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Feb. 25th, 2033 04:56 pm
Weird West AU
Apr. 28th, 2024 09:26 amThe first thing about The Gulch was that it was a town of survivors, hell, the town itself was a survivor, it had survived the river running dry, a copper mine doing the same and a silver mine collapsing even before they moved the stagecoach stop a few miles off.
But even then, they were the last wayside spot between the stagecoach stop and the nearest train station, so they'd continued to scratch out a living even then. These days, there was water in the river basin again, and the town was a quaint tourist destination, both of which were things that kept everyone going. Of course, the tourists never stayed long, they always knew the vibe was off. But others? The ones that the town often referred to as 'good folks, like us', well, they usually found a place to stay.
The second thing about The Gulch was that it had been called something else, once upon a time, but the only one still living there who knew it was Benny who ran the general store and managed the diner next door to it, and he knew because he'd been there the whole time. No one quite knew what he was, but it was rude to ask. One of the few taboos the town had, if someone wanted it to be known what it was they were, or did, or had done, they'd say so, but nobody ever asked.
Which was part of the reason Steve had stayed the past few years. He'd heard about the place the same as anyone else, through whispers and offhand comments among their kind, other good folks (like us), and he'd ended up making his way there after The Incident. The town had a small chapel, mostly taken care of by Robin, who always laughed about it, since she'd run away from home before she could be sent off to join a convent -or something like it- and ended up keeping the chapel tidy, making sure there were always prayer candles in various colors and as many different holy books as she could find. But non-denominational worked for Steve, since he'd been excommunicated as it was, couldn't very well have a monster tending a flock after all, even one that had -mostly- learned to control itself.
But no one in town minded that their new preacher wasn't technically allowed to preach, it wasn't like any of them were going to tell, and most of them were just happy to have one again, the last one had been back in '86 and no one had liked him at all and he hadn't stayed long. Mostly Steve liked that the rectory was a small brick house out behind the chapel, and had a root cellar, that he could convert into a very different kind of storage room.
That particular morning, two days after the full moon and definitely still feeling it, Steve was perched at the end of the counter at the diner, nursing a cup of coffee and waiting for his breakfast, it was busier than it had been in a while, which meant that both waitresses and the one waiter had all been called in and would likely be working through lunch. Judging by the number of cell phone pictures being taken and people wearing brand-new hiking boots, Steve figured that meant the town had been featured in yet another tourist magazine, and would be busy for a few days before things settled down again.
But even then, they were the last wayside spot between the stagecoach stop and the nearest train station, so they'd continued to scratch out a living even then. These days, there was water in the river basin again, and the town was a quaint tourist destination, both of which were things that kept everyone going. Of course, the tourists never stayed long, they always knew the vibe was off. But others? The ones that the town often referred to as 'good folks, like us', well, they usually found a place to stay.
The second thing about The Gulch was that it had been called something else, once upon a time, but the only one still living there who knew it was Benny who ran the general store and managed the diner next door to it, and he knew because he'd been there the whole time. No one quite knew what he was, but it was rude to ask. One of the few taboos the town had, if someone wanted it to be known what it was they were, or did, or had done, they'd say so, but nobody ever asked.
Which was part of the reason Steve had stayed the past few years. He'd heard about the place the same as anyone else, through whispers and offhand comments among their kind, other good folks (like us), and he'd ended up making his way there after The Incident. The town had a small chapel, mostly taken care of by Robin, who always laughed about it, since she'd run away from home before she could be sent off to join a convent -or something like it- and ended up keeping the chapel tidy, making sure there were always prayer candles in various colors and as many different holy books as she could find. But non-denominational worked for Steve, since he'd been excommunicated as it was, couldn't very well have a monster tending a flock after all, even one that had -mostly- learned to control itself.
But no one in town minded that their new preacher wasn't technically allowed to preach, it wasn't like any of them were going to tell, and most of them were just happy to have one again, the last one had been back in '86 and no one had liked him at all and he hadn't stayed long. Mostly Steve liked that the rectory was a small brick house out behind the chapel, and had a root cellar, that he could convert into a very different kind of storage room.
That particular morning, two days after the full moon and definitely still feeling it, Steve was perched at the end of the counter at the diner, nursing a cup of coffee and waiting for his breakfast, it was busier than it had been in a while, which meant that both waitresses and the one waiter had all been called in and would likely be working through lunch. Judging by the number of cell phone pictures being taken and people wearing brand-new hiking boots, Steve figured that meant the town had been featured in yet another tourist magazine, and would be busy for a few days before things settled down again.
