Steve somehow made it to work.
It wasn't easy trying to appease your angry father and disappointed mother.
It's even harder when you don't have a job.
Yet luckily for Steve, him and Robin had a knack for finding shitty jobs that just made their life ever so slightly harder.
So he had to take what he could get to avoid the chances of being kicked out.
Lord knows once he's saved enough and graduated he gonna run like hell out of that stupid house.
He bursted in the door, watching as Robin scanned in movie drop offs.
A few teenage stragglers looked at him but shrugged him of because really, who are they to judge? They are the ones in a crappy video store renting crappy movies they've already geeked over for about the 4th millionth time.
He waved at Robin who only gave a unpleased eye roll in response.
She pointed at a box of new rentals.
Steve was a idiot, most of the time, but he got the message.
The brunette grabbed the box and looked at the movies. Top gun, Goonies, Mad Max, all the latest crazes. Steve is a huge movie buff but he rarely sees movies with out his side kick.
So he figured he'd come back to these.
He began placing the movies in their respective spots. Making sure to organize by alphabetical order and genre.
Keith would kill him if they weren't in the right order, and his ass was already on the line. So he had to the the best Goddamn worker this mold stained, smelly shop has ever seen.
As he scanned around the shop to make sure everything was in place he spotted a movie, it seem a bit older. It had bold letters and a big mouth, covered in red lipstick.
He read the title to himself.
"The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Hm."
He noted the movie down in his head, it looked enthralling and he had only seen the cover.
He wondered if Eddie would like it.
It seemed like his scene.
He wanted to ask Robin but she seemed busy enough.
He placed back the movie and traced the cover a bit, the shiny plastic felt good against his rough hands. He sighed as he looked at the ground and spotted some dirt, he hated dirt.
So he walked to the staff room, rummaging through a custodial closet to find a broom. The dainty light did not help whatsoever, yet he did manage to find one as he picked up the old thing.
It was falling apart at the bristles and looked like it hadn't been used in years.
It was better than a dirty floor with God knows what type of fecal matter.
What's disgusting germs these people track in.
What sickness they have.
You might ask yourself, 'Why would Steve be so afraid of dirt.' Two words. Evil Russians.
Ever since those stupid Russians and their stupidly clean torture base it's been a whole thing. Robin can't stand no mess because it reminds her of the stainless steel box and Steve can't stand the mess because of the ingrained image of that same stainless steel box in his head.
He huffed out and walked past Robin who seemed to be less preoccupied.
"Hey what are you doing?"
She placed a painted nailed hand on his chest, stopping him.
He sniffed in a bit.
"I'm gonna clean the floor, why?"
She made an unimpressed look and groaned, very clearly annoyed.
"You wanna explain why no one saw you after school? Dustin needed a ride and he had to call me! Of all people!"
She drew back her hand, placing the freckled fingers on her temples and began rubbing circles into them.
"Something came up..."
He looked off to the side and bit on his lip, trying to get out of the uncomfortable conversation.
"Are you still having nightmares Steve? Y'know I get them too still, but keeping them all inside isn't healthy."
She clasped her hands together and raised her eyebrows in concern.
"No it's- God this is gonna sound so stupid, but I'm having relationship problems."
He hesitated as he looked the girl in her eyes. She now looked astonished, like she wanted to know every detail while still throwing it in his face.
"You, Steve Harrington, have relationship problems? With who! Every girl in this dumb town loves you!"
"It's..."
He leaned and lowered down a bit. Whispering into her ear.
"It's a guy."
Suddenly a loud 'what' basically fell out of her mouth. Like if someone just told her that the Sasquatch was real, and at this point, she would now believe it.
Steve tried to shush her but all efforts where in vain.
"Steve, your love life is of labyrinthine complexity and now you lay this on me! With out even telling me in advance! The only person you can tell!"
Steve started to fidget with the pins on his vest.
"I wanted to tell you! It was just so fast! We didn't confess our feelings or any of that cheesy stuff, it was more of a...passion thing."
