Okay, I guess it was a little bit cool. And now, I'm not going to forget about bats anytime soon, since you immortalized one on my thigh.
[ And also because both Eddie and him have matching torso scars. ]
Ah, sure. Dusting keeps talking nonstop about your concerts; I want to see if they're as great as he claims. I admit I haven't listened to a lot of heavy metal songs. Any recommendations?
Me neither. No more sunbathing in public pools, I guess.
[ It's a good attempt, and Steve would understand why Eddie tries to do that. After everything that had happened, Steve just piles one trauma over another and soldiers on. ]
Are you kidding? He never shuts up about you. It's always 'Eddie is so col, Eddie plays so well, Eddie has such pretty hair, Eddie, Eddie, Eddie...'. the kid adores you.
( Eddie stares at Steve's response and can't help but grin at that. He's glad that after everything, Henderson still likes him. He wouldn't have blamed Dustin for giving him the cold shoulder after nearly dying on him. )
He's still just as bad about you, you know. Of course, I get it now, too.
Why not? Not fond of sunlight or not into public pools? Because if it's the latter, I do have a private pool at home.
[ Dustin might have been mad at first, but it was all born of worry. He's a loud kid, both in voice and personality, and Steve knows that, but Dustin is also a softie at heart who just cares a lot for his friends. Of course, he still likes Eddie. ]
Uh huh, bit hard to believe after how much the little jerk enjoys sassing me on the regular. [ Then again, that's what little brothers do. Steve isn't even mad, so that's why he adds. ] The kid is as smart as they come, though, he will go to places.
Well I'm nothing special but I'm glad that you don't actively dislike me. I wouldn't be surprised if you did. [ He knows he was an asshole in the past, and even if he's trying to do better now, that doesn't immediately undo all his mistakes. ]
Cool, thanks. I'm putting my faith in your taste of music, Mundson.
And yes, I am. Usually the kids come and mess around, but this time it could just be the two of us. [Oh, that sounded better in his mind. Smoother, definitelly. And less awkward. Shit. How does he fix this?] I mean, if you want a more quiet evening. Dustin and the others always cause a ruckus when they are around.
[Nailed it. ]
Oh. That's great to know. Sometimes it feels like all people see me as is the idiot that King Steve used to be. So thanks, Eddie.
[ Steve is painfully self-aware of the kind of person he was once, and he's honestly trying to do better and amend past hurts. It's not easy to outrun his past self, though, and often it feels like most people will always see him as the worst version of himself, so knowing that Eddie never truly hated him is a relief.
He cares about Eddie's opinion a lot, maybe more than what's platonic in a friendship. ]
You better deliver then, now I have expectations. Musician hands, isn't it? I've been told you're very skilled with them too.
( He hasn’t heard about Barb, and that's probably for the best right now.
Just the two of us. Eddie is definitely losing his mind, there is no way Steve actually wants to spend time just one-on-one with him...usually their hangouts at least involve Robin, if not the kids. )
A quiet evening sounds nice. So long as the twerps don't hear about it, we should be able to avoid their inevitable crashing of said quiet evening.
( As it turns out, Eddie has been a tad hypocritical himself. It took making amends with Lucas to reconcile that part of himself who was so adamant that all sports were bad to recognize that so long as one didn't sacrifice that nerdy part, they could enjoy sports if they wanted. It helped Eddie see Steve in a new light, in the end. )
King Steve wouldn't have dove into the lake first. He also wouldn't have dragged my ass out of hell. You're not an idiot, you're probably one of the bravest people I know.
( He smiles at Steve's comment, shaking his head. Oh, the can of worms Steve has just unleashed. )
You think about my hands, huh? I could give you a demonstration, if you wanted.
That's great. It's a heated pool, too, just so you know.
[ Probably for the better. Steve hasn't forgotten Barb, he doesn't think he would ever do, even if he doesn't bring her up like Nancy might have done in the past. Like the rest of his traumatic experiences, Steve keeps that one locked up in a not-so-little box in the back of his mind.
And he loves the teens and Robin, and would quite literally die for them if need be, but even Steve needs a break from them from time to time. And also, yeah, he would like to get to know Eddie better without people getting in the way of whatever that leads to. He doesn't consider that the feeling might be mutual; Eddie might have only started to tolerate him because of their mutual friendship with Dustin, so he's pleasantly surprised by the other man's answer. ]
It could be doable, we just need to make sure they're at the arcade or somewhere similar where they won't miss us for an afternoon.
[ In fact, maybe he can ask Robin or Nancy to watch them and make sure they don't get in trouble, which would mean the adults also won't interrupt Eddie and him. Two birds, one stone, and all that.
It's not the first time Eddie reassures him that he's a better person now or brave, even if Steve doubts it often, but he doesn't know what to do with himself when someone actually compliments him because it happens so rarely...So yeah, he might be looking a little flustered all of a sudden because that smile Eddie shot in his direction is doing funny things to his stomach. ]
You were pretty badass and brave yourself, playing to distract the demobats and then going out to fight them off alone. [ Steve smiles back and then his brows knit together and he gives Eddie's shoulder a nudge. ] But you almost gave us a heart attack! We thought the demobats killed you, so don't pull that shit again.
[ He's not mad-mad, but he had been worried sick when his group had come back from Vecna's house to find Dusting freaking out over a heavily injured Eddie. And now, sometimes, he wanted to reach out and touch Eddie in some way to make sure the guy was still there, safe and alive.
When the implications of their back and forth and Eddie's subjective tone dawn on Steve, that previous fluster on his face turns into a proper blush. And what the shit, he's usually more put together than this. Steve opens his mouth, but when nothing immediately comes out, he closes it again and gives himself a moment to reboot his brain. Then he goes with; ]
Don't make offers you cannot carry out, Mundson. [ Steve says, his tone is casual, half flirting and half daring, and there's a small smile on his lips. ]
[ Eddie is more than happy to let this conversation spiral for as long as it takes. They've reached an amusing position and he's curious to see how far it's really going to go. ]
uh clearly not??? this is obviously weird way of asking you to come over because i want to see you
[ Good point. And it goes both ways. Steve legitimately has no other male friend close to his age; it's tragic how bad he is at these things now that he's no longer doing stuff for the sake of popularity. ]
Buy me a drink first. Also, no. Pizza-ghetti is one of humanity's most shameful food abominations and probably an affront to God himself. You either want pizza or you want spaghetti; mixing the two is nonsense.
My taste is impeccable, and I was going to get a pizza for each of us. I'll have a Meat Lovers Pizza; now that's a delicious classic. Who doesn't like meat?
[ And despite his complaints, he will get Eddie the damn pizzaghetti. ]
[ To be fair, most of Eddie’s older friends have graduated and moved on. That’s what happens when you fail your senior year twice and get left behind. It may be part of why he’s grown so fond of Steve. The two of them are wildly different, but it’s nice having someone to talk to who isn’t still worried about the going-on of Hawkins High. ]
pizza and spaghetti have the same exact flavors steve it’s a match made in heaven
[ Never mind the textures, but…Eddie clearly doesn’t mind. ]
most vegetarians I’m pretty sure???
leah yeah let yourself in maybe i’ll have that drink for you
[ Considering how living in Hawkins is akin to being in the epicenter of the apocalypse, it is no wonder more and more people are leaving town as well. So there's that to consider, aside from their own personal social failures. Maybe it's why those who are left can form such tight bons. ]
Not true, there are like hundreds of different pizza flavors. And it's all about how weird it is to bite into something pizza-shaped and then end with a mouthful of stringy pasta.
[ Is this really such a big deal? No, but he finds it funny how offended and passionate Eddie can get over these sorts of things. He's no better. ]
... Fine, you got a point, about vegetarians. Smartass.
I'm getting in the car, so I won't be able to reply until I am waiting for the pizzas. But yeah, I'm omw right now.
Oh? Mr. Mundson, are you actually propositioning me?
[ There's definitely a myriad of more important things to worry about...but if Eddie is going to get fired up about something, it's probably better that it's weird pizza opinions than music. He'd never shut up if it was music.
He makes good use of Steve’s inability to reply, only sending his next message when he's sure he's hit the road. ]
Soooooo you just like to put weird stuff in your mouth to experience the 'contrast.' Noted.
[ If they argue about these sorts of silly things when they're not worrying about their possible impending doom, Steve is welcoming the chance to just be absurd young men with pizza and music opinions.
And hey, Steve also has a bit of an eclectic music taste. Eddie doesn't want to know the bullshit some people have given him just for listening to Queen. Talk about others not having good taste.
Eddie is correct that he doesn't have time to check the new messages until he's stopped by the pizza parlor and is waiting for their order. And when Steve sees that last text, he almost drops the phone. No way Eddie is actually serious. He's just playing along, and Steve is being silly.
Or are they?
Ever since befriending Robin, he's learned a lot of new things about relationships and people, and hell, maybe a bit about himself that he has never fully admitted. It's all too much to think about on a Friday night; maybe he should text Robin and ask if he's overthinking, but that will make it clear that he is, and oh fucks, Eddie must have been waiting for a reply to his text for longer than 10 minutes now. Godamnnit. ]
Then you'd better put your money where your mouth is.
[ He's going to throw his phone on the shotgun seat, rest his hands on the steering wheel, and bury his face there until the pizzas are ready. And then he will drove to Forest Hills Trailer Park and try not to die of embarrassment in the process. ]
[ There’s almost always at least a crumb of truth to most of Eddie’s antics. He gets obsessive and fixated on incredibly small things (i.e. pizza-ghetti) and while he blows it all out of proportion in the most dramatic way humanly possible to keep an argument going or for the sake of a laugh, it doesn’t mean he’s faking. He does like a good pizza-ghetti…and he’s also come to the conclusion that he really does like Steve. To an extent he’s never liked anyone before.
His own attraction to men has never really seemed to matter much when he’s never done the whole relationship song and dance to begin with. It’s just always been a thing that existed in the background, vaguely acknowledged but never really interacted with--because this is the wrong place, there’s never been the right person, and there’s always been no time to make it work.
But something has shifted, and now he’s not so sure that the right person hasn't been staring him right in his face for months. Maybe it’s the fact that he almost died, or the fact that everything fucking sucks and he’s never getting out of this godforsaken town and still wakes up to graffiti on his door at least once a week accusing him of devil worship, but he’s feeling bolder as of late. Any shits he ever gave have been thrown well and truly out the window when he sends that text.
And then he immediately wonders if he should backtrack.
He paces and eyes his watch, trying to estimate what the right amount of time to wait is before he proclaims it was just a joke and don’t get too worked up about it, man. How long does it really take to grab a pizza? He’s convinced he’s worn the carpet thin by the time he gets a response, and he scrambles to read it.
Oh.
Okay.
Well… ]
will do ;)
[ He’ll be waiting when Steve pulls up, leaned against the frame of the open door, light pouring out from behind him. If he’s nervous (and god, he is; his heart is pounding and his shaking hands are only masked by the fact that his arms are crossed over his chest), he hides it well, smiling a lazy smile as Steve steps onto the rickety porch. ]
Harrington.
[ He inclines his head and begins to move aside to let him in, but then his gaze falls on the boxes and he lets out a bark of laughter. ]
Did you actually bring me a pizza-ghetti? You’re a real gentleman, huh?
[ It's exactly because there's some truth to what Eddie always says that these kinds of conversations and the occasional argument allow Steve to get a better understanding about how Eddie really is. And so far, he's really liked what he's seen; it's at the same time new and not completely different from how he had assumed Eddie Mundson was while they were both in high school. Steve admires Eddie's ability to be so unapologetically himself; it's a kind of bravery he can't match.
Steve's relationship with men had never exactly been stellar. His own father is an insufferable asshole who is also a cheater. His ex-best friend Tommy was shallow and mean, and for years Steve refused to acknowledge it because he was his closest friend. He doesn't want to talk badly about Billy Hargrove, both because he was Max's sibling and because it's rude to speak ill of the dead, but the guy almost killed him after he spent a whole semester giving Steve the weirdest mixed signals. So, not great either.
None has really felt safe before. Not the way Eddie does.
And Eddie is, well, all the things Dustin assumed Steve liked about Robin. He's funny, smarter than anyone gives him credit for, and more selfless than he himself gives credit for. He can also drive Steve up a wall and get him to act a bit childish, which isn't exactly as much of a downside as others might think. Eddie also couldn't care less about Steve's reputation or who he was supposed to be, not anymore, and that feels so freeing.
And the curly hair is nice. The 'I want to touch it and see how it feels' type of nice. It's hella distracting when Eddie sometimes munches on a strand or plays with it.
Those are the things Steve kept thinking about as he drove to Eddie's place after reading that last text, and it's honestly a miracle he didn't hit a lamp pole on the way there.
Okay, he can do this; he can play it cool. It's all about steps. Grab the pizzas, get in, meet Eddie, do NOT hold onto the pizza box that hard, the sides are getting squished, do not smile like you're having a nervous breakdown... ]
I think that after almost dying, we might have reached the stage where you can call me by my first name, you know.
[ Smiling is actually the easiest part, because he is happy to see Eddie, even if he's got no idea what he got himself into. ]
And yes, I've got you your pizza-ghetti abomination. [ Steve lets out a dramatic sigh; he's learning that shit from both Max and Dustin, but then he's back to smiling and offering the aforementioned abomination to Eddie. ] Well, I do try. Just because it's something I am not used to, it doesn't mean I can't learn to like it too. Some things are an acquired taste, right?
If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you just called me an acquired taste, Steve.
[ He tilts his head and grins, putting an emphasis on the use of his first name. He does an admirable job at making it all seem easy, smiling lazily like he’s not ready to shake right out of his skin with nerves, but he’s all too aware that if he doesn’t move this conversation on quickly, he’s going to start overthinking everything.
So he gives his racing thoughts no opportunity to get the jump on him. He pushes off of the doorframe and makes a vague gesture for Steve to follow him inside, wandering off into the depths of the kitchen before he can even confirm that he has followed. ]
And, uh, I do call you by your first name all the time, by the way. Maybe, just maybe, I like the variety.
