Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Steve and Eddie took their time setting up the flashlights around the Creel house, checking each and every room to make sure they knew the entire layout - Eddie only screeching once when a very large spider got caught in his hair, “Oh… it’s just a spider, baby. It’s okay.” Steve cooed quietly, carefully extracting it and placing it back in the web Eddie had walked through, “Just an orb weaver. Nothing that can hurt you, not really. You probably scared it way more than it scared you - poor thing.”

“You know Stevie…” Eddie, equally quiet, stuck his tongue out and fluffed out his curls, removing the web left behind and checking for any other potential invaders, “The bug thing? Cute when the bugs are also kind of cute. This? A little terrifying, given what we know about Vecna.”

Steve knew he was joking, his smile too wide and the way he was peering up at Steve through his lashes far too full of adoration to be anything but full of affection…

He still waited for the sting; the same one that would stab into him anytime someone ‘lovingly’ insulted his intelligence or his perceived vanity, but it never came.

Huh.

“…Don’t you have a bug of your own - an entire black widow might I add - tattooed on your chest? And if you look at it from a technical standpoint, a spider is an arachnid, not a bug.” Steve laughed quietly; trying to figure out if Eddie really was just his constant exception to rules and harsher feelings or if maybe he’d just grown as a person and was just more secure in himself, as he watched the spider flee between the rotting planks of the ceiling above them. “Besides… even I have rules about ‘bugs’. Nothing with more than eight legs, and nothing that puts me or my loved ones at risk. You just… have to get used to them, living in the woods, you know? Better to know what ones could pose a risk when the nearest doctor is at least twenty minutes or more out.”

He had poured over book after book after El had gotten stung and they had found out she was allergic to bees - not willing to risk not knowing and something happening to her if they couldn’t get here somewhere in time.

Eddie muttered something quietly, and Steve raised an eyebrow - silently asking him to repeat himself, “Ugh… I said that’s not technically the only bug tattoo I have. In the spirit of… honesty and all that.” He looked absolutely bashful - pink spreading across his nose and cheeks while he chewed at his bottom lip.

“Really? Where?” Steve blinked - sure, he’d behaved and hadn’t looked too closely when Eddie had showered the day before, but… surely he would have caught sight of another giant bug tattoo - and he couldn’t imagine Eddie getting something small; the man was larger than life, and his body modification choices seemed to match that.

Instead of showing him, Eddie just grinned, “Something to look forward to finding, then.”

Steve head began to spin - curiosity bubbling up through his chest - wondering what it could be, and better yet… where.

God damnit, this plan needed to go through faster. He needed to know Eddie was completely safe, so he could finally—

“Stevie?” Eddie interrupted with another smile, grabbing hold of his hands, “Everything is going to be alright, you know? We’re gonna get through this.”

Oh.

It seemed Eddie has mistook Steve’s brain spiraling into a horny, animalistic typhoon of feeling as concern or worry, “Ah, well…” He squeezed Eddie’s hands back and took a deep breath to center himself - it wouldn’t do much good to admit to what he’d been thinking anyway. “Can we go over the plan one more time? Just… to make sure.”

Slowly leading Steve through the Creel house, wordlessly motioning around the halls like the worlds highest paid tour guide, Eddie brought them outside, hidden in the backyard of the Creel house, and brought him through their next steps. Unsure if Vecna could hear them from within the confines of the building, “Well. Phase one, we do all the things we just did, and then signal them to know they can start their setup. So, check! Phase one, complete. Now… phase two, we wait for Dustin to signal us on the walkie before they fully head into the Upside Down, and then we check for Vecna. One more signal to confirm that we found him, right?”

“Yup. Phase one and two. The easy parts.” Steve flinched, stopping Eddie from wandering too far and spinning him into his arms, “It’s phase three and beyond I’m still not keen on.”

Eddie slung his arms around Steve’s shoulders and pressed his face into his neck, “I know… but… Phase Three.”

“You bait Vecna.” Steve sighed, squeezing his hands on Eddie’s hips before wrapping his arms around his waist and slowly swaying them back and forth, “Hm. You know, even in some of my wildest dreams, I never would have guessed that we’d actually have a first slow dance… and never would have thought, if we did, that it would be to Dio. Maybe I should have.” Eddie giggled into him; warm breath tickling at his throat while he nodded - fully leaning his weight into Steve and following his lead.

“Ronnie boy has been with us for a lot of moments, hasn’t he?”

“Mmmhm - and for many, many more, I hope. Even if some of his music does still give me headaches, it’s always been worth it to have another reminder of you.” Steve nuzzled against the side of Eddie’s face happily, “But, I gotta say, having the real you is far better than any reminder music could give me.”

One of Steve’s hands slowly traced up Eddie’s spine, cradling and cupping the back of his head as his fingers tangled in his hair, “You… are one smooth mother fucker, do you know that?” Eddie’s voice was full of awe as he swayed his body closer; so close now that even air wouldn’t be able to pass between the places they were connected.

“Only for you.” Steve grinned, pulling Eddie’s face from his throat and gasping when his eyes fluttered fully closed and the softest, breathiest little moan passed from Eddie’s lips, “Oh, don’t do that to me, Munson.”

“Me?? You’re the one who—”

Steve tugged again, just to hear him, before pressing their lips together - a single smooth slide of their mouths and a gentle nip of teeth, “Sorry, couldn’t help it.” And he couldn’t. Every single moment he could touch Eddie, it was like he itched for it. Like an addict, looking for his next fix; only able to find it in warm skin and gentle sounds.

They continued to sway away - Eddie’s eyes locked on Steve’s as they danced in place, “So… uhm… phase four.”

“Gareth and Dustin start their radios… or Gareth awkwardly tries to play the nightmare version of your guitar.”

Eddie huffed a little, twisting and stroking the baby hairs as the base of Steve’s skull, “You know, I’m almost a little jealous?” Steve blinked rapidly, furrowing his brow and frowning, “No- not… okay, listen. As awful as that place is? Can you imagine it? The most metal concert in history. All in an alternate world. Red lightning bursting across the sky… shit. You know, before all this went down, I was working on leaning a new song? It’s muscle memory now, I could have put out an absolutely glorious rendition of ‘Master of Puppets’ while the A-Team took that bastard down.”

Steve chuckled back softly; Max had spent quite a few extra nights at their place before leaving for California - looking sleep deprived and unwilling to explain why as she stomped through their trailer in her pajamas, muttering until she made her way into El’s room and collapsed on the bed to almost immediately fall asleep in the relatively quieter sanctum of ‘the other side of the trailer park’.

They didn’t need to discuss phase five; they didn’t have any control over the flambé of Vecna, and Steve would be far too distracted by then, waiting and watching to make sure Eddie didn’t start to float.

“I’m sure you would have done amazing, baby.” Steve kissed his temple and dropped his hand back to Eddie’s waist - trying to shake off the thought of anything going wrong, “But… selfishly, I’m glad you’re not there. I don’t like that anyone is there, but…” Vecna’s visions flashed across his eyeline for a moment and he cursed softly.

None of the visions he’d seen had been in the Upside Down, other than the ones surrounding Eddie… and he was going to take that for as good of a sign as any that they were in the right place, and that they would make it through this.

“Yeah, I know.” Eddie whispered, curling his body somehow closer to Steve’s, “You ever going to tell me what else you saw?”

“…Maybe. When we know you’re — that everyone is safe, and there’s no chance of any of it can happen. The last thing I want to do is tempt the universe into screwing us all over.” ‘Breathless’ started over again, quietly humming from the headphones, “Hey… you promise me you’re going to be careful right? I don’t… we have the music, but… I’ve seen what Vecna does to the mind now, and I need you to promise me you’re not going to try and be cute and be a hero, okay?”

Eddie batted his lashes and just barely kissed the corner of Steve’s mouth, “What? You think I have to try and be cute? Hurtful. I thought you loved me.” Steve rolled his eyes, dipping Eddie backward as Ronnie James Dio crooned out a ‘Who knows the things you'll find, There could be hell or rainbows’ around them.

“I do love you.” He said gently, smile spreading across his face as he did - he didn’t think he’d ever get tired of being able to say it, “But I also know you. I know the adventurers you would build for your games, the heroes in the books you’d read me… so, please. I just need you to promise.”

With a deep breath as Steve pulled him upward again, Eddie nodded, “I promise. Besides… Chrissy, Robin, and Lucas are the real heroes here. I’m just… the damsel in distress.”

“Oh, does that mean I get to call you princess too?” Steve grinned, heart taking a sudden uptick as Eddie’s eyes went impossibly wider and almost… gooey. Glinting with fascination in the low light. Steve groaned softly, a punched out sound he’d deny if anyone else could have heard it. “…Don’t look at me like that, Eds. They’re not in the Upside Down yet, and if you keep… fuck, forget Princess; I’m going to call you Bambi. With those big, soft doe eyes and those long goddamn lashes… shit.”

