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saikokirakira · 10 months

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Part 2 of 2: Pagtingin (Feelings) [Steve Harrington x Reader]

a/n: hello. it me. i definitely did not forget to post part two. if you would believe it, i was actually getting sick every week the past month because of the insane hours and workload of my new job. so, umm, probably not lasting long there... i wanna be pretty again and lose all the stress hives all over my body.

summary: based on this blurb on a hanahaki au/flayed!reader

word count: 12k words (big boi over here; i definitely bullied our girl throughout this entire chapter)

warning: barely proofread, only edited twice; no use of y/n; steve is an oblivious himbo (but i'll excuse it because he was the ultimate bbg in s3); ANGST TRAIN, hurt no comfort; moms of hawkins summer '85 (i have 911 on standby); billy "walking red flag" hargrove; unrequited feelings / pining; minor violence; body horror (it's hanahaki, what'd you expect?); writer's torture of a self-insert character; stranger things season 3 canon, but Alexei lives fyuck canon actually; metal goodboi cameo

You despised summer. You didn’t used to hate summer, but working in the summer heat when your recently recurring childhood asthma gets triggered by intense heat wasn’t the best option for you. While you couldn’t pass off as a lifeguard at the Hawkins Community Pool, your neighbour and acquaintance, Heather Holloway, pulled some strings to have you manning the snack bar.

It wasn’t ideal, but it certainly opened up the opportunity to listen in to a lot of gossip all around town. Not your favourite pastime, yet Heather enjoyed the very juicy ones, something you noticed she most likely inherited from her father, the chief editor for the town’s paper. Every time her shift ended, so did yours and either you share interesting stories of the day while you drive home or to the newly opened Starcourt Mall.

“Ew, those women are either married or divorced,” your nose wrinkled in disgust at Heather’s favourite gossip topic, Hawkins group of moms. Specifically, their scheduled visits to the pool whenever Billy Hargrove would be on duty as lifeguard.

“He likes the attention, I guess,” Heather shrugged, “and the moms get to ogle eye candy.”

“Still a minor, Heather.”

“Uh-uh, he turned 18 a few months back,” Heather argued, though the distaste was apparent on her face. “The term is barely legal.” Then she suddenly giggled. “I’m still calling the police when they make a direct move,” she half-joked. “I know they call me a bitch behind my back.”

“You’re a menace.”

“And you’re a sissy,” Heather shot back. “When are you going to ask Steve Harrington ou— JESUS!” She clung at the grab handle when your foot landed too much on the gas pedal. “No need to take me with you to hell just because you can’t get a date.” Then with a cheeky grin, she added, “I heard Steve can’t get a date either, and he talks up anyone at that ice cream place.”

You slammed the brakes. “That’s it!” you exclaimed. “You’re walking the rest of the way to Starcourt!” The only reply you had was Heather’s maniacal giggles at getting you so riled up.

You and Heather parted ways when you arrived at Starcourt after telling you that she’d be getting a ride home with her date. You waved her off and headed to Scoop’s Ahoy. A group of girls were giggling as they were leaving when you got there. You also noticed the whiteboard that Robin, Steve’s co-worker, held up, adding another tally on the “You suck” scoreboard.

“See what I have to deal with?” Steve immediately ranted, jerking a finger at Robin’s direction. “If you worked with me, I don’t have to be subjected with workplace abuse.”

You and Robin snorted in sync. “You poor baby,” you cooed teasingly while pinching Steve’s cheek. “How can I ever live without the longer shifts, ridiculous uniform, and being your wingman?” You earned another laugh from Robin while Steve scoffed before shooting you a pout.

“Well, you certainly miss me since you constantly visit as soon as your shift ends,” Steve shot back.

“Sure, I’m definitely not here as Heather’s chauffer to her movie date,” you said, “or just hanging out at the comic book store.”

“You want me to come wi—?”

“Bye, Robin!” you ignored his offer yet still blowing Steve a raspberry to which he rolled his eyes at. Exiting the ice cream shop, you made you way to the pharmacy first before the comic book store. It was mostly empty when you got there, so it was a breeze in getting your prescription inhaler.

It’s been forever since you had asthma, the last one during your elementary days. Your wheezing fits had only come back since that occurrence in those tunnels that you still see in your nightmares. However, after the countless tests and screening from military scientists, they cleared it to just “your body shifting from all the trauma.”

You’d think after opening gates to other dimensions with monsters, they’d be able to create a cure for asthma.

The thought was highly amusing to you that you almost missed the fiery redhead that just entered the pharmacy. Your eyes watched Max Mayfield carefully as she walked through the aisles with her head low, trying to be inconspicuous. Grabbing your bag of prescription, you slowly followed where Max wandered off, which happened to be a shelf of bandages.

You almost let it go, knowing that her skateboard hobby always led her to a number of scrapes and bruises. But when she reached for the bandage wrap on the high shelf, her shirt sleeve revealed a hand-shaped mark wrapped around her pale wrist. Trying to be nonchalant as possible, you approached her and grabbed the bandage for her, ignoring how Max quickly put her arm down and tugged at her sleeve.

“Skateboarding mishap again, red?”

Max’s signature cocky smirk covered the surprise on her face. “It’s one of my better falls,” she said. Then her eyes wandered to the prescription bag in my hand. “Still have those? They said you’d be better in a couple of weeks since the incident.”

“Well, I didn’t, so here I am,” you shrugged. “Hey, listen, I’m heading out to the comic book store if you want to tag along. My treat.”

Once you were at the community pool. Though you resorted to buying your carefully as she skimmed through the new arrival stack. You didn’t really have anything worth buying since most of the comics you read are from Dustin’s collection that he recommends and lends to you every other week. Sometimes you get the appeal, sometimes you didn’t. Still, it was a great way to pass the time when things are slow from working the snack bar at the comic book store if you want to tag along. My treat.”

Maybe you should’ve offered to buy Max a cone from Scoops Ahoy instead.

“You got any good recommendations?” you randomly asked the guy who just walked in. You seem to have caught him off-guard, the look of surprise that you were talking to him. “Munson, right?”

“Yeah, Eddie,” he said after a brief pause. “Didn’t think you’d be the type to read comics.”

You thought so too. But you also didn’t think that monsters that live in an alternate dimension exist.

You shrugged. “I read almost anything to pass the time,” you said. “Henderson lends me a lot of X-men.”

Eddie was about to reply when Max approached you with two Wonder Woman comics. “I can pay for the other one,” she offered.

You scoffed lightly and ruffled the top of her head. “Don’t be ridiculous,” you said. “Didn’t I say it was my treat?” Before she could argue, you snatched both copies from her hand and headed to the counter with her trailing behind you. “See you around, Munson.”

You and Max wandered aimlessly around the mall. You offered to go watch whatever movie was in the cinema, but Max turned you down, saying that she had plans with the party later that week once their campaign planning was through. After you ran out of things to do, you offered to drive her home, which she sheepishly accepted.

Before you could even pull out the parking area, Max said, “I know you saw the bruise. You didn’t have to do all that to make me feel better.”

A surprised smile tugged at your lips, impressed on how quickly she caught up on your intentions. “I don’t really have any sisters to dote on,” you said, “so it isn’t entirely on pity. I know you can stand up for yourself, red.” You continued, “But promise me one thing?”

Max nodded.

“You tell me when anything gets too much, okay?” You held her hand to show your support. “I’m always going to be here for you.” Trying to lighten up the mood, you added, “Billy is a prick anyway.” Then you pulled the car into drive.

“He has it worse than me.”

You tried to hold in your composure, but you couldn’t help your eyebrows rising up at the unexpected information. You always suspected something going on with Billy. No one suddenly becomes an asshole overnight. That you knew from being friends for a long time with Steve. Aside from the horrible friends he used to have, Steve grew up with his parents barely around, and even if they were, his father was always either hard on him or emotionally absent.

“Well, it doesn’t give him the right to take it out on you.”

“I know.”

Later that week, you were at your usual spot at the snack booth. The heat was especially brutal that day at it almost felt that your lungs were constricting every time you tried to breathe out. Not even ice water seemed to help, and when the thin clouds cleared, the blaring sunlight only made it worse, even though you were under the shade of the booth.

“Hey, watch the stand for me?” you said to your co-worker who mostly just tried to look busy by restacking cans of soda and rearranging the chips as a way to avoid kids yelling out their orders. He sighed but nodded, getting up to man the counter. On your way out of the booth, you pulled out your inhaler out of your backpack and staggered into the searing sunlight to make your way to Heather.

As you took a blip of your inhaler, you didn’t notice the person near you and collided into them, sending your inhaler flying. “Shit,” you muttered, picking up the plastic case. “Sorry about that.” You looked up and paled upon the realisation that you bumped into Billy Hargrove.

Billy didn’t seem to mind and just grunted before brushing past you. If anything, he looked as disoriented as you, dishevelled and profusely sweating. He had an obvious stumble to his step on his way to the locker room to what you assumed was to get ready for his shift.

You had half a mind to approach him when you heard “Hey! No dunking, Curtis!” from the pool area. You were suddenly reminded of your current task and shrugged off the Billy’s concerning state. For all you know, he was still probably drunk from whatever party he was at last night. It was summer break after all.

You carefully avoided being splashed near the poolside as you circled over to where Heather was stationed at the lifeguard post. Unfortunately, you almost tripped from another dizzy spell again and collided with another person. Just your luck.

“Oh, dear,” a woman this time voiced her concern. “Are you okay, hon? Maybe you should stay out of the heat.”

You steadied yourself and stared into the eyes of Karen Wheeler. “I’m okay, Mrs. Wheeler,” you wheezed. “Sorry ‘bout that.”

“Drink some water!” Mrs. Wheeler called out before walking off.

Finally, you were able to tell Heather that you were cutting your shift short and that you couldn’t drive her to her dad’s office as you agreed on earlier that day. She waved you off and told you to drive carefully, assuring you that she could always call her mom to pick her up later.

On your way out, you noticed Mrs. Wheeler coming out of the locker room looking distressed and teary-eyed. She didn’t seem to notice you staring at her as she made her way back to the pool area. A few moments later, Billy came out of the same room, still looking as physically uncomfortable as before.

For the past weeks of working at the pool, it was no secret that one of Billy’s favourite moms was Mrs. Wheeler. But was there really some illicit affair between them? You probably wouldn’t put it past Billy, but the woman had three kids, for goodness’ sakes. You made a mental note to ask Heather what she knew about it tomorrow.

After a gruelling half hour drive while cranking your A/C up to full blast, you finally got home. You barely got a mouthful of ice water when your door rang. You wondered who it could be when the neighbours knew that you and your parents were usually at work during the entire day.

“Hey, can you drive us to Starcourt?”

You stared into the wild grins of El and Max, standing excitedly on your doorstep. Fifteen minutes later, you were back in your car, playing chauffeur for the two girls giggling from the backseat of your car.

“I’m telling you, El, boyfriends lie,” Max insisted. She poked you. “Tell her.”

You chuckled dismissively at their tween antics. “I wouldn’t know.”

Both El and Max paused and focused their attention on you.

“You haven’t dated anyone?”

“I’ve been on dates,” you clarified, “but I never really dated anyone.”

“Why?” El asked. It was more inquisitive than mocking or accusatory. She was very curious, that one.

“Because she has the biggest crush on Steve.”

“Oh, my God!” you exclaimed. “Does everyone just know about that?”

“Well, anyone with eyes, yeah,” Max said, rolling her eyes for good measure. “The only reason why he hasn’t caught up is because boys are dumb.”

That made you laugh out loud despite the discomfort in your ribs.

When you arrived at the mall, you expected to have them run off to who knows where while you hung out at the waiting area, taking advantage of the air conditioning, but those two dragged you to every clothing outlet at the mall. You tried to not exert yourself, but it was hard not to match their energy when they were clearly having so much fun. It was even so endearing to see El emerging from her shell, trying out outfits that she genuinely liked and not those lumberjack fits that Chief Hopper had her on all the time.

By the third store, you insisted to sit that one out and merely watch them try on a bunch of different hats. You giggled at them posing at the mirror as if they were at a fashion show. However, you only had a moment of peace before Max approached you with a sundress that looked way too close to your size.

“No,” you stood your ground.

“Yes.”

“No!”

“Yes, then we’re going to Scoops Ahoy to get cones after this.”

“Ask Steve out on a date,” El urged, smiling encouragingly.

“What happened to ‘boys are dumb?’” you said, raising your brow.

“He’s not going to ask you out first, so you will do it for him!” Max said. She and El both grabbed each of your arm and pulled you to your feet and into the dressing room then tossing in the dress and pulling the curtain shut.

You stared at yourself in the mirror and the dress you held in front of you. You hated to admit it, but it was a pretty dress. Even if you couldn’t score a date with Steve, at least you had a great addition to your wardrobe. With that positive thought in mind, you pulled your shirt over your head and hung it on one of the clothing hooks.

You carefully pulled down the zipper on the dress when you noticed something odd on your reflection. Peering closer on the mirror, you stared at your ribs, noticing the almost black veins that almost seemed to be moving underneath the skin. What the…

“Are you done?!” Max called out from behind the curtain.

You snapped out of it and quickly pulled on the dress. All your initial worries faded once you saw yourself in the mirror. For good measure, you pulled your hair out of your scrunchie and let your tresses fall out in waves over your shoulder.

“Wow,” El and Max chorused.

You didn’t even notice them pulling the curtain open.

When you made your way to Scoops Ahoy, Max and El apparently had already made plans that you don’t come in with them. “Let it be a surprise,” Max had said. It was almost ridiculous that you were letting 14-year-olds dictate you on how to get a date from your crush.

“Okay, here you go, you got a strawberry and then a vanilla with sprinkles, extra whipped cream.” Steve paused and looked at the two girls suspiciously, especially at El. “Wait a second,” he thought out loud, “are you even supposed to be here?”

The two girls giggled, and El said, “A pretty girl drove us here.”

The words ‘pretty’ and ‘girl’ caught Steve’s attention. Predictable. “Yeah?” he grinned, leaning forward as if asking for more details. “She still with you?”

“You know her, silly,” Max giggled before running off with El. On their way out, they both flashed you a thumbs up and mouthed, “good luck.”

You stepped inside Scoops Ahoy with a newfound confidence. It was definitely the dress, and you hope it paid off. When Steve caught sight of you, his eyes brightened up and flashed you his charming smile.

“Hey, stranger,” Steve greeted. “I see the girls made you their babysitter and chauffer.”

You tried not to let your smile falter when you didn’t get the reaction you hoped. You laughed, trying not to give off the fact that your confidence was quickly crumbling. “Yeah,” you said, “my shift ended early at the pool.”

“That’s great!” Steve cheered. “Listen, Dustin just caught Russians on his new radio thing, and we’re trying to translate it. Spy shit and all.”

You blinked. “Dustin’s back?”

“Yeah,” Steve nodded animatedly, “he’s at back with Robin translating the tape. Well, mostly Robin. Didn’t even know she’s amazing at languages.” He continued, keeping his excited energy, “She already knocked down a couple phrases. Isn’t that cool?”

Then it clicked.

Steve liked Robin.

Too late again.

“Listen, we can use your help because there’s this music at the end that I couldn’t remember where it came from,” Steve said. “Robin and Dustin say it’s stupid, but you can back me—”

“Um,” you breathed out. You cleared your throat, wondering why you started to get out of breath again. “I still have to drive the girls home before dark,” you said, gently turning him down.

“Oh.”

“Um, call me if you find something cool?” You didn’t wait for him to reply and turned your back on him. As soon as you left Scoops Ahoy, you pulled your inhaler out your pocket and took a blip, but it seemed to only make your lungs angrier and cramp even more.

As agreed upon earlier, you found the girls at the main doors of the mall, but they were in a heated conversation with Mike and the rest of his party. You sighed and quickly approached them before it turned into a full argument.

“I dump your ass!” El declared, making you stop in your steps. Lucas and Max were flabbergasted at the outburst, except Max looked somewhat proud. Mike just looked lost and was clearly at a loss for words. Will just looked uncomfortable enough to be witnessing the entire thing.

“Okay, that’s enough,” you interfered. “We’re leaving, come on.” You looked at Will who seemed to be the most aware among the boys at the moment. “You guys need a ride?”

He shook his head.

“You take care, okay?”

Will nodded.

The walk to your car between you and the girls was quiet. Though Max decided to break the silence when you pulled out of the mall compound. “What happened?” she asked.

You simply shrugged, ignoring the burning in your ribs from the simple motion. “Boys are dumb.” Then the car ride was silent again.

Later that evening, you laid in your bathtub in cold water, finally relaxing when you can breathe easily again. The summer heat fatigue really got you today, you thought. Suddenly remembering what you saw in the fitting room, you looked at your ribs again and was relieved when all you saw was nothing but your usual skin.

You were pulled back to your thoughts and remembered the beautiful sundress that was now laid discarded on the bathroom floor. You groaned at the memory of what just occurred this afternoon. You sighed and slid down to submerge the rest of yourself in the almost freezing water, leaving all your worries for the few seconds you had underwater.

Don’t be afraid. It’ll be over soon. Just stay… very… still.

You were scared. You couldn’t open your eyes, and the water suddenly felt too thick. The searing pain that was becoming too familiar in your lungs felt like it was begin to crawl out of your chest and into your throat.

But it was all gone in a split second.

Panicked and scared out of your wits, you immediately crawled your way out of the bathtub, not caring if you were curled up naked on the bathroom floor. You reached for the first thing you could grab to cover yourself, until you realised that it was still the same damn sundress. Suddenly, all the air just left your body, and you were starting to wonder if it was still an asthma attack.

You hoisted yourself up on the sink, both coughing and wheezing, trying to do everything you can to get yourself some oxygen.

“Sweetie? What’s going on?” the familiar voice of your mom came muffled from the other side of the door. When you replied with nothing but aggressive and painful coughs, the knocking became incessant, and her calls turned to worried cries. “Open the door!”

The same sensation of something crawling out of your throat came back. This time, you were more aware than your paralyzed state a few minutes ago. You stuck your fingers in your throat, feeling for any obstruction.

And you did.

With one forced cough, you were able to pinch out something smooth but foreign. You yanked it out, clenched it in your fist, and spat whatever fluid it brought out. You were initially worried that it was blood, but as you looked at the white ceramic of the bathroom sink, it was black.

When the bathroom door burst open, you quickly opened the faucet, flushing down whatever it was. Your mom rushed over to you and covered your hunched figure with a bath towel before pulling open the medicine cabinet behind the mirror to fish out your emergency inhaler.

“Come on, sweetie,” she carefully urged the inhaler in my mouth, pressing down to dispense a dose, but you could barely bury it down. “Let’s go to your room. You’re freezing.” She led me step by step to my bed and laid me under the covers, but the warm blankets only made me feel worse. “Your dad is coming with the nebulizer. Don’t worry. Just careful breaths.”

You didn’t remember how long it took for you to fall asleep that night, but you woke up the next day to your mom entering your room, already dressed in her office attire. She must’ve seen the panic on your face when you realised that it was way past your alarm.

“I called you in sick at the community pool,” your mom said. “Your dad will be picking you up after work to bring you to the hospital. In the meantime, just rest, okay?” She pressed a kiss on your forehead before she left the room, and you were alone again.

Then you felt the soft thing that you had in your fist the entire night. You raised your hand and held the foreign object over your head.

A black petal.

Panic bubbled up at the base of your spine, and you wasted no time in getting out of bed and getting dressed. You needed to tell Chief Hopper or Mrs. Byers. Or even just any one in Mike’s party.

And Steve.

Suddenly, it hit you. Dustin would still be around Steve decoding whatever Russian code they were on. The kid can easily call a code red for your situation. You grabbed your keys with the intent of going to Starcourt.

Just as you locked the front door, Max and El came rushing in their bikes, looking as alarmed as you are. They rushed to you, especially El who gave you a pleading look.

