Steve Harrington Angst - Blog Posts

Steve “I got soul, but I’m not a soldier” Harrington

The losing dog that I’m betting on

OMDDD

my friend asked if we can watch this show called normal people, and i’d read on a blog once that daisy could be a fan cast for Eddie’s mom and i realised Paul looks like Eddie’s dad too. so get ready for them to be his parents whenever i write for Eddie.

Drabble from this head canon.

TW: blood, angst, mention of death.

He could faintly hear the screaming around him, sobs erupting over him. He felt arms wrap around his body, the pressure of them lifting his aching limps, cradling him against another, but he felt no warmth from the touch. His eyes felt so heavy, his head was pounding. He hears voices, and can faintly understand that they were speaking, but the words were lost in translation. It takes everything he has just to peak an eye open, stare up at the two sets of eyes on him. He sees their lips moving, watches as the tears fall from their face, but he can’t feel the droplets land on his skin. He can’t move his head to look down at his torso, but he knows there is blood, knows that there’s more on the ground than in his body.

“Steve…Steve…you…can anyone please…Steve? We need backup! Steve’s hurt, he’s…Steve…Steve!” Dustin…That was Dustin’s voice, wasn’t it? “You gotta be okay, man!”

“Dustin…” That was Robin’s voice. Was she holding him? She sounded like she was in pain. Did he not do enough? Was she hurt?

“No!” He suddenly screams, his voice ringing in his ears, or maybe that was from the blood rapidly pumping in them. “No, he has to be! I can’t lose anyone else!” Dustin pulls the walkie-talkie up to his mouth once more, pleading, “Can anyone hear me? This is code red! I repeat, code red! We need someone, anyone! Please! Hopper…Mrs. Byers? Anyone?”

“Henderson?” He didn’t mean to speak, but despite the lack of intent to talk, the word was still so difficult to form.

“Yes, Steve, I-we’re here, buddy,” he rushes out, the sentence tumbling from his lips as if the faster he speaks, the quicker that Steve would heal.

“Robbie?” His voice is fading as he continues to speak.

“Shh, I’m right here, dingus,” she whispers. “But try not to talk, alright? You’re banged up pretty bad.”

“Oh.” His mind was getting foggier, but it was something he was grateful for because he couldn’t feel the pain. He just felt tired. “Are you guys okay?”

“Yes, yes,” Dustin answers, his voice cracking under the weight of a humorless laugh bubbling up past the lump in his throat. “We’re okay. Thanks to you, buddy, we’re all going to be okay.” Steve tries to nod but his head just lulls into the bend of Robin’s neck and shoulder.

“Good, good,” he mutters sleepily. “I just need to close my eyes for a bit longer.”

“No, Steve, please,” Robin whimpers, clutching him closer to her chest.

“It’s okay, Robs, everything’s okay.” And Steve believes that as he smiles up at the pair that are pleading with him to keep his eyes open just a bit longer. “I’m just happy you’re both safe.”

He can’t hear their voices anymore. They’re muddled, as if he’s underwater. He sees nothing in front of him, just waves of darkness for eternity. He feels nothing. He isn’t cold or warm, there’s just nothing. No more pain. And then he hears the gentle, broken, “Steve?” behind him from the last voice he expected to hear, yet it was one he desperately wanted to listen to again. Turning around he finds Eddie, his previously shredded and bloodstained Hellfire T-shirt now spotless underneath his leather jacket and battle vest. Wait, Steve thought that he had that vest in his room, tucked under his bed so no one would take it from him. It was greedy, he knew how much the boys wanted a piece of their Dungeon Master to remember him by, but he couldn’t part with it. He was allowed to be selfish just this once. But it seems that it was unnecessary as Eddie was standing right in front of him. He reaches out and touches his shoulder, making sure this wasn’t some sick dream or illusion, but he felt the heat from his body, the first sense he had of his own touch, and he throws his arms around Eddie, feeling the warmth spread in the embrace. But something felt off as Eddie gingerly wrapped his own arms around Steve’s frame, acting as if he were fragile, or like he was scared. Pulling back, Steve looked over Eddie again. He didn’t see any injuries. Shouldn’t he still be healing? He looks unscathed.

“Eddie, how are you alive?” Steve asks confused.

“I’m not, Steve,” he rasps out, choking on a small sob as Steve finally notices the tears streaming from his face.

“But then…”

“I’m sorry, Steve, but neither are you.”

Angsty Secret Admirer AU Links bc this is easier for me to find.

Original Post

Steve Feelings in general

Lucas knows whats happening

Steve and the first letters

How Robin is unaware

Eddie lashing out in spring of 86

Max is trying

Eddie finds out

Steve gets Vecna'd

I'll add to this if more occurs, so I guess click back to this on my page and maybe there will be more

Yeah. It occurred to me that there’s only one possible path for this that fits the narrative tentpoles I’ve been building. I looked for others but nah. This is right.

Steve in that AU def goes to Eddie for drugs before Spring Break, asks for more than what Eddie has on him. Says he wants to sleep. Eddie is planning to upcharge the hell out of him, but money is money, even if the customer is a prick. Repeats it again at Eddie’s place, and for whatever reason, Eddie hears it differently that time, enough to make him pause and listen for real. Eddie is smarter than his grades. So he catches the way ‘sleep’ sounds like a stand in for something else, connects it to how Steve said he wanted more than a dose or two. Decides immediately he won’t sell him anything at all.

Eddie is listening now because he can’t stand the guy, but Dustin and the others would be destroyed by this. He’s not sure how the fuck he’s going to help or stop Harrington, but paying attention seems like the first step. Prompts Steve to talk more, explain why he wants the ket. So he catches a phrase that sounds familiar. A reference to a story that he knows from the letters he still rereads on rough days. A reference that only one person could know.

Eddie figures it out all at once.

Eddie finds out who X is, connects the dots on why the letters stopped, and before he can speak, or apologize, or cry, or connect the letters to the guy who just wants to ‘sleep’, Steve’s eyes roll back in his head.

when the world stops turning (my heart stops beating) - pt. 4

hello yes i know it's been a while. this part has been a pain in my ass for months. i needed to get it just right and rewrote this thing so many times it's not even funny. and now, after editing it five times over the last two days, i'm just posting it. what's done is done. if i came back to it again i would have rewritten and i don't wanna do that. so here it is at least. there is also going to be at least one more part. i'm shooting for two more hopefully but i make no promises. the next part could very well be the last. i hope you enjoy :)

ao3 pt 1 pt 2 pt 3 pt 4

cw: hospitals, dissociation, mentions of overdose, addiction, sobriety, and relapse

Eddie couldn’t move. His body was fighting against every instinct he should have in the moment. Someone could throw something directly at his head, and he wouldn’t react. The buzzing voices around him faded in and out as he stared at a chip in the wood of the table in front of him.

