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It’s been a few weeks since the battle against Vecna when Steve decides to throw a survivors party for the kids. His parents are always out of town these days, so the house is completely empty. Eddie hasn’t heard from him much, as he’s been unconscious or high on pain meds while recovering from the bat attacks. When Eddie pulls up to the Harrington residence on Saturday afternoon, he sees Wheeler’s station wagon already in the driveway. Robin answers the door when he knocks, bouncing a bit and reaching out to pull him through the door by his arm and into a quick hug, then dragging him through to the kitchen. Steve is sitting on a stool by the kitchen island munching on some chips and appears to be directing Nancy on setting up the rest of the food. They look up as the pair walks in.
“Harrington, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes? You’re looking a bit more put together than the last time I saw you.” Steve gives him a rueful look and Eddie pats him on the back lightly, not wanting to accidentally hit any of his healing wounds. Eddie sees a pool through the kitchen window and whistles under his breath. “I didn’t realize this was a pool party, I should’ve brought my speedo.” Eddie hears and feels Steve choke at his words, his hand still resting on Steve’s back.
“I’m not sure how many of us are getting in the pool, given the open wounds and all,” Robin chimes in. She quirks an eyebrow and gives Steve a pointed stare. Her and Nancy are standing shoulder to shoulder and Eddie can only imagine the kind of mother henning Steve has been dealing with for the past couple of weeks. He’s glad he’s not alone in his adoration for Steve Harrington. Something about the way he takes care of everyone else, putting himself in danger first, makes Eddie want to wrap him up in a blanket and not let him out of sight.
“Excellent point, I’m sure chlorine probably doesn’t mix well with bat venom from an alternate dimension.” Steve huffs in amusement at Eddie's words. The doorbell rings and Robin must be on answering duty, because she drifts out of the room in response. Steve keeps giving Nancy instructions, so Eddie moves towards the doors that lead out to the pool, being nosy. He notices for the first time that Mike is sitting outside on the diving board. He’s leaning back on his hands and staring into the water of the pool, slowly moving his feet back and forth in the water below.
He’s about to go outside and talk to Mike, when a group of four comes into the kitchen. Eddie recognizes El, Will and Jonathan, but this other kid is a mystery. He has really long hair and looks like he stepped straight out of an ad for a surfboard company. Eddie recognizes the bloodshot quality to his eyes and thinks he may have a new customer on his hands. He didn’t bring anything with him at the explicit warning from Steve that children would be present. Eddie thinks all of these kids could do with a little mellowing out, but he’s not going to argue with Steve about that. Nancy comes around the kitchen island and kisses Jonathan on the cheek, then drags him into the kitchen to help her.
Will and El look around like they’re trying to locate something. Will seems to spot what he's looking for first and heads for the door where Eddie is standing. Will moves past him, barely even sparing a look in his direction, as he pulls the door open and goes directly to Mike's side, looking down at him. Mike is gazing up at Will with a soft smile on his face as they quietly talk. Will take off his shoes and sit next to Mike on the pool deck, gently lowering his feet into the water. Eddie senses someone else come up beside him. El is watching the two of them with her own small smile, though hers looks a bit more melancholy than the boys. He feels like he’s intruding on a private moment between the three of them.
He leans over and quietly says, “I’m Eddie. I’m not sure if we were ever properly introduced. Thanks for saving everyone and helping to clear my name.”
She has a bit of an unnerving stare that makes Eddie feel like she can see into his head, which seems like a genuine concern given that she has superpowers. “I’m El.” She’s soft spoken and her voice is a bit raspy, like it’s not been used in awhile. Maybe she’s still recovering from the battle like the rest of them. He remembers Hopper talking about her at the hospital, something about brain injuries and bleeding. She moves to the couch, sits down and pulls her legs up to her chest. She rests her chin on top of her bent knees, seemingly content to be left alone to observe the others.
Eddie moves back to Steve’s side, not wanting to be in the middle of whatever is going on with those three. He notices how all of these people move around each other in a synchronized way that only comes from years of knowing one another. They’re comfortable and trusting in a way Eddie has never experienced. He figures the shared trauma has probably forced them into an unbreakable bond, even if life circumstances would’ve never brought all of these people together otherwise. He’s envious for a minute before he realizes that he’s a part of that bond now. The closest he’s ever been to something like this was with Hellfire, but they had nothing on these guys.
