#harrington

angst, smut, fluff, hurt/comfort are all welcomed

i’m in need of more asap please and thank yous 🙏🏽

ʟɪɴᴋꜱ ↪ ᴍᴀꜱᴛᴇʀʟɪꜱᴛ ↪ ᴊᴏᴇ ᴋᴇᴇʀʏ ᴍᴀꜱᴛᴇʀʟɪꜱᴛ ↪ ꜱᴛʀᴀɴɢᴇʀ ᴛʜɪɴɢꜱ ᴍᴀꜱᴛᴇʀʟɪꜱᴛ ↪ ᴡᴀᴛᴛᴘᴀᴅ

ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏꜱ ↪ ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ: 3.1ᴋ ↪ ᴘᴀɪʀɪɴɢ: ꜱᴛᴇᴠᴇ ʜᴀʀʀɪɴɢᴛᴏɴ x ꜰᴇᴍ!ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ ↪ ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢ: ꜱʜɪꜰᴛɪɴɢ, ꜱᴇᴀꜱᴏɴ 𝟦 ꜱᴘᴏɪʟᴇʀꜱ, ᴀɴɢꜱᴛ

English is not my native language, so I apologize for any mistake and if you can help me improve it, I will greatly appreciate it. I hope you enjoy it :D

ㅤㅤSteve should have been aware that your way of acting was sometimes not right; he should have assumed that something strange was happening around you from the moment he met you during the penultimate year of high school. And it wasn't so much your behaviour that triggered his alarms, or that sixth mother's sense Dustin so often mocked when he or the other kids told him to be careful at certain times of day when they were out in a group. It wasn't the choices you made that were inherently wrong, enough to make him notice those changes, nor had you done anything unpleasant to others to sufficiently draw his attention as was happening now. But it was those sometimes spasmodic movements in your right hand, or that strange neutrality in your speech when you were usually so lively and talkative, that made him wonder at times if something, or someone, resided inside you and was taking your form to spy on them. This meant that in very specific moments, you had the opportunity to resurface, for that liveliness of yours to come back to life and fill the shell you sometimes became.

ㅤㅤAfter everything that happened with Vecna ​​and the Upside Down, after losing Max so tragically to that monster they couldn't kill despite the foolproof plan, Steve was terrified of losing the only person in that world who had been so loyal to him; you were his best friend, his right hand, the woman he had always hoped to share his life with, and with whom he would finally fulfill that wonderful dream he had once stumbled upon with the wrong person.

ㅤㅤThe more he looked at you, the more he observed those changes, the more resolute he became, and the more attention he paid to your surroundings whenever you seemed to "disconnect" from reality.

ㅤㅤYour shoulders stiffened, enough for him to notice and worry that you might be uncomfortable; your pupils, even when he was close, remained constricted, whereas they had always seemed like two black holes when you were around him. That strange tic in your right hand, so erratic, like an automaton, seemed to be resetting itself every time you moved from one physical space to another, whether you entered a different room or got into his car.

ㅤㅤIt was little things that caught his attention, but above all, it was how the way you kissed or hugged him sometimes seemed as empty and cold as kissing or hugging a wall. It wasn't that your body temperature dropped, but rather that he couldn't find your sweetness, and your hands on his face remained there when he wanted to kiss you, until you seemed to come to your senses, regaining that tenderness that was so characteristic of you.

ㅤㅤSteve's suspicion that Vecna ​​might be behind your strange behaviour made sense to him, especially during the days he spent visiting Max in the hospital, where she was in that strange coma from which she didn't seem to have any intention of waking up anytime soon. The possibility that you might end up like her, or in a case of no return where he would feel guilty for the rest of his days, knowing that his life would never have meaning without you, sent chills down his spine and filled him with a fear he had never felt before.

ㅤㅤBut it was a detail, something akin to a mistake you made without checking, that caused the fear to dissipate and confusion to take shape in Harrington's mind.

ㅤㅤA sheet of paper, folded three times, small enough to fit in the pocket of your green jacket without attracting attention due to its rectangular shape, escaped from the aforementioned place where you had hidden it for God knows how long, keeping to yourself a secret you had hoped never to reveal or that you would try to keep hidden from your life. To your surprise, even though you had been careful enough that this detail went unnoticed for the first four years, it was this silly slip that led to Steve finding a script written on both sides of the sheet. There, written in your handwriting, was a series of sections that surprised him because, in a way, it was as if you had written a comprehensive description of yourself. Your name and age at the beginning of the sheet, specifying your date of birth and your age for the previous four years; The family you belonged to, with each member described in detail, both physically and mentally, even mentioning the colorful rubber bands your little sister always wore as bracelets on her right wrist; not to mention all your physical features, including the freckles Steve loved so much about you, as well as your entire personality and how it had changed over the years he'd known you.

