Don’t Mind Me,

He doesn’t know why, but he’s laying down.

It’s the first thing he realizes. A stupid thing to notice, but just one minute ago, he was standing behind the counter at Family Video, and now he’s laying down.

His eyes are heavy, and it feels like it takes a huge amount of effort just to open them.

He’s in a fucking hospital.

He knows from the stupid white color of the stupid drop ceiling tiles. From the stupid annoying beeping of the stupid heart monitor. From the stupid scratchy gown he’s wearing instead of his sweater.

He heard a muttered curse next to him, and slowly lolled his head over to look.

Hopper was sitting next to his bed, his hat balanced on his knee, looking grumpily at the crossword printed on the back of The Hawkins Post. Steve wanted to laugh at the image, the chief of police swearing as he scribbled out something.

“How the fuck am I supposed to know that? Nobody knows what the fuck that is.”

“Blame Nancy,” Steve croaked. His head throbbed and he closed his eyes again. “She convinced them to add that. Said sales would go up.”

There was a rustling of paper.

“Smart girl,” Hopper said. He paused for a moment, and Steve felt like he needed someone to come and crowbar his eyes open or they would stay closed forever.

“You collapsed. Scared the shit out of your girlfriend, and everyone else at the video store.”

“Not my girlfriend,” Steve mumbled.

So that makes sense, why he was at work one second, and in a lousy bed at Hawkins General the next.

“You didn’t hit your head. Hargrove caught you before you went all the way down.”

Jesus, Billy’s reflexes really are something else. Steve’s gonna need to thank him for that. The last fucking thing he needs is another concussion. Maybe, to show his gratitude, he’ll suck Billy’s-

“I’m here because we need to talk about what the doctors found in your system.”

Steve’s mind went blank, and his eyes flew open.

Hopper was looking at him, his face an unfamiliar mix of sad, and angry, and fucking, disappointed.

Steve felt like he could vomit.

“They ran your blood. Routine E.R. shit, I’m told. But they found some, some substances that shouldn’t be there.”

Steve swallowed down the lump in his throat.

He knew the guilt was written all over his face.

“How long?”

“Since the summer.” He couldn’t look at Hop in the face. Not while he admitted this shit.

He was fucking stupid to think he wouldn’t be caught.

It’s a miracle Robin hasn’t walked in on him doing bumps in the bathroom at work, or Billy hasn’t found his stash tucked between the mattress and the box spring.

Hopper sighed.

“I know we all went through a lot last summer. With your friend getting trapped in the Upside Down, and you getting captured-”

“Tortured. I got tortured.”

Hopper sighed again.

“Getting coked up isn’t going to help anything.”

“What is this? Fucking Family Ties?”

He felt Hopper’s glare more than he actually saw it.

“It’s stupid-”

“You just don’t get it! Okay?” He really didn’t mean to yell, his head just fucking hurts and he’s so fucking stupid.

“Oh yeah,” Hopper snarked. “I fucking forgot. You’re the only person in the goddamn world that’s ever dealt with fucking drug addiction. So sorry.”

“I’m not addicted!” Lie.

“I don’t fucking believe you.”

Steve glared at Hopper.

“So, what? You’re here to arrest me?”

“No. I’m here to talk some fucking sense into you.” He shifted in his chair, the newspaper slid off his lap and fell on the floor. “You’re around those kids all the time. You fucking drive them around. You have been endangering their lives for months. And why? Because you can’t handle the trauma? We all have trauma. You think your friend Hargrove is totally fine after being stuck in that place? After realizing some fucked up doppelgänger was killing people? You think your girlfriend is totally fine after being tortured by the Russians too?”

“I don’t do it when I have to drive the kids, Hop I swear.” That, was the truth. “Okay, the other stuff, I get your point, but I need you to know, I wouldn’t hurt the kids like that, I-” the heart monitor was speeding up, getting louder in Steve’s panic. “You have to believe me, I’ve never driven them high.”

“Okay, okay. I believe you.” Hopper sighed again. “Just, why?”

Steve gulped.

