another steve harrington fic? yes pleaseeeeeeee.
the new season has got my creative juices flowing (and my anxiety on high alert).
Steve Harrington x Henderson!sister OC (Katie)
Setting - Between seasons 4 and 5. Dusty is in full blown sad!boi mode and his sister ( lived w/dad in another town) comes to Hawkins to help.
The olive green suitcase bounced against her leg as she walked toward the Henderson house. She glanced down at it, all her earthly belongings all packed into this square, then back up to her family. Her little brother, if he could even be called little anymore, stood shoulder to shoulder with her, his hands dug deep into his pockets.
"Katie," he greeted her, smiling, but it didn't meet his eyes. It was so unlike him, so odd that it struck something in her chest. She pulled him into a hug, a bonecrushing one, just like she did when they were little.
"Dusty," she squeezed him, resting her cheek against his soft curls. "Who told you it was okay for you to sprout up like this?"
That elicited a breathy chuckle from him. His arms finally giving her a little squeeze back. "That's what happens when you never come visit."
Katie pulled back and nodded. She gave his face a once over, noting the swollen bags beneath his eyes - a lack of sleep or an excess of tears. Maybe both. She'd heard he'd lost his friend - the real reason she'd come back.
"Fair," she agreed with a shrug of her shoulder, releasing her hold on the boy. "Now be a gentleman and get my suitecase."
Dustin rolled his eyes and took it from her as she greeted their mother with a hug.
It was odd coming back after so long. She'd been away for years. It was the best, they'd decided. One kid with each parent, everyone's happy.
Except the kids.
They wanted to grow up together, to play and be siblings but that was never in the cards for them. But the love they shared was strong and they were the very best of friends.
"How's job hunting going?" Claudia asked later that evening, enamored with the young woman her daughter had grown into. They sat around the dinner table as they caught up, eating and happy - a real family again.
Katie took a sip of her water. "I start at Hawkins Memorial next week," she admits. "I might've had my old boss call and give me a recommendation. Said I was the best on call back in Minnesota."
Claudia clapped her hands loudly, throwing her head back in glee. "Oh honey that's great!"
Dustin nodded, pushing his peas around with his fork. "Yeah, that's great, Katie."
Katie smiled and took another bite. "What about you, Dustin? Got any plans for college? You are a senior next year, after all."
He doesn't look up from his plate, or even speak. Katie meets her mother's worried eyes. She sighs and turns back to him.
"So what's Hellfire Club?" She asks, motioning to his shirt. "Sounds badass."
"Yeah," he snorts, but then there's a crackling sound. Dustin frantically digs in the bag he'd thrown on the floor beside him before a voice cuts through. "HENDERSON, where the hell are you?"
Katie arches a brow. "Who-"
"Gotta go," Dustin jumps up, the plates on the table clinking as he does. He apologizes quickly and gives his mother and sister a quick peck on the top of the head before he makes a mad dash toward the door. "Glad you're back, Katie. Be back later, love you guys, bye!"
Katie sits there in a quiet shock, blinking slowly, before she looks back up at her mother.
"He's fine," Claudia assures her quietly, with a grin. "He does that all the time."
Katie made a small 'huh' under her breath, but sat back in her chair, listening to the quick words her brother spoke as he biked away.
