#king steve

season 5 steve would definitely be such a brat tamer. he’s always slightly annoyed, ready to snap at the smallest of inconveniences because of the never ending crawls and his ongoing feud with dustin.

and he loves you soo much. you’ve never had to doubt that for the entirety of your long relationship. he treats you better than you could’ve ever imagined. he loves you loudly and unapologetically. he’s the literal epitome of your very own prince charming from those cheesy movies he used to always take you to see.

but with everything happening lately, he’s just always so on edge and so pent up. and you’d caught him on a particularly bad day.

the night before was an absolutely terrible crawl. dustin had been running late, steve had been forced into the van with jonathan, they’d gotten lost, then caught shit about it from dustin and hopper for hours after.

it was safe to say his fuse was extremely short the next morning at the station.

and so was yours.

robin had been on one all morning, clearly not having a great day either. she’d been hurling insults practically every five seconds out of pure frustration. usually a shift like this would be filled with lighthearted banter and giggles, not sideways glances and snappy comments.

and sitting in the muggy sound booth was like literal hell. the atmosphere was akin to a live wire waiting to be set off any seconds.

and robin had really pissed you off now. and unfortunately for steve, he was catching the brunt of it.

“steve, wrong button!”

“dude, you missed your cue!”

“can you stop chewing so loud?!”

“are you even listening to her at all?!”

“god, do i have to do everything myself?!”

you should’ve known to just shut up when he’d gone eerily quiet. he didn’t snap back with some crude insult— he never did— but he usually had some sort of comment. whether it be a quick “sorry,” or “my bad.” he always had something to say nowadays.

he just leaned back in his chair, deathly silent and cold.

and the moment you got into your shared apartment and into your bedroom, he was sitting down and bending you over his lap. your soft, flowy skirt was bunched up around your hips and your bare skin was on perfect display for him.

“you think you can just yell at me like that? because what? you’ve had a bad day?” and his heavy, big hand would come down onto the supple skin with a loud smack, making you jerk against his thighs. “hm? think you can get all mean and expect things to go back to normal?”

there’d be zero sympathy in his voice because everyone has truly been pushing his buttons for the last 48 hours.

his calloused palm was sooth over the reddening skin slowly, giving you that false sense of relief that made you think it was over.

smack.

you’d cry out brokenly, your legs kicking up at the sharp sting. “stevie—“

he’d cut you off immediately because he knows where you’re going with this. he always knows. “not today, baby. can’t sweet talk your way out of this one.”

smack.

the tears prickling in your waterline would begin to finally trickle down your cheeks, leaving trails of dark mascara to smudge. your bottom is starting to burn now but you know it’s far from over.

“you done bein’ a little brat to me? or should i keep going?” he asked mockingly, squeezing at the fat of your ass. you couldn’t help but whine in pain. “you gonna apologize to me? tell me how sorry you are? how this won’t happen again?”

and when you try to start pleading your case and beg for it to be over, promising it won’t happen ever again and you’ll be so nice, he’d kinda chuckle to himself and be like, “hmm, it’s funny ‘cause i think that’s exactly what you promised me last time.”

and his heavy hand would come down on the untouched side of your ass with another loud smack, making you choke out a sob. he’d stop if he truly thought he was hurting you, but he knows you better than anyone. and he knows how much you fucking love it.

“count ‘em up, honey,” he’d command, his hands kneading the flesh as he geared up for another spanking. “you know the rules. miss one and i start over.”

and he’d make you count all the way to 14 including the previous 3, an even number on each cheek. by the time he was done, your skin would be red, irritated, and literally on fire so when you went in the station tomorrow and had to sit for the long hours, you’d be uncomfortable and restless. it’d be a long reminder of your behavior and it’s consequences.

you’d be all teary and blabbering out apologies, begging stevie to forgive you. you swear it’ll never happen again and you’ll make it up to him.

after smoothing over your burning skin, he’d have you face down on the bed with your ass perched up into the air, drilling all the of attitude out of you. he’d be sooo transfixed on your creamy little cunt just fucking sucking him right back in and leaving a milt ring around the base of him.

“this what you wanted, baby? just wanted to be punished like a little slut?” he’d coo, his hands holding your waist in a bruising grip, pulling you back to meet each thrust. “fuck. pretty pussy’s just fuckin’ cryin’ for it, huh?”

he’d be so mean and teasing, leaning over you so he was buried impossibly deep. his hand would be pressing the side of face down into the sheets as you cried, fingers bunching at the blankets uselessly to try and ground you.

his hips would be moving so much slower, rolling against yours and making a new home in your guts. you could practically feel him in your throat. and you’d be mumbling out absolute nonsense. begging for more? maybe begging for mercy? he could never decipher it.

“the fuck are you even saying right now?” it came out as a breathy laugh, that lazy, confident smile splaying across his face. the hand on the side of your face moves to your hair, tugging the the roots gently before sliding around to hold your neck. he’d pull you upright so your head was back against his shoulder and his arm was looping around to splay a big hand over your stomach, feeling the head of him bulging against your tummy. one particularly hard thrust would have you screaming and arching away from him. “c’mon. be a good girl and use your words. tell me what you want.”

a choked scream spilled past your swollen lips, biting down hard to stop yourself frim letting out another when you felt a deep punch of his fat tip against your cervix. “wanna cum! hmph! please, stevie. right— right there! yes, yes, yes!”

he’d reach around to rub at your puffy, neglected clit until your jerking against him and crying out in pleasure. even when he was pissed off at you, he’d always ensure that you came first.

“that’s it, pretty baby,” he mumbles against the shell of your ear, repeatedly abusing that sweet spot inside of your gummy walls. “taking my fat cock like a fuckin’ champ. you were made for this, weren’t you?”

your nails would be digging so brutally into the forearm around your throat that was almost keeping you in a headlock, but he’d be so lost in the tight warmth of your cunt that he wouldn’t even care. he’d fucking eat it up every time. in the same way that you loooved his firm bicep pressing against your neck. if you were a little more conscious, you’d surely be taking a big bite of them.

with your shaking, spent body, he’d finally lay you back down and slide a pillow under your hips before pressing his full weight on top of you from behind. he’d push himself so far up your guts that you’d be genuinely seeing stars. and his arm would be locking around your neck again, his lips neck to your ear as he moaned lewdly.

“shit. i fuckin’ love when you get all bratty with me,” he’d admit in a low purr. “love getting to have you all dumb and pretty on my cock. hearing you beg me to let you come— oh, fuck. and deep down, i know how much you love getting this little pussy punished. can feel how tight she squeezes me, how fuckin’ wet she gets the minute i get inside you.”

“oh— oh, stevie! please, feels so good,” you cried, jolting forward with the force each hard thrust. “i love it! mmph! love when you punish me!”

and he’d be sooo fucking cocky about it, biting and nipping at your ear as he chuckled. “yeah? tell me how much you love it, baby. tell me how good i make you feel.”

you’d be crying, shaking beneath him, barely able to form another comprehendable sentence when he begins rolling his hips into you, so deep and slow that you feel like you’re suffocating. and steve’s scent, the expensive cologne and his natural musk, is all around you. it’s so entirely him that you’re literally drunk off of it.

when he knows you’re close again, mostly because you can’t say a single intelligible word, he’s rubbing at your clit with his free hand and snapping his hips into yours a little quicker. you can’t even scream when the coil in your stomach snaps, you just have to lay there and take the immense pleasure running through your blood.

and he’d finally start to get all soft on you when he thrusts a few more times slowly before feeling his balls draw up, fully emptying himself inside your dripping cunt. “there you go, honey. yeahhh, just fucking’ take it,” he moaned sweetly into your ear, peppering the side of your sweaty face in loving kisses. “such a good girl for me. fuck, i love you. love you so much, pretty.”

and steve would certainly keep you stuffed full for a few minutes while you caught your breath, kissing all over every inch of your skin. he’d sit up and away from you just to gently paw at your ass, placing the most tender kisses along the bruised skin all while muttering about how much he loves you and how good you were for him.

he’d gently spread the skin apart so he could watch his fat cock pull out from your messy pussy, loving the way his thick cum slowly gushed out of your hole. just to tease you a little, he’d sometimes run the tip of him down your slit to collect his seed and shove it back inside of you, making you let out a choked gasp and grip the sheets beneath you.

his lips would find the space between your shoulder blades, kissing all over you and then pulling out for good.

and steve looooooves aftercare. so of course he’d be rolling you over, pecking your pretty lips and running a soft, warm towel along the stickiness between your legs. he’d be kissing all over you the entire time, praising you, mumbling “i love you, honey,” over and over and over.

⋆˙⟡ STEVE HARRINGTON

eddie letting needy steve breed his girlfriend because he’s been so desperate and lonely lately

steve taking out his frustration on you after the team loses their championship game

him slowly feeding his huge cock into your tight cunt

steve fucking your boredom away when a storm wipes the power out

he definitely tracked your cycle so he knew exactly when to breed you

the two of you are just so high and needy

⋆˙⟡ EDDIE MUNSON

the type of video eddie would send your bf to let him know how good the local freak makes you feel

eddie fucking you into the trailer’s couch

eddie punishing his pretty girl for letting jason carver flirt with her

he just can’t get enough of you on top of him

eddie looooves touching you

he just needs to feel every inch of your body

⋆˙⟡ STEDDIE

THE next afternoon, the hallway of hawkins high was its usual loud, echoing gauntlet of teenagers rushing through to get to the parking lot. margot kept her head down, transferring a heavy history textbook from her bag into her locker. the memory of yesterday's peaceful afternoon with nancy was the only thing keeping her grounded, but the thought of steve's devastated expression on the porch—which nancy had quietly mentioned before dinner—lingered uncomfortably in the back of her mind.

she slammed her locker door shut.

steve was standing right behind it.

he didn't have his sunglasses on, and the confident, untouchable posture of king steve was entirely missing. he looked exhausted, the dark circles under his eyes deeper than they had been the day before.

"margot, please," he said quickly, his voice a low, urgent rush before she could walk away. "can we just talk? for five minutes. i need to seriously apologize for the other day. what i said in the parking lot... it was messed up, mar. it was mean, and it was cruel, and you didn't deserve any of it. i was just... i was pissed, and i took it out on you, and i'm so sorry."

margot let out a sharp, irritated breath, clutching her books tightly against her chest. she looked at him, her eyes flashing with a mix of anger and genuine exhaustion. "okay, steve, but you don't get to do this anymore," she said, her voice cutting through the ambient noise of the hallway. "you can't keep being mean to me, hurling horrible insults, and then showing up twenty minutes later to apologize. it means absolutely nothing. you just keep hurting me, over and over, and i am completely over it. i have enough on my plate."

"mar, i know, i know i screwed up and— and i just keep screwing up," steve pleaded, falling into step beside her as she turned on her heel and started marching toward the exit doors. he was practically begging, his hands out as they pushed through the double doors and walked out into the crisp, overcast afternoon. " one more chance. that's all i'm asking for. i'm trying to figure this out, i swear."

"no, steve! you're not trying," margot snapped, her boots crunching loudly on the gravel as they entered the parking lot. "you're just reacting! you switch gears whenever it suits you and i'm so sick of it."

"i'm trying to protect you!" steve suddenly burst out, his voice laced with that same bitter, frustrated energy from the day before. he was walking backward in front of her now, desperate to keep her from ignoring him. "i'm trying to keep you away from billy because that guy is a total psycho, margot! and i've been sticking up for you! i told tommy to back off, i've been handling the rumors—i'm doing all of this, and you won't even look at me!"

he was throwing every bitter defensive excuse he had at the wall, his chest heaving. the truth was, he didn't know what the warm feeling that bloomed in his chest was. and he definitely didn't know how to place the overwhelming, terrifying protectiveness he still felt for her, so it kept coming out sideways—as jealousy, as anger, as pride.

"i didn't ask you to do any of that!" margot yelled back.

steve opened his mouth to fire back another argument, but his eyes suddenly darted past her shoulder. he froze.

parked near the edge of the lot was the big beige chevy blazer. hopper was leaning against the driver's side door, his arms crossed over his uniform shirt, his eyes locked dead on the two of them with a steady, unreadable gaze.

the fight instantly drained out of steve's shoulders, replaced by a wave of desperate panic. he looked back at margot, his eyes wide and pleading.

"look, can we... can we please just talk later? please, margot? just let me call you," he whispered frantically, trying to salvage whatever thread was left between them.

knowing the chief was watching, steve forced his face into a tight, sad smile and raised a hesitant hand, giving hopper a respectable, quiet wave across the gravel.

margot didn't even look back at him. she adjusted the strap of her bag, her expression turning completely cold and final. "no, steve. you're just not worth the time anymore."

she brushed right past him, leaving him standing in the middle of the parking lot. she walked straight to the truck, yanked the passenger door open, and climbed inside, pulling the door shut with a heavy, definitive thud that echoed across the gravel.

"everything okay?" hopper asked, shuffling inside and turning the key over. he could feel the brewing tension in the truck.

margot huffed out a breath and crossed her arms defensively over her chest. "everything's fine," she gritted through clenched teeth.

the drive to the hawkins lab was dead silent, the engine of the blazer humming heavily against the tense quiet inside the cab. hopper kept one hand on the steering wheel and his eyes on the road, but his brow was knitted into deep, worried lines. next to him, margot stared out the window, her hands clamped tightly in her lap to keep them from shaking.

they didn't use the main entrance. instead, they pulled around to the secure, guarded back gate, where a lab tech in a white coat was already waiting to escort them down the sterile, fluorescent-lit corridors.

minutes later, margot was sitting on the edge of a cold, paper-lined examination table. the room smelled strongly of antiseptic, a scent that immediately made her stomach churn.

dr. owens sat in a rolling chair opposite her, a folder open in his lap and a pen poised in his hand. he looked gentle enough, his expression full of grandfatherly concern, but to margot, he was just another person trying to force her back into the dark.

