Chapter Text
“Steven, are you ready?” His stepmother knocked on the door before her head peeked in, she seemed really excited, with perfect elegant makeup and- was she wearing a gown? Steve returned an awkward smile.
“Oh Jen- Mom, yeah, just give me five minutes.” She nodded before she closed the door. Steve took a deep breath, all the resentment and rage he was feeling, the bitterness, trying to keep a lid on those emotions was catching up to him. He took a minute to look in the mirror, his face resembled someone who didn’t belong- not here, not anywhere, it was sickening. The stylish sweat he wore, with ripped jeans, the expensive watch, and the limited edition shoes he would be wearing in a while- all of it belonged to his father, all of which he was wearing to impress some family. He hated it.
It’s hard to believe, for anyone really, how much he had grown to dislike the family wealth they had. It was good and fine when he was in school, everything was a breeze, he made a mess, but it didn’t matter, he could do anything but as he grew, realized his freedom and flexibility came at the cost of others, how unfulfilling and empty this life was- he lost sight of himself, couldn't comprehend who he was anymore. There was his father who didn’t care about anything but his reputation and fame, then it was his mother who overdosed and left him alone- and then…
His father remarried Jenna, she came from a high-class family and had a daughter two years younger than him- apparently, his dad fell in love with her at first sight. Steve doesn't trust his father, he is a cold man, and no matter how much he pretends to be the ‘good’ guy, he won’t be able to keep that facade up for long. But at least Steve isn’t the scapegoat for his anger anymore. He does get occasional threats and warnings from his father to behave, but Steve could ignore all that in favor of leaving all of it behind. But of course, why would anything work out for him in this life?
“Your sister’s marriage has been finalized with the Hargroves, they are rich people, even more so than us. Jenna and your sister will be living with them until everything is over, I have been called for work in the outer states, so you will have to make sure it all works out. And I hope I don’t need to remind you… behave. If I hear you screwed up anything, you can say goodbye to your freedom. Understood?”
“Yes, sir.”
When he first came to know about the plan, he was taken aback but he didn’t care as much, then he heard it was William Hargrove, the son rumored to have murdered his own father in cold blood. The Hargrove family had always been affiliated with the mafia, it was an unspoken knowledge, but nobody dared say anything against the family.
He protested, how can he marry off his stepdaughter to a thug, a murderer? He talked to Jenna but she was already brainwashed by John enough to shrug off any implication, he even mustered up the courage to defend against his father, but all he got in return was his father’s fury and a slap that still rang in his ear. Robin comforted him, as much as she could, his father had even restricted her comings and goings from the mansion- Steve was tired of this life.
So now he was stuck with this bullshit. He doesn’t even know why he should go with them, it’s not like they needed him, Jenna was more than capable of taking care of this all on her own. Maybe his father knew about his plans to leave, Steve shook his head, if he knew, he’d probably be locked up somewhere.
He sighed again, looking around his room, he had packed almost everything- after this event, he had to modify his plan, he’d directly leave after his stepsister got married. Contrary to popular belief, Steve didn’t own a lot, at least, not the things that were dear to him. All the designer clothes shoes, and other things were useless to him, but his family and relatives only gifted those on any and all occasions. He sold half of the things he owned, setting aside the funds for his after-shit life. He’d need a lot of planning and courage to pull this off.
Time to hit the show.
“Oh, you’re here! I was about to call you again.” Steve was taken aback at the amount of luggage there was near the car. They’d definitely need another transport for all that shit. He only had two luggage and one bag, a big one for his personal stuff, and the other for ‘rich’ people’s clothing. And small and important accessories in the bag. He had shoved all the important documents in the hidden compartment of his suitcase.
“I can take my car,” Steve started “There’s a lot of bags, we would probably need to split.”
“Are you sure that’s okay? I don’t want you to-”
“I-It’s fine. I’d be just behind you so we will be together. Plus it’d be too stuffy for us.” God, the awkwardness. He wants to bang his head somewhere.
“A plane would be easier, but Elaine wanted to have a long drive- and you know how she gets, John just let her do wherever she asks.” She laughed, shaking her head, ah she was in love alright. Steve looked away, resisting to scoff, to react in a negative way, it doesn’t matter- it shouldn’t matter anymore. He already knew this, why is this-
“Mom!” Steve winced at the shrill voice, she was not that bad but god, her voice could easily be used for mass destruction when she gets angry or excited. “I can’t find my lucky purse!” He took a double take at her stepsister, he didn’t know if what she was wearing could be accepted as a public-appropriate attire. Was it a bikini or an actual top? He can understand at a club but… she was going to her in-law's house- would that be okay? He keeps quiet, it’s better to stay that way when she is the concern, his position in this make-shift family was pretty clear.
“Darling, we are very late, they are expecting us and we can’t be late, I don’t want to ruin our first impression! Just order it in the car.”
“But Mom, it’s my lucky purse!”
“Baby, this mansion will still be here, we can come back to get it once Aron finds it. Let’s go.” She groaned but didn’t argue as Jenna got inside the car before Elaine could say anything. Steve saw their butler, Aron, putting the bags in another car- there were two maids and a butler waiting at the side as he worked. Ah, so they were bringing the workers with them?
“Is Steve not coming with us?” She doesn’t talk to him if she doesn't have to. He doesn’t exactly know what her problem is, but Steve can’t bring himself to care at this point. Though they are civil most of the time, Steve even feels something akin to protectiveness for the girl in question, only because he has always loved younger kids, he had his own set of gremlins who were off to college right now. Maybe they could have had a better relationship if John didn’t always pit them against each other. At least Jenna didn’t hate his guts, she was just too overprotective of her daughter.
“No, there’s too much stuff. He will be driving his car. Come on, let’s hit the road!”
