Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Dustin Henderson has two people in his life who watch over him, who inspire him, and who take care of him… like older brothers. Originally, Steve and Eddie were at best ambivalent to each other – and at worst disdainful. Steve thought of Eddie what many others thought, that he was a freakazoid. And Eddie thought that Steve was a total rich-kid douchebag.

It’s funny how different those words sound these days. They still speak to each other the same way. Only, there’s something in Eddie’s eyes when he says. “Hey, move rich-kid douchebag. That’s my seat.”

“Oh so this is your seat freakazoid?” And there is something playing in Steve’s smile.

Eddie just rolls his eyes and plops himself down anyway, right in Steve’s lap.

“Oof!”

Dustin laughs as Steve winces.

“Now I know what a beanbag must feel like.” Steve mutters, playing with a lock of Eddie’s hair, gently pulling a curl and letting it bounce back into place.

“Fully. Deserved.” Eddie says as he leans back into Steve comfortably. He snuggles his head against Steve’s shoulder.

“See this is why this guy doesn’t deserve to be your older brother figure, Dustin! First of all, he’s a nerd! And second, he’s a terrible role model. I think if anyone deserves to be your surrogate older brother, it would be someone cooler.”

Eddie’s hand covers Steve’s mouth. “Somebody’s jealous!” He calls out loudly in a singsong voice.

“Mhm- mmhm-” Steve finally wrenches Eddie’s hand away. “I never said I wanted to do it. I’m like, way too cool to be hanging around with this little twerp.”

Eddie smirks and pinches Steve’s cheek. “He’s so cool.” Eddie lightly mocks.

Dustin snorts.

Steve rolls his eyes.

Dustin has come to realise something recently – something that he’d never really noticed until the stars had left his eyes. His ‘brothers’ are kind of lame. They’re losers, they’re dorks, but it’s far from a bad thing. It’s why he loves them. It’s what makes them brothers to him, rather than the idols they once were.

“Not funny, Eddie.” Steve complains. Eddie nods and rests his head back against the crook of Steve’s neck. “Excuse you, Steve. I am hilarious.”

“So, Dustin. What’s up little dude?” Steve asks. Eddie keeps strangely silent, listening for once.

“Umm… so, my girlfriend has managed to convince her parents to let her go on an actual date with me. But only under the condition that someone chaperones for us. So I was hoping that one of you would be willing to do it.”

“Yeah, sure thing bud.” Steve says at the same time as Eddie’s. “Alright. I’ll do it.”

Dustin frowns, but Eddie just shrugs. “We can both go. Make sure you two kids don’t get into any trouble or whatev.”

“Cool.” Dustin says, although he doesn’t seem as thrilled as Steve or Eddie would’ve expected. He’s looking down at his shoes as he smiles. “I…” He looks up, his expression now serious. “I also need advice… about talking to girls… like, while on a date.”

To Steve’s surprise he looks to Eddie first. Eddie. Eddie snorts audibly and puts up his hands. “What makes you think I have any idea about that, little man?”

“But… you’re cool!”

Eddie looks both amused and visibly offended for a second, then rolls his eyes and whispers something in Steve’s ear which makes him laugh.

“Well, Dustin, you start by complimenting her outfit. Or her hair.” Steve says, pulling again at one of Eddie’s curly locks. “Just the one compliment though, I’ve seen that get excessive. Then you ask her something about herself, like how her day was or whatever. And then you bring up whatever topic last made her laugh, if you remember. After that just start talking like normal human beings. It’s not that hard.”

Eddie turns to Steve with a raised eyebrow. “It’s weird seeing it all laid out like that, like a mathematical formula.” His tone is a little strange, Dustin thinks, it’s teasing but oddly harsh. “It seems so… unromantic. Almost douchey.”

Steve rolls his eyes. “It’s really not all that planned out.”

“Liar.” Eddie says, eyes flicking down to Steve’s lips. He turns back around, closing his eyes.

“Was there advice I could give that you wouldn’t think was stupid?” Steve asks tersely.

“What do you think I should do, Eddie? I was trying to ask you.” Dustin says.

Eddie sighs hard. “Just be yourself.” His tone is as sarcastic as it’s possible to be, but Dustin knows he means it.

Then he caps it off with “Or maybe listen to the guy who pulls girls, whatever.”

“Oh, well, I’m a little rusty.” Steve says, with a nudge to Eddie. “And I never said don’t be yourself, Dustin. I mean, of course you should be yourself… just stop worrying about it, she’ll love you.”

Absent-mindedly, Steve takes Eddie’s hand in his and rubs his thumb across the back. “Sometimes it’s more about fate than anything else.”

“Fate? Seriously? I’m a scientist, I don’t believe in fate.” Dustin laughs.

Steve continued on anyway. “And rather than trying to make yourself fit into a relationship where you feel you have to be some other kind of person to make it work, you need to find the person who you fit with naturally. Is it hard work being with Suzie?”

“Not at all!” Dustin exclaims.

“Then that’s a really good sign for you guys.”

Eddie raises an eyebrow with amusement, and leans forwards to whisper something in Steve’s ear. Steve’s eyes go wide, and he snorts.

“No!” Steve insists, before looking back at Eddie’s fluttering eyes. “Well… maybe- Wait, you take pride in that, don’t you?!”

“You know it!” Eddie crows. “Easy as -”

Steve quickly clamps a hand over Eddie’s mouth. “Geez, Eddie! Sorry for freakazoid here, Dustin.” He can feel Eddie's laugh.

“Hey, don’t call him a freak! When are you two going to stop fighting and get along?!” Dustin says, with a beleaguered sigh. “I’m so disappointed in you both.”

Eddie and Steve exchange a bewildered look.

“Uh, sorry kid?” Steve says. And it’s more of a question than an actual apology, but Dustin accepts it anyway.

Eddie rolls his eyes. “My apologies.” He says in a relative drawl.

“Good.” Dustin says. “And I expect you to get along from now on, or you will be in so much trouble!”

He isn’t expecting them both to break out into raucous laughter, but he supposes at least they’re making fun of him together… so that’s a marked improvement. Right?

“Guys, it’s not that funny.” Dustin says in a small voice when his bros literally tumble to the floor, clutching their sides from howling with laughter.

"I can promise you." Steve says through snorts and giggles. "That we'll get along just fine."

Chapter Text

Dustin and Suzie are at the diner having milkshakes. On the other side of the table are Eddie and Steve. Steve keeps stealing sips of Eddie’s milkshake and Eddie has threatened Steve in a variety of ways about as colourful as the neon strawberry liquid, but so far his threats have been ineffective – and Dustin suspects quite hollow.

“So, Suzie. Did you know that Dustin is the smartest kid in his school?” Steve says, making Dustin blush and shake his head.

“I’m not that smart, really.” Dustin insists.

Steve rolls his eyes. “He can drive too, sort of. Sometimes I let him drive my car, you know, for practice. So like, in a few years, he’ll be driving like a pro.”

Suzie gasps. “Dusty’s not old enough to drive, that’s against the law!”

Steve frowns. Maybe he really doesn’t know what girls like. Dustin glares at him.

He goes back to trying to steal sips of Eddie’s milkshake.

“But my Dusty-bun always has been a bit of a bad boy!” Suzy continues adoringly, and Steve nearly chokes to death on stolen milkshake.

Dustin flushes and laughs into his own milkshake.

Eddie catches Steve’s eye and sends a shitfaced smile at him.

“Aww, they’re adorable aren’t they?”

“Okay, you guys need to stop.” Dustin sputters, his cheeks red. “You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?”

“Doing what?” Eddie asks. Honestly, Steve doesn’t think he has any idea of just how much they’re messing with Dustin. He can be oblivious sometimes.

“I don’t mind.” Suzie says. “I think your friends are super nice.”

“Thank you, Suzie.” Steve says.

The rest of the date goes well, with Steve and Eddie hanging back and letting Dustin and Suzie talk up a storm. Eventually they end up standing by the window, staring out into the street. There’s a bustle of Sunday afternoon shoppers out on the street, shopping for clothes, ice-cream, going to the movies.

“Our kid’s growing up.” Eddie says, putting a hand on Steve’s shoulder. Then he turns to Steve and smiles. “It’s not a bad thing, you know.”

Steve hadn’t even realised he was feeling so bummed out until Eddie mentions it. But yeah, he kind of is.

“We can’t be his heroes forever.” Eddie adds with a smirk.

“I thought that I could. I guess I thought that he would always be that small, and that I would always be protecting him from weird creatures from another dimension. And now I just sound insane.” Steve snort-laughs and shakes his head. “I mean, of course it’s insane to think that I could really be-”

Eddie cocks his head. “Be what?”

