Chapter Text
Eddie’s POV
Starcourt Mall was not really Eddie Munson’s scene. As he walked through the newly opened mall, he really couldn’t understand what the troves of teenagers saw in it. It was bright and the wrong kind of loud. Even Jeff and Gareth had fallen to the Dark Side and convinced Eddie to come along with them after practice. Truthfully, he knew it was because neither of them had a working car and his van had room to spare.
It took all of five minutes before Eddie lost Jeff and Gareth in the masses. He turned his back for just a minute to look at the mall directory to see I there was even a record store worth checking out. And when he turned around, they had high tailed it.
“Guys I don’t know why I let...you...” Eddie trails off as he realizes he’s alone.
Eddie sighs to himself. They better be happy that he’s too damn nice to just leave their asses to find their own way home. Eddie is pretty sure he sticks out like a sore thumb in this place and all its neon lights and teenagers in equally neon colors. Eddie was dressed in his favorite leather jacket, his battle vest that he had newly sewn the Dio patch onto. He had a tattered Black Sabbath shirt under them both. It was from one of his first concerts and it was falling apart but he didn’t mind.
He wanders around the first floor for a while and sees that they’ve put a movie theater in the mall. He makes a mental note to check out the times on that Back to the Future movie. He may seem mean and scary but who doesn’t love Alex P. Keaton?
Eddie finds himself wandering around trying to find anything to hold his attention. He manages to kill an hour in the one and only music store in the building.
“No...no....hell no,” he says to himself as he browses through the selections. Blondie. Madonna. Huey Lewis and the News. There isn’t a single metal album in the store that he didn’t already own.
“Would it kill you all to have something actually good,” he says to himself as he looks up and realizes more than a few pairs of eyes are glued to him as he said it a little too loud. Every single one judging him. So, yeah, a typical day in the lovely open-minded town of Hawkins. Eddie slips out of the record store and leans over the railing, people watching.
By now, he thought he’d be out of this town but now he was moving on to round three of senior year. Ms. O’Donall truly had it out for him. Her F kept him from graduating and now he had to spend an entire third school year with the hag. He was going to get out of Hawkins even if it was the last thing he did. There wasn’t anything to stay for. Sure, he had Hellfire, but even that and his band wouldn’t last forever. He loved his uncle and was thankful for everything he’d done for him but this town was suffocating.
He had a plan. He’d graduate. Get the hell out of Hawkins. Maybe move to Chicago, find a place for himself in the music scene and maybe, just maybe, he could find something more meaningful than a quickie in the bathroom of the gay bar two towns over. Hawkins was lacking and it was certainly lacking in men willing to stick around instead of fooling around long enough to figure out how far into the closet they’d be pushing themselves for the rest of their lonesome lives. Again and again he would fall for someone. Some were nice to him others...well, when you don’t always think the best of yourself, you take any affection you can get. You soak in any touch and warmth and don’t always realize how wrong they are for you until they’re splitting your lip and calling you fag.
That one had stuck with him. He had been 16 and head over heels in love with Keith Turner. He seemed perfect. He had been taller than Eddie. Blonde hair right out of a hair band fantasy. He loved the same music as he did and Eddie could even look over his very wrong opinion about D&D. But 16-year-old Eddie didn’t care the moment that Keith had pulled him into the teacher’s bathroom to give him his first true make out session. It had been the only bathroom that locked at the door and no one bothered them.
After that, he followed Keith around like a puppy. It was all in secret of course, Keith even had a girlfriend, but Eddie didn’t care. He was in love. They would spend hours in the woods just the two of them and Eddie thought he was truly in love. Then everything came crumbling down.
A couple of months into it, Keith took him to a metal show out of town, just the two of them. It had been the first time they’d be together all by themselves. Keith had said it would be for Eddie‘s birthday. He had been so excited that he lost himself in the music and that had been his mistake. It fell apart the moment someone saw Eddie holding Keith’s hand and Keith had seen them pointing and laughing. Keith pulled his hand away quickly and the anger that was in his eyes was something that Eddie would never forget. Keith pushed him away, called him a fag, and punched him square in the nose as a handful of other narrow minded metalheads cheered him on. Eddie had hit the ground after the first two blows, the rest had come from the boots of those who had cheered Keith on. He’d managed to get back to his feet when they paused to tell Keith to kick him.
