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the-case-book-of-fanfiction · 2 years ago

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Eddie's Girl

Ship(s): Eddie Munson x fem!reader, Steve Harrington x fem!reader

Summary: Steve finds himself pining over the one girl he can't have, and he has no idea how to handle it. It's a good thing you notice before Eddie does, and, by God, is Steve's timing perfect.

Word Count: 9,330 words

Warnings: suggestive content (18+), jealous!Steve, Eddie slander, reader kind of cheats (emotionally?), pining and glum Steve, Steve's a little mean-spirited, reader wears a bikini, swearing, Stancy mention, everyone is a bitch to everyone, Eddie's an asshole, therapist Steve, insecure Eddie, talk of addiction, time skip

18+ Warnings: description of moaning, whimpering, veiled allusion to sex from another room, Steve & Dustin overhear

Note: Inspired by Rick Springfield's "Jessie's Girl". Set two years post-s4. (It didn't quite go in the direction I wanted it to, so I might rewrite this at some point. Or make an alternate version at least.)

☟ Continue below the fold ☟

May 15, 1986

Steve had seen plenty of beautiful women in his life. Pretty faces, pretty bodies, pretty eyes, he'd seen it all. But the woman currently browsing his organized shelves was, without a doubt, the most beautiful he had ever seen.

He couldn't exactly pin down what it was about you—maybe the way you were standing, or the way you cocked your head to the left while you read the titles, or even the way your hair was falling—but you were the most beautiful creature he had ever set eyes on.

You had been in the store multiple times recently; this was probably your fourth appearance this week. Steve gawked at you while you chose a movie every time, and he stuttered when he checked it out for you every time, and he blushed every time you met his gaze. He knew it, but he knew it was useless to try and cover it up. He'd just become more obvious if he tried to hide how in awe of you he was.

Robin hadn't been in the store the first few times you had been here, but she glanced over at you today, seeing where Steve's gaze had fallen.

"That's the girl?" she whispered, the color draining from her face.

Steve nodded. "She's gorgeous, isn't she?"

"Steve, you do not want to go after that one, I promise," Robin hissed frantically under her breath.

He frowned. "Why?"

Before Robin could answer, there was a screech from outside of the store. Their heads whipped toward the sound, seeing Eddie's van outside, Eddie himself hopping out and strolling into the store with his hands in his front jean pockets.

"Hey, Harrington!" Eddie said. Where he would normally lean on the counter to be a nuisance, he sauntered over to where you were standing.

"Hi, Eddie," Robin said, when Steve's usual reply didn't come, his eyes instead narrowed as he watched Eddie approach you. She opened her mouth and shut it quickly, knowing there was no way to soften the fall Steve was about to take.

Eddie looped his arms around your waist. You squeaked in surprised, but you were already smiling when you turned in his arms. "Eddie!"

He grinned at you. "Hiya, princess." He bent down, kissing you softly. You indulged in the kiss for a minute before pushing him away.

"Not now, Eds, we're in public," you said, voice shy and cheeks burning with embarrassment. You glanced in Steve's direction, concern flickering over your face when you caught sight of him.

Robin quickly spun Steve around so that you couldn't see his face. She took in his slightly dropped jaw, the shock in his eyes, the tiny tremble in his lower lip. "That's why," she said softly.

Steve cleared his throat with some difficulty. "Yeah," he said, throat constricted. "I get it. That's why."

~❊~

The usually lighthearted night laying on Steve's bed had turned sullen. In fact, it hadn't started lighthearted at all. When Robin finally got to Steve's house after spending the afternoon with Vickie, she found him awake yet unmoving on his bed, curled up on his side and staring at the wall.

"Steve?" she asked, setting her stuff down on the floor. "You alive over there?"

He gave a noncommittal hum of acknowledgement.

Robin sat down on the opposite side of his bed cautiously. He didn't move, and when it became clear he wasn't going to talk, she said, "Are you okay?"

Silence filled the next few seconds. Then Steve rolled onto his back. "No," he mumbled, looking the most despondent she had ever seen him. "It's not fair, Robs. How does Eddie "the Freak" Munson get a girlfriend before I do?"

Robin shrugged. "They've been together for a long time—before high school, before he became the social outcast."

Steve glared at her, but Robin knew it wasn't directed at her; Steve tended to glare at everything when he was upset about the girls he didn't successfully date. "And you know this how?"

"Because she's been my best friend for the past four years."

He pouted. "How come I've never seen her before now?"

Robin flopped down beside him. "She was in Eddie's original graduating class. She's been in college the past two years, and she didn't come back last summer—she was on an internship abroad. That's why Eddie's so clingy this summer. She's been complaining he hardly leaves her alone—"

Steve sat up. "She's complaining about him?"

A warning entered Robin's eyes. "Not like that, dingus. Don't you try anything. They're still happily in love."

Steve harrumphed. "I'm doomed, Robin."

She heaved a sympathetic sigh. "No, you're not, Steve. You're gonna find someone, it's just..."

"Just that everybody else found their someone first?" he groaned. "I just can't win, can I?"

Robin looked down at her hands, awkwardly playing with the bracelet Vickie had given her. She glanced over at Steve's glum face, feeling an echo of the pain he felt in her chest. He looked like she had when she found out Vickie was dating someone else, a year prior.

She patted Steve's shoulder. "It'll get better, I promise. Just look at me, right?"

Steve sighed. "Yeah, I guess so," he said, but Robin could tell he wasn't convinced.

~❊~

Steve felt like the universe was against him. Of course the girl of his dreams was already taken, he wasn't surprised just looking at her. But by Eddie Munson? Now that made Steve want to scream into a pillow.

And it wasn't like Eddie had managed to score you with his winning charm, either. You'd been friends with him for so long, you'd dated him for so long—it was like he was the default option just because he was familiar.