[ His voice comes slightly muffled as he rummages through the fridge. ]
Which is something I don’t have when it comes to drinks, so, uh…will it be beer, beer or…big surprise…beer?
Me? Would I do such a thing, Eddie? [ The innocent look on Steve's face seems to scream, 'Yes, absolutely.' It doesn't take him long to break the façade and smirk back at Eddie, nudging him with his foot because his hands are busy.
Eddie's voice and mannerisms make the casualness convincing for sure, which leaves Steve wondering if he's the only one who's always a hair away from a nervous breakdown.
He used to be better at these things, the whole song and dance of flirting and figuring out if the other person was interested. It's something he only did with girls, and he's a bit out of his element here because Hawkins, Indiana, is the worst possible place to test out where your boundaries lie in terms of attraction, but...but. He really would like things to work out with Eddie. If there is anything to work out between the two, that's it.
The other man moving moving gets Steve out of his head and back on track, and he's quick to follow him and place the pizza boxes on the counter once they reach the kitchen. ]
There's nothing wrong with liking variety; it makes life more interesting, right? [ He leans his hip against the counter as he watches Eddie fish out whatever he can find. ] Tsh, well, those are very difficult choices. Maybe beer, I'm not picky.
[ Eddie will find him still smiling when he decides to turn around. Either that, or he will notice Steve looking around with interest before their eyes meet again. ]
This place looks so much better now that there's no portal to hell in your ceiling. I like it; it seems very lived-in.
[ It's an honest admission, even if Eddie's house might look a bit messy and there's a concerning amount of mugs around. It looks like a home. Unlike his house, which mostly looks like an home decor catalog because his parents have a very strict opinion on how things might look for appearance's sake, even if they're never at home. It makes the house very cold and lifeless. ]
[ He echoes back to him, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. He is an acquired taste, and perhaps not one that many people dare to sample. He’s loud and opinionated and quick to anger, likes his music loud enough to shatter eardrums, talks too much when he’s nervous, doesn’t understand the concept of personal space…and yet his pitiful hope is that maybe, just maybe, Steve Harrington is one of those brave few.
He keeps going back and forth on it. That message—you'd better put your money where your mouth is—it sounded like a challenge, not a denial, but this shitty little backwoods town isn’t the place for a person to be attracted to anything but the opposite sex. And while Eddie couldn’t care less, who’s to say that Steve doesn’t feel differently?
He takes his tie in the fridge, vaguely hoping that he’ll find something in there to make all of this easier. He doesn’t. So he cracks another joke instead. ]
Sorry, I lied. Fresh out of beer. Only have beer.
[ Finally, he collects two bottles and turns to place them on the counter, his heart damn near leaping out of his throat when he’s met with that goddamn smile that might just be his favorite image in the world. Their eyes meet, and Eddie is quick to glance away, suddenly finding a lock of his own hair very interesting. He twists a dark curl around a finger, then slips it into his mouth to chew on. It’s an awful habit, one he’s had since he was a kid, and a clear sign of nerves.
He’s grateful for the distraction when Steve moves on to the state of the house. He pulls himself up to sit on the counter, observing the ceiling above them. ]
Almost seems normal now, right? Like it…like it never even happened.
[ A frown creases his features. Having his home back is fantastic, but he’ll never be able to shake the image of what happened here. It plagues nightmares and day terrors and the thought of just taking off to leave it all behind crosses his mind at least once a day. He’ll never do it, though. Not when it feels like there’s still so much tying him here. ]
Sometimes I think I dreamt it, but…that would be too easy, huh?
[ If Steve didn't enjoy loud and opinionated people, he would not have Robin and Dustin as his best friends or Nancy as his past love, for that matter. He seems to simply gravitate towards those kinds of people. Frankly, the surprise at the admission that he likes Eddie more than what's normal in a friendship has been second to the mortifying realization that he has a clear type when it comes to relationships. How positively embarrassing in how obvious it has always been when he thought about it.
But it also seems that he works well with those kinds of people too, either by balancing out their extremes with his own personality or by enabling their shenanigans when the moment called for it. Maybe he's not a total lost cause when it comes to relationships, even though he still needs to have a successful one now that he's finally being himself instead of putting up a front to make others like him. ]
Shame, but I think I can handle your beer.
[ What he cannot handle so well is Eddie fidgeting and munching on a strand of curly brown hair, because then his eyes immediately go to it, which means Steve's staring at Eddie's mouth before he realizes he's doing it and hastily looks away. Yeah, that kind of thing can get you punched or worse around here, but perhaps Eddie did not notice.
And maybe Vecna would simply drop dead one day on his own and stop being a problem. Sure, why not?
He can dream. And what was that thing Robin told him one day, about some sort of code to know if people were into the same thing as you? Something about being friends with Dorothy? ]
So, uhm....do you like The Wizard of Oz?
[ Wait, that wasn't it!, and Steve regrets opening his mouth almost immediately. That sounded so stupid.
While mentally chastising himself, and as Eddie sits on the counter, he reaches out to grab both bottles of beer and uses one to open the other, placing the corner or lip of the second bottle's cap under the edge of the cap on the first. A neat little trick he learned ages ago. He hands the open beer to Eddie and hooks the first bottle cap on the edge of the opening of his one bottle, popping the second bottle cap open. He's listening to Eddie as he does it, and his brows furrow in understanding. ]
Yeah, I know how it is. For the longest time, I couldn't even go near my pool, especially at night. Not after learning that one of Nancy's friends was taken by a demogorgon while she was at my house. If only we could get rid of the terrifying memories and scars with some new paintjob. A do over.
[ Steve has one hand curled around the beer, but the other curls slightly over his midsection. They don't hurt anymore, but the wound caused by the demobats has left him with some awful scarring, something Eddie also knows well. He worries about the other kind of scars that are harder to spot and are there nonetheless, less about himself and more about the kid and his other friends, like Eddie. ]
You can talk to me if you need it. You know that, right? Since explain this to people who had no idea what happened is out of the question and all...at least we can have each other's backs.
I mean, the monkeys freaked me out as a kid but uh, it’s an alright movie, yeah.
[ Eddie isn’t familiar with the terminology anyway, not really moving in the right circles to understand what it is that Steve is trying to ask, even if he had gotten the the phrase right. There’s a lot he could probably learn from Robin; he’s just never needed to know before. He blinks and raises his eyebrows, looking amused. ]
Just curious, or…?
[ He doesn’t chastise him for the odd question, just tilts his head and fails to fight back a fond smile. Steve fumbles more than Eddie would have ever expected someone with a reputation for being suave and charming to fumble, but he finds it almost painfully endearing. He almost feels a little smug, knowing that the side of Steve that he gets to see—the one that’s a little more human and a little less performance for the sake of other people—is one that so many others have missed out on. Their loss, really.
He snorts and gives a little roll of his eyes at that neat little bottle trick. ]
Alright, showoff. Calm down. Wouldn’t want me falling in love, would you?
[ As if he didn’t already fall for him ages ago. It might even be a way to test the waters, to figure out if they’re on the same page, or at least a similar one—if only Eddie didn’t say such things on the regular. He doesn’t allow his words linger between them anyway. He clears his throat, reaches for his beer, and abandons chewing on his hair in favor of sipping it quietly as he observes the perfectly normal ceiling. It feels too normal, like there should be some evidence of what happened, but it’s all been patched and painted and covered up. ]
Yeah, I know, man.
[ Wayne worries, but he’s known his nephew for long enough to know that he can’t strong-arm anything out of him. Eddie is too stubborn for that, and he doesn’t want to burden his uncle more than he already has, so he keeps quiet. Doesn’t tell him that he sometimes aches so bad, he struggles to get out of bed in the morning, or that he’ll forego sleep entirely if he hears so much as a rustle outside, or that he sometimes feels like he did die and that all of this is an unexplainable figment of his imagination.
But Steve—Steve was there too. He’s experienced all of this more than once and, from the sound of it, plenty of sleepless nights and nightmares too. It’s a shared experience and there’s nothing that needs explaining between the two of them, nothing he can say that should sound too outlandish. Eddie frowns, his hand drifting to his torso where a knot of nasty scar tissue lives now, just beneath the thin fabric of his t-shirt. ]
So, uh…you’d let me know if I was actually dead, right? If I didn’t actually get dragged out of there or something?
Right, you're right. Yeah, I think we both had enough of strange flying creatures in our lives.
Boy, did they. Okay, Eddie's answer was absolutely not helpful at all, or perhaps Steve missed something when Robin explained this to him. Either way, he's clearly misstepped and feels like an idiot, but because that is not exactly a new feeling for him, he's going to soldier on.
No reason, really. After working at Family Video, I have stupid movies in my head all day.
[He shrugs and takes a sip of his drink in an attempt to look nonchalant, and if Eddie doesn't buy that excuse, perhaps the view of Steve's exposed throat might distract him.] Robin would also like to know there are others like her in Hawkins; perhaps one day she will open up to Eddie as well.
Steve is relieved that Eddie doesn't seem too put off by the odd question. That's another thing he liked about the other man; he knows how to put others at ease when needed, even if that smile is doing funny things to his stomach. He smiles back, because how can he not?
Someone actually liking Steve for who he is to the core, a normal guy who gets a bit awkward in front of someone he actually likes, would be a pleasant novelty. He can still be smooth if need be; that comes easy when he's comfortable with the other person, but his dorky side might also show up more. It's a 50/50 on which side Eddie might find more interesting.
It's just one of the many I know. You should have seen how fast I could shotgun a beer back in the day. It's the reason I no longer have a gag reflex. [ He allows himself a grin, even if he doesn't really miss his time as King Steve. Then, at Eddie's question, he seems to think about it for an actual three seconds, considering if he's reading too much into it, before adding; ] Would that really be so bad? I like to think I could be a pretty decent boyfriend.
[ It's said casually enough that Eddie might simply take it as a joke if he doesn't want to read too much into it, but there's an almost unnoticeable edge to Steve's voice, something in the way he's holding his shoulder now, that seems to show he's asking a legitimate question back. They're both careful, and for a good reason, but Steve starts to think he might not be the only one walking on eggshells around something they're too afraid to voice out loud.
And then the reality they live in, with a parallel dimension and monsters, becomes once again too hard to ignore. Steve doesn't look at the ceiling, instead he keeps his eyes on Eddie to try and get a read on his body language because personal new feelings aside, he does want the best for Eddie and worries about all the shit he had to go through. Not only the demobats and Vecna, but the much harsher reality of seeing an innocent girl murdered in front of you and having a whole town blame you for it,
He might not be familiar with that specific experience, but he is no stranger to post-traumatic stress, to looking for dangers in shadows, and to knowing you can't even tell your family why you jump when the lights flicker or a room feels too cold. ]
You're not dead, Eddie, promise. We made it out, you kept Dustin safe, something I'll never be able to thank you enough for. Just don't tell the little shit, okay? [ As if Dustin already doesn't know that Steve would do anything for him, or any of the other kids. ] And besides...! If you were dead and I am here with you, that would mean I might be dead too. And would a corpse has such fantastic hair as you and me? I don't think so.
[ He doesn’t buy it. It was too specific of a question to be little more than a stray work thought floating around in Steve’s head, and Eddie tries to mentally walk himself through the movie to understand what Steve might be implying. He doesn’t get further than the twister when the view of Steve’s exposed throat thoroughly distracts him, and then that goddamn smile is enough to dismantle any further question he may have about the subject. He leaves it be.
Honestly, he’d be content to just do this all evening—stare and daydream and admire Steve while the two of them simply exist in the same room. It sounds like a good enough night to him, because that’s about as far as this can ever go, right? Maybe he misunderstood that message, because nothing can actually happen between them and Eddie is content to just deal with that and pretend like he doesn’t feel more.
But the it’s the reason I no longer have a gag reflex—that’s what gets him. Eddie chokes on his beer, goes beet red, and covers his face with his hands with a soft murmur of “oh my god”. He sits there for a moment, peering over his fingers with an upturned gaze. One sinful thought alone wouldn’t be so bad, but Steve just has to follow it up with the implication that he could be a decent boyfriend, and Eddie can’t quite pull himself together as quickly as he would like.
Still flushed bright red, he clears his throat and tries to soothe his nerves with another swig off beer. If he had any worries about being dead before, they’re gone now. There’s no mistaking the uptick in his pulse, his heart pounding like a drum in his ears. ]
I, uh…I think I could fall in love with worse.
[ He bites his nails, pausing for just a moment, eyes wide. And then he decides to just go for it, take the leap. He doesn’t have much to lose at this point. ]
Would it be so bad if I did? Fall in love with you, I mean.
[ Steve can be a bit of a shitty liar, so it's no wonder Eddie isn't convinced. To be honest, Steve himself has no idea what the Wizard of Oz or Dorothy has to do with liking people of the same sex, but that's what Robin said. Maybe he will have to ask her to explain it all to him again; his memory isn't always the best, which is probably a consequence of his many past concussions.
But all that stops being so important the moment Eddie blushes up a storm, because Steve can see it even with the man covering his face. He's torn between being a little concerned about the sudden reaction, wondering which one of his comments caused it, and then finding it absolutely endearing. ]
You okay there, Eds?
[ He has to ask because he is a good friend who worries; but if Eddie peeks at him from in between his fingers, he will see Steve with his head tilted towards him like a big puppy who's staring at something fascinating and with a little smile on his face. The smile looks more hopeful than smug or anything of the sort; there's in fact a hint of insecurity to it if one looks at Steve's eyes.
Perhaps that was too much? It was too much.
But then Eddie actually answers, still flushed in a way that makes Steve want to crawl in his personal space and kiss each one of his cheekbones. And that is such a wild thought to have about a male friend of all things, but it's not that much different from the ones he's had when he was actually dating and in love with Nancy, so it all feels natural, really. That is probably the scariest part, that he can tell already that he's in too deep.
He's not the only one, if what Eddie is saying means that he's got it just as bad. It gives Steve hope, and it makes him nervous as hell, but he also can't fight the smile that's spreading on his lips. ]
No, it won't be. Dangerous, perhaps, since we live in this shit town, but...I think it all would be worth it. That you're worth it.
