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Bringing a customer back to his home was a big no-no in Eddie’s self-imposed book of Rules of Drug Dealing. But poor Chrissy seemed like such a wreck earlier in the woods, and if something a little stronger than his usual joints would give her some peace, he wanted to be able to help. If only he could remember where he put the fucking K. He glanced over at where Crissy was standing, arms folded in front of her like the good little church girl she was, and thought he should do something in the meantime to maybe make her relax a little. She probably wasn’t expecting to be in the home of the “Freak” today.
He moved over to the radio in the corner, flicking it on and wincing when it immediately began blasting Metallica. He turned the dial quickly; as much as it pained him, Cunningham struck him as a solidly “Top 40” type gal. Music relaxed everyone, right? Soon the sounds of some pop garbage filled the room, and he turned back with a little ‘voila’ motion.
Only, Chrissy didn’t react. She wasn’t looking at Eddie, wasn’t looking at anything, only the whites of her eyes showing as she stood stock still in a kind of rictus, back slightly bowed back. Eddie was afraid she was having a seizure or something, and was shocked that she wasn’t falling to the ground. He ran to her and snapped his fingers, trying to rouse her. He noticed all the lights suddenly flickering.
“Chrissy? Chrissy, wake up!” he shouted frantically.
Then, if possible, things got even weirder. As if gravity suddenly started working backwards, Chrissy’s body began to slowly float upwards. Eddie wondered if he was experiencing a bad trip as he watched helplessly as her body rose higher and higher, heedless of his repeated yells. The radio behind him changed songs, creating a sick soundtrack to the horror he was witnessing.
Six o'clock already
I was just in the middle of a dream
I was kissin' Valentino
By a crystal-blue, Italian stream
“Chrissy, wake up! I don’t like this! Crissy, come on, wake up now!”
But I can't be late
'Cause then I guess I just won't get paid
These are the days
When you wish your bed was already made
Eddie wanted to run, he wanted to get the hell out of there but he was frozen in place staring at the poor girl whose body had now started to twitch violently.
It's just another manic Monday (Woah, woah)
I wish it was Sunday (Woah, woah)
'Cause that's my fun day (Woah, woah, woah, woah)
And then just as abruptly as it started, it stopped. Between one “woah” and the next, Chrissy fell to the floor like a marionette with its strings cut. She landed in a slump and Eddie expected her to be unconscious, but he saw her stir slightly and ran to kneel by her side. He still kind of felt like running away, but he wasn’t going to just abandon this sweet girl after whatever the hell had just happened. The weirdest part was that when he got close to her he realized she was singing along softly to the damn bubble gum pop song that was still playing.
“Chrissy, hey, hey sweetie you with me? Are you ok? What the fuck just happened?!” he said, trying to be calm but definitely failing.
Chrissy shook her head as if to clear it, and finally stopped the (frankly a little creepy) singing. Her big doe eyes looked up and locked on Eddie’s, and he just had time to catch her as she threw herself into her arms, sobbing. He held her somewhat awkwardly, rubbing her back and making soft shushing noises. She cried for a while, until Eddie’s shirt was completely soaked. Then, to her credit, she sat back and visibly pulled herself together. She looked like a little drowned kitten, sniffling slightly with her mascara smudged, but she was back with him.
“I told you, it’s like I’ve been going crazy. One minute I was here with you and then I was…I was somewhere. It was a house I guess but horrible…it was like I was in hell. There was this monster there and he wanted me, he was going to do something horrible to me,” she said, voice only wobbling a little.
“Well unless that crazy is catching, there is something else going on here, doll. You freaking…you levitated in the air! I don’t think this is all in your head,” Eddie said in disbelief. “You said some monster was after you? How did you get away?”
Chrissy frowned slightly. “I…I was running, trying to escape but there was nowhere to go, he had me cornered…but then I heard music.”
They were both quiet for a moment, listening as the Bangles song was coming to an end. Chrissy managed a shaky smile.
“It’s my favorite song. I heard it, and it was like I could find my way back,” she frowned a little as the song ended, being replaced with the voice of the DJ. She looked concerned that it wasn’t playing anymore.
Eddie thought for a moment. He had no fucking clue what they were supposed to do. It was probably more likely that he and Chrissy were both crazy, or drugged, or this was all some bad dream. But then again, he was the type of guy to pay attention. Always operating in the margins, he noticed shit. Disappearing and reappearing kids, strange disappearances, shady characters: things hadn’t been totally kosher in Hawkins for awhile now, and somehow he knew it. Hellish monsters that could be beaten with the power of music may have sounded like something out of one of his campaigns, but maybe it wasn’t totally out of the realm of possibility. Which at least gave him someplace to start.
