I Hope Stan Lee Is Immortal Because I Cannot Imagine Future Marvel Movies Without His Cameos.

I hope Stan Lee is immortal because I cannot imagine future Marvel movies without his cameos.

Who Knew~ E.M ft S.H

Anonymous asked:

I know you said you wanted to write some angst so what about reader being Steve's BFF and he dies in the upside down saving her just basically switch eddies ending with Steve's and eddie feels so guilty and bad bc he's never seen reader act this way before so he tries to be there for her the way steve was only problem is he's got feelings for her but he's scared to tell her bc he feels like it's bad timing so he practically does everything steve did for her plus more and they slowly transition from friends to more than friends without even having a talk or realizing it yet you can end it how you like just a lot of angst and some hurt/comfort

Angst

" Steven Harrington, what do you think your doing. Get your ass up here" you hissed, fear in you eyes as your best friend stared up at you. His eyes looked over to Eddie who begged him to come back up the rope. It was you, Steve and Eddie leaving Robin, Nancy and Dustin to kill Vecna.

Steve swallowed the lump in his throat as he looked out in the open of the Upside down and looked back up at you. Your eyes plead for him. " Harrington"

" I'm so sorry bug, but I'm buying us some time" he cuts the rope between Hawkins and Upside Down. " Take care of her" he says to Eddie before he's out of sight.

" Steve!" you shouted. Looking up at Eddie in panic, " We need to go, he can't go alone. He can't do this" your hands shook feeling the tears. You weren't ready to lose your best friend. Not today. Not ever.

Eddie scramble to his feet as he gripped his head thinking. You gripped on his battle jacket and shook him, " Munson. I don't care how we get through the gate but he can't go alone..I can't leave him.."

Eddie's heart sinks hearing your pleading as he looks around as you two worked together to get through the gate. He was determined to get to Steve.

Your hands grip on the swing set as you moved your feet back and forth. The only sound you heard was the crunch of sleeves as someone walked up to you. Your eyes locked with a pair of brown hair and the softest, shiniest hair you had ever seen on a boy.

" Hi" he greets you. In his hands he held a Transformer closely to his chest. " Hi" you sent him a small smile eying his Transformer. He waves in the air.

" This is Optimus Prime" he holds out the transformers arms as a sort of way to you. You can't help but giggle and cover your mouth with your hand. The boy smiled as you as he sat on the swing near you.

" What's your name?" you asked him. He held the Transformer back to his chest. " Steve" you awed at his name finding it really easy to say and you liked it.

" My name is Y/N"

" Do you want a push?" he asks, holding his transformer in his hand by the arm while he stood behind you. " I would like that" you said swinging your feet in the air. Steve gently pushes you but it's not much of movement. He stops for a moment as he frowns.

" Hold him" he hands you his Transformer into your hands as he places his hands on your back and pushes you with all his might.

That was the very first time you met Steve Harrington.

You drop down after getting over the gate with Eddie by your side. In your hand you had your weapon while Eddie had his as the both of you ran to find Steve.

Steve kept fixing his hair in the mirror, frowning each time he ran his fingers through his hair. You sat on his bed with your back to the wall watching him.

" How much spraying are you going to use with that, Harrington?" In his hand he had the Farrah Fawcett spray. He kept running his fingers through his hair adding more pumps than you had counted.

He was being ridiculous. He whined as he stood back straight and sighed.

" I'm never going to get it right" he turns to face you as he waved his hand around his face. " Does it look good or did I over did it?"

You eye the mess on his head as some strands stick up and it doesn't look like it was working for him. You tried not to chuckle at him and the way he was pouting.

" Do you need help?" His shoulder slumps as he nods, hanging his head. " Let's rewash your hair because who knows how sticky your hair is by now. You weren't suppose to use that many pumps"

He threw his hands up as he let you drag him to the bathroom where you washed his hair in the sink. His hair had outgrown and was the softest it has ever been in his life.

The both of you were starting high school soon. Steve had to get his hair right for his image if he wanted to be popular.

" You are suppose to use the shampoo and conditioner, and when your hair's damp — it's not wet, okay? When it's damp, you do four puffs of the Farrah Fawcett spray. Okay?" After you washed his hair, he stood up with a towel on his shoulder as he ruffled his hair with the towel.

Steve got an idea as he shook his head side to side as little drops of water from his hair got all over you.

" Steve!" you squealed. He laughed as he stopped and glanced down you.

" Thank you for doing this, I don't know what I would do without you"

" I'm always going to be here for you, Stevie"

This was the very first time you called him Stevie and it brought nothing but joy in his heart.

Your body stiffs as you spotted a body on the ground a little further ahead. Eddie races to catch up with you as he halts in his step.

" Why did you stop?" he asked. He turns his head to your line in vision and his face goes place as he spots the body laying on the ground. Your breath hitches as you raced towards it.

Gasping and dropping onto your knees seeing Steve gasping for his own breath. He turns his head as he spots you in the corner of his eye.

You take a hold of his head as you support it in your lap. Tears ran down your cheeks.

" Steve..." you say his name, your voice cracking. His hand slowly comes up asking in silence for yours. You grab onto his, holding it and he brings it to his chest slowly. You feel the blood wetting your fingers.

The demo bats around him had fallen to the ground and he doesn't look too good. The look on your face tells Steve that it wasn't good at all.

" That bad?" he asks through his mouth spilling blood onto his chin. " Stevie" you whimpered. " We need to get you to the hospital" his other hand comes up to your face, smearing blood on your cheeks as he moves the hair away from your face. He winces at how much he's trying to stay alive.

" No" he shakes his head, his own eyes getting glossy as he stares up at you.

" Thank you for being the best friend a guy could ask for" the hand that is on your cheek brushes your chin with his fingers. " You were always taking care of me"

More tears ran down your face, " don't cry.." he says. " I had the best years of my life, having you as my best friend. That's all I needed and wanted" he says.

His eyes look over to Eddie, " Take care of her, man" Eddie's crying and shaking as he nods making a promise. Steve turns his eyes to you and takes the moment to admire how pretty you are.

" Best-" Steve doesn't get to finish his sentence as the light leaves his eyes as he stares straight ahead. You sniff as you call out to him, letting his hands go as you grip on his shirt and shake him.

