𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 | 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧

afterglow

imagine: you and steve have a huge fight over whether or not your cousin will is gay and breakup. when he saves you and the kids from the mind flayer you make up.

i hated steve harrington at that exact moment in time. no amount of farrah fawcett spray or charisma could change that for me. we had been dating since we were in middle school and he somehow still managed to piss me off. we had been in my bedroom at home when we'd started talking about our nonbiological children: mike, lucas, dustin, max, will, and eleven. the topic of will came up and our debate began.

"there's no way he isn't gay," steve said.

"gay? will? no way," i replied, "he's straighter than an arrow."

"(y/n), you're blind. he's gay." steve stated simply.

"i think i would know if my cousin was gay," i answered, sitting up.

"would you?" steve asked, raising an eyebrow.

"and you would?" i replied. "will's sexuality isn't for us to just debate about. it's his and he's the only one who can determine what it is."

"that's not what you said about max," steve pointed out.

"max isn't my family," i stated.

"oh so our kids mean nothing to you?" he asked.

"don't put words in my mouth, steve," i replied.

"i'm just saying what you said," he said, "come lay back down."

"get out of my room, steve," i said, getting off the bed entirely.

"what? baby c'mon-" he began.

"out!" i yelled.

"you'll call me later, right?" he asked.

"no," i said, "i'm dumping your ass."

"(y/n)! wait! you're not thinking-" he said.

"no, no, you don't get to this to me," i said, "just get out."

so steve left and i cried over how stupid we were being. but what pissed me off was that he didn't even try to come and reconcile with me, which we had agreed if we ever fought was what would happen. so i took the kids and he took his leave and i didn't see him for a while.

the mind flayer was back in hawkins and was occupying billy's body. so the kids naturally made a plan to determine whether or not billy was really the host for the mind flayer. they had told steve and he vowed he wouldn't participate if i was going to be there. the kids, who were also fighting, fought over who should go. ultimately, i won.

the kids lured billy into the sauna at the community pool and locked the door. the door wasn't strong enough to hold billy/the mind flayer. eleven tried to fight him off but he knocked her to the ground. mike tried to fight it but it grabbed him and threw him against a row of lockers. as it tried to go back after mike, i blocked him and stood between them.

"no!" i screamed, trying to push him away. he began to choke me like he had choked eleven moments earlier. i gasped for breath, not able to believe i was going to die at the hands of a sicko in front of my kids and pissed off at the most beautiful man who happened to be my ex.

at that moment, the mind flayer dropped me and i realized it was steve who had made it happen. he stood behind billy holding a crow bar, a look of fury in his eyes.

"fuck off," he said.

i would have called out his name or said something had i been able to, but the shock made me just watch him. dustin stood next to steve as backup and the mind flayer walked towards them. eleven got up and caused a fight that made the mind flayer run off in billy's body.

"so i guess we can safely assume billy is the mind flayer," max sighed to lucas.

eleven was crying and mike was holding onto her in absolute shock, just thankful that they were both okay, but mostly that she was okay. i was sitting on the ground against the wall as steve came and sat down next to me.

"i'm sorry i didn't come apologize sooner," he said to me.

"i'm sorry too, i blew things out of proportion," i sighed then touched my throat. "ow."

"i'm gonna kill him," steve said, gingerly placing his fingers against my neck.

"you saved my life," i said, "thank you."

"i love you, how could i not?" he smiled and i swallowed.

"i love you, too," i said hoarsely. "how did you know-"

"dustin told me. i was outside as backup," he admitted, "i was worried about you."

"really?" i asked.

"it's not every day the love of your life goes into a situation facing death for your kids," he replied which made me chuckle.

"i'm glad you were here," i said, "please never leave again."

"i wasn't planning on it," he hugged me and i focused on having him close again. it was good to know he wasn't letting go.