(birds of a feather) we should stick together

.˳·˖✶༻🎸༺✶˖·˳.

.˳·˖✶༻🎸༺✶˖·˳.

Although it was barely into February, Los Angeles started to feel the warmth from the sun. An entourage of celebrities exited their vehicles and were escorted into the award show. Fans were kept behind a barricade, cheering for their favs as they entered the building. Most had something wanting to be signed, whether it was a vinyl, CD, or even an arm. It seemed this night was going to be fun. At least, that’s what Eddie hoped. 

Downing his second Xanax of the day, Eddie tried to calm his nerves. The band and its team sat in a black van, one of many in line waiting for their drop-off. “Where did you get that Xanax?” Robin asked, all eyes now on Eddie. He froze in confusion. 

“Uh, from my hotel room,” He responded, “They’re prescription this time.” With that confirmation, all eyes were off of him again. He let out a sigh and looked out the window, his leg bouncing anxiously. He could see everyone stressing about getting the celebrities into the building; he was so grateful for his Xanax. 

Steve could sense and feel Eddie’s anxiety from a mile away, and he was only sitting next to him. He put his hand on Eddie’s shaking knee. “Hey, you okay?” He asked softly, and Eddie turned to him with a slight nod, “Look, you’re gonna do great. You’ve been rehearsing for days, practicing all night; you’ve got this.” It wasn’t the performance part or the hard launch of his and Steven’s relationship. Corroded Coffin had gained some controversy for being nominated for the night's big awards. He was worried about the results of the night.

Eddie hadn’t realized he had dissociated until the van stopped when the doors opened. He could hear the yells of fans, and he felt his anxiety begin to simmer. Steve took his hand and helped him off the van, and Eddie blushed at his gentleman. “You ready to do this?” Steve asked, a smile on his face. Eddie nodded gratefully, and the band was escorted into the building. However, Eddie darted to his fans. There weren’t many, and some people at the barricade gave him the side eye. Security was immediately on their feet and tried to coerce him away. He signed their things, took photos, all of that. He would do anything for his fans. 

Eddie felt an aggressive arm grabbing him and physically dragging him away. He turned to see an unknown security guard dragging him. “Hey, hands off my client!” Robin yelled, causing everyone to look at him again. He felt his stomach tighten as Steve grabbed his hand again. Eddie waved at his fans and mouthed ‘sorry’ before being escorted into the building. 

All eyes were on Eddie again, and he could feel the anxiety returning. However, it only lasted a moment when his hand was in Steve’s gentle grasp. They were all guided inside, with Eddie and Steve in the back. Eddie could see the cameras flashing in the distance and hear the photographers projecting their directions. Steve could feel Eddie’s grasp become tense, and he let out a small sigh. “Eddie, are you sure you’re okay?” Steve asked, feeling Eddie wasn’t being all that truthful, “Look, I-I can call an UBER to take us back until the performance. I even grabbed an extra Xanax before we left if you really need one-“

“Shut up and kiss me, Harrington-“ Eddie grabbed Steve’s shirt and pulled him for a kiss. Steve was initially taken aback in shock before melting into the kiss. They both heard cameras click and photographers yell at them. They both pulled away, feeling their anxieties go away within a moment.

Robin turned around and let out a small snort, confusing Jeff, who was standing beside her. “Sorry, just wasn’t expecting them to start so early.”

With the guidance of an employee, the group stood right where they needed to be. They stood side by side, happy smiles as cameras flashed. Photographers projected their directions at them, wanting to capture the perfect photo. However, some of the photographers had questions, so they projected them. One asked, ‘Eddie, who are you here with tonight?”, to which Eddie responded with, “This is my boyfriend!” Eddie gently put his hand on Steve’s chest, to which Steve brought him a little closer. They were guided from spot to spot, their smiles remaining genuine. Robin and Steve were eventually pulled away, and the photographers wanted photos of just the band. Plus, they needed to get to their assigned table. “Wait-!” Eddie yelled, taking a step forward and grabbing Steve’s arm. He pulled him for another kiss, and the cameras went wild as everyone wanted that perfect photo. Steve pulled away this time, going with Robin to their table.

