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it didn’t help that your former best friend and your boyfriend couldn’t put their differences aside, despite having been part of the same cause for four years now, for even a second.

your friendship with jonathan byers was the byproduct of each of your little brother’s friendship. will was the first friend that dustin made when you moved to hawkins all those years ago.

what started as a bond over your little brothers’ friendship turned into a bond over shared interests. you and jonathan liked the same music, movies, and books. when he got his license, he would pick you and dustin up on the way to school.

it was a canon event that you fall in love with jonathan byers. you were fourteen and never even thought about boys like that before (well, besides harrison ford or tom cruise, but they didn’t count). all of a sudden, you’re passenger seat in jonathan’s car with the torn leather seat on your way to pick up your brothers from a dnd session and the moonlight is hitting him in a way that made your heart flip.

you had spent an entire summer pining over jonathan byers before you had worked up the courage to kiss him.

you were in his room, listening to a band he’d just discovered, the smiths, sitting cross legged on his bed. you awkwardly leaned over and pressed your lips to his. jonathan stiffened for approximately five long seconds before kissing you back just as awkwardly.

you don’t even think you and jonathan ever technically, officially date. in fact, you could count on one hand that summer than you kissed or held hands combined. you were convinced you were smitten because jonathan was so cool in your eyes and jonathan, well, he did it because he thought it was right.

in jonathan’s mind, you were his best friend, you were a girl he spent a lot of time with and enjoyed the company of. and yeah, you were pretty. so obviously he liked you, right? that what jonathan told himself during your brief relationship, if you could even call it that.

all came crashing down one day, days before sophomore year started, when you were picking your brothers up from the wheeler’s.

nancy wheeler had opened the door, fresh back from a summer camp for aspiring young journalists and it was like the world stopped, for you and jonathan. jonathan felt something awakened in him. it was like something clicked into place and he finally understood what all those cheesy romcoms were about.

sure, he always thought nancy was pretty. but that summer, puberty hit and along with it nancy beauty shifted into something less childlike and more of a young woman.

jonathan byers was smitten. absolutely gone. flustered at the hands of nancy wheeler.

you, on the other hand, could only stare in horror as you watched your best friend and crush stare at nancy with literal hearts in his eyes. something ugly twisted inside you, jealousy maybe. all you knew was that jonathan was looking at nancy the way you wanted to be looked at. and you hated it.

things between you and jonathan very quickly shift back to completely platonic after that. neither of you mentioned it, there was just a very sudden, obvious drift.

you were angry at first. hurt and jealous even. but as time went on, you realized that you didn’t even like jonathan as much as you thought you did. in fact, maybe even at all. all you knew was that hormones were confusing.

still, things never quite went back to normal with you and jonathan. you remained friends, but there was a lingering tension that crept in at times. tension that became louder months into the school year when the two of you teamed up with nancy to help find a missing will, which turned into monster hunting together.

it didn’t surprise you when jonathan and nancy started dating. it surprised you more than nancy very publicly (and kind of harshly) dumped steve harrington for jonathan.

you and steve never interacted before the upside down. but unfortunately, things like that will bond you to someone. which is how you found yourself taking in a freshly dumped steve harrington like taking in a stray dog.

you didn’t get along. at all. not at first. you thought he was frustrating, he thought you were hot-headed. but despite that, you made a good team. you worked well with one another, almost on instinct. when you defeated the demogorgans together for the second time, you expected to go your separate ways and go back to your respective levels of the high school food chain.

fate had other plans. as did your brother.

because soon after the events of november ‘83, steve harringtons beamer would roll up to the curb in front of your house, horn honking twice. your little brother, dustin, would then bound out the house, curls bouncing beneath his cap as he hopped into the front seat.

you thought it was bizarre that steve ‘the hair’ harrington, king of hawkins high, was willing hanging out with your thirteen year old brother. you were suspicious at first, but then you saw them together and it made you see a different side of steve.

one that you ultimately fell for. finally, you understood what jonathan felt that summer when he stood on the porch of the wheeler’s house, staring at nancy. this is the feeling you were chasing with jonathan. the feeling that was never there. and it was steve harrington that caused it.

it was inevitable, you and steve. even though it took months of pining and painfully obvious feelings to everyone except for one another, you did finally start dating in ‘85. and it was the best decision you’ve ever made.

fast forward to today. hawkins is in lockdown and your rag tag group is planning crawls behind the backs of the military that has stationed itself in the center of town.

for the first time in this whole thing, everyone is working in close proximity to each other. no one is breaking off to investigate other leads, no one is fighting separate battles. which meant that you saw a lot of nancy and jonathan.

this was never something that bothered you before, being around them. sure, it was a little awkward, considering you all switched partners, but it was only awkward when you made it awkward. and quite frankly, you were never around each other enough for it to get overbearing.

but now, nancy and jonathan are always around. you spend most of your time at the squawk with steve and robin, either helping them run the radio broadcast or planning for the next crawl (and selfishly just wanting to be around your boyfriend). but when nancy, or specifically jonathan, came around, you couldn’t help but feel dread.

see, the thing with jonathan is that he has issues with feeling inferior towards steve. that paired with he cannot seem to fully accept that steve has changed and is a good guy, there’s always high tensions.

and steve, well, he just loves competition. he loves to show off, specially for you. he would do anything to earn your praise and attention, even if that meant riling up jonathan.

so since jonathan got back from california, there has been a never ending, unspoken competition between the two men. one that got old very quickly. one that mainly just results in eye rolls from you, nancy, and robin.

it didn’t help that nancy and jonathan were obviously going through a rough patch. you’d suspected jonathan felt insecure compared to steve so you doubted that your boyfriend’s competitiveness helped that. he just couldn’t help it.

and as if all that weren’t enough on your plate, your baby brother has officially hit the angsty stage of his teen years.

you couldn’t blame him, after losing eddie in such a brutal way. that would mess anyone up. and given how much the boy meant to dustin and how much of the town still placed blame on him for the events of ‘86, you weren’t surprised he was depressed and acting out.

you tried endlessly to get through to him, but over the past few months dustin had become more sharp tongued than you’d ever witnessed him before. he’d disappear for a day, going about some reckless pursuit in the name of eddie and hellfire. then he’d slip back into the house far after curfew with a bruised eye and bloody nose.

it was the new norm for dustin, and a battle you stopped trying to fight months ago. and as much as it hurt seeing your little brother lose his spark, you knew it was something he needed to navigate on his own.

for the most part, you like to think you handle all of this well. but sometimes, everything seems to pile up and suffocate you. like today, when dustin didn’t come home until 6:30 in the morning, stumbling into the house while you were getting ready for work. then, during robin’s morning broadcast, nancy and jonathan rolled up to the studio, both not in the greatest of moods. talks of plans for the next crawl meeting had steve and jonathan butting heads, which was only made worse when nancy had defended a point steve made. you thought jonathan’s head was going to fly clean off his body.

you’re annoyed. you’re stressed. which is why you’ve shut yourself away into a storage closet at the squawk, busying yourself by flipping through old records.

you’ve been there for about twenty minutes before there’s a soft knock on the door and the knob twists. you knew it was only a matter of time before he sought you out.