One of Steve’s doctors had finally come to speak with them. They couldn’t say anything for certain at the moment, but he was alive, and that’s all Eddie heard before his head went fuzzy again. His mind was still reeling, caught on the fact that he should have seen this. He should have noticed. He should have been able to help Steve. He failed the only person who’d ever loved him like that, the only one who ever would love Eddie like that. Because Steve was it for him. He’d always known that. No one else would even come close. No one could ever compare to Steve Harrington.

Not only had he failed Steve, but he’d failed Robin too. He was supposed to keep Steve safe. Robin couldn’t lose her best friend; Eddie knew that. He’d promised to take care of him. He couldn’t even do that one thing right. God, what was he going to tell Robin?

They didn’t want Steve to have visitors yet. Eddie managed to gather that much at least. It was still touch and go. He wasn’t awake. They weren’t sure if he ever would be. They’re flushing his system, but it’s really just a game of wait and see. They might be able to see him in the morning, but the doctor wasn’t making any promises. It all depended on how the rest of the night went. If he made it through. They couldn’t say anything else for certain. There had been a lot of drugs in his system. He’d been deprived of oxygen for a long time. There was no way to be sure what would happen next. That was all up to Steve now.

Eddie sat there in that uncomfortable waiting room chair for hours. He didn’t move. He didn’t eat or drink. He didn’t even get up to go to the bathroom. He just sat there, staring at the same chip in the wooden table. His friends all tried their best to get through to him. They tried to coax him into eating or drinking something, but their efforts were unsuccessful. No one could get through to him, and he preferred it that way. He deserved to sit in his own silence, letting his brain run reckless and spiral to the depths of his fears and anxiety. He had failed.

He noticed that the more time seemed to pass, the antsier his bandmates got. Though, he couldn’t be exactly sure that’s what was happening. Time escaped him.

Time was such a funny thing, wasn’t it? It can feel like it speeds up, slows down, or stops entirely, but it never changes. It’s always the same. It’s all in the imagination. Eddie was never that good at telling time as a child. Even as he grew older, he found it difficult to keep track. As he sat in that hospital, his entire life on the brink of falling apart at the seams, time was nowhere to be found. Nothing made sense. He just sat silently, staring. People moved around him, time passed, but Eddie didn’t move. He was trapped. His body was at the hospital, but his mind kept bouncing around. From his mom, to Wayne, to Steve on the bathroom floor. An endless cycle. Eddie was hanging on by a single thread: the only thread of life left in Steve.

Eddie would never survive if Steve didn’t make it out alive.

Eddie was aware that a long time had passed only by the ache in his joints and the dryness of his mouth. He also sort of needed to pee, but that wasn’t important. At least, not important enough to warrant getting up. He couldn't move. He needed to stay right in that spot. Nothing was more important than that.

“Come on, Ed,” Wayne’s gruff voice said from somewhere behind him. Eddie stayed rooted to the spot. “It’s time to go, kid. We’ve gotta get to the reception.”

Eddie stood silently, staring straight ahead at the marble headstone. His mother’s name was engraved with curly letters. Eddie hadn’t known that was possible. There were piles of flowers that he knew wouldn’t be there next week. He didn’t speak. His feet were glued to the soft ground beneath him. His suit was itchy and his worn dress shoes were a size too small. The tie around his neck was suffocating. He couldn’t breathe.

He broke down right there, tears rolling down his cheeks and gasping sobs bursting from his chest. He sank down to the ground at the foot of his mother’s fresh grave, clawing at the stupid red tie that his mother had bought him two years prior and the collar of his white dress shirt. Wayne sighed softly and sat down beside him, gently pulling his hands away and shushing Eddie as he loosened the tie. He let him collapse against his chest, tie almost completely off and the first two buttons of his shirt undone. Wayne held him through each wracking sob and stuttering breath, murmuring comfort until he’d gotten it all out.

“I couldn’t do it, Uncle Wayne,” Eddie whispered hoarsely. “Why couldn’t I do it?”

“Do what, Ed?”

“Save her.”

Why couldn't he do it?

“Eddie, seriously, you need to eat something,” Jeff said, holding out a bag of chips from the vending machine. Eddie stared blankly at the bag, seeing but not really. He heard the words coming from Jeff’s mouth, but his body refused to respond. He couldn’t quite fully process what he was saying. It slipped out of his head before he got the chance, replaced with his mother’s voice, or Steve promising he was fine. He was fine. There was nothing wrong. It was just weed. Nothing more. He was fine.

He lied.

What else had Steve lied about? What else was he keeping from Eddie? Every time Steve came home late, claiming some generic excuse about work or traffic or whatever else it may have been, how often had those been lies? What had he been doing instead? Getting high? Shooting up in a parking garage somewhere? Was he ever with someone else? Someone who wasn’t Eddie?

Steve would never cheat. Eddie had to remind himself of that over and over again. Repeat it on a loop in his head. Anything to get it to stay there.

He would not cheat. He would not cheat. He would not cheat.

But he would lie.

Eddie has never been insecure about their relationship before. He loved Steve more than anything. He always knew Steve felt the same. Steve loved him. No questions asked. Eddie knew. He didn't need to be told that Steve loved him. It was just obvious. Now, though, Eddie was second guessing everything. Why would he lie? If Steve could lie so easily about something like this, what else had he lied about? Had their whole relationship been a lie? Has Steve ever told him the truth about anything?

His brain swirled with more thoughts, more insecurities. He stared at the chip in the table as he spiraled. His fingers and toes were tingling. This couldn’t be real. It had to be a dream, a nightmare. Any minute now, he was going to wake up. Everything would be fine. It was just one big nightmare. He would be laying in bed next to Steve, who would be snoring softly. He would roll over and tuck his arms around his boyfriend’s waist. He could hold him tight, bury his nose in the back of Steve’s neck and breathe in the scent of his shampoo. He could fall back into a peaceful sleep with Steve in his arms, safe and sound.

Except he wasn't waking up. No matter how much he tried, no matter how hard he willed his eyes to open, it didn't happen. He was trapped. There was no escape. Steve wasn't there. He may never be there again. This was all Eddie’s fault. If only he’d noticed. If only he cared enough. None of it was enough. Eddie wasn’t enough. He never should have expected to be enough for Steve. Steve deserved better.

Eddie never should have asked him to come on tour with them.

