Stay On The Line
TAGS: Canon divergent - Eddie Lives; Canon Divergent - Vecna defeated; alcohol use; Cigarette use; implied drug use; flirting; ambiguous sexuality; use of queer as a term; flagging; jealous Steve; bratty Eddie; payphone flirting; angry driving; sexual pressure from OC character; fist fight for honor; confused snuggling; staying the night; eventual smut; babygirl Steve; top Eddie
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Part 5: Steve
The long drive back felt heavy with uncleared air. Steve couldn’t look at Eddie without getting a lump in his throat that he couldn’t clear and it was pissing him off. He wants to be suave and direct, but any time he tried to say something, he clammed up. So he stuck to driving.
Eddie would make the occasional comment, but his speech kept getting a little slurred and his head kept drooping.
At about the half hour mark, Eddie turned to Steve. His mane of hair stuck out in all directions, and his coordination sucked. “I have to pee…”
Steve almost snorted. He had forgotten about that part of all of this. He thanked his lucky stars Eddie hadn’t needed to puke too. He sighed and said, “Okay, let me pull over.” He began to scan the side of the road for a relatively flat shoulder to pull over on. There were no gas stations for miles, or anything. He wondered how Eddie even found this place. Had he gone with another guy some time? That thought burrowed into his brain and called forth that twisty anger again. He could feel that he was scowling now.
“I’ll be quick,” Eddie assured, big eyes droopy with sleep and drunkenness. His head rolled a bit against the headrest.
“You’re fine, Eds, just trying to find a place to pull over.”
And find a place he did. He pulled over into a gravel lined flat space with some wild shrubbery that had volunteered to grow there. Steve drove to a stop and put the car in park, but kept the engine on so the lights would stay on.
Eddie was fumbling with the seat belt again, mumbling curses under his breath.
“Let me,” Steve protested and reached over. Their fingers brushed together and involuntarily, tingles ran up Steve’s arms. A blush slapped his cheeks and he bit his lip.
Eddie moved his fingers and crossed his arms.
Steve finished the job and the seat belt snapped back. “You… need help?”
Eddie gave him a defeated, yet withering look. “No. I can pee by myself…” He opened the car door and stumbled out.
“You’re going to hurt yourself…” Steve muttered under his breath, and let out a sigh. He watched as Eddie stumbled a few paces away and paused feet shoulder-width apart, his back turned towards the car. He seemed to be struggling with his belt bucket. Steve waited, smirking to himself. You stubborn butthead, he thought affectionately.
Eddie let out a groan of frustration and whipped back around to face the car. “Steeeeeve!”
Steve, still laughing to himself, ambled out of the car and smirked at Eddie from over the roof of the vehicle. “Yes?”
“Can you ignore my humiliation and help me get my dick out?”
Steve finally let his laugh out and snorted.
“Hey! I’m dying here man!” Eddie whined, stamping his feet.
“I’m coming, I’m coming,” Steve trotted around the front of the car and picked his way through the tall grass. He slowed a little as he approached Eddie. I’m really going to help this man pee… I’m going to see his dick. The thought excited him more than it should have.
He made it to Eddie and began undoing his silver belt bucket.
“This is not how I pictured this moment…” Eddie commented, hands over his face.
“What, you pictured me taking your pants off?” Steve teased, half joking, half actually curious.
“Yeah… I mean, you’re Steve Harrington, hottest guy in Hawkins, I’d be blind not to daydream…”
Steve felt his heart skip a beat. “How did you picture this?” He asked as he undid Eddie’s jeans.
“I don’t know… sober, at my trailer. You would have gotten lost or come to see me on purpose… and I wouldn't have to pee… and I’d be in charge…”
Steve’s fingers stilled as he found Eddie’s underwear. They were a red and black checkered boxer. Steve committed that to memory before he could stop himself. His hands were right there, inches from Eddie’s dick. He’s drunk, you horn-dog. “There! Belt done,” Steve blurted out before whipping around and taking a few paces forward.
