Chapter Text
Steve wasn't normally the type to wake up before ten, much less trudge out the door in his pajamas and get the mail while the grass was still damp with dew and the school buses were still making their pick-up rounds. Then again, it wasn't a normal day, but rather the most anticipated day of the year for any Hawkins resident below the age of 18.
Hawkins High had a half-day to mark the end of the school year, and the Party had begged Steve to let them come over to celebrate with a pool-party-slash-sleepover at his house.
Both Steve and the kids knew he'd say yes, but he had acquiesced to the request with much less griping than normal, mostly because he was on cloud nine after getting a whole week alone with his boyfriend. The seniors finished classes a week earlier than the rest of the high schoolers, and Steve had a blast getting to celebrate with Eddie, Robin, and Nancy the previous weekend. Unfortunately, the girls weren't able to party for too long, with Robin's parents springing a trip to Chicago on her as a surprise graduation gift and Nancy's Indy Star internship beginning on Monday, which left Steve and Eddie on their own for the time being.
Wayne was so relieved to see his nephew finally get his diploma that he'd raised no objections when Eddie followed Steve to the Harrington residence after the graduation ceremony and hadn't yet returned.
Their week to themselves was quickly drawing to a close, though, and Steve knew he needed to get the house in some semblance of order before he had to pick the gremlins up at noon for the demanded pool party. That meant that, for the first time in ages, he reluctantly let his alarm clock wake him at seven and stumbled downstairs to start his to-do list, leaving Eddie to snore a little longer before he too was dragged into the fray.
While the coffee maker hummed, Steve gathered up whatever trash was lying about and hauled it out to the cans before the garbage trucks came around.
The calendar had already crept into June, but it was early enough in the day that there was still a noticeable chill in the humid morning air. Steve cringed when his feet made contact with the cold pavement, wishing he'd thought to put on his sneakers, and hurried down the driveway to toss the black bags in either hand into the bin.
He figured that he might as well collect the mail while he was outside, even though he rarely received anything but junk or bills to forward to his parents' secretary. He had been so preoccupied with the excitement of having Eddie over that he'd forgotten to check the mailbox all week, leaving him with a sizeable stack to retrieve.
Steve didn't even notice the pamphlet when he pulled it out of the mailbox. It was thin, unassuming, just a couple of plain white pages stapled together and shoved between a veritable mountain of bills and junk mail he balanced precariously in one hand.
He thumbed through the mail as he trudged back up the driveway, but his eyes were still bleary with sleep and he didn't really look at any of it. When he glanced at the pamphlet, something in his groggy mind absently thought that the Mormons were getting lazy if they'd stopped going door-to-door and settled for delivering salvation through little booklets in the mail.
Steve shut the front door behind him and ambled back to the kitchen, where he tossed the mail onto the counter and busied himself with pouring himself a steaming mug of coffee. While his back was turned, he heard a few envelopes and things slip onto the floor, but didn't bother turning around. It was seven o'clock, after all, and he cared more about topping off his coffee with his preferred ratio of milk and sugar.
When he had a proper coffee waiting for him, he took a long drink from his mug and bent down to pick up the mail that'd fallen at his feet— but froze when he saw the pamphlet laying on top, read the large, jarring black text that took up the whole cover.
Understanding AIDS.
Steve promptly choked and spat out his coffee, but he barely noticed. He was already snatching the pamphlet off the tile floor and flying up the stairs, flipping through the thing at lightning speed.
He didn't even bother trying to wake his boyfriend up, just launched himself onto the bed and frantically smacked his face with the pamphlet being wrinkled in his hand. "EddieEddieEddieEddie."
Eddie jerked awake with an aborted yell, nearly cracking their skulls together. "Jesus fuck, what?" He asked, his chest heaving.
"The— outside— I was— the mail, getting the mail— look what was in the mail!" Steve managed to say, shoving the pamphlet in Eddie's face. He took a deep breath and tried to swallow the storm of feelings rising in the back of his throat, still raw from choking on his coffee. "Eddie, it's from the CDC. They sent it to everyone in the country."
Eddie stared at the paper in his hands, his knuckles turning white with how tight he gripped it. "Holy shit," he breathed. "Fucking finally. It's about damn time they took it seriously. You think this means Reagan's finally gonna put some money to curing this shit?"
