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wonafight
( The rest of the summer, fall, and winter of 1985 saw with it a blossoming friendship with Steve Harrington. It had been one of the more unexpected things to crop up in Eddie's life, but not an unwelcome one. It certainly did nothing to help with the incessant crush he had been harboring, practically since Steve was a freshman, but that's not really Eddie's concern.
When Eddie took the munchkins under his wing and heard even more tales of Steve Harrington, Eddie was well and properly done for. Though Steve's visits to the trailer park had slowed down a bit, mainly due to the weather growing colder by the day, Eddie still felt something building in his chest, an affection he swore he wouldn't let himself feel, knowing fully well it would never be anything but one-sided. And yet, every time Steve shows up with that damn dopey smile of his, Eddie finds himself just too weak to say no.
So, this continues on, but always with Steve joining him at Eddie's trailer, never Eddie showing up on Steve's doorstep. Because he knows how this goes, knows that it's still a transactional friendship based on smoking weed. They don't hang out without smoking, after all.
That, of course, doesn't mean Eddie doesn't know where Steve's house is. Who in Hawkins doesn't know where that mansion is? Back when parties were a frequent occurrence, Eddie has set up shop in the Harringtons' basement to facilitate some sales, all without Steve likely even knowing. Who knew this knowledge would one day come in handy?
Spring Break was supposed to be Eddie's excuse to kick back and not look at his school notes for a week. Instead, the night of the Championship game happened and Eddie found himself face to face with one of the most terrifying nightmares he will ever have the unfortunate luck in experiencing. As he runs away from the trailer park, stashing his van not far from Loch Nora, he runs the rest of the way to the Harrington residence, praying to whatever god would even listen that Steve's parents aren't home. He doesn't check which car is in the driveway as he bangs on the door and hopes it's Steve that answers. )
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He doesn’t know why he keeps striking out with these girls that should be fine, but aren’t. Steve doesn’t think he’s being too picky, all things considered. He’s not the asshole he used to be and knows that there’s more than just physical attraction to consider. He wants that, of course, but he also wants someone he can talk to. Someone that might eventually be willing to understand why he drives around a bunch of Freshman, sleeps with a nail bat by his bed and wakes up from nightmares more often than not.
It’s hard to be genuine when he has a different perspective from everyone else. He’s seen and fought what lies underneath Hawkins. Russians have tortured him and he witnessed Billy Hargrove die a terrible death last Summer. Hopper died being a hero, the Byers left town, and they left him to take care of the others on his own. It’s a lot of responsibility and he feels the weight of it slowly grinding him down. The only real release he has is when he goes to Eddie’s to light up. It’s a near weekly thing now, usually on the nights that Robin’s working and he’s off. For a few hours he lets himself forget that he and Nancy are really all that’s left to protect the others and she’ll be gone next year, along with Robin. That eventually, all the kids will be gone. Which will be good because it means they made it out alive, but bad because it means Steve will be on his own again.
These thoughts circle around his brain repeatedly as he drives home from his date. He throws his keys on the table by the door and turns on the TV for background noise before plopping down on the oversized couch with a frustrated groan. He’s lying there for less than half an hour when he hears banging on his door. The sound makes him jump, adrenaline spiking as he moves to the front door. He swings the door open expecting to see one of the kids on the other side of the door. Instead, it’s Eddie who’s staring back at him, pale and wild-eyed.] Eddie? What’s wrong?
[ A thousand thoughts run through his head as he reaches out for Eddie’s arm to ground him.] Are you okay?
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