Steve never claimed to be the studious type. If he were being perfectly honest, the most studying he ever did was when he was dating Nancy, and that was only because it was an excuse to spend more time with her. Steve had always excelled at more physical pursuits, like basketball, sex and… well, not much else. It turned out that his cunning plot to have the world's best bachelor party and therefore best Eddie Munson was a bust. After taking Lucas to hospital, it turned out that he had, in fact, broken his ankle. The good news was that it was a clean fracture so it wouldn't require surgery. The bad news was that he'd have to wear a cast for the next six weeks, which meant he'd miss his first training season with the Chicago Bulls. Although Lucas said that he didn't blame Steve for what happened, he didn't say goodbye to him when he left the hospital later that day.

Steve decided to put his half-baked plots to get one over on Eddie to rest for the time being. He had other more pressing matters to attend to, namely, Dustin and Alberta's engagement party. They had organized the party to be held at Hawkins Community Center. It was the only place large enough to host Dustin's sizable family, many of whom were traveling from out of state for the festivities. Declaring that he had nothing suitable to wear for the party, Steve dragged Robin out shopping in search of the perfect outfit.

"Jesus, you'd think you were the one getting married," she bemoaned as Steve rejected the umpteenth shirt and pants combo.

"I gotta make a good impression," he reasoned, holding up yet another plain white shirt to his chest and scrutinizing his reflection in the floor-length mirror.

"Make a good impression on who?"

"On everyone!"

"On Eddie, you mean," she shot back.

"I'm not even going to dignify that with a response," Steve grumbled before pulling a shirt almost identical to the previous one off of the clothes rack.

"You know that you haven't shut up about him since Dustin's birthday."

"That's because he's so annoying."

"Annoyingly handsome," she teased.

"I wouldn't know, he's not my type."

"You haven't slept with him yet, he's exactly your type," she quipped. "Oh that's right, you did sleep with him, didn't you?"

"I didn't sleep with him," Steve argued. "We shared a tent."

"You shared a sleeping bag," she smirked.

"And nothing happened," he insisted. Well, nothing but that intense sex dream, but that didn't mean anything. Steve cleared his throat and held up another shirt, "What about this one?"

"Looks great," said Robin, not even bothering to look up from her magazine.

Steve rolled his eyes and swapped out the lavender shirt for a dark green one. Robin confusing his disdain for Eddie as attraction would have been funny if it wasn't so annoying. In the weeks since the LARP event, he'd received two phone calls from Eddie. One was to ask if he enjoyed the new TV and the other was to discuss themes for his bachelor party.

"Since yours was so cruelly cut short, I thought we could plan the next one together."

"How thoughtful of you," Steve had replied sarcastically.

Steve had suggested that for the trip to Florida they all wear Hawaiian shirts. Eddie wanted them to dress up as their favourite characters from Lord of the Rings. Steve point blank refused to dress up in a stupid costume, and Eddie accused Steve's idea of being boring. Their relationship was hardly the romance of the century.

"Well, if you're not sweet on Eddie, then you must be jealous of him," Robin suggested lightly.

"Jealous!" Steve scoffed. "What's there to be jealous of?"

Robin lowered her magazine. "Let's think: he's rich, good-looking, a talented musician—"

"I'm not jealous," he insisted.

"I didn't think so, because the Steve I know wouldn't be that petty." She lifted the magazine again with a smile. "You're like a lovesick teenager. It's kinda sweet."

Steve glared at her through the mirror. "I'm twenty-six, Robin. Teenagers have crushes."

"Please, I heard you listening to his album just yesterday!"

"I just wanted to see what all the fuss was about," he argued. "Honestly, I don't get why they're so popular."

Robin smirked. "Denial is a river in Egypt."

"I do not have a crush on Eddie Munson!" he cried. "In case you haven't noticed, Eddie is a guy."

"So?"

"So, even if I did like him that way— which I don't —he's straight. And so am I, for that matter."

Robin didn't look convinced. "How do you know he's straight? Have you asked him?"

"Because in the short time that he's been famous, he's dated more women than I have in my entire life," said Steve. "It doesn't matter whether he's gay or straight, he's not going to waste his time on anybody from Hawkins. Everyone in this town treated him like garbage."

"Not everyone," said Robin with a smile.

"If you're talking about me and Dustin saving Eddie from The Upside Down, any decent person would have done the same thing."

"You and I both know that decent folk are hard to come by in Hawkins."

"Fair point," he muttered, pulling another shirt off the rack. "How about this one?"

"It looks great," she replied absent-mindedly.

"You said that about the last one."

"The last one looked great, too."

"Robin!" he cried. "I need you to take this seriously."

Robin groaned and rolled her eyes before getting to her feet. "Fine. Here…" She pulled a navy blue shirt and black pants from the rack and thrust them into Steve's arms. "Wear this. Dustin will be wishing he had proposed to you instead of Alberta when he sees you."

Steve sneered at Robin but took the proffered clothes without further complaint. He trusted that however annoying she probably found his behavior, she wouldn't let him step out of the apartment dressed like an idiot.

"What color of dress are you wearing?" he asked.

"Uh, I'm not wearing a dress," she laughed.

"Okay, what color of Hawaiian shirt and plaid waistcoat combo are you wearing?" he teased.

"I haven't decided yet. Why? Are you looking to borrow some of my stuff?"

"I gotta know what color of tie I need so that we're matching," he explained, perusing a display of silk ties.

Robin frowned. "Uh, I'm going with Vickie."

"Oh. Yeah, that makes sense."

"You should call Eddie and see what colors he's wearing so that you can match," she joked.

"Very funny," he grumbled.

"You don't really need a date for an engagement party."

"Eddie will have one," he reasoned.

"So?"

"So, I can't turn up on my own like a loser," he argued. "I need to look like I've got my life together."

"And wearing a new suit and having a date is what someone with their life together looks like?" she asked, sounding confused.

"Exactly. I need to find a date."

"Well, that's going to be tough, considering you've already dated every woman in Hawkins with a pulse."

Steve knew he ought to be insulted by Robin's remark, but she wasn't wrong, so he decided to let it slide. "Doesn't Vickie have a sister? What's her name again? Louise? Lindsay?"

"She does, and no, you're not dragging Lizzie into your schemes."

"I'm not dragging her into anything!" he protested. "I just need a date for the night."

"And that's all?"

"Come on, give me some credit!" he cried. "It's Vickie's little sister, I wouldn't do anything untoward with her."

"Yeah, like I haven't heard that one before," she muttered.