If Eddie hadn’t asked him to go, this never would have happened. Steve would be at home, in their apartment with Robin, probably sleeping in her room every night. He hated sleeping alone. He’d be sitting on the couch, wrapped up in one of Eddie’s hoodies and the threadbare blue blanket they took from the trailer when they moved, watching movies with Robin and a bowl of popcorn. He wouldn’t be dying in a hospital in New York. He’d be happy and safe. Eddie would miss him like hell, but at least he would be safe.

The sun was shining, blindingly bright, through the tall windows on the far wall of the waiting room when the doctor finally came back. Eddie’s knee had taken to bouncing anxiously a while ago, maybe an hour, maybe more. He can’t be sure. His brain had mostly come back online, but he still felt a little foggy. Untethered. His world was unbalanced. His ears were still ringing even as the doctor started talking. He barely heard a single word. Snippets of information filtered through the fog. Stable. Made it through the night. Up to Steve now. ICU. Visitors. The next thing he knows, Jeff is leading him through the halls with the doctor. It’s just the three of them. Other doctors and nurses bustled around them.

They finally crossed the double doors into the ICU. Eddie’s heart pounded as the doctor led them over to one of the sliding doors. She opened it, and Eddie couldn't move. He could hear the machines inside, see the edge of the hospital bed. If he turned his head a little, he knew he would see Steve. The doctor walked in and picked up the chart at the foot of the bed. She flipped it open and clicked her pen, writing things down and glancing at monitors.

“Eddie, why don't we go inside?” Jeff suggested softly, his hand on Eddie’s arm. “Steve needs you right now.”

Eddie's feet moved of their own accord, taking slow steps into the room. Jeff followed behind him, closing the door once they were both in the room. He carefully led Eddie over to the chair, giving him a light push on the shoulder to sit him down. As soon as he was close enough, Eddie grabbed Steve’s hand. An instinct he would probably always have. It didn't matter what was going on in his brain. If Steve’s hand was there, Eddie was holding it.

“Is he okay?” the doctor asked gently, nodding to Eddie.

Jeff sighed. “I hope so. This is all really hard on him.”

“How long have they been together?”

Jeff looked up, a little startled. It may have been New York, and queer relationships were a little more accepted than they were just a few years ago, but Steve and Eddie had always been careful. Cautious. They all had. But she was quick to respond before Jeff could even think to redirect.

“It’s okay, really. I know what love looks like. I would look at my partner the same way if something like this ever happened to her.”

“Oh.” Jeff glanced at Eddie, who had his eyes glued to Steve’s hand in his. “Um… it’s been almost eight years now. They’ve been through a lot together.”

She closed the chart and put it back at the end of the bed. She nodded a few times, watching the machines that beeped rhythmically. “I’m going to hold on to hope,” she said softly. “For them. For everyone like us. I can’t say anything for certain; this is all up to Steve. We’re doing everything we can. But I’m holding on to hope.”

“I guess that’s all any of us can do now, isn’t it?”

“I think so.” She cleared her throat and took a step back from the bed, turning to Jeff. “I have other patients to round on, but I’ll be back to check up on everything in a couple of hours. If you guys need anything, just let one of the nurses know.”

“Thank you.”

Silence fell through the room as the doctor left. Jeff took the chair in the corner, letting Eddie have whatever time he needed. He was mostly there for Eddie’s sake; someone had to make sure he would be okay until Wayne got there. Truthfully, they were all out of their depths here. No one really understood what was happening in Eddie’s brain. Not even close to the way Wayne would.

They sat there in total silence for a long time. It's unclear to Eddie just how long, but long enough that Jeff had gotten up four times. Once to get food, once for the bathroom, and twice to hit vending machines and coffee. Not that Eddie accepted anything Jeff offered him. His body still felt wildly disconnected from his brain. His limbs were heavy. He also knows it's been long enough that nurses have come in to check on Steve eight times, and his doctor has been back once. It seems the only thing Eddie’s mind can keep track of is how many times someone has entered or exited Steve’s room in the ICU.

Jeff gets up for a fifth time. Another bathroom break, from the few words Eddie managed to retain. The door slid shut behind him, and Eddie was alone again. He squeezed Steve’s hand three times, desperate for any sign that he's still there. That he's fighting for Eddie. Nothing happens. The machines beep. His chest rises and falls rhythmically with the calculated breaths of the ventilator. Steve’s eyes shift beneath his eyelids, but they don't open. They won't open. The door slid open again, and Eddie assumed Jeff was back, though it seemed like he wasn't gone very long. And then he hears it.

“Oh, God.”

Eddie’s head shot up at the sound of Robin’s shaky voice behind him. She looked wrecked. Her face was blotchy, her eyes puffy and red. There were tear tracks down her cheeks. Wayne was standing beside her, looking somber. He watched her take a rattled breath, crossing the room slowly. Her eyes don't leave Steve. Wayne followed a few moments later, coming to stand behind Eddie and put a hand on his shoulder. Eddie wanted to break. As if he hadn't been slowly breaking this whole time.

“They- they said it was an overdose?” Robin asked softly, her voice cracking at the end. Eddie merely nodded, still trying to find his voice. “What- what happened, Eddie? Was it- was he drugged? How- how did this- did he relapse?”

“Relapse?” Eddie croaked, his voice hoarse from disuse. That didn't make any sense. For Steve to relapse, he would have to be…. “He- he was clean?”

Robin frowned, and her gaze finally found Eddie. “What do you mean he was clean? He's been clean since ‘85, Eddie. I- I helped him, after Starcourt.”

All the air left Eddie’s lungs in an instant. This was all his fault. Steve was- he was clean. Sober. And Eddie ruined that. He gave Steve weed. He brought him on tour. He took him to parties full of temptation. He killed Steve.

“This is all my fault,” he whispered.

“Eddie, you have to tell me what's going on,” Robin begged. “When did he relapse? Why didn't he call me? He promised he would talk to me if he wanted to get high again.”

“I- Oh, God. I didn't know. He- he didn't tell me.” Eddie couldn't breathe. His heart squeezed in his chest, and his lungs pushed the air from his body until there was nothing left. No matter how much he tried, he couldn't get it back. He was already hyperventilating. “This is all my fault. Oh my god, it's all my fault.” He was distantly aware of the tears rolling down his cheeks again.

Wayne stepped between Eddie and Robin, crouching down to look up into his nephew's face. His hands were solid against Eddie’s skin, just like they always were. “Ed, you need to talk to me. Take a breath, kid. I'm right here, but you have to tell me what's going on.”

Eddie’s breath stuttered halfway through his chest. “I didn't know, Wayne.”

“What didn't you know, Eddie?”

“I didn't- I didn't know he was sober. I- I thought I- I was just trying to help. I- I gave him weed. I did this.”

