( it's probably pretty telling that Eddie isn't treating Steve like an idiot all throughout this demonstration. he wouldn't expect the jock to be able to pick this up through osmosis, realistically, but if it had been anyone else that Steve had formerly been friends with, he absolutely would have been an asshole to them. it would have been warranted, though, considering how much hell they'd put him and his friends through in their short tenure in school. it didn't seem to matter that Eddie had been a senior while they were juniors. as far as they were concerned, his freak status made him lesser.
but Steve, well. maybe Eddie should have still been resentful despite the fact that Harrington never joined in and actively bullied the nerd table, but he certainly was a passive bystander. maybe he should be thankful that it isn't so incredibly obvious to the average person why Eddie might be so forgiving. it would never occur to Steve that he might have more interest in him than meets the eye.
of course, he's nothing more than a drug dealer to Steve, so he puts the kibosh into that line of thought as quickly as he can. )
Yeah, uh, about that. ( he laughs, almost nervously. nobody has ever fucking asked him that before, and so naturally it takes Eddie by surprise. they all just assume he came out of his mother's womb armed with the knowledge. ) Surprised you don't know already. Thought that my origin story was plastered all across town. ( he dispenses with the cryptic talk when he realizes that he's likely done nothing more than just confuse Steve further. as cute as his puzzled look does, he has mercy on the poor guy, and clarifies. ) My old man. He, uh, he's the one who introduced me to the lovely world of drug dealing.
( if anything, Steve likely deserves Eddie to treat him like shit on principle. while most of his days at the top were served rolling his eyes and even occasionally laughing at Tommy Hagan's rancid antics, he wasn't exactly a sparkling soul himself. mostly he was a bystander — occasionally feeling guilty, often tuning out of the worst of it, instead of trying to deescalate — he didn't bother with small time shit like playing D&D and repeating a grade. Steve's cruelty tended toward intentional ignorance, in not seeing anyone arbitrarily decided to not be worthy of his time. however, that surely didn't make him incapable of being awful. the rare occasions he decided to push someone down a peg or twenty, it wasn't talking shit on the sidelines or giving a guy a shiner. intentionally breaking a guy's camera was bad enough without knowing said guy had likely no way to replace it. when Steve had a bone to pick he tended to tear things raw and let the vultures have at the rest.
having a reason for being awful doesn't really absolve one very much. motives don't just the means any more than the end. he got Byers a new camera and he'd sure as shit had his reasons for it, but Steve doesn't really blame the guy for not forgiving him. he can't much blame Nancy for giving up on him, either. he deserved it.
Steve can't quite guess why Eddie isn't being more of a dick to him. maybe he figures he's got to stay in good graces of a potential customer. or maybe he's just not as big of a dick as all the people Steve is used to hanging out with. Eddie has the reputation of being too much and disliking sports and liking things most people don't. wasn't too long ago Steve was happy to take public perception as fact. it is only recently he's learning to look beyond that. he's not exactly good at it yet. but it isn't lost on him that Eddie is not what he thought he would be. )
Your old man. ( Steve ... is not sure what answer he was expecting. was he expecting an answer?? but whatever he was thinking, it sure wasn't that. ) Shit. ( this is an umbrella term to describe how that's kind of fucked up, and that he feels a little bad for asking, and is somewhat sympathetic all at once. )
Yeah, yeah, don't cry about it. ( Eddie mutters as he leans towards Steve and hands the joint to him along with the lighter, allowing him the first hit seeing as how they were assembled here on Steve's account. ) He's in jail now, and I'm still dealing so I'm pretty sure I'm having the last laugh. Is that how that works?
( he laughs derisively as he pointedly ignores any brushing of fingers that might happen during the handoff. he's heard well enough about the kinds of words Steve hurled at Byers the week after the two had their altercation in the alleyway, when Harrington reappeared at school with a black eye and a lack of lackeys at his side. and yet, the version of Steve that's right here in front of him, about to share a joint, couldn't be further from the King Steve he's used to. )
Anyway, it's fine now, I'm gonna graduate, first of the family, and show this town I'm worth more than my dear old dad.