“The Russians, they drugged us. They said it would make us tell them the truth. And I don’t know what it was, but fuck. It felt good. I couldn’t feel the pain, and I wasn’t scared, and I just. I didn’t know how to stop being scared.”

It was embarrassing.

Admitting that he’s been scared shitless ever since that first demogorgon dropped through the Byers’ ceiling.

Admitting he’s been doing lines of coke to keep himself from spiraling into inconsolable panic.

“I did some at a party, and it was the closest I felt to that feeling.”

Not technically true. He and Billy did some together last August, and it was like the fearlessness washed over Steve in warm waves.

But he can’t throw Billy under the bus like that.

And if Billy ever found out, that one night of drug experimentation between lovers turned into a full-on addiction, he’d never forgive himself.

There was a pause.

“Have you been snorting or shooting?”

“Snorting.”

“Okay,” Hopper stood up, stretching his arms above his head and placing his hat back on. “I’m going to tell your friends what’s going on. Not the kids, just Hargrove and Buckley. Joyce, too. Then, when you get out of here, you and I are going to clean out any stashes you’ve got. And we’re all going to be watching you like a fucking hawk.”

“Wait,” Steve croaked, his heart rate jumping up again, the beeping speeding up. “Don’t tell Billy.” Hopper shot Steve a look that said really? “Let me tell him. He needs to hear it from me.”

Hopper paused, on hand on the doorknob.

“Did he get you hooked? Is he on it too?”

“No! Nothing like that. Please? He’ll be upset unless I tell him.”

Hopper gave him a look that was a little too searching to be comfortable.

“Okay. Okay, kid. I’ll send him in. But he’ll know what’s going on one way or another. Don’t make me tell him that you’ve lied. Don’t think he’d appreciate it.”

He left the room without another word, leaving Steve to stew in his shame.

He’s such an idiot.

Why did he ever think he could get away with this and not one person would notice?

Even if they didn’t know he was regularly doing cocaine, Billy and Robin already knew something was up. They kept asking him if he was okay, coming over for impromptu sleepover parties. It was nice, he loves them both, but it was only a matter of time before the penny dropped.

It’s just embarrassing. That a routine blood test exposed the amount of uppers in his system. Exposed how little he’s dealing.

He rolled over, waiting for Billy to come into the room and blame himself for Steve’s stupidity. He didn’t want that.

Billy didn’t have a drug problem. He thought it’d be fun for them to get a little high and do stuff together. And it was! It was so fun, and they’d talked about doing it again.

Steve can kiss that idea goodbye.

He wouldn’t be surprised if Billy started following him into the bathroom to make sure he wasn’t doing anything he shouldn’t be.

It’s sweet, that his boyfriend cares so much about him that he would, hypothetically at least, do that.

But Billy’s got enough on his plate, and if Steve knows anything about him, it’s that he blames himself for shit just as much as Steve does.

He focused on the steady beeping of the heart monitor. Still elevated, his nerves for the coming conversation getting the best of him.

His head was pounding in a way that said it was time for his next fix.

He squeezed his eyes closed, willing away the need thrumming under his skin.

“So, you finally gonna tell me why you’ve been actin’ all squirrelly lately?”

It’s past midnight. Perfect time for nightmares.

Music: Out of the Darkness -Matthew And The Atlas 

Inspiration:

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Steve hasn't left the house in six months. He hasn't left his bed in weeks. After Billy's death his mental state went into shambles. He'd wake up screaming, he refused to eat, and worse of all...he began secluding himself from all of his friends. Robin and Dustin have only ever seen him a couple of times in those six months but aside from that, his parents were the only ones who interacted with him.

Today, he spent most of the morning lying in bed wearing the yellow sweater Billy use to wear. His mom sits besides him caressing his hair which is now dry and tangled. It pains his mom to see him, she begs him to eat just a little bit of food but he still protests. After witnessing the love of his life get impaled by the creature that had possessed him, Steve feels like there's nothing left to live for, everything was taken away from him that night. All he wants to do now is lie in his bed, wishing to one day fall asleep, and never wake up.

"Stevie, honey please, you can't stay in bed forever." She pleads, "I know it's been difficult ever since Billy passed but you should at least speak to your friends."

