Look, I Love Every Fic That Has Hopper Adopting Steve But I Think It’d Be Really Funny If:

Adding onto Steve's crime spree from this (and this and this)

Eddie has determined that he's not asking the right questions in life.

Is he questioning the man? Yes. Every day.

Is he asking Wayne for help when his van shits the bed on Thursday? No. When his van is still unusable come Saturday, did he ask his friends if he could catch a ride to band practice? No.

Did he ask if he could get a ride home? Also no.

It's raining and Eddie regrets his life choices so hard, he doesn't notice the Porsche 928 until it blows through the crosswalk he was about to step onto. He's hit with a tidal wave of frigid early November street water because, of course, he is.

"Fuck's sake," Eddie swore, pushing his wet hair out of his face. In his perphery, the Porche slams on its breaks and rolls back into the crosswalk beside him, but he barely notices. Talking to the driver, the world, or god, Eddie does not know when he rants, "Thanks! Thanks for that, I really need pnumonia. Thanks for bestowing-"

"Sorry, man," Steve says, an apologetic wince sticking out of the open window of the Porche. "Wanna ride? I can take you where you're going."

Eddie looks at the car, then at Steve, and then back at the car and signs, "...Fine, but only because this car is beautiful and not to expunge your guilt."

"Dude, I don't think a sponge is going to help."

Eddie rolls his eyes but sticks his guitar in the trunk before sliding into the passenger seat. He has to physically stop himself from touching everything. He's never even seen a Porche before, wow.

Steve's in the driver's seat looking like he's dying for Eddie to ask about the car so he can talk about it. Honestly, Eddie wants to ask about the car. He probably should have asked about the car but instead, he shakes the water out of his hair like a dog as payback.

"C'mon, man," Steve complains, wiping the water off his face. "Watch the leather."

Eddie gives him directions and then bites the bullet. He asks the wrong question, "You trade in the Beamer?"

"No way. That's my baby," He says. "I'm just borrowing this lady."

The conversation is actually nice. None of Eddie's friends know anything about cars but Steve seems to know a lot. He can almost forgive the guy for being a jock and the psychological warfare he's bestowed onto Eddie's brain the past week and a half, but then-

“It sounds like - shit," Eddie says, echoing the same sentiment as Steve at the sight of flashing red and blue lights in the rear view. A question he should've been asking all along occurs to him, "Did you steal this car?"

Steve gives him an annoyed look and then rolls down his window, smiling that All-American smile, "Heya, Hop. Didn't think you were working today."

"This car was reported stolen."

Eddie swears, sinking into the leather with the hopes that it eats him. Steve doesn't even hesitate, "Let me guess, Mrs. Woolledge? Crazy she knows what all her neighbors are doing but not that her kid's on dope."

Hopper doesn't say anything and the silence is loud so Steve adds, "It's not stolen. It's my dad's car. I have permission."

"From your dad?" Hopper asks, getting an annoyed nod from Steve. "Same dad that's out of town?"

"Well, Hop. There's this thing called a phone."

"You get that MRI...right? Throw the keys out the window," Hopper says. Eddie's mentally preparing on how he's going to explain this to Wayne when he calls from jail. Steve protests. Hopper demands, "Throw. The keys. Out. The. Window. Now."

Steve seems to realize that he's pushing his luck because he does just that. He even gets out of the car when Hopper tells him to. Hopper tells him to get in his truck and Steve straight up lies, "Hop, I'm taking my friend home. We're working on a school project together. At his house.”

Eddie curses Steve's entire bloodline from start to finish when Hopper lookings directly at him still in the car, "That true?"

Say no. Say you don't know him. Say you know nothing. Say anything but, "Yes."

"What subject?'

"History," Steve says at the same time Eddie says 'Art' and then rolls his eyes, "Art history, yeah?"

Hopper nods like he thinks they're full of shit and then tells them both to get in his truck.

Steve protests but more about leaving the car on the street than anything else while Eddie briefly thinks about the psychic his mom used to know. He wonders if she could curse someone for real. Maybe he can call her from jail.

He's fully ready to see the police station that he fails to realize where Hopper's going until they’re in Forest Hills. He turns and looks at both of them and says, "I'd like to know what grade you get on this project."

"Aye, aye, Captain," Steve says with a salute, pulling Eddie out of the car. Once they're inside, Steve peaks out the blinds like, "Yeah, he'll sit there for a while. He thinks I'm lying. Wanna smoke?"

Eddie is baffled, "No."

"Okay," Steve shrugs and flops down on the couch. He pulls a set of keys out of his pocket and adds, "Spare key. We just gotta wait until he's gone and can circle back for your guitar."

The only thing Eddie can think is, “what the fuck” and he doesn’t even know which part he’s talking about.

So... I'm writing a fic. It's been sitting on my drafts for over six months, that's why I think it's time to post it even though I barely have anything more written.

Maybe now that it's published I'll have more motivation, anyways; here it is:

Erlking. / (ˈɜːlˌkɪŋ) / noun. German myth: a malevolent spirit who carries children off to death.

Jonathan just wanted to find his brother and was looking wherever he could, and if 'wherever' meant Harrington's backyard, he would look at it.

It was just that Jonathan was expecting to find his brother. Not... King Steve and Eddie 'The Freak' Munson having a pretty enthusiastic make up session.

Or. Stranger things through out the seasons with established steddie, Steve being friends with everyone, Hopper and Wayne being surrogate fathers and death lurking at every corner of Steve's life.

Archive Warnings:

Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death (temporary).

Categories: Gen, M/M

Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016)

Relationships:

Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson, Jonathan Byers & Steve Harrington, Jonathan Byers & Steve Harrington & Nancy Wheeler, Steve Harrington & The Party, Steve Harrington & Wayne Munson, Robin Buckley & Steve Harrington, Steve Harrington & Jim "Chief" Hopper, Steve Harrington & Everyone, Minor or Background Relationship(s)

Additional Tags:

Steve Harrington-centric, Queer Steve Harrington, Queer Eddie Munson, Canon Rewrite, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Established Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson, Secret Relationship, Jonathan Byers & Steve Harrington Friendship, The Party as Family (Stranger Things), Steve Harrington Acting as The Party's Big Brother, Steve Harrington Has Bad Parents, Steve Harrington Has Absent Parents, Platonic Soulmates Robin Buckley & Steve Harrington, Protective Eddie MunsonProtective Wayne Munson, Protective Jim "Chief" Hopper, Found Family, Everyone Loves Steve Harrington, Final Boss Vecna, Death, Temporary Character Death, Major Character Undeath, Talks About Death, Body Horror, Torture, Suicidal Thoughts, Grief/Mourning, POV Multiple, POV Outsider, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Self-Indulgent, Gratuitous use of italics, Good Babysitter Steve Harrington, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Graphic Description, Tag – Freeform.

