Coping || STEDDIE

Happy Birthday

A few months later, the kids have started their second year of high school. Robin took a gap year, Nancy went off to her fancy college. The Byers have moved back and now live in a joint Byers/Hopper home. Steve and Robin still work at Family Video, and everything is normal for the most part. Steve liked normal, he liked how domestic everything about his life now felt.

"You know, I think I kinda knew the whole time. That's why we became friends." Robin said while stacking the romance movies in their section.

"Ok but how could you have known before me, it's my sexuality." Steve stated, one eyebrow quirked.

"Because I have this cool thing called a gaydar, it's like a radar for gay people. So i just knew you were bi." She said matter-o-factly, Raspberry Beret playing softly in the store.

"That's actually so stupid, and also doesn't make any sense." He leaned over the counter and fiddled with the curved edge, the store was deserted because it was almost closing time. But that didn't stop the clang of something falling outside, or the sudden opening of the door.

"Steve we need to talk." Eleven, the quietest in the kids group, stated as she walked towards him
with a purpose. Mike and Will close behind. El and Steve had grown slightly closer over these past few months, because Steve was helping her cope with a lot of different things in her life.

"Uh sure, stores empty. Shoot." He was pretty used to these conversations, it was probably something to do with Mike or school or something.

"No, you don't understand. It's really important." She looked to the side at Robin, who had just finished up and was walked to the door to flip the open sign to closed.

"Um... okay. Where do we need to talk then?" He gestured for her to follow as he went to the back to lock up and turn off the lights, Will and Mike moved over to Robin and started talking to her in hushed tones.

"This is fine, I just need you to understand the severity." She grabbed his arms to stop him from moving, he didn't like the way she was acting.

"What's happened..." He felt his heartbeat speed up, and his palms start to sweat. He was reminded of the last time something bad happened, he had shoved those memories back, but the look on El's face was of so much severity that he couldn't help it.

"You need to come with us. To my house." Steve looked confused for a second, then nodded. It started slow but sped up, "ok.. ok." He knew who was at her house, Hopper and Joyce, the actual adults who had helped from the beginning.

"Put your bikes in my car, we'll drive over there. But Robin has to come, if it's really urgent i can't go out of the way to drop her off at her home."

"That is fine, let's go." By the time they went back out, everything was shut off and Robin and the boys were standing by Steve's car, their bikes already packed up.

-

When they pulled up to the Byers/Hopper home, all the lights were shut off and it was slightly eerie looking. It was the same home the Byers originally lived in, but they built on in the back for a room for Eleven and then a room for guests. Such as friends from California, or the occasional Nancy who would come back from college.

"Um.." Steve murmured as he turned the car off and opened the door. His mind was running with possibilities, had everyone inside already been taken and now there was a trap for them?? His heartbeat only quickened, and his hand immediately went to his hair.

"Go on." El murmured, ushering Steve to the door. He reached for the knob, trying to remain calm and confident so that everyone else would be as well. If he was scared they would be scared too.

He wished he had his bat, or at least a weapon of some sort. He turned the knob and let the door swing open.

He took one step into the house before all the lights cut on and loud pops and crackles rang in his ears. There were also shouts and screams, but they weren't in fear or death.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!"

Steve jumped back, more out of surprise then fear.

"Jesus fucking christ..." He gripped his chest with one hand and braced himself against the wall with the other. But he was grinning from ear to ear. He didn't really know what to say, it was his 19th birthday and somehow he himself had forgotten.

After the expected hellos and gratitude towards the host and hostess, as well as the child who scared the ever loving shit out of him to get him here, he relaxed agains the couch and took some deep breaths.

"I am sorry Steve." El said as she sat down next to him, "I did not mean to scare you."

"It's all fine, it made it all the better." He patted her shoulder and she stood back up walking away.

"Some party." Jonathan said as he took the spot El had been sitting in. "It's mostly 15 year-olds but you know, it's not so bad." Jonathan smiled slightly, and Steve returned the gesture. They knew that since there was a literal police chief 20 feet away, they couldn't indulge in underage drinking or anything else of that matter. But boy did he need something.

After a few hours spent at the party, Steve was weary and decided it was time to leave. He waved everyone goodbye, said a few more thanks, grabbed robin and left. And of course he left the kids bikes, but he was getting slightly overwhelmed.

"Hey, hey, are you okay?" Robin asked once they got into the car. Steve had been staring at the steering wheel with both hands on it and his knuckles turning slightly white.

"Yeah, yeah i'm good. It's just a lot, you know?" Steve couldn't stop thinking about that day now, now that it was back in his head. And even better it hasn't been since then that all those same people were together in one place.

"I probably should've told you, so you wouldn't be caught off guard. That's so stupid of me i'm really sorry steve, you know it's just that i couldn't help but think that i would ruin the surprise and then you would be more upset because like parties are your thing because your like the Steve Harrington and you're all-"

"Robin."

"Yeah, sorry." She sat back and took a few deep breaths herself, then steve cranked on the radio. It was in the middle of the song Walking on Sunshine, which was very ironic given the atmosphere of the car.

Once steve was home by himself, he trudged up the stairs and into his room. He sat on the very edge of his bed and stared at the vest that constantly sat on the back of his desk chair. He didn't realize he was completely zoned out until he felt himself falling asleep. And then he was wide awake, but when he actually tried to fall asleep it was the hardest two hours of his life.

He hated the dreams that followed the thoughts in the back of his mind. He knew he couldn't be the only one that got those nightmares, but no one ever talked about it. No one wanted to remember or talk about the bad things that happened.

Steve couldn't help but think, if Eddie were here he would make some wise crack joke about it, then pat steve on the shoulder and reassure him that he was "King Steve" and that everything was alright.

He knew why he thought that, it was the same conversation he was having with Robin in the store.

He couldn't help but wonder.