He doesn’t look up from his thumb war with Dustin. You feel Steve’s gaze on you, however. It'll be a miracle if he doesn't see through this ruse.

“Sure am.”

“Hot,” Eddie says. Steve elbows him. “Dude, seriously?” Steve says nothing.

“That dude, uh, what’s his name,” Robin says. She snaps her fingers. “Oh, Chris! He’s tall. He’d work.”

You stir your straw around your milkshake. “That’s true.”

She raises your eyebrows at you. You look over at Steve but he’s munching on his fries, eyes on the ketchup bottle. You raise your eyebrows back at her.

“I just don’t know any of them very well,” you say, really putting it on now. “If I’m going to take a guy to a party in a couples costume —”

“Why the fuck does any of this matter?” Dustin grumbles. Robin kicks him. “Jesus Christ, ow!”

You look at Steve again. He’s got some ketchup on the side of his mouth.

“Steve,” you say without thinking. “Hey, look at me a sec?” His eyes snap to yours. You reach across the table and swipe your thumb across the corner of his lips and then wipe it on the napkin. “You had ketchup. Got it.”

The table has gone silent. Eddie’s eyes are bouncing between the two of you like a tennis match. Oh. Was that…weird? You've done it before. Steve does it to you when you hang out all the time.

Maybe Robin has a point.

“Go with me,” Steve says suddenly.

Robin shoves Dustin out of the booth. “We have to get more soda. Both of you are coming. Get the fuck out!”

“What?” Dustin cries. “What the fuck is going on?” She hauls both him and Eddie away by their arms and winks at you.

Steve seems to take almost no notice.

“Go with me,” he says again, softer.

“Oh,” you breathe. This is what you wanted, right? “I thought you…hated Halloween.” That was his reasoning for not going in the first place when you broached the topic last week.

“Yeah, well.” He frowns. “I don’t want you to take anyone else.”

That annoys you, actually. “Is that supposed to make me want to go with you? You being territorial over me all of a sudden?”

He runs a hand through his hair. “Fuck,” he mutters.

You see Robin, Eddie, and Dustin hovering by the soda machine pretending like they’re not listening.

“Look,” Steve says. He puts his hand palm up on the table. You slowly put yours over it. “I like you. I like you a lot and I want to take you to the party, okay? I’ll wear whatever you want, I’ll do whatever you want. Just please don’t go with someone else.”

Now that's classic Steve Harrington. Brave when it counts.

“Why didn’t you tell me till now?”

The crease between his brows deepens. “I— I don’t know. I’m not good at this anymore, okay?”

“What’s this?” God, he’s making you work for it.

He motions between you. “Liking someone. Wanting to be with them and impress them and all that shit. I’m a bad boyfriend, you know.”

It’s your turn to frown. “I find that hard to believe.” Steve is always so down on himself even when he’s one of the best people you know. A stubborn idiot, sure, but he’s kind and good and there’s a reason you like him.

He shrugs. “But if you’ll let me, I want to take you to the party. I’ll make sure you have a good time, and —”

“Okay,” you say. All he needed was a little shove. Guys are so dumb.

Steve continues like he didn’t hear you. “I’ll take you on a date anywhere you want, too — wait, really?”

You laugh. “Yeah, Steve. Really. I like you, too,” you admit. You tap his ankle with your foot.

He finally smiles. It makes him look boyish and happy. “That’s — that’s good.”

His thumb strokes the back of your hand. “Next time, just tell me you like me, okay?” you say.

He groans. “There better not be a next time. Now you know.”

You shoot Robin a thumbs up, which Steve sees. His eyes narrow. “You idiots can come back now, okay?”

They stumble back into the booth and Dustin zeroes in on your joined hands.

“Oh, gross,” he says. “Really?”

“You’re a child,” Robin says.

Eddie grins. “They’re cute, Henderson. You just miss your imaginary girlfriend —”

“She’s real, asshole —”

Steve keeps his eyes on you and smiles.

thank you for reading <3 reblog, send feedback, general masterlist here! promptober masterlist, find all fics under #fvspromptober23

#fvspromptober23 #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington x you #steve harrington x y/n #steve harrington fluff #steve harrington fanfiction

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cowandcalf · 3 months

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Steve tries to find a comfortable position for his head on the backpack. Impossible, he’s anyway too wired up to care. His team has to hunker down and is forced to hide between scrub and under dense, low-hanging branches throughout the entire day. The sun’s rising. They missed their exfil window. Junior crawls soundlessly towards him, his face serious and calm.

„What’s up? Everyone okay?“

„Yeah, all good.“ Junior whispers.

„Then what’s with the face?“

„We should be on our way home by now. It would have been perfect. Right on time back home again for the candles and the cake.“

Steve cranes his neck and checks the sky. They‘re on enemy territory and do everything to stay invisible.

„You know in our line of duty nothing is predictable. We were supposed to have reserves training but we’re on a mission. It’s what we do.“

Junior leans against the big tree and starts to work systematically past the layers of his camouflage to grab something from a secret pocket. Steve watches how he pulls slowly and without a sound a card from under there.

„That’s not a map.“ Steve states and stares at the piece of paper.

„It’s for you.“ Junior hands him the card, leans forward and whispers fondly. „Happy birthday, brother.“

Steve wants to grin but frowns at Junior. „You wrote me a fucking birthday card and took it on the mission?“ Steve‘s voice is calm but filled with question marks.

Junior scoffs and gives him an eye roll. „No, moron, I didn’t write you a card but someone who knew your team might not make it back in time, wrote it for you and made me swear to give it to you.“

„Danny made you swear?“ Steve’s smile widens.

„He did and because I know it means a lot to him . . . here, take it. And before you say something about bringing private life to work. We’re forced to stay put for the next 12 hours. So—„

„So?“

„Read it. It’s from your husband. There's a Snickers in my pocket and a small candle but you‘ll get that when we’re on the plane.“

Steve takes the card, deeply moved, and fights against the upcoming emotions. It’s not wise to read it but on the other hand, they have to kill a lot of time. „Thank you.“

„Love you, man.“ Junior pushes his fist gently against Steve‘s shoulder. He turns around and settles into a comfortable position to sleep for a few hours. They can’t do anything but wait.

Steve sits up and holds the card between his hands. He can’t allow his feelings to break through entirely but he lets his fingers wander over the paper where Danny’s fingers have been when he wrote the card. He opens it. The text is short but means the world to him. And it says Danno. Steve knows exactly what Danny wants to tell him. They took in a stray cat and named him Mr. Pickles. Steve was so worried that Eddy might get stressed and that the cat might bolt again. Steve’s heart already belongs to the cat. Danny knows that and sends him a picture showing Eddy and Mr. Pickles eyeing each other with interest. And next to the other picture, Danny took of him and his fur boy there's a short note: I‘ll take care of your new love, babe. You’re a big softy and that’s why I love you.

„Love you, too Danno.“ Steve murmurs and shoves the card into a small pocket close to his heart, folded into a small square. He shuffles into a lying position and reaches over to touch Junior. „Thanks, brother. I needed that.“

#h50 #steve‘s birthday #h50 march 10 #steve mcgarrett #danny williams #mcdanno #Junior reigns #ficlet #mcdanno ficlet #unbeta'd #my edit

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artaxlivs · 7 months

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WE WERE ALLOWED TO ASK FOR TREATS??!!!?!?

*sobs in too busy to check tumblr yesterday*

Okay - I almost went back to that post and tagged you because you're so damn supportive and your comments always make me feel seen as a writer...but then I got 7 asks all within like 15 fifteen minutes and my brain got frazzled. SO, you're late but it's okay, you deserve it anyway.

"Trick or treat?"

"It's the first of November." Steve scoffed, backing away from the door so Eddie could step inside.

"Yeah....I'm late." He shrugged like 'what are you gonna do?' but then he huffed a laugh, "Or maybe I'm getting an early start for next year."

Rolling his eyes, Steve grabbed the almost empty bowl from the side table, "Well, all I've got left is the Mars Bars and a few Milky Ways."

Eddie stuffed his hands in his jacket pockets and tapped his sneaker on the tile of the entryway. His plan had been to do this last night, say 'trick or treat' and then offer himself up as the treat. To just...put himself out there. In a big way. Like he'd never been brave enough to do before. But he'd gotten almost all the way here and turned around - twice.

This was Steve. Steve Harrington. Nevermind the status and the money and the fancy car. This was Steve. The guy who'd dragged Eddie's lifeless body back through the gate and kept watch over him in the hospital to make sure the staff didn't 'accidentally' let him die. This was Steve. The guy who had been valiantly trying to make Eddie feel welcomed and less alone.

And Eddie was 99% sure that Steve has been hitting on him for months. He blushed around Eddie all the time for christsakes! But Eddie was such a fucking coward. He couldn't even bring himself to flirt back because that would mean exposing himself to the possibility of rejection.

Last night he'd dressed up like Danny Zuko from Grease because they'd watched it together on one of their weekly movies nights. Steve really loved that movie and had made many jokes - possibly flirtations - about 'summer lovin' and how he understood Sandy's turmoil about dating someone so different from who everyone thought she should date. It should have been a sure thing but Eddie had chickened out. Just like always.

Eddie blew his breath out long and slow, stared resolutely at the HHS on the leg of Steve's old basketball sweats. "What if...what if I wasn't asking? What if that was an offer?"

The HHS got closer as Steve stepped into Eddie's space, "You hiding candy in your pockets or were you offering something else?" Steve didn't touch, even though he was close enough to.

Eddie dragged his eyes up, meeting Steve's hopeful - thank god - ones and he just....said it, "Me? I'm offering me."

Steve grinned, biting his bottom lip and looking relieved. He stepped even closer, sliding his arms around Eddie's neck, resting their foreheads together, "Then...happy day after Halloween to me, I guess."

#trick or treat asks #this was almost a white rabbit ficlet #stranger things #steddie #I'll eat the mars bars and the almond joys thank you

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steddieas-shegoes · 10 months

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ok so hear me out: i think steve would be a huge fan of oingo boingo. maybe robin introduced him or maybe eddie who knows point is steve is like really obsessed with them, and if anyone (but robin) asks he always just says he likes the music, thinks it’s fun or whatever but in reality? in reality he thinks danny elfman is hot. and like only robin knows and she just keeps having to bite her tongue from mentioning that steve so clearly has a type (weird bizarre punk musicians that give off big nerd vibes) anyway maybe robin finally points it out and steve denies it hard and just keeps saying that they don’t look that much alike and robin can kinda agree in some ways (mostly different hair) but in some ways steve is also just wrong (big eyes, same build, same energy) but either way it did the damage because now steve can’t like stop thinking about it and maybe eddie convinces corroded to cover one of their heavier songs (maybe grey matter or insects) to impress steve (because he’s so gone for that man) and steve kinda just like has no choice but to date eddie

Okay I won't lie, I was today years old when I realized Oingo Boingo was Danny Elfman's band. I was also today years old when I realized that despite knowing OF them, I apparently didn't know any of their songs well enough to do this. So I am just a major disappointment all around today, but I did something! Hopefully this something is good enough to pass the test! - Mickala ❤️

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It wasn’t the first time Robin caught Steve dancing to them. She’d waited for the song to change last time before walking fully into the room, but this time, she couldn’t wait.

“Oingo Boingo, Steve? Really?”

Steve jumped and quickly shut off the boombox playing a tape that he owned.

“Robin! When did you get here?”

She smirked at him being flustered, and was that…embarrassment?

“Oh, relax. I already knew you listened to some of their music,” she said as she stood next to him, reaching down to grab a cookie from the cooling tray he was placing them on. “I may not understand it completely, but I have my suspicions.”

“It’s just fun! Easy to dance to, ya know?” he sounded like he was trying to convince himself of this as much as Robin.

“Uh huh. Definitely nothing to do with how similar a certain dingus looks to Danny Elfman. That can’t be a reason.”

She smirked as Steve flushed bright red and turned away from her to pretend like he was busy.

“It’s not a reason. They don’t even look that similar,” he insisted.

“Suuuuure. These are good, by the way,” she pointed at the cookies with her mouth full of the last bite of the one she’d already stolen.

“Thanks. Mrs. Henderson’s recipe. Dustin wanted some and she’s been busy with work so I thought I’d make them for Hellfire tonight,” he shrugged.

“Always taking care of your kids, huh?”

“Did you come by just to annoy me?”

Robin rolled her eyes, jumping up to sit on the counter and watch Steve put the next batch of cookie dough into the oven.

“No, that was just a bonus.”

“So? Why’re you here?”

“Vickie and I have a date tonight. I need to borrow a sweater,” Robin sighed.

“You have sweaters.”

“But none as nice as yours! C’mon, Steve! I promise I will wash it and bring it back to you by this weekend. It’s not like you’re using it for a date.”

“Ouch,” Steve said, throwing his hand to his chest dramatically. “Fine. But not the yellow one. I am wearing it for Hellfire.”

Robin raised her brows, but didn’t comment, jumping off the counter and kissing his cheek before running upstairs.

—---------------------------------------

“Sorry to be so early!” Eddie yelled into Steve’s house as he opened the front door.

The music was loud, so he realized Steve probably didn’t hear him.

If he didn’t want a nail bat to the head, he needed to be careful and not scare him.

He set his bag down by the couch for now, walking towards the stairs to go to where the music was coming from.

He stood in the doorway of Steve’s room, smiling to himself as he watched Steve dance around his room while he got ready.

He was shirtless, and his belt wasn’t done, his hair was still a little wet from a shower, and Eddie was going to start drooling.

He snapped himself out of it when he realized what Steve was listening to.

“Didn’t really take you for an Oingo Boingo fan, Stevie,” Eddie said just loud enough to be heard over the music.

Steve almost tripped over his own feet, barely catching himself on the corner of the dresser.

“Eddie! You’re early!” Steve tried to look casual, crossing his arms over his bare chest.

“Yeah, sorry. Just wanted to be all set up and make sure you didn’t need help with something,” he said, genuinely apologetic for scaring him.

“Oh,” Steve seemed to relax and walked over to the stereo playing the music, turning it off instead of turning it down. “If you wanna go set up, I’ll be down in a few.”

“You good? I really didn’t mean to scare you,” Eddie said, coming into the room a bit, big eyes looking up at Steve from under his lashes.

“I’m good, yeah,” Steve said, small pink tint dusting his cheeks as he looked down at the sweater on his bed.

“Good. Like that sweater on you, by the way,” Eddie winked before turning and leaving the room.

He pretended to ignore Steve’s groan and the immediate sound of someone falling onto their bed.

—---------------------------------

Hellfire went longer than usual that night, but Steve didn’t really mind.

It’s not like he had any other plans, and he liked having the house full.

That’s why he had the kids over for movie nights once a week, why he invited Robin to stay with him when they had closing shifts together, why he even offered his home as the new meeting place for Hellfire Club in the first place.

