Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

To Billy Hargrove, life was a series of questions. 

Am I dreaming, or is that you, Harrington?

And the answers came in the form of choices. 

Yeah, it's me. Don't cream your pants.

The problem was he never knew what question was being asked. 

What are you doing here, amigo?

But his answers were always the same. 

I could ask you the same thing. Amigo.

Fight if you can. Let it happen if you can’t. 

My 13-year-old sister goes missing all day. And then I find her with you in a stranger's house. And you lie to me about it.

If you asked him, it was a pretty shitty choose-your-own-adventure. 

Man, were you dropped too much as a child, or what? I don't know what you don't understand about what I just said. She's not here.

One where the rules didn’t exist and the words never made sense. 

Then who is that?

One where there was him.

Oh, shit. Listen–

And then there was everyone else.

I told you to plant your feet.

Billy licked his lip. The copper tang of his blood sat heavily on his tongue. His swollen lip pulsed in time with his heart. He blinked and groaned at the aura of light shining right in his eyes. And then nausea hit. Hard. He flipped over and threw up all over the wood floors. 

Fuck. 

That little bitch drugged him. 

The floor shifted in waves beneath his fingertips. He wiped the puke from his split lip and spat. “Max?”

No answer.

Billy forced himself to look around the spinning room. “MAX!”

Where the fuck were they?

His dad was going to fucking kill him all because that little shit had to go and ruin everything. The selfish little bitch couldn’t stay out of trouble for more than a second, but did it ever come back to bite her in the ass? No. He took the fall for her. Every. Goddamn. Time.

Billy pushed to his feet and stumbled, slamming hard into the wall. The front door swayed as he staggered toward it. He threw it open. 

His car was gone. 

His car was fucking gone. 

That little bitch stole his car. 

Sweat dripped down his neck and stained the collar of his shirt. He needed… He needed… The world spun again and he heaved, tossing up the last of his dinner. 

Ice. 

He needed ice. 

Billy slid against the wall, ripping papers of those strange drawings down as he hobbled to the kitchen. He threw open the freezer door. 

What the fuck was that?

A slimy greyish, bluish, greenish mass stared back at him. Or at least, it might have if the thing had a face. 

It had no fucking face. 

What the fuck was that?

Billy fell back, slamming into the table. 

He was still high. This wasn’t real. 

This…

He needed to get out of here. 

He needed… Fuck, Billy didn’t know what he needed. 

There was no answer for this one. 

Billy stumbled out of the house, head still spinning, and took off into the forest. 

He ran, slamming into trees, tearing through brambles and bushes. He didn’t know where the fuck he was, only that he needed to get as far away from that house as fast as possible. Billy broke out on the other side of the woods and crossed straight into the trailer park. A light was still on in the one trailer he knew. 

Fuck. Thank fuck. 

Billy pounded on the door. 

A loud crash came from the other side. “Jesus! Shit!” 

The door flew open. “The fuck man? It’s three am! You made me drop my– Billy? What the hell happened to you?”

Billy stared at Eddie. “I…” He laughed, swaying. “I don’t fucking know.”

“Are you high?” Eddie’s scowl fell, replaced with genuine concern. Billy wasn’t sure of the last time he saw a look like that directed at himself.

“She– She gave me shit. I don’t know what it was.”

“She? What shit?”

“Max. Max, she stabbed me with a needle. Gave me some sort of… I don’t know. Knocked me the hell out.” Even now it was painful to keep his eyes open. “Stole my car.”

“Red drugged you and stole your car?” Eddie whistled. “Didn’t know she had it in her.” Eddie stepped aside. “Get in here. You look like you’re going to pass out again, man.”

Billy stepped inside and face-planted on Eddie’s couch. His whole body ached. His sweat had gone cold and clung to him like a second skin. His bloody knuckles burned almost as bad as the cut on his lip and the scrapes he picked up running through the woods. 

He stared at the wall. 

“Okay. We don’t have much but I’ll do my best.” Eddie sat on the ground in front of him with a near empty first aid kit and a warm, damp towel. He pressed the towel to Billy’s forehead. It burned like a motherfucker. Billy grit his teeth. “Seriously. Did you fight a bear?”

He chuckled emptily. “Just Harrington.”

“Steve?” Eddie paused. 

“You friends or something?” Billy had to look away, souring at the thought. Eddie didn’t know it but he was the closest thing Billy had to an actual friend. Tommy and those other assholes on the team didn’t even come close. 

Eddie shrugged and set down the bloody rag. He grabbed a tube of antibiotic cream from the pile of stuff beside him. “No, not really. He buys from me sometimes is all.”

He hated that his heart returned to a steady rhythm at Eddie’s admission. Hated that he shuddered when Eddie carefully spread goop across the cuts on his face. Hated the way his stomach clenched when Eddie looked at his hand and cleaned up his knuckles, too. 

Anyone else in the world would have seen his fist. 

The image of the thing in the freezer flashed before his eyes as he closed them. He was still fucking high off of whatever shit Max had drugged him with. He tried to focus on anything but that. Anything but Eddie. 

Even though thinking about Eddie was a significantly better time in his head, it still came with caveats. Like the fact that Eddie was pretty. 

And Eddie was taking care of him. 

And Eddie was looking at him with warm, brown, concerned eyes. 

He was too high for this and not high enough. 

“There.” Eddie pulled away from him and Billy squeezed his eyes shut. He swallowed down everything he could. Packed it all away where no one could get to it. Not even him. 

“Thanks,” Billy grunted. There was no way he was going home tonight. Without Max in tow, he’d be getting a beating. At least this way he could gain a few hours before that happened. “Do you mind if–”

“You can crash. My uncle will be home in a few hours.” Eddie gathered up the mess he made fixing Billy up. “He won’t give a shit. Just so you know.”

Even if Wayne would, Billy wasn’t moving. Not for a couple hours. Not until he slept off the rest of that sedative. Billy buried his bruised face in the couch and let himself drift. 

He dreamed of that thing in the freezer. Waking up. And lunging straight at him. 

“Hey.” A hand shoved his shoulder and Billy shot awake. He nearly socked Eddie before realizing who it was. Billy groaned. “I don’t give a fuck how long you stay, but if you want a ride anywhere, I’m leaving now.”

“Fuck.” Billy pushed himself off the couch. Right. No car. “Give me a sec.”

“Sure.” Eddie stepped away as Billy shoved his shoes on. The boy watched him. “You sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine. Jesus fuck. Don’t be such a fag.” Billy glanced up when Eddie didn’t reply. His soft brown eyes had gone hard and cold. 

Eddie scoffed, turning away. “Sorry for giving a shit, I guess.”

Billy swallowed down the bile in his throat and focussed on tying his shoes. When he stood, Eddie was already at the door and stepping out. Billy followed, climbing into the passenger seat of Eddie’s shitty van and slamming the door. “Just drop me off at home.”

“Sure.” Eddie turned the key and metal blasted from the speakers. It killed his head, but at least Billy didn’t have to sit there and try to make conversation for the ten minutes it took to get across town. 

To his surprise, his car was parked on the street like nothing had ever happened. So they just stole it and left him… To go home? It didn’t make any sense. It didn’t make any fucking sense. 

“Dude.” Eddie stared at him pointedly. “I’m actually trying to fucking graduate this year, so–”

“Yeah, sorry.” There was no fucking way he was going to class today. Billy rolled out of the van. Eddie took off without so much as a wave goodbye. 

So much for that. 

Billy stared at the front of the house he was supposed to call home. The garage door was closed. Neil was supposed to be at work by now. He could dip in, grab his shit, and hopefully find wherever Max put his fucking keys. Take a few days to wait for his failure to blow over. 

Who knew what that little brat told him? 

Billy grabbed the spare key from under the mat and let himself into the quiet house. He threw off his shoes and stepped into the living room. 

Neil watched him from the couch. His father leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “You wanna tell me what your sister was involved in last night, boy? You wanna tell me why the chief of police showed up with her at 4 am and you were nowhere in sight?” Neil stood from the couch. “Imagine my surprise when I see your car this morning and no you to drive it. What did I tell you?”

Billy’s heart pounded in his chest. The door was right there. He could make a break for it. He could run far away. But his feet were glued to the floor as his dad came closer. “Re-respect and responsibility. Sir.”

“Don’t fucking stutter when you talk to me.” His father’s rough hands wrapped around his jaw. He studied Billy’s face with cold blue eyes. “Whoever gave you that black eye obviously didn’t teach you nothin'.” 

Billy closed his eyes and waited for the first blow to land.

Chapter Text

He was supposed to be resting. 

“Steve! Steve! Come in, Steve!”

The doctors told him he had a concussion and was damn lucky he only had a broken nose. They gave him ten stitches and sent him on his merry way. 

“If you don’t pick up, I’m skipping school and coming over. Copy.”

Steve sighed and grabbed the walkie-talkie radio from his bedside table. This was to become a permanent feature in his life, he supposed. “You can’t skip school every time you want to tell me something, Dustin.”

He loved the kid, he swore he did, but sometimes…

“This can’t wait. Steve, this is big. We’ve had a breach of security. I repeat, a breach of security. Copy.”

Steve groaned as the walkie squealed. His head pounded. He really just wanted to lay in a quiet, dark room. Not deal with more shit. “A breach of what now?” 

“We think Billy knows. Copy.”

That got him sitting up in bed. The sudden movement nearly made him lose the toast he was barely keeping down. “What?”

“Will just said that when he came back home the… You-know-what was on the floor in the kitchen. Steve, we left Billy there without a car. He was gone when Will got back. What if he opened the freezer? What if he saw?! Copy!” Dustin’s frantic freaking out was not helping Steve. He ran a hand through his hair and winced. “Steve? Do you copy?”

“I copy. I copy. Jesus, kid. That thing barely fit in the freezer. It might have fallen out on its own. Billy probably just walked home.”

“Max says he hasn’t been around. He didn’t come home. Copy.”

Shit. Fuck. Steve groaned and rolled out of bed. He did not want to deal with this shit. He especially did not want to be worried about the guy who just beat the shit out of him, but there he was. Worrying. There were bigger monsters out there than Billy Hargrove. He didn’t know what Dustin wanted him to do about it, but Steve had learned very quickly that if he didn’t do something, Dustin would. “I’ll look into it. Just… Stay away from him if you do see him, okay?”

A long pause, then, “Fine. We will wait on your report. Over and out.”

Dustin ran a tighter ship than a dictator. 

Or… Whatever the phrase was.

Steve set the radio down and shuffled down the stairs to the kitchen. It was late afternoon. Nancy might be back home from school. He didn’t want to call her, but… Steve picked up the phone and rang her house. 

“Wheeler residence.”

“Oh, yeah. Hi, Mrs. Wheeler, uh, is Nancy around? It’s Steve.”

“Oh, Steve! How are you, honey? You haven’t come by in a bit.”

“Oh… Yeah, um… You know. School’s been busy and, yeah. College applications and all that, so…” Your daughter is more interested in Byers than she ever was in me. Steve winced. And it wasn’t like he got into any colleges.

It was all… Bullshit. 

“Of course. You should come by again for dinner it would be lovely to have you. I’m afraid Nancy isn’t– Wait,” Mrs. Wheeler pulled away from the phone. Steve listened to the sound of the door closing on the other end. “Nancy, Steve’s on the phone for you.”

The line went quiet then there was a rustle of fabric and Nancy’s voice came on the line. “Steve? Are you okay?”

The question threw him off guard a little, but he shook it off. “Yeah. I mean, just a concussion. Probably lose a few brain cells, but not like there were many anyway.”

He laughed. Nancy didn’t.

“Steve–”

“Sorry. Just needed to– Was Billy in school today?”

“Um… No. I don’t think so. Why?”

He didn’t want to get everyone worried if there was nothing to worry about. “No real reason. Just wanted to know if the asshole would show his face.”

“Steve–”

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Nance.” Steve hung up the phone and leaned back against the wall. That didn’t mean anything. People skipped school all the time. He technically was today, too. He could sound an awful lot like his father when he wanted to. 

Yeah. It was all fine. Dustin was freaking out for nothing. 

…

Despite the stitches and the building and the headache that wouldn’t go away, Steve tried to give the impression that his face hadn’t nearly been smashed in by a psychopath. He could still hear the whispers and see the looks as he walked through the halls. Nancy gasped when she saw him. “Jesus, Steve.”

He turned his head away when she tried to touch his cheek and opened his locker. “It’s fine.”

Nancy let her hand fall. Fury hid in those pretty eyes. “It is most definitely not fine. Billy is a fucking evil bastard.”

He wasn’t sure he’d ever seen Nancy display so much disdain for a person or use such colorful language. Then again, there was a lot he didn’t know about her. Like how well she could wield a gun. Or how much losing Barb changed her. 

“Speak of the devil.” Nancy scowled down the hall. 

Steve turned and spotted Billy walking down the hall in their direction. The crowd of students parted for him, Tommy Hagan, and Carol. Tommy was being his usual loud, boisterous, class clown self, but seemed unaware that Billy wasn’t paying attention. Or maybe he didn’t care. 

Billy kept his head low, but as he turned to head down another hall, Steve saw his face. 

Steve couldn’t remember much of the fight, but he did know one thing. 

There was no way in hell he gave Billy all those bruises.

He got in a few good blows, sure, but… Billy’s eye was discolored and turning black. His cheek was swollen and bruised and scratched. He looked almost as bad as Steve and Steve knew how bad he looked. 

Nancy saw it, too. “Was that you?”

“I’m gonna be late.” Steve slammed his locker shut and left Nancy standing in the middle of the hall. The first bell hadn’t even rung yet. 

First period was a dud. He couldn’t pay attention. He couldn’t stop thinking about Billy. Those bruises. What if Billy saw something? What did he do after he left the Byer’s house? Who did that to him?

It wasn’t Steve’s problem. Really, what happened to Billy Hargrove shouldn’t even be taking up space in Steve’s head. The man tried to beat his face in. Billy might have killed him if the kids didn’t intervene. It was so far from Steve’s problem that it was out of this world. 

Except… What if Billy did open that freezer? What if Billy did see what was inside?

That sure as hell would be Steve’s problem. Because Upside Down shit was now his domain, apparently. He was the problem solver Dustin went to. 

Not Nancy. Not Jonathan. 

… Maybe he was more than a little proud of that fact. 

It just felt nice to be needed. 

So as much as he wanted to avoid it, Steve needed to figure out if Billy saw anything. 

Unfortunately… Or fortunately, it was kind of impossible to avoid Billy. They didn’t really share any classes; Billy was a junior still though he did take some classes with Nancy. Despite that, Steve still had P.E. with him. And after that, spring basketball practice, which was optional… But basically mandatory if you wanted on the team come fall. 

Coach benched him for the concussion. 

“You, too, Hargrove.”

“I’m fine, coach,” came Billy’s gruff reply. 

“Like hell you are. You look like you got hit by a truck. Both of you.” Coach was a large guy and with his hands on his hips, he looked even larger than Billy. “So sit your ass down.”

Billy threw his towel at the bleachers and sat down beside Steve with a curse. He stared at the floor with dark eyes. Steve couldn’t help but watch him out of the corner of his eye as Coach started running the other boys through drills. 

“You got a fucking problem, Harrington? Or did I kick out your last two brain cells?” 

Steve looked away quickly. He sniffed through his broken nose and winced. “No.”

“Stop fucking looking at me or I’ll finish the fucking job.” Billy flexed his hands into fists. His knuckles were red and broken open. 

From smashing in your face. 

“Look. I’ve got bigger fucking problems than you. So just answer one question for me. Did you open the freezer?”

Billy’s hands froze. “What?”

Steve looked up from Billy’s hands to the boy himself. His face revealed nothing but cold, impassiveness. Not confusion. Not anger. It took a second for Steve to realize it was fear. “Did you open up the freezer at the Byers?”

“Shut the fuck up.” Billy seethed. 

Fuck. 

“Hargro–” Steve barely had time to jump as Billy grabbed his shirt and pulled him to his feet with wild eyes. 

“I said shut the fuck up. I didn’t see shit. Got that, Harrington?”

“Boys!” Coach blew his whistle. “No fighting on my fucking court!”

Billy threw him back into the bleachers and stormed off. 

Fuck. Steve watched the gym door slam shut. This was not good. This was really, really, really not good.

Chapter Text

Despite what the world thought of him, Edward Joseph Munson was not an idiot. For fuck’s sake, he read The Hobbit when he was in Third Grade. And drug dealing required math. Like a fuck ton of math.

So he wasn’t stupid. He definitely wasn’t illiterate and it definitely wasn’t his fault that Social Studies was right after lunch and Mr. Kane spoke in the world’s most monotone voice. Combine that with a sweltering classroom and boom. Eddie was out. 

He just got so bored. Boredom led to wandering eyes. Wandering eyes led to mischief. Mischief led to detentions. Suspensions. 

For some reason, Principal Waterford took pity on him. Every time he got sent to her office, she’d look at them with those strict, yet caring, eyes while he winked and batted his lashes. And she’d say, “Munson, if you only tried.”

He did try. He really did fucking try. 

It was during one of Mr. Kane’s lectures on World War Numero Uno (He liked Spanish. Reminded him of his mama). Eddie's eyes started wandering and his chair started tipping and he caught sight of Billy Hargrove walking by with a scowl on his beautiful bruised face. 

Significantly bruised. 

Far more bruised than it was yesterday. (I mean Eddie knew bruises could take a while to show their true depth, but this was–)

And then he was out the door, ignoring Mr. Kane’s tired protests, and running down the hall to catch up with Hargrove. “Hargrove!”

Billy didn’t turn around. “Fuck off, Munson.”

“It’s going to take more than that to scare me off.”

“Are you fucking dumb or something?” Billy rounded on him. He had that wild look in his eyes– the same one he showed up with on Eddie’s doorstep. His mouth twisted into a nasty sneer that probably would have sent someone with a will to live running. Eddie, however, had not been blessed with that gene. 

“Well, I am a double senior. Wanna fuck off and smoke?”

Billy stared at him like he had just grown a second head. Which would be fucking metal.

“It’s on me.” Eddie pushed. 

Billy’s steely exterior fractured just enough. “If you say a single goddamn thing, I will end you.”

Eddie stepped back, throwing his hands in the air. He zipped his lips shut and theatrically bowed, gesturing Billy toward the door. 

Billy sighed but went anyway. Eddie followed after him, thumbing the lighter in his pocket. 

Eddie wouldn’t say he and Billy were close by any means. He sold to the guy sometimes and sometimes lit up with him, but they didn’t talk. Or, Eddie talked and Billy put up with his rambling. Or they blasted metal so loud talking wasn’t a viable option. Point was, Eddie wouldn’t say they were friends, only two people who had similar tastes in drugs and music. 

It helped that Billy was hot. 

It would never happen, Eddie knew that, but… He could work with ‘look, don’t touch’. That was all that was available in Hawkins anyway. So he daydreamed about what Billy would look like completely undone and took that shit to the grave. 

Eddie jammed his keys into the ignition and peeled out of the Hawkins High parking lot. Though it was only May, the summer heat had made a guest appearance. His van’s AC had shit the bed a long time ago, so there was only one place to go. Skull Rock, Lover’s Lake. 

Billy punched up the music, staring ahead at the road with a blank look on his face as Eddie’s newest mixtape blared Slayer at deafening volume. He had to turn it down when they veered onto the road toward the lake. No need to alert every cop in the area that he was skipping school. 

One more tally for not stupid. 

Eddie slammed to a halt, killed the engine, and pulled out a joint from his lunch box. It was only then Billy deigned to look at him, gesturing for a joint. Eddie shook his head. 

“Fucking hell man just give me the goddamn joint.”

Lips still locked tight, Eddie dipped his head in the direction of Skull Rock. He also never liked to smoke in his van. Too easy for cops to sniff that out. He slipped out of the van and sauntered in the direction of Skull Rock without looking back to see if Billy was going to follow him. It didn’t take long to hear the sound of the passenger side door open and close.

Skull Rock was about a ten-minute walk from where Eddie liked to park. No one ever went there during the day– the path was more of a deer trail and less of an actual path. But, it looked out over the lake and was hidden enough for any amount of shenanigans, day-time or night-time. 

He went there often enough that Eddie knew the trail by heart; He could walk it blind if he needed to. It was honestly one of his favorite spots in Hawkins. Where he could forget about everything for just a little bit, where he didn’t feel eyes on him constantly. Where he could just be.

As the base of the rock came into view, Eddie popped the joint into his mouth. He lit it as he hit the base and wasted no time in vaulting himself up to the top of the rock, scampering up the side of the boulder. 

“Dude, what the fuck?” Billy called from below. 

Mouth shut. Eddie sighed and plopped down, stretching out like a cat over the warm stone as he puffed away.

Billy’s ascent to the top of the rock involved a lot more cursing and scrambling, but he made it up with bloody knuckles and snatched the joint from Eddie’s mouth. “Fuck you, dude.”

Eddie blew a cloud of smoke into the sky and watched it drift away.

“Why the fuck aren’t you saying anything.”

Eddie shrugged and made the locking motion over his lips again. 

“I didn’t mean– You’re really fucking weird, you know that right?”

Eddie covered his mouth in mock shock. 

Billy sighed heavily and sat down beside him. He pulled his knees up to his chest and sucked down the heavy smoke as he stared out at the lake. From this angle, Eddie could only see a bit of Billy’s face, blocked mostly by blond curls. 

Why do all the pretty boys have good hair?

Billy didn’t pass the joint back, so Eddie lit up another and stared up at the bright blue sky above him. There weren’t many clouds, just a few wisps passing by. The breeze rushed through the trees. The distant call of a goose echoed across the lake.

Good hair maketh the pretty boy?

Fucking hopeless is what he was. 

“Can tranquilizers make you see shit?”

Eddie jumped. He’d forgotten Billy was still there. Billy looked over at him out of the corner of his eye. “You can talk now.”

Eddie sucked in a gasping breath as if he’d been holding it. “Thank Satan, I was starting to die there.” He pushed himself up to sit by Billy. “‘Pends on the tranq. Was it made for humans?”

“I don’t know. I don’t fucking–” Billy pushed the palms of his hands into his eyes and winced. “Fuck, man. Max didn’t even fucking know. She kept trying to apologize and– It’s the only explanation. It has to be.”

“For what exactly?”

Billy cursed again and stared dead out at the lake. “I’m going fucking insane. I know what I fucking saw. I know what I–”

Billy shook his head vehemently. 

“Dude, whatever it was, I can guarantee I’ve seen worse. I can guarantee I’ve tripped worse, too. There’s only one insane person here and it isn’t you. It’s definitely Freddie, the clown who watches over me.”

Billy had heard him say enough weird shit that the clown joke didn’t faze him. Still, Billy’s bright blue eyes never left the lake. “There was this… Thing in the freezer. In-in the Byer’s freezer. It looked like a hairless dog, but it wasn’t. It had no face. It had no fucking face. And I thought I was seeing shit. I thought it was the fucking drugs but then Harrington fucking– Harrington asked me if I had opened the freezer, like he knew what was inside it like he knew it wasn’t a hallucination.” Billy glanced at him with terrified eyes and sucked down another cloud of smoke. “I’m not fucking crazy.”

Even Eddie could admit that sounded a little fucking crazy. “I don’t think you’re crazy. I think you were high out of your mind on horse tranqs.”

Billy laughed breathlessly, smoke pouring out of his lips. His hand shook as he finished off the joint. “Sure. Yeah.”

Still didn’t explain why Steve was asking about it. Eddie frowned. “Do you think… It would still be there?”

“What?”

“The hairless dog. Do you think it would still be in the freezer?”

Billy stared at him, bewildered. “I-I, fuck, I don’t know?”

“Cause if you want to know for sure we could always go check it out.”

“What, break in and look in the freezer?”

Eddie shrugged. “Or I could ask Byers.”

“No.” Billy snapped, cold as steel. “Not a fucking word, Munson, or I’ll beat your face in.”

“Okay, then breaking in is our only option.” Eddie shrugged like it wasn’t the craziest idea in the world. To be honest, it wasn’t the worst thing he has ever done. “Mama Byers works until six. Will and Johnathan are out for at least two more hours.”

Billy frowned. “How do you know that?”

Eddie wriggled his eyebrows. “That’s for me to know and you to figure out, big boy.”

Billy turned back to the lake, but not quick enough for Eddie to miss the pink on his cheeks. Interesting. That urge to push boundaries came back in full force, though he hesitated. Eddie was scrappy, sure, but Billy was big and quick and mean. Billy’s boundaries were not something to fuck around with, but…

Eddie stood up and stretched his arms up to the sky, groaning long and loud. He turned back quick enough to catch Billy nearly giving himself whiplash with how fast he looked away. Strike two. 

The high was settling in and Eddie felt dangerous. He stuck out his hand. “What do ya say, pretty boy? Up for some light B&E?”

Chapter Text

This was probably a horrible fucking idea. If he wasn’t high or lightly enamored by Eddie’s cajoling, he probably wouldn’t be doing this. He couldn’t afford a run-in with the cops. He didn’t think he’d be able to survive a third beating in nearly as many days. 

He had to know. 

Even if his hands shook uncontrollably as they pulled up to that fucking house. It looked different in the daylight. Less of a shack and more of an actual home… Though something about it still set him on edge. 

Probably the boarded windows. 

“Come on.” Eddie killed the engine of his van and hopped out. Billy wasn’t quick to follow. His high was gone now. His knuckles were white with the force of curling his hands into fists. 

“Don’t be a pussy, Hargrove.” He whispered to himself. Billy threw open the door and slammed it behind him, joining Eddie as the boy sauntered around the back of the house.

There wasn’t much back there; the yard was a little overgrown. A dilapidated swingset had almost been devoured by the forest. And a rough-looking wooden shed clung to life.

“Hey, give me a boost, man,” Eddie called. He had managed to slide a window open but wasn’t tall enough to jump through. When Billy hesitated, Eddie gestured pointedly at the window and positioned himself to be hoisted. “Unless you got a better idea.”

“I’m not shoving your ass up there.” Mainly because the thought of touching you makes me want to crawl out of my fucking skin.

“That’s not– Dude, have you never paid any attention to the– Fucking, come here,” Eddie grabbed him again and pulled him over to the window. “Cup your hands. I step into it and you boost me up. Got it?”

“Is that a cheerleading move?” Oh, now that made sense. Billy grinned as Eddie turned bright red. “I always wondered why you showed up to basketball games. Is it Cindy? Lisa? Fantastic tits.”

“Can we just–” Eddie turned back to the window. “We’re kind of on a time crunch here, Hargrove.”

Oh this was too much fun and way too perfect of a distraction. “I’m just trying to figure you out, Munson. You seem like you got a death wish… That Cunningham chic? No tits, but that ass–”

“If you want my help, you should shut the fuck up, right now.” Eddie snapped. 

Billy held up his hands apologetically, then placed them how Eddie had shown him. “After you.”

Eddie stepped up into Billy’s hands and Billy practically vaulted Eddie into the room. A loud crash and several curses followed in Eddie’s wake. Then silence. 

Fuck. 

“Eddie?”

No answer. 

The panic came back in full force. Billy ran his hands through his hair. He could run again. Leave Eddie to whatever fate he found. Fuck.

He couldn’t do that. 

He had to know. 

Billy pulled himself through the window and tumbled across the desk of a darkened bedroom. He wrinkled his nose as he stood, looking around the utter disaster that was Johnathan’s room. If ever there was the makings of a serial killer, Billy thought this might be it. For all purposes, it looked like some of his friend’s rooms back in California. Minus the thousands of photographs on the walls and hanging by clothespins from the ceiling. 

What the fuck.

A bit of shuffling outside the door had Billy moving further inside. “Eddie?”

There was a short hall. Then a somewhat familiar living room where Eddie stood. It seems the Byers hadn’t quite cleaned up completely. 

Eddie turned to him with wide eyes. “What the fuck is all this?”

Billy hadn’t been paying much attention to the wall art that night. Now in the daylight, he got the full picture of the thousands of pieces of paper covered in crayon scribbles taped over every inch of the walls. 

“It’s like… A map? Tunnels?” Eddie spun around taking in all of it.”I gotta use this for a campaign.”

Billy was only half listening as he looked at the spot where a coffee table used to be. It seemed they’d cleaned up all the glass and splinters. His eyes landed on the kitchen. The outline of the freezer. He swallowed heavily. 

He had to see. 

He had to know if he was truly going insane. 

Billy put his hand on the freezer door and opened it. 

A cold burst of air hit him. 

Followed by nothing. 

It was empty. 

It was completely empty. 

“Billy–”

“I know what I saw, Munson.” Billy slammed the freezer shut. “They coulda– They coulda moved it. They coulda–”

The sound of tires on gravel cut him off.

Eddie’s eyes went wide as the engine died. “Shit.”

“I thought you said no one would be around for hours!” Billy hissed. 

“No one’s supposed to be.” Eddie curled a hand into his wild hair. “Fuck, the vans out front. Fuck, okay. Just– Just follow my lead.”

“Follow your lead? What fucking lead, Munson?” Footsteps. The sound of keys at the door. Billy couldn’t move. He had every chance to run but he couldn’t move. Eddie assumed a not-so-casual leaning against the counter. 

The backdoor, not the front swung open with a bang and Billy spun around. He was greeted by the double barrel of a shotgun and the fiery eyes of Mrs. Byers. She dropped the gun. “Jesus Christ, Edward.”

Eddie grinned sheepishly from his position against the counter. “Joyce, great to see you. Billy and I were just… Looking for Johnny boy. We are… Working on a school project together.”

Joyce raised her brow. “One week before the end of the school year?”

“Yep.”

Billy cringed. 

“So you decided to break into my house when the two of you and my son should be at school? For a school project.” Joyce Byers still had the shotgun on her arm. Billy had seen her before in town, though he’d never spoken to her personally. He wondered if she knew he was the one that destroyed her coffee table and left vomit on her floor. 

“I’m very sorry, ma’am. We’ll be out of your hair.” It was best to be as respectful as he could be. Take any punishment with a please and thank you. “Very sorry, ma’am.”

Joyce scoffed. “No one has called me ma’am in a long time, and I prefer no one starts. You’re Billy, right? Hargrove? Max’s brother.”

“ Step brother.” The phrase slipped out like second nature. “Ma’am.”

Joyce gave him a long deep look that made his skin crawl. With a long sigh, she set the shotgun down on the counter. It was only then that he saw it was unloaded and a bit of him relaxed. Joyce opened up a cupboard and pulled down three glasses. “Eddie, grab the water pitcher.”

Eddie shared a nervous look with Billy but did as she asked. “We don’t wanna–”

“Nope. No one is going anywhere until you tell me the real reason you’re here.” Joyce took the pitcher and filled three glasses, handing them to Eddie, then Billy. “Sorry, I would offer you something to eat, but it seems I am down a plate or two.”

Billy paled at the knowing look the woman gave him. So she knew. What was her game? Were the cops already on the way? Was she just stalling them? She was the one with weird shit on her walls. She was the one harboring his not-sister. He could get her arrested for kidnapping, for… Something. Half the town already thought she was crazy. 

Mrs. Byers took a drink of her water and sighed. She dumped the rest of her glass down the sink and pulled out a bottle of whiskey before taking a seat at the small kitchen table and pouring herself a glass. “Sit.”

“Ma’am, we really should–”

“Sit.” Mrs. Byers left no room for opposition. “It has been a horrible week. So. Just. Sit.”

Billy glanced at Eddie who had made no moves away from the counter. So, Billy sat. “Ma’am, I–”

“Steve Harrington is like a son to me. Lord knows his own parents don’t feel the same, so believe me when I say, if you ever touch him again that shotgun will be loaded before you can Ma’am me again.”

“I- I’m sorry–” Billy curled his hands back into fists beneath the table. Of course she liked Harrington. Perfect fucking Steve Harrington.

“It’s not me you should be apologizing to.” Mrs. Byers took a sip of her whiskey. “Although, it wouldn’t be out of order for the plate. The coffee table. Half my kitchen and the bloodstain in the living room.”

“I’m sorry, ma’am. I am working at the pool this summer. I’ll pay it off, I promise.”

Mrs. Byers sighed again. “I don’t want your money, sweetheart.”

Billy clamped down on the blood curdling shutter which ran across his skin. He kept his head down, staring at the edge of the table. He was supposed to look up, look right at whoever was talking to him, but– “Whatever– Whatever you want– I–”

“I– Billy, no, I don’t want anything.” 

He could hear it in her voice– the realization. The shock. 

He couldn’t stand it. “I have to go pick up my– Max. I need to get her home.”

He didn’t wait for them to stop him from hurrying out the front door. The front porch wasn’t empty though. A young boy with sunken eyes and dark brown hair sat on the porch swing. Billy stared at the kid and the kid stared back with wide eyes. Mrs. Byers son. Zombie kid. 

“Can I go in now?”

Billy nodded stiffly and headed for Eddie’s van. The door was locked, so he fished out a cig and lit it, taking deep, calming drags. They did jackshit to actually calm him. Fuck, Billy laughed to himself. He was so fucked. He was so absolutely fucked.

There was only one solution– To push all this shit down– To toss it into that dark place in his soul where every fucked up memory burned and rotted. Stuff it away. Lock it up. Don’t look back.

Chapter Text

Things were off. 

To be fair, it was Hawkins. Things were almost always off. Had been for a while. For some time Eddie had considered it to just be weird small-town bullshit; he’d spent most of his formative years in the city until all that shit went south and he ended up on his Uncle’s doorstep at the ripe age of thirteen. 

But then that girl disappeared and the Byers kid died and got resurrected and now Eddie has this feeling on the back of his neck if he looks out a window at night. Like something he can’t see is watching him. Like he’s missing things. 

And whatever the fuck was going on with Billy was making that feeling come back tenfold. 

Not his business. Not his chickens. Not his eggs. Not his roosters. Not his circus. Not his–

Why is he parking in front of the Harrington residence?

Why is he walking up to the door?

Knocking on the door?

Waiting for Steve ‘The Hair’ Harrington to open the door?

Smiling at Steve ‘The Hair’ Harrington as he stands in the doorway with a puzzled look?

Well, Eddie really couldn’t say. 

“Harrington! Mind if I come in?” Eddie didn’t wait for an answer as he pushed inside the massive home. With the pristine white carpets and minimalisticly decorated walls. Eddie let out a low whistle. “Now I see why all the ladies are trying to get in your pants. Nice digs.”

“Eddie? What are you doing here?” Steve barely stepped away from the door, closing it behind him. “I… Didn’t order anything.”

“I know. And it’s a damn shame.” Eddie leaned in closer to a professional portrait of the Harrington clan hanging on the wall. A middle school-aged Steve sat pin-straight on a box covered in a white rug while his parents sat behind him, each with a hand on his shoulder. “You were a fantastic customer. I upcharged you a shit ton, pretty boy.”

Steve scowled as he crossed his arms. “What do you want?”

Eddie was stalling, he knew that. But, he wanted to hold on to not being the town’s craziest person for a moment longer. “You know I didn’t think you had what it took to rough Billy up like that.”

Truth be told, Steve looked almost as bad as Billy. At the mention of the boy’s name, Steve straightened. “What’s he told you?”

“Did you really get him that bad?” Eddie pushed. He needed to know. Eddie needed to be sure that Billy really looked worse today than he had when he showed up at Eddie’s doorstep. 

“I,” Steve let his eyes fall, shifting uncomfortably. “I don’t remember much, but I do know… I wasn’t the one winning that fight. Are you two friends or something now? Cause I don’t think I can take another hit right now.”

Eddie shrugged. “Friends… Would be a bit strong. But… I patched him up that night.”

“Did he…” Steve blew out a gust of air and put his hands on his hips. “Say anything weird?”

“Well, he was drugged out of his mind on tranqs, that apparently his kid sister hit him with. But today he was definitely, well, if he was high, he didn’t get it from me. Going on about that night and a dog? In the freezer?” Eddie studied Steve’s face closely, not missing the look he had on his face. Steve recovered quick, but not quick enough.

“I mean… There definitely was a dog, you know. A regular dog. They just hadn’t had time to bury it, you know. Joyce is so busy and, well, we buried it yesterday, so. Yeah.”

“A regular dog?” Eddie hummed. “Didn’t know they had a dog?”

“Oh yeah. Will… Will loved him. Demo.” Steve grinned awkwardly. “Well, if that’s all–”

“It’s just weird, Steve-o.” Eddie stepped closer. “I go over there all the time. I’ve never seen a dog, but I did see a weirdly empty freezer.”

“It… Defrosted.” Steve tried weakly. 

“You’re a horrible liar,” Eddie smirked as he stepped into Steve’s space. Eddie clapped him on the shoulder. “Any other lies you wanna tell me about the alien in your freezer?”

Steve stared at him wide-eyed and dead serious. “You can’t tell anyone.”

Eddie’s face fell. “I was just joking, Steve.”

Steve forced a laugh. “Me, too.”

“No, you weren’t.” Eddie let his hand fall. “What the fuck was in that freezer? What did Billy see?”

“Nothing. There wasn’t anything in the freezer. Why the fuck do you care about Billy so much anyway?”

“I don’t.” Eddie spat out way too quickly. Steve raised a brow. “I just supply him and if he’s been on a bad trip because of me, I need to know. And you were the last person to see him before he got all…”

You didn’t see him like I did. You didn’t see him before I dropped him off at home. You didn’t see him when he thought Mrs. Byers– 

“Look I know you hate him, and you have every right to. He’s a fucking asshole who beat your face in–”

“It was bad drugs, Eddie. That’s all. Some wild stuff went down that night.” Steve ‘The Hair’ Harrington- bold-faced liar. “Just tell him that, okay? And here.” Steve pulled out his wallet and fished a fifty out of the folds. 

Eddie stared at the money in Steve’s hand. He hated that he wanted to take it. Wanted to think he had grown beyond that. But, he wouldn’t say he had come very far as he shoved that fifty in his pocket. “Pleasure doing business with you, Harrington.”

Coward. 

Eddie slipped out the front door and stopped on the front step. The back of his neck itched like crazy now. The threads that seemed to weave through this god-awful town raced in warps and wefts in a thousand different directions. Eddie hated the feeling. Was it better or worse to leave it alone? He wasn’t sure. All he knew was… Something wasn’t right and hadn’t been for a long time.

Chapter Text

After the night Eddie came to visit, Billy kept his distance. Steve wasn’t sure if Eddie had said anything to him, maybe convinced him it was just bad drugs. Or maybe Steve was just too busy trying to graduate to notice anything strange. 

It fell away to classes and studying and Nancy reluctantly giving him her flash cards but, eventually, freedom. Freedom of summer. Freedom of graduation. He had his whole life ahead of him and a brand new job at…

Scoops Ahoy. 

Not… The most exciting job. It was kinda incredibly shitty, actually. But, it was air-conditioned and far better than dealing with having Billy as a coworker at a pool. Or thinking about Barb drowning in a pool. Or being anywhere near a pool at all. 

Even if Robin took great delight in his failings, it was still better than a pool. 

Even if Sinclair’s sister made him want to rip his leg hairs out with tweezers. 

Still better than a pool. Still better than Billy and a pool and Summer and life and–

God, these shorts gave him an unbearable wedgie. 

He perked up as two new customers came in, putting on his best charm. “Hey, ladies. Care to take a ride with me on an ocean of flavor?”

Their smiles dropped slightly and Steve cringed internally, already hearing Robin make another strike against him. He kept a smile plastered to his face as he took their orders and scooped out mounds of ice cream. He rang them up and sighed as soon as their backs were turned to him. 

He was sticky, too. 

Robin watched him from the back through the window with a smirk on her face. “That was rough.”

“Yeah, Buckley? I’d like to see you try.”

Robin scowled, red coming to her cheeks. “Don’t be a dingus.” Her eyes drifted beyond him as she leaned through the window sill. “That’s not something you see every day.” 

Steve turned back around to face the front of the store and looked out at the rest of the mall. It was pretty busy for a Tuesday afternoon, but it didn’t take long to know who exactly Robin was staring at. 

Amongst the neon blues, purples, and oranges, Eddie Munson stood out in his ripped black jeans, patched-up denim jacket, band shirt, and chains. He looked lost or like he was trying to find something as he spun around wildly, craning his neck in different directions. Apparently unaware of the stares he was garnering, he jumped up on a bench and continued his harried search.

“Who do you think he’s looking–” Steve cut himself off as Eddie’s eyes landed on him. The boy’s lips broke into a grin. “Shit.”

There was still time to escape into the back, but Robin gave him a wicked grin. “He’s all yours dingus.”

“No, no. I’ll handle Erica if you–” Steve tried for a valiant escape into the backroom, but Robin threw herself against it.

“Harrington. Just the man I was looking for.” 

Steve took a deep breath, turning away from the backdoor. “Ahoy, lad. Would you like to set sail on an ocean of flavor with me? I’ll be your captain, Steve.”

He did not want to see the look on Eddie’s face, but he forced himself to look up anyway. The grin on Eddie’s face was frozen; Steve was pretty sure he had short-circuited. Steve sighed. “What do you want, Munson?”

“To burn this memory into my brain forever.” Eddie unfroze. “Oh, this is too good to be true.”

Steve scowled. “Look, if you’re just here to dick around–”

“I’m not– I’m not. I promise.” Eddie twisted his fingers together. “Scouts honor.”

Steve waited for him to continue, grabbing a damp rag to wipe down the counters. He was supposed to keep busy and kick anyone out who didn’t buy anything. 

“It’s about you know what.”

Steve froze. “I told you to let it go.”

“I know.” Eddie folded his arms and leaned against the counter. “But, ya know, it just got me thinking. Something about it bothered me. Like… You freaked out way too much about what Billy said he saw. You need a better poker face, Harrington. So just tell me straight. Is it aliens?”

Steve forced himself to go back to cleaning. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t know what Billy saw. He was high as hell on tranqs.”

“My point exactly, Harrington. What the hell was Red doing with tranqs?” Eddie rapped his fist on the counter. “Something’s going on.”

“Nothing's going on!” Steve winced at the pitch of his voice. He cleared his throat and lowered it drastically. “Nothing's going on.”

Eddie leaned forward conspiratorially. “Is the government involved? CIA? FBI?” He lowered his voice. “State Department?”

Jesus fucking christ. 

“No! No one is involved in anything! There’s nothing–” Steve cut himself off as three customers wandered in. “Ahoy! Welcome. Would you like to set sail on an ocean of flavor? My Co-captain Robin will be right with you.”

He grabbed Eddie’s arm and dragged him into the backroom before the man could protest. Robin looked up from her book, scowling. “Hey! No customers in the back, dingus.”

“Can you go deal with the people up front?” Steve peeked through the slats in the window. When Robin didn’t move, he begged. “Please.”

Robin’s eyes slid over to Eddie and looked him up and down. Eddie gave her the same look and winked. “Virginia Woolf?”

With a raised brow, Robin closed her book and stood. She turned, pointedly from Eddie to Steve. “You have five minutes.”

What was happening?

“Much obliged, my lady.” Eddie bowed deeply, overly theatrical. 

The door swung shut behind Robin and Eddie whistled long and low. “You have no chance with her, man.”

“I’m not– I wasn’t– What do you want, Munson?”

“I. Want. Answers. Harrington.”

“There’s nothing going on!” Steve cringed as his voice did the thing again. “No conspiracy. No aliens.”

Eddie shook his head. “You’re a horrible liar. There’s something going on in this town and I know that one way or another it’s going to find its way back to me because shit always does. So, shoot me for trying to be proactive about it this time.”

Then it was time to try something else. Steve sighed deeply. 

“Listen, Eddie, this… This isn’t something… I’m not supposed to say anything to anyone, okay? Like I literally signed a shit ton of papers and if they find out I’m breaking them I’ll probably end up in some dark hole for the rest of my life, so nothing leaves this fucking room, okay?”

Eddie’s eyes went wide. “Shit. Okay.” He took a seat at the breakroom table and folded his hands together, adamantly attentive. “I’m listening.”

“It’s not aliens.” Steve started. “But it is the government. You know Hawkin’s Lab?”

“Yeah? Didn’t it just get shut down?”

“Yeah.” Steve paced, trying to remember the cover story Nancy and Johnathan had concocted. “Well, they were doing some back shit. Like really bad. Like… People died bad. I don’t know everything, but… They were doing things with gas and chemicals and making people hallucinate. And Will Byers almost died because of it. And we all just got involved in trying to stop it from happening. And that’s what Billy caught us doing. And they made us sign a bunch of papers to not talk about it and the lab got shut down, so we're all safe. We’re all good now. No aliens.”

Steve stopped pacing. Eddie had stopped looking at him, staring at the table instead. His brows knit together as he worried at his lip. Two sharp raps hit the window as Robin’s patience ran out. Steve turned back to Eddie. “Look I know it’s a lot to take in, but I’m really not supposed to have–”

“Are you sure it’s gone?” Eddie swallowed. “The gasses and chemicals and the lab people?”

Steve felt his heart kick into gear. He knew that look on Eddie’s face. He’d seen it on Dustin and Nancy and Jonathan before. Will had said it would come back. He knew it wasn’t gone. “Why?”

Eddie looked up from the table and locked eyes with Steve. “Because I think something is wrong with Billy.”

Chapter Text

One Week Prior…

The burning disappointment of failing senior year barely fazed Eddie the second time around. Life was a series of disappointments. A domino cascade of them. 

A fucked up kaleidoscope of chaos. 

He kinda liked that chaos. 

Thrived in it really. 

Steve’s fifty burned a hole in his wallet. 

There were a million things he could spend that money on-- food. Drugs.

…Mostly just food and drugs. But, he hung onto the crisp bill. Sometimes he took it out just to stare at it. It was none of his business. None of it was any of his business until it came to his doorstep. Still, Eddie couldn’t help but feel that if he spent it, it meant he had to let it go. That whatever fucked up shit King Steve had gotten himself into had nothing to do with him.

Eddie groaned and shoved the fifty back in his pocket. He returned his hands to his Sweetheart, picking and strumming in the haze of his weed high. Wayne hated it when Eddie hotboxed in his room, but Eddie was still moping about school. And Wayne wasn’t here.

He played off and on as the sun sank down, throwing golden beams and long shadows across his room. He was about to light up again when aggressive banging on the trailer door pulled him from the cerebral high he had going. Eddie groaned and pulled himself up as the banging repeated. “Jesus.”

With a sigh, Eddie slumped out of bed and took his time getting to the door. He stopped only to peak out the window and grinned at the sight of Billy standing there with a scowl in a white wife beater and red lifeguard shorts. Billy glanced over at the movement of the curtain and sent a middle finger his way before banging on the door again. “Open up, Munson.”

Eddie pulled open the door. “What’s the magic word?”

He couldn’t lie; it was fun watching Billy squirm. His scowl deepened. “Fucking now.”

“Uh-uh-uh,” Eddie tsked, leaning against the doorframe. “That’s not it.”

Billy shifted from side to side, casting his gaze around the dead trailer park. “Fucking please.”

Eddie grinned. “It was ‘bananas’, actually. But I love to see you beg.”

Billy’s eyes flashed dangerously and Eddie considered toying with the boy for a moment longer. But, Eddie valued his life, so he stepped aside and let Billy barrel in. “What can I do you for?”

