#Steve and eleven

[estrellami-1]

If I Should Stay

Part 1 | . . . | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9

After pizza—and after El wakes up and eats her own pizza—everyone gathers around again to listen to Steve and Robin. “So I think by now we’ve proven we’re from the future,” Steve says. “We’re here, four years in the past, because a lot of bad things happen, and if we can, we’d like to stop those things from happening. The big one, and really the recurring problem, is a guy named Henry Creel who essentially took control of an alternate plane of existence we call the Upside Down.” He motions El over beside him, and she goes gladly, tucking her feet up onto the couch as she leans into his side, trusting him to hold her up. He does, sliding a protective arm around her shoulders as he says, “He’s also One.”

He watches as one by one the lightbulbs come on. “Oh, shit,” Dustin whispers, and Steve doesn’t even call him on it, just nods.

“Beyond Henry, though, there are creatures in the Upside Down that can and will kill you.” He rolls his eyes fondly at the boys. “For some inexplicable reason, you came up the names, so they’re called demogorgons, demodogs, and demobats. Demogorgons are what took Barb and Will, but they both got away. That doesn’t mean they’re safe, though. Like El said earlier, Barb was safe in the moment, but it’s still a very dangerous place. There are vines everywhere that are connected to a hive mind. You step on one, and Henry knows you’re there.”

He continues telling the story, Robin interrupting when there’s a detail he misses. It’s silent when they finish. Finally, El speaks up. “So, it is… my fault?”

“No, El,” Steve says softly. “None of this is your fault. Things out of your control happened that made you who you are. Those same things created all of this.”

El frowns. “So I am bad? Like One? Like the Upside Down?”

“No,” Mike says sharply. “You’re good, El.”

“He’s right,” Steve murmurs. “You made yourself good.” He pokes her arm teasingly, and she smiles, leaning back into him.

Steve looks around, catches Nancy’s eye, and sighs. “Nance? A word?”

“Steve?” Robin asks.

He shakes his head. “I’ll yell if I need you,” he promises, rubbing her head as he passes. She squawks and bats his hand away.

“Asshole,” she mutters, and he laughs as he disappears down the hallway, Nancy in tow.

They end up in a room Steve thinks was meant to be a study. “You have questions.”

“Understatement of the century. There’s just one that’s really bugging me, though.”

“Us?”

“Yeah.”

Steve sighs and leans against the wall. “On Halloween, Tina throws a party. We didn’t know what we do now, about the Upside Down, and you were still looking for her. I was an asshole, self-centered and unhelpful.” He blows out a breath, crosses his arms, and looks away. “You got drunk, called me, and my love for you, bullshit. Left. I tried to talk to you the next day at school about it and you couldn’t say you loved me. I was still hopeful. I’m a romantic at heart, y’know? I thought maybe if I could be everything you needed, if I changed enough, if, if, if…” he shakes his head. “So we stayed together. I tried. You slept with Jonathan Byers, then broke up with me.”

Nancy looks horrified. “Steve-”

He shakes his head. “I made my peace with it. And maybe this makes me an asshole, I dunno, but Nance, I can’t go back. We’re okay, we’re friends, but I can’t pretend I still have feelings for you. I’m sorry, but we both know I was just convenient for you.”

Nancy takes a breath. “So that’s it?”

Steve shrugs helplessly. “I don’t know what you want me to do. I tried and got my heart broken for it. I moved on, found someone I think I can really be happy with, without changing who I am. And for the record? It gets rocky for a second, but I think you and Byers are it, too.” He smirks. “Plus Mike likes him better than me.”

Nancy rolls her eyes. “Oh, well, if Mike likes him better…” they both laugh, and she looks at him. “No more feelings?”

He shakes his head. “We make much better friends.”

Nancy grins lopsidedly. “And Robin?”

Steve snorts. “Purely platonic, I promise. Neither of us want anything else with each other.”

Nancy looks at him then. Studies him. “You’ve been through some shit,” she decides. “But you look happy.”

He smiles. “I am, for the most part. I know who I am.”

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[schrijverr]

I Found Myself a Cheerleader 11

Chapter 11 out of 28

Bumped to the lowest step on the social ladder after his fight with Billy, Steve gets roped in with the cheer team. What starts as a favor to help them out when one member breaks her leg in turn for protection from the brunt of the bullying, sets the universe on a different path.

In this chapter, Steve decides to stay in Hawkins and El insists he takes the cabin to live in. She says her goodbyes to her old home as Steve attempts to make it his own. Max moves too and Steve runs into Eddie again, who offers him to help patch up the cabin.

On AO3.

Ships: steddie and buckingham (yes, they're finally becoming important enough to the plot to not put eventual in front of them, yay)

Warnings: grief, f-slur, homophobia mention, child abuse mention

~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 11: The Cabin

Once the emotions of the funeral have lessened slightly, Joyce and Steve sit down with El again to talk about the cabin Hopper left her.

Steve explains that he can find a place to stay and she doesn’t have to give it to him, explains to her property ownership and benefits that he picked up from his father, and that she doesn’t have to feel guilty about Hopper not taking him in, because Steve has other places to stay as well.

Joyce assures her that she isn’t going to sell it or do anything El doesn’t want her to to the property until it can go to El when she turns 18.

However, El stays with her decision stubbornly, insisting that Steve get the cabin. But Steve can’t fully let her do that.

“Okay, how about this,” Steve says. “We’ll draw up a contract that says I get to live in it until you turn 18 or I want to move out. Or even earlier. I am not going to live there forever and I want you to be able to return to it. You’ll be my landlord, you get to decide about the property and I’ll have a place to live. How does that sound?”

El cocks her head to the side in that sweet confused manner she gets sometimes, a small frown on her face and says: “Landlord?”

And Steve remembers that she has no upbringing in corporate America like he has, in fact she doesn’t even have an American upbringing at all. Just a lab one. So, he breaks it down and explains until she understands.

Next to him Joyce gives him huge eyes as he breaks down contracts to El and Steve feels a bit self conscious. He isn’t the smartest of the group and he knows it, but Joyce is looking impressed with him, even though he is just parroting what he heard.

Once El understands, she nods and says: “That is good for me. I want to do that.”

“Then we’re going to make that happen,” Steve smiles at her and she smiles back, the first smile since the 4th of July.

With that decided and promised, El leaves the table again. Joyce had already told him she’s been watching TV all day, as if she is still waiting for Hopper to come home like she used. This poor little girl, who has already been through too much.

However, they don’t talk about that now, instead Joyce says: “I didn’t know you know so much about contracts.”

“I- I don’t really,” Steve tells her, rubbing the back of his head. “I just know stuff from hearing my father talk.”

