It takes one bite for Eddie to suspect he's done something wrong. A second bite confirms it. He's fucked up somehow and cannot for the life of him remember what it was.
Did he miss an important date of some sort? It couldn't have been their anniversary because that's August 13th (Eddie's new favorite day of the year, for obvious reasons). He absolutely didn't miss Steve's birthday. Not with how long he and Robin had spent planning the damn thing. (Eddie is never throwing another surprise party in his life; the stress of secret keeping was too much to bear.)
... Did he miss Robin's birthday?
No. That can't be. Steve would never let him miss that.
It could be one of the Party's birthdays, but Eddie doesn't think that's a transgression that would warrant this.
This, of course, being his peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
"What, your peanut butter's gone bad?"
Eddie lifts his eyes from the proof of Steve's anger at him to his coworker, Charlie, sitting across the table from him in the closet that Thatcher claims is the break room. "No. It's much worse than that, I'm afraid."
"Well, don't keep me in suspense," Charlie deadpans.
"This sandwich wasn't made with love," Eddie whines, looking back at the sandwich with as much sorrow as he can muster. He sets the sandwich down on the baggy he had pulled it out of so that he can frown down at it without having to touch the offending creation.
"Ah shit," Charlie says, voice filled with empathy. This is why he's Eddie's favorite coworker. He gets it. Possibly because he's the only person who's tasted the difference for himself, back when Eddie'd just started at Thatcher Tires. "What'd'ya do?"
"I don't know!" Eddie wails. "Everything was fine when I left this morning, or I thought it was anyway."
"Ain't your misses pretty good at lettin' you know you done fucked up?" Charlie, like the best coworker that he is, looks surprised that Eddie doesn't know what he's done. He's right, too. Steve is the goddamn king of petty, and Eddie has never struggled to know when Steve's mad at him. The struggle usually comes from Eddie refusing to be in the wrong.
(That's not to say that Eddie is always in the wrong. He's not. Sure, a good percent of their arguments Eddie is the one at fault and he's mature enough to admit so once the argument is over, but it's not always his fault.)
Anyway, the point is, regardless of who's at fault, Steve is angry at him about something and for the first time in months Eddie doesn't know what for. They'd promised each other, after their first very big fight that almost ended in a breakup and was over a misunderstanding, that they would tell each other why they're mad or upset or feeling some type of way. So for Eddie to not know...
He thinks he might have fucked up big time.
"I know!" Eddie cries, shoving the sandwich away from him to make room to drop his forehead onto the table, then turns to smoosh his cheek against the table so he can look at Charlie. "Charlie. Charlie what do I do?"
Charlie blows out a long breath, thinking, before he gives a decisive nod and says, "you gotta beg forgiveness."
Eddie knows Charlie's right. He doesn't know what he did but he's going to beg forgiveness anyway.
Which is how he now finds himself in the small floral section of the grocery store looking over the sad, wilted bouquets after work. His arms are already full with Steve's favorite ice cream, candies, an over-priced little blue teddy bear that's holding an 'It's A Boy!' card that Eddie plans to rip off, and a blank card with a painting of sunflowers on it that he plans to wax poetry about Steve inside.
The final part of his groveling is, of course, the flowers. It's the wrong season for sunflowers, so Eddie was going to settle for roses. It's just that these roses are all sad looking. They don't really scream 'I Love You More Than Anything Else In The World, Please Forgive Me For What I've Done' though.
Let it never be said that Eddie doesn't know how to beg forgiveness.
He ends up picking the least wilted looking bouquet, one with white and yellow flowers he can't name.
The cashier is an older lady who takes quick catalogue of his items and asks, "is it your anniversary, darling? Or, oh!" She picks up the blue bear and Eddie feels his ear heating with embarrassment as she coos, "are you expecting? How exciting!"
"Err, no, not, uh, no. It's just blue is hi-her favorite color, so I was planning to just cut off the little card," Eddie stutters out the lie. Blue isn't Steve's favorite color but Eddie's used to making up many little lies when talking to strangers. Being hate-crimed is not a passion of Eddie's. "I, uh, messed up. And I don't know what I did, but I'm going to make it right."
The lady smiles at him and gives him a firm nod as she scans the items. "Smart boy. I'm sure she'll forgive you."
Eddie gives her a smile he hopes isn't as tight-lipped as it feels on his face.
Back in the safety of his van, Eddie roots around until he finds a pen and gets to writing all the things he loves about Steve in the card and all the things he hopes they'll get to have in the future. Nothing they haven't spoken about before, but it still makes Eddie a little emotional writing it all down.
Once he's done writing, he pulls his pocket knife out and cuts off the 'It's A Boy' card from the bear, crumpling it up and tossing it in the back of the van to be forgotten. He shoves the sunflower card in it's place. His card is a bit wider than the previous one here so it stays in place, albeit precariously. He'll be careful handing it over to Steve.
He knows that Steve is at home already. Steve's always home first because he's off work at four compared to Eddie getting off work around five.
