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rustboxstarr · 11 months

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🎻You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me🎻

Pairings: Eddie Munson x UndiagnosedAutistic!PlusSize!ViolinPlayer!Orchestra!Harrington!Reader (Goddamn thats a lot)

Plot: When Dustins 15th birthday comes up Eddie is set out on a mission to get Steve to help. Unbeknownst to Eddie, Steve has a younger sister, a very strange, very mean sister. There's something about her, he needs to understand how she became to be so different from her brother, so he's set out on his next mission to get the answers to his questions.

Summary: Dustin receives his surprise party and Eddie is getting on you last nerve.

Chapter warnings: Swearing, use of Y/N, (Read series masterlist for storys warnings, tropes and Reader description, dw they're not major just a few)

Wordcount: 3.1k

A/N: I've decided to do short chapters, for some reason ? Whatever, more idk expens? Thats not the word..

Love yas!

Check out my other works! Series Masterlist

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When Monday came around Eddie chanced a glance at you. He’d spotted you, sat alone at a table near the exit to the busy cafeteria, picking at your food with headphones covering your ears -headphones disturbing the already messy hair atop your head- no doubt connected to a walkman that played classical music, he saw you, for the first time, properly. He was only a few feet away and finally he got to see your face. That frown was still there, resting over your features like a mask, a border for people not to cross, but you didn't look sad or upset in the slightest.

With your head down bobbing only slightly to the music he got the opportunity to look at you. If he didn’t know you he would never have guessed you played the violin, you definitely didn't look the part, just as he’d thought when he first heard about it. Slightly baggy jeans hugging your thick thighs, rolled up at the cuff to stop you from stepping on the hem with your red dirty Vans, a purple striped t-shirt that was pulled down to cover your round stomach. He’d never really thought about how someone with your hobbies would look or tend to dress, but as he saw you he felt like you were misplaced in your world of classical sonatas, and ancient methods of creating music, it felt naturally like you would be a very serious person, granted he didn't know you, you may very well be a serious person but he would have thought you dressed smart, proper as if always professional, with your back straight and stiff, not hunched over like you were now.

You had only seen him once, and you clearly hadn’t bothered to greet him in any way, as he thought back to the interaction you hadn’t even spared a glance his way, was it appropriate for him to go say hi? Would you even recognise him? As he pondered over his thoughts, back and forth, considering the possibility that it would be weird, or awkward you tasted a spoonful of the questionable goo on your plate and pulled a face. Just as Eddie decided he would go say hi, maybe ease you into feeling more welcome in the halls of highschool, you pushed your chair back from the table. Dirty vans firm on the linoleum as the chair scraped slightly beneath you. Eddie had barely gotten the chance to lift a finger before he saw you pick up your plate and walk off.

He felt slightly deflated at his missed opportunity, there was something about you that was intriguing, whether it was that constant unexplainable frown, your choice of clothing, the fact that you played the violin or was Steve Harringtons sister he didn't know, but there was something about you that made him want to understand why you were the way you were, but alas he missed his opportunity.

–

It was obvious you stayed out of everyone's way and kept to the standard of being invisible when he didn't see you again till Wednesday afternoon. He was currently making his way to fourth period, with time to spare he moasied down the hall to the other side of the building. He laid eyes on you again, rooting through what he assumed was your locker, similar clothing hung over your figure as a charcoal gray, distressed messenger bag clung to your shoulder.

This was his chance, his chance to introduce himself and get an insight to how you were as a person, so he took it. He stopped near you, sidestepping to avoid bashing into a group of cheerleaders he arrived at your locker. He wasn't sure what to do or say so he opted for standing next to you, awaiting your acknowledgement of him in your vicinity. Nervousness bubbled up in his throat as he stood awkwardly, waiting, and waiting. You, however, paid him no mind to him whatsoever, pulling out a textbook and slipping it into your bag. Finally, after what felt like forever, you closed your locker and stood up straight. You looked at him, he looked at you, you said nothing. He felt a sense of unease as you stared up at him, not budging in your set features depicting a frown.