"I don't have a death wish. If Vickie didn't kill me, you would."

"You got that right." Robin considered him for a moment. "I could ask if she's willing to do you this huge favor… but only if you promise not to sleep with her."

"Of course not," Steve raised his left hand in salute. "Scout's honor."

Robin's eyes narrowed. "Were you even in the Scouts?"

"No, but that's beside the point: a promise is a promise. I swear on my life that I will not sleep with Lizzie," he declared before adding with a sly grin, "Even if she wants to sleep with me . It's not my fault that the fairer sex finds me irresistible."

"And that inflated sense of self-worth is precisely why I prefer the company of women," Robin quipped. "Alright, I'll ask her. But she still might say no."

"Not a problem. If she does turn me down, I'll just find someone else."

"How chivalrous of you," she joked.

They exited the store a few minutes later with his new outfit and began the laborious search for a suitable engagement present. They wandered around Lazarus, picking up random items and turning them over in their hands before placing them carefully back down on the shelf again.

"What do you even buy someone when they get engaged?" Steve wondered aloud, wandering aimlessly down another aisle.

Robin shrugged. "Lots of things: ring dishes, champagne flutes, a charcuterie board…"

"All of those gifts suck."

"I know," she sighed. "I dunno. I think I'll just buy them a nice bottle of wine."

"Make it a gift from the two of us?" he chanced.

Robin scoffed. "Hell no. Get your own gift."

"What's the point of us being friends and living together if we aren't going to save a little money on joint gifts?" he pouted.

"You're the one who wants to prove some point to Eddie that you're a better best man than he is," she challenged. "Get Dustin something personal. Something that both he and Alberta will appreciate."

Yet again, much to Steve's annoyance, Robin had a point. Steve might have put his schemes to rest, but he still felt the need to prove himself to both Eddie and Dustin that he was the right man for the job. It was only after they passed a display of cake toppers in the wedding section that Steve had a sudden spark of inspiration. He and Robin parted ways after Lazarus. She had a lunch date with Vickie, and he had an impromptu meeting with Mike at The Games Workshop. True to Mike's word, the store was much busier on a Saturday afternoon; several young men crowded around two large tables, filled with miniatures that were clearly in the throes of an epic battle.

Steve found Mike at the nearest table, so engrossed in the game that he had to tap him on the shoulder to get his attention. When Mike turned around, his eyebrows shot up so high in surprise that they disappeared beneath his hairline.

"Steve! You're not here to play, are you?"

"God no," he scoffed, ignoring the indignant expression on Mike's face. "I need your help with something."

Steve scrutinized his appearance in his bedroom mirror, paying particular attention to his hair. He applied another liberal layer of hairspray before accepting that it would have to do. He sat the can of Rave hairspray on his dresser table and sighed in resignation. It wasn't a bad product, but it didn't compare with his beloved Farrah spray. He had shed real tears the day that had been discontinued.

A polite knock at the front door and muffled voices signaled the arrival of Vickie and her sister, Lizzie. To his immense relief, Lizzie had agreed to be his date for the engagement party. Despite attending the same school, he only vaguely remembered her. She was five years his junior, but he imagined she had long since outgrown pigtails and cotton summer dresses. At least, he hoped so. Steve smoothed his hand over his hair more out of habit before exiting his bedroom to greet their guests.

Robin, dressed in a brown checkered zoot suit, stood at the kitchenette preparing drinks. She looked up when Steve entered the room and beckoned him over.

"Steve, you remember Lizzie," she said, nodding to the girl standing to her left.

Steve couldn't help but stare. While Vickie looked like Molly Ringwald, Lizzie was the spitting image of Heather Locklear. Wearing a figure-hugging black cocktail dress, she looked like she ought to be walking the red carpet instead of spending her evening at Hawkins Community Center. Her sparkling blue eyes twinkled as she surveyed Steve with interest. Flipping her mass of glossy blonde curls over her shoulder, she smiled broadly at him, flashing straight, pearl-white teeth.

"Hi Steve," she gave him a shy wave before thrusting out her hand. "It's good to see you again."

Steve was beginning to regret his vow of celibacy to Robin. He took Lizzie's hand into his own and kissed it. "The pleasure's all mine."

Robin drew Steve a warning look before sliding a glass of gin and tonic across the counter towards him. "Drink up. We'll be leaving in a couple of minutes."

Steve sipped his drink, his focus entirely on Lizzie. "So, Robin tells me that you're in college."

Lizzie nodded vigorously. "Yes! I start my first semester next month."

"Cool," said Steve, leaning against the counter and flashing her his winning smile. "What are you studying?"

"Cosmetology," she said keenly. "My passion is hair. Once I get my qualifications, I'm going to work in a salon on Rodeo Drive. That's what Jon Peters did. He was Barbara Streisands's hairdresser and now he makes movies!"

Steve blinked. "Well, you're certainly ambitious, I'll give you that."

Lizzie leaned closer and said conspiratorially, "I hope you don't mind me saying, but your hair is gorgeous."

"Oh." Steve couldn't help but feel immensely pleased at the compliment. "Why, thank you. I do try to take care of it, you know. It's nice to have my hard work validated by an expert like yourself."

"Oh brother," Robin groaned before downing her drink.

"I would love to style it for you sometime," she offered. She rummaged through her handbag and held out a business card to Steve. "You call me any time."

Steve grinned. He'd barely said a word to this girl and already she was giving him her number.

"Sure, I think we can arrange something," he replied, taking the proffered card. He looked at it and frowned. "Lizzie Taylor? I thought your surname was Weinberg."

"Technically it is, but I thought it'd be better to pick something with star quality," she explained. "Who's a bigger, more glamorous star than Liz Taylor?"

"I guess…"

"What product do you use in your hair?" she asked. "I'm guessing it's something that's both hydrating and volumizing. Is it Alberto VO5, by any chance?"

"Vickie, hurry up!" Robin yelled. "They've started talking about hair."

Vickie appeared a moment later from the bathroom, clutching her handbag to her shoulder. When she saw Steve, she grimaced. "Oh man, you look great!"

"Thank you?" he said, confused. "Or should I be apologizing? I'm not sure."

Vickie tugged at the hem of her red suit jacket which she'd paired with a white shirt and jeans. "You've all made such an effort, I looked so underdressed!"

"I think you're beautiful," Robin assured her, pulling her in for a hug. "You look like a sexy luppie."

Vickie creased her brow in confusion. "Uh, what's that?"

