Chapter Text
Will was practically jumping with excitement as he eagerly awaited Eddie and his friends' performance at the only venue in Hawkins that welcomed them. Abel & Anchor hosted an open mic event twice a month, and while the attendees came for the fun, the owner had also mentioned the possibility of a regular Friday slot if they performed well and didn't drive away the customers.
Will crossed his fingers for Eddie. After everything he had been through—losing his crush, facing accusations of murder and leading a cult, and even confronting death while being tortured by Vecna—he truly deserved something good in his life.
All the party members were present, joined by Becca and Matt, Vickie and Robin, and even Nancy and Jonathan. The latter was particularly thrilled because it was the type of music he enjoyed, and Eddie had promised him an extraordinary show. They were also eager to learn the band's name, but Dustin had persistently pestered Eddie for the information, to no avail.
"And are you absolutely sure you can't tell us?" Dustin inquired of Eddie's uncle.
The man chuckled and shook his head. "My nephew made me swear secrecy," he proudly revealed.
"It would be nice. I doubt Eddie would choose an awful name for the band," Nancy commented before being whisked away by Vickie and Robin to engage in conversation.
"We're here!" Nickie announced from behind Will, sporting a broad smile. Todd and Julian followed closely behind.
"I told you we'd be on time," Julian stated to Nickie.
"We could have been even earlier if someone hadn't forgotten to fill up the gas tank," Todd pointed out.
"Can we move on? Let's just grab a beer and say hi to Eddie…" Julian suggested. "You're driving, right?" Julian confirmed with the raven-haired girl, who nodded. "Cool, I'll bring you ginger ale," he said as the boys disappeared into the bustling crowd at the pub.
"Mr. Wayne, good to see you again," Nickie greeted him in a tone Will had never heard her use before. The man reciprocated the greeting and invited her to sit beside him.
"Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Will whispered to his boyfriend.
"Oh, I see it too. It must be some kind of clone or look-alike," Steve replied.
"The same could be said about you," John added, joining Steve after being abandoned by his girlfriend to chat with the other girls in their group, including El, Max, and Becca. The boys remained seated, not wanting to lose their seats and wanting to keep Mr. Wayne company.
"Excuse me? I'm not like that," Steve said defensively.
"Are you kidding?" Jonathan chuckled, then looked at everyone in the party, and Mike laughed along. "Oh man, you're serious... You do the same with my mom and Hopper. 'Thank you so much, Mrs. Byers.' 'Hopper, can I help you move the sofa?' "Oh, Mrs. Byers, it's no bother to help with your car,'" Jonathan mocked, imitating a sweet voice.
"He's absolutely right... you're sucking up to them... it's hilarious," Mike teased.
"Shut up, Wheeler!" Steve snapped, flipping Mike off.
"Dude, I like you, but they're telling the truth... you are trying to impress Will's parents," Matt said apologetically.
Steve pretended to clutch his chest in pain. "The betrayal hurts, Matthew," he said.
"Ohh! He called you Matthew," Lucas laughed.
"Okay, let's stay focused here... Dude, just accept it, it's not embarrassing," Jonathan said, clapping Steve on the back and taking a sip of his soda.
"I'm just being polite with my in-laws," Steve nudged Jonathan. "You're like my older brother now, aren't you, Johnny?" Steve teased.
"Oh no! What have I done?" Jonathan said, holding his head in his hand.
"What's going on? I don't understand," Dustin said, joining the conversation after finishing his talk with Wayne and Nickie.
"They're just being silly, don't worry," Will reassured him, amused by the banter between his boyfriend and his older brother.
"It's just friendly banter with my dear brother," Steve smiled, dropping a kiss on Jonathan's head.
"Steve, man!" Jonathan exclaimed, cleaning up his face before standing up and running away from Steve, who seemed to want to give him a hug. Matt sighed.
"I'll go check on them," Matt said, going after them, and Will nodded gratefully.
"And they're supposed to be mature," Dustin remarked, taking a seat in Matt's vacated place, but Will shrugged it off.
"Lucas, has Max told you anything new about her mom that you can share with us?" Will asked.
Lucas sighed. "Not really. She's been keeping it to herself since I kind of went off when she was explaining something about her mom. It's just... I'm so angry at that woman," he admitted. Will nodded in understanding. "It's like Powell and Hopper did everything to find her because we thought she was lost, or because she didn't know about Max... but she knew. She only took the opportunity to leave Max behind. And you know what I read in one of the letters? She used Billy," he continued.
