Delicate, S.H
based on this request | word count: 2.1k+
☆ your getaway shelf | ☆ currently serving
summary: Steve is stupidly and delicately into you.
pairing: steve harrington x henderson!reader
cw: hendorson!reader, steve yearning, lots of fluff, pining, idiots in love, oblivious!reader and oblivious!Steve oh, oh and my favorite, jealous!steve, bff!eddie, parking lot confessions.
authors note: anon, i really hope i lived up to your expectations and you enjoy this. I tried my best ♡
Steve considered himself to be pretty freaking experienced with women. And even more so with asking them out. Sure, his scoops ahoy phase had gotten him alot of rejections but it was the stupid hat and the stupid outfit.
Now, he's back to normal. Or well, rather, the good ol' Steve Harrington charm is back.
And yet, he can't seem to charm you.
You were the sole object of all his desires. You've been occupying his thoughts ever since he'd been nabbed by the Russians. The way you'd barged in with your little brother and Erica, to save him and Robin. The way, when the soldier pointed a shotgun at you, you grabbed it, turned it around and hit him in the head with it.
And then later, when he was drugged and senseless and bruised, you'd looked after him. Been so kind, so sweet, so caring. “Steve, stay with me please. Talk to me. Do you want me to sing to you?” you'd said, worried sick for him. And you had sung for him.
Steve didn't want to be dramatic but he married you in his head in that moment. Literally. The whole ceremony, vows, kiss and shit. He was convinced you were the one for him. Like his heart detonated.
Normally, he could walk up to a girl he finds pretty and just ask her out. He should be able to do that with you, right? It's simple, just swing by your house with your favorite flowers, —that he remembers, thank you very much, and just ask you to go to a movie. Okay, no not movie he's not in highschool anymore.
To dinner. At a nice restaurant. Right?
Except, it wasn't that simple. You were beyond just a girl he found pretty, you were you. Badass, intelligent, gorgeous, so sweet, a little out of his league and a little, lot, related to the kid he'd practically adopted.
He did not know how Dustin would react to him wanting to mack on his older sister. He'd either laugh at him and tell him, ‘‘no way she'd go for you dude,” or smack him on his head or never speak to him again.
Right? Obviously, bro-code. Don't go for anyone your bro is related to. That's what him and Tommy had decided in high school.
But, more than anything, he was terrified of losing you. You had quickly become a very regular and very important part of his life. He valued your friendship. Your presence. You. And if you didn't feel the same it would just ruin your friendship too. He'd lose you.
Steve can handle interdimensional monsters and Russian invasions but what he absolutely cannot handle is losing you. Again, he did not want to be dramatic but he might just go insane.
So instead, he chooses to just sit and yearn and pine for you. In the most obvious way. Well, obvious to everyone but you.
It's so obvious in the way his eyes light up when you enter the room, the way he gives you the, “be the mother of my children” look when you scold your brother and his friends for doing something stupid and then take them out for a treat to make up for scolding. The way his sarcasm and sass seems to go bye-bye when he talks to you. The way he physically and visibly starts emoting when you so much as mention another guy.
Like today. It was a normal day. Stacking tapes, putting entries of who rented what, who returned what. Robin rambling about Vickie and Dustin being an add on, like it's bring your child to work day, talking about D&d and his new best-friend Eddie that he seems to like soooo much. While begging for a ride to the campaign, might he add. The audacity.
He was about to finally say yes when you walked in and he melted like butter as soon as you graced them with your presence.
“Hi Rob, Hi Stevie.” you said to them sweetly.
Oh, how he wanted to just die in your arms when you called him that.
He said your name with such reverence when he greeted you.
Dustin ran towards you like an eager golden retriever, “Hey! what are you doing here?” he asked. He could be an annoying little shit but he adored you so much. And he missed you alot more since you moved out.
You ruffled his hair and stuck out your tongue to him when he got annoyed. Holy shit, you were so cute.
“Eddie called me earlier. Told me y'all have a campaign today and then asked me to come with him later to watch corroded coffin perform.” Steve's could literally hear the sound of glass shattering in his head as soon as you finished talking. As soon as he heard his name. “So I figured I'll just give you a ride and stay for D&d. Then Eds and I can drop you back home on the way before heading to the hideout.” you continued, oh so causally.
He straightens like someone just pulled onto invisible strings attached to his back. He goes very, very still.
The jealousy doesn't hit in some dramatic, explosive way. More like, his jaw ticks, he starts smiling weirdly and tapping on the counter.
