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Friday, July 18th, 1986
Eddie Munson had lived (and died) through a multitude of shitty hands delt to him his entire life. The metalhead had lost his mother a young age, his father having split town long before the man had even become a memory in his mind. He was considered a “Freak” throughout his entire high school experience and finding any semblance of joy within a game or in the music he listened to, had sent the small-minded populace of Hawkins, Indiana running for the hills in an effort to not be associated with the devilish boy living at Forest Hills Trailer Park.
Though many of the townsfolk shunned or avoided Eddie, the older boy had found his people pretty quickly when he entered high school. Other outcasts taking him under their wing and bringing him into the fold of those who didn’t fit the cookie cutter mold that so many wanted him to adhere to. Eddie took to his strangeness like a duck to water, and his friends that he made and the club that he built became something completely ingrained in his personality.
Of course, once his friends moved on, graduated and went on to live different lives than they had in the halls of Hawkins High, Eddie wondered if he would be left behind and would be isolated once again. Thankfully, even more outcasts would come to the school, kids in need of someone that accepted them, knew they were different and wouldn’t be welcomed in the brutal reality that was high school.
Eddie was playing in a band, creating the music that he liked with the friends he made. He also managed to keep shitheads off their backs by becoming the go-to drug dealer in Hawkins. With all that and Hellfire, Eddie Munson thought that he had pretty sweet deal. At the time, Eddie thought that it didn’t matter how people perceived him and his friends, as long as they didn’t rock the boat then the two groups could live in tenuous harmony.
Eddie would spend his days playing Dungeons and Dragons, going to band practice, and trying to book gigs at The Hideout, and would sell weed to people who didn’t like him but whose money was as green as the rest of them.
He would also fantasize about Steve Harrington.
It was incredibly annoying, the sway that the all-around jackass known as “King Steve” had over Eddie. He wouldn’t get on his knees and bark for the guy’s attention, but the few times their eyes met from across the hall had left him reeling for days.
Steve Harrington had this charm about him. An air of uniqueness that Eddie couldn’t turn away from, and the first time he saw the lonely and broken look in the younger boy’s eyes he thought his heart might break. He’d brushed the sympathy off quickly, like it was a crawling bug on his sleeve that he needed to get rid of. After all, who gave a shit if poor King Steve got his little heart broken and face bashed in?
Eddie did. He cared a lot more than he wanted to admit.
He watched the younger boy casually over the next year or so, nothing more than seeing him around school and noticing the odd thing here and there. Like how Steve Harrington was now alone, a lot. He didn’t have that same magnetism that brought bullies and assholes flocking to him like flies to honey. No. Steve Harrington remained one of the most alone people that Eddie had seen during his senior year of high school.
Now, that’s not to say he never saw Steve Harrington hanging out with anyone. In fact, he saw Robin Buckley being picked up by Steve quite a few times that year, and Eddie had wondered faintly if Steve knew he was barking up the wrong tree with that one.
When he met Dustin, Lucas and Mike it was like the Steve Harrington was committing some kind of psychological warfare on the metalhead. Like he discovered that Eddie was borderline obsessed with him and infiltrated the kid’s minds to torture Eddie about what a good guy Steve actually was. Eddie worked hard not to fall in the trap that lay before him, always finding a way to deflect the burning curiosity that consumed him when the younger boy was brought up in conversation. Even going so far as to snark and talk trash in an attempt to convince himself that he was not in fact pining desperately for the straightest boy in Hawkins.
None of that mattered when the two of them met for the first time with Eddie shoving a broken bottle into Steve’s face and threatened him with bodily harm. Steve had surprised Eddie almost immediately with the amount of patience, of kindness, of pure bravery that he had presented from the very beginning. As the two spent more time together the walls of certainty that Eddie had built up for years came crashing down in one big heap of holy fuck, I think I’m in love.
When Eddie Munson died in the Upside Down he hated that he would never have the opportunity to kiss Steve Harrington just to see the look of absolute shock and confusion that would surely paint his pretty boy features. As he lay dying, he would be lying if he didn’t think for just a moment how amazing it would be to kiss Steve Harrington.
