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. ]
[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. ]
[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.
[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.]
[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.]
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no subject
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.
no subject
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.
no subject
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.
no subject
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.
no subject
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.
no subject
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."
no subject
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?
no subject
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.]
no subject
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. ]
no subject
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.]