Work Text:
You and Steve walked inside the house where the party was taking place tonight. You didn't even know who was hosting it, just got the invitation and decided to go. Steve held your hand as you walked to the living room area, both of you scanning the place to see who was at the party.
You could spot Nancy Wheeler talking to a very awkward-looking Jonathan Byers, clearly not very happy to be spending his Friday night at a house party. A very excited-looking Robin waved at the two of you when she saw you, sitting by herself at a couch.
A group of your closest friends were chatting by the staircase that lead to the second floor, immediately spotting you and calling for you to join them. You let go of Steve's hand before leaning closer to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'll go meet my friends."
"Alright. I'll be here with Robin if you need anything," he replied calmly, smiling down at you before you walked over to your group.
He stood there like an idiot as he watched you greet everybody, immediately thinking to himself perhaps this wasn't the best idea. He thought you would want to be with him tonight, but he couldn't force you to do that when you wanted to have fun with your friends. Maybe the two of you can leave early, cuddle back at his house and watch a movie before going to sleep.
Steve would be lying if he said he wasn't a bit clingy. He'd always want to be around you and he would definitely freak out if you ever cancel a date or forget to call him when you said you would, only to realize how crazy he's acting. And then he would apologize for being such a weirdo, telling himself he needs to stop doing that.
Deep down, you knew you couldn't blame him entirely. You were aware of his awful dating history and how hard it was for him to trust someone again after what happened between him and Nancy. You never talk about it, but at the time everyone in town put two and two together when one day she was dating Steve and then shortly after she was seen with Jonathan.
And no, you don't think anything bad about Nancy. You barely even know the girl, so you won't assume things about her from all the rumors you've been hearing since she dumped Steve. But you have to admit she did serious damage to your boyfriend, which has left you with a lot of work to do in order to get Steve to be comfortable around you.
He adores and trusts you, but it's hard for him to open up sometimes. And it's especially hard for him not to think you'll get tired of him and dump him for someone else. He has voiced his insecurities to you a few times, but more often than not he likes to act like everything is fine.
Steve still is very much insecure when he's in a relationship, always on edge, expecting the worst outcome. But you care so much about him that you're willing to give him time to understand you're nothing like Nancy Wheeler. That the last thing you'll ever do is break his heart.
The party continued with the two of you separated, but Steve always kept an eye on you as he sat on the couch with Robin. As time passed, he begin to notice you were getting pretty drunk, watching you take various shots of alcohol with your friends and having to stumble with one of them to the bathroom as the two of you giggled.
He really didn't want his head to go there, but the similarities were too much to ignore. A party, a drunk girlfriend, the fact you don't seem to even remember he's there...and seeing Nancy and Jonathan walk past him just a few minutes ago made it so much worse.
He shouldn't compare you to Nancy, and he shouldn't compare what you two have with what he had with her. Everything about you is different, yet the situation was just so similar, it triggered something deep within his brain. Because this has happened before. Next thing that should happen is you breaking his heart.
"Are you okay in there?" he heard Robin asking, looking at him with evident worry.
"Yeah, just thinking."
"About...?"
"Maybe coming here was a bad idea," Steve says without ever thinking about it, watching you stumble with your friend towards the kitchen.
Robin finally noticed what was going on, spotting you as well. "Steve, whatever your insecure little brain is telling you right now, it's not true," she quickly decided to intervene.
He sighed before replying, "I know, but it's hard not to hear my insecure little brain when it's literally screaming at me."
"Well at least this experience is going to help you with that," she tried again. "You know, her not breaking up with you at a party...this is like the ultimate trauma for you, right? You'll feel much better when you realize everything is fine."
Steve decided to put his worries aside and try to have a good time. It was a party after all, last thing he wanted is to feel miserable all night. Robin suggested they should get drinks, standing up from the couch with Steve following after her.
It was there when Steve felt someone bumping into him, wrapping their arms around him. He quickly realized it was you. "Steve!" you said cheerfully, leaning against him. "Hey, I wanted to talk to you about something."
"Yeah?" he asked, internally panicking. "Maybe we can talk about it on the drive back home?"
"No, it can't wait that long," you insisted. "I need to talk to you now."
"I'm sure it can wait, babe," he wasn't giving up. At this point Robin turned to look at the two of you, being able to tell Steve was getting more and more insecure about what was going on.
"No, I mean it. It's very important."
Steve looked helpless, looking back at Robin who simply shrugged, letting him know she had no idea how to help him. You tugged at Steve's jacket to get his attention again, pouting. "Please?"
He knew there was no way of getting out of this. "Okay, sure."
You quickly let him go, only to grab his hand and drag him outside the house and into the front yard, knowing there will be less people there. Steve was in complete silence, bracing himself for what was coming.
Eventually, you stopped and looked at him. "Listen, Steve-"
"Don't say it," he immediately cut you off, barely able to look at you. "Really, I just...I don't want to hear it."
"What?"
"I should've known," he continued rambling, completely ignoring your question as you stared at him with obvious confusion written all across your features. "It's fine, I get it. But I'd appreciate it if you just spare me from hearing you say it."
"Steve, what are you talking about?" you insisted, his words sobering you up enough to be able to hold this conversation, though you were still very much still drunk.
"You're going to break up with me."
"What? No, I'm not breaking up with you!"
"You're not?" Steve muttered, looking very lost.
You smiled up at him, wrapping your arms around his body to pull him closer. Steve almost instantly put his hands at your hips, fearing this would be the last time he'll ever get to be this close to you. However, your smile and the way you were looking at him made him feel slightly better
"Baby, that's not why I wanted to talk to you," you said in a softer tone, shaking your head at the idea of ever letting a guy as wonderful as Steve go just like that. "I brought you here because I needed to tell you that I love you."
Steve froze, visibly surprised to hear that. You've never said that to him before.
"You- you love me?"
"Yes! I'm not just saying it because I'm drunk...well, maybe I am because that was the confidence boost I needed to finally tell you. That's not the point, tho," you replied, noticing you were starting to ramble. "Steve, I've never felt the way I do when I'm with you. And maybe it's too soon for me to tell you this and it's okay if you don't feel ready to say it back, but I'm pretty sure I'm in love with you and I couldn't wait longer to tell you."
You noticed a smile appearing on Steve's face as you continued with your confession. He let go of your hips to move his hands up to your face, softly caressing your skin with his thumbs.
That was a good sign, but you were still waiting to hear something that would let you know he wasn't freaked out by it. "Can you say something, please? I'm kind of dying over here," you said, trying to still maintain your sense of humor.
"Well, first off, thanks for not breaking up with me," he commented, making you laugh. "Second...I love you too."
"Wait, really?" you asked. "I don't want you to feel pressured to say it just because I said it. It's fine if you don't-"
You couldn't finish your sentence because Steve leaned closer and kissed you, his hands still holding your face. You returned the kiss immediately, holding onto him. He could taste the alcohol in your mouth, but he didn't mind it in the slightest.
"If I continue to say that, would you make me shut up with another kiss?" you asked as soon as he pulled away, earning a chuckle from him.
"You're needy when you're drunk," Steve commented.
"No, I'm needy because I love you," you quickly corrected. "But yes, I'm still drunk. Wait, you don't mind I'm drunk for our first time saying I love you, right? We can pretend this didn't happen and just say it tomorrow."
"I don't mind," he assured you before kissing your forehead briefly. "This is perfect. I wouldn't change a thing."