Steve knew his thoughts weren't fair to either you or Eddie. He'd seen the two of you interact time and time again since the day his heart dropped to his feet, and he knew you were infatuated with Eddie. Even if Eddie was the familiar, default option in your love life, you had no problem with it. You looked at Eddie like he'd hung the moon and stars. Eddie looked at you no differently, and he was constantly holding you and touching you and Jesus Christ it made Steve sick.

Romance of all kinds was making Steve's stomach churn these days. Every time he saw Nancy and Jonathan, he felt so bitter and angry he had to put as much distance between himself and the happy couple as he could. It was just another reminder of the girl he'd lost.

Every time he saw Robin and Vickie, bittersweet tears welled up in his eyes. He was happy for Robin, of course he was, and he was incredibly proud of the fact he'd been right about Vickie all along. But, God, did it hurt to see his advice work for somebody other than himself.

The same went for Dustin and Suzie, every time Dustin got off the phone with her and came to Steve to gush about her. Steve usually loved hearing about it, but that didn't take away the sting when Dustin happily described in too-great length how Suzie had told him she loved him that day.

And when he saw you and Eddie... Oh, Steve just wanted to sob. There had been too many days when he had gone home and cried in the shower, all without meaning to and sometimes not noticing until he was unable to breathe from how fast the tears were coming.

~❊~

July 10, 1988

Brutally hot July days had arrived at Hawkins, which meant Steve's pool had become a community pool for his friends. These days were Steve's favorite days—when he could have everybody near and see that they were all safe and happy and just fine, contrary to the nightmares that still plagued him.

The kids got there first—not that they were kids anymore, but Steve couldn't quite break out of that train of thought. They were four years younger than he was, after all.

Steve and Lucas helped Max into the chair Steve had installed into the pool for her, and Steve gave her his sunglasses to protect her already weak eyes.

Max shrieked as Dustin jumped in, dousing her in water. El slid into the water beside her while Will and Mike argued over which of Steve's deck chairs they wanted to sit in.

Slowly, the others began showing up—Nancy and Jonathan just seconds after the kids, evidently having been the ones to drive them, carrying fold-up chairs and a cooler. Robin and Vickie came with umbrellas and food about a half an hour later.

As time passed, the sun began to dip in the sky, but the heat was relentless. It was late in the afternoon when Dustin finally stopped splashing around long enough to ask, "Steve? Is Eddie coming?"

Steve glanced around his yard and then at his watch. "He was supposed to, after he got out of work."

Dustin made a face. "That was hours ago! Where is he?"

Steve shrugged. "I don't know, I'm your babysitter, not his."

Dustin scowled. "You are not my babysitter."

"Still feels like it," Steve muttered, rolling his eyes.

Dustin's response was to shriek and dunk Steve under without warning.

Laughter met Steve's ears when he surface, glaring at the grinning boy. "Oh, you're gonna pay for that, Henderson." He sent a tidal wave in Dustin's direction, relishing in the resulting fearful shriek.

"Aw, don't drown the little shrimp without me!"

"Eddie!" was a chorus that came from the kids. Steve glanced over his shoulder and found both you and Eddie walking toward the pool, Eddie already shedding his shirt to join them in the pool.

Steve's stomach dropped when he saw you, several thoughts processing simultaneously.

First, he had not technically invited you to this gathering, because he avoided speaking to you as much as possible, lest you detect his cursed crush on you.

Second, you were wearing a pretty (and skimpy) bikini with shorts and a see-through coverup over it.

Third, his formerly perfect hair was practically a wet mop on his head.

"Brought my girl along," Eddie said as he jumped into the pool. "Hope you don't mind."

Steve pushed his wet hair out of his face, shaking his head. "Nah, man, it's cool," he said, even though he could feel his skin warming even more, the pool no longer cooling down that persistent burn. You gave him a little, cheery wave, and the urge to hide in his room swept over him.

Robin greeted you with an enthusiastic hug. "I hope you like burgers! Or fruit, or salad, or chips, or fries, because we brought them all, so there's something you're gonna like—"

You laughed, the sound like music to Steve and Eddie's ears. "Of course, I do, Robs, how could you forget?"

"Must be the heat," she said, but Steve barely heard her, because you called Robin 'Robs' too!

Eddie clapped his hands together, tugging Steve's attention away from you. "Alright! Why are we drowning Henderson?"

"Because he tried to drown me!" Steve lunged at Dustin in the water. Dustin shrieked and swam away as fast as he could.

Eddie laughed. "Must've been a big wave to drown the captain of the Hawkins swim team," he teased, poking Steve in the shoulder. Steve swatted his hand away.

"He caught me off guard," Steve complained.

There was a soft splashing behind him. Both he and Eddie turned to see you sitting at the edge of the pool, your feet in the water. Eddie's face split into a wide grin and he swam over to you. Steve watched discreetly, trying to tamp down the fire in his belly, as Eddie put his hands on your knees and you leaned down to cup his face and kiss him.

"I love you, sweet girl," Eddie mumbled against your lips.

"I love you more," you whispered. "My lover boy." You smiled at him, pushing his hair out of his face.

The moment remained peaceful for a single second more, before Eddie abruptly pulled you into the pool. You shrieked, clinging to him while he laughed (Steve thought his laugh was a bit too obnoxious for your obvious panic at being yanked in).

"You are an ass," you complained, but there was no bite behind your words. You looped your arms around Eddie's neck and his grin widened, becoming sickeningly in love. Steve felt a twisting in his chest, painful as a knife. When your gaze darted over to him, he hoped his expression wasn't too revealing of his current hatred toward Eddie or his longing for you. "I'm sure Steve's never yanked any of his girlfriends into the pool without warning."

Before Steve could open his mouth, Nancy said, "No, but he has pushed me in before—while I was wearing clothes."

Steve blushed. Guilt bubbled up in his chest. "Nancy, I..."

"It's okay," she promised, "I don't hold it against you."

Your mouth had become an O. "Is that when you two were...?"

