Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Eddie hated it when his father, Al Munson, was in town. He’d never had a strong relationship with his dad, even when he was very young. For reasons that Eddie could never quite articulate, his father had always seemed to hate him. Eddie wasn’t bright enough, talented enough, he didn’t have the social skills of his peers. Al would sneer at him, and remind him just how much Eddie looked like his mother – too girly, too pretty for a boy. And Al hated the way that his son was also way too sensitive, always crying when he got upset – instead of sucking it up like a man. He was a bad kid, always misbehaving. That’s why Al had to take the belt to him on the regular, for his own good. If Eddie would just be a better son, Al wouldn’t have to teach him a lesson he wouldn’t forget. If only Eddie would just be more like his old man, instead of a hopeless little boy with his head full of dreams, then everything would be better.

Over the years, Al had tried repeatedly to pass on his infinite knowledge of how the world was theirs for the taking – if you were willing to put in the work. People were steppingstones to get what you wanted. You’re either a wolf, or a sheep. And Eddie Munson was a sheep – a weak prey animal, always blindly following the crowd without thinking for himself. He needed to toughen up, sharpen those claws – otherwise he’d wouldn’t amount to anything. Al never ceased to remind him of this fact.

Al started out small with his son, teaching him vital lessons about how to go into stores, and come out with full pockets. And he taught him about hotwiring cars, and how to scout out abandoned houses to steal copper. He taught him how to run low-level scams. Useful things, a proper education that every boy should know. But though Eddie tried his best to soak up all the knowledge from his old man, he always fell short. Eddie couldn’t lie if his life depended on it, and he fumbled every time he tried to scam someone. And it took him way too long to hotwire a vehicle. He would try his best, his hands shaking. But it was never enough. And afterwards, as they drove around in Al’s prized ’63 Buick Skylark, Al would scream at his sobbing son – telling how much of a disappointment he was, how inadequate Eddie was. It pained him to punish his boy, but that was the only way the kid was ever going to learn. These were the same methods that Al’s old man had used on him, and he was determined to drive his lessons home until they were second nature. Even when Eddie’s mother, Catherine, would try to intervene, it didn’t do any good. He was a domineering man, holding power over his wife, and son.

Things had only gotten worse for Eddie, when his mother got sick. It had been the hazy summer between second and third grade, normally a joyous time of freedom. Normally, Eddie would spend most of his summer outside – playing with his friends, swimming in the outdoor pool, throwing rocks in the creek. But all that summer, Eddie had sat by his mother’s bedside, reading to her, caring for her, bringing her tomato soup and jam sandwiches (the only things he knew how to make). Al had stayed away for the most part, always making excuses to be out of the house, avoiding his family. And it seemed like the only times Eddie saw his father that summer, his dad would stumble in the apartment after a night of heavy drinking. When Catherine had collapsed one morning, Eddie had been the one who’d called the ambulance, and rode with her to the hospital. It had all happened so fast, and when it was all over, Catherine was dead and gone. Eddie had always been close to his mother, and losing her had devastated him. He’d been inconsolable.

When Catherine died, Al had lost what little interest he’d had in being a parent. The grief was just too much, he would say. He left his son to his own devices, too numb to care. Al’s wife had been his better half, his shining light. Eventually, the grief passed, as all things do. And when that happened, Al stepped reluctantly into his new role as single father. But Al had started drinking more, which led to him eventually losing his job. Without the steady income, they’d lost their apartment, and ended up homeless. The remainder of third grade had been a tough time for Eddie, because Al had been drunk for most of it – apathetic towards his son, cold and uncaring. Eddie had to get himself up for school, put himself on the bus every morning, struggled to get through the school day without breakfast beforehand, or packed lunches. Eddie would show up in dirty clothes, in a jacket and boots that didn’t fit him, offering little protection from the frigid Indiana winter. Eddie struggled to parent himself, and people began to take notice that something was wrong with the boy. Finally, when things got really bad, a concerned teacher called it in, and Eddie was removed from his father’s care.

Eddie ended up having to retake third grade once he’d gone to live with Uncle Wayne. Living with Wayne was a far better situation. Eddie had a roof over his head, clothes that fit, a fridge full of food. Wayne had stepped in as best as he could for his young nephew. It was good to have all of his physical needs met. But even more so, Wayne cared for him in a way that his younger brother never could. Wayne didn’t look at Eddie, and see a failure. He saw the flaws, but he also saw the good in him. And though the kid had come with his issues, and baggage, Wayne was willing to put in the work, trying to give his nephew the loving, supportive family that Eddie deserved. Eddie was a daily reminder of Catherine, Wayne’s deceased best friend. Just like his mother had been, the boy was a ray of sunshine. God, he missed her. Every day, Wayne wished that he hadn’t lost contact with Catherine years before, when Al had moved his family out of town. It had pained him to know that she’d died, that he’d never got to say goodbye when she became ill. The boy needed people in his life telling him that he wasn’t a failure, or a fuckup. Eddie was a good kid. Wayne watched as his brother’s boy slowly started to open up to him, his self-confidence improving. His heart filled with pride as Eddie flourished into a confident young man.

When Eddie had gone to live with his uncle, he’d presumed that he’d seen the last of his father. He didn’t think that Al was the kind of man to stick around, or fight for custody of his boy. And honestly, Eddie was okay with that. He was happy with his new living arrangement. But unfortunately, Al did fight for him. The courts had determined that Eddie needed to see his father once a week, that it was important for them to stay in contact. Al told the courts that he was trying his best to be a better man. He was taking mandatory therapy to work through his grief, he was in AA, he had voluntarily taken parenting classes. Al claimed he wanted his son back, that he was worth a second chance. He’d seen the error of his ways; he was a changed man. Al Munson could talk up a big game, but Eddie didn’t believe it for a second. He didn’t want to go back to how things were before, the constant instability, the fear, the pain. He didn’t want to leave Wayne.

At first, it was supervised visits. Every Sunday afternoon, Al would sit in the Munson living room with Eddie. They would sip diet Cokes – Al’s favourite drink – and make awkward small talk for the hour-long visit. Eddie always felt extremely anxious about the visit, fearful that his father would show up drunk, or start berating him. He was always worried that Al would show up and try to whisk him away from his new home, even though Wayne still had full custody. Wayne would always be hovering nearby, puttering around in the kitchen, or reading one of his hunting magazines in his armchair, his eyes lifting from the page often enough to keep tabs on the situation unfolding in front of him. Just the fact that Wayne was present helped put Eddie’s anxious mind at ease. These meetings were all the contact that father and son were required to do per week, just one hour a week. And so, Eddie would sit with his father, showing him some of his schoolwork, trying to find something to talk about. It was the worst hour of his week, and afterwards, Eddie would always feel drained and exhausted.

Later, when Eddie was twelve, Al was allowed to begin taking him out on unsupervised visits. Their time was doubled, as they now two-hour visits. Al would pick up his son from the Munson trailer, and they’d drive around town, listening to BB King on the 8-track. They would always stop at the diner downtown to get ice cream – a banana split each, Eddie’s favourite. Sometimes, they’d go to the junkyard to look for auto parts, or stop by one of Al’s buddies’ houses, and catch up in their living room for a while, until Eddie would remind him that it was time to take him home. Eddie refused to stay longer than the two-hour mark, threatening to walk back to Forest Hills if Al refused to leave on time. His father had two hours of his time, and not a minute longer. But mostly, they would just drive around Hawkins, the windows down. It was still fairly uncomfortable for Eddie to spend that much time with his dad, but he knew he’d always go back to his uncle’s home afterwards – and that made it tolerable.

When Eddie was fifteen, Al took him out for their usual Sunday afternoon banana split. But this time, things were different. Al was fidgety, full of energy. And that was when he broke the news to Eddie that he would be moving to Ohio. He had recently met a woman, Colleen, and they were madly in love. Al would be moving in with her, and they’d be raising up her two kids. Colleen had twin daughters, just a few years younger than Eddie. And because of this big change in his life, Al informed him that he wasn’t going to visit as frequently anymore. Not once a week, anyhow. It was already cleared with the courts, and Wayne had already been informed of the change – but Al had been insistent that he should be the one to break the news to his son. After he moved to Ohio, Al would come into town once a month at first, and then, the visits slowly petered out. Christmases and birthdays only, and then even that was reduced to just a five-minute phone call. And eventually, Al wasn’t in his life at all. And that was just fine with Eddie. Al became part of his past.

Until that afternoon. Out of the blue, his father had showed up. Eddie hadn’t heard from him in nearly two years, so it came as a complete shock. He’d just pulled into the trailer park in his Skylark, and knocked on the trailer door as if it were perfectly natural to drop by for a friendly visit. Like things were peachy between them. Eddie didn’t know what to make of the surprise visit, and he found that he didn’t know how to act around his father. As a child, Eddie had been used to walking on eggshells around him, keeping himself small, hiding parts of himself from Al to protect himself from harm. But things were completely different when he lived with Wayne. Eddie had become accustomed to their openness, and honesty with each other. He knew that he could come to his uncle about anything – and he didn’t have to hide a single part of who he was. Not in the slightest. Wayne encouraged him to try out new things – whether that be his brief stint with basketball, or his short-lived obsession with medieval architecture, or dinosaur fossils. Wayne always encouraged his long-term interests, like metal music, and playing guitar – even though people in Wayne’s church called it ‘devil music’. He certainly didn’t have a problem with the fact that his boy was autistic. Wayne didn’t care that Eddie had earned a reputation for being a ‘scary’ metalhead, because he knew that his nephew was a decent guy, raised up right. His uncle didn’t even get mad at him, when one day, Eddie had announced that he was an atheist (though Wayne still made him wear a suit and go to Christmas, and Easter services).

