"Still super jealous as hell by the way.โ
"Okay, now, can youโฆget outta my face?โ Steve annoyedly swats a hand at Eddieโs chest and ducks out of his space.
Eddie sighs and shakes his head. "Why are you-" He purses his lips, thinks. "You donโtโฆyou still donโt like me very much, do you?"
At that Steve stops walking, huffs out an annoyed breath and presses his eyes closed. He turns to Eddie, looks at him with an expression Eddie canโt read and says, "No, Eddie. No, I donโt."
Eddie just watches him for a second, not sure what to do, studies his face, the furrow between his brows, the clear discomfort in his expression.
He scoffs. Getting a little angry. "Jesus, man,โ he says. "You just canโt get over it, huh? And here I was rambling on about how you were actually a good dude after all, butโฆno, turns out Steve Harrington is still just as much stuck in his stupid high school mindset as I would have thought.โ
Steve just looks more annoyed now, a slight shift in his eyebrow andโฆhe looksโฆfrustrated? A little? How does that make sense?
"You,โ Steve says, voice low, but not because of the monsters, Eddie knows that much, "are unbelievable.โ
Eddie blinks. "What?โ
"Eddie, youโre the one who canโt get over it,โ Steve accuses him. "You always talk about that non-conformist shit and how people should just stop with the categories and drawers and labels but, dude, youโve never judged people that way yourself! I have been saved in your brain as this dumb idiot jock ever since youโve known me andโฆโ Steve huffs out an unbelieving breath. "And Eddie, I donโt know what to tell youโฆbut youโve never been nice to me. Ever. And when Lucas made the basketball team, which is amazing, by the way, you werenโt proud of him or supported him for that incredible achievement like you should have if heโs really one of your 'little sheepโ.โ He draws quotation marks in the air. "You punished him for it. You said you canโt make Hellfire? Fuck you. Iโm just gonna have the most important part of the campaign without you, because you know what, you donโt deserve us anymore now that youโve joined the dark side. Now that youโve taken up aโฆa jock game. Because god forbid, somebody could actually ever enjoy playing sports.โ
Eddie canโt follow. His mindโs lagging behind, still stuck on Steve apparently knowing DnD terms and saying he was never nice to him and-
Steve takes another step back.
"Eddie, for as long as I can remember you hated me. And yeah, sure, I was stupid and I did some stupid things, butโฆโ he shrugs one sided. "But I donโt think I deserve to be treated that way. I think I at least deserved a chance. And you never gave me one.โ
Eddie blinks. "What do you mean I never gave you a chance, I-"
"Biology, sophomore year,โ Steve interrupts him. "We were assigned lab partners. I tried to reallyโฆput all of it aside, tried to get to know you, because actually, Eddie, you know what? I was sort of obsessed with you. Because you were soโฆloud and so unashamedly yourself, I admired you so much. You didnโt care about anything and you stood up for yourself and thatโs something Iโve never been able to do, my whole life. Iโฆโ Steve looks down, sighs a little. "I let people push me around because itโs the only way I feel like I can be of use. But youโฆyou made me believe that maybe actually Iโฆcould do it, you know? Like, tell Tommy H. off or somethingโฆโ He looks so hurt. Eddie kind of wants to die. "But youโฆyou acted like it was the worst thing ever, getting partnered with me. You didnโt even look at me. Youโฆnever gave me a chance, Eddie. Soโฆsorry if one 'youโre actually a good dude, Harrington' doesnโt make me forget all of that, make up for it. Because Iโm not so sure I believe you.โ
Oh.
Oh no.
Eddie fucked up.





















