A/N: Made for stoncyweek2022 and the Day 2 prompt 'Spin the Bottle'. ~640 word ficlet below that's kinda somewhere between not!fic and actual fic but I hope it's enjoyed. Warning for alcohol/characters drinking. I did also do a moodboard I can't fully post here but it's the fic image that shows some of it and if you want to see the rest it's on my tumblr of the same username post/690890119717273600/
Playing the part
The party in 2x02 goes a little differently when Steve manages to slow down Nancy's drinking by distracting her with the only game there that doesn't involve more drinking, Spin the Bottle. Samantha, Jonathan's new acquaintance also drags him along to it.
When Steve's spin lands on Jonathan everyone waves it off and says he can spin the bottle again…except Billy Hargrove has other ideas. He goads Steve about taking the easy out, implying he's not man enough to follow through on it, obviously expecting Steve to bow down and look a coward. Steve looks to Jonathan and says "I'm game if you are, Byers." Jonathan looks between Steve and Billy, something indecipherable passing over his face, and nods his consent to go along with it.
Steve decides to go big, so that no one can accuse him of doing just the bare minimum. He stands up and Jonathan mirrors him and then Steve embraces him, dipping him back a little dramatically as they kiss briefly though wholeheartedly. Steve expects it to feel different from kissing Nancy, and it does of course in some ways, but in some other ways it doesn't at all. It wasn't bad. At all. He's left with a fluttery feeling in his stomach not dissimilar to when he first kissed Nancy.
And Steve doesn't know what to do with that information. So he glosses over it mentally for the time being, jubilantly throwing his triumph at the dare in Hargrove's face instead, relieved he's once again managed to uphold the reputation of King Steve even if he doesn't really feel like that person anymore. It's a part he doesn't know how to give up even as both he and Nancy tire of it.
Glancing to Nancy, she's more alert than earlier. He hopes she's managed to sober up a little. When he says "I need a drink," abandoning the rest of the game, Nancy quickly offers to get him one. One for him and Jonathan both she announces gleefully, half-dancing on her way back over to the punch bowl.
Jonathan is looking rather pleased with himself too, in that subtle sort of way he has about him. It does feel good to get one over Hargrove, so Steve assumes that's why, sticking it to one of the school bullies. And Steve has never been more glad no one can accuse him of being one of them now he's given up his ties to Tommy and Carol and co. Maybe he and Jonathan actually have a chance of being friends if he plays his cards right. He could certainly do with someone else who appreciates the real him, if Jonathan would like that Steve; it's hardly guaranteed and that thought unsettles his stomach more than a little once again.
When Nancy comes back, no sooner have they both downed their drinks than she's tugging them over to the dancing throng, holding a hand each. As they settle into dancing as an odd trio, ignoring everyone around them, Steve starts to worry less about Nancy and truly relax for the first time that night. It feels right to be here with the two other people his age who understand just how messed up the world is, the people who need this night being teenagers even more than he does.
He grins back at them both and twirls Nancy round. He spins her slowly in close to him and then slowly back out, careful not to dizzy her but making her laugh at his cheesy moves anyhow. And then he bumps his shoulder with Jonathan amiably before doing his best Tom Cruise slide across the floor, finding he's gotten Jonathan to crack a smile in return when Steve glances up right after. He has a feeling this is gonna be a better night than he could have imagined.