When his father had shown up at the doorstep of the Munson trailer, asking him if he would go for a drive for old time’s sake, Eddie had been taken aback at first. After careful consideration, he’d decided to take him up on his offer. It was a hot August afternoon, and Eddie’s friends were busy at their summer jobs. Wayne was out of town for the weekend, and he didn’t have anything else to do that day. Sure, he could ride around town with his old man, and grab a banana split with him. He wasn’t scared of his father anymore. It had been a few years; they had a lot of catching up to do. What harm could one afternoon with him do?

“Talk to me, bud. Where are you working these days?” Al asked, turning down the Albert Collins 8 track. He glanced over at his son. “Now that you’re done with school, you’ve got so much more time on your hands. I bet you’re bringing home the big bucks, making bank.”

“Yeah, I’m making some dough,” Eddie said. “Working part-time at the auto shop. It doesn’t pay much, but it’s honest work. Mostly, I’m blowing all my paychecks on guitars, and beer.”

“No savings?” Al asked, disappointed. “You ever do any side hustles? Y’know, the things I taught you?”

“No scams, nothing like what you’re talking about.”

“Oh. So, Wayne’s keeping you honest.”

“Yeah, more or less,” Eddie shrugged. “Well, I sell weed. But that’s it.”

“My brother know you’re selling drugs?” Al gave him a shrewd look.

“He knows.” Eddie began chewing on the sleeve of his leather jacket, his leg jiggling. He turned his face away, looking out the window, enjoying the wind on his face. Sure, Wayne knew. The trailer had thin walls; they didn’t have a lot of secrets between them. He’d tried to hide his new business venture at first, but Wayne had figured it out fairly quickly, when Eddie suddenly had unexplained cashflow. “Yeah, Wayne knows. He’s not thrilled, but it helps pay the bills. I chip in where I can.”

“What about college in the fall? You get in anywhere?” Al asked. “The reason why I’m asking, is ‘cause we’ve got good schools in Ohio, if you want to move closer to your old man. You could pack a bag this weekend, and we could drive up to my place. Make it a special road trip, just the two of us. I can call ahead, and get Colleen to make up the guest room for you. She wouldn’t mind. It’d be cheaper than staying at the dorms, and you could finally meet the girls.”

“No, don’t ask Colleen to do that,” Eddie said, shaking his head. “Not that I’m opposed to meeting them, but I’m actually not going to college in the fall – I’m still in high school.”

“You’re what, nineteen? Twenty?” Al asked, doing the mental math. “Ain’t you done with all that yet? Christ, I thought you’d have graduated already.”

“Not yet, no.” Eddie went back to chewing on the edge of his ratty sleeve for a second, pressing his clunky rings comfortingly against his cheek. “Tried twice, failed twice. Third time’s the charm.”

“Take your hand away from your face, son. I’m trying to talk to you,” Al said, irritated. “You think you’ll pass this time? Frankly, I’m surprised Wayne’s been so lenient with you. Three times is too many.”

“He knows I’m doing my best. I’m just a few credits shy.” Eddie dropped his hand into his lap. He was beginning to regret getting into his dad’s car. It was way too hot to be having this conversation; he was sweltering in his jean vest and leather jacket. He’d never fared so well in the heat. “I got this. I’m going to graduate this year. Class of ’86.”

“My girls would never take three years to complete their senior year, I can tell you that much,” Al said. He proudly glanced over at the faded Polaroid of his twin teenaged stepdaughters that he’d taped to the dashboard of his beloved Skylark. “Melanie, and Tiffany – they’re Harvard material. Smart as a whip, them two. Just so long as they can get a scholarship, they’ll be taking the world by storm. Colleen’s got college funds set up for ‘em, but it won’t be enough. Not for a proper education. They’re going places.”

“Yeah?” Eddie had never met the twins, not once. He hadn’t met Colleen, either. He’d only seen their photo on occasion in his dad’s car. He’d spoken to Al’s wife and kids twice on the phone, at Christmastime, but that was it. But though Eddie hadn’t met them before, he’d sure heard about them. Al kept a photo of Colleen in his wallet, so Eddie knew what she looked like. She had a blonde perm, heavy makeup, and a pretty smile. She was a paralegal, and Colleen loved tennis, and musical theatre. She’d been widowed, when her first husband died in a car accident. Colleen was pretty, smart, funny. The twins were on the honour roll. Both of them were in jazz band and choir, one worked part-time at Dairy Queen, the other worked at a second-hand bookstore. They seemed like good kids. It was a shame that they had someone like Al Munson for a stepfather.

Once he’d moved to Ohio, Al would brag to Eddie about how much he loved being a father, how great his kids were. Being a parent, Al would say, was so fulfilling. To Eddie, it was like a slap in the face, every time he heard his father talk that way. Al had already been a parent, and he’d screwed it up so badly that he’d given his son trauma, and nightmares from his upbringing.

If it was true that the girls were going to Harvard (Eddie knew by now to take everything his father said with a grain of salt), then good for them. Eddie didn’t harbor any ill will towards the girls. It wasn’t their fault that his father had been a deadbeat, that he’d decided to start over with a new wife, new children. Eddie was happier without him.

They were almost downtown. Soon, they would be inside the air-conditioned diner, with a delicious cold banana split set out in front of them. Eddie couldn’t wait. He’d never been good at small talk with his father, never really knew what to say. So, he stayed quiet, and listened to his dad talk about his new job promotion – and how he and Colleen were thinking of moving to a nicer neighbourhood. They’d been saving up for a down payment for some time. Eddie couldn’t help but be a tad jealous, thinking about the crummy apartment he’d shared with his parents years before. It sounded like his father had smartened up, really taking to living a suburban life with his new family. Good job, big house, kids he doted on. Eddie tried not to let it get to him. He didn’t want to internalize the fact that his father thought he hadn’t been worth sticking around for. Al Munson was reformed from his former life of petty crime – or so he said. Eddie would always have his doubts about that. Finally, they reached the diner, and Al parked his Skylark in the small parking lot beside the old brick building. Thank God, they’d finally arrived. Eddie couldn’t wait to eat that banana split. His mouth was watering at the very thought. Maybe he’d order a second one, that’s how hot it was today.

“How about that ice cream, huh?” Eddie asked, about to get out of the vehicle. He gave his father a lopsided grin. “Shall we go in?”

“Not quite yet.” Al was unhurried. “Just gimme a second.”

Eddie’s hand was already on the door handle. He paused, watching as his father turned slightly in his seat, studying his son’s face. A look passed over Al’s face, and his expression hardened. Eddie frowned, bemused, uncertain what to make of his father’s mood. He looked like he had something on his mind. He gave his father an uneasy look.

“Don’t be in such a hurry, boy. We’ll go in, when I’m done my smoke,” Al said. “You know not to rush me, Junior.”

“Don’t call me that,” Eddie said, softly. “You know I don’t like that nickname.”

“Junior. It’s who you are.” Al grinned at him, with his shark-like rows of nicotine-stained teeth. “You are Allan Edward Munson, Jr. You were gifted with your old man’s name – you should use it with pride.”

“I go by Eddie.” They had been through this a thousand times, and still, his father insisted on using his dreaded first name. Dad was the only one to ever do that; everyone else knew he was Eddie – never Allan, or Junior. Legal name be damned, that just wasn’t who he was. He didn’t want to be known as his father’s son, simply an extension of the man who had brought him into the world. He was fine just being Eddie. “I’m not Junior, and I’m definitely not Allan. I refuse to use those names. You know this, Dad.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Al shrugged, waving him off. “I know you don’t like my nickname for you, little man. But in my heart, you’ll always be my Junior.”

Eddie sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. He was getting a headache, from the combination of the harsh August sunlight, and his father’s bullshit. Eddie could only ever handle his father in small doses. He was glad that Al lived in Ohio, so they didn’t have to see each other on a regular basis. Al was only about halfway done his cigarette, so he knew they’d be there for awhile longer. Al never liked to rush these things. The vehicle was filled with grey cigarette smoke, even with their windows rolled down. Eddie waved his hand in front of his face as he stared out the windshield, watching the people walk down the sidewalk in front of the vehicle. Kids were clutching their parents’ hands, some holding ice cream cones, others sunburnt from the long summer afternoon. The hot sun was beating relentlessly down onto the vehicle, and Eddie was sweating, his leather jacket sticking to his skin. Someone nearby was playing a funky tune on their boombox. It had a nice beat. Eddie automatically started tapping his fingers against his jeans, as he worked out what the guitar chords were by ear. He liked doing that; kept his mind nice and calm.

“While we’re parked out here, there is something on my mind that I need to address with you.” Al flicked his ashes out the open car window. His gaze slid over to his son’s face, a glint in his eyes. Eddie glanced over at him, wondering what his dad wanted to talk about. It sounded serious. Eddie really wished that they were eating ice cream inside, and not sitting out here in the sweltering vehicle, about to have some kind of important father-son talk.

