âSomething is really wrong with Steve,â Robin says.
The party look up, startled. They wait for her to continue, but she starts pacing nervously. It immediately sets the kids on edge, glancing at each other uneasy.
âWhat do you mean?â Dustin eventually speaks up. âIs he⊠ill?â
âNo, no, itâs⊠his parents came home, right?â
âYeah, we know,â Max snorts. âDustins mom had to ban him from the house because he wouldnât leave.â
âHe canât avoid them forever,â Dustin points out. âI get that itâs hard to talk to them when you have to lie all the time but theyâre, like, paying for all his shit.â
âNo they arenât!â Robins voice cracks. âThey cut him off years ago! Dude, he hates them and now heâs writing up a resignation letter so he can go work for his dad.â
âWhy is that a bad thing?â El asks, eyes a little wide.
âHeâd have to train for a few months in New York for one.â
âNew York?!â All of them burst out. They all try to speak at once, loud and panicked. Theyâre so loud that Hopper bursts out, confused and tired and panicked.
âWhat the hell is going on?â He snaps.
The kids all look a little guilty. El stands up so he looks at her. âWe are worried about Steve.â
âWhat? Jeez, thatâs what youâre yelling about?â
âHeâs moving away!â Mike snaps. âTo New York! For months!â
Hopper frowns at him like heâs not making sense. âNew York?â
âTo work with his dad,â Robin adds. âI didnât know if I should talk him out-â
âTheyâre back?â Hopper asks. Heâs gone still, voice devoid of emotion and dangerously calm. âHow long?â
âA month? Maybe more, it-â
âAnd theyâre home now? Do you know if Steve is there with them? Itâs not one of his shifts, is it? Thatâd make it easier.â
âWhat? No, heâs home. Make what easier?â
Hopper ignores the question, grabbing his coat and shoes. âStay here, I wonât be long.â
He ignores the questions that grow frantic and panicked when he picks up his gun, stomping out the door at a fast pace. Robin is yelling from the door as he climbs into his car. Sheâs too taken aback to even begin to think of how to answer to avalanche of questions the kids throw at her.
Hopper gets to the Harrington house in record time, having sped just a little to get there. Mrs Harrington is the one who opens the door and looks a little guilty when she sees him.
âWhere is he?â Hopper asks.
She steps back, letting him in. âIn his room.â
Hopper pushes past her, taking the stairs two at a time. Steve is sat at his desk when he enters the room without knocking, head snapping up and looking startled. He looks a little ashamed when he realizes that itâs Hopper.
âHop,â Steves voice is strained. He frowns when Hopper ignores him, pulling his closet open. âUh, Hopper? What are you doing?â
âTaking you home,â Hopper mutters. He pulls out the three bags he knows Steve has been keeping hidden, just in case. âCome on, pack up.â
âYes you can. Pack. Up.â
Steve only hesitates for a moment. He slowly fills up one with his few sentimental things and some things he considers important (his scoops uniform, the drawings from Will). Hopper stuffs the other two with clothes. It doesnât take them long.
âIâll come back for the rest, if you want any of it,â Hopper hands Steve his car keys, waving him toward the stairs. âWait in the car. Iâll be a minute.â
Steve hesitates at the door, glancing between Hopper and his mom. He leaves though, doesnât say goodbye.
âRight, hereâs whatâs going to happen; Iâm going to come back for the rest of his things. Iâve seen that room, Iâll know if somethings missing. And that shit is his, donât try to bullshit me.â Hopper eyes her with visible distaste. âHeâs an adult now. You canât take him back and if I hear that either of youâve been trying to harass him again, Iâll press charges.â
She nods, which is enough of an answer for him. He throws the two bags in the back with the third before climbing in the drivers seat. The air is thick with tension as he pulls out the drive, starting the drive back to the cabin.
âUm⊠could you, uh, drop me off at the trailer park?â Steve asks, quiet and timid in a way that is horribly familiar to Hopper. âI, uh⊠I need to see Eddie.â
Hopper grunts. He grits his teeth to stop himself snapping. It wouldnât be fair on Steve. So he drives him there, quiet and tense.
âThanks,â Steve mumbles.
But Hopper climbs out too, gently grabbing Steves jacket lapels to drag him over to the Munsons trailer. Hopper knocks.
âOh,â Waynes eyebrows raise. He looks Hopper up and down before turning his eyes on Steve, who he gives a soft smile. âHarrington, you doing alright?â
âNo,â Hopper answers for him. âCould we come in for a moment?â
âSure?â Wayne shuffles out the way, shutting the door behind them. âEddieâs in his room, if you want me to get him?â
âYou want your boy to see?â Hopper asks Steve.
Steve ducks his head, fiddling with the sleeves of his jacket. He mutters, âhe probably will anyway.â
âOk. Do you want him here for this?â
âHere for what?â Eddie asks, hovering in the doorway, worried. âWhatâs happened?â
âNothing,â Steve tries to say. âItâs⊠really, itâs nothing.â
âSteve,â Hopper calmly says. Waits for Steve to look back at him, simply raises an eyebrow. âWhere?â
âHopper, itâs fine, really.â
Steve tries to stare him down, unsuccessfully. He huffs, annoyed, glancing at Wayne and Eddie who, understandably, look confused.
He slowly takes his jacket off, keeping his eyes on the floor. Thereâs a sharp intake of breath when the dark, almost black, bruises on his arms are revealed. They litter the entirety of both arms, the ones around his left wrist and right bicep standing out the most- the ones shaped like hands.
âSteve,â Eddie whispers, walking forward slowly. Heâs careful, brushing his fingers against his skin. âOh, baby, who did this?â
âItâs fine,â Steve tries to insist.
Hopper clears his throat though. âWhere else?â
Steve doesnât try to argue this time. He grabs the back of his collar, lifting his top off. His ribs have the worst of his bruises.
âFuck,â Eddie carefully, gently, pulls Steve into a hug. Presses gentle, ever so soft kisses to his neck. His hand is just as gentle when he rubs his back. Steve clings to him, grip looking almost painful, but Eddie doesnât complain.
Hopper turns to Wayne, who is also pointedly looking away so the two can have their moment. âHis parents are gonna try to find him. Direct them to me if they try here.â
âDonât worry about Steve,â Wayne glances at the pair, still wrapped around each other, at the bruises. âWorry about them. If they try to come by here, theyâll be leaving in a body bag. Iâm sick of assholes treating my kids like this.â
Hopper looks over at Eddie, whoâs pulling back so he can hold Steves face, eyes painfully understanding. He nods at Wayne, pats his shoulder. âIâm getting the rest of his stuff, heâs got no reason to go back there. Itâs my cabin heâs coming home to.â
âIâll drive him there myself,â Wayne glances at the pair, who think theyâre being subtle and sneaky as they giggle their way towards Eddies room. âTomorrow.â
Hopper chuckles, glancing towards the hall the two disappeared down. âTomorrow.â