Robin chuckled good-naturedly and answered, "You look like a sexy lesbian yuppie."

"Oh. Well, it wasn't the look I was going for, but I'll take any compliments coming my way," Vickie laughed before kissing Robin soundly.

"You guys are disgustingly cute," Steve teased. He downed his drink and slammed the empty glass onto the counter. "Shall we?"

Vickie and Lizzie exited the apartment first with Steve and Robin following close behind. Steve bumped shoulders with Robin and whispered, "Lizzie seems cool."

"Yeah," she sighed. "She's almost as obsessed with hair as much as you are. I think she might be your soulmate."

"I know that you're making fun of me, but the same thought crossed my mind."

It was a clear summer's evening as they made the short walk from the apartment to the community center. Steve kept glancing at Lizzie and thinking how jealous Eddie was going to be when he saw him walk into the party with such a beautiful girl on his arm. Steve might not have money and fame, but at least he still had sex appeal. They found Joyce Byers sitting on the low wall outside the community center entrance smoking a cigarette when they arrived. She gave them a small smile and waved.

"Will and the others are already inside," she said.

"Is Eddie here yet?" asked Steve.

Joyce frowned. "Eddie Munson? No, I don't think so."

Well, that was annoying. Okay, so Eddie wouldn't see Steve and Lizzie make their grand entrance. Not to worry. He'd likely see them on the dancefloor when he finally arrived.

"Late as usual," Steve muttered. "Typical."

"I thought you didn't care if he turned up," Robin pointed out.

"I don't," Steve lied.

Robin pursed her lips but said nothing. They followed the sound of music coming from inside the building. A blown-up black and white photograph of Dustin and Alberta had been placed upon an easel and greeted them as they entered the hall. Beneath their happy faces the message 'Congratulations!' had been written in pink glitter.

"Aww, they look so cute together," Robin noted, pointing at the photograph.

The hall was already packed with what looked like half the residents of Hawkins. Mr. Clarke, the middle school science teacher, was standing by the buffet table deep in conversation with Bev Mooney. Tammy Thompson, Anna Jacobi and Samantha Stone were on the dancefloor, bobbing their heads along to a song by En Vogue. Meanwhile, Mike, El, Will and Lucas sat at a nearby table looking as socially awkward as they did when they were teenagers. Steve grabbed Lizzie's hand and made a beeline for their table, but before he could get there, a familiar voice called his name.

"Hey, Steve."

Steve stuttered to a halt and turned to face Nancy Wheeler. Nancy. The first and only girl Steve ever loved. While his feelings for her might have waned over the years, her smile still managed to disarm him.

"Nancy!" he greeted her with a quick hug. "It's so good to see you."

"Yeah, you too," she said sincerely. "It's been a long time."

He looked around the room for Jonathan. "Are you here on your own, or..?"

"No, the whole Wheeler clan are here."

She pointed towards a nearby table where her parents and younger sister, Holly, were sitting. Karen Wheeler smiled and waved at Steve and he waved back. Holly glared at him and flipped him off. Mortified, Karen grabbed Holly's hand and hid it under the table. Steve quickly lowered his hand and cleared his throat.

"What about Jonathan?" he chanced. "Are you guys still a thing?"

Something akin to pity flashed across Nancy's face but she quickly smothered it with another smile. "Yes, me and Jonathan are still a thing."

"Cool," said Steve brightly. "Awesome. I'm so glad you two are still together after all these years."

"He is around here somewhere," she said, scanning the room. "He's taking pictures of the party; that's his gift to Dustin and Alberta. Oh, there he is!"

Nancy pointed to a nearby table where Jonathan was taking photographs of Alberta's family. He'd had a much-needed haircut and was wearing a crumpled blue suit. Steve turned away and kept his forced smile plastered to his face.

"Cool. Nice. Good for him." There was an awkward pause. "You look great, by the way."

"Oh." Nancy smiled and bowed her head, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Thanks. You're looking great, too. You haven't changed a bit since high school. Even your hair is the same."

Steve instinctively ran a hand over his hair. "Well, you know what they say: if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

They both laughed and then fell silent, suddenly at a loss at what else to say. What do you say to someone when the last conversation you had involved you declaring your love for them only to be unceremoniously rejected? Nancy had left Hawkins almost as soon as Eddie had. She'd gone to Indianapolis to study journalism, but Steve suspected he might have contributed to her speedy departure.

"Hi," said Lizzie, cutting across the tension. "I'm Lizzie."

Nancy blinked as she realized there was a third party to this largely two-way conversation. Steve had completely forgotten that Lizzie had been standing there the whole time.

"Hey, you're Vickie's little sister, right?" asked Nancy.

"That's right! And you're Nancy Wheeler, Steve's ex-girlfriend," she reminded them needlessly.

Nancy blushed and shook her head. "Oh, that was a long , long time ago."

"Yeah, we were just kids when we dated," Steve laughed awkwardly. "Who even remembers their high school sweethearts?"

Lizzie leaned towards Nancy and flashed her perfect teeth in a trained smile. "I hope you don't mind me saying, but your makeup is stunning."

"Oh," Nancy's blush deepened and she smiled. "Thank you! That's really kind of you to say—"

"You know, make-up is an expertise of mine. If you're ever interested in a free consultation, just give me a call." Lizzie retrieved a business card identical to the one she'd handed Steve from her purse and held it out to Nancy.

Bemused, Nancy took the card without looking at it. "Sure…"

Steve stared at the business card. So much for having sex appeal. "How many of those did you bring with you?"

"Just a few," said Lizzie unabashedly. "I'm trying to build up a clientele. What better place to do it than here? I'm going to grab a drink, do you want anything?"

"No thanks," he replied stiffly.

Lizzie shrugged and waved them off. Instead of getting a drink, she made a beeline for Tammy, Anna and Samantha, who were still on the dancefloor.

"Wow," Nancy chuckled. "She's very ambitious."

"She certainly is." Steve shook his head in disbelief as he watched Lizzie hand out three more business cards. He turned his attention back to Nancy and forced a smile onto his face. "So, what are you doing these days? Last I heard, you were some hotshot journalist for the Indy Star."

"Well, I'm not sure about being a hotshot, but yeah, I've been working there for a couple of years now. Jonathan's a freelance photographer, so we still get to work together on stories sometimes."

"That's great," Steve replied mildly. "Really great."

"What about you?" she asked. "The last time we spoke, you were still working at the video store."

"Oh, I've moved on to bigger and better things now."

Nancy gave him an expectant look. "Yeah? Doing what?"

