watercolor bruises Ëâ⎠SH
Steve Harrington x fem!reader
ĘÉ You and steve had been connected at the hip for years until high school came and he got swept away into chaos leading him to be become someone new, someone too âcoolâ for you and your friendship. You swore you hated him, swore youâd never speak to him again until he starts hanging around your younger brother and one day shows up at your house drugged and beaten with your brother begging for your help.
đđââË Hi! i honestly havenât written in years so this is a little sloppy and all over the place but i figured i should start writing my thoughts down and share them bc who doesnât love steve. i might try to write a part two if i can be more organized during writing itâs also poorly proofread i just wanted to post it before i got to scared. i hope you enjoy angels đ¤
Wc: 4.1k (ish)
There was no big fight signaling the end of the friendship. no yelling no violent words thrown back back forth no conversation about it at all. It happened under your nose, one day it was there then the next it started floating away too fast for you to react. The two of you met at camp the summer before second grade and from that moment on you did everything together. You went through the transition from elementary school to middle school together and the awkward puberty stage together but nothing could tear you apart until steve entered high school while you were a year younger. You were soft spoken, reserved and shy meanwhile steve fed of the attention of popularity, he loved it to the point of completely becoming someone new. His Freshman year wasnât so bad you guys still spoke still hung out occasionally but when it was your turn to go to hawkins high he completely acted like you didnât exist. He walked around school head held high with tommy h and carol and coined the name âking steveâ. On your first day for freshman year he walked past you without a glance and from that moment on you knew he was gone.
After adapting to the new environment you learned your so called place in high school hierarchy. You made new friends, got good grades, stepped out of your comfort zone and became someone new. Someone who didnât let people get under your skin the way steve did freshman year. You avoided him, kept distance and learned to not let it bother you until one day he and your younger brother dustin became some weird kind of friends and now he was showing up to your house casually like nothing happened between you two. And oh you fucking hated it.
July came with heat, sweat, melted ice pops and starcourt mall your new favorite way to escape the sun.
â i donât understand why you wonât just say yes heâs been begging to go out with you for like monthsâ mary said as you two casually walked through the mall swinging The gap bags in your hands.
â Cole is too.. i donât know not meâ you say looking at the floor
â you mean heâs so much like steveâ mary deadpans
the mention of him name makes you snap your head at her with a confused look. it had been years since you spoke about him as your about to be a senior in high school the upcoming fall.
â donât look at me like that you know itâs true i mean come on coleâs on the basketball team heâs got girls throwing themselves at him left and right and he does have really nice hair kinda like you know whoâ she says looking at you observing your reaction
âok that really makes me wanna go out with him nowâ you say through laughter as you walk past scoops ahoy not realizing that who mary was comparing cole to stood right inside catching a glimpse of you almost letting it weigh on him. Almost.
Over the next few days you decided that you didnât want to let your hatred of jocks because of steve hold you back anymore and maybe cole would change your presumptions. To be fair cole was nice to look at, tall, Blonde, Sharp blue eyes and wide shoulders you wouldnât mind holding on too. You knew steve hated cole in high school and maybe that would have stopped you from going for it in the past but now the thought of letting an old friends past opinions stop you felt wildly stupid.
On your next trip to the mall you and mary ran into cole and his friends and all your fears flew out of the window.
âhey y/nâ Cole said walking over to you looking you up and down meeting you half way to stand conveniently directly in from of scoops.
â Oh hey cole nice uh.. shirtâ as soon as the words came out of your mouth you internally cringed but decided to not let that stop you.
âhey thanks came here a few days ago and got it had to come back though i figured id need something nice to wear to the fair since i plan to ask someone special to go with meâ he says casually running his hands through his blonde hair looking at you like he was implying something that you didnât pick up on for a moment.
And then it clicked â oh really iâm sure she would have a great time with you⌠and your new outfitâ you say offering him and sweet smile but you were internally screaming at yourself because the talking to a boy like this felt so foreign to to since you swore of men at 14.
