Work Text:
Eddie always wondered when he’d meet his soulmate. It was something that was always in the back on his mind, a lingering, yet passing thought that consumed his being from time to time. He wondered why they looked like, if they were black, white, tall or short, hell, even if they existed. He was pushing his early twenties, and still hadn’t met his soulmate. He constantly felt like the universe was out to get him, as if this was its shitty way of torturing him. Yet at the same time, he thought it was all bullshit. How was a predestined force supposed to determine who he’d spend the rest of his life with, anyway? What if he hated his soulmate, or his soulmate hated him, and then he was destined to be alone, for all of eternity? The thought of that made his spine shrivel up in his body. It left a bitter taste on his tongue and a harsh expression on his face. Yet he longed for the romances he watched in movies, longed for those passionate nights that soulmates shared even though he’d never admit that to anyone. Frowning, he let his fingertips trace over the tattoo that lie wrapped around his lower stomach, the sensation sending sparks down his fingers. Whoever his soulmate was, they had to deal with this shitty bat tattoo as well. And that brought a smirk to his face.
A voice snapped him out of his thoughts, bringing him back to the present. “Munson, you good?” Steve said, a hint of concern in his voice. Eddie cleared his throat, nodding as they made their way through the Upside Down, trailing behind the two girls. “Peachy as ever” he grumbled, running a hand through his sopping wet hair. He cringed, mentally noting that it was going to take forever to dry, but that was the least of his concerns at the moment. They needed to find a way out of the Upside Down, and fast. “You’re handling this a lot better than I would” Steve says chuckling. He then winches, clutching his side, where the demobats had bitten him. “I should be asking if you’re ok, Harrington. With bites like that, hell, I hope that shit doesn’t get infected” He quips back, stepping over a particularly large tendril as it slithered across the ground. He wrinkled his nose. Steve rolls his eyes, but Eddie pretends not to notice the fear in his eyes as they widen. They walk for a moment in silence, the eerie sounds of shrieking resonating through the woods.
Whenever Eddie was near Steve, he felt drawn towards the man. It was something magnetic, like a string tied between the two men that made him question everything. Ever since he launched himself at Steve with a broken glass bottle, he had felt it. That sensation that made his stomach flutter, as he defensively stared into Steve’s eyes. The kids had convinced him to drop the bottle, and with shaking hands he complied, tearing the bottle away from the man’s throat, Steve gasping for air in response. Ever since then that sensation never left, and had consumed his thoughts immensely. He wondered if Steve felt it, too.
Steve winced once more as they arrived at Skull Rock, and Nancy cursed under her breath, examining Steve’s frail frame. “We need to stop the bleeding-” She started, but as a wave of demobats passed over them, they dove into the cave, taking cover. They held their breath as the demobats screeched, flocking over them like a cloud of smoke. Robin cursed, blowing out a breath. “That was close” she said quietly, leaning back against the rock. “Yeah” Steve panted, still clutching his side.
“I never hated bats as much as I do right now” Eddie states hand grazing over his soulmate tattoo once more. Eddie watches as Steve’s hands trail down to his side, fingers languidly brushing over something. He can’t see what.
Suddenly Steve gasps, collapsing against the rock as he sways. Nancy notices this and walks quickly over to Steve, a panicked look on her face. “Steve…Jesus!” she breathes, clutching his arm. “M’ fine, Nance” He pants, squeezing his eyes shut in pain. “You’re losing blood” Nancy states, worry present in her eyes. Steve slides down the wall and Nancy follows, crouching down in front of him. Steve groans, removing his hand covering his wound and Nancy’s eyes widen at the sight. “Right” Nancy begins, tearing off a piece of her skirt in one swift movement. “I don’t have any actual bandages, so this’ll have to do” Nancy said, a soft smile displayed on her face. Eddie feels something shoot through his stomach, as the two glance at each other.
He turns his back as Nancy starts wrapping the fabric around Steve’s waist, glancing briefly over his shoulder at the interaction between the two. As Nancy patches him up, he notices something that makes him freeze and his stomach drop in horror. Right above his waistband, sticking out like a sore thumb against the stark white of the makeshift gauze, is a black wing, one he knew all too well. No….it can’t be….
Steve catches his eye and he looks at him, confused as to why Eddie suddenly looked like a deer in headlights. He doesn’t question it but lets Nancy finish wrapping the cloth around his waist, tying it taut to stop the bleeding. “There” she says, patting his stomach lightly. His body tenses as she touches him, and she shoots him an inquisitive look. She doesn’t press and she steps away, wiping her bloodied hands on the remainder of her skirt. Eddie suddenly can’t stand to see Steve shirtless, and flushes. He takes off his vest and throws it at the man, the fabric hitting Steve square in the face. Steve raises an eyebrow at Eddie and Eddie shrugs, heat filling his cheeks. “F-for your modesty, dude” He explains, awkwardly shifting his weight. Steve nods, shrugging the vest over his shoulders and onto his body. Eddie thinks he might faint at the sight.