“I don’t know. Like, a father – responsible, or even worth the effort it takes to have me around.” Steve winces, but Eddie pokes him right in the chest and glares up at him. “Don’t you dare let your own father’s sucky parenting define you. You’re more of a father for Dustin than your father ever was for you. And worth the effort? Don’t even get me started. You’re worth every second.”

Eddie steps back and his glare fades away. “We can’t be his heroes forever.” Eddie says again. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t always stick by him. Support him, when he needs us.”

Steve nods. “Yeah, you’re right. I… I was being stupid.”

“There you go again with the self-flagellation, God! Are you going to make me say it?”

“Say what?”

Eddie takes in a deep breath. “You’re perfect just the way you are, Harrington. Okay! I said the sappy, romantic-comedy bullshit! I’m a cliché, and I hate myself for it!”

Steve snorts. “Oh, no part of you is a cliché.”

“Ugh. Even that’s a cliché. That line.”

“Fine! Then I say we embrace the cliché. Now we’ve just gotta mak-” Steve’s face falls as he remembers where he’s standing, and the tarry back and forth of formal shoes out for ice-cream on a post-church Sunday afternoon, right there through the window in front. These were shoes belonging to people he knew, people he’d grown up around, and mostly those he wouldn’t trust with a locker combination let alone much else.

“Make it count.” It comes out much more serious than what Steve had intended, mostly because it isn’t what Steve had intended to say.

Eddie nods, leaning forwards and peering through the glass of the window.

“I don’t think that’s a cliché. Most don’t, after all, make it count. Even in the least cliché romantic movies the credits do roll, and so they consummate a destiny that anyone but themselves might choose for them. Fulfil a fantasy that was written with anyone else in mind and win one great big happy, yet dictated dream.”

Steve just stares at Eddie. “Seriously, how the fuck are you failing classes?”

Eddie shrugs. “Cuz then I’d be just another nerd at the table, so cliché.” He says, sarcastically.

“Did you just call me a nerd?” Dustin pipes up from behind them.

“Uhh-” Eddie trails off.

“We’re both ready to go home.” Dustin explains, holding Suzie’s hand and grinning widely.

“Dustin was a perfect gentleman!” Suzie says. “I had an amazing time!”

“I can’t wait to see you again Suzie-poo!” Dustin coos.

“Me neither Dusty-bun!”

Eddie makes what is perhaps the most fascinating face that Steve has ever seen, his desire to support Dustin waging a violent war against his ever-present desire to mock.

And it’s entirely unclear which side is winning when he says. “You two make such a cute couple.” So Steve nudges him just in case. Because they are a cute couple, even if Steve doesn’t entirely get it.

“So, how’d it go?” Steve asks. He’s surprised when he gets a big hug from Dustin in response.

“It went so perfectly!!!” Dustin exclaims, before giving Eddie a hug. “I seriously can’t believe it, guys! She’s the one!” He steps back, unable to contain his grin. “You’re the best brothers ever! Thank you so much for agreeing to chaperone!”

Dustin waves as he heads off. Steve and Eddie smile and nod until he reaches his home. And then, Eddie frowns. “Brothers?” He asks, screwing up his nose.

Steve snorts. “Yeah, I don’t know. I stopped trying to figure out ages ago what runs through that kid’s head.” He leans in and kisses Eddie. “And I’m pretty sure I owe you a dinner for stealing your milkshake.”

“Well then.” Eddie slips his arm through Steve’s as they make their way back to the car. “Lead the way.”

Chapter Text

When Steve had started sharing a table with the Hellfire club for lunch, well, people had started talking. To most, it didn’t make a whole lot of sense. So there were many rumours regarding how this had come about, Eddie’s personal favourite of which was the one that claimed he was a demon who now apparently owned Steve’s soul. Often taken as proof of this by the students of the school were the times when Steve had needed to stand up for Eddie against some larger bully. To many no other explanation made as much sense as the demon thing. What was common human decency, after all?

“You know, most of the people in this room, they think you’re my evil minion.” Eddie says, sitting on the table with a victorious grin.

“And what exactly is our evil plan, again?” Steve snorts. “C’mon. Don’t entertain them.”

Eddie leans in and whispers in his ear. “But it’s sorta sexy.” He draws back. “Don’t you think?”

Steve can’t help it when the corners of his mouth perk up. “Not at all.”

Not even in the dream that he totally hasn’t had.

Steve has to admit, he still doesn’t really like Eddie’s other friends. Obviously that's excluding Mike, Will, Lucas and Max – and Dustin’s basically their son so of course he’s awesome. But Eddie’s other Hellfire Club friends are… well…

Less than friendly. Just as confused as everyone else about what King Steve’s doing at their table. Made up of several people that Steve vaguely remembers being a bit of a dick to in middle-school. So he mostly stays out of their way.

To be honest, he’d probably sit somewhere else if it weren’t for the fact that Tommy and Carol are assholes and his best friend Robin is totally distracted with her new girlfriend and probably wouldn’t want to be disturbed right now. And sitting alone? That’s not Steve Harrington’s style.

Steve is not good at school. He’s particularly not good at concentrating, he’s especially not good at studying, and he usually ends up very distracted or bored out of his mind when he tries.

Eddie, on the other hand… seems to space out as often as he does, actually. Although his spacing out because he doesn’t care about studying, is probably pretty different from Steve’s blank staring at the page with an undertone of panic. That’s the difference between them, Steve pretends he doesn’t care and Eddie really doesn’t care.

Steve watches him from across the classroom. Eddie’s smart though, and maybe if Steve asks really nicely he’ll help him study. Maybe.

Eddie is surprisingly receptive to Steve’s request to study together. Admittedly it’s possible that Nancy told him what Steve had last meant when he'd asked someone to ‘study together’.

Steve actually doesn’t mean that this time. Because to be honest, he kind of wants to graduate.

Not graduating means being at school another year while Eddie goes off to college or to start a business or something that’ll probably be brilliant and ground-breaking and then leaves Steve for someone who’s actually responsible. Probably.

They sit down at one of the neoprene-topped study desks in the school library, and open their books.

“Did you take notes?” Eddie asks.

“No.”

Eddie just nods, frowning down at his textbook. He gets a pen and starts writing stuff down.

Steve initially tries to peer over at what Eddie’s doing, but he can’t get a good enough look.

He looks down at his own textbook and starts to read.

Steve opens his eyes. Eddie is sitting on an elaborate throne in a crazy decked out throne room, confidently, naked except for a pair of black leather gloves. His ears are pointed, and from his temples jut a pair of small horns.

There’s a smirk on his face, well, that’s the same as always. But this isn’t his Eddie. This Eddie doesn’t say a word because the sexy demon dream version of Eddie never does. He just beckons and Steve follows in a practised motion, kneeling in front of him.

All of a sudden, Steve finds himself in the library being shaken awake by the real Eddie. “Wake up, sleepyhead. Earth to Steve. That took you all of twelve seconds, didn’t it. I can’t believe you asked me to help you study and then flake on me like this!”

“What?” Steve groans, annoyed at being woken. “You know, dream Eddie would never-”

“You dream about me?” Eddie looks way too pleased about that.

“…no.” Steve lies.

“You know, I am the last person who would say that we actually have to study. But we actually have to study unless we wanna get stuck in this hellhole for another year.”

“Why’ve I always gotta date nerds?” Steve grumbles.

“Is it really nerdy to wanna graduate?” Eddie asks, before he frowns. “You know what, don’t answer that. The bar is unbelievably low around here.”

Steve yawns and tries to force his eyes to make sense of the page in front of him. But as his vision comes into focus the problems do not. Clearly his eyes are broken, he cannot see math. What even are these little symbols? What even is this language!

“Eddie, help me.”

Eddie sighs as takes in Steve’s expression, then looks at the page. “No, I don’t get it either.”

Steve looks at him in a panic.

“Look, I’m more of a lit nerd.” Eddie says, and even he lacks the confidence that his tone normally gives off. “I don’t get this.”

“We need Dustin!” Steve says. “He’s really good at math. He does all this stuff with circuits, and magnets…”

“That’s science, not math.” Eddie says.

“But, and hear me out, he would know that.” Steve jokes. “He really is kind of a genius with all this stuff.”

“Yeah, we need Dustin.” Eddie admits.

“Wait… noooo!” Steve groans. “He’s going to be such a little shit about this, I just know it!”

Eddie’s eyes widen in horror. “Oh… you’re right. We will never live this down. Ever.”

“So I guess the question is… do we want to give Dustin fuel to make fun of us until the end of time or do we want to graduate?” “Eddie?” Steve asks, when he doesn’t get an answer.

