One shots :)

Ease My Mind-Steddie

Steddie-ST

LGBT Slurs 

"No, I need it."

"For what?"

"Eddie's friends' phone numbers."

Of course, Eddie. Ever since Dustin had started Hellfire Eddie was all he ever talked about leaving Steve stuck right back where he was junior year.

"Oh, Eddie."

Steve can feel Dustin's eye roll.

"Your new best friend Eddie who you think is cooler than me because he plays your nerdy game."

"Yes." He pauses. "I never said that."

The conversation continues but Steve's mind continues its drift towards the memories, the ones he could only wish to forget. He tends to some customers and around the store as Max explains everything, throwing some comments in.

"You think he's guilty don't you."

No, but just about everyone else would so Steve has to pretend that he's never even spoken to him.

"No! I just- I. I don't think anyone else would disagree with that statement."

It hurts saying that, but that's what straight as a board Steve Harrington would have said if you had asked him that three years ago.

"And maybe we might have a little bit more luck if you spent less time trying to find a girlfriend and more time trying to find Eddie."

There was so much more depth to that sentence than Steve could actually think about, but he knew that he would have to go along with the little bastard if he wanted to make sure he would stay safe.

~~~

As he grabs an oar and goes to start poking the tarp, he hears Dustin beside him.

"What are you doing."

"He might be here." It scares Steve more than he wants to admit, he'd rather stab Eddie with the oar than have to be stabbed by one of his looks.

"So, take the tarp off." Dustin says as if it's so obvious.

"If you're so brave you take it off." Steve hated to admit it, but right then Dustin probably was. The banter continues till Steve's thrown back, going straight to the wall.

"Eddie!" "Eddie stop!"

Steve's staring into his eyes, fear and shame hidden in the behind them. They hadn't been this close in years, but Steve couldn't help but look down at his lips, only for a moment as he remembered the broken bottle by his neck.

"Eddie, it's Steve." He mutters, trying to meet his gaze. Dustin rambles on but Steve knows Eddie couldn't do much, but he was also terrified.

"Yeah, Dustin's- Dustin's mother."  He mumbles, trying to avoid getting stabbed or slashed by the bottle.

Steve just squeezes his eyes closed, trying to pretend that that the absolute terror hiding under Eddie's face isn't scaring him. When Eddie lets go, he backs away, leaving Steve space to walk over, catch his breath, and think way to hard about everything.

~~~

The trip to the store was chaotic to say the least. Dustin was spewing random things he had remembered Eddie mentioning or eating, Max just wandered the aisles grabbing different things Steve knew she intended for herself. Robin tried to help but she ended up going on a rant about what all of this Vecna stuff meant, and all the while Steve just pushed a cart as he let his own thoughts wander.