Billy set a wad of cash down on the counter and Eddie’s eyes went wide. He looked back up at Billy. His bruises had almost all faded away, but there were bags under his eyes like he hadn’t slept in weeks. “Whatever this will get me.”

Eddie raised his brows and blew out a steady breath. “I’m not giving you everything I have, which is what that kind of cash will get you.” Eddie picked up the wad and put it back in Billy’s hand. “So just tell me what you need it for and Doc Eddie will get you set up, okay, big boy?” Eddie patted Billy on the shoulder and turned away before the man could react. “You look tired. Need something to help you sleep? I got weed, Special K?”

“Got anything stronger?” Billy asked hoarsely. 

“Stronger than K?” Eddie laughed as he dipped back into his room. “Nah. I don’t do that shit.”

He pulled his lunch box out from under his bed and pulled out his little baggie of Special K. He’d gone through about half of it selling at a party last weekend, but there was enough for a few solid trips left. He went back out, finding Billy sitting on the couch, staring at the table. He jumped at Eddie’s appearance. “I’ll take it.”

Maybe Billy’s face was fine, but his mind certainly wasn’t. Eddie held the baggie in his fist. “Have you ever done it before?”

“How much?” Billy pulled out that wad of cash again, not looking at Eddie. 

“Just answer my question.”

“No, I haven’t.” Billy slammed the cash down on the coffee table. “Now are you going to sell it to me or not, Munson?”

“Not with that attitude.”

Billy went stony, staring at the coffee table like he was about to explode at any moment. Eddie sighed and licked his hand. He opened the baggie and sprinkled a line onto his skin. He sniffed it up, wincing at the burn. Billy’s blue eyes rose to meet his as he poured out another line on his hand and offered it to Billy. “I just meant that you shouldn’t do this shit alone.”

Eddie half expected Billy to say shit about taking it off of Eddie’s hand, but he was quiet as he leaned forward and took the hit. Eddie pocketed the baggie and turned to the T.V. He flipped it on and perused through his small collection of bootlegged shows and films. He looked back at Billy who had gone quiet on the couch. “Any preferences?”

“What?” Billy looked away from the table. 

“Movie preferences?”

“Oh. No.”

“Ah. Then this is the perfect time to pull you into my cult.” Eddie grabbed his favorite movie to watch on K and shoved it into the VHS player. He hit play and flopped back on the couch next to Billy. 

Billy stiffened, pulling away from him. “When does it kick in?”

“Takes like ten minutes. Lasts for maybe an hour or two. Just settle in.” Eddie patted Billy on the chest. “And witness the power of David Bowie.”

Billy’s frown didn’t fade as the opening scene of Labyrinth played. “What the fuck is this?”

“Give it a chance.” Eddie grinned, sinking deeper into the couch. He looked over at Billy just as David Bowie made his first appearance on screen. The K was just starting to set in for him. For Billy, too it seemed. The blond watched the screen with blown-out eyes and parted lips. Eddie smirked as Billy looked over at him. “Told ya.”

The lingering effects of the bowls he smoked earlier mixed pleasantly with K’s ability to part his brain from his body. He wanted to drift off, to find his own way through the Labyrinth. God what he’d give to find David Bowie at the center of it. 

“What the hell is he packing?” Billy whispered. 

Eddie glanced over with a sly grin. “Goblins, probably.”

Billy snorted. “Shit this shit is good. This movie is fucking weird though. There’s no way Bowie’s not a fag.”

“He’s dated women.” Eddie shrugged.

Billy’s eyes darkened. “That doesn’t mean shit.”

Eddie swallowed, feeling like he was about to wander into dangerous territory. “So what if he’s into both.”

Billy stared ahead at the T.V. pointedly. “He’d have it easy if that was true.”

“Yeah.” Eddie looked back at the TV, watching Bowie sing about babes and power. Lots of things would be easier if he liked both. He would get a lot less shit about being a fag if that was the case. Or maybe he wouldn’t. The insults of his peers were rather unimaginative.”

Eddie let himself drift off again, trying to ignore the twitching of his hands or the way every time Billy shifted, he got a bit closer to Eddie. Until their thighs were brushing. Then pressed together, hot and warm. Billy’s little red shorts left very little to Eddie’s imagination and, oh, he was staring now at Billy’s lips. He was watching himself be irreparably, dangerously gay. He was flying overhead, back on the ceiling, watching himself drift closer to Billy. 

Don’t do it. Don’t do it. Don’t–

Eddie touched Billy’s cheek and came flying back into his body as Billy’s blue eyes met his. Eddie sucked in a shaky breath. “You have really pre–”

Billy’s lips smashed against his, clumsy and rough. 

He was in Billy’s lap, grinding over Billy’s chub, practically dungeon-delving into Billy’s throat. Billy’s hands were like fire on his skin as he slipped beneath Eddie’s shirt. Eddie felt like he was burning from the inside out, curling his hands into fists in Billy’s blond curls. 

And then it all stopped. 

It took a second to realize that Billy had frozen solid beneath him. Eddie pulled away as he came back to himself in an icy deluge. Billy’s eyes stared off across the trailer, unblinking, unseeing. 

“Billy–”

Eddie hit the floor hard. The impact rattled his head. He looked up just in time to see the front door slam shut. The roaring sound of Billy’s car came as he picked himself up off the ground. The screech of tires on gravel echoed in the emptiness. Eddie rubbed his eyes, head ringing. “Fuck.”

...

Billy’s hands shook even as he white-knuckled the wheel of his car. The shadows of Hawkin’s forest twisted around him as he sped down the road. He cranked Venom loud enough to drown out the rush of screaming thoughts in his head, the burn of Eddie’s lips on his. 

This was a bad idea. A bad fucking mistake. He should have been in some seedy motel making one of the Stepford wives scream. Not this. Not! Fucking! THIS!

FUCK!

Billy slammed on the brakes as a dark creature ran from the forest and into the beam of his headlights. He veered off the road as it hit his hood, slammed bloodily into the windshield, and rolled over the back of his car. 

Billy hit the wheel hard, something in his nose shattering. His head rang, everything blurring and fading together. He scrambled for the door and fell out, hitting the gravel with a groan. He realized only then that a power pole had stopped his baby in its tracks. Steam and smoke poured from the hood. Billy spat, tasting thick copper in his mouth. 

“Fuck.” He pushed himself to his feet, wincing as he tried to put pressure on his left leg. He looked around, trying to get his bearings. He was outside of town, deep in the forest. A decrepit old building stood silently in the moonlight. The steel factory– his brain supplied helpfully. Not that it helped at all. 

Where was that thing he hit? Someone’s fucking dog or a fucking deer because he’s stuck in the middle of fucking Indiana BULLSHIT

Billy kicked his tire and howled and the pain ricocheted up his leg. The quiet of grasshoppers and a light breeze answered in return. Billy fell against the Camaro but pulled back at the feeling of cold, sticky slime on his hand. The goo left trails of slime across the windshield. His whole car had been splattered with it where the creature hit, black and viscous. 

The creature in the fridge. 

His heart raced as his blood ran cold. 

A low groan came from somewhere deep within the steel factory. 

He had to run–

He had to–

A dark tentacle wrapped around his ankle and pulled.

Chapter Text

“You think there’s something wrong with Billy because he was acting weird… While high?” Steve questioned. 

Eddie flinched involuntarily. “There was more to it than that. I can’t– Look I can’t really get into specifics, but I tried going to the pool to get him to talk to me and it was– Fuck, Harrington, it was just weird. He wouldn’t talk to me and he was sweating so much and he had this look in his eyes–”

Steve sighed. “I don’t know what you want me to do. It’s not like me and Billy are exactly buddy-buddy.”

“You don’t believe me.” Eddie’s face fell. He raked his fingers through his hair then threw his hands in the air. “You’re the one involved with the weird shit!”

Steve clamped his hand over Eddie’s mouth, gripping his arm hard to keep him from going anywhere. “Shut the fuck up, Munson. I thought I paid you off.”

Eddie’s eyes hardened. In a moment of retribution, he stuck his tongue out to touch Steve’s hand. Steve yelped and pulled away. “Did you just lick me?”

Eddie yanked his wallet out and fished Steve’s crisp fifty from the folds. He shoved it into Steve’s chest. “Have your fucking fifty back. I don’t give a shit.”

Steve froze at the feeling of Eddie’s hot hand through his uniform. When he didn’t take it, Eddie threw it down on the table. Steve stepped back, breaking from the weight of Eddie’s warm brown eyes. Eddie cared. Like actually cared. “Fine. If you’re so worried about him, I get off at eight. I can go check on him at the pool.”

“That’s all I’m asking.” Eddie sighed. His shoulders drooped as if a big weight had been taken off of them.

Good. Great. Steve wiped his hand on his shirt again. “I can’t believe you licked me.”

Eddie smirked, showing off the dimple in his cheek. “Why, big boy? You like it?”

Steve’s lips fell open as he met Eddie’s eyes. There was a spark there, something teasing and unserious, but for a moment Steve forgot how to speak. 

A loud knock on the door shoved Steve back to reality. Robin poked her head in a moment later. “Dingus, there’s a really annoying boy scout asking for you.”

“I am not a boy scout!” Dustin whined from the front of the store. “I was at summer camp! Let me through– ”

The door swung open wider as Dustin shoved his way by Robin. “Steve! You gotta see this! I’ve uncovered a conspiracy–” Dustin froze as his eyes landed on Eddie. “Who are you?”

“No one you gotta worry about, kid.” Eddie sniffed, eyeing Harrington. “Just calling in a favor from buddy boy here.”

Dustin scowled as Eddie ruffled his hair and slipped out, passing by Robin with a wink. Dustin turned his scowl on Steve. 

“What?” Steve asked, affronted.

Robin cleared her throat. “You seriously cannot be using the backroom for every covert meeting you plan to have. Employees. Only.” 

“It’s not a covert meeting. Dustin–”

“Yes, it is.” Dustin not so subtly raised his brows and attempted to whisper. “ I think I uncovered a Russian conspiracy. ”

“Seriously?” Robin leaned against the door, folding her arms. “What proof do you have?”

“Listen. To. This.” Dustin pulled a cassette player from his bag and set it on the table. “I recorded when I was trying to talk to Suzy–”

“Who’s Suzy?”

“My girlfriend–”

“Woah, woah, woah, cowboy. You have a girlfriend.”

“Yes! Steve! Just listen!” Dustin whined. Steve acquiesced with a sigh, sharing a glance with Robin. Dustin hit play. 

There were a few moments of silence, then a garbled man’s voice came out of the speaker. It was gibberish to Steve. Maybe it could have been Russian? Steve rubbed his hand over his face. “Dusty–”

“No.” Robin stepped forward. “Play it again.”

Dustin rewound the tape as fast as he could and hit play again, clearly excited by Robin’s interest. “See!”

“Shh.” Robin cut him off, frowning as she listened to the tape. “It’s repeating. How did you record this?”

“Cerebro.” Dustin grinned widely, toothless-ly. “He’s a long-range radio tower I built on Weathertop to reach my girlfriend in Utah.”

“I still can’t believe you have a girlfriend.”

“She exists!” Dustin protested once again. “Why doesn’t anyone believe she exists?”

Steve chuckled and ruffled Dustin’s hair. “I’m sure there aren’t Russians in Hawkins, dude.”

Dustin hit him with the most incredulous look Steve had ever been subject to. “Yeah, nothing weirder has ever happened in Hawkins before.”

Robin ignored both of them, picking up Dustin’s walkman from the table. “Can I borrow this?”

“Uh… Sure, I guess.” Dustin shrugged. “Just don’t break it.”

“I won’t.” Robin sat down and rewound the tape again. 

Just in time for Erica’s shrieks to ring through the whole store. Steve turned to plead with Robin, but she cut him off. “You had your break, dingus. Out.”

***

Steve left the mall later and stickier than he had hoped at the start of the day. It was a shit job, but it gave him enough pocket money to maybe think about moving out of his parent’s house. Maybe he could get a place in town. Somewhere he could make his own. Set his own rules. Not have to wonder if he'd be waking up to an empty house or to his father screaming about how useless he was. How he needed to go to college and apply himself or how he should have gotten a full-ride basketball scholarship to some big state school. Never mind the fact that Steve’s basketball abilities were about as good as his academic abilities– That was to say, not very. 

Combine that with the fact that he wasn’t even six foot and well… Fucked for life. Incapable of amounting to anything. Just some guy. 

Steve slammed the door on his BMW. He stared across the mostly empty parking lot, soaking in the miserable emptiness of real life. He didn’t want to go home. Didn’t want to stay here. Didn’t want to be anywhere, really. 

Right. He was supposed to check on Billy. It was late, but there was still sunlight hanging on the horizon. The pool only closed twenty minutes ago. Steve sighed and turned on the car. Duran Duran blasted from the speakers. Steve cursed and turned it down. 

“Fuck.” Steve put the car in drive. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”

He was so goddamn tired. 

Steve pulled out of the parking lot and sped off in the direction of the pool. 

It was dark by the time he had arrived, but there were still lights on in the pool. Billy’s camaro sat vacant in the parking lot. It looked as if it had taken a beating, judging by the massive dent in the front bumper. Maybe Eddie was onto something. Steve hesitated, wondering if he should grab the nail bat in the back of his car. 

Nah. That was overkill. 

He slammed his door shut and shoved his hands in the tiny pockets of his uniform shorts. He was halfway to the main entrance when a muffled, feral howl came from within the complex. 

Bat. Bat now. 

Steve pulled it from his trunk and raced for the building. The front gate hung open by a crack. Steve crashed through it, heading in the direction of the yelling and banging coming from within the locker rooms. He hit the door and tried to pull it open, but someone had put a padlock on it. Steve brought his bat down on the lock and pulled it free. He burst through the door, ready to start swinging–

And stopped cold in his tracks at the sight of Max, El, Will, Lucas and Mike. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“What the hell are you doing here?” Mike shouted back. 

The screaming and banging returned in full force as Steve turned to find Billy’s furious face through the small window of the sauna, spittle flying from his lips as he punched at the door. “What the fuck is happening?”

“He’s possessed–”

The Mindflayer he’s not gone–”

“We’ve gotta help him, Steve,” Max pleaded with wide eyes. 

The door shook with Billy’s blows. Spots of blood hit the glass as Billy’s knuckles cracked open. He didn’t seem to notice or care. His eyes black with rage. “That door’s not going to hold. El–”

She nodded and raised her hand. Steve felt the air shift with the force of her power. It sent a chill down his spine, but there was no time to dwell. “We gotta keep him in there, right? Keep him hot?”

“That’s what worked for Will,” Mike said, high-pitched and terrified. Will confirmed with a small nod. 

“Grab those benches and the weights. Help me barricade it–”

“Let me out of here!” Billy roared, pounding at the door. He backed away and threw his body at the door. Sweat poured from him mixing with blood and sweat and spit. “Fuck you, Harrington. Fuck you!”

Steve ignored the wild beast trapped in the sauna as he yanked weight benches across the small gym and stacked them at the door with Lucas’s help. Mike and Will formed a bucket line, tossing weights into the pile. 

Billy slammed his fist against the window. Steve froze as the glass exploded. The whole room held their breath as Billy stuck his face in the hole. His dark eyes landed on Max. “Please, Max. Let me out.”

She swallowed and shook her head, stepping back. Tears streamed down her cheeks. “I can’t, Billy. This is for your own good. We’re trying to help you.”

“I didn’t wanna do it. You gotta believe me.” Billy panted. He reached through the broken window for her. The broken glass scraped against his skin. “Please, Max, please.”

“I do.” Max’s voice shook. Blood dripped from El’s nose, but she took Max’s hand anyway. “We can’t let you out– Not until– Not–”

Billy slammed his fists against the door, shaking the whole frame even against the force of El’s power. The three boys stepped back, looking ready to bolt. Will’s voice shook. “It’s not hot enough.”

Mike ran over to the sauna valves. “The broken window– It’s letting out too much hot air.”

All the eyes in the room turned to Steve. El’s arm shook. Her nosebleed stained the neck of her shirt as she strained against Billy’s assault on the door. 

“Billy!” Max shrieked. 

He stood now with a piece of glass at his neck. There was no telling where Billy ended and the Mindflayer began. The wild desperate look in his eyes met the darkness there. 

“Put it down, Billy.” Steve felt himself snap back into motion. “We’re gonna let you out, okay? Just drop the glass.”

Billy’s hand shook, but something in him softened. “Stevie?”

“Yeah, it's me. Is that you?” Steve assured him. He held his hands out, approaching slowly. 

“I– I don’t know. I don’t know what’s happening.”

“I know. I know. It’s fucking terrifying. Just put the glass down.” Steve wasn’t better than begging. He wasn’t going to let these kids see even more horrible things if he could help it. Billy let his hand fall away, but clung tightly to the glass. “That’s it. Let go.”

Steve blew out a bunch of air and sucked some more in, trying to get Billy to breathe with him. Billy’s eyes darted wildly as if seeing something Steve himself could not. His breathing quickened; Steve was losing him. “No– No! I–”

“El!” Steve leaped out of the way as Billy disappeared behind dark eyes. His hand sent a bloody piece of glass towards his neck. 

El screamed, pushing with all her might. The sauna door flew off its hinges with a horrifying shriek and slammed into Billy. Billy hit the hard concrete wall behind him, shaking the whole building. And then–

Quiet. 

No one dared to move as the dust settled. But there was no movement from inside the destroyed sauna. El wiped her nose on her sleeve and promptly fell against Max. She caught her just barely with a grunt. “Steve!”

Fuck. 

Shit.

Fuck. 

What would Nancy do?

“Max, Will, get El to my car. Mike, Lucas, we gotta get Billy out of here before he wakes up.”

“And take him where exactly?” Mike scoffed. “I’m not hiding him in my basement.”

Steve ran a hand through his sweaty hair. He couldn’t exactly hide Billy at his place either. 

“Hopper’s got a cabin,” Will suggested. “I know where it is.”

Hopper. Yes, good. 

“We’re not all going to fit in your car. And we can’t leave Billy’s car here.” Max said. A smile flitted across her face. “I can drive.”

A resounding ‘no’ answered her. 

“Jon’s been teaching me.” Will offered sheepishly. 

Better. Steve nodded. “You and Max get Billy’s keys. Take El to Billy’s care. And Will, don’t let Max bully you into driving.”

He turned to face the sauna as Max and Will picked up El by her hands and feet. There was a pile of rubble now and a mountain of all the shit they had thrown at the door. Steve turned to Lucas and Mike before stepping in. “Stay here.”

It was still boiling hot in the small room. The air was an acrid mixture of cinder block dust, steam, and cedar. Steve coughed and tried to wave it away. His eyes landed on Billy. He was half-trapped under the sauna door. Blood soaked his blond hair. He was still breathing, but out cold. Steve gave him a little kick just to be sure. 

“Can we come in?” Lucas called from outside.

“Yeah. We’re good. Help me get this door off him.”

Picking up the door was easy enough, but shuffling Billy out of the room proved to be a feat in itself. 

“Why the hell is he a million pounds?” Mike groaned. 

Steve only felt a little bad for accidentally bumping Billy’s head on an overturned bench. “Keep going. We don’t have much time.”

They shoved him in the backseat of the BMW, meeting Will and Max out in the parking lot. Lucas started to jump in the BMW’s passenger seat, but Steve stopped him. “Nope. All of you are getting in that car and going straight to Joyce’s.”

“Like hell we are!” Mike shouted. “Do you even know where Hopper’s cabin is? Huh?”

The little shit had a point. Steve crossed his arms. “Fine, but you’re all riding in that car. And Will is driving.”

‘Cause if Billy happened to wake up on the way there, only Steve needed to die. The rest of them would be more safe in the Camaro with Will’s driving. The kids all groaned but listened to him for once and piled into Billy’s car. Steve jumped into his own and started the engine. 

Fuck. He was so fucked.

Will took off, driving five below the limit, and Steve followed, tapping his hand on the steering wheel. He glanced back at Billy every five seconds as they wove through the town’s quiet streets and out into the woods. Will put on his blinker in the middle of nowhere and slowed, pulling off the road and down a barely visible gravel driveway which would far back into the trees. The shadowy outline of a cabin appeared eventually, dark and dead quiet. 

Steve put the car in park and froze as a grunt came from his back seat. He waited for Billy’s hands to wrap around his neck, but no such moment came. In front of him, all the kids piled out of the camaro. Even El, who looked worse for wear, but was at least cognizant now. 

It took all of them to get Billy up the steps and into the cabin. Lucas and Will lugged a twin bed out of a bedroom and threw it down in the middle of the living room. Steve threw Billy on top of that. “We need to tie him up.”

“There’s chains and rope in the shed,” El said softly. She hadn’t taken her eyes off Billy as she sat on the couch. 

“We’ll get them!” Mike grabbed Lucas’s arm and raced out the door. 

Steve stared at the situation before him. They need to tie him up, yes. But then how the hell did they get that thing out of him? How the hell did he end up in this situation again? Steve had sort of hoped his life-threatening babysitting days were over. 

As if Will could read his mind, he said, “We have a bunch of heaters from when we had to get it out of me. They’re at home.”

Steve nodded. “Keep an eye on him. If he so much as twitches, let me know. It’s time to call in reinforcements. And then I want to hear everything.”

Max nodded slowly as she curled up beside El on the couch. Her bloodshot eyes watched her brother closely. 

Steve grabbed the phone and took it into the kitchen, watching El, Max, and Will from afar as he dialed the station number. It rang five times before a woman on the other end picked up. “Hawkins PD Non-emergency line.”

“Hi,” Steve cleared his throat. “Is Hopper there? I need to talk to him. Urgently.”

“The Chief?” The woman sucked on her teeth. “No, sorry sweetie. He’s been out for a while already. Left early, actually. Wanna leave a message?”

“No.” Fuck. “I’ll try a different number. Thanks.”

Steve hung up and tried Joyce’s number. 

Nothing. 

Nancy. 

The phone rang as Steve nervously tapped the kitchen counter. 

“Wheeler Residence. This is Karen.” Mrs. Wheeler’s bright voice came over the phone. Steve stood up straight. 

“Mrs. Wheeler. This is Steve. Is Nancy home?” Please be home. Please be home. 

“Oh! Steve! Oh, sweetie, we’ve missed you at the house. You really should come over some more. How’s your mother?”

“She’s–” Steve glanced up at the three kids. “Fine. Sorry, but this is– this is kinda important. Is Nancy there?”

“She’s upstairs. I’ll go get her.”

Steve breathed out a sigh of relief as the phone went quiet. He heard some talking in the background and the sound of footsteps and then–

“Steve?” Nancy’s voice was music to his ears. 

“Hey. We’ve got a situation.” He could practically hear the gears in Nancy’s brain turning. “A… Situation. Situation.”

“Where are you?”

“Hopper’s cabin.” Steve gripped the receiver tighter. “Do you know where Jonathan is? We’re going to need to… Turn up the heat.”

“I– Uh–” Nancy stuttered. “I do. We’ll be there. Are Hop and Joyce–”

“No one is answering.”

Nancy cursed under her breath. “Okay. Just hang tight, okay? We’ll be there. Are the kids–”

“I’ve got all of them but Dustin, but… I just saw him and he was fine.” There was that at least. Steve prayed that Dustin was fast asleep by now. Or talking to his weird girlfriend. Or somehow not in this shit for once. 

“Good. See you soon.”

The phone died with a click. 

“Found it!” Mike and Lucas burst back through the door with armfuls of thick ropes and chains. They dropped their bundles at Billy’s feet.

Steve barely had a second to take a breath before he was across the room and figuring out how to securely tie Billy up. They settled on binding his feet together and his arms to his sides. Triple wrapped with chain. Mike, reluctant drop-out boy scout that he was, came in handy with tying knots. Steve secured the last one and they all took a step back to look at their handy work. 

“He kinda looks like a mummy,” Will said quietly. Mike snickered but shut up when Steve turned his attention on them. 

He crossed his arms. “Do you want to tell me why exactly the five of you were sneaking around the pool after hours and trapping a fully grown man in the sauna? Without telling any of us?”

Max and El exchanged a look as the boys each tried to shout out their own explanations. Steve held up a hand to silence them. “El? Max?”

Max looked desperately from El to him. “He– We–” Her eyes landed on Billy. “He was just acting so weird. And then we found some even weirder stuff. And we thought he might have done something to Heather.”

The lifeguard?

“But then we found Heather and she was fine. Or at least she looked like she was fine, but Billy was acting so weird still! Like wearing long sleeves and blankets at the pool and- and trying to stay cold and–” Max looked around at the others, curling into herself. “We realized that he was acting how Will did when he was infected, but we needed to be sure, so–”

“So you stayed late at the pool and lured him into the sauna to see how he’d react.” Steve finished with a sigh. “You guys can’t keep doing this. If you think something Upside-Down-y is happening you need to tell one of us!”

“I know! I just– We–” Tears welled up in Max’s eyes again. 

“We weren’t thinking.” Lucas finished for her. “It was stupid. We know. But who knows what Billy might have done with that thing inside of him. He was already an asshole.”

“And racist,” Mike muttered under his breath. 

Steve resisted the urge to sigh again. He shook his head. “Okay. Fine. Just. Don’t do it again, okay? Nancy is on her way with Jonathan. I can’t reach Joyce or Hopper right now, but when I do, they’re going to take care of this. We’re going to take care of this. Not you. Got it?”

He was met with tired, vacant faces. 

“Got it?”

A weak ‘Yes, Steve’ rang through the empty house.

Chapter Text

Steve had never been more excited to see Nancy Wheeler and Jonathan Byers on his doorstep than he was at that moment. He let them into the cabin, taking some of the heaters they carried with them. 

Billy had barely moved a muscle, but Steve could tell it was only a matter of time before he came to. The kids had all taken up various positions on the couch or in the chairs around the cabin with tired, glazed-over eyes. 

Nancy glanced over the scene after setting down her supplies. She turned back to Steve and Jon. “What the hell happened?”

“Long story short, the kids think Billy’s been possessed by the mind flayer and I think they’re right.”

“Explains the heaters.” Jon frowned as he looked at his baby brother.

“They can’t stay here.” Nancy shared a look with Jonathan. “We found some stuff, too. I can explain more later, but I think they’re right, too.”

Steve felt his stomach drop. If Nancy thought the kids were right, shit was about to go down. “They can’t stay here. I can’t get a hold of Hopper or Joyce.” 

Jon shrugged at Steve’s unsaid question. His frown deepened with a worried crease between his brows. “I haven’t seen them either.”

“So we’re on our own.” Nancy chewed on her lip like she always did when she was thinking. “I’ll take them home. Make sure no one’s worried about where they are.”

“We’ll set up,” Steve said. “He’s not going to be happy when he wakes up.”

Nancy nodded and turned to the kids. “Come on. Everyone’s with me.”

A chorus of groans and yawns signaled the kids’ movement to the door. All except El and Max. Max stared at her brother. “I can’t leave him.”

“I stay, too.” El didn’t move from Max’s side. 

Nancy opened her mouth to argue, but Steve stopped her. He crouched beside Max, getting on eye level with the two girls. “Max, I promise you that we will do everything we can to get Billy back, but it’s not going to be something you want to see.”

There was more hurt in Max’s eyes than Steve thought there would be. He had been under the impression that Max hated her brother, but… Maybe there was some sort of sibling thing he just didn’t understand as an only child. “I’m not leaving him.”

It was pointless arguing with her, Steve decided. And they were running out of time. “Fine. But you do exactly as we say. And El, you gotta rest. You can’t use your powers.”

The two girls nodded and it was decided. Nancy slipped out with a promise to return. As soon as the door was closed, Steve grabbed a heater and went to work. Jon worked in tandem, quietly arranging the heaters and pulling power cords. There was something on his mind though. Steve glanced at the two girls on the couch and pulled Jon in closer. “What?”

“Just…” Jon shook his head. “If it's the same thing we pulled out of Will, who’s to say it won’t find another host?”

Steve hadn’t thought about that. “We can’t just leave it in him.”

“But if we do, if we give ourselves enough time to figure out a way to kill this thing–”

“No.” Steve put his foot down. “It’s too dangerous. He’ll die if we leave it.”

“And someone else might die if we don’t. Listen– Nancy and I– I don’t think Billy is the only one infected.” Jon whispered. “There was this woman. Doris Driscoll. Nancy caught her eating fertilizer. And… Fuck.” Jon’s eyes went wide. “A bunch of businesses and farms have been reporting stolen stuff. What if it’s all over town?”

Shit. Fuck. Shit. “It’s spreading. It didn’t do that last time, right?”

A blood-curdling howl broke the quiet of the cabin. Steve jumped over the couch, finding Billy straining against the ropes and chains, eyes wide, dark, and unnatural. His back arched unnaturally as he tried to flail off the bed. Steve leaped on top of him, pinning him to the ground. “Do it!”

Jon didn’t move. 

“I said do it!”

It was Max who fell off the couch and began turning all the heaters as high as they would go. El fell in after her. Steve felt himself instantly drenched with sweat as the blast of a dozen heaters hit him. Billy convulsed and writhed beneath him, screaming gutturally as he tried to throw Steve off and escape his bonds. 

“Steve!” Max backed away after she hit the last heater. “What do we do?”

“Stay. Back.” Steve grit through his teeth as he fought for dear life. He knew Billy was strong– had up close and personal knowledge of that fact, actually– But this was beyond that. Garbled words wretched themselves from Billy’s throat.

Steve watched in horror as black ooze bubbled up between Billy’s lips. It grew, twisting and convulsing as it squeezed out of Billy’s throat. 

“A jar! Someone–”

The ooze slid from Billy’s mouth and landed on the bed beside him. It stretched and twisted and moved quickly, heading for the cracks in the floorboards. With a twist of El’s hand, it flew off the bed, hovering in midair. Just long enough for Jonathan to trap it in a mason jar. The creature slammed against the glass before dissolving into a thick sludge at the bottom of the jar. 

Billy collapsed beneath him. His eyes rolled back before going half-shut. Steve stared down at him, panting. 

“Is he okay?” Max asked quietly. 

Steve could still feel Billy’s pulse beneath his fingers, the slight rise and fall of his chest. “He’s not dead.”

Jonathan stared at the ooze in the jar. “This is not what came out of Will.”

“What is it then?”

“Different.” El fell back onto the couch and pulled her knees into her chest. “Bad different.”

***

Steve offered to stay with Billy, even though Nancy and Jonathan offered. Max and El fell asleep in Hopper’s bed. And Steve sat on the couch with one eye on Billy and one hand on his bat. It was going to be a shit show if Billy ever woke up. Steve was probably not the person Billy would want to wake up to on a good day, let alone this one. 

But Steve couldn’t help but feel like this was somehow his fault. If he and Billy hadn’t gotten in that fight… Maybe it was stupid to think about.

The girls woke up around ten and Steve set about making El’s highly requested Eggos– of which there were about a dozen boxes in the freezer right next to a box of Neapolitan ice cream.

Ice cream. 

Fuck. 

He was supposed to be at work in an hour. At least he was still in his uniform but he was pretty sure there was blood on it now and that he’d lost his sailor’s hat somewhere at the pool. The pool would be crawling with cops by now. Steve cursed under his breath again and picked up the phone. 

He cussed again, louder this time, when no one picked up at the Wheelers or Byers. Robin was going to kill him if he missed a shift. He couldn’t just leave El and Max here alone with Billy. It was pure desperation that drove him to dial the next number. 

A gruff voice answered, “You better have a damn good reason for calling this early, bucko.”

“Ah… I’m… Looking for Eddie?” 

The man grunted and set the phone down. Steve distantly heard the man bark out Eddie’s name. A moment later, there was a crash and some garbled half-shouting, then, “Munson’s Amateur Taxidermy: you kill ‘em, we fill ‘em. May I ask who is calling?”

“What the actual fuck goes on in your head?”

“Ah, Steven,” Eddie said lightly. Though there was a tinge of worry hidden there. “It’s not a great time to call. My uncle has the night shift.”

“It’s about Billy.” Steve stretched out the phone cord between his fingers nervously. “Can you meet me somewhere? Like now? I assume you don’t have anything to do today.”

“You wound me, Harrington. Give me the coordinates.”

“You gotta go by the fairgrounds. It’s on Denfield Road. There’s like... A giant ass oak tree and then this little dirt road. It’s really easy to miss.”

“I’ll be there in ten, big boy. Don’t miss me too much.” With a click, Eddie hung up.

Maybe this was a bad idea. Steve peered over the kitchen counter to look at Billy. He was still asleep. Still covered in blood. Still wrapped in rope and chains. Steve didn’t exactly look sane or innocent in this situation. 

Max caught him looking. “Do you think we can untie him now?”

Maybe not untie. “I think we can lose the chains. And maybe… Clean him up a little?”

El wrinkled her nose as Max nodded. “I can do that.”

“I’ve got… Someone coming to look after him. I have to go to work and you two…” Steve frowned. “Max, are your parents going to be worried?”

“Nah.” Red snorted. “They think I’m staying with El. Which I am.”

El took a massive bite of her Eggo as she nodded and mumbled something that sounded like meepo’er– Which Steve took to mean ‘sleepover’.

“Look. I gotta go to work and you two can’t stay here. And I can’t get into contact with Hopper. So you can come with me to the mall or I can drop you off at Max’s.”

“Drop us off,” Max said a little too quickly. 

Steve had a feeling that they were about to do the exact opposite of what he told them to do last night, but he was too exhausted to do anything about it. He shoved an Eggo into his mouth and went to the bathroom to try and freshen up at least a little bit. 

He was trying and failing to get a bloodstain out of the necktie when he heard Eddie’s shitty van pull up. Steve hurried out of the bathroom and ordered Max and El to stay put, ending their conspiratorial, worried whispers. He pulled open the door and pushed Eddie back out onto the porch ignoring the boy’s discontented yelps. “Listen, Munson, I’m trusting you not to freak out about this.”

“What the hell, Harrington?” Eddie stumbled back, nearly falling off the steps of the porch. “Good morning to you, too. You got a dead body in there or something?”

“... No.”

Eddie stared at him with wide eyes which darted from Steve’s wild hair to his rumpled, stained uniform. “Holy shit, you do.”

“He’s not dead.” Steve sighed. He didn’t have time for this. He needed to be at work in– Steve glanced at his watch– twenty minutes. “Not yet at least. Some shit went down and I literally do not have time to explain this all, but Billy is in there in really fucking bad condition and I need you to watch him while I’m at work.”

Eddie blinked. “Billy is in bad condition and you need me to watch him while you’re at work? ”

“Did I say something unclear?”

“Ah,” Eddie laughed nervously. “Yeah. Like every word of that was pretty fucking unclear.”

“Just know that if you go to the cops that Hopper is already on my side,” Or at least he would be if he was here.

“Jesus fucking Christ, Steve-o.” Eddie shook his head. “Fine. Fine. Okay. Just–”

“Listen,” Steve took Eddie’s arm. “If he gets out of his restraints, run. Okay?”

“ What? ” Eddie squeaked as Steve pulled him inside. El and Max looked up from the kitchen. “Red?”

Max jumped off of her stool. “You called Munson ?” 

“I was running out of options, Max.” 

Eddie stopped dead in his tracks as his gaze landed on Billy. “What the fuck is going on here?”

Fuck. The chains. 

“It’s not what it looks like.” Steve sputtered. 

“Really?” Eddie turned on him. “Because it looks like you’re doing what everyone accuses me of doing.”

“It was for his own safety.” Steve looked to El and Max for their own confirming nods. “Like I said, I don’t have time to explain now, but I promise I will explain later. The whole thing. No bullshit, okay? Just watch him and make sure he’s not dying and if he wakes up, hey, at least you’re a friendly face, right? Don’t untie him.” Steve slapped a speechless Eddie on the back. “I’ve gotta go. Max. El.”

Steve started for the door. 

“Woah, woah, hold up.” Eddie grabbed his arm, desperate and pleading. “You can’t seriously be leaving me like this.”

“You’re the one who wanted me to help him, big boy .” Steve squeezed Eddie’s shoulder and pulled away, leaving the boy to helplessly flounder. “I’m going to be late as it is. Come on, ladies.”

Steve hurried out of the cabin, grinning as Eddie cursed the ground he walked on. He hopped in his car as El and Max piled into the backseat. Max met his gaze in the rearview mirror and smirked. “Having fun?”

Rilling Eddie up always brought a grin to his lips. Steve didn’t want to think too hard about why. He shrugged. “A little.”

Chapter Text

Steve was supposed to be back by now. Eddie paced the small cabin. Nineteen steps one way. Nineteen the other. Billy hadn’t moved a muscle all day and Eddie was too much of a chicken to get close enough to see if he was still alive. So, Eddie just went off the assumption that everything was fine. 

Because everything was fine. 

And Steve was supposed to be back by now. 

The mall closed at eight. 

It was nine-fucking-thirty. 

Where the fuck was Steve?

Eddie knew where he, himself, was. He knew that exact location. He was in a creepy fucking cabin in the middle of the creepy fucking woods with a body that may or may not be alive and was looking like it was used in some sort of satanic ritual which, despite everyone’s opinion of him, he had never seen a satanic ritual before (unless you count listening to an Ozzy album) (he did not). 

Oh, and it was raining. 

Because things weren’t creepy enough. 

Look, Eddie liked scary things. He loved horror. He loved a good prank. He loved freaking people out, but he did not love all of those things possibly happening to him at the same time. 

Eddie fished out his last cigarette, lit it, and kept pacing. 

Why oh why did he answer Harrington’s siren song?

Fuck his entire life. 

Eddie screamed as the front door swung open. 

Harrington blinked at him then cracked a smile. “Did I scare you?”

Eddie did his best to recover, taking a shaky hit off his cig. “No. W-why would you think that?”

Nailed it.

Steve closed the door, shutting out the monsoon happening outside. He peeled off his raincoat and set it on the hook by the door before shedding his soaked shoes. He was still in that little sailor’s outfit. The one that did nothing for his figure but everything for his legs. Munson cleared his throat. “Did you have a nice day at work, honey? I made roast for dinner.”

Steve stared at the coat rack for a moment too long, as if contemplating his life choices. He sighed, long and loud. “It was shit actually. Thanks for asking. I’m sorry I ran off… I just– Robin and Dustin are– There’s other shit happening. If I left them alone…”

Steve sighed and shook his head before brushing my Eddie and heading to the kitchen. He opened the fridge and poked around in it as if he didn’t know what was in there already, then closed it and opened the freezer. The freezer filled with… Eggos?

At least it wasn’t a dead dog. 

Steve closed the freezer again and reopened the fridge. 

Eddie inhaled the rest of his cigarette. 

Steve sighed again and closed the fridge. Then opened the freezer and pulled out the Eggos. “Did you eat?”

“What?” Eddie straightened. He hadn’t been staring at Steve’s perfect ass. He hadn’t. 

“Eat? Food?” Steve held up the Eggos. “Well… Sorta food.”

“Do you know how expensive Eggos are? That is a luxury breakfast you are holding right there.” Eddie forced himself to take a seat at the bar as Steve looked over the box. The brown-haired boy frowned, then ripped open the box. He shoved two of the waffles into the toaster and sent them on their way to toasty town. 

Eddie bounced his leg. 

Steve stared at the toaster. 

This was unbearable. “Mall closes at eight, right?”

“What?” Steve blinked at him with bloodshot eyes. “Oh, yeah. I guess.”

“You wanna tell me what you were doing for an hour and a half while I played Satanic Barbie House to a possibly dead varsity athlete?”

Steve’s eyes went wide as if he had forgotten about the half-dead man in his living room. “He’s still breathing, right? Please tell me he’s breathing.”

“I don’t fucking know!”

“You were watching him all day!”

“I’m sorry I don’t want to get close to the chained-up crazy man with a history of angry issues lying on your living room floor, Harrington!”

The toaster went off and Steve jumped. He had a distant look in his eye, a million things flashing by at once before he fell against the counter with his head in his hands. 

“Steve–”

“Just give me a minute,” Steve mumbled through his hands. He sucked in a deep breath before lifting his head to stare at the kitchen wall. “You wouldn’t happen to know Russian, would you?”

“No?”

“Hm.” Steve turned and pulled his Eggos from the toaster. He added two more before smothering the hot waffles with peanut butter. 

“You’re really fucking weird.”

Steve smirked. “Well, it takes one to know one, doesn’t it, Munson.”

“I’m not the one with a dead man in my living room. I don’t think we’re playing on the same level here.”

Steve took a bite of his Eggo as he nodded. “You have no idea.”

“This doesn’t have anything to do with what Billy saw in the freezer, does it?”

Steve nodded again. 

Fuck. 

“So it wasn’t a dog?”

Steve shook his head. 

“And the whole government thing?”

Steve waffled his hand back and forth. He swallowed. “It’s complicated. They’re involved and they definitely fucked with some shit, but they’re not really the cause of it. Well… Not that we know of, at least. It’s… A long story and I only know like… Parts of it.”

Eddie shrugged. He could be here all night. He’d already been here all day. Steve sighed. He did that a lot, Eddie noticed. “Can I at least take a shower first?”

“If you make me some Eggos, too,” Eddie bargained. 

“Deal.” Steve pulled out two freshly toasted waffles and added two more to the toaster. 

***

“So… There’s a portal. To an alternate dimension of Hawkins that Lovecraftian horrors keep crawling out of that the government may or may not have accidentally opened after experimenting on children with psychic powers?”

“That’s about the gist of it. Yeah.” Steve nodded. Eddie sat on the other end of the couch from him. He’d turned on the T.V. to a rerun of Family Ties with the volume on low as Steve was showering. 

“And Billy?”

“We think he was infected by one of the creatures. Or something. I don’t know. We haven’t exactly gotten that far yet. Dustin usually is the one figuring that stuff out.”

“That DND playing badass.” Eddie grinned. “What a nerd.”

“Hey–”

“ Affectionately , Harrington. Affectionately, your child is a nerd.” Eddie grinned. “I’m so proud.”

“Not my child. Barely my monkeys.” But a smile came to Steve’s lips anyway. 

“Didn’t sound like it.” 

“Eh.” Steve shrugged sheepishly. “I’m just a babysitter.” 

A bashful Harrington. Cute. 

Eddie looked away quickly. 

“You’re taking this way better than I thought you would.” Steve glanced over at Billy. “I thought you would freak out.”

“Oh,” Eddie chuckled. “Don’t you worry, Stevie. Internally, there are about seven things on fire, someone throwing up, and a toddler with knives for hands. Externally, I’m just great at hiding it. But rest assured, I am losing my shit. Unlike you. You were probably super chill about the whole thing. Mr. Macho man.”

Steve shook his head, frowning slightly. “Not even a little bit. I… After I started finding out about everything, I couldn’t sleep for… Months. I still can’t, sometimes. I tried to ignore it. Tried to smother everything in drugs and alcohol, but nothing worked.” Steve pulled his knees up to his chest. “Barb… The girl who went missing… She died at my house, actually. She was there with Nancy and I was supposed to keep everyone safe, but I cared more about getting with Nancy than I did about her.”

It weighed heavily on Steve. Eddie fought against the urge to reach out and touch him. To hold his hand or, fuck, hold him. Instead, Eddie said, “My mom died of an overdose when I was twelve. It was just her and me and I… She called me her man. Said I was the man of the house. And I took that really fucking seriously. I-I was supposed to protect her and care for her and make sure we had money and food cause that’s what a man did. I blamed myself for a long time, you know? After? But I was just a kid. I wasn’t the man of the house. I was just a fucking kid. We’re still just kids.”

Steve stayed quiet for a long while. The low sound of canned audience applause and laughter filled the cabin next to the patter of rain on the tin roof. “I’m sorry about your mom.”

Eddie shrugged. “It was a long time ago.”

“Not that long.” Steve scratched at his jaw, fidgeting. “And thanks… I think… I needed to hear that.”

Eddie let out a breath. He’d… Well, he’d never told anyone about his mom. Never talked about her with his uncle– not since the funeral. The fact that he was telling Harrington this? Eddie laughed to himself. “You’re not what I expected, Stevie.”

Steve perked up a little at that, looking a bit cautious. “Good?”

Eddie grinned. “Yeah.”

Steve smiled. He tried to hide it behind his hand, but Eddie caught it all the same. “You’re not what I expected either.”

Eddie raised his brow. “Good?”

Steve nodded as he turned back to the T.V. “Very good.”

***

It was surprising to Steve how much he enjoyed Eddie’s company. How… Even after a short time, Steve could see himself becoming friends with Eddie.

Eddie. 

The very Eddie his friends used to bully. Used to push around and call a queer and fag and nerd and devil worshiper. 

Steve owed Eddie a really big apology for all of that. 

He yawned. 

Maybe tomorrow. 

“Should I…” Eddie motioned to the door.

“I wouldn’t recommend it. I could barely make it up the road with all the– all the mud.” Steve finished his yawn. “You can stay. Actually, if you could babysit Billy tomorrow, too–”

“Can’t take off one day at the yacht club, Harrington?” Eddie asked. He grinned like he was telling a joke, but Steve didn’t quite– “Get it? The sailor uniform. Your obscenely rich parents.”

“They’re not that rich…” Steve frowned. 

“Dude. I live in a trailer park. I’m a drug dealer. Come on.”

“We don’t have a yacht though.” Steve was still confused. “I don’t work at a yacht club?”

Eddie sighed dramatically, but he was grinning at least. “Forget it, Stevie.”

Steve tried to ignore the warm feeling he got whenever Eddie called him Stevie. He was too sleep deprived for this. “It’s a holiday weekend. I can’t call out.”

“I’ll watch him for you, don’t you worry.” Eddie kicked off his shoes and put his feet up on the couch. He wriggled, trying to get comfy. “You gotta get some better food though. I take my tips in the form of Mars bars.”

“Yeah…” Steve frowned. “I thought Hopper would have better food here.”

“Hopper?” Eddie sat up straight. “As in Chief of Police Hopper? I thought this was your cabin!”

“Why would I have a cabin?”

“ Godyourecutewhenyouredumb Because you’re filthy fucking rich, Harrington. Why would you bring me to the Chief of Police’s cabin in the woods? Are you insane? ” Eddie pulled at his hair. “Are you trying to get me killed? I’m supposed to stay off his radar– not put myself smack dab in the middle of it!”

Steve was trying to pay attention to Eddie’s yelling, but he could barely keep his eyes open. “Doesn’t matter. You’re one of us now. Hall pass, Eds.”

“You think Hops is going to give me a hall pass for selling drugs?” 

Steve grinned. He couldn’t keep his eyes open enough to see Eddie’s amused grin, but Steve could hear it in his voice. “Mhmm.”

“You really are delusional.” Eddie laughed to himself. “What the fuck have I gotten myself into? Fine, Stevie, I’ll play housewife, but you owe me.”

“Mmh,” Steve grunted. Too much talking. “Bedtime.”

“Yeah, agreed.” Eddie shoved his toes under Steve’s thigh. 

“Hey!”

“Get off my bed, asshole.”

“This isn’t a bed.” Steve sighed and pushed himself to his feet. “Com'on.”

“Com’on where, Harrington?” Eddie laughed. “Are you going to remember any of this in the morning?”

Maybe he wouldn’t. Didn’t matter. 

