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Steve Harrington learned a lot about life from his grandpa Oatie. He learned the basics: how to drive, shave, change the oil in his car, how to ride a bike. Oatie always said that those were things a father was supposed to teach their son. As Steve got older, Oatie was less hesitant to say what he really felt about Steve's father. He lamented on more than one occasion that he didn't know what went wrong with him.
He apologized a lot to Steve for that.
Otis Harrington taught Steve a lot without ever really meaning too as well. Growing up, Steve worshiped the ground Otis walked on. He watched him closely, wanting to be just like him. It may have taken some time, and some ass kicking, for the real lessons to kick in. But Steve was sure that Oatie was proud of him and the man he'd become.
One observation Steve made very early in his life was the kind of sadness that settled in Otis when the hot summer days faded into brisk autumn mornings. When he was much younger, Steve had no idea why and he was too afraid to ask. But one night when he was about six or seven he snuck down to the kitchen at Oatie's house to find his grandpa sitting up at the table.
"Oatie?" Steve's small voice called from the darkened entry to the kitchen.
The only light was the dull bulb over the sink. But that wasn't stopping Oatie from sitting at the table with a bottle of beer. Steve watched as his grandpa sat up straight, his back to Steve. He could hear a paper being rustled around before Oatie twisted to face him. He was smiling but his eyes looked sad.
"It's late, my boy. What're you doing out of bed?" Oatie asked, his voice a little rough.
Steve shuffled over slowly, "I couldn't sleep."
"Here. Take a seat. Let's have a little midnight snack before we both go back to bed," Oatie said, motioning to the other chair.
Otis got to his feet to make his way to the fridge, ruffling Steve's hair as they passed one another. Steve sat down at the small kitchen table, watching his grandpa curiously. It took a moment or two, but Oatie returned to the table with his arms full. He set down two glasses, some milk, two forks, and a large slice of carrot cake.
Steve's eyes widened as Oatie sat down and began pouring the milk into glasses. He had no idea there was cake, he was suddenly very excited.
"When did you get cake, Oatie?" He asked as he took the fork that was offered to him.
When he glanced at his grandpa's face, Steve saw the droop of his eyes and mouth. He'd never seen Oatie look so sad. He suddenly felt awful, like he had done something horrible. Oatie cleared his throat and gave Steve a small smile as he prodded the cake with his fork.
"I got it before you came over yesterday, my boy. I have a slice like this every year around this time," he said in a gruff voice.
Steve's face crumpled in confusion.
"It's your grandma and mine anniversary. She's not here anymore but I like to have a bit of cake and remember her," Oatie said with a shrug before taking a bite of the cake.
Steve paused, his own bite sitting on his fork. He didn't know much about his grandmother. She passed away before he was born, and his dad never talked about her. But there were pictures of her all over Oatie's house. Steve remembered being about four and running into the living room, clutching a picture of her to his chest asking his grandpa who the pretty lady was.
They'd spent the afternoon looking at old pictures together.
"You miss her?" Steve asked with all the innocence of a child who'd never experienced that loss.
Oatie nodded with a sad sigh, "Yeah, my boy. I miss her a lot."
The two of them slowly, quietly, took bites of the cake. Steve didn't like it when Oatie looked so sad. He took a small sip of his milk, set the glass softly back on the table, and set his fork down.
"How did you know you wanted to marry her?" Steve finally asked, he had only his parents to look at in terms of a marriage and he wasn't even sure they liked each other most of the time.
Oatie set his own fork down before leaning back in his chair, his hands resting on the table. He smiled, less sad this time Steve noticed. He bit at his lower lip for a moment as he thought, then let out a slow breath.
"Your grandma Frankie, Frances, was… the most fun person I've ever met. She made me laugh harder than anyone else. She was the first person I met that was so unapologetically herself that it left me in awe," Oatie spoke carefully, picking just the right words. He chuckled softly as he rubbed at the back of his neck. "Her daddy didn't like me, not one bit. Didn't want us to be together," he shrugged his shoulders.
Steve's brow furrowed, "But you still got married?"
"Yeah, Steve. I loved her so much. We had this crazy plan to meet and run away together. To get married in the first town we came to and live there for the rest of our lives," Oatie explained. He motioned out with his hands, as if to silently explain how exactly their family ended up in Hawkins, Indiana of all places.
