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trensu · 7 months

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the last chapter of hawkins halfway house is up!! thanks to everyone who read it and commented!! here it is on ao3 if you prefer. enjoy!

Steve pulled into a long driveway hesitantly, driving past the large tree with the rickety basketball hoop attached. He wasn’t entirely certain this was the Munsons’ house. He’d had a hell of a time finding it, firstly. He'd driven in circles for a while there. He’d nearly given up finding it, but every time he thought of quitting, something spurred him on instead. Secondly, he couldn’t quite remember what it looked like. However, as soon as his eyes landed on this odd looking house, something in him pushed him to go, go, get closer.

He must’ve given in to that push because one moment he was in the driveway and the next he was at the front door. He didn’t even have the pie he baked with him. He should have turned back to the car and grabbed it, but he was so close. He lifted his hand to knock, to get inside, when the door was yanked open with more force than Steve thought was necessary.

“Huh. I wasn’t sure it would work,” Eddie Munson said. “But here you are. Yay.”

It was the least enthusiastic yay Steve had ever heard.

“Uh, hi?” Steve greeted bemusedly. “Did I get the day wrong? You said two days.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Eddie said flippantly. “Get in here before I change my mind.”

Steve was jerked indoors unceremoniously, Eddie’s cool hand wrapped around his wrist.

“It’s your lucky day,” Eddie continued, again not sounding particularly happy about it. “I have been outvoted by the adults, the children, and House.”

“Um.” Steve almost tripped as he was dragged through the foyer. He hadn’t decided if he wanted Eddie’s hand off him or not. On the one hand, the guy was unfairly pretty. On the other, Steve may as well have been leashed to a hurricane.

“The only one on my side was Mike. And yeah, okay, ghouls are by nature sulky but damn, that kid takes it to a whole other level. If he was agreeing with me, I did something wrong somewhere.”

Steve was a pretty fit guy with a great sense of balance, but he was struggling to keep up. Eddie powered through the house, completely disregarding Steve’s stumbling steps. Steve barely caught sight of the empty dining room and living room entry as Eddie took him to the hallway deeper in the house.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Steve said. “And, christ, dude, let me go. I’m not a toddler! I can walk on my own.”

“No,” Eddie said. “I let you go, you’ll get lost, and everyone will think I did it on purpose. I’m tired of everyone being mad at me because of you.”

“Me? What did I do? We only met two days ago,” Steve protested.

Eddie let out the loudest, most aggrieved sigh Steve had ever heard in his life. Steve scowled. He wanted to say more but his attention snagged on the hallway they stormed through. It had a faded green rug right down the middle over an old but well cared for wooden floor. A window let in a patch of sunlight at the end of the hall giving it a warm, cozy atmosphere. All in all, a very normal hallway one could find in any other house.

Except their steps did not bring them any closer to the end of the hall. There were two standard bedroom doors on the left and three on the right, except no, actually, it had two large filigreed doors on the right and one sliding glass door leading outside on the left. But that didn’t make sense, that wasn’t an exterior wall which was why it didn’t have a sliding glass door, it had something that looked like a castle drawbridge, what. While Steve gaped at the doors, Eddie took two left turns but Steve couldn’t understand how because they were still in the same hallway.

“H-How–the doors–changing–?”

“They’re not changing. They’re doors. We’re walking past them,” Eddie said as if speaking to a toddler. Steve at this point felt as lost as one so he supposed it fit. “Oh, but watch out for the Random Room. The door to that does appear and disappear wherever it wants. Mostly harmless, but if it’s yellow, do not go in it. Don’t open it. You think this hall is confusing? HA. In fact, to be safe, don’t even touch it if it’s yellow.”

Steve felt queasy. Eddie noticed and slowed to a stop.

“If you throw up on the rug, I’m kicking you out. House hates it when the rug gets wet. Last time that happened, House withheld hot showers for two weeks.”

Steve whimpered as a wave of vertigo hit him. It left him almost cross-eyed.

“Hey. Steve? Hey!”

The grip on his wrist loosened and traveled to his elbow. Steve unconsciously returned the grip. Eddie’s other hand grabbed the opposite shoulder. How unfair that Steve couldn’t appreciate such a gorgeous man touching him. A migraine bloomed behind his eyes and knocked him off balance.

“Ahhh, fuck.” Steve heard Eddie say.

“Swear jar,” Steve managed to mumble before everything went black. The last thing he was aware of was Eddie’s hands slowing and gentling his fall.

–

Steve gradually came around to the sound of familiar voices. He kept his eyes closed and his head as still as possible. The migraine had not disappeared completely and he did not want to trigger it to full force again.

“I can’t believe you didn’t blindfold him, you ass,” Jeff said irritably.

“I didn’t think I had to! You know, since House is soooo enamored with him,” Eddie responded, equally waspish. “Besides, didn’t you give him a tour? Twice?”

“Yeah, of the areas safe for the public.”

“Oh.”

