Chapter Text
“I think we need to get him to, like, a fucking hospital or something,” Eddie said. He was driving Steve’s car, seeing as Steve was currently in the backseat, out cold with his head resting on Robin’s shoulder. He had crashed almost immediately after all of them had made it back safely from the Upside Down. Eddie figured that the adrenaline was probably the only thing that had been keeping him going.Dustin in particular had wanted to stay with all of them, to make sure that Steve was okay; but Nancy had insisted that they go back to the Wheeler residence so that their parents wouldn’t keep looking for them. Nancy had instructed them to tell her parents that they had lied, and that they actually knew where she was. She told them to say she had flown to California to surprise Jonathan last minute, but hadn’t wanted either of them to know because she knew they would think it was irresponsible of her.
“ We are not going anywhere,” Nancy said from where she was sitting in the passenger seat. “Vecna might be dead, but you’re at the top of Hawkins’ most wanted list.”
“I think he’s just sleeping,” Robin said quietly, as to not wake Steve. “I mean, I think we just have to keep the, demo- whatever bat wounds from getting infected, right?”
Next to him, Nancy nodded. “We need to decide where we’re going. Then we can help him.”
“Steve’s parents are out of town,” Robin offers. “We could go there. I don’t think anyone is really looking for Steve and I.”
Eddie could have imagined it, but Nancy seemed to get visibly uncomfortable at the prospect of going to Steve’s house. The girl hadn’t even hesitated before jumping into the lake to follow Steve into another dimension, but looked sick at the idea of going to Harrington’s nice big house.There was a story there. Probably a bad one, if this whole group’s past was anything to go by. At this point though, Eddie could not bring himself to care. Not when his “Not Really His Boyfriend But Definitely Not Just His Friend” had nearly died multiple times in one night.
“Okay,” Eddie said. “Just need someone to give me directions.” He looked back at Steve through the rearview mirror, catching Robin’s eyes as he did. She smiled at him, and nodded reassuringly, before she went to move some of Steve’s hair out of his face. Eddie knew that he very well could not be as outwardly concerned about Steve as he wanted right now. Not with Nancy around. She was smart, she’d get suspicious. Eddie didn’t particularly give a fuck whether she knew or not. But Steve did. While Eddie had known he was gay for years, Steve was just recently learning that being bisexual was even something a person could be. He needed more time to come to terms with it himself before he was ready for other people to know. And yeah, Eddie was an asshole but he wasn’t that much of an asshole. Robin knew though. Eddie was still unclear on whether Steve had told her, or if she had figured out that the two of them were messing around by herself. All Steve had said was that neither of them had to worry about her outing them. And that was that.
There really wasn’t much to tell anyone about the two of them anyways. They weren’t in a relationship. Really they had just been fooling around. A lot of smoking weed, and heated make out sessions. Steve seemed to want to pretend like the two of them had never interacted around the others, and Eddie was fine to go along with it.
The group rode in silence on the way to Steve’s house, save for Nancy speaking up every once in a while to give directions. Eddie was not a fan of prolonged awkward silences, and he would have turned some music on if he didn’t think it would wake Steve up. So he suffered through it for the fifteen minutes it took to get to Steve’s house.
Eddie pulled into the driveway, and killed the engine. He pulled the keys out of the ignition, and found what looked like a house key on the ring and handed it to Nancy who had paled dramatically since they pulled up.
“Doing okay Wheeler?” Eddie asked, which seemed to snap her out of whatever trance she was in.
“Yeah,” She said, sitting up a bit straighter and going to exit the car. “I’m all good.”
‘Steve,” Robin said softly, nudging his head off her shoulder. “Wake up, we’ve got to get you inside.” Steve started to open his eyes, and Eddie tried not to stare as he stirred.He blinked a few times, and rubbed his face with the palm of his hands. Eddie could pin the exact moment that he recognized where he was. Steve made to stand up, and hissed in pain.
“Shit, fucking fuck,” Steve said, going to clutch his sides. “This hurts a lot more when you’re not fighting for your life.”
“Yeah, um, okay, we’ll help you inside,” Robin said. “Eddie can you-”
“Yeah, yeah, I got him” Eddie said. He got out of the car, and walked over to Steve’s side, opening the door. He let Steve sling an arm around his shoulder, and Eddie helped to get him out of the car. Once he was, Eddie rested a hang gently on his hip for more support, doing his best to avoid any wounds.
“You good?” Eddie asked.
“Yeah,” Steve replied, in a breathy gritting his teeth kind of way, that implied that he was anything other than good. Eddie wasn’t sure if it was pain or exhaustion.
The two of them followed Nancy and Robin into the house. It looked about what Eddie expected.The outside at least looked like what he would imagine the outside of the Family Ties house to look like. Picturesque and suburban. Eddie knew though, from the few throw away comments that Steve had made during their time together, that the family that occupied it contrasted the image that the house might portray. There was a reason that Eddie had never come over.
Nancy on the other hand, seemed to know exactly where to go for the light switch when they walked inside. For someone who did not look comfortable there, she sure knew her way around. Eddie thought back to the past few days. How effortlessly Nancy and Steve seemed to work together. How they almost seemed drawn to the other. Eddie wasn’t jealous. He had no fucking reason to be jealous. Him and Steve. That was just fun. Nancy and Steve. That was love.
“Where am I putting him,” Eddie asked, still shouldering Steve’s weight.
“His bedroom is upstairs, first door on the right,” Nancy said. “Get him up there. I’m going to grab some things, and then I’ll be up in a minute.”