At this point Robin was basically wiping the floor clean with her jaw, any and all semblance of sanity had gone smashed to tiny little bits.
"A 'passion' thing?! A man some how managed to get passionate with you."
He cringed at thought of all the lewd things he and Eddie had done.
The freckled girl clearly saw a blush spread across his face and gagged.
Still she was curious.
"Do I know him?"
Steve nodded and began to shake his leg.
"Yeah uh, he said he had band with you?-"
Now Robin was done for. For the past five minutes she tried to piece together who this mystery man was and now it all made perfectly confusing sense.
Eddie The fucking Freak Munson.
"You- You slept with Eddie?!?"
Robin was now harshly shaking the taller boy, trying to shake out the truth.
"In the technical sense yes! It wasn't really...sex I guess. It was more,
... helping each other out?"
"Ew! Gross! Don't say 'helping each other out'!"
She huffed out and backed away, leaning against the red counter.
Steve only picked at his lips more, tearing off bits of skin and crushing it between his teeth.
It was gross sure, but it helped him focus more on that pain than on the excruciatingly embarrassing conversation.
"Well.. I don't know if we're dating or?-"
He facepalmed, dragging his fingers down his warm face.
"What do you mean you don't know if you guys are dating?! Did you ask each other out or not?"
Steve shook his head, tuffs of hair messing up in the process.
As he started to fix the damage he spoke.
"He wants to meet up after my shift and before I left he- We, made out."
Robin smiled widely, clapping her hands together and jumping up on her heels.
"That's good! That means he wants to be serious with you!!"
Steve smiled a little, looking around the barren store.
"I hope so.."
The freckled girl rolled her eyes, as hesitated to speak.
"How's school?- I know I haven't been helping you to much but I'm still trying to get into a college."
Steve's smile quickly faded.
He wasn't even thinking about school, he hated school.
Sure he was still Mr.Popularity but he lacked in the smarts department, Robin made that crystal clear to him when she use to tutor.
She bashed him for anything he did know.
Especially math.
"Are you serious?!? You don't know any algebra??"
It rang in his head, all the numbers, all the symbols, all the stupid equations and what not.
The thought alone made him shudder.
"Y'know you don't have to tutor me any more- I can maybe see if Eddie can help. We're both trying to graduate this year and maybe... I can get closer with him..?"
His voice was sincere and he seemed to be a bit scared to admit it. The look on his friends face backed up that fear.
Robin had a goofy smirk across her face, dimples forming on the edges of her fair skin.
"Wanna say that louder lover boy?"
She placed her cool hands on his warm and red skin of his face.
The boy swatted her away. Chuckling lighty as he his did
Perhaps he did wanna get closer, maybe he just wanted to study.
Lord knows that a crock of shit but he can pretend.
"Well I was actually going to ask you something."
Steve crooked up an eyebrow.
"Shoot."
The girl bit her lip excitedly as she smiled.
Jumping up on the counter so she sat just on the edge. Swinging her feet in delight.
"As you know I've been talking to a girl.-"
"Mhm, you refuse to share a name."
She shushed him, fingers wagging as giggled.
"Well it's just. She's use to be your-"
Steve was now tilting his head in the silliest way possible. It was true, Steve had big, round, innocent eyes that were complimented by the moles on his face. And boy could they pierce through anyone.
Even if he wasn't trying.
"Stop looking at me like that!! Your baby eyes are gonna make me burst!"
She covered her own.
"Fine, fine. 'She was was my' what?"
Robin peeked through her nimble fingers, tensing up as she spoke in a uncertain and almost questioning voice.
"She was your girlfriend.."
Steve squinted his eyes, trying to think of every girlfriend he's ever had.
There was a lot, and if he was to think any harder his head would explode.
"You gotta be more specific."
The freckled girl huffed defensively and crossed her arms.
"Oh c'mon you couldn't have had that many girlfriends!"