“You know more than me,” Joyce grins crookedly, chuckling slightly as Steve follows. Then she turns serious and repeats as she has done so often the past few days: “You can always change your mind and come with us, you know that right, honey?”

“Yes, I know,” he promises like he always does, still touched that she is making sure, when she should be glad this is a way out of the feeling of having to pay him back for something she doesn’t have to pay him back for, but she isn’t. Almost makes him believe she means.

“Just making sure,” she says, part of the standard interaction they have about this.

The last time they have that conversation is at the lawyer’s office where they get everything set up, so it goes how they want it to. Steve is officially staying in Hawkins and while he knows he has made the right decision, he can’t help but feel like he has shut down a possible road that might have changed his life forever.

It’s after making it official that they go to the cabin they’ve been ignoring since that night, no one ready to face the empty home where Hopper lived, a Hopper who isn’t coming back.

Steve and Joyce hadn’t been there when the Mind Flayer attacked it, but Steve was preparing himself for the worst. Still, the gaps in the roof made him swallow. He is grateful El refused to let him pay rent, but he doesn’t know how he’s going to live there.

Joyce also grimaces at the damage, but follows El inside. The girl walking through the ruined cabin like it is holy land.

They give her a moment to say goodbye to the place. Today, they’re packing stuff, so she can stay more comfortably with Joyce. Later they’re packing all the other stuff for the move. They wanted her return here to be private.

After a few moments of peace, Joyce gently coaxes her to her room and they pack a few sets of clothes together, while Steve walks around. Despite the mess and lack of space, he can already tell this used to be a home with love in it and his heart aches again for Hopper, who made a little girl feel welcome and at home, how that little girl lost that home too soon.

The worst are the holes in the roof and a few broken windows, all in all, it looks worse than it is and Steve is more confident about being able to restore it.

However, it is not just his place. It’s Hopper’s and, more importantly, it is El’s. So, when she comes out with Joyce, who brings her bag to the car, he asks her: “Is there anything you would like me to keep the same? I can keep your room the same, or maybe the couch or the kitchen?”

“You can change it, except for Hopper’s room,” she tells him in a serious voice. “I-” emotion starts to creep in, “I want him to be able to come home.”

And Steve knows that he should tell her that Hopper isn’t coming home, that he is gone for good and she is going to have to learn to live with that. But he can’t tell her that. They both know she is aware of that, but this is the man that gave her a home and she wants to do the same for him. And Steve isn’t going to be the one to deny her that.

So, he nods and says: “Of course I’ll keep his room the same. Want to see if there is anything you want to take to remember him by?” She looks apprehensive, so he adds: “Something he has to come get?”

At that she nods, a small smile on her lips. Steve puts a gentle hand on her shoulder and leads her to the room. Some day, El is going to break his heart in a way he won’t recover from.

El looks tentative as she steps into the room. A few keepsakes have been recovered for the will, but beyond that, the room is untouched. It is truly like Hopper will return any time and it is clear El seems hesitant to break it.

Steve himself isn’t sure what to do either, but Joyce, god bless her, comes in and opens the door, going through some of the clothes and asking El: “Would you like to bring a few of his warm shirts for the winter?”

That draws El in and soon she is looking for something she can bring with her and can keep safe when she goes. She takes two of his shirts in the end and one of the books he used to read to her when she first came to live with him, as well as the dictionary.

As they do that, Steve brings in the boxes that the others are going to use a few days later to pack the rest of the stuff, before they move away.

When the others pack, Steve can’t be there. He is with Robin, trying to find a new job. The Buckleys have been kind enough to let him stay until he can get his own place in order and he is super thankful, but he doesn’t want to mooch for the time he stays there.

As they get out of the car Robin – who has been judging his CV all the way there – asks: “Did you seriously put coach Miller down as reference?”

“Yeah, why not?” Steve counters. “She’s like super well-respected and she can vouch for me being a hard worker.”

“You’re such a dingus,” Robin complains with a smile.

“Shut up,” Steve pouts, stopping her before they can go in. “Do you think we’ll get the job?”

“Course,” Robin says with confidence. “You have a bruise on your face, same as when you started working for Scoops Ahoy. It’s your good luck charm.”

“Wha-” Steve starts, but Robin has already gone into the store, so he just quickly follows after her as to not get left behind.

Miraculously, Robin manages to talk Keith into giving both of them a job, which is a hundred worries from Steve’s shoulders. He still has quite a bit from when he saved up, but most of that will likely disappear into repairs and he does still need to eat.

Saying goodbye to the Byers, however, is one of the hardest things they’ve ever done. Steve’s life has been intertwined with them for two years, but he’s only gotten to know them two months ago and those have been the best of his life, despite it all.

He hasn’t really found the time to talk with Will, but manages a few words, before he gets into the car. Will is hugging him goodbye and he whispers: “Hey, baby Byers, sorry for brushing you off in the kitchen. It was the reason, but I’m okay now and you’re going to be okay too.”

Will looks at him, Steve sees that it takes a few moments to click. When it does, Will clings to him again and whispers: “Thank you,” before Jonathan is yelling at him to get into the car.

It’s not perfect, it’s not how Steve wanted it to go, but it’s a little bit of hope that he can give Will on his journey to this new place with a clean slate.

A week after the Byers leave, the divorce that’s been hanging in the air since Billy’s death finally goes through and Max moves to the trailer park with her mom.

Susan has to work, but Steve is off that day. He is still figuring out how he can go about his own renovations, so he isn’t missing out on much work time by offering to help. So, it’s just him and Max carrying the boxes that day.

Max has been a little quiet ever since Billy’s death, but she doesn’t look too unhappy with the divorce. Steve might not have known much about how her home life was, but he can’t imagine it had been the best, if he looks at how Billy had been.

However, he isn’t going to mention it, instead enjoying the time he can spend with her. Calling for a break that they enjoy on the steps of her new house and busting out her favorite soda.

It’s during this break that a familiar voice calls out to them. It is Eddie, who exclaims: “I thought I recognized that car. What are you doing out here, Steve? Finally found a place?”

A year ago the words would've been mocking from Eddie’s mouth and to anyone, who doesn’t know them, it might sound like that still, but Steve knows what Eddie knows, so he just smiles and shakes his head. “Nah, helping this squirt move,” he answers, ruffling Max’s hair.

Max bats him away and glares at him, before turning to scowl at Eddie, asking: “What’s it to you anyway?”

“Love the attitude. You’ll fit right in,” Eddie grins, dimples showing again. “Me and my uncle live over there.” He points at one of the trailers across from Max’s. “Come by if you need anything. Me and Stevie here used to go to high school together, you’ll see me there as well.”

At that Max gives him a judgmental one over. Before she can say anything about it, Steve steps in and says: “Thanks, man.”