Robin’s expression hardened. “You did this to him?”

“I'm so sorry,” Eddie choked out between sobs. “I didn't- I didn't know. I was just trying to help. And- and then he- I knew he wasn't telling me something, but- but he promised it was just weed.”

“Get out.” Robin’s voice was firm, but he could hear the trembling fear behind it.

“What? I-”

“Get out. Get out, right now. You did this, Eddie. He was doing so good until he met you! And now he's dying! So get the hell out, before I make you!"

It was at this moment that the door opened for Jeff’s return. He paused just inside the doorway. Wayne stood up, facing Robin.

“Now, Robin, I think-”

“I don't care!” Robin’s hands were shaking. “This is his fault! I want him out, right now! Or I swear to God, Wayne, I'm going to kill him.”

Wayne glanced back at Jeff, who was the perfect picture of confusion. “Jeff, take Eddie into the hall.”

“What-”

“Don't ask questions right now,” Wayne said sternly with a shake of his head. “Just take him to the hall. I'll be out in a moment.”

As soon as the door shut behind them, and Jeff had led Eddie a little ways from the room, he finally snapped. His knees gave out from underneath him, and Jeff was the only thing holding him up as he sobbed.

This was all his fault. He killed Steve.

First his mom, now the love of his life. It was all his fault.

-----

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Promise (Steve Harrington x Reader)

Description: Reader is helping Dustin and Eddie with the bats when things go south. Eddie makes the reader promise to admit her feelings for Steve if they make it out alive.

Warnings: SPOILERS SEASON 4, Character Death, Broken bones, Gore, Mentions of death.

‘’Promise me you’re not going to do something to get yourself killed?’’ Steve asks you. You were both sitting outside the RV, you were wrapping the wire around the spear you were going to use against the bats in the upside down.

You rolled your eyes at his assumption, ‘’I’m don’t plan on dying anytime soon Steve,’’ You set down the spear on your lap looking at him, ‘’You better not either.’’ You say threatening him. ‘’Then who is going to drive me around?’’ You say earning a hint of a smile from him. ‘’I’m thinking of making you drive me to Yosemite next.’’

‘’Yosemite huh?’’ He asks, sounding amused, ‘’I’ve always wanted to go on a roadtrip like that, take all my kids with me when I have them.’’ He tells you.

‘’Kids as in plural?’’ You ask him. ‘’You already have like six,’’ You say gesturing out in the field to Dustin and Eddie who were wrestling, Dustin was in a headlock making you laugh.

‘’And I want six of my own too,’’ He says and you widen your eyes at him making him laugh, ‘’I could change my mind but at least two, no three.’’ He sounded very sure of his answer.

‘’A big family sounds nice,’’ You tell him.

‘’You think so? Doesn’t scare you away when I say that?’’ He asks fiddling with his hands.

‘’No not at all, plus it makes sense you’re an only child. Figures you’d want a big family.’’ You tell him.

He looked at you like he was shocked, he let out a sigh before he spoke. ‘’I never really thought of that, but it makes sense.’’

‘’I always do Harrington,’’ You say, taking your hand pushing on his arm gently. You glance up noticing Nancy and Robin talking, she was sawing her gun down it seemed like her conversation with Jason made her a little on edge. ‘’So you and Nancy?’’ You ask Steve.

He looked a little uncomfortable when you asked, ‘’What about us?’’ He asks and you give him an annoyed look, he knew what you were asking. ‘’I don’t know what's going on I’m just as confused as you.’’ He explains. ‘’I think apart of it is because Jonathan is halfway across the country.’’

You look down at the ground unsure of what to say, ‘’What if it’s not that?’’ He looks over to you, ‘’Would you do that again?’’ You ask him, it was practically eating you alive to know.

‘’I feel like a lot of things got left unresolved with us,’’ Is all he answers, ‘’Would it be wrong if I did?’’ He ask you.

‘’I mean it’s your love life Steve,’’ You point out. ‘’Why do you care what I think anyway?’’

Steve looked at you, his face looked like he was confused, ‘’I always care what you think Y/N,’’ He tells you.

You stand up and Steve looked to you as you did, ‘’Who knows what happens when we go in upside down Steve, you almost died earlier.’’ You say scrunching your face up at the thought, seeing Steve on the floor, those bats gnawing at his skin would forever be etched in your brain. ‘’Now is not the time to hold in emotions, if you care about someone you tell them.’’ You see Steve visually take a deep breath, he patted his hands on his jeans standing up next to you. You watched his eyes on Nancy as he took a hand patting your back walking over to her, Robin slowly made her way over to you.

‘’You okay?’’ She asks.

You watched Nancy smile at something Steve said and you shake your head turning to Robin. ‘’Never better,’’ You say, offering her a fake smile.

If only you could take your own advice.

______________________

Steve was the first to go into the upside down, then Nancy followed of course. Then Robin and finally it was your turn, you grabbed onto the sheets pulling yourself up and finally felt yourself free falling, landing on your back knocking the wind out of you. Steve reached out a hand helping you up, as soon as you were on your feet you pulled your hand from his and he seemed distressed. ‘’You okay?’’ He says his hand is touching the side of your arm.

‘’We are currently upside down, how do you think I’m doing?’’ You say the sarcasm dripping from your voice.

‘’Right,’’ Steve says, a moment later a pile of weapons falls down landing on the mattress. You and Steve both turn looking down at it, you bend down grabbing as many as you could, taking yours and strapping it behind your back.

It was moments before you all split up, just as you walked out of the RV behind Dustin and Eddie that Steve stopped you. ‘’Hey listen, if things start to go south, I mean at all you abort.’’ His voice was serious, you glanced at Dustin knowing you had to do what you could to protect him, that if anything happened to him Steve would never forgive himself.

You hear snapping breaking you out of your thoughts, Steve looked at you, ‘’You hear me Y/N? No hero shit.’’ He emphasizes.

You walk closer to Steve staring him straight in the eye, ‘’Now do we look like heros to you?’’ You ask him to gesture to Dustin then Eddie.

‘’We are not heroes,’’ Eddie emphasized behind you, laughing.

You reach forward laying a hand on Steve's shoulder, ‘’Don’t worry Steve, you can be the hero.’’ You tell him. He gave a sort of half hearted grin but he still looked nervous as Hell.

His eyes lingered on your for a moment before he pulled away your hand dropping back to your side. Just as he turned around Eddie stepped out from behind you, ‘’Hey Steve?’’ He calls out. Steve turns around to look at him, ‘’Make him pay.’’