Well. Closer to five-thirty today with his stop at the grocery store. He really hopes that whatever has Steve mad at him isn't time related. Being late home without calling might earn him no favors if it's a time-based blunder.
Steve is in the kitchen, back to the door since he's facing the stove, as Eddie expected he might be. Which means that Eddie doesn't get to lay out all his Items of Forgiveness across the counter like he had hoped but that's okay. If the love of his life has chosen to forgive him, he knows Steve will be just as overjoyed to rifling through a bag of goodies as he would to pick them off the counter.
"Hi sweetheart," Eddie says, words oozing with adoration and sweetness.
"Hi baby," Steve's tone matches Eddie's, like an instinct to match Eddie's energy has written itself into Steve's DNA. And it might have. Eddie knows the reverse is true.
Steve turns from the stove, then, and his face lights up with delight and surprise. "What's all this?"
"Your favorite things, because I love you," Eddie says, raising his arms a bit. The grocery bag is looped over his wrist with flowers in one hand and the bear in the other.
Steve looks positively smitten.
Eddie is nailing this apology that isn't an apology. And let it be known; he cannot say he's sorry. It'll ruin everything. Because Steve, his wonderful, beautiful, kind and loving Stevie, will cock one perfect little caterpillar eyebrow and ask if Eddie knows what he's apologizing for, and Eddie will have to say he doesn't know and that isn't something he's willing to do. Especially not when it's looking like whatever Steve was mad about has completely slipped Steve's mind, too.
"I got your favorite ice cream, too, so we might want to get that into the freezer," Eddie says, passing the bear and card to Steve and shimmying around him to get to the freezer.
He lays the flowers on the counter and sets to emptying the bag. Ice cream in the freezer and goodies on the counter, while Steve reads the card silently behind him.
He knows he's successfully made up for whatever it was he had done, because Steve crowds him against the fridge shortly after setting the card down and turning the stove burner off, kissing him breathless.
Eddie even gets desert before dinner, with Steve all but dragging him to their bedroom.
There is an AITA out there that I can't find but it's been haunting me for weeks with visions of semi-angsty Steddie that I need to release onto the world. (If anyone happens to know what I'm talking about hit me up and I'll link it)
Edit: @jazzathebunny found the original AITA from Reddit linked Here for anyone who wants to read it. I'm definitely not doing exactly the same premise but this was my jumping off point š
Part Two!
------
Modern AU, Eddie and the guys are a moderately successful local band in the Chicago area playing gigs on the weekends and doing small tours whenever they all have the time. Gareth and Jeff are both in college while Eddie and Freak are both working part-time at a game store. Eddie managed to lock down that assistant manager position that lets him work 30 hours a week with weekends off for gigs. All in all, it's a pretty sweet deal and they can't complain.
Eddie had sworn off dating after a small handful of disastrous relationship attempts in their first year in the city. He dismisses any advances from people who attend their shows and tries not to think about how much he wants to make a genuine connection with someone and have something real. He's been burned one too many times to try and make something with someone he met in a bar or at work.
He knows the guys talk about it behind his back sometimes, he catches Jeff and Gareth fervently whispering to each other and stopping when they catch him entering the room one time too many to not suspect they're talking about him and he can't think of anything else going on in his life that they would feel the need to whisper about.
The fervent conversations take a slight uptick one day and about a week and a half after they do, Gareth hits him up and tells him he wants to set Eddie up with a guy from one of his classes. At first, Eddie is skeptical and cites all the reasons why he doesn't want to try with anyone right now but eventually, Jeff jumps in to plea the case and Freak jumps in on top of that and under the combined weight of his best friends he agrees to meet up with this Steve guy.
The guys set up the whole thing and before Eddie knows it it's Saturday night and he's wearing his best black jeans and a gray button-down, untucked, to go on an honest to God blind date like his life is some low-budget romcom.
Steve is not at all what Eddie thought he would be. Not the kind of guy he thought his friends would pick out for him given they know he usually goes for other alternatives like himself. Steve, who is shyly waving him over and getting out of his seat to great him, is the very epitome of prep. Well-fitted polo, light blue chinos, and what Eddie assumes this guy thinks are casual loafers. He's handsome to be sure, a 12/10 at least with perfect hair and defined biceps but Eddie is fairly sure he's being punked.
But, Eddie doesn't want to be rude so he goes to meet Steve at the table, confirming just in case that he's actually here to meet with a guy named Eddie. Steve gives him a bit of a confused look, saying that Gareth showed him a couple pictures of Eddie before he agreed to meet and figured he'd done the same for Eddie off Steve's Instagram. Gareth had, in fact, not done anything of the sort but they both dismiss it and get on with their date.
In all honesty, Eddie is expecting it to be a complete wash, but it turns out that even if Steve is not at all what Eddie would have previously said what his type, Steve is damn near perfect. He's funny, kind, a little bitchy, and even though he proves himself to be every bit the sports nerd he looks like he doesn't turn his nose up at Eddie's own much more classically nerdy interests. By the end of the date, Eddie has a new type and that type is Steve Harrington. He's quick to lock down a second date for the next weekend which Steve happily agrees to. They exchange numbers and Steve gives Eddie a chaste kiss on the cheek that has him floating all the way home.
