Chapter 3: You Can Either Hate Me, or Love Me
Chapter Title from "The Way I Am" by Charlie Puth
July 23, 1986
Steve pulls into the parking lot at the supermarket after another long day at Family Video. He's just putting his car in park when a battered green and white van pulls up in the spot next to him blasting heavy metal music. Eddie Munson grins mischievously at him from the driver's seat and quickly turns off the ignition abruptly stopping his loud music.
"Steve Harrington! Fancy seeing you here" Eddie shouts from his van.
Steve's heart races at the excitement of seeing Eddie so soon after their phone call. Maybe it's not a shitty day after all. Thinks Steve as he hops out of his car and greets Eddie with a smile. "Munson, hi, how are you?"
As Eddie climbs out of his van Steve can't help but notice how different Eddie looks today. He's wearing a faded blue button up shirt tucked into black jeans with no rips in them, and no chains or hankies in sight. His sleeves are rolled up, showing some of the tattoos on his arms, but he's only wearing one of his signature rings, and his guitar pick necklace is tucked under his shirt. The most striking difference is that Eddie's long curly hair is pulled back at the nape of his neck. He looks adorable. Steve thinks. A few stray pieces have fallen loose from the bunch and Steve finds himself eyeing those pieces and wanting to tuck them behind Eddie's ears. He shakes his head and tries to maneuver his mind away from that line of thought, from thinking about using some of his classic Steve Harrington moves on Eddie instead of the girls he dates.
"Harrington, man, I said I had it handled and then you went and called the cops on me" Eddie says in a chastising tone, but the corner of his mouth curls up as he teases Steve.
"Oh, uh, sorry man. Y'know I just figured, Hopper's been through all this shit too and I figured they'd want to look out for you. Besides, Joyce has been asking how you're doing, she knows firsthand what it's like to be a social outcast." Steve responds, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Well thanks dude, cause your nosy ass got me a job today!" Eddie breaks into a full smile at this.
"Really man? That's awesome, where at?" Steve asks and he finds himself smiling too from Eddie's infectious good mood.
As Eddie describes the small bookstore and talks about meeting with the owner, who's actually a total geek too and has played Dungeons & Dragons before, Steve finds himself distracted once again by Eddie's loose hairs moving around his face as he gestures with his hands.
"So, Harrington, how goes your studying?" Asks Eddie, clapping Steve on the shoulder with that big smile still on his face.
Steve falters "...Studying?"
Eddie taps Steve on the forehead with his finger "C'mon big boy I thought you were more than just a pretty face" he says with a smirk.
Steve blinks a few times then bats Eddie's hand away "Oh yeah the Dungeons & Dragons shit. Yeah Man, I read that rule book of Dustin's last night until it gave me a headache."
"Oh sweet Steve Harrington, trouble understanding a game that doesn't involve balls?" Eddie grins wickedly at that.
Steve scoffs and feels himself begin to blush, he bumps Eddie with his elbow.
"Fuck off Munson, at least I'm very talented with balls" Steve shoots back. Am I flirting with Eddie Munson? Steve wonders and pulls a satisfied smirk at Eddie who's now blushing with his mouth agape. Yes, yes, I am.
"Anyways… yes oh Wise Dungeon Master. I will keep reading the book. Maybe you can show me the ropes beforehand? I'd ask Henderson but that kid's ego is already way too inflated." Says Steve, realizing he finally has an excuse to hang out with Eddie.
"Of course, I am but your loyal servant King Steve. We must prepare you for battle!" Responds Eddie with his chest puffed up and arms flexed. Steve smiles and tries not to stare too obviously at Eddie's arms as the muscles strain at his well worn shirt.
"Great, I'll call you later and we'll figure out a date… uh I mean day, a day to hang out" Steve stumbles over his words, embarrassed that he's gotten all flustered by Eddie's arms and has practically said that their casual hang out is some type of date. Well, that's what you want isn't it? Says a voice in Steve's head.
Steve steps forward past Eddie to hide his raging blush and says "I better get the groceries and get home to make dinner. Talk later, man!"
Steve rushes into the supermarket before Eddie can follow him and heads towards the produce. He pauses at the apples and grabs the grocery list he and Robin made as Eddie comes through the entrance. Eddie gives Steve a look, eyebrows raised, and a little wave, then heads off in the opposite direction. Steve breathes a sigh of relief, as much as he wants to chat with Eddie more he also knows he needs to get his shit together and not act like a total idiot every time he talks to Eddie. Just be yourself. Robin's advice filters through his brain, but that was her advice for talking to girls… Steve knows he really needs to stop comparing his feelings of friendship for Eddie to the feelings he's felt for women in the past, but he chalks it up to never really having a close male friend before. Sure he was friends with Tommy and other guys from the basketball team for years, but they were assholes, he never had a true friend that he could talk to about anything until Robin.
Steve keeps an eye out for Eddie as he moves through the aisles as quickly as he can muster. He's feeling more and more tired from his long day with every step. Finally he has everything on his list and heads to the registers. Steve stands in line and looks out the big windows at the front of the store. At least Eddie hasn't left yet he thinks as he spots Eddie's van next to his car.