“Hi” he shyly opened up the conversation. He had expected you to greet him back, but no such luck, all you did was raise your eyebrows at him, as if he'd said something extremely stupid. “Uh.. I’m Eddie” Steve was right, you were fucking unapproachable.

“I didn’t ask” your stare was unwavering, pinning him to the ground, despite him being 6 feet and 5 inches tall and you only at 5 feet 7 inches he felt intimidated, as if you had all the power, in a relationship that wasn't even there.

“Oh, ha ha” he chuckled nervously “Um” he wasn't sure how to answer that “Well uh, we briefly met at Steve’s, I was in his kitchen when you came home, on Friday”

“So?” still your piercing glare felt like it was staring into his soul. “Well I uh, Ijust wanted to say hi” he explained. “Listen man-” man? he had never once heard a girl refer to him that way in slang, granted, he only knew a few “- I’m really not interested in getting to know any of Steve's loser friends” you spoke.

“I’m not a friend of Steve’s” for some reason he felt slightly insulted that you would ever be under that impression, that, he, Eddie Munson who was the way he was, dressed the way he dressed and did the things he did would be friends with Steve “The Hair” Harrington. “Yeah, well makes no difference, I don't want to get to know you either way” before Eddie had even the slightest chance to respond to that, you spun around and walked off, down the corridor and out of sight.

Eddie had experience with people who didn't want to talk to him, he was hated by more people than not but they were boring, basic people, you were far from that, a freak if he were to go by this town's standards, and he didn't even do anything to you! He was perfectly polite, a little nervous, ok a lot nervous but still polite!

No wonder you didn't have friends if that's how you acted everytime someone even spoke a word to you.

Despite all this, being extremely annoyed at your rude way of speaking to him he was still fucking intrested in getting to know you! And he wouldn't let down, he had to befriend you and understand what can create such a strange person, he needed to understand.

–

Friday night September the 6th was the evening of Dustin's surprise party, which had been decided to be held at Steve's house, a fact that was in advantage for Eddie, he had hoped anyway. He hadn't expected to see you around them but he thought you might be nearby.

He sauntered in behind Mike and Lucas around 6 pm to set up for the people arriving 15 minutes before Dustin whose Mom was dropping him off for 7. Carrying bags of party supplies and various snacks which they all dumped in the living room. “So your sister around?” Eddie tried to ask casually, his arms crossed and leaning against the wall next to Steve, both watching Mike and Lucas begin to unpack all the items. Steve scoffed “Why you got the hots for her?” he joked dryly. “Having met her only once I can safely tell you, no I do not, however I am wanting to know so I know what to expect for the evening” he gave a wicked grin referring to your fight the previous Sunday.

Steve pulled an unamused face “If you must know Munson, she is not around at the moment to grace us with her presence.”

“Mm, where is she?” Eddie asked, his plan wouldn’t work if you weren't even around for him to try to talk to you. “Why do you care?” Steve stood straight, turning towards Eddie to assess his face. “I don't care.” he shrugged and walked over to help the boys. Even though all he was trying to do was become your friend he still felt as if telling Steve would be some sort of betrayal, even if he didn't like Steve they had gotten to speaking terms the past week.

The clock showed 7:15, they had surprised Dustin, all wished him a happy birthday and were now in the middle of snacking and chatting to everyone, hearing Dustin tell them all the things he had received for his birthday so far while simultaneously eyeing the table of gifts to his left. From his seat on the couch he saw you step in through the front door and toe your shoes off. Since you'd come home in the middle of it it felt obvious you would say a curt hello or even just look into the room where almost ten people sat but no such luck, you walked straight past the entrance to the living room and up the stairs, so quiet Eddie wondered if he had been the only one to notice your arrival.

“Ok, presents!” Steve smiled. He had been very clear with the fact that he didn't want to be around Eddie or plan Dustin's party but now that he was here and Dustin was grinning from ear to ear, over the moon that his friends hadn't forgotten his birthday and that they were all here now Steve couldn't help but beam like a proud mama hen.

Dustin ripped the delicate wrapping paper and squealed in delight with every single gift he opened. “Who’s this from?” he asked as he held up a box with no note or card in sight. “Oh yea, that one’s from Y/N” Steve smiled. You were an asshole, and refused to be anywhere near the party, yet you were still a softie, getting a gift for the kid who somehow had managed to get you to talk to him.