ㅤㅤIt was deeply frightening because, if someone had been spying on you, it wouldn't have been difficult to confront them and make them stop harassing you. But since you had described your entire life in Hawkins on a single sheet of paper—a sheet you'd carried with you for far longer than you were willing to admit—I knew the conversation was going to be quite different from what I'd expected.

ㅤㅤYou would never have the courage to lie to him, not to him.

ㅤㅤ"What is this?"

ㅤㅤHis question confused you when, as you were both at his house, intending to enjoy an intimate afternoon, he handed you the sheet of paper you had carried in your jacket pocket. You recognised it instantly because of the pink lines on the page; you didn't need to open it to know what it contained, and perhaps that's why facing the truth was going to be harder than you had ever imagined.

ㅤㅤThat folded sheet of paper, now folded in two and scribbled on, was gently handed to you.

ㅤㅤFor a moment, you considered not looking back at your boyfriend, perhaps expecting some grimace that would betray his frustration that you hadn't trusted him enough to tell him about something as important as this clearly was. But that fear slowly faded when, with a slow, steady gaze, you met Steve's confused and saddened eyes. He wasn't confronting you about something he didn't understand. Steve wasn't the type to seek answers through aggression, not after the shock of reality Nancy had given him during his junior year of high school. But those brown eyes, so dark and bright, the kind that always made your heart leap into your throat, were simply searching for an answer to what had inevitably fallen into their hands.

ㅤㅤ"It's..." you tried to begin, reaching out to retrieve the script that had ended up in that reality. "It's a script," you continued, sighing as you shifted your gaze to the sheet of paper now in your hands, which seemed so heavy it could pull you down right then and there, "...a script for your desired reality."

ㅤㅤSteve's expression didn't lighten, but rather became more confused. He didn't understand this "desired reality" thing; he'd never heard of it. Maybe you were referring to a book, that's what he wanted to tell himself, but maybe he was wrong; he definitely must be wrong because of everything he'd seen firsthand with all the monsters, with Eleven, with Vecna.

ㅤㅤ"I don't understand," he muttered, more to himself than to you, tilting his head like a golden retriever puppy looking to its owner for clarification on a word to perform a trick. "Desired reality? That's... It's a script of your life, excerpts that talk about you."

ㅤㅤYou thought you'd specified it clearly in the script you wrote, but there was always some unspoken clause, and the universe was far too clever to let you roam freely between timelines and dimensions. It knew how to play its cards better than you did, and your comfort and your feeling of self-assurance had led to a small slip-up that allowed Steve to know far more than he should have.

ㅤㅤ"It's much more complicated than it seems at first glance, Steve," you whispered, not even trusting your own voice to explain something like this situation that had escalated so quickly; you didn't even have an excuse to lie to him.

ㅤㅤBut, again, you couldn't lie. Not to Steve, not to the boy who had brought so much happiness into your life, the boy who had so often shown how much he valued your friendship, the boy who loved you so much and had shown it so many times with gifts, actions, and words.

ㅤㅤ“Then explain it to me.”

ㅤㅤHis request completely disarmed you, and for that very reason, you told him everything. You couldn't keep the truth to yourself much longer, especially not when he looked at you with those eyes that could make the whole world tremble.

ㅤㅤSteve came to know your entire world, your true dimension, the one you had always belonged to, through your words, which included descriptions as realistic as his own reality. Steve learned about your real life and what you actually did, about the studies you dedicated yourself to body and soul for years to get your dream job. He also discovered that all of them, those who lived in Hawkins and in that reality, were just the product of the imagination of a pair of siblings who created a story related to a theory that became quite famous in your world.

ㅤㅤIt was hard to explain, but even if he understood that there were two worlds to which each of them belonged and that they weren't intertwined, he didn't fully grasp what had made you travel from yours to his, even though he was immensely grateful because without you, he surely would have been a disaster in his own world. It was complicated, but Steve was certain that without your presence and your existence, he would be a complete fool, even more so than he already was.

ㅤㅤ"It's hard to swallow," you murmured softly as you fiddled with the sheet of paper you still held in your hands, as if it were the only thing you could cling to at that moment for fear that everything in front of you would suddenly vanish.

ㅤㅤ"A little, to be honest," Steve replied, crossing his arms, then uncrossing them to run a hand through his voluminous brown hair. "Knowing that your existence is because a couple of men had an idea is rather strange, frankly."

ㅤㅤYou lowered your head in shame. If you hadn't appeared, that mental paradox wouldn't have existed in Harrington's mind, and his entire existence wouldn't have been reduced to an idea for a television series that ended up being a worldwide success.

ㅤㅤ"If you don't mind me asking, why did you want to come here?"

ㅤㅤYour eyes soon felt heavy and watery, and your vision suddenly blurred. That image—seeing you suddenly so small and affected—broke Steve's heart into a thousand pieces because never before, not even if Max's coma had affected you greatly, had anything seemed to touch you so deeply compared to that moment, more specifically, his question. Your shoulders began to tremble, and tears started to stream uncontrollably down your cheeks.

