So "Uptown Girl" released in 1983, and I feel like Steve would have sung it to Nancy sometimes, and she would humor him, because it was sweet, and he actually sounded pretty good when he wasn't doing it just to be goofy
Fast forward a few years, Eddie and Steve are dating, and they're sitting on the couch at Eddie's place one evening, comfortably high, Eddie noodling around on his acoustic and Steve just kinda vibing. And Eddie knows Steve likes Billy Joel, so he starts up with the tune of the first one he can think of: "Uptown Girl." And suddenly Steve's mouth is dropping open like he's just had some great realization
Steve Harrington knew what he was, he'd known for a little while now, he knew it simply and eloquently. Steve Harrington was, is, always will be, a placeholder.
Placeholder friend, placeholder son, placeholder boyfriend, placeholder brother, placeholder king. He existed for one reason, to be everything for someone, everything they needed. And, for a time, to feel that love and that everything in return. There until someone is more. More than he could ever be, more than needed. Wanted.
Nancy Wheeler had needed him for a while, a charming boyfriend who boosted her social status. She had needed someone to talk to, someone nice to look at, someone loyal with a good easy future ahead of him. But she wanted someone who would talk back, who was booksmart like her, who was interesting as well as interested. So she found that someone and walked away.
Dustin Henderson needed a big brother, some help with the "fairer sex" (Dustin's words), hair care tips and, along with the whole group of young little misfits, someone physically strong, broad and tall to protect them from monsters. Steve can already see this one waining, the wants outweighing the needs, who would want a bitchy older brother when you could have one who connects to your world, who plays your games, someone aloof and nerdy, dark and goofy, smart and funny. Someone better.
Even his parents had needed a child to carry their name and their status, but wanted a freedom he couldn't provide. Wanted a pride they could not find in him.
Robin will be the next to go, that one will hurt the most, she's basically a whole half of his own soul at this point, a full part of him. She's his everything. But college will be a whole new world, one where Steve's quips won't hold weight amongst Robin's new intellectual friends, where Steve's questioning nature about himself and his own sexuality won't hold a candle to the actual queer culture she's sure to find herself diving into. At least she'll call, she's too good, to perfect of a person, she'll stop needing him but she'll know he can't stop wanting her, so she'll call.
The thing is, it's all well and good figuring out your place in the world, how you fit around other people's lives. But it still hurts. It always hurts. It will never not hurt. Because hope, hope is a terrible thing, a thing that covers you in twisted vines until you can't see beyond the beautiful green of it, so when it's brutally stripped away darkness floods your vision and you cannot deny the loss. Hope hides the poison of loneliness, so, when it is pulled away, it's sweetness gone, it highlights the bitter poison left in its wake.
Thankfully, now he knows what to expect, he can prune and manage that hope, keep the green from obscuring his vision, keep the saccharine sweetness from disguising the poison. Leaving only a small tinge of green in the corner of his eye, and the bittersweet taste of liquorice on his lips. Of course the poison still burns his throat and eats away at his vital organs, but now he can see it being administered. Now he can't fall as far backwards.
The Eddie Munson of it all seems to have other ideas. Ever since meeting Eddie, properly meeting Eddie, and knowing Eddie, properly knowing Eddie, all Steve has seen is bright leafy green.
Inspired by my conversation with @matildakissesxo on this post.
Steve Harrington loves a fetch quest. It's his great joy in life. It's one of his favorite roles as a boyfriend, as a friend, a babysitter, and eventually, as Claudia's oldest son.
Nancy's highlighter is out of ink? He's in the car before she can tell him she's got a spare in her backpack.
Max and El want to make banana bread? He's stopping at the store to chocolate chips and the good vanilla before they can start.
Eddie is cold in Steve's over air conditioned house? Blanket, sweater, fuzzy socks from his room, stat. He's even taking the liberty of putting the socks on Eddie himself, kissing the top of his socked foot.
But his favorite, by far, is doing anything for Claudia. Growing up, the surest way to get his mom to pat his cheek and kiss his hair was for him to help her bring in his groceries, but his parents almost always pay extra for someone to bring in their purchases for them. Housekeepers bring the groceries and furniture is always delivered and set up for them, so that affection was hard won.
Claudia is always happy to have his help. She calls him a sweet boy and pulls him in for warm hugs and plies him with lemon bars and pie. The first time she calls him "her boy" is when all the moms of Hawkins are cooing over how sweet Steve is, crossing the main street as soon as he sees Claudia bringing out her grocery bags.
Robin's virginity will always belong to Vickie O'Neill-Dunne & that's canon (I'm believing it is). Nancy's just going to have to deal. Besides, Jonathan's belongs to hers, and hers belongs to Steve's. And Steve's probably belongs to Tommy. We'll never know for sure. I know they've fucked, I just can't prove it.
*(Steve: *high as fuck* It's not gay, if you say it's not before you do it, Robin! It doesn't count. I lost my virginity to a woman! Besides, virginity isn't real!)
@gambita7x Ooh, let's see. (Also I'm sorry because while there is a strong Ronance foundation to this, a lot of platonic Stobin and not platonic Steddie found its way in there too.)
(send me a ship and 3 ao3 tags and I’ll make a little scenario for it)
I've had this brainworm in the back of my head this past week where Robin and Nancy hook up and really look like their going to end up together, but Nancy hasn't technically broken up with Jonathan yet they're just sort of... on a break, or something, no one seems to be quite sure.
So Steve, as Robin's platonic soulmate, is watching this happen, and he's especially watching Nancy not officially end things with Jonathan, and he cannot. For the life of him. Stop thinking about how Nancy slept with Jonathan before breaking up with him. And it's not so much wanting to look out for Jonathan, it's just... Look, Steve is decent at recognizing patterns, and he's worried that some day Nancy is going to do to Robin what she did to him and what she's doing to Jon, alright?
Except when he broaches the subject with Robin, what he says is, "She doesn't know what she wants." And Robin, who maybe has a lot of tamped down guilt about being so into her best friend's ex, unfortunately takes this as Steve saying that Nancy is only experimenting. She bristles and accuses Steve of not wanting her to be happy, of still holding a candle for Nancy and wanting to sabotage their budding relationship, says it's suspicious that he cares so much about Jonathan being cheated on all of the sudden when he's never really gotten along with the guy. Steve gets increasingly frustrated because that's not what he's saying. Robin snaps back that well, maybe he's just not as much of a queer ally as she thought he was. And the argument builds and builds until it's this huge blow-out fight and, suddenly, they're not friends anymore.