Nancy nodded, casting an awkward glance toward Steve, who refused to look anywhere near her. He rubbed the back of his neck, letting out a long breath.

"Awkward," he muttered and pulled himself out of the pool. He grabbed a towel on his way back toward his house.

Your voice sounded behind him, guilty and apologetic. "Steve, I didn't mean to—"

"No, no, it's fine," he called over his shoulder. "I'm just grabbing a drink."

Robin frowned, gesturing to the cooler full of ice and sodas. "We have drinks right here, Steve!"

"Not that kind, Robs," he said.

"Hey, grab me one, Harrington!" Eddie shouted. Steve gave him a thumbs up before shutting the sliding door behind him. He didn't let out his breath until he got into his kitchen and leaned over the kitchen sink.

"Get ahold of yourself," he muttered, squeezing his eyes shut. He hated that it bothered him so much, that every time someone brought up his relationship with Nancy he practically shut down. He hadn't in a while, and he hated this time even more, because it was you who brought it up.

No wonder he hadn't had a real relationship since Nancy. Every girl knew about it, and every potential girlfriend brought it up, and it reduced him to this—unable to flirt with them, unable to talk to them, unable to forget the smell of Nancy's perfume or her hand in his or—

"Stop it," he hissed at himself, leaving the sink and yanking open the door to his fridge. He grabbed two beer cans, paused, and grabbed a third. He downed one right there, standing at his kitchen counter and glancing out the window to where you and Eddie were practically slow dancing in his pool. Eddie spun you and then his hands dipped below the water, visibly squeezing your ass. You yelped, blushing in his arms, and Eddie giggled at you.

And then his hand slipped around to your front. "Fuck," Steve said, ashamed of the whimper in his voice and glad no one was around to hear it.

The kids started to jeer, Dustin mimicking vomiting, and Eddie lifted one hand out of the water to flip them off. You, however, seemed relieved.

"Steve will kill you," Robin warned, glancing inside. Steve wondered if she saw him standing and watching from the open window. Eddie just laughed off her warning. "I'm serious, Eddie, not in his pool, not in his house."

"I'm sure the maid will clean the sheets," Eddie said, winking at you.

Shocked and bashful in the face of all these people, you pushed away from him. Steve could see your mortification, your unease with the whole situation. "Eddie, stop," you said. "Robin's right. Don't piss him off just because you're jealous of him."

Silence fell from the others. Eddie's face twisted into an ugly, angry expression. "I'm not jealous of Steve fucking Harrington."

You scoffed, climbing out of the pool the same way Steve had. "Yeah, right." You glared at him. "Then tell me why you've gotta one-up him all the time, yeah?"

"I do not—" But you were already walking away, so Eddie turned his glare on Robin. "Now look what you've done!"

"What I've done?!" Robin echoed, incredulous. "This is on you, Munson!"

You snatched up your towel from one of the lounge chairs. "You started this, Eddie," you snapped. "What did you think was going to happen? I was gonna let you—"

Nancy cleared her throat. "There are children present," she said from behind her hand. She glanced at Jonathan, who shook his head slowly, a clear don't get involved.

You shook your head at him, at a loss for words. You turned your back on him and the others and started for the house.

Eddie scoffed. "Oh, yeah, just walk away from me. Why don't you go cry to Steve, huh? Go fuck your other boyfriend!"

You flipped him off over your shoulder and slammed the door behind you. You stopped in the kitchen, leaning against the wall and pushing your hands against your eyes. Steve heard a muffled cry fall from your lips.

"Are...you okay?" he asked. You jumped, looking up at him. "Sorry, stupid question, I know. I can...leave you alone, if you want, I just...wanna make sure you're okay."

You sighed, wiping your eyes and pinching the bridge of your nose. "I take it you heard everything?"

"Yeah, I think so," he said. "Um...I didn't know that he..."

You shrugged. "You're his biggest insecurity and I keep telling him he has no reason to be so damn jealous, but he just...always has been."

Steve raked a hand through his slowly drying hair. "Yeah, that might've been because I was a bit of a dick to him in high school?"

"Might've?" you questioned with a scoff. "Steve, you were the unkind bastard who made him the butt of every joke the moment you stepped in the high school, and Tommy was your reinforcer. It only got worse after you left."

Steve wanted to crawl into himself and disappear. "I...I know, and I'm really sorry about everything, I really wish I could just take it all back, but..."

"No," you said. "Stop apologizing, Steve. I know you're not like that anymore. Believe me, I know, Robin told me everything. It's just that Eddie... He doesn't exactly let go of things easily. So no matter how many times I tell him he's enough as he is, he sees you and his vision goes green with envy."

"I'm sorry," Steve whispered.

You shook your head. "It's not your failing." You huffed a sigh. "I would just hope that after six, nearly seven goddamn years with him, he'd finally get a grip and realize I...I want to be with him. I want to always be with him." You laughed, but there was no humor in it. "You know, when I first met him, I knew I wanted to be his best friend. And then when we finally started dating, I knew I wanted to marry him. Less than a month in and I knew that's what I wanted and now—" You stopped, your eyes growing watery. "Now I'm not so sure."

Steve winced. "Yeah, I know that feeling," he said, glancing back outside. The tension was palpable. "Are you two...gonna be okay? I don't want to be the cause of..."

"If things keep going sour between Eddie and I, it's not your fault," you promised him. "It's just Eddie not being able to grow up and move on from...from petty high school drama."

"Don't you worry, Dustin'll set him straight," Steve said. "He did for me, at least."

You dragged a hand through your wet hair, mirroring Steve's earlier action. "Yeah, but Dustin's a hell of a lot closer to you than he is to Eddie. You're...you're like Dustin's big brother. And I've seen the two of you together, I know you'd do anything for each other. Eddie, though? Not so much. He's...he's more of a mentor than family. And he doesn't take well to people telling him what to do."

You leaned on the countertop and put your head in your hands, letting out a long breath.