Everyone stayed to help clean up a bit, but Eddie was very protective of his things, so they all slowly scattered after bringing trash and empty plates to the kitchen for Steve to handle.

Eventually, Steve walked to the dining room to check on Eddie’s progress, and froze when he saw him looking at the new poster he’d gotten.

“So you’re not just a casual fan then?” Eddie smirked, like he was teasing.

It wasn’t the first time he teased Steve about his music taste, but it was definitely the first time Steve didn’t blame him for it.

“I mean, they’re just different. I like different sometimes,” Steve shrugged.

Eddie put the poster back in the corner where Steve had hidden it among a few other items he’d picked up while shopping earlier that week.

“You do?” he asked, more serious than this conversation probably needed to be.

“Yeah. Robin told me I need more things that make me happy for me, and they’re one of them.”

Eddie nodded, couldn’t help but feel a little proud that Steve was actually listening to advice and actually accepting that he deserved to enjoy things just for him.

“Good. Then enjoy them. I’m not judging, just surprised,” Eddie clarified.

“Okay,” Steve said with a small smile.

“Okay,” Eddie smiled back.

—------------------------------------------

The stage was bright, brighter than usual.

Or maybe Steve just was getting the start of a migraine.

Or maybe Robin was right and Eddie just lit up his world in different ways.

It was hard to say, but it was certainly easy to watch Eddie be a star on stage.

He was always flashy, always bigger than life, but on stage, it was more.

“Hey, you good?” Robin nudged him from her spot in the corner of the booth. She was hiding from the bartender who tried flirting with her for the last two trips to the bar.

“Yep,” he replied with a smile.

“Alright! Next up is a new one for us. It’s a cover of a song by a band that may be a joke to a lot of you, but it’s kind of a favorite of someone really important to me. Hope you don’t mind that I made it metal, Stevie,” Eddie smirked towards the corner where he was sitting.

Steve’s stomach flipped as he heard the intro guitar.

“Wow, Eddie loves you so bad,” Robin teased.

“Shut up, Robin,” Steve said, waving his hand at her, unable to look away from where Eddie was singing his favorite song.

He was mesmerized, and despite the more metal sounds Corroded Coffin performed it with, he loved it.

“That was Grey Matter by Oingo Boingo, performed by your favorite local shitheads, Corroded Coffin. Goodnight!”

The stage lights went off, and the crowd cheered.

It wasn’t a big crowd, it never was, but it grew every week they performed, and tonight was definitely the biggest crowd they’d had yet.

He could see the shadows of the band moving to break down their equipment and instruments, but surprisingly, Eddie’s shadow was missing.

“That sure seemed like an act of love,” Robin teased, kicking his foot under the table.

“He was just being nice. He wants me to keep liking what I like,” Steve tried to sound convincing, but even he could recognize that it was more than just a friendly thing to do.

“I do.”

Steve turned quickly, Eddie’s fond smile looking back at him from much closer than he was expecting.

“Eds!” Steve jumped up and threw his arms around his neck in a tight hug. “Can’t believe you covered my favorite song! It was great.”

“Yeah?” Eddie asked, wrapping his arms around Steve’s waist and relaxing against him. “It was good?”

He could just barely see Robin rolling her eyes in her seat, sipping on some fruity drink that the bartender probably only made her because he wanted to fuck her.

Steve pulled back a little, but kept his arms around Eddie’s neck.

He’d only had one beer, but he suddenly felt drunk off of the smell of Eddie’s cologne and sweat so close to him.

The room blurred away, and Steve realized there was no reason for him to not take a chance.

Eddie covered his favorite song by a band he didn’t even like, made him feel seen and understood with something he hid from everyone except Robin, was leaving his band to clean up without him to come over and see how he did.

“I’m gonna kiss you,” Steve breathed out, ignoring Robin’s groan of ‘finally.’

“Because of the song?” Eddie gulped.

“Because of you.”

Steve had kissed a lot of people in his lifetime, probably more than the average 20 year old, even.

Not a single one of them could compare to the way his lips fit against Eddie’s, to the way Eddie’s hands squeezed his hips before deepening the kiss, to the way his tongue licked along his bottom lip hungrily, testing how much Steve wanted to try to get away with in public.

Hawkins may not be very safe for them, but this bar was. The owner didn’t tolerate any kind of bullying or harassment, and anyone who dared try to fight would be permanently banned.

Steve couldn’t help the little whimper he let out when Eddie’s thigh rubbed just right against the front of his jeans, where he couldn’t hide the fact that he was half-hard.

“Might wanna take this to the bathroom,” Robin told them.

Eddie pulled away, leaving them both breathless, panting in the space between their lips.

“Home?” Steve asked.

“Dingus! You’re my ride!” Robin exclaimed.

“Ride home with Jeff, he’s got my van,” Eddie said without turning around.

“Ride home in your van with people I barely know? Are you insane?” Robin sounded mad, but Steve kind of didn’t care.

“I trust them,” Steve said, still looking at the way Eddie’s eyes were shining in the low light of the bar.

“Great. When I get left on the side of the road for dead, you can tell my parents that you trusted them. That’ll go well.”

“Robbie, I promise you’ll be fine,” he said, pulling away to look at her with an annoyed face. “Please.”

She sighed and stomped her foot.

“Fine. But only because you’ve wanted this so long and if I have to hear one more thing about how Eddie’s curls bounce when he gets excited during Hellfire, I will stab myself with the nearest dull object,” she said before walking away.

“You talk about my curls bouncing?” Eddie teased.

“She’s dramatic. I may have mentioned it in passing one time.”

“Uh huh.” Eddie gave him a quick peck on the lips. “So, wanna explain the Oingo Boingo thing or did I just do something really dramatic over a band that you don’t actually like that much?”

“No, I do love them,” Steve laughed. “Robin said it’s because Danny reminds me of you, which is stupid because he doesn't and I wouldn’t even like a band just because of that when you’re in a band already.”

Eddie’s brows raised as he tried to explain.

“And also, he doesn’t even look like you that much. I guess maybe the eyes a little, and he’s pretty energetic or whatever, and like really talented, but. But that’s it!”

“That’s it?”

“Yes!”

“Oh my god, I love you so much,” Eddie laughed.

Steve froze.

“What?”

Eddie paled when he realized what he said, his eyes wide as his heart started racing in his chest.

“I. I didn’t mean to say that.”

Steve tried not to let the pain show on his face, the hope immediately exiting his body in a rush.

“Oh. Right.”

Steve let his arms drop to his sides, bit his lip to hold back the impending tears.

“No, not like that! Wait. Okay. It’s not because it isn’t true, okay? I do love you. I just didn’t mean to say it like that. Not when we just kissed for the first time,” Eddie tried to explain. “I just don’t wanna scare you off. I’ve never loved anyone before and I don’t know what I’m doing.”

Steve gave his cheek a kiss, smiling as he realized that Eddie may actually have him beat on being a bit clingy.

“I won’t be scared off. I love you,” he whispered against his ear.

“You don’t have to say it just because I did.”

Steve kissed his neck and pulled away to look at him.

“I’m saying it because I do. And maybe I’m hoping you’ll cover more Oingo Boingo songs,” he joked.

“My love for you knows no bounds, my king,” Eddie bowed, kissing the back of his hand. “I shall cover whatever you wish!”

Steve giggled, probably would have been embarrassed about his reaction if Eddie didn’t obviously enjoy it, smiling up at him.

“So you’ll do Careless Whisper next?”

“My love knows one bound,” Eddie grimaced.

#steddie #steve harrington #eddie munson #stranger things #robin buckley #ficlet #request #stobin #just something silly really

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hendersister · 11 months

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the power of love

summary: you and steve sneak into a preview screening of back to the future.

pairing: steve harrington x henderson!sister reader

title 🎵: the power of love by huey lewis & the news

a/n: sorry i didn't know how to end this so it just like kinda ends...

“You almost ready, Steve?”

You’re sitting in the back room of Scoops Ahoy, waiting on your friend Steve. He’s in the bathroom changing out of his work uniform into some normal clothes.

“In a minute!” you hear Steve yell from the other side of the door.

You and Steve have big plans tonight. One of the projectionists at the mall's movie theater told you that they were having a secret late night preview of the new movie Back to the Future. It’s not set to open for a couple of weeks and you’ve been dying to see it. As soon as you heard about the preview screening you asked Steve if he wanted to come along. You wish your little brother Dustin wasn’t away at sleepaway camp because you know that he wanted to see the movie too.

“Ok I’m ready! I’m ready!” Steve announces as he opens the bathroom door.

You jump to your feet.

“C’mon, let’s go!”

You and Steve leave out the backdoor. Working at the mall has some perks. You both know all the secret passageways and found out a way to sneak into the movie theater. You aren’t the only people who take advantage of this. Dustin’s friends bug you or Steve at least once a week about sneaking them into the movies.

“Relax Y/N! We’re not going to miss it,” Steve reassures you, and then, “I’m sure that projectionist guy will hold off on starting the movie until you arrive. What’s his name again?”

You roll your eyes.

“His name is Danny and he wouldn’t do that,” you answer.

“Yeah he would! That dude totally has a crush on you,” Steve tells you.

“No he doesn’t!” you deny it.

“Trust me, he does,” Steve insists. There’s a hint of jealousy in his voice.

You shake your head in disbelief.

Steve opens the door that leads into one of the side hallways at the cinema. He lets you out first and then follows closely behind. You lead Steve to the theater. Even though this was supposed to be a secret sneak preview, the theater is pretty crowded.

You and Steve find two seats together just as the trailers start. Steve knows he has a few minutes to spare before the movie begins and he’s going to take advantage of that time.

“I’m gonna get a coke,” he tells you as he rises to his feet.

He walks away before you have a chance to respond. As you watch him leave the theater you shrug to yourself. Oh shit! I should’ve asked him to get me one too…

Steve steps out into the lobby and approaches the concession stand. He recognizes the girl behind the counter. They went to Hawkins High together.

“Hey Steve,” she smiles.

“Hey Jennifer. Can I get 2 cokes?” Steve nods.

Jennifer raises her eyebrows.

“Who’s the lucky girl tonight?” she questions Steve.

“Oh, uh, no date tonight. Just here with a friend,” Steve replies.

“Sure,” the cashier rolls her eyes, unconvinced.

A few minutes later, Steve returns to your theater with the drinks.

“Hey. What’d I miss?” Steve asks as he sits down beside you.

“A lot! There’s another movie coming out soon with Michael J Fox. He’s gonna be a werewolf that plays basketball,” you tell him.

Steve scrunches his forehead.

“Wait… What?”

“Yeah! It’s called Teen Wolf,” you laugh, “Don’t judge me but I kinda want to see it….”

Steve chuckles and hands you one of the cokes. Your eyes widen. You didn’t even get the chance to ask for a drink but Steve got you one anyway. You’re touched by the gesture.

“Thank you,” you say sincerely.

“Of course,” Steve smiles.

The lights start to dimmer and the “Our Feature Presentation” graphic appears on screen. It’s showtime.

You and Steve watch the movie in awe. Back to the Future isn’t like anything you’ve ever seen before. You know that you’re watching something special. The movie isn’t out for another few weeks but you just know it’s going to be a huge hit.

While watching the scene where Lorraine makes a move on Marty, you close your eyes. It’s just too cringey. You impulsively flinch, accidentally taking Steve’s hand. You’re about to pull your hand away but Steve, still focused on the screen, instinctively intertwines his fingers with yours.

You let out a deep breath. You don’t know how to explain it but holding Steve’s hand just feels right. You feel safe and at ease.

You and Steve quietly hold hands for the rest of the movie. You don’t let go until the end of the movie when the entire theater erupts into cheers. Everyone is clapping, including you and Steve. You loved it.

The two of you are hyped as you walk out of the theater.

“That was one of the best movies I’ve ever seen! I think it's now in my top three!” you exclaim.

“Yeah! It was so good I can almost forgive the fact that the girl was trying to bang her son,” Steve jokes.

“You should go as Marty McFly for Halloween this year. I think you could totally pull off that costume,” you suggest.

“Oh yeah?” Steve smirks.

“Yeah definitely. Just don’t include those suspenders. Not many people are able to pull off that look like Michael J Fox,” you advise.

“Mhmm,” Steve nods, taking in what you just said.

“But on the flipside, I don’t think Michael J Fox could pull off your Scoops Ahoy uniform. You are the only guy I’ve seen that actually looks good in it,” you tell him.

Steve’s face perks up.

“You think I look good?!”

You shyly smile.

“Yeah… but you look good in like everything,” you quietly reply.

Steve smiles. His heart melts a little bit. Since hitting puberty people have been telling Steve that he’s good looking. But it means more coming from you.

#stranger things #steve harrington #steve harrington fanfic #stranger things fanfic #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington imagine #steve harrington x henderson!sister reader

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teruel-a-witch · 1 year

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that time steve and danny went to a party full of Victoria secret models yet they only had eyes for each other

steve was especially worried about leaving danny alone with them, but all danny did was talk about his daughter, and, again, in a room full of world's top models it's steve danny is quite literally thirsting over ↓

but even a bigger sign that steve has nothing to worry about? danny leaves grace, his precious baby girl his entire heart and life, in steve's care the entire time ↓

(as an aside how cute is it that steve just holds gracie's hand the whole time before she is handed off to the models for them to fawn over her)

notice how danny doesn't even have to check up on her/constantly look at her (which is saying a lot considering how overprotective he is) because he trusts steve that much. he is the worthy co-parent in danny's eyes and there's no bigger testimonial over how steve is the only one for danny.

they really did look like a couple who only took their daughter to a fancy party because she would enjoy it, not to ogle the models themselves, because that's what they are, de facto. (two outstanding heterosexuals amirite? ;))

they are just oblivious to that fact and insecure/jealous because they wouldn't be steve and danny otherwise.

#mcdanno #actual married couple mcdanno #grace and her two dads #h50 #myh50 #very serious scene analysis ™#h50 caps #h50edit #h50 3x09 #mcdanno dates #jealous mcdanno #h50 season 3 #steve mcgarrett #danny williams #hawaii five 0 #danny looking at steve #co-parenting #h50 meta

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ilovewriting06 · 11 months

Text

Hypothetically

A/N: I was going to finish the fics in my drafts but I think I need to just take a break and do my own thing so I’ll be back to writing but I’ll not be writing requests. This idea however did come from @kati-1997 who’s a friend of mine and is kind enough to help me out on some things. The name for this was originally going to be ‘Heart Stealing Sniper’ but after writing it I felt that this title fit a little better.

Steve’s POV

I furrow my eyebrows as Kono checks her phone for the eighteenth time within the last half hour. “Kono, is everything okay?” She looks up with wide eyes and hums out a what as Chin laughs, “She is wishing away the day. Her friend is moving back to the island and Kono is counting down the minutes until the plane is scheduled to land.” Danny chuckles as Kono groans, “Twenty minutes and then I’m leaving!”

