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When Steve wakes up that morning, there’s a stranger in his bed.
Well, actually it appears to be Eddie Munson, who is his… boyfriend? Yeah, that word seems right now that he thinks about it more and allows himself to not freak out over this. Boyfriend. When did that even happen?
Steve stares at the sleeping figure, trying to figure out why everything feels so hazy and confusing this morning. Had he been partying the night before? Normally his head only really gets fuzzy like this when he has a particularly bad hangover to kick, but he can’t recall drinking.
Or falling into bed with anyone else for that matter.
Before he can begin to sort out the truth, Eddie’s eyes slowly open and he smiles sweetly when he catches him looking, pulling Steve into a gentle embrace. His boyfriend holds him close and kisses his cheeks affectionately like he’s worth something.
“Hi, baby,” Eddie murmurs softly.
It feels good.
It makes his tummy warm from the skin contact and sweet nickname.
Right, he and Eddie are dating and this is their normal. He remembers that now, like a memory that was just out of reach. It’s almost funny how he could even forget that for a moment.
“Good morning, Eddie.”
They meet in a brief kiss, something light and sweet with no intentions of more happening. They’re kissing just for the sake of it. To be close and to be soft with one another.
Just because they can.
“How are you feeling today, Stevie?”
The question is asked casually, but it feels like there’s more to it for some reason. Something in the undertones of Eddie’s phrasing that puts him a bit off balance. As if he’s genuinely concerned and not just making polite conversation.
Steve hesitates, but replies honestly, “Fine, I guess.”
Eddie smiles at that too, his face relaxing just a hint more.
“That’s good to hear. You have a doctor’s appointment this morning to go to, so we should be getting ready soon.”
He frowns, feeling a little frustrated at having no knowledge of such an appointment’s existence. It feels like he should be keeping track of these things, not Eddie.
“For what exactly?” Steve questions skeptically. There must be a good answer for why he’s being caught unaware.
Rather than reacting with upset to his visible distress, his boyfriend simply scratches his back lightly like he’s trying to soothe him. It works, causing him to untense muscles that he didn’t realize he was clenching.
Eddie lets out a soft hum along with the action, continuing to comfort Steve without pause.
“Just one of your checkups, honey. Nothing too serious, I think.”
That throws him for a loop entirely. Steve’s pretty sure he hasn’t seen a doctor in at least the last few years since his parents stopped coming around to make him go to one.
“Huh?”
Eddie’s easy smile drops a bit, his eyebrows furrowed just slightly. It’s not much, but they’re still noticeable: the little signs of disappointment that Steve can barely pick up on. His boyfriend hides it well.
That worries him.
“Oh, I mean, with all the upside down stuff that happened, the people from the lab want us to go get a checkup. Standard shit, y’know? I’m sure it’s just a precaution anyway, sweetheart.”
That… that makes sense, he supposes. But the stuff with the upside down happened… a while ago? Maybe. Unsure. It’s fuzzy at best.
“Okay,” Steve agrees.
He must still be tired. His brain must still be waking up and he needs to trust what he feels in his heart instead. Eddie wouldn’t lie to him, so there’s no point in digging deeper into all of this. Whatever he’s forgotten is probably unimportant anyway.
Eddie is important though.
“Great, I’ll go start the shower. Just wait like five minutes so the water can warm up and then come join me.”
Steve nods, getting another kiss on the cheek as Eddie leaves the bed and makes for the bathroom.
The distant sound of running water fills his ears a moment later. It’s soothing, but it brings back some weird memories in quick flashes, more hazy ones with no clear location. Something about standing under a waterfall, somewhere warm and sunny? He can practically feel the drops on his cheeks. Maybe it was a family vacation from when he was young.
But he remembers Eddie being there too. They’d gone together, he’s fairly sure. Was it a special occasion? What special occasion would they even have to celebrate already? Why can’t he remember it?
“Baby, are you coming?” Eddie asks gently from the doorway, a towel around his waist. The rest of him is bare, scarred and beautiful just like Steve’s always known him to be.
Has it been five minutes already?
He springs from the bed to join his boyfriend, attempting to move past him into the bathroom. Eddie catches him around the waist instead, holding him to his chest for a quick hug.
Steve wants to ask what he’s doing, but then a careful thumb is wiping something wet from beneath his eyes. Was he crying?
He looks up at Eddie, wanting to ask so many things. The words are lost to him though, so he continues his journey towards the shower in silence instead, stripping down quickly and stepping into the water after Eddie.
The warm drops ease his aching muscles and melt his panic away, but not his pounding head or his lingering memories.
“Did… did we go on vacation somewhere tropical, Eds?”
The new nickname slips out like it’s always been there too. Steve can’t help but wonder where it came from. He decides that he likes it though.
Eddie kisses his forehead, holding him close once more. It feels so safe there.
“Yeah, baby, for our hon-” Eddie cuts himself off with a sudden and noisy cough that makes Steve jump a bit. “I’m sorry- uh, just… I’m a little tired today, Stevie. Remind me, how long have we been together now?”
Steve chuckles at that. How very Eddie-like to forget something important like that so easily. His boyfriend would probably lose his head if it wasn’t attached.
That’s why it’s so good that he has Steve to help him. They’re good for each other.
So he opens his mouth and tries to answer confidently, but the words get stuck on his tongue. Or maybe in his brain. Steve scrunches his face in deep thought and blurts out what feels right in the moment.
“Six months. We’ve been dating for six months.”
Maybe.
His boyfriend does a dramatic motion of slapping the side of his own head, causing Steve to giggle freely. Eddie’s over-the-top antics are endearing at worst and unbelievably charming at best.
“Right, thank you for that. Silly me. Uh, hey, can I wash your hair for you?”
Steve nods immediately, smiling softly at the show of affection. Eddie’s careful as he squeezes out some shampoo and his fingers are gentle as they work over his scalp with a soothing touch. It’s comforting and he’s never felt so adored.
The rest of their shower is mostly quiet, peaceful. Less about getting clean and more about being together, caring for each other in a way that nobody else gets to experience but them.
Even as they towel off, it’s an act of pure gentleness.
Steve isn’t really sure when he started to cry again, but Eddie doesn’t mention it or try to tell him there’s no need for his tears.
Instead, Eddie just holds him close within the confines of a big fluffy towel, kissing his face and his shoulders and his neck so sweetly. Anywhere his lips can find bare skin, they adorn him with gentle smooches. It feels both possessive and protective, although he isn’t what he needs to be protected from anymore.
“I love you so much, sweetheart,” his boyfriend murmurs against his shoulder, rubbing his hands along Steve’s arms with gentle movements still.
He freezes instantly.
It’s the first time Eddie’s said that to him and it makes his heart pound fast in his chest, wanting to make the moment count. He knows exactly what he’s feeling and the words come so easily now.
Steve turns around and pulls the older boy’s face to his, cupping Eddie’s cheeks.
“I love you too!”
He may not remember everything today, but he remembers that much. There’s no doubt or question in his heart about this. Eddie is the love of his life and he’ll always be there with him, a fixed point in all the chaos.
It’s love.
It’s fate.
It’s whatever causes the waves to hit the shore and the sky to meet the horizon.
An act of nature. A perfect plan of the gods. A love that needs no map to find its way home once more, guided only by the stars and pure faith.
When Steve wakes up the next morning, his husband of five years is in his bed again, just like the day before.