ㅤㅤ"Because of you."

ㅤㅤThe answer had the same impact as a powerful truck crashing into a building. It was a powerful, forceful answer, one you must have carried on your shoulders for far too long to ignore. Steve's gaze shifted from confusion to sorrow; somehow, you had learned to travel between dimensions or realities just to be with him.

ㅤㅤ"In your world, isn't there anyone who looks like me?" Steve asked gently, taking a small step toward you to close the distance between you.

ㅤㅤYou couldn't help but smile sadly at his question.

ㅤㅤ"Yes, there is someone very special who looks exactly like you," you replied, shrugging as you turned your attention back to the paper in your hands. "Physically, you're identical. Joe is... He's like you, and you're like him." "Thanks to him, your character was redesigned, and your story didn't end so soon," you explained, though seeing his furrowed brow and his once again sly demeanour, you couldn't help but shake your head. "It's a long story, but he's the one who brings your character to life, and you are who you are because of him."

ㅤㅤ"Have you ever spoken to him?"

ㅤㅤHis question prompted you to shake your head again.

ㅤㅤYou had desperately wanted to meet Joe. Conventions in states other than your own, coupled with a lack of income, meant you couldn't attend the ones Keery did; premieres were always the focus of attention for his various films, but you were always so far from the action that it was impossible to even get a picture with him. And the concerts were way out of my budget because of the flights I'd have to take to a different state, the hotel or apartment stays, and the tickets that sold out in minutes during presales and sales.

ㅤㅤ“It's been impossible, but I've tried as much as I could.”

ㅤㅤSteve's brown eyes never left you, his gaze fixed on your figure and your downcast face. In his mind, it was impossible that someone wouldn't love you, that a version of himself in another universe wouldn't have been overjoyed to meet you. Your affection, that kindness, that sweetness that characterised you, definitely deserved to be known by the whole world, and if only that Joe guy had seen beyond the fans, he would have definitely found a diamond in the rough.

ㅤㅤGently, Steve's arm reached out to you, and, taking the script you were still turning in your hands and delicately caressing with your fingertips, he gently set it aside, causing your gaze to slowly rise to meet his; finally, after that moment of tension, your hearts connected again, and without a second thought, he took you in his arms so you would feel completely safe with him.

ㅤㅤRegardless of where you came from or the life you shared in your reality, the fact that you had come solely for him and the fact that you returned every time you managed to perform the ritual correctly spoke volumes about the immense affection you felt for him, and that was more than enough for Steve not to question your decisions.

ㅤㅤ"That Joe guy is an idiot. Although you kept the best version," he remarked in a mocking tone as he slid his large hand down your back, settling it in your lower back to keep you close, while his free hand rested on the back of your neck so you could lean your head against his chest.

ㅤㅤHearing your laughter, a little quieter than usual, made him smile. If he had elicited that sound from you, he would have already felt like a champion.

ㅤㅤ"That Joe guy is an idiot. Although you kept the best version," he added. “I like your hair better, it’s longer, and the brown looks amazing on you,” you replied, mirroring his actions by wrapping your arms around his waist to hold him gently close, rubbing your cheek against the fabric of his shirt. “Although you’re not very good at playing instruments.”

ㅤㅤ“I’m great at playing the French horn,” the taller one countered, pressing his lips to your hairline to give you a quick kiss, though his response made you laugh.

Steve had these little quips just for you, those playful jokes and comments that always brought a smile to your face and made your heart beat faster than usual; no matter the moment, he was always there, and that was all you needed to love him with every fibre of your being.

ㅤㅤYour arms tightened slightly around his waist, and your restless hands gripped the fabric of Steve's t-shirt, as if desperately searching for his body, reassuring yourself that you were still there with him, that he hadn't vanished yet. That thought filled you with sadness, because you knew you wouldn't always be there. There would come a time when you wouldn't return, a time when Steve would have to decide whether to remain by the side of the shell your physical body would become in that dimension when your subconscious returned to your reality, or whether it was better to finally abandon what would become you.

ㅤㅤ"I love you."

ㅤㅤThose words that whisper you heard growing fainter made you open your eyes in surprise. You realised that the strong body you had been pressed against in an embrace had suddenly become softer and more pliable, leaving you in the darkness and gloom of your room.

ㅤㅤThe room of your reality.

ㅤㅤAt that moment, confused, you sat up slightly and looked around for Steve. But in your reality, he didn't exist; he didn't belong in your world.

ㅤㅤWith your heart laid bare, wounded by something that could never be real in your universe, your face found your spare pillow, the one you'd been hugging when you woke up, and you let the tears flow as you felt yourself crumbling again, being pulled into that black hole that could only be filled by Steve's presence.