"alright, margot," owens started softly, tapping his pen against his knee. "your dad tells me you had another severe incident in the car on the way home from school. and later that night, you experienced a pretty scary seizure. a couple months ago when i last saw you, i increased your dosage of medication. do you think it has affected the severity of your seizures at all?"

margot chewed nervously at her cheek, hands fiddling nervously in her lap. she looked to her dad for any sort of reassurance. he gave her a curt nod, encouraging her to speak her mind. "it makes me feel exhausted all the time," she began, timid and hesitant. "i always feel nauseous and tired and just... gross."

owens nodded along while the nurse in the corner of the room jotted down notes. "and when you say gross, what does that mean? are you feeling sluggish? or do you feel physically sick? like a cold or the flu."

"both. i feel like everything is moving in slow motion around me. and it's like i'm in a constant state of feeling heavy and— and sick. even if i haven't taken the medication for the day yet," margot replied, doing her best to find the words to describe what she was feeling.

the doctor sat back on his stool for a second in thought. the pen tapping against his knee bounced a little quicker as he turned to hopper. "and how about you, chief? have you noticed anything different since the last time we saw her? any of these symptoms she's describing? any difference in the seizures at all?"

"they don't last as long as they used to," he noted first. "they haven't been happening as often either. but she... she seems miserable. she's always talking about a headache, or a stomachache, or this sick feeling. and she's not sleeping like she used to."

owens mumbled something to himself, nodding as he took in hopper's words. he shuffled back around to look at margot. "okay, you're not sleeping well. can you tell me some more about that?"

a sigh fell past her parted lips. "i just... i feel exhausted all day and then when i get to bed, it's like i physically can't sleep. most nights, i'm laying there for hours and my brain just won't shut off."

"it sounds like you're experiencing some pretty intense insomnia," dr. owen's stated, glancing at the nurse to ensure everything was being documented. he paused for a moment to think, the pen tapping against his knee now frozen in the air. "and would you say you're scared to fall asleep? because of the nightmares?"

the room suddenly grew cold, margot's body tensing at the mere mention. "i don't... i don't know."

"okay," he nodded in understanding, not wanting to push her any further on the matter. "how many hours a night are you sleeping? on average."

margot looked to her father, silently wondering if she should lie to avoid the hassle of more questions. she wasn't even entirely sure if hopper was aware of the extent of her insomnia. nonetheless, he nodded encouragingly. "five on a good night. lately, it's been more like two or three."

she watched the look shock cross both of their faces, their brows shooting up and their eyes widening in realization. "wow. that's..." the doctor trailed off, completely shocked at the confession. "as much as i know you don't want to do another medication, i think prescribing something to help with the insomnia you're experiencing is in your best interest for the time being."

before she could protest, he continued. "and there's no need to worry, the side effects aren't as daunting as the one you're taking now. you shouldn't experience anything out of the ordinary, just a little extra help sleeping at night. this one won't need to be long term either, only until you can get back on track with a normal sleep schedule."

the term normal should've been comforting. instead, it just made her feel indifferent and small.

she didn't say anything. she just nodded and hoped to be done with all of this soon.

"alright. now let's talk about you're most recent episode," he began. "your father said when he found you in the car, you were frozen, your breathing slowed, and you were completely unresponsive to external stimuli. can you tell me what it feels like right before that happens?"

she swallowed hard, her jaw tightening as she looked down at the linoleum floor. "i don't know. it's hard to put into words. it just... it gets cold."

"cold how? like a breeze, or something deeper?" owens pressed, leaning forward. "do you feel it in your limbs first? do you experience any auditory... hallucinations? a ringing in your ears, or maybe a low vibration?"

"it's just cold," she repeated, her voice rising slightly, a sharp edge of panic bleeding into her tone. she gripped the edge of the examination table, her knuckles turning stark white. "it feels like i— i get this chill all over my body. when it happens, i'm frozen in place. it's like i'm watching the world move around me but i'm just... stuck."

talking about it was making her chest feel incredibly tight. every question owens asked felt like a shovel digging up things that were supposed to stay buried.

she hated being here. she hated the sterile white walls, she hated the clipboards, and she hated the realization that she couldn't just pretend she was a normal high school girl who was just having a bad week. discussing the details out loud made the nightmare feel terrifyingly real, stripping away the fragile walls of denial she had built up over the summer.

"margot, i need you to try and be a little more specific for me, okay?" owens asked gently, but persistently. "when you're in that state, are you aware of your surroundings? when you saw the silhouette your dad described from your first vision—the shadow—did it feel like it was aware of you? was it looking at you?"

the mere mention of the shadow sent a violent, icy jolt straight down margot's spine.

her breath caught in her throat. the annoyingly bright fluorescent lights above suddenly seemed to hum a little louder, the white noise expanding until it filled her head. a wave of intense, dizzying nausea hit her, and the back of her neck began to prickle with that horrific, familiar chill. it felt like the monster was listening—like just speaking its name in this sterile room was calling it right back to her.

"stop," margot whispered, her eyes widening as a fresh wave of panic threatened to choke her. She pulled her knees up to her chest, her whole body starting to tremble. "stop asking me. i feel... i feel like it's coming back. please."

hopper stepped forward instantly, moving his bulky frame directly between margot and the doctor, his face set in a hard, protective scowl. "that's enough for today, doc. just give her a second."

the chief immediately took her hands, anchoring her through the peak of the panic attack, while owen's stepped back and lowered his voice, quickly deciding it was best to cut the session short. "let's get her home, chief," owens whispered, adjusting his glasses. "i'll run these blood panels, look over the previous charts, and get that new prescription filled. she needs rest."

the drive back to the cabin was suffocatingly tense. margot sat pressed against the passenger door, her forehead resting against the cool glass, silently tracing the passing trees through a blur of unshed tears. her chest still felt tight, the phantom cold of the lab lingering in her bones.

hopper kept his eyes on the dirt road as they finally pulled up to the cabin. he turned off the engine, but margot was already halfway inside. he took a long, heavy breath before finally decided go follow her. when he walked inside, he kicked the door shut with the hell of his shoe and took of his hat to place it on one of the hooks.

"mar," hopper started, his voice a low, cautious rumble. "what happened out in the parking lot today? with harrington."

after a grueling day of whispers at school, billy's unwanted attention, a terrifying panic attack at the lab, and the sheer exhaustion of hiding it all, the question was the absolute breaking point. "what are you talking about?"

hopper shrugged off his coat and casually moved across the kitchen to begin cooking dinner. "i saw the two of you talking when i picked you up. looked pretty serious if you ask me," he said gruffly, placing a cigarette between his lips. "just wanted to know what that was all about."

she snatched the thin white paper from between his lips and tossed it into the garbage can, hating the fact that he smoked since she was young. "it was nothing. he was just asking to talk."

"and?" he asked, grabbing some frozen meals from the freezer to warm up.

margot's brows furrowed at him, almost like she was asking if he was being serious. "that was it. i don't want to talk. there's nothing left to say," she said bitterly, her arms crossed over her chest like a physical wall. "i've heard the apologies a thousand times and he still never changes. they're just meaningless and a waste of time at this point."

hopper let out a groan. sometimes he loved how much they were alike. right now, he was really cursing himself for passing along his stubbornness to her. "you don't think you're being a little too hard on him?"

margot's head snapped toward him. "why do you always defend him?!" she snapped, her voice cracking under the weight of her anger.

he blinked, caught completely off guard by the sheer venom in her tone, but he kept his posture calm. "i'm not defending him, kid. i'm just looking at the facts. the kid does all this stuff for you. he drove you home in the dark, he actually stood up for you against his little friends, and he's been calling every single day. he wants to change, mar. anyone can see he's trying."

"you're supposed to be on my side," margot spat, her vision swimming with tears as all her built-up frustration erupted. a hot tear spilled over her cheek as she slammed her hand against her lap. "he has done horrible things to me! he let his friends treat me like garbage, he embarrassed me, he broke my trust, and you just sit there and brush it off because what? he crawled into a hole with his stupid little baseball bat? you're my dad! you're supposed to support me, but you still keep taking his side!"

"margot, that is not what i am doing here. you're blowing this way out of proportion," hopper argued back, his own voice rising as the stress of keeping her and el safe finally frayed his nerves. he turned fully in his seat. "i am on your side! i have been on your side since day one! but i am also an adult who can see when a kid is drowning in his own mistakes and trying to pull himself out of them. he's looking out for you when i can't be at that school to protect you!"

"i don't care if he's drowning! can't you see that he did that to himself?!" margot sobbed, the anger completely shattering into pure, raw hurt. she shielded her face with her hands, her shoulders shaking violently. "i hate that you think so highly of him! you think he's some kind of hero, but to me, all he ever does is find new ways to hurt me. and i am so tired of feeling like the bad guy just because i won't let him back in!"

the kitchen of the cabin fell completely silent except for the sound of her jagged breaths.

hopper's anger evaporated instantly. seeing his fierce, stubborn daughter completely broken down in tears over the wooden table was like a punch to the gut. he took long strides across the floorboards and over to her, his large, calloused hand hovering over her trembling shoulder, his heart aching with the realization of how deep her wounds actually ran.

margot shoved hopper's hand away, her voice raw and shaking as she kept crying. "you just don't get it! you don't understand what it's like to see him every day, pretending to be one person to them and another to me. and all anyone can do, is defend him and say that he's trying. he doesn't deserve it, dad!”

"mar, i'm trying to make sure you're protected—" hopper started, his voice heavy.

"i can protect myself! you're treating me like a child, trying to decide who's good for me and who isn't!" margot yelled, her chest heaving as the arguments flew back and forth. the frustration of feeling completely misunderstood and managed by everyone around her boiled over. "i don't need a bodyguard and i definitely don't need you or steve breathing down my neck all the time!"

she stormed down the hallway straight into her bedroom, kicking the door shut behind her.

margot collapsed onto the floor by the edge of her bed, burying her face in her hands as deep, exhausting sobs racked her body. within seconds, a warm, heavy weight pressed against her side. daisy, sensing her handler's extreme distress, nudged her wet nose under margot's hands, whining softly before shifting her body to lean firmly against her to provide deep pressure therapy.

she wrapped her arms tightly around the dog's neck, burying her face in daisy's fur as she gasped for air, her chest feeling incredibly tight and uncomfortable. the golden retriever whined softly, a warning that meant she needed to slow her breathing immediately.

THE concrete courtyard of hawkins high was buzzing with chatter about the party this upcoming weekend, but at the small courtyard table where margot, nancy, and jonathan sat, the mood was much quieter. margot was picking at her lunch, still feeling the lingering, unshakeable dread from the news about the rotting pumpkin patches, while jonathan and nancy quietly discussed an assignment.

the peace didn't last long. it never did.

a shadow fell over their table, accompanied by the distinct, cocky chuckle that margot had quickly learned to despise. billy hargrove leaned his hip against the edge of the wooden picnic table, completely ignoring nancy and jonathan as his blue eyes locked onto her.

"hey there, hopper," billy purred, tilting his head with that lazy, predatory smirk and a cigarette hanging from his lips. he rested an elbow on his knee, leaning in just close enough to ensure she couldn't look past him. "you're a hard girl to get a word with. i was just wondering if the prettiest girl in hawkins is actually going to show her face at the halloween party next weekend, or if you're too good for the rest of us."

nancy immediately stiffened, giving billy a cold, unimpressed glare, while jonathan shifted uncomfortably, his eyes darting toward margot to see how she'd handle it.

she didn't shrink back. she dropped her plastic fork, her jaw setting into a tight, defensive line as she looked up at him. "i don't do parties, hargrove. and i definitely don't do them with you. move."

billy just let out a low, amused laugh, clearly not discouraged by the bite in her tone. "come on, don't be like that. a party might be exactly what you need to shake off whatever's got you looking so serious all the time."

a few tables over, steve was sitting with tommy and carol. tommy was loudly recounting a story about his 'fun' weekend that seemed to only consist of getting plastered, but steve wasn't hearing a single word. his eyes were glued to the picnic table, his fingers gripping his soda can so tightly the aluminum dented under the pressure.

a toxic, bitter knot of pure irritation was twisting in his chest, making his blood feel incredibly hot. he was quietly, very intensely peeved—not just at billy, but at margot. he was angry that she was sitting there letting the new guy hover over her, even if she was technically telling him off. the hypocritical, territorial thought echoed in the back of his mind before he could even stop it: he was the one who had spent years on her roof. he was the one who had crawled the upside down for her. if anyone was allowed to push her buttons, to try and get a rise out of her, it was supposed to be him. not some psycho from california.

"hey, king steve! you even listening to me?" tommy snapped, slamming a hand on the table.

"yeah," steve lied, his voice clipped and tight as he tore his eyes away from margot, shoving his hands deep into his jacket pockets. "yeah, i'm listening. just thought i saw something stupid."

back at the picnic table, margot kept her shoulders rigid until billy finally gave her a slow, lingering wink and sauntered off toward the parking lot. the second he was out of earshot, she let out a sharp, ragged breath, her skin still prickling from the unwanted attention.

she glanced up, her eyes instinctively scanning the courtyard, and immediately caught steve staring at her from his table. he didn't look worried today; he just looked bitter, his brow furrowed into a harsh, resentful glare before he deliberately looked away.

margot grabbed her backpack and stood up, the lunch suddenly tasting like ash in her mouth. "i'm going to the library," she muttered to nancy, entirely done with the high school, the boys, and the stupid, exhausting games they all seemed to be playing.

the quiet sanctuary of the library stacks was exactly what margot needed. the smell of old paper and dust completely drowned out the suffocating high school drama outside. nancy followed her in minutes later, dropping her bookbag onto a wooden table and sinking into a chair across from her.

