Chapter Text
It was only December, but Steve was loving senior year. It was weird, him liking school, but seriously, it was so easy so far. His classes were simple, his teachers were chill, and he already knew that he was gonna take a gap year, so no stressful college applications. And he finally had found his group; every day, he sat with Nancy and Robin at lunch. And Jonathan Byers, of course.
The Byers family had left for California midway through August, but by early October, they were back. Apparently it just didn’t work out. Who knows, maybe it was the creepy underworld or the terrifying monsters, but it seemed that everyone involved in the fight were destined to stay in Hawkins. All Steve knew was that he was stuck with Jonathan at lunch and in some of his classes.
Also, Steve knew that Jonathan and Nancy had broken up. It seemed mutual and friendly; they just wanted to stay friends. Was there a slight thought in Steve’s head that he could win Nancy back somehow? Maybe.
“Hey dingus,” Robin called, snapping Steve back to reality. “Bell rung. Lunchtime. Get moving!”
Steve jumped up and grabbed his stuff, jamming them all into his backpack. He and Robin started making their way to the cafeteria.
“Pizza today,” Robin said as they enter the crowded lunchroom. “They better have hawaiian or I’m losing it.”
“Hawaiian is crazy. Pepperoni all the way.” Steve responded.
While Robin started to walk over to their designated table, Steve was stopped by someone calling his name.
“Harrington!” The voice came from a girl, Allison Wilcox. She was in Steve’s math class, but he never really spoke to her. Steve turned. “Hey! I’m having a party tonight! Parents are out and all that shit. I’m inviting, like, everyone. You should come! Bring your friends too or whatever,” she said, gesturing to his table where Robin, Nancy, and Jonathan were sitting. Allison handed him a flier from a stack in her hand.
“I’ll think about it,” Steve responded, giving her a nod. She smiled and walked to her lunch table. As Steve walked to his group, he wondered if he should go. He was King Steve, the life of the party, but he hadn’t gone to one in a while. And Allison seemed cool and everything; she was one of those people who was popular, but in an “everybody likes them because they’re nice to everyone” way. Maybe he should go.
Steve sat down at his table, putting his flier down.
“What was that?” asked Nancy, looking over at Allison.
“She invited me to some party tonight. Said everyone was coming and we should come too.”
“We?” Robin responded. “Eyy, guess we’re cool now!”
“I’d go if you guys did,” Steve said. He looked at Nancy. She gave a nod.
“I guess I’d be up for it,” she said.
“Yeah, me too!” added Robin. Steve turned his head to Jonathan. Steve had never liked him very much, and to be honest, he still kinda didn’t. Jonathan was a little intimidating, eyes dark and observing, his manor quiet and serious. He was great competition for Nancy, but it seemed it didn’t work out for them either.
Steve often found himself staring at Jonathan, and he didn’t know why. Maybe trying to sort the guy out. Jonathan was one of those people who was tricky to get a read on. Did he like Steve? Did he hate him? Does he want to beat him up again?
Steve thought about that day in sophomore year a lot. The day he had gotten carried away with insulting Jonathan and the boy had finally snapped. How the first punch was enough to make Steve dizzy. How Jonathan had overpowered him on the ground, pinning him down.
Steve didn’t like Jonathan, but for some reason, he found himself wanting Jonathan to like him. He wasn’t scared of the guy (maybe a little), he just wanted validation. Wanted the one person who didn’t admire “King Steve” to change his ways.
“Byers?” Steve asked. “What about you?” Steve hoped he wouldn’t say yes.
“Yeah, sure. I’ll come,” Jonathan answered back. Damn it. Looks like they were all going.
……
It was 7:00pm. The party started at 8:00, and Steve said that he’d pick up his friends around 7:45. He’d decided that tonight he would look amazing. Whether he’d win back Nancy or pull some other chick, Steve had to leave tonight with someone.
Steve had took a nice shower and spent 30 minutes fixing his hair. His perfect hair. He threw on a white tee with a long-sleeve rugby shirt over top. His best jeans. His favorite Nikes. As he combed his hair in the mirror, he took a long, good look at himself.
His jawline, his eyes, the way the shirts laid over his broad shoulders. Steve didn’t mean to toot his own horn or anything, but he looked pretty damn good tonight. He checked his watch. 7:40. Perfect timing. He hairsprayed his hair one last time before grabbing his keys and jumping in the car. First stop: Robin’s house.