The conversation continued with mindless flirting and awkward looks until he handed you his phone number written on the back of a half crumpled receipt and told you to call him later before walking away only to turn back and wink at you. You had been so in your own world trying not to sound like a freak but also trying to flirt successfully with no practice that you didnât realize the eyes looking at you from inside the ice cream shop.
âwhatcha looking at sailorâ robin said to steve who had been awkwardly standing still scooper in hand. her eyes followed his until they saw you right before you walked away giggling with mary holding the receipt with both hands.
âohhhhh whoâs that, do you know her, should i add a tally under you suckâ she said poking his side as he finally moved from his spot he had been in during your whole interaction with cole.
ripping of the sailor hat and trying to fix his hair thatâs too far gone he mumbled â not anymore i used to this isnât a tally moment robinâ he said giving air quotes.
â this is gonna sound ⌠weird but since i gave up the whole âking steveâ act iâve been thinking about the stupid crap i didâ he said as he pushed himself up to hit on the counter behind robin.
âawww self reflection you know thatâs a good sign right itâs like stage 3 in becoming less assholeyâ
âwhat did you do to her stand her up or something, call her another girls nameâ she dramatically stopped and turned to face him âdid you give her an STDâ she said pointing a finger at him.
â ok what⌠one i never even had an STD two i didnt stand her up or whatever else your saying⌠she was my best friend and i kinda went ghost a few years back you know peak assholey phaseâ steve said hands up in defense.
â oooooh i see typical prime bird brain steveâ robin said before turning to wipe the counter.
âsheâs dustinâs older sisterâ steve blurts out causing her to whip her head around and stare.
â so you dropped the older henderson and moved on to the younger one⌠what is it with you and that familyâ the girl said laughing as steve rolled his eyes and whent to help a customer.
The phone call with cole went better than expected later that night and you finally caved and officially planned to go to the fair with him on saturday giving you three days to try and learn how to flirt but you werenât hopeful.
The fair was bright and loud, running wild with kids and families. The multicolored lights flashed across the warm July sky as the sun slowly disappeared behind the horizon. The smell of popcorn, cotton candy, and funnel cakes drifted through the air, mixing with the sounds of laughter and music from the rides. Ferris wheels sparkled with glowing lights distracting you from the hand that was wrapped around your own .
âAre you having fun?â Cole asked, smiling as you walked past the game booths.
âYeah, actually. I was kind of nervous before tonight, but this is really nice,â you admitted.
âI was nervous too,â Cole laughed. âI spent way too long deciding what to wear.â
you smiled. âhey i thought you went and got a new outfit for this specificallyâ
âI did but the weather is so unpredictable⌠itâs really damn hotâ he said shyly whipping sweat of his head.
you continued walking through the crowded fair, listening to the music and watching the rides speed past and children buzz with excitement.
Cole pointed toward the Ferris wheel. âYou know, I think that has the best view here.â
You looked up at the towering ride. âIt does look pretty amazing.â
Cole hesitated for a second before speaking. âWould you want to go on it with me?â
âThe Ferris wheel?â you asked.
âYeah. Unless youâre secretly terrified of heights.â
You laughed. âA little, maybe. But I think I can survive one ride.â
âGood,â Cole said, grinning. âBecause Iâd hate to miss the chance to see the whole fair from up there.â
âThen letâs do it.â
As you joined the line, Jake glanced over at her. âIâm glad you came tonight.â
You smiled. âMe too.â realizing maybe he wasnât so bad after all
âDude, why do you keep asking about her?â Dustin asked. âI told you she doesnât care. Like, seriously. Youâre making this way weirder than it needs to be.â
Steve sighed. âI know.â
âNo, I donât think you do,â Dustin said. âYouâve brought her up three times this week. Three. Thatâs not normal people behavior.â the boy said pointing a finger in steveâs face.
Robin snorted âHeâs obsessed.â
âIâm not obsessed.â
âSure,â Robin said. âAnd Iâm secretly the mayor of Hawkins and you totally didnât stare at her at work the other day for like ten whole long painful excruciating minutesâ
Steve rolled his eyes âIâm just thinking about it.â
âThinking about a friendship that ended four years ago?â Robin asked. âThatâs somehow pathetic but makes total sense for you.â
âThanks for the support.â steve said.
