While I looked around for my possibilities - Dark AU for @TheFreak

[the_hair]

[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."

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[thefreak]

There was a lot for Eddie to wrap his hands around. For one, the fact that all this time while Eddie was trying to graduate from high school three fucking times there had apparently been this alternate dimension underneath his nose all this time. But even more mind boggling was the fact that apparently Steve fucking Harrington of all people had done a complete one-eighty and was actually a cool dude.

He was still skeptical about that, but the fact that the former douchebag had come to visit with a six pack of beer was certainly helping. Although he did nearly jump out of his own skin when Steve reappeared, as every little sound and movement scared the absolute shit out of him.

"Jesus H. Christ," he mutters to himself before calling out louder, "Come in!"

He had no reason to suspect that Steve had any ulterior motives. If anything, he assumed this was Dustin's doing, but regardless of why Steve was here, he couldn't help but acknowledge that a little bit of beer and maybe a joint or two would take the edge off, make it a little easier to lie low. Since beggars couldn't be choosers, he would accept Steve's peace offering, regardless of what strings might be attached.

[the_hair]

Steve flashed a smile as he slid into the boathouse, wedging the door closed behind him again and jostling the beer in Eddie's direction, "Figured this might help simmer everything down a little." A shrug, shoving a box over with one foot so he'd have a place to sit, "Because yeah, finding out about the Upside Down for the first time is a pretty big mindfuck."

He scratched the back of his neck as he dropped down to sit, apparently completely at ease there, setting the camping lantern on the floor and switching it on, it was enough that they'd actually be able to see each other, but not bright enough to be seen outside, not unless someone was right against the glass, "I wish I could tell you that it stops being that way after a while, but it really doesn't." A shrug followed, "But if you've got questions, I'll do my best to answer them."

[thefreak]

Goddammit, why does Steve have to be so damn charming? Little does Eddie know that it is somewhat being used against him, but it does put him at ease almost immediately. How Steve could look perfectly fine with everything when there's this wizard who can apparently curse and kill people from another dimension is beyond him.

"Well...I appreciate it." He takes a beer and opens it, chugging most of it immediately. It's been a while since he's eaten anything, so this is probably a terrible idea, but what he needs right now are calmer nerves. "So, uh. This Upside Down place, have you ever been there? Or does it usually just come to us?"

[the_hair]

He tilted his head from side to side just briefly, "It mostly comes to us. First gate that got opened was in Hawkins Lab, and then there's some tunnels out under Merrill's pumpkin patch that are mostly here, but they branch out from the lab, so they're definitely part of the Upside Down, too. And they run way further than just Merrill's, out under most of the woods, too."

It was just that the pumpkin patch was where they, or rather Hopper, had cracked open an entrance to the tunnels, there were other weak points throughout the woods, even through the outskirts of town as Billy's busywork out at the Steelworks proved, but Steve knew better than to say as much. He couldn't say anything that was more information than the group had as a whole, and he'd done well at it so far.

A nod followed, "But mostly it's stuff breaking through to this side that we've got to deal with. I'm pretty sure Will Byers is the only one who's been on the other side for any amount of time."

[thefreak]

Eddie nods, though this whole thing has him freaking out more than he's letting on. He doesn't want to admit as much to Steve, though, so just accepts his words at face value. He has no reason to believe Steve would have any ulterior motives, after all.

"Great. So on top of everyone believing I killed Chrissy we also have to worry about monsters coming into our world. Peachy." He huffs out a breath before rubbing at his face with his hand.

"I don't know what I'd do without you guys, though, so...thanks. You could've just left me to take the fall but you didn't. I owe you one." Which feels weird to say to Steve Harrington of all people, but he's starting to understand what it is Dustin sees in him.

[the_hair]

"Yeah, the home-grown lynch mob is definitely new. At least last time it was the actual fucking Russians. But we'll... we'll figure it out. We always do."

He flashed another smile, just as charming as ever because that was one thing he was good at even still, "But hey, you're one of us now, and I know that it's literally the worst exclusive club to be part of, but we look after our own. Which is exactly why we weren't going to let you take the fall for that."

He shook his head, that smile twisting a little, "Now, if you were Hargrove, maybe, but last I heard you're actually a good guy." And yeah, Dustin had made some bad calls, specifically Dart, but he was a better judge of people than most of them realized.