"Can I...get you anything?" Steve asked.

You glanced over at his fridge. "Got any wine coolers?"

"Uh...I've got sangria? My mom loves the stuff."

"That'll do."

Steve passed you a bottle. You took a long swig.

"Look at us," you muttered. "We should start a club. We just need a shorter name for 'people who have found the love of their lives and lost them.'"

Guilt tore through Steve's gut. "Hey, you'll talk him around. If you've been together seven years and made it this far, surely you can patch up a fight over little old me, right?"

"Nothing about you is little," you said. Awkward silence fell as Steve tried not to take that the wrong way. "Oh, God, I'm sorry, that sounds so wrong." You groaned. "I get mad at Eddie for being dirty, and now I'm—"

"Hey, no, there's a difference. Eddie was being dirty on purpose, you weren't. It just...came out wrong," Steve added with a laugh.

You rubbed your hand over your face and joined him at the window, looking out. Your gaze soured the moment you saw Eddie sulking with a soda in hand.

"I'm... I don't wanna go back out there," you said, voice hushed. "I don't want to have to try and pretend everything's normal when it's not. Not when I just wanna punch him and I feel like it's all ending and gonna come crashing down any second."

"You'll patch things up," Steve insisted, simultaneously proud of himself for putting you and Eddie first, and so very annoyed he couldn't be selfish just this once.

People are not something to be selfish about, he reminded himself.

"Not if I go back out there right now," you said. "I'll just make things worse if I try talking to him when we're both so angry." You bit your lip. "Will you...will you tell him I'm going home to cool down? That I'll talk to him later?"

"I'll tell him," Steve promised. "You could stay here, if you wanted, so you can talk later? I've got a guest room set up if you wanna hang out there for a little bit—"

You shook your head. "I'm pretty sure it'll just piss him off more. He'll see it as me taking comfort in you and...and...and cheating on him, probably. He's...dramatic that way."

Steve nodded. "Alright, fair point." He tried giving you a smile. "I'll see you soon, okay? Let me and Robin know how things go with him."

You nodded and wrapped the towel tighter around yourself. "I will. Thanks, Steve. For letting me talk."

He nodded. "Anytime." He watched you disappear around the corner and heard the front door open and close softly. He sighed, picking up the two beers and bringing them outside.

Eddie looked up. "Where is she?" he demanded.

"She went home," Steve said, handing him the beer to distract him. "She said she needed to cool down and that she'd talk to you when she's calm." In the face of Eddie's anger, he added, "She just doesn't want to make things worse right now, okay, man? Just let her be."

Eddie sneered at him. "Oh, she told you that, did she?"

"You can leave, too, y'know," Steve said, an edge to his voice. "She's trying to save your relationship, not make it worse. She doesn't want to lose you but God knows you don't deserve her, not when you treat her like this."

Eddie's entire body was twitching. "I don't deserve her? Who the fuck are you to tell me—"

"A concerned friend," Steve snapped. "Now get out."

The two boys glared at each other until Eddie rolled his eyes.

"Fuck this, man," he muttered, grabbing his things with far more force than necessary. He stormed out without a goodbye to the kids, who were watching on in awkward confusion.

After a few moments of silence, Dustin asked, "Steve...?"

"Yeah, Henderson?"

"What just happened?"

Steve hesitated. "They're just...fighting a little."

"Will they be okay?"

Steve glanced back toward his house, hearing Eddie's van start up on the other side. "I don't know."

~❊~

Nobody heard from you or Eddie for several days.

Robin worried about you constantly, often pausing mid-action at work to wonder aloud what had happened to you. Steve was surprised it took her as long as it did to ask him what you had said to him in his kitchen, and he explained it to her as best as he could remember the conversation.

Dustin showed up randomly toward the end of one of Steve's shifts, the kind where Robin stayed to close and Steve went home as the sun set to either go on a terrible date or be bored out of his mind.

"Steve?"

Steve sighed at the sound of his voice. "What do you want, Henderson?"

"Can I have a ride to Eddie's?"

Steve frowned. "What do you want with Munson?"

Dustin raised his brows. "Oh, he's Munson again, is he?"

Steve shrugged. "You heard how he talked to his girl. You saw how he was acting. He'll be Munson until he can prove he's not an asshole."

Dustin processed for a minute, then shrugged, accepting the explanation. "I left the papers for the campaign I'm planning his trailer, I need to go back for them."

"Really? That's what you want me to drive you for?"

Robin poked him in the side. "Hey—doesn't matter what he needs a ride for, you can go talk to Eddie. Find out what happened between those two."

Steve rolled his eyes. "Robin, he doesn't want me of all people there. I'm the reason they're fighting in the first place!"

Robin gave him a shove toward the door. "Go! It's the end of your shift anyway, you'll be fine."

Steve grumbled, but he scooped up his keys and headed for the door. "Alright, Henderson, let's go. But if I get yelled at by Munson for existing, you're backing me up, got it?"

"Thank you!" Dustin clasped his hands together, holding them over his chest in mock worship. "I'll make it up to you, I promise!"

"By backing me up," Steve insisted.

Dustin sighed. "Yeah, sure."

"Was that a sigh?" Steve asked, getting into his car.

"Oh, shut up." Dustin slammed the door of Steve's car shut. "Oh, Suzie called me this morning, too, she said she wants to come visit this summer and meet you guys."

Steve raised an eyebrow, more focused on backing out of his parking space than Dustin's words. "Oh, yeah? There's not much of summer left— Wait, she wants to meet us?"

Dustin nodded. "Well, yeah. I talk about you all the time."

"Who's us, exactly?"

"Oh, you know. Max, Lucas, Mike, El, Erica, Eddie, Robin...you," he added, suddenly shy. At Steve's side glance, he continued, "I talk about you guys all the time, you think she wouldn't want to meet you?"

"Aw, Dustin," Steve said, biting back a smile. "You sentimental dork."

