Stranger Things - Imagines (Book 2)

Steve Harrington X Hopper!Reader - End of Beginning

A/N - This chapter was inspired by the song End of Beginning by Djo aka our very own Joseph Keery. In this one, Reader is Hopper's daughter. I hope you all enjoy it.

"Do you think I've changed since we left Hawkins?"

The words startled you slightly, disturbing you from the quiet of your living room, lifting your attention from the book sitting in your lap to land on your boyfriend. Steve was frowning softly at the other end of the couch, his hand resting lightly on your ankle where it had fallen over his legs in an attempt to make yourself as comfortable as possible.

You folded the book closed, setting it down on the floor beside you, sitting up a little straighter as you tried to make sense of where this had all come from. 

"That was stupid," Steve added softly, scoffing at his own question before you had a chance to stop him. "Don't even bother humouring it," he pressed on, lifting his free hand to smooth down the wrinkles that had formed between his eyebrows, but never breaking his contact with you. 

"You've changed," you finally answered, offering him a gentle smile when his head whipped around to look at you. "It isn't a bad thing, Baby. Changing means growing and when we left Hawkins you were 20. You're 28 now. I'd be a bit concerned if you hadn't grown in all that time," you hummed out, shuffling forward until your legs were fully over his lap, close enough that you could press your face into his shoulder. "I've changed a ton too, you know," you added softly, the words muffled by the fabric of his t-shirt. 

"Yeah?" he hummed, his hand now finding it's place on your knee, squeezing lightly, though you weren't sure whether he was comforting you or himself with the action. "How've you changed?"

You let out a soft breath as you considered the question. "I was so uptight back then. I couldn't just relax; I constantly had to be fixing everything for everyone. But now," you paused for a moment, pulling back to smile at him. "My favourite thing in the world is just sitting here with you, relaxing and not thinking about where I need to be or who's going to need me next or what fire I'll need to put out. I get to just breathe. I never let myself do that before."

He hummed out an agreement, leaning forward to press a kiss to the side of your head. "Yeah, I guess that's a pretty big change-"

"And I've changed physically too. I've got grey hairs now-"

"You do not," he interrupted, snorting with laughter when you immediately lifted your hands to your head, flattening your hair down to your scalp to give him a better view. 

"I do, too," you cried out. "I found another one this morning. It's all white and wirey." 

He chuckled again, shifting forward to look at where you were gesturing. "One grey hair doesn't count," he teased gently, pulling you in for a proper kiss. "And even with a full head of grey hair, you'll still be the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."

You snorted at his comment, cupping his jaw as he pulled back to look at you. "That hasn't changed," you hummed quietly, letting your thumb run lightly over his cheekbone. "You're still the biggest cheeseball going," you added softly, grinning when he nodded in agreement. 

"Yeah, doubt I'll ever grow out of that, huh?" he murmured. "Not as long as I've got you right here to inspire me."

"Then it's never changing," you reiterated. "Because I'm not going anywhere." 

You sat quietly for a moment, your head tucking back into the crook of Steve's neck as he absorbed your comment. 

"Do you want to get married?" he finally breathed, freezing when you immediately pulled back to look at him, as if you were trying to read his intentions from his expression. 

"I do," you breathed softly.

He nodded slightly. "Do you want to get married to me?"

Your lips twitched slightly, a small smile dancing in the corners. "You're the only person I would ever agree to marry," you confirmed. 

"Yeah?"

"Steve, I would've said yes to you if you'd asked me back in Hawkins," you hummed softly. "There is never going to be a time when you ask me to marry you and I say no."

He hesitated for a moment, giving your knee another light squeeze, his eyes fixed on yours. "Please marry me."

You leant forward, connecting your lips to his in a gentle kiss, before pulling back slightly, your forehead pressed to his. "I love you," you told him, your breath fanning lightly over his face.

"I'm sorry I don't have a ring-"

Your soft chuckle cut off his comment. "It's not about the ring for me," you reminded him. "It's about the husband." You shrugged slightly. "Besides, this way we get to go and pick it out together."

"I love you," he finally hummed, watching as your smile only grew. "I can't wait for you to be my wife."

"I can't wait for you to be my husband."

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