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tartarusknight · 1 year

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The King of the Freaks | Part 15

Ao3 Link | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16

CW for sexual harassment and dissociation/derealization

On Monday, Steve felt nervous but also more sure of himself than ever before. But in a way, after breaking down in front of the guys, Steve wasn’t completely sure how to act anymore. He was used to making himself scarce so they wouldn’t feel like he was too much. But that first day back, instead of just smiling their way and continuing on in the morning, he stopped by Grant’s locker where all, minus Eddie, were standing. They had smiled at him brightly and he felt stupid for missing out on this for so long.

“Hey Steve, so what are your plans for Thanksgiving?” Jeff questioned.

He couldn’t help but shrink into himself a little. “Uh, I don’t really celebrate. Not much of a feast when you eat alone.” He shrugged and tried to stay nonchalant about it.

Jeff tilted his head before nodding to himself, “Why don’t you join my family? I’ve got a huge family so honestly one more is nothing.” He said and Steve froze because he’s never really had this opportunity.

He could feel the desire to cry building up so he looked away from the group of guys, “Yeah. Yeah, that sounds nice.”

An arm was thrown over his shoulder and he looked over to see Eddie who finally joined them. “Lucky man. Jeff’s gran makes the best pies,” Eddie grins and Steve can’t help but smile back. Hope was building every day with these people. He didn’t feel so lonely. He had thought this big break would’ve been lonely. But he’s already got a plan for one of the days.

The bell rang and Eddie groaned, “I don’t wanna go to Mrs. Click’s. I’m 80% sure she hates me.” He whined and Steve laughed.

He wrapped his arm back around Eddie, “Come on. Stop being a big baby.” He decided, dragging Eddie off towards their shared class. Eddie groaned and tried to slow them but Steve easily overpowered him. Eddie didn’t stop complaining even as they reached the classroom.

Steve ripped his bagel in half and handed one to Eddie. Eddie looked a little surprised but then he smiled. It made his dimples stand out and it was so dorky, but it made Steve smile right back. He sat in his spot next to Tammy Thompson who constantly checked him out and the girl behind him who drilled holes into the back of his head.

Still, he was having a good day and it wasn’t slowing him down. During lunch, he actually sat down with the boys instead of just stopping by. And he was able to just joke around and have fun instead of hiding in the library or his car. He was slowly gaining his footing and it terrified him but also excited him. During the last class of the day, he had actually sat next to Eddie in class and Eddie had given him another of those big smiles that Steve was starting to think were perfect.

Of course, he couldn’t just mess around with Eddie all class period though. He started on the math work as Eddie did the same. Steve seemed to lose track of his surroundings until Eddie groaned and slammed his head on the desk. Steve glanced over and noticed doodles on the worksheet but only the first couple of math problems were completed. Steve himself wasn’t great at math but it was easier than English. He didn’t have to worry about the numbers running all over the page like words would.

“Do you want to work together?” He asked before he could stop himself. Eddie sat up so fast he would’ve toppled backward if Steve hadn't steadied his chair. “Jesus, calm down.” He huffed and took in Eddie’s shocked expression on his face. “What?”

Eddie blinked, “you want to work with me?”

Steve’s nose wrinkled at Eddie’s words. “What? I asked, didn’t I?”

Eddie's fingers tapped on the desk and the room was noisy, filled with students who didn’t care about actually working on their work. “Yeah, but… well- um, Steve this isn’t my first time taking this-”

Steve rolled his eyes, “so what?”

It was like Eddie was shrinking back into himself. He looked small in a way Steve hadn’t noticed before. “I’m not going to be any help. I can’t focus for shit. I spend more time getting off task than working on my shit.” Eddie mutters and Steve hates how quiet he is.

He thinks of how Eddie had been open to Steve this past weekend. It makes the nonchalance tumble off his shoulders. “Eds, I just want to help. I’m not great at this shit but I think we might as well try to work to our strengths, right?” He offered and brought his paper over to him and tapped his pencil on Eddie’s paper. “We can try, right? I’ll keep you focused to the best of my abilities and you can try to make it make sense in my brain. Because your work on those two actually looks right and I have no clue what I’m doing.” He says quietly and Eddie blinks at him.

Then he gets a determined look on his face and grabs his pen. Eddie’s thoughts were all over the place but he was still smarter than Steve could ever wish to be. He was able to explain the work like it was easy and while it helped Steve, he still struggled. Eddie stayed determined, like just the thought of helping Steve was able to keep him focused. But Steve still had to point Eddie back in the right direction a couple of times. It took a while but they were able to parse together the worksheet.

While they were working, Steve noticed more than a few glances their way. Even the teacher seemed intrigued by them. He tried to ignore it. But he’s never been great at ignoring what others thought of him. It’s why he got to the top; it’s why he became King Steve. But he didn’t want to be a shallow asshole who only cared about everyone’s opinions. He wanted to be like Eddie, walking in his own skin and staying confident.

Still, just because he wanted to stop being King Steve didn’t mean he could just stop caring. He shrunk into himself as they gossiped. “Do you think Harrington uses the freaks to look hotter?” One girl murmured to her friend; it made their friend laugh.

“I mean, why else would Steve Harrington be friends with Satan worshippers?” The one replied and Steve glanced over at Eddie who was chewing on the end of his pen. “Although rumor has it Nancy dumped him. So maybe he really is that much of a loser.”

