Auther's name:nailriddenbat
“Hey Harrington!” Y/N shouted out as she skipped down the hall to her friend’s locker. He picked his head up and shot her one of his award winning smiles and her heart began to race like it always did when she saw him. She was not aware that his heart was doing the exact same thing as hers.
He watched as Y/N walked up to him and closed his locker a bit so he could lean against it. “Well, well, well. You’re very chipper this morning,” he observed.
Y/N waved a neon pink flyer around before pushing it into his chest gently. He picked it up and she looked away quickly when his fingers brushed against hers. He read it to himself and sighed. Tina was throwing another party that night.
“I’m done with parties, Y/N. You know that,” he folded the paper in half with his fingers before holding it out to her.
“Steve,” Y/N sighed dramatically. “Steve, Steve, Steve. You and I haven’t been to a party together in like…forever.”
“I don’t do parties anymore,” Steve shook his head as he pulled his locker back open. The last party he had been to was last year’s Halloween party and well, that was all bullshit.
Y/N watched as his jaw twitched and she sighed. She switched over to his other side and stepped close so no one could over hear what she was saying. “I thought you were over the whole Nancy thing that went down a few months ago,” she whispered. “You told me you moved onto someone else.”
Steve kept his gaze on his textbooks. There was someone else, alright, and that person was currently begging him to attend the party. He finally looked over at Y/N. His voice was low but gentle. He was always gentle with her. “I am. The party scene just isn’t for me anymore, Y/N,” he explained.
Y/N gazed up at him, catching a glimpse of something in his eyes but she was unable to place it. She wish she knew who this mystery girl was that he was so hooked up on, mostly because she wanted to glare at her for catching the attention of the teenage boy she has wanted since they started freshmen year. The bell rang, signaling that they only had a few extra minutes to get to their first class.
“Will you think about it?” Y/N asked him. She reached out to touch his arm lightly and gave him a small smile, “I promise I won’t leave your side or yell at you in a bathroom.”
“You really want me to go to this thing?” he sighed as he kept his gaze on hers. She nodded her head and kept her hand on his arm. The two of them had not even noticed that her thumb started to move across his skin slowly. Steve nodded his head and shrugged his shoulders a bit, “Then I guess I’m going to the party.
“YES!” Y/N shouted loudly before she threw herself at him. Her arms wrapped around him tightly and she hung onto him for a few seconds before her eyes went wide. She jumped back before Steve could hug her back and her cheeks began to flush with embarrassment. “So um, yeah! I will see you later today and if I don’t then I will just see you at the party. Okay bye!”
Before Steve could say anything else to her, Y/N was already running down the hall. He watched her go with a smile and shook his head as he asked himself, “What the hell are you doing, Harrington?”
The party was in full swing. Tina’s house was packed with teenagers. Some were lingering in the yard, gathered around Billy Hargrove as he pumped his fists against his chest and did keg stand after keg stand. A majority of them were in the house, dancing around to Prince. Y/N stood by the bowl of punch, “pure fuel” as everyone called it, but she was not feeling up to partying. The party had been going for over an hour now and there was not one sight of Steve Harrington anywhere. This caused her to continuously dip her plastic cup into the bowl and then pour the contents of the bowl down her throat.
One cup, two cup, three cup, four. Y/N started to lose count and soon enough she found herself dragged away from the counter. Her body was buzzing with energy and she jumped all around to whatever songs were playing. Every so often she would stop to refill her cup before jumping right back in, lingering around with the group of people she had gravitated towards during the night.
At some point, Y/N did wander outside to catch some air. She held her arms up over her head as she stretched, humming to herself. She felt a tap on her shoulder and spun around quickly. Billy Hargrove stood in front of her with a smirk as he asked, “Y/L/N, right?”
“Yup,” she drew the word out and popped the ‘p’. “And you are Billy Hargrove, Hawkins High douchebag.” She smirked to herself and leaned forward to poke his chest. “Hey why are your shirts always unbuttoned like this?”
