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It’s been two weeks since the earthquake and there is still no sign of Eddie. Wayne puts up new posters everyday. He thinks he must have spent at least $100 buying copies of the posters at this point. He has to replace them almost daily. It feels like every citizen of Hawkins has made it their personal mission to deface every missing poster of his nephew he puts up.
The sight of devil horns and pitchforks drawn on the photo of Eddie, makes his heart clench every time. One time someone had even gone as far as to write the word “fag” over Eddie’s face in bright red marker. Wayne had cried when he found that poster.
Even still he refuses to give up hope. He knows his nephew is still out there. Don’t ask him how, he just does. He promised himself he would protect Eddie that day he showed up at his trailer sobbing and covered in bruises all those years ago, and he’ll be damned if he breaks that promise now. He doesn’t care if he has to spend every last penny he has on missing posters, he’ll do it until the day he dies if it means there is a chance he might find Eddie.
He was told Eddie’s name was officially cleared two days ago. He had broken down the second he had opened the door to see Chief Powell standing on his porch. He thought for sure he was there to tell him the worst, that they had found Eddie, or rather, that they had found Eddie’s body. When they told him that upon reviewing new evidence, Eddie was no longer a suspect, he had only cried harder.
His relief was almost palpable. Between hearing that Eddie is officially innocent, and knowing that he might still be alive, he doesn’t think he has ever cried harder than he did that day. He’s been thinking that a lot these days. He can’t remember ever crying this much in his entire life. Not even when he was a kid. He hopes to god he never has to cry this much again.
Just because Eddie’s name has been publicly cleared by the police, doesn’t mean the people of Hawkins believe it. Wayne has been harassed for weeks now, with people telling him how horrible his nephew is. He wishes he could say he is surprised when he continues to be harassed by the people of Hawkins after Eddie is declared innocent, but it would make him a liar.
Eddie has always been looked down upon by both his peers and the adults around him. Called a freak, a queer, a fag. You name it, Eddie has been called it. It has always broken Wayne’s heart. He wishes people could see Eddie for who he really is instead of who they think he is. His nephew is one of the kindest and bravest people he has ever met, but he knows he is the only one that shares that sentiment.
So when he gets a knock on his door and opens it to find Steve Harrington and some kid he has never seen before standing on his porch, he knows nothing good will come of the interaction. He doesn’t even give them a chance to say why they’re there before he slams the door in their face. He might not know the kid, but he knows the Harrington boy and he is nothing but trouble. He wants nothing to do with the choice words they surely have about his nephew. He locks the door and walks back over to the couch. As soon as he sits down the knocking starts back up again.
He ignores it, turning on the TV and cranking the volume up, hoping the boys will tire themselves out. He tries desperately to tune out the incessant pounding but it only seems to be getting louder and louder the longer he sits here. When one of them starts to yell, he can’t take it anymore.
“Mr. Munson! Please Open the door! We have to talk to you!” One of them yells through the thin door. Wayne can quickly feel a headache coming on, only worsening the longer the boy pounds on his door. After nearly two minutes of the knocking with no sign of it stopping anytime soon Wayne gets off the couch and throws the door open.
The kid’s fist is still raised in the air when he opens it, making him stumble a little from the momentum he had built up. Harrington steadies the kid with a grip on the back of his shirt, pulling him upright again. Wayne keeps a hand on the door, ready to close it again at any moment.
“Whatever you have to tell me about my nephew, I don't want to hear it. He is innocent and I will not stand by and let you bad mouth him in my own home.” Wayne says with finality, moving to slam the door in their faces again. The kid’s hand shoots out and stops the door from closing, the strength surprising Wayne enough he doesn’t push any harder.
“Mr. Munson, please, I-” the kid starts, his voice breaking a little. The Harrington boy reaches out and places a comforting hand on the kid’s shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly and giving him a small smile. The kid seems to calm down a little at the touch, as he takes a deep breath in. Wayne is so confused by the scene in front of him he doesn’t even try to interrupt. Seeing Steve Harrington be so effortlessly kind to the kid is throwing him for a loop.
“We were with Eddie, when the earthquake hit,” Harrington speaks up, moving his gaze from the kid to Wayne. He feels his heart sink so fast he thinks he goes a little lightheaded. This is it, he thinks, this is the moment someone finally tells him his nephew is dead. The fact that the person who is going to tell him this is Steve Harrington makes him want to sob.
