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Love is… many things. It comes together and falls apart like an ocean wave, crashing ceaselessly against the porous sand that makes up your heart.
Love can take many forms. It can reinvent itself time and time again, slipping through your fingers without a second glance.
Love knows no bounds, as it is more infinite than the universe itself. Perhaps it is a universe of its own, existing and thriving outside the limits of humanity.
Love is… well, it’s a haven and a torture chamber. It can make the world shine brighter than the sun, and yet still light your heart on fire, all at once.
Love can never be conquered. You think it’s teaching you a lesson, time and time again, but all it really does is show you its strength, its power. Its inevitability.
Love is inevitable. It creeps up on you when you least expect it; it is all consuming, all powerful. Sometimes its for the best, and sometimes its for the worst. Only one way to find out.
Steve never thought he’d fall in love. He never thought anyone would ever fall in love with him , of all people. Yet here you were - the bright moon casting warm light over the dark waters of his mind and soul.
He couldn’t believe what his heart was doing - subjecting itself to the love of a single person. Again. But he let it happen. He’d rather be subject to your heart and soul than the pain and suffering still lingering in every corner of his heart.
The first time Steve felt it, he thought he might actually be having a heart attack the second he heard you giggling. You were sitting across from him, your hand over your heart as you try your best to stop laughing - to no avail.
“What’s so funny?” He asked, trying his best not to join in on the laughter. His smile was starting to hurt as he watched you hold up your other hand, a few stray giggles escaping you as you cleared your throat.
“You… oh my gosh, you have whipped cream all over your face!” You burst out laughing once again, and he felt the same skip in his heartbeat. He couldn’t stop the smile dancing on his lips, nor the giggle that slipped out as he listened to you laugh away. He wouldn’t mind listening to you like this, all day.
The next time he feels it, Steve is watching you concentrate on a game of D&D with the party. Your eyes are trained on the board in front of you, as you contemplate your next move. Will, Lucas, and Mike wait anxiously, their eyes following your gaze as your eyes darted around the board.
Steve didn’t even know he was smiling until he felt a nudge in his side, followed by a low whisper from Dustin.
“What’s wrong with your face?”
“Shush,” Steve whispered, his gaze never breaking away from you. He watched you grin as you finally announced your next move, and the boys cheered in relief as you took out the monster. He felt Dustin’s hand on his shoulder, finally tearing his eyes away from you. He saw Dustin was grinning, and rolled his eyes as he pushed his hand off him.
“What, Henderson?”
“Oh, nothing. Nothing at all, Harrington”
A few months later, Steve finally asked you out, and it was happily ever after. The two of you spent practically every moment together, and Steve couldn’t be happier. Finally having you by his side was worth it all, and he didn’t think it could get any better than this.
Then, Starcourt happened. The Byers left, and the kids - especially Mike and Max - were devastated, so they started spending more and more time with the two of you.
Steve had his own devastation to deal with. He often found himself in the living room late at night, mindlessly watching some tv show he happened upon as he flipped through the channels. He barely got any sleep anymore, ever since the thing with the Russians and the monster happened - his nightmares were progressively getting worse, and he didn’t really know how to cope.
On this particular night, Steve found himself fiddling with a stray strand of hair when he picked up on the soft padding of your feet against the hardwood floors upstairs. He got up from the couch, just in time to see you walk through the doors, a massive blue blanket draped over your figure. You smiled sleepily at him, a small smile gracing your lips as you met his gaze. You turned around and headed over to the kitchen, and Steve sat back down, returning to the tv show.
He heard you walk down the hall and over to the large couch, claiming the seat right next to him. He glanced over at you, smiling to himself as he watched you focus on the show, eating a bowl of cereal. He looked back at the tv, crossing his arms over his chest as he feels a slight chill.
“Are you cold?” You asked, your eyes still glued to the tv. Steve shook his head. “Are you sure? No need to be the tough ol’ Steve Harrington right now.” You point out, a small smile tugging at your lips as you took in a spoonful of cereal. He chuckled, rolling his eyes.
