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It's not often Eddie sees Steve Harrington in detention. Not often meaning never. He's out of place here, sitting at a creaky desk with Eddie and the others, in his pristine polo and shiny hair.
Eddie stares at him for a moment when he walks in, hovering in the doorway and eyeing Steve's posture. He's slouched in his seat, arms crossed, almost brooding, and Eddie feels rabid as Steve meets his eyes and cocks an eyebrow. But he behaves (for once).
He sits next to him, scooting his chair a little too close as he whispers, "What'd you do?"
"Nothing," Steve grumbles, and Eddie grins.
---
Steve's never actually talked with Eddie Munson. But that doesn't stop him from looking at him. He sees him in the hallways all the time, sees his hair that's almost at his shoulders, long and frizzy in a way that would be curly if Eddie took proper care of it. He sees him make faces at people, sees him draw in his notebook, and Steve is fascinated.
Eddie smiles like he's feral, all wide-eyed and shining, and Steve loves his smile, even if he doesn't admit it to himself. It's an exciting smile.
Somehow even though they've never spoken, Eddie seems perfectly comfortable sitting next to him (right next to him; maybe a little too close, but Steve isn't complaining) and talking to him.
"No, seriously," Eddie says. "What'd you do?"
Steve sighs, letting his head fall back to look at the ceiling.
"Uh." He keeps his voice quiet. There are other kids in the room, but none of them seem to care very much about the two of them. They're all sitting with their heads down on their desks, probably asleep. "I might have cussed out a teacher."
Eddie's eyes become even wilder, and his grin broadens, and Steve can't help but smile with him, his face flushing as Eddie knocks their shoulders together.
"You are so much cooler than I thought you were."
"Wow."
"Who was it?"
"Fisher."
"What'd he do?"
"Uh," Steve sighs again. "He, like, scolded me for not paying attention because I couldn't follow along, and I kind of just... snapped. Said he's a shitty teacher and maybe I'd be able to follow along if he wasn't so fucking boring."
"Steve Harrington. You're my hero."
Steve laughs. He hasn't laughed all day, but Eddie fucking Munson manages to get him to giggle, and then his face flushes with heat again.
They have to be quiet when detention actually starts, and Steve doesn't get the chance to ask Eddie what he did to get detention. But he can guess: he was probably late to class a few too many times, or neglected to turn in an assignment again. Something that Eddie is notorious for.
---
They fall silent when detention starts, and Eddie sees Steve lay his head down. He lets himself watch, admiring the way Steve pushes his hair out of his face before he sighs and looks across the room, blinking at the chalkboard. His eyes glaze over after a moment, and his eyebrows furrow like he's thinking hard about something. And Eddie is curious about what goes on in Steve Harrington's head. He has a feeling it's nothing good when Steve blinks his eyes, sniffling and tilting his head to lay it on his forearm. He looks like he's going to cry.
Eddie pulls his bag close and rips a scrap out of one of his notebook, rummaging around in the bottom of the bag for a pen before he scribbles a note and slides it onto Steve's desk.
you ok?
Steve lifts his head to look at him, and somehow his face falls even more as he reads it, and Eddie suddenly wants to wrap his arms around him, this boy he's never even spoken to, as Steve looks over at him and shrugs weakly.
What's wrong? Eddie mouths.
Steve looks back at the nose, biting his lip, and then he gestures for the pen, and Eddie passes it to him.
just feel like shit
Eddie looks at the note, contemplating, ultimately deciding that he can't give him a hug right here and now (unfortunately), and he draws the lines for tic-tac-toe before passing it back to Steve.
Steve looks at it and smiles.
He glances up at the teacher, who's reading something, and he moves his chair closer to Eddie, leaving the paper between them. The movement makes Eddie's stomach flutter, and he internally curses himself, because now is not the time to think about how he has a crush on a straight boy.
But he can't do anything about it, because Steve lays his head back down, drawing a little X in the center square, and his cheek squishes against his arm, and his hair falls to the desk, and he looks beautiful. Eddie looks away from him, but leans down, crossing an arm over the desk in front of himself and resting his chin on it.
They play three games, passing the pen back and forth. Steve wins the first two, and it makes him smile again and again, and Eddie decides he's set the world alight to make him smile. It makes his eyes squeeze shut in a way that's going to leave crow's feet behind when he's older. Eddie suddenly hopes he gets to see it.
Eddie sticks his tongue out at him like a child when he finally wins a game, drawing a sharp line through his Os, and Steve snorts, shaking his head at him.
