steve harrington loses his mojo
7.3K words
warnings - blink and you’ll miss it suicide reference, steve harrington is depressed
summary - Steve and you are both depressed kids working towards nothing specific. Maybe you should kiss (AKA a convoluted three times Steve watches his friends be in happy relationships and the one time he gets into one).
AO3 Link
~~~
Part 1 - king steve’s dead
It’s been a long, long time since Steve has been in a relationship. It’s been a long time since he’s had somebody to lay down next to at night and quietly eat with and wake up to. Since he could turn to the side and see a smile he’d die for - kissing it away just to create a bigger one. Since he could hear someone say they love them.
His big house feels like a pharaoh's tomb as of late. Big and luxurious and for one person to decay in.
In a weird way, crushes made Steve feel alive. The locking of eyes from across a party that neither of them really want to be at, the shy waves and smiles, the giggling and teasing - the giddiness was a rush. The heartache and hopeless pining was pain, but it also worked. Sleepless nights and desperately hoping nobody notices the way you lean into someone a little closer than you should. Daydreams that turn into nightmares. Humiliation when you’re rejected. Having to smile and grit your teeth when you know that person could never feel the same. It all reminded him of the heart that faithfully beat inside his chest. Reminded him he was human and capable of love and loss and adoration and aching. As long as he was human, he could be loved.
When he and Nancy started dating he was alive. The sneaking into her room and kissing in the bathroom during zero hour. The doe eyes and cuddles. That very first time together in his bed.
The brief crush he had on Carol after seeing Molly Ringwald in Tempest - endlessly painful to watch her and his (then) best friend, Tommy H., be happy and gross during that fall of ‘82.
When he and Nancy broke up. He spent a good few weeks holed up in his room and pretending he wasn’t crying. Then he had to get a job and found himself a new friend.
The crush on Robin and the subsequent heartbreak of finding out there’s no way she could like him back.
Then he moved on and it was fine.
But that’s how it remained.
Fine.
Nancy was dating Jonathon. He hadn’t seen Tommy and Carol since graduation. Robin had a crush on a girl that sounded nice. His ball and chain that took form in a group of children were even in healthy relationships.
Steve used to go on a new date every night.
Lately, the dates are decreasing in appeal and the girls in Hawkins, while very pretty and interesting in their own ways, don’t call to him. Not that it’s their fault or responsibility. His heart just can’t get into it the way it used to - which is bizarre because he’s always known himself to fall in love quickly.
A young lady maybe two years older than him is checking out The Tempest. She’s gorgeous - lips that he would’ve been begging to kiss if she came into the store just a few months ago, eyes he’d die to stare into under the moonlight if she came into the store just a few months ago, and hair he’d love to run his fingers through if she came into the store just a few months ago.
“I got a crush on Molly Ringwald from this movie,” he mutters, cataloging the checkout and handing the rental back to the woman.
“That’s…” she can’t even fake a smile, but she’s merciful enough to bring her tone up, “interesting.”
“Yeah,” he can’t even bring himself to be embarrassed and maybe that’s a sign he’s dying. Looking up at the woman, Steve plasters on his golden boy grin and plainly says, “We here at Family Video hope you have an incredible day.”
She nods and rushes away and Steve doesn’t blame her for a second.
“What was that?” Robin groans, coming out from the backroom, “Steve! You cannot parade yourself around as the charmer of Hawkins and then bomb that hard!”
Steve presses his lips thinly and shrugs, “A dud.”
“Do not call that innocent woman a dud,” Robin smacks his arm, “Steven Harrington, what would Mr. Rogers say?”
“‘I’m not mad, just disappointed,’” he grimaces, leaning back so his elbows support him on the counter, “That feels worse than if he was just mad.”
“Good,” Robin bumps Steve over with her hip, “But really - you’re starting to worry me. What’s your problem?” before he can respond, she turns and points in his face, “And don’t say ‘nothing’ because I know that’s not true, you’re totally off. You don’t flirt, and when you do it’s awkward and bad and makes me look like Tom Cruise.”
“I make you look weird?”
“You make me look smooth.”
Steve’s head hangs back, then turns to stare at Robin, picking at her black nail polish, “What if I’m designed to be single?”
“Designed to be single?”
“Yeah.”
“You’re not,” Robin pats his shoulder, but doesn’t look up from where her polish is chipping, “Nobody’s designed to be single unless they decide they are. What’s bringing this all up anyway? You’re not even twenty-two, it’s way too early for a life crisis right now.”
“I’m just saying, Rob,” Steve turns towards the double doors, though he still doesn’t stand upright, “I don’t feel good.”
“Like how?”
“Like I’m designed to be single.”