“Alright, talk.”

“Eddie, you know I still got friends in this town,” his father said. “Some of them, I still keep in contact with even after I up and left the state. And lately, I got some of my friends reaching out to me, telling me things about you that’s been playing heavy on my mind. Things that we need to address.”

“You’ve been keeping tabs on me?” Eddie asked, unnerved. That didn’t sit right with him. “You’re checking up on me?”

“’Course I do. Always have,” Al said. “I may not be the man raising you up, but I have a right to know about your life. And I know that you, and Wayne have been keeping things from me. And that’s partially my fault, ‘cause I chose to leave Indiana. I haven’t been here as much as I should. So, it piqued my interest something fierce, when my friends recently began asking me if my son is a homosexual. Is there any truth to these rumours?”

“W-What?” Eddie sucked in his breath. His father’s question caught him completely off guard.

“You heard me, plain as day,” Al said. “The way you been acting as of late, it’s brought a whole lot of negative attention towards you. I’m your father. I need to know these things about you. Are you some kind of queer, Ed?”

“You drove all the way from Ohio, to Indiana, to ask me that?” Eddie said, incredulous. “You could’ve just picked up the phone, you know. A question like this, it didn’t warrant a whole trip.”

“If I’d have called and asked, I think you would’ve just hung up on me,” Al said. “I was already heading into town on other business, thought I should swing by. Besides, I wanted to see you. This trip was long overdue.”

“What makes your friends think that I’m gay?” Eddie asked, though he could think of a lot of reasons. He tried to blank his expression, tried to keep his breathing in check. His heart was pounding, hands sweating. “And besides, even if I was – hypothetically, of course – what makes you think it’s any of your business?”

“It matters, because you’re my son. You go on your life, getting a bad reputation, how d’you that’s going to look toward me? You ever think about the consequences of your actions? The way I’ve heard it, you’ve been acting like a right fruitcake. Effeminate, limp wristed boy, going around town wearing makeup, and long hair like some kind of girl. Someone even said they seen you prance around in a skirt one night,” Al said, his nose crinkling in disgust. “And looking at you now, I can see what they mean. You’ve grown your hair out even longer than the last time I saw you. You should buzz it off again, like when you were a kid. And don’t think I haven’t noticed that sparkly blue eye shadow you’re wearing, even if you tried to wipe most of it off when I showed up at the trailer. You look like Catherine more each time I see you. It’s like you’ve been aiming to be my daughter, and not my son. Ever since I heard these rumours, it’s been bothering me. You know how I feel about queers. It just ain’t natural, son – two men laying together. Tell me it ain’t so.”

“That’s absurd. I’m not gay, Dad,” Eddie lied. “I’m not.”

Eddie was, in fact, as queer as a three-dollar bill. The sudden revelation about his sexuality had come to him one day in the middle of eighth grade gym class, as he’d sat on the bleachers and watched his male classmates run around playing basketball. They had been glistening with sweat, pushing and shoving each other on the court, playing shirts and skins – much to Eddie’s delight. The realization that he was gay hadn’t really surprised or disgusted him; it was just something he’d reflected on, acknowledged, and then he’d continued on with his life. He came out to Wayne later that night, as they ate grilled cheese sandwiches in front of the TV. Wayne hadn’t really seemed surprised, either. He’d just silently nodded, then ruffled Eddie’s hair affectionately.

Eddie’s closest friends knew he was gay, as did his uncle. He was able to be open about it with them, not wanting to hide that part of himself with the people he was closest with. It had never bothered them; they were accepting, loving him for who he was. Eddie knew that people in Hawkins talked, that many of them speculated on his sexuality. They weren’t subtle when they talked loudly about him, or try to hide their dirty looks. He knew he had a target on his back, especially because he was known to be flamboyant at times. But he refused to make himself smaller anymore, for other people’s benefit. And sure, he’d tried out different looks – experimenting with makeup on occasion. He liked playing around, trying out new things – a form of self-expression. Just like how he’d dyed his hair red last year. It had looked alright, but Eddie had liked his regular brown colour better. It was temporary fun, a new look.

The skirt rumour was true. One night, during a sleepover with Jeff, and his older sister, Christina, they’d played a game of ‘truth or dare’. They had been heavily drinking, messing around. Eddie had been dared to go down to the nearby corner store, when they bought some junk food, and smokes – but he had to wear Christina’s flouncy skirt. Eddie had thought it was great fun, wanting to know what it felt like to wear a skirt. It had fit him nice enough, as he was slim enough to wear Christina’s clothing, though the skirt had been a bit too breezy for his liking. It was something that he didn’t really see himself wearing often, but it had made Eddie and his friends laugh. But stuff like this wasn’t the kind of thing that he wanted his dad knowing. Because while Jeff, and Wayne were safe people, Al Munson was anything but. And so, being gay was something that Eddie would never willingly admit to his father.

“I like girls, Dad,” Eddie said, trying to sound convincing. He gave him an earnest look. “I take after my old man, straight as an arrow. I know you aren’t in town so much these days, but I’ve always got a pretty girl on my arm.”

“Is that a fact?” Al’s mouth was a hard, firm line. “You’ve dated a lot of girls in Hawkins?”

“Sure.” Eddie nodded emphatically. “Tons of pretty girls.”

“Name a few.” Al blew out a mouthful of smoke, unconvinced. “I wanna hear about ‘em.”

“Uh . . .” Eddie’s mind drew a blank. All of a sudden, it was like he couldn’t even recall any girl in town. Not a single one. Shit. Eddie thought about some of the girls in his class at school. “Uh, Chrissy Cunningham. Cutest cheerleader in school. They call her the Queen of Hawkins High. Man, she’s so pretty. Yeah, she and I, we were a real item. We dated for like, six months.”

“Yeah? Who else?”

“Oh, you know Ted’s daughter? Nancy Wheeler. Yeah, I dated her for a few months. Nancy’s drop-dead gorgeous,” Eddie said, knowing that Al used to work with Ted ages ago. They weren’t close friends or anything, so Eddie figured that it would be an easy enough lie to get away with, without Al trying to fact-check him. Eddie had always liked Nancy, but not romantically. He had mad respect for her. Nancy was going to be a fine journalist one day. Eddie blinked, hoping that Al wouldn’t realize that he’d lied to him about his supposed hookups with female classmates. “Yeah – Nancy and I, we used to make out at Skull Rock. And then when we broke up, I dated this chick from my English class. Her name was Cynthia. We were together for a few weeks. I worked my way through the whole girls’ volleyball team, and the cheerleading squad.”

“Oh, so you’re a real player,” Al said. He gave him a congratulatory look, reaching out to thump him on the chest. “Good on ya.”

In truth, Eddie had never dated a pretty girl. In fact, he hadn’t dated anyone of either gender; he didn’t have a lot of game. And he was definitely still a virgin. But honestly, that didn’t really bother him. He had a fulfilling life – plenty of hobbies, a solid group of close friends. Eddie was happy with who he was. One day, he’d find someone special. Maybe not in Hawkins, though. But yeah, he might find someone eventually. There was no rush. Plenty of time for relationships later in life. Right now, he was just focused on getting his diploma, and playing DnD with his friends.

Al continued to talk about the rumours he’d heard from his friends, going on a long rant about how his son better not be one of those homosexuals – and how annoyed he was at his friends, because they’d had him thinking the worst about his little Junior. Eddie was able to easily block out his father’s voice, though he nodded his head a few times to pretend that he was listening. Normally, his father could always tell when Eddie was lying. So, he thought that it was a win, that he’d been able to successfully lie to him.

His father continued ranting, filling the air with his horrific opinions about gay people, family values, and the AIDS crisis. Eddie’s attention was diverted from whatever homophobic bullshit his father was saying, as he watched the people walking down the sidewalk. He raised his eyebrows, as he recognized the teen standing a mere thirty feet away, as that of eighteen-year-old Steve Harrington. He was wearing a purple and white Polo shirt, the tight material straining, showing off his biceps. His arm was around a tall, gawky girl with a blonde bob, and they were laughing about something. Eddie recognized the girl as Robin Buckley, one of the trumpet players from band. He didn’t realize that Steve and Robin were friends. Or maybe they had begun dating? Eddie frowned. Something must be going on between those two; they seemed awfully close. Now that school was out, he was out of the loop when it came to gossip. Eddie’s gaze lingered just a second or two longer than he wanted to admit, taking in Steve’s new blond highlights. He knew for a fact that Steve hadn’t had highlights at his graduation two months ago, when he’d walked that stage. They were a recent change, and they looked good on him. Steve looked comfortable, happy.

“They friends of yours?” Al asked, noticing where Eddie’s attention lay. He jutted his chin out at the two teens in front of them.

Eddie wanted desperately to say yes, that they were friends. But it wasn’t really true. Steve Harrington, and Robin Buckley were just his classmates. Eddie knew Robin from band, and they’d shared a few classes. She was nice, and she was really sarcastic. But they weren’t friends, or anything – they barely talked outside of school. They had a lot in common, so in theory, they should be quite close. Neither of them came from money, and Robin could be quite klutzy, and struggled socially at times. Robin only had a few close friends (much like himself), and she definitely wasn’t considered popular at school. They were both considered perpetual loners, often considered losers by their peers. And Eddie had never known Robin to date anyone – that is, until he saw her with Steve today. They were both music lovers, spending plenty of hours booked into the band room’s private practicing booths. And she had an alternative fashion sense, always accessorizing with chunky rings, black nail polish. Robin didn’t buy the latest trends; she often walked around in slacks, and men’s jackets, and pinstriped shirts that looked really good on her. Maybe in another universe, Robin and Eddie could be good friends. But they were just classmates.