( okay. touchy. Steve knows he deserves it, with all the prying dad questions. hell, his old man isn't doing hard time and Steve still doesn't exactly like talking about him with just about anyone. the bitterness resonates with him, instead of turning him off. though he's sure Eddie would laugh if he tried to relate on what it is like to have a shitty dad. ) Sounds like an ass, ( Steve decides, and maybe he shouldn't be declaring somebody's dad an ass. he's just calling it like he sees it, that's all. generally people don't end up in the slammer because of the strength of their character, it feels like a safe assumption.
while Steve may not have experience with... any other part of smoking, until tonight, he at least has experience lighting a joint. he's picky about the cherry, takes his time. there's a satisfaction in the burn across the back of his throat, it feels like relief when he breathes out the cloying smoke above his head. Eddie might just assume he checked out in the ritual of a first drag, but when he comes to he notes, ) You graduate this year too, huh?
( it is obvious, on paper, that Eddie is graduating this year. besides the fact Steve is pretty sure he was also supposed to graduate last year. it is something they have in common that he hadn't bothered to think about, though. graduation is the only goalpost in his life to keep slogging towards. for a bit there he'd felt sorry enough for himself that the idea of flunking out didn't bother him at all. since then his face has healed up and he knows how stupid that would be. so he's trying to put the pieces back together again, now, though his grades sure as shit aren't great now that he can't study with Nancy anymore. he suspects he'll make it just by the skin of his teeth, but for right now that'll have to be good enough. )
Here's to the class of '85, then. ( he offers the joint back, finally. without a hint of nerves, either. it isn't the first joint he's shared, it doesn't occur to him to feel weird about it. )
( Steve continues to be full of surprises. it prompts Eddie to look up at Steve with a look of surprise that he isn't falling into the usual relentless teasing that the Tommy H's of the world had often done, insinuating that Eddie would never amount to anything. there isn't even a hint of arrogance in how Steve responds, calling Al Munson, a man Steve never even met, an ass based on what Eddie told him.
before Eddie can agree, Steve brings up how Eddie is supposed to graduate this year. he tries to look hopeful, but after the abysmal year last year, one can hardly blame him for being skeptical that he will suddenly be able to string together good enough grades to please the powers that be. Mrs. O'Donnell seems adamant about teaching him a lesson or something despite turning in passable essays and showing up to class on time, but maybe if he aces the final, she won't have any choice but to give him a C. )
To the class of '85. ( he smiles wryly as he takes the joint back from Steve, this time feeling himself shiver as their fingers brush in spite of his attempts to act totally normal about this. ) You got any big plans after you graduate?
( ah, yes, the Hagan classic. tear people apart so you feel a little less small and miserable. Steve doesn't miss it, having to tune out and occasionally telling Tommy to stuff it if the routine went on too long. he's keeping odd company these days, but it is funny how a drug dealer is proving more companionable than the best friend he'd had since third grade.
if Steve notices the jitters in Eddie's hands, he assumes it's that he's tweaking rather than nerves. which is a rude assumption, but look. he's aware the guy sells more than grass. who knows how much of his own product he samples. Steve props his head in his hand, trying to focus on the smoky fuzz in his throat and in his head. the sooner it hits, the better he will feel. and he's felt like shit for awhile now, so, soon can't happen fast enough.