“…You know, remind me to let Wayne tell you an extremely embarrassing story later.” Eddie said, seemingly apropos of nothing, “And… if anyone else tired to call me that, I’d think they were making a dead mom joke, but… I know that’s not what you mean.”

“I cried like a baby watching that part.” Steve shook his head; he’d forgotten, somehow… probably blocked it out of his head to just remember the tears themselves, “I don’t have to, if you don’t like it.”

“No.” Eddie clutched Steve’s chest and muttered softly, “I… I like it… when it’s you, I mean. When you say it. Just you.”

With a soft smile, Steve pressed his lips to the top of Eddie’s head, rocking him in his arms, “Okay, but if that ever changes, you let me know and I’ll stop. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, especially not over something silly like a pet name.” The walkie clicked three times; signaling A-Team’s decent into the Upside Down, and the boy’s successful set up of their radio system. He listened to Eddie whimper softly as he let go and stepped back, “Alright. Time to go silent and check the lights, see if we can find where Vecna’s hanging out.”

Eddie nodded, pressing his hands against Steve’s chest and pressing a quick but lingering kiss to his lips before they traveled back into and through the house separately again, looking for the tell tale pulsing flicker of Vecna’s presence.

It was faster than they expected - the flashlight in the old living room beating rhythmically; like a heartbeat. Far too calm for their own racing pulses. Steve grabbed Eddie’s hand, clicking the radio back.

Phase Two complete.

They settled into the living room, curled across from each other on the dusty old furniture, pads of paper and pens in hand and the sides of their feet pressed together. “Hey, baby?” Steve scrawled across the page, facing it toward Eddie. Watching as his eyes softened and he scrawled back.

“Yeah, sweetheart?” Three little hearts trailing after the words. Eddie’s handwriting was… strangely beautiful - flowing loops and lines of cursive, perfected over time. It made Steve want to chuckle, knowing that if Eddie wrote in print, it would be near illegible - the stroke of his pen on paper too quick for disconnected words.

Steve felt his face flush as he scratched across his page again. Nervous, “When this is all done - can I tell other people about us?” Eddie cocked his head to the side as Steve rushed to fill out the next few pages, “I know there’s already a few people who know there’s something going on. But! I want the others to know too. My friends. Your friends. Wayne. Miss Byers. The people who matter and who are safe. Want them to know you’re mind and I’m yours.”

Eddie’s breath hitched a little, “Yes. I’d like that.” A pause as he flipped the page, “I’m glad you’re here. I know you’re worried about everyone.”

“Nowhere I’d rather be.” It was true. He trusted Lucas to keep Chrissy and Robin safe; trusted them to keep him safe too, and knew they’d do anything to keep one another alive and healthy. Dustin was smart, so fucking smart, and wouldn’t let Gareth risk himself… had learned, as he’d said, from their time on the bus and how to check every entry point for a sign of weakness. They would all be safe.

But Eddie?

Well, even though Steve was sure Eddie could protect himself… he also knew Vecna had targeted him for a reason, and he couldn’t risk the potential that Eddie would throw himself in harms way to protect someone else.

Even without Vecna’s twisted visions.

“El and Max get back on Saturday… movie and dinner, Friday night?” Steve bit at his lip and squeezed Eddie’s ankle between his. Hoping the extra few days in between would give them all enough time to recover from whatever was going to happen; though he was sure that he would be stuck to Eddie’s side every day between anyway, “…Stay over after? Pick them up with me? Little Wheeler too.”

Eddie grinned and pulled his paper further into his chest, tongue just slightly peeking out from between his teeth and lips and brows furrowing in concentration before slowly turning it back toward him. A silly little stick figure sketch of them in four comic like panels, illustrating the things Steve suggested.

The last one, with a very obvious caricature of Mike Wheeler going full ‘Scream’ with his hands on his face with the little figures of Steve and Eddie making out off to the side.

He had to throw his hands over his mouth quickly to stop the bark of laughter - oh yeah, Little Wheeler was going to hate everything about this. He barely tolerated Steve on a good day, still angry over El and over the time Will had spent with him and the girls before moving… the issues between Steve and Eddie had definitely exacerbated those negative feelings too; Mike obviously taking a liking to Eddie and everything he was about after the boys had joined Hellfire.

Eddie preened, making kissy faces at Steve as he rolled his eyes. Reaching for him until they could tangle their fingers together.

Three clicks.

Phase four…

Steve squeezed Eddie’s hand, standing quickly and pulling the other man into his arms. Hands immediately moving to wrap around his waist and into his hair at the back of his neck.

He wasn’t ready. Not yet.

But Eddie turned his head up to him, cradling his face in his hands, and pressing a searing kiss to his lips, “I’ll be okay. I have a plan of my own.” He whispered, something just for the two of them.

“You better come back to me. Don’t you dare go where I can’t follow you.” Steve whispered back, squeezing him once more before stepping away, watching as Eddie grabbed his own flashlight; turning his back to Steve and staring at the pulsing light in the middle of the room.

It was like slow motion, watching Eddie’s somehow steady hands reach down and, for the first time in days - Ronnie’s voice ended with a click. The silence unbearable.

“Hey!” Eddie barked, voice sneering, “You want me, you asshole? I’m right fucking here. I’m tired of you messing with my life. As much as I hated Jason, even he probably didn’t deserve what you put him through.”

Behind Eddie, Steve let himself disagree with that last point, just for a moment.

But.. He was right. Jason deserved a lot of shit, but even he didn’t deserve to die to the psychological and physical torture that monster had likely put him through.

Carol most certainly didn’t, and he doubted Fred did either.

“No more games. No more music. Just you and me, you hear?” Eddie’s voice snapped a little, bravado shifting away as it seemed he was being outright ignored.

Even though Steve didn’t like the plan, they’d sure as hell never thought it wouldn’t work.

He grabbed Eddie’s hand again; a lifeline, just for a moment. A reminder that he was there. That he would do anything and everything to keep Eddie safe.

That he wasn’t actually alone.

With a deep, stuttering breath, Eddie nodded - glancing back at Steve with a twitch of a smile, “C’mon! Do you want me or not?! Or are you just all visions and planning with no follow through now that your grand plan is so close to fruition?”

The flashlight in the center of the room went dark as Eddie’s began to flicker. Vecna was moving, slowly, but moving none the less. They followed the path up the stairs… and into the attic, exactly where they expected him to go.

Good, that means Chrissy, Robin, and Lucas would most certainly be able to find him and take him out.

Steve smacked a hand onto the back of his neck as they walked, feeling eyes on him. Vecna, he assumed. But… did Vecna know they were both there? Or could he only see his target?

When they finally ended up in place… the little wooden altar that young Henry had set up, Eddie gently dropped his hand - giving him a confident look before bracing to continue.

Then they heard glass shatter.

“Check it out, I’ll be okay. Just don’t forget to come back.” Eddie whispered to Steve before looking back to the altar, “I know you can read my thoughts, even the worst ones, so why don’t you just fucking come and get me, huh? Fucking coward!”

Still, nothing.

Eddie was growling and cursing at the altar as Steve wandered down the stairs. Feeling far too uncomfortable letting Eddie out of sight, but needing to make sure that there was no one else in the house. That Vecna hadn’t sent a scout in the form of a demo-anything.

Steve crept quietly through the house, room by room - keeping an ear out for any noise in every direction possible. When he finally lapped around to the front door, the stained glass, already broken from Robin and Chrissy’s excursions, was completely dismantled. The colorful shards surrounded by a darker hue.

Broken beer bottles.

What the hell…

Far behind him, the stairs to the attic creaked.

“Eddie?” He called softly, “If that’s you, you need to tell me right now, okay? I don’t care if anything else can hear us, I need to know.”

When he was met with silence, he cursed under his breath - running up the flights of stairs.

Somehow, despite everything else, he was still surprised when he got back to the attic and was face to face with - not a demogorgon, not a demodog… not a demo-anything - but with Tommy Hagan. A bat held high above his head, directly behind Eddie and aimed at his skull.

Steve rushed forward and tackled him to the side without thinking - feeling the stitching in his sides rend apart as he did, but the pain itself was blessedly absent - or at least so buried in the other pains that Steve could ignore it. “What the fuck are you doing?”

“He killed Carol! He deserves this!” Tommy bit and snapped, struggling under Steve’s hold. The stink of cheap beer was heavy in his breath, but unlike when Steve had encountered Jason in the gym, Tommy did not seem fully drunk… didn’t seem to have the swagger of someone who’d been altered by Vecna’s influence.

Just enough liquid courage to sneak in and try to fucking beat someone, potentially to death.

“How did you even find us!?” Steve smacked the bat away, sending it flying across the room and clattering to the floor. The sound echoing in the otherwise quiet room.

“I saw your fucking car!” Tommy’s face contorted as he shoved Steve off of him; both men skittering upward and Steve making sure to place himself well in between Eddie and Tommy.

It wasn’t until he glanced back that he realized Eddie still wasn’t moving. That the headphones and walkman were no longer connected to him, instead set aside.

Fuck.

Vecna had him, and he hadn’t been there. How long? When? He couldn’t have been gone more than five minutes, could he?