Steve nods, turning back around taking off with Nancy and Robin. ‘’We should go,’’ You tell both Eddie and Dustin. You all began walking off in the opposite direction, a few seconds had passed and you glanced back to look at Steve for more time, he had happened to be looking too. You shift your weapon on your back, turn around and walk backwards, you look at Steve and give him a salute from afar but it was too far for you to see his response back.

‘’Humor me Y/N,’’ Eddie tells you. ‘’How long have you been pining over Harrington?’’ He asks.

‘’What?’’ You ask him to turn around, noticing both Eddie and Dustin with an amused smile on their faces.

‘’At least since last year,’’ Dustin chimes in.

‘’Dustin!’’ You yell at him. ‘’You don’t know that!’’ You tell him.

‘’Do you not remember when you were on drugs last year?’’ He asks you to refer to the Russian Base underneath the mall. You had worked there with Steve and Robin last year and got wrapped into everything.

‘’Drugs?’’ Eddie says amused. ‘’You don’t take me for that kind of girl.’’ He smirks.

‘’I’m not!’’ You glare at Dustin, ‘’He left out key information, which was that I was unknowingly drugged by Russian Soldiers!’’ You say and Eddie's face looked bewildered.

‘’What?’’ Eddie says his voice seemed confused and amused at the same time.

‘’She totally confessed to being in love with Steve last year when she was on drugs,’’ He tells you.

‘’Why have you never told me this?’’ You ask him.

Dustin Shrugs his shoulders, ‘’Never came up,’’ He says simply.

You sigh and Eddie laughs, ‘’Is it really that obvious?’’ You ask tilting your head.

‘’Kind of I mean you practically lost it when he got pulled in the water,’’ He says. ‘’Why haven’t you said anything to him?’’

‘’Just never the right time, last year after the mall was just too much. And finally when things were calming down this happens.’’ You admit. ‘’And now Nancy is back and Steve has a soft spot when it comes to her, and I don’t know if I want to compete with Nancy.’’

‘’She was his first love,’’ Dustin chimes in.

‘’Thanks,’’ You pause. ‘’For that reminder Dustin,’’ He holds his hands up in defense.

‘’You should tell him,’’ Eddie says.

‘’If we make it out of here I just might,’’ You admit to him seeing the RV in the distance. ‘’Emphasis on the if,’’ You felt the nerves in your stomach getting worse by the minute and it was only going to get worse from here.

‘’Promise?’’ He says.

‘’What?’’

‘’Promise you’ll say something,’’ He says.

You look at him amused that he cared so much, ‘’Promise,’’ You say scrunching your eyebrows not questioning him as to why he cared.

When you got to the RV everything had seemed to speed up, you were waiting for the phase three signal from Robin. Dustin was supposed to tell you when Eddie was and Dustin were on top of the RV getting the Amp set up to broadcast the sound, you were down on the ground putting up more metal to help shield you when the bats came. Plus eventually you’d end up here anyway, that was the plan when the bats got closed you all were to use the RV as a way to shield yourself knowing they would come after you.

You hear Dustin from up above you, ‘’Copy, Initiating Phase three!’’ Dustin yells. Only a moment later you heard Eddie beginning to shred on the guitar, as the song went on you felt your heart practically pouding out of your chest. A flash of red lightning is what caught your attention seeing the silhouette of the bats getting closer.

‘’Dustin!’’ You yell, you could see him glance down at you from the top. You point with your finger at the bats showing him your plan was working, he looked through the binoculars and yelled to Eddie. You ran back to the inside of the cage surrounding the van your hand against the metal ready to close it when they finally came down. And the thirty seconds quickly turned into ten and Dustin and Eddie came barreling in as you slammed the cage shut just as the bats hit causing you to jump. ‘’Inside! Inside!’’ You scream at them following behind as they ran in the RV slamming the door shut.

You were all panting, your hands rested on your knees as you were bent over trying to catch your breath, ‘’Dude!’’ Dustin calls out gaining your attention, ‘’Most metal ever!’’ He says and Eddie and him begin jumping upside down, you look at them both laughing.

‘’That was pretty amazing Eddie,’’ You tell him.

‘’Best concert I’ll ever go to,’’ He laughs as you tell him. Dustin and Eddie look to one another and begin yelling, jumping up and down shaking the van even more than it already was from the bats outside.

It didn’t take long after that for you all to figure out you were surrounded, the screeching was getting louder meaning more and more were around you. They were banging up against the metal, all three of you stood back to back with your weapon in your hand as you all just waited for them to break through.

That was when it got quiet.

‘’Hey dipshits!’’ Dustin screams.

You took a deep breath as he yelled, ‘’Dustin!’’ You whispered.

‘’Give up that easy huh?’’ Dustin screams even lounder.

Both you and Eddie shush him, ‘’Is that really necessary?’’ Eddie asks.

The clattering from above you stopped any conversation. You looked up hearing the metal above you being scraped, ‘’Eddie they can’t get in right?’’ You ask him warily, all of you followed the sound above ending up under a vent. ‘’Eddie?’’ You ask him after no response

You screamed when the bats broke through the vent, the panic rising in your chest. You lifted your weapon moving in close with Dustin taking turns stabbing the bats trying to get in. “Die! Die, Die!” Dustin screams everytime he stabs them.

“Eddie!” You yell. “Eddie help!” You yell in a panic.

A second later you feel Eddie pushing you back slightly, “Get out of the way! Get out of the way!” He yells the shield he made earlier in his hand. He runs directly at the vent slamming it over top of him stopping the bats. Dustin falls back leaning against something a deep breath falls from his lips.

“Holy shit, Holy shit,” Eddie keeps repeating.

You felt yourself relax but it was only for a short moment, until Dustin spoke. “Are there other vents?”

The look on Eddie’s face told you there was, “shit, shit, shit!” He kept muttering. Everyone moves with him running to the back of the RV where Eddie’s bedroom was and as soon as he swung the door open the bats came flying toward you ready to attack. “Shit!” He screams along with you and Dustin pushing you both back behind the door slamming it shut. Immediately after he shut the door the wood began to break, you knew it wouldn’t hold long.

‘’Shit, shit, shit,’’ You mutter, also hearing similar words from both Dustin and Eddie. ‘’What do we do?’’ You yell over the bats pounding into the door, ‘’That’s not gonna hold long!’’ You yell at them.

‘’Let’s go! Let’s go!’’ Eddie screams.

You turn to Dusin who already had his hands on the sheets, you help him by holding his foot in your hand giving him something to push off as he climbs through the gate. ‘’Eddie, go!’’ You yell at him as Dustin goes through the gate.

You were the oldest making sure everyone got through before you was important, ‘’You first!’’ He tells you.

‘’Eddie, go!’’ You yell trying to plead with him.