~
It was a four-hour drive, Steve was a bit tired after an hour, he hadn’t been sleeping well for a few weeks so it was hard to concentrate, on the other hand, they stopped like five times in one hour! How the fuck will they reach on time if this is how it will go!?
God help him.
He thinks about this Hargrove family, it still doesn’t feel right to sell off Elaine to someone like that. If they were richer than Harringtons, he can understand why his father is so hell-bent on making this work but it was low, even for an asshole like John Harrington. Elaine was a beautiful girl, a little immature but she would survive if push came to shove. She was attractive, with jet black hair, green eyes, pink lips, a good body, etc etc, but unfortunately, she reminded him of himself when he was younger, naive in a sense, he wished to guide her, or at least give her some advice he learned the hard way… but she thinks of him as an inferior being, so he cannot exactly save her from the shitstorm that is life. It wasn’t that he was a saint suddenly, but he was trying to be better- and she could be too! He knows she can.
He just hopes this wedding ends quickly and smoothly so he can skip over to the next town.
How could he have known the universe was showing the biggest middle finger when he was daydreaming about his future?
They finally reached their destination in the evening, Steve was bone-deep tired, all he wanted was to dive into a soft mattress and never wake up again. They had a nice welcome, many maids and butlers were standing for them, and Mrs. Hargrove was kind enough to be waiting for them at the front, Steve chuckled, his mom could have never. Steve was expecting a palace but he was taken aback at how much grander it was, he honestly felt like he was in the abode of a king.
Fortunately, Mrs. Hargrove immediately sent them to their respective rooms, insisting that they rest and freshen up before having a conversation. While his stepmother and stepsister were busy with their accommodation, Steve put aside the bags, stripped down to his boxers, and went straight for the duvet. Since it was really cold, it was nice to be wrapped with such a soft and thick material, he drifted to sleep as he thought about the next few months.
“I am so sorry, Will is running late. He has been taking more and more responsibilities, I tell him to take it easy but god, if he ever listens to me!”
Steve almost tuned out of their conversation, it was about nine pm, apparently, they did everything on time and slept early. He hadn’t spoken much, content in being unnoticed, chewing on the weird but tasty bread the maid put in front of him. He was aware of the looks Jenna was sending him, he sighed for the umpteenth time that day, before bracing himself for a hellish small talk.
“Say, Mrs. Hargrove, what does William-”
“Please call me Fiona, oh I am sorry for interrupting! My son always says I am too hyper sometimes, it’s a problem what can I say?”
“Oh, it’s no problem, I don’t mind” He hurried to assure her, she seemed pretty chill, and sweet, he thought wistfully.
“My baby- well, he is studying law right now. He has way too many hobbies for me to keep up. But I think he is about your age, I am sure you both will get along well! What do you like, Steve?” Law, huh? Great, he was the son. He cannot believe she was a part of the family that was buried in the underworld.
“I like to-”
“He is kinda lame now, he used to play basketball and swim but now he just reads and stays in his room” Elaine laughed, she made it sound teasing rather than her usual mean streak, but he could see it still changed Mrs. Hargrove’s expression very slightly.
“Oh, wow. Will likes to read too! Though nowadays it’s not as often, between his studies and other activities. And there is nothing wrong with books, it’s a lost art. I am sure everybody has things they enjoy, we shouldn't shame them for their happiness.” Mrs. Hargrove gave a fake smile to Elaine, Jenna quickly changed the topic, nervously shuttering as she talked, and Mrs. Hargrove took the change in stride, and continued the flow.
He was glad Mrs. Hargrove was a nice woman. Though it seemed like Elaine’s quick tongue had made some bad impressions. When will this be over? He was done with his dinner, but he didn’t know if he could just get up and leave. Thankfully, they were finishing up too.
“I truly apologize, Will might not be home for a few more days, sudden trouble stirred up in the south, so he will sort it out before coming back. It was really nice talking to all of you. Elaine, Steve, you can look around the house,” House? How modest. “Bob will show you the place. I will check on my idiot son.”
Jenna pinched Elaine to respond, who thanked her at the nudge, her unhappiness was kind of obvious at how everything turned out with the mother of her future husband. It was just a first meeting, he was sure if she behaved it would be fine.
It had been around three days since he came here, things weren’t as bad as he imagined it to be. He roamed the corridors on his own, never liked anyone unfamiliar accompanying him for no reason. The place was a dreamland, no doubt, but he missed his best friend, and his kids, he didn’t tell them the whole detail, it’d be a pain explaining everything to them. Though he knows Robin will give him an earful if he doesn’t.
Jenna was busy fussing over Elaine, nagging her to behave and do something to impress the lady of the house, so she left Steve alone for the most part. He liked Mrs. Hargrove, she was a graceful woman, who might definitely be not as sweet as she pretends but he enjoys her company regardless. He could never really have a mother figure in his life who treated him… with care, so it was a nice change of pace, and they got along pretty well too. It was surprising how they bonded- over food since Mrs. Hargrove liked to cook for her kids (Steve had needed some minutes to process that information), and in a span of a few minutes, Steve realized belatedly, he and Mrs. Hargrove were talking about certain recipes… quite passionately.
It had been the second morning there, he distantly remembers asking if she likes spaghetti with sauce or without when one of the maids asked if they should make it for Maxine, and somehow they were talking about whether following original instruction was better or modifying was. Jenna and Elaine had excused themselves after they finished eating, Steve had nothing to do since his kids were busy in college and Robin had gone on a vacation with her family- and Mrs. Hargrove was chilling on her own so he decided to stick around, maybe get some intel on the family. He just didn’t expect to play house with a gangster lady.
“God, neither of my kids has any interest in cooking, all they want is to eat. No matter where you are, it’s a necessary skill!”
