Chapter Text
It’s very awkward to be honest - the first time Gareth comes around to check on Eddie. The standoffish vibes and the critical looks he’s shooting Steve makes the palms of his hands sweat.
Come on! This is Eddie’s best friend. I need him to like me.
But it just doesn’t flow. Steve can’t follow half the conversations Gareth is striking up, and it’s not like they can fill the guy in on what really happened in Hawkins, or to Eddie. With Steve’s long sleeves and Eddie’s bandages, they also can’t really explain why they got so cozy with each other, and after Gareth’s latest encounter with jocks, it is natural for him to be cautious of Steve.
In the end, Steve excuses himself with some made up excuse to step out of the room, running directly into Will Byers.
Excitedly Steve wraps the kid up in a hug, surprised by how tall the boy has become in the few months since Steve last saw him last.
“My favorite Byers! How are you? What are you doing here?”
“I was here to check in with Max and Lucas. Mike and Dustin just left, but I wanted to see you, too. Jonathan told me where to find you.”
“See, and that is why you are my favorite. Don’t tell Dustin.”
Will chuckles and tries to fend Steve off when he reaches out to ruffle Will’s hair.
“I can’t really stay. Mom already left. I think she has a bunch of paperwork to do with Hopper, I’m not really sure, and I have to walk back before it gets dark.”
Steve nods with understanding. He knows how protective Joyce is, probably leaving Will behind rather reluctantly, but the kids needed some time to catch up while the adults were smothered by bureaucracy.
“You should come in and meet Eddie though, before you leave.”
Will lights up at that, and ushers him into the room where Gareth is glaring at Steve for interrupting their chit-chat.
“Sorry… Uh, this is Will.”
Steve gestures at the boy with the awful bowl cut as if that’s all the explanation it takes, but there’s no recognition on Eddie’s face, and Gareth still looks unimpressed. “Dustin’s friend. The one that did the campaigns…”, Steve checks with Will for confirmation and continues after a nod from the boy, “before they joined Hellfire.”
Realization dawns on Gareth’s face. “No shit! You’re Will ‘the Wise’?”
“Um, yeah.”
“I’m Gareth. The others haven’t stopped talking about you and some of the stories you wrote for them. Pretty awesome stuff you came up with.”
“Ah, yes. We’ve heard many great things about you, Will ‘the Wise’. What an honor for I, humble Eddie ‘the Banished’, to make your acquaintance.”
Steve can’t help but snort as soon as the word “humble” leaves the mouth of his soulmate. Eddie may be a lot of things, but humble is not a word Steve would use to describe him. For the first time, Gareth is smiling over at Steve, clearly just as amused by Eddie’s choice of words.
They fall into an easy conversation about Hellfire and when they can start to play again, while Steve is content to sit down and watch the conversation, tuning out a bit.
“Well, as fun as it was, I'd rather get going now. My mom is picking me up soon.”
When Gareth gets up Steve addresses Eddie’s friend hesitantly, seeing an opportunity to get little Byers home safely, but not wanting to overstep. “Hey, uh, Gareth? You think you can take Will home, too?”
The boy with the curly hair stops and turns back to Steve who feels the underlying urge to squirm at the furrow of Gareth’s brows. He seems reluctant at first so Steve adds “... It’s just with the events of the week and the earthquakes and- -”
“Yeah, yeah, Harrington. Chill. We can take him.”
Gareth locks eyes with Will and nods over his shoulder, then waves at Steve and Eddie. Will follows Gareth out but turns back to the hospital room before leaving.
“Bye, Eddie. It was nice to meet you. Bye, Steve.”
Steve wiggles his fingers in a little wave then nuzzles back into the chair.
A little quiet would be nice.
"Oh my god, you'll never guess who just sparked!"
Robin barrels into the hospital room. A nurse in the hallway sends a pointed look her way.
Steve instantly focuses on his best friend, dropping the conversation he was having with Eddie.
Eddie leans forward on the bed for a better view. "Gareth and Will?"
"What?"
Both Robin and Steve whip their heads around to face the metalhead, who brings his hands up in an exaggerated shrug.
"I don't know. You said we should guess. They just met today, it's a likely possibility."
"Likely. But that's not it."
Steve waits for a further explanation.
"It's me, you idiots!"
To emphasize her point, Robin juts out her arm, wrist up. Black and vibrant, there's a new mark. The edges are still red from the fresh burn.
"Aaaahhhhh!" Steve jumps up from the bed and wraps Robin in a tight hug. He jumps up and down a bit, jostling her around.
"Your stitches! Stop!" Robin swats her hand at Steve's arm.
He pulls back a bit to look her in the eyes. "I'm so happy for you. Tell us everything. Who? And where? How?"
"Okay, okay. It's Vickie."
I knew it!
"Ha! I told you she likes b- -"
Robin presses the palm of her hand at Steve's mouth, effectively shutting him up, then she hisses, "Don't ruin this for me, dingus."