“Stop it,” she frowns now, though just one look at her face would tell him it’s downright mocking, “You’re Steve ‘the hair’ Harrington, you could bag anybody.”
“Don’t say bag,” he huffs.
“Don’t say you’re meant to be single, ‘cuz you’re way too clingy to be by yourself for eternity,” Robin leans on her side to look at Steve.
They’ve always been teasing - sometimes even plain rude - towards one another, but that was just their friendship. They’re best friends and best friends are often more cruel than even an acquaintance, but it’s all out of love and comfort. This time, however, it’s different.
Steve’s responding and trying to joke, but she can see that he doesn’t have it in him right now.
His brows are furrowed and his lips carve a frown into his face. His arms cross over one another and he sighs.
The store is slow on this boring Tuesday afternoon, so Robin bites the bullet and lowers onto her elbows to be eye level with her suffering friend. She leans in and pouts.
“Wanna talk to Big Rob about it?” he doesn’t respond so she presses her thumb into his glabella and smoothens it, “If you keep scrunching your eyebrows like that, you’ll get wrinkles.”
“I use a great moisturizer.”
“Well, all the moisturizer in the world won’t listen to your problems like I will,” she knocks her elbow with his and can’t hold in her laugh when it tips his balance, “So spill. Where is this coming from?”
To be honest - it comes from Nancy Wheeler.
Turns out, being told that you’re bullshit and the entire relationship you’d been harboring was bullshit, and the girl you’d die for didn’t even love you was a real turn-off from relationships in the long run. Who knew that kind of stuff could cause a massive wave of insecurity?
But for the sake of keeping her name out of his mouth unless he’s tempted to vomit those insecurities, he keeps it light.
“I mean, I’m just watching all my friends be in happy relationships and I’m… stuck.”
“Well, tell me about it.”
Steve stands up straight, running a hand through his hair before crossing his arms again, “Fucking Henderson.”
~~
The night is cold and dark and Steve’s shivering because he lent his jacket to Dustin after specifically telling the shrimp to make sure he brought his own. Of course, Dustin was not an excellent listener when it came to anything outside of battling off monsters and left his jacket at home.
He’s left in a thin long sleeve, leaning against the hood of his BMW - he would be sitting inside with the heater on if it weren’t for the fact he was trying to save on gas. Dustin’s at the top of the hill he’d dedicated a makeshift radio tower to talking with Suzie.
Could Dustin just have used the powerful radio he and Suzie upgraded to following the summer of ‘85? Sure, but when Steve suggested that - Dustin shook his head.
“It’s about the nostalgia, Harrington. The old times.”
“I don’t get that at all.”
“And that’s why you don’t have a super genius, super babe, super girlfriend.”
“Shut up and get in the car, Henderson.”
Get in the car, he did, and now Steve was impatiently tapping his foot in wait like a child whose mom just ran into a friend at the grocery store.
It’s been twenty minutes and Steve grows sufficiently fed up (though if he’s being honest, waiting for Dustin isn’t that much of a chore) and climbs up the hill.
What he sees is almost enough to make him believe in young love again.
Dustin is grinning, broad and sweet, mindlessly plucking and twirling grass as he speaks and listens. He cracks a joke or tells a story and waits in earnest until Suzie’s giggles ring through the air and the way he buzzes at the sound is something straight out of a book. He pays utmost attention to whatever Suzie is saying and lights up at every syllable she spills.
Dustin’s eyes land on Steve and his posture shoots upright, “Do we have to go?”
His tone is dismal, almost heartbroken, no matter how hard he’s trying to hide it.
Steve, against his desires for other things to do with his free time, shakes his head, “Just wanted to make sure you were still up here. Hurry up, though - your mom will kill me if you’re not tucked in for story time.”
“Haha,” Dustin sarcastically calls.
Steve makes his way back down the hill and slides down to a lonely sit in the grass. He can faintly hear Dustin speaking animatedly - laughing and teasing and all the things Steve used to do.
~~
“Sounds rough,” Robin pats Steve’s back, “Sorry you got upstaged by a toddler and his girlfriend in Salt Lake City.”
“He’s fourteen, first of all,” Steve glares at the girl, “Second; I wasn’t upstaged.”
“You were jealous.”
“Not jealous,” he grumbles.
“Well, I am sorry that you had to go through that,” she’s not sure what exactly it was he went through in that story, but the words are what Steve needs right now so it’s what she says.
“It’s not just that,” his eyes flicker to Robin for just a second, “Last weekend, too.”
~~
“I’m not a chauffeur, you know.”
“Right, you’re a clerk at Family Video,” Mike looks up at Steve and smiles sardonically, “That sounds a lot better.”