"We meet again" says a deep voice in his ear, strong hands gripping his shoulders from behind.
"Munson! Don't give me a heart attack" he barks out to Eddie who's chuckling in delight at sneaking up on Steve.
Steve is momentarily distracted from his annoyance at being startled with Eddie standing so close to him. Steve takes a step back to give himself some space from Eddie's heady scent of cigarettes, weed, and cheap cologne. Steve struggles to think of what to say next and is saved by the lady at the register calling him forward. As she rings through Steve's purchases she throws a suspicious glare at Eddie, Steve feels annoyance well up in his chest that this lady who doesn't even know Eddie is judging him.
"So, Eddie, you free on Sunday? I have the day off, you could come over and explain the game to me." Steve smirks at the cashier's widening eyes as she looks between him and Eddie, but he ignores her and focuses on Eddie. Fuck this judgmental bitch.
"Oh! Uh…Yeah, I think so, Frank said he wants me to come in tomorrow, Friday, and Saturday but the store is closed on Sundays." Eddie looks a bit surprised but Steve doesn't care, he wants this lady to know that he and Eddie are friends.
Steve pays his bill and thanks the cashier with fake sweetness and his most charming smile.
"Okay man, that sounds good. I'll give you my address." He replies to Eddie and then turns to the cashier.
"Could I borrow a pen from you please ma'am?" He smiles at her again, amping up his fake niceness, kill them with kindness his mom used to say.
"Sure hon" she says to Steve, though she's still eyeing Eddie apprehensively.
Steve turns over his grocery list and writes his and Robin's new address on the back and holds it out to Eddie. "Here you go man, come over whenever you want, I'll be home all day"
Steve has to take a deep breath as Eddie's calloused fingertips brush his palm. What is wrong with me?
"Great, thanks man" says Eddie, but his voice sounds strained.
They stand there silently as the woman rings through Eddie's groceries, Steve feeling awkward but also oddly protective. Who knows what she would have said if I wasn't here. Thinks Steve as Eddie pays and they leave the store together. As soon as the doors close Eddie lets out a loud laugh.
"Jesus, Harrington, it's like you're my personal guard dog. I was ready for you to start barking at her!" Eddie laughs again, his groceries shaking in his arms.
"Well, she was glaring daggers at you! What a bitch!" says Steve defensively.
"It wasn't like she was going to do anything except maybe be rude to me" says Eddie, shrugging. "Who cares what she thinks."
"Well I care!" Steve says passionately "It's stupid that people are still giving you a hard time"
Steve rests his groceries on the hood of his car as he reaches in his pocket for his keys, they're not there. "Fuck" he looks in his car window, they're still in the ignition "Fuck!" he pulls on the door handle, locked. "Fuck!" He feels like such an idiot. He left them in the ignition because he was excited by Eddie's sudden arrival. Steve turns to look at Eddie who's standing by the front of his van, watching Steve with an amused look on his face.
"Problem, Harrington?" drawls Eddie.
"Yeah, some asshole scared me with his loud metal music and I locked my keys in my car." asserts Steve.
"You sound like an old lady dude, you just need some pearls to clutch" Eddie teases, his amused smirk breaking into a full grin.
"Well I'm fucked, our place is too far to walk with these" he gestures to the groceries "and Robin is hanging out with Vickie so she can't bring me the spare" says Steve exasperated.
"Worry not, my friend, you forget that the Munson's have a particular set of skills that are useful in these situations" Eddie says confidently, grabbing his own keys and opening the back of his van. He rummages around for a moment.
"Gotcha!" He comes between their vehicles brandishing a wire coat hanger.
"I know a damsel in distress when I see one" Eddie wiggles his eyebrows as he unwinds the hanger.
Steve feels his cheeks go pink once again as Eddie steps closer. He invades Steve's space and slides one end of the hanger down next to Steve's driver side window.
Steve takes a step back to give Eddie space, but Eddie says "Where are you going Harrington? I need you to cover me, the last thing I need is the people of this town seeing me do this"
Steve watches as Eddie's hands expertly manipulate the hanger, wearing a look of concentration while more strands of hair fall into his face. Eddie shoots a puff of breath at them from the corner of his mouth and before Steve can stop himself he's reaching out and tucking the strands behind Eddie's ear. As his fingers curl around Eddie's ear Steve notices that Eddie's ear and cheek have gone all pink. Well that's interesting, thinks Steve.
"Quit manhandling me Harrington, I'm trying to concentrate" says Eddie, but he's using a teasing tone and sticking his tongue out between his teeth.
Steve feels his cock twitch at the sight of Eddie's tongue. Steve tries to halt his dirty train of thought before it gets away from him.
"Gotcha!" Says Eddie again as the lock pops up. He extracts the hanger from the door and gives it a kiss "thank you my beauty!"
"Thank God Eddie! I owe you one." Steve breathes a sigh of relief. "See you on Sunday"
"Don't mention it Harrington" replies Eddie, "Yeah I'll come over around noon, see you then"
