fireworks - steve harrington

1.01

STUDY GROUP

"Come on, Nance, we have to study, not just sit around and gossip," Ren whined just as someone knocked on the window, scaring the shit out of him. And of course, it was Steve Harrington, the bane of his existence. Okay, well, not exactly the bane of his existence. More like the reason he thought love sucked.

Ren sent a glare toward Nancy, to which she replied with a sheepish smile.

He just shook his head and leaned over to the window. He slammed it open. "Why are you here?"

"Sheesh, thought you liked me, Ren. Or thought I was at least tolerable."

Yes, I like you very much. Too much. "Nance is on house arrest. The only reason I'm allowed to be here is because her parents trust me. They don't, however, trust you."

"Can't say that doesn't hurt. Can you let me in now?" Steve grinned that impossibly gorgeous grin that turned Ren's legs to jelly, so of course he gave in.

"Fine." He stepped to the side and tried not to watch Steve's ass as he made his way in.

"I'm here to study with you!" he said way too loud.

Nancy shushed him, "If you're going to be here, you have to be quiet."

"Deal." He jumped onto Nancy's bed and immediately made himself at home. He grabbed the nearest pile of flashcards and started reading off of them. "'Which polymers occur naturally?'"

"Starch and cellulose," she said after thinking for a moment.

"'In a molecule of CH4, the hydrogen atoms are spatially oriented towards the centers of--'"

"Tetrahedrons," she finished.

Steve flipped through the rest of the cards. "How many of these did you make?"

"A lot. And you said you wanted to help, so stop complaining."

"Alright, how about this. Every time that you get something right, I have to take off an item of clothing. But every time that you get something wrong--"

"Uh, pass."

"Oh, come on. It'll be fun."

"Take a hint, loverboy," Ren whispered from the floor where he was studying by himself. He had migrated there just seconds after Steve laid down.

"During fractional distillation, hydrocarbons are separated according to their--"

"Melting point."

"Ooh, it's boiling point."

"That's what I meant."

"That's not what you said."

Ren couldn't tell exactly what was happening, but he heard a distinct 'no' from Nancy.

"Oh, do you need help?"

He heard rustling, another 'no', and then there it was. The kissing. He tried to ignore it at first, but it just wouldn't stop. Gross smacking of mouths was soon the only thing he could think about and hear. Ren stood up abruptly to try and alert them that there was still someone else in the room, but it did not work.

"Uh, hey, I'm just gonna go home and study. Seems like you two have worked out a rhythm on your own."

At that, Steve pulled away to look up at Ren. "Oh, sorry, man. Got a bit carried away."

Man, Ren thought. Definitely don't want to hear that. "You're fine. I'll just call Tam and have her pick me up."

He quietly left the room, shutting the door silently behind him, and hurried into the living room. Happy that no one was in there, he dialed the Holland house and hoped that one of his friends would pick up.