True to her word twenty minutes later she’s all but running out the door and yelling that she’ll be back as soon as she gets her friend.

Y/N’s POV

I stumble backwards from the sudden weight change as I pull my last bag off the belt. Once I stabilize myself I strap my bag to the top of my smaller suitcase before spinning around as I hear someone yell my name. I smile as I’m crushed in a hug by my best friend. “Kono! It’s been so long!” She pulls back with a smile that matches mine as she nods, “I know! There are a few new people I want you to meet, both of which are single.” She wiggles her eyebrows as I roll my eyes, “Kono, I am perfectly happy as a single woman. Plus no one can handle my ‘adventurous and adrenaline seeking personality.’” I put air quotes along the last part as I sigh glancing down slightly. I feel Kono’s hand on my bicep, “Oh Y/N/N, come on. That dude was a dick plus he was salty that you broke up with him, he had no right to do that.”

I snort as I roll my eyes, “Yeah well apparently he couldn’t stand me anymore seeing as he fired me.” She shrugs, “Hey, it got you back to Oahu so I’m not complaining.” I shake my head with a laugh, “Of course you would see it that way.”

My eyes widen as Kono puts the car in park outside of a huge building that looks like a castle. “Holy shit! You work here! This place is like a fucking castle!” She laughs as she opens the door, “Well, it is called the Palace.” I follow Kono through the Palace with wide eyes taking in everything until we stop in a room with a blonde and brunette arguing over the correct way to pronounce Worcestershire sauce. I muffle a chuckle as they continue arguing before Chin comes rushing over yelling my name, “Y/N! It’s been awhile!” I chuckle as I hug him and nod, “Sure has Chin.”

As we part from the hug I notice that the two other men have finally realized there is a new presence in their ‘office.’ The first one to say anything is the blonde, “You must be Kono’s friend, I’m Danny.” I shake his outstretched hand and nod with a smile, “Sadly that’s me.” Kono goes to slap the back of my head but I spin around and grab her hand with a click of my tongue, “Shame on you Kono, you know better.” She rolls her eyes with a huff as I drop her arm, “I swear you’re like a ninja or something.” I snort out a laugh before turning back to Danny, “I apologize for that but it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Y/N.”

The brunette is seemingly analyzing me with a smirk before offering his hand, “I’m Steve. Where did you learn to move like that?” I shake his hand with a wider smile than before, “I’m an Army BRAT, I was surrounded by fast moving and highly skilled people my whole life and I guess they rubbed off.” He snorts out a chuckle, “Should’ve guessed you’d side with the Army.” I smirk as I finally realize why his stance seems familiar, “Well, I’ll be dammed. I’m in the presence of a Navy man aren’t I?” He nods, “You guessed right.”

I step back and narrow my eyes, “Don’t tell me let me guess.” I analyze his stature and build before humming, “SEAL? I’m gonna guess Commander.”

He laughs and nods, “I’m a SEAL but I’m only a Lieutenant Commander.” I laugh, “I’d ask what you specialized in but I’m gonna guess that’s classified.” Danny snorts unimpressed, “Yeah, his whole life is classified.” I shrug, “Not all of it, you just have to ask the right questions.” Kono steps up and throws her arm around my shoulders, “So boss, can we keep her?” I laugh as Steve raises an eyebrow, “What can she do?”

Kono smirks, “Sniper. She can hit anything you want her to, she’s the one that taught me how to shoot but I’m still not even close to her level.” I roll my eyes with a smile, “That’s a little dramatic but I do specialize in shooting. I was on a task force in San Diego but I was kicked off.” Steve’s eyebrows raise and Danny’s eyes widen as he asks, “Uhm, that’s a bit of a red flag there Y/N.”

Kono scoffs and crosses her arms obviously still ticked at my ex, “No it’s not, she stood up for what she believed and her dick of an ex, who was also her boss, kicked her off the team claiming she was a liability and too much of a risk taker but he didn’t have any issues with it when she was in his bed.”

Steve tilts his head with a face that tells me he’s thinking, “What did you stand up for?” I cross my arms and pop my hip out to the side, “I believe that if someone committed a crime they deserve to go down for it, no matter how rich or ‘important’ they are. Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time.” Steve smirks and nods, “Well, I like you so consider yourself a temporary member of the team until I see what you can do. You prove yourself and we’ll see about making it a little more permanent.” I smile and hold back the urge to tackle him in a hug, “Thank you Steve, you don’t know how much this opportunity means.”

I growl out as my toast pops out of the toaster looking 50 shades of black, “Kono! Your toaster’s broken!” She walked into the kitchen rubbing the sleep from her eyes before groaning, “It is 5 in the morning, normal people are asleep instead of setting of smoke detectors.” I scoff, “How could someone sleep through this catastrophe. Did you not hear me? The toaster is broken. Do you know how important toast is to me?”

She groans again before shuffling back down the hall, “Well you’re out of luck because the toasters shot and you’ve been here for almost a month and just realized it broken so toast isn’t that important.” I pout looking at my charcoal bread before sighing, “Do you at least have some good coffee now?!”

I hum happily as Kono and I stroll into Five-O headquarters before taking a sip of my coffee. The boys spin around with wide eyes as they take in Kono’s appearance before Chin steps forward, “Kono you okay? You look exhausted.” Kono groans before dragging herself to her office, “Well someone, decided that it was a smart idea to get up at 5 am and set the smoke detector off.” I scoff, “It’s not my fault your toaster fucking sucks and so does your coffee!” She groans before disappearing into her office.

I lick my lips and turn to see all three men watching me curiously. “What?” Chin raises an eyebrow, “I think you broke Kono.” I shrug, “It’s not my fault she has no good butter in her fridge.” At this Danny cringes and asks, “Oh please please please tell me you don’t put that shit in your coffee too?” I scowl and purse my lips, “I’m sorry but did you just insult the way I drink my coffee? Danny let me remind you that I can kill you twenty different ways with a spork.” He holds his hands up before walking away, “I give up, I’m surrounded by weirdos.”

Chin follows Danny and I turn to Steve, “Was it something I said?” He chuckles and motions for me to follow him, “Come on Y/N, I’ve got some butter in my office.” I gasp as Steve pulls out my favorite brand of butter from his little fridge, “Steve, you just became my favorite person.”

“Well I’m honored.”

Danny’s POV

When I emerge from my office and can’t find Steve I peak into his office through the glass and smirk at the sight that greets me. In Steve’s office he and Y/N are throwing a paper ball back and forth while he leans back in his chair and Y/N has her feet propped up on the desk. I knock on Kono and Chin’s office doors and motioning them both out.

As we watch Steve and Y/N continue talking and laughing while throwing around the paper ball I look at Kono, “I think Steve may have a crush on your friend.” She nods with a smile, “She has it bad for him too. Ever since she was permanently added to the team she talks about him a lot, asks a lot of questions. I’ve honestly never seen her this interested in a guy since high school.” Chin crosses his arms and hums, “You know, they actually seem like they would be a good pairing. They’re both on the wild side but she’s talked him down from doing a few stupid things and he’s done the same.”

I look at Kono and smirk, “I’ll work on Steve tonight and you work on Y/N?” She matches my smirk and nods, “Oh trust me, I will.”

I throw my feet up on Steve’s coffee table as he sits next to me and hands me a beer. “So Steve?” He turns to look at me and hums to let me know he’s listening. I snort at his indifference, “When were you going to tell me you liked Y/N?” I choke back a laugh as he chokes on his beer, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I set my beer on the coffee table before turning to face Steve, “Come on Steve, I know you. You like her and she likes you. Ask her out, take her to dinner or buy her a coffee.” Steve sits up and sighs, “Danny I don’t know if I can.”

“Why?”

“It’s just, everything with Catherine blew up in my face and I don’t know if I can go through that again.”

I sit up straighter and lean forward, “Come on Steve. Y/N isn’t Catherine, s-she’s smarter and funnier and she likes you. I think you should ask her out. I’m not asking you to meet her family or move in with her I’m just asking you to take her out on a nice date and get to know her. One date, that’s it, and if it doesn’t go well or you don’t feel like it will work you don’t have to go out with her again.”

I see him think about it before he sighs, “Okay, okay, one date, that’s it.”

I smile and grab my beer knowing that one date is going to turn into many more and hopefully even forever.

Y/N’s POV

I groan as Kono prods on, “Come on Y/N he’s your type! And he would never be upset about your adrenaline seeking and adventurous spirit as you like to put it.” I glance at the toaster on the counter and smirk, “Fine, if he asks me out I’ll take him up on it on one condition.” She leans forward with wide eyes and nods, “What? I’ll do anything you want. Well, within reason.”

“Buy me another toaster.”

“Deal.”

I use my hip to close Steve’s mini fridge in his office as I stir my coffee to melt the butter. I look up as his office door closes and Steve stands there with his arms crossed, “So we are now intruding each others personal space huh?” I smirk as I recline in his office chair and throw my feet up on his desk, “Might as well. Anyways, did Danny have the same conversation with you that Kono had with me last night?” I chuckle as his cheeks flush and he nods, “If we’re talking about the whole ‘just one date’ conversion then yeah, I think we did.”

I nod as I put my feet back on the ground and stand, “Look Steve I’m sorry, Kono keeps trying to get me to go out again and I will but I don’t want you to feel pressured into asking me out. I mean it’s not that I wouldn’t go out with you.” My eyes widen and I set down my coffee as I continue rambling, “That came out wrong! I wouldn’t go out with you…wait no that’s worse. I think what I’m trying to say is that I wouldn’t go out with but I wouldn’t not go out with you. Does that make sense?”

I gulp as my cheeks flush and notice that Steve has not only come to stand right in front of me but is also chuckling. I twirl my bracelet around my wrist as I think about what to say but before I have the chance Steve caresses my biceps, “Y/N/N, no that made absolutely no sense but at the same time it did. I don’t feel pressured to ask you out, I want to ask you out but I got out of a relationship a few months ago and I guess I’m worried it’ll blow up in my face all over again. She left with no warning just up and disappeared one day and called me a few days later telling me that she didn’t have a purpose to stay so she left to find her purpose.”

I feel my heart clench thinking about the pain he went through before I cup his cheek, “Oh Steve, I would never. That’s wrong in so many ways, if I want to break up I’ll be honest and straight up about it, I could never justify doing that to somebody, especially you.” I watch his lips twitch ever so slightly in a smile and I drop my hand to his shoulder, “You know, I could really use some target practice, I just need some coordinates.” He throws his head back in a laugh and I smile at the twinkle in his eyes.

When he stops laughing he looks at me with a wide smile before finally asking, “So, if I were to hypothetically ask you out for dinner tonight what would say? Hypothetically that is.” I chuckle and tap my chin as if in deep thought, “Well hypothetically I would say yes but wouldn’t it ruin your good standing with the Navy to link yourself with an Army girl?” He shrugs, “Again hypothetically it wouldn’t really count since you were never in the Army.”

I smirk and nod, “So could I hypothetically expect to be picked up around 6 tonight?” He smiles and nods, “I could hypothetically make that work.” I nod, “It’s a hypothetical date then?” He chokes back a laugh as he nods, “Yup.”

I raise an eyebrow and notice the three faces that are not so subtly watching us, “So since this was all hypothetical I vote we dodge any questions they have and if they ask a question we have to answer we tell them that we talked about it, but only hypothetically.”

He smirks and nods, “See this is why you are a prime candidate for my hypothetical girlfriend.” I smile as I grab my coffee and head towards the door, “And if you asked I would love to be your hypothetical girlfriend.”

Tag List: @kati-1997 @djs8891

#steve mcgarrett #hawaii five 0 #steve mcgarrett x reader #hawaii #hawaii five oh #danny williams #5 0

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forestmossling · 17 days

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as has been previously established (or hasn’t? if not, that’s just crazy, this is a fundamental part of my personality) i am an unhinged crossover slut. i just love and enjoy crossovers, even between the most far-fetched and unmatchable fandoms possible, an incredible amount.

and a while ago i had this idea of teen wolf/stranger things crossover (which i obviously never followed up on because i never finish my projects) because their settings just vibe with each other. i thought about older steddie moving from hawkins to beacon hills for a break from all the supernatural stuff (*laughing evilly*), eddie becoming an english literature teacher and steve becoming a counselor in their high school while also helping out the lacrosse team. and danny, as he is wont to do, gets the hots for steve and actually comes onto him, because steve is a young teacher still and danny has bad experiences with older men not caring about his age as long as he’s down to get laid. and obviously steve is terrified and calls eddie immediately because he admittedly can handle this better, considering his own experiences with driving out to indy for questionable hook-ups with older guys while he was still in high school. and at first danny’s like “omg it’s so dumb why are they making such a huge deal out of this” and also pretty embarrassed about the whole situation, but soon steddie become his pillar of support, because they’re two older queer guys!! married!! literally teaching in his school!! (although he never openly admits how much this means to him). but since steve is more of a kindred spirit to him, he comes to him for advice and just to bitch about shit from time to time and steve basically takes him under his wing like he did to the party.

and then there’s stiles (yes, this is a danny/stiles scenario. you can take this ship out of my cold, dead hands, they’re my favorite in tw) who is absolutely obsessed with his new eng lit teacher who is open about also being adhd, is also an absolute nerd while somehow still being undeniably cool, and who doesn’t get angry at his dumb questions in class or snap at him for getting distracted, so he’s got a little bit of hero worship going on. and then there’s eddie, who can sniff a lost sheepie from a mile away and can see how isolated stiles is aside from being friends with scott, so he keeps an eye on him and gets caught up in increasingly weird but incredibly interesting conversations with him after class and privately hopes to corrupt him into getting into dnd. and then he notices the way stiles stares at danny in his class without seemingly even realizing it, or watches him say the dumbest shit to danny trying to get his attention, and immediately goes “boy, do i know the feeling”.

so obviously he tells steve and they hatch a plan to get danny and stiles together, because stiles is such a good boy and maybe dating him would finally stop danny from going out with very questionable older people, and danny seems begrudgingly amused with stiles’s antics anyway, so maybe there’s something there, and their whole dynamic just reminds steve and eddie so much of themselves, makes them think of what they could have been, if they had gotten their shit together earlier, so obviously they can’t just do nothing about it.

and then steddie get dragged into the whole supernatural bullshit (because of course they do), and steve takes out his trusty nail bat. everyone just keeps thinking like “who the hell are these guys and why are they in any way involved in this??” and stiles and danny seriously reconsider their matching scars.

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sp0o0kylights · 7 months

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ooo and 5 please! who's saying fuck no about what??

This waaaas a werewolf oneshot I was playing with, separate from Hungry. It features a transmasc Gareth, protective Eddie and Steve, and a personal favorite, Secret Berserker Jonathan Byers.