Steve turned on the radio and tapped his fingers on the steering wheel to the beat as he drove. Stevie Wonder. Sweet. Steve pulled into Robin’s driveway and stepped out of his car before walking to the door and giving it a few rhythmic knocks.
Robin opened the door and stepped out.
“You ready?” Steve exclaimed.
“Oh yeah. We’re leaving with babes tonight, Harrington!” she sang as she locked her door. Robin was wearing her wavy, shoulder length hair down. She had on a white long-sleeve with a light blue tee shirt with some band name on it layered over top. She was wearing her favorite jeans, faded blue, long, and a little baggy over her converse. She had a little mascara on, her eyes were bold. Steve never told her, but he admitted to himself that Robin always had the best outfits.
They jumped into the car and started driving to the Wheeler household. The Byers were staying with the Wheelers as well. Steve felt kind of bad for their crowded living space, but that’s what happens when you sell your house to move away and come back within two months.
When they got there, Steve ran up to the door while Robin stayed in the car, blasting whatever new artist she was into. Steve rang their doorbell and Will answered the door.
“Hey,” Steve greeted him. “Nancy and Jonathan ready?” Will nodded and leaned back into the house to call for them.
“JONATHAAAAAAAAAN! NANCY! STEVE’S HERE!” he yelled. Will Byers was one of the many kids that Steve got to know better over the summer. He was cool, better than Mike, Nancy’s annoying brother, who Steve heard call from the basement, “WILL GET BACK DOWN HERE! IT’S YOUR ROLL!” Will rolled his eyes and returned to the basement.
Nancy ran down the stairs, putting one of her earrings in. She was wearing a cute blue and white striped sweater over khaki-colored pants and short brown boots. She had styled her curly hair into some half-up-half-down style. Her makeup was cute.
“Hey Steve!” she greeted. “Jon’s coming, I’ll just get in the car!” She passed by Steve and walked to join Robin. Finally, Steve heard Jonathan coming up the stairs.
“Hey, sorry I took so long!” Jonathan apologized, grabbing his jacket. Steve just nodded. He stared at Jonathan. Steve knew it was weird, but he really did stare.
Jonathan looked good. Like, really good. Steve had never thought him to be unattractive. Jonathan was always that weird, quiet kid that Steve would sometimes stare at in school because beneath the baggy clothes and bowlcut, he was pretty hot. For a guy. Everybody did that.
But since his return from California, Steve never fully noticed him. His hair was damp, probably freshly washed and dried, and Steve could smell it. He was wearing a white tee shirt with red borders on the collar and sleeves. His jeans were baggy and laid over his converse. His pants also sat perfectly on his waist; they were a little low rise and Steve could see the top of Jonathan’s waistband.
Jonathan ran his hand through his hair. His hair. He had fixed his grown-out bowl cut over the summer, cutting it shorter. It had looked good. Not Steve-good, but good. In California it had grown back just a little so that it was a bit longer in the back. It looked really good on him.
Jonathan walked out of the house and to the car and Steve just stood there at the doorway.
What was he doing.
Steve joined them back at the car and sat in his seat, Jonathan in the passenger seat right next to him. Steve could smell his aftershave a little bit.
“Uh- w-what’s the address again?” Steve asked. Did he just stutter? What was wrong with him?
“I don’t know man, you had the flier,” Robin responded. Duh. Steve pulled out the flier from his car compartment and read the address out loud.
“3014 Mulligan Road. You guys know where that is?”
“I do,” Jonathan said, looking at Steve. “It’s around the corner from the photo store. I can tell you the directions.”
Why did Jonathan have to look at him. Weirdo. Yeah, he was the weird one. Not Steve. Steve wasn’t making this weird. Not even when their fingers slightly grazed when Jonathan took the flier from his hand. Steve didn’t even care.
The drive took maybe 15 minutes, but Steve wasn’t paying attention. Jonathan, Nancy, and Robin were talking the whole drive, but Steve didn’t say anything once. Eventually, they got to the house and all got out of the car. Finally. He needed the fresh air.
The house was huge, bigger than Steve’s even. Allison was right: everyone was invited. What seemed like the entire upperclassman population crowded around the yard, spilling from inside the house. People were drinking, dancing to blasting pop music playing off of some stereo, making out, tripping and falling everywhere. Steve had missed this.
As Nancy and Jonathan took lead in walking into the house, Robin laughed and whispered something to Steve.
“Man, why are you checking Jonathan out?” What? What was she talking about? Steve turned to her, confused. She laughed again. “You’ve been like, staring at his ass or something since we got out of the car!”
He had not. There was no way.