[ It's honestly a miracle that he manages to get that out without stuttering or making a fool of himself, but Steve figured that if Eddie was brave enough to give him an honest answer, he deserves the same. Steve doesn't think he's ever felt this nervous or terrified of what might happen since that night in the tunnels with Dustin, when Steve and his nail bat were the only thing between the kid and a pack of demogods. Steve takes a deep breath, hands fidgeting with the beer bottle. ]
I really like you, Eddie. [ And it might sound a little childish and innocent, considering who they were, but it is the best way Steve knows how to express this right now. ] And it's a little scary, but it's the truth.
[ He murmurs something about something being caught in his throat, face still flushed pink even when he finally drags his hands all the way down his face. It’s a triple hitter when Steve calls him Eds as well, and he feels like he could use a good cold shower at that point.
He’s thoroughly flustered, however, when Steve says those four little words: I really like you. ]
Yeah…?
[ His hand goes straight to his hair again, tugging on a curl anxiously. His gaze shifts to Steve, eyes enormous and dark as he searches his face for…anything. Any sign that he may be fucking with him or trying to tell a bad joke, any sign that Eddie needs to shut this down before it becomes really bad, but all he finds is honesty. ]
I, uh…
[ He licks his lips, swallows thickly, and shit, he’s terrified. His heart pounds in his eardrums and flutters like a bird against the confines of his ribcage, desperate to be free. Yearning quietly is one thing—the safe thing, but putting it out there in the world…it can’t be taken back after that. But Steve was brave enough to say it, and Eddie…Eddie is supposed to be putting his money where his mouth is, so… ]
I like you too, man. Like—a hell of a lot more than I’ve ever liked anyone, honestly?
[ He takes a deep breath and shakes his head. ]
But it doesn’t—it doesn’t have to be anything, you know? You don’t have to—we don’t have to—I can pretend you didn’t say anything. If you want.
[ He peers up at him with a weak smile, anxiety etched into his features. He wants so badly to reach out and take this for what it is, to pull Steve in by his collar and kiss him absolutely stupid before he can change his mind and laugh it all off, but he just can’t. Because Steve is right—it is extremely dangerous in this shitty little midwest town where Eddie gets harassed just for his long hair and metal music. And that’s Eddie, who couldn’t give less of a shit what people think of him. Steve Harrington, however…popular, handsome, affluent family, known chick magnet.
[ It's really, really hard to look away from Eddie when he's so flustered, so he doesn't, even if Steve does try not to stare directly like a creep. There are just a lot of Eddie's mannerisms that he's been noticing for a while, and they're either kind of endearing or funny, and Eddie also being pretty good-looking doesn't hurt. When he licks his lips, Steve's attention immediately goes to them before he can catch himself and look up again. Damn, those are pretty too and look so plush.
All those are things Steve would never have imagined before; he would be thinking about another man, but life throws you curveballs like those. Like when Eddie admits he likes him back, because what are the odds of that? Steve feels himself torn between wanting to beam at Eddie, fidget some more, and hyperventilate, but he managed to keep that last reaction in check. He runs his fingers through his hair to get it out of his face and maybe takes a second to coyly hide behind his hand for a moment. ]
Oh, that's great. I mean, more than great. I wasn't expecting reciprocation, so this is g... [ Don't say great again! ] ...fantastic.
[ It feels a little awkward to talk to him about this when he's still seated, so he stands up so they're at the same eye level and moves closer to Eddie. Steve's just like that, it seems, moving towards uncertainty or possible doom when he should be running for the hills and saving himself a lot of trouble. But Eddie's wroth, as he said, and he's a man of his word. He takes a deep breath, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly as he gulps before speaking. ]
No, that's not okay. You don't have to. We don't…we shouldn't have to do that.
[ He understands why Eddie is offering, and right here is probably the correct moment to decide what to do next, because they do not live in kinder times or around open-minded people. But he also knows what pretending is like; he's done it plenty in the past, even if the situation is different. He doesn't want Eddie to have to do that, like he didn't want Robin to hide from him either. It hurts too much not to be faithful to yourself. He reaches out to gently brush his hand against Eddie, slow enough that the other man can pull away if he wants, making Steve's own wariness evident. He gives a small smile of his own in response to that hesitant one, though, aiming for encouraging. ]
Besides, it wouldn't really change anything, would it? Not for me, at least.
[ Steve’s overuse of the word great makes him snort and makes the corner of his mouth twitch with the threat of a fond smile as he pulls a curl taut then twists it back around his finger, avoiding Steve’s gaze all the while. He wants so desperately to look at him, wants to melt into his eyes and his smile and just live in their warmth for a time, but he doesn’t allow himself that. Not yet. Not until he’s stilled his heart and calmed some of his terror. ]
I know I’m a freak, Steve, but I’m not insane enough to not reciprocate.
[ Steve is an easy man to fall for, no matter how little experience Eddie has with the concept. Handsome and brave and caring and frankly hilarious whether he means to be or not is apparently a dangerous combo for Eddie. But this is neither the ideal place nor the ideal time, and Steve is right, they shouldn’t have to do pretend, but they will, and why should Steve have to navigate the complexities of a relationship like this when he can just find a pretty girl? Any pretty girl he wants. Eddie just wants so badly to spare him everything about this, but…
Eddie closes his eyes, takes a deep breath as Steve moves from the space beside him. He waits for a beat, assuming the sound of the ancient screen door is going to follow, thus leaving him with two uneaten pizzas and a broken heart. But that isn’t what happens. Steve merely comes to stand before him. He brushes his hand against Eddie’s, and Eddie doesn’t pull back. In fact, he carefully brushes his thumb against Steve’s as his eyelids flutter open once more and finally shifts his gaze to Steve’s and—he’s lost. That smile is everything, and he’d happily gaze at it for the rest of his life given the opportunity. ]
It wouldn't change. You'd just be putting a lid on it.
[ That’s one thing. You can hide it all you like but it doesn’t exactly go away. Eddie hesitates. ]
Hey, uh, Steve?
[ His voice comes soft as he scoots forward to the edge of the counter. ]
You know, if you wanted to kiss me, I wouldn’t exactly be opposed.
[ Okay, he made an idiot of himself, so that's not new. Steve huffs in amusement, too, after hearing Eddie because, thanks to Robin, he has learned how to laugh at himself. Despite how awkward his answer was, it almost made a smile appear on Eddie's lips, and thus, he considers it a win.
His eyes keep going to Eddie's hands and his long fingers, which frankly look very nice and he wouldn't mind feeling them on him, to the point he's starting to get jealous of the guy's hair. Steve can't help but marvel at the realization of how cute it is that Eddie is being kind of shy over all this. Better that than anger or disgust. Steve hadn't known what to expect; he didn't exactly have plans to ever tell Eddie about his growing interest, but he's glad that he did now, even if everything is still so new and fragile. ]
You're not a freak. You're just...different. That isn't bad, despite what people might tell you. You're fun, you have a great imagination, and you're kind. If that's being a freak, maybe we all should be more freaky on the regular.
[ He seems affronted that Eddie would call himself that, even if it's true that he's heard people call him those kinds of things—and worse—before. It makes Steve feel guilty, too, because his past is filled with bad decisions and condescending name-calling towards people who didn't deserve it, like Eddie, and now he knows better.
His protectiveness came up so fast that his brain didn't register that Eddie said 'reciprocate' until a good long second after the fact. Oh. If Eddie does glance at him, he might see Steve realize that in real time, a little but pleased smile appears on his face, not smug but satisfied that Eddie might like him back.
In this town, yes, they would need to keep up appearances in front of others and pretend so they can keep each other safe, like Robin and Steve already do. He understands and finds it more than reasonable. Hell, if his parents learned that he swings both ways, who knows how they would react; if past fights with his dad were any indication, it would get nasty. Good thing that a) Steve couldn't give less of a shit about what his father thinks and b) they're never around anyway and have all but formally abandoned him in Hawkins, so screw them. But what about lying to each other for fear of what if, now that they know they might have a chance together? That's harder to accept. ]
Exactly. Like with a pressure cooker, and it might still explode in the end.
[ Steve waits after that, allows Eddie to gather his thoughts, and almost expects him to have changed his mind and to tell him to go and leave him alone and not come back because that would be infinitely easier. Steve will leave if that's what Eddie wants, even if it hurts, because he has to respect the other man's decisions. He doesn't realize he's been holding his breath until Eddie's little thumb brush and the following answer feel like they punch it out of him. ]
Yeah...? That's good to know.
[ Because it gives him all the permission he needs, doubts be damned. His other hand cups Eddie's face, the pad of Steve's thumb gently brushing his cheekbone before he closes his eyes and leans in to press his lips to Eddie's. He keeps the kiss light at first, a tentative press of lips as if he's afraid to spook Eddie or himself. Steve's heart is racing like a restless bird, caged within the bones of his ribs, and it's not that much different from how he felt during his very first kiss with a girl. He's just as nervous as he was then, because he's kissing a guy for the first time too, and this is Eddie, and the world isn't ending.
It just feels natural; it feels right. And it's in part because it feels so incredibly normal and good that Steve does what he does when he's kissing someone, which is wrapping an arm around their waist to bring them close and deepen the kiss, with enthusiasm and want leaking through his movements.]
[ Eddie wants to tell him that he doesn’t really mind the “freak” moniker. Maybe there was a time when it used to hurt, but he’ll never admit that he ever cared what someone else thought of him, and so he’s accepted it, made it his own. But Steve is saying such sweet things…highly complimentary things, really, and Eddie can’t bear to cut him off. It takes a lot to make him blush like a schoolgirl. He’s not sure anyone’s managed to do it before, actually, but somehow anything Steve says manages to get to his very core.
He hates the idea of having to keep this silent. Someone as loud and brash as Eddie has never felt any need for that in any situation, but he’s not an idiot. He knows that this is different than playing into the Satanism and human sacrifice rumors. In a shitty little town like Hawkins, this could get them killed. It shouldn’t, but it could. That’s what’s terrifying, alongside the fact that they might be found out regardless, and he would very much like to not be the person who ruins Steve Harrington’s life.
But he also knows that the two of them are right. This is something they both feel and apparently have been feeling for some time, and if it hasn’t gone away yet, it isn’t going to. They could probably ignore it for a little longer, deny and pretend like no attraction exists behind their little shared glances, but it’s all just going to build up and explode sooner or later.
So he grants permission. His way of saying that he does want to give this a try, for better or worse. He wants to try to navigate this, so long as Steve does. He tenses only briefly, ready to flee and proclaim this a mistake before it can go any further—but then, slowly, he relaxes. If Eddie had any doubts, they’re all dashed away in an instant. This is right, his brain urges him as he melts into Steve’s embrace. This is right, this is right, this is right. It all just feels correct, even to a man who hasn’t been kissed before at all—Steve’s hand warm on his waist and lips on his own. He could easily swoon if he weren’t already seated.
He’s not a brave man, but he feels a spark of it for a moment. With trembling hands, he reaches up and carefully slips his fingers into Steve’s hair, finally making good on his promise to mess it up. It’s completely exhilarating, and when they part, he looks dazed and flushed, blinking as if the lights have just been flicked on. ]
[ Steve does mind, just like he gets annoyed when people make fun of Dustin's lack of teeth or Robin's quirkiness. He knows what it's like to act like it doesn't affect you. People who say those things are total morons, but it still gets under your skin at times and erodes you from the inside out. He's had to deal with one too many criticisms from his own father, too, to know.
The kids—teens, really—might not be his direct family, but he gets fiercely protective all the same, and Eddie...he does not see Eddie as family because then kissing him would be weird, but even if these things between them didn't work out, Steve would still care and look after him all the same. They're all a pack now.
He doesn't want to be chased out of town by narrow-minded folks any more than he wants to get eaten by demobats, but his reputation is the last of his worries. Steve is not going to ruin another good thing, another shot at a happy relationship, because of what people might say. They just need to be smarter and not draw too much attention to themselves while still doing what they want. If they managed to keep the mess with the upside down a secret from most of the population these years, this probably can't be that hard, right?
Right. ... Gods, He has no idea what he's doing, and he is way over his head.
But he knows one thing, and it is the only one that matters. That he might be more than a little bit in love with Eddie, and that the man is just too precious when he blushes to not kiss him senseless.
Okay, that makes two things, actually. Whatever. His brain is busy, and all his attention is on Eddie's mouth, the lingering taste of the beer on their tongues, and how warm the other man is under his touch. He also feels the other man tense up and then relax, so he keeps the kiss deep and slow. Then Eddie reaches out to touch his hair, which is a very good sign that makes Steve hum a little into the kiss out of happiness, like the dork he is.
There's a smile on his lips and a soft look in his brown eyes as he looks at his partner after the kiss, waiting for a verdict. Eddie makes him laugh. ]
Hmmm. You sure? [ One of his hands reaches up to the tips of Billy's hair, and he wraps a curl around his index finger. ] I dunno, maybe you need another try to really vanish any doubts.
[ It annoys Steve; he wishes he could make those voices stop. He tries to ignore them often, but the worry rears its ugly head now and then. He thought they were doing well back then with Nancy, but he had been a fool, and he had tried to cling to that feeling, to how she made him feel—seen for the first time, brave, and sometimes even wanted—for as long as he could. Even when it was clear they wanted different things in life, that they were better off as just friends.
It's better now; Nancy chose her own path, Steve moved on, and he's never been as happy with Eddie as he's been with others, even her. Because it's in moments like this that he gets it, that he knows for sure that what they're doing isn't performative, that Eddie only ever speaks his mind and what he feels. That is true and honest and his. There's no 'sometimes' with Eddie; things just are. ]
Hey there, yourself. [ His hands leave Eddie's waist so he can wrap his arms loosely around the other man's shoulders, pulling him close, a charmed and honestly happy smile on his face as Eddie repeats the words. ]
Hm. I didn't quite catch that. Maybe I need to hear it one last time. Third time's the charm, isn't it? [ Warmth and an obvious hint of playfulness sweep off his voice and body language now. His face is closer to Eddie now, lips almost brushing again. ]
[ Performative has never been a word to describe Eddie Munson—even when he treats the entire world as his stage. He puts on a show for sure, but he’s never performing. He’s just being himself, unashamed and unswayed by what others might think. That’s why it’s so hard for him to have to put a cork on his relationship with Steve, to allow it to exist only behind closed doors and away from prying eyes of unsavory individuals. But he’s not stupid. Secrecy is their only safety. Someday, maybe it will be different.
