Surrender // Steve Harrington x Reader

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐘-𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄

Your stomach felt like you were a hundred days at sea, tossing and turning with the current and leaving you nauseous. But you weren't. No, it was the lingering effects of an interaction that made your skin crawl. 

But not because you thought anything might come of it, no... Because you knew she was better for him. 

You wanted some time to think, to collect your wanton and troubled thoughts and try to find some slither of peace if only just for a moment so you could think about what to do next. It was hard to do that, to take your mind off of Steve and Nancy when he was right next to you though. 

His hand had moved from your thigh to rest on the steering wheel, though there was a permanent frown marring his forehead from your reluctance to talk to him about how you really felt. But how could you? And how could he not already know? After so brazenly acting like a doe-eyed schoolgirl with a crush the moment Nancy came into the picture today.

On the way to the shrinks house, Steve pulls onto the same road Eddie's dealer lived and, for the moment, where he did too. "Stop the car." You tell him plainly before you can even think twice about your words. You didn't like Eddie. Not very much at least, and he undoubtedly felt the same about you. But you felt the tension with him would be not even a fraction of what it was in the car right now, so an idea that started as a single thread had been pulled and picked until it was a ludicrous suggestion that sounded ultimately perfect to you right now.

Steve does as you ask, hand stretching out half-heartedly for you as you exit the vehicle the moment it stops. He rolls down the window as you shut the door behind you, your face coming into his view after a beat as you lean into the open window to explain. "I'm gonna stay with Eddie. Keep him out of trouble."

"Wh-- What? Are you crazy?" Steve's frown deepens at the suggestion. "What about Vecna?"

"He's not coming for me." You sigh, the words falling free before you can stop them but you don't bother to explain to the group how you came to know such a thing for a fact. "Besides, all things considered, it's probably the safest place for me right now. Nobody knows he's there."

"I-- I don't..." He trails off, big hazel eyes pleading silently with you. I don't want you to go. I want to make sure you're safe. Don't leave me. But he says none of them, and you aren't sure if it's to do with the prying ears in the backseat or not. "I can take you home instead?"

"It's like an hour out of your way, Steve. This is fine. Just... Pick me up later, I guess." 

"Later?! How long are you planning on being here? Alone, with Munson and his beer breath?" He sneers at the suggestion, top lip curling back with an air of disgust as his nose wrinkles. 

"Steve." Dustin warns. 

"You're wasting time. I can take care of myself, remember?" You chide him, brows raised in challenge. "Go on, Steve. If anything happens, Eddie has a radio. I'll call."

With a tap to the window frame, you take a step back from the car, trying to keep your expression as impassive and level as possible. Dustin cracks open his own window and pins you with a hard stare. "Be nice to Eddie. Don't beat him up any more."

You almost laugh. Almost. 

"I won't. Not unless he deserves it." 

"Look, just--" Steve cuts in, exhaling heavily through flared nostrils as he stares at you from his seat behind the wheel of the idling BMW. "Be careful. Okay? I love you."

I love you.

The subtle reminder, words spoken to one another too many times to count, seems to hit harder this time. It cuts deep into the wounded flesh of your racing heart, the dagger of his words twisting and making you regret doubting him.