𝐈𝐒𝐍'𝐓 𝐒𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐋𝐘 | stranger things
Marleen thought that maybe after fighting an interdimensional monster everything would've come back to normal. And it did, at least for a year.
Then another monster decided to take a liking...
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chapter fourteen, a normal, typical, ordinary day!
THE NEXT MORNING found Marleen waking up on Steve's leather couch with a horrible cramp on her neck and a sore lower back. The pair had been watching movies all night; started with Karate Kid, followed by The Outsiders, and finished with Ghostbusters—and for a popular, cool kid, Steve had some nerdy movies ("They're not mine! Henderson keeps leaving his shit everywhere!"). The night had ended with Marleen sleeping sitting up on the sofa and Steve dozing off on his father's La-Z-Boy.
She could hear Steve moving in the kitchen while the remnants of sleep began to leave her. She was aware that Steve had an evening shift that day, and since she was off until Mr Jefferson said otherwise, it seemed the plan was to spend the whole day with Steve. If he wanted to, of course.
Coincidentally, Steve chose that moment to come to the living room with two bowls and their cereal of choice: Honey Nut Cheerios for Steve and Cap'n Crunch for Marleen.
"Morning!" Steve exclaimed when he saw Marleen was awake. "I have coffee brewing if you want it too." He added as he put the bowls on the coffee table in front of the sofa.
"Obviously," Marleen replied. "Lemme go clean my teeth."
Since Steve's empty house became the hub of movie nights and sleepovers, especially for Dustin, they started to leave spare color-coded toothbrushes in Steve's downstairs bathroom, Marleen being one of them.
It was odd, Marleen realized, the almost sudden change in Steve and their relationship. Two years ago, Marleen would've never thought of Steve as a caring nor a nice person—in fact, she pretty much hated him—but after last year: after he saved her multiple times, after he apologized, after they made up, and after they had to look after some kids in an incredibly dangerous situation... Well, Marleen's view of Steve completely changed. He wasn't the evil, bully asshole that he was two years prior.
When she came back, Steve sat on the floor, and a coffee mug was next to her cereal bowl. Marleen smiled at him.
"Thanks, Steve." She said it earnestly before taking a more joking tone. "Still eating that garbage, rich boy?" Marleen joked as she gestured to the Honey Nut Cheerios on Steve's side. Making fun of Steve's breakfast has been routine ever since the first night Marleen stayed over. To be quite honest, Steve's preferred cereal wasn't bad, per se, but if anything, Marleen loved teasing the boy.
Steve huffed in response. "They're perfectly normal and delicious cereal. Now, leave me alone and eat your bowl."
"Yes, mom."
"When are you clocking in?" Marleen asked after a couple of seconds in silence.
"In two hours. You?"
"Mr. Jefferson told me I was free today, and probably until further notice. The shop's not doing well." Marleen answered.
