Author: Richie Stover

So I was going through my fanfic drafts on google docs and realized I had some gold in there that I never finished. I want to finish these pieces, but I’m not sure where to go with them, and I’m also lazy. I thought I’d share a couple of drafts here and see how you all feel about it. Today, I’ll only be sharing one because it’s quite long, and it centers around Steve and Eddie from Stranger Things. There aren’t any spoilers exactly, but I wouldn’t read it if you’re worried about spoilers. Anyways, please enjoy and leave your thoughts and opinions below. If you enjoy, I have many more from many other fandoms, so just let me know. 

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Steve pulled into the gravel parking lot of the artillery store. The others in the van were quiet, hushed conversations dying out when they recognized where they finally were. Steve parked the large vehicle, let out a somber exhale, then turned his head to the group.

“We’re here.” He said as if they didn’t already know. None of their replies were verbal; only silent stares, as if waiting for Steve’s instructions.

“Let’s stick together while we’re in there, okay?” Nancy spoke up. “Just in case.”

Robin nodded, eyes glued to the floor while her foot bounced. Max went straight for the door, Lucas not far behind. Nancy and Erica followed them out. Robin finally looked up, locked on Steve’s motionless state.

“Aren’t you coming?” Robin couldn’t mask the fear bubbling in the back of her throat.

“Just give me a second.” Steve nodded toward the too-small bathroom placed haphazardly in the middle of the van. For safety and his own sanity, Eddie had crammed himself in there. 

“I’ll stay.” Dustin butted in.

“Nuh-uh.” Steve stood, shaking his head. “You two- go. I’ll be fine.” 

Dustin opened his mouth to argue but Robin stood. She looked at Dustin and nodded to the door before she took her leave. Dustin huffed once more, stubbornly rolled his eyes, then marched out to join everyone else. 

Steve watched through the window as Robin explained the situation to Nancy. Nancy glanced up at him through the shuttered windows of the van, brows furrowed as if asking “Are you sure?” Steve nodded and the group left for the store. He waited until they’d all disappeared behind the large industrial doors. When they were truly alone, Steve spoke up.

“You can come out now.”

Silence. Steve walked over to one of the cushioned benches. He shut the window blinds behind him and stared at the bathroom door. It took about sixty seconds before the door creaked open. Eddie poked his head out like a cat sneaking around a corner. His dark, wide irises met Steve’s, searching for confirmation of his safety. A deer in headlights asking the driver if he could cross the road. Steve scooted over, making room for Eddie on the bench. Eddie stood silent behind the door. 

“We don’t have to talk if you don’t want to.” Steve toyed with the fraying fabric on Eddie’s vest. He twisted the string around his finger and pulled.

“Don’t-” Eddie took one step from the door before he froze. Steve glanced up. “Don’t do that.” He whispered and marched over to the bench. 

Steve dropped the loose string. “Sorry.” He stared up at Eddie with a faint smile.

Eddie’s brows untightened and his sour expression began to waver. He sat down next to Steve. The somber silence resumed while Eddie drummed his fingers against his thighs, eyes sewn into the floor. Steve watched him, wondering if he should speak or just let the moment linger.

“You should be honored, y’know.” Eddie’s tone was serious, so Steve made a confused noise. “That I’m letting you wear that.” Eddie turned his head, clearly fighting back a smile. 

“Really?” Steve asked, amused. “Is it like when a jock lets his girlfriend wear his lettermen?” 

Eddie’s brows screwed up again and he looked away. “No, it’s different.”

“How so?” Steve leaned into the wall of the van, arms resting on the back cushion of the bench. 

Eddie shook his head, knocking more hair into his face. “You wouldn’t get it.”

Steve scoffed. “Try me.”

Another bout of silence. Eddie’s foot drummed into the floor of the van. Steve rolled his neck back and forth. The muffled chorus of coarse breeze and chirping bird seeped into the metallic box they sat in. Eddie rubbed his left hand over his face. Steve watched the rings clank together. He wondered if they were cold metal, or if the heat from Eddie’s nervous body had made them warm. He wondered what they would feel like against his own skin.

“It’s… special.” Eddie dropped his hand.

“Huh?” Steve blinked, expression blank. 

Eddie turned his head slightly and gestured noncommittally toward his vest. “All those pins-” He poked at one, the large W.A.S.P pin by the collar. “-they’re mementos; merchandise from concerts I’ve been to, shit I got at parties, gifts.” 

Steve awkwardly bowed his head to look at the pins. He moved the vest around, trying to read the band names from upside down. Most were logos he recognized. AC/DC, Metallica, Judas Priest, Megadeath. Others with illegible fonts or symbols that meant nothing to Steve. As he moved the vest, one pin peaked out from under the folded collar and was noticeably different from the rest.