In the ensuing silence, Steve attempted to orient himself. He was laid out on something with rough fabric but plenty of give. A couch, maybe? A variety of spices perfumed the air in a particularly pleasant way. It brought up memories of cozy moments, of comfort; nothing specific, but so good that it melted some of the tension that always came along with his migraines. The migraine ebbed farther away the more he relaxed.

“I really didn’t think it was going to be a problem.”

“Hm.”

“What, it’s my fault House doesn’t know how to handle a crush? Have you seen this guy? He’s, like, stupidly handsome, the bastard. With the hair and that smile and–if anything, this is his fault! Why’s he going around seducing House, huh? Do you see what he’s wearing? That shirt makes his shoulders look so–ugh. I feel bad for House now, it had no chance.”

“I don’t think House is the one with the problem,” Jeff said mildly. Steve heard some soft footsteps. The cushions near his feet dipped under new weight. “Steve, how’s your head?”

“He’s awake?” Eddie yelped.

Steve ignored him and cautiously cracked open an eye. Jeff sat in the small space Steve had left near his feet. He grimaced. Steve’s shoes were still on; he hated having shoes on the furniture. Steve struggled into a seated position, ignored the dull throb that inspired, and tried to regain his senses.

“Not great,” Steve croaked. Jeff scooted closer to him, eyeing him critically. Steve didn’t want any fussing, so he added, “But I’ve been worse.”

“Any nausea? Dizziness?” Jeff asked.

“No, not right now. Not anymore.”

“That’s good! Do you remember how you got here?” Jeff had a really nice smile, Steve couldn’t help but notice.

“Not really? I don’t even know where here is,” Steve replied, looking around the room.

It was small. It had a single window, opened and overlooking the wooded area behind the house. Underneath it was a metal sink with a deep basin. There were cabinets lining the wall and a small wooden table, probably to make up for the limited counter space. Eddie sat there on an old wooden chair. There seemed to be a very faint dusting of–glitter? something that put off a dim glow–across his cheeks. He had tugged strands of his hair to cover the lower half of his face, but his captivating eyes were in full view so Steve could see the glare aimed at him. Steve frowned at him in return, resisting the childish urge to stick his tongue out at him.

“Hm,” Jeff said, getting Steve’s attention again. “Can you tell me what you do remember?”

“I came over today because Wayne and Eddie invited me. He dragged me into the house like some caveman,” Steve said, throwing a haughty glance at Eddie, whose glower did not waver. “It made me dizzy and I guess I passed out in the hall. I don’t know how I got in this room.”

“This is my workroom,” Jeff said. “Eddy and I brought you here.”

Steve nodded slowly. There was no accompanying throb of pain in his head. Steve sighed with relief. Taking the lack of pain as encouragement, he got to his feet.

“Thanks, that was really nice of you, Jeff,” Steve said pointedly. “Could you please tell Wayne I’ll have to take a raincheck.”

“What?” Jeff asked worriedly.

“I’m not going to be good company if that migraine comes back today. I’m going home,” Steve said matter of factly.

“NO!” Eddie and Jeff shouted simultaneously. Eddie had leapt out of the chair and Jeff had gone so far as to reach for Steve’s arm. Steve tensed.

“Uh, I mean,” Jeff started placatingly. “There’s something I can try that should help with that, I think.”

“I got ibuprofen at home, I’m good,” Steve said firmly, dodging around where Jeff sat to go for the door. Before he could get to it, Eddie rushed over and planted himself in front of it.

“You can’t leave,” Eddie said.

“Please move,” Steve said, taking a step closer to Eddie.

“You can’t leave,” Eddie repeated.

“Yes, I can,” Steve said. This time Eddie stepped closer.

“But you won’t.” His beautiful brown eyes bore into Steve. “Because you know something’s not right here. Something’s been off with you for a while now, right?”

Steve’s jaw clenched. Eddie was correct on both counts. Something weird happened when Eddie took him into the house. More than that, things have felt weird in his daily life for months, ever since he and Robin met Jeff at that bar that disappeared off the face of the planet as far as he could tell. There were hazy spots in his memory; he remembered some things but everything felt shifted to the left, obscuring certain details and distracting with other details.

“You’re going to stay because you have questions,” Eddie said and, in Steve’s opinion, nobody’s voice should sound so smooth and enticing, much less someone with eyes like Eddie’s. It wasn’t fair. “And we’re the only ones who can answer them.”

For the sake of his pride, Steve continued the standoff for a few beats longer. Then he loosened his shoulders in a careless shrug. He went back to the couch where he seated himself comfortably, not sparing Eddie a glance.

“I’ve changed my mind, Jeff,” Steve said, putting as much social charm in his voice as possible. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Eddie scowl again and he tried not to smirk. “I’ll stay a while longer.”

“Great!” Jeff said. “Eddy’s right. We do have some answers, but things will be easier to explain if you let me try out this remedy on you first. It’s gonna be a bit…different, but the good news is that talking helps it work. What do you think?”

“Is it going to hurt?” Steve asked warily.