He had never heard of you before, he had never once heard Dustin mention you, you completely ignored everyone in school including Dustin, just as you had ignored the party and gone straight up to your room and yet, you had gotten him a gift. A gift which it seemed you hadn't even planned on taking credit for, or being around to say your welcome when Dustin thanked you, just as he had the others. Why were you giving him a gift? Did you even know him? You must have, people don’t give gifts to people they don't know, and seeing as it was you he felt sure you definitely wouldn't do that.

“HOLY SHIT!” Dustin almost screamed when he opened the box, he pulled something out of dark sparkly tissue paper to show the group. In his hand he held an extremely detailed figurine of Conan from the comic The Savage Sword of Conan, it must have cost you a shit tonne of money because it sure as hell wasn't some ordinary figurine you could buy for 20 bucks in the comic book shop. Yet you were not here to give him the gift??

Things became calmer after the giftopening, everyone got comfortable on the two couches, beanbags and arm chairs to watch Dustin's guilty pleasure The Goonies, all snacking on chips and candy, staring at the large screen. Robin, who Eddie barely knew, apparently felt comfortable enough to spread out on Steve's couch, resting her feet on Eddie's thighs while a bowl of popcorn rested on her abdomen. Eddie was quite frankly shocked at the action but was told by Steve that that was simply Robin, comfortable and friendly with everyone, so he paid her no mind as she got comfortable.

He felt enough time had passed that he had both mustered up the courage to kick his plan into action, but also excuse himself from the room with viable reasoning. He pushed off the couch, removing Robin’s legs and placing them on the plush leather he had recently occupied. “Where you going?” she whispered at the disturbance, “Take a piss” he explained as he stepped over Mikes gangly legs slouching off the laZboy. During his last visit to the Harrington house he had used the toilet, and knew exactly where to go. Walking past the kitchen he opened the door to the bathroom, and closed it. Not stepping inside, he had told Robin he was going to the bathroom, so she and anyone else who overheard had to be under the impression he was actually on the toilet.

He proceeded to tiptoe across the fluffy worn down carpet in his socked feet, stepping as lightly as he could as to not alert anyone of his whereabouts. He tread with extreme caution up the stairs, making careful work of not making any of the floorboards creak, as he got to the landing he realized he had no idea where he was going. He looked around, scanning the hallway, eyes breezing past bookshelves, family photos, lamps and a cute looking rocking chair, pushed up in a corner, a dim lamp shedding light on the green fabric. All doors were slightly ajar except for one, he took his chance. Treading down the oak wood floors to what must be your bedroom, before he arrived however a collection of pictures caught his attention. There were a rare few family photos, mostly from your’s and Steve's youth, some scenery and an awful lot of pictures of Steve. Steve holding his diploma, Steve looking disgruntled at the desk in Family Video, Steve mid air throwing a basketball into a hoop, Steve with a trofé, but not a single one of you. Had it not been for those family photos it would have looked as if you never existed, didn't live there, wasn't the daughter of Charles and Sharon Harrington. Before he had time to think about it though he was stood outside the closed door. White painted fir wood acting as a heavy metal wall with the anxiousness Eddie felt. He couldn't explain it, but sneaking around Steve's house to discreetly talk to you had him on edge. He took a deep breath, shook his shoulders out and clenched his hands. Thick finger wrapped around the doorknob and turned it, his hip pushing the heavy metal open.

You sat with your back to the headboard, slim headphones connected to a walkman that laid haphazardly on the comforter, threatening to fall off and thud onto the floor, various cassette tapes littered around it. A book in your hands, immersed in a world of fictional characters in riveting battle, feet planted firmly on the bed to keep your book resting on your knees. Black t-shirt draped over your torso, covering the waistband of a baggy pair of black sweatpants.