"Says you!"

The rest of the car ride was spent listening to Dustin recount his latest conversation with Suzie, which he had somehow still not gotten to the end of by the time Steve pulled into the trailer park. He pulled up beside Eddie's trailer, his heart in his throat.

Your car was parked next to Eddie's van.

"Looks like they made up," Dustin said.

"Yeah, I guess so," Steve said.

Dustin glanced at him over his shoulder. "At least Eddie can't yell at you now, right?"

"I don't think them making up will stop him," Steve muttered. He cleared his throat. "Come on, let's make this quick."

Dustin practically skipped to the door and yanked it open, Steve trailing behind him, much more apprehensively. He narrowed his eyes when Dustin stopped dead, just feet inside the trailer, and turned around to face him.

"Uh...Steve?"

"Yeah?" Steve stepped into the trailer, and Dustin no longer needed to explain his wariness. The smell of weed, sweat, and sex washed over Steve immediately. His eyes watered. "Oh, Jesus..."

They crept a little bit further down the short hallway leading to Eddie's bedroom. Seconds later, a woman's loud moan reached them, coupled with a man's loud, dirty, verbal encouragements.

Steve clapped his hands over Dustin's ears. "Oh my God."

Dustin was red, but he looked up at Steve with an exasperated expression regardless. "Like you're any better!" He looked back toward the door. "Now what?"

Steve glanced back at the door, trying not to imagine what you and Eddie were doing behind it. Your next gasp was loud and breathy, followed by Eddie's groan of, "You close, baby?"

"Yes, Eddie, oh, God—" You cut yourself off with an abrupt cry that tapered off into a whine.

Steve's ears were ringing. He felt his heart rip in his chest, like the very muscles of his heart had torn, spilling his blood with reckless abandon.

"We should go," Steve said, in answer to Dustin's question. His tongue felt heavy in his mouth.

"Too much, Eds, it's too much!" you whimpered behind the door. "Oh, God, Eddie, please—"

"I gotcha, baby, I gotcha," he crooned. Steve felt resentment bubble up inside him, almost too quick and too angry to tamp down.

"Go?" Dustin echoed.

Steve snorted. "What, you want to wait until they're done?" he demanded, trying to steer Dustin toward the door. Even without the lewdness of it all, he knew he needed to get out of the trailer as fast as possible. It was embarrassing, shameful, how quickly his disgust was overtaken by horny curiosity. He knew that, long after he left the trailer, he would still hear your moans and whimpers echoing in his ears.

He knew something was up when Dustin just stared at him, then turned back to the door.

"Dustin, no—"

"EDDIE!"

Steve groaned, burying his face in his hands. "Oh, you've gotta be kidding me."

The trailer was awkwardly silent. Then Eddie said, in a low voice, "Did you hear that?"

"I think Dustin's in the trailer," you whispered. "Oh my God, Eddie, Dustin's in your trailer and we're—" You squeaked. "Eddie, Jesus Christ, now is not the time—" You whimpered again.

Steve knew his entire face was red. Probably his ears and neck, too. He felt like he was burning up, and he couldn't tell if it was from embarrassment or shame or pure need.

"EDDIE!" Dustin shouted again.

"He doesn't give up, does he?" Eddie asked from behind the door. The two of you moaned in tandem and Steve felt his body flash with heat and cold. "Where'd my pants go?"

"On the floor where you threw them," you said. "Toss me my clothes, please."

Steve turned on his heel. "Alright, this is your problem now, I'm waiting in the car. If you're not back in...in ten minutes, I'm leaving without you!"

He left the trailer and shut the door behind him as quickly as he could. He got in his car and slammed the door shut, letting out a long breath. He slid down in his seat, practically melting into the pleather, and covered his face with his hands.

I'm never going to be able to look at her again, he realized. The sound of you falling apart for Eddie was going to be a track that played in his brain on a loop every single time you showed up to gatherings.

That is—if you or Eddie ever showed up again. It wouldn't surprise Steve if this had been the last straw for the both of you.

He wanted to curl up in on himself. He wanted to run to Robin and freak out. He wanted to know why he never wanted to hear anything like that again but also wanted to hear you for eternity.

I feel so goddamn gross.

Steve pressed his palms into his eyes with a groan.

At least the door was closed, right?

The passenger door opened. Dustin was clutching his D&D things to his chest, but he seemed more worried than relieved. "Uh, Steve—"

A hand shot through the open driver's side window. It wrapped around Steve's shirt collar and yanked him up from where he'd slunk in shame.

Steve made eye contact with a very angry Eddie.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Eddie demanded.

"Driving Dustin!"

"You were listening to me fuck my girlfriend, you perv? Yeah, my girlfriend, Harrington! Mine! You get off on this?" Eddie's gaze dipped into the car. Steve glanced down at the same time.

"Leave him alone, Eddie, he wasn't doing anything!" Dustin growled.

"What the hell, man?!" Steve snapped. "No! I only stopped by to drive Dustin to get his shit for your stupid game! You're the one fucking her nasty, even after Dustin made it obvious he was here!"

Eddie sneered. "Sure, man, say what you want. I know you just want to get your hands on her, after she came crying to you in your big, empty house. Bet you would've fucked her there in the kitchen, wouldn't you?"

"Eddie!" Dustin yelled.

The door to the trailer slammed open and you marched out, dressed and furious, your hair still a tangled mess and your skin blotchy with exertion.

"Edward fucking Munson, don't you dare touch him!" you ordered. "Sorry for my language, Dustin. Eddie! Away from the car!"

Eddie's anger had lifted, but only a little. "Baby, you can't seriously be sticking up for him, he was listening to us!"

You rolled your eyes at him. "Yeah, like your exhibitionist ass is gonna complain! Steve left, Eddie! He left us to do our thing and Dustin only stayed because he needed something from you. It's you who didn't stop when you knew they were here! And you're calling Steve the pervert?"