"Oh, you know," he shrugged. "This and that."

Nancy drew him that familiar inquisitive look when she knew that she was being bullshitted. Steve cleared his throat and admitted, "Currently, I'm working security."

Nancy's eyes widened with interest. "Private sector?"

"Public," he replied evasively. "Very public."

"Wow, that's great!" said Nancy happily. "You know, I think you're well-suited to law enforcement. You've got the right temperament for it."

"Law enforcement?" Steve croaked.

"What's it like working for Hopper?" she asked curiously. "He's always come across as a bit of a hard-ass, but I bet he's really a sweet guy under that rough exterior, huh?"

Steve shook his head. "No, I don't—"

"Steve, I need you to introduce me to your other friends," said Lizzie, reappearing by his side, holding a drink. "What're you guys talking about?"

"Steve was just telling me that he works for Hawkins P.D.," said Nancy. "How long have you worked there?"

"You're a cop?" said Lizzie with interest. "Vickie never mentioned that."

Steve hesitated. He knew that he should just explain that Nancy had misunderstood him. Leaning into the lie would be stupid—she'd find out soon enough that he wasn't a police officer, and what would happen then? Not much, he supposed. He and Nancy rarely crossed paths these days. They were barely acquaintances now, she was just a remnant of a past life. But admitting he was just a local mall cop was too embarrassing to say aloud. Sure, Nancy would find out he was lying, but not tonight. And when she did find out, she'd be far away in Indianapolis, too busy with her perfect life and perfect boyfriend to care. And Lizzie? It was pretty clear he'd never hear from her again after tonight.

Steve shrugged. "The pay isn't great but you get a lot of other benefits. A good pension and… in-store discounts."

So not exactly the truth nor an outright lie, he told himself. He certainly wasn't lying about the crappy wage.

Nancy frowned. "Discounts?"

Steve grabbed Lizzie's hand and pulled her away from Nancy before he could bury himself any deeper into the hole he was digging. "Come on, I'll introduce you to everyone else. It was nice talking to you, Nance."

"Oh," Nancy looked surprised as Steve hurried away, pulling Lizzie along with him. "Bye then…"

As he approached the table with his friends, he saw Vickie and Robin were already sitting there, deep in conversation with Mike and Lucas.

"Check out this bunch of party animals," he teased, announcing his arrival.

"Steve!" Robin beckoned for Steve and Lizzie to sit down at the table with them. "Thank god you're here. We're trying to figure out who Eddie is bringing as his date."

"Will thinks it's Cyndi Lauper," said Mike. "Lucas says it's Grace Jones but my money's on Juliette Lewis."

"How about Alanis Morissette?" said Robin. "They've both got long hair, that'd give them something to talk about."

"Maybe Michelle Pfeiffer?" Vickie suggested.

"You hope it's Michelle Pfeiffer," Robin joked.

"How about Cindy Crawford?" suggested Lizzie. "Or Linda Evangelista?"

"What about you, El?" asked Steve. "Who do you think he's bringing?"

"I can't play the game because I already know," she admitted with a sly smile.

"Of course, you do." Steve laughed. He smiled cautiously at Lucas, "How's the ankle doing?"

"It's okay," said Lucas with a slight edge to his voice. "Better now I'm off the bench and playing again."

Steve's stomach squirmed. Clearly, Lucas still held Steve somewhat responsible for his tumble in the woods.

"Never mind Eddie, where's Dustin?" asked Mike, looking around the room.

"Over there," Will pointed towards a table in the middle of the room occupied almost entirely by redheads. "Looks like he's entertaining Alberta's family."

Dustin was gesticulating wildly, clearly mid-story. A moment later, the whole table erupted into laughter. Sitting beside him was Alberta, who beamed at Dustin and squeezed his arm affectionately. Dustin caught Steve's eye and waved at him.

Dustin's face vanished from view when Lizzie leaned over Steve's lap to talk to Lucas. "Excuse me, aren't you a famous baseball player?"

Lucas frowned. "Um, I wouldn't say famous but I play basketball."

"That's right!" she replied. Steve leaned back in his chair and spat out a mouthful of Lizzie's voluminous hair. "You play with the Lakers, right?"

"Chicago Bulls."

"Really?" she said with mounting interest. "So you play with Michael Jordan! What's he like?"

"Uh, intimidating," Lucas replied honestly.

Lizzie began rummaging through her handbag for one of her business cards. Steve rolled his eyes and pulled his chair away from the table.

"Just take my seat," he said to Lizzie before sitting in an empty chair beside El.

El smiled at him. "Hey."

Steve sighed and slumped back in his chair. "Enjoying the party?"

"Not really," she admitted. "Too many people, too many thoughts for my liking."

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that," he said quietly. "Sorry if my thoughts are really loud at the moment, I've got a lot on my mind."

"I can tell," she chuckled. "Well, maybe not a lot on your mind. More like a lot of thoughts about one person."

Steve groaned. "Believe me, I'd rather think of anyone or anything else than Nancy Wheeler."

"I wasn't talking about Nancy."

Steve stared at El, a little unsettled by her words. Mike asked El if she wanted to dance. El nodded and left Steve to ponder her words. He knew what she was insinuating, but the second Eddie popped up in his mind, Steve immediately brushed him off again. He wasn't thinking about Eddie because he wanted to. Eddie was being forced upon him, like an unpaid bill or an upcoming exam. Not that he'd have to think too much about Eddie after tonight. They'd only see each other a couple more times before the wedding. After that, they'd probably never see each other again.

Steve sat and chatted with Lucas and Will for a while, but when the conversation turned onto Dungeons and Dragons, he excused himself and headed towards the DJ booth to pick a song. He knew that most of his friends were big D fans, but it wasn't something he'd gotten into as a teenager. Steve was too busy doing other more important things than playing pretend with little toys, like playing basketball and hooking up with girls. Still, he did feel a little left out whenever the guys met up for a game without him. He quickly brushed that feeling aside, too. This was a party, he was supposed to be enjoying himself. Listening to some good music would surely improve his mood.

He approached the DJ booth and was surprised to see Keith from the video store manning the decks. Steve waved and smiled at Keith. Keith did not smile back.

"Hey man, are you a disc jockey now?"

"No, I'm standing here for the good of my health," Keith drawled.

Steve's smile faltered. "Right. Let's see… I'm in the mood for some Huey Lewis and The Power of Love. I love that song."

"Sorry. Don't have it," said Keith shortly.