Eddie asking about what he'll do after he graduates isn't helping, either. Steve opens his eyes, like he's coming to or waking up and isn't sure he was ready. ) Who knows, ( he says, and truly, as much as he'd like a better answer he doesn't have one. any application letter he sent came back with red ink, working for his old man seems less and less likely and what else is he supposed to do with himself? wait around for more monsters to slink out of the woodwork? )
Maybe I'll follow your lead and take another year to think about it. ( okay so maybe Tommy wasn't the ONLY dick in that friendship. they're probably not close enough to rib each other like that. but it's too late!!! it's toothless, locker room jibe material, playful at best. paired with a tired smirk, like Steve is proud of himself for being a brat. surely nerds also poke and prod at each other for sport, right? Eddie will get it. )
( it's weird. before the arrival of Billy Hargrove, Eddie would have never laughed at Steve's gentle ribbing. he would have immediately jumped to the defensive. at least, he likes to think so, but if he were to be well and truly honest with himself, he would maybe admit that his ceaseless crush on the jock does tend to cloud his judgment. it's something Jeff has called him out on before, though nobody else in Hellfire knows the extent of his sexuality and the hypocrisy that is born out of such a crush.
but Steve has shown him to be a different person than he was when Eddie made his first attempt in his senior year. coupled with the relaxation that comes with being stoned, he does find himself laughing, pointing at Steve as if that were well and truly clever. )
Nice one. Word of advice, though, don't follow in my footsteps too much, or Mrs. O'Donnell might end up with a crush on you so bad she wants to keep you for another year. ( and if he adds a wink to that to cover what he truly thinks of all of this...well, he's only human, after all. )
( unlike some people ( cough cough BILLY HARGROVE cough cough ), Steve is not particularly inclined to ladies old enough to be his mother. while it is a fairly normal boy thing to crow about hot for teacher, Steve makes a face, unimpressed. ) Ugh, ( he says, smile creeping up at the corners of his mouth. but it's paired with a huff of a laugh too, because it's so much closer to normal he's felt in weeks. months maybe. stupid jokes about school. weed smoke clinging to the polyester of his windbreaker. someone his own goddamn age to hang out with. while all the circumstances are still far from ideal, somehow they're just a little bit better than they had been even 24 hours ago.
he's actually kinda grateful, though it's surely not something he can explain to Eddie Goddamn Munson. that he's so sore desperate for something normal that this moment feels like the old torn throw his grandma made that he keeps in the den so his mom will stop trying to toss it. comfortable, reassuring, maybe in a way that doesn't even make sense. it's just... nice. even if he barely knows the guy, the company makes him feel a little more human. the loneliness gets about as bad as the shadows turning sinister. and it turns out Eddie isn't half as bad as Steve expected, from his showboating on top of tables in the cafeteria, which is kinda a surprise too. )
Nah, I think I'm good. She's not my type. ( discussions of type are a bit bittersweet right about now, because what even IS his type? nothing like Nancy is a bit too broad of a spectrum, and honestly maybe he's not even ready to contemplate a new answer yet. what he is ready for, however, is the joint. he impatiently waggles his fingers, even gives Eddie a slight pout. if accused of it, he would deny it. ) C'mon, I thought we were sharing, here.
( it has the intended effect, and Eddie has an easy smile on his face in response. although it's slim pickings for someone of Eddie's, well, preferences, he can safely assure you that none of the teachers at Hawkins High fit that bill. it really does feel like hell on earth sometimes, with the occasional breath of fresh air to remind Eddie that once he's out of this hellhole, there's a world worth living in.
but damn if Principal Higgins doesn't make it incredibly difficult to get to the finish line.
and while Eddie has his friends, has the nerds that Harrington's former cronies would regularly shove into lockers while Harrington disapproved, he has to admit that this is pleasant. it's pleasant in a way that surprises him, that makes this town feel just a little less suffocating. though he expects this friendliness might not last once Steve leaves his trailer, Eddie can pretend that when he walks into the doors of Hawkins High next time, he might be well on his way to making a new friend.
it's a pipe dream, but he's clinging to it.
he laughs at Steve's antics and takes another hit before passing the joint over, ignoring the jolts of something charged that bounce up his arm when their fingers touch. )
There you go, big boy. You can finish it off.