You looked up, annoyed, a look which quickly turned into confusion as you were met with the sight of your brother's stupid friend and not his own face. You quickly put your book aside, pulling your headphones off. Your music was very loud, Eddie wondered how you hadn't blasted your eardrums off as he heard the familiar melody of Hounddog playing softly through the room. “Who are you?” you frowned, scooting back on the bed to sit up straight. Eddie chuckled a scoff, really? “Uh I’m Eddie, we’ve met?” the statement came out as more of a question to rejog your memory. “Okeeey” you began, talking to Eddie as if he'd said something stupid only you knew was stupid “Why are you in my room?” you asked, seemingly annoyed with him.

Eddie took the chance to close the door behind him as he explained “Thought this was the bathroom”. He took a second to admire your room. Posters of Elvis Presley, Ray charles, Frank Sinatra, various composers and other musical artists hung on every square inch of you walls, a white desk pushed against your only window, littered with various pencils, papers and books, shelves holding a large amount of books as well as action figures and a collection of odd objects. As he continued looking around he noticed a black metal stand for music sheets, papers layered on the shelf, some close to falling over and floating to the gray carpet, a violin case, next to it multiple different violins hanging from stands on the wall.

“Yeah well the bathroom is down the hall, so leave please” you rolled your eyes. Eddie ignored your request, avoiding it with a “Cool room”, the frown permanently based on your face deepened “You like Elvis?” he smirked slightly, it was very obvious you did, his face stuck out like a sore thumb compared to all the other posters. “Get out” you stated, becoming very annoyed. No one, not a single living soul other than close family had been in your room, you never had anyone in your room, and you didn't want anyone in your room, so the fact that this guy had just waltzed in as if it was his god given right really pissed you off.

“Don’t worry, I just wanna’ know what it's like to be Steve Harrington’s sister” he widened his eyes at you when he said your brother's name before going back to being in awe of your room. “Fucking unbarable, now get the fuck out” you were getting mad now. Eddie chuckled “Yeah I can imagine”

“Okey” you pushed yourself off the soft mattress, feet thumping to the floor as you walked over to the man “that's enough” you put your hands on his shoulders and spun him around, forcing him to walk back to your door “Get out now” you pushed him through the doorframe and promptly shut the door in his face. Despite being kicked out, it was as if time stopped when your fingers grasped onto his shoulders. He didn't even get the chance to fight you on the matter, all he could think about was how you were touching him, how your soft violinist hands grasped onto him so tightly and ordered his body around. It was so extremely strange to think about as he stood awestruck with his face mere inches away from the wood of your door, that you had touched him. What was even stranger was the tingling feeling that seemed to spread from those same shoulders down to his chest, giving him a warming but harsh hug. He frowned at the feeling, that was new, and it was weird. He frowned and shook it off, he’d get you to talk to him eventually and made his way back down the stairs to finish the rest of the movie.

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rustboxstarr · 1 year

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🎻You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me🎻

Pairings: Eddie Munson x UndiagnosedAutistic!PlusSize!ViolinPlayer!Orchestra!Harrington!Reader (Goddamn thats a lot)

Plot: When Dustins 15th birthday comes up Eddie is set out on a mission to get Steve to help. Unbeknownst to Eddie, Steve has a younger sister, a very strange, very mean sister. Theres something about her, he needs to understand how she became to be so different from her brother, so hes set out on his next mission to get the answers to his questions.

Summary: Eddie seeks out Steve and is introduced only briefly to you.

Chapter warnings: Practically absent father, slightly abusive mother, unfair treatment between Steve and Reader, Steves kinda mean, swearing, use of Y/N. Read series masterlist for storys warnings, tropes and Reader description, dw they're not major just a few)

Wordcount: 3.7k

A/N: This is the first chapter for You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me, thank you to everybody who voted for a series! This first chapter is short but they'll be longer in the future :)

Love yas!

Check out my other works! Series Masterlist

Next chapter

Dirty white Rebocks pattered against the gravel as Eddie hopped out of his van and made his way across the fading white lines littering the parking lot outside of Family Video. Looking around at the surrounding businesses littering the industrial area on the outskirts of town. All built with weakening concrete, mustard yellow and cream whites turning darker and blacker with age, just as the video store was. Hints of pink and purple painted the horizon as the sun and heat were starting to ease up from summer 1985 now that September was approaching.