He reached out to pick a wrinkled piece of paper from the table. It was old, Steve could tell. Oatie opened it and gingerly smoothed it out on top of the table. Steve saw very elegant, loopy handwriting filling the page.
"I keep this in my jacket pocket. Have ever since I got it," Oatie said with a fond sort of smile, "it's the first letter I got from her when I was in Japan. She wrote to me the whole time but this first one was special."
Steve sat silently, just watching Oatie read over the letter.
"Just wait and see, Otis. Between now and then, until I see you again, I'll be loving you. Love, Frankie," Oatie read aloud.
Steve felt like he was seeing something he shouldn't. He slowly got up from his chair to round the table. He wormed his way under Oatie's arm to lay his head on his chest, wrapping his arm as best he could around his grandpa's middle. He sighed softly and closed his eyes, squeezing Oatie tight.
"I love you, Oatie."
"I love you too, my boy."
Of course Steve had noticed the slight weariness in his grandpa as the days were getting shorter; the anniversary date was drawing closer. He had told Oatie that he and Eddie would be over on the day to have dinner with him, that they would bring the cake.
He found himself thinking a lot about the stories Oatie eventually told him about grandma Frankie. He thought about them as he watched Eddie play his guitar, or fill sketchbook after sketchbook with drawings, or laugh so hard he threw his whole body backwards. Eddie, despite everything he had been through, was always Eddie.
Steve was drawn out of his thoughts by Eddie snapping his fingers in front of his face. He was sitting in their living room, had been watching something or other on TV but got distracted by his own thoughts. He huffed, rolling his eyes playfully as he focused on Eddie.
"Get your jacket, Stevie," he said, grinning at him.
Steve's eyebrows knitted together as he looked down at his watch, "It's not time to go to Oatie's."
"No, but I have a surprise for you, sweet cheeks," Eddie laughed, taking Steve's hand to pull him to his feet, "So, get your jacket and get your ass in the car."
Steve felt the slightest bit of heat fill his cheeks. Eddie always came up with the stupidest pet names for him, and they never failed to make him feel just a little flustered. He smiled a bit to himself before he turned to grab his jacket from the closet. By the time he turned around, ready to go, Eddie was at the door with the keys to his BMW in one hand and the cake they'd gotten for Oatie in the other.
Eddie didn't wait for him to ask any questions, he just opened the door and motioned for Steve to walk outside. Steve narrowed his eyes at Eddie as he passed by him on the way to the car. He couldn't work out what exactly Eddie had planned. Not that that was a new concept. Eddie often hopped from idea to idea before anyone else caught on.
As Steve got into the passenger seat of the car he noticed Eddie putting the cake dish in the backseat. He even buckled it in which just made Steve laugh as Eddie closed the back door. He saw Eddie glaring at him through the windows before he got into the driver's seat.
"I'm trying to keep Oatie's cake safe, Steve," he mumbled as he started the car.
Steve only hummed softly as he reached out to take Eddie's hand in his as they pulled out of the driveway. Eddie, on habit it seemed, threaded their fingers together which just caused Steve to smile affectionately at him.
"Where are we going?" Steve asked after a moment or two.
Eddie didn't answer. Steve glanced over to see that Eddie was chewing at his lower lip while his left leg bounced up and down. Steve gave his hand a squeeze which seemed to draw his attention back. Eddie shot him a glance before looking back at the road.
"Sorry. What did you say?"
Steve tilted his head to the side as he looked at Eddie, "I was just asking where we're going."
"Somewhere," Eddie shrugged.
Steve huffed a little petulantly but didn't push any further. He'd learned that when Eddie had a plan he was going to stick to it. And it seemed his plan was to not tell Steve anything. He sighed softly as he turned his head to look out the window while Eddie drove.
The scenery was familiar, Steve realized. His brow furrowed slightly as Eddie pulled up to Lovers Lake. Eddie parked the car but before Steve could say anything he was already out and running over to his side of the car, throwing open the door.
"Close your eyes," he breathed out as Steve turned to get out.
Steve gave him a look but listened, closing his eyes. Eddie gently took hold of his elbow and led him somewhere. He made sure to warn Steve of anything in his way as they walked. Finally, Eddie stopped and turned him. He grabbed Steve's hands, putting them over his already closed eyes.
