HOW YOU GET THE GIRL ❀ s. harrington x reader
steve cannot fathom how he ended up in scoops after hours reading teen girl magazines with robin, max, el, …and dustin? but anything for you.
pairing: steve harrington x fem!reader (she/her pronouns)
warnings: cursing, mentions of cuts and wounds
word count: 6k words
my masterlist
“Hi! What can I get for you?”
“Hello, Robin,” Robin looks taken aback, seeing that customers usually ignored niceties and the worker’s name tags. “I’d like a vanilla with rainbow sprinkles. In a cone, please.”
Your manners were so nice compared to the others and Robin swears you look familiar. And it clicks as she hands you your change.
The dingus’ best friend.
“Right, we just need to get the sprinkles from the back. It’ll be just a sec,” Robin tells you as she grabs the cone.
You stand to the side out of courtesy but it was a Tuesday afternoon so the place wasn’t crowded with other customers yet.
The sound of door hinges captures your attention and it was as if all the air were stolen from your lungs. The once dull ache in your chest put itself front and center once again once you see him. Steve.
Steve who was once your bestest friend in the world until you decided to fuck it all up when your ridiculous mind thought he was going to die from a beating. He’s not your Steve anymore.
His hair was longer and somehow he looked taller but his face– cherub cheeks, pink lips, and beauty marks remained the same. Cute. The features that had most of the teenage girls of Hawkins kissing the ground he walked on. You would have laughed at his sailor-themed work uniform if not for the melancholy memories flooding your mind.
Unbeknownst to you, he was inspecting you just the same. Your hair was shorter, sunkissed cheeks, and an outfit he’s never seen you wear before: a tank top with a geometric design and light wash denim overalls that end mid-thigh. He nearly dropped the bag of ice cream toppings when he caught sight of you.
“Here we go,” Robin said with an awkward chuckle and a flare of her hands. “Rainbow sprinkles.”
“I got it.” Steve insisted with a voice that Robin knew not to argue with.
He grabbed the cone from Robin’s hand and frowned. Vanilla? You were always a chocolate girl. It was one of his favorite things to make fun of you about, in the most lighthearted way obviously.
“Thank you!” Your smile was so infectious that even the middle-aged ice cream man managed to return the expression despite the sweltering heat.
“You’re so weird,” Steve says with a shake of his head.
“For what? Saying thank you? Having manners?” You frown despite knowing that Steve was just teasing.
“No. For getting chocolate with rainbow sprinkles,” He replied. “The cardinal rule of ice cream is chocolates go with choco sprinkles and rainbow’s sweetness goes with others.”
“Says the boy with mint choco chip!” You retort, the corner of your lips fighting to lilt up into a smile. “You’re not convincing me with your made-up rules.”
“Well, I’m the exception,” Steve shrugs, his carefree smirk appearing.
But despite it all, he’d get you all the world’s supply of chocolate ice cream and rainbow sprinkles to keep you happy.
Maybe a lot has changed in the long months since you two drifted apart. Sure, he praised rainbow sprinkles going with vanilla flavors but having chocolate was what made you, you.
“Uh, Steve?” Robin called, wary.
“Right, yeah, sprinkles.”
You watched despite all the bones in your body telling you to look away. The right to gawk at Steve vanished the day he rejected your confession.
“Here you go,” Steve finally said. He even made the effort to walk nearer to you under the pretense of being careful with the ice cream.
You really try not to say the words, but all your life it has always been your heart and not mind speaking for you.
“Thank you.” Your fingers brush Steve’s and you felt like crying. It was warm, how it always has been, despite the cold temperatures of Scoops Ahoy.
His honey-brown eyes burned through yours and in the past this would’ve been the start of a competitive staring contest but now you surrender and look away.
“We have some tables if you wanna…” Robin suggested and you silently nodded before even letting her finish.
What?! Why were you staying? Just the thought of Steve was torture and now you decided to stay at his place of work. Where he was mere meters away from you even though your relationship with each other felt like you were oceans apart.
You made a mental note to leave the shop once you were done with your ice cream so you wouldn’t look like a freak. Not that you didn’t look like one already. Sadly licking away at your ice cream, sulking, and looking miserable at the corner booth. God, you wished you had brought your walkman and headphones with you but who brings that to the mall? It’s a crowded place where you needed to pay attention to your surroundings.