âAnytime.â Robin said shoving her face with more cotton candy.
Dustin looked between them âFor real though, man. You guys barely talk. Actually, scratch thatâyou donât talk at all i mean she acts like you donât exist when your at my house and you do the same so whatâs with the change of attitude harrington .â
âshe got boobs, nice onesâ robin said smirking
âEw, Buckley, thatâs my sister. Can we not?â Dustin said, pretending to gag.
Robin shrugged.
âWhat? Iâm just saying. Itâs not like heâs suddenly interested in her sparkling personality after ignoring her for four years.â
Steve groaned.
âCan both of you stop talking about me like Iâm not standing here?â
âNo,â Robin and Dustin said at the same time.
Robin pointed her cotton candy at him âThen explain it, Harrington.â
âExplain what?â
âThe sudden interest.â
Steve opened his mouth, then closed it.
âSee?â Robin said. âHe doesnât even have an excuse.â
âMaybe I just feel bad.â
Robin burst out laughingâOh, thatâs pathetic.â
âThanks.â
âNo, seriously. You spend years not talking to each other, and now youâre wandering around looking like someone kicked your puppy because she wonât magically start being your friend again?â
Steve rubbed a hand over his face âYouâre making this sound worse than it is.â
âAm I?â
âYes.â
Dustin looked at him suspiciously âYou know what I think?â
âI donât, actually.â
âI think something happened at my house that I missed.â
âNothing happened.â
âThatâs exactly what someone says when something happened i mean you are over like all the time.â
Robin gasped dramatically âOh my God. What if they made eye contact?â
âRobin.â
âMaybe she said hi.â
âRobin.â
âMaybe she asked him to pass the salt and heâs been thinking about it ever since.â
Dustin laughed.
Steve pointed at her âYouâre the worst.â
âAnd yet,â Robin said, smirking, âIâm still not the one asking about Dustinâs sister every five minutes.â
For once, Steve didnât have a comeback.
That was all the confirmation Robin needed âOh my God.â
âDonât.â
âOH MY GOD.â
âRobin.â
âYou totally miss her.â
The fair was beginning to wind down by the time Cole walked you back to his car. The bright lights that had seemed so overwhelming hours ago now felt softer, reflecting off the nearly empty parking lot.You held the stuffed bear he had won for you at one of the game booths against your chest as the two of you walked in comfortable silence.
Cole unlocked the passenger door before you could reach for the handle.
âThank you,â you said.
He gave a small shrug. âYeah, sure.â
The drive home was quieter than the fair had been.Not awkward.Just calm.The radio played softly in the background while warm July air drifted through the cracked windows.
Cole rested one hand on the steering wheel âI had fun tonight.â
You glanced over âYou did?â
He laughed âWas that really that surprising?â
âA little.â
âWhy?â
You smiled at the passing streetlights outside âI donât know. You just seemed nervous.â
Cole groaned âI was nervous.â
âI could tell.â
âGreat.â
âYou asked me if I was having fun like six different times.â
âOkay, first of all, it was maybe four.â
âIt was six.â
âIt was not six.â
For a moment neither of you said anything.The houses in your neighborhood began appearing through the windshield.The night suddenly felt like it was ending too fast.Cole pulled up in front of your house and put the car in park.Neither of you immediately moved.
âWell,â you said quietly.
âYeah.â
The porch light was already on, You looked down at the stuffed bear âThanks for tonight.â
Cole looked over at you âNo problem.â
Another small silence settled between you Not uncomfortable Just neither of you wanting to be the first person to open the door.
