#steve harrington x mayfield!reader

[lighteyed]

it's no big surprise you turned out this way

steve harrington x fem mayfield!reader

[3.7k] steve comes over for family dinner. it is absolutely not your idea.

disclaimer- no mention of blood relation to max, no physical descriptors of reader, they are sisters in any way you want them to be. trigger warning for shitty parents and billy h*rgrove. this is not a billy safe space.

dividers by @saradika-graphics and @cafekitsune

thanks for reading if you do <3 enjoy teehee

You drop a kiss on Steve’s head in greeting, which he accepts with a thrilled, in-a-new-relationship, glowing smile, before dropping down beside him and subsequently dropping your news, or rather, your request that’s not really your request, on him. “Neil wants you to come over for dinner.” You tense at the utterance of your stepfather’s name, even if it’s your own mouth doing the uttering.

   His smile dissipates. Only a little, but enough for you to wring your hands together. You want to scoop all the words you’d just said back out from his ears and spoon them into your mouth again. Make him forget it’d ever happened. “Like, like family dinner?” He asks. He can’t fathom a world where he sits placid across the table from Billy Hargrove and passes him the salt respectably and doesn’t end the night with his fist colliding with his face (regardless of the outcome).

   “No, it’d just be you and him, he’s dying to take you out on a date,” you deadpan in response, shaking your head. Steve rolls his eyes, no malice intended. “Obviously family dinner, Steve. You, me, Max, my mom, Neil… Billy.” You force out the final name. He swears he hears your teeth grinding as you say it.

   “Don’t get grouchy on me.” He reaches over and smooths out the upset crease between your brows. Your shoulders relax in response. You’re always so wound up he’s made it his mission to give you that ease he knows you crave. He’s quite good at it, on days where he can steal you away and keep your mind occupied with the lovelier things in life. But there are some things he can’t spare you from, as much as he tries.

   Really, he can only keep you out of that house for so long before your family starts demanding their 17-year-old back.

   For the most part you keep away. Max roams the new mall all day with her friends now that June’s here and summer’s entered Hawkins in full swing, and you drive them there with your mom’s car if she doesn’t need it for the day, or Steve drives you all there and then home again if he’s not at work already that morning. If he has work you loiter in Scoops the entire day, lugging a stack of books acquired from the library and settling in a corner booth, popping your head up once in awhile to check on him and his misery in his new position in that ridiculous uniform. You brighten his days just as much as he brightens yours. And he really, really does. (And you like the uniform, as silly as it is, for the record).

   “’M not grumpy,” you deflate, pressing your forehead into his shoulder. He rubs your back in a nice, soothing way when you lean into him. Ever since he asked you out he’s been taking every excuse to touch you and you’re not complaining in the slightest. He has the softest hands you’ve ever held and they’re perpetually gentle and kind. All the love in the world encased in the hands of some boy from Hawkins, Indiana, a place you never expected to find a home in, let alone find a boy. The boy, if you thought about it long enough. Early days to be thinking about it but you did think about it. Often. For hours. You sigh quietly. “I can tell ‘em you’re busy, you don’t have to come.”  

   “Max knows I’m not busy,” he points out.

   “She doesn’t wanna be there, either. Look, I’ll just say you can’t come-“

   “But I can.”

    You lift back up, wary, but hopeful. A new flower poking its petals up from the earth, tilting right toward the sun.  “I don’t wanna make you miserable.”

   “That’s stupid,” he scoffs. He kisses your head this time, the perfumy scent of your shampoo fogging his brain up in a nice, lovey haze. “How could you make me miserable? You’re like, the best thing I’ve ever had, by a mile.”

   You smile in spite of your gloomy mood. “The fuckin’ Hargroves have an innate knack for misery.”

    “It’s a good thing you’re not a Hargrove then, hm, Mayfield?” He brushes your hair away from your face and  takes your chin in his hand, angling your face up properly to meet his, and he kisses you like he well and truly means it, firm and adoring. You can feel his grin seared into your mouth when you pull away, in spite of your reluctance and Steve’s attempts to pull you back in.

   . “You really wanna come? It won’t be fun. It’ll probably be shitty, actually.” You ask him in a tiny, hesitant voice, too overcompensating to someone who do anything you asked of him. Having Steve there sounds better than not having him there, and better than having to explain why he’s chosen not to come, but you know it’ll be weird. Worse than weird. After what happened back in November, him and Billy go out of their way to ignore one another, and it’s so deliberate it sucks the air out of a room. And even with that, Billy still makes it a point to direct snide remarks to you about Steve every chance he gets: alone, in front of Max, in front of your parents, in front of Steve himself while pretending he’s not there. And it’s gotten worse since you admitted to your mother in confidence that you and Steve were together now, and she told Neil, and Neil told Billy. But there’s no running from being at the same dinner table as him. You know you’re asking a lot. You wouldn’t be asking if Neil hadn’t insisted. In a loud, pointed voice, with a stare that unnerved you. You’d agreed to it hurriedly after that.

   “Well,” Steve leans back, playful, “want to is a bit of a stretch but I can make an exception for ya-“

   “Steve-“ you groan, pushing his chest, but he laughs, pushing himself back forward, smacking another loud kiss on your mouth.

   “Kidding, I’m kidding, c’mere,” his fingers grip your waist feather-light, tickling, as he laughs, and you can’t help but laugh too through your head shakes and faux-exasperated sighs.

  “I’m really asking you if you want to, I know it’s a lot asking you to make nice with Billy.” You interlace your fingers with his and he places them on your lap, all big brown eyes blinking up at you affectionately. You’re a sucker for his eyes. You can tell what he’s going to say before he says it.

   “Nothin’s too much for you,” he says in his sweet, low voice, another kiss pressed to your cheek, his stamp of agreeance left blazing there on your cheek.

   Late into the next day he arrives on 4819 Cherry Lane, as he has so many times before, but he parks right in front and gets out this time. He doesn’t sit by the wheel waiting for you to come running out, sometimes with Max in toe, usually by yourself, breathless and beaming, ready for him to whisk you away as fast as he can without breaking a million laws. He knows it’s not the gentlemanly thing to do, having a girl come to the car by herself instead of going up and ringing her bell, and normally he would, but you insisted he didn’t, not wanting to draw attention to yourself or him, and you were already waiting outside on the front steps when he got there most of the time, anyway.

   And this time, too, you get the door before he can ring the bell, almost ripping it off the hinges when you throw it open to greet him.

   “Thank God,” you mutter. You go to take his hand but remembers yours is sweaty and pull back. The sweater you’re wearing is pretty, complements your eyes and complexion and your everything, and your hair is down and soft-looking. He’d run his hands through it in other circumstances. “It’s not too late to make a break for it,” you lead him into the house quietly, throwing your head back and casting a dark look down the hallway. “Just say the words and we can flee, I won’t blame you.” He’s dressed so nicely, and you don’t even have the time to properly admire him. He did his hair all perfect (he always does but you can tell he put a little extra sparkle into it tonight), he’s in his nicest jeans that mold against his legs slim and fit, his sweater is a navy blue and it’s such a good color on him you might cry. You can see effort written in everything he does, tonight especially. His desire to make a good impression rings in your heart. You want to regard him warmly and turn your gaze on him with the utmost veneration but your skin buzzes with anxiety and it feels like one large, domineering fist is clamped around your intestines. 

   “It’ll be fine,” he says, squeezing your hand. He doesn’t even notice that it’s sweaty, though your anxiety is palpable and he amps up his happy exterior to balance you out. He’s probably just as nervous as you are, deep down. “Parents love me.” It’s an insistent sentence. “And I’m gonna turn on my charm.” He makes a clicking sound with his mouth and snaps his fingers around a little. You stare at him, blank. Neil is rumbling around somewhere in the distance and for the time being you are utterly immune to Steve’s banter.

   Not completely, but enough. “I don’t know if that’s the kinda charm we need here,” you pat his shoulder.

   “But it can’t hurt,” he points out with a raised eyebrow, pointing a finger gun at you.

   “Oh, it can hurt alright.” You steer him into the living room anyway. “Steve is here.”

   You announce it to the open air, waiting to see who comes when you call. Your mom, immediately, rushes out of the kitchen to greet him. She’s never met one of your boyfriends before. Her greeting is enthusiastic, to say the least. And she’s a hugger. It’s nice, actually, Steve thinks, no matter how embarrassed and nervous you are, to be embraced kindly by a mother. It’s familiar, like some distant dream from a faraway past. You have your qualms with Susan, he knows that, but he knows you love her hard, and that’s why you take so much issue with the way she lets herself be treated. It’s difficult to watch you grapple with all of this, all of the time.

  “It’s so nice to meet you, Steve, or Steven? Whatever you want,” she rubs his back as she takes him into the kitchen alongside you.

   “Steve is great, thank you, Mrs. May-“ he clears his throat, “Mrs. Hargrove, I mean.“ It’s hard to reconcile this woman in front of him with the domineering men bearing that same last name. It’s hard to distinguish her as anything but another piece of you and Max. A good piece.

   “The girls talk about you all the time,” Susan says, still smiling.

   “I do not,” Max huffs as she comes out of her room, abashed. She’s in a nice outfit, too. Not as dressed down as she usually is. She tugs at her tied back hair like it hurts.

   “Ma, how tight did you do her hair?” You ask, beckoning Max over.

   “It pops out of every scrunchie!” Susan says, patting her on the head with such clear affection it makes Steve ache a little.

   “Maxie.” You open your arms for her. She stands in front of you obediently as you loosen the hold her hair ties have on her unruly locks, smoothing them out nicely as you tie it back up again, looser.

    Everything’s so nice and homey that the shift in the atmosphere is almost imperceptible when a door creaks open a bit away from you four. But it’s there. He sees you draw back into yourself, your smile, at him talking to your mom and being so sweet, at Max, at the normalcy of this moment, sliding right off your face as Neil walks into the room. You’d almost forgotten him. You could’ve stayed in a bubble with your mom and sister and beautiful boyfriend forever. But Neil comes out from the hallway, from Billy’s bedroom, and Billy follows behind, fully clothed for once, his shirt buttoned all the way up his chest, his expression dark and cloudy. His jaw is tight as his gaze fixes on Steve.

   But Steve, so gracious, sticks his hand out to shake Neil’s, smiling like Neil’s spawn isn’t the worst person Steve’s ever encountered as he introduces himself. “Nice to meet you, sir. Steve Harrington.” He keeps his mouth upturned sweet and polite even when Billy snorts in the background. He doesn’t even look in his direction.

    “Nice to meet you, too, Steven.” Neil’s handshake is more like a clenched fist. You stare at their clasped hands like you want to commit murder. Steven.

   “Steve, not Steven,” you mutter. Max touches your arm in warning before Steve can. You can’t help it. If there’s anyone you’re defensive over besides her, it’s him.

   “Steven’s fine,” he chimes in, keeping that same old good-natured Steve smile on his face. He’s too appeasing and Neil has never deserved it. He rolls his shoulders back and talks to himself in his head. Just one night. For her, for her, for her.

  “It’s the name your parents gave you, of course it’s fine,” Neil claps him on the back, and you know he doesn’t mean anything by it but you and Steve both flinch. From the words and the tap alike. Neil ignores your remark completely as he continues to talk to Steve in a way that makes your skin crawl. He brings Steve over to the dining room table and the rest of you follow suit, settling in around each other. You make sure you sit next to Steve, but you second-guess it when Billy takes the straight across from him. Neil drones on. “Y’know, it’s interesting how all this time, you’ve been driving the girls around for months now, but this is the first time we’re meeting.”

    Steve checks on you out of the corner of his eye. Your jaw ticks. He squeezes your knee but before he can answer, you do it for him. “He’s been busy, that’s all.”

Neil looks toward you. For once. It is not a pleasant look. “For months?” He tucks his hands under his chin.

   “I know you don’t like having strangers in the house after you work,” you say, placating in a way that turns your stomach.

   “That’s true,” Neil says. “Billy doesn’t seem to get the memo on that, so I’m glad someone in this house is paying attention.” The degradation of Billy at the dinner table is nothing new. And you feel bad about it. You’d feel worse if he wasn’t so nasty and hateful to everyone because of it. Neil had run into Billy’s latest flavor, Miranda Brady from your Calculus class, while she was rummaging through the fridge the other night, and he hadn’t been happy. He was polite to her until she’d been hurried out the door by Billy, and then he’d reamed into him in colorful, awful ways. Max and Susan both hadn’t been home, but it was one of those nights where you had been, and you’d lingered by your bedroom door awkwardly, making sure it didn’t get too out of hand. You weren’t sure either of them even knew you were there. Accepting the praise seems wrong. You nod stiffly.

  Billy, however, turns his gaze on Steve, the first acknowledgement he’s gotten in months. “Say, Harrington, you used to be quite the ladies’ man yourself, yeah?” A sick grin creeps up on his face. Steve sees your hand tighten around your fork. You’ve barely shoveled your pasta into your mouth. Max gapes at her stepbrother, her mouth still full of food.

   Steve clears his throat. “I had a steady girlfriend for about a year, actually. I’m sure you remember that.”

   “Yeah, but I mean,” Billy rocks his chair back. “That’s not what they were calling you King Steve for, is it?”

   You lurch forward. Steve drops his hand over your knee again. “I think it was because of the whole captain of the basketball team thing. Or the captain of the swim team thing, I can’t remember when it started. Youngest captain the Tigers had seen in a decade, actually, when I got it sophomore year.” Steve grins again and the cocky charm he possesses but hardly uses much anymore comes out to play, just for a bit. You settle down again. You eat what’s in front of you, calmly. You hear Max gulp down her own food across the table. It’s almost cartoonish.

  “Max, chew first,” Susan admonishes gently.

   “I am,” she retorts, but she’s inhaling everything in front of her.

    Billy  cuts in. “See, that’s interesting, I thought it was because you hooked up with a lot of girls. Like half the class.”

   Steve doesn’t even blink. He takes a sip of his water. “I don’t know what you’re referring to.”

  “Are you trying to upset your sister?” Neil asks him with raised eyebrows.

  He goes quiet again, hardened. “No.”

  “It seems like you’re trying to.”

   His jaw ticks this time. “I’m not.”

   “Do you remember what I said to you? About a half hour ago?”

   His jaw ticks again. His eyes meet Steve’s over the table. Steve feels the merest twitch of embarrassment for him. He knows all too well what it’s like to have a dad who takes a weird sort of pleasure in berating his son. “Yes, I remember.”

   You stare down at your plate, pinching the skin of your palm.

   “If you remember so well, then you should stop talking.”

   Billy stops talking. Neil turns to Steve again. “So, captain of two athletic teams, that’s impressive. I’m sure your college plans are impressive as well.”

   Steve stutters in his answer and you hold your head aloft in your hands, suppressing a groan. Max finishes her food so fast, she’s excused from the table and gone within minutes of that conversation starting. You nearly fall out of your chair in your attempt to kick her shin under the table. She holds her hands up in her retreat while nobody’s looking, mouthing that she’s sorry at you and running away into your shared bedroom. You suppress a groan again.

   Outside, after another grueling hour of Neil dominating the conversation and making dinner unenjoyable for everyone, you walk Steve to his car, fiddling with your hands again. He props himself up against his window and wrestles you out of the knot you’re in.

  “That sucked, I’m sorry,” you say, knocking your foreheads together, your mouth drawn in a thin, perturbed line.

  “It was fine, you’re fine,” he whispers the last bit. That’s what you’re more worried about, after all. You’re worried he’s mad, planning to leave you for someone with a more normal family, people who are warmer, someone capable of being warmer. You’re plenty warm around him, but you suppose you could be better. You start running over all the things you could do better and all the ways he could do better in your head. “Stop thinkin’ so much. Everything’s okay.” He nudges your foot with his.

   “No, I know, it’s just, it’s awkward, it’s not fun, shitty way to spend your night, shitty way for anyone to spend a night.”

   “It’s okay. It was good. I was good, wasn’t I?” He kisses your palm where you’d pinched it earlier.

   “You were great, you’re always great.” You stroke his cheek, lingering on his lips for a second. “You look really nice, by the way.” You’d almost forgotten to tell him. “I like this color on you.” You smooth over and down his arms.

   “Yeah?” He grins, lopsided, tilting his head.

   “Looks good with your hair.” You reach up to tug on the strand that hangs down like an art form over his forehead. You’re the only one he lets play around about his hair.

   “You look beautiful, too, for the record.”

   “I was trying to make this about you.” You poke him.

   “I like when things are about you.” He pokes you back.

   “I hate when things are about me.”

   “Yeah, I’m trying to fix that.”

   You chuckle. “Good luck.”

   He gestures back to your house. “I’m makin’ progress here. I think I get you a little bit better now, after all that.”

  “And what exactly do you get?” You wrap your arms around his waist.

  “Why you’re always so tense and grumpy.” He cups your cheeks like he’s holding the most delicate thing ever to be held.

   “I’m not grumpy-“

   “Just tense, then.”

   You accept that, begrudgingly. “I’m pretty on edge most of the time, I guess.”

   “I try to talk you out of it,” he says softly, stroking your face.

   “You’re the best, I hope you know that.”

   “I try,” he says again, and you nod. “It’s not easy. Night after night.”

   “It’s not.” You bunch up his sweater.

   “I get it, you know? They’re not here as often as yours, but I get it.”

   “Dinner with yours next time?”  

   “Yeah fucking right.” He kisses you for it, though, because you mean it, you’d have dinner with them if he asked just like he did because you asked, a long and languid kiss that he hopes no one’s shifting around the curtains to be privy to. He withdraws first and says, “Your mom is sweet, I’d have dinner with her again.”

  “I’ll let you know when she’s free, take her out, show her a good time,” you tease.

    “If she’s anything like you I’m a goner,” he laments.

    “You’re a flirt, is what you are.”

     You kiss him again, beaming, heart swollen with affection.

    When you go back inside and Susan tells you how wonderful and handsome she thought Steve was, how good he seemed for you, that rush flows through you all over again. You even bring her in for a hug.

thank u for reading ur super hot n sexy n we're kissing rn

#steve harrington x reader #steve harrington x you #steve harrington imagine #steve harrington fic #steve harrington fluff #steve harrington x mayfield!reader #mayfieldreaderverse #look at me finishing a wip

[h4rring1on]

hello!! if you can and want, could you write some angst with steve x fem!reader in which reader feels insecure - in a way that she thinks she's annoying because she talks too much and sometimes too loud, and one day, steve has the party over for a movie night and one of the kids mention that she talks too much and she's too loud while steve goes into the kitchen for something (or to the bathroom, whatever). so from that moment on she tries to speak as little as possible until steve brings it up to her one day and comforts her about it.

i'm sorry if it's too specific, if you can't do it, it's alright! your writings are some of my favourites on tumblr!!! 🌼💗

you and steve never really had any major problems, little fights every now and then but it wasn’t big. you still loved each other, you completed each other

but sometimes, just sometimes, you’d wonder if you really did complete steve. moments like this would always come up, like you’d be play fighting with steve and you’d say “i’m gonna catch you!” a bit too loud

when that would happen, you’d quiet down, you’d be the same, just calmer and more quiet. steve never really notice it until one day, where it became way too clear for him not to.

you were with the party, everyone was wrapped around blankets, popcorn and snacks in hand as they watched the movie, steve was next to you, holding you close as you watched

“wait i don’t get it—how did all that happen when her boyfriend was just sleeping, he must’ve noticed, right?” you asked

“hm, don’t think so, it was outside so he couldn’t have heard it” steve explained

“ohh, yeah right” you said, steve then told you he was gonna go get more snacks from the kitchen

“that one’s my favorite” you pointed to the girl on the screen, you liked talking about the characters and movie overall

“oh my god” mike whined

“we get it, jesus” lucas said

“what the hell, guys?” dustin said

“im sorry dustin i cant take it anymore” mike said, “cant you go one minute without talking? it’s so annoying! we can barely hear the movie because of how loud you are!” mike rolled his eyes and dustin smacked him

“oh…i’m sorry” was all you said, you turned back to the movie and snuggled closer into your blanket, wishing you could hide under it forever. you wanted to disappear, to go away.

you zoned out as the scene kept replaying in your head, you knew it. you finally knew what they truly think of you, what they hate about you. and it was exactly what you hated about yourself

you felt steve sit next to you, making you snap back to reality

“got you your favorite” he smiled and gave you the bag, you slightly smiled and ate in silence

ever since that night, you barely spoke. when you’d visit steve, you’d just listen and nod when he’s speaking. only time you’d actually talk is when you had to give a verbal response.

even then, it was low and wasn’t the way you used to talk, it was worse when you were around the party, you wouldn’t utter a single sound. you thought nobody would notice, but steve did. very much.

steve was working robin’s shift, so it was just you and him, he called you earlier, asking if you could come over since he’s closing the store now, you muttered a small ‘mhm’ and went to the store, helping him close up

he was talking to you about one of the customers that came today, and how they’d taken so long to decide what movie they wanted

“can you believe it? 45 minutes just to pick ghostbusters, it’s not even that hard of a decision to make” he said as he put away the tapes, he looked to you and saw you nodding

“let’s go sit for a bit, take a little break” he said and you nodded again, he sat in front of you, holding your hand

he called your name, and you shook your head in question, “you know i love you, right?” he said and you nodded, “you know you can tell me anything, right?” and you nodded yet again

“did i do something?” he asked and you furrowed your eyebrows and shook your head, “talk to me” he said, his tone frustrated

“no” you shook your head

“then tell me what’s wrong” he asked and you stayed silent, “i know somethings wrong, please—tell me why are you acting this way?”

“what way—“

“are you serious?” he cut in, “you’ve barely said a word to me for the past few days, i know theres a reason—talk to me, please.”

you looked at him for a bit and looked down, “there’s nothing wrong, okay? just—some people finally decided be brave enough to tell me the truth”

“what truth? what people—“

“the truth is that im annoying!” you snapped, “that im annoying—and loud, and talkative. and im happy to hear it because they’re not wrong. they’re not! i should actually thank them for finally telling me what’s wrong with me.” you sighed

steve looked at you with such hurt in his eyes, “who said that?” he asked in a low voice

“why do you even care—”

“why do i even ca—are you—because it’s a lie! everything—they’re all lies! baby, who cares if you like to talk about things more than others do, who cares if you’re loud? you’re you and thats what matters, whoever said that is saying complete bullshit, and i don’t care about it. i just—“ he sighed and held your hand tighter, “i miss your voice, i miss the way you get excited about things, i miss the way you talk on and on and on, i miss you. i miss you, peach.”

a smile found its way on your face and you hugged him tight, “i love you, stevie” you said

“i love you too” he smiled, a feeling of comfort finally coming back to him, to hear you and have you in his arms again.

you two held onto each other for a bit before letting go, “now, you wanna tell me who in their right mind said that?”

#stranger things 4 #stranger things x reader #steve harrington #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington angst #stranger things fluff #steve harrington x plus sized reader #steve harrington x mayfield!reader #steve harrington x original character #steve harrington x henderson!reader #steve harrington x reader angst #steve harrington x you #steve harrington x y:n #steve harrington x female!reader

[the-case-book-of-fanfiction]

Rain-Soaked Kisses

Ship: Steve Harrington x fem!Mayfield!reader

Summary: Steve hates storms but loves the rain—just another oxymoron of his life, like the secret the kids are trying so very hard to dig up.

Word Count: 6,582 words

Warnings: fluff!!!, sappy & romantic Steve, scheming Dustin & Max, healthy Mayfield sibling relationship, Billy mention, lumax sprinkles, secret relationship, friends to lovers, byler sprinkles, jancy sprinkles

Note: Told in part from the perspective of the kids! Written because it's storming where I am, and I love this weather so much.

☟ Continue below the fold ☟

"Who could he possibly be dating? There's not a girl in Hawkins that wants to go out with him!"

"Well, clearly one of them does!"

Dustin sighed, taking in Max's exclamation. As much as he hated to admit it, she was right. Steve had stopped complaining about bad dates and girls who left quickly; Robin reported he'd completely stopped talking about Leah and Heidi and Helen and the five other girls he'd been on-and-off again with; he walked around with a dopey, happy smile on his face all the time; and he was less and less reliable for rides, instead going on dates with a girl who's name he always pretended to forget.

