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Richard and Patricia did not recognize the vehicles in their driveway. Only the bottom floor of lights seemed to be on and there wasn't any loud, well too loud, music.
So this wasn't one of Steve's little parties.
Still, Richard did NOT like any party thrown at his house.
So, after helping his wife out of the car, both made their way into the house. And it seemed most of the people were in the back, using their pool.
Well it was summer…
"HENDERSON! IF I HAVE TO TELL YOU ONE MORE TIME NOT TO RUN BY THE POOL, YOU'RE GROUNDED!"
Both jumped at Steve's yell but were even more startled at him parenting someone.
"Fuck off!"
That was definitely an older child.
"Dustin, listen to your mother!"
Richard paled a bit.
"Ow! Stevie, why!"
"I am not that kid's mother."
Both walked to the back, to the pool.
There, they could see the door open, Steve standing at the grill, hands on his hips. He was scowling, but they could tell it was fond.
Next to him was someone a bit older with a mess of hair, Pouting and holding his hand to his chest.
"Steve, sweetheart! Where should I put the cake?"
That was definitely Joyce Byers, in their kitchen.
"In the refrigerator, Joyce! Don't want the icing to melt! When's Hopper gonna be here?"
The police chief?
"Another hour or so- Johnathan, can you open the door?"
They heard a quiet "Sure, mom"
What the hell was going on?
Patricia's eyes landed on a wheelchair, a red haired girl and a boy who was definitely Sue's sitting at the edge of the pool, leaned up against each other. There were a few older girls laughing and nudging each other as they looked at Steve and the other young man.
Richard could tell something had changed. Whatever it was… Steve seemed to have found his people.
He stepped back out of view as Joyce's oldest, Johnathan walked out, carrying a few plates of meat.
Steve seemed a bit awkward, looking at the boy, but there was a type of fondness there.
They watched as Steve nudged him before nodding to the girls, watched as Johnathan gave this sweet smile before walking to Nancy Wheeler, kissing her before sitting next to the girls.
Weren't Nancy and Steve dating?
Richard shook his head and made a move to walk out, only to freeze, watching as Steve's face pale.
Something was wrong.
Steve tried to blink away whatever it was but it didn't seem to leave. His boy looked.. almost scared. The fear in his eyes… Steve placed a hand on his neck, shaking. And that's when he noticed the scar that wrapped around his son's neck.
Richard took a few steps, and as he did, the other boy took notice of Steve.
Richard stopped, watching as the boy took Steve's hand, and used his other to make Steve look at him.
"Stevie, Steve it's okay. You aren't there anymore. You're Safe"
What the absolute hell happened to his son?!
"I know… fuck. It's just.. sometimes I can still feel it. It's either my neck or my sides."
The boy snorted and held Steve's hand close. "Tell me about it…. Seriously, tell me. Are you still getting nightmares?"
"Not as often, but then again, Robin or Nance or Johnathan or one of the brats are always staying over."
The boy only nodded and kissed the back of Steve's hand, Richard ignored his wife's gasp as he watched.
Steve only gave the boy a smile, one that Richard only saw on men who went through hell and back and would be comforted by a loved one.
He took a breath and shook his head before straightening and walking out into the open and everyone seemed to freeze.
Steve stared at him with fear in his eyes and fuck didn't that hurt.
"Steven. May I ask what is going on here?"
Steve glanced around but not once did he let go of the boy's hand. "It's… a party." He straightened up a bit. "It's a congratulatory party and El's never been to one. So… I'm celebrating Mrs. Byers and Hopper's engagement."
He always knew those two would end up together.
"I see. Can I speak to you? Alone?"
The boy next to Steve tensed up, glaring at him but Steve only shook his head and let go of his hand, moving to follow his father back into the house.
They got back to Patricia in silence, his wife looking a bit worried as he turned to face his son.
His son who, for some reason, held himself like a soldier.
His eyes went back to the scar and he reached out, ignoring the flinch his son gave as he lightly touched the scar.
He could feel his son shaking as he met his eyes.
Both stayed silent.
"What happened to you, son?"
