Chapter Text
Eddie had a wheelchair.
Steve had been picked up by Wayne, in his truck, to go get Eddie. As it turned out, the older man was still staying in the shelter meant for the people who had lost pretty much everything. When Hopper had called in to get them to stop him from leaving, he actually had been packing up what little he had left and getting ready to go. It had only been luck that had gotten Chief Powell to him before he’d taken off. Something about his sister’s house, somewhere else.
Steve was a little too lightheaded to listen closely. He’d been drumming his fingers on his knee the entire drive back to the hospital.
Robin had shown up and demanded he shower. Joyce Byers had followed up on her arrival and dragged Steve out, Eleven promising to stay with Eddie until Steve got back. She was standing next to him, now, as they walked into his room. Eddie was going to be discharged, today.
Eddie was going to come home.
He listened as the doctor and nurses talked but he wasn’t hearing anything. Eddie’s skin was scarred and red, in a lot of places, but he was breathing. Someone had managed to pull his hair back into a braid of some kind, a couple of stray hairs curling against Eddie’s cheeks. There was more damage under his clothes, Steve knew. When Eddie’d had more energy to look at himself, he’d peered down his shirt and burst out laughing. He’d called the missing nipple ‘absolutely metal’. He looked a lot rougher than he had, before everything, but he was alive.
In mostly one piece.
“There’s a lot of physical therapy in his future, Mister Munson,” the doctor looked at his clipboard, humming. “But he is safe to go home. If there are any further complications, well, you know where we are.” He looked to a nurse at the door, who smiled when she entered. She had a bag of something in her hands, holding it out. Steve took it, getting there first, and not-listened as she explained something else, handing Wayne some paperwork. The bag was what remained of Eddie’s clothes, the outfit he’d been wearing into the Upside Down.
He saw Eddie shift and looked over at him, smiling a little and tilting the bag so that Eddie could see the clothes.
Eddie clenched his teeth together, his face going pink as he struggled not to laugh. He was smiling, though, so Steve counted that as a victory.
Eleven, silent through the entire interaction between Wayne and the doctor, perked up when the nurse mentioned something that Steve didn’t quite catch. “He has very good friends,” she nodded. “Steve is a good friend.” She moved to stand next to him, grabbing Steve’s elbow. “But he needs to go home, now.” She nodded again, like everything was settled because she’d said it. Steve rearranged his arm to curl it around her shoulders, holding her carefully. He never really knew if she was fragile or not – some of what she could do was terrifyingly powerful and some of how she reacted to things felt like she was about to fall apart.
“I think this little girl’s about got it right,” Wayne spoke up. He dipped his head, holding up the paperwork he’d been given. “Care instructions, stop by the pharmacy for his medications, understood.” He looked at Steve. “Son, could you help me with him? My shoulder’s not acting right today.”
Steve blinked a couple of times, opening his mouth to say something. He’d seen Wayne lifting something heavy earlier, after all, the man could probably push a wheelchair with his neph—
Oh.
His mouth shut with a click he could feel. “Yeah,” Steve’s face was heating up.
Eleven took the bag from his hands so smoothly he didn’t even notice until she stepped away, standing next to Wayne. Steve put his hands on Eddie’s wheelchair, getting him moving without too much difficulty. The four of them walked in silence back out of the hospital, Eddie’s hands curled around Steve’s Walkman. He’d left it with him, along with a couple of cassettes he run to buy, so that there’d be something to do while in the hospital. Something to listen to so that Eddie wouldn’t get bored.
So he wouldn’t feel alone.
Hopper and Joyce met them outside, Eleven slipping the bag of clothes into Eddie’s lap as she walked over to be next to them. “You three going to be alright?” Hopper frowned, looking at Wayne. “I know the situation hasn’t changed, your place is still…Gone.”