"Oh." Steve thought for a moment. "Okay, how about Hungry Like the Wolf? That'll get everyone dancing."

"Nope."

"Really?" asked Steve, surprised. "Do you have any other songs by Duran Duran?"

"No."

Steve was getting annoyed now. "Why not?"

"Because I only play the hippest, most up-to-date music," said Keith. "You're living in the past, man."

"Duran Duran isn't that old!" Steve argued.

"Whatever," Keith shrugged. "I don't have it. Pick something good or get lost."

Steve, however, couldn't think of another song. Stuffing his hands into his pockets, he stalked away. "So much for customer service."

"You ain't the one paying me," Keith shouted after him before playing the latest Corroded Coffin single, much to the delight of the guests on the dancefloor.

Steve gnashed his teeth in frustration as the dulcet tones of Eddie's voice followed him back to his table, where he found Dustin and Alberta sitting.

"Steve! " Dustin cried, waving him over. "I'd like to finally introduce you all to Alberta. Alberta, this is Steve."

"The infamous Steve Harrington," Alberta greeted him by getting to her feet and kissing him on both cheeks. "I've heard a lot about you."

"Only good things, hopefully," Steve replied.

"I'm sorry I couldn't make it to the LARP event," said Alberta. "It sounded unforgettable."

Steve thought about the mosquito bites and broken bones. "Yeah, that's one way of putting it."

The conversation at the table was all about how Dustin and Alberta got engaged atop a Ferris wheel. After Alberta finished recounting the story, Robin brandished a large bottle of wine.

"I've been meaning to ask, where do we put the gifts?"

"I'll take that for you," said Alberta. "We're storing them in the kitchen for safekeeping."

Steve fidgeted with the bag containing his present. "If it's alright with you guys, I'd prefer it if you just opened mine now."

Dustin raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Sure. What is it?"

"Open it," he prompted.

Steve was smiling but his heart was beating hard in his chest with nerves. Curious, Dustin removed the cardboard lid and peered inside the box. For a moment, he said nothing, then his eyes lit up and he removed two small figurines, one clad in steampunk armor and the other in green robes and a cape.

"Alberta, look," said Dustin excitedly. "It's us!"

Alberta took the figurine dressed painted green and looked at it closely. "Oh my god, these are incredible! Steve, did you make these?"

"Well, I painted them," Steve explained, glancing at Mike. "I had some help when it came to finding the figurines and what colors to use. I know you guys are hardcore Dungeons and Dragons fans, so I thought you could use your characters as the cake toppers on your wedding cake."

Mike smiled at Steve and gave him a thumbs up. When Steve told him about his gift idea, he jumped at the chance to help. Steve had spent the last few nights painstakingly painting the figurines with the tiny paintbrushes Mike had provided, recreating Dustin and Alberta's D characters in miniature. They didn't look professionally done, but that didn't seem to phase Dustin and Alberta. Without warning, Alberta grabbed Steve and hugged him.

"It's the most wonderful gift," she said, squeezing him tightly. "Thank you."

"It was nothing," Steve chuckled, secretly pleased.

Just as the others took turns admiring Steve's handiwork, a shout from across the room caught their attention.

"Eddie's here!"

Steve felt his stomach drop as everyone turned to see Eddie Munson strut into the hall. He had forgone his usual double denim ensemble for a leather jacket covered in studs, a t-shirt that had Corroded Coffin emblazoned across the front, and a pair of impossibly tight black denim jeans. To Steve's surprise, Eddie appeared to have arrived without a date. A few guests were already crowding around him, asking for autographs. Dustin abandoned the figurines on the table and grabbed Alberta's hand.

"Come on, he's been dying to meet you," said Dustin and the pair rushed off, leaving the figurines behind, all but forgotten.

Before Steve could protest, everyone else had hurried over to Eddie's side, leaving Steve alone at the table. Even Lizzie had left, because, of course, she had. Eddie was a rockstar, Steve was just… Steve. Steve bowed his head, dropped the figurines back into the box and slammed the lid shut.

"Did Sparkle Eyes Barbie ditch you?"

Steve turned to see Erica standing by his side with her arms crossed and her usual haughty expression fixed on the crowd of fans and wellwishers.

"Can you blame her?" he said miserably.

"Not really," she admitted. "Eddie's rich, handsome, and available. She'd be stupid not to shoot her shot."

"Then why aren't you over there trying to schmooze him like the rest of them?"

Erica screwed up her nose in disgust. "Gross. Eddie's like a brother to me! Besides, I'm a strong, independent woman. I don't need a man to validate my existence."

Steve gave her a warm smile. "Right on."

Erica raised her hand to silence him. "Save the pandering for someone who needs it. I'm going over there to say hello, but only because I wanna know if The Hellfire Club is finally going to finish the campaign that we started years ago."

"Campaign?" asked Steve, confused.

"Our campaign," Erica repeated impatiently. "The Dungeons and Dragons storyline we started before he and everyone else up and bailed on this crappy town."

"If it's so crappy, how come you're still here?" asked Steve irritably.

"Because I'm only seventeen, doofus," she sneered. "But come this time next year, I'll be at Spelman College. I've already got a 4.0 GPA, and it's a women's college so there's no men that I have to placate to."

"You don't want to study somewhere closer to home like Mike does?"

Erica snorted. "Hell no. Who'd want to spend a second longer here than they have to?"

"Yeah," said Steve glumly. "Who'd want to stay in this dump?"

"You coming over with me to say hi?" she asked. "Or are you gonna sit here on your own like a loser?"

Erica strode towards Eddie and Steve quickly followed. She pushed through the crowd and found Eddie talking to Lizzie.

"I'm a huge fan," Steve heard her gush.

"Really?" said Eddie, surprised. "Well, in that case, I'll need to get you backstage tickets to our next show."

"That would be amazing," she said breathlessly. "I hope you don't mind me saying, but I love your hair—"

"Good lord," Erica groaned.

She tapped Eddie on the shoulder to get his attention. He turned with his autograph pen at the ready but his face broke out into a genuine smile when he saw her.

"Lady Applejack!" he cried, tucking his pen into the back pocket before pulling Erica into a tight hug. "I didn't recognise you out of your Predator costume." Eddie's gaze fell on Steve and he cocked an eyebrow. "Nice threads, Harrington."

"Figured I'd make an effort," said Steve, eyeing Eddie's t-shirt with disapproval. "Were you worried that we wouldn't remember the name of your band?"

"I'm surprised that you remember," Eddie replied. "I didn't think you were into that kind of music."