Finally you smiled âI had fun too.â
Something in Coleâs expression softened âGood.â
You reached for the handle before pausing âI wouldnât mind doing this again sometime.â
Cole blinked. Then a grin spread across his face âYeah?â
âYeah.â
âOkay,â he said, trying and failing to sound casual. âIâd like that.â
You stepped out of the car and started toward your front door.Halfway up the walkway, you turned around.Cole was still there.Watching to make sure you got inside safely.When he realized youâd caught him, he rubbed the back of his neck and looked away with an embarrassed smile.Your smile only grew wider as you headed inside.And Cole didnât pull away from the curb until the front door closed behind you. Maybe boys werenât so bad after all.
The days after your date with Cole should have felt normal. Hawkins was still Hawkins the same quiet streets, the same familiar faces, the same routines everyone had followed for years. Yet something felt different. The air seemed heavier somehow, thick with the humidity of late summer and an unshakable feeling that settled in the pit of your stomach. Maybe it was because your mind kept drifting back to Cole and the way he smiled when he dropped you off that night. Maybe it was because the town felt strangely tense, Hawkins felt different. Not wrong exactlyâjust off. Like the familiar town you had known your entire life was holding its breath, and you had no idea why.
The doorbell rang just as you were walking through the living room.
âDustin!â you shouted. âYour rideâs here!â
No answer. Typical.
With a sigh, you crossed the room and pulled open the front door. The words died in your throat.
Steve Harrington stood on the porch.
For a second, neither of you spoke. You hadnât expected him.And judging by the look on his face, he hadnât expected you either.
âOh.â
âHi.â
The greeting came out at the same time. An awkward silence followed.Steve shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket.You tightened your grip on the doorknob.
âUh⌠Dustinâs still getting ready.â
âRight.â
Another silence, A painfully awkward one.
You glanced toward the stairs. Steve looked at the welcome mat.
The years between you seemed to stretch across the doorway. Finally, Steve cleared his throat.
âSo⌠howâve you been?â The question caught you off guard.
Good, you wanted to say.
Busy.
Fine.
Instead, all that came out was: âGood.â
Steve nodded âGood.â
Silence.
Somewhere upstairs, something crashed âDUSTIN!â your mom yelled.
Steve laughed before he could stop himself. The sound surprised both of you.For the first time, the tension eased slightly.
âSome things never change,â he said.
You couldnât help smiling. âNo. They really donât.â
Steve noticed Just for a second.
Then Dustin came barreling down the stairs âThere you are!â he said, grabbing his backpack. âWhy are you both standing there looking weird?â
You immediately stepped back from the doorway âWeâre not.â
âYou totally are.â
âDustin.â
âWhat?â
Steve rubbed a hand over his face âCan we just go?â
Dustin looked between the two of you. Then a grin slowly spread across his face âOh my God.â
âWhat?â you and Steve asked simultaneously.
Dustin pointed dramatically âYou both still do that.â
âDo what?â Steve asked.
âThe talking at the same time thing.â
Neither of you had a response to that.
Dustinâs grin widenedâInteresting.â
Before he could say anything else, Steve grabbed the strap of Dustinâs backpack and steered him toward the driveway âGet in the car.â
âYou canât silence the truth, Harrington!â
You rolled your eyes as Dustin continued shouting nonsense all the way to the car.
Steve opened the driverâs door before pausing.For a moment, he glanced back at the porch.
You were still standing there.
Watching.
His expression softened âSee you around.â
The words were casual. Simple even.But they were the first real words either of you had spoken to each other in years.
You nodded âYeah. See you around.â
Steve gave a small smile before climbing into the car.
You tried not to think about Steve after he left with Dustin.You really did.There was no reason to.Years had passed since the two of you had been friends, and even more time had passed since either of you had made an effort to fix whatever had broken between you. Somewhere along the way, ignoring each other had become easier than dealing with it.At least, thatâs what you had always told yourself.But for some reason, seeing him standing on your front porch had unsettled something.Not in a bad way.Just enough to leave you confused.
You found yourself replaying the interaction at random moments throughout the day. The awkward silence. The way he looked just as uncomfortable as you felt. The small laugh the two of you had shared when Dustin nearly destroyed something upstairs.Most confusing of all was how normal it had felt.Not the awkwardness.The familiarity underneath it.
Like no matter how many years had passed, some part of your brain still remembered what it was like when Steve Harrington had been someone you talked to every day.