He reached around his back, for the walkie hanging from his own belt and snapped the button three times - one last signal to the boys, to let them know Eddie was under.

Their final phase had better be successful… and fast.

There was no way to know how much time they had.

“Why do you always choose him, huh?” Tommy choked out, rubbing his sleeve over his face, “I was here first! You were mine, first! We’d been together since we were in diapers, and you just… he shows up, and you leave me behind!”

The pain in Tommy’s voice was real. Raw. And for the first time in a long time, Steve thought he might finally understand what was going on in Tommy’s head.

All the times Tommy had leaned in close and muttered the intricate, extreme details of his relationship with Carol.

Every glance in the locker room that Steve had mistook at just the two of them being friends, because… of course he looked at Eddie like that, in hindsight. But he hadn’t known then either. His two closest friends, of course there had to be some overlap, right? It was just… friendship, in his young mind.

And when he’d realized it wasn’t, he’d blocked everything aside, just like he planned. Not realizing it was stopping him from seeing the glaringly bright sign in front of him.

Fuck, the way Tommy spent so long begging for the details of his own sex life, hanging on every word. He’d just… assumed that was how things were with other guys. Hadn’t stopped to think for even a moment, after befriending Jonathan, that it wasn’t.

Hell, every single one of the Hawking High ‘Court’ he’d surrounded himself with had been happy to talk about sex. Why would things be any different between them? Closer friends talked about things in more depth, right?

But now… he knew… Tommy didn’t love him. He might think he did, really, but this? This was limerence at best.

“I tried everything. I threatened him, I bullied him, I made his life a living hell; I sent in tip to the cops when we were small, sending them out to find that crusty old dealer, hoping it would lead straight to him.” Tommy laughed, raking his hands through his hair, “And you came back, and everything was how it should be again! At least for a while… I was worried, when I saw you with Byers, but… it wasn’t the same. You never looked at him, not the way you looked at Eddie. Not the way I wanted you to look at me.”

“Tommy—”

“Shut up!! We were fine, I was fine! Because you were still with me, even when Nancy Wheeler started to eat up your time, you were still around. But then… fuck. That goddamn party.”

Steve froze; he’d been making his way back toward Eddie - trying to gauge what was happening, how close Vecna could possibly be to him, wishing that the walkie would click again; that he’d hear the excited whoop of the party, back in the real Hawkins. That he could know everything was fine, and he could slip that walkman back over Eddie’s ears until he came back again, if Vecna’s defeat didn’t snap him back into reality on it’s own.

But this…

“You called the state troopers.” Steve gritted his teeth, “I thought it was just a bad fucking coincidence, with Will missing. But it was you. You did it when we were kids, you said it yourself… it makes so much fucking sense…”

And Tommy cackled; throwing his head back with boisterous laughter and an insane joy, “You’re goddamn right I did. I saw you with him, in the kitchen. Saw the way you postured yourself like you were trying to get a one up on him… but that look. It was still fucking there. Years between, and you still— you still look at him like he was everything, and that, Steve? Made me feel like I was nothing.”

“Did you ever, even once, think about just talking to me?!” Steve finally snapped - his focus was almost fully on Tommy now, rage bubbling over his body, burning his throat as it spilled over into the ether, “You and me? We were friends, Tommy. Just friends. But I’m starting to think we weren’t even that! What the hell, man! You… what kind of person does that?!”

Years of bruises and scrapes all over Eddie; of the look of fear that would pass his eyes for just a second, any time they were near a crowd. Years lost and vendettas gained, and for what?

All for one boys jealousy. An unearned sense of possession.

Tommy squared his shoulders, grinning now. Like he was winning.

And maybe he was, if his goal was to get a rise out of Steve.

Because with every word out of his mouth, that rage got worse.

“When he showed back up at school, do you know what I had to do? What Carol had to do? Oh, it hurt me, Steve, hurt me real bad, to have to spread those rumors about you, but it was so easy! People in this town are desperate for just an ounce of excitement in their day.” He laughed again, all sharp teeth and glittering eyes, “But they worked! That freak was already so mentally busted, it was easy to make sure he heard, over and over. He didn’t go near you - avoided you at every turn, and you didn’t go near him either. Sure, you didn’t talk to me, but at the very least, if I couldn’t have you? No one else could either. Fuck, man, when Leo started looking at him, it was easy encourage him to… take things into his own hands, a little. All I had to do was step in and offer to broker a deal and keep an eye out so he have a little fun with him. All that, and I played the perfect pet for Hargrove, just to make sure I could have access to all the other little pawns that fawned over him, and I knew he’d say something to you at some point. Especially since you started watching over all those little brats.”

Steve had jumped at Tommy again - oddly reminiscent of his fight with Billy, ironically enough - and pinned him to the floor, “You’re been… what, orchestrating fucking up his life?! For years! Over me??” Steve dug his knee into Tommy’s stomach, “Do you realize how fucking crazy that is? Do you know what you’ve fucking done? Maybe if you had spent more time looking out for Carol, she’d still be here. She loved you, man. Our entire lives, she loved you, and you…”

“I told you, Harrington, she learned her place. She knew what I was about.” Tommy was beginning to slur - maybe he had more to drink than Steve had initially thought… or maybe there was something else, delayed and burning in his system.

But…

“Did you… did you let her get addicted, Tommy? Instead of helping her, you just… what? Encouraged her?” Steve couldn’t believe it, didn’t want to believe it could even be a possibility, but the look in Tommy’s eyes silently confirmed his fear, “You claim to have cared about her and that you’re angry at Eddie that she’s gone, even though it wasn’t him that killed her, but do you actually care? Or are you just spouting out bullshit because you think it makes you sound better? As if makes you sound like a victim instead of a fucked up puppet master?”

That seemed to bring Tommy to his senses, just a little - just enough for the other man to flip their positions, to dig his own knees right into Steve’s sides; no doubt ripping away whatever remnants might have been hanging on of his stitching, if the sudden burst of pain was anything to go off of.

Steve screamed as Tommy’s first started to rain down his his chest and his face, “You keep her name out of your mouth! She was mine! That was what mattered, mine! It wasn’t… it wasn’t supposed to get that bad. She was just supposed to keep an eye on him, see if she could get him to fawn over her until we could— We never—” His shoulders started to shake, and Steve could see the beginning of tears welling behind his eyes, “It wasn’t supposed to go that far.”

He took the opportunity for what it was, knocking Tommy away and crawling across the floor. Everything hurt, he could feel the warmth of his blood leaking through bandages and cloth again, the beginning of the swelling of his face… a ringing in his ear, not new but worse than it had ever been before. He reached for the bat, but Tommy was already up again, stomping down on his hand before he could reach, “Fuck!”

“The only way to make sure… you don’t pick him again. Is to make sure he’s gone.” Tommy gritted, “Jail, or wherever he was, obviously didn’t cut it… he still came back, like a fucking parasite.” Tommy was far beyond just slurring now, swaying in place with his eyes nearly glazed over; eyelids fluttering, “But… it doesn’t have to be, you know? Just… pick me. We’ll go. Get out of Hawkins, where it can be just us. We could be so happy… the way it’s supposed to be.”

“You are… so out of touch. I have a family; a sister! People who depend on me. Even if I was interested, how can you be so out of touch to think I could just leave everything and everyone behind, huh?” Tommy growled and lifted his foot, ready to stomp again, but Steve saw it coming this time, rolling out of the way and taking the bat with him.

By the time he was upright again, panting through the pain, bat carefully clutched in his uninjured hand, Tommy was running toward him like a malnourished, angry bull.

Steve side stepped, ready to place himself between Tommy and Eddie again. Ready to swing, even if it was with his left hand alone and he wouldn’t have the strength behind it he could have with his right… but Eddie had started to float.

“No! No, fuck!” He began to panic, there was no signal. No proof that everyone else had made it, but if Eddie was starting to float, there wasn’t much time.

Goddamnit, why had Eddie taken off the headphones?!

Distracted by the mental strain of trying to plan while he was bleeding so profusely, pain ravaging and draining his energy faster than his mind could come up with anything, Tommy started toward him again…

And Steve swung.

Cracking Tommy across the jaw and sending him crumpling to the ground. He took the time to check and make sure he was breathing - panic rising at the thought that he might have killed someone. Relief flowing when he could feel the heat of breath against his hand and a mostly steady heartbeat.

Good enough.

Steve grabbed the walkman, jumping onto the altar to shove the headphones over Eddie’s ears and hit play, “C’mon baby. Come back. Please. We have so much time ahead of us. So much time to make up for.” He begged, sobbing as a sickening snap of bones echoed through the attic… just before he started to fall back to the ground, “Eddie!!!” He didn’t recognize his own shriek - diving toward his body and clutching it close - breaking his fall before he could hit the ground…. The walkie smashing against the floor and into his back.

Steve didn’t remember leaving the attic with Eddie in his arms.

Couldn’t remember the drive across town to the hospital, or the weak way he begged for help - leaving the beemer idling directly in front of the hospital doors.