And Steve? No, he wasn’t friends with Steve ‘The Hair’ Harrington. King Steve was a jock. Enough said. The jocks at Hawkins High were a thorn in Eddie’s side, because they were always giving him and his friends a hard time. They were bullies, rude little assholes who enjoyed picking on those that they deemed were lesser than themselves. But unfortunately, when it came to Steve Harrington, Eddie had always secretly had a huge crush on him – even if he was jock. Steve could be a bit of a jerk sometimes, but he was also gorgeous, rich, and athletic. Eddie had been pining after him for years – all through high school. And he wanted more.

Sometimes, he would watch Steve from across the cafeteria, or he’d watch the teen run around on the basketball court, or at pep rallies, and he’d wonder what it was like to feel Steve’s body pressed against his own. Eddie was curious about the taste of Steve’s lips, the feel of his soft hair in Eddie’s hands. He wanted to sit on Steve’s lap, and bury his face into Steve’s neck, and cover him with hickeys – marking him up, so others would know he was exclusively Eddie’s. He wanted to slow dance with him at prom, and curl up on the couch with him during movie nights, and kiss each of Steve’s gorgeous moles. Sure, he wanted to experience these things firsthand. But it was just fantasy. Steve was unattainable, just like all the other guys at school. Eddie could dream all he wanted, but it wouldn’t go anywhere. Especially since Steve was straight. It would be social suicide to even try to ask Steve out.

“Oh, yeah. Steve’s a real good friend of mine,” Eddie said. It was a blatant lie. But it was one of those kinds of victimless lies that he figured was fairly harmless. In a few hours, his father would leave Hawkins, and Eddie probably wouldn’t see Al again for a few more years. By then, Steve would be out of Hawkins – probably at law school, or something else that his father had picked out for him. And Robin, she would probably be either teaching at college, or married with a few kids, or something regular like that. Eddie’s father wanted to know that his son was a nice, regular straight boy with plenty of friends. So, Eddie was going to sell the lie as best as he could, giving him what he wanted. And it wasn’t like Eddie was inclined to introduce him to his real friends, like Jeff or Gareth, because he knew that his father would never approve of them. “Yeah, Steve’s a pretty great guy. He’s one of the most popular guys at school. Steve’s a great basketball player. He’s on the swim team, too. Real athletic. And you see that girl he’s with? Well, that’s Robin Buckley. She’s a musician, like me. Robin plays trumpet, French horn, and piano. She’s really smart. And isn’t she gorgeous? Robin and I, we dated for some time. I guess she’s with Steve, now.”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

Eddie figured that he’d done a sufficient job of playing at being straight. Al seemed satisfied with his answers, so Eddie breathed a sigh of relief. He saw that his father was nearly done his cigarette. Good. It was time to go inside, and eat that banana split.

“Right, let’s go inside.”

“Not so fast, Eddie,” Al said, glancing over at him. “It’s so rare that I get to meet any of your friends. And I’ve never met any of your girlfriends before. She looks like a nice girl. I’d like to meet them.”

“Oh!” Eddie said, his eyes widening. Shit. He knew that the second his father started talking to those two, the gig would be up. There was no way that Steve and Robin would play along. Dad would know that he’d been lying to him about everything. This wasn’t good. “Nah, man. They look busy. Let’s just go inside.”

Al turned his attention back to Steve and Robin, his eyes narrowing. The two teens didn’t look busy in the slightest. Steve was leaning against the brick building, glancing at his watch. It looked like he was waiting for someone. Robin said something to him, smacking him on the arm. Steve laughed loudly.

“You ashamed of being seen with your old man?” Al asked. “Is that it?”

“No.”

“Well, alright then.”

Al laid his hand down on the horn. Eddie jumped at the sudden sound, and when he looked up, he saw that Steve and Robin had stopped their conversation. They were also startled by the sudden noise. Robin shaded her eyes, looking at the unfamiliar Skylark parked in the lot. Al waved his arm at them through the open window, gesturing them over. Robin hesitantly waved back.

“Who is that?” Steve loudly asked. “Is he honking at us?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

“Hey!” Al called out. He honked the horn again. “You kids, come here a second.” Eddie groaned in embarrassment, sliding down in his seat, hoping that Steve and Robin would just go back to their conversation. But no such luck. He watched as they started walking towards the car. Christ in hell. This couldn’t be happening. He slid down as far as he could go, covering his face with his unruly hair. Ugh. No, no, no. This wasn’t going to end well.

Chapter Text

“You know what?” Eddie said, his words rushed. “Maybe we should just head on home. Let’s just forget the banana split, and just get out of here.”

“What?” Al said, surprised. He turned to look at his son, seeing the way that Eddie was slumped down in his seat. “What’s gotten into you?”

“Dad, c’mon. Let’s just go.”

“I thought you were obsessed with banana splits. They’ve been your favourite food since you were three. I didn’t realize that that had changed,” Al said, giving him a funny look. “I guess you’ve grown up plenty since I last saw you. You’ve never passed one up before.”

“First time for everything,” Eddie said, hurried. “Dad, please. Just start the car.”

“Alright, I hear you.”

Al was about to start the car, but it was already too late. Steve and Robin were still walking towards the vehicle, and all too soon, they’d reached the Skylark. Eddie was mortified. My God, could this day get any worse? His eyes watered, thoroughly embarrassed. Eddie regretted running off his mouth, claiming to be dating the girls from his class – and claiming to be Steve and Robin’s friend. He was a dumbass, alright. Steve would probably fight him when he found out that Eddie had lied about dating Robin. That just wasn’t okay, pretending to date someone else’s girl. He knew that Steve had fought Billy, and Jonathan. Eddie figured he was next. Never in his wildest dreams, did Eddie think that his little white lies were going to backfire so catastrophically.

“Hey. You need something?” Steve asked, frowning at Al. Robin was right behind him, arms crossed. Her head was tilted slightly to the side as she assessed the situation. They both had guarded looks. “What’s up, man?”

“My son here was just telling me that you guys are really good friends.” Al gave Steve a friendly smile. “It’s a real pleasure to meet you.”

“Yeah? Who’s your son?” Steve asked, bemused. “Sorry, do I know you?”

“My name’s Al. So, you’re on the basketball team, and the swim team. That’s pretty neat. Sounds like myself when I was your age. You any good on the court, Steve Harrington?”

When the man said his full name, Steve recoiled slightly in surprise. Then, his frown deepened, as he tried to figure out if he knew the man sitting in the driver’s seat. His memory wasn’t so hot, after he’d suffered that moderate concussion under Starcourt Mall weeks before. Steve crouched down slightly, and peered inside the vehicle. He saw Eddie still huddled down in the passenger seat. His face was flaming red, and he was still trying his best to hide his face behind his long hair. Steve’s eyes widened in recognition.

“Oh. Uh . . . hi,” Steve said, giving out a sharp laugh. “Your son is Eddie ‘The Freak’ Munson?”

“Yeah, that’s my boy Eddie. I’m his father.” Al gave Steve another brilliant smile. “Don’t know so much about the ‘freak’ part, though.”

“Oh, that’s just a nickname we call him at school.” Steve gave them both a funny look. “So, you’re his father? Eddie, I thought you lived with your uncle. I’ve seen him at some of the basketball games.”

Eddie lowered his hair from his face. There was no point hiding his face anymore; the gig was up. He nodded at Steve. “I do, yeah.”

“Well, it’s sure good to meet my son’s friends,” Al said. “You’re right, Eddie does live with his uncle. I don’t live in town anymore, so I don’t get to see my boy too often. I’m just in Hawkins for a short visit. This here’s your girlfriend? Robin, isn’t it?”

“Oh, she’s – not –“ Steve gave his head a quick shake. He frowned, quickly biting back the rest of his sentence. Steve and Robin shared a funny look, before he turned his attention back to Al. “Yeah, this is Robin.”

“Hello, Mr. Munson. I’m Robin. Pleased to meet you.” She nodded at Al, then gave Eddie a friendly wave. “Hey, Eddie. You having a good summer?”

“Yeah, it’s alright.” Eddie smiled at her, feeling slightly more at ease. This wasn’t going as terribly as he thought it would. Steve and Robin hadn’t said anything damning yet, or refuted Eddie’s claim that he was their friend, or anything. They mostly just looked confused. “And you, Buckley? How’s your summer been?”

“Yeah, it was alright,” Robin said, with a shrug. “Steve and I both lost our jobs, when the mall burned down. We’re currently unemployed, which sucks. You heard about the mall fire, I take it.”

“Yeah. A real shame.” Eddie nodded. “Where were you two working?”

“Scoops Ahoy. The ice cream parlour.”

“Oh, yeah?” Eddie’s eyes lit up. He shifted in his seat, resting his arm against the back of his seat. “Dream job. Did you and Steve sell a lot of banana splits? They’re my favourite.”

