Chapter Text
'If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?' - Dr. George Berkeley
“This is dumb, Harrington.”
“It’s not dumb, it’s -- camping.”
“ Mmm,” Eddie hummed -- more of a skeptical whine, really -- and tilted his head. “It’s pretty fucking dumb. I live in the goddamn woods.”
“Yeah, well,” Steve insisted, his already peaked frustration growing. “These are different woods. Enjoy the change of scenery for once.”
“They’re trees, Steve,” Eddie shot back, flapping his hands insistently. “They all look the fucking same.”
“When you two are done bickering like a married couple in their eighties,” Robin cut in from the back of the car, her face appearing between their two seats. “Could you kindly tell me if we’re there yet?”
“Well,” Eddie huffed a reply. “If we’re in our eighties, that must make you an actual five-year-old. I thought this was a grown-ups only trip, Stevie,” he turned towards the man, who was currently doing his best to watch the road and drive the clown car at the same time.
“Can you guys just shut up for like five minutes?”
“Sure,” Robin pleasantly hummed. “If you tell me whether or not we’ll be there in five minutes--”
“Look!” Nancy shouted from the backseat next to Robin. A sign, half covered in vines and the other half in graffiti, stood tall alongside the road, announcing that the campsite was five miles ahead.
“Well, there ya go,” Steve testily muttered, and Nancy shook her head -- though there was a reluctant smile on her face.
“Why did I agree to come along with you guys again?”
“Hey,” Robin turned to her, earnestness lacing her voice as she laid a hand on Nancy’s knee. “You came to be my emotional support human.”
“What -- I’m not good enough for you, Rob?” Eddie asked, turning to kick his feet out the window -- which nearly gave Steve a heart attack. He reached over to slap at him, and Eddie hunched his shoulder defensively before pulling his feet back in.
“You do drugs and are not a good man in a crisis. Nance is.”
“Oh, I’m 'a good man’ in a crisis?” Nancy pulled a face, something between an amused smile and a wince.
“Even better,” Robin argued. “A woman.”
“Uh-huh,” Nancy smirked, raising her eyebrows as her smile grew.
“You two are adorable, you should get married,” Steve dryly commented, and just for that Robin leaned back and braced her feet against his headrest.
“Oh -- gross . What, were you all raised in a goddamn barn ?” Steve reached around to try and bat her shoes away, ducking forward into the steering wheel. “I don’t know where those have been.”
“Probably through piles of gum.” Robin smugly retorted. “Maybe even some dog shit.”
“Robin, gross,” Steve groaned.
“Eyes on the road, Harrington,” Eddie instructed, sounding a bit twitchy.
“Yeah, yeah -- I know how to drive, thank you, Eddie.”
“And we’ve returned to the old-folks home,” Robin sighed, leaning back to shoot Nancy a smile.
True to the sign, five miles rolled by and then Steve was pulling into the campground. Robin let out a whoop of excitement and, with the same logic as a pack of wolves, Eddie obnoxiously joined in -- clapping Steve on the shoulder and shooting one of his gorgeous smiles at Nancy until eventually everyone had joined in on the celebrations.
The impromptu camping trip had been Steve’s dad’s idea. He was selling their camper, which had gone untouched since Steve was twelve, and suggested that he and some friends “take it for one last spin,” as apparently that’s what all the kids had done back when his father was a teenager.
Three people had immediately come to mind when Steve thought ‘camping trip’ and, after some convincing -- which involved the promise of an adults-only adventure that wouldn’t put their lives at risk… probably -- all three of those people had agreed. Who was currently regretting that decision, Steve couldn’t tell. Hell, he didn’t even know if he regretted it. He decided that he didn’t when the cheers of his friends filled the car and he was met with the big smiles on their faces. That’s what this weekend was all about; having some good-old-fashioned summer fun.
Hopping out of the car, insisting that everyone stay put , Steve ran into the small building just off the road. He came back out with a map and four pairs of heart-shaped, cherry red sunglasses.
“What the hell are those?” Robin asked as he ducked back into his seat and passed them around.