“Fine. Yes, I am.”
“Okay.” You set your bowl on the coffee table, and cuddled up to Steve. He rested his arm on the back of the couch, moving into the corner as you settled in next to him. You tossed the blanket over both your legs and his, pulling it up to your chin.
“You’re that cold, princess?” You looked at him, raising an eyebrow before you reach over for your bowl.
“Let me live in peace. Now shut up and watch the show, please.” You smiled, turning back to the tv once again.
“Only because you said please, sweetheart.”
Funny enough, you don't end up watching the show. Steve’s gotten you caught up in some psychoanalysis of the show, discussing the character’s ulterior motives. You’ve sat up, his head resting on your shoulder, listening to you yell at the characters on the screen.
“No, you idiot! Can’t you see she’s going to kill you all?!” Steve doesn’t even realize it, but he’s got the widest smile on his face, his eyes focused on you, his ears straining to catch every word that falls from your tongue. In that moment, he wished it to be the one thing he could listen to, forever.
It’s a chilly Sunday morning in November, the warm sunlight creeping through the parted curtains that brings Steve a sweet, peaceful thought. As he turned onto his side, you yawned, trying to stretch, only to find your boyfriend’s arm resting over your waist, his eyes, filled with adoration, meeting your sleepy gaze.
“G’morning, sleepyhead.” His voice was gentle, but it still put a smile on your face as you hummed happily.
“Good morning. And how long have you been up, silly?” You asked, raising your hand up to run through his long locks as he tightened his grip around you. He groaned in approval as you scratched at his scalp, and you giggled as he slowly closed the distance between you.
“You think we can stay like this, forever?” Steve’s got a massive grin on his face, his gaze never falling away from you.
“Of course we could. You’ll never be able to get rid of me anyways. But why’re you staring at me? Do I have drool on my face?” He chuckled as you moved to wipe the corners of your mouth with the back of your hand.
“No, baby. You know I only have eyes for you,” You playfully rolled your eyes, cupping his face as he leaned in, his lips brushing against the tip of your nose.
“Only eyes for me? Should I expect more staring then, King Steve?” He giggled against your skin, shifting slightly to leave sloppy kisses all over your face as you tried to turn away.
“Steve!” You were both laughing, his lips still trailing wet kisses along your jaw and neck as you toyed with his hair.
It was the moments like this; the two of you, quite literally wrapped in your love for one another, that made him think about it. Forever.
With you? He’d die the happiest man on the planet, and that was a fact. There was no one else but you, and Steve knew right then and there, that this was it. All he had ever wanted; all he had ever wished for after learning what heartbreak was, the hard way.
Steve should’ve realized the first time he felt that skip in his heart that he was in love; that all he wanted was to be with you, for the rest of his life. Didn’t matter how, where, when - he just knew he wanted to be with you.
“Marry me.” The words fell from his lips after leaving a kiss on your chin, his eyes locking with yours as he hovered above you. He didn’t even realize those words had slipped out until he saw your smile falter for a split second as you looked at him.
“Really?” The glimmer in his eyes seemed to dim at your response. His heart was racing, his stomach tied in knots, and yet your eyes were suspending him in time. You cupped his cheek, meeting his gaze once again. “Is this serious, Stevie?”
“I love you. I’ve never loved anyone or anything the way I love you. I want to be yours. Forever.” He took your hand in his, without breaking eye contact, and pressed a soft kisses all over your fingers.
“Ask me again.” He raised an eyebrow, his lips lingering on your palm. “Seriously, ask me again, or else you’re not getting an answer.” You giggled as he rolled his eyes, watching as he took your hand from his cheek to rest on his heart. He leaned in, resting his forehead against yours.
“Marry me, please . Let’s go through life together; having each others backs, and never looking back.” Your eyes met a golden brown, and you whispered a small “yes” before closing the distance between your lips. Steve couldn’t stop smiling, and soon enough you were in a fit of laughter as he pulled away to litter your face with kisses.
“I can’t wait to do this forever.”