“It’s Billy.”

“As much as I appreciate you calling a grown up to investigate, this seems highly unnecessary.”

You were clearly uncomfortable as you turned the corner to Cherry Lane. You already gave them an earful when they admitted that they were spying on random people during their sleepover last night. Personally, you didn’t think that Heather would suddenly go for Billy when she just went on a date with someone else the other week, but maybe Billy was just that convincing.

“But the screams,” El reasoned.

“When Billy is alone with a girl, they make, like, really crazy noises,” Max argued, making you laugh at her words. Case in point.

“That’s surprising,” you noted. “I assumed that because he’s such an asshole he doesn’t…” you trailed off when you caught El’s clueless look from your rear-view mirror. “Never mind.”

“They scream?” El voiced out her confusion.

“Yeah, but, like… happy screams.” Then Max turned to you. “Oh, just that house right there.”

Your laughter came out in breathless snorts at this point. You pulled the car in park around the curb. “Okay, that’s enough,” you interrupted. “You don’t need to know about that yet, El.” You watched the house and hummed in thought. “His car’s not there. This’ll be easy.”

The three of you went inside the house and headed to his room. You knew that their family was very far from a loving one, but you tried to wrack your head for a reason as to why Billy’s bedroom door had a hinge lock from the outside. You barely had any thoughts about that little detail before Max pushed the door open.

“Why do I get the feeling we’re gonna find all sorts of wrong here?” Max said.

“Well, his tastes in music aren’t half bad,” you commented, flicking through his stack of cassette tapes by his stereo. You pulled open his bedside drawer and laughed at its contents. “Jackpot.”

Max rushed over to peek, only to see his collection of ‘printed ladies.’ “Ugh!” she exclaimed. “Gag me with a spoon.”

Then we heard El calling us from the bathroom.

We followed her to see empty ice packets around his tub. The unsettling feeling crept in again as you remember that you were also trying to keep yourself cold last night. But you weren’t the only one who was unsettled.

El, who was breathing heavily, stared off into the corner, and when Max and you followed her line of sight, there it was. Blood. You carefully opened the trash bin and pulled out a utility bag from Hawkins’ Community Pool.

“Let’s go.” You didn’t waste any time leaving the house and getting into the car.

Despite the darkening skies and thunder rumbling, you got there in record time. You ran to see a co-worker of your closing the pool area. Protocol. But he definitely wasn’t pleased to see you.

“Didn’t you call in sick?” he said, sounding annoyed. “You’re the second person to bail today.”

“Heather didn’t come in?” Max asked.

“Obviously. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be doing thi— Hey!”

The three of us ran back to the car to figure out what to do next.

“We can go back to my place,” you suggested. “Wait out until Heather comes home next door.” Then you remembered. “Shit,” you cursed, turning on your car before the girls agreed. “My dad is supposed to pick me up for a doctor’s appointment.”

Luckily, your dad wasn’t home yet when you got back. Probably due to the storm. However, the girls already had their own plans in mind when they walked over next door to the Holloway’s.

“Shit, shit, shit,” you hissed, jogging over to them. “Don’t go running off without me.” You looked at the now open front door. “Did you just unlock the door? This is trespassing!”

“She’s inside,” El whispered. She and Max entered the house, and you had no choice but to follow.

The three of you carefully treaded towards the voices in the dining room. There you found Billy with Mr. and Mrs. Holloway chatting away. The sight of your three by the hallway halted their conversation.

“Um, hey, Janet, Tom,” you greeted. “We tried to knock, but you probably didn’t hear us over the storm.”

“What on earth are you doing here?” Billy cut in, his eyes trained on Max and El.

“Where is she, Billy?” you asked firmly, staring straight into his eyes.

“Where is who?” Billy smiled innocently, but it didn’t give you any ease.

“Well, they’re a little burnt! I’m sorry.” Heather walked in from the kitchen, carrying a tray of cookies. “Oh, hey, girl! Is your shift over?”

“Heather!” Billy called. “This is my sister, Maxine.” He gestured to Max before his eyes landed on El. “I’m sorry. I did not quite catch your name.”

“El.” Eleven responded with her eyes pointedly trained on Billy.

“El,” Billy echoed, his polite smile turning into something menacing.

It definitely unnerved the three of us. Your hands held onto their shoulders and pulled them behind your back, leaving you to face Billy. “You guys weren’t at work, so we got worried,” you said, trying to keep your voice steady.

“Heather wasn't feeling so hot today, so we thought we'd take the day off to nurse her back to health.” Billy turned to Heather. “But you’re feeling just fine right now. Aren’t you, Heather?”

“I’m feeling so much better,” Heather smiled, but there was something about it that didn’t seem right to you.

Max and El tugged at your hand. You looked at them to see them silently pleading at you with their eyes. You gave a brief shake of your head before turning back to Billy. “I’m sorry to disturb you,” you said carefully. “I’ll take the girls home.”

“Thank you for looking out for my sister and her… friend.”

You made sure that the girls walked ahead of you, and right before you passed the front door, Billy pulled you to him. You barely could get a noise out as he pressed his hand over your ribs.

“You’re one of us,” Billy whispered before he shoved you out and shut the door.

It all happened in a split second that the girls didn’t even notice the exchange. The fear stabbed you deep in the gut that you basically dragged them back to your house, forcing them not to look back. Only when you got inside your house that the tension released from your body but only just.

“I’m taking you guys home, and tomorrow, we’re meeting up with the party, okay?”

“You’re not going anywhere, young lady.”

You winced and found your dad staring you down with his arms crossed.

Damn it.

“As soon as we’re done here, you’re grounded for a week.”

You groaned and held back the urge to roll your eyes. You were in the hospital waiting area for your family physician, but because there were a handful of minor accidents because of the storm, the wait was a bit long, especially when you were not priority. It was fine during the first ten minutes, but after half an hour, you were starting to get cranky.

“I’m going to the restroom.”

Your dad made a move to get up, but you stopped him. “There’s literally a storm out there, and you drove me here,” you pointed out. “Where else can I go?”

Your dad just scoffed but leaned back in his seat, waving you off. “Bring me back a coffee then,” he said.

You walked down the hallway but turned to the payphones instead of the restrooms. You dialled in the number you were so familiar with and hoped that he’d be home by this time.

“Hello?” Steve’s voice rang through the speaker, sending relief through your body.

“Pick me up at the hospital,” you said.

“Wait, what?”

“Oh, and do it in half an hour.”

“There’s literally a storm outsi—”

“I’m also staying at your place tonight.”

“Hey! What is going—”

“Thanks, Harrington.”

Steve arrived at the hospital in twenty, still dressed in his sailor uniform. With your dad still busy with his coffee and a random medical pamphlet, you cocked your head to the side and sent Steve a signal where to wait while you made your escape. For the second time, you got up to your feet.

“I think I want a coffee actually,” you said. “Be right back, daddy.”

Your dad hummed, not even lifting his eyes from the pamphlet.

For a split second, your heart seized at the sight of your clueless father. You wanted to tell him and mom about the monsters and how they were this close to taking you, but they were better off not knowing. It wasn’t worth risking their lives when it could be just you.

With a heavy heart, you kissed the top of his head and walked down the hallway, heading for the exit and into Steve Harrington’s getaway car.

“Okay, but what the hell is going on?” Steve asked, pulling the car in drive.

You didn’t answer and just hugged your knees to your chest while crying silently. You’re one of us. You squeezed your eyes shut and tried to level your breathing, which now felt like such a laborious task. Now that you knew the truth, it was almost like you could feel it all inside you. Taking every piece of you.

You were quickly pulled out of your thoughts by a warm hand clasping yours. You raised your head and looked at Steve, who kept his eyes on the road, but continued to squeeze your hand. You managed to stop crying and thread your fingers through his and bask in his warmth.

You knew it was just temporary. You knew who he really liked. And as if the universe was aware of your feelings, they decided to cut the moment short by sending your chest squeezing and blocking your airways again. You dropped Steve’s hand and clutched at your chest as you exploded into another coughing fit.

Steve panicked and quickly glanced between you and the road. “What’s happening?” he asked frantically. “Should I take you back to the hospital?”

You violently shook your head. “N-no,” you managed to wheeze out. “Dr-drive.”

“Where’s your inhaler?” Steve asked to which you left unanswered.

Finally, you managed to cough out a chunk of something, freeing your airways. You quickly shoved it in your pockets without checking before Steve noticed it. You exhaled in relief and leaned back in his seat.

“It didn’t use to be that bad,” Steve pointed out.

“Yeah.”

“Was that why you were at the hospital?”

“Mm.”

“We should go back.”

“Doesn’t matter. We’re near your place anyway.”

By the time you got to Steve’s house, he rushed to his parents’ room to find you something to wear from his mom’s closet. “Go take a shower and warm up!” he called out from the second floor.

You dragged your feet into the downstairs bathroom and rinsed your mouth. As you spat out the water, swirls of blood and black goo circled around before disappearing down the drain. You pulled out the clump that you hid in your pocket and teared up at the sight of a fully formed flower.

It was cruel that something as hauntingly beautiful as this was killing you from the inside.

When you flipped the flower over, you noticed thin tendrils from where the stem should be. You were horrified that the tendrils were actually moving like tiny tentacles. It reminded you of that day when you were in the tunnels under the pumpkin farm.

Without any more thought, you dropped the flower in the sink. Remembering that they were susceptible to heat, you immediately turned on the faucet to its hottest setting. As the water hit the flower, your lungs were suddenly set on fire.

Out of instinct, you turned the faucet off, relieved that the flower immediately dried out and broke off into ashy flakes. The burning stopped as well but still lingered under your skin. Almost tripping over your own feet, you staggered over to the shower, stripping yourself of your drenched clothes and turning on the water to its coldest setting, and only then did you find relief.

You’re one of us.

It took over almost half an hour to compose yourself and figure out what to do from here on out. You put one of the fluffy robes in the bathroom and headed out to the living room where Steve was already lounging on one of the sofas, shirtless but with a towel hanging over his neck. He only seemed to notice your presence when the sofa dipped beside him under your weight.

“You okay?” Steve asked when you rested your head on his shoulder, not minding that his hair was still dripping wet. “Jesus, you’re freezing.” He moved to grab the throw blanket and pulled it over both of you then rubbed his hands on your arms to warm you up.

Meanwhile, you wrapped your hands around his waist and just closed your eyes at the sound of his heartbeat. You were mad that his was steady when you couldn’t even control the fast drumming of your own heart whenever you were near him. Still, you held Steve as if you were afraid to let go, as if he was your only reminder that you were still you. But why did it hurt, even physically, so much to hold on?

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Steve whispered, stroking the back of your head. “I don’t think we held each other like this since middle school,” he chuckled to himself at the memory. “When Vicki Carmichael took stole your partner for the Snow Ball and kissed him in front of everyone? You slept over and cried in my bed, telling me you hated her for it and me for going with Tammy Thompson.”

You wracked your head trying to remember what Steve was talking about. Maybe because it was a long day, but you couldn’t remember him holding you like this in middle school. Still, it must have been a beautiful memory if even Steve remembered it.

Sometimes it felt like you were the only one holding on so tightly in this relationship with him.

“Don’t you remember?”

You just hummed and snuggled closer to Steve.

“Okay, how about when Lewenski and I got into a fight because his girlfriend tripped you up and you skinned your knee pretty bad?”

This one, you remembered. “Your dad grounded you for a month, and you got benched for two games,” you chuckled softly.

“And you still cheered for me in the sidelines,” Steve said, sounding relieved that you were finally talking. After while a long pause, he said, “What happened? You used to tell me everything.” He continued, “I know I joke about it a lot, but I was really worried when you didn’t sign up with me at the mall. And you being sick all the time now?”

“Steve, just drop it,” you said, almost in a plea. “We’re okay. You never have to worry about me.”

Steve scoffed playfully. “That’s never going to happen,” he argued. “I’m always gonna worry about you. You don’t even notice how much trouble you get yourself into without realising.”

You tried not to think about it, but for the rest of that night in Steve’s arms, you almost felt like the vines were moving inside you, growing and taking up what was left of you that you haven’t already given to Steve.

“So, basically you’re a fugitive now?”

You chuckled and tiredly patted Dustin’s back. “Man, I missed you, kid,” you said. “And to answer your question, technically yes. I’m facing a lifetime of being grounded if I’m caught.”

“Let me get this straight,” Dustin began, his eyes trained on your plain black shirt that obviously belonged to Steve, “Steve snuck you out of the hospital, and you stayed in his house the entire night?” He leaned close to you. “And nothing happened?”

“Jesus, Dustin,” you wrinkled your nose at him. “People serve food here.” You gestured at the small cup of ice cream you were eating as breakfast slash brunch. Though you were wallowing your sorrows in cold, cold sweets, it did make you feel like a kid again.

“Steve is so stupid sometimes it amazes me,” Dustin thought out loud.

“I’m surprised you caught on. Seems like everyone in the world knows except him.”

“That’s because I’m me,” Dustin grinned proudly. “I bet the rest of the party doesn’t even know.”

“Who doesn’t know?” Steve entered the backroom with Robin in tow.

“Probably that you’re a dingus,” Robin snickered. Then her eyes trailed over to you. “So, we have another addition to the team,” she pointed out. “Who’s bringing her up to speed?”

“Dustin,” Steve said the same time that Dustin also said, “Me.”

Of course, it was Dustin.

While Dustin explained to you that the Russian military was most likely running a secret base right in the Starcourt Mall, you worried about El and Max, especially with not-Billy on the loose. Though they probably were already with the rest of the party right now and alerted Chief Hopper and Mrs. Byers. There was absolutely nothing to worry about.

Right?

“Got it?” Dustin finally said before narrowing his eyes at me. “Were you just zoning out the entire time?”

You snorted. “What do you take me for?”

“Fine, what did I just say?”

“Okay, I probably zoned out halfway through,” you admitted. “But your problem is pretty simple.”

Steve, Dustin, and Robin waited for you to continue.

“You just need the blueprints for the mall.”

“Why haven’t you called her the moment we were cracking the code?” Robin said, rushing outside and grabbing the tip jar. Ignoring Steve’s calls for her, she was off leaving us three at Scoops Ahoy.

“Touch my butt! I don’t care!”

“Can we keep it PG in here?” you frowned at the ridiculous show Steve and Dustin were putting by trying to get into the air ducts. “Just pull the boy down before someone gets hurt.”

“He can’t get hurt. He’s missing bones like Gumbo.”

“Like what?” you tilted your head.

“He means Gumby,” Dustin corrected, grabbing hold of Steve’s shoulders as he got hoisted out of the vent, “and that’s not how cleidocranial dysplasia works, Steve. I’m missing collarbones, not nerves.”

“Whatever,” Steve said. “We just need some else who could fit in there.”

Just as Steve said those words, Robin burst in the backroom, looking like she had an epiphany for the second time today. You were beginning to think she was the reason how Steve and Dustin had gotten this far. Behind her stood Lucas’ younger sister, Erica. Ah, the epiphany.

It only took the rest of the day of convincing her. The kid knew how to play hard ball. You’d give her that. She wouldn’t take anything less than ice cream for life. Frankly, you’d do the same.

You waited until the mall closed, though Robin and Steve cleared up Scoops Ahoy a few minutes early. So far, your parents were a no show, though you assumed that they didn’t think you would be hiding in the backroom of a very crowded mall. Frankly, they probably wouldn’t even believe you that you were infected with a monster from an alternate dimension and would rather help your friends with a Russian invasion than go to the hospital.

“Free ice cream for life,” Erica smirked smugly as soon as the thick sliding doors – actually odd for a simple storage room – slid open for us.

It didn’t take much snooping to find vats of glowing neon green vats of unknown substances hidden in regular delivery boxes. Without much thought, you grabbed one and made your way to the door. “Let’s just go before someone catches us.”

Again, the universe… just hated us.

“Uhh, which one do I press, Erica?” Dustin asked, insistently pressing the “OPEN” button.

Panic began to rise among all of us as mechanical whirring buzzed between the walls. Between that and the fact that we were trapped, we definitely knew we were screwed. While all of them fussed over the buttons that were no longer working, you stepped back, feeling something prickle under your skin.

“Just open the door!” Robin cried out, echoing into someone… something different.

Open the door.

Open the door!

Open the goddamn door!

Suddenly, you were on fire. You barely noticed your screams rising over everyone else’s. You fell to the floor, convulsing in agony as flashes of different people appeared in your head as if you were them. An old lady in a hospital bed, Heather, her parents, so many people who barely even knew in Hawkins… then Billy.

It was quiet with him. You saw flashes of a beautiful blonde woman calling out to him, her face concealed in a sunhat, then the beach with sand in between your toes. There was a moment of peace and tranquillity, and like someone playing a sick joke, you were in a dark place, standing in Billy’s place in front of people who were lifelessly standing still right in front of something. Something that you didn’t recognize but was so familiar to you, inside you.

He made me do it. It’s like a shadow, like a giant shadow. Please believe me, Max.

“Billy, it’s gonna be okay,” Max’s voice echoed in his head as if it were yours.

“It’s gonna be okay,” a different voice filtered through from all the noise.

“She’s unconscious. How is her inhaler going to help?” “I’m pretty sure that’s a seizure, nerd.” “Check for a pulse, Steve.”

Your consciousness fell right back on you like a pile of bricks. Your eyes fluttered open to see Steve hovering over you with your inhaler tucked between your lips. Once your eyes locked with his caramel ones, a huge wave of relief washed over his face as he pulled you into his arms.

“Oh, my God,” Steve gasped, clutching on to you for dear life. “Don’t scare me like that.”

“Get… out.”

Steve tensed and pulled away to look at you. “What?”

You weakly pulled up your – actually Steve’s shirt up to your ribs, revealing angry black veins that were now crawling over your torso. You cried out and clutched at you. “Get it out!”

“Holy sh– what the hell is that?!”

You rolled to the side and fell into a coughing fit, your back hunched over. Your nails clawed at your throat, feeling something trying to crawl itself out. Whatever happened somewhere in Hawkins pissed off the plants inside you, and you can feel them twisting and curling throughout your torso.

With much straining and the remaining oxygen in your lungs, you managed to pull out the parasite from your oesophagus. The action made Dustin and Robin gag in the corner, while Steve and Erica warily looked at the slithering vine with a fully bloomed flower you dropped on the floor, leaving a trail of blood and black goo.

“You guys, by any chance, have a lighter?” you panted, pressing your cheek against the cold metal floor for any cool relief you can take.

Silence told you no. You hoisted yourself up with much difficulty and leaned back into the crate then immediately had an idea. Albeit, a bad one. With shaky knees, you got on your feet and lifted the vat of green goo that rolled away when you dropped unconscious. You looked for the right twist to open the container when Dustin stopped you.

“What are you doing?”

“We have to kill it,” you said nonchalantly. “I mean, I could just drink this to get it over with, but I don’t want to die that quick.”

“Are you…?” Then Dustin’s eyes widened. “That day. You were… because you saved me.”

“Wait, wait, are any of you nerds explaining what’s going on?” Erica interrupted.

You sighed. “Monster,” you pointed at the vine. “Infected,” you pointed at yourself. “Must kill monster with something. Preferably fire.”

“You killed one of those before?” Robin asked.

“It was smaller last night,” you shrugged, finding the latch to open up the vat. “Hot water took care of that sucker easily.” Twisting the lid a certain way, it clicked and released. “Aha!” you exclaimed. “This is gonna hurt.” You eyed the goo apprehensively.

Then Steve snatched the lid and sealed back the vat. “There has got to be a way to do this without you in pain,” he said.

“We don’t have time, and we’re stuck here in a metal box with a monster crawling towards Erica’s sneaker!”

“Why are you yelling?!”

“I’m not yelling!” you shouted. Then you turned to Dustin with a much softer voice. “How did Will get rid of his the last time?”