Before Eddie can drown in the sentimentality of it all, the door opens and Dustin lets in the last group of people. Max and Lucas wander in behind him holding hands. Eddie wonders why the younger Sinclair is missing.
“What the hell, Henderson? Who raised you?” Steve looks exasperated with Dustin just letting himself through the front door without knocking.
“You did, mom.” Dustin gives him the middle finger. Nancy moves to give each of them a hug as they all laugh at the look on Steve’s face.
“No respect these days.” Steve mumbles under his breath. There's a tender, fond feeling growing in his chest watching everyone interact. He knows a lot of it is pure relief that they all made it out alive. A few weeks ago, he would’ve been insanely jealous watching the comfortable banter between Dustin and Steve. Now he knows that Steve is a big soft teddy bear with a couple of brain cells rattling around in his head that he exclusively uses to keep all of these children alive. Max moves to sit down on the couch next to El. Dustin and Lucas are hovering near the food and Robin keeps slapping their hands to keep them away until everyone is ready to eat.
“Why do we have to wait when Steve is shoveling chips into his mouth?” Dustin points an accusing finger in Steve’s direction.
“My house, my rules, buddy.” Steve smirks as he eats another handful of chips.
“You don’t pay the bills with your Family Video paycheck, asshole.” Dustin makes a smug face back at Steve as he finally sneaks past Robin’s defenses and grabs a handful of chips. She smacks the back of his head instead.
“God you really do need an ego check, you little shit,” Eddie chimes in. Steve gives him an appreciative look.
“Finally, someone on my side! Glad you’re here, Munson.” They fist bump and the touch paired with Steve’s words sends his pulse racing. He still can’t believe Steve Harrington wants to be in his presence and is now someone he can call a friend. “Where’s Erica?” Steve directs at Lucas.
“She said she had better things to do than hang out with you nerds,” Max says from the couch, “Can’t say I blame her.” A chorus of heys and you love the nerds rings out in the space between the living room and the kitchen, but Max is smirking like she knew this would rile everyone up.
Lucas looks outside and nudges Dustin in the arm, nodding at the pool. Dustin makes an aborted move towards the door, but Lucas grabs the back of his hoodie, dragging him to sit on the couch. Eddie hears their conspiratorial whispers of “You owe me $5,” as Dustin stifles his laughter.
“We need some music to really get this party going,” Eddie says, spotting a record player on the other side of the living room. He goes to make a selection. Robin comes over to assist. They’re both going through the collection of albums skeptically, since it appears Steve’s parents are really into smooth jazz and pop. Eddie is just hoping to find something even remotely rock’n’roll to put on. He finally locates a Queen album. When he looks back at Steve, he’s grinning as if he knew this is exactly what Eddie was going to select. He’s not sure how Harrington has this good of a read on him already, but he doesn’t hate the attention.
Jonathan and the long haired guy that Eddie has yet to learn the name of head outside. He watches them through the window as they move silently past Mike and Will and lay down in the grass on the side of the house, almost entirely out of view.
“I thought you said no drugs, Harrington.” Eddie has moved back to the kitchen island and leans on it, angling his body towards Steve.
“Yeah, and I meant that. I’m glad you left your lunchbox at home. Not around the kids.” Steve raps his knuckles on the counter in front of Eddie.
“Then what the hell are Byers and his friend doing in your backyard? I get the feeling it’s not just rolling around in the grass. It definitely looks like another grass is involved.” Steve whirls around to see outside and it looks like that move cost him. He winces and his left hand comes up to rest on his ribs, sucking in a harsh breath. He sways precariously on the stool. Eddie immediately reaches out to steady him with one hand wrapping around Steve's right arm. Steve mumbles his thanks through gritted teeth.
“Sorry, man. Didn’t mean to get you worked up like that,” Eddie says.
“Whatever, at least they’re doing it outside.” He rolls his eyes and reaches for the chips again. Robin has come back to hover awkwardly towards the other end of the island, incessantly chattering to Nancy while she works. Nancy has a small smile on her face, though, and doesn’t look annoyed like Eddie would expect.
“Since the princess here is out of commission, is there anything I can do to help? You seem to be a one woman show,” Eddie asks Nancy.