"what was that all about?" she whispered low enough to not catch the attention of the librarian, pulling out her notebook and pen.

margot let out a drawn out sigh, one that told nancy exactly how deep the exhaustion ran. "billy just doesn't know how to take a hint. and for some reason, steve has decided to be mad at me for it," she said quietly, though the intensity in her voice was prominent. she wasn't upset that steve was mad at her, she was angry that he of all people thought he could be mad at her. "what right does he think he has to control who i talk to? god, you should've heard the things he said to me, nance. it's like i was back in that driveway all over again."

the corners of nancy's lips curled downwards at the mere mention of the incident. margot could act like it didn't affect her all she wanted, but nancy knew the truth. "i wonder what's gotten into him lately. he was doing so good. for a second, as much as i hate to admit it, i thought he might actually have a shot at redeeming himself."

"yeah, well, obviously not. tommy called and invited him to a few parties and all of a sudden, he was right back to playing 'king steve,'" margot scoffed. she wasn't even pretending to be studying anymore. this rant was something she desperately needed to get off her chest. "it's just irritating, you know? i'm not asking him to be my friend again. i'm not asking him to change at all. i hate that he keeps making these promises to be better then somehow finds a way to stoop even lower."

nancy bit at the inside of her cheek to keep herself from revealing the smile threatening to spill onto her lips. the confession weighed heavy in the air between them. "look, mar. steve has been a major asshole for the last two years. and i am not defending him when i say this. i want you to know that i'm on your side no matter what—"

margot groaned. "nancy."

"—but," she continued, hopeful that margot wouldn't get up and leave right now. "we know steve. i think he just... i think he likes feeling wanted. tommy and carol put him on this pedestal and the attention makes him feel good about himself. i'm not saying that it excuses everything he's done or said to you, but i think he is, at the very least, trying to change."

"that doesn't change anything," she stated, almost sounding defeated. like she wanted to believe the words but she knew better. "that just tells me that the moment we don't give him enough attention, he'll go running back to tommy and carol. and it definitely doesn't excuse the things he said to me."

nancy nodded in a silent understanding. the last thing she was trying to do here was invalidate her feelings. "i know, mar. steve has never been good at expressing himself or... doing anything that involves emotions, really. but this? this is the most effort i've ever seen him put into anything. that has to count for something?"

margot let out a heavy sigh, her chest feeling tight having to think about this. "can we just talk about something else?"

nancy pursed her lips into a thin line, glancing down at her notebook when he caught the bright, neon orange paper tucked away inside. "the halloween party."

"what?" she asked, her brows furrowing at the sudden exclamation.

"the halloween party this weekend. we should totally go," nancy beamed excitedly, a wide smile on her face. "it would be so fun. and it might take your mind off of things for a little bit. think about it, mar. matching costumes, dancing, drinking, not having to worry about this whole mess?" 

margot eye'd her suspiciously. she was considering it. she was actually considering it. "we don't even have anything for costumes, nance. everything will be sold out by the time we go shopping."

she sat quietly in thought for a minute. "let's just go to my place after school today. i'll drive and we can go to the local shops to find something," she suggested, her eyes big and pleading. "please, mar. i even convinced jonathan to go."

a party did sound fun. especially considering it would be her first one ever. it would be an easy way to distract her for a night, even if steve and the rest of his crew would definitely be there. hopefully, he would have enough girls falling to his feet that he wouldn't even think about approaching her. 

"what about daisy?" margot reasoned. "i need to go home after school to feed her and let her out."

nancy shrugged, not backing down. "that's okay. i'll drop you off, take the boys home, then pick you back up and we can go back to my place to think of some ideas."

margot bit at her bottom lip, seriously contemplating the idea. she gave in almost instantly.

and for the next half-hour, they didn't talk about the the party, steve harrington, or the monsters.

they just talked about normal, mundane high school things—upcoming midterms, nancy's classes, and the general exhaustion of dealing with people. it was a relief to pretend, even for a second, that they were just two normal teenagers.

but the real world always found a way back in.

nancy leaned closer across the table, her voice dropping into a cautious whisper. "jonathan showed me some prints he developed last night. from the woods behind the lab."

margot's hand paused over her notebook. "and?"

"there's something in them," nancy said, her brow furrowed. "he was trying to get shots of the treeline near the restricted fence. it's too dark to make out entirely— it looks like a shadow or a silhouette —but it's definitely some kind of creature. it's not a deer, margot. it's too big."

a dull ache throbbed behind margot's eyes, but she forced herself to keep her composure, nodding slowly. "we keep our eyes open. that's all we can do right now."

by 3:15 PM, the final bell cut through the halls, and margot walked out to the parking lot with nancy. waiting by the station wagon were mike, dustin, and lucas, their heavy backpacks slung over their shoulders as they argued animatedly about their latest D&D campaign.

"i'm telling you, the demogorgan wouldn't just retreat!" dustin was yelling, throwing his hands in the air.

"guys, get in the car," nancy sighed, unlocking the doors.

as margot went to open the passenger side door, she felt that familiar prickle of intensity on the back of her neck. she looked across the gravel lot.

steve was leaning against his bmw, his sunglasses perched on top of his head. he wasn't talking to tommy or carol anymore. he was just staring straight at her, his jaw set so tightly a muscle twitched in his cheek. he looked completely, utterly miserable—like his entire day had been genuinely ruined just by witnessing billy hargrove breathe the same air as her at lunchtime. the sheer bitterness in his scowl was childish, but it was incredibly loud.

margot didn't give him the satisfaction of looking away first. sbe gave him a cold, indifferent stare, climbed into nancy's car, and pulled the door shut, leaving king steve alone with his sour mood in the middle of the parking lot.

the station wagon kicked up a small cloud of gravel as nancy pulled into the cabin's secluded driveway. margot grabbed her bag, gave nancy a quick wave, and headed up the porch steps.

she gave the secret knock and a moment later, the lock clicked, and the heavy door swung open. el stood there, but before margot could even greet her, a streak of fur lunged forward. daisy, their energetic golden retriever mix, barked happily, her tail thumping against the floorboards like a metronome.

"hey, girl," margot murmured, kneeling down to let daisy enthusiastically lick her cheek. the sheer, uncomplicated affection from the dog instantly washed away some of the lingering irritation from the school parking lot.

el watched them from the hallway, a tiny, rare smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

margot clapped her hands together, standing back up. "alright, let's get you outside, daisy." she opened the back door, letting the dog bolt out into the open area of the yard to burn off some energy. while daisy sniffed around the treeline, trained to stay close by, margot went into the kitchen and measured out a scoop of kibble, dumping it into the metal bowl with a loud clatter.

daisy came rushing back inside at the sound, immediately burying her snout into the food. margot walked over to the living room table, grabbing a notepad and a pen. "el," she called out softly. she peered around the doorframe. "i'm going to head over to nancy's for a little bit. we're just going to hang out. are you going to be okay here until dad gets back?"

el nodded once, her expression turning serious. "safe. i stay."

"okay, great." margot quickly scribbled a note for hopper: at nancy's. be back for dinner. don't worry.

she had barely set the pen down when the low, familiar rumble of nancy's car echoed from the front driveway again. margot slung her backpack over her shoulder, gave el a reassuring nod, and headed back out.

when they arrived, the wheeler house was quiet for once, with mrs. wheeler out running errands and the boys securely locked away in the basement playing video games. upstairs in nancyms room, the atmosphere was entirely different. fabrics, fashion magazines, and sketchpads were strewn across the bed. it was exactly what margot needed—a total escape from high school rumors, territorial boys, and the lingering dread of the woods.

nancy was sitting cross-legged on the floor, flipping through a magazine, while margot leaned against the headboard of the bed.

"okay, so i was thinking," nancy started, biting the cap off a marker. "if we do a matching thing, we could go classic. like, old hollywood classic. think gentlemen prefer blondes."

margot smiled, the thought of actually dressing up making something light and happy flutter in her chest. after spending weeks in oversized flannels, hiding bruises, and feeling like a broken piece of the puzzle, the idea of feeling genuinely nice for one night was incredibly appealing. "i don't care what the theme is, nancy. honestly, just... anything that looks cute. i want to wear something that actually makes me look like a person, not a zombie."

nancy looked up, her expression softening with fierce loyalty. "you are not a zombie. and you're going to look incredible. what about audrey hepburn and grace kelly? elegant, classic dresses. we could do high buns, pearls, the whole thing."

"i love that," margot admitted, a real, genuine laugh escaping her lips. "i think my dad might actually pass out if he sees me in a dress instead of a denim jacket, but it's worth it."

"perfect," nancy smiled, aggressively circling a style in her notebook. "we can go shopping thursday after school and find the perfect dresses. let's see steve try to look annoyed when we walk into that party looking like movie stars."

margot rolled her eyes, but the sting of steve's behavior earlier that day faded just a little bit more, replaced by the warm, easy comfort of a normal afternoon with her best friend.

for the next few beautiful hours, the upside down didn't exist, billy hargrove didn't exist, and the whispers in the hallways were entirely forgotten. the sound of their laughter filled the bedroom, bouncing off the walls and scattering the heavy tension that had hung over margot all week. they were just two teenage girls gossiping over costume designs and making fun of old fashion trends.

suddenly, a heavy, hesitant knock rattled the front door downstairs.

nancy blinked, her laughter fading. "my mom shouldn't be back yet," she murmured, setting her sketchbook aside. "stay here, i'll go see who it is."

margot leaned back against the pillows, tracing a pattern on the bedspread, the warm afterglow of their conversation still lingering.

downstairs, nancy pulled the heavy front door open just a few inches, standing squarely in the crack to block the view inside. her expression instantly hardened when she saw who was standing on the porch.

it was steve.

but it wasn't king steve. the cocky, bitter armor he had worn in the parking lot had completely shattered. his hair was disheveled from the wind, his eyes were bloodshot, and his shoulders were hunched tightly against the cold. he looked entirely broken and distraught. he had just survived a screaming match with his father—the kind of ugly, suffocating family fight that always left him feeling entirely invisible and worthless in his own massive house.

for the last two years, ever since he had messed things up and lost margot, nancy had been the person he ran to for comfort. she had been the closest thing to an anchor when everything else was drifting away, even after their fight outside of the hawkins gymnasium.

he had driven over here out of pure instinct, desperate for a friend, desperate for someone to just tell him he wasn't a total failure.

"steve?" nancy asked, her tone guarded, her hand firmly on the edge of the door. "what are you doing here?"

"hey, nance," steve choked out, his voice rough and uneven. he tried to swallow the lump in his throat, his eyes pleading. "i—i'm sorry to just show up. i just really needed to talk to someone. my dad, he—we got into it again, and i just... i really need a friend right now."

nancy looked at him, and while a flicker of sympathy crossed her face, she didn't open the door any wider. she knew margot was upstairs. she knew how much damage steve's swinging moods had caused, and she wasn't about to let him ruin the one good afternoon her best friend had experienced in months.

"steve, i... i'm sorry about your dad, but i can't talk right now," nancy said softly, though her voice left no room for negotiation. "i have company."

steve's breath hitched. his eyes drifted past nancy's shoulder, catching the faint sound of a floorboard creaking upstairs. he knew that specific cadence. he knew exactly who was sitting up in that bedroom.

a sharp, physical ache bloomed in his chest, breaking his heart entirely. two years ago, he would have been a part of this. he would have been sitting on the floor, throwing crumpled up pieces of paper at them, making them laugh until their stomachs hurt. he should have been included in that hangout. they used to be a trio—they used to be safe together. now, he was standing outside in the cold drizzle, completely locked out of the only warmth left in his life.

when nancy didn't move from the crack in the door, the final bit of fight left his posture. he looked exactly like a kicked puppy—completely defeated, lonely, and entirely drained by a terrible day.

he swallowed hard, taking a slow step backward onto the porch. "right," he whispered, a faint, sad nod escaping him. "yeah. company. of course." he forced his trembling hands into his pockets, his eyes dropping to the porch mat. "i'm sorry, nance. i shouldn't have... i shouldn't have bothered you. tell her i said hi."

before nancy could say anything else, steve turned around and walked down the steps. he kept his head down against the rain, his silhouette looking incredibly small and isolated as he trudged back to his car, completely defeated by the world he had built for himself.

THE hawkins high school parking lot was just as loud, chaotic, and suffocating as margot remembered, but everything felt much different now. the crisp autumn air of october 1984 carried the faint scent of leaves and exhaust, but to margot, every sudden car backfire or slamming locker door sounded a little too much like a gunshot.

she stood by nancy's car, anxiously adjusting the strap of her backpack over her healed shoulder. "you okay?" nancy asked, pulling her keys from the ignition. things between them had finally smoothed out over the summer. the shared trauma of the previous year had forged a quiet protective bond between them. nancy was with jonathan now—a shift that had been slow but certain—which left a massive, awkward crater in the social landscape of hawkins high.

"i'm fine," margot said, forcing her chin up. "just ready to get this day over with already."

as they walked toward the double doors, a low murmur rippled through the courtyard. it followed margot like a rotten smell.

"look, it's the zombie girl."

"i heard she was catatonic in the psych ward."

"no, my brother said she was found in the woods blabbering about ghosts."

she kept her eyes locked straight ahead, her jaw set into a rigid line. she could feel the harsh stares pricking at her skin, the snickers echoing off the brick walls. the school had dubbed her and will byers the "zombie kids," a cruel playground rumor that she was determined to ignore. she wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of seeing her flinch.

then, a loud laugh cut through the noise—a familiar, obnoxious bray that made margot's stomach drop.

standing by a sleek camaro at the edge of the lot was tommy, carol leaning against his side, and right there with them was steve harrington. he was wearing his signature aviators and that stupid member's jacket, laughing at something the ginger boy had said.

margot's chest tightened with a sudden, sharp spike of pure resentment.

over the summer, the quiet, worried boy who had sat by her lounge chair and waited in her driveway had completely vanished back into his old skin. the moment the school year started, king steve had reclaimed his throne, sliding right back into the clique that had made her life miserable. every daily call, every soft apology by the pool—it all felt like a fever dream now. a temporary lapse in his popular programming.

nancy noticed her stare and gently touched her elbow. "margot, hey. don't look at them."