“Space heaters, a lot of them,” Dustin answered. “Anything from the Upside Down hates the heat, including D’Art.”

“Well, we’re not waiting until you cough all the flowers out, so I say we dump you into a hot tub and crank the heat to full,” Steve suggested, keeping the vat out of reach. “Once we get out of here, of course.”

“Boiling her alive,” Dustin scoffed. “That’s genius, Steve.”

“Or,” Robin interrupted, “we just use the same space heaters. It worked before, so it might work again now.”

“Thank you,” you said, pointedly looking at Steve. “At least someone is trying not to kill m—” Suddenly, your lungs were set aflame as you dropped into a heap on the cold floor, convulsing in agony with your mouth open in an open scream. You briefly heard Erica speaking before ultimately passing out.

“What? You only kept one of that green acid away from us. At least the monster’s dead.”

After passing out for the second time that night, you seemed to be sleeping much longer, but when you woke up, it wasn’t much of a surprise to hear Dustin and Steve still bickering. You opened your eyes to see Steve’s legs hanging from the ceiling. Again, not a surprise.

Probably nothing else would surprise you at this point.

“Shh! Jesus Christ!” Steve hissed before disappearing entirely to the top of the elevator.

Now that spiked your curiosity.

Robin was preoccupied with Erica, and both of them didn’t even notice that you were awake. You sat up and climbed on the stacked boxes leading up to the opening on the elevator ceiling. The burning in your ribs and your shortness of your breath was easier to ignore now that you were too lightheaded to actually feel the discomfort. Still, you managed to poke your head out the opening, accidentally ending up eavesdropping.

“I heard you guys talking all night,” Dustin whispered to Steve before his eyes landed on you. He winced and shot you an apologetic look.

Steve turned and saw you by his feet, making him jump in surprise. “What are you doing up?!” he scolded. “You scared all of us last night. I thought Erica killed you.”

“Gee, your welcome!” Erica called out from inside.

“’Last night’? It’s morning?”

Dustin smiled emptily. “Yeah,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’ve been trying to reach anyone on the radio since the mall is open. I think we’re too far down though.”

“Okay, take Dustin down with you please,” Steve said, facing the wall. “I’m gonna take a leak.”

“First of all, ew. Second, good morning,” you said, hopping back down with Dustin right behind you.

“This is one looong sleepover,” Steve called out before the sound of a stream hitting the ceiling echoed inside the elevator. “Two nights of being your personal pillow!”

“Two nights?” you muttered to yourself. “Was I with Steve the other night?” you turned to ask Dustin, who gave you a weird look.

“You stayed over his place, and he drove you to the mall, remember?”

“He did?”

“Hey!” Robin called out. “We have company.”

One fight with a Russian later, which Steve won – finally – you and the rest of the group snuck into the comms room of the secret Russian base and found out why your lungs had been reacting different once you walked further down that tunnel.

“The gate.”

You, Steve, and Dustin looked at each other in horror before turning back to the machine that was trying to pry open the gate that El had shut down last year. It was your first time seeing it, but the same dark familiarity was tugging from the deepest part of your mind. There was no reason to dwell on it, so you tugged Dustin and Steve, urging them to leave and quickly warn the others as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, leaving was harder than getting in. Guards were alerted, and all of us were sent into running. It ultimately sent us to the direction of the gate itself with Dustin almost running into the laser machine that was opening the gate if it wasn’t for you tugging the back of his shirt collar.

You didn’t like being that close to the gate. Between the soldiers yelling and Steve barking which way to run, a louder voice was whispering crystal clear voices inside your head. You surrendered to the voices for one second to try and understand what they were saying, which proved to be your mistake.

In that one second, you were teleported to an incredibly vivid memory of meeting Steve for the first time.

“Sweetie, say hi to Mrs. Harrington and Steve.”

Your hand curled into a fist on the hem of your mother’s dress. It wasn’t the first time you saw Steve Harrington. Your classmate pointed who Steve was when he passed you at the hallways of Hawkins’ Elementary. She boasted that her older sister was Steve’s “girl friend” after he kissed her during recess yesterday.

You didn’t know what any of that meant, but when you glanced at Steve Harrington, you thought he was the prettiest boy you ever seen. Steve Harrington was exactly what you imagined the princes looked like that your mother read to you at bedtime.

And now, you were at their front door because your mom worked with his mom, and Mrs. Harrington thought it would be nice to have her and you over for tea.

And Steve was still the prettiest boy you ever seen.

You were catatonic while staring up into the gate opening.

While the rest of the guards were chasing after Steve and the others, the scientists urged that the guards don’t touch you, seeing that your pupils had turned entirely black. Your exposed neck revealed raised veins that they could tell were black even under the dim, unsteady lighting in the lab.

Your blank state was finally broken when the Russians took you in a secluded room, further away from the gate. Your mind was wildly fuzzy as if you were in the middle of sinking badly in your own subconscious. You inner daze didn’t last long when the door opened again, and Steve and Robin were dragged in and also cuffed like you were.

“What happened to you there?” Steve said in a low tone. “You just froze.”

The soldier didn’t like the chit-chat and struck Steve across the face. The sound was loud enough to echo in the room that you winced upon impact. “No talking!” he spat in a thick accent. “Now, who do you work for?”

“I’m confused,” Steve said, trying to sound unphased from the hit. “Do I not talk or do I tell you who I work for?”

That earned him another hit.

“We have many stories of monsters from where I’m from.”

“So do we,” you groaned at the man pacing the room. “You’re not that special, dude.”

Robin and Steve were taken away over half an hour ago, mostly likely for their own interrogation. So far, on your end, this soldier has done nothing but talk your ear off about stories from where he grew up while you were strapped in an examination chair.

“I suppose you know about flowers that grow on lungs?” The surprised look on your face told him everything he needed to know. “No one knows where they come from,” he said, “… until now.” He leaned in close to you. “You are very important test subject.”

“Not for long,” you said spitefully. “I’m dying anyway.”

“Well, I suppose you will be buried in Russian soil by then,” he said, sending chills in your spine. “But now, I need to see the flowers itself.”

Your breathing quickened at the thought being sliced open.

But…

They wanted you alive enough to bring you to Russia. That meant…

“Steve!” Your eyes widened at the sight of him as they dragged him inside the room and dropped him in a heap on the floor. Your heart clenched at the blood streaked all over his mouth and his eye swollen shut. “What did you do to him?”

The soldier and the rest of the guards merely looked at you struggling from where you were restrained while Steve remained unresponsive on the floor. The soldier looked displeased at the results before him and barked out another order. Soon enough, Robin was also dragged inside the room, and similar to you, she was as distraught at the sight of him beaten up.

Then… they just left the three of you in the room alone.

“What do they want?” Robin asked. “We told them everything, and you’re the only one not strapped with us.”

You gulped. “They, uh, they know what’s wrong with me.”

That gained Steve’s attention. With much difficultly, he raised his head and slurred out, “They’re not taking you, and we’re getting out of here.”

“Right,” you snorted. “Unless you have a way of getting to those scissors and cutting yourselves free, I’m on the next flight to Russia by the end of the day.”

“Those morons. They left scissors here?” Steve scoffed.

“I think that if we move at the same time, we could get over there, and then maybe I could kick the table and knock them into your lap,” Robin said, her voice rising with desperation. “So, on the count of three, we’re gonna hop.”

You smiled as hope bubbled when they succeeded the first two swivels. But on the third, the chair legs slid, knocking them both on the floor. Robin, who had her back to you, began shaking. At first, you and Steve thought she was crying, until her quiet giggles turned into full-on laughter.

“I’m sorry,” Robin laughed, trying to contain herself, “but I just can’t believe I’m gonna die in a secret Russian base with Steve ‘The Hair’ Harrington, while his girlfriend gets shipped off to another secret lab in Russia.”

“We’re not gonna die,” Steve huffed, “and she’s not my girlfriend, okay?”

“Gee, we’re tied up and have no hopes of escaping, and you choose to correct that?” you snarked at him.

There was a moment of quietness, mostly just to collect our wits, but Robin was the one to speak up again. She talked about Mrs. Click, our history teacher. Turns out she had been in the same class as Steve for the longest time, remembering every detail about him.

Just like you.

“Do you even remember me from that class?” Robin said, her voice lowering into a whisper. “It didn’t matter that you were an ass.”

And her next words just crushed you.

“I was still… obsessed with you.”

There was nothing else to do but watch as Steve’s eyes — well, eye — softened. In that moment, you felt like you were in someone else’s moment, just an audience. But wasn’t that what you always have been in Steve’s life?

“You know, I wish I’d known you in Click’s class,” Steve said, a fond smile growing on his lips. “Maybe instead of being here, I’d be on my way to college right now.”

Last semester, you wrote two of his history papers just so his grades would be high enough for him to play during the basketball playoffs.

“And I would have no idea that there were evil Russians beneath our feet,” Robin chuckled, “and I would be happily slinging ice cream with some other schmuck.”

“Gotta say, though, I liked being your schmuck.”

And there it was…

The burning in your lungs intensified, sending you in a painful fit of coughs. It was hard enough not to curl over because of the restraints on your chest. There was no way to claw at your throat or to grasp at your chest from the twisting pain.

You were too engrossed in trying not to choke from blood and black goo that you didn’t notice the door open. A different scientist came in, this time more sinister-looking, and leaned over you. “I knew it,” he smiled. “He feeds the flowers inside you.”

“W-wha…?” you managed to gasp out. “P-please… can’t… br-brea-eathe… In.... inhal-er.”

In the midst of the black spots tinting your vision, you barely made out a jet injector and something bright blue before you heard Steve yell out and everything went dark.

“… up. Wake up!”

You opened your eyes to see Dustin’s face. “Am I dreaming?”

“Come on! We have to go!”

You were so groggy that you followed Erica and Dustin to a hijacked mini-truck with Steve and Robin giggling along. Both their antics only heightened when we finally ascended back up to the mall. Steve couldn’t stop booping Dustin, while Robin was saying stuff about food and death.

“Did they give you something too?” Erica asked me.

“They probably took something instead,” you rasped out, feeling your throat. “They baited one out and pulled it out while I was trying not to choke to death.”

“Where is it now?” Dustin turned to me, smacking away Steve’s finger from booping his nose again.

“How the hell should I know? I was tied up!” you scowled at him.

“We just saved your asses!” Erica and Dustin chimed back at your tone.

The bickering didn’t end until you were all forced to be quiet as you hid in a cinema that was showing ‘Back to the Future.’ Once upon a time, it seemed to be a fun movie to watch with the kids, maybe even with El, but now, you could barely keep your knees from fidgeting as your eyes constantly watched between Michael J. Fox and the cinema doors for any evil Russians.

It wasn’t long when your lungs began burning again. You didn’t feel the need to cough this time, but it didn’t stop for a metallic taste bursting in your mouth. You grabbed an empty popcorn bag nearby and spat into the paper. Even under the dark theatre, you could see that it was mostly blood now.

You were out of time.

“Jesus, you look far worse than El.”

You shot Max a very unfriendly look. “The girl who just pulled a monster out of her leg using your mind powers?” You glanced at El who was cuddled up with Chief Hopper while Mrs. Byers attended to the open wound on her leg.

“Well, both you are bleeding out of your noses, and you are also growing monsters inside you.”

“ERICA!” you screeched while furiously wiping your nose.

“Just the facts!”

“What?!” Everyone else in the party, including the adults, chorused.

“You’re dying,” Will said as if he could still tell. He gave you a look of empathy and a little bit of familiarity. You knew he went through a similar thing last year, and it somehow made you less scared that he was here with you.

You nodded solemnly. “I don’t have much time,” you admitted. “It grows faster the closer I am to the gate… or when I feed it.”

“’Feed it’?” Max asked.

“We don’t have to talk about that,” you waved her off. At this point, you were just desperate to stay alive. All of you were so, so close. “If we close the gate, we can cut off all connections, right?”

“Theoretically,” Lucas added.

Since there was no other option but that, we all based our plan on that ‘theory.’ A man named Murray, who also got into a tiff with Erica, came in with a map of the underground Russian base from a guy named Alexei. With the goals in place, everyone began splitting off into groups.

“You’re coming with us, right?” Steve asked.

You bit your lip as you shook your head. “I’m staying with the girls,” you said. “You go with Dustin and Robin to Cerebro.” At the sight of his worried look, you added, “I’ll be okay.”

Steve shot you a scowl. “Don’t die without me.”

“Hard promise to keep,” you smirked, smacking his hand away from ruffling your already messy hair. Your fingers tangled with Steve’s, and he ended up holding your hand completely. “Don’t die first, Steven.”

Steve chuckled and was about to pull away when you tugged his hand back.

“Hey, Steve.”

“Yeah?”

“I know you and Robin…”

When you trailed off, Steve raised his brows at you, urging you to continue.

You shook your head, waving it off. “You guys just got drugged,” you reminded him. “Drive safely.”

“You say that as if I don’t have any experience from partying.”

“That isn’t comforting at the very least.” Then... you let go.

Turns out that it wasn’t just the gate that was triggering the growth.

When the Spider Monster burst through the glass ceiling for Starcourt Mall, the flowers in your lungs reacted the same way when Billy had grabbed you at the Holloway’s. It was one thing to lead the monster away from El, but it was another thing to be hunched in the trunk space of the Wheeler’s hatchback with said monster chasing you down the road.

“The answer to a never-ending story…”

You laughed at the song number from the radio in between coughs. “That definitely takes the sting out of dying,” you said. You can only imagine Erica’s face during this whole ordeal.

“Don’t say that.”

You looked at Steve in deadpan. You kept eye contact as you spat blood and body matter into an empty soda cup you found discarded in the car. It was a low-blow towards him, you knew that, and he didn’t deserve it.

But you were so tired, and you were so mad at yourself for always being late, for being cowardly.

So, when Jonathan turned the car to follow the Spider Monster that turned back to the mall, you immediately hopped off and went looking for El instead of going with them to set off the fireworks. Steve, as expected, put up a fight, insisting that you all stick together.

“I won’t go near it,” you reasoned. “I’m finding El and getting her out of here, while you keep it distracted.” When he looked unconvinced, you added, “The fireworks will also distract Billy. It’s going to be okay.”

“That isn’t comforting at the very least,” Steve said, making you laugh at your early words being thrown back at you.

“Hey!”

You turned to see Nancy Wheeler toss a bundle of fireworks at you. At your raised brow, she shrugged, “Just in case.”

Following a broken gate not too far from where Steve rammed Billy’s car, you found an employee’s corridor where Max and Mike passed out nearby with angry bruises on their faces. You rushed over for Max and shook her awake. Her eyes immediately shot open.

“Billy, it was Billy,” Max said, panicked. “He took El. You have to go. I’ll take care of Mike. Go!” She staggered to her feet, gripping the pipes for stability.

“I can’t go near him or that thing.” You hesitated leaving Max, but when she yelled at you again to go for El, you turned your feet and broke off into a run. Then the fireworks began…

“Fuck!” you screamed, falling to your knees. Every corner of your body was set ablaze. You cried out as the flowers inside you constricted with every blast.

Max and Mike quickly caught up to you, pulling you to your feet. Suddenly, it was quiet, and a wave of calm washed over you. You saw a beautiful woman in a sundress and a hat by the beach. It wasn’t your memory, but it was being returned to someone after being taken away. Billy.

“She was pretty,” you could hear El cry in your head. “She was really pretty.”

Taking advantage of the situation, you sped through the corridor and into the mall. You found Billy beginning to stand up to the Spider Monster. “When I make a run for it, you grab El and get her out of here, okay?”

“What? You just said you can’t face that thing!” Mike told you.

“Just do it!” You pushed your feet as fast as you could to face the monster.

“No!” Billy roared, grabbing the monster’s tentacle mouth to stop it from reaching El.

Seeing your opportunity, you quickly pulled the taped matchstick from the bundle and ignited the fireworks. Swinging your arm back, you flung it as hard as you could into the monster’s mouth. Right as soon as the explosive left your hand, you caught incoming smaller tentacles headed for Billy’s side, slinging two of them to your side from the crook of your elbow.

“I got you,” you said out of breath, seeing Billy’s surprised face. However, your fight had the monster targeting you, sending two other tendrils to your side instead. You barely felt it, even as its sharp tongue stabbed into your abdomen.

Touching the Spider Monster was as worse as looking straight into the Gate. You cried out as flashes of memories of you and Steve, growing up through the years, bombarded you, while the flowers inside you began crawling outside your ribs instead. You barely heard the last firework go off as you felt the vines throbbing under your skin.

An arm wrapped around your waist and pulled your unmoving feet, dragging you away. Your spotted, blurred vision could only see a head of dark blonde curls with a massive dark mass in the background screeching in agony.

“It’s over. It's supposed to be over!" you heard Max’s muffled voice say. “What’s wrong with her?!” You felt hands on your shoulder, shaking you to snap out of it.

“Steve,” you breathed out. You tried to focus on Max, but with a blink, you were trapped back in your memories. Steve telling you to go home every time as he led a different girl up the stairs to his room. Steve dropping you off while thanking you for picking out a gift for Nancy. Watching him smile ever so fondly at Robin. Seeing the smile that you so desperately desired every time.

All the memories of Steve breaking your heart, you felt all at once.

You continued to unconsciously call out Steve’s name. Even when the paramedics began wheeling you out in a stretcher. You vaguely saw them cutting your shirt open, exposing the gore that was concealed by the fabric.

The black vines had reached out on the surface of your skin. The outline of your ribs was exposed, threading black and purple angry bruises over your torso. The right side of your ribcage had completely sank, one rib twisting outwards and leaking a mix of blood and black goo. The damage was extensive, but the monster you grew and fed inside you seemed to be finally lying still, only remaining dormant once the gate was sealed once again.

“… -eral broken ribs and possible internal bleeding!” a paramedic called. “One of her lungs has collapsed. She's in shock!”

Then Steve was there. You couldn’t tell if it was a memory or if it was happening at that moment. He was struggling against two firemen, trying to get to you with one hand reaching out. With the last bit of energy left, you raised your hand, reaching out towards him too.

“Steve…”

#stranger things fanfic #steve harrington x reader #hanahaki au #flayed au #stranger things angst #steve harrington fanfic

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stelladjarin · 2 years

Text

Poolside Heartbreak

Steve Harrington x fem!Reader

[3.9k] Best friends to lovers, childhood, mutual pining, crushes, heartbreak, Steve Harrington has a heart of gold, kept promises and fighting words. This needs a part 2 or 3 or 4, who knows?

It’s deafeningly silent. The lapping of the water against the edge of the pool is the only sound to hit your ears as night greets dawn’s rosy and warm fingertips, and there’s a soft golden hue to the clouds just off the horizon. The birds aren’t yet awake. There are no cars on the road. Steve hasn’t come downstairs.

You rubbed the exhaustion from your eyes and took a languid sip of beer that’s too warm now. Sleep evaded you. The pool had offered to swallow your tears— repurpose them, reuse them the next time someone cannonballed into its depths. So, here you were: morning had come as it always does, and you were the only soul awake at the Harrington residence. You wished you were anywhere but the Harrington residence.

It wasn’t anything Steve had done; no, your best friend, Steve, with his heart of gold and charming smile could never do anything to upset you, but he was still here with her downstairs in the bedroom that had been set aside for him and you. Not her. His car sat empty down the driveway, catching the first rays of sunlight as it filtered through the evergreen trees. He was still here, and you were still here, but you were not still here with him.

The beer had numbed the pain, but you knew you’d get an ear-full from Steve Hawkins’ #1 Lifeguard Harrington for drinking so close to the water. “You could drown,” he’d shout as he shoved people onto the lawn nearby. “No CPR on my watch.” Ridiculous. Steve Harrington was ridiculous.