As impossible as the idea seemed, Dustin had to admit it was a logical conclusion.

But who?

"Robin?" Max suggested.

Dustin shook his head. "Impossible. Steve steadfastedly refuses to date her. It's not Nancy again, is it?"

"Nope—saw her with Jonathan yesterday." Max huffed a sigh. "Maybe we have to...think outside the box more?"

"Who's outside the box? Who hasn't he already tried to date and failed miserably at dating?" Dustin demanded.

Max was silent for a moment too long. Then she said, "Alright, I don't know. I can't think of anyone who would actually go out with him."

"Exactly, neither can I," Dustin said. "We've got to watch him. We need to know who this is."

~❊~

But tracking Steve and his mystery girl down was much, much harder than either Dustin or Max had anticipated.

Without Steve driving them around, getting around town took twice as long as it needed, either in the attempts to find someone to drive them or in walking themselves everywhere. Nancy was either busy or with Jonathan most of the time, which ruled out Jonathan as well, and Robin still didn't have her license.

During yet another slow afternoon of trying and failing to put together the pieces of where Steve was going and with who, the phone rang. Dustin and Max both looked up quickly, scrambling over furniture and Dustin's new cat to beat each other to the phone.

Dustin got to it first. "Hello?"

"Hey, Dustin? It's Robin."

"Yeah, I know it's you, Robin, I can recognize your voice."

"Now's your chance."

"What?"

"Steve just left work—he said he's going on a date. Now's your chance to go find out who he's going out with!"

"Oh, shit!" Dustin turned to Max. "Steve's going on a—"

"I heard," she said. "Does she know where he's going?"

"Where's he going, Robin, did he say?"

"A restaurant, and he changed into a really nice outfit before he left here. And by nice, I mean really nice. Like fanciest restaurant in town kind of nice. Whoever this girl is, he really wants to impress her. And he's obsessed with her, too, he's been smiling all day from excitement."

Dustin scoffed. "And you didn't call us before he left?! Now we have to find out where he's going and how to get there!"

"Well, it's not like I could call you talk about him in front of him! Besides, we do know where he's going. What's the fanciest restaurant in town?"

"Enzo's," Dustin realized. "That's where he's taking her."

"I can guarantee it. If you go to Enzo's, he's going to be there. I'd go myself, but Steve and I'll both get fired if at least one of us isn't at the store right now."

"Thanks, Robin!"

"Good luck, guys!"

Dustin turned around to give Max the details, but she cut him off. "I heard. Enzo's."

"All we have to do is catch them in the middle of their date, and we know exactly who Steve's dating," Dustin said with a grin. "Easy!"

"Yeah, easy," Max snarked. "How are we supposed to get there?"

Dustin paused before he sighed. "Start calling everyone we know with a car, I guess."

Max rolled her eyes. "Like that'll ever work. Nobody's been willing to drive us around so far!"

"Can't hurt to try," Dustin insisted.

"No, Dustin, we'll be wasting time! We should just start walking now!"

But Dustin was already dialing the number to the Wheelers' house. It was answered by Mrs. Wheeler.

"Hello, Karen Wheeler speaking!"

"Hi, Mrs. Wheeler, could I talk to—"

"MIKE!" Dustin flinched at the volume from the other end. Max cringed, hearing the shout from where she stood. "Dustin's on the phone!"

A few seconds later, Dustin heard Mike's voice. "Yeah?"

"Is Nancy there?"

Dustin could see Mike's frown. "What do you want Nancy for?"

"Mike, I don't have time for this—"

"What. For? If this is Keith trying to get a date with her again, I swear that I'll—"

"Oh my God, Mike, no! Steve's going on a date and we need to catch him to figure out who he's going out with! We need Nancy to drive us there."

"Dustin, do you realize how idiotic that sounds? Nancy's not gonna drive you to go spy on her ex and his new girlfriend!" Mike hung up without another word.

Groaning, Dustin tried to call again, but he was met only with the dial tone.

Max rolled her eyes. "I told you it wouldn't work."

"I'm calling the Byers," Dustin grumbled. He dialed the number, but when Joyce picked up, she was talking to someone else in the house and by the time Dustin had gotten out "Is Jonathan there?" he heard the click of the receiver being put back.

"Try my sister," Max said.

Dustin dialed the number to Max's trailer, but no one answered. He shook his head.

"She's probably out running," Max sighed.

"Another run? Isn't that all she does now?" Dustin asked with a frown.

Max shrugged. "She says it helps her...deal with things."

Dustin sensed a can of worms—the kind that most people would avoid, the kind that Max clearly wanted to talk about anyway. So he asked it, when most people wouldn't. "Things?"

Max nodded slowly. "Yeah. You know...the Upside Down, Eddie..." She hesitated. "Billy."

Dustin glanced down at his feet. There was blood associated with all of those memories. He knew they plagued all of them, those who'd survived Vecna and his creatures, and he knew that they all had different ways of coping. Dustin's was research, Max's was music, yours was running.

"She's more like him than she wants to admit," Max said. "At least, she is with the running. Billy, he...he used to exercise to distract himself. She runs."

"Is that a bad thing?" Dustin asked.

"No, it's just... She needs someone in her corner is all. And I don't...I don't think that person is me anymore."

Dustin's heart squeezed in his chest. "Max..."

She shook off his concern. "Come on—we'd better start walking, or we're never going to make it to Enzo's on time!"

~❊~

It started to rain halfway through their walk to Enzo's.

The storm didn't start gently. There was no warning before it started to pour, no flash of lightning or boom of thunder. Just a steady downpour, hard and fast and painful against the skin.

Dustin and Max hid from the weather as much as they could, ducking under store awnings and hiding under outdoor umbrellas as they came across them.

After getting turned around at least twice, they spotted the restaurant's glowing sign. They ran toward it, stopping at the bay windows peering in. They scanned the tables inside. From the parking lot behind them, there was laughter and the slamming of car doors.

"Do you see them?" Dustin hissed. He looked at every face he saw, overanalyzing the back of every head that looked like it might be Steve.

"Are we sure they're still there?" Max said. "It's been, what, almost an hour and a half? Who eats for that long?"

Dustin shrugged. "Enzo's is a fancy place, they've got designated courses and shit. They could still be there."

A car engine revved. "Are you sure?" Max took Dustin by the shoulders and spun him around. "Is it just me, or does that look like—"

"Steve's car!" Dustin hissed. "Shit!"

They raced after it in the rain, Dustin catching sight of Steve through the driver's side window, his hair perfect and a huge grin on his face.

"Is he wearing a suit jacket?" Max asked.

"Did you see who was in the passenger's seat?" Dustin demanded.

Max didn't answer, still staring after the car, her face fixed into confusion.

"Max?"

"Huh? Oh, no, I...I couldn't tell who it was."

Dustin groaned. "Shit! That was our one chance!"

"We'll get another one," Max snapped. "He's been going on dates a lot, right? Robin said so, and he's always gone because he's been on a date. He'll go on another one with her soon."

Dustin sighed. "Good point. Now we just have to wait. Come on—we should call Robin."

~❊~

Max walked home in the rain by herself, hearing her mother fuss that she would get a cold if she kept walking around in the rain without a jacket, but not caring. Louder than her mother's voice was El's: friends don't lie.

Should Max have told Dustin what—who—she saw in Steve's car? Or the fact that she'd seen them going into Steve's burgundy BMW in the parking lot while he'd been focused on the store?

No.

Yes?

It was too late now. Besides, was she absolutely sure of who she'd seen?

Well, yes, she knew you better than anyone. You'd been by her side her entire life. There were pictures hanging in the trailer of Mom in the hospital bed after she'd given birth to Max, but it was you who was holding her, sitting in the plastic chair next to the bed.

The lights of the trailer were on when Max reached it, but only your car was in the driveway.

She pushed the door open. "Hey, I'm home!"

You poked your head out of the door to your bedroom. Your hair was just as drenched and stringy as her own. "Max! There you are, I was worried— Why are you soaking wet?"

"I walked home," she said, shrugging.

You hurried out of your room. "Come on, we need to get you out of those clothes. Mom will kill us both if she finds out we've both been out in the rain in the wrong kind of clothes."

"Where were you?" Max asked as you brought her into the bathroom.

You glanced up at her but didn't meet her eyes. "You couldn't get a ride home?" You left her in the bathroom, running into her room to grab her some dry clothes.

"No—Steve's the only one who will drive us anywhere, and he's unavailable most of the time."

Guilt flashed over your face. Max narrowed her eyes, watching you closely. You didn't seem to notice. "We'll tell Mom we took showers if she gets back before our hair dries." You paused. "You could have called me, you know."

"I did," she said. "You didn't answer."

Your face fell. "Max, I'm sorry, I didn't—"

"Are you dating Steve?"

The question stopped you in your tracks. "Max, I..."

"Are you?"

You sighed, wiping a a hand over your face. You sighed. "Yeah."

Max sighed. "Hand me a towel, please." You did so silently, taking one of your own to towel-dry your hair. "Why didn't you tell me?"

You shrugged. "At first, I wasn't sure if it was a good idea. I mean... I knew I liked Steve, but his track record with girls hasn't been good lately, and I..." You sighed. "I wanted reassurance he wouldn't be gone after a week."

"And after that?"

You groaned, putting your head in your hands. "This is...gonna sound stupid, but... Steve has been everything for you guys. For you, for Dustin, for El, everybody. He's saved you countless times, I watched him stand up to our brother to protect us, even though Billy beat him bloody for it. I didn't...I didn't want to feel like I was taking him away from you all, but I also...kind of wanted him to myself sometimes. And he seemed to want time alone for the two of us, too, so..." You looked up at Max. "And I didn't...want you to feel like I was taking away from you. After Billy..." Your voice caught in your throat.

There it was again. The silence that surrounded death.

"Died," Max whispered. "After he died."

You nodded. "After he died, I know Steve kind of...stepped up for you. I didn't want you to feel like he cared less about you just because I was in the picture now." You laughed shakily. "I know that kind of, uh, backfired. I'm sorry to keep him away from you guys for so long."

Max shook her head. "Stop apologizing for wanting someone that's yours." She breathed out a laugh. "I was just telling Dustin that you needed someone in your corner. I should have known it would be Steve. I mean, he's always been there for the rest of us, why wouldn't he be there for you?"

You looked over at Max. "Just how mad is Dustin that I'm dating Steve?"

"He doesn't know," Max said. "We've been trying to figure out who Steve's mystery girl is for months. He won't tell anybody, so Dustin wanted to try and see if we could figure it out ourselves." She glanced at you. "We saw you guys last night. At Enzo's. Or rather, I saw you. Dustin was too busy trying to peer inside the restaurant to even notice Steve's car."

You made a face. "How can you not notice Steve's car? It's a burgundy BMW for Christ's sake."

"I know!" Max giggled.

You laughed with her for a minute. The lightness in her voice—it had been a while since you'd heard her laugh like that.

After a moment, you said, "So...nobody else knows that it's me Steve is dating?"

Max shook her head. "Not even Robin."

You whistled. "I'm surprised Steve's capable of keeping a secret from her. It's gotta be killing him, I just know it." You giggled. "However...we could have some fun with this."

Max raised her eyebrows.

"If Dustin wants to know who's Steve's dating, he can keep digging as much as he wants." You grinned. "That's gotta be amusing, surely?"

~❊~

The storm that had swept in over a week ago had lasted the whole week, turning Hawkins into a mud patch and its roads into rivers. It let up briefly, leaving behind perfect spring days, only to return with a vengeance the next week—randomly on a Thursday afternoon.

Thursdays had become movie nights at Steve's house, and Dustin had concocted a plan to trick Steve into telling him who he was dating.

Max knew it wasn't gonna work. She had been present when you told Steve about Dustin's snooping and the both of you had decided to continue yanking Dustin's chain. Steve had seemed more excited about it than even you had.

While Steve set up his house for the group of rambunctious teenagers for movie night, Dustin explained his plan to Max in whispers.

"So, I'm going to try talking about Suzie for the first few hours," Dustin started, watching Steve like a hawk while he moved about in the kitchen, making popcorn for the group. "Get him thinking about his own relationship, you know? And then you know how he gets—" He cut himself off abruptly when Steve came into the living room with bowls of popcorn, setting them on the coffee table.

"Any idea when your sister's supposed to be here, Max?" Steve asked. "I thought she was driving you."

Max shook her head. "She said she'd come after she got out of work, but I don't remember when her shift ended."

Steve nodded. He disappeared up the stairs in the next moment.

"You know how he gets when it gets late into the movie and its dark and he's focused?" Dustin continued, picking up immediately.

Max frowned. "Like when he's so focused on something you can ask him a question and he'll either go 'huh?' and make you repeat it or he'll just answer without thinking?"

"Exactly like that," Dustin said. "That's when I'm—"

Steve returned with a stack of blankets. "How many of us are there, again? Twelve?"

"Thirteen," Dustin and Max both said.

Steve tossed the blankets onto the couch. "Go grab five more. Up the stairs, closet on the left."

They went up the stairs, Dustin whispering again before they'd even reached the landing. "I'm gonna ask him who he's going out with when he's like that."

Max rolled her eyes. "You don't know that'll work. He could say 'huh?' and make you repeat the question, like I just said."

Dustin shrugged. "Then I'll ask him something different, wait a little bit longer, and then ask again. He can't do that the whole night. Can he?"

"How should I know?" Max picked up the blankets and started back downstairs. Steve was whistling in the kitchen. "This whole plan is so stupid, Dustin. It's hardly a plan!"

"Do you have a better idea?" he hissed.

Max stayed silent. Of course she had better ideas, but those might make Steve actually tell Dustin.

"That's what I thought," Dustin said, clearly on the wrong path. "We'll stick with my plan." He glanced at Steve's back in the kitchen. "Unless your sister knows who he's dating? They're pretty much best friends now, right?"

Max nodded. "Blame Robin for that," she said, praying her poker face held. "I don't think she knows. I can't see Steve telling her if he hasn't told Robin."

"Fair point," Dustin decided. "Even more reason to rely on my plan."

She rolled her eyes. "Your plan is just going to annoy him until he kicks you out of his house."

"He likes me too much," Dustin said, with confidence Max wasn't sure he should possess—not about this, at least.

When they reached the first floor again, Steve was pacing around the living room, double checking he had everything set up. Max had to admit she liked the set up he had for movie night: the coffee table was set up with bowls of popcorn and a drink tray, there was a cooler next to filled with water bottles and soda cans, he had dragged every pillow in the house to the couch and floor, a fluffy winter comforter spread out on the carpet to make the floor more comfortable, and an egregious number of bagged snacks in a wicker basket.

"I think we're all set, guys," Steve said, surveying the room with his hands on his hips.

As if cued by Steve's motherly behavior, the rain outside grew louder, falling fast against the AC unit in the window. Steve winced.

"Looks like we're going to have to have the volume up high to hear the movie over the storm," he said.

"What are we watching?" Dustin asked.

Steve shrugged. "I dunno. We've got a couple choices in that cabinet over there, plus the stuff Robin's bringing. I think Nance had a movie she wanted to suggest, too, but I can't remember what it was..." His eye caught on the stack of blankets, leaning down to count them.

Dustin dug through the movie cabinet. "Come on, Steve, what are these movies? Why are they all romantic comedies?"

"Because they're my mom's favorite, dipshit," Steve said with an affectionate roll of his eyes.

"There's nothing of value here!"

"Well, I'm not watching Star Wars again, so—"

"It was Star Trek last week!"

"Even worse." Steve looked up at Max and waved her over. She glanced at Dustin, but he was too busy judging Mrs. Harrington's taste in rom-coms to notice her get up.

"Would it be too obvious if I gave your sister my blanket? I miscounted and we're short one."

Max bit back a laugh. "I think Nancy might notice, Robin would definitely notice, but Dustin's still a little too oblivious for that."

Steve huffed a sigh. "Can't have one of them letting it slip. Alright, fine, I'll use mine and give her a different one." He glanced at his watch. "Her shift ended almost an hour ago, she should be here any minute."

Max frowned. "Why do you know her work schedule better than I do?"

He shrugged. "In case she needs a ride to or from work. Can't leave her stranded if her car breaks down again."

A knock sounded at the door. Steve grinned at Max, both of them knowing you had arrived. He rushed to the door, slowing down only when he was within Dustin's sightline again.

You were hugging your arms when he opened the door, your hair wet and stringy, your clothes soaked through. "What took you so long, Stevie?!" you demanded, hurrying through the door. Max pointed to Dustin before you could kiss Steve's cheek.

"Jesus, you're soaked," Steve said, taking in your more than damp appearance. "Did you walk here?"

"No," you said, pointing out the still-open door to your car. "It's just raining hard enough that I got drenched on the run from my car to your door."

Steve slammed the door shut before more water could get inside. "Uh, okay, come on, I think I've got something for you to change into."

You blinked at him, gaze flicking briefly to Dustin. "Oh, no, that's alright, I'll just—"

"I'm not letting you stay uncomfortable and catch a cold in these clothes," Steve insisted. You nodded, all too ready to curl up in one of Steve's sweaters. "Come on—you two, we'll only be a minute. Answer the door if anyone else comes while we're gone."

Steve ushered you upstairs. Max waited a few minutes before telling Dustin she'd be right back, using the bathroom as her excuse, wanting to keep an eye on the two of you and stop you from any funny business. She followed the damp footprints you'd left behind, slipping into the bathroom across from Steve's room and peering around the door. She smiled at what she saw.

You had ditched your wet pants and shirt and were pulling on a pair of Steve's jeans. Steve had his back turned as he dug through his dresser.

"Um...do you need a different bra? I'm pretty sure you left one here last time..." Steve glanced back at you and smiled. "God, you look cute."

You looked up at him, cheeks pink. "You're just saying that because I'm half-naked in your bedroom and the clothes I'm wearing are yours."

Steve shook his head, still smiling. "I'm sayin' it 'cause you're cute." He walked over to you, sweater in hand, and kissed your nose. "You are beautiful, Miss Mayfield." He brushed your wet hair out of your face. "Arms up, honey."

You lifted your arms for him and he tugged his sweater over your head. He pulled you to his chest as soon as it was on, holding you like it was the last time he ever would. Max watched your hand go into his hair, pulling a soft sigh from him.

"Kiss me, Stevie," you whispered, coaxing his head toward your own with your hand.

Eyes closed, Steve obeyed, kissing you softly, chastely. Max heard the movie-perfect sound of your lips parting before you tugged him back down for a second kiss, deeper than the first.

"I love you," he whispered.

"And I love you," you said back. The two of you smiled at each other, sickeningly sweet, and Max wondered if the look on your face was the same one on hers whenever she was with Lucas.

Steve adjusted his sweater on your body one more time. "We should get back downstairs," he said. "Dustin might get suspicious."

You fell back into his arms for another hug. "Okay."

Steve took your hand and slowly lead you out of his bedroom, though he seemed just as reluctant as you to have to let go and pretend to just be friends. "Your sister thought it would be too much to give you my blanket during the movie, but I think I like having you in my clothes more."

You smiled. "If it's anything scary, I'll jump a lot and cling to you and we can blame it on the movie."

Steve grinned. "Let's hope Robin brings a good scary movie, and that Eddie wins the vote tonight, then."

Max shut the door before you could see it was open, making sure it closed quietly, quickly flushed the toilet, and turned on the sink and made a show of opening the door to see the two of you. She glanced pointedly at your hands.

"I thought we were still making Dustin guess," she said.

Steve sighed. "Yeah, yeah, I know." He brought your joined hands to his mouth and kissed the back of your hand before letting you go. "Alright, I'm done now."

The three of you headed back downstairs, Max at the lead and you just behind. Max knew Steve had let you go down the stairs first just so he could watch you prance around in his clothes and run his gaze over you again, but she'd give him a pass, just this once. You did look rather at home in his clothes.

Max watched you while you made yourself at home in your usual spot, in the middle cushion on the Harringtons' couch. In fact, she realized, you looked more like yourself, the happiest you'd been, since Billy had died—maybe even since you'd left California.

Credit where credit was due, Max would have to thank Steve somehow (without it seeming like she was thanking him for bringing you back).

"You want anything?" Steve asked you, tossing you one of the blankets. He set his down on the cushion next to you, then the blanket Robin had claimed on your other side.

"I'm all set," you promised. "Anyone else here yet, Dusty?"

Dustin rolled over onto his back from the place on the floor he'd claimed as his several months back, which he said was the best place to watch the movie from, but Max knew was his spot because it was still close enough to Steve, too. The middle, which was hers, was definitely a better view than Dustin's righthand side.

"Not yet," he said. "Hi."

You smiled. "Hi. Find a good movie?"

"No," Dustin said. "Steve's taste sucks."

Steve narrowed his eyes, picking up a piece of popcorn and throwing it at him. "For the last time, it's my mom's rom-com collection!"

~❊~

Max lay in her spot between Lucas and Dustin, Erica on the other side of Lucas, only half-paying attention to the movie while she braided El's hair, Will and Mike snuggling on the opposite side of Dustin. Max was sure Dustin felt singled out, being boarded by two couples, plus Nancy and Jonathan sharing a blanket and a lounge chair just behind him. Eddie had curled himself up on the chair on Steve's opposite side, covering himself in his blanket to protect himself from the blow of the AC unit.

Robin had managed to snag a new release that had just arrived at Family Video—Tim Burton's Beetlejuice, a movie that had only been out for a few months in the theaters. The kids on the floor had propped themselves up on their elbows, drinks and half-eaten bowls of popcorn in front of them.

Every so often, Max faked a yawn to duck her head back to glance at her sister and Steve. Robin was stretched out across both your laps, and the two of you had leaned together to share both of your blankets after Steve had muttered something about the AC being too cold, only for the others to shout for him not to touch it.

And judging from the way you and Steve occasionally exchanged a look, Max guessed you were holding hands beneath the blanket.

Max turned her attention back to the movie, lifting a small handful of popcorn to her mouth. Not so subtly, Lucas fake-stretched and laid his arm over her shoulders. Giggling quietly, Max snuggled into his side. She heard your amused hum behind from behind her, followed by a small chuckle of Steve's.

As it had the entire movie, thunder crashed outside. While the rain had lightened up enough not to be distracting, the flash of lightning visible through the curtains and the boom of thunder had been frequent and often made the room's occupants jump in fear.

Another boom of thunder announced the power flickering.

Dustin looked back at Steve. "Uh, Steve?"

"We've got a generator," Steve said, but he had sat up straighter and had pulled away from you, his face uneasy.

With the next flicker of lightning and crash of thunder, the power went out.

The group of thirteen sat in the pitch-black room in silence. Lightning illuminated faces briefly, showing Max that Robin had sat up, and that you, Steve, and Eddie were all on your feet.

"There are candles in the study," Steve said, breaking the silence. His voice was wavering, and Max remembered you saying something about cutting a date short due to the storm earlier that week. Was Steve...afraid of storms?

"I'll get them," you said.

"Matches in the drawer next to the sink and lanterns in the sunroom storage cabinet," he continued. "Eds, come on, let's go see if we can get the power back to the fridge and a few lights, yeah?"

"After you," Eddie said and followed Steve out the front door. The pattering rain grew louder as the door opened, revealing a world in grey scale, but still lighter than the inside of the house.

Dustin sat up. "Candles? Why not just use flashlights?"

"Steve only has two flashlights," Robin said. "Working ones, at least. But candles? The Harringtons have plenty of those."

Max followed you around the house, lighting the lanterns as you found them and helping you carry the candles back to the living room.

With the room now illuminated by flickering flame, it was easy to see the worry on people's faces.

"Do you think the whole town's out?" Mike asked.

"No, it can't be," Nancy said, but she didn't sound sure.

Will wriggled out from under his blanket. The look he exchanged with Jonathan was concerned.

"Everybody keep calm," you said, setting a lantern down on the floor at the center of the group. "Steve and Eddie will get the generator running in no time."