“Aw! Hell yes, baby!” Eddie grinned, flipping a pair on and nudging Steve’s shoulder.
“Souvenirs,” Steve said in answer to Robin. “They had ‘em in there and the old lady behind the counter seemed really nice, so, I dunno…” he shrugged.
“Awe, look,” Robin sweetly hummed. “Steve found his people. An old lady who sells horrendously cheesy sunglasses.”
“Speak for yourself,” Eddie shot back, checking himself out in the rearview mirror and giving Steve another one of those smiles that made every cent he’d just spent worth it.
“Here,” Steve muttered, shoving the map at Eddie as he put on his own pair of glasses. “We’re on site E24”
“You’ve giving this to me ?” Eddie glanced at him before scanning over the map -- which he realized he was holding upside down.
“Dude, you play D&D right? How is this any different than that ?”
“I don’t know, man, this is like, real-life shit. And I'm on vacation, so…”
“Here, give it to me,” Nancy said gently but with no room for discussion.
“Lady Nancy to the rescue -- all hail the Queen,” Eddie sang, deepening his voice dramatically and bowing as low as he could without banging his face off the dashboard.
“Thanks, Nance,” Steve gratefully replied, passing her a look through the rearview. She peeked at him over the map, her eyes full of smiles, then directed him to make a sharp right.
Thanks to Lady Nancy, all hail the Queen, they made it safely to their campsite -- a small plot in the center of the wooded site. With no other campers in sight, it felt like they were in the middle of nowhere.
“Uhhh, this is where you go to get ax-murdered,” Robin announced, her eyes widened in that way they got when she didn’t like something. “Seriously, Steve, have you never seen a horror movie?”
She knew for a fact that he had.
“Relax, it’s just the woods,” Steve insisted, trying to ignore how many bad encounters they’d had in the woods that could very well prove that statement wrong. Instead, he reached up to stretch out the muscles in his back. Three vertebrae popped in a row.
“Old man Steve, everybody!” Robin called out into the woods, and Eddie snorted.
Steve sent her a glare, then caught Nancy’s eye.
“You wanna help me get this thing off the hitch, Lady Nancy?”
“Stop it,” she rolled her eyes -- which contradicted her soft smile.
“Hey Buckley, am I allowed to smoke now?” Eddie shouted, and Robin groaned dramatically before giving him a dismissive wave.
“Your lungs, your poison, Eddie.”
“Praise Jesus,” he threw his hands up, sticking his tongue out in reply to the dirty look she shot him before producing a cigarette and digging a lighter out of his pocket.
Nancy and Steve got the small camper unhitched -- a cramped thing with only one bed and a pull-out couch. Robin had situated herself cross-legged on the ground and, after snubbing out his cigarette and flicking it through the car window -- he wasn’t a litterer -- plopped himself down next to her and threw his legs over her crossed knees, leaning back casually on his hands.
“You know,” Steve muttered as he and Nancy shoved wedges of wood against the wheels of the camper. “I said this was an adults-only getaway, but I feel like we’re babysitting two toddlers.” He jerked his head in the direction of Robin and Eddie, who were flicking soggy leaves into each other's hair.
Nancy laughed softly, tilting her head in agreement.
“They are pretty great though, you’ve got to admit it.”
“Yeah,” Steve reluctantly drawled -- all for show, really. “I guess they are. Hey bozos!” he yelled, waving them over. “Get off your asses and lend us a hand, will you?”
Eddie clamped a hand over his heart, falling dramatically backwards, sending a puff of leaves shooting up in his wake as Robin’s groans of protest morphed into hysterical laughter.
“I swear, it’s like they’re already high,” Steve shook his head and Nancy smirked.
“Who’s to say I didn’t start early, Stevie?” Eddie asked, sauntering towards him and propping his arms on Steve’s shoulder as he pushed the heart glasses up onto his head -- making his already messy hair stick out at odd ends.
“Just… take it easy this weekend, okay? I don’t want to have to peel you off the forest floor or anything.”
“Steve, please , have some faith.”