Part One Two Three

Eddie’s laid flat on his back, it’s not particularly comfortable. He’s on a yoga mat on the grass. The sun is shining, so Eddie has his shades on and his eyes closed, but it still feels too bright. The sun feels too warm on his already itchy skin. He’s vaguely aware that his cock is probably doing it’s own version of ‘saluting the sun’ or whatever the fuck the pose is called, because his rut still isn’t done.

Eddie’s jerked off a couple of times, a little half hearted. Sometimes crossing the finish line and some times not. He’s never had a rut last this long and it’s pretty miserable. The not full nature of it is somehow making it worse; like his system is sluggishly working through years of blockers and inducers and general abuse, so it doesn’t have the energy to tip Eddie into a full, proper rut.

“This is bullshit,” he tells the sky.

Next to him, he hears Steve hum a vaguely agreeable noise, and then there’s rustling as he moves. Eddie squints over just long enough to see that Steve has bent himself into yet another highly improbable pose. He’s making a big show about how good he is at breathing.

Eddie can breath. Steve isn’t all that.

Steve’s dumb floppy hair falls forward, and Eddie just wants to give Steve a shove and watch him topple over. It’d be easy, the way he’s balancing.

Low hanging fruit, Eddie decides, and closes his eyes again.

There’s more rustling, and Steve’s just sitting there now, criss cross apple sauce, hands resting easily on his knees. Stupid yoga pants with leaves and flowers printed on them, like Steve doesn’t care what he looks like.

Yoga pants that leave absolutely nothing to the imagination.

“What are you doing?”

“Meditating.”

“Is it working?”

“Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t.” Steve answers evenly.

Eddie decides to sing the green bottles on a wall song, he starts at one hundred, but looses steam at around ninety seven when he realizes Steve is showing no outwards sign of being bothered.

Eddie sighs. Flops over onto his stomach and sighs again.

“Why am I here for this?”

“Chrissy said you said you wanted to try yoga, so here we are.”

“That is not what happened,” Eddie flops back over onto his back indignantly, “she told me that she’s been doing yoga, and that she thinks I should try it. She said it might help.”

“She’s right, it might.”

“I don’t see how.”

Steve’s quiet for a second, then, “you know when someone comes to the door, and the dog barks like crazy?”

“I don’t have a dog, and no one ever comes to my-”

“Hypothetical dog. And front door.”

“What color?”

“The dog or the front door?”

Eddie tuts, “the dog. The hypothetical dog, what color is it?”

“It’s a golden retriever.”

“Okay, yeah,” Eddie waves his hand vaguely, “go on then.”

“It’s really difficult to train a dog to stop doing something; the best way is to train it to do something else instead. So, you train the dog that when there’s someone at the door, it fetches a toy or something. Reward when the dog meets you at the front door with the toy.”

“Are you actually a dog trainer? Like, I’m so insulted, why did they get me a dog trainer-?”

Steve snorts, “my point is, the dog can’t bark if it has something in it’s mouth. It takes ninety days to build a habit.”

Or seven or eight lines, Eddie thinks absently. “What, and I can’t get high because I’m too busy being bent up like a wanna’ be pretzel? Bullshit.”

“I think it’s more the frame of mind Chrissy was-”

“Got fucking high playing twister once. So, yeah, calling bullshit.”

“Yeah, makes sense. It’s rough anyway, yoga. Lots of core strength.”

“Shut the fuck up, try playing a three hour gig, you don’t even know core strength.”

“Right right, yeah. Of course.”

“Show me the, the stupid thing,” Eddie gets up, “the one with the ass in the air, I’ll show you. Can’t be that hard.”

“Sure, start by standing up straight...”

“I tried the stupid, the thing. The yoga thing.”

“Eddie that’s great! How was it!”

“I’m broken. Don’t tell Steve.”

Chrissy snorts down the line, “awww, you’re getting on okay with him then?”

“He’s got a great ass.”

“Eddie!”

“Might fuck it.”

“Oh my Jesus Christ Eddie no-!”

“I’m kidding. I’m kidding. Best behavior. Scouts honor.”

“You were never a scout.”

Eddie snorts, “no, definitely not. Bet Steve was though. Where did you even find this guy anyway? He knows how to like, do everything. He made waffles for lunch, ate like, four of ‘em. Even the fruit.”

“He got you to eat fruit? That’s it, I’ll hire him full time right now, he’s never leaving-”

“Pffft. Shut it. I’m not that bad. Besides, he’s probably got like a wife, and two point five kids and white picket fence to get back to.”

“I...actually don’t know anything personal about him really.”

Eddie hums vaguely, because that’s boring.

“He said your ruts not done, if it’s not any better in forty eight hours they want to send someone to do a blood draw.”

“Great. You know I love a nurses- hang on, wait. Is Steve reporting back to you? What else has he been telling you?”

“Not much!” Chrissy says in a bright voice that Eddie instantly knows is a lie, “and he does work for me Eddie, I mean, be reasonable. I need to know you’re okay.”

“You can ask me if I’m okay!” He takes a deep breath, feeling kind of angry and not just a little betrayed.

“I...Eddie. Your...what you tell me about yourself isn’t always...accurate. At least, it hasn’t been.”

“Oh, what so now you don’t trust me?”

“Eddie, come on-”

“No. Fuck off.” And Eddie hangs up the phone.

Eddie stews on it for a bit. Then storms through the house. He finds Steve on the couch, reading a book, “you! You fucking- you, you Judas! Get the fuck out of my house!”

Steve doesn’t even stand up off the couch, just lowers the book a bit, “I’m sorry?”

“Where the fuck do you get off, huh? What have you been telling Chrissy? Did you tell her about the other night? I bet you did you fucking snake-”

“You want to read what I wrote?”

“I- what?” Eddie deflates instantly. He was expecting Steve to put up a fight or deny it or spout some bullshit about confidentiality or something equally wank and made up.

“I do have to report back; Chrissy is my employer. This is my job.”

“But you’ll...let me read it?”

Steve shrugs, “it is about you.”

Every twenty four hour period appears to be it’s own email. All neatly laid out. It starts with if Eddie’s had a wash or not, and it turns out that Eddie is not a fan of having his personal hygiene clinically reviewed on a daily basis. It’s followed by what he’s eaten and drunk that day; or at least, what Steve’s seen him eat and drink. Not that Eddie’s been snacking much; he’s too thin right now, he can tell that by looking at himself in the mirror. It’s not a good look; it’s not the kind of skinny that would have the tabloids saying how great he looks.

