Chapter Text
In Steve's defense, he had also imagined the evening differently. They had taken advantage of the fact that his parents were away on another long business trip and had met at the house to watch movies and eat a lot of unhealthy food. Steve hadn't counted on Robin being too distracted to discuss nonsense with him as they usually did. And no, Steve had no problem with the fact that it was his ex who was throwing Robin off like that. It was just that he wasn't getting Robin's unrestricted attention anymore that was bothering him. Heavens, she didn't even look up when Steve threw a peanut at her and hit.
He rolled his eyes and eyed the others, who had gathered mostly in couples on the sofa and carpet. Will and Jonathan were talking quietly to each other, and Steve gnawed on his lower lip. He credited the young man for taking the breakup with Nancy so well. The two of them probably had already secretly suspected it. Again his gaze found the two young women and he sighed heavily, eating another marshmallow without apetite.
"Hey."
Someone kicked his leg.
Steve lifted his gaze and saw Eddie grinning mischievously at him from the sofa, obviously anxious to get on his nerves. He had been the last to join their meeting, a six-pack of beer in his hand, which he had first had to get to safety from Mike and Lucas.
"What...?", countered Steve, acting annoyed. At least he was getting some attention now.
"Don't pull that face, it gives you wrinkles.", Eddie teased, nudging Steve with his foot again.
Steve acted disgusted. "When was the last time you washed those socks...? Don't get too close to me with that." He tried to swat Eddie's foot away, but the older man just chuckled and did his best to touch Steve in the face with it.
"Oh my god, stop that!", scolded Steve, and because Eddie wouldn't let up, he grabbed him around the ankle with both hands and pulled hard.
Eddie made a funny noise as he suddenly slid off the couch and landed on his butt on the carpet.
Steve laughed spitefully, expecting a tit-for-tat when Eddie took the opportunity to move closer.
"Hey...", he muttered conspiratorially instead and slipped a hand into his jeans pocket, pulling out something small to show Steve shielded from the others.
Steve saw the joint and made a noise that sounded too sexual even to his ears.
Eddie laughed. "Oi, take it easy, cowboy.... I'll give you some." He nodded his head toward the garden. "Shall we...?"
Steve was on fire. "Detour through the kitchen. That way there's another beer without arguing with the dwarves.", he whispered.
Eddie nodded and got up to march nonchalantly into the kitchen. Steve counted to twenty and then followed him. Eddie grinned endearingly at him, waving two just-opened beer bottles in one hand.
Steve grinned back and opened the kitchen window that opened onto the garden, hopped up onto the window ledge and swung his legs over.
Eddie eyed him as he jumped out and then reached both hands through the open window to take the bottles from Eddie.
A slightly less practiced hop later, Eddie was standing next to Steve in the backyard, and with a nod of his head, motioned him to take a few steps with him. The grass felt funny under their socked feet.
Steve breathed a sigh of relief and handed the older man one of the bottles. They both took a sip and sighed contentedly. Eddie belched.
"Gross.", Steve commented amiably.
Eddie indicated a bow.
"How could I, your highness.... please don't whip me..." he teased in a nasal voice.
Steve laughed and kicked after him. He took two more sips of beer, his mood already a good deal better.
They strolled a few steps until Eddie stopped, set his bottle down on the grass, and pulled a lighter and the joint from the pocket of his black jeans.
"Ever smoke, Harrington?", he asked, rolling the end of the joint tightly once more. He looked up just in time to see Steve's dramatic eye roll in all its glory.
"Of course.", he said, as Eddie snapped open the engraved lighter.
"It's just been a while," Steve added, eyeing Eddie as he brought the joint to life. For a few seconds, his face was lit up by the flame, his dark brown hair shimmering reddish. A bit like he was on stage with his band, the lights hitting him. Steve wondered, why he never had watched him perform.
Eddie took a deep drag, kept the smoke in his lungs, and held the joint out to Steve in a prompting manner.
Steve averted his gaze from the dark eyes and put his bottle down instead, reaching for the drug.
It had actually been quite a while since he had smoked, but not wanting to let on, he took a deep drag and then promptly fought the urge to cough.