This was another oneshot that is made entirely of various scenes, so I wrote a quick introduction here to it. It wouldn't make a lick of sense otherwise lol.

(Similar to Hungry, we're playing with dominant/submissive werewolves. Think Patricia Briggs and Ilona Andrews & how they run their werewolf stories based on super outdated but very fun concepts of real wolf packs lol. I have my own little modern twist on them, but there's a difference between a social work/school friend group "pack" and a Wolf Pack TM. )

Snippet

Hellfire won't be out for another few minutes, but neither Steve or Jonathan talk much as they wait.

It's a peaceful kind of silence they share, particularly between two people who aren't friends, but ended up as family anyway.

Which is why both startle hard when the doors to the school slam open.

One of Munson's wolves storms out, looking over his shoulder instead of ahead. "What part of fuck no don't you get!?"

"Come on." Wheedles another voice, and Steve and Jonathan both watch as a sandy haired boy in a letterman jacket pursues the first.

Slowly, casually, and with the air of a predator.

"Don't fight it so hard, baby!" The harassing party coos, in a smug mimic of Danny Zuko.

"Do not call me that." Munson's wolf--Steve can't recall his name but he thinks it starts with a G-- whirls around.

The guy seems to be made of both fury and anxiety, backing away even as he spits and snarls--though his actual emotions are hard to get a read on given he's drenched himself in scent-neutralizing cologne.

(Steve almost sneezes when he scents it, but manages to keep himself together.)

The Hellfire kid's putting up a fight, but its clear from the way he holds himself that he’s a more submissive wolf--and a bad match to the dominate one chasing him.

Jonathan tosses a glance at Steve.

"I'll call you whatever I like." His pursuer tells him, a smile unfurling on his face. "Especially after I make you my bitch."

Steve shoves off the car the same time Jonathan does, but he ends up being the first to the scene, surging forward to step in-between the two.

Hardened battle buddy he is, Jonathan takes this as his cue to fall in behind him, sticking near Munson's wolf.

"Andy." Steve identifies, voice cold. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Harrington?" Andy replies, thrown off his target and showing it. "What are you doing here?"

"Putting you in your place, apparently."

Andy's head snaps back, eyes narrowing in mounting rage.

"Excuse me?"

Steve cocks his hip, hands on his hips.

"Not until you swear off hunting down submissive wolves, you fucking walnut."

"That isn't what this is, Harrington. Mind your business."

He makes to go around Steve, and finds the older wolf won't let him.

"I told you to back off." And the voice Steve speaks with then, is different.

Weighted.

Steve's wolf is the dominant party here, and he's making Andy feel it.

Andy growls at him, an inhuman sound, eyes darting from Steve, to Jonathan and back.

He's outgunned and he knows it.

Tension grips them all as Andy meets Steve's eyes in challenge, before clearly thinking better of it.

He drops his head, stepping back.

"Fine. But I'm not giving up, Grace. We're doing this, sooner or later."

"My name is Gareth." Munson’s wolf snaps, and Steve knows Jonathan will hold him back if he tries to escalate things,

Submissive has never meant unable to fight, after all.

Steve keeps an eye on Andy as he retreats another step, and it's all too clear he wants a parting shot.

"Now we both know that's not true." He says, and Gareth hisses like a kettle, fury emitting off him in choked waves.

Steve clears his throat in warning--he's done playing here, and no matter how much he hates fighting, his wolf has no such qualms.

Andy's eyes dart to him once more, before he whirls around on a heel and storms back through the school doors.

Right in time to plow through the rest of Hellfire.

"Get out of my way, freaks." Andy spits, shoving his way through.

Will yelps in surprise, caught off guard and off balance, falling back into the lockers with a crash.

His head smashes against metal and he slumps for a moment, stunned.

Mike and Dustin both turn to shout at Andy, Lucas slotting himself to Will's side and trying to get a look at his head.

Behind Steve, Jonathan's eyes go dark.

Munson and Gareth both choke as power floods the parking lot, bloodlust pouring off the elder Byers in waves.

He knifes forward, past Steve, hands blurring in a slurry of shifting muscles and bone until his fingers elongate into sharp, wicked claws.

It's a controlled change, a feat very few can accomplish--and a deadly one, given Jonathan's reacting out of instinct than anything else.

"Jon." Steve calls, power ringing out from his voice.

(Can see, from the corner of his eye how even Munson, the second most dominant wolf present, flinches from it in surprise.

Steve isn't. He might be a trash fighter, too worried about preventing injuries to inflict them, but his wolf doesn't share the same sentiments.

It's not a disconnect. Rather, it's an agreement he has, with his wolf half, and it serves them very well.)

Jonathan freezes, and it's immediately clear by how tense his muscles are that he's not doing it on his own.

That Steve's using his position in the Pack to hold him, magic and Pack bonds pulsing between the two.

"Steve." Jonathan warns, all too calmly.

Steve's wolf doesn't rise to the challenge. Doesn't consider it a challenge, even if most wolves would.

Amber pours into Steve's pupils, the mark of the two halves of a werewolf blending themselves together.

Just as Jonathan did.

"Check on the kids." Steve and his wolf say together.

Jonathan's face twist in a snarl as his body shudders under the command.

"Fine." He says after a beat, and Steve's Pack magic releases its hold.

Jonathan's hands twist again, bloodlust fading from his scent, frantic energy draining from the air like a hole punched into an inflatable pool.

"I'm fine." Will calls out to him, and Steve eases himself back into his own natural state, the threat of Jonathan murdering Andy neutralized.

He turns to check back in on Gareth, and finds the younger wolf has pressed his face hard into Munson's shoulder.

"He okay?" Steve asks.

It's redundant because of course Gareth’s not okay--but that's not the question he's really asking.

What he's asking, is if Eddie has Gareth.

Steve has never quite been sure of Munson’s pack status--he knows some clubs and friendships are closer than others, and many can act similar to how Steve’s own capital P Pack does.

Knows through the kids that Munson runs his group more similar to a proper pack than your normal little high school friend group.

That does not mean Gareth will get the care he needs right now, hunted down like he had been.

"Yeah." Eddie says, understanding relayed in a nod. He turns his gaze to the right of Steve's face, the polite thing to do when two dominant wolves to interact. "Harrington, we need to talk."

It's in a tone that'd normally have Steve's hackles up, but given what's happened, Steve soothes down his wolf.

Follows when Eddie gently pulls away from Gareth, handing him over to a teen Steve is pretty sure is named Jeff before edging Steve away from the crowd.

"Can you tell me what Andy said to him?" Munson asks, and his tone is odd.

Off slightly, like he's trying hard to be extra careful.

Steve chooses not to read into it.

"He called him names. Bitch and baby. Said Gareth shouldn't fight him so hard."

Eddie stares at him then, eyes burning into Steve's own, and Steve's wolf itches under his skin at the audacity of it.

"Anything else?" Eddie demands.

"He said he wasn't hunting, that it wasn't what it was."

Munson frowns. "No, did he call Gareth anything else?"

Steve's dropped the polite urge to keep his eyes averted, now staring dead into Munson's eyes, unable to ignore the direct challenge offered in it.

"He called him Grace, but I figured that was just another insult."

Steve’s voice is clipped. He’s not eager for a fight, particularly not against the guy the kids won’t shut up about, but his wolf is already closer to the surface than it usually is.

Munson stares at him for a moment longer.

"Think you and Johnny boy over there can keep that last bit to yourselves?"

It's too much like a command, a threat of force in Eddie's voice that's backed by hints of his own wolf shoving forward.

The Steve of old would have been downright violent when faced with that.

The Steve of now, the one who'd gone three rounds with the Upside Down; who sat drugged out of his mind in a bathroom while Robin confessed to liking Tammy Thompson and then looked at him like he might kill her for it, keeps himself in place as he looks Munson over.

He’s not imaging it, there is a challenge there--but Steve pauses to think about what he’s being challenged over before he responds.

How Munson isn't so much focused on Andy, as he is on the name he'd called Gareth.

His eyes flick over to find the younger wolf staring right at them.

The guy’s arms are wrapped tightly around the middle, a poorly hidden tremble rolling through his body.

Steve hadn't taken Andy's words at face value but Eddie’s request reframed things in his head, and he’s silent as he works out why, exactly Gareth's name matters so much.

No wonder the kid had drowned himself in that awful, scent neutralizing cologne.

"Yeah. I'll make that happen." Steve agrees, his words heavy with promise.

"Thanks." Eddie inclines his head.

#werewolf au #tw dead naming #transmasc Gareth #eddie munson #steven harrington #protective steve harrington #protective jonathan byers #thems their kids how very dare you #0o0 fanfics #tw warning in that Andy is very clearly pursuing Gary here for bad intentions and while I dont think it comes through as much its that #thing where a guy has something over you and is using threat of force to get it--the threat here being that he'd out Gareth as trans #and generally doesnt see gareth AS trans #oh yeah #protective eddie munson #lol #homie sees Steve fucking pull Jonathan out of a berserker rage with four words and still squares up

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marwritesgood · 1 year

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They Assume You Know Nothing

Pairing: Steve Harrington x Hopper!Reader

Summary: Y/n brings her boyfriend, Steve, home to meet her dad for the first time.

series masterlist // main masterlist

A/N: this is a side-story (though technically a back-story) to my Steve series, Cardigan.

i definitely recommend reading at least the first two parts of the main storyline for context before reading this, if you haven't already!

January, 1983

Y/n had sobered up just barely enough to walk straight, and knew it was time to call it a night. Her heels were killing her feet, her winter-ball dress now had an assortment of stains and all she could think about was her morning shift the following day.

She marched toward’s the deck of Carol’s home and tapped her date’s shoulder.

“Danny, can you take me home now?” Y/n crossed her arms and waited for her date to finally shift his attention away from the keg stand competition happening.

“Huh? Yeah, sure,” Danny mumbled after giving Y/n all but a moment's once over. He put his red solo cup down on the outdoor table and stumbled forward as his hand slipped into the pocket of his jeans. He barely noticed Y/n's change of expression.

“Are you drunk?”

Y/n kissed her teeth and took a step back. She didn't need a yes or no response from him to know the answer. Danny smirked and reached for her hand.

“Wh- don’t worry, I’m a great driver," he defended, his speech slurred and eyes practically closed. Tommy's overconfidence had clearly rubbed off on the Hawkins High basketball team's center.

“Just forget it,” Y/n scoffed, turning around to head back inside. Danny stepped forward and reached for her waist. She whipped around and swatted his hand away in annoyance.

“Wh- C’mon, don’t be mad," Danny mumbled. Y/n narrowed her eyes at the inebriated sophomore and poked his shoulder roughly.

“I specifically asked you not to get shitfaced,” she hissed. If it weren't for the agreement they made, she would have never agreed to be his stupid date and needed him to know that. Y/n was not his girlfriend, much less a close enough friend to judge his drunken judgement.

“I’m not shitfaced!”

“You can’t even keep your eyes open, Danny!” Y/n watched him blink and stumble over yet again. She huffed, realising reprimanding him was a lost cause. He probably wouldn't even remember she was his date by the time he woke up the next morning. “You know what? Just go back to doing your stupid keg stand.”

He didn't need to be told twice. Y/n hated how disappointed she was that he didn't at least apologise. She scoffed and headed back inside, determined to sink herself into Carol's parent's sofa once more.

“Do you need a ride home?”

Y/n stopped in her tracks. Steve had come out of nowhere. He had the key to his car ready at his hand and seemed to be in far better shape than Danny. Even so, Y/n narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms, unsure.

“Are you drunk?”

Steve shook his head sheepishly, knowing he was probably the only guy at the after party not wasted.

“I stopped after Tommy barfed on the porch."

He could not bring himself to reveal the whole truth. That after watching her dance with some other guy the whole night, he had given up on trying to drink his sorrows away. There was no getting over it anytime soon. Steve spun his keys around his finger and smiled crookedly at a still skeptical Y/n.

“I was gonna leave anyways,” he added.

Y/n cocked her brows in surprise.

“King Steve’s calling an early night?”

He inhaled sharply. After the night he had, he was feeling far from the overconfident keg stand record-breaker he had become known for at parties. Even so, Steve straightened his spine and smiled nonchalantly.

“He has a fair maiden to escort home.”

Y/n cringed.

“Now I’m about to barf.”

He faked a scoff before chuckling quietly. Y/n smiled at the carpeted floor before meeting his gaze, the knots in her stomach finally easing. Why did he have that effect on her?

“Thank you," she murmured, before following him out.

Y/n had ridden in the infamous BMW a handful of times prior, but still sat stiffly in the passenger seat with her hands on her lap, just as awkwardly as the first time. Steve was not oblivious to it. As they rode in silence he kept thinking of ways to break the ice, but found himself tongue-tied every time he glanced over at her.

He sighed defeatedly and focused on the road ahead. They passed through the suburbs and the blocks of stores and headed towards the trees. Steve’s attention was divided solely between the road and the portion of her dress he could see in his peripheral. Not on the glowing empty signal.

The engine sputtered loudly as they passed the last few houses before the road to the woods, prompting Steve to slow down.

"Oh, shit," he cursed, pulling over to the side of the road. Y/n blinked in confusion.

"What just happened?"

Steve turned the engine off and took his key out of the ignition. Running a hand through his hair he looked down sheepishly.

"I... forgot the gas was running low."

Y/n crinkled her brows in concern, watching intently as Steve instinctively rolled his window up and grab his denim jacket and wallet from the backseat.

"So, what now?"

"I think we passed a gas station, so I'll have to walk there," he explained, opening his door and stepping out. Just as he did, Y/n unbuckled her seatbelt and did the same. She took but two steps forward before noticing Steve staring at her.

"I'd rather go with you than sit alone and wait," she reasoned.

Only it wasn't confusion that led to his staring, it was infatuation. Even under a dimly lit streetlight, she looked breathtaking in her winter ball dress. Steve finally broke his gaze and nodded, meeting her at the front of his car before they both continued down the side of the road.

The first block they walked consisted of nothing but the familiar quiet and the sound of Y/n's high heels clicking against the stones on the ground. Steve cleared his throat.

"So... you and Danny?"

He waited nervously for her reaction, mentally kicking himself for being such a wimp. If he hadn't panicked the first opportunity he had to ask her to be his date, Danny would have never had the chance to beat him to it.

Y/n furrowed her brows immediately and shook her head profusely, completely oblivious to the sigh of relief Steve let out.

"Oh my god, no," Y/n shuddered.

"I just thought-"

"He told me if I was his date, he'd stay sober enough to drive me home so I could go to Carol's party," she explained, feeling an impending urge to make clear that Danny was a one-time date. Y/n looked at Steve and smiled crookedly before turning back to the footpath. "I think he just didn't wanna be the only guy on the basketball team to show up without a date to the dance."

Steve winced.

"Ouch."

