Chapter Text
When Steve Harrington was a small kid, he went on a trip to Spain with his mom and dad. He really enjoyed it there.
Cynthia Harrington took him to the local markets, food stalls and even got him those colourful shirts. He was smiling so much that his cheeks started hurting.
Daniel Harrington was not present.
Well he was there physically, but not emotionally or mentally.
He didn't smile when Steve showed him his drawing, he didn't pick him up in his arms as they went on a city tour, he was always on his phone and Steve saw him standing very close to an unfamiliar lady one day.
If Cynthia was sad, she didn't show. Baby Steve did not know what to say or do. He just followed his mother like her tail.
When they came back to Hawkins, Cynthia and Daniel did not talk for 2 whole months and then Daniel left for his business trip.
Steve remembered asking his mom where his father was, the only answer he ever got was, “He is a busy man, Steve.” So he nodded his head and curled up in her arms, watching the soap opera she often liked to watch.
His mother pointed out that the little girl was quite adorable.
Steve thought that the little boy with brown curls, wide eyes and freckles dotted on his flushed face was even cuter.
Steve was a naturally affectionate person.
He loved getting hugs by his mom, because he rarely got anything from his dad. But that didn't diminish his need to express himself through touch.
But a strange thing happened when he was in Kindergarten. As strange as it could be for Steve who viewed the world through a rose-tinted lens.
It was their break, and other kids usually mingled with Steve, he really liked it. But there was this one kid, a boy that looked so much like the soap opera boy.
He has dark brown locks and a freckled face that made him look beautiful.
His name was Patrick. And he was a really good friend of Steve’s.
Steve and Patrick were playing on the swings, when Steve suddenly tripped and fell. Seeing the blood ooze from his scraped knee, tears gathered in his eyes.
Patrick magically appeared and put his handkerchief over his wound, telling him that the pain will go away and that he is a guy and he should not feel pain.
Steve did not understand how being in pain is related to being a guy or a girl.
He took him to the school nurse who patched his wound and then left the kids alone.
Steve's mom always kissed his cheek to thank him for anything that he brought to her. Steve thought this is how you thank people.
So he kissed Patrick on his cheek and mumbled a small thank you.
He expected to get a peck back or any greetings. But he was wrong.
Patrick looked at him with an expression that made Steve want to cry, it felt like he hated him, he was looking at him with so much disgust.
Both of their parents were called, voices were raised, all while Steve was hidden in his mother's arms. Daniel glared at Steve and that made the young boy cry.
When they came back home, his mom and dad fought a lot. That resulted in his mother in tears and his father storming off as usual.
Steve, who was himself in tears, tried to make his mother stop crying.
She didn't. She left him alone in the big hall to cry.
Steve never saw Patrick after that day, and he didn't dare to kiss anyone as expressing his gratitude ever again.
Steve met Tommy and Carol in high school. He knew them, because well, everyone knew them.
They started dating in seventh grade, and apparently they have been with each other. Like in that way.
Tommy and Carol boosted Steve's ego that came with puberty. They taught him how to behave like his class. Steve did not understand why class matters, he just wanted to impress his new friends.
He didn't like when Tommy pushed other kids around, called them names, threw his food at them, got them at trouble.
But whenever he hesitated, the thought that flashed into his mind was, if he doesn't do it, then he will be the one to whom this will be done to. It was a fear embedded deep in his mind.
He didn't feel good every time Tommy made him do such a thing.
Cynthia decided to stop being a good parent on one Tuesday of his Sophomore year.
He was alone at his big, glamorous house. For the first time in forever, Cynthia decided that she will accompany Daniel to his business trips.
The reason behind this was Steve, because his overly-aware ass decided to be nosy and found his father on his bed with a woman that was not his mother.
When Steve scrambled to tell her, she told him to keep his mouth shut and eat his dinner, something in her eyes told him that she always knew.
But since Steve also knew now, Cynthia decided to go with Daniel to ‘keep an eye on him’.
His mother didn't even look at him once, didn't brush his hair, didn't ask him if he was going to be okay alone or not. She just… left.
When Steve and Nancy started dating, Tommy and Carol weren't happy about the change in his behaviour.
They called him a lovesick puppy.
When he came to the basketball practice he was supposed to miss, Tommy asked him the reason and he told him, Nancy said no, she was busy.
Tommy gave him a strange look and then said the strangest thing, “Man, you gotta keep her in control. You can't let prissy little Wheeler walk you around like a pet. Be a man, Harrington, show her what you're made of.”
“What are you implying that I do?” He asked him. Tommy slung his hand over his shoulder. “Use force dude, you have power over her. Y’know you can always just hit her to keep her in line?” Tommy replied with a smile.
Steve pushed Tommy away, “What the fuck, man? Would you do that to Carol?” His expression was exasperated. “Look, I love her, but if I found out that she was sucking some guy’s dick behind my back, I, sure as hell, would do that.” He shrugged.
Before he could respond, the coach called them for practice, but Steve was furious out of his mind. He was sure he would grab Tommy and smash his head on the bleachers if he saw his face again, so he stormed off.
On his way, he bumped into the chaos of a human — Eddie Munson.
Steve knew him, he was always in detention for creating trouble, or getting shoved at lockers. Tommy said he was checking some guy out and got beaten up for it.
Steve mumbled an apology while trying to balance both of them and tried not to turn around and look into Eddie's big, brown eyes again.
And he swore to never ever let Tommy disrespect Nancy or any other woman like that again.
A few months later, that is, in November, when he called Nancy and Barb over for a party at his house.
The first thing he didn't expect was to have sex with Nancy and the second thing he didn't expect was that he would have to fight a gruesome monster with a face that opened like a flower but was filled with sharp teeth, a few days later.
He also didn't expect calling Jonathan Byers queer, ironic isn’t it? And getting his shit rocked by him.
November 1983 was indeed a big change for him, he ghosted Tommy and Carol, apologised to Jonathan and tried to maintain a good relationship with Nancy.
He could never go into his pool again, knowing that Barbara Holland died there. But he would try his best to lighten things for Nancy.
For some reason, he kept seeing glimpses of Eddie everywhere. His big, brown doe eyes haunted Steve's dreams until Halloween 1984.