Most certainty didn’t remember the way he passed out, still somehow contorting his body to keep Eddie safe.

But the hospital staff sure made sure he knew, when he woke up. “Mister Harrington? Are you with us?” A light, feminine voice called to him. One he didn’t recognize. “Ah, there you are, mister hero. Welcome back to the waking world. How are you feeling?”

“Like I’ve been stabbed. Repeatedly.” He groaned, hissing as he attempted to sit up and open his eyes; trying to look around in a panic. “Where’s Eddie? Is he okay?!”

“Woah now, he’s just fine. Not awake yet, but stable. Can you tell me what happened?” She slowly explained how they had entered the hospital, and he was so focused on the doctor, a sweet looking woman - maybe around Joyce and Hopper’s age, with silver streaked hair and a kind smile, that he didn’t notice Flo, Callahan, and Powell standing off to the side of the room; waiting and watching.

It was like being on a light version of the Russian truth serum all over again; as he spilled his guts to the doctor. Somehow keeping his head and not getting his own one way ticket into Pennhurst… only needing to stretch the truth a little outside of it, “…he’d been coming after me all week… stalking us and our friends. He seemed… I’m pretty sure he was drunk and on something, the way he was moving, but… I just never expected him to do something like this. I got the bat away from him… I remember hitting him… knocking him out… and then, well, I woke up and here we are.” Flo rushed toward him, patting his cheeks, “Flo? What are… oh. There are… so many people here. Hey.”

“It’s okay sweetheart, you keep resting. I think, with that information, Officers Powell and Callahan have somewhere they need to be now. Isn’t that right boys? I think you can make the same assumption I am, and that means you two boys really screwed the pooch on this one, didn’t you?”

Callahan groaned, adjusting his hat and petulantly preparing to stomp out of the room, “You two boys recover well, you hear? We’ll have more questions—”

“Powell, question them later. They’ve been through an ordeal and they need to rest.” Flo hissed, and Steve wanted to laugh. So protective, even now. Flo had always been Hop’s main backup, the one who would pick him up or bring him lunch if he needed it…

It was nice to see her.

He’d have to stop by and see her when it wasn’t a near death experience, a funeral, or as an alibi.

Powell tipped his hat awkwardly and left the room, “Has anyone called his Uncle?” Steve peered around between Flo and the doctor, “He should be at my trailer, he’s been staying there while his place got… cleaned up. Call him for me? Please? He’ll want to make sure Eddie’s okay. They’re the only family they have, he’s got to be worried sick…” Flo nodded quickly, kissing the tips of her fingers and patting them against Steve’s forehead before darting out as well.

Steve still hadn’t looked over at Eddie.

Couldn’t.

Just because they said he was stable, didn’t mean he wasn’t hurt; and Steve remembered that snapping sound of bone. The rip of skin.

“He’s okay, I promise.” The doctor, as if she could read his thoughts, said softly. Taking the time to pat his hand. A few open fractures, some blood loss… You were out for a while, we’ve already set the bones and casted them. There will be some scarring, but you’re actually in a far worse state than he is, physically. I understand your concern for your friend, but is there anyone you want us to call for you?”

Yes, he wanted to scream, but instead, he shook his head. Hopper was gone. El and Max were still in California, and even if they had been able to get ahold of the girls, he didn’t want to ruin their trip.

…And he had no idea if the rest of the party had escaped. He hoped, was willing to pray if he needed to, but couldn’t confirm… and even if he could, it wasn’t like he had his walkie anymore or had a number to call them on.

He could just hope that they followed the plan and headed back to the trailer when all was said and done; that maybe they were there now and would be with Wayne when Flo called.

“Okay, you get some more rest. I’ll come back to check on you in a bit.” The doctor patted his hand, and quietly moved from the space as if she’d never been there at all.

It was only after she was fully gone that he finally had the strength to look at Eddie. To carefully climb out of bed with the IV pole and pad his way over to him - trying everything to ensure no one would see anything off on his vitals.

Because he wouldn’t believe he was okay without actually seeing him, and that wasn’t going to be possible from the bed halfway across the room.

There were casts on his left arm and right leg - a bright pink that Steve would tease him about later, when everything settled, he was sure - and he looked drawn and paler than normal, but the doctor had been telling the truth - all of his own vitals looked fine, at least from what Steve could tell, and from the strength of Eddie’s breath and heartbeat, “I’m so mad at you… but I’m so happy you’re okay.” Steve whispered, unsure if Eddie could hear, but needing to let the words our regardless, “I hope everyone else is okay too…”

With careful, slow movements, Steve pulled the hair tie Eddie always kept on his wrist off, pulling the knotted strands into a bun and off his neck - something telling him Eddie would be far more comfortable without it brushing across his face and neck when he came back to the waking world.

Instead of returning to his bed, he wheeled the doctor’s stool over and settled to the side of Eddie’s and leaned his head on his arms… he could rest here. He’d suffered far worse injuries with far less medical assistance, after all.

When he woke up again, he was back in his bed - and could hear the sound of pages turning softly, off to his left and the soft murmur of voices; somehow still to loud for the headache that had brought him our of his slumber, “So loud…”

“Steve!” A chorus of voices, not screaming, but pained and panicked, rushed through his ears as the party crowded beside him. From between the two beds, a weary and relieved sigh.

Definitely Wayne - his mind supplied, without needing to look over.

“Are you okay? What… uh, what happened?” Gareth, the only one not in the midst of wiping away tears, asked, “We went back to the trailer and… well, we assumed you two were just ‘celebrating’... But then you didn’t come back, and the hospital called…”

“Is Eddie awake yet?” Steve groaned as he sat up, not meaning to ignore Gareth’s questioning, but…

“Not yet.” Wayne sighed again, patting Steve’s arm, “He’s still doin’ good otherwise though. Don’t you worry.”

He couldn’t help the soft whine that passed through his lips - upset, suddenly, to be so far away and to have not woken up to better news, “…Tommy came after us.” He looked across the party, watching matching looks of horror and rage flit across their faces as he explained, the exact same thing he had to the cops (as accidental as his reveal to them had been). Even Wayne seemed to burn with anger, hands clenching the western in his hands so tight Steve was sure he was going to rip the pages, “Is… is everything else okay?” He had to ask. Everyone looked fine - cleaned up, in regular clothes… no injuries he could see, outside of a single gauze patch above Gareth’s eye and over his eyebrow.

“We’re all fine. Everything else is fine.” Robin nodded, assured, and kissed his forehead, “All right side up, doors are all locked up.”

Steve let out a stuttered breath of relief, and sunk back into the thin hospital pillow, now at his back after shifting to sit while he’d explained what had happened, “Good. That’s good.”

They talked for a while, coded language to keep Wayne safe, until Powell (sans Callahan) came back. He looked uncomfortable at the size of the crowd; the room so much more full than it had been that morning, “Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen… but I need to have a word with Mister Harrington-Hopper, please.”

“Do you have a warrant?” Gareth shot up, stepping between the hospital beds and the officer, “They didn’t do anything and they’re literally injured. Eddie’s not even awake and—”

“Woah, Gareth. It’s alright man. He was here earlier, I already gave my statement… and I assume they found Tommy?” Powell nodded, “It’s getting late anyway, you should all go home and rest. It’s not like we’re getting out of here any time soon.”

The group began to argue, unwilling to be separated, but Wayne stood, holding his hands out to silence them all, “Visiting hours are up anyway; they already let us stay way longer than they shoulda, we should be grateful for that. We’ll all head home; we’re just a call away. That being said…” He crossed his arms and stared at Powell - stone faced and narrowed eyes, “I do hope you and the fine gentlemen of the force have learned a thing or two about assumin’, after all this.”

It occurred to Steve, for the first time, that the Hawkins PD had probably questioned Wayne the same way they did Eddie, even though he hadn’t been home when Carol had died… remembering the hours he sat, waiting, for them to interrogate Eddie when they’d given their alibi, barely sparing a glance at Steve when they did.

“I assure you, Wayne, we have.” Powell nodded.

“Its Mister Munson now, if you’d be so kind, Calvin.” Wayne stared at him a bit longer - something between the two men that…

Oh.

Oh.

Apparently, Steve’s ‘vibe check’ didn’t work on the Munson family at all… or on Calvin Powell.

Everyone took their turns hugging Steve and saying goodbye, carefully doing the same with Eddie, before Wayne ushered them out of the room, “So…”

“We found him. Right where you said he was… he’s at the station now, sung like a canary… at least about some things.” Steve schooled his features, confused at what Tommy might actually have admitted to. Wondering if he may have just confessed to everything, even things he didn’t do, in his drugged haze. “Found another missing kid’s jacket in his car too, with some more weapons. Jacket belongs to someone that had been with him when we did our initial investigation… that hasn’t been seen in a few days. The investigation is ongoing, so I can’t tell you much, but I have a few questions for you.”