It’s the kind of skinny that would have them speculating about eating disorders.

Right after that is just...notes. Clinical but...vague.

EM supported with nesting. “I have not nested.”

“No, but I changed your sheets.”

EM continues to show poor engagement with nutritional food. “Steve. I’m not eating the fucking salad.”

Steve shrugs, “you’re not eating much of anything.”

Eddie tuts.

EM continues to be disinterested in any scenting/is not showing any particularly Alpha behaviors despite continued rut. Sex drive/mating urges still appear to be low/non existent. Eddie isn’t even going to touch that one; in fact he does a solid job of pretending he didn’t even read it.

Eddie skips back a day, looking for his little nighttime misadventure. EM restless during the night. Reluctant to engage in talking therapy. Encouraged primal therapy; worked well and resolved without incident. EM exposed to positive fan feedback.

“Restless?”

Steve shrugs, “you were, weren't you?”

Eddie slides down in the office chair, “Steve, I was looking to score, I’m not some ninety year old who wouldn’t stay in bed.”

Steve shrugs again.

“Okay I guess...I mean, thanks. For covering for me.”

“Just calling it as I saw it. You didn’t actually go anywhere...I like to think you’d have come around before you made it to the gate.”

The...optimism. Faith. Trust. Whatever that Steve’s just shown is kind of...prickly and uncomfortable, “you can’t know that,” Steve shrugs, “how did you know, anyway? You got a secret spy camera or something? Door alarm?”

“No just...good instincts for this kind of thing, I guess.”

Eddie ‘harrumphs’ dismissively.

“You should call Chrissy. Apologize.”

“How do you even know-”

“Eddie,” and Steve might not be physically, like, rubbing his forehead or pinching at his nose in despair, but his tone is doing a lot of heavy lifting, “you stormed in here angry that I was spying on you. I am just doing my job, okay? You’re a smart guy, you don’t need me to point out to you how that behavior looks from the outside,”

“Meh meh meh meh looks from the outside,” Eddie mimics back in the most childish voice he can, “smart guy meh meh.”

Steve’s eyebrows twitch a tiny bit, “paranoid Eddie. Pretty classically paranoid.”

“I-oh.” Eddie stops for a second, because...well. He tries to be angry, because what the actual fuck, but the anger part has kind of already happened. Steve's watching him, not in any kind of way, not really. He’s just...prepared.

“I imagine it...like a stage,” Steve starts slowly.

“What, like I’m on stage?” Because that’s an image Eddie can get behind. He knows that feeling. The heat of the lights, the physical force of the crowd screaming. The weight of being the absolute center of the universe for literally thousands of people.

Steve moves to the couch, leaving Eddie in the office chair, “yeah, sure okay. You’re on stage, and you’re...calm. Competent. You have a plan right? You’re centered. There’s...harmony. You’ve done this a hundred times, the band backs you. You are yourself, right?”

“Okay…” Eddie says slowly, no fucking idea where Steve is going with this.

“So the crowd is...also you. Parts of you. But you have control over the crowed, right? You tell them to get their phones out for the lights, or one half of them sing and then the other half sing, right?”

Eddie does do that, it vaguely makes him think Steve has at least seen a recording of a gig, because that’s pretty accurate. He likes interacting with the crowd. Likes getting them involved and playing games like that to get them hyped. It’s the most fun part of the gig. “Sure.”

“Okay so...the audience is you, the good bits, and the bad bits. So...something unexpected happens, and maybe you get angry, or scared, or...restless,” Steve says carefully, “but they want control, so they get on the stage with you. Now you’re not in control any more. There’s too many people on the stage and not enough left in the audience, it’s chaos, right? There’s not enough of you left out there for you to...take control. The stage is loud and crowded and you can’t find you in the middle of all that, follow me?”

Eddie does. He can. He’s always had a fucking stellar imagination, and a stage crowded with fucked up versions of Eddie is really easy to picture.

“So...the first thing you learn is to recognize it’s even happening. Step one. Just that.”

Eddie rolls his eyes, “and then one to ten with The Count after, right? Shapes with Big Bird?”

“Only if you’re good,” Steve smiles at him, and Eddie feels like it’s the first genuine one he’s gotten so far.

Jep!

I have nightmares from these games.

Their style is almost too realistic.

They can really fuck you up 😅

Friends also recommended me stepstones… let’s see if this is less horror.

Found this really scary new horror game yall should check out. It's called indeed.com and it has a sequel called linkedin

(Same universe as this, this, this, and this)

Wayne is at the stove.

The skillet sizzling. The air is thick. He’s got the window up and the screen door propped open, and he can hear those boys out there fussing under the hood of Steve’s car.

It’s a good day. One that they needed.

“One of yous boys get in here and set the table,” He calls out. “Supper’s almost ready.”

“Steve’s doing it!”

Heavy footsteps follow and when Wayne looks over, Steve’s tromping into the house fiddling with his hearing aid. He looks at Wayne and gestures at the door behind him, “Unfair advantage.”

He starts moving, washing his hands and grabbing the dishes before adding, “Eddie didn’t like, force me to help. I wanted to.”

“Didn’t think he did.”

“Right.”

“Have a seat when you’re done,” Wayne says and then calls Eddie in to scrub up. He gets an ‘lemme finish’ back and knows it’s a loss cause to do anything else so he goes back in and plates the food.

He sits his plate down, then Eddie’s, and then hands Steve his, but it’s not Steve’s hand that grabs it.

“What are you doing?” Eddie asks, taking the plate. “He can’t eat that. He’s allergic to fish.”

Wayne shoots Steve a betrayed look, “He brought the fish.”

“Technically Hopper gave it to me,” Steve cuts in. When he gets hit with two Munson stares, he adds sheepishly, “It’s a mild allergy.”

Finished it, as promised! Porn with some plot, a lotta teasing, some of which in a public place, overstimulation, pet play if you squint, 5.3k words. I haven’t read over it thoroughly to check for spelling errors and tbh i prolly wont (edit: i did.) This was my first time really writing smut so i hope it turned out well. Have fun, hope y’all enjoy <3

P.S. Skip to the second text splitter thingy if you just wanna get to the smut faster :)

They had just dropped off the last kid- Dustin. Now it was just Eddie and Steve in the front two seats of Steve’s BMW. “So, you want me to drop you off at the trailer park?” Steve asked as he turned to face Eddie.