Another customer walked in and Robin inwardly groaned at the complicated order. Good thing she was working the cashier and Steve handled the orders itself. The customer walked away to wait at a nearby table and Robin rolled her eyes in annoyance as she turned to give Steve the order.
“Hey,” She said, snapping her fingers in front of Steve’s dazed eyes.
Still, that didn’t stop the boy from staring at the corner booth and her own eyes followed.
“I thought you two were like tight,” Robin whispered, unable to refrain from prying.
That seemed to grab Steve’s attention as he pushed himself from the table he was leaning on, “What? Who?”
“You and Y/N? I mean you two were everyone’s favorite couple,” She said matter-of-factly. “…Of besties.”
“Piss off.” Steve said, agitated. But for what reason exactly? He knows he’s just feeling that way to mask the immense sadness he’s feeling when you practically ignored him.
“I’m just saying,” Robin shrugged, indifferent to her coworker’s annoyed tone. “Everyone at Hawkins High saw you two together go from inseparable to well.. to this.”
She was right on the money and Steve didn’t want to validate that. Instead, he acted as if he was scooping up ice cream like he wants to be employee of the month. He even served the customer at their table instead of calling their attention to grab their ice cream at the counter. He took the risk of glimpsing at you as he walked back.
You left the store wordlessly and Steve hung his head down low. He’s never opened up about the two of you two to anyone and the prospect of confiding about it to Robin both terrified him and yet it felt like a release.
“I…” He didn’t even know where to start. “I fucked up.”
He was surprised at the silence. At this point, he was expecting a sarcastic quip from his friend but she genuinely looked concerned at what he had to say.
So tell her he did. About how you tended to the wounds that Billy gave him, sobbing and blubbering through your words asking him to stay awake and that you loved him; you loved him more than a best friend should. About how he didn’t say anything back and pretended to ignore what happened even as you called the following days to check up on him. About how a week later he said he was going to Senior Prom with somebody else. Like a fucking idiot.
It was gradual, slow— the way you slipped from his fingertips. The pain was like a bullet not having an exit wound and the pain had to be prolonged as someone tried to extract it from his body. He tried to backtrack and save your friendship. He clutched at the edges of what was left. Trying to pair up with you during projects or volunteering at your club but his efforts were in vain. He saw the way your eyes averted and how you faked your smiles when he was around. The hurt never faded and that metaphorical bullet was still in him.
“But,” Robin huffed, hesitating. “Did you love her back? Do you love her? In the way Y/N meant in her confession?”
That question nearly threw Steve off his balance. Of course, he did. He always has. In a platonic way, in a romantic way. In every way a person can love somebody.
He can’t count how many nights he laid awake thinking about you telling him through teary, earnest eyes I love you. I love you so much, Steve, you’ll be okay. We’ll be okay.
It’s his fault that you two were never okay after that night. He’s loved you for what he can only say his entire life. Ever since your moms set up a play date between their toddlers. He’s a coward who used the excuse that he needed time to think things through. At that point in time, he felt like he still had serious feelings for Nancy and he didn’t want to try something new with you before he had that sorted out. But still, he should’ve addressed it in a way. He knows that now.
“Yeah. Yes.” Steve replies with conviction.
Robin’s expression lightens at her friend’s admission. A plan was already brewing in her mind.
“Okay. Tell me when’s the next time those kids of yours come around.”
—+—
The day they came around was 3 days later, Friday. Another movie was released, called Back To The Future or something like that and of course, the kids wanted to use the employee hallways to avoid the usual Friday mall crowd.
Usually, Steve let them do it without a word other than his usual warnings but Robin asked him to let her talk to them first.
Lucas was ringing the bell, his other hand linked with Max’s. Perfect, Robin thinks.
“Alright,” She slams her palms down on the counter to assert her authority. The kids look on in curiosity. “I need to talk to you before you take advantage of our workplace access again.”
“Us?” Mike asks, impatient.
“No,” Robin rolls her eyes before pointing to Max. “To you.”
The girl frowns in confusion but lets herself be led by Robin towards the back.
“Uhm..? Is everything okay?” Max asks, crossing her bare arms to fight the cold.