[thefreak]

"Russians?" Eddie asks curiously, his face paling a little bit. Suddenly he's kind of glad that he's going up against a bunch of dumb hicks instead of, well, Russians. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but uh. I trust you. Mostly because Henderson does, but, you know."

Steve has to go smiling like that and Eddie is already a goner. While, yes, this is just about the worst club to be a part of, he has to admit, everyone has been helping him out which is certainly a lot better than he could have ever expected.

"Definitely not Hargrove. Fuck that asshole." He wrinkles his nose as he remembers his brief run-ins with the wannabe hotshot. At least Harrington mostly gave him a wide berth, but Hargrove had made his life a living hell, and had been a big reason why Eddie didn't graduate on his second attempt at senior year. "I'm glad you're here, though. I've been going out of my goddamn mind."

[the_hair]

"Yeah, Russians. I know Robin mentioned the, uh, the meat monster, but that was only half of the problem we had last year. The other half was the Russians building a fucking... I don't know, bunker and lab under the mall." He shook his head, "We don't know if they funded the mall being built or just took advantage because it was in the right place, it was a bad scene."

Another head-shake, clearing that away for the time being, because Eddie had, likely unwittingly, given him the opening he needed, "But you know, speaking of trusting me, and being glad someone's here." A soft huff of a laugh, quiet and wry, "I know this is going to sound crazy on a level of magnitude above the crazy you've already had the past couple days, but do you want to come stay with me instead of out here? I know it's a lot, but my folks are going to be gone for a while, and nobody would even think to look for you there." A half-sheepish little shrug, "And I mean, running water and electricity's got to be better than this, right?"

[thefreak]

"Jesus H. Christ," Eddie mutters to himself, shivering at the thought of dealing with what Steve and Robin did. Somehow being hunted down by jocks doesn't sound so bad in comparison.

"Wait seriously?" Eddie regards Steve with a healthy degree of skepticism. It would be a nice change of pace from this place, and hopefully he won't be easily traced to Steve's house. If Steve and company were able to track Eddie to Rick's home, then it's only a matter of time before Jason or the police did as well. "If you're sure. I'd love to eat something that doesn't come in a can. And, you know, shower."

[the_hair]

He flashed another smile, "Can't promise none of it will come from a can, but hey, some of it's on a tray from the freezer, too? I even did a grocery run earlier this week, so pantry's all stocked up and everything." A little shrug, "And I know I could throw together a halfway decent sandwich while you take the time to shower."

He couldn't help the soft laugh that followed, "I mean, once Dustin finds out neither of us is going to hear the end of it, but I'm pretty sure that's a small price to pay when I can literally kick him out of the house. And besides, central location for planning our next move is a good idea. Especially if it's one that won't be suspicious to have everybody coming and going from." While it might be a test of Steve's acting abilities as well, without Will Byers or Eleven there, there wasn't anyone who would actually be able to feel Vecna watching them.

[thefreak]

As much as Eddie hates to admit it, he really does like the prospect of moving to Steve's house. This place did its job, but it also freaked him the fuck out and he never felt truly safe. He was extremely lucky that these guy found him before Jason Carver or the police did.

"Okay. Anywhere's better than here, don't think I'd be able to get any sleep here." He flashes Steve a smile back, a genuine one. Who would have thought, he would actually look forward to spending time with Steve? Steve, who so far keeps taking him by surprise. But he's not about to let Steve know that. He'll just keep letting Steve think it's the house that interests him, instead of the man in it.

[the_hair]

"Yeah?" He couldn't help but grin once more, "Well then what the hell are we still hanging around here for? Get your shit, let's go." He wasn't sure if Eddie actually had any belongings with him, though all things considered he doubted it, freaking out -as justifiable as it had been- and running off didn't really sound like having taken any kind of time to pack.

He rolled to his feet, snagging what was left of the six pack as well as the lantern, "Got a bit of a walk, parked on the service road, less suspicious if anybody saw the car."

[thefreak]

Eddie doesn't need to be told twice. He doesn't have much in the way of his shit with him, most of it currently stashed in his van when he bolted suddenly, but he makes sure that he erases what trace of him staying there he can. If Carver or the police come across this place in investigating him, he doesn't want it to somehow lead back to Steve.

"Yeah, my van's stashed in the woods a couple miles away, I get it." He sighs as he follows Steve out the door, staying close to Steve and keeping his voice quiet in case there happens to be anyone nearby. The sooner he gets to Steve's, the better for his nerves.

