Archive of Our Own ^beta

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Eddie didn’t know how long it had been. The upside down had changed and he was fine, well as fine as you can be years after getting attacked by demobats and being “dead”. He didn’t know how he survived without medical care but he did. And now a portal was opening again with a girl, who he assumed to be El the “super/magic girl” as the kids called her, on the other side.

“Eddie?” She asked nicely lowering a rope down earning a nod and yes from Eddie. He grabbed onto the rope getting back into the “normal” world.

“Everyone’s glad we got you. They all miss you.” El told him helping him to his feet before sealing the portal again, making the upside down no more than a memory.

“Yeah..?” Eddie responded. It had been a couple years and he knew that.

El nodded “Especially Steve.” Hearing that made Eddie smile a little, his Stevie still missed him.

—With Steve—

Steve and everyone else were at the Hopper house waiting for El to come back, with Eddie. Everyone was nervous in their own way. He had been gone for around 2 years and each of them had changed:

Nancy is single, Robin and Vickie were together, Max is alive, blind and in a wheelchair but alive, El is with both Max and Lucas, Will and Mike are together, and Hopper and Joyce are married, among many other things. No one knew how Eddie would react to any of that.

Suddenly, the door opened and there was El, with Eddie behind her. Steve and him made eye contact and Steve almost broke down right there.

“Stevie..” Eddie spoke walking in with Steve speed walking to Eddie giving him a hug.

“I missed you so much, Eddie..” Steve spoke tears in his eyes pulling away from Eddie.

“Missed you too” Eddie told him reaching to cup Steve’s face and pull him in for a kiss but Steve gently grabbed Eddie’s hand pulling it away with a small smile. Eddie held his hand suddenly realizing Steve had a ring, one that he never had before. Steve noticed Eddie felt it and saw his face falter a bit slowly pulling his hand away.

Suddenly, a guy Eddie sort of recognized came up standing close by Steve, giving Eddie a small smile. Steve turned his head a little and smiled grabbing onto his hand before turning back to Eddie. “Um Eddie.. this is Johnathan Byers..” Eddie nodded now recognizing the name “he’s my-“

“We’re engaged.” Johnathan cut him off. Steve nodded softly while Eddie’s eyes widened.

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“You two are engaged?!” Eddie shouted. It had been about an hour since Eddie found out about Steve and Johnathan. They were now outside the Hopper house. Steve crossed his arms around himself.

“You were gone for years Eddie! We all thought you were dead!” Steve responded back. “Then Henderson found out you weren’t but..”

“But you had already gotten with someone new got it!” Eddie snapped.

Steve scoffed “did you really think-“ Steve paused for a bit “you thought I would wait for you...” Eddie nodded as If it was obvious. “Well I’m sorry.. I tried Ed’s…I did.. but..” Steve wiped tears that had started to fall noticing Eddie was stone faced, a weird feeling starting to grow in Steve.

“No Steve I get it.” Eddie practically spat.

Steve had enough “Are you saying that if I was gone for like 3 years you wouldn’t have tried to find someone.” Eddie stayed quiet at that. He knew Steve had a point. But, before either could get another word out, there was Johnathan..

He was walking towards them looking concerned before grabbing Steve’s hand and holding it in his. “You ok..? We heard yelling.. couldn’t make out words though..”

Steve nodded softly “yeah..” he answered Turning to Eddie for a second “uhm.. the government gave Wayne a issued house after everything.. he already has a room set up for you..” Steve told Eddie before turning back to Johnathan and going back inside the Hopper house.

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It was obvious to everyone that Steve was about to burst into tears when he came back into the Hopper home with Johnathan. Wayne immediately stood up giving Steve a small comforting hug whispering that he’ll talk to Eddie before heading out, probably to talk to Eddie.

After saying goodbye to the others as they started to leave Robin gave Steve a big hugging telling him “this isn’t your fault Steve.” Then pulling away and taking his hands in hers “things aren’t the same.. we all know how long it took” she gave him a reassuring smile before leaving with Vickie.