Steve texted him that next morning letting him now he had a great time and is really looking forward to their next date and Eddie thinks this might be the start of something big for him. When he gets to practice he's clearly still floating on cloud nine and in his own little world designing their marriage invitations and matching tombstones so he doesn't notice the sly grins on his bandmates' faces.
"So...how'd it go last night? Everything you dreamed it would be?" Gareth asks, a strange glint in his eyes that Eddie doesn't clock.
Eddie goes on and on about how nice Steve was and how he might be The One, thanking Gareth profusely. Freak looks pleased for him, giving him a hard pat on the shoulder in congratulations but when Eddie finally tunes back into the real world he's greeted by Gareth's livid expression and Jeff's overly concerned one.
He asks the guys what the fuck is up and it turns out that Gareth and Jeff set this whole thing up as a prank of sorts. Eddie was never supposed to hit it off with Steve who Gareth selected specifically because he's a "totally brain-dead prep" and as far away as someone could get from Eddie's previous relationships. He was supposed to be someone Eddie could go on a date with and not form a connection with without getting completely burned at the end like all his previous relationships in the hopes of getting him out of his slump.
Jeff was in on it as well. He wanted to get Eddie back out there, so when Gareth presented the plan he sat in on a couple of Gareth's general credit business class sessions to help pick the guy out.
After Jeff and Gareth finish explaining he does a complete 180 and just...leaves. In any other situation, he would be raging and verbally tearing his friends a new asshole but instead, he completely disengages and walks out the garage door, ignoring his friends' shouts to come back.
He goes back home, socked and hurt and so very confused about how the hell he found himself in this position when his phone lights up.
Has there been a Steddie Dancing With the Stars AU?
I want Pro Steve and Celebrity Rock Star Eddie tearing it up and falling in love.
Eddie who walks in with a confident air but trips over his feet in their first dances. Steve who has been doing this for too long but doesn't know how to do anything else. Eddie goes from prideful to vulnerable as he realizes that nothing about this is going to be easy and Steve can't help but go all in when he sees the man hiding behind the arrogant mask. Eddie's popularity keeps them safe while Steve runs a tight ship never sacrificing his choreography and holding nothing back while he molds Eddie into the dancer he knows he can be. By week four they have gone from the bottom to the top of the leader board.
I want a media storm as people watch their rehearsal packages and start to notice the undeniable chemistry brewing between them. I want silly boys who don't realize they return eachothers affections. They leave it all on the dance floor.
And the dances! I want the steamiest Argentine Tango ever to Tango. I want a Viennese Waltz with Eddie in a full ballgown and the judges in tears. I want a Dedication Week where Eddie sings the musical track and talks about his gratitude for his Uncle Wayne. And I want a finale Paso Doble with so much passion and fire that it culminates in an unintentional yet inevitable first kiss.
Eddie who teaches Steve to lighten up and ultimately reignites his passion for dance. Steve who teaches Eddie to master both his body and his mind.
My dream for the election is that itās definitive. I want a 2012-style Election Day where everyone built it up beforehand to possibly be close but then the results start rolling in and it was like āOh, nevermind. Itās obviously Obama. Everyone go to bed.ā
I just want voters to put a stake right through the heart of Trumpism so that it crumbles to ash before our eyes. Thatās the dream.
The person who knows Steve the most is Tommy. The party is annoyed every time they are confronted with this fact, because sure. They know Steveās favorite songs and his hair care routine, but Tommy knows that too. He also knows that Steve is allergic to aspirin.
Nancy and Jonathan are standing in the middle of Melvinās arguing about painkillers because neither can remember what Steve asked for, and decide to just grab one. They all do the same thing anyways, right? Wrong.
Nancy barely has the bottle off the shelf when itās grabbed out of her hand, āWow, Wheeler. Breaking his heart isnāt good enough? You wanna kill him now too? Get Tylenol.ā
Steve calls Dustin up and is kinda whiny until he agrees to go to his house and watch movies. He doesnāt want to do this. He makes it clear that he doesnāt. Like, an hour and a half in, thereās a knock at the door.
Itās Tommy with a birthday cake that his mom made and insisted he drop off. Dustin didnāt even know it was Steveās birthday. Theyāve known each other for two years.
Tommy is roaming the shelves as Family Video, rolling his eyes about Steve befriending Eddie āThe Freakā Munson and a band geek and how loudly they are just dicking off at the counter. Theyre snacking on brownies Robin brought in, and then he hears a wheeze.
Then panic. Then the thump of a body on the floor. Then without even thinking, heās pulling an epi-pen out of his pocket and jabbing it into Steveās thigh. Of course his āfriendsā have no idea about his peanut allergy. Of course.
Steve has the presence of mind to blurt out, āIs that expired?ā
āI donāt freaking know!ā Tommy snaps, and then snaps his fingers in front of Steveās face when his eyes start to droop. āHey, stay awake until the ambulance gets here.ā
āAmālance?ā
āYeah, the ambulance,ā He says, turning to Steveās friends. āYou did call an ambulance.ā
And Eddie and Robin are like, āYesā as they slowly back up to go do that.