“Well,” Wayne sighed. “I don’t think—”
“I have an idea,” Steve focused on Eddie’s shoulder, trying not to freak out about what he was going to say next. “They should be okay. They don’t have to take it, I’m just being – Yeah. Yeah. Sorry,” he glanced at Wayne. The man looked back at him, an eyebrow raised. “Sorry, you were talking.”
“It’s okay, son.”
Eddie reached up, a little slow and pained, and put his hand on Steve’s. “We can at least look at the idea.”
He was probably still exhausted.
They said goodbye to Hopper, Joyce, and Eleven, heading back to Wayne’s truck. Steve got Eddie out of his chair and into the cabin of the truck while Wayne secured the chair in the bed. He was thankful he’d kept exercising even after he’d graduated – with the amount of fights they all found, the monsters they had to run away from, and the people that always ended up unconscious, it was useful to be able to bodily haul someone up.
“Well,” Wayne cleared his throat as he got into the driver’s seat. “Where to?”
“Get onto Cherry Oak and turn right at the Motel Six,” Steve shrugged. He’d settled Eddie in between them like it could help them both to see him alive. Yeah, injured and having almost died, but alive. “And then just stay on Cornwallis.” He looked out the window as Wayne followed his instructions, watching buildings and trees go past. “The kids all have some different names for the streets. I don’t remember all of them. I remember the one Will got grabbed on.”
“Yeah?” Eddie leaned into him a little. “What’s that?”
“Mirkwood,” Steve looked at him, shifting to let Eddie lean into a softer spot. He wanted to grab Eddie’s hand, line up their fingers so that Eddie’s ring on Steve’s hand would be in the right spot. He wanted to kiss him again, wanted to do so much. “I don’t remember a lot about their nerd shit but I remember that. Just talking about it makes all of them freak out, I memorized the name so I could avoid it.”
The drive was short.
And there it was.
Wayne pulled up when Steve told him to. He raised his eyebrow again, looking at Steve like he was trying to figure out what to say. “We’ve got guest rooms,” Steve half-mumbled, looking at his hands in his lap. “Rooms we never fucking use. My parents already called to let me know they aren’t coming back this year, so it’s not like they’re going to need any space here for a while. They ditched Hawkins once reports about what happened started coming out to wherever they are.” He rubbed at his elbow, looking out the window again. “So there’s room. I’m still getting sent an allowance every month, though it’s less than it used to be. I got a job,” he shrugged. “So they made sure to take that into account.”
When neither of the Munsons’ said anything, Steve cleared his throat and continued. “And besides, you need the space, and Eddie’s in a wheelchair. He needs a doorway wide enough for that and a room on a floor he can move around on until he gets out of it.”
“Wayne,” Eddie spoke up first. “Can you get my chair? I need to talk to Steve for a second.”
With a cough and a nod, Wayne exited the truck faster than Steve had seen him move before. Eddie’s eyes were wide, his face a pink color. The ring on Steve’s hand was warmer and he could have sworn he felt a heartbeat through it. “That—I sort of just assumed, I’m sorry, we can figure something else out. I didn’t mean to—Hmm!”
Eddie had grabbed his face and dragged him into a kiss.
When he pulled away, his hands still on Steve’s face, he looked a little crazy. Steve stared at him, his cheeks burning, his hands curled around Eddie’s wrists. “What…?”
“We’re still going to need to talk,” Eddie shrugged. “But you, big boy, are sitting pretty as one of my favorite people. Steve Harrington, actually a good dude.” He laughed a little, shaking his head. “You figured out how to keep us safe and give us a place to be. Also, you may need to be prepared for Wayne to try and hunt down your parents so he can yell at them.”
“I think I can deal with that,” Steve laughed. He used his grip on Eddie’s wrists to pull him back in for a second, kissing him again. When Eddie was a little stunned by that, Steve got out of the truck and leaned back to slide him across the seat and into his arms.
“There you are,” Wayne hummed as he rolled the wheelchair over to Steve.