Silence fell, still and eerie. You sat beside Max and Lucas, and Max laid her head in your lap, trying to smile up at you. It only took a look for her to know you were lost in your head, in memories of the night Billy went AWOL and had been controlled by the Mind Flayer.

Max took your hand in hers. "It's okay," she promised.

"Mmm," you hummed, but your gaze was fixed on the door; you wouldn't relax until you saw Steve walk back in, unscathed.

The AC kicked back on. A few lights flickered to life and the low hum of the refrigerator filled the room.

Relief filled the room with the sound of an audible sigh. Moments later, the door opened and a waterlogged Steve and Eddie stepped back in.

"Did it work?" Steve asked. Then he heard the AC. "Alright, good." He looked around. "Turn the lights back off—the candles will do until power really comes back."

"Steve, you're drenched," Nancy said, "you're going to catch—"

"A cold, I know," he sighed, glancing over at you. You fought a smile. "Sorry about movie night, guys."

Dustin shrugged. "It was only a matter of time before we lost power. The size of the storm—"

"Oh, shut up, nerd," Erica said, rolling her eyes.

Dustin leaned around Lucas. "Do I need to remind you of the vents?" he hissed.

Erica narrowed her eyes at him.

"Children, children," Eddie admonished with a shit-eating grin that said he knew his chiding was only going to rile them up more.

"Eds," Steve warned, opening the curtains to look outside.

Eleven craned her neck to peer outside. In a small voice, she asked, "Can...can we dance in the rain?"

Nancy hesitated, then said, "I'm not sure that's the best idea, the weather isn't exactly kind at the moment."

Steve looked back outside again. "It's not raining too heavily right now."

El wrung her hands. "Joyce says it's...fun and romantic to dance in the rain."

Robin leaned forward, gasping. "You've never danced in the rain before?"

El shook her head. "Only biked in it."

"We have to go dance in the rain!" Robin insisted, jumping to her feet and pulling Eleven up with her. "It's a...a...a cognitive milestone!"

"I don't think that's the right phrase, Robin," you laughed, but you were also getting up. "Still, I think it's a good idea. Good way to pass the time until the power comes back."

"Come on, Nancy," Jonathan said softly. "Let her have fun. Mom's right. It's fun in the rain."

You took one of Robin's hands and one of Steve's and dragged them into the rain. Robin created a chain by grabbing El, who grabbed Max, who grabbed Lucas. The small group raced out into the street, running through puddles and spinning through the falling rain.

Dustin appeared at Max's side, his hair matted to his face. "It's like the time they were drugged by the Russians," he said, staring at Steve and Robin, the latter of whom was trying to taste the rain.

Max did a doubletake. "When they were what?"

"Don't ask," Erica suggested.

Laughter filled the air as the group danced around each other, twirling each other and splashing through the current of water at the side of the road. Steve tripped through puddles with Robin; Jonathan convinced Nancy to dance in the driveway; Will and Mike splashed each other in the puddles.

"May I have this dance?" Lucas asked, holding his hand out to Max and trying his best to look gentlemanly, which was ruined by the water running into his eyes and making him squint.

"You dork," Max laughed, but she took his hand anyway and let him pull her close, guiding her in a slow dance through the rain. She rested her head on his shoulder and watched as you went over to Steve and Robin.

Steve stopped his fooling around, watching you approach with a dopey, lovesick smile. He held out his hands to you and you took them; he twirled you in the rain, catching you and pulling you close before you could fall in the wet road.

"Careful there," he laughed. Even with his hair plastered to his head, his clothes heavy and hanging off him, you were still looking at him like he was the most beautiful creature you'd ever seen.

Max watched the time slow around the pair of you. She knew you were both completely oblivious, cut off from the company around you, even from Robin's stare as she took in the way the two of you gazed at each other.

Steve swayed you, getting himself lost in your eyes. He cupped your face with one hand, running his thumb over your cheekbone.

Lost in your bubble, neither of you noticed that the others had all stopped to watch, unable to speak and break the spell—not even Dustin, whose mouth hung agape.

You were lost in Steve, Max could tell. Close enough to the pair of you now, she could see you drinking in every detail: the water droplets hanging off Steve's hair and eyelashes, the amazed curve of his open mouth, the gentle swipe of his thumb, the lovestruck look in his eyes, his rosy cheeks so stark against his otherwise pale, cold, and wet skin, the reassuring hold of his arm around your waist.

Max knew what Steve was going to do before it happened, before even you had caught up. He bent his head, slotting your lips together.

Like some magic, divine will, the rain fell a little faster, distant thunder boomed, and lightning splintered through the sky, lighting up the clouds above you and Steve, a dramatic backdrop to a kiss so similar to a first kiss.

Robin whooped first. You and Steve smiled into each other, but neither pulled away, and Max realized you had been aware of your audience the entire time; but keeping it a secret hadn't been worth skipping out on a spectacular rain-soaked kiss.

Mixed in with the cheering was Dustin's incredulous cries of "What?! Max, did you know?!" that she pointedly ignored.

Steve swayed you while the kiss continued, embarrassingly long but adorably sweet. When it finally broke, Steve pressed his forehead against yours.

"I love you," he said, loud enough to be heard over the storm. (Robin shrieked.)

"I love you, too," you giggled. (Robin shrieked louder.)

Steve pushed your wet hair behind your ear and kissed your forehead, then shoved his hand through his own hair to get it out of his face.

"Not what you were expecting, huh, Henderson?" he said with a cheeky grin.

Dustin looked flabbergasted. "How did you know I was— MAX!"

You and Steve burst into a fit of giggles. You snuggled into his chest.

"How is that comfortable? I'm soaked!" Steve asked you.

"Yeah, but it's you," you said. A soft, sweet smile pulled at his lips, barely distracting you from his quiet moan of relief. He squeezed you tight.

"You're going to need to borrow more of my clothes," he said.

You grinned up at him. "I'll happily live in your clothes, Stevie."

A few feet away, Mike sneezed violently.

"Alright, back inside," Steve decided. "That's enough rain for today. I don't need you all getting sick and still needing me to drive you everywhere."

Dustin rolled his eyes. "Are you actually gonna drive us again?"

"If you give my girl the front seat and behave when she's in the car with us," Steve said. "Inside, come on. Go, shoo."

He wrapped an arm around your shoulders, watching the others flee to the safety of his house, then following them in with you. You kissed his cheek as you walked. Max hung back with Lucas, wanting to know what you said about the sudden rain kiss.

"You are perfect, Steve Harrington," you whispered. His cheeks darkened.

"Says you," he said, nuzzling his nose into your hair. "Hey, um... You wanna stay the night?"

"Gotta take Max home," you said. "But...I can come back?"

"I...I'd like that," Steve said. Max wondered if he'd ever been this shy with a girl before.

"Me too," you whispered. Steve squeezed your hip.

Dustin rolled his eyes from the doorway. "Get a room," he groaned.

"Oh, shut up," Max teased. "You're just annoyed you couldn't figure it out!"

Dustin scowled. "You knew! You knew and you were hiding it from me!"

Max shrugged, fighting a giggle.

Steve passed out towels with a warning not to let them get close to an open flame. Halfway through his warning, the power flickered back on—and so did the movie.

The group cheered, but Max watched you and Steve sneak upstairs and come down a few minutes later in dry clothes, hand in hand. She smiled before shaking her head and turning back to the ending of the movie.

And if—no, when—Steve asked her for advice on how to propose to you, Max was going to tell him to do it in the rain.

☞ ❊ ☜

Stranger Things // Steve Harrington

Taglist: {comment and let me know if you'd like to be added to the S.H. taglist!} @ohatropa@nix-rose@live-the-fangirl-life

#steve harrington #stranger things #stranger things au #steve harrington x reader #steve x reader #king steve #steve the hair harrington #summer #stranger things summer #joe keery #max mayfield #dustin henderson #robin buckley #platonic stobin #stobin #platonic with a capital p #post stranger things #post season 5 #post season 4 #steve harrington x mayfield!reader #steve harrington x fem!reader #billy hargrove #eddie munson #ignore the end of season 4 #season 4 never happened #lumax #secret relationship #friends to lovers #steve and dustin #byler

[kaylawritesfics]

hi! i love your henderson!reader and byers!reader so much 😭 would it be alright if i request a max's step sister headcanons? she's the complete opposite of billy BUT they get along really well, like the only person billy treats nicely, plus she and max are very close with each other too. thank you!

+ you can disregard this ask but i think i forgot to specify the max's step sibling request. it's with steve by the way thank u sm 💗

Dating Steve Harrington and Being Max’s Step Sister

summary: headcanons for dating steve and being max’s favorite sibling

pairing: steve harrington x fem!reader (hargrove-mayfield!reader)

WARNINGS: swearing, mentions of abuse, mentions of canon typical violence, mentions of death/grieving, a couple sad moments, billy

note: i love max so much she needs a stable sibling tbh i’m rlly excited for this one !! also thank you so much anon i really appreciate the love and support i hope u have a fantastic day !! this does contain minor stranger things 4 spoilers !!

The day your father married Susan was simultaneously the best and worst day of your life.

On the good side, you got a new step sister, Max, who you absolutely loved. On the bad side, however, you had to move from your home in California to Hawkins, Indiana.

You were a year younger than Billy and a few years older than Max.

Even though he could be a major asshole, you loved your brother and he treated you better than he treated others.

You and Max hit it off right away. She tries to teach you how to skateboard and play video games and you give her boy advice and rides to the arcade whenever she needs.

Throughout the moving process, you tried to be there for your siblings as much as you could, knowing both of them were taking it pretty horribly. Max was leaving behind all of her childhood friends and you and Billy were leaving behind the house where you created so many memories with your mother before she died.

Starting fresh at a new school was tough for you and Max, however Billy seemed to be getting along pretty well.

Billy would threaten anybody who even looked at you the wrong way. You were his baby sister and he would protect you from anything.

You met Steve in science class after the two of you were partnered together.

He had already heard about a lot about you. You were Billy’s sister, which created a lot of gossip throughout the halls of Hawkins High.

Steve was a little intimidated by you at first, having met your brother already. However, as you guys talked, he realized that you were nothing like Billy.

You were quiet and sweet and you seemed to be really smart. Steve absolutely adored you.

It wasn’t long before you and Steve started dating, which frustrated the shit out of Billy. You were his little sister and of course he wanted you to be happy and loved but he despised Harrington and couldn’t stand the thought of his baby sister being around him.

This causes a lot of arguments between you and your brother because, while he really did just want the best for you, he was smothering you.

You and Billy didn’t talk for a week. With you angry at him, he took his frustration out on Max, which only made you more upset with him.

You frequently cried to Steve about your deteriorating relationship with your older brother while he held you. He felt guilty for being the cause of your straining relationship.

Steve decided to take matters into his own hands no matter how badly he hated Billy. They were able to talk things through and agreed to be civil for your sake.

Billy stared anxiously at the door, listening to the muffled laughter from inside. His stomach twisted in knots as he raised his hand to knock. As he did so, he heard the laughter stop and footsteps neared the door. You opened the door to find Billy standing there, looking awfully guilty. “Hey,” Your voice was small as you sent him an awkward smile. “Do you need something?” You asked, fiddling with a string from your pajama shorts. Billy peered behind you to see Max sitting criss cross on your bed, a few comic books and magazines spread around her. “Can you give us a second, Max?” Max nodded, excusing herself to the kitchen, smiling as you ran a hand over her hair when she passed by. You stepped to the side, letting Billy enter. “I talked to Harrington,” He mumbled, flopping down on your bed. He picked up a magazine and started flipping through it, rolling his eyes and scrunching his nose at the girlish nature of it. You furrowed your eyebrows, snatching the magazine away and placing it on your nearby nightstand. “About what, exactly?” You asked, the hostile tone in your voice was foreign to Billy and he didn’t like it. “We’re civil. If you’re gonna date him, I won’t stop you. But if he hurts you, I swear to god, I’ll kill him.” Billy stood up, crossing his arms defensively. You let out a small laugh at his protectiveness and wrapped your arms around him. “Thanks, Billy,” You mumbled as he returned your hug. “No problem, kid.”

You often play peacemaker between Billy and Max. They don’t seem to see eye-to-eye on anything. You eventually convince Billy to be a little less terrorizing towards her.

Max is grateful because, while Billy still yells at her when she’s a little late, at least he doesn’t actively try to run her over anymore.

It makes you sad that they don’t have a good relationship, knowing that Max deserves to have the same relationship with your brother that you had growing up.

However, somehow Max finds that relationship with Steve.

Max loves Steve, especially after he begins his role as “babysitter”

While she may not have a very good relationship with her real brother, she’s so appreciative of Steve and really begins to see him as a brother figure. She secretly hopes that the two of you get married so she can have him as a real brother.

Max often sneaks into your room late at night and climb into your bed. She gets a little scared sleeping on her own.

By some sort of miracle, you convince Billy and Max to have a movie night with you. You purposely chose the worst movies and spend half the night making fun of them. In the morning, Susan finds the three of you in a mess of limbs on the couch. There’s popcorn everywhere, Billy’s arm is wrapped around your shoulder and Susan can count at least six pieces of popcorn decorating his hair. Max is laying halfway on top of you with her legs slung over the back of the couch and her mouth is wide open.

Susan takes a picture, discreetly leaving it in your bedroom later that day. You keep it tucked away somewhere, not daring to show it to Max or Billy.

Your father is an asshole. While he’s never laid a hand on you, you can’t help but get sick to your stomach every time Billy has to walk around with a new bruise.

You try to get Billy to confide in you, but he’s just not that kind of person, choosing to deal with his pain by himself.

You do, however, start leaving bandaids and antiseptic spray in your shared bathroom. He appreciates it more than you know.

Steve’s house begins to feel like an escape for you. While you love your siblings, it’s nice to have a space away from the arguing and fighting.

Steve loves to take you for late night drives, especially if he knows things have been bad at your house lately.

Occasionally, Billy will hear a low rumble coming from outside, he’ll look out the window to see you drop from your window and run to Steve’s waiting car with your shoes in hand. Billy rolls his eyes, shutting the blinds and going back to bed.

Billy’s death hits the two of you really hard. Max spends a lot of her time alone in her room, listening to music and isolating herself. She really tries to distance herself after this.

You, on the other hand, take to sleeping in Billy’s room. The bedsheets smell like him and if you shut your eyes tight enough, you can pretend like your big brother is still there.

Your father and Susan believe he died in the mall fire, however you and Max know the truth. He died protecting Eleven, and by protecting her, he was able to protect the two of you one last time.

When your father leaves, you, Max, and Susan are left to fend for yourselves. You eventually have to move into a small trailer park across town. You make sure to pack all of Billy’s things up, keeping one box full of his things with you in your new room.

The death of your older brother puts a strain on your relationship with Steve. He wants to be there for you and help you, however, like Max, you isolate yourself, unable to bear losing someone else.

Eventually, you and Max are able to find your way back to each other, seeking comfort within your sister.

Max would protect Steve with her life. She swears to herself that she will never let you lose him. She cares about you too much to let you go through losing the most important person to you again. Late at night, when she thinks about dying, she often feels guilty for wishing she died with Billy. However, she knows that as long as you have Steve, you could get through anything.

She may bully him and rile him up, but if anyone ever even thought of hurting Steve, her brother, she would kick their asses.

While dealing with Vecna’s Curse, Max writes letters to all her friends and family. It takes everything in you to accept your letter.

You refuse to acknowledge the fact that your little sister could very well die while fighting this new threat.

In Max’s letter to Steve, she thanks Steve for being a brother to her.

She also tells him that if he ever hurts you, she and Billy will come back from the dead and make his life a living hell.

She signs the letter, “your baby sister, Max.”

#steve harrington x reader #steve harrington headcanon #steve harrington #steve harrington imagine #steve harrington x mayfield!reader #steve harrington x hargrove!reader #billy hargrove headcanons #billy hargove imagine #billy hargrove #billy hargrove x sister!reader #billy hargrove platonic imagine #max mayfield #max mayfield x sister!reader #max mayfield imagine #max mayfield platonic imagine #stranger things headcanons #steve stranger things #billy stranger things #max stranger things #stranger things imagine #stranger things #stranger things 4 #susan mayfield #mayfield #hargrove #eddie munson imagine #eddie munson #robin buckley #nancy wheeler #jonathan byers

[luveline]

bribery and a movie | steve harrington x mayfield!reader

summary Steve wants a date with Max’s older sibling. You want Max to be happy. It doesn’t hurt that he’s good looking. [3k]

warnings fluff, first date, steve is a pining mess, mutual pining, max is a baby angel sweetheart that deserves the world, gn!reader, mayfield!reader, mentions of domestic violence not graphic, pre-s4, some s4 spoilers, requested here

<3

“Bribery is a felony,” Max says, looking up at Steve with her solemn eyes.

Steve leans against the store window behind him. Family Video glows red, painting the young girl in neon crimson, her auburn hair aflame. He knows she’s playing hardball — there has to be something a sixteen year old girl wants enough to accept a bribe, even if that bribe is to secure a date with Max’s hot older sibling.

Steve tries to be very patient. If he gets hysterical Max will react with sarcasm and ridicule, and Steve will lose.

“There has to be something you want.”

“Enough to serve up my sibling like a piece of meat? Classy.”

“Not serving up! I just want a date. One date. Or a phone number, I’m not picky.”

“Y/N isn’t interested in boys.”

“At all, or just me?”

Max, sitting on the hood of Steve’s car with her skateboard across her knees, grins. “Just you.”

“And they said this to you?” he asks incredulously.

“In a way,” Max says.

He’s quickly at the end of his rope, tipping his head back, mouth open in indignation. “You’re hurting my feelings.” He scrubs a hand over his face and then presses his hands together pleadingly. “I would be a perfect gentleman. Dinner, a movie, that’s it.”

���And then a quick soiree at Skull Rock.”

“No!” Steve shouts. After smiling at a startled customer on their way out of the store, he says, “No, of course not.”

Max looks unconvinced. She hops down off of the hood and sets her board on the ground with more kindness than she’s ever shown him, one foot on like she’s about to push off. Steve feels it for what it is.

A vague threat to up his bribe.

“There has to be something you want, Mayfield.”

“For you to stop propositioning my sibling via me? I’m not their pimp.”

“I’m not propositioning. Just asking you to ask them if they may or may not be interested in me.”

He’d do it himself if he could talk to you without pissing his pants.

Max sighs, kicking the skateboard up into her waiting hands. She’s wearing her new jacket, blue with yellow accents, and it turns purple in the store's light. It’s getting late. She shouldn’t be skating around in the dark.

“Look, get in. I’ll drive you home,” he says, feeling dejected at being nowhere closer to a date.

Max hesitates and tilts her head, messy red braids falling to one side. “Shit,” she says under her breath. “Fine, I’ll ask them for you. I know you’re a good guy deep down, Steve. Deep, deep down.” Her voice is smooth as silk, her mouth open in a sympathetic smile. “And who knows, maybe they’ll find you inexplicably attractive. A beat up 733i, a steady job at Family Video, no college degree, no opportunities-“

“What the hell, Max?” he asks, scowling. He can’t believe he almost fell for her sarcasm. Again. A year ago he would’ve ruffled her hair. Instead, he pushes up off the window with a groan. “You're a little shit, you know that?”

Max smiles saccharine sweet and nods.

He rubs his forehead with the back of his hand and fishes for his keys in his pocket. “Alright, get in the car before I change my mind.”

“Y/N’s coming to get me.”

Steve thinks he might have gone a bit deaf for a second or five. “Here? Y/N’s coming here? To Family Video?”

“That’s what I said.”

Sure enough, what can’t have been ten seconds later your car turns a corner and there you are through the window, beautiful and radiant and so out of Steve’s league he forgets to breathe, even from the side. You roll down the window and turn. He chokes.

“Hey, Maxie,” you call brightly, arm crossed over the open window.

Steve sees the way Max’s face lights up even though she tries to hide it.

“Hey, Steve,” you add. “Family Video? Nice.”

“H-hey, Y/N.”

Max looks between the two of you, disgusted, walking to the trunk to throw in her board. She drags her feet like listening to your interaction is torturing her.

“How’s it going?” you ask pleasantly.

Steve feels like he’s shrinking under your gaze, obsessed with your hair and your skin and the way your eyes are basically sparkling in the evening dark.

“It’s going,” he says, voice high. He coughs. “Yeah, definitely going. How are you doing?”

“Oh, you know. We’re okay. I got a new job with my mom at the diner. I look killer in the uniform,” you tell him with a cheeky smile.

“I bet you do,” he says.

You laugh quietly. “Yeah, I’m the bell of the ball in that place.”

Max opens the passenger door. You give Steve an intoxicating smile. “Nice to see you!” you call, rolling up the window.

It’s firmly closed by the time he’s managed to reply. “Nice to- oh.”

He blinks, ashamed and embarrassed, looking down at his wrecked shoes with something close to pleading. God, he thinks, if you’re real, let the ground swallow me up. Please.

“Steve!” Max calls.

He flinches, his attention drawn back up. Max stands with the door open and resting on her hip, leaning over the roof of the car with a begrudging expression. He tries not to look at you, your hands fiddling with something hanging off of your rear view mirror.

“Kate Bush, Hounds of Love on cassette. The day it comes out. The day it comes out,” she emphasises.

“Whatever you want!” he promises, tripping over his words in a rush to get them out.

Max glares at him. “Don’t make me regret this.”

-

You smile at your little sister in the passenger seat. Her braids are a mess, loose and windblown from skating. You slow at a red and take the opportunity to reach out, running one through your fingers gently.

“They’re a mess, Maxie.”

Max pretends to be mad. “You weren’t there.”

“Sorry, baby.”

She shrugs. It’s been hard on her — everything. Losing Billy, your step dad leaving (though he was an asshole), moving into the trailer home, a summer alone; she'd broken up with her boyfriend and was spending less time with her friends. She’s been having bad headaches and nightmares.

Max doesn’t tell you much besides the bare minimum. Good thing your baby sister hasn’t ever needed to say her feelings aloud before you clocked them.

“You know my shifts are early now. With the overtime, and mom’s, we should be real comfortable.”

“Comfortable,” she scoffs.

You chew your bottom lip and take a long turn. “Don’t be like that. Overtime got you your new jacket. Which looks great, by the way.”

“Thank you.”

You frown even more at her serious, grateful tone, reaching out for your little sister's hand blindly. Max is kind enough to save you the effort and you give her smaller fingers a brilliant squeeze.

“You don’t have to say thanks to me. You deserve everything you want, Max. You know that.”

There’s a long silence then. You steal your hand back and flick on your indicator.

“Are you happy?” she asks.

You giggle, startled peels, and can’t help but look at her.

“Am I happy?”

“Are you happy?” she repeats resolutely.

“Of course I am. I have you. I have mom. Every night we go to bed with full bellies, and we don’t ever have to worry about someone laying their hands on us.”

“But are you happy? Are you…lonely?”

“Max, baby, is this about Lucas? You know, it’s okay to miss people, especially when you’re struggling-”

“No, it’s not about Lucas.” She slouches down in her seat, the seatbelt almost strangling her. You hold in the urge to scold her and wait for her to explain. “Do you like Steve?”

“Sure I do.”

“Enough to go out with him?”

You give her a tight smile. “I don’t have time for boys.”

Max looks out the window. You’re on the road outside the trailer now. You pull your car up onto the grass though you’re not supposed to and put it in park. Neither of you move to get out.

“He’s very handsome. And sweet. I think if I had a little bit more time and he asked me, then yes. I’d go out with him,” you tell her honestly.

Max doesn’t just admire honesty, she thrives on it. It’s good for her to feel trusted, and right now all you want is for her to be happy when she so clearly hasn’t been.

She looks at you seriously. “I don’t think you and mom both need to work overtime.”

“Come on. We have to take what we can get. You start high school in a few weeks, you need new clothes, a new bag. One of those fancy calculators,” you say, going for an airy lightness.

“I don’t need new clothes,” Max says, almost angry as she tears off her belt.

“We just want you to feel good about-”

“I would be happier if I thought you were happy,” Max says, quick and firm, pushing open the passenger door with her leg. She scrambles out, stands up tall, and then ducks her head back inside the car. “If you go, Steve said he’ll get me the new Kate Bush cassette.”