When he returned from the dead, Eddie thought through some cruel twist of fate that he would be able to make his wish come true if he was lucky enough to see the younger boy again. The two of them had been near strangers when he died, and though Eddie held a burning torch of affection for the former jock, he never expected things to go well for him.
And now, after everything that happened to the two of them over these past few months Eddie was delighted to have the boy of his dreams currently snuggled into his arms fast asleep. Steve Harrington was cuddled into his chest with his sweet face pressed firmly into the crook of Eddie’s arm.
Morning rays of summer sunshine sent beams of soft light peaking from beyond the partially closed curtains, and as Eddie watched the one he’d given his heart to sleep soundly in the safety of his embrace, the older boy considered what was next for them.
Ozzy, the former demobat turned Hellhound (a name given by Dustin) was resting on top of Steve’s bedroom desk, the two of them placing a dog bed on the furniture to make his sleep a little more comfortable. Eddie chuckled softly at this, the huge creature curled up on the desk because he liked to be up high, the instinct to perch still ingrained in his formerly winged form.
It was officially two weeks since Eddie returned from being trapped in the Upside Down by his maker, his mother, that needed him to destroy every part of Vecna that still remained in her world. The resentment that the both of them held for Lolth was hard to let go of, but Eddie was willing to forgive his mother, and he would never allow himself to be pulled away from Steve again.
The thought of his time in the Upside Down made the metalhead consider what occurred before, the fight that the Party had participated in and the conversations that they had before entering the fray and into battle. Steve, Dustin and himself had talked about what they wanted to do when everything was over, when Vecna was finally dead.
Eddie remembered vividly Steve requesting a visit to an aquarium.
A giddy feeling built up inside of Eddie’s now inhuman body as he thought about the adorableness that was his boyfriend. The utter excitement that had been on Steve’s face with he and Dustin both agreed to go and how much fun it would be. He remembered how much he wanted to skip over fighting a bunch of monsters and just turn around and head straight for the nearest aquarium with haste.
His boyfriend deserved to see the god damn fish.
It was that thought that spurred the metalhead into movement, his still body shifting and squirming out of the younger boy’s sleep-filled grasp and sliding easily out of bed with nary a squeak of a box spring or the creak of a floorboard. Ozzy did lazily raise his head in question, but Eddie simply held his finger to his lips, effectively shushing the beast without having to use his voice.
He crept out into the hall, heading towards the main bedroom and knocking on the door. He didn’t wait for an answer before sneaking into the room, seeing the two sleeping figures currently snuggling in the center of the large bed. Eddie bent over one of the sleeping forms, shaking their shoulder with a childlike glee.
Robin gasped awake, her blue eyes popping open in surprise and frightened squeak burst from her lips before Eddie could clamp his hand over her mouth. Nancy had immediately woken up from the noise, the other girl reaching for something in the bedside table out of sheer instinct before realizing what was happening. The brunette flopped back down, glaring up at Eddie through a poof of unbrushed curly hair.
Once Robin was for sure not going to yell at him he released his hold on her mouth, a playful smirk teasing on his lips as both girls gave him death glares from the bed.
“What the hell do you want Munson?” Robin hissed, her hair sticking out in all directions as she sat up to meet the older boy eye to eye, “Why are you sneaking into our room like some kind of creep?”
Eddie chuckled, plopping his butt down on the bed so he could sit with his legs crossed in front of them, he brought one knee up to his chest a still excited smile on his face when he looked between the two girls.
Both Robin and Nancy had decided to move in to their house after he’d come back from the Upside Down. Nancy was taking a gap year before going to college, but she wanted independence from living at home, and although Steve had offered her the space for free, Nancy insisted on paying rent through her job at the local paper. Robin moved in without any fight from her parents after she told them she would be living with Steve, though he heard her mother was worried about her getting pregnant before they got married. The ick that gave him aside, he was happy to have the both of them here, not only for the company, but because they were all a family here. And it felt good to have people living with them in this big house.