"Uh- Actually my shift starts soon. Could you drop me off at work?" The question made Eddie nervous. He preferred not to tell anyone where he worked due to the oddity of it. The taboo-ness.

It's not like it's a normal job that is easily accepted, especially not in Hawkins in year 1986.

It's actually the reason it's an establishment you can only get into with a code or invitation from a friend. It's a supportive community but to be supportive they have to take certain precautions.

"Oh shit, yeah I forgot you took that night job. What was it again?" Steve looked at Eddie so sweetly. Wide eyed and innocent. Eddie wondered how much that would change soon.

Maybe he could just be discreet about it? Tell Steve a half truth. "Oh uh, just this bar. It's pretty new and small and you need an invitation to get in typically. Chrissy's cousin's friend's something's something owns it so she gave them a good recommendation about me. Its called Stonewall."

Stonewall is a gay bar that hosts quite a few people in the kink and bdsm community. Eddie assumes that its not really Steve's scene. Eddie wonders if Steve even knows what kink is. 'King Steve' is quite known for being a good pleaser in bed, but that's usually with Hawkins innocent cheer team or sweet book nerds like Nancy Wheeler. He's gotten close with Steve so he wants to be honest about his own identity, but he's worried how it would go.

"Ah, I like bars. You'll have to show me around when we get there. Just give me the directions as we go, that cool?" Steve smiled at Eddie as he started backing out of Dustin’s driveway without an answer and Eddie's stomach just. Dropped.

"Hah yeah sure sounds great!" Eddie muttered out with an uneasy smile.

———————————:)—————————————

"Hey Steve," Eddie started as they got out of Steve's car. "once we get in there just wait by the door while I change into my work clothes alright. Then I'll show you the bar and everything. Just a warning, people here are very uh... flirty, and touchy. You may have to pretty assertive if you don't want that kinda attention."

Steve smirked at that. "Ya'know how my charm is, I cant turn it off even if I wanted to." And god the way he was looking at Eddie, he did know, he knew too well. He wished he would’ve just shut up and had Steve drive him back to the trailer park so Eddie could've driven himself to work, even if that meant being late to his shift.

Eddie rolled his eyes and started walking to the entrance. "Yeah, sure Stevie." He knocked on the door. The building had no giant signs stating the name of the establishment, or anything indicating that it was anything at all.

There was a slider on the door for a girl on the inside to peak through. She took a moment to take them in. "Heya Eds, who you got there?"

"Hey Micky, this is my friend Steve."

"Ah Steve!" She looked over to him standing kind of awkwardly next to Eddie, then back at Eddie. “Can he uh.. be trusted?"

Eddie shifted his feet and looked nervously at her. He glanced at Steve who looked curiously at Eddie. Seemingly clueless. "’M not sure yet, Mick. But if there is any trouble I'll deal with it." Micky hummed suspiciously, glanced at Steve again, then unlocked the door.

Steve and Eddie stepped in, Steve even more confused than before at the interaction. Everything seemed so secretive and mysterious. What was happening in this building? Money laundering? Mafia meetings? Is that a thing? Was there a mafia in Indiana? It sounds ridiculous but there were Russians under Starcourt, a mall, so who knew?

"He seems harmless, but I swear to god Eddie, don't blow this. You're a good dude and I like ya as a coworker alright? Don't get fired." Micky made her statement, then walked away and disappeared into the crowd of people.

As Steve looked around he noticed the bar had a similar setting to that of a club. Rowdy music, flashing lights, the crowd looked as if it consisted of a lot of grinding and kissing. Before Steve could look too close, Eddie stepped in front of him and forced eye contact.

"I'm gonna go change. If you see anything uh... weird. Don't act rashly alright? I'll explain whatever you wanna know once im behind the bar." Eddie seemed jittery and nervous.

Steve cocked his head to the side - which should not have been as cute as it was - clearly confused, but he shrugged it off. "Alright Eds, just be quick, don't wanna be late for your shift." Steve smirked at Eddie which made him grow hot. He started to flush as he turned away and started for the bathroom.

As Steve started to look around more he noticed the place was a bit run down, as if it was previously abandoned. But it seemed fairly kept. The bar seems nice enough for a small business and there was a decent crowd.

Before Steve could analyze more he noticed someone approaching. A big guy, maybe a little taller than Steve, tatted kinda like Eddie but... much more. He looked Steve up and down.

"Hey." He said simply.

"Hey." Steve returned.

"Are ya with him?" The guy asked gesturing toward the bathroom Eddie just went into.

"Yeah! Thats my bud, Eddie, he's just gonna show me around his work place a bit." Steve smiled up at him, slightly uneasy from the unfamiliar territory and knew faces and being approached randomly.

"Ah, gotcha. Well, I'm Ben. Er whats your name?" Ben asked then leaned forward a bit to hear Steve better. Something is Steve's stomach flipped.

"Uh, Steve!" Steve called, just noticing the loud noise Ben was clearly trying to hear him over.

"Nice to meet ya. Say, Steve, are you a friend of Dorothy's?"

Steve furrowed his eyebrows, "uh, who-?"

"Hey Ben." Eddie was walking up to them. He wore black jeans similar to his usual pairs, except this pair had several holes and rips, showing much more leg than Eddie typically did. His shirt - Steve's mind about froze - for a top Eddie wore nothing but a black mesh crop top. It showed off a pair of nipple piercings Steve never knew Eddie had. Steve huffed at the sight without even noticing.

"Hey Eddie, hows it going man." He went to dap Eddie up.

Eddie returned the dap which evolved into a hug. "Pretty good pretty good, about to start my shift"

"Cool cool." Ben nodded then paused, "hey uh, Steve doesn't know Dorothy."

Eddie nervously chuckled, "yeahhh man, I'm working on that don't worry."

Ben hummed, nodded, regarded Steve and Eddie before walking away into the crowd.

Steve turned to Eddie with an odd look on his face. "Okay, two things. One, respectfully, you look hot as hell man. I can see why you'd wanna be a bartender, im sure you get tipped heavily." Eddie flushed not expecting the compliment. He avoided Steve's eye contact shyly for a moment. He had his hair up which prevented him from hiding behind a curl or two. "Two, I feel as though theres something really secretive about this place that im just bot catching onto and no one will tell me. What's goin on Eds?"

Eddie sheepishly looked at Steve through his eyelashes then sighed. "Come, sit at the bar. Let me clock in and I'll fill you in."

Once they had settled, Steve sat at the bar stool and Eddie took over for the person previously manning the bar. Eddie went to lean on the countertop in front of Steve.