You pull the keys out of the ignition and give your scheming sister a reluctantly impressed chagrin.

“He really is handsome,” you say, sighing. Max’s smile is worth it, even if he turns out to be a real freak.

-

Steve doesn’t look like a freak outside Enzo’s. He looks tall. Casual enough, a button down and a pair of dark trousers, fancy shoes but not too fancy. He stands with his back to you but you’d know that hair anywhere. You call out his name as you approach.

It seems natural to give him a kiss on the cheek. He’s pretty and he’d been really, really nice over the phone when you’d called. Funny, slightly doting. And he’d said a bucketful of nice things about Max.

You were sold.

“Hi,” you say happily as you set back on your shoes.

“Hi,” he says, equally enthused.

“I’m sorry if I’m a bit late,” you say quickly.

You don’t have a watch. Steve doesn’t look at his own as he says, “No, you’re not late. I was early.”

He opens the door for you and gives his name for the reservation and soon you’re sitting down just close enough to the kitchen to smell a little bit of everything they’re making. Being asked on a date is nice in that you know Steve likes you, at least enough to ask, if not more, so all the real pressure is on him.

He’s feeling it, you think, his eyes everywhere but your face as he takes off his jacket.

“I’ve never been on a real date,” he says.

“Me neither,” you smile, “‘Less you count, like, prom.”

He raises his eyebrows, pushing up his sleeves as he slides forward, his full attention on you. You melt under his warm, brown gaze. “Who did you go with?”

“Randy.”

Steve wrinkles his nose. You grin, ready to lay into him.

“You have a problem with Randy?”

“What? No, no problem with Randy. Randy’s a nice guy. Really… tolerable.”

You snort. A waiter puts down two menus and asks if you’re ready for a round of drinks. Steve asks for a soda and you hold up two fingers with a smile.

“I’ve always wanted to do that,” you confide, hedging forward on your elbows to be closer to him. “Randy was tolerable. He was a bad kisser, though.”

“I’ve heard that about him,” Steve says.

“Yeah?”

“No.”

A small silence, then you’re bursting into laughter, hand thrown up to cover your mouth.

“Have you had dinner here before?” you ask once the giggles have faded.

“No, but Dustin said we should try the Ziti.”

“Dustin…” you squint, eyes looking up to your lashes quizzically. “Max’s friend?”

Steve pales but saves himself quickly. “Yeah, Dustin Henderson. He’s like,” his lips part but nothing comes out. He wets his lips. “He comes to me for advice. And I look out for him, drive him places. He’s a good kid. Funny.”

“So he’s like your little brother.”

“Yeah.”

“That’s why Max likes you so much,” you say, nodding.

“I wouldn’t go that far.”

“I would. Max is very particular, you know.”

“Trust me, I do.”

Your soda arrives and Steve orders the baked ziti. You ask for the same, this time aloud, and then spend the time waiting looking over Steve appreciatively. He’s very handsome, as you’ve said, with a nice body and a nice smile, but what you really like about him is his kindness. He asks questions, seems more than intrigued by your answers. His chin rises as he answers yours, humble and funny.

He’s also a bumbling idiot, visually smitten and easy to get a rise out of. You’re obsessed.

“The uniform,” he’s saying, a fork held loosely in his hand, “you have an apron?”

“And why does that matter, Harrington?”

“You know, just in case you get messy.”

You put down your drink. “That’s disgusting,” you say seriously, knowing perfectly well he wasn’t insinuating anything.

He blushes mad scarlet. “No, I didn’t-”

You can’t contain a smile, laughing as it dawns on him.

“Oh, you’re mean,” Steve says. He doesn’t sound like he minds.

You finish up, running late for the ‘movie’ part of dinner and a movie. He insists on paying. You insist on going halves. It’s brisk outside and he’s quick to offer you his jacket. It smells like him, amber buried beneath bergamot, sandalwood, a handful of rich smells. A cologne you could get used to, you think, his jacket over your shoulders as you walk to his car.

You’re about two feet from his car, dizzy with how well you’re getting on and excited to see a new blockbuster with him when he puts a hand out between you. You slow.

“You have…” he says, hand raised slowly to your face.

You close your eyes and he draws near, careful where he touches your face. His fingertips brush against the well of your eye and pinch, his warmth disappearing. You blink open your eyes and see he’s holding an eyelash in front of your face.

He’s looking at the eyelash. You look at him, his brown eyes hedged in long, dark lashes, his thick eyebrows. He has a darling crop of freckles smattered over his nose and cheeks.

It’s dark out now. The ebbing light of the restaurant kisses his face, throws a shadow across his cheek as it hits his straight nose. His lips form words and you’re enchanted.

“Make a wish,” he says easily.

You close your eyes to think. For Max to be happy, you decide. And then, a voice that sounds suspiciously of your aforementioned sister, for me to be happy.

You blow the eyelash away and open your eyes. Steve’s hand hovers in front of your chest for a moment. You can’t explain why, only that the light and his company and the fullness of a great meal has made you slap dap happy, but you step forward, closing the gap until there’s less than a half foot of space between your rising chests. His hand bumps into your shoulder.

He has a split second to decide whether he should take it back or play it off. He makes the right decision, you think, or at least the one that makes you happy, when his palm sweeps up your neck, his fingers brushing the hair at the back of your head. Your chest burns with pleasure at his touch.

“You look really nice, tonight,” he says.

“Thank you,” you murmur, watching your own hand as you wrap your fingers around his elbow. You slide your hand up the warm plane of his forearm until you're clutching his wrist. “You look really nice, too.”

He rubs the curve that makes up the juncture of your neck. His hand is so warm you think it must be filled with nothing but hot, hot blood, rubbing your shoulder, his fingers spreading as they chase down the fall of your arm and then pull away.

“I’m glad you think so. Lucas vetoed the majority of my wardrobe this morning. Shithead said I dress like I’m trying too hard.”

He pulls open the passenger door. You’re busy feeling fond, your stomach awash with a thousand dancing butterflies.

“Are you getting in?” he asks.

You nod and smile and brush past him, lingering at his side for a half-second too long. You climb in. He shuts the door behind you.

He rounds the hood and jumps in next to you. You turn to him as he’s checking his rear view mirror, curious.

He sees your curiosity and is quick to grin, albeit nervously.

“What?” he asks.

“Do you always let 15 year olds dress you?” you ask.

Steve sighs morosely. “Not always.”

“Ah,” you say. You decide then and there that you’ll be sorely put out if he doesn’t kiss you goodnight after the movie.

He does.

<3

thank you for reading! | my masterlist | requests are open

#steve harrington blurb #steve harrington fanfic #steve harrington x gn!reader #steve harrington x reader fluff #steve harrington x you #steve harrington x y/n #steve harrington imagine #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington #my two fave characters <3 #steve harrington x mayfield!reader #stranger things x reader #stranger things 4 #stranger things #stranger things fic #steve harrington x reader fanfic #steve harrington one shot

[thatonegirlwhowrites]

My request contains volume two spoilers!!

Steve x mayfield reader where she wants to be vecnas bait instead of max and reader get badly hurt. Maybe she only breaks two bones and is blind in one eye. Lots of angst but a fluffy ending.

Thanks!

Pinky Promises || Steve Harrington

VOLUME TWO SPOILERS

Summary: Reader takes Max’s place to be Vecnas bait, but it doesn’t end well when promises start to break and worlds start to crumble.

Pairings: Steve Harrington x Mayfield!Reader, Max Mayfield x Sister!Reader

Warnings: Spoilers for volume two, violence, angst, broken bones, blindness, blood, fluff, grammatical errors (this is not proof read at the moment)

Notes: not gonna lie, this fic had me getting all emotional also I’d just like to add that Eddie is mentioned in this and is alive because I’m just gonna forget what happened to him in vol 2 :)

2.5k words

Masterlist

———————————————————————————

“I need you to pinky promise that you are going to come back to me.” Steve's voice was low as you prepared to step out of the RV with your sister, Lucas, and Erica.

Your eyes immediately softened as you connected your pinky to his, “I pinky promise that I will come back to you, Steve.” You meant every word.

Steve relaxed a tiny bit, “I love you, Mayfield.”

“I love you too Harrington, be safe.” You let your pinky slip from his as you stepped outside of the RV where the three other kids had been waiting for you.

You immediately knew the look on your sister's face, “I should be the one doing this, not you. Vecna hasn't even cursed you y/n, you have no idea what you are walking into!”

You knew in Max’s mind it probably didn't make much sense, but you would do anything in the world to keep her safe. “Max, I'm the big sister. My job is to protect you and that's exactly what I'm going to do. Everything is going to be okay. I’ve got this I promise.”

Another promise.

You wanted more than anything to keep those promises, but things weren’t looking good for you.

Things had steadily gone downhill as soon as you were put into vecna's trance. On the outside, the kids were trying to fight off Jason Carver and you were currently watching El struggle to keep up with vecna.

You weren't exactly sure how Eleven had managed to find you or how she got into your mind, but she had. At first, she had the upper hand but it was clear now as you were held up against a disjointed piece of the creel house in vecna's mind that this was a losing game for you.

You could barely see anything but a red glow all around you, your vision and mind were hazy from getting thrown around in your memory earlier.

“It's time Y/n.” the sinister voice you had learned to become familiar with over the last hour rang closely to your ears. Your vision focused enough to see Vecna standing in front of you, El still far away from you and held down by the vines.

Tears ran down both your cheeks. You knew this was it, and all you could think about is the people you would be leaving behind. The promises that would be shattered in the next few moments.

“You were brave Y/n, and now I will make the suffering stop.” With that, his hands came up to your face.

Immediately an awful sensation ran through your body. All of your muscles felt like they had been tightened, and your mind began to fog. People's faces flashed in and out of your head, and they soon began to jumble together. The pressure continued to worsen as vecna sank his nails into your skull. You could feel yourself dying…slipping away from consciousness.

You were waiting for the pain to stop, for vecna to take everything away from you.

The relief never came, instead, a deafening scream sounded in your ears before everything was completely black. You felt like you were drowning, unable to navigate through what was happening.

You could still faintly feel vecna's mind connected to yours, but that was ripped away too as you were brought back to reality.

“Oh god! Y/n! Y/n please!” Max was screaming. You could hear her, but there was something wrong with your eyes.

“I-I can’t-.” Your breathing quickened as the pain set in.

You blinked as hard as you could, your vision was blurred but you could make out some of Max’s features. “Ev-Everything hurts.” You sobbed.

You could feel your sister's arms shaking underneath you, trying to pull you up…trying to keep you alive.

“Erica! Call 911, We need help!” You could hear Lucas yelling now too, but you were far too weak to look around for him.

“Y/n, please stay awake. Please, help is gonna come okay? Just hang on.” Despite the unbearable pain raking through your body, somehow the thought of leaving your little sister behind without anyone hurt even more.

“I’m n-not ready to go.” You could feel every ounce of strength you had left starting to drain from your body, leaving your eyes dropping with the weight, “Lucas help!” Max was sobbing uncontrollably as she took your face in her hands trying to keep you awake.

“You gotta stay awake.” Her voice was barely above a whisper, but it was enough to make you push open your eyes once again. The vision in one of your eyes was a bit clearer now and you could see the distress on her face.

“I’m trying Max. I don’t want to leave you.” Salty tears mixed with the blood that stained your cheeks, “I’m just so tired.” you mustered what strength you had and pulled your hand to cover hers that rested on your face. You knew your other hand was broken and by the feeling in your legs, you also knew at least one of them was as well.

It felt like ages that you laid there like that, trying to hang on to consciousness as it became increasingly more difficult. “What's taking Erica so long! The ambulance should be here by now!”

Lucas had not moved to sit next to Max trying to tell you both it wouldn't be long, but any hopes of getting medical help anytime soon went out the window when the youngest Sinclair ran into the room, “No one will help! I've tried every house and no one will answer. I don't know what to do!” Erica was hysterical and even though she kept a brave face most of the time, it wasn't easy seeing someone she cared for dying.

“I-It's okay.” You shakily spoke, suddenly hyper-aware of what was coming soon.

“No! No! You listen to me, you are not dying Y/n! Please just stay awake!” She held you tighter against her, hoping that would somehow do something.

You could feel your mind slipping away, but once again you opened your eyes when you heard a commotion. You could see mainly Robin and Nancy but a few seconds later Steve, Eddie, and Dustin all came into view.

Your heart ached at the sight of Steve…you don't want him to remember you like this.

“Steve, w-we have to get her help. She- She-.” Max couldn't dare finish her sentence, she couldn't admit that her sister was dying in her arms.

Steve dropped to his knees, tears already falling as he took the weight of your body from Max’s shaking form.

“Y/n.” His voice cracked, letting a sob escape his lips as he could feel how cold your skin was.

“I’m sorry for breaking our pinky promise.” Your voice was getting weaker and the pain started to numb as the seconds passed.

“No baby you didn't break it. You are gonna get out of this.” You could tell he didn't really believe what he was saying, “I gotta get you up baby. We are gonna take you to the hospital. You just gotta hang on for 15 more minutes. That's all.” As the words left his mouth he scooped you up as gently as possible, but pain shot through your head and two of your limbs.

In a way the pain was good, it was better than numb.

“I can’t Steve. I can’t.” You cried as he carried you down the steps and outside into the camper where Eddie began to drive quickly to the hospital.

Max was holding the knot with your good hand while Steve cradled your body, “Look sweetheart, the hard parts over.” Steve sniffled.

The numb feeling began to wash back over your body and you lost the feeling of Max’s hand on yours and eventually you couldn’t feel Steve's hold either.

It was your time, “M-Max honey. I love you so much okay? I-I need you to know that this wasn't your fault.” You wished you could hug her or even grip her hand for reassurance, but all of your feelings were gone. “Max please, tell me you know this isn't your fault.” you needed to hear it. You needed to know she would be okay without you.

“I-I know it's not my fault Y/n,” She dropped her head into your neck and hugged you, “I love you, please don't leave me.” You didn't want to leave her, but you knew it wasn't your choice.

You looked up to catch Steve's eyes, “I love you, Harrington.”

“Y/n we are not doing this! W-We were supposed to- to buy that camper. Just like this one, remember? Our- our six little nuggets. Y/n please we still have so much future ahead of us.” He sobbed as he could see life begin to drain faster from your face.

“Promise to take care of Max, please.” It was the last thing you let slip out before the remaining breath fell from your lungs and your vision and mind went black.

“Y/n?” Steve looked into your eyes, this time they were void of life.

Max let out a heart-wrenching scream, begging for you to wake back up.

Steve suddenly couldn't breathe, “No, no, no.” He cried.

They had arrived at the hospital only a few moments later…a few moments too late.

5 weeks later.

Steve had taken care of Max the last few weeks, just how you asked. Day in and day out he was there.

Max and Steve both had spent countless nights in your hospital room, hoping you would wake up. Though hope began to diminish with every passing day. The worst thing was the fact that no one knew why you weren't waking up. All but one broken leg had healed, and your body should have been plenty well-rested.

For weeks you were stuck in darkness. You assumed you were dead, or maybe in some kind of limbo but when you kept hearing familiar voices you knew something was off. You had accepted that this was just going to be your forever, that was until you heard some kind of music playing. It was a kate bush song, one you had heard Max play a thousand times. So you followed the noise until you couldn't follow it anymore.

Your eyes slowly opened, letting in the lights

“Holy shit.” You recognized the voice of your sister and could now see her face.

Something was off though, your vision.

“What? I, what?” You were confused.

At the sound of your voice, Max jumped up from the edge of your bed and hollered very loudly for a doctor and for Steve?

“Y/n it's okay! You're okay!” You could see the grin on her face, giving you some kind of relaxation.

Everything was fuzzy, but the memories began to flood your thoughts.

You died. You were sure of it.

You hadn't had time to ask any questions before a doctor and several nurses poured into your hospital room. They poked and prodded for what felt like hours.

All you wanted was to talk to your sister, and you wanted to see Steve. You hadn't even been able to see him yet.

The doctors informed you that you had been in a coma for 5 weeks, they had told you that you were hurt during the earthquake, yet you knew that was not even close to what happened. The mention of an earthquake also was confusing you.

Thankfully the doctors had left your room, leaving you in peace with your sister and now your boyfriend as well.

Steve was quick to run up to your bed, he hadn't gotten to see your face yet. He wanted to look into your eyes. Your very much alive eyes. “I thought you were gone. I-I thought I lost you.” tears streamed down his cheeks, but his lips were graced with a smile.

“I hate breaking pinky promises.” You wince slightly as you let out a small laugh.

You pull Steve onto the bed with you and motion Max to come to the other side.

You would worry about all of the details later, but right now you wanted to worry about your sister and boyfriend.

“Steve took care of me like you asked.” Max sniffled, pulling her head to rest on your shoulder.

You couldn't help but let a smile find its way onto your face, “He better have.”

“Please never leave me alone with her again.” Steve teased, causing Max to playfully hit him in the head.

Your thoughts circled back to why your vision looked so off, it was almost as if you had lost a chunk of your peripheral vision, “What's w-wrong with my eyes.”

You were scared to know the answer, and neither Steve nor Max knew how to tell you so instead Max opted for handing you a mirror.

Shock ran through your veins at the sight of your discolored eye. Your left eye had been perfectly normal in color, yet your other eye was a hazy gray. You closed only your left eye leaving you with absolutely nothing to see.

“I'm blind?”

“Only halfway. Your vision is still perfect in your good eye. The doctor said we just might need to get you some glasses so the good eye doesn't have to strain so much.” Max explained as you handed the mirror back to her.

Steve could already see where your mind was going, “Sweetheart, you are as beautiful as always.”

You sighed, “I-Its gray and ugly.”

“It's a part of you, and it's just as beautiful as it was before. Also, for what it's worth, I think it's pretty badass.” You realized he was onto something with the badass part, “Yeah I guess it is pretty badass.”

“Hell yeah, it is,” Max added in.

A few minutes later Max had run to the cafeteria to snag as many puddings as she could.

“I was really scared.” Steve scooted as close to you as he could on the bed.

“Me too.”

“I love you.” Steve let a tear slip from his eye, “I didn't even get to say it back that night. Y-You told me you loved me and I didn't say it back. Y/n I always say it back, b-but I was just-” He stopped himself before he went fully into a panic attack, trying to smooth his breath.

You hadn't realized just how much of a toll this whole event had taken on him and Max both, “Steve you didn't have to say it back. I already knew.”

You shakily brought your hand up to cup his cheek, “I'm here now, and you can tell me you love me every day for the rest of my very long life.”

Max quietly walked back into the room with several different pudding flavors, “Are we crying again? I don’t want to cry anymore.” She huffed while trudging over to you.

“We are not crying anymore. Consider this a no-cry zone as of now.” You softly ran your fingers under Steve's eyes as he set up.

Before you could say much more, you could hear many footsteps outside, “Oh yeah I should warn you...everyone is about to-” Max was quickly cut off when several people fell into your room.

“Y/N!” It was a simultaneous yell between Nancy, Robin, Eddie, Dustin, Will, Jonathan, Mike, and Eleven.

“Oh my god.” You snorted in laughter.

“Badass eye.” Dustin pointed while going in for the first hug.

“I know right.”

———————————————————————————

#stranger things requests #stranger things #stranger things imagine #steve harrington #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington x y/n #steve harrington x you #steve harrington fic #steve harrington fluff #max mayfield #max mayfield x sister!reader #steve Harrington x mayfield!reader #vecna stranger things

[yourmidnightlover]

this one time

pairing: steve x mayfield!fem!reader

summary: reader gets mixed up in the upside down drama with her sister (s2 era) and happens to get a good dose of steve harrington, and she vows it’ll only be this one time.

warnings: ohhhh boy, billy being verbally and physically abusive, fighting, season 2 (aka demodogs and whatnot), illuding to an abusive household (duh), reader being independent as hell (like to a fault lmao bc me too sometimes), kinda sad ending (oops?)

a/n: in this fic, steve and nancy never got together in season 2 :) i think that’s the only variation in the fic. i’m ngl i might’ve cried while writing this but that also could’ve just been me being hormonal lol. also my second stranger things fic!! i’m kinda excited and can’t wait to see how this goes!

you didn’t quite know why he would always stare at you. to be frank, it was getting weird.

at lunch, when you would be waiting for max, basically every time you were in his line of sight his eyes were on you.

you even had a few classes with steve. luckily you were able to sit closer to the back. the downside to that is that the seats were all right by steve. whether in front, behind, or beside. it was worth it to not be in the front row, but still. it sucked.

you just kept your head down and let the day pass as fast as it possibly could, hoping that steve would mind his own business. sometimes he did. other times he would try to start a conversation.

“you do the homework?” steve leaned over to ask, too sweet of a tone adorning his voice to tell his true intentions.

“yes, harrington,” you rolled your eyes. “i did the homework. could your brain cells not keep up enough to finish it?”

“sadly, no,” he sighed, whipping out a softer, pitiful voice. “i was hoping maybe yours were able to make up for the disappearance of mine?”

“this is the last time,” you widened your eyes, trying to remain serious to the annoying little boy. “why do you never do it?”

“well, it always gives me an excuse to talk to you,” he had a sly grin on that stupid face.

you knew him and nancy were once a thing, but after will byers was found things changed. steve found that nancy was different after everything and they had both changed too much for them to make sense anymore.

but that didn’t mean that you and him made any sense at all.

“yea, shut it, harrington,” you scoffed as you let him glance at your paper to copy onto his own.

maybe he was drawn to you because you were a bit stand-offish. you knew you were. it’s because of billy. you had to be the protective older sister max needed. you were her biological sister, but you weren’t always so mean, only when billy and his dad came around.

you would be the one to defend max to billy. on occasion, you would have to defend max against billy’s dad. this might’ve earned you a bit of, punishment, as they would call it. others would say it’s abuse.

regardless, it wasn’t always like this. used to, you would play with max all the time. you were the one to teach her to skate. you had taught her the importance of self confidence. you were her older sister. she loved you dearly, and you did her. you still did, as did she.

it was just the dynamic that had changed. now, instead of being the sweet older sister everyone knew you were the rude, protective one. perhaps you just didn’t know how to shut off the mask you put up so often, in the house you would never call a home.

it was only a matter of time before you and max got dragged into the wild world of the upside down. you had brought her to the arcade that day lucas tried to explain everything to her. as per usual, she told you everything.

“maybe he just wants to impress you?” you scoffed, the story sounding unbelievable to yourself as well.

“why like this?” she rested her head against her fist by the window. “it’s just so stupid.”

“as are boys this age, max. they’re idiots that would say anything to impress a girl,” you gave her a pressed smile. “boys are stupid. why do you think i haven’t had one?”

“yea, maybe i should follow in your footsteps,” max added.

you laughed lightly before gently nudging her shoulder, turning up the radio to the latest kate bush song that had come out.

so when lucas told max that he had real proof, you were practically forced to follow along. well, not forced. max had asked you to come, in case anything funky was going on, and you happily said yes.

little did you know you would be met with dustin henderson and your very own king steve harrington. steve had directed you all, telling you what to do. the experience was rather ominous up to this point, so you reluctantly listened, but only to protect your sister in the case that they weren’t lying.

and once everything was boarded up, you went inside of the bus and waited. and waited. and waited.

max finally got tired of the silence when she asked, “so you really fought one of these things before?”

steve’s gaze from you was finally broken as he simply nodded his head, continuing to play with his lighter in attempt to pass the time a bit quicker than it was going.

“and you’re like, totally, 100% sure it wasn’t a bear?” she offered, being the sassy mini you she always was, you bit back a laugh.

that’s when little dustin decided to speak up a bit, “shit,” he huffed. “don’t be an idiot. okay. it wasn’t a bear,” but he wasn’t done there. “why’re you even here if you don’t believe us? just go home.”

“geesh,” max got up, headed towards the ladder. “someone’s cranky. past your bedtime?” she asked as she began ascending the ladder.

you busied yourself by fiddling with some old peeling fabric from one of the seats to hide the laugh in your throat.

