Chapter Text
"So. I've gone from accomplice, to Russian translator, to safe house? You could call just to have dinner Jim. I'd love for you and Joyce to come over." Murray said to Hopper, with fake annoyance and amused teasing inflicting his voice. Hopper rolled his eyes but nodded.
"We can all have dinner at Enzo's once this works out, I'll pay I promise." He promised, a small smile gracing his face. As Joyce went on to explain the plan, Murray caught a glimpse over Hopper’s shoulder towards Steve and Eddie. The way that they were walking through and taking in his place reminded him of that visit he had courtesy of Nancy and Johnathon a year ago.
"For a safe house, this is pretty homie," Steve commented approvingly.
"You're telling me, if this doesn't work out, I'm gonna move here." Eddie replied, earning a "not looking for roommates kid!" from Murray. Steve, however, was hung up on the first part of that sentence.
"Hey man, it'll work out. Joyce and Hop will make their case to the town and you'll be back with Hellfire and Corroded Coffin in no time. And come on, you may not know her but Joyce Byers never gives up on something she cares about" he replied, trying to put every ounce of comfort into his voice that he could. Eddie gave him a small smile and nodded.
"Things should be cleared up in a few days, 3 tops. We'll call to keep you guys posted on how it goes and hopefully, it'll all go well." Joyce explained aloud. Before anyone could say anything else though, Steve piped up.
"It will go well because Eddie isn't guilty." He huffed. Murray, Joyce, and Hopper simultaneously raised their eyebrows at him, but Eddie seemed grateful… in his own way.
"Aww, you're so sweet, trying to protect my honor. I'm flattered sweetheart." Eddie smiled at him, leaning close to Steve and batting his lashes at him. Joyce and Hopper chuckled quietly at the display of Steve blushing and lightly pushing Eddie back, but turning towards Murray, they saw a mischievous grin.
"I see. So my full-time job with you all is matchmaker isn't it?" Murray smirked, rolling his eyes in the process.
“Look, don’t spook them. Showing them that they like each other, it needs to be gentle.” Hopper told him, remembering Murray’s car rant. Murray nodded, but Hopper could tell that he truly wasn’t paying attention. Already being so late at night, Joyce started to drag Hopper out of the warehouse, telling him the boys would be okay. Meanwhile, Murray began to make the risotto he had made for Joyce in California, while also catching glimpses of Eddie and Steve’s flirting. After serving the risotto to the boys and letting them decompress, he offered them some drinks which Eddie at least greatly appreciated. While Steve nursed his beer, Murray and Eddie were on a roll, making up toast after toast.
“To taking down the commie bastards!”
“To killing Vecna!”
“To saving Hawkins!”
Steve watched the two of them go, amused that the guy he met in Starcourt a year ago could be this… jovial. And Eddie, seeing him smile like this for the first time in a while, it made Steve’s heart fly. As the night went along, Steve slowly nursed about three beers, while Eddie and Murray went hard with the alcohol. Murray could drink with the best of them, drinking even those with an unimaginable tolerance under the table. Eddie, he was no lightweight under any circumstances, but every now and then he did overestimate his tolerance for alcohol. And when Eddie got drunk, he was a flirty drunk; he was at the point where he was leaning against Steve and nuzzling his neck and making poor Steve flush a new shade of red. Murray watched the two in amusement, listening to “Eddie man come on. There’s no way I’m this comfortable,” and “Nuh-uh, you are not getting me off Steve. You’re too cute to stay off of.”
“Alright lovebirds, unlike you two, I’ve got a bit of work to do tomorrow. There’s a guest bedroom you two can share for the night,” Murray chuckled. The “lovebirds” comment seemed to snap both Steve and Eddie to attention.
“Wait hold on, there isn’t a couch I can sleep on? I mean we’re just-” Steve stopped in his tracks.
“Friend friends,” Eddie repeated to Murray, who looked at them with a highly skeptical look. A look that morphed into shoulder-wracking laughter.
“Oh man, oh man. Is this a repeat in Hawkins couples? First those two kids Nancy and Jonathan, then Hopper and Joyce, and now you two.” Murray asked, still laughing lightly. Steve and Eddie looked at him with utter confusion on their faces.
“So many people in Hawkins that are obviously in love with each other but are dancing around that fact. You’ve spent so much time together, especially Steve saving you from the Upside Down from what I hear. You have history, experience, and a boatload of shared trauma together,” Murray explained.
“Munson let’s start with you. Obvious trust issues stemming from your dad. I did meet him once while I was first getting myself off the grid, real piece of work I agree,” Murray explained. Eddie opened his mouth to reply to Murray but then paused, and his voice morphed into an expression of “Yeah you’re not wrong.”
“Oh, and don’t think that I didn’t see that black bandana in your left pocket.” At that statement, it was now Eddie’s turn to flush red.
“It-It’s for Metallica,” he stuttered out.
“And I suppose the handcuffs in your right pocket are for Metallica as well?” Murray asked eyebrow raised. Eddie’s eyes widened, whipping his hand to his right pocket to feel the outline of the handcuffs that he definitely didn’t mean to put in there.
“And I’m now able to meet the lovely Steve that Nancy told me about. I gotta say, you definitely seem to be more accepting of yourself at the moment. And yet still, you’re nervous. You still wanna retreat back to the safety of Nancy.” Murray continued, keeping Steve at a standstill with his words, barely having recovered from the knowledge that Eddie had purposefully put handcuffs in his pocket on a trip with Steve
“Ah, Nancy. We like Nancy!” he stated.
“I-I mean, yeah! Of course I like her.” Steve answered. But he knew that answer didn’t mean much to Murray at that moment.
“But we don’t love Nancy.” he stated with absolute certainty, and unlike with Nancy, Steve wasn’t able to deny him. Both boys couldn’t come up with a retort even if their life depended on it.
“Guess I did pretty well hm? My goodness, as much as it is a pain to get you Hawkins couples to get together, it doesn’t take away from how adorable they are.” Murray sighed fondly. Grabbing the vodka bottle and heading upstairs, Murray turned towards the boys to leave them with one final statement.
"Listen, there is a pull-out sofa in my study. But come on you two, cut the bullshit. Share the damn bed. Goodnight!" And with that, Murray was upstairs to leave Steve and Eddie alone with only each other. They sat in silence for a couple moments, having their feelings laid down for them. Neither knew who should speak first: should it be Steve asking about Eddie's feelings after they all closed the Upside Down for good or should it be Eddie asking what Steve "The Hair" Harrington truly wanted. Apparently, with the good old liquid courage inside of him, Eddie decided to go first.