“Eddie- He, he was badly injured. He protected us, put himself in harm's way to make sure we were safe. And he- he’s alive Mr. Munson. He begged us not to tell you anything until he was sure he would make it. He didn’t want to get your hopes up, but he- He got the all clear from the doctor earlier today, and he- He’s going to be okay,” Harrington says, his voice cracking on the last sentence.
Wayne stares at the two boys on his porch. There are tears streaming down his face, and his tight grip on the door is the only thing keeping him upright. He had all but collapsed when the boy said Eddie is alive. He wants so badly to believe him, but he also knows what kind of person Steve Harrington is and he wouldn’t put it past him to be playing some cruel joke right now.
“Don’t you dare joke about that,” Wayne chokes out, more tears falling down his face.
“He’s not! I swear on my mother’s life. We know it might be hard to hear, but we’re telling the truth.” The kid pipes up, unshed tears in his own eyes. As Wayne looks between the two boys he thinks they are either phenomenal actors, or they’re telling the truth.
“If you are lying to me about this, I swear to god, I will kill you, you hear?” Wayne says, the threat slightly undercut by the fact he is still crying.
“Yes, sir. Eddie asked us to pick you up so you can see him. We understand if you don’t trust us, but he would really like to see you,” Harrington says. Wayne takes a moment to assess the situation. He pleads with whatever higher power there is that these boys are telling the truth.
He takes a shaky breath in, moving into the trailer, grabbing his wallet and keys. He starts walking back to the door before turning on his heel and making his way to Eddie’s room. He has spent almost every day in the room since Eddie went missing, finding comfort in the familiarity of it.
He walks to the dresser, picking up Eddie’s favorite tape, and his Walkman before moving to the closet and grabbing a hoodie. It’s one Wayne had given him years ago, the black fabric so faded it’s almost gray. There is a worn Metallica logo on the front, almost completely dissolved from years of wear. He knows it’s Eddie’s favorite item of clothing other than his battle vest, and that he wears it whenever he is feeling down.
Wayne takes one last look at the room, nodding to himself before making his way back to the front door. The two boys look up from their hushed conversation once they see him, their eyes a little wide as if they hadn’t expected him to actually come back. He nods to them, walking out the door and shutting it behind them before moving past them without another word.
They follow quickly behind him, sprinting to catch up and lead the way to their car. He is led to a fancy BMW that no doubt costs more than everything in his trailer combined. He gets in the passenger’s side, as the kid moves to the back and Harrington slides into the driver’s seat. They take off in a direction Wayne doesn’t recognize, and he has half the thought that they might try to murder him.
He shakes the thought off almost as soon as he has it. Even if these two boys did try to murder him, he doesn’t doubt that he could fight them off if need be. He didn’t spend his younger years in Vietnam only to be killed off by Steve Harrington and some kid he’s never met.
“I’m Steve, by the way. Harrington,” Steve pipes up from beside him, not taking his eyes off the road as he speaks. Wayne furrows his brows at him, trying to figure out if he’s making some kind of weird joke.
“Yeah, I know who you are,” Wayne replies, his voice a little colder than usual. Steve flinches a little at the tone, a deep frown settling on his face.
“Yeah, I guess I don’t have the best reputation around here,” Steve says bitterly.
“Steve’s actually a really good guy.” The kid pipes up from the backseat, leaning forward onto the console between the two front seats. Steve glances at the boy in the rearview mirror, turning around for just a second to glare at him, before moving his eyes back to the road.
“How many times do I have to tell you? Put your damn seatbelt on, Henderson.” Steve chastises, making the kid roll his eyes. Even so the kid, Henderson, Wayne guesses, sits back in his seat and pulls on his seatbelt.
“Fine, mom,” Henderson sasses back. Wayne watches the interaction in awe. He is learning a lot about Steve Harrington in this very short period of time with him, and he doesn’t know what to think about any of it.
“I’m Dustin by the way. Dustin Henderson,” Henderson says. Wayne could swear he’s heard the name before, and it takes him a moment of wracking his brain before he figures out where.
