Chapter Text
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Steve was severely unimpressed, taking a long drag of his cigarette with a deep set frown. If Robin could see him smoking right now, she’d have a fucking field day. He needed it, though, the safety net of the nicotine after what had been a pathetic excuse of yet another first date.
Love confused Steve. With Nancy, it had come easily, but he could never quite tell if that had been something real and solid or just playing house. He knew that he liked kissing her. He knew that the wry smile she’d give him that was just Steve’s set something warm and gooey alight in his stomach, until it wasn’t just Steve’s anymore. He’d be lying if he said that her moving on to Johnathan wasn’t a relief. It was just that she was this perfect, delicate thing-untouchable, almost. Steve sometimes felt scared to touch her in case he broke her, like she was some paper doll version of herself, and he knew that wasn’t true. Nancy Wheeler was one of the strongest women he’d ever met, that really the one who became fragile was himself.
Look at him now. He sighed, taking another inhale of his cigarette, looking around at his surroundings miserably. The diner itself wasn’t exactly busy, it was 9pm on a Thursday night for fuck sake, but he and Robin were expecting to be busy at the video game store as they usually were on a weekend so Lisa Thomson just had to deal with it. She sure dealt with it alright, babbling on and on about things so mindless to Steve that he tried so goddamn hard to be interested in but to no avail. He was even meant to drop her home, before she made some shabby excuse about liking the walk once she realised they were definitely never seeing each other again and despite everything that had happened the last few months-fuck, years even-he had wanted to drop her back just to be safe, but there was no insisting without looking like a total creep.
So here he was. Alone, again. It was almost laughable that the kids he practically babysat had more fruitful love lives than him. The thought alone made him cringe. Why was it, that Steve was so terrified of being alone? Of being replaced? He remembered the fear that had crept into his bones when he’d been struck with the realisation that Eddie Munson could have taken over his role in the kids’ lives. That he was cooler, had more in common with them, was much more rebellious than Steve ever was and ever would be. He feared being left behind, growing old and decaying on the couch with the memory of a loving touch being nothing more than that-a memory.
Steve flicked his cigarette irritably towards the treeline on the outskirts of the diner, and sighed. He reached inside his pocket to try and search for his car keys, ready to resign himself to an evening of movie rentals. Perhaps he’d even hit up Robin, if she was still around at this time.
“You got a lighter?” Came the voice from behind him, abrasive in a way that made Steve immediately turn around.
Eddie Munson in the flesh, leaning back against the outside wall of the diner with a cigarette dangling between his lips, flicking at a clearly ran out zippo lighter with what looked like a band logo on the side. Black Sabbath, real classy. Steve would lie and say he hadn’t heard of them, but he’d been forced around Eddie now in group hangouts enough times now to at least recognise them from his shirts.
“You stalking me, Munson?” Steve drawled in a tired voice, yet chucking a lighter towards Eddie all the same that he caught effortlessly.
Bastard.
“Nah, dude. Stalking isn’t my style. I creep up when you’re least expecting it and pounce, apparently. I take your eyes, and all” Eddie joked in a flat voice that made Steve immediately feel sick, the thought of Vecna alone made his skin crawl.
“Right. Sorry.” Steve blanked, tucking his hands into his pockets awkwardly.
“Jokes aside.” Eddie took a long puff of his cigarette, leaning his head back to look up at the sky that had began to increasingly darken with the creeping summer, allowing a burst of stars to make it’s way through, “Larry works here. Buys off me sometimes. I sold a quarter to him whilst you were on your date with Lisa. Pretty girl. No wonder you didn’t notice I was in there.”
Steve laughed dryly, Lisa was a pretty girl, but he supposed that was all there was to it. He needed someone deeper than that. After everything he’d been through, with the upside down and the recurrent shitstorm that followed, he couldn’t be with someone so untarnished. That. That is why he felt so jealous of Johnathan at first. Not because he wanted to be him, but because that understanding that he and Nancy shared was something Steve would never be able to experience.
“Surprising, Romeo. Aren’t you supposed to be some heartthrob around here?” Eddie teased, but there was no bite behind it, there rarely was these days. Poor fucker was as tired as the rest of them.
