𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐲

iv. you lied.

       

     JAMES STARED up at the Harrington home and sighed before getting off his bike and setting it by the door against the wall. He walked up to the door and hesitantly knocked, clearing his throat, then the door opened and he smiles, holding up a bag. "Happy Halloween." He says and Steve smiled back, still a bit under the influence.

"Happy Halloween, James..."

The two sat in Steve's room, on the floor next to the bed, eating the Halloween candy. "What happened?" James looked at Steve who just stared at the floor. "Nothing..." He sighed and James furrows his brows. "Just that... Nancy thinks that we killed Barb, and... she thinks we're bullshit, that we weren't even in love, that it was bullshit and whatnot..." He sighed and looked at James who frowns. "Why would she say that?" He asked and Steve shrugs, looking away and popping a piece of bubblegum into his mouth, chewing on it.

"I don't know... maybe she had a point?" Steve sighed and looked at James who reached out and touched his shoulder. "I'm sorry that you and Nancy are bullshit." He faked a smile and Steve couldn't help but chuckle, looking away. James pulled his hand back, kind of nervously. Maybe Luna was right, when she asked if it was Steve.

James always feels nervous around Steve for some reason, even just looking at him, he felt like he shouldn't be looking at him. Being around him made him feel something in his heart he shouldn't be feeling. He knows that, he knows it. But he hangs out with him anyway, because he doesn't know any better. James looked away, at his knees which he pulled to his chest. "You know, I thought of writing a book... of what happened last year." James glanced at Steve for a second.

"Like, in details?" He says and James pursed his lips, shrugging. "Maybe... thing is, I need to know more about this Upside Down place." He says and Steve just slowly nodded his head. "I think I'm gonna head home soon." James said, despite having had only been here for half an hour.

"Uh, actually, can you stay over?" He asked and James sighed, staring at him. Those damn doey eyes and the glossy look in them. He stared for a little longer, pursing his lips before rolling his eyes. "Fine, sure..." He says and Steve smiles, looking away. James looked down at his knees again, thinking about El. He kind of wanted to go home, she was still mad at Jim and he didn't want them to argue or anything while he was gone.

"What would people think? King Steve Harrington hanging out with a mere peasant." He looked at Steve, his tone bitter and Steve just looked back at him. "James, you're not... a peasant?" He said the word with a confused look then stared at James before smiling. "You'll be my new queen!" He teased and poked James' cheek.

"I better go home though, in-in the morning... I-I have a thing at home and I don't think my dad would appreciate it much if I just... not did anything?" He said in a confused tone and Steve frowns. "Like what?" He asked and James looks away. "Sorry, can't tell you... Um, let's just head to bed, it's late," he says as he stood up and put away the Halloween candy onto Steve's desk.

Steve got into bed and sighed, "come on," he says and James turns to face him. "I-In the same bed?" He says, kind of confused and Steve nods. "Yeah, come on," he pats the spot next to him and James goes over to lay next to him.

"Can I tell you something?" Steve says and James just nods softly, looking away. "I'm not as drunk as you think I am, I'm just... a little tipsy, I-I didn't have as much to drink." He says and James squints his eyes at Steve. "You seemed drunk over the phone." He chuckled and Steve rolls his eyes, leaning closer suddenly. James doesn't do much as he watched Steve put his head on James' arm.

The two fell asleep like that and the next morning, James woke up to Steve's head on his chest now. He felt his heartbeat get faster and slowly slipped out from underneath the boy and got up, out of the bed. He opens the window by the bed and lit up a cigarette, smoking it there at the window. The alarm on the bedside table goes off, waking up Steve who simply turned it off and sat up.