Cigarette Daydreams

1

//Authors note: this story takes place in 1984 when Eddie is 18. I'm changing Steve's age to be 18 as well so they're the same age, this does NOT follow the plot of stranger things and is solely based on my own opinions of the characters, this is also an angsty story and deals with truama as well as slurs// 

Eddie looked at his hands and sighed 'I'm so fucked..' he thought as an officer walked into the interrogation room.  "Ed, do you know why you're here?" the officer asked

"I got caught." Eddie replied

"That's right son."

"Am I gonna go to jail?" Tears welled in his eyes, Ed knew he'd get kicked out again if he had to face jail time. "No you won't, but you do have 20 hours of community service as well as apologizing in a letter to the family's house you broke into." The officer had gotten the family to calm down and give Eddie the benefit of the doubt. Compared to some of the other things he'd had to go through, this was minor and not worth a big fuss. The officer let Eddie go on the condition that he finds someone to watch him. 

Ed drove himself home instead of going to find someone, he walked in only to be greeted with the foul stench of sex, alcohol, piss and various drugs. He lived with his parents, it wasn't the best situation but he had to deal with it until he could live with his uncle. "I'm home" he grumbled and walked to his room.  He wasn't allowed to have a door on his room because his father and mother suspected he'd do "faggot shit" Ed thought it was bullshit because he'd never done anything to make his parents suspect he was gay nor was he sexually active with anyone. Eddie's makeshift door was a heavy black curtain (for privacy) and a sheer tapestry (for looks), the inside of his room was a futon that was laid into a bed, it had a few tattered blankets, a pillow and a small stuffed animal. The rest of his room was pretty bare aside from an iron maiden poster, a dresser with his clothes and his guitar. 

He lit some incense to get rid of the stench in what he dared to call a home. He was alone so he decided to get a shower in while he could, he couldn't stand the sight of the bathroom in the house so he instead went to Dustin's house and asked to shower there. Dustin's mom used to babysit him when he was little and he appreciated that Claudia taught him manners, she was always willing to help him because of his family situation. Eddie showered and was offered dinner which he gladly accepted, he hadn't had a proper dinner in a while since the only thing he knew how to cook was SpaghettiOs and toast. 

After dinner he went home and thankfully was still alone, the house didn't smell foul anymore so he took the opportunity to clean up a bit before getting ready for bed. What happened after he couldn't have expected, a knock on his front door. he walked over and opened the door to find Steve Harrington shivering in a towel with a bruise on his cheek "Steve are you okay?" he pulled him inside and shut the door. Ed took off his shirt and put it over Steve's head, "no.. Can I stay tonight?.." Harrington asked, Eddie looked at the clock and determined his parents probably went on a bender and wouldn't be back  for a few days. "Yeah, lets get you cleaned up"  

Eddie got him into clean clothes and made him some hot tea, "what happened man?" 

"I got kicked out, my dad found out I got into a fight with Johnathan."

"Again?"

"Yeah, I just was so mad at him because him and Nance are dating now.."

"It's not gonna stop them from being together Steve"

"I know!" Steve put his face in his hands and sighed "I just miss her so much.." Eddie walked over and hugged him "it'll be okay, you have to let her go at some point.." He knew Steve wouldn't give up on Nancy easily but he could help speed along Steve's mourning. The two were never really close but in desperate times they'd go to each other for support, this had been going on since Steve was a first grader and Eddie was in third grade. 

//little flashback for context//

Eddie sat in the field of the playground, he was crying. He didn't notice but a little first grader was walking up to him and sat in front of him "why are you crying?" said the little boy 

"I-I'm not crying!" he blubbered and sniffled, the little boy wiped the other's face off and handed him a handkerchief "blow your nose." Ed reluctantly did and looked at the kid for the first time, he had pretty brown hair and big brown eyes, he was missing his front two teeth and had a scrape on his cheek "why are you being so nice to me?" Eddie asked

"Because you're supposed to be nice to people who're sad, even if you don't like them."

"I'm Ed-"

"I'm Steve!" 

'Steve- that's a pretty name' Eddie thought

//end flashback//