“Oh, hundreds.” Robin broke out into an easy grin. “That’s why we’re here at the diner today. We’re meeting our friends for some ice cream. It’s so damned hot out today.”

“Nice.” Eddie nodded. “Same. Dad and I, we’re about to go in ourselves, but he wanted to introduce himself to you guys first. Especially umm . . . since I was just telling him that I was such good friends with you and Steve – and like, how you and I . . . we used to date, and all.”

“Mm.” Robin tilted her head even further, confusion clear in her eyes. Her gaze slid over to Steve’s face for a second. She gave him a ‘what the fuck is Eddie going on about?’ face, one that Eddie hoped Al couldn’t interpret. Then Robin’s smile returned, though it was slightly forced. “Yeah?”

“I’ve never met any of my son’s girlfriends until today,” Al said, smiling at Robin. “How long did you and Eddie date?”

Robin frowned at Al, taking a second to process what he was saying. Her gaze flicked over to Eddie’s face, as she thought about how to answer that unusual question. “How long? Oh, uh – “

Eddie stared at her with his wide brown eyes, trying to convey a message to her – ‘just play along’. Please, Robin. Please don’t say the wrong thing. “What was it, two months?” he blurted out.

“Yeah?” Al said. “That long?”

“Yeah, just about,” Robin said, nodding vigorously. She gave Eddie a tentative smile, which quickly broadened, as she started to play along with his lie. “Yeah, Eddie and I – we were going strong for about two months. We were a real happy couple. Sorry, Munson – I’ve moved on. Don’t worry, Al – the split was amicable. Eddie and I are still platonic friends.”

“Yeah, just friends,” Eddie said, relieved. “Platonic.”

“Oh, alright.” Al nodded. “And now you’re dating Steve?”

Robin laughed, nearly choking on her spit. She side-eyed her best friend. “Is that what we’ve been doing all summer, Stevie?”

Steve didn’t answer. He was still frowning, looking from Al, to Eddie. He looked seriously confused. She prodded him in the ribs. Steve blinked. “Oh, yeah. Totally.”

Steve and Robin heard someone shout out their names, and they turned towards the parking lot entrance. There were two young kids standing there – a short, curly-haired boy wearing an oversized trucker hat, and a little black girl in a pink romper. They eagerly waved at the older teens, to get their attention.

“Steve!” the boy called out. “Are we getting ice cream, or what?”

“One second!” Steve said. He turned back to the vehicle. “Hey, we gotta go. That’s our friends. It was really nice meeting you, sir. Sweet ride, by the way.”

“Yeah, it was great to catch up.” Robin flashed him another smile. “I’ll see you in school, Eddie.”

“Bye.”

Al and Eddie watched as the two teens called out to their friends, before rushing inside the diner. Al turned to his son, and gave him a small smile. He looked genuinely pleased to have met his son’s friends.

“They seemed nice,” he said. “Not very chatty, but good kids. I’m glad I got to meet them.”

“Yeah.” Eddie nodded, still a bit flustered. “Oh, yeah. They’re great.”

After Al and Eddie went into the diner, they were seated at Eddie’s usual spot – one of the booths near the back of the restaurant, where he and Uncle Wayne normally sat. Eddie was glad that their spot was available; he hated sitting anywhere else. Going to the diner was a lot more fun with his uncle, and he wished that Wayne hadn’t gone on that fishing trip, so he could join them today. Eddie hadn’t been here with his father for a few years, and it felt kind of weird. But Eddie was dry as hell, and he really, really wanted that damned ice cream. He could sit through some more small talk with his old man, for just a while longer while they ate ice cream. He could get through this.

“Hey this is just like old times,” Al said, glancing around. “This place never changes.”

“Yeah. That’s what I like about it,” Eddie said. “Always stays the same.”

As Eddie took off his jacket and vest, he couldn’t help but turn around, and look over his shoulder. He saw that Steve and Robin were sitting with the two little kids in a booth not too far away. As he watched them, Eddie wondered who the kids were. Did Robin have siblings? He knew that Steve was an only child. The kids didn’t really look anything like either of them. Maybe they were Steve and Robin’s neighbours, or something. Or maybe they were babysitting. Anyway, the group looked happy. They were talking, laughing, though Eddie couldn’t hear what they were saying. He hoped that Steve and Robin weren’t talking shit about him, telling the kids about the awkward and embarrassing conversation they’d just had with Eddie ‘the Freak’ Munson, and his father outside of the diner.

Eddie heard his father talk to the waitress, ordering lunch. There was no point for Eddie to consult the menu, as he ordered the same thing every time he was in here. Dad ordered an apple juice, a diet coke, two grilled cheese sandwiches, and two banana splits. Their order never wavered.

Eddie glanced back at Robin and Steve’s table again, just in time to see Robin look over at him. They made brief eye contact, but Eddie quickly ducked his head, not wanting to catch her eye. She didn’t look mad or anything. Just confused as hell. Eddie was sure that Steve and Robin had a thousand questions, that they were probably really baffled by what had happened outside. If things were reversed, and those two had been acting all chummy towards him out of nowhere, Eddie knew he’d be confused as hell. Maybe he’d explain it to them one day. Probably not. Now that Steve had graduated, Eddie figured that their paths probably wouldn’t cross very often. Steve was probably headed out to some nice expensive university in a few weeks, leaving Hawkins in his taillights.

“Son, turn around,” Al said. “Let’s talk, while we wait for our food. It should be here soon enough.”

Eddie reluctantly turned back around in his seat. He cupped his chin in his hand, still distracted by the group of kids sitting at the other booth. Eddie raised his eyebrows at his estranged father, waiting to see what he would say.

“I gotta say, son – you’re starting to turn into a real chip off the old block,” Al said. “I’m real proud of you. When you were a kid, you were such a weak little mama’s boy. I didn’t know what to make of you back then. But now, look at you. You’re a man, now. And Eddie, I admire the way you’ve got all the girls in Hawkins wrapped around your little finger.”

Eddie didn’t know what to say to that. He thought over his father’s words, as he grabbed a few packets of sugar, tearing them open and dumping their contents into his palm. It sounded like Al was trying to compliment him, but his words fell flat. Eddie didn’t want to be thought of as a chip off the old block, and he hated hearing Al call him a ‘weak little mama’s boy’. The way his father talked about Eddie and his mother’s close relationship was never in positive terms. Deep down, Eddie knew that he’d always be Catherine’s boy – and that wasn’t a bad thing at all. She’d been an incredible woman.

Eddie squirmed a little in his seat. He wanted his father to be proud of him. It was the words that Eddie had always dreamed of hearing his dad say to him. But it didn’t feel as good as he thought it would, because it was all under false pretenses. Al’s sudden admiration for him was based on a lie. Eddie wasn’t particularly proud of the fact that he’d lied about being straight. He’d only done it, because he felt like it had to be done. Eddie wished that he had a stronger relationship with his father, so that he could comfortably come out to him as gay, instead of hiding it from him.

“You’re at that age, where soon enough, you’re going to be starting your own family. One of these days – mark my words,” Al said. “You and one of those girls you’re dating, will bring a little one or two into the world. A little blessing, straight from the man upstairs. And I just can’t wait to be a part of my grandchildrens’ lives. I can’t decide if I’ll be Pawpaw, or Grandpa. Which one do you like better?”

“It’s a bit soon for all that. I think you’re jumping the gun.” Eddie had no plans of sleeping with any women in the near future – or had plans to knock them up. And the idea of bringing kids into this world just didn’t really appeal to him. “I don’t really have any interest, y’know, in having kids.”

“Well, I’m an optimist.” Al beamed at him. “My boy’s all grown.”

“I’m sure the twins will pop out a few grandbabies for you,” Eddie said. “You’ll still get to be a grandfather. Just . . . not from me.”

“Yeah, probably,” Al said, nodding. “So, have you given it any more thought about coming up to Ohio?”

“No. Not since the last time you sprung the idea on me. Which was what, like half an hour ago?” Eddie said. “That’s a pretty big decision.”

“I don’t think it’s that big of a decision, really. Eddie, you’re old enough to decide where you want to live. You’re a legal adult now, so you’re not required to stay with my brother anymore,” Al said. He was quiet for a few seconds, studying his son. Al gave him a small smile, his eyes crinkling. “Eddie, this is our chance to make this work. I never wanted you taken away from me, all those years ago. And I tried everything I could to get you back – I did. I swear, I’m a changed man.”

Eddie still didn’t fully believe it, but he nodded slightly at his father’s words. He wanted it to be true. As far as Eddie knew, his father hadn’t had a drink in a few years. Al wasn’t as bad as he’d been years before. But a small part of him was always going to be cautious when it came to his father. Al was always scheming, up to something.

“Maybe when I’ve graduated, we could talk about this again?” Eddie suggested.

“I’m in town now, so I figured I’d offer. I think that it’s a real shame that you haven’t finished school yet. But you’ll get your diploma soon,” Al said, with a shrug. “And if you come home with me now, we could just have you transfer schools. You and the twins would all graduate in the same year. Wouldn’t that be nice? The girls, and Colleen, would all like to meet you. We can be a blended family. Me, you, and the girls.”