“Wait, you were in Hellfire Club with Eddie, weren’t you?” Wayne asks, turning his head slightly to look at the kid. Dustin’s eyes are wide with shock, and he has a small smile on his face.
“You’ve heard of me?” Dustin asks, his voice a little awed. If it were any other situation Wayne would find it endearing, but as it is he is using all his willpower not to break down at the moment.
“Yeah, kid. Eddie would talk about you and that club all the time. I’m pretty sure you were his favorite member,” Wayne replies, a small smile making its way to his face as he thinks about all the times Eddie bounced around the trailer while raving about the newest session of Hellfire Club. Wayne never understood a damn word he said while he was talking about it, but he was more than willing to listen if it meant his nephew kept that same excited grin on his face for a little longer.
“I knew it! Oh I am so going to rub this in Mike’s face later,” Dustin says, pumping his fist in the air excitedly. The gesture reminds Wayne so much of Eddie that it makes his heart clench. He would do anything to see Eddie excitedly pump his fist, or jump around the trailer, or even just smile, as long as it means he gets to see him again.
“Eddie’s told us a lot about you. It sounds like you’re a really good uncle,” Steve says, pulling his attention away from his thoughts.
“Well I don’t know about that, but I try my best. That boy has been through so much, he deserves someone looking out for him, and I made a promise to myself that no matter what, I would do that for him. I think I’m the only one who ever has,” Wayne replies, his eyes filling with tears once more. He blinks them back as best he can. He is sick of crying and he refuses to do it again until he has seen his nephew.
“You don’t have to worry, Mr. Munson. You’re not the only one looking out for Eddie anymore. He has lots of people who love him and that would risk their lives for him, me included.” Steve says, and he says it with so much confidence Wayne can’t help but believe him.
Less than an hour ago Wayne was half ready to shoot this boy where he stood, and now. Well, now he isn’t sure what to think. He still doesn’t trust this Harrington boy as far as he can throw him, but he doesn’t doubt that he cares for his nephew to some extent.
The rest of the drive is spent in silence. It’s another half an hour until they pull up to a building that looks more like an old abandoned warehouse than anything else. Wayne looks at the two boys a little nervously, unsure what to make of the situation.
Steve parks the car, taking the keys out of the ignition before opening his door and making his way towards what looks like the entrance to a garage. Dustin follows behind him, Wayne reluctantly following as well. He stays behind the other two, following them to a door beside the entrance to the garage.
There is a small panel next to the door, and Steve reaches out to press a button there. Wayne waits behind them, feeling on more edge the longer he looks around. This looks a lot like where you take someone to murder them, he thinks silently. He is startled out of his thoughts by the intercom buzzing to life.
“Look at the camera and state your full names.” A voice calls out from the speaker. Steve rolls his eyes, but turns his head to the right, Dustin doing the same. Wayne turns as well to see what they’re looking at, seeing a small camera placed on the corner of the wall.
“Seriously, Murray? Do we really have to do this every time? You know who we are.” Steve complains, placing his hands on his hips.
“State your full names.” The voice repeats. Murray, was it?
“Steve Harrington,” Steve says exasperatedly.
“Dustin Henderson,” Dustin says, sounding far more chipper. The two of them turn to face him expectantly. He looks between them before realizing he is supposed to say his name as well.
“Uh, Wayne Munson,” he says, his voice a little awkward. The door to their left opens as soon as he says his name, to reveal a balding man with a thick beard and glasses. He is wearing a thin white tank top, paired with little blue short shorts, and long brown and yellow robe.
Steve starts walking towards the man, pushing past him into what looks like a very nicely furnished house. Dustin follows behind him, Wayne slowly following the boys into the building. Despite its outside appearance, the space is quite homey. Sure, there is a lot of clutter and odd things thrown about the space, but it looks well lived in. Well loved.
“Uncle Wayne!” A voice that Wayne could recognize in his sleep calls from behind him. He spins around on his heel to see his nephew hobbling towards him. It looks like it is taking all his effort to stay upright, his movements slow and uncoordinated.
“Eddie, what are you doing up?” Steve says, rushing over to Eddie, helping to steady him. He throws an arm around Eddie’s waist, allowing him to rest his weight against him. Wayne is frozen in place, feeling like all his limbs are made of spaghetti as he stares at his nephew.
