6. Something You're Scared to Smother

“It doesn’t make sense,” Eddie shook his head in disbelief. “I checked this thing like three times. It wasn’t there.” He looked up at Robin earnestly from where he was crouched over the magazine drawer. Eddie had just been looking for a mag on his shift, and there it was. Stuck back in the middle of the pile. “I’m positive.”

“So they put it back?” It was the only explanation, but neither of them understood why. “That’s… so stupid. It proves that someone took it in the first place.”

“See? Told you it’s Colton,” Eddie grabbed the magazine and examined it freely, the store dead empty. “Steve’s an idiot but he’s not that big of an idiot.” What Eddie was looking for, he didn’t know. Maybe a sticky note that said ‘Taken By: Blank.’

“Mmm…” Robin hummed skeptically as Eddie began to flip through the pages, leaning back against the counter. “I dunno…”

“What?” Eddie scoffed, glancing up at her. “You think Steve’s gay?”

“Not strictly,” Robin shrugged. “I mean… are you really telling me you’ve never considered the possibility?”

Eddie paused his idle investigation for a moment. Obviously, he had, and quite hopefully. But he had been sure to crush those hopes as soon as they were born. And managed to keep them at bay for a year or so. Then Vickie’s birthday party happened. It’s been about two weeks and Eddie still wasn’t sure what to make of that night. Whether it be Steve’s overly-affectionate drunken state or, more agonizingly, the feelings it stirred inside Eddie, he was at a loss to define anything.

“Definitely considered it when I found out about Raiders and Grease,” he attempted a casual shrug, returning his attention back to the magazine. “Every once in a while I reconsider, but ultimately… I land on him being ‘straight.’”

“I’m just sayin’ don’t rule it out,” Robin said, wiping down the counter with a rag and spray bottle. But Eddie wasn’t listening, instead his eyes were focusing on the binding of the magazine. Close to the center, as if done with care but clearly not enough, there were small tufts of a torn page.

“Robin,” Eddie snapped his fingers softly, still examining the rips. When she turned to him he held the pages open, allowing her to see. On either side were raunchily clothed men– if one could still call it wearing clothing. More like a small scrap of sheer, tight fabric covering part of their dicks. “They tore a page out,” he smirked.

“Well done, Sherlock Holmes,” Robin teased. “You found out the person who stole it is– shocker– still gay.”

Eddie made a face, muttering to himself, “I thought it was impressive.” He continued to flip through the pages.

The bell jingling had him jolting upright, frantically shoving the magazine into the cubby behind the checkout desk. And thank god he did, because none other than Steve Harrington walked in.

“Hey,” he nodded at them, brows furrowing at Eddie. “See a ghost recently, Munson? What’s wrong?”

“Uh…” Eddie and Robin shared a brief glance as he fabricated an excuse. “I smoked before work. Thought you were Brenda and got a little,” Eddie raised both hands and shook them like tambourines. “Jumpy.”

“Which is it this time, Steve,” Robin thankfully moved the conversation along. “Raiders or Grease?”

“Very funny,” Steve said flatly. “Neither. I called like three times in the last hour and no one answered… which, with Munson’s explanation, makes a little more sense.”

“I stand strong in my decision to ignore those calls,” Eddie deadpanned.

Steve ignored him. “The children are demanding my home for a game night–”

“And you caved immediately–” Robin cut in.

“As usual,” Eddie promptly added.

“Christ,” Steve scoffed with a stunned chuckle. “Tear me apart, why don’t ya? I was about to offer you free snacks and games– but I guess I’ll go fuck myself.”

“When’s the game night, Harrington?” Eddie asked, bypassing Steve’s dramatics.

“Told ‘em they had to wait until Colton and Brenda are working so you two could come,” Steve said with a shrug.

“This Friday,” Eddie supplied, having checked the schedule at the start of his shift.

“Is that a yes?” Steve smiled expectantly as round eyes looked between Eddie and Robin.

Eddie shrugged, “As long as it’s not D&D, I’m in. I’m still making a PC for Will’s upcoming campaign, and Wheeler won’t stop nagging me.”

“Robbie?” Steve turned his pleading to her. “Vickie can come.”

“She’s actually gonna be out of town with her parents this week,” Robin informed. “But I guess that means I have nothing better to do.”

Steve fist pumped goofily, Eddie snorting at his enthusiasm. “I’m gonna go tell Henderson,” and with that he headed back out, bell jangling as he did so.

