Chapter Text
After everything, Steve and Eddie stuck together. Of course, they had stuck together during everything as well, but now that it was over, they could barely leave each others sides. Maybe it was because Nancy and Robin has grown closer, and Robin was spending most of her time with Nancy than Steve. Maybe it was because Eddie didn’t have many friends to begin with, and getting to know Steve made him realize he possibly wanted to change that. Regardless of the reason, they were nearly inseparable.
Eddie was spending a lot of time couch hopping. He wasn’t entirely cleared yet from the police’s system, and there were still mobs wondering around Reefer Rick’s house looking for him. He kept flip flopping between the shack outside Dustin’s place, and Steve’s place. Most weekends, the Harrigton’s were out on trips or doing god knows what, so even on night’s he was supposed to be at Dustin’s, he’d sneak over to Steve’s place. This night was no different.
He had managed to will himself enough strength to climb up Steve’s roof. He crouched outside Steve’s window, peering into the half lit room in attempt to see if anyone was inside. Once his eyes made it to the right side of the room, he noticed Steve was awake, sitting on his bed, reading something. It was an off putting sight at best, but Eddie pushed that aside. He wrapped his knuckles against the window pane and watched amusement as Steve jumped and his wide eyes shot up to the window. His shocked expression quickly changed to relief, before frustration as he went to open the window for Eddie.
“My front door is unlocked.” Steve said with a hint of annoyance as Eddie jumped inside, backpack slinging behind him.
“That’s not safe Harrington.” Eddie joked, dropped his bag on the floor and throwing his jackets off. He twirled around the room before falling back onto Steve’s bed. He noticed the book Steve was reading was laying there, and his fingers curiously dragged over to it. Steve shot across the room, snatching the book up before Eddie could read the cover. “What, is it porn?” Eddie scoffed.
“Sure.” Steve mumbled, marking his page before tossing it under his bed. Eddie groaned in annoyance, flopping back on the bed.
“I thought we had a ‘no secrets’ rule.” He reminded Steve, as he rolled onto his side and propped his head up on his hand. Steve laid down next to him, hands folding over his chest. He stared up at his ceiling for a moment before sighing.
“It’s not important, okay?” He sounded a lot more distraught than he was, but he blamed that on being tired.
“Okay.” Eddie replied softly, slightly worried he had upset Steve. They sat in an awkward silence before Steve jumped up and shuffled over to his radio. He flipped through a couple of tracks before pulling out his copy of The Queen is Dead album. He slide the track into its place, shutting the latch behind it and waiting for the song to start, before turning the volume down a bit, so it was simply background noise.
“You know I hate The Smiths.” Eddie was sitting now, arms wrapped around his knees and a look of distain on his face. Steve chuckled a bit, walking back over to his bed.
“I know.” He said as he fell back down next to Eddie. He shut his eyes and let himself fade into the background, slightly hoping he’d be able to nap for a few minutes. He rarely slept whenever Eddie slept over.
Eddie on the other hand was staring over at Steve, eyes carving every inch of Steve’s face into the back of his eyelids so he’d never forget what he looked like with his eyes shut and head tilted slightly back onto the pillows where his hair was splayed into a sort of lion’s mane and the light from his bedside table lamp highlighted every arch of bone on his face. It would’ve been a perfect moment if it weren’t for Morrissy’s god awful voice in the background. It a moment of better judgment, Eddie tore his eyes away from Steve and hopped off the bed and over to his bag. He fumbled around a bit before pulling out The Last Command album from the loose collection of albums he had in his backpack. He stood, swaying over to Steve’s radio set. He quickly removed The Smith’s from the track player and replaced it with the W.A.S.P album.
“Hey.” Steve called. Eddie turned his head, finding Steve was weakly sitting up and rubbing his eyes, sighing in frustration. Eddie only smirked, turning back to the radio so he could press play. As soon as the music started, he turned the volume up and pranced over to Steve. The intro for Wild Child was playing, and every guitar stroke was met with a heavy step over to Steve’s bed. As the drums started, Eddie jumped back onto the mattress. “Don’t jump on-” Eddie slapped a hand over his mouth though and they fell back with the force of the quick motion.
