𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺𝘭𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘯𝘦-𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘴

let it happen!

AN: this is a long one-shot (and kind of multi-part because it's different scenes but not enough to be an actual series) and will be in a little bit different format because i wrote it originally on AO3

Setting the stage for season 2: Occurs the night of & morning after Prom in season 2--Belly is heartbroken, Taylor is reeling after a chaotic prom night, and Steven just can't help but try to comfort his girls while trying to get Taylor to see just how much he cares for her.

Or

Steven Conklin has been noticing Taylor Jewel in a way he never thought possible. He's starting to come to terms with it, and the complications in their lives bring them closer together.

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Steven wasn't prepared to see Taylor arguing with her prom date when he walked back inside with Belly. He and his little sister walked back towards the room where everyone was dancing only to stop in their tracks when they came upon Taylor and Eli arguing.

They had been dating around for a few weeks, but Taylor had recently come to realize Eli's controlling ego. After seeing Belly tediously follow Conrad out of the room and Steven go after them mere seconds later, Taylor had tried to get away from Eli to assist in being there for Belly if needed. Eli wasn't understanding. He shouted at Taylor in the middle of the hallway, accusing her of being selfish and always putting her own needs first.

Taylor wasn't going to just stand there without defending herself, so she argued back. She had just told Eli, "If that's what you really think of me, then you can leave and go home for all I care. It's not like I want to be here with you anymore after everything you've pulled. Belly is my best friend. I've known her my entire life, and I haven't even known you for four months. She always comes first," when Steven and Belly approached.

Eli went back inside to dance, and Steven quietly made his way towards Taylor with Belly trailing behind him. Her tears were never ending, and even though she'd only been crying for a few minutes, her eyes were already red and puffy.

Conrad was nowhere to be seen. It was obvious enough to Taylor what had happened; She'd been expecting it. She'd known something was different with Conrad the second he doomed Belly's doorstep earlier that afternoon. His eyes were distant and removed. He looked even more dark and gloomy than normal. There was bound to be hurt and chaos.

"Are you... okay?" Steven asked with a shaky kind of hesitance in his voice. Taylor merely shrugged. She wasn't doing great, but compared to Belly, she was definitely more than okay. "It is what it is. It's over. Doesn't matter." He didn't have the chance to say anything else before Taylor walked over to Belly and threw her arms around her like it was the last day on earth. "I'm so sorry, Bells," She whispered into her best friend's shoulder.

Belly couldn't speak. She was afraid that if she did, she wouldn't even know what she was saying. All she knew in that moment was that she was sad. She was experiencing heartbreak on a level that she never had before. It was new, and it was raw. Any mention of it felt like salt was being purposely rubbed into her newly opened wound.

"I'm going to call an Uber. We're not going back in there," Taylor stated firmly, not hesitating to pull Belly away from the two crime scenes. "No, I'll take you guys home. Just let me go tell Marcy that I can't drop her off at Derek's party," Steven said after walking behind her. Taylor only turned around halfway to tell him, "You should stay. We'll be fine. There's no need for you to come with us."

Steven frowned at her insinuation. There was always need for light in the darkness, and he knew that's what he'd have to be because neither of them was going to be happy enough to try to cheer each other up. "Laurel's not home right now. She left after we did to go see Susannah. She'd never forgive me for letting you guys take an Uber home. I'll drive you guys home. Besides, the music sucks. I don't want to be here anymore."