"i'm not," she lied, her voice dropping into a cold, defensive rasp as she tore her eyes away.

as she brushed past the trio to get to the entrance, steve's laugh suddenly cut short. through the dark lenses of his sunglasses, his head turned, tracking her as she walked by. for a fraction of a second, the cocky smirk on his face faltered, replaced by that heavy, conflicted look he only wore when the crowd wasn't watching.

but margot didn't give him the chance to look sorry. she shoved the heavy school doors open, burying her shaking hands deep into her jacket pockets, fiercely determined to survive the first day back without letting a single person see the cracks underneath.

unfortunately for her, the first morning bell had barely rung before tommy h. had officially found his target.

she was at her locker, trying to untangle her jacket strap from the hook, when a heavy hand slammed onto the metal locker door right next to her head. the loud CLANG made her flinch, a sudden, unwanted jolt of adrenaline shooting straight down her spine.

"hey look, carol, the zombie's awake," tommy sneered, leaning in close enough that margot could smell the scent of his cheap cologne. "heard you had a rough summer, hopper. what happened? did the boogeyman get you?"

carol chuckled from the side, chewing her gum loudly. "i heard she just couldn't handle a little breakup with king steve and lost her mind."

margot's knuckles turned white against the edge of her textbook. she kept her chin up, staring straight into her locker, refusing to look at them. "move, tommy."

"or what? you gonna go cry to the chief or something?" tommy mocked, shoving his shoulder against her locker door, forcing her to step back.

"i said shut up, tommy."

the voice was sharp, cutting through the crowded hallway. margot's eyes snapped over. steve was standing a few feet back, his hands jammed into his pockets. tbe easy, arrogant smirk he usually wore around the ginger was completely gone, replaced by a tense, heavy scowl.

tommy, laughing nervously. "what? harrington, come on, seriously? it's just a joke—"

"it's not funny. leave her alone and get to class," steve said, stepping directly between tommy and margot. he didn't yell, but his voice carried a dangerous, leave-no-room-for-argument finality that made a few nearby students stop and stare.

tommy stared at steve for a long, tense second, his smile souring. "right. whatever, man. let's go, carol. sidekick's acting weird today."

as they walked off, the hallway slowly began to clear. steve turned around, his eyes instantly searching margot's face with that familiar, intense worry. "mar, you okay?"

margot didn't thank him. she slammed her locker shut, her eyes blazing with a mix of leftover humiliation and deep, simmering resentment. "don't call me that. and i don't need your charity, harrington. i can handle myself," she spat, brushing past him so hard her shoulder clipped his arm.

by 3:15 pm, the sky had turned a gloomy, overcast grey. nancy had mentioned earlier during their lunch period that she had to wait by the middle school wing for mike and the boys to finish a quick after-school av club meeting, leaving margot to face the trek back to the cabin alone.

she was already halfway down the main road leading away from the high school, her head down against the biting october wind to keep her cheeks from fully freezing off, when the low, distinctive rumble of a bmw engine approached from behind.

the car slowed down, coasting right along the gravel shoulder next to her. steve rolled the passenger window down, leaning across the seat. "margot! come on, get in. it's freezing and it's gonna rain soon."

"no," margot said, not even breaking her stride.

"mar, please. just let me drive you. it a three-mile walk. you'll catch something out here."

"i said no, steve!" she yelled over the engine, picking up her pace. "and i told you to stop calling me that."

frustratedly, steve threw the car into park right on the shoulder, the tires crunching loudly on the gravel. he slammed his door shut and jogged ahead of her, stepping directly onto the dirt path and throwing his arms out, literally blocking her way.

"move," she snapped, trying to step around him.

steve shifted his weight, blocking her again. "no. i'm not letting you walk three miles in the cold because you're mad at me. and it's about to get dark out here."

"oh, so now you care?" margot finally exploded, her voice cracking as all the anger she'd been harboring since the morning bell came rushing out. she took a step closer to him, her eyes flashing fiercely. "i am so sick of this, steve! i am sick of you switching who you are based on who's watching you!"

steve opened his mouth to speak, but she pointed a sharp finger at his chest, cutting him off.

"on my porch, you're the tragic, guilt-ridden best friend who 'watches the shadows' for me," she yelled, tears of frustration finally blurring her vision. "but the second you get around tommy and carol, you put on those stupid sunglasses, laugh at their disgusting jokes, and act like i don't exist! i don't want any part of it, steve. i don't want the version of you that only cares about me when it's convenient or when nobody else is looking. so get out of my way."

steve stood entirely frozen, her words hitting him like a physical blow. the frantic, stubborn energy left his posture, leaving him looking incredibly small against the backdrop of the grey woods. he looked down at his keys, his jaw tight, before looking back up at her with a raw, quiet honesty.

"i'm not playing a part with you, margot," he whispered, his voice shaking slightly. "the guy in the hallway today? the guy who told tommy to back off? that's who i actually want to be. i'm just... i'm an idiot, and i'm terrified of being alone. but i'm trying to figure it out. i promise i am."

he stepped aside, leaving the path completely open, though his eyes never left her face. "you can hate me the whole ride. you can scream at me the whole way to the cabin if you want. but please... just get in the car. don't walk back into those woods alone."

margot stared at the open path, then down at her scuffed boots. her healed shoulder was aching from the cold, damp air, and the soles of her feet felt like steel. she let out a sharp, irritated breath, her shoulders sagging in defeat.

"fine," she muttered, brushing past him. "but you don't say a word."

she begrudgingly marched over to the bmw, yanked the passenger door open, and climbed in, slamming it behind her. steve didn't waste a second. he hurried back to the driver's side, slipped into his seat, and quietly put the car in drive. true to her condition, he left the radio completely off and didn't speak once. the only sound was the steady hum of the engine and the rhythmic whoosh of the windshield wipers as a cold autumn drizzle finally began to fall.

margot leaned her head against the cool glass of the window, staring out at the passing trees. she was fiercely determined to ignore him, to let the silence be a punishment to him, but as the car drifted deeper into the winding, rural roads toward the cabin, the atmosphere in the car shifted.

the grey sky outside suddenly felt too dark. the shadows of the trees stretching over the asphalt looked elongated, shifting in ways that didn't match the wind.

her breathing hitched.

a sudden, piercing cold snapped at the back of her brain. the interior of the bmw didn't vanish, but a heavy, oppressive fog seemed to bleed through the dashboard. her eyes widened, completely glazing over as the real world locked up around her. high above the tree line, spreading across the entire sky like a massive, suffocating web, a towering silhouette solidified. it was a giant, multi-legged shadow made of pure darkness, its form maneuvering strangely in a phantom red and deep navy sky.

it was looking right at her.

margot went completely rigid. her jaw locked, her hands freezing into tight, pale claws against her lap. she didn't scream, she didn't cry—she just stopped. her eyes were wide, unblinking, fixed on a terror that steve couldn't see.

"mar?" he asked, glancing over. the silence from her side of the car had turned into something entirely different. when he saw her profile—the absolute, horrifying paralysis gripping her—his heart plummeted. "margot? hey, look at me. mar!"

she didn't move a muscle. she was completely trapped in the vision, her skin turning a sickly, pale grey in the dim dashboard light.

"damn it," steve panicked, slamming his foot onto the gas. the beamer tore down the dirt road leading to the cabin, kicking up mud and gravel as he swerved into the driveway. he didn't even turn off the ignition before he was out of the car, sprinting up the porch steps.

he threw himself at the heavy wooden door, pounding on it frantically with his fist. "chief! chief, open up! hopper!"

the lock clicked loudly, and the door swung open to reveal hopper, his sleeves rolled up, a look of immediate, protective fury on his face. the intense, sharp barking sounded from behind the chief almost as a warning. "harrington, what the hell are you—"

"it's margot!" steve gasped out, pointing a shaking hand back toward the idling car. "she's in the car. she— she froze up, chief. i think she's having another episode. she won't move!"

hopper's face went entirely pale. he didn't ask any more questions. he shoved past steve, slamming the door behind him and barreling down the porch steps toward the passenger side of the bmw, ready to pull his daughter back from whatever dark place had caught her again.

just as hopper tore the passenger door open, the crushing cold in margot's head snapped away like a broken rubber band. the red sky and the giant, reaching shadow vanished, instantly replaced by the muddy windshield of the bmw and the sound of the rain hitting the roof.

she snapped back into reality, the air rushing back into her lungs as her muscles violently unlocked.

"margot! margot, look at me, you're okay," hopper rumbled, his large hands immediately catching her shoulders as she blinked rapidly, her eyes darting between her dad's panicked face and steve, who was hovering right behind him, his skin pale and practically hyperventilating.

"dad?" margot mumbled, her voice faint but entirely her own. she looked around the driveway, the fog in her brain clearing completely. "what? why are you guys screaming? what's going on?"

steve let out a ragged, trembling breath, placing his hands on his hips as the adrenaline began to drain out of him. "you—margot, you completely froze. you weren't breathing. i thought you were gone."

a hot, stinging wave of pure embarrassment flooded margot's cheeks. the vulnerability of it—the fact that she had suffered another humiliating, terrifying episode right in front of him after fiercely defending her pride all day—was almost worse than the vision itself. she hated that he had seen her break. again.

"i'm fine," she said quickly, her voice snapping back into a defensive, tight tone. she brushed hopper's hands off her shoulders and hurried out of the car, keeping her head down so neither of them could see the fresh tears of frustration welling in her eyes. "it was just a headache. it's fine."

she marched straight past steve, not looking him in the eye, but as she reached the porch stairs, she paused for a fraction of a second. thought turning around, she muttered a quiet, rough, "thanks for the ride," before slipping inside the cabin and slamming the heavy wooden door shut behind her.

the driveway fell quiet, save for the steady patter of the rain.

hopper stood by the idling bmw, watching the door close. he let out a long, heavy sigh, the terrifying panic in his chest slowly settling into a deep, bone-weary exhaustion. he turned back to steve, who was still standing by the hood of the car, looking completely shaken to his core.

hopper walked over, stopping right beside the boy. there was no glare this time. no protective barrier.

"thank you, steve," hopper said, his voice dropping into a low, completely sincere rumble. he reached out and placed a heavy, grounding hand on steve's shoulder. "really. if you hadn't been there to drive her... god knows where she'd be right now."

steve swallowed hard, nodding slowly. "i just... i didn't know it was still that bad, chief. she looked so safe at school today."

"yeah, well, she's good at hiding it," hopper said, a faint, bitter trace of a smile crossing his face before it faded. he squeezed steve's shoulder once, a silent gesture of respect from one guardian to another. "and i'm sorry. i'm sorry you had to see that, kid. no teenager should have to carry any of this."

"i don't care about carrying it," steve whispered, looking back at the dark windows of the cabin. "i just want her to be okay."

"me too," hopper muttered, stepping back toward the porch. "go home, harrington. get some sleep. you did good today."

—

the next morning, the sky was a dull, bruised grey, and margot's defensive armor was back on. her brief moment of vulnerability in her driveway was locked away, buried deep beneath a layer of stubborn pride.

when she walked onto the school grounds, she didn't look for steve, and when he tried to catch her eye near the lockers before first period, she deliberately turned her back towards him to talk to nancy.

she was acting like the ride home had never happened. and to steve, who had spent the entire night tossing and turning with the memory of her frozen, pale face etched into his mind, the sudden freeze felt like a slap in the face.

but by lunchtime, the dynamic of hawkins high shifted entirely.

a sleek, roaring blue camaro tore into the parking lot, and out stepped billy hargrove. he was everything hawkins wasn't— denim jacket, a cigarette dangling from his lips, an arrogant smirk, and an intense, predatory energy that immediately drew every eye in the courtyard.

billy didn't care about the high school cliques, and he certainly didn't care about the rumors. within two periods, he had already crossed paths with margot in the hallway. while everyone else whispered and called her "zombie girl" from a safe distance, billy had stopped dead in his tracks, his blue eyes locking onto her with a sudden, deep infatuation. he liked the sharp, defensive edge she carried; it was like a challenge.

by the end of the day, margot was standing by the outdoor payphones, trying to call the cabin, when a heavy shadow fell over her.

"you know, you're kind of hard to track down, hopper," billy's raspy voice purred, his shoulder leaning against the brick wall right next to her head. he twirled a car key on his finger, his eyes scanning her face with an intense, unblinking focus. "i keep hearing all these boring stories about you. but i think you're the only interesting thing in this entire dump of a town."

margot rolled her eyes and braced herself, her hand tightening on the phone receiver. she didn't like how close he was standing, but she refused to look intimidated. "get lost, hargrove."

billy just laughed, a low, amused sound, stepping even closer. "feisty. i like that."

from across the courtyard, steve was standing by his car, not even pretending to listen to tommy ramble about some party. his gaze was locked on the payphones. seeing billy hover over margot—seeing the way he was looking at her, like she was something he wanted to own— made a hot, sharp coil of anger twist in steve's chest. it annoyed him to his absolute core. his skin felt too tight, his jaw aching from how hard he was clenching it. he told himself he was just worried about her safety, that billy was bad news, but the sheer intensity of the frustration felt a lot like something he wasn't quite ready to name yet.

and because steve didn't understand the jealousy, it curdled into stupid, defensive anger.

when billy finally smirked and walked away, margot let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding and started walking toward the school exit. steve intercepted her before she could even reach the sidewalk, his stride hurried and angry.

