HIGHER and HIGHER - Steve Harrington x Reader

xlvii - epilogue

— 𝐄𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞 —

IT HAD been six months since the world stopped turning. Six months since the light no longer shined. Six months since Steve had lost the love of his life.

Sure, they had killed Vecna, but at what cost? Nothing was the same now that you were gone. Everything was dark. His heart felt cold. All Steve could do was cry and lay around, drinking away the pain with a six pack everyday.

He didn't have the heart to tell Hopper what happened after he came back from the Russian prison he was being kept at. Steve could only give her dad that look. That guilty, painful look. Her father knew. He'd seen that same look before from doctors and nurses. He knew he lost another daughter. Lost his family. Lost another piece of his soul.

The kids felt it too. The loss of you. The group was quiet for a while. None of them being able to be with each other without missing you. Every one of them took it hard. Even mike was having trouble understanding why you were gone.

It was hard for them when Max was recovering, too. Eleven had told everyone that you had saved Max. That you were the reason she was alive. And Steve believed it. He knew you would do anything to save your kids, especially Max.

Everything reminded Steve of you. The cool spring weather. The radio in the car. The locket that he bought you that you never took off. The coffee table you had built together. The song you played to him in your room, your favorite one. The letter you gave him in '83.

Steve had been staying at your place ever since you passed. He payed all the bills and kept all of your things in their places. Steve could barely sleep most nights, but when he could, he had to have a shirt that smelled like you hugged up to his chest.

Steve sat up from your bed and wiped his cheek from the tears that stained his face. He reached over on your nightstand and grabbed the familiar letter he had read every night since you'd been gone.

Dear Steve,

Hey Harrington. First off, I would just like to say you're a huge asshole. Like, a mega asshole. I didn't even think you could get more asshole than you already were, but I was obviously wrong. You should probably go get that checked out because I don't think it's healthy to have all that assholery pent up inside you.

Steve chuckles at the letter and let's the tears fall from his eyes, again.

Secondly, I just want to say how proud of you I am. I don't know what happened, but in just a few months your personality did a whole flip. I don't know how you did it but somehow you continue to impress me. You said you were going to change and you meant it. I cant convey to you how much that really does mean to me.

These past couple months have been something of a fairytale, and not necessarily a good one. The only thing that seemed to make all of this hectic craziness of our lives more calm was you.

And look, I know exactly what you're thinking, this is not me confessing my undying love for you. Don't be so full of yourself.

I just wanted to say thank you for everything that you have done for me. It has definitely been rocky, but I don't think I would rather go through this craziness with anyone else.

I hope that we get to spend more time together in the coming months. Maybe something nicer than killing monsters, yeah?

Sincerely,
(Y/N)

Steve let his tears flow down hard as he set the letter back on your nightstand. He grabbed an open bottle of beer sitting on the floor and brought it to his lips. He let the drink wash down his throat, then with a big swing, he threw the bottle at the wall.

He couldn't take the pain anymore. No one could help him. Not his parents, not the kids, not even Hopper. They tried to console him, tried to get him to come out of his hiding, but it was no use.

Robin found him.

He was in your room on the floor. She found him surrounded by a bottle of pills and a picture of you held to his chest. Robin was completely distraught, having lost both of her best friends now, and couldn't believe her eyes at the scene in front of her.

The news was devastating. The public couldn't believe how a bright, young boy could take his life this way. But, everyone who knew Steve believed it. The kids were distraught, but they weren't surprised. You were the love of his life. You were the only thing that kept him going. Without you, he didn't have reason. He didn't have purpose. He didn't have hope.

Hopper tried moving on. He found solace in knowing that you and Sara were together again. He even felt a bit better knowing you and Steve had each other, too. He continued to raise Eleven, with the help of Joyce, and tried to give her everything he couldn't give to you.

The boys were lost for a long time. They had lost two members of their party. They had lost their big siblings. Dustin took it the hardest. Every one of his bigger siblings had passed. Eddie, you, and now Steve. It took him a long time, but he eventually found peace.

The world turned. The light shined. Life went on as normal after you and Steve passed. There was no more hurt. There was no more sadness. There was no more guilt.

There was just yours and Steve's everlasting love, lifted higher and higher.

guys. i cant believe it's over.

well, over for now! i will add an alternate ending once season 5 comes out!

i just wanted to say, again, thank you for all your love and support on this book. it was so fun writing and being able to read your comments. i also wanted to shout out a group of people in particular that have been reading and commenting on my book since the beginning!

steveshotwife
thatmarvelchickk
slurp4life
Vecna_ChrissySaysHi
SheeshBeWithYou
beanie_angel

thank you so much for being here and supporting me throughout this crazy project! there's obviously so many more of you but i just wanted to choose a few that really stuck out to me in my comments and on my page.

i also wanted to let you know that i am in the process of creating a joe keery x reader fic so when that comes out please go check it out on my page! i'll probably post another chapter here promoting that once it does come out :)

love you all! thanks for this crazy ride!