Hypotheticals

19- Oh, What a Night!

"Oh my god, leave each other alone!" Steve looks at the group in the back of his car through the rear view mirror. Max, Lucas, Mike and Robin were piled in. Literally. There was not enough seats so everyone is squished in. Robin is crossing her arms staring forward. Max sits between the two boys, who are arguing about one of Eddie's recent campaigns. Lucas kept trying to get Max to side with him but she never would. Mike would try as well, except instead, with their DnD leader, Eddie. Everytime he would shake his head, say "Keep me outta this." and put his hands up in defence, from the front seat. 

Sometimes Steve feels like a mother of seven- well, five now, with Will and El gone. The boys give up, frustrated, obeying Steve. Eddie snickers at the way they all automatically listen to Steve. It was pure magic, those kids never shut up.  Steve keeps his eyes on the road ahead, bobbing his head to the music on the radio. Eddie didn't know the song, but he'd heard Steve listen to it in the past.  The others indugle themselves in conversation again. 

If Steve had to pick one song to listen to forever, a song that could save him from any danger it would be this one. Steve has a weakness for 70s love songs that he wouldn't tell a sould. He sings along to the words quietly. 

Oh, what a night
Hypnotizing, mesmerizin' me
She was everything I dreamed she'd be
Sweet surrender, what a night

Eddie grins as he listens to Steve's gentle voice. 

---

They pile out of his car, as Steve walks up to the front door of the Hendersons'. Steve, Robin and Eddie have the day off, and they invited the rest of the gang to go and see Dustin. When Mrs. Henderson opens the door, she greets Steve with a hug. She gives everyone else a welcoming wave. "Steve! So nice to see all of you. Dustin is in bed right now, but he's awake, go ahead." She grins wide and motions to his room down the hall. 

Dustin gasps when he see who comes from behind his door. His eyes light up. He tosses his blanket off as he gets out of bed. Lucas and Mike consume him in a hug. Steve watches from the doorway. It's been a long time since he's seen his best friend. When the boys let go Dustin struts over to Steve and giggles. He squeezes his tall friend, face squisshed on Steve's chest. Steve wraps his arms around Dustin's shoulders. Eddie pats the boy's shoulder. Max gives him a brief hug, and Robin a high five. 

Dustin invites them to sit down. He hops up onto his bed and sits cross legged. Robin steals the desk chair and flips it around, leaning on the back. Max sits on the edge of the bed, beside Dustin. Lucas could be found on the floor, in front of Max. Mike just sat down beside Robin, on the floor, knees to his chest. The circle had formed around Steve and Eddie who were still standing. They accept their fates and sit in their assigned seats. Steve sits on the floor, between Lucas and Mike, and Eddie sits on Robin's other side. They are accross the circle from each other, they couldn't be further. 

"Tell me everything that's happened at school since I left! Don't leave out Eddie's campaigns." Dustin leans forward, awaiting details. The other freshmen start speaking over each other, trying to get in every word they could. Max told him about all the boring and embarassing presentations he missed in their Geography class. Lucas recounted the details of the pep rally they had for the basketball team. Mike described the difficult campaign that they had been arguing about in the car.  Steve watches them all with a fondness. He also looks across the room to look at Eddie. Eddie is also watching him. They both have the same look of dissapintment. 

"Steve, what about you? What's new with you?" Steve was knocked out of his Eddie themed trance. "Uh..." What was new with Steve? Well, that was obvious. Everything was. He sighs. "Nothing much really. Oh! I recently found out that Munson was, tolerable." Everyone laughs, even Eddie. Steve laughs at his own joke, not because it was funny, but because by that logic, tolerable means unbearably hot. 

Eventually Dustin explains when he gets to go out again. "I'm doing better, a lot better. One more week and I'll be ready to face the world." he smiles and gives a thumbs up. Steve lets out a breath. "Oh great, that's good to hear." 

"Yeah kid, glad to hear it."

"I knew you'd pull through, you little dingus." 

"Oh thank god, I won't be stuck with these two idiots anymore."

"Oh yay!"

"Congrats Dustin." 

Eddie doesn't partake in the conversation. Instead he pays attention to Steve. Steve is listening to every word Dustin has to say. He let's the others interupt him. He doesn't force his words over everyone else. Every few sentences, he sneaks a glance over to Eddie.  He apreciates the way Steve cares. The way he cares makes Eddie's heart feel different. It's a stronger, more wistful feeling. It pulls at his heart. he racks his brain for words to describe the feeling. 

Affection, yearning, tenderness. Fondness, emotion, devotion. 

A/N short filler chapter sorry </3