Steve is nonchalantly browsing the chips, waiting for Eddie to return (who in all honesty is probably getting the bag of sour gummy worms Steve already said they couldn't grab).
Steve feels a tug on his shirt. He smiles as he turns, expecting to see his boyfriend but-
Steve looks down at the child staring up at him. "Uh hi?" Steve looks around the empty aisle," Where's your parents bud?" The kid shrugs, but points to Steve's shirt," Tiger."
Steve's faded shirt from his freshman year of high school, now the most soft and comfortable after years of wear, does in fact have a tiger. "Yeah, sure is. Who-" the kid cuts Steve off with a loud roar. Steve can't help but chuckle as he crouches down to be on the kid's level.
Steve is fully focused on this kid, trying to find whoever the kid should be with. When he stands back up, he holds his hand out to the kid, who tentatively grasps his hand. The kid continues to roar and talk about tigers.
Meanwhile, Eddie has watched most of this exchange. Seeing his beloved boyfriend talk to this random child, the concern on his face? Eddie watches from a distance as Steve finds the mother, who was freaking out (understandably).
Eddie can't help but watch as Steve says hi to the baby in the stroller, laughing as the baby reaches out and grabs his finger. Steve says goodbye to the family, roaring back at the kid, who lights up.
Eddie can't help but think how good Steve is with kids. How good of a parent Steve would be. Which, started innocent, but then Eddie's mind jumped to the process of how a child comes about.
And now all Eddie can think about is how he's gonna give Steve one. He doesn't give 2 shits about biology, Eddie's putting a baby in that man.
Eddie keeps trying to take Steve on a date but Steve keeps bringing Robin with him because he thinks itās a group hang. Eddie begs Nancy to get up the nerve to ask Robin out to fix this problem, and she does.
Heād known his parents didnāt love him since he was a young child. Heād known that the girls he casually took on dates and occasionally fucked didnāt love him. Heād known Tommy and Carol didnāt love him like friends were supposed to. They all loved his reputation, sure, but not him. It was easy though because he didnāt love them either.
Heād loved his parents once, a long time ago. Back before they were practically strangers, but that love had been the obligation of biology. Heād thought he loved Tommy and Carol, but it had all been too surface level and focused on popularity.
He had loved Nancy though. He finally found someone he could start to be his true self with and he loved her and he thought she loved him, onlyā¦only she didnāt.
He couldnāt blame her. After a while, when the same thing keeps happening, you kind of have to look for the common factor in all those loveless relationships and see what the real issue was. Simply putā¦
Steve was just unloveable.
Maybe it was his past. Not that heād actually been a bully or anything, heād actually shut down a lot of bullying even among his then-friends and teammates, but he had been kind of self-absorbed. Or maybe it was just the fact that he wasnāt as smart as the people he found himself surrounded by. Maybe it was just the fact that he wasnāt anything special, not at the end of the day.
Except he could take a punch.
And slowly, he found people that did love him. The other kids might tolerate him, might like him, but Dustin genuinely loved him, he knew that. Dustin was his original ride-or-die. Dustin might be a little shithead that constantly treated Steve like he was stupid, but he was like his brother. And Dustin also make him feel amazing and wanted and loved.
And then there was Robin. Most amazing of all really was that Robin loved him. His Platonic soulmate. His other ride-or-die. She saw him at his lowest and saw him at his highest, was there for him when he had stuff he didnāt want to drop on a teen boy who should be worrying about pimples and bad hair days, not interdimensional monsters and evil wizards. Robin made him feel loved too, even if she also sometimes teased him a little too sharply.
There was also Max of course. Heād been surprised at receiving a letter from her too, back when Vecna had been after her. Heād read it, back when sheād been in her coma. She hadnāt said she loved him, but it was there in other ways. The big brother she should have had all along.
So yeah, okay, Steve was loved. But it was platonic. It was friends, his new kind of family even, but it wasnāt the love heād always wanted and never had. He just accepted the fact that people didnāt love him that way.
Which was why, when he realized he was in love with Eddie, he just sighed and accepted it and never changed anything in the way he interacted with the other man. He didnāt bother telling Eddie because he knew there was no point. Besides, Robin called him out on it, said he was being so obvious about his feelings, but Eddie never said anything too.
So okay. Steve was in love with Eddie, but Eddie wasnāt in love with Steve. Eddie also didnāt treat Steve any differently despite knowing that Steve loved him. After all, if Steve was so obvious about it, then Eddie had to know too already, right?
So Steve watched Eddie come out to them, had nodded along when Eddie nervously explained what bisexuality was, having already had his own crisis before though he realized heād never officially come out either. But then if his feelings for Eddie were so obvious, he figured he didnāt have to, so he didnāt say anything and let Eddie have his moment.