Steve rolls his eyes but doesn’t lower the lackluster sign Mike had made for his girlfriend. Not that he was holding it very high in the first place. Just raised as high as his chest, was a rectangle cut from cardboard with ‘EL’ written on it in Sharpie.
Hawkins wasn’t big enough to justify its own airport, so Eleven had to take a domestic flight from California to an Indianapolis airport. Forcing Mike to force Steve to make the hour drive.
Mike is in the ugliest get up Steve’s ever seen. A yellow and blue floral Hawaiian shirt with neon yellow swim trunks and blue sneakers. Dandelions and wild teasels found on the side of the road are bunched in Mike’s hand, fingers cut and bleeding from the prickly thorns of the teasel stems. He’s smiling as a flush of people come out of the terminal and Steve moves his eyes up to catch Eleven as she comes towards them.
One hand holding a yellow backpack, the other waving at them excitedly.
Steve returns the wave and pretends to not care when she skips past him to hug Mike. It isn’t like he’s the bestest of friends with Eleven, but he’d thought they were closer than her pretending he doesn’t exist.
For the first time since Steve met Mike, the boy actually gives a tight hug - practically squeezing Eleven’s body to his in their reunion.
“How was your flight?” Mike reaches down for his girlfriend’s hand when they pull apart, “Did you get to sleep at all?”
Eleven quietly hums and nods, “It was nice. I got to watch a movie.”
“Wow,” Mike’s actually smiling as he talks, “what movie?”
Steve doesn’t get to hear the answer because while he pops the trunk and takes Eleven’s backpack - the couple move to the backseats and climb in. He’s left alone in the front of his nice car and tries not to overhear whatever plans Mike and Eleven are conjuring.
“A new diner just opened up, actually,” Mike is watching as Eleven plays with his bony fingers, “I could take you, if you want.”
Eleven looks up at Mike, a shy smile peeks at her lips and reaches the eyes. She nods slowly, “I would want that.”
Then the awkward teenage hormones resurface and Mike chuckles, eyes falling to their thighs that are barely touching, “Nice.”
She giggles and leans into her boyfriend’s shoulder, “Nice.”
~~
“I didn’t know Wheeler was capable of that kinda affection,” Robin shakes her head, “He doesn’t look like very good boyfriend material.”
Steve taps his fingers against the wooden counter, “I didn’t know either.”
Hopefully, he’s only taken example from the best parts of how Steve treated Nancy. If he’s taken Steve as an example at all.
God, he hopes not actually.
No colleges. No career endeavors. Just a clerk at Family Video with his best friend who’s still in high school. His other best friend is also still in high school and is currently replacing him with Eddie Munson. Ex-girlfriend basically left him for the guy that took pictures of her through a window while she was half-naked.
Destined for Hawkins. Designed to be a loser. The epitome of peaked in high school.
“Anything else?” Robin asks, tone much more careful than before.
~~
Lucas and Max are on shaky ground, but they’re together. Beginning to get back together, anyway. He’s gentle and soft but still ribbing and acerbic when she needs him to be. Max is getting better slowly - sometimes she falls and curls into a ball, but Lucas is always holding out a hand to help her up (and when she refuses to take it, he sits down next to her and waits until she’s ready).
It’s enough to make a grown man cry.
“Movie’s up to you tonight,” Lucas settles his chin on Max’s head as they stand in front of the horror section.
Steve almost wants to call out how he has to stand on his tip-toes to do it.
Max narrows her eyes at the selections, “They all look bad.”
“Well, what about…” Lucas pauses and then lifts a movie from the shelf, “Halloween - you like Halloween, right?”
“Yeah,” she shrugs, “I don’t know - it’s kinda overplayed now, don’t you think?”
“No,” he steps back and to her side, brows furrowed, “I think it’s cool.”
“Really?” she looks at him like she doesn’t believe him, but her lips are already beginning to quirk up, “You wanna watch Halloween?”
“If you want to, then I’d love to,” he nods resolutely, “Like I said, ‘s all up to you.”
Max takes the movie in his hands and turns it in her own, her lips purse and she looks up at Steve. Then back to Lucas, “Yeah, let’s get this one.”
Steve wonders why he couldn’t be like that for Nancy. What genius did Lucas maintain inside that dense head that Steve was incapable of?
~~
“Ouch,” Robin hisses, “stings for a high schooler to be better at relationships than you. Multiple high schoolers, actually. That sucks.”
“Thanks, Robin. Didn’t know that.”
“Clearly.”
Steve inhales deeply and sighs, “And then there’s you and your pining. With Vic.”
