Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

September 1985

Eddie Munson sat on a brick ledge outside Hawkins High, threadbare backpack tossed haphazardly on the ground. The bell would ring soon, and he wanted a quick smoke before being subjected to yet another day of this nightmare. He was one month into his third senior year, and it wasn't getting any easier. He was so fucking ready to get out of this shithole and start living his life.

As he lit up, a maroon BMW pulled into the parking lot. To his immense surprise, inside was Dustin Henderson, one of his newest proteges, with none other than Steve Harrington, both laughing. Dustin had told Eddie all about his friendship with Steve, but he honestly thought the kid was lying. Apparently, he wasn’t.

Eddie watched Dustin shut the door and wave cheerily as Steve drove away. When he turned and spotted Eddie, he waved even more enthusiastically.

Eddie smiled and stubbed out the rest of his cigarette. "Hey, Henderson."

"Eddie!"

Eddie shouldered his backpack as Dustin approached. "Did Steve Harrington just drop you off for school?"

"Yeah?" Dustin replied like it was obvious. "Mom had a flat, and Steve opens the video store today anyway."

Eddie shook his head in disbelief as the two made their way inside the building.

"I told you he and I were friends!"

"I just … didn't believe you," Eddie chuckled.

"Why would I lie about that?"

"To seem cool?"

"When have I ever wanted to seem cool?" Dustin deadpanned.

"Fair point. It's just … Steve ‘The Hair’ Harrington? 'King Steve'? Isn’t he kind of a douche?”

"That was like, two years ago. He's a good guy now."

“Whatever you say, Henderson.” He clapped him on the back before they parted ways.

Eddie pondered the odd friendship as he made his way towards his English class. He personally had no beef with Harrington. They’d only shared a couple of classes last year, and pretty much ignored each other. Eddie couldn’t lie to himself that he did, in fact, find him really hot, but Harrington was a jock, and Eddie never had good experiences with jocks. He remembered the previous year when that asshole, Billy Hargrove, shoulder checked him so hard in the hallway that the strap on his backpack ripped, spilling character sheets and scribbled song lyrics across the floor. Eddie had never seen Harrington with Hargrove outside of practice, so he guessed that was a point in his favor, but still … Rich kid, jock … He had to be a douche, right? Those were just the rules of the universe. He wondered what Dustin saw in him.

~*~

Earlier that morning ...

Steve had snoozed his alarm several times before he finally managed to drag himself out of bed and into the shower. Once dressed, he went downstairs for breakfast. The house was blissfully quiet with his parents once again out of town. Sometimes he wondered why they even kept a residence in Hawkins. He fished a bowl out of the cupboard and poured himself some cornflakes. Just as he was about to chow down, the kitchen phone rang. He sighed heavily, his spoon falling back into the bowl with a loud clang.

“Harrington residence,” he answered, wondering who was calling the house this early.

“Hey, Steve!” came Dustin’s energetic greeting.

“Hey, Dustin,” Steve replied, relaxing now that he knew it wasn’t one of his dad’s stuffy business associates. “Why are you calling so early?”

“Well … Mom’s car has a flat, and I was hoping you could drive me to school ...”

“Uh huh,” Steve scoffed. Of course he needed a ride.

“Please, Steve! The bus already passed before we realized.”

“You’re lucky I have a morning shift today, otherwise I’d still be unconscious.”

“Yes!” Dustin then yelled away from the receiver, “Steve is picking me up!”

“Oh, that sweet boy!” Steve heard faintly from Mrs. Henderson.

“Does your mom need a ride, too?” Steve asked, figuring he was all in at this point. Besides, Mrs. Henderson fed him on a regular basis, so it was only polite.

“He wants to know if you need a ride, too!” Dustin yelled, this time a little too close to the receiver.

Steve winced as he pulled the phone away from his ear.

“That Steve is such a gentleman!” Mrs. Henderson replied, “But Sylvia is already picking me up.”

“She says she’s good,” Dustin relayed.

“Yeah, I got it. I’m headed out the door, so make sure you’re ready when I get there. Keith will kill me if I’m late again.”

“You got it,” Dustin said, then hung up the phone unceremoniously.

Steve shook his head. That kid needed to learn some manners … He dumped his unfinished bowl of cereal into the sink, grabbed his vest, wallet, and keys, and was out the door.

*

Dustin was waiting for Steve at his mailbox, backpack slung over his shoulder. He waved when he saw Steve’s car approaching.

Steve pulled up and unlocked the doors so Dustin could slide in. He noticed Mrs. Henderson’s car in the carport, back left hubcap practically on the concrete. “Does your mom need help changing the tire later?”

“I have no idea,” Dustin answered.

Steve rolled his eyes. “Well, how about a little gratitude for the pick-up?”

Now Dustin rolled his eyes, scoffing loudly. “Thank you, Steve,” he said as sarcastically as possible.

Steve grimaced as he pulled out onto the street, but quickly got over Dustin’s antics, as he always did. “Got any cool school projects coming up?”

Dustin shrugged. “I have to make a 3D model of a cell for biology.”

“Oh, I remember doing that! I tried making mine out of playdoh. It did not go well … What are you gonna use?”

“My mom has some leftover floral foam I think will work.”

Steve had no idea what the hell floral foam was, but he nodded along as if it was a great idea. Knowing Dustin, it probably was. “What about your, uh, Hellfire thing? The one with Eddie the Freak?”

“Dude, don’t call him that!” Dustin protested, frowning sharply at Steve.

“I thought he called himself that!” Steve protested. “Seemed to wear it pretty proudly, at least.”

“Eddie says you have to, so people can’t get to you …”

Steve pondered that. He had never really been the focus of insults until Billy Hargrove came along, and that guy was a psychopath, so it didn’t feel quite the same. He supposed it wasn’t a bad strategy. Certainly seemed to be working for Eddie, at least. Steve didn’t know Eddie well; they didn’t share many classes during school, but he wasn’t unaware. He’d witnessed some of Eddie’s antics and honestly found him pretty amusing. They just didn’t run in the same circles.

“Ah, yes. Your new best friend, Eddie,” Steve teased.

“Aw, is Steve jealous?” Dustin quipped back.

“Ouch,” Steve replied. “You’ve been spending too much time around Max.”

Dustin grew solemn. “I’m actually kinda worried about Max.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah … She broke up with Lucas, and she's started pulling away from me and Mike, too.”

“Oh.” Steve knew better than most about the fucked-up relationship between Max and Billy, but he guessed Billy’s death must have had some kind of effect on her. “I’ll see if I can get her to talk next time I see her,” he offered.

Dustin perked back up. “Thanks.”

“So,” Steve said, steering the conversation back to happier subjects. “Hellfire.”

Dustin immediately launched into excited chatter about his new character, their powers, the club’s current campaign, etc. He rambled for most of the car ride, while Steve listened and fondly smiled. He loved listening to people talk about their favorite things, even if he barely understood what they were talking about.

“And Eddie is such a great DM,” Dustin continued. “His campaigns are on another level! And he loves acting out all the NPCs and monsters and does all these great voices! He even puts together tapes so we have the perfect ambiance while playing! It's incredible!”

“Sounds incredible,” Steve said, feeling a tad lame in comparison. “But has he ever infiltrated a Soviet bunker in a sailor uniform?”

Dustin laughed. “You’ve got him beat there,” he giggled.

“Damn right,” Steve chuckled as he pulled into the high school parking lot. “Alright, twerp, we’re here.” He parked basically right in front of the entrance. “Make good choices or whatever.”

Dustin climbed out of the car and waved goodbye.

Steve waved back, then noticed Eddie Munson himself sitting on a brick wall, all long hair and dark clothes. As he drove away from the school, he wondered to himself if he should attempt to befriend Eddie. Dustin clearly looked up to him a lot, and the stories he told painted Eddie in an interesting light. Besides, Steve needed more friends his age. He loved the kids, but he couldn’t talk to them about everything. And Robin was an incredible friend, his platonic soulmate, Steve adored her, but one more friend couldn’t hurt. If Eddie ever gave him a chance, that is.

~*~

Harrington continued to gnaw at Eddie through second period, which luckily was his study hall. He spotted Robin Buckley in the back corner of the classroom, balancing her pencil on her upper lip out of sheer boredom. He and Robin weren’t friends, per se, but she was a band nerd and Eddie could respect that. He’d also heard rumors of her developing a friendship with Harrington over the summer. Maybe she could illuminate him on the wonders of King Steve.

He marched over, dropping his backpack on the floor before spinning an empty chair and dropping onto it, his arms crossed over the back.

Robin’s pencil fell onto the desk with a clack. “Can I help you, Munson?”

“I’ve got a question for you.”

“Hmm, I’m not sure a trumpet would work in your metal band.”

Eddie snorted. “Ha ha. Actually, I wanted to ask you about Steve Harrington …”

Robin dropped her head back and sighed dramatically. “For the 1000th time, we are not dating!”

“Miss Buckley, please quiet down!” Mrs. Kirby yelled from her desk at the head of the class.

Robin rolled her eyes.

“No, no, no,” Eddie murmured, voice lowering as to not invoke Mrs. Kirby’s wrath further.

“Nor do I want to go out with you,” Robin added, picking up her pencil and doodling in her notebook in an attempt to look busy.

Eddie pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a frustrated sigh. “That is not at all what- You’re not exactly … my type.” Eddie lowered his chin and gave her a look, hoping to convey his meaning without words.

Robin returned the look. “Are you asking if Steve-”

Eddie’s insides froze at Robin’s implication. “Absolutely not!”

“Mr. Munson, please!”

Eddie buried his face in his hands. “Look, Dustin Henderson claims to be friends with Harrington. In fact, he dropped him off for school this morning. I wouldn’t believe it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. And I’ve heard that you’re friends with Harrington, too, and I’m just totally lost. How is Steve Harrington, King of Hawkins High, friends with, no offense, two serious nerds. I mean, did he even realize you existed when he went here?”

Robin smiled fondly. “You’d be surprised. And no offense taken, I guess.”

Eddie just stared at her like she was nuts, waiting for her to elaborate.

“Look, we worked together at that ice cream shop in the mall over the summer, and he was a fucking riot. In fact, I used to keep score of how many times he went down in flames while chatting up girls.” Robin giggled to herself at the memory. “And we were working together the night of the … the fire.” Her expression grew more solemn. “He saved my ass that night. He actually saved a few people that night, including Henderson.”

“Henderson was there, too?” Eddie whispered in horror.

Robin nodded silently.

Eddie shrugged. “He’s just … never mentioned it.”

“Would you want to bring up something that traumatizing?”

“I guess not.” Eddie lapsed into silence as he considered everything Robin told him. “And you’re like, actually friends with him?”

“Mhm,” Robin nodded. “We work at Family Video together, we hang out on the weekends. He’s … Honestly, he’s my best friend.”

Eddie leaned back in his chair and blew out a long breath. “This is blowing my fucking mind, Buckley.”

She shrugged. “I judged him, too, you know, before I got to know him. He’s not who you think he is. I mean, he's not the sharpest, for sure, but … he’s a good guy.”

Eddie hoisted himself up from the chair, his head full of new things to ponder. “Thanks for your time, Buckley.” He saluted sharply.

Robin laughed. “Yeah, can I please get back to what I was doing?” She placed the pencil back on her upper lip.

Eddie laughed and returned to his seat. Maybe he should hang out with Buckley, invite her to a Hellfire session or something. She seemed pretty rad. And if she said Harrington was a good dude, then maybe Eddie had judged him prematurely. Not that it was going to affect his life in any way. Harrington had already managed to escape this hell hole, and Eddie did not see them crossing paths any time soon.

*

Later during lunch, Eddie was mindlessly chewing on greasy cafeteria salisbury steak, when Dustin and Mike finally joined their table.

“Tell him, Mike!” Dustin demanded as soon as he sat down.

“Tell him what?” Mike asked snottily.

Eddie rolled his eyes. Freshmen.

“Tell Eddie that Steve is a great guy!”

Of course Henderson was still on about this …

Mike shrugged, like he could not possibly care less. “Sure, he’s fine, I guess.”

“You guess!?” Dustin had no right to sound so offended. “How many times has he saved our asses?”

Mike shrugged. “A couple times?”

“Uh, he tried to beat up Billy for us,” Dustin replied with more attitude than his little body should be able to muster, as he held up one finger. “He saved us from the … mall fire.” Another finger shot up.

“Right, a couple times.” Mike squinted at Dustin like he was nuts.

Dustin scoffed. “The mall fire was actually several instances, so-” He held up two more fingers.

“Hold up,” Eddie interrupted. “Did you say ‘tried to beat up Billy?’ As in Billy Hargrove?”

“Yeah-” Dustin began to reply.

“Billy kicked his ass,” Mike interrupted.

“Steve was protecting us!” Dustin argued.

Eddie wanted to ask about the circumstances, but Gareth interjected first.

“Didn’t Harrington also get his ass kicked by Jonathan Byers?”

Eddie remembered seeing Harrington with a massive black eye his junior year. The rumors flying around school claimed they were fighting over Nancy Wheeler. Eddie couldn’t think of a dumber, more stereotypical reason for teenage boys to fight.

“I never said he was a great fighter,” Dustin scoffed, “At least he kept Billy distracted.”

“Distracted from what?” Eddie prompted.

“Billy was gonna beat up Max for hanging out with us,” Mike explained.

“So that guy was an actual fucking psychopath.” Eddie nodded to himself, the bits of Billy he’d seen slotting together.

“You have no idea,” Dustin replied, side-eyeing Mike.

Mike elbowed Dustin, and something passed silently between them. They began to quietly eat their lunches.

Eddie pushed his tray away from himself, leaning back so he could prop his foot on the cafeteria table. “Henderson, you had my curiosity, but now I am downright intrigued.”

~*~

After lunch, Eddie was making his way to the science lab when he spotted Lucas at his locker. He snuck up quietly, then slapped his hand on the locker next to Lucas with a loud bang. Eddie swore Lucas jumped a foot in the air.

“Hey, Sinclair,” he greeted casually, like he hadn’t just scared the life out of the kid.

Lucas grabbed at his chest as his adrenaline dissipated, but still smiled as he replied, “Hey, Eddie!”

“We missed you at lunch.”

“Yeah, sorry. Coach called a last minute meeting to discuss some plays before our game tonight.” Lucas shrugged apologetically.

“No worries.” Eddie leaned against the wall of lockers. “You just missed Henderson regaling me with the adventures of King Steve.”

Lucas laughed. “Sounds about right.”

“So what do you think of Harrington?”

“He’s cool,” Lucas replied.

Eddie made a motion for him to continue.

“I dunno, he’s a nice dude. Protective, funny, a good basketball player.”

Eddie willed himself not to roll his eyes. “So I’ve heard.”

Lucas squinted at Eddie. “What’s got you so interested in Steve?”

Eddie shrugged as nonchalantly as possible. “Just curious, is all.” Silence lapsed between them for a moment, then Eddie leaned in close. “Those jocks … Are they treating you ok?”

Lucas looked surprised. “Yeah … I mean, they’re not my friends, but … they’re nice to me.”

Eddie nodded, unsure if he believed Lucas. He’d had enough run-ins with some of those meatheads to last a lifetime. “Good, good.”

The clanging of the bell echoed through the hallway, and Eddie pushed off the lockers. “Well, I’m off to hopefully not flunk a chemistry quiz.”

“Good luck,” Lucas offered.

“Thanks, man.” Eddie forced Harrington’s pretty face out of his head so he could try to focus on passing this damn thing.

Chapter Text

A few weeks passed without much change for Eddie. He knew the senior routine well by this point. Tuesdays were for Hellfire meetings; Wednesdays were reserved for band practice. Once a month, if they were lucky, the band would perform at The Hideout. He’d deal downtown whenever he needed extra cash. In the days between, Eddie did his best to study and do homework, but the letters started to swim after a while, and he’d usually end his nights with a joint, either listening to a metal tape or plucking away at his guitar as new songs formed in his mind.

Earlier that day, a basketball player, Eddie wasn’t even sure of his name, cornered him at school asking for weed. Eddie didn’t have any on him at the time, so he agreed to meet up downtown for the sale. He wasn’t a huge fan of selling to jocks, and never sold them anything stronger than marijuana, but his van was busted and he needed the cash.

Eddie slipped a small bag of weed into his back pocket and shrugged on his leather jacket and vest. He’d been mugged by buyers before, so he didn’t dare bring more than he could afford to lose.

As he headed for the trailer door, Wayne looked up from where he was watching a football game on their tiny television. “Going out?” he asked casually.

Eddie paused. “Yeah, gonna meet a friend downtown.”

“Downtown? Your van fixed yet?”

Eddie sighed. “Not yet.”

“That’s a long walk. Need a ride?”

“Thanks, but I could use the walk,” Eddie lied.

Wayne gave him a long look, but ultimately said nothing. He probably had his suspicions, but Eddie’s extra cash helped pay the bills. Eddie was grateful for his silence. He owed Wayne more than he could ever repay, yet the idea of working a real job made him sick to his stomach. This would have to do for now.

Eddie nodded at Wayne, and headed out the door.

The night was pleasantly chilly, as fall usually was in Hawkins. The trees surrounding the trailer park were changing colors and dumping leaves everywhere. Eddie stuffed his hands into his pockets and set out for the road.

After nearly an hour, Eddie finally made it downtown. Most of the stores were closed by this time of night, but it wasn’t desolate yet. The movie theater had at least one more showtime before it closed. He passed several people on the sidewalk before he found the agreed upon alley and ducked inside.

At the far end, just within reach of the street lamp, stood a blond teenager in a green varsity jacket. He tipped his chin up in greeting when he spotted Eddie.

Eddie quietly made his way toward him.

“Hey, man, you got the stuff?”

Eddie nodded and pulled out the bag from his back pocket.

“That’s not much,” the jock grunted. “You got more?”

“Sorry, man,” Eddie shrugged. “All I got.”

The jock grimaced and reached for the bag, but Eddie pulled it out of his reach.

“Payment first,” Eddie tutted.

“How much?”

“Twenty bucks.”

“Twenty bucks? For that little bag? That’s bullshit,” he growled.

Eddie could feel his heart start to race, but he kept his cool. “$20 is the market price,” he replied. “Take it or leave it.”

The jock grabbed Eddie by the lapels of his jacket. “I guess I’ll take it then, freak.” He reared back and slugged Eddie across the jaw.

Pain exploded across Eddie’s face as he fell to the ground. He reached back to break his fall, and gravel bit into the skin of his palms. Before he could react, the jock reached down to grab him again. Eddie clamped his eyes shut, bracing himself for the next blow.

“Hey!” came a shout from the entrance of the alley. “What the fuck are you doing?”

The jock shoved Eddie back against the pavement so he could address the newcomer. “None of your fucking business, Harrington.”

Harrington? Eddie blinked the tears out of his eyes. Sure enough, Steve Harrington was barreling towards them. Eddie was so shocked, he didn’t even attempt to escape.

Harrington shoved the jock away from Eddie, and planted himself between them. “Fuck off, Bell!”

“This freak is trying to rip me off!”

Harrington took a threatening step forward. “I said, fuck off.”

“Whatever, queer,” the jock spat before disappearing into the night.

Harrington waited until the jock was gone before turning and offering a hand to Eddie. “You ok?”

Eddie stared up at him for a long moment, still processing what was happening, then took the offered hand and got to his feet. He rubbed gently at his sore jaw. “Yeah. Yeah, I think so.” At least he didn’t taste any blood ... “Uh, thanks …” he finally murmured.

“No problem,” Steve replied.

“You didn’t have to do that. I could have been ripping him off for all you knew.”

“Nah, I played basketball with that guy in high school. He’s always been an asshole.”

An awkward silence lapsed between them. Eddie had no idea what to do with this frankly bizarre turn of events. He thought back to the stories he’d heard of Steve protecting people, and now he was here protecting Eddie, a person he didn’t even know. Eventually, he picked the bag of weed up off the pavement and pocketed it. “Uh, thanks again … I should-”

“We should get some ice for your jaw. It may feel ok now, but I can tell you from experience, it's gonna swell.”

“It's no big deal,” Eddie shrugged, just wanting this night to be over. “I’ll ice it at home.”

“You probably shouldn’t drive,” Steve said matter-of-factly. “Just in case you, you know, have a concussion.”

Eddie stared at Steve, unsure what to make of this interaction. “I actually walked here, so …”

“You live in Forest Hills, right?”

Eddie blinked. “Why on earth do you know that?”

“Max lives there,” Steve explained. “One of the kids I babysit,” he clarified, probably realizing Eddie had no idea who ‘Max’ was. “I’ve seen you around.”

Eddie nodded dumbly. Maybe he did have a concussion.

“Let me drive you home,” Steve suggested.

That at least seemed to shake Eddie from his stupor. “Dude, you don’t have to worry about it-”

“C’mon, that’s a long walk,” Steve huffed.

“You don’t even know who I am.”

“First off, so what,” Steve scoffed. “I’d be a real asshole to abandon you after that, and secondly, you’re Eddie Munson. Dustin won’t shut the fuck up about you.”

Eddie was surprised. He never thought Dustin might gush over him like he gushed over Steve. Who the fuck was Eddie to gush over? He’d certainly never protected anyone. But he kept up the mask and chuckled. “Ah, of course.”

“So can I take you home or what?”

Eddie stared at Steve for a moment, taking him in. Even after hearing the others wax poetic about the guy, Eddie was having a hard time reconciling who he assumed Steve was with the person he apparently actually was. Eventually, he gave in. “Fine, but you can’t tell Dustin about this.”

Steve looked bemused, but replied, “Whatever you want, man.” He began to walk towards the alley entrance before turning to make sure Eddie was following.

Eddie kept in step behind him. They eventually made their way to the fucking BMW. Eddie had completely forgotten about it. He thought about his beat-up van that couldn’t even run right now, and pondered fleeing into the night before Steve could catch him.

Steve unlocked the car and slid into the driver’s seat.

Eddie hesitated a second before opening the passenger door and climbing in. The car had leather seats. Actual leather; not the shitty, cheap vinyl in his van that was ripping at the seams. Eddie’s eyes darted around, taking in the shiny chrome and lacquered wood.

“You ok, Munson?” Steve asked as he started the car. “I’m starting to think you really do have a concussion.”

Eddie pondered admitting the truth, and finally decided, fuck it. “I’ve just never been inside a car this nice.”

“Oh …” Steve seemed to deflate a little. “I, uh … I know what it looks like, but I’m paying my dad back. It may take a couple thousand years, but-” He chuckled quietly and looked at Eddie, hoping to break the tension.

Eddie had no idea how to react. Steve Harrington was supposed to be a douche; he had all the hallmarks of a real asshole: rich parents, jock, popular, handsome … But he wasn’t like that at all. Eddie could feel all his carefully constructed ideas of how the world was supposed to work crumbling around him.

Steve sighed at Eddie’s silence and backed out of the parking space.

They spent the majority of the drive to Eddie’s trailer in silence, the only noise coming from the radio. Eddie didn’t recognize the music, but he could tell it was pop garbage. He felt a little relieved, to be honest. If Steve had turned out to also be a metalhead, Eddie was afraid his own head would explode.

The dull ache in his jaw was beginning to throb painfully with his heartbeat. He rubbed at it gingerly. “You were right,” he said, finally breaking the tense silence. “This is really starting to hurt.”

Steve nodded. “Getting punched in the face sucks. I had a real shiner all summer.”

“Got caught with the wrong girl?” Eddie chuckled.

Steve shifted uncomfortably. “It was actually from the mall fire …”

“What?" Eddie snorted. "Did the fire punch you?”

Steve rolled his eyes, but cracked a smile. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

“Try me, Harrington.”

Steve pondered for a moment, then explained casually, “I was tortured by Russians.”

Now it was Eddie’s turn to roll his eyes. “Fine, don’t tell me."

The sign for the trailer park appeared through the trees, and Steve turned into the entrance.

“I’m the one with the van,” Eddie said, pointing at it through the windshield.

Steve pulled up next to the van and put his car in park.

Silence fell around them again as Eddie debated how to best thank Steve for saving his ass. He pulled the bag of weed out of his pocket and held it out.

Steve blinked at the bag in confusion. “What’s this?”

“It's obviously weed,” Eddie scoffed.

“I know that!” Steve argued. “But why are you giving it to me?”

Eddie stared at Steve incredulously, like it should be obvious. “As thanks for helping me.”

Steve batted his hand away, shaking his head. “You don’t have to pay me back or whatever.”

“Well, I feel like I should do something!”

“I didn’t help you for a reward, man.”

Eddie had no idea what to do with that. He clenched the weed in his fist. “I’m not used to this.”

“To what?”

“To accepting help. Especially for free. Life has been shit to me, and this doesn’t feel right.”

Steve ran a hand through his hair. “Look … my life has been pretty easy, you know. I used to take shit for granted. The worst I’ve suffered is a few concussions and a broken heart, but I’d like to think those things knocked some sense into me.” He looked Eddie in the eyes. “I helped you cause you needed it.” He shrugged, like it was the simplest thing in the world.

Eddie could feel something tugging gently in his chest. “Fine, but I owe you one.”

Steve huffed a laugh. “If that makes you feel better, then that’s fine with me.”

Eddie stuck out his hand, which Steve tentatively took. They shook once before letting go. It did make Eddie feel better. “Well … I’m gonna go now.”

“Yeah, of course.”

“Thanks … again.” Eddie opened the car door and stepped out. “See you around, Harrington.”

“Wait,” Steve called.

Eddie ducked down so he could see Steve through the open window.

“Don’t forget to ice!”

Eddie chuckled. “Yeah, yeah …” He waved Steve off and hopped up the stairs to the trailer door. He could feel Steve watching him for a moment before backing out. Eddie turned to watch him drive away until his tail-lights disappeared around the corner. He had no idea what to make of all this.

When he entered the trailer, it was quiet and dark. Eddie went to the fridge and dug out a bag of peas from the freezer. Once in his room, he stripped down to his boxers and climbed into bed. He wrapped the peas in a towel and tenderly pressed it against his jaw. The cold felt good and temporarily quelled the throbbing.

~*~

The next morning, Eddie examined his jaw in the mirror. It wasn’t swollen, but there was a bit of bruising. He sighed to himself, not looking forward to the barrage of questions he was sure to get from his proteges. He thought again of Steve Harrington, and the absolute absurdity of the whole situation. Eddie couldn’t think of anyone else from hellhole high that would have stepped up for him like that, especially a former jock. But he decided to write it off as a fluke and go on with his life.

Of course, the second Eddie stepped into the school, Dustin was there, peppering Eddie with questions about their current campaign when he suddenly stopped. “What the hell happened to your face?”

Eddie shrugged as nonchalantly as possible. “‘S no big deal, man.” Dustin had either not spoken to Harrington yet, or Harrington had actually kept his promise.

“Did somebody hit you!?” Dustin was becoming slightly hysterical.

“What happened?” Lucas asked as he appeared next to them.

Eddie sighed internally. He kinda wished Harrington had given Bell some matching bruises, just so he’d have to suffer this embarrassment, too. “Nothing happened, guys. I’m fine.”

Lucas and Dustin shared a concerned look.

“You can tell us, Eddie,” Lucas said reassuringly.

Eddie wanted to scrub his hands over his face, but he kept his cool. He was almost twenty fucking years old, and here were these infants trying to look after him. It was nuts. Where did he find these kids?

“Look,” he finally sighed. “I slipped in the shower this morning, and I’m embarrassed. Happy now?”

Lucas chortled under his breath, but Dustin didn’t look quite convinced.

Luckily for Eddie, the school bell rang to save him from further third degree.

~*~

“Guess who I ran into last night.” Steve leaned back against the counter as he watched Robin check returned tapes.

“Oh god, was it Nancy?” Robin grimaced.

Steve frowned in offense. “No! Why are you making that face?”

“You’ve just been talking about her a bit more lately,” Robin shrugged. “I was worried you might be relapsing.”

“I’m not … relapsing,” Steve muttered, turning away.

“Ok, ok, don’t get grumpy. Who did you see last night?”

“Eddie Munson.” Steve turned back around. “He was getting mugged.”

“What?” Robin exclaimed. “Did you help him?”

“Of course I helped him. Jesus, Robin.” He crossed his arms across his chest.

“Who was mugging him?”

“Tyler Bell. He’s on the basketball team.”

“That tracks,” Robin sighed. “Is Eddie ok?”

“I think so. Sore jaw, for sure. I gave him a ride home.”

“How’d that go?”

Steve shook his head. “I don’t think he likes me much.”

“Even after you saved him?”

“He was just really quiet and seemed bothered by my car.” He shrugged one shoulder. “Probably just thinks I’m daddy’s little rich boy.”

“And a former jock, which he clearly does not have a good track record with …”

Steve sank further against the counter. “I never treated him like that …”

“To be fair, you never talked to him, either.”

Steve nodded sadly. That was true. Eddie had no real reason to like him, but maybe Steve could change that. If they ever ran into each other again, that is.

“He asked about you the other day, you know.” Robin handed a stack of VHS tapes to Steve. “These need to be rewound.”

“Really?” Steve set the stack down on the counter, resting his elbow on top.

Robin looked between his elbow and his face. “You better rewind those.”

“I will! But first tell me what he asked.”

Robin hesitated a moment, biting her lip, before saying, “He asked how such a popular jock had befriended me and Dustin. He seemed pretty surprised when I told him we were good friends, and that you weren’t that kind of person.”

Steve deflated. “Well … shit. He does think I’m an asshole.”

“Steve, I didn’t have a high opinion of you, either, before last summer. He’s just got to get to know you.”

“How many other people feel that way about me, though?” He paused, thinking back to some of the shitty things he did when he was younger. “I just … hate the person I used to be …”

Robin placed a hand gently on Steve’s shoulder. “You’re not that person anymore,” she reassured. “And if Eddie’s a decent guy, he’ll see it, too.”

“Thanks,” he smiled fondly.

Robin smiled, too, then tugged sharply on his sleeve. “Now go rewind those tapes!”

“I’m going, I’m going!”

~*~

It was finally the weekend; Eddie and his bandmates were getting together for a movie night. They usually went to the theater downtown, but Eddie was trying to lay low after the incident with Bell. That’s how he found himself in Family Video on Saturday morning.

The bell jingled as he pushed through the door, and Robin looked up from where she was flipping through a magazine at the counter. “Hey, Munson,” she greeted casually.

“Buckley,” he replied. He made his way toward the new releases. “All alone today?”

“Nope.”

Steve emerged from behind a shelf where he’d been organizing tapes. “Hey,” he smiled. “How’s your jaw?”

Eddie instinctively reached for where the bruise had been, but caught himself. “It's fine.”

Steve nodded. “Good! Has Bell given you any more shit?”

Eddie’s eyes flicked over to Robin. The less people knew about this, the better.

Robin was unbothered. “He’s my best friend, Eddie. He already told me everything.”

Steve at least had the decency to look sheepish.

“And I already knew you sold drugs. Most of the juniors and seniors know, so don’t get your panties in a bunch,” she added, returning to her magazine.

“Well, thanks for at least not telling Henderson,” Eddie muttered.

“No problem,” Steve said. “Though don’t think for a second I wasn’t tempted. The little twerp talked my ear off; had a million theories for what really happened. Didn’t believe your shower story for a second.”

Eddie rolled his eyes, not surprised in the least. “I do appreciate your … discretion. He’s an innocent kid. He doesn’t need to know about real world shit yet.”

Robin snorted loudly, and Steve shot her a pointed look, which only stifled her giggles.

Eddie looked between them curiously before shaking it off. He returned his attention to the tapes in front of him.

“Need any recommendations?” Steve asked, leaning against the wall nearest Eddie.

“Sure, Harrington. What do you suggest? Beverly Hills Cop?” Sarcasm dripped from his voice.

Steve frowned. “Hey, that’s a funny movie! But I like weird movies, too.”

“Oh, I’m into weird movies, huh?”

“You know what I mean!”

Eddie squinted at him. “Do I?”

“Look.” Steve reached over to his cart and pulled out a tape. “Have you seen Clue?”

Eddie shook his head. Since the mall theater burned down, Hawkins wasn’t getting as many releases as before. He must have missed this one.

“It's got that, that guy from …” Steve started snapping his fingers.

“Rocky Horror,” Robin deadpanned.

“Rocky Horror!” Steve looked proud of himself, despite not actually remembering the title.

Eddie was incredulous. “You’ve heard of, let alone seen, Rocky Horror?”

Steve looked offended, but Robin interrupted before he could defend himself. “I introduced him to it.”

Now that made much more sense to Eddie.

“I still liked it, though,” Steve grumbled.

Eddie was very surprised by that, but before he could voice his shock, Steve was pushing the tape into his hands.

“It's funny, and it's weird. I think you’ll like it.”

He looked so sincere, Eddie couldn’t fight him on it. And if it had Tim Curry, surely it was worth a watch. “Alright, I’ll try it.”

Steve grinned broadly. “Cool, I’ll ring you up!”

Eddie followed him to the counter and watched as he punched some buttons on the register.

“That’ll be $2.”

Eddie plucked his wallet from his back pocket and pulled out two bills.

Steve took the bills, deposited them in the register, and slid the movie across the counter with a grin. “Let me know if you like it.”

Eddie was momentarily dazzled by his handsome smile. “Sure thing … I guess I’ll see you later.” He grabbed the tape and made for the door. As the door swung shut behind him, he could hear Robin over the tinkling of the bell.

“I thought you only used your employee discount for cute girls.”

“Shut up,” Steve groused.

Eddie didn’t know what to make of that. Was Harrington taking pity on poor, broke Eddie Munson? He’d hate it if that were true. He didn’t need anyone feeling bad for him, let alone King Steve.

Chapter Text

Clue was fucking incredible. Eddie loved it. It wasn’t the same as Rocky Horror by any means, but the cast was great, it was hilarious, and it had three endings! Eddie had never seen a movie do that before.

Wayne was off Sunday night, so Eddie showed it to him, too. Wayne laughed at most of the jokes, but was a little thrown off by the endings. He smiled fondly, though, as Eddie waxed poetic about the unique concept.

After school the next day, Eddie returned to Family Video. He could see Harrington alone at the counter through the large glass windows.

Steve looked up when the bell chimed, and smiled when he realized it was Eddie. “Hey, man, how was the movie?”

“It was great!” Eddie replied honestly as he placed the tape on the counter.

Steve pumped his fist victoriously. “I told Robin I was getting better at this!” He turned to the computer to begin the return process.

“So how’d you know I liked Rocky Horror?” Eddie asked, leaning on the counter.

Steve shrugged. “Well, Robin’s in band and likes weird musicals like that. You’re in a band, so I just took a shot.”

Eddie chuckled to himself. Of course that’s the takeaway Steve would have. But that was fine; safer, honestly. You can’t trust people in a small town like this. Then he remembered Robin’s comment about Steve using his employee discount for Eddie. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.” Steve turned back to face him.

“Did you give me your employee discount?” Eddie could swear Steve blushed, but chose to ignore it.

“Yeah,” Steve replied sheepishly.

“Why?”

“I just … wanted to,” Steve hedged. “Keith charges too much anyway.”

“Look, I don’t need your pity, ok?” Eddie pushed away from the counter, feeling defensive.

“It’s not pity! I give discounts to all of my … friends.”

Eddie stared at Steve, watching him squirm uncomfortably. “Except we’re not friends.”

Steve blanched at that, and replied in a quiet voice, “We could be.” He steeled himself and continued, “I know my reputation, ok? I’m sure you think I’m a jerk, but … I’m not that guy anymore. And Dustin won’t shut up about you. He thinks you’re the coolest person ever, so I thought maybe we could, I don’t know, at least be friendly towards each other.” He sighed heavily. “But it's not pity, I swear. I’ll charge you full price next time.”

Eddie could feel the disappointment radiating off of Steve. “Sorry,” he murmured. “Sorry, I’m just-”

“Not used to this,” Steve finished for him sadly.

Eddie silently considered Steve Harrington. Eddie knew better than most people the value, and pitfalls, of reputation. He may have heard things and made assumptions, but the person he was slowly getting to know was clearly a decent guy. “You know what,” Eddie announced loudly, letting his vulnerabilities slip back behind his boisterous facade. “How about we start over?” He stuck out his hand. “I’m Eddie Munson.”

Steve gave the offered hand a wary look, before smiling and shaking it solidly. “Steve Harrington.”

“Nice to meet you, Steve,” Eddie smiled. “I’ve gotta get home and study for a quiz, but … I’ll see you around sometime.”

“Yeah, cool.”

Eddie saluted with a friendly grin and left the store.

~*~

At the end of the day, Steve locked up the video store, happy to have made headway in his burgeoning friendship with Eddie. He twirled the keys in his fingers as he headed for his car. Just as he was about to unlock it, he noticed Max skateboarding toward the arcade next door. He waved, as he hadn’t seen her in a while.

She waved back, but didn’t smile, then picked up her skateboard to head inside.

Steve thought back to his conversation with Dustin, about how Max was starting to distance herself from everyone. He decided to jog over and chat with her. “Hey, Max!”

She paused with her hand on the door pull, looking frustrated. “Hey, Steve ..."

“You ok?” he asked, stopping a few feet away.

“Yeah,” she answered curtly. “Just want to play some video games.”

“I haven’t seen you in a while. Can we talk?”

“Sure.” She dropped her hand from the door and cradled her skateboard against her chest with both arms.

Steve sat on the bench outside the arcade and patted the empty space next to him. Max sighed, but sat down. “What’s going on? You seem more annoyed than usual.”

“Everyone keeps asking me how I’m doing, and I’m sick of it.”

“Well, it's just because your friends are worried about you.”

“They shouldn’t be.” She turned to him sharply. “Did Lucas ask you to talk to me?”

“No one asked me to talk to you, though Dustin may have mentioned … the breakup.”

Max rolled her eyes. “What? I can’t break up with someone?”

“Of course you can,” Steve said gently. “But it's not just that, is it? Dustin said you’re being distant with everyone. And … I can see what he’s talking about.”

Max stared down at her feet.

“Is this about Billy?” Steve had no idea how to help Max with whatever emotions she was feeling towards Billy’s death, but she was clearly having a hard time. “You can talk to me, Max.”

“Except I can’t,” she snapped, finally looking up at Steve. “I can’t talk to anyone about this because … because no one has any idea how this feels!”

Steve sighed. “I know, and I’m so sorry. I wish I knew how to help.” They lapsed into an awkward silence as Steve tried to think of what to say. “Have you talked to the school counselor?”

Max laughed hollowly. “What would that help?”

“She’s trained to help with heavy stuff, like grief.”

Max stared off for a moment. “It’s not like I can tell her the details.”

“No, but you could tell her about how badly Billy treated you, and that he saved you from … the mall fire.”

Max scoffed at the mention of the fire.

“The details might be different, but it should be enough for her to help you with whatever you’re feeling.” Steve shrugged. “It’s worth a shot. I talked to her after Nancy broke up with me, and she helped a lot.” He waited for a response, but when one did not come, added, “I know that’s not the same at all, but … I just want you to be ok.”

Her shoulders slumped, and she finally met Steve's eyes. “I’ll … think about it,” she murmured.

Steve smiled gently. “Ok. Go play your games; get your mind off things.”

They both stood. Max turned back towards the door and sat her skateboard against the wall next to the bike rack. Just when Steve was about to head back to his car, Max suddenly turned back and hugged him. “Thank you,” she whispered.

Steve hugged her gently, then watched as she pulled away and disappeared into the arcade.

As he drove home, he thought back to the first time Max had told him, “Thank you.” It was a little over a month after Billy had attacked them at the Byers’ house, and Steve’s life had started to fall apart. With Nancy having finally, officially broken up with him, and no real prospects post-graduation, Steve had spiraled into a real slump. He was sitting in the library, idly flipping through a textbook, when Max and Lucas approached him. As they sat down opposite him, he closed the book to give them his full attention, concerned there was more upside down bullshit happening.

“We just wanted to say, ‘Thank you.’” Max kept her voice low as people studied nearby.

Lucas smiled as he held her hand on the table. “Yeah, thank you.”

Steve was confused. “For what?”

“For protecting us,” Max replied.

Steve thought back to that night; getting his ass kicked, waking up in the back of a strange car being driven by a child. Not one of his fondest memories. “I don’t know how well I protected you,” he chuckled self-deprecatingly.

“But you stood up for us,” Lucas responded. “You barely even knew us, and you helped us.”

Steve didn’t know what to say. It had just been the right thing to do. Billy had no right to harass these kids, and Steve was the only one who’d had a chance to stop him. At least, he thought he was. “It’s not a big deal-”

“It’s a big deal to me,” Max interrupted. “So thank you.”

Steve swallowed hard. “You’re welcome.” Max and Lucas were about to stand up, when he blurted, “Is he still giving you a hard time?”

“No, he’s mostly been avoiding me,” Max answered. She smiled proudly.

“I’d avoid you, too, after that,” Steve chuckled. He hadn’t witnessed it, being knocked unconscious, but Dustin told him all about how Max had drugged Billy and threatened him with Steve’s nail bat. Steve was honestly impressed. “Is he leaving you alone?” he directed toward Lucas.

Lucas immediately looked nervous. “So far, but …”

He didn’t elaborate, but Steve understood how scared he must be. He nodded. “Who knows with that guy.”

“Exactly.”

“This might sound weird, and you don’t have to take me up on it, but … if you ever need, like, a chaperone, in case he ever decides …” He shrugged. “I could do that, if you wanted.”

Max and Lucas smiled, relief evident in their faces.

They did take him up on it. Steve took them to the movies, the ice cream parlor, wherever they wanted to go. He always gave them space, but for a few months, he was there, just in case Billy got any ideas. Eventually, it became obvious that Billy had other priorities, like giving Steve shit during school and bullying him during basketball practice. Steve never told them about that; it wasn’t their problem to worry about. Max and Lucas eventually became comfortable going out on their own, but Steve let them know he would be there if they needed him.

Steve missed that Max, the spunky girl who didn’t take shit from anyone. He hated that Billy was still making her miserable, even now that he was dead. He hoped she took his advice to visit the counselor.

~*~

It was once again time for the weekly Hellfire meeting. The whole gang was crowded around the table in the theater room, murmuring excitedly while Eddie set up. Tonight was the climax of their current campaign, and everyone was excited.

This campaign was set at sea and filled with ghost ships and deadly sirens. So far most of the crew had managed to survive; Mike was the only one who’d had to roll a new character sheet. But tonight, they faced the mountainous Kraken, and Eddie was certain he’d take down a few more before all was said and done.

He stood dramatically, and a hush fell over the room. “Welcome to the finale of The Ghosts of the Baneful Sea,” he began dramatically, lowering his voice to set the mood. “When we last left off, your ship was crashed on the rocks of the Mors Atoll-”

Suddenly, the heavy metal door to the theater room swung open. All eyes flew towards it to see who this intruder was, and it was none other than Steve Harrington. He waved lamely at all the teenagers glaring at him.

Dustin stood up quickly, his chair making an awful screech. “Shit, Steve! I totally forgot!”

“You asked me to pick you up, Henderson.”

“Yes, but at 6:30!”

“You never said 6:30,” Steve groused, but he smiled and waved at Eddie.

“Well, I-”

“Did you forget about Hellfire Club, Henderson?” Eddie cut in, putting on his most offended voice.

Dustin looked like a deer in the headlights as he whipped around to look at Eddie. “No, no! I just forgot to tell Steve … when exactly it would be over.”

Eddie laughed, and the tension bled out of the room a bit. He loved watching the kids squirm, but he didn’t want to torture them too much.

Steve looked down at his watch. “What am I supposed to do for an hour and a half?”

Eddie knew it was his turn to extend an olive branch. “You could join us, if you want.”

Everyone at the table looked horrified, for various reasons. He knew his bandmates viewed Harrington as he had and were probably questioning his sanity. As for the younger members …

“He has no idea how to play!” Mike scoffed loudly.

“And we are almost done with the campaign,” Lucas added, much less vehemently.

Eddie rolled his eyes. “I’m not saying he has to play. But he could watch …” He looked over to Steve. “If you’re interested.”

Steve shuffled back and forth on his feet, clearly weighing his options. “I’ll give it a shot,” he shrugged. “Might as well see what these kids are always yapping about.”

Eddie grinned. He hopped out of his throne and dragged another chair over to the table. “You can be my right-hand man,” he announced, slapping the seat of the chair.

Everyone but Eddie watched Steve skeptically as he made his way to the head of the table. He sat down and peered at the multitude of books and notebooks and scraps of paper littering the table in front of Eddie. “Oh, wow, is that a-”

Eddie clamped a hand quickly over Steve’s mouth, then realized how much he was invading Steve’s space. He pulled his hand away. “Sorry, that’s a surprise.”

Steve nodded, seemingly unbothered by Eddie touching him. “So how does this work?”

“Well,” Eddie began, ignoring the cacophony of groans from his players, “I’m the Dungeon Master. I am narrating an adventure, and they are characters participating in the adventure.”

Steve pondered for a moment. “Dungeon Master?” he finally asked, eyebrow raised mockingly.

Eddie pushed Steve’s shoulder, making him laugh. “Yes, I am the Dungeon Master, and I demand your respect!”

Steve threw his hands up. “I’m just asking questions.”

“How about less questions, and more gameplay!” Mike yelled from the opposite end of the table.

“Wheeler, you are this close …” Eddie threatened, though there was no real threat behind it. He just needed to keep the kids in their place.

“Just start your game,” Steve sighed. “I’m sure I’ll catch up.”

Eddie began his starting speech again, and the room fell silent as they listened, Steve’s odd presence forgotten by all but Eddie, who could feel the heat radiating off Steve where their legs were pressed together under the table. Eddie did his best to ignore it.

The first few rounds went well enough as they fought off underpowered mooks on the sandy shores, and Eddie may have let a few low rolls through in his bid to get the adventurers back onto the water. “As you row back into the surging waves, a low rumble begins under the surface of the water. The waves toss your small boat about as a large shape begins to emerge from the depths. Suddenly, bursting through the surface comes the great Kraken-”

“Kraken?” Steve interrupted.

Half the table facepalmed at Steve’s question, while the other half sighed.

Eddie wasn’t exactly pleased that Steve had halted the climax of his speech, but he had invited him to stay, and Steve was simply curious. He lifted the page of his monster manual so Steve could see the illustration.

“Oh, the giant squid! That’s what I saw earlier!” Steve looked pleased with himself.

Eddie felt an odd fondness burning warm in his chest. “Yeah, a giant squid,” he chuckled.

Steve nodded at Eddie to continue.

Eddie returned his attention to the players. “The mighty Kraken rises before you, huge tentacles bursting from the water, surrounding your boat. One tentacle curls around Nog’s oar, threatening to rip it from his hands. Nog, what’s your action?”

“I pull the oar free!”

“Roll for strength!”

Dustin quickly grabbed his dice, shaking them frantically in his hands before letting them fall back onto the table. After calculating his modifiers, Dustin called out, “16!”

Eddie grinned. “You barely manage to rip the oar from the creature’s grasp-”

“Nice,” Steve muttered proudly under his breath.

“But the tentacles continue to close in, and the sky darkens overhead …”

By the end of the session, half the players were dead, but the survivors managed to kill the Kraken and return the lost treasure to their homeland. Mike was talking Eddie’s ear off about what a great campaign it was, but Eddie was barely listening. He looked over to see Steve excitedly congratulating Dustin for delivering the killing blow. They apparently had a silly handshake. It was adorable, and Eddie kinda hated himself for finding it adorable.

As everyone began to filter out, Steve returned to Eddie’s side. “Thanks for letting me watch. That was actually pretty cool.”

“Cool, huh?” Eddie smirked.

“Well, the dice and the fireballs are still dorky, but … you were cool.”

Eddie blinked, taken aback. “Me?” The fact that Steve Harrington called him cool was odd, to say the least.

Steve scoffed. “Please, you know exactly what you’re doing.”

Eddie leaned back on the table, looking up at Steve. “And what is that exactly?”

“Putting on a show.”

That cut deep, but Eddie couldn’t look away as Steve kept their eyes locked. “I’m a Dungeon Master,” he responded lamely, knowing that’s not what Steve was saying.

Steve smiled and nodded. “Takes one to know one, is all I’m saying.”

Most people took Eddie at face value; all his attitude, his hijinks, his boisterous personality, but somehow Steve saw it for the defensive wall it was. He thought of King Steve, and the Steve who stood before him now, and wondered how Steve had let those walls crumble. A conversation for another time, perhaps.

Dustin, seemingly clueless to the weird energy passing between Steve and Eddie, threw his backpack over his shoulder and yelled, “C’mon, Steve! Dinner will be ready soon!”

“You eat at the Hendersons?” Eddie teased.

Steve shrugged. “Sometimes. His mom’s a better cook than mine,” he joked, but Eddie could sense the undercurrent of sadness there. “Thanks for putting up with me.”

Eddie frowned at the self-deprecating comment. “It was fun, Harrington. I’ll, uh … see you around.”

Steve nodded, and he and Dustin disappeared through the theater room doors, Dustin waving goodbye to Eddie.

Eddie needed to pack up before the janitor locked him in, but he returned to his throne to contemplate. He could not believe that he actually wanted to get to know Steve Harrington better, but he did. The glimpses he’d gotten these last few weeks were intriguing, to say the least. What else was hiding behind that handsome facade? Eddie blushed at the thought, despite being alone.

~*~

“So?” Dustin asked as they drove away from the high school, a sly smile spreading on his face.

“So?” Steve replied, knowing exactly the response Dustin wanted, and refusing to give it to him.

“Wasn’t that awesome?” Dustin basically exploded. “We do that every week, and if you liked it, you could join us! When we get home, we can work on a character sheet-”

“Take a breath,” Steve laughed. “It was certainly … interesting. I don’t know if I’m into it, but I can see why you enjoy it so much.”

“Steve, c’mon, you gotta give it at least one chance!”

“I wouldn’t even know where to begin.” Steve didn’t know how to tell Dustin that he just didn’t think he’d keep up. There was a lot going on during the game, and he’d hate to get lost and embarrass himself. “But you were right about Eddie. He’s a great … Dungeon Master.”

“Right!? Right? Mike’s campaigns are nothing compared to Eddie’s!”

“Ooh, better not let Mike hear that,” Steve chuckled.

Dustin scoffed and rolled his eyes. “If El was still here, he wouldn’t even have joined Hellfire.”

“He seemed into it.”

“Trust me, if El were here, Mike would be a ghost.”

Steve understood that. A girlfriend was certainly better than a game. He wished he could get over whatever was holding him back from finding one. “How are they, anyway?”

“Hm?”

“El and Will and … Jonathan. How are things in California?”

“Fine,” Dustin shrugged.

“Just fine? How often do you talk to them?”

“I talk to them!” Dustin protested, before adding, “I just talk to Suzie more …”

“Uh huh,” Steve chuckled. “You’re giving Mike a hard time, but you talk more to your girlfriend than Will or El! I see how it is.”

Dustin spluttered. “Well, it's different-”

Steve laughed and waved his hand at Dustin reassuringly. “Calm down. I’m just giving you a hard time. I get it, trust me.”

“I should probably call them more, huh?”

“They’re your friends,” Steve shrugged. “You don’t want them to think you’ve forgotten about them.”

Dustin settled into quiet contemplation for the rest of the drive.

Steve’s thoughts drifted back to Eddie. Steve hadn’t expected him to be so inviting, or so patient. It had been a blast watching him lead the game. They were finally off on the right foot, and Steve hoped they ran into each other again soon. Hopefully in a situation where Steve didn’t feel so out of the loop.

Chapter Text

October 1985

It was the first weekend of October, and Eddie was getting dressed to go to the movies with Jeff. Usually Gareth would join them, too, but he was out of town visiting his grandparents. There weren’t too many movies to choose from, so they settled on the spectacularly hokey looking Wizards of the Lost Kingdom. If it was intolerable, Eddie could always take a smoke break in the alley. There were few things in this world that couldn’t be improved with pot.

As he tucked his Metallica shirt into his jeans, he heard the phone ringing in the kitchen and stepped out of his room to answer it. “Hello?”

“Hey, Eddie …” It was Jeff, and he sounded rueful.

Eddie’s shoulders dropped. He knew this couldn’t be good. “What’d you do now?”

Jeff sighed. “My parents found my stash, man. I don’t think they’ll ever let me out of the house again.”

“Fuck,” Eddie breathed out. “They didn’t call the cops, did they?”

“Nah, but they made me throw it all out.”

“C’mon, that was good shit!” Eddie couldn’t believe Jeff had been so careless.

“I know, I know,” Jeff muttered. “Obviously I won’t be making it to the movies tonight.”

Eddie groaned in disappointment.

“I’m sure you can find someone else to go with you.”

“Oh, yeah, I have people lining up to hang out with me.”

“Sorry, man.”

Eddie rubbed his hand over his face. “It's fine. Good luck with your parents.”

“Yeah, right.”

After they hung up, Eddie contemplated just spending the evening at home, but Wayne was working, and the trailer felt so empty. He didn’t want to be alone. “Fuck it,” he muttered, shrugging on his jacket and vest and heading out the door.

When he arrived at the theater, Eddie was shocked to find the showing almost sold out. Apparently, he wasn’t the only one looking forward to some goofy fantasy trash. In the theater, he spotted three empty seats left in the front row. He groaned inwardly, but settled in, kicking his legs out and reclining as best he could to see the screen. He should’ve smoked first, he lamented to himself.

As the theater lights darkened, two dark shapes appeared from the entrance and made their way to the front row.

“I told you we should have gotten here earlier!” The voice was unmistakably Dustin, popcorn spilling from his bucket as he tripped over people’s feet.

“How was I supposed to know anyone else wanted to see this garbage?” And there was Steve.

Eddie covered his face partially with his jacket, although he wasn’t sure why. Maybe it was because he’d been thinking of Steve a little too often lately.

Dustin took the first empty seat he found, which meant Steve plopped down in the seat right next to Eddie. His elbow accidentally knocked into Eddie’s arm on their shared armrest.

“Oh, sorry-” Steve grinned when he realized it was Eddie. “Hey, Munson!”

Dustin’s head immediately whipped around. “Eddie!? Steve, switch seats with me!”

“What? No!”

Dustin began shoving at Steve. “He’s not even your friend!”

“He is too my friend!” Steve argued, pelting Dustin with popcorn and refusing to budge. “Fuck off!”

“Shut the fuck up!” someone angrily hissed from the row behind them.

Dustin grumpily crossed his arms as he settled back into his original seat. “Asshole …”

“Shh!” came another voice.

“Hey, Steve,” Eddie murmured, giggling at their antics. “Didn’t expect to see you here.”

“Tell me about it,” Steve muttered, sinking down in his chair to mimic Eddie. “If I weren’t babysitting this twerp-”

“You are not my babysitter!” Dustin snapped. Someone must have kicked his chair because he jerked forward, most of his popcorn spilling onto the floor.

Steve and Eddie shared a look before dissolving into barely contained laughter, their shoulders shaking with the effort of keeping quiet. Once the music began to swell, they settled down and focused on the screen.

The beginning barely made sense, but at least it had muscular shirtless men. Eddie appreciated the eye candy. After that, it devolved into some of the worst acting and special effects he’d ever seen. About twenty minutes into the film, he couldn’t take the nonsensical plot and slow sword fights anymore, and decided to step out for a smoke.

As he stood up, Steve whispered, “Where are you going? You can’t abandon me with this movie!”

Eddie tipped his head toward the exit.

Steve understood and stood up to follow him.

Dustin immediately tugged on Steve’s vest. “Where are you going?”

Steve waved him off. “We’ll be right back.”

Eddie led them through the lobby and out onto the street, then into the alley next to the theater, where he pulled out a joint. He cupped the end as he lit it and took a long puff before pulling the smoke into his lungs. “You smoke?” he asked, smoke billowing past his lips as he offered the joint to Steve.

“Been awhile, but yeah,” Steve replied, taking the joint from him. “Hopefully this will make the movie better,” he laughed as he took a hit.

Eddie grinned. “Usually does.” After another hit, he asked, “So, babysitting, huh?”

Steve huffed out a laugh. “Nah, I just like giving him shit. He’s basically my kid brother.”

Eddie smiled fondly at that. He knew Dustin’s dad had taken off, and he didn’t have any siblings. Kinda like himself, actually. It was a lonely life, but Dustin had lucked out, apparently, with a solid group of friends and a big brother figure. “That’s pretty sweet, Harrington.”

“He’s a good kid,” Steve replied, then took another deep inhale of smoke.

Eddie took one last puff after him, extinguished the joint against the brick, and pocketed the roach.

When they sat back down in the theater, Eddie leaned over Steve to ask Dustin, “So what’d we miss?” He couldn’t help but notice Steve’s musky cologne under the faint scent of weed.

Dustin shot him an incredulous glare and refused to answer.

Steve quietly laughed, seemingly unbothered by Eddie’s close proximity.

As the effects of the joint took hold, Eddie and Steve sunk low in their seats, eyes plastered to the screen. What had started as a schlocky mess now had their complete and total attention.

Every time they thought the movie had peaked in its insanity, another deranged monster would make an appearance. Eddie chuckled at the knock-off albino Chewbacca, while Steve snorted loudly when the heroes sang a song to defeat some ghosts. They both fell into a fit of giggles when the cyclops bride sporting a blonde perm appeared on screen. By the time the movie climaxed, they were slapping each other in the arms, attempting to keep breathing as they witnessed the worst magic spells ever put to film.

As the credits rolled, Eddie felt glued to his chair, a happy haze settled over him. His elbow gently rested against Steve’s on their shared armrest.

Steve looked at their arms, blinking slowly, then up at Eddie’s face, his eyes red and droopy. “That was some good shit.”

“I have very good sources,” Eddie replied proudly.

Dustin stood in front of them, practically tapping his foot as he waited for them to get up. He squinted at them suspiciously. “Are you high?”

“Shhh!” Steve pressed a finger to his own lips, but he couldn’t help cracking a smile.

“Again, Steve?”

“What do you mean again? You’ve never seen me high.”

Dustin scoffed. “The mall, remember?”

Steve rolled his head over to Eddie, his expression incredulous. “That did not count.”

“You got high at the mall?” Eddie asked. “Like, on the job?”

“One, I was off the clock, and two, I was drugged.” He glared at Dustin, like he should know this.

“Drugged by who?” Eddie asked, concern breaking through the haze of his high.

“The Russians!” Steve giggled. “I told you this already!”

“You what!?” Dustin exclaimed.

“No, no, you told me you were tortured by Russians.”

Steve scoffed. “Same difference.”

By this point, the theater had emptied, and the ushers were standing awkwardly at the exit, waiting for them to leave so they could clean.

Dustin tugged on Steve’s sleeve. “C’mon, we should go.”

“You’re the one that brought it up!” Steve protested as he finally stood.

The three of them quickly exited the theater. Steve took deep breaths of the cool night air. Dustin, however, rounded on Eddie.

“What did he tell you?”

Eddie was seriously weirded out. It wasn’t like he believed Steve in the first place, but Dustin’s concern about the situation was certainly odd. “He said he’d been tortured by Russians," he shrugged. "He’s just fucking around, though, right?”

“Yeah, yeah, of course,” Dustin replied, laughing awkwardly. “I mean, that’s absurd. Russians in Hawkins?” Dustin leaned in and whispered loudly, “He’s kind of an idiot.”

Steve whirled around, offense written all over his face. “Hey! I am not an idiot.” He held his hands out in front of himself and looked at them thoughtfully. “I can feel my blood right now, though …”

Eddie huffed a soft laugh. Steve was an adorable lightweight. His own head had already begun to clear. He had no clue what to make of this Russian stuff, but Steve was clearly not over his high yet, and Dustin was keeping his secrets tightly held. He’d figure it out eventually. “Are you safe to get home?”

Steve finally looked away from his hands. “Oh … Probably not.”

“I could drive!” Dustin exclaimed cheerfully.

“Absolutely not!” Steve put his hands on his hips. “Oh, man, your mom will kill me if she finds out …”

“I could drive you,” Eddie suggested. “My van’s still outta commission, so I walked here. I'm pretty sober now.” He winked at Steve.

Steve blushed slightly, but began digging around in his pockets. “Uh, sure.” He finally fished out his keys and tossed them at Eddie, who caught them easily.

“Why does he get to drive?” Dustin complained.

“Cause he’s an adult,” Steve explained. “And he knows how to drive.”

“Well, if someone would teach me …”

Steve snorted. “Sorry, little dude. Once I’ve paid my dad back, that car is all mine, and I’ve gotta protect it.”

Eddie felt fond warmth in his chest that Steve trusted him with his car.

“Will you teach me to drive, Eddie?”

Eddie laughed. “You do not want to drive the van. She’s a temperamental beast.”

Dustin pouted.

Eddie threw an arm around the kid’s shoulders to steer him toward Steve’s car, which was parallel parked nearby. He laughed inwardly that he could recognize it so easily now. “I’m sure your mom will teach you soon.”

He unlocked the car and climbed into the driver’s seat. He could not believe he was going to drive such an expensive car. He watched as Dustin made for the front passenger seat, only to be hip checked by Steve. Dustin sat in the back in defeat.

The car drove like a dream. Even when she was working, Eddie’s van took every pothole and speed bump violently, but Steve’s BMW floated like a cloud. He didn’t blame Steve for wanting to keep it in pristine condition.

Steve directed Eddie toward Dustin’s house, and soon Dustin had gotten over his grumpiness, only to talk their ears off about school, Suzie, and anything else that crossed his mind.

Eddie pulled up behind the car port and unlocked the doors with a click of a button, which amazed him.

“I had fun tonight,” Dustin grinned. “Even if someone wouldn’t let me sit by Eddie.”

“Sorry,” Steve shrugged, not looking sorry at all.

“You want to come with us next time?” Dustin directed toward Eddie. “On purpose,” he added.

“Sure thing, big guy,” Eddie smiled fondly. Especially if it meant seeing more of Steve.

“Cool!” Dustin got out of the car and hopped up the stairs to his front door, waving happily as he disappeared inside.

“How are you feeling?” Eddie asked Steve. “Want to take over?”

“I’m not quite there yet,” Steve replied.

Eddie nodded and pulled away from Dustin’s house. They were on the opposite side of town from the trailer park, so he decided to turn on some tunes for the drive. When he switched the radio on, Tears for Fears emanated from the speakers. Eddie nearly rolled his eyes. “Mind if I change the station?” he asked, hand poised over the dial.

“Sure,” Steve shrugged.

Eddie immediately turned the dial to the only metal station in Hawkins. AC/DC was playing, so he cranked up the volume.

Steve snorted.

“You’re not into metal?” Eddie asked sarcastically, already knowing the answer.

“I don’t go outta my way to listen to it."

“Heard this one before?”

Steve listened quietly for a moment, then shook his head. “I don’t mind it, though.”

“Ooh,” Eddie teased. “Such a ringing endorsement.”

“Like you’d be into the stuff I listen to. Maybe you should expand your horizons, Munson.”

“My horizons are plenty expanded! I like heavy metal, speed metal, thrash metal-”

Steve shoved Eddie’s shoulder playfully, causing the car to weave slightly.

“Watch it, man!” Eddie laughed. “If I crash your car, I’m running! Gone! You’ll never see me again!”

Steve laughed along with him, but kept to his side of the car after that.

Soon enough, they were pulling into the trailer park. Eddie parked the BMW in front of his stairs and pulled the key from the ignition.

“You feel clear headed enough to drive?”

Steve was silent for a long moment. “Yeah, but … I don’t know if I’m ready to go home yet.”

Eddie looked at him quizzically, waiting for him to continue. His heart pounded in his chest at the thought of Steve wanting to come inside with him.

Steve ran a hand through his ridiculous hair. “It's just one of the rare times my parents are home, and ever since I graduated it's been nonstop judgment. I didn’t get into college, I’m working a shitty minimum wage job, I don’t have a girlfriend. They barely acknowledge that I exist anymore, and I’m just not in the mood to deal with them right now.”

Eddie’s excitement was replaced by sadness, for himself and for Steve. “Why don’t you move out?”

Steve grimaced sadly. “I just don’t have the cash yet. Paying for this car is taking every last extra penny I have.”

Eddie snorted. “Look, I get it. This is a bitchin’ car, but you don’t need it. Get a shit car, move out, and tell your parents to fuck off.”

“But I like this car! Besides, a shit car is gonna need more maintenance, and that costs money, too.” He tilted his head toward Eddie’s van to make his point.

“Fair,” Eddie admitted. “Well, I can’t help you with any of that, but you could hang out for a bit, if you want. Wayne’s not home, so we can fuck around.”

Steve’s head snapped up, and red tinged his cheeks. “We can what?”

“Fuck around? Like smoke some more, watch a horror movie, whatever.”

Steve relaxed, and Eddie did his best not to blush at the implication. He finally stepped out of the car. Steve followed him up the steps, and into the trailer. They made their way past the kitchenette, past the tiny, shared bathroom, and into Eddie’s room. Eddie immediately cleared his desk chair of dirty clothes so Steve would have a place to sit. Steve, meanwhile, was checking out the posters randomly tacked onto Eddie’s walls.

“Why does your room look exactly like I imagined?” Steve laughed, now admiring Eddie’s guitar.

“You’ve been imagining my bedroom, have you?” Eddie teased.

“You know what I mean."

Eddie opened his nightstand drawer and pulled out an old cigar box in which he kept his personal pot paraphernalia. “You up for some more?”

“Just a little." He dragged the desk chair closer to Eddie’s bed. “I didn’t realize how long it’d been.”

“It doesn’t help that my shit is strong,” Eddie assured. He rifled through his nug selection until he found one he knew was on the milder side, and prepared it to roll.

“Does it pay well?” Steve asked as he watched Eddie work.

“Definitely could be better,” Eddie sighed. He picked up a mason jar labeled, “Van Fund,” from his nightstand and shook it. The random coins and bills barely took up half the jar.

Steve looked surprised.

“Well, between bills and food, this is what’s left,” Eddie shrugged.

Steve nodded and leaned back in the chair. “They don’t prepare us enough for this adult shit,” he sighed.

Eddie laughed as he rolled the joint. “Yeah. I’m on my third senior year, and I still don’t know shit.”

Steve grimaced in commiseration. “Think you’ll graduate this year?”

Eddie lit the joint and inhaled deeply. “I’m fucking trying, but if it doesn’t take this time, I’m giving up. Wayne didn’t graduate high school, either, and he’s fucking surviving.” He offered the finished joint to Steve.

Steve’s fingers gently touched Eddie’s as they passed it. “I could help you, if you want.” He blew out a cloud of smoke.

Eddie stared at him in surprise.

“I mean, I barely graduated, but … I could help you study, if it's a concentration thing.”

“I’ll think about it,” Eddie replied, taking the joint back, letting their fingertips linger. He wasn’t sure having Steve around would necessarily help his concentration.

Steve nodded solemnly, probably thinking Eddie didn’t want his help.

“I have a history test next Friday,” Eddie suddenly blurted. “Maybe, uh … Maybe you could go over it with me?”

Steve brightened. “Sure! I’m actually off Thursday night.”

“Great,” Eddie grinned. He offered the joint to Steve again, but Steve waved him off.

“If I smoke anymore, I won’t make it home tonight.”

“Who’d have imagined Steve Harrington would be so responsible?” Eddie teased.

Steve laughed as he put his hands behind his head. “That’s what happens when you’re a single mother of seven.”

Eddie was momentarily distracted by the sleeves of Steve’s shirt stretching over his biceps before his brain kicked back in. “Wait, what?”

Steve laughed harder. “I just keep finding myself in charge of this gang of miscreants, including Dustin.”

“Ah, yes. Babysitter extraordinaire,” Eddie chuckled.

“You have no idea,” Steve sighed fondly. “Though I will admit, it's been nice having people my age to hang out with. Like Robin … and you.”

Eddie hadn’t really thought about it, but with most of Steve’s classmates having left for college, he must be pretty lonely. Eddie knew the feeling, having lost friends to two graduating classes already. It was nice to have Steve around, too.

They chatted a bit more, the smoldering joint left forgotten in Eddie’s amber ashtray, before Steve’s digital watch began beeping incessantly, letting them know it was past midnight.

“Shit, I need to get home,” Steve muttered. “My dad’s gonna be pissed.”

Eddie walked him to the door. “This was .. nice,” he offered awkwardly.

Steve nodded, smiling softly. “Yeah, it was.”

“So I’ll see you Thursday night?”

“Yep. Wanna do it here?”

Now it was Eddie’s turn to blush, but he fought to keep his expression neutral. “Yeah, here is fine.”

“Sounds good. See ya later.” Steve stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets and hopped down the short flight of stairs.

Eddie watched as he got into his car and drove away. When he shut the door, he let himself fall against it heavily and pressed his face into his palms. The reality hit him like a freight train. Of all the fucking people to have a crush on, it had to be the handsome ex-jock he never imagined would deign to even be his friend. The handsome ex-jock he knew would never like him back in the same way. Life was bullshit.

He went back into his bedroom, where he noticed the still smoldering joint. He took one last hit off it, and extinguished what was left, then stripped down into his boxers and crawled into bed. He couldn’t stop his brain from replaying the times Steve had touched him that evening; their arms sharing space on the armrest, Steve shoving his shoulder in the car, their fingers gently touching as they passed the joint back and forth. He remembered Steve’s biceps straining in his shirt, and the way his hair fell into his stupid, handsome face.

Eddie felt his cock quickly filling out and groaned in frustration. He might as well take care of this so he could go the fuck to sleep. He reached beneath his waistband and firmly tugged his cock until it was fully hard. With his free hand, he reached for the tube of lubricant in his nightstand drawer, which Steve had luckily not noticed earlier.

Eddie pushed his boxers down around his thighs, poured some lube into his hand, and began to jerk himself off in earnest. He briefly thought of the dildo hidden under his bed, but decided he didn’t want to deal with the prep tonight. He tried to keep his thoughts vague, but Steve’s handsome face and ridiculous hair kept appearing in his fantasies.

“Fuck,” he grunted as he came embarrassingly quickly, Steve still swimming in his head. He sighed and grabbed a handful of tissues to clean himself up, pulled his boxers back up his hips, and climbed under the covers. He buried his face in his old, lumpy pillow and briefly pondered canceling the study session with Steve, but … He wanted to spend more time with him, get to know him better. Maybe he was setting himself up to get terribly hurt, but life was hell and he was gonna enjoy this friendship while he could.

Chapter Text

Steve drove home with a grin on his face, metal music still screaming through his speakers. The evening had gone much better than he expected. He was so glad they ran into Eddie at the theater. He hadn’t laughed that hard in a while. Eddie was funny and honest, and Steve was glad they had gotten to hang out and talk, just the two of them. He wouldn’t mind if it happened a lot from now on. Helping Eddie study was hopefully the start of many more hangouts between them.

He tapped his fingers along to the music as he waited at a stoplight, and his mind drifted to how physically close he and Eddie had been all evening, almost constantly in each other’s space. When Eddie leaned over him in the theater, he’d felt an electric spark in his gut. It happened again when they were passing the joint in Eddie’s room. But weed made him horny, sometimes. It was probably nothing.

~*~

Robin clocked in for work, shrugging on her vest. “So how was the movie? As bad as you were expecting?”

“Shit, I barely remember …” Steve replied.

“That bad, huh?” she laughed.

“Actually, we ended up sitting next to Eddie! He and I may have smoked some pot in the alley,” Steve explained sheepishly.

“Oh, wow. I thought you swore off drugs.”

“Me, too, but … I dunno, I trust Eddie. And it made the movie way better.”

“So he’s warming up to you?”

“I think so,” Steve smiled. “I ended up at his place for a bit afterwards.”

Robin glanced at him skeptically.

“I didn’t want to go home high,” he defended. “Anyway, I agreed to help him study for a history test this week.”

“Didn’t you barely pass Mrs. Click’s class?”

“Barely passing is still passing,” Steve shrugged.

~*~

Thursday finally rolled around, and Eddie couldn’t lie to himself; he was beyond nervous. All his previous encounters with Steve had been accidents, but this … This was intentional. Plus, they’d be studying, so now he was terrified of looking like an idiot.

At the end of the school day, he loaded his textbooks and notes into his backpack. He’d had to reattach one of the straps using roughly a dozen safety pins. He absolutely refused to spend another dime on school supplies. As his anxiety reached its peak, as if on cue, his proteges appeared around him.

“Hey, Eddie!” the three of them greeted discordantly.

“Hey, guys,” he greeted casually.

Dustin pulled a face. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothin,’ man,” Eddie sighed. “Just got a big test tomorrow.” He held up notecards bearing his illegible scrawl and smiled wryly.

“Oh! Need study partners?” Mike asked a bit too enthusiastically.

“Yeah, we can help!” Dustin added.

“I, uh, have basketball practice …” Lucas shrugged.

“As much as I appreciate the offer, fellas, this is a couple of grades above your expertise-”

Dustin scoffed loudly.

“Besides …” Eddie briefly weighed admitting this, “I already have a study partner.”

“Who?” Mike sneered.

Eddie decided the truth would probably be shocking enough to shut them up. “Harrington.”

“Steve Harrington?” Lucas asked.

“No offense, but you could definitely find a better study partner than Steve,” Dustin chuckled.

“Well, he didn’t have to repeat senior year three times, so he’s got an advantage on me,” Eddie replied sardonically.

That seemed to shut them up.

“Sorry,” Dustin murmured, not meeting Eddie’s eyes.

“No foul, guys,” Eddie said. “If I fail tomorrow, I’ll hit you up for my next study session.”

The three cheered up and nodded happily.

“See you tomorrow.” Eddie made his way to the nearest exit, which led out to the football field. As the doors swung shut behind him, he pulled out a cigarette and lit up.

“Hey, Munson!”

Eddie looked up to see Steve leaning against his BMW, waiting for him in the parking lot. Eddie blushed; he felt like he was being picked up for a date. Don’t You (Forget About Me) may have started playing in the back of his mind. He let his cigarette hang from his mouth as he crossed the asphalt. “Hey, Harrington. I wasn’t expecting the royal treatment.”

Steve rolled his eyes fondly. “You’d rather walk home?”

“Of course not,” he laughed, taking a puff, then holding up the butt. “I’m guessing these aren’t allowed?”

Steve looked at Eddie like he was nuts. “The upholstery!”

“Fine, fine,” Eddie grinned. He took one last drag and ground the butt out under his heel.

Steve slid into his car, then leaned across the seat to pop Eddie’s door open.

It wasn’t quite holding the door open for him, but it was close enough. He joined Steve, tossing his backpack into the footwell. He was shocked to hear metal playing quietly from the speakers. “Are you listening to Metallica?”

Steve shrugged. “Not sure. I just kept it on that same station.”

Eddie was incredulous. “Really?”

“Yeah. Thought I’d expand my horizons.” He winked.

Eddie wanted to kiss Steve then and there. Instead, he asked, “Do you like it?”

“‘S not bad,” Steve replied. He turned the volume up a bit more, then they pulled out of the parking lot as students spilled out of the school. “How’ve you been?”

“Good,” Eddie replied, pulling himself together. “The kids were giving me shit about you helping me study, though.”

“Those assholes,” Steve muttered. “I know I’m not the smartest guy in the world, but I’m not a total idiot.”

“I know you aren’t.” Eddie meant it, too. Book smart wasn’t everything; he knew that better than anyone.

Steve looked genuinely touched. “Thanks.”

*

When they entered the trailer, Wayne was in in the kitchen, washing some dishes. “Hey, son,” he greeted. “Who’s your friend?”

“This is Steve. He’s gonna help me study for my history test.”

Wayne’s face visibly brightened. “Nice to meet you, Steve! Awful nice of you to help my nephew.”

Steve smiled. “It's no trouble, Mr. Munson. I’m happy to.”

Wayne turned to Eddie and smiled softly, maybe even knowingly.

“We’ll, uh, be in my room,” Eddie blurted, then made his way quickly toward his room. Once Steve crossed the threshold, he closed the door, keeping his back to Steve until the blush faded from his cheeks. He busied himself emptying his backpack onto his messy desk.

“So what’s the test on?”

“The last six months of World War I,” Eddie replied as finally turned around.

“Oh god,” Steve groaned. “I hated that shit. It’s just depressing, you know?”

Eddie nodded. It was depressing, and boring, and all the dates and names jumbled around in his head. “I’m just glad this is multiple choice.” He held up a stack of flashcards.

Steve took the flashcards from Eddie and sat on his bed, rifling through them. “Your handwriting is interesting.”

“You mean illegible?” Eddie half-joked.

“No, just interesting,” Steve replied. “When did WWI end?”

Eddie sat on his desk chair and put his chin in his hand. He definitely wasn’t peering towards his open notebook. “November … 1918.”

“Not bad, but what day?”

Eddie scoured his brain, but there was simply no file to pull from. “I have no clue, man.”

Steve pondered for a moment. “Oh, I know! What is the name of Mike’s girlfriend?”

Eddie was completely flabbergasted. He’d heard Mike talk about a long-distance girlfriend, but he could not in a million years recall her name. Even if he did, he didn’t see how that would help him figure out the date. “I don’t remember,” he admitted.

“Eleven!” Steve said like it was obvious. “I really thought you’d remember such a weird name.”

“Mike’s girlfriend is named Eleven?” Eddie asked incredulously. He felt certain he’d have remembered that, too.

“Yeah,” Steve said quietly, realizing he’d said too much. “Her parents were … hippies,” he shrugged.

Eddie was in disbelief at the odd name. “At least I’ll remember the 11th tomorrow …” How could he not? Eleven?

Steve snorted a laugh. “Maybe that’s what we should do with all of these.”

“What?”

“Attach memories, or things that make you laugh. Something unboring that will make it stick in your head better.”

Eddie blinked. “That’s a great idea …” Why’d he never thought of that before? Why had no one else ever mentioned the idea? Especially a teacher. Jesus.

“Ok, um … What pandemic was exacerbated by troop movement?”

“The … flu?” Eddie guessed.

Steve nodded. “But which flu?”

“There’s more than one?”

Steve laughed. “I guess. Are you taking a language class this year?”

“Yeah, I’m failing Spanish pretty spectacularly … Oh, the Spanish Flu!”

“Nice!” Steve cheered before moving on to the next flashcard.

They went through each question, coming up with different ways for the information to stick in Eddie’s head. Eddie thought of more than a few song lyrics, which greatly impressed Steve. After a short soda break, they went through the cards again, and using their new trick, Eddie remembered most of the answers.

Steve whooped triumphantly and tossed the cards onto the bed next to him. “If you can keep that up until tomorrow, that’s a passing grade, my friend!”

Eddie could hardly believe it. Sometimes it felt like his brain was Teflon, the way all these facts and equations seemed to slide right off. He could play every Judas Priest song from memory, calculate the cost of drug deals in his head with no problem, but the second a test was put in front of him, he blanked. Sometimes he wondered if he was broken. But Steve had seemingly unlocked something in him. He felt that gentle warmth in his chest again. “Thanks … Steve.”

Steve smiled at the use of his first name. “Don’t thank me yet. Thank me once you’ve passed the test.”

Eddie stood and crossed the room, picking up the notecards from next to Steve. He could feel Steve looking up at him from his mattress and did his best to appear neutral. “Maybe we should go through them one more-”

“Hey, boys?” Wayne called through the door.

Eddie blushed at the fact that Wayne was giving them ample warning. “Yeah?”

“Dinner’s ready, if you’re hungry.”

Eddie looked down at Steve.

“I could eat,” Steve replied.

They made their way back into the main room to find Wayne had set up bowls of spaghetti on the bar. Wayne was rinsing the cooking utensils in the sink.

“It's just from a can, but hopefully it'll do,” Wayne said sheepishly.

“Thanks, Mr. Munson,” Steve said cheerfully as he sat on one of the barstools.

Eddie sat down next to him. “Thanks, Wayne.” Then he murmured under his breath, “Is there enough?”

Wayne smiled sadly that the question even had to be asked, but held up his own bowl in silent answer.

Steve was kindly pretending not to hear the conversation, but waited for Wayne’s confirmation before eating his first forkful.

Wayne took his food to the couch and turned on the nightly news, and all three ate in relative silence. Once they were done, Steve collected their dishes and began to rinse them in the sink.

Wayne immediately protested. “Guests don’t do the dishes ‘round here.”

“But you cooked,” Steve argued, still smiling as he stacked the bowls in the drying rack.

Eddie, meanwhile, was about to burst into flames at Steve’s thoughtfulness. This was getting out of hand. Suddenly, a damp towel hit him in the face. He looked up to see Steve smirking at him.

“Earth to Eddie! I asked if you were ready to study again.”

Eddie was immediately struck by Steve’s use of his own first name. Now they were on a first name basis. He must have looked truly stricken because Steve’s smile started to falter. “Yeah, of course,” he finally answered, sliding off the barstool.

Back in his bedroom, Steve returned to Eddie’s bed, this time reclining against the wall where there would normally be a headboard. Eddie spun his desk chair so he could sit in it backwards; he tugged his hair over his face, hoping to hide his blush. Steve looked so good on his bed, like he fucking belonged there.

“Ready for round three?”

Eddie awkwardly nodded, doing his best to keep his thoughts on the task at hand. He got a few more wrong this time around, which he mostly blamed on the tightness of Steve’s jeans. For the fourth round, he turned around and put his feet up on his desk, and fared a little better.

“I think you’ve got it,” Steve announced, patting the stack of notecards against his open palm. “At least enough to pass.”

Eddie spun around in his chair to face Steve again. “Passing is good enough for me.” He stretched, feeling his shoulders pop and his shirt riding up. He could’ve sworn Steve’s eyes flicked down to his exposed skin, but it happened so fast, and there was no way straight Steve Harrington was checking him out. “Is this how you used to study?”

Steve took a moment to answer. “Uh, yeah … Nancy Wheeler taught me. Wasn’t enough to get me into college, but …”

Eddie deflated a bit at the mention of Nancy; just another reminder that Steve would never be interested in him. “Hey, at least you graduated.”

“You will, too,” Steve assured, misunderstanding Eddie’s sudden solemness. “I’ll help you whenever you want.”

Eddie hated the conflicting emotions swirling through him. To let this continue was to almost guarantee heartbreak for himself, but he was unwilling to let Steve go yet. They could be friends. Friendship could be enough. Probably. “We’ll see after tomorrow,” he winked, trying to lighten the mood again.

Steve laughed. “You’ll pass,” he replied. “I know it.”

They lapsed into a comfortable silence, just looking at each other, before there was a loud rapping at Eddie’s door.

“Boys?” Wayne called through the door again. “I’m headed to work. Y’all, um … Y’all be safe.”

Steve looked at Eddie quizzically, and Eddie nearly burst into flames on the spot. He was grateful Wayne was so cool about his sexuality, but he was misreading this situation, and Eddie didn’t need Steve clueing in.

“Thanks!” Eddie replied awkwardly. “Have a good shift!”

When they heard the front door close, Steve leaned forward. “Does he know about the drugs?”

Relief hit Eddie like a ton of bricks, and he couldn’t help the laugh that escaped. He ran a hand over his face. “No, he doesn’t,” he replied. “It's just a … bad neighborhood, you know?”

Steve nodded, accepting the explanation. “I should probably head out, too. Got an opening shift tomorrow.” He looked genuinely sad to leave. “But you let me know your test results the second you get them back!” Steve looked around him, then rummaged around Eddie’s nightstand. “You got a pen?”

Eddie snagged the nearest pencil before Steve opened the nightstand drawer and discovered the lube, tossing it across the room. It bounced off Steve’s shoulder.

Steve grabbed it and jotted something down onto one of Eddie’s notecards. When he handed the stack over, Eddie realized it was Steve’s phone number. “Call me, ok?”

Eddie nodded numbly.

“Well, good luck tomorrow.” Steve slid his jacket back on and headed for the bedroom door.

Eddie immediately followed him. When they got to the front door, he reached out and grasped Steve’s sleeve. “Thanks for helping me,” he admitted. His nerves were on fire. He wasn’t used to this, thought he’d never get used to it. “It means a lot.”

Steve smiled so easily. “It’s no problem. You got this.”

Eddie let go of Steve’s sleeve, his fingers sliding down and away from the soft fabric.

Once Steve’s car was out of sight, he shut and locked the door. All he wanted to do in this moment was smoke himself into oblivion, but … He also wanted to pass this goddamn test. For himself, and for Steve.

He returned to his room, stripped down, and crawled into bed, which he was devastated to realize smelled faintly of Steve’s cologne. He picked up the stack of notecards, intending to go through them one more time, but lingered on Steve’s number. The Eddie of two months ago would never believe any of this, but it was happening nonetheless. He decided to go to sleep and worry about the notecards in the morning.

~*~

Steve’s thoughts were a mess as he drove home. He’d once again had a great evening with Eddie, and the electric pull in his gut would not go away, despite being sober. When Eddie’s shirt pulled up, Steve’s eyes darted to the revealed skin before he even realized what he was doing. He bit his lip, certain that Eddie had noticed, despite how fast it happened. But Eddie hadn’t said anything …

And when Eddie had grabbed his sleeve at the door … Steve’s certain his heart jumped into his throat. He felt that electricity between them, and in the moment of silence, wondered if Eddie was going to kiss him. When Eddie thanked him instead, and the moment passed, Steve actually found himself feeling disappointed. What would he have done if Eddie kissed him? He let himself imagine it; Eddie’s lips gently pressing into his own, sliding until they found a perfect fit, Steve’s hands cupping his jaw. He felt his face flushing at the imagined scenario.

Fuck.

Chapter Text

The next day, Steve realized he was acting curt with the customers, but he had a lot on his mind; he counted the seconds until Robin arrived for her shift. The moment she walked in the door, he led her by the elbow into the back room.

“Steve, what-” she barely managed before he closed the door behind them.

“I think I have a crush on Eddie,” he admitted in a rush, not trusting himself to get it out if he thought about it any longer.

“I knew it!” Robin cackled, throwing her head back and clapping in glee.

Steve stared at her in shock. He had only just figured out his feelings last night. How on earth did Robin already know? “Yeah, right,” he countered.

“C’mon, Steve! All this nonsense about wanting to be his ‘friend’ …”

“I did- I do want to be his friend! But … last night I realized just how much I’ve been enjoying his company, and …”

“And?”

Steve pinched the bridge of his nose. “And … how hot he is,” he admitted.

Robin started pacing in front of him, talking almost as if he wasn’t there. “This explains so much! I knew I couldn’t be friends with a straight guy-” She abruptly stopped and faced him again. “How long have you liked guys? Why didn’t you tell me before?”

Steve ran a hand through his hair. “This is … kinda the first.”

Robin clamped a hand over her own mouth to stifle her shriek. “Oh my god, really? This is amazing! Incredible! Are you gonna tell him?”

“What? Of course not! I doubt Eddie’s gay, let alone into me …”

“One: Eddie is absolutely gay, and two: you’re handsome and charming. Why wouldn’t he like you?”

“How do you know he’s gay?”

“Well … When he first asked me about you, I thought he was coming onto me, but he quickly assured me that I ‘wasn’t his type.’” She did actual finger quotes for emphasis.

“Maybe he’s not into band geeks,” he teased.

“Steve!” Robin lightly slapped his shoulder.

Steve flinched and rubbed at his arm. “I’m just saying, that could mean anything! How do we know he’s gay?”

“We gays have a code,” Robin explained. “So I know what he meant. You’re just a baby gay, but you will learn in time.” She nodded sagely.

Steve was about to protest further, when a customer called out from the other side of the door, “Hello! Does anybody work here?”

He groaned as he slipped past a smug-looking Robin. “We’ll argue about this later.”

~*~

The next Monday, Eddie sat nervously at the back of his history class. He sat in the back of all of his classes, hoping to go as unnoticed as possible, but today he wished he was at the front. Mrs. Click promised to grade the tests over the weekend, and Eddie was desperate to get his back. Anxiety built as the old crone walked up and down the rows, placing tests upside down on each student’s desk, occasionally commenting on their results.

Finally, she made it to his desk. She placed his test down and smiled. Actually smiled. “Wonderful improvement, Mr. Munson. Let’s hope you keep it up.”

He nearly tore the test in half in his frenzy to turn it over. There in red ink were his results: 72%. A C fucking minus! He held the test so tightly in his hands, it began to crumple. He immediately placed it down to smooth the pages out. He wanted to hop on top of his desk and scream! He wanted to plaster copies of his test all over school! But mostly he wanted to let Steve know as soon as possible. Maybe ‘86 really would be his year.

When class finally let out, he made a beeline for the public phone outside. He pulled out his wallet and dumped all of the coins into his hand, picking out what he needed and sliding them into the coin slot. He had carefully cut out Steve’s number from the notecard and kept it in his wallet, too. He punched in each number, hoping Steve was home.

The phone rang several times before someone picked up. “Harrington residence.”

“Steve!” Eddie cheered.

“Eddie? You ok?”

“I’m fucking fantastic!”

“Wait, did you get your test back?” Steve asked excitedly.

“C minus, baby! C fucking minus!” Eddie held his test up in triumph, even though Steve couldn’t see it.

“Hell yes!” Eddie could hear Steve pounding his wall. “I knew you could do it!”

“It’s all thanks to you,” Eddie gushed. “I finally feel like I’ve got a chance to escape this hell hole!”

“I guess this means we’ll have to hang out more often,” Steve chuckled, and Eddie could practically hear his smug smile.

“I guess so,” he sighed fondly. “I’ve got to get to my next class … I just wanted to let you know.”

“Great job, man! Feel free to, uh, call me later. If you want.”

“Of course!” Once they hung up, Eddie just stood there for a moment with his eyes closed. He hadn’t felt this elated in a long time and wanted to enjoy the feeling.

*

Later that day, he spotted his three proteges chatting by their lockers. He made his way towards them, and, when they turned to greet him, simply held up his test, grinning like a madman.

“Hey, good job!” Dustin cheered.

“If you’d let us help instead of Harrington, you’d have gotten a better grade,” Mike said, earning him a death glare from Lucas and an elbow to the ribs from Dustin. “It’s true!” he argued, cradling his now bruised side.

Eddie rolled up his test and gently bopped Mike on the head with it. “Steve and I worked really hard for this, and I think it’s only uphill from here.”

“That’s great, Eddie,” Lucas smiled.

“Though we are still here in case Steve is ever too busy,” Dustin added.

“Or if he ever manages to get a date,” Mike snickered.

“Hey, is your girlfriend’s name really Eleven?” Eddie asked, ignoring Mike’s jab.

All three sets of eyes bugged out at his question.

“Her name’s just El-” Mike began.

“Her name is Jane-” Lucas said simultaneously.

“Who told you that?” Dustin interrupted.

“Steve just mentioned it while we were studying,” Eddie shrugged. “I thought it was weird and wanted to make sure he wasn’t fucking with me.”

“Ok, her name is Eleven, but-”

“Lucas!”

“Look, parents name their kids weird shit all the time,” Eddie assured them. “I used to know a girl named Rain.”

“Yeah, weirdo parents …” Mike chuckled nervously.

Eddie stared at them for a moment, not understanding their defensiveness, when he realized Lucas was staring past him. He turned and spotted a red-headed girl with a skateboard under her arm making her way around them.