“there you are. shocker.” steve teases softly as he slips into the closet, shutting the door behind him.

he’s wearing a henley, one that’s soft and worn and you’ve definitely stolen once or twice to sleep in. it was one of your favorites.

you sigh, turning back to the boxes of records. steve was good at that, immediately distracting you from things with his mere presence.

steve slides up next to you, planting a soft kiss to the crown of your head as his hand finds the small of your back. “you wanna talk about it?”

you shrug, fingers pausing on a stack. “i dunno. i’m just stressed out. i’m fine though.”

“you’re not fine, you’re in your thinking closet.”

you look up at steve, pulling a confused face. “my thinking closet?”

you snort.

“yeah. you come here when you’re upset or stressed or just need to think. so you might as well just tell me what’s going on in that pretty head because i’m gonna find out one way or another.”

steve’s voice is soft as he coaxes you into his arms and back into his chest. you instantly relax against him and then in his arms.

“i’m just stressed. nothing new. the next crawl is more risky so there’s more logistics to figure out before it gets here, you and jonathan are having yet another pissing contest, and i think dustin is trying to make me grey prematurely.” you lament as your forehead rests onto steve’s chest, face smushing into the soft fabric of his shirt.

“hey! i am not having a pissing contest with byers, okay? he’s just being his usual charming self.” steve huffs sarcastically.

“you egg him on, steve.” you chuckle, looking up at him.

“i can’t help that he’s sensitive.” steve teases, making you roll your eyes.

“the crawl is gonna be fine. the plan is solid, we just have to make sure everyone has their part down pat.” steve brushes a strand of hair behind your ear, leaning in to press a kiss to your forehead. “it’ll be fine.”

“yeah, i know. everything’s just a lot right now. you know dustin didn’t come home until this morning? black eye and all.” you sigh, pulling back to lean against the shelf behind you.

“what?” steve asks, exasperated. “he’s got to cut this shit out. i don’t care if we have to corner him.”

“steve.”

“no i’m serious! he’s being completely reckless and he’s making both of us worry and he doesn’t even care. it’s getting too far.” his arms flail out to his side in frustration before his hands find his hips.

“stevie. i know. i don’t really wanna talk about it right now.”

steve can hear the defeat in your voice. he sighs, hands dropping to his sides before he reaches for you, pulling you into him. his hands run soothing circles into your back as you melt into him once again.

“everything’s gonna sort itself out. don’t worry your pretty little head, baby.”

you stand there in each others arms, nothing but silence and the occasional creak of the old building settling around you.

“you know what you need? some good old fashioned stress relief.” steve mumbles against your neck, and you can feel his smirk growing as his hands slide further down your back.

you snort, pinching his sides as you pull back.

“not here.”

“cmon, we’ve done it before.” steve lips chase after you to trail down your neck.

“yeah, and robin almost caught us.”

“entirely her fault. please, honey? let me help you relax. just a little.”

the annoying thing about steve is that you can’t say no to him, especially not when his mouth is kissing and nipping at the sensitive skin of your neck and his fingers are already sliding around to the button in your jeans.

the other annoying thing about steve is that he knows you can’t say no to him. he knows the exact moment you become putty in his hands. your body relaxes and you let out a little sigh, and that’s all steve needs to smirk against your neck and undo your pants, sliding them down your thighs.

steve’s fingers find your core without hesitation, gliding over you through the already damp cotton of your panties.

“hm, and here you were telling me not now when you’re already soaked.” steve mutters with a tsk.

“don’t get all cocky on me.” you groan, wiggling your hips to give some sort of friction against his hand. steve’s chuckles affectionately before he gives your clothed core a soft pat and tugs your panties to the side.

you bit down on your lip to keep yourself from moaning as steve’s fingers trails along your slit, collecting your wetness like honey before he brings his fingers to his mouth and sucks them clean. he moans around his fingers, eyes fluttering shut in pure bliss.

“you’re always so sweet.” he says after he pops his fingers from his lips. steve gives you one last peck on your lips, the faint taste of you lingering on them, then gets onto his knees.

your panties are pulled down all the way, along with your jeans, and steve gently pries your legs apart. tender kisses are trailed up each leg painfully slow. you hands find his hair and you give it a tug, silently begging for him to move where you need him the most.

steve smiles against your skin and obliges, tongue darting out as he reaches your core to lick one long stipe along you. it’s enough to pull a moan from you.

steve takes it as encouragement and delves his tongue in deeper, rolling it against your clit. his fingers reach up and tease your hole gently before he slips two in, curling them at just the right angle.

“fuck, stevie.” you moan through gritted teeth. steve knew his way around your body. it was something he took great pride in. and you knew now that you weren’t gonna last long at all. not with the way his tongue was massaging your clit.

steve carefully pushes your legs open widen and he latched his lips around your bud, sucking gently. the suction paired with the way his fingers were repeatedly curling into your sweet spot, the knot in your stomach quickly began to unravel.

“fuck stevie, i’m not gonna last.” you whine softly and steve moans against your core, picking up his pace.

the knot came undone and you felt a wave of pleasure wash over you. your fingers tugged steve’s hair harder and you pressed his face closer to you.

steve let you ride out your high for as long as you needed and when you were down he gave a few more soothing kisses to your core before pulling away. when he looked up at you, steve wore the most satisfied smile you’ve ever seen.

“s’good baby.” he mumbles, pressing a few kisses to your hip before he helps you pull your clothes back on.

once he stands up, he pulls you into his arms.

“you feel any better?”