Vic - easy code name for Vickie so that nobody in public knew they were talking about a girl.
“Oh, that reminds me- “ Robin sparks up and claps, “not pining anymore. Dating.”
“What?!”
“Yeah.”
“And you didn’t tell me?”
“I kept forgetting.”
“How do you forget that?”
Robin shrugs, then smiles, “It’s cool though, right?”
“Very, Rob,” Steve musters up a grin and nods, “I’m happy for you. Really, I am.”
“I get it,” she punches his shoulder, “We’ll celebrate when you’re not feeling so…” she tosses up her hands, “bleh!”
“Yeah,” he looks at the clock and sees it’s almost closing time, “wait till the bleh era is over.”
Robin follows his lead and moves to the back room, “I’ll start cleaning, can you get the sign?”
“Yeah,” he knocks his knuckles against the counter.
There’s no customers left inside and Steve flips the sign at the door to read ‘closed’. It’s then he notices a familiar figure sitting right outside on the curb. His eyes widen and he throws the door open, “Holy shit, Birdie?”
Birdie - an easy (and cheap) nickname for the former captain of the Hawkins High golf team, infamous for her luck in making birdies.
You turn and see Steve Harrington hanging out of Family Video, “King Steve? I heard you worked here, didn’t know it was true.”
He pretends that doesn’t sting and moves to sit beside you, “What? Too unbelievable that I have to make a living?”
“No, I just…” you shrug, “I dunno, it didn’t sound like you.”
Steve tilts his head at that, “And what does sound like me?”
Your eyes flip to him and suddenly he’s remembering why he had a crush on you in high school. You crack a grin, “Male stripper.”
“I tried but I couldn’t bulk up enough,” he sighs disappointedly and bathes in your laughter, “What about you? What’re you up to?”
His eyes are strangely sincere, in a way you’d never seen back in school. You had a crush on him back then - who didn’t? With that hair and that smile and that charisma.
“Working at the movie theater,” you find it hard to look away from Steve, his face almost hypnotic.
“You, uh, disappeared towards the end of the year there,” he lays his legs out into the barren street, “What happened?”
“I…” you look away and then look back, waving your hands about dramatically, “dropped out.”
“What?” his jaw drops open.
“Yeah. Well, I just stopped going and then when I failed, I chose to drop out rather than repeat the year.”
“Why’d you stop going?” he moves closer, “Everyone thought you just moved or something, not that you… Nobody knew where you were.”
“Yeah,” you scratch at the back of your neck, “I just lost motivation and then paid for it.”
That was putting it lightly. You were like a candle that someone forgot to put out - burnt at the wick until the wax was too low to be used. Between golf (which you can’t say you even had much passion for by the time you were a senior) and grades and the social hierarchy and realizing how dismal the world of adulthood looked - the idea of even getting out of bed began to sicken you.
You were destined to Hawkins, now. Working easy jobs that would hire without a diploma and hope you made enough to move somewhere far from here.
“What’re you doing here anyway?” you tilt your head and bring your knees up, “I thought King Steve had big, fancy parents to pay for a big, fancy college.”
“King Steve’s dead and his parents didn’t pay for anything,” he sighs, “but I’m kinda glad they didn’t. I don’t think I would’ve learned to be better if they did.”
“Then I’m happy for you,” you nod.
Steve looks up at the swirling sunset sky, “What’re you doing sitting outside this dump?”
“Supposed to meet a guy here.”
Eddie Munson. Your dealer since junior year - turned genuine friend during that summer - then neighbor when you dropped out and your parents kicked you out.
“My car broke down on my way to work, so I’m getting a ride,” you further explain.
“I could give you a ride,” Steve stands when you do, his hands shove into his pockets and he hates the way he wants you in his car.
Guess that high school flame wasn’t as high school as he thought.
“Don’t worry ‘bout it,” you lean your head out and see Eddie’s van making its way down the road, “He’s already here.”
Steve looks between you and Eddie incredulously, “You’re riding with Munson.”
It’s a statement but the way his voice drags makes it clear he’s giving you room to deny.
“Yup,” you pop the ‘p’ and pat his shoulder, “See you around?”
“Actually,” Steve has no idea where he’s going but thankfully his brain managed to retain some of his flirting ability, “I’d like to catch up more, if that’s okay with you?”
“Catch up how?”
“However you want.”
“You can come over, if Forest Hills won’t infect you or anything.”
“The trailer park?” there must be an underlying tone that he doesn’t even catch because you’re suddenly pulling back and your hand is on the door.
“You don’t have to.”
“No,” Steve steps forward, trying to grin and ease whatever nerves his stupid tone caused, “I want to. I just - asking. I was just asking.”