Eddie holds up a hand. “Hold on, I’m thinking about it.”

They sit there for almost twenty minutes before Eddie says. “Okay, fine, let’s call Dustin.”

Chapter Text

Dustin stands in front of them, and lays out several items. Two dog-eared books, which are definitely not their textbooks, that he appears to have borrowed from the school library. A pile of candy bars. And some protractors and compasses (the math kind, not the magnetic kind).

And then he grins, a wicked grin that Steve definitely doesn’t like, and folds his arms. “So, I heard you two kids needed help with your homework.

Eddie stands up. “Nope!”

“Eddie, sit down.” Steve says, and Eddie does.

Dustin snickers. “And you may call me, Professor Henderson!”

This time it’s Steve’s turn to stand. “Oh, no way!”

Eddie bites his lip to conceal a smile as he says. “Steve, sit down.”

Steve does.

“It’s Professor Henderson, or the lesson’s off. Your choice. Now, greet your teacher.” Dustin says.

“Hi Prof Henderson.” Steve grumbles at the same time as Eddie groans. “Hello Professor Henderson.”

“Perfect!” Dustin says. “Now open your books to page one-oh-three. These books, not the other ones.”

Dustin snaps his book shut happily. “Great!”

Steve massages his temples. “I feel like I need to ice my brain.”

“I actually think I get it now. It wasn’t that hard, really.” Eddie says, and Steve glares at him.

When Eddie sees Steve’s glare he turns to Dustin and says. “Thanks Professor.” In a mocking tone.

“He’s my best student.” Dustin points to Eddie.

“Fine, whatever.” Steve grumbles. He doesn’t care. He needs a nap.

“Robin. Hey, Robin, are you listening?” Steve asks, tapping her on the shoulder impatiently.

“Huh?” Her goofy grin is really getting on Steve’s nerves.

“Geez, too much love is bad for your brain Robin. Have you heard a word I’ve said?”

Robin raises an eyebrow. “Blah blah blah I need my son to teach me math and it’s embarrassing – Steve Harrington, you are officially in your mid-thirties, congratulations. When’s the mid-life crisis coming? Probably when you start losing your hair, I suppose.”

“Hey, don’t even joke about that!” Steve says, smoothing a hand over his pride and joy.

Robin gives him a look like she can tell the future. “Eddie keeps his until he’s sixty-seven.”

“Damn.” Steve snorts.

“But on a serious note, I think it’s sweet.” Robin says. “Your found family, or whatever. I’m thinking maybe we should follow your lead and adopt Mike as our son once we’ve settled down.”

Steve raises an eyebrow. “Sure, Rob.”

Robin sighs. “Anyway, things are pretty awesome right now.” She taps the counter. “You know what? Got any date night movie recs?”

“Ooh!” Steve grabs a pile of videos. “So, these were our last few date nights over here.”

Robin makes a face as she goes through them. “Friday the Thirteenth, Halloween, Halloween Two?” “I’m guessing these were Eddie’s picks?”

“I’m actually kinda getting into them, you know?”

“Mmhmm.”

“Well I’m sleeping better, at least.”

“He’s really got you round his little finger, hasn’t he?”

“We’re going to see Hellraiser in the cinema after this.”

“So that’s a yes.”

“Look – my man, who by the way is terrified of bats, birds, and bugs, loves horror films. So of course we’re gonna watch horror films.”

“Huh. So… what you’re saying is that my girlfriend is cooler than yours.”

“For the last time, Robin, we are not having that competition. Girls are not trophies, and Eddie’s a guy.”

“Pff, you’re just saying that ‘cause you know you’re gonna lose.”

“Robin.”

“Fine.”

Eddie holds Steve’s hand as the movie plays inside the dark cinema. Where Steve had seen Eddie terrified and trembling when faced with the creatures of the upside-down, and had protected him. Steve’s slightly shaking hand now lies in Eddie’s, who squeezes it gently and leans over to whisper in Steve’s ear.

“I heard that they made the special effects for this scene out of lube and condoms.”

“They what? That’s so gross.”

“Think we could make a horror film?”

“Just shut up and watch the movie.” Steve says, leaning back in his seat with a smile, all the tension drained from his body.

The lights are on and someone is looking at them. Steve recognises him, he’s a teacher at their school. He’s staring at them, coldly.

“That was pretty good, whadda you think Harrington?” Eddie asks.

He slips his hand out of Eddie’s. “Yeah, pretty good.”

Eddie stands up and stretches. “See, I knew you’d warm up to horror movies. They’re not even really that scary. After all, it’s not like there’s anything to actually be afraid of in them.”

The teacher is still staring at them. Steve swallows.

“No… I guess not.” He stands up and looks towards the exit. “C’mon, let’s go.”

Steve brings Eddie to his home. Eddie is sitting on his bed, while Steve looks out the window. There’s no one out there, to Steve’s relief. He closes the blind.

“You worried about Pinhead? He’s not real, you know.” Eddie teases.

“You keep talking like that and I’m gonna get a parakeet for a pet.”

“…you wouldn’t!”

“And it’ll… do whatever it is about birds that freaks you out.”

“Birds are little monsters.” Eddie grumbles.

“Uh-huh.” Steve sits down beside Eddie on the bed and kisses him softly, before he draws back with an evil little smile. “Sure they are.”

Eddie huffs with annoyance and flops down on the bed.

“Hey… did you ever think about moving out of Hawkins?” Steve asks.

Eddie frowns. “Like, to where?”

“I don’t know. The city? Maybe? Or just anywhere else.”

“Did you forget that the kid who is basically our son lives here?”

“He can come with us.”

“I don’t think that’s how this works.” Eddie says, and Steve has to admit that he’s right.

“And all of our friends are here. I think the city would have to be some kind of special to be worth it. And besides. How long have we been dating? I know it feels like forever, but it hasn’t even been that long.”

Steve was actually in agreement until he brought that up, and now he’s just confused. “What do you mean?”

“What if I move for you, leaving everything behind, and then we end up breaking up?” Eddie asks.

Steve’s mouth drops open. “I… don’t want to break up with you!”

“I don’t want to either, doofus! I’m not saying that we will. I’m just saying that stuff happens sometimes, and that I just… I don’t think moving right now is a good idea.”

“Yeah… you’re right. I just...”

“C’mere.” Eddie says, and then presses his forehead against Steve’s. “It’ll be alright. The monsters won’t come back, and even if they do – we’ll beat them. Just like we did last time.”

“I love you.” Steve says. It’s actually the first time he’s said it, but it feels like it’s been said a thousand times between the two of them – just coated in layers of teasing and sarcasm and emotional walls.

“You too?” Eddie asks, as Steve could have predicted, with sarcasm. Although there’s a rawness to it that sends sparks running through him. “Gee, I thought I was the only one.”

Steve lets out a puff of air through his nose, it’s barely a laugh, but Eddie laughs back anyways.

“I love you, Harrington.” Eddie says, and kisses him.

Chapter Text

Steve isn’t expecting Dustin to burst into his house like he owns the place, but he does. Steve turns off the TV and turns around.

“What?! What are you doing? Is something wrong? Is it more Demogorgons? Mindflayers? V-”

“No, nothing like that.”

“Then what? You can’t just burst in whenev-”

“C’mon, Steve! It’s an emergency! We’ve gotta make our costumes.” Dustin says.

Steve frowns. “Costumes? For what?”

“Whaddya mean for what! For Halloween of course!!!”

Steve takes a second to absorb this.

“But it’s not even October yet.” He blurts out.

“It’s October in two days. Two!!!”

“But Halloween isn’t until the thirty-first, and I’m not wearing a costume this year anyway.”

Dustin scoffs.

“Well I’m not a little kid, Dustin.”

“Halloween costumes aren’t just for kids! Mr Clarke is wearing a costume.”

“Well, I’m sorry to tell you this Dustin, but Mr Clarke is kind of a dork.” Steve says.

Dustin smirks. “Eddie’s wearing a costume you know.”

“Yeah, well, Eddie’s a dork too. Don’t get me wrong, he’s amazing, but he’s also a total dork.”

Dustin’s eyes light up and he holds out his arms. “Amazing?! Yes! See, I knew you’d warm up to him eventually! I’m so glad that you finally see what I see in him.”

Steve snorts and shakes his head. “Well I really hope you don’t see what I see in him, honestly.”

“I know, I know, you two have got your little rivalry thing going on over who gets to be my best friend slash older brother but here’s the thing – working on our costumes together could actually seriously put you in the lead of this.”