Steve rolled his eyes, “A retired one. I’m not so lucky, these days.”
Eddie shrugged, taking a step forwards to slap Steve on the shoulder, “You and me both, brother.”
Steve eyed him up carefully, up close he was even less threatening. It seemed almost amusing that this was the man that had him up the wall with a broken glass bottle to his throat. There was an unmissable softness about him, in the way that he carried himself. Steve couldn’t quite pinpoint it, as there was no physical difference. Perhaps it was from seeing him in a state of pure vulnerability it was hard to perceive him as a threat anymore.
“I find that hard to believe, Munson. Hair like that? I bet the ladies are all over you.” Steve joked, pulling the lighter out of the front of Eddie’s jacket that he’d appeared to have pocketed without even realising.
Eddie choked on his laugh, smoke tendrils pouring out of his nose and mouth harshly, “Jesus, Harrington. I think you’re forgetting the part where I’m Hawkins resident freak. I live in a fucking trailer, dude.”
Steve considered this for a moment, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, “I don’t know man, I heard trailers are babe magnets. It’s why I’ve not been doing so well lately. Not keeping up with the latest trends.”
Eddie rolled his eyes, dropping his cigarette butt to the floor, stomping it out with a well worn shoe. Steve turned his body back to face his car, beckoning him almost. The safety of his own four walls sounded appealing, he could kind of understand now why Max disappeared for a while. He fiddled with his car keys, turning to Eddie who had tucked his hands into the pockets of his denim jacket looking almost lost, like he was trying to find something to say. That happened more often these days, when you kind of go to the edge of hell and see all the secrets it holds it kind of ruins mindless conversation for you.
“I’m probably going to head off now…” Steve trailed off, “It’s getting kind of dark. You want a ride?”
“You know I’m supposed to be the bad guy that lurks in the dark, right?” Eddie chuckled, but pushing himself away from the wall with his foot all the same, taking a few steps forwards until he reached Steve’s side.
Steve shoved him playfully, “Keep telling yourself that, man.”
Steve unlocked his car, slinging himself into his seat and pulling on his seatbelt whilst Eddie just flung himself in, stretched out and nimble, heavily ringed fingers reaching out to fiddle with the cassette tapes tucked into the side of the car door.
“Listen to anything decent?” He asked, scanning the cases for lists of songs, quirking up an eyebrow in astonished judgement, “Rick James, Juran Juran, Tears for Fears. Shit, shit and shit. Huh…What’s this?”
Steve winced, uncomfortable with the other man flicking through his stuff. Not that he particularly had anything to hide. Steve wasn’t really a man of secrets, unless you counted the whole Demogorgon upside down bullshit, which in a normal situation would probably be an issue but Eddie already knew about all of that anyway.
“The Smiths. Huh, surprising and also not bad. Not my usual vibe, but it’s always a marvellous choice if I want to cry wank myself to sleep.” Eddie hummed whilst Steve put the keys in the ignition, removing the previous cassette from the player ready to replace it with Morrisey's whining voice and scowling at the clear ‘Beastie Boys’ printed on the side in black ink, “Nevermind, I take it back. Jesus.”
Steve reversed with one hand, peeling out of the parking lot and snatching the cassette out of Eddie’s fingers with the other, “Not everyone wants to listen to songs about how awful life is. Music is meant to make you feel good…Apart from The Smiths. Guilty pleasure.”
Steve definitely wasn’t about to admit the only reason he’d ever listened to the Smiths in the first place was because when Robin realised the girl she’d harboured a sickly amount of infatuation for was in fact straight she’d forced him to listen to ‘Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now’ on repeat for the entirety of their drive around Hawkins whilst she cried her eyes out into a stupidly large ice cream cone. Then afterwards, she’d forgotten to take the cassette back with her, and Steve had played it on his way home from dropping her back. Since then, it had taken up permanent residency in his car, and Robin knew he had it the moment he bought her a new one.
“Hey! Black Sabbath, Slayer, Motorhead…All the good ones. They’re all just making honest music, man. Life isn’t always sunshine and rainbows.” Eddie shrugged, leaning back in his seat as the beginning of This Night Has Opened My Eyes began to play, leaving them to settle into a rare comfortable silence.