But he knew how to throw a fuckin’ party. The sun was rising, but it was only about an hour ago that the last party-goers had left. Everyone else crashed in a room, sauntering up the stairs and slamming doors too loudly, groaning as their heads hit soft, plush pillows. Everyone but you because she had left with him a long time ago. Back when the music was still blaring and Steve was twirling you around the lawn in a clumsy sort of dance. Ridiculous.

You hadn’t noticed your boyfriend’s absence until you’d excused yourself to head to sleep much to Steve’s dismay. The bedroom door had been locked, but it wasn’t closed all the way, so, confused, you pushed it open slowly enough to see his limbs tangled with her and loud snores echoing off the walls.

A rock settled in your throat, and electricity shot up your spine as you stood frozen for entirely too long. Your feet had moved before your brain did, retreating back into the hallway and avoiding everyone around you. If anyone had thought something was wrong, they didn’t stop to ask as your feet carried you to the treeline behind the Harrington house. It was dark, and you were drunk, and you were alone, and you weren’t thinking clearly, and someone really should have stopped to ask if you were okay, but your feet wouldn’t stop walking past the tall pines and into the grassy woods. One foot in front of the other, and soon you were breathing better. Your heart stopped pounding, but nausea took over. You blamed the alcohol in your system as you tried to forget him. Forget them.

God, what a fucking idiot you’d been. The party was great. You caught up with friends and drank and had a beautiful time with your boyfriend, Dalton. He made you feel special. His eyes twinkled when he looked at you, and even when you weren’t, people always told you how in-love with you he was. He’d gone to get drinks when Steve had drunkenly pulled you over to the stereo, joking that, “you never dance! Come on! Like old times; for me?”

And you could never say no to the sweet puppy eyes Steve wore so well. Before you knew it, you were dancing with Steve to ABBA, and Dalton pushed a drink into your hands as he excused himself to the restroom. Song after song played before your legs threatened to give out, and your brain was beginning to think, I haven’t seen Dalton’s cute face in a while.

You’d slapped at Steve’s shoulder and leaned into his ear as you yelled over the music, “I need to go to bed. I think Dalton’s asleep already.”

Steve had given you a massive frown, but after much begging for you to stay and have fun, he relented and let you leave.

And now here you were— feet dangling over the pool’s edge, sunlight beginning to warm the cool Indiana air, and birds waking the rest of the world up. There were no more party-goers trying to sober up, stretched across the lawn before their drive home. Steve was upstairs, sleeping soundly and unaware of the fact that there were cheaters in his downstairs bedroom, and his longest friend was poolside and heartbroken.

The fact that you hadn’t even seen it coming was what hurt the most. Dalton was a steady boyfriend. You’d met freshman year, and things were going great. Of course, nothing was ever perfect, but you were happy and content with the relationship you had. He got along with all your friends, and, sure, Steve tended to give him a hard time, but it was all in good fun. Dalton never complained. Always brought flowers. Never argued. Always took you to dinner. Never flaked on plans. Always offered to carry your books. By all definitions, he was as lovely as lovely could be. So why was he in bed with another girl?

You couldn’t even think about her. Who was she even? You hadn’t stayed frozen in the doorway long enough to get a good look at her. Was she a mutual friend? Was she someone he’d met off-handedly at the party? Part of you wished it was someone you knew so you could at least lie and say, “oh, I always knew this would happen.” But the other part of you wished it was a stranger. Someone you wouldn’t have to wonder if there was always something between Dalton and this mystery girl.

Beggars can’t be choosers.

You knocked back the rest of the beer beside you and pulled another from the 6-pack you had stolen from inside. The empty bottle rolled a few feet away, clinking across the stone pavement.

“Littering’s a bad look on you, sweetheart.”

“Jesus Christ,” you jumped, whirling your head to see a sleep-mused Steve Harrington padding barefoot towards you. He wore a lopsided smile and unkempt, wavy hair, groaning slightly as he took a seat beside you and let his feet sink into the water. He hissed at the cool water creeping up his warm skin, still cozy from bed.

Steve chuckled as he relaxed and took in your appearance. Christ, you didn’t even want to guess what you looked like. His fingers reached and moved some hair behind your shoulder. “Did you sleep in your dress and makeup? I don’t know if you know this, but there’s this new thing called showering,” he teased, a curious look dragging his eyebrows into a knot.

You sighed, trying to smile at his stupid joke. Yeah, you were sure your hair was a frizzy mess. Dress still clinging to your sides and riding up your thighs. Makeup smudged across your skin. “Sure, Steve,” you grumbled, and you hated the rasp of your voice, “didn’t get around to sleeping yet.”

“What?” He asked as he scooted a little closer to you. He leaned his weight onto his palm which rested behind you on the pavement, and his free hand gripped your knee. “Are you alright?”

That dreaded question.

“Yeah,” you breathed, shrugging. You stared across the pool at a light beneath the surface. “You know, just, Dalton’s in bed with someone else, so, couldn’t really fall asleep after that.”

A heart beat of silence passed before Steve’s hand on your knee moved to gently guide your chin to face him. His eyes were intense. Piercing through you, his deep pupils sucked you in, freezing you in place. “He cheated on you?” Steve asked with a voice you’d only heard a few times while he threatened some out-of-line classmates. It was a tone reserved for fights and aggression. Yet his body language was nothing but concern.

Steve was leaned in close to you with his fingers still ghosting around your jaw. His shoulder leaned against your’s, and his eyes held you in a steady gaze.

It was all you could do to nod softly before tears fell across your cheeks, and that lump in your throat was back. It burned your skin, blurred your vision, constricted your chest until you could breathe, and you were collapsing onto Steve’s chest as sobs rattled your ribcage.

He held you firmly against him. A hand buried in your hair, Steve mumbled promises against your ear. That idiot better not let me see his face. You’re alright. I swear to God, I’ll find out who it is and how long it’s been going on for. Hey, breathe for me; I’ve got you. I promise you’re alright, sweetheart.

His skin was warm. His words melted like honey down your heart. His arms stopped your trembling. His shirt absorbed your tears. His lips moved to your temple to press a short, chaste kiss before he moved back to inspect your face.

“You’re okay,” he whispered as his thumb swiped your tears away. He nodded his head to the side. “Come on; let me make you some breakfast before I tuck you into bed, yeah?”

Lightning shot up your spine. “Steve,” you hurried, “they’re—“ still here, but the words died in your throat as the image of them tangled in sheets together flashed before your eyes.

Steve’s gentle expression took a moment to harden as the unsaid words pieced together in his mind. “No fucking way,” he half-laughed, disbelieving. His head shook as if trying to wake himself from a dream; his tongue poked the inside of his cheek, and there was a wildness in his eyes now. He stood, dropping his grip on you and marching back to the house. “Stay there,” his voice called to you over his shoulder.

“Hey, dickhead!” Steve’s voice was booming as he swung the backdoor open.

Minutes passed, and the sun was creeping further up the length of the trees, warm light sparkling off the water’s surface and beginning to blind you with its brilliance. The birds were in full-swing with their early morning chorus of calls and tweets. You took a half-hearted swig of beer. No use in sobering up now.

There was a commotion outside on the other side of the house. “Yeah, go fuck yourself, Jones,” you heard Steve shout. “Get in your car, fuck off, and don’t ever look at her again. Do you fucking hear me? I don’t want to catch you near her again, asshole.”

Muffled shouting followed, but the words were too slurred to make out. The voice, however, was distinctly Dalton’s. Deep baritone rumbling across the lawns to hit your heart and shoot poison into your bloodstream.

“Oh, are you gonna cry?” Steve mocked. “Go home, and write in your diary about it, fuck face.”

A door slammed incredibly loudly, and moments later, Steve was storming out the back door towards you again. His eyebrows were pinched together, and that look in his eyes was ever-present as he knelt before you, gently coaxing the beer bottle from between your fingers. “Hey,” he whispered in an attempt to relax. Oxygen flooded his lungs, puffing out his chest and smoothing the lines that had etched his face. His eyes closed for a moment. A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips, and when he looked at you again, he was kinder, warmer, gentler. “Hey,” he repeated as his fingers brushed hair behind your ears, “breakfast time?”

You swallowed back the anxiety that was building in your stomach. You weren’t hungry at all, but the promise of Steve’s loving attention and honey brown eyes looking at you so intently was enough to make you nod your head. “Are they gone?” You found yourself asking.

“Who?” Steve grinned. “No idea who you’re talkin’ about, princess. It’s just us.”

You blew a laugh through your lips and rolled your eyes at his nonchalance. “Is that dickhead and his new girlfriend gone, Steve?”

“Oh, them. Yeah,” he nodded, a more serious look overtaking his features. “Kicked ‘em out. You won’t be hearing from him again.” Steve offered you his hand, palm laid open to you and fingers curling over yours as you accepted his grasp.

With unsurprising ease, he pulled you to your unsteady feet, but Steve had apparently anticipated your stumbling since he carefully wrapped an arm around your waist and guided you slowly towards the house.

“Do I know her?” You whispered gently.

Steve hummed. “Don’t think so. She’s a freshman, actually. She came with Stacey, I think. Rebecca? I think that’s her name, but, hey, don’t worry about that shit, okay?” He looked down at you, and the look in his eyes seemed to be begging you to agree. “You’re too good for that piece of shit anyways. You know how shit he is at diving? Slapped the water like a fuckin’ dead body last meet. You don’t need that in your life, okay? Believe me, you can do so much better.”

He held the door open for you and let you walk ahead of him into the cool air of the kitchen. The lights were off, and the house was steeped in a relaxing silence, almost like a museum showcasing the debauchery that had gone on the night before.

“A freshman,” you mumbled. “He cheated on me with a freshman?”

“He’s a creep. Forget him, please?”

You settled into a barstool at the island and watched as Steve moved to pull out pans for breakfast. “What the hell did I do to deserve being cheated on with a fucking freshman? That’s fucking insane.”

“Hey,” Steve said, voice firm and commanding. He was staring at you with a frying pan swinging idly in his fist. He paused to watch you, and you felt like you were kids on the playground again, waiting for Steve to make the next move. “How do you want your eggs?” He asked gently.

“Scrambled,” you answered as you resigned to dropping the Dalton situation. Steve was right— stop wallowing in self-pity over a loser.

But Dalton wasn’t a loser. He was popular like Steve. They ran in the same crowds. That’s how you met. You’re Steve’s best friend, but that doesn’t mean you’re popular and well-liked like he is. No, you’re popular by association, so it was at one of Steve’s infamous parties that you met Dalton and his charming smile and funny personality. He’d wined and dined you not long after, sweeping you off your feet, and the next thing you knew, you were at swim meets cheering Dalton on and sharing kisses at his locker.

Without Dalton, you were back to just being Steve’s friend. And now, you’d be even more on the outskirts of the crowd, shunned by Dalton’s friends. Steve’s friends were no better. Carol and Tommy tolerated you, but with ammo against you, who’s to say they wouldn’t torment you under the guise of just poking a little fun. It was their favorite pastime, poking fun at anyone who was down. Steve didn’t really partake, but he didn’t stop them either. Maybe he wouldn’t stop them when they had something to say about you.

Stop.

Of course he would. He’d kicked out and verbally abused Dalton 10 minutes before, and now he was cooking breakfast for you in his kitchen. Of course he’d defend you. You’d been friends since kindergarten.

The memory was hazy; years of friendship turning the day you met sepia with nostalgia, but you knew the gist of it. You’d been climbing the monkey bars, hanging upside down to show off how long you could withstand the rush of blood to your head when a certain little boy had claimed he could do it longer. He’d crossed his arms in front of his chest and grinned that stupidly smug smile at you as you blinked away the dizziness.

Frowning, you challenged him, and, well, that’s where it gets hazy. Your mom says you both ended up in the nurse’s office, sick from nausea but still arguing over who had really won the competition.

Thus, your friendship began. A little over a decade later, Steve was still your best friend and strongest supporter. You pushed each other to be the best you could be. Follow dreams and all that coming-of-age movie bullshit Steve always found so charming.

You huffed a laugh and watched Steve now as he made a show of flipping a pancake by shaking the pan around. He beamed at you when he succeeded, and you bit back the reluctant smile that danced on your lips, opting to roll your eyes instead. “Very cool, Prince Charming,” you drawled, which made Steve laugh.

A heartstring was plucked at the sound of it. Defrosting the chill that had stopped it for the past few hours. Steve always seemed to have that sort of effect. Pulling the ones he loves most out of their pit of despair. It was perhaps his strongest asset, and certainly the one you valued the most.

His eyes were creased into happy half moons, crinkling in the corners as he smiled at you. “Why, thank you,” he bowed slightly in mock respect. He took a plate down from the cabinetry and filled it with a pancake, eggs, bacon, and hashbrowns. He slid it across the kitchen island. “For you, my dear.”

“Thank you, kind sir.” These games of excessive politeness were always comical. Steve was good at making you laugh at his over-the-top expressions and mannerisms. Ridiculous. Steve Harrington is ridiculous.

Steve had his own plate, but instead of sitting, he opted to stand beside you and inspect the bites you took. You peered up, popping an eyebrow at him. “Can I help you?”

He smiled almost shyly and looked down at his own plate. “Just makin’ sure you’re actually eating something, not just picking at it,” he said. “Eat, then we can put you to bed, yeah?”

“Sure,” you breathed quietly. His sincerity was never missed since it never disappeared. He was always like this. With those big brown eyes and unwavering kindness. “I should, um,” you cleared your throat and ripped your eyes away from him to stop the fluttering in your chest. Your gaze landed on the various beer bottles and trash littering the floor. “I should help you clean, Steve. Not fair for you to throw a great party, come to my rescue, and clean.”

“No, no, no,” he said quickly, waving his fork around. “You came to the party, danced your ass off, got cheated on, didn’t sleep, and drank all my beer until the sun came up.” He leaned forward a bit and wiggled his eyebrows with a smirk on his lips. “Get some sleep, please.”

You leaned forward too. Inches away from his face. A flicker fast as lightning crossed his features before he returned to his playful smugness. But you held his gaze coolly. “Okay,” you whispered before retreating.

It was weird. This back and forth game you two played. You weren’t sure when it began. Middle school, probably, when the hormones start going crazy, and being in close proximity to Steve Harrington did nothing but fuel the fires of your infatuation with him. You knew there had to be a part of him that felt the same, but it never manifested into anything other than recess flirting. There was the occasional kiss in a heated moment, but those were few and far between. Reserved for school dances or drunken parties. More often were the friendly, reassuring forehead pecks. A break-up or a congratulations. But nothing was ever serious. You’d never dated, and you’d certainly never slept together. No, Steve had a whole pond of girls waiting to jump at his line. He had plenty of blonde cheerleaders and rich classmates to occupy his time. You were separate.

Your relationship had remained unchanged for the better part of a decade, and you weren’t going to chance a change now that he was largely all you had left. Especially now, after Dalton. God, school on Monday would be hell. The thought of Carol and her shit-eating grin, eyes looking you up and down with unbelievable arrogance. Tommy wasn’t any better. He loved to watch Carol make her prey squirm, then he’d jump them. Steve—

Steve always watched. Silent. That intrusive thought crept up your spine again. Would Steve defend you? His unpopular friend that was only considered off-limits because of his proximity to you and Dalton. Now that one of those factors was eliminated, would you still be spared? Would Steve be enough to protect you?

“Done?” Steve asked, jolting you from your mental spiral.

“Yeah,” you sighed. “Um, hey,” fuck, “can I ask you something?”

He was picking at the eggs you didn’t eat as he shrugged. “Anything.”

“So,” God this was stupid, “on Monday, do you think I should be worried?”

Steve’s eyebrows pinched together. “Worried?” He echoed. “About what? We got a test or something I forgot about? Shit, do we need to study?”

“No, no, Steve, Dalton? Do I need to worry about what he’s going to go around saying? About what everyone else is going to say?”

“Why would you worry about what that piece of shit has to say? He’s the one that cheated on you with a freshman.”

“Yeah, but,” but, “he’s friends with Carol and Tommy and all of those people. I mean, you’re friends with them too, but you know they like to talk.”

Steve shook his head dismissively and turned to dump the plates in the sink. “Yeah, they like to talk, but fuck ‘em. What, they’re going to talk about you? They can’t talk about you without talking about me, so what are they going to do? Fuck over the only guy that keeps them out of trouble? Yeah, fuck that,” he laughed.

“Yeah,” you breathed. “So, you— you would say something to them? If they said something bad about me.”

He turned to look at you. His eyes raked over yours. “Of course I would. Are you kidding? You know I would. Fuck those guys. But they’re not going to say shit about you anyways, so don’t even worry about that. You think Dalton’s going to get anyone on his side? You’re joking.”

“Well, he’s definitely got more bitchy friends than I do.”

Steve laughed again, hearty and deep. “Fuck Dalton and his little army of idiot monkeys.” He swung a dish towel over his shoulder and crossed the distance between you two in a few short steps. He leaned onto the kitchen island in front of you, settling his weight onto his forearms until he was invading your personal space. Those brown eyes of his studied you for a moment before glancing down at your lips, back up to your eyes, and raising an eyebrow at you. “You’ve got Steve fucking Harrington behind you, sweetheart. The fuck do you need anyone else for?”

He flashed an arrogant grin at you and spun back to the dishes in the sink. You supposed he was right. Steve ran Hawkins High, and anyone would be a moron to piss him off. The King, they called him. No matter what his foot soldiers thought about the situation, whether they sided with Dalton or not, Steve fucking Harrington was the one to stand behind.

#steve harrington x reader #steve harrington x you #steve harrington #stranger things #stranger things 4 #steve harrington x y/n #steve harrington fluff #steve harrington imagine #steve harrington fanfic #steve harrington fic

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angel-wings-and-tattoos · 1 year

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i am, in fact, in a steddie mood today. however, if you look at my account for more than 2 seconds then you're aware that i'm incapable of writing anything without stonathan in some way, shape, or form so today! we will be looking at platonicbff!stonathan. i love stonathan with my entire heart and its to the point where i like literally any dynamic you can put them in. like i think i'm into platonic!stonathan equally as much as platonic!stobin. which is saying something bc i am actively head over heels in love with robin.

what i want to look at today is protective jonathan when it comes to steve. in a perfect world (correction-in a somewhat plausible perfect world bc, let's be honest, in my perfect world we actively get footage of jonathan and steve fucking but that's neither here nor there) season 5 develops steve & jonathan's relationship, him and nancy break up amicably, and steve and jonathan become best friends.

but back to the steddie i promised earlier.

----

eddie doesn't know how it happened. one day he's accused of murder, alone, and stuck in a boathouse and less than a month later here he is. staring at steve fucking harrington sleeping less than five feet away from him.

the very same steve harrington that apparently is the sole reason he's even awake in the first place. when the trio had stumbled onto dustin and eddie, steve had gone into full action hero mode. using his lifeguard cpr training he had managed to get eddie breathing long enough to haul his ass back top side, breaking one of eddie's ribs in the process.

eddie doesn't remember any of it.

that isn't for lack of trying on his part. eddie is approximately two seconds away from breaking into the hospital's security footage because, if robin's story is true, he wants to keep the video for the rest of his life.

according to her, it was awesome, munson, you should have seen it! he had you in a bridal carry like a godamn rag doll. he burst in the front entrance and started yelling at them like i've never seen him yell before, ever! even that one time dustin fucked up the paint on his car. the nurses recognized you and for sure didn't want to help but apparently there's only so much you can do in the face of steve harrington throwing the mother of all shitfits. the second he started threatening to call his dad they all kicked into gear. it would have been funny if i didn't actively think you were dead at the time. sorry! but you really were super still and you weren't groping steve, like at all, so i assumed that we'd lost you forever.