“Alright boss,” Eddie said, before turning his attention to Steve. “Think you can handle some stairs Steve? Or should I carry you bridal style?”
“Shut up asshole,” Steve muttered, but he didn’t seem upset. Getting him up the stairs was in fact a challenge, but they managed too somehow. Even if they were both a bit out of breath. Which was honestly kind of embarrassing seeing as they just finished fighting evil incarnate but got winded by some stairs.
Eddie got Steve into his room, which was honestly very plain. It didn’t look like what you’d expect someone who had only just graduated high school the previous year. It looked like a real adult would live here. Or some personality-less cog. Which Eddie knew wasn’t Steve. There should be sports posters on the wall. Something that gave any sign that Steve lived there. But the walls were bare, painted a dull tan. Eddie wondered how long it had looked this way?
“Eddie I have no clue what you’re gawking at but could you please get me to the bed?” Steve asked, snapping Eddie out of whatever trance he was in.
“Right,” Eddie said. He helped maneuver Steve into the bed. He hardly looked comfortable and it was obvious that he must be in pain, and Eddie didn’t know what to do. “Wish I had a fucking joint or something to give you, man. Looks like you could really fucking use it.” He was still standing awkwardly at Steve’s bedside, not really sure what to do in this situation.
“Jesus fucking christ Eddie sit down,” Steve said suddenly.
“What?” Eddie asked.
“You’re making me anxious just standing around like that like a lost puppy, so just-” Steve scooted over, making room on the queen sized bed. “Get in.” In was a strong word seeing as Steve wasn’t even under the covers. Eddie hesitantly obliged, sitting down next to Steve, with his back against the headboard, leaving enough space between both of them as to not be presumptuous. Steve didn't seem to have the same concerns though, and Eddie could tell that he was trying to subtly inch closer to him.
“I’m sorry about ignoring you,” Steve said.
“What are we twelve? It’s not a big deal,” Eddie lied. In all honesty it would have been nice to at least have a friend these last few days. Someone to say “hey I’ll stay here and hang out with Eddie so he isn’t forced to be alone with nothing to do but relive watching someone die every time he closed his eyes. Even now, he wasn’t sure how he was going to sleep. That had been nearly impossible lately.
“I didn’t have to be such a dick,” Steve said, staring at his hands that were folded in his lap.
“It’s really not a big deal. It’s not like anything was really going on between the two of us,” Eddie told him. “I understand why you didn't want people to know we were...acquainted. We got stoned and fooled around a couple times. Shit happens.”
“Oh,” Steve said, and Eddie might have imagined it, but he sounded disappointed. “So you meant what you said? About going out with Nancy.”
“I mean, yeah, why not? You're into her, she’s into you. Go for it, man,” Eddie shrugged, and then waved his hand dismissively. “If today should have taught you anything it’s that life is short and you, you know, do whatever makes you happy, or some other philosophical bullshit.”
Steve didn’t say anything to this, and Eddie was a bit worried that he had upset him. It’s not like Eddie wanted to meddle in Steve’s personal life. There was just really annoying part of him that wanted Steve to be happy. Nancy was clearly an important part of that. Someone obviously had to point it out to Steve, because he wasn’t that observant, and for some reason that had to be Eddie.
“Eddie…” Steve said. Eddie turned to look at him, and then Steve’s lips were on his. Steve was kissing him more gently than he ever had, and all of Eddie’s “I could care less” bullshit melted away. This wasn’t like all of their other kisses, that had felt like they were only ever meant to be a shameful secret. This one seemed intimate, like the kind of kiss lovers shared, not strangers meeting in the dead of night to create some brief moment of impersonated passion. Eddie had never been kissed like that. Like he was human. Steve’s hand was on his cheek, and Eddie reveled in the idea that someone would want to keep him close.
Steve pulled away first, and Eddie braced himself to see panic in the other man’s eyes, that common look of regret. When he looked at Steve though, he seemed calmer than he had since Eddie had known him.
“I don’t want to date Nancy,” Steve said.
Eddie’s head was still swimming from the kiss, and he couldn’t grasp why Steve was telling him this. “Oh. Okay. That’s fine. Like I said, whatever makes you happy.”
Then Steve sighed before grabbing Eddie’s head between his hands and kissing him again. This time there was more passion, Steve’s tongue sneaking out to part Eddie’s lips. But it was still so tender, so open. Like there was something that Steve was trying to communicate with him.
This kiss lasted longer, but it still felt like it ended too quickly, and Eddie had to stifle an honest to God whine. Steve was staring at him again,
“Eddie, I want to do what makes me happy,” Steve said, echoing Eddie’s earlier words back to him.
Eddie blinked a few times, “I mean…that’s what I have been saying-”
Steve cut him off with a hard kiss. And then another. And another. Eddie was struggling to keep up, but he was absolutely loving every minute of whatever was happening. Steve was kissing every inch of his face, down his neck.
Soon he was speaking between each peck, “Fucking. Idiot. I’m talking. About you. I want to be. With you. Do you understand? I don’t. Wanna say it again.”
For the first time Eddie was the one to pull away, and Steve audibly groaned. “Me?” Eddie said, still unsure.
“For god sakes yes!” Steve said.
Eddie grinned at the rather fortunate turn of events. “Well Harrington, I think we can arrange something if you’re really so desperate that you want to be with me.”
“Shut up,” Steve said, and Eddie delighted in the fact that he was also smiling like a mad man. He let Steve take him into his arms and move the two of them so they were lying completely on the bed. He let himself be desired and wanted and whole.
Maybe sleeping tonight wouldn’t be so hard after all. Not when he had something so good to wake up to.