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Soulmates were a weird thing to Steve. Like he knew of them, sure, even met a few soulmate couples.
But his parents had told him that marrying your soulmate was for idiots. Marry for status, for gain. Nothing more.
But then again, Steve's parents were fucking assholes so he never paid them any mind.
He longed for the day he could even hear a snippet of his soulmate's thoughts.
And he knew he may never hear them.
'Jesus Christ, those shorts don't cover his ass.'
Steve blinked, stunned for a moment before standing up, eyes scanning the people around him.
He had been tasked with picking up the gym equipment, and had bent over when the thought hit him.
He felt hope bubbling inside him.
The next time it happened, the thought wasn't about him but O'Donnell.
'Stupid fucking bitch! What does O'Donnell even know? My essay was amazing!'
Steve frowned at that and huffed. O'Donnell was a notorious hardass. She didn't care about anything but her fucking lessons and if you had any problems, she took it as personal insult.
'Fuck O'Donnell.' Was Steve's thought and he swore he heard a gasp.
Boy oh boy…. The next thought was… something. It was a week after when it hit.
'Hargrove has no reason being that hot while being that much of an asshole!'
Steve choked on his toothbrush, gagging.
'JESUS FUCKING CHRIST!'
'-OULMATE?!'
Steve spat out his toothpaste before gripping the edge of his sink, shoulders shaking before he started laughing.
Now that he had a better grasp, he could tell his soulmate was a boy, and the voice sounded familiar but he couldn't place it.
But Jesus Christ, he was NOT expecting that.
…. Billy was pretty hot though….
This continued for a while. And Steve grew more and more fond of his soulmate. Most were hilarious, some heartbreaking.
Then, during the last month of school, he heard it.
He had been walking with Jonathan, both carrying a stack of books to the storage room when the thought echoed.
'You do NOT have a crush on Steve Harrington. You do NOT have a crush on Steve-'
Steve felt himself grin, before chuckling and thinking rather forcefully, 'Well it's a good thing I AM Steve Harrington.'
The sound of books hitting the ground echoed throughout the hallway and Steve snapped around, eyes meeting Eddie Munson’s.
Both stared at each other when Steve heard "Oh shit… Steve, is he..?"
Steve nodded to Jonathan, eyes never leaving Eddie's. After a moment, Steve snorted and lifted an eyebrow.
"Hargrove? Really?"
Eddie sputtered, face red. "Tell me I'm lying!"
Steve just laughed and sat his stack of books on a nearby table before moving to Eddie, kneeling down to help pick up the books.
Eddie hesitated before kneeling down as well.
Both were silent before Steve sat up. "I can't wait to get to know you. The rest of you."
Eddie hid behind his hair, smiling before letting out a huff. "If you start being an asshole, I'm throwing you in the quarry."
"It's a deal." Steve then smirked. "So my gym shorts huh?"
Eddie let out a yell before shoving Steve over, the boy laughing as he landed on his side.
Eddie was scared to find his soulmate. He knew how he was, he knew how people saw him. And even though he knew his soulmate would be his complimentary person, he was so scared of being rejected.
This first time he heard his soulmate, he was high. So he doesn't really count it, not really. He's laying in bed before a heartbreakingly small voice echoed:
'I'm going to die.'
It had scared Eddie that he stopped smoking for weeks afterward.
It took a while before he heard him again
'Did… I have a crush on TOMMY HAGAN?!'
Eddie froze at the stove, eyes wide as Wayne made a questioning noise.
Eddie opened his mouth before the second thought hit.
'DO I LIKE GUYS? WHAT?!'
Eddie snorted and sat his plate down before he dropped it.
"Kid?"
"Oh my god, Wayne, my soulmate is having a sexuality crisis."
Wayne shook his head and sipped his beer. "Leave the poor guy alone."
"But Wayne! He had a crush on TOMMY HAGAN!"
Wayne froze for a moment before shaking his head. "Can't count for taste."
Eddie cackled at that.
The next time it hit, Eddie's heart broke.
'Why aren't I good enough for them?'
It was almost whispered, just after 8pm. Eddie had been with Gareth when he heard it and Gareth noticed immediately.
"You okay?"
"I… think my soulmate has bad parents… if not bad friends."
Gareth hissed and shook his head. "Well whoever he is will luck out with you."
Eddie grinned a bit.
Eddie grumbled as he dusted himself off, glaring as Billy walked away.
He absolutely HATED Billy, the dude was a fucking asshole… bit still.
Eddie watched his ass as he walked away.
'Hargrove has no reason being that hot while being that much of an asshole!'
'JESUS FUCKING CHRIST!'
Eddie stumbled, eyes wide. 'MY SOULMATE?!'
As the weeks passed, Eddie listened to his soulmate.
Apparently there was this kid that he adored, and was always worried.
And he was paranoid.
Eddie grumbled as he carried his stack of books when he caught sight of Steve Harrington and Jonathan Byers. A strange friendship.
Jonathan said something and Steve laughed, grinning so big at the boy. And Eddie felt himself blush.
'You do NOT have a crush on Steve Harrington. You do NOT have a crush on Steve-'
'Well it's a good thing I AM Steve Harrington.'
Eddie dropped his books, eyes wide as Steve snapped around. They held each other's gaze.
Jonathan mumbled something to Steve who nodded before Steve smirked.
"Hargrove? Really?"
Eddie stumbled over his words. "Tell me I'm lying!"
Steve threw his head back and laughed before setting his books on a nearby table, making his way over to Eddie.
Eddie watched as he knelt down to pick up the books before following his lead.
Both were quiet before Steve broke the silence.
"I can't wait to get to know you. The rest of you." He sat up, looking at Eddie.
And all Eddie could do was hide his hair. He could feel his heart thumping.
He huffed, smiling. "If you start being an asshole, I'm throwing you in the quarry."
"It's a deal."
Eddie felt as if he would explode.
"So my gym shorts, huh?"
Eddie felt the blush explode across his face before he yelled in embarrassment, shoving Steve over.
He could only grin though as he watched Steve lay on his side, laughing.
It would be days later before Eddie got his revenge.
"You know, Hargrove was one thing, and you have to admit those shorts are too short."
Both were sitting on Eddie's bed.
"Yeah?" Steve looked at him
"But at least I didn't have a sexuality crisis over Tommy Hagan."
Steve froze before grabbing a pillow and attacking Eddie with it.
"DON'T BRING THAT UP!"
Eddie only cackled, shielding his face.