" Steve!" you shouted, shaking him. " Steve Harrington!" you shake him again, more tears spilling as you yell out to him. " Steve fucking Harrington!" you shout putting your head on his chest not hearing a heart beat. " Come back to me! I need you!" you beg as you shake him.

But he's gone.

" No!" you shout looking up at the red sky in anger feeling your heart in two. Two hands place on your shoulder causing you to shoot a glare at Eddie.

" We have to go sweets" he says. You shake your head, glaring at him.

" I'm not leaving him here" you say motioning to Steve. " We have to go Y/N" he says, wrapping his arms around you and lifts you up off the ground. You scream and thrash your legs around begging to be left with Steve.

Eddie's own heart breaks as he pulls you towards the gate. Robin, Dustin and Nancy run your way seeing Eddie pulling you.

" What happened? Where is Harrington?" Robin asks as she looks around. She sees blood on your hands and they all began to worry. Eddie sat you on the ground as you angrily wipe your tears away.

" Steve sacrificed himself to save us" Eddie says. All heads turned to you as you stood away from them, sobbing with your shoulders shaking and hair fanning over your face that they don't see how much this hurts.

Robin is in disbelief as tears fill her eyes. Dustin grips his head and shakes, not believing it.

" Is it true Y/N?" Nancy asks. You sniffed, " Yes. He's gone and I couldn't save him.

Steve arms wraps around you as he leads you into Hawkins High School, making fast friends with Tommy H and Carol as the four of you walk through the doors. Heads turn as the four of you walk through the halls. Sooner than later, you all are the talk of the school and everyone wants to be friends with you.

One particular girl catches Steve eyes as stands with her books in her hands by the locker. She shyly looks at him with a small smile on her face and he smirks at her, throwing a wink.

" Seriously?" you ask him, rolling your eyes. " The nerd?" Steve turns his head as he playfully pushes you into Tommy. " Shut it, you" he says with a soft smile on his face. " She's cute" he says, shrugging. Steve ended up telling you he has a crush on her and was going make her his.

When they became a couple, Nancy was hesitate about how close you and Steve were.

" She's my best friend, she's a big part of my life" Steve says as he turns to look at you, an arm wrap around your shoulder, " you don't like well, tough" he says to Nancy.

This was the first time you felt special from Steve.

Steve would always drive you to school, home and any other place your heart desired. Steve would always plan movie night with you and you got the snacks. Steve would always be the number on who call you if anything happened and you'd call him when you could not sleep.

It's been a couple of weeks and you took the time to walk into his room.

Sitting on his bed letting your tears run down your cheeks and gasping for air feeling your heart clenching at the sight of his room, his scent, everything in it and it brought many memories to you. They all left him there as he laid there, alone. He didn't deserve to die the way he did and you couldn't do anything about it.

Hands covers your face as you sobbed.

" I'm so sorry Stevie.." you mumbled.

The phone rang besides your bed as you turned down the music you were listening to and picked up the phone.

" Hello?" you asked. The other person on the other line sniffled. " Stevie?" you asked. He would only call you like this when he needed you, he always called.

" She doesn't love me" he says. " I'm so stupid" Steve says.

" I'll be right over Steve, hold on" you hang up the phone. You shut off the music and grabbed your keys as you headed out the door to Steve's. He didn't live far from you as you ran all the way there.

He gave you an extra keys to his house. His parents knew you always came over unannounced sometimes too.

" Stevie?" you asked. " Here" he responded through his tears. You headed to his room and opened the door seeing him sitting on his bed, hunched over with his head hanging.

" Oh, Stevie" you dropped to the ground in front of him and wrapped your arms around you. Your fingers combed through his hair, trying to calm him down. He buried his head into your shoulder and soaking up your shirt with his tears. Life was unfair to him but he had you to hold onto.

" She didn't deserve you. She doesn't know what she's missing out on" Steve pulls his head away from your shoulder as he looks at you. He brown eyes are puffy red with a small pout on his face.

" I thought she would love me back. Am I not good enough?" He asks.

" You're more than good enough, Stevie" you reached and wiped his tears with your hands, collecting the new ones that are spilling. " You're sweet, thoughtful, funny and one of kind."

" Do you mean that?" he asks, shifting on the bed as he sat up straight. You nodded.

" every word" his arms wrap around your waist when you got up and rest his head on your stomach. Your fingers run through his hair as you stayed with him like that.

Time like these, Steve was lucky to have you as his best friend.

He was gone. He wasn't going to have his dream of having six nuggets and a family lichee dreamed. He was never going to be able to hug you, listen to your jokes, have movie night with you, tease you, laugh or send a smile at you. He wasn't going to drive you to school and home. You were never going to see him again and it torn you apart.

Just like that, he was taken away from you. Your best friend. The one person you trusted and most cared about.

The transformer sits on top of his dresser as a reminder that you were his first friend, his best friend and the person he shared everything with. He stood there, broken arm and a little rusty as it stand at you.

You made your way to his dresser and took it in your hands.

" why couldn't it be me? Why did you have to do that?" you mumbled asking into the unknown. You threw the Transformer against his wall in anger as new tears streamed down your cheeks. You fell to your knees in front of his dresser.

" Please come back to me, Stevie" you whispered into the air as if someone was listening to you. But no one was there. You were met by silence.

The yellow long sleeve peeks out from one of the drawers that was opened and you grab it in your hands feeling the softness of it. You bring it up to your nose and sniff it as it holds his scent.

You were never going to be able to see him in the yellow long sleeve shirt that you bought for him one day seeing it at the mall. It fit perfectly on him.

You sat there not knowing for god knows how long. But you didn't even paid attention to the door opening and closing as your name was called through the Steve Harrington's home. Footsteps came closer to the door and the door opened revealing Eddie on the other side.

His heart cracks into two seeing the sight of you holding onto Steve long sleeve. He kneels down on the floor as he places a hand on your shoulder.

" Sweetheart?" he calls out to you. He had hoped he could grab your attention with his touch. But you shrugged it off like it burned you.

" Sweets?" He tried again as he touched you but this time you shot up in a sitting position and glared at him through your dry tears.

" Don't touch me" you shook your head. Eddie frowns as he sits there not knowing what to do. Honestly he has never seen you like this before and it scared him how you were slipping away.

" You haven't spoken to anyone in days. We all miss you, I miss you. You can't keep doing this to yourself" Eddie says.