"That's a low blow. Max was heartbroken about his death," commented Dustin.
"Yeah, as she said, after all they've been through and lost, including Billy, they need to stick together as a family," Lucas concluded.
"Fuck her! Where was she when we thought we were going to lose Max?" Dustin said, crossing his arms.
"She's delusional if she thinks Max wants to live with her," huffed Mike.
"Teresa was furious, but Susan Baker -because she changed her name now—made a sweet woman like Teresa curse " he sighed" But Teresa told us not to worry, that she would figure it out. She said Max would only go to her mom over her dead body," Lucas explained.
The others nodded, satisfied. A couple of minutes later, the rest of the group returned. The girls had finished their conversation, and Todd and Julian had managed to find Jon, Steve, and Matt. They brought various plates to share while waiting for Eddie's performance.
"Special for the man," Steve said, placing a silver plate in front of Wayne. It was fried fish with fried potatoes. Wayne smiled at Steve. "We met Eddie back there, and he told us that you would appreciate this," Steve explained before taking his place beside Will, who discreetly took his hand.
"Oh boy, this is right up my alley," Wayne said, scooping a bite of fish and humming at the taste. "Almost as good as the Lake Perch," he added.
Julian perked up at that. "You mean Marianna's Seagull?" he asked, munching on a handful of pretzels.
Wayne nodded. "That's the place. I just had to make a stop there. And man, wasn't it good? Crispy on the outside and tender inside," Wayne reminisced.
"Oh, oh, and the seasonings they use," Julian laughed. "My mom tried to bribe the cook to get the names of the ingredients they put in that stuff," he commented, then laughed. "Your name's Wayne, right?" Wayne nodded. "Did you also experience the seagull robbery?"
"A seagull stole from you?" Dustin asked, frowning as he took a bite of the pickle dish.
"It was considered good luck," Wayne laughed.
"They told me the same thing. A small price to pay for food fit for the gods. Case closed," Julian said.
"Couldn't agree more, kid," Wayne replied. The conversation dispersed a bit, with small groups forming. However, Steve remained still, his mind occupied by a place he couldn't remember going to.
"Mr. Munson," Steve called out, turning to see the man speaking with Robin and Nickie. "That restaurant... um, what was it called again?"
"Marianna's Seagull," Munson simply responded.
Steve nodded absentmindedly. "Does that restaurant resemble a lighthouse?" Steve asked. Will frowned as he observed his boyfriend's features changing into something unrecognizable.
"Exactly, that's the one. It's mostly for kids to take photos there," Mr. Munson nodded. "Have you been there?" he asked.
"Uh, no... um, I think I've just heard about it. Thanks," Steve replied before standing up. "I need some fresh air... if you'll excuse me," he said but was stopped by Will.
"Steve..." Will wondered, concerned about his boyfriend.
Steve nodded. "Just need five minutes, please," he said.
"At minute six, I'll look for you," Will agreed. As Steve stepped out of the crowded place, he was greeted by the crisp and chilly August air. He took a well-deserved deep breath, allowing the coolness to fill his lungs and somehow ease his mind. The weight of the noisy atmosphere seemed to lift as he exhaled, releasing the intruding thoughts that were threatening to consume him.
He didn't know why the comments about that place made him feel uneasy, but it wasn't uncommon for random thoughts to appear out of nowhere and cause turmoil within him.
Now, he just needed a break.
He could discuss it later in therapy.
Taking another deep breath, he felt ready to re-enter the pub. He knew that if he took too long, Will would come looking for him. As he was about to enter, he noticed a man being thrown out of another pub that sold cheap beer.
"And don't come back, you scumbag, or try to touch the girls..." said the owner of the place before closing the door in the man's face.
Steve realized it was the same man Hopper had been screaming at in the hospital. He still seemed familiar, but Steve couldn't place him. The man was obviously drunk.
"Sir, do you need help?" Steve offered, and the man looked up at him, squinting his eyes.
"You're buddy-buddy with him, aren't you? I saw you with our sheriff..." the man laughed, and Steve didn't understand. "Our dear sheriff, did you know that he's a thief, a wanker, a home wrecker..." Before the man could continue, Steve heard his boyfriend calling him. He turned to see Will approaching, and the drunk man was nowhere to be seen.
"Are you okay?" Will asked, concerned.
Steve smiled. "Yeah, baby, I'm fine," he said.
Will sighed in relief. "Good, come on, Eddie is about to start," said Will, and they entered just in time for Eddie to announce the name of his band, 'Venomstrike.'
