bigboyvibes | open post

[The past few days had been a whirlwind, the town of Hawkins was currently trying to repair from the "earthquake " and most of the town's people found themselves fleeing. Those who actually stayed behind invested their time in helping those in need. Rather it be providing food, offering clothes and other items they no longer used or needed. Steve Harrington found himself spending a lot of his time volunteering, kept his mind off certain things.

Certain things being Nancy Wheeler, how they all almost died in the Upside-down and was all of this terror truly over or was this just the beginning of something far worse? Steve didn't want to dwell on the idea of a grim future, he wanted to continue crawling forward in peace and for the better. Call it cheesy but Steve wanted to believe that there was more to life then just the darkness and the upside-down.

So he emerged himself into helping those not so fortunate in the aftermath of Vecna. For once Steve Harrington felt like he was actually doing something that truly mattered, that he was important. Maybe Steve Harrington was worth a damn after all? He had spent his evening helping Robin prep sandwiches before saying his goodbyes and heading out.

He had made it a point to visit Eddie as much as possible but not seem suffocating at the same time. Mostly he wanted to see how the metalhead was healing from his injuries and if Steve were being honest with himself spending time with Eddie was refreshing. It could be the fact that the two practically leaped into death's arms, that Steve had learned that Eddie wasn't what all those rumors made him out to be.

Could be that Steve had actually made a friend close to his age that didn't befriend him simply for being Steve Harrington. The friendship was genuine and that was something Steve had been lacking until the little nuggets, Robin and now Eddie. Maybe that's why Steve stopped to pick up a pizza along with fresh bandages. Was he seriously looking for an excuse to visit Eddie, basically. The evening has grown late once he arrives in record time at Eddie's place.

Steve takes a few moments to fix his hair, smooth out his clothes before jogging up to the door with a soft knock.]

[ The changes started out subtle. He had been on death's door, so it hadn't been something Eddie had even noticed, at first. Following the apparent defeat of Vecna, and being dragged out of the Upside Down with a little help from Steve Harrington, Eddie couldn't really do much more than just rest and recuperate.

He couldn't exactly be brought to a hospital, either. Not until they found a way to clear Eddie's name. Wouldn't that just be his luck? They set out to prove Eddie's innocence, only to come up empty. That he survives almost certain death only to be tossed in a prison for murders he had no part in.

But without the hospital, Eddie's been in near constant pain. The painkillers that Steve and the others provided him with could only do so much.

Then, one day it just stopped. The pain subsided, and was replaced with something else. Without anywhere else to go, he's been hiding out in his trailer, which is certainly the last place anyone will think to look for him now. He's been presumed dead for long enough, he thinks they've stopped looking.

The first hunger pangs made sense, because he really hadn't eaten in a while. But when he tries to eat, he finds himself throwing everything up.

And then the discovery of his canines being a whole lot sharper than he remembers them being? It's enough to cause him to freak out, to avoid being around anyone, just in case this is what he thinks it is.

So of course when Steve knocks at his door, he tries to keep quiet, to make Steve think he's not there. But the hunger has been growing more intense lately, and he has a feeling he knows what he craves. All the more reason to keep Steve on the other side of that door, then. ]

Hey man, uh. Not feeling too hot today.

[ Because if he knows Steve, he'll find a way to break into the trailer just to make sure Eddie's still alive. At least this way maybe Steve will just leave him be. ]

[Eddie's injuries had put everyone in a panic, Dustin had a near break down and none of them were about to just leave Eddie in the Upside Down to suffer. Thankfully Steve was able to get him out but once back home they were still faced with a problem. Eddie was wanted for murder, he couldn't be rushed to a hospital for his injuries. It had been a terrifying time and those who could supplied Eddie with some pain pills.

Seeing Eddie in so much pain it was unbearable but the gang took turns keeping a close watch on him when they were able. Dustin was afraid to leave him alone incase something horrible happened and he didn't want Wayne to be the only one dealing with Eddie's injuries. Eddie had to heal from this, he had too. None of them could handle another tragic loss and Eddie deserved more.

Steve wouldn't be able to forgive himself, he's struggling to do so now. Steve is more than thankful that he's formed a bond with another guy around his age, he just wished it hadn't been under these circumstances.

When he doesn't hear Eddie's movements there is this sudden burst of panic that something could have happened. With current events, Steve can't help that his mind is quick to think the worst. He goes to knock again but Eddie's voice has him stopping.

Another burst of panic.]

Dude, you good? You need anything?

[ For a moment, Eddie considers lying and chasing Steve away. But on the other hand, he knows closing himself off isn't going to work, and he would rather be faced with Steve than with Dustin. He wouldn't be able to forgive himself if Henderson got hurt because he was being this fucking selfish. ]

Yeah, I, uh. I'm not so sure. [ He hesitates for a moment before opening the door but staying behind it, more so that the rest of his neighbors won't see him than anything else, though he does worry that being in sunlight will hurt him. He isn't sure how much of vampire lore is apparently true. ]

I think there's...shit, there's something wrong with me. [ He waits until Steve is all the way inside before revealing himself to Steve, all pale skin and sharp teeth, with dark beady eyes and ears that look longer and pointier. He can't even say for sure if this is it, since it feels like every day there's a new development in his transformation. ]

[Steve can feel himself growing I'll with worry. Eddie is usually so eager to have him over, excited to be in Steve's company but today is different. Today something feels very off and Steve fears that Eddie's injuries have only grown more serious despite trying to keep him comfortable with strong medication. They should have found a way to get him medical attention.

Steve is practically bouncing on his toes as he waits to hear a respond from the metalhead. He isn't about to leave until he knows that Eddie is alright. His brow furrows in concern.]

Not sure? Dude, maybe we should really find you some medical attention, yeah?

[He squint his eyes as Eddie slowly opens the door. The inside of the trailer is pretty dark and for the first time in a good while Steve is a bit hesitant to enter. But his concern for Eddie has him slowly stepping inside. He's not prepared for what he sees, the teen standing before him doesn't appear to look like Eddie at all despite having his voice.

The pizza falls from Steve's hands and bright eyes go wide. Now isn't the time to panic or run, Harrington.]

Holy shit!!!!

[ Steve's reaction is exactly what Eddie was afraid of. He sighs as he just takes a step back, and keeps walking until he hits a cabinet before eventually sinking onto the floor. ]

Yeah. I, um. I don't think medical attention is going to help.

[ He sighs, refusing to look at Steve, because he doesn't -- he can't look at Steve and see fear in his eyes, directed at Eddie. He knows he's a monster now, but it would kill him to watch Steve react to him as if he were one. ]

Guess I really am a freak now, huh?

[Steve's shoulders slump in defeat. He knows he's failed his friends a few good times but this ranks the worst. He can feel his stomach twist in painful knots, his head dropping in shame. Whatever was happening to Eddie sounded untreatable and that's a burden Steve places on his shoulders. He should have never left Eddie and Henderson alone like he had.

He was such an idiot. He had been so fixated on playing hero, he lost sight of two people he cared for whole trying to protect two more.

Christ, Eddie's words hurt even him and before Steve can stop himself, he's moving to kneel down in front of his friend.]

Don't say that, you hear me? Don't...

[He reaches a hand out to rest along Eddie knee]]

We can try to find something to help you, yeah?

[ The last thing Eddie wants is for Steve to blame himself. Fuck, he couldn't have predicted Eddie would have done exactly what he said he wouldn't do by trying to be a hero himself. And Eddie had lived, mostly. Even if he was becoming something else now, he didn't die, and that was on Steve getting him out of that place.

It's a comfort, though, having Steve's hand on his knee. He snaps his head down to look at the way Steve's warm, inviting hand cups over his knee, cold and bony as it is. ]

Don't think there is anything that can help, Steve. You should...you should be careful. [ His attention slowly shifts from the warm hand on his knee to Steve's neck, where he can practically hear Steve's pulse despite how far away his ear is from his neck. ]

Because I'm kind of craving blood right now and I can hear your heart beating from here.

[It's too late for that. Steve already blames himself for everything that went horribly wrong with the battle against Vecna. He won't admit it outloud but he feels like he's failed everyone, even the shit town. He couldn't protect Max like he had promised, he couldn't protect Eddie and almost lost Henderson too. This battle had been a lot, one none of them had been prepared for.

What do you expect when you literally have a band of teenagers trying to save the world?

Max could die at any given second and now Eddie was basic cursed. There is a flash other defeat and failure that illuminates within Steve's eyes. No cure? Nothing could help his friend? Nothing at all?

There is something about the way Eddie says the last few words that has Steve pulling his hand back quickly. Perhaps it was the brutal honesty?]

Human blood or can we kill an animal or something?

[ Steve withdrawing his hand prompts Eddie to let out a sigh. He can't even blame Steve for that, he did just admit to wanting to drink his blood, and even if he clearly is still in control, who can say how long that will last?

He shrugs, avoiding looking at Steve out of shame. He hates that after everything, he's just become as monstrous as everyone has claimed he was all this time. Now he really is at risk of becoming a murderer. ]

I don't know. We could try, but I honestly have no idea what's happening to me.

[ The craving for blood makes him think vampire, but that's ridiculous. There's no such thing, right? They're just stories...but he would have said the same thing about the Upside Down and everything associated with it, too. ]

If I don't get something soon, though, it's going to be human blood. [ And with that, he looks up at Steve with a sad and scared look on his face. ] I don't want to hurt you, Stevie, you should leave before I do.

[Steve has no idea in hell what's actually happening to Eddie but he's placed that responsibility upon himself. He doesn't even know where to begin when it comes to a cure, if thats even an option but he can't just allow whatever is happening to Eddie claim him. Steve wouldn't be able to forgive himself, not after all the horror Eddie has already endured.

This isn't fair. ]

We can figure it out? There has to be a fucking answer, right?

[Right?

Steve is trying not to allow the worry and concern show on his face. The guilt that he's failed Eddie completely, that Steve couldn't actually save him from this. ]

I'm not just going to fucking leave you here alone, man. Can you even go outside like this?

[Typical Steve Harrington for you, the man that isn't going to leave a friend behind when in danger even when his friend is the danger.]

[ Eddie doesn't deserve the concern that Steve is showing for him. That's what he's convinced himself of, anyway. He knows now that Steve would offer himself up on a silver platter if it meant keeping everyone else safe, and he hates that. He wishes Steve could be a little bit selfish sometimes, if it meant he'd have an ounce of self preservation. ]

Don't know. [ Eddie's eyes are focused on the ground, because he knows if he looks at Steve he's going to lose his composure and he has no idea what that would mean for Steve. He feels dangerous, like he's seconds away from pouncing. ]

Look if you're not...if you insist on this can you at least tie me up? I don't trust myself right now. [ He doesn't say it, but there's an unspoken especially around you.

Because Harrington drives him crazy, has even before he apparently got turned into this monster. ]

[Steve would argue that Eddie out of anyone deserves the world and more. He definitely deserves more than this terrifying transform he's going through. It frustrates Steve that he doesn't have a solution or if one is even available. It unsettles him that Eddie could be stuck like this forever. The situation is certainly problematic and it will only get worse if Eddie is having these kind of cravings.]

I'm going to fix this, alright? I'll figure something out....

[Steve knows he's repeating himself helplessly but he doesn't want Eddie to feel like he's going to be shunned away to face this unexplained mutation on his own.]

Tie you up? You're being serious right now?

[Having to keep Eddie contained in ropes would make Steve feel awful. Not that he doesn't already.]

Isn't that a bit extreme, man?

[ Eddie laughs derisively at that, because of course Steve wants to fix it. ] I don't think there is anything you can do, man. [ He wants to chase Steve away, for his own safety, but at the same time he's terrified if Steve leaves, he won't have a shred of humanity left in him.

At the same time, the longer Steve stays, the more in danger he will be, and the closer to killing Steve Eddie will get, which will only end with the same outcome. ]

I'm serious, if the hunger takes over I don't know what I'll do. I don't wanna hurt you man, I'm...I'm really scared that's exactly what I'm gonna do.

[ It doesn't help that Steve is starting to smell really good right about now. To the point where Eddie is already considering shoving Steve up against the wall and just taking his fair share of blood. ]

[The realization of Eddie's words echo against Steve's ears and there is a sudden wave of defeat that ghosts over his handsome features. He hangs his head because he knows Eddie is right, no matter how much Steve chooses not to believe it. Why is this always his fate? Why does he always fail those he cares about most?

God, he's supposed to be the damn protector for Christ sakes!]

I'm sorry...

[It's not enough. It never is.

Now is probably the time to take Eddie's warning seriously and Steve's eyes begin to dart around in search of anything helpful.]

What do you suggest? Rope?

[ Eddie feels a pang of something, and he's certain it's not hunger. He didn't think it possible to still feel anything like guilt while like this, but apparently he still has a conscience. Which is a good sign. ]

Hey, no, don't. It's not your fault, Steve. I'm the idiot that had to go and be a hero, remember?

[ He frowns as he considers their options. He's not fond of the idea of being tied up in this situation, but he is the one who suggested it. It's the only way to ensure he won't attack Steve if he gets too weak to fight against his hunger. ]

Rope, if you have it. Chains might be stronger, but I doubt you have anything like that just lying around. [ He lets out a laugh and rolls his eyes. ] My first time getting tied up by you and it's not even for anything fun.

[ Might as well dig himself a deeper hole while he's at it. He doubts Steve is going to want him around for much longer once it's revealed just how dangerous he is now. ]

Don't say that, man. You're not an idiot....

[If Eddie hadn't made such a sacrifice all of them could be dead. Steve just wished he would have stayed behind or had Eddie just come with the group. He couldn't fix the stupid choices he made, he couldn't fix Eddie either and that was a huge blow. Steve was supposed to look out for him and he failed. ]

I should have stayed with you or had you come with us, man. Maybe then?

[Right. He needs to get on this whole finding a rope thing before Eddie actually does lose control and both boys end up in one hell of a situation. Maybe he has some rope in his car?

Here is to hoping.

Eddie's words catch Steve off guard. It shouldn't come as a sudden surprise because Eddie always spouts off at the mouth when he Steve's company.

Steve's a little lost at words for a second.]

You seriously just came at me with that?

Well, there's no point in arguing over it now, I guess.

[ He frowns, ignoring the way he can feel his fangs with the way his lips contort. It's better if he just tries to not pay attention to all the changes his body is undergoing, lest he start falling into a spiral.

But then Steve's responding to Eddie's dumb comment, and Eddie is torn between displaying amusement and looking guilty for making such a comment at a time like this.

He opts for a mixture of both. ]

Well, yeah, sorry. Humor's kind of a coping mechanism, you know?

[ He pauses, notes how he feels himself start to salivate as Steve's heartbeat is the one thing that seems to fill his ears. Shit, he could probably pin Steve to the wall and take just a taste -- ]

You'd better hurry, I -- I think it's getting worse.

[The more Steve's mind focuses on the fact that he has no choice but to bind his close friend has his stomach turning over in knots. The last thing Steve wants to do is tie Eddie up for whatever reason. Even if said reason is because Steve himself could be in great danger. So what else was new?

Right. He needs to get on that.

Yet he's still stuck in the same exact spot with his eyes fixated on the creature that was his good friend. This sudden transformation makes his heartache and the guilt just keeps gnawing away at his core.]

Real cute, Munson.

[There isn't much time to wonder if Eddie was actually being serious about what he had said. He needs to figure out this whole damn rope situation. ]

Stay here, yeah? I'll umm, be right back.

[He sprints off before Eddie has a chance to reply and within minutes he's back in the trailer rope in hand. ]

Ready?

[ Eddie's mind feels like a mixture of guilt, rage, and a strange amount of ecstasy in there for good measure. Like his body is trying to convince him that this is a good turn of events, that he could take what he wants, all he has to do is reach his hand out and grasp it.

But no --

He can't take Steve just because he wants him. Steve would never forgive him, and then he would really be a monster, unable to forgive himself. He has to wait, to keep his composure, and to hope that maybe they can find a way to keep Eddie from giving into the beast within.

When Steve comes back, Eddie's eyes flicker to the rope and then back at Steve and gives him a quick nod. ]

Hurry, please, I feel like I'm hangin on by a thread.

[ He holds his wrists out, in case Steve wants to start with those. To make sure that Eddie can't wriggle his way out of his bonds. ]

[This still feels so wrong no matter how many times Steve tries to convince himself that this is for the best for both himself and for Eddie. That doesn't stop his stomach from knotting up even more as he settles on his knees and begins to tie Eddie's wrists together tight and secure.

Surely he could find some kind of animal to settle Eddie's hunger, right? Unless Eddie can only survive off of actual human blood.

Fuck this was complicated as much as it was frightening. ]

You still need to be fed.

[And who's to say Eddie doesn't have some insane vampire strength and can break free of the rope?]

Animal preferences?

[ Eddie's eyes grow wide with surprise as Steve offers to find him an animal to feed off of. It still boggles his mind that Steve is still here, that he isn't tying him up and leaving him to die. He wants to help even though he's proven that he's dangerous.

In another life he would have flirted with Steve, implied he wanted his blood, but he's too afraid Steve will offer himself freely, and Eddie won't know when to stop. So, he opts for -- ]

I don't know, I never had to drink blood before. Just. Maybe not rats?

[ After another moment's silence, he adds -- ]

Knock yourself out. Whatever you can get your hands on.

[Did Eddie truly believe that Steve would just flee and make the boy suffer on his own after what they had been through together? Steve couldn't be so cowardly or cruel towards Eddie like that and Eddie should know by now that Steve willingly tosses himself into danger without hesitation.

Now the real question is if Steve has it in him to kill an innocent animal for Eddie to actually feed on. Would he even be able to find something around these parts and would it be enough to satisfy the hunger?]

Promise me you won't leave?

[ Steve's question takes him by surprise. But then again, after everything he has done, the way he has refused to leave Eddie to die, or up to his own devices, he probably shouldn't be that shocked that Steve wouldn't want him to leave.

He holds up his wrists and smiles wryly. ]

Not like I could if I wanted to. [ But then he slumps a bit as his smile fades and he takes on a more serious expression. ]

Seriously. I won't. I'll stay here. [ Though he isn't sure if he can stay here much longer. If he ends up hurting Uncle Wayne... ]

[Eddie's own safety is far more important than Steve's own right now. He doesn't want Eddie to make a dash for the door as soon as Steve leaves because he fears he may attack. If what was left of the town happened to even get a glimpse of Eddie like this there would be a fucking man hunt. ]

I'll try my best to be quick.

[It just depends on what type of animal he could find and would it be suitable enough for Eddie’s hunger. He makes a dash for the door so he can begin his quest for food.

Steve is gone longer that he attended to be but once he returns he's thankfully not emptied handed. Hopefully Eddie hasn't starved to death. He slowly creaks the door open before stepping inside cautiously as to not startle his friend.]

It's me. I'm back. Found you something.

[ While Steve was gone, it had been hard for Eddie to keep from spiraling. Every little noise startled him and the hunger only got worse.

By the time Steve returns, Eddie feels very on edge. He jumps at the sound of his voice, his head jerking to the side until his eyes fall upon his friend, returned with the food he can smell without even seeing what it is. ]

You did. [ He licks his lips, a feeling of shame wash over him at letting his hunger control him like this. Steve must really think he's a freak now.

And yet, Steve is still here, isn't he? He came back with food. That has to mean something.. ]

I can't lie, a part of me didn't think you even had it in you, [ he admits sheepishly. ]

[Upon entering, Steve holds up his hands to show Eddie that it's him and he means no harm. The way his friend jerks around in near paranoia causes Steve to jump back a little, hands still up slightly.

God, he feels like complete shit that he's left Eddie alone in this state but his friend had to eat. What other choice did Steve actually have?]

It wasn't particularly easy.

[Steve isn't the type to kill innocent animals for fun or food for that matter but Eddie needed him and here he was.]

I'm sorry I was gone for so long, man. Are you alright? Come on, you need to drink this thing.

[ Eddie could practically sob in relief, that is how desperate he was becoming. He never anticipated Steve would be so willing to go through such lengths to feed him, and now he almost wants to kiss him in thanks.

But, that would probably freak Steve out, so he just reaches out for Steve, or rather for the animal he had tracked down. ]

Other than hungry? Yeah, man, just peachy.

You sure?

[Steve must sound like a broken record but he's genuinely worried and concerned for his buddy gone vampire. The least he could do was make Eddie comfortable and accepted. He didn't want Eddie believing he was this horrible monster.

He helps Eddie with the animal considering the circumstances and steps back so that he can feed in peace. Being helpful hasn't made Steve feel less guilty about what has happened.]

Hope it's enough.

[ As soon as Eddie has his hands on the dead thing, his fangs are quickly unleashed and he sinks his teeth into its flesh. He wrinkles his nose at first, because it's clearly been dead for a short while, but it's still blood. It's still warm, and does seem to stave off the hunger long enough where he doesn't feel like he's a threat to Steve anymore.

Once it's drained dry, he wipes the back of his hand across his mouth and fixes Steve with a look. Of course, now that he's had a chance to clear his head, he's faced with the problem of what to do with the damn thing. He can't just throw it in the trash.

He also can't stay here. He's going to be a danger to his uncle if he stays here. ]

Thanks, man. You, uh. You didn't have to, but I appreciate it. [ He manages a slight smile, his eyes pointed down at the floor as he tries to avoid his mind spiraling out of control now that he's faced with what the next steps are going to be. ]

[There is something both intriguing and alarming with the way Eddie's mouth latches onto the poor creature and drains the poor thing dry within seconds. The whole act has Steve's heart speeding up suddenly and he's found himself fixated on the way Eddie feeds. Steve has also acknowledged the fact that Eddie can't continue to live like this. At some point animal blood wouldn't be enough and worse, others might find out this dark secret. ]

No problem.

[Steve has officially made Eddie his responsibility and he sure as hell isn't going to let his close friend suffer through this all alone. Eddie needs someone and Steve is going to be that person. Always the goddamn babysitter, right?]

I think you already know it's not really safe for you to stay here alone or at all, right?

[ Eddie would have once given anything for Steve to look at him at all. This isn't exactly what he had in mind, but it figured that it would take a horrible curse, that it would take something as horrible as Vecna to thrust the two of them together. He hates that he's sort of thankful that it brought them together, because it feels horrible. People died and he's here, being thankful that he has someone like Steve in his corner. ]

Yeah, I know. [ Eddie's voice is quiet as he clenches his eyes shut, though no tears come. He's not even sure if he can cry. He's not alive, not really, so maybe he can't. ]

I don't know where else I could go, though.

[It's unfortunate that such a traumatic and horrifying experience best known as the Upside Down has brought all of these amazing people into Steve's life but the once arrogant boy is grateful of the friendships. He wouldn't trade his bond with Eddie for anything else in this shitty world, it was too damn special. Its one of the many reasons why Steve wish he had the power to switch places with Eddie, take the curse upon himself.

Eddie deserves better than what the world keeps dumping upon him.

Steve places a hand upon the other's shoulder to offer Eddie some much needed comfort. He doesn't know if it'll do much good but Steve wants to prove to Eddie that he isn't in this alone.]

You can come to my place? My parents aren't ever home and it would give you a safer place to stay at least.

[ Eddie freezes when Steve offers him his home to stay in, at least until they get all of this sorted out. On the one hand, it would be really nice to have a place to stay that wasn't as cramped as the trailer, but --

It's Steve's home. Living with Steve, having that temptation dangling over his face? Maybe the house would be big enough that they wouldn't be living on top of each other, but his senses are sharper, and Eddie would always be able to sense him. It feels dangerous.

On the other hand, Steve always seems so damn lonely there. Maybe he needs the company just as much as Eddie does.

He places his hand over Steve's on his shoulder, and Steve's hand feels so much warmer than Eddie's, yet another reminder of what Eddie has become. ]

Maybe, um. As a trial run? But if anything goes wrong, the first sign of trouble, we find another place. I'm not putting you in danger, man.

[Steve's home is the best option and he isn't going to take no for an answer. His home has enough space to keep Eddie not only comfortable but hidden if anyone actually does come seeking him out. They would have to go through Steve first, he isn't going to allow anyone to harm Eddie even if the other is very capable of handling himself.

The company would be good for the both of them. Steve has spoken about how lonely his house becomes at times but he's failed to mention that being alone there has also gotten a bit terrifying. Eddie doesn't have to give Steve the time of day it'll be comforting enough to know he has someone else in the house those nights his nightmares become a little to real.

His eyes go soft as Eddie expresses his worry. Being in danger himself had never crossed Steve's mind. Perhaps he's gotten so numb to it these days. He offers his friend a small smile followed with another soft squeeze to Eddie's shoulder.]

I do pretty damn good with danger, man. I'm not worried.

[ Eddie knows better by now than to argue with Steve. When he's dead set on something, there is no changing his mind, especially when it comes to protecting the ones he cares about. He just never thought that would eventually include Eddie.

It still blows his mind that he's been accepted into their little ragtag group, but they all share the same secret so he supposes it's only natural to bond over that. It sucks that said secret has now led Eddie to such a shitty fate, but at least he doesn't have to deal with it alone.

He nods, then, glancing around his trailer to assess the situation. ]

Then I should pack. No offense, loverboy, but I don't think I'd look good in your clothes. And I'm not leaving without my sweetheart. [ He is of course talking about his guitar, which miraculously survived the earthquakes. ]

[Steve can be a bit overprotective for his own damn good but he takes on the responsibility of trying his best to keep everyone safe. Typically that means putting himself last but over the years Steve has slowly stopped caring about himself and placed his attention on those he cares greatly about. Eddie has now fallen into that category. He would give anything for it to not be because of the Upside Down.

Steve is still determined to find some sort of cure for his friend. He can't allow Eddie to fall to such an unfair fate.

He gives a look at Eddie's assumption about his clothes. Mouth falling open while his hands go to rest along his hips.]

What's wrong with my clothes, smart-ass?

[They could pack up Steve's car with no problem and what they don't get now they can come back for.]

Your guitar?

( To Steve's question, all Eddie has to offer is a wolfish grin. He shakes his head, laughing at the stance that he's grown too used to seeing Steve in.

It occurs to Eddie that he's extremely lucky that it's Steve who came across him like this. If it were any of the other kids, if it were either of the girls? He doesn't think this would have had such a happy ending. )

Nothing's wrong with your clothes when you wear them. Polos just aren't my style, big boy. ( He wastes no time in packing, haphazardly throwing some clothes into a duffel bag. He has no idea how long this is going to be for, but he figures he can do laundry, or come back for more if he needs to. For now, though, this should get him through the next week or so. )

My guitar, ( Eddie confirms with a softer smile as he takes the guitar off its stand on the wall and grabs a case from under his bed to place it in for the journey, so she doesn't get scratched up. ) Let me just leave my uncle a note first and then we can be on our way.

[Steve finds himself rolling his eyes at that grin. It's both frustrating and amazing how charming Eddie can be in serious moments. It never fails to take a bit of the edge off and Steve finds much needed comfort in that. Life has been so unfair lately but it's nice to see that Eddie still has his humor despite the circumstances.

Steve is grateful he came to Eddie when he did.]

Diva.

[It's a playful, gentle tease to lighten the mood. Steve keeps out of the way as Eddie scrambles to pack up what he needs. It's a bit heart breaking to watch as his friend has to bag up his life and leave his uncle behind for who knows how long. Steve has made a silent promise to keep an eye on Wayne as much as possible.

Right. The guitar. ]

You don't think your uncle will get upset do you?

( It's a little bittersweet, packing everything up and surveying what he's leaving behind. While he knows he will miss Wayne dearly, it really is safer for Eddie to be away from him until he gets himself under control.

And while he worries for Steve, he feels a strange sense of possessiveness towards him that he doesn't think hurting him would even come to mind. Maybe he really would be safest at Steve's house. )

Couldn't tell you. I think he'll be happy to have me out of the trailer, but worried if I'm just randomly gone. But it's safer this way.

( He scribbles out a note, leaving the details vague. He doesn't want to worry Wayne too much, but he thinks if he mentions the truth he will think it's a prank, and that Eddie is in some serious trouble. Better to just let Wayne think that he has trouble staying in this trailer with all that's associated with it, that the nightmares had become too much and he needs to be around someone who has experience with them.

It's a lot closer to the truth than maybe Eddie is willing to admit. )

[Steve is trying to focus on the positive of Eddie leaving the trailer and Wayne behind. He likes to think that Eddie really would be safer at his place but they both don't know just yet. At least Eddie would have more free range, more places to keep himself hidden and no worry about someone bursting in on him. They just need to figure out how to control Eddie's hunger.

Thats the challenge.

Very much like Eddie, Steve has this possessiveness over him and the need to keep Eddie safe. Steve is convinced that he's the one to take on thus responsibility, keep everyone else out of danger incase Eddie can't contain the beast within.]

We can always come back if we need too. Until then let's get you out of here.

( Eddie nods as he gives one last look at the trailer. ) It's funny, it took years for my uncle to convince me this place is my home, too. And now who knows when I'll be back here again?

( He lets out a soft sigh before looking back at Steve. It wasn't going to be forever. Maybe Steve would find a way to cure him, reverse these changes. Or at least find a way to control it so he wouldn't be a danger around those he cares about. )

Let's go. Before it gets too hard to say goodbye.

[Steve frowns at Eddie's honest confession. Many would argue that the trailer wasn't much of anything but it had provided a safe space for Eddie to stay. Gave him a since of security that Steve was now robbing him of.]

I'm sorry, Eddie.

[He doesn't know what else to say or how to make this situation less difficult. Steve does want to make this better, he wants to fix what's happened to Eddie.]

I got my car all ready for you when you are.

[He moves to help Eddie transport all his belongings to his car, making sure to keep everything packed safe.]

( Eddie draws in a deep breath and then shrugs. ) It's not like it's your fault that this happened. Don't be. We'll find a way to fix this.

( Or at least they would find a way to control whatever it was that caused Eddie to hunger, to crave blood. Even if it was just curbing his appetite with animal blood, or fucking forbid Steve offers himself as a human blood donation. He has to believe they'll overcome this somehow. )

I'm as ready as I'm ever gonna be, man. ( He gives one last look to the trailer before climbing into the car with the rest of his things. At least, he thinks, he still feels something for his damn home, feels the regret of having to leave it behind. He hasn't turned into an emotionless monster, or worse, a rage-filled one. )

I shouldn’t have left you and Henderson alone like that. [Steve has been holding onto that guilt ever since that day Eddie nearly lost his life, Dustin could have as well. He should have never allowed either one of them to come or maybe Dustin should have stayed back while Eddie joined Steve and the ladies?

Would any other idea had made a difference?

As for over coming this? They have to for the sake of Eddie. This transformation could further change him at any given moment and the change could rip Eddie away from his humanity. Steve would do everything in his willpower to make sure that doesn't happen.

Once Eddie is in the car and ready, Steve takes to the road. ]

Gonna set you up in a guestroom upstairs.

( Eddie feels himself crumble a little bit at Steve telling him he shouldn't have left them alone. He would have been stubborn at the time, insisting that he and Dustin would be fine, probably. Interpreting it as Steve not trusting them to take care of themselves. Little did Eddie know that might have saved his life.

He is silent most of the car ride, at least until Steve speaks up. Eddie nods, looking over to Steve. He isn't sure how this is going to work, but he is grateful that Steve is risking so much to let Eddie have a chance of surviving. At least long enough until they either find a cure, or...whatever the other option is. )

Sounds fancy. ( He smiles weakly, finger playing with a strand of hair. Other than the near constant hunger that doesn't seem to die down, he doesn't feel dead. If anything, his emotions feel like they're dialed up. He had expected to feel nothing. He almost feels grateful that in spite of everything, he still feels slightly human. ) Bet your shower's got ridiculous water pressure.