Steve rolls his eyes. “Sorry kid, still not happening. Why don’t you just go make costumes with Eddie if he’s doing it too?”

“Because even though he won’t tell me what it is, he’s already made his and supposedly has better things to do than help with mine. He says he’s had it all ready since August.”

Steve pauses. That seems like a pretty big head start for a Halloween costume. He can’t help but feel curious about what it could be.

“He didn’t tell you?”

“That’s what I said, isn’t it?”

“But what do you think it is?”

“I’ve got no idea!”

“What are you going as?”

“Superman.” Dustin says happily. “But I only decided on that recently.”

Steve makes a face.

“Hey, I can totally make a convincing Superman!” Dustin exclaims.

“Sure, kid.” Steve says, dryly.

Dustin sighs. “So, now that you’re aware that we’re all doing Halloween, what are you going as?”

“Oh, I don’t know… I think I’m gonna go as Steve Harrington, he’s got really great hair.”

Dustin rolls his eyes. “Fine, but you’re still gonna help me sew my costume.”

“What??? I did not agree to that!”

Eddie drops by, to find Steve muttering over a half-sewn mess of blue and red fabric while Dustin flips through a comic.

“What’cha doing Steve?” Eddie asks, leaning over to inspect the cloth.

“He’s helping make my Halloween costume.” Dustin says.

“Yeah, ‘helping’.” Steve grumbles, he turns to Dustin. “Are you gonna do any of this or-“

Dustin looks over. He holds up the comic to Eddie. “I’m finding us a visual aid, because apparently Steve doesn’t know what Superman looks like.”

“I know what Superman looks like.” Steve grumbles. “There’s an S on his chest, and it’s…”

Dustin quickly stuffs the comic in his backpack so Steve can’t see it.

“…yellow.”

“Red.”

“Right.”

“Those are two completely different colours. The diamond that the S is situated in is what’s actually yellow.” Dustin insists.

Steve sighs, and Dustin pulls the comic back out of his bag to point to.

“Give it here, douchebags.” Eddie says, holding out his hand.

“Whaddya mean?” Steve asks.

Eddie takes the mangled fabric from Steve and flumps down on the couch next to him, tutting at it before unpicking all the stitches.

“Hey, no!” Steve exclaims. “All my hard work!”

“Cool it, hun. I know how to make clothes. It was the squirt’s plan all along, I’m guessing, since he’s been bugging me about this all week.”

Steve glares at Dustin, who shrugs.

“You know how to make clothes?” Steve asks, surprised.

“Who did you think was making the Hellfire Club shirts?” Eddie asks. “I mean, yeah that was screen-printing… but I can also sew. I can do lots of things. I’m a multi-faceted human being.”

“Apparently.” Steve says, watching Eddie work with interest.

“And you, young man, are in trouble.” Eddie scolds Dustin. “Will I make the costume? Yes. But the next time I tell you no don’t go bugging Steve about it. It’s annoying.”

Dustin smiles like the little shit he is, and Steve’s fairly sure he hasn’t learned his lesson.

“It seriously won’t work anymore, Dustin.” Steve says. “It just means we’ll start talking more so we can keep ahead of you.”

“I mean, we already talk enough that we’ll definitely catch anything else. So don’t even try it.” Eddie adds.

Dustin’s smile just gets bigger.

“So, Dustin says you’ve got a costume of your own planned out. Since August, huh? Must be something special.” Steve says, leaning against the wall. Dustin’s costume is nearly finished, and now Eddie is putting the near-invisible final touches on it.

“You’re not gonna ask?” Eddie says. There’s something teasing in his tone.

“I don’t know. Are you gonna tell?”

“I’m thinking it should be a surprise. That way it’ll be more of an impact. But I can tell you two things about it. One, it’s someone you’ve drooled over. And two, it’ll absolutely knock your socks off.”

For a moment, Dustin looks up from his comic at the two of them, slightly confused. Then he looks back down.

Steve shrugs. “I mean, I like having my socks knocked off. Hmm… who is…”

“Don’t even try guessing.” Eddie laughs.

Eddie holds up the Superman outfit and inspects it carefully.

“I think I’m done, Dustin? What do you think?”

Dustin darts up with an excitable smile. “I think it looks awesome! Thanks Eddie!” He gives Eddie a big hug for his troubles.

Eddie grumbles and pats him on the back. “You’re welcome.”

Chapter Text

“Dustin?!” Steve exclaims as Dustin sits down at the lunch table. “What happened?! Did someone hit you?! Oh my God!”

“Oh, nothing.” Dustin says, shockingly cheerily, despite the red bruising across his cheek. “I’m fine.”

“What do you mean, oh, nothing?!” Eddie exclaims. “Who hit you?”

“It’s fine, it was just a misunderstanding and it’s all better now.” Dustin says.

“Lemme have a look.” Eddie insists, and with a roll of his eyes Dustin turns his head to give Eddie a proper view of his cheek.

Eddie clicks his tongue and hops off the table. “I’m gonna go get you something to ice that.”

He heads off towards the cafeteria kitchen.

“No way that was just a misunderstanding, and if you tell me who it is then I can explain politely that no one in this school messes with Dustin Henderson! No one.” Steve says.

Dustin looks at Steve with flat refusal, just as Eddie comes back with a handful of chocolate pudding cups. Dustin’s eyes go wide.

Eddie takes one and presses it lightly against Dustin’s cheek.

“Think it’s cold enough?”

“Not sure. But maybe if I open it up and put the chocolate pudding inside my mouth it’ll be more effective.” Dustin jokes.

Eddie rolls his eyes. “Well don’t come crying to me if it swells up, kid. I’m trying my best.”

Steve stands up on the table and is busy looking out over the cafeteria suspiciously, inspecting every kid like they might be the enemy.

“Earth to Steve?” Dustin asks. But Steve is having none of it.

“Just let him do his thing, Dustin.” Eddie says. “You know normally I’d be poking fun at the whole jock mentality, but in this case I’m starting to understand.”

Dustin’s mouth drops open. “Steve! What the hell have you done to Eddie?! He’s… conforming! This is messed up!”

“Keep an eye out for the kid with bloody knuckles, Steve.” Eddie says.

“Already on it.” Steve mutters. “I know how fights work, Eddie.”

A few minutes pass.

“Got him.” Steve says, before hopping down from the table and chasing after a kid who immediately starts running. He catches him quickly. “Why’d you hit Dustin?!” Steve growls.

“I wasn’t aiming for him.” The kid spits. “I was aiming for the fa-”

“For who?” Steve interrupts, shaking him.

“D-Dustin just got in the way. Probably in love with him or something. Fucking f-”

“Who? Dustin has a girlfriend you idiot, her name is Suzie. Who did you try to punch?”

“Me.” Will steps forward, looking down at the floor. “But I told him not to do it. I told him he was just gonna get hurt if he defended me. He didn’t listen to me.”

Eddie hops off the table. “So, why’re you picking on Will? What? You’re gonna show you’re tough by picking on a kid who’s younger than you? You piece of shit. What did Will ever do to you?”

That’s when the kid clams up, not saying a word. Because what did Will ever do to anybody? Will spends all his time playing D&D and avoiding people, mostly because of shits like this.

“I protected him ‘cause he’s my friend, you douche. You know friends? They’re these people you care about regardless of any of this bullshit!” Dustin says, rubbing his cheek with pride.

Steve drops the kid, who crumples to the ground in a heap. “Mess with Will or Dustin or any of their friends again and you won’t be this lucky again.” He says, his expression dark and serious.

Will and Dustin are playing cards at the table, while Steve is in the kitchen getting juice and snacks for everyone. Dustin’s cheek has been disinfected and covered with a large band-aid, which is somehow already starting to peel off. Eddie is at the table working on his new D&D session, and he won’t let anyone look at it for the sake of spoilers.

When Steve comes back he lays out juice and snacks for Dustin and Will with a grumble, before sitting down himself. “Are you guys okay?”

“Fine.” Will says, gloomily. A sharp contrast to Dustin’s cheery. “Of course!”

“Will?” Eddie sets down what he’s working on. “If you need to talk to us about anything, it’s fine you know. It’s not like I haven’t had my own share of bullies to deal with, for various reasons. And Steve would understand too.”

Will frowns. “It’s not like Steve’s ever been bullied.”

“Uh, he didn’t mean the bullying.” Steve says, giving Will a nod. “You know? We’re always happy to give advice, or just listen to what you have to say.” He puts a hand on Eddie’s shoulder, and squeezes it with a smile.

Dustin pokes at his bruised cheek. “Ow.”

Will’s eyes go wide as he looks between Steve and Eddie. “Oh.” He says, then nods. “Yeah, I get it. Thanks.” He smiles.