(eddie pretends to be offended by that last bit, but he also concedes that if steve picked him up right now he can't promise he would keep his hands to himself)

after eddie was taken away on a stretcher, steve had nodded, mostly to himself, and promptly passed out. onto the cold, hard, tiled floor of the hospital entryway. they hauled him on a stretcher as well and he was put up in a room somewhere down the hallway.

that lasted for about four hours.

or, more accurately, that lasted until steve woke up again. after throwing what robin called less a shitfit, more a temper tantrum this time, he managed, even in a pain-induced haze, to convince the hospital staff to put him in eddie's room.

that fiasco was 3 days ago.

currently, steve wasn't unconscious anymore but his injuries were pretty badly infected. turns out nancy's shredded t-shirt wasn't exactly the most sterile thing on the planet. they had him on a steady stream of antibiotics and pain meds. eddie himself hadn't been awake for more than 15 minutes or so at a time (each of those times, robin had excitedly looked up from her vigil at steve's side and recounted new things she decided he had to know at that exact second).

until now.

as eddie blinks awake, he is aware of three things.

he's never been this thirsty in his entire life. it feels like he decided to dive mouth first into a container of sand.

if he didn't know any better, he would say that jim hopper is standing by a chair near steve's bed. but he does know better, jim hopper is dead. so. great. now he can add hallucinations to potential side effects of evil upside down bat bites.

directly next to the mirage of a police chief, sits jonathan byers.

that last thing wouldn't be as weird if said byers wasn't holding one of steve's hands and sitting far closer to the bed than the nonentity behind him.

(eddie isn't sure why the hand holding is more distracting at the moment than the fact that robin is actively laying in steve's bed with him, burrowing herself into his side like she's attempting to meld them into one person.)

he blearily watches as jonathan softly tucks a stray piece of steve's hair behind his ear on the side of his head that's not currently resting on the top of robin's.

eddie decides that he is on far too much pain medication to be thinking this hard.

groaning, he attempts to sit up enough to reach the water pitcher next to his bed.

"whoa, munson. take it easy," the ghost of legal trouble's past shuffles over to help eddie by pouring some water into a small paper cup. eddie watches him, wearily taking the cup from him. the water was cold to the point that it almost hurt, but it still beat the hell out of having a dry throat.

"ar'n't you 'posed t'be dead?" eddie slurs. his tongue feels like it weighs about ten pounds. the (poltergeist? revenant? wraith? eddie's mushy brain can't think of a better word for a dead person that can pour him water) figure before him scoffs.

"nice to see that you're still charming as ever. it's a long story, kid, i'm sure someone else will fill you in later. besides i'm guessing you have maybe 5 minutes of peace before one of those kids finds out you're awake and, inevitably, starts screaming about it loud enough to break glass," hopper sighs, hands coming to his hips in a remarkably similar echo of steve. eddie has absolutely zero thoughts about that, thank you. the chief moves towards the door, placing a hand on the handle.

"however, buckley hasn't left harrington's side for the last 4 days. if anyone scares her awake now, i don't think she'll ever go back to sleep. i'll hold them off for the night, but the second the sun comes up, you're on your own."

hopper looks from eddie to jonathan, who nods in acknowledgement without looking away from steve for more than a second or two. eddie watches as he closes the door behind him and disappears from view, leaving jonathan and eddie sitting in silence.

eddie coughs.

fidgets.

looks at byers.

coughs again.

okay, let it be said that eddie isn't great with awkward silence. but, in his defense, what the fuck is he supposed to say to jonathan byers? he didn't even know that him and steve were friends, much less holding-hands-in-a-hospital-bed-friends.

"so," eddie starts, regretting opening his mouth the second jonathan looks at him.

"so," jonathan repeats quietly, looking like he's holding back a smile as he does, "you're eddie munson."

eddie doesn't like the way jonathan is saying his name. it has an odd tilt to it, like he's mimicking what someone else has said to him. eddie admits that it's not the worst way his name has ever been said, but it makes him swallow uncomfortably.

"gu'lty 's charged, man." eddie's voice comes out considerably clearer than before, shifting from sounding completely shitfaced to minorly tipsy.

there is an extremely awkward moment where eddie has no idea where this conversation is going. jonathan is back to staring at steve, still practically cradling one of his hands between the two of his.

"he talks about you a lot, you know," eddie doesn't know, but he also doesn't interrupt, "it's always 'eddie said this', 'this is eddie's favorite song', 'eddie rented that movie'. he talks about you almost as much as he talks about robin."

jonathan takes a breath, drumming his fingers on the back of steve's hand. his gaze stays on steve as he talks, still quiet enough to not wake up either of the teenagers sleeping next to him.

"he's a good guy, you know. underneath the whole asshole jock façade. i don't know if you remember, but he almost killed himself trying to save you. i'm not sure how he was even able to stand when you guys came in, much less march in here like he did carrying you in his arms."

still idly toying with steve's hand, jonathan's gaze moves back to eddie. his fond expression dims into more serious territory as he visibly contemplates the second part of his impromptu speech.

"i'm not the greatest at talking about my own feelings, i'm more than aware of that, but i won't hesitate in saying that steve is important to me. no idea how, why, or when it happened, but he just is. somewhere along the line he decided that your opinion is important to him and i need you to understand the weight of that. steve has been independent his entire life, sometimes to the point where it's detrimental to his own health. i don't know if he realizes it completely, but he's basically imprinted on you like a baby duck."

eddie swallows nervously as jonathan maintains steady eye contact. the two men are quiet for a moment before jonathan seems to mentally switch tracks, "you seem like a good guy. steve obviously adores you and it sounds like the kids do as well. from what i've heard, you almost died to save dustin's life. i appreciate all of it, i really do. that being said, if you do anything to hurt steve then none of that matters anymore. i think i'm speaking on robin's behalf as well when i say that we really do like you as a person, but steve's wellbeing comes first."

as stated earlier, eddie is on far too much pain medication to be thinking this hard. if his head wasn't so foggy, eddie would think he's getting a shovel talk.

by jonathan byers.

about steve harrington.

who apparently "obviously adores him".

yeah, it's definitely the pain killers.

eddie clears his throat again as he heavily sinks back against his pillows. "i'm not entirely convinced that 'm not hallucinating this entire conversation, byers. but yeah, i understand. kinda owe him my life now, i guess, so it'd be pretty shitty of me to hurt the guy's feelings or whatever ya think i'mma do," his speech was improving the more he talked, but it was getting harder to keep his eyes open.

jonathan seems content with that statement for the time being, if his attention switching back to steve and off eddie is any indication.

eddie falls back asleep shortly thereafter, leaving jonathan as the only person awake in the small hospital room.

________

i think i'm going to add more from jonathan's pov but for now just be aware that jonathan and steve both know that steve is practically in love with eddie. jonathan is very protective of the people he loves and steve is in that circle. as far as this little snippet goes, i don't think stonathan was ever a romantic thing, and there was never any hard pining involved but they do care about each other deeply. i like to think they kept in contact when the byers moved to california. it started with jonathan and nancy getting into a fight and the only other adult person he could call to check on things was steve. he wasn't sure if steve would even respond, but he ended up not only answering all of jon's questions but seemed to genuinely want to know how the rest of the byers' clan was doing.

this turned into weekly phone calls, which turned to twice a week, which eventually turned to calls at all times of day all week. they're basically besties who gossip and talk shit on the phone all the time. when the byers get back to hawkins it shocks everyone but robin when jonathan parks his ass next to steve's bed and refuses to move.

i just love stonathan ok!!!! i will die on this hill. steve deserves people who love him and care about him!!

Edit: now on ao3!! <3

#jonathan byers #steve harrington #stonathan #platonic stonathan #steve harrington & jonathan byers #stranger things #stranger things 5 #eddie munson #steve harrington/eddie munson #kinda #steddie #pre-relationship #robin buckley #jim hopper #hospital #stranger things au #platonic stobin #ali's ficlets

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bucky-munson · 2 years

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What's Hidden in the Shadows | 4

Summary: Bullies are everywhere. They manifest as a group of jocks at school who think you're fat and want to make sure you know. Sometimes they even manifest as your own father. But can they manifest as the love of your life? No probably not.

Words: 1.4k

Pairing: Billy Hargrove x Plus Sized!GN!Reader ; Steve Harrington X Plus Sized!GN!Reader

Warnings: descriptions of an anxiety attack, Bullying, abuse, swearing.

a.n: Cat's out of the bag with this one I think, but can someone just kiss y/n and tell them to calm down pls.. A bit Steve heavy but regularly scheduled programming next part ^^ (honestly I was so torn about who to make the other guy but I think I like Steve and Y/N, please don't be too disappointed ;; I've got an Eddie planned for later)

Taglist: @harringtonfan4 @jubilee40 @cevans-winchester

Weekends offered a welcome reprieve from the paranoia of looking over your shoulder everyday at school, but in a small town like Hawkins, you still had to be careful. There were places you deemed “off limits” and avoided like the plague; knowing that it made you an easy target simply by existing in them. So when word spreads that Billy has become a lifeguard at the Hawkins Community Pool, you mentally pat yourself on the back for already avoiding it, even at the cost of a day of fun with a couple of your friends.

“Are you sure you don’t wanna come with us?” Nancy pouts, trying her hardest to make you feel included, but with a simple shake of your head she concedes. You assure them multiple times that you don’t mind hanging out alone at the mall, but ever the self-sacrificer, Steve pledges to keep you company instead. Eventually you realize that no number of “It’s okay”s that you spout will change his mind.

“Fine but when we’re in the music shop for 4 hours, I don’t wanna hear any complaining,” you finally sigh, ignoring his soft cheers as he waves off the others to enjoy their day at the pool.

And that’s how you’ve found yourself, filing through the various plastic wrapped cassettes with Steve practically leaning over your shoulder.

“I didn’t know you listened to any of these bands,” he starts, his eyebrows pinched together as he tries to decipher one of the many rock band’s logos.

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Steve, but funny enough I’m not looking for something for me, I’m looking for a thank you gift for a.. uhm.. Friend,” you reply, squinting as you try to jog your memory of the group that blasted out of the speakers of Billy’s car. The cashier had assured you that the shipment was fresh and that there were tons of new albums to pick from, so you were sure you’d find something he didn’t have yet.

“List off some names, I might not be into them but I can help,” Steve smiles as he jumps into action, digging through the various cassettes as well.

“That’s the problem.. I don’t know any of their names..”

The sudden halt of movement beside you makes you pause for a moment, looking up to see Steve even more confused than before.

“You’re looking for something and you don’t even know the name??”

It took about an hour of extra digging, but you clutched the Scorpions cassette tape tightly as you walked through the busy food court, smiling a bit and proud at your find. Steve had ushered you through a line to grab lunch and found a table a little ways away from everyone else to sit at, sighing in relief once he hit the hard plastic chair.

“Finally, no more standing around that dingy record shop,” he groans, stretching a bit before starting to eat the slice of food court pizza he had grabbed. If anyone had asked two weeks ago where you would be on a Saturday afternoon, eating lunch across from Steve Harrington would have been the last answer on your mind, and yet, here you both were, surrounded by the rumble of the crowd you were sharing the moment with. It seemed almost unreal and it’s then the thought creeps into the back of your mind, no louder than a whisper.

He just feels sorry for you. Do you really think he wants to be here instead of the pool?

“So, y/n, what do you want to do after this?” Steve asks, a bright smile on his face even though his lips are pressed tightly together as he chews his pizza. It’s almost laughable that this was the former King of Hawkins High, sitting across from you, one of the biggest rejects in the school.

How could you think any different? You think both Billy and now Steve are paying attention to you? You’re just a charity case.

“Y/n?” He repeats softly, but it’s muddled over the sounds of the people around, almost like you can suddenly hear every breath they're taking. The lights beat down on you, neon pinks and blues and there’s an unbearable heat rising across your shoulders and onto the nape of your neck.

“I.. I can’t do this anymore,” you mutter out, standing and practically racing out the door of the food court, Steve left in utter shock before grabbing the forgotten cassette and following behind you. You can hear him calling your name, but your feet don’t stop moving until he finally reaches you, gripping your wrist firmly to keep you from running again.

“Hey what is happening? Everything okay? Did I do something?” You see the apprehension on his face, but you quickly face the ground, trying to think of anything to say but the words don’t form.

“I… I want to go home, please,”

“What? Why? Weren’t we having fun?” His voice is softer now and you can tell he’s being genuine but you can’t stop yourself from pulling away.

“I just want to go home, Steve! You don’t have to keep taking care of me just cause I’m alone, go to the pool with the others and let me go,” the words come out a lot harsher than you meant them to and a hush falls over you both. Steve doesn’t even bother replying, only giving you a soft nod before guiding you to his car. You begin to protest, saying that you can walk but he quickly cuts his eyes to you.

“Like hell I’m letting you walk, get in or we both stay here,” he jerks the door open and looks at you expectantly, almost waiting for you to try and fight more but you flop down into the seat, looking up at him as he closes it behind you. You brace for the slam of the door but it never comes and he quietly gets in on his side as well.

The drive to the trailer park is quiet, Steve never even bothering with his radio to allow you to muddle in your own thoughts.

Give it a few days and this will all wear off. You almost wished you could believe yourself, everything feeling too overwhelming to comprehend. Even Billy’s promise of the “one time thing” was starting to feel like it would fall flat, but could you really let that happen. He had been so vile to you since he moved to Hawkins, could you let all that go just because he was nice after he felt bad about your father?

“Alright, we’re here,” Steve mumbles softly as he pulls into the trailer park. An apology dances on your tongue but before you can say anything he simply holds his hand out, offering you the Scorpions cassette you had abandoned on the food court table. “I wouldn’t have wanted this entire day to feel meaningless for you.”

“Steve, I-” You begin, but he simply brushes it off, waving his hand a bit. It stings more than you anticipated it would, hoping he would just let you apologize and yet you knew his pride would never. You rest your hand on his arm for a moment, squeezing gently before climbing out of the car, shutting the door behind you and turning to head towards the trailer you called home. Giving one last look back as you open the front door, you wholeheartedly expect him to be gone, but he’s still there and gives a gentle nod before finally backing out.

You allow yourself time to lay on your worn mattress, one hand holding the cassette as the other rubs the fabric of the comforter. Was this idea stupid? Absolutely, but there was no going back now that you had the main piece. Holding it above your head, you examine it for a bit before finally pulling the plastic off and opening it. There’s a soft creak from your bed as you sit up, digging into the drawer of the table beside it, searching for the last true gift your father had ever given you. Placing the cassette inside, you turn on the walkman and put on the discolored headphones, the familiar guitar playing out softly. You let it play to completion before quickly grabbing a notebook and tearing out a small scrap. The pen scribbles a quick note in blue and you fold it up, replacing the cassette inside the plastic container over it. A soft sigh escapes and suddenly you almost can’t wait for Monday.

#billy hargrove #billy hargove x reader #steve harrington #nancy wheeler #barb holland #eddie munson #stranger things #plus sized reader #steve harrington x reader

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chrisbitchtree · 2 years

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It's Not Goodbye, It's See You Later

Mini Harringrove Week Day 2

Prompt - Last Day of Summer Camp

1.9k - Contains smut

***

The past six weeks that Steve’s spent at Camp Hawkins have felt like a rollercoaster. First, there was the high of arriving for one last summer as a camp counselor, then there was the unfortunate revelation that Billy Hargrove, the new camp lifeguard, would be his bunkmate. Steve had a stink about it to every camp official that he could get an audience with, but it fell on deaf ears, so he’d been forced to sleep three feet away from the other boy.

At first, it had felt like torture. Billy was constantly in his space, teasing him for every little thing, blowing his lifeguard whistle if Steve so much as breathed wrong down at the lakefront. Tensions had run high in their cabin that first week, culminating in a shoving match one night after all the campers had gone to bed. It had started over some petty grievance and ended with Billy pushing Steve back on his bed and straddling his hips, then kissing him soundly, hands fisted in Steve’s hair.

They’d made out for hours before finally agreeing that they should get some sleep. Steve had moved to his own bed, where he laid awake, thinking of what had just transpired. He was in shock, both that it had happened and that he kind of wanted it to happen again, but he figured that it was just something that Billy had needed to get out of his system, and that night would be the end of it.

That didn’t end up being the case. Without even discussing it, they started spending any time they could together. Since Billy didn’t have his own group to look after, he would eat meals with Steve’s campers, and on rainy days when no lifeguard was needed, Billy volunteered to help with crafts, which was Steve’s specialty. They had a whole stack of lanyards to mark their time with each other.

It had warmed Steve’s heart to watch Billy grow and change into a decent person. He hadn’t lost his snarky sense of humour, no matter how much Steve tried to rub off on him, but Steve was kind of glad. He found he liked Billy’s particular brand of spice when it wasn’t directed at him. They made things official on the downlow after about two weeks, even though Steve knows it’s silly, as their relationship has an expiry date. It’ll be hard to let Billy go, but Steve knows he’ll always look back on this time fondly.

Now, it’s the last day of camp. It turns out that Billy’s a much bigger sap that Steve would ever give him credit for, because he was the one that broached the subject of waiting until tonight to sleep together, so it’ll be a special memory to keep with them when they go away to university in a month. Steve had been so enamoured with Billy in that moment that he’d almost wanted to take him right there, in that moment, but he’d restrained himself, somehow, settling for quick and dirty hand jobs in the boatshed while they’d been tasked with retrieving gear for a camp-wide canoeing trip.

So, tonight’s the night, and Steve’s buzzing with energy and anticipation all day long. Billy doesn’t help the situation either. He’s been throwing winks Steve’s way and muttering filthy comments in his ear all day long, getting him riled up. During archery, one of the campers had almost shot himself in the foot because Steve was too distracted by Billy. That’s when Steve finally shooed Billy away, promising him that he’d see him at the end of camp goodbye dinner.

Finally, the dinner is over, Steve’s taken care of two campers who puked from too much cake and ice cream, he’s declined three separate invitations to get drunk and high in the woods, and he can head back to his cabin. The second he opens the door, Billy’s on him. “What the fuck took you so long, pretty boy?” he asks, between kisses.

“Doesn’t matter,” Steve replies, pulling Billy’s t-shirt off, hoping that the other boy can’t smell the puke on him. It gets stuck on his ears for a second, and Steve’s wishes he could freeze time so he could capture Billy’s giggle as they try to get it unstuck. It’s so pure and innocent in a way that only Steve gets to see.

He thinks for a second about how hard it’s going to be to say goodbye to Billy tomorrow. No part of Steve is ready for it, but they decided it’s what’s best, since they’re going to university across the country from each other, Steve in Chicago and Billy back home where he belongs, in California.

He wanted to protest Billy leaving, but he knew that he didn’t belong here, in the Midwest. So, it’s with this being goodbye in mind that Steve decides this has to be so good that Billy will never forget him, that a little part of Steve will have wiggled its way into his brain and heart forever.

He walks Billy backwards to his bed until the back of the other boy’s knees are hitting the side of it. He falls back onto it, and Steve crowds on top of him, licking past the seam of his lips and tangling his hands in Billy’s curls. Billy moans into the kiss, his back arching, his hips meeting Steve’s in a dirty grind. Sparks shoot up Steve’s spine at the sensation, even through the layers of their shorts and underwear.

He can feel that Billy is fully hard now, and so is he. “Do you want me in you, baby?” he asks, fingers teasing at the waistband of Billy’s shorts. “Gonna have to prep you first.”

Billy nods vigorously, looking more than ready, his lips red and swollen, his eyes glassy with lust. His hair is a mess from where Steve’s hands have been running through it, and Steve wants to eat him alive.

“Gonna make you feel so good,” Steve promises, shoving Billy’s shorts down. He grabs the lube from its hiding place under Billy’s pillow, and squirts some onto his fingers. With one hand on Billy’s hip, the other slips between his cheeks, pressing gently, seeking entrance. Billy’s body accepts him easily, and Steve has to wonder if Billy started without him.

“You were taking forever, princess. Couldn’t wait any longer,” he says, by way of explanation.