“Yeah, totally. It’s just, I know you skate and all that but is it possible you have teen girl magazines? Like seventeen or others like that?” Robin lets out in a single breath and she’s thankful Max understood all that.
The red-haired girl flushes at admitting that yes, she does have said magazines but some she let Eleven borrow for the meantime.
“Cool. Are you allowed to go to the mall tomorrow? With Eleven and the magazines?”
“Uh. Sure?” Max answered, wary of Billy but she figured he was too busy going on dates with the public pool patrons.
“Hellooo?” Dustin barges in. “What is this? Some no boys club?”
“Don’t be a jerk.” Steve delivers a light slap to the boy’s head.
“You’re a jerk.”
“Whatever. You two done?” Steve asks the girls with a kinder tone. He needs to be nice to Robin for this one.
“Yeah, go on through,” Robin opens the back door for the kids with a flourish before she turns to Max. “The mags are for Steve by the way.”
“Dude!”
Max grins. She was a bit hesitant to say yes to Robin’s whims but now she was entertained.
“Me and El will be right on time tomorrow.”
—+—
The weekends were every mall worker’s nightmare. And since it was the summer, Scoops Ahoy Ice Cream Parlor had no customer shortage.
Steve was muttering under his breath, annoyed at the customer who argued with him for five minutes about spare change. He was about to glare at the person next in line when–
“Hi.”
Steve nearly spilled all the change in his hands at the sound of your voice. It was timid, a tone he didn’t like when used to address him, but still your lovely, lovely voice.
“Hello!” He could’ve stopped at that. “Ahoy!”
You giggled. You actually giggled.
Any trace of annoyance left his body in an instant. You looked different today. Not physically but with more how you carried yourself. Your sweet disposition that he loved so much was back. Gone were the sad eyes you had the last time you came into the store. Still, you were a vision in your sleeveless pink chiffon dress.
“What can I get ‘ya?” Steve asked in a cheery voice, doing everything he can in his power to keep that subtle smile on your face.
“A waffle cone, please. With chocolate ice cream.”
He felt his heart tug at that, “Any toppings?”
You shook your head no and he briefly glanced at the sprinkles container to the side, unsure what to feel.
You stood at the exact place you waited last time after paying.
“Robin! Cashier!” Steve called out, wanting to personally make your order and hand it to you again. Anything to feel your skin graze his once more.
You watched him work his way around the ice cream, just like you did a few days ago. He was magnetic. You always struggled to fight the urge to look away from him when he wasn’t looking back.
Despite the long line, Steve was sluggish in his movements. Based on the few moments you managed to observe his and Robin’s rapport, you wondered why she wasn’t scolding him for being slow in making this particular order. You willed your heart to slow down and your mind to avoid any delusions.
He walked to you again to give you the ice cream.
“Here you go,” His voice. So much sweeter than the dessert you were about to consume. You missed hearing it and you felt sad again, just like you did last Tuesday.
“Thank you,” You grabbed the cone from his hands, equally as slow. “Steve.”
You swear you heard his breath hitch but you didn’t want to feed yourself any more hope of rekindling what you had once with him.
“You’re welcome.” He said, eyes fixed on you with that heart-stopping smile.
You felt defeated when you saw that all the tables and seats were occupied. You really wanted to stick around… for the cold the store provided in this summer heat. Today was hotter than usual so..
“You can stay at the back.”
Robin’s voice startled you and you were thankful you didn’t drop the cone in your hands.
“No, no, that’s okay,” You eyed the customers, afraid they’ll get mad at your special treatment. “I’ll just find a spot at the food court.”
“And find even more occupied crowded seats?” Robin asked, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
You hung your head. Robin noted it was oddly exactly like the way Steve does.
“Okay.” You bit your lip and followed her.
What were you doing? This was your best— ex-best friend’s line of work. The outside was already dangerous territory for your fractured heart and now you were invading more of his space. You needed to get away.
Almost like she could read your mind, Robin placed a hand on your shoulders and continued walking towards the back.
“Have fun,” Robin gave you a toothy grin with both her hands in thumbs-up before going back to work.
Have fun with what exactly? You gulped when you saw the familiar backpack strewn on a table. You were reminded that you didn’t bring your walkman again to serve as your distraction. Idiot.
