Chapter Text
24th December 1983
The drive through Hawkins was full of bright Christmas lights, slippery roads and some form of high spirits. Steve realised that Hawkins definitely needed this, a time to forget about everything that happened just over a month ago. To the majority of Hawkins Will Byers died and somehow returned. Steve was apart of the small group that knew the truth of the horrors the lurked in Hawkins and what truly happened to Will Byers.
Steve sighed at the thought of Will Byers, he never knew the kid but a month ago when he had got into that fight with the Johnathan Byers Will’s older brother, Steve said some horrible shit about Johnathan and his family. He originally went to apologise to Johnathan about what happened and that was when he discovered the truth of what was happening in Hawkins, that there was monsters from an alternate version of Hawkins. He’s pretty sure one of Will Byers friends called it a demogorgon but Steve didn’t know whether that was a made up name or it was what we were calling them now.
It has been around twenty minutes since Steve left the Wheeler household, Steve spent Christmas eve at their house with Nancy Wheeler, his girlfriend. He sat with her rested on his shoulder as they watched a Christmas movie with her parents and Nancy’s younger sister Holly. Steve also knew that Nancy’s younger brother Mike was in the basement with his friends playing a nerdy game they play all the time. The only time someone got up was when Nancy went to give Johnathan a present when he arrived to pick up Will from the basement.
Steve felt his heart plummet a lot over the last month, Steve knew that Nancy and Johnathan got closer a lot recently as they helped uncover the mystery of what happened to Johnathan younger brother and Nancy’s best friend Barbara Holland, his heart also couldn’t take the death of Barbara, it happened in his back garden. Steve blamed himself for it. Prior to finding out about the upside down he didn’t really feel bad about it as this was before he knew she was dead and not just ran away, but knowing that the chain of events that caused her death were from him pained his insides every time.
He was a dick, plain and simple. For the upmost of seven years he was best friends with Tommy Hagan and Carol Perkins. They both offered what Steve believed to be at the time was great friendship, he got drunk and high with two people he saw as near and dear. He became the most popular person at Hawkins High and was unironically the most talked about teenager in Hawkins. Steve believed he was the king and he acted like it, he became very abuse of the power he had socially to make for his pathetic reputation academically. He bullied everyone below him with Tommy and Carol laughing by his side.
That all changed when he met Nancy, she wanted to do an interview for the school paper on him and the basketball team, and they hit it off. Steve for the first time in his life felt what it felt like to care and love. That was the turning point as he slowly started to realise that he didn’t actually like being who he was and it all boiled over when he stood by when Tommy and Carol spray painted ‘Nancy the slut Wheeler’ on the front of the cinema. Steve allowed them to do this when he saw Nancy and Johnathan sat next to each other on Nancy’s bed. Steve didn’t know what it meant at the time but he later found out that Nancy and Johnathan survived an encounter with a demogorgon that night.
That was when Johnathan and Steve fought, and in the best possible way he was happy he got his ass kicked as it finally woke Steve up he didn’t want to be this way not anymore. The truth was he was a coward the moment real danger threatened like when the police showed up and when the demogorgon appeared in the Byers house, he ran away. He always does and that moment when he ran away from the demogorgon and left it to Nancy and Johnathan, he knew that now was the moment to prove to himself that he could change and he did as he charged back in picked up Johnathan’s dropped bat and kicked the demogorgon’s ass.
Steve wanted out and that’s why he was no longer saw himself as ‘King Steve’. That also cost him his seven year friendship with Tommy and Carol but if they were happy being assholes to everyone their whole life Steve was more than ok with throwing them to the side for good.
The buzzing part of Hawkins faded, the lights faded and now Steve was driving in the forest, it was a shortcut home and it was for the better as it was freezing cold and he just wanted to get home and be alone.
His parents were both away over Christmas for work-related matters for what was the third year in a row, they had gotten him no presents, no message, no Christmas food. To say he wasn’t in the Christmas spirit was true but he was still happy for the rest of Hawkins to feel this way.
Steve looked up at the road he found it odd that street lights we’re all on behind him but he arrived at a point where a large section where off, luckily Steve didn’t see any car headlight ahead of him so he just continued on.
The upside down was a thing Steve really couldn’t get out of his head, he wasn’t really in the loop like everyone else who knew about it. Nancy and Johnathan searched for Will and Barbara so they got to understand it. Mike along with his other two friends, Steve remembered that they were called Lucas and Dustin, were actively searching for Will. Chief Hopper and Mrs Byers were also trying to solve the mystery. Steve just showed up and ended up getting involved in the shit show. Steve knew one more thing and that was that Mike and his friends found a strange little girl in their search for Will. Steve was the only one who knew about the upside down who never got to meet this unique girl who apparently had superpowers.