Steve groans loudly, becoming impossibly harder at the thought of Billy laying here, waiting for him, fingering himself when he’s unable to control himself any longer. “Shit, baby, so desperate, aren’t you?” He can feel Billy smile against his neck, so proud of himself for driving Steve so wild. He adds a second finger, and a third shortly after, just to make sure Billy’s good and stretched.

Once Steve’s sure he is, he’s scrambling for the box of condoms he hid under Billy’s bed in preparation for this evening. He pulls one from the box and opens it, and with shaking hands, he rolls it onto his red, aching dick. He knows Billy’s thoroughly stretched, but he also knows he’s big, so he takes his time sinking into Billy’s tight heat.

He feels like he’s drowning in emotion as he bottoms out, his heart full of love for the other boy. He starts slow, pulling almost all the way out before sliding back in, Billy’s hands gripping his biceps. He dips down to capture Billy’s lips and kissing him soundly, thoroughly, trying to commit to memory the taste of him, to keep it for later, when he’s in his dorm room, missing Billy.

Billy’s arms wrap around Steve’s back, and Steve feels completely surrounded by him, by his warmth radiating from him, his scent, his tight heat squeezing Steve’s dick. He wants to stay like this forever, but nothing lasts forever, this he knows, so he might as well make the most of this perfect moment. He speeds up, taking Billy’s dick in hand at the same time.

He strokes Billy in time with his thrusts, palming at his chest and pinching his nipples with his other hand. Billy whimpers at the sensation, his grip tightening on Steve’s arms. “Feels so good, pretty boy. You make me feel so good,” he gasps, looking right up at Steve, right into his soul. Steve beams, bending down for a kiss.

“Won’t last much longer, Billy,” he says with a groan. Billy feels too good for him to last. He speeds up even further on Billy’s dick, pulling all sorts of noises out of the other boy. After only a few more strokes, Billy’s coming hot over his stomach, and Steve’s stilling, letting out a long, low moan as he fills the condom.

It was hot to begin with in the small cabin, and now it feels like the temperature has risen about 10 degrees. They’re both dripping in sweat, but they can’t help clinging to each other in the dark room. Steve’s placing wet, open mouth kisses on any inch of Billy’s skin that he can find as they both shudder through the aftershocks, coming down from their shared high. After Steve disposes of the condom, Billy threads their fingers together and Steve lays down on his chest.

It's laying like that, together in the still of the night, only the sound of a hooting owl outside breaking the silence, that they declare their love for each other. It’s hard for Steve to say, knowing what tomorrow holds, but it’s important to him that Billy knows, and it fills his heart with joy when Billy returns the sentiment.

***

The next day is rough. Steve was never good at goodbyes, and this one is especially difficult. He and Billy have their own private goodbye before they head to breakfast, as the rest of their day is going to be spent making sure campers get packed up and on the proper buses home, and then Billy is heading to California the next morning, to stay with friends until his semester starts. “It’s not goodbye, it’s see you later, pretty boy,” Billy says, as he presses kisses all over Steve’s tear stained face.

Steve’s not embarrassed to admit that he sheds more tears as he drives away, one of Billy’s rings circling his finger.

***

Three days later, there’s a knock on his front door. He drags himself, messy hair and Billy’s unwashed camp t-shirt and all, to the front entry way to answer it. His parents would be appalled if they saw him greeting visitors that way, but he can’t bring himself to care.

He almost faints in shock when he opens the door and finds Billy himself standing on the other side. “I thought you were in California,” he says, clinging to Billy, his knees weak.

“I got halfway there and realized that it wasn’t home anymore. You’re my home now, Steve. I couldn’t drive any further, so I turned around and made some calls to the University of Chicago. Did I ever tell you that I got in there? The scholarship package they’re offering isn’t as good, but they’ll make up for it in other ways. Do you think you might need a roommate up there?”

“You’re kidding, right? Please tell me you’re not. Don’t mess with me, Billy.”

“I promise I’m not, princess. I would never. So, what do you say? “ “Yes,” Steve says, pulling him in for a kiss. “A thousand times yes. You and me forever, baby.”

#harringroveweek #harringrove #billy hargrove #steve harrington #billy x steve #harringrove fic #chrisbitchtree writes #my fic #lemon

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serendipity-writes · 2 years

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Boys Will Be Boys (That's the Way That This Thing Goes)

Written for Harringrove Week July 2022! No prompt, just silliness

Fics for this event: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Rated Gen, 2.2k

Summary:

“Isn’t it strange, how they get along so well now?” Martha whispers to the group one day as Steve takes up his new usual position by Billy’s side. “I thought they were at each other’s throats.”

Karen hums in agreement. She’s seen Steve around; it’s nice that he’s making more friends his age, considering how much time he spends with all the kids. Why it has to be Billy, she doesn’t know, but she supposes it’s not her place to make value judgements on that sort of thing.

read on ao3

Karen Wheeler doesn’t spend an inordinate amount of time at the Hawkins community pool. It’s just that it’s so hot in the summer, and there really isn’t much to do in Hawkins at any given time. So unless she wants to be slow-roasted in her own house, which isn’t particularly appealing, her only option is the pool.

The presence of a certain… attractive young lifeguard is just a lucky bonus.

The other one, Heather, Karen thinks, uncrosses her legs and hops down from the chair. “Ladies,” Karen murmurs, because it’s time. She hears the faint rustling and muted whispers that come with her friends adjusting themselves for the main event, but she keeps her eyes glued to the door Heather disappeared through.

Sure enough, he emerges mere moments later, toned arms and bronzed chest sparkling in the midday sun like a Greek god. He strides out onto the concrete, pausing on his way to the chair like does every day.

“Hello, ladies,” he says, the low rumble of his voice entirely too smooth and sultry for their location.

“Hi Billy,” they chorus back. He grins at them, all teeth and charm, nearly blinding in the sunlight.

“You’re looking hot today,” he tells them. “Remember to stay cool out here.” It would be an innocent enough comment, if not for the look in his eyes.

Karen swears he’s staring straight at her as he winks and walks away.

The rest of her “coven of wine moms,” as Nancy so elegantly describes them, titter behind her, but she doesn’t bother to engage. Every once in a while, Billy will toss a smile her way.

Yes, the pool is the place to be.

* * *

That Tuesday is shaping up to be a real scorcher. Ted barely blinks an eye when Karen tells him she’s headed to the pool. Bitterness rises in her chest like bile for a moment before she puts it out of her mind. She’s got bigger, better things to focus on.

She times her arrival perfectly, having just settled in when Heather’s shift ends. Billy takes her place as usual, with his customary greeting to Karen and her friends. He looks so relaxed up on the lifeguard’s chair, like he knows he can handle anything that’s thrown his way. Something about that easy confidence makes Karen hot under the collar, so she settles back against her pool chair, magazine held up in front of her face so she can watch Billy over the edge of it.

About half an hour later, something strange happens. Namely, Billy shadows his eyes with his hand, squints into the sun, and shouts, “Harrington! To what do I owe this pleasure?”

Karen looks toward the gate to the pool, where Steve Harrington has appeared with five children in tow. One of them is hers, she realizes as Mike elbows Will’s arm and leans close to whisper into his ear. Dustin and Lucas are there too, as well as a redheaded girl Karen vaguely recognizes as Billy’s sister.

She turns back to Billy, a little wary. His voice was laced with a challenge, and everyone in Hawkins has heard the rumors about their fight last November. Karen hadn’t had the misfortune to see the aftermath herself, but from what little she’d picked up from her kids, it wasn’t pretty.

But Billy doesn’t seem like he’s going to get up from his perch, and Steve doesn’t look particularly threatened either.

“The brats wanted to come to the pool,” he calls back, because they’re still at opposite ends of it, “and I had the day off. So, you know, here I am.” He says it with the kind of weariness that Karen associates with parenting preteens, a weariness she knows well. Steve’s turned into a good kid.

“Lucky you,” Billy sneers. Steve’s too far away for Karen to really see his expression, but she’d put money on him rolling his eyes so hard he sees his brain.

He ignores Billy after that, turning to the children and speaking to them softly before letting them free. He doesn’t swim himself, just takes a seat in a chair across the way from Karen, fully shaded by an umbrella, and slides a pair of sunglasses over his eyes. After a few minutes, Karen’s pretty sure he’s asleep.

Billy dons sunglasses as well, and doesn’t flash her a single grin until Steve’s gone.

* * *

It becomes something of a regular occurrence after that, Steve showing up with a varying number of other people’s children a couple of days a week. Usually he claims a chair and immediately passes out on it, although sometimes he brings a notebook along and spends hours with his head bent over the pages, scribbling away like he’ll die if he stops. And once or twice, he arrives in swim trunks and slathers more sunscreen on himself than Karen makes Mike wear, which is really saying something. Somehow, he still comes out the other side looking mildly burned.

Whenever Steve is there, it’s like Billy forgets Karen even exists.

* * *

Maybe three weeks into this, Billy calls Steve out like he always does, but instead of shooting some thinly veiled aggression his way and leaving him be, he beckons Steve over. The hesitation in Steve’s movements is painfully obvious, but he walks over to the lifeguard’s chair anyway, coming to stand under the umbrella. Billy starts talking to him, quietly now that they aren’t separated by a hundred feet of splashing water and screaming children. With a sigh, Karen drops her eyes to her Cosmo and actually reads it for the first time in her life. When she glances up about an hour later, Steve is just walking away from the chair, Billy staring after him as he goes.

He doesn’t come by the next three days, and Billy’s back to being his usual charming self.

* * *

The next time Steve shows up, he’s brought someone his age in addition to the ever-present children. She’s somewhat tall, with sandy brown hair and a slightly awkward gait. Karen can tell just by her posture that she’s not thrilled about being here. She pulls Steve aside to talk to him while the kids gleefully jump in the water, swatting him gently on the shoulder when he says something she evidently doesn’t like. But then she shakes her head and flaps a hand at him, collapsing into a chair when he walks away. Karen hasn’t heard anything from Nancy about Steve dating someone new, but she thinks they make a nice couple.

The redheaded girl seems to like her too, taking the chair next to her rather than joining the boys in the pool. The older girl ruffles her hair like Nancy used to do to Mike when he was younger. It’s cute.

Steve, strangely enough, heads straight for Billy. He crosses his arms over his chest, obviously more at ease than the last time they had spoken. Karen’s all for mending bridges, but she has to admit it’s a bit unexpected.

* * *

Billy starts keeping a closer eye on the gate. Karen only knows because she still keeps a close eye on him, like Ted keeps a close eye on his newspaper.

* * *

Billy absolutely roars with raucous laughter, slapping his leg and drawing every eye in the pool to him. “Full of surprises, Harrington!” he shouts, loud enough for the Carsons down the road to hear him. “Who knew!”

Next to him, leaning against the arm of the lifeguard’s chair, Steve is smiling like he’s holding back his own mirth. Karen rolls her eyes. Boys.

* * *

On the rare occasion that Steve is off doing something else, Billy’s gaze follows him around the pool.

* * *

Billy and Steve are sharing a cigarette by the end of the pool.

Billy smokes all the time, despite the No Smoking signs posted everywhere. But he’s the kind of guy who will chew out anyone else trying to light up with his cigarette still dangling from his lip. It’s alluring, his flagrant disregard for the rules combined with the obvious double standard.

But now, Karen thinks as she watches Billy hand the cigarette to Steve, watches Steve take a long drag before passing it back, that double standard seems to extend to the other boy.

It’s almost funny, when Billy yells “Hey!” and points threateningly at a kid that probably went to school with them. He’s got his lighter halfway to the cigarette held between his teeth, frozen with confusion rather than fear. “Can you not fucking read?” Billy shouts, gesturing with the hand holding his own cigarette at the sign on the fence just behind the offender.

“But—you—” the kid starts, pointing back at Billy, then at Steve, who plucks the cigarette from Billy’s fingers and inhales deeply, blowing the smoke out with a smug smile. “Him—”

“Ah,” Billy cuts him off. “Put it away. Rules are rules.”

The other kid looks like he’s going to keep protesting for a moment before the fight drains out of him and he shoves his hands in his pockets, kicking rocks as he flees with his tail between his legs. Billy and Steve share a look before cracking up silently into their fists, Billy leaning dramatically against the back of his seat and Steve nearly bent double.

Steve’s girlfriend, who’s been accompanying him to the pool more often recently, rolls her eyes with her whole body even while sitting. Karen is inclined to agree.

* * *

Billy hasn’t looked her way in days. It’s starting to feel like she’s back in her own home.

* * *

Heather slides down from the lifeguard’s chair to the excitement of every woman at the pool. Karen positions herself carefully on her pool chair, casually showing off the new bathing suit she bought at the mall yesterday. Ted hadn’t said anything that morning, of course, but Billy’s always been very observant and liberal with his praise. It’s harmless, really. Just a bit of an ego boost.

Except Heather leaves the locker room with her things and Billy still hasn’t come out to take his station. Which, truthfully, is surprising, because whatever else one might say about his professional demeanor, Billy is always punctual.

Two minutes pass, then five, and the concerned whispers around her are just starting to grate when she feels a touch at her shoulder. When she turns, Mike is standing next to her, dripping wet and shifting his weight from foot to foot.

“Hey Mom,” he starts, returning her slightly confused smile. “Can I have some money, please? Will and I want popsicles.”

“Of course, sweetie,” she replies, reaching into her bag to pull out a couple of neatly folded dollar bills. “Is Steve here with you?”

Mike shrugs, taking the offered money. “Yeah, he brought us here, but I don’t know where he went. Thanks!” He runs off before she can question him further, looping his arm over Will’s shoulders as they walk to the concession stand. There’s still no lifeguard on duty.

“All right, ladies,” Karen says, unfolding herself from the chair and standing up. “I think it’s about time for someone to check up on this public safety violation.” She makes for the locker rooms before the rest of the women have a chance to respond. At the very least, that bitch Doris would try to convince them to let her go instead.

Inside the building there’s a clear sign indicating that the men’s locker room is to the left and the women’s is on the right. Karen knocks on the wall outside the men’s side, hovering awkwardly in the doorway. “Billy?” she calls.

His response comes almost immediately. “Karen?” he asks, sounding startled. She supposes it’s a fair reaction.

“Heather went home for the day,” she explains, “and there’s no lifeguard on duty right now. Some of us parents are a little concerned.”

It takes him a moment to reply this time. “You’ve caught me at a bad time,” he says, voice quite steady if that’s the case. “I’ll be out in just a moment.”

“Alright,” she says slowly. When he doesn’t offer anything else, she pads out of the building.

True to his word, Billy strides to the chair after barely thirty seconds have passed, tossing her a suggestive wink as he takes his seat. She smiles back over the top of her Cosmo, licking her lips briefly.

Several minutes later, Steve comes out of the locker room, rolling his shoulders like he was just lifting something. He slides onto the chair next to his girlfriend’s, popping his sunglasses on and leaning his head closer to her so they can talk. Billy keeps glancing over at them as they laugh together, and even though Steve’s eyes are obscured, it’s clear enough from the tilt of his head that he’s looking at Billy too.

Karen doesn’t really understand their friendship, but stranger things have happened in Hawkins, Indiana.

* * *

(She realizes pretty quickly after that that trying to draw Billy's attention away from Steve is an exercise in futility.)

#harringrove #billy hargrove #steve harrington #my writing #stranger things #fanfic #billy x steve #steve x billy #HarringroveWeek

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still-single · 9 months

Text

new HEATHEN DISCO (show no. 348, 13 August 2023)

Do you know I've been DJing for 30 years? This is what that sounds like (I guess):

HOUR 1

Bowery Electric – Slow Thrills

Godflesh – Veins

Adulkt Life – Future Cops

Pleasure Forever – Neolith Nonce

Drop Nineteens – Scapa Flow

Gaadge – Nanty Glo

Lifeguard – Tell Me When

Jim O’Rourke – Here Is Where I Seem to Be / The Good Lord Doesn’t Need Paperwork

Lewsberg – A Different View

Rodriguez – Sugar Man

Gordon Jackson – Song for Freedom

Tim Rose – Morning Dew

Sopwith Camel – Fazon

Space Project – Mission to Lyra

Spiral Dub – Orgy of Swans

HOUR 2

Happy Mondays – Tart Tart

The Fall – Spoilt Victorian Child

Your Old Droog – Help

Lotti Golden – Who Are Your Friends

Cath Carroll – Jimmy’s Candy

Dippers – Comment’s Grip

A.R. Kane – The Sun Falls Into the Sea

V/Z – Caffe Giallo

Ellen Allien – Fensterbrettmusik

Pole – Tanzboden

Galcher Lustwerk – Proof

Steve Hillage – Earthrise

Ben Chasny & Rick Tomlinson – Waking of Insects

Daniel Villareal – Rug Motif

HOUR 3

Spirogyra – The Duke of Beaufoot

Horn – 72

Non Plus Temps – Hide Away

Mark Imperial and Dennis Ramirez – Rock This House (House Nation Club Mix)

Intersperse – Haunting Winds

The Osmonds – I, I, I

Resavoir – Inside Minds

Damon Locks and Rob Mazurek – Flitting Splits Reverb Adage

Blue Dolphin – Ida

Johnny Moped – Incendiary Device

Embrace - Past

The Wipers – So Young

Current Affairs – Her Own Private Multiverse

The Clientele – Lady Grey

#mosurock #heathendisco #chirpradio #chicago

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eportfoliosstow · 1 year

Text

Entry 2

The first 40 hours of my internship was undoubtably the toughest. On my first day I made my way out to the Aquatics and Recreation Victoria office. The office is located off Wellington Road in Clayton and only took me around 25 minutes to commute from my place in Officer.

Upon arrival, I met the whole ARV team, as well as the Sports Community team who were assisting in the organisation and running of the VICSWIM program. From there I sat down with founder of Sport Community Steve Pallas, who outlined what the next 230 hours was going to look like. We even spoke about the potential to continue working in a casual position following the internship, something in which filled me with a sense of excitement and motivation.

My first official task with sports community was a daunting one. I was asked to go through and cold call hundreds of lifeguards and teachers who had previously been apart of the VICSWIM program, or had showed interest in previous years. Most individuals didn’t answer, I therefore had to leave a lengthy voice message in which I wrote down on a piece of paper to ensure I got the message out clearly each time. I completed this task for the first 5 days, and slowly got use to being the only person talking in a dead quiet office, something in which made me uncomfortable for the first couple of days before I begun to grow in confidence. Once completing these calls, I completed a range of different admin tasks. All these task revolved around data collection and the use of excel, a platform that I wasn’t all that familiar with prior to starting my internship. Over time though, I became more accustomed with the ins and outs of the platform and was able to complete tasks much quicker.

It was in the early stages of my internship I was joined by one of my fellow Holmesglen students Darcy. Darcy was employed by Sports Community and was working as a casual, with many of days on site matching up. Having Darcy there made my time with Sport Community far easier, as we were able to complete tasks together as well as communicate any issues or struggles we may be experiencing throughout our early stages at the organisation. We both often learnt different things at different times, this therefore made it quick and easy to learn things on the go as we would just lean on each other when in need. It also saved us from pestering Jason and Steve who often had a lot on their plate.

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neonponders · 3 years

Text

Okay I’m in this Flayed!Steve thing now. Here’s part 2 for this post ~

It’s the angsty middle (I don’t know if I’m doing a part 3 so this might just be angst with no conclusion LOL) so I’ll put it under the cut.

• • • • • • •

Billy frowned at Max’s gaggle of weirdos from atop his lifeguard throne. She had a pass to the pool - courtesy of his job - so the extremely obvious sneaking around was even weirder than that herd of freshmen usually behaved.

Whatever. It’s summer. It’s closing time, and Billy’s got plans to be nowhere in Hawkins tonight. He’s got a concert ticket burning a hole in his locker, and he can’t help but touch it fondly after he finishes his shower -

The lights go out.

He wants to slouch and tip his head back like Max does when she’s just over it. But since he’s the boss around here, he puts strength in his legs and barks, “HEY! Lights on and get out!”