“No, it’s totally painless. Do you want to try?”

Steve’s life had been weird for months and he was tired of not knowing why.

“Yeah, let’s do it.”

“Awesome! This wouldn’t have worked if you hadn’t consented,” Jeff said. Steve braced himself. Then Jeff pulled out an egg.

“What’s that?” Steve asked, like an idiot.

“An egg,” Jeff replied with a teasing smile.

“Yeah, but why?”

“No clue. I’d ask it, but eggs aren’t known for being chatty about existentialism,” Jeff said. Steve blinked as the words sank in, then laughed in surprise.

“Not what I meant,” Steve said between giggles. Jeff grinned at him.

“I know, but you seemed tense. I thought I’d lighten the mood,” Jeff said. “Did it work?”

“Quit flirting, Jefftopher,” Eddie cut in sourly. He had plopped himself back on the wooden chair, watching the proceedings and fiddling with his many rings.

“Maybe the man who caused the problem should shut up and let the man who’s fixing it do what he wants,” Jeff sniped back.

Eddie’s scowl weakened into a contrite expression. There was a moment of tense silence that reminded Steve uncomfortably of the silence that permeated his childhood home after every argument his parents had. Steve also didn’t know how to respond to the casual acknowledgment of men flirting together. Steve cleared his throat.

“So, uh, what’s the egg for?” he asked.

“To fix a problem,” Jeff said pointedly at Eddie. He returned his attention to Steve. “This is something my bisabuela taught me. I’m going to take this egg and kind of…rub it over you. It’s usually a remedy for kids, but it works on adults, too.”

“You rub eggs on kids?” Steve asked, baffled.

Eddie snorted. Steve stifled the flicker of pride at making a gorgeous guy laugh because so far Eddie’s been very unpleasant and Steve should have higher standards. He didn’t but, according to Robin, he should. Jeff shot a quick glare to Eddie before explaining.

“I know it sounds weird, but I’m gonna ask you to trust me here,” Jeff said.

Steve nodded because why not. This definitely was not the strangest thing to have happened today. Steve had the feeling this was not the strangest thing to have happened to him in the past few months, either, though he couldn’t remember anything weirder.

“According to my bisabuela,” Jeff explained, “this is used to cure mal de ojo.”

“What’s that?”

“It translates to evil eye. It’s kind of like a curse.”

“I’ve been cursed? How?” Steve asked, jerking out of Jeff’s reach. “Are you a witch?”

“I’m not a witch,” Jeff said in a tone that said he’s had to explain this before. “I’m…witchy.”

“What’s the difference?” Steve asked impatiently. Jeff sighed. Yeah, Steve thought, Jeff’s definitely had to explain this before.

“I’m the first in my family to have…magical inclinations, for many, many generations. In that time, any knowledge we had was lost since there was no one to teach it to, you know? The only one who could teach me anything was my great grandmother and she only married into the family.

“Anyway, bisa was a curandera. She taught me some of her folk medicine, including this one, but I don’t think of myself as a curandero because my magic doesn’t respond to a lot of her teachings. Honestly, most of my magic is instinctual. So, I’m not a curandero and I’m not a witch. I’m witchy,” Jeff finished.

“Okay,” Steve said as if he understood. Jeff was going on about magic like that wasn’t completely crazy, but things were already so weird and Robin had read a book about different folk medicine around the world. He retained nothing Robin had told him about it, of course, but he knew folk medicine actually existed, unlike magic. “So what’s the egg supposed to do?”

“Like I said, it’s supposed to be used for mal de ojo but when you get down to it, mal de ojo, or any curse, is all about negative energy. Your thing wasn’t caused by mal de ojo, but it did carry ill intent.”

Eddie huffed at this but didn’t make any comment.

“The egg draws out negative energies. Technically, it’s supposed to be done as a whole-body sort of thing, but again, your situation is different so I’m tweaking it to fit. I’m going to pass the egg over your head, neck, shoulders, and chest. Is that okay?” Jeff asked.

Steve nodded after a brief moment of consideration. It wouldn’t hurt him, he figured, and he had nothing to lose if it didn’t work.

“Okay, let’s start,” Jeff said. He took the egg and started at the crown of Steve’s head. He trailed it down the side of his face. “While I do this, why don’t you tell me about something good that happened in your life recently.”

And so, Steve, who wasn’t a chatty person by nature, started telling Jeff and, by extension, Eddie about his car getting fixed by an older fellow two days ago. It was an unexpected act of kindness and the stranger was sweet enough to invite him in for lemonade. Steve glanced at Eddie to see his reaction to Steve’s retelling. If Steve wasn’t mistaken, he’d say Eddie’s perpetual glower had lightened.

While Steve spoke, Jeff placed the egg against the crown of his head again, and trailed it down the center of his face. He repeated this to the other side of his face. Then he started on his neck with the same upward and downward movement.

“You made a good impression on Wayne,” Jeff said. A little wick of pride lit up in Steve’s chest. Wayne seemed like a tough guy to impress.