“I’ve gotta go,” Lucas muttered.

Eddie watched as he slowly approached the girl, as if to not startle her. She glanced at Lucas, but didn’t stop. Lucas followed her, but Eddie couldn’t make out what he was saying. “What’s up with them?”

“They broke up over the summer,” Dustin explained, a sad tinge to his voice. “Her brother died in the mall fire, and she’s …”

Eddie nodded, needing no further explanation. “That sucks.” He was grateful he hadn’t lost anyone in the fire; he barely knew enough people to lose.

~*~

After school the next day, Eddie conveniently had a pot deal behind Family Video. He had, of course, noticed Steve’s BMW in the parking lot, so once the deal was done, he headed into the store to say hello. Perfectly innocent; definitely not pining, and absolutely not wanting to show off his test results in person.

Robin sat at the counter with no Steve in sight. “Hey, Munson,” she greeted. “Great job on the test!”

Eddie was surprised that she knew, but he smiled. “Thanks! Is Steve here?”

Robin gave him a knowing look, then leaned back away from the counter and called out Steve’s name.

“What?” Steve griped as he appeared from the back room. His face lit up as soon as he spotted Eddie. “Hey! Did you bring it?”

Eddie dropped his backpack onto the counter and pulled out the test, handing it over to Steve, beaming like he was showing off his first born.

Steve grinned as he rifled through each page, noting the questions Eddie had gotten right and wrong. “I think those song lyrics were a real help. That’s what we should focus on next time.”

‘Next time’ floated through Eddie’s brain like an angelic choir.

“When’s your next test?”

“I have a trigonometry test in two weeks.”

Steve’s face visibly paled.

“It’s ok if that’s not-”

“I can help!” Robin chimed in cheerfully. “I know we’re in different classes, but it's still the same course.”

“She’s a real math whiz,” Steve murmured.

Eddie tried to hide his disappointment but apparently failed.

Robin rolled her eyes. “Steve can join us, too. For moral support, right?” She looked at Steve, her eyebrows practically disappearing into her hairline.

“Yeah!” Steve perked up. “For moral support!”

Eddie smiled, grateful for Robin’s help, but still bummed that it wouldn’t be just him and Steve again. “Thanks, Buckley. I really appreciate it.”

“Us weirdos gotta look out for each other,” she giggled.

“Am I a weirdo now, too?” Steve asked jokingly.

“Sorry to be the one to tell you, but you’ve been a weirdo,” Robin answered. “You went to a D&D game. Even I have never done that.”

Both Eddie and Steve scoffed, causing Robin to giggle uncontrollably.

“Well, there goes that invite,” Eddie teased.

“Aww, you were gonna invite me!?” Robin put a hand on her chest, sarcastically pretending to be touched.

Steve looked grumpy.

“It’s ok, Steve,” Eddie assured. “You didn’t actually play, so you still have your 'cool card.'”

Steve looked surprised, then cast his eyes toward the ground. “That wasn’t-”

“Am I paying you two to stand around and chat?” Keith appeared from the back room with a stack of VHS tapes. “None of these have been rewound! Munson, you better not be selling in my store.”

Eddie rolled his eyes. “I’m not, dude.” He turned back to Steve and Robin. “I should go.” He made his way outside and stood on the sidewalk, pondering what to do with the rest of his day, when he heard the doorbell jingle behind him. He turned to find Steve had followed him out.

“I, uh, just wanted to say I’m not bothered by the D&D stuff. I didn’t want you to think that.”

Eddie gnawed at his bottom lip, attempting to stop a fond smile from spreading.

“And I was wondering if you wanted to hang out sometime. No kids, no studying, just … us.”

Eddie couldn’t stop the smile now. “Yeah, I’d love to!”

“Maybe this weekend? My parents will be out of town again. I could snag some movies, maybe order a pizza?”

“Definitely,” Eddie replied, fighting not to seem too eager as his heart threatened to burst out of his chest.

“Ok, cool,” Steve grinned.

“Steve, get your ass back in here!” Keith called from the open door.

Steve rolled his eyes and waved as he stepped back inside.

Eddie watched for a moment as Steve and Robin high-fived over the counter. Before he got his hopes up, he lit a cigarette and headed home, skin thrumming with excited nerves for … whatever was happening.

*

“So is this, like,” Robin lowered her voice, “a date?”

Steve shook his head. “Just hanging out. I ... kinda blurted it out.”

“Very smooth, Harrington,” she teased.

Steve stepped away from the counter towards the nearest shelf. “Now I have to figure out what we’re gonna watch. He likes Rocky Horror and Clue … Hmm.”

The store was empty of customers, and Keith had returned to the back, so Robin abandoned the counter to help search. She made her way over to the New Releases.

“Do you think he’s a horror fan?” Steve asked as he read the back of the Evil Dead cover, but the box art gave him the heebie-jeebies. He’d had enough of that shit in real life. “He’s got some spooky tattoos.”

“Checking out his tattoos, huh?”

Steve scoffed, “I have eyes.” He picked up Carrie, but frowned at all the blood.

“Found it!” Robin called out.

“What?”

They met in the middle of the store, and Robin handed Steve a copy of Legend. Steve turned it over in his hands. It looked like more of that fantasy shit they’d suffered through at the theater. He frowned and tried to push it back into Robin’s hands.

“Ok, first off,” Robin explained as she pulled her hands back, refusing to take the tape, “it has Tim Curry in it.”

Steve was intrigued. Tim Curry had helped open the door to Eddie’s friendship, so to speak.

“And Tom Cruise,” she added in a sing-song.

Steve felt his face flush. His obsession with Tom Cruise was starting to make sense, but he refused to let Robin win. “So?” he replied as casually as possible.

Robin barked out a laugh. “I don’t think Nancy was the only one with a crush.”

Steve frowned. Maybe Robin knew him too well. “Ok, but is it any good?”

Robin paused before admitting, “I haven't seen it.” Steve was about to chuck the case behind the counter, when she added, “If it's bad, you can just get high again, right?”

Steve vividly remembered how horny the weed had made him the last time. “I don’t know if that’s such a great idea.”

Robin sighed dramatically. “Feel free to throw me under the bus if Eddie hates it.”

Steve contemplated her offer. “Fine.”

~*~

At Hellfire the next day, Eddie was terribly distracted. He was allowing each of the newbies a turn at DM-ing short, one-off sessions, and it was Dustin’s turn. He liked the mad science vibes Dustin was creating, but he just couldn’t focus. He knew Saturday wasn’t actually a date, but it was pretty goddamn close. He was excited to see Steve again. He wondered what his house was like, what movie they’d watch, if something might happen between them-

“Cillian, your move!” Dustin called out, for probably the third or fourth time based on his tone.

Eddie shook Steve’s handsome face out of his head. “Shit, sorry, man. I guess I’m distracted today,” he chuckled.

The faces around the table turned to him in shock. Eddie Munson, leader of Hellfire Club and Dungeon Master Extraordinaire, typically bursting at the seams with enthusiasm for all things D&D, wasn’t into it today? Eddie knew how it looked, but he didn’t know what to tell them.

Only Dustin had the decency to look concerned. “Are you ok?”

“Yeah,” Eddie replied as nonchalantly as possible. “I just have this thing Saturday …”

“Thing?” Gareth asked. “Is it detention again?”

“No!”

“Is it a date?” Mike asked.

“Not exactly-”

“Oooh, Eddie’s got a date!” Lucas crooned.

“No, no-” He desperately tried to regain control of the situation, but it was too late.

The whole table erupted into discussion of who could be Eddie’s mystery date. They went through every senior girl they could think of while he pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.

“Is it Jennifer Bailey?”

“No, I bet it’s Sally Wilson-”

“Chrissy Cunningham, maybe?”

“But she’s a cheerleader,” someone scoffed.

“And she’s dating Jason Carver,” Lucas replied.

Holy fuck, Eddie needed some gay friends. Someone he could confide in. He hated living in this tiny fucking town where, of course, everyone would assume he had a date with a girl. When the gossiping reached a crescendo, he'd had enough. “It's not a date!”

Everyone immediately quieted down.

Eddie took a deep breath. “I don’t have a date, and I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t discuss my non-existent love life,” he said as evenly as possible.

“So then what’s this thing Saturday-” Mike began.

Eddie shot him a glare, and Mike fell silent. He turned to Dustin. “Continue, dungeon master.”

~*~

Steve spent the next few days trying to keep himself collected at work, but whenever things got quiet in the store, his thoughts drifted back to his excitement for the upcoming weekend. He had a copy of Legend hidden under the counter, and was still contemplating a second movie, but couldn’t seem to make a decision. He’d even pulled some cash out of his next car payment to buy a couple of pizzas and beer.

When Saturday finally came, Steve showered and spent an hour in front of his mirror messing with his hair. Once he was happy with it, he hid the Farrah Fawcett hairspray under his sink. At his closet, he picked out his tightest pair of jeans, and a polo he knew hugged his arms nicely. If Eddie was gay, which Steve still wasn’t sure about, it wouldn’t hurt to show off the goods. He spritzed on some cologne and deemed his appearance acceptable.

When he turned his car on, Black Sabbath blared from the speakers, making him smile.

As he pulled into the trailer park, he spotted Max reading on her front porch. He waved cheerfully through his windshield; she waved back curtly before returning her attention to her book. He parked in front of Eddie’s trailer, hopped out of the car and up the stairs, and knocked on the door.

After a few moments, Eddie answered with a nervous smile. His hair seemed less frizzy than normal, a little more tamed. He was wearing his most shredded pair of jeans and a Metallica shirt, cut haphazardly into a crop top.

Steve did his best not to gape. “Hey ... Ready to go?”

“Give me just a sec.” Eddie retreated back into the trailer before reappearing in his jacket and vest, his backpack slung over his shoulder.

“I thought we weren’t studying tonight.”

“Trust me, no homework in here.” He winked.

Steve wasn’t sure what was in the bag, but he assumed drugs of some kind and smiled. “Sounds good.” He led Eddie back to his car and held open the passenger door for him.

Eddie paused to look at Steve softly, then stepped in.

Steve gently closed the door behind him.

“Still listening to metal?” Eddie asked as Steve slid into the driver’s seat.

“It’s growing on me,” Steve admitted. “I’m kinda digging this one band called …. Judas Priest, I think?”

Eddie grinned. “They’re fucking awesome!”

“Yeah,” Steve agreed happily. At a stop sign, he reached into the backseat and grabbed the copy of Legend.

Eddie took the VHS, turning it until he could read the title. “Oh, I love Legend!”

“You’ve seen it?”

“Yeah, this summer! Did you?”

Steve shook his head. “Robin suggested it, actually,” he admitted.

“You’re going to love it. It's not like that other shit we watched. The makeup effects are incredible. I wish I had the money or skill to be Darkness for Halloween ...”

“Darkness?”

“You’ll see soon enough,” Eddie promised.

As they pulled into the driveway, Steve was a little nervous. Eddie didn’t have much, and Steve’s house was enormous compared to the trailer. He hoped Eddie wouldn’t feel uncomfortable; that he’d continue to see Steve for who he was, and not some spoiled rich kid. This was who his parents were, not him.

As they entered the house, he watched nervously as Eddie took in the large space.

Eddie chuckled as he looked around. “Your parents have terrible taste.”

Steve let out a surprised snort before dissolving into relieved laughter. “You’re right,” he finally managed to reply.

Eddie picked up a nearby tchotchke and tossed it between his hands. “Rich people shit …”

Steve watched Eddie set the ceramic back down before leading him into the den, where his parents kept their large 25” television.

Eddie whistled when he saw it. “That’s gotta be twice the size of ours. We’re definitely doing movie nights here from now on.”

Steve was very excited to hear that. He set the VHS on top of the tv for later. “Are you hungry?”

“Starving!”

Steve grabbed the phone receiver off the wall. “What’s your favorite kind of pizza?”

“Hawaiian,” Eddie replied.

Steve stared at him in horror. “But that's got fruit on it!”

Eddie laughed while shrugging. “You asked.”

“Now I know why they call you ‘freak,’” Steve teased fondly as he brought the phone to his ear.

Eddie playfully stuck his tongue out. While Steve ordered, he made for the couch. He dropped his backpack on the floor and settled onto one end, hands running across the plush fabric. He bounced a few times on the thick cushions.

Steve was momentarily distracted by Eddie’s adorable antics, and had to repeat himself for the employee. “Wanna beer?” he asked after he hung up.

“Hell yeah!”

Steve disappeared into the kitchen, rummaging through the fridge. He’d have to make sure the beers were gone before his parents returned. His dad only drank hard liquor, so this would be difficult to explain. He contemplated pulling out glasses, but decided the cans were fine. As much as he wanted this to be a date, it wasn’t. He’d already pushed it by holding the car door open.

When he returned to the den, a beer in each hand, Eddie had propped his feet on the coffee table.

“Is this ok?” Eddie pointed at his feet.

Steve shrugged and handed him a beer. “Not my furniture.”

Eddie waggled his eyebrows and rubbed his butt against the cushions, making Steve laugh.

“So what’s in the bag?” Steve nudged the backpack with his foot.

Eddie pulled the bag onto his lap and unzipped it, retrieving a bag of joints and another VHS. “I thought I’d bring a movie, too.” He handed it to Steve.

Steve looked over the cover. It was an animated movie called The Hobbit.

“Have you ever seen it?”

Steve shook his head.

“It's one of my favorites, ever since I was a kid,” Eddie admitted sheepishly.

Steve smiled fondly, grateful that Eddie wanted to share this with him. “Awesome! Want to watch it first?”

Eddie thought about it for a moment. “Yeah, I think so. That way we can get high for Legend.”

Steve wasn’t sure getting high and watching Tom Cruise while sitting next to Eddie would end well, especially if the weed made him chatty.

“Any crazy customers this week?”

Steve sighed. “I had a mother complain that her kid was scared by The Black Cauldron, despite the fact that I warned her it was rated PG.”

“What the hell could you do about that?” Eddie snorted.

“Exactly! I told her to take it up with Disney.”

“Was that a Disney movie?”

Steve nodded as he took a sip of beer.

“It just seemed so dark …” Eddie peered up at Steve. “You ever gonna sit down?”

“Oh.” Steve realized he was just standing awkwardly in front of Eddie. “I was just waiting for the pizza …”

“It's not gonna be here for another twenty minutes. C’mon, sit down.” He patted the space next to him.

It reminded Steve of the Hellfire meeting. He sat down, perhaps a bit closer to Eddie than necessary. The couch could comfortably seat three, yet their knees were now bumping together. If Eddie minded, he didn’t mention it.

They continued chatting, and Steve got so lost in the conversation, he actually jumped when the doorbell rang.

Eddie tried to hide his laughter behind his beer can but was failing spectacularly.

Steve chuckled at himself, too, then stood and went to the front door, pulling his wallet out of his back pocket as he went. A teenager he didn’t recognize stood holding the pizzas on his porch, looking terribly bored. Steve handed him some cash and told him to keep the change, then brought the pizzas inside. “C’mere,” he called as he went into the kitchen. He set the pizza boxes on the counter and pulled a couple of plates from the cabinets.

Eddie joined him a moment later. He opened the top pizza and grinned when he saw the amount of pineapple piled on.

Steve handed him a plate. “I still can’t believe you’re going to eat that.”

Eddie weaved into his space, brandishing a slice. “Have you ever tried it?”

“Yes! And it was awful!”

“I’m proud of you for trying.” Eddie took a large bite, then piled several more slices onto his plate.

Steve grabbed a few slices of his normal pepperoni pizza, and they returned to the den. He sat his plate on the coffee table, grabbed The Hobbit, kneeled in front of his tv to pop it into the VCR, then rejoined Eddie on the couch.

They ate quietly as the movie began. It was another fantasy movie. Steve was starting to see a trend, but it made sense with Eddie’s D&D obsession. It was actually pretty cute.

The movie turned out way more complicated than he expected, and he may have lost the plot once or twice, though he kept that to himself. Once it was over, he cleared away their dishes and brought back two more beers.

Eddie held up the baggie. “Wanna partake?”

Steve considered for a moment all the ways his mouth might betray him, but he also remembered how much fun they’d had at the theater. He shrugged. “Sure. But let’s smoke outside. My parents will murder me if it smells like weed in here.”

Eddie pulled out a joint and a lighter, then motioned for Steve to lead the way.

Steve unlocked the large, sliding glass door and they stepped outside. It was pleasantly cool; a gentle breeze ruffled their hair. Steam rose off the surface of the heated pool.

Eddie sat on the nearest lounge chair, relaxing into it as he lit the joint. He took a deep inhale, then held it out to Steve.

Steve plucked it from Eddie’s fingers and took a drag. He relaxed against his own lounge chair. He loved the way the smoke filled his lungs.

They passed the joint back and forth for a bit.

Eddie stared up at the night sky, joint smoldering between his fingers. “This is crazy …”

Steve could already feel his head getting cloudy. “What is?” He motioned for Eddie to pass the joint.

“Smoking weed at Steve Harrington’s house,” Eddie explained, looking him in the eyes.

Their fingertips touched at that same moment, and Steve sucked in a little breath. “Is it good crazy or bad crazy?” He took another hit, avoiding Eddie’s eyes as he waited for his answer.

“Good,” Eddie smiled. “That’s why it’s crazy. I never would have imagined I’d end up here.”

Steve met his eyes again. “I’m glad you’re here …”

Eddie just smiled at him for a few moments longer, heart pounding in his chest. Was Steve naturally this friendly, or … He refused to entertain the thought. He needed a distraction. “You ready to watch Legend?”

“Yeah ...” He gave what was left of the joint back to Eddie, who managed one last tiny hit, then ground it out on the concrete and pocketed the evidence.

Steve closed the glass door behind them. When he turned around, Eddie was already kneeling in front of the tv, switching out VHS tapes. His crop top exposed his lower back, and his jeans hugged his ass. Steve ripped his eyes away before he was caught staring.

They returned to their previous places on the couch, knees still touching.

When Tom Cruise appeared, Steve nearly choked on his beer. He was costumed in tiny shorts and a shredded shirt, leaving little to the imagination. His normally short brown hair was quite a bit longer, and ... Was he wearing body glitter? Steve crossed his legs. When their knees stopped touching, Eddie glanced at him, but didn’t say anything.

When Darkness finally showed up, Steve was floored. “That’s Tim Curry?”

“Yes! I told you the makeup in this movie was badass!”

“Holy shit!” Steve stared at the huge black horns and chiseled red chest. “This is who you want to be for Halloween?”

Eddie snorted. “If I had a million bucks.”

“Imagine showing up to a Hellfire meeting dressed like that.”

“Duuuude,” Eddie crowed like he’d never thought of it before. “I’d blow their minds!”

“He honestly looks like he stepped off the cover of a metal album.”

“Exactly! Exactly!” He clapped Steve on the shoulder and shook him, making Steve laugh.

The rest of the movie was interesting, if predictable. They were both plastered to the couch as the credits rolled, neither willing to get up to turn it off.

Eddie rolled his head on the cushion towards Steve. “So … Did you like it?”

Steve turned his head, only to realize how close they were. “Yeah, I did.”

“Good. Did you like The Hobbit?”

Steve nodded. “That was really good, too.”

Eddie smiled. “How are you feeling?”

“Warm,” Steve murmured. “Sleepy.” He could feel his eyelids drooping.

Eddie chuckled.

Steve felt so fucking good relaxing on the couch with Eddie, invading each other’s space, warm and fuzzy. He could feel Eddie’s breath ghosting over his neck, felt the warmth where their legs had crept back into contact. Eddie’s eyes were so dark and pretty, and his hair fell gently into his face. Steve wanted to push it behind his ear, he wanted to kiss him senseless, but he was so scared of fucking this up. “Do you want to sleep over?” he asked instead.

Eddie couldn’t fight his blush. Anxious butterflies exploded in his belly. “Yeah, that’s probably for the best. I doubt either of us is fit to drive.”

“Cool,” Steve smiled. “We have a really nice guest room you can use.”

Eddie’s shoulders fell. He shook his head, feeling like an idiot. “That sounds like a lot of hassle. I’ll just sleep on the couch, if that’s ok.”

“Sure,” Steve murmured. “Let me grab a pillow and blanket.” He went upstairs to the linen closet and pulled out an old, soft quilt, then grabbed one of his own pillows off his bed and returned downstairs.

“Thanks.” Eddie took them and laid them out on the couch.

“Can I get you anything else?”

“I’ll be very comfortable,” Eddie assured. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

Steve nodded. He retreated to the stairs, but paused and watched as Eddie laid down on the couch, pulling the quilt up over his shoulders, his back to Steve.

Chapter Text

Eddie pressed his face into the pillow Steve had given him. The damn thing smelled like Steve; he’d probably taken it from his own bed. Eddie wanted to smother himself with it.

He’d been so certain they were going to kiss. He felt the electricity, saw the way Steve’s eyes flickered over his face- But then the moment was over, and Eddie resigned himself to the fact that this was just another one-sided crush. Hoping for Steve to like him back was beyond absurd, but he couldn’t help himself. He was drawn to him. Thankfully, he nodded off before his thoughts could truly spiral into self-pity.

*

When he woke up the next morning, the delicious scent of bacon wafted from the kitchen. His gut reaction was fear that Steve’s parents had returned early, but he realized that couldn’t be the case. They’d throw him out before they ever cooked him breakfast.

He sat up on the couch, letting the blanket fall off his shoulders, and stretched. He hated that the Harringtons’ couch was a thousand times more comfortable than his own bed. That cheap mattress was all Wayne could afford when Eddie moved in at ten years old, and they certainly hadn’t had the cash to replace it since.

Eddie reached into his backpack and retrieved a hair tie, pulling his long hair into a ponytail. Sleeping on the hair-sprayed curls had turned it into a rat’s nest, and he didn’t want to look goofy in front of Steve.

He finally made his way to the kitchen, marveling at the plush carpet under his sock feet. He knew Steve hated it here, and for good reason, but until he finally moved out or this friendship blew up in his face, Eddie was gonna enjoy spending time in this fancy ass house.

When he rounded the corner into the kitchen, he found Steve standing in front of the stove in a t-shirt and boxers, flipping bacon in a pan. It was so domestic, and Eddie couldn’t help but admire Steve’s legs, which he normally kept hidden inside jeans. He remembered seeing Steve after practice at school in those tiny green basketball shorts; he’d let himself enjoy the view at the time, but now they were friends. He tore his eyes away. “Mornin,’ Harrington.”

Steve looked over and smiled. His hair, flattened a bit from sleep, fell into his face. He was beautiful. “Good morning! How was the couch?”

“The couch was great,” Eddie replied. “I can’t believe you’re cooking.” He leaned on the counter next to Steve to watch the bacon sizzle.

“Just simple things. Had to teach myself cause my parents … They have a lot of business trips, y’know.” He plated the last piece of bacon and grabbed a few eggs from the carton. “How do you like your eggs?”

Eddie didn’t think he’d ever understand why Steve’s parents weren’t prouder of their son. He was just so fucking kind. He could see the sadness in Steve’s eyes and wanted to alleviate it. “I only eat mine poached,” he teased.

Steve stared at him incredulously. “Are you serious?”

“Oh, is that not how they’re served in the Harrington household? I just assumed.”

“Shut up …” Steve rolled his eyes fondly. He moved to another cabinet and pulled out a cookbook.

“What are you doing?”

“Looking up how to poach eggs,” Steve scoffed like it was obvious.

“Oh, I was just fucking with you, man,” Eddie admitted in a rush.

“No, no, if Mr. Munson wants poached eggs, he’s gonna get poached eggs,” Steve chuckled, leafing through the cookbook.

Eddie swiftly took the book out of Steve’s hands and held it behind him so Steve couldn’t reach it. “Scrambled,” he laughed. “I like scrambled eggs.”

“Thank god, those are much easier.” He returned to the stove. “I would’ve done it, though.”

“I know.” His voice probably came out too fond, but he couldn’t help it.

Steve didn’t seem to notice, though, as he whisked eggs in a bowl before pouring them into the skillet.

They ate in the den again. Eddie took a sip of orange juice and pondered the last time he had eaten an actual breakfast. Breakfast was his most skipped meal, though it was mostly because he loved sleeping in until the last second. He usually just grabbed a packet of poptarts on his way out of the door.

“Got any plans for today?” Steve asked before taking another bite of bacon.

“I’ve gotta resupply my stock,” he replied around a mouthful of eggs.

“Oh. Where’s that?”

Eddie contemplated whether he should tell Steve; it was Rick’s private home, after all. But Rick also had a drug possession trial coming up, so it wasn’t like it was the biggest secret. “Out by Lover’s Lake.”

“You want me to drive you?”

“You don’t have to. I’ve walked out there before.”

“That’s a shitty walk, though. I don’t mind. Really.”

“Sure, but I’m going to be haggling for a bit, so you don’t have to hang around or anything.”

Steve shrugged as he finished off his eggs. “I don’t mind.” After a moment, he asked, “What’s wrong with your van anyway?”

“What’s not wrong with my van?” Eddie laughed. “Right now, it needs a new distributor.”

Steve whistled. “That sounds important. Have you gone out to that old junkyard near the railroad tracks?”

“Many times,” Eddie laughed. “That van is 60% junkyard at this point. Nothing out there matched, so unfortunately this one has to be purchased. But I’m almost there.”

“Good.” Steve took their now empty plates into the kitchen. “When do you need to be there?”

Eddie glanced at the clock above the television. It was currently 10:30. “I think he said any time before noon.”

Steve emerged from the kitchen, peering at his own watch. “Shit, I better get dressed then. Do you want to shower or anything?”

Eddie imagined himself naked in Steve’s personal shower and felt his face flushing. “Nah, I’m ok.”

“Alright. I’ll be right back.”

Eddie slumped back onto the couch as soon as Steve disappeared up the stairs. “What the fuck am I doing to myself?” he groaned. He decided to busy himself while Steve was changing. He rewound The Hobbit and Legend, and packed The Hobbit into his backpack. He put his shoes on, then waited "patiently" on the couch with his jacket and vest draped over his legs.

Steve bounded down the stairs in the same ass-hugging jeans as yesterday, though he now paired it with a navy blue t-shirt. Eddie swore Steve was trying to kill him.

“Ready?”

“Yeah,” Eddie replied, standing up.

They went out to Steve’s car. Steve once again held the door open for Eddie. Did he do this for everyone? He so desperately wanted to interpret it romantically, but knew he shouldn’t, for his own sake.

As they drove, Steve asked, “Can I have your number?”

Eddie reeled for a moment but managed to stay calm. “Sure.”

“Awesome!” Steve smiled. “I, uh, need it so we can plan our next study session.”

“Oh, I just assumed Robin would find me at school ...” Eddie felt like an idiot the second the words left his lips. “But I want you to have it anyway!” he overcorrected.

Steve's eyes flickered between Eddie and the road. “There should be paper and stuff in the glove compartment.”

Eddie immediately opened the little compartment so Steve wouldn’t notice his flushed face. He found a notepad and a pencil, and scribbled his down name and number.

When they were near Lover’s Lake, Eddie gave more precise directions to get to Rick’s house. “You’ll probably want to drop me off a block down. Rick is a bit paranoid these days.”

“He’s not dangerous, is he?” Steve sounded genuinely concerned.

Eddie chucked. “He’s called ‘Reefer Rick,’ man. He’s only dangerous to himself, I promise.”

Steve seemed to relax. “Do you want me to stick around? I can drive you home.”

“You’ve done more than enough for me,” Eddie sighed. He noticed Steve’s expression fall and quickly added, “Not that I haven’t enjoyed every second of it, but ... it’s your day off. I promise I can find my way home.” He looked around and realized what street they were on. “Stop here.”

Steve parked along the side of the road. “You’re sure?”

“Yeah.” Eddie laughed. “Rick gets chatty. This could take forever. Hell, if he’s sober, he might even drive me home. And I don’t mind wasting his gas.”

“Spending time with you is not a waste of gas.”

That sentence probably felt so simple to Steve, but it hit Eddie like a ton of bricks. He needed a break from Steve just so he could get his heart settled down. At this rate, he was going to be a wreck when Steve inevitably found a girlfriend. “Thank you,” was all he could manage. “Last night was awesome. When do you want to hang out again?”

Steve grinned. “Keith hasn’t put out the new schedule yet, so I’ll have to check. But now I can call you!”

“Yeah! Well, I better go. I’ll talk to you later.” Eddie stepped out of the car and slung his backpack over his shoulder.

“See you later!” Steve called after him.

Eddie watched as Steve drove away, then cut through the woods to Rick’s house.

~*~

Steve drove back towards town, anxious to find a payphone. He finally spotted one at a gas station and pulled over.

“Robin!” he yelled when she finally answered. “Are you busy?”

“Jesus, Steve! Are you ok?”

“Yeah. I just want to talk about last night,” he replied sheepishly.

Robin gasped loudly. “Did you kiss him!?”

“Well, no …”

“Did you tell him you like him?”

Steve’s shoulders sagged. “Also no …”

“Steve!”

He could hear her flopping dramatically onto her bed. “Look, I’m having a lot of new emotions, and I just want to talk to you about it!”

“Fine! My parents are at a church luncheon, so come over.”

When Steve arrived at Robin’s house, he knocked relentlessly until she answered.

Robin wrenched the door open. “I swear you’re devolving.”

He gently pushed past her into the house. “I’m just excited, ok? I was starting to worry I’d never feel like this again.”

“I know.” She smiled gently and patted him on the shoulder.

“But now I feel like this for a guy, and … it's a lot to process,” he admitted.

Robin nodded and led Steve to the couch. “I remember my first crush, and realizing I liked girls.”

They sat down together. “What was her name?”

“Catherine.” Robin smiled fondly. “We were in eighth grade. She had beautiful, curly red hair. We had spent the night at each other’s houses a couple of times, and one day I realized I wanted to kiss her. It scared the hell out of me. I didn’t know girls could like girls, and I felt … broken.”

Steve gently took her hand; Robin squeezed his in return.

“And unfortunately for me, I didn’t have anyone to discuss it with. It wasn’t until I saw Personal Best that I realized it was ok for me to like girls.”

“Personal Best?”

“It's a lesbian movie.”

“Oh. Do we have it at work?”

Robin laughed. “Yeah, right. In Hawkins?”

“Well, how’d you find it?”

“Saw a newspaper article about it, told my parents I was staying at a friend’s, and took a bus to Indianapolis to the only theater that was showing it in Indiana.”

“Holy shit, Robs!”

“I didn’t have a choice! There’s not much out there for us, you know!”

“Yeah … I’ve never seen a movie about two guys before …”

“Uh, Rocky Horror, dingus.”

“Oh. Yeah … I dunno. That wasn’t really … romantic.”

“You big softy! Do you think seeing a movie like that would help?”

“Maybe?” Steve shrugged. “I’m not sure.”

“Hang on just a sec!” Robin ran out of the living room. When she returned, she was holding a thick packet of xeroxed paper.

“What’s that?”

“It's a zine for people like us!” She dropped the paper on Steve’s lap.

Steve realized the xeroxed paper had been stapled into a book. On the cover, it simply said, “PINK.” He began to flip through it.

“It comes twice a year, and has articles and essays, law changes, book and movie recommendations. It’s been a lifesaver, honestly.”

Steve was impressed by the quality. It was clearly put together by hand, but it was well organized. “Where did you find this?”

“The theater had a stack, so I took one and subscribed to it.”

“I had no idea stuff like this existed.” When he turned another page, he was met with a large black and white photo of two men kissing, causing him to blush. It was … hot.

Robin reached over and flipped a few more pages until she found the movie listings. “There’s a movie that just came out called My Beautiful Laundrette. It sounds interesting. Do you want to see it with me?”

“That’s a weird name.” Steve read the short synopsis. Apparently, it was literally about two men running a laundromat in England, who also happened to be in love. Steve had to admit he was a bit intrigued. “Sure.”

“Yes!” Robin shrieked excitedly. “I’ve been having to see these movies all by myself for years! It’ll be so nice to go with you!”

“We can make it a date night,” Steve joked.

“Totally! Two gay besties going to the big city!” Robin took the zine back. “Looks like they’re showing it this weekend. Now to come up with an excuse for my parents … Do you think Eddie would like to come?”

Steve’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. “How would we even ask him? Then he’d know that I’m- He would put the dots together and realize I like him. Oh my god-”

Robin shushed him gently. “Ok, ok, just you and me then.”

“Sorry … I’m still trying to wrap my head around this.”

“I know. It’s ok.”

Both turned toward the window when they heard a car pulling into the driveway.

“Shit!” Robin gasped. “My parents will be pissed if they find us here alone.”

Steve rolled his eyes. “If only they knew how little they had to worry. Hey, can I borrow this?”

Robin narrowed her eyes at him. “Yes, but emphasis on borrow.”

Steve made his way out the back door, zine folded up in his back pocket. He’d made sure to park in front of the next house down in case Robin’s parents came home early, so he could make a clean escape, and Robin wouldn’t get grounded.

Back at home, Steve settled on the den couch. Moonlighting played quietly on the tv, but Steve’s attention was focused on the zine. He’d never seen or read anything that spoke so frankly about gay people and their issues. There was a whole culture out there that he’d simply been unaware of. He wondered how many people never found this stuff and remained alone, thinking they were broken like Robin had. It was heartbreaking. He was incredibly grateful he wasn’t going through this alone.

Chapter Text

Tuesday night, Eddie sat at his desk, attempting to finish his homework, when he heard the phone ringing down the hall. Wayne was home tonight, and Eddie didn’t usually get a lot of calls, so he ignored it.

A moment later, Wayne knocked gently on his door, then opened it enough to stick his head in. “That Steve boy is on the phone for you.”

Eddie’s heart jumped into his throat. He knew Steve was just calling to set up their next study date, but still … He pushed his chair away from his desk and stood up, trying to act as casual as possible.

“Is he your boyfriend?” Wayne whispered.

Eddie turned bright red, and laughed in surprise. “No, he’s … just a good friend.”

“Mmhmm.” Wayne gave him a piercing look.

Eddie threw up his hands. “I swear!”

Wayne nodded before returning to the living room, Eddie on his heels.

He picked up the receiver from where Wayne had left it off the hook. “Hello?”

“Hey, Eddie!” Steve greeted happily. “I’m not interrupting anything, am I?”

The sound of his voice was enough to make Eddie's heart thunder, apparently. “Nah, just finishing up some homework.” He leaned against the wall, his back to the living room, so Wayne couldn’t see his overly expressive face.

“How’s it coming?”

“Homework’s easy,” he replied, “As long as you actually do it.”

Steve laughed.

“Do we have a plan for the trig test?”

“Oh … I forgot about that,” Steve chuckled.

“So … why did you call?”

“I just wanted to talk, if that’s ok.”

Fuuuuuck! Eddie’s heart was going to beat right out of his chest. “Yeah! Yeah, of course. Our only phone is in the living room, though …” He snuck a peek over his shoulder, causing Wayne to quickly turn back to the tv. He snickered to himself. “How was your day?”

“Soooo boring,” Steve moaned. “It was just me and Keith all day, we barely had any customers, and he kept playing St. Elmo’s Fire on repeat.”

“Holy shit. How did you survive?”

They chatted for nearly an hour about their equally mundane days. Eddie told Steve all about Mike’s campaign at Hellfire that night, which prominently featured a teenage girl with superpowers. That got a laugh out of Steve, though Eddie wasn’t sure why. Steve explained it was an inside joke in their “party.”

When Eddie heard the nightly news quietly emanating from the tv, he realized how late it had gotten. “Shit, it's 10:00. I’ve got to finish that fucking homework.”

“Sorry ... I should go, too. I open tomorrow.”

“Don’t be sorry. I enjoy talking to you.”

Steve fell quiet for a long moment. “I’ll, um, figure out the trig thing with Robin tomorrow, and get back to you.”

“No problem,” Eddie reassured.

“I enjoy talking to you, too. A lot.”

Eddie chewed on a lock of his hair as he tried to keep his emotions in check. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow, ok?”

Once he hung up, he took a second before facing his uncle. Wayne simply smiled knowingly and took a swig of his beer. Eddie retreated to his room to finish his homework.

~*~

On Thursday, Steve sat patiently in his car as he waited for school to let out, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel along to “Love Bites.” He’d finally caved and bought a Judas Priest cassette.

The bell rang and the doors burst open with students ready to escape for the day. He eventually spotted Eddie, followed closely by Dustin, Mike, and Lucas. As he watched Eddie walk toward him, a shadow banged on his window, causing him to jump. He looked over to find Robin dying of laughter and grumpily got out of the car.

“You should have seen your face!” she cackled.

“Ha ha,” he replied sarcastically.

“Steve!” Dustin exclaimed, followed by greetings from Mike and Lucas.

“Hey, nerds,” Steve replied. “Hey, Eddie!”

Eddie smiled at him, and Steve wanted to melt on the spot.

“Can you drive us home, too?” Mike practically demanded.

“Aren’t your bikes here?” Steve asked. He already had to share Eddie with Robin tonight. Now the kids, too?

“Yeah, but I’m tired,” Mike whined.

“Me, too,” Lucas added.

The three of them began rhythmically slapping Steve’s car, timed to a chorus of, “Drive us home! Drive us home! Drive us home!”

“Fine!” Steve yelled. “Just knock it off! You’re gonna dent my hood!”

Eddie laughed quietly to himself, poorly hiding it behind the fall of his hair.

“Put your shit in the trunk!” Steve ordered as he walked around his car to open it for them.

Everyone threw their backpacks in haphazardly.

Eddie was about to throw his on the pile, when he paused. “Is that a bat with nails in it?”

Everyone fell awkwardly silent.

“Yeah …” Steve eventually admitted, but came up with no logical excuses.

“That’s pretty metal.” Eddie gave Steve an impressed grin and tossed his bag on top of the others.

Steve and Robin shared a relieved look.

“Who’s riding shotgun?” Steve asked as he returned to the driver’s door, knowing who he’d prefer, but too nervous to admit it out loud.

Dustin, Eddie, and Robin looked at each other sharply before scrambling for the door. Eddie physically lifted Dustin out of the way, but Robin elbowed him in the ribs. Mike and Lucas rolled their eyes as they got into the backseat.

After a bit more scuffling, Eddie threw his hands up. “Ok! Ok! There’s not enough room anyway, so how about the kids sit in the back, and Robin, you can sit on my knees, if you're cool with that.”

Robin considered before replying, “Deal.”

Dustin scoffed. “She can sit on your lap in the back!”

Steve had been watching the scuffle in amusement, but now he had to step in. “You heard him, man! Kids in the back!”

“We aren’t kids,” Dustin grumbled, but he sat in the back regardless.

Eddie sat shotgun with his hands under his legs; Robin awkwardly clambered onto his lap, bending her head down so she didn’t bump the ceiling.

“This ok?” Eddie asked.

“It's not ideal,” Robin chuckled. “But it’ll do.”

Steve hated how jealous of Robin he was right now. Robin met his eyes, and he swore she knew exactly what he was thinking. She smirked, but refrained from making any jokes.

As they drove off, Lucas asked, “Since when do you listen to metal?”

“Eddie introduced me to it,” Steve replied, looking over to find Eddie smiling at him. He smiled back, then returned his eyes to the road.

Once they’d dropped off the kids, Robin sat in the backseat with no complaints. She really was a great wingman.

“Are they running a Judas Priest marathon?” Eddie chuckled.

“Oh, I bought the cassette,” Steve explained.

“Really?” Eddie blinked at him in surprise.

Steve shrugged. “I told you I liked them.”

“Does this mean I have to buy a Bruce Springsteen album?” Eddie teased.

“You don’t know I like Bruce Springsteen!” Steve argued.

“Oh my god, he loves Bruce Springsteen!” Robin cackled at the exact same time.

Steve glared at her through the rearview mirror, but she only stuck her tongue out at him, unfazed.

“Dancing in the Dark’s not bad,” Eddie admitted.

Steve grinned. “I love that song.”

*

Steve unlocked the front door, and Robin chucked her backpack into the den, then made a beeline for the bathroom.

“Want your usual?” Steve called after her.

“Yes, please!” she yelled through the door.

“You thirsty?” he asked Eddie.

Eddie dropped his bag next to hers. “Sure.”

Steve motioned for him to follow him into the kitchen. He pulled a large jug from the refrigerator. “Robin loves pink lemonade,” he explained as he poured her a glass. “What would you like?”

“Actually, pink lemonade sounds delicious.”

Steve poured three glasses. He and Eddie returned to the living room, where Eddie began pulling out his textbook and notes. “I fucking hated trig,” Steve sighed, taking a sip of his drink.

“You and me both,” Eddie groaned.

Robin reappeared from the bathroom. “God, I’ve had to pee all day!”

Steve shook his head. Maybe he and Robin were too close. “Why didn’t you just use the bathroom at school?”

“You know how disgusting those are!” Robin complained. She collapsed onto the plush armchair near Eddie.

“They are pretty bad,” Eddie agreed.

“He’s just being defensive because he used to make out with Nancy Wheeler in there.”

“Robin!” Steve groaned, dragging his hands down his face.

Eddie choked on his lemonade.

“What? It's true!”

“I told you that in confidence!”

Robin shrugged, not looking the least bit sorry.

“Really, Steve?” Eddie teased. “Make-out sessions in the bathroom?”

“Her parents were very strict,” Steve explained grumpily. This wasn't exactly a topic he wanted to discuss around Eddie ...

“I’m sure we’ve all done weird stuff in the name of love,” Robin giggled.

“Oh, yeah, Muppet girl?”

“Don’t you dare!” Robin yelled, pointing at Steve in what she probably thought was a threatening way. It wasn’t, but Steve backed down.

Eddie was oddly silent during this exchange.

“No embarrassing stories, Munson?” Steve asked, desperate for even a hint of Eddie's sexuality.

Eddie let out a wry laugh. “Not really.”

Robin gave Steve a pointed look, which he returned with an uncertain squint. He knew she thought Eddie’s answer was further proof that he was gay and nervous to reveal it, but Steve couldn’t be sure it wasn’t simply that he wasn’t comfortable enough with them to share embarrassing dating stories. “How about we study?” he suggested.

Eddie looked relieved that the subject was being dropped. He flipped through his textbook until he found the right chapter.

“So where do you want to start?” Robin asked.

“Um …” Eddie scratched at his head. “The inverse functions are really throwing me for a loop.”

“No worries! I can explain it.” Robin opened her own notes and began to break the concepts down for him.

Steve watched them quietly from his end of the couch. He’d barely passed trigonometry, and all of it had fallen out of his head the second he graduated. Instead, he focused on Eddie; his mismatched, threadbare socks, the way he tapped his fingers against his thigh as he listened to Robin, the cascade of his hair over his shoulders. Steve ran a hand over his face.

“You ok?” Eddie asked.

“Yeah, I’m just … having flashbacks.” He laughed hollowly, hoping the lie worked.

“Imagine doing this three years in a row.”

Steve grimaced. Eddie returned his attention to Robin, but Steve desperately wished he could help, too. It honestly sounded like they were speaking a different language. Suddenly, he remembered the fancy calculator his father recently purchased. “I’ll be right back,” he announced as he set off for his father’s office. Sitting on his desk was the brand new Casio. His father would kill him if he found out, especially after the amount of money he’d dropped on it, but Steve didn’t care. Eddie needed this more than his dad did.

He returned to the den with a triumphant smile. “I think this will help!” He handed the calculator to Eddie.

Eddie stared down at it in awe. “What the fuck? I’ve never seen a screen this big before! Look at all these buttons!”

“It’s a graphing calculator,” Steve explained, sitting closer to him than necessary. “You can use it during your test!”

Eddie started pushing buttons, trying to figure out how to work everything, a delighted smile spreading across his face.

Steve watched him fondly.

Robin cleared her throat, and when Steve looked up, she simply mouthed, “Wow.”

“Are you sure, Steve? This thing looks expensive.”

“Sure,” Steve replied. “It's no big deal.”

Eddie looked up at him. “Thanks,” he said softly. “This will help a lot.”

“Good.”

The rest of the night went smoothly. After Robin explained everything, Eddie had an easier time with the equations, and with the help of the calculator, it was a piece of cake.

“Just don’t let Miss West see you using it,” Steve laughed.

“Or anyone else,” Robin added. “That’ll get stolen in two seconds.”

“I’ll protect it with my life,” Eddie promised dramatically.

*

Steve knew Robin wanted to talk, so he begrudgingly dropped Eddie off first.

“Thanks for all your help,” Eddie said to Robin, turned awkwardly in his seat to see her.

“No prob, Munson. Honestly, I needed the refresh. Good luck on your test tomorrow.”

“Thanks.” He turned to Steve. “And thank you, too.”

Steve scoffed. “I didn’t do shit.”

Eddie waved the calculator. “You gave me my secret weapon.”

“I guess,” Steve laughed. It still didn't feel like enough.

“I’ll, uh, see you guys later.” Eddie stepped out of the car.

“Wait up!” Steve got out and walked him up the steps, while Robin switched to shotgun. “Do you wanna hang out again Saturday?”

“Definitely,” Eddie smiled.

“Cool. I’ll, uh … call you later.”

When he returned to the car, Robin was smirking knowingly. “Harrington, you’ve got it bad!”

“Can we at least wait until we’re out of earshot?” he hissed.

“That calculator had to cost, at least, $100.”

“No …” Steve grumbled. “Just $90 …”

“Your father is going to murder you!”

“Only if he finds out,” Steve shrugged. “He only bought it cause it's a new, fancy, expensive gadget. He won't even notice, honestly. And if something happens to it, I’ll buy him a new one.” He shrugged like it was no big deal, but it was absolutely more than he could afford right now. It was worth it to see Eddie smile, though.

“You really like him,” Robin said softly.

Steve bit his lip. He couldn’t deny it. He nodded.

“I think you should tell him.”

The thought filled Steve with terror, for several reasons. “What if you’re wrong? What if he freaks out?” What if he’s gay, but doesn’t like me back? What if he does like me back!?

“It’s your call, Steve.”

“I’ll think about it …” He fell silent for a bit, wishing this was as easy as liking girls, but that hadn’t exactly been easy, either. As they neared Robin’s house, he asked, “Where should I pick you up tomorrow?”

“The movie theater,” she replied. “I told my parents Kelly is meeting me there.”

Chapter Text

Steve helped Keith open the next morning, and counted the seconds until he was free to go. He was excited, but also nervous about this trip. He’d only been to Indianapolis a few times, and always with his parents. He worried about being harassed for going to this theater … But Robin had been several times and never had a problem, so he forced himself to relax.

When he was finally free, he tossed his vest in the back seat and drove to the nearest gas station to fill up, then made his way downtown.

Robin was waiting for him on the sidewalk outside the theater, but she shook her head as he drew near. He realized her parents’ car was still parked out front and decided to circle the block. When he came back around, they had thankfully left. He pulled into the spot they’d vacated, and Robin slid into the passenger seat.

“Ugh, they wanted to make sure I found ‘Kelly’ before they left,” she complained.

“So what’d you do?” he asked as he pulled back onto the street.

Robin giggled. “I grabbed a random girl and pretended to know her!” She fell into a cackling fit.

“I’m surprised you could even talk to a girl,” he teased.

“Shut up! I’m proud of myself for that.”

“Yes, yes, good job. Now focus on navigating.” He pulled a map of Indiana off his dashboard and dropped it on her lap.

Robin unfolded the unwieldy map and began giving directions. They chatted about their days to one another, occasionally falling into a comfortable silence as music emanated quietly from the radio. After an hour, they exited the freeway into the city.

“Oh, there!” Robin slapped her hand against the window, “That gray building!”

It was pretty dark now, and he nervously took in their sketchy surroundings. “You’re sure about this?”

“Steve, I’ve been coming here since I was fourteen. It’s fine.”

He swallowed hard and parked in the first open spot on the street.

Robin skipped happily as she led him into the theater; a nondescript gray building on the outside, but the inside was a totally different story. Rainbow flags hung on the walls, along with framed movie posters and newspaper articles. There was a large cork board filled with ads for different groups and events, ranging from a lesbian chess club to an HIV-related grief support group. Underneath the board was a table stacked with zines, including the one Robin had shared with him.

Steve gravitated towards the table, picked one at random, and nonchalantly flipped through the pages. He paused when he turned the page and saw a black and white photo of a nude, muscular man. He immediately flushed as a spark of desire coursed through him, but managed to close the zine casually.

“Steve!” Robin called from across the room.

When he turned around, he realized more people had begun filing in. One guy gave him a thorough look up and down. He smiled awkwardly, then quickly made his way back to Robin’s side.

They each paid for their own ticket, but Steve bought them a large popcorn to share. They entered the single tiny theater; the seats were ancient, but functional. He and Robin sat down in the middle of the fifth row, watching quietly as more people found seats around them.

Steve was surprised to see so many people, but he realized that was absurd. If this was the only theater around showing these kinds of movies, then of course there’d be plenty of people here. Most of them probably traveled as far as Steve and Robin had.

The lights dimmed, and the movie began. He finally allowed himself to relax.

As the movie played out before him, he found himself totally engrossed. He’d never seen two men be so physically and emotionally intimate before this. It felt good to see. It felt … right. When Johnny and Omar made out in the laundrette’s back room, Steve may have had to cross his legs for a bit. As the camera pulled away from the two lovers playfully splashing each other with water, he felt genuinely happy for them.

They exited the theater as the credits rolled. His mind swirled with new possibilities and fantasies he'd never let himself imagine before-

“So what’d you think?” Robin asked, excitement bubbling just under the surface.

“That was amazing!” he grinned.

“Yay!” She hopped up and down. “I loved it, too! They were so cute together!”

“Yeah, they were …” He couldn’t stop his thoughts from drifting to Eddie.

“And it had a happy ending! That never happens,” Robin squealed.

“Really?” Steve didn’t like sad movies. Why would most of them be sad?

“Usually someone dies, or society forces them apart, blah blah blah. Realistic, maybe. Reassuring, no. I’m glad we got to see this one.”

“Me, too.” Just as they were about to leave, he remembered the table full of zines. He grabbed the one with the naked guy and brought it up to the counter. “How much for this?”

The man behind the counter looked at him quizzically. “They’re free ...”

“Really?” He looked at the xeroxed cover incredulously. “But people put a lot of work into this!”

The man shrugged. “It’s for the community.”

Steve smiled softly. “Thanks.”

As they walked back to his car, Robin noticed his quiet demeanor. “You ok?”

“Yeah, I just … This isn’t what I was expecting?”

“What were you expecting?”

“I have no idea ... But this,” he shook the zine gently, “and all the clubs and free info … It’s a real community, you know?”

Robin smiled. “We’ve got to take care of each other.”

“Yeah, exactly!”

*

They finally returned to Steve’s house after midnight. Robin wished him a good night before immediately retreating to the guest room. Steve grabbed a beer from the fridge before heading to his own bedroom.

He shucked his jeans, and reclined on his bed, the zine open on his lap. He turned back to the nude photo and let himself really look at it. The guy’s cock didn’t look too much different from his own. He wondered what Eddie’s looked like, which led to him thinking about touching it. Would it feel the same? Would it be weird?

His body certainly didn’t think it’d be weird; his cock quickly filled out at the mere thought of touching Eddie. He set the zine aside and palmed himself through his boxers, letting himself imagine such a scenario. He pictured them lying in bed together, naked, hands wrapped around each other’s erect cocks. Would Eddie like it the same way Steve did? He pulled his throbbing erection out of his boxers and stroked it slowly, pretending it was Eddie’s cock. Or maybe Eddie’s hand on him instead of his own.

He kept quiet, the only noise being short gasps when he rubbed his thumb over the head. He thought of Eddie using his mouth on him, which caused his cock to throb in his grasp. He spat onto his palm and began tugging himself in earnest. He imagined Eddie putting his hair up like he had the other day so he could properly suck Steve off, and his toes curled into the sheets. Those pretty brown eyes staring up at him …

He grunted into his fist as he came, then lay there for a bit as his breath evened out.

Welp, he’d jerked off to a guy. He supposed it was official now, whatever that meant. Facing Eddie was gonna be harder after this, but it was becoming harder every day. Steve didn’t know what to do next.

Chapter Text

Steve drove Robin home the next morning, then returned to his house to call Eddie. His uncle answered the phone. “Hello, Mr. Munson. Is Eddie there?”

Wayne chuckled. “Hello, Steve. Just a sec.”

He frowned at the odd chuckle, unsure what to make of it.

“Hey, Steve! Guess what?”

He smiled to himself at the sound of Eddie’s voice. “What?”

“I finally have enough for the distributor!”

“That’s awesome!”

“Do you mind driving me to the store? I swear I’ll give you free rides, too! If you ever need them …”

“It’s no problem. When should I pick you up?”

“Now?”

“Ok! I’ll be there soon.”

~*~

Eddie hung up the phone, grinning ear to ear.

“You swear he’s not your boyfriend?” Wayne smirked.

“I swear,” he sighed, wishing desperately the opposite were true.

“But you like him?”

His face flushed as he tried to sputter an answer.

Wayne just chuckled. “Do you think he likes you back?”

“No way,” he replied sadly. “He’s got quite the reputation as a ladies' man ...”

Wayne frowned. “Now you know better than to trust reputation.”

Eddie laughed hollowly. “I’m pretty sure he was in love with Nancy Wheeler.”

“‘Was’ being the operative word here,” Wayne replied.

Eddie sighed deeply. He appreciated Wayne’s optimism, but he couldn’t let himself get his hopes up like that. There was just no way Steve Harrington was gay, and even if by some miracle he was, Eddie knew he would never, ever be interested in him. He was a freak after all ...

Wayne took pity on him and changed the subject. “Need help replacing the distributor?”

“I think I’ve got it,” he replied, offering a small smile. “But I’ll let you know if I fuck it up.” He returned to his bedroom and brushed his hair, then put on an oil-stained t-shirt he saved for such occasions.

“Steve’s here!” Wayne called from the living room.

Eddie grabbed his “Van Fund” jar and headed out the door, yelling, “See ya later!” as he passed his uncle.

Steve was already waiting with the passenger door open. “Got your cash?”

Eddie shook the jar triumphantly; the coins jingled loudly. “They’re going to hate counting this!”

Steve snorted, gently closing the door once Eddie was seated. “So how’d the trig test go?” he asked as they drove out of the trailer park.

“Oh man!” Eddie crowed. “That calculator was the best! Honestly felt like I was cheating, but who fucking cares? As long as I can pass, right?”

“Exactly! I haven’t used trig once since I graduated,” Steve scoffed.

“Thanks again for letting me borrow it. I'll grab it for you when we get back.”

Steve waved him off. “Use it for the rest of the semester.”

“Are you sure?”

Steve smiled at him, and he was beautiful. “Yeah.”

Eddie had no idea how to respond to such kindness. “Thanks, man,” he smiled back.

At the auto parts store, he found the cheapest distributor they carried, then helped the clerk carefully count out all the small bills and coins from his jar. They returned to the trailer park, and he opened the hood of his van. He had to use an old yardstick to hold the hood open, as the van’s original prop had rusted off years ago.

He carefully pocketed his many rings and the ID bracelet his uncle had bought him when he first moved in, then pulled his handkerchief out of his back pocket to tie his hair up while he was working. He looked over his shoulder to find Steve staring at him. “What?”

Steve seemed to shake himself out of it. “Uh, nothing. How can I help?”

Eddie didn’t really need help; Wayne had taught him all the ins and outs of engine repair years ago, but he didn’t want Steve to leave. He grabbed a rusty lawn chair from the porch and set it down in front of the van, then grabbed Wayne’s toolbox. “Sit here, hand me tools, and look pretty!” He immediately realized what he’d said and flushed bright red.

Steve appeared to blush as well, and Eddie waited for his response with bated breath. “I can do that,” he eventually laughed. He sat down, and Eddie silently handed him the toolbox, which Steve rested on his lap.

Soon, Eddie had grease smeared all over his forearms and shirt. He occasionally asked Steve for a certain tool, and he would usually hand him the correct one. If he was unsure, Eddie would pick through the toolbox until he found what he needed, achingly aware of their proximity.

After half an hour of reconnecting tubes and tightening nuts, he was done. He wiped the sweat off his brow before looking at his hand and realizing he’d just rubbed grease all over his face and frowned. “I’m gonna have to take a shower,” he muttered. “But it’s done!”

“Awesome!” Steve stood up, placing the toolbox onto the chair, and sidled up next to Eddie to admire his handiwork.

“How’s it look?”

“It looks like an engine,” Steve chuckled. “I honestly have no idea about this stuff.”

Eddie leaned against the front of the van. “Steve, if you’re gonna be a broke car owner, you should probably know how to do the basics. It’ll save you money.”

“Maybe you could teach me?”

Like Eddie needed a fucking excuse. “Absolutely.” He leaned over the engine to point out the different components and their functions.

Steve listened intently, leaning closer occasionally to get a better look, causing their shoulders to bump.

As Eddie explained how to change the oil, he realized Steve was staring at him. When he turned his face to him, Steve silently tucked a loose strand of hair behind his ear. Before Eddie could react, Steve turned back to the engine.

“And after you replace the drain plug?” he prompted, like he hadn’t just done the sweetest thing in the fucking world.

“You replace the filter,” Eddie replied breathlessly.

Steve nodded in understanding.

Eddie continued his spiel, but in the back of his mind, he was imploding. There had to be something between them, right? Or was he so far gone, he was seeing things that weren’t there? He’d never been with anyone before, and he was terrified to trust his traitorous heart. He took a deep breath when he finished his explanation.

“You ok?” Steve asked, concern written all over his face.

“Yeah,” Eddie lied. “I probably just need to eat.”

“Want to go to the diner?”

Eddie wanted the earth to swallow him whole. “Yeah. Let me just make sure she’s running alright.” He hopped into the driver’s seat and cranked the ignition. The van loudly rumbled to life, and they both cheered. He turned her back off and closed the hood. “I’ll get cleaned up real quick before we go.”

“I think this is a good look,” Steve teased.

Eddie was certain he was going insane.

Once in his bathroom, he took off his grubby shirt, dropping it onto the pile of laundry on the floor. They needed to visit the laundromat soon. He snagged an old towel from the pile and wet it in the sink to scrub at his arms and face. When he finally deemed himself clean enough, he emerged from the bathroom, still shirtless.

Steve was leaning on the kitchen counter. He looked up when he heard the door open and immediately looked like he’d been struck in the face.

“You ok?”

“Yeah, um … I’ve just, never seen your tattoos … is all,” Steve managed. “They’re cool.”

Eddie peered down at the small demon head on his chest. “Thanks,” he grinned. “I’ll just grab a shirt, and we can get out of here.”

They went to the small diner downtown and ordered burgers.

“So I’ve been thinking of hosting a Halloween party for the kids,” Steve mentioned as he picked at his fries.

“Oh yeah?”

“They think they’re too cool for trick-or-treating now that they’re in high school,” Steve laughed. “But I don’t want them getting into any trouble, either. I thought I could rent a bunch of old monster movies, buy some candy and snacks … Nothing much.” He shrugged.

“That’s a great idea!” It was so sweet, Eddie could barely stand it.

“Would you like to come, too?”

“Hell yeah! I can help you wrangle them once they’ve had too much sugar.”

“We’re gonna do costumes, too.”

“Man, I haven’t worn a Halloween costume in … years.”

“I want to keep it festive, you know? Halloween was my favorite when I was a kid.”

“Halloween’s still my favorite,” Eddie admitted. “A very metal holiday.”

“Of course.” Steve chuckled fondly.

“What’s your costume going to be?”

“That’s a secret.” Steve winked.

“Oooh, exciting!” Eddie took a few more bites of his burger. “Hey, uh … Would you be interested in coming to one of my shows? It's no big deal if you’re not into it-”

“Of course! When is it?”

Eddie grinned at Steve’s enthusiasm. “The day after Halloween, and it's Halloween themed.”

“Cool!”

“Yeah! We’re gonna play some spooky music.”

“That’s awesome, man! I can’t wait!”

Eddie grinned happily as he finished his food. It wasn’t exactly the relationship he wanted with Steve, but he couldn’t help feeling happy with what he got.

~*~

That night, Eddie sat on his bed, Dancing in the Dark playing on repeat, and scribbled down what he guessed the chords were. Every once in a while, he paused to strum on his guitar and tweak his notes if necessary.

He’d left his door ajar; Wayne knocked on the wall to announce his presence. “Is that Bruce Springsteen?”

“Yeah …” he admitted sheepishly.

“Not your usual style,” Wayne chuckled.

“Just trying something different …” He shrugged nonchalantly.

“Your boy doesn’t happen to like Springsteen, does he?”

Eddie blushed at Wayne calling Steve “his boy.” “Maybe.”

Wayne laughed. “C’mon, supper’s ready.”

~*~

Steve and Robin wound their way through the aisles of the supermarket; Robin tossed soda, chips, and bags of candy into the cart.

“We need to give them proper food,” Steve argued as he pushed the cart.

“How is this not proper food?” She tore open a bag of Twizzlers and took a bite out of one.

“We haven’t paid for that yet-”

“So? We will!” She happily scarfed down the rest.

“Have you decided on your costume yet?” He picked up a package of ground beef and pondered the difficulty of grilling burgers for everyone.

“Billie Jean King!” Robin exclaimed. She pulled an old pair of glasses out of her pocket; the lenses had been popped out. “It’s uncanny, isn’t it?”

“It kinda is …” he admitted. He decided burgers would be easy enough and tossed the meat into the cart.

“What about you?”

“Well … Eddie said he wanted to be Darkness from Legend.”

“Holy shit, how is he gonna pull that off?”

“He probably can’t, but … I was thinking I could be … Tom Cruise’s character?”

Robin broke out into giggles. “Oh my god, is this gonna become a thing? Like, you dressing up as a different Tom Cruise character every Halloween?”

“No!” Steve sighed. “You’re right, it’s stupid. I should come up with something else-”

“I didn’t say it was stupid! Just very funny. I actually think it’s a great idea. Eddie probably finds Tom Cruise as cute as you do.”

He looked around wildly to make sure no one was close enough to hear them. “Robin!”

“What? I’m sick of being secretive! We should move somewhere that’ll accept us. Like New York!”

“Pfft, like we have the funds for that.” He did like the idea of living somewhere where he could be open about his feelings. Unfortunately, he didn’t think Hawkins was that place.

“Speaking of which, do you have the funds for this?” Robin stared down at the overflowing cart.

“It’s a party,” Steve shrugged. “We can splurge this once.”

“I was planning to hit the thrift store for my costume anyway.”

“That’s a great idea!”

After dropping the groceries off at Steve’s house, they went to the thrift store on the outskirts of town. Both of them shuffled through the racks of old and outdated clothes.

Robin managed to find a white polo and a white pleated skirt, though the skirt had a few stains. She shrugged. “It’s a Halloween costume. If I can’t get the stains out, it’s not the end of the world.”

Steve was starting to think he’d never find the right components for his costume. He’d gone through practically every men’s rack in the store. He finally noticed an old trunk against the wall overflowing with clothing and began to dig through it.

A saleslady wandered over. “These are just the damaged things we give away for free …”

Steve pulled out a moth-eaten, green t-shirt and held it up like it was the holy grail. “This is perfect!” He could pair it with his old basketball shorts.

“Does this count as damaged?” Robin held up the stained skirt.

The saleslady looked down her nose at the skirt. “There’s barely anything there.”

Robin frowned.

The thrift store helped fund a charity, so Steve insisted the clerk take a few dollars in exchange for the shirt. “Consider it a donation.”

Back at Steve’s, Robin scrubbed at the skirt with baking soda and vinegar. Steve artfully cut into his shirt and shorts until they resembled the rags Tom Cruise wore in the movie.

“The kids are gonna think you’re Peter Pan,” Robin teased.

“Nah, they’ve all rented Legend. It’s just like their D&D stuff. Got that stain out yet?”

Robin rinsed the skirt in the sink again. “Mostly. My arms hurt. I think this is good enough.” She held it up for Steve’s approval.

“Hardly noticeable,” he reassured.

~*~

“Hey, Mrs. Henderson. Can I talk to Dustin?”

“Oh, hello, Steve! Let me get him, sweetheart!”

He could hear Dustin running for the phone.

“Hey, Steve!”

“Hey, twerp.”

“Oh my god, you have to stop calling me that!”

“You should respect your elders,” Steve teased. "Want to hang out at my place on Halloween? I’ll have candy and monster movies. Invite Mike and Lucas tomorrow.”

“Can I wear a costume?”

“Duh. I’ll be wearing one.”

“And, uh … Can Eddie come, too?”

Steve snorted. “I already invited him.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.” He shrugged despite the fact Dustin couldn’t see him. “He and I have been hanging out recently.”

“Without me?” Dustin scoffed.

“Sometimes I need to be around people my own age. You’ll understand when you’re older.”

“You have Robin!”

“People need more than one friend, twerp.”

“I want to hang out with both of you …”

“And I am inviting you both over for Halloween,” Steve reminded him. “I’ll see you Friday, ok?”

~*~

Steve was reading his zine at the counter when the doorbell jingled. He immediately pulled it under the counter and looked up to greet the customer. He was surprised to see Nancy walking in the door. “Hey, Nance.”

“Hey, Steve,” she greeted softly.

He was pleasantly surprised to realize his anxiety around Nancy had seemingly disappeared. “What brings you in?”

“Homework, actually. I’m supposed to rent Romeo and Juliet. I have to write an essay about how it differs from the play.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s in stock.” He came out from behind the counter and walked towards the Classics section. “Here it is!” He knelt down to retrieve the VHS from the bottom shelf.

“Thanks.” She followed him back to the register.

“That’ll be two bucks.” While she dug through her purse, he asked, “How have you been?”

“Pretty good.” She finally found her wallet. “Mostly focused on school.”

Steve nodded. “Not surprised. Still going to Emerson?”

“If I get in.”

“Of course, you’re going to get in,” he scoffed. As he deposited her money into the register, he wondered if she was lonely. She’d lost her best friend, and now Jonathan was on the other side of the country. “Hey, what are you doing for Halloween?”

“Oh, um … Nothing, really.”

“I’m having the kids over to eat candy and watch movies. You wanna come? Robin and Eddie Munson will be there, so it won’t be all kids.”

“Eddie Munson? I’m surprised you've even heard of him.”

“We’re actually pretty good friends,” he grinned. “He’s in that club with Dustin.”

“Oh, Hellfire.” Nancy rolled her eyes. “Mike won’t shut up about it.”

“I sat in on one of their sessions. It looked pretty fun.”

“Steve Harrington, interested in Dungeons and Dragons … Who are you?” she giggled.

He shrugged. “I’m just … expanding my horizons. So, are you in?”

“I’ll think about it …” She took the VHS from the counter. “See you later, Steve.”

~*~

Eddie waited impatiently for Steve to pick up the phone. The second he heard Steve say, “Hello?” he was yelling. “Guess who got a motherfucking B- on their trig quiz!”

“No fucking way!” Steve cheered. “That’s incredible! Good job!”

“It’s all thanks to you and Robin!”

“I’m always willing to help.”

“I know.”

~*~

Steve had been off the clock for half an hour, just standing outside of the arcade, hoping Max would make an appearance before it got dark. He finally spotted her skateboarding down the sidewalk, and waved.

“Hey,” she greeted with little enthusiasm, kicking the tail end of her board and catching the tip in her hand.

“How’s it going?”

“It’s going,” she replied.

“Did you ever go see the counselor?”

She was quiet for a long moment; long enough that Steve was certain she hadn’t. “Yeah,” she finally admitted.

Success! “Do you think it’s helping?” he asked excitedly.

She shrugged one shoulder. “I don’t know … It’s hard to talk about this stuff, and she’s just … patronizing. I don’t need people to pity me.”

“She’s just trying to help.”

“I guess.”

This conversation wasn’t going well at all. “So, um, I’m pretty sure I know what you’re going to say, but … I’m inviting the ‘party’ over on Halloween, if you’d like to come hang out.”

Max immediately shrank in on herself.

Steve hated seeing her like this. He had really hoped things were getting better. “We’re gonna grill some burgers, watch monster movies, Robin and Nancy will be there.” He hoped the inclusion of the older girls might entice her. He was sure she was missing El.

“I don’t think so,” she finally answered, her arms wrapped tightly around her as she stared at the ground.

He sighed, disappointed. “Ok. You’re welcome to come if you change your mind, alright?”

She nodded, still not meeting his eyes. “Sorry,” she murmured, then disappeared into the arcade.

Steve stood in the parking lot, wishing he knew what the hell to do for her, but drawing a blank.

Chapter Text

After school Friday, Eddie drove home to throw on his costume. He knew he’d never make a decent Darkness on his budget, so he threw together the cheapest costume he could think of: Jason Voorhees. He borrowed a pair of Wayne’s work coveralls and bought a cheap hockey mask.

He’d agreed to pick up Dustin only after Dustin begged him all week. When he arrived outside of his house, he honked his horn rhythmically until he appeared at the door, yelling, “Cut it out!” He was wearing a lab coat and a crazy, white wig.

Eddie watched him curiously as he climbed into the passenger seat. “Are you supposed to be Albert Einstein?”

Dustin looked thoroughly offended. “I’m Doc Brown!”

“Ohh,” Eddie nodded. “I can see it now.”

“Who are you supposed to be?”

Eddie fished out the mask from behind his seat and held it up to his face. “Jason!”

“Nice!”

*

Robin answered Steve's door. “Hey, guys!” She waved a tennis racquet at them. “Nice costumes!”

“Let me guess?” Eddie brought his hand to his chin and pretended to think. “Billie Jean King?”

“Yes!” she cheered. “It’s uncanny, right?”

“Should I be reading into this?”

She narrowed her eyes. “I think you already know.”

He grinned at the thought of finally having a queer friend. “Cool.”

Robin smiled back.

“What?” Dustin looked very confused.

“Obviously, I want to go pro in tennis,” she explained, winking at Eddie.

Dustin didn’t look convinced, but he let it go.

They entered the den and discovered the ceiling draped with orange and black crepe paper. Paper decorations were taped randomly to the walls, a stack of movies sat atop the tv, and there were several bowls of candy set up on the coffee table. Dustin immediately set upon the candy.

Eddie snorted, especially admiring the skeleton taped to the sliding glass door. “This is great.”

“Steve loves this shit,” Robin explained.

“Where is he?” he asked casually.

“Making burgers in the kitchen.”

“Seriously?” Steve was really going above and beyond Eddie’s expectations. It was fucking adorable. He put his finger over his lips in a shushing motion, donned his hockey mask, and crept towards the kitchen. He paused right outside of the entrance for a moment, and then jumped through the doorway, screaming.

Steve shrieked and jumped at least a foot in the air. Hamburger meat showered the floor.

But Eddie could only focus on one thing: Steve’s costume. He wore a shredded green shirt, his tiny basketball shorts, and a thin layer of … body glitter. Eddie pulled the mask off and swallowed hard.

“Jesus christ, Eddie!” Steve leaned on the counter as he caught his breath. “You’re helping me clean this up!”

“Are you … Jack O’ the Green?” he asked breathlessly.

Steve blushed a deep red as he looked down at his outfit. “Yeah … Is it dumb?”

Dumb? Not only was Steve gorgeous and showing off lots of skin, but he was dressed as a character from one of Eddie’s favorite movies. He tried not to gape, but he could honest to god see a nipple through one of the tears, and he willed himself not to pass out. “It’s incredible,” he finally managed, grinning like a maniac. “You look amazing!”

Steve bit his lip. “Thanks. You look pretty cool, too! Freddy, right?”

Had anyone else said it, Eddie would have rolled his eyes into the back of his head, but it was Steve, so he instead chuckled fondly. “Jason, actually.”

“Oh!” Steve went back to making hamburger patties. “Sorry. Horror movies freak me out.”

Eddie shrugged. “I get it. They used to freak me out, too.” He grabbed a handful of paper towels to wipe up the meat from the floor, desperate to look at something other than Steve’s perfect thighs. “Who’s picking up the other nerds?”

“Nancy’s bringing them,” Steve replied casually.

Eddie’s heart stopped. Had Nancy and Steve gotten back together? He knew he wouldn’t be able to handle that. Maybe he could fake an illness and bail before she showed up and he made a fool of himself. He fucking knew this was going to happen-

“How are Nancy and Jonathan?” Robin asked, appearing from out of nowhere.

Eddie had no idea how long she’d been in the kitchen.

“I think they’re fine.” Steve shrugged. “I haven’t heard any different. It’s not like I talk to her a lot.”

Robin elbowed Eddie gently in the arm, and he felt air return to his lungs. He hated how much relief washed over him in that moment. But he knew Steve would find a girlfriend eventually …

“I’m thirsty,” Robin complained.

Steve held up his beef covered hands in apology. “There’s soda and stuff in the fridge.”

She rummaged through the fridge until she emerged with a two liter of Coke, and a can of beer that she offered to Eddie.

He shook his head. “Soda's fine.” Steve and Nancy may not be back together, but her presence was a constant reminder of Steve’s heterosexuality. Beer would just add to his melancholy.

Knocking could be heard from the front door, followed by happy greetings when Dustin answered. Eddie didn’t want to face Nancy yet, but he needed to greet the kids. He paused right outside the kitchen to take a breath.

“Steve!” Robin whispered angrily. “You invited Eddie and Nancy to your party?”

“Yeah,” Steve replied, clearly confused. “She seemed lonely.”

Eddie walked away before he could hear any more of the conversation, his heart heavy against his ribs. He pulled the mask back on to hide his sad expression. “Happy Halloween!” he greeted with as much enthusiasm as he could muster, his voice muffled by the mask.

Mike, Lucas, and Nancy were staring at the decorations. Mike was dressed as Han Solo, Lucas as Marty McFly, but Nancy was in a normal dress.

When they heard Eddie, Mike, Lucas, and Dustin crowded over to him.

“Jason! That’s awesome!” Mike exclaimed.

Eddie pulled the mask back off. “Han Solo, a classic.”

“Thanks! El is dressed as Leia, even though we aren’t together …”

“Sorry, man,” Eddie grimaced, then turned to Lucas. “Love the Marty McFly! I guess you and Dustin are doing a buddy costume?”

Lucas grinned and threw his arm around Dustin’s shoulders. “Exactly!”

“Look at all this shit!” Dustin pointed at the coffee table.

The boys made a beeline for the candy.

Nancy approached Eddie and held out her hand. “Hi! I’m Nancy, Mike’s sister.”

Eddie gently shook her hand, plastering on his best smile, and attempting to keep his emotions buried. “I’m Eddie. I’ve seen you around.”

“Yeah, same.” They lapsed into an awkward silence.

Thankfully, the tension was cut when Steve came into the den, holding a tray of raw hamburger patties. “Who wants hamburgers?” he asked cheerfully.

Nancy squinted at him. “Are you dressed as Peter Pan?”

Robin immediately collapsed to the floor in a fit of howling laughter.

*

As Steve grilled burgers outside, and the kids started the first movie, Robin and Eddie set up a burger assembly line in the kitchen.

“I just want you to know,” Robin began as she sliced a tomato, “Steve and Nancy aren’t back together.”

Eddie froze, wondering if Robin knew. Since she was gay, too, she’d surely notice the signs better than the others. “I know ...” he murmured, having no idea what else to say. Why was Robin telling him this? He knew he should say he didn’t care, but he couldn’t bring himself to lie.

“Just making sure,” she added, but said nothing else.

They ate their burgers and chips off paper plates in the den as they finished Tarantula. At first, the kids complained about Steve’s selection of old, “hokey” movies, but they were soon laughing at the bad acting and special effects.

The kids sat on the floor around the coffee table, while Robin claimed the recliner. Nancy and Eddie sat on the couch with Steve between them. Eddie hated it. When it was just him and Steve, or even him, Steve, and Robin, he could let denial persuade him that he maybe had a chance. But sitting nearby was proof that Steve couldn’t be interested in him. The worst part was that he liked Nancy. She was nice, smart, and teased Mike every chance she got. He understood what Steve saw in her.

About halfway through the second movie, he decided he needed some air. He stood quietly and slipped out the sliding glass door. The coveralls kept him warm enough in the chilly night. He sat in a chair next to the pool and let his eyes lose focus while he watched the water. He’d brought a joint, but he wasn’t sure if he was in the mood to smoke.

Another chair screeched against the concrete as it was pulled closer to him, and Steve was soon sitting by his side. “You ok?” he asked.

“Of course.” He chuckled hollowly. “Halloween is my favorite, remember?”

Steve studied him for a moment. “You just seem really quiet tonight.”

He shrugged. “Got a lot on my mind.”

Steve nodded.

“Do Nancy and Robin want to join us? I brought a joint.” Why was he doing this to himself??

“Nah. Neither of them smokes, and ... Nancy hates being out here.”

Eddie was confused. She didn’t like the … pool? “Why?”

Steve grew somber. “This was the last place we saw Barb before …” he explained sadly, his voice hushed.

“Barbara Holland? Holy shit …” He remembered last year's article about her death.

“Nancy really blamed herself for that … Blamed us,” he explained.

“How? Wasn’t it, like, toxic waste or some shit?”

Steve grimaced. “We left her out here alone to have sex. Nancy thinks if she had been out here, maybe … Maybe she wouldn’t have come into contact with it.”

“Fuck,” he exhaled. “But still … The government spilled that shit, and tried to cover it up! She should’ve been safe out here.”

Steve stared at the pool in silence.

Eddie gently touched his shoulder. “Hey … You were being normal teenagers. Shit like that’s never happened in Hawkins before.”

“It just fucking sucks,” Steve sighed.

He really didn’t want to venture into this topic, but he could tell Steve needed to get this off his chest. “Is that why you broke up?”

“Mostly ..."

“Do you wish you were still together?”

“You know, for a long time, I did. I was starting to worry I would never get over her, but … I think I finally have.”

“Yeah?” Eddie felt a tiny spark of hope flare in his chest, but immediately smothered it.

Steve smiled gently at him.

“You’ll find someone new,” he assured, desperately wishing it could be him.

“I think so, too,” Steve replied, still smiling softly.

Eddie couldn’t look him in the eyes any longer, afraid his expressive face might give him away. “Let’s go back inside. You’ve gotta be freezing.”

Steve looked down at his mostly bare legs and chuckled. “Ok.”

~*~

Once the second movie ended, they pushed the coffee table out of the way and built a huge pallet with every extra pillow and blanket Steve could find. Mike, Lucas, and Dustin settled in, still munching on candy as they started the third movie.

Steve took a moment to gather the trash that was slowly piling up, and took it into the kitchen to throw away.

“Hey,” a quiet voice murmured behind him.

He turned to find Nancy standing awkwardly at the kitchen door.

“Can we talk?” She looked nervous.

“Sure.”

She wrapped her arms around herself. “This is just … reminding me of the last time we were at a Halloween party together …”

He reeled a little. He hated being reminded of that night, and honestly hadn’t thought about it at all this evening, his attention focused on Eddie. But now the memories were flooding back. It was the first time he’d ever gotten his heart so thoroughly broken, and as over Nancy as he was, the memory was still painful. He waited for her to continue, wondering where she was going with this.

“I just wanted to apologize. We never really talked about it, you know.”

He shrugged. “Not much to say.”

“I shouldn’t have said those things to you, and I just want you to know that I don’t blame you for ... what happened to Barb.”

He was surprised by the weight that lifted off his shoulders. He didn’t know what to say, so he simply nodded.

That seemed good enough for Nancy.

Robin conveniently wandered into the kitchen, munching on Skittles. “Everything ok in here?”

“Yeah,” he replied. “Just tidying up.” His eyes met Robin’s and he knew that she knew he’d explain later.

“I’m exhausted,” Nancy announced back in the living room. “Ready to go, guys?”

“What?” Mike shouted.

“I thought we were spending the night?” Lucas asked.

“Yeah! You go home, and I’ll stay here.”

Nancy sighed. “Then I’d just have to come back for you tomorrow! Besides, mom said she wanted us back by 11:00.”

Mike scoffed and looked around for backup.

Lucas pursed his lips. “I told my parents I wasn’t coming home tonight …”

“Same,” Dustin added.

“So I’m the only one who has to leave?”

Nancy groaned at Mike’s frustration.

“I can bring him home tomorrow,” Steve offered. “Let him have some fun.” He saw Nancy’s eyes glance towards the pool, and wondered if he should have kept his mouth shut.

“Fine, but … no going outside tonight. And you should slow down on the candy.”

The boys whooped with excitement.

“You’ll watch him, right?” she murmured to Steve.

“Of course,” he reassured. He was certain there was no longer anything to worry about, but he understood her anxiety.

“Well, thanks for inviting me,” she said to Steve. “Nice meeting you,” she directed at Eddie and Robin. “I’ll see you around.”

~*~

Once Nancy left, Eddie felt like he could breathe again. He unzipped his coveralls and tied the sleeves around his waist, revealing a black tank top underneath.

The boys followed suit, pulling off the outer layers of their costumes, and in Dustin’s case, the wig, and everyone settled in for one last movie.

Steve and Eddie were once again on the couch together. Steve had stretched his legs out, his toes barely brushing Eddie’s jeans. It took every molecule of his willpower not to rest his hand on Steve’s ankle. What he really wanted was to run his hands up Steve’s bare legs, and briefly let himself fantasize about it, until his thoughts were disrupted by laughter. He laughed along, unsure what was so funny. He must have gotten really lost in his thoughts ...

The boys, in their cozy nest, started dozing off near the end of the movie. Robin was the first to notice, and murmured, “Awwww.”

Eddie snorted. Kids always wanted to stay up late, but could rarely pull it off. It was adorable.

“I’m sleepy, too.” She yawned to prove her point.

Eddie looked at Steve. Maybe this was an opportunity for them to be alone again. “What about you?”

Steve shook his head. “Nah, not yet. You wanna hang out in my room?”

“Yeah!” he replied, delighted with the outcome. “Let me just grab a drink.”

*

Steve waited until Eddie was in the kitchen, then looked at Robin and made a cutting motion over his throat. He saw her expression when he asked Eddie to his room.

Robin had the audacity to look offended.

He knew he’d be getting an earful later, but he stayed focused on Eddie. He stood up from the couch and stepped carefully around the boys. Robin got up, too, and helped him pull the covers over them.

She threw her arm around him, pretending to sob. “They’re growing up so fast,” she whispered sarcastically.

He chuckled quietly. He wished El and Will were still in Hawkins, and he really wished Max had decided to come, too. They should all be in a pile, safe in his den, just being normal kids.

“C’mon,” Robin murmured.

They met Eddie at the bottom of the stairs and went up together. Robin bid them good night and disappeared into the guest room. Eddie followed Steve as he opened the door to his own room.

“Holy shit,” Eddie muttered as he entered, taking in his surroundings.

“What?” He closed the door behind them.

“Dude, your curtains match your wallpaper. That’s insane.”

He shrugged. “My mom picked it out when I was little.”

Eddie poked at one the many basketball trophies displayed on a shelf. “This is pretty much how I imagined it.” He sat on the bed and bounced on the thick mattress. “Shit, man …”

The sight of Eddie on his bed sent Steve into a spiral. He hadn’t washed the sheets since he’d jerked off to fantasies of him. He probably should have thought this over more, but there was nowhere else for them to hang out right now. “I’m, uh, gonna change.” He needed to tear his eyes off Eddie, who was now reclining against the headboard. He stepped over to his laundry basket and pulled his shirt over his head, before realizing he had no need to keep this shirt after tonight. He dropped it into his wastebasket.

“Aw, you’re not keeping it?” Eddie teased, then took a sip of his beer.

He turned around to say that Halloween was over, but paused when Eddie choked on his beer. “You ok?”

Eddie pounded on his chest to alleviate the coughing, and there was a noticeable blush on his cheeks. He nodded through the coughs. “‘M fine,” he managed to say.

Steve grabbed an old swim team shirt out of his drawer. “Do you want some sweatpants or something?” He pulled the shirt over his head.

Eddie looked down at the greasy coveralls. “That would probably be more comfortable.”

He grabbed a pair and tossed them to Eddie, then jerked his head towards the bathroom.

“Oh my god, you have your own bathroom?” Eddie wandered in hesitantly. “And it’s huge?” He shut the door behind him.

Steve took the chance to change into boxers, then opened up his windows, letting in the cool October air. When Eddie emerged from the bathroom, now clad in an item of Steve’s own clothing, it stole the breath from him. He pointed lamely at the now open window. “I thought we could smoke in here.”

Eddie searched the pockets of the coveralls, removing a joint and a lighter, before tossing it on the floor.

They crowded close to the window, thighs and hips occasionally brushing, taking hits and blowing the smoke out into the night.

“Sorry if this was lame,” Steve said, certain that Eddie had probably been to wilder parties full of metalheads and drugs.

Eddie gave him a curious look. “This is the first party I’ve been invited to since, like, fourth grade. Besides, anything’s fun as long as you're around.”

Steve inhaled too much and started coughing.

Eddie chuckled as he pat him on the back to help him through the fit. “Is that so shocking?”

He nodded, still coughing.

“Ok, I think you’ve had enough,” Eddie laughed. He stubbed out what was left of the joint.

“Do you really mean that?” he asked when he finally stopped coughing.

“Yeah. I’m sure that last hit is gonna do you in,” Eddie chuckled.

“No, about … anything being fun as long as I’m around.”

Eddie fidgeted with his sweatpants. “Yeah …” he finally admitted. “I really like hanging out with you.”

Steve smiled, his heart thudding in his chest. They were still so close. He watched Eddie bring a strand of hair to his mouth to chew on. He looked nervous. He was adorable when he was nervous. Their shoulders were touching, and it would be so easy for Steve to reach over, cup Eddie’s jaw, and pull him in for a kiss. Time seemed to slow to a crawl, and he could feel the muscles in his arm starting to engage-

“Steve!” Robin shrieked from across the hall.

His nerves jolted and he immediately made his way to the guest room, Eddie close on his heels. He wrenched the door open. “What’s wrong?”

Robin cowered on the bed, pointing at the floor. “There’s a huge spider!”

If Steve didn’t love Robin so much, he may have killed her on the spot. Instead, he simply rolled his eyes.

Eddie leaned over to peer at the spider. “It’s just a wolf spider.”

“A wolf spider? That sounds even worse!”

Eddie grinned wickedly at her as he bent down, setting his hand palm up on the carpet and encouraging the spider to crawl on. He stood up and presented the spider to Robin.

She looked absolutely horrified. Steve had to admit it was giving him the heebie-jeebies, too.

“You wanna touch him?” Eddie took a step towards the bed.

Steve thought Robin was going to kill herself in her mad scramble to get away. He squeezed Eddie’s shoulder. “C’mon, we’ll put it outside my window.”

“Yes, please!” Robin exclaimed, hiding behind her comforter.

As they left the room, Eddie called out, “You’re welcome!”

Steve tried to laugh quietly so Robin wouldn’t hear him, but as he closed her door, he realized she was flipping him off. He flipped her off in return. She’d understand tomorrow.

Eddie returned to Steve’s window and gently coaxed the spider onto the roof. “It’s late. I should go ... Let you get some sleep.”

Steve lamented the shattered moment. He almost had the balls to do it. “Where do you wanna sleep?”

“I figured I’d sleep on the couch again.”

“You could sleep up here … If you want.” He shrugged nonchalantly while his heart hammered in his chest.

“That won’t weird you out?”

“No. They’re all sleeping on the floor together.” They don’t have a crush, his brain supplied.

“True.” Eddie thought for a long moment. “Sure.”

Steve bit his lip, trying not to smile. He waited until Eddie sat on his bed to turn the overhead light off. The lights from the pool cast an ethereal, blue hue over the room.

“Cool,” Eddie murmured as he stared at the water’s reflection dancing across the ceiling.

“It’s a great nightlight.” He joined Eddie on the bed. He hadn’t shared his bed with anyone since Nancy, and it was nice to have someone new here, someone he cared about a lot, even if they were just sleeping.

They both lay on their backs and pulled the covers over themselves, and a comfortable silence fell over the room.

Suddenly, Eddie snorted loudly, then broke into a fit of giggles.

“What?” Steve turned his head to look at him.

Eddie covered his face with his hands as he continued to laugh. “Robin’s face!” he finally replied.

Steve could feel the weed really kicking in now, and he began to laugh, too. His laughter caused Eddie to laugh harder, and it soon turned into a feedback loop neither could stop. He could feel his lungs burning as he gasped for air. Just when he thought they were getting it under control, Eddie snorted again, and they were back in a giggling fit.

Eddie kicked his feet against the mattress, causing Steve to bounce slightly, which set them off even more.

Steve swore his ribs were going to crack. He finally started taking deep breaths to quell the laughter. “You ... were ... right.”

Eddie gasped for air. “About what?”

“That was more than enough.” He felt another laugh coming and focused on his breathing. His head was starting to swim.

“Yep,” Eddie replied curtly, clearly trying not to laugh. “Fuck, I think I’m going to die.”

Steve held his breath in a last ditch effort, but he couldn’t stop the laugh that clawed its way out of his throat.

Eddie rolled over and clamped a hand over Steve’s mouth. “No, no! We’re not gonna make it!” he exclaimed, tears in his eyes.

The feeling of Eddie’s fingers on his lips immediately snapped him out of it, and he began to breathe normally. When he was certain he wouldn’t laugh again, he nodded.

Eddie tentatively removed his hand, but stayed close. “We good?”

Steve nodded again, afraid to speak. He couldn’t stop himself from licking his bottom lip, chasing Eddie's fingers. It was quite dark in the room, so he couldn’t be sure, but he thought he saw Eddie’s eyes follow his tongue. He decided it was just the weed messing with him.

Eddie collapsed onto his back. “Let’s sleep this off.”

“Good idea.” The weed was already making his eyelids droopy, so he knew he’d be out soon.

“Hey, Steve?”

He turned his head, and their eyes met. “Yeah?”

“Thanks for inviting me to your party.”

Steve smiled at him fondly, and Eddie returned it, then rolled over, facing away from him. He wanted to reach across the mattress, turn Eddie back towards him, confess all of his stupid, complicated emotions-

Eddie let out a soft snore.

Steve turned away sadly. He didn’t need to bother Eddie with his pesky crush anyway …

Chapter Text

The first thing Steve saw when he woke up the next morning was Eddie’s sleeping face. He gently sat up to admire him; he looked so relaxed, his hair fanned across Steve’s pillow. He was gorgeous. Steve wished he had kissed him.

He finally decided to crawl out of bed before Eddie woke up and caught him staring. He wandered into the hallway and knocked quietly on Robin’s door.

After a moment, she groggily answered, her hair an absolute mess. “Good morning,” she yawned, then her eyes peered over Steve's shoulder, into his room, and widened in shock.

He quickly pushed them both into the guest room and shut the door. “It’s not what it looks like!” he hissed.

“He slept in your bed!?”

“Yes, but we just slept. Nothing happened.”

“If this isn’t further proof-”

He scoffed. “The kids are sleeping together downstairs.”

“They’re fourteen! You’re adults!”

He paused; she had a point.

“You swear nothing happened?” She glared at him suspiciously.

“Robs, you know I’d tell you. I did almost kiss him before you started screaming about the spider, though.”

“What!?” She clasped her hands to her face in horror. “I fucked up your moment? No! Oh my god, I’ve ruined everything!”