He was thankful for it as he started wearing his jeans again, leaving his worn down cargo shorts to gather dust under his bed till he had to dig them out again next summer. He had never been a fan of those cargos, but he had trouble finding any other article of clothing that could strife away the scalding temperatures, so he had been stuck constantly pulling at the hem by the waist, forcing them to stop sagging from under his belt, he felt ridiculous walking around in the, hanging off him as if he’d dressed himself in a trash bag, but now he was back in his comfortable skin wearing properly fitted jeans.

He was on a mission after he’d been told by Mike that this was where the infamous King Steve worked and was given precise instructions on how to approach the subject, instructions which went in one ear and out the other as Eddie fought with the gamestick playing Pacman at the arcade only one day prior.

A greening gold bell rang above his head as he opened the glass door and stepped foot in the building lined with dark brown wooden shelves sporting various movies from a stingy amount of genres, the shelves depicting a confusing maze within the wallpapered walls. Whoever was in charge of planning how to best utilize the space, clearly had no idea what they were doing.

He shimied around shelves placed too close together and far too close to comfortably open the door, navigating to a counter placed in the middle of the room as You don't have to stay forever, I will understand was heard through the tinny speakers, Elvis Presley's You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me occupied as the only sound in the room. The desk connected to the back wall where a relatively large box television hung silently playing Police Academy 2: Their first assignment. Eddie recognised the faded people moving about the screen but barely remembered the film, he knew he had seen it and from what he could remember he concluded that he was probably laughing his ass off with Gareth, completely out of it as they passed joints back and forth for hours on end.

Having Gareth over so often for weekly sessions was probably the biggest reason as to why his room smelled like skunk whenever someone entered it, smoke attaching to the fibers of his curtains, bed sheets, and clothing all dumped out onto the floor. Had they been at Gareth's house more often he might not get in trouble with his teachers quite as much as he did, being sent to the principal's office to be scolded and threatened with police by a strong whiff of weed lingering on every clothing item he had in his possession.

The store wasn't exactly busy but stray patrons roamed the isles, selecting movies to gawk at for their perfect little family movie nights or possibly to numb the pain of living in the sleepy town of Hawkins on a friday night, that's what Eddie would do anyway.

He’d never been close enough to see Steve Harrington in proper, only ever seen him roaming the halls when he attended highschool or picking up Dustin from hellfire but it was undoubtedly him as he laid eyes on a lemon yellow polo shirt fitting tightly over a muscular figure slouched at the counter flipping through some comic with his head resting flat on his palm, even more so certainly judging by the golden brown hair flopping over his eyes, the same hair he overheard girls fawn over as he walked past. Gag.

Even though he had never even attempted to get to know Steve he still felt a distaste for the man, writing him off the instant he noticed him. Popular, jock, boring, basic and probably a complete asshole just like the rest of the school. He did sometimes find himself wondering how on earth he had managed to befriend Robin Buckley of all people, a grade below him and on the complete opposite side of the social spectrum. He himself knew Robin in passing and from what he had gathered she was far from the type to associate herself with the populars. That was a mystery no one could figure out.

“Steeeeve” he said in mock excitement throwing his arms out as if he was meeting up with an old friend he hadn't seen for a while. Steve looked up, confusement painting his face as he locked eyes on the metalhead before him. Long brown wavy hair cut into a shag, ripped jeans, ratty band tee with a fading print of a metallica album, softening leather jacket and silver chains and jewelry adorning his body. They were polar opposites. “Do I know you?” he asked unamused. “Funny” Eddie sneered as he sauntered over, placing his hands on the linoleum surface.

Eddie may not be popular but he would like to think he made himself well known as a town pariah, devils worship, selling drugs, petty criminal, trailer trash and all that.

“What do you want?” Steve closed his comic which Eddie noticed being Albedo Anthropomorphics issue number 7 as Steve straightened up on the stool, squaring his shoulders to give Eddie his undivided attention. “You're Dustin's babysitter right?” He was intentionally getting on Harrington's nerves, because it didn't matter how annoying he was, he knew Steve would help, despite Mike and Lucas’s warnings. A fact that that was proven as he remembered Dustin ranting about the exact same comic Steve was reading.

Unamusement turned to disgust as he glared at Eddie.

