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–You’re convinced that the time you spent waiting for Steve Harrington to ask you out took ten years off your life span. Not only is he a complete moron when it comes to girls, though he’d tell you otherwise, he’s an even bigger idiot when it comes to taking a hint.
–It takes him an embarrassingly long year to work up the courage to ask you out, and he only ends up getting his toes wet because Billy threatens to beat the shit out of him again if he doesn’t quit yapping about how his life sucks because the one girl he likes couldn’t possibly like him back.
–He shows up to your place with basketball tickets and wearing his old letterman. He had it shoved in his closet for the longest because he didn’t want people thinking he had his head still stuck in highschool, but after you saw him nearly get rid of it and freaked out, he finds that maybe he still likes it.
–The two of you get popcorn and Cokes at the game but you’re pretty sure most of the popcorn ends up on the bleachers with how excited you both get.
–Your favorite team wins, and you shoot out of your seats, with you throwing your arms around him in excitement and him almost losing his footing and gaining a sprained ankle when he tries to keep you both upright.
–After everyone files out of the gymnasium, you and Steve head back to your place. Half-way there, you mumble something about your feet hurting, so you take your uncomfortable shoes off and wiggle your painted toes. He smiles at the color you picked because it’s your favorite.
–You’re the only one he lets put their feet up on the dash.
–You jam out to the radio and he’s laughing so hard at your off-key singing that he can barely breathe.
–When he walks you to your door, you’re swinging your shoes in your hand and the moonlight is making your skin glow. He thinks you’re the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen, so when you turn away to go inside the house, he gently tugs at your elbow and kisses you square on the lips. He can’t bear to let you go one more night without knowing how he feels about you.
–Needless to say, you’re surprised. Pleasantly so. “Wow,” you whisper, your eyes wide. “Took you long enough.”
–He laughs and nods sheepishly at his shoes. “Yeah, you can thank Hargrove for that. He’s the one who got me off my ass.”
–”Consider me impressed,” you giggle. “It’s nice to see you two getting along.”
–Steve nods, looking back up at you. “He’s alright once you get past the asshole exterior.”
And then he steps into your personal space, his expression softening.
–”No offense, but I don’t want to talk about Billy right now.”
–You bite your lip to keep the grin from your face as he leans in to kiss you again, and you end up against the doorframe, laughing into his mouth as you lead him in.
***
–The two of you definitely drive the group around often, whether it’s to the arcade, the skating rink, or to the mall. Eddie’s van is usually the go-to if Steve’s station wagon isn’t available for whatever reason.
–He enjoys seeing you interact with the kids. You have a soft spot for Dustin, and whenever Steve sees you helping him with homework or a school project, he can’t help but picture you with a kid of your own in the chair Dustin's occupying.
–You can’t tell me he doesn’t take you to Skull Rock throughout the year to have private makeout sessions picnics.
–Whenever you get a hankering to clean your place, you put on some music and he helps, but he’s so enamored with your silly dancing that you both get distracted and end up dancing together all over the house.
–During the annual Fourth of July carnival, he takes you around the different vendor stands and you share a spool of cotton candy. He wins you a big stuffie at a dart stand and you press your delighted face into the soft fur, carrying it around proudly as Steve grins and puts an arm around your shoulders.
–When you ask him to move in with you, his face is so hopeful that you feel your heart break for a moment. “You-you’d really be okay with that?” He asks. You nod and he pulls you into a bear hug, twirling you around as you laugh.
–Very protective. If he ever hears someone making a snarky comment about you, whether it’s at school or out in the general public, he’s always the first to put them in their place. If it keeps up he’ll probably end up threatening them, or if it’s a guy, he’ll probably sucker punch ‘em.
–The kids jokingly refer to him as “Dad”, so it’s only natural for them to start calling you “Mom” after you and Steve start dating. It becomes even more common after you pass your anniversary.
–During a little camping trip with everyone, someone gets a little cranky when you ask them to help with something, and he immediately says, “Hey! That’s my wife you’re talking to, show some respect.”
–Your shocked expression is enough to make him second-guess himself. But then the corners of your lips turn up and then he’s full-on grinning because he knows that was a good line.
–Later on, you’re both getting comfortable in your shared tent when he asks you if you’ve ever thought about getting married.
–”Well, sure.” You settle for laying on your back, snuggling into the blankets you’ve brought, because you hate the feel of the rough sleeping bags. “Every girl has. Why do you ask?”
–He shrugs casually, laying down next to you so your shoulders are touching.
–”Just wondering.”
–You narrow your brows as you turn your head to look at him. “Steve, come on. You wouldn’t have asked a question like that if you didn’t have a reason.”
–He goes quiet so you turn over on your side, tucking your hands underneath your chin. He looks over at you, and his heart is racing so fast that he can hear the blood pounding in his ears.
–”D-do you ever think—” He takes a breath so his voice doesn’t shake as much, but it doesn’t help. “—about, about us? Getting married, I mean?”
–Your voice is hushed when you answer him, because of course you’ve thought about it. Of course you’ve thought about marrying Steve.
–”Is this you asking me? Because the answer would be yes.” Your eyes are shining and you have a small smile on your lips, and his eyes go as wide as dinner plates and then he’s asking, “Really?! You’d say yes?! ” And when you nod and laugh he smothers you with kisses and then you’re both laughing and shouting in excitement until Dustin yells out to ask what the hell you two are doing that would require you to scream out in the middle of nowhere and interrupt his beauty sleep and Steve hurriedly unzips the tent and yells back, “I asked her to marry me and she said YES! So kiss my ass, Henderson!”
–Cue a bunch of teenagers yelling “WHAT?!” and unzipping their own tents to scream and jump around outside. You’re all in disbelief, Steve included, and laughing so hard at everyone’s reactions that many of you have tears running down your face.
–Nobody can keep the smiles from their faces the next morning as the camping gear is packed up, and you end up going to a pancake place to get breakfast. Mike blurts out to the waitress that you and Steve just got engaged and she’s kind enough to have the cook write “congrats!” on your pancakes in chocolate syrup, which makes you tear up again. Steve presses a kiss onto your temple and rubs your shoulder in amusement.
–Naturally you enlist the group’s help with the planning. And you don’t care if the wedding is perfect. All you want is for all the people you love to be there. <333
–And that's the part that makes it perfect, anyway. The girls are your maids of honor and the boys are Steve’s best men.
–Billy and Eddie are the ones who help get him and the younger boys ready.
–He totally has a shit-eating grin on his face when you walk down the aisle.