“Ok, calm down.” He didn’t want her to beat herself up over this. She might have saved him from making a fool of himself, honestly.

“Why didn’t you try again?”

He shrugged. “The moment was kinda over …”

She pouted.

“Seriously, it is what it is. Let’s go make breakfast.”

~*~

Eddie awoke in the most comfortable bed he’d ever slept in, the sun streaming in through the blinds. He blinked his eyes open, hoping to find Steve still lying next to him, but the bed was empty. He let himself get nervous for a moment, like maybe Steve regretted their sleeping arrangements, until he smelled food. Of course, Steve was cooking for everyone. Duh.

As he got up and stretched, he contemplated changing back into his coveralls, but the sweatpants were so soft, and most importantly, Steve’s. He trudged into the bathroom to pee, then headed downstairs. The boys were still passed out on their cozy pallet, so he ventured into the kitchen.

“Well, hello, Eddie,” Robin greeted with an odd smirk.

“Good morning …”

“Hey!” Steve smiled at him as he cooked pancakes on the stove. He had quite a stack forming on the plate next to him.

He grinned back, then turned to Robin. “You almost killed us last night.”

“What’d I do?” she asked as she took a bite off a piece of bacon.

“We smoked a bit-” Steve explained.

Eddie snorted.

“-and Eddie started laughing about your freak-out over the spider, and we literally could not stop. I thought I was going to choke to death!”

“I’m glad I amuse you so much,” she deadpanned.

Eddie snickered at the memory. He hadn’t laughed that hard in ages.

“I’m gonna wake up the kids,” Robin announced as she left the kitchen, sticking her tongue out at Eddie as she passed.

“You sleep well?” Steve flipped a pancake.

“Oh my god, yes! I’d stay in that bed forever if I could,” he groaned. Especially if Steve was in it with him. He bit his lip as he imagined the two of them entwined together, running his fingers through the hair on Steve’s chest. That had been a delightful revelation.

“I know, man,” Steve replied, oblivious to Eddie’s filthy thoughts. “That’s the only thing I’m taking with me when I move out.”

“You don’t want your basketball trophies?” he teased.

Steve laughed, shaking his head. “It’ll be a fresh start. A clean break.”

“I like that.”

*

Eddie and Robin helped carry food, plates, and silverware into the dining room, where the boys were already seated. Everyone ate and talked about their favorite moments from last night, plans for the weekend, and upcoming games.

Dustin and Mike were absurdly jealous that Steve and Robin were going to see Eddie at the Hangout, which had a strict 18+ policy.

“I bet I could make a fake ID,” Dustin scoffed.

“Absolutely not,” Steve snapped. “You’re fourteen. You don’t need to hang out in bars.”

“Eddie’s been playing shows there since he was fifteen!” Mike argued.

“You wanna turn out like him?” Steve teased. “Look at this weirdo!” He reached over to gently tug on a strand of Eddie’s long hair.

“Exactly!” Eddie exclaimed, thrilled at how easily Steve touched him. He remembered when Steve tucked his hair behind his ear, and blushed.

After breakfast, the boys actually volunteered to clean up the dishes as thanks for all of Steve’s hard work. It was disgustingly sweet. Eddie knew these kids would turn out alright. He, Steve, and Robin sat at the breakfast table while they “cleaned,” which involved a bit of bickering and a lot of water splashing.

“I can take everyone home,” he offered.

“Are you sure?” Steve asked.

“Yeah. You’ve probably gotta get the rest of this place cleaned up anyway.”

Steve looked out at the messy den and nodded.

“But I’ve got one condition,” Eddie added.

“What?”

“I get to wear these home.” He plucked at the fabric of his borrowed sweatpants.

Steve snorted. “Sure. Just give them back whenever.”

He nodded, but Steve was never going to get these back. They belonged to Eddie now.

“Done!” Lucas announced as he put the last dish in the drying rack.

*

Steve helped herd the kids into Eddie’s van, then stood outside the driver’s door, arms folded against the edge of the open window.

“See you tonight?” Eddie double-checked, his nerves already building.

“Yeah! I’m excited!” Steve grinned.

“Me, too,” he agreed. He was also nervous, but he kept that to himself.

“See ya later!” Steve called into the back of the van.

A chorus of “thank yous” and “goodbyes” nearly blew out Eddie’s ear drums.

Steve chuckled and stepped back from the van so he could back out of the driveway.

~*~

Steve and Robin immediately set about getting the house back into shape. His parents returned Sunday, and they didn’t need to know he had people over.

Robin folded the blankets and put them back into the linen closet, while Steve pulled down the crepe paper and gently removed the Halloween decorations from the walls, making sure the wallpaper wasn’t damaged. Soon enough, the house was presentable again. He hated it. It looked so sterile like this, like no one actually lived here.

“So what are you wearing to the show?” Robin asked.

“I have no idea,” he sighed. “This isn’t my usual scene.”

“You’ve got that right,” she snorted.

He scoffed. “Oh yeah? What are you gonna wear?” It’s not like this was her scene, either.

“Jeans and a black top,” she answered easily.

“I don’t think I own anything black … Except for my suit.”

“Wanna go shopping?”

He contemplated it for a moment. “No. I don’t want to fake this, you know?”

“You’ll just have to do a fashion show for me then,” she teased.

“Absolutely not.”

*

Steve frowned as he exited his bathroom to show Robin outfit number one: jeans and a navy polo.

“Turn,” she commanded from her perch on his bed.

He sighed deeply, but spun so she could see his back.

“Ooh, those jeans do wonders for your ass!”

“I know. That’s why I picked them. Also ... that was weird.”

“I’m trying to help you look your best!”

“I know, I know. What about the shirt?”

She scrunched up her face and shook her head.

He returned a moment later with shirt option two: a plain gray t-shirt he usually wore as an undershirt. He held out his arms for Robin’s opinion.

“Hmm. This is better, but I’m still not sure.”

He threw his head back dramatically. “What’s wrong with this one?”

“It’s not … tight enough.”

“Ah.” He went to his dresser and picked through his drawers until he found a shirt he hadn’t worn in ages, mostly because it was a bit too small now. It was emblazoned with the Blues Brothers logo. He switched shirts, quickly tucking the new one into his jeans, and turned for Robin’s approval.

She hemmed and hawed, but eventually nodded. “I like it! It's technically a band shirt, and it's very snug, which I’m sure Eddie will appreciate.”

“We still don’t know that,” he murmured as he looked over himself in the mirror.

“He caught on pretty quick about my costume yesterday.”

“What do you mean?”

“He asked if he should be reading into it.”

“And that means he’s gay?” He felt like he was missing something.

“It’s just not the first thing a straight person would think of!” she argued. “Besides, he was so upset that you invited Nancy. I told you that was a bad idea.”

“You think that’s why he was being so quiet?”

“Of course! Imagine you went to your crush’s house, and they’d invited their ex. You’d think they were back together or something! Most people don’t hang out with their exes.”

“I was just being nice! She seemed lonely.”

“I know that ... You’re honestly too sweet for your own good. But don’t worry; I told Eddie he had nothing to worry about. You can thank me later.”

“What?” He ran his hand over his face. “Robin …”

“I swear to god, I don’t know why you’re doing this to yourself. I, a certified gay person, am telling you that he is gay. I would bet my life on it.”

He sighed. “I’m just so scared I'll fuck this up.”

Robin stood and crossed the room, putting her hands on his shoulders. “I know. I’m talking pretty tough for a girl who can barely speak to her crush.” She smiled softly.

He pulled her in for a hug. “We’re both pretty useless, huh?”

She giggled in his arms. “Completely.”

~*~

Eddie stood in his dimly lit bathroom, futzing with his hair. He liked to make it extra big for the shows. He wanted to do it everyday, but he couldn’t afford that much hairspray. Wayne always teased him that he was gonna blow up the trailer one day. After one last tease with his brush, he applied some eyeliner, keeping it subtle.

His outfit consisted of a pair of black jeans he’d spent ages wearing down with rocks for that perfect shredded look, and a white t-shirt with the armholes cut wide enough to see his ribs, “Corroded Coffin” scribbled on it in black marker. He added a few bracelets, including his ID bracelet for luck, all of his rings, and his guitar pick necklace, then pulled on his white sneakers.

He stuffed his handwritten setlist into his back pocket. “Dancing in the Dark” was the final song, and he was super anxious about it. When he suggested it to his bandmates, they protested, but he managed to talk them into it. He just hoped Steve liked it …

At the Hangout, he parked behind the bar and entered through the back door. The bar had a tiny green room for the bands, but it was also used as storage, and beer kegs lined the walls. Gareth, Jeff, and Grant showed up soon after.

Eddie presented them with the setlist.

“I still can’t believe we’re doing ‘Dancing in the Dark,’” Grant muttered.

“You can pick next time,” he snapped, his nerves getting the better of him. “Look, this is important to me.”

Gareth smirked. “I bet he’s invited some girl who’s into Springsteen.”

He rolled his eyes. “That’s not it.”

“Sure …” Gareth looked unconvinced.

“Let’s just … go set up,” he muttered. Once he was singing, his anxiety would melt away.

~*~

Steve and Robin arrived about ten minutes before the show. The bar was pretty packed, and the majority of people crowded around the slightly raised flooring that acted as a stage.

Steve froze when he saw Eddie, plucking random notes on his guitar while talking to his bandmates. His blood rushed south as he took in every detail: his exposed skin, his gorgeous hair, and the eyeliner. The fucking eyeliner. He had never been into eyeliner on guys before, but now …

Suddenly, their eyes met through the crowd, and Steve swallowed thickly. It was clear Eddie was in his element here, ready to perform, and Steve was more turned on than he’d ever been in his life. He wasn’t sure he was going to make it through this. He snapped back to reality once Robin tugged on his elbow, directing him to an open table with a decent view. He let her lead him, unable to tear his eyes away from Eddie.

Eddie strummed his guitar, and the sound crackled through the speakers. The crowd began to quiet down and focus on the stage.

“You gonna be ok?” Robin giggled.

“I don’t know,” he replied honestly.

“Hello, Hawkins!” Eddie crowed into the microphone, eliciting a cheer from the crowd. “We’re Corroded Coffin, and we’re here to celebrate motherfucking Halloween!”

The crowd cheered as Gareth tapped his drumsticks together, followed by a few deep notes from Jeff’s bass, then Eddie and Grant started the song.

“Whatever happened to Saturday night?” Eddie crooned, “When you dressed up sharp, and you felt alright?”

“I recognize this!” Steve shouted over the music. “It’s from Rocky Horror!”

Robin nodded excitedly.

He had no idea Eddie was such an incredible singer. He sounded better than the guy in the movie! Eddie replaced the saxophone with a guitar solo, his nimble fingers flying over the neck of his guitar, a wicked grin on his face the entire time. Steve was mesmerized, and definitely not thinking about those nimble fingers being used on him. He didn’t recognize the next song, but it didn’t matter. All he wanted to do for the rest of his life was watch Eddie perform. He was made for this.

“I’m a teenage Frankenstein! The local freak with a twisted mind!”

The band played through several more songs, a few Steve recognized from Rocky Horror, but mostly stuff he’d never heard before, but it didn’t matter. He bobbed his head along to the beat, and kept his eyes locked on Eddie.

As the last song faded, Eddie took hold of the microphone. “Tonight’s last song isn’t our normal style, but I hope you’ll enjoy it regardless.” His eyes once again met Steve’s as he strummed the beginning notes.

Steve recognized the song immediately. Eddie was playing Dancing in the Dark, and he was playing it for him. He felt a flush creep down his entire body.

“I get up in the evenin,’ and I ain’t got nothin’ to say-”

Robin turned her head towards Steve, eyes wide, but he couldn’t take his own eyes off Eddie long enough to return her gaze.

“You can’t start a fire! You can’t start a fire without a spark!”

Steve's stomach was tying itself in knots. He had no idea what to make of this. Sure, they were really good friends, but this … this felt different. He was certain Robin was thinking the same thing. He wanted to rush the stage and kiss the lyrics out of Eddie’s mouth. Instead, he sat enraptured as Eddie sang his favorite song to him.

“Even if we’re just dancin’ in the dark …”

The crowd cheered as the song ended. Eddie and his bandmates waved at the crowd, enjoying their enthusiasm, before disappearing into the back. The crowd began to disperse, talking amongst themselves.

Steve sat frozen at the table, certain that no one had ever done anything more romantic for him in his entire life, and they weren’t even dating.

Robin reached over and gently squeezed his forearm. “Steve?”

He looked at her, still a bit stunned.

“I think he likes you,” she murmured. “You should go back there.”

He looked at the curtain behind the stage where they had just exited. She was right. He abruptly stood and walked towards the stage, pushing through the crowd. He reached the curtain and fumbled with it briefly until he found the door and slipped through. The back hallway was dark and filled with boxes, but he saw light emanating from a cracked door a few feet down.

He paused to take a deep breath, then swung the door open. Eddie’s bandmates halted their conversation at the intrusion.

“Oh, sorry,” he muttered. “Is Eddie here?”

“He took off,” Jeff replied. “Probably just having a smoke.”

“Check the parking lot,” Grant offered.

He nodded and shut the door. He looked around and spotted the heavy metal door leading outside. When he pushed through it, he found the parking lot, but Eddie and his van were nowhere in sight.

Chapter Text

Eddie beat his fist on the steering wheel as he tore out of town. He'd laid all his cards on the table, and now he was fucking panicking. He didn’t realize until it was too late just how fucking romantic singing that song would come across. He’d seen the shock in Steve’s eyes. Steve was the nicest guy in the fucking world, so he knew he’d never be cruel to him, but this friendship as he knew it was probably over. No one wanted to be friends with the weirdo who had a crush on them.

“Fuck!” He had no idea where he was headed; he just didn’t want to be found right now.

~*~

Steve rushed to the front of the bar.

“What’s wrong?” Robin asked when he reached her.

“He ... left,” he panted. “His friends said he just took off.”

“Oh no …” she sighed.

“What?”

“He’s panicking. I bet he’s panicking.”

“Why would he panic?”

“He’s probably as boneheaded as you, and doesn’t think you like him back!”

“Then why did he sing the song?”

“I don’t know! He couldn’t contain his feelings any more? That’s something you should ask him!”

“I don’t even know where to look! I doubt he went home …”

“Maybe you should give him some space,” she suggested. “He’s probably worried about your reaction. I know I’d be terrified if I pulled a stunt like that.”

“That’s exactly why I shouldn’t wait! I don’t want him to feel worried or terrified! I want …” He took a deep breath. “I want him to know I like him back.”

Robin grinned. “Then go find him!”

Steve sped to drop Robin off at her house, then began driving in circles around Hawkins, racking his brain for ideas of where Eddie would go. Eddie made him so happy by singing that song, and he wished he had waited just a moment longer, waited for Steve to find him.

He drove past the trailer park, just in case, but the van was nowhere in sight. He sighed but kept going. Eddie was probably on the outskirts of town, parked somewhere he thought no one would find him. He remembered that day he drove him to Lover’s Lake, and decided it was worth a shot. He drove the circuit around the lake but still couldn’t find him. He made a second pass, driving slowly past every house in case the van had been parked behind a building or fence, but there was no sign of it.

He sat at a stop sign and ran a hand through his hair, trying to think of where to go next, when he noticed a camping lot sign. The road disappeared into the dark forest. He turned to check it out. As he approached the camp site, his heart nearly stopped when he finally spotted Eddie’s van. Its side door was open, and Eddie was sitting on the van floor smoking a cigarette. He didn’t move as Steve parked nearby.

He threw himself out of the car as soon as he parked. “Eddie! I’ve been looking everywhere for you!” As he drew near, he could see that Eddie’s eyes were red from crying. His heart sank at the sight.

“Hey, Steve,” Eddie replied, voice catching in his throat. He took another drag and wiped at his nose.

“Why did you run away?” he asked gently, coming near, but not as close as he’d like to be.

Eddie laughed hollowly. “Because I’m an idiot.”

He scoffed. “An idiot? You were fucking incredible up there! I loved it!”

Eddie shook his head. “You don’t have to do this, Steve.”

“Do what?”

“Be so fucking nice to me …”

“I’m not. If I thought you sucked, I’d tell you,” he chuckled, hoping to lighten the mood.

“Yeah, right. I know how it looked … I should never have sung that song,” he muttered to himself.

Steve’s heart almost shattered. “Please don’t say that, Eddie. That was the most incredible, most … romantic thing anyone has ever done for me.” He could feel his own tears welling up.

“Exactly. There’s no way for me to hide it anymore. I’ll totally understand if you don’t want to hang out with me any more.”

Steve was baffled. Was Eddie being obtuse on purpose? Was his self worth so low that he couldn’t even imagine that Steve might like him back? He had to spell it out because he couldn’t listen to this any longer. He took a deep breath and steeled his nerves. “I want to hang out with you more,” he began, voice firm. “I want to hang out with you every fucking day. I like you, Eddie. I really like you. I’ve felt this way for weeks, but I was scared you wouldn’t like me back.”

Eddie looked like he had been slapped. “What?” he stammered. “You like me?”

“Yeah! I think about you all the time. I think about kissing you, holding your hand, taking you out. I’ve never been attracted to a guy before, so it’s been a bit of a learning process, but … the more time we spend together, the more I like you.”

Eddie stood up, letting the butt of his cigarette fall onto the pavement. “Me, too,” he murmured.

Steve took a step towards him, pausing to make sure he wasn’t backing away. When Eddie seemed to sway toward him, he took those last few steps into his space and raised his hand tentatively to Eddie’s face. He slid his hand along his jaw and around the back of his head. When Eddie’s eyes flicked down to his lips, he leaned in.

Eddie closed the remaining space between them, bringing their bodies flush as his lips pressed into Steve’s.

Steve could tell that he was nervous, uncertain. He tilted his head so their lips slotted together perfectly, and gently parted Eddie’s lips with his tongue.

Eddie grabbed onto Steve’s hips as the kiss deepened.

Steve smiled against his lips, kissing him deeply until they were both breathless. When they parted to breathe, he kept smiling. He tilted Eddie’s head so their eyes met. His dark eyes were so beautiful. “Will you go out with me?”

“Fuck, of course!” Eddie let out in a rush. “I’m sorry if I’m bad at this … I’ve never kissed anyone before.”

Steve wasn’t terribly surprised, but he also didn’t care. All Eddie needed was practice, and he was happy to help with that. “You kiss perfectly,” he replied, then kissed him again. This time he wrapped his other arm around Eddie’s waist.

Eddie let go of Steve’s hips to wrap his arms around him. He let him lead the kiss, quickly getting the hang of it. When they parted again, he began to laugh softly.

“What?”

“I can’t believe I’m kissing Steve Harrington,” he chuckled fondly.

Steve snorted. “Is it as good as you imagined?”

“Better,” Eddie replied.

They finally untangled themselves and sat in the back of Eddie’s van, shoulder to shoulder, hands clasped on Steve’s thigh.

“I can’t believe you came looking for me.”

“I didn't want you to be alone.”

Eddie squeezed Steve’s hand. “This is all just … very unexpected.”

“You never noticed how much I stare at you? I feel like I’m constantly tearing my eyes away.”

“Me, too! The amount of times I’ve checked out your ass …”

Steve laughed. “I’ve about worn out these jeans hoping you’d do just that.”

“Well, it worked.” Eddie smiled at him fondly. “We’re both pretty dumb, huh?”

“Nah, not dumb. Just scared,” Steve replied. He brought Eddie’s hand up to his lips and pressed a soft kiss to the knuckles. “But not any more.”

“Not any more,” Eddie agreed.

A chilly breeze reminded Steve of the time. “We should go,” he sighed. “Though I’d rather stay here with you.”

Eddie grinned. “I know. Wayne is gonna be so smug when I get home.”

“Oh?”

Eddie scoffed. “He clocked us the second you walked in the trailer.”

“And he’s cool with it!?”

“Wayne realized I was gay before I did. I went to him when I was thirteen, in tears, to tell him I liked boys … He said it was fine, and I could like whoever I wanted.”

“Holy shit …” Steve murmured. He knew his parents would never react the same way, especially his father. He’d be kicked out and disowned before he even finished telling them. He was glad Eddie had his uncle’s support. “Robin knows, too, by the way.”

“That doesn’t surprise me,” Eddie laughed. “Sometimes I worry you two are long lost twins. Now that I think about it, she’s definitely been dropping hints.”

Steve smiled. “She’s gonna lose her shit when I tell her.”

They eventually forced themselves to get out of the van, but continued standing in the camp lot, just talking, until an owl hooted above them.

“I think that’s a sign,” Eddie laughed.

“I’ll call you tomorrow,” Steve promised.

“Ok,” Eddie grinned. It was his turn to pull Steve in for a kiss.

Steve thrilled at Eddie’s new found confidence, and he loved feeling Eddie’s strong hands on him. He couldn’t wait until they were alone again, and Eddie’s kissing practice could begin in earnest.

When they parted, Eddie closed the side door of his van. “I’ll see you later …”

“Definitely,” Steve smiled. He made his way back to his car, but turned when he heard footsteps behind him.

Eddie caught him for one last kiss. “Sorry,” he grinned, not looking sorry at all.

“Don’t ever apologize for kissing me.” Steve kissed him again, but then playfully pushed him back. “If I don’t leave now, we’ll be here all night,” he teased.

“Promises, promises,” Eddie smirked.

Steve was beginning to realize how head over heels he was for Eddie, and bit his lip to stop himself from saying anything insane. “Good night.”

“Night, Steve,” Eddie winked.

Steve drove away, grinning so hard it hurt. He cranked the volume on his radio and sang along to Judas Priest all the way home.

~*~

Eddie entered the trailer in a euphoric daze. He could still taste Steve on his lips.

“Where ya been?” Wayne asked. “Thought your show ended at 10:00? There’s supper for you in the oven if you’re hungry.”

Eddie could barely process what he was saying. “Thanks,” he murmured.

“Are you ok?” Wayne asked, worry creeping into his voice.

“I’m fucking fantastic,” Eddie replied. He could feel his blood rushing in his veins with pure joy. He’d never felt like this before. “Steve … Well-”

Wayne smiled knowingly. “Took him long enough.”

Eddie nodded, giggling like a moron. He didn’t know people could feel this happy.

Wayne pushed himself off the couch to wrap him in a tight hug. “I’m happy for you, son.”

“Thank you,” he murmured into his shoulder. “Thank you for everything.” Joy was fucking radiating out of him, and for once he wasn’t waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Wayne just smiled and returned to the couch. “Don’t forget to eat.”

Eddie went into the kitchen and pulled out a foil covered plate from the oven, then took it to his room. He set the plate on his desk, but decided to collapse onto his bed. It had been a long night, with a lot of emotions. Now that he knew how Steve felt, he was upset with himself for running, but still … Steve had driven for hours to find him. He must really fucking like him. It was incredible, and astonishing, and he wouldn’t have believed it a couple of months ago. Soon Steve would be calling, and they would go on dates, and Eddie would get better at kissing and more … He flailed happily on his bed. He’d scream if it weren’t so late.

He was also excited for Robin to know, and for the three of them to be open with each other. He finally had other queer people to hang out with! He couldn’t believe his luck.

~*~

Steve called Robin first thing the next morning. He was so fucking excited to tell her.

“Hello?” she answered groggily.

“Robs-”

“Steve! Oh my god, did you find him?”

“Yeah, out by Lover’s Lake.”

“Is he ok? What happened?”

He grinned even though she couldn’t see him. “We kissed.”

Robin let out a piercing shriek, loud enough that he had to pull the phone away from his ear. “Oh my fucking god! I am so proud of you! Tell me everything!”

After Steve regaled her with the details, she sighed dreamily. “I can’t believe you have a boyfriend …”

“Me, neither,” he chuckled.

“Wait! You had your first gay kiss before me! Dammit, Steve!” she teased. “You couldn’t just be popular with women; you had to get the guy, too! Typical …”

He snorted. “I haven’t been popular with women in a while, to be fair.”

“Maybe there was a reason for that?”

Steve pondered for a moment. “Nah, I still like boobies, too.”

“Oh god, don’t call them boobies!”

“What do you call them?”

“I personally prefer tits.”

He grimaced. “Tits makes me feel like a creep.”

“Then breasts,” she sighed dramatically.

“How did we get on this topic?”

“We were discussing your bisexuality.”

“My what?”

“Bisexuality! When someone likes men and women,” she explained.

“That’s a thing?”

“Yes, it's a thing. There are lots of other people like you. I think I have an article in one of my zines you can read.”

“Awesome!” He was excited to learn more. The concept was new to him, but it felt right.

“So when are you gonna take Eddie on a date?”

“I don’t know yet. I told him I’d call him later.”

Robin sighed happily. “I’m so glad you two finally stopped being idiots.”

“Me, too.”

Chapter Text

Eddie awoke the next morning with a tent in his boxers, having happily dreamt of Steve all night. He checked that his door was shut, then snaked his hand under the waistband, grasping his cock tightly. He remembered the feeling of Steve’s plush lips on his, his hot tongue sliding into his mouth, the way their bodies pressed together. He couldn’t wait to experience more, to put his mouth on Steve’s cock, to eventually have Steve inside him, holding his legs apart as he rocked into him-

He bit his lip as he came, not wanting to alert Wayne to his activities. Maybe he could put a mattress in his van, and they could go back to the campground, and he could really let himself scream.

After catching his breath, he got up and shucked his boxers, using them like a rag to clean himself off. He replaced them with Steve’s sweatpants, then grabbed his full plate from the night before to return to the kitchen.

Wayne was asleep on his cot in the living room. Eddie tried multiple times over the years to convince his uncle to take his bedroom back, but the old man never listened. He’d always insist that a growing boy needed privacy. Eddie was grateful, but guilt still gnawed at him.

He checked the fridge, happy to find a carton of eggs, and started making breakfast for them both.

Wayne eventually woke up and made his way toward the kitchen. “Smells good.”

“Just some scrambled eggs,” he replied, plating Wayne’s portion and handing it to him.

Wayne grabbed a fork and some hot sauce, and made himself comfortable at the bar. “So is Steve your first boyfriend?” he asked without any preamble.

He flushed. “Yeah.” He was nearly twenty, so it was embarrassing to admit.

“You two be safe,” Wayne said. “This town’s got some mean folks in it.”

He leaned against the counter and ate his own eggs. “We will be,” he sighed. “No PDA or anything, I promise.” He hated that he had to hide something that made him so happy, that made him feel whole.

“I wish things were different,” Wayne sighed. “Maybe one day they will be.”

He nodded. He hoped so, too.

Suddenly, the phone rang. His heart jumped into his throat hoping it was Steve. He rushed over to answer it. “Hello?”

“Hey, Eddie.” It was Gareth. “Where’d you disappear to last night?”

He groaned internally. He had no idea how to explain himself. “I just, uh … had some shit to deal with.”

“Sure, man,” Gareth replied, not really sounding like he believed him. “As long as you’re alright.”

“I’m fine!” He was now, at least.

“Your set list was a huge hit,” Gareth continued. “Apparently, the Springsteen was very popular.”

He chuckled wryly. “Of course it was …”

“Did your girl like it?”

He wanted to beat his head into the wall. “I already told you, there is no girl.” He wasn’t lying.

“Alright, alright.” Gareth definitely didn’t believe him. “Well, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“See you tomorrow.” He hung up, wanting to keep the line clear for whenever Steve did call.

He spent the rest of the day working on homework, Metallica blasting from his speakers. It helped him focus. He had it cranked so high he almost didn’t hear the phone ring again. He quickly shut the music off and raced to answer.

“Hey, Eddie,” Steve greeted warmly.

“I’ve been waiting all day to hear your voice,” he admitted. It was stupidly sappy, but he couldn’t stop himself. It was true.

“Me, too,” Steve replied. “What are you up to?”

“Just doing homework,” he shrugged. He wished more than ever that he was out of high school. It was seriously going to cut into his time with Steve.

“Gross,” Steve laughed. “You need any help?”

“I’m pretty sure if you come over, I won’t get any more homework done,” he teased.

Steve chuckled. “That’s very true. I couldn’t stop thinking about you last night …”

“Yeah?” He double checked that Wayne wasn’t in the trailer.

“Yeah. ‘S not the first time I’ve jerked off to you.” His voice came out husky over the phone.

Eddie flushed and bit his lip. “Fuck, that’s hot …”

“Have you?”

“This morning,” he admitted. “I can’t wait to feel your hands on me again.”

“Me, too. I can’t believe my parents had to come back this week. You looked so good in my bed.”

He barely stopped the whine in his throat. “I think … I think Wayne has a night shift this weekend.” Anticipation and anxiety bubbled in his gut.

“Perfect! We’ll go out, grab dinner, maybe see a movie?”

“That sounds great!”

“Then go back to your place and fool around?”

“That sounds even better.”

“It’s a date then.”

“Yeah,” he replied breathlessly, overwhelmed at the very concept.

“Well, go finish your gross homework, and call me when you’re sure about Wayne’s schedule, ok?”

“I will.”

“I’ll talk to you later.”

“Talk to you later.” He hung up the phone, then jumped up and down excitedly. He had a date! A real date, with Steve motherfucking Harrington! This week could not go by fast enough.

~*~

Eddie couldn’t help his overwhelmingly positive attitude the next day. He cheerfully greeted his friends, paid better attention in class, and ran his mouth all throughout lunch about their next Hellfire campaign. It got him a few odd looks, but Dustin matched his enthusiasm with no questions whatsoever.

When there was a lull in cafeteria noise, Eddie heard Gareth whisper to Jeff, “I think his girl liked the song.”

“Oh, that explains a lot,” Jeff chuckled.

“What girl?” Mike and Lucas asked simultaneously.

Eddie sighed deeply as he braced himself.

Gareth nodded at him. “He won’t admit it, but I think he had us sing something for his crush Saturday.”

Everyone looked expectantly at Eddie. He honestly wanted to just admit he was gay, tell them he was dating Steve, and get the whole thing over with, but Wayne’s words echoed in his head. He trusted his friends well enough, but if anyone else found out? Who knows what some of these rednecks might do. “I admit nothing,” he replied, immediately regretting his wording.

A cacophony of questions rained down upon him.

“Who is she?”

“What song did you play?”

“Does she go here?”

“Did she like it?”

“Are you going out now?”

“Ok! Ok! Ok!” he exclaimed to stop all the noise, and the attention it would inevitably bring. “They don’t go here, I’m not telling you their name, and yes … we are dating.” He couldn’t help smiling. It was amazing to say out loud.

“So it did work!” Gareth teased.

“Why can’t we know her name?” Dustin scoffed.

“Cause I don’t need you twerps harassing them!” He chuckled at the image of Mike, Lucas, and Dustin peppering Steve with awkward questions.

“Do we know her?” Lucas asked.

“Uh …” His brain grasped desperately for the best answer. “No?”

“Oh god, it’s not my sister, is it?” Mike asked in disgust.

“Holy shit, no,” he snorted. “No offense.”

“Nancy’s still dating Jonathan!” Dustin chimed in.

The table lapsed into an awkward silence.

“I’m going outside for a smoke,” Eddie sighed.

~*~

The next day, Dustin found Eddie at his locker before school started. “Will you drive me home after school?”

“Oh, now that I’ve got the van fixed, I’m the limo service instead of Steve?” he laughed. “Where’s your bike?”

“The chain broke,” Dustin lamented. “I didn’t have enough time to fix it before school.”

“Sorry, man. I have detention.”

“What for?”

“Mr. Hardy caught me smoking yesterday.” It was absolute bullshit.

Dustin grimaced. “That sucks.”

“Tell me about it,” he muttered. “Maybe Steve can give you a ride?” He definitely didn’t have any ulterior motives with that suggestion …

“Good idea!” Dustin took off for the payphone outside.

*

Dustin found him again later in the day. “Steve said he’ll pick me up! He didn’t even argue like usual!”

Eddie laughed, certain he knew why.

Near the end of his last class, he asked to be excused to the bathroom, then snuck out a side door to wait by the gym. He spotted Steve’s car pulling into the parking lot. Steve must have noticed him, too, because he parked close by.

“I guess Dustin told you?” Steve laughed as he got out of his car.

“Oh, it may have been my suggestion,” he replied, playing with a strand of his hair. His fingers itched to curl into Steve's shirt, but they were too exposed.

Steve grinned. “You’re wicked,” he teased as he entered Eddie’s personal space.

His will power collapsed, and he grabbed hold of the front of Steve’s jacket to pull him into the alleyway between the gym and the school. He was fairly confident they wouldn’t be seen here before school let out. As soon as they were behind the brick wall, he pulled Steve in for a hungry kiss, immediately parting his lips and snaking his arms around Steve’s waist.

Steve returned the fierce kiss, his hands immediately going for Eddie’s ass, pushing their hips together.

His shoulders gently hit the bricks, and he reveled in the feeling of Steve pushing him against the wall with his body. Their hands made their way into each other’s hair, and their lips barely parted. He loved the slick slide of their lips and tongues; it felt fucking primal.

They made out for several minutes, blissfully unaware of anything outside of each other.

“Guys!” someone yelled.

They immediately released one another in horror. Luckily, it was just Robin, looking very perturbed. Eddie sighed in relief. They must not have heard the bell ring, as wrapped up in each other as they were.

“Really? At school?” she admonished.

“What? We’re hidden,” Steve argued. “I’ve made out here plenty of times.”

“Yeah, when you didn’t have to worry about it,” she said sternly.

“Shit, you’re right …” Steve looked back at Eddie. “Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize to me,” he laughed. “I’m the one that dragged you back here.”

“You should know better, Munson.” Robin leveled him with a glare.

He shrugged. “I know, but … He’s so pretty.”

Steve snorted while Robin sighed loudly in exasperation. She pressed her face into her palms. “You’re as bad as he is!”

“That’s why we’re so good together,” Steve said to Eddie, causing him to grin.

He began to back away out of the alley. “Well, I’ve got detention, but let’s do this again later.” He winked at Steve. “By the way, Wayne works Saturday night!”

Steve shook his head fondly.

Eddie found detention a lot more pleasant when he could daydream about making out with his gorgeous boyfriend.

Chapter Text

Steve arrived at Eddie’s trailer Saturday evening, shortly after Wayne left for his shift. Eddie sat on the threadbare couch on his porch, fiddling with the denim vest he wore all the time. He smiled and waved as Steve parked.

Steve joined him on the porch and realized he was sewing a new patch onto the vest. He tilted his head until he could read it. “Megadeath? I’m assuming that’s a band?”

“Yeah! I’ve got their tape inside if you wanna listen,” Eddie replied, holding out his vest so he could get a better look.

“Sure,” he nodded. Next to the patch, small on the hem, the numbers “1312” were written in marker. “What’s that one mean?”

Eddie snorted. “It means ‘fuck the cops,’” he explained.

“Oh. Is it some kinda code?”

“Yeah. The numbers stand for letters. ‘ACAB,’ ‘all cops are bastards.’”

“Damn, you are hardcore,” Steve chuckled.

Eddie’s expression hardened. “What we’re doing is still illegal in a lot of states … We’re lucky it’s decriminalized here, but I’ll never trust these good ol’ boy cops. They’d find any reason to beat the shit out of us, and probably arrest us, even if they couldn’t make it stick.” He didn’t want to freak Steve out, but it was the truth.

Steve sat down next to him. “I guess I hadn’t thought about that …”

“You haven’t had to,” Eddie shrugged. “Kissing at school was definitely a risk, but ... I fucking hate having to hide this, you know? Plus, I just really like kissing you.”

Steve leaned into his space. “I like kissing you, too.” He paused for a moment before admitting, “You’re worth the risk.”

Eddie was positively stricken. It was so sweet and so sad at the same time. He abruptly stood, taking Steve’s hand and leading him inside.

They were on each other the second the door closed.

*

After fifteen minutes of intense making out, Eddie’s stomach started to rumble, making Steve laugh.

“I think it’s time for dinner,” he teased. He was lying on his back on the bed, Eddie halfway on top of him, their legs entangled.

Eddie ran his fingers in circles over Steve’s chest. He couldn’t wait to get these clothes off. “Where’d you have in mind?”

“You mind eating at the diner again?”

“Sure. They’ve got a big menu.”

“We better go now so we can make the movie.”

Eddie couldn’t bear to pull himself away yet and stayed lying on Steve’s chest.

“Eddie?” Steve gently prodded after a moment. “You have to let me up.”

“But I don’t wanna,” Eddie pouted.

Steve chuckled, causing him to bounce slightly on his chest. “I’m more than happy to stay here.”

Eddie was about to agree when his stomach gurgled again. “Dammit,” he muttered, sitting up on the mattress.

Steve sat up, too. “Let’s eat. We can fool around later.”

“Fiiiine,” Eddie rolled his eyes teasingly.

*

They chose the most secluded booth at the diner, mostly so they could talk without fear of being overheard, but also so they could rest their feet together under the table.

“I can’t believe you agreed to see Nightmare on Elm Street 2 with me,” Eddie said as he munched on a fry.

Steve shrugged as he dipped an onion ring in ranch. “I like your taste. All your music and movies have been great so far.”

Eddie preened at the praise. “But this is a horror movie, and you haven’t even seen the first one!”

“I’ve heard about it. The Freddy guy, with the knife fingers; kills people in their dreams. What else do I need to know?”

“Well, Robert Englund is the only returning cast member, so it’ll probably be a new story. But you’re not allowed to ask questions in the theater, ok?”

“Fine,” Steve laughed. “You don’t think it’ll be too gory, do you?”

Eddie leveled him with a flustered look. “He has knife fingers, remember?”

“Oh yeah,” Steve grimaced.

“We can see something else,” Eddie reassured. “I know this isn’t your thing …”

“But you’ve been looking forward to this,” Steve argued. “You were talking about it a few weeks ago.”

Eddie was overcome at the idea of Steve paying that much attention to him even before they were dating. “You’re so fucking sweet.”

“What?” Steve asked, mouth full of burger.

Eddie bit his lip. He was very tempted to take Steve home as soon as they got the check, but he did want to see this movie. “If you hate it, we can leave, ok?”

“I’ll be fine,” Steve scoffed.

*

The theater ended up being very busy, but they managed to find an empty corner in the back. They knew better than to try anything here, but Eddie wanted to hold Steve’s hand. He waited until the theater lights completely dimmed, then reached over and threaded their fingers together, squeezing gently.

Steve looked over and smiled, squeezing back.

A few minutes into the movie, Eddie looked over at Steve, who appeared confused. “They moved into the house from the first movie,” he whispered into Steve’s ear.

“Oh, ok,” he whispered back, nodding in understanding.

The rest of the movie didn’t have any connections to the previous one, and had some … odd moments. Eddie mostly enjoyed watching Steve’s reactions. He’d squeeze Eddie’s hand at every jumpscare, and whisper loudly whenever anything insane happened. It was adorable and hilarious.

“Holy shit, that bird exploded!”

“Is he at a gay bar?”

“Why do those dogs have faces!?”

The final jumpscare caused Steve to jump in his seat, and Eddie couldn’t help the laughter that spilled out of him. The movie was good, but watching it with Steve was fucking fantastic. Maybe he could convince him to watch more horror movies, if only for his priceless reactions.

As they drove back to the trailer park, Steve asked, “Is it just me or was that movie kinda … gay? Like, actually gay.”

Eddie snorted. “It was very gay. I’m actually really surprised.”

“Jesse was totally in love with Grady, right?”

“Absolutely,” Eddie agreed. “Lisa was cute, but Grady was-”

“He was hot, right?” Steve agreed.

Eddie loved being able to talk about this with someone. It was liberating. “Don’t even get me started on the coach!”

“I know!”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen something so gay in a movie before.”

“Really?”

Eddie looked at Steve like he was insane. “Have you?” he asked sarcastically.

“Well, yeah,” Steve shrugged.

“Where?”

“Robin and I went to this cool theater in Indianapolis,” he explained. “They only show gay movies.”

Eddie’s jaw dropped so hard it nearly fell off. Steve not only knew about this place, but had been there? “Are you for real?”

“Yeah! We saw this great movie about two guys running a laundromat! Have you really never been there?”

Eddie hadn’t even known it existed. He felt so far out of the loop. “No …”

“I’ll take you there!” Steve said cheerfully. “We can see when the next movie is coming out, and we’ll go. Just you and me, ok?”

That definitely cheered Eddie up. “Yeah?”

“Of course! I just wish we had a place like it in Hawkins. They had all kinds of informative stuff for free, and lots of groups and meetings-”

Eddie smiled gently as Steve went on and on about the theater, about how good it felt there, surrounded by similar people. He couldn’t wait to go himself, but he mostly couldn’t wait to go with Steve.

“Maybe I’d have figured myself out earlier if we had more of a community here,” Steve sighed as they pulled into the trailer park. “Maybe I would have asked you out earlier.”

“That would’ve been pretty rad.”

Steve parked. “Let me get your door.”

Eddie watched as Steve raced around the front of the car to open his door. “You don’t have to do that,” he chuckled as he climbed out.

“I know, but I want to,” Steve shrugged. “I’ll stop if you don’t like it.”

Eddie absolutely did not want him to stop. “It’s … nice,” he admitted.

Steve smiled happily.

They entered the trailer, locking the door securely behind them, then went to Eddie’s bedroom, making sure to lock that door as well. They sat on the edge of Eddie’s bed and looked at one another.

Steve gently placed his hand on Eddie’s thigh. “How far do you want to go tonight?”

Eddie blushed at the question. He hadn’t given it that much thought, and kinda assumed they’d go all the way, whatever that meant. He’d used his dildo enough to know he loved anal, so it wasn’t really a question of being physically ready, but he’d never been with another person before. Was he mentally ready? “I’m not sure,” he answered honestly. “What did you have in mind?”

“I’m your first, right?” Steve asked softly, his voice free of judgment.

Eddie nodded.

“I’ve never been with a man before, so you’re kinda my first, too. I think we should start easy and see where it takes us.”

“Easy?” Eddie asked.

“Kissing, maybe take our shirts off …”

The thought of feeling Steve’s bare chest against his own sent Eddie reeling. “I like that,” he murmured.

Steve smiled and laced his fingers into the hair at the back of Eddie’s head, pulling him in for a kiss. He kept it chaste at first, just soft lips pressing together.

Eddie reached over to squeeze his hip. He decided to take the initiative and parted Steve’s lips with his tongue, relishing the taste. He soon felt Steve’s free hand tugging gently at his shirt until he could get at his skin. Eddie groaned into the kiss at the new contact.

Steve pulled away, causing Eddie to whine, but he quickly divested himself of his polo.

Eddie stared hungrily at his thick patch of chest hair, immediately reaching for it.

Steve chuckled and grabbed the hem of Eddie’s shirt. Eddie paused so Steve could pull it up and over his head.

The act of simply being undressed by his gorgeous boyfriend had blood rushing to his cock, and when Steve wrapped his arms around him, bringing their chests flush together and continuing their kiss, Eddie was overcome. He ran his fingers across the chest hair he could reach, then around to Steve’s back, where he could feel his muscles shifting as they made out.

Steve pulled back again, this time shucking his shoes and climbing onto the bed, then gesturing for Eddie to join him. He laughed when Eddie kicked his shoes off so violently, they bounced off the wall.

Eddie immediately crawled on top of Steve so they could continue kissing. Steve parted his legs so one of Eddie’s thighs fell between his own, and Eddie could feel Steve’s growing erection pressed into his hip. He couldn’t believe he’d been missing out on this for so long, but he was so glad it was Steve.

Steve’s hand trailed down to cup his ass, and Eddie groaned. They continued to kiss, Eddie writhing in pleasure on top of him, digging his fingers into Steve’s biceps, and relishing every point of contact.

Steve bit at Eddie’s lip, and his eyes practically rolled into the back of his head. When Steve eventually rolled them over so he was on top, Eddie bucked his hips helplessly, overcome with desire. They kissed for what felt like hours.

“Is this alright?” Steve eventually asked, voice husky.

Eddie stole another kiss. “This is incredible,” he practically purred. He debated for a moment, then licked a stripe over Steve’s lips, giving in to his baser instincts.

Steve bit his lip and closed his eyes. “Yeah, it is,” he agreed. “But is it enough for tonight? Do you want more?”

Eddie laid back against the mattress and contemplated. This was nice, and the kissing had slowed down to a more languid pace as they simply enjoyed each other’s touch. He kinda liked the idea of slow exploration. “I think this is good,” he replied. “For tonight. If that’s ok?”

“Of course, it’s ok,” Steve assured. “I like this, too. I’m happy just to be kissing you.”

Eddie swept his hair back and stared into his dark eyes. “I really like you.”

“I really like you, too.” Steve pecked him on the lips before sitting up. “Let’s get comfy, maybe listen to some music, fall asleep together.”

Eddie grinned at the idea. He climbed off the bed and picked out one of his many mixtapes. They both stripped down to their boxers, piled up Eddie’s lumpy pillows, and climbed back into bed, pulling the covers over themselves. Steve wrapped an arm around Eddie, and Eddie draped himself over Steve’s side, his hand idly playing with his chest hair.

Chapter Text

When Steve awoke the next morning, he realized they had somehow switched positions in their sleep, and now he was nestled comfortably against Eddie’s chest. He ran his fingers over the flat planes of his torso, then leaned up on his elbow to simply admire Eddie for a moment. He was gorgeous with his dark hair spilling around his pretty face, and the striking tattoos dotting his pale skin. Steve gently caressed the spider on his clavicle.

“That tickles,” Eddie murmured groggily. He slowly opened his eyes and smiled when they focused on Steve. “Mornin.’”

“Sorry, I was just admiring your tattoos …”

“Yeah?”

“They’re pretty cool.” He pressed a gentle kiss to the spider. Eddie gasped quietly, so he decided to kiss the weird demon head, too. He lifted Eddie’s arm and kissed the puppet tattoo, then leaned across him to kiss the bats on his elbow.

“Fuck, Steve,” Eddie whined. “You’re killing me …”

“Got any more?”

Eddie immediately sat up and turned just enough so Steve could find and kiss the dragon on the back of his arm.

“Is that it?” Steve chuckled.

“Yeah …” he sighed. “I’m gonna have to get more tattoos.”

Steve chuckled. He loved that idea, but he also didn’t need the excuse. He decided to kiss Eddie all over, starting with his jaw and moving down his neck. He gently pressed Eddie back down onto the mattress so he could smother kisses across his chest. He licked tentatively at one of his nipples, uncertain if he’d be into it, but when Eddie groaned at the sensation, he laved over it once more.

Eddie’s hands wound into his hair, holding his head in place. A deep groan rumbled in his throat.

Steve decided to push a bit further and bit the nub gently, causing Eddie to writhe beneath him.

“Steve,” he gasped. “Steve, wait-”

Steve immediately pulled back, worried he had gone too far.

Eddie’s eyes were tightly closed; he bit his lip, his chest heaving. “I don’t want to stop, but …” He opened his eyes. “Wayne’s probably home by now.”

Steve felt relieved that he hadn’t made him uncomfortable. “We’ll just have to pick this up later,” he murmured fondly into Eddie’s ear.

“I’m not sure I’ll survive it,” Eddie panted. He pulled Steve down for a quick kiss. “But I can’t think of a better way to go.”

Steve chuckled. He wanted to stay in this bed all day with Eddie, but he had to get to work. He lazily checked his watch. “Shit!” He almost fell off the bed and threw yesterday’s clothes back on. Thank god he kept his work vest in the car. Out of the corner of his eye, he could sense Eddie sitting up in bed to watch him, chuckling quietly to himself. “Sorry to run out like this,” he apologized. “I’d much rather stay here.”

“I can tell,” Eddie grinned, tilting his head towards Steve’s crotch; his jeans barely concealed his erection. “I’ll forgive you this time,” he teased.

Steve adjusted himself and pictured unsexy images, such as his old math teacher and a horde of demodogs. He leaned onto the bed to pull Eddie into one last kiss before he left. “I’ll see you later.”

Eddie smiled as they parted.

Steve quietly closed Eddie’s door behind him and snuck out the front, doing his best not to wake up Wayne, who was already passed out on his cot. He jumped into his car and sped to pick up Robin before their shift started.

*

“Well, well, look who finally decided to show up,” Robin teased as she sank into the passenger seat. “Long night?” She waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

Steve rolled his eyes as he pulled away from her house. “I’m never gonna hear the end of this.”

She scoffed. “Like you’d be any better if I had a girlfriend!”

“That’s true,” Steve admitted. “We had a good night.”

“Yeah?”

“We went to dinner and the movies, and then, uh, back to his place …”

Robin gasped dramatically. “Has my sweet innocent Steve lost his flower?”

“Oh my god,” he groaned. “You are too much sometimes.”

“I just want to know all the juicy details!”

“We decided to take things slow,” he shrugged. “This is new for both of us, so we’re just kinda … exploring.”

“That’s so sweet,” Robin sighed. “I’m glad you’re his first.”

Steve blushed. “I just want him to be comfortable.”

“Exactly!” She pinched his cheek hard.

He swatted her hand away, nearly swerving into oncoming traffic.

She cackled at the sounds of angry honking.

Steve loved her dearly. He remembered how Eddie had called them “long lost twins” and smiled. He agreed wholeheartedly.

~*~

After Steve left, Eddie decided to hop in the shower, mostly so he could take care of his own erection. He hoped the spray of the water would muffle any weird noises he made. He darted from his room to the bathroom, his cock bouncing awkwardly in his boxers.

As soon as the water was hot, he climbed into the tub and began stroking himself. He leaned against the wall with his free hand, letting out small sighs as he tugged on his cock. He closed his eyes as the water ran over him and fantasized about the way Steve had kissed him, the feeling of so much skin on skin, Steve gently biting his nipple. If that was just the foreplay, he couldn’t imagine how good the actual sex would be. Next time they were alone together, he was definitely ready to take things further.

He imagined it was Steve’s hand getting him off and bit his lip as he came, the evidence disappearing down the drain. He took a moment to catch his breath, then properly showered.

As he toweled off in front of the mirror, he realized how unruly he’d let his pubes get. Steve clearly kept himself neat and tidy, so maybe he should trim his own a bit. He grabbed the cheap barber’s scissors he used to trim his bangs. It was still just hair, right? Plus, he’d just showered. He shrugged and began to carefully clip away.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the bathroom door. Eddie jumped, nearly nicking himself with the clippers.

“You almost done in there?” Wayne asked through the door.

Eddie looked down and realized there were now pubes all over the floor. “Uh … Give me just a sec!” He grabbed his towel and frantically tried to scoop up as many of the tiny hairs as possible, rolling the towel into a ball to hide his shame. He opened the door with a clean towel wrapped around his waist, hoping he hadn’t missed anything. “All yours!” he said, perhaps a bit too cheerfully.

Wayne didn’t seem to notice as they traded places.

He locked the door behind him and collapsed onto his mattress face first. He wondered if he’d ever graduate now that he had such a gorgeous distraction- Oh shit! He had an English test next week! He hoped Steve had a free evening to help him study, and that they’d manage to keep their hands off each other long enough …

*

That afternoon, he looked up the number for Family Video in the phonebook and called the store.

“Family Video, this is Steve.”

“Hello, sir. I was wondering if you had the Rocky Horror Picture Show in stock?” Eddie asked in a gruff Southern drawl.

“Hey, Eddie,” Steve chuckled fondly.

Eddie scoffed. “Can’t fool you, huh?”

“Not for a second,” he laughed.

“Like me that much already?” he teased.

“You have no idea.”

Eddie felt warmth bloom in his chest. “How’s work going?”

“Boring,” Steve sighed. “Oh! Robin has a new crush!”

Eddie could hear Robin yelling, “Shut up! I told you that in confidence!”

“The first thing you wanted to know this morning was if Eddie and I had sex!” he complained. “Ow!”

“Did she hit you?” Eddie laughed.

“She threw The Sound of Music at me,” he muttered. “That has two tapes you know! Anyway, what’s up?”

“I kinda forgot that I have an English test Friday …”

“Oh! What’s it about?”

“We have to analyze poetry,” he sighed.

Steve groaned. “I’m already having flashbacks.”

“It’s ok,” Eddie backtracked. “I can figure it out-”

“No, no, it’s fine!” Steve reassured. “I was actually half decent in English for some reason. I just hated it.”

“It’s because you’re a bullshitter,” Robin explained sarcastically.

“She makes a good point,” Eddie laughed.

Steve scoffed. “I don’t need you both ganging up on me,” he teased. “Thursday night good?”

“Yeah.”

“Ok. Ugh, a customer’s coming in. I’ll call you later, alright?”

“Ok,” Eddie smiled.

As Steve hung up, Eddie heard Robin say, “Like you’re actually going to get any studying do-”

He hoped she was wrong, but he also hoped she was right.

~*~

“How was your date?” Dustin asked, surprising Eddie as he dug through the trash heap that was his locker.

“How’d you know about that?” he asked suspiciously. Had Dustin seen him with Steve?

“Isn’t that what people do when they’re dating?”

Eddie sighed in relief. “Yeah. It was good,” he answered honestly. “We went to see the new Nightmare on Elm Street.”

Dustin’s eyes lit up. “Was it good? Mom won’t let me watch R-rated movies …”

“Good,” Eddie teased. “They’ll rot your brain.”

Dustin scowled. “It’s not rotting your brain!”

“Yeah, but my brain was rotten from the start,” he sighed dramatically.

“Eddie, you’re a genius,” Dustin said so emphatically it was actually kinda touching.

“Thanks, kid,” he smiled. “Not that I agree with you at all.”

Dustin rolled his eyes. “So are you going to see her again?”

“Of course,” Eddie replied easily before quickly changing the subject. “You ready for the new campaign?”

“Yes! I have a new notebook and everything!” He pulled said notebook out of his backpack. It was covered in doodles of dice, potion bottles, and swords.

“I love it!” Eddie grinned.

Dustin stuffed it back into his bag. “Hey, um … What are your plans for Thanksgiving?”

Eddie was surprised by the question. Holidays were pretty meager affairs in the Munson household. He and Wayne usually didn’t have the money for much. He shrugged. “Wayne and I will probably roast a chicken, maybe have some potatoes and green beans. It’s just the two of us, you know. Why?”

Dustin shrugged nonchalantly, but Eddie could see the gears turning in his head. “Just wondering …”

“Uh huh …”

The bell rang shrilly.

“Oh, look at that! Gotta get to class!” He took off down the hall.

Eddie just chuckled as he shouldered his backpack. He knew he’d find out what his diabolical plan was soon enough.

Chapter Text

Thursday evening, Eddie and Steve sat on the edge of Eddie’s bed, looking over an old, annotated poem of Steve’s that he’d miraculously not thrown away. They’d been discussing it for a while when Eddie felt Steve’s knee bump into his, and he realized how close they were. He looked up and watched as Steve explained his method to him. He was gorgeous … It was actually kind of ridiculous. And here he was, helping Eddie study when he could be doing literally anything else. Eddie put his hand on Steve's thigh without even thinking about it.

Steve looked up, catching Eddie’s eye, and smiled.

Eddie couldn’t stop himself from leaning in. Steve met him halfway, and they kissed hungrily. Eddie caressed Steve’s jaw, while Steve grabbed at Eddie’s hips. He heard the paper slide off Steve’s lap onto the floor, but he didn’t care. He just wanted Steve.

Steve gently pulled away and took a second to catch his breath. “You’ve gotta study,” he huffed fondly.

Eddie groaned. “But kissing is so much more fun …”

“I’ve made a monster …”

He grinned wickedly. “Yep, this is absolutely your fault.”

“Then it’s my responsibility to keep you focused.”

“Damn-” Eddie knew he was right, but he didn’t have to like it. “Will you reward me if I’m a good boy?”

Steve blushed hard. “Y-yeah,” he finally managed.

Eddie pecked the corner of his mouth, then picked the pages up off the floor. “Ok, where were we?”

They worked on it for another hour. Steve even had Eddie use his favorite song lyrics as practice. Eddie was starting to feel pretty confident he’d pass this test. Robin was right: it was basically a bunch of bullshitting, and Steve broke things down well enough for him to emulate. “Think I’ve got this yet?” he asked slyly.

Steve smirked. “I do. You’ve got my method down pat.”

“Does that mean we can make out now?”

Steve slid his hand around the back of Eddie’s neck. “Yeah, it does.” He pulled him forward until their lips met.

Eddie sighed happily as Steve’s slick, hot tongue slid past his lips. He didn’t need anything other than this. He pressed his fingertips into Steve’s biceps and tilted his face to try a new angle, their noses brushing softly.

Steve pulled back to remove his polo, then lunged back into the kiss. Eddie caressed his chest hair and thumbed over one of Steve’s nipples. Steve hummed happily as he tightly gripped Eddie’s hips.

It was Eddie’s turn to pull away. He quickly removed his own shirt and scooted further onto the bed, beckoning Steve closer.

Steve crawled to him, bracketing Eddie between his arms, and simply stared at him for a moment. “You’re gorgeous.”

Eddie felt heat creeping up his face and down his chest. No one had ever called him that before. It was frankly mind boggling that anyone felt that way about him, especially Steve Harrington, but it was also the greatest feeling in the world. He wrapped his arms around Steve’s neck and pulled him down until he had Steve’s full weight bearing him against the mattress.

They continued kissing for several minutes until Steve trailed his swollen lips down Eddie’s neck to his chest. He licked at Eddie’s nipple, sucking it into his mouth, making him hiss. He did the same to the other nipple before continuing further down, following the trail of hair under Eddie’s belly button.

He took a hold of the waistband of Eddie’s jeans and looked up at him, silently asking for permission. Eddie nodded slowly. This almost didn’t feel real, but he was so ready. Steve popped the button and pulled the zipper down, then took a hold of the fabric to pull the jeans off Eddie’s hips, revealing his boxers. He sat back on his knees as he continued to peel the jeans off Eddie’s legs.

Eddie watched with bated breath as Steve pulled the hems of each pant leg over his feet before finally tossing the jeans aside. He leaned down and pressed soft kisses back up the length of Eddie’s leg, skipping the boxers, and continuing up his hips. Eddie reached down to scratch lightly over Steve’s shoulders. “Now yours,” he murmured.

Steve looked up at him through his lashes, and Eddie wanted to cry, he was so beautiful. Steve pushed back until he could climb off the bed. He stood at the end of the mattress and quickly took off his own jeans. His hands paused at the waistband of his boxers. “Would you feel better if I got naked first?”

Eddie certainly would. His stomach was in knots with anticipation. He nodded, so turned on he couldn’t even speak. He could feel his cock filling out with each erratic heartbeat.

Steve smiled fondly and pushed down his boxers, his erection springing free. He stepped out of the shorts and stood there, letting Eddie take him in.

He was the most beautiful creature Eddie had ever seen. His cock was perfect, and Eddie wanted it. He beckoned him back to the bed. “Come here.”

Steve crawled back over him, his cock hanging heavy between his legs. He took a hold of Eddie’s boxers. “Can I?”

“Yes, please,” he stammered.

Steve pulled the boxers down and off, tossing them aside as well. He then sat back and stared at Eddie’s crotch.

Eddie felt self-conscious and reached down to … cover himself? Touch himself? He honestly wasn’t sure, but Steve beat him to it, gently taking hold of Eddie’s erection and giving it a firm stroke.

“Perfect,” he sighed. “You’re perfect.”

Eddie gasped at the feeling of another person jerking him off. His hands fell to his sides, his fingers twisting into the bedsheets. “Steve-” he groaned.

“Is it good?” Steve asked, continuing to stroke him slowly.

Eddie bit his lip and nodded, but he knew it could be better. “There’s lube in my nightstand,” he panted.

“Oh, really?” Steve teased. He leaned across Eddie to pull the drawer open. “Why don’t you show me how you like it?” he murmured huskily.

Eddie blushed. “O-ok,” he stammered, taking the lube from Steve. He moved up the bed until he was reclining against the headboard, popped the cap on the tube, and squirted a generous amount onto his hand. He dropped the tube onto the mattress, then took himself in hand. He stroked himself slowly, but tightly.

Steve watched him for a moment, enraptured by the sight, then crawled up the bed until he was pressed up next to Eddie. He wrapped his hand around Eddie’s and followed his movements.

Eddie began to pant with desire. He wanted to feel Steve’s hand on his cock, so he switched the position of their hands.

“Fuck, this is hot …” Steve’s breath ghosted over Eddie’s jaw and neck.

Eddie squeezed tighter, his pace growing faster. Steve had large, soft hands, and they felt incredible wrapped around him. He glanced at Steve’s face and found him watching their fists work his erection together, lips parted as he panted. Steve must have sensed Eddie’s gaze because their eyes met. Now their breath mingled between them as the pace quickened.

Steve’s eyelids began to droop with what Eddie realized was arousal, as he could feel his own eyelids doing the same. They just stared into each other’s eyes, panting wetly, as Eddie chased his orgasm.

Eddie squeezed Steve’s hand tighter, tugging desperately at his cock. He could feel the familiar pressure building in his belly, his hips started to writhe. He whined before he could stop himself; Steve’s breath hitched, but they kept watching the other’s face. His orgasm hit him suddenly, and he came with a low groan, his eyes finally squeezing shut as his hips jerked, come painting his belly. He kept stroking through the aftershocks, until he was shivering with overstimulation, and eventually released Steve’s hand. When he opened his eyes again, Steve was still so close, still watching him.

“That was amazing,” he murmured. “That was the hottest thing I’ve ever done.”

Eddie highly doubted that, but he was certainly glad Steve felt that way right now. He felt boneless, he felt relaxed. He wanted to do the same to Steve, he wanted to sleep, he wanted to swallow his cock until he choked on it. “Thank you,” he sighed happily, realizing how ridiculous that must sound, but saying it anyway because he meant it.

Steve sucked on Eddie’s bottom lip before turning it into a deep kiss. “You’re welcome,” he replied sweetly.

“I want to touch you,” Eddie sighed.

“I want you to touch me,” Steve chuckled.

Eddie pondered how he wanted to do this. He looked down at where Steve’s cock rested heavily against the crease of his thigh; he must be aching by now. He decided to gently push against Steve’s chest until he was flat on his back, then straddled his thighs. His softening cock rested against Steve’s balls, and he felt it jerk weakly with interest. Steve’s cock pulsed hard at the new position.

“Eddie, please,” Steve whined, running his hands up and down Eddie’s thighs.

Eddie had never felt sexier, more in control. Steve was gorgeous under him; he’d have to ride him eventually. He rifled through the rumpled bedding to find the lube and squirted some more onto his tacky hand. He gripped Steve’s cock at the base and marveled over the weight of it, its velvety texture. He stroked up to the head, wringing a long groan out of Steve. His own cock twitched again. He knew he’d be hard soon. “Is that good?” he asked, shocked by his own husky voice.

“Yeah,” Steve moaned. “Keep doing that.”

Eddie placed his free hand on Steve’s hip, leaning forward for a better angle, and began to stroke Steve in earnest. Steve thrust up shallowly, biting his lip. Eddie jerked him like he would himself, trusting that Steve would let him know what he needed. He squeezed hard from the base to the tip, rubbing his thumb over his slit with every stroke. He could feel Steve’s fingernails biting into his thighs, and he loved it.

“Faster,” Steve groaned. “Please,” he added.

He obliged, quickening his pace and adding a new twist at the head. He looked up to find Steve watching him fist his cock, chest heaving. He decided to run his free hand up Steve’s belly and chest until he could pinch one of his nipples.

Steve threw his head back, hips writhing under Eddie. “Fuck!” he groaned.

“You like that?” Eddie teased, pinching harder.

Steve nodded as his breathing became more labored. “Gonna come,” he panted.

Eddie tilted Steve’s cock towards himself and stroked quickly, adding more pressure at the head. He could feel Steve’s balls tightening under him, and his own cock finally started to fill out again.

Steve looked down. “Are you-” He gulped a breath. “Are you getting hard again?”

“Yeah,” Eddie huffed. “You’re fucking hot.”

Steve went stiff as he came hard, a deep groan reverberating through him. His come splashed on Eddie’s belly, mixing with his own.

Eddie felt incredible at having made another person come. He stroked Steve gently until he whimpered, then released his cock.

Steve let go of Eddie’s thighs and brought his hands to his face, rubbing at his eyes. “Holy shit …” he murmured. “That was incredible.”

“Yeah?” Eddie asked sheepishly. He slid off Steve’s thighs and laid down beside him, leaning on his elbow, his head resting on his hand.

Steve rolled onto his side so he was facing him. “Yeah,” he smiled softly.

“I really liked that.”

“Which part?”

“All of it,” Eddie chuckled. “But I really liked making you come,” he admitted. “That made me feel good.”

“Made me feel good, too. Making you come, I mean.”

Eddie took a moment to admire Steve’s body. “I like this, too.” Just being with you, he didn’t say.

Steve wrapped his arm around Eddie’s waist and pulled them close together, entwining their legs. “Me, too,” he murmured, like he’d read Eddie’s mind.

Eddie ran his fingers up Steve’s arm, across his shoulder, and up to his jaw. He leaned forward to capture his lips, leading him into a slow, languid kiss. He could feel his erection throbbing with each heartbeat, but he felt sated for now. He just wanted to lie here wrapped up in his boyfriend, no matter how sticky and cool the mixture of come and lube between them became. They could clean up later.

Steve pressed chaste kisses to Eddie’s cheek, the corner of his jaw, the pulse point on his neck. “Want me to take care of that?” he chuckled, pressing his hand over Eddie’s erection.

“Later,” Eddie replied, pulling Steve’s hand up and kissing each knuckle. “I’m happy with this right now.”

“Ok,” Steve smiled. He grabbed the thin top sheet and pulled it over their legs. Their joined hands rested between them, fingers laced, as they rested their heads on Eddie’s old pillows and gazed at each other.

“I really like you,” Eddie sighed happily.

“I really like you, too … But you better pass that test tomorrow!”

Eddie snorted, having completely forgotten school even existed. He was certain that he and Steve were the only two people in the universe.

*

Eddie awoke to the obnoxious sound of his alarm clock the next morning. He reached blindly toward his nightstand and slapped at the clock until it finally shut up. He stretched and wrapped his arm back around Steve.

“Don’t wanna get up,” Steve mumbled sleepily from where he was pressed against Eddie’s chest.

Eddie chuckled. “I don’t want to, either, but I’ve got to take that stupid test.”

“Damn. I don’t work ‘til this afternoon. Wish we could just stay in bed for a little while …”

Eddie knew he had to graduate no matter what so that could be their reality every day. They’d only work afternoons and spend their mornings wrapped in each other’s arms, ignoring the world. “Me, too,” he sighed. “Wanna come over again tonight?”

“Do you even need to ask?” Steve laughed against Eddie’s chest; it felt wonderful.

“Maybe you can reward me again for doing such a good job on the test …”

Steve huffed fondly. “We won’t know the results until next week.”

“Yeah, but … I feel really confident about this one,” Eddie smirked.

“I don’t need an excuse ...” Steve bit Eddie’s clavicle softly, then soothed it with his tongue.

Eddie bit his lip. “Don’t get me riled up, or we’ll never leave this bed.”

Steve looked up at him and smiled. “Fine, I’ll stop. For now …”

When they pulled apart to get up, they realized they were still covered in come and lube, their skin sticking painfully in places where they’d dried against each other.

“Fuck,” Steve snorted, rubbing at his belly. “We should clean up.”

Eddie contemplated asking for about two seconds before blurting out, “Wanna shower with me?”

“Hell yes,” Steve replied instantly.

Eddie leaned out of his door to check if they were still alone; Wayne’s cot remained folded against the wall. It was early, and he probably wouldn’t be home for another hour. “Coast is clear.”

They stepped leisurely into the bathroom. Eddie turned on the tap so it could start to warm up, then turned to see Steve leaning over the sink to inspect the tiny amount of stubble he had on his jaw. They were both still naked; it felt so intimate, just existing nude next to each other. Steve was obviously unbothered by it, and it made Eddie feel warm inside.

He checked the water to find it comfortably hot, then grabbed Steve’s hand to pull him into the tub with him. The spray of the hot water was soothing over his back; he leaned back to let it wash over his head and face, plastering his hair to his skin.

Steve crowded into his space, running his hands over Eddie’s belly to help scrub off the remnants from last night.

Eddie pulled him further under the spray to return the gesture. He gathered his confidence and reached lower, running his hands over and around Steve’s perfect cock.

Steve grinned and did the same for Eddie, then grabbed a bar of soap from the edge of the tub to lather him up, rubbing the soap over his torso and arms. He handed the bar to Eddie when he deemed him sudsy enough and continued scrubbing gently at his skin.

Eddie did the same, so they were bathing each other, giggling at the intimate absurdity of it.

“I’ve never done this before,” Steve admitted.

“Really?” Eddie was honestly surprised.

Steve nodded. “Let me get your back.”

Eddie turned and felt Steve run his hands over his shoulder blades. It felt so good, and he bit his lip when Steve’s hands drifted lower to his ass.

Steve pulled them flush against each other and kissed Eddie’s shoulder. “I like this.” He rubbed his hands over Eddie’s chest to help the water wash away the soap. “We should do this all the time.”

“Absolutely,” Eddie groaned as Steve’s hands drifted back down to his hardening cock.

“Think we have time?” Steve murmured against his neck as he stroked him to full hardness.

“Not before the hot water runs out,” Eddie sighed.

“Damn … We’ll have to use my shower next time.”

Eddie thrilled at the idea.

They washed their own hair quickly as they felt the temperature of the water gradually decrease. Eddie furiously rinsed his hair in the now lukewarm water, desperate to get all the shampoo out before it went completely cold. He could hear Steve chuckling fondly at him, and laughed, too.

They clambered out of the tiny tub and toweled off together. Steve threw his towel over Eddie’s head to ruffle his hair mostly dry, making Eddie laugh again. It was so sweet.

They dressed together in Eddie’s room and got in one more deep kiss before they went out the front door to their separate cars.

“I’ll see you tonight,” Steve called across the hood of his car.

Eddie smiled happily. He couldn’t fucking wait, but first he had to pass this test …

Chapter Text

Steve drove back to his parents’ house, glad to see they had already left for work. He went up to his room to change into a clean pair of clothes and fix his hair before it dried completely.

As he futzed with it in the mirror, he let his mind wander back to their shared shower. He loved Eddie’s body. He kept waiting for the fact that Eddie was a guy to trip him up, but it was absolutely part of the appeal. He loved his big, calloused hands and the way they felt on his cock. He loved jerking Eddie off, watching every jolt of pleasure in his expression, and he couldn’t wait to take things further, whenever Eddie was ready.

He shook himself out of it before he got too horny, and attempted to focus on his hair. He was running low on hairspray.

*

“You’re late, Harrington,” Keith muttered as Steve strolled into work.

“By, like, two minutes,” he scoffed.

“You’re on thin ice.” Keith glared at him before disappearing into the back.

Steve rolled his eyes. He and Robin were Keith’s only employees. He knew that they knew he couldn’t afford to fire them. And maybe they occasionally took advantage of that, but Steve was still a decent employee. Never called out, kept the place clean and organized, etc etc. Keith simply didn’t like Steve from day one, and refused to change his opinion on principle, it seemed. He stepped behind the counter and sat on the stool Keith had previously occupied, grimacing when he realized it was still warm from Keith’s butt. He settled in for another boring shift.

Robin arrived after school looking irritable.

“What’s up with you?”

She chucked her backpack beneath the counter. “Sexual frustration,” she sighed heavily, collapsing dramatically onto the counter.

Steve threw his hands up. “Can’t help you with that,” he chuckled.

She narrowed her eyes. “Shut it, Mr. ‘My First Gay Crush Likes Me Back and We’re Constantly Making Out!’” She stuck her tongue out at him.

He smirked. “It’ll happen eventually.”

“'Eventually' …” she muttered, clearly unhappy with that answer.

“You should hang out with her,” he suggested. “I just wanted to be Eddie’s friend, ya know? Everything else is a bonus.”

Robin pouted. “But what if we hang out and she thinks I’m lame?”

“Then she’s lame,” he replied easily. “You’re a catch, and you will find someone, I promise.”

“Well, I better find them soon because I am wearing out my vibrator-”

Steve snorted. “Holy shit, Robs.”

“It’s true!” she whined. “Speaking of … Did you manage to get any studying done last night?” She smirked like she already knew.

“Yes!” he scoffed, feigning offense.

“And after?” she prompted.

He felt a blush creeping up his face. “We may have … jerked each other off …” he murmured, not looking her in the eye.

She gasped. “Oh my god, you’ve touched a penis!”

“Robin!” he hissed.

She waved him off. “There’s no one else here.”

She was right. He willed himself to relax. “Technically, I’ve already touched a penis.”

“Your own doesn’t count!” she giggled. “How was it?”

“It was really good,” he sighed happily as Eddie’s pleasure-filled face filled in his mind. “Amazing, actually ..."

Robin grinned. “I’m so fucking jealous, but I’m still really happy for you.”

Steve could only smile contentedly.

About thirty minutes later, Dustin barged into the store, causing the bell to clang loudly. “Hey, Steve!” he greeted happily. “Hey, Robin!”

“Hey, kiddo,” Robin replied, making Dustin grimace.

Steve chuckled. Fourteen and he thought he was grown already. He remembered feeling the same way. “What’s up?”

“Mom sent me to pick up a romance movie …” He rolled his eyes like he was above such things.

“Anything specific?”

“Something about Africa?” he shrugged.

“Africa?” Like a documentary? How was that romantic?

“Oh, Out of Africa,” Robin explained. “Over there.” She pointed at the new releases.

Dustin wandered over and picked up the VHS, frowning as he read the back. “Why are girls into this stuff?”

Steve and Robin both huffed from behind the counter.

“Excuse me,” Robin snipped. “Not all girls watch romance movies.”

Steve shrugged. “I enjoy them occasionally …” He just wanted to see more gay romances, like that movie he’d seen with Robin. He wondered when another one would come out so he could take Eddie. “You’ll understand when you’re older.”

“Oh my god, if I hear that one more time …”

“It’s just true, little dude,” Robin shrugged. “You’ll understand when you’re older,” she added, trying desperately not to laugh.

Dustin dropped the VHS onto the counter, leveling Robin with an unimpressed glare.

Steve scanned the tape, drawing Dustin’s attention away from Robin before she pissed him off, as funny as it was. “Nothing for yourself today?”

“Actually, I was hoping we could go to the movies or something,” Dustin replied. “I asked Eddie, but he said he was busy.”

Oh, he was going to be busy, Steve chuckled to himself. “Uh huh, I see how it is. Your best friend Eddie is busy, so you ask me as a backup.” He shook his head in mock offense.

“That’s not it!” Dustin argued.

“Well, I hate to break it to you, but I’ve got plans, too.”

“Did you finally get a date?”

Steve grimaced as Robin cackled. “Yes, I finally got a date. I don’t appreciate how you phrased that.”

“It has been a while …” Dustin muttered.

Robin was overcome with giggles.

“I was looking for something special, you know! I was waiting for the right person.”

“Did you find her?” Dustin asked earnestly, reminding Steve why he liked the kid so much.

“I think so,” he replied softly. “We just started dating, but it's going really well so far.”

“Who is it?”

“None of your business,” Steve retorted. “I don’t need you poking around in my love life.”

Dustin rolled his eyes. “That’s what Eddie said …”

“Oh?” What exactly had Eddie revealed to Dustin?

“He just got a girlfriend, too, but he won’t tell us her name, either,” he sighed. “He said we’d ‘harass’ her.”

Steve and Robin caught each other’s eye, grinning internally at Dustin’s innocent obliviousness.

“He’s right,” Steve replied. “You three wouldn’t leave ‘her’ alone.” He shuddered at the thought of them peppering him with awkward questions.

“If you keep going out, you’ll have to tell me eventually.”

Steve realized that was true. He wondered how Dustin would take the news that he was dating Eddie, but he wouldn’t worry about that any time soon. He wanted Eddie all to himself right now, to build a solid foundation between them. Robin was the only one he’d confess to. “What about Mike and Lucas? Where are they?”

Dustin sighed dramatically. “Mike has a phone date with El tonight,” he explained. “And I think Lucas is gonna try to talk to Max again …”

“She’s still being distant?”

Dustin nodded sadly. “I don’t know what to do.”

Steve didn’t, either, but he knew he’d have to check in on her again soon. He had really hoped the school counselor would make some headway, but Max had always been stubborn. “She’ll come around. Just give her time.” He wasn’t sure that was true, but he wanted to give Dustin hope.

“Hey! Maybe you and Eddie could go on double dates!” Dustin exclaimed excitedly, like the thought had just occurred to him.

Steve did his best not to laugh in the kid's face. “Yeah, maybe-” Robin kicked his ankle under the counter. He choked trying to smother his yelp.

Dustin gave him an odd look, but pulled out some cash to pay for the rental.

Steve slid the VHS back across the counter. “We’ll hang out soon, ok?”

Dustin grinned. “Ok! I’ll see you later!”

After he’d left the store, Steve turned to Robin. “Why must you make my life harder?”

“Because it’s funny?” she replied like it was obvious.

*

As soon as Steve’s shift was over, he was ready to escape. Robin pouted when he didn’t offer to extend his shift and help her close like usual, but nothing could stop him from being with Eddie. “If you had a date with Vickie, you wouldn’t even say ‘bye,’” he pointed out.

“You’re right,” she admitted. “Fine, go have sex with your cool, handsome boyfriend! See if I care!”

He stopped to get food on the way to Eddie’s trailer, and by the time he arrived, Wayne’s pickup was gone. He hopped up the steps and knocked on the door, food in hand.

Eddie answered before he even finished knocking. "Took you long enough," he teased, smiling widely.

Steve held up the bag of KFC. "I got dinner!"

"I love KFC!" He took the bag and led Steve into the kitchen, where he pulled out plates and cups.

Steve removed the different containers from the bag; they loaded up their plates and sat down on the couch to eat. An old movie played quietly on the tv, but they paid it no mind.

“How’d the test go?” Steve asked, plate balanced precariously on his knees.

Eddie took a second to finish chewing. “I feel really good about it!” he replied cheerfully. “I mean, I had a semi the whole time because I couldn’t stop thinking about your cock, but-”

Steve choked on his soda.

“I think I did alright,” he finished, mischievous glint in his eye. “Definitely enough to be rewarded.” He took another bite of potatoes, pretending to be innocent.

“I don’t know,” Steve sighed. “I think we should wait until you get the test back …”

Eddie elbowed him. “Like you can keep your hands off me!”

Steve chuckled, knowing it was true, but shrugged. “I think it's the other way around,” he teased, though the feeling was achingly mutual. Even eating felt like a hurdle to be overcome so he could get back to making Eddie feel good.

Eddie ran his hand up the inside of Steve’s thigh, stopping short of his bulge, then went back to casually eating like he hadn’t caused Steve’s heart to jump into his throat.

They ate in comfortable silence for several minutes before Steve remembered his conversation with Dustin earlier. “Dustin told me some interesting things today …”

“Oh?” Eddie popped the last piece of his biscuit into his mouth.

“Came into the store to ask me to hang out, but I told him I had a date,” he explained. “Then he told me you have a ‘girlfriend,’ too.”

Eddie chuckled. “I never said ‘girlfriend,’ to be fair.”

“He thinks we should go on double dates,” Steve chuckled.

“That’s adorable.”

Steve nodded. “Couldn’t help yourself, huh?”

“I mean, I was cornered,” Eddie admitted, then he smiled fondly at Steve. “But I do want to talk about you. I really fucking like you.”

Steve smiled back, warmth spreading in his chest. They’d tell the kids eventually; they were curious little hellions, after all. But for now he was content to have Eddie all to himself.

After the leftovers were put away and the dishes washed, Eddie led Steve by the hand into his bedroom; Steve closed the door firmly behind them. Eddie immediately stripped himself of his own shirt.

Steve bit his lip as he let his eyes roam over Eddie’s smooth torso. He closed the space between them and ran his hands up Eddie’s chest and shoulders to rest gently at the base of his neck.

Eddie leaned in and captured Steve’s lips with his own. The kiss quickly deepened, and he slid his hands up the back of Steve’s polo.

Steve pulled away long enough to wrench the polo over his head, then they were kissing again. He loved the feeling of Eddie’s guitar-calloused hands on his skin. When Eddie brushed soft kisses down his neck, he leaned his head to the side to give him better access.

Eddie continued kissing, and occasionally sucking, across his neck as he slowly backed them towards his bed.

The backs of Steve’s calves bumped into the bed, and he let himself be lowered gently onto the mattress, Eddie following him down so he was on top. Steve pushed himself farther onto the bed, until his chest was under Eddie’s mouth. Eddie continued to kiss and nibble and suck, eventually working Steve’s nipples. Steve had never realized how sensitive his nipples were until now; the girls he’d been with had always ignored them. He sighed happily and gently gripped the back of Eddie’s head, his chest heaving as he got more and more turned on.

Eddie eventually continued down his belly and popped the button on Steve’s jeans. When he got the zipper down, Steve lifted his hips to help get them off. His boxers got tugged down his hips a bit, too, caught in Eddie’s fingertips. Eddie pressed a wet kiss to his now exposed hip bone before pulling the boxers off as well.

Steve’s cock lay hard and leaking on his belly, pulsing gently with each heartbeat.

“Fuck, you’re gorgeous,” Eddie murmured. He looked up at Steve. “I really want to suck your cock-”

Precome leaked out of his slit as a spike of arousal coursed through him.

“But I’ve never done it before, and … I’m kinda nervous,” Eddie finished sheepishly.

Steve thought about it for a second. He’d received a handful of blowjobs and felt he could replicate it pretty well. Plus, he was excited to get Eddie off in a new way. “Let me do it first,” he suggested.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah! I always liked eating girls out; this can’t be much different.”

Eddie stared at Steve in awe, then quickly pushed himself up onto his knees to frantically work his pants open.

Steve chuckled as he leaned up to help him. Once his jeans and boxers were lying crumpled on the floor, he pulled Eddie back onto the bed. Eddie let himself be manhandled to the top with a gleeful smile on his face. Steve had him lean back against the wall and pushed at his legs until there was space for him between them. Eddie’s cock throbbed. Steve took it in hand, offering a few gentle strokes as he leaned in to kiss Eddie again. Eddie sighed happily against his lips. Steve scooted back on the bed until he could lie down on his stomach between Eddie’s thighs, his face directly lined up with his erection. He kept a firm grip around the base and pointed it towards his lips, then looked up at Eddie to make sure everything was ok.

Eddie was panting heavily as he stared down at Steve. His eyes were black with arousal, and a flush spread over his chest. Precome dripped from his slit and down onto Steve’s fist.

Steve tentatively licked the head, refusing to break eye contact.

Eddie whined as his eyes fell shut. “Fuuuuuck,” he groaned.

Emboldened, Steve took the head into his mouth, closed his lips around the shaft, and sucked hard.

Above him, Eddie keened and clamped his thighs around Steve’s head. “Fuck!”

Steve pulled off but continued stroking him. He realized Eddie was gripping the sheets tight enough to tear through them. “Feels good, right?”

“It’s- fucking amazing!” Eddie bit out. “I think this might kill me!”

Steve chuckled. He used his free hand to pick up one of Eddie’s from the bed and placed it on the back of his own head.

Eddie gasped but immediately threaded his fingers into Steve’s hair.

Steve opened his mouth a bit wider, doing his best to cover his teeth with his lips, and took Eddie as far as he could, breathing deeply through his nostrils to keep his gag reflex at bay. He felt Eddie’s fingers tighten in his hair and felt proud that he could make him feel so good. He began to slowly bob his head, trying to create some suction. It was certainly a new experience for him, definitely different from going down on a girl, but it was good. He loved the weight of Eddie’s cock on his tongue, as well as the noises he was eliciting.

“Shit, Steve-” Eddie groaned. “I had no idea-” he grunted as Steve took him a bit deeper, “It could feel this good.”

Steve hummed happily at the praise. He could feel Eddie’s toes curling into the sheets near his sides. He reached up to gently grip Eddie’s balls, a trick he occasionally used on himself.

“Oh, fuck, yes …”

Steve eagerly took Eddie all the way to the back of his throat but gagged slightly at the intrusion.

“Fuuuck!” Eddie’s body stiffened, one hand gripping Steve’s hair too hard before smoothing it in apology, the other caressing Steve’s shoulder. “I’m getting close,” he panted.

Steve quickened his pace. He loved the velvet slide, the saliva dripping down his chin, the wet, messy bits of sex; he’d always found them hot. His own erection throbbed against the mattress, and it took all of his willpower not to dry hump his way to his own orgasm. He focused on rolling his tongue around the head of Eddie’s cock, occasionally dipping into the slit.

Eddie’s chest was really starting to heave, his head thrown back in pleasure.

Steve pulled off, causing Eddie to whine. “Look at me,” he murmured.

Eddie immediately opened his eyes and looked down at Steve, then bit his lip at the sight.

Steve maintained eye contact as he took Eddie back into his mouth. Eddie’s face twisted in pleasure, but he didn’t look away. Steve sucked hard, again and again, until he felt Eddie’s thighs trembling, his hips writhing.

“Steve!” His hand gripped his hair hard. “Steve, I’m-” He groaned low in his throat as his body went taut.

Steve felt and tasted the bursts of come hitting his tongue, and decided to keep swallowing until Eddie pulled him off. When Eddie tapped his shoulder, he pulled off and rest his head against Eddie’s thigh, rubbing his hipbone with his thumb. His own erection throbbed painfully, but he was happy to let Eddie catch his breath.

“That was … incredible,” Eddie panted, having slumped back, his body loose and sated. “No wonder all the girls like you.”

Steve snorted. “I thought it was for my personality,” he teased.

Eddie gently brushed his fingers through Steve’s hair. “That, too,” he smiled fondly.

Steve pressed several chaste kisses to Eddie’s thigh.

“Ok, my turn!” Eddie crowed enthusiastically.

They repositioned themselves until they were in each other’s previous positions.

Steve’s cock was nearly purple, leaking precome, and thudding heavily against his belly.

“You poor thing,” Eddie sighed, then leaned in to lick a stripe up from the base to the head.

Steve’s hips stuttered at the sensation. He was going to come embarrassingly fast, he knew it. He brushed Eddie’s hair over his shoulder and cupped his jaw.

Eddie leaned forward to wrap his lips around his erection, his hair cascading down around his face. He took a second to brush it out of the way, then circled his tongue around the head.

Steve groaned deep in his chest, but Eddie sat up suddenly. “What’s wrong?”

“My hair!” he exclaimed in exasperation. “It’s all in my face. Hang on.” He climbed off the bed and rummaged around his desk.

Steve took himself in hand, stroking slowly as he admired Eddie’s ass.

Eddie turned back, triumphantly revealing a hair tie. He held it between his teeth as he pulled his hair to the crown of his head, then roughly tied it up. He crawled up the bed until he was face to face with Steve. “Much better.” He leaned forward for a quick kiss, then returned to his position between Steve’s legs.

Steve loved the way he looked with his hair up, especially since he did it so he could blow him easier. It was hot, and he squeezed the base of his cock to keep control of himself.

“Let’s try this again,” Eddie chuckled. He pressed his palms against Steve’s hips and took his cock between his soft lips.

His teeth occasionally scraped along Steve’s erection, but he was too lost in the wet heat of Eddie’s mouth to care. He gently gripped the back of Eddie’s head, not applying any pressure, just following along as he bobbed. “So good, Eddie …” he murmured, his voice low and husky.

Eddie had to pull off to catch his breath several times, but he kept stroking his cock, and Steve’s hips undulated gently with his slow pace. When he leaned back in to lick and suck at the head of his cock like a fucking lollipop, saliva dripping down the shaft, Steve bit his lip hard. It felt so fucking good.

When Eddie took him deeper again, he unconsciously thrust his hips at the sensation, causing Eddie to pull off quickly. “Fuck, sorry!”

Eddie chuckled. “I’m going to get better at this, I swear.”

“You’re amazing,” Steve assured him.

Eddie’s eyes dilated, and he looked fucking feral. He took Steve back into his mouth and quickly worked up to a brutal, messy pace.

“Fuuuuck,” Steve groaned, the expletive practically punched out of him. “That wasn’t-” he keened, felt the muscles in his stomach going taut, “-a challenge!” Eddie ignored him, sucking hard with each bob of his head. It was filthy and unrefined, and it was the best blowjob Steve had ever received. It took all of his willpower to keep his hips still. He could feel his balls drawing up as that familiar pressure built.

“Fuck, you’re incredible,” he panted as he watched his boyfriend, watched his cock sliding between his swollen, spit-slick lips. He cupped Eddie’s jaw with his free hand, thumb rubbing gently over his cheek. He could feel his cock through the thin skin, and felt it throb at the realization. “You feel so good ... Love your mouth ...” Eddie hummed proudly, and Steve felt he was about to snap like a rubber band. He was so close to cresting as the pressure continued to build. When he felt Eddie’s thumb press against his asshole, the band snapped and he came with a shout.

Eddie pulled back, stroking Steve through his orgasm. He watched the come dripping out of Steve’s slit for a moment before licking some tentatively.

Steve hissed at the sensitivity, but all he wanted was for Eddie to lick him clean. He chuckled as Eddie wiped the come off his hand onto the sheets. “Come here,” he beckoned lazily. Eddie practically crawled into his lap, and Steve swiped his thumb over his chin, wiping away some of the come and spit that had gathered there. Eddie sucked his thumb into his mouth, licking it clean, and Steve was genuinely concerned his heart was going to stop. When they kissed, he could taste himself. His cock weakly throbbed.

“Was that alright?” Eddie asked, only a hair's breadth away.

“I’ve never come that hard before,” Steve admitted, still catching his breath.

Eddie grinned proudly. “Yeah?”

Steve nodded. “You were so good. I, um … I liked when you touched me …” He felt a blush spreading over his face. No one had ever touched him there, and it felt … interesting.

“Thank god,” Eddie chuckled. “That was a gamble.”

“Do you …” Touch yourself there? he didn’t say.

Eddie bit his lip and nodded. “I do more than that.”

That hit Steve like a punch to the gut, and his cock gave another valiant throb. “You’ll have to show me later,” he murmured, the thought sending him into another spiral of arousal. He tugged at Eddie’s shoulders until he was resting against his chest, and they wrapped their arms around one another.

They dozed off for a bit, until Steve eventually had to piss; he gently squeezed Eddie’s shoulder and slid out from under him. He trudged into the bathroom, then found a clean washcloth and ran it under some hot water. He cleaned the dried spit and come from his cock and rinsed the towel under more hot water, then returned to the bedroom, ready to clean Eddie up as well.

When he stepped back into the room, he realized Eddie was no longer on the bed, then noticed him crouched and searching for something underneath his bed. He sat down on the edge of the mattress. “What are you looking for?”

Eddie sat back on his heels and held up a shoe box. “Tada!”

Steve didn’t understand, so he simply held out the towel for Eddie. “Here, before it gets cold.”

Eddie smiled appreciatively as he wiped himself off roughly, then tossed the towel into a far corner.

Steve nodded at the closed box. “So what’s in there?”

Eddie took a deep breath. “My prized possession,” he chuckled. “I hope this doesn’t weird you out,” he added sheepishly.

Steve had no idea what he could possibly show him that would weird him out. “Show me,” he prompted gently.