“NoO, I am not” he corrected, the second vowel raising in pitch as if correcting a child who he was very impatient with. “Yes you are” Eddie grinned, “Anyway, I need your help” he smirked, slanting his body to the left and cocking out his hip as his firm hand on the counter supported him “And why exactly would I help you?” boredom laced Steve's words as he narrowed his eyes in annoyance.

“Aren't you supposed to be in customer service?” he gestured towards the fact that Steve was sitting at the checkout counter in a literal store “Show me that customer service smile” his grin widened but in response all he got was a deep scowl. “Anyway” he straightened his back to watch Steve intently “It's Dustin's birthday next friday, he is under the impression that his lovely sweet mother is taking him out to dinner, but in reality he’ll be getting a surprise party” Steve couldn't help but let his scowl ease slightly “-and that's where you come in” Eddie continued as he pointed towards the video store clerk. “-we need some help planning.”

After some convincing and some very weak pleading from Eddie, Steve gave in although making it very clear the only reason he would endure Eddie's presence was because of Dustin and Dustin alone. His shift ended at 5 pm sharp and informed Eddie he could come by at 5:30 to plan. “But you're not staying past 6:30, I don't want you in my house” he had crossed his arms, eyes staring at Eddie as he scoffed “Relax, I wouldn't want to be surrounded by your mothers ghastly interior for more than an hour at a time anyway.”

And that was where they were now, sat in Steve's kitchen, bickering about the theme of the party as they faced each other at the round table. As expected Eddie had made faint remarks about the previously mentioned interior when he entered the Harrington home, much to Steve's dismay. As Steve began going on a rant about how Eddie was in under no circumstances allowed to bring alcohol Eddie glanced out the window in boredom. But the only thing to entertain him was a round figure walking lazily down the sidewalk, back straight and arms swaying, head held high and confident, so he found his eyes drifting back in to the kitchen and was brought back to the argument at hand. “You think I'm that irresponsible that I would bring Alcohol to a birthday party for a 15 year old?”

“Well..”

“Oh shut up” Eddie's upper lip curled in displeasure at the accusation.

Steve seemed unbothered when the door clicked and swung on its hinges in the next room over, and continued with his assignment on planning. Taking it upon himself to start writing a shopping list, not yet sure if he trusted Eddie with the responsibility of following through with getting all the things they needed or if he should take care of it himself.

That same round figure showed up in the open doorway drawing both of the men's attention. Eddie barely got a chance to look at her, only registering her face as she leaned halfway over the threshold with a simple “Yo”. Her face looked slightly annoyed he registered, cupid's bow pulled up almost as if in disgust while a slight furrow showed between her brows. “Hey” Steve returned before she turned promptly and made her way down the hall, he heard as footsteps led her up the stairs and out of earshot.

“Whoa trouble with the missus?” Eddie chuckled, leaning back in the fancy intricate wooden chair that matched the rest. “What? That's my sister” Steve frowned, a frown similar to yours but more deep set. “Really? You look nothing alike” he marveled, within the few seconds he laid eyes on you he could only distinguish the fact that your hair was a shade darker, and that your body was very clearly the opposite of Steves. His lean form and sleek muscles were obviously something that he had not inherited or something that ran in the family. “All siblings don't look alike you know” Steve breathed as he sat back in his chair, one leg crossing over the other to rest his ankle on his thigh.

“Why does she look like that then?” it wasn't a comment on your body but on your expression as you appeared by the open frame, Steve had already anticipated the question, he knew it was coming the second you stepped through the door. “I dunno, she has like a permanent frown, shes fuckin’ unapproachable, hence why she has no friends” Eddie looked surprised as Steve rolled his eyes “Well in school anyway, even if she was approachable shes too i hate everyone to even make an effort” he made bunny eared quotation marks in the air as he described your personality. “Wow, didn't know easy breezy perfect King Stevie ‘The Hair’ Harrington had a sibling so different from him, or well one at all actually” he felt a surge of annoyance at Eddie's words. “She your older sister then?” Steve only rolled his eyes again, you were clearly invisible to everyone around you .“She's a senior at your high school, shouldn't you know everyone by now? Seeing as it's your second year as one?” he felt slightly proud at his jab at the man across from him who'd been getting on his nerves all afternoon. “She is?” Eddie ignored the latter.