Eddie sits up while Steve is staring at their next game, analyzing Eddie's Os carefully, and he stretches his back, looking across the room. Peters is asleep now, slouched over at his desk and snoring quietly, his book on his chest.
Eddie grins, elbowing Steve and gesturing with a jerk of his chin when Steve looks up at him.
Steve makes a face at Peters, looking oddly disappointed in him, and Eddie almost laughs, pressing his lips together when Steve looks back at him.
---
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Eddie whispers softly, and Steve glances him up and down, scanning his ripped jeans and his Megadeth t-shirt that's stained, the black fabric spotted reddish orange, his tangled necklaces and heavy rings.
"Probably not."
And Eddie just gives him this grin, this shit-eating, let's-break-the-law type of grin that makes Steve want to break the law. And Steve watches as he snatches the pen up from the table and grabs his backpack, standing up and crossing the room. The chains hanging from his jeans jingle happily, but Peters doesn't stir, and neither do the other kids, who just cast looks at Eddie and then lay back down or look back at whatever homework they're doing. Steve watches him, until he stops in the doorway like he can feel him watching.
Eddie turns back around, meeting Steve's eyes, and he gives him a look, widening his eyes and shaking his head before he beckons dramatically like they're going to be late for something. Steve glances at Peters, who hasn't moved.
And he follows Eddie.
Eddie is beaming when he follows him out, leaving their chairs behind, still out of place, and he starts to laugh as they head down the hallways toward the exit before he tosses an arm over Steve's shoulder, jostling him and messing up his hair. Steve doesn't mind.
---
"You're a terrible influence," Steve says, but he's smiling too, stumbling as Eddie pulls him along, arm still around his shoulders.
"But you were influenced so easily. You think I can get you into metal?"
"Absolutely not. Where are we going?"
They're exiting the building, the doors swinging shut behind them loudly, and Eddie just pulls him toward his van, standing out obnoxiously among the other students' cars.
"We're gonna smoke some weed," he says brightly. "Because you need it."
"In the school parking lot?" Steve questions, raising an eyebrow.
"Obviously not, we're leaving the school parking lot. I'll bring you back for your car when we're sober."
"Oh. Okay."
He just goes with it. He seems lighter than he did in the detention room, an absent smile on his face as he buckles himself in, looking around Eddie's van. It's a mess, but Eddie supposes it's representative of him. Steve jumps when Eddie turns the van on and the music comes on, the volume too loud, but he just laughs when Eddie headbangs as he buckles up.
They end up at the quarry. It's oddly quiet when the music turns off, replaced by the gentle sloshing of the water below them, by the leaves rattling in the wind.
They move to the back of the van, sitting opposite each other with their legs hanging over the edge, dangling above the dirt and gravel, and Eddie looks at Steve as he looks around, at the sky, which is now a soft grey.
"Why do you feel like shit today?" Eddie asks as he pulls a bong out from where it's hidden under a blanket.
Steve looks at him, his head falling back, and he looks tired, but relaxed. His shirt is wrinkled now.
"Just... I don't know. I feel..." He watches Eddie get the weed ready, eyes half-shut like he's going to fall asleep. "Tired. All the time. My dad was in town last week and he..." He's quiet for a moment. "I don't like him very much."
Eddie looks at him solemnly. One of his legs is propped up, his arm around it, the other kicking the air weakly.
"Is he gone now?" he asks before he takes a hit, the sound of the bubbling water filling the van.
"Yeah. Spain, this time."
"Spain? For what?" Eddie questions when he lifts his head, wrinkling his nose and exhaling.
"Who fuckin' knows, man," Steve says, laughing lightly, but it's a forced laugh, and Eddie can tell he wishes he knew.
"Does your dad suck?" he asks, passing the bong and lighter to Steve, who sighs and takes them. His chest rises and falls as he takes a hit, and Eddie's eyes follow the way his lips part to let the smoke out.
"Yeah."
Eddie nods.
Steve takes another hit, looking out across the quarry as he exhales, eyes a little glazed over.
"He wants me to..." Steve pauses, holding the bong back out to Eddie and sighing. "To follow in his footsteps. With his business and everything."
"Do you want to?" Eddie asks softly, gazing at him. Steve scoffs.
"Fuck no. 'D rather fuckin' die."
A laugh bursts out of Eddie and Steve grins lazily at him.
"What would you do?" Eddie asks. "If you got to pick. You graduate high school and then..."
Steve hums breathily, slouching and fidgeting with the end of the blanket as Eddie takes a hit.
"Probably just... take off," he says finally, his voice soft and thoughtful. "Pack my shit 'nd just leave."
Eddie exhales the smoke, smiling.
"You don't like it here?"
Steve scoffs.