Eddie pulled the lid off, revealing an impressively large, realistic dildo. He blushed hard as Steve leaned over the box for a better look.

“Can I …?”

Eddie blushed but nodded.

Steve grasped it around the shaft to pick it up. It was smooth, rubbery, and surprisingly hefty. He turned it over in his hands. It even had veins running along the shaft. He swallowed hard at the implications. “Do you … use this on yourself?”

Eddie nodded, his expression a mixture of shame and arousal.

“And it feels good?”

Eddie nodded again. “It feels amazing,” he admitted breathlessly.

Steve sucked in a sharp breath, his whole body buzzing with arousal. The idea of Eddie fucking himself, maybe even while thinking of Steve, was almost too fucking hot. He wanted to burst into flames on the spot. “Can I watch you use it?” he murmured, almost too nervous to ask.

Eddie’s eyes widened. “Yeah-” he replied, his voice cracking. He cleared his throat. “Yeah! I’ll, uh, be right back.” He quickly left the room without explanation.

Steve continued to examine the dildo. He’d never seen one in person before. It wasn’t big, but it felt huge in his hands, especially when he thought about where Eddie put it. He was aware that people had anal sex, but he’d never thought about the logistics until this moment. The hassle this must have been to obtain made Steve realize it must feel pretty good.

Eddie returned a few minutes later, flushed all the way down his chest, and stood in the doorway. His cock jutted out proudly from his hips, and Steve was blown away by how gorgeous he was.

“Come here,” he beckoned fondly, placing the dildo back in its box.

Eddie crossed the room, his erection bobbing as he walked, until Steve could wrap his arms around him and place gentle kisses across his stomach. Eddie sighed happily, gently squeezing Steve’s shoulders.

Steve slid his hands down to knead the meat of Eddie’s ass, eliciting a soft whine. “You ready to show me?”

Eddie nodded frantically. He leaned over to his nightstand to retrieve the lube.

Steve pressed a kiss to his sternum before releasing his hold.

“This will probably be easier on my hands and knees,” Eddie murmured, blush deepening.

“Ok,” Steve replied. “Where do you want me?”

Eddie’s cock jumped. “Just at the … at the end of the bed.”

Steve quickly moved, sitting cross-legged at the end of the mattress. He watched hungrily as Eddie crawled onto the bed in front of him and positioned himself onto his knees, ass on full display. Steve’s cock throbbed at the sight; Eddie’s cock and balls hung heavily between his thighs, but Steve couldn’t tear his eyes away from the dark pink furl of his asshole. He watched, enraptured, as Eddie poured lube onto his fingers and reached behind himself to rub at his hole. He heard Eddie’s breath hitch, and he wished it were his own fingers touching him there. But he knew it would happen soon enough; for now he wanted to see how Eddie liked it.

Eddie gently pushed his middle finger in to the first knuckle, moaning at the intrusion.

“Fuck,” Steve murmured as he watched his finger sink deeper inside.

That seemed to boost Eddie’s confidence; he thrust his finger in and out roughly. His hole clenched around it, and Steve couldn’t help but imagine it clenching around his cock. Fuck, that was going to feel incredible.

Soon, Eddie pushed in a second finger, which ripped a punched out groan from his throat.

Steve marveled as his ass stretched open to accommodate his fingers. “Does that feel good?” he asked breathlessly.

Eddie panted as he worked his fingers in and out of his glistening hole. “Yeah,” he grunted. “Feels really good.”

Steve’s cock was straining painfully against his belly. “Keep going,” he murmured, pleasure fogging his brain.

Eddie pulled out his fingers to add more lube, his hole wet and dark. Steve wanted to shove his face between his cheeks and explore his hole with his tongue, but he wasn’t sure if that was normal, so he kept it to himself.

Eddie pushed three fingers in and keened, his hips pushing back against the intrusion. When he pulled them out again, his hole was gaping and clenching around nothing; Steve bit his lip hard at the sight. He wanted to bury his cock into Eddie, but that wasn’t what he asked for here, so he stayed still and watched.

Eddie reached back with his lube covered hand. “Can I have the-”

He didn’t even have to finish the question before Steve was pushing the dildo firmly into his hand, overcome with the need to see it swallowed by Eddie’s hole. Eddie quickly covered it in a layer of lube, then reached back to press the blunt head against his entrance.

Steve held his breath as the thick length slowly disappeared into Eddie, stretching him wide, his rim pulled taut and red.

Eddie groaned low in his throat as he pushed the dildo inside himself, pausing occasionally to gasp for breath. Steve realized his cock was dripping precome onto the sheets below. Eddie grunted hard when the dildo finally bottomed out, fake balls pressed firmly to his ass.

Steve wanted to kiss him, to lick his stretched hole, to fuck the dildo in and out of him while watching the slick slide, to fuck him into the mattress with his own cock, but he stayed where he was. Eddie was on full display for him, sharing something vulnerable he’d never shown to anyone else. Steve didn’t want to spook him, but he also wanted him to know just how much he was enjoying the show. “You’re so fucking hot,” he murmured huskily. “Wish that were me.” He tugged lazily at his cock.

Eddie peered over his shoulder. “Yeah?” He slid the dildo out a fraction and pushed it back in, gasping at the sensation.

“Yeah,” Steve gasped. He stroked himself harder as Eddie fucked the dildo into himself, groaning with each thrust. “Do you do this a lot?”

Eddie was panting now. “Whenever-” He grunted as he shoved the dildo back in. “I get, ah, the chance.”

That was so hot, his head felt dizzy. “Can I touch you?”

Eddie choked on a laugh. “Please fucking touch me.”

Steve immediately got to his knees and shuffled up the bed, placing a tentative hand on Eddie’s tailbone. From here he had a much better vantage point, and he was beyond aroused. He loved watching the dildo slide in and out of Eddie. He gently grasped the hand Eddie had around the base. “Can I?”

Eddie groaned and let go of the dildo, nodding wildly.

Steve gripped the base and pressed it slowly in, feeling little resistance, then pulled it back out just as slowly until only the tip remained. He thrust it back in with a bit more force, and Eddie wailed. “Too much?” Steve asked worriedly.

Eddie shook his head. “No, ‘s good,” he panted. “Go harder.”

Steve did as he was told, pushing and pulling a bit harder, a bit faster.

“Oh god,” Eddie moaned. “Oh fuck.”

Steve pressed a gentle kiss next to where his hand still rested on Eddie’s tailbone. He was still tempted to trail his mouth lower, but he’d never heard of people doing that to each other, and he felt uncertain. Instead, he kept focus on the dildo and the incredible noises he was eliciting from his boyfriend.

“Can you, ah! Tilt it down?” Eddie asked breathlessly.

Steve did as he was told, tilting the tip of the dildo down and pressing in with a bit more force.

“Fuck!” Eddie yelped. He desperately pressed his hips back to meet the dildo. “Right there, please!”

Steve was mesmerized and slightly confused when every thrust started to elicit a punched-out groan from Eddie, but he continued. He could feel his own cock throbbing.

Eddie reached back and grasped Steve’s hand, gently stopping the thrusts. He took a deep breath.

“Are you ok?”

Eddie swallowed and nodded, took another breath, then looked over his shoulder at Steve. “I want you inside me …”

Steve’s cock throbbed, and he swore he could feel his blood rushing in his veins. “Yeah, yeah, ok,” he replied, then started looking around awkwardly. “Do you have any condoms?”

Eddie pulled the dildo out and dropped it onto the mattress, then rolled over so he was facing Steve. His chest was flushed and heaving, and he looked at Steve earnestly. “We don’t need one.”

Steve was surprised. “But …”

“I can’t get pregnant,” Eddie teased.

“I’m not worried about that! There’s … other stuff.” He didn’t even want to say AIDS out loud; it honestly spooked him a bit.

“Steve, I’ve never been with anyone,” Eddie explained. “And you’ve only been with a few girls. I think we’re safe.”

Steve had never fucked anyone without a condom before, so he reasoned that Eddie’s logic was sound. They posed no danger to each other.

“I trust you,” Eddie said softly, looking up at Steve with those beautiful brown eyes.

Steve was overcome. He laid down on top of Eddie, slotting perfectly between his open thighs, and kissed him soundly. Eddie kissed him back hungrily and wrapped his arms around Steve’s chest. “You’re sure?” he double checked.

Eddie chuckled fondly. “I’ve wanted this for a while.”

Steve dropped his head to Eddie’s shoulder, biting his lip at the wave of arousal pumping through him. He sat back and grabbed the discarded lube bottle, pouring a generous amount onto his hand and stroking it onto his cock. He pushed Eddie’s thighs further apart, repositioned his hips for better access, and pressed his bare cockhead to Eddie’s slick hole. Even that felt incredible, so he rubbed the head over his entrance a few times, occasionally catching the rim.

Eddie threw his head back, letting out a deep groan. “Please, Steve,” he begged. “Fuck me!”

Steve took a deep breath and pressed his hips forward, holding onto his cock as it pushed against the tight ring of muscle. When the muscle gave way, it was like Eddie’s hole was swallowing him, drawing him into its absurdly tight, wet heat. Steve hissed, having never quite felt anything like this before. It was incredible ... He looked up at Eddie’s face to check on him, and found his eyes squeezed shut, mouth open, chest heaving. “You ok?” he asked, falling still.

“‘S so good,” he grit out. “You feel so fucking good! Fuck me! Please fuck me!”

Steve happily obliged, thrusting shallowly at first and marveling at how incredible Eddie felt around him. He lowered himself so they were chest to chest and drew Eddie’s lips in for another kiss.

Eddie was barely capable of kissing back, mostly panting and moaning into Steve’s mouth. He reached down and grasped Steve’s ass, urging him to thrust deeper.

“You feel incredible,” Steve murmured into his neck, thrusting hard and deep. He could feel Eddie’s thighs squeezing his hips, loved the way his fingers dug into the meat of his ass.

Eddie rolled his hips to meet every thrust, changing the angle until he howled in pleasure.

Steve shoved his hands under Eddie’s hips to help keep the angle and ground his cock into him. He loved the slide of their sweat slick skin, the grip of Eddie’s body around him, the pleasure-filled noises Eddie was producing. He didn’t think he’d ever get enough of making love to him. He’d never felt so connected to someone like this. This was more than sex; this was … beautiful. He kissed Eddie again, swallowing his moans, sucking on his tongue.

“Steve,” Eddie bit out. “I’m close.”

Steve could feel his erection throbbing from where it was trapped between them. He reached down and took it in hand, stroking firmly in time with his thrusts. “I want you to come,” he said.

Eddie bit his lip hard and nodded. His breathing became harsher and more erratic as his hips bucked wildly, desperate to get off. “Steve-”

“C’mon, baby,” Steve murmured into his ear, squeezing his cock tighter.

Eddie went taut beneath him, and his hole clamped down around Steve’s cock as come striped his stomach. A low groan emanated from deep in his chest.

Steve released Eddie’s cock, and sped up his thrusts. “Can I come in you?” he panted.

Eddie’s cock gave another weak spurt, and his eyes practically rolled into the back of his head. “Yeah,” he replied. “Yes!”

Steve could feel his orgasm building. He picked up the pace, reaching for that last push over the edge, and then came inside his boyfriend with a satisfied moan. He kept thrusting, slowly but deeply, until he was sure he had wrung himself dry. “Fuuuuck,” he groaned as he gently pulled out of Eddie, then dropped onto the bed next to him.

Eddie lay on his back, eyes closed, chest still heaving.

Steve reached over to tilt Eddie’s face towards him. Eddie opened his eyes and smiled softly; Steve returned the smile. “Are you alright?” The first time could be overwhelming, especially since they hadn’t exactly planned this.

Eddie smirked and stretched, then rolled onto his side to face Steve better. “I feel fucking fantastic,” he replied.

“Good,” Steve smiled. “So do I.” He wrapped his arm around Eddie’s waist and pulled him close, pressing gentle, chaste kisses over his face. He couldn’t believe how much he liked this man, how happy he was to bring him pleasure. He wanted to do it everyday, in whatever form Eddie wanted.

Eddie gently caressed his face, and they fell asleep in each other’s arms.

Chapter Text

Eddie awoke the next morning to loud knocking from his front door. He turned in Steve’s arms, deliciously sore in all the right places. Last night’s activities replayed themselves in his mind and he smiled happily, completely forgetting what woke him up … until the knocking continued.

“Who’s here at this hour?” Steve grumbled sleepily, tugging Eddie tighter against him.

“I have no idea.” He buried his face into the crook of Steve’s neck, content to ignore whoever it was.

“Maybe Wayne will get it?” Steve suggested when the knocking continued.

“Wayne’s working a double,” Eddie sighed. He pulled far enough away from Steve to gaze up at him with puppy-dog eyes. “Will you answer it?”

Steve scoffed, but there was no bite to it. “Really?” he teased.

“I’m sore,” Eddie pouted dramatically.

“And who started that, huh?” Steve chuckled, but he left the bed without further complaint.

Eddie openly admired his body as he threw on his wrinkled jeans. When he left the room, Eddie stretched, luxuriating in his nudity and the casual intimacy they were sharing. He could get used to this … He distantly heard Steve open the door and speak to someone, but he couldn’t make out who it was.

“Yeah, Dustin! Eddie is here!” Steve said very loudly to warn Eddie about their surprise guest.

His eyes flew open in panic. “I’ll be out in a sec!” he yelled back, scrambling to find the dildo and lube. As soon as he dug them out of the sheets, he tossed them across the room into his hamper. He scoured the side of his bed away from the door for clothes and found, of fucking course, Steve’s stolen sweatpants. Without any better options, he pulled them on, along with an Iron Maiden tank top. This was already suspicious enough, and if he went out there with no shirt, surely Dustin would put the dots together. When he stood, he realized in horror that Steve’s come was leaking out of him and dripping down his thigh. This was literally a fucking nightmare. “Just gotta piss!” he called out as he dashed into the bathroom. He wet a washcloth and did his best to clean himself up. He was going to kill this kid.

Right before he left the bathroom, he peeked at his reflection and realized the back of his head was a giant knot. He grabbed a hair tie and pulled his hair into a tight bun, hoping to hide the worst of it. He took a deep breath and stepped into the hallway. In the living room, he found Steve and Dustin sitting on the couch. Steve’s eyes were wide with panic, but Dustin waved happily, blissfully unaware. He sat in Wayne’s armchair, unsure of what to say besides, “What’s up?”

“I was just telling Dustin about our ‘double date’ last night,” Steve explained, voice strained.

“Oh yeah, our ‘double date' …” Eddie mimicked.

“That was my idea!” Dustin grinned proudly. “Did you have fun?”

Eddie met Steve’s eyes and fought down a blush. “We had a great time,” he replied honestly.

“Awesome! How’d you end up spending the night?” Dustin asked Steve.

“I just wanted to hang out with Eddie,” he shrugged, trying to appear casual.

Eddie smiled fondly at Steve before returning his attention to Dustin. “Why are you here at this hour?” He let a bit of irritation creep into his voice. He liked the kid, but boundaries were important, especially now that he and Steve were dating.

“Oh, um, remember the other day when I asked about Thanksgiving?”

Eddie nodded.

“Well, we always have a small Thanksgiving, too, so I thought it would be cool to have you and your uncle over,” he explained. “And Steve, of course!” he added quickly. “My mom is cool with it.”

Eddie was a little overcome at the twerp’s kindness. “I’ll, uh …” He cleared his throat. “I’ll have to ask Wayne,” he replied.

Dustin looked over at Steve, waiting for his answer.

“I’ll talk to my parents, but ... that would be really nice.” He glanced at Eddie, a fond smile tugging at his lips.

Eddie wanted to hug Dustin. He was a pain in the ass most of the time, but there were few people as genuine and earnest as him. Dustin just wanted what Eddie had never had, either; a big family dinner. The thought of Steve joining as well made his heart thud happily in his chest. “I’m sure Wayne will be fine with it.”

Dustin grinned. “Just let me know as soon as possible! Mom needs help with the side dishes.”

“Did you bike all the way over here just to ask us that?” Steve teased. “He has a phone, you know.”

“I’m actually here to talk to Max,” Dustin admitted. “She blew Lucas off again yesterday, so we thought I would give it a shot.” He shrugged, clearly not hopeful.

Steve sighed sadly.

Eddie didn’t know much about Max or the kids’ friendship before the beginning of the school year, so he didn’t know what to say. He’d endured enough family trauma himself, he thought he’d maybe have some sort of advice, but he didn’t know how to fucking help, either. He buried his trauma in a boisterous facade; Max seemed to be disappearing.

“Good luck,” Steve murmured. “I hope she talks to you.”

“Me, too,” Dustin sighed. “I’ll see you guys later.”

Eddie stood and walked Dustin to the door, assuring him he’d ask Wayne as soon as he got home, then shut the door behind him. He stepped over to the window to peek through the blinds and felt Steve come up behind him. They watched as Dustin walked his bike over to Max’s trailer.

Dustin laid his bike on the grass, went up the steps, and knocked. After a few moments, Max’s mom answered the door. She went back inside and was soon replaced by Max, expression as closed off as ever.

“I wish I knew what they were saying,” Steve sighed. “I’ve tried reaching out to her, but she’s … I don’t know.”

Dustin and Max talked for a minute, but she eventually went back inside and shut the door. Dustin’s shoulders slumped. He pulled a radio out of his backpack, spoke into it, then righted his bike and rode away.

Eddie removed his fingers from between the blinds and placed a gentle hand on Steve’s shoulders. “C’mon. We’ve got another hour or so before Wayne gets home.” He led Steve back into his bedroom, where they undressed again and crawled back into bed. Eddie settled against Steve’s back, slotting their legs together, and wrapped his arm around his waist. He sighed happily against the nape of Steve’s neck before kissing him there. He didn’t want Steve to fret about things that were beyond his control.

“Should we have told him?” Steve asked. He placed his hand over Eddie’s and laced their fingers together.

Eddie thought about it for a moment. He was certain Dustin wouldn’t have a problem with them, but the less people knew, the better. If anyone accidentally let their secret out, it could mean real danger for them. Besides, right now, Eddie had Steve all to himself, and he was content to keep it that way for as long as possible. “No,” he replied. “This is ours for now.” He squeezed Steve’s hand. “I’m not ready to share.”

“Me, neither,” Steve replied fondly.

Eddie felt Steve relax against him and smiled into his hair.

*

By the time Wayne got home, Eddie had properly showered, and he and Steve were dressed and sitting on the couch together.

“Hello, boys,” Wayne greeted as he entered the trailer.

“Hey, Mr. Munson,” Steve replied.

Eddie casually removed his hand from Steve’s thigh. “Mornin.'”

“I should get going,” Steve murmured. “I’ve got work this afternoon.”

“I’ll walk you out.” Eddie stepped out onto the porch with him and shut the door. He wanted to hold Steve’s hand, kiss him, embrace him openly, but there were too many eyes out here. “Wanna come back over tonight?”

“Duh,” Steve chuckled. He hooked a finger into one of Eddie’s belt loops. “Last night was incredible,” he whispered.

Eddie grinned. “Yeah, it fucking was.” Having Steve inside him was probably the most spiritual experience he’d ever had. He wanted it every day from now on, if his ass could take it.

“I’ll call you when I get off work.”

“Ok. God, I wish I could kiss you,” he sighed wistfully.

Steve nodded. “Me, too.” He leaned in and whispered, “I’ll kiss every inch of you tonight.”

“Promises, promises,” Eddie teased, but his body hummed with arousal.

Steve tugged lightly on the belt loop, then stepped off the porch and got into his car. He winked at Eddie before backing away.

Eddie went back inside the trailer, desperately trying, and failing, to hide his grin.

“Spent the night, huh?” Wayne asked as he finished setting up his cot.

“Yeah … Is that ok?”

“Of course, it is,” he assured. “You’re a grown man. You can do what you want, as long as you’re being safe.” He shot Eddie a pointed look.

Eddie blushed as he remembered the feeling of Steve’s come dripping down his leg, but Wayne didn’t need to know that. “We are!” he lied.

Wayne nodded, seemingly satisfied.

Eddie was about to return to his bedroom to give him some privacy, when he remembered Dustin’s visit. “Oh, um … One of the kids from Hellfire invited us to Thanksgiving. It’s just him and his mom, and I think he just wants to have a bigger dinner, you know?”

Wayne’s expression softened. “That’s fine with me,” he replied. “Is Steve coming, too?”

Eddie crossed his arms in an attempt to appear nonchalant. “Maybe. He has to talk to his parents.”

Wayne just smiled as he sat down on his cot.

Eddie took that as his cue to retire. He closed his door and put in a Judas Priest tape, keeping the volume low as to not bother his uncle. His room smelled like sex, and when he looked at his bed, he realized the sheets were stained with sweat and come and lube. It was fucking incredible, but they’d probably need to put a towel down tonight …

He sat on his desk chair and propped his feet on the desk, leaning back with his eyes closed to relive the previous evening. He wasn’t sure what came over him to even show Steve his dildo, let alone use it on himself like that, but fuck, had it worked out in his favor. He loved fingering himself, fucking himself, but Steve’s cock was … an entirely different experience. He’d never felt so close to another person before. He wanted to stay wrapped up in Steve forever.

~*~

Steve arrived at Family Video a few minutes late, as usual. He waved at Robin as he passed by to put his shit in the back.

"Soooo …" she greeted smugly when he returned. "Have another fun night with Eddie?" She clicked her nails on the counter.

Steve couldn't stop a flush from spreading, but he maintained a nonchalant expression. "Yes …"

"Oh, c'mon! Give me the deets!"

Steve thought back to Eddie in his arms, panting on his cock as he gently brushed his sweaty bangs off his face. "It was really nice," he answered, wanting to keep the intimate details between him and Eddie.

Robin must have seen a change in his face, as her own expression softened. "That good, huh?"

He smiled fondly, finally meeting her eyes. "Yeah."

She squealed and kicked her feet against her stool. "How can I be so happy and so jealous of you at the same time?"

He chuckled. "I'd be jealous if you were dating Eddie."

She playfully stuck her tongue out at him.

"But guess who showed up at dawn while we were still naked?"

"Wayne?"

"Dustin," he sighed.

She gasped. "Holy shit! Did he see you!?”

“I’m the one that answered the door!”

“Holy shit! Did he figure it out?"

"He didn't seem suspicious," he shrugged. "I don't see how. I came out shirtless cause I didn't realize who it was, Eddie was wearing my sweatpants, and we had clearly spent the night together."

"What did you tell him?"

"That we were hanging out after our double date …"

Robin grimaced. "Ooh, fake girlfriends? That's rough."

"We didn't know what else to do! It's not like we can tell him. He’d never leave us alone …" He shuddered at the thought.

Robin snorted. "A wise decision."

"Thank you!"

"Is it safe to assume you'll be with Eddie tonight?"

He nodded.

"If I extend, will you take me home? I hate being alone with my mother. If she asks if we're dating one more time-"

"Yeah, yeah, of course," Steve assured. He had to pick up some more clean clothes from his place anyway; maybe take a shower.

"What did Dustin want anyway?"

"Oh, he invited us over for Thanksgiving," he explained.

"Awww, that's adorable! Do you think your parents will make a fuss about it?"

He shrugged. "You know my mother’s love of formal meals … I'll ask them after work. I know where I'd prefer to be, though."

"I wish I could escape my family's Thanksgiving with you," she sighed. "I'm not looking forward to the annual gratitude lecture."

He grimaced. "That sounds awful."

"Oh, it's a great time,” she replied sarcastically.

*

After work, Steve dropped her off, then drove home, hoping for once that his parents were actually there. Their cars were both in the driveway, so he took a deep breath before heading inside.

His father sat on the couch in the den watching the news, scotch in hand. His mother sat in a chair at the opposite end of the room, reading a magazine. A glass of wine rested on the side table nearest to her. Neither of them looked up when Steve entered. He knew he wasn’t living up to their expectations, but they could at least greet him. He was their only child, for fuck’s sake. He cleared his throat to get their attention, wanting to get this over with as quickly as possible.

His mother sat down her magazine, though his father wouldn’t tear his eyes away from the tv. “Yes, dear?”

“I, uh, wanted to talk to you about Thanksgiving,” he explained.

“Oh, I forgot to tell you,” his father interjected, finally peering at him over his glasses. “We’ve invited a couple of potential business partners over that day.”

“On Thanksgiving?” He had always known his family was more focused on their business than most, but on a holiday? That was ridiculous.

“As good a day as any,” his mother shrugged.

His father had already returned his attention to the tv. “I didn’t think you’d be interested in all the business talk, so feel free to … go to one of your friend’s houses.”

“Really?” Steve scoffed. He knew his parents cared less for him with every passing day, but it was fucking Thanksgiving!

“You’d be bored, honey.” His mother took a large sip of wine.

He didn’t even know what to say. He obviously didn’t want to stick around for that bullshit, but it’d be nice if his own fucking parents wanted to spend the holiday with him, or at least didn’t treat it like a fucking afterthought. “Whatever,” he muttered. He took off upstairs, taking the stairs two at a time, just wanting to get the fuck out of this house. The shower could wait. He dumped out his duffel bag on his bed and shoved as many clean clothes as possible inside. He didn’t want to face his parents for a few days. He shoveled some toiletries into the duffel bag, as well, and then stomped back down the stairs.

He paused with his hand on the doorknob, hoping either of them might realize how upset he was, or at least ask him where he was going. All he heard was the nightly news playing quietly. He shook his head in disgust and left. He rolled down his car windows and blasted his new Dio tape, desperately trying to drown out the sadness creeping into the corners of his mind. If he could just put up with his parents for another year, he’d pay the car off, and he could disappear from their lives completely. Just like they seemed to want …

When he arrived at Eddie’s trailer, he threw the duffel over his shoulder and knocked a bit louder than normal.

Eddie opened the door with a big grin, but it fell as soon as he saw Steve’s expression. “What’s wrong?” He stood to the side so he could enter.

Steve chucked the duffel onto the floor and began to pace. “My piece of shit parents,” he scoffed.

“Shit, what happened?”

“Apparently Thanksgiving isn’t a family holiday,” he bit out. “Apparently it's the perfect opportunity for a business meeting!”

“What!?”

“Yeah! They invited some ‘potential business partners’ over, and didn’t even think to tell me until I brought it up! I didn’t even get a chance to ask about Dustin before they suggested I find somewhere else to spend the day!” He could feel the adrenaline rushing through him, his hands were starting to shake. “They barely even looked at me! Said I wouldn’t be interested in business stuff!” He could feel his voice pitching higher in distress. “I get it, you know! I didn’t get into college, I’m working these shitty minimum-wage jobs, I’m not who they wanted me to be, but I’m still their son!”

Eddie grabbed him by the shoulders, stopping his pacing and his rant. “Hey,” he whispered, using one hand to tilt Steve’s chin until they were looking one another in the eye. “You’re incredible,” he said with total conviction. “You’re the kindest person I’ve ever met, and that means way more to me than grades or college degrees or money. If your parents can’t see that, then they don’t fuckin’ deserve you. Fuck ‘em.”

Steve could feel the tears welling up in his eyes. “I just want my parents to care about me,” he murmured wetly.

Eddie pulled him into a hug, tucking Steve’s head into his shoulder and rubbing his back in soothing circles. “I know,” he replied gently. “I know exactly what you mean.”

Steve sobbed into his shoulder, feeling ridiculous. Eddie didn’t even have parents, and he hadn’t even asked about them yet, unsure if it was too painful for Eddie to discuss. Now here he was blubbering about how mommy and daddy didn’t love him … He hated that it affected him so much. He wished he could just write them off and move on, but these things were never so simple. “I’m sorry,” he gasped into the now wet fabric of Eddie’s shirt.

Eddie squeezed him tighter. “Shh, it's ok,” he assured into Steve’s hair. He held him until his breathing evened out. When he eventually pulled back, he wiped his thumbs under Steve's eyes to dry his tears. “C’mere …”

Steve let Eddie lead him into his bedroom, where Eddie gently undressed him down to his boxers and laid him down on the bed. He took a moment to disrobe as well, then joined him. They cuddled under the blankets, Steve’s head resting on Eddie’s chest. He sniffled, hating how gross it sounded. He was a real mucus factory right now, not to mention the way his eyes puffed up when he cried. He must look ridiculous. “Do you still like me?” he chuckled wetly.

Eddie laughed fondly, and Steve could feel his chest reverberate under him. “I really like you,” he replied. “More than you realize.”

Steve snuggled further into his embrace, grateful for the reassurance. “Good.” He sniffled again. “I like you, too.” After a few quiet moments of listening to Eddie breath, he asked, “Have I ruined the night?”

Eddie scoffed. “You’re here, so my night is infinitely better.”

He wanted to cry at that, too, but he managed to hold himself together. “Good, cause there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

Eddie pressed a soft kiss to the top of his head. “So I guess you’re going to Dustin’s for Thanksgiving?”

Laughter bubbled out of Steve. “I guess so,” he sniffed.

“I’m glad, cause Wayne and I will be there, too.”

Steve lifted his head so he could look at Eddie and smiled. “I’m glad I get to spend Thanksgiving with people I care about …” His heart still throbbed in pain over his parents’ dismissal, but this was the best silver lining in the world.

Eddie strained forward to catch his lips in a sweet kiss. “Now we have to tell Dustin.”

“Kid’s gonna shit himself with excitement,” he chuckled. Eddie laughed again, so he nuzzled back into his chest, enjoying the feeling. “Can we just stay here for a bit?”

“Of course.” Eddie gently caressed his back. “I got a lasagna in the oven, though, so we’ll have to get up eventually.”

“I guess …” Steve teased.

*

When the timer began to beep obnoxiously from the kitchen, Eddie roused his slumbering boyfriend. “Dinner’s ready …”

Steve hadn’t even realized he’d fallen asleep. He felt at peace in Eddie’s arms, and he wasn’t ready to get up, but they couldn’t let the food burn. He pulled his shirt back on but stayed in his boxers. “You should put your shirt on, too.”

Eddie faked offense. “You don’t want to admire this?” He ran his hands up and down his torso.

“I do, which is why I want you to put a shirt on. If you spill molten lasagna on your stomach, I won’t be able to.”

Eddie considered that. “I guess a night in the ER would be slightly less fun than getting railed by you again …”

Steve snorted. “I really have created a monster.”

Eddie stuck his tongue out, but put on a t-shirt, then headed into the kitchen.

Steve watched as he removed the lasagna from the oven, its edges a bit dark.

“Oops! Might have left it in there too long.” Eddie dropped the pan onto the stove top.

“We’ll just cut out the middle,” Steve chuckled.

They ate at the bar, and afterwards Steve did the dishes.

“So I noticed the duffel bag …” Eddie mentioned.

Steve blushed, realizing how presumptuous it must look. “I just … don’t want to see them for a few days, you know? But I can hide out at Robin’s or something-”

“Absolutely not,” Eddie argued. “You’re staying here.”

Steve felt warmth flood his chest. “Are you sure? What about Wayne?”

“He doesn’t care,” Eddie assured. “I talked to him about you this morning. We just can’t fuck while he’s here.” He shrugged, barely hiding his smirk.

Steve dried his hands and walked around the bar, pulling Eddie into a gentle kiss. “Thank you.”

“I think I’m getting the better end of the deal,” he teased, then kissed him again.

Steve grinned, excited at the prospect of spending so much time with his new boyfriend. “Is it cool if I shower? I haven’t had a chance since …”

“You’ll just have to shower again later …” Eddie trailed his hand down to squeeze his ass suggestively.

“Then we can shower together again,” Steve smiled slyly.

“I like the sound of that.”

*

Eddie watched as Steve grabbed his duffel bag and disappeared into the bathroom. Once he heard the shower running, he dashed into his room and undressed as quickly as possible, clothes littering the floor. He grabbed the lube from where he’d chucked it into the hamper and was surprised by how light it felt already. They needed to stock up soon. The very thought made his cock jump. He knelt onto his mattress and reached back to quickly finger himself open. He bit his lip at the first intrusion, the stretch helping his erection fill out even faster. He added a second, then a third, desperate to be ready by the time Steve finished his shower. He wanted to take his mind off his shitty parents and show him how much he cared about him, which was bordering on something deeper than he’d ever felt before.

When he heard the water shut off, he reclined on the bed, positioning his open legs toward the door, putting himself fully on display. He poured some more lube onto his palm so he could leisurely jerk himself off, while his other hand continued to finger his hole.

After a minute or two, Steve returned, towel wrapped loosely around his waist and duffel bag in hand. When he saw Eddie, his mouth fell open and he dropped the towel and the bag with a loud thump. “Holy shit-” he choked.

Eddie flushed, shocked by his own brazenness, but nevertheless turned on. Apparently Steve was turned on by it, too. Eddie watched his cock stiffen with each heartbeat. He pushed up onto his elbows and gestured for Steve to join him. “C’mere, beautiful ...”

Steve flushed a deep red, but immediately joined him, pressing him down onto the mattress as he smothered him in kisses, just like he'd promised.

*

Afterwards, they wiped themselves down with a dirty t-shirt, wanting to save the shower for the morning, though they’d have to wake up early to beat Wayne coming home.

Eddie lay on the bed, legs still parted, as he caught his breath and watched Steve stretch in the moonlight. He was fucking gorgeous. How did he luck out like this? “Hey, babe?” he tested, hoping Steve would like the pet name.

Steve immediately caught his eye, smiling. “Yeah?”

Eddie grinned. “Can you toss me my cigarettes? They’re in my jeans pocket.”

Steve grabbed his jeans from the floor, providing Eddie with a lovely view, and fished out the cigarette pack and a lighter. He sat down on the edge of the bed and handed them over.

“Thanks.” Eddie stuck one between his lips and lit it, taking a deep drag.

Steve gently plucked the smoldering cigarette from between Eddie’s fingers to smoke as well.

“You should come to Hellfire with me Tuesday,” Eddie suggested as he took the cigarette back. “If you’re not working.”

“I think I open Tuesday.”

“So you’ll come?”

Steve pondered the idea. “Do you want me to play?”

“I just want to spend every minute of every day with you,” Eddie admitted casually, like his heart wasn’t in a vice, but relief came quickly when Steve smiled and kissed him.

“Me, too,” he chuckled. “Your friends won’t think it’s weird?”

“Probably,” Eddie replied honestly. “But they’ll get over it. I can befriend whoever I want.” They passed the cigarette back and forth for a few minutes until it was just the butt. “Besides, we can talk to Dustin about Thanksgiving.”

Steve nodded as he extinguished the butt in Eddie’s amber ashtray. “Maybe I can talk to Lucas.”

“About Max?”

“Yeah.”

Eddie was amazed that the cold, professional Harringtons had turned out such a caring, protective son. It must simply be Steve’s nature. He wanted to shower him in the love neither of their parents ever gave them. He climbed off the bed to retrieve his tiny tape deck, pulling out a tape he knew Steve would enjoy.

Steve looked up in surprise as No Surrender began to play. “You own Born in the U.S.A?”

Eddie crawled back into bed, pressing up against him. “How else was I supposed to learn Dancing in the Dark?”

“You taught yourself just by listening to it?” he asked incredulously.

Eddie shrugged. That’s how he always taught himself. “Yeah. Had to listen to it a lot,” he explained. “I’m shocked Wayne didn’t throw me out.”

Steve gazed at him in awe. “I am so fucking impressed right now, you have no idea.”

Eddie didn’t think it was that impressive, but he appreciated Steve’s adoration.

“And I’m also … even more touched,” Steve admitted.

“Yeah?”

Steve looked him in the eye. “Yeah,” he whispered, then kissed him soundly.

Eddie kissed him back hungrily, loving the way their bodies perfectly slot together. He loved making Steve happy, because Steve made him happy. They lazily made out for a bit until he suddenly yawned.

Steve snorted. “That good, huh?” he teased.

Eddie playfully flicked his arm. “We have to sleep so we can have round two in the shower before Wayne gets home!”

“Fiiiine,” Steve sighed fondly. He gave Eddie one last kiss, then they snuggled under the covers, lulled to sleep by the crooning voice of Bruce Springsteen.

Chapter Text

The next morning, Steve awoke to the sound of cooking drifting from the kitchen, yet Eddie was still drooling on the pillow next to him. He chuckled as he shook his shoulder. “I think we missed our alarm.”

Eddie rolled over, groggily blinking his eyes. “Wha?”

“Wayne’s home,” Steve whispered.

“Ah, shit,” Eddie cursed under his breath. He looked over at the nightstand and realized the clock radio was gone. He leaned over the edge of the bed to retrieve it from the floor. “Looks like I was sleepier than I realized,” he sighed, setting it back on his nightstand.

“I must have worn you out,” Steve teased.

Eddie laughed. “I was really looking forward to that shower, though ...”

“We’ll have other chances,” Steve assured. He pulled Eddie in for a chaste kiss, sparing him his sleep breath.

Wayne knocked on the door. “Breakfast is ready, boys.”

“We’ll be right out!” Eddie replied.

They climbed out of bed and threw on t-shirts and boxers, just enough to be presentable. Steve grabbed his toothbrush from his duffel bag and followed Eddie into the bathroom, where they brushed their teeth side by side. He smiled around his toothbrush at Eddie, just happy to be near him. They ambled out into the living area, where Wayne had a stack of pancakes waiting for them.

“You didn’t have to do this,” Eddie huffed fondly.

Wayne chuckled. “I wanted pancakes, too, you know.” He passed them each a plate and set a bottle of syrup on the counter between them.

Steve poured some over his pancakes and dug in. “These are delicious!”

Wayne held up a box of pancake mix and chuckled, “Only the best.”

“Hey, um …” Eddie started, then paused.

Wayne turned his attention to his nephew.

“Is it ok if Steve stays here for a few days?” he finished sheepishly.

Steve felt a knot of anxiety form in his stomach as Wayne’s expression grew concerned.

“Did something happen?”

Steve went into panic mode. “I just … need a break from my parents, but if it's too much trouble, I can go somewhere else-”

Wayne held up a hand, shaking his head. “I have no problem with you staying here. Just, uh, keep your hands to yourselves while I’m around.” He cracked a smile.

Steve felt relief wash over him. Wayne was a cool guy; Eddie was lucky to have him. “Thank you, Mr. Munson. I really appreciate it. I promise not to get in the way.”

“You picked a good one, son.”

“I know.” Eddie smiled fondly at his boyfriend.

Steve could feel himself blushing. They ate in comfortable silence. He added more syrup, practically drowning his pancakes.

Eddie snorted at the sticky pool, then sucked some syrup off his own fingers.

Steve did his best not to stare.

Eddie dropped his fork onto his empty plate. “Wanna do laundry with me?”

I don’t care, as long as we’re together, he thought to himself, but answered, “Sure.”

“You mind washing my work clothes?” Wayne asked. He took Eddie’s plate and began rinsing off the dishes.

“Of course not,” Eddie replied. “We’ll wash everything. Pack my van full of laundry, take up the whole laundromat!”

Wayne rolled his eyes fondly. “You’re always so dramatic.”

“Yep!” Eddie grinned.

Steve finished his pancakes and sheepishly handed the sticky plate over to Wayne, but he rinsed it off with no comment. “We should shower,” Steve suggested.

Eddie pouted.

Steve knew he was still upset about their missed opportunity this morning. He was, too, but they would make up for it later. “Who’s first?”

“You are,” Eddie replied. “There won’t be enough hot water for both of us, and you’ve been saying you wanted to shower.”

“Shit ...” Steve sighed.

“If you shower quickly together, there should be enough,” Wayne suggested casually.

Eddie choked on his orange juice.

“Shower only,” Wayne added, glancing between the two of them.

“Yes, sir!” Steve chuckled. He stood from his barstool and gently maneuvered Eddie, who was sputtering and red in the face, off his own. Once they were locked in the bathroom, he cracked up. “I like Wayne!” he chuckled as he pulled his shirt over his head.

“Me, too,” Eddie sighed, removing his own clothes. “He’s pretty great.”

They stepped into the shower to wash quickly. Steve did his best to stay focused, but every brush of Eddie’s skin against his own got him more and more worked up. He washed his half-hard dick roughly, trying not to linger, but when he noticed Eddie scrubbing between his cheeks, it was like a punch to the gut. He forced himself to turn away and wash the rest of his body as robotically as possible. They took turns rinsing off under the spray of water, shuffling awkwardly in the small tub. Steve slipped once, knocking over a couple of soapy bottles, but Eddie caught him. The water temperature was beginning to drop when they finally shut it off and stepped out onto the linoleum.

Eddie tossed him a towel, and they dried off quickly before wrapping the towels around their waists and retreating to his bedroom.

Steve rummaged through his duffel for clean clothes, and unearthed the Farah Fawcett hairspray he'd thrown in. He sighed, hoping Eddie wouldn’t think he was a huge dork. “I have something to show you. Only two other people in the whole world know about this,” he said, far too seriously.

“Dustin and Robin, I’m guessing?”

“Yes-” he scoffed. He took a breath and pulled the canister out of his bag.

Eddie snorted before it turned into full-on giggles.

Steve pinched the bridge of his nose and waited for the teasing to begin, but instead Eddie opened a cabinet under his desk and pulled out his own can of Farah Fawcett hairspray. “Holy shit,” he gasped.

Eddie shrugged, still grinning. “It works the best!”

“It does!” They broke into more fits of laughter, and he once again felt relieved. He was certain there was nothing he had to hide from Eddie, besides the Upside Down shit, but he was better off not knowing about that. Steve wished he didn’t know about it. When they finally stopped laughing, they finished getting dressed, then returned to the bathroom to do their hair, exchanging teasing glances throughout. They took turns using Eddie’s hair dryer, which honestly looked like it was on its last legs. Maybe he could get him a new one for his birthday? “When’s your birthday?” he asked casually as he spritzed hairspray around his head.

“February 13th,” Eddie groaned. “I’ll be twenty …”

“So? I’ll be twenty in June.”

“But you’re not still in high school.”

That was true, Steve conceded to himself. “You’ll graduate this year, and then you’ll never have to think about high school ever again.”

Eddie roughly brushed his hair. “I fucking better,” he sighed.

Steve paused and caught Eddie’s eyes in the mirror. “You will,” he assured.

Eddie turned, his expression soft, and pressed a quick kiss to the corner of Steve’s mouth.

Once they were pleased with their hair, they returned to Eddie’s room. Steve sat on the bed and watched as Eddie grabbed clothes off the floor and shoved them into a laundry bag.

“We should wash those sheets.”

Steve looked back at the multiple wet spots they’d left behind. “Yeah, that’s a good idea.” He stood up and began to bundle the bedding, tugging the fitted sheets off the corners of the mattress.

Eddie began to empty his hamper but suddenly let out a loud bark of laughter. “I forgot I hid this in here when Dustin surprised us!” He held up his dildo.

Steve snorted.

“I panicked!” Eddie exclaimed.

Once all of his dirty laundry was bagged, they returned to the living room, where they found Wayne sitting on his cot. He held out a full duffel bag. “Thanks, boys,” he said as Eddie took the bag from his hand. “There should be enough quarters in the front pocket.”

“No problem,” Eddie grinned.

Steve took the bag from him and held the door open so Eddie could shoulder his larger bag. They tossed both into the back of Eddie’s van, then took off for the laundromat, AC/DC blasting the entire drive.

The laundromat was pretty busy, of course. It was a Sunday, but they managed to snag two conjoined washing machines. Steve laughed as Eddie stuffed the tiny machines to the brim. Once the coins and soap had been inserted, he pushed himself up on top of one. “You need to come here more often,” he chuckled.

“Who wants to spend their free time at the laundromat?” Eddie pouted, hopping onto the other washer.

“That’s fair,” Steve conceded. He wanted to hold Eddie’s hand, but there were too many people, so he settled for tugging at the hem of Eddie’s shirt.

Eddie glanced at him and smiled, tugging on Steve’s polo in return.

Steve shifted his focus to the laundromat before he did something stupid, like smother his boyfriend in kisses, but a blush still crept up his face. The place was well-maintained, but it hadn’t been updated since the 70s. He’d passed this place plenty of times, but had never actually come in. He didn’t realize how many people didn’t have their own washers and dryers at home. He had so many blind spots coming from a well-off family, and he hoped he could unlearn them, even if it took a while.

“What are you thinking about?” Eddie asked, pulling Steve back to the moment.

“That movie Robin and I saw,” Steve lied, not wanting to admit how dumb he was.

“Oh yeah! I still can’t believe I’d never heard of that theater!”

“I hadn’t either until Robin told me. We need to go.”

“I’d love that!” Eddie beamed. “I wonder what’s showing right now?”

Steve shrugged. “I should be getting a new copy of my zine next week. We can check it out and plan a trip.”

Eddie grinned excitedly. “It’ll be cool to see a movie about people like us,” he said, lowering his voice.

“It helped me a lot,” Steve admitted, “When I was first coming to terms with … everything.”

“That’s awesome,” Eddie smiled gently. “Wish we had a place like that here in Hawkins.” He peered out at the other patrons. “Who knows how many people in this town are queer and just too scared to admit it …”

Steve nodded. If it hadn’t been for Robin’s guidance, who knows if he’d have gotten this far.

They continued chatting on top of the washing machines, knees touching, until the timers buzzed shrilly. Eddie hopped down to pull clothes out, while Steve grabbed the least rusty cart he could find. They loaded it up, and Steve pushed it over to the wall of dryers, while Eddie loaded his uncle's clothes into the washer.

Steve joined Eddie on top of the washer again, their thighs pressing together. The machine rumbled pleasantly beneath them.

“Thanks for doing this with me,” Eddie said sheepishly. “It’s not a chore with you here.”

Steve smiled. “I’d do anything with you.”

Eddie leaned towards his ear and whispered, “I’d kiss you if I could.”

Steve brushed his foot against Eddie’s where they dangled over the front of the washer. “You know I would, too.”

“What’d they do in that movie?”

“Well, they owned the place, so they’d just make out in the back.”

“Ugh, no fair,” Eddie chuckled.

Steve laughed, too, and knocked his shoulder into Eddie’s. “Later, I promise.”

Just then, the bell on the laundromat’s door jingled. They both looked up and realized the high school basketball coach had come in. Eddie immediately slid off the washing machine.

Steve had heard enough bullshit from Coach Walker to know he wouldn’t take kindly to any queerness. He’d always hated the guy, but his parents wanted him to play basketball, so he’d had no choice but to put up with the asshole. He also slid down and turned his back, hoping to go unnoticed, as he was in no mood to start a conversation with the asshole.

“Is he worse than I thought?” Eddie murmured.

Steve nodded curtly. “He’s a real prick. Said some real shitty stuff to us,” he explained.

Eddie looked around. “C’mon, there’s a bench on the other side of the dryers.”

They moved to the bench, luckily evading the coach’s notice, and sat down.

“This fucking sucks,” Steve sighed.

“Sorry …”

Steve looked aghast. Eddie had nothing to be sorry for. “It’s this town that should be sorry! It's shitty people like him who should be sorry.” Now that they were in a more secluded spot, he intertwined his fingers with Eddie’s. “We should never be sorry.”

Eddie offered him a small smile, sad that things had to be this way, but he squeezed Steve’s hand fondly.

“Let’s work on a grocery list,” Steve suggested. “Since you weren’t expecting an extra mouth to feed this week.”

“I think the attendant might have some paper.” Eddie quickly made his way to the front counter and returned a moment later with a small piece of paper and a pencil. They began listing staples, like milk and eggs, while Eddie awkwardly scribbled on his thigh.

“Does Wayne need stuff for lunch?” Steve asked.

Eddie nodded and wrote his usual down. “How about a frozen pizza? Easy stuff, so we don’t have to waste our time cooking.”

“Love it,” Steve grinned. “We have other things I’d much rather be doing.”

Eddie laughed. “Speaking of! We definitely need more-” He looked around, then whispered, “Lube.”

Steve cleared his throat and crossed his legs. “Add it to the list, then.”

They finished just in time for the dryers’ buzzers to go off. Steve claimed a table and began to fold while Eddie moved Wayne’s clothes into the dryer. They made sure to keep their backs to the coach, but he seemed focused on his own laundry. Eddie eventually joined Steve at the table to fold as well. Steve chuckled to himself at the sheer number of band shirts his boyfriend owned. They placed the newly folded clothes back into Eddie’s laundry bag, packing them as carefully as possible so they’d hopefully not turn into a jumbled mess before they returned to the trailer. Then they waited on the bench until Wayne’s clothes were finished and repeated the process.

As they left, Steve hoisted the larger bag in front of his face to avoid detection, keeping his eyes on Eddie’s feet to show him where to walk. They put the laundry bags in the back of the van and made their way to the grocery store.

The grocery store was similarly packed, and there was only one cart left. Steve grimaced when he began pushing it; it had a bad wheel that tugged the cart to the left as they walked. They meandered up and down each aisle, tossing things into the cart, and marking them off with the pencil they’d accidentally stolen from the laundromat. The pharmacy aisle was thankfully empty, but there wasn’t a huge selection of lube. Steve was surprised there was any at all.

Eddie bent over pondering his choices while Steve did his best not to stare at his ass. “I wonder if Indianapolis has better options …”

“Probably,” Steve replied, tearing his eyes away from Eddie’s ass and back to the shelf. “Maybe the theater people will know. They had free condoms and shit on the counter.”

Eddie looked amazed. “I can’t wait to check this place out.” He finally plucked a couple of bottles of KY, the same stuff they’d been using, off the shelf and tossed them into the cart. “That should last us, what, a week?” he teased, making Steve snort.

They finally made their way to the check out and placed the lube as casually as possible with the rest of their groceries. Luckily, the clerk didn’t even look up as she scanned the bottles. When she announced their total, they both pulled out their wallets.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Steve asked fondly.

“I can’t let you pay for all of this!” Eddie argued.

“You absolutely can.”

“Look, we both have jobs-”

Steve narrowed his eyes at Eddie, certain that he hadn’t sold a single drug since they’d gotten together.

“-so let’s at least split it,” he finished.

“Fiiiine.” He’d figure out how to pay him back later.

*

They entered the trailer quietly to find Wayne still asleep on his cot. Eddie gently placed the bag of clean clothes on the floor next to him. It took them a couple of trips to bring everything inside, and they tried to be as quiet as possible as they put the groceries away. Eddie hauled his bag of laundry back into his bedroom, and Steve made them a late lunch, then joined him with sandwiches and sodas in hand. Eddie looked up from putting his clothes away and smiled fondly as he accepted the food. They ate quietly on Eddie’s bare mattress.

“What do you want to do the rest of the day?” Steve asked, plate balanced precariously on his knees.

“I’ve got homework,” Eddie pouted.

Oh, duh. “Need any help?”

Eddie shook his head. “It’s just bullshit busy work,” he sighed. “The kind of stuff I refused to do my first go around. Learned that lesson the hard way.”

Steve gently patted his shoulder. “Just remember: in June, you’ll be free.”

“Something to look forward to,” Eddie grinned.

“Maybe I’ll fuck you in your graduation robe …”

Eddie blew out a long breath. “Holy shit, Steve ... Promise?”

“If it helps, then yes,” Steve laughed, aroused at the idea himself.

“‘If it helps,’” Eddie scoffed, standing up and snagging his backpack off the floor. He looked at Steve like he was insane. “That’s all the motivation I need!” He pulled out a textbook and dropped it heavily on his desk, immediately wincing at the noise. “Sorry, Wayne,” he whispered.

Steve snickered quietly. He pulled Eddie’s laundry bag toward himself, found the poorly folded sheets, and began to make up the bed.

Eddie looked up from his homework. “Oh, let me help-”

Steve shook his head. “You keep working. I’ve got this.”

Eddie kissed him, then returned to his homework.

Steve made the bed quickly, fluffing the pillows once he’d stuffed them into their cases. Jeez, Eddie needed new pillows. He couldn’t wait until his parents vacated their house again, and he could make love to Eddie in his own bed. Not that he minded being here; he loved being here, but his bed was really fucking nice, and Eddie deserved some comfort and luxury. Even if Steve couldn’t promise it forever.

Once the bed was made, he sat on the corner of the mattress and pondered what to do next. With Eddie’s laundry cleared from the floor, it wasn’t half bad in here. He let his eyes roam around the room and noticed a few things he hadn’t before, like the acoustic guitar that had, “this machine slays dragons” scribbled on it in Eddie’s handwriting. He snorted fondly; his boyfriend was such a fucking nerd. He then noticed a beat up book with a dragon on the cover. He stood and wandered over, realizing as he got closer that it was a D&D manual like the kids had. He picked it up, and flipped it open to the table of contents. After a moment, he looked over and realized Eddie was watching him in adoration. “What?”

“You’re reading my monster manual …”.

Steve shrugged. “If I’m going to hang out during your club, I may as well understand what’s going on.”

Eddie opened a drawer under his desk and pulled out another book, this one red and just as beaten up. “Here! This is the rule book. Start with this one.”

Steve closed the book in his hands and took the new one. “Anything else I should look at?”

“You’re making it very hard to focus on my homework,” Eddie replied, half-joking, half dead serious.

“I can read these while you work, and when you’re finished, you can explain everything to me. How’s that for motivation?”

“Pretty fucking good,” Eddie laughed. He pulled out one more book and added it to the stack in Steve’s hands.

It read “Player's Handbook” and featured a large, demonic-looking statue on the cover. “No wonder people think this is satanic,” he teased.

Eddie stuck his tongue out. “People are stupid.”

Steve chuckled, then returned to the bed with his new reading material. “Do you think Wayne will mind if we play music?”

“Not if we keep it quiet. Got any requests?”

“Whatever will help you focus,” Steve replied.

Eddie rummaged through the cassette tapes stacked on his desk, then went over to his tape deck. Soon, Dio was emanating softly from the speakers.

Steve stacked Eddie’s pillows together and settled in with the rulebook.

*

Eddie did his best to focus on his homework, but knowing that his gorgeous boyfriend was reclining on his bed while reading through his D&D manuals was absolutely killing him. Every once in a while, he’d peer over to find Steve still reading, but he could always feel his gaze.

“Back to work, Munson,” he admonished gently.

Eddie was nearly ashamed of the whine that escaped him. “But this shit is boring!”

Steve just laughed. “Trust me, I remember.”

“How’d you stay focused?”

“Well, after Nancy broke up with me and Hargrove decided to make my life hell, I didn’t have a whole lot else to distract me,” he shrugged, not looking up from his book.

Eddie frowned, hating that Steve’s senior year had been so miserable. He at least had his band, and Hellfire, and most importantly, Steve himself. “Did you really fight Hargrove?”

“Did the kids tell you that?” Steve scoffed, looking up at Eddie.

Eddie nodded.

“He kicked my ass,” Steve explained. “I don’t have a great track record with fights.”

“And yet you defended me in the alley that night.”

“Well …” Steve blushed. “I can’t stop myself from helping people out.”

Eddie smiled. That was one of the many things he loved about Steve. He wanted to crawl onto the bed and smother him in kisses, but he still had homework to finish.

“What are you smiling at?”

“I just like you,” Eddie replied honestly.

Steve’s blush deepened. “Now you’re making it very hard to concentrate.”

Eddie sighed dramatically and returned his attention to his homework, though he was still smiling. If he focused, he’d probably be done within the hour. Then the real fun could begin.

*

When he finally finished, he slammed his textbook closed triumphantly. “Fuck that!” he announced as he started shoving everything back into his backpack.

“See? That wasn’t so bad,” Steve said, still flipping through the manuals.

“It was torture,” Eddie groaned as he finally joined Steve on the bed. “So … what do you think so far?”

Steve pondered as he flipped another page. “I ‘get’ it, but holy shit, how do you remember all this?”

Eddie laughed. “Yeah, it’s a lot of information, but that’s why I have my notebook, and all my DM stuff.” He reached under his bed and slid out his stack of DM material, then dropped it on the bed in front of Steve.

“Holy shit, there’s more books?”

Eddie plucked his battered copy of the Dungeon Master’s Guide from the stack. “Yeah, but this one is just for me, and I’ve memorized it cover to cover, so I rarely have to refer back to it once I’ve mapped out a campaign.”

“Have you ever considered that this is why you keep failing?” Steve teased.

Eddie playfully slapped his thigh. “Shut up! This is the only reason I’ve kept my sanity through this! This and music.”

Steve held his hands up in playful submission. “Sorry,” he replied, but he was smiling. “Show me the rest.”

Eddie started flipping through his notebook. He had a stack of filled notebooks in his closet, each stuffed to the brim with maps, monster statistics, and post-its detailing the actions of the players during the actual campaign. This most recent one was almost full and would probably be retired soon. He explained it all to Steve, who listened diligently, his eyes taking in the ridiculous amounts of Eddie’s illegible scrawl.

“This is pretty cool,” Steve said, glancing at Eddie with a fond smile.

It took Eddie’s breath away. “You think so?”

“Yeah. I didn’t realize how seriously you took it. It looks like a lot of work, honestly. No wonder the twerps like you so much.”

Eddie flushed at the praise.

“The manuals mentioned dice, but I’ve never seen a dice that goes above six. Do you have to use a bunch of dice to determine damage and stuff?”

“There are a bunch of dice, but they’re not what you’re used to,” Eddie explained. He opened his dice bag and dumped his set into his hand. They were black with corners rounded from use; he’d used a gold crayon to fill in the numbers.

Steve picked the D20 from his hand and looked it over. “Ok, that’s nuts.” He looked at each one, turning them over in his hands. “I’ve never seen dice like these before.”

Eddie explained each one and their purpose in the game while Steve listened. He couldn’t believe Steve was putting up with this, let alone showing genuine interest. He felt like the luckiest guy in the world.

Steve nodded along, still admiring the odd shapes of the dice. “Cool,” he murmured, when suddenly his stomach grumbled loudly.

Eddie laughed. When he looked at the window, he realized the sun was beginning to set. “Wanna make some dinner? Wayne should be getting up soon.”

“Sounds good.” Steve carefully stacked the books next to him on the bed. “Thanks for showing me all this. Now I won’t feel quite so confused Tuesday.”

“This wasn’t a problem at all,” Eddie scoffed. “I will gladly overexplain any and all of my interests to you.”

Steve smiled fondly as he leaned forward to kiss him. “And I will gladly listen.”

Eddie wanted to climb on top of his trailer and scream. “You can teach me about stuff you like, too, you know,” he said in a rush. “I’ll listen to you. Even if it’s about basketball!”

Steve grinned. “Don’t promise that! I just may take you up on it.”

“I’m serious!” Eddie laughed.

Steve stared at him for a long moment, just smiling. “Later,” he finally said. “Right now, I’m starving.”

They emerged from Eddie’s bedroom to find Wayne sitting up on his cot, yawning. “Evenin,’ boys,” he greeted. He noticed his duffel bag propped up next to him, opening it to find his fresh clothes neatly folded. “Thank you.”

“No problem,” Eddie replied. “How does pizza sound for dinner?”

“Sounds good to me.”

Eddie opened the freezer and pulled out the frozen pizza, while Steve pre-heated the oven. It was nice, having Steve around all the time. He was going to hate it when Steve went back home, but maybe one day they could live together, and this would be his everyday reality. He shook himself. They had just started dating, and he was already thinking about moving in? He knew it was ridiculous, but … he liked Steve. A lot. And when he looked up to find Steve smiling back at him, it was hard to picture any other future.

They all ate together, then Eddie and Steve returned to the bedroom so Wayne could get dressed for work. Eddie sat next to Steve on his bed and explained his current campaign, and how far the club had made it, so he’d know what to expect Tuesday.

Wayne stuck his head in the door and wished them good night, and then they were blessedly alone again.

Eddie waited until the sound of Wayne’s old truck disappeared down the road, neatly stacked all of his D&D materials on the floor next to his bed, then immediately laid back on the mattress, pulling Steve down on top of him. They kissed leisurely.

Steve snuck his hand up Eddie’s shirt to pinch one of his nipples. “What do you want to do tonight?” he asked between kisses.

Eddie considered for a moment. “My ass might need a break,” he chuckled.

“Can I go down on you again?”

Eddie felt his cock throb in interest and giggled, “Do you even have to ask?”

Steve grinned, kissing Eddie hungrily before making quick work of his jeans.

Eddie was overwhelmed with arousal as Steve roughly tugged his jeans off his legs and tossed them to the floor. His cock was already tenting his boxers, and he whined when Steve pressed his palm to it, rubbing him gently through the fabric. “Fuck, Steve …”

Steve pulled his boxers down his hips just enough to free his cock and pushed Eddie’s shirt up under his armpits. He was wearing more than he had in all their previous romps, but he felt more exposed than ever. He groaned loudly when Steve took him into his mouth. God, the wet heat felt incredible. His fingers quickly made their way into Steve’s silky hair, just resting on the back of his head as he bobbed on Eddie’s cock. He could do this every day for the rest of his life, and it wouldn't be enough.

Steve pulled off to catch his breath, but replaced his mouth with his hand, stroking him firmly. “Do you think you can handle some fingering?”

Eddie nodded immediately before his mouth caught up with his brain. “Let’s try it.”

Steve sat up and pulled Eddie’s boxers off before grabbing one of the new bottles of lube from the nightstand. He maneuvered Eddie’s legs apart.

Eddie whined, arousal pooling in his belly when Steve shifted his hips to make his hole more accessible. “I love when you manhandle me,” he panted.

Steve grinned as he settled between Eddie’s legs. He popped the lid on the lube and squeezed some onto his fingers, then brought his hand down between Eddie's cheeks, rubbing insistently at the tight furl of his entrance. “Is this ok?”

Eddie nodded again, eyes squeezed shut in arousal. “Yeah-”

Steve slowly pressed his middle finger into Eddie’s hole, making him keen loudly. He immediately paused. “Too much?”

“No, no,” Eddie panted. “‘S good.”

Steve curled his finger deeper and deeper until he found the spot that made Eddie’s toes curl.

“Right there,” Eddie grunted, his hips shifting to seek out more pressure. He could feel Steve shifting on the mattress before he was once again engulfed in that beautiful wet heat. Steve swallowed him down as best he could while massaging him from the inside. “Oh fuck,” he gasped.

Steve hummed happily around his cock.

Eddie couldn’t stop his hips from undulating. One hand found the back of Steve’s head again while the other curled tightly in the sheets. He wanted to praise Steve and the pleasure he was giving him, but he could only grunt and groan as Steve worked him inside and out. He could feel his orgasm building as his muscles grew taut. He knew it was going to be intense, and he braced himself, biting his lip hard. Steve rubbed and sucked like he was made for this, and Eddie tried to warn him before his orgasm tore through his body. He cried out, “Fuck!” and pulled on Steve’s hair, but Steve worked him through it until he was a shivering mess. His limbs collapsed as he sucked in deep breaths.

“Holy shit,” Steve gasped.

Eddie looked down to find Steve tearing at his own jeans, pushing them and his boxers down just enough to free his swollen erection. He smiled at the sight, and his cock gave a valiant twitch, but he was wrung out.

Steve spit into his hand and jerked himself with short, rough strokes. “Fuck, Eddie,” he panted. “Can I come on your chest?”

Eddie blinked for a moment before remembering he was wearing his favorite Metallica shirt. “Hang on!” He lifted just enough to yank the shirt up over his head and tossed it clear of any bodily fluids. “Ok!”

Steve chuckled, even as he crawled up Eddie’s body, still working himself quickly. “You’re ridiculous.”

Eddie was too mesmerized by the display before him to realize what he’d said. “Yeah, baby,” he murmured, licking his bottom lip.

Steve choked on a laugh and came over Eddie’s chest, some of it even splashing up onto Eddie’s chin. He groaned as he milked every last drop from his cock.

Eddie ran his hands up and down Steve’s still clothed thighs. They stayed like that for a few long moments as they caught their breath. “I really liked that,” Eddie sighed happily.

“The finger/blowjob combo?”

Eddie bit his lip. “I really liked you coming on me,” he admitted. He liked the combo, too. That was fucking fantastic, but there was something primal about being marked by Steve like that.

Steve ran his clean hand through his hair. “Fuck, Eds, you’re gonna kill me ...”

Eddie giggled at the nickname.

“What?”

“You called me ‘Eds.’ That’s so cute.”

“Yeah?”

Eddie nodded.

Steve smiled. “Let’s get you cleaned up, Eds.” He climbed off Eddie and the bed, peeling off his clothes, then used his boxers to wipe most of the cum off Eddie’s chest and belly.

“You missed some,” Eddie teased, pointing at his chin.

Steve got back into bed, stretched out next to Eddie, and gently took hold of his jaw. He paused for a moment before licking the cum off Eddie’s chin, then kissed him deeply.

Eddie grabbed Steve’s bicep, entirely too aroused at the taste of himself they were sharing. He sucked Steve’s tongue into his mouth, which had them both groaning. When they eventually pulled apart, a strand of spit still connected their lips.

Steve swiped his thumb over Eddie’s bottom lip. “You’re gonna wear me out.”

“I’ve got a few years to make up for.”

“Yeah, we do.” Steve tugged them down until they were resting on the pillows and snuggled against him. “But it's a school night, so you have to sleep now.”

"I'm already ahead of you," Eddie yawned.

Chapter Text

Steve woke up the next morning when some of Eddie’s hair fell into his mouth. He blew it out and chuckled to himself.

“What are you giggling at?” Eddie asked groggily as he snuggled in closer.

Steve gently caressed his bare back. “Your hair was in my mouth.”

Eddie immediately flipped his hair to his other shoulder. “Oops, sorry ...”

“It’s fine,” Steve assured with a fond smile.

The room was chilly; this damn trailer had the worst insulation. Eddie pulled the covers further up their shoulders. “What time is it?”

Steve looked at his watch and sighed. “Time to get up, unfortunately.”

“But my alarm hasn’t even-”

The alarm blared loudly from the nightstand. Steve swatted at the buttons until it shut up.

“Nooo,” Eddie protested. He tucked his face into Steve’s neck. “I can miss one day, right?”

Steve wrapped his arms around him. “Save those days for when you really need ‘em. I’ve got to work today anyway.”

Eddie rolled over onto his back dramatically, blowing his hair out of his face. “Fine ...”

They stumbled into the bathroom and took turns peeing, then stood side by side at the sink as they brushed their teeth, shaved, and styled their hair. It was nice, domestic even. Steve would miss it when he returned home, but he couldn’t stay here forever. The trailer just wasn’t big enough for three grown men. Maybe one day he and Eddie could have their own little apartment. He was surprised he was thinking of that so early in their relationship, but … this just felt right.

Eddie wet a washcloth and did a more thorough job cleaning off the residual cum from his chest.

They returned to the bedroom to get dressed, and Eddie made sure his homework was packed away in his backpack. Steve noticed the D&D books still stacked on the floor and picked one up. “Can I take this with me to work?”

Eddie grinned. “Of course!”

They shared a deep kiss before heading outside to their individual vehicles.

Steve arrived at work on time for once, and Keith unlocked the door to let him in. He stashed Eddie's book under the counter and helped set up the till. Weekdays were usually pretty tedious, especially since Robin wouldn’t be in until school let out. He spent the majority of the day reading through the player manual, occasionally pausing when a customer wandered in. He still wasn’t sure if he was interested in actually playing, but he was certainly glad to finally understand what was going on. Dustin usually talked circles around him about this stuff. He really loved the way Eddie’s eyes lit up when he showed interest in anything Eddie liked. He appreciated his promise to learn about his interests as well, but he was honestly nervous that Eddie might find them … boring. He liked sports, and pop music, and Tom Cruise movies. Eddie loved metal and fantasy. What if he wasn’t cool enough?

The doorbell jingled before he could spiral much further; he looked up to see Robin enter the store. He closed the manual and slid it further under the counter, certain that she would tease him mercilessly the second she saw it.

“Hey, Robs!” he greeted. “How was school?”

“Same bullshit, different day,” she sighed. “At least I’m paid to be bored here. How have you been? You didn’t call me last night.”

Guilt washed over him. He hadn’t called Robin at all while he ran away to Eddie’s trailer. “Sorry, we …”

She shrugged. “It’s fine. I figured Eddie was keeping you busy.” She cocked her eyebrow slyly. “Just don’t forget about me, ok?”

Steve knew she was teasing, but he still felt bad. “You wanna hang out this weekend?”

“And keep you from your boy toy!? I would never!”

He rolled his eyes.

“I’m just messing with you,” she assured as she joined him behind the counter.

“Maybe the three of us can hang out,” Steve offered.

“Sure! I like Eddie.” She grabbed a package of Reese’s Pieces from the display and tore it open, popping the candies into her mouth. Suddenly, her eyes went wide. “What is that?”

Steve followed her eyeline and realized she had spotted the D&D manual. He moved a stack of VHS to hide it. “Nothing-”

“Steeeve! I knew you had it bad, but holy shit!” She knocked over the stack and snatched the book, flipping it open and giggling.

“It’s interesting, ok!” he argued.

“Steve, a few months ago, you wouldn't have been caught dead reading this. Eddie must have one magic di-”

“Shhh! Look, he invited me to one of his Hellfire meetings, and I didn’t want to look like an idiot, ok?”

Robin smiled fondly at him. “You’re so cute.”

“Thanks,” he muttered.

“I mean it! I’ll stop teasing you.” She held the book out to him like a peace offering.

He sheepishly took it and set it back on the counter. “It’s kinda interesting …”

“Yeah? Think you’ll play it?”

Steve shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ll just be watching tomorrow.”

“When Dustin realizes, he’s going to lose his shit.”

Steve huffed a laugh. “Yeah, he is.”

The door jingled and they both turned to greet the customer, only to find Eddie wandering into the store.

“Well, well, well.” Robin clacked her nails against the counter. “Look who it is. First you turn my boy gay, and now this!?” She held up the D&D manual dramatically.

“He didn’t turn me gay,” Steve scoffed.

Robin gave him a withering side-eye. “I’m just joking, you dork.”

“Sharing your partner’s interests is part of a healthy relationship, isn’t it, babe?” Eddie rebuffed. He leaned over the counter, smiling happily at Steve.

Steve made sure the store was empty before pecking Eddie on the lips. He had to; he was defending his honor.

Eddie’s smile widened into a grin. “You never fail to surprise me."

“Is Steve going to teach you all about basketball now?” Robin teased.

Eddie nodded. “Yep! Swimming, too, but that’ll have to wait ‘til summer.” He winked.

Steve blushed. “You don’t have to pretend, Eddie. I won’t bore you with-”

“Nothing you’re interested in could possibly bore me,” Eddie argued. “Besides, why wouldn’t I want to see you all sweaty and shirtless?”

Steve rolled his eyes, but a fond smile tugged at his lips. “Fine, but the second you want to change the subject-”

“Steve!” Eddie grabbed one of his hands and laced their fingers together, squeezing reassuringly. “I like you, and if you like basketball or football or baseball, then I’ll learn to like that, too.” He shrugged like it was no big deal.

Steve stared at him in quiet awe, desperately ignoring the sting in his eyes. None of his previous girlfriends had ever tried to learn about his interests, and here was Eddie, promising to listen to him about anything. His heart swelled.

“Jeez, get a room,” Robin muttered.

“We will later,” Eddie teased.

“One day you two will have to put up with my lovey-dovey bullshit!”

“And we’ll be very happy for you,” Eddie replied.

“Steve says the three of us are gonna hang out this weekend."

“Oh yeah?”

“She was getting needy,” Steve teased.

Robin bonked him on the head with the manual.

“I’ve only had him a week!” Eddie complained. “We’re in our honeymoon phase!”

“Yeah right, like that’s ever going to change,” Robin scoffed. “You’ll be eighty and just as gross.”

Steve wouldn’t dare say it out loud, but he felt certain she was right. “So did you wanna pick up something to watch tonight?” He didn’t think they’d have much time to watch a movie between the homework and the fucking, but Eddie must have come in for a reason.

Eddie shyly twirled a strand of hair in front of his face. “I just wanted to see you …”

Steve chuckled. “I’ll be at your place in an hour!”

“That’s not soon enough,” he pouted dramatically.

Steve’s chest clenched with a familiar feeling he wasn’t sure he was ready to name. It felt so soon, but he couldn’t deny the warmth spreading through him. He sighed fondly and squeezed Eddie’s hand.

“Awwww,” Robin interrupted the moment.

Steve ignored her. “Come sit back here while I count my register.”

Eddie walked around the counter and dragged a third barstool closer to them.

Steve bumped his knees against Eddie’s as he turned to his cash register to finish his shift. Once he’d clocked out, Steve wished Robin a good night, then he and Eddie headed out to the parking lot. He huffed fondly when he realized Eddie had parked his van right next to him.

Eddie smacked the hood of his van. “Wanna race?”

Steve snorted. “One: that’s a terrible idea, and two: I would kick your ass.”

Eddie scoffed with fake indignity. “You think your fancy-schmancy car can beat my work horse? I’ll have you know she’s got a relatively new transmission.”

Steve laughed, but he saw the steely determination in Eddie’s eyes. Oh, it was fucking on. He ducked into his car, cranking her up quickly as Eddie climbed into his van. As soon as Eddie’s door closed, Steve peeled out backwards from his spot. He knew he was going to get an earful from Robin about it later. He shifted into drive and tore out of the parking lot, the van close behind. He could hear Eddie’s music blasting through the open windows.

When they reached a long, empty stretch of road, Eddie floored it, swerving into the other lane and coming up alongside Steve. He flashed devil horns and stuck out his tongue, but Steve knew the van was no match for his BMW.

He shifted into gear and left Eddie in the dust. He couldn’t believe how stupid they were being, especially since he hadn’t paid this car off yet, but he’d never really pushed her to her limits for that exact reason. It felt good to really let loose. He glanced at his rearview mirror, but Eddie was nowhere to be seen. He whooped in triumph as the wind whipped through his hair. When he pulled into the trailer park, going a much more legal speed, he was shocked to see the van parked next to the trailer. Eddie leaned against it, a cocky grin spread across his face. He parked and hopped out in complete shock. “How the hell did you beat me!?”

Eddie shrugged casually. “There may be a few shortcuts most people aren’t aware of ...”

“So this was never a fair race?” Steve scoffed.

Eddie sauntered over and grabbed the edges of Steve’s work vest that he’d forgotten to remove in his haste. “We never really discussed the ‘rules,’ though, did we?”

“You are wicked, Munson,” Steve murmured huskily. He hooked his fingers through the belt loops of Eddie’s jeans. “So what does the winner want for his prize?”

“Well …” Eddie bit his lip before dragging Steve inside the trailer.

Steve happily let himself be ushered in, certain he would enjoy whatever prize Eddie had in mind.

*

The next day, Steve headed for the high school as soon as he clocked out, hoping to catch Eddie alone before Hellfire started. They hadn’t kissed since that morning, and he couldn’t let that stand. He parked by the gym and made his way into the school. It was weird being inside again. He’d only gotten as far as the parking lot since he graduated, and his life here felt like it had happened to someone else.

He’d never spent much time in the drama department, but he remembered where it was. When he opened the heavy metal door, he spotted Eddie on his throne, setting up for the campaign.

Eddie looked up and grinned. “Look who’s eager!” he teased as he stood up.

“Eager to kiss you,” Steve replied as he crossed the room. He grabbed Eddie’s hips and kissed him soundly; Eddie melted into his embrace, kissing him back hungrily.

“So brave,” he murmured as they pulled apart.

Steve chuckled as he shook his head. “Just stupid.”

Eddie swatted his thigh, frowning. “You’re not stupid.”

Steve smiled fondly and felt that warmth spreading in his chest again. He pulled Eddie in for another kiss. When the bell rang, they broke apart. Eddie sat back down to finish organizing his notes, and Steve realized he had already dragged over an extra chair at his side. He sat down, watching his boyfriend work as he propped his feet up on an empty chair. “Do you have a character?” he asked. “Or do you always DM?”

“I have a character,” Eddie replied. “I don’t get to play him very often, but I’ve spent a lot of time on his backstory.”

“Oh yeah?” Steve wanted to hear all about him. “What class is he?”

Eddie grinned. “He’s a bard.”

Steve chuckled. “Should’ve guessed. Got a name?”

Eddie tugged on his hair for a moment before murmuring, “Wokmin the Song-Weaver … It’s stupid, but I’ve had him so long I can’t bring myself to change it!”

Steve looked at him quizzically, unsure of where the embarrassment came from. It sounded just as ridiculous as all the other fantasy names he’d read in the manuals.

“Wokmin,” Eddie enunciated. “Walk-man.”

Steve snorted when the realization hit. “Oh my fucking god.”

“See!” Eddie fell back on his throne, hands covering his face.

“It’s perfect,” Steve assured, even as his shoulders still shook with his barely contained laughter.

“And what would you name your character?” Eddie scoffed.

Steve thought about it for a moment, then leaned in closer. “That depends. What class should I be?”

“Which one sounds the most interesting to you?”

“What do you think I should be?” Steve reiterated as he crowded into Eddie’s space, cocking a flirtatious eyebrow.

Eddie seemed to catch on, leaning forward to tug on the collar of Steve’s shirt, a coy smile spreading over his face. “Oh, you’d definitely be a strong, brave Paladin …” He playfully squeezed Steve’s bicep.

“Yeah?”

Eddied nodded confidently. “With very high charisma,” he added, their faces only a few inches apart.

The door flung open, hitting a stack of chairs with a loud bang. Steve and Eddie jerked apart, attempting to look casual. Luckily, the teenagers pouring in were involved in their own conversations and didn’t even notice them at first.

“Steve?” Dustin called out incredulously. “What are you doing here?”

Steve nodded towards the mess in front of them. “Eddie’s teaching me how to play.”

Dustin grinned so wide it looked painful.

“Are you gonna play with us?” Lucas asked as he pulled out a chair, dropping his backpack on the floor.

Steve shook his head. “I’m just observing.”

“Thank god,” Mike murmured, but everyone ignored him.

“I should introduce you to my bandmates.” Eddie stood and gestured between Steve and his friends. “Guys, this is Steve. Steve, this is Gareth, Jeff, and Grant.”

Steve waved with his brightest smile, wanting to make a good impression on Eddie’s friends, though he was certain they’d already made up their minds about him. “King Steve” cast a long shadow. To his pleasant surprise, all three greeted him warmly enough.

Dustin claimed the chair next to Steve, forcing him to drop his feet to the ground. “What’s the verdict on Thanksgiving?” he asked excitedly.

“We’re in,” Eddie replied, shooting finger guns.

“Really!?”

Steve nodded. He didn’t want to explain about his shitty parents.

Dustin clapped his hands together in triumph. “Hell yes! This is gonna be awesome! Ok, mom is taking care of the turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie, so we need you to bring sides and rolls.”

“I think I can whip up some green bean casserole,” Steve offered. It was his favorite Thanksgiving food, and stupidly easy to make.

“My, uh, uncle has this weird dish he always makes …”

Steve peered over at Eddie, wondering what could be so weird about it.

“He calls it ‘fried corn,’” Eddie explained. “Says it came from our southern relatives.”

“Fried corn?” Steve questioned. He’d never heard of it.

“It’s just corn fried in bacon grease, but it’s fucking delicious.”

“Bacon makes everything better,” Steve chuckled. He turned his attention back to Dustin. “What kind of stuffing does your mom make?”

“Oyster,” Dustin replied, like that was fucking normal.

Steve’s stomach roiled, but he managed to keep his expression neutral. He almost cracked when he felt Eddie grip his thigh under the table. At least they’d be suffering together. “Sounds great,” he lied.

“This is going to be so awesome! We’ve never cooked a whole turkey before!”

“Me, neither,” Eddie huffed.

Steve thought about the huge turkeys his family prepared every year and felt a pang of guilt.

“Are we going to play or what?” Mike complained loudly.

“Hold your horses, Wheeler,” Eddie commanded in his DM voice. “We’re discussing important plans.”

“Can’t you do that later? My mom wants me home by six.”

“Well, maybe Vargr wants to sit this one out.” Eddie narrowed his eyes threateningly.

Mike threw his hands up in defeat, causing Lucas to chuckle under his breath.

“I’m with Mike on this one,” Gareth chimed in. “I’ve got a gnarly essay due tomorrow.”

Eddie rolled his eyes. “Fine, fine.” He slapped his hands onto the edge of the table, and Steve could practically see him channeling his boisterous DM personality. “When we left off, your party was traveling through the haunted woods of Wormar …”

They played until 5:45 so Mike would have enough time to bike home. He packed quickly and disappeared through the doors while everyone else chatted as they put away their character sheets and dice.

“I bet he just has a phone date with El,” Dustin scoffed.

While Dustin discussed something with Eddie, Steve leaned on the table next to Lucas. “Good job with the fog spell against those ogres.”

Lucas grinned. “Thanks! It’s pretty cool that you’re finally learning about this.”

Steve shrugged. “Eddie likes it, so …” He realized how telling that statement was, but decided to let it stand.

“Eddie’s pretty cool,” Lucas replied. “He’s really taken us under his wing.”

Steve smiled fondly. “I’m glad. High school can be rough. How are you handling it so far?”

Lucas shrugged. “It’s been ok. I joined the basketball team to … I don’t know,” he lowered his voice, “Not seem like such a nerd.”

He looked a bit ashamed to say it out loud, but Steve understood. Teenagers could be very mean. He remembered several instances of Tommy H. mocking people he deemed “nerds.” Steve hated himself for maintaining that friendship as long as he had. “Are your teammates treating you well?”

“Yeah,” Lucas replied. “But I’ve been stuck on the bench so far, which sucks.”

“I was on the bench for most of freshman year,” Steve assured “Just show ‘em what you’ve got during practice, and you’ll be on the court in no time.”

Lucas smiled gratefully.

“How’s, uh … How’s Max?” Steve knew, obviously, but he wanted to know how Lucas was feeling about it. First loves were … hard, even without their unusual circumstances.

Lucas’ expression fell. “Not good,” he sighed. “She broke up with me.”

“Yeah, Dustin may have mentioned that,” he admitted. “Did she say why?”

Lucas shook his head. “She just hasn’t been the same since … Billy.”

“Yeah … I’ve tried talking to her, but she’s stubborn.”

“You’ve talked to her?”

“Tried,” Steve reiterated. “I told her to talk to the school counselor. I hope she’s still going.”

“She is! I didn’t realize you were the one that convinced her! Thank you.”

“Of course,” he murmured. “She’s a good kid, and I hate that she’s dealing with this.”

“Me, too,” Lucas sighed. “It’s hard because I want to give her space, but I also want her to know I’m here for her …”

Steve nodded. He hated that these kids had experienced so many awful things. They deserved normal lives, and he didn’t have any good advice for Lucas. “I guess that’s all we can do. Let her know we’re here, and eventually she’ll come around.” He hoped she would, at least.

“Thanks,” Lucas murmured, clearly not convinced either.

“Hey, maybe I can watch you play sometime.”

Lucas brightened. “That would be awesome! So far my parents and Erica are the only ones who come.”

“What!?” Steve swiveled around to glare at Dustin. “You haven’t been to any of his games?”

Dustin looked like a deer caught in headlights. “Uh …” he stammered. “I’ve been busy?”

“Not even one game?” Steve scoffed. “Come on, he’s your best friend!”

“I’m just … not a … sports person?” Dustin offered.

“Eddie’s not a sports person, either, but he’ll go!” Steve made eye contact with his boyfriend and nodded minutely toward Lucas.

“Uh, yeah! Of course!” Eddie agreed.

“Really?” Lucas sounded so excited, it made Steve want to smack Dustin and Mike.

“Sure,” Eddie chuckled. “Steve will have to tell me what the hell’s going on, though.”

“Will would go to all of his games if he were still here,” Steve directed at Dustin.

Dustin’s shoulders sagged in defeat. “Maybe we can all go to the next one?” he offered.

“Yeah!"

Eddie wandered over to Steve and leaned in close to his ear. “Sure are taking me up on my offer, huh?” he teased in a whisper.

“The kid’s having a hard time,” he whispered back. He wanted to lean further into Eddie’s space, tug on the chain hanging from his belt loops, but he quickly realized everyone was staring at them. “When is the next game anyway?” he asked Lucas.

“We have one more game before winter break,” Lucas replied. “December 14th.”

“We’ll be there,” Steve promised, then glanced at Dustin.

Dustin nodded, but he looked significantly less enthused.

“Basketball is a great game!” Steve scoffed. He heard someone snort derisively behind him, and Eddie made a slashing motion across his throat at whoever it was. He was clearly mad at them, and Steve wanted to kiss the frown off his face.

“Yeah!” Lucas agreed enthusiastically.

“Well, I’ve got to start on that essay,” Gareth interjected. “See you at practice tomorrow, right?”

Eddie looked confused. “Yeah, of course.”

Gareth led Jeff and Grant out of the room. Eddie still looked a bit troubled, but Steve would wait until they were alone to ask about it.

“I should go, too,” Lucas shrugged. He stood up and threw his backpack over his shoulder. “Thanks for … Thanks, Steve.”

“No problem,” Steve replied. “Try not to stress too much about Max. I’m sure she’ll come around.”

Lucas smiled sadly, clearly not believing him. “Yeah …”

As soon as the door shut behind him, Steve let his head drop onto Eddie’s shoulder. He was about to wrap his arms around Eddie’s waist, when Eddie squeezed his arm.

“So Dustin!” he said pointedly, reminding Steve that they weren’t alone yet, “Any other requests for Thanksgiving?”

Steve lifted his head so fast, he swore he saw stars. Dustin was usually such a chatterbox that his silence made Steve forget he was even there.

“I don’t think so,” he replied, then looked at Steve. “I can’t believe you’re making me go to a basketball game!”

“They’re fun! We can buy snacks and cheer for the Tigers!” Steve argued.

“I’m surprised you’re willing to go at all,” Dustin said to Eddie. “You hate sports! You complain all the time about the pep rallies-”

“Ok, ok!” Eddie bit his lip, clearly avoiding Steve’s eyes. “If Steve likes it, then I’m sure it’s … fun.”

“If you hate it, you never have to go again,” Steve promised them both.

“Good!” Dustin exclaimed. He finished packing his things and looked up at them expectantly. “You ready to go?”

“Oh, um, I need to finish cleaning up …” Eddie murmured.

“Oh … C’mon, Steve, we can walk out together.”

“I actually …” He looked at Eddie, needing an excuse to stay.

Eddie shrugged sheepishly; he couldn’t think of any excuses, either.

“Sure,” Steve gave in, then whispered to Eddie, “I’ll be right back.”

“Think you’ll play next time?” Dustin asked as they walked down the hallway.

Steve nodded at the elderly janitor as they passed him mopping. They must be the last ones in the school by now. “I’m still thinking about it.”

“If you can make me and Eddie to go to a basketball game, then we get to make you play a session with us!” Dustin scoffed.

“I’m not making him go.”

Dustin grimaced. “Eddie would never willingly go to any sports thing.”

“Sometimes it's just about being there for your friends. Lucas needs you right now.”

Dustin fell quiet for a moment. “I guess you’re right.”

“Of course, I am.”

They exited the school and walked over to the bike rack. Dustin’s was the last one left.

“Damn, I think I left my car keys,” Steve lied. “I’ll see you later.” He jogged back up the stairs and tugged on the door handle, only to find it locked. “Shit!”

Dustin giggled at him. “Looks like you’ll have to wait for Eddie!”

Steve shook his head in frustration. He wasn’t sure how long Eddie would wait before he realized something was wrong; he might assume Steve was having some kind of heart to heart with Dustin. He banged his fist on the metal door, hoping the janitor might hear him.

Dustin laughed harder. “Bye, Steve!” he called over his shoulder as he rode away.

Steve waited for a moment, but it didn’t seem like anyone was coming. He remembered that the drama room had a few windows and decided to walk around the building. When he found the one he was looking for, he knocked on the glass.

Eddie looked up in confusion and walked over to the window. He fiddled with it for a minute until he figured out the locks and slid the pane up. “What happened?” he chuckled.

“The door locked behind me,” Steve huffed. He grabbed onto the windowsill and lifted himself up and into the narrow opening. His hand slipped as he pushed his body through, and he landed in an awkward heap on the floor.

Eddie laughed as he bent down to help him up. “You ok, babe?”

Steve stood up, dusting himself off. “I am now that we’re alone,” he huffed.

Eddie looked him over for bruises, then cupped Steve’s face with both hands and kissed him on the lips.

The kiss immediately brightened his mood, and he smiled. “You ready to go? I’ll have to go home after tonight, or my parents will report me missing.” If they even noticed he was gone... But he couldn’t impose on Wayne any longer, as much as he wanted to stay.

Eddie frowned. “But I don’t want you to go home ..." He wrapped his arms around Steve’s waist.

Steve did the same and sighed. “I don’t want to, either, but Wayne deserves a break.”

Eddie huffed. “Yeah …”

Steve reached up and brushed a strand of hair off of his face. “I’m sure my parents will ditch me again soon, and then we’ll have the run of my house.”

Eddie tugged gently at the back of Steve’s polo. “I hate how excited I am about your parents abandoning you.”

Steve scoffed. “I’d much rather be with you,” he assured, though the pain of his parents’ emotional distance still throbbed. But that was his problem, and Eddie didn’t need to worry about it. He leaned in, Eddie meeting him halfway, and they kissed languidly. Then they worked together to collect Eddie’s stuff.

*

When they arrived back at the trailer, Wayne had dinner waiting for them. Steve thanked him profusely and promised to be out of his hair the next day.

Wayne waved him off. “It’s no problem,” he promised, but Steve knew he was being too nice for his own good.

Once he’d left for work, they retired to Eddie’s room where Eddie put in a mixtape and started on his homework. Steve borrowed some paper and lay on the bed as he drew out a diagram of a basketball court, pondering how best to explain the rules and positions.

Eddie eventually slammed his textbook shut and joined Steve on the bed. “Whatcha working on?”

Steve held up the diagram. “Basketball stuff.”

Eddie draped himself over Steve and tried to grab the paper to study, but Steve tossed it to the floor. “Don’t you want to teach me?”

“I will later."

Eddie grinned before kissing Steve hungrily.

Chapter Text

Eddie hopped into his van after school to meet the rest of Corroded Coffin at Gareth’s place, as he was the only member who had both a garage for them to practice in and lenient parents. He parked on the street and fetched his guitar from where she was securely strapped in the back.

Usually, his bandmates would be warming up with their instruments, but now they were standing close together, clearly having some kind of conversation before Eddie arrived. They shared a look before turning their attention to him.

“Hey, guys,” he greeted cautiously. “What’s up?” He adjusted his guitar strap anxiously as he remembered them questioning whether he’d show up for practice the previous day.

Gareth took a deep breath and asked, “Are you ok, man?”

Eddie shrugged. “I’m fucking great.” Up until this moment, at least. He was doing well in school, and he had the hottest date in town! But now he felt like he was being confronted, and he had no idea why. “What’s wrong?” he snorted, trying to keep the anxiety at bay.

Jeff kicked awkwardly at the ground. “You’ve just been spending a lot of time with Harrington lately.”

Eddie's guts turned to ice. They knew, didn’t they? He and Steve hadn’t been careful enough, and now his friends were ditching him. He’d really hoped, deep down, that he might be able to come out to them someday, but now … “So?” he shrugged, trying to act nonchalant.

“King Steve?” Grant scoffed. “He’s a douchebag!”