“Course,” Eddie smiles, sitting down with them as well. He asks: “So, what about you? Still staying at that friend?”

“I’m going to move into Hopper’s old cabin,” Steve tells him. “Still under renovations now and by that I mean that I’m still trying to figure out how to patch a roof and replace windows. But when I figure it out, I’m set. Until then I’m staying at the Buckley’s.”

“Robin’s place?” Eddie asks, looking surprised. “How do you know her?”

“We worked at Scoops together,” Steve explains. “Before the mall burned down.”

“Shit, man, I heard about that, you okay?” Eddie asks with a frown. Steve is glad his face is healed up a bit to make it seem less bad, it wasn’t his intention to make Eddie worry. It wasn’t even his intention to make the mall a topic of conversation after what happened there.

Steve shoots a look to Max, who has turned into herself when the mall was mentioned. He winces at his own stupidity for bringing it up. “Yeah, uhm, it’s fine. Rather not talk about it.”

“Yeah, no, of course,” Eddie says, eyes also flicking to Max, before shooting Steve a questioning look.

He shakes his head and prays Eddie understands that he should stop talking. To divert the subject he says: “Customer service truly bonds people. There is no hell like it. We’re actually working at Family Video now.”

“Do they have better uniforms?” Eddie asks with an evil glint in his eyes. His beautiful, evil eyes.

“Oh shut up,” Steve laughs, inside burning with embarrassment as he remembers facing Eddie in that stupid sailor uniform.

“No, it was cute on you,” Eddie laughs in a way that could be meant or could be a joke. Steve can’t tell which and it sends him reeling.

Before he can do something stupid, however, Max has shaken her own mood and joins forces with Eddie, which is unfair, by the way. “Yeah, Steve, very cute.”

“Don’t turn against me now, Mayfield,” he warns, though it’s partially joking.

She just sticks out her tongue in turn and continues to mock him with Eddie for a few more minutes and he can’t even be mad, because he’s just glad to see her happy again. And seeing Eddie get along with his kids is sweet. It does something to him, sue him.

After a while Eddie gets up and Steve tries not to pout, not sure if he’s successful. Before he can leave, though, Eddie stops and turns around to offer: “I might not be certified, but I know quite a bit about patching up houses. I can come by and check it out, see if I can help.”

“That would be great. Thanks, dude,” Steve jumps on it, not only because spending more time with Eddie sounds amazing, but also because he doesn’t know anyone else with any sort of expertise.

When Eddie is gone, Max says: “He doesn’t look like the usual type you hang out with. He’s at least not much of a cheerleader.”

Steve laughs at the image of Eddie trying to do cheer, before shaking his head: “He’s not. I was kind of a dick to him for a bit there, but he’s cool. He was nice to me.”

“Then he can stay, I guess,” Max says and Steve wants to hug her for that, but knows it won’t be welcome, so instead ruffles her hair again.

He doesn’t care that she knows he’s staying at the Buckley’s. All the kids had figured out something was up after the funeral when they couldn't find Steve at his house when they wanted to check in on him and Will told them where Steve was. But Max knows to keep things to herself.

All of them have yet to comment on it and Steve is trying to keep it like that. So, he doesn’t bring that bit of conversation up to Max as they go back to moving.

When Max is all settled in and her mom back from work with groceries, Steve leaves the two for the evening and drives down to the Buckley’s for dinner. It’s crazy how quickly he has become comfortable in their home, but Daisy and Thomas have an air of non-judgment around them and are a few of the kindest people Steve has ever met.

After dinner, he finds himself on Robin’s bed that is more their bed. It’s kind of tradition. She asks him: “How was moving with Max?”

“Good,” Steve tells her. “Did you know Eddie lives at the trailer camp too? He came up to us when we were taking a break.”

Robin shoots up from where she’d been lying next to him and exclaims: “You talked to him! Like genuinely talked to him? Your crush. Oh my god, how did it go?”

“We talked before,” Steve blushes, not yet having told Robin the extend of it, because he doesn’t want to out Eddie, even if Robin would be cool.

“Him saving you like a damsel once doesn’t count,” Robin argues, poking him in his ribs with her toes. “Come on, spill!”

“Well, he asked if I was moving in, uhm, we kinda ran into each other after I got kicked out,” Steve starts. “I told him no, introduced him to Max. They got along.”

“He knows you got kicked out?” Robin asks.

“I was kind of in shock when I told him. He promised not to tell,” Steve explains. “But I did tell him I was staying here now, but that I was moving into Hopper’s old place. He- he offered to help patch the roof. So, I’ll call him about that tomorrow.”

Steve knows he’s not meeting Robin’s eyes on purpose and so does Robin. She squeals and hits him in the chest, before shaking him. “Holy shit, dingus! You’re going to be hanging out with Eddie, this is huge! I’m so proud of you. After Scoops I was worried you didn’t have any game left from your heyday.”

“Oi, don’t be a bitch, Robs,” Steve scoffs, pushing her over, but he’s grinning too. It’s not a date, that is way too scary, but it’s a foot in the door.

“I get to be a bitch about this,” Robin tells him, also grinning.

“Why?” Steve complains.

“Best friends rights,” she informs him gleefully. “I want all the details, okay? I demand them, in fact, because if I can’t even live vicariously through you then what is the point of finding another queer person in this little shit town?”

“I feel used,” Steve pouts, without meaning it.

“Get used to it, dingus, because I want to know everything,” Robin tells him. “Even if you two do disgusting things together. I want to know.” She pauses for a bit, seeming anxious suddenly. “But also be safe, you hear me? I mean it. Like, Eddie seems cool and all, but don’t do something stupid because you like him. I’ve seen you bruised too often for my liking, okay?”

Steve is touched by her concern. He knows Eddie at least won’t beat him up for being gay, but this might end with him getting his heart broken by pretty eyes and a vibrant personality. Which is a whole different risk.

It’s nice to know he has Robin to catch him if he falls. She feels like his forever person and he chokes up a bit as he promises: “I’ll be safe, Robs. Promise.”

“Good,” Robin nods decisively, before smiling again and grilling him about his not-date and if he has anything good to wear that won’t be too obvious, but also cute, before wondering why he likes Eddie again.

They stay up late together, gossiping. It’s fun and an easy distraction from how hard falling asleep has been recently. Steve wonders how he’s going to sleep again when he moves out of the Buckley house.

He waits until he’s working before calling Eddie, so he has an excuse of work if it gets awkward and he wants to hang up. Robin is keeping a look out for Keith and distracting customers that come in. Chrissy often hangs around Family Video when they work, but is out of town with her mom today, which works in their favor.