When nothing changed, he quickly yanked on his jeans, t-shirt, and shouldered his backpack - ticket safely locked within an interior pocket -

Billy’s mouth opens to bellow, but someone else beats him to it.

“MAX!”

The voice is familiar but he can’t place it. Or rather, it’s out of place, so he doesn’t believe it until he sees Steve Harrington for himself.

“Max! Get out of the freaking sauna! I’m not interested in smelling like old men.”

Billy frowned. There was only one sauna, and women didn’t use it. A mild warning bell moves through Billy’s head at why Max could possibly be in the sauna at all, but instead he chooses to intercept the guy yelling for his stepsister.

“Hey, Harrington.”

It was convenient that Billy stood behind him; he got the full view of that Scoops Ahoy uniform as Steve turned around and -

Got a sandbag in the stomach. The pool staff used those to weigh down signs and traffic cones on busy days in the parking lot, but for the life of him, Billy had no idea where it had just come from. They weren’t stored anywhere near the locker rooms or sauna.

Billy gaped as the guy vocally coughed and flew backward. A good bit of spit got knocked out of him on the way into the sauna, and then the door slammed shut.

Freshmen swarmed around Billy, running at the door to bar it shut. Byers’ brother read the thermometer on the wall. “Almost at two hundred!”

“Max.”

Her red ponytail flew around her head as she looked at him and his confusion. “Billy, I don’t have time to explain.”

“You might!” Lucas intercepted. “We don’t know how long this will take!”

A new voice asked, “How long does it take?”

Billy analyzed this new person’s sailor uniform. “Who are you?”

“Robin. Who the hell are you?”

“I work here!” Billy growled. “What the hell are all of you doing after hours?”

“Steve’s possessed by something,” Robin said.

Billy’s voice went deadpan. “It’s July.”

She grimaced, “So?”

“So take your Halloween bullshit out of here - ”

Slow...quiet laughter turned their heads to the sauna door. Yet...the laughter didn’t match the sobbed, “Bullshit. My life is bullshit. Bullshit. Bullshit.”

“Two-fifteen,” Byers narrated by the thermometer. As if connected to the temperature, Steve got louder, wailing an atrocious sound that made even Billy wince.

“We’re all getting arrested for this if you don’t let him out - ”

“We can’t let him out!” Wheeler shouted. Jesus, the kid was just as bullheaded as his sister. “The Mind Flayer’s inside of him. Maybe you might be bored enough to let this thing take over our dimension, but we’re not!”

“Mike, he doesn’t know,” Max said as if trying to soothe the situation, but Billy’s eyes were on the sauna window. Steve had stood up. And Max stood too close to the door.

A fist broke the glass and gripped her hair the same time Billy dove for her. Max screamed as they both landed against the sauna door. Everyone was yelling, but through the chaos, a hand entered Billy’s vision and Steve flew away from the door as if pulled by a rope behind him.

Billy dragged Max away, but not without seeing how Steve landed on the floor, broken tiles following him from the wall. A girl stood beside them, but Billy didn’t know her. She had a nosebleed but didn’t seem to care. “Steve. Fight it. Fight.”

No laughter this time, but the sound of Steve crying was...hard to listen to. Billy and Max slowly returned to the others, all of them peering into the sauna at Steve slumped on the floor.

“I can’t. I’ve been trying. I can’t anymore. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

He held his bleeding hand, but all of him sounded broken. Billy heard himself ask, “What’s wrong with him?”

“Mind Flayer,” the girl said.

“Yeah, that doesn’t mean anything to me,” Billy remarked.

“It’s a creature from another dimension,” Byers said...a bit too calmly. “It possessed me last year.”

“You seem fine,” Billy retorted, even though Byers was pale, skinny, and for some reason stayed true to that ridiculous bowl cut.

“My mom and brother got it out of me, but it won’t be as easy this time. All of the flayed people have been eating chemicals. Steve’s house is a mess.”

Robin pointed at the window, “Does that look all right to you?”

Billy refocused on Steve...and all the black veins on his arms, his face.

“Two-forty,” Byers said.

The curly-haired kid...Dustin, Billy remembered from some locked cabinet of his brain, said, “The human body can’t survive past one hundred and ten.”

“What if he’s not human anymore?” Lucas said quietly, like a secret.

“Steve’s still in there!” Dustin yelled, even though his tone was soaked with doubt. “Steve, you gotta fight it, man. Come on! I know you don’t have the best track record, but this is a fight you can’t lose!”

“I ALREADY LOST!” he screamed. Max was crying in Billy’s arms. He hadn’t realized they still held onto each other. Steve cried, “I lost. Soon as this thing’s out of me...I’m dead. I’m so thirsty. All he drinks is bleach. I’m not okay. There’s no way I’m okay. I’m sorry. Robin. I’m sorry. I tried. I tried so he didn’t see you. I tried every time...”

Billy didn’t know what the hell was going on, but Steve’s veins were black, all of them bulging beneath his skin as he began to convulse. Will moved, gasping and weirdly riveted to Steve vomiting something that looked too thick to be saliva.

Then he deflated. “That’s not it. That’s not enough. Two-fifty.”

“What’s it look like?” Lucas asked.

“It’s a cloud - a vapor. It’s - ”

“A shadow.”

Like rats scattering, they retreated from the window where Steve stood again. Except the girl remained, gazing steadily back at him as he reached through the window...not to grab her, but to test the distance.

Steve smiled. Billy felt cold. “Limited human parts.”

Her jaw stiffened as her hands formed into fists at her sides. Opening. Closing. Opening. Closing.

Opening, and rising to point her palm at the window. “When the spider leaves, the web dies.”

Billy couldn’t believe that Steve moved because of this girl, but he landed against tiled wall again...and again.

Dustin was shrieking as Lucas and Mike held him back. “You’re killing him! Stop! Please!”

The girl sobbed through the blood dripping past her mouth -

A guttural hack of a sound wrenched out of Steve, and the sauna went dark. Not like the lights going out...but like dust out of a vacuum. Soot from a faulty firework making Billy squint and then dodge out of they way of Lucas wielding a lighter and hairspray.

To Billy’s horror, the soot cloud moved. Dodging and evading the hairspray flames - some of it even catching light and moving like cinders.

Lucas, Mike, and the girl chased it out of the building, but Billy and the others looked at Robin wrenching the sauna open. Steve lay unmoving inside.

“Steve? Steve! Oh...god. We need a hospital.”

They didn’t have a hospital. But they did have a lifeguard.

“Move. Let me see him.”

Billy still had no functional idea of what the hell was going on. All he knew was that he didn’t get paid enough for any of this, and his CPR training told him: when in doubt, keep compressions going until better helps comes.

“Max, call an ambulance. Then stand outside to flag them down. Robin, help me move him out of here. It’s too hot.”

For all of Max’s faults, an unsteady head was not one of them. She took off for a phone and Robin was thankfully nearly as tall as Steve and Billy. They lifted Steve with ease and got him to a locker room bench. Dustin and Byers put cool-soaked towels underneath Steve’s armpits as Billy began chest compressions.

Both boys flinched back at the sound of bones snapping. Dustin exclaimed, “That’s not right! That can’t be right!”

“I have to break the sternum off the ribs to compress his heart. Stay the hell out of my way.”

Maybe it was the sound, or the sound coupled with Steve’s sweat and slimed-drenched face, but Robin finally broke. She ran for a toilet and heaved. Then both boys held onto her, crying as Billy gripped Steve’s hair and jaw to open his windpipe and breathe into him.

It was gross. It was terrifying. And it felt like nothing was happening. Steve was cold and unmoving. He tasted strange. Soft lips made acrid and sharp.

Voices echoed in Billy’s ears but he didn’t stop. He counted to thirty and breathed for Steve twice.

Thirty.

Breathe.

Thirty.

He still counted even after an EMT ripped him off of Steve, and left him standing vacantly in the lot as the firework of a truck sped away.

#tw the sauna scene #tw torture #tw medical #harringrove #flayed!steve #neonponders #i'm sorry haha

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arianajbb · 3 years

Text

FIC RECS - 5

💕 rewards by @malfoysstilinski

💕 hogwarts express by @malfoysstilinski

Draco fucks Y/N to prove a point to Harry who he knows is hiding in the storage compartment above, watching the whole thing.

💕 phosphenes by @minty-malfoy

draco finally figures out all the mistakes he’s made to you, harry is determined not to repeat them

💕 What in Carnation? by @i-am-a-closet-fanfic-fiend

The swim team is holding a flowergram fundraiser for Valentine’s day, and you have a secret admirer.

💕 please don’t take him (even though you can). by @nsfwsebbie

She can have anyone she wants, but you can never love again. Not without him.

💕 his own doing by @fuckingdraco

after draco breaks your heart, a new romance blooms.

💕 x by @dadplease

💕 x by @malfoysstilinski

riding draco’s thigh in the common room.

💕 Interrogation by @lovinglokilaufeyson

After joining Umbridge’s Inquisitorial Squad, Draco goes to extreme measures to find out more about Dumbledore’s Army. Specifically, through you.

💕 three’s a crowd by @malfoysstilinski

draco and y/n fuck in the common room and when blaise interrupts, draco can’t find it in himself to stop.

💕 Strange Courting Rituals of Reformed Hydra Assassins by @river-soul

Bucky leaves encouraging notes and presents for the depressed reader to brighten her day except everything is written in his creepy serial killer handwriting. Her coworkers are alarmed by the notes like girl this is straight out of a criminal minds episode but Reader thinks it’s sweet.

💕 linger by @buckysbeloved

in which Draco Malfoy wants to be cared for and you want to care for him- yet you only speak through lingering touches and fleeting glances.

💕 The Wedding Date by @river-soul

Reader needs a wedding date to scare off her persistent ex-boyfriend and wants Natasha to come with her. Natasha has another suggestion in mind.

💕 Forever by @donutloverxo

You've been in a secret relationship with Steve for two years. What happens when he tells you he wants to be with you forever?

💕 When I Find You, I'll Find Me by @river-soul

After a 4th of July party at your friend’s house unearths some insecurities on Bucky’s part he suggests you’d be better off without him. You show him just how wrong he is.

💕 3am by @honeysucklesteve

he won’t ever say i love you, but he’ll always fuck you until you can’t stand.

💕 If You Go Down To The Woods Tonight by @badassbuchanan

late night patrols and lonely ladies

💕 Play Dirty by @jurassicbarnes

(Office AU) In which Steve plays dirty in order to make you work late and later you have to play dirty to get Steve to confess his feelings for you.

💕 Dial Tone by @darkficsyouneveraskedfor

Reader is a phone sex worker who gets a new caller.

💕 Serpentine by @cherienymphe

One night of passion ruins your life forever.

💕 red, white, blue’s in the sky, summer’s in the air, baby heaven’s in your eyes by @cloudystevie

sunday’s are for football games and attention

💕 The Perfect Fit by @amandaoftherosemire

Steve Rogers always seems to be wearing shirts that are way too tight for your peace of mind. One day you get the whole story.

💕 Bulletproof Epilogue by @amandaoftherosemire

You, Steve Rogers, and Bucky Barnes have been the best of friends since middle school. On top of that, you’ve been in love with Bucky pretty much the whole time. Everything changed after the three of you got to college, however. Over the past couple of years you and Steve have become even closer but things between you and Bucky have been strained since the night he broke your heart. Can anything bring you back together?

💕 x by @mypoisonedvine

💕 x by @mxchellesworld

blurb on hate sex with bucky and he’s just really rough and degrading

💕 relentless by @cap-n-stuff

Bucky had enough of your shameless flirting and was going to show you just how much you were his and his alone.

💕 A Fresh Start by @angrythingstarlight

Andy has his perfect family with you, and now he wants more. Whether you want it or not. Andy knows what’s best, he always does.

💕 Know It All by @moonbeambucky

Your grades and patience are tested when you’re paired together for a class project with the one person you cannot stand, Bucky Barnes.

💕 I Can’t Swim by @revengingbarnes

The reader pretends to drown to grab the attention of the hot lifeguard who looks after the beach. Lies don’t last long though, and eventually it backfires.

💕 Captain Jealousy by @nony-bear

You and Steve have been keeping your relationship a secret to avoid public backlash for your age difference. However, after watching Steve flirt with a new agent at one of Tony Stark’s famous parties, your jealousy and frustration come to a head.

💕 Taking Care Of Needs by @badassbuchanan

💕 A Christmas Compromise by @stargazingfangirl18

Even if you wouldn’t admit it to yourself, all you wanted for Christmas was Ransom.

💕 Never Leave You Standing Part 1 Part 2 by @thebookwormslytherin

💕 Love Theoretically

Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 10(Epilogue) <-- (my favourite chapters)

by @mypoisonedvine

having lost your husband, sister, and best friend all to the same extramarital affair, you ran away to a secluded villa in the Hungarian countryside to write and get a little time away from the life you’d left behind. you were only looking for peace and perhaps some inspiration for your novel, but instead you found an unlikely connection with the immigrant repairman– even though the two of you don’t speak the same language.

💕 Catfish Part 6 by @vampy-doll

💕 x by @mypoisonedvine

💕 x by @thewritingdoll

Bucky and dirty talk

💕 x by @mypoisonedvine

dark!reader x steve rogers high school AU , where R is rich spoil brat & she always had a crush on steve but she always bully him by calling him skinny and all and Then yrs later, time changes her family discarded her from will and she becomes poor and need job, got hired for PA by dark ceo!steve rogers who she bullied her all school life

💕 Just Falling by @indyluckycharlie

A one shot set in 1936. You’re attending art school in New York, and you became fast friends with your classmate Steve. His best friend Bucky though? It took you a little longer to warm up to him given his reputation as a ladies’ man. But now, you’re happy to call him a friend. But nothing more, right?

💕 Golden Hour Daydream by @indyluckycharlie

Set sometime in the 1930s. Just a late afternoon date with your favorite fella.

💕 The Girl In The Diner by @tinymalscoffee

He was just too naive to see how naughty she really was.

💕 attention by @golden-parker

Bucky has been too busy to give you the attention you’re craving, so you take matters into your own hands.

💕 Beg for Daddy by @sweeterthanthis

The thought of your mother passed out next door, the other side of your bedroom wall, did nothing to quell the intense hunger you felt for him.

💕 Take a break by @badassbuchanan

all work and no play makes Y/N a whiny little brat

💕 heavy is the head by @luciilferss

As the princess of the great lands west of the Indigo Sea, you were born with a burning loyalty to protect and serve your people. From war, from famine – from the rebels that terrorize your land. But when an ambush from said insurgents sees you kidnapped, you’re suddenly torn between service to your country and duty to your family – and, maybe, that odd little feeling that’s evoked by the terrifying men the rebels call Captain.

💕 here, kitty kitty by @nsfwsebbie

Your sugar daddy wants his wildest dreams to come to life. You, on the other hand, aren’t really into it.

💕 Angel Baby by @brooklyns-boys

💕 on my tongue by @moteldwelling

‎‎your next door neighbor was going to be the death of you. tall, dark, and ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎handsome - it doesn’t even seem to matter ‎that he’s your dad’s best friend.

💕 Whatever It Takes by @wienerbarnes

The Avengers recruit you, a medical genius of sorts, to help solve the case of an agent who is dying from an unknown illness. You seem to catch Bucky Barnes’ attention.

💕 Hey Neighbour by @moonbeambucky

You had a plan and then life came along with one of its own. With your future almost derailed you worked hard to get yourself back on track and finally everything seemed to be going right… that is, until your new neighbor moved in.

108 notes · View notes

leisurelypanda · 3 years

Note

Imagine pre-serum Steve visiting his local pool to learn how to swim properly and get his strength up, trying to avoid getting too distracted by the gorgeous blonde musclegod who serves as lifeguard. One day, the lifeguard approaches Steve as he's catching his breath, introducing himself as Thor and offering to help with his lessons. He's a friend of the owner, he explains, and can get Steve in after closing so that he won't have to deal with the crowds. Steve agrees and returns the next evening, his heart racing when he sees Thor waiting for him in the water, muscles bulging and glistening, wearing a tight red speedo that leaves little to the imagination. He's profoundly grateful that he has the lessons to channel his pent-up desire into, the two of them becoming friends as the weeks pass and Steve gets better and better.

One evening, they're making great progress, with Steve breaking his record on the number of lengths he can swim. He's resting with his arms folded on the side of the pool, out of breath, but glowing with pride and adrenaline, when he feels Thor come up behind him, arms braced on the pool's edge to box Steve in. He feels Thor's cock, hard as a rock and so thick and long, pressing against his ass through the thin layers of fabric. His heart in his mouth, Steve slowly turns his head back to meet Thor's hungry gaze as his hands move, one tilting Steve's chin up for a searing kiss as the other pushes down into his shorts to start stroking his cock.

Mmmm yes, this is lovely! I love the idea of Thor being super proud and having a competency kink for pre-serum Steve improving his skills.

I imagine Steve being 18 or 19 here, and having spent his high school years being picked on because he's so scrawny. However, now that he's graduated, he has a bit more time on his hands, so he decides that he wants to get stronger somehow. Weights have never been his thing, though, so he starts learning how to swim. He doesn't have the money to spend on swim lessons, so he just goes to the local pool to teach himself.

The only problem is the presence of a lifeguard who's distractingly handsome. He looks like he's a few years older than Steve, maybe 25 at the oldest.. He has a gorgeous smile that he directs towards Steve every time they see each other. Steve can't help but wish that he could learn how to swim from this man.

It takes about 2 weeks of regularly going to the pool for the lifeguard to introduce himself. Steve has just finished swimming a few laps and he's pretty tired. His name is Thor. His father and the pool owner are friends, so he offers to help Steve learn how to swim after hours so Steve won't have to deal with people getting in the way. Steve agrees immediately.

The first thing Thor does is teach him stretches to help himself warm up and cool down. Steve can't help but be distracted, especially since Thor is wearing a bright red speedo. Everything is on display, from Thor's impressive shoulders, chest, and arms to his long, muscular legs. And of course, there's his glorious ass and the package that bulges against the poor, innocent fabric of the speedo. Steve can't look away, but he somehow manages to do the stretches every night.

Thor is a surprisingly good teacher, even considering the fact that Steve finds him distracting. He's patient and thorough. He teaches Steve freestyle first, then the backstroke, the breaststroke, the sidestroke, and lastly, the butterfly. Steve struggles with the butterfly the most due to his lack of upper body strength. He prefers freestyle and he's not surprised that Thor is amazing at the butterfly.

Steve gradually becomes stronger and grows in endurance. The longer the lessons last, the more they learn about each other. Steve learns that Thor has been swimming and training his entire life to be an Olympic swimmer. He’s been giving lessons ever since he was 16 and been a lifeguard since he was 18. He missed making the Olympic team four years ago due to a minor foot injury that kept him from attending the tryouts. This year, though, he intends to make the team.

Steve fully believes he can do it. One day, Thor takes him to a different pool (that his dad’s friend also owns, because that’s apparently his thing). It’s far longer than the pool Thor’s been teaching Steve how to swim in. It’s 50 meters long, for starters, and 3 meters deep. It makes diving fun, of course, and watching Thor dive into the pool and swim to the other side as fast as he can is always incredible. Their lessons start taking place here and Steve always arrives early to watch Thor practice. When he asks how Thor still has the energy to teach him, Thor merely laughs and tells him that the lessons are essentially a way to cool down for him.

A few months after their lessons started, Steve is able to exceed his previous record. He’s not very fast, but he’s been able to build up his endurance. He’s able to swim 1000 meters one evening without Thor’s assistance. it took him a while, but he was able to make it. He’s exhausted by the end of it, but when he stops, he clings to the pools edge in the shallow end of the pool. As he’s catching his breath, he feels a pair of arms surround him from either side. He doesn’t have to look behind him to know it’s Thor. What he wasn’t expecting was for him to feel Thor press his cock against his ass, or for it to be rock hard.