"Steve... I you're a good friend and we've been growing very close recently. I enjoy that- a lot. So I want to be honest with you." Eddie paused for any sort of reaction out of Steve, but Steve just looked intently at Eddie with care in his eyes. It was driving Eddie insane. "This is a gay bar, Steve. A lot of people here are looking for an accepting community for being queer and into the kink and bdsm type scenes. I am... also gay"

Eddie had been intently avoiding Steve's gaze by looking at the surface of the bar. Then he heard Steve chuckle and his eyes snapped up to make eye contact once again. Steve, as usual, was smiling at Eddie. His eyes seemed to sing acceptance, but there was still a knot in Eddie's gut that said he was wrong. That said he compromised a safe space. That said he was going to lose one of his closest friends. That said he was going to be beaten half to death soon by ‘King Steve.’

"Eds..." Steve started, making a point to hold eye contact. "I know." Eddie probably looked horrified and so utterly confused. He tried to mutter out something but he just stumbled on his words. He didn't struggle long because Steve start talking again. "I mean," he leaned back and rubbed his hand on his neck, "I obviously didn't know about this place, that explanation makes a lotta sense. However, you." Steve leaned forward again, just forward enough to be intruding on Eddies personal bubble. "I knew. Of course I knew Eddie. Do you think I don't know hanky code?"

Eddie scoffed at that, struggling to process all thats being said to him. "You don't know Dorothy."

Steve's smile softened. He rested his elbow on the bar and used his fingers to lightly brush a stray strand fallen from Eddie's bun behind his ear. Eddie tensed, wanting to fall into the touch, but still hesitant. As Steve made the move, he spoke. "I... lied." He looked shyly at Eddie, then chuckled at Eddie's confusion and put his hand down again. "I got the feeling this was a safe space with all the secrecy, but I wasn't sure and wasn't about to risk it. Ben seems nice though."

Eddie looked long and hard at Steve. He seemed to be internally fighting with himself. "How long did you know?"

"Well since I first met you I had a little inkling because of your hanky- which I was looking at as an excuse to look at your ass fyi. But I also asked Robin and she said she thought so just due to your behavior. Gaydar or something, I guess. But if she ever found out for sure she didn't tell me due to respect of your privacy."

"Steve Harrington," Eddie gasped out. Steve cocked his head to the side (still adorable). "You were ogling my ass" Eddie acted offended and playfully smirked at Steve.

"Oh Eddie," Steve said slyly, looking somewhere far below Eddies eyes. Steve licked his lips and returned his gaze to Eddies through his own eyelashes. "I've been ogling so much more than your ass."

Eddie froze in place. His smile faltered for a moment and Steve caught it. Steve caught how a flushed pink crawled onto Eddie's skin in the dimmed lights of the bar. Then just at that moment- "Hey! Barkeep, stop googly eyein your boy you brought in huh? Ya gotta customer. Do your job" Micky shouted at Eddie.

Eddie cleared his throat and clumsily stumbled to the girl waiting to have her order taken. He felt Steve's eyes on him heavily as he took the orders. Even more so when he was making the drinks, using the silver cups to mix the fancy alcoholic drinks that they probably charged a little too much for. Once he poured the drink for the last person in line, Eddie looked over to Steve. "What do you fancy, Steve?" Steve started to smile but Eddie cut in, "I swear to god if you say something cheesy like 'you' im gonna lose it."

Steve's smile fell into a look of mild surprise. Then he chuckled, "Do you just have a beer?"

"Sure, babe." Eddie said out of habit. He always said that to customers. When Steve lifted an eyebrow Eddie tried to ignore it. He grabbed Steve their most popular beer and slid it over. "On me."

"Thanks 'babe." Steve grinned.

"Oh shut up." Eddie groaned at the tease.

Steve popped the tab on the can. "Oh what, you don't like it?"

Eddie ignored the question, "So, what's your story, Steve? Are you gay or are you just messing with me now?"

Steve seemed... shocked, even concerned by the question. “Oh uhm. Man,” Steve laughed awkwardly, “I thought you realized by now.” Eddie looked confused. “I’ve been flirting with you this whole time Eds, not just tonight, but for a while.

Eddie’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “What, why?”

Steve continued to look at him awkwardly. “Because I like you..? You’re hot and I wanna flirt with you because the way you react is really funny and cute. I mean, you’re so easy to fluster but you don’t realize other people even know you’re flustered. You think you’re being discreet but you’re really not.”

Eddie flushed at that, just proving Steve’s point. “So what, I've just been too shallow to notice you’re gay and into me?”

“Bisexual, actually. And yeah I guess. Rob has even tried to drop you hints, but you never act on anything so we assumed you either weren’t into it or you just weren’t picking up on it.”

Eddie huffed, “definitely the latter.”

“Oh, so you’re into it?”

Eddie’s eyes snapped to Steve’s. “Uh, I wouldn’t say im not..”

“So you’re indifferent?” Steve pestered.

“I'm into it, okay? I'm into you, Steve, I have been. I'm just really surprised that for once in my life I’m getting just- handed what I want. This isn’t typical and I’m just waiting to wake up.” Eddie rushed the words out as if they could bite him if he didn’t.

Steve placed a hand on Eddie’s. “You won't, I'm not a dream. And I hope its obvious but, I’m into you too. In fact this whole conversation has been driving me crazy because I’m so into you. I wanna slam you onto this bar and fuck you senseless but noooo,” he dragged out the ‘o’ dramaticaly, “you’re working… technically, and we have to be talking about feelings and being surprised that we’re both gay or something.” Steve looked at Eddie pointedly.

Eddie’s breath hitched at the confession. At the idea of Steve fucking him here, now, right over this counter where everyone can see. It drove him kinda crazy.

“And these,” Steve reached over the counter to grab Eddie’s waist and pull him closer. Once he had done so, he let his hand slowly drift up to Eddie’s chest. When Eddie looked at Steve, all he saw was Steve looking back at him, biting his lip. Something clearly eager on his face. Then Eddie jolted as he felt his nipple piercing being toyed with. “This fucking piercing Eddie, god, and this slutty fucking shirt. Really, how much do you usually make in tips? How much do you get laid? Every night you work?” Steve flicked the piercing again at the end of his sentence before putting his hands back to himself.

Eddie felt so hyper aware of the fact that they are in his place of work. Many people around them that could be watching. Most of which would probably understand what is happening a little too well- being in the bdsm and kink community. He still felt hot where Steve had touched him. Eddie took a deep breath, and once he felt somewhat calm again he said, “I haven’t worked many shifts yet,” He cleared his throat and regained his posture, “but I like to think most of the guys in this building wanna fuck me bad and hard.”