‘’We don’t have time to argue go!’’ He yells at you holding his hand out for your foot. He was right there was no time to argue the door was breaking further by the second. You lift your leg putting your foot in his hand and he helps give you a push up at you grab onto the sheet pulling up as fast as you could. You landed on your back, Dustin held his hand out pulling you up so Eddie had a place to land.

You finally got to your feet looking down at the gate seeing Eddie starting to climb, he was about halfway up when he paused. ‘’Eddie! Come on!’’ You scream down at him, Dustin doing the same next to you. ‘’Come on!’’ You yell at him.

Eddie seemed to have some sort of realization on his face as he looked up at both you and Dusitn. ‘’Eddie climb!’’ You yell at him. You got down on your knees peering down at him as he glanced back at the door.

Eddie let go of the sheet a moment later and you and Dustin screamed, ‘’Eddie what the Hell?’’ You yell down at him. He picked up his spear and cut the sheet and it dropped into Dustin's hand.‘’Eddie! No! What are you doing?’’

He picked up the mattress and began flipping it out of the way, no doubt so you and Dustin couldn’t follow in pursuit. ‘’No! No! Eddie!’’ Dustin was screaming next to you.

‘’What are you doing Eddie?’’

‘’I’m buying more time,’’ Is all he says. Grabbing his shield and the spear, he ran off after that.

You watched Dustin next to you with his hands on his head in distress, ‘’Oh god,’’ He says to himself.

You looked around panicked and unsure of what to do, you couldn’t let Eddie go alone. Think, think, think. ‘’Dustin, I am going to get him and bring his ass back here.’’ You tell him. You grab the chair laying a few feet away, putting it just under the gate.

‘’Y/N let me go!’’ Dustin yells at you as you brace yourself for a run. You were a few feet down the hallway you knew a running start would help you.

‘’No,’’ You tell him sternly. ‘’You stay here, do not follow me Dustin, and when you can radio Steve.’’ You instruct him. You took a deep breath ignoring the rest of Dustin's pleads to get you to stay and him to go.

You took off running and as soon as your feet got to the chair you jumped, you went through the gate and landed on your arm. You screamed in pain when you landed, ‘’Y/N? Y/N? What happened?’’ You can hear Dustin yelling.

When you finally got over the immediate wave of pain you pushed yourself up with your opposite hand looking down you could see your hand was visible disformed at the wrist, you had broken it. ‘’I’m fine Dustin,’’ You call up to him though your voice says otherwise. ‘’Radio Steve when you can!’’ You tell him through your tears, the pain was terrible, but you had no time to wait around Eddie was in trouble.

After that you walked out of the RV, Eddie couldn’t be too far ahead from you. You looked around the area when you got outside noticing the bike was missing that had been there previously. ‘’Dammit,’’ You mutter to yourself. You heard a loud noise come from inside the RV one similar to when you had come down. When you peered in the door you saw Dustin laying on the ground his face grimaced in pain as he held his leg.

‘’Dustin!’’ You yell running toward him. ‘’I told you to stay!’’ He must’ve landed on it. ‘’Are you okay?’’ You ask him.

‘’I landed on it.’’ He tells you through the tears in his eyes.

‘’Can you walk?’’

He nods his head, you reach down grabbing his hand with your good arm helping him off the floor but he puts no pressure on his leg. ‘’Go ahead without me,’’ He tells you. You reach over grabbing what looked like a broom handing it to him so he could use it to help walk.

You didn’t wait another second; you practically ran out the door glancing around for the bats in the sky. The red lightning illuminated the bats and you saw they were swarming in a circle which couldn’t be good at all. You looked back Dustin was only a few feet behind you hobbling toward you, you quickened your pace running over toward the bats not giving yourself long enough to debate if it was a good or bad idea.

When you finally got there all of the bats had dropped from the sky as if some invisible force had killed them. You saw Eddie laying on the floor, all the bats surrounded him. You ran as fast as you could landing on your knees in front of him. The blood was coming from his mouth, you knew that was not a good sign.

‘’Eddie? Eddie?’’ You say taking your good hand touching his cheek, tapping it lightly, ‘’Hey come on you need to look at me,’’ You forced a smile at him with the tears forming in your eyes at his state. ‘’You’re okay, you’re okay.’’ You kept repeating.

A moment later Dustin dropped onto his hands carefully getting on the ground with you, he pulled Eddie’s head so it was resting on his leg, ‘’Oh god Eddie,’’ He said examining him, there was blood all over him.

‘’Dustin,’’ You say still trying to hold back your tears but he just kept his eyes on Eddie, ‘’Dustin I am gonna try and find something maybe we can stop the bleeding,’’ You tell him. He doesn’t seem to pay attention so you raise off the ground and start running back toward the RV once again, the sheet in there that could stop the bleeding right?

You ran as fast as you could to the RV still cradling your arm to your chest, you finally made your way back running inside. The sheet was already on the floor so you quickly picked it up running back out of the RV toward Eddie and Dustin, that was when the ground began to shake. You felt the ground shaking and immediately tripped but caught yourself. The loud noise behind you caught your attention and you watched as the gate that was once inside the RV had broken out and it just kept expanding straight ahead, luckily it was opposite of where Dustin was.

The ground shaking was making it hard to walk but you got back to Dustin as fast as you could, you noticed when he came into view that he stood above where Eddie had previously laid on his leg, Eddie laid on the ground shaking with the earth but he wasn’t moving. ‘’Dustin?’’ You yell out at him gaining his attention. When you got close enough you noticed the tears were streaming down his face, ‘’He didn’t-?’’ You couldn’t finish the sentence.

He shook his head before you could finish anyway, ‘’What do we do?’’ He asked and you could clearly hear how emotional he was.

‘’I don’t know-’’ You say glancing around, ‘’I don’t know!’’ You say. ‘’Did you radio Steve? We need to call Steve - Nancy, Nancy will know what to do.’’ You tell him feeling distressed.

‘’I did,’’ He tells you. ‘’No response, from him or anyone else.’’ He tells you.

And it seemed like someone, somewhere was looking out for you and Dustin because only a moment later you heard a voice sounding just a stressed as you felt coming through.

“Y/N! Dustin?” You hear coming from the radio, it was the sweetest sound you had ever heard.

____________

‘’Y/N!’’ You hear your mom call from downstairs, ‘’Phone!’’

‘’Busy,’’ You yell, staring up at the ceiling, not busy at all in fact.

You hear footsteps coming up the stairs and you pull yourself up from the bed resting on your elbows anticipating her opening the door. She swings the door open a moment later, ‘’It’s Steve,’’ She pauses, ‘’Again.’’ You sigh. ‘’He really wants to talk to you honey, he’s probably just worried.’’