“Yeah,” you’re quieter than before, “the trailer park.”
A peek at the suspiciously quiet Eddie reveals the disgust painted on his face and Steve has to ignore it if he wants to survive a conversation with the girl he thought was cooler than even him in school.
“Yeah, I’ll be there. When do you want me?”
“Whenever you can be there,” you shrug, “I’m not picky.”
“I just have to finish closing up,” he thumbs back to the store.
“Then when you’re finished closing up,” you open the passenger door and climb into the seat beside Eddie.
Steve turns back towards the front door of Family Video but before he can get inside, you’re calling back to him.
“Hey, Steve!” he turns, eyes stupidly wide and brows raised, “The king doesn’t die until he surrenders.”
What the fuck does that mean?
He doesn’t ask and you don’t explain. You two wave to one another and before Eddie’s even driving off, Steve can hear him talking shit from the driver’s seat. You laugh and Steve doesn’t waste his time on a pity party.
Steve returns to the store and Robin is standing in the romance section, jaw hanging and a few movies scattered at her feet.
“What was that?” she gestures towards the front windows.
“Just an old friend,” Steve shrugs.
“Old friends don’t look like they wanna kiss each other.”
“It was a conversation.”
“Look me in the eye and tell me you didn’t wanna kiss her.”
When Steve doesn’t respond, Robin makes a proud ‘hmph’ and picks up the movies she dropped.
There’s an underlying numbness to Steve and while you’re a short burst of excitement, you don’t cure it. Something inside him worries this feeling is forever. Another thing inside him worries that he deserves it.
Part 2 - when birdie’s wings were clipped
Wake up. Eat. Get ready and go to school. Smile and pretend you don’t hate the popular kids that wouldn’t hesitate to tear you apart if you weren’t exactly as they wanted you to be. Go home. Eat. Sleep.
And the day repeats until the weekend pops up. Then you get the pleasure of going to whatever party the basketball team and your golf team members begged you to go to until you wind up at home at whatever hour in the morning. It became a dismal existence. Quickly so.
Towards the end of senior year, the four years came to a climax as you realized that everything you’d done had hardly been for yourself. You tried so hard to be popular and successful that now you were drowning in the anxieties of how you could live when you grew up.
It started small - dropping out of golf, intentionally not doing homework, smoking weed in the boys’ bathroom with Eddie, skipping classes. Then you stopped going altogether.
You felt cheated out of high school experiences you really wanted and with college - then careers - so close, one could say that you snapped. Well, if you bothered calling any of the friends you sort of hated and telling them, then they might have.
But you didn’t. Not even Chrissy Cunningham, who you genuinely did like. Eddie only knew you were alive because you still visited him (partially for weed, partially for a laugh when you felt like crying).
Your mom didn’t know you weren’t going every day. Only because you would delete the messages Ms. Kelly left the machine before your parents could come home. Sometimes you left them and would grit your teeth through the lectures and stares. You pretended that graduation wasn’t coming up and you acted as though you would be graduating.
And then, three days before graduation, Ms. Kelly called your mom to tell her that you wouldn’t be graduating in your senior year.
The call was early enough to where your mother hadn’t left for work yet and could answer before it even went to the machine. She was mad enough that you dropped out of golf after earning yourself that cutesy nickname “Birdie”, but now she was seething. You couldn’t even bring yourself to fight her on it.
“Do you even care?!” she threw her hands into the air and laughed humorlessly when you didn’t reply, “Of course, you don’t! Why would you? It’s not like you have to fucking pay for anything! You never even had to get a job because we loved you and wanted you home, and this is how you repay us?! How fucking dare you!”
An apology will get you nowhere and fighting it will get you killed (hyperbolically, at least). So, you keep your head down and stare down at the kitchen tiles.
“Get out,” your mother huffs and that makes your eyes snap to her.
You shake your head - then stand, “What?”
“Get out,” she’s straight-faced, “I’m not kidding. I want you out of my fucking house by the time I’m home from work.”
“Mom, I- I’m sorry, but don’t do this, I have no money and nowhere to go- "
Your mother turns, shaking her head as she charges for the front door, “I don’t give a shit. You wanna slack off and be like your little Munson freak? Go ahead. But you will not do that under my fucking roof.”
Eddie was failing senior year, too. He didn’t tell you, but judging by how unenthused he was for the end of the year, you already knew.
You weren’t even out of your pajamas but you were packing up your childhood possessions - blood boiling and brain set to fuck her mode. If she wanted you out, then fine.
By two in the afternoon, your belongings were packed and you were dialing Eddie’s number. With a tapping foot and two more hours until your mother came home, you were desperate for lodging.