He had taken one last look at Keith and ran out of there, leaving any sense of innocence behind. He’d managed to get out of the venue without anyone questioning him. He ran until he was far enough away to be certain no one was following him. His whole body hurt and he was pretty sure he had a concussion as he was getting dizzier by the minute. He managed to find a pay phone and prayed that Wayne was home.
“Munson residence,” Wayne answered.
"Un-uncle Wayne, I need you to come get me,” Eddie said trying to keep his voice steady.
“Eddie? What’s wrong? What’s happened,” Wayne asked, immediately concerned.
Eddie really had tried to keep from crying as he told him where he was. Wayne hadn’t hesitated as he told him to stay there and he’d come as fast as he could.
He had sat on the curb by the payphone for an hour before his uncle had gotten there. By then, his right eye was already swollen shut but his nose had finally stopped bleeding. The pain, though, had settled in for the night. Wayne had raced out of his truck the moment he saw the state of Eddie. He helped him into the truck and hightailed it out of there.
“Jesus Christ, Eddie, what happened,” Wayne had asked as he helped him into the truck. Wayne tried to be gentle and not jostle Eddie as he helped him in but the boy couldn’t hold back the hiss of pain when he reached back for the seat belt. Wayne buckled him in. They were on the road when Eddie finally answered his question.
“I told you, Unc, concert got rough and I took one to the face,” Eddie said. He never was good at lying to Wayne.
“Eddie, I know the different between an accident and a punch thrown with purpose. That boy. Did he hurt you,” Wayne said as he gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles turn white.
“I...I don’t want to talk about it,” Eddie replied as he folded up on himself and hissed. He could add bruised ribs to the list of injuries.
Wayne pulled the truck over and put it in park. He twisted to look at Eddie. Eddie didn’t look at him at first. He hadn’t been sure if it were the feelings of shame or just overall sadness that kept his eyes at the floorboard. He didn’t want Wayne to think of him differently. His mom was dead and his dad in prison, Wayne was all he had. If he looked up to see shame or disgust in his uncle’s eyes, he’d wish to just fold in on himself until he just simply disappeared into the void.
“Eddie, look at me,” Wayne asked. Eddie shook his head, he could feel the tears coming.
He felt Wayne’s callused fingers on his chin as he gently turned Eddie’s face towards him. Eddie looked up and there was no look of shame or disgust. Wayne’s eyes were those of a parent hurting because their child was hurting. Wayne had taken him in when his dad had been sent to prison. Eddie remembered sitting in the office of the social services worker. She called Wayne and had been very blunt with him when she told him that either he became Eddie’s legal guardian or Eddie would be in the foster system until he was 18. Wayne hadn’t hesitated.
Wayne had arrived by the end of the day. All of Eddie’s possessions had been shoved into his back pack when the social worker had come for him. Wayne hadn’t asked for money. He signed the necessary paperwork and turned to Eddie. He scooped the young boy into his arms and never looked back. Now, years later, he looked at him with such sadness.
“Edward, no matter what you tell me, please know that I will never turn my back on you. You are my only family, you are MY son, even if my good for nothing brother is your daddy, he ain’t your father. Please. Did that boy do this to you?”
“You promise you won’t hate me,” Eddie hiccupped as the sob slowly broke free.
“Oh, kid. Yes, I promise. There is nothing you could ever do to make me hate you. I know who you are, Edward Munson,” Wayne said with a look that told Eddie he really did know about him. So, he opened up.
“Keith...I thought he liked me. He acted like he did. He, uh, kept us secret, but he never was mean. He asked me to go to this show with him, like I told you, but I thought it wasn’t just because we were friends. I held his hand. Others saw and he hit me..and kicked me...and I ran away.”
Wayne pursed his lips together and brushed Eddie’s hair out of his face, trying to ignore the fact that there was dried blood in it. He pulled Eddie into a gentle hug.
“He won’t hurt you anymore. This world isn’t kind to people like you. They don’t understand how good you are for it. I promise you, this Keith boy will be dealt with. He won’t hurt you ever again. And one day, you will find someone who will treat you with the kindness that you deserve. You have a big heart and one day, someone will see it and love you for it. Now, let’s get you to the ER, make sure you’re okay and then we’ll head home.”