“Oh, I agree.” He chuckles, and then notices she hasn’t eaten much of what was on her plate, before he can say anything she asks, "How did you learn all of this? You seem far more adapted, and if I didn't know any better I would have assumed you were a friend of some sort rather than a Harrington... of course, the designers do help. If you don't mind me asking- I am well aware poking questions are awful."
"You're not the first one," Steve smiles, "Oh I was definitely a grade-A jerk who knew nothing about real life except that money is everything. So when shit happened, I knew I had to change, and when I was given a chance to study far from Hawkins, I tried to learn how to... live normally I suppose? I enjoyed it much more than in our place, so I just continued learning and doing stuff on my own. My father hates it, so I don't really do menial tasks when he's around... but yeah, that's the short story "
He likes to think he was sneaky but he can tell, Fiona might probably be wondering how he didn't refer to his place as home at all. And several other questions.
“Are you not hungry?” He asks, eying her full plate, Fiona looks at him for a few seconds before giving him an assuring smile.
“Not re-” Her stomach growled. She laughed sheepishly. “Okay, so I wanted Indian breakfast but I wasn’t sure if it was preferred for you Harringtons… I had a bit of stomach ache for the past few days so now that it's gone, I wanted something heavy- I know, it’s not the protocol but-”
“I know this egg recipe, it’s not entirely Indian but it can taste really good with bread.” He offered without thinking, it was common knowledge among his peers that he enjoyed cooking, especially for others, but it would be a little odd to do that for a stranger… who had five-star chefs to cook for them.
“I am listening” Fiona whispers as if they were conspiring something. Steve smiled with fondness, she somewhat reminded him of Robin, though he knew she was being kind right now on purpose but- it didn’t matter to him somehow.
“I can make it right now, it’d be better than explaining the instructions to the cook”
“Oh no, sweetheart, no way, I can’t let you cook in my home!”
“I cook in mine… unless of course, this isn’t supposed to be my supposed home too” He teased, playing out his puppy eyes that Fiona knew he was just making her feel bad to let him have his way. He had exaggerated a little for the effect.
“...you brat,” she says lovingly, “okay, but don’t take too long, I will feel awful if you do.”
“Don’t worry, I will ask Barbara to do the brunt work” he winks, smiling good-naturedly, ignoring the annoying voice in his head trying to whip out the messy situation he was undoubtedly in, and will be for the foreseeable future.
Fiona was surprised he could recall the maid’s name.
It was essentially a very simple dish, that basically just required vegetables and eggs, and with Barbara cutting up the vegetable at an inhumane speed, he was done in less than ten minutes. The kitchen and the small dining table were in the same vicinity but there was a wall that blocked the view if you were cooking on the other side. He excitedly brought the dish, laughing at some joke Bob had cracked as he walked towards the table, apron still intact on his person. Only to stop mid-process, witnessing someone who was not present initially waiting at the table.
“Uh… Mrs. Hargrove-”
“Fiona, my darling”
“O-Of course, Fiona… here uh-”
“You’re such a beautiful child, come sit, I want you to meet one of my two problematic kids whose temper can fuel even the rockets.” Steve takes a hesitant step toward the chair Fiona beckons him to, the redhead was staring at him with suspicion, and all he could do was offer a weak smile.
“This is Maxine-”
“ Max ”
“-the other most chaotic kid.”
“It’s uh- nice to meet you, Maxi- Max” He greeted, a little nervous, she looked at him for a few seconds before nodding. Steve then noticed she was not in a normal chair… crap, the concern shadowed his face without his consent, making the girl glare at him quite ferociously.
“What are you looking at!?” She snarled, her freckled cheeks reddening in anger, Steve was a bit taken aback at the reaction but he could understand why she acted in such a way- pity in certain states was not a welcomed guest.
“I am sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you,” he starts simply, “I am an idiot who occasionally pokes his nose in other’s business. It sucks when younger kids suffer through traumas they should never be allowed to. I can understand how my concern would feel unneeded for you.” She looks surprised at his honesty, her face was still red and annoyed but she seemed to have calmed down, mumbling something as she shoved down the food hurriedly, he wants to tell her to slow down but he could almost imagine her terrifying reaction. So he just chuckles and takes a scoop of the dish he prepared on his plate- so he’s got a huge appetite, fucking deal with it.
Maxine despised Elaine, he could tell without needing any evidence, he wonders if it was due to sibling protectiveness or something, but Elaine and Hargrove’s bonding seemed to be almost impossible as two days passed by and Max avoided her shamelessly while Mrs. Har- Fiona entertains his step-sister with fake smiles. Jenna had been trying her best to lecture Elaine, making her dress accordingly, talk with a certain decorum, etc, etc, he was just grateful John had not asked to call him yet.
It was weird but it had barely been three days and he already liked the Hargrove family, he keeps reminding himself that they were bad people, they were mafias for god sake! But when Max had grumbled once and asked him to read a novel as her migraine got bad- Fiona had gone out with Jenna and Elaine, and he was lounging around at 2 in the morning like a freak- his instinct took over and he kinda fell in love with the little girl who was much stronger than she believed herself to be. Maybe he was missing his kids a lot more than he realized and was projecting on Max.
After he accidentally puts Max to bed (she fell asleep as he droned on around the third chapter and he pulled on the sheets, closed the lights, and felt something warm across his chest), he goes out to clear his head. His concern about the Hargrove family still hadn’t waned completely but it was… wavering for the lack of better word. He thinks about his dream, his escape plan, and the life after the wedding, it was a bit alarming how he hadn’t thought about any of it in the last three days.
The gigantic pool stops him mid-thought, it was glistening under the fairy lights, looking absolutely stunning in the night, Steve was tempted to take an experimental dive. It had been a long while since he tried to swim again. But this place was different, it wasn’t Hawkins anymore- this pool wasn't the one from his home. Maybe it’d be fine? And there were people around to help unlike back in his hometown.