Eddie sounds surprised that he even called, which almost makes Steve hang up. However, surprise turns to delight and that soothes Steve’s frazzled nerves enough to stay on the line and explain how he would appreciate help with the roof or windows, if Eddie knows anything about those.

“Roof, I can help with,” Eddie says, his smooth voice so close to Steve’s ear as it comes through the phone speaker. “Do you have something to write down a list of things you need?”

“Yeah, course,” Steve replies, scrambling for a piece of paper, gratefully taking the pen Robin hands him.

After Steve has his list, he tells Eddie how to get to the cabin, since it is quite remote. When he is done Eddie whistles: “Damn, what was he doing all the way out there?”

“Hiding from the government,” Steve says, filter momentarily out the window. Robin whips around as she hears that with a ‘what the fuck, dingus’ look on her face. Steve cringes as he looks back at her, a bit mortified.

Luckily, Eddie just laughs and says: “Sure, Stevie, I’m sure that was what he was doing. Probably liked the peace and quiet.”

“He did,” Steve says softly, glad the crisis is averted and suddenly thinking of Hopper again. His loss still hurts, but Steve is slowly getting used to it. Eddie is quiet at Steve’s tone, so he clears his throat and smiles again, even though Eddie can’t see. “I’ll see you there then.”

“Yeah, see you,” Eddie replies and they both hang up.

“That was only mildly pathetic,” Robin gives an honest review once Steve has hung up, the two of the using the rest of the shift dissecting the phone call, before delving into their usual bickering and arguments.

Steve drives by a shop after work to get everything of the list. The shopkeeper looks surprised at his purchases, so Steve explains: “I’m moving out, but it’s a bit of a fix-her-upper,” which is what he wants to go around, instead of him being kicked out.

The shopkeeper doesn’t look like he fully buys it, but all the stuff must pass some kind of test, because he just nods and says: “Good luck.”

“Thanks,” Steve nods, awkwardly, before hightailing out of there with his stuff.

A few days later, Steve is meeting Eddie at the cabin. He makes sure to be there first, so Eddie won’t have to wait for him. He is sitting on the porch steps when Eddie comes pulling up in his van with loud music coming from the speakers.

The engine and music cut out and Eddie scrambles out the car in an outfit that has Steve’s mouth running dry.

It’s nothing spectacular, just denim shorts that come to his knees and a gray tank top, but Steve has never seen so much skin on Eddie, plus his hair is up in a bun, which is designed to kill Steve, he’s sure of it. All that neck. He wants to bite it. Instead he has to act normal as Eddie greets: “Hey, man.”

“Hey,” he replies in a voice that is a shade away from normal. He swallows, then adds: “Find it all okay? Thanks for coming out, by the way.”

“Course, dude,” Eddie says. “And I found it okay. Just not sure why anyone would live all the way out there, but that will just be a mystery.”

“I think it’s quite peaceful,” Steve tells him, before asking: “So, I have all you told me to get, how do you want to do this?”

“Just get on the roof and get started,” Eddie informs him happily and Steve totally doesn’t look as he hauls a toolkit out of his van, muscles straining under the weight. “My uncle Wayne let me borrow this, so we’re set for tools. You got a ladder?”

“Yup, yes, I do,” Steve fumbles, cursing that he never had the cool others thought he had, his girlfriends just didn’t affect him like Eddie does.

To distract from that fact, he goes and gets the ladder, so they can get on the roof, a miscalculation on his part, since he is now stuck behind Eddie on the ladder, having a view of his ass and back muscles as Eddie hoists what they need onto the roof while Steve hands it to him.

He is already flushed when he gets onto the roof as well and prays that Eddie doesn’t comment on it, because he doesn’t have an excuse ready.

Luckily, Eddie isn’t looking his way, instead busying himself with the stuff they got up there, looking a little flushed from the hauling. He inspects the holes in the roof, before showing Steve how to redo the roof tiles, before moving on to the next hole, while Steve gets the tiles.

Now, Steve realizes, he shouldn’t have counted his blessings so early, because the sun is hotter on the roof. So, when Steve looks up, he sees Eddie in all his sweaty glory.

It feels a bit like a movie scene. It’s almost slow motion. Steve looks up right as Eddie puts in the last nail, arm muscles that are usually hidden by the leather jacket now on display. Then he blows away a piece of hair, one of those strands Steve has always wanted to tuck behind his ear, before lifting his tank top to wipe the sweat off his face. There is a dark patch of hair going down from his bellybutton.

Steve rips his eyes away, before Eddie can look his way, determined not to look up again until they’ve patched all the holes in the roof.

That resolution only lasts for about two seconds, because he looks up when Eddie says: “Curious holes. Wonder how they got here.”

While Steve hadn’t been here when they happened, he can still clearly picture the Mind Flayer as it chased Nancy’s car. All of them crammed in there as Dustin sang with his girlfriend. He shudders, then shakes his head, before shrugging: “I don’t know. They were here when I got it.”

He hopes Eddie stops asking, because Steve will lie to him. He knows better than to say anything, but it has always been easy to talk to Eddie and he does not want to open that can of worms. If he has his way, Eddie will never know of the fucked things that go on in Hawkins.

“Maybe some assholes with fireworks,” Eddie says. “I mean, I won’t claim I was friendly with the Chief, fuck the police and all that, but he always left me off with a warning, which I appreciated, you know?”

Steve smiles a bit sadly at Hopper’s memory, the ache getting easier to deal with, though it never really leaves. He shrugs and says: “Probably.”

Eddie gives him a look, which Steve meets for a second, before looking down at the roof tiles again, not wanting to talk about Hopper more. Eddie seems to sense that, because he drops the conversation and gets back to work, the air a little tense around them now.

However, after a minute or so Eddie starts whistling, then humming some song that Steve doesn’t recognize and that tension dissipates.

They work together for some time. Both of them are sweating under the sun and Steve is starting to regret not taking one of Robin’s hair clips, because he didn’t want to look like a dork in front of Eddie. So, his hair is sweaty and in his face. He pushes said sweaty hair out of his face with a huff and asks: “Break?”

He looks over at Eddie, who is also red from the sun, Steve wonders if he put sunscreen on. Eddie looks surprised, then wipes off that look and replaces it with a grin. “Sure.”

Eddie goes to sit down on the roof. They took a few beers up there, which are no longer cold, but that doesn’t stop Eddie from popping one open with his ring and taking a sip with a sigh. Then he offers one to Steve with a crooked smile that has his heart flipping.

Steve smiles back and hopes his heart gymnastics don’t show on his face as he sits down next to Eddie, accepting the beer. He takes a long sip then sighs.

When he looks back he meets Eddie’s eyes, quirking a brow at him. Eddie goes to pull some hair in front of his face, realizes it’s up, then winces awkwardly and chuckles, taking a swig of his own lukewarm beer.