“Ok, here’s the deal. I don’t know what the fuck is going on, but if that song helped, seems to make sense that you should probably have it handy if something happens again. Hate to break it to you, it’s not exactly in my repertoire,” he said.
“I have the tape at my house! But…I don’t really want to be alone right now,” Chrissy said shyly.
Eddie stood, and offered her a hand, pulling her up with him.
“Listen, I don’t know what the fuck is going on here, but whatever it is, we are in this together, ok?”
—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eddie felt a little bit itchy as he drove into Chrissy’s perfectly manicured little neighborhood. He always felt like a fish out of water in upper-middle-class suburbia. As he drove he gave himself a pat on the back for how well he was handling whatever the fuck was going on. It was possible he was just running on adrenaline, and would soon completely crash and have to spend some time crying in the fetal position, but for now he knew he would hold it together for Chrissy. After all, she was the one who had been (was?) under attack by what might be an actual demon, and she was holding it together like a champ. Sure, he had no plan beyond “go to house, get cassette tape,” but for now it was better than nothing. He pulled his van into what Chrissy indicated was her driveway, noting just how out of place his van looked in this neighborhood, and heard her let out a relieved sigh.
“What’s up?” he asked.
“Oh, nothing, just that my mom’s not home yet,” she said.
He nodded. That made sense, he was pretty sure their daughter coming home with Eddie “the freak” Munson was every mother’s worst nightmare. (Even though there were a couple really good reasons why that would never actually happen.) He’d rather not be arrested today if he could help it. Chrissy unlocked the door, ushering Eddie in and telling him to wait in the foyer while she ran upstairs and grabbed the tape. He awkwardly snooped around for a few minutes, wondering what was taking her so long. Just when he was about ready to go looking for her, she came back down, and he noticed she’d changed out of her cheer uniform and was instead dressed in a pair of jeans and simple blouse. He was glad to see she was carrying a walkman. He raised an eyebrow at her, and she shrugged.
“Well it’s not exactly comfortable, ok?” she said in explanation. “So what are we supposed to do now?”
Eddie deflated slightly. “Go to house, get cassette tape” felt like such a great plan, until it was over and they were left with no next step. Eddie wracked his brain, trying to think of who he could go to about something weird and potentially demonic. He idly wished that the Byers family hadn’t moved away; he remembered the rumors that the mom had become some sort of weird conspiracy nut, which might actually be helpful right now. But then he remembered who he had last heard mention the Byers.
“Henderson!” he said aloud.
“Who?!” Chrissy asked.
“He’s, um. A friend of mine. Super smart, and might just know something that could help us with this weirdness,” he said, omitting the fact that he was seriously suggesting they ask a fifteen year old nerd for help.
“I guess it’s as good an idea as any, let’s go,” Chrissy agreed.
As they walked out of the house together, there was unfortunately another car in the drive, and it didn’t belong to Chrissy’s mother.
“Chrissy, what the fuck is going on? I couldn’t find you after the game, and now I find you here with Munson?” Jason said, walking up the driveway with his friend from the team Patrick. He didn’t wait for Chrissy to answer, just got right up in Eddie’s face. “We gonna have a problem here, Freak?” he spat.
Eddie backed up a step, putting his hands up in mocking supplication, and Chrissy tried to step between them.
“Jason, relax! Eddie is just helping me with something,” she said soothingly, but he only seemed to get more angry at that. He advanced on her instead.
“What the fuck could you possibly need his help for?” he said, grabbing her arm.
Eddie moved quickly, pushing him back.
“Hey man, keep your hands off her or else, alright?” he said.
“Oh really tough guy? How about we teach this guy a lesson about hanging with my girlfriend, what do you think, Patrick? Patrick?”
All eyes went to Patrick, who had been standing behind Jason, but now…oh shit, now he was standing rigid with unseeing eyes. Jason jumped back in shock, while Eddie ran to Chrissy, pulling her close to him to make sure she was ok.
“Music, now,” he said, and she fumbled to put on her headphones, but did as she was told. Patrick was now levitating, and Jason was losing his mind. Unfortunately, he was pointing back at Eddie.