Well, he had been craving to dive.
He decided to fuck it all, unbuttoning the silk pajama shirt, he only wore boxers/shorts since he slept almost naked, and the atmosphere had warmed a little to allow that flexibility. Throwing the navy shirt on a seat, he hesitantly sat at the edge of the pool, the water was cool, probably managed by a temporal device and there were safety buttons situated all over the place. He can do this.
He submerged into the water slowly, taking his time, almost expecting to be hit by the unforgiving memories, but the reaction wasn’t too bad. His mind reacted in fear, but the consequence was nothing in return. Steve explored his refound interest with anticipation and nervousness, the bustling of the wind, and little chatters a few meters away calmed down his nerves and he took a few more bold steps before he was swimming almost naturally.
His skills were pretty rusty, given how he barely practiced in the long duration of his break, but he felt good, he felt relieved. He doesn’t know if it will last, if this is just a sudden response but he is willing to enjoy the moment right now. He doesn’t know how much time has passed since he started swimming around in the pool, his skin was a little shriveled by now so he could guess it had been an hour or more.
He is in the middle of deciding whether he should get out or stay when he hears the rustling of clothes and footsteps somewhere nearby, but he assumes it’s the workers doing whatever their job was to do, paying them no heed, maybe someone else wanted a dive? It wasn’t until someone jumps into the pool that Steve finally gets on alert, he could not exactly see the face of the man due to his bad eyesight, but his body seemed muscular- he could not think of anyone he had seen around the house with that build. Maybe they haven’t had the pleasure of talking yet. He shrugs it off, finally deciding to get out since he was already in the pool for so long, suddenly feeling hungry after exerting himself- a lot more than he should have on his first attempt in a while. He swims over to the metal ladder, just about to climb out when he hears a loud splash just behind him, he turns in surprise- how can that person get to him in such a short span of time?
His jaw drops, though he schools his face to neutral, a siren going off in his head when he finally takes in the person who had him cornered, hands caging him from either side. Did this guy not know what a personal space is?
But oh fucking god, whoever he was, his body looks as if it was carved by gods personally. How can someone be so deliciously broad and toned? Fuck. He kind of hopes he is some bodyguard because the bisexual in him wanted to get railed right that second. Steve turns away quickly, not wanting to get caught staring inappropriately- but FUCK. It was entirely unfair, he felt burned by how intensely the man was staring at him, and he could barely look away.
“Who are you?” Damn it, even his voice was like molten lava, deep and lighting fire inside him- there was something about the voice he couldn’t put a finger on, but there was an obvious dangerous lilt to it. He cannot be Mrs. Hargrove's son, he was supposed to be back days later, and Fiona wasn’t even sure if he would be home this week.
“Steve… Harrington” He finds his voice, rejoicing to know that he hadn’t shuttered like an idiot in the face of this adonis god. Now don’t get him wrong, he was a good player, okay? But with guys, it was a little different, well- for one, he had very few experiences and he had always shied away from dominant personalities, too afraid to give up control. John never allowed him to.
“Why are you here?” Steve quirks his brow, what kind of question was that, he might be a bodyguard but he would at least know the guest who would be living here for weeks! His expression sours a little. What a jerk.
“I don’t who you are, but we are the guests, Elaine Harrington is supposed to marry the thug of your family” He snaps, realizing seconds late that calling the heir- a thug, in front of his bodyguard was the epitome of stupidity. The blond tilts his head, in mock confusion, a scoff placed on his lips, Steve regrettably finds his thundering eyes completely alluring.
“This is my place, Harrington. I am Wiliam Hargrove” Steve swallowed thickly, this was so not happening right now- how can his luck be so irredeemably bad? Steve’s mind finally catches up… oh my god, this was William, the rumored beast, Elaine’s fiance? Oh, fucking fuck.
“I- I wasn’t made aware… Fiona said you wouldn't be home for another few days.” Billy’s eyes snapped to his in burning anger, god, Max, and William were definitely siblings, their temper was just as bad. Steve tried to wiggle out of the situation, but Billy remained immovable. Fuck, he was so strong.
Crap, he should not be feeling this way for a killer like him. Or wait, his sister’s fiance!
“ Fiona ?” William says in annoyance.
“You should calm the fuck down, she asked me to” He was starting to get pissed, who the hell did he think he was!? Steve was happy minding his own business, this spawn of satan approaches him first and then interrogates him like he wasn’t invited here!
The universe despised him. He knew now for sure.
Billy gave him a shark-like smile, looking like he was ready to beat the shit out of the other party- Steve backs away in fear, but there was no space between William and the edge of the pool. Suddenly William’s hand moved from his side to his waist, Steve glanced at him in suspicion, what was this man up to? The fingers stopped at the band of his boxers, pulling at it playfully as the man came even closer, their chest almost touching. Steve shivered at the touch, almost closing his eyes-
No! This cannot be! He made an attempt to push William away, who barely budged even though Steve had used enough strength to shove him.
“Hmm, so you’re the Harrington hier, huh?” He looks him up and down, as if testing some merchandise, Steve narrows his eyes at the blond man in anger and annoyance but before he could put some sense into the excruciatingly cocky man, William was manhandling him carelessly, gripping his shoulder and turning him around, touching his biceps, his thighs, his waist- Steve let him for a while, unable to process the actions of this madman. When William’s hands groped his ass, he finally came to his senses and smacked his hands away.
“What the fuck are you doing!?” God, he was furious!
“Oooh feisty, just how I like” William laughs, it would have been a beautiful sound if Steve was not fuming like a campfire at the moment. “You good at swimming?” Steve looks at him, not sure where the change of topic would lead him, but he nods in reply.