"what was that?" steve snapped, blocking her path, his arms crossed over his member's jacket. the soft, worried boy from the night before was completely gone, replaced by a defensive, biting sneer. "you're ignoring me, but you're perfectly fine hanging out with the new psycho from california?"

margot blinked, her own temper flaring instantly. "i wasn't hanging out with him. he cornered me."

"right, looked real painful," he scoffed, a mean, sarcastic edge bleeding into his voice as he lashed out to protect his own bruised ego. "guess you just seem to attract guys who treat you like garbage. first me, now him? you really know how to pick 'em, hopper. or maybe you just like the attention now that the 'zombie' rumors are dying down."

margot felt the words hit her like a physical slap. the guilt she had felt the night before evaporated, replaced by a cold, blinding fury. he was back to being king steve, throwing insults the moment he felt slighted.

"you're a real piece of work, harrington," she said, her voice dropping into a deadly, quiet whisper. her eyes burned with a mixture of hurt and anger. "go back to tommy and carol. you're much better at being a jerk anyway."

she shoved past his shoulder, her boots clicking loudly against the pavement as she walked away, leaving steve standing alone in the gravel lot, his fists clenched in his pockets, hating himself the exact second the mean words left his mouth.

the long walk back to the cabin felt endless, the cold autumn air biting at margot's face as her anger at steve slowly burned down into a heavy, exhausting ache. by the time she reached the heavy wooden door, the sun had completely dipped below the horizon, leaving the woods outside in pitch darkness.

she knocked rhythmically on the wood, leaning her ear up against it to see if anyone was home. the lock clicked from the other side.

slowly, she pushed it open and walked into the living room, dropping her backpack onto the floor with a weary thud as the sound of soft pattering came straight at her. the sweet golden retriever's tail wagged from side to side excitedly as she jumped up onto her legs, pawing at her thighs for attention.

margot leaned down to kiss at her head. "hey, daisy girl," she smiled and ruffled the fur there. the puppy whined and began walking towards the kitchen where her food bowl resided, looking back every few steps to make sure she was being followed. "are you hungry? yeah, me too, girl."

sitting on the edge of the sofa in the dim light was eleven. her small frame was enveloped in one of hopper's oversized flannel shirts, her knees pulled tightly to her chest. her dark eyes snapped up to margot the second the door clicked shut, her expression a mix of quiet anxiety and relief.

"late," el said, her voice small, a tiny puff of friction in the quiet room.

"i know. i'm sorry, el," margot sighed, walking over and sinking onto the cushions beside her. she rubbed her tired eyes, feeling the sheer weight of the day pressing down on her, along with daisy who was curling up in her lap. "school took longer than i thought. and i had to walk."

el watched her closely, noticing the tight line of margot's jaw and the lingering tension in her shoulders. she reached out a hesitant hand, her fingers lightly tapping Margot's uninjured shoulder.

"bad?" el asked, tilting her head.

margot let out a dry, humorless breath, thinking of the whispers in the hallway, billy's predatory staring, and the biting, defensive words steve had hurled at her in the parking lot. she wanted to scream, to cry, to pretend none of it existed, but looking at el—who was entirely cut off from the world, relying on her and hopper for everything—she forced a small, reassuring smile.

"just a dumb boy," margot whispered, shaking her head. "and a lot of annoying people. you didn't open the door for anyone, right?"

el shook her head slowly. "safe."

"good." margot patted el's knee, forcing herself to stand up despite how badly her feet ached. "come on. let's get some dinner started before dad gets back from the station." she walked over to the fridge, examining every option. she sighed at the bleak scene in front of her. "looks like we need to go grocery shopping. how about... spaghetti?"

el didn't look very impressed.

margot opened the freezer, spotting the yellow box that el loved. "after we eat, i'll make some eggos?"

her face instantly brightened, a tiny spark of genuine joy returning to her eyes. she dropped her knees and nodded quickly.

"yes," el said clearly. "eggos."

as margot walked through the kitchen to grab the bag of daisy's dog food from the pantry, the quiet routine of the cabin began to soothe the jagged edges of her day. out here, hidden in the deep woods of hawkins, she didn't have to be the "zombie girl," and she didn't have to worry about king steve's stupid, swinging moods. she just had to keep the doors locked, keep el safe, and try to forget the rest of the world existed.

she grabbed the metal scoop and poured the measured amount into daisy's bowl for her dinner, running her hand through her fur lovingly before moving to the sink to wash her hands and get the water boiling.

the kitchen was filled with the savory scent of pasta when the heavy front door finally unlocked. hopper trudged inside, looking completely spent. he tossed his uniform hat onto the counter, his brow furrowed into deep, tense lines.

"smells good in here," he muttered, though his mind was clearly miles away. he walked over to the table where margot and el were sitting, leaning his large hands on the back of a wooden chair where he typically sat, a foil-covered plate there waiting for him.

"everything okay at the station?" margot asked, wiping a smudge of sauce from the table.

hopper sighed, leaning down to pet daisy who was jumping at his legs. "not really. spent the last three hours out at merrils land. he's got that massive pumpkin patch out there, and the whole damn thing is ruined. hundreds of pumpkins, just... dead."

margot paused, her fork hovering in the air. "dead? like from the cold or something?"

"no, that's the weird part," hopper said, his voice dropping into a low, gravelly tone. "it's not frost. it's like a rot. a black, oily... whatever that's coming right out of the dirt. it smells like sewage and shit out there too, and it's spreading fast. whatever it is, it's like it's poisoning the ground from underneath."

the words had barely left his mouth when a sudden, violent chill tore straight up margot's spine.

the air in the kitchen instantly felt ice-cold. for a terrifying, fleeting second, the faint smell of the spices and pasta was entirely replaced by the choking, ash-heavy stench of the upside down. a wave of intense, physical nausea hit her so hard her stomach heaved, and she had to drop her fork onto her plate with a loud clatter.

daisy was immediately on alert, pawing at hopper as a warning. he'd rescued her from the shelter, not only as a gift to margot for her birthday, but he'd also paid an absurd amount of money to have her trained as a service/therapy dog. did he use half of his savings for it? maybe. but daisy had proved to be extremely valuable in situations like this.

el's eyes snapped over to her, wide and knowing. she reached across the table, her small hand tightly gripping margot's trembling fingers.

"mar?" hopper asked, his eyes narrowing with immediate, sharp concern. he took a step toward her. "you okay? you look pale."

"i'm fine," margot lied, her voice shaking as she pushed her chair back from the table. the nausea was making her head swim, and she could feel the phantom vibration of the shadow buzzing at the base of her skull. it was exactly what she had feared—the rot wasn't gone. it was moving. "i just... i'm not really hungry anymore."

she stood up, her knees feeling dangerously weak, and forced herself to walk toward her bedroom before she could pass out in front of them. daisy was following right at her feet, whining to alert her that she needed to sit immediately.

"i think i'm just exhausted from the walk," she murmured, her hand on the doorknob. "i'm gonna call it a night early. i promised el eggos after dinner, could you make them please?"

hopper watched her go, the worry on his face deepening into absolute dread. he nodded anyway. he didn't push her, knowing how fiercely she fought to hide her episodes and the recent seizures she'd been experiencing, but the moment her bedroom door clicked shut, he exchanged a heavy, dark look with el.

margot collapsed onto her bed, pulling the thick quilts entirely over her head. she curled into a tight ball, shivering violently despite the warmth of the room. daisy curled into her side, her soft gaze locked onto her face beneath the sheets.

she closed her eyes tight, desperately trying to shut out the image of the black, rotting fields, knowing deep down that the thin walls between her world and the dark were officially starting to crack.

the annoyingly bright florescent lights of the star court mall boutique hummed, casting a bright glow over the racks of neon fabrics and denim. you walked past the displays, your arms already heavy with a couple of records and a new guitar strap you’d managed to find for eddie’s birthday. shopping for your older brother was usually easy—just find anything black, studded, or related to heavy metal—but today, a stray mannequin near the back of the store had caught your eye.

it was wearing a dress. it wasn't your usual style at all—no baggy band tees or flowy maxy dresses to hide behind. usually, you avoided shorter, more revealing cuts. finding clothes that fit right was always a gamble, especially with a bigger chest; things either pulled too tight across your top or ended up looking like a shapeless tent.

but this one was different. it was a deep brown tone, with a slightly lower neckline and a hemline that hit a few inches above the knee. something about the cut made you pause.

“why not?” you muttered to yourself, slipping the hanger off the rack before you could talk yourself out of it.

in the dingy changing room, you set eddiems birthday gifts down and carefully stepped into the dress. as you pulled it up and adjusted the straps, you braced yourself for the usual disappointment. you reached for the zipper, waiting for it to catch, but it slid up smoothly.

turning to face the full-length mirror, your eyes widened.

the dress didn't just fit—it looked incredible. the lower neckline framed your breasts perfectly without feeling uncomfortable, and the fabric hugged your curves in exactly the right places before flaring out slightly at the waist. the shorter length felt fun and bold, completely different from the baggier, long clothes you were usually forced to opt for anyway.

for the first time in a long time, you didn't see the flaws in the mirror. you just saw how vibrant and confident you looked. a massive smile broke across your face, and you twirled slightly, watching the fabric move.

you couldn't wait to buy it. eddie’s birthday party was the perfect excuse to finally wear something that made you feel this spectacular.

hours had passed since then. now, you stood in front of your bedroom mirror, smoothing your hands down the fabric of the dress one last time. seeing yourself like this—confident, vibrant, and wearing something that actually made you feel amazing—felt entirely new, and you couldn't help but smile at your reflection.

a sharp knock on the door broke the quiet. "hey, kid! you ready? everyone’s waiting, and i am ready to celebrate!" eddie’s voice boomed from the hallway.

"yeah, just a second!" you called back.

remembering that eddie would definitely be celebrating with a few beers tonight, you walked over to your nightstand and snatched his van keys. as the designated driver for the night, you slipped them safely into your purse before opening the door. eddie took one look at you, gave a proud, approving nod at seeing his little sister looking so happy and confident, and the two of you headed out to the van.

the drive to steve’s house was filled with the usual loud music and eddie drumming on the steering wheel, but your heart raced a little faster as you pulled into the driveway.

when you walked through the front door, the crowded house seemed to fade into the background the exact second steve looked up. he caught sight of you from across the room, and his jaw practically dropped. he didn't even say goodbye to the person he was talking to. he walked straight over to you, his eyes locked onto yours, full of absolute adoration.

"hey, gorgeous," steve breathed, his voice warm and filled with awe as he stepped into your space. he immediately wrapped his arms around you, pulling you close against his chest. "you look... absolutely stunning. i can't even take my eyes off you."

"you like it?" you asked, a flush of happiness hitting your cheeks.

“i love it. i love everything about it," he murmured, his hands resting securely on your waist, completely unwilling to let you go. he leaned down, pressing soft, lingering kisses to your forehead and temple, mumbling against your skin about how incredible you looked.

your cheeks tinged red as they began to grow hot, making you curl up in his touch. you gently pushed at his chest and broke free from his grasp. “i’m gonna get a drink. you want anything?”

steve was right. he literally couldn’t take his eyes off of you. they didn’t even know where the focus. they were trailing down from your face, to your chest, all the way down to your shoes, and back up to repeat the cycle in a scrambled order. “just, uhm…” his voice trailed off, licking his lips as he admired how beautifully this dress fit. “beer. just a beer please, honey.”

he looked like a sad puppy for entirety of your walk to his fridge. he couldn't breathe. he actually couldn't breathe. the fact that everyone could see you in that pretty dress while he had to watch from afar, irked him in a way he wasn’t ready to admit.

and the moment you returned, he was cracking open the bottle cap with his teeth and pulling you into him, your chest flush to his with his big hand splayed over your back. “you look like a fucking dream, you know that?”

steve was already one or two beers deep from the casual sips while setting up, the alcohol stripping away his usual composure and replacing it with a desperate, starving hunger. he didn't just want you; he was fucking obsessed.

he had spent the last hour practically glued to your side, his body pressing into yours every chance he got. he wasn't subtle either. his hand was permanently anchored to you, his fingers digging into the soft, plush curve of your tummy, kneading the skin through the fabric of the dress. he loved how you felt—how soft and yielding you were. he kept sliding his hand down, pawing at the fat of your hips, squeezing your flesh with a needy intensity. and the moment he pressed himself tight up against your side, you could feel exactly how hard he was under his jeans.

"god, you're so beautiful," he groaned, his voice thick and hazy. he leaned in, his breath smelling of beer and smoke, pressing wet, sloppy kisses all over your cheeks, your jawline, and the sensitive skin of your neck. he was practically vibrating against you. "you have no idea, honey... i can't even think. i can't even fucking look at anyone else."

he shifted closer, his lips brushing against the shell of your ear, his voice dropping to a filthy, guttural whisper. "i want you so bad. i want to feel every inch of you. please, baby... just let me take you upstairs. i’ll be so quick, i promise. no one’ll even notice we’re gone... just me and you. i need to get you out of this dress. i need to taste you."

you chuckled and lightly pushed at his chest to create some space between the two of you. “steve, we can’t just leave. it’s my brother’s party,” you reasoned, pecking his lips to help soften the rejection. “what if someone find us hiding up there?”

he towered back over your, lazily mouthing at your neck. “we can go to the car,” he suggested, completely intoxicated by you. he couldn’t help but suck a deep purple bruise just below the neckline of your dress. one wrong move and everyone would see it. “no one will come looking for us out there.”

when you finally nodded, a small, breathless smile on your lips, steve let out a sound that was half-moan, half-sob. he didn't just walk you out— he practically steered you, his hands unable to stay still for a single second.

as you led him toward the door, you couldn’t help but anxiously glance around for any eyes watching. steve followed close behind you, his large palms gripping your ass, squeezing the soft cheeks through the dress, pulling you back against his hardness with every step. he was extremely bold and clingy from the beer and the desperation, his hands wandering upward, reaching around to paw at your breasts. he kneaded them firmly, his thumbs brushing over your nipples through the cloth, his breath hot and ragged against your shoulder.