Eddie grinned and watched Steve struggle as he exhaled the smoke through his nose like a dragon.
"Let it out nice and easy, Harrington.", he teased, patting the young man on the shoulder.
That finally brought Steve's feigned composure crashing down then and he choked on his cough, cursing silently.
Eddie laughed, slapping him gently on the back as Steve half turned away, gasping into his closed fist.
Fortunately, it was over sooner than he feared.
"Maybe I should have warned you, my herb is pretty strong.", Eddie said apologetically. He eyed Steve, who had turned red and was now brushing his hair back.
"It's okay...it's just been a while.", the brunette answered, and despite his coughing fit, he held out a hand to Eddie in silent demand.
The latter laughed softly and slipped the joint between Steve's fingers.
"Don't overdo it."
Steve tried to disregard the fact that their fingers were touching and flipped him off as he took another, slightly more careful drag. The mouthpiece was a little moist, and Steve lifted his eyes erratically to graze Eddie's lips as if by accident.
Was this an indirect kiss...? But that only applied to straws and bottles, right?
He felt the effects of the marijuana slowly creeping into his head and sighed, blowing the smoke out of his mouth and passing the joint back to Eddie.
The metalhead probably didn't care for indirect kisses.
Steve watched the older man take another deep drag, leaning his head back and closing his eyes for a moment. He wondered if the effects of the drug were kicking in for him, too.
Steve licked his dry lips as he assessed the peaceful expression on his friend's face. He always got dry lips when he smoked.
A little awkwardly, he bent down for his beer bottle and drank thirstily.
Eddie grinned serenely and held the joint out to Steve again in prompting.
"One more puff and that'll be enough for you.", he said kindly but firmly.
"Who are you, my mother?", retorted Steve, but there was no bite to his tone. He accepted the joint and took one last drag.
Eddie made a prompting hand gesture and Steve obediently returned the joint while blowing out the smoke.
"Good boy.", Eddie muttered, grinning as Steve gave him a withering look.
The disappointment of the evening's proceedings was pleasantly muted. Steve felt the effect more clearly now, a pleasant relaxation in his muscles.
"Better?", asked Eddie, taking a final drag of the joint himself before it was augmented. He put the blunt out against the side of his beer bottle.
"Better.", Steve confirmed and laid his head back, enjoying the soothing evening air on his face. He could have easily stayed out here where he didn't have to vie for anyone's attention so he could temporarily mask the gnawing feeling of loneliness.
"Okay...is everything okay with you?", Eddie then asked as if casually, stowing the joint butt in a matchbox, which he slid back into his pants pocket. He knew Steve would be in trouble if his parents found any leftovers from their meeting.
Steve shrugged his shoulders.
"Guess so...", he replied meaninglessly. He didn't want to look up, but then did anyways.
Eddie gave him a thoughtful look. A cheeky comment was omitted, contrary to his habit.
"Why, are you worried about me?", echoed Steve with a played humorous little laugh.
Eddie took a sip of beer, as if to buy time. He then reestablished eye contact as if it were the easiest thing in the world. Steve wished it was just as easy for him.
"Sure. You're pretty quiet today. I miss your bitching.", the older man said lightly.
Steve grinned with a huff. "As if..."
They were silent for a long, awkward moment, during which Steve weighed whether or not to elaborate.
"Okay, let's make it a guessing game, then.", Eddie then decided. His tone was still casual, but Steve guessed the other guy was serious. He really cared about him.
Steve hunched his shoulders, telling himself that the warmth in his ears was from the alcohol. When had he become such a fucking wimp?
"Shoot.", he muttered, taking another sip of beer.
"Are you mad because I was late?", asked Eddie redundantly. He was probably just trying to lighten the mood, and Steve wondered where the long-haired man got the energy to take care of his self-pitying friend on top of looking for work and continuing hostility from the townspeople. Maybe he shouldn't have smoked so much.
"Bullshit.", said Steve with a chest tone of conviction.
Eddie raised his eyebrows. "You sure took a long time for that.", he said tepidly.