She steps back a bit and Steve runs the back of his hands over his mouth.
"We're both helping out at the school, you know, the shelter they've put up because of the earthquake. Doesn't matter. Anyway, we were handing out t-shirts and stuff and she dropped something and we both reached for it and 'boom' ", Robin holds out her arm again and stares at the mark, like she can't believe it's real.
"So, what did Vickie say? Was she surprised her soulmate is a girl? Did she know?"
"Are you girlfriends now?"
"When are you going on a date?"
Steve and Eddie shoot rapid fire questions at Robin, who is suddenly frozen into place. Her eyes dart back and forth between the boys.
"I... I don't know," she finally says quietly.
"What do you mean 'you don't know'?"
"I... It's just... We sparked and I panicked and I thought 'I need to talk to Steve’ so I biked here."
Eddie takes in a big breath. His eyes are wide. "Before you could talk?"
"Robs, did you just leave her there?" Steve stares at his best friend in shock, his mouth open.
"Oh my god. I just left her alone. Ohmygod ohmygod ohmygod. I need to get back!"
Robin tugs at her hair with a groan, then turns on her heel ready to leave.
Steve gets up to follow her. When he reaches the door, he suddenly backs up and jogs up to Eddie's bedside. He takes Eddie's face in his hands and captures his lips in a short chaste kiss. Both corners of their mouths curl upwards in a soft smile.
"I'll be back in a bit," he says oh so sweetly, then he bolts after Robin.
"Wait, Robs! I'll drive you!"
"The bike!"
"We can pick up your stupid bike later. Let's get you back to your soulmate."
Steve and Robin hurry out the door.
It’s the next day when the government people finally show up. Steve has already wondered where they were. Maybe the whole earthquake situation has thrown them off, maybe some of them were busy cleaning up the mess of the laboratory the army fucked over.
They might be late, but they’re stiff and cold as ever. The duo of suits hand out the NDAs left and right like treats. They don’t ask them how the squad is holding up or how recovery is going. They just deliver the paperwork and let them know they’ll make another round to collect the signed contracts.
The sum at the bottom line has grown since the last time they dealt with the Upside Down, but Steve still thinks it’s not enough, by far. A few thousand dollars. That’s all they’re supposed to get for saving the world, for his soulmate nearly dying.
“We should sign boy,” Wayne says, “It’s better than nothin’, and we need everythin’ we can get.”
That’s not right. We deserve so much more.
Eddie doesn’t argue. He’s in bed, still slipping into naps whenever he can because his body needs to rest and recover. He said he’d leave all the decisions to Wayne since the trailer and everything was his possession, too out of it to realize how much of the stuff belonged to him.
The suits, Mrs. Wilson and Mr. Stewart, are back. Mr. Stewart, with his slicked back hair, is adjusting his tie, which looks like it’s choking him. Mrs. Wilson clears her throat and holds out her perfectly manicured fingers to retrieve the contracts.
Wayne clicks his pen, getting ready to sign the NDA, but Steve snatches it from him. Wayne only lifts an eyebrow; ‘go on,’ it says. Wayne knows Steve has more experience with these people, so he’s clearly going with his lead. Eddie blinks awake at the commotion. His eyes track Steve’s movements with curiosity.
"That's not enough," Steve states coldly to the government agents. “We’re not signing under these conditions.”
"Boy, it really-"
Steve hushes Wayne with a wave of his hand. His eyes are pleading for Wayne to understand so he can handle this situation. He’s talked with Nancy before. The whole group is done with the government sweeping everything under the rug for peanuts as compensation. Murray has assured them they can make demands, and Steve is about to push his luck.
He crosses his arms, papers still in hand, and faces the government people.
"This man lost everything he owned. His son,” he gestures at Eddie in the hospital bed, "nearly died. We want full compensation."
Mr. Stewart seems to fight himself to not roll his eyes, clearly not taking him seriously.
"What do you suggest, boy?"
"That's Mister Harrington to you, sir." Steve grits his teeth and levels him a stern look.
"A new accommodation, first of all. Market prices sure aren't skyrocketing at the moment, so the government can easily afford something. Preferably something nice, two bedrooms."
The suits both raise their eyebrows, looking at each other a bit shocked. It’s almost comical, and Steve’s lips twitch to form a grin. He fights it down. A bit of pride is coursing through his veins. His parents may not care for him, but they made an offhand comment about the drop of housing prices, the only reason they’re not selling the house yet. Not like they cared if Steve had anywhere to stay. He shakes off the uncomfortable feeling in his chest. At least his parents were useful for something.
When the government agents are stunned into silence, Steve continues his demands.
"Once cleared, we want all the stuff from the trailer that's salvageable, especially trinkets and memories, like photos. We want all of Eddie's stuff replaced-"
"The government can't really replace drugs-"
"I'm not talking about his stock. I'm talking about his music and equipment. The guitar and the... the…"
Steve forms a square in the air and looks back at Eddie for assistance. Thankfully the metalhead catches on pretty quickly. "The amps!” Eddie snaps his fingers excitedly before he adds, “and I want all my records and cassettes and the player."