“Think this is gonna scar?” Dustin asks, still prodding at his cheek. “Girls do like scars, right? Eddie?”

Eddie facepalms. “I don’t know. Steve? Answer the little troglodyte.”

“Mmm, I don’t know, I did pretty well scar-free myself.” Steve says. “I’d recommend you stop poking it, though, I’m pretty sure they’re not too big on infected wounds.”

Dustin finally stops poking at it.

“Dustin?” Will says.

“What?”

“You’re such a dumbass.”

“Hey!” Dustin exclaims, hurt. “What did I do?!”

Will snorts and looks over at Steve and Eddie.

“Is he always like this?”

“Pretty much.” Steve says, and Eddie nods his head and mouths. “Always.”

Some time passes. Things seem kinda awkward between Dustin and Will until Dustin breaks the silence. “I know that kids at school have been total jerks to you, like forever. But just because you’re gay doesn’t mean that anything’s different between us.” Dustin tells Will, giving him a hug. “You’re still my super awesome friend, and our wizard.”

Will smiles. “You told me this the last time I got beat up.”

“Well you’ve been distant lately. I just… thought that maybe you needed to hear it again. I miss having you around more.”

“…yeah. I know. I know, it’s just that I’ve been distracted because… well…”

…

“You like Mike?!” Dustin exclaims.

Will, bright red, shrugs.

Eddie and Steve share a look.

“Oh that’s… Another guy will come along.” Eddie says. “I can assure you, Mike won’t be the only crush you’ll get. I’ve had like a hundred of them myself so...”

“Yeah, honestly, Mike and El seem pretty locked down.” Steve adds. “But hey, you can do better than Mike, right?”

“There are so many fish in the sea.” Eddie adds, then frowns. “Oh God, Steve, Dustin’s right! You’re making me a conformist!”

“So many.” Steve continues. “…I’m sorry.”

Will looks down at his clasped hands in his lap. “You guys really suck at this.”

“You know, I was in love with Nancy. But she didn’t love me back.” Steve says. “And sometimes, these things, it’s like your heart is physically breaking. It’s this indescribably horrible feeling. But… you can believe me when I say you’ll find a happy ending. Even without Mike. Because… I mean I didn’t end up with Nancy, but I’m absolutely-” He sends a look to Eddie that’s as soft as a puppy. “-happy.”

“Ugh.” Will complains. “Yeah, I get it already. You’re happy.” He sighs. “And that’s great.” He adds, sarcastically.

Dustin frowns and picks up a video tape. “Hey Will, Labyrinth just released on video at the video store this week and Steve already got us a copy. Wanna watch it with us?”

“Fine.” Will says, and Dustin spends the whole movie trying to cheer him up. Sometimes it seems to be working, but sometimes not so much.

“Do you think Will’s gonna be okay?”

Eddie shrugs. “I think he’s just going through his teenage pain phase. Everything sucks, the world sucks, and the person I love doesn’t love me back. That stuff. We all had one of those.”

“Eddie…”

“Oh, and it wasn’t you by the way. My crush.”

Steve frowns. “I didn’t think it was.”

Eddie swallowed, and sighed. “But looking back, I kind of wish it was.”

“What are you talking about? Back then, I sucked! I was the worst, of course you would’ve hated me!”

“Oh there’s worse, Steve. I mean, sure you weren’t the nicest guy in town back then. But… lemme ask you this – would you have thrown me in the trash, like physically stuffed me into an actual trash can ‘cause you realised I was into you? Because I don’t think you would’ve…”

The look in Steve’s eyes is sharp and cold and makes Eddie shiver a little. “Who?”

“No... He… moved. To… Australia… or something. And I don’t even know his name, y’know, and he might’ve gotten eaten by a kangaroo soo…”

“He put you in the trash, Eddie. So I’m gonna put him in the trash. Tell me his name.”

Eddie leans his head on Steve’s shoulder. “Don’t, Steve. Listen to me. I’m all good. I’m all good and nothing is happening to me again. You need to focus on protecting Dustin and Will, okay? Dustin and Will.”

Steve puts his arms around Eddie and buries his face into the top of Eddie’s head.

“Okay?” Eddie says again, sliding his arms up around Steve’s back and leaning into the hug. “So will you drop it?”

“I’ll drop it.” Steve lies.

Chapter Text

The days are getting cold, as Fall is moving closer to Winter. Eddie is sleeping over more at Steve’s house, complaining profusely of his uncle’s poorly-heated trailer and touting the luxury of Steve’s home as an excuse.

“I mean, look at this place! You live in a freakin’ mansion, Harrington!” Eddie exclaims, holding out his arms and spinning around. “See? I can’t do that in my place.”

“Do what?”

Eddie rolls his eyes. “Hold my arms out and turn around, douchebag. You’re so rich you don’t even know!”

“When you complained about the cold-” Steve says, leaning back on the bed with a smirk. “-I thought you’d be wanting to… I don’t know… get cosy?”

“So impatient…” Eddie chides, though he’s giving Steve the eyes.

Instead he smiles, before hiding his face by pretending to look out the window. “You know, the costume didn’t actually take me that long to make. There’s actually not a lot to it.” Eddie muses. “It’s more, when I saw you watch that scene in the cinema I had already made up my mind.”

“Why are you telling me all this if you’re not gonna tell me?”

“Maybe I like driving you crazy.”

“Maybe you do.” Steve agrees, before deciding he’s getting cosy under the covers all on his own if Eddie’s not gonna join him.

He closes his eyes one minute, and then the next he’s awakened by blinding light.

“Mmh?!”

It’s sunlight, coming from the window. There’s a noise beside him as Eddie wakes up in a similar manner and sits up, hair sticking in every direction. Half-asleep as he is, Steve starts giggling at the sight.

“What?” Eddie asks, rubbing his eyes. “Mm… what is it?”

“Babe… you kinda look like a troll right now.”

Eddie raises an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

“You know, the troll dolls? With the long hair sticking out in all directions?”

Eddie sighs and pokes Steve in the chest. “You, Harrington, have treated some poor innocent troll dolls terribly in your time – I can tell. Their hair is not supposed to stick out in all directions, it’s supposed to go straight up in the air. Everyone knows that.”

He pouts after he finishes his sentence. Eddie gets grumpy in the mornings, Steve forgets sometimes.

“…Eddie.”

“No! Unforgivable, Harrington, that’s unforgivable!” Eddie sulks dramatically, turning around so Steve is face to face with a cloud of bushy hair.

Steve clears his throat. “I’m sorry I called you a troll, Eddie.”

“And?”

“And what?!”

Eddie sits up. His hair looks even more comical in that position. “I bet you never even brushed their hair.”

Steve sits up to follow, eyes nearly bugging out of his head once he realises. “This is still about the dolls?!”

“I would’ve given anything at that age to have rich parents who bought me toys. Anything at all.” Eddie mutters.

Steve rolls his eyes, moves to his dresser, and grabs his hairbrush. “Hold still.” He says, before running it through Eddie’s hair.

Eddie grumbles slightly as Steve brushes it back down to its usual state.

“M’not your toy.” He mutters, although his smile at the end tells Steve that he’s not mad anymore.

“I know.” Steve says, patting Eddie’s chest. “Let’s go have breakfast.”

They trudge down the stairs. Steve flinches when Eddie screams.

“Ah!? What the hell you little squirt, what’re you doing here?!”

Steve pauses for a moment, frowning. “Max?!”

“Oh… hey guys.” Max says, over a bowlful of cereal clearly stolen from their cupboards. She grins. “Am I interrupting something?”

“What are you doing in our house?!” Eddie exclaims in shock.

Steve melts into a smile as he turns to Eddie. “Our house?” He asks, fondly.

“Shut up, Steve. I need answers.” Eddie crosses his arms and glares at Max.

Max’s grin sours. “Well, sorry if I’m not your favourite child. I bet you wouldn’t be interrogating Dustin if he did this.”

Steve stares at her. “Yeah, actually, we absolutely would be if he broke into our house without us knowing in the middle of the freaking night.”

“It’s eleven in the morning.” Max says.

“Yeah, and we’re not buying that you just got here.” Eddie says, picking a long red hair off the couch and waving it about.

Max closes her eyes and winces.

“So what are you doing in our hous-”

“Eddie.” Steve interrupts him because his tone makes him sound like a jackass, even makes him sound just the tiniest bit like Billy, and Max is staring down at the table like the answers to life itself are scrawled on the scratched-up wood. “Read the room, okay?”