Steve shook his head, tongue running over his teeth as he smiled.
"One for each letter of the alphabet, some have doubles."
She rolled her eyes.
"Go ahead start naming!"
"Aniston, Beatrice, Brenda, Chole, Catty, Denise-"
She groaned loudly and fell gently backwards onto the counter.
"You're insufferable Steve!! Insufferable!!"
"Yeah sure, gimme a name."
He tapped his foot, hands resting on his hips like some tired mother who wanted her annoying child to behave.
"Her name starts with a N."
Steve began going through the internal database of girls he dated that's name started with a N.
"Natalia, Natalie, Nan-"
His tongue went dry.
He now knew.
She has been falling for a girl he once did.
She called their relationship bullshit.
Bullshit.
Bullshit!
What the fuck! She knew this how could she!!
He started breathing a bit heavier, he could feel his knees staring to give out from underneath him.
How could he? Nancy wasn't his! Robin isn't his either! He shouldn't be jealous!
He isn't jealous. He can't be.
With a half smile he spoke softly.
"That's great Robs- she's really...great. She seems like a good fit for you."
"No no Steve wait! We haven't started dating!! I just wanted to know if it was okay with you!"
She jumped down from the counter and walked up to him.
"Is it?"
He looked off to the side, her eyes were burning into him, hot as coals he could feel it.
What is he supposed to say? No? Like some pretentious douchebag?
He wasn't that anymore.
But it hurt so bad, worse that any torture he's been through.
Way worse.
Like if someone had grabbed all his organs and made a nice Steve smoothie.
"It's fine Robin. Really it is."
As the words fell out she hugged him tightly. Frizzy hair tickling under his chin.
He would have liked in under any other circumstances.
But it just felt as a million daggers went through his heart.
"Thank you, thank you! You're the best Steve!"
He hugged back lightly, cringing as he patted her on the back.
Tears started to form on the corners of his eyes as he began to choke up.
"Of course."
He would much rather prefer being dead right now.
"I uh, gotta finish sweeping the floor. Dirt y'know?"
He still wouldn't make eye contact. Using his fluffy hair to hide his face.
Robin let go and smiled, close eyed.
"Sure, Wanna grab lunch after this?"
Steve nodded and hurred off. Feet dragging against the wood floor.
Robin had every right to be to be in a happy and healthy relationship.
He knew Nancy would give that to her.
But it hurt.
It felt as if Robin had betrayed his trust, everything he's shared about her and his love life and how Nancy affected his love life all down the drain.
Hours of sobbing on the other side of the phone wasted.
Precious moments he lost forever with Nancy.
It hit him like a truck when they broke it off, she was the first person to ever truly love him.
He loved her back.
It's over between them however, the flame that once burned now nothing but glowing embers.
It's true love hurts you in many ways.
But he's never hurt more than with Nancy Wheeler.
As he swept against the floor he tried to think of anything else, Nancy was a sweet girl who didn't deserve any of the back talk she got from other jealous people or even him for that matter.
He should be focused on his literal date coming up.
With Eddie Munson.
Realization is a bitch.
Like a rattlesnake biting you on the ankle.
He now realized he was going to be romantically involved with a man.
Something he would have scoffed at years back.
When he was with Nancy.
All the bad things he had ever said or done where because of Nancy.
Not because she wanted him to do those things, but because he wanted to prove himself worthy of her love.
Growing up in a suburban home with a rich father and a successful mother you learn that respect and love is earned.
And in his high schooler mind he thought he had thought it was the same with Nancy. Whether it was through harsh acts or kind ones.
When she did dump him because of the things he did it didn't make any sense to him, he thought he had done good.
But looking back now he realized breaking up with Nancy was probably the best thing that ever happened to him.
He had grown so much as a person, becoming friends with people he thought he hated. Putting his life on the line for others, everything good about Nancy trickled down onto him.
And he thought if he did good she would come back.
She never did, not in the way he wanted.
But she really never left him, they remained friends and this led to him finding other people he could confine in.
