LIFEBOAT ✧ billy hargrove

SIX

     The next few days were uneventful. The week had ended and Emily and Steve sat on her couch that Saturday afternoon, his arm around her shoulders. Mrs. Sinclair poked her head out of the kitchen, smiling at the two.

"Would you like anything to drink, Steve? Em?"

"I'm all good, Mrs. Sinclair. Thank you though." Steve told her politely.

Emily looked over at her boyfriend lovingly as he spoke so kindly to her mother. He'd always been polite to her parents, but she'd guess that it counted a bit more since they'd begun dating.

Emily shook her head and her mother retreated back into the kitchen, continuing her preparations for dinner.

"Stevie?"

"Em?"

"Hi."

Steve looked over at his girlfriend and chuckled, leaning over and giving her a short peck on the lips. A now pouty Emily lightly slapped him on the shoulder and moved to sit on his lap, kissing him softly. The two pulled apart when they heard Mr. Sinclair clear his throat in the doorway. They both went red in the face and Emily went back to her spot on the other end of the small loveseat. Mr. Sinclair walked over and sat between them, a stoic expression on his face, but Steve and Emily both knew that he was joking around.

"Dad!" Emily shoved his shoulder and he finally let a chuckle slip, standing up and patting Steve on the shoulder before joining his wife in the kitchen.

Emily rolled her eyes and laid down on the couch so that her head was in Steve's lap. This was something she did all the time, way before they'd gotten together, but this time, they stared at each other in such a way that anyone who saw would gag at how disgustingly romantic the display was.

That was evidently the truth, as Lucas Sinclair came padding down the stairs with a handful of change, gagging at the older teens.

"Oh shut it, Lucas!" Emily got up and captured her brother in her arms, giving him a noogie, as any good sister would. Steve laughed and smiled at the siblings.

"Hey, let go!" Lucas yelled at his sister, struggling to get out of her grasp.

Emily finally let go and returned to her spot on the couch with her head in Steve's lap, laughter pouring from her lips.

Lucas grumbled before calling into the kitchen to his mother.

"Dustin and I are going to the arcade!"

"That's fine! Just be back by dinner, Dustin is welcome to join us!" Mrs. Sinclair waved him off, chopping vegetables.

"Hey, tell Dustin that I said 'hi!'" Emily yelled to her little brother as he ran out the door to his bike. She knew that Dustin had a little crush on her when he was younger, and she liked to tease him about it.

Steve shook her head and looked down at her.

"Stop terrorizing that poor kid, would ya?" He laughed, pulling her head up so he could kiss her gently on the lips.

At that moment, it seemed as though everything was totally normal, and that's how the people of Hawkins loved it. Little did everyone know that there was so much more going on behind the curtain.

☽ ☼

yikes it's another pretty short chapter, sorry about that. it's kind of a filler, and it sheds a little light on Em and Steve's relationship, and the Sinclairs' home life. i hope my american readers had a good thanksgiving if y'all celebrated it, and i hope that everybody else had a great day, even if you were just sat at home all day. see y'all next chapter xx