Stranger Things - Imagines

Steve Harrington X Byers!Reader - Good Grief

A/N - This chapter was inspired by the song Good Grief by Bastille. I hope you all enjoy it.

You had known that a long-distance relationship would be hard work. In fact, you'd been so sure of it that you'd put a plan in place to help you through it. One letter a week and three phone calls. It was as much as you could afford, really. And Steve had brought you a disposable camera as a going-away present for you, making it very clear that he wanted pictures from all of your explorations in California, tucked in with his weekly letter.

 It had worked at first. Sure, you still missed each other, but at least there was enough contact to make the distance a little easier. But then your school schedule had gotten busier and you'd made a couple of friends, and Steve had picked up a few extra shifts a week to save up for his trip out to visit you, and the plan had gone awry. 

So, your calls had been less frequent and a hell of a lot shorter. The letters had gone from weekly to fortnightly. And the photos had only added to Steve's longing to be with you, rather than helping, ever so slightly, to curb his need to see you in person. In fact, they only seemed to make him miss you more. You'd send him the photos of you and your new friends, smiling at the camera lens, and he'd just wish he could be there with you. 

When you'd answered the phone one evening, Steve had just been happy to hear your voice. It had been a week since you'd got the chance to actually talk to one another, and just the sound of your sweet little hello was enough to drive him crazy.

"There's my pretty girl," he hummed, drawing a snort of laughter out of you. 

"I look horrendous right now," you chuckled. "I've barely slept all week and I'm pretty sure the dark circles have turned into dark suitcases at this point," you pressed on with a gentle sigh.

"Oh, Sweetheart-"

"It's fine," you interrupted, trying to keep your voice as light and airy as possible. "Finals are finished now, so I can actually get some sleep this weekend." In all honesty, all you wanted was for Steve to be with you right now. He'd always had this calming effect on you, even before you'd started dating, and you needed it more now than ever. "How was work?"

Steve was frowning. "It was work," he responded, letting out a deep sigh. "I miss you, Baby," he added softly. "Miss being able to come home to you after a shitty day, you know?"

"What was so shitty about it?"

He hesitated for a moment. "I don't know; think I'm just more irritable than usual-"

"Are your Mom and Dad back?"

"No," he breathed out. "I think the longer I go without seeing you the harder it gets. But I'm saving up. I'm about halfway." It was enough to break your heart. Steve worked his ass off and he'd already been saving for a few months and he was only halfway to getting enough for his flights out to see you. "Baby, you still there?"

You hummed out an agreement, swallowing the lump that had formed in your throat. "I miss you too, Stevie," you murmured. "Think the girls at school are already getting tired of how much I talk about you," you pressed on, hearing him let out a bubble of laughter on the other end of the line. 

"Yeah?"

"Yep," you responded softly. 

"What are you telling them?"

You paused for a moment. God, you spent almost every waking moment thinking about him, how were you expected to remember what you'd passed on and what you hadn't? 

"Told them how handsome you are," you murmured. "And sweet. And funny." You paused again and Steve was pretty sure he could hear your smile through the phone. If he closed his eyes he could practically see it like you were standing right in front of him. "Told them about how you take care of everyone before you ever think about yourself, even though it drives me crazy to see how you overwork yourself." You let out a soft sigh, the longing for him really settling in your chest. "Basically told them that you're the most perfect guy in the world and that I'm super lucky that you give me the time of day."

"God, I miss you so much, Baby," he hummed, clearing his throat. "I love you, you know that, right?"

You hummed out a little confirmation. "Yep, and I love you too-"

"Y/N, I need the phone," Jonathon called out to you, coming to stand at your side. 

"I'll be five minutes." You let out a disgruntled sigh when he didn't leave, still hovering beside you, waiting his turn. "Can I get some privacy?"

He raised an eyebrow at you. "In this house? You're kidding, right?"

You groaned again. "Baby, I have to go. Jonathon's being a creep listening in on our conversations," you murmured, hearing Steve snort with laughter on the other end. 

 "Okay, Sweetheart," he hummed. "I've got to pick up another couple of shifts this week, so I'll call when I get a chance, alright?"

You hesitated for a moment. Steve was basically already working full-time. He'd already picked up extra shifts. At this rate, he was going to work himself to death. "Alright," you murmured. "I love you, Baby."

"Love you too, Sweetheart. I'll talk to you soon."

You'd felt sick as you hung up. 

"How is he?" 

You shrugged, watching as Jonathon's hand hovered over the phone, waiting on an answer. "He's trying to pretend he's fine, but he sounds pretty rundown," you murmured, biting down on the inside of your cheek. "He's working so hard and he just goes home and goes to bed. He doesn't go anywhere or do anything-"

"Sounds like he's moping around missing you," he muttered, finally lifting the phone and tucking it between his head and shoulder. 

That evening, you'd formulated a new plan. One that Steve wouldn't have to know about. You'd sat your mom down and told her about how your savings were just sitting there gathering dust, and as soon as she'd given you the OK, you'd booked the first flight out of California. 

By the next evening, you were back in Hawkins, keeping a low profile. You couldn't risk someone seeing you and telling Steve that you were waltzing around town, waiting for him to finish work. 

You'd waited until you'd know the store was closed and then slowly worked your way back to his house, hesitating at the bottom of the garden path as you calmed your racing heart. It had been months since you'd seen him in person, and even after years of dating, you still felt like a giddy 6th grader seeing her crush. 

You knocked on the door, waiting patiently until you heard footstep approaching, and then it opened and it felt like the world had stopped moving. Steve looked confused for a moment and then his eyes had gone all wide, his brow furrowing at he stared at you. 

"Surprise," you murmured, only just getting the word out before he was wrapping himself around you, burying his face into your hair as he took in a deep breath. 

"You're here," he hummed against you, pulling back to look into your eyes for a moment as if he was confirming his own assumption that it really was you. "You're actually here," he repeated, drawing you into a chaste kiss. "How did you-"

"I dipped into my savings."

He suddenly looked a little frustrated. "That money is supposed to be for college," he uttered.

You shrugged. "This is more important."

"Don't get me wrong, Sweetheart. I'm happy you're here, but that money is supposed to be used for-"

"It doesn't matter," you interrupted. "It's done now," you added, craning your neck to kiss him again. "I missed you."

He sighed slightly, a small smile pulling at his lips, and you realised he still hadn't realised his hold on you, even when he was chastising you for using your savings to come and see him. 

"I missed you too, Baby." He hesitated for a moment. "How long are you here for?"

You grinned. "Three weeks. Almost the entire school break," you told him. 

"God, I love you so much," he murmured, drawing you into another kiss. "So fucking much," he reiterated against your lips, drawing a chuckle out of you. 

"I love you too, Baby."

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