They had taken Steve’s parent’s old room and turned it into their own. A mix-mash of the two girl’s personalities blending together in a lived in and well-organized space that made both Steve and Eddie elated to have. The house was turning more into a space that felt good and safe for Steve, and Eddie wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Now don’t be like that Buckley,” Eddie fake-pouted, “I came in here because I need some help. I need to work something out and I need you two to do it.”
Robin glanced down at Nancy, who was apparently not a morning person. The brunette huffed slightly before pulling herself out of bed, and Eddie thanked the gods that both girls were fully dressed when the blankets came off.
“And this couldn’t have waited until breakfast?” Nancy commented, her petite frame now standing in front of the closet going through clothes as she decided on what she’d be wearing today. Eddie smirked, replacing her position on the bed to lay beside Robin, who was watching her girlfriend change with her mouth slightly open.
“I guess it could have?” Eddie admitted, not feeling guilty at all, “But then I wouldn’t have the pleasure of annoying the both of you.”
Robin shoved him slightly before standing herself, her hair still all over the place and her eyes slightly narrowed.
“You’re the worst roommate ever.” She muttered, not being serious. Eddie again chuckled, having effectively forced the girls out of their own bed and replacing them with himself. Nancy had changed in the closet, the door having obscured her person from where Eddie was laying on the bed.
“You love me Buckley.” Eddie smiled, “Especially when I tell you we’re all going to the aquarium on Sunday.”
Both girls turned to face him, expressions a mixture of confusion and excitement. Nancy thought for a moment, sitting at the vanity mirror in the room so she could start brushing her hair.
“I know what this is about,” Nancy admitted, looking at Eddie from the mirrors reflection, “Steve wanted to go right?”
Eddie sat up, a smile on his face when he realized that Nancy was also paying attention their conversation back then, even through the whipping winds of the Upside Down she still heard that Steve wanted to go to the aquarium.
“He sure does,” Eddie agreed, “And I would love if you two could help coordinate with the rest of The Party so we can get everything sorted. I don’t know about you, but Max’s mom loves Steve so I’m sure she’ll let Max out of her sight for a day trip. The biggest obstacles are the Sinclair’s and the Wheeler’s. They don’t fucking trust me.”
Eddie Munson had been cleared of all the suspicion on July 6th, 1986. It was thanks to the hard work of Police Chief Jim Hopper and amateur (how dare they) journalist Nancy Wheeler that the metalhead’s reputation and name were cleared in the eyes of the public. Eddie had the newspaper article stuck to the fridge that called him an ‘innocent bystander’ that had been kidnapped at held captive by an evil serial killer.
It was only thanks to the efforts of his friends and the police force (gross) that the killer had been brought to justice, and Victor Creel was back in police custody. All of it was a load of horseshit, but he didn’t care as long as he could roam around Hawkins without getting arrested.
It also helped having Ozzy around to intimidate any bitter townsfolk who still thought he was nothing but a conniving cult leader that wanted to poison the youth of their town. His hound was a good boy though, and even when some brave asshole would think of ‘settling a score’ with Eddie, none of them ever got within biting range.
For Ozzy or for himself.
“I can convince my parents for sure, and the Sinclair’s don’t trust you Eddie, but they’ll agree as long as Steve is going.” Nancy acknowledged.
Eddie’s nose twitched, the scent of wildflowers wafting in from under the door. He sighed, he’d hoped that Steve would sleep a little longer, but Eddie should have known that wouldn’t be possible. It had been a rough road for Steve after Eddie returned, and the younger boy could never stay asleep very long without Eddie by his side.
The knock was expected.
“Come in!” Eddie sing-songed, tone light and happy when Steve cracked open the door and peaked inside the room. Eddie felt a flash of anger at the boy’s hesitance, not at Steve, not ever at Steve. His parents had instilled a fear into the younger boy that Eddie was determined to break, and if it meant snapping the Harrington matriarch and patriarch’s fingers to do so, well he’d have to get to work.
Still, he pushed those thoughts away for now, instead giving his boyfriend an affectionate grin as he sleepily entered the room. Robin and Nancy were now fully dressed, the two girls both getting ready for a day of either leisure or work respectively.
