Relationship: Steve Harrington x Eddie Munson
Fandom: Stranger Things
Rating: Teen and Up
Word Count: 1003
Additional tags: alternate universe—everyone lives/nobody dies – boys in love – fluff – kissing
Summary: Steve can't wait for his shift to end.
Inspired by a beautiful and sweet artwork by @wrecked-fuse.
Read it on AO3
Steve looks at his watch and sighs dejectedly.
“Oh my God, you are killing me here, Steve,” Robin groans while hanging her head and stopping what she’d been doing – rearranging a stack of VHS cases – to hit her forehead against the shelf the cases are on. “Checking the time every thirty seconds won’t make it go by faster, just FYI.”
“Hey, rude. I never say anything but supportive stuff when you’re going on a date with Vicky after work,” Steve shoots back, slightly offended, while shaking a finger at Robin at the same time.
“Maybe, but I’m not sighing every. Damn. Thirty. Seconds and mopping around through my whole shift.”
Steve scoffs, ready to argue that he’s not doing any of that, when his eyes automatically return to his watch. He’s about to sigh again, but stops as he realizes what he was going to do and meets Robin’s eyes with a sheepish smile. She only lifts an eyebrow with a snort that clearly says I told you so.
“Alright, fine. But we haven’t seen each other all week.”
“He was here just yesterday.” Robin waves a hand around to indicate the whole store.
“Yeah, but…” Steve ducks his head and scuffs the toe of one shoe against the floor. “Is it enough for you when Vicky stops by, but you can’t be close to her?” He asks with a hopeful glance at his friend.
Robin’s shoulders slump as she looks to the side and to where she’d talked to Vicky earlier, the counter – and other reasons – unfortunately separating them in public.
Steve smiles softly at her expression. She might complain and tease him, but they’re in the same boat. If someone understands what Steve’s going through, then it’s Robin.
“I’m going to the other side of the store until we’re closing,” she says decisively, putting back the stack of cases where they belong and walking through the store.
Steve laughs at the unspoken, So I don’t have to hear you sigh again.
Unfortunately, customers start trickling in an hour before closing time, resulting in the last one leaving nearly fifteen minutes after Robin has switched the OPEN sign around to make sure that no one else comes in. Steve has to hold back from frogmarching the indecisive man out of the store, before he turns the lock and runs into the staff room.
He comes out a few minutes later, dressed in a pair of light blue jeans and a black Iron Maiden t-shirt.
Robin looks him up and down with an amused expression and an inquisitive nod towards the t-shirt. “Do you even know who they are and what they sing?”
Steve gives her his best deadpan stare, but his eyes travel to his chest, nonetheless, a worried crease forming between his brows. To be fair, Steve’s knowledge on heavy metal isn’t the best. He’s discovered several bands recently, enjoying some of them, but maybe this is too much, even if he’s going to a concert tonight?
“He’s gonna love it,” Robin says gently, and Steve snaps out of it, his eyes meeting hers.
He scratches the back of his head self-consciously and nods with a small smile. Then he looks at this watch again and curses under his breath.
“I-”
“Just go,” Robin snorts and rolls her eyes fondly while making a shooing motion. “I can close without you.”
Steve grins and grabs his car keys from under the counter and runs out the door. He makes it to Forest Hills in a short time, small rocks flying through the air as he hits the brakes on the dirt road and comes to a stop in front of a trailer. He steps out of the car, only to see the door to the trailer fly open and Eddie jump out of it. Steve quickly walks to meet him, his mouth opening with an apology for being late on the tip of his tongue, but Eddie crashes into him and kisses Steve soundly, his hands on Steve’s hips. Surprised by Eddie’s unexpected action, Steve has his eyes still open and is able – at least as much as he can with their proximity – to see Eddie’s closed eyes and happy expression. A tender smile forms on Steve’s lips, his hands rising to settle over Eddie’s sides, while his eyes slowly fall shut, and he kisses Eddie back with the same enthusiasm. It’s soft with a hint of longing and something more, their lips moving together and their tongues teasing the other lightly.
Steve rests his forehead against Eddie’s after the kiss ends, a dopey smile on his face. But Eddie isn’t looking any different from Steve, so it’s fine. And anyway, Eddie is looking too damn cute to ignore and not keep close, with his hair pulled in a messy bun at the base of his head and his infamous denim jacket thrown over a white t-shirt.
“You sure this is alright?” Steve asks with a small jerk of his head in the direction of the other trailers, wondering if someone saw them, but he's not stepping away from Eddie either way.
“Nah. It’s too dark here.” Eddie shrugs and pointedly pecks Steve on the lips again.
Steve slips his arms further around Eddie and puts his head in the crook of Eddie’s neck.
“Sorry, I’m late,” Steve breathes as he presses a soft kiss to the skin under his lips.
“Don’t sweat it, we still got time if we leave right now.”
Eddie pulls slowly away, clearly reluctant to do so, and leans into the trailer to grab his stuff. He grabs Steve’s hand, before he stops as he finally seems to notice Steve’s choice of clothing. A broad but fond grin appears on his face as he nods approvingly.
“That’s some badass shirt, Harrington.” Eddie resumes tugging Steve towards Steve’s car with a chuckle.
Steve smiles brightly as he eagerly follows. He never lets go of Eddie's hand as they drive through the night in the direction of the concert.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Okay so this whole scenario is a weakness of mine: what if Billy was there with the russians with Steve instead of Robin? Like, the POSSIBILITIES alone!
(And here, a short intermission to show off this fucking perfection of an art piece by @wrecked-fuse which I love with my whole goddamn heart and which is kinda relevant to this trope!)
So yeah, this fic is short and sweet and PERFECT, because it paints a whole scenario where it’s the two of them down there, going through this together, and somehow it’s so easy to imagine. This, and everything that must happen afterwards.
Like. I will readily admit that I’m a whumper at heart, so honestly, the boys getting beat up together? I’m loving it. But there must be comfort afterwards, and this has it!! This has EVERYTHING: caring about each other, worrying about each other, getting drugged with each other and confessing feelings to one another.
It’s a fucking deLIGHT to read, like a bite-sized piece of perfection, and I highly recommend it.