“Awe, you worried about me, Stevie?” Eddie teases, a bright smile on his face despite the fact he is clearly seriously injured. Wayne breaks down at the sight of his nephew’s smile, hot tears streaming down his face. He drops the items in his hands onto the carpet, not caring as he rushes over to Eddie.
He pulls him into the tightest hug he can with Steve still by his side. Eddie hugs him back just as tight, his own tears soaking into Wayne’s jacket. He pulls back a little, taking Eddie’s face into his hands, and looking him over, just to make sure he’s real. He is careful of the bandage on his left cheek, not wanting to upset his injury. Eddie looks up at him with a watery smile on his face, and Wayne just cries harder at the sight. He pulls him back into the hug, not letting go for a long time.
“As much as I am loving this warm reunion, I think I might pop a stitch if I don’t lay down,” Eddie mumbles into his shirt, pulling away slightly. Wayne immediately lets go of him, having forgotten how badly he is injured in his relief. He moves to Eddie’s side, helping to walk him the short distance to the couch. Steve is right there next to him, helping him along as well. Wayne is grateful for the help, as he’s not sure how stable of a support he would be to Eddie right now.
He and Steve help lower him on the couch, his head up against one of the arm rests, as his feet rest against the other. He groans a little as he is lowered down, the movement no doubt upsetting his wounds. Once he is settled, he lets out a long breath of air, his face a little pinched in pain.
“I told you not to get up,” Steve says gently, his tone more worried than chastising. Wayne looks around the room before moving to the chair placed next to the couch and sitting down. He watches as Steve moves over to Eddie’s side, crouching on the floor beside him.
He reaches down and pulls the hem of Eddie’s tee shirt up, revealing white bandages covering his entire torso. Wayne feels his blood go cold at the sight. The fact that Eddie is so injured he needs that many bandages makes him feel a little sick. Dustin and Steve had said it was bad, but he didn’t quite realize how bad.
Steve grazes light hands over the bandages, looking them over intently. Wayne looks up at Eddie’s face to see him watching Steve’s movements closely. He has a small smile on his face, and his cheeks are dusted a light pink. The sight of it feels a little like a punch to Wayne’s gut. He knows that look. He’s seen it on Eddie’s face plenty of time before, his boy falls in love easier than anyone he has ever met.
He’s known Eddie is gay for years. That’s not the issue. The issue is that he is looking at Steve Harrington like that. He is looking at Steve Harrington like he hung the moon and stars. He has watched his nephew’s heart get broken time and time again, and he doesn’t think he can stand seeing it broken again after this.
Steve finishes his examination, pulling Eddie’s shirt back down his torso, but not making any move to get up. He looks up at Eddie’s face, a soft smile spreading across his lips as their eyes meet. Wayne sees how Eddie’s blush darkens even further at the sight.
“What’s your diagnosis, big boy?” Eddie asks, his voice teasing, but Wayne can hear the hint of breathlessness. Whether it is from him almost popping a stitch or just from the proximity to Steve, he doesn’t know. Steve rolls his eyes, but his smile widens even further at the question and nickname.
“Well, you’re not bleeding, so I think you’ll live.” Steve replies, reaching out and patting Eddie’s thigh. “Just, be careful, yeah? We don’t need you getting any more hurt than you already are.” Steve continues, his voice softening with the words. He rests his hand on Eddie’s thigh for a moment, squeezing reassuringly before standing up and shoving his hands in his pockets.
“We’ll leave you two alone for a bit, I’m sure you have a lot to catch up on,” Steve says, glancing over to Dustin and Murray expectantly. The two of them nod to him, Dustin waving to Eddie and Wayne before they make their way out of the room. Steve lingers for just a moment, looking worriedly down at Eddie. “I’ll be just in the other room, just yell if you need me.”
“Okay, thank you Stevie,” Eddie replies, his voice soft and awed. Steve nods to the two of them before following the others out of the room. Wayne waits until he hears the door close to say anything. He turns to Eddie to see him already looking at him a little teary eyed. Eddie pushes himself up, grunting a little at the exertion as he sits up on the couch, resting heavily against the back of it.