“Uh-huh,” Steve dismissively commented, stepping out from underneath him. Eddie swayed until he was nearly parallel with the ground before catching himself at the last second.
“You wound me, sweetheart.”
“Just help me pop this thing up.”
“Mmm,” Eddie hummed, wiggling his eyebrows at Robin. “Not the first time a man has ever asked me to do that.”
Robin choked on air, raising her eyebrows with an amused smile, and Steve rolled his eyes up to the sky.
“You’re insufferable, Munson.”
“And just think,” Eddie hopped up to Steve and threw an arm around his shoulder. “You get to share a bed with me tonight.”
They hadn’t discussed the sleeping arrangement yet, but there weren’t many options given the small space.
“I’m starting to think I’d be safer with Robin, even with how much she thrashes around in her sleep,” he joked for the sake of trying to ignore the way Eddie was making his palms sweat.
“What?” Nancy popped her head out of the car, frowning. “You told me it wouldn’t be a problem…” The comment was directed at Robin -- apparently, they had discussed sleeping arrangements a little more than Steve had thought -- and the girl was quick to assure her that she wouldn’t karate chop her in her sleep… probably .
“Alright, Munson, let’s put those bat-slaying muscles to use, yeah?”
By the time Eddie and Steve got the camper set up -- with lots of “ what do you want me to do?”s and “how the hell was I supposed to know it did that , Harrington?” -- Robin had gotten a fire going, the sun was just beginning to set, and they were each starting to amass their own collection of mosquito bites.
“Did you bring bug spray?” Nancy asked, using that tone that implied she shouldn’t even have to.
“Uh… no?”
“Well done, Old Man Steve,” Robin piped up.
“Stop calling me that, nerd.”
“I think I’ve got some in my bag,” Nancy offered, heading for the car.
“Queen Nancy saves the day yet again!” Eddie grinned. “I’m gonna go smoke a joint -- Robin !” he yelled, and she swiveled her head around like a girl in a horror movie only to pull a face and flip him the bird.
“Gonna attract all the skunks, Munson,” she called as he dragged a log towards the fire, sweeping the dead leaves off of it -- and carefully removing a few slugs -- before plopping himself down.
“They’re probably going to think you’re some sexy lady skunk in heat.”
“Gross,” Steve winced, walking into the conversation at the wrong time as he rubbed at the still-wet bug spray on his arms and sat down next to Eddie.
“Well, maybe I am a sexy lady skunk in heat, eh Robin? Ya ever think of that ?”
“Yeah, that settles it, I am not sleeping with you,” Steve muttered, ducking his head as Eddie wrapped an arm around his neck and tugged him into his side with a face-splitting grin. The smell of weed mixed with the smell of bug spray.
Nancy soon joined them, settling down next to Robin, who was also sitting on an only slightly damp log, and passed the girl a soft smile. They relaxed into the silence of the forest for a while, with only the sounds of the fire and the emerging crickets and Eddie’s breathing as he blew lazy smoke rings up towards the sky.
Eventually, however, one more sound joined the quiet. A gurgling stomach that could have only belonged to the girl who nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound and blushed dark red.
“I, uh, don’t know about you guys, but I’m a little hungry.”
“Yeah, we gathered,” Nancy replied with a smirk, and Robin’s red deepened.
“I’ve got hot dogs in the cooler. You guys wanna find some sticks?”
“ Sticks ?” What kind of hillbilly bullshit is this?” Eddie mumbled, taking a final draw on the stub of his joint. The little pinprick glow faded into darkness, and now the fire was the only light in the now dark woods, a backdrop of shrouded, bluish-grey hue that contrasted alluringly with the orange firelight.
“We used to do this all the time when we went camping,” Steve insisted, digging through the cooler for the pack of hot dogs. Reluctantly he added, “We also have beer…”
“Oh yeah! Now you’re speaking my language, toots.”
“Don’t call me toots,” Stave cringed, even as Eddie slapped him endearingly on the back.