Nancy comforts Robin in the aftermath of losing a best friend. Since no one is necessarily a reliable narrator about a friendship-ending fight, Robin didn't repeat what Steve said verbatim and Nancy never had a chance of figuring out the miscommunication, just joins her in indignance that her ex-boyfriend would try to insist that she couldn't possibly be a lesbian. (Which, to be clear, is [a] not what he was saying and [b] kind of telling of a period-typical blind spot around bisexuality.)
Meanwhile, Steve is platonic-heartbroken and also still worried that Robin is just going to end up hurt by Nancy some day. But some of the things she shouted at him have gotten under his skin too, and he ends up going to Eddie and confessing everything, finishing up with a tearful, "What if I am homophobic? I didn't think I was, but what if..."
And Eddie, who's kind of a dumbass and kind of in love with Steve after the events of Spring Break '86, is just like, "Let's test it. I'm gay, Steve. And, cards on the table here, if you ever wanted to experiment I'd take you up on it in a heartbeat. How does that make you feel?"
Needless to say, Steve isn't a homophobe. He's really sad and in need of comfort and Eddie is willing to offer it, so Steve stays the night and wakes up in the morning to the polar opposite of homophobic thoughts.
Except he also wakes up to an empty bed, because Eddie has taken it upon himself to go explain to Robin what Steve was actually trying to tell her. He gets both Robin and Nancy, and while Nancy doesn't love hearing that Steve thinks of her as a serial cheater, in retrospect she can admit that she could have handled certain things better. Because Steve had apologized for being a crappy boyfriend back in '85, but she'd never formally said anything about her own part in their relationship crumbling.
Eddie zooms back with Nancy in his van just as a very upset Steve is about to pull away in the BMW, blocking him in so he can't leave. Does Steve want to talk to Nancy right now? Nope. But it does help, once they're all back inside the privacy of the new Munson trailer, that Eddie kisses him silly with reassurances that of course he didn't leave leave, he wanted to help fix things so Steve and Robin can go back to being SteveandRobin again, Eddie is very much willing and eager to be Steve's boyfriend and lol, actually he was so zeroed in on fixing things that he'd neglected to mention they'd hooked up.
So Nancy is surprised, but also says how sweet of Eddie that was and that she's happy for them... the way she hopes Steve can be happy for her and Robin. Eddie busies himself making coffee and breakfast in the kitchenette while they talk it out, and while Steve is still pretty hesitant after his best friend completely misreading his concerns and immediately jumping to assume the worst, Nancy is more patient now than she ever was when reading over his essays a few years ago.
Eventually Nancy calls Robin, who bikes over for a tearful reunion with Steve. They'd not been friends for barely 24 hours but that was still 24 hours too long. Steve officially gives Robin and Nancy his blessing, and it's not until he witnesses his first Ronance smooch that he blurts out, "Oh yeah, and I have something to tell you!" He snags Eddie's belt loop, pulls him into his lap, and (while Eddie is already puckering up expecting a kiss) tugs the collar of Eddie's band tee aside to show all the hickies he'd left there last night, all proud of himself. "I have a boyfriend now!"
Have he and Eddie talked about being boyfriends? Nope. Is Eddie going to complain about this in any way? Absolutely not. Does Robin screech in surprise that omg, birds of a feather really do flock together? Definitely. This is why Steve's first tattoo is going to be bird related.
And they all live happily ever after once they find out that Jonathan had thought the break was a break up and already has kind of a thing going with Argyle.
AO3 | written for @steddiebingo hop into spring mini event | prompt: blind date | rating: t | wc: 4.3k | cw: language, allusions to a toxic relationship (not steddie) | tags: alternate universe - no upside down, modern au, blind date, getting together, eddie POV, past stancy (but they're friends now), platonic soulmates eddie munson and nancy wheeler | masterlist
Eddie walks into the restaurant exactly 10 minutes before 7:00 – enough time to survey the place without stress. As if he isn’t at least comfortably familiar with the place already – one of his blind date stipulations, a place that he knew well enough to know how to navigate without panic. He takes a look around, eyes flitting to each and every exit, as he walks up to the host stand. “Hi, uh, reservation under Wheeler?”
The host smiles at him as they type into their computer. “Perfect. Got you right here, Mr. Wheeler. Follow me.” Eddie wrinkles his nose at being called Mr. Wheeler, but Nancy insisted on putting the reservation in her name for the date, so he swallows down the prickly feeling as the host grabs two menus and silverware and leads Eddie through the restaurant. They stop at a small table off to the side wall, other patrons murmuring into their dinners around them. “Here you are, sir. I’ll bring your guest once they arrive.”
Eddie thanks the host and takes a seat, quickly resuming his scan of the place. He notes every exit and the fastest path to get to every exit three times over in his head, repeats it like the life-saving mantra he knows it to be. He knows the place, but it’s always good, he thinks, to review everything and remind himself of the exits in case they suddenly moved, or one of them was cordoned off for some reason, or there was a massive party that would be hell to navigate past, or–
Eddie sighs.
He hadn’t ever thought too much about the exits of a place, or how many things could actually be an exit when you put your mind to it – and you’d be surprised, really, at what could be an exit if you were desperate enough.
No, he hadn’t thought too seriously about that.
Not until Billy.
Until Billy’s charming smile and strong hands and gruffness swooped into his life and turned it all upside down.
His phone buzzes on the table.
Nancy: stop biting your nails or i’ll come throw my drink on you
Eddie laughs, looking up to scan the room again. He spots Nancy at one of the barside tables, perfectly in his line of vision.
She’s a saint, he’s decided.
He lifts the hand he’d been absolutely mauling and finger waves at her. She only smirks in response and gives him a tiny thumbs up.
Eddie: as if you would risk ruining the hair you spent so long on fixing, nance-a-lot
He hears her laugh across the room and something settles within him, small chunks of the colossal anxiety within him melting away at the sound. Nancy is here. And wherever Nancy is means safety.
