Favs of Ao3

Let me take you through the night (steddie🍋❤️‍🩹)

Let me take you through the night
apollos dagger

(The ❤️‍🩹 means that there is fluff and hurt comfort in this so this is not just smut)

Steve pressed his finger against the doorbell, waiting for an answer. It was cold, where he stood on the doorstep, and even though he could hear the low thrum of music blasting from inside, it just felt rude to let himself in. He was so used to hanging out with the kids he'd grown to adore, Steve realized he barely had time for adult things anymore—saving the world and babysitting fifteen-year-olds was more time-consuming than he'd like. Still, it was over; for now. So why couldn't Steve just get over it? Nancy and Robin were great, Jonathan was...well, Jonathan and the kids were fine.

And yet Steve was exhausted. He couldn't sleep, couldn't eat, couldn't do anything without reliving Vecna's terrors every few minutes. The clock haunted his dreams. So, why not go to a party? Steve figured he might as well ACT normal, and get his mind off of everything. Maybe it'd help?

The door swung open, the host of the party grinning when he saw Steve. "Yooo!! Steve? Dude! I haven't seen you in like, forever! Guys, guys! This is Steve, THE Steve Harrington! Oh man, you were such a riot in school, get in here!" Steve couldn't remember this guy's name, but a party is a party. Chuckling a little, Steve stepped inside, immediately hit by the loud music like a ton of bricks. He winced a little, ears already ringing but fought through it to greet and chat with everyone he used to go to school with, even if he could barely recognize them.

Not because they changed. But because Steve simply..had eyes on someone else, back then.

But that was over now.

He found himself sitting on the sofa as the party surrounded him, sipping red cup after red cup of disgusting alcoholic concoctions designed to get you super drunk, super fast. Except they just didn't. Steve felt a small buzz in his fingers, and when he raised his wrist and angled it to see the time without the colorful lights reflecting off of the watch face, Steve realized that it had taken two hours already just to get that slight buzz. Not only that, but he had nobody to talk to—Steve just didn't have these kinds of friends anymore. He groaned, rubbing his eyes tiredly, and tipped his head back on the sofa. What was the point? He couldn't even get drunk, he was so out of it. How is that even possible?! Amidst his frustrations, Steve found himself falling asleep to the rhythmic pounding of the bass in his chest, even the yelling and loud music unable to keep him from dropping off. Who could blame him? Anyone who saw those dark circles under his eyes would've seen how exhausted he was. Twenty was not the ideal age for being this tired.

...

"...eve! Steve! Come on man, wake up! Harrington!"

Steve shot up, sitting bolt upright as he looked around with wide eyes, chest tight and heaving for air. He looked around frantically to see where he was, eyes eventually settling on a mop of black curly hair in front of him.

"F—Freak?" He asked, holding a hand to his chest as Eddie Munson nodded his head, eyebrows furrowed with concern.

"Uh, yeah, it's me. Listen, Harrington, are you okay? You look freaked out. You didn't look so good, sleeping here." Steve went to answer, but couldn't recall what Eddie had said. He felt weird, and come to think of it, everything sounded oddly distorted; even the loud music was muted and warbled like it was all underwater. He blinked at Eddie, causing the other man to sigh and stand up, looking around. A hand wrapping around Steve's arm is what caught his attention, as he was pulled up to stand.

"Come on, Harrington." Those were the only words Steve could make out, so he clumsily walked in whatever direction he was tugged, following Eddie as his surroundings blurred and spun with the movement, his overwhelmed brain unable to keep up. It felt like a sudden blink and everything had stopped, once Steve was sat in Eddie's truck. Suddenly, everything was still, calm, and quiet. His breathing was still ragged, but Steve did feel a little better already.