Chapter Text
It should have been expected when they decided to infiltrate an obvious secret Russian science lair after decoding the Russian transmission Dustin picked up on his radio. The reasoning was "We'd be American heroes!" In hindsight, would being an American hero be worth all this trouble? Because currently, Dustin and Erica were crawling around in the vents below the already very much below ground Russian Base underneath Starcourt Mall, and Steve, Robin, and (y/n) were being interrogated by some very talkative Russian general.
They were interrogated, quite brutally. But no one got it as bad as Steve did. Still, he was still more worried about (y/n).
"Did they hurt you?" Steve asked (y/n), not long after he woke up from being unconscious. He tried desperately to crank his head to the side to look at her, to at least catch a glimpse to see if she had any visible wounds like he had. (y/n) shook her head.
"They tried to- but I've handled much worse," she replied, "We've had much worse. Especially you."
Steve still cursed though, muttering "They better hope I don't get out of these ties" as he attempted to get out the ropes that both he and (y/n) were tied up with. (y/n) twisted her head around.
Currently, Steve and (y/n) were sitting back to back, bounded to the chair and to each other very, very tightly. Robin was taken not too long ago, after they tossed (y/n) in here on her face, then tied Steve and her up even more, as if they needed any more restraints. At this point, Escaping was not an option, it was only waiting for the inevitable. Neither of them wanted to even think or talk about what was possibly waiting for them when they returned with Robin, Steve got the opening act and she couldn't imagine what the main act was for all three of them. The best they could do is hope that Erica and Dustin made it out, or at least to the communications room to contact Hopper.
"We're going to get out of here, alright?" Steve said, attempting to reassure his girlfriend that things were going to turn out okay. (y/n) leaned her head back, softly against his and they relished in the only kind of touch they were able to have.
Steve had been unconscious for a while, so he wasn't thinking, not like (y/n) had been. She was cursing, yelling, even attempting to hop around on the chair- but nothing was working. She had to be realistic here, they had to be weigh in the possibility that they weren't going to make it out here alive. It gave (y/n) an empty, hopeless feeling, but her optimism was slowly fading.
"Steve...come on," (y/n) said, her voice slightly cracking, "No one knows we're here, and- god Dustin is such a genius and Erica too, but we can't just..." she didn't know what to say, or even how to say it. Steve was listening though, a frown forming on his lips from what he was hearing. He got what she was saying, and nuzzled the back of his head into hers gently.
"I know (y/n)." He wished he could turn around and kiss her, to hold her hand, to at least see her. The best they could do was touch the back of their heads together, trying to show each other some kind of affection. She let out a shaky breath, feeling that she totally brought down the mood of the already depressed atmosphere. She suddenly laughed, just a small giggle that made Steve's heart jump.
"What are you laughing about?" he asked, (y/n) shook her head.
"Just- you know when you're about to die, your entire life just flashes before your eyes you know?" she said, Steve blinked, "I was just laughing because- if I had a near death experience two years ago, it would've been...the most boring life flash ever." She laughed again, Steve quirked an eyebrow up. She was thinking about her life before getting involved with Steve, thought about her world when she didn't know about a human-flesh eating creature from another dimension and by god she had a really boring life. At least what was going on now, thinking about how she escaped near death from a fully-grown demogorgon in the woods, to planning how to trap it with Nancy and Jonathan, to her saving a very terrified oblivious Steve and getting injured in the process. To falling in love with Steve, their first date, first kiss...to kicking a demogorgon's ass together to protect the kids. Patching things up with her father, and growing closer to him. There was so much more, and it was something that (y/n) could say she was proud how her life turned up, all things considered.
Steve had thought of his own, recalling his very douchey ways that he wasn't proud of to getting thrown into this whole mess of a situation with the Upside Down, to realizing he was in love with (y/n) and just being with her, being with friends, real friends. Healing together, to the simple moments of them laying down together on the same bed just talking and smiling and just being in love. Steve had to laugh and smile too.