[the_hair]

There was a wild, spinning moment of internal debate over whether to offer to let him move the van to the Harrington garage, but he ultimately decided to save that offer for later, when there was a better chance that Eddie wouldn't up and bolt if he realized just how hinky things were about the offer he'd just accepted.

What he did was nod, shouldering the door to the boathouse open carefully so as not to make too much noise, just in case, "Good to know, we'll give it a day or two for things to simmer down a little and then come get it." Did he actually think things were going to simmer down at all, let alone in only a couple of days? Absolutely not, but he knew what sounded reassuring instead of being a brush-off, "Worst case, we boost it from the impound lot if the cops get lucky enough to find it." Something he sincerely doubted would be the case, but knew from experience that he'd be able to do, since the sheriff's office impound lot was the back lot at the station.

[thefreak]

Although Eddie has his doubts about it, he's willing to trust Steve's judgment. After all, he's been through this a lot longer than Eddie has. Maybe they would get lucky and someone else would get implicated, leaving Eddie a free man. It's a nice thought, at any rate.

"Sounds like something you've done before," Eddie remarks with surprise. "Wouldn't have taken you for such a bad boy." He nudges Steve playfully, because if there's one thing Eddie is good at, it's trying to ease his own tension with humor. It's the only thing keeping him from spiraling and falling apart, but best not to let Steve know that, lest that cause him to change his mind about letting Eddie stay.

[the_hair]

"Me?" He replied, rolling with that jostle, mostly managing to make the word incredulous even if it was wholly put-on, "Nah, but Carol had a thing about joyriding and Tommy liked to indulge her. Meant that I was lookout once or twice, that's all."

That was definitely not 'all' but it was close enough to all for the time being, a little shake of his head followed, "But it's not like we don't know that the impound lot is just the back parking at the station where the drunk and disorderly's cars go so they can drive themselves home in the morning when they get out of the tank." There was rarely any other reason for a car to end up there in Hawkins, the rare abandoned vehicle, usually from the next town over because Carol wasn't the only one who had a thing about joyriding.

As he'd said, the Beemer wasn't far off, and he popped the passenger side door open, leaning across the seat to drop the camp lantern and the rest of the six-pack in the back seat before flashing Eddie a smile, "Let's go." That said he circled around to the driver's side, sliding into the seat.

[thefreak]

Eddie makes a face at the mention of Carol and Tommy. It's a sad reminder of the person Steve used to be, and the daily aggressions he had to endure simply because he happened to be from the wrong side of the tracks.

"Of course you were," he muses, shaking his head. He follows Steve to the car and slips into the passenger side, very deliberately not putting his seatbelt on. "I think this might be the most expensive car I've ever been in that wasn't being hotwired." He shakes his head and leans back in his seat. He can't really hide that well, but maybe if he ducks down a little bit, he won't be completely obvious if they drive past any other cars.

"You, uh, know any backroads to get home? Might not want to pass through town while I'm, you know, a person of interest."

[the_hair]

"What part of 'Carol had a thing about joyriding' did you miss? Yeah, I know the back roads." A twitch of a smile followed all the same, backing slowly off the maintenance road and onto the actual pavement before he even turned the lights on, "And someone tried to hotwire this one once, last summer, while I was working, before the mall y'know, burned down."

He was reasonably sure it had been Tommy, mostly because there was no reason for it to have been anyone else, and whoever it was hadn't broken the window to get in, "They didn't manage to. But I don't know if it's because they gave up or because mall security caught whoever it was. Had to use my break to make sure everything was still intact."

He hadn't been exaggerating, it was back roads all the way around, which made for a slightly longer route, but it was only when they were rounding the corner to his neighborhood that he nudged Eddie's shoulder with the back of a hand, "Hunch down a bit, just get shorter, don't think anybody's actually paying attention this late, but they're used to me shuttling the kids around, they won't even look twice."

[thefreak]

"Well, it wasn't me," Eddie replied with a smirk. "I would've succeeded." He flashed Steve a smile, which he might have been able to see out of the corner of his eye. But he didn't want to distract him too much, so he just sank back, enjoying the little bit of freedom he had in Steve's car before he would no doubt be relegated to one room and avoiding windows in case anyone is looking to figure out Eddie's whereabouts.