"Sorry, I didn't-" Y/n turned to Steve and frowned. "If it's any consolation, I think I we'd have been better off just going alone."

"Yeah?"

"Oh yeah," she groaned.

All night, Danny raved on and on about himself, to the point where Y/n could barely get a word in. The rare times she was able to share something about herself, his attentionnwas elsewhere- often with the rest of his teammates and whatever it was they were doing or talking about.

Her words echoed in Steve’s mind, tempting a question he had toyed with all night but hadn’t dared to ask aloud. He placed his shaky hands in the pockets of his jacket and coughed quietly.

"What... was there someone else you wanted to go with instead?"

Her breath hitched and she an impending warm sensation grow on the apples of her cheeks. She glanced at him then quickly looked away when their eyes met.

"I… I don't know," Y/n whispered, despite knowing exactly who she would have preferred.

She couldn't bring herself to admit it yet. Not until she was sure the feelings were mutual. That she wouldn't be left out in the cold. Y/n had had enough of that.

"Was there someone you wanted to go with?" She stared intently at Steve, who was seemingly avoiding her gaze.

His feet came to a halt and, for a moment, it felt like his heartbeat did the same. He looked to her in quiet fear, as if he had been caught. Y/n’s gaze softened as she inched closer to him.

Steve looked over her shoulder and hardened his expression, before raising his hand to point to their destination.

"There's the gas station."

Before Y/n could register his words, he walked past her. She frowned and felt her shoulders slump as she turned around and watched him walk away. She didn’t see his flushed expression or heard the quiet curses he whispered to himself for wimping out yet again. All she saw was his back. All she felt was the searing pain of inexplicit rejection.

***

March, 1983

It was not her scene, hanging out with Tina, Carol, Oscar and Tommy on a random Saturday afternoon. On any other occasion, Y/n would have never even humoured the idea of accepting their invitation, but they weren't the ones who asked her if she wanted to come. Steve was.

The six of them walked out of the diner and gathered on the edge of the footpath. Carol was telling Y/n about the top she bought from the new store that opened up next to Melvald's, when Oscar elbowed Tommy and pointed to something across the street.

“Um… Y/n, is that your dad?”

Her eyes widened when she spotted her dad's truck parked outside the local bar, and him passed out in the driver's seat. She heard Tommy chuckle obnoxiously, before looking to Oscar and Steve to match his amusement.

“Ha! I want whatever Chief’s having."

Oscar laughed with him, but Steve was silent. He couldn't take his eyes off Y/n. Her eyes glossed over and her entire posture seemingly shrunk. Steve hated seeing her like that. Annoyed, he shook his head and shot Tommy a glare.

“C’mon dude, just shut the fuck up.”

Tommy cussed a defensive, ‘what the fuck, Steve?’, at him, but he had already turned away. He couldn’t care less about any offense Tommy took. Not when Y/n was on the verge of tears glancing back and forth between their friend group and her dad’s truck.

“You guys go ahead without me,” she whispered shortly, not wanting to turn the situation into a whole thing. She waved goodbye and walked in the opposite direction, feeling the smallest semblance of relief that she was alone, and a small semblance of sadness for the same reason.

She tried not to wonder the kinds of normal teenage Saturdays she might be able to have if her father weren't such a mess.

After passing a few stores, she glanced back briefly only to see Steve running after her, the rest of their group already long gone. Y/n knitted her brows together.

“Steve, what are you doing?”

He huffed when he finally reached her side and looked at her incredulously.

“I’m not leaving you alone,” Steve spoke softly.

“It’s fine, I’ll be ok,” Y/n shook her head and continued to walk. Much to her surprise, Steve continued to follow her. Something told her he was not going away easily.

“Y/n, you don’t have your license yet and your dad can’t drive, so how exactly are you gonna get home?”

“I’ll take the bus,” Y/n argued.

“No, let me take you,” he pleaded.

“Steve, I appreciate you wanting to stay with me, but I don’t need your charity,” she shouted.

He double backed. Y/n clenched her jaw instinctively as she maintained her ground and her stern expression. The sounds of the cars passing and nearby groups talking softened the silence, but not the tension. Steve’s gaze softened and he shook his head defetedly. Didn’t she realise?

“That's not what this is, Y/n."

What it was was something Steve had taken a great deal of time coming to terms with. That the girl he’d known for the better half of his life, who he’d only really started to talk to half a year ago, had quickly become the one person he couldn’t get out of his head.

Finally, Y/n let go of the breath she had held onto, feeling the tension in her shoulders release with it. Y/n had never been one to take risks, or to trust the word of another, but the way Steve gazed at her made her forget. As she continued to look back it, her narrow eyes studying his expression for even a trace of insincerity, Y/n had no rebuttal.

“... Ok,” she whispered, before turning to face the crossing.

Steve shuffled his feet until their shoulders just barely grazed one another, and, to his surprise, she let him. Once the road was clear, Y/n sped across to the other side of the street and paced up to the front of her dad's truck. When Steve caught up to her, she felt his gaze switch between her unconscious dad and her reaction to the sight of him. She huffed.

“He’s out cold.”

Steve's brows furrowed. There was a peculiar lack of urgency in Y/n tone. He studied her expression closely, left curious by the way she sprung into action. Like clockwork, Y/n approached the driver's door, carefully opening it and swiftly reaching towards the ignition.

Alarmed, Steve followed after her and spoke in a hush whisper, terrified of waking up the police chief.

“Y/n, what are you doing?”

“I’m getting the keys in case he wakes up and tries to drive himself home,” she explained curtly, quickly remembering why she made a point of being detached and stand-offish.

Explaining any aspect of her relationship with her dad to another person was always an uncomfortable conversation that left Y/n an anxious mess. It was the very reason she stopped going to her appointments with the school counsellor and why her friendships never went past the shallow end. At least, until Steve.

He tried to conceal how startled he was by Y/n's nonchalance, but couldn't keep himself from running his hand through his hair nervously and trying to wrap his head around it all.

“Wh- so, what are we gonna do with them?”

Y/n closed the door and paused for moment, contemplating whether she would tell him the truth or lash out at him.

“Take ‘em to the station and have Officer Robinson come and drive him home."

It wasn't pity or discomfort, but moreso concern.

“Y/n… does this happen often?”

A hot sensation bubbled in Steve's chest the more he pieced things together. He knew Y/n had a lot more going on in her life than she let on, but he was swiftly realising it went a lot further than merely having to work part time to help her dad cover the bills.

Y/n could see his expression harden and felt defensive.

“March is a rough month for him,” she mumbled quietly, feeling pathetic for once again making excuses for her dad.

Before Steve could question her further, she started heading towards the police station that was, thankfully, but a block away. He held the front door open for her once they got there, and Y/n donned a smile as she approached the woman sitting at the front desk.

She leaned against the counter until the lady stopped writing and looked up from her paperwork. Steve stood nervously behind Y/n, at. first puzzled by how at-home she was at the station before reminding himself who her dad was.

“Y/n! Honey, what can I do you for?”

She placed the keys down and the woman offered an apologetic smile. Flo had become much too familiar with the routine.

“Can you please tell Robinson he’s outside the bar again?" Y/n requested.

“Ok, sweetie," Flo nodded before taking the keys from the counter and standing up.

Before she turned around to go find officer Robinson, Y/n's eyes lit up at the half-empty box of donuts on the other end of the counter.

"Ooh, are those extras?"

Flo did a double take before looking back to the donuts she had forgotten about and chuckling quietly.

"Yeah, you kids help yourselves."

Y/n opened the box and reached straight for her favourite one and splitting it in two. Steve stifled his amused grin from watching the infamous Y/n Hopper rip into a box of baked goods with the excitement of a little kid. She held out one of the halves for him and he gulped.

"Here, Steve, you have to try the custard-filled one."

He cautiously took it from her with quipped brows. He hated custard but really really liked her, and didn't know how to say no.

"It's that good?"

"The best in the state, trust me," Y/n proclaimed, as she took a bite into it. She closed her eyes and shook her head in a way that left Steve even more smitten than he was before. "Mmm... forget that, the best in the country."

He didn't realise he was staring until she went to take another bite but stopped and smiled expectedly at him and his uneaten half. Steve braced himself and took a bite of the worst donut he had ever eaten, trying not to cough from the dry dough and the lumpy custard.

Steve looked to Y/n and her unfaltering smile, and quickly found the motivation to stomach the abomination. He forced a smile and nodded.

"So good," he raved.

"Right?"

She grinned and took another bite, inching closer to him until their shoulders touched. When she looked back to Flo returning to her seat, Steve took it as the opportunity to grimace as he scuffed the rest of the donut.

Instinctively, his hand rose to the counter and he began drumming his fingers against the surface noisily as he tried his best not to gag. Flo glanced up the two and squeezed her eyes shut momentarily.

“Y/n, honey, please tell your boyfriend not to tap on the counter, you know how that gives me a migraine.”

Steve's eyes darted to Y/n just as she almost choked on her donut. She laughed nervously before clearing her throat and dusting off the powdered sugar from her fingertips.

“He’s not my boyfriend,” Y/n whispered sheepishly.

Flo smirked and looked up at the teenagers once more, unfazed by Y/n's clenched jaw and mortified expression. She was not kidding, Flo thought. That Steve character had a remarkable head of hair. The woman glanced back to Y/n and narrowed her eyes playfully.

“Not yet."

Y/n's eyes grew twice in size as her entire face rose in temperature. Steve looked down at his feet and grinned. Before the woman could embarrass Y/n any further, she turned around and grabbed Steve's arm before pulling him towards the exit.

“Goodbye, Flo," she deadpanned.

Y/n swore that was the last time she would ever humoured Flo when she makes inquiries about her love life.

***

November, 1983

Steve stopped outside his camaro before turning back to face Y/n. He hated how disappointed she looked and, even moreso, the fact that there was little he could do to change it.

“I’m sorry about him,” Y/n whispered, kicking herself for ever expecting her dad to be anything but the difficult and brooding grump he had been for the last 5 years.

“It’s alright,” Steve murmured. He reached for her waist and gently pulled her closer until there was little to no space between them. “Hey, look at me. I’m ok.... We’re ok. This was just one dinner.”

She smiled weakly, but Steve knew his words made no difference. It was more than just one dinner, it was Hopper's first impression of him as his daughter's boyfriend. Steve shrugged, wanting nothing more than to lighten the mood and put a smile on his girl's face.

“I’ll win him over eventually,” he said, like a promise.

Steve leaned in and kissed Y/n softly. Before pulling away, he pressed their temples against one another and smiled goofily at her until she smiled back. Y/n waved goodbye and waited until he left the driveway before going back into her home.

She closed the door behind her and glared at the back of her dad's head. He had already began washing up the dishes. He was even whistling as he did so, as if he hadn't just finished spewing a plethora of insults at his daughter's boyfriend. Y/n crossed her arms.

"What was that?"

Hopper stopped and turned the faucet off, before sighing as he shook his hands dry and turned around to face his daughter. He shrugged nonchalantly.

"What was what?"

Y/n scoffed and looked away momentarily. It was moments like these that her father made it so unbearable to be around. She shook her head, refusing to back down. Hurting her was one thing, hurting him was another.

“Steve’s a great guy," she defended. "- and he didn’t deserve to have to sit through two hours of you interrogating him and painting him out to be an idiot.”

Hopper walked past the kitchen counter and turned to his bedroom door, resorting to his infamous tactic when it came to disagreements with his daughter.

“I wasn’t painting him out to be anything,” he denied as he stalked towards his room. Y/n sped after him and stood in his way, not letting him avoid their conversation as easily as he had become accustomed to.

“What don’t you like about him?”

Y/n narrowed her eyes and waited. If he was going to into her boyfriend, he should at least have the decency to tell her why. Y/n suspected it was a stupid reason, but she wanted him to tell it to her straight.

Hopper sighed and shook his head, unable to answer her. His daughter scoffed laughed incredulously. Of course, she told herself.

“You know, this is exactly why I didn’t wanna bring him home to meet you, because I knew you were gonna be like this,” Y/n shouted angrily. Was it really so hard to be a decent person to a boy who meant a great deal to her? She swore he got a kick out of making her life harder every step of the way.

Hopper furrowed his brows.

“Then why did you bring him here?”

“Because it was Steve’s idea!" Y/n yelled, oblivious to the way Hopper's expression faltered for the briefest moment.

She stepped back and shook her head, regretting ever letting Steve talk her into bringing him home for dinner. Y/n turned back to her dad, frustrated by the way he continued to stand there silently.

"You know, he's the one who wanted to do this stupid dinner. I would’ve been happy to keep you two separated for the rest of my life.”

Hopper raised his brows questioningly.

“You really think he’ll stick around that long?”

Y/n's face fell. She double-backed and scoffed, looking away momentarily to blink away the tears that began forming. Hopper realised too late he had gone too far.

“What the hell is does that mean? You think he’s gonna get sick of me at some point and leave?”

She tried to maintain her glare, but the growing lump in her throat made it impossible to steady her trembling voice. Her father had never insinuated anything so cruel.

“That’s not what I said, Y/n,” Hopper defended quietly.

“But that’s what you meant, isn’t it?”

Y/n turned her back to him and headed towards her bedroom door, not knowing how much more of the conversation she could bear. Hopper trailed after, struggling to find the words to explain why

“Look, guys like Steve? They don’t know a good thing when they have it. Sooner or later he’s just gonna end up hurting you.”

Y/n whipped her head around and narrowed her eyes. Did he even hear the irony in his accusation? It was far too late for him to try and offer her any kind of fatherly advice, she was not going to have any of it.

“Guess we’ll just have to wait and see then," she hissed, before slamming her door shut.

***

June, 1985

Y/n peeked through the five inch gap and cursed beneath her breath when she saw her father sitting at the kitchen table reading the newspaper. She hoped she would be able to avoid his interrogation, but it appeared she had no other other option.

Gripping onto her duffle bag, Y/n walked out of her bedroom and made it halfway past the living room sofa when Hopper looked up. A brief honk from the vehicle outside sounded through the cabin.

"You're going to Steve's house?"

"No, I'm going to Nancy's. I already told you this," Y/n sighed, heading towards the kitchen counter to grab her wallet and her covergirl lip gloss.

Hopper put his newspaper down and rose from his chair. Y/n turned and huffed, realising he had finally had enough of her beating around the bush.

"Steve hasn't been around in a while," he stated cautiously, knowing outright asking her would only escalate things.

"Great observation, dad."

Hopper sighed defeatedly. He knew she had more than enough reason not to want to tell him things, but they could not keep doing this. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he stepped forward. Her back was still turned to him, but he was not going to wait any longer.

"Did something happen between you two?"

Y/n turned around and the typical angry glare Hopper had braced himself for was nowhere in sight. Instead he was met with a pair of

“Oh my god," she cried, her bottom lip trembling. "Will you just fucking drop it, please?”