After a few seconds and the rustling of fabric, Steve heard, “Can you… wait in the car? I can’t pee with you standing there…”
“Oh, yeah, sure!” Steve marched off to the car. Once inside, he let out the breath he had been holding. He risked a look at Eddie.
The idiot hadn’t turned around.
In a flash, Steve got a glorious look at Eddie holding his dick out, before he ducked his head down to meet the steering wheel. Embarrassment and tangles of feelings rumbled up in Steve’s stomach. Eddie’s not small… Fuck! This is not the time! Ugh, you are going to die from these feelings.
Steve kept his head down until Eddie flopped into the passenger side, his pants buttoned together but his belt bucket flapping. “I couldn’t get the belt together…” Eddie whimpered.
“It’s fine,” Steve reassured him. Wordlessly he leaned over to buckle Eddie’s seat belt.
Suddenly, Steve felt Eddie lean into the space between his head and shoulder, into the side of his neck. Soft lips brushed a kiss there. “Thanks you…” Eddie whispered, eyes half closed.
Steve was frozen, fumbling with the seat belt. The simplicity of the affection, the casualness of it was making his heart pound in his ears like a drum. He managed to get the seatbelt buckled. Slowly, gently, he pushed Eddie’s face out of his neck.
Eddie proceeded to dip his head towards his car door which was still open. Ungracefully, he caught himself against the door itself, and vomited out into the grass.
And there it is, Steve thought. He shook his head as he righted himself and got out of the car again, this time to go around to Eddie’s side of the car. He positioned himself away from where Eddie was emptying the contents of his stomach, and collected the loose strands of the guy’s hair out of the line of fire. He laughed to himself that this is what he used to do for Nancy whenever she got drunk early on in their dating career. Before she wanted Jonathan and not him. He absentmindedly rubbed Eddie’s back.
“I’m sorry…” Eddie moaned. “I’m a disaster…”
“You’re fine, man…” Steve reassured him, still rubbing his back. Eddie was solid, with little give to his body. His leather jacket felt soft though under Steve’s palm. And his hair… Steve wanted to hold it for as long as he could, it felt so soft and light in his hands. “Just get it all out.”
“I’m so not cool…” Eddie continued, his voice a sleepy whine.
Cooler than me, Steve thought, I don’t have the guts to say how much you mean to me, on the phone or otherwise. All he said out loud was, “you want some water?”
Eddie nodded and raised his head to look at Steve. “Why are you being so nice to me?”
Steve paused, hand still in Eddie’s hair. He didn’t know why… it just felt right to look after him. “Cause I care about you.” The words were out before Steve could stop them.
Eddie’s pupils were blown wide, so his already dark eyes looked black in the low light. “What?”
“Why do you think I came out here? Dude…” Steve breathed. Something in his gut convinced him that Eddie probably wouldn’t remember this. What was the harm? He couldn’t reject what he didn’t remember, right? “Eddie… believe it or not, if I have to, I will carry you home tonight, or 50 years down the road for that matter. I don’t know how this… thing we have will go, but I want you to know… you can count on me.”
Eddie blinked. “Really? You mean that?”
Steve nodded. The lump in his throat was back and he couldn’t get any more sappy or non-sappy words out. His heart was hammering louder and louder.
Eddie swallowed and blinked again. “Even if I’m a freak?”
“Even if you’re a freak…” Steve choked out. He reached down to the floor of the passenger seat to grab one of the bottles of water that he had stashed there earlier that night. “Drink.” He cracked open the cap and handed the bottle to Eddie.
The metalhead grabbed it, and shakily took a few sips. He wiped his mouth on the back of his hand and winced. “I should brush my teeth…” he rambled, handing the bottle back to Steve.
“When you get home,” Steve took the bottle and recapped it.
“Home…” Eddie sounded subdued, sleepy. He blinked heavier.
Steve made sure he was tucked into the seat and buckled before he closed the door. Fuck I said all that… I’m a sap… He shook his head as he climbed yet again into the driver’s seat and pulled out from the stopping spot.
