#keeerrryy

joe keery x reader! SMAU!!

summary: reader and joe have been co-stars since season 1 on stranger things! reader plays ‘lottie ralphie’ who is ‘steve harringtons’ love interest. you’ve developed a small crush for joe, and by small you mean you’re head over heels for that man. joe feels the same way but everytime something happens you both are idiots and blame it on alcohol. this time? its different. you even make it KNOWN this time. but but of course, its ruined.

info/warnings: face claim is nina dobrev!, this is NOT. a ship. i repeat this is NOT A SHIP!, y/n used, mentions of drinking/getting drunk, i cba to get everyones instagram users so i just made them up lmaoo, mentions of kissing/more (not in this part) not really smut, fwb mentioned kinda(not in this part), friends to lovers to friends to distance to co-stars to lovers trope LMAOO!, lowk slow burn bc they’re all idiots

wc: not sure but nothing over 3k!

i recommend reading part 1 if you haven’t, just so it makes sense! also comment if you want to be on the taglist :)

taglist: @sexyvixen7 @beth-mirrorball

part 1 || part 2 || part 3 || part 4 || part 5

part 2: ‘why internet, why?’

the next morning, your head is fuzzy in the way that comes from staying up too late rather than drinking too much. for a moment you just stare at the ceiling, the quiet of your apartment slowly waking you up. and then the memories from last night come back all at once. the party.

dancing with joe. the way he kissed you under the streetlights before you both finally said goodbye.

your stomach flips slightly because this time it hadn’t felt like the other times. it hadn’t felt like a drunk mistake everyone would laugh about the next morning.

this time it had felt… real. your phone buzzes on your nightstand. you reach for it, half expecting a message from one of your friends asking about the party.

instead, it’s from joe’

you stare at the notification for a second before opening it.

j- morning :)

j- how’s your head?

a small smile pulls at your mouth.

- surprisingly alive..

-which is impressive considering how loud that party was

the typing bubble appears almost immediately.

j- yeah that place was insane

j- also.. we still on for our date on today?

you sit up slightly in bed.

- yeah!!

a few seconds pass before the next message appears.

j- i have a few interviews today so how about i meet you at the new sushi place at 7?

your heart skips. for a moment you just stare at the screen. after years of weird almost-moments, late-night kisses you both pretended didn’t matter, and the one sober kiss you never talked about again… he was finally serious about it

- okay. sure :)

j- perfect. see you then x

you bite your lip, smiling despite yourself.

- yeah, see you :)

the afternoon drags.

you try distracting yourself, cleaning your apartment, scrolling through social media, half watching something on tv, but your mind keeps drifting back to tonight. a real date with joe.

not a party. not a blurry late-night moment. an actual date.

around early evening you check your phone again, wondering if his interviews are done yet. instead of a message, the first thing you see is a new post from a celebrity news account.

you almost scroll past it. until you see joe’s face. your thumb freezes.

the photo shows him walking out of a restaurant in the city, laughing beside sabrina carpenter

another photo shows them sitting across from each other at a table through the restaurant window.

@celebgossip

the caption reads: joe keery spotted grabbing dinner with sabrina carpenter tonight 👀

liked by sabrinafaanter, djo0917fan and 27k others

8817 comments

| user82828: weren’t yn and joe going out today?

| joekeeryyayaya: i mean.. he’s living his life..? right.?

| joekeerywifey: NOOO HES MIIINEE :(

| julliieee: uh.. okay.? does he know this?

| sabrinanjoeshiipp: YAYAYA FINALLY!!!

tap to view more

your stomach drops. what about tonight? you stare at the pictures for a long moment. maybe it’s just a coincidence. maybe it’s work.

but the more you look at the photos, the worse the feeling in your chest gets. because they look comfortable. like it isn’t the first time they’ve gone out together. your phone buzzes again.

a new text from joe.

j- hey

j- FIIIINALLY done with interviews

j- are you still free tonight?

you stare at the message. then back at the photos. a tight feeling settles in your chest. maybe you misunderstood last night. maybe you misunderstood everything. because if he really wanted to take you out… why would he already be out with someone else? and why would he be lying about interviews instead of just saying he was with her?

your fingers hover over the keyboard.

you type a reply. then delete it. another message appears.

j- i found this place i think you’d like

j- it’s open late so we’d still have time

you swallow, suddenly feeling stupid for getting your hopes up. without replying, you lock your phone and set it down on the bed. a minute later it buzzes again. and again. you don’t look at it.

across the city, joe stares at his phone in confusion. your chat is still open. no reply. he frowns slightly.

j- hey?

j- everything okay?

still nothing. he glances up from the table where he’s sitting.

“sorry” he says to sabrina, who’s sipping from her drink across from him. “i think i might’ve accidentally scared someone off” she raises an eyebrow. “the mystery date?”

joe rubs the back of his neck. “i asked her out this morning. she said yes. now she’s suddenly not answering”

sabrina leans back in her chair, thinking. “did you do something stupid?”

“not that i know of.” she shrugs. “give it a little time.”

joe nods, but the uneasy feeling in his chest doesn’t go away. when they leave the restaurant about twenty minutes later, a couple cameras flash from across the street. joe barely notices. his phone is already back in his hand.

j- hey

j- if something came up that’s okay

j- just let me know❣️

back in your apartment, your phone lights up again. you glance at it this time. another message from joe. another twist in your chest. you think about answering. about asking him why he’s out with someone else when he asked you out. but the photos are still stuck in your mind. so instead you flip your phone over on the bed. and ignore it.

outside the restaurant, joe sighs quietly when your chat still shows no response. sabrina glances over his shoulder. “still nothing?”

he shakes his head. she pulls out her own phone. “hold on.”

a few seconds later she turns the screen toward him. it’s the same post you saw earlier. the photos of them leaving the restaurant. the caption speculating about them dating. joe groans.

“oh you’ve got to be kidding me”

sabrina laughs. “oh my god”

he runs a hand through his hair. “she definitely saw that”

“yeah” sabrina says sympathetically. “you’re screwed”

joe exhales, already pulling up your contact again. because now he’s almost certain why you stopped replying. and he has absolutely no idea how he’s going to fix it.

meanwhile, you’ve decided to go our on a girls night with maya and sadie. you get all dolled up and then decide on post on your instagram.

you tell yourself you’re just posting it for the fans.. but are you really? part of you wants joe to see what he’s missing out on.

you looked SO hot. like damn. you’re plan for tonight was to get as shitfaced as you can and try to forget any real feelings you felt towards him.

@ynuser

caption: night out with the girls getting absolutely SHITFACED!!! no guys needed wanted.

liked by mayamayamaya, sadieieie and 62.4k more

3682 comments

mayamayamaya: this night #RUULLEDDD

|—> ynuser: hell yeah girl!

sadieieie: no boys inviteddd 💋

|—> ynuser: never ever🥂

user8163627: anyone else notice that its friday and her and joe were supposed to be on a date?

|—> djoo0fan: DID U NOT SEE HIM AND SAB TODAY?

ynismyfav: so i’m guessing no joe..?

| ❤️by creator

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after posting it, your phone buzzed again. fuck. its joe.

j- saw ur post.. u look so beautiful

j- i also saw that comment you liked.

fuck. you thought to yourself.

j- we should talk

j- please let me explain its not what you think i promise

j- i saw the post that celeb gossip posted. please yn. just see me?