“He’s usually a good judge of character,” Eddie admitted begrudgingly.

Jeff moved the egg from Steve’s neck down to his shoulders. Then he dragged it over Steve’s chest, particularly over his heart. He pulled the egg away from Steve.

“Okay, let's see how this worked,” Jeff muttered more to himself than to Steve.

Jeff took the egg over to the sink where a glass of water Steve hadn’t noticed earlier waited. He quickly mixed some salt into the glass and then cracked the egg open. The egg white and yolk plopped easily into the glass. It looked like any other egg, in Steve’s opinion, but apparently Jeff didn’t like what he saw.

“Eddy, how many times did you sing to him again?” Jeff asked.

“Um,” Eddie scrunched his face in thought, “Both times you had him over. Once when House moved. Well, twice now after the car thing. And that time with Dustin. So…five times?”

“Wait, you sang to me?” Steve asked incredulously.

“Sure did, babe,” Eddie shot him a sharp smile. Maybe literally. Something was going on with his teeth but Steve couldn’t make his eyes bring it into focus to really tell.

“Okay, we’ll do this four more times, I guess.”

Jeff dumped the glass’s contents down the garbage disposal, rinsed it thoroughly and prepared it. He grabbed another egg and settled himself next to Steve again.

“Tell me about somewhere that made you happy.”

“I used to swim a lot,” Steve said after a moment’s thought. He let the movement of the egg soothe him. “I loved being in the pool, but the lake was my favorite place.”

Steve caught movement from the corner of his eye. Eddie had leaned forward, resting his elbows on the tabletop. He watched Steve with deep, dark eyes.

“What lake did you go to?” Eddie asked.

“Lake Michigan. My parents had a vacation home somewhere along its coast. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen it in person but it’s big. Huge. It shocked me every time I saw it. Being underwater there is like nothing else; it makes you feel small, but like in a good way? I don’t know but I loved it,” Steve reminisced. “I haven’t gone since, huh. High school, I think? I still dream about it sometimes.”

Jeff finished with the egg and took it to the sink. Eddie finally looked away from Steve. He fiddled with his rings instead.

“It’s a good lake. It has good water.”

Eddie said it like it was dragged out of him but even that didn’t mask the fondness in the words. It was a strange comment. Steve didn’t know how to respond to it, but Eddie didn’t seem to expect a response. Jeff finished at the sink and grabbed another egg.

“Alright, third one. Let me think of another question,” Jeff said.

“What exactly is the point of these questions?” Steve asked him. “I mean, I don’t feel any different yet so what are we doing?”

“You have a lot of bad energy built up,” Jeff said. “It’s going to take a few more tries to draw it all out, but the questions help it along by drawing in positive energy to replace the bad stuff. You have to be patient.”

“I guess that makes sense,” Steve said. As much sense as anything else that was happening, anyway.

“Got it! Tell me about something you’re good at. What do you do that you take pride in?” Jeff was already sliding the egg down Steve’s face.

“...how honest do I have to be with these questions?”

“As much as possible. Lies invite negative energy,” Jeff said. “Though I’ll tell you right now, I do not want to hear about any sex stuff.”

Steve choked on his own spit. Eddie cackled.

“It’s not that!” Steve insisted. “It’s just…kinda dumb.”

“If it’s something that makes you feel good about yourself, it can’t be dumb,” Jeff said kindly.

“...it’s hair,” Steve mumbled.

“Hair?”

“I have good hair. I like it,” Steve said, unembarrassed. “That’s not weird.”

“It isn’t,” Jeff agreed. The egg was at Steve’s neck now.

“It’s not just that, though,” Steve continued. “I taught myself the best ways to take care of my hair, but also how to take care of other types of hair. And I know how to style hair in different ways, and different types of braids. I liked braiding my exes’ hair a lot.”

Jeff finished circling the egg over Steve’s heart. He motioned at Steve to keep talking while he took the egg to the sink for a check and disposal.

“I haven’t had the chance to do that much since I took a break from dating, but then El wanted to show me how to do it and–oh! El!” Steve sat up straighter as a hazy memory became a little clearer.

Eddie had tensed all over the minute Steve mentioned the little girl.

“What about El?” Eddie asked protectively. Steve shook his head.

“She lives here,” Steve said, carefully examining his memory. “And…she has curly hair? She showed me her braiding skills. She’s a sweet kid.”

“Yes she is,” Jeff agreed easily. “Fourth egg, here we go. Tell me about someone you love.”

“Robin,” Steve answered immediately.

“Ah, the girlfriend,” Eddie said with a smirk. “Please tell us more about her, some of us are dying for more details.”

“She’s not my girlfriend,” Steve corrected. “She’s my best friend. We’re soulmates but, like, platonic. With a capital P, Robin likes to say.”