You scoffed, " Steve died or did you forget? My best friend died in my arms and I couldn't do anything to save him? He was your friend too, Eddie"

Eddie nodded.

" Let me take you home, sweets" he says reaching his hand out to take the long sleeve out of your arms but you clutched it to your chest.

" If you think for a second, I will give you this than your highly mistaken Munson" he nods as he hold out his hand for you to take. You eyed the ring clad hand and look up at him. His brown doe eyes are filled with sadness. For you.

He is mourning Steve in his own way but he promised Steve to look out for you. He had been pushing his own feelings deep down for you, too afraid to tell you the truth. You were beyond beautiful and Steve saw right through him.

" If you date her, promise me to never hurt her. She always looking out for everyone else, besides herself. She needs someone like you look after her" Steve would say. He kept reminding Eddie how much you needed someone to care for you.

Your parents haven't done much of being in your life. It felt like it was you and Steve until you met the kids and the rest of the gang. You felt like you belonged.

" I love her, Harrington" Steve chuckles.

" I know, Munson. My best friend deserves the world"

You truly did, you looked after the kids like a mother would. They called you the mother of the group. You had helped Robin get together with Vicky, the love of her life. You had helped Eddie with his deal sometimes. You had kicked Jason Carver's ass every time he picked on Eddie. You had tutored the kids in the classes they needed helping. You covered Steve shift in Family Video when he had a date. You had helped him move on from Nancy, but he still was hung up on her.

You looked out for everyone but yourself. You were last.

Eddie pulls you up from the ground as you clutch Steve's long yellow sweatshirt in your hands as he leads out of the house.

" I miss him" you say, closing your eyes for a moment.

" Who knew, Stevie after we both graduated that the basketball team would win a championship game" you teased. Steve rolled his eyes with a smile on his face.

" Very funny, bug" he playfully pushes your shoulder as he grabs a stack of films to put back on the shelves. " Heard you got a hot date tonight, Stevie?"

" He has been talking about her non stop, my ears a ringing from it" Robin says from behind the counter. Steve throws her a glare.

" Yeah? You really like her?" Steve shrugs. " She's nice" Robin snorted.

" Nice like nice nice or nice like you just want to get laid kinda nice?" Steve glares at you as he playfully hits you on the shoulder with the film in his hands.

" Could you not" he says, shaking his head. " Oh you know you love me, Harrington."

" Sadly I do" he says as he puts another film on the shelf and moving to the next one. " Excuse you?" you shoved him into the shelf. He groans as he rubs his shoulder.

" You know I love you bug, you're my best friend"

" And what am I, chopped liver?" Robin asks.

" We love you too, Robin" both you and Steve say together.

" I miss him too, sweets" Eddie buckles you in the passenger side of his van as he moves your hair behind your ear. He watches for a moment the way you look down at the sweat shirt like it was going to vanish. He runs to the other side after shutting your door and starts the van as he drive off.

He keeps looking you from time to time as he's driving down the road to your house. He has been to your house a couple of times for suppoingly study session, smoking together, watching a movie and when you cooked for everyone. He had not had hot meal in so long.

He parks the van in front of your car.

" Sweets" he calls out to you. You turn your head as you look at him.

" You're home" He motions to the house. You look at it knowing you were going to be alone and you didn't want to be alone.

" Can you stay with me?"

" Of course, sweets" he shuts off the van and makes his way over to the other side, bowing as he opens the door and holding out his hand. " M'lady" you can't help it but let the edges of your mouth lit up and grab his hand.

You don't let go off his hand and his heart flutters at your touch as you lead him into your house. The house is silent.

" Are your parents not home?" you shake your head, " Some trip somewhere" you shrugged heading to your room as you sit at your table looking down at the paper in front of it.

" Give it back!" you wined as you reached on your toes to grab your homework for English class from Steve. He waved it over his head with a smirk. He had read over your shoulder about your poem that you have written.

" Just admit it Y/N" you shook your head putting your hands on your hips as you glared at him. " No" you say jumping in the air to get the paper but he moved it to the other side.

" You can do better than that"

" Harrington, give me my homework" he laughs as he shakes his head." Not until you admit your secret crush" he wiggles his eyebrows.

" I like Eddie. Are you happy now?" you say throwing your hands in the air. He hands you your homework, satisfied with your answer.

" Very much" you swatted his chest with a small glare, " Jerk!" he gaped at you as he tackled you on the bed. Your homework forgotten as he raises his hands to tickle you.

Eddie takes off his jacket and vest as walks into your bathroom looking through various bottles to throw you a bath. While you hear him in the bathroom, your eyes drop on the piece of paper that was your homework and grab it shoving it into the little drawer you had.

No one but Steve knew that you liked Eddie. It was your secret he kept.

Eddie walks back out to your room.

" Come on, sweets" he holds both his hands out for you to take. Your eyebrow knit together but you take his hands and let him lead you into the bathroom. Your eyes drop onto the bath he had draw filled with bubbles.

It was the nicest thing that anyone had done for you since Steve.

" For me?" you asked. " You didn't need too" he waves his hand like it's nothing and kneels down getting some make up wipes and turns to you.

" No offense sweetheart but you look like a raccoon" he giggles as he points to your eyes in the mirror that is behind him. You shove him in the chest playfully and look into the mirror and indeed you had your make up running down your cheek.

He started to wipe away the make up that ran down your cheeks mixed with your dried tear stains, his tongue poked out as he focused on getting your make up off.

" Since when do you know what a make up wipe is?" you teased. He sticks his tongue out to you as he finishes it. He throws the used make up wipes into the small trash you had in your bathroom. You watch as he takes the hair tie from his wrist and holds your hair, tying it up into a messy bun.

He inspects his work like it's art he has done.

" Thank you" he closes his eyes as he turns around giving you the sign to undress and he wasn't going to peak as much as he wants to. But he respects you as he waits for your signal to let him know. His ears pick up hearing the water as you sit down in the bath.

The bubbles covering you.

" Eddie" you call out to him. He removes his hands from his eyes.

You looked so cute sitting there with your hair up in a bun. He has taken notices of Steve's sweat shirt on top of the sink. It's there for you as a way to have Steve with you still. Eddie doesn't press about it as he kneels down next to the bath.

His hand reach out for the loofa as he wets it in the bath and gently runs it over your bare back. Your arms wrap around your legs with your head down. Your eyes locked with his.

