SWORD

twenty-two

|TWENTY-TWO|
ONE MONTH LATER..

Armani stood infront of the fridge with a forlorn smile on her face, on it was a drawing. 'Bob Newby, Superhero.'

The brunette shook her head, instead listening to Jingle Bell Rock as it played, the cheery music lifting up her spirits slightly. She walked over to the door leading into the living room, pausing at the doorway with a smile as she watched Will Byers dance with his mom, although she half expected to see her father too.

"Do you always have to be filming everything?" Will asked a giddy Jonathan Byers. "No, no. Just the good stuff" the older boy chuckled, "Right, Mani?" He looked up as the girl appeared next to him. "Right. This is definitely good stuff." She giggled.

"Are you sure people still dance like this?" Will asked Joyce, who nodded. "Yeah! It's what's happenin'" she flashed Jonathan and Armani a smile. "Is it what's happening?" Will asked the two teens. "Oh yeah, yeah, totally." The girl nodded, "It's what's happening." Jonathan agreed.

Joyce looked up as a knock came at the door, "Armani, I think that's your date." the teenager groaned, "It's not a date, we're just hanging out!" "It's a date." Jonathan argued. Armani rolled her eyes, but couldn't contain the smile on her face.

"Coming!" She shouted, opening the door to see Steve Harrington. "Hey, are you uh–ready?" He asked, cocking an eyebrow once he saw Joyce and Will dancing. "Yeah, just hold on I have to get my jacket, come in." She closed the door behind Steve and rushed to her room, which was in the process of being moved into.

"Hi, Steve!" Joyce smiled at him, "hey," Jonathan greeted. Steve sent them a smile, "good evening Mrs. Byers, hey Jonathan." He looked down at Will who seemed almost too focused on his stepping. "Are you ready for the Snow Ball, Will?" "Kind of. I don't think people dance like this anymore." Steve laughed as he nodded, "I'm sure you'll be okay. I'll tell Dustin to dance like that too, just in case."

"Are your parents still out of town?" Joyce asked once the song ended. "Yeah, they'll be gone for another week or so." "If you get lonely, you're always welcomed here. We're a bit cramped, but there's always room for more." "Yeah, yeah. I think Armani and I are moving the last of the things out of the other house soon, I'll stop by." Steve nodded, indicating the other house as Armani's old one.

"Alright, ready." Armani nodded as she pulled a jean jacket on, "bye guys." She stopped and gave the three Byer's hugs. "have fun, Will." She sent him a smile. A series of bye's rang, Steve and Armani rushed into his car and out of the cold wind.

—

"I'll let him in the front, seat of honor, you know." Armani laughed as she stepped out of the seat, leaning against the car as she watched Steve walk up to the Henderson's door.

"Hi, Mani," the curly haired boy greeted, Armani sent him a nod and a smile, "you look great, Dustin" She said, staring at his hair.
The three got back into the car.

"Remember, the dance ends at nine. don't be late." Dustin looked at both the older teenagers. "When have we ever been late?" Steve asked casually. "Uh, well. Considering this is the first time I asked you to pick me up from somewhere, never." "See! There's nothing to worry about, Henderson." Armani nodded as she leaned forward in the back seat.

"How's your arm?" Dustin turned to Armani, who lifted her left arm, "got that cast off finally, it should be good to go." She flashed him a smile. "Billy paid for what he did, Armani slapped him right infront of everyone." Steve said with a laugh, "that's awesome." Dustin nodded, a smile on his face.

"Alright buddy, here we are." Steve looked over at the nervous Dustin as he stopped in front of the decorated gymnasium. "So remember, once you get in there.." "pretend i don't care." Dustin finished, Armani rolling her eyes at the two boys. "You don't care." Steve shook his head, "I don't care." Dustin repeated. "There we go. You are learning my friend, you are learning." Steve looked back at Armani who shot him a disapproving glare.

Dustin eyed himself in the mirror, "Mani..are you su–" "hey. Come on. You look great, okay? you look... you look great." Steve assured the teen. "Yeah, don't worry about it, Dustin. You look awesome." Armani chipped in.

"You're gonna go in there." Steve started a speech, "yeah." Dustin nodded. "Look like a million bucks," "yeah!" "And you're gonna slay 'em dead." Steve ended. "Like a lion." Dustin smiled before growling. Armani and Steve exchanged glances. "maybe..don't..do that." Armani added in, "yeah, don't do that, okay." Steve shook his head. Dustin pursed his lips, "okay." "Good luck." Steve took Dustin's hand in a firm hand shake.

Armani got out of the car, she hugged Dustin quickly. "Have fun, go get 'em." The two laughed together.

"Are you worried about him too?" Steve asked once Armani had gotten back in the front seat. "He'll be fine, Steve. I'd kill to dance with him." She smiled as she looked out the window. Steve nodded, "too bad that as my girlfriend you are obligated to dance with me."

Armani turned around, wide eyes as she looked at Steve, who seemed to have just realized what he had said. His eyes shifted as he tried to go back on his words, "Oh, I-I didn't mean, you know. It's not like. If you don't want t–" Armani laughed at the boys sudden flustered attitude, Steve soon joining in with her.

"well, Harrington. As my boyfriend, you're obligated to make sure I don't dance with anyone else." She grinned, Steve gulped loudly before nodding, a smile spread on his lips. The two seemed to draw closer to each other. Armani's heart practically leapt out of her chest as she felt her cheeks heat up. Steve stopped merely an inch from Armani's face, "I'll make sure of that." he breathed, small smiles rested on their faces.

Then their lips connected.

It wasn't like the past two times they had kissed, that were rushed and in the midst of something bigger and more important than them. This kiss spoke more than those.

The first time they had kissed, it was a 'you better come back from there safe.'

The second, which was a peck but still made their stomachs flip with excitement, was a 'calm down, you'll be fine.'

This kiss was an, 'I've been waiting for you my whole life.'

✧ ✧ ✧
( note! )

I am SHOOK. I am SCREAMING. I am CRYING. Everything is FINE.

If you haven't already, check out my 'Meet My Oc's' book, where I wrote more information about Armani as a character and her ship w steve. I have headcannons there and might do some little blurbs because they've been through so much I want to write about them when they're happy and not about to die.

Thank you sosososo very much. I would not have made this so passionately without you guys! You make Armani come to life and that's super cool.

p.