“What’s going on, bug?”

“We broke up.” Y/n sniffled. Hopper had expected as much, but couldn't say he wasn't disappointed that was what happened. “He cheated on me and so we broke up. That’s why he’s stopped coming around and why I hang up on him when he calls.”

She could just imagine the look on his face, to the point where she couldn't bring herself to look him in the eye. After all, Hopper was the one who warned her something like this would happen and Y/n was the one convinced it would never.

“If you’re gonna say I told you so, can you make it quick because I really don’t-“

Before she could force herself to look up, her dad had closed the gap between them and braced his arms around her. Y/n had barely enough time to register what was happening before Hopper pulled away, leaving his hands on her shoulders.

“I won’t bring it up again,” he promised, which was exactly what Y/n wanted. “Are you… Are you gonna be ok?”

“Yeah, I’ll be ok," Y/n replied quietly, startled by how well he was reacting. "Nancy’s been helping me through it, that’s why I’m going over to her house tonight.”

“Ok, well, um… here."

Hopper reached for his jacket he left sprawled on the couch and rummaged through the pockets. He pulled out his wallet and took out a crinkled $10 bill before holding it out to Y/n. She stared at him, puzzled.

“What are you doing, dad?”

“Get yourself that ice cream you like, on me," he smiled.

Y/n sighed and accepted it. She had played out this conversation in her head countless times, but never imagined this. Hopper watched as she shoved the bill into her bag and went to say something.

Y/n stopped and cleared her throat. No, she told herself. She was not going to thank him. She gave him a small smile and shot a quick glance towards the door. Nancy was still waiting for her.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, dad," she murmured, before leaving.

Once she closed the door behind her, Hopper let out a sigh of relief. Finally, he thought to himself. Finally he did something right.

***

April, 1986

Y/n had taken Steve's BMW to deliver the last of their donations, while he stayed back to finish getting the cabin in order. The aftermath of the battle against Vecna meant that the cabin would become home-base for any planning and meetings to be held on what they were going to do next.

He was in Y/n's room when he heard a vehicle pull up outside and heard the footsteps of everyone else in the cabin race for the door. Thinking little of it, Steve took his time coming outside. When he walked out onto the front porch, a figure emerged from the behind the door.

“Steve Harrington.”

He turned and felt his jaw drop when he realised who it was.

“Hopper, oh my god-“

Before he could finish, the older man engulfed him in a hug, patting his back roughly. Steve stood frozen, too shocked to even move his arms.

“Thank you," Hopper whispered, choking up as he pulled away.

“F-For what?”

Steve furrowed his brows, confused. First he was coming back from the dead, now he was thanking him when he had no idea what he had done. Hopper chuckled and shook his head before tensing his brows and sniffling.

Joyce had filled him in of the first 6 months he had missed and and overexcited Dustin filled him in on the last 2. Hopper had nothing but gratitude for the Harrington kid. He cleared his throat and then explained his reasoning, one that was plain and simple.

“For keeping her safe.”

***

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shewrites7 · 2 years

Text

Drunken Nights and Pinky Promises

steve harrington x fem!reader

summary - Your boyfriend of two months is getting on your last nerves, and your best friend Steve’s too. Steve can’t stand him, and you’re beginning to realize that neither can you, for reasons you don’t think you’re brave enough to admit—at least not without some alcohol. Luckily for you, Steve’s set on dragging you to a party with plenty of it.

type - one shot

word count [9.2k]

tags: Steve Harrington x f!reader, childhood best friends to lovers, heartbreak, “he’s not good enough for you”, a high school party, hurt comfort, secret pining, jealousy, pinky promises and an almost kiss. (no specific mention of appearance, race, etc.)

warnings: underage drinking, swearing

"Come on," you urged your boyfriend from over the phone, neck aching with how long you'd been on a call with him. During your snack break at work, nonetheless. "You know that's not what I said."

Danny, your boyfriend, was taking up a tone with you over the phone that would have you hanging up if it were anybody else. But this was Danny. You'd been dating him for two months now, and he was the only boy you'd ever seen manage to win over your parents. Well, other than Steve, that is.

You still didn't know how he'd managed to do it, but whatever Steve had done to get your parents to like him so much was the exact reason why he's managed to hold the position of your best friend for all these years, rather than just a few weeks. By then, your parents usually chase off anybody they think isn't good enough for their daughter's company.

But with him, they'd invited him to your house practically every day, too many sleepovers to count. Nights spent under blanket forts with eyes threatening to close from the heaviness of fatigue, pinkies interlocking as you swapped promises with each other you still hadn't broken to this day, where you worked at Family Video with your best friend practically every day, replacing sleepovers with quick goodnight's as he dropped you off in front of your house after a long midnight shift. It was tiring, but you wouldn't have it any other way.

The boy in question, Steve, was finishing up organizing the register from next to you behind the counter. Although seemingly focused on counting cash, it became increasingly difficult for him to focus on the task at hand as he listened to you argue with your boyfriend over the phone. It became near impossible when you decided to leave the phone lying on the counter face up so you could begin working again and keep talking on the phone all at once, walking back and forth behind the counter as your boyfriend's voice disrupted any silence that'd once existed in Family Video. Steve annoyingly acknowledged in his mind with a roll of his eyes that his voice sounded like nails on a chalkboard. It was a wonder to him how you put up with the boy for more than a minute at a time.

"I already told you," you said, your voice distant and occupied with organizing the horror films shelf. "Keith has been grumpier than ever, Danny. I can't just skip work to go to some random junior's party."

"It's not a random junior's party," argued Danny stubbornly. "If you went to more of my games, you'd know that this party is to celebrate Hawkins High's third official win of the season!"

Steve almost couldn't hold back a snort as he worked, not being able to help from eavesdropping.

You slapped your hands against your legs, turning towards the phone on the counter with a glare as if the boy on the other line could see you. "You know I go to all the basketball games I can! It isn't my fault I have to work all the time."

You could hear Danny scoff. "You spend more time at that damn job than you do with me."

Steve could see your frustration from where he sat, your cheeks flushing and fists clenching. God, this guy was a piece of work.

You shook your head to yourself. "You know I can't help it."

A rich, humorless laugh came from the phone. "Yeah, especially not when that Harrington is waiting for you at your job, right?"

Your cheeks flushed even more at your boyfriend's accusation, and you couldn't tell whether it was from anger or embarrassment.

It seemed as if you'd only now noticed Steve's presence in the room, looking at him guiltily like he'd caught you doing something criminal. Trying not to seem like he heard the conversation being shared from across the store, as impossible as it may be, Steve's eyes snapped back to the register and away from you, not wanting to further your embarrassment. It didn't take a genius, though, to know that your best friend had heard every word of your argument with Danny. An argument that you finally decided you'd had enough of.

"Danny, I'm not doing this right now." You stomped towards the counter, trying your best not to notice the clearly fake look of disinterest on Steve's face as he counted the same two dollars distractedly.

"You don't want to do anything anymore!"

Knowing that this conversation could go around in circles for hours more if you didn't end it soon, you picked up the phone once again.

"Danny, I'm really sorry, but I have to go."

You numbed yourself as his voice continued to shout anyway through the phone, loud enough that you were sure Steve could still hear him. But you had to get back to work, whether your boyfriend liked it or not. No longer listening to his muffled words, you bid him goodbye, promised to call him later, and hung up the phone for good.

Danny's voice rang through your mind, even after you hung up on him, but the silence of the store throbbed against your head almost painfully, the combination giving you a headache that was sure to stay with you for plenty more hours. All you wanted to do was head to bed early, but you were sure to be stuck working at the store until late into the night.

You turned to Steve who, though he still hadn't moved from his clearly artificial position of hunching over the register, you could tell was dying to say something. At the sound of your throat clearing, Steve looked up at you with a frustratingly superior look in his eyes.

"Oh, stop that," you spat sourly at him. He shrugged with feigned innocence.

"I wasn't going to say anything."

You squinted at his disbelievingly at his tone. "Sure you weren't."

You knew of the pile of words that were on the tip of his tongue, but you honestly weren't in the mood to hear what he had to say. Every time he talked about Danny, it was like trying to stop a train in its tracks. It was no secret how he felt about your boyfriend, his rants about him proving just how much he disliked him. Worst of all, deep down, you couldn't help but think that he was right about everything he said.

"Alright, Steve," you said tiredly. "Let it out."

Steve swirled in his stool, but you kept speaking, your mouth moving a mile a minute with frustration that you knew you were aiming at the wrong boy.

"Tell me how much of a basket case Danny is. Remind me how much of an idiot he is. Describe to me all of the ways you'd like to shut him up. I won't interrupt this time. I'm ready for it." You knew that was a lie—you were never ready for it.

"I just," Steve rubbed his chin, trying to add some casualty to his words. "I just think Danny is ..."

You gestured for him to continue.

"I just think he's more of a talker than he is, you know, a listener." He paused, letting you soak in his words. "I mean, when's the last time you had a conversation that didn't feel like you were talking to a wall?"

Even if he wasn't completely serious, you had to admit to yourself that Steve spoke the truth; speaking to Danny was like talking to a wall.

"And," he continued, "don't even get me started on that basketball bullshit. 'You don't want to do anything anymore'," Steve mocked your boyfriend's voice in a whiny tone. "It's like he's never worked a day in his life! Probably hasn't though, we all know what his house looks like from the parties he used to throw all the time. Not a very understanding dude."

He was right. Everything Steve was saying was right. But that didn't change the fact your blood always seemed to boil whenever Steve talked about a guy you were with, as if they were so absurdly idiotic that you had to be brainless to ever have dated them in the first place. You distracted yourself by organizing the contents of the drawer behind the counter, feverishly rearranging pens in a way that only ever seemed to make you more frustrated.

"Alright Steve, I-"

"It's always complaints with him." Steve didn't seem to hear you. "You'd think he was a middle-schooler with the way he whines. Scratch that, younger than a middle-schooler. Even Dustin never whines that much."

Steve was on a roll now. "And Jesus, that phone call... his voice is painful. I bet he loves the sound of his own voice. Never listens to anybody. Hey, remember when he got you that rose perfume for your birthday? You hate the smell of roses. Your face when he gave you that was priceless."

The blood rushing past your ears was practically all you could focus on as you held a pen in your hands, threatening to snap. You never really knew why Steve's words always had this effect on you. Sure, it could've been because he was almost always spot on about Danny. But when Steve would look into your eyes after telling you all the things he hates about your boyfriend, telling you that you could do so much better than him, that voice nagging you in the back of your mind wanted to yell out "Who? Who could I do better with?" Yet, you didn't want him to answer that question. You didn't know if your heart could take whatever he might say.

It felt to you like Steve talked for minutes more before stopping, noticing the way you gripped the pen in your hands like it was your lifeline.

"Woah, hey there," he cooed, gingerly taking the pen from your hands, concern lacing his voice and drawing his brows together. "You alright babe?"

Babe. No, no you weren't.

"You know, maybe Danny was right about one thing." You were snapped out of spiraling thoughts at Steve's admission of something you'd never thought he'd say.

"And what would that be?" You asked as you placed all the pens back into their proper spots again with a strained breath, slightly not believing him.

"That you need to get out more, have more fun."

You couldn't help but scoff. "And since when do you agree with anything Danny has to say?"

"Since I saw you trying to squeeze the life out of that pen just now." Steve popped a stick of gum in his mouth from his pocket, enjoying this too much. "I can't disagree about you working too much. You throw yourself into work like your life depends on it. This is Family Video, for God's sake. You can spare to ditch a few shifts."

You shook your head at him. "You have a lot of wise words for someone who used to wear a sailor cap to make a living."

Steve guffawed at your smirk, brown eyes gleaming up at you from his seat behind the register. "Well, you should be thanking this wise guy, cause he's the same guy who's gonna be taking you out partying tonight, whether you like it or not."

You stopped in your tracks, blinking. Steve threw an arm around your shoulder, loving your reaction and the alarmed look on your face.

"You heard me, partying. I'm sure you've heard of it. It's the thing most people do when they want to have some fun, you know, dancing, drinks, the occasional-"

You slap a hand over Steve's mouth to stop his poking fun at you. "Okay, you can stop now, Harrington."

Removing your hand from Steve's face, he prayed to God that you didn't think anything of the warmth of his cheeks when you touched his face in that way. He really had to get himself under control, he thought.

"So, I'll pick you up at your place tonight?" Steve asked, noticing the way you glanced down at your watch anxiously, always worrying about work and never yourself. He took your hand in his, drawing your attention away from your watch-bearing wrist.

"Hey," he said, eyes staring up into yours once more. "I'm serious. Don't forget to have a little fun once and a while. It can't all be work work work."

You looked down at you and Steve's hands, marveling at how his large ones completely cocooned yours in between. You shook your head. "You're forgetting we both fight monsters on a monthly basis."

Steve let out an amused breath. "Yeah, well, even the Ghostbusters had to catch a break every once and a while, right?" You squinted.

"I don't remember them ever partying."

Steve shook his head at your ability to always have a comeback ready. He gave your hand a squeeze, a suggestive smirk playing on his lips with a tilt of his head.

"Well, maybe we can be the first."

"You're overthinking this." Steve spoke the words into his phone for what seemed like the hundredth time as he drove to your house. Yes, that was probably a safety hazard, but he'd never been a stickler for the rules anyway. It seemed to him that the risks of leaving you alone to yourself to get ready for a party were higher than those that came with talking on the phone while driving, even at night. Your distressed tone from the other end made that all too clear.

"No, I'm just thinking rationally, Harrington," you reasoned back, your words mushed together as you applied red color to your lips. Steve wasn't the only one multitasking. "Who's gonna cover our shifts for us while we're out partying?"

"Don't worry about that, I've got it handled," placated Steve. What he wasn't saying, though, was that going to this party would cost him four nights' worth of extra shifts at Family Video, courtesy of Keith himself. To Steve, that was a small price to pay to finally get you to have some well-needed fun. He'd do practically anything to see your smile.

"Well, are you almost ready? I'm almost at your place."

Looking in the mirror, you began to panic. Were you almost ready? You had no idea what "ready" entailed for a party like this. One with way too many people packed into some teenager you didn't even know's house, loud music, and most definitely alcohol.

"Uh, yea. Almost ready." You fluffed up your hair in your vanity mirror just a bit before rushing to your closet, cellphone tucked in between your shoulder and neck.

"It doesn't sound much like it," teased Steve, turning the corner onto your street that he knew so well.

"Nope," came your wavering voice as you struggled to put your shoe on your foot, hopping up and down for balance. "I'm ready."

Steve put his car in park in front of your house, noticing the lights on inside your infamously pink-walled bedroom through your window. "Well, great! Cause I'm walking up to your door right now."

You almost tripped over your own feet, nervously laughing with poorly executed casualness. "You-you are?"