“yeah, i do.” and you did. it felt like some of the weight on your shoulders was replaced by a euphoric feeling. but you knew that you didn’t need an orgasm to feel that. just being in steve’s presence alone was enough to give you that feeling.

you smile up at your boyfriend, letting him press kisses to your face.

to be honest, you’d come close to doing it yourself multiple times. you’d watched and favorited enough tiktok tutorials to feel like it was simple enough. but once you stood in the bathroom in front the mirror, that confidence left you.

your boyfriend, on the other hand, gave himself haircuts on the regular. and while sometimes, he did chop his bangs a little too short, he was pretty decent at it. his confidence made up for any mistakes made. not only does joe cut his own hair, but he has also designated himself as the barber in his friend group.

so it shouldn’t have surprised you when joe was sat next to you on the couch, chin resting on your shoulder, watching as you watched yet another tutorial had offered up his services.

“why don’t you just let me do it?”

you crane your neck to look at him, a bewildered look on your face.

“yeah right.” you snort, shaking your head as you turn back to your phone.

“babe, i’m serious. i can do it. i cut my hair all the time. and wes and javi and jake.” joe says with a pout.

“yeah, and all four of you have the same exact haircut. you only know one haircut and i’d rather not look like an oasis reject.” you tease.

“you’re so dramatic. just let me do it. look, i’ve been watching tutorials too. just let me do a little bit and if you hate it or i mess up, i will pay for you to have your hair done.”

you stare at joe for a long while. and maybe it was his pleading puppy dog eyes or the fact that you really did trust him, but ten minutes later you’re sat in the bathroom with a towel draped over your shoulders.

you watched as joe set out his scissors and your hairbrush then dug around in his drawer for a comb.

it was cute, the way he was taking this extremely seriously.

“okay so the easiest way is to do the two ponytails and cut from there. let’s see…” joe mumbles, mostly to himself. he brushes through your hair then begins parting your hair meticulously, even going as far as to find the apex of your head with the comb. a very important detail, according to him.

your eyes follow his every move in the mirror as he over directs your hair to the front of your head, tying it into two ponytails.

“this seems like a horrible idea,” you mumble and joe smirks.

“i’ll only do a little, don’t worry.” he replies, leaning down to press a kiss to the top of your head.

joe gets to work cutting off a few inches of each section. he’s locked in, his glasses are sitting low on his nose as he carefully examines each cut before he makes it.

soon enough, he’s setting the scissors down and taking the hair ties out your hair. your hair falls around your face and joe begins to straighten it out.

“that was alarmingly quick.”

“shh.” joe hushes you, picking the scissors back up. “i’m not done.”

you huff, closing your eyes tightly as he begins to take sections and make more cuts.

“now you’re just cutting willy nilly.” you gripe, biting your lip nervously.

“i’m perfecting it. let me cook.”

after a few more minutes, joe steps back, sets down his scissors, and dramatically dusts off his hands.

“not to toot my own horn, but i think i did a pretty damn good job.”

you stand from you chair and brush of some of the hair littering your shirt before looking in the mirror.

“joe!” you gasp, hands immediately flying to your hair. your fingers rake through the strands and the freshly done layers.

“i know, i know. call me picasso.” he says smugly.

it looked perfect. in fact, it looked just like how you’d imagine it would look after getting it done at a salon. and you got it done for free in your bathroom by your boyfriend.

“i’m actually so impressed, babe. you did so good.”

“see, you should’ve never doubted me.” joe says from behind you, wrapping his arms around your waist. he takes in your appearance, your new hair that suited you so well, your bright smile that suited you even better.

“you look beautiful.” he says as he rests his chin on your shoulder. you meet his eyes in the mirror and smile softly as you lean back into him.

“thanks to you. my new personal hairdresser. congrats you are now my elite employee.”

the traction started slow, a couple followers here and a handful of likes and comments there. you weren’t dedicating a lot of time and effort into it. besides, you were finishing up your last year in your music production and writing degree. that took up most of your time.

then the pandemic hit. your final exams moved online, your graduation canceled, you at a crossroads of what to do now. in reality, there wasn’t much to be done, with everything shut down. so you spent quarantine in the bedroom of your college apartment that you shared with three other girls writing and recording music.

you began dedicating more time to posting your covers and this time, you quickly grew a following. your followers doubled overnight, then tripled. you pushed out more short covers with nothing but your voice and your guitar.

then you started to post some original songs. and you blew up.

the first original you posted was the early stages of ‘ceilings’. everyone went crazy for it, begging for the full version, demanding it be put on spotify.

you were overwhelmed, to say the least. this was the first time that you felt your music was this appreciated. a dream you had since you were a little girl was slowly coming true.

so after a couple of months, you released the official studio version of ceilings. recording completely on your own using equipment borrowed from friends of friends.

it got a thousand streams in the first hour of it being posted and you had to pinch yourself to make sure you weren’t dreaming.

by the end of that week, it had become a trend.

one month later, you were signing a record deal and moving to new york, your dream city.

you’d been riding the wave of that success, putting out more music and even your first album in the past few years. you were beyond grateful for the fans, success, and opportunities ceilings brought you.

so when triple j reached out asking if you would come on, you immediately jumped at the opportunity. you loved watching their videos of your musicians covering songs.

you immediately began thinking of what song you wanted to cover. the possibilities were quite literally endless. it didn’t help that you were kind of an indecisive person.

in the end, you went with something more niche. something you loved but also, in a way, paid homage to your favorite triple j cover (cough, cough- gasoline). a song you’ve had on repeat from a new album you’ve also had on repeat and were obsessed with.

you decide on ‘egg’ by djo, but you, of course, put your own spin on it. you somehow made it sound so devastating and so you. it quickly blew up.

people went crazy over it, especially the overlapping fandoms between you and djo.

then, djo posted it on his story and followed you. you tried to play it cool, you reposted his story with a quick note saying thank you and how crazy this was. but in reality, you screamed when that notification came through.

and when he sent you a dm, you thought your soul left your body.