“And now you’re going to basketball games with him?” Gareth added. “It’s just weird, man. You’re not into that shit.”

Eddie swallowed hard. His first instinct was to defend his boyfriend’s honor. “Steve’s not a douchebag,” he said defiantly.

All three rolled their eyes.

“He’s not! What the fuck has he ever done to you?” They were silent for a moment, and Eddie wanted to laugh. They didn’t have shit. They just assumed the worst, like he had.

“He’s rich,” Grant finally replied.

“And a jock,” Jeff added.

“His friend Tommy H. shoved me into a locker once,” Gareth grimaced.

“‘His friend,’” Eddie snorted. “He’s not friends with that asshole anymore.”

“Well, he was …”

“But he isn’t now! People change, you know! Besides, Steve never bullied us. I never saw him bully anyone.”

“What about Jonathan Byers?” Gareth accused.

“You mean the guy that stole his girlfriend?”

“Oh … I didn’t know that,” Gareth muttered.

Eddie sighed. “Look, I assumed he was an ass, too, but … He’s actually really great. You saw him checking on Lucas. Have any of you done that? I hadn’t even done that! He saved my ass from getting mugged, and he’s been helping me study. He’s not who you think he is.”

His friends had the decency to look a bit ashamed.

“Sorry,” Jeff shrugged.

“It’s still weird, though,” Grant mumbled. “Do you have anything in common?”

“Yeah, and we’re introducing each other to new stuff, too. We’re … broadening each other’s horizons.”

“Still … Basketball?” Gareth huffed. “Never thought I’d see the day.”

Eddie shrugged. “Me, neither.” But if Steve liked it, he was going to give it a shot, just like Steve had done for him. “Are we going to fucking practice or what?” He kept his tone light to help relieve the tension.

“Fine, but we’ve got to tell the Hangout we’re not playing any more covers!” Gareth sat behind his drum kit and pulled out his sticks. “We’ve got great songs, but no one ever gets to hear them.”

“I know, I know,” Eddie murmured. He had a song or two brewing that were specifically about Steve, though he was trying to keep the lyrics vague. “I’ll talk to them when we set up our next gig.”

~*~

When Steve finally returned home, his mother greeted him cordially, but did not ask where he’d been. His father sat drinking in his study and didn’t even seem to notice him. Surely, they had noticed his absence?

“Oh, sweetie, this came in the mail for you.” His mother handed him a thick envelope.

Steve was pretty sure it was his queer zine. At least he could hole up in his room and read. Maybe there’d be a new movie for him to suggest to Eddie. “Thanks.” He waited until he was in his room with the door locked to tear open the envelope. Sure enough, his zine slid out onto his waiting hands. He sat down on his bed, leaning onto the headboard as he began flipping through the pages. A bold headline caught his attention.

“The Art of Rimming,” he murmured to himself. As he read the article, a flush spread across his face, and his jeans felt uncomfortably tight. He remembered the urge he’d felt to worship Eddie’s asshole while he was fingering himself, and here were other people discussing that exact thing like it was normal and accepted. The article was full of tips, even suggestions on ideal positions. He could not fucking wait to do this to Eddie; he hoped he would be open to trying it. He cursed that he hadn’t retrieved the zine sooner, but maybe they could try it out that weekend … He picked his phone up off the receiver on his nightstand and dialed Eddie’s number.

“Hello?” Wayne answered.

“Hello, Mr. Munson,” Steve greeted, trying hard not to think about the filthy things he wanted to do to Wayne’s nephew. “Is Eddie home?”

“Sorry, Steve, I think he’s at band practice.”

“Oh, yeah,” Steve sighed. “Thanks.”

“I’ll let him know you called.”

“Thank you, Mr. Munson,” he replied sincerely.

After they hung up, Steve dog-eared the article and continued reading the rest of the zine. When he got to the movie listings, he saw that the Indianapolis theater was still playing My Beautiful Laundrette. That was perfect! He liked that movie a lot, and he wouldn’t have to worry about seeing something new they might not like. He was certain he’d enjoy any movie with queer protagonists, but Robin had mentioned that lots of them tended to be depressing. Eddie deserved for his first gay movie to be a happy one. He continued to read, turning on his bedside lamp as the sun dipped below the trees outside his window. When his phone rang, he nearly jumped out of his skin. He caught his breath before answering.

“Hey,” Eddie greeted. “Wayne told me you called. It hasn’t even been a day,” he teased.

Steve snorted. “You weren’t planning on calling me as soon as you got home?”

“Maybe …”

Steve laughed. “How was band practice?”

“Uh … It started kinda rough, to be honest.”

“What? Why?”

“My bandmates confronted me about our ‘friendship.’”

Steve felt a knot of anxiety twist itself in his belly. “What do you mean?”

“Not like that,” Eddie assured. “They just … They asked why I was spending so much time with King Steve.” He sighed heavily.

“Oh …” The anxiety was quickly replaced with self-loathing. “And I thought I’d made a good impression on them …”

“It’s not you, Steve, it’s just their assumptions about you. They’re as close-minded about you as I used to be.”

Steve wanted the ground to open up and swallow him whole. He stayed quiet, unsure of what to say.

“Steve?”

“Was I really that bad?” he finally managed. “I know I hung out with some real assholes, but I … No, I let Tommy and Carol get away with some terrible shit. Your friends are right-”

“Hey!” Eddie said sharply, cutting Steve off mid-spiral. “I set them straight, ok? You are the kindest man I’ve ever met-”

“Yeah, right,” Steve muttered, unable to stop himself.

“-and I think you’re pretty fucking awesome,” Eddie continued. “We’ve all made mistakes, all right? My record isn’t exactly spotless, either.”

Steve let his head fall back against the wall. “Yeah …” He trusted Eddie, but it was hard to wash away the shame he felt about himself.

“Do I need to come over there?”

“My parents are here …” he murmured sadly.

“Then come back over here. I don’t want you feeling shitty alone in your room.”

Steve felt tears stinging his eyes. “But Wayne-”

“Wayne, do you give a fuck if Steve stays another night?” He paused for Wayne’s response, but Steve couldn’t hear him over the phone. “See? It’s fine.”

“I won’t be any fun,” Steve sniffed.

“I don’t need you to be fun; I just need you to be ok. Steve, I like you, a lot. The kids love you. Robin loves you. Because we know you. Once my idiot friends get to know you, they’ll like you, too.”

Steve could feel fat tears welling up and blinked in a desperate bid to keep them from falling. “Fine, I’ll come over,” he replied thickly.

“Do you want me to come get you?” Eddie asked gently; he must’ve heard the tears in Steve's voice.

“No … No, I’ll be over soon.”

“Ok. See you soon, babe.”

They hung up, and Steve stared up at his ceiling. There was nothing more painful than the kindness of others when he was feeling so low about himself, which was dumb, but he couldn’t help it. He was so grateful for Eddie. Once he was certain the tears wouldn’t spill over, he dumped out the dirty laundry from his duffel bag, replacing it with a fresh set of clothes. He debated taking the zine, but knew he’d at least want to read it at work the next day, so he tossed it in, too. He escaped his house without a word from his parents, which threatened to crush his heart some more, but when he cranked up his car and Judas Priest blared from the radio, the darkness retreated a bit.

~*~

As soon as Eddie hung up the phone, he dropped his forehead against the wall and groaned. “Why the fuck did I tell him what they said?”

Wayne huffed from the couch. “Not your best moment. So ... Steve’s got a bit of a reputation, huh?”

Eddie slunk over and dropped onto the couch next to his uncle. “He used to hang out with some shitty people,” he explained.

“Were they ever mean to you?”

Eddie shook his head. “They were mostly caught up with their own cliquey bullshit. I don’t think they even knew I existed.”

Wayne nodded. “Steve’s pretty hard on himself, isn’t he?”

Eddie sighed. “More than I realized … Which is insane because he’s so sweet.”

“He seems like a good kid to me.”

Eddie hated that he’d said anything about practice to Steve. He should’ve just said it was fine and left it at that. He only ever wanted to make Steve feel good. This sucked.

He and Wayne quietly watched TV until Eddie heard the sound of a car pulling up outside the trailer. He immediately jumped up and ran to the door, wrenching it open. Steve stepped out of his car, and Eddie quickly made his way down to embrace him. “I’m sorry,” he murmured into Steve’s throat.

Steve wrapped his arms around him. “It’s not your fault.”

Eddie leaned back and took Steve’s hand. “C’mon, let’s go inside.” He led him into the trailer.

“Hello,” Steve greeted Wayne sadly.

Wayne smiled gently at him. “Welcome back. I’m afraid it’s my night off, so you’ll have to put up with me,” he chuckled.

Steve sighed. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to-”

Wayne waved him off. “You’re always welcome here. Come sit down.” He patted the empty spot on the couch next to him.

Steve looked at Eddie tentatively, but Eddie nodded and gently pushed him toward his uncle. He reluctantly did as they prompted.

“I hope you’re ready for some tough love,” Wayne chuckled. “So what if you were a shithead in high school? Who wasn’t? You’ve been nothing but respectful to me, and you seem to have lots of decent friends now. You can’t let your past eat away at you like this. It’s not healthy.”

Steve’s eyes widened, and he seemed to snap out of the morose demeanor he’d come in with.

“You move forward and try to be a better person. It’s all any of us can do. You got that?”

Eddie could see the tears welling up in Steve’s eyes.

Wayne placed a hand on his shoulder. “You got that?” he repeated.

Steve nodded, and a tear slipped down his cheek. “Yes, sir.”

“Good. Now you boys go cheer each other up. I’ll just turn the volume up real loud,” he teased.

Eddie covered his face with his hands, groaning at his uncle’s antics. He was certain they weren’t in the mood, and he honestly just wanted to comfort Steve through this. He reached down for his boyfriend’s hand again. “C’mon, babe.”

Steve stood and began to follow him to the bedroom before abruptly turning back to Wayne. “Thank you.”

Wayne nodded and returned his attention to the television.

Eddie tugged gently until Steve followed him. Once in his room, he closed and locked the door, then pressed chaste kisses across Steve’s jaw. “You ok?”

Steve closed his eyes. “I will be.”

Eddie gently undressed him until he was just in his boxers and maneuvered him onto the mattress. He put the Springsteen tape in, then removed his own clothes and crawled into bed, helping position Steve so he was snuggled comfortably against his chest. He ran soothing fingers through Steve’s hair.

“I wish Wayne was my uncle,” he sniffled.

Eddie chuckled. “Yeah, I really lucked out.” They fell silent for a few minutes as Springsteen crooned. He could feel Steve’s breathing even out.

“I want to apologize to your friends,” Steve eventually murmured into his chest.

Eddie shushed him gently, still playing with his hair. “You've got nothing to apologize for.”

“I do. I let Tommy and Carol get away with a lot of shit, made excuses for their behavior, but … they were assholes, and I was their friend. I just … want to apologize.”

Eddie caressed Steve’s shoulder. He could see his point, and he felt proud of him. “Ok, if that’s what you want, then I’ll make it happen.”

Steve squeezed him a bit tighter. “I’m really … glad … you’re my boyfriend.”

Eddie smiled and pressed a kiss to the top of Steve’s head. “Me, too,” he replied. “There’s no one I’d rather be with.” And he really fucking meant it. Any dumb shit Steve had done before didn’t matter; he only cared about the amazing person he was now.

*

They showered together the next morning, and Eddie took his time washing Steve’s hair and body. Steve was reluctant at first, still clearly in a funk, but Eddie had shushed him with a smile. He gently scratched Steve’s scalp, massaged soap across his shoulders and lower back; he could feel Steve relaxing with each touch.

Steve ran his hands up and down Eddie’s arms as he worked. “Thank you,” he murmured.

“Did you think this was for you?” Eddie teased as he ran his soapy hands over Steve’s deliciously hairy chest. “This is for me.”

Steve finally cracked a smile, and it filled Eddie’s chest with warmth. “Can I do you?”

Eddie gasped melodramatically. “Here? Now?”

“Shut up,” Steve laughed as he grabbed the shampoo bottle.

Eddie shook his head playfully. “And while my uncle is in the other room-”

Steve gently shoved him under the spray of water before pouring shampoo onto the top of his head. He set the bottle back on the shelf and massaged the suds into Eddie’s thick curls.

Eddie hummed happily.

When they began to rinse off, the water temperature dropped rapidly. Steve shrieked when the cold water hit his back, causing Eddie to snort with laughter. Steve pulled Eddie under the cold spray with him, making him yelp. They rinsed off as quickly as humanly possible, giggling the whole time.

Eddie threw a towel over Steve’s head and dried his hair roughly.

“I’m not a dog!” Steve laughed.

Eddie let the towel slip off Steve’s head. “Are you feeling better?”

“Yeah,” Steve smiled softly.

“Good!” He pecked him on the lips happily.

“Oh, that movie is still showing in Indianapolis!” Steve mentioned when they returned to the bedroom.

“Yeah? Do you wanna see it again?”

“Definitely.”

“Want to see it this weekend?”

“Mmm, maybe. Robin wants us to hang out, and she might not be up for it again, but we could go after Thanksgiving.”

Eddie grinned. “Sounds good to me. Like an adventure!” He hadn’t been to Indianapolis in ages, and he was excited to share this new queer experience with his boyfriend.

Steve chuckled as he dumped the contents of his bag onto Eddie’s bed and grabbed a clean pair of boxers from the pile.

Eddie noticed a stack of paper sticking out from underneath a pair of Steve’s jeans. He grabbed the corner and pulled it out, realized it was some kind of homemade zine, and began to thumb through it.

“That’s my queer zine,” Steve explained. “That’s how I found out the movie was still playing.”

Eddie nodded as he continued to flip through its contents. He noticed one of the pages was dog-eared and paused to read the article. His eyes widened as he read about “rimming,” which he had never even heard of before. He adjusted himself as his cock stirred at the thought of Steve doing this to him. He cleared his throat and asked, “Did you mark this page for a reason?”

Steve looked up, saw the page, and blushed deeply. “I, uh … thought we could try it, if you’re interested …”

Eddie got to the section about optimal positions and swallowed thickly. “You want to, uh, do this to me?”

Steve bit his lip and nodded.

Eddie let out a long breath. “I wish you had found this article earlier.” He’d try it out right now if Wayne weren’t home, and he didn’t have to go to fucking school. And of course, Wayne was off that night, too …

“Trust me, I do, too,” Steve replied, his voice muffled as he pulled on his polo. “We need a mattress for your van,” he joked.

“That’s a great fucking idea!” Then they could drive out to the middle of nowhere and be as loud as they wanted!

Steve snorted as he tucked in his shirt.

“Hey, I’m 19 years old! My hormones are raging,” Eddie shrugged. He wanted Steve every second of every day, honestly.

“So you’re into it? The … rimming?”

Eddie scoffed. “Yeah, I fucking am! I’m half hard just reading about it! I’m going to be absolutely useless at school …”

“Well, you better finish getting ready, cause you’re going to be late.”

“Can I borrow this?”

Steve paused for a second, then replied, “Yeah, of course.”

“You were going to read this at work, weren’t you?” Eddie smirked.

“It’s really fucking boring on weekdays, ok?”

“Fine, but I want to read it later.” He tossed it onto the end of the bed.

“You sure?”

“Yes, yes. I have to focus on my studies, right?” He batted his eyelashes innocently.

“Yes, you do.”

Eddie smiled as they kissed just inside the door before heading out to their separate cars. It had already become routine, and he was going to hate not having it the next morning. But Steve was right; the trailer was small, and Wayne had put up with them enough. If he could figure out a mattress for his van, it would open up a whole new world of possibilities for them. For once in his life, he was glad to live in such a rural area with plenty of desolate places for them to park.

Chapter Text

Eddie made his way toward his first class when he ran into Jeff.

“Hey,” he greeted, far more friendly than the previous day. “Sorry about yesterday. We were assholes.”

Eddie wanted to agree, but he’d thought the same shit once. “I get it,” he sighed. “But I promise, once you get to know him, he’s a great guy.”

Jeff smiled. “Is he going to keep coming to Hellfire?”

He shrugged. “Sometimes. He’s got work and shit, too.”

Jeff nodded. “So ... we’re cool?”

“Yeah,” he smiled before embracing him in a one-armed hug. “I’ll see you at lunch, ok?”

He did his best to pay attention during first period, but his mind kept wandering back to that article. The very idea of Steve eating his asshole was incredibly fucking hot, but knowing how much Steve wanted to do it was even hotter. He pondered what it would feel like, and fantasized about being face down on the mattress as Steve licked into him. When his cock throbbed in interest, he shook himself out of it and flipped open his notebook. Taking notes was probably a good idea, as much as he didn’t care about this shit anymore. The first page he turned to had some of his new lyrics scrawled across it. He hadn’t had the time to work on the tune while Steve was staying with him, but maybe tonight he could pluck out some notes. The lyrics were far sappier than what he usually wrote, but he was feeling fucking sappy. Steve made him feel … like he’d never felt before, and they’d only been dating a couple of weeks. He hoped he felt like this forever. I wanna feel like this forever, he added to the end of the lyrics.

*

Eddie sat with his feet propped up on the lunch table, humming to himself as he recited his lyrics in his head.

“Writing a new song?” Gareth asked excitedly.

Eddie nodded as he scratched out a word. “We’ll probably have to play one or two of our songs to convince the Hangout, you know.”

“Do you think they’ll go for it?” Grant asked. “I’m sick of covers.”

“Me, too,” Eddie sighed. Except for Dancing in the Dark. He’d happily play that song over and over for the rest of his life.

“What’s your song about?” Dustin asked innocently.

Eddie froze, uncertain how to answer. “It’s a … love song,” he finally admitted.

“Damn, dude, already?” Jeff laughed. “She must have quite the hold on you.”

He sure does, he thought to himself. Then he remembered the van mattress idea. “Does anyone know where I can nick a mattress?”

“A mattress?”

“For the back of my van.”

“Ooooh, it's getting hot and heavy, huh?”

Eddie rolled his eyes and motioned at the freshmen. “Let’s keep it PG.”

“We know what sex is,” Mike scoffed.

“Doesn’t mean I want to discuss it in front of you, twerp.” He looked back at his older friends. “Well, any ideas?”

“My parents have a foam mat for when they go camping,” Jeff said. “It’ll definitely be cheaper than a mattress.”

Eddie grimaced at the idea of being railed on a thin foam mat over the metal floor of his van.

“You could always shoplift an air mattress,” Gareth suggested.

“But then I’d have to figure out how to blow it up …” And they’d probably pop the damn thing the first time they used it.

“Check the Hawkins Post,” Dustin chimed in. “Maybe someone is selling a used one.”

Eddie blinked at him in surprise. “That's a great idea!”

Dustin smirked. “Are you really gonna-”

“It’s for camping!” he interrupted loudly. “Camping and nothing else.” He returned his attention to his notebook, pointedly ignoring the giggles coming from both sides of the table.

*

On his way home, he stopped at a gas station to grab a copy of the Hawkins Post.

Wayne greeted him when he got home, and Eddie joined him on the couch, feet propped up on the coffee table and newspaper in his lap. He scanned the classifieds, circling a few possible options. They were all a bit out of his budget, but maybe he could haggle one of these people down.

“Whatcha looking for?”

“An amp,” he lied quickly.

“You need a new one?”

“Nah, I just thought an extra might be good for spare parts.” He saw another ad for a full-size mattress and circled it. He could feel his uncle trying to peek, so he adjusted the paper slightly.

“That’s a smart idea.”

They lapsed into silence as he continued his search and Wayne watched a gameshow. He wished he had a phone in his room like Steve did. He wanted to secure a mattress as soon as possible, but Wayne might throw a fit about the van mattress idea; throw himself on the coals to reassure Eddie that he and Steve weren’t a problem. He was too fucking nice. Besides, Eddie really wanted to let loose, and he couldn’t do that in the trailer park, even while Wayne was at work. How would he explain that to his uncle without bursting into flame from pure embarrassment? He’d just take some change and make the calls at school tomorrow.

~*~

Steve was helping Robin put away returned tapes the next evening when the door jingled. He popped up over a shelf to greet the customer, but he was pleasantly surprised to see Eddie. “Eds!” he greeted happily, quickly crossing the store to embrace him in a “friendly” hug. He pressed a quick kiss to his jaw since the store was empty anyway.

Eddie grinned happily at the open affection. “Hey, babe.”

“Ooh, we’ve progressed to nicknames,” Robin teased as she joined them at the front of the store.

Eddie stuck his tongue out at her, then motioned to Steve. “Come out to the van for a sec; I’ve got something to show you.”

Steve was curious, and looked over his shoulder to get Robin’s permission to leave her alone in the store.

“I wanna see!” She bolted past them and led the charge out into the parking lot, causing Eddie to laugh and Steve to roll his eyes.

Eddie walked them over to his van and opened the back doors, spreading his arms triumphantly as he revealed his secret.

Steve was shocked to see a full-size, slightly stained mattress wedged into the back of the van. He snorted and put his hand over his mouth. He honestly wasn’t sure how Eddie fit it in there in the first place, and he was certain they’d never get it out again. That was ok with him, though, given the implications.

“Holy shit.” Robin stepped into the van before turning and dropping onto the mattress, bouncing slightly. She sat up on her elbows to look at them both. “Is this for what I think it's for?”

“And worse!” Eddie replied, eyebrows waggling.

“Gross!” she giggled, kicking her feet.

“Where did you find this?” Steve asked, poking at the edge. “It doesn’t have bedbugs, does it?”

“No! They swore up and down it was clean!”

“Who did?”

“I found it in a classified ad,” he explained. “Their son moved out for college, and they’re turning his room into an art studio. I haggled ‘em down cause of the stains.”

Steve was honestly impressed. He joined Robin on the mattress and bounced, testing it out. It was in pretty good shape. He smirked at his boyfriend. “That desperate for me, huh?”

“It was your idea!” Eddie shot back, but he couldn’t hide his grin.

“You are too much,” Robin groaned, rolling her eyes. “Does this mean we’re not hanging out this weekend?”

“Of course not!” Steve bumped their shoulders together. “We’ll hang out, and Eddie and I will fuck after, right?”

Eddie snorted. “Right!”

She continued to inspect the mattress. “You need sheets on this thing.”

“If we can get them on,” Steve laughed, trying and failing to wedge his fingers between the mattress and the wall of the van.

“And towels,” Eddie added. “This thing has enough stains.”

Robin stuck her finger in her mouth and pretended to retch.

“You’re just jealous,” Steve teased.

“Uh, duh!” she sneered.

“Did Wayne throw a fit?” he asked Eddie.

“Wayne doesn’t know ...” Eddie admitted.

Robin arched her brow in silent question.

“His uncle is really cool about us,” Steve explained.

“Too cool,” Eddie added. “He puts up with too much already. This way we can fool around without bothering him.”

“He’s cool with you?” she gasped. “That’s amazing! I’ll be impressed if my parents don’t throw me out!”

“Me, too,” Steve sighed sadly.

Eddie patted the mattress. “At least you’ll have a place to sleep?”

Robin fell over laughing. “Yeah, I’d love to live in your SEX VAN!”

“Holy fuck, that’s a great name! I should get that airbrushed on the side!”

“Absolutely not!” Steve exclaimed. He gently shoved Robin’s shoulder as she continued to cackle. “Don’t give him any more ideas!”

“Um, I think you have a customer.” Eddie nodded towards a middle-aged man entering the empty video store.

“Shit,” Steve muttered, scooting to the edge of the mattress.

Robin sat up and stopped him with her hand on his shoulder. “I got this, but you only have five minutes. You can’t leave me alone for the rest of your shift.”

“I’ll be right in, I swear.”

They interlocked their pinkies, then Robin hopped down and jogged back into the store.

“I don’t deserve her ..."

Eddie hoisted himself backwards into the van so he was sitting next to Steve. “She’s pretty cool.” He patted the mattress between them. “Did I do good or what?”

Steve picked at the fabric. “You did great.” He placed his hand on top of Eddie’s. “You didn’t pay too much, did you?”

Eddie waved him off. “I told you, I haggled them down. Besides, it was worth it. I can’t wait to scream your name while you eat me out.”

Steve’s face immediately flushed, and he buried his head in Eddie’s shoulder. “Fuuuuuuck.”

Eddie chuckled. “You better get back in there before she kicks your ass.”

“You’re gonna say hot shit to me and then take off?” Steve grumbled against Eddie’s shirt. The weekend couldn’t come fast enough. He felt like he was going to burst into flames.

“Yep!”

Steve laughed and pulled himself away from his boyfriend. “You’re cruel.”

Eddie leaned in like he was going to whisper something in his ear, but then he took his earlobe between his teeth, making Steve yelp. “Don’t forget it,” he teased.

“Great-” Steve adjusted his half hard cock in his jeans. “Look what you’ve done.”

“You could shut the doors and let me take care of that for you …”

Steve practically threw himself out of the van, otherwise he would absolutely take Eddie up on his offer, and Robin would absolutely murder him. He frowned when Eddie began to cackle. “Very cruel, Munson!”

Eddie scoffed, slapping the mattress under him. “I am the best boyfriend in the world.”

Steve rolled his eyes fondly and cracked a smile. “Yeah, yeah …” He was, but he didn’t need to inflate his ego anymore. “I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”

Eddie fished his pack of cigarettes out of his jacket pocket, pulled one out, and brought it to his lips, then winked at Steve. “See you tomorrow, babe.” He lit the cigarette with a long drag before climbing out of the van and slamming the doors shut.

He was so hot, Steve just wanted to watch him walk away, but Robin suddenly yelled his name across the parking lot. He gave his boyfriend a pathetic wave before returning to the store. When he was back inside, he realized the store was empty and the one customer must have left already. “Robs,” he whined. “You couldn’t give me one more minute to stare at his ass?”

She leaned onto the counter and put her chin in her hands, pouting. “Life is so unfair, isn’t it?”

He glared at her.

“What are we doing tomorrow anyway?”

“Well, My Beautiful Laundrette is still playing in Indianapolis, and I’d like to show Eddie …”

She contemplated for a moment. “I’m not in the mood for that long drive …”

He nodded. “That’s ok. He and I can go next weekend.”

She pursed her lips. “We could go skating?”

“I don’t think Eddie will be into that …”

“Oh, cause he’s such a bad boy!” she teased.

“Jesus Christ, Robs.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “I haven’t been skating in years, and I'd probably bust my ass.”

“Good point. You don’t want to embarrass yourself in front of the new boyfriend.”

“We could go to the park. I want to teach Eddie how to play basketball.”

“Yeah … How about you do that Saturday?”

He threw his hands up in defeat.

“I have to watch enough basketball already,” she explained. “How about shopping?”

“I’m pretty sure we don’t have an extra ten bucks between the three of us,” he scoffed. “Especially now that he’s bought that mattress.”

“We can still look!”

He leaned onto the counter. “I wish the mall was still around …”

“Me, too,” she agreed wistfully. “Let’s just get together tomorrow and see what happens. Worst case scenario, we snag a movie and hang out, like usual.”

He nodded.

“And then you can ditch me and do whatever terrible things you were planning on doing to Eddie.”

Steve snorted, the zine article still lingering in the back of his mind …

Chapter Text

Eddie made sure to wake up early the next morning to spend a ridiculous amount of time scrubbing his ass. He honestly wished he could take another shower before their date, but he was pretty sure the timing wouldn’t work. As his fingers probed around his hole, he realized how hairy he was and grimaced. He briefly thought about shaving, but the thought of a razor anywhere near there made him shiver in horror. Hopefully, Steve wouldn’t mind.

As he dressed, Wayne knocked on the door to offer him breakfast.

“Thanks, but I’m gonna skip breakfast today.”

Wayne frowned. “You feeling ok?”

He shrugged nonchalantly. “Yeah, just not hungry this morning.” The truth was that he didn’t want to eat anything and risk … any accidents. Even a stray fart would result in him throwing himself into the quarry.

Wayne didn’t look like he believed him, but he didn’t press the matter. “Suit yourself.”

Eddie shut his door and blew out a sigh in relief.

*

After school, he and Robin drove straight to Steve’s house where they found him sitting on the trunk of his BMW. Eddie rolled down his window and cocked his eyebrow suggestively. “Need a ride, pretty boy?”

Steve blushed and slid off the trunk, grabbing his duffel bag off the driveway.

Eddie had the sudden and absurd realization that he’d removed the back seats to fit the mattress. “Maybe we should take your car?” he suggested.

Steve’s brow pinched. “But then we won’t have the van for later ...”

“Oh yeah. You cool with sitting on the mattress?” he asked Robin.

“Has it been christened yet?” she replied sarcastically.

“I wish,” Eddie sighed wistfully.

Steve rolled his eyes fondly as he waited for her to vacate the passenger seat. Once she was settled on the mattress, he tossed his duffel bag at her.

She yelped at the impact.

“What’s in there?” Eddie asked.

“Supplies,” Steve winked.

Robin dropped the bag onto the floor in disgust. “So what are we doing?”

“I’d like to hit the record store,” Eddie replied.

“Yeah?”

“The new W.A.S.P. album just came out, and I want to give it a listen.”

“Sounds good to me,” Steve smiled.

“Sure,” Robin shrugged.

They talked about their days as Eddie drove them downtown to the only record store left since the mall burned down. He lamented the loss of Sam Goody; it was a huge store with lots of selection, but their local place wasn’t too bad. One of the staff was into metal, so Eddie could usually find what he was looking for. He parked in the nearest spot and all three piled out onto the sidewalk.

Steve knocked their shoulders together as he walked past, turning to grin impishly as he held the door open for them.

Ugh, Eddie couldn’t wait for tonight. He slapped Steve’s thigh as he entered the store, giggling when he yelped in surprise.

“Knock it off, you two,” Robin demanded in exasperation, then wandered off further into the store.

Eddie immediately walked over to the metal section, flicking through the cassettes until he found what he was looking for. He turned the cassette in his hands to read the track listing.

Steve peered over his shoulder. “W.A.S.P? What does that stand for?”

Eddie chuckled. “They’ve never explained it,” he replied.

“Have you heard any of the singles yet?”

He shook his head.

“I think I see some headphones.” Steve led him over to a listening station.

Eddie scanned the list of music currently available to listen to, but of course it was all pop and mainstream rock music. He scoffed in disgust.

Steve chuckled. “Maybe one of the clerks will let you listen,” he suggested.

“It’s worth a shot. I’ll be right back.”

Steve nodded and continued looking through the list of sample songs.

Eddie didn’t have high hopes until he rounded a shelf and saw the clerk he knew was into metal. “Hey,” he greeted.

The guy turned and looked him up and down, then nodded in approval at Eddie’s Dio shirt. “Hey, man,” he greeted casually. “Need help?”

Eddie held up the W.A.S.P. tape. “Is there any way I could give this a listen?”

The clerk’s smile broadened, and he nodded his head. “Hell yeah, I’ve got my copy behind the counter.” Eddie followed him, and the clerk produced a walkman from under the counter. “I’d play it over the store speakers, but the owner thinks it’ll scare away the customers,” he sneered.

Eddie rolled his eyes as The Power of Love by Huey Lewis and the News blared throughout the store. “He’s got shit taste,” he muttered.

“Tell me about it.” He handed the walkman to Eddie. “Take your time. It’s a good album.”

“Thanks, man.” Eddie put on the small headphones and pressed play. The guitar riffs automatically put a smile on his face, and he bopped his head along to the rhythm. He looked across the store and saw Steve, also with headphones on. Their eyes met, and they smiled. Eddie wondered what he was listening to. He listened to most of the songs, fast forwarding to hear as many snippets as possible, before he paused the tape and returned the walkman to the clerk.

“So what’d you think?”

“It’s rad,” he replied. He awkwardly fiddled with the tape in his hands. He’d already blown his budget on the mattress, but he felt guilty about shoplifting after the clerk had been so nice to him. “I’m gonna look around some more,” he added lamely. He turned to put the tape back, and nearly jumped out of his skin when he realized Steve was behind him.

Steve chuckled. “Sorry, ba- Uh, do you like it?”

Eddie wanted to have this conversation farther away from the clerk. “Yeah,” he replied. “It sounds awesome. I just don’t have the cash right now …”

Steve frowned. “I found something, too.” He held up a cassette tape that featured some kind of skeleton party. It was very … colorful.

“Oingo Boingo … Never heard of them.”

“Me, neither,” Steve shrugged. “But the singles they had sounded really great.”

“Wanna listen to it tonight?”

Steve grinned at Eddie’s suggestion. “Yeah! We can listen to both!”

Eddie was about to argue, but Steve plucked the W.A.S.P. tape out of his hand. He watched as Steve handed both tapes to the clerk and pulled out his wallet. He wanted to burst into flames, but he let Steve do this kind thing for him. Probably didn’t have a choice anyway.

“Robs! You ready?” Steve called across the store once the transaction was over.

Robin bounded toward them, hands empty.

“Didn’t find anything?” he asked.

“Nah, not this time. Ooh, what’d you get?”

Eddie followed them out of the store while Steve showed her the two tapes he’d purchased. “You didn’t have to do that,” he murmured.

“You just bought us a fucking mattress,” Steve scoffed, holding out Eddie’s tape.

“A fucking mattress,” Robin wheezed next to them.

Eddie smiled shyly. “Ok, fine. I guess you have a point.” He accepted the tape without further complaint.

Steve threw his arm around Eddie’s shoulders. “What should we do now?”

He paused in front of the thrift store. “We should grab some sheets for the mattress,” he suggested, nodding towards the entrance.

“I already got some,” Steve replied.

“You didn’t buy new sheets, did you?” He felt guilty enough.

“Nah, just stole some from my parents,” he grinned. “They own too many anyway.”

Eddie laughed. “Ooh, so these will be nice sheets, huh?”

“Only the best,” Steve replied huskily, sliding easily into Eddie’s personal space and hooking his finger through one of his belt loops.

Eddie’s eyes flicked around, noting how busy the street was. God, he’d give anything to kiss Steve openly and not give a damn who saw. He settled for running his fingers up the length of Steve’s arm.

Robin cleared her throat next to them, ruining the moment, but it was probably for the best. Steve had some serious bedroom eyes, and Eddie was sure he didn’t look much better.

“Anybody hungry?” she asked before darting into the diner.

They followed her in, and although the delicious smells immediately set off Eddie’s stomach, he was determined to continue his fast.

Steve and Robin ordered milkshakes, then Steve turned to Eddie. “Want one?”

He really fucking did. “No, thanks.”

“You sure?”

“I had a big lunch,” he lied, patting his stomach for effect. He was glad the music and noise of others’ conversations drowned out the ridiculous rumble his belly made.

They sat on a bench on the sidewalk and sipped their milkshakes. The sun was starting to set, and the streets were getting more crowded as people congregated at the nearby movie theater. Eddie smiled as he remembered getting high there with Steve. He scooted as close to his boyfriend as he dared in public.

Steve closed the tiny gap between them and casually placed his hand on Eddie’s thigh. “You sure you don’t want some?” He offered his milkshake.

Steve’s warm hand on his thigh in public sent him spiraling into arousal. He wanted to lick the speck of ice cream off his bottom lip-

“I think it’s time for me to head out,” Robin chuckled.

“C’mon,” Eddie goaded, even as his nerves lit up at the idea of finally being alone with Steve. He really did enjoy her company. “It’s still early.”

“My parents don’t like me being out late, and … You two are going to get arrested for indecent acts if we stay out here much longer.”

Eddie realized she was right. They were far too close for comfort; if anyone were watching, they’d clock them immediately. His stomach started to growl again, so he pulled out a cigarette.

“You know those are bad for you, right?” she asked as he lit up.

He shrugged. “Then why does it feel so good?” he teased, evading the question. He’d been smoking for years now, a habit he’d picked up from Wayne. “Besides, Steve smokes.”

“C’mon, man!” Steve exclaimed. He turned to Robin, who was glaring at him. “Only occasionally,” he explained, as if that would reassure her.

“So help me if I catch you smoking, Harrington!” She pointed her finger threateningly at him.

“Ok, ok!” Steve elbowed Eddie in the ribs, but it only made him laugh.

“Sorry, man,” he chuckled, cigarette hanging loosely between his lips.

Robin took a few more sips from her milkshake, sucking the straw until it squealed, then tossed it in a nearby trash can. “Take me home before you do something stupid.”

After they dropped her off, Eddie pulled his new tape out of his jacket pocket and handed it to Steve. Steve wordlessly removed the tape from its case and popped it into the van stereo. As the first few guitar notes rang out, Eddie sighed happily.

Steve tapped his fingers against his thigh to the beat, listening intently as Eddie drove them further into the night.

“What do you think?” he asked after the first song.

“I like it,” Steve nodded. “Maybe not as much as Judas Priest, but … it's good.”

Eddie groaned. “That is so fucking hot, babe.”

Steve snorted. “Where are you taking us anyway?”

He blushed. “The, uh … the campground where we had our first kiss,” he admitted. It wasn’t purely for sentimental reasons; the place was really isolated without actually being in the middle of nowhere. “Hopefully no one else is there.”

Steve smiled softly at him, and Eddie did his best to keep his eyes on the road.

When they arrived, he was grateful to find the campground as empty as the night of their kiss. He drove to the furthest corner of the lot and backed into a spot close to the tree line. He left the engine idling so they’d have some light and tunes.

The moment the van was in park, Steve pulled him into a hungry kiss. “I’ve been waiting to do that all day,” he murmured against Eddie’s lips.

Eddie sucked his bottom lip into his mouth and kissed him again. Arousal pooled in his gut at the mere thought of what they were about to do. His toes curled in his sneakers as Steve’s tongue pushed into his mouth.

Steve finally broke the kiss and reached for his duffel bag. “Let’s get the bed made before I stop thinking clearly,” he chuckled.

Eddie felt dazed. “It’s too late for me,” he half-joked. His pants were definitely too tight, and he couldn’t wait to get them off.

Steve unzipped his bag and removed a camping lantern, setting it on the floor by the mattress.

“You’re a genius.”

Steve flushed at the praise as he pulled out the stolen sheets. They clambered into the back of the van and awkwardly wrestled the fitted sheet onto the mattress.

The sheets had a hideous orange and green floral pattern, and Eddie was certain Steve picked these because they’d been long forgotten in the back of a linen closet. He paused to rip off his vest and jacket, already feeling sweat breaking out over his body. He wasn’t sure if it was the physical exertion, anticipation, or both, but he wanted to stay as fresh for Steve as humanly possible.

Next, Steve tossed a thin quilt on the bed, followed by a couple of old towels.

“How’d you fit all this in that bag?”

“It was a tight squeeze,” Steve laughed as he removed a small cassette player.

“You really thought of everything,” Eddie huffed, impressed.

“I honestly couldn’t stop thinking about this,” Steve admitted.

“Me, too.” He reached for Steve, who fell into his arms easily, and they fell back onto the mattress, kissing each other like they couldn’t live without it. Eddie roughly yanked on Steve’s polo until it came untucked from his pants, letting his hands explore the skin underneath.

Steve pulled away. “Hold on-”

Eddie pushed up onto his elbows and watched as Steve crawled into the front to remove Eddie’s new tape from the radio and shut off the van. The only light left came from the camp lantern, which cast an eerie glow.

Steve popped the tape into his cassette player. The speaker was shit, but Eddie was just happy to have his music playing. Steve pulled his polo over his head, destroying his carefully crafted hair, before rejoining Eddie on the mattress.

Eddie let his legs fall open so Steve could slot between them. He groaned when their erections pressed together through their jeans. He wanted to be naked already. He reached between them to fumble with his fly and immediately regretted wearing this particular pair of pants.

Steve pressed kisses along his jaw, but he must have realized how long Eddie was taking. “Need some help?” he chuckled against his throat.

“Yes …” Eddie pouted.

Steve sat up and began popping open each button on Eddie’s fly, then undid his own jeans.

Eddie ripped off his shirt and shucked his jeans. He paused at his boxers, once again wishing he could have freshened up, but it was too late now, and he desperately needed Steve to touch him.

Once they were both naked, Steve sprawled back out on top of Eddie, kissing him soundly as he ground their hips together.

Eddie thrust his cock into the join of Steve’s hip, blissful at the friction. He smiled into the kiss and raked his blunt nails down Steve’s back, making him groan.

“How do you want to do this?” Steve murmured next to his ear before gently nibbling on the lobe.

Eddie swallowed thickly as he pictured his fantasy. “Face down,” he panted. “With my ass in the air.”

Steve’s hips stuttered, his warm breath ghosting across Eddie’s throat. “Ok,” he whispered, then pushed off of him so they could reposition.

Eddie felt himself blushing from his chest to the tips of his ears, both arousal and anxiety coursing through him. He turned onto his stomach and pushed up onto his knees, feeling more vulnerable than he’d ever felt before. But there was no one he trusted more than Steve. He crossed his arms and pressed his forehead against them, letting out a deep breath. His back arched, and he could feel the cool air against his hole. Several long moments passed, and he began to get worried. Did his asshole look weird? Had he not cleaned well enough? Was there too much hair? Steve had already seen his fucking asshole, but he couldn’t stop his panic.

“Holy shit,” Steve gasped from behind him. He placed his hands on Eddie’s cheeks, spreading them to see better. “You’re so gorgeous.” He pressed a kiss to Eddie’s tailbone.

Eddie bit his lip to stop a whine from escaping. He could feel his cock already dripping onto the mattress.

Steve rubbed gentle circles into his skin as he moved closer. He pushed a bit on Eddie’s lower back to make him arch even more. “Are you ready?”

“Yeah,” Eddie gasped, beyond aroused. His cock was throbbing, and he swore his hole was, too. At the first tentative lick, he cried out, and with each further exploration of Steve’s tongue, his body grew tauter. It felt fucking incredible. He panted against his arms.

“Is this ok?” Steve asked, pressing a kiss to one of Eddie’s cheeks.

Eddie nodded furiously before realizing Steve couldn’t see that. “Fuck! It’s amazing. Don’t stop. Please!” He reached back with one arm to help hold his cheeks apart, desperate for more. He couldn’t see him, but he was certain Steve was smiling.

Steve dove back in with abandon, sucking at Eddie’s rim, occasionally probing inside him with his tongue.

Eddie’s hole was soaked with Steve’s spit, and his cock throbbed even harder. He’d barely have to prep him after this, which made him shiver with anticipation. When he felt Steve’s sharp nose digging into the delicate skin of his crack, he cried out again. It felt great, of course, but he couldn’t deny the pure eroticism of his boyfriend happily eating him out.

“I could do this all night,” Steve sighed happily as he caught his breath. He licked a long stripe up Eddie’s perineum before pressing his tongue inside him again.

Eddie swore his eyes rolled into the back of his head. He’d never felt so torn before; he wanted Steve to do this to him for hours, but he also desperately needed him to pound him into the mattress. “Need you-” he gasped for air, “-to fuck me! Please!”

Steve pressed another kiss next to his hole before moving down the bed, only to return a moment later.

When his first lube slick finger breached Eddie, he groaned low in his throat. He fucking loved the stretch; was starting to crave it. Steve soon pushed in another finger, and Eddie let go of his cheek, using both elbows to push himself back onto his boyfriend’s thick fingers.

“I’m ready,” he grit out. He was wound so tightly, he thought he might explode. Fucking everything was throbbing, and he needed Steve’s cock inside him immediately.

“Like this?” Steve asked.

“Yeah!” They hadn’t fucked like this yet, and he wanted Steve to rail him into the mattress. He could hear Steve slicking himself and then felt the blunt head of his cock against his hole. He bore down and pushed back until he was finally breached. He whined deep in his throat at the pleasant burn.

“You ok?” Steve panted.

“Fuck me!” Eddie demanded, too far gone for anything else. A groan ripped out of him as Steve gripped his hips tightly and pushed the rest of the way in, then set up a consistent pace. Eddie grunted every time he bottomed out. He loved fucking Steve face to face, watching his expressions, kissing messily, but this … There was something dirty and primal about it that had his body singing. The slapping of skin on skin drowned out the shitty cassette player, but Eddie had never heard anything more beautiful. “Harder!” he begged.

Steve pulled Eddie’s hips back as he thrust, grunting as he quickened his pace. “Fuck, Eddie …”

“Just like that, babe,” Eddie panted, pushing himself back as well. He arched his back even further and felt Steve deeper than he’d ever felt before. He pressed his face into his elbow and moaned low and long. Steve wasn’t hitting his prostate as much in this position, but the depth made up for it. He finally couldn’t take it anymore and reached for his cock. There was so much moisture beading at the tip, he didn’t need any lube. He sighed happily as he took himself in hand and worked his cock in time with Steve’s thrusts.

“Feel good, baby?”

Eddie could only whimper in reply.

“I’m getting close …”

Eddie worked his erection faster, desperate to come on Steve’s cock. He could feel his orgasm building in his gut and chased it, squeezing hard at the head. Tension built and built until the dam finally broke. He cried out as he came, his whole body going taut.

“Oh, fuck!” Steve’s thrusts turned erratic. “Eddie!” he cried out as he came. He pressed himself along the length of Eddie’s back, cock still buried inside him, and took deep, gasping breaths.

Eddie felt boneless, and let his legs slip out from underneath him. Steve eased them down onto the mattress. He lay there blissfully, enjoying his boyfriend’s weight pressing him into their makeshift bed. It was the best purchase he’d ever made.

After a while, Steve rolled off of him, his cock slipping out of his hole.

Eddie groaned at the sensation and soon felt Steve’s come dripping down his balls.

“That was incredible,” Steve sighed happily.

Eddie turned his face so he could see him and smiled. “Yeah, it was.”

Steve rolled onto his side and leaned up on his elbow. “So the rimming was … good?”

Eddie stretched, grinning wickedly. “Fuck yeah,” he groaned as he felt his back pop. “That was amazing!”

“Thank god. I’ve been freaking out.”

“Why?”

Steve half shrugged. “Just afraid I wouldn’t do it right. Or you’d hate it.”

“Well, I didn’t hate it, and you did it very well.” He paused, then added, “Maybe I could do it to you sometime …”

Steve’s eyebrows rose slightly, but he looked interested. “Yeah?”

“If you want to,” Eddie shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant.

Steve drew circles on the sheets. “I think I’d like that,” he finally murmured.

Eddie smiled softly. They’d never discussed their roles in the bedroom, and he was content to bottom for him for the rest of his life, but Steve’s interest in changing things up certainly had him excited. Anal felt so fucking good, and he wanted to share that pleasure with his boyfriend.

They lay there in pleasant silence until the tape ended. Steve grabbed one of the towels and wiped off his dick, then sat up to rub the towel gently between Eddie’s cheeks.

Eddie rolled over so Steve could clean his front, too. They’d forgotten to lay down a towel, so now the sheets under him were speckled with come, but it wasn’t too bad. They’d left the windows up, and the air in the van had grown heavy and warm from their exertion; now it reeked of sex.

“Let’s air out,” Steve suggested. He slowly opened one of the back doors, checking to make sure they were still alone before opening it fully.

Eddie shivered as the cold night air hit his sweat slick skin, and he pulled the thin quilt over himself.

Steve leaned against the wall at the end of the mattress, peering up at the dark sky. “Wow,” he murmured.

“Hmm?” Eddie could feel sleep tugging at him.

“The stars are really bright out here.”

He draped the quilt over his shoulders and leaned around Steve to catch a glimpse. Sure enough, the stars shone brightly in the dark sky, unfettered by city lights so far out of town. “Oh man …”

“I’ve got an idea! Put your jeans back on!”

“That sounds like a terrible idea,” Eddie teased, but he did as Steve asked, forgoing the boxers and leaving the fly unbuttoned.

Steve put his jeans on, too, then used the bumper to climb on top of the van.

Eddie huffed fondly. He grabbed his cigarettes and lighter from his jacket, tossed the quilt on top of the van, and climbed up to join his boyfriend. They spread the quilt over the cold metal of the roof and laid down on their backs, staring up at the sky side by side.

“Fine, this was a good idea …” He lit a cigarette, letting his arm hang over the edge of the van between puffs.

Steve reached between them and took Eddie’s free hand in his own, squeezing gently.

Eddie squeezed back, a smile tugging at his lips. They lay there in silence, admiring the stars, until suddenly his stomach let out the loudest growl he’d ever heard, and he remembered that he hadn’t eaten in nearly 24 hours.

“Damn!” Steve laughed. “You should’ve had that milkshake with us!”

Eddie’s stomach rumbled again, and he decided to come clean. They could laugh about it now, right? “I was so nervous about, like, farting in your face or something, that I haven’t eaten since last night.”

“What!?” How Steve managed to snort with laughter while shouting with so much incredulity, Eddie would never know. He sat up and stared down at him. “C’mon, man, you’ve gotta eat!”

He shrugged and took another drag. “I was nervous, ok?”

“I get it. I’d have probably done the same thing, but you have to eat!” He threw his legs over the side of the van.

“Is anywhere still open?” Eddie extinguished the butt of his cigarette against the side of the van.

Steve checked his watch. “A&W should be open for another twenty minutes.”

“We’ll never make it,” Eddie scoffed.

“I thought you were Mr. Short Cut!” Steve teased.

Eddie laughed, admitting defeat, and they slid off the edge of the van. The gravel bit into his bare feet, but he grit his teeth and quickly climbed into the driver's seat.

Steve went around the back to close the door, then joined him up front. He reached behind the seats to grab their shirts, tossing Eddie’s at him.

Eddie quickly pulled it on before starting the van and peeling out of the campground like a madman. Now that he’d acknowledged his hunger, it was eating at him painfully.

They made it to A&W a minute past closing, but the staff were nice enough to give him the leftover fries. They returned to the van where Eddie scarfed them down.

“You dork,” Steve huffed fondly, shaking his head. “You really haven't eaten since last night?”

Eddie nodded, his mouth full. He swallowed and replied, “I didn’t want any accidents, you know? I would’ve taken another shower if there’d been time.”

“You tasted great,” Steve practically purred. “I want to eat you out every night.”

Eddie’s face burned and he took a moment to finish the fries.

“Tell me how it felt.”

He thought about it for a moment. “Wet,” he laughed. “And just … good? I don’t know how to describe it. It just felt really fucking good, and it was so fucking hot having your face shoved in my ass.”

“Seeing how much you liked it … makes me want to try it.”

“All of it?”

Steve nodded, biting his lip. “Maybe next time you can … finger me?”

Eddie sucked in a breath sharply. “Yes, absolutely! Babe, you have no idea! I’m gonna make you feel so good!” He climbed onto Steve’s lap and kissed him deeply, groaning when Steve cupped his ass. They were in a public parking lot, in the front of the van; this was a bad idea, but he didn’t care. Steve was trusting him with this, and he was so grateful and turned on.

When they heard a car rumble to life near them, they broke apart. The car was on the other end of the lot, but Eddie took it as a sign to get back in the driver’s seat. He looked back at Steve and found him smiling back with so much … fondness, his heart swelled in his chest. He reached over and laced their fingers together. “We’re ridiculous,” he sighed happily.

Steve smiled and nodded. “Is Wayne working tonight?”

“Yeah.”

“Can I sleep over?”

Eddie scoffed. “Of fucking course you can! I sleep better when you’re there anyway.” He released Steve’s hand and cranked up the van, taking them back to the trailer, where they fell asleep in one another’s arms.

Chapter Text

Sunlight streamed through the window, slowly rousing Eddie. He peered at his alarm clock, but it was still early for a Saturday. He stretched and turned over, finding Steve sprawled out next to him, his hair a mess, snoring quietly. He decided to let him sleep and slipped out of bed as gently as possible to not wake him. When he stepped out of his room, he heard the tv.

Wayne ate a bowl of cereal while watching the news. “Mornin,’” he greeted. “Thought I’d let you sleep in.”

“Thanks,” he replied as he opened the fridge to grab a soda. “How was your shift?”

Wayne frowned at the soda, but answered, “Same old, same old. Do anything fun last night?”

A brief flash of Steve railing him in the back of his van popped into his head, and he did his best not to choke on his soda. “I hung out downtown with Steve and Robin.”

“Robin?”

“Steve’s best friend. We’re becoming friends, too. She’s cool.”

Wayne smiled.

“And I got the new W.A.S.P. album!”

Wayne shook his head and chuckled. “I still don’t get this ‘metal’ nonsense, but I’m glad you enjoy it.”

Eddie chuckled. His uncle loved classic country; their taste in music couldn't be farther apart.

“Got any plans for today?”

“Well … Steve is here, just so you know.”

Wayne chuckled. “Why am I not surprised? Do you and Steve have any plans for today?”

“He’s gonna teach me basketball.”

Wayne looked like he’d been shot. “You’re gonna learn about basketball?”

He shrugged. “He likes it, so I might as well know how it works. Plus, we’re going to one of the Hawkins games to support a Hellfire member.”

Wayne whistled. “I never thought I’d see the day.”

“Neither did I,” he laughed.

“Maybe you’ll watch some Hoosiers with me now.”

“Don’t push your luck, old man,” he teased. “We’ll see if I even make it through today.”

Wayne looked past his nephew and smirked. “Mornin,’ Steve.”

Eddie turned to find Steve behind him, rubbing at his eyes groggily.

“Mornin,’ Mr. Munson,” he replied around a yawn.

“Hey, babe,” Eddie murmured so only Steve could hear him. “You hungry?”

Steve nodded.

“Afraid all we’ve got right now is cereal,” Wayne said.

“Cereal’s fine,” Steve replied.

Wayne stood with his now empty bowl and deposited it into the sink. “I’m gonna hit the hay, but you boys don’t mind me.”

Eddie nodded. They made themselves two bowls of cereal and retreated to his room. Once they were finished, he stacked the empty bowls on his nightstand. “So what should I wear for today’s lesson?”

“You own any shorts?” Steve asked as he grabbed clothes out of his duffel bag.

Eddie frowned, thinking. “I have my gym shorts ...” He hated the idea of wearing those in public. “It’s November. Surely, I can wear pants.”

Steve shrugged. “Sure, but you might get sweaty.”

He grinned slyly at his boyfriend. “But we’re always sweaty when we're together.”

Steve rolled his eyes, smiling fondly. “At least we’re naked then. I hate sweating in jeans.”

“I’ll take my chances.” He dug through the pile of laundry in his closet, eventually finding a pair of jeans with so many holes, Wayne had teased him until he retired them. He also found one of his makeshift tanks. This would be good enough. He turned to find Steve in a pair of shorts that showed off his gorgeous thighs, and a tank. Goddamn, he wished they had shared gym class together last year ….

Steve spotted the trashed jeans in Eddie’s hands and snorted.

He stuck out his tongue as he pulled them on over his boxers. He’d forgotten just how bad these had gotten and accidentally stuck his foot through a large hole in the thigh, losing his balance and falling onto his bed with a soft, "Oof."

Steve’s snort turned into laughter.

Eddie grumbled as he put his leg through the correct hole this time, still sitting on the bed. When he stood, Steve's laughter died off.

“Why haven’t I seen you in those before?”

He looked down at the sheer amount of exposed skin and smiled. “Like what you see?”

Steve sauntered over and put his hands on Eddie’s hips, clearly admiring the view. “I always do.” He leaned in for a gentle kiss.

“I like these shorts.” He dropped his hands lower to squeeze Steve’s ass. “You should wear them more often.”

“I will,” Steve grinned. “Once it warms up. Now finish getting dressed!”

Eddie pouted, but did as he was told, throwing on the tank and his sneakers.

“You should wear that to your next show.” Steve threw his duffel bag over his shoulder and led the way out.

He looked at himself in the mirror; it wasn’t half bad. Maybe he would.

“Can we listen to my tape?” Steve asked as they climbed into the van, tossing his bag onto the mattress.

“Of course.”

He pulled the tape out of his pocket and inserted it into the cassette player.

As the first notes of the song began, it turned out to be a very upbeat pop album. Eddie wasn’t terribly surprised, but he didn’t immediately hate it, either. Steve began tapping his foot to the beat and smiled at him. He nodded his approval, and Steve’s smile grew wider. He would listen to this forever as long as Steve kept smiling at him like that.

They drove to the large park near the town center. There were some younger kids playing with their parents, but it was mostly empty. Eddie parked the van, staring out at the empty basketball court. He couldn’t believe he was doing this, but then he remembered Steve eating his ass like his life depended on it, and learning a silly game suddenly seemed worth it.

Steve produced a basketball from his duffel bag.

“Ok, what the fuck?” Eddie laughed. “Is that a bag of holding? This is getting ridiculous!”

Steve laughed. “There’s nothing else left, I swear!”

“If you pull anything else out, I’m gonna lose my mind!”

Steve chuckled and began to dribble leisurely once he stepped onto the concrete court.

Eddie could tell he was in his element, and it was so sexy. He enjoyed watching Steve’s muscles shift as he dribbled back and forth. He chucked the ball across the court, and it effortlessly passed through the net-less hoop. “Did you bring me here just to show off?” he teased, though he was absolutely impressed.

Steve retrieved the ball and dribbled it back over to him. “So what do you know about basketball?”

Eddie pulled a face, wracking his brain. “You score with the hoops … You have to dribble the whole time … Yeah, that’s it,” he shrugged.

“Those are the basics, honestly. There are five players on each team, and two halves to the game…”

Eddie watched as Steve moved around the court, demonstrating the different positions and explaining the different points a team could score. He shot from the free throw line and the three-point line, explained fouls and rebounds. He kept things simple, which Eddie appreciated. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to keep up with an actual game, but at least he’d have Steve there to explain things.

“Wanna try?” Steve lobbed the ball at him.

Eddie caught it and just held it for a moment. He’d played with basketballs before, but mostly out of boredom, and he had never given it his best. He was pretty sure he was going to look like an idiot, but he knew Steve would never judge him. He dribbled the ball a couple of times, almost losing it when it bounced sideways off a pebble; he was surprised by how awkward it felt. Steve made it look so fucking easy.

“Good job,” Steve grinned.

Eddie snorted as he continued to dribble. “You can’t stop dribbling ever?” he grimaced.

“Only while you’re moving,” Steve explained. “But you can’t hold it with both hands and then keep dribbling.”

Eddie tried bouncing it from one hand to the other. He was starting to get the hang of it.

Steve held his hands out, so he passed him the ball. Steve bounced the ball between his legs before shooting another hoop.

“Now you’re definitely showing off,” he laughed. He caught the ball again and dribbled closer to the hoop. He tried to mimic Steve as he tossed it up. The ball caught the rim and flew away from the hoop.

Steve retrieved it and handed it back to Eddie, then positioned himself behind him, moving his arms into the correct positions.

“This is the real reason we’re doing this,” Eddie teased, pressing himself back against his boyfriend.

“It's definitely a bonus,” Steve replied, breath ghosting over Eddie’s shoulder. “Ok, try now.”

Eddie lobbed the ball, and it sank through the hoop. “Hey!” He jumped in triumph.

“Hell yeah!” Steve cheered.

They kept on like that for a while, with Steve fixing his posture and Eddie making most of his attempted baskets. Steve cheered every time, which filled Eddie with pride and warmth. They practiced dribbling and passing after that until he started to feel comfortable. When sweat began to bead on the back of his neck, he pulled a scrunchie out of his back pocket and put up his hair, earning him an appreciative glance from Steve.

“How about some one on one?”

“Isn’t that what we did last night?” he winked.

Steve smirked before passing him the ball.

Eddie dribbled across the court, trying to get a closer shot, but Steve kept close, throwing up his arms to block any attempt Eddie made. He feigned to the left, then darted to the right and threw the ball.

It bounced off the backboard, and Steve caught it, grinning brightly. “That was great!” he cheered.

“Yeah?”

“You’re a natural!”

Eddie rolled his eyes and tugged on the hem of Steve’s tank. “You’re just saying that ...”

Steve shook his head. “I swear.”

“Let me try again.”

They continued to play; Steve scored several baskets, and Eddie did his best to keep up. He hadn’t fallen on his face or anything, though, so it wasn’t too embarrassing. After several failed attempts, he finally made a basket on his own. Steve whooped with pure joy and picked him up by the waist, spinning him around.

He cackled. “I can’t believe I’m actually having fun!” he panted once Steve put him down.

Steve’s smile was brighter than the sun. “See! It’s a great game!”

He was pretty sure it was only this much fun because of Steve, but he kept that to himself. “Yeah, it is.”

“Let’s keep going!”

As they scuffled on the court, Eddie heard someone calling his name.

Steve nearly tripped over him when he came to a sudden stop. “What’s wrong?” he panted.

Eddie looked over his shoulder and saw Dustin, Lucas, and Mike walking their bikes towards them. “We’ve got company,” he muttered. He wasn’t sure they’d ever let him live this down.

Steve turned and waved. “Hey, guys!”

“I can’t fucking believe this,” Dustin exclaimed.

Eddie looked between himself and Steve, sweaty and panting from throwing a ball around. Maybe not the most shocking thing they could be caught doing, but definitely high on the list. He shrugged defiantly. “It’s not so bad. It’s actually been kind of … fun.”

“Really?” Lucas looked overjoyed and dropped his bicycle in the dirt. “Can we join?”

“What?” Mike yelled. “I thought we were going to the comic shop!”

“It’ll be open later! C’mon, please!”

Dustin sighed. “Fine, but only for one game!”

Mike groaned in defeat.

Lucas pumped his fist excitedly.

“Lucas is on my team!” Eddie shouted.

“Damn,” Steve huffed, passing the ball to Lucas, who dribbled it just as effortlessly. “Then I get Dustin.”

Dustin looked forlornly at Eddie, and Steve’s eyebrows shot up in offense. Dustin sighed and stood next to him.

“I thought we were best bros, Henderson.”

“We are, it’s just … Eddie’s really cool.”

Steve grinned at his boyfriend. “Yeah, he is.”

Eddie felt his face flush, and hoped the boys would assume it was from exertion. “Which team do you want, Mike?”

“Yours,” he replied monotonously, joining them on the court.

They began to play, and it was chaos. Mike’s heart clearly wasn’t in it, Dustin screamed obscenities every time Lucas wrestled the ball from him, and Eddie missed most of the shots he took. It didn’t help how distracted he got whenever Steve got in his way, hair damp with sweat, muscular arms and legs rippling like some kind of sports god. He hoped he was having a similar effect on him.

Steve lobbed the ball from the three-point line, and it passed through without even touching the hoop. “And that’s ten for us!” he announced.

Dustin had his hands on his knees, huffing and puffing. “I didn’t ... get a ... single basket ...”

“Neither did we,” Mike panted, pointing between himself and Eddie. “This was basically just between Steve and Lucas.”

“Eddie got a basket!” Steve corrected.

Eddie smiled to himself before turning to Lucas. “You’re pretty good. I can’t wait to see you play.”

“If I get to,” Lucas bemoaned.

Steve clapped him on the shoulder. “I’m sure you will, and we’ll be there to root for you!”

Eddie snorted when he realized that Dustin was now lying down flat on his back, limbs akimbo.

“Can we go to the comic store now?” he whined.

“Yeah, yeah.” Lucas walked over to help him up.

“Do you want to go with us?” Mike asked Eddie. “We could throw our bikes in your van.”

Eddie thought of the now semen and lube stained mattress. “Uh, she’s kinda full right now.”

“With what?”

“Recycling,” Steve lied, draping his arm across Eddie’s shoulders. He was sweaty and musky, and Eddie wanted to devour him.

Mike gave them an odd look, but didn’t question further.

“Besides, I need a shower,” Eddie explained. Preferably one with Steve.

“Definitely,” Steve snorted. “I told you jeans were a bad idea.”

Eddie elbowed him playfully. He wished he could wrap his arm around him, too, but that would probably be too much.

“Wanna hang out later?” Dustin asked.

“I’ve gotta close tonight,” Steve replied.

Dustin looked at Eddie hopefully.

He shrugged. “Sure, but I’ve got to drop Steve off first.” He sniffed under his arm and reeled dramatically. “Maybe he’ll be so kind as to lend me his shower?”

Steve smirked knowingly at him. “Any time you want,” he replied.

“So we’ll meet you at the comics shop in, like, an hour?” Mike asked.

Eddie rubbed his chin in thought. The shower could take awhile …

“I have to start at three, so yes,” Steve answered, then leaned close to Eddie and whispered, “Unfortunately.”

“I guess I’ll just have to be fast.” He batted his lashes at him.

Steve blushed at the insinuation. “We better get going.”

“See you later!” Dustin said cheerfully, blissfully unaware of what was being said between the lines.

Steve hooked a finger in one of Eddie’s belt loops to lead him away from the basketball court and toward the van.

“See you in a bit,” Eddie laughed.

“Ok, Mr. Shortcut,” Steve teased as he sat in the passenger seat, “Get us to my place as fast as humanly possible.”

“Aye aye, Captain!” Eddie saluted, then cranked up the van and tore out of the parking lot, music blaring.

They arrived at Steve’s house in record time, and both were relieved to see no other cars in the driveway.

“Thank god,” Steve sighed. “I was pretty sure they had plans today, but it would be just my luck for them to be home.”

Eddie parked the van. “Race you inside!”

“But you don’t have a key-” Steve began to argue, but Eddie had already bolted.

He laughed triumphantly as he neared the front door, only for Steve to streak past him like the fine athlete he was. He caught up as Steve unlocked the door, then they both rushed up the stairs to Steve’s bathroom.

As soon as he crossed the threshold, Eddie started stripping.

Steve closed and locked the door behind them, just in case, and undressed just as quickly.

Eddie had been dreaming about this ridiculous walk-in shower for weeks now. He crowded up behind Steve as he turned the knobs to the right settings, and kissed along his shoulders, loving the taste of sweat on his lips.

When Steve was happy with the water temperature, he pulled Eddie into the shower with him, closing the frosted glass door behind them.

Eddie marveled at the amount of space in the shower. They didn’t have to crowd together, and there were no sloped edges for them to slide on. He wrapped his arms around Steve’s shoulders and pulled him into a heated kiss.

Steve ran his hands down Eddie’s back, cupping his ass firmly and pressing their cocks together as they made out. The warm water beat down on them, washing away the sweat from earlier.

Eddie pulled his head out of the spray, his soaked hair clinging to his shoulders. “Want me to play with your ass?” He lowered his hands to Steve’s cheeks, squeezing suggestively.

Steve swallowed thickly. “I don’t think we have time,” he replied.

Eddie shrugged casually. “It’s ok if you’re not ready-”

“I am!” Steve replied. “But I’d rather … take our time, you know?”

Eddie nodded and kissed his way down Steve’s throat. “Ok, baby.”

Steve whined and tilted his head back, exposing his neck.

Eddie latched onto his collarbone and sucked, eliciting a moan as Steve rutted against him. He pulled back to admire the hickey he'd made.

Steve caught his lips in another searing kiss, his hand reaching between them to take Eddie’s erection in hand.

He bit his lip at the delicious contact but placed a hand on Steve’s chest. “Hold on, big boy.”

Steve snorted at the absurd nickname and released Eddie’s cock. “What're you up to?”

He pushed gently against Steve’s chest, backing him up until his back hit the cold tiles. “I want to do this first.” He sank to his knees. The tiles were definitely uncomfortable, but he ignored that, instead focusing on Steve’s heavy erection as it throbbed before him.

Steve immediately sank his fingers into Eddie’s wet hair.

He grasped the base of Steve’s cock and licked at the head, savoring the salty taste. Above him, Steve’s head fell back against the wall as he gently sighed, “Fuck.” Eddie grinned and took him into his mouth, pleased when Steve’s fingers tightened further in his hair. He’d never get enough of sucking his cock. Since they were in the shower, he let himself be sloppy; he kept his lips loose and felt spit dripping down his chin as he bobbed. He took hold of Steve’s hips and held him against the tile, taking his cock as deeply as he could. He choked every few strokes, but the constriction of his throat was drawing guttural moans out of Steve, so he didn’t stop. Just let his throat relax as much as possible as he worked.

“Fuck, Eddie!” Steve moaned above him. “Feels so fucking good-”

He realized Steve was simply holding onto his head and reached up to push against one of his hands, silently urging him to take his pleasure.

“You sure?” Steve asked, looking down into his eyes.

He nodded as much as he could with a cock in his mouth, hoping his boyfriend could see the earnestness in his eyes.

“Ok,” Steve said. “But you stop me if it’s too much.” He finally took hold of Eddie’s head and pulled him forward onto his cock.

He groaned happily as his boyfriend used him, which encouraged Steve to press harder. He released his hips and just enjoyed the feeling of Steve’s heavy erection sliding over his tongue and into the back of his throat.

“Fuck, I’m close-” Steve grit out, fingers twisting painfully in Eddie’s hair. “Want me to come on your face?”

He whined at the idea, nodding minutely.

A few more thrusts and Steve pulled away, taking himself in hand. He jerked his cock roughly, trying to keep it lined up with Eddie’s face.

He stuck out his tongue, eagerly waiting.

“Eddie, fuck!” Steve cried out as his orgasm hit him.

Come splashed over Eddie’s face and across his tongue. Once Steve had wrung every last drop out of his cock, he licked the droplets off his lips and chin, reveling in the idea of being claimed in this way.

Above him, Steve was catching his breath. “Eds, you’re gonna kill me ...” He reached down to wipe away some come that was too close to Eddie’s eye.

He grinned. “Then I guess I’ll have to scale back,” he teased.

Steve gave him a questioning look.

“Who’s gonna fuck me if I kill you?”

Steve rolled his eyes and laughed. He held out his hand to help Eddie to his feet, then kissed him wetly. “I have an idea.”

“Oh?” he leaned back into the spray to wash away whatever come he had missed. “What’s that?”

Steve sank to his knees, resting his head and shoulders against the tiled wall. “C’mere.” He reached for Eddie’s hips.

Eddie awkwardly waddled forward, legs straddling Steve’s thighs. He raised an eyebrow in silent question.

“So you don’t have to hold my head. You can just lean on the wall and fuck my mouth.”

Eddie’s cock throbbed and bounced between his legs. “You sure?”

Steve nodded, grinning. “I promise I’ll tap out if it’s too much.”

He leaned against his forearm on the wall, his other hand holding the base of his cock steady as he lined up with Steve’s gorgeous mouth. He rubbed the head teasingly over his open lips, sighing happily at the sensation. “Ready?”

In place of an answer, Steve leaned forward just enough to wrap his lips around the head of his cock.

Eddie groaned and thrust forward, just a bit. When Steve took him with no complaints, he released his cock, fully leaning on the wall, and began to thrust his hips shallowly.

Steve ran his hands up and down the back of Eddie’s thighs. He kept his mouth wide and loose like Eddie had, letting him take his pleasure.

Eddie began to speed up in increments, always giving Steve time to acclimate before he thrust faster, deeper. He had found a lovely rhythm when Steve’s throat contracted around the head of his cock. It ripped a moan out of his throat, but he slowed down.

Steve squeezed Eddie’s thigh, his brows furrowed in determination.

He chuckled and picked the pace back up. He’d enjoyed choking on Steve’s cock, and it seemed Steve felt the same way. He continued to thrust into the wet heat of his mouth, occasionally breaching his throat, groans tumbling past his lips.

Steve cupped his balls with one hand and kneaded his perineum with his knuckles.

Eddie felt his knees go weak and was grateful for the stability of the wall. He pushed back a bit for a better view and simply admired the sight of his cock slipping past Steve’s swollen lips. “You feel so good, baby ...” he murmured. He brought one hand down to push Steve’s wet hair out of his face, causing Steve’s eyes to flutter shut. He felt his orgasm building and bit his lip. “Where do you want it?”

With his free hand, Steve gestured at his throat.

“You wanna swallow me, baby?”

Steve nodded, and Eddie could feel him moan around his cock.

He braced himself against the wall, speeding up his thrusts, but keeping them shallow. He loved feeling Steve’s tongue against the head of his cock. Steve looked up at him through his pretty, wet lashes, and Eddie was gone. He came with a groan, thrusting into his mouth until a shudder tore through him.

Steve swallowed happily.

Eddie pushed himself back to give him room, panting and sated.

Steve stayed where he was, eyes closed.

Eddie caressed his jaw. “You ok, baby?”

Steve smiled, his eyes still closed. “Very.” His voice sounded rough, but happy.

He kneeled beside him and pressed gentle kisses across his face, making Steve laugh.

He finally opened his eyes and looked at Eddie fondly. “Thanks for today.”

Eddie grinned. “Anytime, babe.”

They finally got to their feet to rinse off under the water, which was miraculously still warm. Eddie’s hot water heater would never have lasted this long. The Harringtons’ must be huge. He washed his hair with Steve’s fancy shampoo, gleeful to smell like his boyfriend. They scrubbed each other down, occasionally sharing a languid kiss, but Steve had to get to work soon, so they didn’t linger.

Steve shut off the water once they were clean and leaned out to retrieve two fluffy towels from a nearby rack. They toweled off and exited the shower. Steve looked at his reflection and noticed the bruise forming on his collarbone. “Robin’s gonna give me so much shit,” he huffed as he poked at the bruise in his reflection with a grin.

Eddie pressed a kiss to his shoulder. “I had to leave my mark,” he smirked. “Now people will know you’re claimed.”

Steve grinned wider.

He looked down at his sweaty clothes lying on the bathroom floor in a pile. “Shit, I didn’t bring a change of clothes …”

Steve had already begun his hair routine. “You can borrow some of mine,” he shrugged, then added, “But only borrow! Don’t think I’ve forgotten about my sweatpants.”

“You mean my sweatpants?” Eddie teased. He left Steve in the bathroom and began opening drawers at random. Hopefully Steve owned a shirt other than a polo for him to borrow. He laughed when he found a worn out Hawkins High basketball team shirt, and decided that would do for now. He also snagged some boxers, and what looked like an old pair of jeans forgotten at the bottom of a random drawer. Once dressed, he decided to poke around Steve’s room some more. He noticed a shoebox full of cassettes and picked up the box to go through them. He wasn’t terribly surprised by what he found; Springsteen, Tears for Fears, and … ABBA? Ok, that was a bit surprising.

Steve exited the bathroom, hair back in pristine condition, his towel wrapped low around his hips.

Eddie held up the ABBA tape, grinning wickedly.

Steve realized what he was holding and immediately turned bright red. “Uh ... that’s my mom’s?”

“Uh huh …” Eddie turned it over in his hand. “What’s your favorite song? I personally like … Take A Chance On Me,” he lied, just reading the first song his eyes focused on. He wasn’t sure he’d ever actually listened to ABBA before.

Steve was quiet for a moment before shyly replying, “Super Trouper …”

Bingo! “I’ll have to give it a listen. Can I borrow this?”

Steve nodded as he pulled out clean clothes for himself. “By the way, seeing you in my old basketball tee is hot.”

Eddie looked down at the tiger emblazoned across his chest. “I thought it was appropriate for today.”

“So … you had fun?”

He got lost for a moment staring at Steve’s ass as he dropped the towel and changed into boxers. He blinked hard and looked back up at his face. “I had a great time,” he replied honestly. He was fucking shocked at how much fun he had. “Thanks for teaching me the ropes.”

“The pleasure was all mine,” Steve grinned. Once he was dressed, he came over to the bed, planting himself between Eddie’s legs and kissing him softly.

He leaned back, smiling brightly. “I can’t wait to fuck you in this bed ...”

Steve blushed and buried his face in Eddie’s shoulder. “You have to stop saying that shit when I have to work,” he whined.

Eddie chuckled. “But that’s what makes it so fun! I love keeping you wound up.” He grasped the nape of Steve’s neck and brought him up for another languid kiss.

Steve looked positively mournful when he pulled away. “I don’t want to go to work.”

“You don’t want to live here forever, right?”

Steve looked around his room and sighed. “Right.”

“Let’s go.” Eddie patted his hip gently, urging him to move. He couldn’t believe he was being the responsible one, for once. As they made their way to the stairs, he asked, “When can we get together again?”

Steve bit his lip. “I actually work all day tomorrow and close every day until Thanksgiving ...”

“Fuck, you’re kidding.”

Steve shook his head sadly.

“Well, that fucking sucks.” He playfully nudged at Steve’s shoulder with his own. “You turn me into a sex maniac, then ditch me for a week?” he winked.

“Trust me, I’m not happy about it, either,” Steve sighed. “Maybe you can stop by the store and hang out?”

“Fucking duh,” he laughed, causing Steve to smile happily.

They exited the front door, and Steve locked it behind them. “Are you actually gonna go to the comic shop?”

Eddie shrugged. “Guess so. Told the twerps I would.” It would at least give him something to do instead of moping alone.

Steve looked up and down the empty street, then kissed Eddie sweetly. “I’ll call you tonight, ok?”

He smiled. “Okay.” They parted, and he climbed into his van, waving at Steve before driving away. As he drove, he removed the ABBA cassette from his pocket and popped it into the player. Disco music blasted out of his speakers, and he grimaced. Definitely not his taste, but he wanted to hear this song. He fast forwarded, eyes darting between the radio and the road, until he heard, “Super trouper, beams are gonna blind me,” and relaxed, listening intently to the lyrics. He slowly realized it was about a person in a band, joyful that their lover was watching their show from the crowd. That now familiar warmth blossomed in his chest again, and his fingers tapped along with the beat without him even realizing it.

When he reached the comic shop, he saw the boys’ bikes already parked out front. He looked down and realized they were going to notice his odd outfit, so he grabbed his vest and jacket from the back of the van, hoping to obscure it somewhat.

“Are those Steve’s clothes?” Mike immediately asked upon Eddie entering the store.

He shrugged casually. “I forgot to bring a change of clothes.”

“Nice shirt!” Lucas grinned. “I’ve got one, too!”

“You look weird,” Dustin said flatly.

“Thanks,” Eddie frowned. He grabbed the brim of Dustin’s hat and pulled it down over his eyes.

“Hey!” Dustin yelped, pulling away to fix his hat.

“Find anything interesting?”

“Yeah! There’s a new Swamp Thing!” Dustin led Eddie further into the comic-laden aisles.

*

Steve drove to pick up Robin, playing his Oingo Boingo tape on the way. He couldn’t believe Eddie actually borrowed the ABBA tape; he hoped his boyfriend realized why he picked the song he did. It made him think of watching Eddie perform, and their first kiss.

Robin was standing at the end of her driveway, angrily tapping her watch as Steve approached. “We’re gonna be late!” she complained as she threw herself into the passenger seat.

“Hello to you, too.”

“Did your basketball lessons take longer than expected?”

“You could say that …”

“Uh huh. I knew you’d get preoccupied.”

“I can’t wait to give you this much shit once you get a girlfriend.”

Robin sighed wistfully. “If I ever get a girlfriend.”

He rolled his eyes. “You will!”

She smiled at his reassurance, but then her eyes narrowed in on his open collar. “Is that a hickey!?”

He sighed.

“So I guess the mattress worked out,” she teased.

He let his thoughts wander to the previous night, how it felt to have Eddie quivering from his tongue alone ... and nearly ran a stop sign. He hit the brakes, causing Robin to bounce in her seat. “Sorry.”

“Wow, Harrington,” she laughed. “That good, huh?”

He nodded. It really was. He’d never had sex this good before ...

They manned the store for a few hours. He told her all about the basketball lessons, and she complained about how much homework she had. He was so fucking glad school was behind him.

The bell jingled and two of Eddie’s bandmates entered the store. Steve wracked his brain for their names; he was pretty sure they were Gareth and Jeff. “Hey!” he greeted.

Gareth only nodded in response, but Jeff said, “Hey!” back. They made their way toward the horror section.

“Need any help?”

“We’re good,” Jeff replied.

Steve nodded and returned to checking in tapes from the drop box.

“Shit!” Gareth called out.

Steve peered over the counter to see what was up. Gareth was holding a display box, but he couldn’t see the front.

“We wanted to rent The Toxic Avenger,” Jeff explained. “But I guess someone beat us to it.”

The name sounded familiar. “Hang on just a sec.” He rifled through his stack of recently returned tapes, and sure enough, there it was. He held it up triumphantly. “Found it!”

“Hell yeah!” Jeff came over to the counter, followed by a silent Gareth.

Steve scanned the tape and hit some buttons on his computer to register it as returned, then popped open the case to find that it hadn’t been rewound. He sighed and pulled it out, inserting it into his VHS rewinder.

“So you and Eddie, huh?”

Fear shot up Steve’s spine at the question, uncertain what Jeff meant. “Yeah, me and Eddie …”

“I never would have guessed you’d be friends,” Jeff laughed, “But Eddie was very adamant that you were a decent guy.”

His anxiety was replaced by a familiar pit in his stomach. He appreciated Eddie standing up for him, but he didn’t know what to say. The rewinder clicked next to him, and he replaced the tape in its case before handing it to Jeff. “Eddie’s the decent one,” he finally managed. “I’m just glad he gave me a chance.”

Jeff nodded as he took the tape and pulled out his wallet.

“Hey, uh … I just wanted to apologize to both of you, and to Grant-” God, Steve hoped he had remembered his name correctly. “-about Tommy and Carol. I’m sorry if they ever bullied you, and I’m sorry for letting them get away with that shit for so long. I’m honestly sorry I was ever friends with them in the first place.”

Jeff actually smiled. “No worries, man. We all make mistakes, right?”

Steve offered a small smile in return.

Gareth stared at him for a long moment before finally nodding. “I guess Eddie was right about you.”

When he smiled, too, Steve felt the pit in his stomach loosen.

“I saw you at our last show!” Jeff said enthusiastically. “Did you enjoy it?”

“Yeah!” Steve grinned. “You guys are great!”

“Are you gonna come to the next one?” Gareth asked. “We’re hoping to perform some of our original music, but Eddie has to talk to the owners first.”

“Absolutely,” Steve replied. He’d never miss another of Eddie’s shows, especially if they played their own stuff. He couldn’t wait to see what Eddie had written.

“I hope you like love ballads,” Jeff teased.

“Oh yeah!” Gareth snorted.

Steve gave them a curious look.

Gareth rolled his eyes. “Eddie finally got himself a girlfriend, and he’s already writing love songs about her. Won’t even tell us her name, but we gotta sing whatever sappy-”

Steve felt a blush creeping across his cheeks. Eddie was writing love songs about him. It was so sweet, he thought he might burst into flames, but he had to keep himself under control in front of Eddie’s friends. “Good for him,” he murmured.

“If the song’s good, then I won’t mind,” Jeff shrugged. He handed over some cash.

Steve put the rental through and handed him his change. “I’ll see you guys around. Enjoy your movie.”

“Thanks again!”

They took the tape and disappeared out the door.

“Did I hear that correctly?” Robin reappeared from the back of the store. “Eddie’s writing love songs about you?”

His blush deepened further. “Yeah …” His chest felt warm at the very idea, and he couldn’t wait to hear whatever Eddie had written.

“That is so fucking cute!”

Not even an hour later, Eddie came into the store with Dustin, Lucas, and Mike hot on his heels. The three boys were waving around a comic and having a heated discussion, and Eddie looked exhausted. “Hey, Steve,” he greeted, then deadpanned, “We’re having a movie night.”

Steve chuckled quietly at how exasperated he sounded. “Is that so?”

“Go pick something out!” he ordered, and the boys ran frantically up and down the aisles, arguing over what to rent. He dramatically collapsed on the counter in front of Steve.

Steve gripped his wrist reassuringly. “You can do this,” he laughed.

“But do I want to?”

They watched as the boys all held up different tapes and argued over which was the better movie.

“Creepshow is so hokey,” Lucas grimaced. “Karate Kid is clearly the superior choice.”

“The Secret of NIMH is an animated classic!” Dustin argued, brandishing the tape in front of his friends’ faces.

“I don’t want to watch an animated movie!” Mike complained.

“Yeah,” Steve laughed. “I honestly wish I could join you.” They were a pain in the ass, but he loved them.

Eddie sighed, nodding. “Yeah, they’re growing on me, too.”

“So, uh … Jeff and Gareth came in earlier …”

Eddie perked up, though he looked a tad concerned. “Oh yeah?”

“They might have mentioned you’re writing a love song for your girlfriend …”

Eddie’s face grew red, and he bit his lip.

“I’m the girlfriend, right?” Steve whispered jokingly.

Eddie lightly smacked his bicep. “Of course, you are,” he murmured. “I just wanted to finesse the song before I told you … Is it too much?”

“No,” he replied simply, a fond smile on his face. “I’m excited to hear it.”

Eddie smiled brightly. “I’ll play it for you as soon as I’m happy with it.”

“It’s a date,” he teased.

“Speaking of songs … I listened to that ABBA song.”

“Oh yeah?” he swallowed nervously.

Eddie took hold of his hand and squeezed gently. “It’s about us, right?”

He smiled softly. “Yeah … Exactly.” He squeezed Eddie’s hand in return.

Eddie leaned into Steve’s space and murmured, “You’re so sweet, Harrington. Makes me want to eat you alive.” His eyes flashed with mischief and the promise of doing just that the next time they were alone.

Steve sucked in a breath, reminding himself they were in public, and he couldn’t ravish Eddie on the spot. He simply stared at him for a long moment, electricity buzzing under his skin with nowhere to go.

“Eddie! We need you to be the tie breaker!” Dustin interrupted.

Eddie shared a look with Steve before turning to face the boys. He made a show of dramatically regarding each tape before pointing at Dustin. “Secret of NIMH, every time.”

Dustin cheered triumphantly, while Lucas and Mike looked defeated.

“You two can pick out the snacks,” Eddie laughed. “We’ll watch your choices next time.”

Mike and Lucas cheered up and immediately began ransacking the candy rack.

“Hey, Robin!” Steve called.

She popped up from behind an aisle. “Yes?”

“Will you check them out? I need to show Eddie something in the back.”

She rolled her eyes, but returned to the counter. She was a great wingman.

“What do you have to show him?” Dustin asked incredulously.

“None of your business,” Steve answered, too flustered to come up with a lie.

Eddie chuckled as he followed him into the back room.

As soon as the door shut behind them, Steve wrapped Eddie in his arms and kissed him thoroughly. Eddie embraced him happily, and they kissed quietly for as long as they dared.

“Haven’t you had enough of me?” Eddie teased.

“Never,” Steve replied honestly before stealing one last kiss. “Besides, that will have to last us for a few days.”

Eddie whined low in his throat. “Don’t remind me ... Do you think Robin will kill us if we make out back here tomorrow?”

He laughed. “She’d skin us alive.”

“That’s fair,” Eddie sighed. “Guess I better get these twerps home.”

They exited the back, lips swollen. Steve cleared his throat as he came up behind Robin.

“Have fun back there?” she teased.

“Alright, nerds, it's time to go!” Eddie commanded.

The boys, arms full of snacks, waved at Steve and Robin as they left the store.

“When do you think you’ll get home?” Steve asked, still wanting to call and talk.

Eddie shrugged. “Whenever they decide to free me,” he teased. “I’ll call you, okay?”

He smiled as he watched them leave.

As soon as the door shut behind them, Robin huffed. “You are not making that a regular thing!”

“What?”

“Making out in the back room!” She threw her hands up in exasperation.

He raised his hands apologetically. “I swear, it’ll only happen … a few more times.” He laughed as she screamed in frustration.

After they closed, Steve dropped her off at her house, then drove back to his parents’ place. It was getting harder and harder to call it home. Their cars were in the driveway, but when he went inside, all the lights were off. They must have gone to bed for the night. He grabbed a soda and some chips from the kitchen before settling in his room. As he waited for Eddie to call, he wished he had a joint. They hadn’t smoked in a couple of weeks, and he missed the floaty feeling. He wondered what it would feel like to have sex while high. Maybe they could experiment in the future ...

A little after midnight, as he was rereading his zine, the phone rang shrilly. He picked it up quickly before the noise woke up his parents. “Hello?”

“You answered fast,” Eddie chuckled. “Miss me that much?”

“Shut up,” Steve laughed. “So they finally let you leave, huh?”

Eddie snorted. “Those twerps were out halfway through the movie. I tried to sneak out, but Mrs. Wheeler caught me and offered me cookies and tea. Wanted to get to know me …”

“That’s rough,” Steve chuckled. He’d already experienced that with all of their parents.

“It’s fine. She was just being nice, but I wanted to get home and call you before you fell asleep.”

He smiled, but couldn’t stifle the yawn that tore out of him.

“Aww, you sleepy, baby?” Eddie teased before yawning himself.

“It’s been a long day,” he sighed. “I wish you were here. I like sleeping next to you.” He tossed the zine onto the floor and sank down into the mattress, tossing his comforter over himself.

“Me, too,” Eddie sighed. “I’ve got some deals to make tomorrow, but I’ll stop by the store before you close.”

Steve’s brow furrowed. “You be safe, ok?” He thought back to the alley where he first saved Eddie.

“I will. No more night dealing for me.”

“Good. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“See you tomorrow.”

Steve hung up and curled into his soft bed. It felt so big and empty now. One day, he’d never sleep alone again ...

Chapter Text

The next morning, Steve yawned as he made his way down the stairs to grab some breakfast. His mother murmured a greeting, but his father remained silent as he sipped his coffee and read the paper. He made himself a bowl of cereal and set off back towards his room sullenly.

“Don’t leave dirty dishes upstairs, honey,” his mother said as he passed, barely looking up from her magazine.

He rolled his eyes and continued upstairs. He ate on his bed, leaving the empty bowl and spoon on his nightstand. He was tempted to leave it there for a few days, just to get some kind of reaction, but he was sure neither of them would actually notice.

He stripped, pitching his t-shirt and boxers into his hamper, and got in the shower. As the hot water washed over him, he thought about Eddie; specifically, he thought about how much he enjoyed being fingered and fucked and having his ass eaten. He thought about him writhing and moaning as he brushed that spot inside him, and his cock throbbed to attention. He loved turning his boyfriend into a moaning mess, and he was curious, too. He knew of anal sex, but it had never crossed his mind to try it until now ... His body flushed with anticipation and embarrassment as he pushed his index finger between his cheeks.

He rubbed at his hole, but it wasn’t exactly … pleasurable. Maybe it would help if he was more turned on ... He grasped his cock with his other hand and squeezed, tugging slowly until he was fully erect. He fantasized about the time Eddie fucked himself with his dildo, legs spread wide, hole pink and gaping and glistening with lube. He let his head fill with the sound of Eddie’s sighs and moans as he fucked himself; he jerked himself faster, body humming with arousal.

He probed with his finger again, wishing that he had lube. He quickly leaned out of the shower to grab a bottle of lotion from his sink. He squeezed some onto his fingers, then braced himself against the tiled wall so he could push his hips back for better access. The lotion certainly helped, and rubbing over his hole felt smoother, more pleasant. He bit his lip as he finally pushed the tip inside himself. His body wasn’t used to this intrusion, and it burned a bit. He wondered whether it was the stretch or the lotion.

He leaned on his shoulder and began working his cock again, hoping the pleasure would ease things. He pushed his finger further inside. It was such an unusual feeling, and he wasn’t sure if he liked it, but he’d come this far … Once he was up to the second knuckle, he wriggled his finger, searching for that spot. Suddenly, his body lit up and his cock throbbed in his fist. He gasped and pressed at the spot again and again as pleasure sparked up his spine. No wonder Eddie lost it whenever he touched him here. He had to focus on staying quiet as he rubbed insistently against it. He could already feel his orgasm building, and worked to maintain a steady rhythm, as awkward as it was. His hand began to cramp from the angle, but he was so close. He rubbed and prodded as best he could, his fist flying over his cock, until his orgasm ripped through him. He wanted to cry out Eddie’s name but managed to stifle himself. His cock pulsed as come splashed across the tiles.