Billy chuckled and leaned in, “With a chest like this, who wouldn’t leave their shirts unbuttoned?”
She hiccuped and nodded her head, drunkenly admitting, “You do have a very nice physique.”
“Physique?” Billy tilted his head towards her.
“Body shape, Hargrove!” she shouted with a grin.
He hummed and leaned in to whisper, “You have a nice physique too, Y/N.”
Y/N hiccuped again and started to blush as she shook her head which caused her body to sway towards his. His arms reached out to steady her and she held onto his arms. Before she could even register what was going on, Y/N felt Billy lean down and press his lips against hers. His breath smelled of alcohol, but she was sure hers wasn’t any better. Without thinking, her hands reached up to tangle in the mess of his hair and she kissed him back. In seconds, Billy had her up against the side of the house and continued to kiss her roughly. His hands moved up and down the sides of her body. After a while, Y/N leaned her head back and he latched onto her throat, nipping at her skin and leaving purple marks behind.
Steve pushed the front door open slowly and looked around the house as he stepped in. People stared at the old King of Hawkins High as he walked through slowly. Crowds parted for him but he kept to himself, wanting to find Y/N as quickly as he could.
He wouldn’t lie. He did have a debate with himself on whether or not he should come. Reactions like the ones he was currently being given were the exact reason why he didn’t want to show his face, but then he thought about how Y/N would feel. He couldn’t let her down, so he got dressed and headed on over.
A few people offered him drinks but he declined politely and asked if anyone had seen Y/N. They all shrugged their shoulders.
“Look who decided to show their face,” Steve heard from a small crowd. He turned his head slowly and looked over at Tommy. Carol was hanging off of his side as usual.
“Yeah, yeah, don’t get too excited,” Steve drawled. “I’m just looking for Y/N. Have you seen her?”
Carol laughed and pointed towards the back door. “She wandered out there a while ago but she hasn’t come back yet. I think something is occupying her,” she winked over at him.
“More like someone,” Tommy added, causing the group to laugh obnoxiously.
Steve’s eyebrows pushed together as he moved over to the back door. He pushed it open and stepped outside. He couldn’t see Y/N from where he was standing but he moved further into the yard and looked around. He turned his head when he saw two figures moving out of the corner of his eye. Steve Harrington’s heart broke for the second time at another party as he watched Y/N grip Billy Hargrove’s hair.
“Y/N?” Steve called out to her, his voice cracking slightly as he did.
When Y/N heard her name being called out, her eyes snapped open and a rush of clarity hit her like an oncoming train. She pushed Billy back sharply, causing him to stumble and curse. Her eyes fell onto Steve and she inhaled sharply. “Steve…” she whispered.
Steve shook his head, grinding his teeth together. “Hargrove, Y/N?”
Y/N stumbled forward but the alcohol was finally taking a toll on her body and her balance was completely off. She caught herself at the last second and stood up straight, going to say something but Billy cut her off.
“Harrington, why don’t you run off and go babysit those brats and I’ll take good care of Y/N,” he smirked over at Steve and moved to wrap his arm around Y/N but she pushed it away sharply and shoved her hand against his chest.
“Fuck off, Billy,” she snapped before she started to take a few steps towards Steve.
Billy rolled his eyes and adjusted his jacket, glaring at the two of them. “She’s not that great, Harrington. You were better off with Wheeler.”
Billy left that as his departing words before he stalked back towards the house, leaving Y/N and Steve alone in the backyard.
“You should get home and wash up, try to rest,” Steve said shortly. “I’m going home.”
He walked towards Y/N so he could walk back to the house and she reached out to touch his arm. She beginning to cry and could not understand why. “Steve let me explain,” Y/N spoke up.
He pulled his arm out of her grasp, refusing to look over at her. He could feel his own eyes watering up as he shook his head, “We’ll talk tomorrow, Y/N.”