You ate your ice cream in silence, the chatter from the customers outside and Robin and Steve’s voices greeting the patrons were what filled the empty back room.
You sat up in alarm when you heard Steve shouting at somebody.
“Don’t go in there!”
You squeaked in surprise when the door was thrown open and you thought it would be some angry manager but you were met with the sight of a kid, probably a pre-teen, carrying something that looked like a radio prototype. He was wearing a green and yellow hat and looked just as surprised but he was quicker to recover.
“I just need to borrow a few for batteries, Steve!” The kid shouted and you looked on in confusion. “And since you won’t let me get from the tip jar…”
The kid made a beeline towards Steve’s backpack and pulled out a wallet. It was still the same plain leather brown one Steve carried since freshman year. He opened the wallet and instead of grabbing any money, he turned to you with wide eyes.
“Oh my god, of course! You’re the girl in Steve’s wallet! You have longer hair here—“
“Henderson, I swear to God!”
Steve came barreling in and you looked like a deer in headlights and stared at him unabashedly. His eyebrows furrowed before looking at Dustin and he wanted the ground to swallow him whole right then and there.
“Hey, Steve, cute pic of you two,” The kid shrugged, as if his words didn’t affect the two older teenagers in front of him in the cruelest way. “I’m Dustin, by the way.”
“H-hello, Dustin,” You managed to blurt out, accepting Dustin’s outstretched hand.
“Nice finally meeting you, Y/N, even though I see you in school sometimes,” He talked as fast as Robin did. “Anyways, gotta go, I’ll pay you back, Steve!”
Dustin walked out of the room in a rush, meaning that he haphazardly dropped the wallet and it coincidentally fell at your feet.
Your manners were a big part of you and of course you bent down to pick up the item without hesitation. It felt as if you were kicked in the ribs when you saw the polaroid slip out from the wallet.
It was the summer before junior year, your birthday party held in the garden of your home. You may have slipped some tequila into the punch without your parents' permission but in your defense, it was just the right amount to give a baby buzz. Steve had wrapped his arms behind you in surprise. You should’ve known he was up to something when Tommy appeared in front of you laughing and holding his polaroid camera.
“Alright, lovebirds, smile!”
Your joyful expression was a result of Steve placing a kiss on your cheek for the photo and Tommy somehow managed to capture the exact moment your demure smile turned into a full blown grin.
On the white part below, yours + Steve’s initials were written in permanent marker with the word 4Ever.
He dated Nancy Wheeler shortly after that.
“I-uhm,” You stuttered, handing Steve his things with shaky hands. “Here you go.”
“Thanks.” Steve managed to let out in a whisper.
“I should go,” Here you go again, avoiding looking into Steve’s eyes. “Thank you for the ice cream and the seat or space or… yeah. Bye.”
You didn’t wait for his farewell when you rushed out Scoops Ahoy with tears already running down your rouged cheeks. You cried in the secluded area of the parking lot.
—+—
Dustin’s a persistent child. That trait mixed with his penchant for being nosy was the perfect recipe for giving Steve Harrington a headache.
“I told you nothing’s going on,” Steve groaned, hands on his hips.
Dustin raised an unimpressed brow, “Okay. Then why are you still here then? If it’s just the girls?”
“Because I need to make sure everything’s locked up.”
“Robin can do that, can’t she?” Dustin replied without missing a beat. “What magazines was she talking about yesterday?”
“Isn’t it past your bedtime?” Steve asked, evading the question he was scared Dustin was going to get answers to. One way or the other.
“It’s summer vacation.” Dustin deadpanned.
A store nearby was finally closing and that caught Steve’s attention for a split second, but Dustin took that opportunity to make his way towards Scoops Ahoy like a slippery eel.
The mall was dark and devoid of its usual neon lights, the ice cream parlor being the only major light source left on. This better work, Steve thought, exasperated.
“What the shit? These are the magazines for you?” Dustin exclaimed, going through the pile while ignoring the glares from the girls.
“Hey.” Eleven scolded.
“This,” Steve said, pointing at the magazine pile. “Is all Robin’s idea.”
Robin scoffed, “You know, I think you need to be nicer to the ones helping you get the love of your life back.”