Silence enveloped the two for a while. But Steve’s mind was racing. How likely is it he’ll remember any of that? He’s pretty drunk still. He would have the decency to tell me if he hated the idea of an… us, right? Is that what I asked for, or implied? Shit, I’m panicking…
In the dark, Steve shot a look over at Eddie.
He appeared to be completely asleep. Eyes shut, mouth relaxed and a little open, breathing steady and shallow. He leaned against the window with his head tipped back a little.
Steve felt his heart constrict. Eddie probably couldn’t help it, but he fell asleep in part because he was safe enough to do so… Steve provided that space for him… His heart pounded a little harder against his rib cage. Fuck, Eddie! You're going to give me an emotional heart attack!
The rest of the drive remained quiet, obviously. Steve didn’t dare breathe too loud. He wanted Eddie to get the rest he needed. And Eddie proved to be a heavy sleeper. He didn’t move an inch, even with the bumps in the road.
Eventually, after several turns, the sign to Forest Hills Trailer Park showed up with its single yellow lightbulb casting a glow on it. Steve turned into the park and coasted up to The Munson trailer. The lights were off inside, and there were no other vehicles parked out front. It occurred to Steve that maybe Wayne Munson was home, cause Eddie had taken the only vehicle they owned. He wasn’t sure. He pulled to a stop, parked, and cut the lights and the engine.
Steve fished the keys he had taken from Eddie out of his pocket and riffled through the assortment of 3 keys attached. He knew that one was the van key, but he’d have to try the other two. One or the other had to be a house key, right?
The chilly air of early morning nipped at Steve as he exited the car. His watch said 4:00AM. It’s too damn early… At least it still felt like night. No light painted the skies yet. Steve made his way to Eddie’s side of the car and carefully pulled the door open.
Eddie had been leaning against it, so the motion seemed to rouse him. He groaned a bit as he tried to stop himself from falling.
Steve caught him before he hit the gravel outside. “Woah there! Easy… we’re home.”
“4:00. You slept the rest of the way to your house.”
Eddie nodded, eyes still closed mostly, letting loose a yawn.
Steve stifled one of his own. “Up you come. Let’s get you inside.”
Eddie swung his legs out of the car. He staggered to his feet, wincing. “My head…” He promptly nearly fell over.
Steve caught him around the waist. “I said easy, genius…” He shook his head as he half carried, half guided Eddie up to the door. He kicked the car door shut and beeped his own keys twice to lock it.
“Beep beep,” Eddie mumbled, a half smile on his nearly asleep face.
“Yeah, beep beep,” Steve muttered back, laughing a little at how oddly cute Eddie was being. He dragged him up the few porch stairs to the front door. He tried one of the two keys that could work from Eddie’s keychain.
Eddie leaned heavily into him, draping an arm around his shoulders. “It’s coooold…”
“Yeah, it’s nighttime and fall.” The first key refused to go in. Steve huffed and tried the other key.
“It’s the one with the green sharpie marks on it…” Eddie tried grabbing the keys from Steve.
“I got it, I got it,” Steve managed to keep the keys and unlocked the door with the key Eddie kept trying to get him to see. “Grabby, much?”
“I can helpful!” Eddie spat out, his eyebrows knitting together. He stuck out his tongue at Steve like a child would at a sibling they were mad at.
Steve rolled his eyes. “Come on, let’s get you to bed.”
“Ooh! Bedtime!” Eddie stumbled in with Steve’s help. “You gonna put me to bed, Steeeevie?”
“Yes, Eddie, I’m going to put you to bed. You can’t make it there yourself. You are still drunk… somehow…”
The trailer was dark, with only the light over the sink to illuminate the interior. Steve tried to remember from his short time being at Eddie’s trailer where Eddie slept.
“To my room!” Eddie announced and pivoted hard to the left.
“Shhhhh! Wayne could be sleeping,” Steve corrected, pivoting too to carry Eddie down the narrow hallway. He let his eyes adjust as they made it to the end without completely tripping. Steve turned the door handle of the room there with a sign on it saying “Eddie’s Room: Keep Out!” Of course you have a sign on it… he thought as he pushed the door open.