" Thank you" you say. It was a thank you for taking care of you when no one else took the time to check on you and do this for you. Steve used to give you baths too, he would wash your hair too when you felt like the world wasn't right or your mind was too much.

He continued to run the loofah on your back and down your arms. He didn't need to say anything else. He was going to keep his promise to Steve.

Eddie starts to hum as he washes you in the places he could, letting you soak in the water and taking the time to think about how Eddie was taking care of you. The water runs cold and Eddie help you get out with one hand covering his eyes that he wasn't going to see anything.

He puts the bottles he used away while you got dressed in your room with your arms still clutching onto Steve's sweetheart. Eddie walks back into your bedroom seeing you in a pair of shorts and the yellow sweatshirt is on you now.

He doesn't get jealous of the sight of the sweatshirt understanding this was your way of having Steve with you still. You patted the space next to you on the bed, Eddie crawls in with one hand under his head and the other opening for you to settle next to him.

You put your head on his chest, hearing his heart beat and feel his arm wrap around you as his fingers run up and down your arm in comfort.

Eddie didn't need to say anything else knowing you needed time and little actions like this. The same actions that Steve did for you, Eddie was going to do as a reminder that Steve never really left. He was still there.

You nuzzle your nose into his chest hearing his heart rate speed up, glancing down at the sweat shirt and looking up at Eddie who was already looking at you.

Your eyes let him know you were thankful to have him and he returned with his own answer in his eyes, that he was going to be there for you no mater what even if he had to cancel Hellfire to take care of you.

You were important to him.

" Promise me you'll find someone to be happy with. I can't stand you shutting yourself down like this. You deserve someone to hold your hand, to hold the door open for you, to take you on date etc. I see the way you look at the dates I have, the way others at parties look and I know deep down you want to be loved" Steve says.

He was right. You did.

" Who would go for someone like me? Someone like this?" you motioned to yourself. Steve shook his head, as he scoffed.

" I don't wanna hear you talk about my best friend like that. You hear me?" you nodded, giggling.

" You'll find someone Y/N, you're special and any guy would be lucky to have you as his. Trust me" Steve says. " Now help me with this mess" he motions to the spilled hot chocolate on the floor.

" This wasn't me" you giggled, pointing to it. Steve gives you a look with the rag in his hands and his hands on his hips. " Scours honor" you say crossing your heart. " It was Dustin" you pointed to the curly hair boy as he walk into the room.

" Hey what?" He says, stopping in his tracks. Steve shakes his head, " Fine. Out then" he says pointing to the living room. " Hey! I was-" Steve points to the living room again, scolding you.

You pout as you hang your head and just before you leave Steve tell you he loves you with a smile on his face.

" I love you too, even when your a pain in my ass " he rolls his eyes and that was the last time Steve told you he loved you and the following day you were gearing up to end it all with the Upside down to have you lose your best friend.

" Goodnight Eddie" you mumbled, staring into the darkness.

" Goodnight sweets" Eddie says as he places a kiss on top of your head. You swallowed the lump in your throat, " I miss you Stevie" you whisper into the air. Eddie hears you as he squeezes you.

A breeze of air kisses your cheeks feeling as if Steve has heard you making you shiver as you cuddled closer to Eddie. You turned to the other side to look out the window as a tear fall down your cheek.

How were you going to do this without your best friend?

dead wrong — steve harrington x reader

summary: steve harrington is down horrendous for you, his best friend since he was a scrawny pre-teen. turns out, his love is not as unrequited as he thinks.

contains: best friends to lovers, mutual pining (but mostly steve pining), steve’s pov, fluff galore, idiots in love, reader is good with the kids, reader is a skater like max, reader hurts her wrist and steve is a worried lovesick idiot. cw! descriptions of wounds/blood, mentions of hospital, reader wears steve’s clothes. she/her pronouns used.

a/n: first long fic yay!! I am extremely proud of this so pls love it 🤍

fem!reader 5.3k words

gif by @barneswayne

Steve Harrington is totally, most definitely, not in love with you. Just friends, he thinks, best friends. Best friends who hold hands and sit far too close together.

Speaking of, you push further into Steve’s side, your scent washing over him. Your hand squeezes Steve’s, and he thinks, never mind. Maybe he is in love with you. So in love with you it fucking hurts.

A chorus of shouts erupts around him. You and Steve are watching Eddie, Robin and the kids play beer bong, only without the beer. It’s soda. Dustin starts doing a stupid victory dance while half of his peers laugh and the others cringe. Steve cringes. You laugh. All high and lilting and adorable. Steve has to remind himself to breathe.

He brings your joint hands to rest on his knee. Your rings push into his skin, almost like harsh reminders that he can’t hold you like he wants to. He frowns.

“Steve?” Your voice brings Steve out of his thoughts like it always does. You give his hand a shake. “You okay?”

Steve looks up and prays you can’t see the hopeless devotion in his eyes. You’re the prettiest girl he’s ever seen, with your messy hair and your eyes lined with glitter. Rosy cheeks, glossy pink lips that he stares a beat too long at. He’s known you for years, and yet he’s never gonna get used to how gorgeous you are. He swallows, forces his eyes up to yours.

“I’m okay,” he says, though he’s really not. He never is, because you never won’t look like that. “Are you?”

There’s another explosion of noise from the soda-pong players, but you don’t seem to notice. You frown like you don’t believe him. He’s being too obvious, he knows.

“Yeah, I’m good. Are you sure, Steve?” You stretch your free hand across your torso to touch his face. Steve heats like an oven under your hand as you press your palm to his forehead. “You’re not feeling sick, are you? You feel sort of hot.”

Steve grabs your wrist, harder than he means to. He loosens his grip guiltily when you give him an alarmed look.

“Sorry,” he says quickly, lowering your hand gently. He can feel your pulse, only just, underneath his fingers. It’s damn sure slower than his. “I— uh, no. I’m not feeling unwell. It is pretty hot in here though.”

A total lie. The only reason he’s burning up is you.

Your frown deepens, a push of your bottom lip that makes Steve want to kiss you. It’s such an overwhelming feeling that he has to blink multiple times to make it go away.

“Oh,” you say. You look around the room and then back at Steve. “Do you want to go outside?”

Steve has a bit of a dilemma. If he says yes, he’ll be alone with you. He can’t tell if that’s a good or bad thing. If he says no, he’ll have to stay in this stuffy room with yelling teenagers and ping pong balls flying at him every five seconds. He decides on the first option.

