After Party
Disclaimer: I don't own Stranger Things
Steve pulled up his car to the front of the middle school. He tapped the steering wheel impatiently as he waited for Dustin to come out. He craned his neck and could see the little shitheads all gathered around in front of the door with no indications that they were leaving the building anytime soon. The dance was over; he could see Nancy and Johnathon helping the teachers clean up the tables and decorations. All the other kids had left except for his six.
He had seen Mike lead his best friend and girlfriend out to Mrs. Byers and Hopper who had lurked in the parking lot during the dance. There had been a heated debate before everyone had looked his way. He had ducked lower in the driver's seat of his car, hoping to avoid their gaze. He only stayed during the dance because it was easier than driving home just to come back and pick Dustin up. That didn't mean he wanted to broadcast his presence. He wasn't some protective parent guarding the dance against evil. He peaked a look out the window to see the three kids eventually reenter the building. Max and Lucas leaned against each other and El and Mike were holding hands. Will stood to the side glancing between Dustin and the rest of the party. Dustin was waving his hands around arguing something passionately with his friends. He must have won the argument based on his smile as he lead the rest out the front door.
Dustin opened the passenger door and slid into the seat with an air of superiority. Before Steve knew what was happening or he could even think to protest the rest of the shitheads were climbing into his backseat. It was a tight fit, the girls sat on their respective crush's laps with Will squished in the middle.
"Hey!" Seve called out, "What do you shitheads think you're doing?"
"We're going to get food," Mike said with a slight tone of disgust at having to explain what he thought was obvious. El wanted waffles and he was going to get her some, even if he had to put up with his sister's goofy ex-boyfriend. Steve had proved himself to be a fighter in the tunnels the month before but it didn't change the fact that he had dated his sister. He'd seen Steve climb into Nancy's window, suck up to his parents, play tea party with his little sister and use sappy pet names for his girlfriend. The guy acted like the cool guy but he was really a dork.
"What? No! I'm going home. You're going home," Steve protested, his voice rising in irritation.
He didn't sign up to be a babysitter tonight. He was exhausted he hadn't been sleeping well lately. Between his nightmares and insomnia, he barely got a few hours of rest each night. He had barely left his house since his fight with Billy. Missing more school than he attended. Not that there was anyone around that cared if he graduated or not. He only agreed to come out tonight because of Dustin's panicked phone call a few days ago. He'd agreed to help and support the younger boy in his preparation for the Snow Ball. He almost forgot about it until Dustin showed up on his doorstep that morning with a brown bag full of hair products. The kid looked like a million bucks by the time he was done with him. He couldn't let him be dropped off by his mom. He loved Mrs. Henderson, she had sent over some food in the two weeks he was housebound with his concussion. But no teenage boy should be dropped off at a dance by his mom. He wanted the younger boy to have every advantage to impress the ladies. The kid deserved it.
"Steve!" Dustin called his name loudly. He jumped lost in thought. He turned to the younger boy seeing the fear in his eyes. The car was silent with an air of uncomfortableness. Dustin must have called his name several times. Steve didn't mean to zone out. He had been losing time, sometimes coming to his senses in rooms or classes he didn't remember entering. He shook his head, sending his long hair waving down across his forehead.
"Fine, you shitheads," Steve growled, putting the car into gear and driving away from the school, "But, I'm not paying. So, you all better have money."
Steve carefully drove the car towards the only restaurant that stayed open so late at night. The kids held their breath for a moment, exchanging concerned glances. Steve ignored them, focusing on making the ride far smoother and safer than the last time they were in a car together. The farther they drove the more the kids relaxed, letting his strange behavior go. Conversation stuttered but resumed its natural and normal rhythm of six teenage nerds. Multiple conversations broke out, buzzing around his ears like so many flies. Switching topics and interrupted one another until finally, his head couldn't take it anymore. He switched on his radio and cranked up the volume to drown out their complaints about the volume and his music taste.
Max leaned forward to change stations. He thought about swatting away her hand but he was too tired to. Plus, the song she picked was better, not that he would admit that to her. The kids familiar with the song began to sing, loudly. There were a few decent voices in the bunch but most couldn't carry a tune in a bucket. Steve didn't have the heart or energy to stop them so he just turned the radio up louder. His ears were ringing with an annoying buzzing by the time they reached their destination. At least he didn't have to try and hold a conversation. He pulled off the road and parked outside of a truckstop diner.
