Chapter Text
- S T E V E -
Steve woke up early the first day of school, long before the sunrise. Not that he was taking anyone to school this year. Something about the autumn air floating in from the open window woke him. Steve reached for Eddie, but the bed was empty. Steve stretched and padded down the stairs. He spotted Eddie’s guitar missing from its stand in the living room.
With a soft smile that never seemed to fade these days, Steve put a pot of coffee on. He got a pair of mugs down while it percolated and grabbed a couple of spare blankets. The soft notes of the guitar broke off when Steve opened the sliding glass door. It was tricky with two mugs in one hand, blankets thrown over the other, but he managed it.
“Oh shit. Here, let me help.” Eddie took the coffee before it fell.
“Hey. Couldn’t sleep?” Steve dragged the other pool lounger over so they were side by side.
“Sorry, did I wake you?” Eddie asked, scratching his head.
Steve draped a blanket over Eddie’s shoulders. “Nah. I couldn’t either.”
Eddie leaned back in the lounger once Steve settled and kissed him softly. Steve pulled away after a moment.
“You ready for today?”
Eddie gave him a crooked grin. “As ready as I’ll ever be.” He took a sip from his mug and set it on the side table. “Thanks for the coffee, babe.”
Steve smirked. “Yeah, man.”
Together, they watched the sun brighten the sky while Eddie picked away at the guitar. He thought back to April. Sitting in the same chair, neck deep in grief. And now Eddie sat with him. Alive. In love. Steve couldn’t think of a time when he’d been happier.
At some point, they rose to meet the day. Showered, breakfasted, argued about music in the car. Where Steve pretended to put up a fight, both of them knowing he would cave. But it was a short drive to Robin’s house, and Iron Maiden was pretty cool, Steve supposed.
Steve felt a little jittery as he rang the doorbell, with Eddie beside him, totally visible. He fixed his hair. Straightened his shirt.
“Dude, what are you doing?” Eddie nudged his shoulder. “You look fine.”
“Yeah, I know–” Steve fixed his hair again. “It’s just–”
The door opened, revealing Lloyd Buckley. His passive face moved from Steve to Eddie and back again.
“Is this the babe?” Lloyd inquired.
Oh god. This was a terrible idea.
Eddie’s eyebrows arched in delight. He looked at Steve with a manic grin. “What babe?”
Thank god Robin came bounding up behind her dad and threw her arms around him. “The babe with the power!” she shouted.
Lloyd winced and gently removed her arms from around his neck and pulled her into a side hug.
Eddie turned his manic face toward her. “The power of voodoo!”
“Who do?” she asked in delight.
Lloyd and Steve locked eyes. Steve rubbed his temple and Lloyd stared, nonplussed.
“You do!” Eddie directed his finger at Robin.
“Do what?” she asked in faux confusion.
“Remind me of the babe!”
Robin snorted with laughter as Eddie wrapped her in his arms.
Steve huffed a laugh and buried his face in his hands. Lloyd looked amused when Steve opened his eyes. “Yeah,” Steve said. “That’s him.”
“I can see that.” Lloyd held the door open for them and Robin dragged Eddie into the house.
“He seems like a good dude,” Lloyd continued. “I mean, I didn’t quite catch his name before my daughter ran away with him. But I suppose she already knows him. You probably have nothing to worry about there.”
“His name is Eddie!” Robin called from ahead of them, where she hauled Eddie down the hall.
“Nice to meet you!” Eddie said as he disappeared upstairs.
Steve walked at a normal pace, like a normal person beside Lloyd.
“Did you catch the game on Sunday?” Lloyd inquired.
Steve shook his head. “Nah, I had to work.”
“I taped it if you’re interested?”
He hesitated at the foot of the stairs. The sound of Eddie and Robin laughing came filtering down. Eddie hadn’t been alone with anyone else since his return. He probably needed a break. Steve glanced at his watch. They could spare an hour. They might get through the whole game if they fast forwarded through the commercials. And it wasn’t too long of a drive.
“Yeah,” he agreed. “Yeah, that’d be awesome.”
“Where are you headed to this afternoon?” Lloyd asked. “Going to see your parents?”
Steve suppressed a smile. “Yeah, they invited me and Eddie for dinner.”
“Real nice of them. Very generous to include Eddie. Especially considering their upbringing. You know what I mean. About how they have those sticks stuck up their asses?”