Hey! Loved the cover. I feel very honored you chose my song :)

if only he knew how many times you’d had his cover of gasoline on repeat.

hi! thank you so much! i love egg and the crux so much. def my album of the year

the short conversation had continued sporadically throughout a few days, mainly kind words about the other’s work. until it eventually hit a lull when you got paranoid you were mistaking his politeness for genuine interest and stopped replying. well, overthought your next reply to the point where you put it off so much you forgot about it.

it had been a week. you were back in the studio today and the dm with joe was the last thing on your mind. in fact, the only thing on your mind right now was this song that you just couldn’t get right. it was one of those things where you knew the sound you wanted but no one was able to create it.

you were sinking back into the plush leather couch, guitar laying haphazardly across your lap with your eyes closed in frustration. your producer sat at the soundboard messing around with some controls. you just needed a quick mental break.

when you door cracked opened, you ignored it, figuring it was an electric lady employee or someone that was popping in for your producer. but then you heard the voice.

“oh! i’m so sorry.” your eyes flew open and you turned your gaze to the door where a surprised joe keery stood.

you shot up to sit straight and you couldn’t help but gape at him because…. what the hell are you doing here sir?

“sorry i just came to see if i left my bass pedal here yesterday, hi.” he said with an easy smile that immediately made you stomach flip violently.

“hi, um come in. sorry, hi.” you say, standing and setting your guitar down. your eyes land on the embarrassing amount of coffee cups littering the table and you begin to quickly gather them into a neater pile.

“sorry about the mess. rough session. wow, what a great first impression.” you say laughing nervously before standing up straight and finding joe already looking at you with an amused smile.

“no worries, i sort of snuck up on you in here. i didn’t know you would be here. i’m glad you are though, it’s nice to finally meet you. i’m joe.” his hand stuck out and he smiled wider, a dimple forming in his cheek.

your cheeks burned.

“it’s nice to meet you, joe.” you tell joe your name, just like he did, like neither of you already knew that. joe smirks, nodding his head.

“oh i know. i’m a real big fan.”

you roll your eyes as a smiling creeps onto your face at his words.

“you’re just saying that because i covered your song. how egotistical”

joe chuckles, holding up his hands in defense. “you caught me.”

joe spotted his forgotten pedal and grabbed it from the desk, offering a polite greeting to your producer. he lingered for a second and it made your mouth move quicker than your brain.

“hey, can i run this by you? i’m really stuck on this melody. maybe a fresh perspective could help.” you say, gesturing to your guitar and song book. joe smiles and immediately nods.

“absolutely. i’d be honored .”

then that turned into a five hour studio session, mostly just the two of you messing around. somewhere around the two hour mark, you and joe just sprawled out on the floor just talking.

you talked about childhood, how each of you go into music. he talked about his sisters and acting and you talked about what you were doing before moving to new york.

it surprised you how easy it was to talk to joe. he made you nervous but also at ease. he just radiated this warm energy. it was addicting.

by the time you were leaving the studio, you were exchanging numbers and making plan for the next day.

and that’s how it began. somehow after that, you and joe became inseparable.

what started as studio sessions together turned into lunch and dinner dates. then those turned into going to some small jazz club because joe saw a poster for some band he wants to check out. now, only weeks later, joe just shows up on your doorstep.

sometimes it’s just a grin and flowers, requesting you join him on some spontaneous adventure. sometimes it’s with your favorite takeout that you’ll eat on the couch and argue over whether you were going to watch survivor (joe’s pick) or jersey shore (your pick).

you and joe were friends. at least, as far as you were concerned. sure, you spent a lot of time together. you had gotten closer with him quicker than you’ve ever gotten close with anyone before.

but nothing was established. no boundaries were crossed, no moves were made. joe just genuinely saw you as a friend, at least that’s what you thought.

but, honestly, you were oblivious. painfully so.

and you’re best friend from back home had no issue telling you. especially as you sit on facetime with her as you get ready to go to one of joe’s friend’s birthday party.

“he’s always around you. he cooks you dinner! he buys you flowers! he wants you to meet and hang out with his friends!” her voice progressively gets louder through the speaker as she emphasizes her words.

“he’s just being nice. that’s literally just how he is. a painfully good guy.” you sigh as you apply some lip gloss. you twist the tube closed and toss it into the counter before you step back. you examine your appearance in the mirror closely.

the party was casual, so you opted for your favorite worn jeans, your trusty ballet flats, and a floral blouse tank that looks like it came straight from your pinterest board.

“are you sure i look okay?”

“for the millionth time, yes! you look like you. you look amazing.” your friend reassures you and you take a deep breath, messing with your hair again.

you’re about to worry some more when there’s a knock on your front door. you gasp, feeling your stomach twist.

“he’s here.”

“wait keep me on the phone while you answer the door!”

“absolutely not. why the hell would i do that?” you whisper, as if he could hear you all the way in the hallway of your building, as you flip the light off in your bathroom and make your way out to the living room to grab your purse.

“in case he has flowers for you! i wanna witness it!”

“you’re insane and i’m hanging up. goodbye.”

“have fun! make good decisions!” you cut her off quickly by ending the call before taking a deep breath and looking at the door.

you pull your purse over your shoulder and cross the distance to the front door and pull it open. joe is already smiling when you open the door, looking at handsome and radiant as always.

“hey,” he grins, pulling his hands out his pockets. “you look beautiful.”

your cheeks heat up as you smile up at him, stepping out into the hall then turning to lock your door.

“thank you. you clean up pretty well yourself, keery.” you tease over your shoulder.

the walk to his friend’s apartment was actually pretty nice. it was a fifteen minute walk but it felt shorter. you and joe talked about your days and he kept his arm loosely slung over your shoulder, something you chose not to read into.

“you’re really sure it’s okay that i come?” you ask joe, probably for the fifth time since he first invited you, as you walk up to the building.

“of course. in fact, dalton even told me to invite you.” joe insists as he holds the door open for you. this was news to you.

“oh? i didn’t even know your friends really knew about me, let alone enough to ask you to invite me to their birthday parties.” you laugh. you and joe start up the stairs, following the music coming from three floors up. your hands brush as you ascend side by side, another thing you chose not to read into.

joe shrugs, playing it off. “yeah, they’re uh, big fans.”

not entirely convinced, you narrow your eyes at him playfully then drop it.

when you walked into the party, joe spent a good twenty minutes parading you around each of his friends. he introduces you with a big smile on his face, his hand never leaving your back.

it surprised you how many of them greeted you with some variation of having heard so much about you. when you look up at joe expectantly, he just shrugs and give you a bashful smile.

eventually, the party naturally divided into two. joe had drifted into dalton’s home studio with the boys, leaving you with the girlfriends in the living room.