Eddie breathes out a bit easier, feels his chest loosen just a bit. It’s going to be okay. He’ll make it through this blind date, go home with his best friend, vent about what a disaster it was, and move on with his life. Maybe then Nancy would accept that he just wants to be alone.
Being alone is safer. Easier. Less messy.
Less terrifying.
“Stop spiraling, Munson.” He breathes out, shakes his hands out at his sides in an effort to calm himself. A waiter comes by and fills up a glass with water for him. Eddie smiles, offers up his thanks, sips on the water. He focuses intently on his breathing, willing his nerves to mellow the fuck out.
He scans the restaurant again, surveys the people enjoying their dinners and drinks, tries to see if he recognizes any of them or if any of them look threatening in any way. He’s on his second round of re-checking the area, his eyes sweeping back toward the front of the restaurant when they land on, quite literally, the most gorgeous man he’s ever seen.
“Jesus fucking christ.” Eddie mutters, hand gripping his water glass a bit too tightly, as he stares at the man who just waltzed in the front door.
Eddie can’t glean much from this far, but what he can, he decides, is absolute beauty. If you could bottle up the concept of beautiful and market it to the masses, this man would be the face of it all. The essence. The sole driving force of it. Without him, beautiful doesn’t even exist.
Eddie’s not even sure he knew what beautiful was before seeing this man. This man, with his swoop of soft as fuck looking hair, with his slightly tanned skin, with his fucking polo shirt tight around his biceps, with–
The man laughs then. At what? Eddie has no fucking clue, but now he’s laser focused on the sound. That laugh could be bottled up, too, as a fucking drug. A pick me up for the hard days. A pure shot of serotonin.
Forget antidepressants – just have this man laugh into a bottle, squeeze it down into a powder, mix it all up, and fucking sell it to poor, pitiful fucks like Eddie so they have some minor modicum of joy in their dull lives.
And that mouth? Jesus. He’s far away, but Eddie is sure that is the prettiest mouth he’s ever seen. Eddie can just make out tiny dots across the man’s skin, freckles or moles, he’s not sure, but fuck is he hoping its both. He wants to map out this man’s body, find every dot lining his skin and lick them.
Eddie snaps out of his reverie when he sees the man start moving, walking alongside the host that sat Eddie, smiling and laughing back and forth. Eddie realizes with an ice cold clarity that this man is his date only a millisecond before the host gestures at the table and speaks, “Here you are, sir. Your waiter will be with you shortly. Have a great evening!” The man thanks the host and slides into the seat across from Eddie. The host walks off back to their stand, wholly unaware of how they just changed Eddie’s entire goddamn life.
Good or bad? Fuck if Eddie knows.
If Eddie thought he was fucked from afar ogling this man, he’s doubly fucked now that he can see his eyes up close. Eyes that are goddamn glittering back at him, perfectly smooth and golden like his morning coffee.
“Hi.” The man’s voice – soft but a bit scratchy, like it’s been well-used – slips between the cracks in Eddie’s armor, slithers down into the caverns of his being, and sings, spreading warmth into his aching muscles. The man smiles at Eddie, a half-face kind of thing, one that looks like it’s excited but restraining itself, unsure yet of what it’s allowed to show.
It’s only then that Eddie realizes he’s probably been staring like a goddamn creep instead of greeting this fucking adonis of a man.
The man’s eyes flicker to Eddie’s glass. “You mad at your water?”
“Shit.” Eddie relinquishes the glass, his hand frigid and pruning at the prolonged contact.
The man reaches across the table, offering up a napkin. “Here you go.”
Eddie takes the napkin, mutters a quiet thanks that comes out more like a garble that he’s sure isn’t even audible, never even makes it past his lips, as he dries off his hand. He flexes his fingers, trying to regain more of the sensation back into them.
“So…” The man coughs, a sad thing. The kind of cough someone does when they’re feeling awkward, or left out, or forgotten.
“Shit.” Eddie spits out, looks up frantically.
The man laughs, and if Eddie thought it was beautiful before, he’s fucking starstruck by it now being so close to it. He’s half tempted to dump his water into the plant behind him and use his empty glass to corral all the laughter he can before sealing it off and hoarding it home with him like a dragon. “Is that the only word you know?”
Eddie blinks.
“Shit.” The man clarifies, a smirk spreading across his face. “Is it? The only word you know?”
Eddie breaks then, laughter of his own spilling out as he goes to drag his hands down his face, stopping mere seconds before his fingers collide with the eyeliner Nancy helped him perfect. He settles for ruffling his hair instead, can practically hear Nancy both chastising and mocking him in his head.
The man raises an eyebrow. “So, you can laugh. That’s good to know. We’re up to at least two distinct sounds now.”
“Shit – no, fuck, man – I mean–” Eddie groans, wrings one hand across his mouth.
“Take your time.” The man smirks, and god, does Eddie want to taste it.
The waiter comes by then to fill up the man’s water. “Hi, I’m Alex, I’ll be your waiter tonight. Are you two ready to order, or would you like some more time?”
“We’d love some more time to look over things, if that’s okay, Alex?” The man beams up at the waiter.
Alex smiles in response and nods. “Of course. I’ll circle back soon. Let me know if you have any questions.”
Alex walks off, leaving Steve to turn back toward Eddie, his eyes sparkling anew with something Eddie can’t quite identify, but fuck if it doesn’t look like trouble.
“So, the waiter has introduced themself to me before my date has. That’s one for the books.” The man quips, a teasing lilt to his smile as he sips his Alex water.
If Eddie hadn’t spent the last years of his life learning how to read every single expression and movement a person could make, he wouldn’t have noticed the slight tension to the man’s jaw, or the way his fingers kept rubbing the same pattern across his water glass, almost obsessively so. He notices the man’s leg tapping beneath the table, too, a staccato beat that wants to shoot up Eddie’s own leg and burrow deep in the cavern inside of him.
The man’s nervous, maybe anxious or upset. Something bad in between all the hopefulness flayed out for Eddie to see. Eddie wonders how someone can wear their emotions so easily, put them out to be scrutinized like this.