Eddie and Robin chuckled amongst themselves. “Definitely the demeanor of someone who hates babysitting,” Eddie commented sarcastically. He slid the magazine out from the cubby and rolled it up before tucking it as far into his jacket pocket as he could, placing it back over the stool. All thoughts of who stole it in the first place momentarily forgotten.

+++

“Munson,” Steve sighed in relief as he opened the door. Yelling could be heard in the background, Dustin was definitely one of the voices, the other sounding like Lucas. “Thank god. So, now the demons are staying over and Robin bailed last minute.” He opened the door more and gave a frazzled gesture for Eddie to enter.

His eyes were wide in that stressed-mom look he got around the kids, and his hair looked like he had been running his hands through it in frustration. “Glad I had the foresight to bring beer,” Eddie held up the six-pack as he came in, the arguing growing louder. “Why’d she bail?”

“Her mom got her sick apparently,” Steve informed, leading Eddie into the living room where, sure enough, there were six teenagers.

“Eddie!” Dustin looked up enthusiastically. “Who do you think would make a better DM; Tolkien or George Lucas?”

Eddie paused his route to put the beer in Steve’s fridge. Mike was the one to ask, too-excited for Eddie’s liking, “Is that beer?”

“Not for you, it’s not,” Eddie said firmly, Mike’s face falling in disappointment. Eddie turned back to Dustin, he and Lucas pausing their bickering for Eddie’s answer. “And Tolkien, obviously. High fantasy was kinda his whole thing, don’t know if you noticed.”

“See!” Lucas exclaimed, turning back to Dustin with animated eyes. El, Max, and Will were watching from the couch in amusement. “Told you! And Eddie’s actually a DM.”

“You two have no imagination,” Dustin said flatly, looking between Lucas and Eddie. “Imagine a campaign in a space setting– already insanely cool– and then it’s run by George Lucas? Also, I resent the fact you say I’m not a DM. I ran that one-shot over Christmas.”

“Which was a nonsensical dumpster fire. A fun dumpster fire, but a dumpster fire nonetheless,” Lucas was brutal with his critiques, but Eddie often admired the level of honesty. And Dustin never really took it to heart, knowing that Lucas didn’t have malicious intent. Anyone who knew Lucas Sinclair for longer than half an hour knew he was blunt, but didn’t have a genuinely mean bone in his body.

Eddie leaned in to speak only to Steve as the two boys continued to argue. “Let’s leave them to tire themselves out for a second,” he muttered, Steve promptly leading them to the kitchen.

“Did you have that much energy at fifteen?” Steve asked, opening the fridge for Eddie to store the beer.

“I don’t think I’ve had that much energy since grade school,” Eddie supplied as Steve shut the fridge, leaning against it and letting his head fall back.

He let out a long sigh, closing his eyes. “Just two minutes. I’ve been alone with them for an hour.”

“Don’t act like you don’t enjoy it,” Eddie smirked, leaning back against the island across from Steve. He opened his eyes, raising his brows at Eddie. “You constantly have them over, or drive them around. If you hated it so much you wouldn’t do it so often. I mean you’re letting all six of them sleepover, for fuck’s sake.”

“It’s called love, Munson,” Steve scoffed. “I grow three more gray hairs every time I see them but…” Steve shrugged, looking vaguely uncomfortable with the subject matter. “Not seeing them for a while is weird.” Eddie felt an almost floaty feeling in his chest. It was nice to hear Steve talk about people he loved.

“And they’re only sleeping over so I don’t have to drive them home at midnight,” Steve raised his brows again, more pointedly this time. “You’re welcome, by the way. You would’ve been driving half of them.”

Eddie chuckled at this. “Where are they all sleeping, anyway? Don’t you only have one guest bedroom?”

“Please. You think an expert babysitter such as myself didn’t think of the sleeping situations of a co-ed sleepover?” Steve placed a hand on his own chest, his face one of exaggerated disappointment. “It hurts when you underestimate me. The girls get the room, and the guys can spread out in the living room. I got an air mattress.”

Eddie held his hands up in mock defense. “My apologies,” he continued in a teasing tone. “How could I possibly make up for such transgressions?”

It was a rhetorical question, but Steve answered anyway. “You could start by staying over,” he gave Eddie that begging-puppy look. “Gonna need someone to help take them home in the morning, anyway.”

Eddie groaned. “I don’t wanna sleep in jeans, Harrington,” he gestured to his ripped black jeans.

