listen to the music//steddie //

chapter six: stranger

Steve ~
"No, don't do that. Look, since there's two of you here, I'm taking off. Keith owes me a vacation day, and I'm using it. Then you two can continue whatever conversation you couldn't have while I'm around. Okay? I won't be home until midnight, by the way, or I might stay at Nancy's, so don't worry, Steve. I already called her, and she's going to pick me up." Robin explains, walking outside.

"So, you were saying?" Eddie asks. "Saying what?" I hear a long, exaggerated sigh. "The whole 'you thought about it'?" Oh my god. This shift is going to be torture. I shouldn't have said anything. Nothing. Left it alone. "Um.. let's change the subject..?" I ask. He nods. "So.. you know Metallica?" I look over at him. He's standing in front of the radio. "Nope." Eddie gasps, dramatically.

"Oh, that.. that hurts, Harrington. Making me think that you like Tears For Fears." He says with a laugh. "Tears For Fears have a lot of great songs-" "Steve. COME ON. You can't tell me you actually like their songs. No one does-" "Robin does. I do. Nancy.. she's.. she doesn't know." He makes eye contact with me, and does that funny little grin. "Well, we'll have to work on your music taste, Stevie. What about that song you sang the other night?" Eddie asks.

"Are you saying that you liked it?" He starts to laugh, but doesn't give me an answer. I keep stacking the tapes onto a shelf. "I mean, there's no doubt that it was a song... but nothing can relinquish my love for Ozzy." He explains. "Ozzy... who is Ozzy again?" Eddie jumps in front of me, gasping. "You haven't heard of the great Ozzy Osbourne? Steve," He exclaims.

"How have you not heard of Ozzy? He singlehandedly created metal. I would not be the amazing person I am today, without him. You know, he bit-" "Bit a bats head off on stage? Yeah, I know. You told me already." Eddie backs away, and leans over the counter. He hands me a tape. "This goes in the-" "So, you don't remember. You were pretty wasted, Steve." He looks at the title.

'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' It doesn't ring any bells. "Why is this important?" I ask, grabbing the tape out of his hand. "It's important, because it was the night of my 19th birthday. Me, you, Wheeler, and Buckley, all got together and watched this. We were making fun of everything he did. You called him a dumbass? Any-"

"Oh my god. Yeah. I forgot about that. And, it was a really cheesy movie. I don't even remember a lot about the movie itself. I think we were basically just talking the entire time. That was fun, Munson." I softly smile, and he smiles back.

"There's the Harrington I know. Now, let's get some music on. It's too quiet without Buckley talking my ear off." He switches the radio on, and a Tears for Fears starts to play. "Damnit. None of the other stations are working. Well, I hope you're happy, Steve."

Eddie ~
Steve starts to quietly hum to the lyrics of the song, while stacking some tapes onto a shelf. "Is business usually this slow?" I ask, wandering throughout the aisles.

"Most people who come here, are in school right now. Sometimes, there are a few kids who skip, and decide to come here and get a movie, but that's rare. We might get at least one customer, but I doubt it. Usually Robin and I just talk. Passes the time, you know? When the shitheads aren't in here begging for free tapes, anyway." And, there it is.

"Ah, the mom in you finally arises. Look at that-" "Yeah. Wait. Wait, hold on, what did you just call me?" He asks, with his eyebrows furrowed. "Just saying, Harrington. It's not a bad thing. You just.. illegally adopted 6 kids-"

"I didn't adopt them! Look, the whole reason I even associate with them, is because the little shits can't keep themselves out of trouble. Someone's gotta be there for them. Someone who knows... about everything." Steve explains.

Now, of course, I know that's a lie. Every  waking second when he's not doing anything, Steve spends his time with one, or more, of the kids. Yeah, he's worried, but I think that they might be some of his only friends. Sure, he's got me, Robin, Nancy, but other than us, I think that's it. So, the kids play a big role in his life.

When we were in highschool, and I was taking senior year for the first time, rumors about King Steve spread like wildfire. 'Oh, I hope he's single!' this, or 'Did you hear that Nancy Wheeler dumped Steve?' that. And, this Steve guy, I hadn't met him, until one day at lunch. That was when I was a semi-quiet kid, kept to myself. That was the year after I was outed to everyone in the school.

I was reading this magazine, and it got snatched out of my hands. By Tommy H., also known as the bane of my existence. Steve was standing behind him, with his arms crossed. He looked upset, like he didn't even want to be there. Tommy just kept teasing me about the D&D magazine, until Steve finally snatched it away from him and gave it back to me, scolding Tommy in the process.

Steve had to practically drag Tommy away from my table. I heard some other stories about him during my first repeat year. Apparently he was prom king four times in a row. That's where he got his nickname. And, he got his ass beat by Jonathan.

I don't know why, because I'm not big on all the drama that runs through the veins of Hawkins. Honestly, whenever Gareth said something new about Steve, who had graduated by then, I didn't know if I should believe it or not. I had only met him once. How can you judge a stranger?

A/N: hey readers! i have been super busy, but i finally got some time to work on this! hope you enjoyed reading! much love♥️
words ~ 1035