Request by Silver9860
Steve Harrington is not nearly as big as an asshole as everyone thinks he is. At least, not to me. Steve and I have known each other our entire lives. We've been combined at the hip since we could walk.
When he started becoming popular, he brought me with him. I was unsure about this new group of people we were spending time with, but he has always protected me. If anyone said anything about me that Steve didn't like, he'd immediately put an end to it.
There is only one thing about our friendship that part of me wishes I could change. Since middle school, I've been struggling with anxiety. I have panic attacks that keep getting worse over the years. The worst part is that I hide them from Steve.
Even though Steve and I have been best friends since we were little, he has no idea that I sneak off and suffer through my anxiety attacks in silence.
I was currently hiding in the bathroom after I did horrible on a math test, forcing myself through a panic attack. I had to calm down before lunch. Steve couldn't see me like this. I jumped when the bell rang. I walked out of the stall and washed my hands.
I looked at my reflection and watched myself slowly return to normal. I ran my fingers through my hair and grabbed my backpack. I walked down the hallway, my hand gripping my backpack strap as tightly as I could.
I gasped when someone suddenly grabbed my other hand, playfully swinging our hands back and forth. I looked over to see Steve smiling at me.
"Hey," he greeted. "Carol told me you went to the bathroom after your math test and didn't come back. You feeling okay?"
"Why did she tell you that?" I stuttered.
"I was waiting for you outside of class," he explained. "When you didn't walk out, I asked Carol and she told me."
"Oh," I said, looking away.
"You okay?" He asked.
"Yeah," I said, slightly clearing my throat. "It's just a migraine. You know how I get with those."
"Wait," he said, tugging on my arm and stopping. "How long have you had a migraine? Why didn't you tell me? Do you want me to take you home?"
"Steve," I cut him off. "First of all, breathe. Second of all, I'm fine. It's nothing. It'll go away."
"Y/N," he sighed.
"Come on," I chuckled as I pulled on his arm. "We're going to be late for lunch."
* * * * *
Even though he didn't say anything about it during lunch, I could tell it was bothering him. He kept glancing at me but wouldn't say anything.
After lunch, Steve and I didn't have a class together until history at the end of the day. I walked down the hallway and stopped when I saw him, Carol, and Tommy standing in the hallway.
"Good news," he smiled as I approached them, "We've got a sub. Wanna go get food?"
I looked over his shoulder to see Missy and her friends glaring at me. Ever since middle school, Missy and her gang of Wanna-be Barbies have tormented me. Their main reason is Steve. They hate that he spends so much time with me and none with them.
Missy is actually the reason I had my first panic attack. And just like how Steve doesn't know about my panic attacks, he has no clue that Missy is in love with him.
"Y/N, you okay?"
I opened my mouth but nothing came out. Slowly, I couldn't breathe. I started to nervously stutter as my hands shook. I glanced over at Missy to see her smirking at me knowingly.
Before Steve could say anything, I turned on my heel and ran. I ducked around the corner and leaned against the lockers.
"What's with her?" I heard Carol scoff.
"She's always like that," Johnny sighed.
"No she isn't," Steve said under his breath. "Something's wrong."
"Dude, where are you going?" Johnny asked.
"I'm going to go check on her."
"Why?" Carol scoffed.
"Seriously," Johnny chuckled. "Why do you even still hang out with her? I know she was your BFF in elementary school and middle school, but she doesn't exactly fit in with our group."
"So?" Steve asked, officially getting angry. "She fits in with our group because she fits in with me."
As he spoke to them, the tone of his voice changed. I recognized this tone of voice. Whenever Steve starts to get annoyed with Carol and Johnny, his voice comes out slow and like he's clenching his jaw. It usually means he's either about to storm off or get into a fight with Johnny.
"Come on, Steve," Carol laughed. "Y/N's. . ."
"If you're smart," Steve said, his voice deepening, "you won't finish that sentence."
"Dude, chill," Johnny scoffed.
"She's my best friend," Steve warned. "If you make me choose between you and her, I won't hesitate to choose her."
I waited for their responses but all I heard was Steve taking a deep breath to calm down. He had to take a few calming breaths before sighing.
"Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to go check on her because that's what people with actual feelings do."
"What about food?" Carol whined.
"Just go without me," he sighed.
My breathing picked up as I heard him jogging down the hallway. I was struggling to get my breathing under control as he noticed me.
"There you are," he sighed. "Is everything okay?"
"Steve," I gasped.
"Y/N?" Steve's voice was full of concern as he moved so he was standing in front of me and gently put his hands on my arms. "What's going on? Are you okay?"
"I'm. . . I can't. . ."
"You can't what?"