"... I'm not really good at this..." Eddie began, referring to speaking into the mic. "But I wanted to thank Abel for the opportunity. I've had a couple of hard years... I lost someone important to me last year, and I've had to bear with everyone blaming me. I found myself trapped in a place where I didn't know if I could ever escape... but," he paused, looking at his friends and his uncle, "I'm lucky too. My uncle has never given up on me, even when everyone else did. My friends have been more than amazing, and they've given me the courage to keep going..." He smiled at Nickie, and Will had to admit it was a beautiful smile. "There's this girl here tonight, a friend of a friend. I met her recently, and hopefully she won't run away after I sing..." Everyone laughed, and Nickie blushed.
Everyone cheered at that. "Come on, man, less talk, more rock!" someone in the crowd screamed, followed by a resounding "Hell yeah!" from everyone else.
Eddie laughed. "This song is called 'Into the Upside Down,' for all the weirdos out there," he said, placing his hand on his guitar. The drummer marked the pace, and the song started.
The opening chord erupted with raw energy, sending a buzzing sensation through everyone. The guitar seemed to possess a life of its own, and Eddie's voice rumbled like thunder, commanding attention.
What's that figure creeping in the dark?
Destroying everything, a brutal sight.
It ain't the shadow in my mirrors,
Like I've always been told.
He was good, Will thought, although he had heard him before. Eddie was really good.
It's something darker, intense, and deadly,
Taking full control, claiming this damn reign
His voice was filled with melancholy, and then he hit a higher note at a rapid pace, and Will understood. It was their story, the story of all of them.
Into the upside down, there's no way to escape.
Into the upside down,
No one's gonna save your sorry ass.
Into the upside down, there are no nightmares.
All the days remain the same, only the upside down.
"You think...?" whispered Steve to his boyfriend.
"They are..." those were the words that Vecna used on Eddie to torture him. Will knew because he was there. He had witnessed his friend being tortured. Everyone in the pub seemed mesmerized by the song, but only the Upside Down gang truly understood its meaning.
Will could see tears in Dustin's eyes and Lucas reaching for Max's hand.
Hours turned to days, and those days bled into weeks.
The air I consumed was rancid.
It wasn't as described in my dashboard fantasy.
Will related to that. For them, those names weren't just fiction. It was a real horror they had to endure. And Eddie, incredible Eddie, had found a way to express it in a damn good song.
Almost giving up, and then the mystical twins appeared.
Will smiled, and Jane turned to look at him, his sister with a proud smile because she knew that line was about them.
Eddie repeated the chorus a couple of times, and by then, almost everyone was vibing with the song. Will gripped his boyfriend's hand under the table and took a quick look to see Wayne watching his nephew perform. Nickie had thrown an arm around Wayne's shoulder, and the man seemed to appreciate the gesture.
A gravelly tone colored Eddie's vocals, infusing them with raw passion for the last few words of the song.
Into the upside down, carving an escape with fire and guns,
Into the upside down, heroes without capes but powered up.
Into the upside down, the nightmare found its end.
There is no more of this; only the upside down remains in the past.
He struck those strings with such ferocity that Will felt chills.
"...the freaking upside down is already in the past," and the pub erupted in applause.
"That was awesome!" screamed Dustin, clapping along.
"For sure, I didn't know Eddie had that in him," said Jonathan, impressed.
Steve grinned and looked at his friend. "Hey, Nickie, go make sure Eddie knows that you didn't leave," he said. She hesitated, but the entire table started chanting, "Go, Nickie, go!"
And she sprang towards where Eddie was, waving and nodding to the crowd. In a few steps, she hugged Eddie and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"Should I give up painting and pursue a career as a matchmaker?" joked Will.
"Hey now... I already told you that my retirement plan is being a trophy husband," teased Steve. Will laughed at that.
They spent a couple of hours there, with Eddie playing a few more songs and sealing a deal with Abel for a weekly show. Nickie looked very happy with Eddie's arm around her. Will couldn't help but tease her. The gang had the opportunity to finally meet the other three members of the band, who seemed a bit reserved, but with Matt, Dustin, and Nickie's help, they started to open up more.
Wayne announced that he was leaving, stating that it was a pleasure to meet all of his nephew's friends, but it wasn't his scene. Steve and Will seized the opportunity to have some alone time and offered to take Wayne home.