After many more photos, Eddie’s eyes were a little tired from the flashes. He was oddly used to it, but it still hurt. The band was guided into the theater when Eddie heard someone calling out his name. He turned to see a reporter calling for him, and Eddie excused himself. He approached the reporter, shook their hand, and took the extra microphone. “Hi, Eddie! I’m from Entertainment Weekly! Tell me, how is your night going so far?”

”It’s something. Don’t get me wrong, I’m excited, but it’s nerve-wracking. I know I’m having the world’s greatest sleep after the after-party tonight.”

The reporter laughed, “You’ve captured that feeling perfectly. But it is exciting! You’re nominated for several awards tonight, especially Album of the Year! Tell me, how does that make you feel?”

”Geez, no, yeah, it’s incredible. Album of the year…yeah, it’s wild. We were just a couple of guys in Gareth’s garage rehearsing for another shitty show- can I say that?” Eddie stopped, causing the reporter to laugh again, “But being a couple of guys from Indiana being nominated for album of the year. It’s ridiculous to think about. Shit, I didn’t think I was gonna graduate high school!”

”Well, Eddie, I don’t know if you know yet, but you’re currently trending worldwide for the kiss-“

“That quick?” Eddie asked, a little gob-smacked at how quick the internet could be.

”Yes, that quick! TikTok, Bluesky, Instagram, you’ve got everyone talking, and everyone’s got questions: who is this mysterious man you’re with tonight?”

Eddie’s cheeks flushed pink at the simple thought of Steve. “Uh, Steve. His name’s Steve. We’ve been together for a little bit now. We just thought tonight would be a good night to just…be us. Put ourselves out there, y’know? I-I came out a couple months ago, and seeing the positive response I got was…unexpected, to say the least. Unexpected in a good way. But I love him, I really do.” 

.˳·˖✶༻🎸༺✶˖·˳.

The awards were going smoothly so far for everyone at the Corroded Coffin table. Before any of them knew it, it was now the band’s turn to perform. They were performing 665: Neighbor of the Beast from Ghost Stories, the band’s sophomore album. It was their favorite song to perform, so they were hyped. They quickly changed into their performance outfits. They did their mini ritual of putting their hands in the middle, wishing the best to each other, and throwing their hands up. Eddie stood between Gareth and Jeff as Doug got on stage, going straight to his dumbest. The lights started, and Doug did the drum intro. The three remaining members rushed to the stage. Their pyrotechnics did their job, with sparks and flames flying high as the band played their hearts out on stage. 

Robin and Steve watched from the audience, standing up and rocking their heads to the music. The rest of the audience, including the celebrities, had a good time watching Corroded Coffin perform their Grammy debut. Hell, the band had their own pyrotechnic dragon that shot fire from its mouth! What was not to like about this performance? For the more vocal-focused moments, such as the bridge, Eddie locked eyes with Steve, feeling his comforting presence from the stage. Steve knew Eddie’s routine; they would lock eyes whenever he was anxious on stage, and Steve would just focus on his boyfriend. 

With the final guitar solo, Corroded Coffin finished their performance. Jeff even smashed his guitar to really sell the point of the rock ‘n roll they were bringing. Eddie grabbed the microphone one more time. “Thank you, Grammys! Trans rights, motherfuckers!” He yelled, dropping the microphone and leaving the stage with the rest of the band. The audience erupted in applause, enthralled by their performance. 

Once off stage, they all jumped up and down and hugged each other. They let out excited yells, screams, yelps, all of it. Eddie’s peripheral vision saw Steve and Robin approaching them. Eddie, in excitement, ran to Steve. Steve scooped him up, letting Eddie’s legs wrap around his waist. He spun his boyfriend around as the rest of them and tightly hugged Robin in excitement. “Alright, alright, question: was it genuinely necessary that you smash your guitar on stage?” Robin asked, her manager side jumping out.

“Oh, c’mon. It’s rock ‘n roll!” Jeff responded with a laugh.

”Yeah Robs, it’s rock ‘n roll.” Steve responded, which caused Robin to roll her eyes playfully. She wouldn’t take it seriously; it was all in good fun.

As they talked, Eddie noticed something: He was still in Steve’s arms. “You gonna put me down, big boy?” He asked teasingly, earning a loving look from Steve.