"I'll phone them later."

"how many messages do you think are on this thing?" She leans over to grab his answering machine and places it on his bedside cabinet. "They're all worried about you. Just listen to some of these messages for me, please?" She gave him a kiss on the forehead before leaving him alone with the contraption. It takes him a while but eventually he shuffles forward on his bed and picks up the machine.

You have 10 new messages

Steve contemplates it for a second, but it not really like he's got anything better to do, so he places the answering machine beside his bed and presses play.

14:08 15 Jan-

Hey Steve, It's Robin. Just checking in again, guess what happened in family video today? So this old guy came in looking all suspicious and shit and he starts grabbing a bunch of VHS tapes, right? So just as he's coming to the counter his wife shows and he starts to FREAK OUT! he drops all the tapes, which happen to all be pornos and she goes off at him. Calling him a pig, saying he's a disgusting old perv, and I'm standing there like "uhhh...no one in this fucking place pays me enough to deal with this shit." Argh! Sorry. Rambling again. We all miss here Steve, just know that, I know you need your space right now I get it. But when you're to talk I'm right here. Okay, gotta go, Bye!

Steve smirks for the first time in the past few months. He wonders he how much it's been killing Robin not to have someone to ramble to.

12:54 25 Dec 1985-

Hey Steve! Merry Christmas!

Dustin yells out threw the machine as the static sounds of cheerful Christmas music invade the background.

Mom! Will you turn the music down please?! Sorry about that. I'm just calling to wish you a merry Christmas, I hope you're okay man,. I haven't seen you since...well...oh guess what? I finally got into the hellfire club! You know Eddie Munson, leader and dungeon master, he caused another scene in the cafeteria today even though it was totally justified. When the teachers came to question him, I decided to stick up for him and he liked my confidence. I've been waiting forever to join to his club and I finally got in...OKAY MOM! I gotta go have dinner but tomorrow I'll come by and drop off your gift. Merry Christmas Steve.

Steve still has his Christmas present, a framed photo of him, Robin and Dustin hiding in the back of scoops ahoy, their faces covered in ice cream. Steve will occasionally pick it up from the window sill and reminisce about those days. He picks up the photo and looks at it fondly trying to forget about the person taking the photo.

14:43 12 Sep 1985-

Umm...hi Steve. How are you feeling?

It's Dustin again only this time the tone of his voice is drastically different. He's less perky than in the previous voicemail. Dustin, Robin and Steve didn't have a proper conversation until late October so it's no wonder that he's a little timid here.

So it's been a while we last talked. How are you holding up? I've really missed you and I didn't know if I should come over or call or what. My mom said I should give you some space. But whenever you want to chat I'm right here... alright. Bye.

18:23 6 sept 1985-

STEVE! Hi, I don't know if you can hear me that well. Its Joyce Byers. Jonathan's mom.

The poor quality of the audio crackles through the machine as Joyce's voice enhances as it tries to automatically set the volume from the previous message. Steve lightly slams the machine which seems to stop the crackling a little.

Sorry if the sounds is not great. I'm calling on a payphone right now, the connection at this motel is horrible. Listen I don't a lot of time left on this thing but there's someone here who wants to speak with you.

There's a brief moment of dead silence with inaudible muffling on the other end.

Steve?...

He can't answer you sweetie.

Oh. Hi, it's El. Just wanted to see how you are. We'll be in California in few weeks, we're going to go down to Santa Monica pier. That was his favourite place to go to in the summer. When I was travelling through Billy's memories you were in a lot of them, you made him really happy you k--

Steve skips over to the next message. He knows how the rest of these are going to go, it doesn't matter how sincere they are, to Steve it's nothing but a million voices repeatedly pitying him. Well Steve doesn't want their pity. He doesn't want to be reminded of everything he's lost. He skips past the next five messages, only listening to them for a brief moment just praying it has nothing to do with Billy. But each one is the exact same with a new voice. He pictures Billy in his last few seconds of breathing as each new message plays and he hates it. Steve doesn't want to remember Billy like that, but the memory of that day has been plaguing his mind for so long it's all he can think about. He's about ready to throw the damn machine against the wall until he reaches the final message.