You hated that thought.Especially because things with Cole were going well.Cole was easy to be around. Easy to talk to. You found yourself smiling whenever you thought about the fair or the way heâd waited until you got inside before driving away.
So why was Steve suddenly taking up space in your head?t wasnât like you missed him.At least, you didnât think you did.Maybe you were just bothered by the fact that there had never been any real ending. No conversation. No closure. Just years of silence that had slowly turned two former friends into strangers.
The more you thought about it, the less sense it made.Because when you looked at Steve standing on your porch, he hadnât felt like a stranger.And maybe that was the part that bothered you most.You werenât sure whether you were remembering who he used to be or realizing that you never completely forgot.
Sleep refused to come.No matter how many times you rolled over or fluffed your pillow, your thoughts kept circling back to Steve.
To the awkward conversation.To the way he had looked at you before leaving.To the fact that seeing him again had stirred up feelings you couldnât quite name.
By midnight, you finally gave up.You changed into your favorite pajamasâa soft oversized T-shirt and plaid shortsâand settled into bed with a book, hoping it would distract you.It didnât.
The house had gone completely quiet.Your parents were asleep.Dustin hadnât been home for hours.The only sound was the occasional creak of the old Henderson house settling for the night.
Then came a loud bang.You sat upright immediately. Another noise followed.The unmistakable sound of someone stumbling into a wall downstairs.
âDustin?â you called.
No answer.A knot formed in your stomach.
You slipped out of bed and pulled open your bedroom door.The moment you stepped into the hallway, you heard frantic footsteps on the stairs.
Then Dustin appeared Half dragging, half supporting someone beside him.
Your heart nearly stopped.
Steve.
His arm was slung over Dustinâs shoulders while Dustin struggled to keep him upright.
âDustin, what happened?â you asked, rushing forward.
âI need help,â he blurted That alone was enough to make your stomach drop.
Dustin never asked for help.
Not like this.
Steveâs head lolled slightly as he looked up His eyes seemed unfocused.
Distant.
Like he couldnât quite figure out where he was.nâHey,â he said suddenly.
You froze.âHi.â
Steve pointed vaguely in your direction.âYouâre real.â
âOkay,â Dustin muttered. âSee? This is what Iâve been dealing with.â
âWhat happened to him?â
âIâll explain later.â
âDustinââ
âPlease.âThe panic in his voice stopped you.
For a moment, you simply stared.
Steve looked exhausted. His clothes were dirty. There were cuts along his arms and face.Dark bruises spread beneath his skin, blooming in soft patches of purple, blue, and red that reminded you of watercolor paint bleeding across wet paper, color spreading beneath the surface in uneven shapes.Evidence of something painful.Something neither boy seemed ready to explain.
Your chest tightened.âDustinâŚâ
âPlease help me clean him up before Mom sees.â
Steve blinkedâOh.â
Everyone looked at himHe pointed at Dustin âHeâs tiny.â
Dustin closed his eyes âI know.â
âAnd angry.â
âI know.â
âYou yell a lot.â
âDude.â
Steve frowned thoughtfully âI think youâre my friend.â
For the first time all night, Dustin almost smiled âYeah, idiot. I am.â
Steve nodded like this was the most important revelation heâd ever had âGood.âThen his gaze drifted toward you.
His expression softened immediately âOh.â
You swallowedâOh?â
A slow smile appeared on his face âThereâs two Hendersons.â
âOh my God,â Dustin groaned.
You couldnât help it. Despite everything.Despite the confusion.Despite the bruises and whatever terrible thing had happened.A laugh escaped.
Steve smiled wider. Like hearing it was enough.
Dustin pointed toward the bathroom You nodded immediately.As you hurried away, you couldnât shake the image of Steve leaning heavily against your brother, bruised and exhausted, yet somehow still trying to smile.
And for reasons you didnât understand, that frightened you far more than the injuries themselves.
The bathroom door clicked shut behind Dustin âill be right back,â he said. âJust⌠make sure he doesnât fall over.â
âDustinââ Too late. He was already gone.
