Chapter Text
Steve pulls up to the Byers house and pushes his car door open. The kids all rush to the front door, giggling and talking about something or other, Steve trailing along behind them.
They were giddy the whole drive over to the Byers house, all of them excited for their first sleepover of the summer. Always the babysitter, Steve was, of course, tasked with picking them all up and dropping them off at the Byers house because Dustin practically begged him and as much as he complains, he would do anything for those kids. He plans to head to Family Video to annoy Robin afterwards and grab a movie for him and Eddie to watch tonight anyway.
Eddie’s been staying at his house ever since his trailer was destroyed in the whole saving the world drama. Steve offered to let Eddie’s Uncle stay there too, he has plenty of spare bedrooms, but Eddie said his Uncle was temporarily moving back to his own hometown to take care of a sick relative.
Eddie stayed behind to finish off high school, which he finally managed to do, it really was his year.
When school ended, Eddie silently decided that he would much prefer to stay with Steve and Steve never asked him if he wanted to leave. He (really) likes the company.
Steve’s parents got an awful shock, though, when they came home from their most recent business trip, that had lasted a total of three weeks, going right through spring break and only returning a week and a half later, to find Eddie Munson sitting on their couch beside their only son watching Star Wars under a fluffy blanket that Joyce had gifted to Steve last winter.
Steve, surprisingly, managed to convince them not to kick the boy out. He’s still not sure what convinced them to allow a previously suspected Satanic murder, now with all charges dropped and a profuse apology from their old Chief (Eddie loves the recently reinstated Chief Hopper for that one), to stay in their house indefinitely.
Steve’s pretty sure that they don’t stick around long enough for them to care all that much. It’s not like it would really affect them.
They left for another ‘business trip’ the next day and didn’t come back for almost a month. They haven’t spent a lot of time in Hawkins ever since Steve learned to take care of himself properly. Now, though, they rarely come back and when they do, it’s never for longer than a week.
For the first month, Eddie wouldn’t stop apologising for it, feeling completely at fault for Steve’s parents practically never coming home anymore. It took a long while before Steve managed to get it through to Eddie that it’s not his fault and he doesn’t blame him at all.
Sure, Steve’s not exactly thrilled that his parents don’t seem to give two shits about him now that he’s legally an adult, but they never really cared before that either. They’re not nice people anyway, his dad especially.
Steve used to miss them when they left for one of their business trips. Now, he feels a weight being lifted off of him every time they leave. He feels like he can be more himself when they’re not there.
Steve told Eddie all this with what he had hoped was a reassuring smile, but it came out as more of a self-conscious grimace. Eddie had simply hugged him tightly, tucking his head into Steve’s shoulder, and Steve had hugged him back just as tightly.
Ever since then, they’ve been as thick as thieves. They spend most of their spare time hanging out together at their house (yes, Steve calls it their house, only in his head though, he hadn’t worked up the courage to say it out loud in fear of scaring off the man, but Steve was finding it harder to stop himself now.)
Eddie showed up to Family Video almost every day after school and pretended to search through movie titles as him and Steve talked with Robin occasionally joining in. Even after Eddie had finished school and started looking for a job (which hasn’t been all that successful because of the whole murder charges thing, but he’s working on it), he still showed up regularly to tease Steve and to not so discretely check out Steve’s ass in his work jeans, according to Robin’s knowing looks.
Eddie even succeeded in convincing Steve to come to one of his DnD campaigns with the kids. Steve had pulled up a stool beside Eddie with a fond roll of his eyes, practically hanging onto every word as Eddie did what he did best. He even got Steve to blush a pretty pink with an overly flirty wink to make the kids laugh. He was very proud of himself after that.
Steve showed up to his graduation, pulling the kids along with him with a huge, proud smile on his face that made Eddie’s stomach stir with a warm flush. He still can’t remember anyone else ever being that proud of him. Steve had laughed when Eddie flipped off the principle as he always promised and was promptly shown off the stage.
He had been the first person to approach Eddie when it was over, pulling him into a hug with a splitting grin that Eddie couldn’t help but return.
When Steve had jokingly kissed his cheek when Dustin had lifted a camera up to take a photo of them, Eddie in his cap and gown and his diploma in hand and Steve with a hand pressed lightly against his lower back, Eddie immediately knew, right then and there, that he loved Steve Harrington, and he probably always would.
Steve remembers when he first realised.
He had come home from a really long double shift at Family Video, Robin had left early in the morning after her shift had ended and Steve had to work by himself for the rest of the day. Steve swears the store had never been as busy as it was five minutes after Robin left, a constant stream of customers giving him a headache for the rest of the day.
The flow of people didn’t stop until an hour before he had to close, so he had spent the rest of his time finishing up all he had to do before closing and driving back home.
He had grabbed one of Eddie’s favourite movies before heading out. He really just wanted to sit down and watch a movie with the guy that he had really come to enjoy the company of.
He opened the door to see all the lights dimmed down, which really helped soothe his ongoing headache. He toed off his shoes and shrugged off his jacket to move into the living room and the connecting kitchen.