Dustin looked dumbfounded.
“Oh my god, is that why Y/N Y/L/N was here earlier?” Dustin gasped. “But if you two aren’t friends then why was she here?”
“Because I’m a genius. More than those who go to science camps,” Robin tugged on Dustin’s wrist so he could sit down. “Now, are we going to help this dingus get the girl of his dreams?”
“That’s romantic,” Eleven said with a breathy sigh and hands under her chin.
“I know just the pages,” Max muttered, still feeling a little shy about the teen girl magazine fiasco.
“My god,” Robin said in disbelief as her eyes roved over the articles. “This sounds like a marriage proposal instead of first stage boyfriend-girlfriend stuff.”
“What does it say?” Steve asked, ignoring Dustin’s inquisitive stare.
Robin pushed the magazine towards him.
How to apologize to your girlfriend after a fight
By Betty McCartney
Steve immediately cringed. He decided to only read the highlighted parts instead.
Say you want her and nobody else.
The following text mentioned something about having arguments over jealousy but Steve decided to nitpick that sentence.
He hasn’t wanted anybody else for a long time now but he does want you. He always wants you. There’s this void in his heart that was left hollow ever since you dissipated from his life.
“These are so corny,” Max huffed, reading a different magazine.
“Yeah but you want Lucas to do those too, don’t you,” El teased in a sing-song voice and Dustin joined in.
Max rolled her eyes, her freckled cheeks dusted with a light shade of red.
“We’re here for Steve and Y/N so here,” Max handed her magazine over with a page opened.
How you get the girl!
By Alison Alwyn
Steve couldn’t help but agree. They were corny. But the advice seemed heartfelt and he hoped that it was actually going to help him get his best girl back.
—+—
It was 10 pm, and the mall was already a ghost town. Steve decided that he better bring the kids back to their homes or else he’ll get the brunt of it all.
They all collectively groaned when they exited Starcourt and saw the pouring summer rain. It wasn’t a light drizzle; it was the one with terrifying lightning and thunder overhead.
Steve immediately thought of you. You hated thunder. This instinct to see how you were holding up overwhelmed him. It was ridiculous, your house is as safe as it can be but he’s been over at your house on more rainy days than he can count on both hands.
The last stop was Eleven’s, or technically Jim Hopper’s, house. She and Max ran in the rain giggling.
“Good luck,” The girls said in unison before exiting his car. He noticed they left two magazines in the back on purpose.
Steve actually felt warm at the support Robin and the kids gave him. They were truer friends than some of the others he hung out with back in school. He took their good luck with a genuine smile and waited to use that luck the next time you showed up in Scoops.
Thunder rumbled in the sky and try as he might to ignore his reckless gut, Steve decided to jump the gun and drive over to your place. Just to check up on you, he thought. Nothing less, nothing more. Although he did want something more he wouldn’t push it if it made you uncomfortable.
The streets and turns he had to take were familiar. He hasn’t driven here in a while but the roads were seared into his brain after years of picking you up and driving you home.
“Steve, my parents are going to kill me.”
“And me,” He said with a shrug. His sixteen year old bravado getting the best of him.
“Can’t you practice driving when it’s not raining cats and dogs outside?” You shrieked as he started backing up from your driveway.
He arrived at your place just as the first heavy raindrops fell. You told him he was crazy, going around in such conditions without a license.
“It’s still going to rain when I do have my license so this is actually good because I’m preparing for real-life situations,” He argued with that smug smirk of his. These were moments you found butterflies fluttering in your stomach.
In a blink, Steve found himself on your street. He can see that there were picnic tables littered in your front yard. That wasn’t there the last time he came over, which was probably six months ago now.
The rain was still pounding and Steve’s heart was beating the same in his chest. He could see the lights in your bedroom were still on but the rest of the house was dark. Your parents were probably on the same business trip his parents went on.
Steve cursed under his breath when he saw that the only place he was going to be able to park was across from your house. Although one of the girls did mention that the rain was quote-on-quote romantic.
He cursed once again when he saw that he didn’t have his jacket in the backseat. He has to ruin his Scoops uniform but thought nothing of it since it was his day off tomorrow.
Well, here goes nothing.