“Hey, you don’t have to say, man, but I got to wonder,” Eddie breaks the silence, lying back in a highly distracting manner. “How did you get Hopper’s house? Like how did that happen?”

Steve lies down as well, trying not to think of how close they are – almost touching – as he looks up at the trees surrounding the cabin and the clear sky. He sighs, trying to figure out how much he can say and answers: “It’s a long story.”

“I dig long stories,” Eddie tells him and when Steve looks at the sound of movement, Eddie has turned his head to look right at him.

From this nearby he can make out the almost indiscernible freckles that dust Eddie’s nose and cheeks. His dark eyes inquiring, curiosity obvious in them. Steve is reminded of that day in the forest, how Eddie never seemed to run out of questions. Curiosity is baked into his DNA, Steve thinks and hopes that it won’t get him killed one day.

The thought is sobering and he breaks the moment by look back at the sky. He sighs again, before saying: “Hopper wanted to take me in when I got kicked out.”

“What?” Eddie chokes, sounding caught between a surprised squeak and a disbelieving chuckle.

“I know,” Steve replies, lopsided smile on his face. “He was out looking for me that night. Heard what had happened from Joyce, who heard it from Jonathan.”

“Wait, Jonathan Byers?” Eddie asks, frowning. “Didn’t you guys fight two years ago?”

“Jup,” Steve nods, popping the p. “It’s a long story as well. I mean, we never became friends or anything, but, you know, we know each other.”

“Alright,” Eddie says, sounding a bit unsure about the whole thing. Then, still sounding confused, he asks: “So, Hopper wanted to let you stay and then? Put you in his will?”

“Oh, no!” Steve quickly dispels that idea. “No, not that at all. He has a kid. A little girl. She’s super cool and an absolute sweetheart. She went with the Byers to California a few weeks back. Trying to get used to a life without her dad. Fresh start and all that.”

“Jesus H. Christ, man, I didn’t know he had a kid,” Eddie whistles. “Poor girl.”

“Yeah, she’s a tough cookie, but has already gone through so much,” Steve agrees. He likely will never get over the injustice that has been El’s life so far.

“I hate the world sometimes,” Eddie sighs.

“Me too, dude, me too,” Steve agrees, both of them falling into a comfortable silence for a moment, lying on the roof under the summer sun.

After a few seconds, he explains: “She got the house. She wanted to give it to me at first, because she is too sweet for her own good. We made a contract I could live here until she wanted the house back.”

“She sounds like a good egg,” Eddie tells him, tone indicating he heard the fondness Steve holds for El in his voice.

“She is,” Steve smiles, looking back at Eddie, who is still looking at him.

Eddie smiles at him, dimples appearing on his cheeks. Steve kind of wants to lean in and plant a kiss on his nose, see if he scrunches it if he does. But he manages to stop himself.

However, Steve doesn’t know if the intent was on his face, because Eddie raises a brow as he grins and laughs: “What? Have something on my face?”

“No,” Steve quickly says. “Just got lost in thought, you know. I wonder if she is settling in okay. I haven’t really spoken to her. Don’t want to run up the Buckley’s phone bill too much.”

Eddie nods understandingly and Steve truly does get the feeling that Eddie gets it. It’s a little crazy and he tries not to let his brain run wild with the idea of Eddie and him matching so well. He is only just starting to get the know the other boy.

That thought is not helped when Eddie seems to sense he not to ask more about El, instead asking: “So, how’s living with the Buckley’s been?”

“A little insane,” Steve replies honestly. He’s already told Eddie he got kicked out and showed him the shiner his father gave him. “They’re so nice, like all the time. I’m waiting for their hospitality to run out at this point.”

“Fuck, man, I hear you,” Eddie chuckles. “It’s been years and I’m still waiting for the day uncle Wayne gets tired of me.”

Steve has never met Eddie’s uncle, only having seen him once or twice in town. He looked stern then, but he also remembers what Eddie said about his uncle’s habit of taking in strays, seemingly referring to himself. His voice was full of warmth then. Cautiously he asks: “You really think that will happen?”

Eddie looks almost surprised at that, eyes widening, before he laughs that deep laugh Steve adores so much. He shakes his head and sits back up: “Nah, man, I don’t know why, but uncle Wayne and me are in it for the long haul.”

“That’s good,” Steve says, following him up. Their beers have warmed up even more as they laid down and Steve scrunches his nose up in disgust.

“Yeah. Yeah, it is,” Eddie says softly and when Steve looks at him he off staring of into the distance with far away eyes.

“You okay?” Steve asks, daring to nudge Eddie’s foot with his own.

“Hm?” Eddie turns back to him with a soft noise, before he shakes off the melancholic vibe around him with a smile. “Yeah, I am. Just thinking, you know, how lucky I got with my uncle. I mean, my parents never kicked me out for being a fag – didn’t get the chance with police after them – but they would have if they ever did.”

“Damn, dude, that sucks,” Steve tells him, in a manner that is hopefully sympathetic. He has never been the best with comforting.

“Yeah, you can say that,” Eddie laughs, luckily not upset at his attempt, but amused by it. “But it’s okay. They never liked me and I never liked them. It happens sometimes. And uncle Wayne will never kick me out.”

“He won’t?” Steve asks curiously, Eddie sounding very confident about it in his opinion. Maybe a bit too confident. One can never really know.

Eddie looks at him, blowing a piece of hair out of his face again that has Steve’s palms itching, and shakes his head: “No, he won’t. He already knows.”

“What?” Steve feels like his eyes are falling out of his socket and his face must be amusing, because Eddie bursts out in laughter.

After a few chuckles he says: “Yeah, he knows. Some people are cool, Stevie. Mark my words, the world is changing. Not now, not tomorrow, but give it two decades and we’re going to be just fine, I promise.”

“Bold claim,” Steve tells him, slightly skeptic, yet also cheered up. It’s nice to have hope like Eddie does. Nice to know there are parental figures out there who accept their queer kids.

“I’m an idealist, what can I say,” Eddie grins, then chugs his beer, Steve tracking his adam’s apple as he does. Then he gets up with a: “Let’s get these holes filled,” before snorting at how dirty it sounds.

Steve tries not to think of the innuendo in Eddie’s voice and instead gets back to work as well. He wants the roof to be fixed and doesn’t want to seem like a slacker who makes Eddie do all the work or something.

Though, he does take a moment to watch Eddie work with the tools. It’s hot. Eddie is. He is sweating, but he also just looks a bit like one of those gods they read about in history once. The Greek ones.

The image of Eddie sweaty in the sunlight on that roof will be in his mind forever.