”Like you’re one to complain about being picked up,” Steve responded, earning a giggle from Eddie. He hid his face in Steve’s neck, feeling a little embarrassed. Steve ruffled his hair for a second before holding Eddie properly again. “Y’know, that may have been the most rock ‘n roll performance I’ve ever seen from you. Ever ,” Steve declared, Eddie lifting his head up, “I’m serious. And that dragon was also the nerdiest thing I’ve ever seen.”

The two shared a quick kiss before Eddie cupped Steve’s face. For a moment, the world seemed to stop. Just having Steve in front of him made him feel wanted. “I love you,” Eddie stated, his voice soft and a little raspy. 

“I love you too.”

”Alright, lovebirds! We got a show to watch! C’mon, kids!” Robin declared playfully, and they made their way out of the backstage area. Steve held Eddie briefly before they could get back into their outfits. Steve even helped Eddie with all the jewelry he had to put back on. Eddie loved the little romantic things Steve did for him. 

.˳·˖✶༻🎸༺✶˖·˳.

During the commercial break, Eddie retreated to a bathroom to do his business. Really, he did it to clear his nerves. Corroded Coffin had already won Best Rock Song and Record of the Year for their hit song on Ghost Stories, and now there was only one award: Album of the Year. He splashed some water on his face to ease his nerves. “C’mon, Eddie, you’re a Grammy winner. It’ll be fine,” Eddie gave himself a pep talk as the lights began to flash, signaling it was time to get back to his seat. He took a deep breath and exited the bathroom, sitting beside Steve again. He greeted him with a kiss on the cheek, and his nerves disappeared again. “Whatever happens happens. No matter what, I’m getting drunk at the after-party,” Eddie declared, causing Robin to roll her eyes.

An announced A-list singer to the stage, one who has won many Grammys in the past. They gave a mini-speech about the art of music and its importance. Then, the nominees were presented with Ghost Stories plastered on the screen. Eddie’s eyes were glued to the stage in anticipation. Truth be told, Eddie felt like he didn’t deserve the life he had. The fame he had, the money, the friends, and the fantastic boyfriend he had were things Eddie would be eternally grateful for. He didn’t deserve any of this- 

“And the Grammy goes to Ghost Stories - Corroded Coffin!”

Wait.

WAIT.

Eddie physically froze as his band’s music played on stage. Gareth spit out his drink a little bit in surprise. All eyes were on them again; all eyes were on Eddie. And yet, Eddie felt happy this time. He covered his mouth as he stood up, seeing their photos on screen. Steve pulled Eddie into a big hug, and Eddie exchanged that for a passionate kiss. He had to stop himself from physically wrapping himself around his boyfriend again. Everyone shared hugs as the band made their way to the stage. Applause erupted again as they walked on stage, Eddie taking the award and walking to the microphone. He looked at Steve, who had his hands locked in front of his mouth. He could even see the faint glossiness in his eyes.

Once the applause quieted down, Eddie finally spoke, “W-We’re a couple of guys from Indiana that just started in a garage. I still remember the first show we ever did, some random guy who decided to host a concert in his basement. But we never stopped. Hell, I skipped summer school twice to do this!”

The crowd laughed a little as Eddie thought of his words. “Uh, I wanna thank everyone around me- around us. Our team, Robin, our awesome manager, Steve- I love you so so soooo much. My uncle Wayne, the world’s greatest uncle and father. Uh, I’d like to thank Satan, too, for taking my soul and allowing me to do this.”

Once again, the crowd laughed, and Robin shook her head at that stupid joke. “But being someone like me in a place where I’m from is tough. I was the freak that everyone was afraid of. But that taught me something: Never let anyone tell you who you can and can’t be. Don’t ever let anyone change you for forced conformity!” Eddie declared, earning applause for his words. The band nodded in agreement, “Be the freak! Be the weirdo! Be the most true person you can be! Go be as gay as you want! Love who you wanna love! Wave that pride flag as high as you can! Because what matters is that being what you desire will get you here. Goodnight!” 

The band left the stage with applause behind them, and the award show finally wrapped up. Eddie tried to hold himself together and passed the award off to Jeff to hold. Down the hall was Steve and Robin, who erupted with cheers. Eddie instantly became emotional and wrapped his arms around Steve, crying happy tears. They all gave their congratulations to one another, hugging each other proudly. Yet again, it only felt like Steve and Eddie again. The world felt slow as Eddie pulled himself together, looking at Steve with love in his eyes. “You did it! Album of the fucking year! Holy shit,” Steve congratulated with a happy smile, earning a nod and a small sob from Eddie in happiness. Steve wiped some of Eddie’s tears away, smiling at him. 