00:34 2 July 1985-

Steve...

That voice. He thought he'd never hear that voice again. Steve sits up in his bed astonished, tears already glazing his eyes, he lifts the answering machine onto lap. All others sounds around tune out, the world goes silent, expect for his voice. His scared little voice.

I know it's late. I would've come by scoops I just...I don't think I can be around right now. I can't be around anyone. I…I don't know what's happening to me, it feels like there's some kind of poison in me, I don't have any control of my own body anymore. I want to tell you everything, I swear I do, but he won't let me. This shadow. It's been following me, it suffocates me the second I try to tell anyone the truth. I know this sounds stupid but you have to believe me. He's making me do things...awful things. I want to see you but I'm afraid if I do, he'll make me do to you what I did to those people.

The pitch of his voice is high. He's trying his best not to break down into a blubbering mess. Steve remembers the time, around this time he was investigating a secret Russian base underneath the mall. Maybe if he had been smarter and decided to go home that night instead, he could've gotten this message and done something to prevent all the shit that went down. He lives with that guilt everyday.

I can't stop him. He's making me build something for him. I've helped created, I've seen it Steve, I know what will d--

Billy begins to choke on his words as the monster within him begins seeping through. He hears Billy pull the phone away from him and yell out to someone or something but there seems to be no response.

I feel like I've failed you. I feel like I've failed Max, failed everyone, I'm so so sorry. Steve...I don't think I'm going to make it out of this alive. If I don't...just know I loved you. I really loved you, baby, and tell Max I loved her too, I never got to tell her that myself. Listen Stevie, I need you to do something for me if I die...I need you to take care of Max. She doesn't have anyone to look out for her, she needs that, Max is a weird kid but she needs someone to love her just like any other kid. Don't leave her to turn into another me...Ok. I don't...I don't think I can hold him back much longer. Bye, Steve, I love y--

YOU HAVE NO NEW MESSAGES

The teardrops pool down Steve's cheeks. How could he be so selfish? For all the brooding and mourning he had been doing for the past six months, making everyone else feel like shit for going out of their way to cheer him up, Max has been going a similar situation. If not a worse situation. Billy was her brother, they of had a rocky relationship but he was trying to be a good brother, even if he had a weird way of showing it.

Billy would speak fondly of Max in private when it was just him and Steve but never to her face. He had been working up the courage to say I love you to her but now she'll never hear those words escape his mouth. Max will never truly know what she meant to Billy.

For the first time in weeks Steve gets out of bed. It's like a weird surge of adrenaline enters his body but he doesn't care, Steve throws the duvet off of himself and takes his dust-covered keys from his drawer, he bolts for the door ignoring his parents entirely. He drives around town for a good few minutes, his first instinct was to go to the Hargrove's residence but he remembered that Max was never home at this time of day. Eventually he makes it to the junkyard where a gloomy young redhead is sitting on a rotting couch with Billy's Walkman on.

"Steve?" Max utters slightly confused as she swears she told no one she would be here. Steve towers over her awkwardly, realizing he hadn't thought out what he was going to say. "How did you find me?"

"I had a hunch you'd be here. You mind if I join you?" Max shrugs and shuffles over to give him space to sit on the mouldy couch. "So... I know things have been pretty shitty and--"

"God, Steve really?!"

"I know. I know you don't want to hear the same, "I'm sorry for your loss" pity speech. I just came to apologize for the way I've been acting."

Max raises an eyebrow at him.

"Cause for the past six months I had been making this all about me. I've been acting like a child just sulking in my room all day and ignoring everyone that I didn't even stop to think about you. I lost my boyfriend but you lost your brother. I came here to tell you that...he loved you."

"what?"

"He loved you," Steve reiterates, "I wanted to say that to you for so long but never found the right opportunity. I know it didn't seem like it, but he thought the world of you, Max. He wasn't a perfect brother, sure. But he wanted to be better for you."

Max looks down at her feet speechless. She knows that she was his shitty little sister, but she never really thought Billy saw her as anything beyond that. To hear she meant so much more to him, makes the aching pain in her heart burn like wildfire.