“I ride” Eddie was mouthing the lyrics with extreme dramatics, hand still covering Steve’s mouth so he couldn’t argue anymore. “I ride the winds that bring the rain. A creature of love and I can’t be tamed.” Eddie dropped his hand slowly as Steve’s frustrated expression faded into one of acceptance, but he didn’t halt in mouthing the words along with Blackie Lawless. “I want you, cause I’m gonna take your love from him.” It didn’t go unnoticed that Eddie had mouthed ‘her’ instead of ‘him’. Steve smiled knowingly, tilting his head to the side in curiosity. “And I’ll touch your face,” Eddie hand reached out theatrically towards Steve’s right cheek. “and hot burning skin.” Steve raised a brow slightly, not letting his confidence falter once. Eddie on the other hand barely had the confidence to be in the same room as the other, so he hopped up on on feet as the song continued. “No he’ll ever touch you like I do.” Eddie held his hands together by his mouth as if he were holding a microphone, and shook his hair in his face as he danced around Steve’s mattress. “So look in my eyes and burn alive the truth.” Steve grabbed at the cuff of Eddie’s jeans so he’d look down.
“You look stupid.” He remarked playfully, smiling up to Eddie whose face was know mainly covered by his messy hair. He paused in lip-singing as the chorus began, slightly befuddled by the comment. He quickly regained composure though, smiling wide.
Tell me,” He began again as the second verse started. Steve rolled his eyes. “Tell me the lies you’re telling him when you run away.”
“You should just sing it.” Steve called over the music. Eddie shook his head sharply.
“You’d hate it.” He laughed.
“More than I already hate this? I doubt it.” Steve said as he sat up. Eddie paused a moment, thinking over this request. He locked eyes with Steve though, and felt an adrenaline rush of confidence.
“Cause I’m burning, burning, burning up with fire.” He sang, voice barely louder than the music itself.
“Louder.” Steve argued, throwing a pillow up at Eddie. Eddie gasp and hopped down off the bed, pretending Steve had knocked him off. He failed over on the floor, frowning slightly as Steve remained where he was in the bed.
“You should sing then.” He argued, standing up.
“I don’t know the words.” Steve replied. “I know the words to The Smiths though.”
“No more Smiths!” Eddie whined, flopping onto his stomach.
“Then sing.” Steve scoffed.
“You’re not even paying me.” Eddie complained.
“You suck, of course I’m not paying you.” Steve replied, laying his legs back out. Eddie frowned. “You’d suck less if you sung louder.” Groaning, Eddie eventually gave it, standing back up and swaying over to the front of Steve’s bed.
“I’m a wild child, come and love me, I want you.” Eddie couldn’t tell if he was genuinely trying to sound good, but he hoped and prayed it was all muffled by the volume of the song itself. “My hearts in exile, I need you to touch me, ‘cause I want what you do.”
Steve watched in an odd state of awe, many thoughts running through his head. Mainly he was wondering if Eddie could play this on guitar, and what that would look like. Another part was trying to block out the lead singers voice so all he could hear was Eddie calling out to him over the instruments. He also wondered why almost every heavy metal song Eddie had ever played for him was excruciatingly sexual, and why every single one of them left Steve questioning the adrenaline rush he felt at the idea that Eddie meant the lyrics he was mouthing.
Eddie finished the final chorus with one last “I want you.” before bowing and hopping back onto the bed. He flopped onto his stomach, hoping it wasn’t obvious that he was hiding his flushed face in between the pillow and his hair.
“Hold on.” Steve announced to no one in particular. Eddie held on in fact, fist forming around a mound of pillow as he resisted the urge to scream out. No matter the emotion, when he felt overwhelmed, Eddie always wished he could just scream.
Apparently Steve’s announcement has been an indication that he was changing the music once more. “No more Smiths.” Eddie reminded him, voice muffled by the pillow he was suffocating himself with.
“No more.” Steve agreed. He shuffled through the box of tracks he had before he finally found what he was looking for. After almost two months of being friends with Eddie, he learned they shared limited interests. He did find though, that they both loved music, just different types. After hours of discussing and arguing, they figured out that they both loved David Bowie. It took him a while to get Eddie to admit it, but with his head in his palms, Eddie mumbled a “Yeah, I fucking love Bowie, okay?” Steve hadn’t then understood why Eddie was so ashamed of it, but after talking it over with Robin, he realized it probably had something to do with Eddie’s problem with his sexuality. He knew he liked guys, Steve knew he liked guys, Robin had known he liked guys, and though Nancy was clueless, she wouldn’t be surprised if she found out. Yet despite that, Eddie still hated admitting it. He knew it wasn’t healthy, but he wasn’t ready to deal with it. Emotions were in no way his strong spot.