“We should probably get moving” Robin says, breaking the tension between the two and Eddie agrees, nodding silently. He swallows thickly, heart thudding in his chest. Steve pushes up off the wall, swaying a bit before catching his bearings. He walks up to Eddie, clasping a hand on his shoulder so hard that it makes him jump. “Thanks for, y’know, caring about my modesty” Steve smirks, before his eyes widen, jolting his hand away from the man. His touch felt electrifying, it lit every one of Eddie’s nerve endings on fire and he’s sure from Steve’s reaction that he felt that way too. Steve cradles his hand against his chest as he begins to walk, trailing behind the two girls who were already on their way to Nancy’s house.
++
As they’re sifting through Nancy’s house, trying to find equipment to face the Upside Down, Steve notices Eddie pacing her bedroom, sullen panic radiating off his body. Steve frowns, worried for the man. Steve walks up to him, while the girls are looking through a drawer and sits down on the bed, glancing up at him. “Are you okay?” Steve says quietly, worry coating his voice and Eddie frantically nods, shoving his hands into his jeans. “Besides from being stuck in a supernatural world that’s technically Hawkins flipped upside down? Yeah I think I’m good” He replies anxiously, breathing out as he takes a seat next to the man. Steve smiles weakly at the man. He knows that feeling all too well, the striking unfamiliarity for what’s about to come.
“It gets better” Steve begins, twiddling with his thumbs. “Y’now, getting used to the idea that the supernatural actually exists” He quips, glancing over Eddie’s frame. Eddie closes his eyes, gulping as he feels the man’s gaze burn hotly across his face. “God I hope so” he chuckles, flinging his hand out in amusement. Suddenly, one of his rings glides off his finger with the motion and rolls underneath the bed. Eddie groans, and bends down to pick it up. “For fucks sake” He mumbles, hands splaying out to feel it. His shirt rides up as he does so, and he sticks his tongue out in concentration, fumbling in the dark of the room for the metallic object. He silently cheers as his hand grasps onto it, pulling it up and putting it back on his hand. He grins, turning towards Steve to crack a joke when he notices the man, staring frozen at him. Staring at… something. Eddie’s eyes follow his gaze to find Steve staring at his waist, particularly where his tattoo lies. In horror, he realizes that his shirt is now fully bunched up, displaying the bat that he so desperately has hidden his entire life. He freezes, glancing at Steve, who stares at the tattoo, mouth agape. Eddie frantically pulls his shirt down, chuckling awkwardly as he does so. He averts his gaze and looks at the ground, mentally cursing. “Eddie…” Steve trails off and Eddie stands up quickly, clearing his throat. “We should probably find Robin and Nancy” he says quickly, a blush creeping onto his face. Steve lets out a shaky breath, twisting the fabric of Eddie’s vest in his hands. “Yeah” he breathes, standing up. Eddie feels Steve’s gaze on the back of his head as he walks out of the bedroom, his stare hot on his neck.
++
Steve doesn’t mention it, long after they’ve defeated Vecna and closed the gate. Eddie can’t help but feel disappointed at this, because he knows that Steve knows that he’s his soulmate . Steve just doesn’t know that Eddie knows that he knows, which is a mindfuck in itself.
Eddie can tell that Steve is avoiding him, which is precisely why he was stood outside his door, heart in his throat as he wills himself to knock. He pauses, swallowing thickly before quickly rapping on the door, feeling his stomach do somersaults. Moments later, the door swings open, and he is met by a very surprised Steve. “Hi” he breathes, giving Steve a soft smile. Steve is not good at hiding his emotions on his face, Eddie decides, for he doesn’t miss the way Steve's nerves get the best of him. He looks in shock to see Eddie standing there, but doesn’t say anything about it. “H-hey Munson. What’s up?” He stutters, anxiously rubbing his sweaty palms on his jeans. Eddie takes in a deep breath, before continuing. “Can we talk?” he says quietly, glancing into Steve’s eyes. Steve steps aside, motioning the man to come inside. “Yeah yeah sure! Come in!” He says hesitantly and Eddie nods at the man, stepping inside.
He glances around at the house, and takes it all in. They weren’t lying when they said Steve was rich; the kitchen was practically the size of his entire trailer. He shakes away the thought as Steve motions him to follow him into his living room, sitting on the couch. Eddie takes a seat next to Steve, resting his elbows on his knees. He breathes slowly, opening his mouth before Steve beats him to it, words spurting from his mouth like a fountain. “I think we’re soulmates” He blurts out, staring anxiously at Eddie’s frame. Eddie raises an eyebrow, but let’s him continue speaking. “I wasn’t sure at first, but that day in the Upside Down, I saw your tattoo and, god , it’s the only thing I’ve been thinking of since-“ Eddie cuts off his train of thought by placing a hand on his knee, starling the other man. “I know” he states, giving Steve a knowing look. Steve’s eyes widen at this, mouth agape at Eddie’s statement. “You know ?” Steve begins, awaiting Eddie’s explanation and Eddie chuckles, head ducking down. “Yes I know, Steve. I’ve known since that day, since Nancy patched you up and I saw the wings sticking up out of your waistband” he says quietly, averting Steve’s gaze. Steve pauses for a moment, before letting a frustrated noise escape from his throat. “Then why didn’t you tell me?” He questions, searching Eddie’s eyes for an explanation, a soft smile displayed on his face. Eddie awkwardly scratches the back of his neck, before speaking. “I thought the universe was fuckin’ with me man. Besides, you’ve been avoiding me, so how was I supposed to tell you?” He seethes, words punching from his gut intensely. Steve’s smile drops at Eddie’s words and he scoots away from the man. Eddie immediately regrets his tone, and he thinks he’s fucked it all up until Steve says something that makes his head spin.
