Joe Keery Imagines

My Dream-Steve Harrington

My adrenaline was still pumping as we drove onto the freeway with our stolen RV. I turned around and studied the kids, checking them over for injuries. When all I saw was a group of tired teenagers, I sighed and turned back around.

"They okay?" Steve asked, glancing at me.

"A little tired," I smiled, "but okay for a group of kids who just stole a van."

"Well, we were already harboring a fugitive," he sighed. "Might as well add grand theft auto to the list."

"We're going to be fine," I reassured. "Even if we aren't, you and I will take care of them."

"That's for sure," Steve laughed. We were silent for a few miles, no one having the energy to talk. I glanced over and saw Steve gently touching the bruise on his neck.

"How are you feeling?" I asked. He looked at me, seeing that I had caught him. He sent me a reassuring smile that I saw right through.

"I'm alright," he said.

"Steve," I sighed. I reached over and grabbed his hand. He sighed as he intertwined our fingers, squeezing my hand.

"I know we haven't hung out that much since middle school," I hesitated, "but I like to think that we're still friends."

"I think so," Steve shrugged. He looked over at me and smiled.

When we were little, Steve and I were inseparable. Until Tommy H came into the picture. It wasn't right away but eventually, Tommy convinced Steve to leave me behind. I wasn't sure what Tommy said to him but Steve slowly stopped hanging out with me. I never blamed Steve for it. Tommy? I hated the guy.

"Good," I said, trying to ignore the blush rising on my face. "Now that that's settled, can you tell me what's really going on in that fluffy head of hair of yours?"

He looked over at me and let out a small laugh.

"I just," he sighed, his smile dropping. He looked over his shoulder, scanning the tired and scared faces of the kids. "What if we can't protect them?"

"Steve Harrington, you are the protector of the group. You have and will continue to protect those kids with everything you've got. Nothing is going to happen to them as long as you're around. Now, what's really going on?"

"Fine," he sighed when he saw the look on my face. He glanced back at the kids, making sure none of them heard him. "With everything that's been going on, I've been thinking about my future a lot more. I used to have such a clear idea of what I wanted."

"But now?"

"Now," he hesitated, "I'm not sure if we'll even make it to the end of the week."

My heart sank at the idea of Steve not making it through all of this. I smiled, knowing that I had to do something to cheer him up.

"So tell me about this future the great Steve Harrington used to dream of," I said in a playful tone.

"I've always had this dream that I'd have this really big family. I'm talking like a full brood of Harringtons. Like five, six kids."

"Six?!" I gasped.

"Yeah, six little nuggets," Steve chuckled. "Three girls, three boys. And every summer, I figured all of us Harringtons would pack into something like this and just see the country."

"Wow, Steve," I said under my breath. "That sounds. . . nice."

"Yeah?" He asked, glancing over at me.

"Well um, except for the six kids part," I teased. "That sounds like a total nightmare."

"If only we had some practice," Steve joked, gesturing toward the van full of kids.