"Is this necessary?" Steve asked with a laugh.
"Very," Eddie said, voice further away, "And if you peek I'll scream."
Steve quirked a brow before making a show of lowering his hands just a bit. "Ah ah ah! Put them back, Steven!" Eddie shouted at him.
"Steven," Steven parroted back with a smirk as he returned his hands.
He stood there, feeling a little dumb, while Eddie did something. He could hear the trunk of the car being opened and then closed again. Something was rustling around. He then felt Eddie's hands cup at his elbows, tugging him slightly forward. He took a few shuffling steps before Eddie stopped him again.
"Okay, open your eyes," Eddie finally said.
With a small sigh, Steve lowered his hands to his side and opened his eyes. The sun had just begun to set, bathing the lake in a beautiful array of color. And Eddie was knelt on a blanket underneath a tree right in front of him. Steve felt his heart skip a beat inside his chest.
"I prepared a whole speech to lead up to this. I was going to be so cool and smooth. But as I’m staring into your eyes though, my heart’s going fucking crazy and my mind’s gone blurry. So, I’d like to keep it short, sweet, and simple. Marry me and I promise I’ll find the right words throughout my life to tell you how much I love you and when words aren’t enough I'll find another way. I'll spend the rest of my life trying."
Eddie reached into his pocket and pulled out a golden band. Steve felt like his heart had fully stopped. He couldn't make himself say anything, his throat was tight and his eyes felt misty. Swallowing hard, Steve nodded his head jerkily.
"Yeah… yes," he finally managed to whisper.
A wide smile broke out over Eddie's face as he got to his feet. He took Steve's left hand in his, slipping the ring onto his finger. "I know… I know we can't actually get married," Eddie murmured sadly, brushing some of Steve's hair from his face, "But illegally marrying the man of my dreams is pretty fucking metal."
Steve laughed loudly as he tucked his head into the crook of Eddie's neck, feeling his arms immediately wrapping around him. They stayed like that for a while until Steve slowly pulled away to look down at his hand. He felt his stomach flip at the sight of the ring. It was a very familiar ring. Gold with a geometric floral design engraved all the way around it.
It was Oatie's wedding ring.
Steve lifted his head to look back at Eddie with a thoroughly confused look on his face. Eddie only smiled as he gently grasped at the back of Steve's neck before pressing a kiss against his forehead.
"Oatie gave it to me. That day he gave me the turntable for Wayne. I'd mentioned thinking about asking you before, and he just tucked the ring in my pocket," Eddie explained softly.
Steve felt like he was going to cry. He remembered being a kid and watching Oatie carefully cleaning that ring. He'd make sure it was shiny and bright before sliding it back on his hand. He said Grandma Frankie saved up a lot to buy him that ring. He never went anywhere without it.
"I love you," Steve said softly.
Eddie kissed him gently, "I love you too."
They made it to Oatie's house just as the sun had set. Fall days running shorter and shorter. Eddie grabbed the cake from the backseat before he followed Steve up to the front door. He opened it, holding it open for Eddie to come inside.
Steve pulled off his jacket, "Oatie? We're here."
"And we brought cake," Eddie said with a laugh.
Steve could hear what sounded like a pan being set down in the kitchen. He took the cake from Eddie so that he could take off his own jacket before walking off to find his grandpa. He made it to the kitchen to see Oatie closing the oven door.
"Steve, my boy!" Oatie greeted when he spotted his grandson. He crossed the kitchen quickly to wrap him up in a hug. Steve felt his heart squeeze tightly in his chest as he pulled out of the hug. He handed the cake over to Oatie who turned to set it on the counter.
"Thank you, Oatie," Steve said softly.
Oatoe hummed, "For what, my boy?"
"For giving Eddie your ring."
Oatie turned back around with wide eyes. His gaze dropped down to Steve's hand and a wide smile broke out over his face, his eyes beginning to crinkle. He was quickly back across the kitchen, throwing his arms around Steve. He hugged him tightly to his chest, making Steve laugh as he hugged him back.
"I take it you told him?" Eddie's voice came from behind them.
Oatie looked over at Eddie and grinned as he carefully detached himself from Steve. He walked over to pull Eddie into an equally tight hug. "You did good, my boy," he mumbled, patting Eddie on the back.
Steve couldn't help but smile as he watched them. His little family.