They manage to fix the entire roof together and afterwards Steve buys them both a pizza to thank Eddie for his help. They eat it on the porch of the cabin. Eddie talks about the campaign he’s making for his club, not at all concerned or thinking of any of the subjects he has to retake again this year.

Steve envies how easily Eddie shrugs things off and moves on. He doesn’t care that he has to do senior year again. He doesn’t care that people think he’s weird. He doesn’t care what they whisper about him as he passes. He just shrugs it all off and walks on with his head held high. Steve is trying to have a bit of that confidence too, the defiance to be himself.

Still, he doesn’t say that, just tries to follow the best he can with what he knows from the kids rambling to him.

It’s nice to sit like that. The two of them with pizza, beer and the sunset, sweaty from the work, but feeling accomplished. It’s nothing big yet, just one day together, just Eddie helping him out. But it feels like it can be the start of something.

After the pizza they say goodbye. Steve could have sat there for hours more with Eddie, but he doesn’t want to come across as eager and he also doesn’t want to get to the Buckley’s too late and wake them up.

So, he tells Eddie he can always come by and that if he wants to rent a movie, it’s on Steve, before he goes his separate way.

In the evening, Robin forces him to tell her everything again, yelling and slapping when he talks about how hot Eddie looked when sweating, but grinning all the way. This is what he has always wanted to do when he heard the cheerleaders discussing their crushes and now he can.

~~

A/N:

Okay, but hear me out, Steve feeling the need to fill Hopper’s shoes and not doing it by protecting El for him, but by rebuilding the house he made for El, I’m weeping

[hot-patootiee]

Another story of people not knowing Steve is bisexual.

Since he asked Eddie to be his boyfriend at a party game night, Eddie took it as a joke and accepted. He made a grand ordeal of it too, jumping on the table and dramatic gestures.

He even declared his true love shall catch him and fell off the table and fell off into Steve who struggled, but did manage to catch him. If Steve fell on the floor doing it, it’s nobody’s business.

Steve is like “omg my first boyfriend!” And since Robin was there, he assumes she knows.

Little does poor Steve know, everyone thought he was joking. Except El because she’s El and Will.

El and Will are both bewildered as to why the boys weren’t being nosy like they expected them too. But, they don’t figure out that nobody else knows either because everyone else is like “Yea, Steve and Eddie are totally Dating”.

El and Will begin to pester Steve because they love him and he’s the first queer relationship they’ve seen. It’s not like anyone else will tell them anything.

Steve absolutely regales them with every date (which Eddie thought were just hang outs) and what a great choice it was to ask Eddie out.

Steve and Eddie get high together one night and Eddie looks so relaxed and cute that he just has to kiss him.

So he does and, of course since Eddie is his boyfriend, Eddie kisses back. They make out that night and curl up together and then fall asleep.

When Steve wakes up, the bed is empty and cold where Eddie was.

He gets up, assuming Eddie just left to get food, but Eddie is pacing in the kitchen.

“Hey, Teddy, What’s wrong?” Steve tries to get close and hug him, but Eddie shrugs him off.

“I can’t do this with you right now. I need some time to think and I think you should leave. I need a break from you.” Eddie tugs at his hair, not nervous, but stressed.

Steve hears ‘break’ and almost starts crying. He sniffles, eyes getting watery, and Steve just lets out a cracked “okay.” Before grabbing his stuff and bolting out of the house.

By the time he gets in the car, he’s in full out tears.

It’s like Nancy all over again! He just knows that Eddie means to break up with him, nobody goes on a ‘break’ other than to soft launch the ‘break up’.

He thought he was such a good boyfriend to Eddie, he went to all his shows, he brought him home cooked meals, and made sure he knew Steve appreciated him. Steve had started listening to metal for him despite his crushing migraines.

Steve barely makes it home through the warping effect of the tears in his eyes.

He calls out of work for the week to mope because Eddie was his first boyfriend and he really saw a future with him.

On the second day, Will overhears Eddie talking about Steve to Robin and how he “couldn’t be around him.” Will immediately puts together Steve’s absence and sudden ‘flu’.

Will runs back to El and they hop on Will’s bike and go to Steve’s.

When they get there, Steve is still red eyed and teary. His pitiful two month relationship was over and he had been crying over losing Eddie.

Will and El immediately harass him into telling them what happened over some ice cream they extracted from the freezer. Steve tactfully leaves out the weed detail, but otherwise sticks to the story.

El is incredibly mad by the end. Stuff has started levitating half an inch and she questions Steve “why would he do that?”

Steve can’t hold it in anymore and just starts crying again.

“I don’t know.” He croaks out.

Will is patting Steve’s back and El is probably planning a murder.

By the time Steve has calmed down, his phone is ringing and it’s the party looking for El and Will. He offers to drive them back, but the kids insist they bike back.

When El comes in, it is evident she has only gotten more enraged over the entire drive home. The second her eyes fall on Eddie, everything starts shaking angrily.

Eddie on the other hand, does not know El very well and is borderline pissing himself at her rage.

Instead of the flying plates and psychic violence, El starts to cry.

“Why would you do that?” El cries out, tears filling her eyes. She begins to sob and Eddie still has no idea what she’s talking about.

“What do you mean?” Eddie looks halfway between trying to calm her and bolting the other direction.

“Why would you do that to Steve? He really likes you!” Her voice cracks and gets strained at some points, it nearly sounds like nails on a chalkboard.

Eddie is completely not ready to discuss his queer make-out sesh with a child in front of the entire party. Luckily, the Wheeler parents were out and not there to hear it.

“He’s your boyfriend! Why would you break up with him like that?” Eddie lets out a soft understanding laugh.

“El, me and Steve aren’t actually dating, that’s just a joke.” Eddie says soothingly.

“He asked you out in-front of everyone! I was there!” El yelled at Eddie, Will finally beginning to approach his angry sister.

“That was a joke!” Eddie laughs out.

“Did Steve know that?” Will finally pipes up and Eddie’s blood goes cold.

“O-of course, he did!” Eddie feebly attempts to justify. His voice was stringy in a way that showed Eddie didn’t believe himself.

Will just shakes his head at Eddie with sad eyes.

“He thinks you guys have been dating for the past 2 months. El and I thought you were dating for the past two months.” Will says slowly, punctuating his every word carefully.

“That’s why he stopped dating, isn’t it?” Robin pipes up, sounding a little hollow at her failure to notice.

Nobody answers her.

Pt 2 if you ask nicely, or meanly I don’t really care.