"so big," he whimpered, his voice trembling. "so fucking soft. i’m going to devour you the second we hit that seat."

your felt another flicker of anxiety, glancing back at the house where the party was still roaring. "steve, stop," you whispered, your voice a mix of a plea and a command. "slow down. someone’s going to see us. we’re in the middle of the street—what if someone walks by?"

steve didn't even flinch. he stopped for a second, pulling you flush against his hard chest, his eyes dark and clouded with lust. a smirk played on his lips, arrogant and completely smitten.

"let them," he rasped, his voice dropping into a low, possessive growl. "i don't give a fuck. i want them to see. i want everyone to know exactly how crazy my gorgeous girl makes me. i want them to see how much I need you."

you stopped dead in your tracks and turned to face him. you tried to keep your face stern, masking the smile that was tugging at the corners of your mouth. You put your hands on his chest, pushing him back just an inch, your eyes narrowing.

"no," you said firmly, your voice taking on a sharp, assertive edge. "you are going to behave. you will wait two minutes until we get to the car, and then you can do whatever you want. do you understand?"

the effect on steve was instantaneous. he didn't fight you. instead, he practically melted. the sight of you taking charge, putting him in his place with that stern look, sent a fresh jolt of heat straight to his groin. he looked at you with wide, dilated pupils, his chest heaving.

he nodded submissively, his head bobbing almost like a little puppy, his teeth sinking into his lower lip as he fought the urge to just pin you against the nearest fence. he loved it. he absolutely loved being told what to do by you. he was exactly where he wanted to be—completely at your fingertips and utterly desperate for the moment you finally let him lose control.

"yes, ma'am," he whispered, his voice shaking with anticipation. "whatever you want. just... please, can we hurry?"

by the time you reached the van at the end of the street, steve was barely holding it together. he damn near ripped the back doors off the hinges, lifted you you inside, and practically tackled you onto the bench seat, his eyes wide and glazed with a primal, unfiltered hunger for every single curve of your body.

the moment the van doors slammed shut, the silence of the street was replaced by the frantic, desperate sounds of steve’s breathing. he didn't just want you, he was literally starving for you. he descended on you like a man possessed, his hands shaking as he gripped the fabric of your dress. “fuck, honey. need you so bad.” he loved how you looked in it, but the need to feel your bare skin was overriding everything. he practically ripped the fabric down, the dress sliding over your hips to reveal the lush, soft curves he had been dreaming about all night.

when your breasts finally spilled out, free and heavy, steve let out a choked, guttural sound. he didn't even wait. he collapsed on top of you, his heavy weight pinning you into the bench seat, and dove straight for your chest.

"god, look at them... look at you," he whimpered, his voice broken. he began nursing on your breast with a primal intensity, his lips sealing around one large, soft nipple as he sucked hard, his tongue swirling around the peak. he was a complete fucking mess, his face flushed, his eyes glazed over with pure adoration. “jesus christ, baby. you’re gonna fucking kill me in this pretty thing.” he moved from one breast to the other, licking, biting, and sucking on the pale skin, leaving a trail of wet, hot marks across your chest. he was completely enamored by the size and softness of them, his hands palming your breasts, squeezing them together to push them closer to his mouth.

"so perfect... fuck, you're so fucking perfect," he mumbled against your skin, his voice thick and needy.

while he was devouring your breasts, his hips were grinding relentlessly into you, his hard length pressing against your center. he could feel your cunt soaking straight through the thin fabric of your underwear. he fumbled with his belt, the metallic clinking of the buckle sounding frantic in the small space. he didn't take his eyes off you for a second, his gaze hungry and devoted. with a desperate grunt, he freed his huge, pulsing cock and guided himself to your opening.

he slid into you slowly, a long, deep stretch that filled you completely. steve let out a loud, melodic moan, his head falling back against the seat as he felt the crushing tightness of your cunt. he was shaking, his entire body trembling from the sheer sensation of being inside you.

“oh god... you're so tight... so fucking warm," he gasped, his voice straining. he began to rut into you, his hips moving in slow, heavy thrusts that drove him deeper and deeper. he wasn't just fucking you; it’s like he was trying to merge into one with you, wanting to be as close as humanly possible.

every time he pushed forward, his hands stayed glued to your breasts, kneading the soft flesh, lifting them up so he could watch them bounce with every thrust. the mix of hushed whispers, of praise and desperation and moans, in your ear was enough to make you want to scream.

it doesn’t take long until his hot mouth is back on your breasts, sucking hard and licking at your peaked nipples. it was all too much. “oh! stevie, mmph! please— need to slow down,” you whined, blinking back the thick tears pooling in your eyes. “i can’t— fuck, i can’t mess up my makeup.”

he released your skin with a wet pop and pressed a long, sweet kiss to your lips. “we’ll get you fixed up later, honey. oh, fuck. i promise,” he gasped out. "i can't... i can't even think when i’m looking at your tits," he groaned, his pace picking up, becoming more frantic. "i love them so much. i love every fucking inch of you. shit, i’m not gonna last... baby, i’m not gonna last if you keep looking at me like that... fuck, i need you... i need all of you."

he was a shipwreck of a man, completely undone by your body, his moans filling the van as he drove himself into your warmth, obsessed with the way you felt and the way you looked beneath him.

with a sudden, powerful surge of strength, steve gripped your hips and rolled you both over in one fluid motion. he sat up against the back of the van seats, his back against the cool leather and your legs situated on either side of his thighs, seating you firmly on top of him.

the change in position was electric. now, you were the one in control, bouncing slowly on his huge cock, and the view for steve was nothing short of heavenly. your heavy breasts were perfectly positioned right in his face, swaying and jiggling with every downward press. he looked up at you with eyes that were completely blown out, his expression one of pure, unfiltered worship.

as you sank down, the small patch of coarse hair at the base of his cock rubbed perfectly against your clit, creating a friction that had you gasping and arching your back into him. steve let out a strangled noise, his hands immediately flying to your body. one hand stayed anchored to your clit, his fingers dancing over the sensitive nub in a rhythmic, driving motion that pushed you closer to the edge, while the other hand gripped your breast, pulling it firmly into his mouth.

he began to suck on you again, his tongue swirling around your nipple while he looked up at you through his lashes. he wasn't just focused on the sex; he was obsessed with your entire body. he reached down, his large hand sliding over the soft, pillowy curve of your tummy, his fingers digging into the plushness of your thighs. he loved the way your skin felt—soft, warm, and abundant. he was a complete sucker for every single curve, every fold of your beautiful body.

"you’re so perfect," he whispered, his voice a ragged, shaking mess. "god, i’m the luckiest man in the fucking world. looking at you, feeling you... you're an angel, baby. you’re fucking unreal."

he started to thrust upward with a sudden, violent intensity, his hips snapping up to meet your descent. he wanted to feel the impact, wanted to see the way your tits bounced and jiggled harder with every heavy hit. he was practically whimpering now, the sound of his desperation filling the cramped space of the van.

     "HOLY—" margot jumped, cutting herself off before anything left her mouth that could get her in trouble. she placed a hand over her racing heart and took a long deep breath to collect herself. "sorry, el. you scared me."

the younger girl stood behind her, silently staring with a ghost of a frown on her lips. "sorry," she spoke quietly. she was still adjusting to this new environment.

"no, don't apologize. it's fine. i just didn't hear you come in," margot replied calmly, turning back to the counter to finish poking small holes into the thin plastic film of her frozen dish. "are you hungry?"

el didn't say anything, just shook her head and watched her carefully place her food into the microwave. "hopper?" she asked.

margot glanced at her watch and then leaned over to look out the window. she turned to face the girl again with a gentle smile. "should be home any minute."

the young girl nodded and quietly retreated back into her room to wait.

living with someone new was hard to adjust to. she was quiet, young, and curious. in more ways than one, she reminded margot of sarah. it was scary in all honesty. but after all, she might not be here if it weren't for el.

as if right on queue, the doorknob jingled with the turning of the key before it was being pushed open to reveal the chief. he looked exhausted, annoyed, and confused all in one. his eyes flickered between her, the food into her hand, and the cabinet behind her head. "you take your medicine yet?"

margot rolled her eyes and set her food down at the table before taking a seat. "oh hi, dad. my day was great. how was yours?" there was a sharp edge to her voice that made her father run a frustrated hand over his face.

"draining. did you take your medicine?" he repeated a little more firm this time. he had been on edge ever since bringing margot back home approximately a week ago. it was better now that he was finally back at the station regularly, but in the earlier days where he was staying home to care for her, it was like he was breathing down her neck at all times.

she stirred around the mac n' cheese in the small paper tray before looking at him. "not yet," she mumbled, spooning some food into her mouth. "i just made dinner."

he moved through the kitchen to grab the small bottle from the cabinet, placing it down right in front of her on the table. "make sure you the damn pills, kid. only way you'll get better," he grumbled with a cigarette hanging between his lips.

"they make me feel gross," margot complained before scooping some more noodles up. "how am i supposed to know if i'm feeling better when these pills have me in a permanent sickness?"

he shook his head and lit the end, inhaling long and deep. "i think you're bein' dramatic." his head tilted back and away from her to blow out the smoke. "you talk to harrington yet?"

her brows furrowed as she looked at him, silently asking if he was being serious. "what? no. why would i have talked to steve?"

hopper took a seat across from her and popped open a can of beer. "he called again askin' about you." he took a long sip and sighed. "look, kid. i know he was a real prick to you. and i get the whole driveway thing. if it were up to me, i'd probably throw him off the porch. but he's called here every single day since you got back. sounds like he hasn't slept since leaving that hospital. and if i'm bein' honest, i feel bad lying to him everyday." he paused to take another sip from his can. "he went into that shit-hole for you, margot. he saved your life, alright? if that doesn't show that he cares and that he's trying to change then i don't know what does. i'm not telling you to forgive him, but you need to talk to him. it's clearly driving him crazy, and the calls are starting to drive me crazy."

margot turned her head to look out of the window and the leaves illuminated by the deep glow of the sun. the anger was still very present, but there was something else there with it now. a heavy, overwhelming wave of guilt. because deep down, no matter how much she wanted to hate him, hopper was right. steve had crawled through a literal nightmare for her.

nearly an hour later, margot was walking down the long driveway of the harrington estate. the place where everything went down. the sun was just setting and dipping below the tree line around the neighborhood, casting long shadows along the perfectly cut grass.

her shoulder still ached with each and every step she took, and the uncomfortable stale air made a chill run down her spine every few minutes. any small noise had her heart jumping out of her chest. but she still forced her feet forward.

she stepped onto the grand porch and knocked against the heavy, expensive-looking door.

when it swung open seconds later, steve stood there without his usual 'king steve' bravado that she was expecting. his hair was messy like he hadn't brushed it since the previous day, and his face had this deep look of pure annoyance. "look, i already told you guys i'm not going to dinner—" he began without thinking, his voice sharp and angry. he froze when his eyes finally snapped forward to meet margot's. the anger melted instantly into something much softer, before turning into one of shock. "margot?"

the speed at which his expression flipped was borderline appalling. the way all annoyance vanished just by the sight of her. this was exactly the type of thing nancy had caught onto.

his eyes immediately dropped down to her dusty shoes from the gravel and dirt of the sidewalks, then to the growing darkness behind her. "did you... did you walk here? all the way from the cabin? alone?" panic was evident in his voice, his hands twitching at his sides like he wanted to reach out and grab her to examine her for any new wounds and such. he knew better than that though. "are you insane? why didn't you call? i would've picked you up."

margot crossed her arms over her chest and leaned slightly into the porch railing in an effort to alleviate the pain in her side. she maintained that same annoyed, tight scowl to keep him from seeing how much that walk had actually affected her. "i'm fine, steve. no need to yell."

"i'm not yelling, i'm—" he cut himself off to take a deep breath and recollect his composure. he glanced over his shoulder into the dark shadow of his house. from somewhere deep upstairs, he could hear the muffled, tense argument coming from his parents echoing through the halls.

steve's face switched up into something unreadable for a moment, then quickly switched to one of embarrassment. his features then softened almost immediately to something gentle and genuine. "look, my parents are um... it's a whole thing inside here right now," he said, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "come on. let's go around back."

he stepped off the porch and gestured for her to follow him down the small side path of rocks. margot hesitated for a beat, wondering if she should just turn now while he wasn't looking and head back home. but instead, she forced her legs to move after him.

the walk around the massive brick house was made entirely in silence. the large in-ground pool was covered with a thick blue tarp, reflecting the light of the crescent moon in the sky. the patio chairs she used to love years ago were neatly stacked into a pile by the side of the building.

steve carefully pulled out two chairs and set them down beside one another, quiet enough to not alert his parents. he tugged at the sleeve of his jacket and wiped off the layer of dew clinging to it. he pointed down at it. "sit. please, margot. before you pass out or something and the chief actually kills me."

margot slowly sat, trying her best to ignore the ache in her muscles. she let out a sigh of relief when she finally got to rest. her head was turned to look at the tarp-covered pool, refusing to meet his eyes. "my dad made me come," she admitted bluntly, her voice cold. "he said you wouldn't stop calling."

"yeah, well," steve began, sitting on the edge of the chair next to hers with his elbows propped up on his knees as he looked at her with pure, unadulterated worry. "he wasn't wrong. i was terrified at the thought of you slipping back into that... whatever that episode was." his gaze fell back down to his hands that fumbled with each other nervously, his voice dropping down in volume. "i just needed to know that you were still here."

she didn't look away from the pool, her arms crossed over her chest like she could somehow put up a physical barrier between herself and this conversation. the air around them seemed to shift as the moonlight beamed brighter. it only made her feel more exposed.