"Hate this fuckin' town."
"This town loves you," Eddie points out, but Steve's face just falls a little, and he shakes his head.
"...They love who they think I am," he says softly after a moment. "They love King fucking Steve, not me. I wanna go."
"Isn't that the dream," Eddie says softly, ignoring the way his chest hurts for him. He wonders if he's the only one who knows Steve. This Steve, this... fragile, lonely boy.
"You too?"
"Jesus, yeah." Eddie passes the bong to him, still smiling, and he tosses the lighter. Steve catches it against his chest, looking at him curiously. "Hate this fuckin' town, man."
"You're not from Hawkins," Steve says. "Right?"
"Nope." He watches Steve flick the lighter, watches him duck his head to take a hit, watches his shoulders rise as he inhales. "Moved here with my uncle when I was nine."
Steve looks up, giving him a curious look as he leans back against the side of the van and exhales slowly.
"Why're you here?"
Eddie hums lightly, reaching for the bong. Steve tosses the lighter and giggles when Eddie doesn't catch it. Eddie flips him off. He grins.
"Dad was more into drinking than he was being a father," Eddie says. "And Ma didn't stick around long after he took up liquor. So. Wayne stepped in."
"Is he nice?" Steve asks after a moment, his voice so small it almost disappears behind the bubbling water. Eddie nods as he lifts his head.
"He's real nice," he says. "Kinda my best friend."
Steve smiles, listening.
"But he knows I hate it here. Knows I wanna leave as soon as I can. He's cool with it."
"Where would you go?" Steve asks, drawing both knees to his chest and leaning forward, hugging them to himself as he looks at Eddie like Eddie's going to tell him a story. He looks so young, like he's just a little kid, daydreaming about escaping a lonely town. Eddie's chest aches.
"Maybe San Francisco," he says softly, setting the bong aside. "Or some other big city. Somewhere I'll see other people like me. Somewhere I don't have to worry as much about being stared at, you know?"
Steve looks at him, his chin on one of his knees, and his eyes are shining at him.
"I like looking at you," he says after a moment, whispering. Eddie's stomach flutters again, and he smiles as Steve's face flushes pink. "...I'm kind of a lightweight. Sorry."
"'S okay," Eddie says softly, mirroring him, wrapping his arms around his legs and gazing across at him. "I like looking at you too."
He really does. Eddie always thought his eyes were brown, but they're hazel, lighter up close, specked with green and gold and the stars. His skin is spotted with moles that Eddie wants to memorize. Steve relaxes a bit at the confession, his lips curving into a smile, and he leans closer. Eddie leans closer too.
---
"Where would you go?" Eddie whispers.
He doesn't have to speak any louder. It's so quiet now, especially when Steve's head is a little cloudy and everything feels muffled.
"Anywhere," Steve whispers back. "Just... pack up and drive. Follow the roads to wherever they take me."
Eddie is smiling. His eyes keep flicking across Steve's face in a way that makes him feel a little self-conscious, wondering if there's something on his skin, but Eddie is just looking at him, his eyes aimlessly wandering across his face.
"Sounds nice," he says softly.
They fall silent, and Steve gazes at him. He looks so... soft.
Everyone makes him out to be so scary. Like he's a stray dog, like he's dangerous, but his eyes are dark and shiny, and he doesn't look threatening or menacing at all right now. His head is tilted like he's curious about what Steve is thinking, and his hair looks fluffy, and he just looks a little sad.
Steve wants to kiss him.
He hates himself for thinking it, for thinking how easy it would be to just... lean over. They're so close, and Steve's brain feels fuzzy, and for some reason, he doesn't think Eddie would mind all that much if Steve kissed him. But he can't.
Boys like Steve don't kiss other boys.
Especially boys like Eddie Munson.
It makes his chest ache, and his lip quivers. He sees Eddie notice it, the way the air shifts a little bit. Eddie's brows furrow, and he looks like he's pouting a little. And he's so adorable Steve wants to bite him.
"I hate this fucking town, Eddie," he says weakly, taking a breath to steady himself, because he doesn't want to cry. Not when he actually feels so... good. Good because he's a little high, but also good just because he's with Eddie, who doesn't seem to mind that Steve feels like shit. Eddie, who didn't tell him to just snap out of it, to just deal with it. Eddie, who just smiles despite the way Steve's eyes are glistening with tears, and leans in closer. (Close enough to kiss.)
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" he whispers.
It makes Steve laugh, and he wipes the tears that fall down his face.
"Probably not," he says, still laughing softly, his voice wavering, and he sets his chin back on his knee, looking at Eddie. A soft gust of wind blows into the van, and Eddie's bangs shift and his curls fly into his face.
