I made a post about nurse!Steve a while ago, and it’s been living in my mind ever since. So… here we go.
It starts with an offhand comment from Nancy about how he gets hurt too often, and wouldn’t it be nice if they had a nurse in the group to patch everyone up? Steve just nods along that day, but the comment sparks an interest unlike anything else had since he joined the basketball team. His kids do get hurt a lot, and at least half of them will never willingly go to the hospital if they really need it- especially Max and Will.
Steve might not have the grades to get himself into a good college, but he’s smart and he has his father’s money. It’s not like the man notices when he makes large purchases- he probably signs the bills without even looking. Nothing Steve did could possibly make a dent in that fortune, not even college. And nursing school isn’t exactly college. It’s intense, but Steve loves it. Turns out helping people is a thing he really likes to do. So during the days, he works at Family Video with Robin and helps the kids with whatever they need. At night, since he doesn’t really sleep regularly anymore no matter what, he does classes for his nursing degree.
It takes him two years to complete the degree (and one more almost-apocalypse), because he does it in his spare time and only at night. It’s not exactly a secret, but he never tells anyone and they never figure it out. He almost gets caught once- he leaves a textbook out on his desk when Robin is over, and she spots it almost immediately. Instead of getting excited that he’s making something of himself, though, she immediately assumes that he’s sleeping with a student. It stings so badly that Steve just forces himself to smirk and goes along with it.
Once he’s graduated, it’s easy to get a job at the hospital as a night nurse. It takes exactly two nights for Hopper to figure out that he’s working there. A drunk driver is brought in to be looked over before getting locked up, and Steve just happens to be the one doing the check. It doesn’t take much to get Hopper to agree to keep what he’s learned to himself, but Steve feels bad for making him promise to keep the secret. It’s just easier when nobody knows.
It’s Vecna’s fault that Steve has to reveal his newly acquired skills, all because of Eddie freaking Munson. Steve’s seen him in the hospital a few times over the months he’s been a nurse, and he knows that Eddie’s seen him as well. He’s managed to avoid confrontation for a long time, and he figures Eddie’s pride won’t let him say anything about seeing him there. He’s wrong. The injuries are minor- cuts and bruises, mostly. Nancy has the worst of it with a sprained wrist that Steve has no clue how she got. She’s just holding it to her chest, being careful not to move it, and Steve’s been watching her but hasn’t offered his help yet because he’s sure she’ll turn him down. Eddie has no problem with speaking up.
“Wheeler, just let the nurse patch you up! We need you all in one piece to kill this fucker,” he tells her, gently shoving her towards Steve.
“You haven’t even graduated,” Nancy points out, looking unimpressed. Eddie’s eyebrows climb up his forehead, and Steve tries to catch his eye before he can-
“I meant Harrington. You know, the guy who literally works at the hospital? Wears scrubs and everything? I assume he’s licensed, or else the hospital is even worse off than I thought,” Eddie replies. By this point, everyone is staring between the two of them.
“Steve works at Family Video,” Robin chimes in helpfully, sounding so confused. Steve would agree with her, but he’s promised himself that he’ll never lie to her. He does work at Family Video… but he also works at the hospital. Lying by omission is still lying.
“Sure, during the day,” Eddie agrees easily. “But I know what I’ve seen. He’s a nurse by night.”
“Steve?” Nancy asks, voice soft but demanding. A time he knows from months of dating. She needs an answer, and she will not be letting it go.
“I got my nursing degree six months ago,” he confirms quietly. “I work night shifts at the hospital during the week, and some Saturdays.”
“Most Saturdays,” Eddie corrects with a casual grin. Steve kind of wants to strangle him… but it’s also a relief to not have to hide this side of himself.
“Most Saturdays,” he agrees with a sigh. “I like to help people. And it was your idea, Nance.”
“My- oh,” Nancy says, eyes getting wider by the second. “But that was years ago!”
“Yeah,” he agrees. “It took two years to finish, because I only did night classes. I’ve been patching the kids up since six months into classes. Nobody ever noticed, and I didn’t want it to be a big deal.”
“The textbook!” Robin says loudly, staring at him. “You weren’t sleeping with a student!”
“I was not,” Steve agrees carefully. “But it was easier to let you think so.”
“Steve…” Nancy says, and there are tears in her eyes. Steve is supremely uncomfortable, but he doesn’t know how to politely change the subject. Eddie has no problem with this, either.
“So let Nurse Steve take care of you, and we’ll keep planning! Andale!” He claps his hands, manic smile in place. He winks when he catches Steve’s eye, and Steve… Steve blushes.
There’s no time to talk about it after that, but Nancy and Robin both pull him aside to apologize as they prepare for the end of the world. Steve never gets a chance to thank Eddie with his words, but he does manage to make it back to them in time to keep him from dying in the Upside Down. It’s a long time before anyone calls Steve dumb again.
Summary: It makes perfect sense, of course. The serum gave Steve the perfect body, so why wouldn’t it also give him the perfect mind? In the quietness of his own mind, Tony can admit he’s a little stung Steve didn’t tell him, but he’s not really surprised.
(Or: the one where Steve is smarter than Tony, and neither of them deal well.)
Words: 15,685
Notes: The incredible and unbelievable fact that Steve has, you know, a brain is usually ignored in a lot of ff. Thank god this beautiful and well written fanfic makes him justice. It’s really interesting to see how Steve is so excited about science and how, thanks to that, his relationship with Tony develops. There is a bit of angst, but angst is always welcomed. Go and read this ff, my dears, you will not regret it.