Well, not everyone is traumatized like you, dumbass, Eddie thinks to himself.
He sighs and leans forward, pulling his hands to his lap to fidget in silence, away from prying eyes like his own. Out of sight, out of mind. He clears his throat, looks up into the absolute ray of sunshine across from him, part of him wishing the radiance will burn his skin, give him something tangible to remember today by. “I’m sorry. I’m so out of practice with, like, all of this.”
“What, dating?”
“I mean, yeah.” Eddie focuses on spinning his rings, tries desperately to keep his head up and focused on the man in front of him, but he feels that familiar anxiety bubble roiling inside of him.
The man leans forward and smiles, soft and kind. “Well, let me help you get back into the swing of things, then. I’m Steve.”
Eddie cocks his head slightly, brain working overtime to pin down Steve, a name so familiar yet apparently blocked off when the man himself is sent specifically to torture him. “Eddie.”
Steve practically beams in response, the tension slipping from his body. “Eddie.” He snaps his fingers twice across the table, then points. “The artist slash musician, yeah?”
Eddie blinks, because apparently that’s what his brain deems as an acceptable response when caught off guard. “...yeah? How’d you–?”
“Nance hasn’t shut up about you since the day you two became friends, basically. Just didn’t realize that’s who she set me up with until now, though I should have guessed.” Steve shrugs.
Eddie’s brain short-circuits for approximately 8 seconds as he stares back at Steve. He blinks again, because that’s all he’s fucking good for, apparently, until the name Steve resonates like an old song in his brain. “Oh, shit.”
He shifts his gaze from Steve over to Nancy at her bar table. She’s smiling at him already when she catches his stare, her expression shifting, eyebrows raising in question. Eddie tilts his head at Steve and slightly widens his eyes. She mouths at him to “stay” and glares in response, crossing her arms across her chest.
Eddie squints back at her, pulls his hands up from their fidgeting to sign back, “Why?”
Nancy rolls her eyes and relents, signing back her own, “Please. Just trust me.”
Eddie sighs, signs back, “Fine. We’ll talk later.” Nancy nods, smiles in response before turning back to whoever the fuck had materialized at her table when Eddie was too busy ogling Steve. Shit, should he be watching her?
“Were you just signing with Nancy?” Steve’s voice is full of awe.
Eddie snaps back to Steve, his own eyes wide with shock and curiosity. “You know ASL?”
Steve smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “Yeah. I, uh –” He grimaces, reaches a hand up to fidget with the hair over his ear, slightly fluffing it out. “Nance kind of taught me? Or, I guess, we learned together? It’s all kind of muddy, honestly.”
Eddie slumps back. “Fuck, you really are her ex, aren’t you?”
Steve’s grimace grows at that and he flinches – honest to god flinches. “You figured it out, then?”
“Just now, yeah.”
Steve sighs. “Do you want me to go?”
Eddie looks back at Steve, at the way he’s folded in on himself, arms across his chest, no longer the open laughing adonis of a man that had slid into his life just ten minutes ago. Thinks about how he’d feel if he never got to hear that laugh again, see that smile again, see the glittering of those eyes again. His heart makes the choice before his brain can catch up to just how much this man screams danger. “No.”
Steve quirks his brow up, his shoulders dropping slightly. “No?”
“No, I don’t want you to go, unless you want to.” Maybe he doesn’t have to be danger. Maybe he can just be…a small catastrophe. Yeah, sure, that reasoning is fully sound, Eddie, fucking hell.
“‘S not too weird for you? Best friend on a date with best friend’s ex?”
Eddie laughs, then stops as he notices how Steve flinches away from him at the sound. He leans forward immediately and, at the flick of a switch, schools his face into his calmest smile. “Shit, man, I wasn’t laughing at you, I promise. I was laughing at myself.” Eddie sighs, settles his arms on the table. “Look, I don’t know what Nancy’s told you about me, but, my life is, like, the textbook definition of weird.”
Steve leans a bit closer to the table, his shoulders dropping a bit more. “Yeah?”
Eddie takes it as a win and keeps going. “Actually, I think they had to write, like, whole new ass textbooks and shit to make room for what level of weirdness my life exudes.” Eddie spots the edge of a smile on Steve’s lips and locks in, his only goal in life now to resurrect that smile. He leans forward, drops his voice to a whisper as he glances furtively over Steve’s shoulder and back to his beautiful eyes. “I think Nancy helped write it, to be honest. She’s probably working on a new edition right now, taking notes of every weird ass thing I do on my date with Adonis over here.”
Steve laughs. Not the full, beautiful sound from earlier, but halfway there. Eddie grins, a full face thing, surely something maniacal, but he can’t be bothered to care, because Steve is laughing and lowering his shoulders even more. Eddie fake shushes him and continues. “I’m serious! I think she, like, snuck into my room and took meticulous notes of my life when I was at work to help her like I’m a goddamn character study of hers for some article.”
“I wouldn’t put it past her. She’s always been too determined for her own good.”
“Yeah?” Eddie’s grin intensifies, happy to have gotten something in response now. Evening isn’t totally botched, then.
“Yeah. She wrote circles around everyone on the school paper. Shocked none of us when she got that scholarship up here.” Steve slumps his shoulders fully, leans his arms on the table in a mirror of Eddie’s.
“Oh, I’m not surprised. She’s fucking killing it. She ever tell you how we became friends?”
Steve smiles, leans forward the slightest amount, but enough that Eddie notices and his own breath hitches in response. “She might have, but I’d rather hear the story from Apollo here.”
Eddie quirks a brow. “Apollo?”
“If I’m Adonis, then you’re definitely Apollo.”
Eddie, to no one’s surprise, blinks back.
“You have no clue what Apollo does, do you?”
“Not a one, Stevie.”
Steve blushes, bites his lip as he ducks his head, runs a hand through his delectable hair. Fuck. “He, uh, he’s known for like, being the brother of Artemis, or whatever. And people tend to think of archery with him, or prophecy honestly. But, he’s really cool and important, also, for all of the stuff he does with music. Like, really good with music and poetry and captivating people. So, yeah – you do music, ergo, Apollo.”
“Ergo?” Eddie blushes, bites his lip to hold back a laugh, and maybe a love confession, but Steve doesn’t have to know that.