‘’Are you going to work?’’ You ask, noticing her scrub uniform.

‘’Yep, lots of shortages. Lots of people packed up and left, I don’t blame them if we had the money we would too.’’ She tells you. ‘’Do you need anything before I leave? Need any more medicine for your arm?’’ She asks and you glance down at the cast.

‘’I’m good,’’ You tell her. ‘’Love you,’’ You tell her before she leaves. Your mom worked as a nurse at the hospital when you finally got out of the upside down you went straight to her and she was pretty much able to help you get in to get your arm that same night although your injuries were nothing compared to some peoples.

A few hours later you were down in the kitchen making a frozen pizza, a little bit after the pizza went in the doorbell rang. You began walking toward the front door when the person decided to knock persistently, ‘’I’m coming!’’ You yell, shaking your head slightly annoyed.

When you pulled the door open Steve Harrington stood in front of you hands in his pockets. You looked at him in shock for a moment which gave him the perfect opportunity to slip in the house, ‘’Can I come in?’’ He asks, already walking through the door.

‘’Sure come on in,’’ You say sarcastically, shutting the door behind you. ‘’What are you doing here?’’ You ask him.

He puts one hand on his hip resting it there, ‘’Well you don’t return calls and it’s been three days.’’ He tells you. ‘’Why are you ignoring me?’’ He asks.

You sigh, ‘’I just needed some time to myself…a lot,’’ You say your eyes are focusing on a single spot on the floor, ‘’A lot happened.’’ You tell him.

‘’I know it did,’’ He says, stepping forward. ‘’Are you okay?’’ He asks.

You shrug your shoulders, ‘’I mean yeah,’’ You tell him but you can tell in your voice that you were about to break.

‘’Hey,’’ Steve says gently, pulling you into a hug, your hands wrapped around his torso as he rests his head on top of yours. ‘’You’re okay now,’’ He tells you.

‘’We just left him Steve,’’ You sob.

You could feel him pull you in closer if that was possible, ‘’We had to get out, and there was no way we could carry him out.’’ He says rubbing comforting circles on your back with his hand.

‘’His uncle-He-He is putting up missing flyers for him.’’ You try to get out your crying not letting you get out a sentence without having to take a deep breath. ‘’My mom she told me they’re all over the hospital.’’

Steve pulls back from you, ‘’Come on,’’ He says walking you to the couch sitting down with you, he still had his arm around you and you curled your body up so it rested on him. ‘’We did what we could, what we had to do.’’ He tries to tell you. ‘’And that doesn’t make what happened any easier but we have to think about what could've happened had we not gotten out when we did. Someone else could’ve been hurt, then what would we have done?’’ He asks you.

‘’It just feels wrong,’’ You tell him. You push yourself up looking at him, ‘’How is Dustin?’’ You ask, realizing you hadn’t talked to him since you got home.

‘’He’s rough,’’ He admits. ‘’But managing.’’

You didn’t say anything after that, you just both sat in silence. An hour or so later your head was in his lap and he was tracing circles on your shoulder as you stared up at the ceiling. ‘’Thanks for coming over,’’ You tell him.

He looks down at you, ‘’This is the only way I could talk to you,’’ He says and you smile sheepishly at him.

‘’Steve?’’ You ask. He hums in response, ‘’I don’t know what happened with you and Nancy and I made a promise I would do this, and I really want to keep it.’’ You start to ramble and Steve looks at you intently. ‘’And I'm just gonna come out and say it instead of beating around the bush-’’ You continue.

‘’Y/N,’’ Steve interrupted you, ‘’Just say it.’’

‘’I’m in love with you, and not in the way best friends love each other.’’ You say watching his eyes widen a bit looking at you as if he was shocked. ‘’And I have been for a while..’’ You pause, not really sure how he was feeling.

‘’You are?’’ He asks. ‘’Since when?’’ He asks.

‘’Since last year,’’ You tell him, ‘’When you got the job at scoops and I was training you I had a crush and we’ve hung out a lot more since and yeah,’’ You explain to him. ‘’And I just-,’’ You pause feeling emotional from the confession. ‘’I just had to tell you, I promised Eddie I would.’’

He glanced up when you mentioned Eddie his facial expressions looked shocked like he didn’t know what to say. “I just had to tell you and if you don’t feel the same-“ You began to say but your were cut short when you felt his hand come up to your cheek he was staring at you not saying a word.

“Steve?” You say breathless from his touch.

He doesn’t say anything instead he leans in his lips touching yours. He was slow with it and delicate, his hand gently resting on your cheek. “I never wanted to ruin anything,” He says when he pulls away. “Last year I realized I felt the same, and then now when we were upside down all I could think was is Y/N safe? That's when I knew.”

He paused for a moment, “And then I heard Dustin on the radio and he was begging us to come and I felt like I couldn’t breathe because he was so vague I thought something happened to you,” He tells you.

You reach your hand up putting it over the one that was on your cheek, “And then I saw you and your hand,” He glances down to the cast.

“I was fine,” You say, offering him a smile, “I was just waiting for you,” You admit. “You always keep me waiting, Harrington,” He smiles.

He leans in kissing you again, “No more waiting around, I’m right here.” He tells you.

______

Thanks for reading! apologies for any mistakes i’m on my phone writing! Let me know how you liked it!

I have like 5 other fics im working on rn so just wanted to post something but Request are open still!

Glimpse of Us

Steve Harrington X Eddie Munson

⚠️ Warnings: this whole thing is just painful ⚠️

"You fill my lungs with sweetness, and you fill my head with you..."

The unfamiliar song started to play softly through the speakers of Steve Harrington's car, leaving him with a feeling of dread and sorrow. It was a foggy afternoon and the trees surrounding the town of Hawkins were tall and provided shade from the very little sun that poked through the clouds. It was darker than usual, a reflection of how Steve felt inside. The soft smell of petrichor filled his senses as he rolled the window down in an attempt to catch the air as he drove by. He was by himself today. No Henderson from the backseat to shout and cheer at the latest adventure they had. No Robin in the passenger side fixing her mascara and droning on about her love of Vickie. No one but the crisp cool air and soft rain starting to fall from the sky, so soft one might miss it if they weren't actively feeling rainy inside. Steve tousled his hair and wiped at his face as he continued down the path to the familiar clearing in the woods; somewhere he would be completely isolated and alone.

Pulling up alongside the road, he put his car in park and slumped against the wheel. His head hurt from the night before as he had stayed up later than normal, drinking an endless amount of coffee to get him through work and then through home. His cardigan felt heavier than usual as he wrapped it around himself quickly, trying to trap in any warmth before turning off the car and walking outside.