( yeah, this might be the only night he gets this, but at least he gets to have this at all. )
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no subject
Date: 2023-07-07 01:17 pm (UTC)but Steve, well. maybe Eddie should have still been resentful despite the fact that Harrington never joined in and actively bullied the nerd table, but he certainly was a passive bystander. maybe he should be thankful that it isn't so incredibly obvious to the average person why Eddie might be so forgiving. it would never occur to Steve that he might have more interest in him than meets the eye.
of course, he's nothing more than a drug dealer to Steve, so he puts the kibosh into that line of thought as quickly as he can. )
Yeah, uh, about that. ( he laughs, almost nervously. nobody has ever fucking asked him that before, and so naturally it takes Eddie by surprise. they all just assume he came out of his mother's womb armed with the knowledge. ) Surprised you don't know already. Thought that my origin story was plastered all across town. ( he dispenses with the cryptic talk when he realizes that he's likely done nothing more than just confuse Steve further. as cute as his puzzled look does, he has mercy on the poor guy, and clarifies. ) My old man. He, uh, he's the one who introduced me to the lovely world of drug dealing.
no subject
Date: 2023-07-17 03:38 pm (UTC)having a reason for being awful doesn't really absolve one very much. motives don't just the means any more than the end. he got Byers a new camera and he'd sure as shit had his reasons for it, but Steve doesn't really blame the guy for not forgiving him. he can't much blame Nancy for giving up on him, either. he deserved it.
Steve can't quite guess why Eddie isn't being more of a dick to him. maybe he figures he's got to stay in good graces of a potential customer. or maybe he's just not as big of a dick as all the people Steve is used to hanging out with. Eddie has the reputation of being too much and disliking sports and liking things most people don't. wasn't too long ago Steve was happy to take public perception as fact. it is only recently he's learning to look beyond that. he's not exactly good at it yet. but it isn't lost on him that Eddie is not what he thought he would be. )
Your old man. ( Steve ... is not sure what answer he was expecting. was he expecting an answer?? but whatever he was thinking, it sure wasn't that. ) Shit. ( this is an umbrella term to describe how that's kind of fucked up, and that he feels a little bad for asking, and is somewhat sympathetic all at once. )
no subject
Date: 2023-07-26 12:09 pm (UTC)( he laughs derisively as he pointedly ignores any brushing of fingers that might happen during the handoff. he's heard well enough about the kinds of words Steve hurled at Byers the week after the two had their altercation in the alleyway, when Harrington reappeared at school with a black eye and a lack of lackeys at his side. and yet, the version of Steve that's right here in front of him, about to share a joint, couldn't be further from the King Steve he's used to. )
Anyway, it's fine now, I'm gonna graduate, first of the family, and show this town I'm worth more than my dear old dad.
no subject
Date: 2023-09-05 03:18 am (UTC)while Steve may not have experience with... any other part of smoking, until tonight, he at least has experience lighting a joint. he's picky about the cherry, takes his time. there's a satisfaction in the burn across the back of his throat, it feels like relief when he breathes out the cloying smoke above his head. Eddie might just assume he checked out in the ritual of a first drag, but when he comes to he notes, ) You graduate this year too, huh?
( it is obvious, on paper, that Eddie is graduating this year. besides the fact Steve is pretty sure he was also supposed to graduate last year. it is something they have in common that he hadn't bothered to think about, though. graduation is the only goalpost in his life to keep slogging towards. for a bit there he'd felt sorry enough for himself that the idea of flunking out didn't bother him at all. since then his face has healed up and he knows how stupid that would be. so he's trying to put the pieces back together again, now, though his grades sure as shit aren't great now that he can't study with Nancy anymore. he suspects he'll make it just by the skin of his teeth, but for right now that'll have to be good enough. )
Here's to the class of '85, then. ( he offers the joint back, finally. without a hint of nerves, either. it isn't the first joint he's shared, it doesn't occur to him to feel weird about it. )
no subject
Date: 2023-09-23 08:26 pm (UTC)before Eddie can agree, Steve brings up how Eddie is supposed to graduate this year. he tries to look hopeful, but after the abysmal year last year, one can hardly blame him for being skeptical that he will suddenly be able to string together good enough grades to please the powers that be. Mrs. O'Donnell seems adamant about teaching him a lesson or something despite turning in passable essays and showing up to class on time, but maybe if he aces the final, she won't have any choice but to give him a C. )
To the class of '85. ( he smiles wryly as he takes the joint back from Steve, this time feeling himself shiver as their fingers brush in spite of his attempts to act totally normal about this. ) You got any big plans after you graduate?
