Flipped: A Steve Harrington Enemies to Lovers

The Piggyback (Part 1 of 3)

Nancy pushes the butt of the shotgun she bought into her shoulder, aiming straight ahead. In her mind's eye, she pictures tearing into Vecna, blowing him away with a squeeze of the trigger.

Studying her with your hand on your chin, you wander round and correct a few positions - kicking her foot with your toe to shift her stance, tapping two fingertips under the barrel so she raises it a little higher. After, you give her the thumbs up.

She shoots.

BANG!

She tuts.

"It's fine, I guess, but I don't know what to do about the spread." Then, she lowers her weapon and looks to you, already twisting your mouth in thought.

Eventually, you say, "I do; gimme a sec," And disappear into the RV, rummaging around the tools you bought earlier. When you return, you grin and wiggle a handsaw at her. "Here, you do the honours."

She chuckles and takes it from you while you get into position, to lean your weight against the shotgun's handle.

Nancy grunts as she saws, her sharp, pretty features wrinkling with effort.

"Isn't this illegal?" She huffs. "Like, you could arrest me for this?"

"Actually, it's a 100% a felony. But at least you won't miss," You offer her a smile before your eyes get drawn across the meadow to Dustin and Eddie hammering nails into two trash can lids, sparking your memory to that time Dustin invented that stupid automatic hammer. You suck in through your teeth and turn to Nancy again to say, "Do me a favour? Saw my shotgun for me? I gotta make sure this dingus isn't about to put a nail through his hand."

The Wheeler girl grins and nods at you, while Max replaces your position on the handle of the gun, her blue eyes bugging out in awe.

Whereas you march across the grass, fists by your sides as you swing your arms with purpose.

"Dustin!" You call like an overly protective mother. "You be careful!"

Eddie laughs at you and your tightly knitted brow.

"She always been this strict?" He leans to the side to mutter to Dustin, all the while, grinning at you like a devil. He raises his voice as you stomp on over, calling, "Never thought I'd see the day! Y/N L/N- sorry, Hopper - a responsible adult." He holds up his palms when he corrects himself over the name. Something he's still getting used to, though it no longer leaves a bad taste in his mouth.

"Shut up," You smile at him thinly and he sticks out his tongue. "Come on; show me how you use that thing."

"Yes, ma'am," He slaps his knees, rising with his weapon brandished with an iron grip. After a few impressive flourishes, he raises his shield to the sky. "Durable. Deadly. Reliable." Then, he drops it to his side.

"Yeah, we are so ready for bat-tle. Get it? Bat-tle?" Dustin flashes his braces at the pair of you. But then, he flinches, dodging back a few paces before Eddie lunges at him in a rough tackle. Penance for the cheesy pun. "Son of a bitch!" He yelps as he's bundled up like a little kid in Eddie's arms.

The two boys chase each other round the meadow like a couple of mischievous puppies. Eddie, being bigger, always manages to wrangle the upper-hand to the point of Dustin begging him not to give him a wedgie. You can't help but roll your eyes fondly at them.

Breathless, Eddie cups Dustin's curly head, patting it and beholding him with a twinkle of admiration in his chocolate button eyes.

"Never change, Dustin Henderson. Never change." He muses.

You're fairly sure you feel your heart twinge when he says that.

Even worse when he peels his attention to you.