The next day, Wayne had stayed home with him and treated him to a movie. Keith never bothered him again and his family moved away before the next school year. After that, Eddie had been a lot more guarded. If he never got too close to anyone romantically, then he wouldn’t get hurt again. It had worked so far for him.
Now, four years later, he rarely found someone in town who was like him. This past school year, there had been one boy. Todd Owens. He was part of the track team so he wasn’t one of the top tier popular jocks but he definitely thought he was. Tall, blonde, and a touch pushy. Eddie had zero interest in this walking douchenozzle and he had been trying his best to avoid him for weeks now because he was not going to let another closet case hurt him. Not to mention that every time Todd would see him alone, he always got...handsy. Eddie had been able to get away from him and avoided him so far this summer.
God, he needed a smoke but instead, he would just cure his craving with the one vice everyone caves to eventually. Sugar. Minutes later, Eddie walked into Scoops Ahoy. It’s crammed full of kids spending the last of the allowance money, boys hoping to run into the girl they’ve starred at all school year, and people like him, people with no better place to be. Eddie smiles to himself as he sees the person under the sailor’s cap serving the gaggle of girls in line in front of him.
“Buckley! I didn’t know you stuck around this summer! Figured you’d be at band camp with the rest of your brethren,” Eddie said as strolled up to the counter. He and Robin were by no means close but they were friendly. Eddie had tried band one year before he realized he wouldn’t be caught dead in the marching uniforms. Buckley had been the only person who talked to him when they ran into each other. And he was almost certain that she, too, was a friend of Dorothy.
“Munson! Ah, well, figured it was time I went out in the world and made a name for myself in the nautical themed dairy slinging business. What about you? Didn’t think you’d be caught dead here,” Robin says with a smile.
“What? Is it such an extraordinary idea that I may have come here to enjoy myself with my fellow youths,” Eddie says leaning against the glass of the ice cream case.
Robin raises her eyebrow and crosses her arms and Eddie smiles, “Okay, okay, no need for the third degree, mom. Gareth and Jeff wanted to come and I have a ride. Then they abandoned me for the bright lights and pretty girls.”
“And what about you, Munson, no one catching your eye?” Robin asks and Eddie’s chest seizes. Had he thought wrong? But the weight is lifted when she smiles and winks. “Nah, I think it’s going to be hard for either of us to find that summer love...if you catch my drift.”
Before anything else is said, a crash comes from the back and Robin sighs.
“Dingus! What did you break,” she yells as the shingled doors of the window behind her swing open and of all the people he would expect to see poking their head out, he definitely didn’t have Steve Harrington on that list.
“Robin, you cannot expect me to unload all of these by myself,” he says looking annoyed, little sailor hat askew on his head.
He could count on one hand the interactions he and Harrington had had in the years before he graduated and not a one of them had been good. He’d heard rumors that Harrington had fallen off his throne after this break-up with Nancy Wheeler last Halloween and Eddie had to admit that he hadn’t seen him sitting with Tommy H this last semester and had become scarce beyond the pep rallies that Eddie seemed to always unfortunately miss.
“Dingus, as you can see, I am with a customer,” Robin said pointing her scooper at Eddie.
Their eyes lock.
You know how in Rom-Coms, the two main characters lock eyes and it’s like the world around them goes into slow motion and the only people in the world are just those two characters. Yeah, that shit doesn’t happen, not to Eddie, not after everything. Instead, their eyes lock, linger longer than they should, and Eddie quickly tears his eyes away and tries to look more interested in the ice cream. Steve goes back to arguing with Robin as Eddie realizes that he has goddamn butterflies over Steve Harrington.
Eddie sneaks another look and he feels a warmth in his belly. Those shorts on Steve are seriously a crime but damnit if they weren’t working for him. He catches himself checking out Steve’s ass and knows that he’s going to get in trouble if he stays much longer. Eddie clears his throat. Robin spins around and realizes that Eddie is still standing there.
“Sorry, Munson. New employees, am I right?”
Steve puts his hands on his hips and rolls his eyes at Robin, “We started on the same day.”
Eddie quickly orders a cone and heads out. He never notices how Steve’s eyes follow him out.
Steve’s POV
Steve pushes through the double doors, wiping melted ice cream off his hands. He’s been in the back for what feels like hours unloading the ice cream tubs that were supposed to be frozen but were dripping all over the place.
“Robin, you cannot expect me to unload all of these by myself,” he says, still not looking up. Why was the ice cream always so damn sticky?
