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Steve’s kind of freaking out.
That seems to be a common occurrence nowadays, but it’s usually because monsters from an alternate dimension stalks his every move. Eddie Munson is no monster no matter how many times he claims himself to be. There’s a certain unreplicable charm that the metalhead possesses. The sort of charm that people want to hate, but once you spend time with him you grow addicted like the drugs he stupidly drags around in his steel lunchbox. That man has got everyone wrapped around his finger and it’s a bit unfair.
Steve denies he’s ‘everyone’. The former king of Hawkin’s High has other targets to acquire— targets who wear crop tops that allows easy access to the small of their back. Targets whose styled hair tuck under their ears, revealing a faint blush crawling up their neck. Targets with bubble gum lip gloss that leave stains all over his body once the movie ends and they’re draped across his couch. Targets that are obviously women and not Eddie Munson.
But then Robin forces Steve to attend the after party for the graduating students of ‘86 at Carmen Marshal’s house. He expects Eddie’s presence, having watched him walk across the stage with his middle fingers flipped to the booing crowd earlier in the day. What comes as an absolute shock, however, is barging in on the newly grad making out with a guy (emphasis on GUY) against the bathroom counter. And it’s not just some random guy. He’s making out with Kyle Martinez, a basketball jock that was supposed to graduate during Steve’s year. They’re both obviously celebrating the fact that they’ve finally escaped the hellhole that is the American school system. Eddie’s ringed fingers tug the hem of his partner’s baggy shirt. He kisses Kyle hungrily like he wants to devour him in one single gulp. Breathy moans start bouncing off the wall which is when Steve promptly shuts the door. He elects to use the basement bathroom instead.
Did he really just see that? Was Eddie making out with a guy? Maybe they’re drunk. Or maybe they’re playing some sort of perverted prank to embarrass unsuspecting guests. Or maybe it’s an experimental thing… yeah, that’s it. It’s probably an experimental thing. Like, what guy hasn’t thought about kissing dudes, especially when Rob Lowe looks like that. Eddie seemed to be enjoying his experiment if the explicit sounds he was making were any indication. He looked experienced. Steve wonders who he’s practised with before. Were they also guys? Were they guys that Steve knew?
There comes an aggressive knock against the bathroom door. Steve snaps out of his thoughts. He needs to stop drinking. He can’t think about these things.
It turns out that being sober only makes his mind wander into unmarked territory more than ever before. He finds himself staring at Tom Cruise’s lips for a bit too long when flipping through his teen magazine. He’s fixated on the kiss scene from The Breakfast Club as it plays on the display television at Family Video, but instead of imagining himself as Bender, he trades places with Claire. Then, worst of all, he dreams about holding Eddie against a bathroom counter, and they're so close he feels his hot breath. Then he wakes up in a cold sweat, wondering if Eddie really is a monster that just hops from one dream to another.
Listen. Steve’s not gay. He can’t be. He likes kissing girls. He likes the press of their boobs against his chest and the smell of their fruity perfume under his nose. This is all just a phase.
“Have you been avoiding me?”
Steve jumps at Eddie’s voice coming right behind him. He spins on his heel to face the other and wills himself to look away from Eddie’s Metallica tank top ripped just above his stomach. It’s so cold in the Wheeler’s basement. The urge to cover Eddie up with his letterman jacket is suppressed as Steve secures his hands in his pants pocket instead.
The kids have run upstairs for Ms. Wheeler's famous Mac n’ cheese. Eddie has apparently been spectating the kids’ personal D&D campaign on a weekly basis. Steve’s there to pick up Dustin by request of his worrying mother. Now the two are alone. Eddie’s wide eyes bore into him. Why is he looking at him like that? Is there something on his face?
Steve suddenly registers Eddie’s question. “Wait, what? Why would I be avoiding you?”
Eddie shrugs and then leans against the table behind him. “I dunno. ‘Cause you saw me going down on Craig Martinez a week ago?”
“Kyle,” Steve corrects before he even realizes what Eddie said. He reddens. “Wait, going down?! Jesus Christ, I just saw you kissing him!”
Eddie raises both palms in defence. “My sincerest apologies for painting you that picture, your majesty. I didn’t realize I offended you so badly.”