You don't notice the shift. But Dustin does. Robin obviously does. “Oh boy, here we go... ” she mutters under the breath but you don't catch it. Steve shoots her a look for that though.
Steve smiles at you, stiff, unnervingly bright. “That's great!” it comes out high pitched, “love that. Love that for me, for you, for Dustin. For Eddie.” he says
You tilt your head at him, observing, “You good?”
You noticed even the tiniest change in him. Oh how he wanted to kiss you for that. “Me? Oh yeah totally. Saved me a trip. Life-saver.” he said, awkwardly chuckling.
You giggle, reach out to ruffle his hair as well before going to the back to check out some tapes.
Dustin, was the less oblivious sibling. He picked up on the change instantly. “Dude. You're being weird.”
“I'm not being weird.” The defense comes quick. Too quick.
“Yeah you are, you look like you're about to give us a musical performance.” Robin chimes in, a knowing, unhelpful smile on her face.
Dustin looks between the two of them, confused, “Okay what's going on? Why are you being weird?” he interrogates.
Steve drops his arms in defense, “I'm not being weird. She's giving you a ride, that's great. She's going with Eddie, that's just... great.” He says, going back to stacking tapes.
Dustin squints and then let's out a Santa laugh, “Holy shit. You're jealous.” he bangs on the counter like he just made an important discovery, few tapes falling down.
“The tapes!” Steve cries, “And I'm not jealous. That's ridiculous.” he denies, bending down to pick up all the fallen tapes.
”What's ridiculous?” you walk back to the front, with the tape of back to the future in your hand. And he mentally thanks you for the interruption and his heart does a lap cause you almost heard that.
“Uh Dustin was saying Star Trek is better than Star wars.” he quickly covers up.
You now look at him weirdly. “How's that ridiculous? That is so true!” you say, mildly offended and he panics. He hasn't even watched Star Trek. Dustin comes to his rescue, surprisingly, when he tells you they're gonna get late.
You give him the tape you picked out to enter into the system. You reach into your pocket to pay when he stops you, “It's all good. I'll put it under my name, employees have free rentals.” he tells you. You look at him all doe eyed when you thank him and he swears he saw you blush a little but that's just his mind playing tricks.
You fidget a bit with the tape before asking him, “Oh, you wanna come with? I could use some company during the campaign.
Robin is at the back now sorting tapes, she can't see or hear them but Steve swears he hears her yell and say, say yes dingus.
“Yes!” he says a little too eager then gains his composure, “I- I mean not like I have much to do here. It's a weekday. You're our first customer.”
“But what about Robin?” You ask
“Don't worry about me, in fact, I'll close up early here and meet up with y'all at the hideout! Someone has to get Steve's car there right?” Robin comes out from the back, she says, wiggling her eyebrows at Steve. He did not want her driving his car.
But Steve doesn't say anything to that, he'll badger her later for pulling that move. Right now, he's just eager to go with you. You, however sense his worry for the love of his life; his car.
“Or, how about we take Steve's car and you bring mine later?” you suggest snd Steve wants to spin you around and kiss you all over.
After alot of back and forth, y'all say goodbye to Robin and leave to go to the campaign.
“I call shotgun!” Dustin claims, and you groan. You wanted shotgun. And Steve wanted you to have shotgun.
“No, she can sit upfront. You're not holding a map.” he says, gesturing you to the passenger door.
“We're literally going to the high school's Av club, I don't need a map!” Dustin complains and Steve smirks at him.
“Exactly! then you don't need shotgun. Wipe your feet outside before you get in.” he says with a shit-eating grin and you laugh at his antics.
When y'all enter the AV club, Eddie announces your presence with adoration. Steve's? Not so much.
“Harrington! didn't think you'd show up. Thought you'd have VHS tapes to Ocd through. Or a date.” he says the last part looking at you for some reason and you fight the urge to smack Eddie in the head.
“I can have a life outside of that.” Steve says.
Dustin snorts, “Can you? Cause I remember you whining about driving me here.”
Steve raises his brows in a ‘Oh yeah?’ way before ruffling his hair to mess it up.
But you? You smiled at him and squeezed his arm reassuringly. “I'm glad you came. Needed you to keep me company.” You tell him and everything else fades to black.
He doesn't break eye-contact, “Yeah. Yeah, me too.” he says and y'all just stare each other for a minute.
Eddie and Dustin share a knowing look before Eddie claps his hands to break the tension, “Alright! time to return to the caves of Kaldor.” Whatever the hell does that mean.