Steve’s eyes widened but he smirked. It made him seem a little manic. “Oh is that so? Are there any you’d let fuck you, ‘bad and hard’?”

A customer walked up to the bar. There hadn't been many of them. Maybe most people felt the tension between Steve and Eddie and decided to steer clear.

“Maybe one.” Eddie winked at Steve in the same moment he flicked his own piercing, then spared no moment to help the customer. Steve scoffed in disbelief. This boy was gonna be the death of him. He couldn’t wait.

Once Eddie finished up with the customer, Steve was getting ready to leave. Eddie raised an eyebrow at him. “When does your shift end? I’ll be back then to pick you up since you don’t have a ride.”

“Uh- seven.” Eddie stumbled, confused.

“Great, I’ll be back then. And in the meantime, how bout you think about all the surfaces in this place I could bend you over. Then let me know if you’d actually wanna act it out at my place once you get off work. Bye.” And before Eddie could even respond or process half of what was said Steve grabbed him by the jaw and pulled him into a deep kiss. Eddie melted into it faster than he would have liked to admit. Steve swiped at Eddie’s lips with his tongue and then just as fast as the kiss started, it ended. Then Steve was leaving. Was this how he always got his girls back in highschool? Get them riled up then leave then wanting more? Hell of a way… it was working.

———————————:)—————————————

Eddie was jittery for the rest of his shift. He wanted to do what Steve said and just fantasize about what that man could do to him all night. However, Eddie had work. He didn’t think popping… another, boner would help anything. So he focused on cleaning and serving as many people as he could until Steve came back for him.

When Steve did come back, he had changed his outfit. He was previously wearing one of his cozy mom sweaters and jeans, now he’s still sporting the jeans, but now he had his hair more puffy and well done. He's wearing a white shirt and a brown jacket over it, and some cool guy shades.

Eddie got into the car and choked out a muttered “you look nice.”

Steve smiled at him, “you too.”

Eddie rolled his eyes. “Oh please, I just worked a seven hour shift, you don't need to lie to me.”

Steve furrowed his eyebrows. “I'm not.” He then started the car. “What did you decide, my house or yours?”

“Please, your house. Of course.” Eddie rushed out, but then tried to not seem that desperate.

“Oh?” Steve asked simply as he started the drive.

Eddie hummed agreeably.

“No elaboration?” Steve asked playfully.

“Steve, we’ve established I want you. I want to be in your house while you’re in me. Get that?”

Now it was Steve’s turn to hum agreeably. “Did you think about what I told you to?”

“No, Steve, I didn't think getting hard at work again was a good idea.”

Steve raised his eyebrows. “Again?” He glanced over at Eddie who looked away shyly. “Aw, poor thing, did I get you riled up?” Steve patted his hand on Eddie’s thigh as if he was trying to soothe him, then just rested it there.

His hand wasn't near Eddie’s knee, but it wasn't on his crotch either. The position along with the comment was enough to make Eddie hot. He tried to close his eyes and control his breathing to calm down. Once Steve noticed what he was doing he moved his hand ever so slightly higher, barely brushing his pinky against Eddie’s dick.

This drew an involuntary whine out of Eddie, it was soft and quiet but Eddie knew it was loud enough for Steve to hear. He saw Steve smirk right before he noticed them pulling up to Steve’s house. Eddie felt nervous, the past 8 hours have already had so many twists he wasn't expecting. Now, when they walk through Steve’s door, what's going to happen could change their friendship forever.

Eddie decided he wanted to take hold of that change. The moment they got through the door Eddie pushed Steve into the closest wall he could and got his mouth on Steve’s the moment he was able.

The kiss was heated immediately. Steve shoved his tongue into Eddie’s mouth and basically shoving it down his throat. Eddie held onto Steve’s waist under his shirt, feeling and taking in his skin. The prickle of Steve’s hair of his happy trail, scars he has from demonic fights of the upside down and some which were probably from highschool fights and sports.

Steve put his hands in Eddie’s hair and began pulling and teasing it at the same time that he pulled on Eddie’s lip with his teeth. Eddie whined at the bite. His hair eventually fell from the bun he had it up in. His hips involuntarily bucked up when Steve latched onto his throat, teeth grazing his skin before biting down lightly, but still hard enough for Eddie to feel a sting.

Steve lifted his mouth off of Eddie completely to look Eddie in the eyes. Steve pulled Eddie’s hair back as he pushed his thigh in between Eddie’s legs. He moved his arms onto the sides of Eddie’s ribs, just above his waist.

Eddie groaned and dropped his head onto Steve’s shoulder. He braced himself by moving his own hands to the sides of Steve’s arms.

“Little bit of touching and you just go pliant, huh?” Steve teased breathlessly to which Eddie huffed at. Steve flipped them so that Eddie was against the wall and Steve was still pressing against Eddie’s sensitive hardon. Steve grabbed onto Eddie’s waist and moved Eddie to grind on his thigh. Eddie threw his head back into the wall with a loud thud and bit his lip. Steve watched, chuckling at the submission and openness. Steve continued to guide Eddie’s hips, “Aw Eds, you can do better than this.” He enunciated the last word by replacing his thigh with his hand, cupping Eddie’s dick and pressing into it.

“Mmmfgh, Steve, shut up.” Eddie pushed Steve off of him. Steve seemed confused for a moment, as if he’d messed up somehow, until Eddie dropped to his knees and fiddled with Steve’s pants. He tried to get the button undone but damn, Steve wore tight pants, and the button was so big for the hole it was supposed to fit in.

Steve smiled at Eddie’s struggle before he pulled Eddie’s head back by his hair with his left hand and swatted Eddie’s away with his right. He then undid the button expertly with the one hand, and let go of Eddie’s hair so he could continue his work.

As quick as he could get his hands on Steve, Eddie pulled down Steve’s pants just as much as he needed then did the same with his boxers. “Shit.” Eddie muttered out once he pulled out Steve’s dick.

Steve smirked, “they don’t call me King Steve for nothing, Eddie.”

It was a solid eight to nine inches. Thick and heavy. Prettiest dick Eddie has ever laid eyes on. It was beading with precum at the tip. Eddie felt his own cock twitch at the sight. He licked his lips and his mouth watered. His head spun.

Steve tried to bite down a chuckle, but once Eddie licked at the tip and put his lips around it, the chuckle came out at an odd noise like “ha!-aughmmm, hmm” humming at the end of it. Eddie dragged his fingernails over the fabric on Steve’s thigh. Eddie looked up and made eye contact with Steve, giving him his best ‘fuck me’ eyes. Steve’s jaw dropped open and his breath got heavier.