"yeah so, anyways, I just thought you should know that. I'm gonna go but just so you know, from now on, if you need anything I am always here for you. Billy would've wanted me to take care of you so... I'll just...yeah." Steve can sense an awkward tension growing between them so he removes himself from the couch and makes his way over to his BMW.

"Hey Steve!" Max calls out just as he's opening the car door, "do you think you can give me a ride home?"

Steve gives Max a little smile before opening the passenger side for her. As he drives her through the streets of Hawkins he can see Max begin to fall asleep against the window in the rear view mirror. Steve remembers that has the keys to Billy's Camaro. Maybe when Max is older he can teach her to drive and then she could take ownership of the vehicle.

Billy wanted to have that sibling connection with Max for so long, he just had a bad time at opening up that it usually strained his relationship with others. Now he'll never get to have the chance to be a real brother. Steve knows he'll never be Max's brother but he can at least be someone she can rely on, someone who can look out for her, it's what Billy would've wanted. Someone to make sure she doesn't have the same childhood he did.

On the Ferris Wheel

This months Patreon Sketch Commission for @myboyfriendsteve who askes:  “August is normally county fair season for us, so I thought the boys riding the ferris wheel or some other carnival ride? ”

Had a lot of Fun playing around with this one!

Consider supporting me on Patreon to get your own monthly coloured sketch!

[My Social Media and Patreon Info!]

Have some Ghost Adventures but its Harringrove for Harringrove Week Day 5

Link to an old ghost hunters moodboard

Everybody, sitting in the Byers' living room: *inaudible chatting* Joyce: Everyone! Shh! Everybody: *goes silent* Joyce: Right, now we all know why we're here, Everybody: (does in fact know why they're here) Joyce: Now- uh- *clears throat* two of you guys- I mean- I hope only two of you guys- have been engaging in...uh- how do I put this nicely- romantic- gestures? Everybody: *Turns to Eddie and Chrissy* Eddie: YOU GUYS DO REALIZE IT'S NOT ALWAYS US- Joyce: No- not- not- not sexual gestures- yknow- stuff like kissing-? A lot-? Steve: *goes bright red* Billy: *Only goes a little pink* Max: I think it's sort of obvious now. Just pick the tomatoes in the group. Joyce: *bites back a laugh* okay- you two need to- cut down on the noise- mainly uh- mainly Steve- heh- sorry Steve- Steve: I- I- I- I- N- NO -N- NOT- I- DOESN’T- NOT- ME- M- I- W- I- Argyle: I think Steve's malfunctioning, dude Billy: *puts a hand over Steve's mouth* Steve: *goes silent and doesn't do anything about it* Max: I bet he's way too used to it- Joyce: Max- Eddie: Oh- EW DUDE IS THAT WHY YOUR HANDS ALWAYS HAVE TEETH IMPRINTS ON THEM- Chrissy: Ed that isn't a necessary commen- Dustin: WAIT BILLY AND STEVE HAVE BEEN KISSING-?! Kids:*screaming in disgust* Billy: Please excuse us, Mrs. Byers *grins charmingly as he drags Steve out the door*

*Billy and Steve step outside and Billy shuts the door behind them* Everybody: *sitting in dead silence* *Steve wailing like a child from outside the door* Billy, in a muffled voice: Steve calm down- it's over just- sh- what if we get you ice-cream or something? Steve shut up for god's sake-

*This totally has nothing to do with an upcoming fic*

This fanart is the first of 3 or 4 that all belong to a little 4-Part Fanfic that I started to write a while ago! If you want to read the first part you can do that HERE! (Aaaand also a little reminder that the Pre-Order for VOL1 of my Comic is only up for a few more days now! So if you are interested, you can get the comic and other stuff HERE ! AND I also started a second Comic on Patreon, which is a S2 AU after the fight at the Byers soooo if you are interested in that one, you can click HERE!) Ok I am done with advertising now- I really hope you guys enjoy the fanart! ❤

i love soulmate aus. so, imagine that the universe has some way of showing you who your soulmate is, but no one is ever 100% sure because it depends on the pair. some people have the first or final words said to them somewhere on their body, other can see what their soulmates write on their bodies and others only see in black and white until they lock eyes with their fated other half, which is when they start seeing in color. some people have their soulmate's name or initials on their wrists and other have a spot of color on their bodies, which is where their soulmate will touch them for the first time.