“so, you and joe?” matt’s girlfriend asks, smirking at you over the rim of her wine glass. all the girls seem to alert at the new topic.

you feel your cheeks heat slightly as you raise your brows, slightly confused. “what about us?”

“are you official yet?” javi’s girlfriend asks eagerly, making you almost choke on your drink.

“official. oh, no, we’re just friends.” you insist.

the girls exchange unconvinced looks and you shift uncomfortably.

“what we mean is,” one of them speaks up, noticing your unease. “joe talks about you all the time. like actually never shuts up. you’re always spending time together, he takes you on pseudo-dates. we just figured he would’ve grown some balls by now since it’s painfully obvious to everyone around him.”

you’re quiet for a moment. a few moments, actually. you’re practically stunned into silence as you take in the information that was just unloaded onto you.

sure, you and joe had gotten close and you did spend a lot of time together. and sure, you were, against your better judgement, developing feelings for the man, but that was it. there was nothing going on between you. joe didn’t see you as anything more than a friend and comrade in the music scene.

“sorry guys, we’re just friends. i think both of us prefer it that way, anyway.” you say, giving an awakes laugh before you take a sip of your drink.

unfortunately, joe had just slipped back into the room in time to catch that last sentence leave your mouth. he freezes in the door way, face falling, but he recovers quickly. he gives you a quick, forced smile then crosses over to the balcony door and slips out.

the girls exchange looks while your gaze burns into the shut door joe had just gone through. the girl next to you nudges your arm gently.

“you never know what someone else is thinking or feeling for certain unless they tell you. you might be surprised.” her words gently reassure you. you nod, taking one final sip of your drink before pushing up off the couch to follow after joe.

when you step out onto the small, cramped excuse for a balcony, the chill of the night air and the smell of smoke hits you instantly.

joe is leaning against the railing, lit cigarette between his fingers as he stares out onto the quiet neighborhood. he doesn’t look over to see who just joined him. he doesn’t have to. he can sense your presence from a mile away.

“hey.” you saw softly, crossing your arms tightly over your chest to conserve your warmth. you slide up next to him, shoulders brushing.

“hey.” he replies, lifting the cigarette to his lips before holding it out to you in offering. you’d been drinking, so what the hell you thought. you take the cigarette from his fingers and took a drag before giving it back to him.

“you and the girls having fun?” joe asks and you nod.

“they’re cool. they’re all really nice.”

“good, i’m glad you like them.” he says.

you turn and look up at him. how the glow of the street lights illuminates the side of his face so beautifully.

“are you okay?” you ask softly, almost a whisper.

joe steals a quick glance at you before taking another puff. he doesn’t answer for a moment as he sorts through his thoughts.

“you know i like spending time with you, right?”

you furrow your brows, frown a bit in confusion. “yeah, i do.”

then your mind began jumping to the worst case scenario. joe liked spending time with you but he thinks it’s been too much time. joe liked spending time with you but now he’s bored. joe liked spending time with you but now he wasn’t interested anymore.

“don’t do that.” joe’s voice pulls you from your ruminating. he’s looking at you with that soft, sort of amused gaze he often looks at you with.

“do what? i didn’t even do anything.”

“you’re overthinking. it was just a question. don’t start thinking of the absolute worst.” he teases gently, making you roll your eyes and bump his shoulder with yours.

“you know me too well.” you mutter.

“you’re right. i do.” joe says, almost fondly. you look up at him as he turns to face you, stubbing his cigarette out against the iron railing.

“i heard what you were telling the girls.” joe’s eyes glimmered in the streetlight. they reminded you of puppy eyes. “about us just being friends.”

you’re insides twist nervously. “did i say something wrong or too much? i’m sorry, they were prying and i was just trying to be honest. sorry if you didn’t want me saying anything.”

joe chuckles, shaking his head. “no, honey, i’m not mad. a little bummed but i’m not mad.”

you breathe out a sigh of relief, though your insides still churn. “wait, a little bummed?”

“yeah. because i think you have some of your information a little wrong.”

your frown, instantly thinking back to your conversation with his friends. oh god, did he not think of you as friends? were you really just two musicians hanging out like coworkers? had you entirely misread the entirety of the past month?

“you’re doing it again.” joe chuckles, reaching out to press his thumb gently to the crease between your brows. your cheeks burn in embarrassment as you meet his gaze again.

“sorry, i’m just… what do you mean?”

joe’s hand slides to cup your cheek, thumb brushing under your eye.

“i mean, when you said both of us prefer us just being friends. you’re wrong. at least partially.”

your heart was beating out of your chest. you ball your fist up so tight that your fingernails slice sharp crescents into your palm.

“i don’t understand…”

“i, for one, love being your friend. but i would prefer if we were more than that.” joe says softly. was this a prank?

“joe…”

“you’re so beautiful. you’re funny, intelligent, so incredibly talented. i feel so drawn to you in a way i’ve never felt before. i talk about you all the time, i think about you more than that. it’s pathetic, really. but i don’t even care. i really fucking like you.”

cut the cameras, you wanted to scream. ashton kutcher can come out now because surely this was a prank.

but then you look into joe’s eyes, his beautiful, warm, hazel eyes that glimmer as he looks at you. and all the doubt leaves your body. because he has always looked at you like this. and that isn’t how you look at someone who you’re just friends with.

“you’re right. i was completely wrong, not just partially.” you say with a small smile growing on your face. joe’s smile widens, almost splitting his face in two.

“i knew it, i know you like the back of my hand.” he tease, bringing his other hand to cup your cheek.

“if you’re such a know it all, why don’t you get it over with and do something about it.” that was all it took for joe to pull your face to his, pressing his lips sweetly to yours.

the kiss was everything you dreamt it would be. gently but firm, full of emotions. you felt yourself melting into him instantly, smiling into him.

when you eventually pull away, it’s not very far. joe rests his forehead against yours, breathlessly smiling widely. you did too, so much your cheeks hurt. but you couldn’t even feel it.

“i’ve been wanting to do that for far too long.” joe whispers, brushing his nose against yours.

“so have i. it was worth the wait, though.”

the two of your giggle softly like lovesick teenagers, basking in this new beginning. it’s cut short by a thud on the window behind you.

you both turn, still in each other’s arms, to see all of joe’s friends crowded by the window, watching. wes, the culprit of the thud, had knocked his head against the glass, too eager to get a glimpse of the action. he was receiving a scolding from jake when everyone noticed they’d been caught and dipped away from the window.