He brushed past two people as he stepped back into the house so he could make his way to the front and leave. He glanced up and saw that the two people were Nancy and Jonathan, causing him to move faster. Within minutes, he was gone.
Y/N stood still as she held her hands over her face, trying her best not to cry. “How could you be so stupid?” she asked herself.
Nancy rushed out into the yard and touched your arms. She had seen everything and recognized the heartbroken look on Steve’s face. “Y/N, come on,” Nancy reached out to pull you into her side and rubbed your arm gently to comfort you, “We’re going to take you home.”
Y/N leaned into Nancy and together, with Jonathan, they walked out to the car. People pointed at the three and the rumors started quickly, but Y/N held it together until she was sitting in the very back of the car. Once the door shut behind her, she leaned forward and held her head in her hands as she allowed herself to cry.
Y/N’s head throbbed when she woke up the following morning. She laid in her bed, still in her clothes from the night before. She groaned and rubbed her face before sitting up slowly. She could not remember anything from the night before and said a silent thank you for the fact that her parents had chosen to gone away this weekend. She could only imagine what they would have said if they saw her that drunk.
Once Y/N was in the bathroom she pulled open the medicine cabinet quickly so she could take something for the headache. She sipped the pills down with a little bit of water before she closed the cabinet, cursing when she saw her appearance in the mirror. Her hair was a wreck and her make up was streaked down her face. Her eyes were red and puffy, as if she had been crying all night long. One look at her neck told her that she had either been mauled by an animal or had an encounter at the party, but she couldn’t remember a single thing.
Y/N decided a shower would be best and she stood under the steaming hot water, she tried to run over the events of the prior night in her head. She remembered standing around and drinking as she waited for Steve to show up. Then she danced and drank some more. Someone had tapped on her shoulder and she turned to see that it was Billy. Seeing the mental image of his smirk in her head acted as a key to her memories and suddenly, it was all rushing back to her. Talking with Billy, flirting and making out with Billy, Steve finding her and looking completely shattered, Nancy and Jonathan taking her home, Nancy tucking her into bed.
“Y/N, you idiot!” Y/N yelled at yourself.
Steve needed a distraction. He had been up all night long replaying what had happened in his head. The sight of Y/N kissing Billy Hargrove, and seeming like she enjoyed it, had him holding back tears and restraining himself from taking the all too familiar bat and breaking everything in sight. Steve should not have gone to that party.
Along with feeling completely heartbroken, he also felt a bit guilty. He should have taken Y/N home or at least made sure she had a ride, as he knew she was in no state to drive herself. His nerves had calmed down slightly when he picked up Mike Wheeler and Nancy rushed out to tell him that her and Jonathan had taken her home. She had patted Steve’s shoulder and told him to hang in there, but Steve couldn’t understand what she meant by that.
The kids were chatty as always as Steve drove four of them to the arcade. They were trying to show El how to play all of their favorite games and it became a weekly thing. El would be dropped of by Hopper and Max normally found her way there too. Normally Steve would partake in the conversation but his mind was too wrapped up in what had happened and he couldn’t find it in himself to speak or think about anything else.
Once they reached the arcade the kids climbed out of the car and lingered around to wait for the other two members of their party. Steve kept his sunglasses on to hide his bloodshot eyes and leaned against his BMW with his arms crossed over his chest.
He turned his head as a Camaro pulled up and came to a sharp stop. Max climbed out and slammed the door before she walked over to the others.
Billy rolled his window down and stared over at Steve with a grin. “Hey Harrington, how’s Y/N?” he taunted him.
Steve turned his head, ignoring Billy as he laughed before slamming his foot on the gas and taking off.
Dustin looked over at Steve and then back at the others to mutter, “Something is seriously wrong, guys.”
“He hasn’t said one word all day long,” Lucas said.
“I overheard my sister speaking to Jonathan on the phone this morning,” Mike whispered. “Something happened with him and Y/N.”