[Hang on to your hopes, my friend...]
Steve could say that he didn't know when he'd become the Cuckoo in the nest, but it would be a lie. He knew the first time Vecna had spoken to him, just a few days after Steve had smashed an actual demon in the face with a bat he'd gotten from Jonathan Byers, of all people. It had started out as dreams, a voice in the darkness assuring him that despite what he'd seen, he had no reason to be afraid, and that if he wanted, he could learn to control the creatures so that he wouldn't have to be afraid ever again.
That was enough, for a time. Though it turned out that the voice, Vecna, had other plans as well, further plans, even grand plans, and more than that, knew about Steve's recent fall from grace, so that initial promise of no longer needing to fear any of the creatures from the other side soon became a promise of reclaiming his title as King as well. He just had to help, pass along information, be ready to watch Hawkins burn, when the time came.
That, also, was enough. For a time. But after Halloween, and the revelation that 'everything was bullshit', well, after that Steve was onboard with not just watching Hawkins burn but actually helping set the fire.
That whole thing with the Russians the year before had been a test, and he knew it -even more of one than other things he'd already done- especially after Steve had made sure that there was no way Billy goddamn Hargrove could make a bid for his throne.
His orders had been simple, Vecna needed to know just how close they actually were to opening another gate, and had promised that Steve would make it through the ordeal in one piece, even if he got caught. So while it had been... extremely unpleasant, he had made it through, as had the group he'd been protecting, which further solidified the fact that they could trust him and was proof enough to Steve that Vecna kept his promises.
Of course, Hopper had been collateral damage, which was unfortunate, but more than that it had also been enough to prove to Steve that Vecna couldn't be allowed to rule, though with things as they were, the limits of their agreement meant that Steve couldn't actually kill him, either.
But now? Well now he had a chance, especially if this Vecna was anything like his namesake. All he needed was a Kas, and thanks to Dustin, he knew just the guy.
First things first, though, he had to get Eddie to actually trust him even a fraction as much as the group did. Which was why he'd made his way back to the boathouse the evening after their near-disaster of a first meeting, with a camping lantern and a six-pack. He drummed his fingers against the door, "Hey, it's Steve, I uh, I come in peace? And bearing gifts."
Steve could say that he didn't know when he'd become the Cuckoo in the nest, but it would be a lie. He knew the first time Vecna had spoken to him, just a few days after Steve had smashed an actual demon in the face with a bat he'd gotten from Jonathan Byers, of all people. It had started out as dreams, a voice in the darkness assuring him that despite what he'd seen, he had no reason to be afraid, and that if he wanted, he could learn to control the creatures so that he wouldn't have to be afraid ever again.
That was enough, for a time. Though it turned out that the voice, Vecna, had other plans as well, further plans, even grand plans, and more than that, knew about Steve's recent fall from grace, so that initial promise of no longer needing to fear any of the creatures from the other side soon became a promise of reclaiming his title as King as well. He just had to help, pass along information, be ready to watch Hawkins burn, when the time came.
That, also, was enough. For a time. But after Halloween, and the revelation that 'everything was bullshit', well, after that Steve was onboard with not just watching Hawkins burn but actually helping set the fire.
That whole thing with the Russians the year before had been a test, and he knew it -even more of one than other things he'd already done- especially after Steve had made sure that there was no way Billy goddamn Hargrove could make a bid for his throne.
His orders had been simple, Vecna needed to know just how close they actually were to opening another gate, and had promised that Steve would make it through the ordeal in one piece, even if he got caught. So while it had been... extremely unpleasant, he had made it through, as had the group he'd been protecting, which further solidified the fact that they could trust him and was proof enough to Steve that Vecna kept his promises.
Of course, Hopper had been collateral damage, which was unfortunate, but more than that it had also been enough to prove to Steve that Vecna couldn't be allowed to rule, though with things as they were, the limits of their agreement meant that Steve couldn't actually kill him, either.
But now? Well now he had a chance, especially if this Vecna was anything like his namesake. All he needed was a Kas, and thanks to Dustin, he knew just the guy.
First things first, though, he had to get Eddie to actually trust him even a fraction as much as the group did. Which was why he'd made his way back to the boathouse the evening after their near-disaster of a first meeting, with a camping lantern and a six-pack. He drummed his fingers against the door, "Hey, it's Steve, I uh, I come in peace? And bearing gifts."