“Not a bed,” He repeated. “Com’on.” Steve managed to catch Eddie’s hand in his own. He pulled at Eddie’s arm. “Up. Bed.”

“Uh…” Eddie froze. “You sure about that?”

“Yep.” Steve popped the ‘p’. He’d gone past sleepiness into giddiness. “Come onnnn.”

“Er… You know what they say about me, right?”

Fag. Queer. Homo. 

Steve froze. His heart raced in his chest. “So? …Is it true?”

Every cell in his body felt like it had been hit with a thousand bolts as he locked eyes with Eddie. Eddie’s lips parted, something wide and innocent and open rested in his eyes. 

In the next moment, it was gone. So fast Steve could make himself believe it was never there at all. Eddie shook his head. “No. Course not.”

Steve swallowed and forced a grin. “Then there’s nothing to worry about.”

Chapter Text

Steve was never one to sleep in late. Even on the weekends, he was usually up doing things. He’d just kept up his school routine. It was nice to never have to worry about setting an alarm. To wake up and go on a jog and come back for breakfast all before the rest of the neighborhood began to wake up. 

But this morning, he didn’t want to wake up, preferring to stay in that moment between asleep and awake. This bed was far more comfortable than his own and he was so warm. He hadn’t slept that well in… Ages. Maybe not since before Barb. 

Who would know if he just slept in a little longer?

The warmth behind him shifted and Steve froze as a lanky, heavy arm fell over his side and pulled him closer. Soft snores told him that Eddie was still fast asleep. Eddie. Steve blinked, now fully awake. Eddie Munson was snoring in his ear. Eddie Munson was wrapped around him and pulling him closer. 

Close enough for Steve to feel Eddie’s bare chest against his back. Close enough to feel Eddie’s urgent morning wood pressing against his ass. Steve sucked in his breath. 

Please, God, help me. 

Something inside of him felt as if it had been set aflame. He wanted to pull Eddie closer. He wanted to– 

Steve slipped from Eddie’s python-like embrace as quickly as he could. Eddie stayed dead asleep. Steve sat at the edge of the bed and tried to even out his breathing. He sighed, glancing down at his morning chub, not at all concealed by the sailor shorts. He glanced back at Eddie and regretted it immediately. The dark, sorta shitty tattoos that covered Eddie’s arms also covered his chest. 

This wasn’t working out. 

Steve grabbed his sailor shirt. There was still an orangey-red bloodstain on the collar. He probably needed to get that out before work. He stood and grabbed one of Hopper’s t-shirts, throwing that on instead. It was massive on him, hanging down almost as long as the sailor shorts. Which was… Incredibly comfortable. No wonder girls like to steal his clothes. 

And for breakfast… More Eggos probably, but maybe Hopper had some oat–

Steve froze as he crossed the threshold into the living room. 

Billy was awake. 

Billy was awake and staring straight at him with bright blue, angry eyes.

“Let. Me. Out.” It was a command said with a terror-tinged bite. Steve couldn’t move. “Now, Harrington.”

“H-How do I know it’s you?”

“Please, Steve,” Billy begged. His eyes glistened as his breathing quickened. “It’s me– It’s me– I swear, Harrington. It’s gone– It’s gone– let me out.”

Billy pulled against the ropes, panting, panicking. 

“Shit.” Steve’s limbs found motion again. “Fuck.” He ran across the room into the kitchen and dug through the drawers until he found a pair of scissors. He ran back, leaping over the couch and landing at Billy’s side. The boy sucked in short, quick breaths with wide, terrified eyes. Steve cut away the ropes and undid the chains as fast as he could. Billy flipped over to his side as Steve released him and vomited red and black all over the floor. “Fuck.”

Billy spit into the mess. 

“Billy.” Steve reached out. Billy flinched away the moment Steve touched him.

“Don’t,” Billy said hoarsely. “Don’t fucking touch me.”

“Okay.” Steve pulled his hand back. Billy didn’t move, didn’t turn back to look at him. For a long time, Billy stayed frozen. Steve waited until he realized Billy’s shoulders were shaking with silent tears. “Billy?”

“It shoulda killed me.” Billy choked. He turned over to face Steve with tear-stained cheeks. “Why the fuck didn’t you let it kill me?”

“I–”

“I WISH I FUCKING DIED.” 

Steve fell back as Billy howled at the ceiling, screaming until he could scream no more. Steve watched. He’d never felt so helpless. 

What was worse than Billy’s screams was the silence that came after. The blank look on Billy’s face, the distant stare in his eyes. Billy shook his head. Again and again, as if losing some argument within his own head. He squeezed his eyes shut. “No. No, I should have died. I should be dead.”

“Billy.” Steve tried again. He had to try again. He couldn’t just leave Billy to brave this alone. Steve glanced up as Eddie appeared in the doorway. “It’s okay. You’re safe. I promise you, you’re safe. You’re okay.”

“No.” Billy shook his head fervently. “No, Stevie, you don’t understand. You don’t know what it made me do. You don’t know what I did. Stevie, I killed them. I killed them all.”

This was bad. This was really bad. 

“It’s not your fault, Billy.” Steve felt his voice shake. “That wasn’t you. That was whatever the fuck was possessing you.”

“I remember it all. I remember everything.” Billy’s voice broke. “It made me– I tried to fight it– Max–”

Max. 

Steve felt himself start to panic. “What about Max, Billy?”

Billy shook his head, blue eyes meeting brown. “She can’t– She can’t see me like this– She’s gotta stay away.” Billy grabbed his arm. “Steve, you gotta make sure she’s safe.”

“I will. I will, I promise. I’ll go check on her right now, okay?” Steve gripped Billy back. “I’ll make sure she’s safe, okay?”

“Okay.” Billy nodded. He relaxed minutely. “Okay.”

Steve held his hand until Billy drifted off again. He stood, eyeing Eddie, who hadn’t moved from the door. “I gotta go check on her.”

“Is he going to be okay?” Eddie chewed on his lip as he watched Billy sleep. He cared more for Billy than he let on, Steve realized. He wondered how much of Billy’s pleading Eddie had heard. 

“I don’t know.” Steve felt sick to his stomach at the thought of Billy not making it at the thought of any of them not making it. He wasn’t a doctor, but even if he was he doubted he would be equipped to handle this. “He’s made it this far.” Steve stood. “Are you still okay with watching him? I gotta go check on Max and then–”

“Shift at the yacht factory?” Eddie pushed away from the doorframe with a grin. “I’ll be just fine, lover boy. Don’t worry about me.”

Steve blinked. “Right. Okay.” He stood and grabbed his sailor shirt from where he’d tossed it on the couch. He scratched again at the dirt on the collar. “Did you… Um… Did you sleep okay?”

“Uh…” Eddie stretched as he rubbed the back of his neck. Steve swallowed at the expanse of pale, tatted skin that he had felt against his own just minutes ago. What was happening? “Yeah. Never better. Waking up to a screaming man was just the cherry on top, Harrington.”

“Sorry.” 

“It’s fine.” Eddie let his hands fall. “What’s wrong with your shirt?” 

“Besides everything about it?” Steve held it up for Eddie to see. “Pretty sure I can’t wear it to work covered in blood… Again.”

Eddie hummed and took it from him. He scratched at the blood for himself. “I got it.”

“It’s my only one.” Steve frowned as Eddie crossed the room to the kitchen. “What are you gonna do to it?”

Eddie eyed him as he turned on the cold tap. “You’ve been fighting these things for how long and you don’t know how to get blood out of fabric?”

“No?” Steve threw his hands up. “How do you know?”

Eddie shrugged as he held the blood stains under the water. He scrubbed it gently with a little bit of soap. “Just came in handy. Cold water. A little soap. Some baking soda or vinegar if you’re feeling fancy.”

Just came in handy was not much of an answer, but Steve let it slide. There was a lot about Eddie he didn’t know apparently. If Eddie could stop judging him for the life he was born into, then Steve could do the same for him. 

“There.” Eddie shut off the water and wrung out Steve’s shirt. “Should dry pretty fast.”

“Thanks.” Steve took the shit, a little in awe at Eddie. But he didn’t have time to dwell on the feeling of someone else taking care of him. Steve stripped off his shirt and pulled his uniform on. “I gotta go check on Max if I can find her. Then–”

“Yacht club?” Eddie smirked. 

“Yacht club.” Steve paused, taking in Eddie leaning against the counter, sleep still in his eyes, hair all wild bedhead. Steve was losing it. He was fucking losing it. “Bye.”

Steve didn’t wait around for Eddie to reply, pulling on his shoes and running out the door. It wasn’t raining anymore, but the ground was still damp and muddy in places. He jumped in his car and pulled out as fast as he could without backing straight into a tree. 

He had no idea where Max might be. Last he saw her, he was dropping her and El off at the Wheeler’s residence, but that was twenty-four hours ago. He swung by anyway, but the house was dark and all the cars were gone. There were no bikes out front or any sign of the kids… 

The Hargrove house looked much the same. 

Steve’s stomach turned. Where was everyone? Where was Hopper? Joyce? Why did the only two actual adults manage to vanish the moment shit started to hit the fan? Steve turned onto his street. Even if he only had one uniform, he could at least change his underwear. Grab a new pair of socks. 

He pulled into the drive and put his car in park. He went through the empty garage. At least his parents had yet to return from wherever they decided to jet off to this week. 

Steve threw his keys on the counter and walked by the living room, stopping cold as he realized the TV was on. He had left it off. He stepped into the living room, moving slowly and quietly to peek over the back of the couch. He let out a relieved breath as he found the second Hargrove kid fast asleep on his couch. 

“Max.” He shook her shoulder gently. “Max, wake up.”

Max grumbled and turned over, looking up at him with bleary eyes. She blinked and then seemed to realize it was him. “Steve?” She pushed herself up. “Billy? Is he okay?”

“He’s fine.” Relatively. “He’s awake. What are you doing here? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” Max frowned. “I just didn’t have a way to get back to the cabin. We figured you’d show up here eventually.”

We? Steve looked up and found El watching him from the corner with a popsicle in her mouth. “Fuck.”

“Hi, Steve.” El waved. 

“ Jesusfuckingchrist Where is everyone else?” Steve’s heart was going to give out if the kids kept scaring him like this.

El shrugged. 

Great. Just. Great. 

“They went with Nancy and Jonathan to investigate yesterday. Can you take us to the cabin?” Max jumped off the couch and pulled on her shoes.

“I…” Steve thought of Billy. Who knew what kind of state he would be in when he woke up again? “I think it’s better if you stay away for now. Billy woke up this morning, but… He’s not… He needs some time I think.”

Robin was going to kill him for being late.

“What?” Max’s bottom lip trembled. “No, he’s just being stupid.”

“Just… Give it one day, okay? He’s just scared.” Steve glanced at his watch and groaned. “Just– Go find Nancy and the others and don’t get separated, yeah?”

Max didn’t reply, staring off at the wall. 

“Okay?” Steve tried again. 

“Fine.” Max crossed her arms. 

He did not have time for this. Steve grabbed his keys and ran out the door. The mall wasn’t too far from here, but he was already five minutes late.

He gunned it and pulled into Starcourt’s already full parking lot. “Fuck.” Steve raced through the doors and burst into the Scoops Ahoy, finding the counter empty. This early in the morning, there weren’t too many people lined up to buy ice cream. 

Steve pushed through to the back, finding Robin and Dustin sitting at the table with thinking faces on. “What?”

“You’re late, dingus.” Robin stood. 

“What are you two doing?”

“Trying to find a way into the secret Russian storage room.” Dustin sighed, looking more than a little dejected.

“Easy.” Steve shrugged. “I sneak up behind the guard. Boom, take him out. Like a ninja.”

Robin blinked at him. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“Steve, I love you but you’ve never even won a fight.” Dustin patted him on the arm, trying to let Steve down gently.

“Yes, I have!” Insulting. Dustin gave him a look. “Okay, that was one time with Billy.”

“And Jonathan.” Dustin reminded him. “And neither of them had god-damn machine guns!”

So maybe his idea was a little far-fetched. Steve pulled Dustin away from Robin to whisper, “Should we even be doing this anyway? I mean with the Mindflayer-”

"And what if the Russians are behind it, Steve?" Dustin pressed. "We both know it can't be here without a portal-"

"What can't be here?" Robin asked. 

"Nothing." He and Dustin snapped back around as Robin raised her brow. 

Steve cleared his throat. "I was just saying that maybe we should call in some backup."

“No,” Dustin shook his head. “No. I… Look, we can do this ourselves. Without them. They don’t even want to be around me anyway.”

“What? Dusty, I’m sure that’s not true–”

“They don’t even think Suzy is real! And Mike and El are too busy making out to notice anyone else. And Lucas and Max and El didn’t even want to stay around and wait with me to talk to Suzy when she was probably just busy!” 

Steve wasn’t sure if he had ever seen Dustin so cut up about something. He put a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “They’re still your friends. They’ll come around and I’m sure… Suzy will make an appearance someday.”

Dustin looked up at him, distraught. “You don’t believe me either!”

Yep. Not his greatest lie.

“Shit.” Robin shot up from her seat with wide eyes. “I got an idea.”

“What–” Steve didn’t even have time to get the words out before Robin was running out the door and grabbing all the money from the tip jar. “Wait– Robin– Where are you going?”

“I’ll be back in a bit!” She called over her shoulder. “Just sling ice cream and don’t burn the place down!”

“Half of that’s mine you know,” He shouted after her, but Robin was already gone, disappearing into the mall crowd. 

“Man.” Dustin came up beside him. “You just gotta ask her out, Steve.”

“You gotta stop saying that. She’s not my type. I told you.” Steve looked down at Dustin to find him licking an ice cream scoop. He snatched it from the boy’s hand. “Really, dude? Don’t touch my scoops.”

Chapter Text

He threw the Eggos on a plate and brought them out to Billy. He was lying on his side now, facing the fireplace with his back to Eddie. 

“Billy?” Eddie stepped closer. The blond didn’t show any signs of hearing him; Eddie couldn’t tell if he was asleep or faking it. “You want some Eggos? They’re the dish of choice in this house. Now, personally, I’m a fan of actual waffles. Especially smothered in peanut butter and syrup, but most especially, especially, there was this dinner in the Southside that was always getting health code violations but fuck if their waffles weren’t the greatest thing to grace your tastebuds. And it can’t be the cheap syrup either. It’s gotta be the real maple syrup. That shit I could smother myself in, I swear.”

Eddie sat down on the couch and shoved a waffle in his face. He chewed, continuing to talk through it. “With a side of extra crispy bacon? Now that’s actual heaven. Some of that cheap orange juice that’s just a little bit too watery? Mm. I feel like you’d be an omelet and sausage sorta guy, though? With, like, a cup of black coffee. Your choice. I’m just saying. Try the waffles.”

Billy rolled over onto his back with a grimace. He looked over at Eddie. “Do you ever shut the fuck up?”

“No.” Eddie grinned as he stuffed down another waffle. He offered the final one to Billy, but Billy only scowled in return. Eddie felt like he could breathe again, hearing Billy speak again. Eddie shrugged. “More for me.”

For a long while, Billy just stared at the ceiling. “I wish I was dead.”

Eddie set the plate down and licked his fingers clean. “You’ll get over it.”

Billy blinked, his brows nearly touching. “I’ll get over it?”

“Wanting to die? Yeah. At the very least it gets easier.” Eddie shrugged. “You learn how to deal with it or you do it. We just went through a lot to get you back, though, so I suggest you deal with it.”

“That’s kinda fucked up.”

“Maybe.” Eddie rubbed his neck before sliding off the couch to sit next to Billy. He took off his jacket and pushed up the sleeves of his shirt. He held his arm out to Billy, showing him the silvery white lines. “For a long time this was how I dealt with it. I don’t recommend it.”

Billy stared at his arm with such intensity that Eddie almost regretted it. He so often hid his arms under his jackets and shirts and tattoos that most people didn’t see them or even care to notice. He shivered as Billy’s fingers brushed over his skin. “How’d you stop?”

“My uncle. He… Uh… Caught me one day. Took everything sharp out of the house. Bought me a guitar. Said I could keep my hands busy with something else.” Eddie swallowed. “It worked. Mostly. I still have my days. When I fail all my classes. Or someone calls me a fag.”

Billy pulled away. He stared at the ceiling with tears forming in his eyes. “I’m sorry. I– Fuck, Eddie. I’m so sorry.”

This was not how Eddie thought this would go. He expected Billy to get angry or clam up completely, but an apology? “Billy, you don’t–”

“Yes. I do.” Billy shook. “I shouldn’t’a left your place. I shouldn’t’ve left.”

Eddie’s stomach dropped. “What… What happened when you did?”

“I was going too fast. It just happened so quickly. This thing just jumped out in front of me. I tried running, Eddie. I tried– but it got me. It got inside of me. I-I I could see myself doing all the things it made me do. I didn’t sleep. You don’t know the things it made me do. You don’t– You don’t– I killed Heather. I killed her whole family. But I couldn’t die.” Tears streamed down Billy’s cheeks. “It needed me alive.”

“Why?”

“To build its army.” Billy whispered. “To rebuild itself.”

Eddie’s blood ran cold as Billy looked towards the bedroom door. “It’s coming for us.”

“Steve’s got a plan.” Eddie tried to reassure himself. “He’s dealt with this stuff before, right? And no one knows where we are. So, we're fine, I think. Right?”

Billy didn’t move. “I nearly killed you, too, Eddie. It took everything in me– everything – to stop it from taking you. I’m so sorry– I’m so sorry– I’m so sorry–”

“Hey, hey. It’s okay.” Eddie could barely breathe as he watched Billy fall apart. He reached out and placed his hand on Billy’s shoulder. The boy flinched and Eddie started to pull away. He didn’t get very far before Billy caught him and, with a quiet plea, pulled him closer. He crawled into the bed as Billy turned over, trying his best not to touch Billy. But Billy only shifted closer. 

What the fuck what the fuck what the fuck

Eddie could barely breathe. 

He was fucking spooning Billy Hargrove at eleven a.m. on a Friday. 

After spending all night with Harrington?

There was definitely something fucking weird with Hawkins, and Eddie wasn’t so sure it was the demodogs.

Eddie dared not move, even as Billy’s breathing slowed, as the tightness of his body softened. Eddie opened his eyes and stared at the back of Billy’s head. Blond curls stared back at him. Billy was a bit taller than him, but not by much; Eddie had always been tall and lanky. Billy was like… Billy was like an adonis. Tall and beautiful and sun kissed and… Terrifying.

Eddie laid there until he was certain Billy had gone back to sleep. He extricated himself slowly and sat down on the couch to finish his breakfast. He liked the cabin– even if it belonged to a cop. It reminded him of his trailer a little bit, lived in and homey. With junk on the counters and flannels thrown over chairs and a big reclining chair perfect for watching Twilight Zone reruns. Though maybe the Twilight Zone would be a bit too on the nose right now. 

He turned on the T.V. and flipped through channels with the volume low. It was early enough that there were still cartoons running. Eddie picked one and settled into the lazyboy, pulling a joint from his pocket.

Right. He was in the chief’s house. 

Surely Hop would understand. 

Eddie lit up. 

The next time Billy woke, Eddie was half-asleep and coming down from a joint-fueled nap. He heard movement. Muffled grunts that turned into whimpers and then Eddie was jumping out of the lazy boy and wrestling Billy arms away from the dark wounds on his arms.

“No! No! Get him out of me! Get him out!” Billy struggled against Eddie. If he had been in a better state Eddie might have ended up on his ass.

“Billy! Billy, it’s a nightmare. It’s gone. It’s fucking gone!” Eddie pinned Billy’s hands to the mattress. Billy tried to rip them away but Eddie was surprisingly strong for being so lanky. “He’s gone, Billy. It’s not in you any more.” Eddie tried reassuring the boy as the fight left him. Tears streamed down Billy’s cheeks. “Can you look at me, Billy? Baby?” Billy strained against Eddie’s grasp again but this time there wasn’t any fight there. Almost as if Billy was testing the bounds of his restraints. Billy was awake now but refusing to look at Eddie. 

That wouldn’t do. 

“Hey,” Eddie said, gently squeezing Billy’s wrists. “You there, baby blues?” 

It was difficult for Billy to make that move but when Eddie saw those stormy oceans he couldn’t help but smile. “There he is.”

A new sort of panic filled Billy’s eyes. The same sort of panic Eddie saw just after kissing Billy for the first time. He went to take his hands back—

“Don’t.” The word seemed to come from Billy involuntarily. 

Eddie raised his brow, “Keep going?”

Billy nodded, eyes pressed shut. 

Eddie tsked. “I’m going to need more than that, baby.”

“Please.” Billy panted. “Don’t let me go, please, Eddie.”

“I won’t.” Eddie promised. “I’m not going anywhere.”

This was dangerous. Eddie was beyond crossing a boundary. He had fully stepped into the state of the unknown– not for him but for Billy. He could feel it inside of him this bodily desire to take control fully, utterly, of another human being. It was a part of him that hadn’t made an appearance since Jonathan.

But Jonathan had been lucid enough to give him full consent. They’d talked about it beforehand, both inexperienced and pushing limits. But now, Eddie knew what he was doing. He knew what was happening. He understood what Billy was asking for and why. 

The question was– Did Billy?

Still Eddie didn’t let go, not until Billy’s breathing evened out and his body relaxed beneath Eddie’s weight. Only when Eddie was certain Billy no longer posed a danger to himself did he shift his weight off Billy’s wrists and gently pull Billy’s hands down to rest on his chest. Billy didn’t move, still drifting off in a pseudo-subspace.

Only then did Eddie actually look at Billy. At the gauntness of his face, the sores on his arms, the lack of muscle– as if all of Billy’s strength had been ripped from him. Eddie’s stomach rolled. That thing, whatever it was, had taken Billy and it had broken him. 

And all Eddie could feel was fury. 

He hid it as best as he could as he rubbed Billy’s hands and wrists, moving to his shoulders, his hair. Running his hands through Billy’s golden curls seemed to do the trick, bringing Billy back to him. 

He half expected Billy to throw him across the room or maybe not so nicely ask him to get the fuck off. He didn’t expect Billy to burst into tears (though in retrospect, maybe he should have. “Shit– I–”

Billy caught him this time as Eddie pulled away. He shook his head and spoke hoarsely. “Stay.”

“Okay.” Eddie swallowed. “You’re not going to throw me across the room this time?”

Billy at least had the decency to look ashamed. “I freaked out. I shouldn't have… I’m sorry.”

“Another apology?” Eddie whistled lowly. “Must be my lucky day.”

“Shut the fuck up, Munson.” There was no bite in Billy’s voice. “Tell anyone and I’ll kill you.”

“Promise?” Eddie grinned. He was met with an eye roll, the huff of a half laugh, the curl of Billy’s lips into an embattled grin. Eddie felt that fury grow into something deeper. If he thought about it too much, he might have a panic attack.

Chapter Text

It would be easier, he thought, if he couldn't remember any of it.

If he couldn’t remember the look on Heather’s face as she realized she was going to die. If he couldn’t remember the thought of Eddie laying on the locker room floor with blood leaking from his temple. If he couldn’t remember the dizzying rush of satisfaction, the screams of terror which echoed through him, the gnawing hunger. 

If he had no recollection of the monstrosity infiltrating his mind, body, and soul. 

Steve may have gotten it out of him, but Billy could still feel it. Like an itching burn on the back of his neck. It was watching him still, waiting.

He couldn’t bear to look at Max knowing what his hands had done. 

“He should have been back by now.” Eddie paced the cabin behind him. “He said he’d be back by now.”

Billy’s whole body ached. Every breath felt like fire burning down his throat. His head pounded. He stared at the ceiling. 

“It’s nine.” Eddie worried. “He said he’d be back by now.”

Billy wanted to die. 

He probably deserved to. He was a shit son. A shit brother. A shit person over all. 

“Do you think something happened to him? Cause I really– I really think something bad might have happened to him.” Eddie rambled. He’d been doing this for the better part of the evening.

He’d heard that some people found redemption after nearly dying. Found God or some other bullshit. Was any of this redeemable? 

If he went looking, would he find God? 

Or would there be some new horror out there?

If he just ceased to be, would anyone miss him?

The sound of tires on gravel had Eddie running across the room and peering through the window. 

“That’s not Steve’s car.” Eddie dared to peek through the window again before dropping down. “Or Hopper’s car. They’re coming. Fuck.”

Billy pushed himself to his feet. Every muscle in his body begged for him to stop, but he stepped towards the door. Eddie jumped forward to catch him as he stumbled forward. “Where do you think you’re going, big guy?”

There was no way in hell he was going to let anything happen to Eddie. Whoever was coming through the door would have to get through him first. And he had nothing left to live for. “If they get by me, run.”

Eddie was still holding onto him, warm and trembling, but far more steady than Billy was currently feeling. “Like fuck that is happening.”

The door handle jiggled, then someone pounded. 

“Hopper!” 

Billy could feel Eddie’s sigh of relief. “It’s just Jonathan.”

Max ran to unlock the door and a whole party stumbled through. Creepy Jonathan. That Wheeler priss. Both of whom were looking as if they had been hit by a truck. The three little shitheads Max was always hanging around. The weird girl. Billy felt his blood freeze as they all looked at him. Lucas with fear and Mike with righteous anger. And Will. Zombie boy. With the haunted look in his eyes. Billy had seen him. He’d seen him in the darkness. 

Mike crossed his arms, looking at Eddie. “What the hell is he doing here?”

Max stepped through the doorway. Her eyes lit up when she saw Billy. “Billy!”

In an instant she had plowed through everyone else and wrapped her arms around his waist. Her head hit his chest and Billy winced. 

“Shit, sorry.” Max tried to let go, but Billy hung onto her for a moment longer. She relaxed into him. “I was so fucking worried, Billy.”

“I’m okay.” Fuck. He could feel himself tearing up again. Since when was he a crybaby?

“Where’s Steve?” Nancy glanced around the cabin. 

“We were just asking the same question.” Eddie was still holding him. Billy could feel the warmth of his hands through his shirt. “He was supposed to be back from Scoops over an hour ago.”

Billy’s head pounded. 

“Joyce and Hopper?” Nancy asked.

Eddie shrugged. “Haven’t seen them.”

He was going to throw up. Again.

“Actually…” Max glanced at El. “We think they’re in Illinois.”

“What’s in Illinois?” WIll frowned. 

Nancy and Jonathan shared a look. Nancy shook her head. “Doesn’t matter. They’re not here now and no one can get a hold of them. It’s up to us.”

“You want us to go head to head with that thing?” Mike burst. “It almost killed us at the hospital.”

“Yeah, but this time we’ll be prepared.” Lucas smirked. “We just gotta find some firepower. Go in and pop pop pop. Dead.”

“We can’t just shoot at it, dumbass.” Max retorted (Billy almost grinned). “If it's here that means there’s a portal open. If there’s a portal open, we gotta close it.”

“We don’t even know if there’s a portal open!”

Billy winced as the entire conversation disintegrated into yelling and overlapped arguing. HIs head pounded. 

“Will everyone just shut up?” Billy’s voice cracked. He leaned heavily against Eddie. “Just shut up. And tell me what. the fuck. is going on. What the fuck was in my head?”

Silence filled the room as discrete glances were tossed around like he wouldn’t notice it. 

It was Will who spoke first. “We call it the Mindflayer. And we think it's back.”

“Actually,” Nancy sighed. “We’re pretty damn sure.”

“Back?” Billy whispered. “What do you mean back?”

“It was here before.” Nancy said in that gently condescending voice of hers that made him want to scream. “Hawkins… There’s a portal here to something we call the Upside Down. The thing that was inside of you came from there. We call it the Mindflayer because… Because that’s what it does to people.”

Billy could feel nothing but the bile in his throat. When he closed his eyes he could feel it crawling through his veins, burning a hole in him, trapping him in a prison of its own making. He pushed away from Eddie though Eddie clung to him and barely made it to the kitchen sink before spewing the contents of his stomach into it. Black and red. Blood and bile. 

Billy wiped the blood from his lips and turned on the water. Eddie stood nearby watching him out of the corner of his eye. He could hear Nancy and Jonathan whispering to each other as they ushered the kids in. 

How the fuck did Max get entangled in all of this? Why the hell did he let her?

Nancy left the kids at the couch. Her nose scrunched as she saw his mess in the sink, though it was tinged with genuine concern. It only managed to piss him off more. “What?”

“Where is it?”

“Where is what ?”

“The Mindflayer. We need to know where it is. You know.”

This bitch was crazier than he thought. Billy laughed and spit in the sink. “And if you knew, what the hell do you think you’re going to do about it? Run in there with your little manicure and claw it’s eyes out? It doesn’t even have eyes.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time.” Nancy stared him down. “You telling me is just the fast route. What you do after, I couldn’t give two shits about Hargrove. Obviously, you’re in no fighting condition.”

“And you think those kids are?” Billy stepped closer, towering over the brunette. 

She didn’t bat an eye, studying him with a strange clarity, like she could see right through him. “They’ve fought worse.”

“I’m not saying shit unless we get Max the fuck out of this. She’s my responsibility.” He commanded quietly. 

“Like hell I’m going home!” Max beelined over the couch and into the kitchen. “I saw you say my name, Billy.”

“I’m not fucking around Max. Whatever they do, you’re not part of it. Got it?” 

“You can’t tell me what to do–

“Try and fucking stop me. Don’t see any tranqs this time.” Billy threw his hands open. “What are you going to do you ungrateful little bitch!”

“Billy!” 

Tears welled in Max’s eyes. “God, you’re such a fucking asshole, you know that right? We saved your life!”

“I wish you hadn’t!” Billy regretted the words the moment they left his lips. Nothing prepared him to see the true panic in Max’s eyes.

“Billy–”

“It’s in the steelworks factory.” Billy turned away from his sister. “But it won’t be for long. It’s strong enough… Even without me. It will kill all of you, do you get that? Everything it made me do made it stronger, made it grow. Everyone I…”

“How many people, Billy?” Nancy asked softly. 

He shrugged. Too many. More than he knew. “Dozens. Hundreds, maybe. I don’t know.”

“I don’t know if my opinions count, but I’m on team get the fuck out of Hawkins.” Eddie wrung his hands together, sharing a glance with Jonathan. 

“No. We can’t just abandon everybody!” Max stood her ground. “And we are not going anywhere without Steve or Dustin.”

“Uh… Guys?” Mike’s voice had them all turning to the living room where El stood with a jar in her hands. A jar containing something black and vicious and… Moving. “What the fuck is this?”

Chapter Text

He was supposed to be back at the cabin by now. 

That was all Steve could think about.

Which seemed stupid when he couldn’t see out of his right eye, all he could taste was blood in his mouth, and the ringing in his ears hadn’t stopped. 

Eddie was going to be so worried. He looked so cute. Steve wasn’t sure if anyone had ever been so concerned about him before. 

It was… Kinda nice. 

To be missed. 

To be wanted. 

Needed. 

Necessary.

Maybe at least Eddie would be looking for him.

Eddie went looking for Billy though. 

Steve frowned at that, feeling a curling, ugly tendril spiral inside of him– right next to all the fear and the pain and the panic.

The Russian leaned closer to him. His breath stank. Probably from the rotted tooth Steve could very clearly see inches from his face. He spat when he talked. “ Who do you work for?”

Steve heard himself laugh. God he was done for. He was so fucking dead. “Scoops Ahoy.”

“Fine.” Steve winced as the man’s spittle hit his face. “If you don’t want to squeal, we will find another way.”

Steve was so focused on the man’s spittle touching his skin and the fact that he could not wipe it off that he didn’t even notice the rifle butt making a beeline for his temple. 

***

“Steve!”

Steve blinked blearily at the grey metal floor beneath him. Or, he tried to. One of his eyes definitely wasn’t… Working. His head throbbed. He thought death was supposed to be nicer than this. He didn’t consider himself a very religious man. 

Dear Father, It’s been a while since my last confession–

Steve snorted. 

“Oh, thank fuck you’re alive.” 

Someone was yanking on him. “Stmmmp hit.”

“Steve!” Robin pulled on him again. “Wake the fuck up. Goddammit, Steve, come on.”

“Mmm awake.” Steve forced himself to tip his head back, thudding it gently against Robin’s. The room spun and his head screamed. “Mmm here.”

“I thought you were dead. God, when they brought you in here–” He could hear the rising panic in Robin’s voice, though she was fighting against it. “Are you okay?”

“Not dead. Just… ouchy.” He was slowly coming back to himself, but a wave of pain hit him and his brain went staticy for a second. “Apart from that, eh, pretty good.”

“Yeah, well, good news is they’re calling you a doctor.”

That wasn’t good. Steve took in the weird chair and the steel carts. “Is this his place of work? Love the vibe.”

“Steve. Steve, focus for me, okay. Look to your left.” 

Steve swung his head to one side.  

“Your other left, dingus.” Robin sighed. She was so exasperated with him, even now. He kinda liked that about her. He kinda liked a lot of things about her. Steve swung his head the other way. “You see those scissors?”

Steve grunted. “Yeah.”

“I was thinking, if we work together, maybe we could hop over there or something. Then I could knock them into your lap maybe and you can free us.”

Yes! Yes, brilliant, brilliant Robin. “Okay, okay, good plan. Little jumps.”

He could handle that, right?

“Okay.” Robin sucked in a deep breath. “On three. One. Two. Three.”

Steve pushed off the ground and threw his body to the side. He laughed with Robin as they moved just a few inches. “Fuck yes!”

“Yes! Keep going. On three. One. Two Three.”

Another success had him jumping up and down internally. They were going to do it. They were going to get out of her. Steve pushed off the ground again and felt Robin go a half-second later. The chair slid out from underneath him and Steve hit the ground hard. His vision whited out for a second as an emergency broadcast signal played in his head. 

Robin shook behind him, her breaths coming out quick and panicked like she was crying. 

“Robin– Robin, its okay, we’ll–” Steve tried to look over his shoulder at her, cutting himself off as her sobs turned to giggles. “Are you really laughing?

“We’re so fucked.” Robin laughed. “Holy shit, I’m going to die in a secret Russian base with Steve ‘The Hair’ Harrington. No one is going to believe this. No one.”

It was pretty ridiculous. 

“Do you remember when,” Robin swallowed as her giggles died. “We were both in Mrs. Click's class?”

“What?” Steve frowned at the sudden turn. 

“Mrs. Clickety-clackety.” Robin shifted behind him. “That’s what us band geeks called her… It was first period on Tuesdays and Thursdays. So, you were always late with the same breakfast. Bacon, egg, and cheese. Sesame bagel. I sat behind you. Two days a week for a whole year. Mr. Funny. Mr. Cool. King of Hawkins High himself… Do you even remember me from that class?” Robin laughed and Steve withered under it. “You probably don’t. You were a real fuckin’ asshole, you know that right?”

He wanted to say he remembered. More than anything. Robin had every right to hate him. “Yeah, I know.”

“It didn’t even matter that you were an ass. I was still obsessed with you. Even though all of us losers pretend to be above it all, we still just want to be popular… Accepted.” Robin’s voice wavered. “Normal.”

Nothing was normal anymore. 

“If it makes you feel any better, having those things isn’t all that great.” He listened to Robin’s derisive snort. “Seriously. It just baffles me.” Steve sighed and pressed his wounded face against the cold floor. “Everything that people tell you is important, everything that people say you should care about, it’s all just…”

He thought of Nancy and couldn’t help but chuckle. 

“Bullshit.”

Robin fell quiet for a moment. Steve wished he could see her face. “Guess you gotta mess up to figure things out, right?”

He had messed up so much in his life already. “I hope so.”

“I feel like my whole life has been… One big… Error.” Robin choked on the last word.

Steve laughed with her. That was one way to put it. “Yeah.”

“At least it can’t get any more messed up than this.” She joked weakly. 

Steve didn’t have the heart to tell her that it could. And it had. That Russians under Hawkins were sometimes the least of his worries. That this wasn’t the first time he had nearly died. But it was nice not being in it alone. If that made him a selfish asshole, so be it. “You know, I wish I had known you in Click’s class.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.” It would have been nice. If only he learned not to be an asshole sooner. In another world (which was not a very real possibility to him), perhaps they would have been friends then. “Maybe you could have helped me pass. Maybe instead of being here, I’d be on my way to college right now.”

“And I would have no idea there were evil Russians beneath our feet, and I would happily be slinging ice cream with some other schmuck.” He could hear the smile in her voice, even if he couldn’t see it. Maybe she didn’t hate him as much as she claimed to. Maybe Dustin was right. 

Or maybe he was finally going certifiably insane. 

“Gotta say though, I kinda liked being your schmuck.” At least he had one sort of good summer. “It was fun while it lasted.”

“It was.” Robin said quietly. 

If Steve had to die, he was glad it was with Robin. Even though he wished with what little power he had in the universe that she wasn’t here. He should have tried harder to hold that door shut, to let her escape with Dustin and Erica. If he had to die… Maybe it was actually better to die alone. 

“Robin, I–”

With a buzz, the door swung open and Mr. Russia stormed back in with two more uglies in uniform and a man in a lab coat. Mr. Labcoat set a bundle of things on a cart that Steve could not see. Mr. Russia chuckled at the two of them laying on the floor. “Where do you think you were going?”

The two uglies hoisted the two of them back upright then stood off to the side with their rifles in hand. Like he and Robin were actual perils to this place. 

Mr. Russia clicked his tongue. “Try to be more truthful this time? Yes?” The doctor turned back around with a needle gun in his hand, a vial of bright blue liquid sloshed on the back of it. “It will make your visit with Dr. Zharkov much less painful.”

“Woah, woah, woah!” Steve yanked at the tight ropes which held him in place as the doctor stepped closer. The dude had an evil gleam in his eye like some sort of super-villain from the movies. He could feel Robin panicking behind him. “What the hell is that thing? Did you even clean it?”

Mr. Russia only grinned. “It will help you talk.”

Steve screamed as the needle pierced his neck.

Chapter Text

The thing in the jar had been in Billy. 

The thing in the jar had been in Billy. 

And now the girl with the magic powers was studying it with, like, eerie focus. She ran her fingers over the glass, watching as the black blob of Eddie didn’t even know what seemed to respond to her presence. 

Everyone else in the room was quiet as they watched her. Though Billy stayed far away from it, watching from a chair across the room, looking like he was going to pass out at any moment. 

“I can use it.” The girl finally spoke. 

“What, like, track it?” Will asked quietly. “Or control it?”

“It wants to go back.”

No. No fucking way in hell. 

“Or, here’s a thought,” Eddie looked around the room, hoping for some sort of support, “We leave it the fuck alone.”

“But if we can figure out what will kill it, or at least hurt it…” Nancy sighed. “Maybe that will give us an advantage.”

Eddie hoped Jonathan would maybe agree with him, but he nodded along with Nancy. Of course. Of fucking course. Jonathan met his eye and looked away quickly, but not before Nancy’s perceptive eyes caught it.

“And what if it’s a trap?” Lucas asked. “What if he wants us to find him?”

“It will keep hurting people.” El’s eyes never left the jar. She turned to Max and nodded. Red ran into the small bedroom and came out with a handkerchief as Lucas turned the T.V. to static. Eddie had no idea what was happening, but from the look of it, these kids had done this before. The room was quiet as El tied the blindfold around her eyes. Eddie chewed at his thumb. 

Seconds passed in slow, creeping anxiety. 

“I found her. Heather,” El said quietly. “She’s… At Hawkins High. There’s a basketball game. She’s cheering.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Eddie watched Billy shift and turn away from El. Eddie had never seen him look so small. 

“The game is done.” El continued. “She’s leaving… I think I see it… The source.”

Eddie’s hand itched. He wanted to run his hands through Billy’s hair. Tell him that everything was going to be okay. Even if it wasn’t. Even if Eddie himself was scared shitless. 

“Above the woods. It’s…” El shook her head. “She’s leaving with her parents. They’re yelling.”

Billy stood and took three shaky steps toward the door. He pulled it open and stumbled outside. Nancy and Jonathan both looked at Eddie. 

What?

Nancy looked pointedly at the door.

Was he really Billy Hargrove’s keeper now?

Eddie slipped out the door, quietly following after Billy. He found the blond keeled over in the grass, wiping spit from his lips. Billy sat back on his haunches and stared up at the night sky, clear and star filled. He didn’t move as Eddie approached and stood in front of him. In the darkness Billy’s shining eyes met his. “Do it again.”

“Do what again, baby?” Eddie asked softly. Billy dropped his chin to his chest in complete submission.

“Pin me down.” Billy asked so quietly Eddie could barely hear him. “Choke me. Bite me. Hit me. Please.”

“I’m not going to do that.”

“Do it!” Billy roared. 

“No!”

Billy grabbed Eddie’s hand and placed it around his neck. “Do it, please, goddammit, Munson, can’t you do what people ask you for once in your goddamn fucking life.”

It was a low blow. Eddie tightened his grip on Billy’s neck. He sat back on his haunches. “You think you know what you’re asking me, but you don’t, Billy. I’m not going to hurt you.”

“Please.” Tears streamed down Billy’s cheeks. “I deserve it. I…” His eyes darted away, distant. “I deserve it.”

“You think If I hit you, you’ll feel normal again?” Eddie was familiar with the feeling. That craving, that comfort of pain. Eddie loosened his grip. “That’s not how this works, baby.”

“I killed Heather.” Billy whispered. “I knocked her out and tied her up and put her in the trunk of my car. I drove her to Steelworks and I fed her to it. She screamed. She tried to get away.” Billy choked. “I told her to be quiet. That everything was going to be alright. I used her to get into her parents house. I made her kill them, too. Eddie, I could feel her memories. I could see them with my own eyes. It knew. It used them against us. I should have fought it harder. I should have done something.”

“That wasn’t you, Billy.” Eddie shook his head. He wiped away the tears streaming down Billy’s face. “It’s not your fault.”

“No! NO! You don’t– You should hate me!” Billy pushed Eddie’s hands away. “Why don’t you just hate me like everyone else?”

“I don’t hate you.” It felt like an admission of more, raw and unyielding. “Look, fuck– We can talk about this when that thing isn’t trying to kill us all, okay?”

A distant boom had Eddie turning around to face the forest. He thought the trailer park was dark, but this was pitch black. He could see the strange shapes of the trees against the night sky. A bright blue, sparkling firework breached the treeline and Eddie let out a sigh of relief. 

“Just the fire–”

All the blood had drained from Billy’s face. “It’s coming.”

Another boom rumbled through the forest, this time closer. A piercing screech echoed between the trees, nearly drowned out by the fireworks. Eddie’s blood burned cold. He wanted to run, but he was frozen to the forest floor by Billy. 

Billy gripped his arm. “You have to get Max out of here.”

Light spilled out onto them as the cabin door swung open. Nancy stepped out onto the porch with the rest of the gang behind her. 

He could see it now, just a shadow moving in the night, half illuminated by bursts of fireworks. It was coming for them. It was coming here. 

Billy shook him. “You have to go.”

Eddie swallowed. He had always said he was a runner. Took pride in it even. He was a coward, a puss, a weakling. He knew what he was, but still he grabbed on to Billy tighter. “I’m not leaving you here.”

“Everyone back inside.” Nancy barked orders like a military Sergeant. “Close the windows. Find Hopper’s guns.”

“What?” Eddie stood. “We gotta get out of here! We gotta go!”

“No time. Get your ass back in here,” Nancy held the door open as the rest of the kids ran inside, bursting into a flurry of movement of people who’d done this before. “Now, Munson!”

Eddie grabbed Billy’s arm and pulled him to his feet despite his pained protests. Billy’s skin burned beneath his fingertips like a raging fever. His sluggish steps slowed as they moved back up the steps and across the porch. Billy wheezed. “You gotta– You gotta get them out of here. I can stay here and fight it off. Give you– Give you enough time.”

The rumbling grew louder, echoing through the forest over the periodic explosions overhead. Eddie could hear it now– the crashing of trees, the wail of something massive moving closer, quickly. “Not going to happen.”

Inside the cabin, the kids were running around, shouting orders to one another as they threw blankets over the windows. Nancy slipped two bullets into a shotgun and cocked it as Jonathan readied a hatchet. And Eddie was lost, propping up a barely standing Billy as he observed the methodical chaos surrounding them. The rumble of the beast outside was enough to shake the cabin now. The roar of snapping trees was enough to drown out Nancy’s orders.

Somehow a huge knife was shoved into his hand as if that would be enough to take down an extra-dimensional monster powerful enough to snap hundred year old Indiana hardwoods in half without a thought.

The lights flickered.  

And then it was quiet. 

“Where’d it go?” Max whispered. Eddie twisted the knife in his hand. He was bound to drop it. He was useless like this. Fucking useless. 

Billy’s hand wrapped around his wrist and took the knife from him. Eddie met his tired blue eyes and found no fear there. “Billy?”

The wall of the cabin exploded inward as a black tentacle-like appendage burst through the wood. It swept through the room, heading straight for El. 

With a sickening thud, Jonathan brought down the ax. Black blood sprayed from the beast as the tentacle whipped away. Jonathan lunged again as Billy stepped in front of Eddie. 

On his third attempt, Jonathan was not so lucky. As he swung, the tentacle snapped back, slamming into Jonathan’s chest with enough force to send him flying. Jonathan hit the wall with a thud and slumped down. The creature’s tentacle snapped towards him only to be buffeted to the side by Nancy’s bullets. 

She cocked and fired again as the tentacle turned toward her, snaking through the room. She clicked the trigger and nothing happened as it lunged for her. It stopped, seemingly of its own volition, though it strained against the force holding it. 

El slammed it against the ground and tore the end of the tentacle from where Jonathan had wounded it. With a screech that shook the cabin, the appendage retreated. 

Nancy reloaded with shaking hands as Jonathan pushed himself up off the ground. Eddie’s own breathing seemed too loud in the cabin. The forest outside was too quiet through the new hole in the wall. 

El wiped the blood from her nose, shifting. 

A tentacle burst back through the hole, headed straight for the girl. With a raised hand, she stopped it in its tracks as a second burst through the opposite wall. She stopped it with her other hand. El cried out as she pulled her arms in, tearing each of the tenacles apart. 

The roof of the cabin tore open as a third appendage burst through. It slammed into El, wrapping around her ankle. It yanked her up into the air as Mike grabbed her hand. Then Jonathan, Max, Will. Eddie felt himself lunge forward to grab on to Max. 

“Pull!”

The beast roared as El screamed. 

“Nancy! Shoot it!”

Eddie clung to Max. He turned back to see Billy standing, unmoving, staring at the hole in the ceiling. Eddie turned to see what he was looking at and froze. A gaping jaw filled the hole. Slime dripped from its jagged razor teeth. 

Nancy fired. Once. Twice. The bullets ripped at the creature’s face with little effect. 

“Come on, Lucas!” Mike screamed. The other boy raised Jonathan’s axe and brought it down on the tentacle with a sickening thump. He swung again as Nancy fired, as El screamed and fought against the creatures. 

With a warrior’s cry, Lucas brought the ax down again and severed the tentacle. Eddie fell back, pulling Max into his arms as he hit the ground. Someone was talking, screaming. 

When he turned back, the creature’s face had been torn in half. It retreated into the night. 