“You didn’t offend me I was just caught off guard," Steve says honestly. "Like, I’m pretty sure there was a lock on the door. Use it next time.”
The boys stay in their place for a while with no one willing to say anything or make a move. Biting down on his tongue starts hurting too much, so Steve impulsively asks: “Do you do that often?”
“...Do I lock doors often? Clearly not—“
“No, I mean…“ Steve stops himself before he says anything else. This is it. This is the unmarked territory he so desperately tries to avoid. Temptation lingers in the back of his mind. He shoos it away like bug repellent. He shuts his mouth and makes a run for the stairs behind him, mumbling “Never mind. I’m just gonna go steal some Mac n’ cheese–”
“Ah, ah, ah! Can’t run away from me that easily." Eddie should’ve been on the track team because he’s suddenly in front of Steve, his hand flat against his chest. "You have something on your mind, Harrington, and it’s begging to come out. Go on, say your piece. You’re trapped here ‘til ya do.”
Steve says nothing. Eddie leans into his bubble, face inches away.
“Kyle,” he blurts, hoping that would make Eddie back away. It doesn't, so he’s forced to take a few steps back and hit his lower back against the table. Eddie follows, not breaking eye contact.
He cocks his head to the side. “Who?”
“You don’t– The guy I saw you kissing!” Steve reminds him urgently. “Was he, like, the first guy you ever kissed?”
“Far from it,” Eddie snorts loudly, but his toothy grin suddenly becomes much more sinister. “Do you have a problem with that? Does that make you uncomfortable?”
“N-No. Of course not.” His throat feels like it is closing in on him. Maybe he’s dying? Murdered by Munson; it’s only fitting to be finally taken down by the devil himself. But now Eddie is looking at him like he’s the one with sharp horns sticking out the top of his head.
“Wait, seriously, you’re fine Munson. I don’t have a problem with it. I— I couldn’t care less,” Steve quickly reassures. It comes as a relief when Eddie’s stiff shoulders loosen up. Steve lets out a sigh, having successfully steered clear of the typhoon headed his way. Then he ruins his chances of living by mumbling, “...Have you kissed girls though?”
If Robin were here, and he wishes she was, she’d smack him upside the head. Now he’s pretty sure Eddie is going to do it for her. Steve braces for it but to his surprise, he answers the unprompted question.
“A few. My stats are a tad lower with the ladies. I’m a bit shy.” He winks.
Okay. Steve got his answer. He should stop now.
“Wait, so you notice a difference?” Or not. Jesus Christ, Harrington. “Like, between kissing girls and guys?”
“I mean, I guess? I don’t really think about that.”
“But like, aren’t dudes rougher? Doesn’t it just feel like sandpaper against your skin?” Steve rubs his own jaw, feeling scruff growing in. “And then what does it even taste like? Usually, girls have lip gloss on. Like, cherry flavoured. Guys don’t do that, do they?”
“Sometimes I put on lip balm…?” Eddie says, sounding unsure if that answered Steve’s several questions.
“Oh,” is all Steve can utter.
A minute passes. Where the hell do they go from here? What’s the proper etiquette after asking your guy friend about their kissing experiences? Does Steve just, like, wave goodbye and leave? Thank him for the information? Wish him good luck on his next kiss? Steve considers doing all this but Eddie saves him from the embarrassment:
“Do you wanna try kissing me?”
Steve’s brain short circuits and he’s pretty sure it’s releasing smoke. “Huh,” he blurts dumbly.
Eddie shrugs. “You're obviously curious about what it’s like to kiss a guy. But like, why be curious when I’m right here? Just test it out on me.”
“I’m not— I can't just—“
“Really, it’s not a big deal. It’s just a kiss. Here, I’ll even put this on for you.” Eddie digs through his jean pockets and takes out a small tube of lip balm. “There’s no flavour to it, sorry to disappoint. I just use it ‘cause my lips have been getting dry lately.”
That should’ve been a turn off but Steve loses his voice momentarily as he watches Eddie smear the product across his own pink lips carefully. Once satisfied, he rubs his lips together, spreading the lip balm. His mouth parts with a POP.
Steve clears his throat. “This is weird, man.”
“It’s only weird if you think so,” says Eddie.
“It’s weird.”