They both just sat there, crazy smiles on their face.
"You know Steve, I really think we had a great run...let's see we survived two attacks from creatures from the Upside Down, went to prom, tried jazzercise, a complete mess by the way- we basically lived with each other..."
"We took care of a bunch of kids," Steve added, making (y/n) laugh, "How much money have we spent on them? Tell me, I really need to know. What are we, their parents?" Steve asked jokingly. Both of them laughed, both of their laughs bringing joy to one another, then (y/n) suddenly said, "Ah- we might as well of been married."
"Right- we literally take care of them as if we're their mom and dad," Steve replied, "Dustin's always comparing us to an old married couple."
"I'm pretty sure El truly believed we were married at some point," (y/n) said, recalling who she considered her beloved little sister asking her what being married even was randomly one day when they were flipping through channels on the television when their dad was at work.
"That's...that's hilarious." Again, they were just laughing, leaning back on one another and trying to get closer but not being able to. Steve imagined her smile right now, having seen it so many times and having fell in love with seeing her smile every time. He realized he may never get to see it again, that their lives would end with their backs to each other. Steve frowned now, feeling dread come over him.
Steve though refused to let himself be filled with dread. What if Dustin and Erica made it? What if they called Hopper, and the National Guard or the whole damn U.S. Army was on their way at this very moment. What if this wouldn't be the end for them? A pinch of hope erupted in Steve, and from all his thoughts coming at once- he knew one thing...if they survived this, he sure as hell wasn't going to let her go.
"Well how about it then?" Steve asked, halting his laughter. (y/n) was still coming down from laughing, and asked in between her laughs of what he meant, Steve licked his lips nervously, "If we make it out of here- let's get married." (y/n)'s laughter halted faster than Steve's did, and it sounded like she even choked on air, "(y/n), you okay?"
She coughed, then steadied her breathing and said, "Steve you're delirious."
"No I'm not, it's not like I haven't thought about it before..." Steve admitted. (y/n) froze.
"Are you...serious?" she squeaked, she could feel him nod.
"I mean...yeah- yeah of course I am," he said, cheeks going red, "I love you, like a lot, and I just...keep on loving you more everyday. If we make it out of here- I don't want to be without you, I just want to be with you...for like...you know ever."
(y/n)'s mouth went dry, the seriousness and genuineness of him pouring his heart out into this sudden, unexpected proposal. She couldn't even help the tears welling up in her eyes, if under any other circumstance she would've questioned him further, asked him if he was really putting thought into this, especially considering how young they were. Fresh high school graduates, barely even 18 years old. But, from the current situation- and Steve's confession of wanting to spend the rest of his life with her- she couldn't help but cry from how bittersweet and romantic this was.
Steve heard her sniffle, and he tried once more to twist his head around, only seeing the side of her head.
"Oh god- I didn't mean to make you cry!" Steve said, feeling absolutely bad, "Please stop crying, I hate when you cry! It makes me cry!" but (y/n) laughed through her tears and shook her head.
"That was so beautiful and so, so cheesy, and god dammit Steve, I love you too and can't imagine my life without you either," she said, feeling her tears drip down her cheeks. Steve perked his head up, realizing what she was saying.
"Are you saying..."
"I'm saying (y/n) Harrington sounds perfect."
Steve's smile grew wide, the once hopeless feeling being replaced with complete happiness and he said, "I wish I could turn around and kiss you right now. This is a moment to pick you up in my arms and kiss you." (y/n) wished the same thing.
"We'll settle for this...but I expect that kiss afterwards huh?" she nuzzled her face into the side of his head, and Steve let out a content, happy sigh.
They were going to make it out of here, any doubt that (y/n) had before had suddenly vanished, they were going to survive in some damn way, she's getting her man.
But that happiness soon faded when the door slammed open, and Russian guards waltzed in holding a struggling, cursing Robin.