“that’s good,” steve spoke, seemingly proud of the toddler who had tried to insult your little sister. “just show her you don’t care.”

“i don’t,” the toddler deadpanned, staring him straight in the eyes. “why’re you winking steve? stop.”

“really?” you chuckled, speaking up about the stupid situation at hand. “show her you don’t care? that’s the advice you gave him?”

“well, yea,” steve nodded, still playing with his little lighter.

“and does that always work with the girls you like?” you leant down, getting closer to steve on the floor.

you could hear how his breath hitched in his throat as he stumbled to find the right words.

“uhh yea, mo-most of the time,” he stopped toying with the lighter, focusing on dustin who was simply pacing back and forth, mumbling some incoherent nonsense that you figured you probably wouldn’t be able to understand even if you could hear him.

“most of the time?” you scoffed. “so you told him to be a dick to my sister on account of ‘most of the time’?”

“i didn’t say to be a dick!” he threw his hands up in defense.

“well he was being one.”

“i never told him to be one!”

“next time make sure he knows that, asshole.”

a loud growl interrupted your argument. your body became stiff as you instinctively curled into the arm that he protectively threw over your shoulders as you made your way to see what the ruckus was outside.

“lucas!” dustin shouted. “what’s goin’ on!” he demanded to know.

“hold on!” lucas replied.

silence fell over the group as you shrugged steve’s arm off of you, forgetting he had held it there. if you had paid attention to it, it felt a scarier without his arm there.

“i’ve got eyes!” lucas finally informed you. “ten o’clock! ten-ten o’clock!”

“there,” steve pointed at the creature outside of the bus, crawling low and slow.

“what’s he doing?” dustin wondered.

“i don’t know.” steve answered once more. “he’s not taking the bait. why’s he not taking the bait?” he asked worriedly.

“maybe he’s not hungry?” dustin tried to guess before a lightbulb went off in steve’s mind.

“maybe he’s sick of cow?” he replied smartly.

“wait-you mean?” you spoke up for once before steve backed away, making eye contact with you before turning.

“steve?” dustin asked. “steve, what’re you doing? steve?” he worried.

steve turned back to dustin and tossed him the lighter, “just get ready.”

“you’re not going out there alone,” you huffed at the brown eyed boy.

“like hell i’m not,” he replied, turning to face you once more. “you need to stay safe.”

“no, the kids need to stay safe,” you argued. “i’m going with you,” you told him as you grabbed a metal pipe and turned toward the door.

steve huffed as he rolled his eyes at you.

“are you gonna open the door or do you need me to go first?” you offered, teasing the boy before he reluctantly opened the door and headed out first.

“back to back, yea?” he whispered, feeling your back against his own.

you slowly walked towards the creature making the noise, feeling the whoosh of wind coming from steve swinging his bat in circles, probably from the nerves. he started whistling, trying to draw the creature out from wherever it was hiding.

“come on, buddy,” he teased with another whistle. “come on, buddy. dinner time. human tastes better than cat, i promise.”

“cat?” you whisper-yelled at him.

“i’ll fill you in later,” he replied.

when you heard the growl once more, somehow clearer, you turned to face it. you had to know what it was. the dog cleared, giving you sight of the monster you’d been told about.

“oh, god,” you raised your elbow, ready to swing in case of any sudden movement made by the thing.

“steve!” lucas shouted. “watch out!”

“little busy here!” steve roared before you turned around, noticing the second monster.

“oh, god,” your breathing picked up.

“three o’clock,” you nudged his shoulder to inform him of the new situation.

when he turned to where you were faced, his own face became filled with worry rather than mild fear. backed the two of you up a bit before the bus door flung open.

“abort! abort!” dustin shouted. “steve! y/n!”

“run!” the kids were screaming.

but every which way you looked, there was a new monster blocking your path. steve ran for the car, sliding across it before whacking one of the creatures, hearing it whimper and thud against the ground. you heard one behind your own back.

“y/n!” max shouted at you, alerting you that there was one behind you.

you swung and turned your body in one motion, the momentum enough to knock its body to the ground with a whine. another one was approaching your left, so you did the same thing with success.

after turning to where you last saw steve, he was running to you, shouting at you to move. you were too slow. a creature had tackled you to the ground, luckily steve had swung his bat before anything had happened, knocking the creature off of your body and to the side before he scooped you up bridal style and carried you into the bus himself, dustin slamming the door shut on the monsters.

they were easily able to break through the metal covering the door, leaving steve to knock the things with his nailed bat as the kids ran to the other side of the bus. you had luckily kept a hold of your metal pipe after being knocked down, your leg had been hurt but it wasn’t the time to worry about that.

dustin began to radio on his headset for anyone who could hear, seemingly with no hope. max had nudged your shoulder, motioning to the sunroof of the bus, the open sunroof of the bus. you pushed her behind you and made your way to where the roof was, not getting too close.

you could hear the stomps of the monsters above your heads before one approached the ladder. all you heard was max’s scream. the monster began to lunge towards you before steve put himself between you and the creature.

“come on you little piece of shit!” he bellowed. “you want some? come on!”

all at once the creatures began to turn away, no longer banging on the bus trying to get inside. steve had looked at you once more, a look of both relief and worry in his face.

you hadn’t even realized that you had latched onto steve’s arm. you didn’t care. you kept it there for a moment longer, hoping he wouldn’t notice or mind. you were scared, you could make an excuse.

this one time.

after a few moments of silence, steve had began to make his way outside, you following right behind with the rest of the kids.

“what happened?” lucas asked, all out of breath as if he had been the one fighting out there.

“i-i don’t know,” max hesitated.

“they scared ‘em off?” dustin mentioned, trying to find some sort of positive.

“no,” steve told them. “no way. there goin’ somewhere.”

when you all decided to take off in the direction of the ominous sound, which happened to thankfully break lucas and dustin’s little argument, steve had noticed after a while that you had been taking a bit longer than the others to keep up. you weren’t too slow, just a bit out of breath. he hung back for a second so he could ask you.

“hey,” steve began quietly as dustin and lucas went ahead. “did you get hurt? when you got tackled?”

“i-i don’t know,” you replied, more truthful than saying no. you just didn’t want to be a burden to the group, but you couldn’t stay behind. “i’ll be fine.”

“y/n,” he sighed. “which leg?” he pointed at them both before you lifted your pant leg, revealing a bruise all the way up your shin, a bit of blood from a cut running halfway down your leg. “that? y/n…” he trailed off.

he automatically put your arm around his shoulder, his arm going to your waist, acting as a crutch so you two could limp along together. you appreciated it, which was odd. you were always in depended. max noticed this too. and you noticed max holding lucas’s hand earlier. she had been talking to him on the roof of the bus prior to the, ‘demodog,’ as you came to find out, experience.

what was it with hawkins boys knocking down your walls? you didn’t like it. but, your leg really fucking hurt, so you could make an excuse.

this one time.

the rest of the night went by fast.

the noise led you to this… hospital? you had to pick up hopper, the police chief, will, mike, and joyce, wills mom. you had also ran into nancy and her boyfriend? jonathan. you weren’t sure if they were official.

when you ran into nancy and jonathan you only felt steve’s hold on you get a little tighter. you would only let yourself embrace it tonight. only tonight. you made your way back to joyce’s house, who you already felt this motherly hold over you. you enjoyed it. it was different.

you weren’t quite sure what you were doing. waiting, you suppose. they had filled you in on everything. the upside down, this girl named el, will’s whole experience and now what he’s going through.

then mike starting saying how bob, the man who had passed while saving the rest of them, had started the av club. how he couldn’t die in vain.

next thing you know they’re talking about the shadow monster and the tunnels that’re connected with the hive mind. how everything, the demodogs, tunnels, mind flayer, and even will are connected.

then the kids are telling you about this mind flayer character from d&d to relate this new creature to something a little more understandable. how this creature wants to conquer us, and become the master race. and the only way to know how to destroy this monster, is through will.

you all worked to make his shed unrecognizable. you covered it in sheets and foil and tons of bright lights. then your part was over. it was yet another waiting game.

while the kids were figuring out the morse code will was signaling, steve ushered you to the bathroom.

“what’re you doing?” you sighed, already exhausted from the night you’ve had.

“cleaning you up,” he informed you as he tapped the countertop, wanting you to hop up. “it doesn’t need to get infected and with those demodogs that did this to you we don’t know what bacteria they carry. so,” he tapped the counter twice more to prove his point, his voice like satin.

you lifted your hurt leg to hop on the other, grasping steve’s shoulder a bit so you could get on the counter easier. his hand went to your waist to help.

“alright, you wanna squeeze my hand when i pour this?” he asked as he lifted a bottle of alcohol to pour on your leg.

you nodded. only for tonight.

“one,” he began counting, only he began pouring on two.

“fuck!” you grasped his shoulder with your free hand, squeezing his hand that was in your grasp. “shit, shit, shit,” you whispered, trying not to distract the decoding process. “ohhh i hate you steve.”

the smell of him was a bit distracting from the pain. it was sweaty, but with undertones of his cedar wood cologne able to peak through. but that little distraction, the little peak of him you were able to focus on, was worth it.

“aww you don’t mean that,” he put on a small smile at your anger. “okay… that’s it. now i’m just gonna put some of this on,” he held up some neosporin from the first aid kit, “and then i’ll bandage you up, yea?”

“yea,” you nodded. “that shit hurt more than it did when i got it,” you motioned to the peroxide.

“sorry,” steve didn’t know what else to say as he finished his handiwork, releasing your hand before tenderly wrapping your leg in an ace bandage. “it had to be done.”

“i know, it’s just…” you took a deep breath. “damn,” you both laughed at that.

“okay,” steve breathed out, “all done now,” he bent down and placed a soft kiss to your knee as if he kissed it all better.

“thanks,” you smiled before he placed his hands back on your waist, carefully guiding you down. you didn’t have much time before hopper came barging into the house, telling the kids to get away from the windows.

you and steve marched out of the bathroom, you still rolling your pant leg down before they brought an unconscious will back into the house. you swiftly picked up your metal pipe as steve did his nailed bat, nancy held a rifle, hopped held his own gun, and you waited. waited for something, anything.

you turned where each noise came from, hoping to catch it before it caught you.

“where are they?”

“what’re they doing?”

then the noises stopped. you all panned the area, trying to get a feel for where they went. then a demodog came flying through the window.

“holy shit.” you said in unison with dustin.

“is it dead?” max wondered.

when hopper shoved its head with his foot, we were assured it had died. but then the lock on the door came undone. it seemed as though you could never catch a break in this town. a girl began walking through the door, converse clad with a nosebleed.

mike stepped forward, clearly having a close relationship with the girl. it was like watching the sweetest of reunions.

you turned to max, “is that-“

“el?” she finished for you

“y-yea,” lucas answered. “it is.”

“i never gave up,” mike said. “i called you every night-every night for-“

“353 days,” el nodded. “i heard,” she stepped closer to him, still not believing he was finally in front of her after almost a year

“why didn’t you let me know you were there?” he seemed hurt.

“because i wouldn’t let her,” hopper spoke up, stepping forward in the group.

part of you felt as though you shouldn’t be seeing this. you were so new to the group, you felt wrong witnessing such a seemingly tender moment.

“the hell is this,” hopper began to question el. “where’ve you been?”

“where have you been?!” she retorted, a bit snappy. you liked her.

they responded with a hug, tears began to prick your eyes a little before mike ruined the moment.

“you’ve been hiding her,” he concluded. “you’ve been hiding her this whole time!” he punctuated with a shove to hoppers back.

“hey,” hopper grasped his wrists. “let’s talk. alone.”

he led mike into a room, away from the group to discuss things with a bit more privacy. in the meantime, lucas and dustin began to say their hellos to the girl.

“we talked about you basically every day,” dustin mentioned, leaving el to stare at him before tapping his teeth.

“teeth.”

“huh?” lucas and dustin wondered.

“you have teeth,” el rephrased, a bit confused as to why he had teeth.

“oh,” dustin remembered. “you like these pearls?” he began to purr? you think that’s what that was. it clearly surprised el.

max began to walk towards the girl, “eleven?” the girl just stared at max. “hey, um, i’m max,” she stuck out her hand, “i’ve heard a lot about you.”

el just walked past her, rejecting not only a handshake but what seemed like a friendship. but, el wandered into joyce’s welcoming arms.

“what was that?” you questioned.

“i-i don’t know?” max wondered herself, not knowing where she had gone wrong with the incredibly short interaction.

and with the return of eleven, it was as though the master key to a house was returned. everything fell into place as she stated that she could close the gate. she could fix everything.

in order to get the mind flayer’s grasp off of will before eleven shut the gate, joyce, jonathan and nancy went to burn the mind flayer out of him.

meanwhile you were still at joyce’s with steve and the kids. you had been helping max and lucas clean up the living room while dustin and steve were, for some reason, putting the creature in the fridge. mike was just pacing. worrying.

“mike, would you just stop already?” lucas spoke up, somehow annoyed by his movement.

“you weren’t in there, okay, lucas,” mike shouted back. “that lab is swarming with hundreds of those dogs.

“demodogs!” dustin spoke from the kitchen.

“the chief will take care of her!” lucas tried to reason.

“like she needs protection,” you added.

“listen, dude, a coach calls a play in a game, bottom line, you execute it,” steve tried to reason. “all right?”

“okay first of all this isn’t some stupid sports game,” mike rebutted. “and second we’re not even in the game. we’re on the bench.”

“right-right,” steve tried to think of a come back. “so my point is…”

“there’s nothing for us to do,” you finished for him.

“that’s not entirely true,” dustin mentioned, clearly up to something. “i mean the demodogs have a hive mind. when they ran away from the bus, they were called away.”

“so if we get their attention,” lucas interjected.

“we draw them away from the lab,” max added.

“away from eleven,” you finished.

“yeah and then we all die,” steve tried to reason.

“well, that’s one point of view,” dustin retorted.

“no, that’s not a pint of view man,” steve said with an attitude. “it’s a fact.”

“i’ve got it!” mike went into another room, pointing to the drawings of the vines. “this is where hop dug the hole. this is where we get to the vines,” he began to move again. “here, right here. this is like a hub. so you’ve got all the tunnels feeding in here. i think if we set this on fire-“

“oh, yea, that’s a no,” steve interjected, a hand on his hips as he pointed to the child. you nudged steve with your arm, pulling him to the side.

“look, i know i don’t know much about this situation and everything,” you started. “but i don’t think they’ll be able to close the gate at all with all of those dogs for eleven to kill. it seemed like killing only one of them drained her a bit. mike said that place had hundreds, steve. it’s not just our lives on the line. it’s everyone’s.”

he wanted to listen to you. he wanted to help. and he wanted you to know that he cared about what you thought. but he promised them that he would keep the kids safe. he couldn’t break his promise.

while you were trying to reason with him, the kids were still plotting on how to distract the dogs. steve ran his hands through his hair before clapping, getting everyone’s attention.

“hey! hey! hey!!” he shouted. “this is not happening.”

“but-“

“no buts!” he scoffed “i promised to keep you shitheads safe and that’s exactly what i plan on doing. we’re staying here. on the bench. and we’re waiting for the starting team to do their job. does everybody understand that?”

“this isn’t even a stupid sports game!” mike reminded him.

“i said does everybody understand that?” steve repeated. “i need a yes.”

you opened your mouth to begin speaking when you heard a familiar engine revving outside of the house. you and max ran to the couch to peer outside and see who was out there.

“shit,” you turned to max. “billy.”

“he’ll kill us if he knows we’re here,” max told lucas.

“just-just stay inside,” steve motioned to you and max. “both of you, please,” the look in his eyes told you he was serious.

you placed max behind your back and nodded to him, knowing that if he saw you would would know max was with you.

you didn’t know or hear anything that was going on outside. you were just pacing around the living room, trying to remain calm. steve could handle this.

then you saw all the kids duck down from the couch.

“what the fuck guys?” you scoffed at them. “max did he see you?!” the door slammed open, billy walking inside.

“well, well, well,” billy scowled. “lucas sinclair. what a surprise. i thought i told you to stay away from him max,” he said as he got closer to your sister, you were both able to feel his breath on your skin.

“and i thought i told you to brush your teeth this morning,” you got between him and the children.

“she knows what happens when she disobeys me,” he chuckled. “i break things.”

he immediately turned towards lucas before you could move him out of the way. billy had your shirt collar in his hands, shoving you towards the wall before he laid a punch on your cheek.

the kids were screaming, begging for him to stop. he wouldn’t listen after throwing two punches, feeling blood trickling down your nose, he held you tightly once more.

“what is it with that fucking mouth of yours huh?” he chuckled. “always such a bitch. i would imagine that your new boyfriend, harrington would like you much more if you would just keep it shut like a good little bitch, huh?”

“you’re the bitch,” you heard steve announce before he laid a fat one on billy’s cheek, shocking his grip off of you.

you nearly fell to the ground, your balance being less than stellar with your leg already hurting. max was there to help you balance, wrapping her arm around your waist.

“looks like you finally got some fire in you after all, huh?” billy began laughing maniacally. “i’ve been waiting to meet this king steve everybody’s been telling me so much about!” he walked closer to steve.

“get out,” steve ordered.

billy swung, steve ducked to miss the shot before landing another one of his own, sending billy across the room. he landed a couple more blows before billy grabbed a plate, smashing it over steve’s head. steve stumbled out of the room, trying to catch his breath while billy followed.

“nobody,” he picked steve up by his collar. “nobody tells me what to do,” he threw him to the ground.

you could sense that he was about to pound on top of steve, so you shoved billy out of the way, reminding him of your presence to shift his focus. maybe steve would be alright if you were able to distract him for long enough.

“look,” billy chuckled. “little princess with the hurt leg wants to save her boyfriend,” he kicked the hurt leg, sending you falling to the ground, but not before grasping one of billy’s legs, taking him with you.

with billy now on the ground, you rolled on top of him, sending a punch to his cheek. you winded your hand back, ready to send another one before he caught your hand, squeezing it so tight you swear your heard some bones pop.

“he’s-“ you tried to speak through the pain, tears running down your face. “he’s not,” you yanked his hair back with your free hand, shocking him enough to retrieve your hand. “he’s not my boyfriend.”

“right,” he smiled with his head back before spinning you two back over, him now on top of you before landing another punch on your cheek. “he never would be, huh?” another punch. “you’re not good enough for anyone in this goddamn town, as terrible as it is. not good enough for anybody anywhere. you’re just a little girl with daddy issues,” he put his face in your own. “trying to feel love even though you know you’ll never deserve it,” he began chuckling, brushing your hair behind your ear. “you’ll always be that pathetic little whore deep down, huh?”

tears were now flowing down your face, embarrassment long forgotten from the pure pain and torture you felt beneath the boy you should’ve trusted. the boy you were supposed to be able to call a brother. as he spat in your face, you realized he had a hold on one of your hands.

he used the free one to land one more blow to your face before steve tackled him off of you. max had immediately come to your aid, but it wasn’t long before billy was back on top of steve. you pointed to steve, then to the shelf that had the sedative.

“use it,” you nodded towards max.

she marched towards the shelf, grabbing the medicine before shoving it in the back of billy’s neck. he quickly got off of steve, turning to face max. you couldn’t hear what was going on, the ringing in your ears a bit too loud. you saw billy hit the floor, smiling with what seemed like laughter before you hobbled up, grabbing steve’s nailed bat before raising it over your shoulder.

“from here on out you will leave max and her friends alone, got it?” you asked.

he just laughed.

you swung the bat right between his legs, underneath his dick before screaming, “say you understand! say it!”

“i understand,” he finally mustered up the courage to speak.

“sorry, what was that,” you wanted him to be louder.

“i understand!”

“good,” you dropped the bat to your side before grabbing the keys from his belt loop. “joy ride, anyone?” you put on as good of a smile as you could while holding the keys up.

you had told max to drive, your leg still absolutely killing you. you sat in the back, steve’s head on your lap as you doctored up his wounds. it was the hydrogen peroxide that made him wake up.

“shh,” you whispered. “i know, i know,” you ran your hands through his hair.

“y/n?” you nodded at his question.

“let me just clean you up a bit, alright?” you finished pouring the peroxide, letting him squeeze your hand to return the favor from earlier before placing a dab of neosporin and a bandage over each cut while the kids were navigating.

you were paying attention to his wounds but he was paying attention to you. how careful you were. how soft your hands felt on his face, how nice they felt in his hair. was his head on your thighs? they were comfy. soft. he could stay like this forever. until he realized…

“oh my god!” he shouted, moving him from his daydream and back into reality.

“relax, she’s driven before,” dustin tried to convince steve it was fine.

“in a parking lot!” mike added.

steve kept chanting, ‘oh my god,’ as max drove, each of the kids trying to calm him down. it was all stressful and probably too loud for his head. there was definitely a concussion, you just weren’t sure how bad it was.

“everyone shut up!” you ordered. “steve, i couldn’t drive. the douchebag hurt my leg even more, i told her she could, she’s really not too bad. now you have got to breath before you put yourself in worse condition than you already are, got it?” you told him, hands placed softly on both sides of his face to ground his attention.

he nodded, taking a deep breath as you animated with him.

“your face,” he reached up to cup your face, you leaned into his touch.

this one time.

“i’m sorry i didn’t stop him sooner…”

“it’s not your fault, steve,” you gave him a small smile. “billy’s just a douche,” you shrugged. “besides, now i can say that i’ve been in a fight.”

you swore he was leaning into you until max nearly missed her left turn, hitting a mailbox and nearly crashing the car. steve’s arms were flailing everywhere until he wrapped one around your shoulder and the other around your waist.

“jesus, max!” you huffed out. “make a liar out of me, why don’t ya?”

a sigh of relief fell upon the entire group as she put the car in park. “i told ya. zoomer,” she added.

“zoomer?” steve asked you, you laughed and placed your hand over his mouth to shut him up for a moment.

you and the kids got everything out of the car, the masks and goggles to protect yourselves. steve was stumbling out of the car, mumbling about how he told you not to go in there, saying that it wasn’t gonna happen.

“look, steve,” you took your metal pipe out of the trunk. “either you stay here and watch the car or something while i make sure they stay safe or you come with us and help me. your decision,” you shoved his backpack in his direction, along with his nailed bat, before hobbling after the kids.

“y/n,” steve called you back. “you’re hurt. your leg. is this really the best decision?”

“it’s the only decision, steve,” you shook your head. “regardless of whether or not you’re going down there, my sister is not going without me. got it, steve?” he nodded. “good.”

steve jumped in the hole before you, able to catch you so you wouldn’t hurt your leg even more with the impact of landing. you quickly took your hands from his shoulders to turn and observe the tunnels.

“yea i’m pretty sure it’s this way,” mike said, his voice slightly muffled by the bandana around his nose and mouth.

“you’re pretty sure or are you certain?” dustin demanded to know.

“im 100 percent sure!” mike rephrased. “just follow me and you’ll know!” mike began to lead the group.

“woah! woah! woah! hey, hey, hey!” steve shouted. “i don’t think so,” he said as he caught up with mike, leaving max to be your crutch beside you.

“what?” mike questioned.

“any of you little dipshits die down here and i get the blame,” steve said. “got it, dipshit?” you rolled your eyes. “here on out, i’m leading the way. come on, let’s go.”

“my god, what is this place?” you looked around. it seemed like a cave that had little extensions.

“alright let’s keep moving!” steve ordered, moving ahead quickly.

“ahh shit!” you heard dustin’s scream “it’s in my mouth! holy shit it’s in my mouth! ahhh!”

you all ran to where he was, you got on the ground next to him, he grasped your arm as he kept trying to spit it out on the ground, coughing before sitting back up.

“i’m okay,” he breathed out.

“seriously?” you shoved him back before steve held out his hand to help you up, letting his hand linger around your waist.

“really funny man,” steve sassed. “nice, very nice.”

this time he let his hand on your waist guide you through the tunnels beside him, albeit a bit worried about something happening to you. you didn’t mind, you felt max’s presence right behind you.