“What’s this?” Steve nudged up the collar and pointed at the pink triangular pin. Eddie’s wandering eyes met Steve’s for a moment, then froze when they recognized what he was pointing at. 

“It’s, uh-” Eddie scratched hard at a spot behind his ear like a dog with fleas. “It’s a symbol- Nazi soldiers used it during the Holocaust to label people as queer. Terrible shit- but, uhm-” Eddie spun a strand of hair around his finger. Steve could see his hand trembling. “Y’know, over the years, it’s become a symbol for queer liberation. Silence equals death, y’know?”

“Oh,” Steve took a moment to think, rubbing the triangle pin beneath his thumb as he did. “That’s metal.”

Eddie’s wide doe eyes flashed toward him. The rest of his face was covered with a thick layer of hair that he held to his cheek. Steve met his gaze, silent and patient. Eddie swallowed dry, shuffled some hair behind his ear, and sat up.

“Yeah.” He agreed. “Very metal.” 

Steve thought a moment more. He toyed with the collar flap.

“Why is it under here, though?” He dropped the fabric and it covered the pin. “It’s like you’re hiding it.”

Eddie scoffed, then noticed the confused look on Steve’s face and his smirk fell. “We live in a town that goes batshit when kids play a fucking fantasy game, why do you think?”

“Oh.” Steve scrunched his nose. “Right. Sorry.”

A small smile snuck over Eddie’s face. “‘s fine.” He stared at the collar of his vest for a moment, only somewhat losing focus in the tanned skin just past the jean fabric. Before his brain could process the signal, Eddie found his hand reaching out for the collar. He lifted the flap, slipped a hand behind the fabric, and unclasped the pin. He tried his best to not acknowledge how close his hand was to Steve’s pec. 

Eddie slipped the triangle pin out of its hidden spot. “Sometimes I don’t hide it.” He tugged at the jean pocket, ignoring the feeling of Steve’s eyes memorizing his every move. “Like at concerts or bars…” Eddie pressed the pin’s needle back into the pocket’s fabric, then reached inside to reattach the backing. “…places where people don’t care who you wanna sleep with.” With the pin clasped once more, Eddie leaned back. He finally let himself meet Steve’s gaze.

Steve nodded, unsure of how or if he even should respond. Despite having nearly the same conversation about a year ago in a dingy mall bathroom with Robin, Steve still found himself unable to form a proper reply. In that moment, his speechlessness was different from that night in the mall. With Robin, conversations were easy. They were stupid and often nonsensical, but Steve understood her. He figured they shared the same neurons that most biological siblings did; they could speak a language that only the other could process. Eddie was on a whole different wavelength. Steve had maybe one or two conversations with him over the years. At a party, buying weed. At skull rock, smoking a blunt while Tommy paid for the weed. 

“Your friend,” Eddie looked past Tommy and met Steve’s blown pupils. “he doesn’t talk much, does he?”

“He doesn’t need to.” Tommy slapped a bill into Eddie’s palm and shoved the plastic bag into his own pocket. 

Eddie ignored him. “Harrignton , right?”

Steve nodded.

“D’you play any instruments?”

Steve shook his head.

Eddie stepped past Tommy, shoving his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket. “If you ever wanna learn,” He stopped a foot or two from Steve. “my band’s lookin’ for a drummer-“

“He’s not interested.” Tommy marched over, grabbed Steve by the bicep, and yanked him back toward his car. 

Even in those purely transactional conversations, Steve found himself tongue tied and pliant. He could blame his current silence on the topic of conversation, but Steve knew that wasn’t the issue. Eddie was a twenty-sided rubix cube to Steve. Despite his natural enthusiasm and grandiose emotions, Eddie was excruciatingly hard to read. Even if Steve thought he understood Eddie’s intended tone or reference, he still couldn’t rationalize the why. Steve had come to accept that some people, including Eddie, would do or say things for no apparent reason. That realization didn’t kill his curiosity whatsoever. 

“Y’know-” Steve didn’t realize he was speaking until he heard his voice through the familiar silence. Eddie acknowledged him, curious eyes wide. Steve wanted to bite his tongue, but he let himself continue. “I keep thinking about how different I would be if I met certain people sooner. Like you and Dustin, even Robin, Max.” Steve ran a hand through his hair. “I was such a dick because I only hung out with assholes. I had all of these ideas about myself that just- none of it was true. My freshmen year, I could’ve told you where I was going to college, what I’d major in, who I’d marry, the names of all our kids.” Eddie leaned forward, nearly slipping from the bench as he held onto every word. Steve sighed. “Now I don’t know anything. I feel like a new person.”