And it didnāt matter that Eddie liked guys. He still couldnāt love Steve, so Steve just accepted it and let it be. He didnāt flinch when Eddie mentioned meeting a guy in the city, was even downright friendly when Eddie eventually brought the guy around to meet everyone.
It hurt, of course, but Steveās feelings were his own problem; he wasnāt going to let the fact that he was in love with one of his best friends make things awkward. Eddie was nice enough that he never told Steve to knock it off when Steve got a little too touchy with him, though Steve backed off in his own when Eddie seemed a little panicked about it sometimes.
Steve was even there for Eddie when Eddie came over crying because he and guy broke up. He wouldnāt tell Steve why they broke up, not entirely, but eventually Steve learned it was because Eddie had feelings for someone else this entire time.
Steve wondered who it was, but in any case he just hoped Eddie got to be happy with them eventually. He later told Eddie one day when Eddie was over that he was a great guy, obviously, and anyone Eddie liked would be a lucky person. He hoped he didnāt sound judgmental about it, didnāt want Eddie to think he was being petty or whatever, but Eddie just looked sad again and left soon after.
Steve knew he had a problem about being too much sometimes. It had pushed Nancy away, and every girl heād tried to date afterwards never really liked him enough either. It was still just his reputation and his hair that got him dates, not who he was himself. That was fine. Temporary companionship was better than nothing he supposed.
And life continued, and Steve kept loving Eddie, and he was content that Eddie let him love him, even if there was no hope of it being reciprocated.
And then Steve went on a date with a guy.
It wasā¦okay. The guy was a lot handsier than Steve would like, and kind of boring when compared to Eddie, but Steve just shrugged and figured that at least itās be someone elseās hand this time. And it was okay. No great spark or anything. More of a glorified one night stand than anything, but it was fine.
He knew he needed to get out dating again. Girls and guys. His love for Eddie wasnāt abating at all, so he couldnāt bring himself to actually date anyone, but he could do hookups.
Which was how Eddie found him one day, mouth around some guy at a bar in Indy because they had forgotten to lock the bathroom door. Oops. It was a little annoying though that Eddie looked as upset as he did. He appreciated the fact that Eddie didnāt call him out for his unwanted feelings, but it wasnāt fair that he thought Steve shouldnāt be able to move on.
They got into a fight.
They never exactly said what they were fighting about with words, but Eddie yelled at him for having unsafe sex, while Steve yelled at him for being a hypocrite, and then Eddie yelled at him for leading the guy on, and Steve said that that was a bit rich coming from him.
And Eddie was yelling and yelling and yelling about who knows what, telling Steve he shouldnāt be having random hookups in bathrooms when he wasnāt even gay, and Steve yelled that bisexual men can have bathroom hookups too, and that seemed to surprise Eddie for some reason.
In any case, it caused him to shut up for long enough for Steve to angrily tell him that just because Steve loved him, it didnāt give him the right to tell Steve what he could or could not do, especially when he knew Eddie didnāt love him back.
And thenā¦
āYouā¦you love me?ā Eddie choked out, his eyes wide as he stared across the dark alley outside the bar, where heād dragged Steve after catching him on his knees.
Steve rolled his eyes, jutting out one hip to place a hand on while the other hand ran aggressively through his hair. It was started to rain while they were in the bar, a light drizzle that was slowly weighing down their hair, not that either of them paid it any mind.
āJesus, Munson, are you really going to make me listen to the whole spiel again?ā He rolled his eyes, throwing his hands up in frustration. āThis is bullshit, Iām bullshit, my love is bullshit, yadda yadda yadda. Or are we going the other way? The sad puppy eyes and the fact that you like someone else and it could never be me? I already know all this, Munson.ā
Eddie continued gaping at Steve like a fish. It was starting to make him vaguely uncomfortable. Eddie shook his head, long strands of hair whipping wetly around him. āH-how long have you loved me?ā Eddie whispered.
Steveās frown deepened. āI donāt know, man. You probably clocked it before I even did. I just barely realized like a year and half ago.ā
Eddieās eyes bugged further. āYouāve love me for a year and a half?ā he asked incredulously, making Steveās frown turn from annoyance to confusion.
āYou already knew this, Eddie.ā
āI most certainly did not!ā
Andā¦oh. Oof. Okay. Steve grimaced and held his hands up suddenly in a surrender sort of way. āYikes. Okay, well, this doesnāt have to change anythiāā
āThis changes everything!ā Eddie exclaimed in what others might cause a shriek.
Steve winced, taking a step back and hitching his shoulders up to his ears. āEddieā¦Eddie, please, cāmon,ā he tried to reason, feeling dread settling in the pit of his stomach. He was suddenly remembering all the times heād invaded Eddieās space, how many times heād flirted back with Eddieās fake flirting, thinking it was okay because the other man knew how he felt.
Fuck. Fuck, heād fucked up again.