"Yep," said Steve chipperly into the phone. He climbed the two steps to your front door with a smug look on his face, peaking through the windows to try and see any sign of his best friend, his suspicion of your lie growing. "Not seeing you, though."

"Oh, don't you worry, Harrington," you assured with feigned confidence, finally hopping down the stairs, phone in hand still. "I'm all ready."

You finally reached the door, swinging it open assuredly, barely stable on your feet after rushing to get downstairs. You were greeted by Steve standing in your doorway, hands in pockets as he stared at his feet.

When he looked up, his smug look was wiped off his face in the blink of an eye. He couldn't possibly form enough thoughts to have any kind of expression other than awe at the view in front of him.

He took in your dress, a color that complimented your skin so perfectly it was like a watercolor painting, your flushed cheeks and slightly parted red lips, hair that was disheveled just enough to make you look effortlessly beautiful. He had to stop himself from reaching up and tucking a fallen piece behind your jeweled ear.

He hadn't said anything, but he didn't trust himself enough just to say anything just yet.

"Hey," you greeted, chest rising and falling with each heavy breath that your body took in from running down the stairs in those shoes. "'Told you I was ready."

He gulped, his throat ran dry. "Yeah, you, uh" Words, Steve. Words. "You look great." He could've smacked himself right then and there. Your painted lips tugged upwards in a warm smile.

"Thanks, Harrington." You scanned him over too, taking in his better quality jeans and nicely-fitting jacket. You nudged him in the arm. "You don't clean up too bad yourself."

Steve couldn't help but get lost in his thoughts for a beat too long before remembering you both still had a party to drive to. He snapped himself back into reality, back to sanity and security.

"Shall we leave?" He asked gesturing to his BMW and holding an arm out to you, to which you smiled fondly, taking his arm in yours.

"We shall."

The drive to the party felt longer than you would've liked, and the car felt warmer to you than it probably should've. Work wasn't the only reason you didn't go to a lot of parties. You'd always steered clear of them if you could and going to one now didn't feel any easier.

Steve, of course, noticed your weird behavior and rested a comforting hand on your knee for half of the drive there. You couldn't exactly say if that was making the temperature in the car feel any lower.

By the time you got there, Steve was parking down the block from the house that was clearly holding the party. You could hear the loud music booming from it even from houses away, your hands a sweaty mess. It was like the bass of the music beat in time with the thumping in your chest. You were surprised your leg shaking up and down didn't distract Steve from his driving a single time. He looked over at you, arm still resting on your knee.

"You ready to go in?" Steve looked at you with hopeful eyes.

"Would you let me stay in the car if I told you no?" Rolling his eyes, Steve gave an extra squeeze of your knee in comfort.

"Don't stress so much." He took your pinky in his, reminding you of how you used to do when you were young and stress-free. How you missed those times in a moment like this. "This'll be fun, I promise."

As much as you wanted to believe Steve, you couldn't help but let your nerves wash over you, them staying with you as he exited the car and opened your door for you, offering a hand for you to grab onto. You took it, praying he didn't comment on your sweaty palms even if you knew inside that he would never.

You both walked up to the house arm to arm, the music already loud enough for you to make out a Duran Duran tune coming from inside the house. The familiar scent of Steve's cologne helped soothe the whirlwind of thoughts inside your brain but made you realize just how much more party experience he had than you did. God, you did not want to be clinging to him the whole night in fear.

Steve could tell you were entering that nervous spiral of thoughts again and turned to you before you reached the door.

"Hey," he said softly, hands resting on your shoulders. "Get outside of that busy head of yours." His hands slid down the sides of your exposed arms. His touch mixed with the chill in the air sent a shiver up your body that you fought to keep down as you stood in front of him."C'mon. Let's head inside." He took your hand in his, taking the lead.

When you walked inside, the music struck your eardrums so loudly that you felt the vibrations in your chest, along with the smell of alcohol in your nostrils. Steve seemed unfazed by it all, looking down at you with an adorably wide grin. It was hard to forget, Steve wasn't just plain old Steve, cashier at Family Video, protector of twelve-year-olds, and official chauffeur. He was "King Steve." Even if he matured wildly from how he used to be, he was still used to all this. Parties like these were practically his element. You did the best impression of a smile you could, and it must have satisfied him enough to have him dragging you off further into the crowd of people.

You couldn't see much in the swarm of people dancing and yelling, red plastic cups in their hands with mysterious drinks you didn't want to know the contents of inside. The home the party was being hosted at was large enough to fit at least two or three of your own home inside. You made a bet that everyone at Hawkins High could fit inside this house, maybe even just the first floor. Of course, this did nothing to soothe your nerves.

It wasn't long before Steve found some people he knew, booming voices yelling "Harrington!" over the music. He went over to greet them, still holding onto your hand as he did. You recognized one of them as Mitch, a kid he used to play basketball with, but couldn't put a name to any of the other faces. They didn't pay you much attention as they conversed, only sparing glances at you that strayed too far South for your liking. Soon, talk of beer pong arose and Steve turned to you right away, leaning down a bit to hear you over the noise of the party.

"You okay by yourself?"

You wanted to say no, to stay within the comfort of Steve and let him keep you close to his side, keeping him selfishly for you and only you. But you could tell Steve wanted to play and, knowing him, he'd stay here next to you all night if you asked him to. It wasn't fair to keep Steve from going off with his friends and having fun just because you were a little nervous at a high school party. You smiled up at him.

"Yea, I'll be fine." You squeezed his arm and had to swallow down your intrusive thoughts of how firm his bicep was. "Go have fun."

The brunette looking down at you smiled his contagious smile again and left a kiss on your forehead before letting himself be dragged off by his friends. A kiss that left your cheeks warm and face feeling fuzzy. And before you knew it, Steve was out of sight and you were standing alone at a stranger's party.

A couple of minutes went by before you came to the conclusion that standing against the wall like a loner wasn't keeping up your end of the bargain with Steve. You promised him you'd try to have fun, let loose a little. You could only imagine all the things he'd say to you right now if he was still next to you. You couldn't tell if trying to socialize would make this any more fun for you, but you didn't really have a choice soon because someone was knocking into you from behind, almost spilling their drink on you.

"Shit, my bad," came a deep voice. When he fully turned around, you recognized him as one of Danny's friends, Scott. He stumbled into you, bracing himself with a hand over your head against the wall, too close for comfort. You could smell the alcohol on him.

"It's alright..." you said, taking a step away for some distance. He only just seemed to recognize you and a look took over his face that you couldn't read clearly in the dark lighting.

"Hey," he blurted. "Didn't Dan say you couldn't make it tonight?"

You shrugged. "I managed to get off of work. Thought it'd be nice to surprise him." You were surprised at how fast the lie came to your lips. You'd almost forgotten Danny would be here. Now, you couldn't help but wonder what he would say if he saw that you'd decided to show up with Steve as your escort.

Scott let out a gurgled sound under his breath that sounded like a laugh. "Oh, he'll be surprised." He looked around before turning back to you. "Want a drink?"

You shook your head, looking around too to see what was so funny. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. "Have you seen Danny anywhere?"

"Nope." He smiled. "I'll bet he's looking for you right now. You should go find him."

You didn't like the feeling that caught in your stomach as you looked at Scott's grin, but you brushed it aside for something spurred by all the alcohol in his system.

"Thanks, I will."

He saluted you off and laughed to himself some more, strolling away into the crowd and downing some more of his drink. Maybe it was the smell of alcohol around you and the lack of open space, but the sick feeling in your stomach was refusing to be pushed down. You decided to try and see if you could find something to drink that was nonalcoholic. A glass of water had never seemed so nice.

People crowded around every inch of space in the house, elbows pushing into you as you made your way through the jumble of bodies partying in the living room. The center of the room came into view, decorated with expensive-looking furniture and a coffee table covered with empty cups. And there, laying on one of the couches was your boyfriend. You got a closer look, and suddenly you wished you hadn't. You'd found him and you hadn't even looked for him. Now, you wished you never had.

He wasn't the only body laying on the couch. It may have been dark, but it was light enough for you to take in every square inch of the scene before you, one that had you recoiling, almost stumbling back.

Danny had his face pressed into some girl's, his body laying flushed underneath her's. You'd never seen her before, light hair coiled in curls that brushed against your boyfriend's face. He was so completely enamored by the random girl on top of him that he didn't even notice his girlfriend standing a few feet away from him, absolutely shattered.

"Danny?" you called, ashamed of how your voice broke almost immediately. It wasn't even him who noticed you first, but the girl on top of him. She broke away from their heated kiss and looked up at you with a look of disinterest, shaking the shoulder of the boy underneath her and gesturing to you.

He craned his neck from his position to look at you, eyes taking you in as if he had to scan his brain on who you were. When he did, he scrambled to push the girl off of him and stand up next to the couch, the girl scoffing and walking to another guy carelessly as if realizing what was going on and deciding the drama was too much for her. Danny's sloppy appearance, his undone collar, and messy hair, showing signs of someone running their hands through it, made you green with disgust.

"Babe," he said, readjusting his shirt with a pathetic attempt at a casual smile. "I thought you weren't coming." He took his turn at scanning over my appearance too, eyes stopping a beat too long at my chest. "You look hot." Bile rose in your throat with disgust. You had no desire to thank him.

"I managed to get away from work and thought it'd be a nice surprise if I came, Danny." You shook your head, mad that you could feel your eyes water. "Turns out I'm the one who got a surprise."

People started to stop their conversations and look at the two of you, prying eyes making you even more unsettled. Danny took a step closer to you, but you couldn't tell if it was genuine or just an act. You couldn't tell what was real now.

"Look, Babe," he held out hands in front of him, almost as if he was trying to reach for you. You could smell the alcohol on him from where you stood. The last thing in the world that you wanted was for him to be trying to comfort you right now. He reached out and touched your arm, but you pulled back sharply.

"Don't touch me. And don't call me that."

You could tell that took a swing at his ever-swelling ego. His eyes were cold beneath the mask he was wearing like he was angry at you for your reaction, for doing it in front of all these people. Like he didn't understand your anger.

"Don't make this a big deal," he said, with a glance at the crowd like he expected them to agree with him.

It really was like talking to a wall.

"'Make this a big deal?'" You yelled exasperatedly. "Are you serious right now?" You were ashamed of how you knew you looked right then, on the verge of tears and about to break down right in front of all these people. Danny knew you didn't handle crowds like this well, but that didn't seem to stop him.

"You're always giving me bullshit excuses when I ask to hang out. Did you really expect me to wait around for you to stop being boring?"

It felt like his words were darts and you were the dart board. You didn't know if you had it in you to shout back another argument. You just wanted to leave this stupid party.

You shook your head, taking one last look last look at the boy you thought had been your boyfriend before you began stalking off. You didn't get far.

"Don't pretend like you haven't done the same with Harrington before!"

His shouted words had your blood boiling in a way that had you turning right back around, a wave of fiery anger bringing your palm up to hit Danny right on the side of his face with enough force to have his head whip right to the side. Some people in the crowd gasped, some clearly enjoying this like it was their own personal soap opera. It only made the ringing in your ears louder as you involuntarily tried to block everything out.

"Keep his name out of your fucking mouth." You pushed the palm of your hand to his chest, sending him stumbling a few feet backward. "I hope I never have to hear your voice again."

This time, you made sure you put enough distance between you and him so that you wouldn't hear any of his scathing, drunk remarks anymore. Enough distance so that he couldn't see the way your features shook with the effort of holding back a sob. People danced all around you as you hurriedly tried to be anywhere but next to Danny, swaying hips and not a care in the world. Meanwhile, you felt like the air around you was swallowing you whole.

You passed by the front door, the frame of it calling to you to give you the fresh air your lungs needed greatly. But you couldn't leave without Steve and you had no idea where he was. Yet, the idea of going back to partying like he'd wanted you to seemed near impossible now.

You didn't know what had come over you, but when you passed by a table with every inch of its surface covered in red cups filled with brown liquid, they didn't seem as unappealing to you as they had just fifteen minutes ago. You knew you shouldn't, but when you felt the sting of your palm from the slap you'd given Danny just a moment ago, you used that same hand to grab a cup and bring its contents to your lips.

You hated the power some stupid boy had over you. You wanted to drown out every thought of him that was stored in the contents of your mind. The alcohol burned when it reached the back of your mouth, and you had to scrunch your features together just to get it down. But when you found yourself coming back for a second cup, then a third, it wasn't the taste that had you downing each cup with a wince. It was the way every image of Danny's face softened and blurred in your mind into a swirl of shapes the more you drank. You were addicted to the feeling. Or maybe, the fact that it took away any feeling.

You didn't know how much you'd drank, but you did know that you couldn't help the way your body danced to the music blasting in your ears, or the way you lost track of time. You hadn't even registered the people you were next to, dancing right by them and joining the crowd of people you'd vowed you could never learn to be comfortable around, so unfazed by the party scene.

You felt yourself bump right into a firm body, one that sent you swaying backward on your feet a bit. The feeling of hands coming up to grip the sides of your arms in a firm but comforting hold was oh so familiar. You couldn't make out the crisp edges of the face above you that you should've been able to, but it was impossible for you to miss the way their cologne swarmed around you in a comforting cocoon, and how your first instinct was to lean closer to them, to let your limbs that felt too heavy to hold up be held against him.

"Babe," he called. It was the same name that Danny had called you, making your head pound and your heart sting. But coming from this mouth, it replaced that sting with a slightly warmer feeling.

"Stevie?" you called softly, letting a grin lazily come over you as you looked up at this person that you'd know anywhere. You wanted him to smile back at you, but a frown was evident on his face from what you could see, brows pulled together and eyes scanning over you as if he was checking for signs of harm on some fragile object. Your words slurred together. "Whatsamatter?" His frown only deepened.

"Are ... Are you drunk or something?"

You frowned. "What?" You looked at him amusedly but Steve didn't return the sentiment. "Pfft." A giggle came out from your lips as you raised your hands to his face, pushing the corners of his lips upward in a way that warped his mouth into an obscure-looking smile. "C'mon Stevie, smile. We're at a party, not a funeral." You threw your hands up into the air whimsically. "Don't you just love parties?"

Steve shook his head and the crease between his brows only got deeper. "Holy shit, you are drunk. This really isn't what I meant by 'let loose'." He looked at you confusedly. "This isn't like you, what's going on?"

Something inside you began to curl up and threaten to come up to the surface. Something you only wanted to keep pushed down. You dropped your arms. "Why don't you ask Danny?"

Even if you didn't mean to, you spat out his name like the word was venomous. Steve could've read that you were upset even if you hadn't said his name like that. He always could read you better than anyone else.

"What the hell happened with Danny?"

You didn't want to talk about it. For too many reasons. "Like I said, ask him." You breathily laughed, but it didn't feel happy like a laugh should. "Better yet, ask his girlfriend."

