Chapter Text
Eddie was, as usual, late again for work. He had barely been able to drag himself off the couch that morning, and from the moment he opened his eyes, he’d had a pounding headache. It had been nearly three months since Hawkins had last been the playground for demons from the Upside Down, and Eddie had barely gotten a wink of sleep since.
“Man, you look like shit,” Robin said with a half-smile, clapping him on the back when he stumbled into the only place that had been willing to hire him: Family Video. “Steve covered for you again, don’t worry.”
“Thanks,” he said, his voice hoarse. He hadn’t spoken to anyone yet today.
She cocked her head to the side then pulled him into a hug. She knew what it was like to get thrown into this mess, and Eddie had it worse than any of them. Unlike her first experience with the curses of Hawkins, he had gotten thrown right into the Upside Down, and didn’t even have a home to return to after it was all done. He was a town pariah, even after his name was cleared.
Eddie stiffened, like he always did when anyone these days touched him, but after a moment, he relaxed and put his arms around her too. Robin held him like that until he gave the signal and pulled away, then she ruffled his hair and gave him a smile. “Today’s gonna be better than yesterday,” she promised.
The silver lining to this whole thing, if there was one to be found, was that he had found a group of friends to support him. They were perhaps the only people in the world who could understand him now. Surprisingly, out of all of them, Robin understood him best. They had never interacted in school. They just had a mutual understanding they had something in common. But now, they had more in common than ever, and Robin would always call bullshit when he pretended to be fine.
His favorite new development was that for the last few months, she had been giving him hugs nearly every day. Everyone needs a little human contact once in a while. Especially Eddie.
Steve tried not to stare. He had been trying for weeks to figure out how to tell Eddie that if he ever needed a hug, he was there for him too. Eddie and Robin had gotten so close recently, and it worried him. Eddie hadn’t gotten the hint that Robin would never be into him, and Steve didn’t want to see his heart broken.
Robin glanced at him and tried to hide her laugh. “Stop staring, Steve. I know I’m hot but I’m just not into you.”
Steve glared at her and flipped her the bird.
Eddie ended up in the back room most of the day, handling paperwork and whatever odd jobs the manager had for him. He didn’t like showing his face in the front of the store. It was bad for business.
“If you keep staring at that door, he’s not gonna magically appear,” Robin said, waving her hand in front of Steve. “You could just go talk to him.”
“Hm?” Steve was snapped out of his trance. How long had he been thinking about Eddie?
Robin smiled and started teasing him. “You care about him, doofus!”
“I mean, yeah. Like, as a friend. But we all do.” Steve was stammering the way he did when trying to rationalize his thoughts as he was speaking.
“Just take ten and go talk to him. I’ll hold down the desk.”
Steve rolled his eyes, but he was dying to talk to Eddie.
Mere moments after Steve left to find his friend, Dustin busted through the door. He demanded, “Where is he?”
Robin crossed her arms and leaned over the desk. “He’s talking to his boyfriend. Why? What’s up?”
Dustin’s eyes widened. “Will’s running a campaign and we need another person. But that’s way less important now. His boyfriend?”
“It’s a joke, nerd. He’s out back talking to Eddie. But I wouldn’t disturb them if I were you.”
Dustin’s face broke out in a huge smile. “Do you mean there’s a chance—?”
“That your two dads are getting together? Yeah. But they’re both so thickheaded that we’re gonna need to do some meddling.”
Dustin cracked his knuckles. “I’ve got an idea. When Steve gets back tell him him and Eddie gotta join the campaign! We’re meeting at Mike’s at 8. I gotta find Erica but make sure they’re both there!” Dustin waved goodbye and ran out, leaving Robin alone with the handful of customers in the store.
In the back of the store, Steve didn’t find Eddie where he expected to, filing papers in the office. Instead, he found him curled up on the floor of the bathroom, head in his knees.
“Oh, Eddie,” Steve said softly, immediately dropping by his friend’s side. Every instinct told him to hug him, but he resisted. He didn’t want to make anything weird. “What’s going on?”
Eddie’s shoulders were shaking, and his face was hidden behind his mess of hair. Steve’s eyes focused on Eddie’s hands tapping out rhythms on his leg. It took Eddie a moment to get his words together. “I thought …” he trailed off and the tapping got worse. “I thought I was back there.”
“Whoa like a vision?” Steve started fumbling for Eddie’s walkman. “We killed Vecna, he shouldn’t be able to come back.”
“No, no, no, it’s not Vecna.” Eddie tried to still his hands. “I’ve been getting these flashbacks.” He finally looked at him, and Steve saw the tear streaks on his cheeks. “I don’t think I can be here today.”
“No, of course! You don’t have to finish out the shift. I can take you home. Where are you crashing?”
“Henderson’s,” he choked out. “But I’ve overstayed, they want me out for a bit.”
“I can drop you at the Wheeler’s?”
“I was there last week. Mr. Wheeler doesn’t like me very much.”
“How about the Byers? You don’t really know them, but Joyce is the best.” Eddie was saving up for his own place, but until he had enough, he was rotating between couches and staying with whoever would take him.
Eddie shook his head. “I can’t, I can’t—”
“Hey, it’s ok. My parents are out of town this weekend, you can crash with me.”
Eddie nodded his head a little, but stayed silent. Steve stared at him, confused by his own desire to tuck Eddie’s hair behind his ear and wipe the tears from his cheeks.
“What do you need?” Steve asked softly. “Anything at all, I’ve got your back.”
Eddie was silent. He knew what he needed, but wasn’t sure he could ask Steve. Robin, sure. But Steve and him weren’t that close. “I need pressure on my arms,” he said quietly. They were shaking like hell and he wanted it to stop.
“Yeah, yeah, no problem!” Steve said, scooting closer and wrapping his arms around Eddie. His heart started pounding and he made a mental note to address that later. He didn’t have time now to figure out why Eddie Munson made him flustered. He had to help his friend.
Eddie closed his eyes and leaned into Steve, focusing on calming his breathing. He hated that Steve had seen him like this, but he was glad he had someone there for him. He wasn’t sure how long it had been, but his breathing returned to normal, his heart-rate went back down, and his body stopped shaking.
“Hey look at that,” Steve said with a smile. “You’re looking better!” He ignored every instinct that said it was a bad idea and he wiped Eddie’s tears away with his thumb, then brushed his hair behind his ear. Eddie’s eyes widened, and Steve drew his hand away. “Sorry.”
Eddie smiled. “No, don’t apologize. It was sweet.”
Steve turned his head away to hide his blush. “So, uh, are you ready to go?”
He nodded and pulled himself to his feet. “Thanks, Harrington. For everything.”
“No problem, Munson.” He playfully ruffled Eddie’s hair, like he had seen Robin do a hundred times. “I’m your friend. I’ve always got your back.”
Eddie couldn’t help but smile. Goddammit. He was falling for the jock, wasn’t he?