Steve was grateful for it, Eddie wasn’t known for being a quiet guy but he was far from in the mood for any level of extensive chatting and he just about thought if he began to pester him in the way that Dustin sometimes did he’d end up hitting the airbag and launching himself out of the car to whatever impending doom may face him.
‘And I’m not happy and I’m not sad’ Morrisey’s whiney voice sang, and Eddie snorted at these words, leaning his head against the cool of window, tracing mindless shapes into the condensation and bouncing his ripped jean clad knee that fast Steve could see it out of the corner of his eye and it was wholly distracting him from the road ahead.
Hawkins could be quite pretty at night if you forgot its history, he noted, pulling onto another street surrounded by suburban houses framed by the deep blue sky. The stars were comforting, it had taken some time before he was able to become comfortable with the dark again. His eyes briefly flashed over to Eddie’s hunched over form, he wondered if it was the same for him. Eddie had never really struck him as one to be afraid of much until he’d openly admitted to his lack of bravery in the Upside Down. Not that Steve agreed, of course. Anyone who could make it in and out of the Upside Down in mostly one piece was as brave as it gets, in his eyes.
As one song faded into the other, This Charming Man came on and Eddie immediately perked up at the more upbeat song.
“Hey Harrington, this song is about you, huh?” Eddie snickered, raising his voice and beginning to sing loudly in an exaggerated version of Morrissey's soulful and whinging voice, “When in this charming car, this charming man!”
Steve winced at the sudden shift in volume, but he had to admit it was amusing that Eddie actually didn’t sound bad and he quickly flicked his eyes to the side, watching Eddie dramatically sing along to the song, bopping up and down in his seat with flailing arms firing up the sort of energy that was helplessly infectious to Steve. He could see why Robin hung out with Eddie sometimes, though he wasn’t really sure what it was they’d sit and talk about. Then again, he supposed you didn’t have to think too hard for conversation if you were high.
“It’s gruesome, that someone so handsome should care!” Eddie reached an arm out towards Steve pointing one long finger at him that Steve swatted away, trying to keep his eyes on the road ahead that was dimly lit.
“You’re insufferable.” Steve said flatly, but Eddie just laughed at that comment.
The rest of the drive went by quickly enough that Steve didn’t begin to form a headache from Eddie’s boisterous singing, humouring him a little by mouthing along to some of the words. When he pulled into the trailer park, a shiver went up his spine uncomfortably as he turned the music down. It wasn’t like he hadn’t been here before, dropping Max off after group hangouts sometimes but this was different. He was face to face with Eddie’s trailer where Chrissy Cunningham met her untimely death. He supposed that if he felt eerie about being here, it must be even worse for Eddie having to live in the damned place.
“Cheers for the ride, Harrington.” Eddie pulled a packet of cigarettes out of his pocket, placing one between his lips as he unbuckled his seat belt, pausing for a moment. “I suppose I’ll see you this weekend, huh?”
This weekend? Steve tried to scour his mind for some sort of memory as to what was supposedly going on this weekend that would put him and Eddie Munson, of all people, in the same place.
“The game? Come on, man.” Eddie chuckled, shaking his head at him like he was hopeless, which Steve supposed he sometimes was.
“Oh, shit, right yeah. Lucas’ basketball game…Wait, you’re going to that? Don’t half the team want to like, kill you?” Steve frowned, killing the ignition for a moment so as to not waste gas.
Eddie shrugged as though he didn’t care, but Steve caught the minor flash of fear in his eyes, “Maybe so, man, but you’re forgetting that I sell them their pot. Guess people tend to tolerate you when they’re getting something out of it. Plus it’s like, the last game before summer. Missing it is akin to not showing up on the last day of campaign.”
Steve barely had a clue what he was on about with regards to the last part but it was easy enough to assume it had something to do with the Hellfire club that was part of the reason Eddie ended up in that mess of accusations in the first place. It was confusing to Steve that they could even continue to enjoy the game after what had happened, though it was a good thing that they had some normalcy left from before everything went down.