Steve shrugged. “Then don’t. Borrow something of mine,” a coy smile twitched onto his face. “C’mon. You know you can’t say no to me.”

“Wow,” Eddie scoffed in disbelief, a smile stretching his own face. “Conceited, Harrington. Very conceited.”

“But…?” Steve bit his lip, eyes boring impishly into Eddie.

He rolled his eyes, still smiling. “Fine. But tell your ego it’s for the kids, not you.”

“Ouch,” Steve said. “Feel like I just fast-forwarded twenty years to being divorced and in a custody battle.”

Eddie snorted at this. Someone, seemingly Will, yelling caused them to turn their heads in the direction of the living room. “Mike!” He heard Will laughing wildly, no real objection in his voice. “Get off me!”

Eddie and Steve looked at each other with raised brows. “Sound like a murder attempt to you?” Steve asked.

He barked a laugh. “Definitely not. By the way…” Eddie started, an amused smirk faintly on his lips. “You think splitting them up between boys and girls– with only a set of stairs and a single door in between them– is gonna stop anything?”

Steve held his hands up in surrender. “Hey, if the sexual exploration is biologically impossible to lead to a pregnancy, I say once I’m behind my door, I’m not comin’ out until morning.” He gave a considerate dip of his head. “Plus, I already had my own talk with the boys about the importance of protection.”

Eddie laughed in wonder. “Oh, I would’ve paid to watch you handle that minefield.”

“And you would’ve seen me handle it with grace, thank you very much,” Steve said in his defense, pushing off the fridge. “Now. Let’s get back in there before my house is suddenly on fire.”

When they walked back into the living room, Lucas and Dustin were still arguing amongst each other. Meanwhile, for some reason, Mike was struggling on top of Will on the couch, reaching for something in his hand. Both boys were laughing, a flash going off over them. This was when Eddie noticed Max and El standing back, a polaroid camera being lowered from El’s smiling face. She and Max shared a look, holding their own silent conversation before giggling between each other.

“Wheeler,” Steve said flatly, Mike sitting up from where he was looming over Will, whose face was bright red. Eddie bit back a laugh, hiding his smile further behind a fist. “Is there a reason you’re trying to suffocate Will in my home?”

“There’s not enough tokens for Monopoly, so we brought two of our own and Will’s trying to take the coolest one,” Mike whirled on Will again, the latter’s eyes lighting up in feigned innocence, a smile clearly suppressed. “Which was my figure last campaign.”

It was now that Eddie noticed a small figurine of a knight in Will’s hand, another one of a wizard in purple robes on Steve’s large coffee table. He recognized them from the last D&D campaign he ran for the kids.

“Fine,” Will relinquished, giving Mike the knight before swooping the wizard off the table. “But I call the wizard.”

“God, we’re playing Monopoly?” Eddie looked at Steve in dread. “Isn’t real life enough of a capitalistic nightmare? I’ve never even finished a game.”

“I finished one once, but it killed my soul,” Steve said flatly, addressing only Eddie. “But it’s the only game we got for eight players. And they were insistent on us playing, too.”

“Thank god I brought the beer,” Eddie muttered before clapping his hands, speaking to the rest of the room. “Right, let’s get this show on the road.”

Monopoly was set up, and Max requested (demanded) she play a mix tape she made, taking it upon herself to pop it in the stereo. A different one than the large component stereo outside, notably. Sometimes it pained Eddie how rich Steve was, but he tried not to hold it against him. Admittedly, he was the most generous rich person he’d met. Though Eddie didn’t hold out hope for that to extend to his parents.

After Steve was adamant about being the thimble (to Eddie’s peculiar amusement) the game was underway. At about half an hour in, Steve was in the lead after an absurd amount of lucky rolls back to back. “No fuckin’ way,” Lucas deadpanned, annoyed.

“You just landed on Boardwalk,” Dustin seemed deeply upset by this. “How do you keep doing this?”

“We gotta get you to play D&D,” Will smiled, more happy for Steve than bothered by his apparent accomplishment.

“Oh, yeah,” Steve said idly, checking his owned properties. “I have the other one of those. Guess I’ll buy it.”

“Guess I’ll buy it, he says” Dustin mimicked with an exasperated roll of his eyes, as Lucas sighed out an ‘Oh my god.’

“Apparently you’re really good at this game, Stevie,” Eddie said. He’d only really played twice before, when he still lived with his parents and his nieces and nephews visited.

“Leave it to you nerds to have strats for Monopoly,” Max teased, earning an amused snort from Eddie.