no subject
Date: 2023-10-24 05:35 pm (UTC)if Steve notices the jitters in Eddie's hands, he assumes it's that he's tweaking rather than nerves. which is a rude assumption, but look. he's aware the guy sells more than grass. who knows how much of his own product he samples. Steve props his head in his hand, trying to focus on the smoky fuzz in his throat and in his head. the sooner it hits, the better he will feel. and he's felt like shit for awhile now, so, soon can't happen fast enough.
Eddie asking about what he'll do after he graduates isn't helping, either. Steve opens his eyes, like he's coming to or waking up and isn't sure he was ready. ) Who knows, ( he says, and truly, as much as he'd like a better answer he doesn't have one. any application letter he sent came back with red ink, working for his old man seems less and less likely and what else is he supposed to do with himself? wait around for more monsters to slink out of the woodwork? )
Maybe I'll follow your lead and take another year to think about it. ( okay so maybe Tommy wasn't the ONLY dick in that friendship. they're probably not close enough to rib each other like that. but it's too late!!! it's toothless, locker room jibe material, playful at best. paired with a tired smirk, like Steve is proud of himself for being a brat. surely nerds also poke and prod at each other for sport, right? Eddie will get it. )
no subject
Date: 2023-10-29 12:59 am (UTC)but Steve has shown him to be a different person than he was when Eddie made his first attempt in his senior year. coupled with the relaxation that comes with being stoned, he does find himself laughing, pointing at Steve as if that were well and truly clever. )
Nice one. Word of advice, though, don't follow in my footsteps too much, or Mrs. O'Donnell might end up with a crush on you so bad she wants to keep you for another year. ( and if he adds a wink to that to cover what he truly thinks of all of this...well, he's only human, after all. )
wrap on yours? 🎀
Date: 2023-11-11 06:51 am (UTC)he's actually kinda grateful, though it's surely not something he can explain to Eddie Goddamn Munson. that he's so sore desperate for something normal that this moment feels like the old torn throw his grandma made that he keeps in the den so his mom will stop trying to toss it. comfortable, reassuring, maybe in a way that doesn't even make sense. it's just... nice. even if he barely knows the guy, the company makes him feel a little more human. the loneliness gets about as bad as the shadows turning sinister. and it turns out Eddie isn't half as bad as Steve expected, from his showboating on top of tables in the cafeteria, which is kinda a surprise too. )
Nah, I think I'm good. She's not my type. ( discussions of type are a bit bittersweet right about now, because what even IS his type? nothing like Nancy is a bit too broad of a spectrum, and honestly maybe he's not even ready to contemplate a new answer yet. what he is ready for, however, is the joint. he impatiently waggles his fingers, even gives Eddie a slight pout. if accused of it, he would deny it. ) C'mon, I thought we were sharing, here.
✅
Date: 2023-11-13 02:18 pm (UTC)but damn if Principal Higgins doesn't make it incredibly difficult to get to the finish line.
and while Eddie has his friends, has the nerds that Harrington's former cronies would regularly shove into lockers while Harrington disapproved, he has to admit that this is pleasant. it's pleasant in a way that surprises him, that makes this town feel just a little less suffocating. though he expects this friendliness might not last once Steve leaves his trailer, Eddie can pretend that when he walks into the doors of Hawkins High next time, he might be well on his way to making a new friend.
it's a pipe dream, but he's clinging to it.
he laughs at Steve's antics and takes another hit before passing the joint over, ignoring the jolts of something charged that bounce up his arm when their fingers touch. )
There you go, big boy. You can finish it off.
( yeah, this might be the only night he gets this, but at least he gets to have this at all. )