Like Robin.
Robin is his best friend and he wants whatever is best for her, so if that means pushing his feelings aside so she can have a loving girlfriend so be it.
As he finished sweeping up the floor he looked at his reflection against a shiny movie poster.
He's now a changed man, and he's deeply in love.
It's funny because he thought Eddie 'The Freak' Munson would be the last person he'd ever want to date but now look at him,
Crazy over a boy who is his polar opposite.
He's head over heels for some long haired metal head.
"Hey Steve!"
Dustin walked in, curly hair bouncing as he walked.
"Henderson!!"
Steve basically sprinted to the boy, hugging him.
When he backed away he still held onto the younger boys shoulder, smiling widely.
"Listen I'm so sorry about ditching you yesterday."
Dustin made a 'Pshh' sound.
"Don't worry! Robin got me! Right Rob's!"
Robin leaned over the counter on her tippy toes.
"We're not there yet Dustin! No nicknames yet."
She stuck out her tongue and went back to reading whatever magazine Keith had left from his shift.
"Right... Anyways I was gonna ask if you wanna come with me to the movies! I asked Eddie but he had plans."
Dustin pouted and gave the older puppy eyes. Holding his hands together in a begging way.
"I'm sorry dude, I have something too."
The curly haired boy threw up his hands as he surrendered all hope.
"Man y'all suck!"
Steve patted his head, ruffling up his hair.
"Maybe tomorrow, I don't have anything then. So turn you dumb face right side up."
He smiled at Dustin.
"Sure thing Momma Steve, I'm just here to return Fast Times."
Robin shot glances at Steve as she heard the dreaded words.
"Hm, boobies."
Dustin's face twisted into disgust.
"Ew Steve you know I'm not into that! I have a girlfriend who I'm loyal to so I skipped over that part."
Steve rolled his eyes, ah young love.
"Uh huh, Robs will take care of you, off ya go."
He motioned towards the counter, bowing in a way, like Eddie.
The younger boy did judge him a bit, looking back every so often as he walked towards the older girl.
"Not fair he gets to call you that!"
She batted her eyelashes and smiled.
"I've known him much longer than you Dusty Buns."
She grabbed the movie and gave him a smile.
"Whatever."
He peeked into a old candy bowl. Picking out a piece that looked the best, taking off the wrapper and popping into his mouth.
"So uhh, you doing anything Robin?-"
She tilted her head down and snickered.
"Steve dumps you once and now your desperate, I'm gonna be hanging out with Nancy. You can bring some friends so you won't be all alone."
She fake pouted.
"Really!? Great! I'll bring Lucas and Max!"
Dustin sprinted backwards out of the shop, giggling and smiling the entire way.
The pair of adults looked at each other and smiled.
"Goofy kid."
Robin chimed in.
"He's my goofy kid, so take good care of him while I'm on my...erm, date."
She nodded and looked down at her watch.
"Well you better get going, I'll close up."
Steve eyes widened.
"You sure?"
She gave a thumbs up.
"Now shoo, go get em tiger!"
She did a paw gesture.
Steve walked out, leaving the store with a ring of the bell.
*
Eddie was pacing around his room in the trailer.
His 'errands' for the day were just trying to pick out a nice outfit.
He had three set in front of him.
A Metallica T-shirt and acid washed shorts, a sleeveless red tank top and black ripped pants, and black muscle shirt with black jeans and some chains.
He looked over each, on what would make him more appealing to the eye, he had great arms with nice tattoos so he wanted those to be seen.
He grabbed the tank top and pants and started to change, looking at himself in a full body mirror.
Something is missing, he had his rings and necklaces on as well as a beautiful pair of black boots.
He looked at his face and eyes.
Makeup. Perfect.
He rushed over to his desk, swiping off crumpled up papers and old pencils.
Eddie sat down and huffed looking over his limited selection of makeup.
He grabbed a pencil eyeliner and began to work, tracing his water line.