When the aftershocks finally subsided, he leaned heavily against the wall as he caught his breath. No fucking wonder Eddie loved this so much! The thought of the two of them arguing over who's turn it was made him giggle. They’d definitely have to take turns from now on.

*

He picked Robin up like usual, and they made it to their shift on time, though Keith still sneered at Steve as he clocked in. He rolled his eyes, used to Keith’s bullshit by this point. There was already a stack of VHS tapes waiting to be rewound. “Why can’t people rewind these damn things?” he complained to Robin as she sat on the floor, punching out a new cardboard standee.

She shrugged. “People just suck.” She fought with the cardboard as Better Off Dead played over the stores’ televisions. “Is Eddie stopping by?”

“Yeah, but not ‘til later. He’s got stuff to do.”

“You better not flake out on your closing duties.” She pointed a stray length of cardboard at him threateningly.

“I won’t,” he promised.

“Good.” She stood up and righted the cardboard advertisement for Gremlins. “How’s that look?”

He frowned at the little green creatures. They reminded him of Dart and the other demodogs; not exactly pleasant memories. He shrugged. “You put it together ... good?”

She giggled and carted it over to the window.

It was dark by the time Eddie appeared, grinning at Steve as he walked in.

Steve smiled back. “I was starting to get worried,” he teased.

Eddie leaned against the counter. “Yeah, sorry. I ended up stopping by the Hangout.”

“For your next gig?”

Eddie nodded. “We want to play some of our original songs, so I took my guitar and played them for the owners ...”

“What’d they say?”

Eddie’s smile broadened further. “They loved it!”

“Hell yeah! That’s awesome! When are you playing next?”

“The 30th! You’re free that night, right?”

He pouted. “I’m scheduled, but …” he glanced at Robin, who was working on her homework nearby.

“You’re lucky I love you,” she sighed, not even looking up. “But you owe me!”

He wrapped his arm around her and whooped. “You’re the best! I’ll do whatever you want!”

“Ooh, I’m gonna come up with something good,” she teased.

“That’s fine!” he laughed. Otherwise, he’d just call out sick because nothing could stop him from watching his boyfriend perform. “Oh man, I can’t wait to hear your stuff!”

Eddie blushed and tugged on a loose strand of his hair. “I’m excited, too.”

Robin shut her textbook and yawned. “It’s time to start closing, Steve.”

“Yeah, yeah …” He stood up to head to the back for the cleaning supplies.

“Can I help?” Eddie asked.

He snorted. “You don’t have to. Especially since you’re not being paid.”

Eddie shrugged. “What? I’m just supposed to watch you?” He put his hand on his chin and pondered dramatically for a moment. “Is there a lot of bending over? Cause I wouldn’t mind watching that-”

Steve shoved his shoulder fondly. “Shut up …” He began walking toward the back and felt Eddie following close behind.

“No funny business!” Robin called out.

“Dammit,” Eddie chuckled under his breath.

“No funny business,” he promised as they disappeared through the door. He opened the metal supply cabinet and picked out his supplies.

“What all do you have to clean?”

“Uh, I gotta wipe down the counters and windows, take out the trash, vacuum-”

“Ooh, can I vacuum?”

“Yeah,” he laughed. “It’s just a shitty carpet sweeper.” He grabbed it by the handle and handed it over.

“Ah, man, I was hoping you had some kinda industrial riding vacuum!”

“You don’t have to do anything …”

“I’m just teasing you! This is fine.”

They returned to the front, and Eddie immediately began running the sweeper over the dirty, thread-bare carpet.

Steve walked over to the large glass windows with a spray bottle and rag to wipe them down. He honestly didn’t think they needed to do this every night, but Keith was adamant. He let his thoughts wander as he cleaned the glass, remembering his shower that morning.

Eddie eventually made his way through the aisles on one side of the store and was now vacuuming behind him, humming what he was pretty sure was a Dio song.

He checked to make sure Robin was still counting the till, a job he always let her do because counting money made him nervous. “Eds,” he murmured.

Eddie came closer. “What’s up? Am I doing this wrong? I’m not sure there’s any saving this carpet-”

He snorted. “No! I, uh … Well, I …”

Eddie came closer until he was right behind him and continued to run the sweeper back and forth, even as he stood in the same spot. “What’s wrong?”

“I fingered myself in the shower this morning,” he finally whispered, hoping the TVs were loud enough that Robin wouldn’t hear him. He heard Eddie suck in a sharp breath, and the handle of the sweeper hit the floor with a clatter. He turned around to make sure he hadn’t just killed his boyfriend.

Eddie was stock still, hand outstretched, eyes wide and face flushed.

“You okay?” Robin called from the counter.

“We’re fine!” Steve replied cheerfully, bending over to grab the handle and putting it back in Eddie’s hand.

Eddie gripped it tightly enough his knuckles turned white. “Are you trying to murder me?” he hissed. “I’ve never had the blood rush out of my head so fast! I almost passed out!”

“Sorry,” he chuckled.

“Just … warn me next time.” Eddie took a moment to compose himself. “... Did you like it?”

“It was weird at first, and I didn’t have lube-”

“Babe …”

“But after I found that spot … Yeah. I get it now.”

Eddie let out a long breath, then crowded even closer. “I wish I had fucking been there …” he murmured into his ear.

“Me, too, but ... I was thinking about you and … I had to try it.”

“Thinking about me in the shower, huh?” Eddie teased, eyebrow arched.

“I’m always thinking about you,” he admitted with a shrug.

Eddie’s expression melted into a fond smile. He peeked around to make sure the parking lot was empty, then pressed a soft kiss to Steve’s lips. He pulled back, taking his free hand in his own. “Me, too …”

Robin cleared her throat loudly.

Steve looked up to see Keith’s car pulling into the parking lot. They quickly stepped apart. “Here, give me the sweeper. He’ll be pissed if he thinks I’m pawning off my duties.”

Eddie grimaced, but released the handle and turned around, pretending to peruse the VHS covers on the nearest shelf.

“Store closes in two minutes, Munson,” Keith barked as soon as he entered.

“I don’t see anything good anyway,” Eddie sneered.

“Then beat it. My employees are busy.”

Eddie rolled his eyes. “I’ll see you guys later.”

Steve nodded sadly and watched him wander out into the dark parking lot.

Keith snapped his fingers. “I don’t pay overtime, Harrington!”

He continued cleaning the windows with a frown. Once he’d wiped everything down and finished sweeping the carpet, he changed out the trash bags from the bins and carried them to the back alley. As he tossed them into the dumpster, he caught a whiff of cigarette smoke.

“That guy’s a real asshole.”

He nearly jumped out of his skin before he realized it was just Eddie. He clutched his chest and huffed an embarrassed laugh. “Holy shit …”

“Sorry,” Eddie chuckled, then took another drag from his cigarette. “Thought you saw me.”

He wiped his now sticky hands on his pants. “I was distracted.”

“You didn’t think I’d leave without a proper goodbye, did you?”

He grinned. “Of course not.”

Eddie wrapped his hand around the back of Steve’s neck and drew him into a messier kiss than the one they’d shared in the store.

Steve could taste the nicotine on his tongue and melted into the kiss. Between work, band practice, and Hellfire, he probably wouldn’t see Eddie again until Thanksgiving, so he let the kiss linger longer than he should have.

The heavy back door slammed open. “Steve!” Robin called out in exasperation. “What’s taking so-” When she realized what was happening, she slammed the door shut behind her. “Steve!” she hissed. “What if I were Keith??”

He sighed. She was right, of course, but goddamn did he hate it. “Just give me a minute!”

“One minute!” She returned inside, closing the door behind her.

“I guess I should go before I get you in trouble,” Eddie sighed, hand still wrapped around the back of Steve’s neck, thumb rubbing gentle, affectionate circles into his skin.

Steve wanted to tell Keith and the rest of the town to go to hell if they couldn’t accept them. He’d never felt so good around another person before, and having to hide it made him furious. It wasn’t fair. He stared into Eddie’s beautiful brown eyes and imagined them walking downtown hand in hand. “You’d be worth it,” he finally replied.

Eddie smiled shyly. “You, too.”

He kissed him again. “I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”

“Sounds good.” Eddie dropped his cigarette butt on the ground and snuffed it with his sneaker. “Good night.”

“Good night.”

Eddie stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets and left the alley.

Steve watched until he was gone, took a deep breath, and went back inside to finish closing.

~*~

“Guess who gets to perform their original songs at the Hangout??” Eddie boasted dramatically.

His bandmates looked up at him from their cafeteria table in awe.

“You serious?” Gareth demanded.

“Yep!” he replied, taking his usual seat at the head of the table. “Played them some highlights, and they loved it!”

“Fuck yes!” Grant pounded his fist on the table, nearly knocking his soda can over.

“Think you’ll have that love song ready?” Jeff teased.

He shook his head. “That needs some more finesse, and I’m not ready for St- … for her to hear it yet.”

“Ooh, almost spilled the beans!” Jeff laughed. “Is it … Stacy?”

Eddie shook his head, kicking himself for the slip.

“Stephanie?” Grant suggested.

He shook his head again. “You’re not getting it out of me, so you might as well give up.”

“I wish we could watch you play,” Dustin whined, providing the perfect interruption from his nosy friends.

He patted him on the shoulder patronizingly. “One day, young squire ...”

“By the way, Gareth and I ran into your pal Steve the other day,” Jeff announced.

“He told me,” Eddie replied casually, anxious under the surface.

“He apologized to us,” Gareth explained. “For his old friends. I guess you were right. He seems okay.”

He felt his heart crack a little that Steve even felt the need to apologize, but he was also proud of him, and he was sure the apology helped him feel better, which is all he really cared about. “I told you,” he replied smugly.

“Plus he said he liked our Halloween performance,” Jeff grinned.

“He’ll be coming to our next one,” he smiled, excited to show his boyfriend how good their band really was. “Which, by the way ... is Saturday.”

“Shit, we need to settle on a setlist!” Gareth pulled out a notebook and the four of them spent the rest of lunch discussing which songs were their strongest, and the best order in which to play them.

After school, Eddie was packing his homework at his locker when he noticed Robin headed for the nearest exit. “Hey, Buckley!” he called out.

“Yes, Munson?” she greeted, turning around dramatically.

“Are you working today?”

“Yeah,” she groaned. “Gotta pay for college somehow.”

“Want a ride? I was gonna stop by to see Steve anyway.”

“Sure! Maybe I am getting something out of this relationship,” she teased.

He laughed and flipped her off, then shouldered his backpack. “C’mon, I’m parked by the football field.” Metallica blared out of the speakers when he started the van, causing Robin to wince. He immediately turned the volume down.

“I don’t see how you can stand this stuff.”

“It’s the best music in the world!” he argued. “Here, maybe you’ll like this.” He rummaged through his collection of cassettes until he found his Runaways tape. They were more punk than metal, but he liked them, and he hoped Robin would appreciate an all-female band.

As Cherry Bomb played, Robin nodded along to the beat, smiling when a girl began to sing. “This isn’t too bad,” she teased.

He smiled, hopeful for another convert.

By the time they arrived at the video store, she was happily nodding along to the rest of the album, and when she asked to borrow the cassette, he was happy to oblige. They both brought their backpacks inside, the doorbell jingling as they entered.

Steve came around from behind a shelf, reading the titles of the VHS tapes in his hands as he put them away. “Hey, Robs,” he greeted without looking up.

“Hello,” she replied as she dropped her backpack behind the counter and retrieved her uniform vest.

“Hey, babe,” Eddie purred.

Steve’s head snapped up, and his smile brightened. “Eddie!” He set the tapes on the counter and pulled him into his arms. Another patron entered the store, stopping them from going further.

Robin greeted the customer as a distraction.

“Mind if I hang out for a bit?” Eddie asked, already knowing the answer.

“Of course not,” Steve huffed. “Stay as long as you want.” He looked up at the nearest monitor, where 9 to 5 was about halfway through. “Want me to put in a different movie?”

“Nah, I need to finish my homework.” He grimaced as he held up his full backpack.

“C’mere.” Steve led him behind the counter and cleared away some tapes and equipment before pulling up a stool. “You can work here!”

“You sure Keith won’t get pissed?” he asked as he sat down.

Steve shook his head. “He won’t be in ‘til closing,” he assured.

“Good.” That guy was a prick. He opened his backpack and removed his math textbook. He was so sick of this tedious busywork the teachers gave them, but it still had to get done.

Steve retrieved his original stack of tapes and returned to shelving them. “How was your day?”

“Just another day in hell,” he sighed. “But ‘86 is gonna be my fucking year. I’m gonna graduate, and I'm never gonna set foot in that godforsaken place again.”

“I know you will,” Steve smiled from the end of an aisle. “No tests this week, right?”

“No, thankfully.”

“Good. Tests before a holiday are bullshit.”

He continued his homework while Steve and Robin did little menial tasks around him. Every once in a while, he’d need some help, and one of them, usually Robin since she had the same homework, would help him. Whenever the store was empty, Steve would brush his hand over his ass, or press a chaste kiss to his temple, flustering him every time. “You’re making it very difficult to concentrate,” he huffed, barely hiding his smile.

“Fine, I’ll stop,” Steve shrugged, hands on his hips.

He immediately frowned. He didn’t want the affection to stop; he wanted the homework to go away.

Steve leaned against the counter next to him. “You ok?”

“Just sick of this,” he sighed, dropping his pencil.

Steve placed his hand on his thigh and squeezed reassuringly. “You can do this.”

“But I don’t want to,” he laughed. He wrapped his arm around Steve’s waist. “I just wanna hang out with you.”

Steve grinned. “Just focus on the holiday weekend.”

He cheered up at that. “Do you want to do anything Friday?”

“Well, that movie is still playing in Indianapolis if you’re interested.”

“Oh yeah! We can have a little road trip!”

“Maybe we can get a motel room,” Steve suggested.

“What? You don’t want to spend another night in my van?” he teased.

“The van has her uses, but I’d like a heated room for an entire night,” Steve replied. “Besides, I think my car gets better gas mileage.”

“You’re really taking me out on the town,” he smiled brightly.

“A proper date,” Steve grinned. “And we can hold hands in the theater.”

Eddie was awe-struck at the idea of being in a queer space where the two of them could be openly affectionate. It was thrilling, and he couldn’t wait for Friday to get here.

“But first,” Steve tapped his finger on his notebook, “You have to finish this.”

He sighed dramatically. “Fiiiiine.”

As it neared closing, he decided it was time to go home. Keith would be there soon, and Steve had enough to deal with. He packed up his stuff and stood, stretching his back. That stool was not easy on his spine.

Steve finished checking out a customer and turned to face him. “You leaving?”

“Yeah …” he sighed. “Don’t want to get you in trouble again.”

“You have Hellfire tomorrow, and band practice Wednesday, right?”

Eddie nodded.

“I guess I’ll see you Thursday, then …” His shoulders slumped in disappointment.

“I promise I’ll call every night, okay?”

Steve smiled fondly. “Ok.”

Robin looked between the two of them and sighed. “You have two minutes in the back, but only two minutes!”

They grinned, and Eddie raced Steve to the back room. As soon as the door shut behind them, he crowded Steve against the metal cabinet, kissing him hungrily.

Steve wound his fingers into his hair, kissing him back with just as much fervor. “Don’t forget to pack lube,” he murmured against his lips. “I want you to fuck me Friday.”

Eddie groaned, stars popping in his vision as all of his blood rushed south. He kissed down Steve’s throat until he found the fading bruise on his collarbone and sucked, bringing his blood back to the surface. He returned to Steve’s lips, memorizing the taste. It was going to be a long three days. “Gonna make you feel so good, baby,” he promised.

“I know,” Steve sighed happily.

They eventually broke apart and returned to the front of the store.

Robin took in their swollen lips and mussed hair and shook her head in fake disgust.

Chapter Text

Thursday morning, Eddie woke up early and showered quickly. Wayne was trying to catch a few hours of sleep before they left, so he quietly cooked with his headphones on. Bacon grease occasionally popped out of the pan, burning his fingers. He swore under his breath and wrapped a kitchen rag around his hand.

“Smells good,” Wayne murmured sleepily from his cot.

He pushed his headphones down around his neck. “Mornin.’”

“Dinner’s at four, right?” Wayne asked, stifling a yawn.

“Yeah, but Dustin wants us there early to hang out,” he chuckled.

“Might as well get up, then.” Wayne stood and stretched with a groan. As he made his way toward the bathroom, he peeked at the bacon sizzling on the stove. “Make some extra for breakfast.”

Eddie nodded. They ate their breakfast while the bacon grease cooled. When Wayne first taught him how to cook this dish, he warned him about accidentally causing a grease fire; an accident like that might doom them in this cheap mobile home. He was chewing on a piece of bacon when he had a sudden realization. “Shit, what should I wear?” He only owned band t-shirts. Was he supposed to dress up for this?

Wayne shrugged. “I’m just gonna wear one of my plaid button-downs.”

He frowned, not sure he’d be able to pull that look off.

“You want to borrow my white one? I haven’t worn it in years.”

He tried to picture it in his mind, but he didn’t have much of a choice anyway. Mrs. Henderson might think he’s a devil worshiper or some shit. “Yeah, thanks.” Wayne washed the dishes while he checked the bacon grease. When he was sure it was cool enough, he dumped in several cans of corn and cranked the burner back up. It was a simple dish, but goddamn, it was delicious. When he was happy that the corn had been properly fried, he sat the pan to the side to let it cool. They didn’t own any fancy casserole dishes, so they’d have to pack it in their scuffed avocado-green Tupperware.

Wayne retrieved his white button-down and handed it to his nephew.

Eddie shook it out; the shirt had a few serious wrinkles from being folded away for so long, but it was in decent shape. “Can I hang this in the bathroom while you shower?” He hoped the steam would ease the wrinkles a bit, since they didn’t own an iron.

“Good idea,” Wayne chuckled. He took the shirt and disappeared into the bathroom.

Eddie returned to his room and rifled through his clothes until he found an unripped, dark blue pair of jeans that he rarely wore. He then fussed over his hair some more until Wayne entered with the shirt. The steam had done a good enough job. He shrugged it on, buttoning it all the way up to the collar and stuffing the tails into his jeans. He looked at his reflection and grimaced. This wasn’t him ... He popped the first two buttons open, pulled his guitar pick necklace out, and rolled the sleeves up his forearms, revealing his tattoos. He accessorized with a few of his bracelets and rings and his handcuff belt. When he checked the mirror again, he was much happier. Still weird, still not quite him, but acceptable for the occasion. He wondered what Steve would think. He wondered what Steve would wear. That reminded him to set out the clothes he’d borrowed earlier. He was pretty sure Steve would come home with him, and this way he’d remember to return them. He’d rather keep the shirt, though; it was soft and still smelled like his boyfriend.

He cracked his door open and called out, “All clear?”

“You’re good,” Wayne replied.

He returned to the kitchen to transfer the corn into the Tupperware while Wayne finished getting dressed.

“You look handsome,” Wayne said behind him.

He turned, looking down at himself. “Is this alright?”

Wayne smiled at him fondly. “You clean up nice when you want to,” he chuckled.

Eddie smiled. “Not too bad yourself, old man.”

Wayne patted himself down. “Don’t get to do this very often, do we?”

He shook his head. He was grateful for Dustin, and excited to spend this day with people he cared about. They each grabbed a pair of Tupperware and walked out to Wayne’s truck. The sky was gray and cloudy, and the air was moist like it was just about to rain. As Eddie set the food on the bench seat, he noticed Max sitting on her front step. She was alone, and she looked miserable. He barely knew this girl, but she obviously meant a lot to his friends, and he’d sat alone on his front step many times before. “I’ll be right back.” He jogged over to her.

She must have heard his footsteps and looked up, greeting him with a neutral expression.

“Hey. Max, right?”

She nodded but said nothing.

“I’m Eddie. I’m friends with Dustin, Lucas, and Mike.”

“I know who you are,” she replied.

“Do you and your mom have any Thanksgiving plans?” he blurted out, knowing how he would have reacted at this age, but asking anyway.

She averted her gaze, staring off into the distance. “My mom’s at work,” she finally replied. “And our family’s in California, so …”

“Oh man, that sucks,” he said honestly. “We’re headed over to Dustin’s right now. Do you want to come with us?”

Her eyebrows furrowed in contemplation, but when her expression hardened, he already knew what she was going to say. “I’m fine,” she muttered.

“Are you sure? I’m sure Mrs. Henderson won’t mind-”

“I said I’m fine!” She suddenly stood, her fists at her side. “Dustin already asked, and I told him no.”

“Why?” He had no idea what she was going through, but he wanted to help.

“Just leave me alone.” She turned quickly and stepped inside, slamming the door behind her.

He sighed in defeat. Maybe he could leave some leftovers for her and her mom later. He’d ask the others what they thought at dinner. As angry and mean as he’d been at that age, an act of kindness like that would still mean a lot to him, even if he never said it out loud. He returned to the truck.

Wayne cranked the engine. “What was that about?”

“She’s friends with Dustin and Lucas, and her mom’s working today,” he explained. “I asked her to join us, but she said no.”

Wayne sighed. “Poor thing.”

When they arrived at the Henderson house, Steve’s car was already parked along the street. Eddie smiled at the sight of it, making Wayne chuckle. They grabbed the food and walked up to the door, ringing the doorbell.

“Hello!” Mrs. Henderson swung the door open and greeted them boisterously. “Eddie, sweetheart! And you must be Wayne! Please, come inside!”

They entered to find a square table and a round table pushed together and draped with one long tablecloth, set with a matching set of floral china.

“Eddie!” Dustin cheered.

He looked over to find Dustin and Steve sitting on the couch in the den. He smiled at Dustin, but all of his attention immediately fell on Steve. He was wearing a navy blue button down with a pair of gray slacks, and black loafers. If it were anyone else, Eddie may have laughed, but Steve looked … so fucking good. He took a deep breath. “Hey, guys,” he finally managed.

Steve smiled knowingly, but there was still a faint blush dusting his cheeks. He looked Eddie over appreciatively. “Not bad, Munson,” he teased.

Mrs. Henderson swung back into Eddie’s view, taking the Tupperware out of his hands. “Does this need to be heated up, sweetheart?”

“Yeah. Sorry, we didn’t have a casserole dish or anything …”

“No problem! We’ve got plenty.” She disappeared into the kitchen.

Dustin patted the empty spot on the couch next to him. “C’mere! We were just talking about our last Hellfire session!”

The three of them chatted about whatever thought was currently floating through Dustin’s head, while Wayne and Mrs. Henderson made small talk in the kitchen. Eddie felt bad for abandoning his uncle, but they seemed to be getting along well enough. Besides, his eyes kept flitting over to Steve; specifically, the small tuft of chest hair sticking out from his open collar.

“Ok, boys! Come help set the table!” Mrs. Henderson beckoned.

They carried dishes out to the table while Wayne pulled the turkey out of the oven.

As Eddie sat down a large bowl of mashed potatoes, he realized there were name tags at the top of each place setting. As he read them, he chuckled. Of course, Dustin had set himself up between him and Steve. When Dustin left the room to get more food, Eddie leaned in close to Steve and whispered, “You look fucking gorgeous.”

Steve smiled, replying, “So do you, babe.”

Eddie grinned. He was about to press a chaste kiss to Steve’s lips when they heard a large crash from the kitchen and jolted. They quickly walked into the kitchen to see what had happened; they found Dustin with gravy splashed all over his shirt.

“Oh, Dusty …” His mother shook her head sadly as she picked up the silver gravy boat from the floor.

Eddie and Steve did their best to hide their laughter, then each grabbed a rag to help clean up the gravy from the floor.

“Sorry,” Dustin laughed nervously.

“Go clean up, honey,” his mother replied, patting him gently on his shoulder, one of the few spots still clean.

Dustin left as the rest of them cleaned up and finished setting the table. They all took their seats, Steve rolling his eyes when he realized that Dustin was separating him from Eddie, and waited until Dustin returned. That must have been his one good shirt because he returned in a different button-down with a garish pattern.

Mrs. Henderson stood and said grace.

Eddie bowed his head awkwardly. He hadn’t been brought up religious, and wasn’t used to this kinda thing.

“Amen!” she finished. “I just want to thank you for joining me and Dusty today. It’s been the two of us for so long, so it's always wonderful to have friends join us.”

“Thanks for inviting us,” Wayne smiled.

“Yes, thank you,” Steve added.

Eddie smiled and nodded in agreement. After that, they dug in, passing serving dishes and bowls as they piled food high on their plates. He couldn’t even remember the last time he’d had a meal this big. He happily sampled everything, even Mrs. Henderson’s grayish oyster stuffing, which was just as bad as he feared it would be. After taking a bite, he caught Steve’s eye over the top of Dustin’s head and snorted.

Steve took a breath and swallowed hard. “Everything’s delicious,” he lied.

Luckily, everything else really was delicious, and he ate until his stomach could take no more.

As the eating slowed down, they began to talk a bit more.

“Have any plans for the weekend?” Mrs. Henderson asked, taking another sip of wine.

“Eddie’s band is playing, but I can’t see them,” Dustin pouted.

“It’s at the Hangout,” Eddie explained. “Adults only.” He poked Dustin’s shoulder.

“Oh, Dusty, you can’t go to a bar!” she laughed. “Are you going, Steve?”

“Yeah!” Steve answered enthusiastically. “I love watching him play.”

Wayne smiled softly at his plate.

“I didn’t realize you two were such good friends! How long has this been going on?”

“A few months,” Steve replied.

“He’s trying to steal Eddie from me,” Dustin complained. “But he was my friend first!”

Eddie snorted.

“I thought I was your friend first,” Steve replied snottily, elbowing Dustin for emphasis.

“You know what I mean!”

“Well, who gets to take him to a movie tomorrow? Me! Ha!”

“What? What movie? Where? I want to go!”

Steve realized what he’d done and looked like a deer in headlights.

Eddie giggled under his breath, wondering how his boyfriend would escape the hole he’d dug for himself.

“It’s rated R,” Steve finally managed, looking smug.

Dustin threw his hands up in defeat.

“What movie is it?” Mrs. Henderson asked.

Again, Steve faltered. “It’s a …” He caught Eddie’s eye, but Eddie only shrugged, finding the whole situation hilarious. “Foreign film … It’s only playing in Indianapolis.”

“Oh, I hate subtitles,” she giggled. “But I’m sure you boys will have fun!”

“Subtitles?” Dustin looked at Steve dubiously.

“I can read, you know,” Steve dead-panned, fully offended.

Eddie couldn’t hold back his laughter any longer, and snorted loudly, earning him a withering glare from both of them.

Once everyone was done eating, they all helped clean up the food and dishes.

“I’ll make sure everyone gets leftovers,” Mrs. Henderson smiled as she began to divvy up what was left.

“Oh, yeah! I wanted to give some to Max,” Eddie said.

“I tried to invite her, but …” Dustin shrugged with a frown.

“I tried, too,” he sighed. “Her mom’s working today, and I don’t think they’d eat any Thanksgiving food otherwise.”

“That poor dear. I’ll pack some for them, too.” Mrs. Henderson removed more Tupperware from her cabinets.

Wayne did the dishes, while Steve and Eddie helped dry and put them away. Mrs. Henderson fussed that it was unnecessary, but none of them wanted to leave her with that mess. After that, she and Wayne enjoyed coffee in the den while Dustin dragged Steve and Eddie back to his room to show them some of his new inventions.

“I’m not gonna find any more horrible monsters in here, right?” Steve teased as he entered the room.

“Shut up!” Dustin hissed.

“Oh man, is that a dinosaur robot??”

Wayne must have run out of small talk because thirty minutes later he stuck his head in the door and asked, “You boys ready to go?”

All three looked up from where they sat on the floor, surrounding a Star Trek board game.

“Aww, we’re only halfway through!”

Wayne stifled a yawn. “Sorry, Dustin, but I’ve got to get some sleep before work tonight.”

“You go ahead,” Steve suggested. “I can bring Eddie home later.” He looked at Eddie. “If that’s ok with you?”

He grinned. “It’s fine with me.”

“Alright,” Wayne replied. “I’ll see you boys later. Bye, Dustin.”

“Bye, Mr. Munson!” Dustin waved, clearly overjoyed that he got more time with Steve and Eddie.

Steve grabbed the dice. “Now I can finish kicking your ass!”

He lost miserably, and Eddie patted his shoulder reassuringly as he chuckled under his breath. He knew Steve was doomed the second Dustin opened up the booklet of instructions, but his confidence was cute.

“What now?” Dustin asked excitedly as he folded up the board.

He sighed. What he wanted to do was go home and be alone with his boyfriend, but he knew it would break Dustin’s heart if they left so soon, and the kid really was growing on him. “Wanna watch a movie?” He directed the question at Dustin, but his eyes met Steve’s.

Steve laughed and nodded. “Yeah, what do you want to watch?”

Dustin wandered over to a bookshelf and rifled through his VHS collection. “Tron?” He turned, presenting the box art to them.

“Sure,” Steve shrugged.

“Have you ever seen it?” Eddie asked.

Steve shook his head.

“Oh, this is going to be fun,” he giggled.

They returned to the den to find Mrs. Henderson watching a soap opera. “Hello, boys!”

“Mom, can we watch a movie?”

“Of course, Dusty!” She moved from the couch to the recliner and picked up a magazine.

Dustin knelt in front of the tv to put in the tape, so Steve and Eddie sat next to each other while he was distracted. Eddie chuckled when Steve put his arm on the back of the couch behind him, as close as they could be right now.

Dustin frowned when he realized he couldn’t sit between them, but seemed happy enough to collapse next to Eddie, kicking his feet out onto the coffee table.

“Dusty …” his mother warned.

“Ugh!” He rolled his eyes as he dropped his feet back to the floor.

As the credits began with their matrix dots and neon lights, Steve leaned over and whispered, “What the hell is happening?”

“It’s the inside of a computer,” Eddie explained.

“Oh no,” Steve groaned, making Eddie giggle again. He fell silent as the movie continued, his face furrowed in concentration as the characters spit out computer jargon that sounded like gibberish. Eddie wasn’t big into computers, but he understood well enough. When Jeff Bridges’ character appeared, Steve whispered, “That Flynn guy is kinda cute …”

“That’s cause he looks like you,” Eddie teased quietly.

“No, he doesn’t,” Steve scoffed.

“You’re right,” he murmured. “You’re cuter than him.”

Steve blushed and opened his mouth to argue, but Dustin cut him off.

“Are you paying attention? Stop whispering!”

Steve snapped his mouth shut. When Flynn was digitized by the laser, he gasped, “Holy shit! Is he being sucked into the computer?”

Eddie, Dustin, and Mrs. Henderson all laughed this time.

“Sorry, Mrs. H,” Steve murmured when he realized what he had said.

He settled down for the rest of the movie, but Eddie could tell whenever his brain finally caught up to what was happening on screen. It was adorable, and he kinda felt bad for letting Dustin pick this one out.

When the movie came to its oddly abrupt end, Steve murmured quietly, “What the hell just happened?”

Eddie squeezed his knee reassuringly. “It’s a weird one,” he explained, then sighed melodramatically. “Dustin, this has been fun, but I think it’s time we headed out.”

Dustin pouted. “We could watch another movie?” he suggested. “Or go to the arcade?”

“The arcade’s closed,” Steve chuckled. “Besides, I’m sure your mom is sick of us.”

“Nonsense,” Mrs. Henderson giggled. “But Dusty, if they’re ready to go, you can’t make them stay. They’re big boys. Who knows what fun plans they might have?”

Eddie fought to keep himself from blushing and tugged a lock of hair across his face.

“We’ll hang out again soon,” Steve promised.

“Fiiiine.” Dustin crossed his arms over his chest.

“We promise the next movie we see won’t be an R-rated foreign film,” Eddie teased, winking at Steve.

“Good!” Dustin huffed, then murmured, “I’m glad you guys came today …”

“We had a great time,” Steve assured.

“Yeah, thanks for inviting us,” Eddie added. “And thanks for the great food, Mrs. H!”

“You boys are welcome over anytime,” she replied.

Dustin walked them to the door, only hesitating for a moment before wrapping them both in a hug.

Eddie flushed when this action brought his face within an inch of Steve’s, and patted Dustin’s shoulder awkwardly.

Steve smiled at Eddie as he hugged Dustin with one arm, the other trapped between them. “We’ll see you later.”

“Don’t forget your leftovers!” Mrs. Henderson brought over an armful of tupperware. “You can give these to Dusty when you’re done with them.”

Eddie nodded in thanks as he and Steve split up the containers between them.

Dustin waved as they stepped outside. It had begun to rain, so they ducked their heads and ran to Steve’s car. Steve struggled to unlock the door with so much Tupperware in his hands, and Eddie cackled as the rain drenched them. Steve finally fell into the driver’s seat and leaned over to unlock Eddie’s door, pushing it open enough for Eddie to get in.

He also fell into the car, Tupperware bouncing onto the floor, and quickly shut the door behind him. He waved through the window at Dustin, then turned back to Steve. Steve’s beautiful hair was now plastered to his face, and Eddie reached over to push it off his forehead.

Steve glanced through the window to make sure Dustin had shut the door, then pulled Eddie in for a kiss. “I can’t believe that’s the first time I’ve kissed you in three days,” he sighed.

Eddie grinned. Steve was so fucking sweet.

“So … I’m not sure how long my parents will have those people over. Can I hang out with you for a bit?”

“Steve, baby, just spend the night.”

Steve’s smile brightened. “You don’t have to ask me twice.” He cranked the engine, and his new Oingo Boingo tape started playing.

“You really like this one,” Eddie chuckled.

“It’s good!”

“Yeah, it is. It reminds me of you.”

Steve pressed another kiss to Eddie’s lips, then drove them back to the trailer park.

When they arrived, they noted that the lights in Max’s trailer were on, so they must be home.

“How should we do this?” Steve asked nervously. “She’s a proud kid.”

Eddie shrugged. “Let’s leave it on the porch, ring the bell and run. Then she won’t have a choice.”

Steve snorted. “Or she’ll leave it on the porch to spoil just to spite us.”

“Then we’ll go pick it back up,” Eddie replied. “But I’m pretty sure she’ll accept it.”

Steve pondered for a moment, then reached over Eddie’s lap to open the glove box. He retrieved a notepad and pen, and jotted down a short message. He held it up for Eddie to read.

It simply read, “Happy Thanksgiving, Max”

Eddie nodded in approval.

They tucked the leftovers into their arms and jogged through the rain. Steve kept the note tucked against his chest to keep it as dry as possible. Luckily, Max’s porch had a small overhang. They stacked the Tupperware near the door, set the note on top, rang the doorbell, and booked it back to Eddie’s as quickly as possible.

Wayne was still home with the door unlocked, and he looked up in shock as the two boys came crashing into the living room, slamming the door behind them. “You boys ok?” he asked in genuine concern.

They went to the nearest window and peaked through the blinds.

“We’re fine,” Eddie panted. “We just ding dong ditched the leftovers.”

“Why couldn’t you just knock on the door and hand them over?”

“She’d never accept it,” Steve explained.

“Not much for charity, huh?”

“She’s … tough,” Steve sighed.

As they watched, Max’s mom opened the door and looked around, then looked down to see the Tupperware sitting at her feet. She picked up the note and smiled, then gathered the food in her arms and disappeared back inside.

Steve sighed in relief, then smiled at Eddie. “Good idea.”

Eddie shrugged casually, but he was smiling, too. He hoped they enjoyed the food.

“Well, if you don’t mind, I’ve got another hour before I have to be up.” Wayne curled back into his pillow, pulling his thin quilt up over his shoulders.

“Sorry,” Eddie chuckled. He led Steve back to his room and shut the door behind them. “Oh, I washed your clothes.” He nodded toward the folded t-shirt and jeans on his desk.

“Thanks! I was sure I was never going to see these again,” he teased.

“I was tempted to keep the shirt,” Eddie replied. He began to unbutton his shirt, ready to get the wet fabric off his skin.

“Then it’s yours,” Steve said as he also began to undress.

“Really?”

Steve shrugged. “But only if I get a shirt in return.” He smiled wickedly.

Eddie laughed. “I should have known … Did you have a specific shirt in mind?”

Steve pretended to ponder for a moment. “Your Corroded Coffin shirt.”

“C’mon, I’ve got better shirts than that!”

“Maybe, but that’s what you were wearing when we first kissed. Plus, I can wear it Saturday so everyone knows I’m your number one fan.”

Eddie tossed his wet shirt on the bed and crossed the room quickly, gathering Steve into his arms and kissing him messily.

Steve laughed as he returned the kiss, arms wrapping around Eddie’s waist.

“It’s yours,” Eddie sighed as they broke apart, then pressed back in for another kiss. They kissed languidly for a few minutes, but they didn’t want to start anything while Wayne was still home, so they finished removing their wet clothes. Eddie put on Steve’s basketball t-shirt and his gray sweatpants, which he’d kept hidden at the bottom of a drawer, then passed Steve some dry boxers and a Black Sabbath tee. They both collapsed onto Eddie’s mattress, bouncing slightly when they landed. “Today was nice,” Eddie sighed.

“Yeah, it was.”

“I haven’t eaten that well in … a long time,” he admitted. “I loved your green bean casserole.”

“Thanks.” Steve reached over to hold his hand. “That fried corn was great! You have to make that next year.”

Eddie’s chest grew warm at the thought of Steve already planning so far ahead. “You got it,” he replied. “It was more than the food, though. It was nice to spend this day with so many people I care about. Wayne, Dustin, you …”

Steve smiled fondly. “This has been my favorite Thanksgiving ever.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. ‘Cause I was with ... people I care about.” He squeezed Eddie’s hand gently.

Eddie was pretty sure they were admitting something here, that maybe neither of them were ready to say out loud. He brought their hands up and kissed Steve’s knuckles. “Would you say you’re thankful for today?”

“Shut up,” Steve chuckled.

They lapsed into a comfortable silence for several minutes.

“So …” Steve began, fingers twitching where he held Eddie’s hand. “Where did you get the dildo?”

“I … shoplifted it,” Eddie admitted.

“Really?” Steve laughed, turning to look at him.

“Well, I couldn’t buy it!” Eddie snorted. “Not only was I underage and a guy, but that thing was way outside of my budget.”

“Where’d you steal it from?”

“A sex shop just outside of Indianapolis. Why? You want one?”

Steve rubbed circles over Eddie’s wrist with his thumb. “Well, I don’t really need one now …” he murmured.

Eddie rolled over until he was halfway on top of his boyfriend. “Cause you have me, right?”

Steve flushed beneath him. “Right.”

“Want me to finger you tonight?”

Steve bit his lip and nodded.

Eddie could feel his burgeoning erection pressing into his hip, and pecked the corner of his mouth. “As soon as we’re alone,” he promised, rolling back to his side of the bed. He didn’t want to get Steve riled up just yet.

“Dammit,” Steve chuckled, pressing his palm against his half-hard dick.

Eddie stood up and picked a random cassette from his stash, popping it into his tape deck and adjusting the volume so it wouldn’t wake Wayne. He grabbed a worn out set of playing cards from a drawer and tossed them on the bed. “Want to play War?”

Steve snorted. “I haven’t played that in years.” He sat up and crossed his legs, then grabbed the box and dumped the cards onto his palm.

“It’s easy,” Eddie shrugged as he returned to the mattress, sitting opposite Steve. He took the cards from his hand and shuffled them. “You remember how to play?”

“I think so.”

Eddie split up the deck, and they began. They slapped down cards, cheering quietly whenever one won, and cackling when a “war” went on until they almost ran out of cards. Before they even realized how much time had passed, Wayne was knocking gently on the door.

“Come in!” Eddie called as he shuffled again.

Wayne opened the door. “I’m off to work.”

“Have a good shift, Mr. Munson,” Steve smiled.

“Oh, by the way! We’re going to spend the night in Indianapolis tomorrow, but we’ll be back Saturday morning.”

Wayne nodded. “Sounds fun. You boys be safe.”

They waved as Wayne shut the door.

Steve took the cards out of Eddie’s hands, put them back into the box, and leaned back to put the box on Eddie’s nightstand. He waited until they heard the front door shut and Wayne’s truck rumble to life, then pulled his shirt off. “I’m gonna take a quick shower.”

Eddie flushed, and his cock throbbed. “Okay ...” was all he could manage. Steve left the room, and soon Eddie heard the shower come on. He got up and stripped his comforter off the bed, then pulled a couple of towels out of his hamper, sniffing them to make sure they weren’t mildewed. He layered them on the bed and pulled out their half-used bottle of lube. Then he took off his own shirt and checked his fingers for hangnails. He sat back down on the bed, adrenaline building as he waited for Steve to return.

After what felt like an eternity, Steve entered the room with a towel slung low on his hips and closed the door behind him.

He was fucking gorgeous, and Eddie was itching to get his mouth and hands on him. “C’mere.”

Steve crossed the room until he was standing in front of Eddie. “I’m kinda nervous,” he admitted. “But ... I trust you.”

Eddie stared up at him in awe. “I’m gonna make you feel incredible,” he promised. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Steve’s exposed hip. “And if you want to stop at any point-”

“I’ll tell you,” Steve finished.

Eddie smiled and untucked the towel, letting it fall to the ground. He grasped the base of Steve's growing erection and licked the head.

Steve bit his lip. “You’re gonna get me off too fast,” he teased.

Eddie gave his cock a firm stroke, wringing out a moan. “The hornier you are, the better this will feel.”

Steve nodded.

He took the head of his cock into his mouth and sucked, free hand grabbing one of Steve’s asscheeks and pulling him closer. He moaned around his erection when he felt Steve’s fingers threading into his hair. His own cock was now straining against the soft sweatpants, but this wasn’t about him right now. He ran his tongue along a vein and took Steve further into his mouth.

Steve’s fingers flexed and tugged, his hips stuttering minutely. “Love your mouth, Eddie,” he sighed happily.

Eddie picked up the pace a bit as he pushed his fingers between Steve’s cheeks, his middle finger finally brushing gently over Steve’s hole.

Steve sucked in a breath. “Oh wow …”

Eddie mumbled a questioning noise around his cock.

“It already feels different … Better,” Steve explained.

Eddie pulled off his cock with a slurp. “Good. Lay down.”

Steve scrambled to lie down on his back, hips resting on the towels, thighs spread. He fidgeted with his hands before pushing them under the pillows underneath his head. “Is this good?”

Eddie took a moment to simply admire him; the planes of his muscles, his dark body hair, his thick cock resting heavily against his belly. “Perfect,” he sighed.

Steve’s face flushed and he smiled shyly. “I’m ready.”

Eddie grabbed the bottle of lube from the nightstand, then positioned himself between Steve’s legs. He grabbed under Steve’s knees and pushed them up until his hole was exposed; he stared hungrily at the tight pink furl. No one else had ever touched Steve here. He took a deep breath, popped the cap, and poured lube onto his fingertips.

“Should I hold my legs?” Steve asked, a slight tremor in his voice.

Eddie nodded, not trusting his voice at this moment.

Steve’s hands slipped under his knees, and he huffed a soft laugh. “This is different.”

Eddie smiled at him. “Good different?”

Steve nodded.

Eddie leaned over him and captured his lips in a gentle kiss as he pressed his slick fingertips to his entrance. He felt Steve suck in a breath and leaned back just enough to ask, “You okay?”

“Yeah,” Steve replied. “Keep going.”

Eddie watched his expression as he gently massaged his fingertips against his hole, nowhere close to breaching, just feeling the texture of him.

Steve closed his eyes, his eyebrows furrowing, and he groaned low in his throat. “This already feels so much better …”

“It's because we’re using lube,” Eddie chuckled.

But Steve shook his head and stared into Eddie's eyes. “It’s because it’s you.”

Eddie’s heart and cock throbbed, and he kissed Steve hungrily, continuing to rub circles around his rim. “Fuck, baby,” he murmured against his lips. “I’m gonna push inside now.”

Steve could only nod.

Eddie pressed at his entrance gently with his finger, feeling the muscle give under the pressure. His finger slipped in easily, and he could feel Steve clenching around him. “Still okay?”

“Yeah,” Steve panted. “I like it.”

He sunk his finger up to the second knuckle, then began to pump his finger in and out gently.

“Ooooh,” Steve sighed happily. “That’s good.”

“Yeah?” Eddie pressed a kiss to Steve’s temple as he fingered him.

“I can take more.”

“Okay, baby.” Eddie slipped his finger out, and then pressed back in with two, pushing slowly in case it was too much.

Steve pushed his head back into the pillows, eyes screwed shut. “Fuck-” he grunted.

Eddie immediately stilled. “Too much?”

“No, it’s really fucking good,” Steve sighed. “Please …” He tugged his thighs even further apart.

Eddie grinned and pressed all the way in, feeling the muscles loosen and relax. He started to fuck his fingers in and out of Steve’s hole.

Steve grunted with each thrust, his hips squirming with pleasure. “Fuck, Eddie …”

“Feel good, baby?” Eddie pressed wet kisses down his throat.

“Yeah,” Steve whined. “Never knew it could feel this good-”

Eddie angled his fingers up, searching for that spot he knew would drive Steve mad, and knew he’d found it when Steve cried out above him.

“Eddie!” His hands gripped his legs tightly, his head thrashed against the pillows.

“Yeah, baby?” He hammered at the spot as his fingers thrust in and out.

Steve’s chest heaved. “I’m gonna … I think I’m gonna …”

Eddie sat back and took hold of Steve’s erection, pumping it in time with his fingers. From this new angle, he could watch them disappear into Steve’s body, his rim red and stretched taut. It was a gorgeous sight. “Just let go for me.”

Steve’s body was drawing tighter, his hips gyrating, desperate for more. His eyes were squeezed shut, and he bit his lip as the pleasure washed over him.

Eddie picked up the pace just a bit, his fingertips rubbing insistently inside. His cock was throbbing between his legs, but all he cared about right now was pushing Steve over the edge.

“Oh shit, oh shit …” Steve’s breathing was becoming ragged.

“Just let go, baby …”

Steve’s hips snapped taut and he screamed, “EDDIE!!” He came over his hips and Eddie’s hand in thick stripes; it seemed to last forever.

Eddie worked him through it, memorizing the shape of his mouth, the taut lines of his muscles. He wanted to dream about this every night for the rest of his life.

Steve’s breath stuttered until he began to take deep, gulping breaths. He released his legs, letting them fall open, and pressed the heels of his palms against his eyelids. “Holy shit.” He looked down at Eddie in amazement, then reached for him.

Eddie leaned forward, letting Steve gather him into his arms, a proud smile on his face.

Steve hugged him and pressed soft kisses across his face. “That was … the hardest … I’ve ever come … in my whole life,” he huffed.

Eddie giggled. “Yeah?”

“Oh my god … I can’t wait for you to fuck me.”

Eddie put his hands on either side of Steve’s face and kissed him soundly. “I can’t wait, either,” he smiled, but he didn’t want to push Steve too far tonight. It could wait until tomorrow.

As they made out, Steve pushed Eddie’s sweatpants down his hips and squeezed his exposed cheeks.

Eddie thrust his erection against Steve’s come and lube slick pelvis, desperate for any friction he could get. When Steve wrapped his legs around him, he nearly sobbed.

Steve reached between them and took hold of Eddie’s cock, stroking him firmly. “How do you want to get off?”

“This is good,” Eddie murmured before kissing Steve again, thrusting his hips into Steve’s fist. Steve squeezed harder, and soon Eddie was coming. He pressed his face into Steve’s throat and groaned, hips stuttering until he was wrung dry. He finally let his full weight collapse on top of Steve while he caught his breath.

They lay in each other’s arms as their breathing evened out, sweat cooling on their skin.

Steve pressed a kiss against Eddie’s temple. “Thank you,” he murmured.

Eddie lifted his head enough to look into his eyes and smiled. “I'm happy to serve,” he chuckled. “Let’s get cleaned up.” He sat back on his knees, wincing as the drying come stuck in some places.

“You expect me to walk after that?” Steve chuckled. He pushed up onto his elbows, then reached down with one hand to rub at his abused hole.

“Fuck, Steve ...” Eddie sucked in a breath as he watched him probe himself, then shook himself out of it. “You’re okay, right?”

Steve leaned back, grinning widely. “I’m fucking fantastic.”

Eddie smiled in relief. “I’ll be right back.” He stood, kicking off the sweatpants, and left for the bathroom. He grabbed a washcloth and ran it under warm water, then wiped himself down. He re-wet the cloth and returned to his bedroom, kneeling on the bed to clean Steve as well.

Steve lifted his hips so they could pull the towels off the bed, tossing them back into the hamper.

Eddie grabbed his comforter from where he’d tossed it over his chair and draped it over his shoulders like a cape. He swung it in front of his face and prowled towards the bed like he was Dracula.

Steve giggled at his antics. “Are you gonna suck me dry?” he teased.

Eddie jumped onto the bed, unfurling the comforter so it enveloped them both, straddling Steve’s hips. “Are you saying you’re up for another round?”

Steve stretched beneath him and sighed. “Maybe in the morning. I’m worn out.” He reached up, wrapping his arms around Eddie to pull him down on top of him.

Eddie snuggled against his warm skin. The room smelled like sex and Steve and the lingering hint of bacon. It was magical. He maneuvered them so they were on their sides, Eddie pressed along the length of Steve’s back. He pulled the comforter off their heads, then wrapped his arm around Steve’s chest, trying to pull him even impossibly closer. He pressed a gentle kiss to Steve’s shoulder.

“You know what I’m thankful for?” Steve murmured.

“What?”

“Us,” he replied. “This.”

Eddie felt like his heart might burst. “Me, too,” he sighed happily, cozy in bed with his boyfriend, stomach full. It had been his favorite Thanksgiving, too.

Chapter Text

Loud knocking awoke Steve the next morning. He and Eddie were still naked, limbs tangled together under the blankets. He was so warm and comfy, and he really wanted whoever was banging on the door to piss off. “Why does this keep happening?” he whined.

“I don’t know,” Eddie mumbled against his shoulder. “Maybe they’ll go away.”

There was another loud bang, followed by Max yelling, “I know you’re in there!”

“Ah, fuck,” he groaned. He wasn’t prepared to be in big brother mode. “Hang on!” he called out. He rolled out of Eddie’s arms, who pouted in protest, and stood up, rummaging through all the clothes on the floor to find something to wear. He ended up in his gray slacks and basketball t-shirt, hoping that wearing his own clothes would make his overnight stay at Eddie’s less suspicious.

“How are we going to explain this?” Eddie chuckled, hanging halfway off the bed to grab "his" sweatpants.

“I don’t know,” he sighed. “Max is too smart for her own good.” He padded out to the living room, leaving Eddie to finish getting dressed, and opened the front door. “Hey, Max,” he greeted, stifling a yawn.

“Hey,” she returned cooly. She had an armful of Tupperware. “I just wanted to return these.”

“How’d you know it was us?”

She rolled her eyes. “I could see you from my bedroom window the whole time.”

Eddie snorted behind him. “That’s hilarious.”

Steve took the Tupperware from her. “You want to come inside for a minute?”

She hesitated for a second, then shrugged. “Sure.”

He led her inside, setting the Tupperware on the kitchen counter before sitting down in the living room. Max sat down in Wayne’s chair, and Eddie joined him on the couch.

“My mom was … really grateful for the food,” she explained, not really looking either of them in the eye. “I was, too,” she murmured. She finally looked up at Eddie. “I’m sorry I was mean to you yesterday.”

Eddie shrugged and offered a kind smile. “No problem. I was the same way when I was your age.”

She actually smiled a bit in return, but it disappeared just as quickly. “You know, it was our first Thanksgiving since … Billy …” Her eyes unfocused for a moment before she continued. “And my mom had to work, and … it was just a shitty day.”

“It’s really ok,” Eddie emphasized.

“But the food made it better, so … thank you.”

“It was Eddie’s idea,” Steve explained, smiling at his boyfriend; he was so proud of him. He wanted to wrap his arm around him, but Max would see through that in a nanosecond.

“It was really good.” She lapsed into awkward silence. “I should get home.”

Steve felt like real progress was being made, but he didn’t know how to keep it going. “Do you want breakfast?”

She shook her head. “You’ve done enough for me …”

“It’s no problem,” Eddie added.

“Thank you, but …” Her brow furrowed.

“What is it?” Steve asked gently.

She averted her gaze again, but he could see the tears welling up in her eyes. “I don’t deserve …”

He was shocked. Max deserved so much. What was going on in her head? He just wanted to help her. “Max-” he began.

She stood quickly. “Thank you for the food. I’ll, um … I’ll see you later.” Before either of them could say or do anything, she was out the door.

Steve buried his face in his hands, groaning in frustration.

Eddie rubbed his back sympathetically. “This was good. These things take time …”

“I know,” he sighed. “But it still fucking sucks.”

Eddie pressed a gentle kiss to the corner of Steve’s mouth. “Let’s go cuddle some more before Wayne gets home.”

He was more than happy to do that. They returned to Eddie’s room, shucking their clothes before crawling back under the blankets. This time, Steve bundled Eddie in his arms, chuckling when Eddie’s thick hair ended up in his face.

“Sorry-” Eddie swept his hair under his head.

“You’re fine,” Steve yawned, then kissed the nape of Eddie’s neck.

Eddie took the arm that Steve had wrapped around him and entwined their fingers together, and they fell asleep for a few more hours.

*

As they got dressed for their Indianapolis trip, Steve was grateful he’d let Eddie borrow his jeans last weekend. He’d look like a real asshole in his slacks and a t-shirt. He caught the shirt Eddie chucked at him, holding it out to see what was on it. It had a W.A.S.P. logo, the same band they were listening to when he ate Eddie out, and he flushed at the memory. Maybe he could do that again soon, or maybe Eddie would do that to him. He’d be happy either way.

Once they were dressed, they quietly snuck out the door, not wanting to disturb Wayne as he slept on his cot. Steve unlocked his passenger door first and held it open for Eddie.

“Why, thank you,” Eddie teased as he slipped inside.

Steve opened the back door, tossed in a small bag, grabbed his jacket and slipped it on before sliding into the front seat. He cranked up the car and realized Oingo Boingo was still playing. He reached into the backseat for his box of cassettes and sat it on Eddie’s lap.

“We can listen to this,” Eddie offered earnestly.

“We’ll take turns,” he suggested. “You start.”

Eddie rifled through the tapes until he found Judas Priest and swapped out cassettes.

Steve tapped his fingers on the steering wheel to the beat, and they headed for the nearest gas station for fuel and snacks.

As they merged onto the highway, Eddie began to sing along, and Steve was more than happy to listen to him sing again. His boyfriend had an incredible voice.

“I don't wanna touch you too much baby
'Cause makin' love to you might drive me crazy, oh …”

When the cassette came to an end, Eddie ejected it. “Your turn!”

He pondered for a moment. “Will you hate me if I say Tears for Fears?”

Eddie rolled his eyes fondly. “Of course not.” He picked through the tapes until he found it and popped it into the stereo.

He chuckled to himself when he noticed Eddie’s foot tapping along with the beat but decided not to tease him about it.

“I’m excited about this movie,” Eddie said. “I’ve never seen a gay movie before.”

“This is the only one I’ve seen so far, but it's really good. I’m excited for you to see it, too. And we can keep an eye on those zines to find out when more will come out.”

“I might be even more excited for the theater,” Eddie admitted. “A place just for us, where we can be honest about who we are … We deserve a place like that in Hawkins.”

He nodded. “Maybe we’ll have one one day.”

Eddie snorted. “In our podunk little town? I doubt it.”

They drove for a few hours, watching the terrain transform from farmland to suburbs as they got closer to Indianapolis. Eddie kicked off his sneakers and stretched out, pressing his socked feet against Steve’s thigh.

Steve grabbed one of his feet and brought it towards his mouth like he was going to bite his toes off, causing Eddie to jerk his foot back violently while giggling like a madman before replacing it on Steve’s thigh.

“You’re a nuisance,” Eddie teased, wiggling his toes against Steve’s jeans.

“Me?” he scoffed in fake indignation. “This isn’t how normal people sit in the car.”

“Well, I’m bored,” Eddie whined, crossing his arms. “Tell me a story.”

“A story? Like, make something up?”

“No … Tell me about your summer.”

He grimaced as he remembered the shit show at Starcourt. “It was really boring,” he lied.

“So? I want to hear about it.”

“Well … After I graduated, barely, my dad demanded I get a job, which was fair. I only applied to a couple of colleges, and they all rejected me for my grades, so what the hell else was I going to do.”

“You worked at Scoops Ahoy, right?”

“Yeah …” He rolled his eyes at the memory of his heinous uniform. He was glad Eddie never saw him in that stupid thing. “It was pretty embarrassing, but at least I met Robin there.”

“Yeah, she’s pretty cool.”

“Want to know something terrible?”

“What?”

“I had a bit of a crush on her, before … before she came out to me.”

“Oh my god, really?”

He nodded.

“That’s adorable.”

“Shut up!” He pinched one of Eddie’s toes.

“It is!” Eddie squealed as he flailed his legs. “She’s cute! I get it!”

“I’m glad things turned out the way they did, though,” he admitted. “She’s my best friend, and … now I’m with you.” He smiled at his boyfriend, then swerved a bit to miss a pothole.

Eddie grinned back. “I’ll have to personally thank her.” He retracted his feet and leaned over to peck Steve on the cheek. “Did you admit your crush to her?”

“Yeah. We were drugged, and I couldn’t stop myself-”

“On drugs or drugged?” Eddie asked in concern.

Steve realized what he said and mentally slapped himself. “On drugs, of course,” he spluttered.

Eddie narrowed his eyes at him, but didn’t inquire further.

One of these days Steve was gonna say something he couldn’t walk back. He didn’t want to keep secrets from Eddie, but … He was still terrified of the government, and honestly, Eddie was better off not knowing about this nightmarish shit anyway, especially now that it was finally over.

“And after the mall burned down, you got hired at Family Video?”

“Yep, thanks to Robin. Keith would never have hired me if it weren’t for her.”

“So …”

Steve looked over and realized Eddie had a sly grin. “What?”

“Do you still have the uniform?”

Dammit … “What uniform?” he asked, feigning ignorance.

“The sailor suit,” Eddie giggled. “You think I never went to that mall?”

He groaned in defeat and let his head fall back against the headrest. “I was hoping you hadn’t seen that.”

“It was cute!” Eddie grinned.

“No, no, it was … humiliating.”

“I think you looked hot in it …”

He looked over to find Eddie watching him with bedroom eyes. “You’re fucking with me.”

Eddie bit his lip and shrugged. “I don’t know … The chest hair peeking out of the top really did something for me. Not the hat, though. The hat covered your gorgeous hair.”

“Were you spying on me?” Steve teased, but he kinda hoped Eddie had been.

“Look, regardless of who I used to think you were, I still appreciated …. this.” He waved his hand up and down Steve’s body.

“Really?”

“I’ve always thought you were hot.”

Steve took a deep breath while he processed this. God, he wished he had paid more attention to Eddie before, but he was a wreck back then … “That’s … I … Thank you,” he finally managed, blushing furiously.

“You’re cute when you’re flustered,” Eddie teased. “But you still haven’t answered my question.”

“What question?” He was so overcome with this new knowledge, he legitimately couldn’t remember what they’d been talking about.

Eddie laughed. “Do you still have the sailor suit?”

He bit his lip. He had buried the bloody uniform at the bottom of his closet, uncertain what else to do with it. He’d briefly contemplated burning it. He finally nodded.

Eddie clapped in pure glee. “Thank god! When are you gonna wear it for me?”

“Never!” he scoffed. The bloody collar might not be exactly what Eddie was picturing.

“No fun,” Eddie pouted.

“What about your summer?” Steve asked, hoping to change the subject.

“Boring as fuck,” Eddie replied. “I've had this dread weighing over me since I failed senior year again. A bunch of my friends left town to start their lives-”

“I know how that is,” Steve commiserated.

“But I did a lot of songwriting. Had to put that angst somewhere, right?”

They spent the rest of the drive sharing stories and discussing all the minutiae of their lives. Steve loved it. He wanted to hear everything Eddie had to say, and he was pretty sure Eddie felt the same. When they finally arrived in Indianapolis, both of their stomachs were grumbling.

“We’ve got some time to kill before the movie. Want to get some dinner?” Steve asked.

“Yes, please! Got any suggestions?”

“I think there’s a Shakey’s nearby.”

“Sounds cool to me.”

He stopped at the next gas station he saw to fill up and ask for directions, while Eddie went to the bathroom. He waited for him by the car, sipping on a bottle of Coke. He offered it to Eddie when he reappeared.

“Find it?” Eddie asked before taking a swig.

“Yep, just a few blocks that way.” He nodded his head north, then opened the door for Eddie again.

Eddie winked and tipped the mouth of the bottle in thanks as he slipped back inside.

Steve drove until he saw the restaurant sign and pulled into the parking lot. They stepped out of the car, and he bumped his hip against Eddie’s as they crossed the asphalt. The whole place was bustling with people, so he was surprised when Eddie grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the entrance.

“No one’s paying attention to us.” Eddie winked. “No one knows us here.”

Steve smiled. He was right; they were practically anonymous. He squeezed Eddie’s hand and let him pull him along.

They were quickly sat at a booth and handed menus. “What do you want?” Eddie asked as he looked at all the options.

Steve thought about their plans for the evening and realized he should probably eat light. He briefly contemplated not eating at all like Eddie had the other night, but his stomach gurgled loudly. “I think I’ll stick to the salad bar.”

Eddie furrowed his brows at him. “I can hear your stomach from here!”

“Well, I don’t want to fill up on pizza before …”

Eddie flushed. “Oh! Oh, that’s a … good idea.” He looked back at the menu. “Fuck, now I can’t concentrate.”

Steve chuckled. “If the waitress comes by, I want a Dr. Pepper.” He walked over to the salad bar, grabbed a plate, and perused the offerings. When he returned to the table, his soda was waiting for him. “Thanks! What’d you order?”

“Just a few slices of Hawaiian pizza,” Eddie replied.

He shook his head, still disturbed by the concept of fruit on pizza.

“I’ll get you to try it again eventually,” Eddie teased. “Maybe your tastebuds have changed.”

After they ate, they returned to Steve’s car. The sun was setting, and it was time to head for the theater. Steve remembered roughly how to get there and only got turned around once before finding the correct street. He parked in an open spot on the opposite side of the road, popping some coins into the meter. He looked to see how far down the next crossing was, but Eddie was already weaving through traffic. “Wait up!” he called as he raced after him, waving apologetically at a car that almost hit them. “Holy shit, babe,” he muttered when he caught up to Eddie, but Eddie was grinning like a maniac, and he couldn’t help but smile back at his insane boyfriend.

“I’m excited!” Eddie bounced on his heels.

He threw his arm around Eddie’s shoulders. “Me, too.” He steered him toward the nondescript building with a rainbow flag hanging by the entrance, pushed the door open, and they stepped inside.

A few men turned to watch them enter, then returned to their conversations.

Eddie looked around in awe. “Oh, look! The poster for our movie! Are they boyfriends?”

Steve nodded, grinning at his enthusiasm.

“Holy shit,” Eddie murmured. He steered them toward the table covered in zines and flipped through a couple. “Don’t let me forget to grab some before we leave.”

“You got it, babe,” Steve chuckled. He let Eddie lead them around as he explored every inch of the lobby before gently tugging on his jacket as showtime approached. “Let’s go buy tickets.”

“Oh yeah!”

They stepped in line, hands held between them, and waited their turn. “Two tickets, please,” Steve told the attendant when he beckoned them forward. “You want any popcorn?”

Eddie nodded enthusiastically and pulled out his wallet.

He waved him off. “This is my treat.”

“But you paid for the gas! And dinner!”

“So? I thought I was taking you out on the town?” he chuckled.

“Fine, but I’m paying for the motel room,” Eddie grumbled, stuffing his wallet back into his jeans. “Oooh, are those buttons?”

Steve realized there was a display of pride buttons under the glass counter.

The attendant pulled the display out so they could see them better. “A quarter each.”

That wasn’t bad. Steve looked them over. Some were funny, some were angry; he appreciated both. He spotted one that read, “Lavender Menace,” and pointed it out. “Robin would like that." He hoped it was discreet enough for her to wear in Hawkins.

“She’d love that,” Eddie chuckled. “Oh, I need this one!” He plucked a button from the display and held it up for Steve to read.

He snorted. “I can’t even think straight!” it said. “That’s pretty good.”

“What about you? See one you want?”

Steve looked over the buttons again, then picked out a simple rainbow design. “How about this one?”

“I like it,” Eddie smiled.

“Add these to our bill,” he said to the attendant.

Eddie was already pinning his button onto his vest with the rest of his collection.

“How cute.” The attendant smiled as he handed over their tickets. “Been together long?”

“Almost a month,” Steve replied. He smiled at Eddie. He couldn’t believe it had only been a month, while at the same time couldn’t believe it had already been a month.

“Young love,” he sighed as he passed their popcorn over the counter. He then pulled the jar of condoms over and tipped the open end towards them. “Are you being safe?”

“Yeah,” Steve lied. This guy didn’t need to know their history, or lack thereof. He grabbed a couple of condoms out of the jar to assuage him.

“Good. I don’t want to see you at our next AIDS meeting.”

Steve felt like he had been slapped. He’d never met anyone with AIDS before, and he couldn’t tell at all by looking at the guy. He didn’t want to patronize him by apologizing, though, so he just nodded and said, “Thanks,” as he took his change.

“Enjoy the movie!”

Eddie squeezed his hand as they walked into the actual theater. “That fucking sucks,” he murmured.

“Yeah, it does,” Steve sighed.

They found a pair of empty seats in the middle of the theater and sat down. Steve put his arm around Eddie’s shoulders, and Eddie leaned against him, happily munching on popcorn as they waited for the lights to dim.

Every time the protagonists kissed or held each other, Eddie would mutter, “Holy shit,” under his breath, and it made Steve chuckle every time. It was adorable, and he knew exactly what Eddie was feeling. Seeing gay love on a big screen was really fucking validating.

When the credits rolled, Eddie bounced in his seat with pure joy. “That was so good!”

“You liked it?” he asked, so glad that Eddie enjoyed it as much as he did.

“It was incredible! They were so cute together! And just … seeing people like us? It’s blowing my mind!”

Steve grinned so wide it hurt. “I know.” He led them out of the theater where a small crowd congregated in the lobby, buzzing with conversations about the movie. They were strangers, but he felt a connection to them. Men and women, all queer, all here to enjoy something they couldn’t find anywhere else. He blushed when Eddie stuck his hand into his back pocket.

“Thanks for bringing me here,” he murmured into Steve’s ear.

“My pleasure,” Steve replied. He looked into Eddie’s beautiful eyes and put his hand on his hip. His heart raced knowing other people could see them, but they were safe here.

“You ready to find a motel?”

“Hold on, I want to try something.” He cupped Eddie’s jaw with his free hand and kissed him. Butterflies exploded inside him as he thought of all the eyes that might be on them. They were kissing in public, and it was okay. When Eddie brushed his tongue along the seam of his lips, he let him in, deepening the kiss as the thrill took over him. He almost whimpered when Eddie eventually pulled away.

“C’mon, baby,” Eddie murmured, leaning in close. “You’re getting me all riled up.”

“Good,” Steve chuckled.

They made their way towards the door, but Eddie yelped right before they left. “I almost forgot the zines!” He sprinted back over to the table, gathering one of each before rejoining Steve. “You said these were free, right?”

He nodded, biting his lip to keep from laughing.

“What?”

“You’re just really cute,” he admitted.

Eddie tossed the zines in the back seat. “I think I saw a Motel 6 right off the freeway.”

He waited in the car while Eddie entered the lobby to get a room.

Eddie returned a moment later, jingling a room key triumphantly. “Room 12,” he said as he hopped back in the car.

Steve drove them down the row of rooms until his headlights lit up the shiny metal twelve on the door, then parked in front of their room. He grabbed the small bag from the backseat as Eddie unlocked the door.

Eddie nodded approvingly at the room once they stepped inside. “Not too bad.” He dove onto one of the beds, chuckling as he brushed his hair out of his face. “One for sex, one for sleep!”

Steve rolled his eyes fondly and tossed his bag onto the mattress. “I’ll be right back.” He stepped into the bathroom, switching on the harsh lights. The fixtures were old, but in decent shape. He first used the toilet, then stripped and turned on the shower. It took forever for the water to heat up. As he waited, he thought about what they were about to do, and anticipation thrummed through his body. As soon as the water was warm enough, he threw himself into the shower, washing himself thoroughly and probing a bit to ensure there wouldn’t be any surprises. Sex wasn’t usually this much effort, but it was fucking worth it. Eddie was worth it. When he shut off the water, the old pipes growled in the walls. He quickly toweled off and put his boxers back on, then stepped back out into the room.

Eddie had shed his outer layers and shoes and was waiting on the edge of the bed, leg bouncing with nerves.

“You okay?”

Eddie looked up and smiled. “Yeah. I’ve just … never done this before. ‘M nervous,” he admitted.

Steve sat down next to him and ran a reassuring hand down his back. “It comes pretty naturally,” he explained.

“You swear you’ll tell me if I’m doing it wrong?”

He smiled at him. “Yes, but you’re going to be great. If I come half as hard as I did last night, I’ll be satisfied.”

Eddie quickly cupped his jaw and leaned in to kiss him.

Steve let him lead and was surprised to find himself enjoying giving up control. His hands roamed over Eddie’s still clothed chest as the kiss deepened.

Eddie pulled back to remove his shirt, then captured Steve’s lips again. He rubbed his thumb across one of Steve’s nipples, smiling into the kiss when he whimpered.

He desperately wanted Eddie’s naked body pressed against him, but he didn’t want to rush things. When their bare chests finally pressed together, he hummed happily and wrapped his arms around Eddie to keep them close together.

Eddie pulled back again, catching his breath as his dark eyes took Steve in. “You’re gorgeous,” he murmured, still so close that his lips slid over Steve’s as he spoke. “I …” He took a long pause. “I just want to make you feel good.”

“You already are.” He smiled and pecked Eddie’s swollen lips.

Eddie smiled at the assurance.

“C’mere.” He shuffled backwards up the bed and laid back, presenting himself.

Eddie followed him up the bed, pressing a kiss to his hip, then his navel, nibbling gently on his nipple before kissing up his neck and finally pressing his full weight on top of him.

Steve kissed him hungrily as his hands pushed into the back of his jeans. He squeezed his cheeks, eliciting a deep moan from his boyfriend. “Take these off,” he chuckled.

“Yes, sir!” Eddie teased. He pushed back onto his knees and unbuckled his pants.

Steve watched him push his jeans down his hips before taking off his own boxers and tossing them to the floor. He let his legs fall open, and his cock throbbed when Eddie slotted back into place, fully skin to skin. They made out for what felt like ages, gently caressing one another while their erections begged for attention, but they were content to take this slow.

Eddie eventually kissed his way back down his throat, which Steve happily bared for him. He dug into Eddie’s hair as he moved down to his chest, worshipping each of his nipples with a wet kiss that had his toes curling. Eddie grabbed under his knees and pressed his legs up and even further apart.

Steve bit his lip and keened; the vulnerability of it made his cock bounce on his hip. He cried out when Eddie licked a stripe up his erection and nearly sobbed when he took one of his balls into his mouth and sucked. Fuck, no one had ever done that to him before, and it felt incredible. He’d have to return the favor as soon as possible.

Eddie pushed his knees up even further, and he could feel the cool air against his exposed hole. Before he realized what Eddie was planning, he felt his tongue against his hole and groaned deeply. He tried to angle his hips so Eddie would have better access and choked when his tongue probed inside of him. It was absolutely filthy; it felt so fucking good.

“Feel good?” Eddie asked from between his legs.

He managed to nod, desperate for more. He cupped his balls, which were already drawn tightly against his pelvis, and held them up to give Eddie as much access as possible. Eddie dove back in, and Steve was lost to the sensation. His fingers dug into the ugly comforter as he threw his head back against the pillows, gasping for breath. His hips writhed, desperate for Eddie’s tongue, but also seeking pressure where he held himself.

Eddie let go of one of Steve’s legs to feel around for the small bag they brought. When he found it, he dumped its contents onto the bed and grabbed the lube. He sat back on his heels, licking his lips. He grabbed a hair tie off the mattress and pulled his hair into a bun. “This hair can be a pain,” he laughed.

“Don’t you dare cut it!” Steve threatened playfully.

“Whatever you say, baby …” He popped the lid on the lube and poured some onto his fingers.

Steve grabbed under his knees to hold his legs apart, shifting his hips a bit for the best angle. He sucked in a breath when the first finger breached him, muscles already loose and relaxed from Eddie’s tongue.

Eddie watched him closely as he worked his finger in and out slowly, and quickly added another.

He groaned at the stretch. It felt as good as last night, maybe even better. He honestly felt like his hole was aching for Eddie. He reached down and pressed his own finger alongside Eddie’s.

Eddie gasped, his pupils blown wide in arousal. “Fuck, Steve …”

He bit his lip as he helped Eddie finger him open. When they brushed that spot inside him, sending electricity jolting up his spine, he knew he was ready. He pulled their fingers out with a sigh. “Fuck me, Eddie …”

Eddie didn’t need to be told twice, and quickly poured lube onto his cock, hissing as he fisted himself. He shuffled forward, his thighs pushing under Steve’s as he lined up his cock. “You’re sure?”

“Yes,” he reassured. When Eddie rubbed his cockhead against his slick hole, they both gasped at the sensation, and then Eddie pushed inside.

“Fuuuck,” Eddie bit out as his cock pushed past that first ring of muscle. “Holy shit-” He paused, taking several deep breaths.

“Oh my god,” Steve groaned at the intrusion. Eddie’s cock was thicker than their fingers, but the burn was delicious. Holy shit, he was inside him. His cock throbbed and his skin hummed. Was this what it was like for everyone? Eddie wasn’t even fully inside him yet! He reached for his hips, desperate to pull him all the way in.

“Hang on, babe,” Eddie chuckled.

Steve’s eyes snapped open. “Are you ok?”

Eddie chuckled breathlessly. “You feel … incredible, and I’m gonna fucking come.” He blushed as he admitted it.

“Oh,” Steve laughed. “Take your time.”

Eddie closed his eyes and took a few more deep breaths before pushing further in, a groan tearing out of his throat. When he bottomed out, he paused again.

Steve was in heaven. He’d never felt filled like this; even Eddie’s fingers couldn’t truly prepare him. He felt speared open, laid bare, but oddly complete. He looked down at where their hips connected and wished he could see more. He reached for Eddie. “C’mere ...”

Eddie lowered himself until their bodies were fully pressed together. His cock slipped out a little and he groaned, burying his face in Steve’s throat. “You feel so good.”

“You do, too.” He smiled and tilted Eddie’s face until he could kiss him. It was wet and messy, and he was starving for more, but he wouldn’t push Eddie.

After a minute of kissing, Eddie’s hips finally began to move, thrusting in and out slowly.

The glide was even more incredible, and Steve wanted to do this forever. Little grunts escaped him with each thrust. He wanted more, needed more.

“Is this good?” Eddie panted into his mouth.

He ran his hands down Eddie’s back and cupped his cheeks again, head lolling back against the pillows. “Perfect,” he whined when his cock rubbed against his prostate. He squeezed Eddie’s hips between his thighs, wordlessly asking for more.

Eddie sped up his thrusts, their sweat-slick skin sliding together over the covers, the snap of their hips filling the quiet room. He wrapped his arms under Steve’s shoulders for leverage and mouthed along his throat.

Between Eddie’s cock filling him and his own cock caught between them, Steve felt his orgasm building in his gut. Pleasure hummed through his veins. He held onto Eddie tightly, so glad it was him to take him like this. “I’m close,” he sobbed.

Eddie gasped against his throat. “Fuck, me, too.” His hips snapped against Steve, pushing him up the mattress incrementally.

“Come in me,” Steve begged. He wanted to feel it.

Eddie’s hips stuttered, then found their rhythm again. “Want you to come first-” He reached between them and grasped Steve’s erection, his fist sliding over him easily. “God, you’re so wet, baby.”

Steve groaned, eyes pinched shut. The dual sensations were overwhelming and all he could do was gasp and sob as he felt a scary strong orgasm building. His muscles locked up at the sensation, and he willed himself to let go. He screamed as the orgasm tore through him; his muscles contracted around Eddie’s cock like a vice grip.

“Oh fuck!” Eddie cried out as his hips snapped one last time. He held tightly onto Steve as he rode out his own orgasm.

Steve swore he could feel his erection pulsing inside of him. Eddie had come inside him, and it felt … amazing. He felt Eddie relax on top of him and wrapped him in a gentle embrace. Their chests heaved as they each caught their breath. Eddie was still buried inside him, and both were happy to stay that way as long as they could.

Eddie pressed lazy kisses along Steve’s collarbone, then looked up. “How was it?” he asked sheepishly.

Steve’s eyebrows shot up, surprised he even needed to ask. “That was the best sex I’ve ever had,” he replied honestly.

Eddie flushed. “No way …”

He nodded enthusiastically. “I’m afraid you’re going to have to top from now on-”

“‘Top?’ Where’d you even hear that?” Eddie chuckled.

“From my zine,” he laughed. “Was it ... good for you?”

Eddie huffed. “Yes! Jesus, you’re so tight and hot around my cock. I could stay like this forever.”

Steve cupped his jaw and tilted his face so they could kiss again. “Me, too,” he murmured against his lips.

They fell asleep in each other’s arms.

When Steve awoke an hour later, their sweat had cooled him considerably, and Eddie’s soft cock had slipped out. “I’m cold,” he whispered into Eddie’s ear. “And thirsty.”

Eddie hummed sleepily, pressed a kiss to Steve’s chest, and gently rolled off of him. “Me, too,” he chuckled.

They were both covered in sweat, come, and lube. “Let’s rinse off and get under the covers,” Steve suggested, stretching and finding himself sore in new places.

They took turns peeing, then filled the complimentary coffee mug with tap water and gulped it down while they waited for the water to warm up. They rinsed off quickly in the shower before toweling off and crawling sleepily into the untouched bed.

Steve gathered Eddie in his arms, pulling him close and pressing kisses along his exposed neck, his hair still tied up. He yawned, now warm and cozy with his boyfriend under the covers, as sleep tugged at his consciousness again. “You were so good,” he murmured happily. He really was, and he’d only get better. Steve wasn’t sure they’d ever leave this motel room.

Eddie rolled in his arms until they were face to face and cupped his jaw. “You were … beautiful,” he sighed contentedly.

Steve blushed. No one had ever called him beautiful before, especially after sex, but he liked it. He pressed his face into Eddie’s calloused hand and kissed his palm, making Eddie smile softly. “We better sleep. You’ve got a concert tomorrow.” He couldn’t wait to watch him perform again.

Eddie grinned at him, and they fell asleep facing each other, limbs entangled.

Chapter Text

Steve awoke the next morning to the acrid smell of burnt coffee. When he opened his eyes, he realized Eddie was leaning on the headboard next to him, scribbling something on the flimsy motel notepad. He kissed his exposed hip and mumbled sleepily, “G'morning.”

Eddie reached down to run his fingers through Steve’s hair. “Good morning. I tried to make coffee, but …” He grimaced.

“I can smell it,” Steve chuckled. “What are you writing?”

“Oh, uh ...” He sat the notepad on the nightstand upside down. “Just reworking some lyrics.”

Steve was pretty sure they were about him, but he knew Eddie didn’t want to share the song until he thought it was perfect, so he simply smiled. “What time is it?”

“Early. I just got … inspired,” he admitted.

Steve felt that familiar warmth in his chest. He’d never inspired anyone’s creativity before, and it felt amazing. Eddie must really like him. Thank god, because he was really falling for him, too. “Wanna grab some breakfast before we head back?”

Eddie’s stomach growled loudly at the mention of food. “Yes,” he laughed.

They dressed in yesterday’s clothes and unmade the sex bed, rolling the come stained sheets into a ball so the maids didn’t have to. Steve waited in the car while Eddie dropped off the room key, and they made their way to a McDonalds drive-thru before beginning the long drive back to Hawkins.

*

As they neared town, Steve turned the radio down. “Your gig starts at 7:00, right?”

“Yep!”

“Cool. I’m gonna drop you off so you can get ready, then I’m gonna visit Robs to thank her again for taking this shift.”

“What would you have done if she didn’t?” Eddie teased.

“Called out,” he scoffed like it was obvious. “Fuck Keith.”

Eddie cackled. “I like rebellious Steve.”

“You have no idea,” he chuckled. He pulled into the trailer park and parked next to Eddie’s van.

Eddie leaned across the console to kiss him. “Thanks for the best night of my life,” he sighed happily.

“The pleasure was all mine …” He kissed him again. “You still owe me a shirt.” He winked playfully.

“Oh yeah!”

They entered the trailer to find Wayne making a sandwich in the kitchen. “Welcome back,” he greeted. “You boys have a good time?”

Steve and Eddie shared a sly glance.

“Yeah,” Steve replied. “We had a great time.” He smiled softly at his boyfriend, who grinned in return.

Wayne chuckled as he passed them and sat on the couch to eat.

Eddie headed for his bedroom, so Steve followed. He grabbed his DIY Corroded Coffin shirt and tossed it; Steve swiped it out of the air easily. “That’s the first official Corroded Coffin merch! You better hang onto it. It might be worth something someday.”

Steve could tell Eddie was being sarcastic, but he had no doubt that his talents would take him far. “They’ll have to pry it off me,” he chuckled, earning him a brilliant smile from Eddie. He crossed the room and pulled him into another kiss. “Break a leg tonight.”

Eddie laughed. “Oh!” He turned and grabbed a piece of paper off his desk. “Here’s a copy of our setlist! I meant to give it to you earlier, but …” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Steve took the slip of paper from him. “Awesome!” He peered down at the list and read the titles: “SOS,” “Wildfire Nights,” and “Metal Warriors.” “Did you write all these?”

Eddie tugged on a stray strand of hair and sheepishly replied, “Yeah …”

“That’s so cool! I can’t wait to hear them! You better get ready. I’m sure your bandmates will be eager to go over everything again.”

Eddie sighed. “Yeah, they will.” He kissed Steve again. “I’ll see you tonight.”

“See you tonight,” Steve grinned. As he passed through the living room, he waved at Wayne. “See you later, Mr. Munson!”

“See you later, son.”

Steve smiled, touched that Wayne would call him that. He put his Oingo Boingo cassette back in and blasted it on the way to his house. There, he showered, fixed his hair, and dressed in his darkest pair of jeans, the Corroded Coffin shirt, and an old pair of combat boots he’d used for a Halloween costume once. As he looked in the mirror, he was happy to find that he mostly looked the part. Some cool jewelry like Eddie’s would help, but this would have to do.

He drove to the local Italian restaurant and ordered Robin’s favorite food to go, then booked it to Family Video before it got cold.

Robin looked up when he entered the store and smiled. “I didn’t think I’d see you today,” she teased.

“I thought I’d bring you some lunch.” He sat the styrofoam container on the counter.

She popped open the lid and squealed happily. “Mozzarella sticks! Thank you!” She immediately dug in, dripping marinara sauce down her chin. She wiped it off with her thumb, sucking it clean.

“I got you something else, too.” He dug in his pocket and found the button, holding it up for her to read.

“‘Lavender Menace’!? Oh my god, that’s amazing!” She took it from him and immediately pinned it to her work vest, then pulled him in for an awkward hug over the counter. “Thank you!”

Steve grinned, glad she liked her gift.

“Did you have fun last night?” she asked around a mouthful of fried cheese.

He remembered the incredible feeling of Eddie inside him and blushed. “Yeah, we did.” He bit his lip and looked away.

“Did something happen?” she teased.

“I thought you didn’t want to hear about this stuff,” he joked.

“You just seem …” She shrugged. “Happy.”

He smiled. He was happy. Ridiculously happy. He looked around to double check that the store was empty. “I, um … I bottomed last night,” he whispered.

Robin gasped loudly. “Oh my god! How was it?”

“It was … Really good. Really, really good.” He ran a hand over his face, willing himself not to get turned on by the mere memory of it.

She giggled. “I still can’t believe you’re having all these gay experiences before me, but … I’m really happy for you.”

“Thanks,” he grinned, forever grateful for her friendship.

“Oh my god, is that a Corroded Coffin shirt!? Are you some kinda groupie now?”

And the teasing returned. “I’m being a supportive boyfriend,” he argued.

“You have it so bad,” she snickered.

Steve couldn’t even deny it. “I know it’s only been a month, but I-” He cut himself off before he said it out loud. He hadn’t felt this way since Nancy, and he was nervous. His dumb heart was still piecing itself together, and this felt … bigger somehow. Different.

Robin looked at him knowingly, but didn’t press. “Well, don’t think these mozzarella sticks count as payment for this shift. You still owe me, Harrington.”

He chuckled. “I know, I know. Thank you again. I’m really excited to see him play.”

“Next time I want to go, too, so we’ll have to coordinate better.”

“We will, I promise.”

She nodded towards the door. “Get out of here. You’ve gotta grab a front row seat!”

He pushed himself up on the counter to chastely peck her on the cheek.

“Steve!” She giggled as she rubbed his cooties off.

“See ya later,” he grinned as he backed away towards the door.

*

He made it to the Hangout thirty minutes early and found an open table near the stage.

Soon enough, Eddie and his bandmates emerged from backstage to set up their instruments. Eddie spotted Steve immediately and grinned.

“Dude, is Harrington wearing your shirt?” Jeff scoffed.

“He’s a big fan,” Eddie shrugged, still smiling at his boyfriend. He settled his guitar strap over his shoulder, plugged into the amp, and tested a few chords.

The small crowd murmured excitedly; Steve cupped his hands around his mouth and whooped.

Once the band was happy with the sound, Eddie stepped up to the microphone. “Hello, Hawkins!” he called out. “I know we’ve performed for you before, but tonight we’re showing off some of our songs. We put a lot of hard work into them, so we hope they rock your world!”

The crowd cheered.

Gareth hit his drumsticks together three times before starting to play and was quickly joined by the rest of the band.

Eddie deftly strummed his guitar, then sang into the microphone.

Steve was fucking mesmerized. He’d listened to a lot of metal now thanks to Eddie, but this was better than all of it. Maybe he was biased, but … Eddie was incredible.

Eddie broke away from the mic, his fingers flying along the neck of his guitar, rocking his hips along with the beat before he continued singing.

Steve couldn’t stop his grin, or his foot bouncing in time to the music. He simply watched his boyfriend in awe. The first concert was great, but this … Eddie was truly in his element playing his own music, like it was a part of him. His voice was more passionate, and his guitar squealed under his fingers. He was meant for this.

As the first song came to its climactic end, the crowd erupted into even more enthusiastic cheering. Steve put his fingers between his lips and whistled shrilly. When Eddie caught his eye, chest heaving with adrenaline, sweat gathering at his temples, Steve was overwhelmed. “You’re incredible,” he mouthed, grinning so hard it hurt.

Eddie winked at him, then returned to the mic. Each song was better than the last, and the crowd only grew more enthusiastic.

Steve made sure he was cheering the loudest each time. He needed this on a cassette. He never wanted to listen to anything else but Eddie’s sultry voice.

The final notes of the last song rang through the bar, and then the show was over. The crowd clapped and cheered.

“Thank you!” Eddie panted.

A few people rushed up to the stage to heap praise on the band. Eddie grabbed a few hands, smiling brightly as he thanked them.

Steve remained seated, letting Eddie enjoy the attention. Soon they’d be alone, and he could wax poetic about how talented he was.

Eddie caught his gaze and nodded towards the door leading backstage.

Steve nodded in understanding. He stood and made his way through the crowd until he reached the door. He thought security or someone might try to stop him, but he slipped inside with no issue. He waited in the quiet hallway until the band finally burst through the door after him.

“That was awesome!” Grant yelled.

“We were fucking great!” Gareth howled.

Eddie was the last through the door, and his eyes met Steve’s immediately. He smiled at him with so much fondness that Steve thought his heart might burst. He sidled up to him, guitar slung on his back. “What’d you think, Harrington?”

“That was the best fucking concert I’ve ever seen,” he replied honestly.

Eddie, clearly fueled by the adrenaline of his performance, crowded into Steve’s space, tugging on the hem of his Corroded Coffin shirt. “You liked it, big boy?”

Steve blushed at the pet name. “A lot,” he murmured, eyes flicking down to Eddie’s lips; licking his own lips in anticipation. “I want it on tape.”

Eddie leaned in close, too close for where they were, but Steve was unable and unwilling to stop him.

“We should record this!” Gareth cried out. “We could sell them at our gigs!”

“That’s a great idea!” Jeff agreed. “Thanks, Steve!”

The moment was broken, and Eddie took a step back, seemingly remembering where they were.

Steve couldn’t help the tug of disappointment he felt.

“That is a good idea,” Eddie grinned. “C’mon, guys, let’s pack up. Mind helping, Steve?”

He smiled. “Not at all.”

They loaded their instruments into the back of Eddie’s van; none of the band members questioned the presence of the mattress. Eddie shut and locked the back doors.

“Man, I’ve still got so much energy!” Jeff bounced on his heels. “You wanna get high?”

“Hell yeah,” Grant replied.

Gareth shrugged. “Why not?”

“I can’t say no to drugs,” Eddie chuckled. “What about you, Steve?”

Steve just wanted to stay with Eddie. “Sure.”

“We could go to that old burger joint,” Jeff suggested.

“Don’t those asshole jocks hang out there?” Grant asked, then looked at Steve. “No offense.”

Steve shrugged. That wasn’t his scene anymore, and he was never friends with those douchebags.

“Nah, they only go there after games,” Jeff replied. “Should be deserted.”

“I can drive us,” Steve offered since Eddie’s van was full.

“Oh, I’ve wanted to check out your ridiculous car for ages,” Gareth laughed, leading the way back through the bar.

They piled into Steve’s car, him and Eddie up front, Jeff, Grant, and Gareth packed into the back seat. When he started the engine, Oingo Boingo blared over the speakers.

“What the hell is this?” Gareth scoffed.

“It’s Oingo Boingo,” Eddie deadpanned like it was obvious. “They’re great.”

“Whatever you say, man …”

Steve smiled at Eddie but still turned the music down. He drove them to the abandoned burger joint on the outskirts of town. After Benny “killed himself,” the building fell into disrepair, and now teenagers used it as a drug den. Steve parked in the back in case a patrol car passed by.

“Looks empty to me,” Grant said as they got out of the car.

They entered through the back door; it was missing its doorknob and swung open with a creak. The inside bore as much graffiti as the outside. There was a mishmash of lawn chairs and folding tables, and empty beer cans littered the floor. Steve had never come here with his teammates, much preferring house parties, and he kind of wished he wasn’t here now. It was … unsettling. He knew what had really happened to Benny. It was a fate he feared for himself if he ever spilled the beans.

Jeff collapsed onto a rusty chair and pulled a joint out of his jacket pocket, along with a lighter. “Who’s in?”

Grant and Gareth each took a hit.