"Breathe."
That was the last thing I remember saying before I passed out.
* * * * *
I woke up a little while later. It took me a second to notice that I wasn't at my house. Or at school. I slowly sat up, still a little dizzy.
"Y/N!"
I looked over to see Steve running over to me. He knelt down next to me and gently moved some hair out of my face.
"Are you okay?" He whispered.
"I'm fine," I said under my breath.
"Y/N," he sighed. "What the hell happened? You were gasping for breath and couldn't put a sentence together. You just. . . passed out. I didn't know what to do so. . . I brought you home. . . I've never seen you like that."
"Steve, I'm fine," I tried to reassure him.
"No, you're not," he said a little harsher than he needed to. He stood up and started angrily pacing back and forth as he ran his fingers through his hair.
"Why are you so upset?" I sighed. "It's not a big deal."
"Not a big deal?" Steve scoffed. "Y/N, you passed out! I can't act like that didn't happen."
"It's not a big deal," I shrugged.
"For crying out loud, Y/N, just tell me what happened."
"Look," I sighed, "I got lightheaded. That's all. Okay?"
"Okay?" Steve scoffed. "Y/N, I'm going to say this one more time; you passed out! You were getting lightheaded and dizzy and then all of a sudden. . ."
"I passed out," I cut him off. "I still don't understand why you're so upset."
"Because you're my best friend, damn it. And as your best friend, I have to protect you. On top of that, I can't say that I love you and not. . ."
"You love me?" I stuttered.
Steve opened and closed his mouth, struggling to find the right excuse. I slowly stood up, nervously playing with my hands. He took a shaky breath as he gathered his courage.
"What if I do?"
Even though I wanted to respond, I couldn't find my voice. I was too happy and all I could do was smile. He reached forward and grabbed my hands in his.
"What if I do?" He asked again.
I stood on my toes and gently pressed my lips to his. Steve was the one who deepened the kiss. He let go of my hands and wrapped his arms tightly around my waist, pulling me closer to his chest. As our lips moved in sync, I slid my hands up his chest and wrapped my arms around his neck.
We finally broke the kiss, breathing heavily. He leaned his forehead against mine as we caught our breaths.
"What if I love you too?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Steve leaned back and looked at me with soft eyes. "Y/N," he said gently. "If that's true then I need you to tell me the truth. Why did you pass out?"
I slowly stepped out of his embrace and sat back down. He instantly joined me, grabbing my hand and intertwining our fingers.
"Please don't be mad," I whispered.
"Hey," he said to make me look at him. "Why would I be mad at you? I was too busy freaking out that my best friend passed out and I couldn't do anything to help her."
"I have panic attacks," I finally admitted.
"Wait, what?" He asked, the look on his face slightly dropping. "Why didn't you tell me? How long have you had them?"
"A couple of years," I whispered.
"What?"
"They started back in middle school," I said, knowing I might as well tell him the truth. "You were out of town and Missy and her friends cornered me about you."
"About me?" He asked, his voice dropping. "Why would they corner you about me?"
"Missy had a crush on you, Steve," I sighed, looking down at our hands. "She's still in love with you actually. And she hates me because you're more concerned about me while you don't give her the time of day."
"What did she do?"
"She and her band of idiots cornered me in the lunchroom and wouldn't leave me alone until I told them everything about you. They wanted to know everything so Missy could get you to fall in love with her."
"Well, that was useless," he said with a small laugh.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"I would never fall in love with Missy," Steve explained. "I was already in love with you."
"I hated telling them things because I was already in love with you too."
Steve leaned in and pressed his lips gently to mine. I smiled as our lips instantly started moving in sync.
"Y/N," he whispered, breaking the kiss sooner than I would've liked. "I want you to promise me something."
"Anything."
"The next time you have a panic attack, please tell me," he sighed. "Now that I know what's happening, I might be able to help you."
"I will," I said instantly. "And I'm sorry I didn't tell you before. I was just embarrassed."
Steve leaned over and pressed his lips gently to mine. He pulled back, a smile still on his face.
"You don't need to be embarrassed around me, Y/N," he whispered. "You're my best friend. Plus, I love you."
"I love you too, Steve. And I promise, no more secrets."
"Good," he smirked. "Because friends don't lie."
"Oh geez," I sighed. "You've been spending too much time with the kids."
"You know what they say," he shrugged. "I may be a shitty boyfriend but I make a damn good babysitter."
I cut him off and pressed my lips to his. I felt him smile as he started kissing him back.
"You are not a shitty boyfriend, Steve," I whispered after I broke the kiss. I smirked before adding, "And you should trust me because friends don't lie."
"No, they don't."