After All This Time (Steddie)

Ch.1: Harrington

A/N; so I've been reading way too much Steddie ff to not also create one. I hope I do some justice to my favorite ship. I'll be adding a trigger warning to each chapter so you're able to read at your own risk. Stay safe, be sweet, and rock on. 🤘

TW; drug use, mentions of ptsd, nightmares

~🖤K

Another fucking tragically boring day at the same place, Family Video, doing the same thing as always. Ever since Robin left town for college it's just me here daily. Bored. And seriously lacking a normal social life. The only people he really had to hangout with anymore were the boys, and Eddie Munson. I know what you're thinking, King Steve hanging out with The Freak? I get it. It's not a likely paring. Truth is, Eddie is s really good guy. He is passionate, where some people might consider that being loud and obnoxious. He is loyal, some people might consider that clingy. He is truthful, and some people may consider him an asshole. He's not afraid to speak his mind, he's not afraid of anything anymore. After a brush with death, Eddie changed into someone who was tolerable and endearing almost.

Between us I can honestly say I'm proud to call him one of my best friends. We've spent may nights bonding over music, talking until the sun came up. Crying together, drinking together, and honestly smoking way too much pot. He's a really good guy. Loves the kids the same way that I do, but he would let them get away with murder. He's a pushover when it comes to those boys and I think that's one of his most endearing qualities. Munson, endearing? I know how that sounds okay. I get it. Weird. Right?

I hear the door ring, looking up from the tapes I'm trying to alphabetize for the 100th time today. "Well who do we have here? If it isn't Steve 'The Hair' Harrington!" Eddie comes crashing through the front door laughing at his own jokes. "What do you need, Munson?" I roll my eyes and look back to my tapes. "Well my friend, I think that we need to watch a movie tonight!" "

"Jesus Christ Eddie if you make me watch The Exorcist again I'm going to pull my eyes out."

"Relax Stevie, you can pick. Just no Karate Kid again for the love of god." He dramatically lays across the counter in front of me giving me a smile. Stevie. I shutter. "Okay fine. The Outsiders?" I poke him in the forehead to get him to open his eyes and stop acting like he's dead on my counter. "Sounds good, pony boy. My place?" I nod. "Sure, see you after work. Wayne in town?" Eddie shakes his head. "Nah he's out for a couple weeks. Something about a building near the city." He flips open the door, looking back at me and smiles, then flips me off. "Asshole!" I can hear him chuckling before the door shuts.

The next few hours are uneventful. Just a few customers come in renting the usual type of movies. Nothing really of interest if I'm being honest. I wrap up closing getting the store vacuumed and put the last few tapes away and grab The Outsiders on my way out. I lock up and get into my car, rolling the windows down to get some much needed fresh air. Truth is I cherish moments like this. Just being alive sometimes I'm grateful for. But it doesn't take away the memories that continue to haunt me. The Upsidedown finally was over and done with but that many close calls with death, can really fuck up someone's brain. I turn on the radio and let my Smith's tape play quietly on my drive to Eddie's trailer.

I pull into the parking spot next to Eddie's van and I can already smell weed and hear his music from outside. Only his bedroom light is on and I go open the front door, which I'm grateful that he left unlocked for me. "Honey I'm home!" I call out. The music turns off and a thoroughly stoned Eddie comes bounding out of his room in the back. I flip on the living room light. "Fuckin vampire I swear to god." He grins widely and hands me a joint. "T'was the bats!" He chuckles. I grab the lighter from his hand. "You're a pain. You know that?" I inhale deeply and let the smoke out slowly from my nose. "But you love me!"

"Yeah yeah. Movie?" I hold up the movie, he snatches it from my hand and goes to put it in the VCR. "Will you make popcorn mama Steve?" I hate that. "Dude I told you to stop calling me that." I finish off the joint and go make some microwave popcorn while Eddie gets comfortable on the couch. "Sooooorry" he pokes fun, looking back to smile his stupid shit eating grin at me. I pour the popcorn into a bowl and come sit next to Eddie on the couch. The weed finally hits me too and we devour the whole bowl long before the movie is over.

We just end up cracking jokes the whole movie, laughing our asses off the whole time. For a serious movie it's got a lot of plot holes. "Don't you think they could come up with better nicknames? I mean really? Pony boy and Sodapop?" I cannot help but crack up. "I mean like ours are any better?" It's true. King Steve isn't exactly the best name in the history of nicknames. Better than mama Steve though, I hated that the kids started calling me that. Just because I'm protective doesn't mean I'm anyone's mom. I guess we kind have created our own family dynamic. My parents weren't ever around when I was going through school so I tried to seek out my own form of family. I found it with all of these weirdos. I sure know how to pick them.

I look over and Eddie is starting to fall asleep. "Hey, Eds?" He quickly breaths in "oh shit did I fall asleep? My bad man." I honestly am getting pretty tired myself. "Nah it's alright. Do you mind if I crash here? I don't wanna drive this stoned." He nods. "Sure sure. You know where the blankets and stuff are. Night dude." He heads back to his bedroom sleepily. I grab the blanket from the back of the couch and lay down and start to doze off pretty quickly.

It's quiet in the trailer when I wake up from another nightmare. I'm sweating and I can feel the tears on my face. "Hey, you okay?" Eddie comes padding out of his bedroom, kind of surprising me. "You have another nightmare?" I wipe my face and take a deep breath in. "Yeah I think so. I can't remember it though." He comes and sits down by me. "That's alright. Do you need anything?" Truth is him just coming out here to talk to me made me feel better. "Can you grab me a glass of water? I've got wicked cotton mouth." He smirks and goes to get my water and comes back. "Thank you." I chug it down and let out a breath. He puts his hand on my back and rubs it a bit. "Do you think the dreams will ever stop?"

I shake my head a little. "No but I just hope that over time they get less intense and I stop waking up like this." He nods knowingly. It's not the first time I've had a nightmare staying the night here. Just knowing that there's someone around helps me feel a little better. He understands more than I think I give him credit for. "Well my beds open if you need someone to sleep next to so you don't wake up alone again. Okay?" I set my glass down. "Thanks Ed, yeah I think I'll take you up on that. Pretty scary waking up in the dark alone." We walk back and I crawl in on one side, him on the other. "Get some rest. I'm here if you need me."

Can I tell you a secret? I need him more than I think I can comprehend properly. I've never felt so safe and protected except when I'm around Eddie. It's almost like... no. I don't have feelings for him. Do I? Fuck. Get some sleep Harrington. You're losing it. I look over to a very much now asleep Eddie next to me and scoot a little closer. He puts his hand on my side and I freeze slightly from the contact, inhaling quickly. He's out cold, snoring quietly. He's sort of beautiful in the moonlight. I close my eyes and drift off again. Hoping for a dreamless sleep.