Only Joyce, Hopper, El, Will, Johnathan, and Steve were left. El and Will headed to their rooms and Joyce and Hopper headed to theirs.

Just Johnathan and Steve were left in the living room. Steve sat down on the couch bursting into tears. Johnathan immediately sat down next to him pulling him into his embrace. “It’s ok Stevie…” Johnathan told him rubbing his back.

“He hates me now, Johnathan! I mean… I don’t blame him-“

“Hey..” Johnathan cut Steve off making Steve look at him. “This isn’t your fault, Stevie. I mean.. it took what.. like 7 months before giving dating a chance..I mean.. some people go to another like the week after.” Johnathan stated making Steve laugh a little.

“I guess you’re right..” Steve said wiping his tears away. Johnathan smiled softly at him getting up and offering his hand to Steve “we both need Sleep, let’s go.” Steve nodded taking his hand to go to their bedroom.

—With Wayne and Eddie—

The ride to the new Munson house was uncomfortably quiet. Both Wayne and Eddie wanted to say something but neither could. Wayne pulled up to the house, it was a cozy looking thing, kinda bigger than the Hoppers but not as big as the Harringtons. They both got out of the car and walked up to the house. “I need to talk to you first, Eddie” Wayne spoke softly tears in his eyes. Eddie nodded heading into the house and having spotted the couch sat down on it Wayne sitting down next to him.

“I know.. a lot happened while you were gone.. and we’re-we’re all happy to have you back” Wayne started before Eddie jumped in “Steve obviously isn’t-“

“Edward.” Eddie stayed silent. “Steve did miss you Eddie, and I know he still does.” Wayne continued, “it took him months, almost a full year, to come to terms with this.. he loves you, Eddie-“

“Then why is he with Johnathan, Wayne?!” Eddie snapped starting to get up.

“Edward Munson. Listen to me and don’t let anyone know I’m even telling you this.” Wayne responded causing Eddie to turn back at him, shocked Wayne looked like he was gonna cry, Eddie nodded showing his promise he wouldn’t tell. Wayne sighed before continuing, “Steve’s with Johnathan..He’s only with Johnathan because Johnathan got him pregnant.”

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Eddie paused, taken aback, eyes widening and face falling, “what..?”

Wayne nodded “he was so scared when he came here that night.. he didn’t know what to do, hell neither of us did..”

Eddie nodded, “so…you were the first one he told…?”

It was Wayne’s turn to nod “yep.. came here that night holding the positive test..” Wayne looked up at Eddie with tears in his eyes, “he was always a good kid….I think he told Johnathan the day after then everyone else a couple days later..”

Eddie nodded, this was all shocking to him..though now Steve wrapping his arms around himself, mainly his stomach, made a lot more sense. “Thanks..thanks for telling me..goodnight.” Eddie told Wayne with a small smile causing Wayne to shout out where Eddie’s room was.

—Next Day, with Steve—

Steve woke up with a sigh, his fight with Eddie still playing back in his mind. He never wanted for that to happen. He still loved Eddie and wanted to be with him. He got up and looked at himself in the bathroom mirror. There was gonna be an engagement party later and he knew everyone would be there.

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The venue was insane. Steve was off in a corner by the door talking with Karen, Claudia and Joyce while Johnathan greeted people that walked in. Johnathan glanced at the corner smiling a little seeing how happy Steve was with the moms, like he belonged there. Johnathan turned his attention back to door and noticed who had entered, Eddie and Wayne.

As Wayne went to talk with the others Johnathan called out to Eddie, “Eddie!” He called with a fake happy tone and a sorta obvious fake smile. Eddie rolled his eyes a little, he wanted to talk with Steve and ignore Johnathan but whatever. Eddie gave an even faker smile as Johnathan walked towards him,

“Hey, Johnathan-“

“stay away from Steve.” Johnathan cut the act.

Eddie was taken aback “excuse me?”

“You heard what I said. Stay away from him.”