(That wasn't true, the opposite actually. Steve knew that if anyone were going to keep Dustin safe it would be Eddie. Steve wasn't about to allow Dustin to march off to fight Vecna with them when he already had one little nugget using herself as bait. He also believed he was sparing Eddie from even more trauma but in the end the decision had nearly gotten Eddie killed. It was a harsh reality to face that Steve couldn't protect everyone. Nancy was well equipped to handle her own and Robin had survived the Russian interrogation but Robin was also Robin. If Steve had stayed behind and something happened to her Nancy would never forgive herself. Steve would much rather carry that guilt on his own shoulders. Robin was his responsibility and Nancy had dealt with enough.

If he could trade places with Eddie he would in a heartbeat. Take on the curse himself. For now all he can do is offer the other a safe place and hope that they can cure this. Surely there has to be something if they both did a bit of researching?)

It's alright.

(His own response comes soft as he glances over to take a glance at Eddie. The silence is almost unbearable for Eddie Munson is never quiet. It's rather unsettling and it does nothing for Steve's guilt. )

Yeah.

[ Nancy felt like she was suffocating under the weight of their failure. She'd woken up at 4am in a cold sweat to the sound of the fourth chime and the gut wrenching realization that he'd gotten to Max. She'd tried to go back to sleep but her thoughts kept going in circles, thinking about Max lying too still in that hospital bed across town. She thought about Eddie lying still and bloody in Dustin's shaking arms and how she'd been at a loss as to what to do about it. It had been Steve who had moved into action when Nancy had frozen, finding a pulse and hauling Eddie out of the upside down. He had his own hospital room just a few doors down from Max's where he looked weak and pale and beaten down. But at least he was alive.

So was Vecna, if the rifts through town were any indication. If Will and El's sense of his presence was right. If Nancy's worst fears had taken a few molotov cocktails and a few sawed off shotgun hits to the chest and still managed to slither away. She doesn't know what's going to come next, but she knows that they can't fail again. In the meantime, she helps to gather supplies, busies herself with repairing and cleaning up the cabin for Hopper and El, and tries to stay vigilant. She's hyper aware of everything around her. She doesn't miss the way Jonathan won't quite look her in the eye. She doesn't miss the way Mike keeps giving El worried glances. And she definitely doesn't miss the way Steve winces when he moves, or the beads of sweat on his forehead even though, as usual the gym is freezing due to the school's overzealous air conditioning.

She waits until she can catch him away from the others, folding and sorting donated clothes. She's come with another box of donations from the Wheeler's attic and she's moving to his table before she even realizes it, pausing at his elbow.] Hi. [ Her voice is soft, uncertain. She hasn't been able to talk to him since Jonathan and the others came home. She nods towards the pile of clothes in front of him.] Can I help?

[Steve had failed them all.

Of course he wasn't this dashing hero, he was just a kid that had been tossed into a really terrifying reality that dealt with horrifying monsters and the destruction of ending the world. Steve had taken it upon himself to protect the kids and he took full responsibility of how Robin was now tied into this, Eddie. Now two of the people he had sworn to keep safe were clinging to life by the second. Nightmares of Dustin holding Eddie's bloody, battered body plagued his mind. The way the young boy was screaming and crying for help, the way Eddie had been so still. Then there had been Max and the image of her small frame broken had left Steve nauseated. Vecna had gotten her, he had won.

The regrets and horrors that danced inside how own head kept him up at night. He couldn't sleep with the fear of getting a phone call that either Eddie or Max were gone. Sometimes he feared both would go together. When Steve would close his eyes all he would be forced to see was both Robin and Nancy being choked by vines. There was also the nagging pain of his own injuries that seemed to worsen in the night.

Good times all around.

The adrenaline rust must have wore because that same pain only seems more bothersome as the days pass but Steve will be damned if he gives into it. So he keeps himself busy, his mind occupied. Unfortunately that doesn't make the ache dissappear and it wouldn't be a surprise if the injuries have only gotten worse.

Steve ignores it. He has work to do.

The pain doesn't subside as the day lingers, evident by the way Steve moves about the gym. The ache only creeps along his sides as he works, trying his best to stay focused. He can work through it, he had too. Once he's finally alone he's able to let out a sharp hiss, teeth clinched slightly as he sorts through the pile of clothes.

Shit.

He hadn't expected Nancy to come around considering Jonathan was back in town and Steve had been keeping his distance for that exact reason. So her sudden appearance is surprising but Steve offers a small smile all the same.]

Hey. Uhhh? Yeah. Sure.

[He shifts slightly to give her some room.]

[ There's a small bit of relief at the fact that he smiles at her, instead of fixing her with the glare she probably deserves. He had looked the same as he had the other day, but now that she's closer and not staring at him from the other side of the gym, it's easier to see the dark shadows under his eyes and the stiffness in his movements.

She steps into the space he makes for her easily, the last few days having reinstated the easy way they used to move around each other. Her shoulder is nearly touching his as she reaches for the nearest item of clothing and checks the tag for the size.

She glances over at him, her eyes lingering on his face with barely concealed concern. ] How are you feeling?

[Steve has no reason to scowl at her or be dismissive. It's actually comforting to have her standing by his side given what they've both been through this passed week. He remains silent as both their hands fumble through the pile of clothes, their fingers bumping into each other's on occasion.

He should have known she would ask how he was doing. That was the big question everyone seemed to be asking, right? He nods his head in response.]

Good. I'm good. How bout you?

[He isn't being truthful but he knows that Nancy has had a lot on her shoulders, she still does and he isn't about to add to her stress.]

[ Nancy furrows her brow at the t-shirt she's folding at his answer. She'd know he was lying even if she hadn't seen the physical manifestations of their Spring Break from hell.

Considering that their hometown was an official disaster area, their friends were in the hospital with life threatening injuries and they'd barely made it out with their own lives, it's hard to imagine that anyone could be good right now.

A week ago she would've left it and let him have his space. But things had shifted in the last few days. She's realized how much she's missed having Steve around. Knows that she wouldn't have been able to hold it together without him over the last week and now she decides she can't let it go at that anymore.

She lowers the shirt and looks at him, concern shifting into something more firm. ] And the bites?

[Steve bites back a sigh at the tone of Nancy's voice and continues to sort through the mess of donations. He doesn't want to talk about his injuries or how he might not be alright himself. He doesn't want to cloud her head with worry that he could be placed in the hospital too.

They both can't afford that. The two of them have to remain standing for the sake of everyone else or if the threat of Vecna returns. ]

A little sore sometimes.

[All the damn time.

He can feel her eyes literally burning through him with both concern and frustration. Typical Nancy Wheeler for you.]

Nance it's fine. I'm fine.

[ Once upon a time she would've rolled her eyes at him and called him an idiot. Now she just takes a deep breath and turns towards him, putting a hand on her hip and staring him down.

The more he says he's "fine" the more she's getting the feeling he really isn't. She still remembers the way he'd sagged against Skull Rock after they'd gotten him away from the bats. The way he'd pretended like they'd done him a favor by going after him. As if she'd had any choice at all. As if she'd ever have any regrets about going after him.

It's funny how quickly she's gone to worrying that he might be upset with her to being over him brushing her off. She blames the last few days for her lack of patience. Vecna's vision for an overwhelming sense of urgency. The defeated and exhausted look on his face for her not being smart enough to get them all out okay.

She snags his elbow and pulls him towards the boy's locker room. ] Come on.

[Let it be known that Nancy Wheeler is tiny but damn is she a force of nature. Steve glances over his shoulder as she places her hands along her petite, slender hips and fixes him with another look. He knows that look a little too well but he doesn't have the energy to argue. There is also the fear that if they begin fighting now that by the end of it she would want nothing to do with him.

He can't afford to lose her again. Not that she's his but they had finally reconnect. It hadn't been under the greatest circumstances but the terror that lurked under Hawkins had pulled them back together. He blinks as she takes his elbow and begins to tug him towards the boy's locker room.]

Would you stop, please?

[He mutters lowly as she pulls him along with every ounce of determination in her small body. He genuinely feels she's overreacting and the bites he's endured aren't all that serious, just irritated. ]

Come on, they need us out there.

If you're fine, you have nothing to worry about.

[ She's not mad, even if her mouth is tight around the edges. She's just too tired to stand there and watch Steve suffer because he's too stubborn to acknowledge that he's not okay. That and the more he protests, the more she's worried about what she's going to find. If he was really okay, he'd probably be joking about it. The self deprecating kind that he does to put everyone else at ease.

But he's not doing that.

She pushes the door open to the deserted locker room and leads him over to the first bench where she finally let's go of his arm. Not that her grip had been that forceful. She sighs, her expression softening a little. ] Just... put my mind at ease, okay?

Please?

[The walk to the abandoned boy's locker room seemed much further than Steve remembered. He isn't out of shape by any means but the walk has left him feeling both exhausted and a little light headed. He can feel the beads of sweat forming along his brow, leaving his hair a bit damp. A hand goes out to brace himself as he slowly sits, not allowing his expression to show any form of discomfort.

Steve catches a glance at Nancy's face and het expression is just as exhausted as he feels. She has him at please.

He's a bit hesitant at first, fingers gripping along the bottom of his shirt. After a minute he sucks in a breathe before he tugs it off his form with a hiss. His wounds now exposed in the open. The broken skin around the bites are a bright red, a clear indication that the skin is highly irritated. The marks left behind hadn't closed, not a one.

They didn't appear to be healing properly or at all. ]

It's fine....

[He whispers in a hushed voice]

[ She gives him a small, encouraging smile when he moves to pull off his shirt. It fades into shock when she sees the wounds. They aren't as bad as that first time, but they don't look much better. She inhales sharply, her eyes flicking to his face. ] Oh, Steve.

[ She can't imagine what they must feel like, but they look angry and terrible. Somehow his whisper of denial makes it even worse. She knits her brow and kneels in front of him, putting a hand on his knee. ] No, it isn't. Have you had one of the doctors look at it?

[It's obvious that Steve has been neglecting his own well being because all of his time and effort has been placed into everyone else's. He had took the responsibility of keeping everyone safe on himself years ago, he wasn't about to slow down due to some stupid bites.

Stupid bites that felt like they were burning his insides and flesh.

He winces slightly at her sharp inhale, guilt already sinking in as he hears the worry linger within her soft voice. This is exactly what Steve didn't want, another concern weighing heavily on Nancy's shoulders.

He shifts slightly at her touch and his gaze pulls away from her pretty face. He can't handle the look of distress in her eyes.]

No.

[ Guilt settles low in her belly as he looks away. She should've known that Steve would put everything and everyone first. That he'd refuse to let anything, even something this big stop him from being the protector of the party. She'd spent the last two days trying to reconnect with Jonathan and helping at the cabin. She should've checked in with him.

The wounds weren't even covered. Was it because he couldn't wrap them himself? Why hadn't he asked Robin for help? She presses her lips together, resolve strengthening inside her. Her voice is soft but made of steel as she squeezes his knee and straightens up. ]

I'm going to wrap these up for you and then we're going to the hospital.

[Steve didn't want to worry anyone with his own problems. They had all been through so much, each of them drowning themselves in work to help avoid the trauma Vecna has left them to deal with. Steve couldn't admit it outloud but he had piled so much on himself the day Jonathan had came back to town. The image of Nancy rushing to be in his arms still lingered deep within Steve's mind.

It was on constant replay.

How in the hell can he even begin to admit how much that had bothered him? Still bothers him. He's not going to make Nancy feel guilty just because his feelings won't fade.

He's grabbing her wrist gently at the mention of the hospital.]

No hospital.

Steve... [ She frowns at him, not wanting to completely bulldoze him into something he doesn't want, but also seriously concerned. She's not a professional. All she knows about first aid she learned in health class and from reading a few books. She swallows at the feel of his fingers still on her wrist.] At least let me get one of the volunteer nurses out there to look at it. What if you need antibiotics?

[ It's concerning that they don't look like they're healing at all. What if there's something in the Upside Down that regular medicine won't work on? What if there's nothing she can do for him? The thought makes her chest tighten and she steps forward, reaching out to push his hair back of his sweaty forehead gently.] I promise not to hold a gun to your head, I just want to make sure you're okay.

Edited 2022-12-09 21:28 (UTC)

[Christ.

It's the pleading within her force that has Steve turning his head from her in shame. He knows neglecting his own injuries had been selfish and foolish. By doing so could have jeopardized his own life, possibly has but Steve wasn't about to place himself first when others around him needed him.

Where would they be if something awful happened to him? He hadn't even thought about that or maybe he had but ignored it.

He runs both his hands down his damp face in frustration and embarrassment. He can't argue that the wounds have grown more severe over the past few days and he's in need of medical attention. There is also no arguing with Nancy Wheeler.

He learned that the hard way.

He slumps over in defeat, biting back a soft noise at the sensation of her fingers threading through his damp hair.]

Alright.

Thank you. [ She half whispers it, her hand moving through his hair in another stroke. She just wants to make him feel better. Wants to be able to do something other than just standing by and watching him suffer. ]

[ She scratches the crown of his head lightly with her fingernails, the way she knows he used to like. ] I promise to make it as painless as possible. You'll be back to folding clothes in no time.

[Maybe Steve is supposed to suffer? His injuries could be some form of a twisted punishment for the person he once was, the total asshole. It could just be a horrible reminder that the Upside Down is still alive and thriving. In the end does it even matter?

Nancy's fingernails are sending chills vibrating up his spine and along the back of his neck. Shit, he always loved when she would do this. It both relaxed and turned him on. He forces himself to pull back from her touch for both their sake. He has to fight the temptation to wrap his arms around her waist like he used too or nuzzle his face against her abdomen.]

Yeah.

[ He pulls back and she realizes that she's crossed a line. She presses her lips together, more in consternation at herself than anything else, and drops her hand to her side.

She knows they should talk about the last few days. She knows she's not the only one that felt the old sparks between them. Robin had basically told her as much, but things were complicated. They were always complicated.

But she knows she can't take him not wanting her to touch him or him not wanting to tell her if he's hurting. She sits on the bench beside him.] I'm really worried about you. [ She doesn't like admitting it because then it means that there's a reason to be worried. ] I need to know you're going to be taken care of, okay?

Even if you don't want it to be me.

[It's not that Steve doesn't want to be touched by her, it's not that he doesn't appreciate her comfort but he can't allow himself to need it. That would be crossing a line on his part and he certainly didn't want to place Nancy in that position. Especially now that they're actually on speaking terms again.

And like Nancy, Steve believes they both need to sit down and have a serious heart to heart about everything but unfortunately the cards have never fallen that way between the two. Steve has no idea how Nancy feels towards him and maybe that's for the best? She seemed content upon Jonathan's return and Steve pulled himself back for good reason.

He wasn't a man that cheated and he would never lower himself to such a level.

But that doesn't numb the sudden guilt and ache when she joins him on the bench and expresses her concern for him. It's a bit ironic that she seems genuinely worried about his well being now given the many times he's been injured in the past and she's not been bothered. ]

I promise I'll be fine, Nancy. I always am aren't I? This time was just a bit more serious is all.

[ He's right. It's far from the first time Steve's gotten himself hurt. He'd gotten himself tortured by Russians last Summer, which was something that she can't believe she let herself forget even for a moment. But this feels different. It's not just a bit more serious.

She looks over at him and shakes her head lightly.] Steve, don't pretend like it's not a big deal. You almost died. [ Her brow furrows slighly as if the thought hurts her. ] I know you're tough. Strong. But this time you need to let me help you, the way you help us.

[ She takes a deep breath. ] If it had been Dustin instead of you that was bitten, don't tell me you'd be okay with letting him handle it on his own.

[the next evening, nancy drops into the passenger seat of steve's car with practiced ease, but she actually looks a little ruffled. she glances at him sidelong, hesitates, then admits:]

Okay, so you're right about my mom. Jeez.

[Steve finds it best to wait in the car for Nancy despite not jogging up to the door to greet her like your typical gentleman. Unfortunately he knows her parents aren't his biggest fans.

Especially her mother.

He frowns slightly as she shuts the door and admits what he already knew.]

I told you, Nance. It's seriously the whole virginity thing.

[she flusters visibly at that, and the way she begins to abruptly dig through her purse for the movie tickets is definitely just a big excuse to not look at him while she's embarrassed.]

That's stupid. There could have been someone before you - she can't know.

She knows, Nance. They always know.

[Because Steve Harrington had a reputation when it came to the ladies and during his time with Nancy he hadn't been the best boyfriend. Then Byers swooped in and well-]

[nancy sinks a little into her seat, exasperated.]

Not that it should matter. There's nothing - immoral about sex. And I'm always safe about it. They should be relieved.

[she's just venting a little now.]

I think it's more based around the fact that I was the guy who claimed your virginity.

[And once again her parents didn't seem to enthusiastic about Steve well before he and Nancy actually slept together.]

Still! It's a stupid concept. Mike's not going to have to worry about this kind of thing - dad'll probably just pat him on the back and say 'well done.'

[she's not quite in a bad mood now, but she is sulking about it.]

I think your mom just wishes it could have been anyone else but me, you know? Like Jonathan....

[The thought makes him cringe but maybe Mrs. Wheeler has it in her mind that Nancy's first time was stolen from her, that it wasn't perfect because that's all Steve wanted was to get inside her panties?]

[nancy sighs, resting her cheek against the passenger side window.]

Well, mom doesn't get to make those decisions for me. There are things I'd change that night, for sure. [she never should have left barb alone.] But I wouldn't have traded you for anyone.

[Steve would have changed a lot when it came to their relationship. Maybe they would have survived if he had? But in the end she wasn't happy, she didn't love him and Jonathan had been her choice.

It had stung so much then, hurt and was a huge low blow.

It's comforting to hear that she wouldn't have traded her first time to be with anyone else. He doesn't know if she's just saying that to make him feel better but it's nice regardless.]

Yeah.

[she had cared about steve, deeply, but she realizes now that she'd never been fully fair to him. nancy had tricked herself into thinking that steve harrington was too cool to go and fall in love with her.

she sighs, rubs her face. it wasn't that long ago, but it really feels like a lifetime.]

God, I had no idea what I was doing. I'm surprised you even called me after.

[Steve never explained himself to go and fall in love. He had always been the type that once sex came into the picture and he grew bored that was it.

Then came along Nancy Wheeler...

He's a bit taken aback at her confession and he takes a moment to glance in her direction?]

Why wouldn't I have called you?

Because -

[the offended sulk has melted away into something amused. gently self-deprecating without any real heat behind it.]

I was bad. Just kind of - fumbling along. I got better, but that first time? Yikes.

[she is maybe remembering more awkwardness on her own part than was actually there.]

You weren't bad.

[He'll argue that without any hesitation.]

You were nervous but nearly every girl is there first time.

[And Steve had been gentle with her. Easing her in and making sure she was comfortable, that nothing hurt and he never once pressured.]

Did you think I just got what I wanted and that was going to be it?

I mean, I worried about it a little bit, but no, I didn't think you were like that.

[she twists slightly to watch him drive, still leaned against the window.]

I do kind of wonder how it would've gone if the world hadn't gone to shit the second we started dating, though.

For the record I wouldn't have. I cared about you.

[That much was obvious and maybe that's where Steve had went wrong? Perhaps he didn't show Nancy enough or prove it? Maybe her heart had just been set on Jonathon from the beginning?

His mind could give him a million and one scenarios.

Her question causes him to go a bit tense. He had been asking himself that exact question the very second their relationship started failing.]

Maybe we would have made it? Maybe not? I can't exactly say.

[she'd waited for jonathan after it had all ended, thought that maybe, with peace found again - but ultimately she had gone back to steve, hadn't she? maybe that was unfair to him, too. or maybe she was unfit for any kind of relationship until she managed to find closure over barb.

nancy closes her eyes, stops watching him.]

Sorry. I just wanted to hang out and I made it weird again.

[There are aspects of their relationship that Steve is never going to fully have closure on. He doesn't understand why she pretended she loved him when she didn't. Why she continued to be with him if she didn't honestly care.

Maybe that's what he deserved in the end?]

You didn't.

[it had never been a lie, but her own hangups had swallowed so many of her other feelings whole. steve had wanted to move on, and that - well. maybe it had made her a little resentful.]

You're being sweet, but I totally did. Come on, we can think of something normal to talk about.

[He realizes now that he had been selfish when it came to Nancy's grief and he didn't grasp the fact that she truly missed Barb. That she constantly struggled with this inner guilt, even now.

That had not been fair but she didn't have to turn to Jonathan in the end.]

You know I uhhh, really like to think that maybe we would have worked you know? Even though I know we wouldn't have.

Your friends thought I was a priss.

[nancy's voice is fond for the nostalgia of memory.]

But why are you so sure we wouldn't have?

They thought you were a lot of things.

[Even Robin had called Nancy a priss but when it came to both Tommy and Carol they adored slandering Nancy's name as much as possible. ]

I've realized we're two very different people and who's to say you wouldn't have chosen Jonathan despite everything?

That's not fair to say. I don't think I would've even been friends with Jonathan if everything that happened didn't.

[which is a little sad to think about, but still.]

Maybe you would've just gotten tired of me. I could be pretty boring back then.

You honestly believe that?

[Because Steve sure as hell didn't. He figured the two would have gotten close regardless the circumstances.]

You honestly think that too?

Steve and Will were best friends for how long, and I said like - five words to Jonathan before Will went missing.

[the next question gives her pause, though.]

And I don't know, maybe? I heard you broke a lot of hearts.

Doesn't mean you wouldn't have talked to him any more.

[And Jonathan had seemed pretty set on Nancy from the get go.]

I did, actually but you? You were different.

Was it the flash cards? I always knew the flash cards were sexy.

[she's watching him again, expression quietly fond.]

Totally the flash cards. Was there ever any doubt in that?

[Steve realizes that he fell a little too fast and he should have kept himself guarded but he truly had believed that he had a future with Nancy.]

You were a good study partner.

[she's both disappointed and a little relieved when they arrive at the theater, but she's making no rush to get out of the car.]

We had a good run, Steve Harrington.

You think so?

[Her words sting ever so slightly but he likes to believe that some parts of their relationship had been good, that she didn't hate or despise him the whole time

But-]

We did.

Of course I think so.

[her tone is dismissive, like this is all just completely obvious.]

You were a great boyfriend. All those dinners with Barb's parents - you barely even knew her.

Stop...

[He lowers his head slightly in shame. They both know damn well that he wasn't a good boyfriend. He never had been.]

I wasn't a good boyfriend.

[nancy gives him a firm look, sits up a little straighter.]

I loved you, Steve. I just - needed more than that. It wasn't your fault.

[Ouch.

Ouuuuuch.

Steve can feel old wounds begin to rip open and pieces of his heart will start leaking out. ]

I'm sorry my love wasn't enough.

Yeah. I'm sorry, too.

[she means it.]

I didn't want love. I wanted... vengeance, I guess.

I should have been more understanding of what you were going through.

[And he was stupid to believe that love could fix their problems, heal her heart.

It was a hard lesson learned but he's grown from the pain.]

It's not like either of us had a guidebook to follow, Steve.

[she hesitates, then leans forward, touching his wrist.]

The only way we can go is forward.

I know....

[That still didn't ease the blow of her choices and the fact that their relationship crumbled in the process.]

Crawling forwards.

[she squeezes his wrist and then hesitates before letting him go.]

Do you still want to do this? The movie.

[Shit!

He had forgotten all about the movie. The conversation had drifted a little too personal and deep.]

Shit! Right the movie. Guess we better be heading inside, yeah?

Only if you want.

[she's trying to give him a gentle escape, if he wants it.]

Is that a hint you would rather not?

He understood if a movie really isn't her vibe right now.]

No. But I'm the one who keeps...

[she trails off.]

I'm making life harder for you.

[His brow knits in confusion as he processes her words for a second or two.]

Harder for me?

[she thinks about beating around the bush, then sighs and rubs her face.]

You have feelings for me, Steve. Don't you?

[Leave it to Nancy to be forever straight forward and she isn't wrong with her question.]

I did, yeah?

No, I mean - you do now. And I keep asking you to hang out.

[Steve sighs softly, his head falling back against his seat.]

I know I screwed up when we were together, Nance. I screwed up a lot. I've been trying to change, be better.

[He knows it isn't much but he's attempting the effort.]

Is it difficult for you to hang out with me?

No.

[it comes instantly, firmly.]

I just don't want you feeling like - I don't know. That you've got to hang out with me to atone for something.

[He gives another soft sigh. He doesn't know what she would like for him to say.]

You should know by now Nance that if I didn't want to hang out with you I wouldn't.

I don't know that.

[but she seems like her fears are soothed, at least. she unclicks her seatbelt, leaning in to kiss his cheek in gratitude.]

Come on. You can get the popcorn.

[And there isn't a rule book saying they can't be friends, right? He gives a small smile at the kiss to his cheek.]

Extra butter?

[He unclicks his own belt and moves to get out of the car.]

Sounds perfect.

[the lobby is much emptier than she expects it to be, and nancy makes a thoughtful little noise.]

Guess it's not a popular movie.

You also got the latest showing.

[Steve's actually surprised the lobby isn't buzzing with couples using the movie as an excuse to makeout and get a little handsy.]

I'll grab the popcorn and some drinks? Any special requests?

[it's an action movie - she'd expected a throng of teen boys for some reason. she shakes her head at the question.]

Just anything. You want me to pick seats?

Sure. Meet you inside?

[That's if she's comfortable going off into the movie alone.]

[she's doing her best to push through the awkwardness, so she smiles at him and heads in to grab seats for them both. near the back, if only to put a little distance between herself and the inevitable action scenes.

he won't have trouble finding her - there aren't many other people in seats.]

[Thankfully it doesn't take him long to get through the line. It makes him a bit uneasy to know that Nancy could be sitting in the theater alone.

Thank you trauma of the Upside Down. Once he gets their snacks and drinks, he heads to the designated theater. It doesn't take long to spot her.]

Shit. Is pretty dead, huh?

[nancy actually finds herself grateful for the moment of silence, for the chance to reset, and she smiles at him as he seats himself next to her.]

I didn't check the reviews.

[she's reaching for the popcorn.]

Figured at least some people would be here to get in a little makeout session.

[Or maybe that's the Steve Harrington way? He settles himself into the seat beside her before he hands over the popcorn.]

One large popcorn with extra butter.

In these seats? Do the armrests even move up?

[this is easier in the dark.]

You find ways to make it work.

[Maybe that was just a Steve Harrington tactic too but he's definitely had his share of moving makeouts and getting handsy.]

[she starts to say something and then laughs, mortified.]

Like making out in the school bathroom. You're such a bad influence.

[He fixes her with a look.]

You seemed pretty damn into it.

[she grins sheepishly over at him as the previews start.]

I was.

I know.

[Steve prides himself on his kissing abilities and he's well aware that he's damn good at it.]

Doesn't mean you were a good influence.

[she's teasing, leaning in to go for another handful of popcorn.]

[He's going to accept that challenge Nancy Wheeler and lean over the seat a bit so that he could whisper.]

You never stopped me.

Edited 2022-12-25 21:19 (UTC)

[she wrinkles her nose at him, surprised by how close they are when he leans.]

Course I didn't. Why would I?

Exactly my point.

[He gives her a cocky little smile at that.]

And Mom definitely thinks that's what we're here to do again. Oh my God.

Your mom thinks I'm going to fill you up in a theater?

[He can't help but laugh at that. Nancy wasn't his girlfriend so fooling around wasn't in the agenda.]

Steve!

[it's a hushed, hissed objection, but there's a laugh in it.]

You don't have to be gross about it.

What's gross about it?

[They've fooled around plenty of times when they were together. Just not in an actual theater]

Just the way you said it.

[she's trying not to seem embarrassed.]

I thought that was being pretty tame honestly.

[He gives a small shrug of his shoulders.]

You've got an interesting take on tame.

[but the movie begins, and she lapses into silence.]

I could have been more vulgar.

[He mutters lowly before his attention is turned to the screen as the room goes darker and the movie begins.]

[nancy shifts to sit on her leg so that she can lean a little closer to steve, muttering-]

Oh, are you going to throw me over your shoulder?

[So she's back to that? He moves to lean a little closer himself, elbow resting along the arm rest.]

Still think I can't?

[there's almost no one to worry about bothering with her whispering - that's how nancy justifies this.]

Not without throwing out your back.

[He scoffs at that which is followed by an eye roll. He's been keeping his body in tip top shape even after his days at Hawkins.]

You're kidding, right?

Since when do I tell jokes?

[she's grinning slightly, face still forward.]

And if I prove you wrong?

[Because he knows how much Nancy can't stand that but he loves the challenge.]

[she glances sideways at him, nose wrinkled.]

What do you want?

What are you willing to offer?

[It's best to play this game safe.]

[she chews her lip in thought, leaning her arm against his.]

Can I think about that?

[He could think of a few things but it's best not to allow his mind to slip there.]

Of course you can.

Okay.

[she's laughing again, trembling slightly with the suppressed sound.]

And when I win...

You aren't winning this one, Wheeler.

[Because she's literally tiny]

No, come on, Harrington. What do I get from you?

What do you want, Wheeler?

[Again playing this game safe and cautiously]

Another movie. A better one than this one.

Fair enough.

[That he can give her.]

[she chews anxiously on her lip, bouncing her foot for a moment, before she adds:]

Or we could hook up again.

[Shit.

Shittt

Steve's brain literally is going to shut down. Because his mind went there and it shouldn't have.]

What?

[she just shoots him a quick sideways glance, then reaches for another handful of popcorn.]

You honestly think that's a good idea?

[Steve could easily be all for it, he's no stranger to hookups but this was also Nancy Wheeler.]

Probably not. Forget I said anything.

[she's just going to hastily silence herself with that popcorn.]

[Shit.

Now he has the idea in his head and he's really wanting to act on impulse but-

Hooking up with an ex is never a good idea and with that he remains silent.]

[she lapses into silence likewise for the first half of the movie, glancing sideways at him during a lull in the action.]

I hope I didn't upset you. With that, um. Stupid suggestion.

[It didn't upset him but it did take him by surprise. He doesn't actually know the current relationship status of Nancy Wheeler and as much as he wouldn't mind another hook up, it's not healthy for either one of them in the long wrong.]

You didn't upset me, Nance.

Okay.

[she glances at him again, watches his profile for a long moment.]

I promise.

[And this is the type of situation he wouldn't lie to her about.]

I know. I believe you.

[she touches her forehead briefly against his shoulder, then settles back into her seat.]

[Might as well break the ice, right? She's the one that suggested the hooking up so that has to mean something.

Right?]

Are you wanting too?

[nancy chews on her lower lip again, shrugging one shoulder.] I wouldn't be- opposed.

You sure it wouldn't bother you? You haven't exactly spoken to me much after the first time.

[And he doesn't want all of this to turn into a huge regret]

I still call you.

[she's only very slightly defensive.]

[Right.

New approach here.]

Do you regret the first time?

Of course not.

[she shoots another sidelong glance at him, seeming sincere.]

Why would I?

You could have a million and one reasons. You aren't exactly the hooking up type unless I've missed something over the past year?

[And he isn't sure if she's dating around or what.]

I don't want it all to be a regret, you know? Not after we've tried to repair at least a friendship between us.