“Go! We gotta go!” Max grabbed Eddie’s arm and pulled him to the feet. The other kids were running to the door as Nancy and Jonathan herded them out. Billy hadn’t moved. He still clung to the knife as he stared up at the hole in the ceiling. 

“Billy!” Max grabbed his arm and tugged at him. “Come on. We gotta go!”

He didn’t move still. 

“Go, Max. I’ve got him.”

Max looked between the two of them and reluctantly ran out the door.

They didn’t have time for this. Eddie stepped closer and put his hand on Billy’s. “Billy?” He gently pulled at Billy’s fingers with one hand and put his other on Billy’s cheek. “Billy, we gotta go now.” Eddie carefully pried away the knife and threw it on the couch. “Look at me.”

Billy’s eyes shifted to his. “I–”

“I know, baby. It’s okay. We gotta go now.” Eddie whispered. He pulled Billy’s arm around his shoulder and led him toward the door. Outside, the kids were piling into the two cars. Eddie drug Billy down the steps and across the yard. He shoved the boy into the backseat of Billy’s car and crawled in behind him. “Go!”

Jonathan hit the gas and tore out of the forest.

Chapter Text

“Honestly, I don’t really feel anything. Do you?” Steve stared at the wavy wall in front of him. The ache in his arms from the restraints had gone away. And he didn’t have as much of a headache anymore. 

Robin giggled behind him. “I mean, I… I feel fine. I feel normal.”

“Yeah, I feel– I feel fine,” Steve had to agree. If anything, “I kinda feel good.”

Robin laughed with him. He liked her laugh. It was really pretty and it made him feel good. Silly. “Wanna know a secret?”

“What?”

“I like it, too.” Robin confessed. 

Steve snorted. “Morons. They messed up the drug.”

“They messed it up! Morons.” Robin pulled at the bonds binding the both of them to the chairs as she laughed. 

“Morons!” Steve giggled again. 

“Morons. Hey, morons!” Robin wiggled behind him. “Oh, no… Oh, there’s definitely something wrong with us.”

He was just so happy. It felt so good. His face didn’t hurt anymore. Nothing did. But his smile fell as the door to the room slid back open and those Russian assholes waltzed back in. The doctor carried a briefcase which he set down behind Steve. Steve strained his neck to see what was in it as the Doctor flicked open the latches and opened up the case. Nasty looking silver tools gleamed from within. 

Fuck. 

FUck. Fuck fuck fuck

Robin laughed nervously behind him. “Would be a good time to tell you that I don’t like doctors?”

Mr. Russia stepped closer to Steve, bending down so his nasty teeth were all Steve could see. “Let’s try this again, yes? Who do you work for?”

They were really still on this?

“Scoops.” Steve grinned. He was so fucked. “Scoops Ahoy.”

Robin giggled behind him. 

Mr. Russia’s nostrils flared as he straightened. “How did you find us?”

“Totally by accident.” Steve snorted. 

Mr. Russia scowled and barked something in Russian to the doctor. Steve craned his neck again to watch Dr. Doctor pull out a pair of plyers from his little box. “What is that shiny little toy?”

“Where you going with that, doc?” Robin asked as the man turned back and stepped toward Steve. 

Dr. Doctor grabbed his hand as Steve strained against the ropes tied snuggly around him. He clamped the pliers to Steve’s nail. He wasn’t having fun anymore. This was not a good fucking time. “Whoa, whoa, hey, hey! Wait! Wait!”

“There was a code! We heard a code!” Robin shouted. The doctor relaxed his grip on Steve’s hand. 

“Code. What code?” Mr. Russian turned to Robin.

“The week is long. The silver cat feeds when blue meets yellow in the west. Blah, blah, blah.” Robin giggled again with a hiccup. “You broadcast that stupid spy shit all over town, and we picked it up on our Cerebro, and we cracked it in a day. A day! You think you’re so smart but a couple of kids who scoop ice cream for a living cracked your code in a day and now, people know you’re here.”

“Who knows we are here, little bitch?” Mr. Russia spat. 

Oh they were so stupid. Robin was so right. “Uh, well, Dustin knows.”

“Steve!”

“Yeah, Dustin Henderson, he knows.” Steve giggled. 

“Steve!” Robin pulled against him. What was up with her?

“Dustin Henderson. It is your small, curly-haired friend?” Mr. Russia’s ugly face came back around to face Steve. Steve frowned deeply at it. 

“Oh, curly-haired. Great hair. Small. Kind of like a ‘fro. Yeah.” What was coming out of his mouth?

“Where is he?” Mr. Russia leaned in again. 

Steve chuckled. “He’s long gone, you big asshole. And he’s probably calling Hopper, and Hoppers calling the US cavalry. They’re gonna come in here, commando-style, guns a-blazin’ and kick your sorry asses back to Russia. You’re gonna be like two pieces of toast.”

Mr. Russia laughed as he leaned in. “Is that so?”

“Yeah.” That was the plan. Hopper could save the day. He always did. 

Mr. Russia smirked, sharing an amused look with the doctor. 

Just as the alarms began to sound. 

Oh, that wiped Mr. Russia’s smile off real quick. Mr. Russia turned on his heel and stormed from the room, leaving them alone with Dr. Doctor. 

Steve pulled at the ropes on his wrists. “Do ya think you can untie me?”

Dr. Doctor blinked at him. “No.”

“Oh.” Steve giggled. “Robin, he doesn’t know how to untie knots.”

“Huh? Who? Oh,” Robin laughed. “He can’t unknot.”

“He cannot.” Steve grinned.

“I thought you said he couldn’t unknot.” Robin snickered as the Doctor’s scowl deepened. 

“He cannot knot. He’s a doctor and he can’t–”

The door to the room burst open as Dustin charged threw, screaming at the top of his lungs. He jabbed the thing he held into the doctor’s chest, still screaming as the doctor convulsed under the current and fell to the ground unconscious. 

“Henderson!” Steve whooped as the boy pulled at the ropes tying him to the chair. “That’s crazy, I was just talking about you.”

“Oh my god.” Robin freed herself from her chair. “Dustin! Hi!”

Dustin stepped back. “Get ready to run.”

***

He was flying. Steve giggled as the ceiling tiles flew by. “Woah! Slow down.”

Robin laughed beside him. She had such a pretty smile. “Yeah, what is this, like the Indy 500?”

“It’s the Indy 300.”

“No, dingus! It’s 500.”

“300!” What was he arguing about?

“Let’s say a million.” Robin smirked. Steve burst out laughing with her. She was so smart and so funny. How did he never see it before?

His thoughts were rudely interrupted as the Tuk Tuk stopped suddenly, throwing him into the wall of it and then out the back. He caught Robin just barely with a groan. 

“Come on.” Dustin appeared. We gotta go, now.”

“Come on! Get out!” Erica helped Dustin pull them out of the back of the little car. Pain. He remembered what that felt like. All over. Steve groaned as he extricated himself from Robin and the car and followed them to a door which slid open. 

Elevator. 

Nice. 

And then they were moving so fast again. Steve giggled as he hopped onto a handcart. 

“Hey!” Robin danced beside him. “You look like you’re surfing.”

Holy shit. “Surfing! Yeah!” Steve wiggled his hips. “Woah!”

Robin took a hold of the cart as he rode it and pulled it from under his feet. Steve hit the ground laughing. “Wipeout!”

He’d never had so much fun. This was so much fun. Robin was so great. And Dustin! Dustin was too. He grinned as the boy sat beside him and touched his forehead. “He’s burning up.”

Steve wacked away Dustin’s hand and closed his eyes against the bright lights. “ You’re burning up.”

“Steve. Steve.” Dustin’s annoying hands touched his face again.

Steve flinched and tried to hit him again. “God, no. Ow!”

“His pupils are super dilated.” Dustin sighed. Steve cracked his eyes open again. Why was Dustin so worried?

“Maybe he’s drugged.” Erica suggested. 

Dustin was so cute. Steve tapped his nose. “Boop.”

“Steve, are you drugged?”

So serious. Why was everyone so serious? “How many times, dad? I don’t do drugs. It’s only marijuana.” 

Boop. Boop. Boop. Boop.

“This isn’t funny, okay? I need to know what they did to you. Are you gonna die on us?” Dustin shook him. 

Boop. 

Steve giggled. 

“We all die, my strange little child friend. It’s just a matter of how… and when.” Robin collapsed dramatically next to him. 

“They’re gonna be looking for us up there, so I need you to tell me where you parked your car.”

They were leaving? Steve perked up, “Oh, can we make a pit stop at the food court?”

He was so hungry. 

Robin moaned. “I would kill for a hot dog on a stick.”

“Ooh.” That sounded so good.

“All right. Yeah, food. Yes, you can have as much food as you want, but only if you tell me where your car is parked.

Right. Car. Park. Leaving. Car. Vroom-vroom. Need… “Uh-oh.”

“Uh-oh?” Dustin sighed. 

“The car’s off the board.”

“What?”

“They took the keys. The Russians, they took the keys. Like, forever ago.” Steve giggled. They were so fucked. They got drugged by Russians beneath Hawkins. Fucking hilarious. “That’s a bummer, right?”

The elevator came to a stop and Dustin pulled him to his feet. Steve stumbled out into the night air after him. Robin bumped into him. “Oh, my god, that tastes so good. Steve! Can you taste the air?”

Holy shit, she was right. Steve sucked in lungfuls of fresh air. “I taste it!”

“Shit!” Dustin shoved him in a different direction. “Come on! Come on!”

“Wh– Why are we running?” Steve let the little guy push him through a set of doors and into the mall. Robin grabbed his hand and ran alongside him. 

The back halls of the Starcourt Mall were a veritable maze of tile and steel. Steve was instantly lost, but there was something freeing about running through the place he worked with Robin at his side. He felt like a kid again. 

“Where are we going?” Erica called to dustin. Steve had almost forgotten about her. He liked her too, even if she was a little shit. 

“Just trust me.” Dustin charged ahead, winding through the halls until he came to a door. He pushed it open slightly and looked both ways through the crack before ushering them into the low lit halls of the movie theater. 

Mm. Popcorn. 

Steve grabbed the bag and followed Dusty into the full theater. The kid pushed him down into a seat beside Robin. The worst seats. “Dude, these seats blow.”

“Then don’t watch the movie.” Dustin sighed. 

“We wanna watch it.” Robin whined. 

“Then watch it!”

Several guests shushed them and Steve shushed them right back. 

Dustin pointed a finger at the two of them. “Whatever you do, don’t. Go. Anywhere.”

So uptight. Steve snorted. “Fine, dad. ”

Dustin hung his head as Steve settled back in his seat. Steve held his popcorn out to Robin as the kids disappeared. “What movie is it?”

“I have no idea.” Robin stared at the screen with wide eyes. 

Steve tried to focus his eyes on the screen in front of him. There was like a science guy? And a kid? 

“What’s happening?” Robin whispered in his ear. 

“I have no idea.”

Chapter Text

Eddie always figured he’d be wasted the night he inevitably broke into Bradley’s Big Buy. It was a bit refreshing to be stone cold sober and doing illegal things. It was weird to be doing them at Nancy Wheeler’s command though. He always thought she was an uptight priss… Given his own constant state of being, Eddie should have known not to judge others, but he was only human. 

As the others piled into the store, stepping over broken glass as they swiftly carried El to the First Aid aisle, Eddie helped Billy limp inside. Billy had gone quiet after the attack, staring off into the ether with sunken eyes. Eddie kept an arm around him and Billy didn’t complain, so there was that at least.

Maybe they should have stayed in the car, but as soon as Max had taken off, Billy had attempted to follow. 

As they finally turned the corner of the row the gang had disappeared down, El was on the floor, surrounded by Nancy and Max who were arguing over her bloody leg. “What are you doing?”

“I’m cleaning the wound.” Nancy tore a gauze pad from the packaging. 

“No, first, we need to stop the bleeding, then clean, then disinfect, then bandage.” Max glanced up at Billy. “I skateboard. Trust me.” Max knelt beside her friend and stuffed some gauze into Mike’s hand before pressing it to El’s leg. “Hold this. Keep the pressure on it, nice and firm, okay? We’re going to need water, soap.”

A fucking nurse in the making. 

Nancy and Jonathan rushed off to get the supplies as Lucas came running back with an armful of shit. “Does any of this help?”

“No. Go get me a washcloth and a bowl.”

“A bowl?”

“Lucas!” Max commanded. 

Billy stared at his sister. 

“Maybe we should keep watch out front.” Eddie suggested softly. Billy only grunted, but let Eddie lead him back towards the checkout lanes. There weren’t any chairs out there but there was a ledge by the window that was good enough. Eddie set Billy down and took a seat beside him. 

Billy stared out the window with a forlorn look on his face. The blue neon lights made him look older. Or maybe that was just the trauma. His white t-shirt was still ripped and bloodstained. It did nothing to hide the wounds on his arms, dark black in the neon. Billy sniffed and wiped at his nose. “She didn’t learn that skateboarding.”

“What?”

“Max. She– She didn’t learn that from skateboarding.” 

Eddie glanced back at the med aisle, confused. “What do you mean?”

“She knows that because of me. How to care for wounds.” Billy slumped against the window and fiddled with the hem of his shirt. His face scrunched up as if trying to decide something and not liking the notion he came to. Billy pulled his shirt up and pushed the waistband of his shorts down to reveal a patch of white, knotted skin. It was an almost circular scar, small. Barely noticeable.

“Is that…”

“Bullet.” Billy dropped his shirt, hiding the scar once more. “It was the first time she saved my life.”

“Who the fuck shot you?”

For a long time Billy didn’t answer. He stared out at the vacant parking lot, watching the reflection of the blinking stop light against the tar. “I think you can guess.”

“Your dad?”

“I’ll get you a fucking medal.”

Billy’s dad shot him? And Billy was still living with him? “Listen, I’m no stranger to deadbeat asshole dads, okay, Billy, but mine never shot me.”

“It was my fault.”

Eddie wanted nothing more than to never hear Billy’s voice sound so empty again. “How the fuck could it be your fault?”

“I got caught.” 

“Caught?”

“With a guy.” Billy’s blue eyes finally met Eddie’s. “Fucking a guy… Getting fucked actually. Which in his eyes was even worse.”

“So he fucking shot you?” Eddie generally considered himself a pacifist, despite what others thought of him. But now, he was ready to commit his first human sacrifice, if he could. “Billy–”

“He was trying to shoot him.” Billy said quietly. “Hit me instead when I jumped in front of it. He was so drunk he left me to die. But Max heard the shot. Kept me from bleeding out until the ambulance got there. We tried to convince the hospital it was an accident. That I was stupid and playing around with it. But they didn’t believe us. So, my dad moved us here.”

“Fuck, Billy–”

“I don’t want to put you in danger, too.” Billy finished softly. “Eddie, you should run while you still can. This thing is going to kill us all.”

As if Eddie didn’t already clearly see that. As if he didn’t understand that they barely escaped that cabin and were about to go charging right back into battle the moment they left the grocery store. “Don’t get me wrong, I would love nothing more than to take off and forget that all of this happened, big boy, but it's also kinda rule of thumb to not abandon my friends. I’ve only got so many, you see? Plus, I’m notoriously a stubborn asshole. I’ve got a reputation to uphold.”

For the first time in… Maybe forever, Eddie watched as a genuine smile came across Billy’s face. “You’re fucking insane.”

“Takes one to know one.” Eddie bumped his fist against Billy’s arm. Billy flinched, sucking in a sharp breath through his teeth. “Shit–Oh fuck– Oh–” Billy started laughing. “Oh you fucking asshole.”

“You should have seen your face.” Billy snorted. “Oh that was good.”

“Sorry if I thought I hurt you after you were literally possessed by a demon and can barely stand on your own two feet.” 

“With that wimpy punch? My arm is fine. It’s the rest of my body that fucking sucks.” 

“Wimpy?” Eddie took that as a personal affront. He was not wimpy. Scrappy, most definitely. “You’ve never even seen me fight, baby.”

Billy’s gaze dipped to Eddie’s grin.  

“Dustin!” Mike’s voice echoed through the empty store. “Dustin, do you copy? Shit, he’s cutting out.”

Chapter Text

“This movie is so bad.” Robin whispered in his ear. She giggled. 

“Why is it called back to the future? He’s going to the past?” Steve shoved a handful of popcorn into his mouth. Buttery, perfect, salty– “Fuck, I’m thirsty.”

“Me, too.” Robin smacked her lips together. 

“Shh!”

Steve turned around and shushed that lady right back. “So rude.”

“Steve, Steve,” Robin croaked as she shook his arm. “Water.” She pulled his arm hard enough to pull him out of the chair and down the aisle. They stumbled out of the movie theater towards the drinking fountain outside. 

God, he was thirsty. He was so so–

Steve shoved his head into the water fountain and guzzled it down. “Fuck this is so good.”

Robin pushed him out of the way for her turn and pulled away with a refreshed groan. “So good. So thirsty.”

Steve went back in for a second sip. “That’s amazing.” 

“So, like, I wasn’t totally focused in there or anything, but… I’m pretty sure… That mom was trying to bang her son.” Robin pushed him out of the way again. 

“Wait– The hot chick was Alex P. Keaton’s mom?”

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure.”

“But they’re the same age?”

“No, he went back in time.” 

“Then why isn’t it called Back to the Past?” Steve asked again. It was all really confusing.

“He has to get back to the future because he’s in the past. So, the future is actually the present, which is his time.” Robin shoved her face in the water again. 

“Wh… What?” This was too confusing. And his head was pounding and everything was swimming in front of him. And– Steve turned around and looked up at the constellation of stars above him. At least he thought they might be stars. They were bright and swirly and that’s what stars were like, right? So pretty. “Hey– Hey, Robin. You gotta check this out.”

“Woah.” Robin stumbled into him. “The ceiling.”

The ceiling stars twisted and warped before him, swirling into a rollercoaster of light. “Oh god, I’m gonna be–”

Steve raced for the bathroom with Robin right behind him. He made it to a stall just as the entirety of his stomach made its way back up and into the toilet bowl. His retching stretched for an eternity, so long that Steve thought he was attempting to turn himself inside out. 

He clung to the seat until he was certain it was over then flushed it all down. Steve collapsed against the side of the stall feeling both better and worse than he had before. The drugs were definitely starting to wear off.

“The ceiling stopped spinning for me. Is it still spinning for you?” Robin asked from the next stall over. 

“Shit.” Steve sighed. “No. You think we puked it all up?”

“Maybe…” Robin shifted. “Ask me something. Interrogate me. ”

“Okay. Interrogate you. Sure. Um… When was the last time you, uh, peed your pants?” Steve asked through the stall wall.

“Today.”

“What?”

“When the Russian doctor took out the bone saw.”

“Oh my god.”

“It was just a little bit, though.” Robin laughed. 

“Yeah, it’s definitely still in your system.” Steve grinned down at the white tile. 

“All right, my turn.”

“Hit me.” 

“Have you… ever been in love?” Robin asked quietly from the other side. 

“Yep. Nancy Wheeler. First semester, senior year.” Steve laughed at himself. He was so different back then, almost another person entirely. 

“Oh, my god. She’s such a priss.”

“Turns out, not really.” He’d been wrong about Nancy too many times to count. 

“Are you still in love with Nancy?” Robin asked.

It surprised Steve that he didn’t even have to think about it. “No.”

“Why not?”

That was the question. Steve let his head rest against the wall. He thought of what Dustin told him. Robin was great. She was funny and smart and didn’t take any of his bullshit. He liked being around her and maybe a part of him did want to kiss her. If he couldn’t make it work with Robin, then, maybe, he couldn’t make it work with anyone. 

And maybe he deserved that.

“I think it's because… I don’t know. I met someone who… You know Dustin keeps telling me I ‘gotta find my Suzie’ or something.” Steve shrugged even though no one could see him. 

“Wait, who’s Suzie?”

“It’s some girl from camp, I guess his girlfriend. To be honest with you, I’m not one hundred percent sure she’s even real. But that’s not really the point.”

“What is?”

Steve took in a shaky breath. He felt all hot and antsy even though he was sure the drugs were mostly out of his system now. “This girl… That I like. Well, I think I… I don’t know what to think. It’s somebody I never talked to in school and I don’t even know why. Maybe because Tommy would have made fun of me or… I definitely wouldn’t have been prom king. It’s stupid. I mean, Dustin’s right… It’s all a bunch of bullshit anyways.” A pair of brown eyes flashed through his mind. Steve shook his head. “She’s funny. And smarter than people might think. And she cares about people more than she lets on. And she– she– probably doesn’t like me back.”

Robin was quiet for a long time. 

“Robin? Did you just OD in there?”

“No. I…” Robin sniffed. “I’m still here.”

This whole being on the other side of a wall was not working for him anymore. Steve slid under the partition to sit across from Robin. She looked exhausted. “The floor’s disgusting.”

“Yeah, well, I already got a bunch of blood and puke on my shirt.” Steve shrugged. “So… what do you think?”

“About?”

“This... Girl?”

“She sounds awesome.”

“She is. I think. I… Robin–”

“And I think the guy is on drugs and not thinking clearly.” Robin eyed him. “Look, he doesn’t even know this girl. And if he did know her, like really know her, I don’t think he’d even want to be her friend.”

“What?” He couldn’t be wrong. If he was wrong then… “No, that’s not true. No way is that true.”

“Listen to me, Steve. It has shocked me to my core, but I like you. I really like you. But I’m not like your other friends. And I’m not like Nancy Wheeler.”

“I know you’re– But–”

“Do you remember what I said about Click’s class? About me being jealous and, like, obsessed?” Robin deflated. 

“Yeah?” Where was this going?

“It isn’t because I had a crush on you. It’s because… She wouldn't stop staring at you.”

“Mrs. Click?” Steve was thoroughly confused. 

“Tammy Thompson.” Robin met his eye. “I wanted her to look at me. But she couldn’t pull her eyes away from you and your stupid hair. And I didn’t understand, because you would get bagel crumbs all over the floor. And you asked dumb questions. And you were a douchebag. And you didn’t even like her. And I would go home and just scream into my pillow.”

“But Tammy Thompson’s a girl,” Steve said dumbly. 

“Steve.”

“Yeah?” Steve looked at her and he finally understood. “Oh.”

“Oh.” Robin smirked. 

“Holy shit.”

“Yeah. Holy shit.” Robin sighed, looking more relieved than Steve had ever seen her before. 

Steve's heart raced. "So you're...?"

“Gay.” Robin confirmed. She shivered a little. “Weird. I’ve never actually said that out loud.”

He expected to feel disappointment at Robin’s totally valid (and probably foreseeable) rejection of him. But instead, Steve only felt… Relief? Or something else? He wasn’t sure if the drugs were totally out of his system yet because when he closed his eyes, it wasn’t even Robin he was even talking about it was– “Tammy Thompson? Really? I mean, she’s cute and all, but, Robin, she’s a total dud.”

“She is not!” Robin shoved his shoulder. 

“Yes, she is. She wants to be, like, a singer. She wants to move to Nashville and shit.”

“She has dreams.” Robin whined, clearly losing the battle to defend Tammy. 

“She can’t even hold a tune. She’s practically tone-deaf. Have you heard her?”

“All the time–”

“You see me now tonight…” Steve sang loudly off key as Robin shoved him. “You see me!”

“Shut up!” Robin laughed. “She does not sound like that.”

“She sounds exactly–”

“She does not.”

“- That’s a great impersonation of her–”

“You sound like a muppet!”

“ She sounds like a Muppet. She sounds like a Muppet giving birth.” Steve laughed as Robin pushed him again. “And if you could hold me tight…”

“We’ll be holding on forever,” Robin joined in with him. 

“Exactly!”

“I know,” Robin shook her head, giggling. “She’s so bad.”

Steve froze as the door to the bathroom burst open. It was not, luckily (or perhaps unluckily), angry Russians, but instead a pissed off Dustin and Erica. Dustin put his hands on his hips as he looked into the bathroom stall like a disappointed mother. “Okay. What the hell?”

Steve took one look at Robin and burst out laughing.

Chapter Text

He was going to die tonight. 

Billy had known it the moment he saw the creature crashing through the woods towards them. He’d known it when he saw the look in Eddie’s eyes at the sight of it. 

He’d accepted it as Eddie grinned at him in the neon glow of the grocery store.

Now, as he watched as the girl it wanted hated rip the creature from her leg, Billy figured he wouldn’t see the sunrise over Starcourt. The storefront’s window shattered as she screamed. The larva hovered in midair, thrashing, wailing. With a battlecry, the girl threw across the food court. 

Where it squelched beneath the foot of the Chief of Police. 

Great. 

Just what Billy needed. 

A cop.

Eddie went tense underneath his arm. 

Things got dark after that. Not literally. Just in his memory. He’d woken up that morning with a deep, pulsating headache that only seemed to worsen as the minutes ticked by.  

It was getting more apparent to Billy that he was actively dying. The Wheeler chick was filling in Hopper and Mrs. Byers on everything they missed with annoying interjections from the kids. And Steve, pretty boy, was saying something about Russians? A secret bunker?

But Steve’s face. One eye swollen almost completely shut. Jagged cuts criss crossed his cheek and brow. It was a worse beating than the one Billy had given him. Steve’s pupils were a bit too dilated, the quirk of his lips just delving into a grimace. Billy couldn’t stop staring. Not even when Steve caught him and gave him a slight nod, which Billy returned. Steve turned back to whatever the little shits were yelling about, but Billy couldn’t stop staring at the boy. Couldn’t stop thinking about Eddie’s arm around his waist. End of the world and he still couldn’t stop being a fag. 

Well, he’d be in Hell soon enough. No point in hiding it anymore.

“We just have to close the gate again.” The skinny quiet boy said. 

“Cut the brain off from the body.” Max nodded, agreeing like she knew it would work. Like she’d done this before. She probably had. There was a lot Billy didn’t know, it seemed. 

“And kill it. Theoretically.” Lucas had been purposefully ignoring Billy. Not that Billy could blame him. 

His memory went fuzzy again and then he was sitting at a shitty food court table, fighting back the nausea in his throat. Eddie’s warmth was gone. Billy sat up, searching for him, and quickly found the familiar curly mop of dark hair. Standing right beside Steve Harrington. A curling tendril of jealousy somehow managed to find its way through the mess of his body to his brain, but he was too tired to give it any energy to grow. They looked right together. He hoped Steve would keep Eddie company after he was gone. 

The rest of the group was crowded around the nearby table, looking over a giant sheet of paper. And they were all listening to not a competent adult but to the short curly haired kid with a lisp. Dunkin. Or Daxton… Or… Didn’t matter. “There’s a hatch in here that feeds into their underground ventilation system. That will lead you to the base of the weapon. Now, it’s a bit of a maze down there, but between me and Erica, we can show you the way.”

“You can show us the way?” Hopper scoffed and crossed his meaty arms. 

Hopper would kill at a gay bar.

Not the time, Billy. 

“Don’t worry,” Dustin ( That was it, fuck) hit him with a giant toothy grin. “You can do all the fighting and dangerous hero shit, and we’ll just be your… Navigators.”

“No. Nope. Absolutely. Not.” Hopper shook his head. 

Well at least someone could be responsible about this.  

Billy swore he only blinked but when he opened his eyes Eddie was kneeling in front of him with wide, worried eyes. “Billy?”

“What’s happening?” He tried to get his bearings again. Everyone had split off. All the kids were headed for the entrance but Eddie and… Steve. “Steve? Baby, your face.”

Steve’s blood chapped lips fell open but nothing came out. 

“We’re on the move again, big boy.” Eddie tapped his thigh. “I’ll explain on the way. We’re getting somewhere safer.”

“Max?”

“Her, too. Come on.” Eddie slipped his arm around Billy’s waist and pulled him to his feet. Billy stumbled, finding his feet were no longer willfully cooperating with him. Eddie nearly collapsed under his weight. 

“Eddie–”

“We’ve got you.” Steve pressed into Billy’s free side, helping Eddie to hold him up. They limped towards the mall entrance. 

This was fucking stupid. 

This was… He was too weak to go up against this thing. Why the hell didn’t they just leave him behind?

Billy was too exhausted to argue or struggle out of their grips. 

Jonathan met them at the door and Steve tried to pull away. Billy wrapped his fist in Steve’s shirt. “Where are you going?”

“I… There’s something I gotta do to help Joyce and Hopper. Then we’ll meet up again.” Black and red and blue covered Steve’s face but there was that lopsided grin again. “I’ll see you on the other side.”

Jonathan cleared his throat and Billy fought down the urge to sock the kid’s nose in. “We’re kind of on a time crunch? Guys?”

Steve pulled away leaving Billy feeling unmoored. The boy ran off toward the other side of the mall and waved them off with a jaunty salute. 

Jonathan stepped forward to take Steve’s place and Billy forced himself to straighten. “I’m fine.”

“Sure, man.” Jonathan raised his hands in mock surrender and pushed out the doors, holding them for Billy and Eddie to follow. To his relief, Billy caught a flash of red hair as Max climbed into Nancy’s car. Billy and Eddie squeezed in after her as Jonathan jumped into the front seat. 

“Here we go.” Nancy turned the ignition and the car sputtered. “What the hell?”

“ Shit shit shit shit,” Eddie muttered under his breath. 

“What? What’s wrong?” Jonathan turned toward her. 

“I don’t know.” Nancy turned the key again. No dice. She slammed her hands on the steering wheel. “You can’t be serious. Come on!”

The car erupted into panicked questions.

“Didn’t your mom just buy this car?”

“Did you leave the lights on?”

“Do we have gas?”

“Yes!” Nancy tried again and again with no luck.

“Woah, woah, woah. Hey! Shut up. Move.” Eddie squeezed into the front seat, shoving Nancy out of the way. He popped a panel under the wheel and pulled out some wires. Ignoring Jonathan’s protests, he stripped them with his teeth. 

Billy wasn’t sure he’d ever seen anything hotter as Eddie tapped two of the wires together. The engine sputtered, nearly turning over. Eddie cursed. “Come on. Fucking–”

Out of the corner of his eye a bright light flashed on. Billy turned to look. 

He knew those headlights anywhere. “Get out.”

Max, Lucas, Mike, and Will all turned to stare at him. 

“No! I’ve almost got it!” Eddie tried the wires again. 

The Camaro roared threateningly. 

“Out!” 

The kids threw open the door and scrambled out of the car, dashing back into the mall. Nancy and Jonathan raced after them, pulling Eddie out of the car as well. Billy moved slowly, getting out on his side to face the glare of his baby, his love, his car. He squinted against the glare of the headlights, trying to make out Heather’s figure behind the wheel. It was her. It had to be her. 

“Nope.” Eddie grabbed his arm and yanked him away. “Don’t even think about it.”

Billy didn’t have much of a choice but to let Eddie drag him back inside. He heard the sickening crunch of the end of his Camaro as the door closed behind them. 

They were trapped there. 

Billy found himself back in his seat in the food court. He blearily watched Nancy Wheeler disarm a dead Russian and check the chamber like a trained soldier. Maybe she was. At this point, Billy didn’t think that much could surprise him. 

“Okay. Plan B.” Jonathan sighed. 

Mike snorted. “I’m pretty sure we’re on Plan Z at this point.” 

“Look, if we can get to a car without Carrie trying to take us out, I can hotwire it.” Eddie paced back and forth with his hands knotted in his hair. 

“Of course you can.” Was that admiration hidden in Nancy Wheeler’s snobby sass? Hard to say. “How long will it take you?”

“Three minutes. Give or take a minute.” Eddie shrugged. “I don’t have my slim jim here. We’d need to improvise that.”

“Three minutes is too long.” Nancy sighed. 

They barely had ten. Billy caught the skinny boy’s eye. Will. He couldn’t help but wonder if Will understood what was happening in his brain. If he had seen the same things Billy had seen. He didn’t know. Billy might never know.What he did know was Will could feel it, too. That burning, tingling on the back of his neck. 

“It’s coming.”

Chapter Text

It was really, really hard to not piss your pants in imminent, life-ending circumstances. 

Even as he helped Jonathan look for something that he could improvise a slim jim from, all he could think about was how much he needed to piss. 

And the bathrooms were right fucking there. 

The kids weren’t even being any help. Mike was desperately trying to radio the others and Supergirl… Was just staring at a can of Coke. 

She had tried to move the car she flipped earlier and the only thing she managed to do was give herself a nose bleed. She moved only when Mike came to talk to her.  

And Billy… He hadn’t moved from the spot Eddie had set him down. He stared at the tile floor blankly, pale and small looking in the mall’s neon lights. 

And Nancy fucking Wheeler was harvesting a gun from one of the dead Russians. 

Eddie made a mental note to never cross her if he made it out alive tonight. 

Jonathan jumped over the counter of the pretzel store and Eddie followed. He glanced out at the others before glancing back at Eddie. “So, what’s up with you and Billy?”

Eddie froze. “I– Uh– What?”

“Come on, man.” Jonathan gave him a look as he yanked the slushie machine away from the wall. “You’re not exactly hiding it. Neither of you are. I mean everyone else is probably too occupied to notice it, but…”

“There’s nothing happening.” It was true. Nothing was happening. There hadn’t been a chance for anything to really happen. There were a few more pressing matters to handle first. 

“I didn’t think dumb jock was your type is all.” Jonathan shrugged as he fiddled with something on the back of the machine. 

“I don’t have a type.” Eddie pulled open a cabinet just to not have to face Jonathan right now. There was nothing but cleaning supplies on the inside. Some bleach. Some ammonia… Oh, that could be useful. 

“Well, it obviously wasn’t me.” Jonathan muttered just loud enough for Eddie to hear. 

Eddie turned with a raised brow. “I’m not the one who left at the first sight of an opportunity with Miss Prim and Proper.”

Jonathan grit his jaw. 

“You brought it up.” Eddie picked at the cap of the ammonia bottle. 

“Here.” Jonathan yanked a piece of metal off the back of a slushie machine and handed it to Eddie. “This work?”

Eddie tested it. Thin. Flexible, but strong. “I think so.”

He turned away from Jonathan back toward the rest of the mall. He found Billy again as he did way too much these days. But this time Billy was looking back. He held Eddie’s gaze for a long moment before those baby blues turned to the glass roof above. 

Eddie followed his gaze as a rush of ice drenched his body. 

It had found them. 

A hulking shadow appeared over the glass with building shaking steps. 

Well… Eddie didn’t have to piss any more. 

Everything stopped. 

He could feel his goddamn heart beating as he watched dark, trunks of flesh move overhead. 

And everything was quiet but for the blood rushing through his ears. 

It was Jonathan who grabbed him and set his feet into motion across the mall. He was shoving himself under Billy’s arm before he could think as the glass overhead groaned and cracked. 

“Max,” Billy weakly fought against his grip. 

The redhead appeared as if summoned, pulling them into a dark hallway just as the glass overhead shattered, raining down on the food court below. A horrid, guttural scream echoed off the tile.

“Come on!” Red yanked them down the hall. Mike and El ran ahead. 

The back halls of Starcourt was a veritable maze, but Red led the way with an air of confidence. Billy labored at his side with haggard breath. And all Eddie could say was, “Keep going. Almost there.”

Billy didn’t even try to argue. 

They burst through a door into a loading dock. 

Eddie froze at the sight of Heather at the loading dock entrance. Normally, while Eddie would never lay a hand on a woman, today would have been an exception. 

“Shit!” Mike spun back around and pushed back through the doors. 

Today was anything but normal. 

Heather had this look in her eye, dark and fathomless and distant but with the sharpness of a predator honed in on a kill. One of her arms was bent in entirely the wrong direction yet it seemed like an afterthought. 

Her eyes flicked to Billy. Her lips curled into a smirk as he froze under Eddie’s grip. 

They were surrounded. Caught. Prey in a trap which closed in on them. 

“Go! Go!” Max pulled them back inside and hit the button to the loading dock gate. She yanked them down the hall after El and Mike. Lights flickered and buzzed overhead as a screech came from behind them. The hall El and Mike lead them down dead-ended at an elevator. 

Mike mashed the button and turned back to look down the hall. “Shit!”

Heather was there already.

Eddie felt Billy slip out from his grasp. He watched as the boy limped down the hall with his hands out. 

“Heather. You don’t have to do this.” Billy stumbled, placing a hand against the tiled wall for support. “I know you’re in there. You have to fight. We can help you. We can get it o–”

Heather moved so quickly Eddie wasn’t even certain what happened. Only that one moment Billy was standing there and the next he was slumped over, unmoving. Eddie’s feet were moving before he could think. He didn’t even have a plan. There was only pure, unadulterated fear racing through his veins and nowhere to run but forward. 

And then.

Nothing.

He wakes up on the ground with a ringing in his ears. His vision swims going in and out and it takes him a moment to realize that it's not actually his vision but the flickering of the light above him. 

“Billy?” His voice is distant and raspy to his own ears. His chest and neck and head throb, pulsating in time with the light. There’s the taste of copper on his breath and he thinks of his father. “Max?”

“She’s gone.” But he hears Max say it. Hears her get up. “Mike.” 

“Ow.”

“El. She took El. Billy. Billy wake up.” 

Eddie tried to regain control of his body but his limbs refused to listen.

It takes seconds, minutes, he doesn’t know, before Eddie pushes himself to his knees, finds Max kneeling over Billy with tear filled eyes. “Max.”

“Eddie, they took El. We have to– We have to get her back. I have to…” And then Max is on her feet, disappearing down the hall with Mike beside her. 

“Billy.” Eddie grabs him, holds him, tries to wake him. Feels more relief than he ever thought possible when he finds a pulse, weak and thready.

Billy stirs underneath his fingertips. “Eds… Max?”

“She– Heather took El. Max went–”

Billy’s eyes snap open. He starts to move, using Eddie and the wall to push himself to his feet. He’s down the hall before Eddie can even get to his. 

Eddie looked back at the elevator then to the hall leading to the loading dock. There was nothing stopping him from running. Every fiber of his being told him to run. It had kept him safe for so long. 

But Billy needed him. Max and the kids needed him. 

Distant booms stirred him into motion. 

Eddie got to his feet and put an arm around Billy. Together, they limped down the hall and burst through a maintenance door out into the food court. An awful (in every sense of the word) sight greeted them as fireworks exploded over the back of the creature. It screamed and howled, thrashing with boom. 

And then it was quiet. 

Billy was no longer at his side. 

Heather stood before the creature. Max knelt at her feet over El, fierce, protective, willing to sacrifice herself. She didn’t want El to go alone.

Billy ran toward them. 

And Eddie?

Eddie ran after Billy.

Chapter Text

Despite watching from across the parking lot, Steve could still feel the heat of the fire on his skin. He watched Starcourt burn from the back of an ambulance as the paramedic cleaned out the cuts on his face and looked over his wounds. 

“You’re probably going to need a few stitches.” The paramedic was saying. She was just a few years older than him with soft green eyes and brown hair pulled into a bun. His type. Or at least she should have been. Her badge said Lucy Johnson.  He remembered that she was a Senior when he was a sophomore. 

King Steve would have been all over her. 

But he wasn’t King Steve. 

He hadn’t been for a long time. 

“Both of you need fluids.” The paramedic snapped off her gloves, giving a stern look to Robin, who hadn’t left Steve’s side all night. “Jump in. Both of you.”

Before Steve could move, he spotted Joyce walking through the crowd of first responders with all of the kids but Mike, El, and Max in tow. Nancy and Jonathan trailed behind them. Their eyes were all rimmed red. They hung back as Joyce hurried forward and wrapped Robin and him in a tight hug. “Thank God you’re both okay.”

“You, too.” Steve didn’t want to let her go. “Where’s Hopper?”

Joyce’s face fell and Steve’s stomach sank. “He… He didn’t make it. I’m so sorry, sweetie.”

Hopper was gone?

Steve was glad he was sitting still as the whole world shifted beneath him. Panic overwhelmed him. “Billy? Eddie?”

“Both at the hospital already. I’m headed there after I get the kids home.”

“She won’t let us come.” Dustin pouted. 

“No. I won’t. It is 2am. Your mother is probably worried sick. You all can come back for visiting hours in the morning.” Joyce looked close enough to snapping that Dustin bit his tongue to keep from arguing more. “Are you headed there, too?”

Steve nodded. “Both of us.”

“I’ll be there soon, okay, honey?” Joyce touched his hand then looked at Robin. “Do you want me to get your parents?”

Robin vehemently shook her head. “No, thank you, Mrs. Byers.”

“Just Joyce, honey. You’re one of us now.” Joyce left them with a tired kiss to their temples and another promise to be back at the hospital soon.

Steve held Robin all the way to the hospital. Neither of them spoke. There wasn’t anything to say, really. Or, there was too much to say. 

Hopper was dead. 

The others… No one had been able to tell him anything yet. 

The only information he had been able to gather from the medics and the police were that a bunch of people were taken straight to the hospital. Some in critical condition. 

Billy. Eddie, Max. Mike. El. 

Steve held on tighter to Robin. 

The hospital buzzed. They were wheeled into a hectic emergency room and got yelled at by nurses when they tried to stand up and find their friends. They guided the two of them to an empty bed and hooked them each up to an IV. Robin kept the curtains flung open and they both watched the rest of the room and the curtained off beds. A nurse promised to get them information on their friends, but had since disappeared. 

Robin fell asleep in the crook of his arm. Steve couldn’t relax until he saw a flash of red hair roll by. “Max!”

The redhead whipped around and sprung out of the wheelchair. She raced across the room, narrowly dodging several nurses. Max plastered herself to Steve’s side. “They made me call my parents.”

“Okay. Are you okay? The others?”

“Billy’s in surgery.” Max sniffed. “So is Eddie. And El is sleeping, but they put her on a lot of drugs and they won’t let me stay with her and what if the bad people come for her, Steve?”

“Not going to let that happen, okay. Joyce is on the way and I’m sure Nancy and Jonathan will be here soon and it’s going to be okay.”

“And Hopper?” Max looked up at him. 

He wasn’t quick enough to hide the look on his face. “Max… I’m sorry. He… He didn’t make it.”

Max fought the tears welling up and lost, bursting into tears and burying her face in Steve’s chest. He held her close and glared at the nurse who tried to take her back to her bed. He held her until she fell asleep from pure exhaustion.

Nancy and Jonathan arrived first and Steve felt like he could finally start to relax as he watched Nancy argue with the head nurse for information. Which was terrifying and also made him oddly… proud? She was so much better than him. She deserved much better than him. She could be president one day, Steve was certain of it.

Nancy got the information she wanted and came over to Steve’s bed, glancing between him and Max on one side of him and Robin on the other. “Hey.”

“Hey. So? What the hell happened?”

Nancy sat down with a long sigh and looked back at Jonathan as he came to stand behind her. “We killed it. We think. But… It’s hard to explain. We got trapped in the mall with it and Heather. Heather got El… It all happened so fast. The fireworks were hurting it–”

“Fireworks?”

“Lucas’s idea.” Nancy waved it off. Unimportant. “But we ran out. And it was trying to… take over El I think. Max tried to rescue her but it was too strong and then… Billy was there and Eddie and it…”

He’d never seen Nancy at a loss for words. 

“Joyce and Hopper shut the door, but Billy and Eddie got in Its way. It went through them to get to El.” Jonathan jumped in for her. “Billy is in critical condition and… They think Eddie will pull through but… It's going to be rough. Eddie’s out of surgery. They think if he makes it twenty-four hours, he’ll live. Billy is still in surgery. He… His wounds are extensive.” 

Nancy rubbed at her face. “I need to go find Mike.”

Jonathan followed after her. 

Joyce appeared not long after and checked in with him before leaving to sit with El. Steve fought against the urge to sleep, still on edge. Max’s mom showed up panicked and flustered. She woke Max and Steve tried to fill her in as best he could on Billy’s surgery. “If the nurse tells you anything else, can you let me know.”

“Of course.” Mrs. Hargrove squeezed his hand. “Thank you for looking out for Max. And Billy.”

Steve could only swallow down the guilt and nod. He should have done more to keep the kids out of all of this. Everytime he tried, he somehow only led them deeper into this mess. 

A nurse came by to check his and Robin’s vitals. She offered Steve something for the pain radiating from his face and to help him sleep. Steve shook his head. He didn’t want to lose consciousness yet. Even with Joyce and Nancy and Jonathan here, he was still on edge. 

He kept an eye on the ER floor, watching as Mrs. Wheeler showed up to collect Mike. Watched as Nancy argued with her about going home (an argument Nancy won). Robin snored quietly against his chest. 

He watched as an older man hurried through the ER doors at about four in the morning. “Eddie? Edward Munson? Is he here? Is he okay?”

“Are you?”

“His guardian. His Uncle.” The man wiped his hand over his mouth, brows knitted into one harsh line.

“He’s stable. Out of surgery now. I can take you to him,” The nurse offered.

“Yeah, yes, please, ma’am. Beggin’ your pardon, but what the hell happened?” 

“Explosion at Starcourt. I think a bunch of people were watching the fireworks from there. It’s sounding like your nephew is one of the lucky ones.” The nurse led Eddie’s uncle away, disappearing down the hall.

A resident came by to put five stitches in Steve’s face, working around a dead asleep Robin. Hours passed with a few check-ins from Joyce. 

The news came around 7am, after the night nurses had left. Billy was out of surgery. He was stable. Steve let his eyes fall shut.

Chapter Text

August 6th, 1985

The first thing he saw after dying was a bright light.

The first thing he felt… Was a scratchy throat and distant pain. 

Billy blinked. 

A gaudy, blinding fluorescent stared down at him. 

It made sense that Hell would have bad lighting. 

He just didn’t expect it to also have beeping? Annoying beeping that never went away. 

“Billy?” A small hand slipped into his and red hair replaced the annoying light in his vision. Max?

No. 

Max couldn’t be here. 

The beeping grew louder, deafening. 

“Billy, it’s okay. You’re okay. We’re all okay.” Max tried to calm him. 

“No.” He rasped. “You can’t be here. You shouldn’t be here. You shouldn’t be dead.”

“You’re not dead. Billy, I’m alive. You’re alive. Mom–”

Another hand appeared. Bigger, still warm. Susan’s face appeared. “It’s okay, Billy. You’re in the hospital. I’ve sent for the doctor. Take it slow, okay? You’ve been through alot. You’ve been in a coma for three weeks.”

Coma?

“I’m not dead?” He was certain he should have been. He had felt himself dying. He could remember dying. That endless, comforting darkness. “The girl?”

“El is okay, too,” Max assured him. “We’re all okay.”

The door opened and a flood of nurses and doctors rushed in. There was nothing he could do but let them poke and prod at him and attempt to answer a wave of questions. What was his name? What year was it? Who was the president? Did he remember what happened?

And when all the tests were collected and questions answered, a man in a white coat sat down on the stool beside him. “William.”

“Billy,” He corrected roughly.

“Billy, Dr. Robinson.” 

“When can I leave?”

“It’s going to be a while. You’ve suffered major damage. Whatever impaled you, narrowly missed your spine. You’ve lost a kidney. I’ve never seen internal chemical burns like the ones you have. Most of your internal organs have been compromised in some way. You’ve lost part of your stomach and section of your small intestine. Billy, you were dead for seven minutes.”

They brought him back. 

He was gone and they brought him back. 

“What does that mean?”

“It means that you’ll be staying here for a while. You might need care for a long time. But the first step is getting you up and moving.”