Steve sighs, but his mouth holds a slight smirk. “Are you just going to repeat the words I say back at me the whole date?”
“If it keeps making you make that cute face, then yeah, absolutely.”
“Jesus fucking christ.” Steve mutters, ducking his face into his hands briefly. “Just tell the story, man.”
Eddie admires Steve for a brief moment. Looks at how the low lights coat his hair in a honey-like swirl, how his biceps are practically screaming at the sleeves of his polo, how, oh my god is that chest hair peeking out? Fuck, Eddie is so gone on this man already. He swallows, his throat suddenly thick with premature love confessions and thoughts of Steve’s writhing body beneath him. “How can Apollo spin a tale if he can’t see the face of his Adonis to inspire him on?”
“Oh my god.” Steve groans – a literal groan. That doesn’t do anything untoward to Eddie at all. Nothing. “You said you’re out of practice, you can’t just say shit like that, man. You’re not out of practice at all.”
Eddie smirks. “Appreciate the vote of confidence there, Stevie. Now, can I please gaze upon your beautiful face again so we can continue the best night of my life?”
Steve looks up then, biting back his own blinding smile. “Best night of your life, huh?” Eddie nods. “Well, who am I to disrupt that?”
Alex circles back to their table then. “Are we ready, folks? Any questions about the menu?”
Steve and Eddie mutter out a simultaneous shit, realizing they’d spent the last however long flirting instead of actively looking at the menu.
Alex seems to read the panic on their faces and smiles. “I’ll give you a few more minutes.” He leans in briefly, a conspiratorial grin on his face. “Though, if I can offer a suggestion, my favorites, underrated as they are, are the chicken marsala and the chicken florentine. The salads are also amazing.” With that, Alex winks, then leans back and walks off to another table.
Eddie locks eyes with Steve. “Well, I think Alex just decided my dinner for me.”
Steve laughs, some of that beautiful music from earlier returning to his voice, much more relaxed now. Eddie warms at that, cherishes the feeling of comfort it brings. “Yeah, me too.” He stares back at Eddie for a moment. “There’s more important things I want to spend my energy focusing on besides choosing what to eat.”
“Yeah?” Eddie can’t help the hopeful lilt to his voice.
Steve leans forward, places his hand, palm up on the table between them. “Yeah, Apollo.”
The blush comes on so violently that Eddie knows he must look like he just spent the whole day walking in the park, but he doesn’t care. Not when Steve is smiling at him like this, posture relaxed and easy, eyes twinkling with mischief and mirth at him. Not when Steve has his hand laid out like an invitation, something that seems to promise more warmth and comfort and enjoyment. Eddie flicks his eyes between Steve’s eyes and hand. If it makes Steve anxious or concerned, he doesn’t let on – just keeps gazing at Eddie so soft.
Against his better judgement, against all the warring in his chaotic brain, Eddie’s resolve breaks, a crack in the carefully crafted armor, just big enough for him to slip through to offer the tiniest sliver of his being to the man before him.
Eddie slips his palm into Steve’s. The second their skin connects, it’s like firecrackers in his bloodstream, exploding through every fiber of his being, laying down new paths through the sinew stringing him together, crushing and reknitting his bones to make them full of warmth and strength, swirling around his brain and sneaking into the recesses there to replace fear and hurt with kindness and comfort. His whole body vibrates with the shock of Steve’s touch, but Steve doesn’t waver. He squeezes Eddie’s hand in response, links their fingers together. Eddie can’t help it, lets out a shuddering breath, a quiet, “Fuck.”
Steve lets out a small laugh. “Maybe not on the first date, but we’ll see how the night goes.”
Eddie groans. “You can’t just say shit like that to me, Stevie. Do you even realize how beautiful you are?”
“Right back at you, Apollo.” Steve beams at him, a smile so blinding that, yeah, Eddie could really use sunglasses or something to protect him.
So, Eddie flicks his gaze over Steve’s shoulder to catch Nancy’s attention. The one person he trusts to protect him in any capacity. It takes a moment, but she looks up and locks eyes with him, a questioning tilt to her head. Eddie does his best to convey his inner turmoil to her through minute facial expressions – a slight lift to his brow, a widening of his eye in question of if he can really have this, if this is really good and okay.
If this isn’t going to bite him in the ass or leave him beaten and bruised in the end.
He’d sign to her, but knowing Steve knows ASL…yeah, not very subtle, though Eddie doubts he’s being subtle now, but he’s choosing to ignore that and hoping Steve is too. Plus, he’d have to let go of Steve’s hand, and like hell he’s going to do that right now.
Nancy smiles back at him, signs to him because she has nothing to hide from. “You like him?”
Eddie nods.
“You’re scared?”
Another nod.
Her smile softens. Eddie vaguely notices the person at the table with her looking back and forth between them. He’ll have to question Nancy later, but she doesn’t seem to be in any trouble, so he’s letting it slide for now. “You deserve this, Eddie. He’s good. I promise.”
Nancy’s table partner seems to widen their own eyes at that and Eddie’s gaze locks briefly with them. The person narrows their eyes, goddamn signs to him. Jesus. “He’s amazing. Don’t hurt him. Or else.”
Fuckin’ hell, did Eddie just get signed an abbreviated shovel talk from some random person hanging out with Nancy? Well, maybe not wholly random. He guesses that they know Steve or else they wouldn’t have shovel talked him via sign language. That’s a new one.
Eddie nods back, at both of them, he guesses, and they smile and return to their own conversation. Jesus, Eddie is going to have a hell of a conversation with Nancy later.
Alex rounds back to the table then, a smile on his own face. “We ready, gentlemen?”
Eddie looks at Steve, a smile shared between them, before turning to face their waiter. “Yeah, Alex. The chicken florentine sounds great.”
“Chicken marsala for me, then.” Steve looks up at Alex. “Thanks so much for your recommendations.”
A pleased look takes over Alex’s face as he writes down their orders. “Of course, gentlemen. I’ll get this put in right away. Just flag me down if you need anything.” With that, he takes their menus and walks off, leaving them in their own little bubble again.
Eddie turns his gaze back to Steve, returns to his body at the slow circles being rubbed against his hand by the man before him. Steve’s face holds a questioning smile, a small lift of his brow.