“Whatever you say, sweetheart,” he grinned in a way that made it very difficult for Steve to be mad at him and then cracked open a can, taking a generous sip. Wiping his mouth on his sleeve, he said, “Should we do shotguns? We should do shotguns.” He wiggled his eyebrows, spinning around to face the others with his arms thrown wide.
“I’m down,” Robin shrugged, and Nancy passed her an almost surprised look before turning back to Eddie’s imploring -- and troublesomely endearing -- face.
“Fine,” she caved, and Robin cheered.
“You’re a bad influence, Eddie Munson,” Steve muttered, but he was already heading over to the others with three beers piled into his arms, the pack of hot dogs resting under his chin, and a bag of rolls twisted around one finger.
“Now hold on,” Nancy insisted, smirking wryly. “I believe I remember a certain bad-boy who used to haul my ass to parties, Mr. Harrington.”
“Oooh, Mr . Harrington,” Eddie swiveled his head towards Steve, eyes wide with amusement.
“Okay,” Steve muttered, chuckling. “And if I remember correctly, a certain young lady who didn’t know when to stop also couldn’t hold her booze very well.”
That night, back when he and Nancy had been dating, had not been a good one. He was glad that they were able to joke about it now, with no hard feelings on either side. It still hurt him a bit to think about what she’d said, but after everything they’d been through it didn’t seem so important.
Steve sat onto the log, handing a can off to Nancy before leaning around her to give one to Robin.
“Thank you, sir,” she chirped, and they all watched as Eddie pulled out a pocket knife.
“Well, that’s reassuring,” Steve sarcastically muttered.
“Alright children, pass over your cans,” Eddie announced with a grin. He took charge of the situation, making sure everyone had a smooth cut in their beer can.
“Trust me, you do not want it to be sharp,” he kept saying as he carefully punched the holes, taking a small sip from everyone’s can first, just to make sure.
It was all sickeningly sweet, and they watched him do it with soft smiles and fond glances at each other which Eddie, in his quest for their safety and wellbeing, was clueless of.
Grabbing a new can for himself, he readied his last before looking around the camp at everyone, the glow of the fire making his eyes light up deep amber and adding to the wild glint that they were currently radiating.
“Ladies… gent,” he nodded to Steve. “On the count of three… One… two…” he lifted the can to his lips. “ Three !” the yell was cut off as he threw his head back and began to chug beer faster than what should have been humanly possible.
Predictably, Eddie finished first, tossing his can onto the ground before letting out a breath and sticking his tongue out as he wiggled it triumphantly. Steve however was only a second behind, and passed Eddie a proud look as soon as he tossed his empty can; a look that was returned tenfold by Eddie. Nancy finished a few seconds later, dropping her can and flicking some beer from her hands.
Robin was a solid last place, struggling profoundly at the end before throwing her can away like it had caught fire and letting out a raspy wheeze.
“I didn’t get invited to parties,” she exhaled, and Nancy laughed gently.
“Don’t sweat it, Buckley,” Eddie waved. “Chugging beer is hardly a talent. I’m sure your trumpet skills are much more valuable.” It was something that could have easily been a dig, but with Eddie, they could all tell he meant every word he said.
“Yeah, well my trumpet's at home--”
“Thank god,” Steve muttered.
“And I’m not feeling very cool right now.”
“Hey, you’re cool,” Nancy insisted.
“Y-Yeah?”
“Um, yeah ,” she grinned. “You’re cool as shit, Robin.”
“The Queen speaks truth,” Eddie declared, pointing at Robin before ruffling her hair fondly on his way to sit down next to Steve.
In an odd moment of open vulnerability for Steve, he threw his arm around the man’s shoulder. Maybe it was the relaxed atmosphere of the woods, or the beer catching up with him.
One can? he thought. Yeah… right.
But it was worth it when Eddie leaned his head onto Steve’s shoulder -- and then poked him repeatedly in the ribs.
“You guys are adorable,” Robin commented with raised eyebrows as Steve squeezed Eddie around the neck.
After a brief scuffle, they settled down, Eddie with his head still resting in the crook of Steve’s neck. Robin had shifted onto the ground, sitting between Nancy’s legs, who began to braid the hair at the girl’s temples, twisting strands together before gently raking her fingers through them.