The only light in the room was moonlight filtering in from the open blinds on the far side of the room. Steve couldn’t see much, other than it was messy. The room smelled like weed a little, and that musty, homey smell of a room that was lived in. It smelled like Eddie, which Steve was trying to figure out if he had memorized yet. Still guiding Eddie, Steve shuffled him over to the bed and set him down with a squeak of the mattress.
Eddie let out a sigh as he laid back on his back, starfish style, with his feet hanging off the edge.
Steve rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck. Eddie was a handful that was for sure. He loomed over him, hands on his hips. A yawn escaped before he could stop it. He was exhausted.
I should probably take your shoes off, Steve thought to himself. He grabbed one of Eddie’s feet and tried to yank the boot off.
“Ugh, it’s so nice to be flat!” Eddie proclaimed, eyes closed as he stretched out.
“Yeah yeah, hold still!” Steve found a zipper and rolled his eyes before undoing that and sliding the footwear off. The second one came off with greater ease, even though Eddie did not hold still.
Proud of his work, Steve sat back into his hip and crossed his arms. “I should get going. You okay now that you’re in bed?”
Like a rocket, Eddie sat up. He lazily reached for Steve and managed to grab him around the back of his thighs, so Steve almost stumbled forward. “Stay… it’s so late…”
Exhaustion pricked behind Steve’s eyes.
Eddie was looking up at him, his chin resting against Steve’s stomach. Those damn doe eyes wide as ever, and a pouty mouth, lured Steve in.
Steve looked at Eddie, heart full. “I have work in the morning…”
“Alarm clock,” Eddie pointed to the device on the bedside table.
Steve sighed. You have a point… “Fuck…” He stared down at Eddie. “Wayne won’t care?”
“No, Wayne won’t give a shit. Stay over… you’re the nicest person I've ever had stay…”
“I’m not the first?” Steve joked as he began to take off his jacket.
Eddie opened his mouth to answer, but bit his lip. “Sorry…”
Steve laughed. “It’s your bed. You’re allowed to have whoever you want in it…” He grabbed the alarm clock on the nightstand and punched in when he needed to get up. He and Eddie apparently owned the same clock.
“Only Gareth and Jeff! As friends!” Eddie was rambling now. He had let go of Steve and had dropped his gaze. “No girls though, never girls.” He shot his dark eyes up at Steve.
“I see,” Steve set the clock back down and toed off his sneakers. “Scooch over.”
Eddie smiled wide and scooched over. “Can I take my pants off? They’re tight…”
“Yeah man, get comfy,” Steve laughed a little. The laugh tried to mask how fast his heart was pounding. “Mind if I take my shirt off?”
Eddie froze with his pants at his mid-thigh and stared in awe at Steve. “Uh… no mind… what?”
Steve smiled and pulled his shirt off over his head by the back collar. The slight chill in Eddie’s room caused goosebumps to erupt all over his arms and chest.
Eddie made an undignified sound and slapped a hand over his mouth.
Steve felt sleep-deprived giddiness in the back of his throat on the verge of pouring forth from his mouth. His nerves were electric. His brain for whatever reason kept cycling Eddie on repeat. I’m so tired… Steve peeled back the covers and got into the sheets properly.
Eddie finished with his pants and did the same, trying to avoid touching Steve.
It wasn’t until Steve had his head on the pillow, that he realized there was one pillow. And it and the sheets had little cats all over them. He looked a little closer and found that they were Garfield the Cat.
“You have Garfield sheets?” Steve said it more like a fact than a question, but he had many questions.
“Yes,” Eddie replied hesitantly. “I’ve had the same sheets since I was little…”
“Nothing wrong with that… just explains why you haven’t had anyone in your bed before…”
“Hey!” Eddie complained. “Garfield is cool!”
Steve was laughing, the giddiness bubbling up and out of him. He was so tired he didn’t care at this point.
“Oh you think you’re funny,” Eddie protested and smacked Steve on the chest over the covers.