“I used to be, I am a bit rusty now,” He says, surprised at himself for replying civilly, what was he doing here, really? He should probably get out now before he gets in trouble.
“Wanna race?” Steve cannot understand this man, he rolls his eyes, rejection on the tip of his tongue, “Or are you afraid to lose?”
…Steve was never really proud of his competitive streak.
They raced three times, and Steve only won once, he knows for sure- almost- that William took pity on him and let him win, but he was too arrogant to acknowledge it. But he was defeated quite brutally. It was unfair and impossible how fast William was, he swam as if he was a creature of the ocean. Steve hated him. He wasn’t proud of accusing William of cheating when he won the second time, who only countered with ‘you’re skinnier than me, shouldn’t you be faster?’. Whatever.
He denies gawking at the man when he climbs out of the pool, taking the towel folded on the table as he carelessly dries himself. It was hard to not stare, Steve wasn’t exactly scrawny, but William was broader, even if Steve was taller, he had defined abs, and golden skin that shone brightly under the moonlight, his dirty blond hair stuck adorably on his face but the rest of his body spoke a different language. He really should stop salivating over his step-sister’s fiance.
“Are you gonna live in the water?” Steve hated how smug and cocky he sounded, he wants to punch his perfect set of teeth. A maid hurriedly arrived, she must have heard a commotion near the pool, she bows a little, greeting Hargrove and pulling out spare clothes from the counter where the towels were laid out.
“Master Steve, should I grab something from your room or-” Ah, he was an idiot, he should have brought something to wear but it wasn’t like he was planning to take a dive in the middle of the night.
“It’s okay, I can just-”
“These are my clothes” The devil snickers, “Martha, tell the young master he can get his own stuff”
“U-Uh- it’s okay, master, I can just get him what he requi-”
“No, I order you to not do anything” The bastard is laughing now, taunting him, Steve is this close to socking him in the stomach.
“Martha, you can leave, I will deal with this bastard” She looks at him in horror, eyes widening as if she saw ten heads on him, William nods at her, amused at his reactions. She hightails out of the situation, she doesn’t even remember the last time someone talked to Master William like that.
“Scary, what you gonna do, pretty boy?” Steve refuses to blush, he was too angry to blush. He doesn’t know if he succeeded, the scum’s crooked smile says something else, but he ignores it. He strides over to the man, who was looking at him with… a peculiar type of expression, Steve doesn’t pay heed to it as he reaches over and snatches the unused towel William had grabbed in the middle of their farce, the blond is taken aback at his action- Steve smiles innocently as he wraps the towel around his waist, and shimmying out of the sticky boxers.
He pushes past William, and he knows the bastard lets himself be pushed and grabs his discarded shirt, unfortunately, it had gotten wet in the process… he should have been careful.
“Uh-uh, the towel’s mine too, Harrington” Steve wants to murder him in cold blood.
“You know, Fiona wouldn’t appreciate this behavior with her guest” He speaks in a calm tone, but his tensed body shows how he was actually feeling, and it was pretty obvious William was having the time of his life. Steve ignores the frustratingly hot idiot and walks away from the pool, he takes about three steps before his wrist was grabbed and he was pulled harshly into a brick-like chest- what the hell did this man eat!? “Hey! What th-”
“I said the towel’s mine” William repeated, the playfulness from the previous conversation gone, “you can drop that here and leave”
“Why are you-” He sighs, “Give me your spare clothes, Hargrove”
“You need to beg for it, pretty boy” William whispers in his ear, voice purposely deepened and Steve couldn’t stop the flush that covered his face and neck, this was the worst! Narcissism at it’s peak. He knows there was no way he could get an upper hand here, not if he was almost naked, and unless Fiona can magically appear, no one would go against the beast heir either. Fuck it.
“Please,” he closes his eyes in humiliation, at this point he just wants to get away from this human equivalent of nuisance, and he was also worried about his situation down there if William kept on whispering and touching him like that. “Let me borrow your clothes, Hargrove”
“Now was it so hard? Such a good boy” Steve glares at him, but it is ineffective as the redness deepens even more at the sudden mock praise, oh he needs to go. “Though we will need to work on your begging, it’s 4 out of 10 at most” He taunts, that vile smirk back on his face as he releases Steve and throws a pair at him.
“Fuck you”
God, that man was as infuriating as it gets!
~
Steve ran to the bathroom like a man on fire when he realized it was already ten in the morning. The Hargroves ate breakfast at a certain time and he was sure the time had already crossed. He had just entered when there was a knock on his door, one of the servants calling him to come down for breakfast. Fuck. His body was aching like crazy, he had already pushed himself when he tried to swim earlier, but the race with Hargrove completely wrecked his body- and not in a good way. Even if he wasn't fond of it, a massage was definitely needed, and urgently.
He quickly washed his face and brushed his teeth before barrelling out of the room with the spare slippers on- he hated being late for anything, John had instilled that in him. He had the realization that something was off too late, as he simply sat down beside Jenna who was looking at him hopelessly. Shit. He was in William’s clothes. He had simply collapsed on the bed when he got back to his room, the bastard had drained him completely and his eyes fell shut as he tried to justify the lingering scent on the tee wasn’t comforting at all.
Though she was probably squinting at him for looking like a homeless person. He looked over to Elaine who was wearing proper attire this time, his stepmother was over the top as always. Finally, Fiona arrived with a plate of slices of bacon in her hand. Steve instantly got up, feeling mortified for not minding his manners, he had completely forgotten he was supposed to help out.
“Oh, Fiona, let me hold that-”
“Hush, darling. It’s quite alright.” She puts the plate in the middle of the table, thankfully it’s family-friendly sized rather than in his place, where he had to walk to just get a loaf of bread if servants were busy attending to his other family. There was a grand dining room in the west wing of the manor, the east wing consisted only of the family zone, they eat here when it’s just them.