I wouldn't have suggested it if I had regrets.

[she hesitates, then drops her hand to lightly rest against his wrist.]

And anyway - you're sure you're not gonna lose, right? So why does it matter what I get if I win?

Right.

[He's just going to leave it at that and not mention that his own mind had drifted to the exact idea.]

[she'll manage to maintain silence another ten minutes, her hand still gripping his wrist.]

But it was pretty good the last time. I thought, at least.

Only pretty good?

[It was mind blowing for you Nancy and you know it. Steve Harrington is a professional when it comes to sex]

[she had informed him what felt like ages ago now that she just wanted to chase down a bit the normal teenager experience - whatever that was.]

Mmhmm. Pretty good. If sex is off the table, where does "making out a little in a bad movie" land?

I was amazing and you know it.

[Typical Steve Harrington cockiness but he knows what he's amazing at.

Christ.

All these options are wonderful but in the back of his mind he knows it could result in their friendship going up in flames.]

Honestly? A little making out could lead to sex in the backseat of my car.

[she sounds a little righteously indignant there.]

I can show self restraint, Steve Harrington.

You think so?

[So many challenges tonight and Steve is ready to go all in.]

If you think it's a bad idea, then, yeah.

[nancy glances sideways at him.]

We'll just... keep it all above clothes.

[That's not going to happen but Steve can go along with it if that's what Nancy really wants.]

Alright.

[nancy never quite figured out if the armrests raise up or not, and she bounces her leg a moment, as if trying to figure out the logistics here.]

Cool.

Come here....

[Might as well get this started and keep the small makeout session at an innocent minimum despite Steve's mind drifting else where.]

[is she using him? he enjoys this too, right? so it's not like she's doing something too awful here. she figures she's pretty enough that it shouldn't be a hardship, at least.

or maybe that's all just rationalizing her own guilt away. regardless, she's pulling her other leg up into the chair with her, giving herself better leverage to lean in and kiss the side of his mouth in the dark.]

[Is she using him? If so thats some Steve would like to know and why. He also doesn't know why she's wanting to hookup with him again like it's a casual thing between them.

But it's difficult not to give in. It's Nancy.

He turns his head slightly so that he can capture her lips and kiss her softly.]

[she still hasn't quite managed to fully orient herself since her breakup with jonathan. most of the time she's fine, but sometimes, when the worst pangs of loneliness hit, steve is one of the only people she trusts herself with. he's one of the only other people her own age who actually know her.

she lifts her hand to catch his cheek, just sort of holding him there a while.]

[He has little insight about her relationship with Jonathan. Nancy just informed him that they broke up. Steve can understand the loneliness, he's felt it ever since the break up but Nancy can always be open about it.

Casual makeouts or sex shouldn't feel wrong, right?

He keeps the kiss slow and tame just in case she's starting to have any second thoughts.]

We can get out of here if you want?

[she will, eventually, spill it all to him - but first she's going to have to untangle the confusing snarled knot of her own emotions.

nancy shakes her head softly, trying to coax him into a deeper kiss.]

No. I'm proving I have self-control, remember?

You sure?

[He's keeping everything light and casual out of caution and respect for Nancy alone. He also takes her hint and lightly flicks his tongue against her lower lip.]

Steve-

[one of the tiny handful of other moviegoers turns around from the front of the theater, peering back at them in the dark, and nancy shrinks back into her seat.]

Oops, sorry.

What?

It shouldn't be a surprise that it doesn't bother Steve that people might witness them kissing. Everyone does it, especially people their age.

He doesn't understand why she suddenly decides to shy away but he isn't one the press.

He lets his body fall back against his own seat.]

Someone was looking.

[steve might not care, but it's clear that nancy is mortified. she takes a sip of coke to brace herself, fiddling with the arm rest to try to raise it, and - failing that - gives up and just moves to slide into his lap.

it's less noisy than leaning, she figures.]

[Nancy had always been pretty shy when it came to their makeout sessions even when they were alone. It's always been about Nancy's comfort. ]

You're killing me here, Nance.

[He mutters softly against her ear as she settles herself along his lap.]

[she shivers once at the breath on her ear, turning just enough to kiss him deeply. her hand lands gingerly against the side of his neck.]

Too much? I just thought it'd be easier.

It's fine.

[He mutters against her lips between deep,needy kisses. This way he can actually press himself against her for a bit of much needed friction.]

[she feels a little guilty about the rush of relief when steve doesn't direct her back to her own seat. there's not a lot of time left in the movie, and the fight scene behind her is loud, so when she feels steve press against her, she just rolls her hips against his lap in turn.]

[He greets her roll with a slow grind, pressing himself even more firmly against her. It's innocent, sort of but Nancy isn't stopping him.

He bends his head down to press a light kiss against her neck.]

[she isn't stopping him. instead, she's just gently weaving her fingers into the hair right at the nape of his neck there, giving it an appreciative tug at the little kiss.

innocent enough, if one ignores the extremely subtle rock to her hips where she's pressed against him. she can't quite tell if the movie is about to roll credits or not, but she's greedily hoping to keep this for at least a little longer.]

[Steve has forgotten about the movie completely for all his focus is going right into Nancy. He makes a soft noise against her skin at the tug to his hair. She of all people knows that's a turn on for him, always has been. He continues to casually grind his hips against her since she hasn't made the attempt to stop him.

He drops a hand to press softly against her lower back to help keep her in place as he drags his lips against her warm skin.]

[that little noise has her breath catching harder in her own ears, and she can't quite resist giving his hair another gentle pull just as he grinds up against her.

she hesitates, then reaches for his chin to tip his face up so she can kiss him properly again. nancy reaches for his hand not bracing her back and slides it against her stomach and ribs, over her sweater, a silent request to be touched.]

[The second tug earns her another trust of his hips but this one is a bit rougher, a bit more needy. Steve is ready to meet her lips again with another deep kiss, tongue pressing past her lips.

Steve keeps to the rules that Nancy has set in place, so as she guides his hand in a silent plea to be touched he remains above the clothing as he gently cups one of her breasts.]

[the rules were fully arbitrary, anyway; nancy was just trying to respect steve's own hesitations, his misgivings about their strange arrangement. she sighs unconsciously into his mouth, a pleased little sound as her other hand tracks down his chest.]

Movie's almost over.

[murmured between hasty kissing.]

Mhmm.

[He's not stopping anytime soon unless told too. He's far too occupied with his lips on Nancy's and his hand giving the cupped breast a small squeeze.

His kisses are getting a little deeper, perhaps even a bit rougher as he gets lost in the moment.]

[it's easy enough to give in to that same energy, to match rough kiss with rough kiss. by the time the credits begin to roll, both of her hands are cradling his cheeks, her breath coming short.

she whispers against his mouth again-]

The lights are gonna come up soon.

[Steve's free hand had dropped to ease up Nancy's form fitting sweater, eager to brush against the soft lace of her bra. He itched to slip his fingers past the smooth fabric but Nancy broken their heated kiss with a reminder.

Right. The movie.]

That my cue to stop?

[nancy moves her fingers from steve's face to cover his hand with her own, pushing it higher beneath her sweater for just a moment, before she drops it abruptly.]

Unless we want them to ban us from the theater.

That could get interesting

[He mutters against her lips as he continues to kiss her in earnest. The hand resting up her sweater tenderly brushes up against the fabric of her bra, fingers brushing against the sensitive, soft skin. He presses a little more until Nancy's breast is free from the fabric, exposed under the warmth of her sweater.

He's got a bit more time, credits last a good bit thankfully. So he seizes the opportunity to live up her sweater enough so that he can dip his head down enough to take her soft breast into the warmth of his mouth.]

Edited 2022-12-26 22:07 (UTC)

Steve-

[nancy's voice catches in surprise, a shocked whisper as her fingers plunge into the hair at the back of his head. a pleasant thrill knifes through her as soon as his warm mouth closes around her nipple, but she's not pulling him away just yet. instead, she just rakes blunt nails against his scalp, goosebumps on her arms.]

We'll get arrested.

[He gives a soft moan around her nipple, tongue flicking against the soft pink skin. If he wasn't hard already the sensation of Nancy's nails would have gotten the job done in seconds.

He continues to suck gently on her plump breast before finally pulling his head away at her soft plea. Nancy makes a solid point and they both couldn't afford being arrested in this kind of position.

So he carefully pulls her blouse back down and settles back against his seat.]

[she can feel her own flush after steve's little moan. she gives a reluctant groan of her own, scattering kisses against the side of his cheek as she grinds down against him hard a final time, before rolling back into her seat just as the lights flicker back on.

she's flushed, flustered, and she combs her fingers through his hair.]

Good movie.

[Jesus Christ this girl will be the damn death of him. He bucks up against her one last time, his hands holding her in place so that she can fully feel him.

He wants to continue but]

Amazing movie.

[nancy would be hard pressed to even remember the title of the film at this point. she clears her throat and tries to smooth down her own hair as she stands, offering a hand to help him up.]

Good, um. Effects.

[He takes her offered hand softly before he pushes himself up to his feet. He has to take a moment to adjust himself, smooth out his own clothes as the theater clears out.]

Terrific fighting sequences.

Yeah. My thoughts exactly.

[she grins a little sheepishly, her eyes flicking briefly down to his lips, before she slips past him out of the aisle.]

Yeah...

[He resists the urges to capture her by the wrist and pull her back into for another kiss. Instead he tucks his hands within his pockets and moves to follow behind her.]

[she shrugs her jacket back on as they exit the building, casting another glance at him, as if trying to figure out what direction they're taking.]

Well, um. Thanks for picking me up.

[He keeps a bit of distance between them as they walk back to his car. He's trying to figure that out himself and what it could potentially mean for them both.]

Sure. Guess I should be getting you back home, huh?

[she winds her arms around herself, looking more indecisive than she's happy to admit.]

That's probably the right thing to do.

Unless?

[She's not ready to be whisked back home just yet and honestly it's nice to be in her company without any interruptions.]

I mean- unless there's anywhere else in town still open for us to go.

[she's of the same mind - she's not quite ready to go home just yet.]

I could pull around back of the theater and we could-

[Continue if that was something she really wanted or they could just drive around if she preferred.]

[nancy chews one thumbnail, glancing at his car.]

Is that, um- private enough?

I can find somewhere that is if you're uncomfortable but we don't have too.

[He doesn't want to pressure her into continuing what they started in the theater if she got what she wanted already.

Just a little messing around.]

Steve.

[she rounds to face him in the emptying parking lot, maybe standing a little closer than she needs to.]

I'm trying to respect your boundaries here. So - whatever you're comfortable with, you know?

[His eyes fall along her petite body, trying to read her expression and what's going on in that brilliant mind of hers.]

Did you want to hangout so that we could have sex? You don't have to hide it if you did.

No.

[her voice is firm, but unoffended.]

I wanted to hang out because I miss you. We're friends, aren't we?

I like to think so.

[But it's honestly hard to tell sometimes with Nancy.]

You know I don't want anything to be awkward between us, right? I don't want to go backwards.

[she takes a bracing breath, nodding silently.]

I know. But I think we're past that.

Good because I don't want to lose you again.

[The first time had been hard enough. He sure as hell doesn't want a second time.]

[her brow furrows very slightly and she steps in to close the distance between them to kiss him briefly.]

After everything we've been through? Please.

Good.

[But that's easy to say in the now. He accepts the kiss regardless.]

What do you want, Steve? From me, right now, tonight.

[her eyes are searching.]

Sex is off the table, yeah?

[Steve doesn't want her to feel obligated to have sex or that's something he's expecting out of all of this because it isn't.]

Think I should be asking you that question.

No, it's not. I told you, I don't regret before.

[it's a little huff, and she reaches up to touch his collar briefly.]

But it's up to you.

I don't regret it either, Nance.

[And as he mentioned before he doesn't want things to go south because they're just being stupid teenagers.]

Do you still have feelings for me?

[she hesitates, then looks up, staring skyward. away from him, just for a moment.]

I don't know. Yes. I think so? Unless that's a problem for you.

You either do or you don't, Nance.

[It's a simple question and one he feels might need a possible answer so that they both could begin to figure out things between them.]

[she sighs, pressing her hands against her face.]

I do. Sorry.

You don't have to be sorry, Nancy.

[More progress was being made and that was a good sign. He doesn't know if it's wise they try to start over or if her heart is even ready for another relationship but-]

And you're fine with us casually having sex when we hangout? No getting upset or worried about us after?

I am. I mean - I think we can get past that. I'm being selfish.

[she pats steve's chest, then paces a few steps back.]

Maybe I'm being optimistic.

You are not being selfish, Nance. I just want to make sure we're both alright with the choices we make when it comes to each other. I don't want you thinking all I want is sex or something worse.

[Because again that isn't the case here]

[it would be easier for both of them, she thinks, if he really were only after sex, but she's glad he's not. it's also unfair how attractive this display of emotional intelligence from him is.]

I know that's not you. And the last thing I want is for us to hurt each other. You know that, right?

[It would be easier for them both if they just cut ties completely but that's proven to be rather difficult despite the history between them.]

I would rather we not hurt each other again if possible.

[she knows that's the best option, but she refuses to acknowledge it. not yet, at least.]

Yeah. Me, too. So what do we do?

Thats a damn good question.

[And the answers aren't exactly pleasing]

This feels - bad.

[she's come to the same conclusion.]

Us?

[He's preparing himself for her answer.]

No. Just... all the circumstances.

[she's going to blow into her hands, just because it's getting cold there.]

I can still just take you home if that's the safer option?

[He nods for them to walk towards his car so that he can unlock the passenger's door and let Nancy in.]

I don't want to go home. I'm just worried it's the wrong choice.

[she doesn't get back into the car, not just yet. stubborn.]

It doesn't have to be right?

[Must she always be this stubborn and difficult?]

Unless we hurt each other by picking the wrong choice.

[yes.]

What are you wanting to do?

[It's better to an idea of what she wants and what could be considered going too far.]

I want to hook up with you.

[her shoulders are pinched uncomfortably.]

But I'm worried about after.

We trust each other right?

[They both know it's just another random hookup with no strings attached. Surely they both could be mature about it.]

Obviously.

[it's clear she means it, too, by the stubborn furrow of her brow.]

Without question.

So thats a start, right?

[And another step forward to whatever this is between them.]

So we just - what? Avoid each other until these feelings go away?

[she's a little strained.]

Do you think that's the better idea?

[Because again he has no idea what she actually wants.]

[she wants - him. she's not sure what that means in the long term, but for now.]

I don't. But it's an option, if that's what you need.

I'm asking what you need.

[Because her needs are top priority here and he wants her to understand that.]

[she makes a frustrated little noise, but it's directed inward.]

To- not be alone for a little while.

[Shit, why is she so damn adorable?]

So this is a you're lonely issue?

[she's not trying to be!!]

I guess. [nancy rubs the back of her neck.] I shouldn't bother you about it.

You shouldn't feel guilty or upset about it, Nance. We've been through a lot. Maybe a little too much?

[He knows all to well what loneliness feels like. Unlike her he didn't have someone to turn too in any of this so he learned to stand on his own.]

[this entire town could use some therapy, probably. nancy pulls her jacket tighter around her own shoulders, then frowns.]

What do you want, Steve? You avoid the question when I ask.

I don't know.

[He thought he knew once but time has passed and things have seemed to change not just between them but with everyone it seemed.]

[and just like he's looking out for her, she's trying to do the same for him. there's a flicker of disappointment on her face at his answer, but she can't push if he's unsure.]

You should probably take me home, then.

[said without any kind of malice or anger. she knows what she wants now: him, and her eyes say as much even as she cuts them towards the car.]

Yeah....

[That's probably the smarter decision for the both of them but that doesn't mean it doesn't ache any less.]

I like to think we would work now, you know?

[that catches her slightly off guard, and she keeps her eyes on his car.]

I don't know if I work with anyone, Steve.

I don't think I work with anyone either.

[Considering his current status. He's just been dating around but mostly it's just been all sex. Which is pretty much Steve Harrington in a nutshell for you.]

Kind of surprised to hear that, honestly. [she is: steve had never seemed to have trouble finding romance in the past. she touches the side of his car.] Is your door unlocked?

I'm a shit boyfriend remember?

[She had made that clear in her actions, turning to Byers.]

Yeah. Sorry, go ahead and hope in.

Steve.

[nancy doesn't move, looking back at him now, her voice firm again.]

You weren't a shit boyfriend. I loved you.

[This is an extremely touchy subject for them both and for obvious reasons. It didn't seem like she loved him at the time, she said it herself.

Now honestly doesn't feel any different.]

You loved him more.

The way I felt about anyone else has nothing to do with how I feel or felt about you. It wasn't a contest, I just - we both wanted vengeance.

[she takes a shallow breath.]

I loved him, yeah. But I loved you, too, and I won't let you hold him against me.

[What's he suppose to do? What does she want him to do or say? It's a bit frustrating because once again they are on two different pages. She says she loved him but she had said what she did that night at the Halloween party.

She couldn't tell him she loved him even after.

And it always seemed she was right back to Jonathan.]

Right.

[nancy wonders if she would have fallen out of love with him if she hadn't been so desperately chasing barb's memory. what would she have done if those years hadn't been so completely driven by grief and guilt?]

You don't believe me.

[and she actually seems offended here.]

Because - what? Because I couldn't say it back before we broke up?

What am I supposed to believe, Nance?

[Their relationship wasn't perfect by any means but he at least thought she was happy with him at times but maybe that was just a lie too?]

[it's freezing out here, but she's unwilling to budge now.]

That you made me happy. That I loved you. It just - I needed things I couldn't ask you for.

Why?

[Because he struggled to understand her grief and why she clung to it so desperately? None of that mattered much now. Steve had moved past it on his own.]

You were -

[she makes a quiet noise of frustration.]

You were worried about - graduating and jobs and parties and I wanted that for you. I wanted you to live your life. I couldn't ask you to come take down the Hawkins Lab with me between basketball games.

[and then, more quietly-]

I didn't want you tangled up in all of this any more than you needed to be.

I was your boyfriend....

[And maybe his head hadn't been in the right place but he wanted her to move on too. He realizes now that was asking far too much of her. ]

And I would have.

I know you would have. It just - it wasn't the right time for us. [she's visibly flustered.]

You made that clear....

[in more ways than one]

But you're still mad at me for dating Jonathan.

Nancy...

[He runs his hands down his face in frustration.]

Aren't you? You're angry. Admit it.

I was hurt!

[But he's tried his best not to hold it against her. He pushed her away with his selfishness and Jonathan had been by her side like a little lost puppy from the get go.]

And I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. But I thought you'd forgiven me.

[her eyes are hot, her shoulders pulled sharp.]

I never said I didn't.

[It would be wrong to hold that against her despite how much it had hurt him.]

Well, you talk like you're still mad at me.

[and she doesn't know how to fix it.]

I'm sorry....

[He doesn't exactly know how to fix it either or how they can get past this hurdle.]

I've learned to move past it.

I'm not ready for another relationship, Steve. I dated you, and then Jonathan, and - I just need a little time to figure out who I am.

[she takes a breath.]

So do it.

[He's not going to stop her.]

But if you want to try again, when I do.

Let's not worry about that right now.

[She needs to do some healing on her own first.]

I mean it.

[but she finally deflates slightly, pulling open the door and dropping into the passenger's seat.]

Let's get you home.

[He mutters lowly as he moves to get in himself.]

Don't want your mother sending all of fucking Hawkins to track me down.

She won't.

[muttered as she buckles herself in.]

That will be a first.

[He mutters back lowly.]

[she sinks a little in her seat, frustrated.]

How do I make you believe how I felt about you?

You don't have too.

[He's accepted the fact that he just wasn't enough for her. That weren't as perfect as he thought and thats fine.]

I want to.

[she grips her hands into uncomfortable fists in her lap.]

It's important to me.

Nancy, I swear it's fine. Alright? It is.

[And he wants her to believe him when he says it.]

I loved you, Steve. You were the first guy I ever loved.

[He doesn't want to get into another argument about their failed relationship because he knows it's just going to upset her. That's the last thing he wants.

So he remains silent.]

[she sinks a little more into the seat, uncomfortable.]

Well. The movie was nice, at least.

Yeah.

[Well, the scenes he actually watched anyway.]

[she glances at him, looks like she wants to say something else, and then simply lapses into silence until he arrives at her home.]

[He stops his car slowly once they arrive back at her place. Hopefully her mom won't be in a frenzy.]

[there's a lone light on shining through the living room window, and nancy flips sun visor open so she can check her hair and lipstick in the mirror. she sighs, grabbing her purse and glancing at him again.]

Let me know, alright? If you want to hang out again.

[Hopefully her mom doesn't think the worst but then again. He gives a small nod of his head, his eyes watching her every move.]

Sure.

[she stares back at him, her eyes flicking down briefly to his mouth, before she abruptly pushes the car door open and climbs out.]

Get home safe, Steve.

You good?

[He mutters low as she dashes to get out of the car.]

[she lingers for a moment, then shakes her head no.]

I'll get there.

[He knows he should just leave it at that but this is Nancy.

And he cares too much.]

Anything I can do?

Give me a goodbye kiss.

[because, really - she's going to try to clear her head after this. put herself on the best path forward.]

[That he could do at least. He shuts off the engine to his car and moves to get out. He rounds the side and walks up to where Nancy is standing.

Hopefully no one is spying on them.

Screw it.

He dips his head down to gently press his lips against her own. ]

[nancy leans up and into him immediately. this is goodbye, is meant to be nothing but a goodbye, and it seems like nancy is trying to memorize the way kissing him feels. she should get inside, send him home, but she's locked here while steve kisses her.]

[Goodbye kisses shouldn't be rushed, right? It's perfectly fine the way his lips linger along her own and an arm wraps around her petite waist in order to pull her closer against him.]

[nancy sags into him, her hands gripping his sides. she's leaning up into him when the porch light blinks twice at her, and she sighs right into steve's mouth.]

[He knows that's a cue for him to stop but he's already well ahead of himself and honestly he didn't want to rush Nancy back home this early.

But their conversation had taken a harsh turn.]

Better?

[He whispers against her lips before his mouth is back on her and he's kissing her deeper.]

[her mom is already going to kill her, so what's it going to hurt if she surges up into that followup kiss, holding the side of his face like it's something delicate. fuck. fuck, she's not ready to let him go home yet.

when they pause to catch their breath, she's going to mutter-]

My bedroom window is unlocked. [her hand slides to his neck, holds it there.] In case that's relevant to you.

[He's not ready to let her go inside yet either. Shit, he wished he had actually told her that. He dips his head down to press a tender kiss against her neck, his arms still loosely around her tiny frame.]

How convenient.

[no matter how tense or awkward things get, it's evident that nancy finds a sense of safety with steve's arms around her like that. her fingers grip his shirt, head tilted slightly to the side, quietly giving him better access to her neck.]

I like the fresh air.

[He continues to press soft kisses against her skin and he has to refrain himself from allowing his head to sneak back up her sweater.

Shit.

Kissing her neck like this always been a favorite of his. The sweet little sounds she would make.]

Mmm, it is a nice night.

[nancy is making those same sounds now, her own hand trawling up to thread through his hair again. she strokes his scalp fondly, appreciatively, pressing her body a little more firmly to his - until the light at the door flickers again. she's being sent a message, and she cuts her eyes curiously to steve's.]

[Goddammit!

The flickering light has him sighing against her neck. He knows if that don't take this back to her bedroom that her mother would be outside soon.]

Would you kill me if I said that I really want to eat you out? That too much?

[nancy draws back, catching his cheeks in her hands and pressing a chaste little kiss against his mouth.]

I told you. My window's open.

[she's slightly pink, hoping to play that off in the darkness, before she finally pulls back from him and heads inside.]

[Fair enough.

He gives her a final tender kiss before she slips from his arms. He waits until she's made it inside safely before he gets back in his car. He can't make it obvious that he's definitely taking advantage of her bedroom window.

He parks his car out of sight and waits until all lights are off before sneaking back.

A soft tap comes from Nancy's window.]

[nancy slides the window up, reaching in to help haul steve safely into her room. she holds her index finger to her lips, indicating that they should be quiet.

she can't help but look a little relieved as she whispers:]

You came.

[He thankfully gets in without much trouble or making that much noise. ]

Of course I did. I wasn't ready to let you go just yet.

Don't let me go, Steve.

[nancy barely even registers what she herself is saying until it's out of her mouth in a half-plea, and she flushes when she realizes. she cuts herself off by leaning up and kissing him like they'd never been interrupted in the driveway.]

[Her words hit straight to his heart and his arms are back around her within seconds. He knows damn well what she meant even if it was by accident.]

I'm not going to too.

[He promises through heated and breathless kisses.]

[nancy leans her torso away steve just enough so that she can push the front of his sweater up. her fingers graze bare skin, and then she laughs into the kiss.]

I can't believe what you did in the theater.

[Steve resists the urge to shiver against the soft touch of her fingertips. Shit, he's missed her touching him like this.

He laughs softly against her mouth.]

Sorry?

[her hands smooth along the side of his waist, up his back. just exploring, admiring.]

You are not.

I couldn't help myself.

[Not that she was innocent in the matter and now that they're all alone again, his own hand drops to gently slip up her blouse. Fingers lightly smoothing over her abdomen.]

And you always fit so perfectly in my mouth so I helped myself.

[she exhales low, a pleased noise at the warmth of his hand against her stomach.]

Yeah. [murmured amusement.] I think I could tell you were enjoying it, actually.

How could I not?

[He keeps his hand along her stomach debating if he should deep low or high. Both delicious options.]

So did you.

[she is going to very slowly begin backing them toward her bed, not breaking contact as she does.]

Yeah. Wished the movie was longer, actually.

[He keeps his arms around her loosely and follows her lead. Carefully and slowly mirroring her steps as she guides them both towards her bed.]

Me too.

[nancy hesitates when her legs hit the bed, before she hesitates and just hugs steve fiercely for a moment. she tucks her face into his throat, simply breathing in his scent while she holds him. shit, she has it bad.]

[Steve keeps his arms around her in a protective manner, keeping her close to his chest. Shit, he's missed this more than he wants to admit.

He's missed her. Not just sexually but just her.]

[she's in the same boat. it feels like cheating, almost, to have him over, to have him close without the active threat of an apocalypse breathing down their throats, but what could be done about it?

nancy lingers there a bit, soothed by the feeling of his arms, before she finally takes a bracing breath and gently bites his neck.]

[They're allowed to have a tender moment, right? One that isn't ruined by terrifying creatures or the end of the world. They deserve it at least.

Steve makes a soft noise at the bite, hips bucking a bit forward in response. She knows his neck had always been a major week spot and it isn't a secret that he loves when she isn't afraid to be just a little rough because who would have expected Nancy Wheeler to be so?]

[she can't help but smile a little against his skin at the noise, the movement, before she murmurs into his neck-]

I'm here with you now. Just you, Steve.

[He makes another soft noise. Completely content with her snug and warm within his arms.

Safe. ]

I'm here with you too, Nance.

[she does feel safe, which - well, it's not a feeling that's been easy to come by of late. nancy lingers there for just a little longer, then finally leans up to kiss him again, half in apology for the distraction.]

[And he's perfectly content with her cuddled within his arms like this. He hums softly against her lips as he kisses her back softly.]

C'mon, Steve.

[her voice is soft, but pressing. she's worried she'll end up getting too emotional if she doesn't part from this embrace soon.]

I thought you were gonna take me to bed.

I'm not allowed to makeout with you a little first?

[Personally he could kiss her all night if she allowed him to do so.]

Think you can keep it down?

Yeah. Of course we can make out first.

[but she shoots him an amused look then, before resting her forehead against his shoulder.]

You know I can be quiet.

Good because I could kiss you all night.

[He challenges her look with one of his own. Eyebrow raised in amusement.]

You also get pretty damm vocal.

[the sweetness of his words leaves her flustered, and she briefly hides her face in his neck again.]

Not when my parents are asleep in the house.

[He bends his head down to nestle against her hair. Sighing softly while his hands gently begin to rub along her sides.]

That my warning to not get carried away?

Just a casual statement of fact.

[but her hand will begin worming back up his sweater.]

Can't make any promises but I'll try my best.

[His hand slides up to gently tug at the bottom of her form fitting sweater.]

[nancy leans back then, just enough to give herself room to lift her arms slightly, as if asking if he wants to pull it off entirely.]

You think my mom was mad before. You'd better try.

It's kind of hard to control myself once I get started, Nance. Plus you feel amazing.

[He gently tugs her sweater up and over her head. Letting it fall to the floor as his eyes admire her flushed skin, the bra that's covering her.]

[she rolls her eyes like she isn't embarrassed, reaching up to unhook her bra.]

Yeah. You won't feel anything after my mom breaks your neck. Shh.

Yeah, yeah.

[He mutters as he tugs his own shirt off and tosses it too. In all honesty he isn't too worried about her mom. His focus is on her and her alone. ]

[nancy is, if only because her mother has had an overprotective streak go wild with everything that's been going on recently. she leans in slightly, touching his chest appreciatively, before she sits on the edge of the bed to lean down and peel off her socks.]

[Steve's aching to brush his fingers against her soft skin like he had in the theater. He's eager to appreciate every inch of her body while she cries against his ear in appreciation.

He begins to peel off more layers of clothes until he's standing in only his boxers.]

[she watches him undress even as she peels herself out of her own jeans, kicking them off toward the wall. there's no shyness, just the normal sort of nerves one tends to have, even as she grabs his arm to reel him closer to the bed with her.]

[He doesn't want her to feel nervous, they've done this plenty of times and Steve has never felt more confident. He places his hand along her lower back, admiring her small, naked frame.

Shit, he wants to devour her whole.

Once to her bed he gently eases her onto her back.]

[she scoots back, wincing with a little laugh at the way her bed creaks noisily when she first settles in.]

It'll be quiet.

[a little promise from her, reaching for him again.]

[He can't help but laugh a little himself. He's not worried about her bed making noise either. He just wants to make her feel incredible.

He gives her time to get comfortable before he moves to settle on top of her.]

Spread your legs for me?

[she blinks up at him, then remembers his exact phrasing outside, and then pulls him in for a kiss.]

You know I'm just - happy to have you here, right?

[he doesn't have to, is what she's trying to say.]

[He blinks slightly as he glances down at her. The only article of clothing between them now is their underwear.]

Do you not want too?

[she rolls her eyes, but it's more at herself than at him, even as she squirms her legs apart beneath him.]

I meant you don't have to eat me out if you don't want to. If you were just trying to - sweeten the deal.

Ummm? I wouldn't have suggested it if I didn't want too.

[But he doesn't want her to feel that's all he's after or for her to feel pressured to give in to him.]

But we don't have too.

[nancy wrinkles her nose at him, expression both fond and exasperated.]

Well, if you want to, then by all means.

[she grabs the hair at the back of his head, giving him a playful fake push.]

[He gives her a small smirk at the playful push before ducking his head to press soft, heated kisses against her throat. He doesn't stop there and continues to kiss a trail all the way down to her bellybutton.]

[nancy shifts her shoulders just slightly, getting comfortable as she props herself up on one elbow. her other arm raises, fingers gently stroking his scalp. she wants to say something here, has the urge to blurt something, but can't think of what she might even want to say - so she just hums appreciatively, swallows it down.]

[He hums against her skin as her nails graze against his scalp. That alone leaves him stiff and needy. He presses more light kisses against her abdomen before his eyes flick upward to glance at her.

Now is her chance to protest if she's not ready.]