“Of course I do,” Dustin said matter-of-factly. “Why do you think I’m buying all the railroads?” Eddie had an unfortunate feeling that they would not be allowed to abandon this game tonight.

“The railroad strategy is ass,” Lucas countered enthusiastically.

“Are you delusional?” Dustin responded in awe.

“As much as I love watching you put Henderson in his place, and appreciate that you do it so frequently,” Eddie interjected. “This game is going to take a million hours. Harrington, give El the money and Max the dice. Meanwhile, daddy’s gettin’ a drink,” and with that he shoved himself to his feet. He didn’t miss the disgusted grimace on Mike and Max’s faces.

“Get one for the other… chaperone?” Steve seemed to struggle to find the end of the sentence.

A chuckle burst out of Eddie as he discerned the situation, a taunting grin stretching his face as Steve couldn’t even look at him. “Were you just about to say ‘other daddy?’”

“I was, yup,” Steve nodded concedingly, pursing his lips and sucking his teeth uncomfortably. Dustin and Max, who had watched the interaction, made repulsed faces.

“Think before you speak, Steve,” Dustin said reprimansively.

Steve blustered in his defense, gesturing in disbelief. “I-I did! I didn’t even say it!”

Eddie took it upon himself to retreat to the kitchen, hearing Dustin say, “You thought it and that was enough,” as he walked away. By the time he returned, giving Steve a beer and taking his place beside him on the floor, Dustin was done scolding Steve and the game was progressing once more.

After another hour and a half, Steve let out a groan as he stretched. “Okay, executive decision: we gotta take a movement break,” Steve stood up stiffly, shaking out his legs. “Got that to look forward to in your twenties; even sitting down hurts.”

“I second the executive decision,” Eddie stood up as well, joints creaking and popping as he twisted his torso both ways.

“Lame,” Max said flatly, but got up herself. The kids broke off into their own conversations, music playing at a comfortable volume. Eddie and Steve were both on their second beer, but for Eddie that wasn’t enough to really feel anything. And, being quite familiar with what a drunk Steve Harrington was like, he had a feeling the same went for him.

“Ya hear that?” Steve pointed at Max with his thumb. “Lame to not wanna be in pain.” He gave a shake of his head before sipping his beer.

“Think there’s any chance of getting them to cut the game in an hour?” Eddie asked genuinely.

“Between Sinclair and Henderson,” Steve shook his head once. “No chance.”

Eddie’s eyes fell upon the only two teens not talking with the rest of the group; Mike and Will. The other four were talking by the stereo, and El seemed to have slipped off to the bathroom. But Will and Mike were on the couch, sitting close together and laughing about something unknown to Eddie.

Current inner turmoil aside, Eddie wasn’t an idiot. And even if he were, Mike and Will had been– one could say shamelessly– flirting during the entire game. Looks held for too long with too much intrigue, sitting too close together, one frequently looking at the other when they weren’t paying attention. It was textbook. There was no way their friends didn’t know either, and it seemed Max and El were particularly keen. But Eddie wondered if the boys knew, themselves.

Every once in a while, it was like one of them would realize they were showing their cards, tensing up and retracting from the other. Eddie supposed even if they weren’t gay, they were at that age where it was second nature to hide your affection for someone. He wondered when a person grew out of that. Eddie was pretty certain he hadn’t reached the age yet himself. Maybe for some people it never stopped being second nature.

“Pretty obvious, right?” Eddie mused quietly to Steve, glancing pointedly at Mike and Will as he took a sip of beer.

Steve looked over, observing for a moment but clearly being careful not to linger as he turned back to Eddie. “You’d be surprised how oblivious people can be,” he said with a shrug. “‘Specially at that age.”

A few familiar synthy beats played over the stereo then. At that exact moment, Max, Lucas, Dustin, and even Steve’s faces all lit up. The kids looked at each other with a fond happiness as Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush came on.

Max was the first of them to look over at Steve, a rare genuine smile splitting her face. Eddie watched in abject fascination as Steve smiled back, the kids beginning to loudly sing the intro to the song. Max waved Steve over as she sang, asking him to join them in dancing. Dustin and Lucas, noticing her mission, immediately began waving him over as well.

“C’mon Harrington!” Dustin grinned, doing a funny dance move to entice him.

Eddie clapped him hard on the shoulder, unable to restrain the smile on his face as he silently encouraged him forward. With a smile over his shoulder, Steve was pulled into the small circle, doing the honors of turning up the volume.

