Stranger Things - Imagines

Steve Harrington X Reader - Steady As She Goes

A/N - This chapter was inspired by the song Steady as she Goes by The Raconteurs. I hope you all enjoy it.

Steve had been moping around Family Video from the moment he'd arrived for his shift, replacing the VHS on their shelves with a deep frown and a furrowed brow. It's not like you weren't used to his sulking; whenever he had a date that hadn't gone well, he would come in the next day with a face like thunder and the worst mood in the world. Of course, Robin always took the opportunity to tease him for it, pressing at the wound and winding him up further and further until you would eventually send one of them off on their break to stop the inevitable fallout that was on its way.

"God, it's like working with a pair of children," you groaned as Robin skipped off to the back room, following your orders to clear off and quit making work harder than it had to be. 

Steve was still frowning, putting his last VHS box back before leaning on the counter across from you. It was pretty quiet at this point in the day, with only the odd customer coming into the store, and he'd clearly decided that now was the perfect time to unpack the shitty date with you. At least, you thought, this way you'd be able to actually be sympathetic, without Robin making stupid jokes at his expense. 

"I'm going to die alone," he started, and before you could catch it a snort of laughter slipped out of you. "I'm being serious," he pressed on, shooting you as serious a look as he could manage when you were smiling at him like that. You looked so pretty when you were biting back laughter, even if it was at his expense. "How many dates has it been now?"

You let out a soft sigh, drawing out the pad of paper that was hidden under the counter. "Last night was number twenty-three," you told him, returning your attention to his pouty expression. "Steve, you're just in a dry spell. Quit dating for a while and it'll end up resetting itself."

"A dry spell usually lasts a couple of weeks, not months."

"For you maybe," you uttered. "I know plenty of people who go months without dating anyone. I haven't been on a date since before Christmas-"

"Jesus," he bit out. 

Your eyes widened at the shock in his expression. "Thanks for making me feel better about that," you muttered, shaking your head. "All I'm trying to say is that a couple of months isn't a big deal."

"Y/N, It's March. How have you not been on a single date in over three months?"

"This isn't about me-"

"Are guys not asking you out?"

You scoffed slightly. "Thanks for the vote of confidence," you bit at him. "For your information, I get asked out all the time. I just choose not to go."

"Why?"

"Because most of the guys who ask me out aren't the kind of guys I want to be with. This guy asked me out at the grocery store last week, but he was like forty-"

"Gross." You rolled your eyes at his comment, pushing off of the counter and gathering up another collection of tapes to be put back. You started moving around the store, putting each VHS in its proper place, with Steve following close behind you. "So you really just choose not to go on dates?"

You shrugged. "I like being single. No one I've met is worth changing that for."

"No one?" You paused for a moment, turning back to look at him only to find him much closer than you'd been expecting. "Do you not worry about getting married and having kids?"

"Not really," you murmured. "I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get to it."

His brow was still furrowed as he watched you store away the tapes. "So, say you want to have three kids, right? And for your own sake, we'll put a year between each of those kids, right?"