“There’s no way you’re already drunk, Robin,” he joked, playfully shoving her to the side. She rolled her eyes.
“Dude, I’m not, I swear-“
“C’mon, let’s go!” Steve cut her off.
The two of them walked through the yard and into the bustling house, observing the crazy scene. Steve waved to Allison who was sitting on a countertop in the kitchen, chatting with a bunch of her friends.
“This is insane,” Steve heard Robin say. “It’s like the entire school is here.”
“I’m gonna grab a drink,” Nancy declared before walking over to the giant punch bowl and grabbing a red solo cup. Great. Drunk Nancy was coming back. Robin followed her over to the busy snack and drink table and Steve watched as they filled their red solo cups to the brim.
Steve looked over at Jonathan. The boy’s eyes were darting around the house, taking in the chaos. His dark eyes.
“Never been to one of these, Byers?” Steve asked. Jonathan turned his face towards him, slightly smirking. Damn, he really looked good. Had he always looked like this?
“I went to something once… that halloween party last year. I only stayed for like, 10 minutes.”
Steve nodded. “Let’s grab drinks.”
He walked over to where the girls were, Jonathan following him closely. Steve reached into the cooler and grabbed two beers, tossing one to Jonathan. As soon as the liquid touched his mouth, he felt liquid confidence rushing through his body. Steve needed to get action tonight. Desperately.
“Let’s go find the games!” Robin decided. Steve agreed. Never Have I Ever, Seven Minutes in Heaven, Spin the Bottle, Steve didn’t care. This is what parties were about.
The four explored their way through the house, checking every room. Steve even wandered into some bedroom with a couple making out, half-dressed. Every nook and cranny was PACKED.
Eventually, they found themselves in a basement. Big couch, mini fridge, game table, this was Steve’s dream room. On the floor, a crowd of maybe 25 people sat in a circle, an empty beer bottle in the middle.
“Harrington!” a boy in the circle, Jamie Something, Steve thought his name was, called. “We’re doing Seven Minutes in Heaven! Get in here!”
Jonathan, Nancy, and Robin joined the circle at random places while Steve grabbed another beer from the mini fridge before sitting down next to Robin. Sitting across the circle from him were Nancy and Jonathan. A guy in the circle explained to Steve that there were three different closets in the basement, so they had multiple pairs going at once, but they needed to wait a few more minutes.
Everyone was loud, talking about the pairs who were currently in the closets, drinking, laughing. Some girl next to Jonathan starting chatting with him, twisting a strand of her hair, flirting maybe.
She was pretty. Looked popular too. Jonathan was lucky. Steve didn’t know if he had ever seen anybody other than Nancy interested in him, but many of the girls in the circle were eying him. Steve heard someone whisper to their friend, “Does the frea- Byers look good tonight or is it just me?”
See? Steve wasn’t crazy. He wasn’t the only one thinking strange thoughts tonight.
Jonathan was chatting to the girl like he didn’t see all of the eyes that were on him. He looked like he was smiling a bit, a dimple in his cheek making itself evident.
How didn’t he notice? Did he not know how good he looked right now? Why was Steve thinking like this? There’s no way he was already drunk.
“She’s pretty,” Robin whispered to Steve.
“Huh?” Steve whispered back, still staring at Jonathan and the girl. Robin slightly pointed to them.
“The girl with Jon. You’re staring at her. You face is kinda red, dude,” Robin continued. Robin didn’t need to know that Steve was not looking at her, so he agreed.
A minute later, the 3 couples came out of the closets. In the first closet was a girl and boy who looked like they did nothing but talk to each other. No action. Boring. In the second closet were 2 guys. A little more interesting.
One of them was on the basketball team. Oh, that must be embarrassing. Especially because they both looked a little frazzled, and their lips looked a little red. The guy on the basketball team, Andy, sat down next to a couple of his teammates who started teasing and making kissy faces and noises.
Andy just ran his hand through his hair and rolled his eyes, stealing a glance at his closet partner, a grungy quieter boy, from across the circle.
The last pair to exit their closets were a boy and girl who made it VERY clear that they did more than just talk. The boy was rubbing lipstick off of his lips and neck while the girl straighted out her blouse. Both had grins on their faces. The girl sat back in her seat, right next to Robin.
“Alright,” Jamie said, slapping his legs. “Since Christina was the last person to spin, Robin’s next.” Christina must have been the girl to just sit down. Robin smiled and raised an eyebrow at Steve, then crawled slightly into the circle and gave the bottle a nice spin.
