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Dustin had forgotten money and lunch. His own mom works full-time a town over, but there was someone else he could count on. So, he had borrowed a quarter and called Steve between classes, only having enough time for Steve to complain a little, before ensuring him he'd being something by.
Right now lunch period has started and Dustin is sitting in the cafeteria with some of the other Hellfire members.
Eddie frowns at the empty table before him and asks: “You don’t have lunch?”
Dustin knows that Eddie isn’t able to bring lunch everyday and the last thing he wants is for the other to give up a bit of what he does have. So, he says: “I forgot, but Steve is bringing me some. Don’t worry about it.”
It doesn’t look like Eddie believes him, which is confirmed when he offers him half of his sandwich.
Before Dustin has to worry about how he can decline this without making it awkward, because Eddie doesn’t seem to like Steve much, there is commotion at the doors of the cafeteria.
Steve.
Dustin smiles and waves at the older boy to get his attention when he sees him looking around with a searching look.
When Steve sees him, he nods, face brightening before he begins to make his way to their table. He is dressed in his normal clothes, hair perfect of course. Though his green work vest stands out against the outfit, as does the paper bag in his hands. Still, he must be quite a strange sight if Dustin goes on the whispers that start up as Steve walks.
Not that Steve seems to notice the stares that follow his every step. He just holds his head up confidently and walks with an air of oblivious carelessness that Dustin envies. Steve doesn’t have to care about the opinions of others. Steve is cool.
Unbeknownst to Dustin, Steve is intimately aware of the whispers that follow him. They have been for all his life, one of his earliest memories is his mother hissing to calm down, because what would people think, seeing a Harrington behave like that?
So, yeah, he knows. He has always been the center of attention. For a long time he thrived on it, but that diminished with more and more vicious rumors making the rounds after his fall from grace. However, he knows not to pay them any mind, the only advise from his mother he listens to.
Dustin doesn’t see any of that though, he just sees his friend that he admires displaying traits he wants so naturally, oblivious to the years of work that went into that confidence.
By this time Steve is practically there and he calls out: “Next time don’t forget lunch, dipshit.”
“Sorry,” Dustin grins not feeling that sorry as he takes the bag and looks inside. Once he sees what’s in it, he exclaims: “Dude, you got me a burger? Thank you!”
Steve rolls his eyes and says: “Yeah, it's like the only joint that’s near Family Video and if I’m gone too long Keith will kill me. My lunch break doesn’t last forever, you know.”
“You’re the best,” Dustin tells him, seeing the happiness at the compliment that Steve tries to hide beneath annoyance.
Luckily for Steve, Dustin knows him too well. So, he isn’t deterred and just pulls him into a quick hug to extra show his thanks.
Steve stiffens in surprise as he always does. Dustin doesn’t let it stop him, knowing that soon Steve will melt as he always does. This time is no different and Steve pulls him close for a second before stepping back and ruffling his hair with a grin.
Dustin now noticed the other members of Hellfire, who aren’t in The Party looking at them with shocked confusion. As if Steve is an unknown alien. He doesn’t know why that is, since all of them seemed to know Steve, but just in case, he goes: “This is Steve.”
“We know, Dustin,” Eddie breaks the silence, not breaking the stare he is directing at Steve.
It feels a bit like a stand off.
Steve’s back straightens up, looking much like the fighter Dustin saw in Starcourt and with the demodogs the year before. It makes him look intimidating and Gareth, Jeff and Chris shrink away slightly. Though, Eddie doesn’t let himself get intimidated like that and just stares right back.
Dustin is about to worry that he should step in – he didn’t think the rivalry between the two of them ran this deep before now – when he recognizes Steve’s stance. He isn’t trying to be intimidating, but trying to hype himself up to do something. Dustin wonders what.
Right then, Steve sets a step forwards and holds out his hand for Eddie to shake, as he says: “Thanks for looking after these dorks. I hear you’re a crazy mean DM.”
If Dustin were to go off Eddie’s look he’d say Eddie just witnessed the Upside Down with how his worldview seems to have shifted.
To be fair to Dustin, he isn’t that far off. Eddie has never been a target of Steve, but has observed him for years, creating his own stories and prejudices about the other. This is the last thing Eddie expected Steve to do when Dustin mentioned him bringing by food.
So, there is a moment of silence, the whole cafeteria holding its breath andwatching the stand down. They wonder if King Steve will be rejected by The Freak, or if a weird compromise will be made by two on opposite sides of the social ladder.