“Happy to answer them, Chief. Though… there are a few things I think I’ll have to tell you that I’d like kept off the record. We get enough scrutiny—” He put heavy emphasis on the ‘we’ as he stared directly into Powell’s eyes, “—and I don’t think we need to have a riot on our hands against the community.”

Powell stiffened, scrunching his eyes shut before sliding into the seat Wayne had been in previously, “Alright. I’ll do my best.”

Steve explained the things Tommy had admitted to him as Powell asked his questions, everything he’d said during their fight, leaving out Eddie’s dealings as part of why Carol had gotten hooked in the first place, of course. Just because it was a ‘known’ thing around town that Eddie dealt, didn’t mean he needed to confirm it for the law. Powell nodded along as if he’d already heard… and if Tommy really had been honest with the officers, in the altered state he’d been in, it wasn’t particularly surprising. There were a few small breaks between the questioning, doctors filtering in and out to check on him and Eddie - administer painkillers and drop off a light meal for Steve, but the time still went quickly. “…And that’s what happened, why I think he’s had this… vendetta for years.”

“Mm… he said as much, I’m not afraid to tell you.” Powell rubbed his eyes, scratching his pen into his notebook, face unreadable, “I appreciate all you’ve told me, Steve. I think Hop would be damn well proud of you; not only for what you’re doing with Elizabeth, but your honesty and cooperation.”

“Yeah… I think he’d be damn proud of me, alright.” Steve let himself chuckle, “Anything else for me? Because I’m…” He waved over himself as the exhaustion started to take over.

He just shook his head, standing and tipping his hat, “I’ve got all I need. You boys might end up in court, witness stand and all that, but…” Powell glanced around, as if making sure no one had slipped in, “He’s admitted to a lot, but not the murders. It’s pretty stacked against him though, especially if we find another body. I hope we don’t, and that the boy is alive and well, but if we do… hm. Either way, court will be a ways out. Plenty of time for you to heal… and the Munson boy to wake up.”

“Thanks, Powell.” Steve muttered as the man waved, finally stepping out of the room and out of sight.

Two more days passed, of Steve faking pain to stay in the hospital (which he assumed, by the doctor’s careful chuckles each time, she knew were lies) and of visits from friends - Robin and Chrissy shifting uncomfortably as they let Steve know they still hadn’t heard from the Byers or El, Gareth bringing the Corroded Coffin boys and a tiny wisp of a woman who clung to the largest of the boy’s arms as if she was hanging onto a lifeline, the Henderson’s and the Sinclair’s making appearances now and again to drop off or pick up their kids - and Eddie still hadn’t woken up.

“I can’t believe you jerks left me out.” Erica had hissed, on her first visit, when her parents had wandered away to speak to the staff about Steve’s potential release date - looking for more hurt and worried than angry, despite her tone, “Scoops Troop is supposed to stick together. I could have helped!”

He’s promised her, never again. If something happened, she’d be the first to know… that, on top of the promise to fund her summer excursions and treats as payment, seemed to appease her, and she’d sat at the edge of his bed, explaining the character she was building for the next campaign she planned to play in until her parents returned, taking her, Lucas, and Dustin home.

It was late, now. Far beyond visiting hours, with the skeleton crew of hospital workers flitting about, and just the soft light of the old black and white TV and the filtered moonlight to brighten the room… and Steve did what he’d done every night since.

Curl up at Eddie’s side, careful of the wires with head against his chest and his hand wrapped around Eddie’s unbroken one; taking comfort in his heartbeat, quietly begging him to wake up as tears spilled over his cheeks. His bravado and calm rational about the situation only strong enough to be kept up in the day, when the others needed that strength from him to hold up their own.

But this time, it seemed something finally deigned to answer his broken pleas, and Eddie shifted slightly, groaning as his eyes fluttered open, “Where… Stevie? Why’re you crying?”

“Eddie?” Steve gasped softly, carefully sitting up and staring down at him, “Oh. Fuck, you’re awake. You’re actually awake!” Without much though, he swung his leg around - straddling Eddie only so he could look at him properly and cup his face in his hands; sobbing again as Eddie nuzzled into his touch, humming happily.

“Did… did we get him?”

“We did. Everyone is safe and healthy. Only ones to get injured were us… well… Gareth has what he’s calling ‘the most metal scar’ he’s ever gotten… apparently a single demobat managed to bite him in the face when they were— it’s not important, how it happened, but everything and everyone is fine. We’ve all just been worried about you. You’ve been out for like… three days, almost four.”

“Aw, did I miss our date?” His voice slurred a little as he blinked up at Steve and he caught sight of an injury he never would have seen before Eddie had awoken.

His left eye, though mostly normal, looked as though it was drained of color; the deep, chocolate hue dimmed across half of his iris into an almost white-grey, “Eddie… can you see okay?” A pause, as Eddie pouted. “Dates can be rescheduled, you didn’t miss anything. So.. Tell me, can you see okay?”

“Don’t have my glasses on… so looks pretty normal to me? Why are you so far away now…” Eddie’s hands grabbed the front of Steve’s scrubs; long since able to replace the papery gown the hospital had originally put him in, and pulled him down - soft and careful, before running his hands up and around Steve’s neck, “That’s better. I can see you way better from here…”

With a frown, Steve covered Eddie’s unaltered eye, “How about now?”

“I can… half see? It’s like… something is covering the corner?”

“…I’m calling the doctor.” Steve adjusted to move, reaching for the call button, just for Eddie to whine and pull him closer.

“Not yet.”

“Eddie—”

“Just a few more minutes. I missed you, while I was gone.” Eddie whispered, the same way Steve had after that first night… how was it only a few days ago that they had confessed and fallen asleep in each other’s arms? Fuck.

“…I missed you too. So much.” Steve felt his voice break as he gave in, snuggling his face into Eddie’s throat, feeling more than hearing Eddie’s noise of contentment, “Just a few more minutes though… the sooner the doctors check you out and say you’re okay, the sooner we can get out of the hospital.”

“We’re in the hospital?”

“Yeah, Bambi. We’re in the hospital… why do you think I said I was going to call the doctor?”

Eddie hummed again, the vibrations oddly soothing - but maybe that was just because the more noise Eddie made, the more it settled in Steve’s bones that he was actually awake and alive, and this wasn’t just a dream, “I guess… I kind of assumed ‘the doctor’ meant Chris or Robbie?”

“Why would I—” Steve sat up, just slightly, so he could look Eddie in the face. He was grinning, smile stretched far across his face and eyes sparkling.

Oh, he was teasing him. That’s what this was.

Steve dipped back down, pressing a searing kiss against Eddie’s lips - awkward, against Eddie’s smile, but he persisted, pressing his hands harder against his jaw until Eddie opened for him with a gasp, “U-unfair.” He panted, when Steve pulled away for air, “So unfair.”

“Mm… or you’re just easy.” Steve whispered, nipping down at Eddie’s lower lip and watching that beautiful pink spread across his cheeks, “Now… I’m going to call the doctor, but I have to go back to my own bed to do that.”

At that, Eddie seemed to knock himself out of his goofy haze; as if it hadn’t even occurred to him that Steve was also admitted, and not just hanging out in the hospital, waiting for him to wake up, “Shit, what else happened when I was out?”

“A lot. But if anyone asks, Tommy chased us hit you with a bat.” Steve kissed him once more, carefully extracting himself and returning to his own bed; giving Eddie a moment to collect himself and digest what he had said before hitting the call button and summoning the hospital staff into the room.

Eddie was sitting up and chatting when the doctors had arrived - happy and only slightly in pain thanks to the medications he had still receiving through his IV for his broken bones. The doctor, of course, had called Wayne at the plant and let them speak, all the while Eddie saying he was fine and for Wayne get some rest after work instead of coming by or leaving early to see him instead of finishing his shift. “I’ll be fine, old man. I’ll probably go back to sleep anyway - no! Not like… I’m just tired, Wayne. I’m not going to go back into a coma or whatever. Besides… Steve’s here, it’s not like I’m alone.” He’d chuckled softly, humming and nodding to whatever Wayne was saying that Steve could not hear; Eddie’s face going red very quickly.

The final verdict between the two, as the doctors explained after Eddie petulantly demanded to know what Steve’s afflictions were as well, was that Steve had partial hearing loss in his right ear; nothing too bad but he wouldn’t he holding a phone to that side of his head for a while - but he was at risk, if he got hit in the head again - of losing it completely. Eddie’s eye was, as Steve had suspected by the almost cloudy change of color, damaged and he would not be getting that sliver of his sight back without some variety of medical miracle; thankfully, it only seemed to throw off his depth perception a bit and was more of an awkwardly placed blinder than a full loss - years of practice squinting and refusing to use his glasses turning into a boon of sorts…

Outside of those things, both of them were going to walk away with just the visible wounds they could have diagnosed without the doctors (though, even Steve could admit, the treatment was far more beneficial in a hospital than his own stitching could had been, and he wasn’t sure he would have ever been able to set Eddie’s arm and leg properly); both would have their own sets of scarring of course, but…

“All in all, not the worst Upside Down experience I’ve ever had.” Steve chuckled quietly while the staff was too busy to pay them any mind; getting a slight eye-roll and smile from Eddie in return. He was waiting for them to leave again; had memorized the schedule for rounds across the night shift and just wanted to crawl back into Eddie’s bed and be next to him, but… they didn’t leave. Running extra checks, taking notes for their charts and for the inevitable court case against Tommy for assault… someone was always there, until the shift change finally came.