"I'm not."

"But you have heard of us," Eddie grinned.

"Kinda hard to avoid you."

Eddie took a step closer to Steve, getting entirely too close. The distinct smell of leather and sandalwood filled his nostrils. It made him feel a little weird and panicky.

"Why would you try and avoid little old me?" asked Eddie in a low voice. "Do I unsettle you, Harrington? It's the tight pants, isn't it?"

He did unsettle Steve, but he wasn't inclined to admit that. Neither was he willing to explore why exactly that was. Erica snapped her fingers in front of their faces.

"Pay attention, Eddie," she demanded. "We have important business to attend to."

Eddie took a dramatic step back from Steve and returned his attention to Erica. "And what business is that, my fair lady?"

"The Curse of Moldath Mountain."

Eddie's smile fell. He grabbed Erica by the arm and guided her away from the people still crowding them towards a quiet corner of the room. Intrigued, Steve followed. Lizzie shouted 'Call me if you're interested in a free consultation!' before disappearing into the crowd to continue networking.

"We've talked about this," Eddie began.

"We're fifteen sessions into an eighteen-session campaign. When are we going to complete it?"

Eddie grimaced. "Erica, it's been six years…"

"Exactly," she said fiercely. "Lady Applejack has waited patiently for six damn years while you and the rest of the party have gallivanted off doing pointless nonsense."

"Pointless nonsense?" said Eddie hotly. "In case you hadn't noticed, I've been kinda busy of late with a worldwide tour!"

"I. Don't. Care," said Erica, punctuating each word. "The party was not disbanded. It doesn't matter if it's been six years or sixty, the game is still in play."

"I can barely remember what happened the last time we played!"

"Not my problem," she shrugged. "I've already told the others that we need to end this. We're all in town this weekend, we can resume the game tomorrow."

"I'm not gonna be here tomorrow."

"Well I ain't waiting another six years, Eddie," Erica snapped. "I ain't waiting another goddamn day! So you better get your priorities in order, get your shit together, and arrange a time and place for us to finish this thing, once and for all."

Eddie shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I just don't have the time."

"Fine," Erica crossed her arms. "If you won't do it, I'll get someone who will. Steve, you free tomorrow?"

Steve blinked. "Excuse me?"

"Him?" Eddie spat. "You've got to be kidding me."

"Hey, I never agreed to anything—"

"Why not him?" Erica challenged. "The role of Dungeon Master involves little more than reading off of a prewritten script. I'm sure even Steve can manage that."

Steve opened his mouth to protest at the slight, but Eddie beat him to the punch.

"You know damn well that it is far more than just reading a script," he snarled. "You need to have improvisation skills, creativity…"

"I can be creative," said Steve defensively. "And I'm a quick learner. Being a Dungeon Master can't be that hard."

Eddie drew him a derisive look. "Tell me, Harrington: what does a Dungeon Master do?"

Steve considered the question for a moment before shrugging, "Masters dungeons, I guess."

Eddie waved at Steve as though the point was made. "See? He's useless."

"Hey!" Steve protested.

"Steve might not have your experience, but at least he's willing to make the time of day for the party," Erica shot back.

"He doesn't know the first thing about being a Dungeon Master!" Eddie raged.

"Not a damn thing," Erica acknowledged. "But since you're so busy being a popstar—"

"Hey!" Eddie snapped. "The genre is rock. I would never debase myself by playing pop music!"

"I don't care if you sing musical theater. Clearly, you're too busy to make time for your friends. You know, the ones who knew you before you were famous and don't act like a bunch of kissasses around you. Whatever, we're just gonna have to make do without you." Erica turned to Steve. "Come on. Eddie has some more autographs to sign."

Confused but not willing to argue, Steve followed Erica's lead and turned to leave.

"Fine!" Eddie barked. "I'll do it."

Erica stopped dead in her tracks, turned to Eddie and smiled. "See? That wasn't so hard, was it?"

"Just name a time and place."

"We meet at dawn," she declared. "At Steve's place."

"What? Why my place?" Steve demanded.

"Since you're no longer Dungeon Master, you can at least host us," Erica reasoned.

"I never agreed to be Dungeon Master!"

"You didn't say no to it, either," she argued. "And you're not Dungeon Master, Eddie is."

Eddie nodded curtly and placed a clenched fist over his heart. "Very well. So it is written, so it shall be done. Until the morrow." He glanced at Steve, blew him a kiss, then turned on his heel and walked away. Steve stared after him as he disappeared into a crowd of fans before rounding on Erica.

"What the hell just happened?"

"You helped Eddie get his priorities in order."

"Explain to me why I'm playing host to a game that I'm not even playing," he grumbled. "Can't you finish it somewhere else?"

"Look, you helped me out and I'm grateful for your assistance," said Erica. "But if you don't want to host your friends, you'll just have to make yourself scarce until we've finished the campaign. It shouldn't take more than a few hours."

And with that, Erica turned and walked away.

"Make myself scarce from my own house?" Steve cried. "Where am I supposed to go?"

"Not my problem," Erica cried over her shoulder.

Steve shuffled back to the table and sat next to Robin. High-pitched feedback from the DJ booth made everyone grimace and several people covered their ears. Steve turned to see Dustin's mom, Mrs. Henderson, standing in front of the booth with a microphone in hand. She was a stout woman dressed head to toe in animal print. Steve thought she looked a lot like one of her beloved tabby cats.

"Sorry about that," she said into the microphone, holding it away from her face. She cleared her throat and read from a piece of paper in her other hand.

"Good evening, everyone. I'm Claudia, Dustin's mom, our handsome groom-to-be," She beamed at her son before consulting her speech again. "I just wanted to give a little speech to the prospective bride and groom on this special evening. As I reflect on my son's journey through life so far, I am filled with pride and gratitude. Ever since he could talk, Dustin was the smartest person in the room. Unfortunately, that was accompanied by a smart mouth," Several people laughed. "But Dustin isn't only the smartest person I know, he's also the kindest. The number of wonderful people here to celebrate his engagement is a testament to that. Dustin has always been the joy of my life, and Alberta has brought so much happiness into his life. Knowing that they're to be joined together in marriage not only brings me joy but reassurance. Alberta: in you, Dustin has truly met his equal in every way. I so look forward to you being a part of our family."

Everyone 'awwed' and Alberta blew Mrs. Henderson a kiss, her eyes filling with tears. Mrs. Henderson quickly tucked the speech into the front of her bra and raised a glass of champagne she had set atop the DJ booth.