"Oh, you're gonna stick up for him now?" Eddie sneered.

"Damn right I am!" You glanced over at Dustin, your expression softening. Steve had never seen you so angry before. You were terrifying when you were pissed. "Dustin, get in the car and get out of here. I'll take care of this." You made eye contact with Steve, who nodded once.

As soon as Dustin was in the car, Steve peeled away from the trailer. Out of his rearview mirror, he saw you and Eddie start shouting again, before you flipped him off and went back in the trailer. When you came out again, just as Steve pulled out of Forest Hills, you had an armful of clothes and you got into your car and left.

"I'm sorry," Dustin whispered.

Steve did a double-take in his direction. "Sorry? What are you sorry for? I'm sorry! If I'd known the two of them were gonna be going at each other, I would never have let you go inside!"

"Yeah, but I made Eddie mad at you again."

"Dustin, listen to me very closely. This is not on you. Got it? This is Eddie being immature over a woman and being insecure of himself and taking it out on me." Steve raked a hand through his hair. "Listen, none of this has to...change how you view him—"

"Of course it does," Dustin interrupted. "He's my friend, sure, but you're my best friend, and he's treating you like shit for something you didn't do!" He shook his head. "I can't just...let it happen."

Steve sat in shock for a while. Maybe Robin was right; Eddie had never replaced Steve, not to Dustin. "Thanks, man," Steve said quietly. "I...I appreciate it."

~❊~

Half-covered by his blankets, Steve laid on his stomach, head turned to the right, toward his nightstand. He'd cleared off most of its clutter, leaving behind only his radio, his lamp, his alarm clock, and a photo of him, Robin, Dustin, and Erica.

He reached past the photo to the dial knob of his radio. He switched through stations, listening for a few moments before turning the knob again.

"I've seen it before, it happens all the time—"

"Men of five, still alive through the raging glow—"

"Streetlights, people, living' just to find emotion—"

"Oh daddy dear, you know you're still number one—"

"And if you say run, I'll run with you—"

"I wanna tell her that I love her, but the point is probably moot—"

Steve groaned, shutting the radio off. He curled up in a ball under the covers. He hated that he felt as miserable as he did, unsure why he did, when he'd spent the entire car ride assuring Dustin they couldn't do anything to fix yours and Eddie's failing relationship.

"Because it's my fault," Steve muttered into his pillow. "It's my fault. If I'd never gotten to know them, then Eddie wouldn't be jealous of me." He rolled onto his back, his legs getting twisted in his blankets. "And I wouldn't have ruined her life."

Steve covered his face with his hands, groaning into them. "Fuck." He squeezed his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose, fighting against tears. "How do I always screw this shit up?"

He laid in silence, staring at his ceiling, too hot with the blankets but too cold without them, so he settled for leaving them at his hips. He stared at his white, blank ceiling; at his horrible, plaid walls; at the boring wall art he left up only because his father insisted on it.

It was well-past midnight, but Steve's brain wouldn't shut off. He wished he could blame the red glow his alarm clock was casting around the room looking a little too much like the Upside Down, but it wasn't cutting it tonight. He saw right through his own excuses.

He sniffled and wiped at the tears gathering on his lashes. "Goddamnit, Harrington."

He was jolted out of his self-pity by a loud rapping at his window. He startled, whipping his head toward the window. His eyes widened at the sight of you waving at him through it.

"Hi, Steve," you said, your voice muffled by the glass.

Steve yanked his blankets up to his chest, drawing a giggle from you. "What the hell are you doing here?!"

"I need to talk to you," you said. "About earlier."

He flinched. "I'm sorry about that, I wish I'd never walked in on you guys."

"You didn't technically walk in on us," you said. "Besides, it's not like it matters anymore."

"Huh?"

You looked away from him, clearing your throat. "Are you gonna open this window and let me in or what?"

"I—I can't!"

"Why not? It's cold and my fingers are going numb out here!"

"I'm—" Steve's body flashed with heat again, his cheeks practically burning. "I'm not wearing anything!"

You rolled your eyes. "Like that's ever stopped you before. Whatever happened to Mr. Confident? Mr. Suave? Mr. Sex?"

Steve huffed, staring back up at his ceiling. "Yeah, I haven't been like that for a long time. And after what happened with Eddie today, I don't think you seeing me naked is a good idea."

"Yeah, that doesn't really matter anymore. It's done. I broke it off."

Steve nearly cracked his neck looking back over at you. "What?"

"Open the window and I'll explain. That's why I'm here, Steve."

Steve glanced down at himself, then at the floor where his boxers and pants lay. "Close your eyes and let me get my pants on, okay?"

You nodded and shut your eyes, squeezing them tight so Steve could see. He pulled the blanket away from himself and yanked on his clothes, then pulled open the window. You yelped, momentarily losing your balance. Steve lunged, grabbing both your hands and helping you through the window without falling.

"Warn me next time you open the window, Stevie, Jesus." You clung to his forearms.

Steve walked backwards until his legs hit the bed. He sat, pulling you to sit next to him. "You broke up with Eddie? What happened?"

You sighed. "I...I'd had enough. Enough of him nitpicking you and being a dick when all he ever complained about was how you did the same thing to him and people he knew in high school. I'd had enough of the hypocrisy and the bitching and the fighting. No matter how many times I told him that he didn't need to be scared of you because I loved him to death, he just stayed angry and defensive and insecure. It...it starts to wear at your after a while, you know?"

Realization struck Steve. "This has been going on for a lot longer than we all thought, hasn't it?"

You nodded. "I...I didn't tell anyone, not even Robin. How could I? How selfish of me would it be to complain about a relationship I'd had for seven years not being enough anymore? Not when Robin can't even tell people who she loves because this town would kill her for it! Not when you were trying so damn hard to find love, and I was...ready to throw it all away. Not when most people would give anything, anything to be known and to be loved by someone the way...the way Eddie loved me."