As he finished the outlines on each eyes he began to smudge the corners.
He then grabbed a tube of red lipstick.
Looking over it shrugged and popped off the cap. Using his middle finger to grab a small amount of the dark red lipstick, smearing it on the middle of his lips and dulling it as he smudged more.
He made a 'pop' with his mouth as he turned his face side to side slowly.
"Pretty good Eddie."
He spoke to himself, grinning as he stood up.
He walked out his room and out to the living room. Sitting next to his uncle while he watched the T.V.
Wanye looked over him, up and down.
"Ya ain't going to none of them crazy parties right?"
Eddie patted the olders man's back and shook his head.
"I have a date!"
Wanye smiled and took a sip of his canned soda.
"With that Steve boy from earlier?"
"Yup! I'm thinking maybe a drive in movie and dinner? You know any good places?"
The gray haired man nodded and leaned over to grab a peice of paper and pencil. Scribbling down a address.
"Here, it's a nice dinner that I use to take my wife too. The people there are very nice, you shouldn't have a problem."
Eddie smiled and folded the paper nicely, putting it in his front pocket.
"Also do you need any money? I got a bonus last week and all our bills are paid."
He reached for his wallets and grabbed out a twenty.
"No thanks, I got some money."
He patted his back pocket.
Wanye nodded and put the money back, setting the leather wallet back down on the small table.
"You make sure he treats you right, or else."
"Just because he has big eyes and nice hair doesn't mean he's a buck uncle Wanye."
Eddie smirked.
"But I'll shoot him like one-"
Suddenly a loud knock was at the door.
"Speaking of the devil.."
The long haired boy shot up and walked to the door, peeking through the window.
"Phew it's him."
Wanye smiled and went back to watching T.V.
Eddie opened the door, leaning against it in the most seductive way he could.
"I thought you were gonna bail on me Harrington."
Steve just gulped and started to blush hard burning up all around his face and neck.
"I uh- got you-"
He held forward two flowers, one a rose and the other a sunflower.
"I thought you might- I'm sorry it's-"
Eddie just smiled and leaned in to kiss his cheek.
"They're perfect, let me go put them in some water and we can get going. Come in real quick."
As Eddie turned around he winked at the younger boy, swaying his hips as he walked into the kitchen.
"Hello Mr.Munson- I'm just uh here to take Eddie on a..a date?-"
Wanye chuckled.
"You sound scared there son, don't worry about me. Have fun and be safe."
He patted the seat next to him and Steve complied, walking over and sitting with a small bounce.
The older man leaned over and grabbed Steve by the back of his neck, not to hard and not too soft.
Then he whispered.
"If you dare hurt Eddie I will find you and shoot you down like some old buck, you hear me?"
The freckled boy nodded and began to sweat.
"Good, now, show him a great time."
Letting go he patted Steve firmly on the back as Eddie walked over with a dusty vase, it looked like it was hand made years ago. He set it down on the coffee table.
"We're all set, shall we Stevie?"
"Yep- all set- let's go.."
He jumped up quickly, wiping off his sweaty hands on his jeans.
He hadn't changed into anything knew, just took off his work vest that he always conveniently left in his car.
The two walked out as Steve nervously waved bye to Wanye, who waved, smiled and glared all at the same time.
It sent a small shiver up the boys back.
Once they were outside Eddie looked Steve up and down.
"You look like you've seen a ghost."
The younger boy just laughed nervously.
"You're uncle is scary.."
Eddie rolled his eyes.
"He won't actually shoot you Steve, he's a big ol teddy bear."
Steve sighed and opened Eddie door, holding it as Eddie got in.
He walked around the other side and got in the driver's seat.
"I hope so Munson."
Steve started the car and the engine purred like a kitten.
In an attempt to swoon Steve even more Eddie let his hand find it's way to Steve's thigh, rubbing it lightly.
Steve eyes only got wider as he blinked harshly.
He cleared his throat pulled out of the dirt path.
Tonight would be interesting.