As soon as they went, Eddie held his arms out, pouting and making grabby hands toward Steve as best as he could with his cast. Steve was halfway out of the bed, feet almost to the floor when… “Steve!!” Two voices screeched, bursting into the room so quickly that he was sure the wall would be dented.

Max and El dove into him - somehow carefully conscious of his stitches despite the fact that they should have no knowledge of them; Wayne, Robin, and Chrissy following closely behind with a slight wave and a twitch of grimace-forced-into-a-smile on the girl’s face that easily told them that the Max and El knew everything. Had known before they’d gotten back… which meant even though Vecna may not have been able to reach them, something had.

Shit, when had they actually gotten home?

“I am so sorry I was not here.” El immediately sobbed, clutching Steve tighter, “But I tried. Papa was looking for me, but we escaped.”

“It was absolutely insane; I’ve never had to deal with so much government shit that wasn’t… well, you know.” Max’s watery voice shook against his shoulder, “We tried to get flights, but we had to drive in a pizza van!”

“Speaking of, we—” Robin waved between herself and Chrissy, “—are only going to be up here for a bit. The staff got real angsty when we tried to bring the whole party up here… so we promised we’d come up a few at a time.”

“I’ll step off too, in just a bit. I need’ta get some sleep, but I had to see you awake a’fore I could manage that.” Wayne nodded, sidling up to Eddie and putting a hand on top of his head, “You have a whole lot of people who care about you, boy. It’s nice to see.” Steve could see Wayne’s eyes flicker over to him, a soft and grateful smile on his face.

“Us too. Keith was so mad at Chris for no-call-no-shows this week, but he was real fast to ‘forgive her’.” Robin muttered, scrunching her nose, “And Ian is back, so I’ve got to get to Thatcher’s by ten. The doctors said you two should both be able to come home tonight though, so long as Eddie stays awake and you’re both still in the shape you’re in now! So, if that’s the case, Jon will be able to take you home.”

Steve’s head swiveled to the side so fast, he worried his head might actually spin off his shoulders, “Jon’s here?”

“I did say we had to drive.” Max rolled her eyes and poked at Steve a little, taunting him for not listening properly.

“Not just him. He’s got a… very fascinating friend. I think he and Eddie will be either fast friends or the worst enemies in the history of the universe, and there will be nothing in between.” Chrissy giggled, sitting on the bed against Steve’s back, while Robin moved to join Eddie and Wayne, “It’s going to be glorious, and I’m a little sad I won’t get to see the first meeting.”

El, from the cradle of Steve’s arms, kept glancing over to Eddie, the softest and somehow most curious look on her face, “You can actually talk to him too, you know. Believe me, I won’t be upset about it.”

“I know. I just do not know how much he remembers.” Steve made a confused noise, and El slid away, leaning past Robin and poking Eddie in the shoulder, saying something he couldn’t hear. His eyes lit up and he opened his arms for her as she laughed and almost launched into them. Steve got to watch as Eddie’s kissed the top of her curls; his own smile growing as Eddie’s eyes met his. Smile so wide, his eyes were nearly scrunched shut.

The warmth in his heart began to grow and spread through his limbs, like flowers and vines, reaching for the sun. He didn’t know what happened when Eddie was in his Vecna trance, not yet, but it was safe to assume now that El had been a part of snapping him out of it.

Steve’s heart monitor started beeping wildly; so much so that the woman who had been monitoring them - Doctor Matthews, he’d finally learned - shot into the room with a devastated look of panic on her face, “Mister Harrington.” She panted, holding up a finger and clutching her own thigh, “I think… I am going to remove that monitor… if you are going to keep getting excited or… whatever is happening to make your heart race like that.” The room burst into laughter, and Steve’s face went tomato red at the implication, “Though I must admit, I am happy to see it is just the joy of friendship and not… anything else that shouldn’t be happening in a hospital room.”

“Uh… thanks, Doc. That would be… probably good, actually.” Steve smiled awkwardly; Max and Chrissy still cackling against his shoulder and back until the doctor shooed them away with a grin to unhook him, “So… the girls may have hinted that you said we’d be okay to go today? Both of us, I mean?”

She shot him a quick look, confirming that he could have left days ago but she had been kind enough to not call him out, “That’s correct. We can go over things a bit more thoroughly once you’ve gone through all of your visitors; I don’t want to take up too much of your time since it is to my understanding that some are coming in from out of town.”

Steve thanked her again and just… went back to watching Eddie. Not listening to the words he was saying; too enthralled in seeing him and El interacting and smiling together like old friends…

Like family, something high in his chest screamed happily, even though Steve knew it was probably too soon for that…

But was it really? Hell, they already said they loved each other, they had known each other almost half of their lives…

“You look… absolutely enamored.” Chrissy whispered in his ear, settling her chin on his shoulder, “Like… I can see the heart eyes through the back of your head. Aliens driving by in space right now can probably see them.”

“Oh hush. Like you don’t do exactly the same thing.” He teased back, leaning into her, “It’s just… nice, you know?”

“I do… I really do.” With a quick peck on his cheek, she slid off the hospital bed, “Robbie, if we’re both going to get to work on time, we should probably head out.”

Robin glanced up and nodded; smacking a kiss of her own right over Eddie’s cheek as he retched and batted her away, “Ew, Bucks!”

“Excuse you, that’s my line, Munson.” She crossed her arms and stared him down until he held up his hands in deference, “That’s what I thought. One of, or both of you, call us when you’re getting out of here, okay? We’ll send the next two up.” They both nodded and the girls made their way toward the door.

“Ah, make that three. I’d love to stick around, but I’m beat.” Wayne stretched out his back through a yawn. “Trailer should be cleaned out before the weeks over, so we shouldn’t have to bother ya’ll too much longer, now that the little ladies are home.”

“You can stay as long as you need, Wayne.” Steve was quick to make sure the older man knew, “Seriously.”

Wayne hugged Eddie and then went over to to the same to Steve, “Thank you for keepin’ my boy safe. Again. I won’t ever be able to repay ya, but I’ll keep tryin.”

Steve hugged him back and whispered, only for Wayne’s ears: “Always. I will always keep him safe.”

He nodded, lips twitching into a smile once again, and left with the girls. “So…” Max finally grinned, once Wayne was out of the room, “How long did it take?”

“Bwuh?”

“Oh come on. We’ve been gone for a week, you really think my first question after El takes a brain-walk into Eddie’s mind is going to be ‘how long after we were gone did it take for the Upside Down to creep it’s way back in’ or something?” Max stared at him, dead eyed and sarcastic, “How long did this take?” She waved her hand back and forth between Steve and Eddie as he he were the one asking irrational questions.

Steve looked at Eddie, ready to joke about how it had still taken days of trauma bonding before they finally spilled their guts, but the look on Eddie’s face was… nervous? They’d agreed, before, to talk to the people they cared about and tell them about the two of them, but… was he second guessing? Or…

No. That wasn’t what it was.

With a soft smile, Steve lifted Max and put her on the bed, finally making his way over to Eddie like he had been trying to all morning, “Doesn’t matter how long it took.” He whispered, bringing his hand up to cradle Eddie’s cheek - watching as the nervousness was erased from his face and a beautiful flush took over instead, “All that matters is that we got our shit together, and we’re all safe, and now… I get to love my boyfriend the way he deserves. For as long as he’ll have me.”

“There’s no returns on me, big boy.” Eddie sighed happily, nuzzling against his palm, “I’m like a penguin or an owl or some shit. I love for life. Hope that’s okay.”

“Very okay.” Steve kissed the tip of his nose, his forehead, his cheek, over the lid of his altered eye, and finally his lips.

El and Max both let out matching ‘awws,’ and El jumped from Eddie’s bed and over to Max; taking the time to give them a brief run down of what had happened in California - from Brenner being alive and hunting them down, to El attempting to reach them through her mind-travel as they outran him and his goons, bound and determined to bring El back into the fold (though they had not paid attention to why, something El did frown over), “I think it was because of Henry. If I had listened, maybe we could have come back sooner.” El sighed a little, leaning on Max’s shoulder as they went over the rest of the journey - from piggybacking into Eddie’s mind via a pizza dough freezer (a sentence Steve had to have them repeat a few times before he could wrap his mind around it), all the way up to Jonathan’s insane driving all the way back to Hawkins. “We should also tell you that Max and I have been dating.” El finished, smiling again and looking proud of herself.

“You’ve been whozza-what now?!” Steve flipped back, eyes wide as Eddie laughed at him, “When? What? How?”

“Since after everything went down at Starcourt.” Max shrugged, taking El’s hand and tangling their fingers together, “It wasn’t like… a secret? We just kind of… assumed you knew?”