Jonathan looked at Will exasperatedly, knowing there wasn't much he could do. The couple said their goodbyes, and after dropping Mr. Munson off at his house, they went to one of their favorite spots near the junkyard. They decided to stay in and pushed back their seats as much as they could, enjoying their time together with lazy kisses as the sun set.
Will took his boyfriend's hand and placed it on his lap, playing with his fingers and gently tracing patterns on the back of his hand. "Do you want to tell me what happened back in the pub?" he asked slowly. "But only if you want to tell me. Don't feel pressured."
Steve smiled. "I want to, it's just that I don't really know how to explain myself... I've been having these random memories appearing out of nowhere," he started.
"Are they good memories or bad memories?" wondered Will, still drawing figures on his boyfriend's hand.
"Good," Steve's voice was raw. "It's just... these memories of places I don't remember going, you know? Like, my parents hated traveling... with me, I mean. And then, when Julian and Wayne were talking about the seagull stealing from them, I remembered being in this place that looked like a shorebay, and a bird eating from my plate. But it's foggy, and I don't know..."
"What do you think they mean?" asked Will, caressing his boyfriend's face.
"I don't know. I think it's something I'll have to discuss with Prescott," said Steve.
"And maybe Teresa?" prompted Will.
"Maybe but with everything that's happening with Max, I don't think it's a good time," said Steve.
"It's up to you, my love," said Will. Steve sought another kiss from his boyfriend, and one kiss became two, then three, and soon Will was on top of Steve, their passion intensifying. "But definitely I can... give you a good time, I mean" gasped Will, his breath uneven as Steve covered his exposed neck with kisses.
"Less talk..." murmured Steve, and Will laughed. The boy swiftly removed his jacket and did the same with Steve's, leaving both of them only in their sweaters.
Will loved the attention his boyfriend injected into each touch and kiss, sending waves of pleasure through his body. Steve's skilled movements made him squirm and tremble, rendering him weak with desire. It amazed Will how Steve knew exactly where to touch him, how to kiss him, igniting every nerve and leaving him craving more.
The youngest could feel his boyfriend growing hard beneath him, and he eagerly followed the same path, teasing and tantalizing Steve in return. "Someone is enjoying this a little too much…" Will whispered playfully between kisses.
Steve laughed, his breath hitching as he raised his pelvis to meet Will's grinding movements. Moaning as their clothed groins pressed and rubbed against each other "And it's not a solo performance... fuck! Baby, keep moving like that…" Steve hissed, gripping Will's waist, securing their rhythm, soon the steamy encounter caused the windows to fog up.
Will slid his hand between their bodies, beginning to unfasten his boyfriend's belt. He guided Steve to do the same with his own, and they giggled as they removed both belts and unbuttoned their pants. "Can we move to the back?" Will wondered, and Steve nodded. Despite a few struggles and navigating across the leather seats, they eventually settled in the backseat, with Steve sitting down and Will on top of him.
The young one started to rock himself on his boyfriend's lap once again, hissing on the pleasure of their groin grinding separated only from their pants and Steve hands on his ass keeping him there. Then, the oldest decided to sneak a hand on Will's underwear and searched for his boyfriend's reaction.
There it was—the expression Steve was searching for. His boyfriend with closed eyes and his mouth slightly open, whimpering as Steve skillfully stroked it. The oldest kept moving his hand slowly up and down "So good..." the boy moaned, clinging to Steve 's shoulder.
"You look so sexy Will… fuck! If you could see you, baby… you look so fucking hot, just like that…" Steve murmured in Will's ear. But Will didn't want to be the only one enjoying it, so much as the restricted space and their position allowed them.
He played with Steve boxers elastic until he wrapped his hand on his boyfriend's manhood, startled by the warmth and big member in his hand. Steve was hard, and he was the reason why, and it feels freaking amazing that he had such an effect on his boyfriend "Will?" Steve panted.
The youngest with trembling hands started to touch his boyfriends, trying to imitate Steve's movements which faltered from time to time as the oldest ones were trying to process that Will was touching him.
Will captured every breath of his boyfriend with his mouth, and the orange sunshine shining through the car window turned the scene into something glorious. Though he wasn't an expert, he knew he was doing something right, judging by the way Steve chanted his name like a litany. Will pulled away from his boyfriend's lips and observed him, his eyes closed. At that moment, he felt powerful.
Will pressed his lips to Steve's ear and moaned loudly "Do you like it? Steve, tell me…" he said, nibbling his boyfriend's earlobe.