Eddie squeezes Steve’s hand and offers his own smile, lets off the brakes and lets it really take over his face. Steve’s own brightens at that, his eyes widening a bit, sparkling like a goddamn river in the sunrise, rippling with currents of emotions that Eddie’s not sure of, not sure he can handle losing if this all goes to shit.
But, what if it doesn’t go to shit? What if he’s different?
If Eddie’s being honest, which he rarely is, at least with himself, he’s goddamn terrified. But, he’s holding the hand of some Greek symbol of perfected beauty brought to life, feeling the full warmth of that touch throughout this entire body. He’s looking into soft eyes that scream of morning coffee over the kitchen island; feeling the warmth of a palm that promises movie nights snuggled together under a thick quilt, limbs tangled until it’s wholly unidentifiable who they belong to; seeing the radiating edges of a blinding smile that promises more laughter and love than Eddie’s ever experienced, enough to fill him and start to heal the very foundation of his being alongside the patches Nancy has managed to place.
So, Eddie laughs, swallows down the loudest parts of dissent within him and says, “Fuck it.” He props his elbow up and leans against his open palm. “Alright, Adonis. I think I owe you a story.”
Steve mirrors Eddie’s pose, face radiating mirth and softness. “Serenade me, then, Apollo.”
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Summary: Steve thinks about how much sex ed he ended up providing to his friends while growing up as they joke about teaching it now being his job.
Author's note: I think I had this idea in like october, and while I haven't watched s5, I've seen a lot about the epilogue and hey, it blends well.
~
Steve found it ironic that he got teased for becoming a sex ed teacher. After how much he taught his peers about safe sex, as well as enjoyable sex, well it felt almost more joke worthy that he was a coach now. Only Jonathan could say he’d never learnt anything directly from Steve, but Nancy had asked how to explain and talk about something with him a few times. Those had been awkward conversations; his life was filled with those.
~
“Harrington’s putting us all to shame again.” Tommy jeered, watching Steve’s fling from the night before leave.
“Who go unrealistic expectations this time?” One of the football team asked, sounding like they’d just woke up.
Steve frowned at them as he returned to his living room. “Abbey, and she heard you Tommy, said she’d compare with Carol.”
“And you didn’t stop her? Damnit Steve.” Tommy groaned, “You caused this, you better give me tips!”
The grumble of agreement would probably have been louder if the majority of guys there weren’t hungover.
With a roll of his eyes, Steve headed for his room, yelling back, “Fine, we’ll start with Dad’s precautions, then go onto what I figured out from Mum’s complaints.”
~
That first time he gave sex ed information, Steve hadn’t been prepared. He’d only wanted to do better than his parents had done.
~
Steve’s dad knew how he expected Steve to act and he made sure to say so. At thirteen, Steve was sat down in the dining room with everything from condoms to lingerie to handcuffs and whips spread out over the table.
“You’re a man now, Steve, and I expect you to act like one.” His dad began, “Now, I’ve got to teach you this as the school won’t. They refuse even with the donations I’ve made.”
If he hadn’t been curious about how handcuffs had anything to do with being a man, Steve might have complained that they’d already had a sex ed course. Instead he sat and listened, then took years longer to learn the term BDSM was used for almost everything his Dad claimed a man did.
~
“Your father’s a selfish prick and a liar Steven. You remember that.” His mother called when he got in from basketball practise soon after his Dad’s talk about sex.
He paused, uncertain if she needed a response. Her wine glass said she might not, but the stare directed at him demanded one. “Any specific way?” He asked reluctantly.
“That shit he does isn’t fun. It doesn’t make him some sex god. It stops me from enjoying anything.” She complained. “Everyone knows it but him. I get sympathy cards from the women he cheats with. He’s an embarrassment.”
“So never do what he said.” Steve nodded, trying to escape hearing more about his parents sex life. He already knew too much.
His mum shook her head, “No, listen. A real man listens, and asks what gets a woman off. Don’t demand without doing anything.”
“Got it.” He tried walking away now.
“And we’re more than just tits and a vagina. There’s a whole body here.” His mum continued, not noticing Steve’s escape as she complained more.
~
He didn’t find out until later that Steve had actually been teaching about safe sex in response to his parents talks ever since his first time.
~
The night Steve lost his virginity was a battle of keeping his parents out of his head. The two conversations they’d put him through almost had him turning the suggestion down and he was sure he’s performed poorly.
His partner didn’t agree and praised the attention he gave to safety and to her pleasure.
He’d left with comments about how ‘of course she should have focus on her during sex’, not realising until later that his friends didn’t think the same thing.
~
He still wondered if the way he acted when sleeping with girls was really that educational, but even Nancy seemed to agree.
~
“You’re taking safe sex very seriously.” Nancy commented once. She’d been reluctant to say much to the questions Steve usually asked, but now sounded impressed at the consideration he was putting in.
“Of course. It’s important to think about and do.” He’d agreed, moving the conversation onto how important expressing discomfort was easily.
For Steve it was even more important than normal because he was deadly serious about Nancy. He didn’t want her to say similar things to his mum.
~
Steve did spend a while thinking Nancy agreed that he knew safe sex too much for a while. He somewhat regretted that that made him the person she’d go to for advice on it after they broke up.
~
Since their break up, Nancy hadn’t spoken to Steve much. He had expected that, even if he’d hoped they could remain friends.
He didn’t expect her to visit his home one evening after school, looking like she was on a mission with her notebook in hand.
“Hey Nance, what’s up?” He greeted cautiously. He wasn’t over their break-up and wasn’t sure why she’d make the trip out.
With one glance at her notebook, Nancy visibly steeled herself and said, “I know you might not want to help, but how do I get Jonathan to take safety seriously, or start those conversations you always did?”
“Fucking hell Nancy!” Steve exclaimed, tugging at his hair, “I’m your ex! Pretty sure your current sex life is something you aren’t meant to tell me about.”
“Who else could I ask? I hear the rumours and know no-one else does as much as you.” She justified.
He groaned, storming way from her, to the kitchen, without closing the door so he knew she’d follow. “Have you tried just talking about it yourself?”