A moment later, he feels Thor’s mouth on his neck, sucking and kissing against him. Thor murmurs his praises into Steve’s ear as his hands wander down Steve’s body. Steve is gasping for a whole different reason now and he doesn’t want to stop.

Thor takes care of everything. It’s after hours and they’re the only ones in the pool now. They’re the only ones in the building. Their kissing each other passionately without a care in the world, particularly not about the fact that they’re technically supposed to be closing up.

Thor’s cock is even bigger than Steve expected it would be. The stretch as it enters his ass is indescribable. Steve is sure that he won’t be able to walk tomorrow. He can’t bring himself to stop, though. He pushes back against Thor, down onto his cock. He sucks on Thor’s fingers as he moans and he can taste the chlorine from the water.

It’s impossible to say how long they fucked in the pool. If Thor wasn’t holding him, then Steve was clinging to the edge of the pool, bent over as Thor hammered into him. The water sloshed over them, making shallow waves from their movements. Finally, when Thor comes, he shoots his load deep into Steve’s ass. Steve comes at the same time, his own come bursting out into the water.

They’re both gasping for breath now. Thor’s cock is still inside Steve’s body, still hard. He grins warmly as he congratulates Steve on beating his record.

One unexpected result of their little sexcapade is that they’ve both lost their swimming gear. There’s a certain thrill in having to swim naked to retrieve them from where they had floated to the other end of the pool. Thor doesn’t bother putting his on, though, and walks completely naked to the locker room. Steve decides to follow suit. They dress together and close up the pool. Thor leads Steve to his apartment, where they pick up where they left off. Neither of them swims that day, but they get other forms of exercise. Steve appreciates seeing how well the muscles he’s developed from swimming come in handy in Thor’s bedroom as he rides Thor’s cock all night.

Thor does eventually make the Olympic swim team. Steve is there to cheer him on. Thor makes waves during the next Olympics both for being an impeccable specimen and for proposing to Steve immediately after he wins the gold medal in the butterfly. The two of them become an internet sensation overnight, and they celebrate by having sex once again in a pool, though a private one, this time.

#thundershield #ask #cinderellasfella #thor #steve rogers #thor x pre-serum steve #swimming au #lemons #I loved working on this one #the idea is so much fun!

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prettyboyporter · 4 years

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Hi there! I'd like to make a request if that's alright?😊 Maybe something like this. There's a really bad heatwave hitting Hawkins. Everyone is miserable but Billy is especially miserable. Because he's working as a lifeguard so he's stuck right in the middle of it and ends up over heating and passing out. Which leads to lots of worried Steve tending to his boy. Other than Billy working as a lifeguard and Steve working at Scoops we can totally ignore season 3. Thanks so much!

Totally ignore season 3? Anon, have you met me? I live in a post s3 world, LOL. I can work with this though!

~*~

Billy knew heat.

Of course Billy knew heat. He was from fucking California. He knew blazing hot days and sweat prickling along his skin, sun beating down only to find relief in on a surfboard in the ocean water or seeking the shadow of a building because the palm trees gave fuck all for shade.

But this stretch of heat that Hawkins was going through – this wet, miserable heat – this was totally foreign to him. Walking outside felt like the atmosphere had come down from the heavens to marry the heat – hot air joined together in unholy matrimony with suspended water. No breeze, no relief – just sitting in a constant sauna. It made getting up and moving around feel like molassess. He was quick to get exhausted – something he wasn’t used to.

It was enough for Billy to cave at work.

He was about 2 hours into his shift when Steve showed up with Henderson and Sinclair. Steve gave a little wave as he laid down his towel on a chair and Billy noted Steve’s tiny fucking swimtrunks with geometric shapes of seafoam green and light pink. All the moles along his legs – those legs went on for days, it felt like.

Billy was just wondering what it would feel like if he pressed his cheek to the inside of Steve’s thigh when he noticed out of nowhere that he felt woozy.

Steve padded over. “Billy! I was hoping you’d be here today. My parents are out of town so I’m having a cookout tomorrow. Thought maybe you might wanna come if you’re not busy. Hey … you okay man? Here – maybe you should sit down. You don’t look so hot.”

“But you do look so hot,” Billly said, fucking out loud, he realized as he flopped down into the closest chair.

“Yeah of course I’m hot. It’s like, over a hundrex with the heat index.”

“No, I mean-” and that was when he noticed Steve’s crotch looming right in front of his face.

He wasn’t sure which was addling his brain worse in that moment – the heat or the clear outline of Steve’s dick. Billy wanted to open his mouth and ban Steve from the pool for public indecency but his mouth couldn’t seem to form words.

“That sun’s really gettin to you. Hang on. Don’t move.” Steve jogged off to grab a cup and some water from the fountain, then stopped to have a word with Mrs. Wheeler.

Billy took the cup gratefully from Steve’s hands and downed the water. It was metallic and lukewarm but it almost immediately stopped the woozy feeling in his head.

“Mrs. Wheeler said she could drive Dustin and Lucas home. Wanna come over to my house for a while? I have AC. House is nice and cool right now?”

He could think of nothing more he wanted. The sight of Steve’s trunks, though, kept him silent. He wasn’t even sure what his voice would do if he opened his mouth.

It just so happened that forty-five minutes in cool air, lots of water, and an empty house was all it took to have Steve pressed against the kitchen counter, lips pliant and so, so warm under Billy’s. He smelled like Coppertone and fainly of cigarettes and coffee, and he smiled when Billy first kissed him – smiled right into the kiss.

It was the best heat Billy’d felt in a long time.

#Anonymous #harringrove #my fic #my writing #soft times at ridgemont high #soft fic for hard times

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callmethehunter · 4 years

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New Robert Fan Fic: Maggie and Robert Part 3

Well, the time has come! My first posting of NSFW Robert Fanfic. Thank you once again to @firethatgrewsolow for help with edits and sanity checks. :)

As a recap, Maggie and Robert are talking and getting to know each other... Previously in Part 2:

[As he sings her a song….]

“She knew she was done for. His voice was ...she could not put words to it… his voice did things to her. How he climbed octaves effortlessly, sang with such feeling and passion. He was simply irresistible. Steve was but a distant memory as she adjusted her body to be closer to him, purposely grinding her ass closer to his obviously growing erection. Suddenly a wave pounded on the rocks below, drenching them in an instant and interrupting their moment.

They yelped in unison, jumped up and quickly but carefully made their way off the slippery rocks onto the sandy beach below. Dripping wet, they scampered toward the boardwalk slowing as they spotted a lifeguard tower not too far ahead. They both looked at each other.

“Robert! Let’s go there. We can sit on the ramp while we dry off, and you can serenade me.” she teased him as she led him by the hand in the direction of the tower...

Part 3:

In her hyperawareness, Maggie registered his doubts and added “Robert, you have a beautiful voice, and all I want is for you to remember me so I can get backstage when you’re rich and famous OK? So remember this face, “ she said as she pointed to herself. With that, she twirled like a ballerina, nailing a perfect pirouette in the air, and landed gracefully on the sand, before running towards the tower, her long wavy hair trailing behind her.

She looked so wild and carefree, he wanted to capture her and keep her to himself, -this gem of a girl, this diamond in the rough. He took off in chase, his long legs bridging the gap between them until he had caught up with her. Both of them were still laughing as they reached the tall wooden structure where lifeguards stood watch during daylight hours. Out of breath, they settled on the ramp looking out toward the ocean.

She draped her tanned legs across his, as he looked on approvingly, sweeping his eyes over them and back to her face. Her cheeks were rosy from the exertion and her brown amber eyes sparkled at him.

He’d somehow managed to salvage the joint and took a hit. He gently pulled her onto his lap, to resume the seating arrangement that had been cut short by the wave. He adjusted her body so that her ass was resting squarely on his thick thighs. They sat in this manner, their breathing getting back to normal from the run. The silence seemed natural and neither one of them made any move to fill the moment with words. She felt the warmth of his body transferring to hers, the breeze on her wet skin and hair. Each of her senses was in full alert.

Heat rippled through her as she felt an arousal so intense that she would forever remember that moment as encompassing the essence of what it meant to be alive and in line with the desires and intent of one’s heart. Waves of emotion overflowed, threatening to drown her and she was struck dumb, once again, unable to form words, staring down at his hand which had come to rest on her bare thigh.

His large, strong hand, with thick veins, the dirt under the nails and calluses on the palms spoke of hard manual labor which would explain Robert’s toned and muscular physique. She took that translucent hand into her own, kissed it reverently, and placed it against her cheek.

Studying it, she whispered, “Your hand is telling me your life,” vivid sensations, rapid psychedelic thoughts crowded her perception, and she heard herself saying, “Your hand is so big and strong. Like you.” She turned it over and saw his love line was deeply etched.

“Your love line goes on and on, it’s so thick and long.” she said as she traced it with her finger.

"Are you sure you’re talking about my love line, dear, and not… umm, something else?” he asked her with a barely contained smirk that accentuated his dimple.

“Robert!” She giggled as he tickled her in the ribs in jest. “Your mind is in the gutter.”

Robert took his other hand and glided it slowly up and down her thigh, marveling at its velvety smoothness, wanting nothing more than to continue the journey up to her warm, wet center, to gain entrance into her secret places. He would explore then taste her essence on his lips. His cock throbbed with anticipation, his fingers betraying his self control as they continued their gradual climb on her thigh. She is irresistible, he thought.

In her heightened state of perception, the ceaseless roar of the ocean filled her ears and seemed to mingle with the beating of her heart. Surely, this wasn’t real? The thought briefly crossed her mind that maybe she was tripping so hard that the scene existed entirely in her head. That she would suddenly blink and realize this was only a figment of her overactive imagination. But instead, as she opened her eyes, she saw Robert peering right back at her, his wet curls brushing against her cheek, his eyes full of an almost predatory and possessive quality that had not been there before, the alpha male with his intended mate, or the hunter with his prey in the sights of his gun.

Maggie, feeling a bit predatory herself, leaned hard into him and kissed him deeply, her tongue exploring his mouth. Their lips were locked tight, their tongues intertwined as she felt his hand moving up her leg. She pushed on his chest until he was laying flat on his back on the ramp.

As she straddled him, she took in the scene, the moment would forever be engraved in her memory. The vision of Robert laying back on his elbows and then supine; a cascade of golden curls falling all around him, watching her as she discarded her shirt. He fondled her breasts, given them a good squeeze.

Maggie trailed kisses across his chest, stopping to tease his nipples. When she reached his tummy she nuzzled the fuzz and began to kiss the contours of his V on either side. Painstakingly slow, enjoying every second.

Robert gave in to the sensations, running his hands through her dark, wavy hair. He grasped a lock and gently twirled it between his fingers, sighed deeply and let out a long breath; the alpha male finally subdued and in repose. The lioness crouched over him, suckling and nipping here and there on the trek down to his engorged member.

He thrust his hips, urging her on, and helped her undo the heavy silver buckle while she pushed his jeans down slowly, her goal almost in sight. As he wiggled a bit to allow for the fabric to stretch over his bulge, his cock sprang out as if in silent salute. Good heavens, he was well endowed! And so thick...Probably 10 inches of beautiful, hard cock. She felt herself ache at the very core of her being.

She finished nibbling his inner thighs and wrapped her full lips around his sensitive tip, sucking gently as she swirled her tongue around and around. Slowly bringing more of him into her mouth, she fondled his balls and lavished them with her attention as well. They were big, round, and heavy. She placed her tongue flat at his base and firmly licked the thick vein all the way up to the head. She flicked the foreskin, stretching it. Taking him in deeper and deeper each time, she held the shaft while she rubbed the tip on the inside of her cheek and repeated, until he moaned loudly.

She loved the feel of his hardness when she pumped her hand up and down his length, once in a while squeezing him...He was hard as a rock, glistening in the moonlight… and she liked it.

“Oh...mmmm- little girl,” he moaned with eyes closed, “this feels so good,” he murmured as he gently thrust his hips up and down, his cock hot and responsive. They were in sync, embroiled in the ancient mating dance that was as old as time.

“Maggie... mmm,.. I...I can’t take too much of that,” the words tumbled out, punctuated by his heavy breathing.

She slowed down, but did not stop, for she loved having him in her mouth, feeling in control and giving him pleasure. Even so, she did not protest as he groped and fondled her breasts, motioning her up to meet his hungry mouth.

While locked in a passionate kiss, Robert rolled her so Maggie was now the one lying on her back. He hovered over her, his flexed arms on either side of her, his long hair hanging low, as he began to plant a flurry of kisses down her neck, nuzzling and nipping at her until she felt delirious with desire.

Look at this hispanic fox, he thought as he watched her...her amber eyes half closed, lost in sensual pleasure. He attended to each nipple, bringing them to life until they were almost as stiff as his cock. Standing at attention, just the way he liked. His large hands enveloped them, squeezing as his mouth sucked. Her tummy trembled as his lips traveled downward.

She felt his hot breath even before his velvety tongue began exploring her folds, his long fingers at her entrance. He sucked on her clit as she bucked. He used his arm to pin her hips down and continued his sweet torture. She was beside herself.

Robert let her catch her breath. He took a firm hold of his cock and rubbed it against her opening, spreading her lips with it and thrusting just an inch or two into her core.

Good God, she wasn’t going to last much longer. Not at this rate. She pushed against him, grinding her hips; urging him to go deeper, but he continued to tease her with shallow thrusts, in and out repeatedly… until he paused.

“Don’t stop, please, don’t...stop!” she cried, as he hovered inches above her face, his blue eyes dark and stormy with lust. He did not respond but began to kiss her neck and rub and grind his manhood all over her pelvis and stomach. She could feel every inch of his formidable length, rigid and ready.

That just would not do, she frowned and he smiled decadently...She dug her fingernails into his ass, trying to push herself onto him. She needed to feel him, to feel every inch of his love, way down inside.

“So this is what you want, huh?.” He teased her a few times by going halfway deep. “C’mon then, little girl, push...Push me darlin..,” he breathed hot in her ear as she arched her back and felt his thickness and length completely fill her.

She moaned, “Ahh, yes, that’s it, Robert...just like that,” as she squeezed his ass and met his deep, measured thrusts with her hips. She brought her legs up and wrapped them around his torso, but the wooden ramp was too rough on her tailbone and she winced in pain.

“Oh Baby, are you OK?” his eyebrows furrowed with concern as he stopped. He was almost shaking with the effort and self control that it took him not to plunge into her one more time. But the last thing he ever wanted was to hurt her in any way. So, trembling with restraint, and breathing heavily, he paused.

Maggie opened her eyes, desperate for him to continue. “Pick me up, Robert, hold me,” she coaxed as she wrapped not only her legs but now her arms around his neck. He instinctively held the back of her thighs, hoisting her as his strong legs stood both of them up. His rigid cock bounced as he took the few steps with Maggie in tow. Shuffling as one, they reached the wall just a few feet away.

After he had her up against it, Maggie placed her hands on his shoulders for leverage while he tightly encircled her with his arms and entered her. No teasing, this time it was his whole length. She experienced once again the incredible feeling of fullness and depth.

“Oh my god, Maggie, you’re so tight,” he groaned as he rocked her upward and downward with each long stroke, her body against the wall of the tower, which was shaking to their rhythm.

She could feel the muscles in his chest and arms as he held her, and she rubbed her breasts all over him. She threw her head back, her breasts bouncing. He took the opportunity to suck on her exposed neck and lavish attention on her nipples, swirling and sucking until she thought she would burst.

“Squeeze me, Maggie” he panted into her ear as his pace became more urgent. His heavy breaths fanned the flames hotter and higher inside of her.

She felt the tremors of pleasure mounting within her, her breathing became erratic and she lost herself in an explosive orgasm that made her contract over and over again in ecstasy.

“That’s it, baby, Oh- Squeeze me ...hard,” he repeated with urgency as he sped up the pace. She did as she was told, clamping her walls down on his fat cock with each wave of release. Her body trembled as she rode him, his moans growing louder.

Robert was lost in the rhythm of their hips, smashing against one another, his manhood straining, pushing into her, he felt her walls constricting...he gasped and moaned finally giving in…”Oh..Maggie..Oh, I’m cumming baby.”

They were covered in sweat, their energy spent, and their desires fulfilled. For now. Robert rested his head on Maggie who was still wrapped like a koala bear around him. She found herself looking into Robert’s eyes, marveling at how they had been strangers a few hours ago but were now on this beach, intimately acquainted, their bodies entwined as one…

“One with cosmic energy!!” she whispered, smiling. Robert’s eyes widened, and he chuckled, “Oh yea? So you felt it too?”

He didn’t want to let her go, she felt so right in his arms, but he gently set her down on the ramp `and held her face tenderly in his hands, “This was a total bash, my love...and I hope it’s just the first of many…”, he paused then added “In fact, tonight might just be your lucky night my lady” he playfully curtsied and bowed as if to a queen, “for once I’m not sharing a room with my bandmate…” he trailed off, “you’re welcome to come and hang out, we could have a night-cap...”

She did not answer immediately, She turned away and looked back in the direction they had traveled; seeing the waves incessantly breaking on the Jetties, then further down towards the Bahia Mar, where Steve was regaling his captive, spaced-out audience with tales about himself.

“Robert, I wish I could go. I want to,.. but I can’t. I’m gonna be completely honest...Tonight was so special to me….But I’ve got my old man, Steve, back there” she faltered, then continued, “He and I are living together” she averted her eyes, “I can’t just disappear..I wish it were different, believe me.”Her answer took him by surprise.

It was unsettling to Robert, who was quite used to getting his way with the ladies, to be turned down...He felt almost rejected which was not a familiar emotion, as well as possessive. He pictured her with Steve and had to quelch his jealous streak. So that’s how it’s gonna be, huh? He thought to himself.

“If I can still take you up on your invitation to Tugboat Annies, I‘d love to go to your show,” she said hesitantly, hoping this would prove to him she intended to see him again, Steve or no Steve.

But the magic of the moments spent together seemed to dissipate, as Robert answered rather flippantly, “Sure thing, yea, stop by anytime. It should be a good crowd.” He started to pull away.

She caught a flash of ….something in his eyes before she replied, “Robert, listen, I am so into you, you are amazing and I want more than anything to see you again…”, she reached for his hand.

“Maggie, you’re amazing too, but you’re in a relationship. I don’t want to get in the middle of that,” he embraced her, holding her tight and said “maybe if it was a different time, different place...but” he trailed off, took her face in his hands and kissed her deeply.

The fire of desire rekindled deep in Maggie’s heart and her eyes welled up with tears of longing. But Robert pulled away from their embrace.He appeared to steel himself and just like that, his jovial demeanor resurfaced, the happy-go- lucky mask was back in place, as if emotionally detaching himself from the situation.

“Well, I guess this is it…” he looked into her eyes, bent down and gave her a final and quick peck on the cheek. “You better hurry back, Maggie, we wouldn’t want Steve to worry, would we?”

WIth that, he smiled, turned, and walked away towards his hotel. She watched him slowly fading back into the shadows, his golden mane of curls catching the first rays of dawn, his wide shoulders set. She felt an emptiness and sudden disillusionment. She knew it wasn’t just because she was coming down from the euphoria of the acid or the afterglow of their incredible time together…it was more than that.

As Robert’s silhouette grew smaller in the distance, she knew that she needed to see him again. She simply HAD to see him before he left for the UK on Saturday. He was magical. The passion and connection that she had felt with him during their brief encounter was exactly what was absent with Steve and what she deeply craved.

When she lost all sight of Robert, her eyes swept over the skies. The sun was beginning to rise, dispersing the quiet darkness of the night...a night she would treasure always. She sighed wearily, turning her back to that golden sunrise as she headed back home to a man she did not truly love or even respect.

To be continued…

#maggie and robert #part 3 #hope you liked it #:D #chapter 3 #fan fic #fanfic

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