Steve knew he was grinning like a dope but he didn’t care. He wasn’t going to hide how much he loved Robin from anyone. It had lost him more than one girlfriend, and he was more than okay with that. Jeff ran the egg along his shoulders. He smiled at Steve’s enthusiasm but Eddie wore an odd expression, like he was trying to puzzle him out.

“You don’t get it,” Steve surmised.

“No, I do,” Eddie said.

“Your Robin is our Chrissy,” Jeff said, finished with the fourth egg.

“Oh,” Steve said, surprised. “People don’t usually believe me. They think it’s weird, but it isn’t. Robin knows me better than anyone else. I’d do anything to make sure she’s safe and happy and I know she’d do the same for me. Like, she doesn’t really like having pets around, right? But after I had to give up Dust–”

Steve stopped.

“Dustin is a cat, isn’t he?” Steve asked weakly.

“Sometimes,” Eddie replied, carefully examining Steve’s reaction.

“But not always,” Steve said.

“No, not always.”

Steve let that confirmation settle in his mind as it helped clarify the question about El’s curly hair as well. A boy who turned into a cat and a girl with magic hair. And someone witchy was rubbing eggs on him. He suspected his car hadn’t needed any fixing the other day, either. Weird. Everything was so weird but…it felt right.

He thought about the first time he stepped onto a boat as a kid. Everything had tilted and swayed with the movement of the water. It felt so strange. It had knocked him off his feet once or twice but after a while, Steve had learned to keep balance while it bobbed in the water, and it was just like walking on land. It didn’t feel wrong at all.

“That egg was looking pretty good compared to the rest. This last one should do it,” Jeff said brightly. “Tell me about a good dream or a goal. Something that motivates you.”

“I’m not sure my dream is going to bring on the positive energy,” Steve smiled crookedly. “I’ve been having pretty bad luck with it.”

“How so?” Jeff asked. He’d finished the head and neck quicker than before, Steve noticed. The swipe on his shoulders felt almost perfunctory. He wondered if that was a good sign.

“I keep getting rejected,” Steve admitted. “Nobody wants to let some guy adopt a kid, apparently.”

“That’s your motivating dream? To have children?” Jeff questioned. He circled the egg over Steve’s heart.

“Well, yeah. I told you about it that time at the bar, remember? And you told me–” Steve paused.

Jeff extracted the egg.

“What did I say, Steve?” Jeff asked as he calmly went to the sink one last time with an egg.

“You said you could help me,” Steve said thoughtfully. “How? With a witchy thing? No. No, you said you knew children who needed homes. Is…is that what this place is?”

Jeff inspected the last egg. He looked satisfied with what he saw. He disposed of the egg.

“My part’s done,” Jeff said. “The negative energy has been removed. It’s not going to hurt you any longer, but it doesn’t exactly undo what’s been done. Eddy’s abilities are…well, Eddy is–”

“A freak,” Eddie said cheerfully.

“He’s unique,” Jeff corrected.

“Thank you, Jeffua, you’re so sweet,” Eddie batted his lashes at Jeff. Steve felt a completely irrational spark of jealousy that he fervently tamped down. He had focus. There was a chance here, an opportunity, and he had to grab it with both hands.

“Look, I answered everything you asked me and you said you’d answer my questions, so answer me,” Steve cut in. “Is this place–could I really adopt–?”

“Undecided,” Eddie said coldly. Steve flinched.

“Eddy, c’mon man,” Jeff sighed tiredly. “You owe him information, at least.”

It was Eddie’s turn to sigh though his was more put upon.

“Fine! But we’re taking this to the dining room. We still have an insane amount of lemonade to get rid of and the chairs are comfier. Steve, how do you feel about blindfolds?”

It turned out his opinion on blindfolds didn’t matter because they had to blindfold him either way.

–

To Steve’s disappointment, Jeff chose not to accompany them though he gave Eddie a stern reminder to behave. Steve sat himself in the same chair he used in his prior visit while Eddie busied himself with the fridge and cabinets.

“If you’re going to be here, you might as well be helpful and get rid of some of this lemonade for us,” Eddie said, placing an entire pitcher of lemonade in front of him along with a cup.

Eddie grabbed his own pitcher and glass combo, and seated himself across Steve. Steve wondered if the pitchers were part of a set. They both were textured like ice, but they had different shaped spouts and Eddie’s was round whereas Steve’s was rectangular. Eddie poured himself some lemonade and chugged it quickly to pour a second one.

Steve reached out to get himself some lemonade because he was a bit dehydrated, too. His fingertips brushed the handle for a split second before he yanked his hand back with a pained yelp. It burned.

Eddie leapt to his feet and anxiously pulled the pitcher away from Steve. He took Steve’s hand in his own, frantically turning it every which way and prodding.

“Shit! Shit, that was an accident! I forgot! House, I forgot, I didn’t do it on purpose!” Eddie said loudly while leaning closer to inspect Steve’s fingertips.

“What was that?” Steve asked incredulously. “It burned me!”

“No frostbite,” Eddie said, relieved, and not actually answering Steve’s question. “Jesus H. Christ, you nearly gave me a heart attack.”