“What the fuck are you doing to him, you satanic freak?! Put him down!” he screamed.
“How do you seriously think I would be doing this?!” Eddie yelled back.
Just then, a disgusting crunch rang out. Eddie didn’t think he’d ever be free of what he saw next; thankfully, he instinctively pulled Chrissy’s face into his chest, so hopefully she didn’t see too much. But he and Jason, unfortunately, were transfixed. Patrick, still hovering in the air, looked like an invisible hand grabbed him and crumpled his body like a piece of paper. His arms broke one after the other, then his legs, then his jaw, and finally with a sickening squelching noise his eyes seemed to be sucked into his head. He fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes. Eddie was running as soon as he hit the ground, pulling Chrissy after him. She caught sight of Patrick’s body as they went past and let out a shriek, but Eddie just shoved her in the direction of the passenger side of the van and she went.
Jason was hysterical. He was screaming frantically, and then seemed to notice Eddie once again and gave chase. Eddie shut and locked his door just as Jason slammed up against it. He was white as a sheet, with a feral look in his eyes. He pounded his fist against the window and Eddie fumbled to get it in gear as soon as possible.
“You freak! YOU FUCKING MURDERER! WHAT DID YOU DO? YOU SATANIC FUCK, YOU KILLED PATRICK, GET BACK HERE-”
Eddie pulled out of the driveway at breakneck speed, and sped off, seeing Jason following at a run for a block or so before he fell to his knees and just watched as the van sped away.
“Shit shit shit shit oh my god oh my god he’s dead what the fuck what just happened oh my god–” Eddie may have been a little hysterical himself, as he chanted and cursed while focusing on driving as fast and as far as humanly possible.
“Eddie. EDDIE!” Chrissy yelled, pulling on his arm to get his attention. “Eddie, you need to calm down or you’re going to crash!”
He rounded on her like he’d just realized she was there.
“Calm down? You want me to calm down? That dude is fucking dead, man, and your boyfriend thinks I did it with my, my witch devil powers or whatever! Oh my god he, his bones, oh my god–”
“Yes and that was supposed to be me!” Chrissy yelled. Eddie quieted abruptly at that. She sighed. “It was supposed to be me, Eddie. And you saved me. So just. Just calm down, and finish saving me, ok?”
They were both quiet for a moment. Eddie sucked in a couple of deep lungfuls of air, and started driving a little less wildly. Finally, he seemed to have composed himself.
“Ok.” He said.
“Ok?” Chrissy asked.
“Ok,” he repeated. “But this just got way more complicated. There was a corpse back there, and we just, like, fled the scene. That’s not going to look good. Especially for me.”
“Right,” Chrissy said thoughtfully. “So we just need someplace to go, where we can lay low and figure out what the hell is going on, right?”
Eddie thought for a moment. “Yeah, yeah ok. I think I know someplace we can go. But sadly, we are going to have to ditch the van first.”
—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eddie motioned for Chrissy to get behind him, as he heard people enter the lakehouse. They hadn’t made much progress on their plan, and had mostly focused on hiding out for the last day. Sleeping in a dirty old boat was probably not Chrissy’s idea of a good time, but she had completely refused to leave him, throwing back his own words at him that they were ‘in this together.’ Therefore, he felt he was honor bound to protect her from whatever threat had found their hiding spot. Still, he could feel himself shaking as he held the broken bottle up to the neck of the intruder.
He wasn’t immediately calmed to see the face of Steve “The Hair” Harrington, former king of Hawkin’s High, staring back at him. It took Dustin’s yells and Chrissy coming forward to put a soothing hand on his shoulder for him to back down. What Harrington said next, made him want to bring the bottle right back up to his throat.
“Holy shit, you really did kidnap Chrissy?” he said in a shocked voice.
Eddie didn’t have time to speak before the cheerleader was rushing to his defense.
“He didn’t kidnap me! He saved my life,” she said.
Eddie fell to the dirty floor, utterly exhausted. He looked up at Dustin.
“Henderson, I’m really hoping you have some answers for us here, man,” he said tiredly.
Chrissy crossed her arms and glared at him. “This is Henderson, the brilliant friend? Really?”
Eddie just shrugged hopelessly, and Dustin smiled hugely, before sobering.
“There’s another world. A world hidden beneath Hawkins. Sometimes, it…bleeds into ours,” he started.
And as they continued to explain, Eddie thought that a lot of things suddenly made sense.