You stared at the closed door. And Steve sat on the edge of the bathtub while you carefully cleaned the cut near his eyebrow.
For once, he wasnât talking.
He just watched you.The kind of stare that made you aware of every movement.
Every breath.
Every second.
âYouâre still doing that.â
You glanced upâDoing what?â
âThe concentration thing.â
âWhat concentration thing?â
Steve smiled softly âThe one where your eyebrows pull together when youâre focused.â
Your hand paused âYou remember that?â
âOf course I remember that.â
The answer came too quickly. Too honestly.
Something twisted uncomfortably in your chest.âYou remember weird things.â
Steve laughed quietly âNo.â
His eyes dropped to the floor âI remember everything.â
The smile disappeared from your face.Neither of you spoke for a moment.
Then Steve shook his head.âGod.â
âWhat?â
His laugh was softer this time.
Sadder.
âWe were such idiots.â
You looked down at the bandage in your handsâYeah.â
âNo.âSteve rubbed a hand over his face. âI mean me.â
The words surprised you.Steve wasnât usually the type to admit fault.Not even before everything happened.
âI spent years convincing myself I didnât care.â
You froze. The confession seemed to surprise him too. Like heâd only realized he was thinking it once the words were already out.
âIâd see you at school and pretend it didnât bother me.â
Your chest tightened. âSteveââ
âIâm serious.âHis gaze stayed fixed somewhere on the bathroom floor. âEvery time.â
The room suddenly felt too small. Too warm.
You werenât sure what to do with this version of him. The honest version.The one that wasnât hiding.
âYouâd walk by with your friends and Iâd act like I didnât even notice.â A hollow laugh escaped him. âThen Iâd spend the rest of the day thinking about it.â
The bandage in your hand suddenly became very interesting. Because looking at him felt impossible.
âWhy?âThe question came out before you could stop it.
Steve blinked. Then looked at you. âWhy what?â
âWhy did it bother you?â
For a second, neither of you moved. The answer seemed obvious. And somehow impossible.
Finally Steve smiled. Not his usual smile. Something smaller. More fragile.
âBecause you were my person.â
The words stole the air from your lungs.
Steve immediately looked away As though hearing himself say it had embarrassed him. âWe told each other everything.â His voice had grown quieter.
âYou knew me before everybody else did.â
The lump in your throat became impossible to ignore.
âThen one day we justâŚâ He gestured vaguely.
âStopped.â
The silence stretched.
Years of hurt packed into a single unfinished sentence.
You looked down âI thought you didnât care.â
Steve laughed. The sound was almost heartbreaking.
âYeah.â His eyes met yours again âSo did I.â
Something in your chest cracked slightly.
Not broken. Just shifting. Changing shape.
Steve stared at you for a long moment.The drugs had made him honest. Painfully honest and all of The usual walls were gone. for the first time in years, you were seeing exactly what was underneath.
âYou know whatâs stupid?â
âWhat?â
His smile returned.Small.
Fond.
âI saw you on the porch today and all I could think was that youâre still pretty.â
Your breath caught.
Steveâs eyes widened immediately. âOh.â
For the first time all night, he looked genuinely alarmed. âI wasnât supposed to say that one.â
Despite everything, a laugh escaped you.
Steve dropped his head into his hands âOh my God.â
âYou said it.â
âI know.â His voice was muffled. âI am having the worst day of my life.â
You laughed again. And when Steve looked up, he was smiling too.Like hearing you laugh was worth every embarrassing thing heâd accidentally admitted.
The moment lingered.Neither of you looking away. Neither of you quite sure what to say next.
Then the bathroom door burst open.Dustin stepped inside carrying an ice pack.
He stopped immediately.
Looked at Steve.
Looked at you.
Looked back at Steve.
ââŚWhy does it feel like I interrupted something?â
Steve immediately pointed at him âYour sister is really prettyâ
Dustin groaned so loudly it echoed through the entire house. âyou are gonna regret that in the morning buddyâ