Steve murmured a breathless yes, before starting to increase the velocity of his movements. He dared to look at Will again, his eyes focused on bringing Steve over the edge, and then he looked at their hands pleasuring each other. He couldn't help but moan loudly, "Baby, c'mon don't stop… we are almost there," he pledged.
Will nodded "Steve…" and that simple tone of, a hiding request that made Steve brain to shortcut was enough to grip his boyfriend by the hair and kiss roughly, biting his lips and sucking his tongue like he had spent his entire life looking for this.
Steve broke off the kiss and said "Look at me… baby, do you feel it?" Will nodded because yes, the pressure was there threatening to escape, a signal, a gesture, that indicated that he could come "Then come… baby do it…" said Steve, and that was the only thing Will needed to release.
As his boyfriend screamed his name, the sinful ecstasy overwhelmed him, causing him to climax as well. They locked eyes, still intoxicated by the rush, their gazes intense and their lips swollen. It felt as if the world around them had come to a halt, but it hadn't.
They exchanged smiles, and Steve, realizing their disheveled state, clumsily reached for the front seat to find some Kleenex. Suddenly, they heard a door close and a knock on the window.
The sun was setting, casting a dim light that obscured the view inside the car, but the air was filled with the lingering scent of their passion. The second knock on the window was accompanied by a voice demanding, "Roll down the damn window, Harrington!" Steve cursed under his breath.
He passed the tissue paper to his boyfriend for them to clean up, then reluctantly obeyed the order and rolled down the window. He was met with Hopper's unimpressed expression, his jaw clenched. "There was a report on the radio about a suspicious car near the junkyard... if you catch my drift," Hopper began, causing the couple to blush. "I initially dismissed it, assuming it was just a couple of foolish teenagers until the description of the car matched one of the idiots I know," he added.
"Hopper..." Steve started, but was interrupted by Hopper's stern voice.
"Did I give you permission to speak?" Hopper asked.
"No, sir," Steve replied nervously, realizing that he was facing the Sheriff. Will glanced at his boyfriend with concern.
"License and registration," Hopper demanded, and Steve hesitated, unable to reach for the documents. "Is there something wrong with your hand, Harrington?" Hopper inquired.
"Um, I mean... Will, could you...?" Steve asked, and Will shook his head.
"Jesus Christ! Do I even want to know?" Hopper questioned.
"Probably not..." Will replied apologetically, feeling too embarrassed to look at his stepfather.
Hopper took a deep breath and finally dared to peer inside the car, confirming his suspicions. Clearing his throat, he remarked, "I would have thought that both of you would be more cautious with your... rendezvous," the man scolded. Will snorted at the word choice, causing both Steve and Hopper to glare at him. "When I told you 'no sex in the house,' I didn't mean it was acceptable to engage in public displays... jeez," Hopper chided.
"Technically, it wasn't..." but Steve swiftly covered his boyfriend's mouth with his arm.
"Please, just be quiet," Steve pleaded with his boyfriend. "Sorry, Hopper... Sheriff, it won't happen again," Steve promised.
"Dad, we just got caught up in the moment…" Will interjected, hoping to appeal to Hopper's softer side by addressing him as "dad." It seemed to work, judging by the sheriff's weary sigh.
Hopper nodded wearily. "Look, I understand that you're young and hormones can take control, but please be mindful. It could have been another officer here, not me," he pointed out.
The couple nodded slowly, comprehending Hopper's concern. It wasn't about what they were doing; it was about the potential consequences if someone had witnessed their actions. "We're sorry. We got carried away… but we promise we'll be more careful," Will assured him.
"I hope so..." Hopper glanced at his watch. "It's almost dinner time. Follow me home. Maybe you can freshen up, and then we can eat. Your siblings should already be back from Eddie's event," Hopper suggested, and the young couple nodded.
Alone together, they burst into laughter, a mixture of nervousness and finding the situation hilariously absurd. "Oh gosh, I thought my heart was going to leap out of my chest," Steve exclaimed, starting to follow Hopper's car toward the Byers-Hopper home.
"I know..." Will agreed. "And I love you so much for enduring all of this," he said.
"I've told you before, you're worth it," Steve replied. "I love you more than anything, enough to endure Hopper's death glares for the foreseeable future…"
"I love you so much too…." Will expressed once again. "Do you think we can sneak away after dinner?" Will wondered, and Steve laughed. He shook his head and expressed gratitude to the universe for allowing him to have such an incredible person by his side. It was truly worth it
Yes, indeed.