Once Eddie realized his effect on Steve, that he had him right where he wanted him, he went down on Steve’s dick as far as he could. He felt it hit the back of his throat and there was still about two inches of Steve’s shaft he couldn’t fit in. He put his hands around what he couldn’t fit and swallowed around him, tightening his throat. Steve braced his hand over Eddie's head, against the wall.

“Eddie, holy shit man.” Eddie responded by humming. Steve’s other hand immediately flew back to Eddie’s hair and pulled him off his cock. Eddie looked at Steve, confused with puffy lips. “Be a good boy for me and go slow, yeah?” Steve guided Eddie’s head back to his tip.

Eddie made a show of sticking out his tongue in the sluttiest way he could. He then gently put it to Steve’s tip. Steve said go slow, so he’d go slow. He licked up the slit ungodly slow, then started to circle around the whole tip at the same pace, all while holding eye contact.

Steve breathed out a sigh. “Fuckin brat, get up.” He pulled on Eddie’s hair till he stood up, then dragged him by the hair to his room. Eddie shouldn’t be turned on by it, it was almost disrespectful. They hadn’t talked anything through and god- Eddie didn’t think Steve would be into anything non-vanilla but he is clearly into some sort of kink. Already, mild degradation and pet play are shown. Eddie was here for it.

When they got to the entrance of Steve’s room Steve stopped them and let go of Eddie’s hair. “Before we continue, you doing okay? If you want me to stop or change anything at any point just say the word.”

Checking in, consent. Maybe Eddie didn’t give Steve enough credit. More than Eddie gave him before slamming him into the wall but… seems like Steve was into it so- “uh yeah, everything’s great Steve. Still hard as a rock though.” Eddie smirked playfully.

Steve smirked back at him and licked his lips. He looked Eddie up and down. “First, how much do you like that shirt?”

Eddie swears his eyes dilated at that. “Do whatever the fuck you want to it, Steve.”

“Awsome, now get on the bed. I want those slutty ass jeans off and your ass up.” Without an answer, Steve walked into his room and looked in his night stand for something. Eddie immediately stumbled to take his pants off along with his boxers and dove onto the bed. He arched his back as pretty as he could and rested his head on a pillow. The pillow smelt like Steve and his hair products.

Steve started walking to the foot of his bed, dragging his fingers along Eddie’s spine. Once he reached the foot of the bed he crawled onto it. He swiped his fingers over Eddie’s ass, leaving behind a glob of lube. He then, without much warning, dipped a finger in. Eddie’s body jumped and shook at the sensation.

Once Steve could fit a second finger in he took them out, lined up his cock, and held onto Eddie’s waist. “You like pain at all baby? Or do you think you need more prep?”

Eddie groaned, “mm-mmn” and pushed his ass back onto Steve’s dick. But before Eddie could get anything, Steve pulled his dick away.

“Uh-uh. Use your words, Eddie.”

Eddie whined, “Steve c’mon.”

“Alright.” Steve started to get off of the bed before Eddie nearly shouted.

“No! No, alright? Okay, Steve, please- please put it in? I need it so bad, need you. Been wanting this for so fucking long, don’t make me wait longer.” Eddie’s curls cascaded over the pillow as his almost muffled voice came out tentatively but stern.

Without saying anything else Steve pressed his head against Eddie’s ass once again, then slowly slipped it in. Eddie’s hole stretched around it, he moaned through the pain. A sadist and a masochist. Perfect pairing. Eddie started moving with Steve’s thrusts, fucking himself on his cock.

Steve reached up and grabbed the back of Eddie’s shirt by the collar, pulling until Eddie got the memo. Eddie pushed off his hands and got on his knees. Steve reached around, under Eddie’s arms, and grabbed the front part of Eddie’s collar of his shirt. Steve bit into the junction of Eddie’s shoulder and neck right as he pulled down on the collar.

The shirt ripped easily enough, and Eddie’s chest was exposed. Steve’s hands immediately went to Eddie's nipples and those godforsaken piercings. He toyed and twisted them and bit harder into Eddie, who moaned at all the different sensations.

Then they were all gone, Steve unlatched and pulled out. “Huh-“ Eddie panted.

”On your back.” Steve commanded.

Eddie flipped onto his back, with his legs on either side of Steve. Steve’s right hand went to stroke Eddie’s dick at the same time that he latched his mouth onto Eddie’s nipple, finally feeling the bar of metal in his mouth. Then he paused.

“What-“ Steve leaned back to look at Eddie. “You really like putting metal through your sensitive parts, don’t ya baby?”

“Mhmm” Eddie whined and bucked his hips up into Steve’s hand, which Steve just chuckled at. He latched his tongue back onto Eddie’s nipple and started stroking him faster than before. “Augh, Steve, pl-please.” Eddie put his hand in Steve’s hair, ruffling it and gripping and pulling.

Steve’s hand was going up and down so fast Eddie’s head spun. He felt his stomach tighten and noises were falling out of his throat uncontrollably. “Mmph, Steve, im gonna- im gonna come.” And once again all sensations were lost. Steve sat up and took his hands off Eddie, instead he moved to put his dick back inside him. Instead of going slow like he did before, he slammed into him. He fucked into Eddie like an eager hound dog. He used his hands to toy with Eddie’s piercings and his chest.

“You’re so good for me baby-“ Steve groaned out before smashing his lips into Eddie’s, putting his hand into Eddie’s hair. Steve shoved his tongue down Eddie’s throat for the second time that night. Steve began to stroke Eddie again. Eddie felt like his body was on fire, so much was happening and all of it felt so good. He barely processed his climax coming back up.

“Steve- Steve!” Eddie yelled out as a warning before he came. Come spurting out over Steve’s fingers as he continued his brutal pace. “Steve please-“ Eddie cried out from the beginning of the overstimulation. Eddie started to tear up, but he refused to say ‘stop’ because the pain was honestly too good. Steve never stopped stroking Eddie and the stimulation on Eddie’s prostate and dick was driving him insane. Soon he was full fledge crying. He tried to hide his face with his arm but the moment Steve noticed what he was doing, he took his free hand and pulled Eddie’s arm away. Once Steve saw his face, tears streaking down his cheeks, eyes bloodshot, lips puffy, he came immediately. His brutal pace just got faster, fucking through the orgasm. His body shook along with Eddie’s, who came for a second time purely from the sweet feeling of pain.

Soon enough Steve slowed down and pulled out of Eddie and looked over at him. “You okay, Eds?”

Eddie sighed shakily. “More than, thank you Stevie. Can we uh.. sleep? I'm exhausted.”