“Sure,” he says as nonchalantly as he can. Then, to make you laugh, “Smells like boy in here anyway.”

You giggle. Steve feels like copying Dustin’s lame victory dance.

“You’re a boy, Stevie,” you say teasingly.

He wrinkles his nose at you. “No, I know, but it’s like … adolescent boy.”

You laugh loud, your mouth pulled up in a staggering smile. “Oh, okay,” you say, as if anything he just said made any sense.

Steve is starstruck for a second before you’re pulling him up from his seat, your hand in his a familiar, heart-aching weight.

Steve finds himself sitting side by side with you on the hood of his car. He can’t exactly remember how he got here — on the way, all he could think about was your hand in his and the fact that your thumb kept brushing over his knuckles in very distinct lines. Whether you’d meant to or not, he doesn’t know. He hopes you did.

“Any better?” You ask quietly, stretching your pinky across the small gap between your hands to tap his.

Steve feels something like an electric shock where your skin touches his. It baffles him, how such a tiny touch can cause such a big reaction throughout his body. He stares at your hand when he answers.

“Much,” he says honestly. He looks up at you. “You didn’t have to come with me, you know. You can go back in if you want.”

Secretly he hopes you’ll stay here with him forever. But that would be selfish, and if Steve is anything when he’s with you, it’s not selfish.

“Eurgh, no.” You pull a disgusted sort of face that makes Steve grin. “I could barely stand it when you were there. Without you, I think I’d die from the smell alone.”

Steve laughs. Really laughs. The words without you, I think I’d die, float around his brain like fish in a fish tank. When he’s done laughing he catches your smile, all pretty and wide, and his heart does one of those funny backflips that he’s never gonna get used to.

Steve watches as you brace your hands on the edge of the car and push yourself up the hood, pulling your shoes up to rest on the metal. Your skirt is short enough that Steve can see half of your thighs, more when you shift yourself like that. He stares for two seconds too long and then feels so guilty he almost apologises.

Instead, he says, “Aren’t you cold?” He points at your skirt but doesn’t look.

You shrug. “No, not really.”

With a sigh you let yourself fall back against the hood of the car. Your skirt rises even more and a half inch more of your skin is exposed — Steve feels like the universe is out to get him. His only escape is to fall back next to you, his right shoulder brushing your left one. You smile when he does, head rolling to the side to look at him. Face to face now, Steve can feel every small breath coming from your parted lips.

“See any stars?” He blurts, because your face is much too close and he’s scared if you look at him like that any longer, he’ll kiss you stupid.

You look up at the dark, empty sky and wrinkle your nose. “No.”

“Wait, look, there’s one.” Steve lifts his arm to point at what he thinks is a star.

You squint in its direction. “That’s a plane.”

“What? No it’s— oh.” He trails off when he realises the ‘star’ is moving. It disappears behind a cloud a second later.

You laugh, breathless and pretty, and drop your head onto Steve’s shoulder. Your perfume fills the air around Steve and he has to stop himself from leaning closer. You bring a hand up to fiddle with your necklace, a cheap, plastic ‘S’ charm that sits directly on your sternum. The fake diamonds are falling off, half of them gone already, but you’ve refused to take it off after all these years. Steve has one of your initial, too. You got them from a dollar store when you were twelve and pinky promised to be best friends forever.

You slip your necklace safely beneath your top and then stifle a yawn behind your hand.

Steve gives your elbow a nudge. “Tired?”

You shrug one shoulder and then droop further into Steve’s side. Every point of contact between you burns.

“You’re tired,” Steve says matter-of-factly.

You make a noise that’s probably meant to be a sound of protest but comes out more like a tired moan. Steve chuckles lightly, reaches over and rubs your arm.

“Alright, sweet girl. Let’s go home.”

‘Home’ really means Steve’s house, because you’ve left your car there and because you’re over so much it’s become your second home. By the time Steve is pulling up the driveway, you’re so dead beat he doesn’t even consider letting you drive yourself home. You practically hang off his waist as he walks you both inside.

“M’tired,” you mumble as you pass the living room.

Steve has to bite back a laugh. “Uh-huh, I can tell.”

You look up at him and squint like you know he’s laughing at you. Then you say, “Can I sleep in your bed?”

Steve’s heart skips. Sure, you’ve slept in his bed before, but every time you have Steve lay awake for at least half the night. He’s not above admitting that he’s watched you sleep more than once. He’s seconds away from telling you to take the guest bedroom when you pout dramatically.

“Please? You’re so warm.” You push into his side, your arm tightening around his waist like you don’t ever want to let go.

Steve hates himself for nodding, but he can’t help it. “Yeah, okay.”

He drags you up the stairs and into his room. Your makeup and stray jewellery is strewn across his dresser — you’d gotten ready at Steve’s before the party. If you could even call it that, Steve thinks. He plants you on his bed and you fall back immediately, eyes shut tight as your hair splays across the sheets.

“You’re like a zombie,” Steve says amusedly, his gaze all fond and mushy as he looks down at you. “From like, Day of the Dead or something.”

You pull a face, faux offended but your big grin gives you away. “Ew. I’m not that ugly, am I?”

Steve hums long and high like he’s thinking about it. This makes you gasp and throw a hand to your chest like he’s wounded you. Before Steve can get half a laugh out a pillow is hitting him straight across the face.

“Hey!” He exclaims, glaring at you. You’re still lying down, eyes screwed tight like you’re pretending you didn’t just brutally attack Steve. He laughs because you’re fucking adorable. “Zombies don’t throw pillows, Y/N.”

Your words are plagued by a yawn as you say, “This one does.”

Steve sighs at your antics, picks up your murder weapon (his pillow) and replaces it on the bed.

“Oh no,” you groan suddenly, like you’ve remembered something awful, hands flying to your face in despair. “My makeup, Stevie. M’too tired to take it off.”

Your words stick to each other like taffy in your tired state. Steve remembers the last time he let you sleep in your makeup. He didn’t hear the end of it for days. He’d rather avoid your wrath this time round.

Steve sighs, knowing full well he’s about to put his foot in it. “Well, will you let me do it?”

You open one eye blearily and look at him. “Would you?”