“And If I only could–” Eddie felt like he was bathing in sunlight as he watched Steve erupt into the chorus just as passionately as the kids. All four of them were grinning like idiots and making dramatic embellishments as they sang along. Lucas wrapped his arm around Max’s shoulders and pulled her tight as they continued to sing at the top of their lungs.

As Eddie watched, El came up beside him as she returned from the bathroom. He gave her a small smile in greeting, which she returned before joining him in his observation. “That’s what saved her, right?” She looks over at Eddie with wide, perceptive eyes. “From Vecna?”

Eddie nods at her, a somber feeling tugging at him how it does any time he’s reminded of what these kids went through. Hell, might go through again. Who knows.

“I am glad you lived,” El said simply. Another warmth spread throughout him, comforting in the way a blanket was. He didn’t know El as well as some of the other kids, but she had a way of expressing how she felt as if she was purely stating a fact. Eddie admired it. He thought it took courage to be so sure of how you felt, even if the world might try to contradict you. With a small, pleasant smile she added, “You make Dustin happy. And Steve too.”

Eddie’s mouth fell open in the slightest at this, so stunned by the weight of these words he couldn’t even smile. With that, she left his side to grab the polaroid camera. She took a few pictures of the group for the remainder of the song, even standing on Steve’s couch to get a better angle at one point.

By the time the song ended, Max was actually crying, which Eddie wasn’t sure he’d ever seen. Lucas, Will, and El erupted into an ‘awe,’ which Max made an uncomfortable face at as she wiped her tears on her sleeve. Son of a bitch, Eddie thought to himself with a soft snort, the scene almost enough to make him tear up himself.

But he held on, observing contently as the group began to wrap Max in a group hug, Will pulling Mike up to join by the wrist. As a smiling Steve began to place his arm on Lucas, he opened the other up toward Eddie’s direction. “Munson, get over here.”

A smile felt so deeply it stunned him spread across Eddie’s face. He put his beer next to where Steve had left his own to dance, and stepped into Steve’s half embrace, putting his other arm on Dustin.

As he realized that Will, El, and Lucas were also crying, Eddie couldn’t help but chuckle (maybe a bit to keep from crying as well.) “Congrats, Stevie,” he smirked over at the man beside him. “First sleepover at your house and over half of them are crying.” This earned a light chuckle from various members of the group, specifically the crying ones.

“What can I say, I know how to spice up a night,” Steve smiled back. And god he was looking at Eddie in that way only he did. Eddie was playing with fire allowing himself to indulge in such a look, but he couldn’t tear his eyes away.

“Alright, guys,” Max said, finally breaking free with a sniff, the group hug dissipating on her dismissal. “Never talk about this again or I’ll have to murder you, ‘kay?”

He slid out of Steve’s arm, Eddie clearing his throat as he took his seat on the floor. If he were allowing himself to be honest, which he’d been trying to do more often, he missed the contact. Maybe it was the flood of emotions from the heartwarming scene he witnessed and then took part in, but right now he wanted nothing more than Steve’s touch. Overwhelmingly, inescapably around him.

When Steve sat beside him, as if he read Eddie’s mind, it was closer. Nowhere near close enough, but if they moved in just the right ways their shoulders would bump against each other, or a knee brushing the other’s thigh. It was almost taunting, like Steve knew with every little touch he was getting Eddie eager for more.

The game continued on for nearly three more grueling hours, at least in Eddie’s opinion. It wasn’t that he didn’t enjoy spending time with the kids– far from it– but he didn’t think his brain was made to focus on one thing for that long. At least, if that thing wasn’t D&D or his guitar, of which he could focus on intently for hours at a time with ease.

In the end, Dustin won. And he was an incredibly sore winner about it. “BOOM! What’s that about the railroad strategy being ass?” Dustin made a gloating gesture to Lucas. “Look who’s bankrupt? You.”

“You only won because you practically robbed Harrington of his dark blues!” Lucas retaliated.

“Lucas, what you essentially just said to me is: you won by playing the game,” Dustin countered, and while he was technically right, his tone made Eddie want to root for Lucas.

“Yeah, but c’mon,” Lucas gave Dustin a knowing look, gesturing vaguely to Steve. “You took advantage of Steve’s… innocence.”

“That’s not better than calling me stupid,” Steve informed, Lucas giving him an only mildly apologetic look.

