you are in love // steve harrington
summary: based off of the song ‘You Are In Love’ by taylor swift AKA four times the party noticed steve and reader are more than friends
steve harrington x fem!reader, 3rd person, friends to lovers, happy ending, idk what else to say i don’t wanna spoil🥹
a/n: guys i think i did my big one w this🥹 i really like it and i hope you guys do too!!!
it’s not obvious at first.
at least, not in the way love is supposed to be obvious. no dramatic realization, no lightning bolt moment where everything clicks into place. it slips in sideways, hides in the margins of their days. it lives in pauses and glances and things left unsaid.
the party notices before either of them do.
the first time is dustin.
it’s late afternoon in the byers’ basement, the kind of late where the sunlight slants through the small windows and turns everything golden and dusty. papers are spread across the floor, maps and scribbled notes overlapping each other, and dustin is in full ramble mode, pacing as he explains a theory that somehow involves tunnels, dart, and at least three different movie references.
steve is half listening, arms crossed, leaning against the wall with that familiar air of pretending he’s just here to supervise. but every so often, his eyes flick down to her.
she’s sitting cross legged near the couch, chin resting on her knee, twirling the chain around her neck as she listens. when dustin says something particularly ridiculous, she laughs quietly under her breath.
steve’s head turns instantly.
it’s not dramatic. not obvious. but it’s immediate, like her laugh is a sound he’s trained himself to listen for. his mouth curves into a smile that’s softer than the one he gives anyone else, something private and unguarded.
dustin stops mid sentence.
he watches steve shift his weight, unconsciously angling his body toward her. he watches steve slowly inch closer to her, as if he can’t get enough.
when steve looks over to here, making eye contact and gently offering her a smile, dustin finally blurts, “are you guys dating or something?”
steve sputters. “what? no. no way.”
she nearly drops the pen. “we’re just friends, dustin.”
dustin blinks at them. once. twice.
“huh,” he says slowly. “okay.”
he goes back to talking, but now he’s watching. he notices how steve reaches out to steady her when she shifts positions. how she automatically leans closer when steve lowers his voice.
but dustin knows better than to ignore patterns.
it’s night at the quarry, the air sharp and cool, stars scattered overhead. they’re all sitting on the hood of steve’s car, legs dangling, sharing fries that are more salt than potato at this point.
max leans back on her hands, observing.
she sees the way steve drapes his jacket over her shoulders the moment she shivers, not even asking first. she sees how she tugs the sleeves over her hands and smiles faintly, like it’s something she’s used to.
they talk quietly, heads angled toward each other, voices low. when she laughs, steve grins like he’s won something.
max watches him check the time, then glance at her, then subtly adjust his posture so she’s more shielded from the wind. she watches how steve opens her car door later, waiting until she’s buckled in before shutting it.
max nudges lucas. “you see that?”
lucas squints. “see what?”
“them,” max says, nodding toward steve, who’s leaning against the driver’s side, talking to her through the open window.
lucas shrugs. “they’re close.”
“yeah,” max says. “too close to be nothing.”
when steve finally closes the door and jogs around the car, he catches max watching him. she raises an eyebrow.
he looks away, flustered.
will notices feelings the way other people notice weather.
they’re in the living room, lights dimmed, the tv playing softly. steve is sitting on the floor, back against the couch, arms resting loosely on his knees. she’s curled up above him, her socked foot resting lightly against his shoulder.
but when will’s chest tightens suddenly, when that familiar cold crawls up his spine, steve reacts before anyone else.
“hey,” steve says softly, glancing over. “you okay, buddy?”
will nods, but his eyes flick to her.
she’s already leaning forward, concern etched across her face. “will?”
later, when mike asks if he’s alright, will hesitates before answering. “when steve and her are together,” he says quietly, “it feels safe.”
mike doesn’t question it, but he understands what will means.
el understands love differently.
she feels it in energy, in the invisible threads between people.
she watches them in the kitchen, washing and drying dishes side by side. their arms brush. neither of them moves away. she accidentally dropped a plate, wincing as it collided with the hard tile.
steve’s hands are on her shoulders immediately. “hey. it’s okay. you’re okay.”
el watches the way she leans into him, the way steve doesn’t let go right away.
as the night carried on, steve let her curl up under his arm, as el sat infront of the tv on the floor. she sees this as her chance to confront steve without waking his “friend” fast asleep next to him.
later, el says simply, “you love her.”
steve freezes. “i don’t.”
el tilts her head. “you do. it’s quiet, but it’s so big.”
it’s late. everyone’s asleep. the house is still.
she’s in his room, sitting on the edge of the bed, wearing one of his shirts. steve paces, heart pounding, words stuck in his throat.
“you’re my best friend,” he says finally blurts out.
she smiles. “yea, you’re mine.”
he swallows hard debating if he should even gel her his secret.
he swallows. “no. i mean… i think i’m in love with you.”
she stands, closing the distance between them, hands resting lightly on his chest. “steve,” she whispers.
“i know it’s scary,” he rushes, “and we don’t have to change anything and i don’t want to mess this up, i just needed you to know.”
she rises onto her toes and kisses him.
it’s soft. like something that’s been waiting a long time to happen.
when they pull apart, she rests her forehead against his.
“i know,” she says. “i’ve known.”
outside, the world is quiet.
inside, everything finally makes sense.
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