𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞; 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧

𝐬𝐢𝐱; 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫

Song: We'll Never Have Sex by Leith Ross

(song only matches the second half haha)

Warnings: fatphobia, nasty comments, misogyny, mentions of violence, and strong language. If you have issues with any of these, do not read this chapter.

Jo approached Steve's office, her heart pounding. It was a cozy, small room given to him by Hopper shortly after he started at the station. She discreetly wiped her sweaty hands on her brown skirt, an anxious habit that was impossible to hide. She hated holding hands, as her palm tended to sweat during moments of stress.

"Hey, Jo. What can I do for you?" Steve glanced up from the newspaper he was reading, searching for any new information on the Hawkins killer. Both he and Hopper wanted to stay one step ahead of the public. Steve's eyes flicked up to her figure at the doorway, lovingly admiring her formal yet adorable style. But, his attention quickly shifted past her to the roses adorning her desk.

A tinge of jealousy tugged at his heart. "Roses? Who gave you roses?" Steve was curious. As far as he was concerned, he thought Jo would steer clear of other men when Steve was showing interest in her. The sight of flowers, most likely from another man, unsettled him.

"Jason. He apologized and asked me to dinner." Jo confessed, her voice tinged with confusion and excitement. Steve felt a pang of disappointment. It wasn't the first time he had pursued a girl only to discover that she was being pursued by someone else, often someone he considered better than himself.

Though in this case, he knew Jason was a downgrade. But either way, Steve couldn't help but let a fraction of his frustration slip through. "Oh. So you and Jason, huh? Must have been one hell of an apology." Steve retorted, the bitterness of his words sinking in only after they left his mouth.

Jo looked at him with skepticism. "Do you have a problem with that?" Jo inquired, silently wishing he would say yes. She'd gladly cancel her dinner plans with Jason for a chance with Steve. It made her feel giddy inside knowing he was openly jealous that she was going to dinner with another man.

Realizing that he had let his own insecurities cloud his judgment, Steve took a deep breath, mustering his courage. He stepped away from his desk, closing the distance between them, and gently placed his hand on the small of her back. "Nope. No problem at all," he said, his voice now laced with sincerity. "In fact, I was hoping we could talk later, just the two of us. Your shift is almost over. Go enjoy dinner, sweetheart." Though the future was uncertain, they both understood that something had shifted between them in the time they had met.

It felt wrong to go on a dinner date with Jason, but she wanted to see for herself that he was the wrong man for her, instead of assuming it.

As Johanna left Steve's office, he shut the door softly, his heart sinking in his chest. Steve wasn't an angry and jealous type, but seeing Jo so enthusiastic about her date with Jason had his blood boiling. He leaned against the wall, taking in deep breaths in a poor attempt to calm his nerves. He stormed over to his chair, kicking it roughly. He observed as the chair fell on its side halfway across the room.

While Steve had his jealous outburst, Jo quickly touched up her makeup in the station's bathroom mirror. The idea of going on a date with Jason made her feel like she was betraying Steve, but if this date would finally satisfy the man enough for him to leave her alone, she wanted to get it over with. She stared at her reflection and hyped herself up for the anticipated dinner date.

In the men's bathroom, Jason doused himself in cologne, hoping to impress Jo. He coughed into his arm and straightened his hair in the mirror. He caught his reflection in the mirror, not a hint of nervousness on his face. "You got this, Jason. She'll see what she's missing." He talked to himself, giving himself a boost of confidence before the date. He knew that Jo was a tough woman to crack, but his ego wouldn't let him fail without trying.