Steve cleared his throat, feeling his cheeks burning once more. Wayne had probably been standing behind the truck, waiting. Had he been giving them privacy? That was a question for later, Steve decided as he settled Eddie into the wheelchair. Without a word, he started pushing Eddie to the door of the house, doing his best to make the ride smooth. “I didn’t mean to assume, by the way. I just…I have space. My house is still standing. You two need someplace to stay if you’re going to stay in Hawkins.”
“My sister has property in Chicago,” Wayne reached over and patted Eddie’s shoulder. “Your aunt Nora said I could stay there, if necessary. I will need to call her,” he made a face, something Steve didn’t catch, then sighed. “I’m going to have to explain that Eddie is back.”
“Aunt Nora’s going to be pissed,” Eddie was grinning, holding his bag of probably ruined clothes. “She got the fuck out of Hawkins because of my dad. She didn’t like being attached to the Munson name. I do not blame her,” he yawned, slumping back in the wheelchair. “But she’ll see this as me having been dragged into that same old shit and she will want to murder whoever did this. Send her against the monster,” he snorted. “She might be angry enough to do some damage.”
Steve paused, digging out his house keys and handing them off to Wayne. “Good to know more about the family,” he waited as Wayne unlocked the door. “I’ll get keys for you both soon, I just need to get you settled in right now.”
“Don’t need to rush yourself for our sake,” Wayne held the door for Steve and Eddie, following and closing it gently. He held himself awkwardly at the door, watching as Steve wheeled Eddie to the couch.
“This is home, now,” Steve looked at Wayne. “If you want it to be. I know your place is gone. I know most of your stuff is gone – my parents send enough money, every month, to upkeep the house and get food. You don’t need to worry about rent or anything. I’ve got the space for you, here,” he shrugged, standing next to Eddie and smiling at both of them. “And honestly, it’ll make me feel better. Give you both space to build your lives back up, and make choices without worrying about anything.”
“And since Hopper got my name cleared,” Eddie grabbed Steve’s hand, leaving Steve to try and keep his mind focused on the conversation and not just dropping everything to focus on the warmth of his skin. “I can claim a late graduation.”
“Like I said,” Steve nodded. “I didn’t mean to make choices for you, but…I can make it so you have time and space to make them. You’re welcome here as long as you need.”
Wayne nodded slowly, then smiled and shook his head. “This is…Thank you, son,” he stepped forward, clapping a hand on Steve’s shoulder. “I may still go visit your aunt Nora,” he told Eddie. “But this is a good step in-between.” He cleared his throat. “Anywhere, in particular, you want me to room?”
“There’s a good bed in the second guest room, top of the stairs, first door on the left. The house has four bedrooms total, though one of them is down here,” Steve pointed towards a door off the kitchen. “That’s where Eddie is going until he’s out of the wheelchair. And, seriously,” he shrugged. “Don’t worry about leaving. My parents aren’t coming back until sometime next year. They don’t want to deal with the damage from everything, so they’re leaving the house in my care.” He shrugged again when Wayne’s expression changed, something Steve couldn’t figure out flashing across his face. “I’ve got space, my parents won’t be here, you need the rooms.”
With his hand still on Steve’s shoulder, Wayne squeezed slightly. “Thank you,” he said again.
Steve smiled.
Wayne left them alone together, after that. Steve sat down on the couch, looking at Eddie. “So we need to talk,” he leaned into the arm of the couch, watching as Eddie’s face turned red.
“Yeah,” Eddie swallowed. He looked nervous. “We do.” He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and put his hands into his lap. The scarring on his neck and arms was a lot like the scarring on Steve. They matched, scar for scar, in a way that Steve had never lined up with anyone before. “I…Uh,” he shook his head, one hand going up and grabbing a chunk of his hair. He pulled it to his mouth, looking away from Steve. “I didn’t think this was how things were going to go.”
“Kind of figured that,” Steve nodded. “But again, like I said, I’d have been kissing you in the hospital if I could have moved without hurting myself.”