“Hey, Ed? Is that empty lot still available at the park?”
To say you had no money would be a lie. Your money was all a secret, it was what you saved for emergencies when Eddie needed a little help selling or sorting and would pay you. Not enough for an apartment or house, but definitely enough for a trailer and the lot space.
Probably no electricity for a while, but you could live with candles.
By three in the afternoon, you were moved into Forest Hills Trailer Park. No note or call home to speak of and you’re sure that your mother didn’t bother calling your father about your impromptu eviction.
By seven the next morning, you had a job at the Hawkins movie theater (that quickly thrived following the fiery destruction of Starcourt mall) and that next month, you had electricity and water.
If you had an answering machine for your phone, it surely would’ve been out of commission from how many calls your parents left. Depending on which parent called, they were different - but ended the same.
MOTHER
“You knew I wasn’t being serious, you ungrateful brat. You’re making me look bad, now come home and get out of that disgusting park.”
“No.”
“I won’t stand for this, young lady. If you aren’t home by tomorrow morning, I’m sending the police and they will escort you back to me!”
There was nothing the police could do when you were eighteen, so the threat was incredibly empty. You never went home.
FATHER
“You knew your mom wasn’t being serious. Just come home and we’ll get past this.”
“No.”
Dads of the 80s weren’t known for their excessive emotional output, and your father wasn’t a superb exception. He loved you, but he wasn’t about to beg you to come home.
The days rolled by the same.
You got up at noon. Ate. Got ready for and subsequently went to work. Got home late. Ate. Went to bed. Smoke sessions with Eddie are sprinkled throughout the day at your leisure.
The numbness of high school didn’t fade and you were growing alarmed that the burning boredom was forever. Only split up by the momentary joys of sharing life with your friends. Well, lately, it’s only been the sophomores (and one elderly woman) you work with and Eddie that are qualifying as your friends. Not that you’re complaining much, but there’s a certain embarrassment that sparks when people recognize you and ask who you’re running with now.
You’ve heard a few stories about King Steve.
“A total deadbeat.”
“Hangs out with actual kids, now.”
“Best friends with his ex’s little brother.”
It’s never any of your business, so you can’t say that you pay all that much attention to it.
That’s a motto of yours. Sort of.
You keep your head down and stay in your lane. Life spins and Earth continues.
So when you’re heading to Family Video so Eddie can pick you up on his way home, you pretend to not see Steve Harrington - just in case he’s embarrassed to be recognized. Lord knows how much shame builds under your black uniform polo when kids see your Voted-Most-Likely-to-Succeed ass stuck behind the concession stand at the Hawkins theater.
You sit on the curb and act like you aren’t tempted to actually say hi. You had a crush on him in high school, after all. And who doesn’t daydream about rekindling that sort of romance?
Old flames that were only ever smoldering. A chance to start over.
It’s a nice daydream. But even if you did, it’d just be brief, right?
A bell chimes and a voice calls from behind, “Holy shit, Birdie?”
Part 3 - a cheesy line and fairy lights
There wasn’t much to catch up on. Steve knew that before asking you and he’s certain that you knew that before agreeing. Maybe you had enjoyed his presence like he had enjoyed yours. Maybe you were just lonely.
Your trailer is as tidy as the lack of storage space will allow. He gets first pick of the seats on the couch and decides on the one farthest from the door - a peculiar attempt to apologize for his slip of judgment. As if by showing you he has no problem being in your trailer, you’ll forget the sneer he didn’t even notice when he spoke.
Steve remembers you being a breath of fresh air and a sprinkle of sunlight at Hawkins High and he can see glimpses of that in your living room. The fairy lights strung up and the candles carefully set on your coffee table (“They’re prettier than the regular lamps, ya know?” you reasoned as soon as he stepped inside). Your offering of different teas as opposed to water.
Then - suddenly the lights flicker and Steve’s body freezes. They cut and inky black stretches through the room. Not even the streaming moonlight is enough to make up for the sudden blackout.
He’s been here before. In ‘83 and ‘84 and ‘85 and now it’s happening again - he’s been here before. At the Byers’ home and Starcourt - again and again.
His body is frozen and he feels useless, muscles clenching and lungs growing heavy. Memories like hallucinations flash before him in vivid detail. The Demogorgon and demodogs and the Mind Flayer stretch before him and he can imagine each spore and gaping maw that wishes to gnaw the flesh from his bones.
There’s no Nancy to give him orders and there’s no kids to watch and there’s no monster immediately in sight and he’s petrified where he sits.
“Stupid fucking electricity,” you, however, sound completely cool, “Sorry, Steve, this shit goes in and out sometimes.”
