HELLO, STRANGER – H. STEVE
SUMMARY ; coming back to hawkins from california, seeing steve for the first time in a long time sparks old feelings.
TAGS ; hopper!reader, reader is in their last year of school!
the ride back to hawkins is rough. california treated you well, better than hawkins. atleast you didnt lose your dad there. but ofcourse the upside down haunts you, haunts all of you. now you're back to a broken hawkins with jane, will, jonathan, mike and argyle.
the town you grew up in was tarnished, you saw people rush to ther cars with boxes in their hands, desperate to leave the hellish town. your mood lifts slightly as a familiar house gets in your view. the wheelers house.
—
the first thing steve sees is a bright yellow pizza truck. then comes a random guy with long hair, then jonathan, steve, mike, el....then there's you. you look grown, curvier, prettier in a mature way. you certainly grew out of your nerdy little self, probably bullied out of it, he assumes. if hawkins is incredibly judgmental, he cant imagine how schools in california are. but god do you look pretty. he doesn't even care about nancy and jonathan embracing. not when you're there.
—
you spot dustin, robin, who you have yet to talk to even after the incident at the mall and everything with the russians, then steve. looking right at you with a small, fond grin. he's taller, a bit bigger muscles wise. and his hair is still perfect. “steve!” you shout, rushing to him, not caring if you accidentally shove dustin. he opens his arms, catching you as you throw yourself at him. “hey,” he whispers against your hair, clutching you tightly. he didnt know how much he missed you, how much he needed you. maybe now more after losing eddie.
“so many things have happened god i-” you pull away just enough to look at him. he's so into you that he doesn't see the way robin and dustin look at both of you. “i have so much to tell you.” both of you say at the same time, causing you to hug him again tightly. “i need to be with you alone.” he whispers softly, pulling away from you and nodding robin off his car. “its okay,”
she says almost immediately before he can give an excuse. “jonathan can give me and dustin ride, i hope.” you look at her over his shoulder, you still dont know who she is. you're sure she's close to him, and that bothers you. more than it should of. little did you know... you walk over to jane, gently cupping her cheeks. “im going with steve, if you need anything promise to—”
she nods, hugging you tightly. “ill call. i promise. im going with mike to the hospital. max.” she mumbles, eyes closing in your embrace. “be careful, okay? love you.” you whisper, kissing her buzzed head before pulling away. you give mike a small trusting but stern look before also hugging him.
“be careful, all of you. if you need me or steve just call.” he also nods, draping his arm around jane's shoulder once you pull away. you grab onto steve's arm, letting him take you to the passengers seat. the drive to the forest is quiet, comfortable. once he parks, he rolls the windows down and turns to you. you look so pretty its almost hard not to stare.
“you've changed.” he remarks softly, tugging at your hair. “i turned cool.” you tease, slapping his hand away. “you've changed too, please dont tell you matured.” he snorts at your comment, shaking his head almost solemnly. you notice the shift, the way he looks sadder. “i really- i really needed you here. you know?”
you and steve been friends since kids. you were there when his dad was being an asshole to him, you were there when he needed a place to stay whenever his dad would kick him out. hopper turned into an almost father figure, or atleast an authoritive figure. a healthy one. when hopper 'died' and joyce decided to take you and jane to california his world shifted. it was nothing like losing nancy, no. it was like losing a part of him. “i really-”
you sniffle, already feeling tears form. “god i really needed you there too.” california was a big shift. nobody bothered you, not because you defended yourself, but because you shapes yourself to be like those girls that would be the bullies and not the bullied. jane distanced herself, as a teenager would do, and jonathan, only a year older, someone who you thought would relate to you, was high all the time.
you needed steve just as much as he needed you. “i really missed you.” you repeat, fidgeting with your sleeve. when you left, you remember the way he held onto you. the way his hands trembled while you reassured you'll come back. that you'll never find another best friend like him. his hand goes to your waist, pulling you closer. “c'mere.”
he whispers before pulling you ontop of him. a rather controversial position, but one that put you close to him. enough were you could both hold eachother like you both needed to be held. “i been so alone without you...so alone.” he whispers as he cups your cheek, pressing your foreheads together. his hands go from your cheeks to your arms, caressing you everywhere. he's looking at you as if you hung the stars, as if you're his salvation. “steve...”
you whisper, staring at him before smashing your lips together. your emotions are so intense you know that a few hugs wont be enough. the kiss is sloppy at first, surprise from both ends, even if you're the one that started it. after a while, the kiss turns slower, more loving. hand hand trails down to your ass, gently gripping the globes of your ass as you arch into him. “open your mouth..” he mumbles against your lips, and when you do, he stick his tongue inside, exploring all of you. “let me show you how much i miss you.”
—
hours later you're in his arms, but now you're in the backseat. the now rolled up windows are foggy. and steve? well he's the happiest he's ever been. and it shows with the way he grips you to his chest tightly. “you're never leaving me, okay? ever.” you giggle, nodding against the hairs of his chest. “you're stuck with me for a long time.” “i wouldn't want it any other way, baby.”