Robin roasted hotdogs, the moon rose, and the stars poked through the tree line -- and the temperature dropped low enough that everyone was thankful for their current seating arrangements, which allowed for them to share body heat.
“Oh! We should definitely cuddle under a blanket later,” Robin half craned around to shoot an excited and adorably eager grin at Nancy, who smiled shyly in return.
Robin hadn’t been a part of many sleepovers as a kid, and none of them had been with someone like Nancy, who took Robin’s eagerness and weirdness -- and, though Nancy didn't know it, her queerness -- in strides. Awkward strides, maybe, but strides.
“I could go for a cuddle,” Eddie murmured, eyes staring blankly at the fire. There was a stretch of silence and then:
“I’m not cuddling you, Eddie,” with a slight grimace.
“Hey, you said it, Sir Steve, not me...”
“Okay, just making sure we’re on the same page.”
Eddie gave a little salute against Steve’s neck -- which kind of negated the whole “we’re not cuddling” thing -- and the girls laughed to themselves.
Nancy was still messing with Robin’s hair, and the taller girl was leaning back against her stomach. Every so often she would stretch back to whisper something to Nancy, and then they would smile at each other or get into an excited whisper debate.
On the other side of the fire, Steve had let his head very gradually fall against Eddie’s. He nearly swallowed a mouthful of hair, but other than that the man was surprisingly comfortable. Or maybe Steve was just tipsy and tired, and Eddie’s lack of personal space was rubbing off on him in his weakened state.
After a long stretch of content silence, in which Eddie and Steve nearly fell asleep on top of each other, Robin groaned softly.
“That was like my fourteenth bug bite.”
“Aw man, I thought I was the only one getting eaten alive,” Eddie mumbled, shifting his head across Steve’s shoulder.
“Really?” Steve tiredly asked, also shifting so they could both be more comfortable. “I don’t think I’ve been bitten once.”
“What the hell, man,” Eddie drawled. “I’m dyin’ over here.”
“It’s,” Steve murmured. “It’s ‘cause you’re so sweet.”
“... What did you just say?” Eddie asked, trying to sit up and look at him, but the weight of Steve’s head stopped him and he ended up just twisting his shoulders sideways.
“Your blood, your blood I mean,” Steve hastily but somewhat weakly clarified. “My, uh, mom used to say that if mosquitoes bit you a ton, it’s because your blood is extra sweet, or whatever.”
“Everyone else heard that too, right? Steve Harrington just called me sweet--”
“Your blood , dude.”
“I’m definitely drunk.”
“Well yeah, that too.”
Eddie burst out laughing, knocking his knee against Steve’s leg until the other man was laughing too.
“You know what, Harrington? I think there’s a little bit of freak in you yet.”
“Yeah, well,” Steve muttered, but he had that reluctant smile on his face. “Learned from the best, didn’t I?” There was a pause, and then: “Henderson.”
“ Ooh !” Eddie winced, dragging his head out from beneath Steve’s. “Low blow, Stevie.”
He laid back into the leaves with a grunt, arms sprawling out on either side of him. Steve laughed nervously, reaching down to try and grab him.
“Come on, Eddie -- you think the bugs are bad up here .”
“Eeesh,” Eddie grimaced, grabbing the hand Steve was offering and letting the other man pull him up. “At least I know the mosquitoes love and appreciate me.”
“We love and appreciate you, Eddie,” Robin piped up, and Eddie did a little bow in her direction -- interrupting Steve, who had been picking the leaves out of his hair.
“Thank you, my Lady,” he blew her a kiss, and she blew him one in return.
He knew he didn’t have to, but Steve reached his arm around Eddie’s shoulder again and gave it a little squeeze, just in case he was actually hurt by what Steve had said. But when Eddie turned to look at him, those big, brown doe eyes smiling into his soul, Steve forgot what he’d even been thinking about.
“I’m really fucking tired, dude,” Eddie admitted with a soft smile. Steve glanced down at his watch. It was nearing midnight.