Steve decided on the Lets Dance album, and turned the volume back down slightly as Modern Love began. He turned, walking slowly back over his bed. Eddie hadn’t moved, but the tense aura surrounding him has seemed to pass. Steve laid on his side next to him, watching Eddie with intent expectation. He attempted to see Eddie’s eyes peeking out from in between his curls, but nothing.
“Eddie?” He asked gently, slowly letting his hand travel to Eddie’s back. Once it met his skin, Eddie let out a small sigh. He turned his head to the side, hair slightly covering his face. Steve’s hand traveled up and down his back, fingers stroking his spinal cord. “You okay?” He asked, hand stopping on the small of Eddie’s back.
“Tired.” Eddie answered, melting into the touch and praying it wouldn’t end. Steve nodded in understanding, thumb rubbing a circle around where Eddie’s spine bone met his hips. His palm overlapped slightly lower, and Steve hoped Eddie wouldn’t notice. Eddie noticed though. Eddie noticed every amount of pressure that Steve put on his body. He felt his body tense up once more as the edge of Steve’s palm somehow managed to brush against his skin. His shirt had ridden up just slightly, and the contact that Steve’s hand made with the small of Eddie’s back made shockwaves reverberate through his body. He shut his eyes involuntarily, before opening them quickly and praying Steve hadn’t noticed. Luckily though, Steve hadn’t. His eyes were fixated on something lower than Eddie’s eyes. Eddie attempted to follow Steve’s gaze, only to find whatever it was, was just out of Eddie’s view. He furrowed his brows, slightly uncomfortable at the idea Steve could see something he couldn’t. He watched Steve’s eyes for a moment, before he realized that Steve’s eyes were moving. They were slowly and meticulously traveling up Eddie’s body. At that knowledge, Eddie felt his face flush again, ears too now. He swallowed sharply, wishing Steve’s hand would travel with his eyes.
“Your shirt is new.” Steve murmured after a while of silence. Eddie hummed in agreement.
“Dustin got it for me.” His voice was hushed and muffled by everything covering his face. Steve smiled, letting his hand rise again and travel up Eddie’s back, before dipping down again.
“I like it.” He decided. Eddie knew Steve wouldn’t be acting like this if he was completely conscious. He knew they were both exhausted, and he shouldn't be taking anything Steve said to heart, but he felt his back heat up at the compliment.
Steve whispered something, before his eyes widened and his hand flew from Eddie’s back, to his own mouth. He paused before bursting out laughing. Eddie’s brows furrowed.
“What’s so funny?” He asked as Steve rolled onto his back, laughing his head off. “What?” Eddie was upset now. He was upset because he had no idea what was so funny, and he wanted to. He was upset because he had a semi that was being uncomfortable wedged in between his jeans and Steve’s mattress. More importantly he was upset because Steve’s hand was no longer on his back.
“Sorry I-” Steve wiped his eyes slightly, smile spread across his cheeks. “I just thought of something funny.”
“Well you should share it with the rest of us.” Eddie said, propping his head up on his hand. Steve turned his head to look up at him.
“It wouldn’t make sense anymore.” Steve sighed, smile still present.
“Anymore?” Eddie asked, fumbling some of his hair behind his ear so he could see.
“Just-” Steve brushed his hand over his face. “I just thought-” He giggled a bit, before dropping his hand. “I like your shirt, but I think I’d like it better off.” He managed, before covering his mouth again, to muffle more giggles.
Eddie’s brows furrowed as a million emotions rushed over him. He stared at Steve for a minute before dropped his head back onto the pillow. “You can’t talk like that.” He said quietly, wondering why his voice was quivering as he spoke.
Steve quickly shut up, and shuffled back onto his side. “I’m sorry.” He managed. “That was probably crossing some boundary- Sorry.”
Eddie turned his head, eyes stitched shut though. “It’s fine just-” He sighed, frustrated that he felt like he was going to cry. “I don’t know.” He decided, burying his head in the pillow again.
They laid there, as Bowie played in the background, both desperately wishing they could say something to fix the situation. Not even Bowie had an answer though.
“There’s no smoke without fire.
You’re exactly who I want to be with.
Without you,
What would I do?”