“Tell me why I should.” Eddie was more than pissed. Johnny boy probably knew he was the second choice.

Johnathan scoffed “Steve agreed to marry ME. That’s why YOU’RE here.” Johnathan then leaned in close to whisper to Eddie “he doesn’t love you anymore.”

That was the last straw for Eddie who shoved Johnathan away. “He doesn’t love me?” Eddie asked sharply before rolling his eyes “please. We both know you were just the second choice, Johnathan.”

“Ex-fucking-scuse me, Munson?”

“You heard what I said, Byers.” Eddie replied neither him nor Johnathan noticed Eddie’s eyes looked redder and his teeth looked sharper.

Johnathan scoffed and laughed “listen here, Edward.” Johnathan started not realizing his voice could be heard by everyone. “I might just be the second choice. But whose fucking kid is Steve carrying?!” He shouted not noticing how loud he was.

All of a sudden they both heard a glass shatter and they turned their heads. There was Steve, with a broke glass next to him, looking like he was about to break down. “I..I have to go..” he spoke before running out of there

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Steve was running, tears falling freely down his face. He heard Johnathan calling after him but his voice was fading. He slammed open the bathroom door and fell to his knees a sob ripping through him.

He never heard feet coming after him or the door opening again before hearing “Stevie..”

Eddie.. Steve didn’t answer only turning his head a bit, he thought he looked Pathetic but Eddie just saw a hurt boy. Fuck Johnathan Byers. Eddie knelt down holding a hand out to Steve who immediately jumped into his arms another sob escaping him. Eddie pulled Steve closer to him and stroked his back trying to comfort the boy. Eddie was seeing pure red, fitting with how his eyes were now red and front teeth literal fangs, not that he noticed and neither did Steve.

Then Steve looked up and put a shaky hand on Eddie’s cheek “your eyes are red… like..the-the iris..”

“what..?” Eddie questioned earning a little nod from Steve. They both were thinking the same thing: the demobats.

Eddie pushed that to the side, for now he just wanted to care for Steve. Eddie gently held Steve’s hand trying to ignore Steve had Johnathan’s ring. He knew Steve had little to no time to take it off especially with how emotional he was now. But Johnathan had just outed him and told everyone he was pregnant.

“This is probably a really stupid question to ask but um..are you doing ok..?” Eddie asked just trying to make conversation with Steve.

Steve shrugged and sniffled “I mean.. no..? But..better with you here.” Steve answered with a small smile before frowning a bit “why…why did you come after me… I thought-thought you hated me..”

Eddie’s heart broke at that. “Stevie I could never hate you..I came after you because..because I care about you.. and-and I still love you.” Steve literally perked up at that. Before either could realize what was happening, Steve was kissing Eddie.

All of a sudden they heard the bathroom door open

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“Steve-“ Robin entered. Steve immediately pulled away, “Rob-“

Steve was frozen, a little fear coursing through him, would Robin tell Johnathan? Was Robin upset at him? Robin sensed Steve’s mind was going a mile a minute, twin telepathy they joked, and knelt down on the other side of Steve. “I’m not mad at you Dingus..”

Steve stared at her more tears in his eyes before scooting to Robin to lay his head on her shoulder.

The three sat in silence for who knows how long until Steve broke it “funny to say but this is the second time me and Robs have been on a bathroom floor together crying” This concerned Eddie but Robin laughed a little with Steve so he didn’t push it, instead he stroked Steve’s hand in comfort. Steve looked over at Eddie and gave a little smile “I love you too Eddie…I- I never stopped..”

Eddie smiled a little at that before realizing Steve still wore Johnathan’s ring and was in a relationship with him still. Steve must have picked up a little on it because he looked at his hand that was still in Eddie’s and using his other hand took the ring off, got up, then put it on the bathroom counter, basically giving Johnathan a big ole “fuck you!” Steve took a deep breath reaching out to hold Eddie’s hand again before turning back to Eddie and Robin. “Well..should we go back..”