Work Text:
There were many choices that led to this exact moment, many branching paths that may have led to a different outcome. But there was one thing, one path that led him here, that was inevitable. Because while he could have chosen to say no to Dustin that day he went to apologize to Nancy, while he could have chosen to apply somewhere other than Scoops Ahoy that summer, while he could have chosen not to have that damn party the night all of this started, there was one thing that would have led him here regardless.
Because falling in love with Nancy Wheeler was never a choice. And every decision, every action that led him here was put into motion by that single fact.
Steve knew this. And he didn’t regret it.
How could he, when she was safe because of him.
Steve was never good with words (his college admission essays were proof enough of that), and while he, admittedly, had never put much thought into it before a couple years ago, part of him knew that his last words would never be grand. He didn’t have any monologues to give or advice to part, especially not now, when his body was somehow too warm and too cold and numb all at once and he could barely recognize the familiar voices around him. But in that moment, he knew that there was only one thing he could say, as he lay there with Nancy leaning over him, trying desperately to hold him together while she herself was on the edge of falling apart.
He could hear himself say her name, once, twice, until she looked him in his eyes. And then:
“It’s okay, Nance. It’s okay.”
It wasn’t of course. They both knew that. But maybe, if he said it aloud, with enough conviction, he’d be able to pretend that those words were true.
And maybe one day, he hoped, she would believe them.