Work Text:
Steve collects little glass animals.
He never tells anyone because he thinks it’s silly. Yet his dresser is covered in all manner of glass creatures from foxes and whales to unicorns and dragons, no larger than an inch.
It had all started when he was young and his parents actually invited him to come on holiday with them for once. They went to a small beach town that was deceptively normal. If he didn’t look at the hotel prices or think too hard about the restaurant menus then Steve could almost pretend it was an average family holiday.
Amongst all the repetitive tourist shops was a stall that had handmade glass decor. Cups and plates that apparently were meant to be looked at, not used. Steve wasn’t sure why because they were ugly.
But there It stood, hidden amongst the cups and plates, a tiny glass frog.
It looked rather silly, almost as if it was made by someone who had never seen a frog and only had it described to them. More like the concept of a frog.
He couldn’t help but smile at it.
His Mom apparently noticed and immediately bought it for him, plopping the funny little figure into his palm as he stared in wonder.
Even now Steve isn’t sure if she knows that it was the first gift she’d given him in years.
It became a thing after that. They would go away, come back and leave again. But this time every night before they left, a new glass figure would appear on his dresser.
Looking back Steve theorised that it was because his mother didn’t really know what he liked- and this was the one thing she knew he’d shown an interest in, however mild.
This carried on well into his teens, until he was around 16 and he woke up to his Dad’s angry voice in the hall.
Telling his Mom that it was enough, that Steve was an adult now and didn’t want stupid little toys.
The yelling was accompanied shortly by the unmistakable sound of glass breaking.
After he watched the car drive off, Steve went out into the corridor and saw the cracked apart body of a glass penguin.
He swept it up.
From that day on, Steve didn’t get any more glass animals from his Mom.
Nevertheless his collection was rather large now! Around thirty creatures of varying skill and wacky colours.
He placed photo frames and trophies in front of them when friends and dates visited, not that they cared enough to look around. He couldn’t help but be embarrassed by them.
That was until one Dustin Henderson.
He should have seen it coming really, the kid was already aware of all his business.
“Steve, what the hell are these?” He said one day while snooping around Steve’s room.
“Hm? Oh, uh. They’re gifts.”
“Gifts?”
“Yeah, y’know, for me.”
“They’re cool, I like this black lizard- he’s a bit wonky though.” He said while picking said lizard up with, in Steve’s opinion, much too rough movements for handling glass.
“You can have him. I mean, if you want.”
Dustin’s eyes lit up “Really?! Thanks, man! Are you sure though, aren’t they gifts?” He looked over the impressive collection.
“No man it’s fine really, I’m too old for this stuff now. Tell the others they can come grab some too.” He hoped that sounded sincere.
Dustin looked at his sceptically but pocked the glass lizard with a big ‘Thanks!’
As most things do when Dustin hears about it, word spread fast. Over the next few weeks all of the kids made a visit and pocketed a figure, leaving Steve small gifts of their own in return.
Erica was first, barging through his door as Lucas followed just behind her with a whispered apology.
She picked from the animals with a dramatic “Eeny, meeny, miny, you!” Before landing on a small blue unicorn with white hair and colourful spots. She spun towards Steve and assured him that he could skip this week's ice cream delivery from their deal.
“Thanks…I think.” He responded.
Sheepishly, Lucas selected a small tiger.
“You know, because basketball-“
“We all got it Lucas.”
“Erica, shut up!”
He offered to steal Steve one of his trophies from the display cabinet at school, which Steve accepted enthusiastically. What’s a bit of theft amongst teammates?
Mike, Will and El all came together next, two of them looking much more enthusiastic than the other.
With a wide smile and a heart melting “Thank you!!” El selected a small grey bear, showing it to Will who laughed with her, obviously sharing a joke that Steve was missing.
Will then leant past her and gingerly grabbed himself a red dragon, prompting another laugh out of El. Yeah, Steve didn’t want to know.
With a far too exaggerated huff Mike finally moved over to take a look.
He tried to hide the slight smile that came onto his face at the small fluffy dog figure but the other three caught it anyway, sharing a knowing glance.
With all their animals selected they make to leave but not before Will promises Steve a grand painting, El offers to make him Eggos just like Hoppers and Mike promises to not say anything rude for a whole week to Steve…A hard task, apparently.
He rolled his eyes and watches them leave before making his way back up to his room, looking at the slowly decreasing collection.
Over the next few weeks people come by to pick up an animal, many of which Steve was really not expecting.
Robin grabs herself a little pig, Nancy a parrot, Max a shark, Jonathan a raccoon and a small rabbit for his mom.
The collection just keeps on decreasing and looking more empty each day.
Everyone had collected at least one, some even taking a few, everyone but Eddie.
Hey, Steve thought, maybe he’s not a delicate figure kinda guy. But then again neither was Dustin.
Steve couldn’t help but feel a little bad for his animals- started to get defensive on their behalf.
Part of him knew it was just because he wanted them gone.
Finally he had admitted to himself that the reason he kept them so long was because he thought it was proof his Mom cared about him and thought about him while on trips.
The truth is, they were her get out of jail free card.
The thing she could point to and tell herself she was a great mother for. She didn’t even bother to say goodbye, just left an animal and went. Another example of thinking money was the most important part or their lives.
And he couldn’t look at them the same after that.
Finally Steve’s birthday had arrived.
As usual, nothing from his relatives. But for once he didn’t mind all that much because he knew everyone he cared about was coming over to celebrate with him that night. That’s all he needed.
He rolled himself out of bed and put on his ‘party clothes’ i.e sweats and a shirt.