“Are you any good in the kitchen?” She asks skeptically. “Robin almost burned the whole place down earlier, so she’s been on door duty instead.” Robin's smile is sheepish and she holds her hands up guiltily.
“Do pot brownies count?” Eddie asks. She looks like she finds that funny but doesn’t want to give him the satisfaction of saying it does in fact count. Instead, she grabs a bowl and places it in front of him with a boxed brownie mix. She goes back to assembling the salad. Eddie gets to work mixing.
“We ordered pizza, which should be here soon.” When Eddie looks over at Steve, he’s holding his shirt up with one hand and the other is fiddling with the bandage on his ribs. Eddie’s brain short circuits and he can’t look away from the patch of hair on Steve’s stomach. Robin silently moves over to inspect the bandages, probably having done it a million times already on her daily check ins. He winces as she pokes around the edges of it. “Easy, Rob.” Her touch turns more delicate and she mumbles sorry under her breath. Eddie tears his gaze away to focus on literally anything else besides the burning desire he has to switch places with Robin so that his hands are the ones trailing over Steve’s ribs. He knows that there’s nothing going on between these two, but it looks like nobody clued Nancy in. She’s watching them with narrowed eyes, her focus glued to where Robin’s hands are on Steve. She’s pretty aggressively tossing the salad now.
Eddie keeps his eyes on the task at hand and finishes up mixing the brownies together. Nancy snaps out of it when he clears his throat to ask where the pans are. Her face flushes like he caught her red handed and she turns away from the display in front of her to grab a pan and slide it over to Eddie. He pours in the mixture and leaves it on the counter for Nancy to put in the oven whenever she’s ready. She sends him a grateful smile. He’s happy that she’s not what he expected. After seeing her wield guns like a complete badass and take out a demobat with her heeled boot, he would probably be in love with her if he had any interest in women. Unfortunately, his interest is firmly on the other bat killing badass in the room. Eddie’s pretty sure watching Steve tear apart that bat with his bare hands and feet fundamentally changed him as a person.
The unspoken tension in the kitchen has Eddie itching to go outside and join the two getting high in the grass. He’s getting a little antsy inside with this many people in such a small space, and now he has nothing in his hands to distract him. When he goes to open the door, Mike is coming inside. Eddie expects Will to be trailing behind him, but he’s still sitting by the edge of the pool. One look at Will is all it takes for Eddie to know. Will is broadcasting his feelings loud and clear, but Mike seems unaware as he closes the door. He doesn’t know what they were talking about, but Will looks like he wants to drag Mike right back to his side. Eddie has a fleeting thought that everyone in this group is in love with each other and the longing glances must be completely sickening from an outsider's perspective. He’s a little miffed that that definitely includes him now, and he makes a mental note to keep his eyes off of Steve, lest he be caught like this by the wrong person. Not that they’re going out in public much, and this group seems to be pretty accepting of anything. Though, he’s not sure everyone is clued in to how queer this whole group has become.
“Hey man, I didn’t know you were here.” Mike surprises him and reaches out to pull him into a hug. Eddie slaps him on the back. He’s not sure Mike has ever hugged him outside of a campaign.
“Will didn’t tell you? He practically ran me over to get outside when he got here.” Eddie is having too much fun getting Wheeler all flustered. He just has to simply mention Will, and this kid turns into a tomato.
“No, he didn’t. I came inside to talk to El.” Mike looks around the room and his eyes land on her. Eddie sighs to himself, so we’re still on this, huh? Maybe that’s why Will looked so anxious. Mike is a difficult one to read, he probably has that boy so confused. He opens the door and goes outside. He contemplates his plan to join Jonathan and company in the grass, but something pulls him towards Will.
Before today, Eddie had only seen this kid passed out in Mike’s arms awaiting treatment and briefly during the mass exodus from the hospital after everyone not being kept for observation was released that night. He’s got an adorable bowl cut that makes Eddie want to reach out and fluff it up. He’s wearing similar clothes to what Mike was wearing when they first met and looks a little startled that Eddie is heading in his direction. Eddie kicks off his shoes and stands up on the diving board to hover around on it hazardously, arms outstretched. He’s tempting fate by trying to balance like this, but he’s got a lot of nervous energy he needs to release.