“Sure baby. First, here.” Steve pulled off what remained of Eddie’s shirt off him and used it to wipe off Eddie's cum from his hands and Eddie’s dick. “There.” He then kissed Eddie on the forehead and laid down next to him so they could both fall asleep.

Eddie walked into Steve’s house to find the kids crowded around the entrance to the living room. He looked in to find Robin and Steve hanging upside down on the couch, looking depressed.

Eddie: What's going on?

Dustin: They got rejected by a cult today.

Robin: And the thing is, we didn't know it was a cult.

Steve: And when we did figure it out, we didn't want to join, but suddenly, they wanted us!

Robin: And now they don't!

Steve: What the hell does "too perfect" even mean?!

Max: Why are you upset they rejected you?! They kidnapped you!

Robin: And it's nice to feel wanted sometimes, Maxine!

Eddie: Okay, where the hell is this place?

An hour later, Eddie stormed back into the house, brushed past the kids, and threw himself down next to Robin.

Robin: You get rejected, too?

Eddie: They just looked me up and down and shook their heads! Then, when I demanded answers, they threw me out! What the hell kind of cult is this?

Steve: It's a rude cult.

A few minutes later, Hopper came to pick up Will and El.

Hopper: *looking into the living room* What the hell happened?

Will: Go easy on them, dad. They got rejected by an entire cult today.

Hopper: What?!

An Unexpected Gift

written for ‘alone’ | wc: 999 # | steddie | rated: t | cw: no archive warnings apply | tags: pre-season four, pre-relationship, fluff, steve has a crush on eddie, eddie has no clue

@steddieholidaydrabbles

Part One Part Two

Winter break was in full force in Hawkins, complete with a post-Christmas Day bash at the Harrington residence. And after a full day or more stuck with their extended families, the student body was desperate to let loose.

Cue Eddie and his little black lunchbox.

The timing was perfect. His usual customers would have run through their stashes from before school let out, and he could even up charge a little extra when people tried to give him shit. Even then, he was still their cheapest option.

The extra cash would be worth having to convince Wayne to drop him off, still without his van. If he played his cards right, his haul from the party might be enough that he could finally take his van into the shop and stop having to share the pickup with his uncle.

So, perched on his usual armchair and nursing a watered-down rum and coke, Eddie pilfered out the goods. Only a few people noticed the lightly higher prices Eddie asked for, and even then, they wanted their weed more than they wanted to argue.

The house wasn’t decorated very extravagantly, so most everyone looked like everyone else in the dim light of the living room. A customer was a customer, and hard cash was hard cash.

He cleared his lunchbox just about halfway through the party, though he wasn’t sure just how much he’d made in profit. He made a point not to whip out the cash from the pocket inside his jacket with so many people around.

After that, Eddie didn’t exactly need to lurk around. He pulled out his backpack for the lunchbox, and the heavier coat he’d laid on the chair’s arm next to him.

One last unlucky customer sidled up to him.

“Hey, Munson,” Steve said, standing there in a trademark striped polo and dark jeans.

“Hey,” Eddie said back, settling his jacket over his front. He gave a strained smile. “Uh, I’m all out for the night. Sorry.”

Steve hadn’t always bought from Eddie, and he never seemed to mind when Eddie sold at his parties. But he rarely bought by himself, usually serving as the bank from which his friends funded their drug habits.

“No, I was actually wondering if I could ask you something.” Steve rubbed a hand at the back of his neck, unable to meet Eddie’s gaze. “Upstairs, if that’s alright? Alone?”

This was a bad idea. It was one thing for Steve to associate with him in the anonymity of the crowded mall, but there were only certain thoughts that went through people’s minds when Steve Harrington took people upstairs toward his bedroom.

And Eddie was not one of those people.

More like the opposite.

“Five minutes,” Steve promised. “I’ll even walk you out.”

“Not necessary, Harrington.” Eddie rolled his eyes and stepped past Steve, his beeline for the stairs serving as his answer to Steve.

They weaved past the drunk and/or high partygoers lining the stairs. With Eddie going first, he assumed that the strange looks he was getting was less than he if he’d been following Steve.

Who knew who had seen him go straight into the King’s bedroom.

He took a place in the center of the room, hands tucked firmly in his jacket pockets and backpack on his shoulder. Steve closed the door behind him, but he didn’t notice Eddie’s highly-raised brows, instead heading straight for his dresser.

Steve picked up a wide, white box and turned, holding it straight out toward Eddie.

“I didn’t know we were doing a gift exchange,” Eddie said.

“It’s just…something I thought you’d like.” Steve shrugged one shoulder, still holding the box. “I don’t expect, like, reciprocation or anything.”

Eddie peered at the top of the box, where a line of blue text spelled out ‘Bloomingdale’s.’ Eddie leveled his gaze at Steve, but all he got in return was seeing Steve nervously bite at his lower lip.

Eddie took the box.

He heard Steve swallow hard as Eddie worked off the fitted cardboard lid, taking it before Eddie had to ask. Letting Eddie see the garment inside in all its surprising glory.

“It’s—”

“They had one in black, like you’d said.” Steve pointed to the gift, as if Eddie couldn’t see exactly what he was holding.

It was the jacket from that day at the mall. Stiff, because it was new, but clean denim with bright silver buttons on the breast pockets and down the front. The only difference: black, instead of blue.

Eddie dragged his hand across the fabric, remembering how warm the one he’d tried on had been. The warmth that came from nicely made stuff.

“You actually remembered that?” he said.

Steve fucking shrugged again, like he just went around remembering random bits of trivia from people he should never be associating with, much less buying Christmas presents.

The worst thing? Eddie wanted to keep it.

It would be a lot harder for Steve to try and take the gift back if Eddie had it safely in his own closet. Refusing the gift meant Steve could just return it.

Was Eddie supposed to refuse it?

He knew one thing for sure.

Steve Harrington was confusing the hell out of him.

“I’m planning another party. For New Year’s,” Steve said, breaking up the silence of Eddie’s indecision. His hand still on the jacket, Eddie looked him, mouth surely hanging open. Steve pursed his mouth, seemingly unsure of his own words. “If you want to plan…to be there.”

Eddie would have been there regardless. Didn’t usually get an invite to these things.

He narrowed his eyes toward Steve, who he was sure hadn’t not looked nervous since he first walked up to Eddie in the living room.

“I’ll think about it,” he said slowly. He lifted the jacket from the box, officially accepting the gift and tossed the bottom part onto Steve’s bed. As he headed for the door, he added, “And, thank you. For the jacket.”

“Don’t mention it."