“I’m so-sorry!” Steve replied through all the laughter. “They’re fine, Eds. Cute even…”
Eddie stopped hitting Steve and loomed over him, leaning on his elbows, half on Steve half off of him. He blinked a bit, eyes wide with disbelief. Neither of them breathed.
In a single motion, Eddie leaned down and pressed a closed mouth kiss to Steve’s lips.
Everything in Steve erupted in tingles. But in the back of his mind he couldn’t let it go that Eddie was on some level still drunk. But his body was loathed to stop.
They separated for a second, but as Eddie came back for a second kiss, Steve put a hand up over his mouth as he came in. “You’re still drunk, Eds…”
Eddie’s eyes immediately softened into sad puppy dog eyes and he froze, Steve’s fingers on his lips. Eddie pulled back so fast his hair whipped over his shoulder. “I’m sorry… I, I shouldn’t have…”
“That’s not what I said, Eddie…” Steve protested. But Eddie didn’t seem to listen. He looked at Steve for a moment longer, and then laid back down, rolling over with his back to Steve. He left him the pillow.
“Eds…” Steve sat up and tried to get Eddie to look at him.
Eddie refused to turn back over and pulled the covers over his head.
Steve pressed his lips into a tight, frustrated line as he settled into his propped up elbow. Shit… look what being honorable got me! But you would hate yourself later if Eddie wasn’t sober or awake enough to decide. He sighed and laid back down on his back. “Goodnight…”
The giddy bubble popped in Steve’s chest as he turned onto his side with his back to Eddie’s. He moved the pillow over a bit, so there was room on it for Eddie if he decided to slide in closer. Sleep crawled into Steve’s very core. His eyelids drooped. His bones ached. His last thought before he dropped off to sleep was how he would fix it with Eddie tomorrow.
The oddly familiar beep of the alarm clock shocked Steve out of his deep sleep. He groaned and smacked his hand down on the snooze button. The noise cut out. Steve blinked slowly, eyes bleary, and rolled over. In an instant, he remembered that he had slept over, as Eddie Munson slept two inches from his face, sharing the same pillow as him. His arm draped over Steve’s midsection. Steve could feel his legs intermixed with Eddie’s.
So you forgave me, at least in sleep form, Steve thought as he let his eyes adjust to the vision before him. The same open blinds as the night before deposited little stripes of daylight over Eddie’s features and the bedspread. Steve felt his heart ache. He knew he couldn’t stay. And he knew he couldn’t leave. He let himself linger over Eddie with his eyes before letting out a heavy sigh.
Steve slowly disentangled himself, trying so hard to not disturb Eddie. Even here, Eddie proved to be a deep sleeper. He groaned only when Steve pulled his legs away. Steve found his shirt buried in the sheets. As he donned it, he realized that both he and the article of clothing smelled like Eddie now. A blush bloomed in his cheeks. Robin would roast me…
He stood and stretched, slight urgency hitting him. Work started in 20 minutes and he still had to get home to grab his work clothes, vest, and lunch bag. I can’t leave without a note… Steve scanned the nightstand, the floor, the desk for any scrap of paper. He found a napkin tucked under a mug of old tea, and a pen without a cap poking out from under a book called “The Return of the King.” He leaned down and scribbled on the corner of the napkin to get the ink flowing. In his best handwriting, Steve scratched out a simple note. He even signed with a heart. He left the pen and the napkin in plain view on the nightstand. Grabbing his shoes and jacket, he ducked out of the room, closing the door with a click.
As he made his way down the hallway, he slipped into his jacket, thinking to himself how happy he was even now. Eddie glowed in his mind and the memory of him was turning up the corners of his mouth. Gosh, I hope he doesn’t freak out or feel bad about last night… That kiss felt nice…
The sound of someone clearing their throat startled Steve out of his reverie. Wayne Munson leaned up against the counter, holding a mug with steam curling out of the top of it. His sharp eyes pinned Steve to the spot. He looked stern. Not angry, but not pleased.
“Hello there,” Wayne started. “I’m assuming that nice BMW outside is yours.”