—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“I don’t like this plan,” Chrissy said, for what felt like the millionth time.
Everyone sighed.
“I’m just saying! Why don’t I just go tell the cops that Eddie didn’t kidnap me, and that he had nothing to do with what happened to Patrick?”
Robin jumped in.
“With the way that Jason has the whole town riled up, they will just think that Eddie used his satanic powers to brainwash you or something,” she explained patiently.
“Ok fine, but you cannot expect us to just hide out here for days while you guys go off and investigate. Wouldn’t it be easier to find out what Patrick and I had in common, why we were targeted, if I was with you? Plus, if you found Eddie here, how long until someone else does?”
Everyone looked thoughtful at that. Steve ran a hand down his face and sighed.
“I’m definitely going to regret this, but you guys can stay at my place. My parents are out of the country until like Christmas, so the place is empty. Plus, it’s pretty much the last place anyone is going to think Eddie Munson would be hiding,” he said.
Eddie smiled up at Steve. “Aw Harrington, who knew you were so hospitable? I’d be honored to be allowed entry into the King’s domain.”
Was Eddie imagining it, or was Steve blushing?
“Whatever, Munson. Don’t make a thing of it,” he said, rolling his eyes.
—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Everyone was gathered in Steve’s living room, after meeting Nancy at the site of Fred’s death and bringing her back to fill in the others about Victor Creel. She was a little shocked at first to see Eddie and Chrissy holed up at Steve’s house, Chrissy with her ever-present walkman, but in true Nancy Wheeler fashion she took it in stride. Eddie was mostly focused on the fact that his uncle was ok and thankfully didn’t believe that he was guilty, but he shoots a look at Dustin when he pipes up with his “dark wizard” spiel.
“So much for my campaign. Didn’t think we’d be facing Vecna in real life,” he said with a rueful laugh.
“Patrick and me, that kind of made sense. But I can’t think of anything that I have in common with Fred,” Chrissy said thoughtfully.
“You were all seeing the guidance counselor. Maybe we should split up. Robin and I will go to the library to see what we can find out about Creel; Steve, take the kids and figure out a way to access the counseling records, maybe there is something in there,” Nancy said decisively.
“I can probably help with that,” Max said reluctantly. “I can just tell her I need private counseling for my grief or whatever. I see her enough as it is.”
Chrissy looked at her sharply. “Max…I’m sorry about your brother. I have to ask, have you been having nightmares? Headaches? Nose bleeds?”
Now everyone’s eyes were on Max. Steve knelt down and placed a hand on her shoulder.
“Max, what’s your favorite song?”
—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eddie was tired, deep in his bones. Vecna had come for Max, while she was at her brother’s grave of all places, and Lucas was able to get her music turned on before she even started to levitate due to their preparations, it had still taken a toll. Unlike Chrissy who only replayed “Manic Monday” ever so often, Max was now listening to “Running Up that Hill” constantly. Now, they’d just been informed that a guy named Andrew had been found dead at Lover’s Lake, his body disfigured like the rest. He had been a member of Jason’s witch hunt, and was out on the lake with Jason on their way to Reefer Rick’s Lakehouse. Even though Eddie was long gone from there, Jason was still telling the whole town he was responsible for yet another murder. And Vecna was three victims down, one to go, with two options currently being protected by flimsy walkmans.
He desperately needs a smoke. He heads outside into the night air, only to find Chrissy sat on the porch overlooking Harrington’s pool. Of course he has a pool, he can’t help but think, but he joins her. Lighting up his cigarette, he offers it to her but she declines.
“So. Max and Lucas’s theory about Vecna’s victims all being ‘haunted’. You didn’t disagree,” Eddie says.
Chrissy sighs. “You noticed that, huh? You’re smarter than people think you are, you know.”
He smiled theatrically and waved his arms. “I think you’ll find, Princess, that I’m full of surprises.”
He turned serious again. “Really though. Are you…are you ok?”
Chrissy pulled her feet up, hugging her knees to her chest. “It’s, it’s my mom. Or, it’s me I guess. You want to know what I saw in my visions? Rotting, horrible food everywhere. My parents, my own parents turned into monsters. Only, maybe they’ve always been monsters.”
Eddie was contemplative. “Well, one thing I can understand, it’s horrible parents. But…the food? I, I didn’t want to say anything, figured it was just because of all the stress but I noticed you haven’t really been eating when the rest of us do.”