After a good 20 seconds, the bottle stopped, pointing directly at the girl next to Jonathan. She gave a cheeky grin. Everyone in the circle started hollering.
“Aw man, girl on girl? That’s hot!” Steve heard some guy yell. Ugh, those kind of people pissed Steve off.
“I’m up to try girls! Let’s go, Robin,” the girl said, standing up. Robin smiled and winked at Steve before joining her in the first closet.
“Remember, time doesn’t start until we say so!” Jamie yelled, pulling out a plastic hourglass from his pocket. “Ok, Steve, you’re next.”
Oh man. Steve couldn’t wait to see which chick he would get. He leaned in and spun the bottle. He watched it spin as he waited what felt like hours for it to stop.
Shit, it looked like it was about to stop on Nancy. Maybe Steve was lucky tonight.
But it didn’t. The bottle didn’t fully stop until it landed on the person next to Nancy. Steve looked up.
Jonathan Byers stared back at him.
Shit.
The room went nuts. Nancy must’ve seen the panic erupt on Steve’s face because she immediately chimed in,
“I think it landed on me, actually!” The bottle was very close in between both of them, but it was very clearly on Jonathan.
“No, that’s definitely on Byers!” some basketball player laughed. Steve looked back to Jonathan’s face. He wasn’t red like Steve probably was, he didn’t look embarrassed.
He was just smirking. Like this was amusing him. It was kind of hot. Steve hated that he thought that. No, he didn’t think that. He was just embarrassed.
Jonathan stood up and looked at Steve.
“Shall we?” he asked, laughing to himself. Steve nodded slowly and stood up as well. They walked over to the closet where Andy and his partner had definitely made out. Jonathan opened the door, and Steve walked inside. Jonathan joined him and shut the door. The commotion outside quieted down when the next person must’ve took their turn.
The closet was small and empty. What was the point of an empty closet? Steve leaned up against one of the walls and was maybe a foot away front Jonathan, leaning on the wall across. They heard noise, the last pair must’ve been chosen.
“Time starts now!” Jamie yelled.
Jonathan was staring at Steve.
“I can’t believe it landed on me,” he said. Steve looked away. He could still smell Jonathan’s shampoo and aftershave. He ignored the strange feeling in his stomach.
“I’m not into guys,” Steve muttered. Jonathan chuckled.
“Never said you were, man.” Steve turned his head back. He knew he was drunk. Drunk. He was allowed to look at Jonathan when he was drunk, that was okay.
He looked closely at Jonathan’s face, every mole and light freckle. His jawline was really nice.
“Man, it’s stuffy in here,” Jonathan stated, taking off his jacket. His fucking arms. Steve always thought of Jonathan as skinny, kinda lanky… since when did he have muscle? His arms slightly flexed in the dim light of the closet. Steve looked down. His hands were rough and veiny.
“You look good tonight.” Those were the words that slipped out of Steve’s mouth. And man, he wished he could pull them back in. But, you know, there was nothing wrong with saying it. It was just a compliment, and it was true.
Jonathan raised an eyebrow and gave Steve a look.
“Uh, thanks? You too, Steve.” Steve’s name sounded so good coming from Jonathan. Low with the slightest bit of rasp. He wanted him to say it again.
There was something wrong with him. What the fuck was happening. Guys? Steve wasn’t into guys. He liked girls. He wasn’t gay.
And Jonathan specifically? Steve didn’t like Jonathan. Ok, maybe they were kind of friends, but Steve still didn’t like him.
Jonathan ran his hand through his hair. Steve could see his bicep. He inhaled the smell of his deodorant. Steve knew Jonathan could see him staring at his arms, but at the moment, he didn’t care. He looked so strong, Steve wished he could just pin him against-
What the fuck. Steve was going crazy.
“You good, Harrington?” Low. Bit of rasp. Concerned words but no concern in the voice. Sort of powerful. Seductive, maybe.
“I could be, Byers….” The sentence just fell out. Again. It sounded a bit like groan. Or maybe a moan. Jonathan just stared. The smirk returned. That fucking smirk.
Jonathan stepped a little closer to Steve. He put his arm on the wall Steve was leaning against, right near Steve’s shoulder. Steve had maybe 2 inches on Jonathan; the guy wasn’t the tallest. But in the moment, it felt like Jonathan had so much power over Steve. Jonathan tilted his head slightly.
“Are you into this, Harrington?” Jonathan questioned seductively, with that fucking smirk still on his face. Steve didn’t know what to say.