Maybe this was hell. 

The doctor stepped out, pulling Susan with him. Max sat on the edge of the bed at his feet. “I’m glad you’re awake. Asshole.”

“Dickhead.” 

“I’d punch you if I didn’t think you’d keel over dead.” Max crossed her arms. 

“You’d have to punch harder than a girl to do that.”

“Fuck you.” Max grinned.

“Fuck you.” He couldn’t help the small smile pulling at his lips. “What’s been happening? Since I’ve been…”

Her grin fell away at that. “We… Hopper didn’t make it. His funeral was a few weeks ago. Everyone else is okay. I mean as okay as we can be.”

The cop was dead. Normally, Billy wouldn’t give a shit. He’d met too many bad cops. But Hopper had seemed… Decent. 

“My dad?”

Max glanced at the window where Susan was talking with the doctor. “I’m… I’m not supposed to say anything yet.”

“Max.”

“He’s gone.”

“What?”

“He left last week. Hasn’t come back yet. They were arguing. He… hit her.”

They were arguing about him. 

Billy could almost see it, could almost hear it. 

Respect and responsibility.

He’d failed at that. Over and over and over again. 

The door opened again and a nurse pushed in a wheelchair. Eddie sat in it, looking wildly out of place in his Metallica t-shirt and wild curls. A black sling wrapped around his left arm. “Red! Fuck PT! They made me do– Billy. Holy shit, you’re awake.”

“You got him?” The nurse asked Max, pointing to Eddie. She came around to Billy’s bedside and sat the bed up for him. Dull throbbing pain coursed through his core. 

“Yeah. Steve should be by soon.”

Steve. The heart monitor jumped and Eddie raised a brow at him. 

He hated this thing. 

Susan stepped back inside and promised Billy she’d be back that evening, but she couldn’t take any more time off of work. Billy understood. He really did, but that left him alone with Eddie. Eddie chewed on his hair, watching everyone file out. 

Billy sighed. Out of all the guys he could… He shook his head. “What happened? You were fine– You were behind me.”

“I am fine. We’re both fine. They’re only keeping us here because of how pretty we are.” Eddie tossed his hair over his shoulder.  

Eddie was dodging the question. 

But Billy felt a soft wave of sleepiness settle into his bones. 

Drugs. 

A halo of light surrounded Eddie. So pretty. 

Eddie haphazardly shuffled himself forward with his one good hand. “What?”

Had Billy said something?

He hated this. Hated not being in control. Billy reached for the IV in his hand, but Eddie got there first. “Not a good idea, baby. You rest. I’ll make sure nothing happens.”

Billy let his eyes close and drifted off with Eddie’s hands in his. 

When he woke again, his hand lay empty. The room was dark, the shades drawn. A soft glow radiated from a lamp across the room. Eddie’s frizzy hair was illuminated by it. And Steve’s face as he sat beside Eddie. Eddie spoke softly. “I don’t know if I should tell him. He’s going to blame himself.”

“We don’t know the extent yet. The doctors said you might regain full use still.” 

“Yeah, but doctors lie all the fucking time. I keep going to PT and…” Eddie scoffed. He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. I would have done it even if I knew what would happen. It’s not Billy’s fault. His life is worth more than my hand.”

Steve sighed and reached out to hold Eddie’s good hand. His heart raced as he watched Steve bring Eddie’s hand to his lips. 

Why did it feel like the world was ending?

He shouldn’t be here.

He shouldn’t have made it this far.

He should have died with Heather.

Chapter Text

July 1985

Eddie couldn’t remember much about the days after waking up from surgery. Just bits and pieces. Flashes of faces. Dreams. Nightmares. Pain. 

And Steve. 

Steve was something of a constant. 

On the seventh day, they had started weaning him off the drugs. The pain of his chewed up arm and the hole in his stomach was still there, but duller now. More manageable. 

They put him in a room with Billy. Probably because the kids kept trying to visit both of them at once and the nurses were tired of them running through the halls. But a guy in a coma wasn’t exactly a great conversation and all Eddie could do was stare and watch and wait and pray to a god he didn’t believe in. 

Wayne came early in the mornings just after his shift and often late at night just before he left for the factory.

Steve would slip in moments after Wayne had gone. 

“You don’t have to do that, you know.”

“Do what?” Steve sat down at Eddie’s feet on the end of the bed. Today, Steve had a shopping bag with him full of something. 

“Avoid my uncle.”

Steve looked back at the door. “I’m not. I just don’t want to interrupt.”

“You’re not interrupting much.” That was true. Wayne cared. He really did (far more than Eddie’s parents ever did), but showing affection openly wasn’t Wayne’s forte. Coming here daily was like saying ‘I love you’ for the man. “What’s in the bag, Stevie?”

Eddie was not expecting Steve Harrington to go all bashful on him. Steve rubbed at the back of his neck and placed the bag in Eddie’s lap. A bunch of things moved around inside it. “It’s nothing. I just know how bored you are and how much you love music so–”

Eddie ripped open the bag and a shit ton of cassettes fell into his lap along with a secondhand walkman and a pile of batteries. He spotted all of the classics and some obscure shit and holy shit was that the new Megadeth album? “Holy shit, Stevie–”

“I just asked the guy at the record store to give me metal stuff. I dunno. Is it good? Is it okay?”

“Yes.” Eddie went to open the cassette but stopped himself. “Stevie, this is… This is so much. You didn’t have to spend this much on me. I’ve already got a lot of these at home.”

“Oh, this isn’t a gift,” Steve grinned like he’d expected this. The bastard had a plan, damn him. Steve pulled out two sets of headphones and a splitter. “It's a loan, actually. You have to make me like all the screaming and the yelling and the horrible screeching. If you succeed, I get all this back. If you fail, well, I guess you just have to keep trying.”

This smooth motherfucker.

Did Steve even know what he did to him? Eddie highly doubted it. He had struggled with liking straight boys for so long, but he thought high school had cured him of that. Straight boys were nothing but a way to get your face beat in. “This seems like a challenge only for me? What’s in it for you?”

Steve fished out a stack of cassettes from his jacket. Eddie scowled at the sight of Madonna’s face. “If I have to listen to your music, you’ve got to listen to mine.”

“Nooo!” Eddie covered his face with his hands. “I thought you were trying to make me feel better, not worse.”

“It’s not that bad. Come on.” Steve slipped the Madonna cassette into the walkman and hit play. Eddie groaned as the first beats of Material Girl filled the room. 

“My ears are bleeding, Stevie.” Eddie reached out to try to snatch the walkman away with his good hand, but Steve was faster, leaping out of the bed. He danced around the room with some seriously bad moves, using the walkman as a microphone to lip sync into. 

Some boys kiss me, some boys hug me

I think they're okay

If they don't give me proper credit, I just walk away

They can beg and they can plead

But they can't see the light (That's right)

'Cause the boy with the cold hard cash is always Mister Right

Eddie couldn’t stop staring at Steve as he danced, swinging his hips, not a care in the world. Half of Steve’s face was still covered in bruises, his stitched-up cut still red and puckered. They hadn’t talked about that night. It was all too fresh still. But Steve was alive today and so was he. 

Steve stopped, catching himself in Eddie’s fond gaze. He would kill to keep that smile on Steve’s face, to make sure Steve could dance as much as he wanted to and sing at the top of his lungs. Eddie could almost see that future. He could almost smell the pancakes in the air, almost feel himself walking into the kitchen, hear Madonna blasting from the speakers, see himself watching Steve from across the room as he danced in their shared kitchen, cooking for the both of them. 

It was a dangerous fantasy.

Some boys romance, some boys slow dance

That's alright with me

If they can't raise my interest, then I have to let them be

Some boys try and some boys lie

But I don't let them play (No way)

Only boys that save their pennies make my rainy day

Steve clicked off the walkman, breaking whatever hung in the air between them. “It’s just good.”

Eddie rolled his eyes gently and reached out for the walkman. “Please, let me show you real music. Come on, princess.”

Steve handed him the walkman and Eddie’s fingers brushed across his skin. A burning, curling heat raced down his arm and Steve pulled away, quickly. Quick enough that Eddie lost his grip on the walkman and fell from his hand, slipped off the bed, and landed hard on the floor. “Shit!”

Steve hurried around the bed and grabbed it off of the floor. He blew on it and brushed it off and pressed play. Madonna came on again, just for a brief second, before Steve hit stop again. “All good. Still works.”

“‘M not used to having one hand.” It was a weak excuse. His dominant hand was perfectly fine. 

Steve sat down beside him and put the walkman on his lap. “Here. What’s first?”

Happy for the distraction, Eddie sorted through the cassettes until he found Led Zeppelin's fourth album. Perfect. He popped it into the player and moved to the edge of the bed so Steve could sit beside him. “This is an oldie, but a goodie. One of the best albums ever produced. Picture it. It’s 1970. You’re lounging about with your mates in an English garden and this is what you make.”

Eddie pressed play as Steve settled in beside him. Black Dog reverberated through him. Made him want to get up and move and dance and not be stuck in a fucking hospital bed. That was not an option, not now, but it was eased by the fact that he could sit back and watch Steve’s face as he heard the Zep for the first time. Steve’s grin widened with each song as he started to bob his head along. 

Steve was right there. Eddie could smell the musky scent of his cologne. He could count the moles and freckles on his face. He had to resist the urge to run his hand through Harrington’s soft curls during Stairway to Heaven.

The tape stopped and Steve flipped it to Side B. “I like it.”

“Oh, honey, this is the easy stuff.” Eddie hit play again, failing to ignore the color rising in Steve’s cheeks again. Steve did not make this easy. It was the opposite of easy. It was really fucking hard to not fuck this up. Eddie didn’t have many friends besides Hellfire. He certainly didn’t have another friend like Steve.

They got through the fourth album and Eddie started looking for the next thing to listen to. He was stuck between Ride the Lightning, Number of the Beast, and W.A.S.P. 's self-titled.

“Do you think he’s going to wake up?” Steve gazed over at Billy. 

Billy hadn’t so much as twitched in over a week. Nurses came by to check on him a few times a day. One had even come in to shave the stubble beard growing on his jaw and wash his hair. Billy would have hated that. 

“I don’t know. I hope so.”

“Me, too.” Steve frowned. “Is that completely fucked? He tried to beat my face in.”

Eddie considered it for a moment, remembering how Billy had looked at Steve during Starcourt. “Under normal circumstances, I would say yes. But finding out about all this shit…”

“Changes things.” Steve touched his bruised cheek. “You can say that again.”

“Ignorance is bliss as they say.” Eddie chuckled to himself. 

“I’m sorry you got pulled into all of this. I… I shouldn’t have called you. If I hadn’t–”

“Don’t.” Eddie cut Steve off. “Don’t blame yourself. I was already… Involved before you.”

“With Billy.” Steve gave him a look that Eddie couldn’t fully comprehend.

“Hey, when a guy shows up in the middle of the night out of his mind talking about weird dogs in a freezer and you find out he isn’t crazy you tend to get a bit involved.” Eddie joked, trying to brush it off. “So don’t worry about it, big boy. Let me soothe your soul with the sweet sweet sounds of Metallica.”

By the time they had finished listening to Ride the Lightning , the nurses had come around twice to kick Steve out. Steve said goodbye with a small wave and no promise to be back tomorrow. But he would be. 

Rather than overanalyze the massive fucking crush he was developing, Eddie put the new Megadeth album in and pressed play.

He got through the album once before the phone rang with a message from his uncle. He’d gotten called in early to the factory and wouldn’t make it before then. Eddie started the album over again and pulled out the notepad and pen he’d stolen off a nurse. He’d filled a few pages with crude drawings of dragons and weird shit and ideas for his campaign. But his hand stilled tonight. 

Across the room, a machine pumped air in and out of Billy’s lungs. The steady beep of his heart monitor had become nothing more than background noise to Eddie. This thing he had with Billy… It wasn’t like they were dating or anything. Eddie didn’t know what they were. Didn’t know if Billy would ever wake up again. Didn’t know if what he felt for Steve was a betrayal.

“Please wake up.” 

Eddie set pen to paper and began to write.

Chapter Text

The day of Hopper’s funeral, Steve pulled his old suit out of the back of his closet. It was a bit short now in the ankles and the cuffs didn’t quite sit right on his wrists. It fit tight across his back and he had to suck in to get it to button correctly. If his mother knew he was going out in public like this, she’d throw a fit. 

His parents hadn’t even called to ask if he was okay. He wondered if they had even heard about the Starcourt explosion; A gas leak sparked by a firework ember was the official cover story. He’d been forced to sign yet another NDA with the government. The suits had assured him they had it handled, but once is a mistake, twice is a coincidence, and three times is a fucking pattern. 

Steve sighed and smoothed out the slightly wrinkled jacket. He turned at a soft knock on his door. “Yeah?”

Nancy slipped inside, leaving the door partly open. She wore a tea length black dress and kitten heels, a lacy black hat pinned in her hair. “We’re leaving soon. Are you almost ready?”

“Yeah, just…” Steve fiddled with the ends of his tie. He should know how to tie a tie by now. His father would have had that disappointed look on his face, but Hopper wouldn’t have given a shit. 

“Here.” Nancy took the tie from him. 

For just a moment, Steve felt himself slip backward in time, back to when he would kiss Nancy and take her hand and walk her out to the car. It felt distant now, a glimpse of a life he might have lived if the Upside Down had never existed. “You were right.”

Nancy frowned as she pushed the tie knot to his neck and adjusted it to look decent. “About what?”

“To call us bullshit.”

“Steve–”

“No.” Steve stopped her. “It was. It-We… The world isn’t what I thought it was. And things aren’t… Maybe we would have worked, but…”

“We both deserve better.” Nancy finished with a small smile. “More.”

Steve nodded.

Nancy reached up on her toes to kiss his cheek. “Thank you, Steve.”

He watched her leave, brushing by Robin in the hallway. Robin watched her then leaned against the doorway with crossed arms and a raised brow. In her black power suit over a band tee, it was a little intimidating. 

“What?”

“Nothing.” Robin grinned. “Dingus.”

“How much of that did you hear?” 

“Enough,” Robin teased, holding out her arm. “Come on.”

It wasn’t raining, but the sky was overcast, heavy and gray with clouds. He wasn’t sure what to expect, but he knew Hopper would have hated the police escorted progression from the funeral home to the cemetery. There was nothing to bury but an empty casket which he held opposite of Jonathan and carried to the open grave. He stood by Robin, holding her with one arm and a crying Dustin with the other. 

The hardest part was looking at the kids. Joyce kept one arm around Will and the other around El, who had said nothing all day. El never took her eyes off the casket as if she was willing it to disappear.

Max stood beside her, brows knitted. 

A priest read a bunch of text, droning on about the Kingdom of Heaven that Hopper definitely would not end up in and did not give two shits about. Steve wanted a drink. 

They lowered the empty casket into the earth and the gathered group began to disperse. It was mostly made up of the party, people from the Police Department, and random people from around town that were more curious about the sudden death of the Chief of Police.

Steve stepped away, watching everyone from beneath an old oak tree. Jonathan spotted him and, shoving his hands in his suit pockets, started towards Steve. 

“Hey.”

“Hey.” Jonathan leaned against the trunk and pulled a small flask from his breast pocket. Steve took it gratefully. “You headed to the hospital after this?”

“Yeah.”

“How is he? Eddie?” Jonathan kicked at the ground. 

“Bored. Annoying the shit out of the nurses.” Steve shrugged down the burning whiskey. “How’s El?”

She’d been staying with the Byers.

“Taking it hard.” Jonathan took a sip without a grimace. Steve guessed he’d had a few already. “My mom’s thinking about selling the house. She hasn’t told them yet.”

“Moving?” Steve was surprised, but he couldn’t say he didn’t understand. So much had happened in Hawkins. Every corner held a bad memory these days. “Where?”

Jonathan shrugged. “I found her application for a job in California.”

“What about El?”

“Mom’s taking custody. Bauman can supposedly get her identity documents.” Jonathan took another sip, fiddling with the cap. “I haven’t told Nancy yet.”

Steve frowned and reached for the flask. “Why not?”

“What would it change? We’re already…” Jonathan picked at the tree bark. “She would have left me when she went to college anyway. Or gotten back with you.”

Steve choked down his sip. “What? No. That’s… No. I mean she’s… No. We’re… That’s long over. It’s…”

“Yeah?” Jonathan glanced up at him through thick lashes. “You on someone new, Harrington?” 

Eddie. 

“Nah.” Steve said way too casually. The King Steve persona slid back on way too easily. “Keeping the playing field open, you know.”

“Sure.” Jonathan tucked the flask back in his pocket and clapped Steve’s shoulder. “See you around, Harrington.”

He wondered if Jonathan believed him. 

Or if he knew that Eddie was all Steve could think about these days. Eddie and his laugh. Eddie and his stupidly fluffy hair. Eddie and his ability to make Steve like metal. Eddie and the way he looked at Steve. That look that gave him way too much hope that there might be something there. That maybe Eddie was the way he was.

Queer. 

It shouldn’t be that hard to say. 

It shouldn’t make his throat close up everytime he thought about it. 

He had always known there was something different about him. Something that made everything feel like an act. He’d pushed it down for so long until Robin came along and they’d been tortured by Russians and she’d told him her confession on that disgusting bathroom floor. 

Everything had changed.

He couldn’t lie anymore and yet–

He loved Robin so much for exactly who she was. He did. 

But he couldn’t say the same for himself. 

He wasn’t supposed to be this way. He was supposed to settle down with a wife in a white picket house and pop out 2.5 kids and work a shitty 9-5 for forty years before retiring in Florida. 

He used to want that. 

He still wanted that. Well. The family part. A full house. People to take care of. Six kids and a Winnebago. 

Only, now… It was Eddie in the passenger seat, not Nancy. It was Led Zeppelin coming out of the speakers, not Eric Clapton.

“Ready?” Robin appeared in front of him. “Whatcha thinking about?”

They hadn’t had much time to talk about what happened between them in Starcourt despite the fact that every moment he wasn’t with Eddie, he was with Robin. She’d forgotten so many pieces of clothing at his house already that he wondered if she had any left in her room. She’d claimed a side of his bed and stole all the covers every night and bulldozed her way into his life with no intention to ever leave and Steve happily let it happen. He’d never known anyone like Robin. Never had a friend who cared as much as she did, as deeply as she did. Maybe it was because she was a girl. He’d never been just friends with a girl before. Though it sounded incredibly narcissistic to say, all the girls he knew always seemed to want something from him. 

Nah. 

Not him. 

They wanted King Steve. 

Steve shrugged. “Nothing. Want to stop by the dinner and bring Eddie a burger?”

Robin lit up. “Fuck yes. Chocolate Banana milkshake here I fucking come.”

He didn’t have to be that with her. In fact, Robin hated King Steve adamantly. It was weird to have a friend he could just be around. He didn’t have to prove himself with Robin or watch his words or try to be anything other than himself. 

He trailed after her, grinning as she skipped towards the Beamer. 

Getting the locksmith to get him a new set of keys had been rough. 

Steve didn’t want to talk about it. 

They grabbed take-out burgers at the diner and drove to the hospital with the delicious smell wafting around them. Steve had to keep slapping Robin’s hand every time she tried to sneak a fry. It was enough to distract him from the fizzing nerves in his stomach that he got every time he went to see Eddie. 

Steve put the car in park. 

“Are you okay?” Robin glanced over at him. “I mean I know it's Hopper’s funeral and we all just went through hell, but I mean you’ve been really in your head lately and I’m just, well, anxious, I think. I should probably get some meds but my parents think pharmaceuticals are poisoning our bodies to make us sicker so we’ll give them more money and I have to say they probably aren’t wrong–”

“I think I’m falling for Eddie?”

Robin cut herself off. He watched her process what he had just said. Watched her war against a wild grin forming on her features. “I’m trying really hard to be cool about this.”

“You have thirty seconds.”

Nothing could have prepared his eardrums for the overly excited squeal that came out of Robin Buckley’s mouth. He didn’t even know that she could make that sound. 

“Steven Henrietta Harrington–”

“Not my name.”

“You dingus. You absolute cad. How long have you been holding this back?” Robin whacked his arm. 

“I– Not that long? Robin, I… I’m straight.” Steve swallowed. “I think? Right?”

Robin softened, covering her mouth. “Oh, shit. I’m sorry, Steve. I… No one has ever…”

“It’s okay,” Steve chuckled. “I just– I don’t know what’s happening and you’re the only person I know who might.”

Robin reached out and took his hand. “Okay. I promise. No more freaking out. Just… Tell me everything that’s happened.”

“He’s just… We slept together–”

“WHAT?”

“-- Not like that. In the same bed in Hopper’s cabin. And I haven’t been able to stop thinking about him since then. I think he’s flirting with me but it’s so hard to tell because that might just be how he is? I didn’t know what to do so I brought him a literal mountain of cassettes and my old walkman.” He couldn’t look at Robin’s face as he finally let everything out. “I want to kiss him so bad, Robbie.”

“But you still think you’re straight?”

“I mean.” Steve stared at the hospital. “Maybe? I don’t know anymore. I still like boobies.”

Robin gagged. “Please never say that word ever again.”

“What? Boobies?”

“Steve!” 

“Boobies!” Steve laughed as Robin went red all over. He took her annoyed punches with a grin. “Come on! It’s not a bad word.”

“It’s bad when you say it.” Robin rolled her eyes. “So you still like women–”

“Boobies,” Steve corrected, earning another slug to the arm. 

“But you also like Eddie?”

Steve nodded, chewing on his lip.

“Just Eddie?” Robin probed.

Steve sighed. “I mean… Billy is… Objectively hot.”

Robin blinked at him as if he had grown a second head. “Steve, the man tried to beat your face in.”

“I said objectively!” Steve said in his own defense. “ Objectively, you can’t deny that.”

Robin snorted, “I beg to differ.”

“I know its fucked up. But aren’t we all a little fucked up at this point?” Steve wasn’t exactly certain why he was defending Billy. The man had tried to save El and his sister, though, so that had to count for something, right? And in Hopper’s cabin, the things Billy had said… 

“So. You like women, Eddie, and Billy.” Robin took stock. “Have you considered that you’re Bi?”

“Bi?”

“You know. You like men and women?” Robin explained. “Bisexual.”

  Oh. 

Steve’s brain shorted out for a moment. 

Oh, shit.

Chapter Text

He didn’t think the sight of Steve Harrington in a suit could get any better until it came bearing a greasy, delicious bag of burgers and fries straight from his favorite diner after he’d been eating stale, flavorless hospital food. Eddie had eaten a lot of shitty meals to get by in his lifetime, but every man reaches a breaking point where the smell of a thick, hot burger will make him say stupid shit.

Such as:

“God, I love you.”

Steve stopped dead in his tracks and Robin immediately slammed into him, nearly spilling the milkshakes she carried. “Steve! What the fuck?”

Steve coughed, trying to hide how quickly his face turned beet red. “Sorry. Erm. We stopped at the diner.”

“Yeah, I can see. And if it's not in my stomach in five seconds, I’ll burn this whole place down.” Eddie reached for the bag, trying his damndest to pretend like he hadn’t made the fuckup of a century that would haunt him for the rest of his days.

“He wouldn’t let me eat any of the fries on the way here.” Robin plopped down sourly on the bed and took a long sip from one of the milkshakes. She winced. “Ow. Brain Freeze.”

Steve rebooted enough to move from the doorway and set the bag down on the bedside table. He pulled out the food and frowned. “No utensils. I’ll run to the cafeteria.”

He was out the door before either of them could say anything like ‘Why the hell do we need utensils for a burger and fries?’ 

Robin grabbed one of his pillows and whacked him with it. “What the hell, Munson?”

“What? What! Why are you abusing an invalid? Robin!” Eddie held up his good arm to try and protect himself. 

“You know why, Mr. I-know-who-Sylvia-Plath-is. Mr. Handkerchief-in-my-back-pocket.” Robin hit him again. “I bet you secretly love Elton John.”

Ouch. 

Wait, what?

“Oh, come off it, Munson. We both knew the second we locked eyes. You’re hitting on Steve.” 

“What? I- I-” Eddie gaped at her. She raised the pillow, threatening to hit him again. “Okay, fine, Jesus, just put the pillow down, Buckley. You… You aren’t wrong, okay? But I’m trying not to.”

Eddie shut his eyes, waiting for the blow to come, but it never did. 

“Why not?”

Wh-Why not?

Eddie waited for his brain to reboot. “Be… Cause he’s very obviously straight?”

Robin’s eyes widened. 

“Robin!” Eddie hissed. Did she know something he didn’t?

“Oh shit.” Robin gasped. “I thought– I said nothing. I did nothing. Okay?”

Now he was truly freaking out. “What the hell are you saying?”

Robin locked her lips tight. 

“Good news! They had some at the nurse’s station.” Steve stepped back in the room with cutlery in hand and Eddie nearly flung his burger away. Steve frowned at the two of them. “Did something happen?”

“Nope.” Eddie eked out. 

“All good here.” Robin sucked down more milkshake and winced again. 

“How was the funeral?” Eddie grimaced. How was the funeral?! Just kill him now. He glanced over at Robin who was adamantly avoiding eye contact.

Steve shrugged. “About as good as it could have been, I guess? I don’t know. I’ve never been to one that I remember.”

“My grandma died when I was seven.” Robin dipped a fry in her milkshake. “I didn’t really know her though so it was just really boring. She smelled like potpourri. What about you, Eddie?”

“Just my mom’s.” Eddie picked at his fries. “It sucked. No one came but me and Wayne. But she was an addict and so were all her so-called ‘friends’. Guess they had better things to do that day.”

He didn’t like talking about her. 

“That’s fucked.” 

Eddie shrugged. “It's in the past. No use in dredging it all up. There’s much better things to do.” Eddie tore open a packet of mayo with his teeth and squeezed it all over his burger, much to the chagrin of his companions. “Don’t knock it until you try it.”

“Mmm-mmm. Nope. Absolutely not, you heathen,” Steve laughed with bright eyes. 

“It’s Satanic Devil Fucker, actually. Get it right, princess,” Eddie teased. He took a massive bite out of the burger and groaned at the taste, playing it up for his audience. “Fuck me, this is amazing.”

He caught Robin’s look and chose to ignore it. It was fine. The way Steve looked at him was totally fine. Completely platonic. There was no fucking way it could be anything else. Right?

Robin went back to her burger with a smirk. 

Right?

They spent the afternoon playing card games, interrupted only by nurses coming in to check on him. As the gray clouds cleared up and the slowly setting sun came out, Robin, who had been kicking their asses consistently, stretched and yawned. “As much as I’d love to stay, I need a nap before I am forced to endure another Buckley family movie night.”

“I can give you a ride,” Steve started to stand but Robin waved him off. 

“I can walk. It's not far. Later, dinguses.” Robin saluted to both of them and winked at Eddie when Steve couldn’t see her. 

If he didn’t know any better, he would think she was telling him to go for it.

Was she telling him to go for it?

“Do you want to watch a movie?” Eddie nodded to the TV in the corner of the room. “They fixed it. Finally.”

“Uh…” Steve tapped the deck of cards against the table and set it down. “Yeah, sure. Is your Uncle coming by soon?”

“Nah. I told him to just stop by in the mornings. He wasn’t sleeping enough.” Eddie fished the remote off of the bedside table and shuffled over to make room for Steve. He flipped on the T.V. “Come on, Stevie.”

Steve settled in beside him. They’d been here before, but not quite like this. It was hard to get comfortable on the narrow bed and every time Steve moved, Eddie felt a pang through the wound on his side. “Can you… Switch sides?”

“Oh, yeah, sure.” Steve sat up again and instead of walking around the bed, chose to crawl over Eddie as he shuffled to the opposite side. But now his good arm was pinned up against Steve as he flipped through the channels and stopped on the first movie he found, a rerun of Saturday Night Fever. Which was not a great choice because John Travolta was right there and Steve was right there and changing the channel would have been too obvious right?

Eddie was losing his goddamn mind. 

His whole body ached from the weird position he was laying in and there was nowhere to shift but closer to Steve and now he was wiggling too much trying to get into a better position. 

“You okay?”

“It’s a bit– I just need to–” Eddie’s body moved before his mind could catch up and he watched himself put an arm behind Steve. “Is this okay?”

“Uh…” Steve looked at him with wide eyes. “Yeah.”

As if this didn’t leave Steve with only the option to rest his head on Eddie’s chest.

But this was fine. 

Friends cuddled all the time. 

Eddie prayed Steve couldn’t hear how quickly his heart was beating. 

The movie played on, but Eddie couldn’t pay attention to any of it. He was still trying to figure out where to put his hand. Until Steve… Moved closer?

Eddie let his hand fall gently over Steve’s arm and the boy let out a soft sigh. 

This was fine. 

Good even.

Steve wasn’t running away from him. Quite the opposite, actually. 

A soft snore revealed why. 

Cautiously, Eddie moved his hand to Steve’s hair. He ran his fingers through the soft curls there like he wanted to forever. In his sleep, Steve melted at Eddie’s touch, drifting deeper and deeper. Not even the sound of the night nurse woke him. 

“Please, can he stay?” Eddie softly begged her. “Our friend’s funeral was today.”

The guilt trip worked.

Eddie turned the TV volume down low, letting late night T.V. run after Saturday Night Fever finished. 

This had to mean something right? 

It felt like it had to mean something. 

When Eddie woke in the morning, Steve was already gone.

Chapter Text

Steve woke up with a kink in his neck and Eddie’s chest beneath his fingertips and promptly froze. 

He’d fallen asleep. 

He’d fallen asleep with his leg over Eddie’s leg, with his arm draped over Eddie’s torso. 

For a second time.

Holding his breath, Steve peeled himself away from Eddie, wincing at the kink in his neck and the ache in his muscles from sleeping in the same position all night. It was early. The first rays of sunlight barely gave him enough light to grab his shoes and sneak out the door. 

A nurse eyed him before pointedly looking in the other direction. 

Steve grimaced but quickly carried on his walk of shame all the way out to the parking lot. He turned on his Beamer and winced as the radio blared. 

How the hell was he supposed to act normal about this?

Was there a way to act normal about this?

With girls it had been so easy. He knew exactly what he was supposed to do to win them over. But with Eddie… Steve had never felt so completely out of control. And he had done battle with a fucking demogorgon. 

Honestly, he would take demo-anything over whatever the hell this was. 

Did Eddie like him?

The man called him sweetheart and princess and Stevie , for fuck’s sake. But it was also Eddie and Eddie said weird shit all the time. Sometimes Steve swore Eddie said those things just to try to get a rise out of him. There was no way Eddie could like him like… That. Right?

Steve gathered himself enough to put the car in drive, dreaming of putting on the world’s biggest pot of coffee. Robin would most assuredly be over at some point in the day. She would know. Probably. Maybe? 

He drove through the quiet streets of Lock Nora just as the sun was fully coming up, passing Mrs. Johnson as she walked her two retrievers. He had always liked being up this early as the day was just beginning. It was the only time where he felt like no one could bother him about anything. Where he could just enjoy the day and not worry about–

Steve’s stomach dropped as he turned into the cul-de-sac. A shiny black Cadillac sat in the driveway. His parents were home.

He slowly pulled up beside his father’s car and killed the engine, taking a moment to breathe in steadily. They always had to choose the worst times. Steve stared at the wheel, steeling himself to face them. It was always a crapshoot. They could be in town for a day or just the weekend or an entire month. There was no telling until he went inside. 

He’d have to figure out a way to call Robin and tell her not to come over without his parents knowing. And the kids. They’d started showing up randomly whenever they wanted a ride somewhere. 

There was still a chance his parents wouldn’t be up yet, so Steve closed his car door quietly and snuck in the front door. It creaked as he closed it and that was enough. 

“Steven?” His mother called from the kitchen. Steve deflated. 

“Yes?” He trudged towards the kitchen to find his mother standing at the coffee bar, fixing eggs over the stove as if she had never left at all. She was already dressed for the day with her brown hair in perfect waves and her pearls on. Diane Harrington was nothing if not perfect one hundred percent of the time. She glanced over at him, missing the way Steve turned to hide the still fading bruises on his cheek.

“Steven, darling, where have you been? We came home last night. Not a single light on, not a sign of you. We were worried sick.”

Sure they were. Well, perhaps his mother was a little worried. At least, Steve liked to believe that sometimes she might be. “I was staying with a friend. I didn’t know you would be coming back today.”

From the breakfast nook, his father snorted. Steve jumped, having not realized the man was right there. “To think I pay for this damn house when you’re not even around.”

Richard Harrington was not one of those fathers who played catch with their sons in the front yard. He wore his salt and pepper hair cropped close to his head. You’d never catch him out of a suit. The most Steve had ever seen his father relax was with his tie loosened and a glass of bourbon in his hand. “I’m here, sir. Just one of my friends got hurt at Starcourt. In the explosion. I don’t know if you heard–”

“Of course we heard. Why do you think we’re here, darling?” His mother plated his father’s eggs and turned off the stove with a manicured hand before turning fully to Steve. “Oh, your face.” She took his face in her hands, inspecting the damage. “I don’t think it will leave a mark. Do you think, Rich?”

His father only hummed, not deeming an actual reply necessary. “My eggs, Dot.”

“Coming. Just waiting for the coffee, dear.” His mother released his face and returned to the eggs to carefully salt and pepper them. The coffee maker beeped and she poured him a steaming mug before taking it all to him. The morning edition of The Times was already in his hand. He snapped it shut, turning his full attention to Steve. 

“So, what’s this job your mother keeps telling me about?” His father stabbed at the eggs as if they had personally offended him. 

Shit. 

Fuck. 

“Um…”

“Don’t stutter, Steven,” His mother reminded him. “It’s not polite.”

“It was at Scoops Ahoy? In Starcourt, sir.”

His father leveled him with steely gray eyes. “So, you don’t have a job now.”

“Not since it got blown up, no.” Steve cringed at the level of sass which came out of him. It had always been his downfall. He tried to save it with a weak, “Sir.”

His father paused, fork full of eggs half-way to his lips. He continued slowly, swallowing the yellow morsels down and cleaning his lips with a napkin. “If you want to continue to waste your life, that’s fine by me, Steven. It just won’t be in this household. Do you know how hard your mother and I worked for this? Do you understand that we have tried to give you everything? And now you squander it. Can’t get into a single fucking college.” His father tossed the napkin down on the table, eggs abandoned. “Can’t keep a single fucking job.”

Steve couldn’t move, could only stare at the edge of the table where the shellac was chipped.

“No recruiters wanted you after that shit show of a performance when you were so high and mighty about your athletics. Your mother was always too soft on you. And now I hear that you can’t even keep a fucking job? You don’t even stay in the house that I pay for. To keep a roof over your head out of the goodness of my heart ? ” His father was always a level headed man. Calm. Calculating. Only Steve was ever able to get him to raise his voice. It was always his fault when things didn’t go according to plan. 

“I’m sorry, sir.” 

“If you want to keep living here, I’m going to need you to show some initiative, son.” There was no arguing with Richard Harrington. “It’s time you learn what the real world is like. If you want to keep living here, you gotta pay. You want the car? You gotta pay.”

Steve’s mind swam. He was already paying for all his own groceries and the gas in his car. What more did they want from him?

“Four hundred a month in rent.”

Steve stared at his father. “Four hundred?”

His parents didn’t even need that kind of money. He barely had $600 saved up from Scoops. 

“If you don’t like it, you can move out.” His father snapped the Times back into place, leaving no room for argument. Steve reeled. Scoops had barely paid him $600 a month and they had been one of the best paying jobs in town that would even consider hiring him. 

“Yes, sir.” Steve said quietly. His mother avoided his eye contact as he turned around and walked from the kitchen. He trudged up the stairs and sat down hard on his bed. 

He could make it work. 

Steve grabbed the phone off his desk and dialed Robin’s house. It rang for a long while before someone picked up. “Buckley residence. This is Marion speaking.”

“Oh.” He had never actually met Robin’s mother before. He glanced at his clock and cringed at the time. “Hi. Um. This is Steve. I’m one of Robin’s friends. I’m sorry for calling so early. Is she up?”

“Oh, Steve! I didn’t know Robin had a friend named Steve .” There was a bit of shuffling on the other end of the line in what Steve was sure was Marion Buckley’s attempt to cover the receiver before whisper-yelling. “Lionel. There’s a boy on the phone for Robin.”

“Mom!” Came Robin’s distant shout of disdain. 

There was some more shuffling. Some more whisper yelling, then quiet before, “Steve? Is everything okay? Sorry about my parents. They can be a bit…” She sighed. “You know.”

“Yeah, yeah, um, everything’s fine. I–” He couldn’t think straight. “My parents are home. And I know you were planning on coming over, but…”

“Not a good idea?” Robin asked quietly. He hadn’t told her much about his parents. Only that his father was a grade-A asshole and his mother was a housewife with no backbone and an anxiety disorder.

“Not really.” Steve sighed. “I’ll call you when they leave, okay? They usually don’t stay for more than a week these days. And can you call the kids and let them know, too? My dad would be pissed if they just showed up randomly.”

“Yeah, of course,” He could practically hear Robin nervously chewing on her lip on the other end of the line. “Are you sure you’re okay, Steve?”

“Oh yeah, nothing I can’t handle.” Steve put on his best, brightest, most assuring voice. “I’ll see you later, yeah?”

“Okay, yeah. Bye, dingus.”

Steve grinned into the phone. “Bye, Robs.” 

He held onto the phone even after the line went dead and for the first time in a long time, Steve could do nothing but cry.

Chapter Text

At night, Eddie read to Billy. 

There were only so many reruns of Magnum P.I. a guy could watch before going a little stir-crazy, after all.

One of the nurses had told him that people in comas could sometimes hear when people were talking to them. Part of Eddie hoped Billy couldn’t. Not with all the conversations he and Steve had in that room. 

Eddie couldn’t help but feel guilty. There had been something there between him and Billy. He could feel the pull even now. Even with Steve occupying most of his thoughts all the time.

Eddie turned the page of his copy of The Hobbit. Wayne had brought it with a few other of Eddie’s favorite books to keep him entertained along with his campaign notebook to write in. They were saying he had another week or so in the hospital. Apparently, the puncture wounds in his arm and abdomen were at serious risk of infection as they healed. And skin grafts had a habit of sloughing off in the middle of the night. So, with all that and physical therapy in the mix, it was best for him to recover more there. 

His uncle was fine with it, supported it even since it was all being taken care of by Uncle Sam. They had fed Wayne the same story about the explosion at Starcourt with the added implication that it was somehow the government’s fault and also not the government’s fault and would you take this money and never speak about this to anyone ever again? 

Eddie was glad Steve had explained the NDAs and all the bullshit the government had made him sign before. He didn’t like keeping shit from Wayne, but it was too dangerous to tell him in the hospital anyway where anyone could be listening in. 

With a sigh, Eddie realized he’d been staring at the same page for at least ten minutes in silence. He snapped the book shut. 

God he was fucked. 

His hand and abdomen throbbed in time with the headaches that plagued him now. He had so many stitches he couldn’t even count them. There were horrors beyond what he thought possible out in the world. 

And now he’d successfully scared off Steve Harrington. He hadn’t been around for days now. 

Eddie watched the machine pump air in and out of Billy’s lungs. They said he was getting stronger and making more progress than they thought he would. They had told Susan they were thinking of taking him off air soon to see if he could breath on his own. If he could, it would only be a matter of time before they reversed the drugs that put Billy in a coma in the first place. 

From then on, it would be a waiting game to see if Billy could wake up on his own. 

“And if he doesn’t?” Susan had whispered. 

The doctors could only shrug and offer useless platitudes that came down to “It could be a day, hours, months, years, or Billy might never wake up. He’s suffered a lot of damage, Mrs. Hargrove. It’s a miracle he even got this far if I am being honest with you.”

Eddie usually pretended to be asleep wherever Susan was in the room alone. She thought Eddie had saved her stepson because that’s what the kids had told her. Eddie didn’t think he could handle her trying to thank him. 

The truth of the matter was that he could have done more. He should have done more. He should have thrown Billy and the rest of them in the back of his van and taken off. To hell with the rest of Hawkins. It's not like they cared if Eddie Munson lived or died.

Why the fuck did he have to care about them?

Because everyone deserves safety , the back of his mind whispered traitorously. Why the hell did he have to choose to play the hero?

For the same reasons Billy did. 

Eddie rubbed at his temples. “Yeah? And what might that be.”

Love. 

Gross. 

Eddie scowled at nothing. At everything. At the tube shoved down Billy’s throat. At the mess of cables and tubes sticking out from under the blankets. At the way his heart ached for the boy who opened up to him in the dead of night at a closed down grocery mart. 

Eddie set The Hobbit on Billy’s beside table and wheeled himself back to his bed on the other side of the room. He pushed himself out of the wheelchair and haphazardly rolled himself into the bed. His side burned with the effort. It was a pain that lessened with each passing day, but still he ached from the daily physical therapy. His mind swam with the cocktail of drugs they kept him on for the pain and the infection and the sleep and the panic attacks he had in his sleep every night. 

He dreamt of them both. Steve and Billy. Often together. Sometimes apart. Always near death’s door, just out of reach. Just beyond his grasp. Eddie was never strong enough to save them in his nightmares. He was never quick enough to stop the Mindflayer from ripping through Billy or the faceless Russian men from torturing Steve until he laid still and blank on the floor at Eddie’s feet. 

If he had just ignored Billy, then maybe none of this would have happened. 

Eddie didn’t really believe in fate– not in real life at least. 

No, fate was the stuff of fairytales. Real life was a series of cause and effect. He answered Billy’s siren call. He helped Billy break into the Byers'. He kissed Billy. He got Steve involved. 

Eddie always found himself the easiest to blame. His arm and his side were his penance for all he had failed to do.  

He grabbed the T.V. remote and flicked through the channels, settling once more on Magnum P.I.

Chapter Text

“Steve!”

He grinned as Robin raced down the front steps of her house toward his car with flailing limbs. After three torturous days with his parents, unable to get away, it was a relief to see her. She leapt into his car and pulled him into a bone crushing hug. “Ow.”

“Sorry!” Robin released him. “I was just so worried about you. I missed you.”

“It’s just been three days,” Steve chuckled. “I missed you, too.”

“Look what I made.” Robin pulled away from him to reach in her bag and pull out two neatly printed papers. She handed one to Steve to read over. His name was at the top along with his phone number and below that, a list of jobs. Lifeguard. Scoops Ahoy. Team Captain… Summer Camp Counselor. 

“I never worked at a summer camp?”

“Really?” Robin frowned at him. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah? Pretty sure.”

“Well, the one I picked closed down last summer I think, so even if they wanted to check it, they couldn't.” Robin leaned over to look over his paper with him and pointed at the bottom of the page. “I think I hit your talents spot on.”

“Excellent communicator. Skilled with negotiations. Can lift fifty pounds or more. Works well under pressure. Formidable salesman. Robin, I slung ice cream for twelve year olds. I didn’t run a firm.” 

“Well, if you don’t want it,” Robin tried to snatch the paper back but he was faster. 

“I want it.”

She sat back in her seat with a satisfied grin. “That’s what I thought.”

Steve chewed on his thumb as he read it over again. Besides the camp counselor spot… It wasn’t exactly far from the truth. And people lied on their resumes all the time, right? He sighed. “Sorry. I just really need a job. My dad is charging me rent now.”

“What the fuck?” Robin scowled. “Why?”

“Because I’m a worthless moocher who can’t get into college and can’t keep a job.” Steve said, repeating the words he’d heard over and over again the last few days. He set the resume down, finding Robin staring at him. 

“That’s not true, you know that right? Your dad is a fucking asshole.” 

He’d never seen a pissed off Robin before. It was kinda terrifying. He shrugged. “I mean he’s not wrong. I didn’t get into college. All my classmates are getting ready to leave in just a few weeks. I did lose my job.”

“You didn’t lose your job, Steve! It literally got blown up by Russians. I would know. I was there. That’s not your fault! And fuck everyone else. You don’t have to go to college to be successful.” Robin turned fully towards him in the passenger seat. Steve sighed. “But if you want to go to college, I will craft you the best entrance letter you’ve ever seen.” She flicked the piece of paper in his hand. “We can call this a gap year, if you want.”

If he was being perfectly honest, Steve had never really considered his future.  Part of him had always thought he could ride being Mr. Popular forever. He ran his hands over his face. “Maybe. I don’t know, Robs. What if I’m not good at anything? What if I never amount to anything? What if he’s right?”

“Nope. Nu-uh. I’m calling it right now, dingus. We’re going to have a great life. I don’t give a fuck what anyone else thinks. We’re going to get a job and figure all this out because if we can fight fucking Russians and win, we can get a fucking job at…” Robin checked a list she’d paperclipped to her resume. “Bradley’s Big Buy.”

Steve frowned. “Didn’t Nancy say they had to break in there?”

“Fuck.” Robin frowned and pulled out a pen. She crossed it out. “Mevald’s?”

“Worth a shot.” Steve put his car in gear and pulled out of the drive. 

***

He wasn’t avoiding Eddie.

Well, not exactly.

It was just hard to get away from the house while his parents were in town. Sure, he could sneak out. He had done it plenty of times over the years, but hospitals were much harder to sneak into. And if he left during the day, he would be hit with a barrage of questions about how job hunting was going. 

So when he woke up to an empty house a week after his parents had arrived, Steve breathed a sigh of relief. There was no note, no anything, just no car in the drive. Steve opened the cabinet to pull out a box of cereal and a heavy envelope fell onto the counter. Steve picked it up. His name was written on the front in his mother’s neat cursive. 

He opened it up, finding a stack of hundreds and a note inside. 

I’m sorry about your father. You know how he can be. 

Keep looking for a job, but here is something until then. 

I love you. 

Steve counted out eight hundred dollars and breathed a sigh of relief. It wouldn’t last forever, but it definitely wasn’t nothing. If things got desperate, Steve could always break into the safe in his father’s office, but that would have dire consequences. 

Steve ran the money back up stairs and hid it in a box beneath his bed alongside the rest of his cash. He should probably get a new bank account, one without his parent’s names attached to it. But everyone at the bank knew who he was and who his father was and undoubtedly something like that would get back to Richard Harrington.

So, no, he wasn’t exactly avoiding Eddie. 

He just couldn’t handle two crises at the same time. And maybe Eddie terrified him just as much as his father did. Even if it was two completely different kinds of terror. 

He was being stupid. 

He just needed to go. 

Steve abandoned his cereal to pull out a better breakfast of eggs, toast, and bacon. He had to go, wanted to go, but he didn’t have to show up empty handed. He made enough for the both of them and scooped it all into a travel tub. 

The entire way to the hospital, Steve couldn’t stop rehearsing the conversation with Eddie.

Hey, Eddie!

No, play it cool. 

Hey, man. Sorry. Life, you know?

Steve cringed. 

Hey. Sorry, I’ve been MIA. My asshole parents showed up and I was absolutely losing my mind over the fact that I might have a slight huge crush on you . Robin has been consoling me for days and trying to get me to cheer up through various means which have grown more desperate over time. I’m questioning her logic. Just like I’m questioning my sexuality. How have you been?

He pulled into the hospital parking lot, snagging a decent spot near the entrance. Food in hand, he made his way inside, waving to the now familiar nurse at the front desk. 