“Fair enough.” Steve shrugged, and Eddie shrugged back, slipping the car door open and swinging himself out of it.
“See ya around, King Steve.” Eddie called out in a singsong voice, not turning around to see Steve flip him off.
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Watching Robin perform in band before the game was entertainment enough, judging by how easily her cheeks flushed red whenever she’d make eye contact with Vickie for just a little too long. It was borderline hopeless, really. Steve loved Robin to pieces, but her pining was becoming sickening. He didn’t know much about what it meant to not be straight, but it seemed like a whole lot of hassle. Having feelings for someone was stressful enough as it was, without the added concern of receiving a black eye instead of a kiss.
He was thankful that this was Robin’s senior year, so he wouldn’t be continuously stuck in the stands with the kids and Eddie Munson. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to be seen with them, it just admittedly looked quite sad that a very large percentage of his friends were like, fifteen. Even more grateful that it was Nancy’s who chose that moment to wave up at him from where she was stood with the rest of her school paper team, no doubt preparing to make some sort of story out of the game. It wasn’t that he didn’t want Nancy around, he was completely over that relationship. It was more the fact it was slightly embarrassing in some ways that he’d adopted her baby brother as his best friend.
His attention snapped towards Eddie Munson as he quickly bustled in, taking his seat next to Dustin that he’d saved for him, ruffling the kids hair and mumbling some words that Steve couldn’t quite catch on to.
Steve, crammed between Max and Dustin began to cheer like the rest of them when Lucas came bounding onto the basketball court. Winning that game for the team had really done a lot for him, and he was no longer a bench warmer and instead a valued member of the team. He felt often like a proud suburban mom whenever he’d come to these games. These kids deserved success more than most people he knew. He even thought it was sweet how Dustin, Mike and Max would come to watch the game even though they barely had any sort of grasp as to what was currently going on. The thought of them engaging in any sports outside of skateboarding for Max was laughable.
Dustin leaned into Steve’s side to whisper-shout, “Dude, what the fuck is a point guard?”
Point proven.
He must’ve spoken loudly enough that Eddie could hear him, cause he gently punched Dustin’s shoulder and rolled his eyes, “Kind like a Dungeon Master, but for basketball, man. Simple stuff.”
Mike sighed, exasperated at such a suggestion, most probably taking personal offence at something so boring as basketball being compared to his precious Dungeons and Dragons, “Absolutely not.”
Steve quickly shushed them as Lucas came into possession of the ball, effortlessly shooting it through the hoop. The five of them whooped. Man, working one on one with that kid had paid off. Maybe if he continued at it, by the time he was senior year, he could get a scholarship. Lucas shot his eyes up to them, saluting them as he retook his position.
“That kid is going places.” Eddie whistled, leaning forwards to watch more closely.
Whilst Hawkins didn’t end up winning the game, Lucas was buzzing on such a high from scoring two of their goals that it didn’t really matter too much. Steve was quick to usher the kids back to the car, mumbling something about curfews that made the kids all groan in unison annoyance.
“Dude, it’s not even eleven.” Dustin whined.
“Come on, man, loosen up a little.” Eddie laughed, pointing at the kids, “They’re like, fifteen. When I was fifteen I was already doing drugs and I’d been suspended like, four times. And if I remember rightly, you weren’t exactly a golden boy yourself at fifteen, huh, King Steve?”
Steve knew Eddie was just trying to wind him up so he tried very hard not to prickle in response, but he couldn’t help the slight irritation that slipped out when he spoke, “Okay, first of all-”
“Meh!” Eddie blew a raspberry, that made the kids all giggle, apart from Max. Bless her soul. “Back and in bed for midnight, okay Steven? Let’s go…celebrate or something.”
Steve did not want to know what Eddie’s sort of celebration consisted of, but he knew that around the kids he tended to be a lot more responsible. Far from a good influence, but he didn’t behave as totally feral as he may have otherwise.