PART 2 is HERE

[solarmorrigan]

Steve spends the summer after they defeat Vecna teaching El how to make noise

It starts one day in his kitchen, when she catches him whistling. Brows furrowed as she tries to copy him, she asks him how to do it. For a minute, Steve is surprised; what kid doesn't know how to whistle? And then he remembers - El hadn't gotten to have a childhood. Not really. He thinks about all the normal kid stuff she was denied, and his chest aches just a little. He forgets whatever he'd been doing and spends the whole afternoon teaching her how to whistle

Once she has a pretty good grasp on whistling, he asks if she wants to learn how to do it really loud, and teaches her how to whistle with her fingers

Showing her how to snap her fingers is easy, and after she masters that, he shows her how to make a popping noise with her fingers tucked under her chin

He spends one afternoon showing her how to make a hooting noise with her cupped hands, and another how to whistle with two blades of grass. Sometimes he'll find something the other kids in the party don't know how to do, either, and he'll gladly show them, if they'll listen long enough

He draws on every little trick he'd learned growing up, from his friends, from summer camp, from his time in the Scouts. He learns that El has never gotten to play a kazoo, so he makes her one with wax paper and a comb, the way his grandad had shown him so many summers ago, and lets her go to town

By the end of summer, Hopper is ready to murder Steve - except El looks so happy, so pleased with herself, making popping noises with her lips, snapping her fingers, giggling as Jonathan and Will try and fail to copy the bird call Steve showed her. For that smile on her face, Hopper guesses he can put up with it

(He gets his revenge by teaching El how to whistle the Andy Griffith theme song and unleashing her on Steve. It takes a week for Steve to get the tune out of his head)

[stevemania]

season 3 remains my literal fav

[imfinereallyy]

El being wholesome with Steve. El being wholesome with Steve. The weird sibling duo we didn’t know we needed. I need more of it. I might do it….no I’ve done enough of them…

Okay, okay. But just picture this:

The kids trying to embarrass Steve all the time with photos and stories to Eddie, but El ruins it every.single.time. because she is so unbelievably wholesome when it comes to Steve.

Here is everyone pulling out scoops photos (which Eddie actually loves thank you very much) and sharing stories about his failed dates. Dustin tells Eddie specifically about the time he was teaching Lucas basketball and Lucas threw the ball too hard at the backboard and hit Steve in the face.

So they are all poking fun at Steve in his and Robin’s apartment (because in every universe these platonic soulmates live together) and there is just El who randomly chimes in:

“Steve took me to this thing called a ren faire once. It was very fun. We both looked really pretty.”

Eddie absolutely melts at the story and gushes over the photos she has.

And everyone gets quiet every time, because no one wants to criticize El, but one time Max gently goes, “You know that’s like….nice right? We’re making fun of him.”

Everyone one expects her to being embarrassed or confused but instead she simple says.

“I know. I don’t like it. Steve’s nice.”

And she embarrasses everyone, except Robin and Eddie who are the only ones Steve never gets upset with when they make fun of him. They all mumble out apologies, and Steve turns to Dustin and goes:

“This is why she gets a special section in the freezer. All different flavors of eggos.”

El’s eyes get wide. “Even the blueberry ones?”

Steve gives her hair a tousle, “Especially the blueberry ones.”

[morganbritton132]

Look, should you beat up the least shadiest drug dealer in Hawkins? No. Do people do it anyways? Unfortunately.

This is what Hopper happens upon driving home from the station. This is also how Eddie finds himself sitting in the passenger seat of the Chief of Police’s truck with a probable broken nose and three undoubtedly bent joints in his pocket, saying, “Well, you know, can’t really afford the hospital so.”

Then Eddie finds himself in the passenger seat of the Chief of Police’s truck driving pass the hospital thinking, wow. Jumped by jocks and murdered by the police all in one day.

He mourns all the times he could have been more annoying, and follows Hopper out of the truck to a little cabin sat back from the road. Hopper tells him to watch for the bear trap and Eddie thinks, what the fuck. He’s about to voice that when he sees it.

Sees him. Sees, “Harrington?”

Steve is tucked into the corner of the couch, messy haired and clearly wearing Hopper’s clothes. He looks beat half to hell with his face bruised and the row a stitches disappearing into his hairline.

Actually, “What happened to you? You look like dog shit.”

“Dog shit,” repeats from behind him and Eddie turns to see a girl with curly hair standing in the doorway of a bedroom.

“Hopper doesn’t like when you teacher her things like that,” Steve says, moves his feet off the cushions so she can sit on the couch with him. “Also, I was kidnapped.”

“You weren’t kidnapped,” Hopper grumbles, having disappeared into the kitchen and returning with a first aid kit. “I don’t like you enough to kidnap you.”

“So, i can leave?”

“You got a parent at home to make sure your brain doesn’t melt out your ears?”

Steve huffs and Eddie is being lead to sit down on the coffee table. Hopper hands him a dishrag and then before Eddie can properly take it, grabs his nose and yanks it back in place. “Ow! Fuck!”

“F-“

“Oh, don’t say that one,” Steve says, shaking his head at El. “Wait until you hear it from Henderson.”

[lestatlioncourtt]

I'm someone who unfortunately, often lets details go unnoticed, so hearing the costume designer for s4 call this el outfit her "will look" just turned a switch in my mind, bc yeah it's pretty clear that eleven dresses herself differently in s4 compared to how she dressed in s3 but OMG, it's not just the clothes it's the hair too, everything about her reminds us of will. This scene with Mike between them it's crazy, it's like he's between the gender bent versions of the same person and now he has a choice to make iykyk....

[inconspicuousdreamgirl]

I'm so ready for joyce and robin to team up and solve the most insane stuff

I guess I have a type

[bylertruthr]

how st characters would go viral on tiktok

el: duets a cooking video and asks out of nowhere “what is salt?”

will: “a day in my life as the most emotionally repressed boy in indiana”

mike: someone comments “are you gay” on one of his videos, he responds to it in a video saying defensively “i’m not gay! i just really love my best friend!” it becomes a meme

max: goes viral for skateboarding past a group of people fighting while sipping a slurpee and headphones on

dustin: unironically doing a cosplay in the street and filming himself

lucas: reacts to videos with the most over dramatic expressions ever

steve: posts a thirst trap with the caption “hot single mom energy” with erica and dustin gagging and making disgusted faces in the background

nancy: “grwm” except it turns into a 10 minute feminist rant

robin: duetting ‘alpha male’ videos and roasting them

[chillikm]

Commemorative doodle of everyone’s favourite mother for Mother’s Day…Steve “The Hair” Harrington!

[purplepri]

Rich CEO Steve, who married young and had children young and got widowed young. Who works really hard for his children's future, but who can't stand to be at home a lot because of all the memories of his late wife. Steve who's becoming more and more stranged from his children, from the kids he swore to always love, protect, cherish, care for.