The first girl sighed as if it affected her personally. “Do you think people would still be jealous if I slept with him?”

“Probably everyone knows how good in bed he is.” She replied and Steve gripped his pencil tighter.

“Good, because I know a few of us want a taste before he graduates.” They giggled to themselves and Steve tried to ignore it. “You know everyone’s got a talent, he might not be special but he’s still got his looks and that tongue-”

Steve jumped as Eddie kicked his desk hard enough that it tumbled to the ground in front of him with a bang. Everyone went quiet and he just shrugged, “Leg spasm.” He offered and Steve felt frozen in place as Eddie picked up his shit. The teacher didn’t even bother getting him in trouble, she just sighed and continued on with her day.

Eddie calmly sat back down and acted like nothing happened. It made him so jealous. Eddie reached over and grabbed the collar of his vest to pull Steve over to whisper in his ear, “are you alright, sweetheart?”

Steve jerked like he was slapped and looked over at Eddie. “Uh, um, yeah?” He choked out and Eddie looked like he was trying to see straight into his soul. Steve couldn’t handle that. He stood up and handed in his worksheet before heading straight out of the classroom.

He felt his hands shake and he could hear Eddie follow after him, but he couldn’t focus on that. “Stevie, Steve, slow down. It’s okay, you’re okay.” Eddie blocked his path and Steve’s hands gripped Eddie’s leather jacket. Eddie bit his lip and gently touched Steve’s arm, guiding them into the bathroom. Steve easily followed him but kept his grip on Eddie. “I’m right here, okay? Those girls are just uh, dickheads?” Eddie stumbled over his words and Steve glanced up at him.

“They want dick and head, Eddie,” Steve said dumbly.

Eddie nodded and then sighed. He looked a little lost and Steve knew he was blowing this out of proportion. “But… Steve, isn’t that kind of a compliment? Like they didn’t phrase it right but-”

Steve feels the words like a plate to the head and it takes everything inside of him to avoid breaking apart at the seams. He took the emotions that started to bubble up and shoved them down. So far, they slip from his grasp and everything around him quietens until all he can do is focus on Eddie.

He feels like he's buzzing with energy but unable to flip the right switch so it goes to the right place. It makes his brain feel like it's speeding up until his movements aren't able to keep up. Before he wasn’t even the one moving himself anymore. He was too far away to do anything but watch himself. Like he was a passenger in his own body. Like his words weren’t his. Like he wasn’t himself.

“Yeah, Eddie. I mean, I’m Steve Harrington. I’ve got a reputation for a reason. I just don’t see the point of sitting around listening to gossip.” He said and it came out smoothly like it was the truth. Too perfect and so wrong in ways he can't express. The world is blurred around the edges and he's not really sure what's happening.

“I mean some of the shit they were saying was absolute shit and I get-” Eddie was still talking but Steve wasn’t in the conversation anymore. He wasn’t sure where he was. It was familiar to a concussion but also so far away from it that just left him lost.

Still, he laughed and playfully shoved Eddie. It made Steve realize that at some point he had stopped clutching onto Eddie. “Dude, it’s fine. Honestly, that doesn’t even bother me. It’s a compliment, right?” He asked and something in Eddie’s expression wasn’t right.

“Steve, I…” He trailed off like he wasn’t sure what to say. Steve felt like shit as he took a step back from Eddie.

He knew he was grinning but he didn’t understand how. “Eddie,” He leaned in close and confident in ways Steve hadn’t been since being King Steve. “I know I’m a slut. I know the things they say. Just because I haven’t been sleeping around doesn’t mean shit. I know what I’m good at,” he states and Eddie looks hurt. But before Eddie can do anything the bell rings and Steve slips out of the bathroom. He goes straight home and doesn’t bother talking to anyone else.

@zerokrox-blog @cyranx @adaed5 @the-redthread @lifeisnotsobadonceyoustopcaring @idontgetpaidenoughforthisshit @failedstarsandgoldenclouds @bisexualdisastersworld @deadlydodos @anythingyouwanttobe @nburkhardtt @bestwifehaver @thehumblefigtree @megzdoodle @swimmingbirdrunningrock @mightbeasleep @bxlthazar @autumnal-dawn @chillichats @nonbinary-eddie-munson @the-daydreamer-in-the-corner @eddie-munson-is-my-wife @a-little-unsteddie @sharingisntkaren @a-huge-nerdy-nerd @0o-queendean-o0 @beckkthewreck @vi-an-te @vampireinthesun @newtstabber @dinosareawesome2137 @spicemallow @hellomynameismoo @luthienstormblessed @briceslayed @angeldreamsoffanfic @dbquills @prideandsensibility @iwouldsail @ponfarrtimeatthevulcannightclub @spectrum-spectre @the-chilly-kat @yearningagain @loopsmd @starlight-archer @sleepy-time @goodolefashionedloverboi @crazyshipper67 @sherrylyn628 @bidisastersworld @v3lnys @n0connections @pyrohonk @cherixxx69 @theotalksalot @tailsfromthecrypt @ledleaf @grimmfitzz

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#Robin and Tammy Cameo lol #eddie munson has adhd #steve harrington has dsylexia #i'm projecting #steve needs a hug #hellfire club #eddie munson #steve harrington #season 2 au #stranger things #steddie fic #pre steddie #high school au #king steve #hurt steve harrington #hurt eddie munson #the fallen king and the king of the freaks

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