Steve stared at his hands which laid limp over his lap. He chewed at his inner cheek, wondering if he should regret everything he’d just admitted. 

“Sometimes…” Eddie spoke slowly, picking his words with seamstress precision. “…Sometimes that’s a good thing.”

“Yeah?” Steve lolled his head over to look at his friend. 

“Yeah- I mean it might not feel like it.” Eddie crossed his arms and hunched back into the bench. “I mean, shit, sometimes it’s fucking scary. I know what you mean by feeling like a new person. Up until I was like, ten- eleven maybe- I was just an extension of my dad. I did everything he told me, taught me. It wasn’t until I started butting heads with him that I realized how fuckin’ awful he was. When I left to live with my uncle- sure I was happy but I was also lost, y’know? Everything I knew was poof, gone. I had to relearn everything about myself.” 

“How?” Steve had sat up, now leaning closer to Eddie with piqued interest. 

“It’s different for everybody.” Eddie shrugged. “I met new people, explored new things. It took years, but I found a community that made me feel-like-” Eddie placed a firm palm on his own chest. “-complete. Like I found all my puzzle pieces.” 

For a moment, Steve didn’t react. He stared forward, eyes hooded and unreadable, focused on the hand that Eddie still had to his chest. Steve noticed the red, bruising knuckles and dried blood that stood out without bulky rings. A thick link chain hung loose around Eddie’s wrist. Steve watched as Eddie moved his hand and the chain slipped down under his sleeve. 

“Bet that took years.” Steve slumped back against the wall.

“Sure,” Eddie pulled his legs up, sitting cross-legged on the bench. His knee hovered just over Steve’s thigh. “But it’s fuckin’ worth it, man. I’d do it all again if I had too. Better than livin’ as someone you’re not.”

Steve’s eyes were stuck to Eddie’s bent knee. It was clear he was intentionally holding it there, tensing all his muscles rather than letting his leg touch Steve’s. Without much thought, Steve moved his leg closer to Eddie’s. He wedged his thigh under the other’s knee. 

“Doesn’t everyone do that, though?” Steve ignored how his movement made Eddie even more tense. 

“Huh?” Eddie looked up from their overlapping limbs. 

“Y’know,” Steve gestured lazily into the stale van air. “Sometimes you gotta ignore your passions to succeed in life.”

Eddie went silent for half a second, then broke out in a barking laugh. When Steve didn’t react the same, he composed himself.

“You’re serious?” Eddie let his legs relax. Steve nodded. “Jeez man- Who told you that?”

“I don’t know.” Steve shrugged limply. “I guess I told myself. Y’know, I wanted to do band before I started basketball-“

“What?” Eddie stifled another sharp laugh.

“Shut up.” Steve rolled his eyes but felt a grin tug at his cheek. “I wanted to be in the drumline. I thought that was badass when I was seven.”

“It is badass.” Eddie was beaming. “Why didn’t you?”

“My dad was a sports prodigy when he was in high school, he expected the same from me.” Steve brushed back his hair. “Signed me up for basketball, track, and swimming before I had a chance to argue.”

Eddie let out a dramatic gasp. “What a dick.” 

“I don’t know,” Steve groaned. “It’s not like I didn’t want to do sports-“

“He should’ve asked.” Eddie was slowly inching closer as he bounced in his seat. His left leg was now pressed firmly into Steve’s thigh and he had turned a full one-eighty degrees to face him.

“What difference does it make? I would’ve said yes-“

“It’s the principle of it all.” Eddie thumped his shoulder and Steve finally met his eyes. “‘s fuckin’ disrespectful to make those desisions for you. You gotta have control of your own life man.”

Steve knocked his head back against the stiff metal wall. He squeezed his eyes shut and let out a sigh from deep in his chest. He heard Eddie snicker from behind his palm. Steve smirked. 

“I don’t know, man.” Steve shook his head, eyes still closed. “I’m not an expert on stickin’ it to the man like you are.”
“I wasn’t always this smart.” Eddie sighed as if his extensive knowledge was a pure burden to him. “I had to learn the hard way.”

“Yeah,” Steve opened his eyes and leaned his head over to the other. “I don’t think I have the skills for that. I think I’m content on living my life according to everyone else around me.”

“You’re telling me you’d rather be miserable for the rest of your life than try to learn about yourself?” Eddie slapped the back of his hand into Steve’s chest. “That’s not the Harrignton I know.”

“Oh, yeah?” Steve found himself using the coy smirk, hooded eyes, and teasing tone he only pulled out when on a date. He decided to blame the slip up on momentary insanity. “Who’s this Harrignton you know so well?”