But Jesus Christ, he doesn’t care if Steve has one self-doubt or a million. He wants them gone. He wants to kiss him stupid until those voices go silent and he never doubts himself again. ]
That’s what they say.
[ He allows himself to be reeled in, eyes half-lidded and smiling, just happy to be in his orbit. ]
I love you.
[ He closes the gap between them, leaning in to steal a soft kiss, and he says it once more: ]
[ Eddie being so true to himself, so unapologetically authentic, is, in Steve's opinion, both really admirable and incredibly hot. Of course, they need to be careful when outsiders are present, just like they had to keep the secret of Hawkins Lab and the Upside Down to avoid further danger, but here and when they are with friends, there's no need for that.
Eddie's honesty is like a punch taking air out of his lungs, but in a good way if such a thing is possible. And it's a lot, it means a lot. Steve is no poet, and never had he regretted it more than in this moment, because he cannot put into words the way all this is making him feel. He lets out a noise—almost a laugh, almost a whimper. ]
I love you too, Eddie Mundson. [ Steve’s fingers curl into the worn cotton of Eddie's shirt as they speak. He grins, sharp and warm all at once. ] I love you more than anyone and anything in the whole world. God, that's so sappy too.
[ Steve meets his eyes for one last moment, expression softening, before he closes them and tugs his boyfriend closer. into another kiss. It's deeper, with more weight, all breath and desperation, lips parting, fingers tightening around Eddie's shoulders. ]
[ He chuckles and tips his head, gazing softly into Steve’s eyes as he’s drawn into another kiss. He’d never deem anything Steve says or does as too sappy. Nothing he can say can make him cringe or grimace, because Eddie Munson is a true romantic at heart, whether he admits to it or not.
Which is why he melts into the embrace, his own eyes only half-lidded so he never has to stop looking at him, weak at he knees and almost painfully in love. It’s also why he pulls back carefully, just a hair’s breadth away, and murmurs: ]
Run away with me.
[ It’s something he’s said before in other moments of passion, but he’s never given any indication as to how serious he is. Sometimes he laughs it off just as quickly as it’s out of his mouth, and he never begs or explains beyond those initial four words. Maybe he means it, maybe he’s just testing the waters, maybe he’s looking for Steve’s reaction. Either way, he gives him no time to respond. He dives in for another kiss, pouring every ounce of his love and adoration into it. ]
[ Steve doesn't get to answer, his tongue busy pressing into Eddie's mouth, but it's not as if he's going to argue with the other man. He is very lucky, indeed. Maybe there was a point to all his failed relationships, a good reason why things never fully worked out; perhaps what he needed was to find a hopeless romantic just like him, and Eddie is the one. It sure feels like so, as if the final puzzle piece slotted into place the moment they decided to give this relationship a try.
Before Steve is satisfied cataloguing the shape of Eddie’s mouth under his lips, his boyfriend is pulling away, not too fast, but it still makes Steve let out a small whine. He likes what Eddie has to say, even if it comes as a bit of a surprise. It takes him a second to consider if this is just Eddie offering a wild suggestion or something more. It's not the first time he's heard this one, but now it feels more raw and genuine. It makes him want to answer in kind.
Once again, he doesn't get the chance to; Eddie is pressing his mouth over his own before that can happen. And oh, Steve is thoroughly distracted, his body starting to feel all hot under Eddie's enthusiastic kissing. He gives it as good as it gets, only breaking the kiss once they start to run out of breath. He also takes the chance to actually answer. ]
Leaving together, huh? [ Steve cups Eddie's face again, lightly biting at his bottom lip as he thinks about it, eyes flickering from the man's now pink-ish mouth to his pretty brown eyes. ] Going somewhere far away from this place, where we could be ourselves without judgment, without the baggage of Hawkins... That would be nice.
[ It sounds like a fantasy, impossible given the times they live in, but one that Steve would be willing to entertain. Now that things have calmed down and that death doesn't wait for the kids and them at every turn, maybe it would be the right time to start enjoying a normal life. ]
[ Eddie can leave Hawkins. Now that the military is gone and the black cloud that is the Upside Down and everything that comes along with it isn’t looming over them at every step, no one is stopping him. Wayne has encouraged the idea, even, aware that his nephew would be much happier elsewhere, in a place where he can be himself, in a place where his face isn’t still associated with a crime that isn’t his own, in a place that isn’t here.
But Eddie has yet to make that move.Now that the kids are getting older and going their own ways, there’s only one reason that he’s still here, anchored to a place he doesn’t truly feel anything but disdain for, and that very reason has its arms wrapped around him now and his tongue halfway down his throat. Steve has shown no signs of wanting to leave, so Eddie stays put. He works as a mechanic by day, continues to struggle as a musician by night, and never complains…but this town is strangling him, stifling him like a hot wind in the desert, and he knows he’ll die if he doesn’t get out eventually.
He means it every single time he says those words: run away with me. He means it with every fibre of his being, but he’s too afraid that the answer might be no, so he turn it into a joke, or takes away Steve’s ability to respond—but this time is different. Eddie kisses him until they’re both breathless, an he’s not quite sure he believes his ears when they pull away from one another. ]
Yeah?
[ That would be nice.
It would. It would be everything Eddie wants in life, to free himself of the shackles of the tiny midwest town. He leans into Steve’s touch, his dark eyes huge. It’s all the permission he needs to talk more, to breach the subject beyond his initial plea. ]
Where would you want to go…? Forget about money and logistics. Just...I wanna know where you'd go.
[ Steve listens to what people actually mean when they talk, even if they don't think he does, even if it looks like someone's just joking. He wouldn't call himself an expert of psychology or anything of the sort, but looking after the kids—and hell, from personal experience doing the same—he's learned that casual comments or seemingly innocuous jokes have deeper meanings behind them. So he does his best to listen, even if he doesn't always voice his thoughts.
Eddie has joked about them running away before and has made his—very justified—dislike of the shitty town they live in clear, as well as how his uncle would miss him but support him if he left. And now, they're free, aren't they? No more monsters, no more military, no more skeletons in the closet. But the judgment of the townsfolk remains even if they know Eddie killed no one, and that's like poison sinking into the ground and staying there, stopping anything new from growing. Steve understands why Eddie wants… no, why Eddie needs to leave so he can start actually living.
Steve has been stranded from his family for a long while now; they're not the reason why he stayed here. The reason is a group of dipshits that he loves just as much as he loves Eddie, only in a different way. Dustin, Lucas, Max…they're all grown up now, stronger, and they will be graduating in a few months. Robin will be moving away soon too; they have talked about it. They will all find their own paths. Steve knows they will succeed in anything they try to do; they've been forged through fire.
And Steve… Steve is here. But he doesn't have to always be here. He doesn't have to be stuck or worry about clawed hands snatching his kids in the dark, not anymore. He's free, like Eddie. Someone who wants him loves him here or anywhere. They should take advantage of that.
These are the thoughts racing through his mind when the kiss ends and Eddie inquires where he wants to go, and it's not like Steve doesn't have an idea; it's just that it all feels very real for a moment. Kind of scary too. But he wants this; he wants Eddie. ]
Let's...let's sit down to talk. on the couch or in your bedroom, I don't care, but it would be better. [ Steve gives Eddie a smile to reassure him that it's not a bad kind of 'we need to talk' and tugs at his arm to lead him toward the living room, since they've been standing not too far from the door since he came in and got all over each other. If Eddie wants to go to his room, he will follow and sit on the bed. ]
Los Angeles. If we had to chose, I think, I would like to go to Los Angeles.
[ And then, it all comes out. Steve only pauses from time to time to breathe because he worries that if he stops for longer than a few seconds, he will fuck this up. ]
The money and logistics to go there might be a bit of an issue at first; planes are expensive, but we could always take my car and do a road trip of sorts. It would be less than a week. And the city, I've been looking into state laws, and...I've heard it's safer. For people like us. It's legal in that state.
[ Which means maybe not everyone would be coming after them with pitchforks if they were caught. Same-sex relationships not being prosecuted by law in Los Angeles is one of the reasons why Steve has given the city a proper thought, even if he has no illusions that it will be an open-minded paradise. At least it will be better than here. ]
I've read that the music scene there is great. I think one of your favorite bands is from there? Metallica? Max lived in San Diego, so same state; we could ask her about it. [ Okay, so perhaps Steve has been giving all this just as much thought as Eddie; he just kept it to himself until now. ]
We wouldn't look bad with a tan, yeah? [ Steve gives Eddie an insecure smile, but a smile nonetheless. He rubs the palms of his hands over his jean-covered thighs, a bit nervous, simply because he's sitting and can't put his hands on his hips like he would usually do. ]
[ While Steve doesn’t say the exact words, the implication of we need to talk has never led anywhere good in Eddie’s experience. There’s a flare of anxiety in his chest as Steve takes him by his hand and begins to lead him to the couch, but then Steve smiles. It doesn’t erase Eddie’s worries entirely, but it is reassuring enough to smooth them over as the two of them sit, pressed knee to knee.
Eddie opens his mouth to say something, to apologize for even suggesting something so stupid, how could he be so stupid—but Steve is faster, and Eddie falls in love all over again as the words begin to tumble from his mouth.
It’s not just that Steve is in agreement. It’s that he looked into any of that information to begin with, that he knows that Eddie’s favorite band is from the area, or that he knows anything about the music scene at all. It’s that he should care enough to keep any of those things in mind when Eddie has refused to follow up that plea (run away with me) with anything more in the past. It’s the someone should love him that much…Eddie feels his heart swell, and tears prick at the corners of his eyes, a weak smile on his lips. ]
Yeah?
[ His voice is soft, strained as he reaches out to rest a hand on Steve’s cheek, gently turning his face toward him, gazing with wide eyes and an expression that can only be described as reverent. He isn’t naive enough to believe that any place on this earth is heaven, but that sounds awfully close. ]
You’d move across the country for me, Steve?
[ There’s not much keeping either of them here anymore, but it’s still such a big, scary concept: uprooting yourself from the place you’ve spent your entire life. Eddie hasn’t even been out of the state, let alone to the opposite coast, but a fresh start is appealing. Shedding all this baggage the two of them have been saddled with and leaving it behind feels like something they need to do.
He smiles again, fingers toying with the ends of Steve’s hair. This is true love, he’s sure of it. ]
You’d look killer with a tan. Pretty sure I’d just burn and look like a lobster.
[ Steve had had his fair share of terrifying 'we need to talk' moments, which is why he tried to minimize the misunderstanding, even if he did not quite succeed. Poor Eddie, at least the concert didn't last. What Steve hadn't anticipated is the effect his confession would have on his boyfriend, so when he's gently convinced to finally stare back at Eddie, he's taken aback by the glimpse of tears he sees in the pretty brown eyes. It's his time to get concerned for only a split second until he takes in the expression on the other man's face, and his heart almost melts. ]
Yeah. I'd go with you anywhere. [ He repeats to drive the point hom, and tilts his head to press his cheek further against the palm cupping it. If Eddie has other ideas, he will be open to listening to them, but Los Angeles seems so nice. More new, welcoming people; sunny days and the chance to belong to a community, and without the ghost of past bad experiences haunting them.
He leans in closer, one leg now pressed against Eddie's, the warmth of their different points of contact making him feel all mushy, or perhaps it's just that they're sharing a moment. ]
I'll get you a big parasol. One with a Judas Priest logo, if you want, for the aesthetic. [ He grins, feeling giddy at how things are turning out. Maybe they are doing this. They just need to figure out the logistics. There's an awful long way to go, and a bit of a terrifying one, until everything is in order, but this is their first step. ]
I'd like to be here to see the munchkins graduate, though. And if we do this, we will need to break the news to Dustin gently.
[ Because that kid loves Eddie just as much as he loves Steve, and he already went kind of crazy, in the good way, upon learning they were dating. He once heard Dustin calling them both 'uncles.' Steve can't imagine what it would be like to be so far away from the others; it will be painfully lonely at times for sure, but that doesn't mean they won't be seeing each other again. Or so he hopes. ]
Besides, having some months to plan what we need to do is good, right? We could look into a place to stay or some jobs there. I'm never picky about those.
[ People had called Steve many things; some of the more common ones when people were being mean might be "idiot" and "talentless," but he's never been a slouch. We can work on whatever he finds to keep them afloat. Although he would love to find a job that perhaps has something to do with children's education. ]
[ Eddie has no complaints and no alternative suggestions. Los Angeles sounds nice, especially in the middle of a particularly cold Indiana winter, and especially after the last few years he and Steve have had. It would be nice to finally be accepted, to finally avoid judgmental stares and sneers and accusations. It would be nice to finally be able to live again. ]
What? You can’t just stop the sun from shining for me, Steve? I'm hurt.
[ Eddie laughs and quickly dries his eyes, the weight of his anxiety lifting fully now. They’re on the same page, and even if they lack the funds for such an enormous move right now, hey have something to work toward. Just talking about it, accepting that it’s something they can do and want to do together is a huge step. There’s a comfort in knowing that they don’t have to rush anything too. They can take it one day at a time until they’re finally out of this godforsaken town.
Even in a sweet moment like this, Steve’s leg pressed against his own isn’t nearly enough. Eddie leans back until his head and shoulders make contact with the couch cushions. He lets his hand drop from Steve’s cheek, choosing instead to hook his fingers into his shirt to lure him forward along with him. He smiles, eyes wide and bright. ]
Could stick around for graduation then do a summer roadtrip. See what we can find before we make it official. Maybe take Dustin with us.
[ A new start, far away from a town filled with nightmares, with the person he loves? Steve himself could not ask for anything better. They hadn't done anything but talk a little about it, and he's both equally nervous and giddy about it. He can't put a name to the deep fondness blooming in his chest at what Eddie says and how he rubs at his eyes, and he refrains from pointing it out because there's the chance that his own are a little misty as well. ]
Rude to me, I know. I'll have to try harder.