“Steve!” A blur of red slammed into him. “Steve! Billy’s awake!”

His grip weakened and he nearly lost the tub of food. “He is?”

“Yes!” Max hugged him tighter, overjoyed. “I knew he would. I fucking knew it–”

“Max, language.” Susan trailed after her daughter. “You’re going to crush poor Steven to death.”

“It’s okay.” Steve laughed. “Holy, shit, Red. That’s amazing.”

“I’ve gotta go tell everyone else.” Max raced off, headed out the door to the parking lot, leaving him with Susan. 

“He’s awake?” He asked tentatively.

Susan nodded. “He’s asleep now again. The nurses say he’ll probably be in and out for a few days. I have to run back to work, but Steve…”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you for being so good to Max and the rest of the kids. I… Without Neil I don’t have any time to keep an eye on her as much.” She pulled out a piece of paper with a phone number on it. “I can’t pay much but if you’re interested, I’m going to need some help getting her to school and back in the fall? I don’t know if Billy will be able to.”

Steve took the slip of paper from her. “I’m happy to. You don’t have to pay me.” Mrs. Hargrove started to protest. “Really. I already give the other little brats rides for free, so it’s no problem.”

Susan smiled gently. “Thank you, Steven. You’re a good kid.”

He didn’t know what to say to that, so he just nodded with a lump in his throat. Max poked her head back inside. “Mom! Hurry up!”

Susan left him with a polite nod and hurried after her spitfire daughter.

Steve headed up the stairs, taking a now familiar path through the hospital to Eddie and Billy’s room. He knocked softly on their door and opened it. Eddie sat at Billy’s bed, his hand in the other boy’s. 

Steve froze as Eddie ripped his hand away. “Steve.”

“Hi.” 

Eddie stood quickly. “Billy woke up.”

“I heard.” Steve swallowed. “I ran into Max.”

“He’s sleeping now, though.” Eddie breathed hard. “He was scared when he woke up. That’s why I was–”

“I brought food.” Steve held up the tub, desperately trying to find an out for the both of them. “Bacon, eggs, and toast.”

Eddie relaxed, putting on an easy grin. “A man after my own heart. How did you know I’m fucking starving? I’ve eaten some weird things in my life but hospital food is next level nasty.”

They moved to the otherside of the room back to Eddie’s bed to give Billy some peace and quiet. Steve sat at the edge of the bed and popped open the tub, handing Eddie a fork before realizing that he didn’t bring any plates. “I– Um. I can go get plates.”

“Scared of swapping a little spit, Harrington?” Eddie grinned as he stabbed his fork into the pile of food. “I can share.”

“Yeah, sure,” Steve cleared his throat, hoping his cheeks weren’t too red. “I— I’m sorry I haven’t been around. My parents were in town and Robin’s been dragging me around looking for new jobs.”

At his request, but that felt too embarrassing to admit.

“It’s okay. I get it.” Eddie’s polite smile didn’t quite reach his eyes, but it quickly broke into something far more easy going. “Now dig in, Stevie, or I’ll eat it all. This is fucking delicious.”

Steve grabbed his fork and took a bite. His eggs weren’t half bad and he’d done a decent job on the bacon. It wasn’t as crispy as he usually liked it, but he’d been in a little bit of a hurry to get here. 

“Any success?”

“Hmm?” Steve hummed around a mouthful of bacon. 

“With the job hunting.” Eddie shoved a forkful of egg into his mouth. 

How the fuck did Steve find this man attractive?

“No, not really.” He dipped a single fry in ketchup and ate it like a rabbit. “Summer’s almost over so the pool doesn’t want me. And Mevald’s already rehired all the people they had to fire thanks to Star Court. Speaking of, the second anyone hears the words Starcourt, they act like we’re the ones that started the fire. ”

“I mean, we kinda were.”

“Yeah, but they don’t know that.” Steve frowned.

“What people think and what the truth is can be two very different things. Take it from the local freak.” Eddie reached over to his bedside drawer and plucked a ketchup packet out of it. “I’ve been stealing these.”

Steve balked. “Why the hell do you need ketchup for eggs?”

“Munson family secret.” Eddie grinned as he tried to open the packet with only one good hand. “Don’t knock it until you try it.”

“Keep that shit on your half of the eggs,” Steve frowned as he watched Eddie struggle. “Here, let me–”

Eddie took the packet between his teeth and pulled. A spray of ketchup shot from the packet, hitting Eddie in the face and soaking the sheets in red. 

Silence filled the room. 

Until Eddie laughed. And kept laughing until that laughter turned to uncontrollable sobbing. “Fuck my fucking life. Can’t even open a goddamn packet of fucking ketchup for my fucking fries. Can barely take a piss by myself. Can’t even fucking dress myself.”

Steve had wondered when this was coming. 

As Eddie cried, he grabbed a warm wet cloth from the bathroom and some fresh linens from the bed. He pulled away the table of uneaten food and gently replaced the dirty bed sheets. He sat at Eddie’s side, facing him, and, with as much care as he could muster, wiped the ketchup from Eddie’s face and hair. When all the ketchup had been washed away, he threw the towel to the side with the dirty sheets. 

Glistening tears raced down Eddie’s fine cheeks. His dark brown eyes watched Steve tentatively. Steve brought his thumb to Eddie’s cheek and brushed away the tear. His hand shook. “When I first found out about the Upside Down, I couldn’t sleep for a week. At this point, I’ve had so many concussions I don’t know how I’m standing anymore. Everyone else… We take care of each other now. We have to. To survive.”

“Everything is so fucking fucked.” Eddie choked. “Fuck, Stevie. I can’t even… Billy… He was so…”

Was there something between Eddie and Billy? “It’s okay, Eddie.” Steve swallowed down his own crushing disappointment. “I get it.”

Eddie shook his head, looking down at his fucked up hand. “I don’t know if I should tell him. He’s going to blame himself.”

“We don’t know the extent yet. The doctors said you might regain full use still.” 

“Yeah, but doctors lie all the fucking time. I keep going to PT and…” Eddie scoffed. He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. I would have done it even if I knew what would happen. It’s not Billy’s fault. His life is worth more than my hand.”

Steve wished he could make it better. He wished he could make Eddie and Billy whole again. Without thinking, he brought Eddie’s hand to his lips. Eddie sucked in a breath. “Stevie.”

Fuck. 

Steve dropped Eddie’s hand. “I– Shit. I’m sorry. I just– I wanted to make it better– Kiss it, make it be–”

Eddie’s lips pressed against his. Steve had never understood the phrase ‘took my breath away’ but he got it now as Eddie pulled away from him, hesitantly. “Did I just completely fuck this up?”

“No.” Steve found his words. “I think… It’s better, actually.”

Chapter Text

August 7th, 1985

Billy woke in the morning to a wave of pain, pulsating and bone deep. 

“Billy?”

He couldn’t think through the pain. “Hurts.”

“Fuck.”

Billy heard a crash, some shuffling then Eddie appeared, ringed in light. 

“Just takes a second, I promise.”

Whatever Eddie must have done, worked as a warm, gentle relief hit his system. “Wha’s that?”

“Morphine drip. The good shit.” Eddie placed something in his hand. A cylindrical remote with a button on top. “Use it wisely.”

“Sit up.” Everything was heavy. His body, his tongue. Billy shoved down the humiliation of Eddie moving the bed and helping him to sit up straighter. It left him panting for air, weak and dizzy. 

“There ya go.” Eddie finished fluffing one of the pillows before sitting tenderly in the bedside chair. White gauze covered his hand and arm all the way up to his elbow. Billy couldn’t take his eyes off it, off of Eddie. He remembered what he saw and heard in the night.

He’d lost Eddie before he even got him.  

But that’s what being a chicken shit fag will get you. 

Eddie caught him. “I’m fine, Billy.”

He shouldn’t be alive. 

It was wrong of him to be here.

But Max was still alive. Eddie, Steve, the girl… They were all still here. “Is it dead?”

“It’s gone. El closed the gate.”

So, not dead. A deep dread curdled in his stomach. It would be back. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but one day. He had seen into that monster’s mind. He knew what it wanted. It wouldn’t stop trying until the girl was dead and all of Hawkins with her. 

“They’re releasing me today.” Eddie said gently. Billy stared at the ceiling. The white light. The tiles. Anywhere but the pity in Eddie’s eyes. He didn’t want this. He didn’t want anyone’s sadness or pity or fucking kindness. Especially if it came from the boy who left him the second King fucking Steve took an interest. “But I’ll come by.”

Eddie reached for his hand and Billy pulled starched it away. His chest screamed in pain at the motion but Billy kept his features locked down tight.  There was too much of everything in his head right now. Eddie pulled back. 

“No.” This was better. Easier. He let the ice cold mask of Billy Hargove fall over his face, wore it like a second skin as he stared Eddie down. “Just fucking leave me alone.”

“Billy—“

“I fucking said GO.” He tore himself from the light, the tiles, forced himself to meet Eddie’s eye to stare him down. 

And Eddie…

Didn’t even flinch. Just looked right back at him. 

“You think just because you saved my life, I’ll start putting out for you like a little bitch boy?” Billy sneered. 

He expected disgust, anger, hate, something, anything but the deep hurt in Eddie’s eyes. “Billy, what? No—“

“Like Harrington?”

Silence filled the room. 

Billy waited for a blow that never came. 

Eddie watched him for a long while, an incomprehensible look on his face. He blinked, settling on some sort of conclusion, then stood to leave, his hand on a thin black cane. Eddie paused at the foot of his bed and Billy couldn’t bring himself to look up at him, to face what he had said. Eddie made a noise as if to say something, a half laugh which rang in Billy’s ears. 

The silence was worse than anything Eddie could have said to him. 

A moment later, the door closed behind Eddie and Billy was alone. 

He had been alone for a long time. 

He had tried for so long to fill that gnawing, aching hole in him for so much of his life that to live in a world without it was a terrifying thing. 

He had become accustomed to the pain, addicted to it. He dug himself deeper into it, stuck his fingers in fresh, open wounds and tore himself open just to feel it. 

Just to feel something. 

Anything. 

That monster had been so good at it. 

It tore him wide open, flayed him for the world to see. Left a hole so cavernous and deep Billy felt he could live inside of it. 

He reached for that pain again and came up short. But it would come again. The metal of the morphine button was heavy in his hand, now warm from his skin. Already he could feel the pain resettling in his bones, the constant needling pulse of his body knitting itself back together. 

His mother would be horrified if she could see him right now. But she wasn’t there. She’d never be there. 

Billy let the button fall from his hand. 

***

They kept him in that fucking hospital for most of the summer. 

The first few weeks, he couldn’t do shit by himself. He literally couldn’t shit by himself. He had to ring a fucking nurse to get him into his wheelchair and wheel him across the room to the bathroom and help him into the fucking toilet so he could shit without any fucking privacy then call the nurse back in so that she could wipe his fucking ass for him. 

Susan had tried to help him once until he had snapped at her to take her fucking hands off of him. He hadn’t met to snap at her but PT had been particularly brutal that day. He had apologized after the nurse had helped him take a shit. He knew— He knew how much she was trying. 

His piece of shit father hadn’t shown up once. 

It was too embarrassing having a crippled kid. It probably would have been better for Neil Hargrove if his son had tragically died in a fire trying to rescue his little sister. 

Max didn’t say much when she came to visit him, but he had caught glimpses of neatly concealed bruises on Susan’s arms. Neil had kicked them out of the house the second she asked for a divorce, sold it off the very next week. 

Billy spent his eighteenth birthday playing cards with Max in the cafeteria as Susan went to finalize paperwork on a double-wide in the trailer park. 

Six weeks in, Billy had enough strength to stand on his own and take a few steps. He’d lost over forty pounds from the coma and the surgery and the liquid diet they had to feed him for the burns in his stomach. 

All he saw in the mirror was a ghost, a dead man walking, a fragment of his former self. With time, the doctors liked to remind him in that fucking condescending tone of theirs, things would get better, easier. 

But never the same. 

Not like they used to be. 

He’d be a fragment of his former self. 

‘Poor Billy’, they would say, ‘he used to be— he coulda been— If only—‘

If only—

If only—

Billy stared at himself in the mirror. 

His hair had gotten long. Messy and unkempt. His curls gone flat. He was pretty sure there was a sizable mat beginning to form on the back.

“Billy?” Susan called for him from outside the bathroom. 

“Yeah.” Billy didn’t move. He had left the bathroom door open  a crack, enough for Susan to peer through and see he was decent. 

“How are you doing?”

It was a stupid fucking question these days. “I’m okay, ma’am.”

Susan clicked her tongue. “There’s no need for ma’am, Billy. You know that.”

He said nothing. His father might be MIA but Billy lived as if he could walk through those doors at any moment. 

“Hmm.” Susan studied him for a moment. She reached out and brushed away a strand of his hair. Billy flinched and sighed at his own reaction.

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Susan assured him. “It’s getting long. Do you want me to cut it?”

Billy hesitated, then nodded.

A small smile came to Susan’s face. “Okay. Take a seat. I’ll go ask the nurses for some scissors.”

Billy slowly lowered himself down into the bathroom chair. He had to coordinate every move or risk throwing his body into painful spasms.

Susan returned a few minutes later with a pair of clippers and one of those hairdressing capes to catch the hair. She positioned herself behind him. “It’s been a while, but I’ll try my best.”

She reached for a strand of hair and Billy caught her hand. “Don’t… Go too short, please.”

“I won’t.” Susan promised. 

Billy nodded and released her, letting her get started. The soft snip, snip of the shears filled the bathroom. Billy watched the two of them in the mirror, watched as Susan carefully made each cut. She was trying to cut it like how it was before. His eyes burned and the words fell out before he could stop them. “My dad used to make me buzz it.”

“Oh.”

“I have my mom’s hair.”

It had been a long time since hands as gentle as Susan’s had run through his hair. She gently ruffled it, checking that it fell in the right place. “You have beautiful hair, Billy.”

He broke. 

Susan held him as he slid to the floor. Sobs wracked him hard enough that he could not breathe. And yet she held him, soothed him with gentle words and a mother’s touch that he had not felt in so fucking long. 

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” He repeated it over and over again. It was all he could say. He didn’t know why. 

“It’s okay, Billy. It’s okay. You’re safe. I promise. I’m not going anywhere and neither is Max. It’s okay. I’ve got you.” Susan rocked him back and forth as if he was a little kid again. She held him long after he ran out of tears to cry. He was certain she was uncomfortable beneath the weight of him but she didn’t move, gently running her fingers through his hair and making soothing noises. 

He didn’t know how long they stayed like that. 

“Max has been fixing up your room all week,” Susan said after a long time. 

“My room?” His throat ached. 

“Yes. Your room. It’s not much,” Susan laughed weakly. “But it’s yours if you want it.”

“I’m gay.”

Susan’s hand paused its path through his hair. 

And quickly resumed. “Okay.”

Billy swallowed. He stared at the white tiles of the bathroom wall.  “Are you sure you want a faggot living under your roof?”

“I want my son living under my roof.” Susan squeezed his arm gently. “No matter who he loves.”

***

After twelve weeks, they sent him home from the hospital. Max was the most excited for this, driving his wheelchair like a sports car out to Susan’s Oldsmobile.

It was weird being out of the hospital. Hawkins itself was more or less unchanged, as if nothing had happened at all. Max had told him about the Starcourt coverup. 

Everyone he had killed was officially a victim of the Starcourt Mall explosion. He was just a lucky survivor, one of few. There had been a memorial while he was still in a coma. People had already moved on. Forgotten. Cataloged it as one of life’s tragic happenstance. 

Susan pulled into Forest Hills trailer park and came to a stop in front of a cream colored trailer with brown wooden trim. She put it in park and glanced over at him, nervously. “Well, here we are.”

“Come on!” Max threw open the door. “I’ve been waiting literally for weeks to show you your room, asshole.”

“Max! Language!” Susan called after her and sighed, watching her daughter burst through the front door. “Do you need a hand?”

Billy shook his head and opened his door. He swung his legs out one by one and grabbed onto the car door with one hand to pull himself up. With his other hand, he braced against his cane. 

Billy pushed himself out of the car and onto his feet. 

Across the park, a door slammed shut. Billy looked over at one of the nearby trailers. A familiar one. Eddie stared at him, caught halfway down the steps. 

They hadn’t spoken since that day. 

Was Eddie going to see Steve?

Did Eddie know they were going to be neighbors?

Was he okay? There wasn’t a cane in his hand anymore. 

“Billy? Are you coming?” Susan called from the porch. 

“Uh,” Billy glanced at her. It was enough to break the two of them apart, sending Eddie spiraling away. Eddie’s van roared to life and he peeled out of the park. 

Susan watched Eddie leave with a frown and crossed arms. “That boy…” she clicked her tongue and held open the door for Billy as he maneuvered up the five steps and limped into the trailer.

It was surprisingly spacious inside with a living room and kitchen and a hall leading to the bedrooms and bathrooms.

Max grabbed his hand and pulled him down the hall to the second door on the left. She threw the door open. “Tada!”

There wasn’t much, really. Just a twin bed and a nightstand and dresser. But the dresser had his cassettes and vinyls neatly stacked on top of it and the walls were a nice blue color and covered with his posters. He stepped inside and Max stayed at the door. He swallowed. It looked a lot like his old room, but the walls were his favorite color and some of the posters were missing. It was stupid but… Max had done this for him?

Billy cleared his throat. “Thanks. I, um, I like the col—“

Billy turned around and froze. On the fourth wall, Max had painted a mural of the beach. But not just any beach, his favorite beach. The one he used to surf almost every day back in Cali with its golden sand and dark teal waters. “Holy shit.”

Max beamed at him. 

“You did this?”

She nodded.

He’d been such an asshole to her. This whole time in Hawkins… he’d blamed her for almost everything. Threatened her and her friends. And yet—

“I don’t—“ He sat down hard on the bed. “Why?”

Max crossed her arms with more sass than she had a right to give him. “Uh, because you fucking saved my life. And El’s and probably everyone’s, asshole.”

Billy stared at the mural as Max sat beside him. “I don’t deserve it.”

“That’s fucking dumb.”

“Max, you don’t fucking get it.” Billy sighed.

“Get what?” She raised her brow. “You blame yourself for what a monster did while it possessed you? That’s fucking stupid.”

“Yeah, well, sometimes people believe stupid shit, Maxine.” He was tired. He just wanted to sleep in a real fucking bed and not have this conversation right now. 

“God, you’re such a dick.” Max had said that to him a million times, but this time it lacked her usual bite. 

“I know.” He was too tired to argue that point. “I… I’m trying not to be.”

“Then fucking ask me why I painted it.” Max threw her hand out at it, fully exasperated with him. 

Billy rolled his eyes. “You cuss like a fucking sailor.”

“You cuss like a fucking grandma.” Max crossed her arms again and nodded pointedly at the mural.

“Fuck. Fine.” Billy huffed. He let himself look at it fully, at the soft yellow sand and the rolling waves and the busy pier. “Why did you paint it?”

“Because,” Max answered simply, “I thought it would make you happy.”

Chapter Text

August 7th, 1985

Eddie was getting out today. 

Steve drummed on his steering wheel as he pulled into the Hawkins Memorial parking lot.

Eddie. Eddie. Eddie. 

The boy had been on a constant loop in his brain for a while now. 

He pulled into a spot and parked, shutting off the car. There was barely enough time for Steve to open his door before the passenger door flew open and Eddie dumped himself inside. “Let’s go.”

“Shit, Eddie. Hi. What–”

“Can we just get out of here?” Eddie’s voice was tight, pinched. He stared straight ahead with his arms crossed. “Please, Steve.”

“Um… Yeah.” Steve turned his car back on. “Did something happen?”

“It’s… I’m just tired of being trapped in that fucking place.” Eddie dug in his bag and pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. He rolled down the window as he stuck one in his mouth, lighting it expertly. 

“Okay.” Steve frowned, feeling somehow as if he had done something wrong. “Anywhere in particular?”

Eddie glanced over at him and sighed, the anger rushing out of him. “I’m okay. It’s just… There’s some things I can’t talk about without… Hurting someone else.”

Steve nodded, swallowing. “Do you just want to drive?”

That brought a grin back to Eddie’s face. “Fuck yes I do. And I’ve got the perfect cassette to expose you to next.”

Steve groaned half-heartedly as if listening to Eddie’s music was actual torture for him. “Only if I get to choose the next one.”

“You drive a hard bargain, Harrington… But, I accept.” Eddie pulled out a cassette from his bag with a wicked grin. Steve rolled his eyes and popped it into the player before peeling out of the parking lot.

He was happy to have something to do. He used to be so good at putting on the moves. Used to take girls down to Skull Rock to make out… Or more than make out in the back of his car. But with Eddie, everything was different. Everything felt completely out of his control. Not in a bad way, necessarily. Just in a way that made him more nervous than he had ever been before. 

Today he just had an itching to get out of Hawkins. He pulled out on the main road and hit the gas, letting the Beamer do some work. The music that came out from his speakers was driving and angry and so fucking freeing. Eddie jammed in the passenger seat, hair flying everywhere, an air guitar in his hands, singing drowned out by Dee Snider’s vocals. 

Are you feeling the fire?

Are you ready to explode?

Are your dreams and desires

Riding down an open road?

I'm like a runaway

A heart without a home

Others can laugh and play

I'll fight for every inch I take

I'm desperate to the bone

They hit the highway as We’re Not Gonna Take it started, cruising a tad faster than the speed limit with the windows rolled down. Eddie whooped, pushing his head out the window. Steve had heard this song before on the radio so he joined in, despite his horrible singing. 

We've got the right to choose, and

There ain't no way we'll lose it

This is our life, this is our song

We'll fight the powers that be, just

Don't pick on our destiny, 'cause

You don't know us, you don't belong

We're not gonna take it

No, we ain't gonna take it

We're not gonna take it anymore

Without thinking much about it, Steve headed towards Indianapolis. It was a good hour from Hawkins but he didn’t care. Not with Eddie beside him. Not when his cheeks hurt from smiling so wide or when his voice was hoarse from attempting to sing along. 

By the time the album ended, they were nearing the outer limits of the city. The car fell quiet as Eddie popped out the cassette and went digging for another. “Where you taking me, princess?”

Steve fought down the redness in his cheeks. “Oh, I thought you knew. This is a kidnapping, actually.”

“Is that right, big boy?” Eddie grinned, blindingly bright. “You gunna tie me up?”

Steve’s pretty sure his brain rebooted completely. “I… Ah…”

Eddie laughed. “Don’t pass out on me, Stevie. Take this next exit.”

He turned off on the next exit, listening to Eddie as he pointed him down some roads, following the signs to a park. They eventually pulled into a gravel parking lot overlooking a huge lake. Talking of nothing and everything, Eddie led him down a winding dirt path deeper into the woods until they came to a rocky outcropping overlooking the lake and a small beach. Eddie plopped down, letting his legs hang over the edge. He’d been walking ahead of Steve for most of it, so Steve didn’t realize how hard Eddie was breathing before he sat down beside him. “Are you okay?”

“Peachy.” Eddie rubbed at his side. “Just a little winded.”

“Okay.” Steve looked out over the lake. It was late afternoon now, not as hot as it had been earlier in the day. Kayaks and paddleboards skimmed over the water like colorful water bugs. “Did you just reverse kidnap me?”

Eddie chuckled evilly. “Muahahaha you’ve fallen into my evil trap!”

“Fuck.” Steve hoped he was hiding how fucking nervous he was. In some ways, it was easy being with Eddie. In others… “It’s beautiful out here.”

“Yeah,” Eddie agreed. “Wayne used to bring me out here to go fishing. Until he realized that I hate fishing.”

“The worms?” Steve asked, teasingly. 

“The fish, man.” Eddie shook his head. “I thought they were gonna come after me. I had nightmares.” He held his hands up to his face, wiggling them as he made a fishy face, and ‘swam’ at Steve. Steve laughed and shoved him away. “See! They’re terrifying. With their weird mouths and their fucking eyes. You can’t tell me they aren’t possessed.”

“I thought you liked possession and demons and hellfire?” 

“Oh, yeah. It’s all fun and games until you find out that shit’s real.” Eddie joked, but the two of them sobered. “I can’t believe you’ve been dealing with this for years.”

“Yeah.”

“I also can’t believe that Steve the king Harrington isn’t actually a total dick.” Eddie plucked a piece of grass and rolled it between his fingers. “Woulda never bet on that.”

Steve sighed. “Yeah. Me neither… You can thank Nancy for that.”

“Yeah, remind me not to get on her bad side? She’s fucking terrifying. I think I pissed myself when I saw her grabbing a gun from those dead Russians.” Eddie rolled the blade into a ball and tossed it, watching it fall into the water below. “Are you and her still…?”

“No.” Steve shook his head adamantly. “I mean, I think I’ll always love her, but it would never work. We’re too different.”

“Different how?” Eddie pressed, plucking another long blade of grass. 

Steve shrugged. “I mean… She’s always got a plan and she’s so smart and driven and I know she’s going to go on to do something fucking amazing. And I’m just… Steve.”

Eddie scoffed. 

“What?”

“You’re not just Steve. ”

“Eddie, I have no job. I have no plan. I’m headed a hundred miles an hour to nowhere. I’m probably just going to rot in Hawkins for the rest of my life doing shitty jobs for shit pay. And in twenty years at my high school reunion people will probably look at me and say ‘Is that Steve Harrington? No, it can’t be. He was supposed to be something.’”

“Well… That’s fucking bleak.”

“What’s your plan then?”

“Graduate. Move to LA. Make it big with Corroded Coffin.” Eddie grinned. “Or at the very least get picked up by a band to play guitar. Tour the country. Live out my golden years in a mansion full of hot babes.”

“Babes?” Steve questioned before he could catch himself. 

“What?” Eddie leaned into his space with dark eyes. “Can’t I call you babe?”

Steve swallowed, his heart racing. “What if I don’t want you to have ‘babes’?”

“You can be my top babe, Stevie.” Eddie teased with a wink. “Obviously my harem will have a hierarchy.”

Nothing more than that kiss had happened. No more words had been said about it. Steve let his eyes fall to Eddie’s lips. Eddie pulled away from him, standing up and stripping off his shirt. There was a long thin, pink scar running across his abdomen. New, pink skin covered his left arm.  “Eddie, what–”

Eddie kicked off his shoes and stripped down to his red boxers. He grinned down at Steve. “You coming or what?”

“You’re insane.” 

Eddie stuck out his tongue and made devil horns with his fingers before leaping off the cliff. He plunged into the water before and didn’t come up.

“Eddie?” Steve sprung up, kicking off his shoes as he watched for Eddie to re-appear. “Eddie! Shit. Shit. Shit.” He tore off his t-shirt and pants. 

Eddie came up sputtering. “Fuck! It’s deep.”

Steve breathed out a sigh of relief. “Jesus, Eds. You nearly gave me a heart attack.”

Eddie laughed. “Sorry. Come on in, Stevie. The water’s fine!”

Steve rolled his eyes and stepped back from the edge. He ran a few steps and leaped into the air, throwing himself into a backflip before plunging into the water. He came up to Eddie’s cheering and dove back below to escape his splashing. They swam around each other trying to get each other in the face before running back to the top of the rocks and jumping off again. 

As the sun lowered, they laid out on the beach to dry, watching the clouds overhead turn to a deep orange. Or at least, Steve was watching them. Eddie turned over on his side, propped up on his arm. 

Steve turned his attention from the clouds to the boy beside him. Eddie’s wet curls dripped rivers over his shoulders. His soft brown eyes watched Steve. He didn’t know if he had ever felt so… Seen.

Fuck. 

“You are something else, Stevie.” Eddie whispered. 

“So are you.”

Eddie laughed, shaking his head. “I can’t believe I’m falling for the Harrington charm.”

Fuck it. If he wanted this, he had to fucking go for it. Steve winked. “Oh, you haven’t seen Harrington charm, yet, Munson.”

“That right, baby?” Eddie glanced at his lips with hooded eyes. “You gonna show me?”

Steve rolled his eyes. “Only if you’re nice to me.”

“I’m being nice!” Eddie protested. “I’m being so nice.”

“No you’re not,” Steve pouted. “If you were, you would have kissed me by now.”

“Is that right?” Eddie ran his thumb over Steve’s bottom lip. Steve shuddered under his touch, felt himself fall deeper under whatever Eddie was doing to him. “Sometimes, being mean is a lot more fun, princess.”

There was nothing to hide the way Eddie made him feel. Eddie grinned at the shiver that went though Steve from head to toe. Why the fuck did Eddie turn him on so much? One touch and the sound of Eddie’s voice and he was half-way there already. “Now you’re just being a dick.”

Eddie paused, looking Steve deep in the eye. “Tell me you want this, Stevie. If this isn’t real, I think it will kill me.”

A part of him wished it wasn’t real. But it was. It was terrifyingly, absolutely real. “Kiss me, Eddie.”

Chapter Text

Fuck it. 

He was nothing if not reckless, impulsive, and downright greedy. The world had given him nothing. Time and time again it took everything from him. Nothing was ever given to him. There was an ending to every beginning, a time with and a time without. He’d learned from an early age to take the scraps given to him. 

If this was the only time he got to taste Steve’s lips, to pull him close and hold him, then Eddie would take it until there was nothing left to give.

It surprised him to no end then when Steve didn’t pull away from him, going pliant beneath him. 

He was kissing Steve Harrington and Steve Harrington was kissing him back. This had to be a dream. Or somehow he had died and been in heaven all along. 

He could kiss Steve all day, twenty-four-fucking-seven. He could fucking survive off it. Eat, drink, breathe his taste they parted only when Eddie’s aching lungs began to complain. Eddie didn’t let Steve go far, not that the man seemed to have any plans to move with the way he held Eddie close. “Fuck, sweetheart.”

Steve grinned, blushing. Eddie lived for a flustered Steve, knowing he was the cause. “I… Uhm… Hi.”

“Hi, Stevie,” Eddie teased, earning him a gentle shove. 

“Shut up.” Steve rolled his eyes. 

Oh, bitchy Steve was also a fan favorite. 

“Whatever for, darling?”

“I only just figured out I like dudes like a month ago and now you’re making fun of me,” Steve pouted. 

Hold up. 

“A month?” Eddie had to admit he was a little afraid to ask. 

“Well, yeah.” Steve rubbed at the back of his neck. “I mean I didn’t really start to get it until Starcourt and…” Steve trailed off. “Robin says you’re my gay awakening. I don’t know what that means.”

Goddamn, Buckley.

“I think Bucky has been playing matchmaker.”

“Oh, totally.” Steve said with fond annoyance. “She’s horrible at keeping a secret.”

“Well,” Eddie ran his thumb back and forth over Steve’s cheek. “Thank Satan for that.”

This, of course, earned another eye roll. 

“Who was yours?” Steve asked. 

“Hmm.” Eddie had listed over many a man for many years, but one never forgets the first. “I had a huge crush on Fred from Scooby Doo.”

“Of course you did.” 

“But that didn’t make me realize.” Eddie leaned in. He wanted to soak up every second of happiness Steve offered him. He wanted to keep Steve’s grin there as long as he possibly could. He wanted. He wanted. He wanted. “That honor belongs to Jesse Moran”

“Who?” Steve asked a little too quickly. 

His boy gets jealous. 

Eddie grinned and tucked that away for later. “No one you’ll have to worry about. For starters he’s like thirty now and has a wife and kids. He played guitar in this band I used to listen to in Chicago. Fucking talented. And one day it just kinda clicked and I realized that I didn’t just want to be him. I wanted to suck his dick.”

Eddie watched Steve’s reaction closely. He wanted to believe Steve wanted this as much as he did, wanted to believe Steve wasn’t just there to test him out and drop him when he got bored. 

It had happened before. 

Steve swallowed with wide blown out pupils. “Did you?”

Interesting. 

“No,” Eddie laughed. “I was like sixteen and he was… I dunno. Not sixteen. But I figured it out.”

Steve’s brain was on the edge of melting, Eddie could tell. It was late now, the last rays of sunlight lighting up their quiet refuge by the lake. “Do you want to go home?”

He watched Steve think it over with a furrowed brow. “Not really, but I don’t know where else we would go.”

Eddie had been to Indy enough to know his way around town decently well. At least when it came to buying drugs and gay bars. Steve Harrington at a gay bar wasn’t a bad idea. “I know what we could do.”

“What?” Steve brightened. 

“Not telling you.” Eddie teased, standing up. He held out a hand to Steve and pulled him out of the sand. 

Steve pouted. “Why not? I’m driving. I should know.”

“I’ll give you directions, baby.” Eddie tapped Steve’s nose. “Come on. Daylight’s burning.”

They grabbed their clothes from the top of the outcropping and trudged back to the car. He felt kind of disgusting but it did nothing to dampen the electric feelings coursing through him. Where they were going, a little sand and lake water wouldn’t matter. 

On a Friday night, downtown Indy buzzed with people. Eddie pointed down a side road a few blocks from their destination. They walked side by side to Talbot Street, a lively neighborhood of store fronts and bars. In the middle of it all, on the right hand side, sat an old theater with a tan stone and brick front. A single bouncer stood at the door, dressed in tight leather pants and a matching leather vest. A black biker cap sat on his head, shadowing a stern frown. Which broke into a huge grin as he saw Eddie. 

“Eddie!” 

“How’s it going, Benji?” Eddie let the man pull him in for a tight hug. “Careful. Don’t wanna put me back in the hospital.”

“Hospital?” Benji frowned, holding Eddie at arm’s length. “What happened? You look fine.”

“Nothing to worry about, old man.” Eddie grinned. “You hear about the Starcourt Explosion?”

“Fuck, yeah. It was all over the papers. You were there?”

“Sure was. They stitched me up and threw me back on the streets as soon as they could.” It was good to see Benji again. 

“Well, glad to hear it.” Benji gave him a gentle pat and a wink before glancing over at Steve with hungry eyes. “Who is your… friend?”

“Benji, Steve. Stevie, Benji.” Eddie glanced over at Steve who was staring at Benji with lost, wide eyes.

“Oh, honey.” Benji clicked his tongue. “They are going to eat you up in there.”

Steve glanced at the black door holding back the torrent of music from inside. “Is this a gay bar?”

“Club.” Benji corrected. “The finest in Indiana. If you hurry in, you might catch Miss Olive’s set. I heard she’s been missing you, Eddie.”

“Been hard to get away. Buy me a drink later?” Eddie asked coyly. “For me and my Stevie, here?”

Benji rolled his eyes. “You’re cute, baby, but you know you’re not my type.”

“Aw shucks.” Eddie took Steve’s hand. “I’ll try harder again next time.”

Benji opened the door for them, letting a wall out sound out into the street. Eddie pulled Steve inside. The theater had been many things over the years– from an actual dinner theater, to a leather shop, to a jazz cafe, to the finest gay nightclub in Indianapolis. The name and the owners rotated every couple of years when enough police raids made business impossible. Eddie had been going there every few months since he was sixteen, whenever he needed to get away from Hawkins for the night. 

Tonight, it was packed with all sorts of people. Leather daddies, kinksters, twinks, queens– Talbot Street had it all. There were quite a few lesbians amongst all of them as well, even though there was a lesbian bar not too far from here; everybody loved a drag show. He pulled Steve towards him. “You want a drink?”

Steve nodded, looking completely overwhelmed by it all. Eddie guided him to the bar, pushing his way to the front. A bartender wearing nothing but golden booty shorts and a bowtie swept over to him. “What can I get you, baby?”

“Two sterlings, please.” Eddie fished out his wallet, but the bear beside him waved a hand.

“Put it on my tab,” he said gruffly. “And get me another.”

“Why thank you, kind sir.” 

The elder man was easy on the eyes with a neatly kept gray beard and striking blue eyes. The rest of his face was obscured by a black leather mask. “Here alone, beautiful?”

A hand tightened around Eddie’s waist and he turned to see Steve protectively coming to his side. A heat grew in Eddie’s stomach. “He’s here with me, actually.”

The man chuckled. “Not trying to steal your boy, son. But if the two of you are looking…”

The bartender set their drinks down and Eddie handed one to Steve. “Not tonight. Baby’s first gay club and all.”

“Well, I hope you two enjoy yourselves.” The man eye’d them up and down. “You know where to find me.”

“Cheers.” Eddie raised his glass before stepping away. In the dark, pulsating lights of the club, he could still see Steve’s frown. He stepped closer, close enough that Steve could hear him. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” Steve took a sip off his drink, looking annoyed. He picked at the label. “People keep hitting on you.”

“On both of us.” Eddie grinned, he pulled Steve closer. “Men. They’ll hit on anything that moves… But if you want, we can go.”

“I don’t want to go. Just…” Steve looked up at him through dark lashes, worrying at his lip. 

“Stevie.” Eddie pulled him closer. “I promise you, there’s no one in the bar that I want more than you.”

There was no time for Steve to reply as the music coming from the stage cut off and an announcer came on. “EVERYONE! PLEASE, PUT YOUR HANDS TOGETHER FOR MISS OLIVE. D. COX!”

Blue lights washed the stage as a caped silhouette made her way to center stage. A spotlight slowly faded up on the figure as she turned, lip syncing with the song playing out. 

“At first, I was afraid. I was petrified thinking I could live without you by my side. And after spending nights thinking how you did me wrong, I grew strong and I learned how to get along.” Miss Olive threw off her cloak revealing a glittery, red sequined jumpsuit beneath to the roar of the crowd. 

“Come on.” Eddie took Steve’s hand and pulled him deeper into the crowd towards the front of the stage. He wedged his way into the very front and pushed Steve infront of him. He set a dollar in Steve’s hand. “Here.”

“What?” Steve tried to turn around, but the crowd had filled back in. 

Eddie grinned. “Give it to the lady, Stevie. Don’t be rude.”

Steve glanced around, watching what other people were doing before holding his dollar out. Miss Olive spotted him, strutting over as she sang. She leaned over and snatched the money from his hand with her teeth, giving Steve a wink. All without missing a beat. Eddie cheered, laughing as Steve joined him, whooping and whistling. 

The song ended with a shower of cash on the stage and a roar of cheers for Miss Coxs as she cleaned up the bills. “EVERYBODY GIVE IT UP FOR OUR QUEEN OLIVE. D. COXS! YOU ALL KNOW WHY THEY CALL HER THAT, DON’T YOU?”

“‘Cause I’ll suck off all y’all.” Miss Olive cried, pointing out at the crowd, earning more whoops and cries of ‘yes, please, Miss Olive!’ 

“STICK AROUND CAUSE THE NIGHTS JUST GETTING STARTED, YOU FUCKING BEAUTIFUL GAYS. I’M DEEJAY GOODLAY WITH YOUR NEXT TWENTY MINUTES OR YOUR WHOLE FUCKING NIGHT IF YOU ASK NICE.”

Eddie couldn’t help it. He was a touchy guy in the best of times and now with Stevie right there, hair all a mess and cheeks red. It was too much of a temptation to resist. He pressed his lips to Steve’s neck, playing a kiss just below his ear. “Dance with me, baby?”

Steve turned around with bright, trusting eyes and took Eddie’s hand. In the darkness of the club, anonymous and protected, he pulled Steve close. The music crashed over them, more of a feeling than actual sound coming from the shitty speakers. He could get swallowed up in it, lost forever, trapped in this limbo between worlds.

Chapter Text

If you asked him where Steve stopped and Eddie began, Steve wouldn’t be able to tell you. It was all sweat and pounding music and moving bodies all around them. It was Eddie’s hand on his waist pulling him closer and closer until Steve’s mouth was on Eddie’s neck, their bodies pressed against one another. 

He didn’t know life could be like this. 

He didn’t know people could be like this. 

He didn’t know he could want like this.

He wasn’t exactly a guy who could take things slow. He could be demanding in the best of times, downright needy in the worst of them. He knew he often asked for more than people could give him, but Eddie?

Eddie gave and gave and gave until Steve’s back hit the wall of the club. All he could taste, touch, think was Eddie. Eddie who tasted like sweat and beer and smelled like the forest. He didn’t care that they were surrounded by people. There was anonymity in that crowd. And clearly Eddie had no problems with it, pressing his leg between Steve’s for him to grid against. 

“Fuck, baby. You’re so fucking good for me.” Eddie breathed against his neck. 

Steve whined against him, needing Eddie’s mouth on his skin. “Eddie…”

Eddie grinned and bit Steve’s neck. The pain sent an electric shock through Steve’s system and he moaned long and loud, drowned out by the thumping music. 

Bright lights blinded him. The music cut off with a scratch. The room fell deadly silent, long enough for someone to bellow, “COPS!”

Chaos erupted as people started to scatter. Eddie grabbed his hand and they were running, bursting out the side door to red and blue flashing lights. “This way.”

Eddie pulled him down the alley away from the cops. They dropped hands, sprinting faster, running until they were far enough away to not raise many suspicions. 

Steve came to a halt gasping for air. He bent over, trying to catch his breath, listening to the sound of Eddie trying to do the same. He looked over, catching Eddie’s eye, a grin breaking out on his face as Eddie’s did the same. That was all it took for the both of them to crack, bursting into peels of laughter as they stumbled, exhausted, down the dark alley back to the Beamer. 

They both got in, but Steve couldn’t bring himself to turn the car on, sitting there in the darkness with Eddie. The only light illuminating them was a streetlamp halfway down the block. It felt like a dream. One that Steve wasn’t too keen to wake up from. 

Eddie took his hand and squeezed it gently. “I know, baby… Let’s go home.”

Steve put the key in the ignition. 

Gentle silence bathed the ride back to Hawkins with Stevie Nicks playing quietly through it. There were no words to say. Not now. Not with Eddie beside him. Steve wanted to hang onto it, this fragile moment where everything finally felt right in the world. 

A flicker of anxiety filled him as he pulled into Forest Hills Park and came to a stop outside of Eddie’s trailer. He put the car in park with a frown, picking at the leather of his steering wheel, unsure of what to say or how to say it. 

“Stevie.” Eddie turned fully to him. “Come inside.”

Steve chewed on his lip. “Are you… Sure?”

“Baby, I’ve never been more sure of anything in my fucking life.” Eddie watched him with dark eyes. After a moment, he hopped out of the car and ran around the front to open the driver’s side. He held out his hand. “Come inside, Stevie.”

Eddie made it so easy to give in. Steve killed the engine and took Eddie’s hand, following the boy towards the dark trailer. Eddie fumbled to unlock the front door before shoving it open and walking in. He flipped on a light. “Welcome to Casa de Munson. It’s not much but it’s home.”

Steve looked around at the small trailer. There was a lumpy old couch in front of a TV, a few tchotchkes on the wall, a rack of nothing but ball caps, and a somewhat orderly kitchen. Compared to the houses in Loch Nora… Well, it seemed like something his parents would turn their noses up at. It was something his parents turned their nose up at. 

But to Steve… It felt– it looked like a home. Like someone actually lived there. “It’s great.”

“The water pressure is shit and there’s not a lot of hot water, but you can go first.” Eddie turned down a short hall going back to the bedrooms and disappeared for a few moments. He reappeared with a towel and a pair of sweats in his hand, handing them to Steve. “I could use a cold shower anyway.”

“Thanks.” 

“You okay?” Eddie shifted nervously.

“Yeah.” Steve nodded. “Just tired.”

“Okay.” Eddie said softly. “Bathroom’s on the right.”

Steve nodded and didn’t move. 

Eddie cocked his head to the side before taking Steve’s hand and leading him there. “Do you want me to stay with you?”

He asked it so earnestly that Steve almost said yes. He shook his head instead. “I– I got it.”

He closed the bathroom door and set the towel and sweats down on the closed toilet seat. He turned and stopped, catching himself in the mirror. He looked utterly… debauched. Red marks covered his neck. His hair stuck up in the strangest places and laid completely flat in others. He felt disgusting, covered in dried lake water and sand. 

Steve turned on the shower and waited for it to heat up before stepping under the spray. Relief washed over him. “Fuck.”

He tried to clean up quickly, wanting Eddie to have some hot water, too. But the hot water on his abused body felt so good. He scrubbed up with the body soap he found and was pleasantly surprised to find actual shampoo and conditioner as well. 

Stepping out of the shower, Steve felt like a new person. He dried off and attempted to settle his hair in the right position, eventually giving up as sleep called louder to him. He slipped on the t-shirt and pants Eddie had given him, a Metallica shirt, of course. Steve grinned. He stepped out of the bathroom and followed the sound of guitar strings to Eddie’s room. 

The door was open. Eddie sat on the edge of his bed with an electric guitar in his hands. A small furrow set between his brow as he awkwardly tried to strum. He looked up at Steve’s approach and that furrow fell away. “Hey.”

“Hey.” Steve fidgeted in the doorway. “Shower’s free.”

“Fuck yes.” Eddie sprung up and hung his guitar on the wall. He pressed a kiss to Steve’s cheek before slipping by him. “Back in a minute.”

The bathroom door swung shut.

Steve touched the place on his cheek where Eddie had kissed him. He’d never known someone so affectionate, who gave their touches away so freely in passing. He glanced around Eddie’s room. It was close to how he might have imagined it with piles of vinyl and cassettes laying on almost every available surface. Posters of metal bands covered every available inch of wall space. Clothes were strewn about. There was a desk, but it was nearly impossible to see under the papers and books and tapes and vinyls and clothes. The bed was the only thing actually in order. A pair of silver handcuffs hung off the post. 

Steve swallowed, going hot.

He could probably make the couch work. 

Steve went back out to the living room and sat down. 

He listened to the sound of the shower, staring off into space. It must have been for a while because the next thing he heard was the sound of the shower shutting off. A few minutes later the bathroom door opened and some shuffling. “Steve?”

“Yeah?”

Eddie appeared at the end of the hall, wearing nothing but a low slung pair of sweats. He toweled at his wet hair, scrunching the curls into place. “What are you doing out here?”

“Uh… I don’t know.” Steve shook himself. “Thinking, I guess.”

Eddie tossed his towel over a kitchen chair and came over. “You’re more than welcome to stay on the couch, but… There’s room for two in my bed.”

“Won’t your uncle be home in the morning?” 

“Stevie, Wayne already knows about me. He doesn’t give a fuck who I bring around.” Eddie held out his hand. “Come to bed, baby. I’m fucking exhausted.”

He was, too. Steve took Eddie’s hand and let the boy pull him off the couch. He followed Eddie back down the hall to his bedroom, letting Eddie take the lead. 

It was nice not having to think about things. To just let Eddie take control and make the decisions. But it was also new and exciting and terrifying. Eddie crawled into his bed, pulling back the covers for Steve to climb in beside him. Eddie offered his arm and, in the darkness, Steve tentatively laid his head on Eddie’s chest. He sighed as Eddie’s hand came up to play with his hair. 

“I think you’re going to be the end of me, baby.” Eddie whispered into the night. 

It didn’t take long for him to drift off into a deep, dreamless sleep.

Chapter Text

Sleep finds him. It drags him down deep for a few hours, dark and dreamless. And for the first time in weeks, he wakes up gently. No sudden jolting, no sweating. 

Eddie is pressed against him, nuzzled into the crook of Steve’s arm. His untamed hair blocking Steve’s view of the rest of it. But he could feel Eddie’s leg hooped around his, the rise and fall of Eddie’s breath. 

