steve harrington imagines

she's dead

prompt: #96, "she's dead ... "

—

You sat in the sterile waiting room of the local hospital, both earbuds in your ears. Your favourite artist was blasted at full volume as you stared ahead, your legs tucked beneath you. Your father and your mother sat against the other wall across from you, your mother crying non-stop and your father trying to calm her. It was just the three of you in the tiny, isolated room, waiting for news on your younger sister's well being. It was all a blur, what had happened only hours before.

Suddenly, the only person that you wanted to see walked through the doorway. Looking up, you met eyes with him and immediately all feeling swarmed through your body. Instantly, Steve pulled you into his arms. Your knees went weak and you collapsed into him, tears pooling from your eyes as he held you up. Slowly, Steve stroked your hair as you sobbed hysterically. Steve sat down and you sat beside him, cuddling into him as he wrapped his arm around you, taking your hand and rubbing circles in your palm.

You noticed your father looking at you, a confused look on his face. Then, you realized that you hadn't introduced Steve to your parents yet. Well, you and Steve weren't even really a thing yet. You were on your way to school this morning when everything happened.

You watched as your father gave Steve a sad smile and Steve nodded slightly. They somehow began to communicate silently as they both held two fragile girls in their arms.

Along with a woman, another man entered the room. The man wore light blue scrubs while the woman wore dark blue scrubs with a matching scrub cap tied around her head. This was the first time that your mother had stopped crying for nearly an hour. She wiped away her tears as your dad tapped her shoulder, causing her to look up.

"We did all we could-"

Everything went silent. Not like nobody was talking, mouths were still moving. But you couldn't hear anything. Almost like somebody had just taken away your hearing just like that. It felt surreal, though at the same time, you didn't feel anything. Not even sadness, and it pained to say that you weren't sad. A sharp ringing began to form in your ears as you closed your eyes. Suddenly, your head began to pound.

"Y/N?" you heard nearly an echo as Steve squeezed your hand. "Hey, hey."

You stood up, walking out the door. Something had taken control of your body, seeing as you weren't thinking before you did anything at all. Steve ran after you as you bursted out the hospital doors, the cold winter air slicing your bare skin and your exposed face.

His tight, firm grip grasped your wrist as he pulled you into his arms and chest.

"She's dead."

"I know," he held you as you sobbed into his arms. Your legs were jelly as he held you up as you slid down to the pavement, tears rushing like a waterfall down your cheeks. Memories of your closest friend and beloved sister raced throughout your mind as you sat on the road, waiting for something that you weren't quite sure of yet.

"Fix it," you looked up at the boy who stood beside you, his hair flopping in the cold wind.

"I can't," he spoke, reaching a hand down to you, "but I can hold you for as long as you'd like."