“Now, I’d say we go party and celebrate!” Jeff declared, holding up the Grammy happily. They all cheered before being escorted off. Steve kept an arm around Eddie, and Robin asked the guys not to get super drunk tonight. 

.˳·˖✶༻🎸༺✶˖·˳.

The after-party was something the guys unexpectedly needed. They de-stressed themselves by having a good time, partying, drinking, dancing, all of it. Even a few people talked to Eddie, congratulating him on winning the significant award and coming out with his boyfriend. Eddie even brought Steve around to show him off, proud to have a boyfriend. ‘This is my boyfriend,’ ‘This is my boyfriend, Steve, ’ ‘Have you met Steve yet?’ were an array of things Eddie said to others. 

Eventually, Eddie decided to step away and took a moment to breathe. He found a nearby balcony and took the time to look at the stars and moon. He could still hear people talking and music playing behind him, but he leaned against the railing to calm himself. Sometimes, Eddie preferred to be alone, only being accompanied by peace and quiet. 

He heard the door slide open behind him, and he turned to see Steve with two shot glasses in his hand. “Was wondering where you want,” He joked, shutting the door behind him. 

“I thought you didn’t drink?” Eddie asked.

“I don’t. But tonight’s different. My lovely boyfriend won album of the year, and you expect me not to drink?” Steve responded jokingly, leaning against the railing after handing Eddie the shot glass, “Cheers.” Steve downed his shot before Eddie did, and both of their faces scrunched at the taste. Steve even coughed a little.

“Wayne texted me already to congratulate me. He also says hi by the way,” Eddie stated after he set his glass down. He let out a small sigh and relaxed his shoulders, “Just…crazy, y’know?” 

“What’s crazy about it? You’ve won the awards- album of the year, Eddie. You’re talented, incredibly humble, and we’ve gotten a lot of positive reception for all the red carpet stuff,” Steve reassured, “Look, I get that you’re still trying to understand everything, but you deserve it, Eddie.” Steve gently grabbed Eddie’s hand, having a serious look on his face. 

Eddie smiled up at Steve, a hint of gloss in his eyes. “This is what I love you,” Eddie declared with a slight chuckle, “Maybe I do deserve all of it. All of the love, appreciation, all of it.”

“Exactly! Now you’re seeing it. Sometimes it’s not about the reward, but it’s about being seen-“

“I’m talking about you, Steve.”

Oh.

“Oh,” Steve’s cheeks flushed a light pink. He scratched the back of his head and chuckled awkwardly, “Well, uh, yeah. T-That too.”

Eddie moved a little closer and pressed a soft kiss on Steve’s lips. Eddie moved his hands to cup Steve’s face, and Steve’s arms went around the other’s waist. The two stood there for a moment, lovingly kissing each other. It wasn’t a moment of heated passion but a moment of soft, loving passion. Something the two unexpectedly craved. 

Eddie was the first to pull away again. “Now, I’d say we go back inside, drink and dance the night away, and wake up tomorrow morning regretting everything.”

“Everything?” Steve asked teasingly, and Eddie immediately caught onto it. 

“Well, not everything,” Eddie giggled a little, burping afterward, “Did you know I’m a little drunk right now?” 

“I can most certainly tell. Your pupils are dilated.”

“Maybe it’s because I’m looking at my one true love?” 

“Maybe it’s because you're drunk.”

“Well, either way, I’m in pure bliss,” Eddie proclaimed, pulling away a little and grabbing Steve’s hand, “Let’s go back in and make Robin regret her life choices.” Eddie’s words were all in good fun. The two returned inside and had fun, celebrating the most perfect night imaginable. 

The band celebrated their wins and performance, dancing and having fun in any way they could. They even bragged a little to others about their wins, especially snagging album of the year. Ghost Stories wasn’t just a rock album; it was a story about a man overcoming life obstacles, and it ending with a prize greater than any award he could receive. 

Eddie Munson just so happened to be that man, and his prize was Steve Harrington. 

.˳·˖✶༻🎸༺✶˖·˳.

THE END