[ It's going to be a big chance, and costly, but as much as Steve will miss the friends he leaves here, he knows they need to seize this kind of opportunity if they can. Besides, it won't be like doing it alone; they have each other, and no matter how it goes, they would be able to say that they at least tried.
He shifts over Eddie after the grab and tug to his shirt, easily moving forward with Eddie's movement backward and making himself comfortable on top of his boyfriend, moving not unlike a big cat.
One of his hands moves up to card through Eddie's long hair, a curl wrapped around his index finger as they talk. Now there's a good idea Steve hadn't considered, but a summer trip would be best to get a feel of the place and see if it's really safe. ]
Perfect plan. Knowing the kid, he would even design some sort of battle plan for us and make a list of places we need to see in the city to make sure it's up to his standards.
[ And it will help soothe Steve's growing ache about the idea of parting ways with Dustin. If the process is gradual, that could help. Yes, he knows that Dustin is probably going to be the most successful and the smartest of all of them in a matter of years, but that's Mom's older brother instincts for you. ]
And we can check then just how roasted you get. I could help you put on sunscreen. I am very good at back massages.
[ Just talking about it is enough for Eddie. It makes it more concrete; something that exists outside of his dreams. It’s terrifying in some ways, exciting in others, and Eddie is sure it’s what he truly wants. He wants to leave this town and its bad memories behind. He wants to finally shake the rumors and accusations and really begin living—with the person he loves.
They can make it work. The months between winter and summer gives them time to scrape some money together, to figure out how to make it happen. To grieve their kids getting older and moving on without them. But for now…this is enough. ]
Uh huh. Pretty sure you’re gonna have to kiss me to make up for it, you know.
[ Eddie may as well have died and gone to heaven, reveling in the closeness of their bodies, Steve’s hand carding though his hair, and the plans they’re making together. He’s clearly content as he gazes up at Steve, his eyes half-lidded and a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. ]
You’re a real knight in shining armor, sweetheart. That sound nice.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
TFLN @ thefreak
Date: 2024-09-29 04:49 pm (UTC)Okay, I guess it was a little bit cool. And now, I'm not going to forget about bats anytime soon, since you immortalized one on my thigh.
[ And also because both Eddie and him have matching torso scars. ]
Ah, sure. Dusting keeps talking nonstop about your concerts; I want to see if they're as great as he claims. I admit I haven't listened to a lot of heavy metal songs. Any recommendations?
tyvm for this
Date: 2024-09-30 02:02 am (UTC)( There's also Eddie's tattoo, which he's desperately trying to reclaim instead of associating it with the worst Spring Break of his life. )
Glad to see that little twerp still thinks so highly of me. I've got plenty of recs, maybe a mixtape might be in order?
No problem o7
Date: 2024-09-30 07:43 am (UTC)[ It's a good attempt, and Steve would understand why Eddie tries to do that. After everything that had happened, Steve just piles one trauma over another and soldiers on. ]
Are you kidding? He never shuts up about you. It's always 'Eddie is so col, Eddie plays so well, Eddie has such pretty hair, Eddie, Eddie, Eddie...'. the kid adores you.
If that's not too much trouble, I'd like that.
no subject
Date: 2024-09-30 08:49 pm (UTC)( Eddie stares at Steve's response and can't help but grin at that. He's glad that after everything, Henderson still likes him. He wouldn't have blamed Dustin for giving him the cold shoulder after nearly dying on him. )
He's still just as bad about you, you know. Of course, I get it now, too.
And it too much trouble. I like making mixtapes.
no subject
Date: 2024-09-30 09:02 pm (UTC)[ Dustin might have been mad at first, but it was all born of worry. He's a loud kid, both in voice and personality, and Steve knows that, but Dustin is also a softie at heart who just cares a lot for his friends. Of course, he still likes Eddie. ]
Uh huh, bit hard to believe after how much the little jerk enjoys sassing me on the regular. [ Then again, that's what little brothers do. Steve isn't even mad, so that's why he adds. ] The kid is as smart as they come, though, he will go to places.
Well I'm nothing special but I'm glad that you don't actively dislike me. I wouldn't be surprised if you did. [ He knows he was an asshole in the past, and even if he's trying to do better now, that doesn't immediately undo all his mistakes. ]
Cool, thanks. I'm putting my faith in your taste of music, Mundson.
no subject
Date: 2024-10-02 03:58 pm (UTC)( And once upon a time he had been envious of that pool. Now, though, it blows his mind that Steve is practically inviting him to use it. )
I mean, if you're offering, then yeah. I might take you up on that.
I never hated you or anything. I was cautious about you, yeah, because your friends were the worst, but I couldn't hate you even if I tried.
( That's the problem with high school crushes. They spring up on you when you least expect them. )
You've got nothing to worry about, Harrington, you're in good hands.
no subject
Date: 2024-10-02 04:40 pm (UTC)And yes, I am. Usually the kids come and mess around, but this time it could just be the two of us. [Oh, that sounded better in his mind. Smoother, definitelly. And less awkward. Shit. How does he fix this?] I mean, if you want a more quiet evening. Dustin and the others always cause a ruckus when they are around.
[Nailed it. ]
Oh. That's great to know. Sometimes it feels like all people see me as is the idiot that King Steve used to be. So thanks, Eddie.
[ Steve is painfully self-aware of the kind of person he was once, and he's honestly trying to do better and amend past hurts. It's not easy to outrun his past self, though, and often it feels like most people will always see him as the worst version of himself, so knowing that Eddie never truly hated him is a relief.
He cares about Eddie's opinion a lot, maybe more than what's platonic in a friendship. ]
You better deliver then, now I have expectations. Musician hands, isn't it? I've been told you're very skilled with them too.
no subject
Date: 2024-10-03 02:38 pm (UTC)( He hasn’t heard about Barb, and that's probably for the best right now.
Just the two of us. Eddie is definitely losing his mind, there is no way Steve actually wants to spend time just one-on-one with him...usually their hangouts at least involve Robin, if not the kids. )
A quiet evening sounds nice. So long as the twerps don't hear about it, we should be able to avoid their inevitable crashing of said quiet evening.
( As it turns out, Eddie has been a tad hypocritical himself. It took making amends with Lucas to reconcile that part of himself who was so adamant that all sports were bad to recognize that so long as one didn't sacrifice that nerdy part, they could enjoy sports if they wanted. It helped Eddie see Steve in a new light, in the end. )
King Steve wouldn't have dove into the lake first. He also wouldn't have dragged my ass out of hell. You're not an idiot, you're probably one of the bravest people I know.
( He smiles at Steve's comment, shaking his head. Oh, the can of worms Steve has just unleashed. )
You think about my hands, huh? I could give you a demonstration, if you wanted.
no subject
Date: 2024-10-03 03:19 pm (UTC)[ Probably for the better. Steve hasn't forgotten Barb, he doesn't think he would ever do, even if he doesn't bring her up like Nancy might have done in the past. Like the rest of his traumatic experiences, Steve keeps that one locked up in a not-so-little box in the back of his mind.
And he loves the teens and Robin, and would quite literally die for them if need be, but even Steve needs a break from them from time to time. And also, yeah, he would like to get to know Eddie better without people getting in the way of whatever that leads to. He doesn't consider that the feeling might be mutual; Eddie might have only started to tolerate him because of their mutual friendship with Dustin, so he's pleasantly surprised by the other man's answer. ]
It could be doable, we just need to make sure they're at the arcade or somewhere similar where they won't miss us for an afternoon.
[ In fact, maybe he can ask Robin or Nancy to watch them and make sure they don't get in trouble, which would mean the adults also won't interrupt Eddie and him. Two birds, one stone, and all that.
It's not the first time Eddie reassures him that he's a better person now or brave, even if Steve doubts it often, but he doesn't know what to do with himself when someone actually compliments him because it happens so rarely...So yeah, he might be looking a little flustered all of a sudden because that smile Eddie shot in his direction is doing funny things to his stomach. ]
You were pretty badass and brave yourself, playing to distract the demobats and then going out to fight them off alone. [ Steve smiles back and then his brows knit together and he gives Eddie's shoulder a nudge. ] But you almost gave us a heart attack! We thought the demobats killed you, so don't pull that shit again.
[ He's not mad-mad, but he had been worried sick when his group had come back from Vecna's house to find Dusting freaking out over a heavily injured Eddie. And now, sometimes, he wanted to reach out and touch Eddie in some way to make sure the guy was still there, safe and alive.
When the implications of their back and forth and Eddie's subjective tone dawn on Steve, that previous fluster on his face turns into a proper blush. And what the shit, he's usually more put together than this. Steve opens his mouth, but when nothing immediately comes out, he closes it again and gives himself a moment to reboot his brain. Then he goes with; ]
Don't make offers you cannot carry out, Mundson. [ Steve says, his tone is casual, half flirting and half daring, and there's a small smile on his lips. ]
TFLN @ satanicpanics
Date: 2025-11-02 01:52 pm (UTC)Hey, it doesn't hurt to double-check.
I can't blame you that much; most vegetables suck. Except potatoes, those are great.
What if I just want to prove you wrong, stat.
[ Steve is now wondering how this conversation got so out of control on his end, but, like. Does he really want to know what Eddie tastes like?
Maybe.
Would it be nice to have Eddie touch his hair, provided that he doesn't yank it (or, with some luck, that he does?)
...
also maybe.
Well, fuck. ]
Is this your weird way of saying you want me to come over because you're bored?
no subject
Date: 2025-11-02 04:48 pm (UTC)[ Eddie is more than happy to let this conversation spiral for as long as it takes. They've reached an amusing position and he's curious to see how far it's really going to go. ]
uh clearly not???
this is obviously weird way of asking you to come over because i want to see you
no subject
Date: 2025-11-02 05:33 pm (UTC)Oh.
[ That is an oddly sweet answer from Eddie. ]
Ok. Do you want me to grab some pizzas on my way there? Just don't ask for a weird one, like Pineapple-jalapeño pizza, or a Pizza-ghetti.
no subject
Date: 2025-11-02 10:29 pm (UTC)dude
fuck you
pizza-ghetti is incredible
it's not my fault you have no taste
but i SUPPOSE pepperoni is fine for your normal tastebuds
no subject
Date: 2025-11-02 10:48 pm (UTC)Buy me a drink first.
Also, no. Pizza-ghetti is one of humanity's most shameful food abominations and probably an affront to God himself. You either want pizza or you want spaghetti; mixing the two is nonsense.
My taste is impeccable, and I was going to get a pizza for each of us. I'll have a Meat Lovers Pizza; now that's a delicious classic. Who doesn't like meat?
[ And despite his complaints, he will get Eddie the damn pizzaghetti. ]
I'll be there in 15 minutes.
no subject
Date: 2025-11-03 03:07 am (UTC)pizza and spaghetti have the same exact flavors steve
it’s a match made in heaven
[ Never mind the textures, but…Eddie clearly doesn’t mind. ]
most vegetarians I’m pretty sure???
leah yeah
let yourself in
maybe i’ll have that drink for you
no subject
Date: 2025-11-03 07:46 pm (UTC)Not true, there are like hundreds of different pizza flavors. And it's all about how weird it is to bite into something pizza-shaped and then end with a mouthful of stringy pasta.
[ Is this really such a big deal? No, but he finds it funny how offended and passionate Eddie can get over these sorts of things. He's no better. ]
...
Fine, you got a point, about vegetarians.
Smartass.
I'm getting in the car, so I won't be able to reply until I am waiting for the pizzas.
But yeah, I'm omw right now.
Oh? Mr. Mundson, are you actually propositioning me?
no subject
Date: 2025-11-03 09:14 pm (UTC)jesus christ it's called CONTRAST
[ There's definitely a myriad of more important things to worry about...but if Eddie is going to get fired up about something, it's probably better that it's weird pizza opinions than music. He'd never shut up if it was music.
He makes good use of Steve’s inability to reply, only sending his next message when he's sure he's hit the road. ]
what if i am??
sorry for the TL;DR
Date: 2025-11-03 09:39 pm (UTC)[ If they argue about these sorts of silly things when they're not worrying about their possible impending doom, Steve is welcoming the chance to just be absurd young men with pizza and music opinions.
And hey, Steve also has a bit of an eclectic music taste. Eddie doesn't want to know the bullshit some people have given him just for listening to Queen. Talk about others not having good taste.
Eddie is correct that he doesn't have time to check the new messages until he's stopped by the pizza parlor and is waiting for their order. And when Steve sees that last text, he almost drops the phone. No way Eddie is actually serious. He's just playing along, and Steve is being silly.
Or are they?
Ever since befriending Robin, he's learned a lot of new things about relationships and people, and hell, maybe a bit about himself that he has never fully admitted. It's all too much to think about on a Friday night; maybe he should text Robin and ask if he's overthinking, but that will make it clear that he is, and oh fucks, Eddie must have been waiting for a reply to his text for longer than 10 minutes now. Godamnnit. ]
Then you'd better put your money where your mouth is.
[ He's going to throw his phone on the shotgun seat, rest his hands on the steering wheel, and bury his face there until the pizzas are ready. And then he will drove to Forest Hills Trailer Park and try not to die of embarrassment in the process. ]
no worries! we love a good tl;dr in this house
Date: 2025-11-04 12:41 am (UTC)His own attraction to men has never really seemed to matter much when he’s never done the whole relationship song and dance to begin with. It’s just always been a thing that existed in the background, vaguely acknowledged but never really interacted with--because this is the wrong place, there’s never been the right person, and there’s always been no time to make it work.
But something has shifted, and now he’s not so sure that the right person hasn't been staring him right in his face for months. Maybe it’s the fact that he almost died, or the fact that everything fucking sucks and he’s never getting out of this godforsaken town and still wakes up to graffiti on his door at least once a week accusing him of devil worship, but he’s feeling bolder as of late. Any shits he ever gave have been thrown well and truly out the window when he sends that text.
And then he immediately wonders if he should backtrack.
He paces and eyes his watch, trying to estimate what the right amount of time to wait is before he proclaims it was just a joke and don’t get too worked up about it, man. How long does it really take to grab a pizza? He’s convinced he’s worn the carpet thin by the time he gets a response, and he scrambles to read it.