"Let's do it," Eddie whispers after another moment of looking.
Steve blinks. Eddie's smile widens.
"Let's get out of here," he whispers. "Let's just leave this fucking town, they don't need us."
Steve's heart beats faster, and he leans forward.
"Okay," he says.
"We should graduate first," Eddie says, voice still soft. "I gotta make my uncle proud somehow, so if I graduate this year, I'll wait for you, and then we can just..." He shrugs. "Pack our shit. Leave."
"Together?" Steve breathes.
"Yeah," Eddie says, as though it's obvious. Steve smiles, taking a breath, his legs falling as he stares at Eddie. He's serious.
Steve scoffs, smile widening.
"I can, uhm." Eddie swallows, shifting so he's crossing his legs. "I've been thinking about applying at that mechanic that's outside town, Morgan's? I heard they pay well, so I can... I can save some money up."
"I can get a job too," Steve says, almost excited. "There're tons of places in town that are hiring, and I can-- I can save up my allowance from my parents. And I can sell my Beemer."
"Your Beemer?" Eddie says, eyebrows flying up in surprise, which makes sense, Steve supposes. The care is practically who he is, what he's known for, but--
"We won't need it. We can take your van."
Eddie blinks, and his lips curve into a smile.
"Okay," he says softly. "Yeah."
They stare at each other for a moment as it sets it, and Steve's eyes burn.
"Really?" he asks weakly, and Eddie nods, smiling.
"Yeah," he says. "Fuck it. We'll take what we need and we'll just... go. Follow the roads to wherever."
Excitement floods Steve's body, and he moves onto his knees, taking a sharp breath, smiling and smiling and smiling.
"We can-- We can put a mattress back here," Eddie says, looking around the van. "We'll have to share, but--"
"I don't mind," Steve says abruptly. "I don't-- I don't mind sharing."
Eddie's eyes flicker across his face again.
"Okay," he says softly. "And we can... bring some bags and sort them out back here, and-- and food and water, and we can take turns driving. And every night it can be like this," he says, moving a little closer. Steve aches. "We can find beaches, and lakes, and mountains, and we can get high and just explore." His eyes are gleaming excitedly, and he's smiling. "I'll bring my tapes, and you'll get used to metal."
Steve giggles.
"Can I make you listen to my music too?" he asks, and Eddie gives a dramatic, silly eye-roll.
"I guess." And then he's just smiling. "I can bring books."
"Will you read to me?" Steve asks, and then his face flushes with embarrassment. "Just-- I'm not-- I'm not good at reading and--"
"I'll read to you, Stevie," Eddie says gently.
"...Okay."
They look at each other again.
"I can bring some maps," Steve says. "Atlases and stuff. So we know where gas stations are and stuff."
"Yeah, that's smart."
Steve doesn't hear that often. His face flushes with heat again.
"God, I'm so excited," Eddie says, and he's got that grin again, that grin that could convince Steve to do anything. "We just have to graduate. Then we can go."
"How soon after grad?"
"Soon as possible," Eddie says. "I'll pick up my stuff and say goodbye to Wayne, promise to send him postcards 'n shit, and then I can pick you up."
"I won't say bye to my parents," Steve decides out loud, shaking his head. "I'll just-- just leave them a note telling them I'm fine. Or if they're at home, I'll just go."
Eddie nods, eyes bright.
"We're gonna run away together," Steve realizes, his voice soft as he gazes at him, and Eddie tilts his head.
"Yeah. We are."
Steve hugs him.
---
Eddie startles with how sudden it is, Steve tacking him with a hug so hard they fall back against the wall of the van, but he wastes no time hugging him back, arms tight around his waist as Steve buries his face in his neck.
"Sorry," Steve says into his neck.
"Don't be," Eddie mumbles. "Wanted to hug you for ages."
Steve's arms tighten around him, and he settles against him, leaning so their chests press together. Eddie slides his hands over his back, pressing one into his hair. He smells nice.
It's a while that they stay there, wrapped around each other, but Eddie is content to stay there all night, as long as Steve needs.
When they finally part, they don't let go of each other. It's slow, the way Steve's hands slide to his neck, his fingertips cold and his palms warm as they press to his skin, and their faces are so close.
Steve's breath is warm on Eddie's face. Eddie tilts his head, and their noses brush.
He startles away, stomach flipping over, and Steve is looking at him, wide-eyed.
"Were you about to kiss me?" he asks breathlessly. Eddie's stomach clenches.
"I..." Of course he'd ruin everything so soon. "Yeah, I'm-- I'm sorry, I won't do it again, I just..."