“oh my god.” joe groans, throwing his head back. you chuckle, resting your head onto his chest.

“i’m sorry about them. they’re so embarrassing.” he mumbles, kissing the top of your head. you smile against his chest, hugging your arms tightly around his waist.

you told yourself this was like any other acting gig. sure, you hadn’t had many, you were still starting out. but your were going to be joining a show you had watched since the beginning in its fourth season as a new character. the stakes felt high.

your character, katherine miller, was the new girl in hawkins. already, you related to her. you just hoped that, like catherine, you weaved your way into the group seamlessly.

when you showed up to the table read, you thought you were going to puke from nerves. but, to your surprise, that feel disappeared the second you walked intro the room.

never had you met such a kind and welcoming group of people. they instantly made you feel like you had been there the entire run of the show.

you thankfully got along instantly with maya and joe, who you’d share most of your scenes with, turning their on screen duo into a trio.

what surprised you the most was joe. he was the first one to approach you, the first to invite you to dinner with the core group, the first to fill you in on any inside joke thrown around.

joe was just a good guy. the kind of good no one believed existed anymore. the kind that seems unattainable, that lived only in female written romance novels.

it was overwhelming, really. you sometimes had to discreetly pinch yourself when spending time with him.

which you did a lot of.

you sort of had to. your character, katherine (or as steve so lovingly called her, kat), was not only the newest addition to the monster hunting group in season four. but she was also the new love interest of steve harrington. one meant to put an end to the tired love triangle between him, nancy, and jonathan.

though, hanging out with joe never felt forced or strictly professional. the two of you had a lot in common, but at the same time perfectly balanced each other out. maya often joked that you two were like yin and yang.

your relationship with joe shifted like the seasons.

when you met, there was a period of time you spent learning each other. learning not only how the other person worked and ticked on set, but learning each other.

joe learned your coffee order, you learned which toppings he preferred on his pizza but would settle for anything to please everyone else. you learned his favorite niche bands and albums and he learned your favorite authors and foreign films.

you danced around each other in a warming newness, equal parts shy and welcoming. all the while, something more was blooming. something beautiful beneath the surface, like spring flowers.

by the summer months, you had fallen into a routine.

summer in georgia was hot and sticky, making set somewhat hellish. but the june sun couldn’t compare to the warmth you felt standing next to joe.

in a way, joe radiated warm energy. he was like the sun and you were some planet drawn to him, orbiting him in awe.

joe also filled you with a different sort of warmth. the kind that settled in deep, causing butterflies to erupt in your belly and your heart to skip a beat.

it was just your characters, you’d tell yourself at the end of the day, when you were melting with exhaustion into the chair in the makeup trailer.

when you caught joe’s soft gaze lingering a little too long, when he smiled brightly at you, when he would playfully nudge you between takes. it was just method acting. right?

as your characters fell in love in small moments between the bigger plot, it all felt a little too real. when the cameras cut, the feelings didn’t fade.

you almost wanted to chase that feeling. you wanted the scenes to keep rolling, if that meant you could stay in joe’s embrace. you could keep hearing his soft professions of love.

even if it wasn’t joe talking. even if, in reality, it was steve saying those things to kat.

meanwhile, joe was going through it.

he liked to think of himself as a professional. he never caught feelings for a coworker, in acting or otherwise.

but now, as he stood on set with you without the cameras even rolling, his heart raced. he felt lighter around you, happier in a quiet, content way.

“you’re in looooove.” maya had told him jokingly one morning before you had gotten to set.

“you’re ridiculous. we’re just best friends. who, you know, happen to play two characters falling in love. if it’s convincing, it just means i’m doing my job right.” joe insisted.

but maya shook her head. “you don’t need to do your job when the camera isn’t rolling. not to mention when you’re not even on set. face it, joseph.”

joe sat quietly, letting maya’s words settle in while the girl proceeded while a dramatic wailing of “so this is love” from cinderella.

joe was conflicted. he had never had the lines blur for him while acting. he thought back to previous on screen love interests. did he feel this way when he and natalia shared romantic scenes? or when his characters in other projects had to flirt or kiss someone?

but he kept getting the same answer. no. joe had never felt this way while acting in romantically driven scenes.

then it hit him like a ton of bricks.

fuck. he was falling in love with you.

joe decided, at least for the time being, he would keep his discovery to himself. the last thing he wanted was to cross boundaries, ruining your friendship and making you uncomfortable at your place of work all in one fell swoop.

but there were moments when joe wanted to risk it all. moments that came all too often.

like during downtime on set on long days, when you and joe sat cross-legged on the ground in the corner of set, knees knocking together as you played cards to pass the time. and you won go fish again, smiling widely as you laid down your last match and wiggled your shoulders excitedly. it took everything in joe not to lean in and close the small gap between you, kissing the grin off your face.

instead, joe settled for smiling at you fondly, letting the feelings simmer inside unbearably.

or when you were at joe’s apartment in a small town outside of atlanta on a night off. the two of you a bottle of wine in, music playing softly from a speaker and joe’s guitar laying across your lap.

your fingers strum, playing a chord you completely made up yourself. truthfully, it sounds awful, and you know it. you’re just goofing off. but it was music to joe’s ears.

you play something wonky that bounces off the walls and laugh, making something twist pleasantly in joe’s chest. he echoes your laugh and, against his better judgement, reaches out to tuck a strand of hair behind your ears.

you meet his gaze and blush.

“how do i sound, mr. music man?”

joe snorts softly. “horrendous.”

you gasp playfully. “rude!”

the two of you giggle before you knock your shoulder into his.

“if i’m so horrendous, teach me.”

joe’s heart leapt in his chest. he moves to make room in front of him, pats the cushion. you bite the inside of your cheek and roll your eyes, but slot yourself in front of him nonetheless.

as joe wraps his arms around you and the guitar, he guides your hands along the strings. your faces are inches from each other, enough for his breath to fan across your cheek.

both of you are trying to keep your cool, completely oblivious to the fact that you’re both going through it.

at one point, after a little while of trying and failing to play something, you sighed defeatedly. you throw your head back against joe’s shoulder with a groan.

“i have zero musical bones in my body.”

joe chuckles turning his head to look down on you. he prayed you couldn’t feel his heart pounding against your back.