Oh.
Okay.
Well… ]
will do ;)
[ He’ll be waiting when Steve pulls up, leaned against the frame of the open door, light pouring out from behind him. If he’s nervous (and god, he is; his heart is pounding and his shaking hands are only masked by the fact that his arms are crossed over his chest), he hides it well, smiling a lazy smile as Steve steps onto the rickety porch. ]
Harrington.
[ He inclines his head and begins to move aside to let him in, but then his gaze falls on the boxes and he lets out a bark of laughter. ]
Did you actually bring me a pizza-ghetti? You’re a real gentleman, huh?
Ah, I'm glad then. ♥ Steve will calm down in a bit. Maybe.
Date: 2025-11-04 01:24 am (UTC)Steve's relationship with men had never exactly been stellar. His own father is an insufferable asshole who is also a cheater. His ex-best friend Tommy was shallow and mean, and for years Steve refused to acknowledge it because he was his closest friend. He doesn't want to talk badly about Billy Hargrove, both because he was Max's sibling and because it's rude to speak ill of the dead, but the guy almost killed him after he spent a whole semester giving Steve the weirdest mixed signals. So, not great either.
None has really felt safe before. Not the way Eddie does.
And Eddie is, well, all the things Dustin assumed Steve liked about Robin. He's funny, smarter than anyone gives him credit for, and more selfless than he himself gives credit for. He can also drive Steve up a wall and get him to act a bit childish, which isn't exactly as much of a downside as others might think. Eddie also couldn't care less about Steve's reputation or who he was supposed to be, not anymore, and that feels so freeing.
And the curly hair is nice. The 'I want to touch it and see how it feels' type of nice. It's hella distracting when Eddie sometimes munches on a strand or plays with it.
Those are the things Steve kept thinking about as he drove to Eddie's place after reading that last text, and it's honestly a miracle he didn't hit a lamp pole on the way there.
Okay, he can do this; he can play it cool. It's all about steps. Grab the pizzas, get in, meet Eddie, do NOT hold onto the pizza box that hard, the sides are getting squished, do not smile like you're having a nervous breakdown... ]
I think that after almost dying, we might have reached the stage where you can call me by my first name, you know.
[ Smiling is actually the easiest part, because he is happy to see Eddie, even if he's got no idea what he got himself into. ]
And yes, I've got you your pizza-ghetti abomination. [ Steve lets out a dramatic sigh; he's learning that shit from both Max and Dustin, but then he's back to smiling and offering the aforementioned abomination to Eddie. ] Well, I do try. Just because it's something I am not used to, it doesn't mean I can't learn to like it too. Some things are an acquired taste, right?
[ He is mostly talking about the pizza-ghetti. ]
let them both be nervous wrecks...it's what they deserve
Date: 2025-11-06 03:14 am (UTC)[ He tilts his head and grins, putting an emphasis on the use of his first name. He does an admirable job at making it all seem easy, smiling lazily like he’s not ready to shake right out of his skin with nerves, but he’s all too aware that if he doesn’t move this conversation on quickly, he’s going to start overthinking everything.
So he gives his racing thoughts no opportunity to get the jump on him. He pushes off of the doorframe and makes a vague gesture for Steve to follow him inside, wandering off into the depths of the kitchen before he can even confirm that he has followed. ]
And, uh, I do call you by your first name all the time, by the way. Maybe, just maybe, I like the variety.
[ His voice comes slightly muffled as he rummages through the fridge. ]
Which is something I don’t have when it comes to drinks, so, uh…will it be beer, beer or…big surprise…beer?
Yup. Finally having a normal experiences instead of being nervous about monsters.
Date: 2025-11-06 07:28 pm (UTC)Eddie's voice and mannerisms make the casualness convincing for sure, which leaves Steve wondering if he's the only one who's always a hair away from a nervous breakdown.
He used to be better at these things, the whole song and dance of flirting and figuring out if the other person was interested. It's something he only did with girls, and he's a bit out of his element here because Hawkins, Indiana, is the worst possible place to test out where your boundaries lie in terms of attraction, but...but. He really would like things to work out with Eddie. If there is anything to work out between the two, that's it.
The other man moving moving gets Steve out of his head and back on track, and he's quick to follow him and place the pizza boxes on the counter once they reach the kitchen. ]
There's nothing wrong with liking variety; it makes life more interesting, right? [ He leans his hip against the counter as he watches Eddie fish out whatever he can find. ] Tsh, well, those are very difficult choices. Maybe beer, I'm not picky.
[ Eddie will find him still smiling when he decides to turn around. Either that, or he will notice Steve looking around with interest before their eyes meet again. ]
This place looks so much better now that there's no portal to hell in your ceiling. I like it; it seems very lived-in.
[ It's an honest admission, even if Eddie's house might look a bit messy and there's a concerning amount of mugs around. It looks like a home. Unlike his house, which mostly looks like an home decor catalog because his parents have a very strict opinion on how things might look for appearance's sake, even if they're never at home. It makes the house very cold and lifeless. ]
no subject
Date: 2025-11-11 07:27 am (UTC)[ He echoes back to him, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. He is an acquired taste, and perhaps not one that many people dare to sample. He’s loud and opinionated and quick to anger, likes his music loud enough to shatter eardrums, talks too much when he’s nervous, doesn’t understand the concept of personal space…and yet his pitiful hope is that maybe, just maybe, Steve Harrington is one of those brave few.
He keeps going back and forth on it. That message—you'd better put your money where your mouth is—it sounded like a challenge, not a denial, but this shitty little backwoods town isn’t the place for a person to be attracted to anything but the opposite sex. And while Eddie couldn’t care less, who’s to say that Steve doesn’t feel differently?
He takes his tie in the fridge, vaguely hoping that he’ll find something in there to make all of this easier. He doesn’t. So he cracks another joke instead. ]
Sorry, I lied. Fresh out of beer. Only have beer.
[ Finally, he collects two bottles and turns to place them on the counter, his heart damn near leaping out of his throat when he’s met with that goddamn smile that might just be his favorite image in the world. Their eyes meet, and Eddie is quick to glance away, suddenly finding a lock of his own hair very interesting. He twists a dark curl around a finger, then slips it into his mouth to chew on. It’s an awful habit, one he’s had since he was a kid, and a clear sign of nerves.
He’s grateful for the distraction when Steve moves on to the state of the house. He pulls himself up to sit on the counter, observing the ceiling above them. ]
Almost seems normal now, right? Like it…like it never even happened.
[ A frown creases his features. Having his home back is fantastic, but he’ll never be able to shake the image of what happened here. It plagues nightmares and day terrors and the thought of just taking off to leave it all behind crosses his mind at least once a day. He’ll never do it, though. Not when it feels like there’s still so much tying him here. ]
Sometimes I think I dreamt it, but…that would be too easy, huh?
no subject
Date: 2025-11-12 11:55 pm (UTC)But it also seems that he works well with those kinds of people too, either by balancing out their extremes with his own personality or by enabling their shenanigans when the moment called for it. Maybe he's not a total lost cause when it comes to relationships, even though he still needs to have a successful one now that he's finally being himself instead of putting up a front to make others like him. ]
Shame, but I think I can handle your beer.
[ What he cannot handle so well is Eddie fidgeting and munching on a strand of curly brown hair, because then his eyes immediately go to it, which means Steve's staring at Eddie's mouth before he realizes he's doing it and hastily looks away. Yeah, that kind of thing can get you punched or worse around here, but perhaps Eddie did not notice.
And maybe Vecna would simply drop dead one day on his own and stop being a problem. Sure, why not?
He can dream. And what was that thing Robin told him one day, about some sort of code to know if people were into the same thing as you? Something about being friends with Dorothy? ]
So, uhm....do you like The Wizard of Oz?
[ Wait, that wasn't it!, and Steve regrets opening his mouth almost immediately. That sounded so stupid.
While mentally chastising himself, and as Eddie sits on the counter, he reaches out to grab both bottles of beer and uses one to open the other, placing the corner or lip of the second bottle's cap under the edge of the cap on the first. A neat little trick he learned ages ago. He hands the open beer to Eddie and hooks the first bottle cap on the edge of the opening of his one bottle, popping the second bottle cap open. He's listening to Eddie as he does it, and his brows furrow in understanding. ]
Yeah, I know how it is. For the longest time, I couldn't even go near my pool, especially at night. Not after learning that one of Nancy's friends was taken by a demogorgon while she was at my house. If only we could get rid of the terrifying memories and scars with some new paintjob. A do over.
[ Steve has one hand curled around the beer, but the other curls slightly over his midsection. They don't hurt anymore, but the wound caused by the demobats has left him with some awful scarring, something Eddie also knows well. He worries about the other kind of scars that are harder to spot and are there nonetheless, less about himself and more about the kid and his other friends, like Eddie. ]
You can talk to me if you need it. You know that, right? Since explain this to people who had no idea what happened is out of the question and all...at least we can have each other's backs.
no subject
Date: 2025-11-13 03:07 am (UTC)[ Eddie isn’t familiar with the terminology anyway, not really moving in the right circles to understand what it is that Steve is trying to ask, even if he had gotten the the phrase right. There’s a lot he could probably learn from Robin; he’s just never needed to know before. He blinks and raises his eyebrows, looking amused. ]
Just curious, or…?
[ He doesn’t chastise him for the odd question, just tilts his head and fails to fight back a fond smile. Steve fumbles more than Eddie would have ever expected someone with a reputation for being suave and charming to fumble, but he finds it almost painfully endearing. He almost feels a little smug, knowing that the side of Steve that he gets to see—the one that’s a little more human and a little less performance for the sake of other people—is one that so many others have missed out on. Their loss, really.
He snorts and gives a little roll of his eyes at that neat little bottle trick. ]
Alright, showoff. Calm down. Wouldn’t want me falling in love, would you?
[ As if he didn’t already fall for him ages ago. It might even be a way to test the waters, to figure out if they’re on the same page, or at least a similar one—if only Eddie didn’t say such things on the regular. He doesn’t allow his words linger between them anyway. He clears his throat, reaches for his beer, and abandons chewing on his hair in favor of sipping it quietly as he observes the perfectly normal ceiling. It feels too normal, like there should be some evidence of what happened, but it’s all been patched and painted and covered up. ]
Yeah, I know, man.
[ Wayne worries, but he’s known his nephew for long enough to know that he can’t strong-arm anything out of him. Eddie is too stubborn for that, and he doesn’t want to burden his uncle more than he already has, so he keeps quiet. Doesn’t tell him that he sometimes aches so bad, he struggles to get out of bed in the morning, or that he’ll forego sleep entirely if he hears so much as a rustle outside, or that he sometimes feels like he did die and that all of this is an unexplainable figment of his imagination.
But Steve—Steve was there too. He’s experienced all of this more than once and, from the sound of it, plenty of sleepless nights and nightmares too. It’s a shared experience and there’s nothing that needs explaining between the two of them, nothing he can say that should sound too outlandish. Eddie frowns, his hand drifting to his torso where a knot of nasty scar tissue lives now, just beneath the thin fabric of his t-shirt. ]
So, uh…you’d let me know if I was actually dead, right? If I didn’t actually get dragged out of there or something?
no subject
Date: 2025-11-13 10:20 pm (UTC)Boy, did they. Okay, Eddie's answer was absolutely not helpful at all, or perhaps Steve missed something when Robin explained this to him. Either way, he's clearly misstepped and feels like an idiot, but because that is not exactly a new feeling for him, he's going to soldier on.
No reason, really. After working at Family Video, I have stupid movies in my head all day.
[He shrugs and takes a sip of his drink in an attempt to look nonchalant, and if Eddie doesn't buy that excuse, perhaps the view of Steve's exposed throat might distract him.] Robin would also like to know there are others like her in Hawkins; perhaps one day she will open up to Eddie as well.
Steve is relieved that Eddie doesn't seem too put off by the odd question. That's another thing he liked about the other man; he knows how to put others at ease when needed, even if that smile is doing funny things to his stomach. He smiles back, because how can he not?
Someone actually liking Steve for who he is to the core, a normal guy who gets a bit awkward in front of someone he actually likes, would be a pleasant novelty. He can still be smooth if need be; that comes easy when he's comfortable with the other person, but his dorky side might also show up more. It's a 50/50 on which side Eddie might find more interesting.
It's just one of the many I know. You should have seen how fast I could shotgun a beer back in the day. It's the reason I no longer have a gag reflex. [ He allows himself a grin, even if he doesn't really miss his time as King Steve. Then, at Eddie's question, he seems to think about it for an actual three seconds, considering if he's reading too much into it, before adding; ] Would that really be so bad? I like to think I could be a pretty decent boyfriend.
[ It's said casually enough that Eddie might simply take it as a joke if he doesn't want to read too much into it, but there's an almost unnoticeable edge to Steve's voice, something in the way he's holding his shoulder now, that seems to show he's asking a legitimate question back. They're both careful, and for a good reason, but Steve starts to think he might not be the only one walking on eggshells around something they're too afraid to voice out loud.
And then the reality they live in, with a parallel dimension and monsters, becomes once again too hard to ignore. Steve doesn't look at the ceiling, instead he keeps his eyes on Eddie to try and get a read on his body language because personal new feelings aside, he does want the best for Eddie and worries about all the shit he had to go through. Not only the demobats and Vecna, but the much harsher reality of seeing an innocent girl murdered in front of you and having a whole town blame you for it,
He might not be familiar with that specific experience, but he is no stranger to post-traumatic stress, to looking for dangers in shadows, and to knowing you can't even tell your family why you jump when the lights flicker or a room feels too cold. ]
You're not dead, Eddie, promise. We made it out, you kept Dustin safe, something I'll never be able to thank you enough for. Just don't tell the little shit, okay? [ As if Dustin already doesn't know that Steve would do anything for him, or any of the other kids. ] And besides...! If you were dead and I am here with you, that would mean I might be dead too. And would a corpse has such fantastic hair as you and me? I don't think so.
