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the house was quiet. or as quiet as it can be with 6 teenagers, 5 almost adults, and 2 adults packed into a singular house. after everything, no one felt really comfortable enough to go home, or leave eachother.
the oldest byers boy couldn’t sleep. he had planned on joining his partners who were currently passed out in his bed an hour ago, but he couldn’t. not when his little brother and sister were asleep out in the living room. where something could happen to them if he wasn’t there.
“hey.” Steve’s soft voice startled Jonathan from his thoughts, drawing his attention away from the sleeping form of his brother and his friends. “can i sit ?” he gestures to the spot on the floor next to him. he nodded.
he guided himself down with a slightly pained huff, mirroring Jonathan, with his knees pulled up to his chest. he was sitting close enough that their arms and knees were touching. he was warm.
they sat in comfortabe silence for a few moments, both watching over the exhausted kids infront of them. they were all crammed together.
Dustin was pushed halfway under the couch, with Mike’s back facing him while Wills head was hidden in the wheeler kids chest. El was next to him, curled around Max while Lucas was laying on her other side holding tightly onto her hand. there were at least 4 comforters piled on top of them despite the temperature outside. Robin was hanging halfway off the couch, and Eddie was curled up laying at the feet of all the kids which frankly felt dangerous. he stole one of mikes blankets and threw it over the metal head earlier. the sightwas sweet. and comforting, to see them all there, breathing, very much alive.
Steve gently nudged his side, presumably to not scare him again, whispering, “nancy was asking for you before she fell asleep.” Jonathan nodded noncommittally, “i’ll be there in a minute.”
Steve thought for a moment, Jonathan assumed watching Dustin’s chest fall and rise. his hand fell onto his arm. “they’re okay. you know that right ?”
Jonathan chuckled humorlessly. “you don’t really believe that.” his voice was hoarse from use. he glanced over at Steve who was making a face, looking confused.
he sighed stretching his legs out infront of him, and keeping his voice low despite the cracking, “every year steve. every year something happens and we all get pulled into it. every fucking year.”
from the way Steve’s eyebrows fell and his cheek dipped in from his clearly chewing on it, Jonathan knew he looked sad, and tired. he had for years now, this unyielding bone deep tired that he couldn’t seem to shake. there were a few times that the tiredness seemed to dissipate, where he would get to look like a regular 18 year old kid. not this… husk.
he felt Steve study his face for a moment, before shifting so he was completely facing him, halfway on him. Steve slowly brought his hand up to Jonathan’s face, cradling his jaw gently as he unconsciously leaned into it. “okay well, they’re okay for tonight. alright ? you’re here, i’m here, Nancys here, Hoppers here. Eddie and Robin are sleeping out here and everything. it’s not all on you okay ? if something happens we are all here.”
he still was unconvinced. Steve sighed as he pulled him forward by his neck till he was close enough to wrap his arms around him. Steve laid his arms lightly around his waist, waiting for him to pull away.
he thought about it. but god did he need a hug and Steve was warm and solid and he felt so safe and he wanted to be close to him. so he allowed himself to press his face into his neck and breath him in.
Steve took that as a green light, kissing him gently on his temple, and tightened his hold on him, causing pain to shoot through his ribs as he made a pained noise. his boyfriend pulled back, worried. Jonathan tried to pretend like it didn’t happen, and leaned farther into him.
“what was that ?” Steve whisper shouted, holding one arm on his hip and the other with a palm facing towards him, like he was afraid any touch would hurt him.
“nothing.” Jonathan responded, playing dumb. Steve didn’t look convinced, his head tilting to the side like a disappointed parent. “what ? it was nothing seriously Harringt- jesus what the fuck !” Jonathan whisper shouted as he flinched back from where Steve had prodded him on his side to prove his point. Steve raised his eyebrows at him while he felt the bandages through his tshirt.
Jonathan grabbed steve’s wrist and pulled it away, as brown eyes met hazel, till something moved in his peripheral. his eyes darting from Steve to the new figure that entered the room: Nancy Wheeler.
“what are you guys doing ?” she asked as she crouched next to Steve, a hand placed on his arm. her hair was standing up in odd places and the oversized shirt she was wearing was definitely Steve’s. she had a bandage around her left ankle and a plethora of bandaids spotted around her arms and legs.
before Jonathan could say anything Steve interrupted with a, “he’s hurt.” the traitor. he tried to avoid his girlfriends eyes but eventually fell victim to her unrelenting stare with her perfectly plucked eyebrow raised. “come on.”
she stood up, patting his knee and leaving no room to argue as she made her way to the Byers small bathroom, where a well stocked first aid kid was sitting under the sink.
Jonathan allowed his head to roll back and hit the cushion of the couch, narrowly avoiding the sleeping Robin that rested there. Steve stood, hand out for him to grab.
how could he say no.
he allow Steve to help him to his feet and didn’t let go while they walked as quietly as they could in the old house to the bathroom Nancy was waiting in. “sit.” nancy said as soon as they entered, gesturing to the toilet seat. Steve sat beside him on the tub, hand now rested on his knee.
“it’s not that bad, really nancy. i mean i already took some Tylenol. it’s fine let’s just go to bed.” Jonathan tried to argue, eyes focusing on anything but the two of them. the towel rack they’ve had to glue back together seven times, two of Els bobby-pins that had fallen to the floor, or the part of the calk that has been peeling from the back tub for years.