āEddie, I know you donāt love me, okay,ā he rushed to say. āI know you can never love me. I get it, okay? Iām not trying to force you to feel any way or anything. Just like with Robin and Nancy, the fact that I like you doesnāt have to change anything.ā
āNotā¦Steve,ā Eddie said, reaching up to grip and pull at his own hair as an incredulous laugh escaped him. āSteve, I fucking love you.ā
Steve tried not to let that hurt. He knew Eddie probably didnāt get how much him saying that pained Steve since it wasnāt the kind of love he was talking about, so he wasnāt going to get upset at him over that.
āI know,ā he sighed, slowly letting himself relax his body posture. āI know you love me in a friend way. And thatās enough for me, really! I love you like a friend too, so the fact that I alsoāā
āNo Steve,ā Eddie cut in again, and while he seemed exasperated, a wide smile was also starting to curl over his lips. āRobin was right and you really are a dingus. I mean, yes, I love you as a friend, but Iām also in love with you. Romantic styles.ā
āIā¦ā Steve blinked. He tried to understand Eddieās words but they didnāt make sense. āWhat?ā
Eddie snorted out a laugh, and the smile curled on his lips stretched out into a grin. He took a step closer. āIām in love with you, Steve Harrington. I have been sinceā¦hell, probably since you went all Ozzy on me. But definitely since I woke up in the hospital to you holding my hand.ā
Steveās stomach swooped. āI donāt understand,ā he said, and even to his own ears there was a small whine there. āYou donātā¦people donāt love me,ā he pointed out. āThey canāt. Thereās something about me that just makes it impossible.ā
Eddie scoffed, reaching out once he was closer enough to curl his fingers in the sleeves at Steveās biceps. They were both now well and truly wet from the rain, but neither of them paid any attention to it at all.
āNow thatās bullshit, Harrington. Youāre so fucking easy to love. As a friend and as somethingā¦more. I love you, Steve.ā
Steve wanted to deny it again, wanted to say that that was impossible, becauseā¦because heād never heard those words. Sure, Dustin and Robin told him they loved him, but romantically? Even Nancy had never told him that in those words. Not even in a lie. He couldnāt fully comprehend that he was hearing them now.
āFuck, Steve,ā Eddie breathed, his hands moving to cup Steveās jaw. āIām going to spend the rest of my life telling you that. Youāre stuck with me now, big boy.ā
And then Eddie kissed him.
Eddie was true to his words. He told Steve he loved him every single day, told him with his words and his actions and when it was legal, he told him again in front of all their friends and found family when he made a vow as a his husband.
And Steve? Well, it took a while for him for actually believe it, but nowadays? When Eddie kisses him good morning every day in bed, whispering his devotion, and every night doing the same, telling Steve heāll see him in his dreams? Wellā¦
Steveās used to being loved. And he spends every day loving in return.
~
Hi hello I have no idea what this is but I just started typing and then I didnāt stop until this was completed lol
Steve always liked to watch girls' faces as he got the right angle, pushed in slow, and filled them when they were relaxed and welcoming.
Loved seeing that pleasure on their face, surprised it could feel so good.
He never realised that he was also envious.
Envious of their pleasure, of the way they breathed the words, full and good and deep in his ear. A small part of himself, that he had never examined, wanted to know, what it would be like to be that overwhelmed by pleasure.
To be full.
Steve Harrington's life was full sure. Full of stuff. Full of things.
Yet he'd never actually felt full. It was never enough. No matter the presents his parents bought him. No matter the alcohol he drank. No matter the friends he collected.
Nothing ever made him feel full.
Sometimes he got close. When his heart swelled two sizes larger around Nancy. Or when Dustin and Robin fell into his life.
His chest tight. His heart full.
But there was still something missing.
Something he craved. Something deeper.
Then Eddie Munson has stomped into his life, one bottle and one demon at a time.
This man so full of life, bursting at the seams with it.
Steve found himself yearning to touch, to see if he could siphon some off for himself. To see if he could find out why or how.
Yearn turned to touch and touch turned intimate and Steve felt that little part of him, the one that was envious of all those girls, start to claw out.
Every graze against his body was like a flame licking at his skin. Burning a path, filling his heart, feeding his soul.
The yearning crows loudly now, screaming almost, a howl in his chest. More he wants. More he needs.
When Eddie asks, shakily, hands trembling where they grip at Steve's neck, shoulders, body, "Howā¦ Do you want toā¦ Which way do youā¦"
Steve knows.
"Fill me, Eddie," he says, half a demand, half a need. The monster in his chest is braying to be free and he needs it so badly that he almost wants to flip Eddie over and take it for himself.
Steve has never been more sure. Never been more desperate for something in his life.
This feeling, this fullness. He wants it. And he wants it from Eddie. The man so full of life it overflows.
"Please Eddie, please please please, I need you," he tries, he begs.
Eddie cups his face, full in his hands, rings pressed against Steve's cheeks, "Shhhh baby, okay, I've got you. okay,"
Steve wants to cry, he doesn't know why, he just knows he feels so much he wants to explode.
Doesn't stop shaking until Eddie's fingers are sliding along his cheeks. They're slick with Vaseline, warm with Eddie's heat, but lacking the rings. Steve doesn't even know when he did that. So focused on writhing against him, trying to get him inside.