[there's no look of protest on her face - just an expression of sort of hungry intensity as she watches him, still stroking his head.]

[Perfect.

Very diligently he peel back her panties to her knees and takes a moment to admire the smooth skin before him.]

[nancy lifts her hips slightly from the mattress to help steve ease them off, her breath slightly shallow.]

[He gives her another moment before he leans his head down and very slowly licks a strip between the pink, warm skin.]

[he'll hear her exhale then, a pleased little sound as she stops leaning on her elbow and allows herself to drop comfortably back down to the mattress. her fingers squeeze his hair, and she murmurs something that sounds like approval.]

[He's going to take this opportunity to tease her. Her little noises of approval only encourages him to do so. So he flicks his tongue against her again, followed by a second time before allowing his tongue to press hungrily into her tight hole.

Tasting her with much appreciation.]

[she'd said that she was going to remain quiet, so she's extra careful about her own silence now. that doesn't stop her from squirming, though, when he teases her, hips rocking subtly toward him.]

[He wants her to lose control, make those sweet moans for him as he teases her with his tongue. Lapping at every inch of her and leaving her wet with each flick of his tongue.

He didn't want to dive in so quickly, wanted to pace himself but damn he's missed her on his tongue. So it shouldn't be a surprise that his whole face is fully in to pleasing her.]

[nancy had missed steve's particular brand of confidence, and it doesn't take long before she's digging her heel into the sheets beneath them, squeezing steve's hair. eventually, her strained silence will break.]

Yes. Yes, like that-

[a whisper.]

[Getting closer.

He continues to lap his tongue over the sensitive skin, dipping between the softness of her lips in order to tease and sieze the opportunity to nibble gently along her clit.]

[nancy rocks her head back against her pillow, content to just focus on the warm, damp pressure of his tongue against her for a while. her orgasm creeps up on her slowly, then quite suddenly threatens to hit like a truck; steve doesn't get much warning before she's coming hard against him, fingers squeezing at his hair. laughing quietly, twitchily overstimulated as she tries to nudge his face away.]

[He welcomes her orgasm wholeheartedly by letting her feel his mouth with her sweet release. Christ, she's sweetly delicious and it's difficult to pull his head back, lips still wet.]

[nancy is left flushed, spent for a moment as she catches her breath. it'll only be a few moments before she's shifting slightly, reaching for him again.]

Please tell me you have a condom.

[Oh? She's actually wanting to continue? He wasn't going to press her into sex if she were still worried about the consequences after.]

Uhhh, I can pull out?

[she hesitates for just a moment, then nods.]

I'm on the pill, I just - you know. Like to be careful.

[but it's clear from the way she watches him that she still very much wants him.]

[He blinks at that. Shit, he really does not need to think about how wonderful she's going to feel around him bareback.]

I'll becareful.

[she's shifting to sit up now, nodding at him.]

You should sit on the side of the bed.

[He nods his head and moves to sit along the edge of the bed like she asks.]

[and, just like in the theater, she's going to roll herself lightly into his lap.]

[His eyes watch her curiously and an arm wraps loosely around her waist to help guide her onto his lap.]</small Hi.

Hey.

[she's smiling just slightly at him.] This okay?

Yeah.

[It's more that okay and he relays that by placing a soft kiss against her shoulder.]

[nancy hums approvingly at that, and she reaches between them, moving to stroke his cock through his boxers.]

[He holds back a moan as she strokes him through the fabric of his loose boxers. His cock twitching in response.]

[nancy grins slightly at that, kissing his shoulder as she braces herself on the bed to lift herself slightly from his lap. she's trying to tug those boxers off entirely.]

[He lifts his own hips a bit to give her better access to his boxers. He doesn't want her to struggle after all and it doesn't take much effort to yank them past his hips.]

[nancy glances at the door, as if making absolutely sure the hallway past it is silent, before she lowers herself onto him in his lap.]

[He burrows his head against her shoulder as she sinks herself onto his cock, wet and tight.]

Damn....

[nancy shushes him with a small kiss, but she's sighing when she feels herself flush against him - with him fully sheathed in her.

after a long, silent moment, she begins a steady roll of her hips.]

[He gets lost in her mouth as she settles herself. He gives her time to adjust to his size before he greets her hips with his own. He keeps his own movements gentle at first.]

[she's desperately grateful for the closeness, the way she can feel steve breathing beneath her hand, smell his cologne. he's warm and real and she craves that, holding his face and kissing him like she'll drown if she doesn't as they fuck.]

[He's always loved how perfectly she's fit within his arms, like she belong there. Her naked body still feels soft against his own skin and the scent of her perfume lingers in the air as he bucks up inside of her a little harder now.]

[nancy gasps slightly, stifling the sound against his shoulder. she rests her face for a moment there, before turning it to the side, licking a stripe against the side of his neck. a moment's hesitation, and then nancy bites him, right at the juncture of his neck and shoulder.]

[He didn't expect that sudden bite and how amazing it would feel. He literally has to choke back a moan but that earns her a sudden hard slam of his hips.

Jesus.

The lick, the bite. It's a wonder He didn't lose his load right then.

He's just going to let his mouth latch onto one of her plump, soft breasts.]

[the sound of his choked moan and the sudden thrust bring with them a wash of satisfaction. she arches her back softly, but she hasn't yet let go of his neck - threatening to suck a soft mark onto it.]

[She can leave her mark if she so wishes because it would only be fair considering she's going to be deliciously sore for a few days.

He continues to suck along her breast, teasing at the nipple while his thrusts become a bit rougher and deeper.

He's half tempted to fall back against the bed, grip her tiny hips and just slam her down along him with each thrust he gives.]

[it's clear that she's having to stifle some noises against the slope of his neck, hissed through her teeth with every sharp jerk of his hips. nancy laves her tongue over the reddening patch of skin, before she tugs him up by the chin, trying to return his mouth to hers as she clenches him inside of her.]

[It's surprising that Nancy is actually controlling her noises with each thrust Steve offers her. He can feel his own orgasm growing hot, it wouldn't be much longer.

And with her mouth back on his is pure perfection. ]

[inviting him up at all with her parents home had been risky; she's still determined to do whatever she can to make sure the two of them are not discovered.

so it's a panting whisper against his ear that says-]

Don't forget-

[to pull out, she means, but she's just stifling a soft gasp against his cheek.]

[It wasn't the first time the two had fooled around in her room when her parents were home. Steve always enjoyed the thrill. ]

Mhmm.

[He sighs against her shoulder as his thrust begin to quicken and become harder. He can feel his orgasm building with each rock of his hips]

[nancy feels him sigh against her shoulder and shudders, reaching up to ball her fingers in his hair, giving it a brief tug near the root. she's not trying to hurt him, but just trying to telegraph her enjoyment here in a way that doesn't make noise.]

[He muffle groans against her cheek, lips dragging across her soft skin as his orgasm hits like a wave. It leaves him hot, a little unhinged as he lifts her slender hips, pulls her off his cock so that he can shoot his release.

He tries not to make a mess but it's a bit tricky when his release shoots out in thick white strings.]

( continued )

[ if he's honest, Eddie had been pulling on his jacket the second Steve admitted that he wanted him to come over. Eddie may act like he doesn't like doing anything that people tell him to, but when it's confirmation of something he'd spent most of the evening trying to get out of Steve? he'll break his own rules. ten minutes had been a generous estimate of how long it would take Eddie to get to the Harrington house, given that he drives like a demon even for the calmest of errands. tonight is not that, and he parks at the curb in record time of seven minutes. it gives him a moment to check himself in the somewhat blurry rearview mirror of his van, thanking whatever cruel gods might be out there for the fact that he'd showered after waking up that morning so that he looks and smell presentable.

hopping out of the driver's side and closing the door with uncharacteristic quietness, Eddie practically sprints up to the front of Steve's house. he doesn't want to draw unnecessary attention, certain that the neighbors will narc on Steve if they suspect anything, and that would definitely get in the way of... whatever's about to happen. so he lets himself in through the front door that's unlocked just like Steve promised, looks around with a slightly gaping mouth, and then makes his way farther inside. ]

Steve?

[Steve has got to be out of his goddamn mind.

He really needs to take a long moment and focus on what is about to happen, what just happened and the consequences that could follow after. It was one thing to babble out his failed romance with Nancy Wheeler but to actually flirt with Eddie like it was something he did on the daily was another.

Shit. What has he gotten himself into?

Steve has no experience with another guy, he hasn't even done half the sexual things he was practically begging for Eddie to do to him. Steve has always been interested in certain kinks but most of the sex he has experienced has been pretty vanilla.

Jesus.

It's a damn miracle he didn't break his neck with how quickly he ran up the stairs to do a bit of grooming. It's a quick change into a more comfortable shirt and the rest of the time is spent on his hair.

Alright. He's doing this. ]

Hey.

[His voice comes from the top of the stairs as he peers down at the metalhead.]

[ spinning around and eyes lifting, Eddie catches sight of Steve and smiles up at him. the romance of the positioning isn't lost on him—he may have failed every school subject at least once, but he's read Romeo and Juliet. Eddie's read a lot of books actually, which is part of the problem when he's a freaky little queer anarchist in a small town but also a hopeless romantic. not that he thinks this is romance. they'd flirted, and Eddie had tested some wild suggestions on Steve without thinking he'd be as half as accepting as he is, but they haven't mentioned dating or anything beyond sex.

still, if Eddie can have Steve for one night only, he's still taking that chance. ]

Hey pretty boy. [ he starts climbing the stairs up towards Steve, never breaking eye contact. hopefully he looks more predatory than he feels, a stupid little man staring up at Steve from beneath his eyelashes. ] Haven't been waiting too long, have you?

[It's pretty damn pathetic with how suddenly Steve's heart leaps at the sight of Eddie alone.

His body should not be this flustered and it's a little aggravating that his cock still feels uncomfortably strained against his tight jeans. Of course its not uncommon for Steve Harrington to respond to anything sexual but typically it's all been towards a girl. Steve has never flirted with another guy, that alone basically ask if any kind of fucking was going to take place.

Perhaps Steve felt comfortable because it was Eddie and the two already has this unbreakable bond between them that has been there for a solid while.

Thank you Upside Down and near death experiences.

His cock jumps in his jeans at the sight of Eddie rushing up the stairs to greet him. It's like a scene out of one of those cheesy, stupid romance movies but Steve finds himself doing his typical Casanova move where he runs his hand through that perfect hair with the doe eyes.

And a soft lick of the lips.]

I was willing to wait as long as I needed too.

[ Eddie has seen King Steve in action when they were in school together, knows how he gets girls to swoon with a toss of his hair and a wink of those big brown eyes. he would've had to be blind not to notice how effortlessly sexy Steve could be, and it's one reason that it had been kind of a punch in his gut when he'd seen the softer, almost shy side of him, too. a side that didn't know what to say—fair enough when Eddie was blabbering on enough for both of them—and self-deprecated around Nancy Wheeler. as much as he tries not to think about her and Steve, especially now that he knows more of the story and thinks that he'd been an idiot to try and encourage Steve to chase after her, Eddie can't help but be a little grateful to Nancy in the long run. she's the reason Steve has tried to change for the better, after all, and shown a part of himself that Eddie really likes. ]

Uh-huh. Why do I doubt that? [ when he's nearly at eye-level with Steve's crotch, he can't help but drop his gaze to it and notice the bulge straining against unfairly tight jeans. ] Maybe if I had taken my time, I would've found you jerking off in bed.

[ eyes back on Steve's face, Eddie scales the rest of the stairs to stand just one below him, looking up with a smirk. ] Or are you hoping I'll call you a good boy for being patient?

[Steve prides himself on his flirting abilities. Flirting comes natural to the well known pretty boy and very much like sex, he's really damn amazing at it. Steve has always adored how he could leave a pretty girl giggly and then minutes later have her pressed against a wall with a hand up her blouse. It was one of Steve's many talents when it came to charming the ladies of Hawkins High. Steve knows what he's good at.

Then suddenly he went and fell in love. Falling in love with Nancy Wheeler had to have been the most stupidest thing he has ever done in his life. Needless to say a harsh lesson was learned and Steve's been standing on his own ever since. He still doesn't understand why both Eddie and Robin had been so determined to push Nancy right back into his arms. Especially when Nancy was still in a relationship with Byers despite Steve being unaware with how much it was falling apart.

His cock gives a frustrated twitch the very second Eddie is eye level, his body is growing a bit needy here and Steve only has so much self control. Eddie's cocky mouth sure as hell isn't helping and it leaves Steve's skin flushed.]

Like you wouldn't have gawked if you had caught me.

[Steve challenges before the two are mere inches apart and eyes locked.]

Unless you prefer to spank me considering I'm pretty hard already from just waiting for you.

[ Eddie is pretty stupid when it comes to the ways of the heart, considering he never had great role models and has dodged it so far in his life. maybe that's why he'd just seen Steve pining and tried encouraging him to not give up on Nancy, unaware of how shitty the situation really was. to Eddie, and probably to Robin as well, their protectiveness of Steve trumped any long-distance thing between Nancy and Jonathan.

neither of them should be thinking about anyone else right now, though, and Eddie is certainly focused on the guy standing right in front of him. still smiling, Eddie takes the final step up to crowd close to Steve, reaching out to hook a finger through one of his belt loops to stop him from creating too much space between them. ]

I totally would've, and you'd like it. [ he's so tempted to lean in and kiss Steve, but he doesn't know if that's on the table. he'd admitted to it, had hinted a little too much that he'd be happy if this was more than one hook up, but he's not going to take that leap right out of the gate. ] Oh Stevie, I'd spank you if you weren't hard for me. But if you keep asking for it like this, I'll think you want it for fun instead of a punishment.

[It isn't a secret that Steve still struggles with his feelings for Nancy Wheeler, he never fully got closure when it came to their relationship but his love for her wasn't as strong as it had been. Steve had been forced to move on the second Nancy had chosen Jonathan and as much as the breakup had been a harsh blow to his ego, Steve remained standing.

Before meeting Robin, Steve faced his nightmares of the creatures from the Upside Down alone and even now he doesn't turn to anyone all that often when it comes to his own struggles.

He makes a soft noise as Eddie jerks his hips close, his trapped cock now pressed slightly against Eddie's own.]

Damn right I would.

[How could not after Eddie pouting about not getting to see his dick like all of these lucky ladies.]

Bet you wouldn't. You're all fucking mouth, you know that?

[A mouth he wants on him as desperately as he wants those hands.]

[ funny thing is, Eddie is mostly talk. he's fucked around with a couple of girls and even had hookups with guys in Indy when he went there for supplies, but a lot of what he says isn't backed up by anything more than a wild imagination. he's not about to let Steve know that, though, and he's confident enough in the basics that he can get them through the night. ]

Listen, tough guy. Acting like you aren't gagging for it is fine, but that means we need ground rules.

[ he holds up the hand not gripping Steve's jeans and puts up a finger. ] First, you need to tell me at least once when you want something before you go back to denying it. Consent is sexy. [ a second finger rises. ] Second, I'm gonna stop if you tell me to or say no, unless you want a safe word so you can keep up this act. [ the third finger comes with a softer smile as Eddie's eyes drop to Steve's lips. ] Third, tell me now if kissing's off the table.

[Steve Harrington is definitely not all talk. King Steve is an expert when it comes to sex with the ladies and he's hoping to keep the title with a guy if he and Eddie are seriously about to leap into that step. Steve has always been confident in bed with a girl, surely a guy wouldn't be that much different? He's also willing to learn from Eddie considering Eddie is the first male he's actually found himself attracted too.

Sure, he's gotten slaps on the ass from teammates during practices or games. Yes Hargrove has grinded himself up against Steve plenty of times but it never gave this kind of rush he's feeling with Eddie gently pressed against his athletic body.]

Ground rules? Seriously?

[Steve Harrington has never set any kind of rules when it comes to sex but if Eddie wishes to shoot off at the mouth a little more so be it. Steve can't help but find it rather amusing but his aching cock is getting a bit frustrated with all the conversation.]

Kissing is a definite must.

Oh, baby boy, all those girls and not one got kinky with you?

[ but the answer to his question about kissing definitely sounds like an invitation, so he leans forward like he's going for it but swerves at the last moment. ghosting his lips along Steve's jaw up towards his ear, Eddie finally moves his second hand down from where it had been counting and smooths it over Steve's hip until it can disappear into his back jean pocket. Steve's hair smells like whatever products he uses to make it defy gravity, and Eddie smiles at the thought that he'd preened before this. Eddie wants to kiss him so badly, but teasing first means it'll feel even better when he finally does. ]

The rules are so I don't just cuff you to the bed and have my wicked ways with you.

Once or twice. Most were pretty vanilla or couldn't handle rough sex.

[Most of those girls would argue that it was due to Steve's size. He wasn't called King Steve for nothing but a lot of the girls in Hawkins were pretty damn delicate and it had never been Steve's intent to hurt them no matter how many times he would get carried away. Sex was always meant to be enjoyable and Steve never wanted to make anyone he was with feel uncomfortable.

A soft growl curls within his throat as Eddie opts to tease. Fine, Steve can easily play this game too. It's what Steve Harrington does. That doesn't stop him from pressing his ass back against Eddie's palm, almost begging for Eddie to squeeze or slap. ]

What if I wanted that? What if I wanted you to have your way with me, huh?

[ Eddie hums in response to that growl and the way Steve's body betrays how badly he wants all of this, too. fine, if he wants to play tough, then Eddie isn't going to press the matter too much. it'll be even more fun to break Steve down, peel away those walls that he's got up around him, and leave him a shivering mess on the bed.

tracing the shell of Steve's ear with his tongue, Eddie starts to pull away but not before he nips at his ear lobe. his hands stay where they are as he takes a step forward, pushing at Steve to get him to start walking backward. ]

I'd ask where the fuck is your room in this giant house.

[Steve won't break so easily but he's up for the idea of what is running through that dirty, wild mind of Eddie Munson's. It's always thrilling to be with with a new partner and Steve's curiosity is starting to spike as to what Eddie is going to be like in bed.

Steve wants his mind to be blown, his body pleased in every damn way possible despite not ever being with another guy.

It's his turn to hum softly as those perfect lips tease at his ear. Fuck, Eddie will learn real quick that it's one of Steve's weak spots. It's a dead give a way with how suddenly his hips buck forward and his own hands fall to grip along Eddie's waist.]

Down the hall and to your left.

[He mutters as he begins to take steps backwards to move Eddie along.]

[ taking note of the reaction, Eddie files it into an exciting new corner of his brain labeled "sex with Steve fucking Harrington". he wants to figure out what spots make him shiver, things that'll drawn a moan from those pretty lips, how many times he can come in a night, if he'll really let Eddie fuck him.

with a destination, Eddie surges forward against Steve to get him moving faster. he kisses just beneath Steve's ear, curious if it'll get a reaction like the last touch, but doesn't linger as he mouths over Steve's neck beneath the line of his jaw to his throat. both hands slide into back jean pockets now, squeezing at Steve's perfect ass simply because he can and also to keep them close together as they stumble through the hall. ]

[Steve is going to blow his load before Eddie even gets started. Those warm lips against his heated skin feels incredible and it's a bit overwhelming that it feels like Eddie has done this to him a million times before with how perfectly Eddie seems to know what gets Steve riled up and going.

His head falls back slightly in response to the stimulation and soft moans are beginning to pour from his mouth as the two stumble along the massive hallway. His hands continue to grip along Eddie's hips, squeezing before he allows them to fall to Eddie's own ass in which he grabs in return.]

You gonna finger me like you said or was that more shooting off at the mouth?

[ humming triumphantly as Steve starts moaning, Eddie bites down on his neck to see how he likes it. he's not trying to play it tough by hiding how much he's enjoying it, so he's happy to groan his approval at the hands on his ass. Eddie's trying to keep track of where they are out of the corner of his eye, assuming the closed doors on the left that they pass aren't right and finally grinning when he sees the only open door and what could only be Steve's bedroom. ]

I'm gonna do everything I promised and more, big boy. And then when I'm done with you, if you've been good, I'll clean you up with my tongue while you sit on my face.

[ which is a plan he just decided on now, but it sounds fucking great to him. steering them into the open door, he doesn't bother to shut it behind them as they beeline for the bed. giving Steve's ass a final squeeze, Eddie withdraws his hands and starts pulling up on the hem of Steve's shirt to take it off of him.

then he pauses.]

Dude, this wallpaper is fucking ugly.

[The sudden bite to the neck has Steve groaning even louder, hips bucking harder. Ding ding ding! You've just stumbled upon yet another weak spot, Eddie. Steve has never understood why attention given to both his ears or his neck drives him completely insane. He can't wait to finally be on his back with Eddie pinning him down, both their mouths finally getting to devour each other in a filthy manner. He wants to explore Eddie's own body, find his own weak spots and learn what sends the metalhead over the edge in ecstasy. ]

Want your tongue up my ass regardless if I'm a good boy for you or not, Munson. I wanna know what it feels like.

[He all but near yanks Eddie inside his bedroom even though their careless stumbling had been enjoyable. Steve wants to be pinned on his bed already, clothing optional.

He scoffs at the comment towards the hideous wallpaper. Eyes fixing Eddie with a look before his arms lift to help yank at his shirt.]

Fuck you, dude.

[He mutters as his shirt falls to the floor and he now stands shirtless. Not that Eddie hasn't seen him this exposed before. Only this time there is a little more scarring from his recent Upside Down encounter.]

[ that reaction makes Eddie grin against Steve's neck because he's definitely going to use this knowledge against him. ears, neck, and biting are all big targets in his mind now, eager to read Steve's body since he won't easily admit to things out loud.

Eddie can't help but laugh, the sound joyful rather than scathing. this is fun and exciting for him, finally able to act on thoughts that he's had for longer than he'd care to admit. getting to know Steve had definitely helped Eddie actually like him, to see how good of a person he is and how much he cares for his friends, but he would've been blind not to see how hot he was even back when he was still a jerk in high school. ]

That's not how it works, brat, but points for enthusiasm. [ biting again, this time higher up the column of Steve's neck, Eddie only pulls away when they need to get Steve's shirt over his head. Eddie has seen this view before, perfect in moonlight before his dive into the lake and bloody beneath his own vest, but nothing compares to now. his hands covered the scars that mirror Eddie's own, still hidden under his shirts and jacket and vest. he wonders if they're more sensitive at the edges and numb where the bats had gotten deeper, the way it is for Eddie's body.

one way to find out. with the shirt out of the way and his hands perfectly in position, it's easy for Eddie to push Steve back towards the bed, hoping he'll fall there rather than trying to save himself and stay upright. ]

We'll get to you fucking me later, Stevie.

[Eddie is free to use it to his advantage all he pleases and Steve will gladly encourage him to do so if he's feeling neglected. Eddie should already know that Steve craves attention like most but he's also extremely giving. In almost all his hookups his focus had always been on the girl and making her feel beyond incredible. Something that also seemed to come so natural for Steve.

He's never actually had anyone explore his own body beyond giving him head.

It'll be a nice change to have someone pay attention to his own body for a change and what better person than Eddie? Steve's been in slight denial when it comes to having any sort of feelings towards Eddie, especially sexual.

But secret wet dreams are a constant reminder.]

It is how it works, Munson. Want your tongue stuffed up me.

[Steve can also be a demanding brat when horny but Eddie's talk about Steve sitting on his face has left Steve hard as much as it has him curious. He doesn't even care if Eddie spreads his legs at this point.

As for his scars? They do have some sensitivity but that doesn't stop Steve from wanting to feel Eddie's hands on every inch of his body. He can feel the back of his legs hit the edge of his bed and much to Eddie's appreciation he doesn't buckle up.

He falls straight back.]

Oh, good boy.

[ he doesn't say it with any hint of sarcasm because he's going to praise Steve for being honest with his wants. it also means that he's more likely to actually give in an do it—not like there was a shadow of a doubt that he was going to go down on Steve. he's going to make the most of this opportunity, hoping they really can have the whole night to explore together and see if he can't get Steve a little addicted to cock.

watching him fall, Eddie stays standing for a second to look down at him in his glory. shirtless, hairy chest heaving, and cock hard against the fly of his jeans, Steve is a fucking vision. Eddie takes the opportunity to shrug off his jacket and vest in one go, tossing them towards the chair pushed in at Steve's desk. shirts can come later because his focus is on placing a knee on either side of Steve's hips, looming over him, and setting a hand high against the base of his neck. ]

You're fucking gorgeous. [ he leans over, putting a little of his weight on that hand, and kisses Steve like he's been wanting to all day, and a lot longer besides. ]

[Steve doesn't even hide the shiver that rushes down his whole body as Eddie praises him. Another twitch of his already aching cock against those tight jeans and there is a slight flick of his own tongue against his lips. His head is rushing with too many filthy thoughts of how this night could go and he's hoping that Eddie is in the mood to experiment all night. He has no intentions of rushing Eddie out when this night could be theirs.

And the only cock Steve is going to get addicted too is Eddie's.

His bedding feels cool against his heated skin, refreshing as his bright eyes gaze up at Eddie in pure arousal. His heart jumps within his chest as Eddie finally settles himself above him and Steve waits.

He has no time to spout out a cocky reply as those lips finally smash against his own and Steve moans against those perfect lips, a hand fisting in that fucking amazing hair.]

[ Eddie groans into the kiss, Steve's lips just as soft and plump as he'd imagine they'd be. the hand in his hair earns a moan that parts his lips against Steve's who obviously isn't the only one who likes hands in his hair. Eddie's more focused on other parts of Steve, though, like his sensitive neck where Eddie pushes a couple fingertips against his hammering pulse point or his dick where Eddie's already moving a hand between them to start working on popping the button and undoing the zipper.

uncharacteristically quiet given how much they'd bantered up until now, Eddie loses himself in the kiss. for now, he doesn't care who leads or follows as long as he can taste Steve and nip at his plush bottom lip, hopefully pulling more noises from him. ]

[Steve enjoys kissing as much as he does fucking. He prides himself on his kissing ability and for now he wants to taste Eddie on his tongue. His fingers pull at those dark locks, mouth parting to suck in Eddie's tongue so that they both can battle for dominance and tangle around each other. He wants to slow down every bit of this moment, capture it by each little detail and store it into his memory to replay later.

The taste of Eddie's mouth, those soft moans and the feeling of curly hair wrapped around his fingers.

Hips arch to encourage Eddie to finally pay attention to his throbbing cock. It's in extreme need to be released from the tightness of his jeans.

He groans again against those delightful lips as the kiss turns a bit more desperate.]

[ Steve definitely deserves that pride as he makes Eddie melt from the kisses, mind going fuzzy and struggling to stay on track with anything not involving Steve's tongue against his.

getting his jeans off is worth focusing on, though, so Eddie pulls away from Steve's lips and starts kissing down his neck again. the hand on his neck drags down Steve's chest, blunt nails scraping through his chest hair and over his skin on the way down to help his other hand with the rest of undoing Steve's fly. once it's open, Eddie sticks a hand inside to feel Steve through his boxers and his breath hitches at the size. ]

Jesus Christ, Harrington. [ he bites down at the crook of Steve's neck to stifle his own moan as he slowly withdraws his hand, palm flat over his cock to give it a stroke on the way up, and then Eddie sits up entirely. ] Scoot up so we can get these off'a you.

[Again, Steve Harrington has never been all talk. Yes, he does talk a big game from time to time but he never disappoints when it comes to finally getting down to the deed. He's an excellent kisser and he wants nothing more but to turn Eddie on with his mouth.

But in typical Eddie fashion the metalhead changes up the game by breaking the kiss and finger nails dig against flustered skin as Eddie finally frees his aching dick and a warm hand slips in to cup his size. This is the part where Eddie would discover the legends are true and the ladies weren't over exaggerating about Steve's size in order to stroke his already large ego.

You're welcome, Eddie.

And with that comment Steve gives a half smirk, hips pushing forward once again.]

That what you imagined?

[He moans rather loudly at the sudden bite but he also wastes no time doing as Eddie commands so that they can get these fucking jeans off him.]

[ Eddie's hardly small himself, but in that way that suits his height rather than being anything to crow about. he'd sort of chalked the rumors up to the exaggerating nature of passing information along, a game of social telephone adding details or spicing them up. Steve's size isn't one of those things, and it makes him all the more excited to totally ignore that cock for a while as he focuses on parts of Steve that probably haven't been explored much before. ]

Guess calling you big boy was more accurate than I thought.

[ grinning as he withdraws his hand completely, he scoots backwards on his knees so that he can start tugging down Steve's jeans and boxers simultaneously, feeling impatient about getting his hands on more skin. trapping athletic thighs beneath denim should be a crime, and Eddie's eager to get between them. once he's fully naked, clothes strewn across the floor, Eddie once again pauses to drink in the view. it's not lost on him that he's still fully clothed, but maybe that's a bit of the power play here, too. ]

[Steve is looking forward to exploring Eddie's own body. He wants to take in the sight of that lean body purely exposed for him and him only. It's silly how a sudden spike of jealous dances through Steve's own body at the thought of not being Eddie's first. That someone else has beaten him to that pleasure but that's alright. Steve will be Eddie's best without any question. As for ignoring the dick? Steve doesn't know how long he will be able to put up with the neglect but he'll challenge Eddie's teasing.

Cheeks flush the playful comment followed by a slight roll of his eyes.

His excited cock springs happily to life once set loose, bouncing slightly against Steve's bellybutton. Shit, it feels fucking incredible to finally be naked.

Even if he's the only one naked at the moment.

Eager eyes flick back up to gaze at Eddie soaking him in. His body shifting slightly as those eyes practically devour him. He's used to being unwrapped like a present and admired like the finest play thing. ]

[ humming at the lewd bounce of Steve's cock, Eddie leans down to put both hands on either of Steve's thighs and smooths them over all that newly bared skin. he pauses for a moment at his hips, one thumb tracing a line up the underside of Steve's cock from root to tip, but after that he keeps moving his hands higher. fingertips glide over the scars on Steve's ribs, and once he gets up to his chest, Eddie moves each hand beneath Steve's arms and starts pushing them up over his head. ]

God, you look delicious. [ still pushing his arms up, Eddie leans down to kiss Steve again. ] Good enough to eat. That's what you want, right Stevie? But I wonder where you want my tongue the most.

[Not once did Steve ever imagine his own dick would grow hard for another guy but Eddie Munson wasn't some guy that Steve was going to forget about once time passed. Eddie Munson was pretty damn unforgettable to begin with and honestly this was more than wanting to get his dick wet. His head falls back in pure bliss as calloused fingers explore newly exposed skin and that thumb teases his hard cock.

Shit. He was going to fucking lose himself in a heart beat.

He flinches slightly as Eddie lightly brushes against fresh scars. Steve isn't exactly used to them being touched and he would be lying if he weren't a bit embarrassed by them.

He follows suit as Eddie coaxes his arms up over his head, bright eyes peering back at Eddie desperately. Shit, that question. ]

You know where I want it, sweetheart but where are you going to put it first?

Keep calling me sweetheart and you'll find out.

[ the endearment is enough to make him blush hotter than his already flushed face had been, embarrassment mixing with pleasure since the term could easily be as derogatory as it was affectionate. Eddie has no idea that Steve might be wanting anything more than just tonight, or even if he does, that it could go beyond being friends with benefits. unlike Steve, he's never dated anyone seriously or otherwise, never been chased after for any reason other than being wanted for murder. it's difficult for Eddie to imagine someone like Steve wanting him for something long term when he doesn't have much to offer besides a good night in bed or on drugs, at least from surface appearances. Eddie things that, given the chance, he'd be a pretty stellar boyfriend.

but he's not thinking about that because Steve is naked and hard and pliant under him. getting both arms high above his head, Eddie transfers both wrists to one of his hands so he can reach down to something at his hip. the jangle of his wallet chain is joined with another metallic sound, and a second later he's dangling handcuffs above Steve's head. ]

Last chance to say no, Steve.