“You must be Eddie.” Will looks over at him knowingly, with one eyebrow quirked. Eddie figures that was probably a process of elimination, since he’s the only person here that Will doesn’t seem to know. He surprises him by saying, “The guys mentioned the hair.” Eddie knew those little shits talked about him behind his back. He can’t help the smile that breaks out on his face.
“Hopefully they mentioned how incredible it looks and that they’re all jealous they can’t pull off bangs as well as I can.” Eddie throws his head around in a rocker stance, playing a little air guitar for emphasis. Will gives him a blank, unimpressed stare, one eyebrow quirked. “Well, Will the Wise, I've heard all about you.” Now that gets a reaction. There's a surprising blush creeping onto his cheeks that makes him look even more adorable.
“You heard…about me?”
“Uh, yeah man. Literally all the time. Wheeler was the absolute worst during our campaigns. He would go on and on about how you would’ve done things. A bit annoying of him, if I’m honest. I’m an incredible DM, but I’m pretty sure I’m not his favorite.” He’s just as easy to fluster as Mike apparently, because he looks back down at the water with a bashful smile. These two were going to be the death of him. He hasn’t seen two people dance around each other like this in a long time.
Eddie remembers the quiet conversations he had with Mike in his trailer about Will. How they fought last summer and Mike regrets letting him go without apologizing properly. How Will was never interested in girls and was mad at them for running off with their girlfriends while he just wanted to play D&D. He is starting to see that there may have been some other reasons for that, which Mike doesn’t seem to be picking up on fast enough. Maybe Eddie can help move this along. He sits down on the diving board, mirroring how Mike was sitting earlier. “He missed you, you know.”
He tilts his head to the side and watches Will’s face. He’s staring down at the water with a shocked look on his face, blinking rapidly. Eddie keeps going. “I’m pretty sure I heard more about you than the chick with the superpowers. He was really upset about your fight.” Will’s head snaps up at that, a frown tugging the corner of his mouth down.
“Which one?”
“The one before you left for California. Said he never apologized the way he should have. Blamed himself for the distance between you, I’m pretty sure. He was always moody. I figured he needed a break from his family and the guys, so I let him hang out after Hellfire Club. He would spend hours in my trailer staring at blank pieces of paper trying to write to you while I worked on my song lyrics. Henderson said he was quiet because he missed El, but I saw the letters he wrote her. I figured out that he was stalling on writing to you about a month into it. He never would fess up to why, though. Figured it was better not to push him, since he seemed on edge all the time. The only time I saw him laugh or show any emotion besides anger was during our campaigns. Otherwise, he’s been pretty stoic since you guys left. I didn’t know him before, so it's hard for me to say how different that was to his normal behavior.”
Eddie thinks for a second that he’s misjudged this endeavor because Will looks like he’s about to cry. He’s clenching his fists in his lap and doesn’t respond for a minute. “Do you know he only called four times, the entire time we were gone?” He’s almost whispering. “I missed him so much and it felt like he was just disappearing from my life. Did he tell you what we fought about last summer?” Eddie nods and Will must see it in his periphery. “They all ignored me to go make out with their girlfriends. Mike didn’t get why I was so upset when I was constantly left behind and none of them wanted to play D&D anymore. And then we’re 2000 miles apart and I barely hear from him. When I do hear from him, it’s about how they’ve all joined another party without me. That sends a pretty clear message that someone’s not interested in you.”
Eddie feels a little nauseous thinking about how he’s been in similar situations to what Will is describing. There were guys that he thought were the one, that moved on and forgot about him while he wasted away in high school for another year. The one boyfriend he's had was short-lived. He’s not sure he can equate his experience to the devastating feeling of losing something so precious. Eddie always thought that Mike reminded him of himself at that age, moody and constantly starting fights just for the sake of feeling something. Hearing Will’s perspective makes him think maybe he wasn’t quite right about that. He tries to think about what he would’ve wanted to hear at their age.
“Mike is a mess, dude. You didn’t see him in the hospital that night. He was holding onto you like you were made of glass and if he let go you were going to fall apart. He barely acknowledged anyone else in that waiting room until they took you back. Then we had a little chat. About both you and El, and do you know what he told me?” Will looks over at him, a miserable, anxious crease on his forehead. “He regrets everything that has happened since that fight. He was so upset over the possibility of losing you. I’m not making excuses for him, but I think he’s confused and scared. He didn’t really understand why he missed you more than her. Watching him with all of you now, it’s like a completely different person was inhabiting him before. He was walking around like a zombie, kid. Even Dustin noticed how miserable he was, even if he didn’t get the reason quite right.”