“Hey guys,” Steve greeted lazily, not able to prevent Ozzy from padding in behind him and leaping onto the bed with Eddie. “How come no one told me there was a meeting in the Buckley-Wheeler room?”
Eddie just thought he was so adorable the way he rubbed his eyes, his fluffy brown hair pressed down on one side of his head from how he slept.
“Well sweetheart,” Eddie began, crawling to the foot of the bed and kneeling in front of the still tired Steve, “We were just talking about what we were going to do. I didn’t want to wake you without confirming with these guys but…”
He winked at Steve, grabbing the younger boy by the waist and tugging him close. Robin made disgusted sputtering sounds, demanding they not make out on her and Nancy’s mattress. Eddie just laughed with Steve, who allowed himself to be brought to Eddie’s side.
“I’m taking you to see the fish,” Eddie announced suddenly, unable to keep from blurting out his intentions, “So don’t make any plans this Sunday.”
Eddie watched in total reverie as the look of confusion on Steve’s face transformed into a smile of absolute joy.
***
Sunday, July 20th, 1986
Wayne Munson had gifted Eddie with a new van for his official welcome home present. The metalhead had tried to insist to his uncle that it was too much, and he couldn’t possibly accept that, but the older man insisted right back that he deserved to be able to drive around town without needing to borrow a car.
It wasn’t brand new, but the interior was a nice black cloth and actually had functioning seatbelts for all six seats available. It didn’t have the familiar stench of weed and cheap cologne that Eddie associated with his old vehicle, but that wasn’t anything to complain about.
The Party had agreed to split into three vehicles, although who would in each of those vehicles was an apparent point of contention between the younger members. Joyce and Hopper were taking one car, followed by Nancy and Robin, and then finally Eddie and Steve would be in the van.
Jonathan and Argyle both agreed to ride with Joyce and Hopper, although El seemed conflicted on whether she wanted to go with her father or a car that would be filled with more of her friends. Max needed to ride with Eddie because his van was the only one that could fit her wheelchair and he could easily get her in and out of the sliding van doors.
The redhead was recovering nicely, having almost full range of motion of her arms and her vision being almost ninety percent back to normal since she woke up from her coma. Her legs were taking the longest to heal, but the doctors were optimistic about her being able to go back to relative normality. For now, she had a wheelchair.
So, Lucas wanted to stay with Max and El wanted to hang out by her best friend as well, but Mike wanted to be with El. Which of course made Will want to be with Mike and then Dustin called dibs on riding with Eddie and Steve. Erica just wanted to get this show on the road.
To mitigate any infighting between the group of smaller humans, Steve had grabbed a piece of paper and ripped into strips with the names of each individual driver written on a number of them. Now that it was lottery the kids had no choice but accept whatever fate they would pull from a hat that Eddie was never wearing again.
Max, Dustin, El and Will were riding with Eddie and Steve, all four of whom seemed content with the ride assigned to them. Lucas, Mike and Erica were going with Nancy and Robin, the two boys in the group not letting their dissatisfaction show too much as they begrudgingly went to their respective vehicles.
Now that the car debacle had been handled, Eddie turned to the key to his van, waiting for everyone to finish loading up as he scoured his tapes for the perfect music for their drive. Steve was standing at the tree line, and Eddie watched with interest as the younger boy squatted in front of Ozzy.
Thankfully for Eddie he didn’t have to strain his now batlike hearing to understand what his boyfriend was saying to the dejected looking Hellhound.
“I know, I wish you could come too.” Steve’s tone was so soft, and it melted Eddie’s heart hearing the younger boy speak to their hound with such affection, “I promise I’ll give you tons of love when we get back. Just have fun in the forest. We’ll see you tonight.”
Eddie smiled, rolling down his window just so he could lean out of it, even though the driver door was still open.
“No people Oz!” Eddie reminded, not worried about his kin attacking anyone that Eddie or Steve didn’t tell him too, but still wanting to make his orders known to the sometimes very stubborn creature. Steve whipped around, appearing surprised at Eddie hearing the him talking to Ozzy regardless of distance and the noise that surrounded them.
The Hellhound only snorted in the metalhead’s direction, as if he was irritated that Eddie felt the need to even remind him. Steve gave one more pat to the dog’s head before jogging up and climbing into the passenger seat.
