You and Joe have been friends ever since you joined the cast in season two- best friends. By the time season five comes around, everyone knows it's not just a friendship anymore. Requested here!
It had started as many good things do: with a hello and a smile. A table read for Stranger things two- a chance for everyone to get reacquainted and for the next cast members to get to know each other.
Sadie Sink, Dacre, Sean Austin and you.
You remember it like it was yesterday. Sean Austin was sat with David Harbour across the table from you, Sadie was down a row next to Millie, Dacre on her other side. You were placed next to Joe Keery.
That's how it began. Since that day you hadn't gone a year, hardly a month without seeing him. Every day texts were exchanged, a bond deep in your bones settling there.
GQ magazine - Joe Keery ten things he can't live without
"This ring-" he took it off his index finger, the one he always wore it on and showed it to the camera. To anyone else it was simple design, a silver band that really didn't hold much to it. "A co-star of mine got it for me, whilst filming season five- actually on our last day of shooting. Um, yeah it means a lot to me, I don't take it off ever- except to show the camera-"
The camera didn't focus on the ring and it was for sure the thing nobody was focusing on when they watched the video. They watched Joe's face as he spoke about the ring, holding it tenderly.
"Yeah, she got it for me. We have matching rings, she has one. And um, inside there's an inscription but you don't need to know what it says," he laughed, making a display in sliding it back onto his finger.
He carried on like the rest of the video would go normally.
Everyone knew in the comments, there was only one who he could be talking about. They all named and shamed you, each other wondering what the inscription could have been.
Liked by… djotime, maya_hawke, finnwolfhardoffical and 991k more
Y/n: throwback Thursday or whatever
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Finnwolfhardoffical: it’s Wednesday
Gatenmatarazzo: it’s Wednesday
Milliebobbybrown: it’s Wednesday
Y/n: I hope my character fucking dies in the next season
You remembered third season, when other cast members joined but one night, you and Joe had steeled away to a bar down Atlanta. A September night together, nothing un-common.
Yet, the unspoken feelings in your soul, that knowing of him in your bones rose with the vodka. The two of you were sat at the bar, drinks in hand- drinks number whatever you'd gotten up to. He was looking at you. You were looking at him, messing with your hair just to put your hands somewhere on yourself, not him.
And Joe was looking at you with a thousand things to say.
"You know, this is good," he'd said that night.
"What?"
He looked at you like you knew the obvious, head tilting. "C'mon."
You chuckled. "Joe-"
"Is it awkward, I've made it awkward?"
"No, no-"
It was drunken slurs with sober thoughts, a desperation to get words on papers. To see if the wavelength was shared.
"You know," he said, peering close at you, his knee pumping yours with his entire attention on you. "You know, right?"
Of course you knew. That not every touch should've lingered like it did, that every glance got slightly longer and longer. That being one of the first to hear the music he was working on wasn't something he did sparingly. That nights out when (as much as you loved them) the rest of the cast were not invited.
You nodded, a sly smile on your lips. "I know."
You knew there were a thousand things Joe did that could've invited you into him, but they weren't invitations. They were just him and you falling helplessly.
Joe looked to his glass, chuckling to himself and rubbing at his eye. "Okay. So we... we both know that this-" he gestured between the two of you, dropping his hand on your knee.
You took a second, sipping your drink.
"I know that this could be bad," you said.
"Bad? What?"
You lifted your shoulders in a shrug, clasping his hand that was slightly higher on your 'knee' then you realised. "What if things went badly? I mean- one thing co-stars should never do is date, and on a franchise."
Joe was listening to you as he always did tipsy or otherwise.
Maybe you were making the greatest mistake of your life. Admitting your feelings to him, your closest friend only to tell him that you didn't want to date. You did. But it was scary. Scarier even the fact you'd see him every day, work with him, getting lost in movements and characters.
"If things went badly, if we weren't sure we'd have to carry on like it didn't.... hurt," you rambled. "And you are love, you a love personified in a human. I don't want to lose that ever in my life."
It went back and forth a little more, hashing it the feelings you both felt, the draw whether it being sexual or not. Hashing out the fears you both had and finding them similar. In the end, you carried on with a couple more drinks, got different cars to take you back to your apartments and it went on as always. A respect and understanding that lasted almost three years.
But when it was announced Stranger Things, season five, the end... well, rules went out the window.
Capital FM interview
You and Charlie sat, gently kicking yourself side to side on your spiny chairs, careful not to get the wires of your headphones tangled.
"So, y/n," they addressed you.
Your eyes went wide, your heels stopping on the chair.
"How annoyed were you when you found out Joe had written a song about Charlie?" they asked.
Charlie laughed, pulling away from the mic.
You chuckled but quickly feigned a serious hurt. "I don't speak to Joe anymore."
They all laughed.