Max glanced over at him and sighed, “And I bet my dumbass brother is involved.”
“I’ve never seen him so…” Will trailed off, unsure of how to describe Steve.
“Hopeless? Lost? Distraught? Miserable? Depressed?” Dustin went down a list of adjectives that could be used to describe his dear friend.
“El’s here,” Steve cut the group off. “Let’s get inside and get this shit over with.”
The group moved into the arcade and ran off in different directions. Steve sighed and shook his head. “Might as well play some games,” he muttered to himself.
Y/N parked her car in the parking lot of the arcade and climbed out. Steve wasn’t at his house and she figured he would be babysitting at the Henderson’s, but Mrs. Henderson redirected her to here. She had a very thick coat of make up on her neck to cover up the hickies Billy had left behind, and she took a deep breath before making her way into the arcade.
There was no sign of Steve, but Y/N did find Dustin, Lucas and Max all crowded around Dig Dug. “Hey,” she called out to the kids.
Dustin looked up from the screen and his eyes went wide as he shouted her name, “Y/N!”
“Do you know where Steve is? I need to talk to him,” she asked Dustin.
Dustin pointed his arm to the back of the arcade and she thanked him before moving away. Dustin watched her move and slapped Lucas on the arm, “Get the others. Shit’s about to go down.”
Y/N found Steve standing by the PacMan machine. She bit down on her lip and waited a few minutes before she saw the screen change, signalling that his game was over. “Hey Harrington,” she called out to him softly.
Steve turned around quickly, his face going blank. He reached up to take off his sunglasses and Y/N felt her heart throb painfully when she saw how red his eyes were. “You got a minute?” she asked him.
Steve took a deep breath. His tongue darted out over his lips before he nodded his head and together, the two of them made their way back out to the parking lot.
It was uncomfortably silent as you two stood under the sign. Y/N made the move to speak first, cursing herself for speaking with a trembling voice. “I thought you wouldn’t show up at the party,” she said.
Steve inhaled as he nodded his head, looking at anything but her. “Yeah, I almost didn’t,” he admitted.
“Why?” she whispered.
“I hate parties, Y/N,” Steve was blunt with her. “I don’t want to do that anymore. What’s the point? People get drunk, they say hurtful shit, they do hurtful things, and…” he stopped himself and just shrugged, going quiet again.
“Were you pissed about Hargrove?” Y/N asked suddenly. The question was lingering in her head but she couldn’t hold it back any longer.
He laughed shortly and held his hands up, “Y/N, it is your life. You can do what you want and make out with whomever you want, Hawkins High douchebag included.”
You shook your head, “That’s not what I asked you. Were you pissed that I made out with Hargrove?”
“Y/N…” Steve sighed your name.
“It’s a yes or no question, Steve. Were you pissed that I made out with Billy Hargrove?” you asked again. You repeated the question and spoke over Steve as he tried to skate around the answer.
Steve snapped and he finally looked at you, shouting at the top of his lungs, “Of course I was pissed that you were making out with him!”
“Why?” you asked the second question immediately after that.
“Y/N I don’t want to do this here,” Steve shook his head. He tried to even out out his breathing and ran his hands through his hair. “Don’t cause a scene at the arcade.”
“Causing a scene? I’m not causing a scene, Steve. I’m just trying to figure out why you were so pissed last night,” Y/N shrugged as if you two were just having a casual discussion.
“Because you’re smarter than that, Y/N! Hargrove only wanted one thing from you and it’s the same damn thing he wants from every other girl in that school,” Steve yelled. “I know you were drunk but jeez, Y/N!”
“I was drunk,” she emphasized those three words. “I was drunk, Steve. I drank a lot and I made out with Hargrove and I regret it.”
“Drunken words are sober thoughts,” Steve muttered underneath his breath as his head bobbed and her eyes went wide.
“That is bullshit!” Y/N screamed at him.