Then Eddie tentatively reaches out and shakes Steve’s hand. He answers: “They’re good players, glad to have them at my table.”
At that Steve grins and they shake once before letting go. With that done, he turns back to the kids and tell them: “You better be ready Friday, I have a date after I get your asses home.”
“We don’t have control over that, Steve,” Mike rolls his eyes. They all know DnD can run overtime, so they can’t make any promises. Not that Steve has ever been truly mad at them if they made him wait, even when he had a date then.
“We’ll try," Lucas assures Steve, placating him after Mike’s remark.
“Thank you, Lucas,” Steve says, giving Mike a look before turning back to Lucas and asking: “Still on for practice Sunday?”
“Yeah, man,” Lucas grins, which Dustin still finds crazy that anyone would smile in relation to sports, but he loves his two weird friends.
“Stay in school,” he tells the table like a hypocrite as he leaves.
They call their own greeting to his back and he holds up a hand as he goes.
He scans the cafeteria as he leaves and Dustin thinks he knows who he is looking for. This is confirmed when Steve’s face splits into a wide grin like it had done for Dustin and he yells: “Robbie, your Indie film came in today. Watch it when you clock in?”
The two of them are perfect for each other Dustin thinks as he watches Robin grin back, getting up to meet Steve before he leaves the cafeteria. He wonders why they won’t just date and why Robin didn’t say hi until Steve did, since she normally has no inhibitions about draping herself over Steve.
Unlike Dustin, Robin has knowledge over Steve in the high school ecosystem.
She knows that Steve isn’t the person to be seen with her and she wasn’t sure he’d want to be her friend when under the watchful eyes of others. It’s something she realized was stupid the moment he looked for her and grinned.
Steve is her dingus and soulmate. They will always pick each other and he has already told her that many times before. Her own anxieties just get in the way from time to time.
With permission, she runs over launching herself into his arms. Steve catches her without problem like he always does.
Softly he says: “I used my extra time to get Dustin food, I don’t know if Keith will let me pick you up. Can you get to work, because I will fight Keith, no worries.”
“I’ll ask Nancy,” Robin assures him. “I don't mind. You’re still dropping me off at home?”
“Yeah, of course,” Steve says, like she's an idiot for thinking any different.
It’s only then, when Steve truly has to go if he wants to get back to work on time, that they let go of the other. Dragging out their goodbye as Steve makes his way out of the cafeteria.
Dustin gets pulled out of the – in his eyes – couple-y display by Gareth commenting: “You don’t see that every day.”
“Is Robin dating Steve?” Eddie asks like that is very surprising to hear
“No,” Dustin rolls his eyes. “They’re practically perfect for each other, but they both keep insisting it’s platonic, like with a capital P. Steve’s date this Friday is probably some random girl, at this point he’s more likely to show up with Mike’s mom than Robin.”
“Gross, dude,” Mike exclaims, but is ignored.
“Ah, okay,” Eddie says, like that makes more sense, which Dustin doesn’t get.
However, he lets it go in favor of focusing on something more interesting. “You shook Steve's hand, does this mean you’re gonna be nicer to each other now?” he asks Eddie.
Eddie raises a brow and gives a cynical smile as he answers: “I wouldn’t get your hopes up, squirt. He’s still the king of his court. Today was an exception of gracing us peasants, but that won’t last.”
“I don’t get why you think Steve’s like that,” Dustin complains. “He is a cool guy.”
“Exactly,” Jeff says. “He is cool, we are not. It’s not the same.”
Eddie clicks his fingers as he points at Jeff, backing up his point through the bite he’s eating.
“You just don’t know him”" Dustin says, but lets it go again. He isn’t getting anywhere with these two, no matter how much he thinks they would get along if they’d just try.
“Maybe I don’t,” Eddie agrees, voice absent as he watches Robin, who is seemingly getting interrogated by the band kids. Then Eddie brings his eyes back into focus and adds: “But I know his kind.”
“Whatever,” Dustin sighs, then dives into his burger, humming happily at the food Steve got him. He truly is the best
The whispers about Steve’s visit roam the halls for weeks after. Dustin is asked by multiple people how he knows Steve, when he answers that they’re friends, he isn’t believed. But Dustin is used to it, besides why should he care? He knows Steve better than any of them. They’re best friends.