“Still, I’d feel better if you let me” He mumbles but sits down regardless. Jenna nudges Elaine to partake in the conversation but she’s too busy on her phone to care. Steve shakes his head internally, how is she gonna bag her mother-in-law like this? Then his thoughts are still completely as he gets reminded about the fact that his step-sister’s mother-in-law is the mother of the guy he wanted to get railed by. How fucked up is that?
“-I like to cook them food sometimes. It’s so hard to have a normal family bonding when you are always busy and with a name that matters so much to others, I like to do normal mom things when I can for my kids.” Ah crap, he tuned out like usual.
“That’s so amazing! Is Maxine coming down?”
“Will usually drags her down, but I don’t know any of their status right now, I got very tired when we came back. I am so sorry about him again. I told him but you know, kids ”
Fiona and Jenna continued to talk like a couple of old pals while Steve couldn't help but wonder, Maxine and William were similar in personality but… they didn’t look like each other at all, she looked more like Fiona but William… he assumes Fiona is probably his step-mother. Elaine grows bored soon enough, Jenna attempts to make her sit through the breakfast but the girl does what she wants. The both of them keep apologizing for their kid’s behavior, and Steve wants to laugh. Around twenty minutes pass by, and he learns a bit about William and Maxine, asks simple questions to appease Jenna in the middle of the conversation, and enjoys his breakfast as Fiona seems to understand he likes to eat in peace.
Soon enough, Jenna excuses herself, John had called her to talk about how they were settling in, Fiona nods at her and gets up as another servant brings a huge glass of orange juice- it’s probably a jug.
“So what are your plans for today, Stevie?”
“Nothing, to be honest, I am a bit bored” He chuckles, “Did you have fun with Jen- uh my mom?”
“Yeah, it was nice. She is a determined woman, I can see why Harrington would be head over heels for her” Steve joins with his fake laughter, yeah sure. He notices she doesn’t say anything about Elaine. He almost feels bad.
“Elaine… she isn’t as she seems, J- father has spoiled her a lot since she never had a dad in her life. So she gets way in over her head… but-”
“You don’t need to clarify anything, sweetheart, I am aware. She is still just twenty-one. I am not exactly sure why John Harrington thinks it’s a good idea to let such a young woman get married… to my Will no less.” Welcome to the club, he thinks. “Anyway, I have taken this week off to get you all settled in, I will miss your cooking” Steve takes the change in stride, he has a feeling something had been bugging Fiona about the wedding, not to mention with a jerk like him as a son.
“I will try my best to make sure you don’t. Do you want me to make you something now?”
“Oh darling, you already made us breakfast yesterday, I feel like I am taking advantage of you”
“Please,” Steve scoffs, “I don’t mind cooking as long as my audience appreciates it” He winks at her who swoons dramatically, laughing a little loudly than he has seen her. It’s not so bad. He is in the middle of gathering vegetables when he hears Max calling his name loudly.
“Are you making something again!? What are you making? Can it be something junk?” Steve doesn’t have time to process as Max’s wheelchair bumps into him, making him fall backward, Fiona rushes to help him up, and Max looks at him apologetically.
“Maxine! He is a guest, I don-”
“It’s okay, Fiona, I am actually making a chicken sandwich, with mayonnaise”
“Ew, mayonnaise”
“Trust me, it won’t be that bad”
“Fine. Hurry up, I am hungry” He thinks Max would go back to the dining table but she says uprooted, looking at him expectantly to start the work. He shakes his head in exasperation. Fiona apologies for her, Steve shrugs it off, she doesn’t know but he had been through worse when the party was involved.
“Barbara has cooked a lot of stuff, Max, you can eat that instead of bothering poor Stevie”
“But I want Steve’s” She says, and Fiona sighs defeatedly.
“I am sorry, darling, I will be at the table if she persists you too much” Steve only grins at her, before going back to the counter, Barbara had already started chopping the required vegetables, and he grabs the bread from the cupboard beside the fridge, he already knows his way around the kitchen at this point.
The chicken stuffing is done after half an hour, it included Max whining about fifteen times, then chewing through half the vegetables, before Steve puts her on a time-out- not that she listened. He finally gets fed up and puts Max in charge of slathering the bread with an awful amount of butter, Martha comes to check out the situation in the kitchen at Fiona’s instruction, Mrs. Hargrove was busy scrolling through her tablet.
They had just put the sandwiches in the griller, Steve patting Max’s head as she grumbled about how long it was taking. He told her patience is a virtue and received a scathing glare- he can tell she could definitely run the mafia one day.
“Oh, look at what we have here” Steve freezes at the voice, “Wrong Harrington in the kitchen, huh?” God, he was hoping it was just a nightmare.
“Max, the grill will take some time, Barb will-” How fast was this man? William grabs a hold of the apron he was wearing, turning him face-to-face as he gives him another up-and-down look. “Can you not?”
“I must say, I can’t decide the towel looked better on you… or the apron… maybe if you lose the shirt inside-” That's when he sees William noticing that Steve is still in his tee, his eyes seem to darken, Steve turns away, but the burn of William's eyes doesn't let him forget.
“For fuck’s sake, Billy, not in front of the kid!” Max yells, hitting William’s thigh as she pulls him away from Steve.
“You have seen way worse” William replies coolly, his eyes appreciatively glancing at Steve's bare legs, god, save him.
“And I regret being born to this day” Steve is completely in love with Max’s savage replies, “And don’t bother Steve, go back to the table before I burn your stash”
“Aye aye captain” He gives another god-awful smile to Steve before he leaves to sit at the table for breakfast. Max sighs.
“Barb, can you bring us the sandwiches when it’s done?”