“Don’t use that word,” Steve narrowed his eyes at her.
“Don’t tell me what to do,” you glared at him. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw the kids push the door open and stand by the door as they watched you. “Shut up and listen to me, Steve Harrington. Drunken words are sober thoughts is bullshit. Your attitude is bullshit and this fight is bullshit! I wanted you to go to that party so we could spend time together and you didn’t show. I waited like an asshole in a corner, just staring at the door to see if you would walk in for hours and you didn’t! I made a mistake. I made myself feel like shit about it this morning and I am not going to put up with you doing the same thing when I am standing here in the parking lot of this stupid arcade in front of random strangers and in front of the kids saying that I am sorry for upsetting you, when you won’t even tell me why you were so damn upset in the first place!”
Say it. Y/N stared at him as she began to breathe heavily. She needed him to say it. She needed Steve to tell her why he was so upset, she needed him to admit it to her.
“I was upset because I was jealous,” Steve spit the words out quickly, his voice cracking slightly on the word ‘jealous’. “I am jealous. I went to that party and I went to see you, and I find that asshole pressed up against you and you were grabbing at his hair, and that’s all I could see in my head for the rest of the night. You and Billy, Y/N,” Steve groaned as he covered his face.
You started to blink rapidly and took a deep breath, stepping forward as you whispered, “There is no me and Billy, Steve.”
“Okay but what if there is one day?” Steve dropped his hands and held them out by his sides for a bit before he let them fall, his hands slapping against his denim jeans.
“What if there is? With Billy, with any other guy?”Y/N asked him quietly.
“I don’t want you with any other guy, Y/N. I want you with me.”
The kids held their mouths over their hands to muffle the gasps in the background as they heard Steve, loud and clear.
“What do you mean you want me with you, Steve?” she continued to ask questions, the corner of her lips twitching slightly.
“You know what I mean,” Steve lowered his face as he stepped over to you.
“I know what you mean but I need to hear it,” Y/N said. She looked up at him when he stepped closer and held her breath, her hands shaking as they rest on his side.
He reached forward and cupped her face, tilting her head up even more. His thumb started to rub her cheek gently as he looked down at her. “Come on, Y/L/N,” he whispered. “I don’t want to do this anymore. The distance, the back and forth, everything. I don’t want any other guy kissing you unless that guy is me.”
Y/N’s lips parted and she leaned up a bit, standing on her toes. Her nose brushed against his and she locked her eyes onto his as she whispered a small request, “Kiss me, Harrington.”
Steve’s hand moved to the back of her head and closed the gap between the the two of them. His other arm wrapped around her waist and her body arched into his, feeling it practically mold against him as she kissed him back. Y/N’s hands tangled in his hair and she pulled a low groan from him as her nails scratched against his scalp lightly. Y/N pulled away a little as a small gasp escaped her, and she opened your eyes to look up at him. They were both panting but despite that, they slowly started to smile at one another just as the kids started to cheer in the background.
Y/N looked over at them and laughed a bit, feeling embarrassed that they had watched all of that but Steve kept his eyes on her face. He leaned forward and kissed your cheek, whispering against her skin, “I love you, Y/N Y/L/N, and I want you to be my girl and no one else’s. I’ve wanted that since freshmen year and I’m sorry that I took so long to tell you.”
She turned her head to look at him, playing with the strands of his hair as she nodded her head slowly. “I can forgive you for that,” she smiled a bit. She leaned in and kissed the tip of his nose gently as she cupped his face before she brushed her lips against his. “I love you too, Steve Harrington. You’re it for me, okay? I don’t want you to worry about any other guy,” she spoke to him softly, finally admitting her own feelings for him.
He leaned in and kissed you one last time before he pulled away with a small nod. He dropped his arm around her shoulder and she reached up to lace her fingers with his. Together they walked back towards the kids, the two of them grinning like idiots as Dustin shouts, “It’s about damn time!”