“What? What’d I do?” Eddie asks, confused. He’s not the best with social cues, along with not being around for the whole ‘Billy’ thing, so he probably doesn’t know he’s upset her.

Steve sits down at the table. “It’s fine, Max.” He says, and though she looks up at him with defiant eyes he can see the turmoil in the depths of them. “You can stay here whenever you want. Just let us know first, next time.”

Immediately, she turns those eyes on Eddie. He still looks confused, but he nods.

“Thanks… Dustin’s gay dads.” Max says, settling at the table. Steve chokes on his cereal.

Max smiles. “Hmm, I guess now you’re kinda my gay dads too.”

These days, it feels like everyone knows about them. Admittedly, they haven’t really tried all that much to hide it.

Especially since Steve has been absolutely indulging Eddie ever since he heard about the story of Eddie’s old crush stuffing him in a trash can. Lately Steve’s been giving him about as much affection as he can handle. At that moment, for instance, they’re sitting arm in arm at the school table. The teacher from the cinema is staring at them again, but let him stare Steve thinks. Eddie is on his arm and there is nothing that any of them can do about that!

And he hopes Eddie’s old crush is watching. He’s pretty sure that the crush must have been a jock just because of how much ‘ball-tossers’ seem to get on Eddie’s nerves, but hasn’t made any progress yet in finding out who it could be.

Sitting together with Eddie and the kids, Dustin, Will, and Max Mayfield… Steve has only two thoughts on his mind.

One – How can he protect his little family?

And two – How and when did he become a father of three?!

Chapter Text

“No. No, no. No.” Steve takes a few steps away, pointing at Eddie. Eddie, who is dressed as Baby from the movie Dirty Dancing which had released just earlier that year. Just a midriff top and tight jean shorts – didn’t even need to change his hair. “No way.”

“You know, you don’t make a half-bad Patrick Swayze stand in even without a costume. You’ve definitely got the hair for it.”

“I’m serious, Eddie! No!”

Eddie puts his hands on his hips. “Well, I didn’t think you’d hate it.”

“I don’t hate it!” Steve hisses. “I definitely don’t hate it! But that doesn’t make this…”

“What?” Eddie’s tone is challenging. “Is my dressing outside of gendered stereotypes-”

“-safe!” Steve shouts.

Dustin looks between the two of them in confusion. “Steve, c’mon. It’s just a costume.”

“Keep out of this, Dustin.” Dustin recoils slightly once he realises Steve means it.

Steve takes Eddie’s hand. “You’re already an outcast, and people were so willing to believe you murdered somebody. Even I believed it. Just for not caring what other people think. If they knew… if they even suspected that… What would they do if they found out? If it was more than just a rumour or a joke to people?”

Eddie’s expression hardens. “They’re not going to suspect you. I’ll keep my distance. I won’t even look at you, so they’ll never know.”

Something crosses Steve’s face. Hurt. “I will be fine, idiot. They like me. And I… I’ll be fine. But this town… Look, most parents already think you’re using the D&D club to brainwash kids into Satanism!”

“Because they’re morons!”

Steve nods. “Yeah. Morons! And if there’s one thing you can count on, it’s for morons to keep on thinking these moronic things. Especially if they already don’t like you.”

Dustin frowns. “I… really don’t get it. What exactly is wrong with Eddie’s costume?”

Eddie grins. “See, there! From the lips of a moron. It’s all fine.”

“Heeeey!” Dustin exclaims with a frown.

“You know Dustin’s not like them.” Steve says.

“Thank you!”

“Do you even know what we’re referring to?”

“Not really, no.”

“Dustin, can you give us a minute?” Steve asks. Dustin, still unsure of what’s going on, reluctantly agrees to wait outside.

A moment later Eddie storms out. “C’mon, Dustin. Apparently that idiot just wants to sit there and be a miserable all Halloween. Let’s go trick or treating.”

“What?!” Dustin exclaims. “He’s seriously not coming?!”

“Wait, Eddie!” Steve follows after them.

“Go away, Steve!” Eddie says, as Steve catches up to them. Steve catches him by the arm, and Eddie wrenches it away angrily.

“I’m going with you.”

“Oh, are you?” Eddie asks, in a tone of voice that says that’s not going to happen.

“We’re walking together. Please don’t say that we can’t.”

They hold each other’s gaze, unwavering, until Dustin chimes in.

“Please, Eddie?”

There’s a resolute pause, before… “Fine.” Eddie says, clearly still annoyed.

Dustin has fun going trick or treating with his ‘bros’, but Steve is kind of quiet the whole trip. And Eddie is louder than he usually is, by far. It feels a bit forced. Dustin isn’t sure what’s wrong, exactly, but he hopes they’ll clear the air soon.

On the bright side, his Superman costume is a hit. He’s gotten lots of compliments for it, mostly from mothers. Eddie’s costume isn’t received with quite the same level of praise – but Eddie himself hardly ever receives praise from anyone in the town of Hawkins outside their little group. So it wasn’t exactly unusual. Eddie still enjoys it all the same, and does to his utter delight, receive a phone number from a young woman which he spends the rest of the evening waving in Steve’s face with just the biggest smile.

“You really trying to make me jealous?” Steve asks, sour-faced all the same. “You know why that’s not working, right?”

“But it is, isn’t it?” Eddie says, diabolically. “Because your jealously isn’t up here.” He taps his head. “It’s in here.” Eddie says, with a hand over his heart.

“Shut up.” Steve grumbles. He stays like that for a moment before darting forwards and snatching the number from Eddie. “Whatever. You’re not allowed to have this.”

Eddie grins even harder and chases after Steve, playfully snatching for the paper. “What’s up, douche, I thought you weren’t concerned?” He teases.

Steve holds it up high, out of Eddie’s reach. “I’m not.”

Eddie takes a couple of steps back, leans forward a little, then runs and tackles Steve. They both go tumbling onto the grass, Steve landing under Eddie, a little stunned that he actually tackled him to the ground. Eddie smiles down at Steve, grabbing the paper from between his fingers.

He holds it out for Steve to see. “So, why exactly do you not want me to have this? Hmmm?”

Steve swallows. “Because I’m jealous.” He admits.

“Beyond all rationality.” Eddie says, ripping up the paper with a soft grin and throwing it up in the air like confetti. “And that’s what I-”

All of a sudden, Steve’s gaze travels over past Eddie’s shoulder and the expression on his face changes from adoration to irritation. “Oh, shit.” Steve swears under his breath. “Not them, please, anyone but those assholes.”

“Wow, Harrington, your new girlfriend looks kind of like a dude.” His once-friend Tommy sneers, leaning back, his arm around a snorting and clearly drunk Carol.

Eddie sighs and stands, offering Steve a hand up which he takes.

“Whatever, Tommy, keep moving.” Steve says.

“Yeah, keep moving Tom-my.” Eddie sticks his tongue out playfully.

“God, I love Halloween!” Eddie muses, once Tommy is in the distance supporting Carol as she vomits into a bush. Steve knows she has a high tolerance, so she must have drunk a lot.

“Don’t listen to them.” Steve tries to reassure him.

“You really think that bothers me, Harrington?” Eddie asks.

“Probably not… But they’re dicks anyway.” Steve says.

“Uhh… guys?” Dustin asks, catching up to them and pointing to someone nearby. It’s the teacher from the movie theatre, he’s just standing there and staring at them. Eddie and Steve give each other a concerned look.

“Can I help you?” Steve asks, in a brazen hint to get the guy to move along.

“The devil can take many forms. Be wary.” The teacher says. His eyes drift to Eddie’s belly button, and stay there.

Eddie blinks. “Wow. Okay! You’re so, so tremendously creepy. Why do they let you teach children?” He moves behind Steve, then beckons to Dustin. “Dustin, get behind me.” Dustin promptly does. “And don’t let this guy anywhere near you at school, you hear me?”

“You heard Eddie. Fuck off, creep.” Steve says, staring down the teacher, clenching his hands into fists.

The man doesn’t move, so Steve takes a couple of steps towards him “I said fuck off!” The tone of his voice is non-negotiable. After a moment, the man moves on.

“Okay, seriously, what was that guy’s deal?!” Dustin bursts out a moment later. “How could anyone call you a freak when there’s that guy right there doing shit like that, Eddie?! People are insane!”

Eddie reaches out for Steve’s hand and grips it tightly in his.

“Hey, Dustin? Do you think we’ve got enough candy for tonight, buddy?” Steve asks.

“Yeah. Yeah, I think so.” Dustin agrees. It’s definitely time for them to go home.

Steve checks out the window again and is relieved to find that it’s all fine. The regular stream of trick or treaters is drying up into an ordinary Halloween night.