“Sure thing, sweetie. Steve is already taking my job, I can’t let him in the kitchen anymore” She jokes, and Steve flushes a little at the hidden compliment, muttering a sorry as Max pushes him out of the kitchen.
“Stevie! I hope Max didn’t annoy as much as I am afraid she does” Haha, no, your son was actually the worst. “Come here, my William is back, he is around the same age as you so I am hoping you both would get along”
“I look forward to it” William smirks, and Steve has a half mind to throw something at the man. “We should hang out more” He holds out his hand, Steve has taken the seat as far from Hargrove as he could, so the outstretched hand was proving to be a problem. He huffed, not wanting to seem like a brat in front of Fiona, getting up from the seat he had just taken and walked to where William was sitting, stopping just far enough to grab his hand.
“Likewise” Steve gritted out, having difficulty maintaining a fake smile on his face, he tries to squeeze William’s hand with more force than required but the other man remains unaffected, an annoying grin still present. He rolls his eyes, ready to let go, and walks back to his seat before William pulls him towards himself, his ass almost touches William’s lap but he’s maneuvered to the seat next to him.
“We should start right now” Steve snatches his hand away from William, trying his best to not let any agitation show in front of the other two. “We didn’t get to be acquainted last night”
“Oh, you had already met each other?” Fiona asks in delight, she loves the older Harrington, and honestly, Billy could use some good friends after the whole shitshow that was his life.
“Not really” Steve quickly interrupts, “He was negotiating an exchange for his spare clothes by the pool,” He says with a nice smile to go with, and dropping it as soon as he turns to William, mouthing ‘go fuck yourself’, then turning his attention back to Fiona.
“Billy!” Steve tilts his head in confusion, when Max had called out the name, he assumed it must be some nickname or an inside joke between the siblings, but even Fiona was calling him Billy- is that his real name? Middle name? What? “Why would you do such a childish thing to our Stevie?”
“Oooh, ‘our Stevie’, huh? When did you both get so close?”
“Mom is this close to adopting Steve” Max intervenes, raising her hand to show how close she meant, Steve blushes at the backhanded compliment. “Not that I would mind, he reads way better than you, Bill” She teases, then gets distracted as soon as Barbara comes out with two plates of grill sandwiches. “Finally!”
“So you’ve already charmed my mother? Maybe I am marrying the wrong Harrington,” William says in a low tone, Steve was almost sure nobody heard what he said since there were no reactions from anyone. Steve took a deep breath and pushed William away from his personal space as he gladly took the plate Max passed to him.
“If it were up to me, I would poison you before the wedding,” He says cheerfully, then silently moves his chair away from the nuisance. He just hopes nobody notices his aversion to the heir- he has no idea why William was acting like a grade-A jerk when they hadn’t even met before. It’s not like the man was not rich, so there shouldn’t be any jealousy factor or ‘you’re so privileged’ bullshit.
William laughs, not too loud but enough to grab his family’s attention, Steve just tries to ignore him as he grabs a piece of sandwich and chomps on it. It was quiet for a while, almost making him relieved but then he feels William put his hand somewhere behind the chair he was sitting on, he opens his mouth to berate the man, only to yelp in return as William pulled the chair even closer than before, their thighs touching.
“Are you crazy?” He wants to scream, but he settles on whispering aggressively, William doesn’t reply but his bright smile is an answer enough. The blond keeps him occupied with his banter, and pulling tricks on the brunet who doesn’t notice that Fiona was watching their interaction with a thoughtful expression.
She was well aware Billy was a complete nut case, but who wasn’t in this family? As long as he did his job and worked on himself, she was more than ready to back him up on anything. The wedding was definitely sudden, it wasn’t a done deal yet, she only promised to hold an engagement ceremony before thinking further about the pros and cons of affiliating with Harringtons. Billy was not the type to marry, and not to a girl like Elaine- she was not exactly a worse choice but Fiona could already tell they wouldn’t work. She just doesn’t understand why Billy had not outright refused the arrangement. They never had a good relationship with John, Fiona liked his father, the previous head of the family but John was another piece of work, so it was surprising at best to receive such an offer. It was obvious John was thinking of expanding his turf and connection, Billy assured her he would deal with anything regarding the Harrington so she hopes he had a plan, and he might have but that was before Steve Harrington was in the picture.
It was pretty clear she loved the sweet boy, despite being the world like theirs, he turned out to be an actual good person she wishes Max would be too. And what she was observing right now, Billy had hardly taken his eyes off Steve, constantly being in his space, infuriating the poor boy who was trying his best to behave. The best thing about Steve was, that despite being a sweet person, he still had a fire inside him, a sense of justice, and the capacity to take a stand- which would work well with Billy’s habit of throwing all caution to the wind.
He might even change Billy for the better, she blinked, now that was an alarming thought, but could the boy really? She sighs, already seeing the outcome of the scenario in front of her, it was easy to get trapped in the dangerous web that was Billy, but if it was Billy who had an actual interest, he was like a beast with a scent of blood- he wouldn’t just let go after he would be done and that scared Fiona. And from what she could see, Billy had already caught the scent, and Steve had taken the bait- but the variations like Elaine, Billy’s past, the mafia, and other things can complicate this more than anything.
Now she almost wishes Billy to marry Elaine- that would really minimize most of the complications because no one aside from her was ready to face the truth. Then she looks at Billy again, his eyes are intense, he looks ready to stalk his prey-
This was going to be a magnificent clusterfuck.
~
Finally, the Harrington family gets to meet William, he had taken off again after breakfast, something urgent he had said before disappearing through the door (Steve sighed a breath of relief before hightailing to his room), so when he returned at the time of evening snack, Fiona introduced her son to the rest of the party.