Steve rolled his eyes and the garden spun a little with him.
"Okay, okay.", Eddie relented. "I get it..." He stroked his chin in mock thoughtfulness, eyed the lawn.
"Oh. Were you going to drink that beer by yourself?", he tried.
Steve groaned. "God, I hate you...", he grumbled in frustration, but had to laugh.
Eddie grinned with satisfaction. "You go ahead and tell yourself that. So, spit it out already. What's got you in a bad mood?"
Steve gnawed on his lower lip, which was already dry again.
"It's just because everybody's got somebody.", he finally blurted out.
Because Eddie was blinking at him like an owl, he tried to be clearer.
"Everyone is either in a relationship or has someone they hang out with all the time. Even the dwarves. Only I don't have anyone.", he blurted out accusingly.
Eddie made a small noise as if he needed to process this information.
Steve stared at him impatiently.
"So... you feel alone...?", the older man finally surmised.
"Bingo!", Steve blurted out. He took another sip of beer in frustration and belched.
"Sexy.", commented Eddie with a grin.
Steve gave him the middle finger.
Eddie laughed and playfully kicked at him.
"Seriously, Harrington... you do have all of us...? Robin and you, you guys hang out all the time, don't you?", he then said.
Steve sighed heavily. "Yeah, we have... Until now. But I'm not blind, I see her and Nancy getting closer. And don't get me wrong, I'm happy for them, I really am."
Eddie gave him a doubtful look at this point. Justified, Steve had to admit to himself. After all, the breakup between Nancy and him hadn't exactly been ideal.
"I know what you're thinking now.... I swear I'm over it, Munson. It's not that."
Eddie raised his hands in a placated gesture. "Okay, I believe you. Go ahead."
Steve grimaced. "I don't want to be a third wheel. Robin's important to me, I'm afraid she won't need me if she and Nancy...you know.", he said at last. Now that he had voiced his concern out loud for the first time, he felt better and worse at the same time. Almost like it was coming true, now that he'd conjured it up.
Eddie made a sound of comprehension, nodding.
"That makes sense.", he thought. "Okay, listen to me, Harrington..."
Steve refused to look at him, feeling rather foolish now. He expected scorn. Eddie's hand gently squeezing his shoulder then made him lift his gaze after all. The depth of those dark brown eyes amazed him every time.
"Are you listening?", Eddie assured himself with an indulgent smile.
"I'm listening.", Steve heard himself say tonelessly.
"Good boy.", was the retort and really, he didn't have to do that now.
Steve swallowed, his focus now completely on Eddie and his stupid big eyes.
"Robin will always be your friend, whether she's in a relationship or not. She'll always make time for you. Maybe it will be a little less, yes, but she won't leave you out.", Eddie said seriously. "Besides, I'm still around, dumbass. Or did you think I had so incredibly many friends that I wouldn't want to hang out with you?"
Steve almost felt a little slain by that little speech. Now that he thought about it, he had to agree with Eddie. Probably it was nonsensical to worry about it too much. Robin was an incredibly warm person, she wasn't going to just let him fall by the wayside.
A grin spread across Eddie's face as he could see the cogs working behind Steve's perfectly coiffed hair.
"There you go, there he is again...", he commented in a friendly teasing manner.
Steve couldn't help it, he had to laugh. Not begrudging Eddie his triumph, he playfully swatted at him, hitting him somewhere on the ribs.
Eddie laughed his peculiar chuckle and half-heartedly struck back, but let his hand rest on Steve's chest for a long moment.
Steve felt the warmth through the fabric of his sweater and his body responded without his doing, leaning toward the touch in a barely perceptible way.
Eddie grinned sunnily at him, patted Steve gently, then withdrew his hand.
Steve followed it with his eyes, wishing it back, unnecessarily showy rings or not.
"Okay, Harrington. Now that we've got that settled, let's get back inside. Otherwise, I'll have to listen to Robin whine about how we didn't share that good stuff with her.", Eddie said lightly.
Steve nodded and took the last sip of beer before following Eddie back into the house, his gaze fixed on the young man's back. He silently wondered how the long hair would feel under his fingers.