“Are we doing this or what? ‘Cause I gotta do a few deals at a rich kid's house party. They hired me like I’m some sort of party clown-- not that I'm complaining. Couple more bucks and I can buy a few spray paint bottles to paint a dick on Higgins' wall.”
It takes Steve too long to answer. Eddie turns towards the stairs. “M’kay, I’ll see you around—-“
“Wait!” He tugs Eddie back by his forearm, and the tip of their shoes touch. “Okay! Fine! Geez! I’ll do it since you apparently want to kiss me so badly...”
“What?” Eddie blinks rapidly in confusion. “I’m doing this for you. This is a you thing. I have all my questions answered about kissing guys and then some. I’m just passing on the knowledge.”
“Whatever. Let's just get this over with.”
“Ever the romantic...” murmurs Eddie under his breath.
They’re frozen again, seconds feeling like minutes and minutes feeling like hours. Steve should make the first move right? To show that he’s capable? Then again, this is just an experiment. He doesn’t have to impress anyone. Eddie’s the one with the experience. But what if Eddie thinks he’s lame after this? Oh God, what if the girls he’s kissed were just gassing him up? The overly confident part of his brain slaps him out of this line of thinking. Get it together, Steve! He wasn’t the goddamn king of Hawkin’s for nothing. He takes ladies on magic carpet rides, and he’ll do the same to Eddie just to prove that he can.
Steve confidently reaches for Eddie’s hips and– Eddie’s suddenly reaching for him too. Both their movements halt. They pause. They chuckle awkwardly. They try again at the same time only to retract. This weird, robotic dance delays the inevitable.
“I— I don’t know where—“ Steve finally places a hesitant hand on Eddie’s shoulder blade. It doesn’t feel right so he hovers over his forearm. He decides to folds his arms across his own chest instead. “Just— okay, who’s the girl and who’s the guy?”.
“We’re both guys, that’s the whole point of this, sweetie,” Eddie sneers
Steve brows furrow at his condescending tone. He’s about to argue until he feels a calloused hand cupping his right cheek.
“Here, I’ll lead,” Eddie decides, voice gruffer than Steve’s used to.
Steve’s arms stay folded. It tightens in its place the closer Eddie inches towards him. His face combusts into flames and fire alarms blare in his head as Eddie’s heavy lids hide his bold eyes and his eager lips part for entry. Hot breath hits Steve before they finally connect. It occurs to him that they’re the same height; his neck doesn’t have to crane down awkwardly just to get a good angle. That’s new. He smells cigarette smoke and pine, not bubble gum or cherry. The prickly feeling of Eddie’s light stubble is something to get used to, but Steve finds he doesn’t mind it as much as he thought. Eddie is also much more gentle than expected. It’s a simple and innocent kiss. No tricks or hungry touches. Just the soft grazing of Eddie’s thumb against his jaw, and Steve finds himself looping an arm around the small of Eddie’s bare back. He swears he feels Eddie spine shiver as he drags his hands upwards.
He can’t help but greedily chase his lips when Eddie slowly leans away.
“There,” says Eddie simply with his nose still touching the other. He gently slaps Steve on his cheeks before separating entirely. Even with the loss of contact, Steve’s whole body burns and his face blooms like a fresh tomato. “So, how was that?” Eddie asks.
He feels dizzy. He’s on cloud nine. His legs are like jelly. His heart is exploding like fireworks on New Years Eve. Steve says none of these things. “Guh,” he manages to choke out.
Eddie chuckles nervously. “You good, man?”
Steve tries again, but not before clearing his throat. “Pshhh, yeah. I’m totally chill, dude. I’m just glad I could help you get that out of your system.”
Eddie’s face drops. He looks annoyed as he rolls his eyes and pats Steve’s shoulder like a job well done. “Okay, big boy. I’m gonna go try and make some money, but I’ll probably end up getting mugged. Have a goodnight!
He salutes him with two fingers but then notices something behind Steve. He leans in close, the return of his warmth blanketing Steve, then backs away having grabbed a piece of popcorn from the bowl on the table. Eddie throws it in the air and catches it in his mouth before whistling jovially, all the way upstairs. Steve’s left alone in his ex-girlfriend’s basement, with only his swarming thoughts to keep him company. He’s kind of freaking out.