“Whaddaya say, guys? Should we hit the sack?” he glanced between the others.
“Yes!” Robin weakly declared, dragging herself to her feet -- only swaying a little bit in the process -- and reaching down to help Nancy up. The girl stifled a yawn.
“Can’t argue with the ladies,” Eddie, who did not stifle a yawn, said before slapping his hands on his legs and getting up.
Before Steve could even move, Eddie was offering him a hand. He accepted it with a nod of thanks, and Eddie laid another hand on his shoulder as he stood up.
“Have to hand it to you, Steve,” he whispered. “This actually might not have been a bad idea -- fucking mosquito bites and all.”
“Careful Eddie,” Steve tugged his arm, pulling him a bit closer. “I might start thinking you actually like me.”
“Well,” Eddie replied, matching Steve’s tone. “We wouldn’t want that, would we?”
Steve had tried to get the upper hand, but those eyes… fuck .
“Hey! Are you two lovebirds coming, or are you just going to stare into each other’s eyes all night?”
Both boys whipped around to level a glare at Robin, who gave a little hop before disappearing inside the camper.
“She…” Eddie evenly started, pointing towards the empty space Robin had left behind, almost a questioning to his tone, like he was looking for confirmation on something.
“Yeah,” Steve evenly replied.
“Mmm,” Eddie nodded like they’d come to an agreement that Robin had no clue what she was walking about. No clue at all…
“Here, help me with this, will ya,” Steve slapped Eddie’s arm and began covering the already dying fire with wet leaves and dirt. The man stared after Robin for a moment longer before seeming to clear his head enough to move.
They got the fire stamped out and then joined the others in the camper. As soon as all four of them had entered the small space, they blinked around at what they were working with -- which was: not a lot.
“Uhh…” Steve hummed, rubbing the back of his neck. He hadn’t really thought this through, where everyone would sleep. The trip had been last minute, after all; he’d just assumed that they’d figure it out.
“Okay, ladies take the bed…” that left the pull-out couch, which probably wasn’t big enough for two people -- if they didn’t want to sleep on top of each other.
“Uhm… and--”
“I’ll take the floor,” Eddie spoke up.
“Are -- Are you sure?”
“Yeah man,” he waved a hand. “It’s no big deal.”
“Okay…” Steve reluctantly agreed, glad that his dad had a ‘no shoes in the camper’ policy and they’d all kicked theirs off outside.
In the nearly non-existent light of a battery-operated lamp, Steve began passing around the pillows they kept in the storage cubbies below the bed. Eddie wrangled with the pull-out couch, cussing softly whenever he pinched his fingers or banged his elbow, and Nancy started getting the sheets on her's and Robin’s bed. There were a few blankets, but the girls would have to share in order for Eddie to get one. No one minded.
“Everybody good?” Steve asked after they’d all situated, listening for three “yes”s to play back at him before clicking off the light. The camper wasn’t pitch black, but it was close. He just hoped nobody had to pee throughout the night; the last thing he needed was someone getting mauled by a bear.
Feeling his way from the tiny counter at the front of the camper towards the couch in the back, he stopped suddenly as he remembered something.
“Eddie,” he hissed, and he heard a shuffle beneath him.
“Yeah?”
“Just -- keep talking, I don’t want to step on you.”
“Uhh, okay, uhm… woah woah, wait -- I’m right here, just--” he grabbed Steve’s legs, guiding him around where he was situated on the floor.
“I said keep talking , not grab my ass,” Steve whispered fiercely as Eddie pushed him towards the other side of the camper.
“Woah,” Robin sang. “Called in, Nance. You owe me five bucks and your Tom Cruise poster.”
“Shut up,” both Steve and Eddie whispered. Then Eddie cleared his throat.
“Sorry man, I just thought it would be easier than--”
“It’s fine, it’s fine,” Steve insisted, trying not to sound too testy. He reached the couch -- and immediately banged his knee on the metal edge.
“ Shit , ah-ha,” he winced, sucking air through his teeth.
“Y’okay?”
“Steve, are you alright?”