Elaine was besotted the moment she saw Hargrove, with his thick shoulders and tight shirt, dirty blond hair pushed back a little messily, shirt unbuttoned, just a nick of cut over his lower lips (that worried Steve and he shoves the feeling as deep down he could). He shook hands with the mother-daughter duo and worked up a charm, he was really good with women, even Jenna was blushing like a schoolgirl after he was done with her. Steve grimaced in response.
They talk about William, what his plans are, if he has any goals for his life, then Jenna gushes about Elaine, how she taking a degree in business to help her father later on, and- well Steve kind of tunes out in the middle of the conversation. He was bored. He wonders if Robin was up, she sometimes naps in the evening if she has a night shift- he always tells her to be careful, since he wasn’t there it could be dangerous but hell if she listens. God, Dustin would annoy him a lot once he finds out Steve was not coming to spend his vacation with him. He knows the boy will understand, but- Steve misses him already. He doesn’t realize in his musings that Jenna and Fiona had ushered the two love birds into the balcony, just to give them a little privacy, they can still see the both of them but couldn’t hear much. Max looks at him peculiarly, Steve gulps in nervousness, he hopes the girl has no idea about his love-and-hate relationship with William. God, it had only been a day!
“I know she’s your sister or whatever but I don’t love her,” Max says, he looks at her in disbelief, not expecting Max to outright say what she thought... then again, it wasn’t a Harrington household so he can see how. “She is not Billy’s type”
So what is his type? He wants to ask, the urge is high enough to scare Steve a little.
And Billy again?
“Ah… I don’t really know, Max, it’s their decision, I am just here to make sure the wedding happens”
“200 bucks Billy won’t marry” Steve stares at her owlishly, and looks around to make sure Jenna isn’t nearby, then he wonders what had he done so wrong in his life?
“Kid- uh- really?” He was more curious than he liked to admit.
“First of all, she is so young, Billy tends to like older women, though he doesn’t mind men either. He likes it more if they challenge him, dish and take what he gives- he is an asshole so everybody is always scared of him, and attracted to him… which is gross but whatever.”
Yeah, he guessed as much. He accidentally looks over to where they are standing, and bits his lip at the force of emotions he feels, Elaine is acting shy and William- William has his hands around her waist, there is barely any space between them, he is looking at her with such dark eyes- Steve feels the blush creeps into his skin.
It’s good, William will finally leave him alone, he was kind of done and scared of the other man, not just that he could be a really bad criminal but what Steve might end up doing if William stays in close vicinity. He averts his eyes, confused at the heaviness in his heart, it’s not- it shouldn’t- he doesn’t care. He doesn’t.
“Do you have any friends here?” He asks instead, his voice is a bit thick as he tries to swallow the words he wants to say, wants to ask, “I don’t see you go out much”
“What do you think? I am handicapped, and part of this family, Billy rioted once I went out and accidentally fell while playing with some kids. Nobody wants to deal with the mess that comes with being friends with Hargroves, apparently.”
“How old are you?”
“Fifteen”
“You’re so sensible sometimes, it’s hard to think you’re a teenager” She glares at him, he chuckles, “Then there is that anger that makes me believe. You know, if you ever feel lonely, you can contact me, or talk to me, or ask me to go out with you. And, I know some really nerdy but good kids who wouldn't hesitate to take you under their wings.” He offers without thinking, then he stops short, god- did he just try to mix his beloved kids with the mafia? Something was wrong with him. Ah crap, he can understand Max’s concern now.
“I am sure, but you know, Billy. I might take you up on the first offer though”
Steve is glad for her choice, he feels guilty for thinking like that but his kids were precious to him, and he didn’t want to risk them, not even a little.
“And I am at your service, always” He winks, and does a bad job at it which makes Max laugh, making fun of him, that he doesn’t even know how to wink. Honestly, when he first met her, he thought she might get him beaten up and throw him somewhere in the desert- had he not caught her in a vulnerable moment and come through for her. He also had been careful enough, not to be too friendly but not walk on the eggshells either.
Some time passes, actually, more than an hour, Fiona excuses herself for unfinished work, and Jenna sits with the ‘couple’ who have now moved back to their original place, just a little away from where Max and Steve were sitting. He tries his best to ignore them, indulging Max as she talks about how unfair Billy is all the time. He really wants to ask- what’s the deal with two names? They only use it when Steve is alone, and whenever Jenna or Elaine are around, they switch to William… It’s kind of weird.
In a desperate attempt to escape, he had messaged Robin to call as soon as she sees the message, and also he wasn’t in any danger. A little after twenty minutes, his phone suddenly rings, drawing attention from all the people present in the living room. He jumps, apologizing as he hurriedly picks up the call.
“Oh hey, robs, love, how are you?” He grits out as he makes his way to the far corner of the room- he knows he can’t just leave, not when everyone is still present.
“I know you like Steve,” Max says like it’s a secret, Elaine had finally left the room when John’s call came, Jenna calling her and bidding them goodbye for a while. Billy sighs, a bit tired as he collapses near Max.
“And?”
“Why are you- Elaine- why are you flirting with her?”
“Well, she is supposed to be my fiancee, Maxie-poo, who else would I flirt with?”
“Bills, you know what I mean.”
“Why can’t I have fun with both Harringtons?” He smirks, he looks like he already had something awful planned, Max huffs with disappointment- she knows whatever Billy had decided, it would do no good to anyone. She was so sure Billy liked Steve more, that he was just his type, but after watching him spend like an hour talking and smiling and flirting, Max didn’t know what to think.
Then she hears a burst of laughter from far away, and recognizes it was Steve’s but before she can look at what was making him so happy, her eyes accidentally fell on Billy, who was burning holes into that direction, there was a slight clench to his jaws that Max easily acknowledges as… possessiveness.
Oh.