"you calling everyday," she began, her voice stiff and cutting through the tense silence. "it didn't help, steve. it just felt like... like you were checking off another box on your stupid list to redemption. like you're trying to cheat your way out of feeling guilty."

he winced slightly at her words but didn't say anything to defend himself. instead, he stayed hunched over, listening intently.

"and honestly?" margot's voice started to shake a little, her cheeks flushing with red hot embarrassment as she finally snapped her gaze to him. "it made me so angry. because every time that phone rang, i was reminded of what it felt like to be sitting in that hospital room losing my mind or seeing those shadows and clinging to your jacket like a pathetic child. i hate that you saw me like that."

she looked away almost instantly when she felt the familiar sting in her eyes, blinking back the tears furiously. to someone like margot, who pridefully carried herself with that same stoic grit as her father, the memory of her complete vulnerability in the hospital was a hard pill to swallow. she resented the monster for breaking her, but she almost resented steve even more for being there witness to it.

there was another beat of silence. "i don't think you're pathetic," steve said softly. his voice was completely stripped of the usual smooth, easy confidence he typically possessed. "mar, you survived something that would've driven anyone else insane. you have nothing to be embarrassed about."

she shook her head. "easy for you to say," she muttered, shoulders tensing and tightening. "you get to walk around as the guy who broke into some alternate dimension to save my life. you're the hero now. and i'm just the freak who still sees shadows in my head.”

steve let out a quiet, tired sigh and ran a hand through his messy hair. "i don't care about being a hero, margot. it was never about that to me. it was always about you. and i didn't call just to check a box or make myself feel better." he shifted on the edge of his expensive lounge chair, trying to catch her downcast gaze. "i called because when i was carrying you through that place, i thought you were dead. i thought i'd lost you before i ever got to tell you how sorry i was. you don't understand how scary it was to find you like that. and hearing your dad say you were still mad at me... it was honestly the best part of my day, because it meant you were still you."

margot let the tense silence stretch between them for a minute. she wanted to hold onto her usual sharp edges of resentment— it felt safe than forgiving him —but looking at him right now, sitting by the dark pool with his parents faintly arguing in the room upstairs, he just looked like the boy she used to sit on the garage roof with.

"i'm still not okay with you, harrington," she said, her voice losing that familiar clip to it, leaving only a weary honesty.

"i know," he replied, offering a small, almost hesitant nod. "you don't have to be. but, since you're here... did you maybe want to talk about the shadows? might help to get it off your chest."

margot's jaw tensed at the mere mention of it as she turned to look the other way. her chest began feeling tight and heavy, the memory of that suffocating fog starting to make her throat close up. she didn't want to dissect the trauma, or try bonding over it, and she desperately wanted to erase the entirety of the past month from her memory as if it'd all been some terrible nightmare.

"i don't want to talk about that," she replied, her voice dropping to a cold, flat tone that left zero room for conversation.

he blinked, shocked by the sudden wall she'd put up. the flip in her demeanor frightened him. "okay. yeah. yeah, we don't have to—"

"instead, let's talk about how i saw you at the gas station yesterday while i was out with my dad," margot interrupted, her voice regaining that sharp, heavy edge. "with tommy and carol. guess that whole 'i want to change and be a better man' routine only lasts until your popular friends call you up to hangout, right?"

steve's face fell, a mix of embarrassment and genuine panic flickering in his eyes. he sat up a little straighter, shifting uncomfortably on the edge of his seat. "mar, no— it wasn't what it looked like, i swear to you. i wasn't... we weren't hanging out like before."

she nodded, clearly unconvinced. "right. you just so happened to be standing by his car, laughing at whatever stupid joke he was making," she muttered, rolling her eyes, though the hurt was still written all over her. it was a lot easier to be angry about high school drama than face the reality of the monsters swarming her thoughts. "it's just funny. you come to the hospital, you play the guilt-ridden savior, then twenty minutes later, you're back to being the guy who let them treat me like garbage."

"they cornered me at the gas station, margot," steve replied quickly, his voice desperate and pleading. there was no sign of his typical arrogance. he reached his hands out and held them out, palms facing up, like he was begging her to believe him. "tommy started talking about you, and what happened between us, and— and asking where you'd been and i... i told him to shut up. i told both of them to get lost. if it looked like i was talking to them, it's only because i was defending you and trying to get them off my back about where i've been lately.  i just didn't want them to start asking any more questions."

he leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, his eyes fiercely sincere in the dimly lit patio. "i'm done with them, mar. i mean it. i don't care about being popular, or getting invited to stupid parties, and i definitely don't care what tommy and carol think of me anymore. that's the first time i've talked to them since everything went down."

margot's piercing eyes searched his face for the smug smirk or careless shrug in his shoulders that she'd grown so used to over the last year. but his mouth was in a tight line and his eyes were wide, looking tired with deep worry behind them about losing her all over again.

she let out a low, deflating breath. the anger was exhausting, and she was just too tired to keep putting up a fight. "fine," she whispered, looking back to the covered pool. "whatever.”

the heavy silence of the patio was pressing hard into her chest. the adrenaline that had carried her all the way to the harrington estate and the confidence she'd been given to speak to him had completely vanished, leaving only a hollow ache in her limbs.

"i shouldn't have come," she muttered, her voice flat and hard to read as she placed her palms flat by her hips to push herself off of the seat. "this was a mistake."

steve was on his feet immediately, his hands lifting instinctively as if he was going to stop her, though he kept his distance. the rejection seemed to hit him like a physical blow; his shoulders slumped, and the soft, genuine warmth in his face fell into a look of profound, lonely defeat. he was looking at her like he was standing at the edge of a cliff watching her drift out of his reach forever.

he knew he deserved her anger and anything else she had felt towards him. but the reality of it— the realization that the girl who used to laugh at his stupid jokes on the roof of his garage might never look at him with anything other than resentment— was breaking him down.

"margot, wait," he said, his voice dropping to a quiet plea. he swallowed hard, looking down at the tile of his patio before forcing his eyes up to hers. "you don't have to talk to me. you don't even have to look at me. but please... just let me drive you home. it's pitch black out now, and the roads to the cabin have no streetlights. i can't let you walk back there alone."

she stopped, her boots pivoting. she looked at him again— really looked at his messy hair, the circles under his eyes that only seemed to get darker, and the absolute sincerity in his posture. he wasn't trying to slick his hair back or act cool, he was just a boy who was terrified for her safety, standing outside of his own house with his parents yelling at each other indoors.  

a small, almost uncomfortable knot formed inside her chest. she had been biting, cold, and deliberately mean to him for the past twenty minutes, trying her hardest to push him away so she wouldn't have to feel so vulnerable. and he hadn't snapped back once. he hadn't even gotten defensive. he was just caring and worried. the realization made a sharp wave of guilt wash over her.

"fine," she murmured, her tone losing the rough edge. "but don't turn on the radio."

a relieved breath escaped him as he reached into his pocket to grab his car keys. "deal."

the drive to the cabin was made in complete silence. steve kept his eyes locked on the road, driving a little slower than he typically did, navigating the winding, tree-lined roads with extra caution. when the bmw finally idled in the driveway of the cabin, the headlights illuminated the front porch. the house was almost entirely dark, except for one small lamp in the living room window.

margot unbuckled her seatbelt, but before she could open the door and disappear, steve spoke up. "you don't have to forgive me tomorrow, mar. just... please take care of yourself, ok?"

she didn't answer, but she didn't roll her eyes either. she just gave him a curt, brief nod and stepped out into the cool night air, walking up to the porch steps and clutching her jacket a little closer to her body.

when margot slowly and carefully slid the front door open, the floorboards fortunately didn't creak, but the shadow on the living room couch shifted.

hopper was sitting on the edge with his head in his hands. he looked up, his face tight with a concerning mix of anger and total exhaustion. he had just spent the past hour in eleven's room with her, trying to get her to calm down from the terribly, thrashing nightmares she'd been having from the salt bath. he'd been too busy trying to quiet her down and get her back in bed that he didn't even notice the breeze coming from margot's window, still slightly cracked open from when she crawled out of it.

"where the hell were you?" hopper asked, his voice a low, gravelly bark that he attempted to keep hushed, glancing back at el's door in hopes that he hadn't woken her up.

"i went to the harrington's," margot said quietly,

closing the front door behind her and twisting the lock.

the chief blinked, the anger in his chest suddenly stalling at the confession. he rubbed a heavy hand over his face, letting out a long, ragged sigh. "you snuck out. after everything that has happened in those woods, you just crawl through your window, walk across town in the dark, and don't say a word to me? i've got enough on my plate right now, margot. you can't disappear like that."

"i know, dad. i'm sorry," she whispered, looking down at the her dirty shoes.

hopper looked at his daughter, noticing the slight softening of her posture and the lack of rigid defense walls she'd been holding up all month. he assumed where she had been, and he steve was the one who brought her back.

he let out another breath, the sternness leaving his shoulders. in all honesty, he felt for the harrington boy. he'd watched him stand his ground against a literal monster in another dimension with nothing but a baseball bat and his own adrenaline. he knew the teen was calling everyday out of pure, frantic worry.

"did you talk to him?" hopper mumbled, placing a cigarette between his lips and lighting it.

"a little," she admitted. "he's still an idiot."

hopper let out a short, quiet grunt that was almost a laugh. he stood up and walked over to her, placing a heavy hand on her uninjured shoulder to give it a gentle, reassuring squeeze. "maybe. but he's an idiot who cares. and he's trying, kid. cut him some slack." he pressed a light kiss to her temple. "go get some sleep."

margot said her goodnight and headed to her room while he walked over to the front window, peeling back the edge of the faded curtain to peer out into the darkness.

down at the end of the dirt driveway, he could see the glowing red taillights of the bmw, casting a faint crimson wash across the trees. the engine was idling quietly. steve hadn't shifted into reverse yet. he was just sitting there, waiting, making sure the cabin door locked shut and the porch light turned off before he even thought about driving off.

hopper felt a strange warmth bloom in his chest. he raised a hand, giving the distant windshield a single, firm nod— a brief wave that he knew the teen would catch in the glow of the dashboard.

on the other side of the glass, the brake lights flared once in acknowledgment, and the car finally began to roll back toward the main road.

hopper let the thick curtain fall back into place, a faint, tired smile touched the corners of his mouth as he put out the cigarette in the ash tray beside him. he had spent the last month terrified that the world was entirely too dangerous for his daughter, that the shadows would always find their way in. but watching that car drive away, he felt a real sliver of peace.

he knew steve could be an idiot sometimes, and he knew the kid still had a mountain of making up to do to margot. but as hopper walked down the hallway to head into his own room, he knew one thing for sure; no matter what crawled out of the dark next, his daughter wouldn't have to face it alone. there was someone else out there willing to stand in the way.

today was undoubtedly one of the hottest indiana has ever seen. and of course, with the luck that your and your friends had, the AC at the squawk went down last night. you and robin had stood outside with flashlights in hand as steve fumbled with the fuses and plugs and such for an hour. no luck.

which meant for the station had an entire night to incubate with the blazing heat. walking in this morning felt like you had literally stepped into hell.

irritated was a massive understatement. you were hot, annoyed, bloated and puffy from your incoming period, extremely irritable, and exhausted all at once. it made for the worst combination in a situation like this.

and steve… oh bless him. he was just trying to be the supportive, sweet boyfriend in a time like this. and he was certainly in an affectionate mood— one where he was all soft and just wanted to cling to you at all times. the two of you had been practically cooking in the heat of the sound booth as you played each tape robin had requested and his idea of passing time meant touching any prt of you possible. and fortunately enough for her, she was out at the gas station grabbing some more ice for your water bottles to help cool you all down.

once you felt the uncomfortable beading of sweat form at your hairline, you stepped out and into the small living area, reaching into the fridge for some sort of snack. you could hear footsteps approaching.

steve slid up right behind you, his chest pressing against your back and his strong arms winding around your hips to hold you close. he buried his face in the crook of your neck and peppered sweet kisses to the skin there. “you smell so good, honey,” his voice a low, deep rumble that typically would make you melt.

but today, you just felt like a ball of raw, explosive nerves. you were so overwhelmed and hot and every single touch— even from steve— brought you closer to your break of overstimulation. the heat of his body against yours didn’t feel romantic like usual, it felt suffocating.

you stiffed and wiggled away from him, shoving his arms off of you in the process with a sharp, frustrated huff. “steve, seriously? get off,” you snapped, not even looking back at him as you closed the fridge and moved to the pile of unorganized records.

he blinked, frozen in the same position as he watched you aggressively shove the sleeves back into their intended place. he looked at you with these big, soulful eyes that made him look exactly like a kicked puppy. “i just wanted to be close to you,” he spoke softly, sounding genuinely hurt.

ten minutes later, he’s sauntered back in to find you on your knees, still organizing records. he leaned down over your shoulder, lips brushing the shell of your ear and his hands squeezing at your hips affectionately.

“stop touching me!” you snapped, practically jumping out of your skin to create distance between the two of you. “can you just leave me alone for a second? it’s a hundred degrees in here and i feel like i’m fucking melting. just… stop!”

steve visibly deflated as he stepped back. he didn’t get mad— he never really did the whole ‘angry’ thing with you— but he looked utterly defeated. he stood there for a moment too long, hands twitching at his sides uselessly, staring at you as if he couldn’t understand why his love was being completely rejected.

