#steve’s little brother

[sh1tbird-shantytown]

i’ve got a tangent, buckle up. (and yes i know this probably isn’t at all accurate. bite me.)

>>>

Steve didn’t really talk about his family. He left for home at five thirty and spent Sunday’s presumably at church with them, but he never really spoke of them. And no one really minded.

Sure, Billy had asked once or twice if he could meet someone in person. Steve would shrug his shoulders and agree to mention it. No one was very surprised when it never got brought up again. And Steve never relayed a response to his supposed offer.

No one knew what was up. Until The Mishap.

Now, Maxine Mayfield had a tough skin to break through in order to hurt her feelings. It took a lot. But something about the boy was oddly familiar in a sore way. His eyes, she’d consider, they were exactly like someone she knew. Innocent in such a guilty manner and soft even though he spoke with steel. How he stood like he had something to his name and how he only seemed to speak after thinking it through.

So, yeah, it took a lot for Max to get weepy, to get butt-hurt. People like Billy and Steve knew that, threatened to do every form of revenge in the book (although that was mostly Billy by a vast majority). Steve was kinder about it, offered her a quarter for the gum-ball machine and walked with her to calm down.

“What happened today?”

She turned the crank slowly so she could hear all the gears, “Some kid saw my low test score in history and kept making stupid jokes.”

Steve pressed his lips together, “I know that feeling all too well.”

Max looked up before opening the flap for the prize, “Really?”

He grinned, “What? You think I was this cool before puberty?” She rolled her eyes and he laughed quietly, “You just have to learn to make them feel bad about it so they stop.” Max nodded and pulled out a pink ball. “What’s this kid have going on? What’s he dress like, this town acts like there’s factions. Should be pretty easy to find him.”

Max threw the candy in her mouth and spoke around it, “Kind of dirty jeans, expensive shoes, colorful shirts.” She laughed, “He dresses similar to you actually. Isn’t that funny? He has darker hair though, and a bitch personality.” She crunched down on the gum-ball aggressively.

Steve didn’t seem to find it funny at all, in fact his face dropped, “Was his name Troy by chance?”

Max scoffed, “Yeah actually.” She grew worried when Steve still didn’t answer, “Why?”

Steve patted her shoulder and nodded at Billy over at the food counter, “I’ve got to go deal with some stuff. I’ll see you two later tonight!” he jogged out and Max noticed Billy looking a little too disappointed.

Steve did return that evening. To the Mayfield-Hargrove house with a kid towed behind him. Max couldn’t see their face as they hid behind Steve’s back, but she opened the front door before Steve even knocked anyway. Smiled and called for Billy like any other time (she always ignored Neil’s shout for who it was).

Steve crossed his arms, “Bud, you have something to say?” he looked over his shoulder and Troy peaked around hesitantly.

“Common, Stef, I don’t wanna.”

“If you can use your rotten mouth to pick on people than you can apologize too.” When Troy continued to stare at his shoes and Max stood taken aback still, Steve poked at the boy’s head. “I’ll wash your mouth out with soap, don’t think I won’t.”

Troy sighed but looked up, “You’ve been threatening that for years.” Steve narrowed his eyes but stayed silent. Max glowered until he spoke again, “I’m sorry for bullying you and your friends, that was a coward thing to do.” Steve nodded along and Max heard Billy walk up. “I promise not to say anything like that again and I hope you can accept my sincere apology.” Something about the words felt off, scripted. She almost said something until she saw a far away and similarly off-put look to Steve’s eyes. It wasn’t dishonesty, but something different. She didn’t know what, so she locked it away for another discussion.

She regarded him for a long moment, so long that Billy started tapping his foot, “I guess I can agree to that.”

Troy seemed relieved and looked back at Steve, “See? I can be nice.”

Billy stepped closer, “What’s going on?”

Steve looked a little sheepish, “I told him that if he didn’t apologize for being rude to Max than I wasn’t making dinner so,” he spread his arms out like wings, “Here we are.” Billy huffed, agreeable.

Max rose her eyebrows and smirked, “And how do you know him, Steve?”

Troy tried to bite him when Steve whacked his head, “This catastrophe is my little brother.”

“What?”

Billy leaned against the doorframe, “I don’t see it.” Steve smiled at him and Troy’s eyes widened in some sort of realization.

“That’s him?” he asked pointing at Billy (who in turn looked affronted).

Steve rolled his eyes, “I’d rather have a private conversation involving that topic. Later.” Troy continued to stare, bug-eyed at Billy.

Max stepped outside, “Let’s go get ice cream.”

Troy jumped up and tugged at Steve’s reluctant arm, “Good idea! Let’s go, let’s go!”

Steve looked over at Billy, “He’s been, uh, excited to meet the best player on Hawkins’ basketball team.”

Troy made a face, “No, I’ve been waiting to meet your boyf—”

“Later!”