#alos musical lover steve segways well into another secret love of mine: folk ballad lover steve. look at me and tell me he hasn't jammed

[findafight]

Any thoughts about Stobin's reaction to the 80s masterpiece that was the musical Chess? I have a feeling "Pity the child" would do a number on Stevie boy... "Pity the child who knew his parents; Saw their faults; Saw their love die before his eyes; Pity the child that wise; He never asked "Did I cause your distress?"; Just in case they said yes"

Prefacing this with: You literally asked for this

Listen. Listen. LISTEN. I have been holding back on projecting too much on Steve, specifically with him being a lifeguard with an outdoor pool but also must admit that I have had to hold back on making a poto reference in RASEPSM because it hadn't come out yet. Physical pain from that.

But you came to me, on this blog with my headcanons, with the musical that I have such a clear memory of listening to for the first time in the most Steve Way (cleaning an outdoor pool in the rain with nothing but a bra and short shorts on, no clue what the hell I was getting into with this musical)

Chess is one of those batshit musicals that has a bunch of different versions and reorderings. (More drastic than just moving I Dreamed A Dreamed to after Lovely Ladies in Les mis 2012) so, unlike my OBC (i think? it may have been the west end version. it's been years) first time listening, we are saying Steve got the original concept album in fall of 1984. Not because he'd heard anything about it, but because he's spent two weeks listening to the Voulez-vous album after Nancy and he broke up and the music of Chess is written by the two B's of ABBA. It's a natural transition for a man who has a secret musical theatre stash.

(he doesn't really need to SEE them, he just likes listening to them. figuring out the plots by the songs. Also he's in love with Julie Andrews this is fact [aren't we all, though?])

He likes to listen to musicals while doing water tests and vacuuming the pool, but it's November so he doesn't do that, just. Lies on the floor of the livingroom trying to figure out what the fuck is happening in the musical. It is difficult. (He thinks there's a love triangle between the American grandmaster man, the Soviet grandmaster lady, and her loyalty to her country. Takes YEARS for him to figure out he's wrong. Just like meeee)

He likes the motifs, (Budapest is rising my beloved...) and how dramatic everyone is about this tournament. One Night in Bangkok is a fucking bop and a half. (I love how there's some interpretation of Freddie being ace because of the line "I get my kicks above the waistline, sunshine"[objectively iconic ace line in a pretty queer song], versus whatever the fuck Raúl Esparza had going on in 2018 that was. Uh. Not what I'd call an asexual interpretation of the character in that song but my god i doubt anyone was complaining.)

But. Pity The Child hits a bit close to home as he lies on his back on an immaculate carpet in a hollow house. Especially if you consider his mother may have used him to fill the emotional void where his father was supposed to be and put her emotional baggage on him with his father away on business and being unfaithful. (and also if you headcanon Steve as bi because that song is queer. I'm just saying. it is. even without the line "I was a fool and probably queer" but that line is there so. make of that what you will) And the line "I wouldn't call: a crazy thing to do/Just in case she said who?" STEVE LINE STEVE LINE

But also. That entire musical is chock full of people belting their hearts out about struggling to choose what they want. How they're supposed to go, what they're supposed to do. It's not about chess, or the cold war (well. It IS but...) It's also a lot about people wanting to be someone they aren't, and concerned about how they are perceived. Hmmm. HMMM. INTERESTING.

Like. Heaven help my heart?? I know him so well?? post s2 broken hearted Steve is called tf out. Basically the entirety of tape 2 of the concept album knocks Steve on his ass. Mentally, he is here:

And ofc Robin finds his little mixtape of sad musical songs is like "steve. why are you obsessed with this musical. I am IN drama and I haven't heard of it. what the fuck. there's russians. we aren't fond of those guys." and steve has to go

"Robin listen. The guys from ABBA wrote the music and it's KINDA queer, and also please listen to this song. you can't even tell who's russian it doesn't matter"

and robin listens which finally makes her realize

"wait. why did you get this to begin with? Just because of the ABBA guys?"

"Robin. I have a collection of possibly every officially released musical from the past twenty years. I just like 'em. Have you heard Colm Wilkinson's voice? Julie Andrews? ABBA guys were a bonus."

and now I'm thinking of Musical Theatre actor Steve but let's not get a head of ourselves but also imagine... steve on broadway and robin in the pit as trumpet... being besties

anyways yeah I think they'd like the musical Chess.

#steve harrington #robin buckley #stobin #platonic stobin #stranger things #finda's rambles #anonasaurus #findaanswers #don't want to tag it chess but what i will tag it as #musical theatre nerd steve #how do we feel about that #julie andrews is the only person i think my dad has a celeb crush on. he's obsessed with her. #alos musical lover steve segways well into another secret love of mine: folk ballad lover steve. look at me and tell me he hasn't jammed #to Marry Ellen Carter. you can't because he is a dweeb who loves folk ballads.