You don't like pet names, huh?

[Sometimes Steve forgets himself in the moment and his mouth just starts rattling off either sweet or vulgar things when he's being touched in all those right places. The ladies seemed to eat it up but it might be a little too soft when it comes to another man. He can pull back if Eddie needs or if a little pet name might seem a little too personal. It's also unclear as to what Eddie actually wants out of this, if he actually wants anything at all. Maybe that's something the two actually need to discuss before this progresses any further or maybe it's best not to talk about at all?

Regardless Steve isn't about to pull out of tonight unless Eddie is starting to have second thoughts. It might be a wise idea to not get fully involved with Steve Harrington considering he has the worst reputation as being the world's shittiest boyfriend ever.

Make wise choices, Eddie.

The sudden sound of jiggling metal catches Steve's attention and his dick gives a sudden twitch in anticipation. Well, well, Eddie wasn't all talk after all.

Fuck.]

Do I strike you as someone who's going to back out now?

Edited 2023-01-08 00:52 (UTC)

Quite the opposite, just not used to it.

[ even if it's a moment of vulnerability, the last thing Eddie wants to do is discourage Steve. most of the time, nicknames tossed at Eddie are hardly kind: freak, loser, fag, murderer. even Wayne who's been one of the only people ever to show him love is a typical man of his generation who calls him things like "boy" and the occasional "son" that used to make Eddie's heart clench before he got more used to it. the thought that Steve might call him "sweetheart" and mean it? Eddie may not survive the rush of affection that would bring him.

being honest about any of that is a terrifying thought right now since Eddie's working on the assumption that Steve is just looking to experiment, get his rocks off in a new and novel way. it's not that he thinks little of Steve but more himself, and there's still that part of his brain thinking about how Steve had looked like he was still in love with Nancy a few months ago.

right, no thinking about Nancy. Eddie's the one pinning Steve to his bed and threatening him with handcuffs while Steve's cock gives away how eager he is. ]

Nope. [ that's one of the things that Eddie likes about Steve, that he doesn't back down from a challenge. there's no need to say anything more as he flips one side of the cuffs open and leans down to kiss Steve, distracting him just in case he gets any funny ideas about moving his arms. Eddie cuffs one wrist, ratcheting it closed until there was only a finger of space left, before he loops it through the headboard and secures the other wrist in the same fashion. ] Stole these off a cop, so don't worry about breaking them if you wiggle around.

[Perhaps Steve is allowing himself to get a little to into this? He has no general knowledge of what kind of past relationships Eddie may have been involved in or the details about any of his hookups with girl or boy. He isn't aware that small pet names could come off as a trigger or might cause Eddie to feel a bit uncomfortable. Maybe Eddie doesn't prefer being that affectionate and Steve just needs to take a few steps back? He's already gotten his heart broken for diving right in once before, giving his heart over to someone who clearly didn't want it.

A huge part of him was terrified to take that chance again. It's more the fear of losing the person he cares about more than it is the rejection. Doesn't mean the rejection doesn't hurt any less.

It doesn't mean Steve isn't prepared for it to happen eventually. He's grasp onto the fact that maybe he's just unlovable or the universe is punishing him for all of those years he used to be a major asshole. Now, when it comes to his love for Nancy Wheeler that's one hell of a nut to crack open. Is he still actually in love with Nancy or is everyone around him constantly telling him that he is? Does he care about her? Obviously but the love he once had for her has slowly begun to fade into the reality of the two never getting back together. They are two very different people who happen to have two very different goals in life.

But tonight isn't about Nancy. It's about Eddie.

The one person actually brave enough to cuff Steve Harrington to a goddamn headboard and smirk down at him while doing so. He knows that Eddie is going to gloat about this in the days to come and most likely will never let Steve live this down.

He bites down upon his lower lip as the cuff clicks a little too perfectly around his wrist and Steve can't hold back the sudden laugh at Eddie's proud confession.]

Of course you did.

[ Steve still looks unsure, so Eddie leans in to kiss him again while dragging both hands back down his arms. he digs his fingers in a bit at the meat of Steve's biceps then lightens the touch before settling over his ribs again. ] You can call me anything you like, baby.

[ now that he has Steve at his mercy, Eddie is hit with a moment of decision. so far, he's been able to push it off while teasing, but he'll feel like an asshole if he keeps stringing Steve along without a purpose. there's just so much that he wants to do, so many things he could introduce to Steve, and he wants to make the right choice for them both. Steve's laughter distracts him for the moment, though, and he grins down at him while drumming his fingers against Steve's sides. ]

You're pretty when you smile. [ leaning in, he decides that right now he isn't going to make a choice and instead lifts both hands to bury them in Steve's hair as he kisses him slow and deep. ]

[Steve's smile softens a little at that but for now he'll keep the pet names to himself for the sake of not wanting to make Eddie uncomfortable or feel weird. He sucks in a sudden hiss as those nails pierce flesh unexpectedly. His noises are suddenly silenced by those lips pressing back against his own once again.

Steve is used to being teased from time to time. Some girls think it's cute while others have gotten scared when it comes to finally giving it up. So if Eddie really was nothing but talk Steve wouldn't be all that surprised despite being curious to learn and try new things sexually. He isn't going to press Eddie into anything and by now Steve is pretty content with what Eddie has to offer.

He had not expected for Eddie to suddenly call him pretty during their sexual banter and yet again before he has any chance to respond, Eddie's lips are back on his own within seconds. He whines softly into the kiss, hips arching as long fingers entangle within his perfectly placed locks.

It's pretty damn unfair that he can't return the favor.]

[ Eddie greedily swallows down that whine, eager to pull more of them from Steve. his hands are definitely going to ruin that perfect hair, gripping tighter and using it to angle Steve just right for the kiss. the night is young and he wants to taste every bit of Steve Harrington he can, starting with licking into his mouth. those bucking hips won't do much good when Eddie can easily sit his weight down on them, and though Steve is definitely the stronger of the two, he's also cuffed in place. ]

Delicious. [ he says it as he breaks the kiss to nip at Steve's lower lip, hands slipping a little lower so he can press his thumbs over the pulse points hammering on either side of Steve's neck. ] Time to find out how good the rest of you tastes.

[ contrary to what he'd like to do, however, he doesn't rush it. turning Steve's head to one side, Eddie kisses down his neck and leaves a trail of bites in his wake, just enough to redden the skin. hickeys on the neck of Steve Harrington are hardly surprising, so Eddie isn't worrying about leaving any marks behind. he's even emboldened to leave some by the thought that it might keep the women of Hawkins away from him for a little while, and thinking of them being jealous because of a guy like Eddie Munson makes him grin and bite down hard at the crook of Steve's neck. ]

[It would be a sin to not mess up those perfect locks with rough tags and yanks. Steve Harrington's hair was meant to give a damb good ruffle when it came to foreplay and sex. His moans are muffled once again, his tongue eagerly curling back around Eddie's own the moment their lips crash right back together. He's perfectly content with just this if need be. He's learning that he could literally kiss Eddie for hours because he's pretty damn greedy. Throaty moans are exchanged with a soft growl as Eddie puts a sudden stop to his rocking hips.

Well played. ]

Like goddamn heavin.

[It's a very cocky reply but Steve has never once gotten a complaint from the ladies when it came to licking, kissing or sucking any part of him. He's free for Eddie to take and Steve isn't about to sit any kind of ground rules himself because he wants to be spontaneous and adventurous.

His eyes near roll back into his skull the very second Eddie starts his attack on Steve's neck, leaving his mark as so many girls have before him. Now Steve Harrington has never been one to shy away from showing off his earned love marks and Eddie sure as hell is earning that honor.]

[ it is cocky, but Eddie doesn't mind that. if there's one person in town who has the right to praise himself it's Steve, who is not only gorgeous but also a good person. it's damn unfair that he has so much going for him, making Eddie wonder why it is that he seems to be having so much trouble with finding someone to go steady with. maybe with all of those incredible features, it makes him picky, but then he wouldn't be letting Eddie Munson cuff him.

humming a reply, more focused on the actual tasting than responding to Steve, Eddie kisses down the center of Steve's chest. Eddie doesn't remember him having so much chest hair in high school—he was a closeted queer who had PE with Steve, sue him—and wonders vaguely if he used to shave it for some reason. smoothing his hands down from Steve's hair, Eddie drags his fingers through the dark curls on his chest and tightens the grip of one hand just enough to experiment with Steve's reaction. ]

[Cocky and sexy are the definition of Steve Harrington and that would never change. He prides himself on both as egotistical as it is but he has learned how to pull it all back and focus more on his actual personality. He would argue that he wasn't this good, great person but he's putting in the effort to change. He wants to be better and put his days of being a total asshole behind him for good. He hopes to achieve that some day.

As for his dating status? It's been pretty complicated after his nasty split from Nancy. It's easy to say that his ego took a harsh hit and that he lost his appeal to the ladies. Maybe they thought the legend of Steve Harrington was all a lie since Nancy left him and jumped right on Byers' dick. Had to be something right?

For the billionth time that night Steve finds his cheeks going flushed as those musician's fingers glide through his chest hair. At first it had been something Steve was a bit embarrassed of because most girls liked it but some didn't either. It was a hit or miss which is to be expected but it seems Eddie is a bit fixated on the dark curls.

And then comes the sudden tight grip that pulls another throaty groan from his lips and his back to arch in pleasure.

Shit.

Eddie really knows how to pull out the tricks.]

Mmmm.

[ Eddie isn't above being a little mean, but the fact that Steve is reacting well to the bits of pain do bode well. he's not a sadist, no matter what the rest of Hellfire says, but he also doesn't want to be tiptoeing around when he'd like to bruise and bite all that tan skin. ] You like it rough, baby?

[ keeping the grip he has with one hand, the other drags down heavily across Steve's chest. he's got fairly long nails on this hand, good for playing guitar and leaving red lines across sensitive skin all the way down to his navel. he can feel Steve's cock where it's hard beneath him, pressed against his own still in his jeans that he hasn't paused to take off. ] Already squirming around like this, may I gonna have to tie your legs down so you don't try and rush me?

[It isn't much of a secret that Steve appreciates getting marked up every once in awhile. He's sported a few good hickies during his time at Hawkins High, had girls claw his back up because the sex was phenomenal and they lost themselves. He isn't a stranger to a little roughness and the deep, throaty moans slipping from his lips are a clear indication that yes, yes he does like it rough.

And the idea of Eddie "The Freak" Munson marking him up, claiming him for all the pretty girls to get jealous over has Steve feeling both intrigued and amused. The way his back tries to arch again I'd basically asking Eddie to leave each and every mark upon his skin possible so that Eddie can proudly smirk to himself about it later.]

Maybe you should take those fucking jeans off instead? Let me get a good look at you.

Hey, sorry about the other day... I was being a jerk.

[The hell?]

I wasn't exactly being the best either.

Edited 2024-01-17 20:20 (UTC)

Look, whatever happens with me and Nancy it's my fault, not yours. I know that.

And you're well aware that isn't anything going on between Nance and myself, right?

She would've told me if there was.

[ But the way she looks at him, there could be. That's what scares him.]

Good.

I've never been much into the whole cheating thing.

[Reasons]

Low blow.

Just saying.

No, I deserved that. I don't know what she told you about that, but it wasn't my plan. It just happened.

I get it.

Not that it makes it okay.

I deserved it.

Did you?

[ What even is this conversation?]

[Good question]

Yeah.

I'll take your word for it.

I was a shitty boyfriend.

I guess that makes two of us.

You're not a shitty boyfriend.

Yeah, I really am.

You're not.

She chose you in the end.

Yeah, I guess so.

And she'll continue to.

[And that hurts.]

I don't know, Steve. That might be asking too much from her. I really messed up.

I doubt you of all people could ask too much of her. She loves you, yeah?

And she's forgiving.

I hope you're right.

It's Nancy.

Yeah, so if you're wrong she'll just shoot me.

Kidding. Thanks, Steve.

Now that I wouldn't put past her at all.

I know, right?

She's gets serious with those.

And kinda scary.

I haven't seen her miss yet.

That doesn't surprise me.

I need to talk to you. Can I come over?

[The hell? Its pretty late.....

Worry activated.]

Everything alright?

Yeah.

No.

I just need to tell you something important.

...

Something important? Is this more Henry/One/Vecna shit?

No, it's nothing like that.

I mean, it is, in a way, but I'd rather tell you face to face than over a text.

Are you not home?

Right.

Face to face, got it.

Yeah, I'm home. I just got in actually.

I'm on my way. Leave the porch light on?

Sure.

Just give a knock.

[ She's never been a big fan of the dark, but especially so when it involves Steve's house and the woods surrounding it. As she turns the corner and sees the light turned on for her she lets out a low breath of relief. She parks beside Steve's car and quickly makes her way to the door, knocking before crossing her arms over her chest and rocking on her feet. ]

[Steve can't recall the last time Nancy had actually set foot in his house. He would like to believe they shared fond memories here but in all reality this was the very place that started Nancy's nightmares, her trauma.

Whatever she needed to talk to him about had to be pretty damn serious for Nancy to ask if she could come over and at such a late hour. The wait had Steve pacing about his living room, unable to sit still in fear something else had happened.

The sudden knock catches him off guard, startling him for a moment before he jogs over to open the door. ]

Hey?

Hey. [ She gives him a small nod, hesitating a moment before gesturing inside.] Can I come in?

[ She doesn't like being out in the open. Not when her last memory of being here was when she'd seen the demogorgon with no face for the first time. She shudders at the thought, gripping her arms even tighter. She really wishes she'd brought one of her guns. ]

Yeah, yeah. Sorry.

[He motions for her to come inside before closing the door behind her and locking up. Having spent years alone in his parent's house and having the knowledge of knowing what lurks beneath Hawkins, Steve takes his own precautions. ]

What's going on?

[Something serious, obviously. It's evident by the way Nancy is carrying herself.]

Did something happen?

[ Nancy shakes her head, biting her lip before she takes a deep breath. ] I wanted to talk to you before Jonathan said anything. [ She swallows nervously, before speeding forward, focusing on a spot to the right of Steve's head on the wall.] I can't stop thinking about what One showed me. My mom and Holly and Mike...and how he wanted to use me to get to Eleven. What if he's still in my head? What if he's still listening? Using me?

[ She meets Steve's eyes.] If he is, he knows my secrets and he'll use them against me. [ She presses her lips together. ] So I had to tell Jonathan that... I still have feelings for you.

[Before Jonathan said anything? Steve had been making it a point to avoid Nancy and Jonathan as much as humanely possible, especially when the two were together. Steve had spoken his truth to Nancy that night in the woods, expressed that he still loved her.

He didn't expect her to suddenly confess her own undying love for him in return. That simply wasn't Nancy Wheeler and-

She never loved him.

She loved fucking Jonathan Byers.]

Nance...

[The tone in Nancy's voice is a clear indication that this fear had been weighing on her mind for a good while now and it guts Steve to the core. ]

I-I don't think he's still in your head.

[Things had been pretty silent lately, perhaps a little too much. Steve nods his head encouragingly and he's willing to offer Nancy all the support she needs. ]

I still have feelings for you.

[It feels like a gun has just went off near Steve's ear, there is this intense ringing but everything around him seems so still.

Motionless.

This doesn't seem real and it takes Steve a moment to register what Nancy is actually confessing.]

W-what?

[ She can tell she's caught him off guard and part of her wants to apologize and run away, but what was the point of her telling Jonathan and blowing them up if she didn't own up to the truth that One would use against her if he had the chance.

She takes a step towards Steve, uncrossing her arms, but resisting the urge to reach out to touch him. He looks shaken. ] I don't know. This last week, spending time with you, it reminded me of all the reasons why we were together. That and you're so different now, Steve. You've grown up...

[ She takes a shaky breath.] I couldn't not tell him. [ She reaches up to rub her temples.] And then he told me he never applied to college. And we fought and I just... I didn't want you to be blindsided.

[Steve can't deny that he's waited for this very moment. That he's dreamed of Nancy's perfect relationship with Jonathan Byers to come crushing down and she finally realizes that he wasn't as great as she assumed.

Only nothing about Nancy's confession seemed right or made Steve feel excited, relieved.

She never loved him and-

Why now?

Nancy has always chosen Jonathan over him, Steve has never been her priority. Not even when they were together. What's changed her mind suddenly?

Steve's brows furrow as she mentions the fight with Jonathan, how he had lied about their future.

Shit.]

Wait. You two broke up?

No? [ She's not sure. They didn't actually say they were over. She might have, if Jonathan hadn't stormed out, she was so angry with him in the moment, but she'd also felt guilty about her admission. She hadn't wanted him to be blindsided either.

Steve was supposed to be a part of her past.] No, I don't think so.

[ Was that why Steve thought she was here? To jump into his arms? Her brow furrows as she stares back at him.] I'm sorry, I just wanted to let you know what happened from me before you heard it from anyone else. I thought the least I could do was tell you the truth also.

[No?

Nancy's response hits him like a punch in the gut. It's difficult to hide the pain that flashes within his dark eyes, mixed with confusion. Nancy hadn't exactly broken up with Jonathan and yet here she was confessing that she may still have feelings for him?

Of course he doesn't expect her to fall into his arms and swoon. He's not Jonathan Byers. ]

But you're telling me that you may suddenly still have feelings for me because why?

Because I don't want One to be able to use it against us! [ She crosses her arms. ] He's going to come after any weak spots we have and if he saw inside my mind, then he saw... this too.

[ She sighs. ] I still love Jonathan, Steve. But I can't deny that over the last week there were a few times when I... I felt something for you too.

I didn't come here just to hurt you. I just needed to be honest with both of you.

[Everything that Nancy is saying makes complete since. Of course Vecna would use any weaknesses possible in order to take them down, use that against them. He can't be upset or angry with Nancy for taking those precautions.

Vecna has already invaded her mind once.

And yet, this conversation is twisting a knife in his heart. He doesn't want to hear how Nancy still loves Jonathan, he doesn't want to hear how she's had moments where she might still care for him too. ]

Right.

[ Nancy sighs in frustration and shakes her head. She doesn't know how she expected Steve to react, but this wasn't it. She presses her lips together. ] Okay. Now you know.

[ She swallows and moves back towards the door, pausing.] I'm really sorry, Steve. I wasn't... this wasn't what I wanted.

[How was Nancy wanting Steve to act exactly? Did she expect him to be excited about the news? Brush it off his shoulder like no big deal? Unfortunately, Steve does neither. This conversation feels like a slap in the face.

Especially since Nancy is well aware of Steve's own feelings. ]

And you thought telling me this would make everything better?

[ She looks at the floor, at the space between them, and shakes her head. ] No. I thought it was honest. I knew it wouldn't make anything better or easier for anyone.

I just... [ She looks up and searches his eyes. ] I wish my feelings were simpler, but they aren't. They're just this big complicated mess and I don't know what to do about them without hurting someone and I hate it.

[Steve can feel his jaw tighten. Nancy isn't trying to start an argument, he understands that fully but her confessing is just twisting the knife into his ribcage.

This feels like yet another barrier being built between them. Steve was an idiot to believe that maybe they could actually be friends or-]

I'm not doing this.....

[ She crosses her arms defensively, frustration flashing behind her eyes. There's a challenge in her voice as she asks, ] Doing what?

[ She sighs, shaking her head.] Steve, I'm not... I'm not asking anything from you. I'm just telling you. You don't have to do anything.

Just, be careful. That's all I'm asking.

This.

[Steve points between them as he speaks. He takes notice in her defensive stance, her tone. He really doesn't want an argument here but-]

It's not fair.

Fair? [ She doesn't mean to get defensive, it's just easier than letting herself consider how right he is. She had thought she had let him go, but then they'd gone through Spring Break and everything had come flooding back. She was so proud of who he'd become and she couldn't deny that there wasn't a part of her that couldn't help but think about how things might be different now. ] Was it fair of you to tell me that I was the one in your dream? [ She shifts on her feet, meeting his gaze head on.] Why did you tell me that if you didn't want... something from me?

Edited 2024-04-19 18:49 (UTC)

[Steve turns his head away, arms folding over his own chest. Nancy has a fair point, she typically does. Why did he confess his feelings when he knows damn well she still loves Jonathan.

She's always going to choose him. She's made that pretty clear. ]

Because I never got the chance to tell you.

And that was the only reason? [ She shakes her head. ] Did you ever think about what it would do to me if something had happened? If I had to live knowing that you still... [ She sucks in a breath, remembering the feel of vines twisting around her arms and neck, watching them squeeze the life out of Steve and Robin on the opposite wall.

She stiffens up. ] Forget it. You're right. We don't have to do this. I'm sorry I bothered you.

I shouldn't have said anything, alright? It was stupid.

[But Steve couldn't keep that from her anymore. He had always tried his best to be honest in their relationship. Even when Nancy wasn't.

He knew she was always going to choose Jonathan. That was never going to change. ]

What? That I still care about you ?

[He shoots her a look.]

You think thats easy for me?

No! I don't think any of this is easy. Just because we're not together any more doesn't mean I don't care about you, Steve. [ She can still feel the way her stomach had tightened in panic when he'd been dragged down into the lake. The way that there had been no question about jumping in after him.]

I'm not trying to make this even harder. I just don't want to give Vecna any more ammunition. I knew if I told Jonathan the truth that he'd be upset. And there's a possibility that he would say something to you about it. I wanted you to be prepared. That's all.

[ Steve's whole jaw goes tight at Nancy's words. A part of him wants to ask when she suddenly decided to care because he has plenty of moments that she didn't. He fight with Jonathan in the ally, she had ran straight to Jonathan. Not once did she check on him after his brutal fight with Billy Hargrove. Why? Jonathan.

Starcourt mall and the trauma left behind from being tortured. Not once did she ask him what happened. Why? She was so torn up about Jonathan moving.

There is a pattern here. ]

Right.

[Prepare him? When has she ever done that ? Certainly not when she fell in love with Jonathan behind his back.]

I don't need you to prepare me for anything, Nancy. I'm fine.

[ Nancy's jaw tightens in response, and the hurt look that flashes across her face is quickly replaced with a grimace. She nods, loosening her jaw to speak. ] Okay. Good.

Goodnight, Steve. [ She swallows, looking at him once more before moving to let herself out the front door.]

Night.

[He watches as she scurries towards the door and his own jaw remains tight. He has so much He wants to say.

Needs to say.

And yet-]

I know we need to be ready for anything, but I don't know how I feel about outing myself to a bunch of relative children.

What in the hell are you talking about?

I'm talking about Nancy thinking we should all air our deepest, darkest secrets to each other before Vecna beats us to the punch.

She came at you with that bullshit too, huh?

Yeah. What does she think your secret is?

Wait.

You didn't actually tell her???

My secret or yours?

I haven't told her anything, yet. She wants us to all tell everyone at once in like a group meeting.

Good. You don't have to say anything if you're uncomfortable.

I don't have a secret.

Yeah, unfortunately. We all heard the six kids thing.

...

I wouldn't call it much of a secret. I think everyone basically knows I have feelings for Nancy.

Doesn't matter.

I meant your secret being that you want to have a buttload of kids.

With Nancy.

I'm sorry that I pushed you into saying that to her. I really thought I saw some sparks reigniting.

Don't be sorry.

Then stop being sad.

I'm not sad.

What did you say to Nancy?

[For the love of little baby Jesus can he please just make it through his shift in peace!]

What?

She called me upset and told me not to talk to you before she did. What happened?

Edited 2024-09-21 16:29 (UTC)

You've got to be kidding me.

I fucking told her to go to bed.

Why are you telling her to go to bed?

She's drunk.

Yeah, I picked up on that. Why? What did you do?

What did I do???!!!

This isn't MY fault. I didn't do anything.

So you didn't get her drunk? And nothing happened between you two?

Fuck off.

Why would she need to talk to you before I did?

You know all of this is really cheap coming from the guy who's well known for taking pictures of undressed girls without their consent.

I didn't get Nancy drunk so that I could take advantage of her!

She's drunk because you made her feel like complete shit because you're not man enough to tell her the truth.

That was a long time ago and I apologized!

She told you?

And look at you. You got the girl. Charming.

Yeah. She did.

And what? She went running back to you?

...

You think that less of her?

I don't know what to think! She hates me and she doesn't want me to talk to you, what would you think?

She's drunk and she's upset because you lied to her. She's putting a lot of that blame on herself.

You need to go talk to her.

None of this is her fault.

She doesn't want to talk to me.

You still need to talk to her.

I'll try...

You really suck at this.

Yeah, no shit.

Talk to her, dummy.

Apologize to her.

Yeah, I know. I will.

Sorry for jumping to conclusions. I know you're not like that. I panicked.

Right.

I mean, Nancy told me what you said. About wanting her beside you with a van full of kids. I didn't think you'd be telling me to talk to her.

[fuck.]

We also thought we were going to due

So-

So you didn't mean it or you really meant it?

Doesn't really matter, does it?

I think it does.

Like I said, thought we were going to die.

Right.

Yep.

[This isn't exactly how MJ had expected her evening to go.

She'd thought she'd just spend another night in, studying and watching TV and being glad she's not outside in the cold. But here she is, outside in the cold, but the more bizarre aspect is the fact that she's lacing a pair of ice skates onto her feet after being picked up by Steve Harrington, of all people. And judging by their earlier conversation, she can only assume that this is, in fact, a date, no matter how much she's trying to keep her expectations at rock bottom. She doesn't want to set herself up for disappointment; that's why she generally doesn't date in the first place.

Well, at least the fact that they'll be outside for most of the time means that she hadn't wasted any time trying to look pretty, avoiding a dress or skirt and instead dressing for warmth in jeans, a heavy sweater, and a long wool coat. Their conversation in the car had been light and pleasant, with her pointedly avoiding talking about the exchange that had led to them making this date to begin with. But now that she's got the skates laced up and she sort of needs to cling to him to make sure she doesn't royally screw up her ankles, it's going to be a little harder to be avoidant. Still, as she carefully makes her way to her feet and grips his arm for balance, she does her damnedest to do just that as she looks around at the brightly-lit rink.]

Well, I'll give you this: it is pretty. I don't know if I'll feel the same after falling a few times, but don't let it be said that I'm not giving it a fair shot.

[This isn't exactly how Steve expected his evening to go either.

It was his first night off in a good while and he honestly hadn't made much plans. Maybe his typical routine? Find a pretty girl, take her out and end the night with sex. He didn't expect a random, unfinished text from MJ.

And well-

The conversation took him by surprise to say the least.

Steve doesn't want to assume that this is a date just in case everything goes horribly wrong but in the back of his mind, he likes to think that it could be. He doesn't want to make MJ uncomfortable or worse.

He's dressed in his own winter attire. Typical jeans, a sweatshirt and a winter coat to top off the look. He can't remember the last time he's actually been ice-skating but he was pretty damn alright at it.

Like he is with most sports.

Steve allows her to grip along his arm given he's already up and on his feet. ]

Easy.

[He glances over his shoulder to catch sight of the rink. It's beautifully lit and the moon is beaming down on skaters. ]

You'll be fine, promise.

[It had been awfully tempting to just call Steve before he would've left his place and cancel on him; she could have made any excuse, from a head cold to having to go into work. She's never canceled on him before, though, so it hadn't felt right to do it now, after that conversation that they'd had.

And after the stupid way she'd started it.

She tries not to think of that now, since she's getting used to the alien feeling of balancing on the skates before they head towards the ice. She should have worn some leggings and maybe a pair of sweatpants under her jeans, just to provide some extra padding as she inevitably falls on her ass throughout the evening. But she hadn't, and she'd promised Steve that she'd give this a chance, and he'd agreed to let her hold onto him, so... she'll just put up with a few bruises and hopefully can laugh them off in the aftermath.]

Yeah. I know. I've got you. Right?

[She manages a small, tentative smile at him, though she still finds it hard to make direct eye contact as she does so. At least soon she'll be too focused on staying upright to feel self-conscious, so there's that much to look forward to.

She loops her arms in one of his as they step onto the ice, though the moment they do she sort of wishes she'd wrapped them around his waist instead. Purely because she'd feel more secure that way, given the way she immediately wobbles. With a small, nervous sound, she focuses on her breathing and tries to relax. She's never been particularly athletic, so it's a crapshoot as to whether or not she'll take to this, but at least she's going to try to enjoy it now that she's here.]

[Steve could have easily done the same. He's canceled on girls before but MJ just wasn't your ordinary girl either. Canceling their plans would have made Steve feel like a complete asshole. He chooses to believe that asking MJ out was a positive decision, that they would both have this amazing time and enjoy themselves.

Without the interruptions of Robin or the overwhelming feeling of melancholy when in the hospital with Max. Tonight, it was just them. ]

You've got me.

[He promises as they both head towards the slick and thick ice. The mixture of giggles and squealing feel the air as they grow closer to the ice, whooshing of other skaters pass them by. Steve gives a firm but gentle grip along MJ. She's tall but petite. She feels light against his arm, warm.

He can pick up on her anxiousness and decides its best they both just take their time at this.]

Relax, I'm not letting you fall.

[Steve's a good guy. Yes, he has a bit of a reputation, and it might not paint him in the best light if you didn't bother to get to know him beyond that reputation, but MJ's never been one to decipher a picture by the broad strokes. She looks at the finer details, which all tell her that Steve is a caring friend, a protector, someone who learns from his mistakes, and not just your average spoiled rich kid. Which means that, overall, he's a good person.

She doesn't know when she'd gone from dispassionately observing that to deciding that she'd liked all that about him, but she likely had just never let herself think about it too hard. He's been concerned about Max ever since she'd ended up in the hospital, and while MJ doesn't know all the details of what's going on with her or the rest of the neighborhood kids that Steve seems to have adopted as siblings, she knows that most guys his age wouldn't willingly spend days on end at the hospital, sitting up with an unconscious friend. Nor would they constantly act as a taxi service or bail their other friends out of trouble or be so quick to help their cheating ex-girlfriends, or just genuinely be so ridiculously decent. It had all added up and crept up on her slowly.

That's the only reason she can see for why she actually does relax when Steve tells her to. Letting out a long, deep breath through her nose, she nods, gradually straightening up enough that she's not pressed up against him. She kind of prefers being curled up against him, but she's never going to learn to skate if she acts like a schoolgirl with a crush.]

I know. Because you know if you do, you're coming right down after me.

[It's her attempt at a joke, and this time she does look at him, a small spark of something unfamiliar in her eyes; she might just be genuinely happy, but she wouldn't know what that feels like, so it's too soon to tell.]

Should I just let you pull me along, or is there some trick to moving without falling face-first into the ice?

[Steve would argue that he isn't a good guy despite his actions. He knows the reputation that proceeds him, that he's been a real asshole to almost everyone. He's said shitty things and has done much worse. He's hurt people and deep down he believes that everything occurring with the Upside Down is some form of karma towards him. That it's eventually going to get him in the end?

Perhaps that's his true fate?

For a few years now, he's been trying to erase the image of King Steve and prove that he does have some good inside. As for the little shits? It's like protecting them is wired into Steve's veins, he cares about his little nuggets. Ask him and he'll deny it. It's the same with Robin and there is no question that he still cares for Nancy. That's the whole punch line here.