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Date: 2025-11-14 06:28 am (UTC)Honestly, he’d be content to just do this all evening—stare and daydream and admire Steve while the two of them simply exist in the same room. It sounds like a good enough night to him, because that’s about as far as this can ever go, right? Maybe he misunderstood that message, because nothing can actually happen between them and Eddie is content to just deal with that and pretend like he doesn’t feel more.
But the it’s the reason I no longer have a gag reflex—that’s what gets him. Eddie chokes on his beer, goes beet red, and covers his face with his hands with a soft murmur of “oh my god”. He sits there for a moment, peering over his fingers with an upturned gaze. One sinful thought alone wouldn’t be so bad, but Steve just has to follow it up with the implication that he could be a decent boyfriend, and Eddie can’t quite pull himself together as quickly as he would like.
Still flushed bright red, he clears his throat and tries to soothe his nerves with another swig off beer. If he had any worries about being dead before, they’re gone now. There’s no mistaking the uptick in his pulse, his heart pounding like a drum in his ears. ]
I, uh…I think I could fall in love with worse.
[ He bites his nails, pausing for just a moment, eyes wide. And then he decides to just go for it, take the leap. He doesn’t have much to lose at this point. ]
Would it be so bad if I did? Fall in love with you, I mean.
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Date: 2025-11-14 10:54 pm (UTC)But all that stops being so important the moment Eddie blushes up a storm, because Steve can see it even with the man covering his face. He's torn between being a little concerned about the sudden reaction, wondering which one of his comments caused it, and then finding it absolutely endearing. ]
You okay there, Eds?
[ He has to ask because he is a good friend who worries; but if Eddie peeks at him from in between his fingers, he will see Steve with his head tilted towards him like a big puppy who's staring at something fascinating and with a little smile on his face. The smile looks more hopeful than smug or anything of the sort; there's in fact a hint of insecurity to it if one looks at Steve's eyes.
Perhaps that was too much? It was too much.
But then Eddie actually answers, still flushed in a way that makes Steve want to crawl in his personal space and kiss each one of his cheekbones. And that is such a wild thought to have about a male friend of all things, but it's not that much different from the ones he's had when he was actually dating and in love with Nancy, so it all feels natural, really. That is probably the scariest part, that he can tell already that he's in too deep.
He's not the only one, if what Eddie is saying means that he's got it just as bad. It gives Steve hope, and it makes him nervous as hell, but he also can't fight the smile that's spreading on his lips. ]
No, it won't be. Dangerous, perhaps, since we live in this shit town, but...I think it all would be worth it. That you're worth it.
[ It's honestly a miracle that he manages to get that out without stuttering or making a fool of himself, but Steve figured that if Eddie was brave enough to give him an honest answer, he deserves the same. Steve doesn't think he's ever felt this nervous or terrified of what might happen since that night in the tunnels with Dustin, when Steve and his nail bat were the only thing between the kid and a pack of demogods. Steve takes a deep breath, hands fidgeting with the beer bottle. ]
I really like you, Eddie. [ And it might sound a little childish and innocent, considering who they were, but it is the best way Steve knows how to express this right now. ] And it's a little scary, but it's the truth.
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Date: 2025-11-16 05:44 am (UTC)He’s thoroughly flustered, however, when Steve says those four little words: I really like you. ]
Yeah…?
[ His hand goes straight to his hair again, tugging on a curl anxiously. His gaze shifts to Steve, eyes enormous and dark as he searches his face for…anything. Any sign that he may be fucking with him or trying to tell a bad joke, any sign that Eddie needs to shut this down before it becomes really bad, but all he finds is honesty. ]
I, uh…
[ He licks his lips, swallows thickly, and shit, he’s terrified. His heart pounds in his eardrums and flutters like a bird against the confines of his ribcage, desperate to be free. Yearning quietly is one thing—the safe thing, but putting it out there in the world…it can’t be taken back after that. But Steve was brave enough to say it, and Eddie…Eddie is supposed to be putting his money where his mouth is, so… ]
I like you too, man. Like—a hell of a lot more than I’ve ever liked anyone, honestly?
[ He takes a deep breath and shakes his head. ]
But it doesn’t—it doesn’t have to be anything, you know? You don’t have to—we don’t have to—I can pretend you didn’t say anything. If you want.
[ He peers up at him with a weak smile, anxiety etched into his features. He wants so badly to reach out and take this for what it is, to pull Steve in by his collar and kiss him absolutely stupid before he can change his mind and laugh it all off, but he just can’t. Because Steve is right—it is extremely dangerous in this shitty little midwest town where Eddie gets harassed just for his long hair and metal music. And that’s Eddie, who couldn’t give less of a shit what people think of him. Steve Harrington, however…popular, handsome, affluent family, known chick magnet.
Eddie can’t do that to him. Softly, he repeats: ]
I can pretend, Steve. It’s okay.
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Date: 2025-11-16 09:19 pm (UTC)All those are things Steve would never have imagined before; he would be thinking about another man, but life throws you curveballs like those. Like when Eddie admits he likes him back, because what are the odds of that? Steve feels himself torn between wanting to beam at Eddie, fidget some more, and hyperventilate, but he managed to keep that last reaction in check. He runs his fingers through his hair to get it out of his face and maybe takes a second to coyly hide behind his hand for a moment. ]
Oh, that's great. I mean, more than great. I wasn't expecting reciprocation, so this is g... [ Don't say great again! ] ...fantastic.
[ It feels a little awkward to talk to him about this when he's still seated, so he stands up so they're at the same eye level and moves closer to Eddie. Steve's just like that, it seems, moving towards uncertainty or possible doom when he should be running for the hills and saving himself a lot of trouble. But Eddie's wroth, as he said, and he's a man of his word. He takes a deep breath, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly as he gulps before speaking. ]
No, that's not okay. You don't have to. We don't…we shouldn't have to do that.
[ He understands why Eddie is offering, and right here is probably the correct moment to decide what to do next, because they do not live in kinder times or around open-minded people. But he also knows what pretending is like; he's done it plenty in the past, even if the situation is different. He doesn't want Eddie to have to do that, like he didn't want Robin to hide from him either. It hurts too much not to be faithful to yourself. He reaches out to gently brush his hand against Eddie, slow enough that the other man can pull away if he wants, making Steve's own wariness evident. He gives a small smile of his own in response to that hesitant one, though, aiming for encouraging. ]
Besides, it wouldn't really change anything, would it? Not for me, at least.
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Date: 2025-11-17 06:56 am (UTC)I know I’m a freak, Steve, but I’m not insane enough to not reciprocate.
[ Steve is an easy man to fall for, no matter how little experience Eddie has with the concept. Handsome and brave and caring and frankly hilarious whether he means to be or not is apparently a dangerous combo for Eddie. But this is neither the ideal place nor the ideal time, and Steve is right, they shouldn’t have to do pretend, but they will, and why should Steve have to navigate the complexities of a relationship like this when he can just find a pretty girl? Any pretty girl he wants. Eddie just wants so badly to spare him everything about this, but…
Eddie closes his eyes, takes a deep breath as Steve moves from the space beside him. He waits for a beat, assuming the sound of the ancient screen door is going to follow, thus leaving him with two uneaten pizzas and a broken heart. But that isn’t what happens. Steve merely comes to stand before him. He brushes his hand against Eddie’s, and Eddie doesn’t pull back. In fact, he carefully brushes his thumb against Steve’s as his eyelids flutter open once more and finally shifts his gaze to Steve’s and—he’s lost. That smile is everything, and he’d happily gaze at it for the rest of his life given the opportunity. ]
It wouldn't change. You'd just be putting a lid on it.
[ That’s one thing. You can hide it all you like but it doesn’t exactly go away. Eddie hesitates. ]
Hey, uh, Steve?
[ His voice comes soft as he scoots forward to the edge of the counter. ]
You know, if you wanted to kiss me, I wouldn’t exactly be opposed.
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Date: 2025-11-17 11:26 pm (UTC)His eyes keep going to Eddie's hands and his long fingers, which frankly look very nice and he wouldn't mind feeling them on him, to the point he's starting to get jealous of the guy's hair. Steve can't help but marvel at the realization of how cute it is that Eddie is being kind of shy over all this. Better that than anger or disgust. Steve hadn't known what to expect; he didn't exactly have plans to ever tell Eddie about his growing interest, but he's glad that he did now, even if everything is still so new and fragile. ]
You're not a freak. You're just...different. That isn't bad, despite what people might tell you. You're fun, you have a great imagination, and you're kind. If that's being a freak, maybe we all should be more freaky on the regular.
[ He seems affronted that Eddie would call himself that, even if it's true that he's heard people call him those kinds of things—and worse—before. It makes Steve feel guilty, too, because his past is filled with bad decisions and condescending name-calling towards people who didn't deserve it, like Eddie, and now he knows better.
His protectiveness came up so fast that his brain didn't register that Eddie said 'reciprocate' until a good long second after the fact. Oh. If Eddie does glance at him, he might see Steve realize that in real time, a little but pleased smile appears on his face, not smug but satisfied that Eddie might like him back.
In this town, yes, they would need to keep up appearances in front of others and pretend so they can keep each other safe, like Robin and Steve already do. He understands and finds it more than reasonable. Hell, if his parents learned that he swings both ways, who knows how they would react; if past fights with his dad were any indication, it would get nasty. Good thing that a) Steve couldn't give less of a shit about what his father thinks and b) they're never around anyway and have all but formally abandoned him in Hawkins, so screw them. But what about lying to each other for fear of what if, now that they know they might have a chance together? That's harder to accept. ]
Exactly. Like with a pressure cooker, and it might still explode in the end.
[ Steve waits after that, allows Eddie to gather his thoughts, and almost expects him to have changed his mind and to tell him to go and leave him alone and not come back because that would be infinitely easier. Steve will leave if that's what Eddie wants, even if it hurts, because he has to respect the other man's decisions. He doesn't realize he's been holding his breath until Eddie's little thumb brush and the following answer feel like they punch it out of him. ]
Yeah...? That's good to know.
[ Because it gives him all the permission he needs, doubts be damned. His other hand cups Eddie's face, the pad of Steve's thumb gently brushing his cheekbone before he closes his eyes and leans in to press his lips to Eddie's. He keeps the kiss light at first, a tentative press of lips as if he's afraid to spook Eddie or himself. Steve's heart is racing like a restless bird, caged within the bones of his ribs, and it's not that much different from how he felt during his very first kiss with a girl. He's just as nervous as he was then, because he's kissing a guy for the first time too, and this is Eddie, and the world isn't ending.
It just feels natural; it feels right. And it's in part because it feels so incredibly normal and good that Steve does what he does when he's kissing someone, which is wrapping an arm around their waist to bring them close and deepen the kiss, with enthusiasm and want leaking through his movements.]
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Date: 2025-11-22 12:53 am (UTC)He hates the idea of having to keep this silent. Someone as loud and brash as Eddie has never felt any need for that in any situation, but he’s not an idiot. He knows that this is different than playing into the Satanism and human sacrifice rumors. In a shitty little town like Hawkins, this could get them killed. It shouldn’t, but it could. That’s what’s terrifying, alongside the fact that they might be found out regardless, and he would very much like to not be the person who ruins Steve Harrington’s life.
But he also knows that the two of them are right. This is something they both feel and apparently have been feeling for some time, and if it hasn’t gone away yet, it isn’t going to. They could probably ignore it for a little longer, deny and pretend like no attraction exists behind their little shared glances, but it’s all just going to build up and explode sooner or later.
So he grants permission. His way of saying that he does want to give this a try, for better or worse. He wants to try to navigate this, so long as Steve does. He tenses only briefly, ready to flee and proclaim this a mistake before it can go any further—but then, slowly, he relaxes. If Eddie had any doubts, they’re all dashed away in an instant. This is right, his brain urges him as he melts into Steve’s embrace. This is right, this is right, this is right. It all just feels correct, even to a man who hasn’t been kissed before at all—Steve’s hand warm on his waist and lips on his own. He could easily swoon if he weren’t already seated.
He’s not a brave man, but he feels a spark of it for a moment. With trembling hands, he reaches up and carefully slips his fingers into Steve’s hair, finally making good on his promise to mess it up. It’s completely exhilarating, and when they part, he looks dazed and flushed, blinking as if the lights have just been flicked on. ]
So, uh…I could get used to that, actually.
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Date: 2025-11-24 05:55 pm (UTC)The kids—teens, really—might not be his direct family, but he gets fiercely protective all the same, and Eddie...he does not see Eddie as family because then kissing him would be weird, but even if these things between them didn't work out, Steve would still care and look after him all the same. They're all a pack now.
He doesn't want to be chased out of town by narrow-minded folks any more than he wants to get eaten by demobats, but his reputation is the last of his worries. Steve is not going to ruin another good thing, another shot at a happy relationship, because of what people might say. They just need to be smarter and not draw too much attention to themselves while still doing what they want. If they managed to keep the mess with the upside down a secret from most of the population these years, this probably can't be that hard, right?
Right.
...
Gods, He has no idea what he's doing, and he is way over his head.
But he knows one thing, and it is the only one that matters. That he might be more than a little bit in love with Eddie, and that the man is just too precious when he blushes to not kiss him senseless.
Okay, that makes two things, actually. Whatever. His brain is busy, and all his attention is on Eddie's mouth, the lingering taste of the beer on their tongues, and how warm the other man is under his touch. He also feels the other man tense up and then relax, so he keeps the kiss deep and slow. Then Eddie reaches out to touch his hair, which is a very good sign that makes Steve hum a little into the kiss out of happiness, like the dork he is.
There's a smile on his lips and a soft look in his brown eyes as he looks at his partner after the kiss, waiting for a verdict. Eddie makes him laugh. ]
Hmmm. You sure? [ One of his hands reaches up to the tips of Billy's hair, and he wraps a curl around his index finger. ] I dunno, maybe you need another try to really vanish any doubts.
TFLN | @ satanicpanics
Date: 2026-01-20 12:30 pm (UTC)[ It annoys Steve; he wishes he could make those voices stop. He tries to ignore them often, but the worry rears its ugly head now and then. He thought they were doing well back then with Nancy, but he had been a fool, and he had tried to cling to that feeling, to how she made him feel—seen for the first time, brave, and sometimes even wanted—for as long as he could. Even when it was clear they wanted different things in life, that they were better off as just friends.