Nancy appeared infront of him, hands on either side of his face, raising it to meet hers, and caringly brushing his fringe from his forehead. “you’re hurt.” she stated, “and you need to be taken care of, and you deserve to be taken care of. and that’s exactly what i’m going to do. so just shut up and let me… please.” she added in a whisper. he searched her face, but eventually nodded once. she smiled, kissing his forehead before asking him to take his shirt off.
he hesitated. they’d never seen him without a shirt, and there was a reason behind it. his torso is littered with scars from his childhood, things he never wanted anyone to see. Jonathan’s not even sure if his mother knows about half of them.
“i can help you if you want.” Nancy added playfully from where she was organizing the supplies she needed, noticing his discomfort. Jonathan laughed lightly before eventually just saying screw it, and taking it off.
to their credit, neither of them said anything. Nancy just got right to gently removing his half hazard bandage, while Steve rubbed circles into his knee.
Nancy warned that the next bit was gonna sting, as she started in disinfecting the wound. Jonathan reacted, leaning away and throwing his head to one side, a slight groan escaping his lips. he shook his head, apologizing lightly and allowing nancy to get back to it.
“is it bad that, that was kinda hot ?” Steve asks from beside him. both him and Nancy turn towards him, and he only looks slightly guilty. Nancy muttered a quiet, “ Steve.” before deciding to ignore him, and Jonathan has to turn away before he gets caught smiling.
after a moment he feels Nancy gently trace one of his scars on his ribs, that one was from a doorknob he got thrown into.
“you can ask, you know.” Jonathan says, eyes trained on nothing, above Nancy’s head. “i- i don’t mind, talking about it. if you’re curious.”
Nancy began wrapping his wound when Steve asks, “what’s uh- what’s the one on your shoulder ?”
he hums slightly, hand subconsciously grazing at the raised skin, “sometimes my dad would get bored of using an ash tray. so he’d use me.” he says somewhat nonchalantly. Nancy’s hands still from where they were tying off his bandage, while Steve grasps tighter at his thigh.
Nancy shook herself from her thoughts, finishing off his bandage. she sat on the floor resting her upperbody on his legs, before lightly brushing one on his arm and looking at him. “uh, my dad had gotten mad at Will for something,” he scratches at his eyebrow. “i don’t even remember what it was it was something stupid that a kid would do, like leave his toys out or spill his drink or something. but before he could get to him i just opened up the back door and told him to run.” Steve scooted closer, so their knees were touching. he delicately started tracing some of his scars that were on his right side.
the one from the beer bottle his dad broke while he was laying on the floor. he now has a much of little scars from the spray of glass. the one from his dad pushing him down the steps. the one from the tree branch his dad used when he wouldn’t stop crying over the rabbit.
“so uh- when my dad found out he dragged me to the car, and tried to, stuff me in the trunk. but my arm got in the way.” he nodded his head towards the pink skin, “when he got me in there, he drove around for hours looking for Will, went to a bar, forgot he was looking for him, and i was only let out once my mom got home from work cause she could hear me… yeah.”
“jesus.” Nancy said from the floor, hand brushing over the fabric of his sweatpants comfortingly. Jonathan shrugged. they just sat with eachother for a while. the only sound in the room was their breathing that subconsciously matched, and the drip of the faucet.
eventually, Steve was the first to stand, stretching widely, so his shirt was raised just enough for part of his stomach to be showing. Nancy and Jonathan turned to eachother at the same time, before laughing to eachother.
their boyfriend eyed them strangely, “… whatever. we’re going to bed.” he crouched down infront of Nancy, before lifting her chin slightly so he could kiss her gently. Jonathan got a sickly sweet feeling in his stomach watching the two of them. god he was so lost on them. he pecked her on the lips one more time, before kissing her forehead.
“you know,” Steve smiled down at Nancy as he stood, “i’ve been looking for that shirt for months.”
“that’s really tough.”
“i literally told you, that i’ve been looking for it. cause it’s my shirt.”
“no yeah that’s really tough babe. cause it’s actually our shirt now. Jonathan had it for a couple weeks.”
he then turned to Jonathan, mocking shock. the boy in question gasped dramatically at Nancy throwing him under the bus. Steve got his attention back by tucking an unnoticeable piece of hair behind his ear and he bit back a smile as Jonathan tried to ignore the growing red in his cheeks and attempted to stop the smile that was pulling on his lips. Steve leaned in, cradling his face in his hands like Jonathan was the most important thing in the world, and tenderly pressed their lips together.
Jonathan couldn’t help but smile into the kiss as he rested his hand on Steve’s hip. every time he kissed either of his partners it felt like the first time. Steve ran his fingers through his already messy hair, before pulling back with a lopsided grin. he looked proud of himself while he left the cramped bathroom.
Nancy yawned from her spot against his legs, eyes closed. he cupped her face and gingerly ran his thumb over her cheek. she opened her eyes, smiling tiredly.
“we should go to bed.” he suggested, softly. she nodded, getting up before offering her hand behind her. he entwined their fingers together, before flicking the light switch off and following her lead down the hallway to his bedroom.
“thank you.” he said, speaking barely above a whisper. she just sent him a pleased look, and nodded slightly.
Steve was already laying down with his back against the wall, half asleep. nancy gently pushed Jonathan on the bed next to him, and he felt arms gingerly wrap around him, pulling his back toward his chest. a soft kiss was placed at the nape of his neck.
the light was turned off by Nancy, who soon joined them, climbing under the covers and pressing herself against Jonathan, her head resting on his arm, she kissed his scared shoulder. he held her tightly, while three sets of legs tangled together.