Steve can care a little too much.

And he's found himself feeling that way towards MJ. The need to protect her, keep her safe from Hawkins dark secret. He doesn't want her exposed to all that chaos, the horrors and trauma. Too many people he cares about already carry that burden enough and it's scarred them, changed them.

He can't hold back a laugh at MJ's threat, the smile tugging along his lips as he continues to guide her along the ice. ]

Soft knees, keep your head up.

[He instructs her gently as he guides her out a bit further.]

Get a feel for the ice and your balance.

[Steve's self-awareness? That's part of what marks him as a good person. Because all the actual assholes of the world don't have that, and just go through life assuming that the shitty things they do are totally normal and grounded and justified. Steve knows enough to know better. He knows enough to do better.

So he is better. Better than what he'd been. And that means a lot to MJ.

She tries not to cling to him as he leads her further out onto the ice, though she has no idea what he means by "soft knees" or how to "get a feel" for something. She's an artist, sure, but with sketching there's a concrete process, things that work, don't work, and can be concretely defined. She's sort of diving headfirst into an unfamiliar world here, so she really hopes she's correct in her theory that Steve is a decent human being and won't just leave her to sink or swim. Or sink or skate, as it happens.

For now, she can only assume she's meant to relax, so she takes another deep breath and tries to do just that, nodding slowly in response.]

Okay. Sure. It's like riding a bike. Did I mention it took me an embarrassingly long time to learn how to ride a bike? So we might be here a while.

[She's mostly joking, though she does try to lean less on Steve as she slowly gains her footing. But that just means that she goes from wrapping her arm around his to gradually letting her hand slip down into his. Even if she gets more comfortable on the ice, she isn't about to let go of him anytime soon.]

[MJ is just biased.

That's what Steve often tells himself anyways. He likes to pretend thar he's escaped the reputation of King Steve but Hawkins is a town that never forgets. He dreams of getting out, even if that dream is a bit far fetched. Deep down, he knows he's stuck to rot here. Perhaps that's just another twisted punishment?

A failure.

Steve keeps a gentle, loose grip along her hands while he skates backwards. He keeps an eye on her footing, her balance as MJ shuffles herself along the thick, cold ice. ]

Don't be afraid to fall.

[It sounds crazy but Steve was told to never been afraid of the ice. Just remain cautious and trust yourself. The balance will come along with the confidence. Steve isn't just going to let MJ go, not until she's ready at least.

Besides, her hands feel nice within his own.

He chuckles lightly at her little joke, fingers laced with her own as they continue along the ice. The night is pretty damn peaceful considering its Hawkins. Sure, it's a bit crowded out but something about the burst of the town's people enjoying themselves is refreshing. ]

Good thing we both don't have any plans.

[If anyone looks at people with a completely blunt and unbiased perspective, it's MJ. She'd spent her formative years in New York City and hadn't moved to Hawkins until after her parents had split up, so while she'd known Steve in high school she hadn't been fully entrenched in the lifelong cliques and rumors that were assigned to people as they navigated their respective social circles. As such, she sees people for what they currently are, rather than what they'd been or could be. And what Steve is, right now, tonight? Is a good person.

His advice about falling earns a short laugh out of her, even as she consciously resists the urge to grip both of his hands as hard as she can.]

Why should I be afraid to fall? That's why you're here. To keep me from- [She's cut off when one foot gets a little too ahead of itself, and her hands do grip at Steve's more firmly as she slides jerkily, forcing herself to a stop close to Steve as she regains both her footing and her steady breathing.] ... f- from that. Ha.

[She clears her throat, using the impromptu pause as an excuse to look around at their surroundings.]

Yeah, well... I could definitely think of worse ways to spend a night. I don't mind being stuck with you if the feeling's mutual.

[MJ isn't like all the other girls Steve has met. She's witty, fast with her clever come backs and she hasn't been one to judge him based on who he is or his reputation. She doesn't expect anything from him or have these high standards of who he's supposed to be. It's easy to just be himself around her. Well, when Hawkins isn't being invaded by horrendous monsters at least.

He enjoys her company and the way she seems to relax him. She makes him feel normal. Which is a hell of a thing to be considering being plagued by the Upside Down.

Steve's arms are quick to shoot out and keep MJ from slipping onto the hard, cold ice. He keeps her upright, hands not daring to leave her until she's comfortable and has regained her balance. He can't help but laugh slightly, their bodies close. ]

Uh huh.

[His hands slip back down to gently lace within her fingers, a soft smile forming along his lips. ]

I guess you're alright to be stuck with.

[She knows there's something off about Hawkins, but she's just been chalking it up to the differences in a big city versus a small town. There are rumors, sure, and signs that even MJ can't make any logical sense out of without lightly assuming it's all part of a conspiracy theory. But just as with the ghost stories and urban legends back home, it's not really something she talks about with her friends.

Mostly because she's never had a lot in the way of friends.

Aside from Robin. And Steve.

Of course, Steve might not strictly count as a friend after this, but that's getting a bit ahead of herself. Just because they had a conversation that tiptoed around their feelings, and agreed to something that could be called a date, and are now standing incredibly close to one another as they hold hands, and he's smiling at her like that... none of that means he's anything other than a friend just yet. Even if she finds her face flushing a little when he smiles at her.

That's just from the cold. Or the embarrassment of having nearly fallen. Right. That's all.]

You guess, huh? Well, let me know when I start being a burden. I don't want you feeling too stuck.

[Steve can't decide if its safe that MJ doesn't know the full story of Hawkins or that it could be severely dangerous. Regardless, he doesn't want anything happening to her. He's also afraid if she finds out the truth she would either try to get herself envolved or do like others have, leave.

Steve feels like it's a lose-lose situation. He doesn't want her to leave but he isn't going to let her get killed either. It feels like a losing battle sometimes. That in some twisted way, he's going to lose her like he did Nancy. That he's going to fuck everything up and she'll be out of his life.At least she would be safe, right ?

Steve doesn't want to dwell on the "what ifs" and negative thoughts. Not when MJ's hands fit so perfectly within his own. He isn't placing a label on this, shit, he doesn't even know what this is. What they are. Steve isn't one to rush a girl and he doesn't want to force something that might not even be there.

But-

This whole moment feels right.]

I don't even think that's possible.

[It isn't as though MJ would let Steve go and do something stupid that could get him killed, if she knew that things were dangerous enough for that to be a possibility. If and when she discovers the truth about Hawkins - because she always finds out the truth one way or another - she fully intends to stick by Steve and do what she can to keep him from becoming a martyr. He talks enough about those shitty kids that she wouldn't put it past him to try to sacrifice himself for one of them, and she's not going to let that happen.

But she doesn't know that any of that could potentially be on the table. For now, all she knows about Steve is that he's the complete opposite of the sort of guy most people would have thought someone like MJ would be interested in based on reputation alone, and she's also the complete opposite of what most might think he'd be into. Unless, of course, being female is enough to make him want to see if he can add another easy notch on his bedpost, but she doesn't think that's his endgame here.

And even if it is... it's not as though she'd particularly mind, so long as she knows not to expect too much.

But with the way he's looking at her, and the way he's still holding onto her hands, and the way he talks to her... it's a little hard not to expect more than she knows she really should. She likes Steve, even if she's fairly certain he's still hung up on Nancy Wheeler and that that's the main reason he spends so much time with her younger brother and his friends. MJ knows she's just going to end up setting herself up for disappointment... but that doesn't exactly make it any easier to stop blushing.]

It's possible. But I'm kind of hoping you don't figure that out for yourself too soon. Especially since I don't really feel like I'm particularly "stuck."

[It's no secret that Steve Harrington is willing to toss himself into danger if that means it's going to save someone he cares about. He's done that way before MJ fell into the picture and now she's one of the people he would die to protect. For now, Steve's relieved that MJ has yet to figure out anything about the darkness that consumes the town of Hawkins. She's a clever girl and deep down Steve knows that she'll figure it out eventually. Especially with people suddenly disappearing or being found "murdered". That isn't even the tip of what goes on in this little town.

Steve wants MJ's time here to be as normal as possible. That isn't too much to ask, right?

Steve can't deny that he's found himself valuing his time with her and it isn't because he wants her to spread her legs for him. Not that he would complain but he doesn't want MJ assuming that is all he's after here. She knows his reputation well, that he enjoys sex and he has one hell of a dating record. He doesn't want her lumped into those categories and he wants her to know that he isn't going to make her this one time thing.

Unless, that's something she's into? He's had plenty of one night hitters but it gets a little old. Steve wants something more, something solid and committed.

Yes, his heart is still a bit stuck on Nancy Wheeler but he's accepted that there is no building a future relationship with the girl he fell so hard for.

And it's funny how MJ can suddenly make his heart skip a few beats. Especially when she's looking at him like she is now. A soft smile along her pretty face and her hands still laced within his own. She hasn't pulled away, pushed him back or shrugged him off.

No.

She's still here.

He gives her another soft smile as he continues to hold her up, moon beaming down upon them softly.]

Neither do I. Funny, huh?

[How quickly MJ figures out the truth about Hawkins is directly proportional to his involved Steve is in the upcoming challenges. She's figuring it out regardless, but given how close she's become to Steve and even to Robin, she's much more likely to be in tune to when they're lying or hiding something (especially Robin), or if they get hurt or go missing. And while she might find herself wishing that Steve would have told her willingly of his own accord, she'd understand why he'd want to keep something like that under wraps.

Even if she'd desperately want to be there for him in whatever way she can.

In the back of her mind, she's always going to assume that Nancy can have Steve back whenever she wants him. It might leave him feeling conflicted, but MJ knows his feelings for Nancy aren't ever going away if they haven't yet, and if Nancy ever realizes that her weird thing with the Buyers guy is doomed for failure, there's a good chance she'll rebound and Steve is literally right there.

So if anything, she's approaching this cautiously, as though giving both Steve and Nancy time to figure out what they really want so MJ isn't left getting invested in something that will never work out. But then, since most relationships end in a breakup, she stands a good chance of that anyway.

Nancy isn't on the forefront of her mind right now, though, nor is the potential for breaking up or being heartbroken or any of those things. Steve hasn't stopped looking at her like that. She can't remember ever really seeing anyone look at her like that. And yet somehow, she knows what it means. She just needs to figure out what to do about it.]

Hilarious.

[The word comes out just a little too softly to sound as dry as she probably intends it to, but for once, MJ's not thinking about using sarcasm to keep people at arm's length. If anything, she actually tugs lightly on Steve's hands, hoping that being on the ice will make it that much easier to pull him towards her. With the remaining distance closed, and with them being practically the same height, it wouldn't take much to brush her lips against his, or for him to brush his against hers, if he's traditional enough to want to believe that he's making the first move.

Or if she's reading the metaphorical room entirely wrong, he can also turn his head to avoid the "accidental" kiss, and hopefully save her the embarrassment of rejection.]

[Steve would rather MJ not find out at all. However, that's nearly damn impossible in a town such as Hawkins. One that's spilling over with chaos and horror. It's all bound to come out eventually. MJ is also a very clever, intelligent young woman. She has a way of finding things out pretty quickly. Thankfully, she hasn't found out much as of yet. Steve can only hope that it stays that way.

For MJ's own good and safety. He wants her safe.

Always.

Nancy Wheeler is a complicated subject when it comes to Stece Harrington. She's been a girl that Steve has been hung up on for years but she isn't always on his mind. It was a harsh reality when she lied about loving him and then the final blow was cheating on him with Jonathan Byers. Steve wasn't going to pretend that their relationship was OK, he wasn't going to fight to get her back or force her to stay with him. Very much like Nancy, Steve wasn't going to stay in a loveless relationship. He's experienced that enough with his own parents. It's painful to watch and its also pretty damn shitty.

Nancy also lied to him. She lied about loving him, kept her feelings for Jonathan and even snuck behind Steve's back. He doesn't want a relationship that's a lie, where both he and his partner are miserable. What's the point of the actual relationship? Relationships aren't supposed to be loveless and misery.

Steve doesn't expect for Nancy to come running back into his arms and he's not going to stand around and wait. That wouldn't be fair to him and its time he starts making himself a priority again. He doesn't know if a solid relationship is actually going to bloom between him and MJ. Maybe it's just going to be more sex?

Regardless, if a relationship is to actually happen here. He isn't going to busy bail because Nancy Wheeler is ready to give him a second chance. ]

Uh huh...

[He's lost all focus, dark eyes locked in on her beautiful and lovely face. Shit, she's pretty. Stunning actually and it's enough to drive him a bit crazy.

Goddamn.

Fuck it.

He leans forward to gently test the waters here, lips softly brushing against her own. ]

{MJ would argue that she doesn't need to be protected. She would argue that she and Steve are equals and so they can watch one another's backs. She would argue that she can help him keep an eye on those kids he cares so much about.

But then, she would also argue that there generally isn't a point to most relationships. She would argue that most relationships end in break-ups and most of the ones that don't are generally pretty miserable. She would argue that both of their parents' dysfunctional relationships prove as much.

But for once, she doesn't want to argue. Whatever happens between her and Steve is going to be based on straightforward honestly. If he only wants sex, she fully expects him to tell her so they both know what they're getting into. If either of them want more than sex... that's a bridge they can cross when they get to it.

For now, they're starting off simple. A date. Holding hands. Staring into one another's eyes. And a kiss. A simple, easy kiss.

A simple, easy kiss that feels far more intense than it has any right feeling, considering how soft and light it is. She actually forgets to breathe for a moment, which is ridiculous; it's just a kiss. A kiss with Steve Harrington.

She tilts her head a little, deepening it just slightly but mostly just wanting to make it clear that she has no intention of pulling back just yet. If that much isn't obvious, she uses her grasp on Steve's hands to pull them to her waist, encouraging him to wrap his arms around her. That done, she tentatively slips her hands along his arms and towards his shoulders, still half-expecting something to blow up in their faces.]

I
have a date
this weekend

...What?

Edited 2025-03-18 23:35 (UTC)

I asked Chrissy to see a movie with me.
And she said yes?

As in Cunningham? The really adorable cheerleader?

Yeah.
She's so sweet.
And pretty.
She helped me find the notebook I lost the other day and let me borrow her notes.
Oh god.
She's so out of my league.

Holy shit!

Yes. Holy shit!

She's cute and looks great in short skirts.

She's beautiful.

She is.

She's like Hawkins Highs princess.

I just can't believe she said yes.
To me

It's actually kinda cute.

I have to figure out what movie to take her to.

What does she like?

I don't know. She said anything was fine. She said she was re-reading the Princess Bride, though.

...Umm?.Okay?

Maybe something romantic or comedy?

Maybe Pretty in Pink?

That seems like something she would enjoy.

She likes pink.

And she's pretty in it.

She really is.

[She covers her face with her hands.]

Um. I may need a small favor.

What?

...a ride?

Fiiinnneee

I got to pick up my date anyway.

You're the best. ❤️

Who are you going out with?

Michelle.

She came in the video store.

Was she the brunette?

In the tiny sundress.

The yellow one, right? She was cute!

Yeah.

And she is.

What are you guys gonna do?

Hook up.

I thought you were looking for more than a hook up these days.

We're also making dinner together.

That sounds nice. Your place or hers?

Mine.

[She decides to make him buckeyes for his date; the one dessert she's really good at making.]

Cool.

I guess.

She's pretty excited about the dinner thing. She likes to cook.

Even better. Save me leftovers if it's good.

[Is she joking? That is your guess, Steve.]

No!

:O

:P

:'(

Fine!

I'll save you some Alfredo.

Thank youuuuu.

[She knew he would.]

🙄

😉

😒

I promise you'll be benefiting from this arrangement come Saturday too.

I know I will.

Ew. Not like that.

😏

I meant I was going to help you impress Michelle, Dingus.

I already locked the date.

Oh, Steve.

...What?

You don't call
You don't write.
What's the deal, Harrington?

[Seriously?

Seriously???

Steve has debated for hours not to even reply. Just leave it alone, Harrington. Leave it alone. ]

What do you want, Tommy?

Heard you were still rattling around this creepy town.
Thought we should grab a drink. Catch up. It's been awhile.

Hard pass.

Dude.
We were friends for years.
Most of our lives.
Come on.

Were friends being the key words here.

Man.
It's been two years.
What's one beer gonna hurt?

[Jesus Christ.]

One beer.

Cool.
Tomorrow night?

[Fuck.

His.

Life. ]

Alright.

Great.
See you then, man.

Yeah.
See ya,then.

Hi.

Hey.

I've been thinking about what you said. Offered.

Yeah?

I just want to make sure you know what you're getting yourself into.

I wouldn't have asked if I didn't.

It's just that there's a lot I can't do right now, Steve. I'm gonna work on it, but...

We can work on it together, alright?

Robin, Nancy, Lucas and everyone else wants to help too.

Okay.

[It settles something in her, having a plan in place for what happens next. When she's out of this place.]

Thanks.

So, is this an official yes?

It's an official yes.

It's settled then.

Except the getting out of the hospital part anyway.

One step at a time.

Literally.

Uh huh.

Is it true?

I need more words here, Henderson.

About Max.
She's moving in with you when she gets out?

[Jesus Christ news travels fast. ]

Yep.

[This is what happens when you're in the Party, Steve. He's already sending confirmation to Lucas, Will and Mike.]

Cool.

[ugh.

Little shits. ]

Until she thinks she can be on her own or whatever.

Okay but realistically
is that even going to be possible?

I like to hope so.

Yeah.
Just probably not for awhile.

[Between the blindness and her age, and the possibility that she may not be able to walk again...]

We'll all help however we can too.

[That's looking on the bright side, Dustin.]

Yeah.

We should like, do a walk through and make sure the house is safe for when she comes home.

Robin has apparently started a list.

[That makes him smile.]

I'm not surprised.
She's the perfect woman.

...She's alright.

Ugh. You're impossible.

What?

Seriously.

WHAT?

Like talking to a brick wall.

[He shakes his head sadly.]

🖕🖕

Yeah that's mature.

So help me God if this is more you're assuming I'm dating Robin bullshit.

I will suffocate you in my car.

No, it's me still thinking you're losing out because you're not dating Robin when you should be.

Come on, Steve.

[Jesus Christ.]

I'm not her type.

Whatever you say, Steve.

Totally serious.

And I'm sure this has nothing at all to do with a hope of reigniting an old flame.

Edited 2025-04-02 00:46 (UTC)

...What?

It was an obvious allusion to Nancy Wheeler, Steve.

This has nothing to do with Nancy!

Methinks thou doth protest a bit too much.

My love life is none of your business.

Yeah yeah.

Uh huh.

Also that last one was Shakespeare.

...That weird dead guy?

Arguably one of the most famous dead guys.

Gross.

We all die, my strange older male friend.

I'm well aware considering the close calls I've had.

...Ew. don't call me that.

Which part of it is inaccurate?

Zero.

So it just wasn't poetic enough for you, or...?

Not the poetic type.

Of course not.

Glad that's settled.

i think this place got fucking weirder
since i left and came back
did you see that crazy lightening storm last night?
the fuck was that?

...You got out of here, huh?

Yeah....

Guess we're just getting some kind of crazy storms or something.

for a bit yeah
tried the whole college thing
it's not for me
the parties are fucking great though
I guess. Weird ass shit.

Not your vibe, huh? College.

...Yeah. I've heard the parties can get pretty wild quick.

Typical Hawkins.

i guess i forgot how much i fucking hate homework
and tests
and going to class
but man the chicks are HOT and yeah
the parties are wild
this is typical hawkins now? earthquakes and red lightening?

Sounds like the chicks would be a damn good reason to stay.

These days it seems so.

well they kicked me out<
but i can still visit and go to parties
best of both worlds really

feels like it's some kind of apocalyptic bullshit to me

Kicked you out?

....You think so?

well i kept not going to class

you don't?

Ah. Fair.

I guess I really don't think of it all that much?

got other things on your mind then?

[Steve is such an excellent liar. Anything to pull the conversation away from all the creepiness of Hawkins.

This also, Tommy. The question will loop back around.]

Yeah.

got a line on any good parties happening this weekend by chance?

Can't say I do.

all right well that's a place to start
let me know if you hear of any prospects

People haven't really been partying much these days.

All things considering.

see i told you shit felt apocalyptic

People are just trying to recover from the earthquake.

It kinda messed the town up.

yeah i saw some of the damage
i'm sure we'll be back to normal soon
not much of anything keeps people down here

That's Hawkins for you. Always bouncing right back.

yeah no matter how shitty things are
was surprised to find i missed it when i left

You missed this shit town?

...Jesus.

a little
was surprised you didn't fly the coop as soon as you graduated

Eventually.

i dunno
seems like you might have become a lifer

In Hawkins?

Hell no.

I'm just....

Dealing with a few things first.

that's what they all say my friend

I want to make sure people I care about are earthquake free and safe before I just take off.

like nancy wheeler?

[You fucking dick!]

...What?

just asking

No.

[Yeah right, Steve.]

okay
so. beer.

[Piss. Off.

Don't bring Nancy into this. ]

Alright.

great
it'll be just like old times.

I can already feel the hangover.

hah
see you soon man

Yeah.

Hi, Steve.
This is Joyce Byers.
Sorry to bother you.
Will told me that when Max gets out of the hospital, she's going to be staying with you?

[GODDAMNIT!!!]

Uh?

Hi?

That's correct, Mrs. Byers.

She's going to need a place to stay and a lot of assistance. She just can't be out there alone.

Edited 2025-04-03 23:58 (UTC)

I really agree, she can't.
She's still too young even if there weren't other factors in play.
I just wanted to say that if you ever need anything, or need help, you can always, always call or text me, okay, Sweetheart?
This is a lot of responsibility but you don't have to do it alone, okay?

...Um, thanks?

I think we both will be okay until she's able to get on her feet and everything.

I'm sure you will!
I've heard you're very capable with the kids.
Just keep it in mind. Even if you just want a break from fixing dinner. :)
You're both always welcome.

Thanks but we both wouldn't want to intrude, ya know?

You're pretty busy yourself.

It wouldn't be. You both have a standing invite.
We always are these days, aren't we? All of us.

We don't want to add to all the chaos.

I understand that.
All right, well -- you stay safe, Steve.
Especially with all these storms.

Thank you.

....Yeah. They seem to be occurring a lot more often lately.

Way too often for comfort, that's for sure.

As long as everyone is safe.

I have to take the day off so you'll be on your own at Scoops.
Try not to burn the place down.

Edited 2025-04-07 20:05 (UTC)

Everything alright?

....It's ice-cream.

Yeah just a little under the weather

[She's...mildly surprised he's even asking. He's nicer than she'd thought he'd be, before they started working together. Nicer than she was most of the time. But she can't exactly tell him she's staying at home because she healed her mom's broken ankle and she can't currently walk.]

It's just an expression, dingus

Edited 2025-04-07 22:39 (UTC)

Ah. Sick. Got it.

....What?

I don't mean you're literally going to burn the place down
Don't cause trouble, basically

I don't cause trouble.

🙄

Right.

🙄

😒

For real though
Have a good shift
I hope it's quiet.

Considering we're getting new flavors in?

It's going to be a shit shift.

[And now she genuinely feels kinda bad. Shit.]

I really am sorry to leave you with that

Yeah....

[She's...not sure she can leave him to that alone in good conscious. Maybe she can catch the bus? Her parents definitely aren't going to agree to take her. Blah blah recovery time.]

I'll see if I can figure something out

Nope.

You stay home and feel better. I'll be alright.

I just twisted my ankle so I can't bike to work. I can make it to the bus, I think.

You're not working on an injured ankle.

[She's not sure how to respond to this version of Steve, who seems to care that she's injured. What is even happening.]

I could probably sit?

No.

Okay but let me know if you change your mind. The bus stops running in like, an hour.

I'll be fine.

Okay. I'll see you tomorrow.

Alright.

Keep off that ankle.

[She shows up right on time for her shift today, but she's limping just a little. And she's definitely more tired than usual. Usually she's full of energy. Whatever, she needs the money more than she needs the rest. She'll be back to normal in a few days. She tucks her things in her locker in the break room and heads out to see Steve already on duty.]

So how bad was it yesterday?

[Steve has just finished up with a customer when Robin walks out on the floor. Both he and Henderson glance up when they hear her voice. Dustin offers a frown and Steve's arms cross over his chest. ]

I thought you were keeping off the ankle?

[She eyes the younger boy. She hasn't seen this one around before.]

Uh yeah. That was yesterday. Today is a different day.

[Leave it to Dustin to eye her back. He's such a little shit, you've been warned. ]

You're still limping.

I'm fine. [She shifts her gaze back to Steve and arches her eyebrows.] So -- how many children are you friends with?

[He's just going to give her a look at that and then annoyingly gestures at her to Dustin.]

[Dustin raises his eyebrows at the gesturing and then shrugs, pulling him off to fill him in about summer camp at a table in the corner.

Robin doesn't protest, just shakes her head a little and moves behind the counter since another person is wandering up for ice cream.]

[Steve appreciates the save and is very happy to hear about summer camp if that means he's getting rescued from Robin.

Thankfully Scoops hasn't been all that busy today. ]

[She scoops out ice cream, not worried too much about Steve chilling for awhile. She had stuck him with the new flavors last night by himself. Still an hour and a half into the shift and her ankle is...not feeling great. She exhales, moving to grab a stool from the back and perching on it. Hopefully tonight wouldn't be the night management dropped in to check on things. They had a very strict no sitting rule.]

[Dustin lingers a little longer after he's done with his conversation with Steve. Steve doesn't mind, Dustin isn't really much trouble.

Just a bit mouthy.

Steve gets back to work, not really paying much mind to Robin sitting on the stool. It's not hurting anybody. ]

[It's actually slow and quiet for most of the shift, until around 8 pm she catches sight of a familiar face approaching with a smirk.]

Ugh. Asshole alert.

Edited 2025-04-08 23:06 (UTC)

[Steve is actually cleaning up a bit when he hears Robin’s voice and catches sight of none other than-]

Son of bitch....

[She glances back at him, remembering the rumors from the end of first semester last year, how Hargrove had apparently beaten the shit out of Steve for whatever reason. She isn't sure how much of a reason Hargrove needs for that sort of thing, but about half the high school had been afraid of him and the other half had worshiped him. She definitely didn't see the latter POV at all. But whatever. Most people don't impress her that much.]

I got it. [She figures she can probably de-escalate any oncoming bullshit.]

[It's because the asshole cheated! Steve didn't fear Hargrove for a second and he would gladly go another goddamn round. Especially if he threatened the kids again.

Fucker.

He watches as Robin gets up and heads over. ]

[He swaggers up to the counter, shirt halfway unbuttoned like always, and smirks at Robin, then looks back at Steve momentarily.]

Buckley. I'll take a sundae with some hot fudge.

[Steve can already feel his whole body going tense. Eyes narrowed upon the absolute bastard that is now in Scoops.

Goddamn this night. ]

[Ew. She really, really doesn't get it.]

Sure thing. [Her tone is completely emotionless and she moves, scooping some vanilla ice cream into a cup, adding hot fudge to it and sticking a spoon into the sundae.] Here ya go. A dollar fifty.

[He winks at her, reaching out and putting his hand on her arm.]

Maybe a little more fudge, darlin'.

[This. Fucker.

Yeah. No.

Steve can pick up on Robin’s vibe and its screaming that she's completely disgusted. ]

She doesn't want you touching her.

[Steve definitely isn't wrong and she jerks away like she's been burned the minute Billy puts his hand on her bare skin, a wave of nausea rolling over her and she moves back a couple steps, grabbing the sundae and moving to put more hot fudge on it. Anything to get this guy out of there. Her nerves are officially screaming and she tries to keep an eye on Steve to make sure he doesn't get too close, either.]

Here. Just take it and go.

On the house. Huh. [He looks at Steve and flashes a grin at him.] Nice job you've got, Harrington. Hope you're staying cool.

[He makes sure to put himself between Robin and Billy. Robin looks extremely uncomfortable and a bit upset with this whole situation.]

You heard her. Get out.

[His gaze slides between them and he smirks, raising his eyebrows.]

Sure. I'll get out. See you again soon, though. [He winks at them and heads away, way too satisfied of a smirk on his face.]

Dick.

[Steve hisses as Billy makes his exit. Seriously? What a fucking asshole. ]

Seriously. How the fuck is that guy so popular?

[She mumbles, moving to sit back down because now her head hurts, too. She exhales.]

Damn good question.

[Because Billy sure as hell wasn't special but apparently Hawkins High loves an asshole. ]

....You alright?

Yeah, just wasn't expecting --

[For Billy to touch her. She's not exactly sure how to explain that to Steve, though, all things considered.]

-- any kind of creepy confrontation tonight.

He's a major dick.

[Obviously, Steve isn't afraid to voice his opinions on Billy Hargrove. Seriously, fuck that dude. ]

You chill. I'll clean up.

[She doesn't disagree, at all. She'd been wary about Hargrove since he'd started at Hawkins High, and she wasn't sad that he graduated last semester.]

Hey. [She pauses, twisting on the seat to look at her.] Thanks.

Yeah.

[He mutters lowly as he begins the nightly cleanup. Thank God this shift is over. This job is truly humiliating. ]

[She lets herself sit for a few minutes, trying to decompress. The last two days have just been -- a lot. Between healing her mom and the physical pain that had accompanied that, to feeling her mom's emotions when she did it, to feeling Billy's aggression the malice he felt toward Steve was somehow worse. Stomach-turning.

She forces herself to get up, because sitting there isn't really helping, and the sooner they clean the place up, the sooner she can go home and hopefully pass out for 12 hours. She grabs a rag and starts wiping down the counters, chewing her lower lip.]

[Steve wants to get the hell out of this prison. The goddamn place is embarrassing and such a blow to his reputation. Shit, he fucking hates his father.

Hates. Him.

After a moment, he glances over at Robin. ]

Sure you're okay?

[She glances at him, offers him the tiniest of smiles.]

Yeah. Just looking forward to getting the hell out of here. [She presses her lips together.] Are you?

Yeah.

[Besides the whole being here and Billy Hargrove bullshit. ]

[She nods at that, going back to wiping things down and then finally, finally, it's time to go. Robin takes off her stupid hat and puts in her locker, strapping her purse across her body and shuffling out of the break room, flipping the lights off and prepping for the long walk home. She stretches her ankle out a little, reminds herself she's not actually injured, it just hurts because that's how the whole healing thing works. She'll be fine.]

See you tomorrow?

[Steve has already tossed his Scoops hat into his locker because gross. He's fetched his keys and is ready to say fuck this place for the night.

He dreads tomorrow.]

Unfortunately.

[He watches as she stretches her injured ankle.]

You park close?

I don't have a car.

[She shrugs. Their family only has one, and her dad has it today, working late. Also she doesn't have her license, but he doesn't need to know that. She was hoofing it tonight. Walking hurt less than biking right now, so...walking it is.]

[The hell?

Steve comes to a sudden stop. Why in the hell does she not have a vehicle? He can't help but raise an eyebrow, keys in hand. ]

Busses don't run this late.

[She's a little surprised he actually knows that. She wonders if he's ever taken a bus in his entire life.]

Nope. I'm walking. [She arches her eyebrows as she starts toward the employee exit in the back.]

[He knows things!

He shoots her a look as they both head towards the employee exit. ]

Uh. No.

What do you mean no? [She gives him a weird look.]

You're seriously going to walk home on a shit ankle in the dark?