“What happened to you, son?” Wayne asks softly as he leans forward on the chair, resting his elbows on his knees. Eddie takes in a shaky breath, moving his gaze down to his hands in his lap, fiddling with the rings on his fingers.
“I- I can’t tell you. Not yet. It’s just- It’s too much to talk about right now. I will tell you, just give me some time, please.” Eddie all but begs him, still refusing to look up. Wayne stands up from the chair, walking the short distance to the couch, and sitting beside Eddie. He brings his arm out and rubs soothingly over Eddie’s back, the boy leaning into his touch.
“Take as much time as you need. Even if you’re never able to talk about it. I’m just happy you’re okay.” Wayne says honestly. He doesn’t need to know what happened to Eddie. Honestly he’s not sure he could handle hearing whatever it was at the moment anyway. Just having Eddie alive and next to him is enough. He doesn’t think he could ever need anything else. Eddie leans into his side, resting his head on his shoulder.
“I missed you so much, Uncle Wayne.” Eddie whispers, his voice a little shaky in the way he knows means he’s about to cry. Wayne can’t say he blames him. He wraps his arm further around him, pulling him further into his side, and resting his cheek on top of his nephew’s head.
“I missed you too, boy. I missed you too,” Wayne whispers back, silent tears streaming down his face. The two of them sit like that for a long time, both relieved to be back together again. Now that Wayne has Eddie back, he doesn’t know what he would do if he loses him again. He doesn’t think he could take it.
“So, Steve Harrington, huh?” Wayne asks after a while, breaking the easy silence between them. Eddie chuckles, still not taking his head off of his shoulder. Wayne is glad he doesn’t, he thinks he needs the reassurance that Eddie is really here right now.
“Yeah, trust me, I was just as surprised as you. Turns out, he’s actually kinda a good guy now,” Eddie replies, and Wayne can hear the smile in his voice.
“You be careful with that Harrington boy, yeah?” Wayne asks redundantly. Eddie picks his head up so he can turn and look at him, not moving any further away than strictly necessary. He has a small frown on his face as he looks at his uncle, his brows furrowed in slight confusion.
“What- Uh, what do you mean?” Eddie asks a little anxiously, starting to nervously fiddle with his rings once again. Wayne sighs, reaching out and clasping Eddie’s hands between one of his own, stopping the tense movement. Eddie relaxes a little at the touch, his body less rigid than it was a moment before.
“I’ve seen the way you look at him, kid. He seems to really care about you, but I don’t want you getting your heart broke.” Wayne says gently. Eddie’s frown deepens at his words, his gaze moving down to where Wayne’s hand is still covering his own. He doesn’t doubt that he’d be fidgeting with his rings again if his hand wasn’t in the way.
“Is it really that obvious?” Eddie asks quietly, his voice laced with fear and uncertainty. Wayne squeezes his hands, moving the hand still on his back in soothing circles.
“You’ve never been very good at hiding your emotions, son. Especially not from me.” Wayne replies, Eddie’s body sagging at his words. He has tears building in his eyes again and the sight breaks his heart.
“I just-” Eddie starts, cutting himself off to take in a shaky breath. “He saved my life, Uncle Wayne. He- There was absolutely no reason for him to do so, but he did it anyway. He’s one of the most effortlessly kind people I’ve ever met, and I think I might be falling in love with him. Shit. I’ve only known him for three weeks now, but I already can’t imagine my life without him,” Eddie says, the tears starting to fall down his face.
Wayne pulls him into his chest, letting him hide his face as he cries softly. His shirt is soaking through with tears, but he doesn’t mind. He knows Eddie needs this right now.
“I know, kid. You’ve always felt all your emotions so strongly, and you’ve always fallen in love so easily. It’s something I admire about you, but I also know how hard it can be. No matter what, I'm here for you, and from what it sounds like you have many other people to care for you now, too. You’re not alone in this, son.” Wayne whispers to him, placing a small kiss to the top of his head.
The two of them stay pressed together like that for another long moment, Eddie’s crying slowing down after just a little bit. He finally pulls away from Wayne’s chest, wiping his cheeks with the backs of his hands. Wayne continues rubbing his hand on Eddie’s back in soothing motions, letting his nephew take as much time as he needs before speaking again.