“Told you, she's unapproachable, sticks to herself” that was true but he couldn't help feeling slightly sad for you, even if you were in his parallel class he would have hoped at least someone would know who you were, you weren't all that different from Eddie, both weird. “She used to be in band, with Robin” he squinted his eyes slightly to gather information on whether or not Eddie knew who Robin was, he continued when he got a single nod of confirmation “But now she's in some orchestra in New Castle, so she doesn’t like stick around after school” he explained, giving Eddie another reason as to why he had never heard of you. “Her? In orchestra?” from the brief look he had gotten of you, you did not look like some nit picky orchestra person. “Yeah she plays the cello” “The cello?” Eddie asked, utterly baffled. “Yeah the-” he held his hands up by his neck, pulling an invisible bow back and forth “That's a violin man”

“Yeah whatever”

The conversation surrounding Steve Harrington's sister and how you were so unlike your brother died there and the topic of Dustin's party was brought up again, to the slight disappointment of Eddie.

–

“Mm?” was your answer to the knock at your bedroom door, allowing Steve to open it and peep inside, finding you propped up against your headboard, a paperback copy of In Cold Blood by Truman Capote in your hands. “I’m having some people over” he jumped straight to the point, hand resting limply on the doorknob while the other found its place on his hip “For that party planning thing I was telling you about so please don't like, play your weird loser music or that stupid viola.”

“First of all” you sat up to glare at Steve “Elvis Presley is not weird loser music, second it's a violin you dick” you scowled, the frown which Steve said you wore constantly, tightened. “Yeah yeah, just shut up for the evening ok?”

“I was done with practicing but just because of that, I think I might continue” an ill intentioned smirk formed on your lips.

“You are so fucking annoying” he breathed.

“Tell me something I don't know” you rolled your eyes, lying down and turning away from him. Even though you utterly sucked he still had to inform you “We're eating alone tonight by the way, Mom's at the country club playing golf and Dad's staying late at work”

“Great” you answered sarcastically before Steve shut the door.

You weren't necessarily complaining, it was a regular occurrence that Charles Harrington stayed late to handle the law firm and you would rather Sharon Harrington was far out of sight when he was. Bad blood simmered between you and your mother, her constant criticism for your behavior, style and eating habits were not something you particularly looked forward to when you came home especially in comparison to Steve who had always been mommy's perfect little boy.

–

Eddie, Mike, Lucas, Will and Steve sat strewn across arm chairs and couches in the off white pristine living room of the Harrington residence. They had only just sat down, notebook on the ready for budget planning and fresh coca colas from the fridge in their hands when the undeniable sound of a bow slowly brushing over hard metal strings was heard throughout the house.

The second you heard Steve welcome them in on the Sunday afternoon you got up and kept your promise to continue practicing on your instrument. Steve audibly groaned below you, its volume traveling up the stairs and through your open door only egging you on further as you began playing Symphony n.5 by Beethoven moving your bow up and down the strings.

Sure Steve had taken on his brotherly duty to play nice and explain the situation for tonight, not that it was any different from any other night, and he was on occasions friendly with you, but that didn't change the fact that he was a fucking ass to you. During your 18 years on this earth Steve had bullied you, pestered you and made your life almost as miserable as your mother did, she claimed it was Steve's way of showing love but you didn't accept that fact as true. You may have, however, if you actually knew what Steve did for you, multiple times he had gotten into fights with classmates to defend your honor, both in his childhood years up until the end of high school, only easing up when he was no longer in contact or around to hear the crude remarks about you. But, you didn't know, so you had no issue with creating a slight hell for him as he did for you.

With each 8 beats the chord changed and you only increased in strength. “Is that Y/N?” Mike asked as he listened in on you upstairs “You knew he had a sister??” Eddie piped up, turning towards him “You have a sister?” Lucas was shocked “Of course I know he has a sister, doesn't everyone?”

“No!”