“Yes…” Steve replied, slowly shifting in his stocking feet on the linoleum. “I’m Steve… Harrington.”
“I know who you are,” Wayne countered, setting the mug down and crossing his arms. “What did he do this time?”
“Pardon?” Steve cocked his head.
“I’m assuming you brought my nephew Eddie home, but I also see his van is not here. So unless you slept alone in that bed in there, how is Eddie, and what did he do to need your help?”
Steve swallowed. “I… uh… well, sir, Eddie’s van broke down and he called me to come pick him up.” He was floundering on whethering to add about the bar or especially the drinking, gayness of said bar, or any of the sweet affections they shared. Nothing happened between them… not really… nothing untoward…
“And Eddie was out in the middle of a cornfield?” Wayne nodded to Steve’s shoes, which to Steve’s surprise had hay and tall grass stuck all to the bottoms.
“Uh, yes? In a way I supposed.” The Green Star was in the middle of a cornfield.
“Don’t lie to me, young man.” Wayne sighed. “Was he out at that bar again, the… the queer one miles out from here?” The look in Wayne’s eyes were sad and weary more than angry.
Steve couldn’t make his voice work, so he slowly nodded. He prayed Wayne wouldn’t hurt Eddie, not because of this, not ever.
Wayne sighed heavily and took a long sip of the coffee before setting the mug down again. “You’re a good friend, Steve. Eddie talks about you nonstop. I assume you’re that same Steve Harrington who hangs with that Henderson boy and those other youngsters?”
“You better not lead Eddie on. He acts tough, but he’s a big softie. Worships you. I see it in those damn big eyes of his.”
Steve felt drawn in, incapable of breaking free. Eddie worshiped him?
Wayne shot him a strong look. “Is he okay?”
“Is Eddie okay? Is he hurt?”
“No sir, he’s fine. Sleeping…” Steve straightened. “I fought off a guy who was gonna mess with him.”
Wayne furrowed his brow at the mention of fight, but held Steve’s gaze with a pair of eyes that twinkled a little, like Santa clause eyes or something. “Ha, of course. Trouble follows the boy like the tail of a comet. Glad you were there to protect him. He won’t admit he needs the help. Just like his father.” Wayne got quiet and lowered his eyes, gaze distant. He snapped out of it to look up at Steve again. “You got time for breakfast?”
“I have work… sorry. Thank you though.” Steve felt horrible and rude, but it was the truth.
Wayne nodded and waved him off. “I understand. Glad you’re a working man.” He sighed and picked up his mug again.
Steve hesitated, but then knelt to put on his shoes. “Maybe some other time…”
“Maybe some other time,” Wayne echoed like a confirmation. He took another sip. With a swallow and sigh, he got stern again, a thought on his face. “Did you… you know, sleep with him?”
Steve shot up a look. “What?”
“I know he’s a queer. You slept over, but you’re not one of his bandmates. Just curious… didn’t hear anything if you did…”
“No, no… uh, he was not all there, so…” Steve finished with his shoes like they were the most interesting thing in the world. “Felt it wasn’t the time. Not that I wouldn't want to, eventually! Uh…”
“Yeah…” Steve felt somehow it was pointless lying to Wayne. He was too perceptive.
Wayne nodded curtly. “You a queer too?”
Steve felt panic shot through him. “I… don’t know. I like Eddie…” Admitting it felt like the world was crashing down on top of him and lifting into the sky as well. “I like your nephew very much.”
Wayne smiled for the first time since talking to Steve. “He can be likable when you get to know him.” He took a step forward and clapped a hand on Steve’s shoulder. “Take care of him… friend or otherwise. Lord knows he needs people caring for him. I’m only so good as a companion.”
Steve nodded. A lump stuck in his throat. His heart raced. This felt significant, like he was being given a job or receiving a mission. And in a way he was. But it was a mission he would accept.
“Now go on. You have work, no?”
“Y-yes sir.” Steve held out his hand towards Wayne. “Pleasure chatting, sir.”
Wayne took Steve’s hand and shook firmly. “Call me Wayne. We’ll probably be seeing each other.”