“Mmm, I dunno.” Eddie said. He licked some of the sugar off his palm. He thought about how all he wanted to do, was go back to the Munson trailer after they were done with this father-son talk. Back to his bedroom, and the familiar mugs and hats adorning their walls. The place was small, a bit cluttered – but it was well and truly home. “Your offer is really something. But I’m happy with Uncle Wayne.”

“Don’t see how you can be.” Al’s eyes narrowed. “He’s not that great of a person. I should know – I’ve known him all my life, years longer than you. Wayne thinks he’s better than everyone else around him. He looks down on me. Thinks I’m trash.”

“Wayne doesn’t look down on you, and I know that he doesn’t think he’s better than you,” Eddie said. “Wayne loves you, Dad.”

“He’s got a funny way of showing it.”

Eddie knew that family relationships could be complicated. Al was Wayne’s only brother. Their parents were long dead, so they only had each other. Wayne and Al obviously had decades of issues between them, and they often didn’t see eye to eye, but they were still family. They loved each other in their own way. Just like how Eddie still loved his father, despite everything that had happened between them. Eddie gave him a defensive look. “Wayne’s been good to me all these years. I like living with him. We get on well. He stepped up for me when I needed him, and he’s always been extremely protective of me. I would’ve ended up in foster care, or some group home, if he hadn’t taken me in. Uncle Wayne loves me with his whole heart, and I know for a fact that he loves you, too.”

“So, what? You’d rather stay here in boring old Hawkins, instead of moving in with your old man?” Al asked. He looked annoyed. “I thought this would be a good thing for us. A way for us to reconnect. I thought you’d be thrilled.”

“Moving to Ohio could be pretty hard for me. I have a life here. Friends, and stuff. I like my routine,” Eddie said. “I don’t know anything about your town. And anyway, even if I did decide to go with you, I’d have to wait at least a few days. I told you already, Wayne’s out of town right now. I would never leave without saying goodbye to him.”

“I could just call him once we got back to my place, and explain it to him,” Al said, with a shrug. “That’s not a big concern of mine.”

It might not be a big concern of Al’s, but to Eddie, getting the chance to say goodbye meant a great deal. Eddie didn’t think that he could ever just pack up his things in one day, and leave Hawkins without even saying goodbye to his uncle. Wayne was the man who had raised him, who had stepped up. He had become more of a father than Al ever had. Eddie’s stomach twisted at the thought of Wayne coming home from his fishing trip, and finding his nephew’s room emptied out, and Eddie nowhere in sight. The man would be frantic with worry. It wasn’t right for his father to ask that of him. This was all out of the blue. Eddie hadn’t even seen his father in two years. Not a single phone call, or anything. Al had just been gone.

Eddie didn’t know what to say to him. A small part of him had always been envious of the fact that his father had doted on the twins, being a parent to them in a thousand different ways, when he had failed to put in the work with his own biological child. And sure, as a kid he’d daydreamed that Al would be a better parent to him. If Al had offered to take him to Ohio as a kid, maybe Eddie would’ve been more interested in seeing if things could work out. But he wasn’t a naïve child; he was old enough to know that this was too big of an ask. As he listened to his father’s offer, Eddie determined that he wouldn’t be able to just uproot his life and move to Ohio on a whim. Hawkins was his home.

“You don’t need to ask Wayne for permission to move out,” Al said. “He’s had years with you. You’re my son – and I’d like for us to live together, to improve our relationship. You and I, son. That’s all that matters.”

The way Al was talking about the whole situation – and his clear disdain for Wayne – rubbed Eddie the wrong way. It wasn’t just what his father was saying, but his father’s constant disapproving looks reminded Eddie of the way his father used to talk to him – and he hated that. When his father had shown up at the trailer earlier that day, Eddie had allowed his father inside. He’d agreed to go for a drive, and get some ice cream like old times. But he hadn’t expected that his father would try to convince him to move in with him. It was just too overwhelming. Eddie kind of wished that he hadn’t been at the trailer earlier, so he wouldn’t have any interaction with his father at all.

“You know how you had some things you wanted to address between us in the car?” Eddie said, irritated. He licked the remaining sugar off his palm, then wiped his damp hand on a napkin. “Well, maybe I got a few things of my own that I gotta address with you. Seeing as how you’re asking me to abandon my life to move in with you, and all, maybe we ought to talk about the fact that you abandoned Mom when she needed you. Mom was sick, she was dying, and you were off drinking with your friends. And for years, you didn’t stick around for me, because I didn’t live up to the great Al Munson’s crazy high expectations. You used to hit me, a lot. And the way you used to talk to me, telling me what a terrible child I was – it really screwed me up. The fridge was always empty. You were often drunk as hell, and you couldn’t be damned to take care of me. I was eight, dad. I was a little kid. I could never be a good enough son for you, no matter how hard I tried. But now, you’re suddenly interested in me moving in with you. Wayne’s more my dad than you ever were. And I don’t like the way you want me to run off on him, without even saying goodbye, or anything.”

“Harsh.” Al’s smile immediately dropped from his face. He frowned, taking in Eddie’s words. “That’s really what you think of me, huh?”

“You were a bad father. I’ve had a lot of years to go over things, wondering why I wasn’t ever worth sticking around for,” Eddie said, bitterly. “It kind of pisses me off that you’re so close to the twins, when you were never interested in being my father. Why wasn’t I deserving of love? It’s only now that you’ve suddenly showed up in town, and I’ve been telling you about my life, you’re feeling inclined to give a damn about me.”

“You’re lashing out at me. I understand that you’re upset.” Al frowned at him. “I do love you. I’m asking you to move to Ohio, so I can see you more often.”

Their conversation paused for a moment, as the waitress came to their table with their food. Eddie was shooting his father an annoyed look, as he grabbed his glass of apple juice. He started chugging it. Man, he was so parched. Eddie wanted to dig right into his banana split, but he figured he should eat his sandwich first.

“Junior, I’ve made some mistakes in the past,” Al said, sipping his diet Coke. “But I’m trying to make things right between us. And coming here today, seeing how you’re all grown up – seeing the man that you’ve become, well I guess I just realized how much I missed out on with you. And I want you to come home with me, so you can be a part of my family. I’m trying to make things right between us.”

Eddie took a bite of his sandwich. He knew that moving to Ohio was never going to work. It just wouldn’t. A few days in, maybe a few weeks at most – once the honeymoon period had worn off – things would sour between him and his father. They just weren’t compatible. And he’d be sent packing back to Indiana again. Wayne would probably be pissed that Eddie had left in the first place, but he’d always welcome him with open arms. Eddie could see that even contemplating the idea of going with his father was a terrible mistake. It just wouldn’t work out.

“You will have to make a few changes, though,” Al said, giving his son an up-and-down look. “As you know, Colleen and the girls are pretty conservative. You know how I told you that we’re a churchgoing family. And I’m not just talking the occasional church service, but we’re sitting in those pews every Sunday morning – and there are services on Wednesdays, too.”

“I’m atheist.”

“Oh. That won’t fly in Ohio. The town’s basically centered around the church. It took me a bit of getting used to at first, so I know you’ll have an adjustment period,” Al said, with a shrug. “But they’ve got a lot of youth groups, and bible studies, and church clubs that you could join so you can meet people your age. Colleen’s really active in the church. She’s the junior choir director for the little kids, and does a lot of volunteering, and things. And if you’re going to bring that guitar of yours, maybe you could play in the church. We’ve already got a few musicians.”

“I don’t know any hymns, or anything. I play rock, and thrash, and stuff. Like Metallica, and Iron Maiden.” Eddie wasn’t trying to be difficult, but he thought it’d be a bit odd, playing guitar in church when he didn’t even believe in God, or Jesus, or anything.

“Just give it some thought.”

“What kind of other changes were you talking about? Just me joining your church?” Eddie asked, curious.

“Your appearance is . . . well, unusual.” Al took a bite of his sandwich before continuing. “This whole look you’ve got going on, it’s something else. The jean vest with the patches, the jewelry, your long hair – your eyeshadow – all of it will have to be toned down considerably. You’ll have to change your look.”

“I’m not changing my look.” Eddie had been growing out his hair considerably, and he liked the length. He liked the new patches he’d recently sewn onto his jean vest. Some of them had been from concerts he’d been to, two of his new patches had been birthday gifts from Jeff, and Grant. And he liked his clunky rings, his guitar pick necklace, and his leather jacket. These were all a part of his carefully curated look. Wearing them made him feel happy, safe. He didn’t want to change his appearance for anything. “I get that your family’s like, religious – so I understand you’d want me to go to church. But I’m not toning down my look for anything. It’s who I am.”

“I could take you shopping. Get you some nice new shirts, a Carhartt jacket, some blue jeans without any holes in the knees. Something that’ll make you look respectable, before we go to Ohio to meet the girls. I want you to make a good impression with them.”

Eddie looked down at his faded charcoal grey Megadeth t-shirt, his black jeans with the holey knees, his pristine white sneakers. His tattoos were on full display, as he’d cut off the sleeves for the summer weather. He was proud of his look. He gave his father a humourless smile, his hands extended, palms up. “This is what you get.”

As Eddie went back to eating his grilled cheese sandwich, he listened to his father talk about the plans he had for his son’s new look. Al wanted to take him to the barber down the road, get Eddie’s hair cut short. It didn’t have to be a buzzcut, but it had to look respectable. Eddie would have to wear long-sleeved shirts to hide his tattoos, for church services. Al wanted to buy him a nice church suit, dress shoes, ties. Eddie felt sick to his stomach as he listened to his father talk about transforming him into something he wasn’t. Like he was a Ken doll that could be dressed up any which way, and not his own person with his own thoughts and feelings.