The voices blended together, and Steve lifted a pacifying hand even though none of them could see it.
“I’m fine, I’m alright, just… hit my knee.”
“Well be careful, dingus.”
“Thank you, Robin,” he sarcastically replied, and heard the soft, low sounds of Eddie’s laughter somewhere off in the darkness below.
“Night everybody,” Nancy called, sounding like she was half asleep already.
A chorus of soft, equally sleepy voices replied.
Apparently, summer nights in Hawkins were cold. Like, really cold. In retrospect, they should have known that, considering how many nights they’d spent fighting various creatures from the upside down or hiding from Russians, or some other abnormal shit. They should have known, but… none of them had really been thinking about particulars when they’d all piled into the car to embark on the first non-life-threatening, non-world-ending, kid-free adventure.
All they’d been thinking about was the chance to get away for a little while. To hand out just the four of them like old times -- only this time, their lives weren’t in immediate danger, and the safety of Hawkins or their group of adopted children wasn’t at stake.
So… none of them had thought to bring extra blankets. They could figure out the curse of Vecna and save their town from eminent otherworldly doom, but they couldn’t pack for a camping trip. Go-fucking-figure. If Dustin were here…
It was nearly three in the morning according to the glow of his wristwatch when Steve was awoken by a soft groan. He froze, eyes staring blindly into the darkness when he heard it again, followed by a soft hiss.
“Eddie,” Steve hesitantly whispered, pushing himself onto his elbows. “You’re not jacking off down there, are you?”
“It’s fucking cold, man,” came Eddie’s hushed reply, and Steve could hear the chattering of his teeth before he clamped them shut again.
It took Steve probably less time than he would have liked to make up his mind about something. To actually speak it aloud was a hell of a lot harder, though.
“God, I can’t feel my fucking feet--”
“Alright, get up here Munson.”
There was a long moment of silence, and Steve was just starting to think that Eddie had actually frozen to death when he whispered,
“Sorry, uh -- what?” like he genuinely hadn’t understood what Steve had said.
“There’s no use freezing your ass off, Ed -- you might as well just come up here.”
Silence again.
“Two blankets are better than one--”
“Steve,” Eddie interrupted, and his voice, though not loud enough to wake the others, was heavy with a seriousness that Steve had only ever gotten glimpses of. “You sure you know what you’re asking?”
“Yeah…” Steve insisted as if it was obvious, his voice hitching with confusion. Why was Eddie acting so weird all of the sudden? He was cold, why not just accept Steve’s offer?
Eddie let out a sigh, and he must have truly been freezing because a second later, Steve felt the dip of the mattress. Throwing open his blanket, he let Eddie settle in next to him before laying it across the both of them. Between the second blanket and Eddie’s body heat, Steve suddenly felt warmer than he had in his whole life.
“Never thought I’d have Steve Harrington in my bed,” Eddie dryly muttered, his usual joking tone falling a bit flat. He was still shivering.
“Technically it’s my bed,” he replied. “Actually, technically it’s not even a bed, it’s a couch…” Eddie laughed weakly, pulling the blanket more snugly around him.
“Well, I never thought I’d be in a guy like Steve Harrington’s bed -- couch , either, so…”
A guy like me … Something about the way Eddie had phrased it made Steve’s head spin. A guy specifically like me.
“You okay over there Harrington?” Eddie asked, and there was genuine concern in his tone, almost like he was afraid he’d done something wrong.
“Yeah, yeah -- I’m alright. Are… are you okay over there?”
“Well,” Eddie said after a moment. “I’m not freezing anymore, so that’s one thing at least.”
“Good, that’s good,” Steve gently replied, nodding as he stared up at the ceiling. “Just remember, no cuddling,” he added, and his tone a bit weaker than maybe it needed to be to come across as an actual warning.
The thing was, the bed really wasn’t meant for two people -- especially two people the size of Steve and Eddie. As much as Eddie was trying to stay in his own space -- and he was trying, Steve could tell -- it was nearly impossible. Eddie shifted, pulling himself away and nearly falling off the bed.