"Dingus, as you can see, I am with a customer,” she responds, usual bite to her words.
Steve looks up readying his next insult as this has become how they both make it through the dull work days. The words die on his lips as he locks eyes with the person behind Robin. Steve can physically feel something breaks free in his chest. After his messy break up with Nancy, he’d just not let himself look at anyone the way he had looked at her. Left his heart locked up in place. At this moment, his heart had other plans as it started beating faster. He vaguely recognizes the man but he just can’t place him. Which shocks him as how could he forget someone with those eyes. Big doe eyes that look like pools of midnight sky, shining brightly with stars. Eyes that look like they could look into a person and know their worth. Eyes that Steve never wanted to look away from.
Eyes that make Steve question everything about himself. Everything he thought he knew about himself. He feels his heart skip a bit as he feels like everything around him has slowed to a standstill. Steve slowly realizes that he is taking in every single aspect of this person as he had the first time he’d seen Nancy. He stills his hands which long to run through the incredibly soft looking brown curls. Licks his lips as they have suddenly gone dry because they aren’t on his. Finally, he remembers to breath as time catches back up and the seconds that felt like an eternity have passed. The man breaks eye contact and Steve feels a brief wave of disappointment wash over him.
Robin hands the man a cone and he hurries out of the shop, Steve’s eyes never leaving him.
“Hey, Buckley, who was that? He went to Hawkins High, right” Steve asks, trying his best to not sound like he’d just come undone by a total stranger.
“You mean still goes to Hawkins High. That’s Eddie Munson. He runs the Hellfire Club,” she says as she puts her scooper back into the warm water.
“The what now,” Steve asks confused. What the hell was a Hellfire Club?
“The Hellfire Club. It’s a bunch of kids who get together once a week to play that Dungeons and Dragons game,” she says.
Steve smiles, “Well, you don’t seem the dungeoning type, Robin.”
She rolls her eyes, “Because I’m not. He was in band with me.”
“Huh,” he says as he folds his arms.
“Huh, what, Harrington,” she asks, a tinge of annoyance in her voice.
“I don’t know. I thought I knew everyone in my class,” Steve says, still trying to place him.
“Guess not. Now, here comes some more customers. Your turn to serve the public and my turn to watch you once again go down in flames with the next batch of giddy teens,” she says as she goes back to the back. Steve knows she’s going back for the stupid white board she’s been tallying his failures on. He’ll admit it, he’s a bit rusty. His break up with Nancy had shaken him and he wasn’t quite back to where he’d been.
“Hardy har har, Buckley,” he says as he whips round and smiles at the two girls in front of him, “Ahoy, ladies! I’ll be your captain today. Would you guys like to set sail on an ocean of flavor with me?”
The girls look at each other and laugh. Steve’s confidence crashes and burns as he stumbles over his words. What the hell? He likes women. He has always been able to woo them. He gets thoughts about one guy and now he can’t even speak to a girl? He tries to think of something to say as he gives them their orders.
“It’s..it’s my..first day here,” he says with a defeated sigh, hoping the lie would win him some sympathy.
It doesn’t.
“And another one bites the dust. You are 0 for 6, Popeye,” Robin says as she puts yet another tally mark on her board.
“Yeah, yeah, I can count,” Steve says.
“You know that means you suck,” she tells him.
“Yep, I can read, too,” Steve says annoyance rising.
“Since when,” she snarks.
“It’s this stupid hat! I am telling you, it is blowing my best feature,” Steve says. His hair was what he was known for and this stupid little sailor’s hat was the worst.
Robin leans in close, “Yeah, company policy is a real drag.”
Steve wasn’t sure why he cared so much about getting a new girlfriend. It hadn’t been that bad without one. Yeah, those first few months were rough and no one needs to know that he actually cried some. He really had been in love with Nancy and for her to say what she said, it had hurt...a lot. And of all the people he would have considered being a possible lifeline, he never once thought it would be a middle schooler but goddamn it, he wouldn’t trade Dustin Henderson for the world.
The little butthead had been at computer camp for a week now and Steve would be lying if he said he hadn’t missed him. Steve sees Robin look up and he turns. Two more girls are coming to the counter. Robin readies her marker. Steve rolls his eyes and rips the hat off his head. Company policy be damned, he would prove Robin wrong. One way or another.