"How long have you two been struggling?"

"About a year," you whispered. "Ever since...since he died and came back, he hasn't been the same."

"I mean, not many of us have," Steve said, but you were already shaking your head.

"It wasn't like that for Eddie. Sure, he had his nightmares and his flashbacks just like the rest of us, but... He changed. He's not the Eddie I remember. He— He got mean. Nasty. Started fights he couldn't finish, with me, with other guys at bars. He reminded me more of Billy than of himself." You looked down at your hands. "Eddie hasn't been the boy I fell in love with for a long time. He's gone and I don't know if he's ever coming back, but I can't wait around for him."

"What do you mean?"

"My sweet, gentle Eddie is gone. The Eddie that I know would come running back to me within an hour of me telling him to go fuck himself is gone. If he was still in there, he would have called me already. He would have showed up at my doorstep on his knees, begging me to come back, and—" Steve started to protest. "No, Steve, listen to me. I know he would have, because he did." You wiped at your eyes. "Back in high school, in our junior year. He, um, he fell into drugs, hard and fast. Got addicted to opioids."

"Jesus Christ," Steve whispered.

"Yeah," you said. "There was hell to pay when Wayne found out. He'd been doing Eddie's laundry, and there was— It was still in his pocket. It fell out. Wayne flipped out. I hadn't even known until Wayne sat the two of us down to yell at us about it, until he realized I was just as pissed and as clueless as he was." You brushed a tear off your cheekbone. "I broke up with him that night. He wouldn't give me any answers, he wouldn't tell me where he got the drugs, why he got into them. I... I compared him to his dad. Lowest blow I'd ever handed him. We were split for three hours before he was at my door and spilling his guts."

"How many hours has it been this time?" Steve asked, unsure if he wanted the answer.

"Six," you whispered. You choked on a sob, falling into Steve's shoulder.

"Oh, God, I'm sorry," he whispered. He wrapped his arm around you and took your hand in his almost unconsciously.

"It's over, and if he's not willing to make an effort, then I'm done," you said. "I've been done. I'd just...I'd hoped he'd pull himself together, but...he remained an asshole." You laughed bitterly. "I guess the 'I love you's kinda fall short when I stop meaning them. When I only say them in public or when he fucks me after we fight to try and make it seem like we're okay again."

You drew your legs up, curling into a ball similar to the one Steve had been in before your arrival. Steve laid his head atop yours, which seemed to put you at ease as you relaxed against him.

"You know, I stopped enjoying it. Sleeping with him, I mean. It started about a month ago. I think that's when I really knew it was over, when I started thinking I needed to find a way to break it to him gently. Obviously that didn't happen."

"Didn't seem like he gave you much of a choice," Steve said into your hair.

"He didn't," you whispered. You looked up at him, your expression knitting into nervousness. "And...this doesn't have to mean anything, but I...I feel like I owe it to you. That you deserve to know."

"Know what? About Eddie?"

You shook your head, hesitated, then nodded. "Sort of. It's just, um... Maybe he did have a reason to be scared of you."

Steve blinked. Did you mean...? "Um, you're gonna have to clarify, in case I'm having one of my moments, as Dustin calls them, and I'm interpreting this completely wrong."

"I know it...it sounds sketchy and I don't blame you if it bothers you, because I mean, Nancy kind of did the same thing with Jonathan and that was not a good start to his conversation, oh my God." You put your head in your hands.

Steve pried your hands away from your face. "No, no, no. Look at me, honey, please. Talk to me. It's okay. Take your time, it'll come out the right way eventually, right?"

You nodded slowly. "So... You remember how I said Eddie was insecure and intimidated by you because you were everything he wasn't?"

"Yeah."

"He was always afraid I'd leave him for someone like you. Or just you, in general. He was afraid that one day I'd wake up and realize that I didn't have to date my best friend, that he wasn't my only option, that half the basketball team would sell out their families to sleep with me. There was a time when I got asked out every other day by a different boy on the team, and Eddie was so scared that one day I'd say yes. And then you... You became the basketball champion. Hawkins High adored you and you were this perfect golden child with rich parents and your choice of friends, girls, whatever you wanted.

"I'll be honest, I wanted nothing to do with you at first. The first two years I knew you, I knew you from basketball. And I didn't really know you, I knew of you. I couldn't have cared less about you then. And then I went to college for another two years, and you weren't anywhere. Those were...the golden years for me and Eddie, really. He was insecure of himself, sure, but not of our relationship.

"Then...then all that shit happened. I came back for break and Eddie was fucking accused of murder. Murdering my neighbor, no less, a girl I'd grown up with and who Eddie had an embarrassing middle school crush on. And I watched you protect him and everyone else without a care in the world for what happened to yourself. And...and maybe Eddie saw it, just a little, but he started to get worried again."

"Saw what?" Steve whispered.

"How in awe of you I was," you said. "How much I admired that you would do anything for these people because you loved them with your heart and soul. You were nothing like the Steve I remembered in high school and I liked this version better—I still like you better now than I ever did in high school. And...I guess the way you are with Dustin? It kind of reminds me of...of me and Chrissy. And I think that's where Eddie first started to realize he was in trouble in our relationship."

"He started to be afraid of me stealing you again?" Steve guessed.

You nodded. "He didn't really do anything before he died, he was...scared out of his mind. And I can't really blame him for that. But when he came back, all his fears got worse. It was like...everything heightened, I guess? And then he started acting like a dick and I fell out of love with him and—" You clapped a hand over your mouth. "Oh my God, I said it." You bit your lip. "I said it. Jesus Christ. Um. That was..."

"Take your time," Steve said. You leaned into him, sucking in a deep breath and fighting back your tears.

"I'm...I'm okay. Um. I, ah... I fell in love with someone else."

Steve's chest squeezed. "And Eddie automatically assumed it was me because he'd always been afraid of me?"