Enter down on his luck singer Eddie, who came to the big city to make his dreams come true but has spent the last years singing in rundown bars, who sells drugs on the side to make ends meet. When his house literally gets burned down, he has to look for another job to pay rent and his debts. The classifieds are almost always a bummer, but this one... Well, he's always loved kids.

Max and Dustin and El who miss their dad so much, who just want him to spend a little time with them. And if they have to get rid of every single nanny their dad ever hires, then that's what they'll do.

[hot-patootiee]

Steve’s parents running into Steve and Eddie with a gaggle of children.

They’re hanging off of both adults, calling them mom and dad.

“Steve, what’s going on here?” Richard Harrington asks.

“Co-parenting.” Steve replies in a deadpan tone. Max is actively pickpocketing him and Dustin is tugging on his jacket trying to get Steve’s attention, a never ending chorus of ‘Mom, come look’ leaving his mouth.

“Nah, at this point we’re just parenting.” Eddie corrects, fending off a grabby El trying to play with his wallet chain.

Eddie scoops up Steve’s wallet when Max tries to make her escape. She groans out a frustrated ‘Dad’ before retreating back to Lucas and Mike, who are hiding around the corner, poorly.

“Richard, I think this is the reason we only had one.” Martha Harrington stated blankly, wide eyed taking in the scene in front of her.

Robin nods from where she sits at an adjacent table, trying and mildly failing to braid Will’s short hair. Will sits perfectly still and disciplined as Robin works. A complete contrast to the wild children that Steve and Eddie are actively managing.

“I picked the best one.” Robin smiles condescendingly at Steve and Eddie, patting Will’s head.

[letterstomichelangelo]

GUYS THIS IS NOT A DRILL

[stevemania]

robin buckley moodboard ₊˚⊹ᰔ📼

[unamused-boss]

Lipstick Stains

Billy Hargrove x Harrington FemReader

Summary: There has been some new gossip floating through Hawkins High. The gossip being that Billy has a lipstick stain that just so happens to match a certain girl's iconic shade.

....................................................................

You were a Harrington. You had a certain standing that you had to keep cause of the expectations of your parents. One of those expectations were not making out with Billy Hargrove in his car in the back of the school parking lot during lunch. But your parents were never home so you didn't really give a damn.

"Billy we have to go back into the school at some point." You said releasing your lips from his. As you tried to pull back he pulled you in for another quick kiss.

"Oh come on, we don't have to." He smirked to you.

"Listen Mr. Bad Boy, I know you don't like school but I have a test." You said to him. He gave you a small pout at your response to which you just laughed at him. "You also messed up my lipstick." You said as you flipped the visor down to use the mirror to reapply your dark red lipstick.

"That's not the only thing I can mess up." He joked. You just gave him the look, he knew the look. It didn't need a name.

"Well Hargrove I have to get going." You brought yourself close to kiss his neck then up to the apple of his freckled cheeks. You collected you things to go back into the school before the bell. Before you shut the door you look back at Billy to see the two kiss marks that you left on him. You just smiled at him.

"Love ya, see you later." You said then shut the door to go to the school.

Billy continued with his day like usual. Thinking that nothing would go out of the ordinary. He knew he was hot shit so people were staring at him as perusal but he didn't know what they were staring at. In each class he had stares his way, to which he had to tell some off for looking too long.

"Nice job man." Tommy Hagan laughed as he patted his back. Billy was just confused about what he was talking about but he continued as nothing was wrong. The bell rang through the halls to signal that the school day was over. Billy made his way to the doors top the parking lot to leave when he saw a certain Steve Harrington staring him down from his locker.

"You got a problem Harrington?" He asked.

"Yeah, not with you though." Steve replied slamming his locker shut to go find a certain sister of his. Billy didn't know that, he was just confused and thought nothing of it. He finally was able to make it to his Camaro to wait for Max. Students around him were still looking at him. Some girls looking in distaste, not at him but at the kiss marks on his cheeks. Some guys were just laugh in congrats to him. Billy just wanted to get the hell out and get Max home so he can go see his girlfriend. Billy looked over to see a certain red head making her way over to his car.

"Get in shit-bird, I got places to be." He said as he got in the drivers seat while Max got in the passenger seat. She just stared at him, more than she would usually. Which is not at all. Billy glanced at her a few times.

"What?" He asked annoyed with her staring.

"What's on your face?" She asked. Billy was confused until he thought back to lunch. He grabbed his sun visor to look himself in the mirror to see the two kiss marks on him. Just as he thought, one on his cheek and the other on his neck. He just laughed what he was looking at.

"Well that explains a Lot." He sighed starting his car to drive away.

Later that day Billy was able to make it to the Harrington house hold. Instead of parking down the street, he parked in the driveway. Instead of climbing through the window of his girlfriends bedroom, he simply knocked the front door of her house. Which, unfortunately, the other Harrington answered. He and Steve just stared at one another for a moment.

"Hargrove."

"Harrington."

"What are you doing here?"

"I think you know why exactly I'm here, or you don't."

"I do know why you're here." Steve stated sternly.

"Then tell me, why am I here?" Billy gabbed at him with a smirk playing on his face.

"Can you guys stop having a dick measuring contest for once." Your voice was heard in a very much over it tone. "Get out of here Steve."

"But-" You stopped him from continuing.

"Eh, I don't wanna hear any more then I already have. You're being a Buttface." You sassed at him. "Now I would like to talk to my boyfriend."

Steve just rolled his eyes and sighed. Walking away from his enemy and his sister in the same door way. You turn your head back to Billy with a grin on your face.

"So what are you doing here, handsome."

"Well, I am here to see my girlfriend that I have to have a small chat about." His voice going a slight octave lower. Something that you loved.

"And what do you have to chat about?" You stilled teased at him.

"Well I made out with this gorgeous woman at lunch, and after I thought my day would go by like usual. But I had people staring at me all day. I didn't know why until I looked into the mirror to find that the exact pretty girl I was kissing left some marks on me." He explained to you. "Now I am at said pretty girls house to get a reason why she did that."

"Well I think she just wanted to have a bit of fun with you, if you ask me."

"Well as much as I love that, I think I would love to have some fun with her right now."

"Well you'er gonna have to wait on that, handsome." You said." Big Bro ain't to happy with me, I've been getting an ear full for the past hour."

"I can wait." He reassured. "I will always wait for you, gorgeous." You just smiled at him and dragged him into your house.

"Is he staying long?" Steve's distant voice was heard.

"Shut up Steve." You yelled out to him. "Like I said, ear full all day."

You and Billy just laughed at the situation. But at least you both can enjoy each others company in the end.

...................................................................

I hope y'all enjoyed this. Sorry if it is short. I know I haven't been to active, writing wise, lately. I'm trying to get through school right now.

I will try to get more out for Boots and Trumpets, and Practically Magic later.

Thank you for reading.