You broke out into a smile as Charlie hit the back of your chair. You laid your hands out on the table, a certain ring kept on your index finger catching the light. "No, I actually heard Charlie's Garden before Charlie so there's that. If I didn't want that song out it would not have been out-"
"You have that much of a say in the process of the album?" they asked, eager to do their jobs at get the dirt with what fans loved to speculate about. Were you and Joe in a relationship or not? It was on every fans of yours and his mind.
"Yeah," you said. "But I love that song- I mean, I love every song on the album and we lived- while filming season five- right across from Charlie and Natalia and they got the best garden so we would always be over there, hanging out and yeah, it deserves a song."
Liked by… maya_hawke, y/n, SabrinaCarpenter and 809k more
Djotime: whatever man
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User1: THELAST PICTURE OMG
User2: is that y/n in the last picture?!?!?
Y/n: ❤️
↪️ Djotime: ❤️
Joe picked you up from your place, his role as the designated driver of you and maybe another when they needed it had been going since season two. There was a reason he was known as the best driver in the cast.
There was no reason for him to get out the car and greet you as he did. He saw you yesterday at a read through before filming began but he wrapped his arms around you like he hadn't seen you in weeks. Months. His arms were tight around you, squeezing you into him as his hand swept up and down your back.
You got into his car, talking, only slightly watching him drive from the corner of your eye. A hand on the wheel, his eyes on the road but his attention all on you as your body turned to him in the passenger seat. You knew it in the way he played with his bottom lip, pinching it between his finger and thumb.
By the time you guys got to set there was scripts ready to hand out for the day, a camera crew filming for the documentary you knew was being done.
Joe got out first, hurrying around to get your door for you.
He was smiling as you got out.
"Morning guys," she greeted as she handed you guys the scripts.
Joe already had an arm around your shoulder, drawing you in as you took the scripts on account of him also having his bag slung over his shoulder and yours in his other hand. "Good morning."
"Last first day," said the camera man.
It was like that every morning of the filming for season five, a compilation created of you and Joe walking onto set, arm around your shoulder, yours going around your waist.
Everyone noticed. Everyone had been rooting for you since they saw the way you looked at each other when filming your 'platonic' scenes together. Everyone rejoiced when you always sat next to him at readings, your head going to the crook of his shoulder like it was made to fit there.
As the months went on it just got better.
Your friendship hanging on a thread. With the early morning drives no matter if you had an early start and Joe didn't. He was there like clockwork. The touches got longer, the glances lingering more. The dinners became more frequent, a hand falling on your thigh or his knee nudging yours every time.
The park dates were an almost every time thing when you both had days off.
Nobody saw you or Joe without the other.
Noah, Gaten, Caleb and Finn interview,
"Do you guys have any crazy rumours you've heard about yourselves, or anyone on the cast?" asked the interviewer, holding her cards to her chest as she looked at each other.
They were silent while they thought.
"I've seen some crazy ones," said Gaten. "It's like when I look myself up and they have those options up top, I go straight to news."
There was a confusion and silence.
"I'm too scared to look myself up, I don't do that anymore-" said Noah.
"Sorry, I thought you said nudes-"
"I thought you said nudes," said Caleb, agreeing with the interview.
Gaten straightened. "Oh, no, Jesus Christ- news."
"That's a rumour we don't want to start," said the interviewer.
"I dunno, I think I've seen some crazy rumours," said Noah, looking around at them.
"Noah-"
"Noah-"
They all warned in chorus, knowing his reputation as the spoiler, even if he did it by accident half the time.
Noah blushed, chuckling. "No I was just gonna say I don't get how people don't think Joe and Y/N are dating, remember there was that rumour they hated each other."
Caleb smirked. "Oh yeah."
It was well known between all the cast, especially the kids that you and Joe were practically dating and, as of filming that interview, were official to their delight. But not everybody knew that.
"Yeah, that's true," said Finn stretching out.
Gaten and Caleb shared a small look at the prospect of the secret being out.
Liked by…. Milliebobbybrown, Y/N, and 1m more
Djotime: that’s a wrap baby
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User1: djotime being a fan account to y/n is so real
User2: y’all can’t tell me they’re not in love that you seen their interviews?!
Y/N: ❤️
The wrap party was huge, large, held in a warehouse in a secret location that had been hard enough to find. There were people you were sure you'd never even seen on set there. Crew and cast, families and trusted friends of both adding to the number.
The bar was large and free for the night and where you went first.
It was manic, crazy, a tacky disco ball somewhere ahead of you shining down.
It had been five minutes, a personal best for you before you started searching the crowd for Joe. Maybe he wasn't there yet or maybe he'd brought his sisters and they'd all got lost in the crowd. It was possible.
You integrated yourself into the party, sipping your drink and chatting, laughing. Tears that had shed on the last day of set turning to smiles as you all remembered times together.
It must have been an hour in when you got away to the bar.
You'd just ordered a drink when an arm, strong and warm wrapped around your waist and squeezed, spinning you.
Joe. "I've been looking for you all night," he said, half yelling over the 50-cent song playing.
"And you didn't think to check the bar?" you laughed, hugging him back.