“I’ve got my own,” Eddie said, producing a joint from his vest pocket. He winked at Steve. “We’ll share.”

That made Steve feel better. He trusted Eddie, he trusted Eddie’s weed, and he didn’t want to get too high.

Eddie took the lighter from Jeff and lit up, pulling deeply before passing it over to him.

Steve took a modest hit, his lungs burning as the smoke filled them. He didn’t smoke enough to get used to that feeling. He passed the joint back to Eddie.

Eddie sat down on a threadbare couch and took another hit, then patted the space next to him.

Steve sat down, their thighs touching on the small sofa. He was itching to touch Eddie, and he feared the weed might lower his inhibitions too much.

“That show was badass,” Jeff sighed, smoke billowing past his lips. “I’m so glad we got to play our own shit.”

Steve wanted to put his arm around Eddie but managed to stop himself. “You were really good.”

“Thanks, man!” Grant took a deep hit, his expression pinched as he held it in his lungs. He fell into a coughing fit, and Gareth slapped him hard on the back.

“You always do that!”

Eddie chuckled at his friends. “The crowd’s reaction was … really cool.”

Steve could see a faint blush dusting his cheeks. He nudged their shoulders together. “Of course, it was. You were amazing.”

“You’re biased,” Eddie teased.

Before Steve could refute that, Jeff asked, “Think you’ll have that love song ready for our next gig?”

Eddie blushed deeper, his fingers fiddling with his vest pocket. “Maybe … I’m almost happy with the lyrics.”

“Steve, do you know who he’s dating?” Gareth asked.

He shrugged. “Not sure. She may have been on the swim team, though …” He barely managed to stifle his laughter when Eddie nudged him in the ribs.

“Ok, swim team, and her name starts with S-T …” Grant pondered aloud.

Steve immediately swung his head around to look at Eddie, wishing he could ask how they got that info out of him.

Eddie glanced over, biting his lip sheepishly. “I slipped up,” he mouthed silently.

Steve chuckled. The fact that Eddie almost told his friends his name was really cute.

Jeff narrowed his eyes at Steve. “You swear you don’t know?”

“Why should he tell me?” he lied.

Jeff didn’t look convinced, but he stayed quiet, taking another hit.

Eddie tapped Steve with his forearm, offering his joint back to him.

Steve shook his head. “I’m ok.” His head already felt fuzzy, and all he wanted to do was wrap himself around Eddie. More weed would make him do it.

Eddie’s brows furrowed. “You ok?” he mouthed.

Steve pondered admitting the truth, but finally leaned over and whispered into Eddie’s ear, “Weed makes me horny.”

Eddie choked on his own spit and began to cough.

Steve patted him gently on the back, trying not to laugh.

“Man, I’ve never seen Eddie cough,” Grant said. “That must be some strong shit.”

When Eddie regained his composure, he stubbed out the rest of the joint on the concrete floor and put the roach back in his pocket. “I think that’s enough for today,” he chuckled.

Jeff, Grant, and Gareth split off into their own conversation.

“Sorry,” Steve snickered quietly.

“This is the second time you’ve tried to kill me,” Eddie snorted, then whispered, “Is that true?”

Steve nodded. “Sometimes, yeah … I just didn’t want to chance it. Especially tonight. You were-” He lowered his voice even further, “Really fucking hot tonight.” He bumped their thighs together, the only real contact they could have right now.

“Well … We may have to explore that later. If you’re interested.”

“Oh, I’m interested,” Steve replied quickly.

Eddie grinned at him, then looked over at his friends. “Guys, I think I’m done for the night,” he announced.

“Aw, man …” Grant moaned. He took several quick hits to finish off the joint.

“This place is creepy anyway,” Eddie explained. “We need a better place for this.”

“Yeah. It’s cold, too,” Gareth added.

They piled back into Steve’s car. Eddie turned up the music while his bandmates giggled like idiots in the backseat. Steve soon had them back at the bar.

“I’ll drop your shit off tomorrow,” Eddie told them as they got out of the car.

“I’ll be home all day,” Jeff replied. “Come over whenever.”

Grant and Gareth had broken into a fumbling, giggly scuffle.

“You safe to drive?” Eddie asked, watching them warily.

“Yeah, don’t worry. I’ll get these idiots home.” He stepped between them, holding his hands up. “Come on, guys. I’ve got chips at home.”

“Oh my god, chips sound incredible,” Gareth giggled.

Steve and Eddie watched as they took off in Jeff’s parents’ station wagon.

Once they were alone in the dark parking lot, Eddie scuffed his sneaker across the asphalt. “So … weed makes you horny, huh?”

“Maybe it’s just being around you,” Steve smirked. “Halloween night, I wanted to kiss you like crazy.”

Eddie closed the space between them. “And now?”

Steve wrapped his hand around the back of Eddie’s neck, his fingers threading through his dark hair. “I always want to kiss you like crazy.” He pulled him in for a kiss, feeling Eddie’s hands wrap around his hips.

“By the way, you look really hot in that shirt.”

“Well, I’m a huge fan,” Steve replied. “They’re my favorite band.”

Eddie rolled his eyes fondly. “Better than Judas Priest?”

“Duh,” Steve scoffed. “Better music, better lyrics … And their lead singer is much, much cuter.”

Eddie kissed Steve deeply, pressing their bodies together. “I’d invite you over, but Wayne is off tonight,” he sighed sadly. “And the sex van is occupied.”

Steve chuckled. “I’d sneak you into my room, but I honestly think my father would have an aneurysm if he caught us.”

“Can we go back to that motel? Just the two of us?” Eddie asked wistfully.

“I would if we could fucking afford it,” Steve sighed.

Eddie dropped his head forward. “Damn.”

Steve grasped his chin and tilted his head back up, kissing him gently. “I’m working all day tomorrow, if you want to stop by.”

“Of course, I will.”

“You safe to drive?”

“Oh yeah, that shit has worn off.”

Steve kissed him again. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“See you tomorrow.”

Steve watched as Eddie got into his van, then climbed back into his own car. They waved at each other through their windows, smiling softly, and headed in different directions. Though Oingo Boingo was still playing on his stereo, all Steve could hear was his boyfriend’s incredible voice.

*

When Eddie got home, he found Wayne watching an old movie.

“How was the show?” he asked.

Eddie grinned. “It was great! They loved us!”

Wayne smiled. “I’m happy to hear it.”

“I’m actually gonna … go work on a new song.”

“There’s leftovers on the stove if you’re hungry.”

“Thanks.” But Eddie was too hyped up to eat right now. His thoughts were swirling with Steve and song lyrics and musical notes. He went into his room, closing the door behind him, and picked up his acoustic guitar. He sat down and pulled the written lyrics out of his pocket, set them on the desk, and began to pick out notes, humming to himself as the song took shape in his head.

Chapter Text

First thing the next morning, Eddie drove to Jeff’s place to drop off everyone’s instruments. The sex van was their last resort, and having it occupied last night sucked. He backed into Jeff’s driveway and honked. As he hopped out onto the concrete, the garage door opened.

“Hey!” Jeff greeted, ducking under the door as it rose.

“Hey! Are Gareth and Grant still here?” He unlocked the back doors and swung them open.

“Yeah, but they’re still passed out,” Jeff grumbled. He grabbed Grant’s guitar case and lugged it into the garage.

Eddie followed with Jeff’s bass case, leaning it gently against the wall. “Grant was really sucking that thing down …”

“Did you and Steve keep hanging out?” Jeff asked as he passed him an amp.

He paused at the unexpected question, then cautiously answered, “Nah, he had to open the video store today.” He climbed into the back of his van to hand pieces of Gareth’s drum kit out.

“Too bad,” Jeff replied.

He had no idea what to say to that. Did Jeff overhear them last night? Were they too casually intimate with each other? He silently handed off a cymbal.

“He’s a cool guy,” Jeff shrugged.

“Yeah … He is.” His stomach twisted in anxious knots, but they finished unloading the rest without further questioning, stacking everything neatly inside the garage.

“Gareth can set up his own drums,” Jeff scoffed, stretching his lower back. “What are you doing today?”

Eddie closed the back doors of the van. “I’m gonna loiter downtown; hopefully make some deals.” He left out his inevitable visit with Steve, just in case Jeff was becoming suspicious.

“I could use some more weed! Those idiots smoked all my good shit last night. Let me grab my wallet, I’ll be right back.”

“Sure thing.” He returned to the van to retrieve his metal lunch pail and grabbed a few of his higher quality nugs. When Jeff returned, he held them out for him to inspect.

“Ooh, those are nice!” Jeff picked up one baggie and opened it, taking a deep breath. “Shit, that smells good. I’ll take two for now.”

“How’s $15 sound?”

Jeff grimaced at him. “This is worth way more than $15, man.”

Eddie shrugged. “It's the best friend discount.”

Jeff rolled his eyes. “Well, I’m including the best friend tip.” He pulled some cash out of his wallet and slapped it into Eddie’s hand, taking a couple of baggies from the other. “Thanks, man. I’ll see you around.”

Eddie pocketed the cash, not even bothering to count it, and saluted him in farewell. He left for the library, finally giving in to the reading he had been putting off for a month. His English final was going to be on Animal Farm, a book that, even in his third senior year, he still had not read. But this was the year, dammit. Luckily there was one copy left, soft and yellowed from years of use, and much shorter than he thought it would be. He checked it out, tossed it onto the passenger seat, and headed for his usual spot downtown where his buyers knew they could find him.

He sold some pot to a handful of teenagers, and some shrooms to a weird balding guy in shorts. The people of Hawkins seemed to gravitate to simpler drugs, which was nice. Eddie personally didn’t like the harder stuff, especially heroin, which he absolutely refused to sell. It reminded him too much of his dad, and he didn’t want to contribute to some other poor kid having as shitty a childhood as he had.

He waited another thirty minutes, but when no one else showed, he made his way to Family Video. He wanted to see Steve, money be damned.

When he pulled into the parking lot, he noticed Keith’s car was still there, so he moved over to the passenger seat, put his feet up on the dash, and had a smoke to pass some time. When he finished his cigarette, he decided to casually stroll past the large windows just in case Keith was inside the arcade. As he got close to the door, he saw Steve idly flipping through a newspaper with no one else in sight. He stuck his head in the door. “Is the coast clear?”

Steve looked up and grinned. “Yeah! Keith is manning the arcade counter right now.”

“Good!” He entered the store and made his way behind the counter to pull Steve into a tight hug. “How’s your day been?”

Steve looked around to make sure they were completely alone and pressed a chaste kiss to Eddie’s lips. “Boring as hell. How about you?”

He sat on one of the stools. “Dropped off the instruments, made some deals,” he shrugged.

“No one hassled you, right?”

“Nah,” he scoffed. “People are nervous enough to buy during the day, let alone mug me.”

“Good,” Steve smiled in relief.

His concern was adorable, and Eddie wanted to kiss him again, but a middle-aged couple entered the store.

Steve turned to greet them.

While he was preoccupied, Eddie pulled Animal Farm out of his jacket pocket and read the back cover, still not ready to start the damn thing. He liked reading fantasy and sci-fi novels, not heavy-handed political metaphors. If only he could write an essay on The Hobbit.

Steve let his hand drift over Eddie’s lower back as he left the counter to show the couple some suggestions, winking over his shoulder at him.

He playfully stuck out his tongue and returned his attention to the book. He wished he could just watch the movie, but one of his friends had done that during his first senior year and failed miserably. Apparently, they had changed the ending. He’d heard rumors it was produced as anti-communist CIA propaganda, and it wouldn’t surprise him if that were true. Oh well, it was short; he could do this if he focused.

Of course, Steve breezed past him again, his cologne wafting over him. He clutched the book tightly as he forced himself not to look up. Steve was busy anyway, and there were people around. He made it through the first few pages before he heard the doorbell, signaling that the couple had finally left. He closed the book with a sigh. It was so hard to do things when you were forced to do them. It was one of the many reasons he was certain he’d never hold down a real job.

“You ok?”

He grimaced and held up the book in answer.

“Oh, jeez,” Steve sighed. “For your midterm essay, right?”

He nodded mournfully.

“We’ve got the animated version in stock!”

“They changed the ending,” he sighed.

“Really? Good thing I didn’t know about it last year ...”

“What did they end up renting?” he asked, desperate for any other topic.

Steve shook his head and smiled. “You have to finish that, babe.”

He let out a dismayed huff, making his bangs to flutter. “I know …”

“How about this? For every ‘A’ you get, I will perform whatever sexual act you want.” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Eddie laughed. “You can’t keep your hands off me,” he pointed out.

Steve scoffed. “Yeah, but … What if I never let you bottom again?” He bit his lip, face flushing, trying not to laugh at the absurdity of what he was saying.

“You wouldn’t!” he replied melodramatically, clutching his chest, preferring to tease his boyfriend instead of calling his bluff.

Steve shrugged. “I’m a very selfish lover.”

Eddie couldn’t help but roll his eyes. That was the most ridiculous lie he’d ever heard. Steve would do whatever Eddie asked, and they both knew it. But the teasing was fun. “Fine! I will read this boring fucking book if it means you’ll rail me-”

The doorbell jingled, and they both shut up immediately. Steve’s face was burning red, but he managed to maintain his composure as he turned to greet the new customers.

Eddie’s shoulders shook as he smothered his own laughter. He reopened the book and continued to read while Steve helped the gaggle of customers now entering the store. It continued like that until the sun started to set, and he realized he had finished the whole thing. He slapped it on the counter triumphantly.

“Hey, good job!” Steve grinned. “See, it wasn’t that bad.”

“It was awful. How’d you do on the essay?”

“A solid C-."

“You’ll have to tell me your secrets,” Eddie chuckled, half-joking, half not.

Steve grimaced. “I’m pretty sure I burned everything once I graduated.”

“Damn!” He laughed. When the elderly couple that had been wandering around left without renting anything, he looped his finger through Steve’s belt loops and pulled him closer, making him giggle. “You wanna stay over tonight?”

“Duh!” Steve scoffed. “Like you even had to ask.”

Eddie grinned happily. When it was almost closing, he headed back out to his van for another smoke so Keith wouldn’t get all pissy again. He cranked the stereo up, nodding his head along to the music while he waited. Something suddenly slapped the door of the van, and he let out an embarrassing high-pitched shriek. He turned to find Steve doubled over in laughter. “You never heard that!” he threatened.

“Pretty sure I did …”

“I’m gonna leave you here.”

“Fine … I’ll just go home and finger myself-”

“Get in the van!”

Steve snorted and walked around to the passenger side. “You gonna drive me back here in the morning?”

“Yeah, I’ll drop you off before school.” The idea made him smile. It was so domestic.

They left Steve’s car in the parking lot and drove back to Eddie’s trailer. Wayne had already left for work for the night, and 2/3 of a meatloaf was waiting for them in the oven. They ate on the couch while watching Star Trek reruns, then retired to Eddie’s bedroom for the night.

*

Eddie groaned when his alarm blared loudly. Somehow Steve had scooted down the bed and had his arms wrapped around his torso, his head resting on his stomach. He reached down and ran his fingers through his hair.

Steve squeezed him tighter and burrowed his face into Eddie’s skin. “I don’t wanna go to work,” he grumbled.

Eddie chuckled. “I don’t want to go to school. Say the word, and we’ll spend all day in this bed.”

Steve sat up grumpily. “You have to go to school.”

“What’ll they do? Arrest me?”

Steve’s brows furrowed as he thought about it. “I don’t actually know. But still! You need a diploma.”

“Nah, Wayne’s doing just fine,” he argued.

“Most jobs require them these days.”

“Ugh, I don’t want a job!”

Steve shook his head fondly. “Nobody does, babe.”

“Fiiiine. But this is only a backup in case my music career fails.” He was mostly joking, but he knew not everyone got famous, especially queers from the-middle-of-nowhere, Indiana.

Steve leaned forward to kiss him. “In that case, you can stay home.”

“You really like us that much?”

“You’re amazing,” he replied earnestly.

Eddie pulled him down on top of him and smothered him with kisses, warmth blossoming in his chest.

Steve kissed along his jaw. “What’s it gonna be, Munson? It’s up to you.”

Eddie sighed. “I’m going to school,” he grumbled.

“Then let’s get ready.”

*

Eddie pulled into the empty Family Video parking lot to drop Steve off.

Steve looked down at his shirt, the same one he’d worn yesterday. “You’re sure no one will notice?”

“I promise you, people are too busy looking at your handsome face.”

Steve rolled his eyes, but he was smiling softly, a faint blush on his cheeks. He pulled Eddie into a sweet kiss. “If I don’t see you later, I’ll call, ok?”

“Ok,” Eddie smiled back. He watched Steve walk away from the van and into the store, then headed to school.

*

His homeroom teacher had already decorated her entire classroom in gaudy Christmas decorations. It was an eyesore, but even worse, it reminded him of the concept of Christmas gifts. He had no idea what to get Steve, and certainly not enough money. He’d have to pick up the pace with his dealing.

After school, he drove past Family Video in case Steve had extended his shift, but his car was gone from the parking lot. He’d try calling him to see if he wanted to come over again, this time more prepared.

“Hey, Wayne,” he greeted as he came in the trailer door. “That meatloaf was delicious!”

“Did Steve enjoy it?” Wayne asked with a sly grin.

“Yes … How did you know?”

Wayne shrugged. “I didn’t.” He took a sip of coffee.

Eddie dropped his head back dramatically. “You got me,” he groaned.

“I remember being a teenager,” he sighed wistfully.

Eddie cringed internally. Wayne was basically his dad, and he didn’t need to hear that. And of course Wayne was teasing him when he wanted to call Steve. He loitered awkwardly next to the phone, unsure of what to do.

Wayne took pity on him. “I’ll enjoy this outside.” He grabbed a half-empty pack of cigarettes and headed for the porch.

As soon as the door closed, Eddie dialed Steve’s number, which was now firmly embedded in his memory.

The phone rang several times before a gruff voice answered, “Harrington Residence.”

Oh shit, it was his dad. “Uh, hi … Is Steve there?”

“Who is this?”

He briefly panicked before spitting out, “His boss!”

“Did he miss a shift?” Mr. Harrington scoffed.

“No! No. He’s a great employee. I’m just calling about … next week’s schedule.”

“Alright. Steven!”

Eddie winced as he pulled the receiver away from his ear.

“What?” came Steve’s distant voice.

“It’s your boss!”

“I’ll get it up here.” After a moment, Steve’s voice came through the receiver. “What do you want, Keith?”

He waited until he heard Mr. Harrington put down his receiver. “Surprise!” he giggled.

“Eddie!”

He could hear the relief in Steve’s voice. “I stopped by Family Video, but you'd already left.”

“You wore me out last night,” Steve teased. “Keith couldn’t pay me enough to stay late.”

“Does that mean you’re not interested in coming over?”

“I’ll be there in thirty minutes,” Steve replied immediately.

Eddie cackled. “Give it an hour. Wayne’s teasing the shit outta me.”

Steve snorted. “Fine, I’ll be there in an hour.”

“See ya soon, babe.” He hung up and wandered back to his bedroom. He tossed his backpack onto his desk, accidentally knocking over a precarious stack of notebooks and tapes. He sighed as he bent over to pick everything up, then he noticed a speck of blue sticking out from underneath a cassette. He picked up the cassette to find the electric blue guitar pick he’d used at Corroded Coffin’s Halloween concert. He’d wondered where it had gone. He held it in his palm and smiled, remembering that night. He reached up with his other hand and fiddled with his current guitar pick necklace, pondering if he should replace it, when a brilliant thought occurred to him. He could make this pick into a necklace for Steve! That would be his Christmas present! He closed his fist around the pick and punched the air excitedly.

“What are you so excited about?” Wayne chuckled.

He hadn’t even heard him come in. He looked over, flushing with embarrassment. “Christmas,” he admitted.

Wayne smiled softly and left him alone.

He hid the pick in his dice bag so Steve wouldn’t stumble upon it prematurely, then worked on his Spanish homework until Wayne left for the night. When he heard Steve’s car pull up, he opened the front door with a grin.

Steve smiled up at him as he exited his car. “Hey, gorgeous.” He practically pounced up the steps, sweeping him into a kiss as he kicked the door shut behind them.

~*~

The next day, Steve sat on a stool behind the counter at Family Video, idly flipping through a newspaper.

“Hey, Harrington!”

He sighed and turned towards the back of the store to find Keith approaching him with a worn-out cardboard box.

Keith dropped the box on the counter. “Quit sitting on your ass and put up these decorations,” he sneered.

Well, at least it was something to do. He opened the flaps to find a creepy Santa cutout smiling up at him. The box was full of threadbare garlands, faded window clings, and crumpled paper snowflakes. “Do you care where this goes?”

“I’m sure you can figure it out.”

He waited until Keith left to switch out Rhinestone for Clue. He had the worst taste.

As he randomly slapped window clings onto the large windows, he thought about what to get Eddie for Christmas. He did need a new hairdryer, but that didn’t feel personal enough. Maybe he needed a new guitar part or there was one last band tee he didn’t own. That still wasn’t doing it for him, though. He continued to wrack his brain while he haphazardly put up the decorations.

As soon as he strung the last garland, he drop-kicked the empty cardboard box into the backroom and sat back down at his newspaper. It was an Indianapolis Star, and he wasn’t even sure where it came from; probably left behind by a customer. As he flipped through the pages, he recognized the Judas Priest logo. He read further and realized it was an ad for an upcoming concert. This! This would be Eddie’s gift. It was one of Eddie’s favorite bands, and something they could do together! He’d have to pick up every shift Keith would give him to afford them, but it would be worth it! The ad listed the address and phone number for the Market Square Arena box office, so he tore it out and slid it into his back pocket. The doorbell rang and he looked up to see Robin entering the store.

“What the hell is this?” she snorted as she took in the decorations.

He shrugged. “Keith gave me a box and told me to figure it out.”

“Ah.” She tugged gently on some garland strung along the front of the counter, causing the tape on one end to pop off. “Oops!” She quickly taped it back into place. “Take this; I gotta pee.” She held out her backpack.

Steve took it and dumped it underneath the counter. As he waited for her to return, he wondered what he should get for her. It would be their first gift exchange since they became friends, and he wanted to get her something cool.

She returned a moment later, shrugging on her uniform vest. “I’m surprised Eddie’s not here.”

“He’s got Hellfire today,” he sighed.

“Oh yeah.” She pulled out her homework. “Now you’re just stuck with me,” she teased.

He ignored her self-deprecating joke. “Hey, what do you want for Christmas?”

“Nothing,” she replied as she chewed on the end of her pencil, contemplating her chemistry homework.

“What? C’mon.”

“Steve, I know you’re saving money, and I am, too. You don’t have to get me anything.”

“But it's Christmas!” he argued. “I’m buying you something, and you can’t stop me.”

“Oh, uh huh. Maybe that’ll be my favor, hm?”

“That’s against the rules.”

“My favor, my rules.”

“Robs, please … I like buying stuff for people. Giving people presents is my favorite part of Christmas. You don’t even have to get me anything in return-”

She sighed dramatically. “Oh, yeah, like that’ll happen.”

“You are so difficult.”

“I’m considerate.”

“How is me buying you something inconsiderate?” he scoffed.

“Fine! If it’ll make you happy …”

“It will.”

“But I’m not giving you any ideas.” She stuck her tongue out at him.

He threw his hands up in frustration, making her giggle. “At least I know what to get Eddie …” he murmured.

“Oh?”

He pulled the ad out of his pocket to show her.

“Holy shit!” she shrieked. “He’s gonna fucking lose it!” She handed the ad back. “But those are going to be expensive …”

“I know. I’m gonna ask Keith for every extra shift he has.”

Her brows furrowed. “See, this is why I don’t want you to get me anything. You’re already gonna work yourself to the bone for Eddie-”

“Hey.” He gently took her hand. “This is the easiest job in the world. And you’re just as important to me as Eddie is.”

She regarded him dubiously.

“You are. I promise not to get you anything crazy.”

“Fiiiiiine.” She thought for a moment. “And now I know exactly what to get you!”

“What?”

Her fingers did a zipper motion over her lips.

“Okay, okay,” he chuckled.

The doorbell rang; Keith had finally returned from his daily hours-long “lunch.”

“Hey, Keith, I need to talk to you-”

*

Steve was now working doubles every weekday for the next week and a half and closing on the weekend. Keith was getting away with murder, but he needed the money. He pinned the ad to the corkboard in his room, wondering how he was going to secretly drive to Indianapolis to buy the tickets.

When Eddie stopped by after band practice the next day, he broke the news.

“What?” Eddie cried out.

“Yeah, Keith’s … mom is sick or something, and he needs me to pick up the slack …” he lied. He hated lying to Eddie, but the look on his face when he opened his present would make it worth it.

“Is this even legal?” Eddie scoffed. He began muttering under his breath and counting on his fingers. “Babe, that’s over sixty hours. Is he paying you overtime?”

“Of course,” Steve replied, even though he realized he had failed to clarify that with Keith. Surely he had to, right? He put the thought on the backburner for now. “We can still hang out.” He entwined his fingers with Eddie’s behind the counter.

“You’re going to be fucking exhausted,” Eddie sighed, voice full of concern.

“Yeah,” he shrugged. “But it’s only a couple of weeks, and then I’ll be free to help you study for midterms.”

The store was empty, so Eddie wrapped his arms around Steve’s waist. “Fine, but if you seem too tired, I’m making you call out.”

“Okay,” he chuckled to placate his boyfriend. Eddie would appreciate it later. “Am I still invited over tonight?”

Eddie looked at him like he was crazy. “Of course, babe. Have your parents questioned your absence at all?”

Steve shook his head. He felt invisible at home; the less time he spent there, the better. Besides, he slept better next to Eddie anyway.

“Assholes ...” Eddie muttered.

Steve smiled. Eddie’s anger on his behalf was endearing and almost made up for his shitty parents. But that was a different relationship, and he wasn’t sure he’d ever stop craving it on some level, even if he had pretty much given up on them at this point. He hugged Eddie, and they quietly enjoyed each other’s touch for a few moments. “I’ll have to pick up some more clothes,” he murmured into Eddie’s thick hair.

“At this point, I should just empty a drawer for you ..."

Steve’s chest burst with warmth at the very idea. “Don’t tempt me.” He felt a little bad for Wayne; he was never going to get a break from them. But why sleep alone in his big, hollow house when he could be curled up against his gorgeous boyfriend?

*

The first double shift was more brutal than Steve expected. Just being in the store from morning ‘til night was mind-numbing. He found himself pacing the shelves in the afternoon, bemoaning his life choices. But he just kept imagining Eddie’s expression when he saw the tickets, and he knew it would be worth it. And when Eddie showed up after school, doing his homework behind the counter until Steve’s shift was over, the day became a lot more bearable.

Friday passed by in a similar fashion, but at least the afternoon brought the weekend crowd. He almost didn’t realize Robin and Eddie had come in because the line at the counter was so long. He smiled at Eddie, nodding for him to make himself comfortable behind the counter, as he checked people out.

Robin quickly threw on her vest and opened the second register. “What’s popular today?” she murmured to him.

“It’s mostly been Christmas movies,” he replied, scanning another VHS. “We’re sold out of White Christmas.”

“Who the hell wants to watch White Christmas?” she sneered. “Hello, ma’am. Can I help you?”

“Do you have any more copies of White Christmas?” the elderly woman asked. “The shelf was empty.”

“Oh, sorry, I think we’re out …”

Steve snorted next to her, trying not to laugh.

When things calmed back down, Eddie wrapped his arms around Steve from behind. Steve leaned back against him with an exhausted sigh.

“Long day?” Eddie asked.

He shrugged. “Yeah, but it's fine.” He could make it through this gauntlet. He closed his eyes as he let his head rest on Eddie’s shoulder.

“This is unbearable,” Robin deadpanned.

“Shh, I think he’s asleep,” Eddie teased.

“Probably cause you keep him up all night,” she fired back.

“I’ve tried to get him to sleep! It’s not my fault I’m irresistible.”

Steve chuckled. “It’s true.”

“I want this, toooooo,” she whined.

He turned his head to look at her. “You will!”

“But I want it now. It’s not fair. You are haunting my love life.”

“That doesn’t make any sense …”

“I don’t care! I want a girlfriend!”

“You’ll find one,” Eddie assured. “I’m older than you, and it took me long enough, but here we are.”

She sighed. “I guess …”

The doorbell jingled, and Steve and Eddie broke apart in a jolt, but Robin quickly engaged the customer to distract them.

Steve grimaced at the loss of contact.

“You okay?” Eddie asked.

“Yeah, I just …” Want to hold you in public, he didn’t say.

The sad smile Eddie gave him let him know he understood. He bumped his sneaker against Steve’s.

He smiled at him, just happy that they were together. “Wayne’s off tonight, right?”

“Yeah,” Eddie sighed. “No fun for us tonight.”

Steve gingerly rubbed his backside. “I probably needed a break,” he joked.

“That’s not what you were saying last night,” Eddie murmured.

He snorted. “Maybe we can all watch a movie together? I’ve never really … hung out with Wayne.”

“That’s a fantastic idea!” He bounded around the counter and went up and down the aisles, searching for something. “Aha!” He came back, holding up a VHS.

Steve squinted at it. “Paint Your Wagon?”

“Oh my god, my mom loves that movie,” Robin interrupted.

“Wayne does, too,” Eddie explained.

“What’s it about?”

“Well …” Robin began to giggle, her shoulders shaking. “It’s a musical …”

“Oh no,” Steve groaned.

“About the California gold rush,” Eddie added.

“What?” He felt bereft. He couldn’t think of anything he wanted to watch less.

“I thought you liked musicals?” Eddie teased.

“Rocky Horror doesn’t count,” he argued.

“C’mon! Wayne will love you forever!” Eddie pouted and batted his lashes.

Steve shook his head, knowing that he’d already lost. “Fine! We’ll watch the dumb western musical.”

“I’ll make it up to you,” Eddie purred, leering at him.

Steve was so lost on him, he never stood a chance. He shook his head, but he couldn’t hide his smile.

“At least it has Clint Eastwood in it?” Robin offered awkwardly.

Steve gave her the side eye. “When have I ever said that Clint Eastwood is hot?”

She shrugged. “I dunno. Women seem to like him, so I just thought …”

“He doesn’t do it for me, either,” Eddie chuckled.

“Good.” Steve ran his hand over his jaw subconsciously.

After work, they stopped to pick up a pizza and some beer. Steve bought it to pay them back for all the dinners they’d already fed him.

Eddie burst excitedly through the trailer door, holding up the beer and VHS. “Are you ready to party, Wayne?”

Wayne blinked at him from the couch. “How did you get beer?”

“Don’t ask questions you don’t want answered,” Eddie replied. He tossed the VHS toward him.

Wayne caught it and read the title. “Paint Your Wagon? I haven’t seen this in years.” He smiled fondly at it, then looked up at Eddie. “Thanks, son.”

Steve placed the pizza box on the coffee table and opened the lid. “And we got the works, too.”

“You boys are too good to me.”

Steve broke off a beer from the rest and sat down on the armchair. “Well, you’ve put up with us for this long,” he chuckled.

Wayne shook his head and grabbed a beer for himself.

Eddie snagged the VHS back and kneeled down to pop it into the VCR.

Steve took a sip from his beer can as he snuck a peek at Eddie’s ass.

Once the movie began, Eddie brought over some paper plates and handed out slices of pizza, and they quietly ate as they watched it.

The songs were actually kinda catchy, and Steve’s eyebrows shot up when the main lady suggested she should have two husbands. Maybe this wasn’t the worst movie ever. And maybe Clint Eastwood was a little bit attractive when he wasn’t being so gruff, but he’d keep that to himself.

Wayne’s foot tapped along to the songs throughout the entire movie, which was pretty adorable.

Steve caught Eddie’s eye and nodded towards Wayne’s tapping foot.

Eddie grinned and nodded, mouthing, “He loves this.”

“I can see you,” Wayne said, making them both laugh. Once the movie was over, he asked Steve, “So how’d you like it?”

“It wasn’t too bad,” he replied. It was better than Tron, that was for damn sure. At least he knew what the fuck was happening in this movie.

Wayne chuckled. “Well, thanks for watching it with me. Like I said, it’s been a while. I wouldn’t mind owning a copy of that one.”

Steve tried to stifle a yawn, but he was exhausted and couldn’t stop it. “Sorry.”

“He’s working doubles,” Eddie explained.

“Oof, I know that life,” Wayne chuckled. “You should get some sleep.”

Steve nodded sleepily.

Eddie stood and held out his hand. “C’mon, big boy. Let’s get you to bed.”

Steve’s face flushed immediately and it took everything he had to keep his expression neutral as he took Eddie’s hand and let him pull him to his feet. “Good night, Wayne.”

“Good night, boys.” Wayne sat back on the couch to channel surf.

Steve and Eddie went back to his bedroom, where Steve dropped face first onto the mattress.

Eddie laughed. “C’mon, at least take your shoes and pants off.”

Steve grumbled sleepily as he kicked his sneakers off.

Eddie snorted. “Halfway there.” He dropped onto the bed next to him and brushed his bangs out of his face. “Is it time for me to pull my ‘call out’ card?”

Steve shook his head. He needed the money, and it really wasn’t that bad. He rolled over to undo his pants and kick them off his legs, then wrestled his polo off, leaving him in his boxers and socks. “Is that better?” he teased.

Eddie grazed his fingers over his chest hair. “Always.” He undressed as well, then manhandled Steve under the covers and cuddled up behind him. “Thanks for putting up with the movie,” he murmured against his shoulder.

Steve laced their fingers together. “We have to keep Wayne happy,” he murmured.

Eddie kissed his shoulder. “Now I know what to get him for Christmas.”

“Dammit!” Steve chuckled. “You stole my idea!”

Eddie laughed. “He’s my uncle, so I get dibs on gift ideas.”

“I guess,” Steve sighed. He brought Eddie’s hand up to kiss his knuckles gently; he was fast asleep before he even realized it.

Chapter Text

They slept in the next morning and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast with Wayne, but Steve had to close that night, and he needed to stop by his house first to pick up fresh clothes.

“I hate Keith,” Eddie whined as he watched him tie his shoes. “He’s ruining my weekend.”

“I know, but I told him I’d do it.” He sat up and placed his hand on Eddie’s thigh, squeezing gently.

“At least I can take care of some errands, I guess …”

“Oh? Like what?”

“You can’t ask questions so close to Christmas,” Eddie teased.

He chuckled. So Eddie had his secrets, too. He couldn’t wait to see what he’d come up with. He leaned over to kiss him. “I’ll see you tonight, ok?”

He grabbed his bag of dirty clothes, threw it into the passenger seat, and drove home. His Judas Priest tape blasted through the speakers. He wanted to learn the lyrics before they went to the concert. As he pulled into the driveway, he saw both of his parents’ cars were there. He braced himself, hoping he could make it in and out without drawing their attention. The sad thing was, he probably could.

He unlocked the front door as quietly as possible, stuck his head inside to make sure the coast was clear, and snuck up the stairs to his bedroom. He dumped his dirty clothes into his hamper and rifled through his drawers for a clean outfit. He then went to his closet and dug through a box of old toys he hadn’t had the heart to throw out yet. He found the Electronic Quarterback his parents bought him when he was twelve. He was obsessed with it before he started playing actual sports, and he thought it might help pass the time at work. He tried to turn it on, but of course it was dead. He’d have to sneak into the kitchen for some batteries. He left his bag near the front door and silently made his way through the den. He could see his father in his office, and darted by quickly, making it to the safety of the kitchen.

“Hello, Steven,” his mother greeted.

He sighed internally. “Hey, mom.”

“Do you need something?”

“Uh, just grabbing some batteries.” He opened the junk drawer and grabbed whatever he could find. “I’ve got to go to work.”

She made a noncommittal noise as she mixed a drink. “By the way, your father and I are going out of town.”

Steve's mood shifted immediately, thrilled at the idea of bringing Eddie here and having the whole place to themselves. “When?” he asked a little too excitedly.

“The 14th through the 21st. Don’t worry, we’ll be back in time for Christmas.”

He felt a bit relieved. He wouldn’t have been shocked if they ditched him for Christmas, too. He felt so oddly torn about it all. “Good,” he replied. “I’m gonna head out now.”

“See you, sweetie.”

He darted past his father’s office again, grabbed his bag from the foyer, and left. She hadn’t even asked him where he’d been ...

*

He took over for Keith and dealt with the waves of Saturday crowds. The first chance he got, he grabbed the store phone and called Eddie, hoping he was still at home.

“Hello?” Wayne answered.

“Hey. Is Eddie there?”

Wayne chuckled. “You’re as bad as he is. Hang on.”

“Miss me already?” Eddie teased when he answered.

“Yes, but … I have exciting news.”

“What’s that?”

“My parents are going out of town! We’ll have the entire place to ourselves for a week!”

Eddie crowed loudly in his ear. “Oh, baby, that’s awesome!” He lowered his voice. “I’ve been dreaming of fucking you on that bed for months.”

Steve bit his lip. “Ugh, more people are coming in, but I just wanted you to know. I’ll see you later.”

“See ya.”

Steve dealt with the customers, and when there was another lull, he pulled out the Electronic Quarterback. He smiled at the beeps it made when he turned it on, remembering the hours he’d spent playing it as a kid. Dustin would probably laugh at him for enjoying such a simple game. Kids these days with their Ataris and Nintendos …

*

Eddie hung up with a grin. “Hey, Wayne! Guess what?”

“What?”

“Steve’s parents are going out of town, and he’s invited me to stay with him at his place! You’ll have the entire trailer to yourself for a whole week!”

Wayne chuckled. “I don’t need a break from you boys. I like seeing you so happy.”

He smiled fondly at his uncle. “Well, Steve also has a really nice mattress, so …”

“I don’t need the details,” Wayne laughed.

He returned to his room to continue working on Steve’s Christmas gift. He heated a safety pin with his lighter to make a hole in the top of the pick. Once this was done, he’d head out to hunt down a nice chain for it. His pick was strung on a cheap ball-chain necklace, and he wanted Steve’s to be nicer. Maybe he could make a few more deals while he was out.

Once he was happy with the size of the hole, he started to throw on his jacket and vest when he remembered teasing Steve about emptying a drawer for him. It had been a joke, but … the idea made him happy. He wanted Steve to have a space in his room. He opened the top drawer of his dresser and pulled out the random mix of t-shirts, boxers, and socks inside. He was never very good at properly putting away his laundry. He grinned at the now empty drawer before stuffing his displaced clothes wherever they would fit. The second drawer didn’t want to close all the way, but it was good enough for him.

He opened his lunch box and pulled out the small wad of cash, hoping it was enough, then he shrugged on his jacket and vest and headed out. He drove downtown, music blaring. His first stop was the pawn shop. He hoped they would have some decently priced chains, and maybe he’d spot something for Robin, if he had any cash left.

“Hey there,” an older man greeted gruffly as Eddie entered the store. “Can I help you?”

“Uh, I need to look at your jewelry,” he replied.

“Right this way.” He walked behind the counter and to the back of the store, stopping behind a glass case.

Eddie peered at the selection through the smudged glass, moving down the case until he found the necklaces. Most of them had large, gaudy pendants, but there were a few simple chains. He pointed at them. “Can I look at those?”

The clerk unclipped a large set of keys from his belt, unlocked the back of the case, and pulled out the tray of jewelry.

“Can I touch them?” he asked nervously. This place got robbed regularly, and he knew what he looked like.

“Sure, kid, but if you try anything-” He patted the handgun clipped to his waistband.

Eddie nodded. He gently picked through the chains, checking the price tags. The gold ones were definitely out of his budget, but some of the silver ones were reasonable. “What are these made out of?”

“Nickel.”

“Is that good?” He suddenly realized he had no idea what he was doing.

The clerk shrugged. “It's strong.”

Strong was good. Plus, they looked nice. “Why is this one more expensive than the others?”

The clerk looked at the tag. “It’s silver plated,” he explained.

Eddie bit his lip. It was technically in his budget, but just barely. Fuck it, he wanted this to be a nice gift. He could always sell more drugs. “I’ll take it.”

“Let’s head over to the register.”

He counted out his cash as he followed him.

“For your girl?” the clerk asked as he put the money into the cash drawer.

“Yeah,” he replied sheepishly.

“Here’s your receipt. If things don’t work out, you can always sell it back to me.” He laughed harshly.

Eddie grimaced. “Thanks …” He slipped the thin chain into the breast pocket of his vest and left. Outside the pawn shop, he counted out his change. There wasn’t much, but then he remembered playing the girl bands for Robin and realized he could make her the perfect mixtape. He’d turn her into a metalhead, too, dammit. He walked down the line of stores until he got to the Radio Shack. He found the cheapest pack of blank cassettes, relieved that he had just enough to cover it. He’d need more cash to buy Wayne’s gift, but he’d have to go into Indianapolis for that anyway. The only video store in Hawkins burned down with the mall, and Family Video only rented. He sighed, feeling a bit guilty for leaving Wayne’s gift for last, but he’d get it sorted out before Christmas. He still had plenty of time. He walked past Melvald’s empty storefront towards his usual alley to see if he could make some deals and replenish his cash.

*

When Eddie returned home that evening, he laced the silver chain through the hole he’d made in the pick, then held it up to admire it. It actually looked pretty good, and he was excited to give it to Steve. He tucked it away in a desk drawer until he could properly wrap it, then pulled out his guitar to keep working on Steve's song. He was pretty happy with it, just needed to tweak some chords and rearrange some lyrics.

Wayne knocked on the doorframe. “That sounds nice."

He flushed. “Thanks.”

“Is it for Steve?”

He flushed even deeper. “Yeah …”

“Has he heard it yet?”

He shook his head and admitted, “It’s not ready …”.

Wayne nodded. “I’m sure he’ll love it.”

Eddie smiled softly and set his guitar down against his desk. “You headed to work?”

“Yeah. I just had a sandwich, so you two will have to figure out your own dinner.”

“No worries,” he replied. “Have a good shift.”

“Night, son.” Wayne tipped his head and disappeared back down the hallway.

Steve arrived soon after, knocking politely on the door.

Eddie opened it quickly. “Can I help you?” he teased.

Steve grinned. “Well, I am hungry …”

“Ooh, that’s too bad. We’re fresh out of food.”

Steve stepped inside and kissed him hungrily. “I’m sure we can figure something out.”

“Are you saying you’re hungry for my ass?” he giggled.

Steve snorted. “Always.”

“Well, come on then!” He took Steve’s hand and tugged him towards his bedroom.

Steve tossed his duffel bag onto the end of the mattress.

“Oh! Look at this!” Eddie opened the newly empty drawer with a flourish. “Now you have a place to keep your clothes!”

Steve stared at the drawer for a long moment. “Really?”

He shrugged. “You practically live here anyway.”

Steve pulled him into another desperate kiss. “No one’s ever done that for me before …”

He was surprised. Not even Nancy? He grinned, happy to be the one to give this to Steve. “You may not have noticed, but I kind of like you.”

Steve smiled. “I kind of like you, too.”

“I know.” He kissed Steve again, and they made their way onto the mattress, drawer temporarily forgotten.

*

They slept in again, and even when they woke up, continued to stay in bed talking until Steve absolutely had to leave or he’d be late for work. As he dressed, he put the rest of his fresh clothes in his drawer, smiling happily.

Eddie watched him from bed, glad that this small gesture had meant so much to him.

“Got any plans today?” Steve asked as he tied his sneakers.

He shrugged. “I’m gonna work on Robin’s mixtape, maybe deal some more. I’ll probably have to go into Indianapolis for Wayne’s present, but that can wait. I have homework to do, too.”

Steve nodded. “You’ll have to play Robin’s mixtape for me. Maybe I’ll want a copy.”

He grinned happily.

Now fully dressed, Steve leaned across the mattress to kiss him goodbye.

He bit his lip as he watched him leave. He wasn’t ready to get up yet, so he snuggled back into his sheets and reveled in the fact that they smelled like Steve. He didn’t even realize he had fallen back asleep until his stomach grumbled, jerking him awake, and the clock revealed an hour had passed. He finally dragged himself out of bed, threw on his stolen sweatpants, and made himself some lunch.

After that, he pulled out some of his favorite girl metal band cassettes, like Girlschool and Rock Goddess, as well as some other girl bands, including the Runaways. He was glad he had a dual cassette tape deck, making this process much easier. He spent the next hour switching out cassettes as he recorded his favorite songs onto the blank tape. Once that was done, he wrote out each song and band name on a small piece of paper, folded it up, and slotted it inside the cassette case with the tape. That was two presents done! He felt pretty proud of himself.

He briefly considered heading out to deal, but decided he was enjoying relaxing at home. He couldn’t watch tv because Wayne was sleeping, so he stayed in his room and read, eventually did his homework, and, when it was almost time for Steve to get back from work, made them some spaghetti for dinner.

“Smells good,” Wayne grumbled sleepily from his cot.

Eddie dished out a bowl for him so he could eat before work, but waited to eat himself until Steve was back. They ate in his room and listened to Robin’s tape.

Steve nodded along to the beat. “This is awesome! I’m definitely going to need a copy.”

He grinned. “No problem! I bought a whole pack of blank tapes.”

Afterwards, they cuddled on the couch and watched tv, then went to bed early since they both had to be up for another long day of work/school.

*

Monday afternoon, Eddie was making his way towards his next class when someone grabbed his shoulder. He turned quickly, ready to tell a jock to piss off, but it was only Robin.

“Sorry!” she giggled. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“It’s cool,” he chuckled. “What’s up?”

“Where do you buy all your metal shirts?”

He immediately perked up. “Have I turned you into a metalhead, Buckley?”

She rolled her eyes. “It’s for Steve, dingus!”

Oh, of course it was. “Well, I got a bunch from the mall before it burned down …”

She groaned. “Damn it.”

“But the record store has some stuff. Not a huge selection, but I’ve bought shirts there, too.”

“Thank god! Hopefully they have what I’m looking for.”

“Which band are you looking for?”

She took a moment to reply. “Um … you know, anything that he’s been listening to lately.”

Eddie felt like she was keeping something from him, but didn’t pry. “If Steve starts wearing metal shirts, I’ll never graduate from this hellhole,” he joked.

“That’s actually why I’m getting him one. To ruin your life,” she teased.

He snorted. “Thanks a lot.”

The bell rang and she gasped. “Shit, I’m late for band!” She took off down the hall, yelling back, “Thanks, Eddie!”

~*~

Steve had waited a few days to return Paint Your Wagon in case Wayne wanted to watch it again, but as he checked it back into the system, he remembered Eddie’s uncertainty about where he could buy a copy. They had three copies of this movie, and Steve was pretty sure they were the first ones to rent it since he started working there. Keith probably wouldn’t even notice if one of them went missing …

Since the store was dead, he went into the back to see if Keith had kept any of the original sleeves. He looked through the cabinets and boxes of extra VHSs, but found nothing. He sighed in defeat, but then he noticed that the threadbare couch wasn’t quite flush against the wall. He pulled it out further to peek behind, surprised to find several dusty VHS sleeves behind and underneath the couch. He tugged it even farther from the wall and collected all of the lost sleeves, checking each one, and lo and behold, there was one Paint Your Wagon case. He couldn’t believe his luck! He left the rest under the couch and brought the sleeve back into the front, dusting it off. It was in decent condition. He took the VHS out of its plastic rental case and slid it into the sleeve. He’d take the plastic case with him to throw away later so Keith wouldn’t stumble across the evidence.

When he returned to the trailer park that night, he tossed the case into a neighbor’s trash bins before knocking on Eddie’s door.

“You know you don’t have to knock,” Eddie chuckled.

He shrugged. “Don’t want you to think I’m an intruder and bean me with your guitar.”

Eddie scoffed. “I would never endanger my guitars like that!”

“Then you’ll use something else!” he laughed.

“Nah, I know the sound of your car.”

He smiled, happy that they had reached that level of familiarity. “By the way, I got you something.”

“Oh?”

He pulled the VHS out of his bag.

“Holy shit!” Eddie grabbed it excitedly. “Where’d you find it?”

He bit his lip. “I may have … stolen it,” he admitted.

“You’re kidding,” Eddie gasped before his mouth curled into a huge grin. “Steve, baby, that is so fucking hot.”

He was a little surprised by the pride that radiated through him. “Now it can be from both of us,” he teased.

Eddie rolled his eyes fondly. “Fiiiine. C’mon, I’m starving.”

*

The next day was rough for Steve. Apparently, everyone had decided it was a good day to yell at a minimum wage employee for things beyond his control. The first was a middle-aged woman who Steve could already tell was trouble as she stomped across the parking lot.

She tossed a VHS onto the counter where it bounced with a loud clatter. “I can’t believe you rent out this filth!”

He picked up the VHS; it was a copy of Gremlins. He sighed heavily. “Ma’am, I don’t make the movies. I just rent them out.”

“There should be a warning!” she ranted. “I thought this would be a cute Christmas movie for my kids, but it's filled with violence and profanity!”

“It says it's rated PG for ‘language, horror elements, and violence,’” he read from the back, hoping to illustrate her idiocy.

“PG!” she yelled. “PG is for children! You should have warned me not to show it to my kids!”

Steve wanted to slam his head into the counter. “How was I supposed to know you rented it for your kids?”

The woman sputtered angrily, unable to come up with an answer. “I’ll never shop here again!”

He was relieved to hear that, and just silently stood there, waiting for her to continue or leave.

When she realized she wasn’t going to get the response she wanted, she stomped out of the store.

He checked the VHS in and realized a corner of the plastic case had broken off, probably when she threw it. He was tempted to charge her a damage fee, but that would only provoke her further, and he honestly didn’t care enough.

A few hours later, an older man came into the store. He seemed pleasant enough, denying any help when Steve offered, and quietly perused the shelves. But after he had made his way through the entire store, he approached the counter with an angry expression. “Where are your adult movies?” he demanded.

Steve was shocked, and looked at the man like he was insane. “We don’t have any …”

“What kind of video rental store doesn’t carry adult movies!”

He looked around, wondering if he was being pranked. “We’re literally called Family Video, sir.”

“Surely you have a backroom or something.” He pointed at the door for the break area. “What’s back there?”

“The break room?”

“Unbelievable! This is a terrible way to run a business!”

He watched him leave in utter disbelief. Even after working with the public for months, people’s stupidity never failed to surprise him.

That night, he was so exhausted, he passed out on top of Eddie mid-makeout, only to be awoken by Eddie’s giggles. “Wha-?”

Eddie gently rubbed his back. “Go to sleep, babe,” he murmured quietly.

Chapter Text

Thursday morning at work, Steve steeled himself to talk to Keith. “Hey, man,” he began casually, “I, um, need to take off early today-”

Keith rolled his eyes with a grimace.

“And I need an advance on my check …”

“Seriously, Harrington?”

“Look, this week has been a nice break for you, right? I just need this favor. It’s for Christmas.”

“Buying jewelry for one of your girlfriends?” Keith scoffed.

“I only have one … girlfriend, and, yes, I need to buy her gift.”

“Buckley swore you’d attract more girls to the store, but I-”

“This is really important to me, Keith.”

Keith gave him a disgusted look. “Fine, but this is the only time.” He disappeared into the back to print out Steve’s check.

He sighed in relief. This was his only chance to buy the tickets, and he was nervous they might sell out. He left work that afternoon and cashed his check, the biggest he’d ever made, and started the long drive to Indianapolis. “In the dead of night, love bites, love bites …” he sang along as he drove.

He parked in the huge lot of the Market Square Arena, impressed by the size of the venue. This was going to be really cool, and he was so excited to bring Eddie here for the concert. He made his way to the box office and waited in a short line until it was his turn at one of the windows. “Hey,” he greeted. “Two tickets for the Judas Priest concert, please.”

The middle-aged woman behind the glass regarded him stiffly. “You don’t look like the usual riffraff that listens to that rubbish.”

He grimaced. He had no idea how to respond to that.

She pulled out a sheet of paper printed with the seating chart. “Here are the available seats and prices.”

He quickly looked it over. There were still seats available near the front, but they were steep. Still, if they were going to do this, they couldn’t sit in the nose bleeds. He wanted Eddie to have a good time. He pointed at two seats near the middle front. “I’ll take these.”

“That’ll be $40.”

He pulled out the cash and handed it over.

The woman said nothing as she waited for the tickets to print. “Here.” She pushed them through the slot.

“Thanks,” he muttered as he took them. He stepped away so the next person could come to the window and double-checked the tickets. He was so fucking excited! He tucked them away in the inside pocket of his jacket for safekeeping.

As he drove back towards the freeway, he stopped at a red light and happened to notice an electronics store with a display of Polaroid cameras in the front window. That would be a great gift for Robin! He parked in the next available spot and headed inside.

*

As he drove back to Hawkins, Steve was really happy with his gifts. He still had to figure out something for his parents, and he definitely wanted to get something for Max, though he had no idea what. She’d been so distant, and he had no idea what she was into now, besides skateboarding. Maybe he could get her something for her board. There was a little skate shop in town that he could check out later.

Since it was early evening, and he was still supposed to be at work, he decided to head home and clean up his room before Eddie came over that weekend. His parents were out, so he was free to blast his music while he picked up his dirty laundry and put fresh sheets on his bed. He also decided to clean out a drawer for Eddie, like he had done for him. His chest still blossomed with warmth whenever he thought about it. He pulled open one of the top drawers and emptied it into a pile on the floor of his closet, then closed the closet doors to hide the mess. Once he was happy with the state of his room, he left for Eddie’s trailer.

He tested the knob and found the door unlocked, so he let himself in. “Hey, babe,” he smiled happily.

Eddie smirked back from the couch. “Well, well, well … Where were you this afternoon?”

Oh no, he must have stopped by the video store. He tried to sound nonchalant. “What do you mean?”

Eddie rolled his eyes fondly. “I stopped by Family Video after school, and Keith said you took off for Indianapolis to buy a present for your girlfriend. So … what’d you get me?” He grinned wickedly.

Dammit, Keith … He put his hands on his hips. “Remember when you told me not to ask questions so close to Christmas?”

Eddie bit his lip and stood up, wrapping his arms around Steve’s neck. “Is that why you took all those double shifts?”

He gently grasped Eddie’s hips and felt himself blush at being found out so quickly. “Maybe …”

“I don’t need anything fancy. You don’t have to overwork yourself for me.”

“You’re gonna love it, though,” he chuckled.

Eddie smiled gently as he stared quietly into Steve’s eyes. After a long moment, he leaned in for a languid kiss. “Does this mean you’re done with the double shifts?”

“Well, at least until your birthday,” he teased, though he’d definitely do it again without a second thought.

Eddie laughed and shook his head. “C’mon, let’s eat.”

*

The next day was Friday the 13th, and it reminded Steve of Eddie’s Halloween costume. He’d never actually seen any of the movies, and thought Eddie might like to watch one tonight. When the store was empty, he walked over to the horror section. Jesus Christ, there were already five of these? He picked up the first movie and read the back.

“Terror and suspense abound in this 24-hour nightmare of blood,” read the first line of the synopsis.

He shook his head, but he knew it would make Eddie happy. He had been pleasantly surprised by A Nightmare on Elm Street 2. He grabbed a copy to keep at the counter in case other people had the same idea.

When he got to Eddie’s that night, he brandished the VHS. “Thought we could celebrate.”

Eddie grinned as he took the tape. “You’re so sweet.” He kissed him gently, then tugged him toward the couch. He laid his head on Steve’s lap, and Steve gently played with his hair as the movie began.

“Hey, it's the guy from Footloose!” Steve was surprised to see him in such a low budget horror movie.

“I’ve never seen it,” Eddie admitted.

Steve was about to tell him what a great movie it was, when he was distracted by the nice hitchhiker getting her throat brutally slashed. He grimaced at the violence.

“Doesn’t that look real? Tom Savini is an artist!” Eddie looked up at him when he didn't respond. “You ok?”

“Yeah,” he lied.

Eddie snorted. “You hate this, babe …”

He shrugged. “It’s fine.”

Eddie sat up. “Nah, let’s turn it off.”

He felt ridiculous. It was all fake, and Eddie had no idea about the shit he’d seen. “I want to finish it, I swear!”

Eddie squinted at him. “Are you sure?”

“Yes!”

“Fine … But next time we’re renting Footloose.”

That sounded fair to him. He felt relieved when Eddie laid back down, his fingers immediately twining back into his soft hair. He spent the rest of the movie appreciating the special effects, like Eddie did, and found the experience much more tolerable. He wondered how in the hell they managed to stick an arrow through Ren McCormack’s throat so believably. When the old lady was revealed as the killer, he was fucking shocked. “Wait, where the hell is the hockey mask guy?” he exclaimed.

Eddie snorted and fell into a fit of giggles. “He’s not really in this one,” he explained.

That blew his mind. Everyone always talked about, he was pretty sure his name was Jason, but he wasn’t even the killer in the first movie?! How the hell did that work? “Is he in the next one?”

“Yeah, but he’s not wearing the hockey mask yet,” Eddie chuckled.

Steve had no idea what the fuck was happening anymore. He was relieved when the final girl managed to kill the old lady and escape onto the lake, when a zombie suddenly jumped out of the water. He flinched hard, nearly unseating Eddie from his lap. “Sorry,” he murmured as Eddie giggled.

As the credits rolled, Eddie sat up. “Thanks for watching that with me.”

He shrugged one shoulder. “You were right, the special effects were really good.”

Eddie smiled softly at him.

“What?” he asked when he continued staring at him fondly.

Eddie just smiled wider. “Let’s go to bed.”

He wanted to know what Eddie was thinking, but he let him lead him into his bedroom, content with whatever else his boyfriend had in mind for the evening.

~*~

The next morning, Eddie woke up bursting with excitement. Today they were going to Steve’s house, where it would just be the two of them! He woke Steve up by pressing kisses along his jaw.

“Mornin,’” Steve sighed happily.

“C’mon, help me make the bed! I want it to be ready when Wayne gets home.”

Steve yawned, but got out of bed, his hair an adorable wreck.

Eddie wanted to devour him, but he had to control himself. They stripped the bed, rolling the come and lube-stained sheets into a ball and tossing them in the hamper. He pulled out a fresh set of sheets and they made up the bed. He retrieved Wayne’s pillow and quilt from the living room and put them on the bed as well. He wanted it to be as inviting as possible. Wayne hadn’t slept on a real bed since he’d moved in, and it was one of the many things that quietly ate away at him. He was glad to have an excuse to do this, because Wayne would never have accepted it otherwise. Happy with the bed, he cleaned up some of the mess on his floor while Steve cooked them some eggs. He heard the front door open.

“Mornin,’ Steve,” Wayne greeted.

“Hey,” Steve replied. “You want some eggs?”

“I’d love some.”

Eddie excitedly bounded down the hallway. “Wayne, come here!”

Wayne chuckled as he followed him to his bedroom.

He yelled, “Ta da!” as he presented the bed to his uncle. “Fresh sheets and everything!”

Wayne smiled at the bed. “Thank you,” he murmured.

Eddie was pretty sure he was choking up a little. “You deserve it,” he shrugged. “Go eat breakfast. I have to pack.” He waited until Wayne left the room, then grabbed the lube from his nightstand and threw it into his laundry bag, since he didn’t own a duffel or any real luggage. He tossed in a bunch of clothes as well, then made sure all of his schoolwork was in his backpack. He also put his acoustic guitar in its beat-up case so he could keep working on Steve’s song.

“Eggs are ready!” Steve called from the kitchen.

He joined them, and they all ate at the bar.

“You boys have any other plans this weekend?” Wayne asked. “Beside the obvious,” he chuckled.

Eddie almost choked on his eggs. He was never going to get used to this.

“We’re going to a basketball game tonight,” Steve replied casually, though a faint blush colored his cheeks.

“At the high school?”

“Yeah,” Eddie nodded. “We’re going to watch Lucas play. Hopefully.”

“Lucas is one of your Hellfire members, right?”

He nodded.

“That sounds like fun.”

“We’ll see. I had a good time playing with Steve, but watching other people? I’m not sold yet.”

“I love going to the games,” Steve shrugged. “The food, the cheering, the band, y’know?”

He kept an open mind for Steve’s sake. He finished his breakfast and put his plate in the sink. “I just can’t believe I’m willingly going to school on a Saturday.”

Once Steve finished his food, they returned to Eddie’s room to get dressed.

Eddie held up the crumbled Hawkins basketball shirt to his chest. “Too much?” he teased.

“Maybe if we hadn’t used it as a come rag,” Steve chuckled.

He chucked it into the hamper, then piled all of the stuff he was taking onto the end of the mattress so he wouldn’t forget anything. He decided to pull a few more clothes out of his closet and heard Steve snort behind him.

“Taking everything, I see,” he teased.

Eddie stuck his tongue out, trying not to trip as he put on his jeans. “Only the essentials.”

Steve pulled his henley on and tucked it into his jeans. He touched the guitar case. “Are you going to play your song for me?”

He felt his face flush. “Soon,” he promised. He was so nervous, but so excited at the same time. He’d never written a song for someone before.

Steve smiled happily. “I can’t wait.”

They shrugged on their jackets, and Steve helped Eddie carry everything out to his car. Eddie went back inside to say goodbye to Wayne. They hadn’t spent more than a day apart since he’d moved in.

“Have fun and be safe. And don’t worry about me.”

He hugged his uncle. “Enjoy the bed.”

“Oh, I will. May not give it back,” he teased.

Eddie laughed. “Good!” He went back outside to find Steve already behind the wheel, his copy of Robin’s mixtape blaring out of the windows.

“Let’s go, Munson!” he called out, a huge grin on his face.

He leapt down the stairs to join him.

They quickly arrived at the Harrington house and grabbed Eddie’s things out of the trunk, then Steve unlocked the front door for them. “Sorry for the decor …” he murmured as he pushed it open.

“What decor-” Eddie stepped over the threshold but immediately stopped short. “Holy shit, babe.”

The house was a veritable winter wonderland. There wasn’t a single flat surface free of Christmas tchotchkes, a railing without garland, a window without a wreath. A frankly enormous tree covered in ornaments and tinsel took up a great deal of the den.

Steve stood next to him and scratched the back of his head awkwardly. “My mom goes a bit overboard for Christmas …”

He turned to his boyfriend incredulously. “No shit.” The house looked like a goddamn department store. He examined a side table that displayed a porcelain Victorian village.

“C’mon, let’s put your stuff away,” Steve said from behind him.

He turned with a maniacal grin. “And deprive myself of all this?” He picked up a delicate pink reindeer and shook it in Steve’s face.

Steve rolled his eyes. “My mother’ll kill us if anything gets broken.”

“Oooh, I’m shaking in my boots.” He plucked at a fruit-laden garland, then made his way to the Christmas tree. “This is incredible. I feel like I’m in the North Pole.”

Steve chuckled beside him. “Yeah, I guess … It's just so … impersonal, you know? I made tons of ornaments as a kid, and not a single one is on the tree. I doubt she even kept any of them …”

He stared at his boyfriend in silent frustration. He wasn’t sure how to respond, so he squeezed his shoulder reassuringly, earning a small smile in return. “You know, it's been a few years since I even had a Christmas tree.”

“What?” Steve looked dumbfounded.

He shrugged. “That shit costs money.”

“Fuck, you’re right ...” He fell into silence, pondering to himself. “But what if, like, it didn’t?”

Eddie burst into laughter.

“What?” Steve huffed. “I have an idea!”

“And what’s that, big boy?”

Steve blushed and floundered for a moment before setting Eddie’s stuff down on the couch. He opened the sliding door and stepped out into the backyard.

He dropped his stuff, as well, and followed him outside.

Steve disappeared into a small shed. After a moment, he emerged with a handsaw and a triumphant grin.

Eddie’s brain needed a moment to connect the dots. “Are you suggesting we steal a tree?”

“Steal?” Steve scoffed. “It’s nature. You can’t steal from the forest!”

“I’m pretty sure the forest is owned by the government,” he explained.

“Well, fuck the government,” Steve shrugged. “They have bigger things to deal with,” he muttered to himself.

Eddie pretended to swoon, fanning himself. “You really know how to get my engines going,” he teased.

Steve snorted. “I think it’s a good idea.” He set the handsaw down on a glass table.

Eddie stepped closer and kissed him gently. “It’s a great idea,” he assured, but he didn’t need Steve to worry about something as silly as a Christmas tree. He took his hand and led him back inside. They grabbed his things from the couch and went upstairs.

Steve dropped the bags onto his bed and walked over to his dresser. He pulled open one of the top drawers to reveal it was empty and grinned at Eddie.

Warmth blossomed in his chest. Steve had emptied a drawer for him. He understood Steve’s reaction now; he felt so wanted, he was afraid it might consume him. “Thank you,” he smiled. He grabbed a few band tees out of his laundry bag and placed them in the drawer.

“Oh shit, before I forget!” Steve grabbed his phone from the nightstand and dialed.

Eddie shot him a curious look.

Steve winked, then cleared his throat. In the worst fake-sick voice Eddie had ever heard, he murmured into the receiver, “Hey, Keith. It’s Steve. I’m not going to be able to make it in today.”

He chuckled quietly as he put away the rest of his clothes. When Steve hung up, he pointed out, “There’s gonna be plenty of eyewitnesses at the game tonight.”

Steve waved him off. “He won’t find out.”

He pulled the lube out from the bottom of his bag and tossed it to Steve.

Steve caught it easily and set it on his nightstand.

“When does the game start again?” He leaned his guitar case against the wall and dropped his backpack next to it.

“6:00, but I think we should get there around 5:30. Plus, we have to pick up Dustin.”

He walked over to the bed and tugged on the comforter shyly, glancing at Steve through his eyelashes. “Seems like we have a bit of time to kill …” He really wanted to break this bed in.

Steve grinned and pulled him in for a hungry kiss.

Eddie wrapped his arms around his shoulders as he kissed him back just as greedily.

Steve maneuvered him onto the mattress and pressed his thigh between Eddie’s legs, his hands cupping his ass and squeezing.

He groaned as he rocked his hips against Steve’s thigh, grateful for the friction. He shoved his vest and jacket off his shoulders, not caring where they ended up, and Steve followed suit. He bared his throat so Steve could nibble down his artery to his collarbone, where he sucked wetly against his skin. “Nnnn, baby,” he groaned and grabbed Steve’s ass to push their hips together.

“I wanna ride you,” Steve murmured huskily as he continued to mark his throat.

Eddie’s blood rushed south so fast. “Fucking- Yes, please!” he bit out, his cock straining against his jeans. Steve pulled away to rip off his own clothes, and he followed suit. The second they were both naked, he fell back onto the mattress, pulling Steve on top of him. Steve straddled his hips as they made out, and he ran his hands over every inch of skin he could reach.

Steve eventually pulled back, lips swollen and pink. “Hold on.” He leaned over to arrange the pillows at the top of his bed, then urged Eddie to reposition himself comfortably. He grabbed the bottle of lube from his nightstand and straddled Eddie’s hips again.

He grabbed Steve’s own hips, biting his bottom lip at the beautiful sight before him. “God, you’re gorgeous,” he sighed happily.

Steve smiled down at him as he poured lube onto his fingers, then reached back to finger himself open.

Eddie keened, wishing he could watch Steve’s slender fingers disappear into his hole, but this angle was hot, too. He focused on Steve’s face; the way his eyes pinched shut and his mouth fell open. He heard the wet squelch of his slick fingers working in and out. He felt Steve’s erection resting heavily against his own, throbbing with his heartbeat. It was overwhelming …

Steve used his slippery hand to slick Eddie’s cock, which caused his toes to curl against the comforter, then shuffled forward, awkwardly trying to position Eddie’s cock against his hole.

He bit his lip again as Steve worked his cock across his wet hole, eagerly waiting to enter that slick, familiar heat-

Steve pushed his hips down sharply, but Eddie’s slippery cock slipped up his butt crack, and their hips met with a loud slap. They both immediately burst into laughter at the sheer absurdity of it. “Fuck, I’m sorry,” he wheezed.

Eddie could barely contain himself. “It’s … ‘S ok … babe!” he choked out between giggles.

“This is harder than it looks!”

He lost it again. “Here … Here, here, here. Let me help.” He took a hold of his erection and pressed the head against Steve’s hole.

Steve bit his lip as he pushed back until Eddie’s cock finally popped inside. He groaned at the intrusion.

Eddie kept his grip around the base of his cock until Steve’s hips were flush against his own. Once Steve was fully seated, he moved his hands to his hips and took a few deep breaths. “How’s it feel?”

Steve nodded, his eyes squeezed shut. After a moment, he opened his eyes, pressed his palms to Eddie’s chest, and began to rock back and forth. “Fuck-” he bit out.

Eddie was in heaven as he watched Steve fuck himself back on his cock, felt himself enveloped in his tight heat. “Talk to me, baby.”

“You feel so good,” Steve murmured, his hips thrusting back steadily.

He kept his hold on Steve’s hips gentle and let him take his pleasure.

Steve would slide off slowly before snapping his hips back quickly, a whine ripped from his throat with each delicious thrust.

Eddie was overcome. He’d never seen Steve like this; it would be burned into his memory for the rest of his life. Steve’s hairy chest was flushed, his own cock purple and straining between them. He searched the comforter until he found the lube and poured some onto his hand, then took a hold of his boyfriend’s erection, jerking him in a similar rhythm.

Steve cried out at the first touch and began to work himself faster on Eddie’s cock.

He couldn’t stop his own hips from thrusting up, seeking more, deeper.

“Oh yeah, fuck me!” Steve moaned.

He planted his feet against the mattress so he could thrust with more power. He squeezed Steve’s hip with his free hand.

Steve leaned forward a bit, panting heavily. “Hang on, the angle is almost-” He cut himself off with a grunt, eyes pinched shut again. “Ah! Ah, ah, ah …”

“That the angle, baby?” He did his best to maintain it.

Steve nodded, unable to speak as Eddie hammered his prostate and roughly fisted his cock.

His chest heaved with effort and arousal, but he was determined to hold out until Steve came. He flicked his wrist at the head of Steve’s cock, just the way he liked, and Steve keened at the pressure.

“‘M close,” Steve managed between deep gasps. “Don’t stop-”

He wouldn’t dream of stopping. He felt his own orgasm beginning to crest as Steve bore down on him. “Come on, baby,” he encouraged. “Come for me.”

Steve groaned long and low in his throat as his cock jerked in Eddie’s hand, come splashing across his belly and chest.

He slowed his thrusts in case Steve was oversensitive, but Steve simply moved his own hips faster.

“Fuck me, Eddie! Come in me!” he demanded.

Eddie didn’t need any further prodding and grabbed Steve’s hips tightly with both hands, pulling his hips down to meet his frenzied thrusts. His balls were drawn tight, he was so close … He fucked up into him again and again until … “Steve!” he bit out as his orgasm sucker-punched him. His body tensed as he came deep inside his boyfriend, and once he was spent, he fell limp, taking deep breaths as he came down.

Steve leaned over him, hands braced against the bed, as he also caught his breath. He eventually sat up, brushing his hair out of his face, sweat causing it to stick in places. He heaved a satiated sigh. “That was really good,” he breathed out with a smile.

Eddie nodded as he ran his hands up and down Steve’s muscular thighs. “Yeah, it fuckin’ was.”

“I’m glad I didn’t break your dick,” Steve laughed.

He pulled a pained expression at the very thought. “Me, too,” he huffed fondly.

“How was the bed?” Steve teased.

He wiggled against the soft mattress. “Comfortable, yet supportive,” he replied with a grin. “Is that why you waited ‘til now to ride me? For my spine?”

Steve rolled his eyes fondly and pinched one of Eddie’s nipples. “I was nervous,” he admitted.

“You were gorgeous,” Eddie assured. “It was an incredible view.”

Steve smiled shyly. “I’m glad. Maybe you can show me the view later?”

He wrapped his hand behind Steve's neck and pulled him down for a kiss. “I can definitely do that.”

They cleaned up just enough to make themselves presentable to the public, then made some sandwiches for a late lunch. After that, they sat next to the pool as Eddie smoked a cigarette.

He offered his pack to Steve. “Want one?”

Steve thought about it for a moment. “Nah, Robin’s right. We should cut that shit out.”

He shrugged as he lit his cigarette. “But it’s so relaxing,” he argued playfully.

Steve plucked the cigarette from his fingers and took a drag. “Yeah, it is,” he sighed ruefully.

“Ooh, Robin’s gonna murder you when she smells the smoke,” he teased, taking the cigarette back.

“I’ll just throw you under the bus,” Steve replied casually, making him snort.

“Some boyfriend you are.” He grinned at Steve, who was in fact the best boyfriend in the whole world, then ground out the butt on the concrete. “Happy now?”

“I just want to keep you around for a while.”

He felt that familiar warmth in his chest. Steve was thinking of their future. He’d been smoking for a long time now, but he’d make an effort to cut back. For Steve’s peace of mind, if nothing else. “Ready to head out?”

“I gotta call Dustin first. I’m sure he’s hoping we forgot or something came up.” They went back into the house, and Steve headed for the phone mounted on the den wall. He hit one of the numbers on his speed dial. “Hey, Mrs. H. Is Dustin there? ~ Hey, Dustin! Eddie and I are on our way to pick you up. ~ Yes, Eddie is still going. ~ Cause I’m driving! ~ Look, dork, we’ll be there in fifteen minutes, so be ready!” He hung up with a sigh.

“Fighting tooth and nail, huh?” Eddie chuckled.

“He really didn’t think you were gonna go.”

He hooked his fingers through Steve’s belt loops. “He doesn’t know how persuasive you can be …”

Steve kissed him sweetly and they headed out. He stopped in front of Dustin’s house and laid on the horn, making Eddie cackle.

Dustin quickly appeared at the door, looking absolutely miserable. He ambled across the yard, clearly in no hurry.

Eddie could understand that. He wasn’t exactly thrilled, either, but Steve was right about supporting Lucas. He leaned out of the window and slapped the door loudly. “We don’t have all day, Henderson!”

Dustin looked at him like he was nuts. “Is he paying you? Is it blackmail?” he demanded as he sat in the back seat.

“Oh, it’s definitely blackmail,” he deadpanned.

“Surely it can’t be that bad!” He held up his hand to hide his face from Steve and loudly whispered, “I’ll help you!”

He snorted. “Steve knows all my darkest secrets ...”

Steve blushed furiously, which only made Eddie grin wider. He cranked up the volume to drown out any more snide comments from the peanut gallery and pulled back onto the street.

Eddie was shocked by the amount of people at the game. The parking lot was packed, and they had to park in the very back. Teens and parents loitered around their cars. Maybe he should come to these more often; he might get a lot of sales out of it.

“I can’t believe I’m at school on a Saturday,” Dustin whined when they got out of the car.

Eddie snorted and threw his arm around his shoulders. “You and me both, kid.”

“Lucas!” Steve called out.

Lucas grinned excitedly when he saw his friends and ran over. “Holy shit, you actually came!”

“Of course, we did!” Steve replied. Lucas hugged him tightly, and Steve smiled as he hugged him back.

Steve had been right, of course. Lucas needed them here, and Eddie was glad they came. He let Lucas hug him, too.

“I’ve gotta get to the locker room, but seriously, thank you for coming …”

“No problem,” Eddie told him. “Break a leg or whatever.”

Lucas laughed, then took off for the gym. They greeted the rest of the Sinclair family politely.

“Hey, Erica,” Steve waved.

“Harrington,” she replied with a nod.

“No Max today?” Mrs. Sinclair sighed sadly.

Steve shook his head, and they all headed towards the gym entrance.

“Shit, we should’ve asked her,” Eddie murmured quietly to him.

Steve sighed. “I don’t think she would’ve come.”

That was probably true … It was out of his hands at this point. “Is Mike gonna show?” he asked Dustin.

Dustin shrugged. “I doubt it. He’s probably on the phone with El.” He rolled his eyes.

“You’ll understand one day,” Steve chuckled, nudging Eddie’s shoulder with his own.

“Yep,” he agreed with a grin.

The Sinclairs split off to sit with the rest of the Hawkins parents behind the team bench. Steve, Eddie, and Dustin found an empty spot in the middle of the bleachers.

“Anybody want a snack?” Steve asked.

“I want ice cream.” Erica had apparently followed them.

“I’m sure your parents will be happy to buy you some,” Steve replied dryly.

Erica crossed her arms over her chest. “They don’t let me have sugar past 5:00 PM.”

“What do you want me to do about it?”

“Buy me some ice cream!” she demanded.

“I don’t need your parents mad at me-”

“Look, I risked my life on the promise of free ice cream. For. Life!”

“I made that promise when I still had access to free ice cream!” Steve argued.

Erica shrugged. “It’s not my problem the mall burned down.”

Eddie could not believe the gall of this child.

Steve sighed in defeat. “Fine, but this isn’t becoming a regular thing.” He stood up and walked down the bleachers, Erica hot on his heels.

“For! Life!” she yelled after him.

Eddie watched as they made their way to the concession stand. He looked quizzically at Dustin. “What the fuck?”

Dustin floundered for a moment before finally stammering, “She helped us … solve a riddle … for a contest.”

“Okay …” He knew that Dustin was lying to him, but he’d just ask Steve later. He looked back over to see Steve begrudgingly handing over some cash as Erica happily unwrapped her ice cream bar. Then she took something out of her pocket and stuck it on Steve’s shirt.

“She gave me a sticker as thanks,” Steve chuckled as he sat back down. He pointed at a small popcorn sticker on his chest.

“What the hell was that about?” Eddie snorted.

Steve shrugged. “She saved our lives the night the mall burned down,” he explained.

Eddie really needed to know what happened that night. He kept hearing odd snippets, and it honestly sounded insane. “You’re telling me the whole story later.” He saw motion in his peripheral vision and turned to find Dustin making a slashing motion across his own throat.

Realizing he’d been caught, Dustin dropped his hand and grinned awkwardly.

Maybe they had set the mall on fire … At this point, he’d probably believe anything. The crowd began to cheer around them, including Steve, and Eddie realized the band had come out. Holy shit, he’d never paid attention to their uniforms before; they were the ugliest things he’d ever seen. Poor Robin ...

Steve waved excitedly until she waved back.

Next came the basketball teams, and the crowd cheered again.

Lucas waved at them with a grin as he followed his teammates to their bench.

Eddie tried to keep up as the game began, but the only thing that really stuck from his one and only lesson with Steve was that … Steve was really hot when he was sweaty. Watching a bunch of strangers play wasn’t really his thing. Maybe he’d care more if they actually let Lucas play, but so far he was still on the bench. He leaned in close to Steve. “When do you think they’ll-” He paused and took a deep inhale. He could smell … popcorn? It was suddenly really strong. He looked around to see if anyone had popcorn near them, but he didn’t see any.

“You okay?” Steve asked.

“I just thought I smelled …” He looked down at Steve’s shirt and let out a bark of laughter. “Popcorn!”

Steve looked at him like he was insane, but he also took a deep breath. “I smell it, too!”

Eddie grabbed his shirt and leaned in so he could sniff the sticker. Bingo! “Oh my god, it’s a scratch and sniff!” he cackled.

“Really?” Steve lifted his shirt to smell the sticker. “It is!”

The two of them fell into a fit of giggles, taking turns smelling the sticker.

“I have to put this on my name tag!” Steve exclaimed, genuinely excited.

Eddie fell forward with another bout of laughter, resting his head on Steve’s shoulder. Steve was so adorable, it should be illegal.

“Are you two five?” Dustin asked indignantly.

This, of course, just made them laugh harder.

“This is so stupid,” Steve wheezed. “Why is it so funny? We’re not even high!”

“I don’t know, babe-” Eddie immediately bit his tongue, hoping Dustin hadn’t heard him.

But Dustin was busy waving his arms at someone.

They both looked up to see Mike at the gym entrance, looking as grumpy as usual. He made his way up the bleachers to sit near them.

“Well, well, look who showed up,” Eddie teased.

Mike grimaced and sat down next to Dustin.

Eddie leaned back towards Steve. “Close call,” he giggled.

Steve grinned at him. “You were asking me something-”

“Oh yeah! When does Lucas get to play? This is bullshit.” He gestured towards where Lucas was still sitting on the bench, dutifully cheering on his teammates.

Steve shrugged. “He’s a freshman. I didn’t play until the second half of my freshman year.”

“If they don’t give him a chance, how can he prove himself?” he scoffed.

Steve leaned into him. “He will,” he assured.

Eddie resigned himself to his fate of attending more of these on the off-chance Lucas got to play. “I’m feeling a bit peckish … You know what I’m in the mood for?”

“Popcorn?” Steve teased.

“Exactly!”

They hopped down the bleacher stairs and headed for the concession stand. Eddie wished he could hold Steve’s hand. This was such a classic hetero date, yet he couldn’t express any public affection for his boyfriend. It fucking sucked.

As they passed by the band section, Steve ducked in to hug Robin. “Hey, Robs, smell this!” He held out his shirt.

She looked at him dubiously before leaning in to sniff the sticker. She immediately broke into a grin. “Dude, it smells like popcorn!”

“Right?” Steve giggled. “You want anything from the snack stand?”

Robin shook her head. “Mr. Bass would kill me.” She rolled her eyes. “But … do you mind taking me home after the game?”

“Of course not,” Steve scoffed.

The rest of the band stood, and Robin hastily brought her instrument back to her lips with an apologetic look.

Eddie and Steve scurried away before they got blasted with music.

“One popcorn, please,” Steve ordered, then turned to Eddie. “You want anything to drink?”

He peered over the counter at the cooler to see what they had. “Holy shit, you still have New Coke?”

“No one wants it,” the girl behind the counter sighed.

“Throw them away!” he snorted. “I’ll take a Dr. Pepper.” He pulled out his wallet to grab a couple of bills.

“I got this,” Steve offered.

“How about we go halvsies?”

“Okay.”

He snagged the bag of fresh popcorn and popped a few kernels into his mouth. “Heads up!” He tossed a few at Steve, who did his best to catch them in his mouth, but only managed to catch one. He was very impressed.

They returned to their spots next to Dustin and Mike, who immediately reached over to steal some popcorn.

Eddie held the bag above his head, showering himself in kernels. “Hey! This is mine!”

Steve shook his head as he stole a sip of Dr. Pepper. “You should have asked for some before,” he admonished.

Dustin and Mike sighed dramatically. “Fine, we’ll get our own!” Dustin announced, then muttered, “You have cash, right?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Mike replied as he led him away.

The crowd cheered when Hawkins scored another point, but Lucas was still on the bench, so Eddie didn’t care. He happily munched on his popcorn. “So, when are you going to tell me about Starcourt?”

“Not here …” Steve replied, his eyes glued to the ball.

“Don’t want anyone to hear about the Russians?” Eddie teased.

Steve’s shoulders tightened. “Yeah, exactly,” he chuckled, but it sounded forced.

He wondered if that night had traumatized Steve, and felt a little guilty for teasing him about it. He offered him some popcorn, wishing he could kiss him instead.

Steve smiled at him as he grabbed a handful. “I promise I'll tell you about it later.”

They spent the rest of the game passing the Dr. Pepper and popcorn back and forth. Steve would cheer whenever the Tigers scored a point. Dustin and Mike eventually returned with a smorgasbord of concessions, and Eddie wondered how much allowance Mike’s parents gave him. The Wheelers were well off, though, so it didn’t surprise him too much. Lucas stayed on the bench the whole game, and his enthusiasm clearly waned over its course. Eddie hoped he got to play soon.

When Hawkins won, Steve whistled shrilly, making Eddie laugh.

The crowd immediately began to disperse, so they made their way down to Lucas.

“Sorry, guys …” Lucas sighed.

“For what?” Steve scoffed.

“You came here to watch me play, and-”

“And we’ll be at the next one,” Steve promised. “And the one after that, until we see you play.”

Eddie decided he might have to get high for the next one. But Lucas was smiling brightly now, and he knew he couldn’t disappoint him. “You might want to wrangle your sister, though. She’s strong-arming Steve for free ice cream.”

“Erica!” Lucas yelled.

Erica immediately snagged her parents’ hands to drag them away before they learned about the ice cream.

Robin joined them, already halfway out of her uniform. “Ok, I’m ready to not be at school,” she grimaced.

“I’m so glad I cut my call with El short for this …” Mike muttered.

They all wandered out into the parking lot; Mike split off for the bike rack, and the Sinclairs disappeared into their own car. The rest of them made their way back to Steve’s car.

“Shotgun!” Robin called out, racing to the passenger door.

Eddie rolled his eyes, but it was fine. He was going home with Steve. He climbed into the back with Dustin, who was clearly pleased with this current seating arrangement.

Robin complained to Steve about her parents while Dustin talked Eddie’s ear off about their most recent campaign.

After they dropped Dustin off, Robin turned to Eddie. “Wanna switch?”

He made a show of stretching his legs out across the back seat. “Nah, I’m comfy back here. Besides, I have Steve all to myself for the next week.”

“You’re so lucky,” Robin whined. “I need my parents to disappear for a week!”

“You wanna come over?” Steve offered.

She bit her lip as she decided. “Okay! I mean, as long as I’m not intruding,” she teased.

“I railed Steve before the game, so you get a pass tonight, Buckley,” Eddie smirked.

“Oh my god,” she groaned in disgust.

Steve and Eddie’s eyes met in the rearview mirror. Steve was blushing, but he was chuckling, too.

“I’ll just call my parents and tell them I’m with Becky,” she said, ignoring Eddie.

When they arrived at Steve’s house, Robin immediately disappeared upstairs to call her parents and steal some of Steve’s pajamas.

Eddie followed Steve into the kitchen, where he pulled out a few sodas from the fridge.

“Thanks for coming. I know that wasn't exactly fun for you,” Steve said as he handed him one of the sodas.

He shrugged. “I had a good time,” he replied. He wasn’t sure if he should say the next part out loud because it was so unbelievably sappy, but he couldn’t stop himself. “Anything’s fun as long as you’re around.” He felt his face flush.

But Steve smiled brightly at him and pulled him into a kiss, and Eddie felt his embarrassment melt away.

“They bought it!” Robin announced as she entered the kitchen. She was now wearing a yellow sweatshirt and a pair of plaid pajama pants.

“Awesome!” Steve handed her a soda and led them into the den. He and Eddie settled on the couch, while Robin sat cross-legged on the recliner.

“So … Tell me about Starcourt.” Eddie hoped he wasn’t pushing too hard, but his curiosity was eating away at him.

Robin’s eyes grew wide as her head whipped to look at Steve. They shared a long look, and for a moment, Eddie was convinced they were telepathic.

“We, uh … We were trapped,” Steve began. “Between the fire and ... a locked door. The only way out was through the air ducts-”

“Yeah!” Robin cut in. “But Erica was the only one small enough to fit.”

Steve nodded. “She was scared to climb in, though, so I promised her the ice cream.”

“How could we have known the whole mall was gonna burn down?” Robin chuckled awkwardly.

“If it weren’t for her …” Steve sighed heavily and looked back at Robin. “We might not have made it out of there that night.”

Robin nodded somberly.

“Holy shit.” Eddie was horrified that they had come that close to death. “She does deserve free fuckin’ ice cream!” he teased, trying to disperse the tension. He’d buy her the ice cream himself, as thanks for saving his boyfriend. He reached over to squeeze Steve’s thigh gently as his brain attempted to process how close he came to dying. His insides felt like ice at the very thought of anything happening to Steve.

“I’m okay,” Steve reassured quietly as he put his hand on top of Eddie’s.

“Let’s watch a movie!” Robin suggested.

Eddie chuckled, glad for the distraction before his thoughts spiraled. “Sure. How about Footloose?”

Robin looked at Eddie like he’d lost his mind, but Steve grinned as he stood to retrieve the VHS.

*

That night as Steve lay in bed with Eddie wrapped around him like an octopus, he hated that he had to lie to him about Starcourt. But honestly, would Eddie ever believe him if he told the truth? The whole thing was batshit insane, and he had lived through it. He didn’t want Eddie to think he was mocking him. And he still worried that the government would find out and do something terrible to keep its secrets. They’d bugged Hopper’s trailer, they killed Benny when he didn’t even know who Eleven was, they lied about all those people dying in the mall fire … He peered over at his phone, wondering if they were all bugged. Maybe he was being ridiculous, letting his anxiety eat away at him … But they were better safe than sorry. He ran his hand gently over Eddie’s arm and kissed the top of his head.

Eddie hummed happily as he snuggled closer.

Besides, Eddie didn’t need to know about the scary shit that existed in the Upside Down, or what their government would do to keep their secrets safe ...

All of that was over now, and he could move on with his life.

Chapter Text

Eddie awoke the next morning after the best night of sleep he’d ever had. This mattress was fucking heaven. He gently slipped out of Steve’s grasp to take a piss. When he returned, slotting himself back in next to his boyfriend, Steve’s eyes fluttered open. “Sorry,” he murmured. “I was trying not to wake you.”

Steve smiled and made space for him. “What time is it?”

He squinted at the clock radio. “9:28.”

“Good. I don’t have to be at work ‘til 2:00.”

He pouted. “Or … you could call out again?” The upcoming week would be so busy between school and midterms, and Eddie wanted a whole day with him. “I mean, no one’s sick for one day, right?”

Steve chuckled. “I want to, but I’m already on Keith’s shitlist. Plus, I still owe Robin for my last missed shift.”

He sighed as he played with Steve’s chest hair. “Fiiiine.” He understood, but he kinda wished Steve was a little less responsible.

“I’ll make it up to you,” he promised.

“Oh yeah? How?”

Steve smirked before kissing him hungrily and gently rolling on top of him.

He hummed happily as he was pressed into the mattress. He licked into Steve’s mouth as his nails raked down his back.

Eventually Steve made his way down Eddie’s jaw and throat, kissing and sucking and gently nipping at his skin. He kissed down Eddie’s chest until he found a nipple and sucked it between his lips, flicking at it with his tongue.

Eddie keened quietly, remembering that Robin was, hopefully sleeping, just across the hall. He twined his fingers into Steve’s thick hair to hold him in place, loving the sensation. He’d considered getting his nipples pierced before, but now he was sure he needed to do it. He pictured Steve playing with the barbell with his tongue, and his cock throbbed.

Steve moved to the other nipple, biting with just enough force to make Eddie groan, then soothed over it with his tongue.

“You like sucking my tits, baby?”

Steve nodded against his chest, then pushed himself further down the bed until he was level with Eddie’s erection. He tugged at his boxers.

Eddie lifted his hips so he could remove them, and bit back a groan when Steve licked a stripe up the underside of his heavy erection. He bit his lip as Steve wrapped his lips around the head, satisfied with this compromise. He spread his legs so Steve could settle between them, one hand fisted in Steve’s hair, the other in the sheets. His hips thrust minutely as Steve swallowed the rest of him, and it took everything he had not to cry out in pleasure. Keeping quiet so they wouldn’t get caught only added to his arousal, and he knew he wasn’t going to last long.

Steve released his cock and moved down to mouth at his balls, just like Eddie had done to him in the motel room.

He tossed his head back against the pillows in a silent cry. He was glad it felt so good, cause he’d had no idea what he was doing when he tried it.

Steve returned to Eddie’s cock, bobbing his head as he swallowed around him.

Eddie reached blindly for the nightstand, accidentally knocking stuff over until he found the lube. He tossed it next to Steve.