Steve chuckled softly.
“So, are you going anywhere special?”
“Yeah, the fucking moon.”
That got a laugh out of Lloyd as they sat in the den.
Steve liked the woven fabric couches at Robin’s house. They didn’t stick to your skin like the leather at his house. He got comfortable on the brown plaid couch with wooden arms while Lloyd popped the video into the VCR.
They watched the game with minimal chatter for about an hour before Robin and Eddie appeared behind the couch.
“Steve, what is happening?” Robin demanded. “Because it looks like you’re hanging out with my dad. Again.”
“Give the kid a break, Robin,” Lloyd answered without looking away from the tv. “He just passively came out to his best friend’s dad. He’s entitled to some quiet masculinity if he wants it.”
“Lord knows he ain’t gonna get that from us, Buckley,” Eddie added, clapping her on the shoulder.
She leaned into him. “Ugh… but does it have to be with my dad?”
“Love you too, kiddo,” Lloyd replied, deadpanned.
“We should probably get going, though,” Eddie said, looking at Steve.
“Sure, yeah.” Steve got to his feet. “It’s up to you.”
Lloyd also stood and ejected the videotape. He slid it into the cover and handed it to Steve. “You can finish this at home if you want. No rush or anything.”
It was a casual act: handing the videotape to Steve. Thoughtless, even. It meant Lloyd knew he could trust Steve with the tape. That Lloyd would see Steve soon enough to return the tape. Casual and familial. It was a thoughtless instinctual inclusion. Steve’s eyes felt suddenly hot. He blinked rapidly and looked away as Lloyd pulled him into a hug. “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. As many times as you need to hear it. You’re a good kid, Steve Harrington.”
“Ugh, stop,” Robin complained. “You’re going to barf me out.” She dragged Steve away from her dad and pulled him into a hug of her own. “He’s right, you know. As much as it pains me to admit.”
“Shut up, you sap,” Steve mumbled into her hair.
Robin passed Steve over to Eddie, who seized Steve’s hand.
“Nice to meetcha, Mr. Buckley.” Eddie waved over his shoulder as Robin led them down the hall and out the door.
“Aw, that was kind of sweet, Buckley,” Eddie said as the front door closed behind them. “Your dad is pretty chill.”
“Ugh, not you too! You’re supposed to be all anti-establishment and ‘wake up sheeple!’ If you become friends with my mom, we’re done. Kaput.” She drew a finger across her throat. “It’s over!”
“Don’t worry, Buckley. Moms hate me,” Eddie replied. “Fret not, my good lady.”
“You say that now,” Steve cut in. “But I think she’s going to love you.”
“Let’s get out of here before she tries to drown us with baked goods,” Robin complained. She pushed Eddie toward the beamer.
Sure enough, Diane trotted to the driveway with tupperware full of cookies. “Robin! Steve! Wait up!”
Robin groaned, leaning her forehead on the car.
“Hey Mrs. Buckley,” Steve said. “This is Eddie.”
Eddie shot a nervous glance at Steve. He wiped his hands on his jeans before sticking one out. Diane shook it warmly.
“Nice to meetcha, Mrs. Buckley.”
“Robin told me a little about your situation and honey. I’m glad to see your recovery is going well. You’ve been through so much.” She reached out and paused with her arm in the air. “Do you need a hug?”
Eddie stared at her. Steve wondered when the last time a mom had hugged him was. How old had Eddie been when his mom took off? Steve got hugs from Claudia Henderson and Diane, of course. But he doubted that the leader of the Hellfire Club received the same treatment. Steve looked over Eddie’s torn black jeans. His Dio battle jacket covered in patches and pins. The black and red Metallica t-shirt with safety pins on the hem. Had a mom had ever hugged him?
Diane wrapped her arms around him. Eddie slowly raised his arms and returned the hug.
“I can’t believe a serial killer kept you captive for so long, you poor dear.”
Eddie blinked at her as she withdrew and placed the tupperware in his hands.
“I know, I know, it’s probably not ‘cool’ but… Well… I thought it couldn’t hurt. Who doesn’t love cookies, right?” Diane tucked Eddie’s long hair behind his ear. “If you ever need a thing, you pop right on over, okay?”
Eddie’s mouth opened and closed. He swallowed, looking at the tub of cookies in his hands.
“Mom, we have to go. We’re going to be late,” Robin complained.
They were nowhere near being late. Steve shot Robin a look.