Steve shrugs, though the thought of being that close to you makes him feel nauseous. Luckily, you’ve closed both eyes again so he can blush all he wants. Plus, he’d do anything for you. Even endure the overwhelming urge to kiss you breathless.

“Sure thing, babe. I’ll get the stuff.”

Steve ends up sitting on his bed with you across from him, crossed legs pressing up against his. You’re sitting so close you’re almost in his lap. He ignores this for the sake of his dignity.

You’ve got your eyes shut and your hair up in a clip. A lock of hair has tumbled out of its knot and Steve pushes it away from your face, fingers hooking behind your ear and lingering. He keeps his hand on your jaw as he raises his other hand, a wet cloth ready to clean your sparkly makeup off.

“You sure about this?” He asks hesitantly. He’s dead terrified he’ll do something wrong, like get glitter in your eye.

You smile softly, your eyes staying firmly shut. “Yes, Steve, it’s fine.” Your tone is half reassuring and half exasperated.

Steve bites the bullet and goes right in, pressing the wet cloth to your cheekbones first. You’ve got blush and glitter there, sprinkled on your cheeks like fairy dust. He smooths the cloth along your skin and it comes away sparkly and pink.

“Okay?” He asks, pausing worriedly.

You nod slowly, your head starting to droop in his hand. “Yeah, Steve.”

Steve grins fondly at your face, screwed up in exhaustion. He tightens his grip on your jaw to keep your head steady, thumb hooked under your chin. Carefully, he begins to dab at your eyelids, also painted with silvery glittery eyeshadow.

Your face dewy and makeup-free, Steve thinks you’ve never looked prettier. So pretty it drives him mad. He stares, really stares, for far too long but he’s worried if he opens his mouth, breaks the silence, he’ll never get to see you like this again. Your hair all messy pretty, your eyes shut and eyelashes kissing, your pink lips turned in a half smile.

He’s not surprised when your soft voice drifts into his thoughts.

“You done?” You open your eyes, eyelids heavy and head heavier.

Steve snaps out of it. He lets go of your face quickly, slides off the bed even quicker.

“All done,” he says, almost tripping over his own feet.

You smile, seemingly oblivious to his clumsiness. Or maybe, it’s just happened so often that you’re not surprised. Either way, your smile is sickeningly sweet. Steve is torn between the desire to kiss you or run as far away as possible from you.

Your voice matches your honey-smile when you say, “Thank you, Stevie.”

You reach out to touch his forearm, your hand a heavy weight on his skin as you wrap your fingers around his arm and squeeze.

He grins lopsidedly, and he’s sure he looks like a lovesick idiot but he can’t find it in himself to care. “You’re welcome.”

You drop your hand and Steve’s arm suddenly feels cold as ice. He wants to touch you again but knows he shouldn’t. He strides to his bedroom door and pauses to turn and look at you.

“I’m gonna get you a glass of water,” he says. Your eyelids are drooping again. He laughs fondly. “Get in bed while I’m gone, zombie-girl.”

Your giggle follows him all the way to the kitchen.

When Steve gets back, a glass of water in each hand, you’re still as a statue on your self-appointed side of the bed. You’ve swapped your outfit for a grey t-shirt that you totally stole from him but deny every time he asks about it, and the shortest shorts known to mankind.

He switches off the light and shuts the door with his heel. Pointedly avoiding looking at your bare legs, he rounds the bed and sets the water down, then bends over you.

“Y/N?” He whispers.

You hum softly, though Steve can’t tell if it’s a hum of acknowledgement or just a sound you’ve made in your sleep. He leans closer, listening to your breathing. You’re awake, only just.

He brushes his hand over your upper arm, touch as light as a feather. He thinks he feels goosebumps on your skin but doesn’t have time to wonder why. You’re lifting your chin slightly, lips parted.

“Goodnight, Stevie,” you whisper, so quiet he barely hears you. Steve’s heart swells. “Thanks for … everything.”

A few moments later you fall silent and your breathing grows steady, and Steve wonders how the hell you always fall asleep so fast.

He rubs your arm, kisses your forehead because he knows you won’t remember this part. His lips buzz as he pulls away. “Goodnight, sweet thing.”

You’re outside Family Video. Steve emerges from the back room and spots you so fast it’s like he’s got a third eye. He’s both shocked and pleased — he hadn’t expected to see you until after his shift.

You’ve got the kids with you. You and Max are zooming around the carpark on your skateboards while Dustin and Lucas are poised on the hood of your car, poring over comics.

He watches you skate with Max. Like some lame rom-com cliche, your hair is blowing in the wind and Steve swears you’ve moving in slow motion. You’re laughing and joking with Max and Steve stares and stares. Stares until Robin sidles up next to him.

“What’re you— oh.” Steve can hear the smirk in her voice even though he refuses to look at her. “What’re they doing here?”

Steve shrugs and makes an ‘I don’t know’ sound, moving to the counter to put down the box of videos he’s carrying. Robin follows.

“You’re not gonna go say hi to Y/N?” Robin asks slyly. Steve can hear in her voice what’s coming. “You’ve been staring long enough.”

Steve blushes furiously despite himself. “I wasn’t staring.”

“Oh, sure.” Robin hoists herself onto the counter, peers into the box of videos and picks one out at random. “Just like you weren’t holding her hand on Tuesday night?”

Steve can’t exactly get himself out of that one. He snatches the video from Robin with an annoyed tsk, slotting it back into the box. Her laugh is devilish.

“You are hopeless, Steven,” she says, whacking Steve over the head as she hops off the counter.

Steve rubs his head and glares at Robin. If looks could kill she’d be dead meat. “That’s not my name.”

Robin gets this look on her face that Steve knows all too well. He wants to pummel her before she’s even said anything.

“Oh, sorry,” she says, all sarcasm. “What is it, then? Stevie?”

Steve’s blood boils. Only you’re allowed to call him that.

“Y’know what, Robin?” He says loudly. He turns on his coworker, seething. She’s totally nonchalant, a stupid smirk on her lips. “Why don’t you just leave me—?”

“Steve!”

A shout of his name from the door. He turns and finds Lucas standing there, looking panicked.

Steve’s brow furrows. Then he notices you and Max are no longer whizzing around the carpark. “What—“

“Y/N fell,” Lucas says, out of breath. “We think she hurt her wrist.”

Steve’s heart drops. “Shit.”