steve had none of those. when he turned 15, he spent hours checking every inch of his body to see if he had any writing or spots of color. once he was sure that wasn't the case, he wrote on his forearms and the back of his hand with red pen in hopes of getting a response. his heart broke more and more the longer he went without a response until he eventually admitted it to himself: he was probably unpaired. meant to either stay alone or enter an unhappy marriage full of infidelity like his parents. he tried not to let the thought of that bring him down, even as everyone around him started finding their soulmates.

then one day, after he turned 18, he went to bed like normal and woke up confused. this wasn't his room or his bed or his house. he sat up to get a better look around him. the room was big and spacious, but unlike his, it was comfortable and felt like... home. the walls were painted light blue and filled with paintings of various ocean creatures. there were two comfy chairs looking towards a big window and the furniture was made of a light wood, making the room feel even bigger than it already was. the bedsheets were a darker shade of blue mixed with white and oh so soft and steve normally would've loved this place but this wasn't his fucking house. his room was ugly and boring and full of plaid that he desperately wanted to get rid of but couldn't because it sadly reminded him of his mom.

so instead of freaking out, he just sat silently and waited for someone to give him a clue as to where he was. as he waited, he happened to look down at his hand and his jaw dropped when he saw a ring. a ring on the fourth finger of his left hand. where wedding bands went. so it was clearly a wedding ring. he was married? jesus, did he get blackout drunk and get married to some chick and just forget about it?

before he could get up and look for the poor girl that was probably even more confused than he was, a door on the left side of the room opened and he heard a voice say "good morning, pretty boy.", a very familiar voice. he turned his head to see billy hargrove stepping out of the bathroom with a towel slung low over his hips, using a smaller towel to dry his hair. steve's heart started beating fast at the sight of him. billy looked to be a few years older, probably in his late 20s or early 30s, and his hair was shorter but he was still fit and so fucking hot. he tried to not think about the way his heart skipped a few beats when he saw the matching wedding ring on billy's finger.

steve was ready to drown billy in questions about where he was and what they were doing and why they were married, but when he opened his mouth, what came out instead was a tired "hey, handsome." that made him blush. the blonde seemed to find this funny because he chuckled quietly and stepped closer to pull steve into a deep and loving kiss, cupping his cheeks gently.

"you okay to walk?" billy asked him quietly and steve was surprised to find himself nodding his head and shifting to stand. billy simply gave him an amused look and stepped back a few feet to give him some space, but as soon as steve was on his feet, his knees buckled and he nearly fell to the floor. billy simply laughed as he caught him in his arms and swept him up into a bridal carry, pressing a kiss to his forehead and taking him to the bathroom. steve was once again surprised to find himself simply throwing his arms around billy's shoulders and snuggling closer to him. it was like he was stuck in his mind, able to think freely but not being able to control what he said and how his body moved.

when billy lowered him into a steaming tub, he sighed in relief and kissed back when the blonde pressed a kiss to his lips. "be nicer to me, i'm getting old." he grumbled and watched his husband(?) go right back to drying his hair, standing over him and looking down with dark eyes. his words made billy laugh again and steve made a mental note that the other male had a beautiful laugh. "you're only 28. besides," billy smirked, reaching down to run his fingers through steve's hair "i recall you enjoying every second and even begging for more all night." he hummed and steve's breath hitched for a second before he was scowling and pushing the laughing blonde away, desperately ignoring the crimson blush on his cheeks.