“Yes, but I mention you and he shuts the conversation down, saying he won’t compete with you during sex.” Nancy nodded.
“Then don’t mention me!” Steve countered, knowing helping was his only chance to escape the conversation, “Say things like ‘this is safer for us’ or ‘I’ve enjoyed this before’ or even ‘I don’t like it when you do that, can we try this?’ Hell, copy my questions; ‘do you enjoy this or that?’ Neither me not Jonathan want to talk about your sex with the other so don’t try to force us to.”
Nancy looked up from taking notes, narrowing her eyes at him, “You’re trying to make me leave?”
“Yes! Go talk to your actual boyfriend! Not me!” He exclaimed, gesturing back to the door.
“Fine.” With a huff and no thanks, she was gone and Steve folded into the counter, wondering if he’d done something wrong to have been faced with that.
~
Robin definitely should know better than to tease, given she’d actually asked for the things he taught her about safe sex and sharing pleasure.
~
“You’re a dork and I love you,” Robin began into a sleepless night at Steve’s, a leading tone to her voice he didn’t trust, “But how did you get that reputation?”
Steve shook his head, knowing what she meant, “Cause I earned it. The other guys on the sports teams hated me for it really.”
Robin shook her head, “The drinking and party house I can’t argue with, but the sex god thing? You’re saying that’s the truth?”
He sat up, earnestly nodding, “Compared to guys who thought it was all about them, definitely. Pretty sure even Byers did that.”
“And you didn’t? Why?” The scepticism had fallen from her tone now, only curiosity remaining.
“Your parents try having a sex talk with you?” Steve asked, debating how much to share.
At Robin’s nod, he lay down again, “Well, here’s how my parents did it and why I focused the way I did.”
~
By the time the Upside Down was gone and Steve was dealing with the kids flirting more, he had already resolved that whatever their parents might have told them, he’d find a way to give all the teens his version of a sex talk, much to their objections.
~
Hearing Max flirt with Lucas for the tenth time that hour had Steve grumbling. He could do without the brats being so obvious and, from some of the things said, oblivious too.
“If you’re making me hear that, we’ve got talks to have!” He called through the rooms, “Shitheads to the kitchen now!”
He smirked when everyone did so and started complaining at the sight of a box of condoms on the counter. “No complaints. I had a worse talk than this at thirteen. You can deal.”
“School covers sex ed.” Max argued, trying to leave. “Don’t need your worse version of it.”
Steve stepped into her path, nodding as if he agreed. “To avoid this you have one option: Ask Nancy if you’re right.”
All of the teens shared glances and gestures but it was Mike who slumped onto a stall. “I’m not giving Nancy an excuse to kill me. You tell us whatever talk you think we need.”
“Good choice. Let’s talk protection, and ensuring both you and your partners enjoy yourselves.” Steve clicked at him, steering everyone stood to their own stalls around the kitchen.
~
After his own experiences and the disasters his parents talks were, he could deal with the brats he took over raising and teach anyone about sex ed, of that he was sure.
~
The interview to be coach had been going well so far, but now the man interviewing Steve seemed dubious. “You realise that teaching the sex education module is also required from this role, don’t you? Can you do that in a serious manner, regardless of the jokes and reactions kids will have?”
“Yes, even more confident in that than my abilities in coaching actually.” Steve replied, relaxed and refraining from joking that it was about time he got paid for it.
The rest of the interview went smoothly and his questions were easily answered. Soon enough it was ending with the interviewer saying, “Currently you are the best candidate for the role, so we’ll be in touch soon.
At least one of his Dad’s lessons was serving him well in making a life for himself, though Steve bet his Dad would be mad about which one it was.
~
If Nancy, Jonathan and Robin wanted to joke about Steve’s job, he’d accept that as long as they were ready to do the same when he turned it back on them.
He’d got the actual job to keep doing something he’d done for years and it helped keep people safe without a nail bat too.
Steve Harrington found himself staring face first into the barrel of a gun, held by none other than Nancy Wheeler — his girlfriend.
Said girlfriend was shouting at him, while Jonathan Byers stood at her side with matching bandages on their hands, the boy looking just as shocked as Steve. His voice echoing around them and getting lost in Nancy’s booming voice, a side he never saw from the girl that he fell head over heels with. Steve could only hold his hands up in a surrendering gesture, he was officially freaking out.
It was chaos. Steve didn’t even know what to think, he arrived with the intent to figure out what was going on with the two of them, Tommy and Carols voices taunting him in his head that something was going on. But this? He was being screamed at, demanding he’d leave and get out of the Byers residence, while Christmas lights were flickering on the wall with an alphabet drawn into it; he felt like he was having a fever dream.
Until the walls started to tremble and shake, Nancy’s voice got desperate and in a panic at Steve’s insistence to know what the hell was going on, he just wouldn’t leave. Jonathan’s panic at the escalation and the added pressure of Steve being in the midst of their plan, making everything go astray. Nancy had to do something to get Steve to leave, she felt herself building in pressure and like a rubber band; she snapped.
Just as the roof was being sunken in and the lights bursting, a loud BANG! rung through the living room and it all went silent…
Steve felt like his ears burst and could only hear ringing as he stared at Nancy. It was like things were in slow motion and his brain didn’t catch up to what just happened until he felt a burning sharp pain in his right hand and turned his head to see a hole in the middle of his palm. That’s when it all set in and realised what the fuck just happened.
He hears both Nancy’s and Jonathan’s voices.
“It was only supposed to be a warning shot. I-It, I…I aimed above I swear. I didn’t mean to.”
“What did you just do?! You shot him! You actually shot him, whatthefuckwhatthefuckwhatthefuck—”
Steve finally felt everything coming back and clear as the ringing subsided, the adrenaline wearing off and he truly feels the agony and pain in his hand. There is a hole in his hand. In the middle of his palm.
There is a fucking hole in his hand.
And Nancy Wheeler, his girlfriend was the cause of it. Pretty sure it was Ex-Girlfriend now.