Steve smiled weakly. He let the handshake go and turned to go out the front door. He paused and turned back for a moment. “I left a note for Eddie, in case he misses it.”
Wayne nodded in acknowledgement. “I’ll see to it he gets it.”
“Thank you… Wayne.” Steve was out the door before he could say anything else. His insides were pumping, his heart was in his ears. Aside from the late-for-work nerves, he felt very exposed, like he had been flayed open like a fish by Mr. Munson. He had gotten Steve to admit feelings for Eddie, which up until last night, Steve himself had not been able to do.
Steve checked the clock. He was late. Fuck! No change of clothes for me. He checked the back seat to make sure his Family Video store vest was still there. Its green fabric stood out against the light-colored interior of the car. Lunch will have to wait. Steve cranked the car on and pulled out from his parking spot in front of the Munson trailer.
Nothing but the conversation with Wayne rattled around in Steve’s head. So Wayne knew about Eddie being queer, and was not bothered it seemed. He really just was looking out for his nephew, which made sense. Especially after the last year he had experienced, with the witch-hunt and strange things that had happened. On some level, Steve was glad that Wayne had someone who cared. If anything, he felt a little jealous. His parents didn’t give a shit about him. Resigned disappointment settled on his chest. He’d made peace, but it still hurt.
The part that was messing with him the most was how he, Steve, had admitted to Wayne that he liked Eddie and that he wouldn’t mind sleeping with him someday. What had happened to him? Just yesterday he would have laughed and never admitted to anything. But Eddie… Eddie had to have some sort of magic in his blood. He had bewitched him, with that hair, that close proximity, that smile. Steve sighed. He couldn’t lie. It wasn’t overnight. It was days of really seeing Eddie and having his defenses melted by dumb jokes and wild antics and infectious kindness and laughs. And it was scaring the heck out of him.
Steve arrived at the video store in a vastly more confused and disoriented mood than he had had when he woke up this morning. He grabbed his vest and slammed his car door shut, forgetting to lock it. With a little angry, stumbling trot in his step, he made his way to the front door and shoved it open. The little bell above it mocked him. Of course they’re already open, you’re late.
Robin stood behind the counter, busily sorting VHS cassettes. She looked up at the sound of the door and made her most flabbergasted expression. “Well hi there. You look just great.”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Steve grumbled, taking off his jacket and scrambling to put on his vest.
“Nice cropped top. New style?”
“Management might have an issue with it. Don’t worry, we have spare shirts in the back.”
Steve barely acknowledged her as he ran a hand through his hair a few times and adjusted his nametag too many times.
“Okay, I’m dying over here. What happened to you?” Robin asked, coming around the counter.
Eddie. Eddie happened to me. Steve sighed heavily. “Late night.”
“Oooh, who were you partying with without me?” Robin trailed Steve as he wandered into the back room to drop off his stuff, smirking at Steve with mischief in her eyes. She looked a little more done-up today, with eyeliner and her hair wavy. She wore a nice loud button up and her dark jeans and those red converse she always wore.
“Why are you dressed up?” Steve evaded, shoving open his little locker and tossing his jacket inside.
“Nope, I asked first,” Robin sang the last word. She leaned up against the wall next to the locker, hemming Steve in. She tossed a blue full length t-shirt with stripes on the chest that she had materialized from somewhere at Steve.
Steve sighed and gave Robin an annoyed glare as he fumbled to catch it. “You are not going to leave me be, are you?”
“Uh, no! Do you know me, dingus?”
“Ugh, fine,” Steve started in as he stripped off his vest and old shirt. “Eddie… got stranded at a bar and called me to pick him up. It was late, I slept over, end of story.”
Robin’s eyes bugged out. “Excuse me, roll that back. Eddie Munson, our dear friend, called you to pick him up from a bar. How drunk was he? What bar? The Hideout?”
“The Green Star…” Steve sheepishly corrected. He refused to look at Robin as he pulled on the new shirt.
“The Green Star? Steve. That’s a gay bar!”