But his dresser caught his attention before he could leave the room.
From his collection, only one figure remained. The tiny glass frog. It looked rather lonely now, sat all by itself.
He stared at it for a moment before shaking his head and running downstairs to set up the food.
Everyone arrived shortly after and apologised for not immediately giving him a gift as, rather cryptically, Eddie was bringing them all.
Sure enough about an hour into the party, a loud knock sounded at the door followed by an unsuccessful attempt at opening the lock.
Laughing at the little ‘shit!’ that was let out from behind the door, Steve opened it to find Eddie carrying a fuck ton of bags. Multiple in both his hands and balanced precariously in his arms.
“Happy birthday Harrington! Let me the fuck in, please!”
Still laughing, Steve moved aside so Eddie could hobble in with the presents before dramatically dropping them onto the sofa and spinning around to face the kids.
“And WHY exactly did I have to bring all of them?”
Dustin pipes up. “Dude, they were already at your place.”
“Yeah, it’s easier for you to bring them all than us all go get them, take them home then bring them here.” Lucas points out.
“Easier for you.” Eddie grumbles, ignoring the middle finger thrown his way.
After that little display the party carried on like usual. The young adults drank their ridiculously colourful cocktails, courtesy of Robin, while the kids complained about being stuck with lemonade.
If you told Steve that his 20th birthday party would be full of 15 year olds a few years ago…well, he probably would have laughed in your face.
Around 10 the party started to wind down and the kids began to head out, accompanied by their adult chaperones.
“But I didn’t even open your guys presents yet!”
“Um, we’re good. You can thank us for your amazing gifts tomorrow, but I don’t want to see what’s about to happen.”
“Erica!” Max slaps her shoulder lightly. “What she means is, we’re not good at watching people open things. Eddie though, Eddie loves it. Go find him, later!”
Before Steve even had time to be confused they were out of the door. Leaving him alone with a mountain of bags and Eddie, standing over them with a grin.
“What are you all planning?” He says warily as he shuffles back into the living room.
“Nothing, nothing. Just come sit.” He pats the cushion next to him in front of the coffee table. “Little birdie told me you had quite the cute collection going.” He purred, leaning into Steve’s space.
Suddenly it felt way too hot in the room.
“Uh, yeah. Yeah I did. Most of them are gone now though, just the one left.”
“Shame, would have loved to have seen it.”
“Didn’t think fragile colourful animals would be your thing, Munson.”
“Not really, but I’m not surprised that they’re yours, Harrington.”
Steve Slapped him on the shoulder as the other cackled at his expression slightly.
“Anyway, anyway! The kids have been planning this for a while, and I’m dying to see you open them.”
Unsure on the sudden topic shift, Steve reached for the closest bag- the decorated tag reading ‘from Will’
Inside was a small wad of tissue paper and a hand drawn taped on ‘fragile!’ sign. He couldn’t help the wide smile that came onto his face seeing that.
Gently unwrapping the paper, a letter fell out and revealed the present.
It was a small glass lion.
He turned it around in his hand a few times, staring at it in awe. It was gorgeous.
“Read the note, man.” Eddie said softly.
Steve nodded slightly before gently placing the Lion on his table and picking up the note.
“Dear Steve, you’re as brave as a lion! Thank you for making us all feel safe no matter what. From, Will”
Accompanied by a drawing of Steve standing proudly next to a lion, a crown sat atop his head.
Steve wondered if his eyes could get as glassy as the figure with the tears making their way up.
He jolted slightly as he felt a hand rest over his knee, looking up to see Eddie’s wide smile.
“Do you like it?”
“Like it? Man, I’m almost crying like a baby. Fucking kids.” They shared a laugh.
“I’ve got bad news for you then.” Eddie said softly as he pushed another parcel towards Steve’s lap.
One by one he unwrapped a small animal, and one by one he read the accompanying notes. By the end he was freely crying, he didn’t care what he looked like. Never had to in front of Eddie.
Eddie cupped his face in his hand “You okay?”
He nodded hastily, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand as he clutched Dustin’s letter. “Never been better.”
He didn’t think he was exaggerating.
“You just got one left.”
The bag in his lap was accompanied by a cut out bat shaped label, silly little doodles and faces scribbled all over it. He didn’t even need to read it to know it was from Eddie.
With shaky hands he once again unwrapped the paper. Eddie laughed at him, clearly having added too many layers of paper on purpose to fuck with him.
But when he did get to the middle, he let out a startled laugh.
It was a two tiny black glass cats.
One with a top hat and stick, the other with a guitar.
“So that’s how you see me?” He said, holding the posh cat beside his face, grin so wide it almost hurt, as he tried to pose like the animal.
Eddie pretended to contemplate it for a second through finger binoculars. Before yelling out “Absolutely identical!”
And the rockstar cat was so painfully Eddie, the gift itself was so painfully Eddie.
Did he even know why this meant so much to him? Or did he think he was just crying over some kids being nice to him?
He promised himself to tell Eddie later.
Making sure the cats were safely to the side, he threw himself towards Eddie in a bruising hug. He buried his head into the others neck and let himself sob, a comforting hand coming up rub along his back.
Steve didn’t go to bed alone that night, he forgot how much he missed that.
His dresser wasn’t so empty anymore.
He woke up with a warm feeling against his back, a soft smile being pressed into his neck as they cuddled into the blanket.
And if he looked to the side, he could see the little glass frog sat on the side.
A tiny little frog, funny looking and wonky sat amongst an assortment of other animals.
Figures that Steve knew meant something, that he knew had thought behind them.
He really loved his glass animals collection.