“Uh isn't it Mordor?” he whispers in your ear and you giggle. “That's Lord of the rings, Stevie. Not D&d.” you tell him, hushed, endearingly.
“You're smart.” he says and you raise your brows at him, “Smart? Or nerdy?” you tease.
“Smart.” he emphasizes. And beautiful, he wants to say.
Shouts from the group breaks the moment as Dustin rolls a dice and apparently misses.
It's later once the game is over, when Eddie calls you over. You'd stayed next to Steve throughout the game and yet now that you were going away for a second Steve wanted to not let you go.
He watches you walk away, he watches Eddie put an arm around your shoulder and say something to you in a teasing manner. Something that very, very clearly has you blushing. And then smacking his arm before hiding away in his embrace again.
That just confirms Steve's scares. You like Eddie. Of course you do, of course both the Henderson siblings prefer Eddie Munson over him.
“Easy, now dude you look like you're about to maul Eddie and steal my sister away on a horse.” Dustin pats him on his back, oh how he wishes he could do that.
“You should just ask her out. It's getting kinda pathetic.” Dustin tells him and he's about to start defending himself before he raises a hand to dismiss him, “Don't even bother denying! We all see how hopelessly you look at her.” he accuses, “My blessings, you have, I promise.” he says, imitating yoda and Steve rolls his eyes.
“It doesn't even matter. She clearly likes Eddie. I long since blew my chance.” he says, throwing the dice he was fidgeting with on the board.
Dustin states at him like he's grown two heads before he starts laughing at him. “My sister– Eddie– Oh my God, I'm gonna piss myself!” He cackles like a hyena, catching everyone's attention and Steve has to physically drag him away before you stride along curiously to ask what's happening.
Dustin doesn't stop laughing once when he drags him outside. “Seriously, dude. I think I genuinely wet myself a little.” his laughter dies down a little and he rubs at his eyes. “I can promise you she does not like Eddie that. She likes you.”
Steve was about to start denying it, despite the butterflies in his stomach, when Dustin stops him, “No, for real. Just do it. Tell her how you feel, she's my sister I know her. If she doesn't feel the same way I'll never sing to Suzie again.” Okay now the stakes were really high.
Steve sighs in defeat and nods. “Alright.” he says, weak, shaky.
Dustin does a little dancy dance and Steve laughs. Annoying little shit.
You, Eddie and the rest come out to where they're standing. “Alright! ready to go Dusty?” you ask cheerfully. He whines a little and complains about he wants to tag along too and the two of you deny that request in unison.
“No kids allowed, Henderson.”
“Mom will kill me.”
However, “I mean we could sneak the kid in somehow right? Not like he'll be drinking.” Eddie sides with your brother.
“Absolutely not!”
“Hell no, Mom will still kill me.”
You and Steve, the voices of reason and responsibility announce the final verdict.
Eddie looks at Dustin, apologetic, “Sorry kid. Mommy and Daddy say no.” he teases giving Steve a look.
His stomach flutters and his heart does a few laps. He does not dare to turn to look at you. And you're glad for that because if he had, he would have seen you blushing like a bride.
You and Steve drop Dustin off at your mom's house. Your mom insists you and Steve stay for dinner but you tell her y'all are in a hurry so she invites you and particularly Steve over for dinner this weekend. She adores Steve so much. It's endearing.
Now, it was just you and Steve. Alone. In close proximity. Locked in a car together, driving downtown. Silence took over, not awkward, a comfortable one. The kind where you didn't need to say things for them to be heard. The street lights blur past the windows, a quiet song is playing on the radio that you're humming along to while tapping on the steering.
Steve watches you. Not in a creepy way, in a hopelessly devoted, soft, I'm-trying-not-to- fall-for- you-but-I-already- am, way.
“So,” he says after a moment, “You and Eddie get along well?” he asks but it's not really a question.
You blink, caught off guard but smile, “Yeah! totally. Eddie's great.”
Steve's chest tightens as he musters up a smile, “How long have you liked him?” he asks you finally and you damn near slam on the breaks.
“What? Eddie!? Steve, no–” you sputter, trying not to ram the car into a tree accidentally.
You shake your head, regaining your composure. “I– I don't like Eddie.” you say softly, now. “He's my best friend.”
He shakes his head, “Well, I definitely don't blush at my best friend Robin.” he tries to tease. Keyword: tries.
You don't say anything, just sigh as you pull the car into the parking lot of the hideout. You shift it into park and gesture him to get out.