The only thing Steve knew about the girl was that she had a buzzed haircut and had the number ‘011’ tattooed on her wrist. Apparently whilst Steve, Nancy and Johnathan were fighting the demogorgon, This girl who they all called El sacrificed herself to save Mike and his friends from another demogorgon. They were unsure whether she was alive or dead. Steve didn’t even want to begin to understand how and why a little girl had superpowers.
Steve could still feel the darkness of the forest with the street lights being out the only bright spots were what’s ahead of him with the headlights. He was quite surprised to see that this many lights were out, Steve turned around to see how long this was going on for only to see pitch black so this was for a while and he just hadn’t noticed.
He turned back to focus on the road ahead, only to see that there was a figure at the edge on his headlight. He couldn’t make out the figure but all he could see was that it was small and frail.
“Shit!”
Steve cursed and quickly threw the steering wheel left to move away from the figure. Steve then reacted quickly as the moment he jolted left he quickly threw the steering wheel right to quickly turn the car to a stop in the middle of the road horizontally across both lanes. The car had come into contact with a tree on his turn he felt a part clip it, but it wasn’t a concern right now. Steve turned to his right, he saw a little girl stood staring at him. Her expression was one of pure panic and shock. Steve quickly unbuckled and got out of the car.
“Kid, are you ok?, did I hit you?” He frantically asked as he slowly edged closer to the kid who looked very scared.
Steve noted that the little girl didn’t answer. Steve quickly stopped his advancements forward, careful not to frighten the little girl.
“What’s your name kid?” Steve carefully asked.
The girl shivered in the cold, she looked so scared and Steve felt himself beginning to feel really bad as he almost ended this girl’s life by accident.
The girls mouth quivered, a quiet and limp voice came out. “El.”
Jolting back with gasp as he took in the girl’s name. This was El, the girl who had superpowers, Steve then noticed her buzzed hair which had grown slightly which was covered by a hat.
“You’re El?” He asked.
El jumped back as Steve saw alarms set off in her eyes as that was clearly the question she was least expecting.
“I heard about you my name is Steve, you probably don’t know me but I helped Nancy and Johnathan fight one of those demogorgons.” Steve clarified.
Her body still was in a panicked state. Steve could tell she was not expecting this to happen. Steve took in what he was see8ng and he knew he had to try something at least, he couldn’t just leave El like this in the middle if forest.
“El, you look freezing do you want to get out the cold for a bit. To warm up.”
He absolutely could not leave a kid out in the cold at all especially at night no matter who superpowers or not.
El’s body still shook as she continued to freeze. “P-please.”
He approached slowly holding both his hands out. “Ok let me just come closer, I won’t do anything just so you can trust me.” Steve kept his hands in viewing distance as he came closer to El.
Her stare remains on his hands the entire time. Steve arrived to her he stood in front of her. “Ok so I’ll help get you in the car. Ok?” Steve offered. “Then I can get you inside into the warm.” He offered a small smile.
Steve gently put his hand on her back and ushered her forwards. Steve walked over to the car, El was stepping slowly next to him. Steve looked down to El watched as she shivered with every step. When they reached the car Steve opened the door as he waited till El got in before slowly shutting the door not wanting to scare her.
Steve stalked around it the other side off the car, he got to the trunk of his car. When he chipped the tree a part of the car fell off, Steve picked up the piece and fortunately it wasn’t an important part of the car. So Steve just threw the car piece onto the grass of the forest forgetting about and got to the drivers seat.
“Sorry about that, El are you sure you’re not hurt.” Steve asked her as he started the car.
El shook her head. “Missed me.”
“That’s good, ok and sorry this car isn’t that much better than outside for warmth but we are very close to my house where the heating is already on.”
There was no answer which Steve didn’t mind he just needed to get El safe and warm, he turned off to his left and got back onto the correct lane and continued the drive.
——-
The drive was in complete silence, Steve pulled into his garage. He got out and quickly ran over to open the car door for El. She got out, and looked all over the garage clearly surprised by it.
Steve opened the garage door. “Ok we are finally at my house El.”
El staggered forwards, Steve’s house was very big and it was probably very overwhelming for El to be in here.
“Do you want to take off your hat and coat as you’ve got some snow on them both I can get them cleaned up for you.” Steve offered. El obliged and offered him her hat and coat.
“Why don’t you go and sit on the sofa and then we can talk. Do you like chocolate?” Steve asked.
El shrugged.
“Ok well it’s worth a try, I’ll make you a hot chocolate it’ll help you warm up.”
Steve walked into his kitchen he put her hat and coat on the counter, Steve looked at the hat and coat and quickly realised they definitely weren’t hers and were stolen but he understood she needed them to survive out in the cold. He quickly started to make the hot chocolate. He quickly glanced over to see her sat on the sofa in the living room, she looked lost and still there was what looked to be terror on her face but most importantly she wasn’t shivering as much anymore so it was an improvement in Steve’s eyes.