“Since Starcourt?!” He barked out a laugh, “I am… losing my touch. How did… well, okay. Don’t get pregnant?” Steve finally squeaked out. The house of cards in his mind exploding into hundreds of scraps as he connected so, so many moments between the girls that he’d just chalked up to them being friends.

“You don’t get pregnant.” Max sniped back, just as Eddie started to speak again, “Or don’t get him pregnant. Whichever. I don’t need to know that much.”

Steve’s face flushed; he hadn’t… thought that far. Didn’t know what kind of… configuration… they would go for. Would do whatever, so long as it was what made Eddie happy and comfortable. He supposed that was another conversation for another day. “I think your radar is good, baby, you’re just real bad at seeing when relationship are a thing… especially when people happen to be friends first.”

“Oh yeah, and who’s fault is that, technically?” Steve quirked an eyebrow as Eddie shifted in bed to drape his unbroken leg over the side, reeling him in and wrapping his arms around his waist to push his head against Steve’s sternum, “It’s not my fault I saw you and then my brain decided it wouldn’t see anyone else.”

He wasn’t talking about his flings or ‘conquests’ - and they both knew it, “Yeah… well, at least you got to figure out what the feeling was earlier. I spent so long being completely clueless.” Eddie laughed, breath warm on Steve’s sternum through the thin scrubs.

Max and El were watching closely, Steve knew without looking. Could feel their eyes on his back in the sweetest way, “Well… we did say we were shit at timing.” Eddie looked up at him; sparkling eyes and pretty pink lips. It wasn’t Steve’s fault that he had to kiss Eddie when he looked like that, not really. After all, how could he resist?

The first touch felt like a balm on his soul; just a chase press of lips… it hadn’t even been that long, but the hours felt like years when Eddie was so close and yet so far away at the same time. Another quick peck, just because, not leaving enough time for things to go deeper. No point in scarring the girls, after all.

Maybe one more.

They couldn’t see through his back anyway, right?

As if the universe was bound and determined to cause a little more chaos in his life, the moment Steve leaned down again, enjoying the slant of Eddie’s lips against his own and reveling in the way Eddie’s breath picked up and the way his hands clawed at his chest, the door swung open and an excited sounding Mike Wheeler and tired sounding Will poured into the room.

“Seriously Will, he’s cool. So, so cool. You’re going to love hi— OH MY GOD!” Steve glanced over, watching Mike’s face contort in a mix of anguish and despair. So very close to Eddie’s drawing from the Creel house, but so much more amusing to see in real life.

Eddie turned his head to scold Mike, but Steve just hummed, turning him back and pressing a far more searing kiss against him and moving his free hand to flip Mike the middle finger as he did before slowly - so slowly he got to watch Eddie chase him before his eyes fluttered back open - moving back, “Good to see you too, Wheeler.” Max and El broke into giggles and Steve just grinned, “Will! Even better to see you, it’s been too long since I’ve seen that face. You growing your hair out? It’s looking good.”

Will waved meekly, eyes darting from Steve and Eddie to Mike and back again, his face going bright red faster than he could squeak out a tiny ‘hi’ back.

“I thought you hated him?!” Mike stomped; hands waving toward Steve like he was the least valuable prize in a game show, “And now you’re… what? Making out?”

“Hey, that’s my best friend — and my boyfriend — that you’re waving all willy nilly at, Wheeler.” Eddie rose his eyebrows and hugged Steve closer - shoving his cheek back into his chest to he could keep an eye on Mike as he spoke, “I just had a bunch of misplaced feelings to work on. It’s called… character development. Now… are you going to keep being homophobic, or are you going to come hang out? Because if you’re gonna be like that, I don’t know how comfortable I feel adventuring with you.”

“I’m not— It’s not homophobia, it’s just Steve! He’s… well, he’s Steve! He’s… gross, and hairy and… ugh, and he’s Steve!” Mike threw his hands in the air, but approached further, bringing Will with him, “I just don’t get the appeal.”

“Well, good thing he’s way too old for you, little Wheeler, and spoken for. So… I don’t know about Stevie here, but I’m not too concerned on if you find him attractive or not.” Eddie snuggled closer and Steve gently pet at his hair, unable to control the smile on his face, “And on top of all that, I like the hair. All of it.”

Mike retched again, sending the girls and Will into another fit of laughter, “It’s good to meet you, officially, Eddie.” Will smiled, holding out his hand.

Eddie was quick to reach back to shake it, “It’s good to finally meet you too, Will the Wise. I’ve heard a lot about you. Not as much as I would have like to have, in the beginning…” He raised his eyebrows at Mike, as if he were recalling the way just a few months ago that the girls had called him out on Halloween over the broken promise, “But never the less! It’s great to meet another brave adventurer, especially another DM. I’d love to pick your brain sometime, maybe soundboard a few ideas, if you’re interested?”

“I’d love that.” Will breathed out happily, “That would be… so awesome.”

“Perfect. How long are you in town for?”

“Well, we don’t know yet. We haven’t been able to reach Mom - she flew off to Alaska with Murray Bauman and… well, they said it was for work, but I’m really concerned they might be… nope, crossing that out of my mind, right now.” Jonathan’s low rumbling voice joined the others, “But… now that everything is said and done, we’re kind of hoping we can just convince her to move back. I’ll be back on this side of the coast for college anyway, and after a year in Cali? I think we’re all better off closer to home anyway.”

“Jonathan!!” Steve’s grin got impossibly wider and he found himself bouncing on his heels - so excited to see his friend but unwilling (or unable, with the way Eddie sunk his fingers deeper into Steve’s shirt) to move away from Eddie, “There he is! Holy shit man. It’s been… too long.”

“I talked to you on the phone two weeks ago. But… I know what you mean. It’s good to see your face. Though… you know, it would be nice to be able to see it not completely thrashed over for longer than a year, man.” Jon laughed, pulling a loudly dressed man with the most gloriously long hair Steve had ever seen in his life, behind him and into the room as if he’d had to sneak him up… and he probably had, given the new head count in the room, “Oh! And this is Argyle. I know you’ve heard him on the phone and all, but tada! Argyle, this is Steve Harrington and… Eddie Munson.” Jon’s lips curled into a thrilled smile, able to see the man curled into Steve’s body from the new angle he was standing at; eyes lighting up as he mouthed an ‘oh my god, Eddie Munson’ toward Steve behind Mike’s back.

“Harrington, my dude!” Argyle grinned coming up past everyone else in the room to wrap Steve into a hug from behind - patting his chest over Eddie’s hands and across the top of Eddie’s head, “You look just like I thought you would man. Didn’t know you were a nurse though, thought you worked in a garage?”

Oh yeah.

That was definitely the Argyle he’s spoken to on the phone alright.

“Good to meet ya in person, man.” Steve laughed back, knocking his head lightly into the other man’s, “And I do work in a garage. The scrubs are so no one had to see my ass hanging out.” Argyle’s face split into an even wider grin.

“I bet it’s a nice ass though. You seem like the kinda guy who takes care of himself.” Argyle agreed, nodding happily just as Eddie seemed to realize he was still in a hospital gown, and quickly shifted to pull his sheets more tightly across his waist and around his back. An action that seemed to throw Argyle off a bit, “Oh sorry, that’s your man, right? No harm meant, my dude - I got a girl back in Utah now. Eden.” He sighed dreamily and released Steve, bounding back onto the other bed next to Max and El and kicking his feet and muttering soft words about the pale, dark haired angel of his dreams - made real in Utah, of all places.

The eight of them settled in and chatted for a while, until Eddie let out an exhausted yawn against Steve, “Ah. Alright. As much as I want to keep talking and catching up, we still have to get through things with the doc so we can head out of here. Jon - the girls said you could take us back to my place?”

Jonathan nodded, “Of course. We’ve got Argyle’s van, he can take you and Eddie, so he can stretch out and not have to worry about the casts - if you don’t mind me driving the BMW? It should fit the kids, after all. I’ll let the nurses know to send the doc in.”

Steve agreed, happily, and everyone filtered out again, leaving just him and Eddie and a silence that still felt to foreign after a week of a subset of the party living in each other’s pockets, “How you feeling, Bambi?” Steve asked quietly, kissing the top of Eddie’s head, “Think you’re actually ready to get out of here?”

“So ready.” He nodded, smiling and shifting so Steve could sit beside him and Eddie could lean his head on his shoulder, “Might have to delay our date a little longer though.”

“Oh? Why do you say that?”

“I mean…” He motioned to his arm and leg, “I can’t exactly… do much, you know? Getting into and out of a booth is going to be rough, car rides are going to be uncomfortable…”

“Nah, just means I have to change our plans up a little. Unless… uh, unless you want to delay.” The insecurity crept up without warning, tainting his words and leaving him to flinch.

Eddie, however, just leaned harder against him, “We don’t have to. I just… don’t want you to be disappointed.”

“Never.” Steve replied quickly, “I could never be disappointed in time I get to spend with you.”