He goes flying out the door and into the parking lot. You’re sitting on the concrete, one knee pulled up to your chest, your skateboard dormant next to you. Max is kneeling over you, and Dustin has graciously abandoned his comics for your sake.

“Y/N!” He damn near shouts. He runs over to you and Max and gets on his knees. He’s probably just ruined his jeans on the concrete — he doesn’t give a single fuck.

“Y/N,” he says frantically, a tentative hand landing on your shoulder. Both your knees are scraped something awful and a nasty gash blooms on the outside of your wrist. Steve’s worry is loud and his heartbeat twice as much. “Y/N, are you okay? What happened? What’s—“

You look up. Your eyes are shining but you’ve got a dopey smile on your lips.

“Steve,” you say breathlessly. You blink and a tear falls from your eye and over the bump of your cheek. “Hi. Good to see you.”

Steve stares at you in horror. How can you be making jokes at a time like this? You laugh wetly and Steve looks at Max, totally alarmed.

“What happened?” He demands.

Max is much calmer than he is. “She went over a bump or something,” she says. She’s rubbing your back and Steve feels a rush of gratitude for the younger girl. “Fell on her left arm. Her wrist might be sprained or broken, but—“

“Broken?” Steve repeats. He’s pretty sure his soul just left his body.

“I said might,” Max says through her teeth.

“Y/N?” Steve slides his arm around your shoulder, carefully avoiding your left wrist, which you're cradling in your uninjured hand. “Y/N, baby, can you get up?”

You make a noise like a scoff but it’s muffled by your sniffly nose. “‘Course I can.”

Steve helps you anyway, Max on your other side keeping a firm hold on your jacket. You hiss as you straighten your legs, knee-wounds sprouting fresh blood. Steve bites down on his lips so hard he almost bleeds himself.

“Are you gonna take her to the hospital?” Max asks. There’s genuine worry in her eyes that Steve barely sees. Dustin, Lucas and Robin appear, looking equally worried.

Steve puts on a brave face. “Think so. What do you think?” He asks Max. “You’re the skateboard expert.”

She grins so quick Steve almost misses it. It disappears when she looks at you in your bloody and bruised state. “Yeah. Just in case.”

Steve walks you over to your car, half dragging you. Not that you need him to, he just can’t bear for you to hurt any more than you already are. He deposits you in the passenger seat, ducks his head in to pull your seatbelt across your torso. He’s seconds from ducking back out when you stop him, your uninjured hand on his chest, right over his racing heart.

“It hurts,” you say, quiet enough that only Steve can hear. Your eyes are welling up again. Steve feels like crying himself.

“I know,” he says, nodding vigorously like it will make a difference. “I know, sweet girl. It’s gonna be fine. You’re gonna be okay.”

At this point he’s talking to himself as well as you. You nod in an exhausted sort of way and Steve presses a kiss to your cheek. Slow and soft and as close to your lips as he’s ever kissed. He has to take a few seconds to compose himself before straightening up and turning to the others.

“I gotta take her,” he says, sending an apologetic grimace in Robin’s direction.

Robin nods once and surprisingly, doesn’t say a word. She looks about as sympathetic as Steve has ever seen her. He turns to the kids.

“Help Robin,” he says. He’s trying desperately to make his voice sound normal but falling short of the mark. Everyone notices but nobody comments. “Don’t mess up the store.”

He gives a grateful smile to Max and then rounds the car, hopping in and starting the engine.

You’re half asleep on Steve’s couch, your head in his lap. You’re wearing his yellow sweater — the one he bought only because you’d said he’d look good in yellow. You’ve just woken up from a post-hospital nap and Steve’s hand is in your hair, brushing slow strokes over the side of your head.

He’s feeling a lot of things. Relieved, for starters. The doctor had said it was only a sprain, they’d bandaged up your wrist and you’d left the hospital in far better conditions. Steve was in far better conditions, too.

Steve looks down at you, at your bandaged wrist and the huge bandaids on your knees and thinks, fuck. He thinks his heart is about to claw its way out of his chest. He doesn’t think he can take this love thing any longer.

You stir and take a long breath, turning your head in Steve’s lap to look up at him. Your eyes are tired but you’re smiling.

“You okay?” Steve asks softly. He doesn’t want to break the silence. It feels good, to sit in silence and comfort with you. He runs his fingers through your hair again.

You nod. “Mhm. I’m good.”

“Hurting?”

You shift in his lap. “No, not right now.”

You fall silent and Steve doesn’t know what to say. He wants to tell you how worried he was about you, but you could probably tell. Anyone with a pair of eyes could tell he was nauseous-level worried. Then he thinks about telling you he loves you. It’s a stupid reason, really, but it was all because a nurse had asked if he was your boyfriend. He’d wished he could say yes.

“Steve?”

Steve hums and meets your eyes. You move to sit up and Steve helps you, knowing you won’t let him stop you. A firm hand between your shoulder blades, his palm sliding down your back as you straighten yourself. You shift so you’re facing him, your legs crossed beneath you and your injured wrist resting in your lap. Steve is careful to avoid your wounded knees.

“What is it, babe?” Steve asks quietly. He brings his hand up to caress your cheek, dragging his thumb over a spot where your tears had smudged your mascara earlier.

You melt into his hand, eyes falling shut as a long, deep sigh falls from your lips. You raise your good hand to cover his, holding it to your face. Your hand burns stars onto the back of his.

“Is it your wrist?” Steve asks. You’re acting strange. He puts it down to your injured state. “Your knees? Do you want more ice? New band-aids?”

He’s being a total worrywart, he knows, but who can blame him?

You shake your head, eyes open but cast down. “No.”

“Just feeling bad?” He asks through a frown. In a strange parallel to a couple of days ago, he lifts his free hand to press his palm to your forehead. You feel warm but not hot.

“It’s …” you start, then trail off. Both yours and Steve’s hands fall to your lap.

Steve’s concern spikes. You’ve never been one to hide anything from him. “Yeah?”

“Um, it’s … it’s silly but—“ You take a deep breath and let your eyes raise to Steve’s. You get a look on your face Steve doesn’t quite understand, but it makes his heart leap to his throat anyway. “You know today, when that nurse asked us if you were my boyfriend?”

Steve laughs embarrassedly, too loud and too sudden. So you’d been thinking about that, too. He pulls his hand away from your lap and rubs the back of his neck.