“I always thought we had….a connection. I know you felt it, right?” Steve says, hesitance in his voice. “I thought I was imagining things; the sparks, the tension - I just thought it was me” he continues quietly, looking down at his hands. “I just..never thought it was us being soulmates ” he finishes and Eddie chuckles, his defensive manner melting away. “Oh Steve” he breathes, looking at the man once more. “C-can I see it?” Steve says, glancing at Eddie’s frame for permission. Eddie gulps before nodding and Steve leans over, hand reaching for his shirt. He pulls up Eddie’s shirt and Eddie suddenly feels insecure as he fumbles with the waistband of his pants. Steve looks awestruck, as he stares at the bat, its wings captured in motion, the dark tattoo a stark contrast to Eddie’s pale skin. He presses his gentle finger to it and they both jolt at the sensation, it sending shivers down both their spines. “ Wow ” Steve breathes, and Eddie chuckles, tentatively clasping his hand over the other man’s, which rests against his skin. “Yeah, wow” he repeats back, the feeling of Steve’s hand against his body sending butterflies to his stomach. Steve pulls away and Eddie feels almost disappointment, but the man pulls up his own shirt, showing the identical bat to the man, in the same placement as his.
“This is…crazy” Steve laughs, trailing off. Eddie grins, leaning back against the couch. “You can say that again” he chuckles, lazily glancing at the man. They sit in comfortable silence for a moment, before Steve breaks it. “I seriously thought my soulmate was going to be a woman” he snorts, and Eddie laughs at this, turning and facing Steve. “Well I guess you’re stuck with me” he teases and Steve softly smiles back at him, reaching forward and tucking a loose strand of Eddie’s hair behind his ear. “Yeah, I guess I am.”
“Can I kiss you?” Steve says suddenly, and Eddie’s eyes widen at Steve’s question. His heart raced in his chest, before nodding, scooting closer to Steve. “I’m going to be real with you, I’ve never kissed a guy before” Steve shakes, averting Eddie’s gaze. Eddie, feeling bold all of the sudden, forces Steve to look at him by grabbing his chin, cupping his face in his hand. Steve stares back at him with such intensity that Eddie can feel his composure melting. “It’s okay Steve, really it is” he says softly, eyes flickering down to Steve’s lips. Steve subconsciously licks them and Eddie smirks, capturing the man’s enthralled gaze. Steve shakily breathes out, before surging forward and connecting their lips in a soft embrace, surprising Eddie. Eddie begins to move his lips tentatively against Steve’s and feels fire ignite in his soul, a feeling he’s never felt before. It's intoxicating, Steve’s lips on him, as they move in harmony.
Eddie kisses Steve deeper, lips crushing against his in drunk passion that has his head spinning. He’s never felt this light, this enamored before, and as Steve pants, swiping at his bottom lip, he feels his soul leave his body. They kiss hungrily, lips chasing after one another with fervor as Steve’s hand slides up into Eddie’s hair, tugging on it, which elicits a moan from him. Steve swallows Eddie’s moans with his tongue, biting his lower lip with such soft intensity that Eddie feels himself ascending. Fireworks explode in his brain as they kiss, and he feels drunk, drunk on the scent and heat radiating from Steve. He wraps his arms around Steve’s waist and pulls him even closer , if that was possible, to the point of Steve practically being in Eddie’s lap. He never wants this to end, never wants to let go of Steve, never wants to stop kissing the man.
Eventually, they pull away for air, parting sorrily from one another as they gasp for air, staring into each other's eyes. Steve stares back, lips swollen, pupils blown wide. Eddie licks his lips, the ghost of Steve’s mouth present on his mind. “That was…” Eddie pants, hands still clutched around Steve’s waist. “Amazing” Steve blurts out, cheeks turning red. Eddie giggles at this, reaching up and thumbing the stubble on Steve’s cheek. “It was” he murmurs, gazing at Steve. “Can we do that again?” Steve says, giddy, Eddie might add, and Eddie breaks out into a grin, leaning into the man. “As many times as you want” he whispers against Steve’s lips, connecting them once more. Steve grins into the kiss, launching himself onto Eddie, and pushing him onto the couch. “Thank god” Steve murmurs into the kiss, and Eddie smiles.