“Good. Me either.”

A few more days passed… administrators preparing to open the school for the spring semester found Jason’s body, and all of town rose up in a tizzy again - throwing blame anywhere they could while the Hagan’s seemed a mix of fighting against anyone and everyone that believed Tommy could do such a thing, and slinking away from the most populated parts of town and into their own suburban mansion to avoid the scorn of the community.

Between Jason’s jacket in Tommy’s car, and his own admittance of his attack on Steve and Eddie, and the drugged rambling about ‘sending Carol to her end,’ it seemed the police were sure they had found their killer.

Steve fought not to feel guilty about it - knowing that even though Tommy may not have had the final hand in Carol’s death, he was capable and determined to kill Eddie that night in the Creel house, so at the very least, it wasn’t an innocent person going off to wherever the courts decided… and maybe the system would be able to get Tommy the help he needed to at least get over his issues and try to become more stable.

Wayne moved back into the Munson’s original trailer - cleaned up and mended, with a few pieces of replacement furniture donated by other residents of the park, but Eddie remained at Steve’s, “Easier since you’ve got a ramp instead’a steps anyway.” Wayne had grinned, eyes sparkling, when Eddie tried to make excuse after excuse to stick around, but today… they were heading up to the cabin.

Steve had been up the day before, too, putting up the insulation and drywall in the new addition before work, while Eddie had still been knocked out on his painkillers - and he’d been adorably whiny about it when he’d gotten home, all but demanding he get to go with him next time.

Robin called them codependent… which, pot meet kettle, but still.

Jon and Argyle had been kind enough to volunteer to come in and paint for him that same night so Steve could finish off what he needed to make the cabin fully equipped for full time living again… even though they all knew the cabin would probably sit and be a hangout for at least another few years, until the kids graduated maybe… or until Max was 18 and legally able to live away from her mother.

“Are you sure you’re going to be okay?” Steve asked again, looking at Eddie through the rearview of Wayne’s truck; the metal trailer containing the cabinets and appliances for the kitchen rattling behind them from the trailer hitch. His back was against the door, and his casted leg was perched over El and Max’s laps, the skin almost completely buried under a pair of Steve’s old basketball shorts (the only thing he could get over the cast properly) - before they’d left the hospital, the doctor had let them know they wanted to do check-ins every two weeks for the next eight weeks and could potentially take the casts off at the six week mark if the x-rays were looking okay, but Eddie was already going a little stir crazy with Steve also back at work… even with the rotating cast of visitors over, taking up every bit of time Steve was away anyway, “You don’t have to come up while I’m working. I won’t be able to keep you entertained, you know. Or I could drop you off at the Wheeler's with the guys?”

The boys, so happy to be together and safe, had decided to spend the day together and play the campaign they had promised Will they were going to play on their ‘boys day’ years ago - before the party’s big blowout outside of Starcourt. It was sweet, really, to see them trying to come back together properly… to appreciate what they’d lost, even if it was for what would be a short time in their life as years continues to fly past.

“Nah, the girls are going to do my hair and nails, aren’t you ladies?” The girls whooped, holding up twin bags of supplies as Eddie grinned at him through the mirror, “Besides… getting to see my boyfriend all hot and sweaty from manual labor? All while getting pampered? That’s the best entertainment a man could want.” He sighed happily as Steve rolled his eyes, but couldn’t help his matching grin all the same.

“Mmhm, I’ll remember you said that when I come over for a break and you tell me to go away because I smell.” He shifted into park and quickly got out of the car to get Eddie’s crutch and help slide him from the backseat after the girls climbed out. The long leg cast was a bit of a hassle, according to Eddie, but secretly, Steve was happy to have an excuse to dote on and spoil him, “Alright, it’s a little steep here, are you sure you can make your way up okay?”

Eddie leaned forward from his crutch and gave him a quick kiss, “Of course. And if I can’t, I’m sure you’ll catch me when I fall.” He peeked around Steve’s shoulders, watching the girls; so supportive but already tired of their antics after living under the same roof for a measly 72 hours, as they marched on ahead, hand in hand. “But uh… I wouldn’t say no to a ride.”

He waggled his eyebrows and Steve chuckled back quietly - grabbing his face in his hands and giving him a proper kiss. Waiting for Eddie’s breath to quicken and the softest little noises to begin pouring from his throat before pulling away - grin growing as Eddie huffed and pouted up at him, “Not until we’re not broken anymore.”

“Steeeeve!”

“Nope; not happening Bambi.” Steve nipped at his lips, knowing Eddie enjoyed the teasing even though he’d complain about it for as long as he had air in his lungs, “Now, c’mon. I have work to do, and you need to stop being a distraction.”

With another soft whine and a gentle, content smile, Eddie slowly made his way up the dirt path - Steve close behind (just in case) - and into the cabin, thanking the girls as they helped to lower him back on the couch but squawking as they smeared a cold mask on his face almost immediately.

He worked for hours, very happy with the paint job Jon and Argyle had completed; putting in cabinets, and carefully wheeling all of the new appliances into place, and taking just a few completely necessary breaks to scratch at Eddie’s scalp or kiss the gloss from his lips, until - for the first time since the mindflayer had ripped the roof apart and rain had poured into the building - they had a fully operational kitchen.

Steve was just about to crash down onto the arm of the couch, when a rumbling engine began to crackle up the dirt and gravel, “Are… we expecting anyone else?” Max narrowed her eyes, glancing toward the door.

“Stay here.” Steve kissed the side of each of their heads; pulling the nailbat from it’s place beside the door, and preparing for… anything.

Or what he thought was anything.

Instead of police, bumpkins out for vengeance against someone they still blamed despite evidence to the contrary now, or even the suits from the lab here to take El away again…

The bat clattered to the ground.

“Hey son.” Hopper, gaunt and shaved down but grinning, stood next to a black sedan with tinted windows, “Good to see you kept up the good fight while I was gone.”

“Dad?! Holy… holy shit. Ellie! Get out here!!” He called back, but jumped quickly off the porch without waiting for her to arrive - running across the yard and launching himself into Hopper’s open arms, “You’re alive. You’re actually alive. I can’t… how?!”

El, hand raised for battle, paused for just a moment before taking the exact same path Steve had; rushing into Hoppers arms. The three of them stood, quietly sobbing and holding each other - Hopper’s hand cycling between holding them close and clutching the backs of their heads, “My kids. Jesus Christ, I’m so… so fucking happy you’re both okay. I’m so sorry. After the Russian base, I… I was captured and I’ve been in a Russian Prison camp since. Joyce and Murray broke in, and… shit, there’s so much to say, but I’m just so happy to see you both. Christ, Ellie, you got so tall… your hair is longer than Steve’s now too.”

“Fuck, Hop. We’re just… we had a funeral. You’ve got a full on grave; we leave beer and flowers.” Steve’s broken laughter was muffled between El’s hair and Hop’s chest.

“You sound just like Joyce.” Hopper squeezed them tighter, “She’s at the Wheeler's— why are Max Mayfield and Eddie Munson staring at us… and why is Munson in pepto-pink… you know, I don’t know if I want to know, actually.”

Steve rubbed his eyes, drying the tracks of tears through the dirt and sweat lines on his face, “Well… some of it is a long story… but!” He grabbed one of Hopper’s elbows and El grabbed the opposite hand, pulling Hopper up the path and to the steps of the porch, “Hopper. I’d like you to re-meet Eddie Munson. My boyfriend.” Steve grinned, grabbing Eddie’s casted hand and kissing over his uncovered fingers.

“And Max is my girlfriend!” El giggled happily, wrapping her arms around the other girl’s neck and kissing her cheek.

A moment of silence.

The rise of panic…

Neither seemed to expect the boisterous laugh that boomed from Hopper’s chest, the way he clutched his sides and leaned against the railing to keep himself upright, “Uh, you okay there Hop?”

“I am… more than okay.” He grinned, patting them both on the back before going up and ruffling both Max and Eddie’s hair, “C’mon - let me tell you about what I got up to in Russia, and then you can tell me how all this happened, huh?”

Steve watched the dumbstruck look on Eddie’s face as he watched Hopper walk past, “We’ll be right behind you, Hop, just give us a minute?” The older man’s eyes flitted from Steve to Eddie and back again and he nodded, shuffling the girls inside and shutting the door quietly behind him, “Hey baby, you alright?”

“Hopper’s alive.” He whispered, voice full of both awe and a tinge of jealousy, “Your dad is alive.”

“He is…” Steve grabbed both of his hands again, staring up at him from his place low on the steps, “…maybe, after he’s settled back in, we get the whole party and we go see your mom, huh? I think… she deserves to hear about all of our good news too. Especially after everything that happened last time we were there.”

Eddie’s breath hitched, and Steve saw as tears began to well in his eyes, “I… that would be great, Stevie.” He hummed and leaned up to brush a kiss across Eddie’s lips and over the lid of his damaged eye - a pattern of affection Steve didn’t think he’d ever tire of, “…I love you.”

“I love you too, Eddie.”