“So, Steve,” Mike came up then, clapping a hand on Steve’s shoulder. Eddie narrowed his eyes at the boy, knowing him well enough to see he was about to ask for something. “I was thinking… ya know, we’re really safe under your watch. We’re inside, under adult supervision…” Steve’s face fell into an unimpressed, knowing look. “What’d’ya say we have a beer?”

Steve stared blankly at him, shrugging his hand off his shoulder. “Absolutely not.”

“Please?” Mike tried, then looked to Eddie as if for help.

Eddie scoffed. “Keep dreamin’, Wheeler.”

Mike’s polite demeanor fell into one of utter disappointment. “C’mon… why not?”

“Because, for the night, I’m in charge of protecting your brain development,” Steve said in a parental manner. “And if I come downstairs tomorrow and even a single beer is missing you’re banned from my pool for the summer.”

“What if I’m not even the one who takes it?” Mike scrambled.

“Then you better be good at convincing your friends to behave,” Steve retorted easily, Eddie having to bite back a chuckle, feeling it would undermine Steve to laugh in the moment.

Eddie helped Steve bring blankets and pillows to the kids, Mike and Will blowing up the air mattress while the rest of them put away Monopoly. “Alright. Girls, you’re in the guest bedroom upstairs. The four of you stay down here,” Steve looked pointedly at Lucas before saying, “That means you Sinclair. I’m a light sleeper. One creaky floorboard and I’m on ya.”

Lucas looked at him in concerned confusion, brows furrowed. “And you’re… ‘on me?’”

“Don’t wanna find out what it means?” Steve asked before promptly answering his own question. “Then stay downstairs.”

They said goodnight to the boys before Steve led Eddie and the girls upstairs. Eddie bid his goodnights early, dipping into Steve’s room as he showed Eleven and Max to the guest bedroom. Eddie was examining other pictures on Steve’s mirror when Steve opened the door, stepping into the room before closing it behind him.

“Alright,” Steve let out a hefty sigh. “That’s all of them settled. Thank god.”

Eddie smirked. “These are the less-glamorous parts of being a milf, Stevie.”

“You’re never gonna let that one go, are you?” Steve muttered as he walked over to his dresser, pulling open two drawers. He grabbed a pair of boxers, a shirt, and shorts. “Catch,” Steve didn’t give him much time before throwing the shirt and shorts at him.

He caught them, dropping his jacket and vest onto the chair, where his old one still hung. “Thanks.”

“You can change in the bathroom,” Steve gave no warning before yanking off his shirt. Eddie, as always, turned away, heading to Steve’s bathroom. He had become very familiar with Steve’s bathroom the morning after Vickie’s birthday party. Though, not as much as Steve. That was a significantly rough morning for all of them.

The spare toothbrush Steve had given Eddie was actually still in its holder. Eddie didn’t know why something so small tightened his stomach, as if it was some incredibly thoughtful gesture. He brushed his teeth before getting changed, but stopped short when he saw what he was wearing. “You gotta be kidding me,” he muttered to himself in disbelief.

He headed back into Steve’s room. “Harrington,” he said, accusatory, as he closed the door behind him. “Do you even own shorts that are a normal length?” He gestured down to the absurdly short shorts, leaving far more of his thighs on display than he was used to. “I look ridiculous.”

Steve glanced him up and down unashamedly. “Give yourself some credit, Munson,” he said casually as he flipped onto his back, staring up at the ceiling tiredly. “You got nice legs.” Eddie couldn’t help but stare at him, wide eyed, as heat swallowed his face. He was so stunned when Steve spoke again, it sounded distant and it took Eddie a second to process. “You can turn off the light. I brushed my teeth before I came in,” he stifled a yawn.

Eddie did so before crawling under the covers next to Steve, who was shirtless once more. At this point, Eddie was learning to just appreciate the sight. “Can you believe Wheeler?” Steve chuckled. “The audacity.”

“You trying to say you didn’t try to score booze at fifteen?” Eddie raised his eyebrows, turning on his side to face Steve.

Steve smirked lazily up at the ceiling. “Guess you’re right.”

“Would you ever let them?” Eddie asked, genuinely curious.

Steve sighed in consideration as he also turned on his side to face Eddie, propping his head up on his hand. “I dunno. Maybe,” he seemed to think a bit more. “There’d be a strict limit. Like… one beer each, or something. And no pool.”

“As much as it pains me to feed your already concerningly large ego…” Eddie gave a brief smirk. “I think you’re the only person I’d trust to do it.”