Steve rushed from his car to your front doorstep, the rain and cold wind hitting his skin like pinprick needles. He was shaking like a cat by the time he took cover by your doorstep and contemplated between knocking or pressing the doorbell. He decided to do both.
His entire body was drenched and his once voluminous hair was flat and dripping water down his forehead. He was shivering as he tried to listen in to your footsteps.
The door finally swung open and the sight of you filled him with so much warmth that the rain didn’t stand a chance.
“Steve?!” You exclaimed, obviously shell shocked. “What are you doing here?”
He tried to let out a reply but his teeth were chattering so much that he only managed to muster a shaky grin.
“Are you insane?!” Your voice pierced through the rain and your warm hand grabbed his wrist before pulling him inside your house.
You were a blur in his eyesight as you whizzed around, talking about grabbing towels and new clothes. Steve stayed standing on the welcome rug so he wouldn’t make a mess on the floor, your parents would probably be mad, although they didn’t do the cleaning of the house themselves.
“Here, here,” You panted, wrapping a fuzzy towel around Steve’s shaking form and you stood on your tiptoes to wrap a smaller one around his hair.
“Thanks,” Steve finally said and took in your form.
You looked adorable in your loose knit sweater, checkered shorts, and mismatched socks. Your hair was up and your angelic face devoid of makeup. He missed seeing that.
He’s seen you grow from a bare-faced child to a young lady. Steve’s heart practically stopped the first time you wore shimmery pink lip gloss in sixth grade.
“C’mon,” You whispered, tugging on his wrist again for a split second.
He followed you into the spacious kitchen. You told him to sit down while you make tea to warm him up and who was he to turn down being doted on by you?
The silence was palpable. The only sound in the kitchen was the boiling kettle and Steve was trying to find the courage to say something. He really needed the luck Max and Eleven bestowed upon him. You had your back to him and it was obvious that your posture was rigid. He could still read you well.
You quickly worked on giving him the steaming mug. He sat up, alarmed when you left the kitchen swiftly and without a word. Though, the sounds of you rummaging around sent a wave of relief through his cold body.
He was sipping on the hot drink when you entered again, this time holding a pile of clothes. Steve recognized his old athletics department shirt. You still had his stuff?
“Here’s all I can get, I don’t think you’ll like my dad’s clothes,” You bit your lip as you looked down, “Sorry, I don’t have any… knee high socks.”
It was a teasing jab at his Scoops uniform and Steve couldn’t bite back his smile.
“It’s fine, management has more,” Steve teased back and got up like it’s muscle memory. He still knows his away around your house.
He suddenly stopped in his tracks and looked back, this time he finally caught your eyes, “Thank you, Y/N.”
You didn’t look away when you gave him a minuscule smile.
That smile masked the different emotions you felt the moment you swung open your door. You didn’t know who to expect when you heard the series of knocks but Steve Harrington was last on your list. That didn’t mean you were disappointed. Confused but not disappointed.
You assumed he went straight to you after work since he was wearing that ridiculously cute sailor’s outfit. But why did he come over? Nearly midnight, his pale skin making the ever vibrant Steve Harrington look like a ghost in the rain. Somehow, you think he was a figment of your imagination, a result of being lonely in this massive house. Your lonely days a few years ago would quickly be eradicated by Steve coming over with no warning. Tonight, it seems that he has done the same. For nostalgia’s sake? Just because you came by Scoops twice this week?
Turns out, you weren’t hallucinating when he returned to the kitchen, wearing the clothes you gave him. Technically, it is actually his own clothes but just the ones you shoved to the back of your closet all those months ago when you decided to distance yourself from him. It had been one of the hardest decisions in your life.
You wanted to yell at him. Throw accusatory words about what the hell he’s doing here after breaking your heart. Steve has been with too many girls to not know when he’s left them lying in heartache. Your brain wanted to tell him to get out and don’t ever think about coming back, but then you would be lying to yourself.
Yet you didn’t say a word. Not when he looked like that. You swear he’d worn the same outfit back in Sophomore year. Only this time he was taller and his hair, though damp, was more beautiful than ever. You felt weak in the knees.
“Y/N,” He started. You knew that tone of voice, never forgot it really. Steve was about to say something important and serious, he was just really nervous about saying the wrong thing.