He looked up at Steve through his lashes with what Steve could have sworn was a small pout.

“You’re trying to get me in trouble, aren’t you?”

Steve became very aware of how close Eddie had gotten, and how his ringed hands were cradling his own fingers. Steve really could drown in those dark eyes. He heard Robin’s voice in the back of his mind yelling at him about Standards. He forcibly reminded himself that this man has been nothing but rude to him from the very start.

“No,” Steve replied, tugging his hand back. “Is your pitcher cursed?”

“No,” Eddie said, getting up and retrieving a pot holder. He handed it to Steve. “It’s not cursed. Will learned a new trick but he forgot some people can’t withstand sub zero ice. Use the potholder and you’ll be fine.”

Steve did so. He sipped at his lemonade as Eddie settled across from him again. He pursed his lips at the tartness of the drink. Eddie didn’t speak. He fiddled with his rings, brow furrowed.

“Okay, let’s do this,” Eddie said after the quiet got to be too much. “You have questions. Hit me with ‘em.”

“Why didn’t the pitcher burn you?” Steve asked. Eddie had grabbed both pitchers barehanded without so much as a flinch. Eddie raised an eyebrow at him.

“Really? That’s your first question?”

Steve’s eyes narrowed.

“Is there a limit?”

A smirk spread across Eddie’s full lips. He leaned forward and opened his mouth to reply. Before he could, however, the cabinet door closest to Eddie opened and slammed shut loudly, making both Eddie and Steve jump in their seats. Eddie slumped back in his chair sulkily.

“No,” Eddie said grudgingly. “I’m built for cold temperatures. That’s why the pitcher didn’t affect me. Next question.”

“You…sang to me and it messed with my head,” Steve said haltingly. He could only vaguely remember the song. He had the outline of it, but not the substance. He knew it was beautiful. “What are you?”

“A siren. Next.”

“Like, fish people?” Steve asked.

If Steve had known better, he’d have brought Robin with him to this place. She was the one that read about weird stuff all the time. Currently he’s working off of only vague recollections from some of Robin’s many, many ramblings.

Eddie splutters indignantly.

“I am not a fish! Sirens aren’t fish! We’re powerful creatures born of the sea,” Eddie said, outraged.

“Like fish,” Steve said, keeping his expression blank.

“We’re magical beings! Fish aren’t magic,” Eddie said. “Sirens are the ocean’s spirit made flesh, the voice of the sea, we are not…oh, you did that on purpose, you bastard.”

Steve smirked at Eddie who flopped back in his chair. He tried to hide it, but Steve caught the hint of a grin on Eddie’s face before he vanished it in a sulk.

“Only a little bit,” Steve reassured him. “I really don’t know much about…magic stuff.”

“I’m not sure if that makes things better or worse,” Eddie mused.

“It hasn’t helped me much so far. So your siren music hypnotizes people?”

“Technically, siren song is a lure. It’s how, historically, sirens made sailors crash their ships on rocks and whatever. Mine doesn’t work exactly the same way.”

“Why does–”

“That’s none of your business.”

Eddie shut down the question immediately. Eddie’s expression had gotten stony and the glare had returned. Steve considered pushing. He had been promised information after all. However, Eddie wasn’t really what he wanted to know more about; or, more accurately, learning more about Eddie wasn’t a priority at this time. Steve looked away to glance about the dining room instead. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Eddie relax minutely.

“What is this place?” Steve asked instead. “Has it always been here? I’ve been in Hawkins for years and I’ve never seen it before.”

“It’s been around for about a decade. This is Hawkins Halfway House for Homeless Horrors,” Eddie said. There was a curl of amusement in his reply. Eddie must have been the one to name it, and was quite pleased with himself about it. It was annoyingly endearing.

“That’s a mouthful, but it doesn’t really mean anything to me,” Steve said in the most unimpressed tone he could just to ruffle Eddie’s feathers. Scales? Whatever. He succeeded either way, but Eddie kept his tone even when he responded.

“It’s a bit of a misnomer,” Eddie admitted. “It’s more of a community center than anything else. The magical community is mostly made up of people humans consider to be monsters or creatures or other horrible things. It makes surviving difficult.”

“Oh,” Steve breathed as the implications sunk in. “That’s why you’re so, uh, you know, with me.” Steve makes a helpless gesture.

“Humans in the know generally want to kill us, so yeah, that’s why I’m so ‘you know’ with you,” Eddie replied sarcastically. “So we made this place. Me, Jeff, and Chrissy, with Uncle Wayne’s help. We offer daycare services, shelter and food to Horrors who are struggling or displaced.

“Uncle Wayne and Jeff teach them how to better blend in with humans if that’s an option; how to navigate the bureaucracies and day-to-day of the human world, that sort of thing. Me and Chrissy help rehome the Horrors who can’t or don’t want to assimilate to the human world.”