Well it beats spending the night at Scoops. [Her voice is wry.] I bike in the dark all the time.

[Robin NO! That's absolutely ridiculous and very unsafe! ]

You'll never make it on that ankle....

You underestimate how badly I want to go home, Harrington.

I can give you a ride, ya know?

[He is absolutely full of surprises today. It's kind of freaking her out a little. It's making it harder for her to keep him in the little box she'd put him in Mrs. Click's class sophomore year.

She pauses at that, and looks at him.]

I haven't exactly been nice to you since we started working together. Why would you want to?

[It's probably the most genuine she's been around him in the last couple months.]

[Steve is well aware of his own reputation. He's been known as a huge asshole and he's learned to accept that. Robin hasn't been the nicest to him. Shit, she's been a huge pain in his ass but-

He knows what lurks in the dark of Hawkins.]

I mean if you're so eager to walk.

[Right. Offer recanted. She shouldn't be surprised. She shakes her head a little and starts out the door, clutching onto her purse strap and then grabbing her house keys out of her pocket to keep between her fingers because she's more concerned about the mundane dangers that lurk in the dark than the possibility of monsters.]

[Steve can't help but give a frustrated sigh. Why are girls like this? Seriously? He rolls his in an annoyed manner before he follows after Robin. ]

Seriously. Get in my car.

[Because men won't talk and that is frustrating! Men are frustrating, Steve!]

I live on the complete opposite side of town from you. [Like, almost to the trailer park. She reluctantly does follow him to his car, though, not entirely sure how she feels about the situation.]

And?

[She's acting like Steve Harrington has a curfew or somewhere he actually needs to be for the night.

Nope.

He does what he wants!]

Just telling you.

[She assumes he does have somewhere to be. He's Steve Harrington. But maybe she's trying to mentally prepare him for the fact that she lives in a pretty small, slightly run down house with hippies who have tacky gnomes and flamingos in the yard. She sighs softly, rubbing a hand over her face tiredly.]

Its fine.

[He moves to unlock the doors before he motions for her to get in. A nice drive might actually do him some good too. Its a rather nice night, warm. ]

Hungry?

Starving.

[She admits before she has time to consider her answer at all. She really is tired. She climbs into the passenger seat and exhales, leaning her head back against the headrest and turning her head to watch him climb into the car. Well. She sure never thought she'd be accepting a ride from Steve Harrington.]

You too?

[Steve's pretty exhausted himself. It's been a shitty couple of days and he's just over this Scoops bullshit. He's also really hungry and he would rather not cook this late. ]

Also starving. Preference?

[She mentally goes over the selection of drive thrus that are between here and her house.]

Taco Bell?

Taco Bell it is.

[He's literally hungry enough to get anything. ]

[She's quiet for most of the ride to Taco Bell, comfortable enough in the silence to even let her eyes close and willing her ankle pain to go away.]

Thanks. For the ride. [She's saying it now so she doesn't forget. She's an asshole but she's not that much of an asshole.]

Uh huh.

[Look, Steve can be a total jerk but he wasn't about to allow Robin to walk home alone and hurt. Anything possibly horrible could have happened to her. ]

What would you like ?

[He blows it off like it's nothing, and maybe to him it really is. He's a puzzle. Just when she thinks she has him figured out, he does or says something that thwarts her attempt to solve him.]

Just a couple soft tacos. [She doesn't carry much cash with her for safety reasons.]

[Steve Harrington is a hard case one can't unlock. He surprises himself sometimes. He makes the turn that pulls into the Taco Bell and he stops before heading towards the drive thru. ]

....That's it?

I have to watch my figure.

[She manages to say that with a completely straight face. Somehow.]

Right.

[The sarcasm in Steve's voice is dry and slightly frustrated. He pulls up to the drive thru and puts in their order. Thankfully they are the only ones in line.

Makes for a smooth process. ]

[She smiles a little at his sarcasm and she glances at him sideways as he pulls the car around.]

My house isn't too much farther. [She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear and lays her head back against the headrest once more.] Not far from Forest Hills.

[Steve shifts in order to pay for their food. You also have to give him a second Robin because he gets a bit caught up flirting with the pretty girl in the window.

He then pulls his car around so that he can handle over Robin her food and drink. ]

That trailer park, right?

[She rolls her eyes, but is otherwise unfazed by the flirting. She takes the food, tucking some cash into the center console of his car as nonchalantly as possible.]

Pretty close to it, yeah. [She takes a sip of the coke.]

Got.

[He mutters as he unwraps one of his own tacos and adds some much needed sauce. ]

You walk home a lot?

Usually I'm on my bike, but that hurts more than walking. We only have one car, and my dad was working late tonight.

[Since he's apparently fine with eating in his car, she unwraps one of her tacos and does the same.]

[Just don't get shit everywhere, Robin! He's also really hungry and needs a bite of something. ]

I can give you rides home if you need them ?

[She hesitates for a second, because her parents have drilled it into her head not to get indebted to people.]

Maybe just until the pain goes away? [Her voice is soft now. She thinks there's a good chance she'll be mostly recovered in a day or two, but.]

You really shouldn't be out alone at night.

[Jesus Christ. He must sound like a total controlling dick but he's genuinely concerned about her well being. Especially with terrifying monsters and guys like fucking Billy Hargrove.]

[She blinks a couple of times at that, bristling momentarily, but choosing to let that reaction go because she's not oblivious to the fact that some really creepy shit has happened in this town.]

Is this coming from...all the shit that happened a couple years ago with Jonathan Byers' little brother? Or is this more because of the Billy thing?

[Steve has to literally stop himself from saying fuck Jonathan Byers and everything he currently stands for but-]

A bit of both.

[She opens her mouth to respond, then takes a bite of taco instead, taking her time coming up with a reply because it's not like she's unconcerned. She's aware of the dangers. Had even felt it when Billy touched her. There had been...darkness there. Real darkness. Disturbing. A chill ran through her at the memory and she glanced at him sideways.]

You'd really wanna drive me home every night we work til close? [Which frankly is most nights.] That's a lot.

[It's Robin’s choice in the end.

Steve can't make her allow him to drive her home every single time they work together. He also doesn't want to make her feel uncomfortable or freaked out. ]

It's not a problem.

[Steve doesn't freak her out. He doesn't even make her uncomfortable. There's a weird sort of comradery between them that she doesn't really understand, but maybe it's just because they share a shitty job and they're the only ones they have to talk to most of those days. Except when his random children show up. She's still trying to figure that one out.]

Okay. If you're sure.

[You leave his random children be, Robin. He's a single mom that's trying his fucking best here.

But in all seriousness. He wants Robin to be safe and to get home safely. ]

I wouldn't have offered if I wasn't.

[She doesn't dislike his children, mind you. She's just bemused by the fact he's friends with so many of them!]

Okay. [It's probably weird that Steve is more concerned about this than her parents have been since she started working.]

[Maybe he wouldn't be all that concerned when she actually knew him back in Highschool? When he was best known as King Steve.

Shit, even then. ]

Its settled then.

Guess so.

[This whole week has been so weird. Today has been especially weird. She sorta feels like she's in the Twilight Zone as she gives him specific directions to her house.]

Okay, this is me. Thanks for the ride. [She hesitates, glances at him sideways.]

See you tomorrow?

[It doesn't take Steve long to reach their destination. He's a pretty fast driver and there is hardly any traffic on the road due to it being late. ]

Yeah. I'm pulling a double tomorrow.

[She grimaces.]

Yikes. Sorry. Okay. [Maybe she'll do something nice for him tomorrow, like stop and get him a coffee from The Roast at the other end of the mall before her shift starts.]

Yeah.

[He could use the money since his dad is being a total asshole but that goes without saying. ]

It'll be fine.

Okay.

[Robin reaches for the door handle, grabbing the remainder of her food and her drink to take with her on her way out.]

See you in the afternoon. I'm on at noon. [She's really not sure why an ice cream place needs to be open in the morning anyway, but whatever.]

[Possibly to prep?

Steve gives a little nod. He'll probably go home and be up most the night. That's usually how it goes these days. ]

See ya at noon.

[She gets out of the car and heads toward the house, fishing out her house keys and giving him a little wave over her shoulder before she slips the keys in the door and heads inside. She's just looking forward to getting off her feet for the next 18 hours or so.]

[Steve makes sure that she gets inside her house safely before he gives a nod of his head and takes off towards his own house. ]

[Robin does pretty well in the midst of a crisis. Stays calm. Keeps a level-head. She's not sure how or why she's able to do that, but it works. But now, in the aftermath of everything that's happened in the last -- she's not even sure. 48 hours? She's not entirely sure what day it is, she feels herself careening toward -- well. She's not entirely sure what, really. What she knows is she doesn't want to leave Steve's side anytime soon.

Her face hurts from being backhanded, but she knows it's nothing compared to the injuries Steve had sustained. She's sitting beside him in the back of an ambulance, dazed and wondering if she'd hallucinated half of the things that have happened, but when she looks at what's unfolding all around her -- all the ambulances and fire crew and government officials and all of Steve's kids scattered around in various states of shock and horror --

She knows it's not a hallucination. What the fuck.]

[Steve can't help but ask himself if he'll ever get use to the horrors that come with the Upside Down. Is this going to be a reoccurring thing or have they finally beat it?

His head is throbbing and everything feels so hazy. His whole body aches and he's still trying to process what in the hell just happened.

Was he really....

Tortured? Jesus Christ.

He doesn't want to think about it or anything for that matter. ]

[They're approached by a paramedic, who's very apologetic in telling them they need the ambulance they're sitting for a more critical situation. Robin doesn't have it in her to protest, but she looks at Steve, and he looks like he could fall over any time. He doesn't have his car keys, so she can't drive him anywhere, and she doesn't have a car. She looks across the way and spots Nancy and Jonathan and Mike? She thinks his name is Mike, anyway. ]

I'm gonna go get us a ride.

I'm fine.

Steve protests as they are booted out of the ambulance. It kind of hurts to stand but Steve will make do. He still feels a bit out of it and drugged.

The scene around them is chaotic. Steve can hear both Eleven and Joyce Byers crying, he doesn't know where Max is but he does know that Billy Hargrove is dead.

Shit.

Shiiiit. ]

I'm fine.

[If there's one thing she's learned in the last insane few hours it's that Steve absolutely prioritizes everyone else around him before he thinks about himself. So. She says the one thing she knows will make him less likely to argue with her plan.]

Well, I'm not. [Her voice is hushed.]

[Goddamnit.

Why did she have do that? The tone in her voice has Steve coming to a complete stop, he glances over at her in concern. His face looks absolutely awful and they are both pretty filthy. ]

...Are you hurt?

[She exhales, rubbing her hands over her face tiredly. She's goddamn exhausted and she's sure he is, too.]

I'm better off than most? I just -- I need to get out of here, Steve. And I don't --

[Goddammit, she's genuinely tearing up right now.]

I don't wanna be alone.

Hey....

[Steve's handsome but beat up face twists in concern as he takes a step closer to Robin. He knows she has to be just as emotionally drained as he is.

If not worse. This is all very new to her.

Fresh. ]

You're not.

[She lets out a shuddering breath, lifting her head to look at him, tears streaking down her dirty face.]

Can we just -- can we please get out of here? [She whispers.] Oh god -- we need to get Dustin and Erica. [Because they're out there alone on that hill so far out of town, alone, after everything.]

[Shit.

Right. He can't imagine how overwhelming and traumatic this all must be. Actually, he has a vague idea considering his own first experience. It had been scary as all hell. ]

We will get them, okay?

[Robin swipes away her tears, nodding and glancing over at all the people swarming around. They need a car to go get the kids because it's way too far to walk in Steve's condition. He's at least got a concussion, and she can take care of that, too, but not until they're alone, for so many reasons. Her gaze momentarily lands on El, who's crying, and now being embraced by Joyce and Will Byers. It takes her a second to realize she has not seen Chief Hopper around, and her stomach twists.]

Oh no. Hopper.

[Steve will make do. He always does in these sort of situations. He's actually gotten pretty damn good at it and just suffering through it all alone.

It's what he does best.

He hadn't even noticed that Hopper was missing until he lets his eyes fall along the scene too. ]

Shit...

[Her emotions and her thoughts are both all over the place. She needs to focus. Focus on figuring out how best to get them out of there, how best to get to the kids they'd been with for the better part of the last two (three? four?) horrible days.

She locks eyes on Nancy again, and makes her way over, talking to her quietly about Dustin and Erica. She nods, agrees to go retrieve the kids in the car. Then Robin focuses on one of the government officials that she's pretty sure is in charge, and she takes a deep breath before heading up to him, and...quietly asking for a ride. Which he agrees to, but not without having her sign an NDA that says she'll never talk about this incident with anyone outside of who was involved, ever, under threat of prosecution, which she signs without any hesitation, flinching away when someone's hand brushes over her arm. She's been touched more in the last few hours than she ever has, and it's horrible. Jesus.

Then, she and Steve are tucked into the back of a dark car, heading toward Steve's house.]

Nancy's getting the kids.

[Steve hesitates as Robin begins to walk towards Nancy Wheeler. He isn't really sure if that's a good idea, he isn't sure what Nancy is feeling or thinking. He had seen the way she looked at Robin and asked questions. ]

Robin!

[Too late.

Shit.

He jekrs away slightly, startled as one of the officials usher them towards a car. Jesus Christ .

He wishes Robin hadn't signed anything or asked for their help. ]

[The car ride is quiet and she's rarely in her life, had the urge to reach out and grab someone's hand for comfort, but right now is one of those times. She resists, because she definitely can't risk the fallout in front of someone from the government. That would be a whole new level of screwed.

But soon enough the car is pulling up in front of Steve's house. She's never been there before, and she wasn't prepared for how huge it is. Still, she can barely muster up enough energy to get out of the car, let alone be overwhelmed by the house size. She glances at Steve sideways, muttering a thanks to the agent who'd driven them and waiting for Steve to get out of the car, too.]

[Steve tries his best not to glance out the window in order to see if Nancy was alright too. Shit, his head is pounding and he can feel a huge amount of worry and guilt consume him suddenly.

Hopper was dead.

So was Hargrove.

Was Max alright? Dustin? Erica?

Jesus Christ he feels a bit nauseated.

It takes him a moment to exit the car, waiting for Robin once he does. ]

[She follows him out of the car, trying to keep her breathing slow and steady and not the panicky gasps she feels like she could devolve into at any time. Focus. She hesitates, glancing at Steve as the car drives away.]

You have spare keys, yeah? For your car? [Somewhere inside the house, she assumes. Everyone has spare keys, right? Her parents have spare keys to their car.]

[Steve doesn't bother watching the car drive off, he's already making his way towards his home. He knows Robin needs to get inside quickly, possibly even into a bed for the night?]

Yeah.

Okay.

[She follows him up the porch and to the door. She definitely wants to go to bed, but not until she takes care of him first, so he can go take care of the others while she sleeps it off. And...maybe after a shower.]

Steve, there's -- some stuff. Other stuff. That I haven't told you. {Because there hasn't been time, for one.]

[Steve gets the door and let's Robin head in first. He gestures for her to take a seat on the sofa, relax for a second.

If possible.

And then she springs that. Steve's eyebrows knit together in concern. ]

Did those government assholes threaten you? Is it those goddamn Russians?

....Are you hurt ?

No, I'm -- none of that.

[She won't let him think what he's probably thinking. What had definitely occurred to her during her own interrogation, but thankfully hadn't happened. She sits, but she gestures for him to do the same.]

Do you trust me?

[Her voice is hushed, vulnerable in a way he's never heard her sound before. Because even though her bombshell in the bathroom at Starcourt had been huge, and scary...it still wasn't her biggest, scariest secret.]

[Steve can't imagine what could have possibly happened to Robin too, he can't. He doesn't want to think of her being tortured herself or it even going beyond that.

He would go on a goddamn rampage.

Steve's eyes soften as Robin’s voice drops hushed and near silent. His chest goes tight and there is this sudden ping of fear at the tone of her voice.

The vulnerability.

After a second, Steve nods his head. ]

[The smile that nod earns him is tiny, fleeting, but genuine. She shifts a little, and then hesitantly reaches out, taking one of his hands in one of hers, and reaching up to touch his bruised face with the other, concentrating.

There's a lot there: not just pain, but emotions. Trust and worry and hope and so many others that it's hard to pick them apart right now. She pushes away at the feelings the way she does when she's focusing on healing one of her parents. She's never done this willingly for someone who wasn't her mom or dad.

His eye socket is fractured and that's where the worst of the pain is, but right on its heels is the pain in his ear, which is definitely ringing. She winces involuntarily, biting down on her lower lip and watching as the bruises on his face start to fade first -- the wounds that aren't quite as bad but still aren't pleasant. Then the healing goes deeper, the ringing in his ears likely starting to dissipate and then vanish even as it starts in her own. There are other places he's injured, too, that hadn't been as noticeable -- his ribcage that she hadn't realized were hurting until her own start to throb, and then the injury to his eye, the concussion. She feels nauseated and exhausted by the time that she lets go of his hand, lets her other hand drop from his face.

But his face is visibly healed, back to normal.]

Better?

Edited 2025-04-11 13:00 (UTC)

[Steve can't help but be slightly weary. Nervous about what Robin is about to tell him, his stomach tight and dark eyes focused. He jerks his head back startled when her hand rests upon his bruised face. ]

H-hey...

[There is this overwhelming sensation of warmth and comfort that spreads along his body like wild fire. Consuming every inch of him that's in pain and injured.

What in the hell is happening?

Steve can feel his eyes flutter closed as every bit of pain suddenly melts away. Even the ringing within his ear is gone.

This is-

Strange. Not normal. Crazy!]

What's happening?

[She exhales, slow and tired, slumping back against the sofa pillows more than leaning, like all the energy has been zapped out of her. But for now, at least, she's still conscious. Admittedly, she's not sure how long that's going to last, and it's kind of hard to keep her eyes open now.]

I can...do that. [Her voice sounds far away to her own ears, but that might be due to the ringing? She's not sure. She's also not sure how he'd managed to remain upright from this, but.]

Should...go check on the children.

[Steve can feel a tightness within his chest as he begins to breathe. There isn't any sharp pain within his ribs, no sudden ache in his head.

What the hell happened? What the hell is going on? What did Robin do. ]

What the hell did you do to me?!

[Steve's eyes widen in worry as Robin suddenly slumps over. ]

Robin? Hey, hey....

[He's afraid to touch her but after a moment, he helps her lay back completely. ]

Come on. Hey? Stay with me.

Healed.

[She tries to smile but can't quite manage it, and she's almost too exhausted to feel anything from him when he helps her lay down. Except it's easy to pick out two very prominent emotions swirling in him, in her now. Worry and...freaked out, which makes her wince. She hadn't intended to freak him out.]

Sorry. Wanted to...help. Gotta sleep now.

[Holy shit!

Is she dying? Seriously, what in the hell is happening to her? What in the hell just happened to him? Steve can hear his heart pounding within his chest.

Jesus. He can actually hear clearly. ]

Healed?

I can heal. [Talking takes so much effort right now, and she can differentiate if he's freaked out by her in general right now, or if he's freaked out because she's well on her way to a very long nap that she can't control at the moment. Could be either.]

'm okay. Just need to sleep. Check on...others.

...You can heal?

[Steve's expression is both confused and concerned. Eyebrows knitted together as he watches Robin curl up and her eyes shut.

Shit.

Should he get ahold of someone? Dustin?

Nancy.....

Jesus Christ. ]

[And she's out. And will be for about 12 hours without so much as moving. After two days without sleep, her own minor injuries, and the pain from his will make it almost impossible to wake her up.

Sorry, Steve. Check on your kids!]

[Goddamnit, Robin! What a way to leave him in a panic! Jesus Christ! Steve keeps a close eye on her for a good long minute. It appears that Robin is actually sleeping?

No signs of dying.

Good.

This is good.

Steve stays with her a little longer before he actually does check in with everyone else. ]

[When she finally, finally starts to wake up, everything fucking hurts, but she's no longer exhausted, so she'll mark that in the win column. Still, her head is throbbing, her left ear is still ringing though less than before. She's improving, so that's also a plus.

Except when she opens her eyes, for a couple long moments, she has no idea where she is and there's a moment of panic. Is she somewhere with the Russians? Had the rest been some sort of fever dream?

...she's pretty sure the Russian's didn't have a couch this nice, or a big screen TV a few feet away. Her vision is swimming as she forces herself to sit up, nauseated but starving at the same time. Where the hell was she?

Right. Steve's house. Christ. Where was he? Was he okay? Had she healed him? Everything was too fuzzy.]

Steve?

[Steve let's her sleep but he can't hold back the worry as eight hours turn to ten, then twelve and so on. That's not a normal sleeping pattern and Steve can't help but wonder if maybe he should get help?

Something.

What if Robin happened to be suffering or worse? He debates reaching out to either Dustin or Nancy.

Fuck.

Steve can be found in his kitchen making breakfast. The aroma of food dancing in the air. ]

[She doesn't feel great about walking, feeling a bit off balance as she forces herself to her feet and follows her nose into the kitchen to see what's going on. She rubs a hand over her face sleepily, hoping there's some caffeine in the vicinity.

He cooks. She's not sure why she hadn't expected that, she knows enough to know he's on his own a lot. She just figured he did a lot of fast food like most teen boys.

She leans against the wall for support, trying to get her eyes to focus on him at the stove.]

Hey.

[You can't do fast food all the time, right? It gets a bit old and expensive. There is also the fact that Steve's favorite meal of the day is breakfast.

That could be due to his grandmother. He used to love her cooking.

He turns quickly when he hears Robin’s soft and still rather weak voice.]

Holy shit you're finally awake!

Yeah. What -- how long was I out?

[Usually 8 - 12 hours staves off the exhaustion part of things from a big healing. Because it's light out in a way that suggests it's later than early morning at least. She closes her left eye because she's seeing double, but when she does, that goes away at least. Just one of him now. Normal.]

A fucking long time.

[Steve isn't trying to come off as aggressive or annoyed. He's genuinely concerned and he has a million and one questions. ]

Well past 12 hours....

Oh.

[That's...different. But then healing one of her parents had never gone beyond a single broken bone at a time, and she'd never had to heal one of them on no sleep.

Still. His face was healed, and she knew the rest of him was, too, and that --

That was worth it.]

What the hell was all that?

[Steve gets straight to it as he moves to fetch a chair for Robin to sit down. He doesn't want her passing out on him or worse.

He the fetches her some orange juice. ]

[She's not surprised. She can see the concern that's still lingering on his face even if she can't actually feel it right now. She sits when he gets her a chair, offering him a tiny smile and thanks.]

It's...just a thing I can do? Since I was a kid. Heal people. It's just kinda -- draining? Sometimes?

Sometimes? Sometimes!? You fucking passed out for over 12 goddamn hours.

[It was absolutely terrifying and Steve felt beyond hopeless. That's such a shitty feeling, a weak one. ]

Just something you can randomly do? Seriously?

[She winces at that, giving an apologetic look.]

I'm sorry. I didn't know that was going to happen. I didn't -- know how bad you were hurt until I was already healing you and then it was just --

[Robin waves a hand between them.]

I didn't mean to freak you out. I just wanted to help.

So you can just-

[Steve waves his hands about before they settle along his hips. ]

Heal people? Just like that.

Yeah, pretty much. [She bites her lip for a moment, then takes a hesitant sip of the orange juice he'd gotten for her.]

I mean, I don't exactly know if it was something I was born with or if it was courtesy of -- um, well. Being tested on? But.

[She shrugs, not looking at him this time.]

Wait. What?

[Steve can't help but drag his hands down his face. ]

Tested on?!

Steve. It was a really long time ago.

[Her voice is hushed.]

[Steve shakes his head, face twisting in a range of mixed emotions. He can understand why Robin has kept this secret.

It can be dangerous if the wrong people knew. ]

Like with what happened with Eleven?

I don't -- know enough about that to have an answer. Maybe? [She takes another drink of her juice, closing both of her eyes for a moment because her head is pounding.]

Is that what happened to her?

She was basically experimented on too.

[Jesus Christ.

This is all so goddamn insane.]

[She presses her lips together at that, expression troubled. She has about a million and one questions about Eleven, this new information, the monsters, all of it, but it's hard to focus for long on any one thing.]

She's young.

And? They were other kids with her too.

[She sets the glass down on the floor, pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them.]

I guess I'd just hoped -- [She shrugged. That the whole thing had fallen to pieces a long time ago. That there weren't others.]

You don't have to talk about it.

[Because Steve doesn't honestly know how to feel about any of this. He's going to focus on breakfast again. Thankfully nothing burned during this conversation.

BACON IS SAFE!]

[Thank God for bacon! She exhales as he heads to the stove again, and it gives her a few minutes to breathe and try to pull her thoughts together.]

No, I know you have questions. I mean, I think we both have a lot of questions. But my head is sorta pounding. [She exhales.] Also I -- need to use the bathroom and I don't know where it is.

Down the hall and to your right once you exit the kitchen

[Steve isn't sure if he should actually ask more questions or not. ]

Thanks.

[She unfurls from her position and heads down the hall, making a face at her reflection in the mirror. She looks...disgusting. She feels disgusting. She does her business, then washes her hands, then splashes cold water on her face a few times. It doesn't help her headache in the least, but it makes her feel a little more alert. She wonders if she should call her parents. They were probably wondering where she was, but they'd always seemed so disappointed by the fact that most nights she was home and in bed before 10. Disappointed that she wasn't doing more, didn't have friends, didn't have activities outside of her nerd stuff -- band and drama and soccer. Well. Maybe this would give them perspective? If they even noticed. It was a toss up.

After a few more moments, and after combing out her hair with her fingers and making another face at herself, she headed back toward the kitchen, letting her hand rest on the back of the chair he'd given her earlier as she stood silent, watching him.]

I guess -- I need to know if you're mad at me? And I probably should get out of your hair.

[By the time Robin returns, Steve has set the table with breakfast. It's nothing really fancy. Eggs, bacon, gravy and some biscuits.

Look, he enjoys breakfast. Who doesn't? Seriously? ]

...Mad?

You know, because I freaked you out.

[With the passing out for over 12 hours thing. Although she's guessing it's a no because he's made a ton of food and set two places at the table.]

[He's not going to let you starve Robin, gawd!]

I was worried.

[She nods a little at that, and slowly heads toward the second place setting, sitting down.]

Okay.

How could I not be?

[She glances over at him, considering. That sorta. Brings up the other thing.]

Yeah, um. So, the more uncomfortable part of this whole thing is that in addition to healing, I can pick up on people's emotions. When they touch me. Or when I touch them.

[And she's a little concerned that part will make him mad.]

And I totally get that it's like, a violation of privacy and that's why I don't generally touch people or let people touch me, because it feels wrong to know how other people are feeling if they don't want that to be known? Even my parents get pretty freaked out by it, so -- we don't really -- you know. Hug? [Ever.] But um, yeah, I knew you were worried and I'm really sorry because I should have probably told you that part before just like -- [She waves her hand between them again.] -- healing you and everything. I just wanted to make sure you were okay and you know, I wasn't sure if you'd let me heal you if you knew that part and that's completely my fault, and I'm really sorry, Steve. [Oh god, she's rambling. Stop her.]

[Jesus Christ.

She's rambling. Welp! It's a lot for Steve to take in and process all at once. First she hits him with thise whole healing thing, then she passes out for literally hours and now she's telling him that she can feel emotions based on touch.

What the hell?

Steve's body goes tense and his jaw clinched. Shit.

What exactly did she feel from him? Guilt? Sorrow? Heartache? Full blown anger.

Goddamn. ]

You should eat.

Yeah.

[Yep, he's pissed. She can't blame him, but it does make her eyes tear up as she grabs a piece of bacon and stuffs it in her mouth, heart beating quickly in her chest.]

[He's not mad. At least he doesn't think he's mad? Just very overwhelmed and confused. This is a lot to process. Not just everything with Robin but the whole battle of Starcourt mall.

It's a lot. ]

[It is a lot. She probably shouldn't have dumped any of this on him right now, but her head's a mess and it wasn't like she could just not give him any answers about the whole healing ability thing after last night. She eats a couple more bites and rests her hands in her lap, willing the pain in her head to stop throbbing.]

I should get going. Uh -- thanks. For the food and the juice.

[Steve doesn't eat much, if any at all and he really loves breakfast! His mind is too busy spinning with a million and ten thoughts. What if the government finds out about Robin.

Does her powers go beyond just healing? Is she also connected to the Upside Down or-

Does she know that Steve actually had feelings for her before she told him that she preferred girls? Where does all of this leave them now ? ]

Right.

Okay.

[She rose to her feet slowly, carrying her plate to the sink and putting it to soak. Running away right now absolutely seems like the best plan because she's pretty sure he's mad at her, maybe doesn't want to be her friend anymore, which...was more what she meant on the bathroom floor before she'd told him the other secret. But. It's fine. She's pretty much gone this long without having any real friends, so, she'll be fine.]

See you.

[Annnnnd she's heading for the door.]

Why did you heal me?

[The question comes spilling out of his mouth before Steve can actually stop himself.

Why heal him if it was only going to hurt her in the end?]

I was fine. I would have been fine.

[Of all the questions she'd anticipated, that wasn't one of the ones she'd been expecting.]

Because I care about you, dingus. Because when they threw me in that room with you and you were on the ground, you weren't moving, and I couldn't even tell if you were alive for -- I don't even know how long. I thought you were dead.

[She wraps her arms around herself protectively.]

I heard it. Them hurting you. I was close, in another room. But I heard all of it.

[Goddamnit!

Steve can feel his jaw grow tight once again. She heard it? Shit. Why did she have to hear it? Any of it. That thought alone both infuriated him and made him sick to his stomach. ]

But now you're hurt.

I'll be fine, Steve. It just takes a little time to bounce back. I'm not actually hurt. It doesn't work like that.

You fucking passed out for over 12 hours. Seems pretty serious.

Yeah, well, I hadn't slept in like two days before I healed you. I'm not saying it doesn't take a toll, but I wanted to do it. You were hurt and I could help. It was all I could do. I'm sorry I didn't try and warn you that might happen before I did and that it freaked you out. But this won't last for long for me.

[It would have for him, to heal at a normal speed.]

Yeah, well you really scared the hell out of me. Not the whole healing thing but the passing out. I didn't know what to do. I didn't know if you were dying or if you were alright.....

[She takes a step toward him, but not any closer.]

I'm sorry. [Her voice is hushed, but very, very sincere.]

[It had really scared the shit out of him. The thought of actually losing her too after everything.

He gives a little nod of his head. ]

Are we okay?

I want us to be.

Me too. [She looks down.]

[Besides those shitty little brats. Steve doesn't really have anyone else.

As pathetic as that is.

And with that, Steve gently steps forward and embraces her into a hug. ]

[Robin is caught off guard when he moves in and hugs her, especially knowing what he knows about her abilities. But it's been so long since anyone hugged her. She tucks her head under his chin, closing her eyes tight as she winds her arms around him, too.]

[Steve can't remember the last time he's actually hugged someone. Shit, maybe back when he was dating Nancy Wheeler or something?

Regardless, Robin looked like she needed it. ]

[It takes her a minute to realize that while, yeah, she does feel the worry, and the sincere care he feels toward her, it's not like it usually is when someone touches her. It doesn't feel overwhelming, doesn't eat at her or make her want to crawl out of her skin. She can also feel that he's finding at least some comfort from the embrace, too and she exhales, relaxing a little more.]