You looked into his eyes. It hurt your entire being to do so but you figured he needed a little encouragement and you really really wanted to hear what he had to say to you after showing up in the rain.
“I’m sorry. I’m so so sorry,” Steve finally let out and he felt a flood open, “I was such an asshole– I’m such an asshole and a coward for… doing that to you.”
“Doing what, Steve?” You hated how your voice cracked.
“Breaking your heart,” He said with conviction and his shoulders slumped at the teary frown on your face. “Ignoring that you said you loved me because I was too afraid to tell you that I felt the same.”
Blood rushed into your ears and you could see Steve’s lips moving but you could barely register his words.
“What?”
Steve immediately stopped and took careful steps towards you until he was in your personal space. When you didn’t move away, he took that a sign to cup your cheeks in his hands. You only noticed that stray tears were falling from your eyes when his thumbs gently swiped them away– just like he always did when you cried.
“I love you,” He whispered and you felt your lips wobble some more. “I always have and always will.”
“Stop,” You sobbed but didn’t move away. “I barely had a boyfriend back in school while you dated so many girls. You can’t just barge back into my life telling me this.”
“I know, I’m sorry,” Steve nodded with his own teary eyes. He lead the two of you to sit down. “I don’t expect anything, Y/N. I just want you to know how awful I feel. It’s haunted me since the day you said it.”
You could only nod. You thought you had your feelings in check but his words echoed in your head. Steve felt the same. He loved you– he loves you. You let out another broken sob.
“I miss you so much, Y/N,” Steve’s voice cracked just like yours did. You know he’s being truthful.
You let yourself be pulled into his arms and you nuzzled your face into the crook of his neck, undoubtedly staining the shirt with your tears.
“I miss you too, Steve,” His arms tightened around you. “But I don’t know where to go from here.”
You weren’t ready to jump from one phase of your relationship with Steve to another extreme. Treading careful grounds would be a precaution to avoid giving yourself whiplash and having another fall out with the boy you loved. Still love.
“I want us to be in each other’s lives again. If that’s what you want,” The words you dreamt of him saying finally came to life. More melodramatic but it was still the words you needed to pull you away from your misery.
“Okay,” You found yourself nodding. “I just don’t know if it will be easy for me.”
Now was the time to be honest. This was the start of reconciliation. This time you’ll forgive, despite the urge to fight. You miss him too much to be mad anymore.
“Then, let’s take it slow?” He suggested. “Like how I taught you how to ride a bike? Though I’ll be more patient this time around I promise.”
You giggled and pulled away from his neck to face him. Your heartbeat sped up when you saw his eyes light up.
In all the years you knew him, Steve never broke a promise he made you. So when he says this vow to you it reminded you of how the good times used to be.
His unintentional rejection of you was torment but you feel like half of that pain was caused by your own choice to ignore his attempts at making it up to you. It was hurt to an extreme degree but you always have space in your heart for Steve.
“Okay,” You repeated. “No rushing.”
“No rushing,” Steve said, hands reaching out to hold yours. You gulped when you saw his biceps strain against the sleeves of the old shirt. “I’ll be nice and wait. Even if it’s for forever.”
You smiled through snot and tears, “Did you get that from a magazine?”
When Steve didn’t answer immediately and the familiar flush rushed up from his neck to his cheeks, your heart felt so much lighter and you started laughing.
“Oh my god, you totally did!” You laughed more at the idea of Steve reading a magazine with cheesy advice. “You promise?”
He nods, “I want you in my life, Y/N. And this time no more running from problems, for worse or for better.”
And even though he broke your heart, you know that Steve will put it back together.
Steve knows that he would have to grovel and crawl on his knees to earn your forgiveness and he’d do that for the rest of his life just to make sure he wouldn’t make you cry again.
“Will I get a complimentary chocolate ice cream with rainbow sprinkles next time I’m at Scoops Ahoy?”
Steve pulls you into a hug and mumbles the word forever into your shoulder. That’s how he got the girl.
steve as a taylor swift album would be 1989 i said what i said, please reblog if you enjoyed and comments are appreciated- seriously i’d cry tears of joy :’) this is my second stranger things fic and you could read the first one about our beloved eddie here
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