Always (Steve Harrington X Reader)

Chapter 027

//Three Months Later//

Steve drops my last box on the floor of his kitchen.

"That's the last one." He smiles.

I walk to him and wrap my arms around his waist, laying my head on his chest as he hooks his chin on top, This is really ours." I say in disbelief, "We live together."

"I mean, we technically already did? You just didn't have all of your stuff here like you do now. "

"That's gonna be a bitch to unpack," I pull away from him, "I gotta go help the Byers pack up. You know we're gonna have to have all the kids here for a sleepover at some point, right?"

"Yeah, yeah. You've mentioned that," he sighs.

I chuckle, "You love those kids, so don't even act like it would be a bad thing to have them all here." I grab my keys and kiss him one more time before heading out.

I pull up to the Byers' household and see that all the kids bikes are already there and they're already loading the last few boxes into the moving truck.

"Sorry if I'm late," I tell Joyce as she wraps her arms around me in a hug, "I was trying to get moved into Steve's. It took us a few weeks, but we finally got to that last box. Now all we gotta worry about unpacking and settling in."

Joyce chuckles, "Yeah, imagine that times four. It's going to be hard without as much help as we had packing. Anyway, everyone's kinda down about what's going on and you always manage to try and bring up people's spirits, so I thought it'd be good for you to be here, even if you can't help."

I nod, looking down at my arm, "I'm getting back to having a fully functional arm. I'm gonna be unstoppable when it happens. Feels like it's taking way too long. And I have another physical therapy appointment tomorrow."

"You got lucky. It could've been worse."

"I know. I feel like you have to remind me every time you see me," Joyce smiles sympathetically as I continue, "I'm gonna miss that, actually."

"I know."

I sigh, "I hate that you guys are leaving. I'm gonna miss spending time with everyone, too. "

"Seems we only spend time together when there's horrible stuff going on."

I look down, "Speaking of which...how's El?"

"As good as she can be, considering."

"Right."

After waking up in the hospital, I had learned that Hopper had given his life to save ours. He was such a great man, and he was always there to keep us safe when we needed it. It was really heartbreaking to hear we had lost him.

I watch as Will loads the last box into the truck and everyone comes over, "That's it."

I pull him into a hug, "You ever need something, call me. I'll be there as soon as I can. I don't care how busy I am." I pull away, looking at El, Jonathan and Joyce, "That goes for you guys, too." I turn back to Will, "Whenever you and El come back I thought it would be fun for all of us to have a giant sleepover, and Steve's already agreed it's be okay, so..."

Will smiles, "Sounds great, Y/n."

We all give them goodbye hugs, and I shed a few tears as they pull out of the driveway.

I wrap my arm around Dustin's shoulder and he subtly wipes away a few tears of his own.

Max pulls away from Lucas when the car drives out of sight, "Y/n, can you bring me home?"

I nod and the two of us climb into my car and I take off towards her house. We sit in silence for a while. Neither of us sure what to say.

I decide to break the silence, "How's everything at home?"

Max shrugs, "They act like nothing even happened. Like he isn't even gone."

I shake my head, "If it gets to be too much, you can come stay with Steve and I for a little bit. You know how much I like spending time with you."

We pull up to her house and she gets out, "Can you stay here for a second?"

I look at her in confusion, "...Sure...?"

Max disappears inside the house and comes back with a box. I get out of the car and she hands me the box. I open it, and the contents bring tears to my eyes.

Billy's jacket.

"Max..." I sigh.

She shakes her head, "He would've wanted you to have it. And it's not like I'm gonna wear it or anything so...it's yours."

I put the jacket back into the box and pull her into a hug, "Thank you. Thank you so much."

"Don't mention it." She smiles, pulling away, "I gotta go, my mom stopped me on the way out and asked if I wanted to help her with dinner."

"Okay," I sniffle, "I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?"

"Yeah."

Max goes back inside and I put the box into my car and drive off.

I pull into the apartment complex and dig the jacket out of the box. In a spout of curiosity, I dig through the pockets. After finding nothing but lint in the left pocket, I almost don't search the right one, bit am glad I do when I feel the crinkle of a piece of paper.

I carefully pull it out and unfold it, before reading the words written in Billy's handwriting:

Hey Sweetheart,

I've been kinda putting this off because it's lame and I don't want you to think I'm writing a love letter or anything. Harrington would try to come after me if I pulled that shit, and I don't wanna have to kick his ass again. I need to write this because you once told me not to bottle my feelings up or some shit like that. Something happened last night. I was going to meet Mrs. Wheeler, and I was attacked by something. I can still feel it. I feel like I left a part of me back there when it got me. I realized that I need to change. My mom wouldn't like the guy I am and I don't wanna become the kind of man my father is. I wish I wouldn't have treated Max like everything was her fault for so long. It wasn't her fault and I need her to know that. I need her to know that I'm sorry. I want you to know that I'm sorry. I have to go.

—Billy
Ps. or whatever the fuck the saying is: I forgive you for leaving that day at the pool. You're my best friend, Y/n, you're stuck with me. Don't you ever forget that.