You nodded slowly. "Sort of. Add gasoline to the fire that I couldn't really fight him on it because he assumed correctly, and he knew me too well for me to hide it."

It felt like all the breath had been punched out of Steve's lungs. "He assumed correctly?"

"It was you, Steve," you whispered. "You were the one who was there for me, not Eddie. You were there when he died and I needed somebody but everyone else was dealing with their own grief. You were there, not him, not after he came back from the dead and wasn't the same as he used to be. You checked in on me, asked me how I was doing every time I saw you, when most times Eddie didn't ask and he saw me every damn day. And when you didn't see me, you were still there, checking up on me through Robin."

Steve blushed. "How'd you know it was me?"

"Robin's not exactly the best at being subtle," you said. You rubbed the back of your neck. "So...that's it. I liked you and I didn't know how to tell Eddie, so I...let it be until things exploded." You looked at your hand in Steve's resting in your lap. "And if that's weird for you, I apologize. I just...needed to tell somebody, and if I told Robin, it would get back to you anyway, so...might as well have told you on my own terms."

Steve processed for a moment. "You know what?"

"What?" you whispered, clearly scared of what he was about to say.

"I'm glad you told me."

"What?"

"I...thought you would have known by now, because I'm not exactly subtle either, and Robin says I'm really bad at hiding when I have a crush on someone. But, um..." Steve brushed his thumb across your knuckles. "The first day I saw you, two years ago in Family Video... God, I knew I loved you then. You were just perfect, pretty and focused looking for movies. Almost broke my heart when I realized you were with Eddie. Robin tried to, uh, break the fall a little bit but, um..." He laughed sardonically. "Here I am, two years later, still pining."

You giggled, pushing yourself closer to him. "Gotta say I'm glad you're still pining."

"Yeah," Steve said with a little laugh.

You smiled. "Oh, I love that laugh." You bit your lip. "It's been a long time since I heard a boy laugh because of me."

Anger flickered over Steve's face. "I swear to God, every time you tell me more about how he treated you, I just wanna punch him."

"Please don't," you said. "I know every time you get in a fight, that pretty face gets punched." You reached up, brushing your fingertips over his cheek. "I couldn't stand to see that."

Steve smiled, his cheeks turning a delicate shade of pink. "You're so sweet," he whispered, bending to press his forehead against yours.

After a moment, you threw yourself down on the bed, tugging Steve down with you. He braced himself with his arms on either side of your head.

"Oh, hello there," he said, grinning down at you. His hair fell into his face and he flicked his head slightly to get it out of his eyes, wanting to see you clearly in this moment. He brushed some of your own hair out of your face, then let his thumb rub your temple.

You looped your arms around his neck, your fingers toying with his hair. "Hi," you said back, voice quiet and coy. You smiled up at him, ran your gaze down his body, his shirtless chest, then brought your eyes back to his.

"God, sweetheart, I just wanna..." Steve caught himself, licking his lips nervously. "Would it be weird if I kissed you after you and Eddie were, um, y'know..."

You shook your head. "I've wanted you to kiss me for a long time, Steve."

"Can I?" he asked.

You smiled up at his small, hopeful voice. "Please, Steve."

He leaned down, guided by your looped arms, until his lips touched yours. The soft, gentle kiss was quick, barely a touch, until you tugged him back down to you, sighing into his mouth. Steve moaned softly, adjusting to prop himself up on his elbows, cradling the side of our face with one of his hands.

Steve pulled back. You whined, trying to tug him back down, until he said, "Wait, wait. One sec. You okay with tongue?" You whimpered and he grinned. "I'll take that as a yes."

He bent his head down again, kissing you softly. You moaned softly into him, opening your mouth for him. As his tongue slipped into your mouth, you yanked him down to lay on your body.

"Steve," you mumbled into his mouth. "Steve."

"Yeah, baby?"

You squeezed him tightly. "Thank you. For...for everything."

Steve smiled at you. "Oh, honey. I'll be here as long as you let me."

You stared up at him, your eyes wide and round, words in them that you seemed unsure if you wanted to say.

Steve kissed you deeply. "You don't have to say it, honey, not yet. Take your time. I know."

"Oh, Steve," you breathed, your fingers fanning over his cheek. "Steve, you're perfect. You..."

He nuzzled into your neck, placing delicate kisses there. "How far are you willing to go?"

"Not too far tonight," you said, fighting your embarrassment. "Eddie wasn't exactly...gentle...earlier. I'm...kinda sore. And not sure if I'm ready to go very far just yet. I might need some time."

"I get it," Steve whispered. "It's okay. I know this is a lot happening really fast."

You nodded. "Thanks."

Steve kissed you again. "You wanna stay with me tonight, though? We don't have to do anything you're not up for."

You smiled at him. "I'll stay."

"Can I hold you all night?"

You giggled. "Steve, you keep kissing me like that and you can hold me forever."

He grinned. "Might as well get on with it then, huh?"

You squealed as Steve tickled you, pushing you into his bed with a needy, wet kiss. He threw the covers over the two of you and turned around to shut off the lamp on his nightstand. He turned on the radio, keeping it a soft, low volume—loud enough to be romantic, quiet enough to fall asleep to.

Steve gathered you up in his arms and pulled you to his chest. "I'm glad you're here."

"I'm glad you're here, too, Steve."

Bruce Springsteen crooned into the dark of Steve's room. "You can't start a fire without a spark—"

Steve held you tight and brought his lips to yours, and you exchanged short, lazy, loving kisses in the dark, the kind of kiss that said all the words it was still too early to say.

"This gun's for hire, even if we're just dancing in the dark."

☞ ❊ ☜

Songs Used/Quoted in this Fic:

Jessie's Girl (Rick Springfield)

Dancing in the Dark (Bruce Springsteen)

Let's Dance (David Bowie)

Don't Stop Believin' (Journey)

As Cold As Ice (Foreigner)

For Whom the Bell Tolls (Metallica)

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Cyndi Lauper)