He’s a little shocked when Eddie comes up and hugs him from behind. “He’s not out there, right?”

“No, he’s not.”

Eddie nods into his shoulder. “Good. Oh… oh shit, is that why you were checking the windows that other time?”

“Yeah.” Steve says. “He was staring at us then too, at the movie theatre. Or… maybe at you. I thought it was us… but I don’t know. Maybe it’s something else. Maybe he’s obsessed with you.”

Eddie takes in a breath. “I’m not moving out of Hawkins because of that fucker. This is our home.”

“You won’t have to. Because if he looks at you again, I’m going to destroy him.”

“Me too.” Dustin pipes up, sitting on the couch eating a Three-Musketeers bar. “Me and Steve will protect you.”

Eddie starts laughing.

“Dustin… no. Just eat your candy. Geez, what did I do to deserve this… this family? This really kick-ass family?”

Chapter Text

“Eddie!”

“Eddie!!”

“Eddie!!!” A voice yells out, rousing Eddie slightly. He shifts and groans as the noise continues.

“…Steve.” Eddie grumbles, moving his cold hands underneath Steve’s shirt to wake him.

Steve wakes with a gasp. “What was that for? So cold!”

“Eddie!!!!!!!” The voice yells again, from outside.

Steve’s eyes go wide for a moment before he relaxes.

“It’s just Dustin.” He breathes.

“Make ‘im go away and shut up I’m sleeping.” Eddie grumbles, trying to push Steve out of the bed with his foot.

“Hey!”

“Eddie!!!!!!!!!”

“Max too? Why do they all want me?” Eddie complains, as Steve tumbles out of bed in just his boxers and immediately shivers from the cold.

“Little snots. Sometimes I wish you were the favourite.” Eddie continues.

Steve pulls on a jumper and jeans before running to the window, opening it, and calling out. “Whaddya want?!”

Max cups her hands. “Come down! It’s snowing!”

She’s bright red along her nose and cheeks from the cold. Steve’s barely ever seen her with such a genuinely happy grin. And it’s that alone that leads Steve to actually give in.

But as revenge against Eddie, he leaves the window open. That’ll show ‘im!

Steve is standing there shivering as Dustin explains to him how rare it is for them to get actual snow in Hawkins – “Like actual snow you can play with, there must be six inches here!” Especially in September, which is not the coldest of the colder months. Steve doesn’t care. That is, until he gets hit in the arm with a snowball by Max.

Steve gasps as he realises. “You little shit, you were the distraction! You planned this!”

Dustin and Max are cackling as Steve drops to the ground and starts making a snowball.

“Just you guys wai-”

Dustin hits him with another snowball, laughing, and the one Steve is making falls apart.

“To be fair, we were hoping to throw snowballs at Eddie. I found Dustin waiting outside his trailer. Good idea, bad execution.” Max snorts, standing back and waiting for Steve to finish making his one pitiful snowball. She had one in each hand, ready.

Steve glances down at his tiny snowball.

“Eddie!” Steve shouts over his shoulder. “The kids are murdering me! I always knew this day would come! Help!!!”

The door opens with a creak.

“Oh, thank God!” Steve exclaims. “Now that it’s two on two, you little shits are gonna get your asses kicked at snowballs.”

Eddie stands there, with murder written all over his features.

“You left the window open.” Eddie says. “You let the cold air in.”

“...”

“Kids, get ‘im. Show no mercy.”

“Eddieeee!!!” Steve cries out as he gets pelted with snowballs.

Eddie’s laugh is the loudest, the evilest, and the most beautiful sound Steve’s ever heard as he falls back on his arse in the snow.

“I told you he’d be here.” Max whispers, elbowing Dustin.

“…I give up.” Steve groans.

“I have taught you children well.” Eddie says, striding down the steps and grinning down at Steve. That is, until he’s hit in the back with a snowball.

“Hey! What the hell?” Eddie exclaims, turning around only to be pelted with another barrage of snowballs.

His glare quickly turns to childlike joy as he scrabbles to make snowballs and tosses them back at the kids, running after them, easily matching their snow-based-artillery with his own. How could he make snowballs so fast, seriously?

Steve lies there, snow soaking into his jumper, smiling dumbly as he watches. He’s pretty sure there’s no one on earth who’s luckier than he is, in this moment.

After snowballs, followed by cocoa, the kids left. Now Steve pushes Eddie against the wall, cold lips against cold lips. Hands against each other’s backs, hot breath warming, breathing life into each other. Steve spies the couch, steers Eddie towards it, and they both flump down onto it.

Eddie is normally the kinda guy who likes to pull at Steve’s hair a little, or nip at his lips. Today, however, it’s cold hands which work their way under Steve’s shirt. In a good way, Steve shivers.

They’re making out.

Steve’s hands are under Eddie’s shirt.

“Oh my freaking God.”

“Oh shit! Dust-” Steve scrambles away from Eddie and stumbles over the coffee table in shock. “-in. Hey buddy! Next time knock, okay?”

Dustin is staring at them wide-eyed, as a realisation comes over his face. “Woah. Woah! Oh my God. You… you guys are together!” Dustin exclaims.

“Buddy, you still didn’t figure that out?” Steve asks.

“I really thought he must have clued in by now.” Eddie chimes in.

“You never told me!”

“In all fairness, we didn’t think we had to. We were kind of obvious about it. Really, really obvious. In fact, we’ve actually had pretty much all of our couple arguments with you right there listening in on us.” Eddie shakes his head.

“Is that why people have children?” Steve muses from the floor. “Because I’m gonna be honest, the only reason I haven’t broken up with you so far is because I’m afraid I’m gonna get custody of Dustin.”

“Hey!” Both Dustin and Eddie shout at once as Steve scratches his cheek to hide a grin.

Eddie sighs. “Ignore the douchebag. Is everything… y’know… good?”

Dustin swallows and nods slowly. “I mean… Yeah. It’ll probably take me a little bit to get used to it though, because… I can’t believe I thought you guys were like brothers.”

“I’m sorry, what?!” Steve squawks. “You mean to each other, not just to you?!” Eddie bursts out laughing. “Is that really what you thought brothers were like?”

Dustin shrugs, embarrassed. “Well I don’t have siblings.”

“And thank God that’s the case!” Steve exclaims. “Jesus!”

“…yeah, kid, no siblings should act like us.”

“That would be, like, super inappropriate.”

“Super inappropriate.” Steve reiterates as he searches for something on the floor. “Speaking of inappropriate, where the hell is my shirt? Eddie?”

Eddie peeks under a couch cushion and finds it, tossing it lazily towards Steve.

“Does this mean you guys are gay?” Dustin asks.

Steve isn’t really sure how to approach this question. “Umm…”

“Me, yes. Him, no.” Eddie says. Well, that was easy. “He does chicks and dicks.”

Dustin snort-laughs. “What?!”

“Eddie!” Steve exclaims, holding out his hands in frustration. “That’s the worst explanation of bisexuality that I’ve ever heard! And… you’re traumatising Dustin!”

“I’m not traumatised.” Dustin says.

Steve blinks. “Really? Are you sure you’re not just a little bit traumatised by Eddie’s terribly-phrased explanation of the topic?”

“Of course not! I can handle you guys being gay and kinda gay, Steve, I’m not gonna be traumatised just cause of that.”

“Kinda gay is not…” Steve sighs. “Whatever. Stop barging into our home, Dustin! We might be having sex on the couch!”

Dustin’s eyes go wide. “Wow… okay. I guess I won’t, then.”

“But what if there are more monsters here from the Upside-Down?”

“Then knock, Dustin!”

Dustin nods slowly.

“But what if-”

“Knock!!!” Steve and Eddie both exclaim in unison.

Dustin moves to the coffee table and picks something up off the floor near it.

“I forgot my mittens.” He says, showing them the mittens. He walks to the door. “Sorry I… uh, interrupted.”

Then he just stands there for a moment.

“How long have you been dating?”

“Like seven months maybe?” Eddie estimates.

Dustin slowly nods. “I feel like such an idiot.”

“Little bit.” Steve says, and Eddie elbows him.

“No, kid. You’re fine.”

“Is he, though?”

Dustin turns back around, smiling. He laughs as Eddie elbows Steve again, a little harder. “So I was the one who got you guys together, wasn’t I?”

“Yeah.” Eddie says, currently holding Steve in a headlock.

“Yep.” Steve says, just slightly short on breath. “Thanks for that.”

With a roll of his eyes Eddie lets him go. “Stop being mean to Dustin.” Eddie says firmly. Steve makes a face at Eddie.

“Well I’m glad I did.” Dustin says.

They both turn to him, listening.