Eddie sees the same hopeful look on Will’s face as the one he saw on Mike’s when they talked about this at the hospital. Eddie reaches out and pats Will’s shoulder. “I’m also pretty sure that the reason he was so taken with me is because I remind him of you, so there’s that.” This seems to confuse Will, so he adds, “A perfect dungeon master, well read and artistic, and frankly too adorable for this world. And don’t deny that last one, you’ve got this whole shy boy next door thing going for you that I think really works, even if it’s not really my style.”
That comment makes Will’s face flush and Eddie is truly loving getting this kid riled up, so he goes in for the big hitter. “It might also be that we’re both a little too into dudes, right?” Will freezes. “Don’t worry, I don’t think Wheeler has caught on, even with me slapping him in the face about it at the hospital. I called him out on holding you like that, as it seemed a little more than friendly, but he didn’t take the bait. Well, we got interrupted by Hopper, but that’s beside the point. He might be starting to clue into his own feelings, but yours seem to elude him. Was he always this dense with her, too?”
Will snorts, “You have no idea. He is so frustrating sometimes.” Eddie feels his shoulders slump under his hand, so he lets go. “So you’re…gay.” Will whispers the word like it’s a secret that shouldn’t be said out loud. Eddie’s had a while to come to terms with it, but it took him a long time to feel comfortable using that word to describe himself. He wonders how long Will has been fighting this silent battle. “I guess…yeah, I am, too.” And maybe that’s the first time he’s said it out loud, if Eddie had to guess.
“Welcome to the club, kid.”
“Does Mike know about you?”
“Yeah, everyone knows, I think. I told the kids, Steve, and Robin, at least. I’ve never really been good at hiding and figured if we’ve all been through life or death situations, then who should really give a shit about who I’m sleeping with.” He shrugs. “No one really made a big deal about it. Dustin was a little confused, but he got over it quickly enough.” Will lets out a ragged breath, sagging with relief at Eddie's words. “Will, I don’t think that after all you guys have been through, that they would care. You guys are a family, one that has graciously let in new members like myself. None of you bat an eye at interdimensional creatures or people with superpowers. Being gay seems kind of tame, in comparison.”
That makes Will laugh, and there it is again. That infectious smile that helps Eddie understand why Mike Wheeler is absolutely gone on this kid, even if he doesn't know that yet. It doesn’t last long, though, before the tension is back. He’s sitting with his shoulders almost up to his ears, as if he can shrink down low enough that people will forget he exists. “Can I ask how you figured it out? Jonathan is the only person I’ve talked to, and even then I didn’t tell him really. He figured it out just like you, so I need to know if I’m being completely obvious and everyone around me just feels bad for the sad, gay kid in love with his best friend.”
“No, no, no. I just- I see a lot of myself in you, actually. I know what that pining look means because I’ve felt it. Most of the people in this town, even in this little group of weirdos, aren’t even thinking like that. Harrington definitely doesn’t know, but I’m not sure he’s a good gauge, he’s pretty oblivious. Sweet, but a complete dumbass.” Will loses some of the rigidity in his shoulders, relaxing now that Eddie seems to have confirmed his secrets are safe with him. “I really don’t think they’d have a problem with you, though. You know, whenever you’re ready to tell them. I’ve got your back, and I know that Steve and Robin are on your side. Doesn’t look like Jonathan seems to have a problem with it, so you’ve got what? Four parents to take over in the worst case scenario. But if any of these little idiots has shit to say, I’ll be right here to defend you, ok?”
“I don’t even know you, really.”
“Yeah well, you’re all stuck with me now. I’m like the wiser gay uncle you never asked for. Will the Wise and Eddie the Wiser. I’ll make us shirts.” Will has that unimpressed look again. This kid has some sass that Eddie can’t wait to see in action.
He’s about to say more when Robin pokes her head outside. “Food’s here. Better hurry before the gremlins take it all.” That has Eddie bouncing off the diving board onto the deck. He offers Will his hand to help him out of the pool. He pats him reassuringly on the back again before they head inside.