“Thank you. I’m so sorry for everything I’ve put you through these last few weeks,” Eddie whispers, his gaze locked on his hands now resting in his lap. Wayne’s heart breaks for his nephew, the fact that he could ever think he would hold anything that happened against him makes bile rise in his throat.
“Don’t apologize, son. I’m just glad you’re okay. I don’t care about anything else, you hear me?” Wayne asks, his voice leaving no room for argument. Eddie looks up from his lap, his eyes searching his face for a moment, before he nods shyly.
“Okay, I hear you,” Eddie whispers, a small smile gracing his face. Wayne never wants to stop seeing that wonderful smile. He would do anything to make sure Eddie smiles as much as possible for the rest of his life.
“Oh, I almost forgot, I brought a few things for you,” Wayne says, moving to get off the couch. He walks over to where he had dropped his things at the sight of Eddie. He leans down, grunting slightly with the effort of it, feeling his back twinge in protest. Jesus, he’s getting old, he thinks. He picks up the pile, before walking back over to the couch.
Eddie is looking at him curiously as he sits back down next to him. Wayne grabs the sweatshirt first, handing it over to his nephew. Eddie takes the fabric, rubbing it between his thumb and pointer finger, tears starting to gather in his eyes. Wayne then hands over the Walkman and his favorite Dio tape.
“I know that sweatshirt and album are two of your favorites, so I thought you might like to have them,” Wayne explains, watching as Eddie looks over the items with a sort of reverence. Eddie finally looks back up at him, his eyes wide and filled with tears.
“Thank you Uncle Wayne,” Eddie all but sobs, throwing himself into his arms. Wayne hugs him close, letting a few tears of his own fall as they embrace.
Later that day Murray invites Wayne to stay at the warehouse for as long as he’d like. Murray is a strange man, and Wayne can’t quite get a read on him. He acts grumpy and standoffish, but he also seems to be effortlessly kind. He has been letting his nephew stay at his home for two weeks now, despite never having met him before that. And now he’s letting him stay there as well. He is maybe the strangest part of this whole thing, Wayne thinks to himself.
Steve had left a few hours ago to drive Dustin home, but has since come back. Apparently he is staying here as well, and has been for the past two weeks, so he could look after Eddie. The four of them have now settled into the living room, all huddled around the TV as they watch a movie. Murray is sitting in the chair Wayne had been earlier, while Eddie, Steve and Wayne take the couch. Eddie is sitting in between the two of them, pressed up against Steve’s side, and wearing the Metallica hoodie Wayne had brought. Steve has an arm slung over Eddie’s shoulders, the other resting gently on his thigh.
Wayne had been a little dumbfounded when he saw the two of them. They hadn’t even said a word to each other before settling onto the couch and snuggling up together. Eddie or Steve will lean even closer to the other one to whisper something in their ear every few minutes. Without fail the other one always has a pink blush on their face when they do this, laughing quietly at whatever was said. At some point about halfway through the movie Murray leans over the arm of the couch, getting closer to Wayne.
“Aren’t they just adorable?” Murray asks him, his voice quiet but loud enough the two boys on the other end of the couch hear him. Wayne’s eyes grow a little in shock, as he looks at the other man, who is smirking knowingly at him.
“For the last time, Murray, it’s not like that!” Steve protests from the other side of the couch. Wayne moves his gaze to the boy, where he and Eddie are still pressed as close together as humanly possible without sitting on each other’s laps, doing nothing to help curb Murray’s allegations.
“Oh yes, of course. How could I forget? You are just two very close platonic friends who cuddle together during movie night, and hold each other after nightmares because you are just friends. My apologies,” Murray says sarcastically, rolling his eyes in exasperation. A bright red blush spreads across both Eddie and Steve’s faces. Wayne has to double take to make sure he isn’t imagining the blush on Steve’s face, but sure enough, there it is.
Huh, Wayne thinks to himself, maybe Eddie’s feelings aren’t quite as one sided as he thought. He chances one last look over at the boys, the two of them staring steadfastly at the TV, refusing to make eye contact with anyone in the room. He shakes his head fondly, a small smile spreading across his face as he too turns his gaze back to the movie.
Later that night after Wayne has drifted off into a slightly restless sleep, he is startled awake by loud screaming coming from Eddie’s room. He shoots out of bed, his feet getting a little tangled in the sheets as he does so. He quickly untangles himself, tripping over himself in his haste to get to Eddie.