"So, let us raise a glass to the happy couple. May your love continue to grow, may your life together be filled with joy and laughter, and may you always find comfort in each other's arms. To Dustin and Alberta."

Everyone in the room raised their glasses and drank to the happy couple before breaking into applause.

"And now, I invite Dustin's best men, Steve and Eddie, to speak. Come on up, boys."

Steve felt a stab of panic. He looked at Robin for help. "I didn't know that I had to give a speech!"

"Just wing it," she whispered. "You'll be fine!"

Eddie was already jogging over to take the microphone from Mrs. Henderson. Steve quickly got to his feet and hurried over to join him, applause and whistles following him. Eddie pulled Steve into a side hug and addressed the expectant crowd.

"Evening, everyone!" he said cheerfully. "Hell of a party, ain't it?"

There were several whoops and cheers of assent. Eddie waited for them to quiet down before continuing.

"I'm not gonna lie, when Dustin asked both Steve and me to be his best man, I was pretty pissed." Laughter rippled through the crowd. "But Dustin Henderson is twice the man of anyone I know, so there's nobody more deserving to have two best men. Wouldn't you agree, Steve?"

Eddie thrust the microphone under Steve's nose. Reluctantly, he took the microphone from him and stammered, "Um, hi everyone. I'm Steve Harrington. I actually don't want to do a long speech, so I'll just say this: I'm so happy to be a part of this celebration. Dustin, Alberta: you two deserve each other as well as a lifetime of happiness. So, cheers to you both."

When everyone began to clap, relief washed over Steve. That wasn't too bad, even if he did make it up on the spot. He was about to return the microphone to Keith in the DJ booth when Eddie plucked it from Steve's grasp and spoke again.

"Thanks, Steve, that was so sweet. Henderson, do you remember when the six of us were playing Mists of Krynn? I was at death's door, I had abandoned all hope, but you scored a twenty-six and you rescued me from the clutches of death at the hands of that horde of Draconians?"

"I remember, bro," Dustin yelled. "Never leave a man behind."

Eddie nodded and clenched his fist over his heart. "You putting your life on the line for me made me realize that I could trust people again. So, let me say, Dustin, you are my best friend. I love you, man."

The crowd, including Dustin, were visibly moved by Eddie's words. Lucas sniffed loudly and wiped tears from his eyes with the back of his hand. Steve hadn't understood most of what Eddie had just said and just felt confused.

"I'm so proud of you, bro," said Eddie, sounding choked up. He turned his attention to Alberta, "Now, 'Allie'—sorry, inside joke—you'd better not keep Dustybun on a short leash. I still need my drinking buddy for drunken Saturday nights at Ritzy's!"

Everyone except Steve laughed and applauded.

"Everybody, raise your glasses to the couple of the century," said Eddie. "Dustin and Alberta!"

Everyone cheered. Eddie winked at Steve and turned to give the microphone back to Keith, but Steve snatched it from Eddie's hand and turned back to the crowd.

"I just wanted to say real quick that Dustin, you are so special to me. We've known each other for a long time and you've really helped shape who I am. I just want to thank you for asking me to be your best man—first choice, by the way. You're like a brother to me and I love you." He flashed a grin at a bemused Eddie. "That concludes the speeches for the night."

Keith reached for the microphone but Eddie pried it out of Steve's hand and stepped away from him. "Thank you, Steve! One last thing before I let you all enjoy the rest of your evening. It's so rare to meet another person that you really connect with. That's you, Henderson. I went to Vietnam recently as part of my band's world tour and there was a beautiful saying that I learned there: Món quà lớn nhất của cuộc sống là tình bạn, và tôi đã nhận được nó… It means, "The greatest gift of life is friendship, and I have received it."

Eddie bowed to Dustin but before he could return the microphone to Keith, Steve had wrenched it from his grasp.

"I can't speak Vietnamese but I do know a little Spanish," he said desperately. "So, Henderson, all I will say is this: Amigas por de vida…pour favor. That means "friends for life—"

Suddenly, Eddie reappeared with a guitar in hand and began singing, "Through the highs and lows, and every bend, we find our strength in love we send. Side by side, until the end. That's the power of friendship, my dear friend!"

Steve snarled in frustration and sang the first song that came to mind, "You don't need money, don't take fame. Don't need no credit card to ride this train! It's strong and it's sudden and it's cruel sometimes. But it might just save your liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiife. That's the power of love!"

Nobody was cheering or smiling. The crowd, Dustin included, looked perplexed as Steve and Eddie tried to one-up each other. Steve knew that they must look insane, but he was in too deep to stop now. Mrs. Henderson marched towards them and pulled the power cord from Eddie's guitar and yanked the microphone out of Steve's hand.

"Thank you, boys," she said sternly. "That will do."

Steve scurried back to his table and sunk into an empty chair.

Robin looked at him like he'd lost his mind. "What the hell was that?"

"I don't know, I just panicked."

Robin shook her head in disbelief. "Honestly, you and Eddie are as bad as each other. I'm going to get a drink."

Robin stood and headed towards the buffet table. Max Mayfield had arrived and was sitting at the opposite side of the table, deep in conversation with Lucas. For a couple that was on and off again more often than Christmas lights, the way they were looking at each other, Steve guessed that they were very much on again, at least for tonight. Dustin and Mike sat talking about science stuff (Steve didn't understand most of what they were saying) while everyone else was up on the dancefloor, having the time of their lives. Meanwhile, Steve sat alone, having lost his date and been roped into hosting a D party that he hadn't even been invited to play. Steve checked his watch and sighed. This was going to be a very long night.

"Steve!"

Steve turned to see Nancy marching towards him with her sister, Holly, in tow. Holly, her face like thunder, tried to wrench her arm free from her sister's grasp, but despite her small frame, Nancy was quite strong.

"Steve," said Nancy again. "Officer Harrington. I just caught Holly smoking in the parking lot."

Holly tutted and rolled her eyes. "What's the big deal? It was only a cigarette."

"It is a big deal!" Nancy argued. "It's a disgusting habit and it's illegal! You're only thirteen."

"Like you never broke any rules," Holly spat. "Mike told me that you came home drunk once when you were sixteen!"

Nancy rounded on her brother. "Mike!"

"What? It's true!" he argued.

Nancy shook her head. "That's not the point. You still shouldn't be smoking. Officer Harrington, could you have a word with her about it?"

Steve sat frozen in his chair. "Uh…"

"Why do you keep calling Steve 'Officer Harrington'?" asked Dustin.

