STONATHAN - what I love about you. / COMPLETED!/

Dad of the Year Award

Steve woke up that morning, his head spinning, his stomach churning. He felt as if he had a hangover - except he didn't. He then remembered Mrs. Byers words the other day - 'Will has the flu'.
Oh great, Steve thought. Well, another excuse to skip school.
Steve didn't know what it was. It was weird, but after he and Jonathan had started seeing each other, he had been anxious about showing up at school. As if everybody knew, not just him and his lover.
That's just crazy - it's only paranoia, he assured himself - but what if it wasn't? He wasn't ready to deal with people and their stupid prejudices.
A voice suddenly called from downstairs.
"Steve!? Phone!"
It was Steve's dad. Steve had never had the greatest relationship with his dad, but he had decided that he was done trying to please him. The only thing that truly hurt his heart was that he was sure his father would never approve of his romance with Jonathan, not just because he was Jonathan, but because he was a guy. His father would never win the 'best dad of the year' award, but Steve was pretty sure he could easily win the 'greatest douchebag father of the year' prize. His father was one of the most prejudiced and snobby people Steve had ever met, and Steve used to hang out with Tommy and Carol and their likes, so that was saying a lot. Thank God those days were over, Steve thought.
He practically jumped out of bed, despite his spinning head. His heart was beating violently; please let it be him, he prayed. Please let it be Jonathan. Please let it be MY Jonathan.

Steve went downstairs, picking up the phone. 

"It's some guy named John or something." his dad said indifferently. 

Luckily for Steve, his dad left the room, a piece of half finished toast in his hand. As soon as he was out of the room, Steve answered. 

"Hi. It's Steve." he said, his voice trembling. 

"Hey. It's Jonathan. I just wanted to call you... I hope that's alright?" the voice on the other end said, causing bufferflies to do a little dance inside Steve's tummy. 

"Sure! Of course. I... I've missed you." Steve admitted, nervously biting his lips. A sudden, all consuming fear had now gripped him - what if Jonathan was calling to tell him that he was breaking up with him?

"I missed you, too." Jonathan said, and Steve imagined the man of his dreams smiling as he said it. 

Steve breathed a sigh of relief. 

"Great! I mean..." 

"Don't worry. I know what you mean." Jonathan laughed.

"Look, I think your brother passed the flu on to me. I've been feeling like crap all morning. That is, right until now." Steve said, hoping Jonathan wouldn't get offended. 

"I'm sorry. I've been feeling ill, too, but I'm fine now."

"Don't be sorry." Steve said softly, as the butterflies in his stomach began to waltz. 

"I can make it up to you. I could come over?" Jonathan said. 

God, he was such a flirt. Steve almost felt as if he couldn't breathe. He wasn't sure what to say, though. Was this such a good idea? He suddenly thought of his dad... What would he say if he saw Steve and Jonathan together? Could Steve keep it a secret, at least for now? His dad was going off to work soon, though, and he usually worked pretty late (he was a self proclaimed workaholic, and Steve knew he was proud of that). It could work, Steve thought to himself. He felt so guilty for thinking those thoughts. The last thing he wanted was for Jonathan to feel as if Steve was embarrased about him, or that he was embarrased of his feelings for him. Still, he was anxious, and he really wasn't ready to deal with his dad and his crap. 

"My dad is off to work in an hour or so, I think. But, aren't you going to school?" Steve finally said. 

He himself was planning on skipping school today, but he didn't want to encourage Jonathan to skip, too - he didn't want to get him into any kind of trouble. 

"I'll come over after? I'll nurse you back to health." Jonathan replied. 

Steve heard his dad's footsteps in the hallway. 

"It's a deal. I'll see you." Steve quickly said. 

"Can't wait. Take care." Jonathan hung up, leaving Steve with a heart that was beating out of his chest and legs that felt as if they were transforming into spaghetti. 

"What did he want?" Steve's father asked, stepping into the living room. 

"What do you care?" Steve said, as he left the room, cursing himself for saying such things to his father, although he knew that somewhere deep inside of him, he had enjoyed letting those words escape his lips. 

Steve didn't care about his father in that moment - in fact, he didn't care about anything else but Jonathan Byers, the boy who had taken Steve's whole world in his hands and turned it upside down.