"Exactly. Plus we want the medical bills covered. Including physical therapy, the doctors say he'll need it. For Max, too."
Wayne watches with pride as the scene unfolds. Mrs. Wilson and Mr. Stewart stick their heads together, talking under their breath. The woman shakes her head; both look displeased. Steve can sense they’re considering refusing, so he pushes. His voice is icy.
"Max nearly died covering your asses. She could have ended up blind. So you got off lucky. I don't see any reason to discuss this any further."
Reluctantly, they agree. Wayne chimes in and makes them put it all down in writing.
Smart! So they can’t screw us over.
They step closer so they can check on the suits and what they’re putting down. Another thought crosses Steve’s mind.
All or nothing.
Steve taps the NDA and adds "I want college tuition fees paid for Miss Buckley."
The government people protest loudly, talking over each other. Both shake their heads relentlessly. Steve can only make out someone saying the demand is ‘unreasonable’.
"Well, it's not like we can go back to earn it, now that the store we worked at is ripped in half by an earthquake, is it?"
Steve is getting sassy now, he knows it, but these guys deserve someone standing up against them.
"One year," the woman with the short hair offers.
"All of it."
Steve puffs his chest, his arms on his hips. The kids teasingly call it ‘mom stance,’ and maybe it’s true. He feels like a proud soccer mom, fighting for his child. Robin deserves the world and he’ll do everything he can to get her the education she deserves.
"No, that's too much."
"What about 3 years? Enough to complete the bachelor studies." Eddie mediates from the hospital bed.
"Deal."
Mr. Stewart grumbles as he writes everything down. Both suits don’t seem happy with Steve standing up for their demands. They probably expected them to just sign the contracts like they did the years prior, but they clearly underestimated ‘the party’.
"Therapy."
"Huh?"
"I want free therapy for all of the kids. No. For all of us, really. Someone who's in the know. Someone we can talk to about nightmares and flesh monsters and Demogorgons without being sent to join Victor Creel."
It’s a reasonable request it seems since they grumble about it, but they agree.
Steve thinks back about Max and the letters. How often she went to the counselor who told her it would get better with time. How no one saw how much Chrissy was hurting under all that cheerful facade. The other kids who completely went under the radar by everyone but Henry. Steve’s eyebrows knit together and he sends them a resentful stare.
"Honestly, you should have offered us that the first time around. Then maybe you could have prevented this whole mess."
At least Mrs. Wilson and Mr. Stewart have the decency to look a bit guilty. They hand over the extended contract and Steve makes sure to check over everything, even if the uncomfortable silence stretches on. He hands the NDAs over to Wayne so he can double check.
Steve can’t help but feel petty, so when he hands the documents back he quips, "Oh and we take the money, of course."
The government people look really sour when they leave, but Steve can’t bring himself to care. Not one bit. Not when their experiments put them all into harm's way. Not after what happened to El. Not after losing Hop (not really), but he was gone for too long and he looks rattled now. Not after what happened to Max and Eddie and Chrissy and …
Devestaging thoughts are ripped apart by Eddie’s amused chuckle.
"You really thought this through, Stevie."
Steve smiles between his soulmate and Wayne. He’s so proud for being able to get them all what they deserve.
Soon they’ll have a new home. He can already picture it. Wayne, sitting on the front porch, reading the newspaper, maybe doing the crosswords while smoking. Eddie, in his newly decorated room with his guitar, humming along while writing new songs. Steve pictures himself in the kitchen. Cookies baking in the oven for the kids, while he’s on the phone with Robin, talking about her day at university or bragging about Vickie.
"I was prepared this time. It's the years and years of experience dealing with these folks."
Steve aims for funny, but apparently misses for miles when he sees Wayne and Eddie's faces darken. In two big steps Wayne is at his side and the older man pulls him into a hug. Warm comfort washes over him. Steve feels his shoulders relax, a tension he didn’t even realize he was holding. He’s slumping forward a bit, feeling safe in the embrace, bringing his hands around Wayne’s shoulders.
That’s what love feels like, huh?
Fingers thread through Steve’s hair and he lets out a sigh.
“Boy, ya shouldn’t have to deal with all that by ya’self,” Wayne grumbles above Steve, “but we gotcha now. You’re not alone.”
Tears prick at the corners of Steve's eyes while he's held close to Wayne's chest. The warm smell of musk and a bit of smoke tickle his nose.
He looks over Wayne's shoulder to Eddie and locks sight on those wonderful brown eyes shining with love, and for the first time he thinks everything will be alright. He basks in Eddie's beautiful smile, so bright it fills his heart with the warmth of the sunshine on the first day of spring, when all the clouds drift away.