She was wearing a small pink dress that looked very dirty and beat down, she has a small jacket on her as well that was ripped and dirty.
The hot chocolate was set down onto the coffee table in the middle of the living room. Steve sat down in the room he kept a fair distance between himself and El, not wanting to scare her.
“I’d give it a few minutes it’s a bit too hot.” Steve warned her.
Steve watched her again. “Can I ask what happened?, I’m sorry if it’s too sensitive but I only really got involved with the upside down due to helping Nancy and Johnathan.”
El flinched slightly. “I was in the upside down.” She started. “I got out.” She blurted slowly. “I then got away.”
Steve took in her spaced out explanation. “Why didn’t you go back to Mike?”
“I tried.” El responded.
Steve face fell, he looked at her and she looked at him he asked a question with his eyes and surprisingly El understood. “Bad men were nearby his house.”
He roughly recalled Nancy mentioning this to him that kids mentioned bad man a bunch of times. “Are they after you?” He asked, she nodded instantly and she grabbed the hot chocolate.
Steve sighed. It made him feel kind off disturbed that a little kid like El has to watch her every corner at such a young age and have to live in the forest. He didn’t know much about her past but he knew enough to know it was shit.
“I understand.” Steve told her. He then looked out the window to his back garden. The forest was a clear opening to his house no fence surrounding it.
“That’s so unfortunate kid.” He told her as she sipped on the hot chocolate.
“This is nice.” El said.
“I’m glad you liked it.” Steve answered. “El, I’ll be honest I had no idea what was happening to you at all, but that sounds bad. If you’re comfortable do you want to spend the night in our guest room. I can’t consciously let you go back out especially if you are in danger, would that be something you’d like.”
“Consciously?” El asked.
“Using it in that way is for when you are faced with a decision and you can’t pick the bad option no matter what due to reasons.” Steve tried to explain.
“Bad option?” El asked worried.
Steve picked up on her worried facial expression. “No sorry El it’s fine the bad option doesn’t matter, as the whole point is that I won’t let it happen.” Steve answered.
“Ok.” She sounded relived. El then looked around the living room, more specifically she looked at the Christmas tree. Steve watched as she stared at the one present under the Christmas tree.
“What is that?” She asked intrigued. Then pointed to everything in the room. “Just like Hawkins.” She pointed out.
“You see these are decorations that get put up every year for Christmas.” Steve answered.
“Christmas?” She asked innocently.
“You don’t know what Christmas is?” Steve responded incredulously.
El looked down embarrassed and confused.
Steve panicked, he quickly got closer to El, he didn’t mean to offend El. She clearly has gaps in her knowledge. “I’m so sorry El I didn’t mean to say it like that, you see Christmas is a time for being with the people you care about, you exchange gifts, eat food and have fun, it happens on the twenty fifth of December every year.” He told her.
“fun.” She replied.
This is when Steve’s face dwindled, for the majority of people Christmas was great but for Steve it wasn’t. That only present under his tree is from Nancy.
“Are you ok?” El asked.
Steve snapped out of it and looked back at her. “Yeah I’m fine it’s just for most people it’s a lot of fun. But for me it’s not.”
“Why?”
“My parents are usually away for Christmas so I don’t really get the full experience.” Steve told her. It wasn’t a lie it was the truth but he wasn’t honest either. Steve didn’t even want to think about his father not right now.
“Oh.” El answered.
El didn’t say anything else she just looked towards the one gift under the tree, Steve caught her line of sight.
“From Nancy.” Steve said. “Me and her are boyfriend and girlfriend.”
“Oh.” El said. “So when you care…”
“You get them a present.” Steve finished her sentence.
“Nice.” She stated.
“Yes it is, I would try and tell you a story about Christmas but you don’t need to know the fake stories they tell about Christmas.” Steve told her.
“Stories?” She asked.
“They say that there is this old man called Santa, they say he brings the presents for Christmas, to all the kids. Every year.”
“Why lie?” El asked nervously.
“It’s more just a story to give Christmas even more spark, but for your own sanity you don’t need to be told that an old man allegedly comes down your chimney and breaks into your house, to give you presents.”
El simply nodded and a silence falls between the two.
Steve sat there looking at the ground, yes debating asking El the question he wants to hear just couldn’t let her end up outside alone. So he decides to ask the question again as he didn’t get a clear answer. “So would you, like to spend the night here?” Steve asked.
El looked down, Steve could see the contemplation on her face as she thought over the offer. It makes sense as he is kind of a stranger but at the same time she might not feel that threatened as she knows that she can easily kick his ass with her powers.