Steve chewed on his lip as he watched Eddie eagerly flip through the pages. "I dunno. I'm worried if every single person is seeing this in their mailboxes this morning… a lot of 'em are gonna be pissed that 'gay cancer' is getting shoved down their throats," he said weakly. "Who do you think they're going to take it out on? Hell, that Falwell guy was just on the radio saying—"
Eddie cut Steve off with a kiss. "It'll be okay," he murmured against his lips. "Progress is never pretty, but it's still progress."
Steve took a deep breath and dropped his head to rest in the crook of Eddie's neck, squeezing his eyes shut.
"You're right, I just…"
"I know."
Steve looked out the window, across the cul-de-sac where he could see his neighbors starting their days. He could see Mrs. Terrell headed for her mailbox, all smiles with a rosy-cheeked toddler on her hip. She'd been Steve's own babysitter when he was a kid, back when she was just Valerie the honor-roll student who gave him cherry popsicles and taught him how to ride a bike— and became his first ever crush.
Steve had even babysat little Lucy a few times when Mrs. Terrell was busy organizing the parish picnic, but now his stomach was in knots watching her collect her mail with a bright smile. His eyes lingered on the yard sign standing loud and proud among Mrs. Terrell's tulips.
Reagan-Bush: Bringing America Back!
Eddie reached out to tuck Steve's hair behind his ear, his lips tugged up in a half-smile. "What's going on in that head of yours?"
Steve didn't see any point in lying. "The kids."
Eddie huffed a laugh, but it wasn't judgemental, only fond. "Should've guessed. C'mon, Steve, you know they're good kids. You really think they'll pitch a fit about this?" He asked, holding up the pamphlet. "Hell, their parents will probably chuck it in the bin before they even come home tomorrow."
"That's what I'm worried about," Steve said with a ragged sigh. "I know they're not gonna have a problem with us, but— they're in high school, Eddie. You know how much dumb shit I did at their age? Fuck, I'm lucky I didn't catch it. So are you!"
His boyfriend scoffed. "Hey, some of us always used a rubber."
Steve gave him an unimpressed look. "Sure, but how many times were you shooting up in the woods with total strangers and their needles?"
The smile fell off Eddie's face, and Steve sighed. He leaned over to kiss his cheek.
"Sorry, I shouldn't have… that wasn't cool," Steve mumbled.
Eddie kissed him back. Forgiven. "Not wrong, though," he admitted. "But the kids aren't as stupid as us, right? I mean, they've saved the world, like, four times now."
Steve shrugged helplessly. "But they're still kids. They're gonna fuck up once in a while, which would be fine, but now just one single fuck-up—"
"—is enough to kill you," Eddie agreed, blowing out a breath. "Well, let's fix that."
Eddie flipped through the pamphlet to the last page and jabbed his finger at a little rectangle of text, which Steve craned his neck to read.
Basic health education should be started as early as possible, in keeping with parental and community standards. Local schools have the responsibility to see that their students know the facts about AIDS. It is very important that middle school students— those entering their teens— learn to protect themselves from the AIDS virus.
Children must also be taught values and responsibility, as well as the skills to help them resist peer pressure that might lead to risky behavior. These skills can be reinforced by religious and community groups. However, final responsibility rests with the parents. As a parent, you should read and discuss this brochure with your children.
Steve looked up at Eddie's pointed grin.
"In case you haven't noticed, Ed, we're not actually their parents."
Eddie groaned and flopped back into the pillows. "C'mon, Steve, you read it! 'In keeping with parental and community standards'? You think Ted fuckin' Wheeler is gonna tell his kid how to fuck safe in an epidemic? Hawkins High sure didn't mention taking it up the ass during my health class. No one else is gonna teach these kids how to stay safe, but we can," he said emphatically. "What's a quick little talk about wearing rubbers and getting tested?"
Steve laid down to rest his head on Eddie's chest. "You're right. I know, it's just… They've already been through so much. Haven't they earned a lifetime to fuck around? I know it's not that simple, but I wish I could protect them from this like it was just another monster," he whispered.
Eddie's arms wrapped around him, firm and grounding.
"This is protecting them," Eddie said gently. "And they'll understand that much. Babysitter of the year, remember?"
Steve lifted his head to grin at him, knowing he looked all stupid and soft but frankly uninterested in being anything else. "Thanks."
"This doesn't get me out of cleaning duty, does it?"
"Oh, in your dreams, Munson. C'mon, there's a vacuum calling your name."