It's better now; Nancy chose her own path, Steve moved on, and he's never been as happy with Eddie as he's been with others, even her. Because it's in moments like this that he gets it, that he knows for sure that what they're doing isn't performative, that Eddie only ever speaks his mind and what he feels. That is true and honest and his. There's no 'sometimes' with Eddie; things just are. ]
Hey there, yourself. [ His hands leave Eddie's waist so he can wrap his arms loosely around the other man's shoulders, pulling him close, a charmed and honestly happy smile on his face as Eddie repeats the words. ]
Hm. I didn't quite catch that. Maybe I need to hear it one last time. Third time's the charm, isn't it? [ Warmth and an obvious hint of playfulness sweep off his voice and body language now. His face is closer to Eddie now, lips almost brushing again. ]
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Date: 2026-01-21 06:18 am (UTC)But Jesus Christ, he doesn’t care if Steve has one self-doubt or a million. He wants them gone. He wants to kiss him stupid until those voices go silent and he never doubts himself again. ]
That’s what they say.
[ He allows himself to be reeled in, eyes half-lidded and smiling, just happy to be in his orbit. ]
I love you.
[ He closes the gap between them, leaning in to steal a soft kiss, and he says it once more: ]
I love you, Steve Harrington.
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Date: 2026-01-25 09:52 pm (UTC)Eddie's honesty is like a punch taking air out of his lungs, but in a good way if such a thing is possible. And it's a lot, it means a lot. Steve is no poet, and never had he regretted it more than in this moment, because he cannot put into words the way all this is making him feel. He lets out a noise—almost a laugh, almost a whimper. ]
I love you too, Eddie Mundson. [ Steve’s fingers curl into the worn cotton of Eddie's shirt as they speak. He grins, sharp and warm all at once. ] I love you more than anyone and anything in the whole world. God, that's so sappy too.
[ Steve meets his eyes for one last moment, expression softening, before he closes them and tugs his boyfriend closer. into another kiss. It's deeper, with more weight, all breath and desperation, lips parting, fingers tightening around Eddie's shoulders. ]
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Date: 2026-01-26 06:35 am (UTC)[ He chuckles and tips his head, gazing softly into Steve’s eyes as he’s drawn into another kiss. He’d never deem anything Steve says or does as too sappy. Nothing he can say can make him cringe or grimace, because Eddie Munson is a true romantic at heart, whether he admits to it or not.
Which is why he melts into the embrace, his own eyes only half-lidded so he never has to stop looking at him, weak at he knees and almost painfully in love. It’s also why he pulls back carefully, just a hair’s breadth away, and murmurs: ]
Run away with me.
[ It’s something he’s said before in other moments of passion, but he’s never given any indication as to how serious he is. Sometimes he laughs it off just as quickly as it’s out of his mouth, and he never begs or explains beyond those initial four words. Maybe he means it, maybe he’s just testing the waters, maybe he’s looking for Steve’s reaction. Either way, he gives him no time to respond. He dives in for another kiss, pouring every ounce of his love and adoration into it. ]
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Date: 2026-01-26 10:41 pm (UTC)Before Steve is satisfied cataloguing the shape of Eddie’s mouth under his lips, his boyfriend is pulling away, not too fast, but it still makes Steve let out a small whine. He likes what Eddie has to say, even if it comes as a bit of a surprise. It takes him a second to consider if this is just Eddie offering a wild suggestion or something more. It's not the first time he's heard this one, but now it feels more raw and genuine. It makes him want to answer in kind.
Once again, he doesn't get the chance to; Eddie is pressing his mouth over his own before that can happen. And oh, Steve is thoroughly distracted, his body starting to feel all hot under Eddie's enthusiastic kissing. He gives it as good as it gets, only breaking the kiss once they start to run out of breath. He also takes the chance to actually answer. ]
Leaving together, huh? [ Steve cups Eddie's face again, lightly biting at his bottom lip as he thinks about it, eyes flickering from the man's now pink-ish mouth to his pretty brown eyes. ] Going somewhere far away from this place, where we could be ourselves without judgment, without the baggage of Hawkins... That would be nice.
[ It sounds like a fantasy, impossible given the times they live in, but one that Steve would be willing to entertain. Now that things have calmed down and that death doesn't wait for the kids and them at every turn, maybe it would be the right time to start enjoying a normal life. ]
I'd go with you anywhere.
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Date: 2026-01-27 06:47 am (UTC)But Eddie has yet to make that move.Now that the kids are getting older and going their own ways, there’s only one reason that he’s still here, anchored to a place he doesn’t truly feel anything but disdain for, and that very reason has its arms wrapped around him now and his tongue halfway down his throat. Steve has shown no signs of wanting to leave, so Eddie stays put. He works as a mechanic by day, continues to struggle as a musician by night, and never complains…but this town is strangling him, stifling him like a hot wind in the desert, and he knows he’ll die if he doesn’t get out eventually.
He means it every single time he says those words: run away with me. He means it with every fibre of his being, but he’s too afraid that the answer might be no, so he turn it into a joke, or takes away Steve’s ability to respond—but this time is different. Eddie kisses him until they’re both breathless, an he’s not quite sure he believes his ears when they pull away from one another. ]
Yeah?
[ That would be nice.
It would. It would be everything Eddie wants in life, to free himself of the shackles of the tiny midwest town. He leans into Steve’s touch, his dark eyes huge. It’s all the permission he needs to talk more, to breach the subject beyond his initial plea. ]
Where would you want to go…? Forget about money and logistics. Just...I wanna know where you'd go.
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Date: 2026-01-27 10:14 pm (UTC)Eddie has joked about them running away before and has made his—very justified—dislike of the shitty town they live in clear, as well as how his uncle would miss him but support him if he left. And now, they're free, aren't they? No more monsters, no more military, no more skeletons in the closet. But the judgment of the townsfolk remains even if they know Eddie killed no one, and that's like poison sinking into the ground and staying there, stopping anything new from growing. Steve understands why Eddie wants… no, why Eddie needs to leave so he can start actually living.
Steve has been stranded from his family for a long while now; they're not the reason why he stayed here. The reason is a group of dipshits that he loves just as much as he loves Eddie, only in a different way. Dustin, Lucas, Max…they're all grown up now, stronger, and they will be graduating in a few months. Robin will be moving away soon too; they have talked about it. They will all find their own paths. Steve knows they will succeed in anything they try to do; they've been forged through fire.
And Steve… Steve is here. But he doesn't have to always be here. He doesn't have to be stuck or worry about clawed hands snatching his kids in the dark, not anymore. He's free, like Eddie. Someone who wants him loves him here or anywhere. They should take advantage of that.
These are the thoughts racing through his mind when the kiss ends and Eddie inquires where he wants to go, and it's not like Steve doesn't have an idea; it's just that it all feels very real for a moment. Kind of scary too. But he wants this; he wants Eddie. ]
Let's...let's sit down to talk. on the couch or in your bedroom, I don't care, but it would be better. [ Steve gives Eddie a smile to reassure him that it's not a bad kind of 'we need to talk' and tugs at his arm to lead him toward the living room, since they've been standing not too far from the door since he came in and got all over each other. If Eddie wants to go to his room, he will follow and sit on the bed. ]
Los Angeles. If we had to chose, I think, I would like to go to Los Angeles.
[ And then, it all comes out. Steve only pauses from time to time to breathe because he worries that if he stops for longer than a few seconds, he will fuck this up. ]
The money and logistics to go there might be a bit of an issue at first; planes are expensive, but we could always take my car and do a road trip of sorts. It would be less than a week. And the city, I've been looking into state laws, and...I've heard it's safer. For people like us. It's legal in that state.
[ Which means maybe not everyone would be coming after them with pitchforks if they were caught. Same-sex relationships not being prosecuted by law in Los Angeles is one of the reasons why Steve has given the city a proper thought, even if he has no illusions that it will be an open-minded paradise. At least it will be better than here. ]
I've read that the music scene there is great. I think one of your favorite bands is from there? Metallica? Max lived in San Diego, so same state; we could ask her about it. [ Okay, so perhaps Steve has been giving all this just as much thought as Eddie; he just kept it to himself until now. ]
We wouldn't look bad with a tan, yeah? [ Steve gives Eddie an insecure smile, but a smile nonetheless. He rubs the palms of his hands over his jean-covered thighs, a bit nervous, simply because he's sitting and can't put his hands on his hips like he would usually do. ]
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Date: 2026-01-31 05:23 pm (UTC)Eddie opens his mouth to say something, to apologize for even suggesting something so stupid, how could he be so stupid—but Steve is faster, and Eddie falls in love all over again as the words begin to tumble from his mouth.
It’s not just that Steve is in agreement. It’s that he looked into any of that information to begin with, that he knows that Eddie’s favorite band is from the area, or that he knows anything about the music scene at all. It’s that he should care enough to keep any of those things in mind when Eddie has refused to follow up that plea (run away with me) with anything more in the past. It’s the someone should love him that much…Eddie feels his heart swell, and tears prick at the corners of his eyes, a weak smile on his lips. ]
Yeah?
[ His voice is soft, strained as he reaches out to rest a hand on Steve’s cheek, gently turning his face toward him, gazing with wide eyes and an expression that can only be described as reverent. He isn’t naive enough to believe that any place on this earth is heaven, but that sounds awfully close. ]
You’d move across the country for me, Steve?
[ There’s not much keeping either of them here anymore, but it’s still such a big, scary concept: uprooting yourself from the place you’ve spent your entire life. Eddie hasn’t even been out of the state, let alone to the opposite coast, but a fresh start is appealing. Shedding all this baggage the two of them have been saddled with and leaving it behind feels like something they need to do.
He smiles again, fingers toying with the ends of Steve’s hair. This is true love, he’s sure of it. ]
You’d look killer with a tan. Pretty sure I’d just burn and look like a lobster.
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Date: 2026-01-31 06:09 pm (UTC)Yeah. I'd go with you anywhere. [ He repeats to drive the point hom, and tilts his head to press his cheek further against the palm cupping it. If Eddie has other ideas, he will be open to listening to them, but Los Angeles seems so nice. More new, welcoming people; sunny days and the chance to belong to a community, and without the ghost of past bad experiences haunting them.
He leans in closer, one leg now pressed against Eddie's, the warmth of their different points of contact making him feel all mushy, or perhaps it's just that they're sharing a moment. ]
I'll get you a big parasol. One with a Judas Priest logo, if you want, for the aesthetic. [ He grins, feeling giddy at how things are turning out. Maybe they are doing this. They just need to figure out the logistics. There's an awful long way to go, and a bit of a terrifying one, until everything is in order, but this is their first step. ]
I'd like to be here to see the munchkins graduate, though. And if we do this, we will need to break the news to Dustin gently.
[ Because that kid loves Eddie just as much as he loves Steve, and he already went kind of crazy, in the good way, upon learning they were dating. He once heard Dustin calling them both 'uncles.' Steve can't imagine what it would be like to be so far away from the others; it will be painfully lonely at times for sure, but that doesn't mean they won't be seeing each other again. Or so he hopes. ]
Besides, having some months to plan what we need to do is good, right? We could look into a place to stay or some jobs there. I'm never picky about those.
[ People had called Steve many things; some of the more common ones when people were being mean might be "idiot" and "talentless," but he's never been a slouch. We can work on whatever he finds to keep them afloat. Although he would love to find a job that perhaps has something to do with children's education. ]
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Date: 2026-01-31 08:26 pm (UTC)What? You can’t just stop the sun from shining for me, Steve? I'm hurt.
[ Eddie laughs and quickly dries his eyes, the weight of his anxiety lifting fully now. They’re on the same page, and even if they lack the funds for such an enormous move right now, hey have something to work toward. Just talking about it, accepting that it’s something they can do and want to do together is a huge step. There’s a comfort in knowing that they don’t have to rush anything too. They can take it one day at a time until they’re finally out of this godforsaken town.
Even in a sweet moment like this, Steve’s leg pressed against his own isn’t nearly enough. Eddie leans back until his head and shoulders make contact with the couch cushions. He lets his hand drop from Steve’s cheek, choosing instead to hook his fingers into his shirt to lure him forward along with him. He smiles, eyes wide and bright. ]
Could stick around for graduation then do a summer roadtrip. See what we can find before we make it official. Maybe take Dustin with us.
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Date: 2026-02-02 09:58 pm (UTC)Rude to me, I know. I'll have to try harder.
[ It's going to be a big chance, and costly, but as much as Steve will miss the friends he leaves here, he knows they need to seize this kind of opportunity if they can. Besides, it won't be like doing it alone; they have each other, and no matter how it goes, they would be able to say that they at least tried.
He shifts over Eddie after the grab and tug to his shirt, easily moving forward with Eddie's movement backward and making himself comfortable on top of his boyfriend, moving not unlike a big cat.
One of his hands moves up to card through Eddie's long hair, a curl wrapped around his index finger as they talk. Now there's a good idea Steve hadn't considered, but a summer trip would be best to get a feel of the place and see if it's really safe. ]
Perfect plan. Knowing the kid, he would even design some sort of battle plan for us and make a list of places we need to see in the city to make sure it's up to his standards.
[ And it will help soothe Steve's growing ache about the idea of parting ways with Dustin. If the process is gradual, that could help. Yes, he knows that Dustin is probably going to be the most successful and the smartest of all of them in a matter of years, but that's
Mom's older brother instincts for you. ]And we can check then just how roasted you get. I could help you put on sunscreen. I am very good at back massages.
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Date: 2026-02-05 05:52 am (UTC)They can make it work. The months between winter and summer gives them time to scrape some money together, to figure out how to make it happen. To grieve their kids getting older and moving on without them. But for now…this is enough. ]
Uh huh. Pretty sure you’re gonna have to kiss me to make up for it, you know.
[ Eddie may as well have died and gone to heaven, reveling in the closeness of their bodies, Steve’s hand carding though his hair, and the plans they’re making together. He’s clearly content as he gazes up at Steve, his eyes half-lidded and a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. ]
You’re a real knight in shining armor, sweetheart. That sound nice.