When he doesn’t respond, you listen carefully and pick up his labored breathing. It’s the overworked raggings of someone scared and now you really feel bad because you didn’t know he was scared of the dark.
“Here,” you call to him as tenderly as you can, your hand scrambles for his and he jumps - but takes the hand you offer, “You’re okay, Steve, you’re okay. ‘m right here, you’re safe. I promise.”
You have no idea why he’s stuck frozen - not the real reason, anyway, but he thinks it’s sweet of you to try.
Steve feels you crawl closer to him on the couch and his hand winds tighter around yours.
“I’m right here,” you reach out for his other hand and hold it, “You’re okay, Steve. Everything’s fine.”
The lights don’t flicker - they remain off. The scent of blood doesn’t sting his nose and there’s no screeching. No chills that creep over his skin.
It truly is a simple power outage.
He blinks himself into sobriety and clears his throat, “Sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry,” you release one of his hands but he keeps the one between you two in his hold.
You move back to sitting but now you’re closer than before. He can feel your body heat against his and something about that rekindles the life in him.
Not in a way that he couldn’t live if you suddenly walked away, but that by being next to you he could revive the King Steve that you liked. The nice one, from before his ego stepped in.
The nasty one Nancy killed and Robin burned. A little unrequited love was all Steve needed.
If it weren’t for the women in Steve’s life, he’d be nowhere and he’s grateful every day for them. But it makes him think about every girl from his past and woman of his future that he may wrong or has wronged. If there’s even women in his future.
“You’re quiet,” he feels you gently prod his side with a finger, “You didn’t die, right?”
“Thinking.”
“Uh oh.”
“Shut up,” he’s laughing, though. He doesn’t mean it. He never would.
“What’s on your mind, Stevie?”
“I feel like I’m supposed to be alone,” he admits.
It’s easier to be honest when you can’t see the person’s reaction to your truth. Right now, he’s pretending you’re shocked.
But you don’t sound shocked, “I don’t think anybody’s supposed to be alone, unless they want to be.”
“I’m not a… great guy.”
“Steve, just because you were a douchebag in high school does not mean you’re being punished by the universe with eternal loneliness.”
“But what if I am? I wasn’t a good guy.”
“You were a dick, yeah, but you weren’t a monster. Besides, you’re better - and getting better still. That’s something,” he can hear you sigh, “Besides, if one of us has to be punished, it should be me.”
“Because you stopped going to school? I don’t buy that.”
“I just stopped doing everything. I could barely bring myself to eat and ignored my friends. I feel like I’m just - a barnacle on a whale. Growing up was so terrifying because it was just working and working and working at a job you probably hate after going to college for a degree you probably won’t use and I was so scared of falling into that, that I let the last pieces of my childhood rot.”
“You’re still young… If it makes you feel better - I literally couldn’t get into any colleges without my dad’s money because I never actually did anything other than party and make out with the girl who would eventually say she didn’t love me.”
Yeah, trauma dumping is easier in the dark when you can’t see the other person’s reaction.
“That does. A little. Not that I’m happy you’re not in college or Wheeler screwed you over, it’s just nice to know I’m not crazy for feeling like this.”
He never thought that Nancy screwed him over, not really anyway. Sure, it wasn’t the right thing - to pretend and lie when you knew the other person loved you - but he deserved it, right?
“Yeah. It’s… nice,” his eyes close and he shakes his head, “This might sound dumb.”
“You usually do.”
“Hilarious,” he feels you poke his side again and he swats at the air between you, “I had a crush on you. Like, major crush.”
“No way,” he hears you mock gasp and heat crawls over his neck, “The Steve Harrington had a crush on me?” he nods before remembering you can’t see him, “I had a crush on you, too.”
“No shit?” his lips rise subconsciously, a smile creeping up so hard his cheeks hurt, “Since when?”
“Freshman year.”
“You’re kidding.”
“I’m not. You were cute in a nervous, football-playing dweeb-with-cool-hair kind of way.”
“And you didn’t say anything?”
“You were always dating, was I supposed to think that was a ploy to flirt with me?”
“Actually, yeah, you’re right. I sounded dumb.”
“Once again, you usually do. You’re not dating anybody right now, right?”
“Single as the small kid when they pick dodgeball teams.”
“Just say yes, dork.”
“Yes.”
You giggle at his lame jokes and there’s the sting of life at his heart, “Wanna sound dumb on a date sometime?”
“God, yes. I was worried you were just gonna rub it in.”
“I thought about it.”
You changed since high school. You’re more sarcastic. More willing to rib and pick at someone - though never in a hurtful way. You’re still down to earth and he thinks you’re even prettier since those days in the pale halls of Hawkins High.