“I found that out when I got there, okay?!” Steve made a motion to get Robin to hush and lowered his voice. “Did you know…? About Eddie?”
“Not all gay people know each other, Steve.”
“Well duh! I just, you know, you usually see those things before I do…” Steve slipped into his vest again. His head was swimming a little. He had missed his morning coffee.
Robin rolled her eyes. “Ok, I did suspect Eddie, but like there was no confirmation. Sure, the hanky thing, but like he could still have been straight and whatever. Way to go figuring it out.”
Steve huffed a laugh as he made his way back into the front of the store. “Ge thanks.” Steve bit his lip and fidgeted with his keys that he usually fished out of his pockets to play with. They felt different today. He looked at them: they were Eddie’s. “Fuck!” He said out loud.
“What?” Robin asked, coming around the front of the counter to keep organizing the VHS’s.
“Ha, you’re cooked. Why were you wearing sweats and a crop top? Did you go to the bar to rescue Eddie in that?”
“Yeah… look it was like 2am! His call woke me out of a dead sleep.” Steve had to tell someone, and Robin was his best friend. “Okay, so… there is more.”
“I’m only spilling because I need your opinion.” Steve looked around to make sure no one else was there in the store. “Eddie may have mentioned that he… would, uh, volunteer to fuck me. And we may have had a kiss. He was drunk so I stopped it, but still…”
Robin took the VHS stack in front of her and slide it out of the way so she could see Steve. “He WHAT?! Steve, that was your signal! That was your giant SOS in the lights, big waving green flag. What did you say?”
“I panicked, I didn’t say much of anything… and I had to stop the kiss, Robin, he was drunk. It would have been wrong.”
“Always the gentleman.” Robin groaned, “ugh, you’re right about the kiss, but STEVE. Use that gorgeously thick brain of yours and think. Eddie was throwing himself at you!”
“Yeah, but he was drunk. Like what if he didn’t mean it? Or he means it but never wanted to tell me really? I mean, he was going to go with another guy—“
“Yeah, I fought a dude who was freaking Eddie out. You’d be proud, I won! With minimal head damage.” He rubbed his temple where he had been hit.
“Your child would be proud,” Robin corrected. “Fist fighting is for dumb guys and gays who can’t talk it out.”
“He was hurting Eddie, I couldn’t stand by,” Steve practically growled.
Robin held up her hands in concession, but her face screamed amusement. “So you, what, drove him home and he invited you in?”
“Sort of… he needed someone to help him into bed and so I did. It was too late to go home, so I slept over.”
“And nothing, Robin. He was drunk.”
“Something happened, I can see how you’re blushing.”
Steve groaned and threw up his hands. “Nothing happened! That’s when he kissed me, but he was drunk so I stopped it before I went anywhere.”
“As you so vehemently told me,” Robin said. “What did he say this morning?”
“Nothing… I left while he was asleep.”
“Ugh, you’re hopeless. So where is this question you have in all this mess?”
Steve fidgeted with the keys again. “How good are my chances, based on what you know, of maybe, possibly, Eddie saying yes to, say, a real date, with me?”
Robin blinked, then laughed. “I’d say like 98% likely! He practically threw himself at you!”
“Yeah, but like… he was uninhibited. Sober? Who knows?”
“Those confessions came from something.” Robin leaned closer. “Better question: do you want him to say yes?”
Steve let his head fall to the counter, groaning. “I don’t know! Yes? I would have laughed you out of town yesterday, but now? Now…” He couldn’t finish the sentence.
The bell above the door dinged and both young people shot up, slapping customer service smiles on.
An old couple wandered in and began strolling through the aisles.
Steve turned back to Robin who did the same. “I can’t know for sure until I talk to him I guess.”
“Yeah no shit, Sherlock.”
“Then we wait, Romeo.” Robin was grinning. “You like Eddie,” She sang in a sing-song manner.
Steve playfully swiped at her. He would be holding his breath until Eddie called.
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Longer chapter this time! Enjoy :) Part 6 coming soon; check my page for parts 1-4 🩷
