TW: Transphobia, mentions of domestic violence, and drug use!
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The pair made breakfast short and sweet. It was Monday so despite getting barely any sleep Steve still had to go to school. Erin never thought he would say it but he actually missed school. He missed the normalcy. He was actually pretty excited to be cleared to go back to school. If he played his cards right he could possibly be able to go back Wednesday.
A part of him also just really did not want to leave Steve. They had started to become really close and the boy was honestly terrified that as soon as he went back to school Steve would become the guy he was before they fought a demogorgon. Before they had cried to each other in a dark hospital room. He wasn't sure if his heart could take it if Steve left again.
After breakfast the two reluctantly climbed into Steve's car, heading to Erin's house to drop him off. They rode in comfortable silence, both being lost in their own thoughts. As they approached Erin's house anxiety rose in chest. The reality was setting in that as soon as he walked through that door he would be face to face with his father, the man who hated his very existence, for the first time in two years.
Steve seemed to pick up on this as they pulled up the the Henderson house. He turned to look at the younger boy with a worried expression. "Are you okay? I can totally skip school if you need me. You don't have to do this alone"
Erin smiled at him, relaxing a little bit. Steve cared about him, more than Erin knew. "I'm fine. Don't get in trouble with your parents because of me. I'll see you soon Harrington"
Steve watched as the smaller boy got out of the car. "Not like my parents would've noticed" he sighed as Erin shut the door. He waited until the boy walked up to the house and opened the door before giving one final wave and driving off, a sense of dread filling him. He really didn't want to leave Erin, they had just reconnected after all.
As soon as soon as Erin opened the door the dread he was feeling amplified tenfold. His parents were sat on the couch, looking as if they were just waiting for him. His mother looked to him with a nervous smile as if to say "don't start anything" to the boy. His father however was relaxed, sipping a beer despite it being seven in the morning. He acted a little too comfortable for Erin's liking. This wasn't his home. Not anymore.
"Eden" his father deadnamed, making his mothers eyes go wide, clenching her fist around the arm of the couch.
Erin felt the anxiety rise in his throat. He gave his father an empty laugh crossing his arms "Are you that delusional old man? At this point I look more like a man than you do"
"Erin that's enough" his mom urged standing up from the couch. His father followed behind her, chugging his beer and slamming it on the ground. "Stop feeding into her delusions Claudia! You're part of the problem!"
"Don't you fucking talk to her like that douchebag!" Erin yelled getting in his face. His father narrowed his eyes, shoving Erin back. "You want to be a man so bad? Fight like a fucking man!"