“alright wheeler,” steve announced. “i think we’ve found your hub.”

it was huge. like a big cave with little extensions in every direction. the little particles dancing around made it hard to see, even still with your adjusted eyes.

“drench it,” mike said.

you all began pouring the flammable liquid you had gathered everywhere, making sure to cover as much surface as possible. this thing would burn. and you wanted to make sure of it.

“you guys ready?” you asked, they all nodded. you turned to steve, his nod ensuring that they were ready before you flicked the flame alive, tossing it onto the ground.

immediately the vines began to come to life, screeching from pain and writhing, trying to escape it.

“let’s go,” steve yelled. “let’s go! let’s go! lets go!” he ushered the kids away, you not too far behind him.

when mike tripped, screaming for help, you were able to whack the vine with your metal pipe, sending it screeching back away from his leg, you ordered the others to keep running before a dog came before you.

“dart?”dustin had asked. “is that you buddy?”

“dustin-“

“trust me!” dustin ordered. “hey, it’s me, it’s me. it’s just your friend. it’s dustin,” he took his goggles off to prove it to the creature. “just dustin, all right? you remember me,” he crouched down to the dog’s level. “will you let us pass?”

the dog snarled at him, seemingly telling the child no.

“okay, okay. i’m sorry,” dustin tried to reason. “i’m sorry about the storm cellar. i know it was a pretty douchey thing to do. you hungry?” he reached into his backpack. “yea? i’ve got our favorite. see? nougat,” dustin began to unwrap the candy for the dog to eat, placing on the ground. “look at that. yummy. here, all right,” he backed away from the dog, waving for everyone to pass the creature while he was occupied. “there’s plenty, i’ve got more,” he offered.

you began to ignore his reunion, instead ensuring that max got across safely, your hand on the square of her back as steve led the group at the front. dustin quickly earned his footing ahead of you before you saw the rope.

steve began lifting the kids up the rope as he heard the roaring of the dogs. first max, then lucas, mike, dustin, then the dogs were too close.

“steve?” you looked at him, tears pricking the corners of your eyes.

he grasped your hand, “i’ve got you,” but you opted for wrapping your arms around his torso, his going around your shoulders. you tucked your head into his chest before realizing that they hadn’t attacked you. they were going around.

“eleven,” mike realized.

steve was able to hoist you up, letting the rest of the kids help pull you up before he grasped your hand, you and the kids doing the same for him. once you were all on safe, solid, normal ground, you noticed the headlights of the car getting increasingly bright. eleven was doing her thing. you had helped.

-

one broken tibia and a month later, hawkins was seemingly ‘normal’ again. you were adorned in a pretty little cast while waiting for max outside of the snow ball dance. you think her and lucas will kiss, she might’ve mentioned wanting to during one of your sleepovers.

you were parked outside of the school, reading the shining for what felt like the 50th time, when a car parked next to your own. you looked across and saw none other than steve harrington in the drivers seat, a dorky grin on his face as he waited for you to wave your hand and motion for him to join you in your car.

“hey,” he opened the door and plopped in. “so, uhhh…”

“yes?” you asked, wanting to know why he had that dopey grin on his face. while it was an obnoxiously cute grin, you still wanted to know what put it there.

“how’s the leg?” he motioned to the one that was bent in your seat, still a bit of grief hit him when he remembers how hurt you had gotten that night.

“y’know,” you shrugged. “it’ll be fine. hurts like hell, though.”

“i’m sorry,” he dropped eye contact with you, opting to look at his hands that were currently cupping his knees.

“for what?” you chuckled. “you didn’t do this.”

“yea but,” he breathed out. “i could’ve. i saw billy when he-he shoved your leg in. you have no idea how-how angry that made me. and how he spoke to you? i just… you are deserving of-“

“hold it, steve,” you put your hand up. “i don’t need you to give me this whole ‘pity speech’ about how i deserve love and how im not broken, okay?” you rolled your eyes. “i know i am and im fine with that. what i don’t need is some guy who thinks he knows me try to tell me that im good enough for him or for anyone else. because frankly, i don’t-i don’t even feel that way, okay? so, please,” you felt tears prick your eyes. “don’t bring that back up. because bill-billy somehow knows my deepest thoughts and fears and i-i don’t want anyone else to even think about them. i just can’t handle it right now.”

“y/n,” he grasped your hand with his own. “it’s okay. it’s okay to not be able to handle something-especially after what you’ve been through,” he brought your hand to his lips. “i care about you. i want you to be able to talk through it, even if it isn’t with me.”

“i can’t,” you shook your head. “i can’t talk to max about this. i don’t want her to see me like this.”

“then she doesn’t have to, okay?” he reached across the console and wrapped his arms around you, letting you cry on his shoulder. “i’m here, it’s okay.”

“it’s just…” you dragged on. “home isn’t good. it’s not even a home. i just try to make sure max is never in the mix when things go down but then i-then,” you choked on a sob before he continued to stroke your back.

he pulled back after a second, “if you and max ever need to just… escape, you know my door is always open,” his eyes searched yours for some sort of confirmation but found a bit of weariness. “my parents are like never home, so you won’t really have to worry about them not wanting you guys around.”

“i wouldn’t want to do that to you,” you shook your head, insistent on the idea that you would be too close to a burden on him.

“do what?” he scoffed with a smile. “rid me of my… i’ll admit, loneliness?”

“steve harrington? the king of hawkins high, lonely?” you rolled your eyes. “yea, i’ll believe it when i see it.”

“then you will come over?” he acknowledged with a shit-eating grin. “see the loneliness, first-hand?”

“maybe, steve,” you sighed. “maybe.”

and maybe you should’ve let yourself hold onto him a little longer. you should’ve let your walls down for him. but you couldn’t. you barely knew him. well, you knew him now. but not outside of trying to save the world. you didn’t know how he was when he was sick. you didn’t know his favorite color.

so for tonight, you let yourself feel. you let yourself weep and break and crumble apart in steve harrington’s arms. chances are he would forget what even happened the next day anyway.

this one time.

tomorrow came. and no sign of steve. then the next, then the next. for some reason you felt disappointed. after everything… no.

you don’t need him. you don’t want him. you are perfect without him. your walls are still intact. you have yourself. that’s all you need.

but max, well, max needed you. sometimes she wouldn’t admit it, but she really did need you. so, you were there.

you drove her to the arcade the fifth day, deciding to stick around and watch her do her thing from inside, cheering her on and handing her more quarters once she ran out.

when you heard the other heathens arrive, you knew who was dropping them off. you opted to not even look out of the glass door. he doesn’t need to know you’ve even thought of his name. maybe you have a bit too much.

“y/n,” steve’s voice rang through your ears. you turned to face him with an obviously forced grin. “sorry i never called, my-“

“oh, doesn’t matter, harrington,” you shrugged. “all is well.”

“i just thought that you maybe wanted to talk since…” he dragged on, not wanting to spill too much with this many ears around.

“look, harrington,” you turned to actually look him in his eyes. “i get that we got a bit close and all because of some life or death situations but you don’t need to pretend to care or be my friend anymore. i just-i need to make sure max is taken care of, and that takes a lot more work than you would think,” you chuckled, trying to break the bridge before your walls became irreplaceable to the brown haired boy before you.

“i was never pretending, y/n,” his eyebrows furrowed at your word-vomit taking a step closer to you while reaching for your hand. “you realize i just want to help, i want to be there for you.”

“i don’t need anyone,” you shook your head, pulling your hand away from his. “i’m fine, harrington. i’ve been fine without someone this far, and i’ll continue to be fine.”

“you deserve to be better than fine, y/n,” he argued, letting your hand fall from his own, as much as he missed its warmth. “and what-what’s happened to ‘steve’? what’s with this ‘harrington’ bullshit again?”

“it’s your name,” you shrugged, avoiding eye contact with the man in front of you. you could feel how close you were to caving in. but you couldn’t. you just… you couldn’t risk it. “i’ll use it how i please.”

“when you decide you want to be more than fine,” he sighed, knowing how stubborn you were. “i’ll always be here. waiting for you.”

you turned around before saying with tears in your eyes, “don’t hold your breath, harrington.”

you felt his hand linger over your shoulder, hesitating to leave his touch before you felt the warmth of his presence retreat. the only sign that told you he was surely gone was the ring of the bell on that glass door and the revving engine of his car.

you wouldn’t have noticed if the glass door had shattered as distracted as you were with the feeling of your own heart doing the same. this wasn’t supposed to hurt. you weren’t supposed to feel anything. but now you felt everything. from the one night, that was supposed to only be one time. so why did you want him all the time?

#steve harrington #steve harrington x reader #steve #steve harrington x fem!reader #steve harrington x mayfield!reader #max’s older sister #stranger things fic #stranger things #steve harrington fic #steve harrington angst #steve harrington x reader angst

[cahrlotah]

𝘽𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙢𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙜𝙚

Trigger warning: dirty talk, fem x male sex, describing female anatomy, oral fem receiving, use of nicknames, unprotected sex, fingering, slight choking, hair pulling, ass slapping (?), reader riding Steve, 

Word count: 1.8K

Pairing: Mayfield!reader x Steve H. 

Friday night, just like every other night, I sit on my bed while I do my homework. Lately I’ve been focusing all my energy on my AP classes. The smell of vanilla and cinnamon fills up my room as some candles are lit to give it a cozy feeling.

I’m home alone, my mom and stepdad are on a dinner date, Billy is probably fucking a girl somewhere and Max is out with his group of friends. I look over to see the time just turning nine pm, when all of the sudden I hear a small bang on my window. I just ignore it, maybe it was the autumn air making one of the tree branches hit it. Another one, I walk towards the window to see better what is actually hitting it. The blinds slowly open, the cold night air hitting my face, no sign of strong enough winds to make the tree even move, I back out my face when suddenly a small rock hit my face. I whine as it hit near my eye.

“What the fuck!” I yell.

“Oh shit sorry” a boys voice says beneath me. I peak a little bit more only to see the infamous Steve Harrington looking at me. A big smile forms on my face, something deep inside of me knows that I needed him to stop by a few minutes today. “Can I come in?” His big brown eyes looking straight towards me. I nod quickly running towards the door. When I open it he is standing there, looking as handsome as ever, his hair lays messy on his head, his hand pushes it back. “Hi there, beautiful”, his arm rests on the doorframe as he shoots a bright big smile towards me. We slowly make our way towards my room. After we both enter my room he closes the door. I sit back on my bed while I look through all the papers when all of the sudden I feel  how the mattress slowly sinks in next to me. My head turns around, Steve is sitting next to me, with a big smile on his face. 

“Steve…” I start knowing where this is heading to. 

“I know I know you need to study but come on, just a 10 minute break?” His brown puppy eyes looking directly into my soul, begging me to give him some attention. I look at the pile of papers laid on my bed and then I look back at him. Eventually I give in, I organise everything on a big pile and put it on my desk. “Back massage?” He asks , I nod to the much needed touch of my boyfriend. I lay back down the mattress, my back being the exposed part. Before starting, Steve turns off the main light of my room, leaving a small lamp open, giving my room a more relaxing atmosphere. His touch is soft , his hands are cold, when they touch my skin, goosebumps travel all over my body. His fingertips softly sinks into my skin, slowly massaging  my sore muscles. He keeps massaging, when all of the sudden he touches a part on my lower back, provoking a small loan come out of me as he hits the right spot with his thumb. I know I can’t see Steve  but I know he has a big smile on his face knowing he can make a mess out of me with just one touch.

His two hands on my waist, pressing on that right spot, provoking my whole body to whimper. His head goes to my neck, his lips pressing soft kisses on the back of my neck, while one his his hands moves my hair around has he moves his kisses around my neck. 

I turn around, Steve positioning himself in between my legs while he kisses me. 

“You look so beautiful” his hand inside my t-shirt, his hand grabs one of my boobs. His hip finally connects with  mine my back arches a little bit, just to be closer to him. I can feel how in between his legs a boner is growing. His lips move from mine to my jack slowly moving to my neck where he softly sucks my skin, leaving small marks. Steve takes my t-shirt off, his mouth rarely leaving my skin, he throws it somewhere in my room.  

His kisses travel throughout my torso, eventually stoping on my boobs. He grabs one of my nipples in between his teeth. My eyes are closed, my back is arched and my mouth is letting out soft moans as a reaction to his touches. After he lets my nipple alone, his wet lips slowly travel down my stomach, stoping at the hem of my pyjama bottoms. I look at him for the sudden stop and I find him looking straight at me with a big smile on his face, without saying a word he grabs the hem with his mouth slowly pulling the cotton shorts alongside my panties down.We look at each as he moves down, not breaking it at any point, his eyes fixated on mine. He moves his gaze, scanning my nude body, then he proceeds to kiss my feet all the way to my thighs, concentrating the longer kisses there, kissing my skin, his head in between my legs and his mouth so fucking close to my private area that I whine and pull his head towards it, but he stops. He looks at me again.

“Do you want this honey?” He slides his tongue in between my folds, I throw my head back, as feeling his tongue is a sensation I’ve missed. 

“Fuck Steve, yeah” I moan, my fists clenching into my bed sheets.

“Sorry, princess, I haven’t quite gotten that, can you repeat it” his says this in a cocky tone.

“Fucking shit please Steve, fucking destroy me. I’ve been needing you for some days now” he grinds, this words bursting his ego even more. His tongue touches me again while his hands sink on my thighs. My hands quickly grab his hair, moans filling the room. “ Don’t you fucking stop, I beg you Steve” his tongue moves faster, he takes one of his hands off my thigh and moves it to my clit, his thumb circling my clit. Somehow I’m already seeing the stars with this man in between my legs. 

Steves changes his mouth for his fingers, moving his upper body towards mine, his lips capturing my moan as he enters some of his fingers inside of me. 

“So fucking wet for me, I love it” his lips crash into mine. The make out session intensifies, his fingers come out of me. He stands on his knees, taking off his t-shirt . “Enjoying the view pretty?” His cocky smile, plastered on his face. I nod, the dim light forming perfect shadows all over his abs and torso, making him look like a greek god under the Mediterranean sun. I bite my lower lip. I sit down, while I unbuckle his belt, the clicking noise of the metal mixes with the night sounds. 

“Such a good girl for me” Steve whispers as his hand caresses my cheek. He quickly gets rid of the rest of the clothing items he has left. He jumps back to bed, more specific in between my legs, he rests his body on his hands situated one on each side, the tip of his dick rubbing my clit as he slowly moves back and forward teasing me. 

“Fucking shit Steve, stop teasing” I cry out loud, begging for his touch, to feel him inside of me, and when I was going to beg for more, he enters me. At first he goes slowly, his hips crash into mine while the sound of our, mostly quiet moans fill up the room. He fastens his pace, one of his hands around my neck while the other is gripping into my bed sheets. He pulls out and makes me turn around, there is no need for him to tell me anything as I know what he wants me to do. I am in all fours, with my forearms on the soft blanket that covers the end of my bed.

“Fucking shit baby” he slaps my ass, a moan scapes my mount provoking a big smile on hi face. “You fucking liked that, huh?” He asks teasingly as his hand touches my ass cheek once more. He enters me, his hand placed on my hips, marking the rhythm, at first slow, both of us enjoying the pleasure . Steve’s hips speed up as he builds up his stamina preparing to orgasms. 

He slides out, and without a word he places me on top of him, my hands on his shoulders and his on my hips moving them slowly. His eyes are closed while his mouth is slightly open forming a small O, his lips plumped from all the kissing, he looks eternal under the candle lights and the slight moonlight coming through my window. I wish this moment could last forever, us as one. 

Slowly a tight know feeling starts forming at the bottom of my torso, I know he is close too as he grabs into my flesh harder. He is now looking into my eyer, or should I say into my soul?

Everything in this moment is perfect, I have the love of my life looking at me as if I was a greek goddess, a daughter of Aphrodite or one of the nymphs. When all of the sudden the door of my room opens wide open. 

“(Y/N) I really need your help. Lucas is being a little shi-…AHHHHHH!” Max, my sister, screams when she sees what was going on in my room. 

“Holy fuck, Max get the fuck out!” I scream, throwing a pillow towards her direction. 

“Shit (Y/N) I didn’t know, holy fuck I’m going to be traumatised for life after this” she mumbles as she closes the door. 

“Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit” Steve starts to panic, he quickly grabs his clothes and puts them on, “ Holy shit, I think we just traumatised your little sister, and if Billy knows this I’m fucking dead, holy fuck” he walks in circles, as I put on some clothes.When I can finally stop him, I cup his face as I kiss him.

“Everything is going to be okay, she is not going to tell Bill” I assure him, his hands lay on my waist as mine are around his neck. 

#steve x reader #steve harrington smut #Steve Harrington x mayfield!reader #mayfield!reader #steve harrington x fem #steve the hair harrington #steve harrington one shot #steve harrington x original character #steve harrington fanfic #steve x you #steve harrington x reader

[haileymunson]

steve working at the video store moodboard

#steve stranger things #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington x black!reader #steve x black!reader #steve harrington #hawkins #stranger things #steve harrington x you #steve harrington moodboard #steve harrington x plus sized reader #steve harrington x mayfield!reader #steve harrington x henderson!reader #steve harrington x gender neutral reader #steve harrington x sinclair!reader

[lighteyed]

driving miss mayfield

steve harrington x fem mayfield!reader

[5.8k] steve gives you driving lessons, max gives you heat, you give yourself no time to daydream.

disclaimer- no mention of blood relation to max, no physical descriptors of reader, they are sisters in any way you want them to be.

     “What do you mean you don’t know how to drive?” The disbelief in his words is almost as emphatic as the annoyance in yours, but he seems to be more disbelieving than you are annoyed at him, who could ever really be annoyed at him, so you let Steve gape at you and blink rapidly instead of telling him to mind his business.

   You slurp down the rest of your soda from the general store in his passenger seat, shrugging, fighting to push down that urge to snap. Mayfield girls, you, Max, your mother when she wasn’t bogged down by a soul-sucking man-leech draining her lifeforce from her right before your eyes, had a less than lovely temper most of the time, and you tried very  hard to keep it contained, especially around people who didn’t deserve it. It just felt like a ridiculous question. “I mean, why do you think I’m stuck drivin’ with Billy half the time? You think I get in that car willingly? You think Max gets in that car willingly?”  You shake your head. “No way. If I had a license I would’ve been, like, halfway back to California the second you people started dragging me and Max into your science fiction monster crap.”

    “As if she woulda let you,” Steve scoffs with a similar head shake, a lock of his hair falling nicely into place in the middle of his forehead. He swipes at it quickly. He has this ridiculous urge to never be anything less than perfect in front of you, you, who is perfect without effort, leading him to put even more effort into holding up this front for himself. “Besides, you’d miss this pretty face, right?” He points to himself, smiles, and waits for you to laugh. You do. It makes his heart constrict.

   “Think you’d miss my pretty face, actually,” you snort, shoving your now empty shake in the cupholder.

    “Yeah, I would,” he teases, just a little, just enough to make further attempts at breaking all that ice you’ve got protecting you, and he swears, he sees it crack the slightest amount, even though you don’t answer. You smile and stare down at your hands in your lap, twisting a mood ring around your finger and making sure you don’t look at him. He’ll take what he can get. “Well, anyhow,” he says, dramatically blowing air out of his mouth, the subject change swift and, in his opinion, a flawless execution, “I can’t in good conscience let you keep driving with him.”

    “You already drive me and Max and all her friends everywhere, you don’t have to do anything else.” You don’t like being indebted to anyone. Even if it’s Steve, who insists on picking you up for school in the mornings and dropping you off in the afternoons and, if he’s free, taking you anywhere else you need to go. And he usually is free, because you, and the group of middle schoolers (almost high schoolers, to be fair) he’s adopted since he protected them from Billy and the Demodogs and the whole Mind Flayer debacle (you’re still fuzzy on the details, honestly) a few months ago,  are his only friends nowadays, so it’s not like his schedule is packed and there’s no room to fit you in there. There’s more than enough room. If there wasn’t, he’d make it so. You both knew that.

    “I love driving you,” he insists. “But the thing is, my dad’s cutting me off.”

    “He’s what?”

    “Like, you know, he’s gonna stop paying for my shit. I’m not goin’ to college and he thinks I’m a useless sack of nothing-“

   “You are not a useless sack of nothing-“

   “You tell that to him-“

   “Take me there right now and I will-“

    “Alright, alright, easy.” As much as he’d love to see you go toe to toe with his dad, and you’d be able to, he’s sure, he doesn’t want to talk about it any further than the basic facts of the situation. He’s not going to college therefore his dad has no reason to pay for anything he does anymore. His car insurance is his responsibility now, anything else he needs is up to him to to get, food, clothes, gas, if he has to go to the hospital he’s sure his dad would shove the medical bills onto him, too. He was like that, unfortunately for Steve. But it was one thing he could relate to you on. You had him slightly beat, though. You had two dads to complain about, both terrible in their own ways. Sam Mayfield: emotionally distant, didn’t bother to call, didn’t ask you to visit, too busy when you lived with him to spend any time with you anyway. And then, of course, there was Neil Hargrove: controlling, abusive, cold Neil Hargrove. How he’d charmed your mother into marrying him was a mystery to you and to Max, but you supposed, for as much as you loved her on principle because she was your mother and you pitied her and looked up to her all the same, she was easily charmed by men. It killed you a little more every time it happened, but this was the first time she’d actually brought him into your family, integrating them together in a way she thought would be seamless, but you and Max despised your stepbrother and he despised you both right back. “Point is, I’m gonna have to get a job, probably at that new mall they’re opening up-“

   “Oh the horror-“ you feign a hand over your forehead and slump back in your seat- “Rich pretty boy Steve Harrington doing labor, at the fancy new mall, with those soft delicate hands of yours, whatever will you do-“

   “Shut it,”  he warns, but there’s a grin on his face anyway. “You just admitted I’m pretty, by the way.” He continues before you can dispute his claims. “I’m not gonna be around as much. So you need your license. Unless you wanna be stuck with Billy yelling in your ear all day long.” He pauses, thinking. “Which might make me kill him. So, actually, unless you want me to murder him in cold blood-”

   “Please? I’m begging at this point,” you joke back.

   “Let me get a word in would you?” He laughs and it sounds like music to you. You keep it to yourself. “I want you to be okay on your own. I don’t want him, y’know, hurting you guys, okay? So you need your license.” His words and his eyes go lovely and soft, all rounded ages, nothing jagged about them, just pure, undulated care and affection.

    It makes you soften, too. You spend a lot of time looking after Max, it hits you hard when someone takes the time to look after you, too. “I don’t know, Steve, I wouldn’t be getting a car right after or anything, my job doesn’t pay enough, and we can just take the bus or something. I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

   ‘I’m teaching you to drive, and you can take my car wherever you need to go. I’ll come pick you up, we’ll go on over to wherever I’m working, drop me off, and then you go wherever you need to go and come back in time to pick me up.” He says it so easily, as if it’s the most obvious answer to your problems in the world. He doesn’t even fathom how much it means to you.

   “You’d let me drive this?” You brace both your hands on the dashboard, your turn to stare at him in incredulity. His car is nice. It’s beautiful, really, and you don’t know much about cars. It’s classic and shiny and new. And expensive. Expensive being the operative word. Billy’s car is nice, too, and it’s about the only thing he takes care of other than his physique, which he thinks about obsessively, but you don’t think it’s anywhere as nice as Steve’s. Not in your opinion, anyway. The fact that Steve is nicer in personality (and looks, quite frankly) might make you biased, though. “I can’t afford to replace anything if I scratch it or crash it or if it explodes.”

   “You won’t scratch, crash, or explode it, you’re gonna be learning from the best.”

   “And who would that be?”

   “Me, obviously. Welcome to your first driving lesson, I’ll be your instructor, Mr. Harrington, thank you for joining us Miss Mayfield.” He tips an imaginary hat toward you. You’re not sure what driving instructors wear hats but you let him have his fantasy anyway.

   “Right now?” You can barely process what’s happening before he’s popping open his door, lanky legs sliding right out. He raps the hood of the car with his knuckles, ducking his head inside to look at you.