The King of Hawkins High now had a slight limp in his walk ever since the battle for his home. His hair was starting to lighten up at the roots and he had lost a couple pounds. Chiseled jawline and sad eyes completed the forlorn look he now wore with contemptness. Vecna was a thing of the past, but the pain the monster left him was far greater than anything that could truly heal over time. Today was full of nostalgia for him so he decided to release his emotions in the only way he knew how to; talking to Eddie.

The trees eventually opened up into the bright and beautiful field he had known all too well; the grassy meadow was a bright yellow in contrast to the darkness of the rest of the world which Steve figured was his friend's doing. Such a happy corner of the universe but such a sad day it held within its corners. 1986.

Eddie looked lovely today. The birds were flying overhead in intricate but beautiful patterns in the sky, keeping a watchful eye on everything happening down below. They paid no mind to Steve as he frequented this place often. Besides from Dustin, he was the only other human to walk this place with the knowledge of what it truly meant. Visions of Eddie running around with Dustin himself, bright eyed and beaming grins as they pranced about the meadow with their makeshift swords and shields. Robin and Steve had sat alongside the outside as they shaped spears using what they had gathered. Erica and Lucas fighting over the binoculars as they playfully expressed that they cared for each other. The last time when things were truly perfect, Steve thought to himself as he sunk to his knees by the site where Eddie rested now.

"Eddie Munson. The Hero of Hawkins."

The inscription was clear even though the rest of the grave had been worn away after quite some time. It was small so it would've been glanced over if you weren't on the lookout for the home of the Hellfire Club leader. There were a few sprouts of miscellaneous plants growing out from some of the sides and around the lot. The dead rose from the last time Steve came to visit laid atop, waiting to be replaced with another flower. He fished into his cardigan and pulled out another rose similar to the other one, although this one was very much alive. The petals were vibrant and dewey, matching the surroundings of the meadow and the sky overhead.

"Hey Eddie." Steve said, getting comfortable on the ground and fiddling with the grass. "It's been a while."

"Nancy and I will have to visit with the kids someday soon." He began, working towards trying to have the confidence speaking out in the open like this. A faint smile appeared on his face as he said his next lines.

"The meadow looks beautiful as ever, Eddie. I can see all the work you've put into it. Your aura was always a contagious one."

Steve swallowed back a tear as he ran his fingers over the inscription he had paid for himself. Eddie would always be known as the hero, even if it was only to a few people who resided in Indiana. Funny how your world can be comprised of a few science kids and a couple college friends. Or how it used to be, anyways. Before everyone grew up.

"We named our oldest after you. Ironically, he's very into Metallica. You would be so proud of your namesake." Steve said, feeling proud for a moment at the mention of his son. Him and Nancy had gotten married in the summer of '99. She had worn a plain and simple wedding dress but she looked beautiful as ever in it, hair pinned to the top of her head and a pearl necklace around her neck. Her smile had beamed so brightly that day and Steve felt like the luckiest man in the world.

"Robin apparently still visits Hawkins from time to time. She moved to Washington not long after everything went down in Hawkins. She said she couldn't take it anymore. We had a party for her and then she left the next day. I haven't heard from her since." The mention of his best friend made him crinkle his nose in fondness, remembering the night they spent drugged in the bathroom of the Starcourt Mall and her coming out to him as a lesbian.

"I know Henderson comes to see you with his family sometimes. He's almost always over at our place. He keeps me updated on everything happening in his household. Turns out, he's a great babysitter too. He tells Eddie all about you and about how great you were."

"Lucas became a professional basketball player for the Indiana Pacers. He's quite good, it turns out that he's found his people and his talent. He and Max still have some unfinished business, but as far as I know she lives alone after her mother passed not too long ago. She's doing better now since she woke up from that coma, volunteering at the local hospital. She went back to college to get a degree in nursing."

Steve tried his best to explain everything he knew. Eddie was the glue that seemed to hold their group together. After his passing, everyone went their separate ways and Steve felt very isolated. He missed his kids and the way it used to be sometimes, especially on days like today. But the same part of him that yearned for their reunion was the same part of him that was ever so pleased they all ended up okay. He couldn't be anything but proud of them after they all worked so hard to get where they were.

"The Byers still live in Lenora. Hopper went with them and he got married to Joyce. Jonathan went off with Argyle and started their own clothing line. It's pretty ridiculous, but I've heard that they're making a ton of money from it. Eleven is still with Mike. They visit us sometimes too when they can. They're still distraught over Joyce and her death not long after they had gotten married themselves. Nance and I went up to see them and it was almost as if the whole gang was back together. You would've loved it!"

Steve was laughing now as he explained their wedding even further. It was a shame that Joyce had contracted an illness but she didn't go down without a fight. Hopper visits her grave all the time when he's not too busy working for the post office. He still takes care of Eleven and adopted her the moment he was able to.

"Will is working as a librarian and he got married but that's about all I know. He's the one kiddo that hardly keeps in contact anymore. I heard he's a published author, but I don't know the titles of any of his works."

Steve stopped his rambling and stared down at the plants poking out from the grave. It was refreshing to see some new flowers popping up here and there, a contrast from the yellowing of the meadow grass. It was now starting to rain harder and he could feel the water droplets hitting his head, almost like the ticking of a clock telling him that his time with Eddie was almost up. He composed himself from his slight moment of fondness and looked down at the shining stone beneath his feet.

"Eddie." He said, moving towards the top of the gravestone and petting it in the same way he used to pet his long curly brown hair that was always mischievously framing his face and flying about. Eddie would smoke cigarettes while Steve played with it as he laid on top of his friend and played some of his Corroded Coffin guitar solos. His smile would light up Steve's entire room as the eccentric metalhead boy would sit on the end of the bed and laugh with him about their music tastes and the typical drama of the day. Eddie's Hellfire notebook would be sprawled out on the floor as he placed back and forth while he talked about what was to be expected from their next campaign while Steve listened intently. He would tilt his head if Steve had any ideas to offer and would jump up and down if something he had said would be added to the exciting fun of DND. Munson would run around in Steve's bomber jacket when it was cold. He would hold his hands when he wanted him to know something important so that he would have Steve's undivided attention. Eddie would prance around the field with Black Sabbath blasting through his Walkman. He would yell up at the night sky and ask for the universe to lift the curse that held him to Hawkins.

"I never stopped loving you." Steve admitted. Before he headed back towards the warmth of his car, he took off his cardigan and placed it atop Eddie's final resting place and smiled. "So you don't get cold, is all." He said.

Steve didn't believe in God or any particular religion, but he knew that somewhere somehow, Eddie heard every word.