"just go wake up the girls! max is coming to pick them up at 11." he huffed and billy gave him a mocking salute as he left the bathroom, probably to get dressed. and steve- steve almost cried. he was apparently 10 years in the future, married to billy hargrove and with children? this was probably some amazing dream he was having- wait. dream. this must be a soulmate dream. from what he heard, they were rare and sometimes didn't come true at all but... this must mean that billy hargrove was his soulmate. the thought of that made him smile like an idiot and he promised to not think about that for now and focused on cleaning himself and getting dressed in some comfortable sweatpants and his favorite yellow sweater that was somehow still alive, taking his sweet time since he was in a lot of pain. it was like they went at it like rabbits the whole night, fuck.

when he slowly made his way out of the bedroom and towards the kitchen where he could hear a commotion, it was a few minutes until the clock struck 11. he was nervous and his thoughts were going a mile a minute but when he stepped into the kitchen, his body automatically went for the coffee and the two painkillers that billy had probably left out for him. after taking them and draining about half the cup in one go, he turned around and his breath caught in his chest.

the girls were beautiful. they were clearly twins, both with fiery red hair and emerald green eyes and about 2 years old, but one was quietly (and very clumsily) eating her food and the other was arguing with billy with her limited vocabulary. nicole and cynthia were their names. or so his brain told him. "let me help you, sweetheart." steve said and approached the quiet twin, wiping her mouth and feeding her the rest of the food that was on her plate. she simply grinned up at steve and gladly accepted the help with a soft 'thank you, dada'.

steve's heart melted in his chest at the sweet voice, but then the other twin was screeching "no, dammit!" and steve saw billy turn away to hide his laughter. asshole. "nicole!" steve scolded and kicked billy's leg under the table. the little girl turned to look at him and her expression went from angry to delighted in seconds, squealing in delight at the sight of him. steve smiled fondly at her and told her to let papa help, darling and she accepted easily, no longer arguing and letting billy feed her. billy kicked him back at that, flipping him off when both girls were distracted briefly.

after that, at exactly 11'o'clock, there was a knock on their door and lucas sinclair was letting himself in and greeting him and billy briefly before crouching to greet the suddenly very excited girls. "where's max?" billy asked as steve cleaned the girls' sticky hands and wiped their faces and made sure they had their bags with them, sneakily verifying that billy had packed everything properly as lucas told the blonde that max was waiting in the car along with jane. then they were saying goodbye to lucas and the girls after inviting him to go to the beach with them next weekend and then he and billy were alone, the girls going to spend the day with max and then stay over at her house.

they spent the day cleaning around the house together and occasionally kissing and every once in a while, max would send them pictures of her and the girls together at the aquarium, some with lucas in them and others with a smiling jane. after they finished cleaning, they made dinner and then curled up together on the couch to watch tv, with steve promising to clean the dirty dishes the next day and billy rolling his eyes fondly but accepting. as they watched tv, billy complained about the snotty kids he gave surfing lessons to and told steve that he didn't understand how he could work with rowdy children and pta moms five days a week and not go insane. steve simply chuckled sleepily and listened to whatever billy said, ecstatic that this was gonna be his future but tired from the emotional rollercoaster that the day had been.

before he fell asleep in billy's arms, he made sure to press a long kiss to the blonde's lips and whisper a quiet 'i love you'.

and then he woke up back in his bedroom with pain in his chest and tears in his eyes. he spent a while just laying in bed, simply trying to remember every possible detail of his dream- of his future.

sudden loud and desperate knocking on his front door made him jump out of bed and rush downstairs, already having a pretty solid idea of who was on the other side of the door.

and he was right. when he opened the door, billy hargrove was standing on his front porch and panting heavily. his clothes were wrinkled and askew, meaning that he had probably rushed to dress and make his way over to steve's house.

they stared at each other for a few solid seconds before they both moved forward at the same time, hugging each other tightly. "we'll make it happen. that's- our future. we'll make it ours." billy was desperately muttering into his hair and steve was nodding his head to agree, not being able to speak due to the knot of feelings clogging his throat.

and they did, they desperately tried to make that future theirs.

until billy died on the fourth of july, in the year 1985. and steve was left alone, haunted with the knowledge of what could've been, what he lost and what never got to truly have.

tagging: @every-dayiwakeup

I support the slut Steve Harrington act

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I agree, Duffer brothers what the hell

Dear Duffer brothers, stop killing Steve Harrington's boyfriends. Sincerely, a bisexual.