The vigorous strumming and skillful fingerwork slowed to slower notes, slowly building as Steve started to get annoyed, rising from his comfortable seat in the armchair and preparing for battle. “She's gotten really good since I last heard her, damn” Mike awed as Steve brushed past him and out into the hallway, following the sound of shorter notes echoing throughout the house. You were clearly interrupting but Eddie couldn't help but feel amazed at the sounds, so different from the instruments he usually heard in his music or the music he listened to, a whole different genre but from what he gathered you were very good with the violin. He listened in a daze, as if your bow and strings cast him under an enchantment as Steve stormed down the hall and made a loud show of him coming up the stairs, giving you one last chance to back down. You did not.

Eddie was torn from his enchantment as the music suddenly came to an abrupt hall.

“Give that back you fucking asshole! That's a ten thousand dollar instrument!”

He had ripped the fragile maple wood from your hands in anger.

“I told you not to play it while I had people over!”

“And I told you I dont give a shit!”

The shouting match had begun.

“Of course you don't! Because all you care about is this stupid fucking thing!”

“Because it's my life! That thing is my whole life! That is my ticket to a degree! Don’t go giving me shit because you’re too fucking stupid to even get in to community college!” you screamed but within an instant your voice softened to an insulting hiss upstairs “You couldn't even pass the PSAT’s at a respectable grade.”

“I would take having a life over whatever your sad excuse for one is anyday! Locked up in your room every waking hour studying, oh unless you're in school where you don't even have the human decency to talk to people or be in any way polite” Steve was no longer shouting but spewing words with pure venom.

“Because they’re all fucking pieces of shit! Who don’t give a flying fuck about anything other than mindless sex, popularity and LYING to themselves that this fucking Hawkins Indiana is the place to be!” he heard you scoff before an exasperated shout “LIKE YOU!”

“And if you're not at school you’re at fucking orchestra practicing for shows-” his voice became firm and short of a temperfull whisper as he interrupted your speech “-who no one ever comes to”. It seemed a shame, your playing had been amazing, from the short snippet he heard you had some intense skills, it must be wasted to play for only a few people.

Eddie couldn't have known that Steve had the urge to throw your precious violin that disturbed his peace every day of the week in to the wall, maybe even thrust it onto the ground and smash it to tiny pieces under his sock clad foot, but a part of him in the back of his mind knew that would both leave you heartbroken and that he would never come back from doing such a cruel thing to you, so instead he tossed the violin onto the soft plush of your bed before storming out with a “Fucking bitch” muttered under his breath and slamming the door behind him. Eddie heard you shout a “Sanctimonious piece of shit!” back at him and then footsteps down the stairs.

The group scattered around the livingroom sat awkwardly as Steve emerged from the hall and back to them, they didn't know what to do or say and it was clear on their faces. Steve breathed a heavy breath before apologizing “Sorry about her and that you had to hear that” Eddie raised his brows at him as if to say Are you kidding me? Steve saw it and was quick to announce “Trust me, we’re fine, we fight all the time”

Even though you were upset you would not back down, you were quick to retrieve your violin and find its place resting atop your shoulder and under your chin.

“She's gonna start playing again any second, she's fine” Steve sank back down into plush leather just as the music started up again. He gestured his hand up at the ceiling to prove his point.

Eddie was experiencing a mixture of feelings, all reeling around his head as you began playing again, a new found interest for the classical genre, sadness for you who had to go through that, anger at Steve for saying such hurtful things but also surprise at how even though you had been insulted so harshly which would have left the girls he knew, granted only a few, crying, you continued playing, as if it didn't bother you.

And it barely did bother you, Steve was right, you did fight all the time, and through years of bullying from classmates and close family you had become tough, strong, learnt to deal with feelings, push them as far down as your mind would allow you and move on. It was even the moments after the horrible fights that you had learnt to cherish, just as you did when everyone had left for the evening. Steve didn't verbally apologize but you knew he was sorry, and he showed it by becoming your friend again and ordering pizza for dinner, paying with it from his hard earned money (your parents didn't give him allowance since he got a job) and sat with you, watching soap operas on the couch.

It was a destructive and toxic relationship, being bullied and only fighting back when no parents were around to hear it and then instantly becoming friends, but it was your destructive and toxic relationship.

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