Steve pulled off, replacing his mouth with his hand. “Want to fuck me?” he asked with a smirk.

But Eddie shook his head. “Finger me.”

Steve pressed a kiss to the inside of his knee, then poured lube onto his fingers. He reached between Eddie’s cheeks, rubbing insistently against his hole.

Eddie sighed happily at the pressure.

Steve leaned forward to take his cock back into his mouth and simultaneously slipped his index finger inside him.

Eddie slapped his hand over his mouth to keep himself from crying out. It felt so good, and Steve hadn’t even found his prostate yet. He groaned when he added a second finger, his hole stretched taut. Steve slurped noisily around his cock, and his hips writhed from the dual sensations. When Steve finally hit that spot, he whimpered, “Right there, babe!” Steve pressed hard while hollowing out his cheeks around the head of his cock, and Eddie swore he saw stars. He had no time to warn his boyfriend before his orgasm slammed into him, body tensing as he came down his throat. He bit his lip so hard he was certain he was bleeding, but he didn’t want to scream and wake up Robin. His body melted into the mattress as Steve released his cock and gently removed his fingers, looking positively smug. Eddie took a few heaving breaths as he came down, then beckoned Steve closer. “C’mere ...”

Steve crawled up his body until he could kiss him deeply, traces of his come still lingering on his tongue.

Eddie sucked every last trace from his tongue. “I've got an idea. Sit on my chest …”

Steve quirked his eyebrow, but did as he was told, straddling Eddie’s chest, his erection straining towards his belly.

Eddie found the lube in the sheets and poured some onto his hand, then grasped Steve’s cock firmly. He began jerking him with a torturously slow pace.

“Oh fuck,” Steve murmured, his eyes pinching shut.

Eddie ran his free hand up Steve’s thigh and took a hold of his hip, rubbing gentle circles with his thumb. “You like that, baby?”

Steve nodded.

Eddie squeezed a bit harder, slid from root to tip a bit faster. He grinned when Steve braced his hands next to his head to thrust into his fist. He pulled on his hip, urging him to scoot forward enough that he could wrap his lips around the head of his cock, hand still pumping.

“Fuck,” Steve bit out. “That’s good-” He opened his eyes to watch Eddie suck on his tip, pupils blown wide with arousal.

Eddie pressed the tip of his tongue into his slit, and Steve’s hips stuttered. He closed his lips and sucked, making Steve groan above him. He then pulled off, his hand flying over his cock, squeezing at the head. “Want you to come on my face ...”

Steve bit his lip and nodded, his hips thrusting faster. “Shit,” he murmured. “I’m close.”

Eddie fondled his balls with his other hand, jerking his cock faster. “C’mon, baby,” he whispered. “Mark me. So everyone knows I’m yours.”

“Eddie, fuck!” He came in thick stripes across Eddie’s face as his body curled over him.

Eddie quickly shut his eyes but stuck out his tongue to catch what he could.

Steve took a moment to catch his breath. “Shit,” he sighed. “Hang on, I’ll be right back.”

His weight disappeared off Eddie’s chest and the mattress dipped as he climbed off the bed. Eddie could hear water running in the bathroom, and then a wet, warm washcloth was being gently rubbed over his face. He opened his eyes to find Steve smiling down at him.

“That was really hot,” he chuckled.

Eddie stretched with a satisfied groan. “I certainly enjoyed it,” he teased.

Steve leaned down to kiss him. “You hungry?”

“Starving!”

“Robin’s probably awake now,” he huffed.

Eddie chuckled. “You did scream my name pretty loud,” he teased, proud for having that much of an effect on him.

Steve blushed and sighed. “She’s never going to let me hear the end of it.”

They dressed and left the bedroom. Steve knocked gently on the guestroom door. “Robs?”

After a moment, the door swung open. “Is it safe to come out now?” Robin deadpanned.

Steve rolled his eyes. “Obviously.”

“Eddie must have some good moves,” she teased.

Eddie grinned proudly.

“Yeah, yeah,” Steve murmured. “Let’s eat.”

They ate cereal in the den, the tv playing quietly in the background. Eddie had his legs draped across Steve’s thighs.

“So what are you gonna do while I’m at work?” Steve asked.

“Snoop around,” Eddie teased.

Steve chuckled. “You’re not gonna find anything interesting.”

“What? There’s no secret sex dungeon?”

Robin nearly snorted cereal out of her nose, while Steve grimaced.

“I fucking hope not,” he grumbled. “I like to pretend my parents only had sex once, and even that is too much.”

“Well, I’m glad they did,” Eddie teased.

Steve looked absolutely torn between touched and grossed out. “Thanks?”

Eddie slurped the last of the milk out of his bowl and placed it on the coffee table. “I actually have a shit ton of homework to finish.”

Robin sighed. “Me, too. I can’t wait for winter break.”

“I know. I wish your parents were gone next week, too. I feel like I’m being cheated out of the full experience.”

Steve squeezed his knee. “Well, luckily I’m opening the rest of the week, so we’ll have the evenings together.”

“But you’re gonna make me study,” Eddie pouted.

Steve laughed. “Yeah, I am. But we’ll have time for … other things.”

Eddie grinned happily.

Robin rolled her eyes.

They hung out, watching tv, until it was time to get ready. Robin didn’t have a change of clothes, so they had to leave early to run by her house.

Eddie sat on Steve’s bed as he watched him get dressed. “When are you off tonight?”

“8:00.”

“Thank god for Sunday hours,” he muttered.

Steve came over to the bed and kissed him sweetly.

Eddie waved from the front door as he watched Steve and Robin drive away. When he shut it and turned back to the large, empty house, he was suddenly oddly intimidated. The house looked like a goddamn magazine ad. As he wandered through it, taking his time to absorb all of the Harringtons’ design choices, he realized there wasn’t a single family photo displayed in the house. A cold pit formed in his stomach as he realized how little the Harringtons cared for their son. It was a miracle that Steve had turned out as kind and loving as he was. He couldn't understand why his parents were so distant. Of course, his own parents had never been thrilled by his existence, either, and ditched him the first chance they got, so at least Steve’s parents had stuck around ... Neither option sounded better than the other. He wanted to trash the place; take a baseball bat to the fine china and glass fixtures, set fire to the drapes. He wanted to scream about how perfect their son was right in their fucking faces! But it wouldn’t change anything. The only thing he could really do was show Steve how much he meant to him, every chance he got.

He checked out the pantry and dug around until he found enough to make them dinner later. Then he went upstairs and made the bed. He opened the window so he could take a few hits off a joint to calm himself down. Once he started to level out, he grabbed his backpack and planted himself at Steve’s desk to get all of his homework finished before Steve came home. It only took a couple of hours, and afterward he pulled out his guitar to keep practicing his song. He was pretty proud of it, and he couldn’t wait to share it with Steve.

At 7:30, he retrieved a Dio tape from his bag, then went downstairs to put it in the fancy hi-fi. He blasted the volume so he could hear it in the kitchen while he cooked dinner. Earlier he’d found a box of Hamburger Helper, a can of peas, and a packet of instant mashed potatoes. He was kind of surprised to find this stuff in the Harringtons' hoity-toity house, but it made things easier for him. He opened every cabinet looking for pans and utensils, baffled by the Harringtons’ organization choices. He sang along under his breath as he cooked. When the heat from the stove made sweat bead on his skin, he tied his hair into a bun and opened the kitchen window. A cool night breeze blew in. A quarter past 8:00, he plated everything and carried it into the den, placing their full dishes on the coffee table. He’d contemplated eating in the dining room, but it just seemed so stuffy and formal. He went back to the kitchen to pour them some drinks when he heard the front door open.

“Eddie?” Steve called out.

Eddie rounded the corner with glasses full of soda. “Hey, babe!”

Steve smiled softly when he saw him, then his eyes focused on the cups before sliding over to the food waiting for them in the den. “Did you make us dinner?”

Eddie handed him his drink and pressed a chaste kiss against his lips. “Yep!”

Steve looked like he wanted to melt. “Thank you.” He wrapped his free hand around Eddie’s back and pulled him in for another kiss.

“C’mon, before it gets cold.”

They sat on the floor behind the coffee table and told each other about their day, though Eddie left out his realization about the photos.

“Did you put that sticker on your nametag?”

“Duh!” Steve chuckled. “I’m gonna be so bummed when the popcorn smell goes away.”

“We’ll just buy a million of those stickers, and keep replacing it,” Eddie joked.

“That’s brilliant!” Steve replied, making him laugh. “Thanks for making dinner. That was delicious.”

“I’m just glad there was easy shit to make in your pantry.”

Steve scoffed. “That’s all we ever have. Neither of my parents really know how to cook.”

“Seriously? What about their fancy Thanksgiving dinner?”

“Catered,” Steve sighed.

“Holy shit …” He took another bite of mashed potatoes, then looked around at the house. “This all just feels like … a facade.”

“A what?”

“You know, fake! Like some bullshit appearance they’re trying to maintain.”

“Oh!” He nodded in agreement.

Eddie leaned against him. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. They still house me and feed me. How can I complain about that?”

“Those are the obligations they agreed to when they chose to have a kid,” Eddie scoffed. “You deserve their love and attention, too.”

Steve stared at the floor sadly. “No, I feel like shit complaining about them to you …”

Ah, of course. “My parents may have ditched me, but I’ve always had Wayne, so don’t you dare feel guilty. You’re allowed to feel bad, too.”

Steve looked up at him. “We’ve never really talked about your parents …”

Eddie sighed. He wasn’t in the mood to open those old wounds right now. “We will, but not tonight.” He smiled softly so Steve would know he wasn’t upset.

Steve smiled sadly and took his hand in his, kissing his knuckles. “Okay.” He stood and grabbed their empty plates. “Let me put this away, and then we can watch tv or something.”

Eddie watched as he disappeared into the kitchen. He wanted to do something rebellious, and he wanted to make Steve feel good. He stayed on the floor as Steve returned to the den and sat back down on the couch.

Steve patted the empty space next to him. “Come up here,” he laughed.

He instead got to his knees and ran his hands up and down Steve's thighs. “Maybe I want to stay down here …”

Steve sucked in a breath, clearly catching his drift. “Yeah?” He let his legs fall apart so he could fit in between them.

Eddie grinned and reached for his fly, quickly opening his jeans. Steve lifted his hips as he tugged his jeans and boxers down just enough to free his half-hard cock. Eddie took it in hand, tugging it gently as it quickly filled out. He loved Steve’s cock; it was the prettiest one he’d ever seen, and it fit inside him perfectly. Once he was fully hard, he took the head into his mouth, lathing it with his tongue.

“Fuck, Eddie,” Steve sighed happily above him. He gently placed his hand on the back of Eddie’s head.

Eddie worked his cock deeper into his throat, focused on breathing through his nose. When his nose brushed against Steve’s dark curls, he swallowed.

“Shit,” Steve hissed. “You’re getting too good at this,” he chuckled.

Practice makes perfect, Eddie giggled to himself. He bobbed his head a few times, enjoying the heavy weight on his tongue. He pulled off wetly and continued to stroke him with his fist. This was nice, but he wanted Steve’s cock inside him. The fingering this morning had been such a tease. “I’ll be right back!” he announced, jumping to his feet and racing out of the den.

“Wha-” Steve barely managed, but Eddie was already running up the stairs.

He burst into Steve’s room and grabbed the lube from the nightstand, then threw himself back down the stairs, almost missing the last step. He returned to the den with a triumphant smile, shaking the lube in his hand. “It's my turn to ride you, baby.”

Steve was leisurely jerking himself off, and he looked positively stricken. He bit his lip. “If we stain this couch, my parents are gonna throw a fit.”

“I don’t give a fuck about your parents,” Eddie scoffed, already undoing his jeans and shoving them off his hips. He kicked them off, leaving him in just his Iron Maiden shirt, cock jutting out in front of him. “Besides, we can just flip the cushion.” He stood in front of Steve, waiting for his reply before he climbed onto his lap.

Steve smirked up at him. "You're right. Fuck 'em."

Eddie took that as his cue and straddled Steve’s thighs with a wicked grin.

Steve immediately grasped his hips, thumbs brushing under the hem of his t-shirt. “Why is this so hot?” he giggled, tugging on the shirt.

Eddie didn’t understand, either, but he wholeheartedly agreed. There was something about them being partially clothed that made this feel … desperate? He wasn’t sure, but it was definitely hot. He shrugged and pulled Steve into a hungry kiss.

Steve cupped his ass cheeks, squeezing them deliciously.

“Hold me open,” Eddie murmured against his lips.

“Fuck,” Steve groaned as he did as he was told, holding his cheeks apart, exposing his hole.

Eddie poured lube onto his fingers and reached back to finger himself open. He bit his lip as he pushed inside. God, he loved this, but what he really loved was doing it with Steve. He looked down into his eyes as he worked his fingers in and out, panting wetly.

Steve looked up at him in pure adoration and kissed his chin.

Eddie removed his fingers and poured more lube onto his palm, then took Steve’s erection in hand, coating it thoroughly.

Steve groaned and grabbed the base of his cock to help guide it inside him.

Eddie felt his cock pressing against his hole and bore down. It slipped inside easily, and he hissed as he sank down onto it. When their hips met, he groaned low in his throat.

“Fuck, baby …” Steve reached between his cheeks to feel where they were connected, and Eddie wanted to scream.

He grabbed his shoulders and began to rock his hips roughly.

“Feels so good-” Steve’s hips thrust up as much as they could with Eddie’s weight on top of him.

The zipper of Steve’s jeans bit into Eddie’s ass, but he didn’t care. He threaded his fingers into Steve’s hair and licked into his mouth, his hips rolling to push Steve as deep as possible.

They kissed for a while as they ground their hips together. Steve used his grip on Eddie’s hip bones to pull him onto his cock, causing Eddie to mewl into his mouth. Steve broke away and stared into his eyes like he was about to say something but instead pulled him back into another languid kiss.

Eddie was too focused on the slide of their tongues, the feeling of Steve’s cock rubbing insistently at his prostate, to question what he was about to say. Stars burst at the edges of his closed eyes as he felt that familiar building pressure. He used his thighs to rise up a bit higher before dropping back down, dragging out the thrusts. Each thrust punched a small grunt out of him, and it felt so fucking good, even as his thighs began to burn.

Steve began to thrust up into him a bit faster and grabbed a hold of his ass again, kneading and spreading his cheeks.

His cock thrust just a bit deeper, and Eddie whined in his throat. He bit his lip as he picked up the pace, the slap of their hips reverberating in the stuffy, impersonal den. This room belonged to them now. They were claiming it, filling it with the sounds of their pleasure, the smell of their love-making. He hoped the next time the Harringtons walked in here, it felt foreign to them.

“Wanna feel you,” Steve gasped, tugging desperately at Eddie’s shirt.

Eddie ripped it over his head and tossed it to the floor, then helped Steve remove his own. Their sweat slick chests pressed together, and Eddie sighed happily. This felt much better.

Steve kissed and nibbled at every inch of skin he could reach. He wrapped his arms around Eddie’s waist and tipped them so Eddie was now on his back against the couch, with Steve above him. His cock never even slipped out, and he continued his long, deep thrusts.

Eddie wrapped his arms around Steve’s neck and kissed him messily. He used his feet to push his jeans further down his thighs.

Steve laughed into the kiss but never stopped fucking him.

Eddie pushed against Steve’s ass with his heels, urging him to pick up the speed, but Steve seemed determined to draw this out. Eddie couldn’t complain; the slick glide of Steve’s cock felt incredible. When they broke the kiss to catch their breath, he panted, “I love ... when you’re inside me.”

Steve brushed their noses together. “Me, too,” he sighed. He buried his face against Eddie’s neck as he continued his drawn-out thrusts. “Like we were made for each other,” he murmured into his skin.

Eddie felt like his heart might burst. He clung tightly to Steve, desperate for as much contact as possible. “Fuck, baby,” he gasped wetly. His cock was trapped between them, and he knew he was getting close. He didn’t even need to be jerked off; this was more than enough to push him over the edge. And now when Steve sat in here with his stupid fucking parents, he’d think of this, of Eddie. “’M close-“ When Steve pulled back to reach for his cock, Eddie shook his head. “Just like this-”

Steve understood and lowered himself back down, returning the pressure and friction of his body to Eddie’s cock.

The long glide of Steve’s cock inside him, coupled with their sweaty torsos rocking over his own erection, soon pushed him over that edge. His toes curled in the air as his orgasm pulsed through him, almost in slow motion. He wanted to scream, but he couldn’t make a sound.

Steve grunted as Eddie’s body squeezed around him, picking up the speed of his thrusts just a bit until he came inside him with a groan.

They laid together on the couch as they caught their breath. Eddie ran soothing fingers up and down Steve’s back, pressed gentle kisses across his cheeks. His chest radiated warmth and comfort, and he wanted to lay like this with him forever. He knew in that moment that he was in love, and had been for a while now. It was huge and scary and amazing. He wasn’t sure he was ready to say it aloud yet, but he knew, and it buzzed in his veins. He’d do anything for this kind, brave, selfless man.

Steve rolled off him, wedging himself between him and the back of the couch, and smiled softly. He reached over to gently push his sweaty hair off his face. “Thank you,” he murmured.

Eddie was pretty confident Steve understood his intentions and smiled back. He pulled him back in for another languid kiss. When they eventually untangled themselves and stood from the couch, they realized they’d left a large wet spot on the cushion. Eddie covered his mouth with his hand as he stifled a snicker.

Steve openly chuckled. “It’ll be our secret,” he teased.

They left the cushion to dry and gathered their discarded clothes before making their way upstairs. They tossed their dirty laundry into the hamper, took turns peeing and brushing their teeth, then curled up naked in Steve’s bed, Eddie spooning him from behind.

*

Steve draped his arm over Eddie’s and laced their fingers together, enjoying their shared warmth. He smiled to himself, feeling truly content in a way he never had before, not even with Nancy. Eddie was a funny, unique, talented person that obviously cared deeply about him. And Steve knew he cared deeply about Eddie, too. Knew that he was actually ridiculously in love with him. After Nancy shattered his heart, he’d begun to wonder if he’d ever feel this way again, and now a love bigger than he’d ever felt before radiated through his chest as they lay together in his dark, quiet bedroom. He’d say it soon; knew he wouldn’t be able to stop himself. He’d shout it from the fucking rooftops if he could. He snuggled further into Eddie’s embrace and let himself drift to sleep, still smiling.

Chapter Text

The next morning, they came downstairs to discover the wet spot had dried into a gnarly stain.

Eddie snorted. “I hope this couch was really fucking expensive.”

Steve laughed. “It was.” He flipped the cushion over and the couch looked good as new. His parents probably wouldn’t notice for months, but he would know. Eddie was quickly replacing all of his unpleasant memories in this house with good ones. He felt like he could breathe in here again.

As he drove Eddie to school, he pondered dropping him off a block down so Dustin and the others wouldn’t notice and start asking questions, but he realized that he really didn’t care if they did. He wasn’t ashamed of himself or Eddie, and he was honestly getting tired of hiding their relationship, though he understood why they had to. He pulled into the parking lot, right up to the entrance, and parked.

“People are going to talk,” Eddie teased.

“Good,” he shrugged. He squeezed Eddie’s hand in lieu of a kiss since they were absolutely surrounded by teenagers. “I’ll pick you up after school.”

Eddie groaned. “Is this over yet? Can I graduate already?”

Steve chuckled. “You’re almost halfway there!”

Eddie sighed and clambered out of the car. He leaned in the window and blew a dramatic kiss.

Steve grinned fondly and left for work. As he sat at the counter waiting for literally any customers to show up, his thoughts drifted back to the night before. Eddie looked gorgeous wearing nothing but a t-shirt … Well, he always looked gorgeous. Steve loved his big, dark eyes; he loved his goofy personality; he loved watching him sing his heart out. He loved everything about him. He’d never pictured ending up with someone like Eddie, but now that it was happening, it felt right. He’d definitely tell him soon, not at all worried if he would say it back. If Eddie wasn’t ready to say it, that was okay; Steve just wanted him to know how he felt. But he also realized he should wait until after midterms. He didn’t want to distract Eddie from his studies or fluster him to the point he’d blow his scores. He knew how desperate he was to escape that school, and he’d do anything to keep him on track.

He briefly pondered telling Robin, but once he thought about it, he definitely wanted Eddie to hear it first. She wouldn’t be able to keep such a big secret anyway …

*

Eddie sat in the back of his English class, book open and pencil in hand, but he barely listened to the lecture. He was too busy thinking about Steve. If someone had told him a few months ago that he was gonna fall in love with Steve Harrington, he’d have laughed them out of the room. But here he was, his heart full to bursting. He’d never felt this way about anyone, and it was equally exhilarating and terrifying. He hadn’t said the words 'I love you' since he was seven years old … What if it was too early to feel this way? He had absolutely no frame of reference for this, and no one he knew, besides Steve, had been in love before. What if he said it, but Steve wasn’t ready yet after what happened with Nancy? He felt himself starting to spiral. But mostly … he just wanted Steve to know how he felt. Steve deserved to know how loved he was. He hoped a moment would present itself soon, and he’d magically know the time was right. People did this all the time. It couldn’t be that hard-

“Mr. Munson! It's your turn to read, please.”

He yanked himself out of his thoughts and stared down at his open book, unsure which paragraph was his. Fuck, he should have been paying attention. How was he ever gonna graduate now?

*

Steve clocked out about thirty minutes before school let out, and he had nothing better to do until Eddie was with him, so he drove back to the high school and parked out front. He listened to Dio while he waited, the parking lot quickly filling around him. He looked up when he heard the bell ring. The doors burst open, students streaming down the steps. He watched for his boyfriend, but Dustin spotted him first and ran over. He sighed and rolled down his window.

“What are you doing here?” Dustin asked bluntly.

“Eddie, um … needed a ride.”

“Is his van messed up again?”

“Yeah ...” he lied.

“Weird. He didn’t mention it today …”

Steve shrugged. “He’s probably just focused on midterms.”

“I guess. Since you’re here, can you drive me home, too?”

“This isn’t a shuttle service!” he scoffed. “I can see your bike right there!”

Dustin sighed dramatically. “Fiiiine.”

He looked back towards the door and finally spotted Eddie.

Eddie saw Dustin standing next to Steve’s car and chuckled to himself. He jogged over, backpack slung over his shoulder.

“What’s wrong with your van?” Dustin asked.

Eddie’s eyebrows shot up. “My van?”

Steve leaned over to stare at him through the window, desperately trying to explain things telepathically.

“That’s why Steve’s picking you up, right?”

Understanding dawned on Eddie’s face. “Oh, yeah! The brake fluid is … leaking.”

Steve leaned over to push the passenger door open. He was eager for this conversation to end.

“Can you fix it?”

“Of course, I can,” Eddie replied as he stepped into the car. “We Munsons can fix anything.”

Dustin leaned down so he could see them both through the window. “You’re not hanging out without me, are you?”

Steve sucked in air in a desperate attempt not to laugh. He heard Eddie snort, clearly in the same predicament. If only Dustin knew the truth … He honestly wasn’t sure how he’d react. “This is just a favor,” he lied, hating every word that left his mouth. Eddie was so much more than that and one day everyone would know, goddammit.

“Okay …” Dustin replied dubiously. “I’ll see you later.”

“Remember, no Hellfire tomorrow,” Eddie reminded him. “I’ve got to fucking study!”

Dustin frowned sadly as he walked away.

“Just a favor, huh?” Eddie teased once they were out of earshot.

“Shut up,” Steve chuckled, but his stomach twisted with anxiety. He wanted to kiss him, tell him how he felt, but it had to wait until after midterms. He grasped Eddie’s hand and gently rubbed his thumb over his knuckles.

Eddie smiled softly in return.

“STEEEEVE!!” Robin ran over and grabbed the window edge of his door. “Can you give me a ride to work?”

“My car is turning into a taxi,” he muttered.

“Is that a ‘yes?’”

“Get in,” he sighed. “Don’t let Dustin see you.”

She cheered and climbed into the back seat, slinging her backpack onto the floor. She looked up at them, smiling brightly, but after a moment, her smile faded and she squinted suspiciously at them.

Steve watched her reflection in the rearview mirror. “You okay?”

She pursed her lips. “Mhm …”

He had no idea what was happening, so he made his way out of the parking lot and back to Family Video. He felt like she was scrutinizing their every move.

“Thanks!” she exclaimed when they parked.

He glanced at Eddie. “I, um, forgot something inside. I’ll be right back.”

“Okay,” Eddie replied, head bobbing along to the Dio tape.

He hopped out and followed Robin into the store.

“Welcome back, Harrington,” Keith drawled sarcastically from behind the counter.

“Forgot something in the back,” he muttered. He gently took Robin by the elbow and pulled her through the door.

Once the door was shut, she yanked her elbow out of his grasp. “What’s your deal?”

“Why were you looking at me funny?” he asked.

She bit her lip and took a few moments to reply. “Has anything … happened between you two?”

He furrowed his eyebrows. “No? I mean, we fucked on the couch, and that was pretty great, but-”

She rolled her eyes. “I don’t know … You just seem … different?”

Steve inhaled sharply. Wow, he hadn’t even said anything, and she could already tell. He briefly pondered sharing his feelings, but he really wanted Eddie to hear it first. He shrugged and feigned nonchalance. “The sex was really good.”

“Uh huh …”

He could tell she didn’t believe him for a second, but she’d have to deal with it for now. “Okay, I’m gonna get Eddie home so he can study.”

“Oh, I’m sure you’ll be ‘studying,’” she teased.

“We will!” he argued.

She chuckled fondly. “Better get out of here then.”

He smiled at her. “Have a good shift.”

“Yeah, right!”

When he returned to the car, Eddie asked, “What’d you forget?”

He froze for a second. “My … wallet,” he finally managed.

“Shit! Good thing you remembered.”

“Do you mind if we make a pit stop before we go home?”

“Of course not. Where are we headed?”

“The skate shop. Thought I might find something for Max there.”

“Oh, nice!”

They drove downtown and parked in front of the small skate shop. Steve was amazed it was managing to survive in this podunk little town, but the kids were obsessed with skateboarding these days. He and Eddie stepped inside the store; it was filled floor to ceiling with skateboard decks, wheels, and a million other accessories he didn’t recognize. He chose a shelf full of wheels at random and picked up a few. He quickly realized the wheels had different sizes, and he had no idea what kind Max needed.

A bearded man wearing a flannel shirt entered through a curtain behind the counter. “Hey. Need any help?”

“Yeah, actually. I want to buy some wheels for my friend, but I don’t know which ones she needs. She’s probably been in here before. Short red-head, bad attitude?”

“Oh, yeah.” He came out from behind the counter. “She hasn’t been in here lately, but the last set of wheels she bought were …” He rummaged through the sets on the shelf until he found what he was looking for. “These.”

Steve took the wheels from him and checked them out. They had a dragon printed along the edge. “Do you think she needs new ones yet?”

“Definitely. It’s been a few months, at least.”

He turned the wheels over to check out the price. It wasn’t too bad, but he wouldn’t be surprised if they were out of Max’s current budget. She’d probably been skating on shit wheels for awhile now. “I’ll take ‘em.” After he paid, he turned to find Eddie checking out a deck with a flaming skull printed on it, and chuckled to himself. Of course that was the one he’d go for. “Ready?”

“Yeah!”

“You ever skateboarded before?” he asked as they returned to his car.

“I tried to ride a friend’s when I was nine, and I broke my elbow.”

He winced. “Ouch … I never even tried cause I was scared that exact thing would happen.”

“I definitely learned my lesson,” Eddie chuckled. “Do we need to stop anywhere else?”

“Nah. I know you need to start studying, and I think we have the stuff for spaghetti at home. If that works for you …”

“Sounds delicious!”

Later, as they sat on the couch eating spaghetti, Steve asked, “So what’s your midterm schedule like?”

Eddie swallowed before answering, “I have math, chemistry, history, and English on Thursday, then Spanish, social studies, and P.E. on Friday.”

Steve grimaced. That sounded brutal, and he was so glad he didn’t have to do that shit anymore. “Which do you want to study first?”

Eddie pondered briefly, then shrugged. “Might as well go in order.” They retired to Steve’s room. Eddie tossed his backpack on the bed and pulled out his math textbook. He shucked his shoes and climbed onto the mattress.

Steve pulled the textbook toward himself and flipped it open. “What chapters?”

*

The next few days followed the same routine. Steve would drive Eddie to school, work his shift at Family Video, pick him up after, and they’d spend the evening studying. He started parking behind the gym so Dustin wouldn’t ask questions, but he let Robin know so he could drive her to work.

They’d study for hours. Eddie felt bad because he knew this wasn’t any fun for Steve, but Steve smiled gently as he quizzed him and cheered every time he got an answer right. His skin buzzed with happiness; he loved Steve so much.

By Wednesday night, he was feeling fairly confident. When they finished for the night, he sighed, ready to get these exams over with. “Wanna smoke?” he asked, desperate to chase away the anxiety that would gnaw at him until he got his grades back.

“Sure!” Steve followed him to the back patio.

The lights from the pool bathed them in gentle blue light. He lit the joint and took a deep pull, then handed it to Steve, who did the same.

“I think you’ve got this,” Steve assured as he passed it back.

Eddie smiled brightly. “All thanks to you.”

Steve shook his head and chuckled fondly. “I barely passed. I’m just doing what I can to keep you focused. You’re doing awesome.”

He smiled to himself as he took another hit. Steve was so good to him. “I appreciate it,” he replied, bumping their knees together. “Do I still get a sexual favor for every passing grade?”

Steve scoffed. “Duh.”

He snorted. “Then I gotta fucking pass!”

Steve plucked the joint from between his fingers. “I know you will.”

*

The next morning as they got dressed, Eddie remembered Mr. Harrington's fancy, expensive calculator. “Hey, can I borrow your dad’s calculator again?” That would make this exam a breeze.

“Of course,” Steve replied. He fetched it from his father’s office and handed it to Eddie, who slipped it into his backpack.

As he stepped into his math classroom, his teacher was waiting by the door, handing out test packets. “Make sure to use a number two pencil on the scantron.”

He nodded and sat at his desk. Anxiety gnawed at his stomach, but he took a deep breath and pulled out the calculator. He could do this. He had to do this. This goddamn school couldn’t steal any more of his time. He opened the packet and started on the first question. Steve’s voice floated through his head, and he confidently plugged the numbers into what he was pretty sure was the correct formula.

With each subsequent test, Steve’s voice continued to echo in his mind, asking questions, correcting answers, humming songs to help jog Eddie’s memory. He smiled gently as he wrote about goddamn Animal Farm, remembering their conversation about the movie.

When he approached Steve’s car after school, he was grinning brightly.

“You look happy!”

“I feel really good about them!” he admitted. “If I don’t pass all of these, I’ll be fucking shocked.”

Steve pulled him in for a quick kiss. “I knew you could do it.”

He wanted to melt. What if each of his sexual favors only involved blowing Steve? Cause that sounded pretty fucking good right now. But they had to study again tonight, and he wanted to feel just as confident tomorrow, so he pushed those thoughts away before he got too riled up.

*

Eddie practically skipped out of school and behind the gym, never feeling better about his tests than he did now. He hoped he might even have managed an “A” on his social studies test, but he wasn’t holding his breath. He’d be happy with all “C-” as long as he fucking passed. When he slid into Steve’s car, he pulled him in for a hungry kiss.

Steve chuckled against his lips. “You seem even happier than yesterday.”

“I know I fucking did it this time,” he grinned smugly.

“I know you did, too.”

“Can I call in one of those favors tonight?” he purred.

Steve pretended to hem and haw. “I guess … What do you want to do?”

“I want you to eat-”

“Thank god you’re still here!” Robin exclaimed as she threw herself into the back seat.

Eddie sighed, but it was fine. He’d have Steve all to himself soon.

“Hey, Robs,” Steve greeted. “You’re working on a Friday night?”

“No, but my mom bailed on picking me up, and I really don’t want to walk.”

Steve rolled his eyes. “Eddie and I have plans, you know.”

“Oh, I’m sure you do,” she teased.

Steve pulled out of the parking lot and set off for her house. “How were your exams?”

“Fine,” she yawned. “Solid B’s, for sure. How about you, Eddie?”

He shrugged. “Pretty sure I’ll pass, thanks to Steve.” He grinned at his boyfriend.

Robin rolled her eyes fondly. “Maybe I should’ve walked …”

Steve suddenly stopped the car in the middle of an empty street. “Be my guest,” he teased.

Eddie snorted.

Robin scoffed in offense.

“You wanted a ride,” Steve shrugged. “So you have to put up with us.”

“All I do is put up with you!” she exclaimed with a giggle. When they dropped her off on her street, she yelled through the closed window, “Hope the sex is good!” and walked away, cackling.

Eddie rolled down the window and yelled back, “Oh, it fucking will be! Best orgasm of my life!”

She flipped him off.

When he looked back at Steve, he was bright red. Screaming that in a suburban neighborhood that probably all voted for Reagan wasn’t the best idea, but he couldn’t help himself.

“‘Best orgasm of your life,’ huh? No pressure …” Steve chuckled.

“I know you can do it,” he teased. When they got back to Steve’s house, he drop-kicked his backpack across the den, and it disappeared somewhere behind the couch. “I can’t wait to burn that shit when I graduate.”

Steve laughed next to him. “You hungry?”

He wrapped his arms around Steve’s neck and bit his lip. “Not exactly …”

“What did you have in mind?”

He kissed the corner of his lips. “I want you to eat me out,” he murmured, then kissed the other corner. “Then rail me until I scream.”

Steve sucked in a breath, his pupils expanding with arousal. “I can do that …”

He licked into his mouth, kissing him hungrily. He’d been waiting for this all fucking week.

Steve cupped his ass through his jeans and squeezed.

Eddie wanted to keep making out in the den, but he wanted Steve’s tongue and cock more. He broke the kiss and pulled Steve up the stairs. He pushed him to sit on the edge of his bed. “I’ll be right back,” he promised, kissing the tip of his nose.

Steve nodded dumbly as he watched him disappear into the bathroom.

He quickly shed his clothes and hopped into the shower, washing himself efficiently in the lukewarm water. He toweled off, then stepped back into Steve’s bedroom completely nude. When Steve’s eyes nearly popped out of his head, he leaned against the doorframe to let him admire the goods. His cock throbbed between his legs as it quickly filled out, turned on by Steve’s obvious attraction.

Steve yanked his shirt over his head and kicked off his jeans.

They met in the middle, skin on skin, and kissed one another thoroughly. Eddie trailed his fingers down Steve’s back, making him shiver. He grinned into the kiss when he felt Steve’s own erection pressing against his thigh. He walked them backwards towards the mattress, then broke the kiss. He climbed onto the bed on all fours, spreading his legs and dipping his back to display himself. He looked over his shoulder to find Steve staring at his hole hungrily. “Well?” he teased, wiggling his hips.

Steve wasted no time, holding his cheeks apart and licking over his hole.

Eddie groaned at the sensation, his toes curling in the air. They had to fucking do this more often. As Steve continued to eat him out, he lowered his shoulders to the mattress and buried his face in the comforter. Each lick and probe punched a desperate noise out of him, and his fingers curled into the sheets.

Steve moved down his perineum to suck gently on his sack before moving back up to his hole.

Eddie was panting now, his skin humming with desperate need. “Steve!” he cried out, hoping he would understand since he’d lost the ability to form coherent sentences.

Steve caressed his cheeks and licked one final stripe along his crack. “How do you want me?” he asked huskily.

Eddie shook his head, unable to express himself, desperate for his cock.

Steve kissed his cheek. “C’mon, babe … Tell me what you want.”

Eddie took a shuddering breath. “I don’t care, babe,” he managed. “Just fuck me!”

Steve chuckled and climbed onto the bed, kneeling next to him. “C’mere,” he murmured, gently tugging Eddie onto his lap, his chest flush against Eddie’s back. He pressed their hips together, and Eddie could feel his cock pressing behind his balls.

He was practically trembling with arousal, but his brain managed one last coherent thought. “Hang on …” He leaned forward to grab the lube and shoved it into Steve’s hand. He ground his ass against his erection to make his point.

Steve chuckled fondly as he poured lube onto his fingers, then reached between Eddie's cheeks, index finger slipping in easily.

Eddie keened, so happy to be filled, but it wasn’t enough. “C’mon-” he whined, rolling his hips for emphasis.

Steve slid in a second finger, working them in and out of Eddie’s hole, making his insides nice and slick. When he felt confident that Eddie was ready, he slipped his fingers out and slicked his cock with more lube. He pushed Eddie’s hips up with one hand, the other around the base of his cock, then helped Eddie maneuver down onto him.

Eddie groaned deep in his chest as he was pierced open. Fuck, he would never get enough of Steve’s cock. When their hips met, he took a deep breath and just enjoyed the stretch.

“Wait-” Steve murmured. He tilted them both, making sure to stay inside Eddie, as he reached for a hair tie. He gathered Eddie’s thick hair together and wrapped it into a bun. He pressed kisses along his exposed neck and sighed happily.

Eddie turned his head to pull him into a kiss as he began to roll his hips, grinding down onto Steve’s cock. The angle was fucking incredible, rubbing insistently against his prostate. He could feel precome dripping down his own cock, wetter than he’d ever been before. He held onto Steve’s hips below him, his thighs burning as he speared himself onto him over and over. “Fuck, Steve-” he panted. “Oh fuck- Steve, shit-” He couldn’t help the words spilling from his lips.

Steve grasped his hips hard as he thrust up into him. He continued to kiss and nibble along the back of his neck and shoulders, then moved his hands to his chest, caressing every inch of skin he could reach, occasionally pinching his nipples.

“Steve, baby-” Eddie gasped on a particularly hard pinch that made his cock throb. “You feel so good, Steve …”

Steve buried his face between his shoulders. “Babe, if you keep saying my name like that, I’m gonna fuckin’ come,” he groaned.

Eddie let his head fall back against Steve’s shoulder. “It’s okay,” he babbled, bouncing with each thrust. “Don’t stop. I love your cock so much.” His eyes fell shut as he let the sensation wash over him.

“Fuck! Eddie!” Steve grit out. A few more thrusts and he buried himself as deep as he could. His body relaxed with a satisfied sigh, and he littered wet kisses along Eddie’s shoulders. “Sorry,” he murmured into his skin.

Eddie took a couple of deep breaths. It would never fail to amaze him, the effect he had on Steve. He chuckled fondly, but his body was taut with arousal.

Steve kept him on his lap, cock still inside him. He grabbed the lube and poured some onto his palm, then grasped Eddie’s throbbing erection.

Eddie bit his lip as Steve jerked him off, just the way he liked. He ground his hips down, desperate for a bit more friction.

Steve fondled his balls with his other hand, and sucked a bruise onto his shoulder, hand flying over his cock. “Come on, baby,” he murmured. “Come for me. Come on my cock-"

Eddie nodded frantically as he felt his orgasm building. Steve’s softening cock provided just enough pressure against his prostate, and he keened as he came across Steve’s fist. He kept grinding his hips through the aftershocks until he was completely spent, then collapsed back against Steve. “Fuuuuck,” he sighed happily.

Steve wrapped his arms around his chest and held him in his lap, rubbing his palms over Eddie's chest in soothing circles. “Best orgasm of your life?” he chuckled quietly.

Eddie bit his lip and nodded. “Definitely.” He twisted his neck and reached back to pull Steve into an exhausted kiss. He wanted to stay here forever, but he was sure Steve was tired. He pulled off his cock with a groan, his own cock twitching with interest at the sensation, and fell onto his side.

Steve laid down next to him, smiling fondly. “I’ve got an idea …”

“What’s that?”

“Let’s take a bubble bath.”

Eddie grinned. He’d never taken a bubble bath in his entire life, but it sounded like heaven. His sore thighs could use some hot water. “Sure!”

Steve grinned. “I’ll be right back!” He rolled off the bed and left his bedroom, returning a moment later with a large bottle in his hand. He held it up and whispered, “It’s my mom’s.”

Eddie snorted and clambered off the bed, taking the bottle from him to inspect. It was fancy looking and rose scented. “Won’t she notice?”

Steve rolled his eyes. “Who cares?”

Eddie kissed him.

Steve led them into his bathroom and turned on the taps, feeling the water and adjusting the temperature. Once he was happy with it, he plugged the drain and poured bubble bath in.

It immediately began to foam up, and Eddie was mesmerized.

Steve stepped into the tub and held out his hand.

Eddie took it and stepped in, too. The water was deliciously warm. They awkwardly lowered themselves into the tub. Steve leaned back against the sloped end, parted his legs, and gently maneuvered Eddie so he was sitting between them, back pressed to Steve’s chest. The tub filled around them, and he felt the soreness in his thighs melt away. He closed his eyes and laid his head back on Steve’s shoulder, enjoying this new experience.

Steve ran his fingers up and down Eddie’s arms, occasionally kissing his shoulders. When the water was high enough, he pushed the tap off with his foot, making Eddie giggle quietly.

Steam billowed around them, and Eddie was certain he was going to fall asleep in here. He’d never felt so content in his whole life. He loved feeling Steve’s chest expand and contract as he breathed.

“Hey …” Steve murmured. He gently took a hold of Eddie's chin and tilted his face toward him. “I-”

Suddenly, the front door opened and closed loudly. “Steven, honey! We’re home early!”

Fear shot down Eddie’s spine, his contentment shattered in an instant. He felt Steve freeze behind him. What the fuck were they going to do? Surely, they wouldn’t barge into Steve’s bathroom?

Steve shook himself out of it and yelled, “I’m in the bath!”

“That’s okay! Take your time!” his mother yelled up the stairs.

“What the fuck?” Eddie hissed, trying not to panic. “What do we do?”

“It’s okay,” Steve whispered.

Eddie turned toward him, causing water to slosh noisily in the tub. “If your father catches us-”

Steve gently grasped his shoulders. “He won’t,” he promised. He took Eddie’s face in his hands, looking absolutely heartbroken, and kissed him.

Eddie felt himself calm a bit and nodded.

“I’ll distract them and meet you out front.”

Eddie nodded again, upset that their incredible evening was being cut short like this.

Steve pulled the plug and they both stood up. He reached over to grab some clean towels from the shelf, and they gingerly stepped out of the tub, drying themselves as quickly and quietly as possible.

As Eddie roughly toweled off, he wondered what Steve had been about to say. He wondered how differently this night might have gone if Steve’s awful parents hadn’t fucking shown up. It was disappointing, for sure. They dressed, then Steve went downstairs to distract his parents. Eddie quickly threw his things into his bag, then remembered his backpack was behind the couch. “Shit!” He’d have to retrieve it later. Thankfully, it was winter break now and he wouldn’t need it for a couple of weeks. He threw his bag over his shoulder and picked up his guitar case, then went over to peer through Steve’s window. He could technically crawl onto the roof from here, but he was carrying too much stuff to climb down safely. He sighed in frustration and went to the bedroom door, opening it as slowly as possible so it wouldn’t squeak. He tiptoed over to the landing to make sure the foyer was clear, then creeped down the stairs. Halfway down, a step groaned loudly as he put his foot down, and he froze, holding his breath. When no one responded, he continued down the stairs and out the door, turning the knob painfully slowly and closing it gingerly behind him. He sighed in relief and lugged his stuff over to Steve’s car, which was thankfully unlocked. He loaded everything into the trunk and waited in the passenger seat, ready to duck if either of his parents opened the front door...

It felt like ages, though he was certain it was just nerves, before Steve emerged from the front door. He jogged over to the car and threw himself into the driver’s seat. “Phew, that was close!” he chuckled. “Think Wayne will mind if I crash with you tonight?”

Eddie grinned happily, shaking his head. Their time at Steve’s house may have been cut short, but he still had Steve, and that was all that mattered.
*
They arrived at Eddie’s trailer to find Wayne drinking coffee on the couch. “I wasn’t expecting you boys until tomorrow,” he chuckled.

“Steve’s parents came home early,” Eddie grimaced.

Concern flashed over Wayne’s face. “You weren’t-”

Steve buried his face in his hands. “No, no, thank god.”

“Oh good,” Wayne sighed in relief. “No offense, Steve, but your father doesn’t seem like the acceptin’ type.”

Steve shook his head sadly. His father would never accept him the way he was, and he was slowly coming to terms with it.

“Since I wasn’t expecting you, I just made a sandwich for dinner.”

“That’s fine,” Eddie shrugged. “We’ll figure something out.”

Steve followed him into the kitchenette, and they pulled out the necessary supplies to make their own sandwiches. They took their plates and drinks into the living room and sat down next Wayne. “Oh, man! Is this Rudolph?” Steve asked excitedly when he realized what was on tv.

Wayne nodded. “Yep. I remember when these came out,” he chuckled.

“I love all of these!” Steve grinned.

Eddie smiled fondly at him before taking a bite of his sandwich. Steve was so fucking cute, he could barely stand it.

They ate quietly as they watched Rudolph, and Steve cheered when it was followed by Frosty the Snowman.

Chapter Text

When Eddie awoke, the sun was streaming in through the blinds. He stretched, then turned to face Steve, who was loosely wrapped around him. He wished they were still in Steve’s lush bed … He gently brushed some hair off his face. “Baby …” he murmured.

Steve jerked awake mid-snore but relaxed when he realized he was safe. “Hey,” he replied fondly. “What do you want to do today? Now that you're temporarily free.”

“I want to steal a Christmas tree,” he giggled. The idea had been growing on him ever since Steve suggested it.

Steve grinned in triumph. “Hell yeah! Let's go!"

Wayne let them borrow a tarp and a handsaw, and they set out for “Mirkwood” in Eddie’s van.

“Why do the kids call it ‘Mirkwood’ anyway?” Steve asked from the passenger seat.

“It’s from The Hobbit,” Eddie explained.

“Oh yeah! From that cartoon, right?”

Eddie chuckled. “It’s a book, too.”

“Oh.” Steve blushed. He wasn’t much of a reader; never had been, and he felt kinda dumb.

“Maybe I can read it to you someday,” Eddie offered with a soft smile.

Steve grinned back. “I’d love that …”

They parked on the side of a desolate road and ventured into the woods, saw in hand. They were hoping to find a decent Douglas fir, but they’d take whatever they could find. A few short firs were scattered among the towering pines, and they checked each one. The first was too short, another had random long branches that messed up the silhouette, a third had some kind of nest tucked in its branches.

“I found it!” Eddie called out, his voice echoing through the trees.

Steve jogged over to inspect it, but Eddie was right; it was perfect. The tree stood roughly four feet tall, well-proportioned and seemingly free of wildlife. “I’ll go first.”

They took turns with the saw, while the other held the tree steady.

Sweat gathered on Steve’s brow as he sawed again; it felt like it was taking forever. When his arm needed another break, he stood and handed the saw to Eddie, who knelt down to continue working on the trunk.

Eddie crowed when he finally cut through the trunk.

Steve shook the tree to make sure there were no surprises once they loaded it into the van. When no creatures flew out, he deemed it safe.

They each grabbed an end and walked the tree back to the van. Steve held the tree upright as Eddie opened the back doors and spread the tarp over their mattress. They gingerly loaded it into the back, trying not to bend or break any branches, then headed back into town to pick up decorations.

Steve filled their basket with Jiffy Pop, construction paper, string lights, and other cheap materials.

Back at the Munson trailer, Eddie cut the construction paper into strips while Steve monitored a few Jiffy Pop pans on the stove. A Christmas Story played on the tv while they worked. Steve poured the fresh popcorn into a bowl so it could cool, then joined Eddie on the couch to help tape the paper chain together. Once they were happy with the length, he retrieved the small sewing kit he’d purchased and spent a solid two minutes trying to thread the needle before Eddie took over with a fond chuckle. It turned out that stringing popcorn was not easy or fun. Steve cursed under his breath every time he pricked his finger or a popcorn kernel disintegrated in his hands, but he was determined to make this for Eddie. He deserved a beautiful Christmas tree.

When he muttered, “Shit,” after pricking himself yet again, Eddie gently took the needle from him and pressed a tender kiss to his sore fingertip. “This is good,” he chuckled.

Steve nodded dumbly, too distracted by how precious his boyfriend was.

Eddie tied the thread off in a knot, cutting the needle free with his teeth.

The credits of A Christmas Story began to roll before switching to the news. Steve turned the tv off. “Mind if I play some music?”

“Sure,” Eddie replied.

Steve grabbed his tape deck from his bag, then pulled a tape out of his back pocket.

Eddie snorted. “Of course, it’s Wham.”

“It's festive,” Steve shrugged as he pressed play. The opening notes of “Last Christmas” wafted out of the speaker, and he hummed along.

They screwed the tree into a stand and set it in the middle of the living room so they could wrap it in lights, paper chains, and popcorn garland. Steve gently strung the popcorn on the tips of the branches going one direction, while Eddie looped the chain over the branches in the other direction. They giggled each time they circled one another, Eddie ducking under Steve’s outstretched arms to get past. Once it was decorated, they pushed it into the corner and plugged in the lights.

It was the best fucking Christmas tree Steve had ever seen. It may not have fancy glass ornaments or sparkling tinsel, but it was theirs and it was beautiful.

Eddie grinned brightly at it before turning to his boyfriend. “Thank you ...”

Steve pulled him in for a kiss. "Merry Christmas, Eddie ..."

Eddie wrapped his arm around Steve’s waist as he continued to admire their tree.

The envelope containing Eddie’s gift was burning a hole in Steve’s jacket pocket, and now that the tree was done, he was ready to give it to him. “You want your present early?”

“Hell yeah! Hang on, let me grab yours, too!” He raced to his room and returned a moment later with a small brown box. He grabbed Steve’s hand to lead him closer to the tree, and they sat down on the floor in front of it.

Steve slipped the envelope out of his pocket and handed it to him. “Sorry, I didn’t wrap it ..."

Eddie gingerly took the envelope with a curious expression. “I don’t need anything fancy,” he assured as he opened the envelope’s flap. He pulled out the tickets and read the concert information. Then he read it again. “Holy shit, are you for real!?”

Steve nodded, biting his lip as he grinned.

Eddie flung himself into Steve’s lap, wrapping his arms around his neck. “I’ve never seen them live! This is going to be fucking awesome! I can’t believe you got these!” He sat back down opposite Steve and stared at the tickets for several long moments. His gift for Steve wasn’t nearly as exciting as this … Anxiety shot down his spine as he fingered the tiny box, but it was too late now. He handed it over. “Sorry this isn’t as cool …” he murmured.

Steve scoffed dismissively as he opened the box. He gently pinched the chain and pulled the necklace out, inspecting it happily. “It’s just like yours!” he grinned.

“It’s, um …” Eddie swallowed his nerves. “It’s the pick I used the night of our first kiss,” he explained softly.

Steve looked from the necklace to Eddie and back again, eyes wide.

“I know it’s not much, but-” he began, desperate to explain himself.

“Are you kidding? I love it!” Steve exclaimed. He stared into his eyes and sighed happily, a soft smile tugging at his lips. “I love you.”

Eddie couldn’t breathe. His insides froze and he couldn’t pull any air into his lungs. Steve Harrington loved him! Steve Harrington was in love with him! He could hardly fucking believe it.

“This is the best present I’ve ever gotten.” Steve pulled the chain over his head and admired the blue pick between his fingers.

“You love me?” Eddie finally managed.

Steve chuckled sheepishly. “I have for a while now.”

Eddie felt warmth flood his chest like a dam had burst, and it was suddenly so easy to reply, “I love you, too.”

Steve grinned, a blush dusting his cheeks. “Yeah?”

Eddie nodded fervently. “Yeah!” He once again threw himself on top of Steve, kissing him feverishly, desperate to taste him.

Steve wrapped his arms around Eddie’s waist and returned the kiss with just as much passion.

Eddie pulled back so he could look into Steve’s eyes. “I love you,” he sighed, then giggled. “I love you!”

“I love you, too,” Steve chuckled before recapturing his lips.

Eddie could barely believe it. He felt lighter than air; if Steve weren’t holding onto him, he might just float away. He finally felt ready to share his song with him. “I’ve got one more present for you,” he said as he got to his feet. He left to retrieve his acoustic guitar from his bedroom.

When Steve saw him return with guitar in hand, he leaned over to shut off the Wham tape.

Eddie sat on the couch and placed the guitar into position on his lap.

Steve grinned up excitedly from the floor, eagerly waiting to hear what he had written for him.

Eddie plucked out the first few chords, then began to sing, “I can’t believe my luck, baby, that we found each other … You rolled your dice on me, and they landed a critical hit …”

Each lyric struck Steve like a lightning bolt to his heart. He remembered waking in the motel room to find Eddie working on this song, and his heart wanted to burst when he realized how long Eddie had felt this way about him. His eyes darted between Eddie’s deft fingers plucking at the chords and his soft lips as he formed the words. It was incredible, and it was all for him. He felt happy tears sting the corners of his eyes, and did his best to keep his shit together. He loved Eddie so fucking much; he wished he could express it as eloquently, but he’d make up for it by telling him every day. He crossed his arms over his knees and watched intently until the last chords of the song resonated out of the guitar.

Eddie blushed hard as he sat the guitar on the carpet. He bit his lip, anxiously waiting for Steve’s response.

“I-” His voice caught in his throat as the tears threatened to fall. He took a deep breath. “That was beautiful. Thank you ...” When Eddie smiled happily at the praise, he added, “I really fucking love you.”

“Jesus,” Eddie murmured, blush deepening. “I love you, too. Holy shit, that feels so good to say!”

Steve giggled. “Yeah, it does.” It wasn’t the first time he’d said it to someone, but it was the first time that saying it made his heart flutter, made his skin buzz with pure joy. He’d never meant it more than he did right now. He looked back at their Christmas tree and had a silly idea. He reached over to snap the end of a branch off, then held it above his head like mistletoe. “Looks like you have to kiss me now,” he teased.

Eddie giggled. “You know mistletoe is an actual plant, right?” But he slid off the couch onto his knees and crawled over to him. As soon as he was close enough, he pressed their lips together in a sweet kiss. He made love to Steve right there on the living room floor, under the soft lights of the Christmas tree, whispering “I love you” over and over into Steve’s ear, just because he could.

*

When Steve awoke the next morning, wrapped tightly in Eddie’s arms in Eddie’s bed, he’d never felt more content. He nestled further against his boyfriend, whose morning wood pressed against his butt. He decided to wake him by gently grinding back against him.

Eddie hummed happily behind him. “Good mornin,'” he sighed. “Hungry for more, huh?”

Steve continued grinding against him. “Always hungry for you,” he replied huskily, his own cock quickly filling out.

Eddie reached between his cheeks to find his hole still slick with lube and come. He easily sank two fingers inside, making Steve keen. “So wet for me, baby,” he sighed into his ear.

A shiver of arousal ran up Steve's spine, and he was a bit shocked by his body’s response to that statement. He bit his lip and nodded.

Eddie quickly found the lube and slicked up his erection before gingerly pushing back into Steve with a groan. Their bodies were made to fit together ...

Steve reached back to grasp his hip, encouraging him deeper, already panting with arousal. “Fuck, Eddie …”

“Is it too much?” he checked, slowing his thrusts.

Steve rocked back against him, desperate for more friction. “Never-” he groaned. “C’mon, baby, fuck me!”

Eddie didn’t need any more prompting. He grabbed Steve’s hip and thrust forcefully, as awkward as it was on his side like this. He leaned over Steve’s shoulder and caught his open mouth in a filthy kiss. “Love you, baby,” he murmured against his lips, a trail of spit strung between them. He licked the spit off Steve’s lips like it was the last drop of fresh water in a desert.

Steve gasped when a thrust grazed his prostate and angled his hips to make it happen again. “Shit, babe, right there-”

Eddie aimed for it as best he could. He moved his hand down to grip behind Steve’s knee, lifting his leg to try and thrust deeper. It must have worked because now he cried out with every thrust, gasps of pleasure punched out of his lungs.

“Eddie-” he groaned as he squeezed around his cock.

Stars burst in the corner of his vision. “You close?” Cause he sure as hell was.

“Yeah,” Steve moaned, panting even harder now, muscles going taut under Eddie's grip.

“Touch yourself for me.”

Steve did as he was told, reaching between his legs and tugging furiously at his erection. His breathing became erratic as he pushed back to meet Eddie’s thrusts. “I love your cock,” he groaned.

“He loves you, too,” Eddie chuckled, hips pistoning with abandon. Steve’s delicious butt jiggled a bit with each sharp thrust, and he couldn’t stop himself from playfully smacking one of his cheeks.

“Oh fuck! Eddie, I’m coming!” Steve groaned low in his throat as he came, his hole fluttering around Eddie’s cock.

Eddie thrust deep and poured himself into his boyfriend. He thrust shallowly a few more times, milking the last few drops, before pulling out. He was mesmerized by the sight of his come dripping out of Steve’s gaping pink hole. Before he could stop himself, he scooped the come up with his fingers and pushed it back inside.

Steve groaned. “Fuck, baby, you’re gonna kill me-”

Eddie rubbed gentle circles around Steve’s tender hole and pressed adoring kisses along his shoulders. “I love you so fucking much,” he murmured against his skin.

“I love you,” Steve sighed. He reached back to grab Eddie’s hand, then brought it up to his lips to lick the mess from his fingers.

Eddie thought he might pass out. He was so overcome, he had to look away. He pressed his face into the nook of Steve’s neck and groaned. “You’re so fucking hot …”

Steve rolled to face him and kissed him messily.

Eddie’s cock throbbed weakly at the taste of his own come on Steve’s tongue. This was absolutely filthy, and he fucking loved it. When they broke apart again, he smirked and asked, “So … you liked the spanking?”

Steve’s face immediately turned bright red, and he nodded sheepishly. “I really liked it,” he admitted. His skin still tingled pleasantly.

“We should explore that later …”

He sucked in a small gasp and nodded again, unable to voice his new desire just yet.

The sound of the front door opening cut their conversation short. “The tree looks great!” Wayne called out from the living room.

They giggled quietly at yet another close call. Poor Wayne had suffered enough; he didn’t need to hear their screaming orgasms, too. They dressed enough to be presentable and joined Wayne. Eddie couldn’t help the smile constantly tugging at his lips. He and Steve were in love, and he wanted the whole fucking world to know.

As they ate breakfast, Steve had an idea. “Can I invite Robin over? We could exchange our gifts with her, too.”

Eddie nodded, his mouth full of scrambled eggs. He was excited to give Robin the mixtape, but he wondered if she had gotten a gift for him. She was almost as poor as he was, and they were still getting to know one another. It wasn't necessary, anyway.

Steve dialed her number from memory. “Hey, Mrs. Buckley, is Robin there? … Hey, Robs! You want to hang out at Eddie’s with me? We can exchange presents and stuff. … Yes, I am at his place right now … Stop laughing! I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

Eddie chuckled as he put their dishes in the sink. What would she say once she learned about their love confession?

Steve disappeared into Eddie’s room to put on some actual clothes.

Eddie rejoined his uncle on the couch.

Wayne gave him a sly look but sipped on his coffee silently.

“I’ll be right back!” Steve promised as he bounded over to press a kiss to the crown of Eddie’s head, and then he disappeared out the door.

Eddie smiled fondly as he watched him leave, then realized Wayne was staring at him with a knowing smirk. “What?”

“You seem … different today,” Wayne shrugged.

A blush crept over his face. He could only imagine how love struck he must have looked a moment ago. Of course, Wayne would notice. But he wasn’t embarrassed, and he didn’t want to hide anything from his uncle. He swallowed and said, “We, um … We told each other we loved each other last night …” His heart beat rapidly in his chest at the memory.

Wayne’s smirk quickly morphed into a fond smile. “I knew it,” he chuckled. He threw his arm over Eddie’s shoulders to awkwardly hug him. “Is this the first time you’ve said it?”

Eddie nodded, and a tiny voice in the back of his mind whispered, And he’ll be the only one.

“Does it feel good?”

“It feels … amazing,” he chuckled, face starting to hurt from how much he’d been smiling that morning.

Wayne nodded. “I’m happy for you, son. He’s a good one.”

He sure fucking was.

*

Steve drummed along to Judas Priest on his steering wheel as he waited for Robin to appear from her front door.

When she finally came out, she was wearing a hideous, oversized knitted Christmas vest. She jogged over and climbed into the passenger seat.

“What the hell are you wearing?” he snorted.

She scoffed. “You could at least say hello first!”

“Hello,” he replied sarcastically. “What the hell are you wearing?”

She rolled her eyes. “It belonged to my grandpa. I think it's pretty rad. Besides, it’s festive!”

He couldn’t argue that. The beady eyes of a teddy bear sent a chill down his spine. He ripped his gaze away and merged back onto the road.

“Did you give Eddie the tickets yet?”

“Last night,” he grinned, replaying the moment in his mind.

“Did he love it?”

“He lost his shit,” he chuckled. “Nearly knocked me over!”

She giggled. “What’d he get you?”

“The best fucking present I’ve ever gotten!” He reached into his shirt and pulled the pick out to show her.

She leaned over to get a better look. “Oh, it’s like his! That’s cool.”

She clearly didn’t understand just how special this was to him. “It’s the pick he used the night of our first kiss,” he explained with a lovesick smile.

She gasped. “Oh my fucking god, that is so cute! I think he might be in love with you,” she teased.

He blushed.

She squinted at him for a moment, then her eyes grew wide. “You said it, didn’t you??”

He nodded.

Robin screamed, and he covered his right ear, wincing in pain. She flailed her legs in the footwell. “Sorry, sorry! I just can’t fucking believe this! I’d hug you if I wasn’t afraid of running us off the road! Tell me everything!”

*

The first thing Robin did once they arrived at the trailer and got out of the car was run over to squeeze Steve in a painful bear hug. She then bolted up the stairs and let herself inside. “Eddie!”

Steve rolled his eyes fondly and followed her, where he found her hugging his bewildered boyfriend.

“It’s like you're my brother-in-law or something!” she teased.

“This is my friend, Robin,” Steve explained to Wayne in an exasperated tone.

“I guessed as much,” Wayne chuckled.

“Oh, sorry!” She waved meekly.

“It’s nice to finally meet you.” He sat his mug on the coffee table. “If y’all don’t mind, it's been a long night, and I’m gonna retire.”

Eddie wanted to continue opening gifts in front of their beautiful tree. “Oh, you should sleep in my bed-” he began.

Steve cleared his throat loudly and caught his eye, trying desperately to telepathically remind him why that would be a bad idea.

Eddie suddenly remembered the enormous wet spot they’d left on the sheets and wanted to burst into flames. “We’ll, uh … We’ll just go to my room.” The three of them retreated to his bedroom. As he closed the door behind them, Robin made for the bed.

“You may not want to sit there …” Steve murmured.

She shot him a quizzical look before closely inspecting the mattress. “Oh my god,” she sighed, voice tinged with amusement and disgust. She shoved a pile of clothes off Eddie’s desk chair and sat down. “Should I be nervous to sit here, too?” she asked sarcastically.

Steve sighed in exasperation. “No …” He and Eddie sat on the bed, carefully avoiding the wet spot.

“I’m pretty sure I’ve blown you in that chair …” Eddie murmured into his ear, loud enough for Robin to hear.

Steve elbowed him gently in the ribs, making him laugh. He tried not to laugh himself as Robin looked positively horrified.

“Is there any surface in this trailer you haven’t ‘christened!?’”

Eddie pretended to think hard, hand resting on his chin. “Probably, but we’ll get to all of them eventually.”

“I can’t wait to be this fucking obnoxious someday,” she groaned, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Don’t worry,” Steve shrugged. “You already are.”

She gasped in mock offense and grabbed the first thing she could reach to toss at him.

The pencil bounced off his head, and he rubbed the spot where it hit. “Ow! Maybe I’ll just take your Christmas present back,” he joked.

She pouted. “You’ll have to give it to me after you see your present.”

“Yeah?” he asked, excited to see what she had up her sleeve.

She grinned and reached into her bag, removing two gifts wrapped in green and red plaid paper. She handed one to each of them.

Steve picked up her gift bag from where he left it at the foot of Eddie’s bed, and Eddie grabbed a small bag from under his nightstand.

“Who wants to go first?” Robin asked, clearly wanting to go first herself.

“You,” Steve laughed. “We got a jumpstart on you anyway.”

She didn’t hesitate, ripping tissue out of the small gift bag until she could get to the actual gift. She pulled out the cassette and turned it over in her hands.

“I wrote the playlist inside,” Eddie explained.

She opened the case and pulled out a folded piece of paper, then began to read over it.

“They’re all girl bands!”

She smiled brightly. “Oh cool! This is awesome!”

“Yeah?” Uncertainty tugged at his gut.

“Yeah! I can’t wait to listen! Thank you!”

“No problem,” he smiled.

“Now open yours!” she insisted.

Eddie could feel that it was a paperback book and tore the wrapping paper off gently, revealing a well-loved copy of A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin. He grinned up at Robin. “Thanks!”

“I know you like fantasy books,” she explained. “But hopefully you haven’t read this one yet.”

“I haven’t, but I’ve been meaning to!” He flipped through the yellowed pages eagerly.

“I’ve got the rest, too, if you like this one.”

Of course this was her personal copy. He’d have to be gentle with it and return it once he was finished. “Thank you,” he said again earnestly.

Robin placed the gift bag from Steve on her lap and batted her eyelashes.

“Go ahead,” he chuckled.

She gleefully tore through the tissue paper, then pulled out the box containing the polaroid camera. “Are you fucking kidding!?”

Steve shushed her. “Wayne’s trying to sleep,” he chuckled.

She slapped her hand over her mouth in silent apology before opening the box. She immediately pulled the camera out to admire it. “I can’t believe you …” She stood up to hug Steve with one arm. She sat back down and pulled out the instruction booklet, leafing through it with pure concentration.

“Do you want me to open mine?” Steve teased, glad she was so happy with her gift.

“Oh! Yes, yes, yes!” She sat everything on her lap and watched him intently.

She’d wrapped this in paper, but Steve could tell it was soft and kind of shapeless. He tore off the wrapping to reveal black fabric. Once he shook it out, he realized it was a tank top emblazoned with the cover art for Judas Priest’s most recent album.

“You can wear it to the concert!” she exclaimed.

Now it all made sense, Eddie thought to himself. No wonder she’d been so tight–lipped. He couldn’t wait to see it on his boyfriend.

Steve grinned at her. “Thank you!” He turned to Eddie. “Now I have two shirts to wear to your shows, so I won’t look like a total nerd.”

Eddie smiled fondly at him and wondered how he got so fucking lucky. He placed a gentle hand on his jaw and pulled him in for a kiss.

Suddenly there was a click and a flash, and they realized that Robin had snapped a photo of them. She pulled the photo out and fanned it through the air as she waited for it to develop.

“Quick learner,” Steve teased.

She stuck her tongue out at him, then looked at the picture. Her expression softened and she stared at it for a long moment.

“Can I see it?” Eddie asked.

She handed it over quietly.

Eddie almost gasped when he saw the photo. He didn’t have any pictures of the two of them, let alone one as intimate as this. You could see how much they loved each other in the tilt of their brows, the tenderness of their kiss. It was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. “Can I keep this?” he asked breathlessly.

Robin nodded with a gentle smile.

Steve looked at the photo over his shoulder. “Wow …” He pressed a kiss against Eddie’s shoulder and murmured, “I love you,” quietly enough that only Eddie could hear it.

“I love you, too,” Eddie replied easily, unable to look away from the picture. He wished he had a million copies so he’d never have to worry about losing or damaging it.

“Let me see it for a sec-”

Eddie reluctantly handed it back to Robin.

She grabbed a marker from his desk and wrote something along the bottom, then gave it back. It now read, “S+E Christmas ‘85.”

*

They hung out for a few more hours. Robin demanded they listen to her new tape, then played around with her camera, taking candid shots as practice.

“What do you think?” Eddie asked as she snapped a photo of his guitar.

“I’m into it!” she replied, bobbing her head along to the music.

“I knew I could win you over,” he chuckled.

“I’ll like anything if there’s girls involved,” she teased.

“Lemme see that thing.” Steve held out his hand for the camera. Robin gently placed it on his palm, and he looked over it for a moment. He held it up to his face and looked through the viewfinder, then turned towards Eddie. “Smile!”

Eddie chuckled as the camera flashed. “What’s that for?”

Steve removed the photo and fanned it as he handed the camera back to Robin. “My own personal collection,” he replied with a smile.

Eddie’s head was suddenly full of wicked ideas. “Maybe we should get one for ourselves … For personal reasons.” He arched his eyebrow suggestively at his boyfriend.

Steve immediately picked up what he was implying and bit his lip. “That’s not a bad idea …”

Robin rolled her eyes and snapped a photo of Eddie’s Corroded Coffin banner.

“That film isn’t cheap,” Steve chuckled, glad he had included extra in her gift.

“I know, but this is so fun!” she squealed.

Steve finally looked at the photo he’d taken and smiled. Eddie looked so fucking gorgeous; he was relaxed and laughing, his big eyes sparkling with happiness. This was definitely going in his wallet.

“So are you going to spend Christmas here?” Robin asked him.

He sighed sadly. “I wish. I’ve got a bunch of family coming in tomorrow, and I am expected to be there the entire time.”

Eddie snorted derisively. “Just so they can play ‘perfect nuclear family,’” he sneered. He knew Steve was going to be miserable, and he honestly didn’t want to be away from him for that long.

Steve placed a gentle hand on his thigh. “I’ll call you every night,” he promised.

Eddie leaned onto his shoulder. “I guess it’ll just be me and Wayne then.”

Robin nodded. “I’ve got family coming in, too. I just know they’re gonna pester me about having a boyfriend …” She stuck her finger in her mouth and pretended to gag.

“Fuck, me, too …” Steve groaned.

Eddie grimaced in commiseration. He was grateful he could be himself around his uncle; that he didn’t have to feign interest in the opposite sex. “Just tell them you have a girlfriend named Edwina,” he chuckled.

Steve stayed silent as he pondered doing just that. “What if they want a picture?”

“Tell them she’s Amish,” Robin teased with a shrug.

Steve rolled his eyes. These two were no help at all, and he loved them dearly. He wished he could spend the holiday with them; they were his real family.

Robin glanced out the window and realized the sun was setting. “I should get home,” she sighed.

Eddie stood to eject her tape, placing it and the playlist back into the case and handing it to her.

“Thanks! I’ll finish listening to this tonight,” she promised.

Steve stood and shrugged on his jacket.

Eddie swayed close to him and murmured, “You’re staying here tonight, right?” He wasn’t ready for him to leave.

“Of course,” Steve replied earnestly. “I’ll go home in the morning.” He kissed him softly.

Eddie smiled into the kiss, relieved. He turned to Robin and hugged her. “Thanks again for the book! I’ll start on it ASAP.”

“I know you’re going to love it!”

He watched as Steve and Robin snuck through the dark living room, closing the front door quietly behind them. He heard the engine of Steve’s car rumble to life, and decided now was as good a time to start as ever. He reclined on his bed and flipped open the first page:

“The island of Gont, a single mountain that lifts its peak a mile above the storm-racked Northeast sea, is a land famous for wizards-”

He made it a few chapters in when Steve returned. He heard the front door open and looked up to see Steve entering his room with a bag of fast food.

“I got us dinner,” he said as he held up the bag.

Eddie marked his place with a scrap of paper and set the book on his nightstand, then scooted across the mattress to make room for Steve.

Steve sat facing him and divvied up the food. “This is for Wayne when he wakes up,” he explained as he held up a third burger, then put it back into the paper sack.

Eddie smiled at his thoughtfulness as he took a bite of his own burger. “Extra pickles!” he cheered around a mouthful.

“Duh,” Steve chuckled. “You can have mine if there’s not enough.”

Eddie swallowed. “I love you, Steve Harrington.”

Steve blushed, but immediately replied, “I love you, too, Eddie Munson.”

Eddie grinned and took another bite, feeling more content than he’d ever felt before.

Chapter Text

Steve found it very difficult to drag himself out of Eddie’s arms the next morning. The thought of facing his relatives without Eddie by his side was almost unbearable … But as long as he lived in that house, he had to play by his parents’ rules.

“I don’t want you to go,” Eddie sighed, arms wrapped tightly around him.

He kissed his throat. “I don’t want to, either …”

Eddie rolled them so he was on top of him. “At least let me give you a parting gift …” He raised one eyebrow, silently asking for permission.

Steve knew exactly what he wanted to do and nodded.

Eddie pressed his lips to his collarbone, just below where his collar would sit, and sucked hard, pulling his blood to the surface.

He hissed at the sensation. When he felt alone and out of place amongst his family, he’d press on this hickey and think of the man he loved. He pet Eddie’s thick hair as he licked over the blossoming bruise. “Thanks, babe ...”

Eddie sat up and smiled. “Any time, baby.”

As he dressed, he double-checked in the mirror that the hickey was hidden. He turned to find Eddie watching him from the mattress and bent down to kiss him. “I’ll call you tonight, ok?”

Eddie nodded with a sad smile. “I’ll be here.”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Steve almost slid into his car when he remembered Max’s present. He grabbed the gift bag from the back seat and, making sure her trailer was still dark inside, left it on the front porch. He hoped these were the right wheels, and that she was happy to get them. She deserved to be happy.

*

“There you are, Steven! I was starting to worry. Your father will be back with your grandparents any minute!” His mother looked him up and down. “Take a shower, dear, and wear that polo we got you for your birthday.”

Steve sighed but did as he was told. As he undressed in front of his mirror, he grinned at the hickey on his reflection. He could get through this because Eddie was waiting for him. He returned to the den to find his parents and grandparents all seated and sipping whiskey and wine. He took a deep breath before he made his presence known.

“There he is!” his grandmother greeted. “My, my, his hair is so long …” She turned to his mother and tutted, “I’m surprised you let him keep it like that."

His mother took a large sip from her glass and said nothing.

He wanted to point out that he was nineteen fucking years old, but he knew it would fall on deaf ears. “It’s good to see you,” he replied politely.

“Come sit down, boy!” His grandfather slapped the empty cushion next to him.

He kept his expression neutral as he thought of the stain on the underside of that cushion. “Hey, Papaw.”

“So, Steven, tell us how things have been. Still working that dead-end video rental job?”

His nails bit into his thighs as he tried to keep his cool. He nodded. “Yep. Just saving up, you know.”

“Oh? For what?” his grandmother asked.

He didn’t really have an answer for that. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to do with his life. He’d always been told to focus on college and get a "real" job, and when that fell through … Right now, he was content to survive day to day and spend all of his free time with Eddie and Robin. Their looming graduations filled him with dread, knowing he’d have to figure his shit out soon; actual adulthood loomed on the horizon. He shrugged casually. “Pay off my car, maybe get a place of my own …”

“Very admirable,” his grandfather replied. “Have any new ladies in your life?” He winked at his grandson, and it creeped Steve out.

He debated how to answer, but decided he loved Eddie too much to keep it a secret, even if he had to obscure the details. “Yeah,” he smiled. “I’m going steady with a girl named …” He had to bite back a laugh. “Edwina.”

“My, what a proper name!” his grandmother exclaimed. “I didn’t think people used those sorts of names anymore. Tell us about her!”

“She’s a senior, she has … long, curly brown hair-”

“Someone’s got a type!” his grandfather snorted. “What was the last one’s name? Nina? Natalie?”

“Nancy,” Steve murmured.

“Hush, Harold! Tell us more about Edwina!”

“She’s in … band, loves to read; she’s in some school clubs … She’s a great singer.” He’s into metal, he loves fantasy and Dungeons and Dragons, he sells drugs, I love him more than I’ve ever loved anyone … He hated this. Hopefully they’d leave him alone now.

“She sounds lovely,” his mother cooed. “Why haven’t we met her yet?”

He cleared his throat. “Her parents are … very strict,” he lied, hoping they’d accept that vague answer.

His father snorted. “You’re not exactly a catch …” he muttered before taking another sip of whiskey.

Steve felt like he’d been shot. He knew he was a disappointment, but for his father to say something so cruel, and in front of his grandparents. “Will you excuse me for a moment?” He stood abruptly and made a beeline for the backyard. He gulped down the cool winter air, and willed his heart to stop beating out of his chest.

He stayed quiet for the rest of the day, only speaking when asked a direct question. None of his family bothered to ask him if he was alright; he wouldn’t even know what to say if they did. After dinner, he retired to his room and collapsed onto his bed face first. The sheets still smelled like Eddie, and it soothed his bruised feelings.

He heard his grandparents enter the guest room across the hall. He looked at his phone and wondered how clearly they’d be able to hear him through the walls. He sat up and picked up the receiver, his fingers hovering over the buttons before deciding, fuck it, he didn’t want to fucking be here anyway. Nobody would miss him until morning, if they even noticed he was gone at all.

He waited until he heard his parents retreat to their own room, then quietly made his way downstairs. He remembered Eddie dropkicking his backpack behind the couch and was relieved to find it still there. He snagged it and made his way out the back door, then around the house to his car. He shifted it into neutral and pushed it far enough down the street his parents wouldn’t hear the engine start, and then he was gone.

*

Eddie sat next to the phone, waiting for Steve’s phone call. He was surprised he hadn’t heard from him yet, but maybe his family was keeping him busy. He looked over at their Christmas tree and smiled.

Wayne was watching tv on the couch. “I’m sure he’ll call soon,” he chuckled.

The sound of a car pulling up outside surprised him. He leaned over to peek through the blinds and was shocked to see Steve’s BMW. His brows furrowed in concern and he quickly opened the door. “Steve?” he called out.

Steve slammed his door shut and gave him an exhausted smile.

“Are you ok?” He hopped down the stairs to pull him into a gentle hug.

Steve melted into his embrace. “Yeah … No. My family fucking sucks,” he chuckled.

He squeezed him tighter. “It’s cold. Let’s get inside.” He led him into the trailer.

“Should I be surprised?” Wayne chuckled.

Eddie flashed him a serious expression, and Wayne’s smile faded. He quirked his eyebrow at his nephew, but Eddie just shook his head solemnly.

“You boys have a good night,” he said as they disappeared into Eddie’s bedroom.

Eddie gently maneuvered Steve onto the edge of his bed. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Steve sighed. “Not really … Fuck, I left your backpack in the car.”

“We’ll get it later.” He didn’t give a fuck about that; he just wanted to make sure Steve was ok. “C’mon, let’s get comfy.” He tugged gently where Steve’s polo was tucked into his jeans.

“Yeah, get this fucking thing off me,” Steve snorted, tugging it over his head and chucking it into the farthest corner of the room, then kicked off his jeans.

He removed his own shirt, leaving him in just his boxers, and climbed onto the mattress. He pulled Steve down until they were wrapped around one another.

“I never should’ve left you,” Steve murmured, his fingers playing with a strand of Eddie’s hair.

“Then stay,” he replied simply. He rubbed soothing circles across his bare back.

Steve scoffed. “They’re going to freak out when they realize I’m not there in the morning.”

“Fuck ‘em.”

Steve chuckled and kissed his jaw. “I love you.”

He grinned. He’d never get used to hearing it. “I love you, too, baby.”

*

Steve woke up warm and happy in Eddie’s arms before the memories of his family came flooding back. Guilt formed a knot in his chest as he pictured his mother discovering his empty bed, and he wished he could banish the feeling. She only cared because her parents were visiting. How on earth would she explain his absence to them? He wanted to be selfish, let them fret and complain while he stayed in Eddie’s bed, but … he couldn’t do it. He was already a failure in his parents’ eyes, but he still yearned for their approval. He sighed heavily, negative thoughts swirling in his brain.

“You okay?” Eddie murmured sleepily.

“I’m fine,” he lied. He couldn’t dump these complicated emotions on his boyfriend. He cupped his jaw and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips. “Good morning.”

Eddie smiled and pulled him in for another kiss. “Good morning. It’s Christmas Eve! Wayne and I always drive around to check out the Christmas lights … Are you gonna join us?”

That sounded way more fun than whatever his family had planned. “I gotta go home,” he replied solemnly.

Eddie’s face fell. “Really?”

“I don’t want to-” he sighed.

“Then don’t.”

“They’re my parents,” he shrugged. “I don’t have a choice.”

Eddie fell quiet for a moment, then whispered, “What if you moved out? What if … you lived here?”

He chuckled sadly. He’d love nothing more than to do that, but it wasn’t feasible. This trailer was too small for three grown men, and he spent so much time here already. “I can’t do that to Wayne,” he replied.

Eddie’s face scrunched up like he wanted to argue, but reality hit him, too. “This fucking sucks …”

He hugged him tightly. “You make it easier, though.”

“I love you so much, Steve …”

“I love you, too.”

He dressed and went out to his car. The sun was rising, and it was still dewy outside. As he unlocked his door, he noticed a small, damp piece of paper tucked into his windshield wipers. He carefully pulled it out and unfolded it.

Max’s distinctive scrawl read: “Thanks for the wheels”

He smiled to himself and tucked the note into his pocket.

“Steve!” Eddie called from the steps, still wearing only his boxers.

“Eddie, baby, you’re gonna get a cold!” he playfully admonished.

Eddie held up a fat joint. “I thought you might want this to make your family … tolerable.”

He grabbed Eddie’s backpack from the passenger seat and returned up the steps. "You're the best." As he handed the bag over, the safety pins holding the strap together finally gave up, and its contents spilled out over the narrow porch. “Shit!” He immediately knelt down to pick everything up.

Eddie cackled, then tucked the joint behind his ear and knelt down to help.

“I’m so sorry,” he muttered, an embarrassed flush spreading across his cheeks.

“Don’t be,” Eddie chuckled. “This piece of shit was barely holding together.”

“I’ll buy you a new one,” he offered.

Eddie shook his head. “Five more months and we can burn the fucker.”

He smiled. “It’s a deal.”

They finished shoving everything back into the bag and stood, Eddie clutching the torn remains against his chest. He plucked the joint from behind his ear and held it out for Steve. “Don’t forget this.”

He tucked it into his jacket pocket. “Thanks, babe.”

“No problem,” Eddie grinned. He looked around the trailer park to make sure no one else was out, then kissed him. “Maybe Wayne and I will end up in your neighborhood tonight! Rich people always have the best lights.”

The thought of seeing Eddie later, even for a moment, gave him the strength he needed to get through the next 48 hours. “Cool! Now get back inside before you get sick!” He playfully pushed at his sides.

Eddie wriggled and cackled. “That tickles!” He stepped inside and said, “See you later, baby,” before shutting the door.

Steve blasted Dio as he drove home, clinging to happy memories to stave off the dread. As soon as he shut his engine off in the driveway, his mother yanked the front door open. “Steven, where have you been!?” she hissed, looking behind her to make sure her parents were preoccupied.

He sighed as he stepped out of the car. “Just needed some air.”

“Your grandparents are waiting for you at the breakfast table!” She flapped her hands, ushering him inside.

The day continued much like the one before. Steve didn’t have much to say unless he was asked a question, and his family continued to be politely cruel to him. As they sat around watching White Christmas, he let his mind wander and fiddled with the guitar pick around his neck.

“What’s that, Steven?” his mother asked.

His insides froze. He’d been keeping it hidden under his clothes to avoid questions, but he got distracted. “Just a gift,” he shrugged, tucking it back under his collar. His parents would never understand how much it meant to him, and he wouldn’t bother trying to explain. He pressed against the bruise on his collarbone and took a deep breath. This would be over soon enough.

As they sat around the formal dining table, discussing politics and other topics Steve didn’t care for, the phone rang. He immediately stood to get it. “Hello?”

“Hey, gorgeous,” Eddie replied.

He smiled, happy to hear his voice, but he was within earshot of his family, so he kept the conversation neutral. “What’s up?”

“Wayne and I are about to head out! We’ll probably be in your neighborhood within the hour, depending on if Wayne drives like a grandma or not.”

“I want to appreciate the lights!” Wayne called out in the background.

Steve chuckled. Holy shit, he wished he was with them. It was an adorable tradition that his family had never indulged in. “I’ll keep a lookout.”

“Good! I love you.”

He tucked himself closer to the wall and whispered, “I love you, too.”

“Who was that?” his mother asked when he returned to his seat.

“Just Keith,” he lied.

“Oh dear, he’s not asking you to work on Christmas, is he?”

“No, the store’s closed until Thursday.”

“Thank goodness,” his grandmother replied. “Can you believe some of these stores choose to stay open on a Christian holiday?”

The conversation spiraled again, so he focused on clearing his plate. The store-bought pot roast was decent, at least.

An hour later, his family was back in the den with more drinks. He was starting to think they had a problem. He remembered the joint in his pocket, and realized Eddie would be arriving soon. “I’m gonna to get some air,” he murmured to his mother.

She looked at him dubiously. “Not for too long, right?”

“I’m not going anywhere, I promise.” He stepped out onto the front lawn and lit the joint, taking a deep draw. The smoke billowed out into the cold night. The houses were pretty spread out in this neighborhood, but he could still make out the Christmas lights through the trees. His parents had never bothered putting lights on their house, just an ornate wreath on the front door; his mother called the lights “tacky.” Maybe one day he and Eddie would have a place of their own, and they’d put up so many Christmas lights, astronauts could see them from space.

As he took another drag, he spotted Wayne’s truck making its way down the street. He smiled when it stopped in front of his house and Eddie hopped out. Wayne waved from the open window. He jogged over and wrapped Eddie in a tight hug, careful to avoid his fluffy hair with the lit joint.

“How’re you holding up?” Eddie asked.

He frowned and held up the joint in answer.

Eddie nodded in understanding.

“Seen any good lights?”

“Yeah! This is actually the first house that didn’t have any.”

“Of fucking course,” he groaned.

“We could kidnap you,” Eddie offered.

He laughed. “Don’t tempt me.”

Eddie smiled sadly at him. “Can I take a hit?”

“It’s your weed,” he chuckled as he handed it over.

Eddie took a deep pull and motioned for Steve to come closer. When he did, Eddie gently grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him even closer, their lips almost brushing. Steve instinctively opened his mouth, and Eddie exhaled the smoke into his lungs. They shouldn’t be doing this in the open, let alone directly in front of his house, but Steve was smitten. He inhaled deeply.

“Boys …” Wayne’s concerned voice broke through the moment.

“Nobody’s out here!” Eddie argued.

Wayne shook his head fondly.

Eddie grinned wickedly and pulled Steve in for a real kiss, and he sank into it blissfully. Eddie leaned back and took another hit off the joint, then held it out for him to take. “You better get back inside.”

Steve slowly blinked his heavy eyelids; he could feel the weed kicking in. “I think I’ve had enough,” he chuckled.

“Of this or them?” Eddie teased.

He snorted. “Both! Enjoy the lights. Hopefully no one else is as lame as we are.”

Eddie licked his fingertips and tapped on the cherry until it went out. “Merry Christmas, baby.”

“Merry Christmas.” He watched as he stepped back into the truck and waved as they drove towards the next house. He felt a million times better as he trudged back towards the front door.

~*~

Eddie stretched his arm across the bed, blindly reaching for Steve as he slowly woke up. When he couldn’t find him, he opened his eyes, saw the empty bed, and remembered that Steve had stayed home last night. He pouted, but he understood; free room and board was nothing to scoff at. He sat up and scrubbed his hands over his face, wiping sleep crud out of his eyes. He padded out into the living room to find Wayne still asleep on his cot. He quietly started the coffee maker and pulled eggs and bacon out of the fridge. As he cooked, he imagined renting a tiny apartment with Steve, just the two of them. Cooking breakfast together, decorating for holidays, desecrating every flat surface …

“G’mornin’,” Wayne murmured behind him.

He was so lost in his daydream, he hadn’t heard Wayne get up and nearly jumped out of his skin. He clutched his chest. “Shit, man …”

Wayne chuckled. “How’d you not hear those rusty old springs?”

He took a deep breath. “Just distracted,” he replied.

The local news broadcasted the Indianapolis Christmas Day Parade as they ate breakfast.

“You’ve gotten more patient as you’ve grown,” Wayne chuckled.

“What do you mean?”

“I remember when you were little, you’d tear out of that bedroom at the crack of dawn to get to your presents.”

He blushed. “I was a rotten kid,” he sighed.

But Wayne shook his head with a fond smile. “It was cute. Kids are supposed to be excited about that stuff.”

He smiled, eternally grateful that Wayne had stepped up to raise him. If he ever became rich and famous, he’d pay him back.

Wayne sat his empty plate on the coffee table. “You ready?”

He sat his plate down as well, though his was littered with toast crust. “Hell yeah!”

Wayne retrieved their gifts from under the tree and handed him a gift bag printed with a realistic-looking Rudolph. “Go on.”

He carefully pulled out the red and green tissue paper until he revealed his gift: a brand-new black canvas satchel! He pulled it out to inspect it, grinning widely.

“I knew you needed a new backpack, but I figured this was better, since you can keep using it after you graduate,” Wayne explained.

Eddie felt tears welling up in his eyes. It was a really nice bag, and he was sure Wayne had saved up to buy it for him. “I love it.” He leaned forward to pull Wayne into a hug. “Thank you!”

“I did good?”

“You did great!” He'd start collecting patches for it ASAP. “Your turn!”

Wayne held up the wrapped rectangle and chuckled. “I wonder what it could be.”

“This is a joint gift from me and Steve.”

“Oh?”

“I’ll explain once you open it.”

Wayne carefully peeled off the wrapping paper. “Well, well, Paint Your Wagon. Now I can torture you all the time.”

He rolled his eyes fondly. Wayne put up with so much of his shit, he’d let him watch it every fucking day if it made him happy.

“Where’d you find it?”

He bit his lip, knowing that Wayne would probably disapprove, but it was too sweet a gesture from Steve to keep it secret. “Steve may have stolen it from Family Video …”

Wayne dropped his head down, but he was chuckling. “Is that why it’s a joint gift?”

He shrugged. “I couldn’t find it anywhere in town!”

“I don’t want him to get in trouble.”

“Pffft, I’m sure Keith will never notice.”

“Thank you, son. And remind me to thank Steve later.” He pulled Eddie in for another hug.

“Merry Christmas, Wayne.”

*

Steve’s gifts from his family were fairly lackluster, mostly consisting of clothes he wasn’t a fan of, but to be fair, a tie for his dad and a candle for his mom were pretty lame, too. But what the hell was he supposed to buy his rich parents who never hesitated to buy things for themselves? He barely knew them, and they certainly had no fucking clue who he was; the gulf was widening, and he could do nothing but watch.

Their catered Christmas dinner arrived in the afternoon. As he pushed his food around his plate, tuning out his family’s conversation, he wondered what Eddie and Wayne were eating. It probably wasn’t much, but he knew it would be made with love. Maybe they’d cooked that delicious corn again.

Fuck, he didn’t want to be here … But his grandparents were flying out in the morning, and then his parents would stop caring where he went again. It stung, but it also meant he could return to his boyfriend.

After dinner, he feigned a stomach ache and retreated to his bedroom. He dropped onto his bed and immediately called Eddie. It rang a few times before someone answered.

“Hello?”

He sighed happily when he heard Eddie’s voice. “Hey, baby. I’m not interrupting dinner, am I?”

“You’ve got great timing. We just finished.”

“What’d you have?”

“We stuck to the usual: roast chicken, mashed potatoes, and fried corn.”