He hears the two teenagers shouting in panic and stress, while Steve checked out, only feeling blood pooling out from his wound down his arms and off his elbow. So he releases his hands from the air and cradles his injured hand with his other one, it hurt but his mind was somewhere else and everything seemed to collapse on itself. In his mind and currently in the Byers living room. However, he had a rude awakening as he felt Jonathan call out his name like trying not to spook a wild animal that’s been injured. His name was soft and gentle on his lips. Steve could see the desperation and panic in his eyes, like they were running out of time.
And they were. They were given a moment of peace until hell broke loose again. Only this time, the roof does sink in on itself, with a monster phasing through it and Steve was right under it. He could only look up and see what appears to be a claw, almost puncturing through the roof like it was made out of flesh and stretched skin.
Jonathan didn’t waste a second, discarding the initial plan to coax Steve into safety, they ran out of time; so he lunges for Steve. Grabbing his uninjured arm, tugging him and both jumping over the bear trap and to the room with Nancy ahead, opening the door for both boys and her last, locking it and standing guard.
Steve was walked to the bed and Jonathan sat him down. He had to find something to bandage Steve’s wound, which felt fruitless because there was no medical supplies in this room. So he figured the next best thing is a thin layered shirt that he can tear up and use as a makeshift bandage. It seemed like luck was on his side because he found exactly that. It was a disposable shirt too, it wouldn’t be missed, so he got to work. He had to act fast, he could hear the monster finally break through and its heavy body hit the living room floor. He kneels down in front of Steve and sees the other boy holding his injured hand and trembling. He coaches Steve through it and tells him it’s going to be okay, that it’ll hurt but that he’s here. Maybe it was also to get himself together too. He’s not leaving. As scared as he is, Jonathan knew the monster smelt their blood and now Steve’s fresh flesh wound, he didn’t want it to get any worse than it already is.
They had a plan. It’s all gone to shit and haywire.
Now, they just need to figure out how to trap the bastard and keep it from the others. They can still do this, they need to do this.
Jonathan looks at his handy work and deems is satisfactory for now and turns towards Nancy, meeting her eyes, he sees her guarded, her eyes were stormy and face littered in a ripple of emotions. But it seems like she also has the same conclusion, get it together and focus on the plan; no matter if it’s skewed and ruined.
So, she meets Jonathan’s gaze. She doesn’t even have it in her to look at Steve. Her boyfriend. The boy she shot.
They can still execute in the next phase. They just need Steve to be hidden in a secure place, away from danger.
Away from Nancy and her gun. Which was unsaid but it was spoken in her mind.
Nancy nods, standing guard and Jonathan nods in return. Standing up to guide Steve to a wardrobe, taking everything out and placing him in. Jonathan didn’t feel any resistance, he can clearly tell Steve is still in shock and internally dissociating. He notices that far-away look and how pliant he was with being essentially manhandled into the wooden wardrobe. Sitting him down, Jonathan can only offer a few words of reassurance and telling the older boy they’ll be back for him when it’s over. He wasn’t able to wait for a response as Nancy signals Jonathan and Steve feels the sense of safety and warmth leave his space. A feeling he’d never thought associating with Jonathan, it was new but he couldn’t help but feel his lingering touches, gentle yet firm.
He doesn’t even notice the wardrobe doors close and all he knows next is darkness and being left alone with his thoughts. He can’t help but think back to his and Jonathan’s spat, how Steve taunted him and called him names, said awful things about his family and yet…the younger boy grabbed him and took his hand into safety and out of danger without a second thought. He can’t help but also think about how in their fight, or well, Steve’s beat-down, how Jonathan being on top of him sparked a feeling that felt dangerous and unknown, yet familiar. How he straddled his hips and felt his hands on him and like moments ago, instead of his touch hurting, he was gentle and kind. He felt butterflies in his stomach. It made Steve and his entire world go into turmoil and it seems like he’s come to two conclusions tonight:
Monsters are real.
He’s pretty sure he’s having a Queer awakening.
He didn’t have time to dwell more in the closet, haha, because the sound of gunshots, the sound of like a banshee screeching, Nancy’s voice and Jonathan’s grunts could be heard; Steve had to get out.
So he does.
Steve breaks out of his hiding spot and opens the door, he rushes to the scene of commotion and sees Jonathan pinned down by the monster, which looked to be made out of flesh, its mouth opens like a flower with petals that has razor sharp teeth inside — all wanting to bite into Jonathan’s face as the boy tries to fight against it. Nancy fired shots but it seems to not deterrent the monster, not even bothering it and she seemed frozen and unsure what to do next.
Enter Steve who spots the nailed bat, so he leaps over the bear trap again, grabbing the nail bat and as the adrenaline fills his entire being once again; he doesn’t even feel the pain as he grips the bat in a death grip. He gets close enough and shouts at the ugly bastard. He gains its attention and it screeches at him, now smelling the fresh blood from Steve’s hand and detached itself from Jonathan. It stood and towered over Steve but Steve didn’t feel anything but anger, rage, the instinct to protect and keep them safe.
He twirls the bat to get a better grip and positions himself into a stance to fully swing at the monster, using all his strength and power, he hoped playing baseball for a while payed off.
So he swung, the monster staggering and Steve was hitting blow after blow and that’s when Nancy and Jonathan recoup to see Steve backing the hideous creature into the bear trap. It was working.
Holy shit, it was working.
Steve knew it fell into the trap as it screeched in a guttural scream that he hasn’t heard before.
That’s when he hears Jonathan’s voice shouting at him to stand back and he sees the boy throw a lit lighter into the gasoline which Steve didn’t even notice until it was engulfing the floor and racing towards the trap. Eventually engulfing the creature and the three teens watch as the creature screamed, tried to break free of the trap and even tears off its leg to escape.
Nancy was caught off guard at the unexpected movement and backed away and tugged Jonathan back with her. Eyes trained on it as it advances towards them but then Steve, Steve being the reckless idiot he was, uses the last of his strength and takes only a few strides and twists his body, elbows up and shoulders squared; his feet planted and he swings.
The nails pierced the monsters head before the rest of the bat followed, connecting with the head ripping it clean off its shoulders. The screeching stopped at its decapitation and only the sound of fire burning its flesh remain and the flicker of the lights finally stop and the room stopped feeling like it was going through an earthquake. They stare at the monsters corpse and sees it disintegrating under the flames, taking the heat with it and only leaving scorch marks behind.