He's slick, wet between his skin, fingers catch against a place no one except Eddie has ever been and Steve exhales as Eddie's finger presses inside.
"Oh."
Eddie's breath is hot against Steve's cheek, but Steve's too focused on that finger, wiggling its way inside him.
"Oh Sweetheart, do you like that?"
Steve can't speak, doesn't know what to say, it's a weird sensation but he likes it. He loves it. He wants more, Eddie's finger is delicious inside him, invading his body.
"More please," he asks, breathless, demands gone, Steve is soft.
Eddie pressed his face against Steve's, groaning. "Sure, course baby, shit you're so sweet like this."
Steve's not sure he's ever been sweet. No one's ever called him that. Nice. Handsome. Pretty even. But not sweet. It makes him melt.
"Please Eddie," he whispers. Eddie is close enough for it to be loud. The finger leaves him, makes him whine, but is quickly replaced with two fingers, massaging little circles against his rim. The delicious pleasure a tease.
"I've got you, Stevie, just relax,"
And Steve does, exhales again as Eddie slides two shaky fingers inside him, wincing only when a bit of nail catches, but it's soon soothed over by the fact that Steve is that little bit fuller.
He's getting filled.
That's what he wants.
He pants, puffs of breath leaving his lips as he adjusts to the feeling of two solid fingers inside him. Eddie pumps them, slowly, like he's feeling around Steve, like he's touching him inside and the thought alone makes Steve shudder in delight.
Fingers twist and squish against his insides and Steveā¦
He loves it. He loves it so much the sounds leave his mouth unbidden. They're pornographic, high and reedy in a way he's heard from the girls in the porn Tommy watches. He never thought he'd make those sounds.
"Eddie Eddie Eddie Eddie,"
"Yeah, god, fuck, you should see yourself baby, you really like that don't you, like my fingers inside you, are you sure you've never done this before?"
Steve cries out, "Noooo," pathetic and whiny but he doesn't want Eddie to think that.
"No? Oh no? Your first time taking fingers and you love it, guess you're just built for this Stevie, built to take my fingers huh," Eddie teases, fingers now gliding smoothly in and out of Steve, a steady fucking pressure.
"Yeah. Fuck. Yeah, Eddie, only you. Made for you,"
Eddie growls, Steve's pretty sure it's the most animal he's heard Eddie including the time he wrestled Gareth for the last cookie. "Oh sweetheart, sweeeetheart. You can't just say that, can Iā¦ Can I Steve? May I enter?"
Steve wails. It's all he wants.
Eddie's fingers leave with a schlop sound, and he tugs Steve down by the hips. Steve goes, unable to move his limbs, and just lets Eddie manoeuvre him, pushing and pulling and moving and flipping his legs over his elbows.
Eddie looks down at him, then down at his hole, then back at Steve.
"Fuck I love you," he says, just as the head of his cock presses against Steve's rim.
"What?" Steve gasps out.
The head pops in and there's ringing in Steve's ears. He can't see, doesn't see, he's gone blind. There is a cock in him. All he can feel is the thrumming in his hole.
Eddie's cock is in him. It feeds in slowly, Eddie steady as he pushes. Every inch is slick with vaseline, and every inch makes Steve full.
This is what he wanted.
Love love love love
Full full full full
His ears are ringing and Eddie is panting and his head, his heart and body are filled with love. He is full.
And Steve cums.
He cums and cums and cums and he still feels full.
Steve Harrington who doesn't die. No matter what, he'll wake up afterwards. He learned it young when he survived a car crash that killed his mom. And he struggles after her death, not knowing why he survived when she didn't. As he grows up, he can't relax and parties to try and be full of something lighter. But he drinks too much at one party and he doesn't have a good friend to rely on.
As time goes on, Steve dies by Billy and by the Russians. He doesn't really understand but he begins to accept it. But he also becomes more careless. Which is how Eddie finds him.
Eddie had been able to see ghosts since he almost died from his dad. The first ghost he ever sees is his mom and she passes on after getting to hug him goodbye one last time. After that Eddie sees the few elderly people who died at the end of their lives. And the people who died too early. He got stuck as the freak for all the times he's accidentally talked to someone who wasn't there.
He had talked with Benny who was worried about that young girl. Barb who was so mad about being left behind by her friend. But he hadn't seen Will Byers and it made sense when he was found eventually. But he did hear some things from the agents stuck at the middle school who looked torn apart. Eddie learned of the Upside Down earlier but promised Wayne he'd stay out of it.
Until he saw Steve sitting on the edge of the pool, looking at his body floating in the water. There was some blood swirling in the water and it made Eddie sick. But Steve just stared blankly at his own body before sighing and standing. He froze when Eddie locked eyes with him. He glanced at the pool than Eddie. "Hmm," he gave him a small smile and moved past him.
"Wait!" Eddie called afterwards and Steve paused, "aren't you, like, I don't know needing something? Most ghosts-"
"Oh," Steve chuckled, "this won't last much longer." He stated and walked away but before he even reached the door back into the party he blinked away. Eddie let out a scream when Steve's body spasmed and his head flung up out of the water. There was still blood on the side of his face but he was alive. Steve groaned as he pulled himself out of the pool. "See," his came out hoarse and Eddie was just so confused.