Because, yeah. He was kinda into this.
Steve studied Jonathan’s eyes. This was the moment that Steve finally gained back control of his actions.
He was Steve fucking Harrington. Why would he ever let Jonathan Byers have more power than him. He needed to make a sarcastic remark, flirt back, ANYTHING to regain whatever confidence Byers has just stolen out of him.
Steve grinned.
“No, but it seems you are, Byers.” With that, Steve laid his fingertips against the other boy’s chest and pushed him into the other wall. This is how it was supposed to go. Steve was in charge.
Jonathan’s smirk dropped. -Oh, was he losing confidence?- Steve thought. Had he finally gained the upper hand?
No. Jonathan’s lips curled back into a smile. Not a happy smile or a confident grin, but something more proud. Like Steve had done what he had wanted. Like he was still in power.
“Woah there, Harrington,” the boy teased. “I thought you didn’t like guys…” Steve moved his hands to press against the wall on either side of Jonathan, trapping him.
“I don’t,” Steve repeated, more flirtatious than he should’ve been. Suddenly, Jonathan grabbed the hands that had been cornering him and held them together, over Steve’s head. He pushed him back against the wall, harder this time.
Jonathan used an arm to fully pin Steve’s arms up over his head, against the wall, and used his other hard to start creeping fingers up Steve’s chest. Shit. Steve swallowed and hoped the other boy wouldn’t see the bulge in his pants.
Jonathan leaned in, his mouth right next to Steve’s ear.
“Yeah, but you like me, don’t you?” The whisper creeped down Steve’s spine and he shuddered. Jonathan pulled back slightly. He looked insanely proud of how he had managed to make Steve the inferior party.
Steve couldn’t take this anymore. He used all of his strength to break his arms out of Jonathan’s prison before hooking the boy around the waist and pulling him in. It was very sudden.
Steve gripped Jonathan’s waist before slamming his lips against the boy’s. Jonathan didn’t resist, kissing Steve back ferociously. It was hot and heavy. Steve had made out with many girls before; never with a guy. He liked the balance of force.
Steve’s tongue brushed over Jonathan’s teeth. Jonathan bit Steve’s bottom lip. Jonathan’s hands flew to the back of Steve’s neck, gripping his hair.
After a little bit, the boys pulled away to gasp for air. They immediately came back. Jonathan’s mouth suddenly moved to the corner where Steve’s neck met his jaw. His mouth pressed down hard, biting the skin a little. This resulted in a moan from Steve.
He panted hard as Byers went to work on his neck. A moan he had hoped wouldn’t slip out made its presence known.
“Ughh- Byers-” He felt Jonathan grin into his neck. He pulled away to look at Steve, eyes wild.
“Say it again.” Steve felt his bulge grow. “Say it, Harrington,” Jonathan repeated, seriously.
“Fuck- Byers-” was the groan that forced itself out of Steve as Jonathan went back to his lips. Steve could feel him. Between all of the moans, groans, and bites, Steve knew that Jonathan was hard too.
Eventually, the boys separated and leaned on opposite walls, facing each other. They were breathing so hard, Steve was sure that everyone outside could hear them.
Steve admired Jonathan once more. He had never looked this fucking hot. His hair was a mess and his cheeks were red. He ran his hand through his hair. Parts of his shirt were see-through due to the sweat. His jawline was sharp and his lips were red. He still smelled great. Steve wanted to see every inch of him.
They both straightened themselves out, knowing that their time was almost up.
“School gossip was right. You ARE good, Harrington,” Jonathan laughed quietly. They heard Jamie yell something about time being up. Before they could exit the closet, Jonathan pulled Steve in to whisper something to him. “And I know you’re hard.”
And with that, Jonathan opened the closet door, leaving Steve to follow him out.
As Steve sat back down in the circle, he looked around. Robin had joined him, looking roughed up. The boy and girl pair who must have been coupled up after Steve and Jonathan sat down as well; they looked so messy, Steve wouldn’t have been surprised if they had gone all the way in there.
“So, what happened?” Steve asked Robin in a whisper. She stole a glance at the girl she was with before grinning at Steve.
“I’m not tellin’,” she smiled. “Sooooo~ you and Jonathan?”
Steve hoped he didn’t look too messed up.
“Yeah, we just chatted,” he lied. “Dumbass pair, wish I had gotten a girl.” Robin nodded, somehow believing Steve.
Steve looked at Jonathan from across the circle. The boy quickly winked at Steve before turning back to Nancy.
Shit, shit, shit. What had Steve done.