Eddie’s eyes darted back to Steve, his cheeks going redder.
“Whatever was connecting us there,” Steve took Eddie’s hand, leaving him holding his hair with the other, and slid his fingers into Eddie’s. “I’m glad it did. I want to try this,” he ducked his head down to look into Eddie’s eyes. “I want to, Eddie. If you want to, I want to.”
“Social suicide, Harrington,” Eddie snorted, still blushing. “You’re going to just drop everything to be with the Freak?”
“Yeah, well,” he shrugged. “The ‘freak’ is one of the people I trust most in the world. He had my back a lot, even when he was scared. He cares about the dumb kids I look after. He was there for some of the scariest moments, this time around, and he kept me focused.” Steve squeezed Eddie’s hand, gently, and took a deep breath. “He’s one of the kindest people I know, even if he’s a little strange and makes references I don’t understand. He cares so much about the people he likes, the ones he plays with and talks to.”
Eddie’s face had been slowly returning to normal, only to burst into red again when Steve was done talking. “Stevie,” he whispered. “Can’t just say shit like that. Got to give a guy some warning.”
“We’ve had time, together,” Steve shrugged again. “I think you’ve had enough warning.”
“So, we give this a try,” Eddie looked down at their hands, rubbing his thumb over Steve’s skin. “And we just see what happens?”
“Yeah,” Steve was red, too, all the way out to his ears. “We see where it goes.”
Eddie grinned, licking his lips. “Sure thing, Harrington.”
.
.
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Hawkins, Indiana, 2014
“Steve!”
Steve came rushing out of the kitchen, throwing the towel he’d been holding over his shoulder. “What?” he looked around, immediately nervous when he didn’t see anything wrong. Despite being nearly fifty, he still reacted to shouting the same way he had in the eighties. Back when Demogorgons, Demodogs, and Demobats had been things to have constant nightmares about. There wasn’t a nail bat in his hands, but there was one tucked in a closet upstairs.
Eddie was sitting on the couch, their daughter tucked into his arms, peacefully leafing through a storybook. His hair was up, in a messy bun at the back of his head, and he was grinning at the television. “Sorry, sweetheart, just needed you in here.” He shifted, moving his legs off the couch. Arwen made a small noise, annoyed at being shifted around, but she quieted down when Steve sat with them. Eddie tucked his bare feet into the side of the couch after throwing his legs over Steve’s lap. “Look at the news.”
“Eddie,” Steve raised his eyebrows at him. Neither of them liked Arwen seeing much of the news. She was seven, after all, and they didn’t want her to see anything that would give her nightmares. When he turned to the television, however, his jaw dropped.
Legalized.
That’s what the news was saying. Legalized in Indiana. Steve turned to look at Eddie, still a little numb from shock. Eddie’s eyes were wide and watery, reflecting the Halloween lights he’d already insisted on putting up. “Hey, Arwen,” Eddie cleared his throat, a few tears escaping to roll down his cheeks. “Want to give daddy what I told you to hold onto?”
Arwen finally looked up from her book, then smiled. “Yeah!” she grabbed something from her lap, putting her book down and wiggling out of Eddie’s arms to move and sit next to Steve. “Dad got you this, daddy! He said it was a present, even if…” she looked back at Eddie, her little forehead furrowing as she tried to remember something. “Even if the government said you still didn’t have rights.” She finished the sentence with a firm little nod, looking back up at Steve with her little gap-toothed grin. Eddie nodded, laughing, when Steve glanced up at him.
He was distracted, however, by the little black box Arwen was holding.
For a moment, he couldn’t breathe. Could barely think. His hands shook as he took it from her, opening the lid of it. Inside was a ring made out of silver metal, a small trio of stones set into it. They were a soft pink color, connected by an engraved line. On the inside of the ring, there was a small bat etched into the metal.