"Because he's a police officer."

"Since when?" Mike chipped in.

Nancy frowned. "Steve was just telling me that he's been working at Hawkins P.D. for a while now."

"Did I say that?" said Steve, his voice unusually high-pitched.

Mike and Dustin looked at Steve.

"Have I missed something?" asked Mike.

"When did you change jobs?" asked Dustin. "You never said anything!"

Steve stammered. "Well see… I um…"

"What's going on here?"

Steve felt his stomach disappear as Joyce and none other than Police Chief Hopper came over. Hopper looked between Nancy, Holly and Mike. "What's all the shouting about?"

Nancy looked relieved to see Hopper and turned to face him. "Chief Hopper, I caught Holly smoking in the parking lot. I would have asked for your help, but I saw that you were busy—"

"Busy dancing," Dustin laughed, only to immediately fall silent when Hopper glared at him.

"I didn't want to interrupt, so I figured since Steve is here, I'd ask him to have a word with her about it instead."

"Why would Steve have a word with her about Holly smoking?" asked Joyce.

"Nancy—" Steve pleaded.

"Because he's a police officer," said Nancy. "I thought who better to talk to her about the dangers of smoking than an authority figure?"

Hopper stared at Nancy for a long moment before bursting into laughter. "Steve Harrington a cop? Since when?"

Steve was looking around the room for a means of escape but found none. He saw Eddie talking animatedly to a red-haired man, presumably one of Alberta's cousins. Maybe he could shout Eddie over to distract everyone?

Nancy was looking increasingly annoyed. "Since… Steve, what's going on?"

"Steve isn't a cop," said Holly loudly. "He's a security guard at the mall!"

Nancy's mouth fell open with shock. She looked at Steve. Everyone was looking at him. Steve wanted the floor to open up and swallow him whole. Unfortunately for him, the ground felt quite firm beneath his feet.

"Can someone explain to me what the hell is going on?" Hopper demanded.

Before Steve could explain, Jonathan appeared with his camera in hand. "Hey, guys. You mind if I take a picture?"

He didn't wait for anyone to reply. The brilliant white flash of the camera lens blinded everyone, capturing their bemused expressions in excruciating detail forevermore.

"Dude, why would you lie about being a cop?" asked Dustin.

"I didn't! I mean… I didn't mean to. I don't know," Steve groaned, mussing up his perfectly coifed hair until it stuck out in all directions. "It was just a misunderstanding."

Dustin and Steve stood alone on the sidewalk outside the community center. The party was still in full swing, but Steve couldn't face their friends a moment longer after what had just happened.

Dustin frowned. "You don't still have feelings for Nancy, do you?"

"What? No!" Steve protested.

"Are you sure? 'Cause it sounded like you were trying to impress her."

"I wasn't trying to impress her, I just… she assumed and I didn't correct her. I know it was stupid, that I should have told her that I worked at the mall, but the words just didn't come out."

Dustin's expression softened. "Steve, being a security guard is nothing to be ashamed of."

"I know that."

"You don't have to be working for a Fortune 500 company for me and the guys to respect you," he pressed on. "We'd be friends with you even if you still worked at Scoops Ahoy."

"Appreciate it," Steve grumbled. He knew that Dustin was being sincere, but it didn't make him feel any less embarrassed or inadequate.

"I kinda wish you were still working there," Dustin admitted with a wry smile. "I miss the free ice cream and sneaking into the movies with you."

"Yeah, me too," Steve sighed, leaning against a car. "Things were better back then."

Dustin snorted. "You really think so?"

"Well, maybe not with Vecna and the Mind Flayer and stuff," he conceded. "But back then, everything else was simpler…easier."

Back then, I knew who I was.

"Yeah, you and I had very different high school experiences," Dustin reminded him. "I don't miss the daily wedgies or getting my ass kicked at the hands of Troy Walsh."

Steve felt another stab of shame. "Shit. Sorry, I know you guys had a tough time of it back then."

Dustin just smiled. "It's fine. I know what you meant." He hesitated before asking, "Is this about me asking you to be my best man? I don't want you to feel like you have to do it if you don't want to."

Steve shook his head. "No, man. I want to do it."

"Are you sure? Because Eddie can always take over duties—"

"No!" Steve said quickly. "Absolutely not."

Dustin looked slightly alarmed by Steve's outburst. "Okay. If you're sure."

"I'm positive," Steve assured him. "I won't let you down."

"Okay," said Dustin uncertainly. "But if you do change your mind—if it's too much pressure—I won't take it personally."

Dustin and Steve hugged briefly. Dustin nodded towards the community center, "Are you coming back in?"

"No, I think I've embarrassed myself enough for one night," said Steve. "I'm just gonna head home."

"Are you sure? What about your date?"

"Somehow, I don't think she'll miss me."

Dustin waved him off and Steve began walking slowly back to his apartment. So far, he was doing a pretty lousy job of being the best best man in the world. He only made it as far as the parking lot when he heard a familiar voice a short distance away behind a familiar green and white van.

"... I'm glad you came and talked to me," said Eddie in a low voice. "You've been the highlight of my night."

Steve rolled his eyes. He should have known it was Eddie. He was almost certain that was Eddie's old 1971 Chevrolet van. How come he hadn't turned up in his limo? Still, he'd bet anything that was Lizzie that Eddie was talking to. The last thing that Steve needed was to listen to Eddie hit on his date. Steve started walking faster but stuttered to a halt a moment later when he heard a second voice.

"I'm just surprised… I didn't think I was your type."

The person who replied wasn't Lizzie. It wasn't even a girl. It was a guy. Steve heard Eddie chuckle and the shuffle of feet.

"You're exactly my type," said Eddie. "Tall and handsome with big hands."

"Yeah?" the man replied in a husky voice. "Where d'you want me to put my big hands?"

"I think you know."

Steve knew that he should just turn round and walk away, that it was none of his business. But as though in a trance, he stepped closer. He snuck a peak around the corner of the van and saw Eddie and a redheaded man that Steve recognized as one of Alberta's cousins. Eddie had his hands resting on the van either side of the red-haired man's head, boxing him in. Eddie leaned forward and pressed his lips to his ear, spoke words that Steve couldn't hear. A moment later, the redhead grabbed Eddie by the back of the head and pulled him forward, crushing their lips together in a messy kiss. Steve quickly ducked back behind the van, his heart pounding. Before he could even compute what he had just witnessed, he walked as fast as he could back to his apartment without stopping.