His passengers piled out of his car like a troop of clowns. He wanted to just stay in the car and wait for them to eat as he waited in the school parking lot for the dance to end. Somehow Steve had been placed in the position of babysitter once more, so he reluctantly pushed open his car door. He stood up and the blood rushed to his head. He grabbed the roof of his car to steady himself as the parking lot lurched around him drunkenly. He rubbed at his temples, waiting for the vertigo to fade.
When he was relatively sure he could walk in a straight line, he headed for the building.
He heard his group before he saw them. They had claimed a corner booth and had preceded to pick out large amounts of greasy diner food from the menu. He sat down to ride herd of the rowdy kids so they wouldn't be kicked out. He was their adult chaperone. Their waitress gave him a pointed look. He nodded, reassuring her that he would keep the kids under control. He remembered not too long ago that his servers used to flirt with him. When had his life changed so much? Was it when Dustin took his apology roses from his hand at the Wheelers' house? Or had it been when Nancy pointed a gun at him at the Byer's house? Or was it when Barb was taken by a monster in his own backyard? He didn't know when his life had become so out of control.
"I'll have a coffee, black," He told the waitress when all eyes turned to him expectantly, "I ate dinner earlier," He claimed even though he was lying through his teeth. Food had not settled well with him since he got very well acquainted with his toilet while recovering from his head injury.
He let the noise roll around and over him as he tried to will his growing headache to disappear.
Piles of waffles, burgers, and fries were quickly consumed as Steve sipped at his coffee. The caffeine flowed into his system to keep him awake and alert enough to keep the kids safe. It was his job to watch them, they had been entrusted into his care. He was actually surprised Will and El were allowed to come out alone with him without Joyce and the Sheriff. He had seen them outside the school sharing a cigarette during the dance. He figured a cop car was waiting just out of view of the restaurant building. Before all the upside-down shit he would have gotten angry if adults, especially a cop, were tailing him, making sure everyone was safe. Now it was just reassuring to know there were adults around to help when shit hit the fan again.
"So we'll have our next campaign after school gets out on the 20th at Mike's house," Lucus confirmed.
"And New Years' Eve at Steve's house," Dustin practically shouted in excitement. This pulled Steve's focus back to the conversation in the diner.
"Whoa, wait, what?" Steve struggled to catch up. He didn't remember agreeing to host a party for a bunch of middle schoolers. Not that he had anyone else to host a party for, but still. He didn't want to spend the first day of 1985 with his lameness thrown in his face by chaperoning a party for kids. His parents were always in New York watching the ball drop live so he had always thrown wild parties. That was before King Steve had lost his crown.
"No!" He shook his head, ignoring the dizziness it caused.
"But, Steve, you have to," Dustin whined.
"Hopper won't let El go anywhere too public," Mike added his Wheeler two cents.
"Yeah, and you have the biggest house," Max said logically as if he didn't have a choice. Lucus nodded his agreement.
He looked around the expected faces and sighed. He didn't have a choice, "Fine, but I will have conditions."
The kids cheered and then went back to their conversations. They never even thought he could stop them. First the tunnels, now the diner, soon he would be hosting a party at his house against his will. How was this his life? He was being controlled by little monsters.
Steve grabbed the check before anyone could grab it. He held it out of reach of all the little shrimps. He was in charge here. He was the adult here and if he wanted to pay, he would damn well pay. He covered the whole bill with the added bonus of ordering everyone ice cream. He bitched and moaned about it to their faces the whole time they ate. They just smiled into their ice cream as they ate.
He herded them out into the cool winter air. The parking lot was empty except for his own car and a police car parked next to it waiting for them to finish.
El and Will went to their guardians, that waited for them in the sheriff's vehicle, willingly this time. The long goodbye lasted a few good minutes through the window until Hopper put an end to it by pulling his vehicle out of the parking lot. Two of his charges were taken care of. He dropped the rest off safely at home.
He went home and slept the whole night through, without a single nightmare.