“Hey man, relax okay? I’m just messing with you…”
“Yeah, Jesus, you got that right. You’re really fucking messing with me, Steve,” Eddie replied, sounding twitchier than usual.
“Eddie. Eddie, man, just look at me a minute.”
There they were, those big brown doe eyes peering almost innocently into Steve’s.
“I don’t mind, okay? Really, this isn’t as weird for me as you might think it is.”
Eddie’s eyes widened slightly, and he parted his lips the second before Steve continued.
“I used to share beds with guy friends all the time in high school. You don’t really get to pick where you pass out during a party…” he chuckled, thinking back to the memories.
“Guy friends,” Eddie scoffed, then followed it up by an immediate deep breath. “Right, fucking Christ.” He seemed… relieved?
Wait, was that relief? Steve couldn’t tell.
“Okay,” Eddie continued. “But just… I can’t control what I do in my sleep.”
“Alright,” Steve tried to reassure him. “As long as you don’t, like, shank me or something, we’re good.”
“We’re good,” Eddie repeated like he was trying to convince himself, taking another deep breath.
“Yeah, see. We’re good,” Steve gently concluded. Eddie nodded at the ceiling, taking another steadying breath. Steve watched him until finally, the man turned to look at him again.
Damn those eyes…
“Hey, uh, Steve…” Eddie whispered, and Steve shook his head to clear it, realizing that he might have just been staring at the guy’s lips.
“Y-Yeah, um, what?”
“Thanks. For, you know.” Eddie gestured to nothing in particular with a wave of his hand. “Whatever.”
“Yeah, of course, man. Anytime. You’re way past being one of us at this point. And anyway,” Steve smirked. “Dustin adores you, so… I guess there’s no way I could actually hate your guts or anything.”
“W… Dustin… likes me?”
Steve stared back at Eddie through the darkness like he wanted to flick him on the forehead.
“Yes, you idiot, can’t you fucking tell?”
“Well, I don’t know, I just thought that he really liked D&D.” Even laying down, Eddie was gesturing like his life depended on it.
“Yeah,” Steve insisted, drawing out the word. “And he likes you, too. Jesus, dude,” he scoffed.
But then Eddie was rolling onto his side, tucking his hands beneath his head and looking at Steve like he held all the power in the world.
“And you… you like me? Like actually, or was that just something to, I dunno, make me feel better or some bullshit?”
Steve opened his mouth, the disbelieving, amused grin slowly fading as he stared into those damn beautiful eyes. The front of casual disinterest that Eddie was trying to put up was not working very well. Steve sighed.
“Jesus, Munson, fine -- yeah, I like you, okay? You’re like… cool -- and you’re pretty badass when you’re not pissing yourself.”
Eddie laughed, finally cracking a smile, and Steve had never needed something so much.
“So… I don’t know, yeah,” he continued. “I like you. Even though we have nothing in common and I’m also still not entirely sure you’re not insane.”
“Pshh, definitely bonkers, dude. No question about it,” Eddie scoffed, but he was still grinning.
“Well, there we go,” Steve muttered, causing Eddie to snicker again. At least he seemed more relaxed, eyelids drooping -- and now Steve was thinking about how pretty his eyelashes were or the little marks dotting along his cheeks and the bridge of his nose, so faint that they were almost unnoticeable. Really, if you were going to have such nice eyes, the rest of you should be at least a little ugly, but not Eddie. Not even close.
“Just… give yourself some credit, man. Like I said, you’re one of us, and we’re not made up of just anybody.”
“Th… Thanks, Steve,” Eddie almost grimaced.
“You’re welcome,” he replied, letting them fall back into silence. And then,
“I think my sleep-deprived iceberg of a brain just hallucinated that whole conversation. Actually, everything that’s happening right now feels a little… unreal,” he gestured to Steve with his eyes. “I half expect to wake up on the floor.”
“To be fair, if one of us even tries to roll over, you might.”
Eddie chuckled again, and Steve felt himself smiling.
“Get some sleep, Munson.”
“Yeah… you too, Stevie.”