Time keeps moving on, with or without you
Feb. 1st, 2023 03:48 pm[the general vibe]
It had been five years, five years that might as well have been a lifetime. They hadn't lost Eddie the first time, they almost had, the same way they'd almost lost Max, but the two of them had recovered just in time for Vecna to rise again, and while they hadn't lost Max the second time, hadn't even come close, they'd definitely lost Eddie.
Something that Steve had tried, repeatedly, to forgive himself for, sometimes he almost managed, but mostly he'd just managed to bury how much it still stung, and in doing so maybe he'd even managed to convince himself that it didn't anymore. Except for the part where he still saw Eddie everywhere, not as often as he had at the beginning, but often enough to make his chest clench every time.
Though now, with all the kids moving on -whether to college or other adventures- and Hawkins becoming more and more of a ghost town over the past few years, Steve finally decided it was time for him to move on, too.
It was harder than he'd expected, mostly because he didn't have any idea of where he wanted to go, but then, unbidden as these things often were, he remembered an exchange he'd had with Eddie, a bare snippet of a conversation when they'd been lying low before that final battle.
"You know Stevie, if this whole saving the world thing doesn't work out, at least we'll always have Paris."
"Sure, but Illinois or Tennessee?"
"Tennessee, obviously, nobody in their right mind moves to Illinois on purpose. Besides, Tennessee's got an Eiffel Tower in it, kind of makes it the superior option, right?"
They'd laughed about it, at the time, sleep-deprived and still fighting, but having given himself three days to think about it, and with no better options coming up in that time, Steve had gone for it and was lucky enough to find both a cheap apartment and a job at a video store -something he knew Robin would laugh about, considering how often they'd both complained about the Family Video- and had managed to settle in.
It was fine, really, things were going as well as could be expected. Except for the fact that he'd started seeing Eddie again.
Leaving the supermarket as he was arriving, across the green at a concert in the park, even just walking by outside the video store, but never close enough or with enough time for Steve to actually stop him and make sure, and if he was being honest with himself, he wasn't really sure he wanted to, since he knew it couldn't actually be Eddie, and how would that conversation even go? 'Hi, I'm Steve, you look like a friend of mine who died saving the world, you want to get a coffee sometime, maybe?' and that was a best case scenario.
It had been five years, five years that might as well have been a lifetime. They hadn't lost Eddie the first time, they almost had, the same way they'd almost lost Max, but the two of them had recovered just in time for Vecna to rise again, and while they hadn't lost Max the second time, hadn't even come close, they'd definitely lost Eddie.
Something that Steve had tried, repeatedly, to forgive himself for, sometimes he almost managed, but mostly he'd just managed to bury how much it still stung, and in doing so maybe he'd even managed to convince himself that it didn't anymore. Except for the part where he still saw Eddie everywhere, not as often as he had at the beginning, but often enough to make his chest clench every time.
Though now, with all the kids moving on -whether to college or other adventures- and Hawkins becoming more and more of a ghost town over the past few years, Steve finally decided it was time for him to move on, too.
It was harder than he'd expected, mostly because he didn't have any idea of where he wanted to go, but then, unbidden as these things often were, he remembered an exchange he'd had with Eddie, a bare snippet of a conversation when they'd been lying low before that final battle.
"You know Stevie, if this whole saving the world thing doesn't work out, at least we'll always have Paris."
"Sure, but Illinois or Tennessee?"
"Tennessee, obviously, nobody in their right mind moves to Illinois on purpose. Besides, Tennessee's got an Eiffel Tower in it, kind of makes it the superior option, right?"
They'd laughed about it, at the time, sleep-deprived and still fighting, but having given himself three days to think about it, and with no better options coming up in that time, Steve had gone for it and was lucky enough to find both a cheap apartment and a job at a video store -something he knew Robin would laugh about, considering how often they'd both complained about the Family Video- and had managed to settle in.
It was fine, really, things were going as well as could be expected. Except for the fact that he'd started seeing Eddie again.
Leaving the supermarket as he was arriving, across the green at a concert in the park, even just walking by outside the video store, but never close enough or with enough time for Steve to actually stop him and make sure, and if he was being honest with himself, he wasn't really sure he wanted to, since he knew it couldn't actually be Eddie, and how would that conversation even go? 'Hi, I'm Steve, you look like a friend of mine who died saving the world, you want to get a coffee sometime, maybe?' and that was a best case scenario.