“Sorry, sorry,” Diane held up her hands in surrender. “Be safe out there, sweetie.” She kissed Robin on the forehead.
“Oh, c’mon, Mom.” Robin frantically tried to wipe the lipstick off.
Steve caught Eddie’s bewildered eye. What should I do? He mouthed and gestured with the tupperware.
Say ‘Thank you’, Steve mouthed silently.
“Uh, thanks Mrs. Buckley,” Eddie said, looking a little lost.
She leaned over and kissed his forehead, too. “No problem, dear. Just be safe out there!”
“You already said that,” Robin huffed.
“Robin!” Steve admonished. “Be nice to your mom, jesus.”
Eddie’s eyes turned manic when he gaped at Steve. “Her mom is Jesus??”
Diana laughed at them. “Don’t be silly. If anyone, I’m the Holy Spirit.”
Steve shook his head. “Such blasphemy.”
She laughed again and kissed Steve on the cheek before she went inside.
When they piled into the car, they sat for a moment in silence. Steve thought there had been more hugging in one day at the Buckleys than his entire childhood combined.
Eddie looked at the tupperware of homemade cookies in his lap as he absently wiped the lipstick from his forehead.
“Buckley…”
“No!” Robin protested.
Steve grinned triumphantly at her in the rear-view mirror.
“Don’t you dare!” she hissed.
“It’s too late, man. I’m with Steve on this one.”
“Oh my god you two getting together is the worst thing that’s ever happened to me and I cannot believe it. You hate parents! What happened to sticking it to the man? Don’t you dare say it Eddie Munson!”
Eddie’s eyes filled with restrained mirth. “It’s too late! Your parents are nice!”
“No, they’re annoying.”
“Nah, they’re like the nicest people I’ve ever met.” Eddie turned away from Robin to face Steve. “Babe, I owe you an apology. I will never be jealous of Lloyd ever again. We can hang out here whenever you want.”
Steve beamed and turned to face Robin in the back seat.
“Oh fuck off, Steve,” Robin said and crossed her arms. “A pair of Benedict Arnolds.”
The car left the driveway filled with laughter. They watched Hawkins fly by the windows in comfortable silence. When they’d been on the freeway for about ten minutes, Eddie caught Steve’s eye.
“Is it just me…” Eddie leaned in and whispered loudly. “Or does Buckley’s mom kinda dress like Nancy Wheeler?”
Robin exploded in a fury of flailing arms and threats.
“YOUR HEAD IS MINE, MUNSON! I WILL SHAVE THE WHOLE THING!”
“You would never!” Eddie yelled in return, trying to get out of range of Robin’s long limbs.
“YOUR WHOLE GODDAMN HEAD! DON’T THINK I WON’T!!”
Steve drew the line when the cookies became projectiles.
They stopped for burgers around dinner time. Steve refused to let them eat in the car. The sun began to fade when they were in the car again and on the road. Robin stretched out in the back seat to take a nap. Eddie started chewing on his nails when Steve took the exit for Roanoke. Steve reached over and squeezed his knee.
Eddie half smiled at him in the dark.
Robin sat up with a yawn. “Are we here?”
“Almost. What’s the house number again?” Steve asked.
Eddie extracted a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket. “Uhhh…. It’s…” he waited until Steve drove under a streetlamp and held the paper up to the window. “14 Kings Row.”
Steve turned onto the road. The trailer park looked pretty new, from what they saw of it in the dim light of the street lamp at the end of the row.
“There it is, on the left!” Robin pointed out. A small wooden porch went half the length of number 14.
He pulled into the gravel driveway and turned off the engine. Eddie pulled a piece of hair into his mouth and chewed on the ends.
Steve gently tugged it out. “You sure you don’t want us to go with you?”
“Nah, man.” Eddie shook his head. “I gotta do this part on my own.”
“Sure, yeah.”
Robin popped her head in the front. “Whatever you want, Eddie.”
“We’re here if you need us.”
When he got out of the car, Robin took his place up front.
They watched Eddie climb the porch stairs and knock on the door. He stuck his hands in his pockets. Eddie threw them one last glance.
Steve and Robin gave him a thumbs up.
He smiled at them with full dimple action. And man. Steve wanted look at those dimples forever.
The door opened a second later, bathing Eddie in yellow light. His smile grew impossibly brighter.
“Hey, Uncle Wayne.”