“i’m just trying to be sweet,” he whispered, his tone sounding small, guilty, and hurt.

you didn’t even look up from the records. “yeah, well your ‘sweetness’ is making me want to scream right now. just give me some space, steve.”

that was his breaking point. the kicked puppy look shifted into something much deeper. a flicker of tiredness behind steve’s eyes. he had spent the last four hours trying to be the most affectionate, attentive, and understanding boyfriend in a situation like this to lighten your sour mood. even ignoring the uncomfortable drip of sweat from his skin just to put your comfort first and all he got in return was snarky remarks and sharp shoves.

he sighed, a long, heavy sound that signaled a change in his mood. he didn’t move towards you this time. instead, he stepped back and crossed his arms over his chest, leaning against the wall to watch you for a moment. the warmth in his gaze never vanished, but it was now tempered with a new simmering frustration.

“right. space. got it,” he said, his voice losing that sweet, playful edge and instead becoming dull and flat.

he didn’t try touching you anymore, just stood and watched you with that quiet, disappointed intensity. he wasn’t mad or upset with you, he was just tired of being the punching bag for your changing hormones. the silence that filled the room was suffocating and heavy. for the first time all day, the lack of his touch had felt suspiciously loud.

after another hour of organizing, the two of you were back in the stuffy control room, the space feeling even smaller with the stifling heat. the air was stagnant and the only sound heard was the low hum if equipment and the muffled tune of the song through the headphones.

steve was slouched back in the chair beside yours, entirely too comfortable and his legs spread too wide. his jean clad knee was pressed up against yours, attracting even more heat to your skin. he was playing with a rubik’s cube and failing miserably. after another minute or so of turning it endlessly, he dropped it down onto the desk and let his hand idly wander over to your bare thigh before he could even realize he was doing it.

you picked it up by his finger and tugged him off, letting his hand fall back into his own lap.

he looked at you then. the tight line of your clenched jaw, the way your brows pinched towards each other out of irritation, how your arms crossed over your chest like a physical wall you’ve just put up. he felt that familiar sting of rejection immediately. but he wasn’t ready to give up, not yet. he truly believed that if he could just make you smile a little, if he could crack the shell of your bad mood, everything would revert back to normal.

he shifted a little closer, practically trying to conjoin by your sides, completely ignoring the fact that you’re both almost sweating through your clothes. he leaned in, his voice dropping down to a playful, teasing whisper that always managed to make you giggle.

“you know,” he murmured, a small, hopeful grin tugging at the corner of his lips. “i’ve heard the best cure for a bad mood is a very handsome boyfriend. and lucky for you, i’m right here. free of charge.”

he punctuated the end of his joke with a soft nudge to your shoulder. that alone would’ve been enough to make you crack a smile.

except you didn’t. instead, you sighed and rolled your eyes. “shut up, steve,” you retorted, your voice cold and sharp. “you’re not being funny, you’re being annoying. please, for the love of god, just stop talking and stop trying to touch me.”

the grin vanished instantly. his face fell as he recoiled back slightly as if the words hit him like a physical blow. he looked at you, his expression shifting from hopeful to genuinely bewildered. he wasn’t just feeling like a punching bag anymore, he felt like there was a real resentment towards him. he was trying everything— the sweetness, the humor, the patience— and you were treating him like he was a complete inconvenience.

the door to the booth swung open to reveal robin with two iced coffee’s in hand. “hey, so i got the ice and figured i’d get us something cold to—“ her gaze darting between the two of you, noticing the hard line of steve’s clenched jaw and the way your body was radiating anger. she took note of the immediate tension simmering in the heat of the room. “yikes. did someone die in here orrrr…”

steve didn’t answer, he just looked at her desperately for some kind if support, and then back to you. he tried one last time, a tentative, barely there brush of your hands.

that was the final straw. you pulled away like you’d been burned. “i can’t do this. i can’t deal with you right now!” you snapped, so incredibly overwhelmed and overstimulated that you could seriously just break down and cry right here.

steve’s hand stayed suspended in the air for a heartbeat before he slowly pulled it back. the soft, pleading eyes were gone. the tiredness was too. it shifted into something much colder and harder now. something much more assertive. he didn’t say a word to either of you, just stood and grabbed his keys from the small rack by the door with a sharp clink. “we’re leaving.” there was no room for argument.

the ride home was suffocatingly silent. his hands were practically white-knuckling the steering wheel the entire ride home. he didn’t touch you once. the lack of his hands on you, which felt like an annoyance an hour again, now had the air in the car feeling ominous and heavy.

the moment you guys were in the apartment, the cool air hit the two of you like a truck, yet the tension was still boiling. steve didn’t let you get settled, instead, his hands were on your waist with a firm grip as he guided you into your shared bedroom and shut the door behind him with his foot. it made you gulp.

he was on the verge of breaking. he turned you towards him and stepped back to create distance between the two of you. “alright, you done with your little tantrum now?” he asked, his hands on his hips like an angry father. “you gonna tell me what your problem is now? i have spent the last eight hours trying to be the best boyfriend i could possibly be. i’ve been sweet, i’ve been patient, i’ve tried to make you laugh— and you’ve just been treating me like shit all day. like i’m something you have to tolerate.”

“i told you, i’m just hot! you’re acting like i’m some big villain for not wanting you all over me when it was a thousand degrees in there,” you shot back, though your voice wavered slightly under the intensity of his gaze. “all i asked for was some space!”

steve let out a sharp, mocking laugh, his eyes darkening. “space? you didn’t want space. you wanted a punching back.” he stepped forward into your space, his presence suddenly overwhelming. “it was never about you being hot or wanting space. it’s about the things you said to me and the way you spoke to me.” before you could react, he pushed at your shoulders, not hard enough to hurt but enough to make you fall back. your bottom hit the bed, your palms flying by your hips to keep you upright.

he didn’t give you even a second to breathe. he stepped between your thighs, cornering you against the bed with his large frame hovering over you and blocking out the rest of the room. he reached down, his fingers gripping your chin firmly as he tipped it up so you were forced to look at him.

the sweetness was completely gone, now replaced by a smoldering, dominant heat that made your stomach feel all tingly. he looked so devastatingly hot right now— his hair slightly messy from the day, his eyes narrowed and piercing. he looked like he was done playing nice.

“you’ve been acting like a little brat all day,” he said, his voice dropping to that low dangerous purr that vibrated in your chest. he gave your chin a little shake, his thumb brushing over your bottom lip in a way that was demanding and possessive.

a small, mocking smirk played on his lips, his gaze scanning your face as if he was analyzing every bit of your stubbornness. “you think you can just be mean to me all day and then… what? go to bed like everything is fine?” he clicked his tongue and shook his head. “i don’t think so.”

he leaned in closer, his breath slow and controlled as it hit your skin in warm bursts. his scent was intoxicating from this distance. the grip on your chin tightened just enough to remind you who was in control. “say it,” he commanded, his voice dropping to that familiar octave that was nothing but raw and assertive. “apologize for being so mean to me today.”

even with steve looming over you, clearly in full control, you couldn’t help it. irritability was still humming through your body. you rolled your eyes and tried to pull your face away from him. it was no use. “i’m not apologizing,” you muttered, your voice still laced with that stubborn, snooty tone. “you’re just being dramatic.”

steve’s eyes flared, a dark, dangerous glint flickering behind them as he stared at you. he didn’t argue, didn’t plead. instead, he let out a deep guttural chuckle that sent chills down your body. “dramatic? of honey, you have no idea how dramatic i can be when i’ve been pushed.”

before you could snap back, he was lifting you in one fluid motion and flipping your position so he was sat at the edge of the bed with you straddling his thighs. one hand wrapped around the column of your throat— not squeezing, just resting— while the other tangled in your hair and pulled you into a searing kiss.

you gasped against him in surprise as he tugged on your roots to tilt your head back and gain more leverage over you. the force that he kissed you with was borderline predatory.

it was hungry and messy and completely uninhibited. your mouths moved together with a wet, slapping sound as your tongues tangled in a frantic battle for dominance. steve tasted like strawberries and the gatorate he’d been drinking at the station, a mix that made your head spin. he groaned deep in his throat, a vibration you could feel in your own chest he sucked your lower lip into his mouth, tugging on it hard before letting it snap back.

you fought back, hands roaming across his chest and neck, pulling him in closer as if you were trying to merge your bodies into one. you bit at his lower, a sharp, playful nip that drew a long hiss from him. he responded by deepening the kiss, his tongue sweeping across the wet cavern of your mouth, claiming every corner and tasting every inch. his hands moved down to your hips, rolling them into his own.

the sounds each of you made were primal— wet, sloppy noises of tongues sliding against tongues, punctuated by deep ragged breaths for air that you both forgot you even needed. every time you broke away for a second of oxygen, it was only to snap back together with even more intensity, your lips bruising each others in their haste.

steve’s hands left your lips to fumble with the buckle of his belt, quickly shoving his jeans and boxers down to his knees and freeing himself while sucking on the pink muscle of your tongue. he was painfully hard already. he gave himself a few slow strokes while his free hand pulled your shorts and panties to the side, running his tip through your leaking slit.

he pushed into you with a devastatingly slow thrust, hands coming back to rest on your hips to keep you flush against him. you pulled away to let your head fall back in overwhelming fullness. he was fucking loving it.

he smiled up at you with that stupid cocky grin, knowing he was pressed right up against your cervix, making you go completely soft on him. “yeah? this was all you needed? just had to get you all dumb on my cock?” he teased before leaning forward to suck deep purple marks into your skin. “ready to apologize yet?”

you bit down on your puffy lip to suppress a moan, your stomach tensing every time he’d readjust the slightest bit. the stretch wasn’t uncomfortable, but you could surely feel the building pressure from the lack of warming up.

he took your silence as your answer, nodding slowly with that sly grin pulling at his lips. “got it. you still wanna be difficult then?” he asked, pushing up even further into you. your nails dug into his shoulders as you whimpered, feeling impossibly full. “that’s fine, honey. have it your way.”

“fuck you, steve,” you tried to snap out, instead, it just sounded like a pleading beg.

he smiled at you like he’d just received the best invitation of his life. “oh baby,” his hands moved to grab handfuls of your ass, holding you up just slightly as his voice rumbled. “i will.” his fingers dug into your skin with a bruising force as he thrust up into your sopping cunt with a violence that knocked the wind out of you. he buried his cock so deep inside that it felt like he was trying to reach your soul.

“you just can’t help yourself, can you?” he mocked, his voice dark and triumphant as he watched you absolutely eat this up. “you want to be all mouthy and bratty, but you fuckin’ love it when i take over, isn’t that right? love when i put you in your place?”

the moan that spilled from your lips was borderline pornographic as he fucked you with a slow, punishing rhythm that made you feel every vein and ridge of his cock against your gummy walls. he moved his hands to your hips, forcing you to take every single inch as he steered your body to meet his thrusts.

it was embarrassing how fast you could feel the coil in your stomach twisting tighter. he just looked so sexy like this— all dominant and messy and dark. you’d rarely seen this side of him.

every single punch of his mushroom tip against your cervix was a declaration of his ownership. he was driving into you with everything he had, his breath somehow still so slow and controlled while you were falling apart above him.

he began to pick up his pace rapidly, relentlessly pounding up into you. your eyes stung with tears as he stretched you out so perfectly, pulling you down to meet each thrust just to push himself deeper inside of you.

“that’s it, baby. fuckin’ take it,” he gritted through his teeth, his voice strained and raw. “feel every inch of me. want you to remember exactly how it feels when i’m the one in charge.” smack. his hand landed heavy against your bottom, making the unshed tears gush down your cheeks as the pleasure became overwhelming.

he moaned loud and unapologetic at the feel of your cunt squeezing him. “you’re so tight,” he groaned, his cockiness returning full force. “you love this, don’t you pretty girl? you love it when i stop being all sweet and kind and just take what i need.”

you couldn’t even scream. the only sounds coming out were little broken whimpers and cries as he hit that certain spot over and over again while you clung helplessly to his shoulders. “oh! mmph! i’m sorry, stevie! fuck, i’m— i’m sorry! please! oh god, please!”

steve let out a low, triumphant sound, but he didn’t stop. instead, he slowed down just enough to let the friction build, his eyes hooded and shimmering with something you couldn’t make out. he leaned in, his lips grazing your jawline, but he didn’t kiss you. instead, he let out a quiet hum.

“what was that?” he mocked, his voice a teasing and arrogant purr. he leaned in further, letting his lips ghost over the shell of your ear. “i didn’t hear you, sweetheart. are you sorry for being a mean little brat to me? are you sorry for treating me like trash all day?”

he didn’t wait for an answer from you. he began to pull out, slowly, agonizingly, until he was almost completely gone, only to drive right back in with a devastating, slow-motion punch. he wasn’t just fucking you anymore, he was claiming you. pushing deep into your guts, forcing you to feel every single inch of his cock as he stretched you open.

“god, this pussy’s so tight, honey,” he groaned, his voice now a thick, sultry drawl. “so fuckin’ pretty. just look at how she’s gripping me… she’s practically begging for it.”

he gave you a slow, deliberate roll of his hips, making you gasp and arch into him as he stretched you wide. he sounded and looked completely enamored by your body, but his teasing edge still hadn’t left. it was a reminder that he knew exactly how much power he had over you in this moment.

“it’s such a shame, really,” he whispered, his voice dripping with mock sympathy and he stared at the way your lips stretched around him. “it’s too bad you’ve been such a brat today. truly a tragedy.”

his hands slipped under the hem of your shirt to hold you waist, pulling you even closer to him as his cock pulses inside your warmth. “i would’ve loved to get my mouth on her,” he purred, his voice suggestive and dangerous. “i would’ve spent hours between these pretty legs, eating you out, tasting every single inch of you until you were shaking and cryin’ for me. i would’ve made you lose your fuckin’ mind on my tongue.”

he felt your core clench around him desperately, a needy spasm at the mere thought, and he chuckled a dark, cocky sound.