She grimaced. “I just. It feels like the only thing I can control sometimes. And it’s stupid to worry about like, my weight or my looks or whatever with everything going on but I just still feel like I have to be…perfect.”
Eddie placed his hand on her shoulder. “Hey. I’m sorry. You shouldn’t…no one should have to feel like that. And I know it doesn’t fix anything but, for what it’s worth, you’re beautiful Chrissy.”
Chrissy’s head snapped up and she looked at Eddie for a moment. Suddenly, she moved towards him, and luckily he realized her intentions in time. He moved, and her lips landed on his cheek instead of connecting with his. Immediately she pulled back, her face flushed.
“Oh, oh my god I’m so sorry,” she said, looking devastated.
He stood up and ran a hand through his hair, pacing slightly.
“No, no no don’t be sorry, ah that’s um. Probably my fault, mixed signals and whatnot,” he said awkwardly.
Chrissy was mortified to realize there were tears welling up in her eyes. Eddie noticed as well, and held his hands out to her.
“Oh god please don’t do that, it’s not – Chrissy, you’re 17 and I’m like, 21!” he said, and she scoffed. Realizing the situation was rapidly getting out of his control, he plopped back down on the deck chair and squeezed his eyes shut so that he didn’t have to see her face when he said what he had to say next.
“I’m gay, ok? I’m sorry because you’re like a super sweet girl and I meant it when I said you were beautiful but I didn’t mean it like that cause yeah. Gay.” he ended his ramble, and cracked one eye open to see her reaction.
She was looking at him, not in hatred or disgust, but just kind of thoughtfully. He opened his other eye and let out the breath he was holding. At least she wasn’t crying anymore.
“But also, seriously, too old for you. Other guys are going to tell you that it’s not a big difference but you just tell me about those guys and I’ll beat them up for you, alright?”
With that she let out a little giggle, and he felt the rest of the tension leave him. They were quiet for a moment, and when she spoke next she sounded a little sheepish.
“Can I tell you a secret?” she said.
Eddie smiled. “Kinda just told you the biggest one I have, so please, even the score a little.”
She leaned in a little closer.
“Manic Monday, the Bangles?” she gestured to her ever-present Walkman. “It’s my favorite because Susanna Hoffs is like, a complete babe.”
Eddie grabbed his heart, widening his eyes in faux shock (partially to hide the real shock he was feeling, partially to make her laugh again. “Chrissy Cunningham! Who would’ve thought?”
She did, indeed, giggle again, and something about her looked lighter all over. “It’s both though, for me. I mean, I do like boys,” she clarified.
Eddie gave her a wicked smirk. “See? And you thought you and I had nothing in common!”
The two descended into riotous laughter, and Eddie knew in that moment that they would be friends for a long, long time.
—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When Harrington’s shirt came off in the boat, Eddie felt two things: his own cheeks heat up, and Chrissy’s knowing look. She had been giving him non-stop shit ever since his “big boy” comment earlier, not that he was sure what the hell had come over him. He couldn’t believe they’d only known each other such a short amount of time, as after the botched-kiss-and-mutual-queer-confession, they had fallen into a comfortable brother-sister dynamic. Including being teased about his crush. Which he did NOT have on Steve Harrington. Shut up.
Later, in the hellscape known as the Upside Down, when Chrissy rushed ahead to steady Robin when she BARELY tripped, Eddie caught Chrissy’s eye and smirked at her. She stuck out her tongue at him. Very mature.
—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eddie knew what he had to do. They hadn’t given nearly enough time, and he couldn’t let Dustin and Chrissy be in danger. He’d promised to protect them both. Steve’s words of “don’t be a hero” echoed in his ears, but he had saved Chrissy once. He was going to finish the job.
A very important fact that he forgot was that his new friend was both very, very stubborn, and also basically a gymnast.
“Did you REALLY think that cutting the rope was going to be enough to stop me coming after you, Munson?” she yelled to be heard over the din of the bats, standing back to back with Eddie and brandishing her weapon.
“How about you yell at me after we don’t die, ok Cunningham?” he yelled back, striking out at another bat that came too close.
—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Miraculously, somehow, they didn’t die. They both got a little scratched up, ending up with scars to rival Steve’s, but they made it. Max had ended up with a broken arm (and probably a lifetime in therapy, but that kind of pertained to all of them) but thankfully her friend with superpowers was able to get inside her head and use the connection to kill Vecna, once and for all. Eddie was a little fuzzy on the details. The resulting shockwave of the psychic battle had caused a shockwave to hit Hawkins, and although the damage wasn’t too bad, there was one casualty in the form of Jason who had become trapped in the Creel House as it collapsed.