“The Harrignton I know would never back down from a challenge.” Eddie crossed his arms. “He’d run straight at it and get himself torn to pieces or beaten to a pulp in the process, but he’d get there. He wouldn’t give up, no matter how hard or uncomfortable it was.”

“He sounds like a cool guy.” Steve scoffed. 

A soft smile slowly formed over Eddie’s face. “He’s cooler than he gives himself credit for, that for damn sure.” Steve cocked a brow. Eddie continued. “If I had to guess, he’s too busy worrying if everyone he cares about is happy, and doesn’t allow himself to be happy.” 

“You my shrink now, Munson?” Steve looked away and rubbed a hand against his dry eyes. 

“Nah,” Eddie shrugged. “Just a loser who knows a thing or two about feeling like shit.” 

Steve wanted to argue, wanted to lie and say he felt fine. Totally, utterly, perfectly okay. Nothing about his secret-keeping, demon-fighting life was bothering him. Nothing at all to complain about. Not the friends he was constantly worried about losing. Not the sleepless nights he spent trying to scrub vivid memories from his hazy mind. Not the shitty dating cycle that made him feel like he’d never truly be loved. Not even the ex-girlfriend who symbolized a part of his life that he desperately wanted to return to. Because Steve Harrignton wasn’t afraid of change. He loved it, actually. Loved that he rarely saw his parents anymore. Loved that he slaved away at a retail job, rather than lurking the school halls with his loser friends. Loved the foreign buzzing feelings buried deep in his chest when he watched My Beautiful Laundrette with Robin. All good, Steve wanted to say, but he didn’t. 

There was a sharp knock on the van door and Eddie sprung for the open bathroom. Before he could lock himself away, Nancy was holding the door open and ushering everyone inside. Steve stood and stepped out of everyone’s way. He and Eddie watched silently as the other members of their group filed bags and boxes into the van. When Robin entered, she shoved a small bag into Steve’s chest.

“Got you a shirt.” Her tone was sharp and she didn’t hover to talk. She slumped to the back of the van and sat down. Steve didn’t ask; he didn’t need to. They’d talk later. They always did. 

Nancy closed the door once everyone was settled in. She was headed for the passenger’s seat when Steve found himself moving on autopilot.

“Hey, Nance.” He reached out an arm to stop her. She glanced up at him, confused. “Would you mind sitting in the back? I think Eddie was getting sore from cramming himself in that bathroom. I was gonna let him take shotgun.”

“Oh.” Nancy glanced over to Eddie, who stood behind Steve with furrowed brows. “Do you think that’s a good idea?”

Eddie looked from the back of Steve’s head, to Nancy’s similarly confused expression. Steve turned his head to nod slightly at Eddie. 

“Yeah, I guess.” Eddie nodded too, shifting his eyes back to Nancy. “It’s gettin’ dark. I think it’ll be fine.” 

“Oh. Okay then.” Nancy glanced between them a couple more times before she turned on her heel and headed for the back. 

Steve moved for the driver’s seat. When he sat down, he turned his head to find Eddie motionless behind him, watching intently. Steve patted the open passenger seat.

“C’mon man.” He nodded his head toward the seat. Eddie paused a moment more before he finally took one slow step, expecting Steve to revoke the offer before he sat down. Steve didn’t mention it. Instead, he shifted the gears and began to pull out of the lot. Eddie sat down quickly, wrapped the seat belt around his front, and pulled his knees to his chest. 

Eddie figured he must’ve fallen asleep at some point on the drive. He remembered closing his eyes to a narrow forest road, surrounded by towering trees. When he looked out again, all he saw was dull grassy fields that stretched on for miles. The RV was parked and he could hear the shuffling of bodies moving behind him. He dropped his feet to the ground, stretched out his back, and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. 

“Hey there, sleepyhead.” Steve had walked back to the front of the van. He had put on the new shirt Robin got him, Eddie’s vest over it. 

“Where are we?” Eddie glanced from Steve to the grassy flatland he could see through the window. 

“We’re just taking a rest.” Steve leaned against the back of Eddie’s seat. “Gettin’ everything ready, y’know?”

“Eddie!” Dustin ran over the moment he realized Eddie was awake.

“Hey.” Eddie yawned through his greeting. 

“Do you wanna help me make shields? We got these trash can lids and I’m thinking we stab nails through them-“

“Give him a second man, he just woke up.” Steve had put a firm hand on Dustin’s shoulder to quiet him. 

Eddie smiled. “It’s fine man.” He turned to Dustin. “Sounds sick, I’ll be out in a minute.”