He drops it in his locker.
Friday at 7 sharp, he’s locking his van and knocking on the Harringtons’ front door.
It swings open to reveal Steve, blush high on his cheeks. “You made it,” he says, almost breathily.
Eddie grins. “I said I would, didn’t I?” He steps closer. “Hi, sweetheart.”
“Hi,” Robin Buckley agrees. “Let’s come inside before the whole neighborhood has to watch you play tonsil hockey.”
Eddie chuckles. “R,” he says, and holds out his fist.
Robin blinks at it for a second before she remembers. “The biggest, gayest fist bump!” She exclaims, bumping his fist with hers. “Okay, now come on, into the living room, I finally got the set list down and I’m not waiting on you bozos to start the party.” She drags them to the living room, where Eddie sees Nancy, Jonathan, Vickie, and…
“Miss Cunningham,” Eddie grins, bowing to kiss her hand. “Looking lovely as always.”
“Eddie!” Chrissy grins, pulling him up and into a hug. “I didn’t know you’d be here!”
Eddie chuckles. “Where else would I be? Prom?” He grins wide, and Chrissy laughs.
“Ah, only the man of the hour.”
“Oh, this is years in the making,” she laughs, pushing him back over to Steve. “Don’t let me steal you away from him!”
Eddie lets himself stumble over, almost falling before Steve catches him. “Hi, sweetheart,” he grins. “I think I just fell for you.”
Steve grins wide. His eyes are barely slits. “According to your letter, you fell for me a while ago.”
“Maybe so,” he acquiesces. “But now I know you. Really know you.” He finds his feet, offers Steve a hand. “May I have this dance?”
“You dance?” Steve grins, accepting Eddie’s offer.
“I… shuffle,” Eddie admits, grinning when Steve laughs. “But I can follow if you lead.”
Steve grins. “That’s not what your hanky says.”
Eddie is delighted. “You looked it up!”
“A while ago, actually, yeah. You’re not exactly subtle, flagging in Hawkins.”
Eddie shrugs. “If I have to, I can play it off as being a metal thing. James Hetfield wears one, too.”
“Metallica frontman. The point is that I have an alibi if I need it.”
“Have you ever needed it?”
Eddie laughs. “In Hawkins? Hell no.”
“How about in Indy? How do you know what you like?”
Eddie hums. “Some reading, and some… hands-on. Not as much as you’d think.” He grins wryly at Steve. “Most guys take one look at me and assume I’ve got the wrong side.”
Steve frowns. “That’s stupid. They think you’d go to all the trouble of getting a hanky just to forget which pocket you should put it in?”
Eddie shrugs a shoulder. “It happens. I do have some experience, though.”
Steve grins at him. “I’m glad one of us does, yeah.”
“And you? How do you know what you like?”
Steve blushes. “A lot of nights with a zine and my right hand.”
Eddie laughs. “We’ve all gotta start somewhere. What did you discover?”
Steve’s blush is permanent now. “Kitchen?”
Eddie leads him there. “How about a drink first?” He suggests. “I’d get you a water but I don’t know where anything is.”
Steve giggles, grabs two bottles. “There’s beer in the fridge that you’re welcome to, or Nancy brought punch, but I’d be careful.”
Eddie dips a glass in for a little taste and nearly gags. “Christ, what is that, paint thinner?”
Steve snorts. “Just about. You don’t want to get on her bad side.”
“No kidding.” He wipes his mouth, rinses out the glass, and accepts the bottle Steve offers. “Yikes,” he murmurs, causing Steve to snort.
He leans on the island. “So?”
“So,” Steve agrees. “Um. I’d like it if you would take more control. Not- not be mean. I don’t like being called names or put down in any way. But, um. I do like some pain. You-you can, um, slap me around a little? And-”
“Sweetheart,” Eddie murmurs, “you seem nervous.”
“I’ve never actually, uh, said any of it out loud before.”
Eddie crowds into his space, absolutely delights in the way his eyes go half-lidded and his blush takes over his face. “Then how about we try something else?”