You felt his smile against your skin as his head dipped. He sighed like he was in relief at having you in his arms.
"You look beautiful," he said into your skin, the words tattooing there.
The two of you forgot about the bar, forgot about your friends begging for attention as you bathed in each others presence. You leant on the bar without ordering, leaning in to each other to hear, his hand steady at your elbow as he dipped his head.
You had no idea how long you guys were standing there, talking about everything and nothing with the heavy knowing sitting with you that Stranger Things was over. It would come out in less than a year and then you'd be free to... well, too ruin a friendship with your favourite person.
"I got you something," you said over the music, reaching into your purse while Joe waited, admiring you.
The box you pulled out was small, big enough for a ring only.
Joe took it, keeping a hold on your wrist with one hand and opening it with the other.
A band of silver sat there, polished and glorious. It seemed pretty simple at first, an easy statement.
"It's beautiful," he said, taking it out the box and looking at it in the low light.
"It has my name inside," you told him, breath fanning his ear.
He looked to you and then grabbed out his phone, not to take a picture- he'd never need a picture as every picture of him from that day forward had him and had the ring featured- he used the torch to shine inside of it.
In his hand writing there was your name engraved in the curve of the band.
Joe was speechless, only moving to look at you.
You were sliding off a gold bond that you hadn't worn till today and showing him. It was just the same as his, gold and in your handwriting his name followed the curve.
He only stared at you.
"If it doesn't fit or it's not your style don't worry. You don't have to wear it, it was just sentiment and-"
Joe had the ring slipped onto his thumb were it sat snug but it was the first place he thought to place it as he grabbed your neck and kissed you.
It was desperate and slow, eager to get the taste of you on his lips but knowing, finally, you had all the time in the world to enjoy the feeling. His lips were soft and your lipstick was smearing over him as his hands cupped at your jaw and worked your mouth open, the cool band of his ring slicing the burning heat on your face.
Your arms went up to his back, pulling him in closer.
Some Taylor Swift song started playing but you could hardly feel the rhythm over the feel of Joe and the pounding of your own heart.
It could have been another hour, or maybe the party was over when you pulled away. But finally you did to catch your breath.
"I got all of that on camera by the way!"
The two of you turned, realising almost half the cast had gathered, witnessing your make out.
Millie was grinning wide looking like she might shed a tear with her phone out, recording the two of you.
At her side Noah was making kissy noises.
Gaten and Finn had their arms around each other, jumping up and down like children.
"Shit, has this turned into an engagement party?" asked Finn when he caught sight of the bands.
No, it wasn't but it turned into a celebration of the ending of almost a decade of story telling and seven years of yearning turning into you and Joe entwined with each other.
Interview,
"So after ten years of all of you guys," said the interview as Maya, Charlie, Natalia, you and Joe all sat together, slightly cramped on a small sofa.
"Most of us," joked Maya with a grin.
You laughed with her, reaching over a hand and holding it up for a high five. "Late comers, baby!"
She did so, laughing, hand catching the gold band you wore on the opposite hand of Joe's own.
You returned back into you seat, shuffling between and settling in, Joe's leg almost on top of yours. He'd leant as far back into the corner as he could, stretching out his arm over the back of it just so he could un-knowing to the camera mess with your hair, taking a strand between his fingers.
Well, the both of you thought it was discreet but the fans wondered why you're hair was moving like that and where Joe's hands were disappearing to.
"Was there a party to celebrate?" asked the interviewer. "Or a get together."
Unknowingly all heads turned to you and Joe.
"Oh, there was a party," Maya chuckled.
"There was a party," agreed Charlie, looking down to where his hands clasped at his knee with a sly smirk.
"Yeah, it was crazy," said Natalia.
"There was a massive party in a warehouse, in a very secret location," Joe described. "We were all there." He looked down the sofa, giving a small nod to you. You nodded back.
"A lot of memories made," you agreed, leaning back into the sofa, un-consciously leaning in closer to your boyfriend.
"A lot," he agreed, with a wide grin on his face as he playfully tugged at your hair.
Maya laughed at the two of you. "But there was a strict no phones allowed to avoid, like, spoilers, I guess."
Charlie looked aghast. He laughed. "Was there?"
You all knew full well they had plenty of pictures of you all and you and Joe more so. After the rings were put on both of your fingers you each took turns in snapping shots every second: shaking hands stupidly with the bands on show, fingers wrapped around a glass or in each others hair.
They spoke of the party but Joe got your attention, splaying out his hand and you knew he was indicating for you to do the same. It was a little game the two of you played, putting hands next to each other to keep tabs on the rings.
Fans had noticed, of course they had and the next day after the interview was published, it was almost everyone's knowledge what had gone down at that party.
I would just like to say thanks for the continuous love on these little fics. I see ALL requests and though I can’t type quickly enough to get the all out just know I’m working on most and am having so much fun (I have never wanted someone as bad as I want Joe Keery)