The door to the room Eddie is staying in is open, allowing Wayne to take in the scene in front of him. There are loud sobs coming from Eddie, only slightly muffled from where his face is pressed into Steve’s chest. Wayne is honestly so shocked by the sight, he doesn’t even bother trying to move further into the room, just standing there and watching.
Steve is holding Eddie close, their legs tangled beneath the sheets, one hand tangled in his hair, the other rubbing soothing circles on his back. He is whispering quietly enough Wayne can’t fully make out what he’s saying but he catches a few words. Just enough to understand that he’s comforting Eddie. Eddie’s entire body is shaking and he is clinging to the back of Steve’s shirt with his fists, his knuckles white from how hard he’s clenching the fabric.
Wayne’s heart breaks at the sight, but he doesn’t dare break the quiet moment between the two of them. He doesn’t know what’s happening between them, he doesn’t think they do either, but he knows that he isn’t what Eddie needs right now, Steve is.
He stands there and watches the two of them for a little while longer, seeing as Eddie’s sobs die out into soft sniffles. He watches as Steve pushes the hair that had fallen into Eddie’s eyes behind his ear, before leaning down and placing a soft kiss to his forehead. Eddie has a small smile on his face as Steve does so, his grip on his shirt loosening into a light hold.
He slowly creeps back to his bed, feeling suddenly like he’s intruding on something personal. As he lays down back under his covers, he can’t help but let a few tears fall. He can’t imagine what the boy must have gone through to have nightmares that leave him screaming and crying. He doesn’t know if he wants to. But he knows that he’s not alone and he has people to care for him now, other than Wayne. That’s all that really matters at the end of the day.
The next morning Wayne wakes up to the sound of Dio’s Rainbow In The Dark playing in the kitchen. A soft smile lights up his face as he hears Eddie’s voice singing along. He just lays there for a moment, letting the sound of his nephew’s voice in the morning fill his senses. Wayne wouldn’t trade it for the world. Even if it means he is woken up at frankly obscene hours of the morning with the sound of loud metal music. If it means Eddie is happy and alive, he will gladly put up with it everyday until he dies.
He pulls himself out of bed, groaning at the strain it puts on his back. Eddie had tried to give him the nice mattress, but Wayne wasn’t about to let his boy sleep on a pullout bed while he is so injured. His back can handle the strain the lumpy mattress puts on it, Eddie’s stitches can not. He stands up, stretching his arms into the air and yawning, he hears a pop in his back, the feeling releasing some of the tension that had built through the night.
Wayne putters towards the kitchen, stopping in the doorway to watch the scene in front of him. Steve and Eddie had clearly started making pancakes, and gotten distracted halfway through. There is flour and batter covering the counters, and it looks a little like a bomb went off. The two boys have flour all over their hands and faces as well, the sight a little ridiculous.
He watches as Steve grabs Eddie by the hand, the two of them wearing matching grins on their faces. Steve pulls Eddie closer by his hand, pressing him up against him and starting to slow dance with him. It’s uncoordinated and they both clearly have two left feet, but they’re laughing and singing along to the music. Wayne can’t remember the last time he saw Eddie smile as widely as he is now.
As the song fades out into the next one, their dancing slows down into a soft sway. Eddie rests his head on Steve’s shoulder, the two of them gently rocking back and forth to the sound of Shame on the Night. It’s a laughable sight, these two boys slow dancing to Dio. But they both look so deeply content in this moment, it’s making Wayne feel a little emotional.
Steve places a soft kiss to the top of Eddie’s head, the boy humming happily at the contact. Eddie pulls away from the embrace just enough he can look at Steve’s face. They both have matching pink blushes and smiles on their faces. Wayne watches as the two of them lean in, their mouths meeting in a soft kiss.
He backs away from the kitchen, letting the two boys have their tender moment. Lord knows they’ve earned it. As he walks back to his shitty pullout mattress, Wayne can’t help the smile that spreads across his face. Knowing his nephew is alive and well and truly loved by someone other than him is more of a gift than anything else could ever be. He is already planning out his speech to give Steve about what he’ll do to him if he breaks Eddie’s heart, but for now he’ll leave the two of them be.