“That’s amazing,” Steve said with genuine awe. At Eddie’s look of surprise, he insisted. “No, like, it’s so cool that you help people like that. There was a time when my parents first cut me off that me and Robin struggled. We could barely afford a place to live, so a lot of the time we had to go without food. I didn’t think we were going to make it until we found out about a food bank in one of the surrounding towns. It was almost an hour’s drive away but it was the only way we survived. I don’t know what would’ve happened to us if we didn’t have that, so the fact that you set something like that up is amazing.”

Eddie tugged his hair over the lower half of his face, obscuring a strange faint glow that suffused his cheeks. It made his eyes look bigger and darker. It took Steve’s breath away. Eddie shrugged awkwardly.

“Yeah, well,” Eddie mumbled. “It was mostly Uncle Wayne. If he hadn’t won House off a baba yaga in a card game, we wouldn’t have been able to do any of that.”

“A baba yaga?”

“Irrelevant,” Eddie waved off the question. “House is ours now and it helps protect everyone in it.”

“It’s alive then?” Steve eyed the dining room cautiously.

“Eh, depends on your definition of alive. It’s got some personality, at least, even if it’s brainless,” Eddie said the last part louder than the rest.

Eddie squawked as the chair he sat on was jolted backwards and landed on the ground with a loud, insulted, slam. Steve stood up in alarm, but Eddie simply rolled over with a groan.

“You prefer birdbrain instead, House?” Eddie said. Eddie yelped as the chair aggressively righted itself, narrowly missing Eddie’s foot. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding!”

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, it’s fine. House and I have a playful, only slightly injury-prone, rapport,” Eddie said. “Drink more lemonade. There’s still an entirely full pitcher in the fridge besides these two.”

“It’s kind of sour,” Steve admitted, sipping reluctantly at the cup. Eddie smoothly exchanged pitchers with Steve. He poured himself a cup from it and chugged it. He jumped when Eddie slammed the empty cup down on the table with a grimace. Eddie poured another cup but let that one sit.

“Must be Mike’s. He’s a moody little punk,” Eddie snorted. “No sweetness in him at all.”

“Hm, like you then.”

“Oh, I’m plenty sweet when I want to be, sugar,” Eddie responded with a wink. The words caught up with Eddie and his face twisted into something like a wince. He pulled into himself, looking away and fiddling with his rings again.

“Is Mike one of the kids that live here?” Steve asked to get them back to the task at hand.

“Nah, he and Will have adult siblings they live with. They come to play with the other kids when Nancy and Jonathan can bring them over. It doesn’t happen too often so the kids go kind of crazy when it does. Hence the endless lemonade.”

“That’s kind of cute,” Steve said with a smile. “Wayne said each kid made their own pitcher, so if Will and Mike don’t live here that makes it…five kids? Pretty sure there were seven pitchers on the table last time I was here. I’ve met Dustin and El. Lucas, too, though I don’t remember that encounter too well. Who are the other two?”

“Max and Erica,” Eddie said. “They were with Lucas that day, too.”

“I don’t remember them at all,” Steve admitted.

“Probably for the best. They’re the most skittish around humans,” Eddie shrugged.

“Oh. Does that mean I won’t be able to meet them any time soon?”

“Hell no,” Eddie snorted. “That’d be a recipe for disaster.”

“But I can meet with some of the other kids, can’t I? Jeff said I might be able to foster and–”

“Steve.”

“What?”

“I don’t know who you are,” Eddie said. Steve blinked.

“I’m Steve? Harrington?”

“No, just–who are you? Uncle Wayne and Jeff think you can be trusted. House likes you. But you should’ve never been able to find us at all.”

“Well, Jeff gave me his card at the bar,” Steve said, but Eddie shook his head.

“No, you don’t get it. You shouldn’t have been able to see the bar for Jeff to find you to begin with. Gareth’s bar is within magical boundaries. Humans don’t even register it exists unless they already know it’s there, which they’d only know if someone within the community told them. I asked around, and nobody knows you. Nobody’s spoken to you.

“Jeff looked you over and you have not a drop of magic in you. Yet you bypassed one of the central protections our community has in place. I don’t know who you are and I'm supposed to give you one of my little Horrors? Why should I? Your own human agencies don’t think you’re fit for kids.”

“They won’t even let me try,” Steve snapped. “Look, maybe I won’t be the best father, God knows mine was shitty enough, but these agencies aren’t denying me because of that. They’re denying me because I’m an unmarried man.”

“Then get married and make your own kids,” Eddie said callously.

“No, that’s not the point!”

“You’re making your own life harder, why do you even bother?”

“Because I want a real family!” Steve’s words were almost a shout.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Real families love each other,” Steve said. “Marriage doesn’t mean there's any love there. My parents were married for decades and they hated each other. I was an only child, their only child, and you know what? I don’t think they ever told me they loved me. Not one single time. I don’t think anyone loved me until I met Robin. Robin was the first person I ever felt was my family, and I’m so, so grateful to have her in my life.