“you just gotta keep practicing, sweetheart. we’ll get you there.”

you roll your head to the side, looking up at joe. but your faces end up closer than anticipated. your noses almost brush and your breath catches in your throat.

you don’t know how long you hold each other’s gazes, but joe’s eyes flicker down to your lips and something snaps in him. he pulls away quick, leaving your cheeks burning.

you clear your throat, moving to the opposite end of the couch after setting his guitar down. joe put on a movie and the tension dissipated as soon as it appeared.

but the elephant in the room remained.

it all finally came to a head a few months later.

it was technically fall. but early fall in georgia was still warm. the nights faded into a slightly cooler breeze that felt a little more like autumn.

you’d had a rough week. you had gotten to the more intense scenes as you neared the end of the season. there was more drama, more action, and, of course, the scene where steve finally confessed to katherine.

you supposed the stress was finally getting to you. it didn’t help that you were tired, thanks to months of long days, late nights, and chaotic sleep schedules.

and you felt like you just couldn’t nail this scene.

your character was overwhelmed. between the “murders”, learning about the dark truths beneath hawkins, looking after max (whom she quickly grew a soft spot for), fighting a dark wizard named vecna, and your feelings for steve. it was all a lot.

and it was something you wanted to perfect.

the pain for steve throwing himself into danger. the desperation of wanting him to see her instead of nancy. all the feelings that bubble over and reach a breaking point before the final battle plans.

you were trying to run your lines in your head while final adjustments were made to the lighting, but your gaze was locked onto joe across the field as he had his hair touched up.

it was take three of your confession scene. one of the duffers called for places, you were sure which. it wasn’t important to you right now.

you took your spot sitting on a crate and joe flashed you a smile and thumbs up, which you halfheartedly reciprocated before locking in.

the scene started with catherine sharpening knives, having a moment alone. steve enters, trying to make a lighthearted joke that doesn’t land. reality was too real at the moment.

“hey, you okay?” joe recited his line effortlessly, falling perfectly into steve’s character.

“how can you joke right now?” you scoff, sharpening the blade harder.

joe, steve, frowned, taking a seat next to you. “talk to me.”

you sighed, pausing your movements.

“you almost died, steve. you could still die. all of us can.”

steve couldn’t help himself. “if you knew many times i’ve almost died in the past few years, you wouldn’t be so upset right now.”

you drop the blade and the sharpener to the ground, both clattering to the ground. the camera moved in closer but you tried to ignore it.

“you don’t get it, do you? you almost died steve. hell, i thought i lost you! and here you are making jokes like we aren’t risking our fucking lives! god, you know, sometimes i really just wish you’d get your head out of your ass. you’re a real idiot sometimes. but i guess we have that in common.”you laughed bitterly, your voice cracking as you dug deeper into the scene.

joe reacted perfectly, just like he’d done when rehearsing and during the previous takes. he wore that confused, hurt puppy dog look of steve’s so well.

“kat-“

“no, steve! this is insanity. i feel like im going crazy. last week, i was passing notes about mr. lewinsky’s bald spot with robin during calculus and eating all the popcorn at family video while you sorted the tapes that keith specifically asked me to do because he said i have been slacking off. and now i’m fighting a monster from another dimension that’s been terrorizing and killing my classmates. all the while, i have to sit here and watch you make heart eyes at snooty nancy wheeler, who totally hates me, by the way!” you had run out of breath by the time you finished your rant, avoiding joe, or well, steve’s gaze.

the tension that settled over you felt all too personal. those lines between real and acting were beginning to bleed together.

“i think i love you, katherine.” steve replied, but all you could hear is joe. blame it on your exhaustion, but this was were you began to fall apart in the scene. every take, without fail.

because you were desperate to hear joe say those words to you, but you knew you would have to settle for his character confessing to yours. you’d have to live vicariously through her.

and that did something to your psyche.

when you lifted your gaze to find joe’s eyes burning into you, so fully in character, it made your heart leap and your mind blank. your mouth opened but your lines didn’t come out.

“CUT!”

it was ross and matt had thrown cold water over you with that one word. they might as well have.

“let’s break for lunch. i think we need a breather to regroup.” one of the called out.

you bolted from set faster than anyone could register. you didn’t even stop for joe as he called out for you.

you found a quiet spot behind one of the farthest trailers parker in the lot and sat there for a while. you talked yourself down, telling yourself it was just nerves and exhaustion taking their toll.

your thoughts are interrupted by a small tray containing a sandwich and some chips being held out in front of your face.

you followed the hand, which you recognized instantly, up the arm and to the face of joe smiling down at you, holding his own plate in his other hand.

“brought you lunch.”

“how’d you find me?” you asked with a slight pout, but still mumbling a thanks as you take the food. joe sat down next to you, placing his plate on his lap.

“i think i would be able to find you anywhere.”

you didn’t let yourself read into that answer, no matter how much if made your stomach flip.

you pick around at the sandwich, peeling the crust off in little bits to eat slowly. joe watched intently for a moment before he knocked his shoulder against yours.

“talk to me. what’s going on?” his voice was so soft it instantly soothed you. it always had that effect on you.

“i’m just tired and overwhelmed. things are getting more intense.” you shrugged.

“what about this scene are you finding so difficult? we can work it out.” you wanted to hate joe. everytime he opened his mouth or he’ll, even existed, he made it more and more difficult not to love him.

and that was something you couldn’t do. and you certainly couldn’t tell him you did. so you shook your head.

“like i said, it’s just a lot. i’ll be fine after lunch and a break.”

joe frowned, unconvinced. see, what you failed to consider was that over the past however many months, joe had come to know you like the back of his hand.

joe knew you in ways your oldest friends or your family didn’t know. he knew that when you lied, your left eyebrow twitched upwards ever so slightly. he knew that when something was weighing on you, you got that far off look in your eyes and you chewed on the inside corner of your mouth.

all three of which were happening as he looked at you.

“sweetheart, you can tell me anything. you know i’m here for you. always am. i just want you to not bottle anything up that’s bothering you.” joe’s words made your eyes prickle with tears. the softness of them. the sincerity. the stupid pet name guys definitely don’t casually call their best friend slash coworker, and yet, joe had called you that from the beginning.

“fucking hell.” you mumbled as you rubbed your hands harshly down your face. “i don’t know how much longer i can keep doing this.”

joe furrowed his brows. “what? the show? acting?”

“no, joe. this. i don’t know how much longer i can be around you.”

joe’s face fell.