“Please.” She looked up at him and answered.
“Ok follow me, I’ll show you to the room.” He stood up. El stood up afterwards.
Steve chauffeured her upstairs. Steve noticed that El was looking at the Christmas decorations. They walked along the upstairs in silence, they came to a stop. “This is my room ok.” Steve nodded to her. She nodded back.
“If you need anything at night give me a knock on my door, I’ll come help.”
They continued down the hall they ended up about twenty feet from Steve’s room. “This is the guest room.” Steve then opened the door.
El walked into the room, she looked around but quickly sat on the bed. “How does it feel?” Steve asked.
“Comfy.” She said.
“That’s great and before I forget is there any food that you really want for tomorrow.” Steve asked her.
“Eggos.” El replied excitedly.
“Ok I can get eggos.” Steve replied.
Steve internally smirked at the thought of out of everything El could have said it was eggos. He smiled at her from the doorway. “Why don’t you try and get some sleep, do you need me to stay or are you ok by yourself.” Steve offered.
“By myself.” El instantly replied.
“Yeah ok, good night El. If you need me you know where to find me.” Steve offered her a smile, and closed the door.
Once the door shut Steve walked away. He went back downstairs he needed to grab the stuff for El. He quickly put back on his coat and headed for his car. It was kind of unfortunate that the kid’s first Christmas is seemingly going to be stuck with the worst person to spend Christmas with. Someone who doesn’t really care about Christmas, but nevertheless he wasn’t going to not try.
Hitting the road again, Steve still thought it was very weird that he found El on her own. If there actually was bad people after her Steve was more then willing to protect her from them he couldn’t just let some people take her, if Steve had to guess he knew what people would try and abuse her powers for and it made him feel disgusted.
He stopped outside of a shop, he wanted to grab some Eggos for El and maybe grab her a Christmas present. While it wasn’t much the poor kid has been on her alone for a month she deserves a present.
Walking into the store it was easy to find some Eggos, Steve grabbed a decent bit of them it was the only thing she requested. The problem was finding her a gift, as a connivence store wasn’t the most ideal location first Christmas shopping.
Steve decided to try elsewhere for a gift as he walked out of the store after paying for the Eggos. He had to ignore the strange look he got from the cashier as he brought a shit ton of Eggos. He put them on the passenger seat and drove off. An idea sprang to his head, El’s outfit was very damaged and in bad condition she likely has worn it for a month straight. He could get her some new clothes and maybe also some pyjamas to sleep in.
The nearest clothes shop was about a five minute drive away, so Steve headed there.
As he got inside he began to then realise that he had absolutely no idea how to even begin to figure out what to get El as he wasn’t exactly experience in getting clothes for children. He walked through the store reaching the kids section and hoped that something would stick out to him.
After ten minutes of looking and getting some really odd looks from other people in the store, Steve came across some denim dungarees. Steve grabbed a pair and thought maybe he could grab a jumper to pair them together.
Steve found a grey jumper, he didn’t know if El even had a favourite colour so he just grabbed grey and hoped she liked it. He then found some pyjamas they were white but had yellow stripes going across. Steve grabbed the set and went to the counter.
“Any reason why you’re buying kids clothes at ten in the evening on Christmas Eve?” The cashier asked.
Steve snorted, it did sound weird if he was being honest.
“Last minute changes for Christmas, I’ve got a little cousin coming over. So last minute presents.” Steve lied.
The cashier laughed, and Steve paid for the stuff and left the store.
——-
Steve parked the car back in the garage this time locking it, planning on not leaving the house again for the night. Steve walked into the house and threw the clothes onto the kitchen island and put the Eggos in the refrigerator. He quickly went down into his basement to grab some wrapping paper to wrap the presents for El.
After finding some he brought it back up to the island and sat down at the island. He wrapped up the jumper and denim dungarees together as one present and did the same with the set of pyjamas. Once they were wrapped Steve put a note in reading ‘To El: From Steve’ on both of them.
Steve grabbed the two presents and brought them into the living room to put them underneath the Christmas tree.
“The most amount of Christmas presents under my tree in the last three years.” Steve joked to himself.
Once the presents were under the tree Steve finally decided to head to bed for the night, he was interested to see how El was going to react.
Something worried Steve, about what was going to happen to El. He couldn’t just let her stay for one night and then throw her out. She looked so cold when he found her.
Steve stopped quickly at the guest room where El was sleeping. He slowly opened the door and looked inside to see her sound asleep. She was asleep looking at the door where Steve was, she looked very peaceful, and calm the opposite to how he found her.
A smile formed on Steve’s face and he felt genuine warmth spread across his body as he watched her. It was then that Steve knew in his head and most importantly his heart.
He wants to offer her the chance to stay here permanently.