“I won’t pretend to know what it’s like to grow up a monster in a secret magic world, but I know how it feels like to grow up alone and unwanted. I would never, never, let my kid think for a single moment I didn’t love them or want them in my life,” Steve said. “And I refuse to get stuck in a loveless marriage that’ll only make them miserable.”

Steve grabbed at his cup and took a sip in an attempt to collect himself. It was sweeter than the other lemonade had been, Steve was relieved to find. Eddie wore a thoughtful expression. He tapped his fingers on the table for a few beats, then leaned forward to catch Steve’s eyes with his own serious gaze.

“There’s something you need to understand about my little Horrors,” Eddie said grimly. “They live here with me because they have nothing left. They have no one else. You wouldn’t just be fostering a monster child, you’d be taking in a child who has already experienced more loss than most human adults. They’re going to have needs specific to what they are and what they’ve experienced. Do you understand?”

“I hear what you’re saying,” Steve responded with equal gravity. “I don’t know their needs or circumstances, but I want to learn. Give me a chance to learn, Eddie. Please, at least let me try.”

They held eye contact for a small eternity. The flickering hope in Steve’s heart roared to life when Eddie gave a single sharp, wordless nod.

“We’ll take it slow, but okay,” Eddie said, “you can try.”

–

“Steve, relax, you got this,” Robin said, watching Steve pace back and forth in their living room.

“What if he hates me?” Steve said, knowing he sounded irrational.

“Dustin already met you, remember? He’s one of the ones that wanted you to stick around.”

“Yeah, and then I forgot about him!” Steve said.

“But he knows that wasn’t your fault! It’ll be fine, you worrywart.”

Eddie hadn’t been pleased when Steve told him that Robin would have to be looped into the whole ‘magic exists’ secret, but Steve had been adamant. It helped that Jeff and Chrissy asked him how successful he’d be if he had to hide stuff from them. Eddie relented at that point.

“Now get outta here before you make yourself late, dingus,” Robin said, smacking his arm.

Steve made it to Hawkins Halfway House so quickly he suspected House may have made an unplanned move. Hopefully Eddie wouldn’t notice, otherwise he’d be scowly the whole visit. He did his best not to run up to the door and was mostly successful. Jeff opened the door after one sharp knock.

“Hey Steve,” Jeff greeted with a smile. “They’re waiting in the living room for you.”

Steve made his way to the living room. There, Dustin sat at the coffee table doodling something in a notebook. His tongue poked out in concentration, completely caught up in whatever it was he was doing. Eddie lay sprawled on the couch flipping idly through some car magazine. He glanced up at Steve briefly before returning his attention to the magazine.

“Pretend I’m not here, Steve-o,” Eddie said.

Dustin finally noticed Steve and shot to his feet with a wide grin. He rushed over to Steve. Dustin stuck his arm out for a handshake. Steve took his hand and shook it firmly, to Dustin’s delight.

“Hi, I’m Dustin. I’m a shapeshifter and I’m almost ten years old,” Dustin said in a very rehearsed way. Eddie faked a cough. “Oh, yeah! Thanks for taking care of me when I got stuck in my cat shape in town. I promise I wasn’t perving on Robin in the bathroom that time.”

Steve heard Eddie’s horrified whisper of ‘oh my god.’ He looked from Dustin’s earnest expression to where Eddie was fully hiding under the magazine. Steve burst into laughter. Dustin joined in without hesitation.

“Hi, Dustin,” Steve replied when he caught his breath. “I’m Steve. Eddie said we could hang out and get to know each other a bit today.”

“Heck yeah! I’ve got a ton of questions,” Dustin said enthusiastically. He grabbed Steve’s hand and tugged unrelentingly. “Come here, come here.”

The two of them settled on the floor at the coffee table. Steve leaned against the couch a little in hopes that it would make rising to his feet later a less stiff, achy experience. Dustin took up his notebook and pencil again. Steve caught a glimpse of scratchy writing before Dustin pulled it close to write.

“First question,” Dustin announced. Steve braced himself for any number of awkward, personal, getting-to-know-you questions. “Can you really shed your skin? Like a lizard?”

“Uhh,” Steve said. He ignored the snorting, barely concealed giggle coming from behind him. “Well, um, I guess kind of…not really?”

Dustin eyed him suspiciously.

“I’ll mark that as a maybe,” he scribbled in his notebook studiously. “Next question! Is it true humans have extra teeth to make them smarter when they grow up? How does that work? Is there brains in the teeth?”

Steve muddled his way through a rough explanation of wisdom teeth as Eddie continued to snicker behind him. Dustin looked unimpressed by the eventual answer but that was fine. Eddie was warming up to him and Steve was already willing to do just about anything for this curious little kid. He was finally on his way to becoming a father.

eventually i'll probably write more in this 'verse, but right now i'm just glad to have finished the premise of the 'verse lol. thanks again to all who read along!

#trensu tells stories #hawkins halfway house for homeless horrors #steddie #buckingham #steve harrington #eddie munson #jeff stranger things #dustin henderson #stranger things

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