[Steve just wants to make sure she's safe and okay. They both have had a rough few days. Being held captive by Russians, the fall of Starcourt and the Mindflayer.

Her healing abilities. It's so much and it's almost suffocating. ]

Thanks.

[Her voice is quiet. She can sense that he's feeling overwhelmed by everything, and she can't blame him because it's been A Lot. But she finds herself rubbing his back in some almost subconscious attempt to help soothe him, too.]

Yeah.

[Steve keeps his arms wrapped around her gently. Chin lightly resting along her head.

They were going to be okay, right? They had to be. ]

[She lets her eyes close, realizing that the ringing in her ear has been replaced by the sound of his heartbeat, strong and steady. Oh.]

[Steve can't help that he's a natural protector. He's been protecting those little assholes for awhile now and Robin is a member of their little chaotic group.

Of course he's going to protect her too. ]

[After another moment, she reluctantly pulls away to look at him.]

You don't seem freaked out. [She's not sure what to make of that part.]

I was more worried.

[The whole being freaked out vanished the very second he thought something was seriously wrong with her. ]

[Robin hesitates.]

I meant - now. You hugged me voluntarily even though you knew... [Her voice trails off.] It still freaks Melissa and Richard out.

You looked upset?

[And he wanted her to not be. ]

Those your parents?

I kinda wasn't sure you still wanted to be my friend.

[But she nods at the question.]

Yeah. Sometimes they'd rather me call them by their names than Mom and Dad. Probably because I'm not really their kid, I guess?

Why not?

[He nods slightly about the comment directed towards her parents.]

That's kinda shitty.

I guess I thought when you found out that I'm kind of a freak it might scare you off.

[She shrugs a little, though.]

They're not bad people. I think they love me? They're just...march to the beat of their own drum.

You do remember what we just went through, right? This town isn't fucking normal.

[He nods a little again. ]

Parents are assholes.

[She hasn't even begun processing the fact that monsters exist yet. That is going to take some time. But.]

Yeah, but are you just super excited for the next round of monsters and weird?

[That is her point.]

I wish it would all end if I was being honest. Hopefully it's over.

Yeah. Yeah, hopefully. [She exhaled, then looked back at the table still full of food.] I'm kinda still hungry.

Well, I did make breakfast for a reason.

[Considering Robin had been out of it for what seemed like forever.]

[She offered him a wan smile at that.]

Valid point.

[She moved to sit back down at the table, feeling a little more secure about things at the moment.]

You should eat.

We probably both should. [Because she's pretty sure she'd eaten more than him and that hadn't been much.]

I'm not really all that hungry.

You made a lot of food.

[Which she knows she can't eat all by herself. Not by a long shot. But she looks up at him curiously.]

Yeeaah.

[He must have been stressed cooking?]

I've always really liked breakfast.

[There's certainly been enough stress to go around a few blocks.]

Me too. [She tucks into the eggs, bringing one of her legs up into the chair and resting her chin on her knee, still more tired than she'd like to be after having been unconscious for that long.]

Do you cook a lot?

It depends.

[He gives a small shrug as he reaches for a few pieces of bacon. ]

I don't really mind it though.

[She considers that.]

I do most of the cooking at my house.

Yeah?

[He glances up for a second. ]

My mom's a terrible cook and my dad usually works late so if we wanna eat something edible...

[She shrugs, glancing up at him.]

[Steve laughs a little before he eats a piece of the bacon. ]

Both mine don't cook either.

[Something else they have in common. Trippy.]

Guess we're just extra prepared when it's time to strike out on our own.

I'm actually really looking forward to that.

Yeah, me too. [She nibbles on another piece of bacon.]

Really?

[He glances up at her again as he breaks apart his bacon and eats it.]

I can't wait, yeah. To have my own space and be done with school and just...I don't know, have a life.

Yeah.

[He glances down slightly at that. ]

[She watches him, chewing and swallowing her food.]

Pretty sure that's gonna be awhile though.

Yeah.....

[Robin's quiet for a few minutes. Then:]

Are you okay?

[Steve doesn't like to discuss himself all that much these days.

Shit. He's never really talked to anyone about escaping Hawkins and starting a life. ]

I just feel stuck.

[Now might be the perfect time to start.]

In Hawkins? Or by it?

Everything, ya know?

Yeah. I kinda do. [She gives him a sad sort of smile. She wishes she didn't. She wishes neither of them did.]

[Steve doesn't say anything else. He can't help but wonder of maybe this was his karma?]

Monday.

Monday?

The doctor said they could release me Monday. If, you know, there's someone willing to sign as a guardian.

I'll be there.

Okay. Thanks.

[A tiny, tiny part of her had been afraid he'd change his mind on the offer. Not because Steve had given any indication of the sort, but -- well. She doesn't have the best history with adult-shaped people. Ever.]

Sure.

We got you a room set up.

Edited 2025-04-13 01:19 (UTC)

You did?

Yeah. It's down stairs for now. You can always switch once you're fully healed.

You and El can even have a decorating party or whatever teenage girls do.

[She thinks El will have fun with that. Max isn't too worried about decorating since she can't see anyway, but she doesn't want to hurt Steve's feelings.]

Sounds good. And mostly we read comic books and go shopping and play games.

I think it would be nice for the both of you.

Yeah. Back to some kind of normal.

[While they all pretend like they're not bracing from the next wave of bullshit from the Upside Down to hit.]

As normal can be.

Yeah. I'm a little worried about leaving Eddie, though.

I'm sure he'll get out soon too.

I hope so.

We can always ask about him being released.

Do you think they're keeping him so long because they still think he's guilty?

That's what I'm kinda afraid of.

Maybe I can help him then.

Nancy has been trying her best.

I guess I'm just thinking that -- since what happened to the others is basically what happened to me, you know minus the actual staying dead part...maybe they'd listen to me.

[She hesitates.]

And maybe some misdirection could help.

I don't know if they would. That's the problem.

Do you think it would hurt to try?

I don't at all.

Eddie is innocent.

Okay.

[She's got the tiniest of ideas forming.]

Alright then.

[Star Court had burned a couple weeks before, and she and Steve had been spending a lot of time together. They hadn't started looking for other jobs yet, but they were supposed to start today. Except now she definitely couldn't.]

change of plans
i can't leave the house

Are you okay?

pretty sure it's the plague, actually

What happened?

dad woke up sick.

[She knows he'll understand what that means.]

Goddamnit.

Pretty much, yeah.

You need anything?

The sweet release of death.

That bad, huh?

Pretty sure this would have taken him down for at least a week.

Jesus.

Let me guess. You don't have any medicine that could help?

It won't work because I'm not actually sick. It's like...phantom illness.

...Right.

So gotta postpone my side of job hunting. Maybe tomorrow?

Maybe.

I hope you have a good day anyway.

I'll probably just chill at home.

Okay.

You sure there isn't anything I can do to help?

wanna come watch movies while I fall asleep?

Your parents won't freak out?

They're at work.

Alright.

I'll leave the door unlocked.

Okay.

You want some soup or anything?

Sure. Soup's good.

Preference?

Chicken noodle?

Chicken noodle it is.

Thanks, Steve.

Sure.

Give me a bit and I'll head that way.

[By the time Steve arrives, she'd managed to make it to the front door to unlock it and...was promptly far too tired to make it back down the hall to her room, so she'd sprawled out on the sofa, one arm tucked beneath a pillow and the other beneath her stomach, willing herself to just pass out so the various aches and pains would stop.]

[Steve tries to stay as quiet as possible as he enters Robin’s house. He doesn't want to accidentally disturb her if she's resting.

And sure enough.

Steve let's her bed as he heads towards the kitchen in order to put up the soup. ]

[Over an hour passes before she drifts awake, forehead furrowing in discomfort as she slowly opens her eyes to find Steve in the living room a few feet away. She exhales and manages a tiny smile before letting her eyes close again.]

How long have you been here?

[Steve shifts slightly when he hears Robin’s groggy voice. Dark eyes fall along her softly and he offers a small smile. ]

Over an hour.

[She groans a little.]

'm the worst host ever.

You're not feeling well and I wasn't going to disturb you.

Thanks. [She managed to open her eyes again, though the light made her head throb painfully, which was generally the worst part.]

Glad you're here.

Yeah.

[Robin definitely looks like she doesn't feel well at all. ]

I put the soup in the fridge for you.

Okay.

[She closes her eyes again, turning her head and coughing into the pillow beneath her.]

Wanna put on a movie?

You sure it isn't going to disturb you? You look pretty damn exhausted.

Which sucks cause I woke up and I was fine.

[She smiled fleetingly.]

It'll be fine. I like having some background noise when I sleep. Makes me feel like I'm not alone.

[Did she mean to admit that? Probably not.]

Alright.

[Steve doesn't mind backgrounds noise himself. It keeps his mind pretty distracted.]

Anything specific?

Anything's fine. [She probably won't be awake for much of whatever it is, anyway. But at least she probably won't be passed out for sixteen hours?]

Right.

[He gets up and moves towards the video tapes. Surely he'll be able to find something to entertain them both. ]

[Robin listens to him looking through tapes and then eventually sliding one into the VCR and booting up the TV. She appreciates that he keeps the sound on the lower level.]

You can sit on the couch if you want. [It was going to be the easiest place to watch TV from.]

[Steve moves to join her along the sofa. Letting her stayed curled up and comfortable. He really hates seeing her like this and hoped it'll pass soon. ]

You should try eating later.

Yeah.

[She shifted a little to give him a bit more space.]

I will.

Hopefully it will help you feel better.

[At least give her a bit of strength.]

'm sure it will.

[She closed her eyes.]

Yeah.

Tell me how you get wrapped up in all this interdimensional stuff? [Her voice is sleepy.]

It's a long story.

Not going anywhere. [At least she isn't.]

[Steve just let's out a small sigh. ]

Come on, it'll help me sleep. [It definitely will not, but you're lucky she hasn't asked before now, Steve. It's been like three weeks.]

It all started when Will Byers went missing.

[Surely Robin had heard about it or seen the flyers. ]

And then Barb went missing....

[She forces herself to breathe slowly at that. She'd so been hoping that Barb had just taken off, the way Robin had planned to.]

You've been involved that long?

Since 83', yeah.....

So Will was in the Upside Down. [That...actually puts a lot of things into context.]

Yeah. Will missing and Barb missing brought Nancy and Jonathan together. You know, the whole shared trauma bullshit.

[She might be a lot more familiar with that these days, Steve. In practice rather than as a concept.]

Okay. And you got involved because of Nancy.

[That made a little sense at least, given the boy who went missing was best friends with Nancy's little brother and also her best friend went missing. She remembers seeing Steve and Nancy together after Will showed back up, though. At the movie theater, in fact, on what she assumed was a date. She doesn't want to press on the Nancy thing, though. She's not trying to hurt Steve.]

Yep.

[Better known as one of the biggest mistakes of his life. ]

[She's quiet for a moment, thinking. Then:]

I'm still processing that monsters are real. You know, the non-human kind.

Very much real.

[She shifts on the couch, trying to get more comfortable but also wanting to see him, which requires sitting up a little.]

But the gate thing is closed now, right? Whatever Joyce and Chief Hopper did...closed it?

[That had also gotten Hopper killed.]

So we can hope.

You don't think so, though?

I honestly don't know.

[He shifts slightly along the sofa. ]

I want to.

[She watches him, then hesitantly reaches her hand out toward him, shifting closer to the edge of the couch to make space for him to lie down behind her if he wants to.]

Me too.

Yeah....

[Steve is hesitant for a moment before shifting once again to join her. ]

[She rests her head back down on the pillow, biting her lip.]

But if it's not...

What makes you say that?

Just thinking about what happens if it's opened again or whatever. I mean we killed that -- Mind Flayer. Right?

Doesn't mean there isn't anymore or something far worse. That seems to be the norm of the Upside Down.

Something bigger than a giant melted person monster? [Jesus. She tugs his arm over her almost absently, but keeps her hand over his sleeve and not on bare skin. For privacy reasons.]

I don't really want to think about it.

[Starcourt mall had been enough. A shitty reminder that this town is cursed, if not worse. ]

[She nods a little in agreement. That giant monster haunted her when she slept. Not as often as Russians, but often enough that she didn't sleep that well most nights anymore.]

Maybe there's a nice dimension somewhere, with like...unicorns and mermaids.

I highly doubt that. Everything just seems like shit, ya know? Pure goddamn shit.

Damn, Harrington. Let a girl dream. [She mumbles, exhaling.]

I'm being honest and realistic.

Shoot for comforting instead. [She sighs.]

It's Hawkins.....

[She nudges him lightly in the ribs with her elbow.]

Not helping.

[The sudden nudge causes him to shift slightly.]

Its reality.

[She gives up on the idea of comfort, groaning.]

Reality sucks.

Sorry?

[Look, a lot has happened Robin. He can't help but be a little depressed. ]

[Robin shifts, turning so she's facing him and resting her forehead against his chest.]

It's fine. No point in trying to pretend it doesn't suck, I guess.

It's got to get better eventually, right? Isn't that what they always go on about?

Yeah, but they're usually wrong, aren't they?

Maybe?

[He shifts a little more before signing softly. ]

Is this okay?

[Their position, she means.]

Mhmm.

[It's actually rather comforting.]

[It kind of is. More than words of reassurance, by a lot, which is probably good for both of them.]

Okay. I can't - pick up on things without skin contact. In case you were worried.

Okay.

[He mutters softly as they both seem to ease and grow a bit more comfortable.]

[This time, she falls asleep in a matter of minutes, relaxed and warmer than usual thanks to their combined body heat.]

Your friend stopped by looking for you again.

Seriously?

Seriously.
He only lingered for a half hour this time, so. Progress.

Goddamnit!

Next time he shows up, do you want me to just tell him to fuck off?

He's not taking the hint.

I won't be subtle.

It's Tommy.

I don't know what that means in this context.

He might try something.

I will...take your word on that.

Yeah....

Are you OK now?

Yeah I'm fine.

But he's convinced we're dating.

Did he say something?

Just kept talking about how he doesn't think you're over Nancy Wheeler.

Jesus Christ.

So that's been my shift so far.

What a dick.

He left now though.

I seriously don't get his deal.

Who even knows.

I have no idea why he's even hanging around.

Hanging around the store, or Hawkins in general? Because either way, same.

Both.

Probably a mystery we aren't going to solve.

I wish he would leave.

~~You and me both.~~

I'm sure he'll eventually get bored and move on.

I don't know.

I'm surprised he came back here in the first place.

Right?

Who gets out of here and comes back?

Why I'm the hell would you want too?

Beats me.

Yeah.

[She slips out of bed beside him early Sunday morning, showering quickly, piling her hair up in a clip atop her head and getting dressed before she takes over the entire kitchen, though she cleans up as she goes. She's more than halfway through prepping for dinner when she starts on breakfast -- French toast and bacon, figuring Steve will be waking up soon. She's putting the finishing touches on breakfast when she hears him on the stairs and she glances at the clock -- nearly ten. Not bad timing-wise on her part. Yay.

She'd taken time to make up not one, but ten Easter baskets on the kitchen table, all of which are overflowing with Easter grass, colorful plastic eggs filled with candy (and some spare change in a few of them), and chocolate bunnies in packaging. They're set neatly side by side, labeled with names but out of the way of the two place settings that are set up for breakfast. She wipes down the stove, setting the plates on the table just as Steve enters the room.]

Morning!

[Steve isn't really much for holidays anymore. They lost their magic years ago and he's not much for celebrating. It's the delicious smell of food that pulls him out of bed, stretching every part of his body as he does so.

He rubs the sleep from his eyes before he heads down the stairs. Clearly Robin is bright eyes and bushy tailed this morning. He comes to a slow stop when he notices the adorable Easter baskets along the table.

Oh yeah. Busy was an understatement.]

Morning.

[She hasn't been much for holidays for years, because her parents had very strange ideas about holidays and what they should mean. She knows from some of their conversations that holidays overall weren't Steve's thing either, for similar reasons to hers but...

But she'd gotten this idea a few days ago, and this felt like a chance to reinvent what it was all supposed to mean. Or what it could mean. It could be fun and different. They could make their own rules about holidays. Plus Max was coming home tomorrow. And maybe she'd gone overboard, but that's just how she is when she gets excited about something.]

Sleep okay? [Neither of them, to her knowledge, had startled awake from any nightmares, which was a nice change.]

Yeah.

[Steve could have slept the whole day away. He's feeling pretty exhausted here lately due to being slightly overwhelmed with Max moving in. Thankfully his house was pretty much prepared for her arrival.

At least he hoped it was.

He can't help but tilt his head a little at the decorative baskets. ]

You've been busy.

Good.

And...yeah. I thought it'd be fun to give all the kids Easter baskets. [Especially since it would be Max's first without any parents in the picture at all.]

Obviously.

[You got a bit carried away, Robin! These kids are little shit heads!]

There's one for you too.

[She points to it. It's the biggest of the ten, but mostly because she plans to eat some of the candy, so.]

Seriously?

[He hasn't had an Easter basket since he was like 7 or so, Robin. ]

Yeah?

[She makes a face.]

I made yours first. And then I was thinking about how maybe the kids' parents don't do anything for them for Easter, and we know Max's won't be and...it just sort of spiraled from there.

[Shit.]

You really went all out for the little shitheads, huh?

Yeah, I guess. [She considers.] My parents never wanted to do anything for Easter but I always envied the kids who got all the candy and had fun, you know? There...may be about two hundred plastic eggs hidden around the house for tomorrow.

[Because she has no idea that all of the kids will be there to help Max get settled.]

You hid eggs around the house?

[Jesus Christ, Robin. Hopefully she didn't go anywhere near the pool.

He sighs slightly, a hand going up to run through perfect and slightly messy hair. ]

I'm not much for Easter, ya know ?

I know. Your parents sucked.

[She moves to get the milk out of the fridge to pour them something to drink with their breakfast.]

Just figured we could do better than our families did.

Yeah.

[Thanks for that reminder,Robin. ]

This will be good for Max. Smart thinking on your part.

[She just voiced the truth that they both know.]

Thanks. Hope you're hungry?

For breakfast? Always.

[You know it's his all time favorite meal, Robin. You never skip breakfast.

Ever. ]

[And that's why their entire dinner spread is other breakfast foods and not a thing that's traditionally considered Easter, except well. Eggs.]

Great. Eat up.

[She plants herself at her usual spot at the table and picks up her fork.]

You really didn't have to do all of this, you know?

[He nods towards both the food and cute Easter baskets.]

Thanks.

I know. I wanted to. I don't really know why. Just...fixated on it this week and then --

[She waves her hand around.]

Thought it might be interesting to start our own tradition.

I'm not much for holidays.

[Robin of all people knows that. Holidays just aren't the same anymore and they're constantly lacking.]

But it'll be good for Max, yeah?

And Eddie. And all the kids, really.

[Hopefully.]

I know damn well Eddie will like it.

[Eddie literally likes anything that involves food. Especially candy. ]

Eleven too.

[She smiles, digging into her food.]

Figured we could take Max and Eddie their baskets later today.

[Steve laughs a little. ]

I think they would both really appreciate that. More so Eddie.

Yeah, probably.

[She laughs, too.]

I really hope we can get him out of there soon.

[Before something horrible actually happens.]

Yeah, me too.

Especially now that he won't have Max.

[This has been a concern for Steve for a good while. ]

We can take turns going up there like we have been all along. He won't be alone.

Yeah.

[Steve is just worried that the cops will try to take Eddie eventually. ]

[She's worried about that, too. She reaches out and squeezes his hand.]

[Steve gives a half, weak smile. ]

We can't let anything happen to him.

We won't.

I just want him the hell out of there. I don't trust the hospital with him much.

[As stupid as that sounds. ]

I take it as a good sign that they let Max move into his room to begin with. Someone there must know the accusations are false.

Pretty sure that was Nancy just being threatening.

Yeah, maybe. [She's not sure that alone would do it, regardless of how threatening Nancy is.]

She's pretty damn good at it.

She is. I'm just not sure the hospital administrative staff finds her as scary as we do. [Because if they were scared of her, they'd probably call the police and have her barred from the hospital.]

Who knows.

Are you okay?

Can't sleep.

Yeah same.

[She's...not sure how she knew that. But she'd suddenly found herself worried about him as she stared up at her ceiling, not able to sleep.]

Are you okay?

[She's not sure either of them is okay.]

Yeah, just. Nightmares.

Those are always the worst.

[Especially when one or both of them seem to die in most of the nightmares she has.]

Definitely. I think I might start drinking coffee.

Not exactly the best idea.

Might help me function a little better during the day at least?

Still not great for you.

Nothing fun in life is good for you.

That's life for you.

You sure you're alright, though?

Yeah I guess so.

Yeah. Are you?

I've been better.

Do you want some company?

Company sounds nice.

[Relief. Because yes. Same.]

Okay. I'll see you soon.

Wait.

Want me to come get you?

Oh. Yeah, sure.

[That's probably a safer choice.]

Pack yourself some clothes.

Will do. Want me to bring anything else? Snacks? Movies?

Sounds good.

We can set up camp in my living room.

Cool. Sounds good.

[She's out of bed and packing stuff in a duffel bag very quietly so her parents don't wake up.]

I'll grab extra blankets on my way down stairs.

Maybe park a bit up the road? I'll watch for you.

Sneaking out?

Pretty much. I'll leave them a note.

Good idea.

I have those on occasion.

You sure they'll be alright?

Yeah they'll be fine.

[Probably.]

Works for me.

After this.

[It's nearly two hours after her shift is over that Nancy drops her off at Steve's. At this point she mostly feels numb, but she's also exhausted. She won't keep it from Steve because she can't, especially not with Hopper involved now, but she's not about to start filling him in while Max is around either. Jesus, like that kid has anything else she needs to worry about. Neither does Steve, really. None of them need this.

She'd had more than one unpleasant encounter with Dash Montague, but she hadn't seen him since he'd graduated over a year ago until he'd turned up at the store a couple weeks ago for the first time. And then again today. She raked a hand through her hair as she used her keys and let herself into the Harrington mansion, drawing in a breath and pasting a smile on her face as she spotted Steve and Max on the sofa side by side, Max's wheelchair across the room.]

Hey, I'm back.

[Steve had spent his day off tending to Max and her needs. He's also been cleaning up a few rooms around the house for Eddie. Steve hasn't approached the metalhead just yet about the offer, he hasn't told Max either but it's an option.

Robin being two hours late doesn't go unnoticed but Steve figured maybe Robin chose to pick up a few extra hours or she just needed some alone time.

Steve offers up a small smile himself as Robin enters. ]

Hey.

[She lifts her hand in a wave and slips her shoes off by the door, but out of the way so no one trips over them.]

I'm gonna grab a bite to eat.

[She's not even a little bit hungry, but it'll give her more time to shake off her nerves and figure out exactly what she's going to say.]

I'm having Chinese delivered.

[He informs her softly. It doesn't take Steve long to notice that something seems a bit off with Robin. He doesn't want to pry, especially with Max still in the room. ]

If you're in the mood.

Oh.

[She'd figured they already ate. But she nods at that, shifting her gaze to look at the redhead. She was wearing her headphones around her neck the way she did most of the time anymore. Not that anyone could blame her.]

Yeah, sounds good.

It was Max's idea.

[Steve had offered to cook them dinner but Max had insisted that they surprise Robin with some delicious Chinese food. ]

Long day?

It was a good one.

[She smiles, but it's faint.]

Yeah. Definitely...long day. How are you guys?

We're alright. Been working a lot on walking and decided that we both could use a much needed break.

[Max has made some really great improvements but Steve still doesn't over do it. ]

[She hates not being able to see. Picking up on people's nonverbal cues has been a long-standing thing she's relied on and now she can't. But she can still sense that something's wrong. Robin's voice is more subdued than usual. Maybe she'd had a long day like she said, or maybe there's something else going on. She wishes she could see because she's sure she'd be able to differentiate if she could see her.

She shifts a little on the couch. She was getting better at being able to walk a few steps, but it also took a lot of energy and she was tired.]

Think you could help me back to my chair? I think I kinda want to lie down for a bit before dinner if that's okay.

[Steve's eyes soften when Max speaks up. Their dinner shouldn't be much longer but he can easily get her up once the food actually arrives. ]

Sure.

[It doesn't take Steve long to help Max back in her chair. He lets her walk what she can before he does the rest by helping her back in her chair. ]

I'll get you first thing when dinner arrives, alright?

[He promises as he helps escorts her back to her room and onto the bed. ]

You okay?

Yeah, sounds good. Thanks.

[She lays back against the pillows, nodding at the question.]

Just a little tired, but -- kinda seems like you and Robin needed to talk. [Her expression twists into a frown.] She seems...upset?

[Leave it to Max to also pick up on Robin’s mood. It's pretty obvious by Robin’s tone and body language that something I'd troubling her. ]

Yeah, yeah she does. If you need me don't be afraid to yell, yeah?

[Being hyper-vigilant to people's moods had been pretty pivotal to survive growing up and living in the Mayfield-Hargrove household for years.]

I will. [She pats his arm.]

Alright, rest up.

[Steve makes sure that Max is comfortable and has everything she needs before he heads back out to where Robin is curled up on the sofa. ]

Well?

[She glances up at him when he steps back into the living room.]

Had a little trouble with a visitor at work today. Not Tommy. [She clarifies, knowing exactly where his mind would go.] Someone I used to kinda be friends with. Dash Montague. He was -- in your class. [She doesn't know if Steve will recognize his name, or if they ever interacted. Dash's family was rich, lived in Loch Nora, too. Though if Dash was back living there, she had no idea.]

...Okay?

[Steve moves to take a seat beside Robin, dark eyes settled upon her as he gives his full attention. Steve can say he's heard the name before. ]

He say something to you?

We were sorta friends? We hung out in a little group for a couple years before I caught on to what a jerk he actually was when he cheated on his girlfriend. And by that I mean, he tried to kiss me, and he wasn't happy when I said no.

[She leans against him almost subconsciously.]

I hadn't seen him til like, two weeks ago when he showed up at the store out of the blue and was pretty insistent he was going try again. He left, but he came back again today and he didn't want to leave and then when he did -- I asked Nancy to bring me back and she sorta insisted Hopper get involved.

The guy sounds like a total dick.

[Robin of all people is well aware on Steve's view of cheating in committed relationships. It's a sore spot, a huge trigger and Steve doesn't stand for it.

His body begins to grow tense as Robin explains what Dash had done and how he practically invaded her personal space. ]

Did this asshole do something to you?

He is.

[She draws in a breath and exhales slowly, her own nerves still on edge.]

He kissed me. And then I slapped him.

He what?!

[Steve shifts and his eyebrows knit together in concern. He's relieved to hear that Robin actually stood up for herself and wasn't harmed. ]

Did you tell Hopper?

Yeah.

[She just really, really hadn't wanted her first kiss to be with a guy. Especially one like Dash.]

He's looking for him. It's - I mean it sucked, but it could've been worse and there's really not much he can do. [It's not like they can arrest a guy for kissing someone against their will. That is not a thing that's realistic. But she's sure Hopper will scare him.]

Wait.

[Steve's eyes narrow and he's shifting again.]

That asshole is still out there?

Well, yeah. He left after I slapped him.

[She shrugs a little, moving to lean back against the couch instead of on Steve when he moves.]

Are you kidding me?!

[Steve was under the impression that maybe Hopper or Nancy had threatened this bastard into leaving Robin alone.

Shit.

Now Steve is getting to his feet.]

[Her eyes widen a little and she gets to her feet, too.]

What are you doing?

What does it look like? I'm going to find this asshole.

[Duh, Robin! Keep up. ]

Okay, no. Hopper's already out there looking for him, Steve.

[She catches his arm.]

[Steve stops when she reaches for his arm, turning to face her once again. ]

Four eyes are better than two.

I'd feel better if you stayed here with me and Max.

I want to find this asshole.

[No one assaults Robin and gets away with it in Steve's book. ]

Steve, I really just -- I want my best friend here with me right now. [She wraps her arms around herself.]

[Shit.

Steve's shoulders drop at Robin’s request. He can't just tell her no, not when she needs him.

Not in Steve's nature.]

Alright.

[She moves closer, resting her forehead against his shoulder and slipping her arms around his waist.]

[Steve sighs softly and moves to gently wrap his arms back around her for much needed comfort.]

You got plans tonight?

I just got done with a date.

Whats up? You alright?

Oh, how'd it go?

Yeah, I'm fine. Parents are out of town for a few days. Wanna come over?

It went good.

Sure. I just left my date's house and I can head that way.

Good. Will there be another date then?

Okay, sounds good.

Maybe?

I mean, it was just sex.

Need food or snacks?

So less of a date and more of a booty call. Got it.

We've got stuff here, but if you were in the mood for tacos I wouldn't be sad about it?

I mean, we've been on a few dates already.

I was actually going to suggest tacos.

Oh, wait -- was this with Linda? The brunette? She seemed nice.

We're sharing a brain, Steve.

Yes! She is very nice.

Oh God.

Like right now you're thinking about how great that sex with Linda was and now you're also craving Mexican.

Holy shit...

See?

Is this some kind of power trick you can do?

Steve. I'm messing with you. We were both just craving the same food. Weird coincidence, that's all.

[...right?]

😒

Also the more time you spend with someone, the more you start having those moments where you're thinking the same things. It's normal.

Uh huh
.

They've literally done studies on it.

Sure.

You still think I'm like a mind-reader now, don't you?

Possibly.

[She sighs.]

Look, I'm a freak but I don't think I'm a freak who can read minds.

You're not a freak.

I kinda am. But not my point.

You're not.

Well. I'm definitely not normal, either.

Not at all.

Ha ha

😃

😔

❤

[She smiles but rolls her eyes at the heart and preps the living room for the night, pulling the extra blankets and pillows out of the closet and tossing them onto the sofa. There's popcorn for later if they want it, or the macaroni and cheese she'd made for lunch that's leftover, and by the time she's done with all of that, the doorbell is ringing and she heads to open it, offering him a smile.]

Hey.

[It doesn't take Steve all that long to arrive at Robin’s. It's pretty late into the evening and Hawkins doesn't offer that much traffic around this time.

Once he's parked, he jogs up to the door and gives a soft knock. ]]

Hey.

Come in.

[She steps aside for him to step into the house.]

I got stuff ready so we can chill when we get back with food.

Do I dare ask the movie choices?

[Steve can't help but raise an eyebrow as he enters Robin’s place.]

Doesn't have to be movies. [She knows it's not really his thing.]

Could just hang out and listen to music and talk and stuff our faces til we pass out.

Impressive.

[He smirks a little. It actually does sound like the perfect night in. He can't remember the last time he's actually had one of those. ]

Figured we were due for another sleepover. Make yourself comfortable. Oh! But after we get tacos because I'm starving.

Me too.

[He nods towards the door.]

Our tacos await us, Madam.

{She leads the way, grabbing her keys to lock up on the way out.]

It's a nice evening for tacos and a drive.

[He points out as they head towards his car in need of food. ]

It is!

[And she's excited to have her parents out for a few days. She loves them, but they can be a lot to deal with sometimes. And she's with her bestie. She climbs into the passenger seat.]

[Steve has always enjoyed just driving around and taking everything in. Hawkins doesn't offer much but Steve loves a good drive in the Spring, Summer and Fall .

It's relaxing and offers a good peace of mind.

Now he gets to share them with Robin. ]

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This girl!

This boy!!

He's a mess!

Re: He's a mess!

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