"Yeah, yeah, I got it." He curled in on himself, making him a little shorter, and trying to hide his hair as much as he could. "I owe you one, Harrington. Dunno what yet, but, once this is over, we'll figure something out. I mean it."

[the_hair]

He actually laughed at that first statement, glancing sideways at Eddie just briefly, deciding that he liked that smile but reminding himself that Eddie was a means to an end and that was something he was going to have to keep in mind.

Regardless, he shook his head even as he pulled into the garage, "Nah, you're the newest member of the world's worst support group. You don't owe me anything because we look out for each other." He cut the engine even as the garage door clunked its way back down behind them. Sliding from the car he swung his keys around a finger, retrieving the remains of the six pack from the back seat before unlocking the door into the house, waving Eddie through, "Welcome to casa Harrington, don't worry about making noise or too much of a mess, not like anybody's going to notice, we're the only ones here."

[thefreak]

Eddie slipped out of the car once they had parked and Steve cut the engine. He walked in through the garage door's entrance, and his jaw dropped immediately. Jesus, he had heard things about how much money the Harringtons had but nothing could prepare him for this.

Which was why it surprised him that Steve was being nice to him at all. Sure, there was the fall from grace, and apparently trauma from the Upside Down, but even with all of that Eddie would have figured he would still be a dick to him. Or at the very least, be distant. Not putting himself on the line to help a fugitive out. He was grateful for it, even if it was confusing as hell.

"Damn, Harrington, this looks -- well, not gonna lie, kinda looks like I set foot in a museum or, like, one of those model homes where they try to convince you this is how it'll look once you buy another one of their homes and...and I'm rambling, shit, sorry."

[the_hair]

"How'd you know that 'make it look like a model home' was mom's first interior design plan?" He asked, managing to keep a straight face as he did, mildly puzzled. The smile emerged again a moment later, shaking his head as he hung the keys on the hook next to the garage door and stashed the beer in the fridge, "Honestly I don't know what the original idea was, just know she hasn't stuck to one for more than a year at a time, and usually not even that long. Lot of ideas, not a lot of follow-through, which is apparently something I got from her."

Another head shake, waving a hand in front of his face, "Anyway, you've got your pick of locations to shower, six goddamn bathrooms in this house and only one of them doesn't have a shower." A shrug, "And only two of them have actual bathtubs, if we're counting." His brow creased then, "And I'm sure you don't want to be caught dead in anything in my wardrobe, but at least it's clean until we can find something more suitable?"

[thefreak]

Steve didn't look the least bit offended, at least, which Eddie had to count for something. It was strange, how easy it was to keep up this banter. Whoever Steve had been back in high school, this guy was nothing like him. It was simultaneously intriguing and alarming. But maybe Dustin was right; maybe he was a good guy now, who just needed a knock the the noggin for a change in perspective.

"Jesus Christ, why do you need that many bathrooms?" Eddie asked, amused. "Yeah, uh, I guess I'll take whatever you've got at this point. Probably would help if I don't look, well, like me for a while." He frowned at that. An identity crisis was not going to help while he was on the run. He would just have to push through this until they finished what they started. "I am not cutting my hair, though, I don't care how much it would help evade the authorities or an angry mob."

[the_hair]

"They came with the house, we didn't add any later, and didn't design the place, at least as far as I know. Dad always said it was on the market, so I guess you'd have to ask whoever had it first why they thought they were going to need that many." He shook his head, throwing his hands up in something like defeat "More bathrooms than bedrooms for chrissake."

A nod followed, "Speaking of, there's an upstairs and a downstairs guest room, so take your pick. I'd say upstairs is easier to keep you out of sight and give you some advance warning if necessary, but downstairs might make for easier exit if you've got to make a break for it. So up to you, but I'm not just going to make you sleep on the couch or whatever."

[thefreak]

Eddie felt overwhelmed by the generosity Steve was showing him. It showed in his face with the look he was giving Steve, a mixture of shock and gratitude. He blinked rapidly, breaking the spell and glanced up the stairs, taking his advice into mind.

"Upstairs. I'll take upstairs. I don't know that the easier exit is going to matter much in the long run." At least he hoped they wouldn't need to make that quick a getaway. Eddie was just looking forward to getting a hot shower and a decent night's sleep, assuming he doesn't end up plagued with nightmares all night. "Thank you, Steve. Seriously, you didn't have to do any of this, so I appreciate it, I won't forget about this."