“what? did i do something?”

“everything, joe! that’s the problem! everything you do drives me crazy. at first i thought, surely, i only feel this way because my character is in love with yours. but that’s not true at all. and maybe i’m a horrible actress for letting the lines become blurred in my head but you’re you and you’re perfect and i just couldn’t help it!”

joe stared. mouth agape. his brows were knitted together in the way they do when he’s processing something. you knew that look, of course you did. joe wasn’t the only one who knew someone like the back of his hand.

“what exactly are you saying?” joe’s voice softened into a tone you only heard in quiet moments together. when everything was warm and soft around the edges.

“you know what i’m saying joe. and i’m sorry this happened now instead of after filming. i don’t want to make things uncomfortable or ruin our friendship but i’ll just have to deal with the consequences.”

then joe laughed. a bubble of laughter escaped him before he could stop it. he pinched the bridge of his nose and muttered idiot to himself under his breath.

you wanted to shrink away. close in on yourself and shrink away into nothingness. you rolled your eyes, mostly in effort to subtly rid the tears forming in them, then go to stand up.

but joe caught your wrist, keeping you sat next to him.

“sorry, i’m the idiot. not you. i mean, hell, do you know how many times i’ve wanted to kiss you these past few months? way too many for me not to grow some balls and do it. but i was scared.”

you could barely hear joe over the sound of your heart pounding in your ears. surely, this was some kind of joke. some sick hazing prank on the newbie, month later. but the look in joe’s eyes made any doubt fade.

because you knew joe. you knew that there wasn’t a malicious bone in his body. you knew he loved and cared deeply about anyone that crossed his path. you knew the way he looked at you, that look reserved for only you. this was your joe.

so instead, you scoffed lightly, shaking your head. “yeah, you are an idiot.”

“hey! let’s not forget this is a two way street miss i’ve been in love with you for months!” joe defended with a chuckle.

“i never said that i was in love with you.”

“you kinda did.”

“not specifically.”

you watched as joe stared at you, unable to stop the corners of his mouth from lifting fondly. you couldn’t help it, that look he gave you triggered something in you and made you lower all defenses.

“i’m in love with you, joe. a ridiculous amount. so much it hurts.” your voice now came out as a whisper, almost like you were still scared to admit it. because you weren’t scared of loving joe. in fact, it’s the easiest thing you’ve ever done. you were scared of the repercussions had he not felt the same, even now.

joe’s face crumpled into the softest look you’d ever seen. his hand found your cheek and cradled it gently.

“i’m in love with you too. and i’m a fool for not saying anything sooner. but you’re such an amazing woman and i didn’t want to jeopardize anything we already had. i’d rather pine after you for the rest of my life than tell you how i feel and lose you because you didn’t feel the same.”

“you could never lose me, joe.”

“i know. but the thought of it alone terrified me.” joe brushed his thumb across your cheek and you leaned into his touch.

“from now on, we don’t keep anything from each other. i’m not gonna run away from you or us.”

joe nodded his head. “deal.”

“deal.” you echoed then looked at him expectantly. “okay, you can kiss me now.”

joe laughed, the kind that made your heart feel light, then leaned in.

“i love you.” he said gently before pressing his lips to your in a long awaited kiss. but it was well worth the wait. because really, you’d wait several lifetimes just to kiss joe. you smiled into the kiss at the thought.

you didn’t have any elaborate outfit planned, you only knew half of the lineup and none of the set schedules. you were just going purely for fun and the spontaneity of it all.

you’d spent the whole day wandering around the festival grounds, eating, drinking, and just listening to the music. it was a nice change to the usual festival experience you were used to. going for specific artists, having the stages and sets memorized, getting to certain stages hours before a specific act came on so you could get a good spot.

you were simply vibing.

after the sun set, you and your friends found yourself near the back of the crowd for an artist you hadn’t heard of before.

the world around you don’t exist. you just danced around and laughed with your friends without a care.

you were so in the moment that you didn’t even notice the eyes on you from somewhere across the crowd.

joe and the band didn’t play until the following night, so they had the entire night to let loose and enjoy the festival fully.

the group had settled in the back of the crowd of some band adam and javi insisted on watching. joe sipped his beer, nodding along to the beat. as he listened, he let his gaze wander the crowd, watching different people in the crowd and taking in their expressions.

then his eyes landed on you. and they never left.

the way you danced around, laughing lively enthralled him. he couldn’t pull his gaze from you. the way you glowed in the festival lights.

you were beautiful.

it took one song for anyone to notice joe’s attention was no longer on the set.

wes stares up at his friend then follows his gaze, a shit eating grin spreading across his face.

“i think joe’s found the love of his life.” he announces to the group, who all turn to look at joe and where his attention was across the crowd.

joe snapped his head to his friends, cheeks flushing. “what? i’m just people watching.”

wes just snorts. “whatever you say, man.”

it took two more songs before joe’s feet began moving. before he even could process it, he was half way to you. he hadn’t even planned what he was going to say.

your dancing had turned into a softer sway and you sip on your drink and caught your breath.

“hi.” joe’s smooth voice cut through the music, making your eyes flicker up to him.

“hi,” you say with a smile.

“i was over there with my friends and i saw you and i just couldn’t look away,” joe says, rubbing the back of his neck.

“man, was my dancing that bad? i’ve only had a couple of drinks, i swear.” you joke.

“no, you just looked so beautiful.” the words leave joe’s lips before he knew what he was saying. the tips of his ears burned with a blush as he stumbles over his words.

“sorry, that sounds corny. i really do mean it. you’re just, wow. yeah.”

you can’t help but be endeared by his nervous words.

“you’re right, that is corny. but i believe you. i’m flattered, thank you,” you say through a chuckle.

you fell in to conversation easily after that. you mention that coming here was a very last minute plan and he mentions he was one of the performers.

if there was any flash of recognition in your mind, you didn’t make it known. you didn’t immediately shift the conversation to who he was. in that moment, joe felt like just joe.

because that’s who you saw. not joe keery, the actor. not djo, the musician playing on one of th main stages the next day. he was just joe.

and that made something warm settle in his chest.

something ordinary he hadn’t felt in a while. a feeling that became lost along the way between rising fame and filling schedules.

it was a feeling joe wanted to chase and hold onto.

so when the festival winded down for the night and both of you were reluctant to part ways, you put your number in joe’s phone and he promised to find you tomorrow.