Stonathan ❤️

30

NOT MINE!!

all credits go to NeroAnne on ao3

TRIGGER WARNING: vivid description of panic attacks, feelings of depression and self-deprecation, talk of suicide and self-harm, read at your own will.

Steve drove up to the Byers house slowly, peering out at the small home through his windshield. He killed his engine and sat quietly, running his thumb over his bottom lip as he thought about what exactly he would say to his best friend once he saw him again.

Jonathan had been missing from school for three days.

When the quiet blonde had missed Wednesday, he didn't think too much about it. He'd called the Byers house after school but Jonathan's younger sibling had been the one to answer. "Jonathan is sick," Will had said quietly, "but I think he'll be okay."

There was something odd in Will's voice. Odd, but not alarming.

"Can you tell him I called?" Steve requested, "I was wondering if our plans for Saturday were still on."

"Sure, Steve," Will replied, "I'll tell him."

And that was that. Steve had spent a very boring Wednesday night trying to do his homework and not let his thoughts wander to Jonathan Byers. It was impossible. He couldn't go a damn minute without picturing that smile. Jonathan was very reserved most of the time but Steve knew how to get him to smile and when that smile lit up, it was easily the most amazing thing Steve had ever seen.

It was one of Steve's favorite things. Getting Jonathan to smile. He would bend himself backwards just the see those dimples, hear that quiet little laugh, and see the sparkle in those tired eyes. He'd gotten so used to seeing Jonathan every day. Before school where they would park beside one another and talk before the bell rung, or after school where Jonathan would sit on the bleachers reading a book while Steve practiced for upcoming games. On weekends, Steve would pick Jonathan up and together they would find something to do. He didn't realize how spoiled about the blonde he'd become until today when he didn't get to see him at all.

Then, the next day, when Jonathan's car wasn't parked waiting for him as he pulled up the school, Steve was a bit concerned. His mood was sour all day and when he'd gotten home, he immediately called Jonathan.

It was Joyce who answered that time. "He's just tired," she had said and Steve frowned on the other end.

"Is he okay? Does he have a flu?"

"No, but he just really needs to rest, Steven. I will make sure he calls you later."

Fine. Steve had accepted that. Maybe Jonathan was just sleeping, trying to sweat out whatever sickness he had. His Thursday night went exactly like his Wednesday. Boring, alone, and spent sorely missing his blonde friend. He went out for a drive that night, going further than he intended. He'd found a nice spot just outside of Hawkins, a gorgeous place where the sky was filled with bright diamonds, almost as bright as Jonathan's eyes.

When Friday came and Jonathan was still missing, Steve had made up an illness of his own and promptly left school early. He thought about stopping by his house to call first, but decided against it. He didn't want to explain anything to his mother if she happened to be home and he also didn't want to have his call answered by any of the Byers if it wasn't Jonathan himself.

And now that he was parked outside of Byers home, he honestly had no clue what he expected but he knew one thing. This had gone on for far too long. He wasn't used to not seeing Jonathan. He wanted to see Jonathan. He missed him. They hadn't gone a day without seeing each other since the incident almost a year ago...