“I’m glad I got you together.” Dustin clarifies. He points to Steve. “And especially glad I finally realised before I started my plan to get you back with Nancy.”

Steve and Eddie look at each other, before they start cackling.

“Dustin. Nancy’s with Robin.” Steve chortles.

Dustin’s jaw drops. “Why don’t people ever tell me these things?!”

“They’re not hiding it, Dustin.” Eddie chokes. “They went to prom together, remember? The school said no but they did it anyway, mad respect.”

“We’re not as open as them, since we’re not giving the town any more reasons to hate Eddie.” Steve says quickly. “But we were never going to hide it from you.”

Dustin nods. “Cool. Can I tell Max?”

“She knows.”

“Will?”

“He knows.”

“El and Mike?”

“El figured it out before we even got together.” Eddie says. “She can’t actually read minds can she? Because my thoughts around that time were not rated G.”

“Eddie, body language is a thing.” Steve says, with a smirking grin. “Everyone knew you wanted me.”

“And El probably told Mike.” Dustin says, scratching his chin. “So you’re saying everyone knows, but me?”

“What’s wrong, buddy?”

“It’s nothing. I just… I kinda wanted a chance to celebrate, but I guess I kinda missed my chance.”

“Course we can celebrate, kid.” Eddie says. “You know if you can drag my dumb jock boyfriend here to our next Dungeons and Dragons game, we’ll have a proper party.”

Dustin’s eyes light up.

Steve folds his arms. “No, I said I’m not playing your nerd game.”

“C’mon, Steve, you can’t say no to the kid.”

“Please, Steve!” Dustin begs.

“Fine.” Steve caves, grumpily.

Dustin grins. “Awesome!”

“Yeah, it's gonna be awesome.” Eddie says, grinning at Steve. His eyes are sparkling and he follows it up with an evil laugh.

Steve sighs. He's totally gonna get his ass kicked at Eddie's nerdy game.

Chapter Text

“So, who do you wanna be?”

“I already told you, I just wanna be a normal guy!” Steve exclaims.

“Yeah, I got that. I made you a human. But what class do you wanna be?!”

“Normal!”

“That’s not a class, Steve! I wouldn't play this game if that was a class.” Eddie exclaims, then sighs. “Okay, let’s start with – How do you fight?”

“How do I fight?! You’ve seen me fight, Eddie! I use a baseball bat, with nails in it. And I use it to hit stuff. Like Demogorgons and Demo-dogs and Demo-bats and Billy Hargrove.”

Eddie groans and rubs his temples. “I can’t believe I’m dating you.”

“Don’t act like seeing me fight monsters and racists doesn’t do it for you, Munson.” Steve says, winking at Eddie and only making him groan harder.

“The dumb must run in the family.” Eddie grumbles.

“What was that?!” Dustin calls out as the door opens.

“I said the dumb runs in the family!” Eddie shouts.

“Oh. Whose family?” Dustin asks.

“All of them.” Eddie mutters. “I am the only smart person alive.”

“Mood.” Erica says from the doorway, grinning and wearing her American flag cape. “I sure do know how that feels.”

Eddie thumps his forehead on the table. “Thank God. Lady Applejack, could you please explain to Steve why it’s important that he pick a class for his character?” He mutters into the table.

Erica crosses her arms. “You seriously don’t know that much, Steve? It’s because you need to pick what your character is good at, what is their specialty? Like, are you good at magic? Or at being stealthy? Or punching people in the face?”

“Uh, none of those. I’m not good at any of those things.” Steve says.

Erica rolls her eyes. “Would you like to be?”

Steve thinks for a moment. “I would like to be good at protecting people. I think.”

Eddie lifts his head slowly as Erica thinks. “Protecting people, huh?” She asks. “He sure sounds like a paladin to me.”

“Why thank you Lady Applejack!” Eddie says. “You know those stealth boots that I disallowed because they were a little too powerful for this campaign? I changed my mind, you can go ahead and use them.”

“Yes!” Erica grinned and pumped her fist in the air. “Nobody’s gonna see me coming!”

“You’re literally wrapped in an American flag.” Steve says. “Everybody’s gonna see you coming.”

“Not in the game, idiot.” Erica says with a grin. “In the game I wear an enchanted elven cloak the colour of the sky.”

“That’s still not stealthy dweebus.”

Erica rolls her eyes and sits down.

“This is your boyfriend? This lame-o?” She says, to Eddie.

“You knew too!” Dustin exclaims. “Argh, who didn’t know?!”

Erica pokes out her tongue at him. “I’m a trusted confident.”

With a self-impressed smile, Steve Harrington slides his character sheet over to Eddie – who rolls his stats for him and fills them in himself.

“Hmph. Never thought I’d see the day Eddie Munson would hand-hold for a newb.” Erica mumbles.

Eddie snickers fondly. “He actually called his character Steve Harrington.”

They break out into laughter.

“It’s okay, Steve.” Dustin says. “You’ll get the hang of it.”

“Oh, I’ve got the hang of it alright!” Steve exclaims, excitedly. “I’ve made the best character sheet ever. I went super in-depth on the backstory. See, Steve Harrington lives in a village that was invaded by a bunch of monsters. And, like, a whole bunch of people got eaten. But Steve Harrington and a bunch of his friends fought hard to protect them, wielding only a stick, and drove them all away. Hmm, how’s that for compelling?”

Dustin just sighs. “Eddie, are we ready to start playing?”

“Yep.” Eddie slides Steve’s character sheet across the table back to him.

“Okay. It’s a cool chilly morning in a small human village. The half-elf rogue Lady Applejack and the Dwarven Bard Maximungus Splinter decide to stop off at a tavern on their way through town. It’s a busy place, the smell of ale and home-cooked meals wafting through the door and inviting you inside. Sitting at one of the tables, injured and exhausted from a fight, is the Human Paladin… Steve Harrington.”

“I go up to Steve Harrington and offer him one of my healing potions.” Dustin says, kindly.

“Steve, do you accept the healing potion?” Eddie asks.

Steve thinks for a moment. “…yes.”

“You drink the healing potion and find yourself miraculously back to full health.”

“Thank you, Dustin.”

“Maximungus.” Dustin corrects.

“Maximungus.” Steve quickly says.

“And I ask Steve how he got injured.” Erica says.

At that, the real Steve launches into a long soliloquy about monsters and the brutality of war that honestly has everyone taken aback at its… creativity. He’s not talking about things from Hawkins, Indiana – but rather a haphazard army slapped together to fight chimeras in the village to the East, which was mostly eaten by them. It’s gruesome, but also darkly funny.

Dustin’s jaw drops. Erica sits back and nods. “Not bad.” She says.

Eddie grins. “See, he’s not as stupid as he looks.”

“Hey!”

Eddie chuckles. “Sorry, darling. Couldn’t resist. You’re doing great.”

Steve proceeds to look annoyingly pleased with himself.

“So what do you want to do now?” Eddie asks. “Come on.”

Steve thinks for a moment, and tilts his head confused. “Kiss you?”

Erica and Dustin burst out into raucous laughter. Meanwhile Eddie turns pink and hides his head in his hands. “I meant in the game. You can take an action now, in the game. I didn’t mean in real life.”

“Oh! Sorry, I thought- Oh! Uh, I ask Lady Applejack and Maximungus about the quest they’re going on.”

In the midst of giggles Lady Applejack responds, telling a similarly dramatic and tragic story – though marred with laughing fits and snorts.

The first session ended, and Steve actually had a great time. One thought however, had been playing on his mind the whole time. He voiced it to Eddie soon after Erica and Dustin had gone home.

“Weren’t there more of them? I thought almost all of those kids loved DnD. What about Will? And where are Mike and Lucas, I feel like I haven’t seen them in ages.

Eddie rests his hand on his chin. “I dunno. Kids change sometimes, I guess. You know that Lucas got stolen away by a bunch of ball-tossing idiots. I think Mike decided love precluded all other interests, which is dumb but whatever. And Will… well, I don’t know. I don’t know what’s going on with Will – he was supposed to be here. I guess he just didn’t show.”

Steve feels worried but Eddie seems calm, leaning back in his chair to meet Steve’s eyes.

“I’ve been running these campaigns for a long time. This happens all the time. They’re total traitors to the party, but it’s a part of life. I wouldn’t get too worried about it. Maybe he’ll come next time.”

“Okay.” Steve says.

It was weird to see these kids moving on, and kind of sad, but Steve guessed it was a part of life like any other. It’s not like he still hung out with his middle-school friends either. Admittedly that was because Tommy and Carol were the worst human beings on earth – but still.

He was still a little worried about Will.