“Yeah, that was kinda weird, wasn’t it?” He says, though it wasn’t really. Almost every new person he meets thinks you’re dating him. “I was—”

“I wanted to say yes, Stevie.”

Steve stops talking abruptly, his mouth slamming shut. He hadn’t really known what he was about to say, anyway. He searches for words but all he comes up with is a garbled, “What?”

You laugh, all soft and slow and distorted by fatigue. You raise your hand to rub your neck, a mirror of Steve only a moment ago.

“I wanted to say yes,” you repeat, like it’s obvious. Even the second time, Steve doesn’t believe what he’s hearing. His chest feels like it’s on fire, worse when you say, “I want you to be my boyfriend.”

For once in his life, Steve has nothing to say. He gazes at you like you’re some sort of angel on earth. Maybe he’s dreaming. Maybe he’s in some cruel dream and he’s about to wake up with his chest aching.

“I …” Steve‘s voice catches on the words. His throat burns so he mustn’t be dreaming. He tries again. “Y-You … you do?”

He’s not even embarrassed by the stuttering. Just when he didn’t think he could be any more in love with you, you giggle. He was dead wrong. His heart grows about three sizes too big for his chest.

“Yeah, Steve,” you say, fondness smothering your fake exasperation. “Do you … do you want me to be your girlfriend?”

What Steve wants is to kiss you. He wants to kiss you til you can’t breathe and then some more after that. Silently, he takes your injured wrist in his hand and gently shifts it so it’s out of the way, resting on the couch cushions. Then he grabs your face, fingers splayed over your jaw and neck. He can feel your pulse. It’s almost as quick as his. He leans so close he can hear every breath you’re taking.

“I’m going to kiss you now,” he whispers, his lips ghosting over yours. “That okay?”

You laugh a giddy, breathless laugh, surprised at his suddenness. “Please do.”

He slams his eyes shut, darts forward to kiss you and fucking misses. Your noses bump. A surprised giggle bubbles from you and Steve goes red.

“Wait, I’m sorry—“ He tries again, tilting your head to one side and angling his head to the other. This time it works perfectly, and your giggling is swallowed up by Steve’s mouth, lips fitting together like they were made for each other.

You sigh and go all melty and Steve’s heart skyrockets. It feels like everything in the world is falling into place. It’s years of longing, eternities of lingering touches and offhand compliments and longing glances all rolled into one life changing kiss. Your good hand has jumped to Steve’s chest, first bunched in the material of his t-shirt and then spreading over it, palm atop his wild heart. He thinks he might die on the spot. Or like, catch on fire or something.

Steve is losing breath but he won’t stop just yet. He drops his hands to your shoulders and pulls away a hair’s breadth. Then he dives back in for one, two, three kisses that you respond to with all the eagerness in the world. Your kisses are so lovely they make him light-headed.

When Steve pulls away (for oxygen, nothing less) you chase his lips with yours. He laughs, all fondness. He’s dizzy with love.

“Woah, hold your horses, cowboy,” he says through a woozy laugh. He’s finding it hard to speak. He barely hears himself. For all he knows, he’s talking in an alien language.

“Sorry,” you whisper, not sounding very sorry at all. “So … was that a yes?”

Steve has to laugh. He can’t help it. “Are you kidding? Yes, Y/N. That was a yes. I—“

He’s rudely interrupted by someone banging on the door. He thinks he knows who it is. Only one person he knows knocks that hard.

He sighs morosely but he can’t keep the grin off his face for very long. “I’ll get it.”

He heaves himself off the couch and makes for the front door. You stop him before he gets very far, a hand in his bicep.

“Wait, Steve.”

Steve turns, puzzled. “Yeah?”

You’re lifting your chin up, lips parted. Steve knows exactly what you want.

His grin grows impossibly wider as he bends at the waist to kiss you once, chaste and slow and just as perfect as the kisses shared moments ago. When he pulls away you’re smiling so big he’s worried you’ll get stuck like that forever. He wouldn’t mind.

Another round of banging from the door. Steve sighs, squeezes your good shoulder once and then marches to the front door, just about ready to kick the intruder off his front porch. He opens the door and finds his suspicions were correct. It’s Dustin.

He’s holding a handful of flowers that look suspiciously similar to the ones that grow in Steve’s mom’s garden.

“Those for me?” Steve asks. He shoots his arm out to stop Dustin from barging in, hand gripping the door frame.

Dustin pulls a face. “Ew. No, they’re for Y/N.” He steps aside and more kids appear, plus Robin and Eddie. Eddie’s van has been parked haphazardly in Steve’s driveway. “Can we come in or are you gonna stand there and guard the door like that all night?”

“She’s tired.”

“But we bought chocolates.”

“Well—“

“Dustin?” You call from the living room. Oh, great. Now Steve’s gonna have to let them in. “S’that you?”

Dustin beams and gives Steve an expectant look. Steve drops his arm with a defeated sigh and Dustin goes marching in like he owns the place. Max, Lucas and even Mike follow. Mike, who never shows up to anything. Though Steve shouldn’t be surprised. You’re Mike’s favourite, out of the older ones.

Eddie comes next, then Robin, who stops to give Steve a grimace.

“Sorry,” she says wryly. “They really wanted to see her.”

Steve shrugs good-naturedly. He’s on cloud nine and much too happy to care all that much. He follows Robin into the living room and finds everyone crowded around you, Max on your side and Dustin getting down on one knee to present you the probably-stolen flowers like you’re the Queen of England. You look the same as Steve feels — kiss bitten and with your head in another world. But you’re pleased by the company, he can tell.

Dustin moves to give you one of his bone-crushing hugs and Steve goes all panic mode.

“Please be careful with her!” He says urgently, his panic obvious under the usual demanding tone he takes with the kids.

But you’re laughing under Dustin’s hug, and Steve can’t stay mad when you look like that. You meet his eyes over a mop of curly hair and your gaze goes all mushy and sweet. Steve’s legs feel like jelly. If he keeled over dead right now, he wouldn’t be surprised.

He’s sure someone will see but he doesn’t really care. Grinning from ear to ear, he mouths, “Love you.”

He’s said it before, of course he has, you’re his best friend in the whole entire world. This time though, it’s all the more different. It’s better. You flush, oblivious to the noisy chatter around you.

“Love you too,” you mouth back.

Steve can’t stop smiling for the rest of the night.