It was like a dam burst. Tears immediately welled up as Richard pulled his son close.
"Dad.. dad, it was the worst… and it all hurt so much. It hurt."
Richard held his son close, holding him as he cried. He couldn't remember the last time his son cried.
Then again, when would he? He wasn't around.
Richard took a shaky breath and pet his boy, looking at Patricia who's makeup was already running.
He briefly caught a glance of Hopper but Joyce pulled him into the kitchen.
He was sure both were listening in.
It took a few minutes, but Steve pulled away and Patricia set to work, cleaning his face.
"Everything okay in here?"
Richard looked up to see the boy again, leaning in the doorframe, arms crossed and eyes dark.
"Yeah… yeah Eddie, it's okay…" Steve gave Eddie a weak smile. "He's just worried…"
Eddie's eyes softened before he walked over, and held his hand out to Richard.
Richard stared him down before shaking his hand. "Richard Harrington."
"Eddie Munson, at your service."
Munson? Where had he heard that name before?
"Steve here is a real hero, I hope you know. He's one of the best damn men I've ever met."
Steve hissed at Eddie to shut up, almost begging, but the boy stood firm.
"I'm sure you heard about the murders. I was accused of being the culprit. Steve saved me from being ripped apart by the sheep in the town and was able to prove it wasn't me. During the earthquakes before my name was cleared? He helped dig me out of some rumble."
Their cover story was simple.
Henry Creel had taken after his father, and started the murders. He had been hiding in Eddie's trailer when he and Chrissy got there.
After that, it was mostly the same, Eddie on the run, hiding. The earthquakes had caught him off guard and the building he was hiding in collapsed on him.
Eddie snapped back to the present, straightening and staring Richard down. "He's one of the bravest men I know."
Richard turned to look at Steve who in turn looked like he was going to cry again. He could see it in his son's eyes. He loved this boy.
And Richard felt his heart break because the world is already harsh enough as it is. And now he was sure it would eat Steve alive.
And yet, he felt so proud of his son. He became someone strong, someone people could depend on and was able to fall back on those people. So he looked over at his son again, taking note of the semi hidden scars peeking from his shirt, the bags under his eyes, and the look of a soldier. Whatever had happened, it wasn't a once off. It kept happening. And that made him scared. Because what if it happened again while he was away?
Would his son die? Without them there?
Patricia took the lead on this, hugging Steve close, telling him how proud she was. All while Steve looked like he wanted to cry.
Richard shook his head and took off his suit jacket. "You said this was an engagement party. I'll handle the grilling, might be a bit rusty, and you go spend time with your… " He looked over at Eddie, raising an eyebrow, "friend. I'm sure he doesn't want to spend the entire time by the grill with you."
Steve's face turned an alarming shade of red and looked horrified, but Eddie seemed to catch on. A grin split the boy's face and he looped his arm with Steve's, leaning far too close for Richard's comfort. "You heard him, big boy. Come spend time with me."
Steve sputtered as he was dragged off, looking back at his father but all Richard did was nod to him. Something seemed to relax in him as he let himself be pulled to the pool.
Richard took a moment before turning to his wife. "Tomorrow, I want you to withdraw some money from the bank. I'm more than certain that boy will be spending more time here. He needs a room."
Patricia only gave a small laugh and shook her head. "The guest bedroom? Near Steve's?"
"No, on the other side. They'll probably still want privacy from each other."
Patricia nodded and leaned against him, hugging onto his arm. ".... someone hurt our boy."
He nodded, watching as Steve sat in a chair, Eddie wiggling his way into the chair as well. "And he has someone to take care of him."
Patricia nodded against his arm, looking over to the other doorway, Joyce and Hopper standing there.
No one spoke for a moment before Patricia straightened. "How long has he been getting hurt?"
Joyce took a breath and shook her head. "1983… the same year Will went missing."
Patricia felt ice in her veins. Four years. Her son has been hurt for four years. She glanced out the window, eyes dropping to Will Byers, who was leaning against another girl she didn't know.
Both seemed to be talking about something rather important, and both kept looking at Mike, the same look.