   “Yes, right now, Mayfield, no time like the present.” He comes around to the side you’re on and opens door for you, ushering you out. He holds your hand to help you out of the car, entirely unnecessary but a smooth move nonetheless, and your hands fit together in a way that makes him want to keep them clasped like that forever. He ushers you into the driver’s seat with a quickness that almost gives you whiplash.

    Your hands prop up on the wheel, uneasy. Your palms start to sweat. “I don’t like this,” you tell him. You take your hands off and wipe them on your jeans. They immediately dampen again. You’re afraid of leaving sweat prints all over his wheel and leaving a car-shaped hole in the side of the now abandoned Benny’s Burgers, the parking lot almost empty, save for the car that you are now responsible for. It’s eight o’clock on a school and work night, so naturally no one else was around and Hawkins may as well have been asleep.

   “You haven’t even attempted to drive yet.”

   “My hands keep slipping off the wheel,” you grasp for his hand and press yours against it, raising your eyebrows. “Do you feel the sweat?”

   “Jesus, yeah.” He squeezes your hand with encouragement anyway. “You don’t have to be scared. I’m a much nicer driving teacher than anyone you could hire at the school. You’re in good hands. Great hands. The best ones. Perfect, amazing hands.”

    Your eyes flick down to Steve’s hands. You have to agree. “I don’t even have a permit. You could get in trouble.”

    “By who? Chief Hopper? Officer Callahan?” He nearly cackles at the notion. “You’ll be fine, don’t sweat it.”

    “Bad choice of words.”

    “Enough stalling, let’s get to the lesson.” He claps his hands together. His face retains a serious, focused quality to it. It’s very handsome (he’s always handsome and it kills you a little because you don’t have time to daydream). “Alright, hands here, and here,” he taps the wheel to show you the correct position. He thinks he might die if you connect your hands again. “That’s called the 10 and 2 position.”

    “Why’s it called that?”

    “I don’t know, it just is, doesn’t matter, that’s where they go so you have the best control for making turns and steering.” You do as he says. “Okay, so now, you have to relax.”

    “Girls love hearing that, Steve,” you grind your teeth.

    But your rigidity and discomfort is obvious, especially to you, and you know it can’t be natural to drive all scrunched up and tense like this. “You’ll be fine. You can’t be all stiff if you ever want to get comfortable doing this.”

    “But I’m not comfortable.”

    “Hence why we’re doing this, yeah?’

   “I thought we were doing this so me and Billy don’t strangle each other.”

    “That too. Can’t have my only friend dead. Then I’ll be stuck with all the kids by myself.”

   “Can’t leave Max alone, either,” you say, more to yourself than to him. You think about her most of all. While you spend all this time with Steve, you worry over her all the time. You constantly check in to make sure she doesn’t feel left out. You fret about her being left alone with Billy. She occupies almost all of your thoughts.

   “Never,” he agrees, even if you weren’t talking to him. You give him a thankful smile. His heart almost stops but he clears his throat to snap himself out of it. “Okay, now, let’s turn the key, turn the car back on.”

  “Turning the key,” you nod, licking your lips. You turn the key in the ignition until the engine rumbles to life. The car vibrates in response. You hate it.

   “Clutch pedal down with your left foot,” he says, pointing. You do as he says. “Move this,” he pats the gear stick, “into first gear, right here, left then up.” He watches you carefully, nodding back. “Good, okay, press down on the acceleration with your right foot now, gently,” he adds. He can tell by the furrow in your brow that you hate it. “You’re doing good,” he praises.

  “Yeah, yeah, continue.”

  “Now you gotta lift the clutch until you feel it vibrating, okay, then release the handbrake, keep slowly moving off the clutch until you’re moving with just the acceleration, okay?” He finds the deeply serious expression you’re wearing kind of endearing. “If it stalls we’re gonna start again, but don’t worry about it.”

But you don’t stall. The car moves as it should, with you controlling it, in the empty parking lot by the neighborhood park. “Great, great, almost perfect” he tells you, “we can probably go faster if you wanna try that-“

  “No, we cannot,” you say tightly, your shoulders hunched.

  The laugh he lets out makes your spine tingle. “You have to relax your face, I promise you’ll drive better if you’re not all… scrunched up,” he motions to your shoulder area.

  You try. You roll them back as you keep focusing on the road, trying not to furrow your brows so much. You’ll get a permanent forehead wrinkle at this rate.

   “See, there we go,” Steve reassures. Your let out a little huff, but your face goes placid, still. “Beautiful.” He’s not sure if he means to say it. If he should. He says it anyway.

  You look sideways at him as you drive through the parking lot. You’re driving slow. Slower than slow. You’re practically inching along. “You can’t possibly be flirting with me right now.” It’s not that you don’t like it. You do. It hurts how much you do. If he wasn’t freshly single and you didn’t feel so obligated to focus most of your time on taking care of Max, you’d flirt back. You weren’t new to it or anything. You knew your way around a guy. Even a gorgeous one like Steve. But he was only a few months over Nancy and you saw the grimaces he did when she and Jonathan crossed his path. You weren’t sure if he was over her. Or if Max was comfortable and secure enough here to be a little more independent.

  “I am not,” he scoffs. The blush creeping up his neck onto his cheeks betrays him. You shift your eyes to look at him again but he points, “eyes on the road, by the way.”

  “You were flirting, you just can’t help yourself, can you? King Steve, right?” You snicker, recalling the nickname from when you’d first met him, the one that had been rescinded just as fast. It’s easy to hide the fact that you liked the way he said beautiful, like a caress, like a kiss, behind your banter and snark. Maybe it’s one thing you and Billy could have in common. Everything’s easier when you hide it behind an attitude.

  “I wouldn’t say that stating a fact is… flirting,” he shrugs, flippant. At least, he hopes it appears flippant. You don’t give yourself much time to ponder this.

  “It is when you say it in that voice,” you retort.

  “Huh? What voice?” He balks at that. He does not put on a voice.

  “Like, low and sultry,” you flick some hair away from your eyes. It had been the way he said it, after all.  

     “You think my voice is low and sultry?” His ears practically perk up like a puppy’s. You don’t answer. It’s actually all the answer he needs. “I think you’re the one flirting with me now, Mayfield, not the other way around.”

  You scoff. You are scoffing and he is laughing away. “In your dreams, Harrington.”

  “Every night.” The joke registers with that one but it still makes your stomach clench. Every butterfly in the western hemisphere makes its way into your gut and builds a home there, an uncontrollable influx of new neighbors, fluttering madly, demanding to be seen and known and understood. You understood them, you just didn’t want to. “See, now that, that was flirting,” he says, satisfied at your quiet. “And you sound like your stepbrother when you say my last name like that, by the way. Excellent Billy impression.”

   You’re doing slow, lazy laps around the parking lot at this point, your nerves still present but for entirely different reasons now. “I do not sound like Billy.” You grimace. “And you probably shouldn’t be flirting with anyone when you just got out of a relationship, like, not even four months ago. I don’t think you’re ready to be flirting again.” You, again, are saying it more to yourself than to him. A subtle reminder of the predicament you’re in.  

  “Hence why I’m not flirting,” he informs you.

  “Uh huh,” you say, unconvinced.

 “But if I was-“

“Which you’re not-“

“Which I am not,” he agrees, “how would you feel? Just for, y’know, future reference.” He juts his lip out, wondering.

  “Let’s circle back to that when you’re not still reeling from the Nancy incident.”  

  “Well,” he shifts around in his seat. He wouldn’t say he’s still reeling. Still hurt, sure. But hurt sticks around longer than heartbreak does. You can be hurt by something someone did and not still be heartbroken over them. He wouldn’t say he’s still heart broken. Looking at you, his heart feels very much intact. Nothing broken here, no, definitely not. “That’s why it’s for a hypothetical future reference.”

  “Right, of course,” you slow the car to a stop. “Then I wouldn’t be opposed. Hypothetically.”

  “You wouldn’t?”  

  “I wouldn’t.” But, you remember, suddenly, that it’s not just you that you look out for. “Once Max is all settled, of course.”

   “Settled?”

   “Like, y’know, feeling better about being here.”

    “She’s got a massive group of friends she sees all the time.”

   “I know, but-“

   “You worry about her, I get it,” he places a hand on your knee, very light, not asking for anything. “Who worries about you? You should- you should be happy, too, is that crazy to say?”

   You place your hand over his.  “I’m happy. I’m happy, I promise. I don’t need you to worry about me, I’m okay.”

   “You should do more things for yourself.”

   “Like getting my license,” you gesture to the car.

   “Like getting your license, yeah.” Like going on a date with me. Like letting me show you how serious I am about you.

   “I’m okay how I am.”

   “I’m making it my job to look out for you, y’know.”

   You smile again. Very soft, almost embarrassed. You hated the attention being on you but you had to get used to it, being around him. “Yeah, Steve, I know.”

   He’s diligent in his effort to give you driving lessons. He takes you driving almost every day after school, Max in the backseat if she’s not with her friends, both of them encouraging and kind even when you hit the curb more often than not. You were a good driver, for all intents and purposes, even though your palms still sweat every time you got behind the wheel. It was a gradual comfort process. They were less sweaty than the first time, and that had to count for something. You even get comfortable enough to drive through Main Street, which nearly sends you into a panic and leads to a shouting match between the two of you while you furiously honk your horn at the other people of Hawkins on the road, Steve slumped in his seat to avoid eye contact with everyone, but after that, you’re a pro.

    A few weeks of this pass when he says to you, out of the blue as you drive aimlessly, “So, I set up your road test for you.”

   You’re still not used to this whole looking out for you thing he’s got going on. You almost stop the car short. “Did you really?”

    “I think you’re ready. You’re great, you’ll pass easily.”

    “You think?” You’re typically confident, strong-willed, but sometimes he sees those flickers of insecurity crop up and he attempts to smother that right then and there.

   “For sure,” he nods. “They’ll be begging you to be on the road.”

   “You flatter me.”

   “You deserve it.” His eyes, his smile, trained on you, always, is devastating. Maybe you do. Maybe you do.

    At your dinner table that night, you, Max, your mom, Neil, and Billy, Max does what she should never do in front of Neil or Billy, and that’s open her mouth.

   Billy had been going on about how he was sick of being the chauffeur, even though he really wasn’t anymore, and that if he was going to get a job this summer before college like Neil wanted you two would have to learn to get around on your own, because he can’t be responsible for two people if he also had to be responsible for a job.

   “She’s getting her driver’s license tomorrow,” she jerks her head toward you, a proud, beautiful smile on her face, and you want to drag her by the hair into your shared bedroom to ask why in the world she’d ever tell that to everyone and also give her the biggest hug for the evident pride she takes in the fact that you’re independent and doing things on your own and she looks up to you so, so much. You bite your lip as Neil’s fork scrapes noisily across his plate. “And Steve’s been driving us around anyway, so I don’t know what you’re going on about-“

   You interrupt her with a hard, socked foot coming down on her own. Your eyes go wide and your head tilts in her direction,  a please oh please stop talking expression.

    “Who has been driving you, exactly?” Neil asks, eyebrows raised.

   “My friend from school, it’s no big deal,” you answer, staring down at your plate and then back up at him. His cold gaze is fixated on you.

   “What happened to the agreement we had?” Neil turned his sneer to Billy, rendered speechless by Max’s unexpectedly bold statement. Billy then glares at you, and you really don’t want an argument, so you cut in.

  “It’s only sometimes, like once a week, and he doesn’t drive us to school, he drives us home. Rarely. Rare occasions. I promise.” A lie, flowing easily from your lips, and because Neil thinks you’re a smart, good girl, and his son is always up to no good and lying, he relaxes, and so does Billy, though you’ll get no thanks from him, not now, not ever.

  “Well, who’s been teaching you to drive where you feel ready to take your test?” Neil stretches across the table to get another helping of the meal your mother prepared from the middle of the table.

   “Steve, when we’re both free.” Every day.

   And because Billy can’t let you have anything, because he needs to instantly make you regret ever doing anything nice for him, he says, “I’m not a big fan of this Steve guy.”

   “Hm, and why’s that?” Neil continues eating.

   “It’s a petty high school rivalry,” you interrupt, narrowing your eyes at him.

   “He’s got a reputation with girls, you know. I wouldn’t want to see something bad happen to you.” Billy’s stupid grin eats shit. The feigned care makes your skin crawl.

   “What sort of reputation is that? You shouldn’t be hanging out with that sort of person,” Neil frowns. Again, with that feigned care. It’s not about genuine worry for you. It’s about control. Dominance. You won’t fall for it.

  “It’s all rumors. He had a serious girlfriend for a year. And we’re not together, anyway. He’s my friend.”

   “Guys all want the same thing,” Billy says back.

  “How would you know?” You push, nearly slamming your hands on the table.

   “I’m friends with the basketball team, there’s locker room talk, you get the picture.” He continues smiling in that mocking way of his that makes you want to jump across the dining room and put your fork through his eye.

   “You don’t actually know anything, though, do you, considering you’re not friends with him?”

   “I think I know enough to know that this isn’t the type of person my sister should be associating with-“

   That gets you going most of all, which is giving him exactly what he wants, and you can’t help it. “We are not siblings-“ your chair drags across the floor with a loud screech as you remove yourself from the table, just as Neil is telling you both to settle down.

  “C’mon, honey, sit back down, you can hang out with whoever you want, I’m sure this boy is very nice,” Susan coaxes you gently but you don’t even look at her, too caught up with the fact that it’s all her fault you’re here in this place with these people, these strangers, that you hate so deeply it makes your bones ache.

  “’M done eating, going to my room,” and you don’t care how annoyed it makes Neil that you’ve gotten up before he’s finished eating, which has become practice in this house now, you can’t even celebrate the fact that you’re achieving a milestone, getting your license, God damn it, without it turning into the Billy Hargrove one man show. He makes everything, everything, hurt.

   Max comes in a little while later, her footsteps light and hesitant on the floor. She crawls into your bed even though hers is across the room and she hasn’t slept beside you since your first night here.

   “Are you mad at me?” She asks. Her eyes are big and blue, worried.

   “’Course not.” You smooth her hair back. You’re not mad at her, truly. It’s not her fault Billy ruins everything. “I know you were just trying to get back at him for his complaining. S’not your fault, lovie.”

   “I should’ve known it would turn into that,” she frowns, uneasy. “It always turns into that.”

   “You don’t have to know anything. You should be allowed to say whatever you want to our parents, that’s what they’re there for. Don’t worry your pretty head about it.” You boop her nose with the tip of your finger. You’ve been sulking in your room because of him, not her.

  “Can I ask you something?” You’re face to face with each other, both your heads lying on your pile of pillows, hair fanned out behind you. Her expression is earnest and endearing.

  “Always.”

 “I thought you and Steve were dating already.”

 You hesitate. “That’s not a question.”

  “Okay,” she rolls her eyes. There’s no malice behind it. “Why aren’t you dating?”

  You crinkle your nose, dismissive. “Because, I’m- I’m, like, busy, with stuff, and he’s not over Mike’s sister and I just, I don’t wanna get mixed up with some silly boy.”

   She admires your dismissive attitude toward boys, and it might be why she breaks up with Lucas every other week in exasperation with his boyish faults. She just thinks it’s crazy that you have this attitude when a guy like Steve is the one following you around with shiny looks and dreamy smiles. She’s sure that you’d never deny Steve, who, when she observed you both from the backseat, did everything in his power to make you feel comfortable, safe, secure, was kind to her while also maintaining a brotherly banter, something she thought she was getting when Billy had been introduced to her, was funny, and generous. He was always letting you drive his car and buying you both food and making sure you had a ride somewhere if you needed it. And she drove her and her friends around everywhere even if you weren’t there, too. Steve seemed perfect.

   He was easy on the eyes, too, but it brought a hot flush to Max’s cheeks to admit that, so she never would. 

   “He’s not a silly boy, he’s Steve.”

   “A boy is just a boy no matter who he is, you know that.”

   “Yeah, but,” she huffs, indignant, “he really likes you. I bet he’d go out with you if you asked.”

   “I’m not asking him out, and he doesn’t like me like that. He’s a good friend. And I told you, I’m too busy for him.”

   “Busy with what?” She cries, exasperated. “Busy driving with Steve, busy doing homework with Steve, busy getting dinner with Steve, busy-“

   She’s running out of fingers to write her list on. You grab her hand to stop the count. “I get your point.”

   “You can’t be too busy for someone if you already spend so much time with them, is all I’m saying.” She has a point. You scratch your arm absentmindedly. “What’s the real reason?”

   “What real reason? You’re saying that’s not the real reason?”

  “Definitely not the real reason.”

   “Says who?”

   “Says your best friend.”

   You sigh at her, a loving sound. “Oh, yeah, her.” You run a hand through her hair again. The softness of it soothes you. “I don’t wanna leave you alone.”

    She pokes your cheek. “I’m not alone. I have my friends.”

   “Didn’t you hear that we’re best friends? I can’t leave you in the dust.” It’s more playful than you really feel. You don’t want to burden her by unburdening yourself, relaying all your fears about what would happen if you spent more time with Steve, things like her resenting you, something awful happening between her and Billy, her getting hurt, injured, killed, your brain delved into all sorts of dark, terrible places, and these spiraling thoughts led to one conclusion: you would never, ever, let your focus waver from her. “I take care of you, okay? I don’t have the time to think about anything else. Besides, he might not even be over Nance, remember?”

   “He is. He is over her. I promise,” she insists, placing her hands on your arms. “He looks at you like he’s in love, I’ve seen it!”

   “You don’t know what you’re seeing, babe-“

  “I do.” She shoves herself off your bed, your hand, where it was twined in her hair, falling back onto the covers. You sit up, confused, as she stomps off to her own bed.

  “Are you mad at me right now?” You ask.

   “I’d be happy if you were happy.”

    “Max, stop, I am happy-“

   “Not happy enough. He’s nice. You should just go out with him. Stupid to worry about me all the time.” She flicks off her lamp light and turns away from you toward her wall. You sigh. You think. Your stomach twists itself in a knot you don’t want to think about. Eventually, when her stubbornness about it overrides yours, you turn back toward your own wall and turn out your own light. Your eyes strain from trying not to cry, so eventually, you cave in to that, too.

   Your hands shake at your road test the next day. For a multitude of reasons. You look at Steve differently, with your head tilted toward him like the head of a flower tilts toward the sun, waiting and wanting. You’re running over all the ways it could go wrong. You resign yourself to never doing a thing about it.

    He notices your quiet, so unlike yourself, and attributes it to your nerves about the test. He rubs your shoulders, an attempt to hype you up. “You got this, okay? You’re gonna kill it. You’re gonna be the second best driver in Hawkins.”

   “Lemme guess, you’re the first?” It’s the first smile you’ve cracked all day and he takes it as the victory it is.

   “Well it’s certainly not Billy,” he rolls his eyes. “Seriously, how you feelin’?” He spins you around and the gaze he bores into you is too intense to bear. You look away fervently.

   “Fine, ‘m fine, nervous, but fine, should be good, my driving instructor was excellent.” He beams with pride at that, a blinding flash.

   “World renowned, I heard,” he brags.

   “Let’s see if I pass first.”

   “You will,” he says. Confident, assured. It makes you feel assured in turn.  

   And you do. You pass. By a hair, truth be told, but you pass. It thrills you, clutching the paper declaring your triumph in your fist, walking outside to greet Steve who leans against the hood of his car in his devastating way of his, hands shoved deep in his pockets as he taps his foot in wait. When he sees you come out, he brightens, straightening himself out.

   “What’s the verdict?” He asks.

   You wave the paper around. “I passed!” You can’t fake it for a second, your joy at this little bit of freedom absolutely inescapable. He lets out a loud, thrilled whoop for you, and his joy brings you even more of it. He picks you up off the ground and spins you in a circle, and when you’re back on the sidewalk, steady, he envelopes you in a deep, encompassing hug.

  When he hugs, his whole body goes into it, if that makes any sense. He throws his all into it. There’s no hesitancy, no timidity, he’s not ashamed of it in the slightest. He hugs you, hard. He’s that proud. And he likes holding you. You pull away first and he’s not surprised.

  “Proud of you,” he squeezes you arm again.

   “Couldn’t have done it without, Steve, really. You- you’re the best, y’know that?”

   He decides to push his luck. “Good enough to go on a date with?” He can see already that you’ll say no. That you want to say yes but you’re going to say no. He doesn’t care. He’ll wait until you’re sick of him.

  “You don’t wanna go out with me,” you squeeze his arm back.

  “You’re real silly, you know that?” His voice is warm and awfully fond.

  You can’t bring yourself to let him all the way in just yet. You walk with him back to the car and agree with him. Yes, you’re real silly, indeed.

#if u have requests for more mayfield reader content. pls hit me up. i am in fact begging. #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington x mayfield!reader #steve harrington #steve harrington x you #steve harrington x y/n #steve harrington fic #steve harrington imagine #steve harrington fluff #STEVE CROWD WAKE THE FUCK UP #mayfieldreaderverse

[h4rring1on]

Steve x Reader where they get into a fight at a party & he leaves her there without a ride & she ends up getting hurt.

warnings: reader obvi gets hurt, swearing, reader is supposed to feel suffocated bc a lot is happening, its a bit graphic so if you’re squeamish don’t read thats it but please tell me if i missed something!!

ೃ༄*ੈ✩

you sat on the couch, watching as everyone partied, has fun, had drinks, and w were just enjoying their time which you certainly weren’t doing.

“hey” steve said as he approached you, “why don’t we dance”

“why don’t you go back to your little nancy, im sure she’ll be more than happy to” you snickered

“what? are you seriously jealous?” he said in a stern tone

“im not jealous, steve” you said and stood up, “i just don’t get how you spend time with her yet you’ve barely talked to me for fucking days”

“you’re doing this again, really?” he raised his eyebrows as if disappointed

“yes im doing this again—“

“i’ve been spending time with you! you’re just too focused on your stupid college admissions to notice it—“

“well excuse me for wanting a future”

“wow.” he said, “you’re actually bringing this up?”

“you’re the one who brought it up!”

“and you took that chance as soon as you got it didn’t you—“

“i didn’t—“ you sighed, “i didn’t mean it. i’m sorry, let’s just forget this—lets just go have fu—“

“no, im leaving” he said and walked away, you tried to follow him, joining the crowd

“steve” you yelled as you looked around, “steve!” you yelled again but he was nowhere to be seen. “steve” you said

it felt like the crowd was just sticking to you, like everything was closing in on you. like you were being suffocated. you turned in a circle as you took dee breaths while looking for steve but he was long gone

you could feel your heart rate increasing as everyone kept pushing you, you backed away to leave the crowd but got pushed to the hard ground, you felt a sharp pain, you looked down to see your arm with the bone sticking out

you let out a scream in pain, the music stopped and everyone looked at you, their eyes widening at the sight, someone quickly called 911 as another person helped you up

“oh my god!” chrissy, one of the cheerleaders and also a friend of yours said as she ran to you, “what happened!” she said

“steve” you groaned

“what?”

“steve! i need—“ you stopped to take a breath to suck in the pain

“you need steve? okay—okay just take a deep breath” she said, trying to calm you, she looked at the crowd that was just staring, “what are you waiting for?! call steve!” she yelled

sooner or later, the ambulance came and you were taken to the hospital, while you were in your hospital bed, steve was running inside the hospital, frantically asking which room you’re in, he quickly ran inside to see the cast on your arm

“oh my god—baby” he said as he ran to you and held your normal hand

“stevie” you giggled

he furrowed his eyebrows at how normal you were, until a doctor walked in

“she was in a lot of pain, we had to give her some medication, it feels like you’re being drugged, which could explain any abnormal behavior” he explained

“what happened?” he asked

“according to one of her friends, she had fallen and broken her arm”

“i was looking for you” you said, “but you weren’t there—some guy pushed me and i fell” you pouted

the doctor left so you two could be alone, once he did, steve hugged you tightly

“im so sorry” he said, “im sorry i left—im so sorry” he repeated

“its okay, love, you were mad” you tried to comfort

“i had no right to—you were right” he said as he let go and kept holding your hand, “i just—i was busy because i was just nervous…i hadn’t gotten my letter yet—i couldn’t tell you so i told nancy and she was trying to help”

“oh stevie” you held his face, “its gonna be okay, you worked so hard this year, im sure you’re gonna get accepted—and then you and i could go together” you smiled

“i hope so” he said, “but if i don’t—would you…forget about me?”