If Al really knew the truth about his son, the man would probably recoil in disgust. He wouldn’t want him anymore, if he knew that his only son was gay. People were supposed to love their kids unconditionally. Wayne did. But Eddie thought that his father was only interested in the false version he’d presented – the straight boy, the one who was dating plenty of pretty girls. Al didn’t want his loser gay son. The truth sat heavy in Eddie’s chalk-dry mouth. He knew that he could put an end to this nonsense. Just blurt out the truth, and let Al decide what to do with that information. If Al really and truly loved him for who he was, it shouldn’t be a problem. But if he reacted poorly – the way that Eddie was certain that he would – then that was that. But Eddie knew that he didn’t want to keep up this lie anymore.

“Dad, I’ve been lying to you all afternoon, about a lot of things,” Eddie said, his hoarse voice barely above a whisper. He coughed, then continued talking. “But you know what? I’m going to come clean with you about everything. You deserve the truth. Those two kids that you met outside, Steve and Robin? Well, I pretended that they were my close friends from school, but it’s not true. We aren’t close; they’re just my classmates.”

“Why would you do that?” Al gave him a funny look. “Why would you lie to me about them being your friends?”

“I had my reasons,” Eddie said, with a shrug. He didn’t meet his father’s eyes. “I was pretending to be more popular, I guess, because I was trying to impress you. And uh, I thought you wanted me to be a certain kind of way. So, I lied about a few things. But I’m coming clean, because you deserve the truth, and I don’t want to falsely represent myself. If we’re going to work on our father-son relationship, we’ve got to have honesty between us.”

“You said you dated that girl, Robin.” Al frowned. “Did that actually happen?”

“No, I didn’t. See the thing is, I’m not straight – I never have been. I never dated Robin, or Chrissy, or Nancy – or anyone, actually. And I’m not sleeping with anyone, either. I’m a virgin. So, those hopes of you getting grandkids from me? Not happening. I’m gay, okay? There – I said it.” Eddie finally looked up, meeting his father’s gaze. His hands were shaking like mad under the table, and he felt like he was about to pass out. He couldn’t take back those words. “Your friends were telling you the truth, Dad. That’s right, I’m gay. Your only son is a flaming homosexual.”

For a few seconds, Al didn’t say anything. He sat back in his seat, blinking hard. Eddie could see the wheels turning in his father’s head, as he thought over what Eddie had just said to him. He gave his son a horrified look.

“The fuck you on about?” Al finally said.

“I lied to you. So, this is me – telling you the truth about things. If you’re actually serious about us getting closer, then you have a right to know certain truths about me. I don’t want to hide who I am,” Eddie said. Jesus, he was so nervous. But saying those words out loud, it felt like a great weight had been lifted off of his chest. This was actually easier than he thought it would be. And he could see that his father was disgusted by him – just like he thought would happen. He’d never really imagined in a million years, that he’d be coming out to his father, especially in the crowded diner of all places. But this was happening. The cat was out of the bag. “I didn’t think that you would want me as I am, so I told you what I thought you wanted to hear. I pretended to be straight, because I know that you don’t want a gay son. You’ve said a lot of homophobic things over the years. I came out to Wayne years ago, and he’s fine with it. Some of my friends know, too. I guess I’ve gotten better at lying over the years, seeing as how you believed everything I was telling you.”

“Yeah, kid. You had me fooled alright.” Al had a dangerous glint in his eyes. “I knew it. You’re disgusting, you know that? You’re a goddamned filthy fruit.”

“I’m gay, and I don’t want to hide that anymore,” Eddie said. “But that shouldn’t change anything. I’m still your son, Dad.”

“No, you’re wrong about that. See, I don’t have a son. I hope you and Wayne are happy together. You can tell my brother that I’m never coming back to visit either of you. This is it – we are done. If Wayne has any questions as to why I’m cutting you both off, then you can fill him in on the details. But let’s get one thing clear, Junior – I don’t want you ever fucking showing your face in Ohio, got it?” Al Munson abruptly stood up. He pulled his wallet out, and dropped a few small bills on the table. “Oh, and that offer of having you move in with me and the girls? Consider it permanently rescinded. I don’t want a dirty fag like you anywhere near my family. I wouldn’t want them catching some disease, or something, from the disgusting things you’ve been up to.”

“Dad, I – “

“We’re done, Eddie. You ever go anywhere near my wife, or my daughters, it’ll be the last thing you ever do. I fucking cannot believe this.” And with that, Al Munson stalked out of the diner.

Chapter Text

For a few minutes after his father left the diner, Eddie just sat in the booth, still as a statue. He stared down at his half-eaten grilled cheese sandwich, and his melting banana split. He felt like he was literally going to die of shame, and embarrassment. His emotions were all over the place. Hot tears fell down his face, soaking the front of his grey Megadeth t-shirt. People were looking curiously over at his booth, as he continued silently crying. Christ. He was feeling especially vulnerable, all eyes on him. Like his grief and pain was some kind of spectacle for their amusement.

Why the hell did he ever think this was going to go any way other than extreme disappointment? His father had never made him a priority before; Al had always discarded him in the past. And today was no different – especially now that Dad finally knew the truth about him. The one time that Al Munson had finally decided to become a parent to him again after all these years, and it had ended in disaster. Once again, Eddie was left alone, with his father walking out on him. He felt like such a disappointment. Coming out to him had been a mistake. Eddie had permanently fractured their relationship. He didn’t think he would ever see his father again, and he wasn’t sure how he felt about that.

Eddie squeezed his eyes shut, pressing his knuckles against his eye sockets until he saw bright shapes and lights dancing around behind his eyelids. This was a terrible day. He wished the ground would split open, and suck him right up. He listened to the clink of forks against plates, coffee being poured into mugs. The radio was playing a Chic song, and he could hear multiple conversations going on from the booths around him. Eddie was feeling like the world was ending, and everything around him continued on as normal.

Eddie took a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself down. He worked up the nerve to go back outside, and see if his father was still in the parking lot. Maybe Dad hadn’t actually left, yet. Maybe Dad was seething in his Skylark, needing some space, while he processed Eddie’s coming out. Maybe his father would come back inside in a minute or two, and apologize for what he’d said. Eddie thought that if that was the case, then he could try to talk to him, fix things between them – though he wasn’t sure if their relationship was salvageable at this point.

“Hey, are you okay?” a soft, concerned voice asked.

Eddie’s eyes snapped open in alarm. Shit. He knew that this wasn’t the ideal time and place to have a complete breakdown – right here, in the middle of the crowded diner, in front of practically the whole town. Eddie wondered if anyone nearby had heard him and his dad talking, if they now knew his secret. Probably. Al had a big, booming voice – and he had not made any efforts to contain it. Eddie wished that he wasn’t sitting there, pathetically crying into his grilled cheese sandwich. Their conversation had been cut so short, that Eddie hadn’t even managed to begin eating his banana split. That was just another thing that Al Munson had ruined for him; Eddie didn’t think he could ever stomach a banana split again. It was just a painful memory of one of the worst days of his life.

When Eddie dared to lift his eyes from the table, he saw that Robin Buckley was standing beside his booth, fidgeting with her hands, like she was unsure where to place them. She was watching him with a sad sort of look.

“Hey,” she said. “Are you okay, Eddie?”

“Umm . . . no.” Eddie quickly swiped at his teary eyes. “I’m not.”

“Scooch over.”

Before Eddie had a chance to comply, Robin had placed both hands on his shoulder, and began pushing him further into the booth, until he started moving on his own. Eddie slid all the way to the end of the bench until there was nowhere else for him to go. Robin sat down beside him, blocking him in.

“Alright,” Robin said. “We need to talk.”

“About what happened outside?” Eddie asked, his heart sinking even further. Fuck. “I’m sorry, Robin. I should explain.”

“I think I’ve pieced most of it together,” Robin said, “but maybe you could help me fit the last few puzzle pieces together. Just so I can fully understand, tell me what happened today. I wanna hear it from you, so I can better understand it all. I’m not here to judge you about anything. I’m here to listen.”

Eddie thought about just staying silent. He barely knew Robin, and he didn’t know if he actually wanted to dump all his daddy issues on her. But maybe, talking it out would actually help him. It’s not like he had a stellar reputation to keep, so if Robin started blabbing to her friends about how fucked up Eddie ‘the Freak’ Munson was, or whatever, it wouldn’t really affect his social standing too much. People already looked down on him as it was. Might as well just tell her what happened. It was one of those bare-your-souls kind of day, he supposed. Alright, here goes.

“So, as you’ve already learned, my dad’s in town.” Eddie grabbed his banana split, and began scraping his spoon against the side, collecting the melted vanilla ice cream. “He just showed up out of the blue. Dad never visits, doesn’t call. Except today, he just showed up. Took me by surprise.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. Him and I, we aren’t close. I live with my uncle for a lot of different reasons. Dad’s a pretty sketchy kind of guy,” Eddie said. “When I was a kid, he was always really tough on me, and I never felt like I was enough for him. Like, he was always acting like I was inadequate.”