Oh the poor dear. She looked back at Joyce, eyes sad. "And… all of them?"
Joyce only nodded, Richard letting out a quiet "goddammit."
All these children were being hurt.
"Do you know-"
"We can't tell you." Hopper cut her off. All three looked at him. "We had to sign NDAs from the government each time. If you're told.. it could get messy."
Richard's eyes narrowed and he shared a look with Patricia. Both nodded and decided to let it go… for now.
Richard began to roll up his sleeves, looking at his wife. "I'll get started on the grill."
"And I can help you in the kitchen, Joyce, if you'd like." Patricia smiled at the other woman who seemed a bit more hesitant before allowing herself to nod.
Richard watched as the two headed back into the kitchen before turning to Hopper. "Congratulations. Out of all the people, you two deserve it." He patted the man on the shoulder before walking outside to the grill.
Steve looked a lot more comfortable, sitting with his friends near him, Eddie just barely sitting in his lap as they shared the space.
And he so much wanted to ignore the hand that was holding the back of his son's neck, so he immediately turned away, getting started on the food as Hopper snorted.
"Don't worry, never goes further than that. Unlike my kid and the Wheeler brat."
Richard glanced at him, eyebrow raised.
Hopper groaned a bit and pulled a beer from the cooler. "I had a three inch open door policy. All they wanted to do was make out."
Richard let out a laugh, shaking his head. "You think I didn't know what Steve was doing while we were away? The amount of underwear I have found that didn't belong here has been horrendous."
He ignored the choking sound of his son, and all the laughter that came with it.
And he definitely ignored the words Eddie whispered to his son.
Hopper only shook his head and looked at everyone, before telling Richard about each and every one of them. Each kid and what they were like, how close they were to Steve. And it seemed somehow that he's becoming a grandfather because it sounds like Steve had somehow adopted all these kids.
He glanced at Jonathan and Nancy when Hopper explained what happened there and, yeah he can understand his son starting that fight back then. But it seemed they all worked it out.
Robin seemed to be the closest one to Steve, even after Eddie. Hopper explained how it seemed the two shared a brain, how they called each other soulmates. He glanced at the two and yeah, he could see it.
And he noticed how Hopper left Eddie for last, and even then the man seemed silent.
"I may have overstepped, but I talked to Steve and the… nature of his relationship with Munson. They seem to actually love each other but what they do can be a bit much. I don't want either of them hurt."
Richard took a moment to register everything before sighing heavily. If he had been here, he would have definitely put a stop to the relationship before it even began. But he wasn't and now his son was traumatized and was in what he considered a highly inappropriate relationship.
"And they're being safe?"
"Yeah, apparently they have weekly talks to help communication." Hopper takes a drink of his beer before sighing. "Eddie's a good kid, not everyone's taste, and still blamed for shit he didn't do, but he's a good kid."
Richard only sighed again as he cooked. "If you say so." He glanced up as his wife and Joyce walked out with more drinks. "....Is it over? What's happening?"
"No. I don't think it is, but we'll work through it, we always do."
Patricia set out the food on the table before walking over to Steve and the other older ones of the group.
Eddie sent her a somewhat charming smile as Robin pulled herself out of the pool to sit on the edge. He knows the look in her eyes, his wife would get the same look at times.
Slowly, she grins, leaning a bit forward. "Embarrassing story trade? I have all kinds of stories, but I want to know about when he was younger."
He only chuckled at the look of horror on Steve's face as he sputtered and tried to put a stop to what would become a chaotic duo. Patricia only laughed and sat in the chair next to them, the same look in her eyes.
He looked back at Hopper as he was watching his own kids.
He really hadn't known what to expect when he came home, but somehow adopting a new family wasn't it. But then again, his son was the one who did that for him. This house hadn't been filled with Genuine laughter in years, and yeah, he had a hand in that, but somehow it felt more at home than ever.
He glanced back at his son, who was hiding his face in Eddie's chest, the other laughing as he pet Steve.
He let out a sigh then smiled. He could get used to this.
He really could.