“It’s tungsten,” Eddie spoke up, his voice soft. “The stones are Rose Quartz. The metal is supposed to be really strong and scratch resistant. Rose Quartz is supposed to symbolize family and protection and a bunch of other neat shi—stuff.” He grinned, his cheeks pink. “I went with three of ‘em because it seemed like a better balance than just one or two. Or trying to fit every single one of your kids onto the ring, somehow.”
“Your kids, too,” Steve pulled the ring out of the box, sliding it onto his finger. “Every single little gremlin also claims you.”
“Yeah, well,” Eddie sighed dramatically, letting his head drop back, a hand to his forehead. “Whatever will I do? How will I ever go on?” he stuck his tongue out the side of his mouth, pretending to be dead for a second. Arwen giggled and practically launched herself into his stomach, digging her pointy little chin into Eddie’s chest. “Alright, alright, kiddo, the hug of life has saved me!” he stood up, swinging Arwen around as he spun in a quick circle. “I guess the gremlins aren’t so bad,” he leaned down and kissed Steve quickly. He moved to walk away, towards the kitchen, when Steve called out for him to come back. “Yeah?”
“So was there a question with this thing or do I just get a shiny piece of jewelry to wear?” Steve held up his hand. He was still wearing the ring Eddie had given him in 1986, he’d just stacked the new one on top of it – a little more worn, now, probably out of place with everything else he wore, but it was still there.
Still proof of their connection.
Somehow, it still worked. Steve was willing to chalk that one up to Upside Down weirdness.
Eddie stood in front of him, very still and quiet. “Steve,” he whispered. “Take a chance on the freak, again?” he smiled, his eyes bright again.
“Always will,” Steve stood up, backing Eddie up until they were on equal footing. With Arwen sandwiched in between them, he put his hand on Eddie’s cheek and pulled him back in for another kiss. “Take a chance with a King, Eddie?”
“Always have,” Eddie whispered back. He kissed Steve again, then again. Soft kisses, gentle ones, like he was thanking him.
“Dad!” Arwen half-shrieked, reaching up to pat at Eddie’s cheeks, giggling. “Daddy!” she did the same thing to Steve. “Uncle Dustin and the others will be here, soon!” she wiggled until Eddie set her down, sticking her tongue out at them. “And – and you promised I could watch you play, today!”
“That I did, Princess, that I did!” Eddie laughed, leaning down and pressing a bunch of kisses to the top of her head. “I think daddy may have even finished putting together all the snacks for everyone.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Steve snorted, smiling. Before Eddie could walk away again, however, Steve grabbed his left hand, then reached into his pocket and pulled something out. “So I hope I didn’t get anything wrong,” he chewed on his bottom lip for a moment. “And I hope the jeweler didn’t make a mistake. Had to ask Dustin for help with the translation, too – couldn’t ask you, not when it’s for you.” He grinned when Eddie’s eyes went even wider. “Something about Elvish script?” he shrugged, sliding the ring he held onto Eddie’s finger. "I figure you'll translate it yourself, big boy."
Eddie still wore his other ones, most of the time, but he’d always left his ring finger empty.
“Guess we still think a lot alike,” Steve kissed the back of Eddie’s hand. “When they started talking about legalizing us, I had this made. And, like you, I was going to give it to you even if they hadn’t. I was planning on after the game tonight.”
“…Arwen,” Eddie’s voice shook. “Avert your innocent eyes, my dear little lady.”
Arwen’s giggles were a happy soundtrack as Eddie’s hands cupped Steve’s cheeks and drew him in for a much deeper kiss.
They had survived so much, together. They had made it through everything, been dragged back to life, and dragged each other to safety. They had stayed in Hawkins, built a life for themselves, and kept an eye on everything just in case.
Now they had a house full of laughter and love.
And a wedding to plan.
“Oh,” Steve drew back from the kiss. “I may have also put together a playlist for you.”
“Get back here,” Eddie laughed, dragging him in again.