Steve grinned at this, looking down at Eddie from behind long lashes. Eddie’s stomach fluttered. “You tryin’ to charm me, Munson?”

Eddie’s face heated rapidly once more, rolling his eyes as he looked anywhere but Steve momentarily. “See, this is why I don’t compliment you,” but he was smiling as he said this. When Eddie looked back, Steve was still observing him. “What are you worried about happening? Ya know, if you let them drink. You know one beer won’t put them at risk of drowning in the pool, right?”

“Eddie Munson,” Steve deadpanned, but Eddie could see right through to the mischief in his eyes. “May I remind you I am a three-time certified lifeguard, and as a three-time certified lifeguard I am deeply offended by your lack of regard for pool safety.”

Eddie laughed deeply at this. “You hosted drunk people in your pool like, two weeks ago!”

Steve pulled a face of shocked offense. “I did no such thing! Must’ve been my evil twin…” Eddie watched the gears turn in his head. “Ssstue…” he hissed out uncertainly before steeling his face into one of false certainty, a smile betraying his poorly glued together facade. “Stue… Carrington.”

Eddie barked a loud laugh, eyebrows shooting to his hairline. “You’re twin?” Steve nodded at this, Eddie following it up with “Who has a different last name than you?” Steve’s nodding was intercepted by a laugh as he seemed to realize his own absurdity.

“Yup,” he doubled down anyway, smiling wider as he looked at Eddie. “Which is ironic, ‘cause ya know, he’s evil. I’m the caring one.” Eddie laughed even harder, his hands coming to cover his face as he attempted to regain control of his senses.

“My god,” Eddie breathed out, finally catching his breath as a stray chuckle found its way out of his system. “Well… if we do this, I’ll be sure to look out for Stue Carrington. Make sure he’s not up to any nefarious plans.”

“You better,” Steve said plainly. “He’s a slippery bastard, I’ll tell ya.” The laughter between them died away, but their smiles lingered still. “Seriously, though,” he said. “Do you think it’s a good idea?”

Eddie shrugged honestly. “Better than them getting shitfaced in some stranger’s house for the first time. This way you can teach them limits– lord knows I would’ve appreciated that lesson,” Eddie scoffed, Steve chuckling. “In the end it’s up to you, though. It would have to be here. No way I’m letting a bunch of teenagers drink at my trailer while a cop is still parked down the driveway.”

“He’s still there?” Steve asked. “I thought Hopper was only gonna have someone there for a week or two.”

“Yeah, well. Apparently not long ago, Carver came into the station spouting some shit about how if they won’t do their jobs he’ll do it for them,” Eddie sighed, shaking his head at the reality. Steve was looking at Eddie with furrowed brows and intense, rounded eyes. Eddie gave a meek smile. “Relax, Stevie. It’s fine. Still got the bat, remember.”

“I don’t like that piece of shit walking around with a vendetta against you,” Steve said seriously, not a hint of humor in his demeanor.

“Nothin’ we can really do to stop it,” Eddie said, a bit defeated.

Steve scoffed dryly. “Hard to walk around with a vendetta if I make sure he can’t walk.”

Eddie smiled with an amused snort. “I said it’s fine, Harrington. You’re gonna give that pretty face of yours wrinkles,” he lightly poked Steve between his eyebrows, where a crease had once again formed. To his satisfaction, Steve’s face softened. “Besides. I’ve managed to keep business going fine outside the trailer park. The only real nuisance is I can’t smoke my weed in peace.”

A thoughtful look crossed Steve’s face at this. “You could always do that here, ya know.” Eddie silently raised his eyebrows. “Just sayin’,” Steve gave a one-shouldered shrug. “If you need peace.”

Eddie narrowed his eyes at Steve. “Is this just a really long-con to get free weed?” Steve barked a laugh at this, seeming caught off guard by Eddie’s question. Eddie grinned at the reaction, a strange sense of accomplishment flooding him. “If so, I applaud you, because it’s probably gonna work.”

“Probably?” Steve asked, chuckling still. “Meaning you don’t know? You’re the one who makes the decision!”

“I guess we’ll have to see, won’t we, Stevie?” Eddie smiled coyly.

Steve collapsed his arm and flopped onto his side with a soft groan, eyes closed as he said “Such a tease, Munson.” Something primal in Eddie’s abdomen stirred at this, his entire stomach suddenly vibrating with… anticipation. As if his body were planning to do something before his brain even fired the signal. All he could do was stare at Steve’s restful face in awe at the excitement one person was able to make him feel.