Steve looked at you quizzically, frustrated that he couldn't solve this puzzle so easily. But he had a bad feeling creeping up in his gut. "What are you talking about? You're his girlfriend."

"Really?" you said, your tone loopy and wild even if you felt anything but, deep inside. The alcohol helped hide that. "I could've sworn it was that bimbo on the couch with him just a few minutes ago." You scratched your head, still tipsy, if you could even call it that. "Or maybe it was a few hours ago. Hey, what time is it?"

Steve stopped in his tracks, ignoring your question as he visibly tensed.

"Crap," he ran a hand through his hair stressfully. "Are you saying that dick cheated on you?"

You shrugged. You didn't feel like saying the words. Something in Steve's eyes changed. A muscle in his jaw ticked and he shook his head, muttering to himself.

"I'm gonna kill him."

You knew Steve wasn't a violent person, but he's never been the type to back down from a fight he thought was rightful. You could run through the times he's come home with a black eye before, whether from dumb fights in school or run-ins with evil Russians. Either way, you didn't want to find out if he was serious or not.

You took his clenched fist into your hands. "Hey," you said softly. But suddenly it was hard for you to balance by yourself, and you fell into Steve's chest. It was like your limbs were liquid. "I-I don't feel so good."

Steve's demeanor changed instantly, and he quickly put aside thoughts of your asshole ex-boyfriend as he held you softly, like you could break in his hands any second. He let out a breath above from where your head was pressed against his chest that sounded like a laugh. "Yea, maybe it's cause you had like how many cups of beer?"

You thought for a second, but you couldn't even think of an answer. "I don't remember."

Steve sighed like a mother and moved you so that you were pressed into his side with an arm thrown over his shoulder. Then he started to walk with slow steps that used too much of your effort for it to be normal.

"C'mon, there you go," he said, encouraging you. The close proximity of his face to yours made you even dizzier. You felt your eyes flicker to his lips, but you had enough sanity still in you to draw them away to the rest of his face, taking in his soft features. He was so pretty. Steve coughed suddenly.

"I'm ... pretty?" he asked, the tips of his ears tinting pink in an adorable way as he kept walking with you in his arms. Crap.

"Did I say that out loud?" you laughed, slightly stumbling over your own feet. Steve caught you in no time, of course, arms wrapping around you tighter. That did nothing to make your face turn less red. You thanked God it was dark.

"You must be drunk out of your mind." Steve looked like he was thinking about something and then shook his head, chasing a thought away. You wanted to ask what was going on in his head at the moment, but you'd run out of passes for how many times you could make a fool of yourself tonight, so you decided to keep quiet as Steve dragged you to a staircase at the end of the hall.

With slow, agonizingly slow, steps, you made it up the stairs to a bathroom more secluded from the rest of the party. Steve turned on the lights and shut the door behind you, the bright lights an attack on your senses that had you pressing your head into Steve's chest with a groan. He softly laughed from above you with a few pats on your back.

"I think I'm gonna be sick."

His hand stopped in its tracks and he pulled you away from him, hands on your shoulders. "And that, my friend, is why we're in the bathroom." He gestured towards the toilet. "Behold."

You groaned again, head leaning back into his shoulder. "Gross." You liked to believe that you had enough dignity left in you to not be vomiting in the toilet at a high school party. Then, you practically threw yourself towards the toilet like your life depended on it, retching as the last hour came pouring out of you. Forget dignity.

Steve moved to hold your hair up as you threw up into the toilet, hands soft and gentle. You didn't need to turn around to know he was probably wincing and holding back laughter.

It felt like your insides were burning as your stomach emptied itself. For a second, you thought it had finished, both hands braced on the sides of the porcelain seat as you breathed heavily.

"You done?" Steve asked softly from behind you. "See, that wasn't all that-"

His comforting words were cut off as you retched back into the toilet bowl. Your throat ached and your eyes watered. You were miserable. The whole time, Steve rubbed comforting circles into your back. And when your body finally felt like it had rid itself of all the alcohol you'd drank, you slumped back against the wall tiredly, not even able to hold your own head up.

Steve flushed the toilet for you and sat down against the sink, across from where you sat. Your feet touched with the lack of room, both leaning back. You wanted to burry yourself in the sheets of your bed and never come out. You sighed.

"That was definitely a low point in my life." Steve waved a hand dismissively like he hadn't just gotten a glimpse at the contents of your stomach.

"Throwing up in the toilet is a partying right of passage," he comforted. He breathed out a sound like a laugh. "Same with the awful hangover you'll get in the morning."

You groaned, head falling into your hands. "I am an idiot."

You closed your eyes as you buried yourself further into your hands, taking shelter in the dark. Even if you were technically still drunk, sobriety hit you like a truck, everything having to do with Danny coming back to you in a crashing wave of memories. The image of him underneath that girl. His words, how he'd called you boring. How he'd shown no sign of regret for what he's done.

Tears pricked your eyes, sneaking up on you when you hadn't wanted them there in the first place. All night, you'd held back tears, but never actually cried, cried like you're supposed to after a breakup. After being cheated on. But now, in the shelter of the bathroom without so many prying eyes, it was like your body decided for you that now was the time.

Were you really crying because of Danny? You'd never really felt attached to him in the way a girlfriend should and, obviously, he hadn't been too attached to you either. Somehow, that didn't soothe the ache in your chest any less. It didn't stop your eyes from watering, silent tears slipping down silently. Didn't stop a sob from then making its way from deep in your chest to the edge of your lips, echoing loudly in the bathroom, loud enough that Steve could most definitely hear. He moved to sit closer to you.

"Woah, hey," came his soft voice. A hand gingerly rested on your forearm, comforting you. "What's the matter?"

You peaked up at him from behind your hands, still crying. He took one look at your teary eyes and what had happened only just over an hour ago must have hit him. His eyes look apologetic but never judging.

"Sorry, dumb question."

You wanted to laugh at him, but you didn't know if that would trigger another wave of vomiting. Instead, you just let more tears fall.

The only sounds in the bathroom were your sobs and sniffling from your runny nose, the soft shuffle of Steve rubbing your arm comfortingly, and the dim music coming from downstairs. You could faintly hear Pat Benatar's Heartbreaker playing loudly. How ironic.

"You're not an idiot."

Steve's voice echoed through the bathroom, disrupting the melancholy silence. You finally brought your head out from in your arms and leaned back against the wall again, but tears still fell onto your cheeks.

"Well, I sure feel like one..." your bottom lip shook as you spoke. "How could I not have seen it?" Your head moved from side to side, ashamed. "With all the parties he goes to without me, who knows how many more times he's done this? How many more girls he's been with?"

"Don't think like that," Steve said, trying to cut in. You were too carried away wallowing in your own thoughts to listen.

"He's always been a crappy boyfriend to me. Always. I just didn't want to admit it because ... because of too many reasons. It's my fault for not ending it sooner, for letting him treat me like shit for so long just because I didn't have the tits to tell him he was a jerk to his face. It's my fault for-"

"Stop it." Steve couldn't stand to listen to you blame yourself any longer. He couldn't listen to you tear yourself up over a boy who had treated you so badly. He figured Danny was downstairs right now partying the night away without a care for who he'd hurt. He wanted to hurt him back, badly. But there was no way he would let you out of sight for a moment, not when you were shaken up over this boy who'd driven you to drown yourself in alcohol just to forget about how much he'd hurt you.

His voice took a tone stern enough to cut into your ranting and have you listening to what he had to say. "He may have been a jerk, but you're not an idiot. And it's not your fault. None of this is. It's not, okay?"

His eyes pierced yours, a deep earthy brown that made your stomach churn from the intensity they were taking up and had you feeling guilty for speaking so badly of yourself. Steve could do that. You nodded slowly.

"Now," he said, holding out his pinky finger. "When we leave this bathroom and go home for the night, I need you to promise me you're not gonna keep on blaming yourself for this happening. Because it's not your fault, understand?"

Your lips trembled, but your heart swelled with how much you loved the boy in front of you. You took his pinky in yours, squeezing lightly.

"I promise."

He nodded, satisfied. "Okay good. Now, I want you to tell me that I'm the best friend a girl could ever have, got it?"

With the serious look that Steve still had in his eyes as you look at him, you couldn't help but smile.

"Yes. You, Steve Harrington, are the best friend a girl could ever have." Thinking about the words, you realized how true they are. "You really are ... thank you for doing all this, for not running away when I almost threw up on you." You snorted. "I don't know what I'd do without you." He flapped his hand out.

"Alright, alright. Enough thanking, I'm the best, I know."

You laughed at his antics, and there it was. That smile he'd taken overtime at work just to see. The smile that hit him like a truck every time, the one that made his knees weak and his head dizzy. The smile he'd pay anything in the world to have a lifetime's supply of. He smiled back.

"And, for the record," Steve said, voice dreamy with thoughts of you. "I don't know what I'd do without you either."

A comfortable silence overtook you and Steve for a moment. You were already feeling a thousand times better, but it took effort to keep the smile on your face. Steve could see how your eyes still held a sadness in them that he knew wouldn't leave you for at least a little while, and all he wanted to do was reach out, wipe the tears off of your cheeks and tell you how amazing you were. Considering you for a second, something in Steve's stare softened. He cleared his throat.

"Hey, um, you know how I told you that you looked great when I picked you up earlier?"

You blinked, leaving your thoughts behind and having no idea where your best friend could possibly be going with this. Either way, you nodded slowly, hesitantly. Steve chewed on his lip, a habit you knew he'd had since you were little.

"Yea, well, I didn't mean really mean to say that." Your jaw slacked.

"Steve what-"

"Wait, crap, that wasn't what I meant." He ran a hand through his hair, which had an extra amount of product in it for the occasion. He really wanted to get this right.

"What I really meant was that," he ran his tongue over his bottom lip like he was nervous, "that you look more than great. Stunning. That you look like the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. I just ... I didn't know how to put it into words right then and there. I still don't." His eyes raked over you, and you couldn't believe how much love they held as they raked over your runny-mascara-wearing, still slightly nauseous, hardly sober state. "Even now. You'll always look stunning to me."

You felt your heartbeat speed up from inside your chest. Had he always looked at you like that? Like he was so deeply entranced by you? Like you held all the answers to the world's secrets inside of you?

You didn't know exactly what to say, where this was coming from. You looked at him deeply, trying to figure out just that. Instead, you let your eyes wander to each inch of his face, one that you've known for years and should've been fully acquainted with. But, you couldn't help but think, had Steve's eyes always shimmered so brightly? Did his hair always look so soft? His lips so pink? God, how could someone look so angelic in bathroom lighting?

"I don't know how you can say that with how I must look right now," you commented with a soft smile, suddenly insecure. You went to brush a piece of your hair back, but Steve caught your hand tenderly in his own.

"You look beautiful." A blush spread through your face and Steve's heart fluttered at the sight. "You're beautiful." He didn't know where this sudden surge of confidence was coming from, but he didn't want to let the moment pass.

You couldn't figure it out either, what had made him suddenly want to tell you all this. Deep inside you, you hoped that the reason was the same one that had you blushing under his gaze. The same reason you'd always felt a connection to him, one stronger than any other best friends you'd known. There was a reason your parents, as strict as they were, always kept Steve around. Did they see something more?

A feeling of hopefulness swelled deep in your chest. Hopfuless and curiosity.

"Steve," you asked quietly. He hummed in response. You were still close, Steve still holding your hand in his. You could count his lashes and the beauty marks on his face. You took a breath in.

"Is there any reason why you're telling me all this?"

Steve's features were unmoving, everything but his eyes that seemed to dilate and swirl like pools of chocolate and honey. He slightly shook his head as his lips tried to form an answer.

"Because I think you need to hear it."

His answer was sweet, so genuine that you ached because you knew Steve was too good for you, too good for this world. But your heart still ached for another answer, one that you were too scared to voice yourself. But, when else would the opportunity come?

"Are you sure there's no other reason?"

Steve looked at you, eyes trying to read yours with a sense of desperation strong enough to have the corners of his eyes creasing. Did he understand what you were asking? He gave your wrist a squeeze, like he was looking for the courage to answer from the very point where your bodies met.

"No," he said. "I'm not sure." He interlaced the fingers of both your hands. "I just," he tucked his bottom lip beneath his top nervously. "I don't know if you'd want to hear the other reason."

Your heartbeat was fast enough that you were sure he could hear it. Could feel it, pulsing from your chest to the hands that he held. You were both pouring your hearts out with hidden messages and disguised confessions. You hoped with all of your heart that Steve meant what you thought he did.

"I think," you squeezed his hand, "I think I do want to hear the other reason. I think I really, really do."

Steve leaned forward so that your foreheads met. It reminded you of nights spent together as kids, pinky promises, and shared secrets. This secret would be the biggest of them all.

"I'm just scared that the reason might scare you off. That ... that it might not be what you want to hear. That it isn't what you think it is."

As you stared into his eyes with your own, you realized you hadn't been more sure of anything else in your life. Even if it was cliche, even if you both probably should've stopped doing this years ago, you held up your pinky finger. "Trust me, it's what I want to hear."

Steve noticed your finger, meekly held out in the air waiting for a response. Even if the tradition was old, too old, he raised his pinky and interlocked it with yours. He grinned.

"Okay good, 'cause I don't know how much longer I could've hidden it." He looked down at your interlocked fingers, and then back at you. "You're not just my best friend. You haven't been, for too long for me to admit." He gripped your hand in his, interlocked hands and pinky fingers squeezing. "You're the girl I fell in love with."

Your heart swelled. "And you, Steve Harrington," you breathed, "are the boy that I fell in love with. Hard. And I've truly been an idiot for trying to keep that a secret."

Steve smiled, an adorable gleam in his eye.

"What'd I tell you about calling yourself an idiot?" You grinned back.

"Well, that's one pinky promise I might have to break."

You both laughed with love-filled smiles, and when your heads came closer together, an explosion of emotions melted into every inch of your body. Somehow, the distance never closed. You were about to frown, but Steve rested his head on yours again.

"I want this, so bad that it hurts. Trust me." He fondly smiled down at you, brushing a piece of hair out of your face to behind your ear. "You don't know how long I've thought about this moment. How many times I've imagined it. Which is why, I'd prefer if we were both completely sober when I kiss my best friend for the first time. I want us both to remember every detail." He laughed softly under his breath. "And maybe not nauseous. That'd help."

You wanted to be upset, but then you broke out into a fit of laughter, eyes squinting enough so hard that you couldn't even see Steve's relieved and laughing face. He wrapped his arms around you, holding you in his arms as you both laughed warmly to each other on the floor of a stranger's bathroom.

You were sure you smelled of alcohol and nausea, but it didn't matter. Nothing seemed to, anymore. You knew, just knew, that this is where you want to be. Right here, in the arms of Steve, the boy you fell for, hard. You could promise it.

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