It all felt right. 

It should have terrified him. 

He should have learned his lesson after Nancy. 

He should be sliding out of the bed and putting on his shoes and pretending that this never happened. 

It was what any smart person would do. 

Because Eddie was going to hurt. 

One day, Eddie was going to walk away from him. 

Everyone always walked away from him. 

Eddie shifted in his sleep, burrowing deeper into Steve’s side. He found a comfortable spot and sighed against Steve. 

But if Eddie stayed?

If Eddie never left?

What then?

He needed to talk to Robin. 

Steve extracted himself from Eddie’s python grip and quietly pulled his pants on and his shoes. He slipped out to the kitchen, looking for something to write a note on for Eddie, eventually finding an old receipt and a barely working pen. Steve frowned as he looked down at it. 

Eddie–

Had to go pick up Robin. 

See you soon?

Steve crossed out the question mark. Then scribbled down his number. Or, he tried to at least. The pen crapped out on the 4 and the 9. Steve sighed and pulled open another kitchen drawer in hopes of a new pen. 

“Whatcha looking for, son?” 

Steve jumped and slammed his head into a partly ajar cabinet door. He cussed, holding his head as he turned around to find the man from the hospital was sitting at the small kitchen table with a folded magazine in his hand and a steaming cup of coffee beside him. Steve swallowed. “Just a pen, sir. Eddie’s still sleeping and I didn’t want to wake him up but I’ve gotta go pick up one of my friends and Eddie– He– he let me crash on– on his floor last night.”

Eddie’s uncle just blinked at him. “That’s a lot of explanation for seven am. Pens are in the end drawer.”

“Ah… Thanks. Thank you, sir.” Steve opened the drawer and picked out a pen. He scribbled out his number quickly. 

“Richard Harrington any relation?”

“Yeah. Um. My father, sir. I’m Steve.” He was usually better at charming parents, but he wasn’t exactly clear of mind this morning. 

Mr. Munson studied him for a long moment before flicking his papers back open. “I know who you are. Your father’s an asshole.”

Steve couldn’t help the surprised laugh that burst out of him. “I– Um…”

“And you can stop it with the sir shit. M’ name’s Wayne. Which I’m sure you know, given the fact you’ve been avoiding me.”

Footsteps in the hallway alerted Steve to Eddie’s arrival, probably woken up by their voices. He looked half-asleep still with a wild mess of bedhead. “Is my uncle giving you shit, Stevie?”

“Oh, no. It’s fi–”

“Yes, I am.” Wayne Munson looked over the top of his paper just as Eddie pressed his lips to Steve’s cheek. 

Steve jumped away as if he had been burned. “Ha! Yeah! I’ve gotta. Go. Bye. Eddie. Mr. Munson.”

“Steve–” Eddie tried to come after him, but Steve was out the door in a flash. He jumped into the Beamer and tore off, heart racing. 

At the next stop sign, Steve let his head hit the steering wheel. “Fuck.”

***

Eddie stared at the door as it slammed behind Steve. He sighed dejectedly. “Did I scare him off?”

“Do unicorns have horns?” His uncle chuckled. 

Eddie held up his middle finger. 

“Don’t blame me. I’m just saying how it is.” Wayne held up his hands in innocence. “Coffee’s still hot if you want some.”

“Oh, fuck yes.” Eddie poured himself a cup of dark brown joe and held it up to his nose, taking a long sniff. Hospital coffee was nothing more than brown piss water. He tore open three stolen sugar packets and dumped them in. He could feel his uncle boring holes in his back. “What?”

“Nuthin.” Wayne turned the page of the paper. 

Eddie rolled his eyes, knowing it wasn’t ‘nuthin’, but the morning was already off to a rocky start and he didn’t want one of Wayne’s legendary wisdoms right now. A receipt on the counter caught his eye. 

Eddie–

Had to go pick up Robin. 

See you soon

There was something small scribbled out at the end, then something larger scribbled out below rather hastily. Eddie held the receipt up to the light. 

A phone number. Missing two digits at the end. 

Eddie sighed and set the receipt back down. “I think I might have gone too far too fast.”

Wayne choked on his coffee.

“Not like that. Get your mind out of the gutter, old man.” Eddie scoffed and sat down across from his uncle. “I look him to Indy to that place we used to go fishing? We just wanted to… I dunno… Escape for a while. Or at least I did and Steve decided to come along. We were swimming and I just… We just… Kissed. And I took him to the club and I think I kinda… Broke his brain maybe? He told me I was his gay awakening. Or at least he told me Robin said that I was his gay awakening. So like he didn’t know– He didn’t know until he met me? And– And–” Eddie groaned and covered his hands with his face. “He’s so good at kissing.”

“I don’t wanna know the details.” Wayne said, not unkindly. “Sounds like you just need to talk to him.”

Just talk to him. 

Yeah. 

Like Eddie had never fucked anything up by just talking.

He decided to avoid his feelings by taking the van out for a spin. He dropped by Reefer Rick’s, doubting the man got any explanation for Eddie’s sudden disappearance. But the house is empty and vacant. Back in jail again, then. 

So he swings by Gareth’s and trudges out to the back shed where Mrs. Walton lets them practice. He pulled open the door and a mountain of smoke poured out followed by loud complaints. 

“Well fuck me, I guess.”

“Eddie!” Freak was the first to jump up and pull Eddie into a hug. “Where the hell have you been?”

“Getting some new scars.” He lifted up his shirt for the boys to see. 

“Holy shit dude. What the hell?” Gareth sat up, finally paying attention. Asshole, Eddie thinks fondly. “We thought Wayne shipped you off for the summer.”

It was a common Wayne threat. 

“He loves me too much for that.” Eddie pushed Freak off and took a seat in his chair. Still as comfortable as ever. “Starcourt.”

“Dude…” Jeff set down the bong. His red rimmed eyes stared at Eddie’s hand. “Your hand…”

Everyone turned to get a look. 

“Fuck, Eddie.” Gareth frowned. 

“It’s fine, guys. I’ve got like most of the movement back.” Eddie flexed his hand to prove it. Okay, maybe ‘most’ was a strong word. “I’m working on it. Doc said playing guitar could be part of my therapy. I’ll be back better than ever in just a few months. Until then Jeff can take all my solos.”

“Fuck man.” Jeff put his head in his hands. None of the other guys looked convinced either. “I can’t do Black Cat Midnight. There’s no fucking way.”

“Then we won’t do that one until I’m back.” Eddie shrugged. He grabbed a fresh joint off the table and lit it. “It’s fine. I’ve been working on some new stuff anyway. And my new campaign is gonna blow your fucking minds. I think I found us some new players.”

That managed to change the mood and the topic switched to D&D. It felt good to be back with Hellfire. He felt bad for not reaching out to them while he was in the hospital. But if he had… Steve wouldn’t have come around so often and Eddie thought that maybe he deserved to be a little selfish. 

Still he couldn’t fault Gareth for the furrow in his brow and the concerned glances he kept shooting Eddie’s way. Eddie did his best to ignore them, thankful for the month-long tolerance break he’d been forced through. Half a joint had him floating. The full thing had him sinking into his chair, happy and relaxed as Freak pulled out a board game and tried to explain the rules to his very stoned friends. 

At least some things hadn’t changed. 

He got home late and half high to a dark and quiet trailer. He looked out across the park as a light flickered on in Red’s trailer. He could see through the windows, watching as Red moved through the living room picking up beer bottles. Her mom lay passed out on the couch. 

He hadn’t been alone since Starcourt. 

Eddie stepped back down and crossed the gravel road. He knocked ever so quietly on the front door and it swung open a moment later. Red scowled at him. “Anyone tell you not to bother people after midnight?”

“Anyone ever tell ya not to open doors for strangers?” Eddie retorted. 

Red cracked a grin and fought against it, not wanting to give him the satisfaction. “What do you want, weirdo?”

It was probably the most affectionate thing he’s ever heard Red say. 

“Oh, just being neighborly. You know me.”

“First night home alone?” Red leveled him. 

Eddie sighed. 

She looked back at her mom passed out on the couch. “Wait here. My mom would kill me if she knew I let you in.”

The door closed on his face and Eddie resigned himself to taking a seat on the cement steps. It reopened a moment later and Red sat down beside him, handing him an orange soda. 

Eddie cracked his open and took a sip. It was just as sticky and orange as he remembered. His mom used to drink soda all the time; he didn’t have the taste for it anymore. But if he didn’t, Red would say shit. 

It was a clear night with no moon. A blanket of stars rested over Hawkins. It was one of his favorite things about living on the outskirts of town surrounded by the forest.

“I saw Billy today.”

Eddie stiffened and took a sip of his drink to try and cover it. “Yeah? He doing okay?”

Red studied him with far more intensity than he felt like he deserved before acting like she’d seen nothing. “He hates PT as much as you do.”

“Yeah, well, PT fucking sucks.” Eddie flexed his hand, wincing. Fuck. He didn’t do his exercises today. He didn’t wanna talk about Billy. Didn’t wanna think about him. “How’s your mom?”

Red shrugged. “She doesn’t like you.”

That much was obvious. Susan Hargrove had been giving him the stink eye for weeks now. “Why’s that?”

“She thinks you’re the reason Billy was at Starcourt.” Red says. 

It stings more than he wants to admit. 

“I think you’re easier to blame than Neil.” Red continues. “And I can’t exactly tell her what really happened.”

Damn kids were too smart for their own good. And too old for their actual age. When he was thirteen the only thing he cared about was getting Tommy J. to notice him. 

Of course that didn’t fucking work out. 

He has no words and he’s still a little high so he just stares up at the sky and tries to remember his constellations. “Do you think aliens are real?”

Red grinned. “Fucking definitely. Obviously.”

When Red started yawning every two words, Eddie sent her inside and braved the short walk back to his trailer. He got inside and flipped the lights on. Steve’s note was still on the counter. Eddie picked it up and thumbed at it. 

He could hear every shift and creak in the old trailer. This place used to be his sanctuary and now… he just felt alone. 

Eddie grabbed the telephone on the counter and carried it into his room. He sat down on the edge of the bed. Just two missing digits. Just a hundred possible numbers. Eddie leaned back and stuck a joint between his lips before getting to work. 

Most of the numbers were dead. A handful of his calls were picked up by very disgruntled homeowners. And another handful were registered to businesses’ voicemails. On the fiftieth number, a familiar but exhausted voice picked up. “Harrington Residence.”

“Fuck!” Eddie slammed the phone down, panicking. 

A moment later, the phone rang on his end. Eddie picked it up cautiously. “Munson Manor. This is Jeeves speaking.”

“Eddie, it’s four am. Are you okay?” 

“I… Um… yeah. I’m fine, I just couldn’t sleep. And you left your number and I…”

“I’m pretty sure I crossed my number out.”

Eddie’s heart sank. “Yeah— I— Sorry. Is that creepy?”

“My tolerance for creepy is pretty high these days.” Steve chuckled, amused.” How many numbers did you call before you got to me?”

“Just fifty. I started from double zero. I’m not a heathen, Stevie.” Eddie grinned as he listened to Steve’s soft laughter. “Did I wake you up?”

“No. Not really. I don’t sleep much these days.”

Eddie kept the receiver pressed tight to his ear. He was bound to say something stupid and fuck all this up. Steve had him feeling downright giddy. “I hope I haven’t scared you off.”

There’s a pause on the other end and Eddie holds his breath, already fearing the worst. 

“No. You haven’t.” Steve says on the other side. “I think I just need time to process?”

That wasn’t a hard no, really. Wasn’t a yes either. 

“I— yeah, of course. Take your time. I’ll be around.” Eddie laughed weakly. 

It was fucked how fast he’d be pulling in to Steve’s drive if he only asked. 

“Okay. Thanks.” There was some quiet shuffling then. ““I’m having a back to school barbecue at my place on Friday if you wanna come? Party members only.”

“Am I a party member now?” Eddie asks, genuinely surprised. At best he considered himself a side character to their group. 

“Uh, yeah? Of course you fucking are. You and Billy.” 

Billy. Eddie swallowed.

“Am I going to have to go through a weird Henderson initiation rite?”

Steve chuckled, “Don’t give Dustin any more ideas. He has enough as it is.” 

Eddie could feel the pull of sleep dragging him under but he couldn’t bring himself to hang up. The quiet of the trailer was a lot less intimidating with Steve on the other end of the line. “Night, Stevie.”

“Good night, Eds.” Steve said softly. Eddie held onto the phone, listening to the quiet. Steve was there with him. Almost. Enough. 

Eddie was fully asleep by the time the line finally went dead.

Chapter Text

October 16th, 1985

“Billy!” Max pounded on his door. “Come on, we’re going to be late.”

He hadn’t moved from the edge of his bed in twenty minutes, already dressed and ready to go. He just couldn’t will himself to move any further. 

She pounded on the door again.

Billy sighed. 

One more day without school wouldn’t hurt, right?

“Just take the bus, okay?”

Max groaned loudly on the other side. “The bus came through fourty-fucking-minutes ago, asshat!”

Billy cussed under his breath and grabbed his bag. He paused as he caught his glance in the mirror. He had made an effort today but that couldn’t hide the gauntness that remained in his face and the way his jean jacket hung loose around his shoulders. A ghost of his former self. He didn’t linger long, finding the mirror too painful to look at, and stepped out of the room. 

Max waited for him in the hallway with her arms crossed. She rolled her eyes at him as she pushed away from the wall. “Finally. I made you waffles.”

Moody fucking tweens. 

He followed her down the hall and out the door, grabbing the two waiting waffles as he passed by. He would probably only finish one of them; eating a ton of food was still difficult. He stepped out the door and stopped as a door across the way swung open.

Eddie stepped out, faltering as he realized Billy’s eyes were on him. 

But that was all it was. 

Eddie kept moving, jumping into his van and tearing off to the sound of Dio. 

Billy would be lying if he said he wasn’t keenly aware of all of Eddie’s movements in and out of the park. As well as any visitors. Not like it was hard, exactly. The man made his presence known at any hour of the day and Billy could see his fucking van from his bedroom window and the Beamer that sometimes parked beside it and Billy didn’t exactly have shit to do but sit around and make sure his body didn’t decide to shit the bed because it was a fucking Wednesd–

Max slammed on the horn of the Cutlass. 

It was no Camaro, but there had been no saving her. A shitty, secondhand Oldsmobile had been all Susan had been able to afford. She’d left it for him to get Max to school and gotten a ride from a coworker to work. 

Billy settled in the driver’s seat and put his hands on the wheel.

A dark flash of movement, crunching glass, screeching tires–

“Billy.” Max put her hand on his arm. 

He flinched away from her and sucked in a deep breath. “I’m fine. Do– You should learn to drive. Get over here.”

Max’s eyes widened. “Seriously?”

“Yeah, come on.”

“Holy shit!” Max shrieked. She burst out the passenger side door and raced around to the driver’s as Billy slid over. She leaped into the passenger seat and turned the engine, revving the gas. 

This was a bad idea. 

They barely made it to school in one piece. Max seemed to take every roadsign as a suggestion rather than the actual fucking law. Maybe she had been paying a little too close attention to his own driving. She pulled into the school parking lot, narrowly missing a kid on a bike, and parked with a jerk of the breaks. “How was that?”

“That– Great. Just great.” Billy willed himself to let go of the ‘oh shit’ handle. She was going to be a fucking menace on the road. He stared out the windshield at Hawkins high, watching people as they headed inside. Tommy H. and Carol had graduated already, thank god. He was a year behind technically, thanks to failing every class the year his mom died. And now he was behind again. 

“Just so you know.” Max grabbed her bag out of the backseat. “If you lay a hand on Lucas or say shit to him, I will not hesitate to kill you myself. Got it?”

Shame washed over him. He stared at his hands. “I shouldn’t’ve done that.”

“No.” Max crossed her arms. “That was incredibly fucked up. And you owe him a fucking appology.”

He owed Lucas more than that. There was probably no forgiveness for the way he treated that boy and there were a thousand excuses he could give but none of them mattered. 

Max sighed. “Your dad’s not here anymore. He can’t tell you shit, Billy.”

How did he tell her that Neil wasn’t gone? That the man lurked in the back of Billy’s mind just as much as the Monster did. That Billy looked for him around every corner. That he watched for Neil’s truck pulling into the trailer park drive. 

“I won’t touch Lucas.” Billy promised. “You don’t have to worry about that anymore.”

It caught him by surprise when Max leaned across the seats and pulled him into a hug. “I’m really glad you’re alive.” She said softly. 

He made himself relax into it. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to hug her. It was just… It had been so long since anyone hugged him just to hug him. He didn’t really know what to do with his hands or his body or how long to hug her. 

And he knew she wasn’t just talking about the last few weeks. He knew she was talking about that and all the times before. He’d been walking the line of life and death for most of his life. Dipped his toe on the other side a few more times than most.

“Me, too.” He said. He almost meant it, if only because of Max. 

“You’re still a dick.” Max released him at last. “But at least you’re sorry for it. Come on. Let’s go survive hell together.”

He followed Max into the school, not caring for once who saw them together. The halls were practically empty anyway. The first bell had already rung. Principal Waterford stood near the entrance in her black power suit with her arms crossed. Her sharp brown eyes landed on him. “Ah, Mr. Hargrove. A word.”

Max raced off to class with a wave, but as soon as Principal Waterford turned her back, she switched to a middle finger. Billy rolled his eyes, fighting against a fond grin. He followed Principal Waterford through the front office to her own office in the back and took a seat across from her. 

She settled in her seat and folded her hands on the desk. Just months ago he would have zeroed in on the way her white button down strained at the buttons and the bit of cleavage he could see. Now… He just felt tired. 

“It’s good to see you back, Mr. Hargove. Your stepmother has been keeping me informed of when you were cleared to return to school.”

“I’m glad to be back, ma’am.”

Principal Waterford smiled politely before jumping straight to business. “I’ve taken the liberty of keeping your teachers informed as well. So, don’t be afraid to ask for anything you might need. I understand you’re still healing and they do as well. They’ve been instructed to let you make up anything you’ve missed, but I have no worries. You’re an intelligent young man, Mr. Hargrove.”

He wasn’t going to ask for shit, but okay. 

“I appreciate it, ma’am. Thank you.” He didn’t want to be in this conversation anymore. He wanted more than anything to fade into the background already. 

Luckily, Principal Waterford only handed him a class schedule and sent him on his way. The halls were completely empty now. Everyone was in homeroom. He considered hiding in the bathroom until it was over, but he didn’t want to get called straight back to Principal Waterford’s office right away. 

He was in Mr. Fletcher’s homeroom anyway– one of the English teachers and the worst kind of hardass. Billy sighed and braced himself before pushing open the classroom door. 

Approximately twenty pairs of eyes turned to look at him. Including a pair of dark brown eyes at the back of the classroom. Eddie’s gaze hardened and he pointedly looked away as the rest of the classroom broke into whispers. 

“Homeroom is for silent working time.” Mr. Fletcher intoned. “Mr. Hargove, take a seat.”

Of course the only fucking seat was by Munson. 

Billy limped toward the back of the classroom. He tried to hide it, but all that walking from the car to here had exhausted him. He sat down at his desk with a heavy thud and stared at the chipping wood as the whispers started up again. 

“ Is that really Billy? He looks so different. What happened to him?”

“He was at Starcourt, didn’t you hear?”

“Oh, that’s so sad.”

Billy glared at the two girls trading gossip about him until one glanced over at him. She gasped and turned back around, smacking her friend when she tried to continue. 

The gossip was impossible to escape. 

People didn’t give a shit if he was in earshot. 

By lunch, the whole school knew he was back and that he had nearly died at Starcourt and, well, those were about the only true things circulating. He heard one kid say that he got an STD from drinking too much pool water and another kid saying that he was using steroids and had to stop and that was why Billy looked so gaunt now. 

He didn’t know whether to get angry or to just laugh. 

Billy filled up his tray with stuff he probably wouldn’t be able to keep down and glanced around the cafeteria. He was one of the last people through the line on account of being slower than most these days with his fucked up body. Everyone was already sitting with their friends, chatting away. He could see a mop of curly, dark brown hair out of the corner of his eye and pointedly ignored it. 

“You can sit with us.” A soft voice said beside him. He looked over to see a somewhat familiar girl in a cheer outfit standing beside him with a nearly bare tray in her hands. “You don’t remember me. I’m Chrissy.” She held out her hand. 

“Billy.” He took it, feeling a little bit of relief. “I remember you.”

She had been a sophomore last year if he remembered right. Cheered for Junior Varsity, but it looked like she had made varsity cheer this year. She grinned widely at him as if he had said something amusing. “I know who you are.”

“Right.” He stood there awkwardly, tray in hand. 

“We’re over here.” She took him to a table filled with Jocks. Jason, Andy, Chanse, Patrick. Chrissy sat in the empty seat next to Jason and let him put his arm around her. 

“Hargrove, my man.” Andy stood and slapped him on the back. Billy bit his tongue at the shot of pain it sent through his chest. “Jesus, dude, we thought you were dead.”

“Almost.” Billy muttered. He sat down across from Chrissy. 

“You gotta tell us what happened– I mean everyone’s talking about it–”

“Guys, guys.” Jason stopped them. “Give the man some space.”

Billy eyed Jason. He had been a bit curious who was going to step up with Tommy and Harrington out of the picture. He tipped his head in appreciation. 

“Are you coming to tryouts at least?” Patrick asked. 

Billy held back a snort. Did he look like he was able to get back on the court? “Nah. It’s all you. Doc’s orders.”

“Maybe Coach will let you be an assistant?” Chrissy suggested sweetly. 

“Studies have linked violent behavior to the game…” 

Billy’s stomach sank as he heard Eddie’s voice echoing across the cafeteria. 

Jason’s nostrils flared but he kept his face neutral, pulling her a little closer. “That’s a great idea, baby.”

“Thanks.” Chrissy blushed. She hadn’t touched a morsel on her plate. 

“Society has to blame something.”

Billy pushed around the food on his plate. His head pounded with another migraine. 

“We’re the FREAKS because we like to play a fantasy game.” Eddie’s voice rose over the cacophony of the lunchroom. Billy stared pointedly at his lunch. 

“Here we go again.” Andy muttered, sitting back in his seat. “Fucking fag.”

“But as long as you’re into band or science… Or parties or a game where you TOSS BALLS into laundry baskets…”

Billy felt Eddie’s taunt dig into his back. 

Jason sneered. “You want something, freak?”

Billy hazarded a glance over his shoulder finding Eddie standing on a lunch table, a wild grin on his face. Eddie chuckled and stuck out his tongue at Jason making devil horns with his fingers. “Forced conforming. That’s what’s killing the kids!”

Eddie’s eyes locked on Billy’s. He smirked and bowed before jumping down from the table. Billy quickly turned back around, focussing on the peas he’d been playing hockey with all lunch. He felt like throwing up again.

Chrissy pulled on Jason’s jacket urging him to sit back down. “He’s not worth it.”

“This whole town is going to hell because of people like him.” Jason sat again. “It’s up to us to… To clean it out. Make sure people are safe.”

The other boys at the table nodded, but Chrissy just looked concerned. “I… I mean I feel safe. I don’t think he means any harm.”

“That’s sweet, baby. But, people like Muson? They’re sneaky. Best to stay away from him.” Jason settled his arm back around Chrissy. “Don’t worry. We’ll keep you safe, right, Hargrove?”

Billy blinked. “Uh. Yeah. Sure.”

“You’re coming to Tina’s on Friday, right?” Chrissy asked him. “She’s doing a back to school thing. Her parents are out of town.”

“Course he’ll be there.” Jason leveled with him. “Hargrove’s a legend.”

Chapter Text

August 14th, 1985

What the hell was he thinking?

He hadn’t. 

Been thinking. 

He just…

Eddie made him stupid. 

Eddie made him say stupid things like I’m having a barbeque, come over. 

Which then meant he had to plan a barbeque. 

The kids were in if they could use his pool. He had to force Joyce to stop packing and then it became a going away party. Then Claudia Henderson got word and promised to bring her famed potato salad. 

Steve had spent a whole day cleaning and shopping and now he was sweating over a grill all because he wanted Eddie nearby but wasn’t brave enough to just say so. 

“I think the grill is clean, dingus.” Robin dropped a pile of buns on the table. He’d bought way too many. How many hotdogs and burgers would fourteen people eat? Maybe he didn’t get enough. 

“I should go to the store.” Steve set his grill scraper down. “I think I need more chips, right? I mean Mike just pounds them back. I didn’t account for that.”

“Steve.” Robin caught his hands. “We have enough chips. And buns and food and literally I’ve never seen more food in my life.”

The doorbell rang before he could say more. His anxieties melted away as the kids barreled through his front door and made a beeline for the pool. Only Dustin stopped to say hi and request that his burger be medium rare before cannonballing into the deep end. 

“Dusty!” Claudia Henderson came in a moment later carrying two bags filled to the brim with food. “You have to put on sunscreen first!” She sighed when he didn’t listen. “That boy. I can hardly keep up these days. Bless you, Steven.”

He took the bags from her and set them on the table. She was the only person on this planet that could get away with calling him Steven. He unpacked bowls of potato salad and fruit salad and puddings and chips and snacks and drinks. “You really didn’t have to bring so much. This looks delicious.”

“Oh it was no problem really.” Claudia busied herself with setting out things. “You probably know how much teenage boys can eat. I swear Dustybuns is trying to eat me out of house and home these days. Have you gotten started on the burgers yet?”

“Just about to.” He turned on the gas and got the grill going. Just as the Byers pulled in he tossed on the burgers. 

Joyce set her box of cookies down on the table, looking a bit frazzled at the spread he and Claudia had put together. Murray trailed after her. “I— Sorry. Should I have packed more? With the moving I just—“

“Nonsense, Joyce,” Claudia took her arm and let her away from the food toward the pool. “This is a party for you as much as anyone else. Steven and I have it all taken care of don’t you worry. How about a glass of wine?”

“Oh… I’ll take a beer actually.” Joyce settled down into one of the lounge chairs. “Thank you, Claudia.”

Steve hardly noticed Jonathan and Nancy coming in. He had settled into keeping an eye on the burgers and listening to Claudia scold the kids for trying to knock each other off the others shoulders. El hung out by Joyce with her feet dangling in the pool and a frown. 

Robin had fallen into conversation with Nancy and Jonathan passed by, sneakily passing off a beer to Steve. He took it gratefully. “How’s El doing?”

Jonathan shrugged. “Not great.”

She had been through so much already. Losing Hopper just felt cruel. “Yeah, I figured.”

“So… Robin.”

Steve choked on his beer and tried to cover it. “Yeah, what about her?”

“You and her?” Jonathan raised his brow. 

“Oh, no.” Steve laughed. “Not even a little. Platonic with a capital P. I think she’d rather die, which is a little insulting. Are you and Nancy…?”

“We’re gonna try to make it work.” Jonathan said quickly. “Yeah. We’re both thinking of going to Emerson, so, yeah. Makes sense, you know. Just a year of long distance.”

“Yeah, for sure man.” If Steve was being completely honest, he would say Jonathan was trying to convince himself more than anyone else. He watched as Nancy giggled at something Robin said. Fuck. They weren’t becoming friends, were they?

The distinct sound of a shitty van and metal music pulled all his focus away from them as the panic came back in full force. Jonathan frowned. “You invited Munson?”

“Yeah.” Steve swallowed. “I mean he’s a part of the party now, right? Felt weird not to. And he said he’d pick up Max, so…”

“It’s cool.” Jonathan finished off his beer and Steve quickly did the same. He left to go sit by Nancy and Robin, who wriggled her brow suggestively at him. Steve rolled his eyes, feeling hyper aware of everything. He focussed on the grill, listening as Max came through the house already yelling at Lucas and Mike for something stupid they did. 

Then quieter footsteps following behind. A pause. Then Eddie was sidling up beside him. “Hey, Stevie. Whatcha cookin’?”

He felt himself go red and hot all over and prayed that he just looked sunburned. “Burgers. Hot dogs. They’re almost done.”

“Looks delicious.” Eddie peered down at him through his lashes. Steve had never noticed how long and beautiful they were. 

“Hhh- I— Yep.” Did he know English? 

“Eddie! Edddiiiieeee!” Dustin yelled from the pool. “You gotta help me kick Mike’s ass.”

“Language, Dusty!” Claudia called from her chair. 

“Duty calls.” Eddie grinned. “Save me a burger, big boy?”

“Shut the fuck up.” This was just getting fucking ridiculous. How could Eddie Munson be more of a flirt than he was?

Eddie winked at him unabashedly before stripping off his shirt and shoes right there. He raced across the deck and leapt into the pool with a war cry. He popped back up a moment later. “You’re dead, Wheeler!” 

He couldn’t keep his eyes off Eddie. Yes, there was something about Eddie that was undeniably attractive. But it wasn’t just his looks or physique. The kids loved him. He had boundless energy— maybe even more than them. He wrestled with them, challenged them to diving and cannonball contests. He even helped El try to swim in the shallow end and reassured her when she accidentally swam further than she was comfortable with. He went out of his way to make Will feel included and…

Steve felt like shit. 

He used to make fun of people like Eddie. He used to let people talk shit about people like Eddie. He knew the kinds of vitriol that people directed at him. Eddie didn’t deserve any of that. 

He watched from the grill as Eddie pulled them all into a game of chicken– doing backflips and cannonballs and belly flops off the board. El and Max laid out on the pool chairs flipping through magazines together. And Erica had a whole set up of fruit and drinks and looked nothing less than a Queen surveying her territory. 

Claudia and Joyce chatted as they set the table. And for a moment, Steve felt like everything was right with the world. Like he could take a breath and just enjoy the moment. 

A hand slapped his back. “Steve-o! Need any help manning the grill?”

Murray appeared with a beer in his hand. He was a little hard to miss with the gaudy Hawiian shirt he was wearing. His hairy chest was bared for the world to see. 

“I’m good. Almost done.” Steve reached for his own beer. 

“Ah, well. I’m shit at cooking anyway. What’s the down low, the 4-1-1? What trouble are you kids up to these days?”

“Ah… Nothing?” Steve was almost certain he’d never actually spoken to Bauman before. And nothing prepared him for the man leaning closer and saying in a low tone. 

“You know I fell in love with a man once.” He said. Steve froze. “I was twenty-one. Living out of my mother’s basement. He was part of my Star Wars group. Clive. He was straight though.” Bauman sighed wistfully. “And then there was Alexi. Well, you never got to meet Alexi, but very pretty. Until he got shot. Not so pretty. Never worked out for me, but might for you, bud.”

“I… Um… I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Steve felt the bile rise in his throat. 

“You and the weird one.” Bauman blinked at him and slapped his arm again. “You’ll get it. Burgers are burning.”

“Shit.” Steve turned back to the grill, trying to shrug off Bauman’s words. He wasn’t being obvious. He was barely even looking at Eddie. Bauman was just weird. 

He pulled all the food off the grill and set it out, announcing that it was time to eat. The kids descended upon the table with ravenous fervor and Steve slipped away to the kitchen.

He should be giddy. It should be exciting to realize he was falling for someone who he was pretty sure liked him in the same way. Yet, all Steve could feel was his stomach turning and a tightness in his chest.

“Steve?” 

He jumped and started to do the dishes he had just been holding, frozen. “Yeah?”

It was only Robin. 

She crossed the kitchen and perched herself on the countertop. “You wanna talk about it?”

“No.” Steve rinsed off the tongs and shut off the faucet. He sighed and joined her on the counter. “What if he leaves? What if he… What if he thinks I’m bullshit?”

“Oh, Steve. That’s bullshit.”

“Wow, thanks—“

“That man is completely in love with you,” Robin knocked her shoulder against him. “I mean I can’t read people for shit but I can see that from a mile away, Stevie. ”

Steve rolled his eyes, grinning. “Shut up.”

“Seriously!” Robin laughed. “Come on, dingus. He barely looked away from you all afternoon. He keeps trying to show off.”

“You think so?”

“I know so.” Robin hopped off the counter and grabbed Steve’s hand. “Come on. I’m starving.”

He followed her out of the kitchen and back to the backyard. They were the last to grab food but there was more than enough. Robin took the seat by Claudia at the patio table leaving Steve with the only option of sitting by Eddie. 

“All good?” The metal head asked him quietly. Steve nodded. 

“How’s your brother doing, Max?” Claudia asked, filling the silence. 

“Oh,” Max paused. “He’s good. They’re saying he might be out in a few weeks, so…”

“Poor boy. Is he allowing visitors? I’d love to stop by with Dusty and some flowers.”

“He’s… Um… Not allowing visitors. Just me and mom.” 

Not allowing visitors?

“I’ll just leave them at the front desk, then.” Claudia smiled, not missing a beat. 

“Okay.” Max brightened. “Yeah, I think he would like that.”

Billy would hate that but Steve was not about to tell Claudia Henderson that. 

Beside him, Eddie pushed his noodle salad across his plate. Steve frowned. He hadn’t figured out what had happened between Eddie and Billy. They were close— that much Steve had worked out. Were they friends or something?

It was all quickly forgotten as the kids decided it was time for a bonfire and s’mores. The stress of the summer and of Starcourt melted away as he taught El how to make the perfect toasted marshmallow and helped Mike blow out his marshmallow every time he caught one on fire (which happened every time he roasted a marshmallow). He nursed a beer as Jonathan brought out sparklers and laughed as Eddie launched into a wild story. He wanted to soak in Joyce’s laugh and Will’s grin and a perfect summer night. 

When the sun had fully set and Steve had helped Claudia pack up all the leftover food, Joyce rounded up the kids and herded them out the door. She paused at the door and quickly pulled Steve into a tight hug. “Thank you for being so good to Will. To all of them. If you ever need anything— anything— you let me know, okay? I know we’re leaving, but please call?”

“I will,” Steve promised. 

He went to go back out to the pool but found Nancy standing in the kitchen with Jonathan’s arms around her. “Shit. Sorry.”

“You’re okay.” Nancy assured him. “Just being here at night with the pool... It was fine earlier. I just… I think we’re going to take off.”

“Yeah! Of course. Thanks for— thanks for coming.” Steve plastered on a grin and hoped they couldn’t see through to his guilt. 

Robin popped into the kitchen at the perfect moment. “Are you leaving? Can I get a ride?”

“Yeah,” Nancy nodded. “Of course.”

Wait. If they all were leaving— “Rob, I thought—“

“Bye, see you tomorrow!” She winked at him. 

He was not a fan of a devious Robin. 

With everyone gone the house felt quiet again. He always hated the house at night. Too big. Too empty. And on the worst nights he couldn’t help but feel there was another demogorgon watching him from the—

Eddie. 

Steve burst out the back door. 

Eddie flailed at the sudden movement before righting himself in the water. “Steve? What’s— are you?”

Fuck. 

He sat hard on the cool stone poolside. His heart raced so quickly that taking a proper breath was near impossible. Distantly he could hear Eddie getting out of the water and kneeling beside him. “Stevie, you’re hyperventilating. Try to breathe with me.”

Eddie took an exaggerated breath and blew it out. 

“I’m sorry.” Steve gasped. 

“It’s okay. Just focus on me, baby.” Eddie breathed in and out steadily. He wrapped his fingers around Steve’s wrist and tapped out a rhythm. 

Steve focussed on that. It took a few minutes and he still felt lightheaded and woozy but at least he could breathe again. “Where’d you learn that?”

“Um… You can’t tell a soul I told you this but sometimes Freak gets anxiety attacks before going on stage and that usually calms him down enough to go on.” Eddie answered. 

“Oh.” He had forgotten Eddie had other friends outside of the party. 

“Come on.” Eddie stood. Pool water dripped from his hair as he offered his hand to Steve. “Let’s get inside.”

“Are you going to go home?” Steve asked. 

Eddie cocked his head to the side. “Do you want me to go home?”

“No.”

“Then there’s your answer, big boy.” Eddie pulled him to his feet. He was half soaked now from where Eddie had touched him and feeling miserable that he’d just lost it for no reason. But Eddie just looked down at him with soft brown eyes and water dripping from his curls. In the blue glow of the pool Eddie took on an ethereal quality. Steve let his gaze drop to Eddie’s lips. “Can I borrow some clothes?”

“Oh.” Steve stepped back. “Yeah. Sure.”

Eddie gestured to the door. “Lead the way.” 

Steve showed him up the stairs to his room and cringed at the state it was in. In his efforts to clean up the rest of the house he had completely neglected this portion of it. “Sorry, I’m… I wasn’t expecting…”

“This you?” Eddie picked up a picture frame he kept by his desk. 

“Um… yeah. Me and my uncle. On my mom’s side.” It was one of Steve’s happier memories of his childhood. Nothing elaborate. Just a photo of Uncle Benny pushing him on a swing at the park. “He died a few years after that.”

“Shit. I’m sorry, Stevie.” Eddie gently placed the picture back in its original location. 

“I— umm…” Steve moved to his closet and pulled out a pair of shorts and an oversized t-shirt. He handed it off to Eddie and pointed towards the ensuite bathroom. 

“Thanks.” Eddie took the pile. “Mind if I use your shower?”

“Go for it.” 

Steve waited for the door to close behind Eddie before frantically cleaning up the piles of dirty laundry and dirty dishes. He smoothed out his sheets and fluffed the pillows and wondered how many tallies Robin would put in the loser column for this.

He was losing his mind. Steve fell back into his bed and stared up at the ceiling tiles. 

The water in the bathroom shut off and Steve considered running out the door. He jumped to his feet as the bathroom door opened. A cloud of steam followed in its wake as Eddie emerged, towling his hair. “Fuck I could stay in that shower for ages.”

It was unfair how pretty Eddie was. 

“I don’t know how to be around you.”

Eddie’s face fell instantly. 

Fuck. 

This was all coming out wrong. 

“I don’t—“ Steve sighed and sat down hard on the edge of his bed. He stared at his hands; it was easier than looking at Eddie. “I know how to be with girls. Or at least I did. I've sorta been striking out all summer. But that’s kinda— that’s not—" Steve groaned. “I don’t know what to do, what to be around you. I don’t know what to do with my hands. I don’t know how to talk without it coming out wrong.”

He didn’t look up as Eddie stepped closer. The towel in Eddie’s hands fell to the floor. He sighed as Eddie’s hand came to his jaw. “What do you want to do, Princess?”

There was that nickname again. A red hot rush raced through his veins. There was something in Eddie’s voice. 

Feel. Don’t think.

Steve pressed his lips to Eddie’s palm. 

He wanted everything. 

He wanted that feeling he felt in the club again. He wanted Eddie to lead him. He wanted to stop thinking about everything for a fucking minute. 

He didn’t know how to put that into words. 

But he thought of the club and of the people he saw there. 

Steve slipped off of his bed and knelt at Eddie’s feet. “This.”

Chapter Text

“Fucking hell.” Eddie breathed. The sight of Steve Harrington on his knees for him was too much to handle. He closed his eyes. “Steve.”

“Tell me what to do.”

Eddie groaned. 

Fuck. This was happening. This was honest to god happening. 

“Baby, I don’t– Do you know what you’re asking me? Cause what you’re asking me and what I think you’re asking me could be two very different things right now.” Eddie willed himself to open his eyes and look down at the very pretty sight of Steve looking back up at him from his knees. 

“I’ve seen dirty mags, Eddie.” Steve smirked. “I’m not exactly a virgin.”

“I thought you wanted to take things slow.” Eddie fought to control his breathing. Steve was putting him at control’s end. 

“I wanted to think about things. I thought about them.” 

What a fucking Brat. 

“What things exactly , Stevie?”

Steve chewed on his lip, averting his gaze. “Do you remember the club?” 

Did Eddie remember the club? He hadn’t stopped remembering the club. “Yes, Stevie. I remember.”

“What you did at the club. The way you handled me. Took control. I want that. I…” Steve glanced away, color rising to his cheeks. “I’ve thought about it all week.”

So they were doing this.

“What I did was dominate you, baby.” Eddie traced Steve’s jaw before grabbing it and forcing Steve to look back up at him.

“Oh.”

Eddie smirked. He could see the gears turning slowly in Steve’s head. 

“Your friend? At the door?”

“Benji?”

Steve nodded, though Eddie’s hand stopped him from moving much. “Benji. What did it mean when he said you weren’t his type?”

“Benji is a Dom, too.” This was too much fun. Eddie grinned. “Do you know what that means?”

Steve looked up to him with starlight in his dark eyes. “I… Think so.”

“Do you?” Eddie whispered. Steve was addictive. The way Steve looked at him, well, he knew what Paris felt when he saw Helen. “Because to me it means I get to take care of you. Even if you don’t like it. It means you trust me enough to hand yourself over to me. To submit.” 

He watched Steve’s eyes darken and the minute shifting he did as Eddie held his chin. He felt the moment Steve relaxed his head fully into his grip and grinned. “Exactly. Good boy.”

Steve whimpered through closed lips. Eddie made a mental goal of making Steve be loud enough to wake the neighbors. Not tonight though. “And in order to submit… You have to trust me fully, just like in order to Dom I have to trust you. Do you trust me, baby?”

Steve searched Eddie’s eyes. He nodded. 

“When I ask you a question, you can say Yes or No.” 

“Yes, sir. I trust you.” Steve sounded wrecked already. 

Eddie took a deep steadying breath. He wanted to wreck Steve. He’d wanted to for weeks now. But tonight was not going to be that night. “Whenever you don’t want to do something, I like to use a traffic light system. Red means stop. It means whatever we’re doing comes to an end the second you say it. I will never, ever be mad if you say stop. Yellow means slow down. I’ll check in with you and we can make any changes that we need to make for things to feel better. Green means good to go. Both of us can use them.”

Steve frowned. “Why can’t I just say stop?”

“Well… Sometimes it's fun to ask me to stop knowing that I won’t. Does that make sense? But if that’s not something you’re into, we can discuss more.” He could feel and see Steve getting more twitchy. “We’re not going to fuck tonight, baby.”

Steve looked both relieved and disappointed. Eddie chuckled. “There are things we can do that don’t involve that, princess.”

“Like what?” Steve looked up at him so sweetly, so innocently. He was fully hard already thinking about Steve looking up at him just like this but with tears streaming down his face and his mouth stuffed with Eddie’s co—

Steve nuzzled against Eddie’s thigh, clearly taking Eddie’s silence as an opportunity. He groaned as his vision whited out all thoughts of propriety and discussion flying out the door. Steve’s hands tugged at his belt, then at the top button of his jeans. Eddie snapped back to himself at this and yanked hard on Steve’s hair. A delicious moan fell from Steve’s lips. “Here I thought you were a good boy. But you’re just a little slut, aren’t you, baby?”

“Fucking hell, Eddie.” Steve panted. His long neck lay exposed as Eddie held a fist in his hair. Eddie wanted to sink his teeth in it. 

“Color.” Eddie growled. He was holding on by a fraying thread.

“Green.” Steve grinned, drunk on lust. “So fucking green.”

“Good.” If he spat in Steve’s mouth right now would he willingly take it? Eddie guessed yes by the blown out look in Steve’s eyes and the way his lips parted. 

Steve whimpered as if he knew the depraved thoughts running through Eddie’s mind already. “Please, Eddie.”

“What do you want?” Eddie knew he was being mean. But it was too fun to quit. 

“Can I suck you off?” Steve swallowed. “Please, sir, let me suck you off.”

Fucking Hell. 

***

He was on his knees. Eddie’s fingers curled into his hair tightly– the sting of it sending a rush of blood coursing through him. He could hardly breathe at the angle Eddie was holding him, but he liked that, too. The sleepy, deafening tingle of circulation loss. 

It was too much and all the same not enough. 

He’d never been with someone like this. All the girls he’d been with had been… More timid than this. They expected him to take charge, to know what he was doing. And while some rumors were true, there were a lot of them that weren’t, still. 

One that was true though was how good he was with his tongue. It was a point of pride actually. Even if the sex was subpar and always kept him wanting, at least he could blow a girl’s mind in another way. He was planning on taking it to the grave how much he loved it. How much it got him going when a girl pulled at his hair, pulled him in closer, never let him go. How much he loved when their thighs squeezed around his head when they came. How good he was at never coming up for air. How good it felt to make them feel good. 

“Please.” He asked again when Eddie didn’t answer. 

Eddie blinked, coming back to himself. “Yeah? Would you like that, baby?”

Steve nodded as much as he could with his head held back then remembered Eddie’s instructions. “Yes, sir.”

“Well,” Eddie grinned. “If you want it, take it, princess.”

Eddie stepped closer as he released Steve’s hair, but his hand remained, fingers running through Steve’s waves. Steve lowered his eyes, finding Eddie’s bulge right there, hard and wanting under Steve’s gray sweatpants. He hesitated for a moment, feeling the fear and excitement that he hadn’t felt in a long time bubble up in his chest. He’d touched his own cock countless times and received more than a few blowjobs himself. He just had to try what he liked and go from there, right?

Eddie’s hand tightened in his hair again and Steve felt the cool rush again. The worries he had been forming dissipated as he groaned. Eddie’s thumb parted his lips and Steve accepted it willingly, moaning as he sucked on it. “Just like that. Good boy.”

His own cock ached between his legs but he ignored it as it jumped at Eddie’s words. Eddie released him and Steve swayed toward him, burying his face against Eddie’s thigh. He pulled at the hem of Eddie’s sweats and kissed against the warm skin he found there. He pulled until Eddie’s cock sprang free, nearly smacking himself in the eye with it. It was red and thin, long and uncut. A thatch of dark curly hair sat at the base. Eddie moaned as Steve latched on to the base of it, kissing and licking his way up to the tip. He gave a kitten lick to the bead of precum at the end of it, finding it salty, but not too bad. He had tried his own before and didn’t find it anything exciting but Eddie?

Steve salivated. 

“Fuck, Stevie!” Eddie shouted as Steve took his cock down his throat. 

Or, tried to. 

Steve came back up sputtering, laughing. “Shit, sorry.”

“It’s… It’s okay baby.” Eddie fought back a laugh. “You’re doing great, just go slow. Let your throat relax.”

One tug of his hair and Steve was back in it. 

Slow. 

He could do that. 

“Yes, sir.”

“Good boy.”

Steve took the base of Eddie’s cock in his hand, squeezing as he tried again, this time just sucking on the tip. The weight and taste of Eddie on his tongue had him going hazy and deep, back into that space where his mind was blank and nothing else mattered except Eddie and how good he was at making Eddie feel good. Eddie’s praise washed over him as he worked up to taking him deeper. 

He hadn’t realized how close Eddie was getting until Eddie’s hand tightened in his hair and pulled him off with a loud pop. Steve gazed up at him with hooded eyes. Eddie stood as a god above him, a halo of dark hair and flushed cheeks. 

“I’m not going to last long, baby. You’re… Fuck, you’re really good at this. Fucking hell, princess.” Eddie panted. “Where do you want me to cum?”

He’d asked this question before, too, but he didn’t know what it would feel like to be asked. “In me.”

Eddie’s cock jumped in front of his face. “That right baby? Going to take all of D– Sir’s cum?”

Steve nodded. “Yes, yes, please, sir. I want– Can you fuck my face, please?”

“Jesus fucking christ, Stevie.” Eddie tossed his head back, breathing deeply. He gathered himself before looking back down again. “Okay, baby. Keep your throat night and open for me just like you’ve been doing. Put your hands on my thigh.”