He tried not to think about how this friendship likely meant so much more to him than Steve, and how that set him up for certain heartbreak. When he was alone it was hard to forget such a grim factor, but with Steve right there in front of him… all he could think about was running his fingers through his hair again.

So he did. Timid at first, unable to hide behind the excuse of drunkenness, but eventually gaining confidence. As soon as he laid his hand on the side of Steve’s head, fingers gliding through soft strands, Steve leaned in closer to Eddie and his touch.

They were lying about as close as they could get without actually touching each other, minus Eddie’s hand in Steve’s hair. Without opening his eyes, Steve’s own hand twitched, knuckles brushing over Eddie’s forearm. Eddie’s breath squeezed to a halt inside him. Every fiber of his being was dedicated to anticipating Steve’s next move.

Steve’s fingertips slid onto Eddie’s arm, followed by his palm. And then Steve was pulling Eddie closer by his forearm, lightly, almost like a question. Eddie obliged easily. Nothing was said between them as Eddie’s other hand came to rest tentatively on Steve’s chest, the latter’s eyes still closed. He wanted to run his hand all over his torso, feeling every square inch of hair and learning the mould of his collarbones.

But he restrained. This was new. This was fragile. One wrong move and he could shatter the whole thing. He wouldn’t ruin a feeling this good just because he got greedy.

And anyway, it was hard to be upset when Steve was placing his hand on Eddie’s side. Eddie felt his whole stomach fill with air as his large hand spread across his ribs, fingers splaying wide as he slowly stroked up and down once.

It didn’t feel right to break the silence, but Eddie needed more, even if just a little. The only way he could think to communicate this to Steve was to tug ever-so-lightly on his hair. And god was it worth it.

A quiet rumble resonated in Steve’s throat, sounding almost hungry as suddenly he pulled Eddie flush against him, burying his face into Eddie’s collarbone. Eddie couldn’t help it; he gasped quietly. His heart was pounding dangerously in his chest as he fisted Steve’s hair more urgently, other hand splaying wider across his chest, desperate to cover every inch it could.

Steve’s hand on his side was heavy as it seemed content to explore up and down Eddie’s side, his breaths fanning almost raggedly against Eddie’s collar. Not that Eddie’s breathing was any more even, if anything it was more so distressed than Steve’s.

Now seemingly unsatisfied with containing his exploration to Eddie’s side, Steve’s hand traveled onto his lower back, pressing him impossibly closer. Eddie’s head was spinning, because this wasn’t timid or uncertain; the way Steve was grabbing at Eddie was downright needy. A shiver ran up his spine as Steve’s fingers brushed over the bare skin where his shirt had ridden up. He wanted more than anything for Steve’s hand to slide under, for Steve to pull back and look at Eddie with those big, pleading eyes. But this was getting Eddie dangerously close to a very embarrassing situation, one which Steve’s small shorts would do little to hide.

As if reading his mind, Steve gradually slowed until only his thumb was rubbing languidly on his lower back. Eddie continued gently running his fingers through Steve’s hair, essentially cradling his head as his face was still buried in the crook of his neck. If he couldn’t still feel his breath against his skin, slower now, he’d wonder if the man was suffocating.

Still reeling from the exchange, Eddie struggled to categorize what just happened as platonic or romantic. Of course, he knew he wanted it to be more than platonic. There was no denying it to himself anymore, as Steve’s actions had just cemented whatever he might’ve been pushing down into place.

But Eddie never had close friends like Robin or Steve before. He grew up in a fairly affection-starved household, up until he moved in with Wayne– and even then, they both found it hard to express their love past a certain point. Was this just what real friends were like?

What if Eddie were reading too much into it, and everyone but him knew that this was just how friendship worked? What if he acted on the wrong cues, and dashed everything he had with Steve against the rocks? He’d done it before with other guys, so how could he trust himself to know?

“You make Dustin happy,” Eleven’s words echoed in his head, loud as a symphony. “And Steve too.”

What he had with everyone, not just Steve, was too fucking good. He couldn’t risk it. He wouldn’t risk it. At least, he didn’t have the courage to tonight.

So for now, he took what he could get. He pushed that dull, hollowing ache down and let the warmth of Steve consume him instead. Even when Steve’s breathing slowed and his grip on Eddie loosened, the latter found himself lying awake long after. Simply soaking in all he could of this moment, all he could of the friend in his arms. For the second night, Eddie fell asleep embracing Steve.