Which is why he was pleasantly surprised when he ended up back at the diner he’d bumped into Eddie in the week prior, with Eddie announcing as they all slid into a booth next to the window that they could order absolutely anything they wanted. Steve didn’t know why he said that, if where he lived was anything to go by it was blaringly obvious he and his uncle struggled to make ends meet sometimes and the kids would milk him of every penny if he’d offered it. Steve was prepared to slip him a few dollars if needed, when Eddie excused himself to the cash register where he shook hands with a greasy looking kid wearing an off white name badge, sliding his palm off the kids as though he’d passed him something. Larry.
Ah, of course. Eddie shot the guy a thumbs up as he discreetly pocketed the bill and headed back to the table. Maybe he didn’t need Steve’s assistance after all.
“Neapolitan is totally a valid flavour choice.” Dustin was exasperated, flicking a sauce packet at Mike that he failed to dodge.
“Neapolitan is just confusing. There’s too much going on at once.” Steve dragged himself back to the conversation, leaning back in his seat, “They’re all valid flavour choices, you just gotta choose one. They all just melt into each other otherwise.”
Mike wafted a hand in Steve’s direction, “See? Thank you, Steve.”
Max sighed, shaking her head, “Neapolitan is for babies. Just admit you’re indecisive and can’t pick just one.”
Dustin guffawed, turning to Eddie for some sort of backup as he slipped back into his seat on the edge of the table, facing Steve.
“Hey man, don’t look at me. Neapolitan is foul.” Eddie raised his hands, rolling his eyes, “Real men go for bubblegum.”
Steve raised an eyebrow at that, he wasn’t sure why but enjoying bubblegum ice cream seemed so out of character for Eddie. For someone who was mostly monochromatic in his fashion sense and all about drugs and rock n’ roll the concept of him chowing down on something so violently blue and sweet was hilarious.
“Either way, dickwads. Hurry up with ordering before Father Steve is escorting you out the door at precisely half eleven on the dot whilst you’re trying to eat your waffles.” Eddie hummed, wracking his knuckles against the table twice.
Unsurprisingly, Larry took their order considering the diner was pretty much dead at this time and Steve highly doubted there was really anyone else out back to serve them. Lucas swatted Dustin with a menu as he ordered his neapolitan sundae. Once all the kids had ordered, and Eddie had ordered two scoops of bubblegum ice cream, Larry turned to look at him.
“Oh, uh. I’m not here to like, eat. I’m just escorting.” Steve tilted his head to refer to the kids who had already thrown themselves into yet another round of playful bickering, this time about whether the newly discovered jock Lucas would beat the Flash in a race.
Eddie groaned, “Jesus, Harrington. We’re here to celebrate, so celebrate you grumpy asshole. He’ll have two scoops of chocolate.”
Steve pursed his lips but didn’t protest, and once Larry was out of sight and preparing their order he mumbled a ‘thanks’, that Eddie didn’t address. The ice creams didn’t take too long to be prepared and within fifteen minutes the kids were stuffing their faces, silent for a moment.
“If I knew it was this easy to get you guys to shut up, I would’ve taken you here a long time ago.” Steve laughed, spooning the chocolate ice cream into his mouth.
Huh, that was good. He usually went for strawberry, but Eddie’s choice for him didn’t suck.
Lucas flicked a piece of ice cream off his spoon at him, howling in smugness when it landed in Steve’s perfect hair, dripping down his face. The kids and Eddie began to tease him and within minutes Steve was quickly de-escalating what would have speedily turned into a full blown food fight.
Managing to leave the table mostly as they’d found it, besides from a suspicious black chunk stuck to the ceiling that Steve suspected was a piece of cookie out of Mike’s ice cream, he managed to cart them all home. He was surprised when he pulled into the trailer park to see Munson’s truck still with the lights on and the long haired man inside, until he saw the smoke billowing out of the open window. Typical.
Max had always been fairly quiet since what happened with Billy, but she was just starting to come back out of her shell again with the defeat of Vecna. She thanked him for the night and slipped out of the car, immediately pulling her headphones over her ears. He didn’t blame her, but with the sound of Kate Bush beginning to play he did wonder how she could bear to listen to that song anymore. How it even managed to remain as her favourite song.
Steve pulled out of the trailer park, turning on his music, settling back in his seat as This Charming Man began to play. He snorted a little at the memory of Eddie singing it, and reached to turn it off.
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