But before he can spiral, Steve is reaching out and grabbing his face, pulling him in, and their mouths crash together. Eddie's eyes widen, and his hands fly into the air as he startles, but Steve just holds his face, and they're kissing.
Eddie closes his eyes, his hands finding Steve's shoulders, and the kiss softens as Steve slides his fingers into Eddie's hair.
---
It is soft.
Eddie is soft.
Steve moves closer as Eddie squeezes his shoulders and runs his hands over his biceps, his fingertips slipping under the sleeves of his shirt. Eddie follows, holding him with one hand and using the other to catch himself as he falls back against the wall of the van, and then he's pulling Steve closer by the belt loops of his jeans, and Steve falls against him. They're barely kissing now, just grinning against each other's mouths.
Steve kneels between his legs, spreading his knees to move as close as possible, so Eddie's legs are over his thighs, and he reaches to hold his face again, his palms pressing to Eddie's (soft) cheeks, fingers slipping behind his ears. He kisses softly too, almost tender as he presses a hand into the small of Steve's back and pulls him close. Steve hums, pulling back to tilt his head, glancing at Eddie's lips before he leans back in. They're kissed red, and Steve feels like his heart might be glowing.
Eddie tugs at his back again, shifting and sliding a hand down his thigh, squeezing and pulling
"C'mere," he mumbles. "Sit on my lap."
Steve giggles, shifting so he can sit atop Eddie's thighs.
"Thought you were gonna take me back to my car," he says quietly, pressing a soft kiss to Eddie's lips. Eddie's hands slide over his waist, and he tilts his chin up to look at him.
"I said I would when we're sober," he says, and Steve realizes what he's been looking at when his eyes flicker over his face. "Are you still high?"
Steve pauses, blinking at him.
"Mm... My head feels fuzzy but I can't tell if it's the weed or if it's because you're kissing me."
Eddie hums thoughtfully.
"Maybe we should stick around here a while longer just in case," he whispers. Steve smiles, leaning down and closing his eyes as their noses brush.
"Okay."
Eddie tilts his chin up. Steve kisses him.
"Can we do this when we run away together?" Steve murmurs when they part after a while, breathless.
"'Course," Eddie whispers, kissing him. He reaches up and holds the back of Steve's head, his fingers tangling with his hair, and Steve doesn't mind. He kisses him. "We can do whatever the fuck we want."
"Okay."
He kisses him. And kisses him, and kisses him, and he revels in it like the sunlight. Because he's kissing a boy, sitting atop his lap and feeling his warm hands run over his waist and back and legs, listening to his deep voice let out soft hums and breathy whispers of Steve's name as it all intensifies. And Steve never thought he'd find himself here, but he loves being here.
He runs his fingers through Eddie's hair, untangling it carefully as he sucks on Eddie's lower lip, and Eddie hums quietly, fingers pressing and kneading Steve's thighs in a way no one's ever done before, but it feels so good. Steve sighs.
The sky is dimming when they finally part for more than just breaths between kisses. Eddie laughs softly, hugging Steve's waist.
His hair is messy, frizzy from Steve's fingers, and Steve's shirt is partially untucked from Eddie's, and he kind of feels high, but it's definitely not the weed.
The feeling fades as they drive back to the high school, as Eddie reaches over and holds Steve's leg, as Steve reaches down and twists their fingers together. The parking lot is empty except for Steve's car. (Steve's care car that he's going to sell.)
"I'll see you tomorrow, sweetheart," Eddie says as Steve is getting out of the van. Steve blushes.
"You got a pen?"
"Uh... Yeah?" Eddie rummages through the glove compartment for one and hands it to Steve, who kneels on the passenger seat and pulls at Eddie's hand, uncapping it with his teeth. His brows furrow in focus as he carefully writes his phone number on Eddie's hand.
"Call me," he says as he finishes, the words slurred about the pen cap, and he lets go of his hand, capping the pen again. "When you get home."
Eddie looks at the number, smiling.
"Okay."
He tilts his chin up, which Steve is already learning is his silent sign for wanting a kiss, and Steve leans back into the van, ducking to avoid hitting his head as he stretches over the center console, a hand holding himself up on the passenger seat as he kisses Eddie. Their lips don't land square on each other, and they're both smiling too much to really kiss each other, but Eddie's hand is warm when it finds Steve's cheek, and it's perfect.
"I'll see you tomorrow," he whispers against Eddie's lips. Eddie's fingertip traces his jaw.
He has to tear himself away from Eddie after one last kiss.
He'll invite him to spend the night sometime when he calls him.