Eddie may have hated the guy, but he still felt a little weird about how the shady government creeps (in conjunction with the apparently not-dead Hopper) had used his death to get his name cleared. Mostly for Chrissy’s sake. She had been a champ, speaking to the media about how Jason had gone completely insane, killing Patrick, and Eddie had saved her, hiding her until he was sure things were safe. He couldn’t even begin to express how much he appreciated it, but he still felt bad. Jason had been her boyfriend after all, and even though she’d told him what a shitty one he’d been, she must have still been a little haunted by it. She had lost so much.
One thing she didn’t seem to mind losing was her home. All the damage from what they were calling an “earthquake” was focused at the sites of the gateways, and since one of them had been in her driveway, her family home was completely destroyed. Her parents had decided to take the insurance money and cut their losses, moving to a different town. They tried to force Chrissy to come with them, but she had turned them down on the basis that she was finishing her senior year and would be turning eighteen in just a couple months. Eddie privately thought that her mother was simply so shocked by being stood up to, that it stopped her from fighting back too hard. For now Chrissy was living with Eddie and Wayne, although they were saving up to get their own place after graduation. After they both graduated that is. Turned out, ‘86 really was going to be her year. Wayne had taken to Chrissy like the daughter he never had, which is to say she had him completely wrapped around her finger. Eddie was glad he’d already come out to his uncle years before, or he’s pretty sure he’d be encouraging them to get married.
Currently, Eddie, Chrissy and Steve were pretending to help out with the Hawkins relief effort, but were really spying on Robin trying to flirt. Chrissy was pouting.
“She’s like, not even that cute,” she groused, glaring at Vickie from across the room.
Eddie chuckled, but Steve looked at her in shock.
“That’s like, the meanest thing I’ve ever heard you say, Chris!” he exclaimed.
He looked to Eddie for confirmation, but Eddie just laughed, and tried to communicate something mainly through raised eyebrows. Harrington, of course, didn’t get it.
“What?” he asked dumbly. God, Eddie wanted to kiss his big dumb face.
Behind Chrissy’s back, he pointed at her, then to Robin, and back, while making significant eye contact with Steve. When Steve still looked confused, he moved his hands into the shape of a little heart. Finally, Steve’s eyes lit up with recognition.
“Ah! Ah. Ahem.” he tried to look natural when Chrissy turned around, looking at him shrewdly.
“Hey Robs!” he called across the room, and Robin looked at him sharply. “Hey, um, Chrissy could really use some help over here!” Steve said.
Chrissy buried her face in her hands in mortification, but Robin, who had looked annoyed when Steve first called her, brightened immediately at the mention of the other girl and began to make her way over.
“Chris! Hey!” she said brightly, and Chrissy looked at her like she hung the moon, “what can I help with?”
“Aaaand Steve was going to help me with something over there away from here immediately ok by!” Eddie said, pulling Steve away. Once he was safely behind Robin’s back, he shot Chrissy a double thumbs up.
Not actually having any other area to help out with, Eddie led Steve outside, where they leaned against the building. Eddie lit up a cigarette, passing it to Steve for a puff. Steve took a long pull, and Eddie couldn’t help but stare at his lips as he did so. Steve tossed his hair a little, and Jesus he had to be doing this on purpose.
“You know,” Steve said carefully, “I was a little surprised to see you go all wingman in there. Kinda thought that you and Chrissy were like…”
Steve trailed off, and Eddie laughed, taking the cigarette back and making sure he brushed Steve’s fingers as he did. He took a drag, watching Steve watch him do so. Even though the cigarette was barely half gone, he threw it on the ground and stepped on it, letting the motion move him closer into Steve’s space.
“Nah, she’s sweet, but you know, not really my type, Big Boy,” Eddie said, looking up at Steve through his lashes, giving him his best doe eyed look.
Steve coughed slightly, holding his gaze.
“Cool. Cool, cool, I mean, that’s great, you know. Friends are. Great,” Steve said, then laughed at his own rambling, eyes still locked with Eddie’s. “Do you maybe, um. Do you wanna get out of here?”
Eddie smiled, and licked his lips just to watch Steve watch him.
“I thought you’d never ask.”
END