“of course not!” you said, “if you don’t go—i don’t go”

“no baby—“

“yes” you cut in, “it would be hard enough to go without you, id rather not go at all”

“peach…” he sighed

“you can’t do anything about it i already chose!” you pointed at him, “you looked so worried about me, you care about meeeee” you giggled

“of course i do” he chuckled, “i was crazy to leave you there, sweet girl”

“yes yes…very sad—but burger king would probably fix it”

“are you using my guilt to get food?”

“yes—now go before i break another arm”

#stranger things 4 #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington #steve harrington x plus sized reader #steve harrington x mayfield!reader #steve #steve harrington x original character #steve harrington x henderson!reader #steve harrington x platonic!reader #steve harrington fluff #stranger things x reader

[onetoomanyfilms]

Stay Alive - Part I

Steve Harrington x gn!maxfield!reader

Hello gorgeous humans! It’s that time of year again where I write whatever rubbish my brain conjures up. And this time round, Stranger Things is where I’m at! So here you go, a Steve Harrington imagine that is angsty, fluffy and all the bits inbetween. Enjoy!!

Summary: you’re in the gang during the events of Season 4 when you are captured by Jason and the Jocks. As you’re awaiting whatever hell they are going to put you through, you remember back to different moments with Steve. (2,276 words)

warnings: SEASON 4 SPOILERS, angst, injuries, lil doses of fluff, violence, hints/nods to torture, not proof read so continues at your own peril

links: masterlist part two

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Your feet scuffled along the floor as you wriggled in their grip. You shouldn’t, couldn’t be here. They were risking their lives by being in the Upside Down, by fighting Vecna and all you had to do was guard the front porch of Victor Creel’s house whilst Max and Lucas were the bait. But they leaped out from the bushes before you could even scream for help. You were powerless against them. Hell, it was weird to think you were able to fight inter-dimensional monsters better than bloody high school bullies. But here you were.

‘Well, well. Thank you boys.’ Jason’s voice echoes through what seems to be an abandoned diner. The one just on the edge of Hawkins near the woods.

‘I don’t know what the fuck you think you’re…’ you pant out.

‘Oh no,’ he stalks forward, hand reaching behind into his back pocket revealing a gun, ‘you don’t get to talk.’

You feel you body tense up, the other boys’ grips still firmly on your arms. You could feel bruises already rising all over your body, your ankle yelling in agony from the boys resisting your struggle. Knowing your luck you’ve probably broken it.

As you survey the room looking for any sign of an exit point, you recognise the seats and interior. This is where you first met Steve. Summer of ‘82.

--------------------------------------------------

You didn’t live here at the time. Didn’t even really know the name Hawkins. But it was summer and your mom wanted to come down for a surprise trip, just the three of you. Max being the preteen she was, completely loved to annoy your mother to the ends of the earth. That left mom chasing her around the town a lot of the time. So one night, you took yourself to the nearest place for food you could find. That was the diner.

It wasn’t much but it was somewhere to sit and eat some pretty decent diner food. It would’ve been an unremarkable night, if it wasn’t for the swoopy haired boy who walked through the door.

You could say now that it made your heart skip a beat or that you were mesmerised by him. But honestly, you took no notice. Sure, you could appreciate he wasn’t a bad looking guy, but he was a stranger, just another person coming into the diner for some peaceful food. So as you heard the little bell chime at the door, you glanced up for a moment before turning back to your food.

It wasn’t until later, when you were heading up to grab a milkshake, that anything happened. You stopped to look at the jukebox, wondering if they had ‘Only You’ by Yazoo on there. Yes. They had it. Reaching into your pocket, you scrounged for some change to get this machine working. All you could find were some notes. As you began searching for a second time, you started to realise you used all your change up at the arcade. Dig Dug ate those coins but it was worth it, Max’s face always lit up.

Just as you’re about to give up, change is placed onto the glass top of the jukebox. As you looked up the arm placing them, there he was. Goofy smile, beautiful hair and ridiculously kind eyes. Steve Harrington.

You knew nothing about him, not his name nor his age, but there he was. Coming with a handful of change and leaving with a piece of your heart.

‘Here.’

He kept his voice light, kind. Not wanting to startle you too much but still wanting to help. ‘Which song was it that you wanted?’

‘Oh umm,’ you stutter, unsure what to say,’I… umm I don’t mind really. Just anything but this.’ Currently ‘You Make My Dreams’ by Hall and Oates was playing.

‘Excuse me,’ he grinned with a breathy laugh,’but this song is an instant classic.’

‘I’m sorry.’ You hold your hands up in surrender. ‘I guess the classics just aren’t my style.’ He laughed, a glint in his eye. But as you stared at each other the cheesy pop song still played through the tinny speakers of the diner. And part of you knew then that this boy was going to mess your life right up.

DING. The diner bell snapped you both out of it. ‘I was actually just going to go grab a milkshake-’ You began to back away, thumb pointing towards the counter. When out of the blue, your heart swelled, your stomach tightened and with an overwhelming sense of bravery you uttered the words: ‘Would you like one?’

It took him by surprise, as least that’s what he told you afterward. At the time, he kept his cool, face of steel but a smile tracing his features, a glimpse of red washing over his cheeks. ‘I’d love one please.’

‘Sure.’ And for a moment you stood there, both of you giggling under your breath. You waited for his choice of flavour but he was too preoccupied. I was just lost in your eyes is how he would describe it.

‘Oh, vanilla please.’

‘On it.’ You saluted as you fully turned toward the counter. Ordering two milkshakes, one vanilla and one strawberry. Passing over a few notes to the guy across the counter. And that’s when you heard it.

‘Looking through a window above, it’s like a story of love. Can you hear me?’

Twirling around, eyes bright, you saw Steve leaning against the jukebox queueing up whatever song he wanted next. You wondered if he knew, or if he just guessed but there it was playing over those crappy speakers. And for a second, you couldn’t help the little warmth that spread thorugh your cheeks.

‘Here you go hun.’

You mumbled out a thank you before grabbing the glasses. A ridiculous grin covered your face as you walked towards Steve, that goofy smile you’d grow to love plastered all over his face.

‘This better?’

‘Perfect.’

--------------------------------------------------

Little did you know you’d have moved to this exact town two years later and now be here again. This time in a very different situation.

‘You know what,’ Jason starts, a grin spreading across his face as he twirls the gun in his hand, ‘Harrington’s gonna love it when he finds you here.’ He places the gun down gently on the side. ‘Unfortunately, we’ll knock him and the little shits out before they can even hear you breathe.’

‘You son of a bitch.’ You scream as you pull out of Andy’s grip, reaching for the gun. But all you can manage is one step away from the jock before they’re all on you. They were expecting that, that’s what they wanted. Which is why three of the boys jump and pin you to the floor so quickly you could’ve never gotten away. Jason’s on your back, one hand wrapped tightly around your wrists whilst the other is strangling the back of your neck. Your face grating against the concrete, a harsh warmth spreading through your cheekbone. That one’s gonna bruise. Suddenly, your head is being lifted off the ground and the sounds of footsteps coming slowly closer pulls you to attention. They stop just in front of you face, the dirty gym trainers close enough you could count the stiches on the seams. They bend down and a long piece of material, you can’t imagine what, comes down and is wrapped around your mouth. ‘Stop!’ You move as much as you can, writhing in pain as your whole body is trapped. ‘NO! Please don’t…’ It covers your mouth, quickly becoming damp with the tears and blood that is streaming down your face.

‘I thought I told you that you don’t get to talk. You can blame your boyfriend of yours for dragging you into this whole mess.’ You sucked in a breath, even if you could try and tell these idiots the truth but they would never believe it, wouldn’t understand any of it. But Steve’s words echoed through your mind.

--------------------------------------------------

You finished redressing his wounds. ‘I’m sorry, it’s almost over.’ You bite your bottom lip. ‘I’m almost done, just a few more seconds I promise.’ As he was sat on the bathroom counter, he leaned his head into the crook of you neck and elbow with one hadn holding onto your waist to help him balance. The first aid kit was strewn all over the side as you had dug through trying to find anything that could help. Anything that could keep him going for just a bit longer.

With the last piece of tape, you secured the bandage and he let out a whimpered breath.

‘Are you ok?’

He looked up at you, droppy-eyed. ‘Of course.’

The look on your face changed from fear to playful annoyance. ‘Come on,’ you put your hands on either side of his face,’it’s me. You don’t have to play strong anymore.’

You’d spoken about it before: the responsibilty of the babysitter. And you’d told him that with you, he never had to fake strength when all he needed to do was rant, scream, cry. So to you, he never hid or pretended. He just was.

‘I’ll be ok.’ He hesitated, manoveouring himself so both his hands encased your waist, pulling you closer to him. ‘I guess I’m just realising that this is it. This is the final round and I’m scared that the second we walk out that door, I’m going to have to let you go when all I want is to go back to two days ago. Driving down the highway, speakers blaring out your crappy music and you there, holding my hand whilst singing so loudly and so ridiculously out of tune-’

You pushed against his grip in protest, giggling lightly, ‘I wasn’t that bad.’

‘But I didn’t care,’ he shook his head as he leaned it against your forehead,’I only cared about being with you and being alive. And I guess I just wished it could’ve been that way forever, you know?’

You pause, a weighted silence letting him know you understand.‘You’re cheesy, you know that?’

‘I know.’ And for a few seconds you stayed there, breathing in each other. Putting off the inevitable.

‘Stay alive, ok?’ He nudged you with his nose, a lone tear falling down his cheek.

You took your thumb and wiped it away. ‘As long as you do to.’

‘Always.’

--------------------------------------------------

Stay alive.

Those were the words that rang through your head. And you were darn right gonna do so.

‘Chance, I always forget… how many bones in the human body?’

You can hear the poison on his lips: He was out for blood.

‘I don’t know,’ a breath, ‘let’s count.’

Your screams are muffled by the fabric over your mouth. Chance slowly walks towards you, clicking his knuckles. What a douchebag. Whilst being tortured wasn’t on your to-do list, if it stops them from going after Eddie, from ruining the plan to save the freaking world: you’d suffer. Besides, you were the co-babysitter, it’s what you do.

Stay alive.

You close your eyes, nose heavily breathing against the fabric. He inches his way towards you, each of his footsteps echoing in the abandoned diner.

Stay alive.

You can smell the sweaty fabric of the shoes now, they’re right under your nose.

Stay alive.

Suddenly, there’s a gust of wind, a loud thump and a crash onto the floor.

‘That’s one.’

The voice makes you open your eyes anxiously. And there he is. Steve. Dirty-as-heck, cuts-and-bruises-all-over, hair-the-messiest-it’s-ever-been Steve. But your Steve. And nothing and no one could ever change that.

Robin and Nancy are quick to follow behind, the three of them looking like some sort of off-brand ‘Powerpuff Girls’. Looking around for a moment, you notice that Chance is blacked out. Steve knocked him out cold. That’s my captian. With a grin he takes a breath.

‘You think I can count a few more?’

The group of jocks pounce, leaving you restraint free on the floor. Jason lunges for Steve but he’s quick to dodge out of the way. You try to regain sense of your body and work to push life back into your joints, wiggling your fingers and toes. Gently, you peel yourself off the floor, using the table nearest to you as leverage to lift yourself up. Just as you see Andy stalking towards you. You’ve got nothing left in you but as you look around, everyone’s fighting their own battles and this one, you’ve gotta deal with yourself.

You look around you for something, anything to use. Just as you manage to focus your eyes, Andy begins sprinting towards you. You re-place your hands on the table, hoping the stability will allow you take whatever is coming. Then you feel it. The slick cold metal, the weighted handle. The gun.

You grasp it in your hand for dear life, hoping your muscles get the message. Don’t. Let. Go. And as Andy swings for you, you whack to cold weapon against his head.

Putting in all the might you have left, all the willpower you can muster with a ferocious scream. It meets his cheek, knocking him to the ground. A few teeth joining him. He’s unconcious.

As the thud of his body hitting the floor echoes through the room, you look around. The others have turned to see what was happening. Just like that, the other jocks run. Out of the doors they’d once so victoriously brought you in through. You turn to Steve, looking for confirmation that they were done, that it worked.

But all you can comprehend is the overwhelming fear and panic in his eyes before the world goes black.

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links: masterlist part two

ask box and requests are always open <3

#steve harrington #stranger things #steve harrington x reader #steve #steve harrington imagine #harrington #stranger things season 4 #imagine #x reader #gn!reader #steve harrington x mayfield!reader #mayfield #imagines #steve harrington imagines #season four #angst #stranger things fic #stranger things fanfic #fandom #stranger things blurb #Steve Harrington blurb #steve harrington fluff #Steve Harrington angst #stranger things fluff #stranger things angst #injured reader #writing trope #i love this trope

[kaylawritesfics]

Hiiii! Can you do hcs for max and steve being a sibling duo or write a one shot abt them?

Steve and Max As A Sibling Duo

headcanons

summary: steve and max are the best sibling duo we could’ve asked for

pairing: steve harrington x max mayfield (platonic)

warnings: swearing, mentions of canon typical violence, mention of death/grieving

note: why are there no gifs of steve and max?? also there’s no reader insert here this is just my take on steve and max behaving as siblings !!

Steve and Max are absolutely the best sibling duo

Steve is the big brother that Max deserved and having Max around makes Steve feel less lonely

Steve always wanted a little sister !! He would beg his parents for a sibling all the time when he was younger but to not avail

Steve is obviously protective of all the kids but Max would literally kill somebody for Steve. Nobody is gonna ever hurt him while she’s around.

I feel like Max is already super protective over people she cares about but it’s just different with Steve. Like she’s already lost one brother and feels the guilt of that, she’s not gonna lose another.

The entire party is a found family for Max and somehow Steve fits in so perfectly.

They argue and she loves to rile him up, but they have such a strong bond that almost rivals Steve and Dustin’s.

Max isn’t affectionate at all and Steve knows that, so he tries to go about things differently with her. He makes her mixtapes (she absolutely roasts his taste in music but she secretly treasures them so much), he buys her little things that he knows she needs or likes, and he really tries to be there for her in ways Billy wasn’t.

Steve is the only reliable male figure Max has ever had and she still doesn’t really know how to express things to him.

Max’s love language is gift giving. She saves up months in advance to buy Steve something really nice for his birthday or Christmas. That usually means she’s on a budget for everyone else’s gifts but she really wants to show Steve how much she appreciates him, so it doesn’t matter to her.

Max knows that Billy was an awful person and he treated her like shit, but he was also her brother and she had some fucked up idea that she should have protected him. She feels so much guilt over his death. She’s not even really grieving, she just feels so guilty.

Steve knows this and, in one of Max’s moments of vulnerability, he confesses his guilt over Barb’s death. He’s come to terms with the fact that there was nothing he really could have done for her, but he can’t help but feel like he should have done something.

They have a little bonding moment over shared trauma and guilt.

Having a little sister is uncharted territory for Steve. He has Dustin, who is the equivalent of a little brother, but Max is so much different. She’s snarky and unaffectionate and a little mean sometimes. He really has to learn how to be there for her in a way that makes her comfortable.

Steve loves Max and he would voluntarily lay down his life for any of those kids but especially Max, who has been through hell and back for the last year and who he just wants to protect so bad.

Max is used to being the responsible adult and looking out for herself, so letting go of the responsibility and letting Steve Harrington, of all people, make sure she’s safe is really difficult for her at first.

I’m 100% convinced that Max’s letter to Steve is so sappy. It’s full of the things she was never brave enough to say to him.

She thanks him for looking out for her, for being the best big brother in the entire world.

By the time she’s finished writing it, the ink is slightly smudged by the tears rolling off her cheeks and onto the paper.

Then, in delicate handwriting, she signs it: “Your baby sister, Max”

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[ali-r3n]

Steve Harrington x Mayfield!Reader

Your Step Brother doesn’t like how close you’re getting to his rival, King Steve Harrington

Verbal Abuse, Steve being a Sweetheart, Billy being a huge prick

“Stay away from my sister, Harrington.”

“I will. If she wants me to.”

Y/N’s older step brother had always been a dick, but since they moved to Hawkins, Indiana he just became angry.

The minute that they drove into the small town their was an unspoken agreement between the two step siblings. He wouldn’t mess with her and she wouldn’t mess with him.

He reluctantly drove her and Max around in his Camaro. Though Y/N got the feeling that if Neil hadn’t made him, they would be forced to walk. She wasn’t complaining…Billy may be a dick, but he had a cool car. So, she could put up with a few minutes of being in close proximity to him if it meant that she could ride in it.

Y/N walked out of Hawkins High on her first day. She knocked into another classmate and spilled the books that she held in her arms.

They sneered at her and walked away, leaving her to pick up her stuff herself. She kneeled down and began to gather her textbooks.

“Here, let me help,” a male voice stated.

She looked up as he squatted down to grab one. He gave her a friendly smile while he handed her the book.

“Thanks.”

“Steve,” he introduced.

“Y/N.”

“You’re new, right?”

“That obvious?”

Steve shrugged. “It’s a small town. I’d recognize you if you lived here longer.”

“Maybe I just blend into the background.”

He shook his head. “Not possible. I would’ve noticed a pretty girl like you.”

Y/N ducked her head, flustered.

Once she had all of her books, they stood up. She tucked her hair behind her ear and gave him a small smile.

"It was nice to meet you, Steve."

He nodded. "I'll see you around, Y/N."

She walked to the parking lot and up to the Camaro where her Step Brother leaned against it. Max stood on the other side, her skateboard in hand.

"You're late," he stated.

"I tripped and spi-"

"Jesus Christ, I don't care. Just get in the car and if you're late again, you and your brat sister can walk home."

Y/N's jaw clenched. "Don't call her that!"

He pushed off the side of his car and closed the distance between her. He stared her down. "Oh yeah? What are you going to do about it?"

"Y/N," Max said. "Just leave it."

She glared up at him for moment before she looked away.

"Yeah. That's what I thought."

She swallowed the knot in her throat as they climbed into his car. Y/N looked out the window as he sped out of the parking lot.

"So, you're friends with King Steve, now?" he asked, out of the blue.

She blinked and turned to face him. "What?"

"You heard me. Stay away from him."

Billy Hargrove's mood swings was going to give her whiplash. One minute he was being a dick and the next he was playing the part of the concerned brother.

"Why?" she asked. "He's nice."

He snorted. "He was being nice because he wants to get in your pants."

His comment made her bristle. "That's not true."

"God, you're so naive. The only reason guys are nice to girls like you are because they find you easy."

"Girls like me?" she asked, quietly.

"Boring and ugly."

Tears welled in her eyes and she looked away before he could see her.

Asshole, she thought.

Y/N stormed into the house when he parked and made a beeline for her room. She climbed onto her bed and buried her face into her pillow where she screamed, "I HATE YOU!"

She sniffled and turned around when she heard a soft knock on her door.

"Y/N?" Max said, quietly.

"Come in."

Her younger sister entered her room. She joined her on the bed and gave her a hug.

"He's wrong, you know. You're not boring or ugly. If Steve likes you, he's really lucky."

"Thanks, Max."

"Harrington," Billy stated as he switched off the shower as the other teen washed his hair.

"What do you want, Hargrove?" he asked.

"I want you to stay away from my sister."

He snorted. "I don't even know who your sister is."

"Y/N. She's very naive and she doesn't need some pretty boy like you taking advantage of her."

"Look at you playing the part of the doting brother. I'll stay away from her. If she wants me to."

Billy stepped closer, a dangerous glint in his eye. "It's in your best interest to listen to me, Harrington," he threatened before he grabbed a towel and left the shower.

"Douchebag," Steve muttered.

Once dressed, he walked into the hallway.

"Steve!"

He stopped mid-step and turned with a smile when Y/N Mayfield approached him.

"Hey," he greeted.

"I just wanted to say thank you for helping me the other day."

"Anytime."

"Would you...maybe...want to hang out this weekend?" she asked, shyly.

"Are you asking me out on a date?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

He could feel Hargrove glaring into the back of his head and ignored him.

"I'd love to go out with you."

Steve Harrington meant what he said...he'd stay away from Y/N Mayfield if she and only she wanted him to. He wasn't going to let Billy "Douche" Hargrove tell him what to do.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stranger Things Taglist:

@valeriiecameron @maruushkka @rainbows-dreams @april-foolish

Stranger Things (Billy excluded) Taglist;

@sleepyhead1456

#steve harrington x reader #steve harrington x female!reader #steve harrington x fem!reader #steve harrington x mayfield!reader #steve harrington x y/n #steve harrington x you #stranger things x you #stranger things x y/n #stranger things x reader #stranger things x female!reader #stranger things x fem!reader

[ironwhoore]

Hey!

i was wondering if you could do a steve harrington x Mayfeild!Reader. where they are in a secret relationship and they end up revealing it somehow!

please and thank you!

yes yes yes

summary: you and steve have been dating for awhile but you’ve decided to have it a secret for now. steve completely respects that, never wanting to step out of your boundaries but with how affectionate he is it’s a wonder how you haven’t been caught.

warnings: mentions death

(mayfield!reader x steve harrington, mayfield!reader)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

it’s been hard for your family after losing billy. yeah, he was a complete asshole but he was still important to max, your mom, and neil. it sucks billy died of course but he did nothing but make you and max’s lives a living hell. you aren’t happy he’s dead, but you aren’t over the top upset, but max is miserable she’s talked to you about how she feels before but it just ends in tears and you holding her, she blames herself,

“it’s not your fault max.” at this point youre both crying, you feel terrible for her.

“i could have ran in front of him y/n,” she looks at you, “i should’ve ran in front of him, he wouldn’t have died.”

“don’t say that max. it’s gonna get better okay? i know you feel terrible right now but it’s gonna get better, i promise.”

“god i’m sorry,” max says wiping the tears off her face and sniffling, “you came in here for something else and it turned into this.” she laughs dryly,

“no, no, it’s okay,” you smile, “you wanna go to family video? pick out a movie?” max looks at you and nods her head,

“yeah,” she sniffles, “yeah that’d be cool,”

you guys walk into the family video after a 15 minute drive,

“hello! welcome to family vide- oh. hey babe!” steve says cheerily, after he realized what he said he tries to play it off with wide eyes, “b-babe! that cut out behind you of that girl, isn’t she a total babe y/n???”

max looks at you and steve wide-eyed “BABE? i knew it!”

“you knew??” y/n is completely baffled at the situation that’s unfolding in front of her,

“well not for sure, but i was suspecting it! robin and dustin owe me $10” max smiles triumphantly, robin seemingly entering from the back room on queue,

“DID I MISS IT MAX?”

“yeah! you owe me ten bucks!”

“wait so let me get this straight,” steve sighs running his hand down his face, “you guys knew me and y/n were dating and just didn’t say anything?”

“i didn’t want it to be awkward! you guys have obviously been keeping it a secret.” max explains,

“who all ‘knows’?” y/n interrogates,

“lucas, mike, eddie, nancy, dustin. basically everyone.”

“so you don’t care?” steve asks,

“what? no! i think it’s cool!” max says,

“I TOLD YOU WE SHOULDVE TOLD THEM Y/N!”

~~~~~~~~~~~

this is actually terrible so please message me if i should rewrite it 😭

reblogs are appreciated!!!

#steve harrington #steve harrington x reader #stranger things #steve harrington x mayfield!reader #steve harrington fluff

[lokisfirecracker]

steve harrington tags

#steve harrington #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington fluff #steve harrington angst #steve harrington smut #steve harrington x original character #steve harrington x oc #steve harrington imagine #steve harrington x billy hargrove #steve harrington x hopper!reader #steve harrington x henderson!reader #steve harrington x sinclair!reader #steve harrington x fem!reader #steve harrington x female reader #steve harrington x gn!reader #steve harrington x gender neutral reader #steve harrington x mayfield!reader #steve harrington x plus sized reader