𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐕𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐓𝐎𝐍; imagines.

𝐇𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐄𝐍 𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍.

—pairings: steve harrington x female!reader

—summary: steve tries to ask y/n out with dustin's approval.

—warnings: dustin and the reader are not siblings! nothing but a pining!stevie, loosely focuses on dustin's pov and being fed up of waiting.

—word count: 1.6k

—additional notes: this is basically an au where everyone survives and hawkin's is all good, i'm sure i wrote this before volume two so... enjoy <33

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"Well, you took your time, Henderson," Steve greets the second Dustin opens the passenger door, sliding into the car seat beside him with a friendly smile, "what? I was fixing my hair," the younger boy replies. Steve turns to look at him, eyebrows furrowing as he takes in his appearance, "and put on a hat anyway?", "you know I have to always wear my hat."

Steve shrugs, shaking it off as he restarts his car's engine before beginning to drive off Dustin's street, "hey, remind me why you're tagging along?". Dustin's hand shoots to his chest, as if to hold his aching heart as he responds offended, "ouch."

"I mean, I love you, man. It's just... it was meant to be the four of us," Steve assures. Robin had suggested a day at the movies for her and Steve's day off, inviting Y/n as always and the new friend to their group, Eddie. After the events of all the Vecna attacks, it was good to finally rest and be able to spend some time together which didn't involve fighting to save each other's lives.

However, Y/n had phoned Steve that morning, asking him to pick up Dustin before her, while Eddie and Robin would meet them at the movies. Steve had a giddy smile, alone in his house while conversing with Y/n on the phone, excited to be spending more time with her that night. However, it vanished upon the younger boy's name, but knowing the significance Dustin had in her life, even before he entered the boy's life, Steve just agreed, and bid her a 'see you tonight'.

"Y/n invited me, everyone else was busy tonight," he's casual while replying, looking out his side of the window as Steve navigates towards Y/n's house, only a couple of streets away. "Of course, she did," it's a mutter, hardly speaking and unheard by Steve's passenger.

Steve had been hoping to ask Y/n out for the longest time now. He had known her for as long as he could remember, a passing face in the halls and a classmate through the years, but that moment he first spoke to her, Steve felt himself getting tugged to her as if a magnet to a refrigerator.

Y/n had known Dustin and his friends for years, almost a babysitter of theirs, but started merely a close acquaintance of Nancy, more friends with her friend Barbara at the time. While everyone outside his friend group ignored Dustin or went out of their way to bully him, Y/n had instead shown him kindness, a smile going a long way and extending her support to the group of younger children in which they immediately adopted her as an older sister figure.

Whenever Steve found himself fawning over Y/n, a wave of guilt would follow. She was a sister to each of the children who were important to him, especially Dustin. It wasn't as if she was like any of the other girls to him, a hopeful date which he will realise is not right for him in the end. Not when it was Y/n he thought about every time he was on a date with girls, the realisation that they're not right for him, the only sufficient evidence being the fact that they aren't her.

But Steve worried that Dustin would think differently, knowing him for his charm with girls and refusing Steve to allow him to love Y/n. She was her own person, who could make her own decisions, and while Steve believed Y/n may be crazy enough to give him a chance, the thought of Dustin not approving was enough for him to shut it down.