I know for a FACT that one night Steve and Robin saunter into the bar where Eddie and Chrissy work to get their groove on at an advertised karaoke night.
Eddie hates working these nights, having to listen to drunk college kids butcher good songs, or even worse, butcher bad songs. He tries his best not to pay attention, but when Robin and Steve start singing Unholy (on key!) he finds he canāt help listening.
And when Robin starts the Sam Smith part with a gorgeous rasp he looks over to see Chrissy mesmerized. He smirks and rolls his eyes at her, planning on teasing her all night.
But when Steve breaks in with a āmmm daddy, daddy if you want it drop the addāyā Eddie pops a boner while his jaw hits the floor.
Fortunately for them Steve and Robin have been trying to find a way to hit on the hot bartenders since they moved to the city.
Eddie likes his walk home from work. He makes his way through the grove along the small river. It clears his head and lets him relax. When he reaches one of the many little bridges he has to cross he suddenly stops in his tracks. Someone is standing up to hip in the middle of the small river. You couldn't pay Eddie to dive into the silt but also it's the end of October?? Part curious, part worried Eddie steps closer.
The guy in the water is still completely dressed in what looks like slack and a by now very see through button down. His hair is dripping and his entire body is shivering. That doesn't stop him though from diving back into the water only to resurface an impressive amount of time late, looking frustrated and cursing quietly.
"Can I help you, man?" Eddie calls out to him and the guy spins around. Even in the dim evening light Eddie can make out the most beautiful hazel eyes.
"I'm getting a divorce," the guy calls back, like it explains anything.
"So you're what? Drowning yourself?"
"I'm not drowning myself," the guy snaps, "I can't find the fucking key."
"The key?" Eddie asks, confused before it hits him. The small bridge he is standing on is aching under the weight of all the padlocks chained to it by newly-weds who watched one too many travel documentaries about Paris and think this is the Pont des Arts. Well,
Eddie can admit that it's kinda cut to buy a padlock, engrave your initials on it, lock it and throw the key into the river, but it's also kinda cheesy and stupid if your marriage doesn't last. Case in point. The guy looks like he is about to dive in again, which is even more stupid there is no way he is going to find a key, let alone the right one.
"I can help you," Eddie blurts and the guy just glares up at him.
"You gonna come dive with me?"
"No, but I can....," Eddie hesitates and bites his lip, "I can pick your lock."
It's not something to just reveal to strangers. Especially with his aesthetic Eddie knows what it looks like. Eddie learned how to lock-pick at the tender age of eight though, when he wanted to become a magician and then he tried to pick locks just to see if he could. The guy in the water thankfully doesn't point and scream criminal!! He just gives Eddie a considering look.
"Alright," he says and gets out of the water. His wet clothes cling tightly to his body and for a second Eddie forgets how to speak because holy shit divorce dude is ripped. He shakes himself out of his stare but he is pretty sure hot guy noticed if his amused smile is anything to go by.
"So, which one is it?" Eddie asks and the guy points at a cheap, golden padlock that has SH + TH engraved on it. Not even a heart, just the letters.
"Think you can open it?" the guy asks and wraps his arms around his body.
Eddie takes a closer look. The lock is, shit he is gonna crack that baby open in no time.
"Yeah, for sure, this is quite a cheap look, so easy work," he says and takes out a hair pin before he gets to work.
"Figures he'd get a cheap lock," the guy mutters before his teeth start chattering. Without really thinking about it Eddie takes off his leather jacket and hands it to the guy.
"So you don't die of hypothermia before you can get your alimony," Eddie says and goes back to picking the lock. The guy looks very greatful and quickly slides the jacket on. Eddie very pointedly does not look because he know the sight will only distract him further. "If you get alimony."
"Oh, I will," the guy says and pulls Eddie's jacket tighter around himself. "The fucker cheated on me."
"Is he stupid?" Eddie gawks because holy shit how do you cheat on a guy like this? It makes the guy laugh and once again how the fuck do you cheat on him?? Just for that sound alone Eddie would recite vows and he never really saw himself as a marriage person.
"Yeah, he is pretty fucking stupid," the guy snorts and watches as Eddie's nimble finger work on the lock. After a very short time Eddie can feel the last bolt of the lock give way.
"So, are you SH or TH," he asks as he twists his hair pin one more time.
"SH," SH says with a soft smile. "Steve."
"Eddie," Eddie says and finally opens the lock.
"Holy shit, you did it," Steve gapes.
Promised you," Eddie grins and hands the lock over. "And I do keep my promises, sweetheart."
It feels almost symbolic that Eddie was the one to open their 'wed-lock' when he takes Steve home later that night. When they get married they don't engrave a lock. Instead, Eddie carves their names into a young tree. So their love can grow with it. They still like to pass the tree when they are old and grey, and run their wrinkly fingers over their initials, framed by a heart.