***
(y/n) was sitting with her dad, it seemed like the worst part of their lives were over, or at least for the next year, considering the events in the past two or so. The marriage proposal had slipped her mind, her only focus being to protect El when she first showed up at the mall, saving them from nearly being caught and probably killed by the Russian men after them.
Her and Steve were separated, she stayed behind to be with El- to protect her while her dad, Joyce, and that man called Murray went underground to put an end to all this madness. She hadn't seen him since, but now everything was over. The mall and Russian base was raided by Dr. Owen's men, and shortly after that her dad emerged from inside the mall and her and El instantly went towards him.
They now sat there, sitting on each side of him. All of their wounds patched up in some form or another, his arms wrapped tightly around the shoulders of both of his beloved daughters. From where they sat, they can see mostly everyone else, Joyce was with Will and Jonathan, sitting in almost the same way, Nancy was with Mike, Lucas and Max, who were holding hands and Max's eyes were red from the tears she shed over Billy. Erica and Dustin weren't there, probably still on their way from Dustin's radio.
She wondered where Robin and Steve were when her dad suddenly scoffed. Both her and El looked up at him curiously. Jim squeezed (y/n)'s shoulder gently, then pointed towards her left. She followed where he was pointing.
"I think your boy is looking for you," Jim said, pointing his finger towards what looked to be a very lost Steve Harrington. (y/n) blushed at the sight of him, something she believed she got past in the first few months of dating, but seeing him reminded her instantly of what he asked her when they were underground. She looked nervously at her dad, asking for permission to go and see him. Jim looked to El, seeing her with a knowing look in her eyes. He sighed, then rolled his eyes, "Yeah yeah- you can go to him."
(y/n) kissed him on the cheek, and quickly got up, jogging towards her lost boyfriend.
Steve, even over the sounds of people talking, heard the fast footsteps coming towards him. He beamed at the sight of (y/n) running towards him that he flung off the blanket that was wrapped around his shoulders and met her halfway. She nearly jumped into his arms, and Steve almost dropped her.
"Hey, hey! Remember! I was literally tortured down there," Steve winced, but smiled regardless as he wrapped his arms around her waist and really held her for the first time since they escaped. (y/n) smiled apologetically, and flung her arms gently around his neck, reaching up with her left hand to run through his thick locks of brown hair that somehow was still standing even after everything. Steve looked down at her, brown eyes shimmering, and in a quiet voice, as if anyone could hear them over all the noise around, he said, "We made it (y/n). Didn't I tell you we would?"
(y/n) nodded softly, still touching his hair, "You did."
He licked his bottom lip, one that was no longer dawning an open wound and dried up blood, and let out a shaky breath, "...you know...what I said down there, what I asked you..." (y/n) felt her stomach drop, fearing that he was about to say he didn't mean it, that he thought they were going to die so he just asked her to give them some kind of hope, something to look forward to, but he nervously laughed and instead said, "I meant every word." She was engulfed in warmth and relief now, her heart coming back to life and she asked, "It..It wasn't just something you said?"
"No- I wouldn't say something like that if I didn't mean it. I know we're young, like really young, but...when you know...you know," he rubbed his thumb in circles on her waist, indicating that he was still quite nervous. (y/n) didn't speak, just stared up at him with these starry eyes, being right here in his arms, in his embrace- felt right. It felt right every time she was him, every time they held hands, they laid down starring up at the stars together to simply sitting around and doing nothing- it all just felt right. She leaned in slowly, stopping just as their noses touched.
"Then that means you owe me a kiss, right?"
It took Steve a second to realize why she said that before he leaned down and crashed his lips onto hers in a breath-taking kiss. They held each other close, melting into the kiss. With their foreheads still touching, Steve leaned away and gazed at (y/n) lovingly.
"I love you," he said against her lips. (y/n) pecked his lips.
"I love you too."
next chapter: Announcement