Chapter Text
Sitting in the back of his car, Henry Creel let out a bone deep sigh. How a world famous star like him couldn't find the perfect voice was putting him close to depression. Every night, he went to a different club, listening to singers pour their hearts out. But not a one elicited the response he was looking for. Still, it had become his greatest ambition. Anytime he wasn't asleep, he was searching for the voice.
"One more club", he ordered his driver. "And then we'll call it a night."
Steve stood in the wings as a band performed. He looked to the crowd. Pretty slim out there. But that was life in this town. Even on a weekend, the bars they were able to find gigs didn't have a huge pull.
He moved away from the curtain and went further backstage. Jeff was doing his usual ritual of pacing back and forth, sometimes hopping in place, while Gareth and Crash were playing rock, paper, scissors, trying to get as many ties in a row as possible. Their record was four.
Steve found his boyfriend Eddie, sitting on a stool, tapping his foot in time with his strumming.
"So the stage manager said we get one song, right?", Steve clarified.
"Yep, just the one before they kick us to the curb", Eddie said, not looking up from his strings.
"But if we do good-"
"Stevie baby we always do good."
"I mean if they like us", Steve walked closer and bent over, his hands on his knees. "Then we could do two songs. And one of them could be mine."
Eddie looked up then. "Angel, I love your voice. But that song's not metal. And we're tryina create a brand here."
"What brand, Eddie? There's like five folks in the audience."
"Boys? What do you think?", Eddie posed the question to the rest of the band.
He got a resounding round of no's and head shakes. They knew better than to get between a lover's quarrel. Especially since Eddie was so whipped he typically bent to Steve's will anyway.
"Eddie, both songs could show off our versatility."
"If we sing my song and then follow it up with some radio-friendly love-fest, it's gonna be confusing. Better to just stick with the one genre for now."
Steve frowned. "Eddie, that song is fo-"
"Hey punks, you're on deck. Try not to clear the room too much, eh?"
Eddie scowled and now that he was in a mood, there'd be no talking to him. Steve would just have to jump on the opportunity when the time came and hope the rest of the band backed him up.
They were introduced to the stage and Eddie immediately got them started. The song began like an explosion. It was one they all resonated with, about getting the fuck out of Hawkins and never looking back and fuck everyone here.
Situated in a dark corner of the venue, Creel watched, waiting for any voice that would get a reaction. He had a small metal box on top of the table. Inside was an even smaller creature.
Creel's cool eyes glazed over the guitarist parading on stage and shouting out over his own riffs. No movement from inside the box.
A few people in the crowd seemed into them but it wasn't a very warm reception. When the song ended, the stage manager looked ready to shoo them off. When he saw Steve's face, Eddie fought with himself. Then, after much mental deliberation, he gave a bow towards Steve and stepped away from the center.
Steve took his place and shared a look with the other members before a softer song began. Then he looked to his boyfriend, hoping that this time the words would reach his heart.
"Oh what will the signal be for your eyes to see me?
Watching offside as I wait, just in case you need me…"
For a moment Steve didn't look away from Eddie, but Eddie kept his head firmly down on his guitar, looking for all the world like he just wanted to get this over with. Biting down the disappointment, Steve gave his attention to the audience. Maybe his voice could reach someone out there.
And it was.
But the one reacting was a tiny, slimy creature, trying to escape from its metal prison to get closer to that alluring voice. Creel drummed his fingers against the box, feeling something he hadn't felt for a long time - excitement. His eyes glazed over Steve's form.
"Now that you know why I'm here, let me show you what loving an angel is like." Steve gave another meaningful look to Eddie, which was again wasted on him.
When the song ended, Steve left the stage first. By the time the rest of them came backstage, he was already gone.
Gareth was rubbing at his face and Crash wanted to bang his head into a wall.
"Hey Eddie, here's a suggestion, why don't you actually sing with Steve for once?"
"Cause I don't sing that crap. We've got three types of songs: Fuck you, fuck me, dragons are the shit. Did you hear anything about love songs?"
"Plenty of hardcore bands sing about love", Gareth groaned.
"But like that?", Eddie gestured towards the exit door Steve had probably walked through. "All…gooey and soft and vanilla?"
"Dude!" Jeff jabbed a finger to his chest. "You just described you and Steve."
Eddie looked like he was buffering and trying to catch up. "We-we're not vanilla. If you knew what me and my baby got up to-"
"TMI", Crash said quickly, covering his ears.
"Kinky or not, Steve turns you to butter. You melt", Gareth said.
Jeff nodded. "You get gooey. And soft."
Eddie pulled at his hair. His Stevie had changed him, but not that much, right? He let out a loud breath. Maybe that was the problem. But singing a song like that went against everything he believed. He didn't want to become that kind of band. Was that kind of thinking worth causing a rift though?
"Why do I get the feeling that if I split with Steve, he'd take you guys in the divorce?"
Gareth, Crash and Jeff all answered in line.
"You don't have custody of us, we're always wrangling you."
"Are you really gonna propose one day?"
"I would kill a man to keep eating Steve's brownies. Even if that man is you."
Eddie paced around for a moment before heading towards the door. "Alright, I'm stubborn, not stupid."
The rest of them gave him looks that said 'are you sure?'
"You three debate that while I find my lost songbird."
Eddie left the club, already knowing where Steve would go. Unbeknownst to them all, someone else was already on the prowl for Steve.