You both get out of the car and walk towards the backdoor of the hideout when he pokes the bear once more. “Well, didn't see you denying. Guess Suzie-poo is no longer gonna hear Dusty bun sing.” he says, you turn around and look at him like he'd spoken in ancient Sumerian. He could literally see and hear the gears of your head churn. “What?” you ask. And he fumbles, embarrassed, realising you have no idea what he's talking about and now he just sounded asinine.
“Nothing. Just made a silly little bet with your brother about whether or not you like Eddie.” he clarifies.
You chuckle, “Well in that case, sorry Stevie but I have to say you've lost.” you tease, sticking your tongue out at him.
He smiles, stiff “Sure,” he says, trying to walk ahead of you but you stop him with the back of your arm.
“Steve,” you whisper his name, so soft. He feels like he could tell you anything in the world. “What's going on with you? You've been acting weird all day.”
Of course you noticed. Of course you noticed that his smile was too stiff, that his jokes and laughs fell flat, that his body was on flight or fight. How could you not?
He looks away from your watchful gaze. You were now looking at him uninterrupted, observing every tiny little detail and he knew he couldn't get away with lying or denying things anymore.
“Nothing. It's.. It's just that you know when you're around someone alot and they quickly become a huge part of your daily life, and they laugh at your stupid jokes and remember things about you– and then– and then someone else, someone cooler comes along and you just want to rip out your hair.” He rambles, stopping to take a breath, still not looking at you.
“And then, you start to care. Care in a way that exceeds the limits of friendships and realise you only want them to laugh at your stupid jokes. To blush only for you. And then you just feel selfish and stupid 'cause they're not yours and holy shit I'm rambling— I'm sorry, let's just go in—” he tries to walk ahead and you interrupt him with a soft call of his name. He stops, turns around, he still won't look at you for some reason and that bothers you so,
“Oh my God. You like Eddie.” you say and his head shoots up like a deer caught in the headlights only to see you controlling your laughter and realise, you're yanking his chain. He let's out a breathy chuckle of disbelief, “Jesus— What–”
You bite your lip, trying not to just take the wheel from him cause wanted him to say it. “Go on.”
“Right,” he clears his throat, “So. You fight the hypothetical urge to kiss them, standing in a hypothetical parking lot of a hypothetical live music bar where–” you finally put him out of the misery and grab his face and kiss him.
Steve instantly freezes like someone pulled the plug on him in the hospital which is ironic cause he's never felt more alive than in this moment. His mind goes numb– silent.
You pull away nervously to see his face and you have to bite back a giggle. He looked... flabbergasted. “Sorry. I just had to stop you from turning into Robin. I guess it's true that when two people spend so much time together they become like one unit–” he now surges forward to kiss you to prevent another ramble session.
He'd been waiting for this for ages. Since the very day you sang to him. When you part, he's breathless. He leans his forehead against yours and tucks a stray strand of hair behind your ear, thumb caressing your jaw, in the most delicate way. “So, just to clarify— that was because you like me. Right?” he asks, soft, stupid.
You laugh and kiss the corner of his mouth. “Yes, Steve. I like you.”
He grins, big, bright, dazzling. He picks you up and spins you around a few times, but then suddenly drops you to your feet again.
“But, wait. Why were you blushing at Eddie then?” he asks, voice small again.
You want to smack him in the head and pull him in an embrace all at once.
“I wasn't blushing at him, Steve. He knows I like you. He was teasing me about you.”
He sighs and chuckles, “Thank God!” he says in relief. “Plus, I thought I would have had to do the whole speech.”
“You were doing the whole speech.”
“Right.” he winces, “Was it bad?”
“Oh, painful. Totally painful. Like you're lucky you're such a pretty boy.” you tease and he tickles you before kissing you again, not getting enough of it.
This time, your kiss is interrupted by a huge screech of a car panic-breaking and a, “Finally, dingus, I'm so proud of you!” from a very, very excited Robin; who was reckless driving your car.
“If she crashes my car, you owe me rides everywhere I go.” you deadpan.
“Oh shit, in that case I really hope she does.” he teases and you pinch him in the tummy.
The next day, he pulls up to your house with your favorite flowers in one hand and a mixtape with the song you sang to him, your favorite song and the song that was playing last night on the radio— that he had to spend hours trying to find— to officially ask you out. To ask you to be his girlfriend.
Steve Harrington might've been an expert with women but with you, he's just hopelessly devoted, and delicately in love.
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thank you for reading ♡