Steve did as he was told. 

“If you need to breathe or need to stop for any reason, tap my leg and I’ll stop, okay?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good boy.”

Steve parted his lips, letting Eddie feed him his cock. He held on to Eddie’s thighs as he began to move, slowly thrusting between Steve’s lips. He was addicted as Eddie hit the back of his throat and moaned as Eddie’s fingers tightened in his hair, his hips speeding up. 

“Look at me baby. I’m so close. I’m so–”

Steve opened his eyes, gazing up at Eddie as the boy fucked him. Steve was certain he looked a mess with spit running down his cheeks and tears falling down his cheeks but Eddie looked down at him with nothing but dark need in his eyes. Steve could listen to Eddie’s soft grunts and praise for all of eternity. 

“FUck you’re so– FUck, baby, I’m coming.” Eddie’s head fell back as his fist tightened painfully in Steve’s hair. Steve moaned around Eddie’s cock, pressing deeper to take it all, his nose brushing the curls at the base of Eddie’s cock. He could feel the pain, feel the screaming of his lungs for air, the tingling in his head as the blood rushed away. His vision whited out and full body pleasure took over him. 

When he came to again, Eddie was kneeling beside him, touching him gently. “Stevie?”

Steve grinned, fucked out and half asleep already. “Hi.”

Eddie chuckled. “Was that good for you?”

Steve giggled. Actually giggled. Like a little schoolgirl. “Yeah.”

“Oh, you’re really gone, aren’t you?” Eddie caught him in an electric grin. 

“Mhmm. All gone.” Steve swayed and Eddie’s strong hands caught him. 

“Let’s get you in bed.” Eddie tried to gently lift him up, but Steve’s muscles wouldn’t cooperate. So, Eddie did the least expected thing today and scooped Steve up off the ground to lay him gently on the bed. 

He flickered in and out of a dark, warm, happy place as Eddie moved around the room before returning to him. “New underwear and a warm washcloth. Do you want me to change you? Do you want to wait until you can do it yourself?”

He was feeling a little gross and sticky. 

“Want you.” Steve mumbled. 

“I know, but I’ve gotta take care of you first.” Eddie said sweetly. 

It took him several minutes, but he managed to change his boxers and clean himself up on his own before collapsing back in the bed. 

Everything felt better when Eddie crawled in beside him and pulled him to his chest. Steve melted into Eddie’s side as he ran his fingers through his hair, soft and gentle now. Steve drifted off into that comforting darkness. 

When he woke again it was still night though he didn’t know how much time had passed or even if he had actually been asleep. Eddie’s fingers were still carding through his hair and he was humming some tune Steve didn’t recognize. 

Wait. 

Was he strumming through Steve’s hair?

“Are you playing guitar on my head?” Steve frowned. His throat felt sore and used. The fingers on his head didn’t stop, but Eddie’s humming grew louder. 

“Ba da ba ba ba! Badadadada baaaa!” 

Steve giggled. “You’re so weird, Munson.”

“Munson? I see I’ve been downgraded.” Eddie’s voice rumbled against Steve’s cheek. 

“Only when you play bad air guitar.”

Eddie gasped. “You take that back.”

“No chance.” Steve tipped his head back and found Eddie looking down at him with fond eyes. His heart thudded. Eddie couldn’t look at him like that. “You– um– I– How long was I out?”

“Not long.” Eddie promised. “Subspace does that. Warps your sense of time.”

Subspace?

“How do you know all this stuff?” Steve frowned. 

Eddie quirked his brow. “Dirty mags. And… Experience. There’s not a lot to do on the weekend for a gay freak in Indiana.”

Except go to gay clubs in Indy.

“So you’ve been with other guys?”

He wasn’t special.

“I’ve hooked up with people.” Eddie said casually. After a moment, his eyes widened. “Not that– this was just a hookup. Unless that’s what you want. Shit, this is not coming out right.”

He probably wasn’t the only guy in town Eddie had hooked up with. He knew the rumors. He knew of the cruising spots. Steve’s mind swam and the words came out before he could stop himself.

“Did you hook up with Billy?”

Chapter Text

September 20th, 1985

It didn’t take a lot for him to get completely shitfaced these days, but Billy could still drink like he used to. The beer in his hand was half gone already. Had to be the fifth one of the night. All around him the party raged. Thumping music drowned out most of what people were saying, not that he cared to actually listen to what Jason or any of his dumbass friends had to say. 

The cheap flashing lights and the disco ball hung in the living room gave him a pounding headache. Bodies crowded around him, pressing in on all sides. It seemed everyone within fifty miles of Hawkins had decided this was the place to be tonight.

Billy slammed down the rest of his beer and pushed through the crowd to the kitchen. Half empty bottles of liquor had been scattered across the counters beside empty packs of beer. He’d regret it in the morning, but Billy grabbed a half empty bottle of straight vodka and stumbled out the door to the pool patio, taking a swig. 

“Billy!” Chrissy waved him down from one of the pool chairs despite the protests of her other cheer friends. They didn’t like him very much. He couldn’t blame them. 

He sat down hard on the pool chair and nearly tipped back into the grass. He raised his bottle. “Ladies.”

Most of them scowled and stepped away, leaving him and Chrissy alone. “This party sucks.”

“Oh. I mean a little.” Chrissy wrapped her cardigan tighter around herself. “It’s a bit loud, but… it’s okay.”

He blinked at her. “Do you ever speak for yourself? Or do you just say what you think people want to hear?”

“I– um… Sorry?”

He was being an asshole. Not that he really cared.

“I’m just saying.” Billy took another swig. “This party fucking sucks. I know it. You know it. So say it with your whole fucking chest, Cunningham.”

“Okay…” Chrissy glanced around to see who was within ear shot. “This party sucks.”

He could work with this. “Louder.”

Chrissy giggled. “I don’t think–”

“Come on, baby. You can do it. Louder. This party FUCKING SUCKS!” Billy shouted. This was the most fun he’d had all night. 

“This party sucks! I wanna go home!” Chrissy said a little bit louder. 

“Come on, cheer! THIS PARTY SUCKS!” Billy shouted, drawing the eyes of nearby people. 

Chrissy was giggling now, a bright smile on her face. “IT SUCKS!”

“That’s better.” Billy leaned back in his chair. “Feels good right?”

“Yeah,” Chrissy grinned. “It does actually.”

“Now where’s your asshole boyfriend?” 

“He’s not an asshole.” The smile fell from her face. 

“Yeah, he is.” Billy took a deeper sip. “Guys like him are always fucking assholes.”

Maybe he was a little bit too drunk. 

“Yeah, well, so are you, Billy Hargrove.” Chrissy sniffed before storming off. 

Fuck. 

Why the hell did he do that?

His head pounded in time with the music. 

He looked up just in time to see a familiar mop of black curls slip out the patio doors. Eddie’s gaze stuttered on Billy’s scowl, but it was quickly wiped away by none other than Steve Harrington’s arm around his shoulder. Eddie laughed at something Steve shouted back into the house. 

He knew they were friends. He’d watched Steve pull up to the Munson trailer dozens of times by now. But he’d never seen them together like this. 

Why did it hurt so fucking bad?

Eddie pulled Steve away, off toward the shed in the back where Eddie liked to do his deals. 

Fuck, he was going to be sick. 

Billy stumbled away from the pool back inside. He found a set of stairs and heaved himself up them one by one. His headache was getting worse. He probably shouldn’t be drinking this much. He was still on some weird ass pills the doctors kept force feeding down his throat. 

He pushed through the bathroom door and shouted at whatever poor kid was in there taking a piss and fell to his knees in front of the toilet. On the bright side, everything in his stomach was a liquid. 

And he did feel a little better. 

The pounding in his head dampened to something manageable. He stood, swaying, and scrubbed his mouth out with water and mouthwash, nearly puking again at the taste. He leaned against the counter and spat it out. 

The ghost of himself stared back at him. 

The bathroom door flung open. 

“Get the fuck out.” He didn’t look to see who it was. 

The door closed, but the person didn’t leave. Harrington watched him with crossed arms. “You good, man?”

“I said get out.” 

“What are you going to do, Billy? Smash my face in with another plate?” 

“Maybe.” Billy spat again in the sink. “The fuck do you care.”

Steve was quiet for a long moment. Billy refused to look up at him. He was so tired. He was so fucking tired. Steve sighed. “Look, I get it. I fucking get it, okay? But none of us are built to deal with this shit alone. I don’t know what the fuck you said or did to Eddie, but–”

He was on Steve before he could blink, throwing him up against the bathroom door with a bang. He gripped Steve by the collar, holding him in place. “What the fuck did he say to you?”

“Billy–”

He pushed Steve up against the door again. “Did he tell you I’m a fucking fag? Did he? Come to see if it’s true? Come to see if poor Billy Hargrove is a fucking fag, Harrington?”

Steve shoved him away. “Don’t talk like that. Go the fuck home. You’re drunk.”

“What.” Billy stepped closer. This isn’t what he wanted. He wanted a fight. He wanted Harrington to fight back. He wanted to fucking feel something again. He wanted Steve to win. “Don’t talk like what, Harrington?” Steve was right there with his stupid lips and his stupid fucking look and his stupid fucking hair. “I’m just telling the truth.”

His kisses weren’t nice things. They were mean and greedy and demanding. Steve tasted like beer and fucking Heaven. He dreamed of this. He’d wanted this since the first day he walked into Hawkins High and saw Mr. King of the School sitting on that so-easy-to-topple pedestal. 

Steve shoved at his chest, panting. “Fuck you, Hargrove.”

“You’re welcome to, pretty boy.” Billy breathed. He met Steve’s eyes and he goddamn begged.  “Plant your fucking feet.”

Steve’s hands locked in his shirt and yanked him closer, crushing his mouth to Billy’s. Billy was too fucking wasted to make this sweet, too pissed to do anything but seek out pain. Steve’s teeth dug into his lip and he tasted copper. Billy whimpered as all the blood in his body headed south so quickly he felt light headed. But he wasn't about to let Harrington win that easily. 

He shoved Steve against the wall, hard enough to make it shake, but Steve was right back on him, shoving him against the opposite wall. Billy couldn’t tell if they were fighting or not. He didn’t care any more. He just want to fucking feel something for the first time in– 

Billy grabbed at Steve, found the belt at his waist and tore it off. He fell to his knees, landing hard, not even thinking as he pulled Steve’s hard cock from its confines. 

“Fuck, fuck, Billy. Fuck.” Steve’s head hit the wall as Billy sucked him down, choking himself with every bob of his head. He hadn’t done this in so long. He forgot what it felt like. The burning, the tears at the corners of his eyes, the way his head went light and floating and pain felt like pleasure blossoming. He pulled out his own cock and stroked roughly with a dry hand. “Fuck, Billy– Slow down– Billy– I’m gunna–”

Billy took it down to the hilt. His own orgasm shattered as Steve moaned and came so beautifully above him. 

And then it was over. 

And then he was standing up. Putting his own cock away. Washing his hands as Steve caught his breath. 

“Billy.” Steve swallowed. Billy didn’t turn around. If he saw Steve… That would be too much. Steve touched his shoulder and Billy pulled away. 

“This never happened. Wait five minutes before leaving.” Billy pushed out of the bathroom and stumbled back into the party.

Chapter Text

“Here.” Eddie handed over the preroll. “Tell your friends. And share it. This whole thing would make you green out.”

“Uh. Okay.” The mousey sophomore took it and ran off a little too excitedly. 

Eddie sighed. It was kind of cute. Baby’s first joint and all. And this party wasn’t half bad. He’d made pretty decent sales already and had sold about half of what he brought with him. Steve had disappeared to get a drink, but it felt like forever ago now. 

God, he was so far gone on him. 

He pulled out a cigarette and finally snagged a lounge chair by the pool. He lit it with a click of his lighter and took a drag, blowing it out into the night air just as someone sat in the chair beside him. He glanced over and instantly sat up straighter. “Chrissy?”

“Hi.” 

“Hey.” There was no way in hell Chrissy Cunningham was actually talking to him. “Eddie.”

That made a grin tug at her lips, but only so much. There was a distant look in her eyes. She pulled her cardigan tighter around her shoulders. “I know who you are.”

“Oh.” She did? “Didn’t think you paid attention to guys like me.”

“Guys like you?”

“Yeah, you know… Like…” He gestured at himself and took another drag. 

Chrissy still looked confused. “Who wear black?”

Eddie laughed nervously. “Yeah, something like that… Did you want to buy something?”

“Buy… Something?” 

“Drugs.” Eddie tapped his lunchbox. 

“Oh.” Chrissy’s eyes went wide. “I… No. I guess, I just wanted a place to sit. I don’t… I’ve never done drugs before.”

“That’s probably for the best.” He grinned. “They’ll turn you into a person who wears black.”

Chrissy giggled, looking a little more alive than she had before. “I don’t know. Black could be my color.”

Eddie looked her over in her pastel blue top, pink skirt, and yellow cardigan. “I could see it. Have you ever considered going goth? I think you could pull it off. Very in right now.”

“You think?”

“Here.” Eddie pulled off his battle jacket and handed it over. 

Chrissy took it a little reluctantly, looking over the patches and pins. “Did you sew these on yourself?”

“Oh yeah. Made some of the patches myself, too. All my favorite bands. Try it on.”

Chrissy raised her brow. “Really?”

“Yeah, go for it.”

She slipped it on over her cardigan and looked back at him, grinning. “How does it look?”

Any teenage guy would be thrilled to see a girl in his battle jacket. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t at least a little bit living out a fantasy. If he had to pick a girl… It would be Chrissy. “Rad as hell.”

“I like it.” Chrissy stood, modeling it. “I get it. It’s like a cheer uniform, right? Makes you feel like you belong to something. Tells other people who you are.”

“That’s… That’s exactly it. Yes. You could make like a cheer one or like… I dunno whatever you’re interested in. It doesn’t have to be metal or anything you know?” He was rambling now. “Like you could do like a pink Madonna jacket or something.”

Chrissy made a face.

“Not Madonna?” Eddie grinned. “What do you listen to then, Chrissy Cunningham?”

A smile broke out for real this time as she hid her face. “Okay, you can’t laugh.”

“I won’t laugh.” Eddie put out his cigarette and leaned closer to her. “This is very serious business.”

“Swear it.” Chrissy held out her pinky. 

Jesus Christ, he was making a pinky promise with Chrissy Cunningham. Did he get hit in the head harder than he thought? Was he in the Upside down? “I pinky promise I won’t laugh. Unless it’s like… The Ducktales theme or something.”

“It’s not,” Chrissy giggled, leaning closer. “So, my grandpa had this huge music collection and when he died, my parents had to get rid of it all, but I managed to grab one cassette tape. And I took it home and listened to it and… Just… I don’t know it changed something in here.” She touched her heart. 

“You’re killing me, Cunningham.” Eddie grinned. 

“Fine.” Chrissy sighed then muttered something under her breath.

“Didn’t quite catch that, sweetheart.”

Chrissy sucked in a breath. “I– Uh… Pale Blue Eyes by The Velvet Underground.”

No way. “You like the Velvet Underground?”

“Well,” Chrissy giggled. “The one album.”

Eddie whistled. “Chrissy Cunningham, metal head. Never woulda guessed.”

“Really?” Chrissy tossed her hair. “Just because I don’t wear all bla–”

“Hey! Hey! Get the fuck away from her, Munson!” Hands grabbed his shoulders and threw him across the lawn. He tasted dirt and blood in his mouth. Felt the burning sting as he hit a garden paver. He scrambled to his feet to face Jason and three of his friends. 

“Really? Carver? Four against one?”

“Stop it, Jason. He wasn’t doing anything!” Chrissy pulled at Jason’s arm. “We were just talking!”

“Just talking?” Jason spat. “Is that why you’re wearing his fucking trash?”

“It– I just wanted– We were just joking around. Jason–”

Jason grabbed the vest and yanked it off her. Chrissy yelped. “Stop– Ow! Jason–”

He wasn’t sure what happened next. Only that he was hitting the water with a flailing Jason in his arms. He came up swinging but Jason was faster and stronger than he was, twisting beneath the water to pull Eddie back under. He couldn’t see anything but bubbles and blue, couldn’t tell what way was up or down. His lungs screamed for air. He lashed out wildly, clawing at any part of Jason he could get to. 

Until his head broke the surface. 

“Stop! Eddie! It’s me!” Steve struggled against Eddie’s weak blows. Eddie coughed and sputtered, his eyes finding Jason climbing out of the pool with a bloody nose. 

“You keep your fucking hands off her, Munson!” Jason spat into the pool. “Fucking freak.”

Eddie surged to go after him, but Steve’s hand held him back. “You lay one more fucking hand on her, fucker!”

“Come on.” Jason wrapped a soaking arm around Chrissy, his hand gripping her shoulder harshly. She had his vest in her hands still. The crowd that had gathered parted for them.

“Let’s get out of here.” Steve pulled him to the edge of the pool. He climbed out, coughing and spitting as his lungs heaved. His new scars ached. He wiped his nose and his hand came away bright red. 

“My lunchbox.”

“I got it.” Steve grabbed it from the knocked over chair and came back to help Eddie to his feet. “Let's go around.”

They moved around the side of the house before Steve stopped suddenly. Eddie looked up trying to find what Steve was looking at in the darkness. He didn’t expect to see Billy all over some varsity girl, a hand under her skirt. She gasped at the sight of them, pushing at Billy, but he didn’t move. “This isn’t a fucking peep show.”

“Go fuck yourself, Hargrove.” Eddie growled. He wasn’t in the fucking mood for Billy’s bullshit tonight. 

“I’m trying to. Now fuck off.”

Steve unfroze beside him. “Let’s just– Let’s just go, Eddie.”

“No.” Eddie stood his place. “I’m tired of this shit. I’m so fucking tired–”

“Of what.” Billy turned to face them, eyes hard. “What the fuck do you want, Munson?”

Not fucking this. 

Not whatever the hell this was. 

He laughed. “You know what? Forget it. If you’re going to act like a fucking dick, forget it.”

“Yeah? I’m a dick?” Billy pushed away from the wall and the girl ran off. “Is that what you think, Harrington?”

“Stop.”

Billy grinned, wide and menacing. “Yeah. That’s what I thought.”

From his pocket, he pulled out a condom and pressed it to Steve’s chest. “Here.” He glanced at Eddie. “You might need it.”

Eddie watched as Billy limped away. “What–”

He looked back at Steve, not expecting him to be so shaken, on the verge of tears. “Stevie, what?”

“Let’s just go.” Steve wiped at his nose. 

“Stevie.”

“Can we just go?” 

“Okay.” Eddie took a steadying breath. “Okay, baby, let's go.”

 They drove back home in silence. 

Steve stared out the passenger window with his hands in his lap. Eddie’s stomach turned. Something was wrong. Something had happened and it had nothing to do with Jason. Eddie chewed on his lip as he pulled into the trailer park. 

There was a lot Steve didn’t tell him. 

Steve didn’t have to tell him everything. It wasn’t like they were boyfriends or… Eddie didn’t really know what they were. He wanted them to be more. He wanted a lot of things. 

He put the car in park. 

“Steve–”

“We should take care of your nose.”

His nose was the least of his problems right now. 

“Did something happen?”

Steve sniffed, hiding his face. “It’s fine. It’s nothing. It’s… Bullshit.”

“It's not nothing. It’s definitely not bullshit. Whatever’s happening, fuck, Stevie, we went through literal hell together. You can tell me, please.” Eddie took his hand and squeezed it. But there was something already in Steve’s hand. His stomach sank lower to the deepest pits of himself as he found the condom in Steve’s. “Did Billy do something?”

“I…” 

“Steve, did he hurt you?”

“No.” Steve shook his head. “No, that’s the problem. I wanted it.”

“What?”

“I found him in the bathroom. I just wanted to make sure he was okay, but then…” Steve pulled his hand away. “I cheated, Eddie.”

“Cheated?”

“I kissed him. I kissed Billy. Or he kissed me. Fuck, it happened so fast, I couldn’t even think. I… And then he was on his knees and… Fuck. I don’t know how it happened. I’m so sorry, Eddie.”

He’d never seen Steve this shaken or distraught. 

“Please, I…”

“Have we been dating this whole time?”

Steve blinked at him. 

His face fell as he turned away. “Right. I’ll just… Yeah.”

Steve pulled open the door and slipped out of the van before Eddie could stop him. Eddie scrambled to undo his seatbelt and run after him. “Wait! Steve, wait.”

“It’s fine, man. I get it—“

“Marry me.”

Steve stopped and turned slowly in his tracks. “What?”

“Marry me. Date me. Fuckin court me, Stevie, whatever you want I’m fucking there. Even if I don’t realize what is happening I’m there. Whatever you want me to be. I— Goddamn it, Steve, I’m fucking insane about you. All I do everyday is think about you.”

Steve’s eyes glimmered in the moonlight. 

“I just want you to be happy.” Eddie took his hands. Damn the neighbors. “Whatever that means. If you want to be with Billy—“

“I don’t.”

“I wouldn’t blame you. Man’s a smoke show.” Eddie finished. He sighed. “I… Billy and I…”

“You were together.” Of course Steve had seen right through his evasions of that very question.

“I wouldn’t call it that.” Eddie frowned. “I… care about him.”

“Me, too.” 

“He’s an asshole.”

“Yeah.” 

“So, I don’t care what you did with him.” Eddie squeezed Steve’s hands and pulled him closer. “Not gonna lie, it's kinda hot.”

Even in the shadows, Eddie could see Steve’s cheeks burning. “Shut the fuck up.”

Eddie tipped Steve’s chin up to catch his lips. “Come on, princess, let's get out of these clothes.”

Steve gave him a sly look. 

“You fucking minx.” Eddie pulled him toward the trailer. “Come on.”

Chapter Text

He drank till he couldn’t remember. 

Not the feeling of Steve’s lips. 

Not the look Eddie gave him as he and Steve walked away. 

If he was trying to kill himself, he was doing a bang up job of it. And when he closed his eyes it was a coin toss of whether or not he would wake up in the morning. 

He woke up on a pool chair. Alone. And immediately turned to his side and released his stomach contents onto the pavement. His head pounded as dark shadows flickered through his mind. He struggled to sit up, panicking at the sluggish ways his limbs responded. 

Billy vomited again then spat, staring down at the pink tinted liquid and half digested foods. He couldn’t remember drinking anything red. Downing a lethal amount of alcohol after having his internal organs ripped apart by an interdimensional monster was not his brightest idea. 

He pushed himself to his feet and stumbled out of the backyard of a house that… Yeah, it definitely wasn’t the party house. He hadn’t taken the car, so he cut his way through the woods. 

This early in the morning, golden sunlight filtered through the branches and birds chirped merrily. He paused in a small clearing to catch his breath, leaning against a tree as his body screamed at him. It wasn’t bad out here. Quiet. Earthy and still. 

Then too still. 

The birds quit singing all at once. 

Billy felt the hair on the back of his neck raise and the pit of his stomach hallowed. He felt something like eyes on him. 

“Billy.”

He spun, searching for the source of his name. But he saw no one through the trees. Nothing, then–

A car whizzed by in the distance and the moment broke. Billy sucked in a breath. Someone had said his name. He was certain of it. But maybe he was just hearing things. It happened more often these days. The doctors called it PTSD– they assured him he wasn’t crazy, but he saw the look in their eyes. The judgement. The pity. 

Billy screwed his eyes shut and focussed on his breathing. The birds started singing again, but had they ever really stopped?

When he finally reached the trailer park, the sun had risen fully. He rounded the corner to the front of the trailer and stopped dead in his tracks. 

His father scowled at him from the trailer porch, looking over Susan’s shoulder. “Where the fuck have you been?”

Billy’s heart pounded in his chest. Why was he here? After all these months? He left Billy. Abandoned him. 

“Those fucking doctors take your tongue, too, boy?”

Billy glanced at Susan. Tears raced down her cheeks as she pulled her cardigan tighter around her. “Neil, it’s–”

“Shut the fuck up.” Neil pointed a finger at her and she flinched. “Grab your shit, Billy.”

“What?” Billy croaked.

“I said grab your shit.” Neil’s voice echoed out over the quiet lot. “And get in the goddamn car.”

Billy’s blood ran cold. No. There was no way in hell he was going to do that. No way in hell he was leaving Max and Susan who had been more like family to him than his father ever had. “I think you need to leave.”

That set his father charging down the steps. “What the fuck did you just say to me, boy?”

Billy scrambled back as his father grabbed at him, but he wasn’t as quick as he used to be. Neil’s hand wrapped around his neck, scruffing him like he was a bad cat and pulled him to the stairs. “Get your fucking shit or we’re leaving without it.”

“No!” Billy wretched himself out of his father’s grasp, falling to the stairs. “No. I’m eighteen. You can’t make me.” 

Neil raised his hand, but before he could get a swing in, the front door of the trailer crashed open. Max barreled out and leapt off the porch, slamming straight into Neil. They both went to the ground. Max scrambled up first as Neil reached for her. She was much smaller and faster than he was. “You little bitch!” 

“You stay away from him!” Max screamed.

Billy got to his feet and pulled Max behind him, shielding her and Susan from Neil. The trailer park was waking up now, eyes peeking through blinds. “You need to go.”

Neil scoffed. “You think you got a backbone now? Think you can be a man of the house? You’re barely even a boy. You got no spine. You always were a weak little–”

The door of the Munson trailer crashed open and Steve came charging out. He popped the trunk of his Beemer and swiftly pulled a savage looking nail bat from the back of it without breaking his stride. He didn’t come after Neil with it, but swung it over his shoulder. “There a problem here?”

It shouldn’t have been as intimidating as it was, seeing how Steve was in nothing but boxer shorts and a band tee that was definitely not his. His hair was wild, half sticking up in random directions and half flattened from sleep. Eddie appeared a moment later at his side. 

Neil looked between them and Billy, sizing up the situation for himself. Then he smirked, his cold eyes turning to Billy. “Fucking sissy boy. You think Susan will let a fag stay in her house knowing he’s fucking the neighbors?”

Billy felt like throwing up again. But he felt a warm hand on his shoulder and turned to see Susan at his side. “You need to leave, Neil. And if you ever come back, I’m calling the cops on your ass.”

For a moment, Billy wondered if his father would try to take on all of them. But the man glanced at the bat on Steve’s shoulder and the easy way he carried it. “I leave now, I ain’t ever coming back, boy.”

“Good.” Billy spat. 

With a burning red face, Neil jumped back in his car, slamming the door. The engine roared to life and Neil revved it, spitting dirt as he peeled out of the trailer park. 

As soon as the car disappeared around the bend, Billy collapsed. He felt Susan and Max’s hands catch him, lower him safely to the ground. He hadn’t realized how much he’d been shaking. Max’s arms wrapped around him. 

“It’s okay. We’re okay. He’s gone,” She repeated over and over again. 

“You should call the station,” He heard Steve say to Susan. “Eddie and I will keep an eye out. Make sure he doesn’t come back.”

Why had they come to help him? After everything that he did to them? After the way he treated them last night?

“You okay, Max?” Eddie asked. 

“Yeah.” Max said softly. 

“Billy?” Eddie knelt down. 

Billy glanced at him and regretted it immediately. Eddie’s soft eyes were too much right now. Guilt welled in him. He just wanted to sleep. Or fight. Or jump off the quarry cliff. 

Eddie sighed. “Let’s get inside.”

Billy let Max get him to his feet and flinched away when Eddie tried to help, too. 

Inside, he collapsed on the couch, body giving out completely, and fell into something that was not quite asleep, not quite awake. Pain racketed through his body and he gladly accepted the meds and water Max pressed into his hands. After that, it was darkness interspersed with snippets of conversations. 

“What do we do?” Susan whispered. “What if he comes back?”

“Do you think he would try to take him?” Steve asked. 

…

“I’ll take first shift.” Eddie said. The front door opened and shut behind him. 

…

Max picked up his head and sat down, letting it fall on her lap. She carded her fingers through his hair and Billy sighed. “Are you hungry?”

He was. His stomach screamed ravenously, but he shook his head ‘no’. 

…

“Come on. Gotta eat something.” Max shook him awake and Billy groaned. He sat up slowly; his body protested every move. Susan set a tv tray in his lap. A bowl of chicken noodle and crackers sat on it, steaming. He didn’t want to eat anything, but the first spoonful had him wolfing down the rest of it. He felt disgusting. The Twilight Zone played quietly on the T.V. 

“Done?” Susan asked. Billy nodded. 

Max leaned into him. She did that a lot lately, using him like a pillow or tucking her feet under his thigh. Not that Billy minded. He just wasn’t used to being touched in a way that didn’t have to do with pain or sex. Something that was just… Familial. Comfort for the sake of comfort. Like she just wanted to know he was there without having to look at him. 

He saw a flicker of movement out on the porch and tensed. 

“It’s okay. Just Steve and Eddie.” 

It was getting dark out now. Had they been there all day?

Billy frowned. 

“What happened between you? For a while I thought…” Max stopped herself, considering her words. “I mean I thought you might become friends or something.”

The ‘or something’ hung in the air. 

Billy didn’t want to talk about this. Not after today. 

Max didn’t push further when he didn’t answer. 

Billy stared absently at the T.V.

Why did they care so much?

They probably hated him. They were probably just here for Max. 

Right?

She was part of their little fucked up group of friends. Not him.

Max’s head grew heavy on his shoulder until little snores drowned out most of the TV. Billy grabbed the remote and turned it off. He didn’t want to leave her sleeping here, but he doubted he could carry her himself. Susan came down the hall and spied the two of them. 

“Is she sleeping?”

Billy nodded. “Are- are you okay?”

Dark circles hung under Susan’s eyes and creased marred her brow. She nodded anyway. She glanced at the door. “Your friends are very kind.”

He didn’t want to start down that rabbit hole so he just nodded. “Yeah.”

Susan wrung her hands together, building up to say something. She sniffed. “I– I’m so sorry, Billy. I…”

“It’s not your fault.”

“It’s not yours either.” Susan let her hands fall. “Listen… I’ve… I’ve started to ask around and… I think it’s possible if… I mean you’re eighteen now. You can do whatever you want.”

Billy tensed. “You want me to move out?”

Susan’s eyes widened. “No! No, Billy, no. Of course not. I met it when I… This is your home. I’m… I’m not saying this very well. I, well, I want to adopt you.”

Adopt him?

“You’re as much my son as Max is my daughter and you’re part of this family, Billy.” Susan smiled softly. “Just consider it, okay?”

“Okay.” He wanted it. More than anything he wanted it. But, it felt like a fantasy he could never have.“What if he keeps coming back?”

He couldn’t keep Max and Susan safe. Not in the state he was in. Not when his body failed him at every turn. If his father came back while he wasn’t around… Billy felt sick. Maybe he should leave. Neil came to take him away. Maybe if he left… Or maybe if he went with Neil… 

“I’m off to bed.” Susan sighed. “Will you come to church in the morning with me?”

He nodded. 

“Okay.” Susan smiled, light back in her eyes. She drifted back down the hallway and disappeared into her room. 

Billy watched the shadows outside the front window. If he was going to leave, he should leave tonight. He would have to take the car but he’d leave it at the nearest bus station and phone back to say where he left it. If he got to Chicago, he could go anywhere. Back to Cali maybe. Or somewhere his father would never go. 

He got off the couch, body aching in protest as he tucked a pillow under Max’s head and layed a blanket over her. He limped to his room and grabbed a bag, filling it with some clothes, his meds, and the secret stash of cash he’d been saving for something like this. Billy opened the window as quietly as he could and tossed the bag out. He closed it and went out to the living room. He grabbed the keys from the hook by the door.

Steve and Eddie. 

Billy sighed. 

He’d need to get past them first. Send them away. He wasn’t stable enough to sneak out tonight. 

Billy slipped out the front door and found Eddie sitting on one of the chairs with his guitar in hand. Steve was nowhere to be seen. Eddie’s fingers stilled. “You’re up.”

“Yeah.” Billy’s gaze caught on Steve’s car. “Where’s Steve?”

“Why?” Eddie’s eyes hardened. “Ready to apologize?”

Billy bristled. “For what?”

“You know what,” Eddie scoffed. His eyes drifted past Billy to the crunch of footsteps on gravel. Something dark hit the ground at Billy’s feet and he blinked, seeing the bag he had just tossed out the window at his feet. 

Steve placed his hands on his hips, “Going somewhere?”

Billy swore he used to be better at shit like this. “What’s it to you?”

“Are you fucking serious, Billy?” Steve hissed. That look was back on his face. Equal parts pain and disappointment and anger. “After all this, you’re just going to up and run? You’re just going to leave u– Them?”

“Why the fuck do you care?” 

Steve looked desperately at Eddie, but Eddie only stared at the ground. Billy grabbed the bag. “Tell them goodbye for me.”

“Tell them your-fucking-self. Or better yet, don’t go.” Steve stepped closer.

“I have to.” Billy pulled away. “He’s going to keep coming back for me. He’s not going to stop. I’m only putting them in danger.”

“We drove him off today. We can do it again–”

“What happens when you’re not here? Huh? Think you’re some kind of fucking hero? You don’t know him. You don’t fucking know what he’s capable of. They won’t miss me. Probably won’t even know I’m gone.” That was a flat out lie. Max was going to kill him, but he had to do this. It was for the best. Billy went down the steps.

“Why the hell are you so fucking stubborn?” Steve stepped in his path. “Goddammit, Billy, Why won’t you let us help you?

“Get out of my way, Harrington.” Billy tightened his hand on the backpack. He didn’t want to have to lay Steve out. He wasn’t even sure he could anymore. 

Steve planted his feet. “Make me, Hargrove.”

Billy met Steve’s eyes, held his gaze. This wasn’t a fight he could win. Billy deflated. “Please, Steve. I can’t– I can’t let anyone else get hurt because of me.”

“I won’t let him get anywhere near you or Max or Susan.” Steve swore.

“Please, Steve.” He had to go. He’d get down on his knees and beg. 

“Max needs you, Billy.” Eddie said softly. The words cut through him, sharp as any knife. 

“She’ll survive.” Billy swallowed. “She doesn’t need me. No one does.”

“Is that what you think?” Eddie asked as he stepped down from the porch. “That no one needs you? That no one loves you? Cares about you? Because it’s not fucking true, you hear me? We all needed you at Starcourt. We need you now. None of us, not a single goddamn one of us survives this without the others. You wanna cry about your shit dad, join the fucking party. We’re  a goddamn party of shit dads! And if he ever comes around again I’ll kill him myself.”

“Not if I get there first.” Steve vowed. He held his hand out and both he and Eddie looked at Billy expectantly. 

Every fiber of Billy’s being told him to run. Max and Susan would be safer without him. Happier without him. 

But he thought of Susan’s offer. Of the way Max had taken to snuggling up to him. Of her grin as they sped down the highway screaming Metallica lyrics. If he left… Who would protect them? Who would keep Max out of trouble? And what about the things lurking in the night. 

The thing that had possessed him… The Mind Flayer. He felt it. Knew it couldn’t be killed that easily. If it found a way back… The gates had already been ripped open twice. Who was to say it couldn’t happen again? 

He couldn’t leave. Not yet. 

Billy set his keys in Steve’s hand.

Chapter Text

A strange weight lifted from him the moment he set those keys in Steve’s hand. A tightness in his chest was released. He’d always thought he’d run one day. He’d planned for it. Dreamt about grabbing a bag and driving his Camaro until he ran out of gas money trying to get back to Cali. 

But deciding not to run?

That was new. 

Steve closed his hand around the keys. “Okay. Good.”

What did he do now?

“I’m sorry.” Billy swallowed around the foreign words. 

“For what?” Steve kicked at the ground. 

“You know what.” Billy didn’t want to say it aloud. Didn’t want to admit that last night had less to do with Steve and more to do with his desire to destroy himself. “I’m… I’m sorry, okay?”

Steve glanced at Eddie and nodded. “Eddie and I… Eddie and I are together.”

He felt the sting of the words, but it was nothing compared to the way Eddie tensed up and shifted closer to Steve protectively. “Okay.”

Eddie relaxed. He fiddled with his pockets before pulling out a cigarette case. “Think your dad will come back tonight?”

Billy sucked in a deep breath and sighed. Neil was probably at some dive bar getting wasted and yelling about his no good son. Neil wasn’t about to come back when he thought the place was being protected. “No.”

“Good.” Eddie opened up the pack and pulled a joint from within. “I think this is well deserved.”

“Agreed.” Steve grinned, plucking the joint out of Eddie’s hand. “Your trailers got a good view of the Mayfields.”

“Sure does.”  Eddie returned Steve’s grin. “I picked up The Karate Kid yesterday.”

“No, you didn’t?” Steve frowned. 

“Well, I did pick it up.” Eddie turned away and headed for the trailer.

“You can’t just steal movies!” Steve followed after him. 

Billy stayed in place, wanting to go with them but knowing they probably didn’t want him there. He should just go back inside and keep watch on his own couch.

“Billy?” Steve had stopped and turned back. “Coming?”

Billy nodded tentatively, glancing at Eddie to see if they were for real. Eddie just stood at the door waiting. He followed Steve up inside the small trailer, taking in the room. He hadn’t been back there since that night. Could still feel Eddie’s lips on his and taste him on his tongue. He stumbled as Eddie’s dark brown eyes met his own. Wondered if Eddie was thinking about that, too. 

The moment didn’t last as Eddie plopped down on the couch and Steve sat beside him, sticking the joint between his lips. Billy took the last spot on the couch, careful not to get too close to Steve’s thigh, mind wandering back to the bathroom. Billy swallowed as Eddie pulled out a lighter and lit the joint for Steve. Practiced. Like they’d done this a thousand times before. They probably had.

Eddie hopped up again as Steve blew a skunky cloud into the air. He grabbed a VHS from the counter and turned on the old T.V. Steve tapped Billy with his elbow and offered the joint to Billy. He took it and took way too big of a hit. Eddie laughed as Billy coughed, running to the kitchen for a glass of water. Steve took the joint back. His fingers brushed against Billy’s. “Watch yourself, Hargrove.”

“Hargrove?” Billy questioned softly. 

“Billy.” Steve’s dark eyes traced lines over Billy’s lips. It was interrupted as Eddie set the water in front of Billy and sat back down by Steve. Eddie’s arm went around Steve’s shoulders. 

Billy swallowed down the fire in his stomach. Whatever he might have had with Eddie or Steve, he’d fucked up beyond repair. Not that he deserved either of them after all the shit he’d done. He broke everything he touched; he always knew that. 

But for some reason, they kept giving him chances. Kept coming to his aid. Kept… Being there. He wasn’t going to fuck it up this time, Billy decided. He could be a friend. Or something. He didn’t really have those. But, movies and joints seemed like maybe an okay place to start. He tried to relax as they passed the joint back and forth watching the movie. 

By the time William Zabka’s character gave Ralph Macchio’s character a black eye, Billy felt his body relax, sinking deeper into the couch. The high hid the ever present ache in his joints and he felt himself falling back asleep. He slept more now than he used to. Things he didn’t use to think about now took a majority of his energy. He felt Steve’s thigh against his own. Maybe it was selfish but he didn’t move. He turned his attention from the movie, glancing over at the two of them. At Eddie’s arm around Steve’s shoulders. At the way Steve leaned into him. Neither of them looked terrified. 

Would he get that one day?

Billy felt his eyes grow heavy. 

…

“Quiet, Stevie.” Eddie’s voice floated down the hallway. Billy blinked. He licked his dry lips and reached for the half empty glass of water on the coffee table. He was sprawled out on the couch and the rest of the trailer was dark. Billy sucked down the rest of the water. He was about to turn over and go back to bed when a low moan echoed through the trailer. 

Billy froze. Eddie and Steve… Were they…? 

“--Want him to hear you?” He heard Eddie say. 

Billy’s heart raced. 

He should go. Billy sat up.

He could hear it now. Skin against skin. The thin walls of this place did nothing to obscure the low desperate sounds coming from Eddie’s bedroom. 

Eddie chuckled low and deep. “You want that, don’t you? You want Billy to hear you.”

The whine that came after set Billy’s blood ablaze. They couldn’t be serious. This had to be some sort of trick. The sound of skin on skin quickened. Steve’s moans louder and more desperate until Eddie must have put a hand over his mouth. 

Then, silence. 

Billy couldn’t move. Didn’t know what to do as the bedroom door quietly swung open and Eddie moved into the hall, shirtless. His eyes met Billy’s very much awake ones and he froze. For a long time Eddie only stared at him wide eyed, jaw slack. Until, “Billy–”

Billy swallowed and shook himself out of the shocked trance. “I– I didn’t–”

Eddie ran his hands over his face. “Fuck.”

“I-I can go.” Billy stood and headed for the door. 

“Did you mean it?” Eddie asked. 

Billy paused with his hand on the door handle. “Mean what?”

“When you said you were sorry.”

Billy let his hand fall. “Yeah. Course I did.”

He turned around when Eddie didn’t say anything. “I’ve been a huge fucking dick. I’m an asshole. I fuck up everything around me. I’m fucking poison. Is that what you want to hear?”

Eddie frowned. “Poison?”

He didn’t want to do this. The past twenty-four hours had been hell enough. Billy opened the door, but a hand caught around his wrist. “Stop.”

“Let me go.”

Eddie’s hand fell away. “I know I sound like a complete fuckin’ hypocrit when I say this, but you gotta stop running away. You gotta let someone in. It doesn’t have to be me. We’re trying to help. I’m trying to be there, but I can’t fucking do that if you won’t let me.”

Billy shook his head. “I can’t. Eddie, I– Everything good… Everything dies. Sooner or later.”

“So you’d rather just be sad and alone and depressed and angry? You’d rather suffer for your entire life than give yourself the chance at something fucking good? Is that the life you want? For yourself? For Max?” Eddie moved closer. “You deserve good things, Billy.”

Did he? After everything he’d done?

“Eddie…” He sucked in a breath as Eddie took his hand. Billy wanted it so badly he could barely breathe. “Please.”

He no longer knew what he was asking for, but Eddie seemed to know. Eddie drew him closer, pulled Billy down to capture his lips. Eddie tasted like weed and Steve. Billy felt that panic rise in him again, but he fought against it. For a moment, while Eddie’s lips were on his, he let himself believe that things might be okay. That he might have room for something good in his life. He didn’t know what this meant with Steve in Eddie’s bed and Eddie holding him like this. It didn’t feel like something bad. Just felt right. 

A hand wound through his hair and pulled. Billy whimpered as Eddie’s teeth grazed his neck. “Stop thinking. Let go, baby.”

Fuck. He wanted to. He’d never wanted anything more in his life. Didn’t care that Eddie had just been fucking Steve in the next room. Didn’t care if this was some perverted fantasy of theirs. Just as long as he was part of it. 

Eddie wrapped a hand around Billy’s neck, squeezing lightly as he sucked Billy’s lip between his teeth. Billy moaned into it, lost himself to it. 

Then Eddie’s touch was gone. 

Replaced with a low chuckle. 

Billy’s head swam as he opened his eyes. Found Eddie and Steve standing there, grinning, laughing at him. 

“You really think we’d want you?” Eddie spat as Steve laughed. “Disgusting fag. Your own father didn’t even want you.”

“What?” Billy choked. 

“After what you did?” Steve moved closer to him. He had that bat in his hand. Blood dripped from it onto the brown linoleum. “After you killed all those people? Why do you get to live when they all had to die? Why did you get to live and Heather didn’t?”

“Steve.”

“No one wants you here.” Steve promised. “Least of all us. You pathetic, little…”

Billy stumbled out the door. His knees hit the gravel, but he got up. Kept going. Kept running as fast as his fucked up body would carry him. Branches whipped around him, tore at his clothes. He wasn’t fast enough. Steve and Eddie’s voices echoed through the trees, gaining on him. 

Pathetic. Fag. Nothing. Nobody. Unloved. Unlovable. Unwanted. 

He couldn’t drown it out. Couldn’t move fast enough to outrun their voices. The ground ahead of him vanished and Billy skidded to a stop. Pebbles and rocks flew out from under his feet, flying off into the darkness. Dropping down into the quarry chasm below.

“No one will miss you.” Eddie hissed. “Think I want you when I could have Stevie all to myself?”

Billy stared down at the dark abyss. Had he really run all this way?

“You should just jump.” Steve whispered in his ear. Billy toed the edge. 

Now here you go again

You say you want your freedom

The music cut through his mind. 

Where was it coming from?

Well, who am I to keep you down?

It's only right that you should

Play the way you feel it

This wasn’t real. 

None of this was real.

But listen carefully

To the sound of your loneliness

“Billy!” 

Billy blinked. 

He wasn’t at the quarry. 

He was still in Eddie’s living room. Eddie’s hands gripped him, shaking him. And Steve. Steve was there, too. Staring at him from the hallway.

Stevie Nicks’ voice filtered in from Eddie’s room. 

“Eddie?”

He hated how soft and broken his voice sounded, but Eddie collapsed against him. “Jesus fucking Christ, Billy.”

Steve didn’t let down his guard that easily, staring at Billy with untrusting eyes. “What happened?”

“I dunno! I just walked out here and he was–” Eddie babbled. “Fuck!”

“I’m fine,” Billy grunted, though he didn’t believe it. Judging by the looks on Eddie and Steve’s faces they didn’t either. But he didn’t know how to explain it– Didn’t want to explain it. Didn’t want to say that he’d been so close to jumping off that cliff. Didn’t want to admit how real it all fucking felt. Or that Stevie fucking Nicks brought him back from the edge. “Had a— Flashback.”

Steve frowned. 

How much of that had been real?

“I have to go.”

“Billy–” Eddie tried to stop him but it was too late. Billy slipped out the door and headed back to his trailer. No one tried to follow him. 

His heart pounded. He’d had nightmares before. Plenty since the mall. But this? This felt even more real. He hadn’t even been asleep. Had he?

Chapter Text

With everything going on, Steve had forgotten how goddamn dramatic teenagers were. 

He’d be the first to admit that maybe he’d been slacking a little bit in his babysitting chauffeuring duties. But between work and Eddie and Billy… He didn’t have a lot of time on his hands.

A fact which Dustin was not letting him forget. 

A fact which Dustin punctuated with loud sighs and an even louder silence as Steve drove him home from the arcade. The kid could only keep it up for so long; it wasn’t in the brat’s nature to stay silent for more than a few minutes, after all. 

Steve pulled into Dustin’s drive and threw the car in park. “Here you are.”

“Seriously, Steve!” Dustin rounded on him, then repeated mockingly. “ Here you are. Yeah! No shit! I’ve only lived here my whole fucking– life!”

“Language!” Steve scolded. 

“Like you’ve never said worse.” Dustin crossed his arms, honest to god pouting. “You’ve abandoned us.”

Though that statement was categorically untrue it still cut deep. “Dustin.”

“You have!” Dustin threw his hands in the air. “I never see you anymore! When I told you about Eddie I didn’t think you’d actually become friends with him!”

Steve sighed. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

“He’s a weirdo and you’re– Wait. I’m right?” Dustin caught himself. 

“What am I?”

“A jock!”

“So you’re saying weirdos and jocks can’t hang out?” Steve smirked.