“I’m glad you didn’t move away,” Steve turns his head in your direction.
Unbeknownst to him, you were looking in his direction this whole time. You nod curtly and squeeze his hand, “I’m glad King Steve changed for the better.”
“I’m not King Steve anymore.”
The lights flicker back on and you’re both swamped in the orange lamp light of your trailer. Steve notices how close your faces are, if he just leans forward a couple inches then his lips would be on yours. You don’t pull away.
The fairy lights are in strobe mode. A gentle twinkling that flutters and reflects off of Steve’s brown eyes.
You grin and press your face just a pinch closer, “Who are you then?”
He has no idea.
King Steve’s corpse is rotting in a big house with no parents. The Babysitter is useless until one of his kids that’s happier than he ever was in high school comes around. Mr. Popular hanged himself in the doorway of Scoops Ahoy and his ghost floats through the neon lights of Family Video. Prom King was dancing alone in the Hawkins High gym to the sound of illusioned cheers.
He peaked in high school and now he has a life he used to make fun of people for living.
“I like to think I’m pretty funny,” he shrugs and pushes back his hair, desperately hoping you can’t see through the false bravado.
He thinks you can, but you just think he’s pretty.
“You are funny,” you agree quietly, “but that’s not all you are. You’re nice, apparently.”
“Apparently?” he rears back, eyes wide, “Wow.”
“Well,” you laugh at his expression, “you hang around the kids, right? The D&D ones? They talk about you sometimes - they like you a lot.”
“Those brats better like me,” he scoffs, “I’m their ride to, like, everything.”
“Don’t tell them I told you,” you lower your voice as if they’re anywhere nearby, “but they wanna take you to see that Ferris Bueller movie.”
“Are you serious?” he sighs and tosses his head back.
“Hey,” you swat his shoulder and he looks back up at you, “they think you’ll like it. You should give it a shot.”
Those kids are a pain in Steve’s ass, but he can’t lie and say he doesn’t love them like his own siblings. Yeah, his best friends are all about six years younger than him, but they’ve gone to hell and war together and when it comes down to it - he’ll die for those little shits. And now he has to stop them from doing the same for him.
The realization thrums warmth through his veins. He smiles and relents, “Yeah, maybe I should,” but before you can tease and snark, he continues, “but if it’s bad, I’m giving them endless shit for it.”
You just roll your eyes, “I bet you will.”
“If you ever want a discount on movie rentals,” Steve jabs a thumb into his chest, “I’m your guy.”
“I’ll certainly rely on you. If you ever want movie theater discounts then you’re shit out of luck because their main goal is to make things as expensive as possible.”
“Damn, I was just foaming at the mouth for half-off popcorn.”
“I know, I know, everyone’s after me for it.”
You two stop talking and the silence is filled with zeal. Usually on dates, the quiet is awkward and bland - but now it’s almost kind. Almost welcomed.
There has never been a collar on his heart quite like the one you leashed him with. All within one blackout.
“I know a lot of people have a no-kissing rule on the first date,” Steve begins, “but technically this isn’t even a date. So…”
You gasp as though scandalized, “Steven Harrington, are you saying you want to kiss me?”
“I am,” he looks up at you through his lashes, “Do you want to kiss me?”
“I do,” you murmur, your free hand coming up to land in his soft hair, “I think a kiss would be nice. For the old high school romance that never happened.”
Steve chuckles and leans up, lips brushing yours as he whispers, “For the old high school romance that should have happened.”
Or maybe it shouldn’t have. Whatever. It was a cheesy line and it got you to giggle and that’s more than enough for him.
If you two were dating in high school then nothing would’ve changed. You probably would’ve crumbled to expectations and kept going to school to land in a college you hated and he never would’ve gotten a terminal case of ego death.
It’s weird, but he’s glad you two didn’t date.
He likes himself a little more than he did a few hours ago. He likes you more now than he did in high school. Past the pretty face and popularity, he likes the lines you spit and he wants to know every thought you harbor.
He didn’t peak in high school, Steve realizes as you tug softly on his hair, he was on the decline of progress - he’s making his way to a peak.
The numbness dies a little more and Steve’s excited to wake up tomorrow for the first time in a long time.
Not necessarily because of you, but he’d be lying if he said you didn’t help. Your words are comforting and eye-opening all at once.
The kids love him and he has a job that pays decently with his best friend as a coworker. He has a nice home and he has every good trait that he used to like about himself.
Steve Harrington is doing just fine - and now he might even be on his way to getting a girlfriend who uses fairy lights instead of proper light bulbs (not that he’d have you any other way).
172 notes
·
View notes