“Yeah, it sounds like you two aren’t that close,” Robin said. “It’s like me and my mom. We just never see eye to eye. She’s always criticizing me, trying to make me be a better daughter. The way she always nags me, telling me off for being too loud, too extra, and I – shit. Sorry. This isn’t about me. I’m just trying to say, I understand, I guess. I promised to listen, and here I am, rambling away.”

“No, it’s fine. You get it. Better daughter, better son – it’s the same thing. I just, I always feel like I’m disappointing him. Like I’m just not good enough. I really hate that feeling,” Eddie said. “Dad asked me if I would go out to the diner with him, ‘cause that’s what we used to do when I was younger. While we were driving here, Dad started asking me all kinds of questions. He wanted to know about my life. And I-I lied to him. About a lot of things. I told him what I thought he wanted to hear. Painted him a real rosy picture of my life.”

“What, that you’re friends with the popular kids, like Steve? That you were dating me?” Robin asked.

“Among other things,” Eddie said, nodding. “I told him I dated a lot of girls in town. You, and a bunch of girls from school. None of it’s true, obviously. And I’m sorry about that – throwing your name out there, like we were dating. I just didn’t know what else to say to him. Dad was impressed. I lied to him about a lot things. And when we came into the diner for lunch, we got to talking about things. It didn’t go so well. I got pissed off, and I decided to confess that I’d been lying to him. He got mad, and he left. Don’t think he’ll be back.”

“Yeah, I saw him peeling out of the parking lot,” Robin said. “Your dad looked really upset.”

“Is Steve mad that I lied about being his friend?” Eddie asked, anxious.

“No.”

Eddie glanced over his shoulder, and saw that Steve and the two kids were still eating their ice cream. Steve was watching him and Robin talk, but Robin was right – he didn’t look mad. He was just watching them, his expression unreadable. Eddie turned back to talk to Robin.

“The thing is, Dad hasn’t had custody of me in years. I’ve been living with my uncle, and I’ve been okay with that,” Eddie said, taking another spoonful of his ice cream. It was practically soup at that point. “And a few years ago, Dad married this churchy lady. She’s got twins, close to my age. He’s obsessed with being a dad to them, dotes on ‘em like crazy. So, I’ve got this stepmother, and two stepsisters, I guess. I’ve never met them, though. And today, Dad asked me to move to Ohio with him. He’s bound and determined for me to stay with him, even if I barely know him anymore.”

“Oh.” Robin frowned. “Are you taking him up on his offer?”

“No.” Eddie shook his head. “I mean, I thought about it. But then, I realized it wouldn’t work out. Especially since Dad started going on about how he wanted me to change, to be different. Cutting off my hair, changing my look. They’re real churchy. I got kind of mad at him, and I told him something that made him really mad – a secret that was really upsetting to Dad. And well, let’s just say that he didn’t take it too well. So, I guess I reunited with my estranged father, and ruined our relationship all in one afternoon.”

“Eddie,” Robin said, giving him a sympathetic look. “I’m really sorry it didn’t work out for you.”

“It’s okay, I’m used to disappointment when it comes to my father. He’s always wanted me to be someone that I’m not. Someone that can fill in his footsteps, be his little Junior,” Eddie frowned. “I want to be myself, not a carbon copy of Al Munson.”

“Yeah. Robin was nodding. “I get that. You’re your own person. I’m glad you didn’t cut off your hair. That’s really extreme. I just wish that if you needed me to be your beard, you could’ve given me the heads-up. Took me by surprise.”

Eddie gave her a sharp look, with a quick inhale. He’d purposely left out the part about him playing straight, and about coming out to his dad, when he’d been talking to Robin. He’d been vague about those kinds of details, not expecting to come out to another person that day. He’d already been rejected once today; he couldn’t go through that pain again.

“What?” Eddie said, his eyes wide. He gave her an uncomfortable look, wondering if he had misheard her.

“I know you’re gay, Eddie,” Robin said. “I’m not going to say anything, if that’s what you’re worried about. Is that what you and your dad were fighting about? Did you come out to him?”

“Y-Yeah.” Eddie frowned. “Did you overhear us, or something?”

“I heard you two arguing, but no, I didn’t hear any specifics,” Robin said. “We’ve got more in common than you think, Eddie. Well, I haven’t come out to my folks yet. One day, maybe. I’m still pretty nervous about it. The only one who knows so far, is Steve. God, I was so nervous coming out to him. But he was okay with it, thank God. That was a huge relief.”

“Wait a second.” Eddie frowned. “I thought . . . you and Steve were dating? Aren’t you his girlfriend?”

“God, no.” Robin laughed. “He’s my best friend. We worked together over the summer, and we really clicked. Eddie, I’m a lesbian.”

“Oh. Yeah.” Eddie nodded, flustered. “Okay. Yeah, I get it now.”

Eddie glanced over his shoulder, hearing Steve talking loudly to the kids, as he got to his feet. Steve started walking over towards the booth. Eddie quickly rubbed at his teary eyes, trying to compose himself. Steve stopped in front of his table, giving them both a hesitant smile.

“Hey, guys,” Steve said, glancing from Eddie to Robin. “Everything good?”

“Yeah.” Robin nodded at him. “We were just talking. Everything’s good.”

“Eddie, did you want to join us at our booth?” Steve asked. “I was just about to order some more ice cream. You can come sit with us, if you’d like.”

Eddie hesitated, searching Steve’s face for a few seconds. He didn’t see any malice in his expression, no contempt. Steve was waiting for his response, concern visible in his eyes. Eddie nodded.

“Yeah, alright,” he finally said. “I’d like that.”

“Alright.” Steve said. “Grab your stuff.”

“Didn’t you guys already have a bunch of ice cream?” Eddie asked, surprised.

“Yeah, we did,” Robin said, with a laugh. “But you see that girl we’re with? Her name’s Erica. We made her this promise over the summer, that if she helped us out with something really important, then we’d owe her a lifetime’s supply of ice cream. She really took it to heart.”

“Those two kids are bottomless pits,” Steve said, shaking his head. “But I’m a man of my word. So, if they want more ice cream, then that’s what we’re going to do. You said you like banana splits, right? You want another?”

“Yeah.” Eddie smiled. “I could always do with another banana split. This one’s melted to hell.”

“Oh, yeah!” Robin said, her eyes lighting up. “There’s something I wanted to ask you, Eddie. You’re in ‘Hellfire Club’ at school. So, that means you play ‘Dungeons and Dragons’, right? ’DnD’ for short.”

“I – yeah, I do.” Eddie nodded, wondering where this was going. “Why?”

“And you’re good, right? Like, you know what you’re doing?” Robin asked. She got a bit flustered. “Sorry – of course you do. I heard you’ve been playing for years. It’s just, we’ve been trying to figure this game out all month, without much luck. I mean, Dustin’s a good player, and he’s been playing for some time. He’s supposed to be teaching us, but he talks so fast, and Steve and I just aren’t getting the hang of this game. We’re trying to learn, so we can teach our friend Erica how to play. And I –“

“You want me to teach you DnD?” Eddie frowned. “Are you making fun of me, or something?”

“No.” Robin looked confused. “It’s just, we’re trying to learn. But it’s slow going. You want to join us? Us, and the kids, we’re going to have a sleepover today at Steve’s house. He’s got this outdoor pool, so we can cool off. And first thing tomorrow morning, we’re going to play DnD. It’s going to be an all-day kind of thing. Last time, we played for about six hours. You uh, want to join us? You could join our party.”

“You’re telling me that Steve ‘The Hair’ Harrington, letterman-jacket-wearing-jock, plays a nerdy game like DnD?” Eddie asked. He side-eyed Steve, with an incredulous look. Steve nodded, confirming what Robin was saying. “No. That’s just – it’s absurd. It’s beyond absurd. It’s just crazy. Y-You, you’re crazy for even thinking something like that, never mind saying it out loud, Buckley.”

“So, that’s a no?” Robin asked, disappointed.

“No. Yes. I – “ Eddie was too flustered to even answer her properly. “I don’t know.”

“We really want to play with you,” Steve said. “No joke. It would mean so much, if we could figure this game out. There are a lot of rules.”

Eddie could see how earnest they both were, and he decided that they must be serious about this. Worst case scenario, he showed up at Steve’s house, and it turned out to be some kind of joke. But Eddie thought that they might actually be telling the truth.

“Okay.” Eddie nodded. “I’d like to play with you guys.”

Robin grinned at him. “This means so much, Eddie.”

Eddie and Robin got up, and they followed Steve to the booth. Eddie held his jacket and vest in his hands, clutching the material against his chest. His eyes were puffy from crying, and he looked a mess. But he was glad that he didn’t have to sit alone anymore.

“Eddie, these are our friends – Dustin, and Erica,” Robin said. “Guys, this is my friend, Eddie Munson. He’s going to sit with us, so I’ll need you two to make some room for him.”

“Eddie’s going to be joining our party,” Steve said. “Dustin, why don’t you fill him in on what he missed for the first few sessions of our campaign? I’m going to go order us a round of ice cream.”

Eddie sat down at the booth, and started listening to Dustin talk excitedly about DnD. He smiled, feeling more at ease. Though he felt like he’d messed things up with his dad earlier, it felt good to be able to sit with this group of new friends. He hoped that things would get better from here on out.