The first thing he sees is Eddie pouring a large amount of popcorn into a huge bowl wearing one of Steve’s sweaters, grey sweatpants and a pair of fluffy socks that Steve knows came out of his sock drawer, his hair pulled up into a messy bun.
Eddie had looked up at him, smiling widely, his eyes crinkling at the edges when he saw him and immediately starts talking softly and smoothly.
“Robin called me and mentioned you had a double shift, so I knew you’d probably be tired and that you might have a headache so I made sure to dim the lights ‘cause I know they hurt your head.” He moves to the fridge and pulls out two cans of Coke which is Steve’s favourite.
“I thought we could watch a movie, if you’re up for it, and I brought down your blanket, you know the one you like? The really fluffy one, and I made popcorn.”
Eddie finished off his little ramble with an adorable little smile and a flourish to the popcorn bowl still on the kitchen island.
Steve knew then, looking at Eddie bundled up in his clothes, his hair in a messy bun, with cute fluffy socks on and a dorky little smile on his face, and how cutely thoughtful he was and how much he seemed to just care about Steve. Steve knew when he simply moved forward to wrap Eddie into a long, grateful hug, smiling into the boys chest and hearing Eddie ask if he was okay, desperately trying to resist the urge to lean up and kiss him.
Steve knew then, that he loved Eddie Munson, more than he had ever loved anyone before.
Steve’s pulled out of his thoughts by Dustin shrieking loudly. Steve quickly takes the last few steps towards the porch, realising with a sigh of relief that Dustin had merely tripped over his own two feet. He smacks Dustin lightly on the back of the head with the palm of his hand as Mike eagerly knocks on the door.
Will opens the door open with a big grin (Steve’s pretty sure that was totally aimed at Mike, him and Eddie have a bet going with Robin about the two of them, Eddie and him bet the boys will be together by mid summer, while Robin thinks it’ll take them the whole summer), inviting them all in. Steve’s about to turn back around and go back to his car now that he knows they’re all safe and sound, but he hears Joyce call his name.
He looks up to see her gesturing him inside from her place, standing behind all the kids huddled in the doorway. He smiles at her kindly and steps up the porch and up to the door.
He’s always liked Joyce, from what he’s seen she’s the mother he always wished to have. He’s seen firsthand how much she loves her kids and how far she’s willing to go to protect them.
She invites him in with a smile and the promise of a cup of coffee and he can’t say no to her. He steps in and ruffles Dustin’s hair as he passes him who complains loudly at having his hair messed up.
The kids are quick to run off into Wills room to set up their sleeping arrangements. Steve’s glad they still act like little kids after everything they’ve been through, Joyce moves to make them both a cup of coffee, making small talk, though Steve can tell she wants to ask him something.
He thinks he might have an idea.
“So, how are things with you and the Chief?” She turns to him with a look of confusion, but he knows he asked the right question.
She laughs softly, “How’d you know?”
He smiles and thanks her for the coffee as she sits beside him.
“The ring.”
Joyce smiles fondly down at the engagement ring on her finger, twisting it thoughtfully. “Things are very good.”
She looks up at him again, “I wanted to ask you actually,”
She looks almost nervous as she glances down at the table, tapping the wood absently, before meeting his eyes again, though he’s noticed her do it frequently in the past few years, they all have their own nervous habits.
“Me and Hop want you to come to the wedding. It’ll be this time next month. It’s not going to be, you know, big and glamorous, just family.” Steve smiles softly, trying to fight back tears at the fact that she sees him as family.
Joyce smiles kindly at him, placing her hand on top of his on the table, like she can tell how the word family is affecting him.
“You’re family. After everything we’ve all been through together, you could never not be. You take care of those kids as if they’re your own. They love you, you know, even if they don’t say it.” Steve can’t stop the small sob that leaves his mouth, tears gathering in his eyes. He immediately feels embarrassed.
“Oh sweetie.” Joyce stands up and pulls him up into a hug. Steve feels himself relax into the hug, sniffing away the last of his tears as he just lets himself relax and soak up the comfort. He’s a sap for a good hug.
“Honey, you know, you can always come to me if you need to, okay? Even if you just want to sit and chat, or if you just want a hug or something, yeah?”
Steve feels his heart ache. He smiles gratefully at her and chuckles softly.
“Yeah-uh-I’ll definitely do that. Thank you, Ms Byers.”
Joyce smiles at him again, more upbeat now, “Call me, Joyce.”
He sniffs one last time, looking down at his shoes with a smile.
“I’ll let you go now, sweetie. Thank you for making sure they all got here safe.”
She taps his arm gently once before they both stand up. Steve thanks her again for the coffee and the hug with a smile and moves towards the door to head back to his car.
“Oh! And Steve?”
He turns back to her, “Yeah?”
She smiles at him again, “You bring that Eddie kid with you, yeah? I like him.”
Steve smiles fondly at the mention of Eddie, excited now to bring him along to the wedding with him.
“Yeah, yeah I will.”
Joyce beams at him, something in her eyes telling Steve that she knows something that he doesn’t.
He doesn’t question it though, saying goodbye and wishing her luck with taking care of the kids before stepping outside again and quickly walking back to his car in favour of getting to Family Video and then home to Eddie as quickly as possible.
He promised Eddie a movie after all.