All the kids were talking excitedly about what they might see when they got to their destination, and Steve gave Eddie a wonderfully happy smile as they set off, the sound of Judas Priest’s, Heading Out to the Highway blasting through the speakers.
***
The Indianapolis Aquarium was a lot bigger than Eddie had thought it would be when he looked at the brochure. The multistoried building having multiple entrances with employees wearing blue and green uniforms taking tickets for entry. Eddie could see a collection of life-sized models of different large sea animals that decorated the front entrance and others that were painted on the outside walls.
Eddie could already see the childlike wonder on Steve’s face as he stared at the creatures that were on display, even though they were only the models of the real thing. Jonathan was taking pictures, his cameral dangling from his neck as he took in their surroundings.
Steve turned to Eddie, a gleam of something bright and lovely in his eyes. He grabbed Eddie’s hand, dragging him to the large whale shark model that swam up by one of the walls. A mural of different fish and sea life providing a backdrop for the creature.
“Take a picture with me?” Steve asked, and Eddie didn’t think there was a thing on this planet that would stop him from doing so.
“Jon,” Steve called, “Can you take a picture of us here?”
The older Byers sibling gave the two of them a thumbs up, lifting his camera to get a shot of the duo standing in front of the shark. Eddie had his arm around Steve’s waist, not exactly being subtle about their relationship even in the public eye. He didn’t stress much about others, especially now that he could crush anyone that tried to hurt them.
Steve also seemed too pleased to worry about others, still keeping his hand in Eddie’s as he explored the other paintings and figures that decorated the entrance. They asked a stranger to take a picture of them all together, and Eddie couldn’t wait to see them developed and hanging on his and Steve’s walls.
When the group finally managed to get inside the aquarium itself he was impressed by the sheer amount of exhibits available to explore. He hadn’t considered how much would actually be here that wasn’t clownfish or some kind of guppy. If he was being honest, Eddie really didn’t know much about fish or aquariums.
The space was clean, smelt of salt and fish. Eddie could see a smattering of oceanic colors along the walls with more and more murals that covered the space. Almost right away there was a massive cylindrical tank full of small swirling fish, all of them swimming around in a space full of tall rock and coral.
The kids all headed to the directory, looking at the board that had a large map of the space that contained everything they may want to see during their visit. Another bout of arguing about where to go first broke out amongst them, mostly between the boys. El and Max were still watching the fish swimming in their tanks, and Steve kept close to Eddie as his gaze moved around the space in complete wonder.
Eddie smiled, arm around his shoulder as he leaned into the younger boy.
“Ready to explore?” He inquired, giving him a quick kiss on the hairline. Steve grinned back at him, thrilled.
“As long as we’re together.” He clarified, “I’m ready to go anywhere.”
Steve left a stunned Eddie to get between the still bickering teens, breaking through the mass of fifteen-year-olds to get his own look at the map in front of them. Eddie wondered if Steve really knew the effect he had over the older boy.
His words were like oxygen. Every time he talked Eddie felt like he could breathe easier. Watching the man that he’d given his life to staring up in exhilaration at the prospect of exploring an aquarium almost made Eddie fall to his knees and weep.
They’d gone through so much together, and this reprieve, this moment of peace in a world that was so fraught with monsters and villains, this moment made everything worth it. As the boy he loved turned back to him, a grin on his face, and pointed at the map of different animals, Eddie felt like everything was truly perfect.
“They have sharks.” Steve pointed out sheepishly, glancing down once before returning his gaze back to Eddie’s.
The metalhead didn’t need to hear anymore. Calling everyone’s attention and announcing that their first stop would be the fucking sharks. No complaints or exceptions.
***
After a couple hours of exploring the aquarium, the Party had stopped at one of the upper floors that had a sea themed café and gift shop that took up a majority of the second and third floors of the space. They were all ordering their food, everyone excitedly talking about what the best thing they’ve seen so far had been
Steve and El both agreed that the sharks were pretty damn cool, especially the smooth dog-fish shark, and the fact that they were able to touch some of the smaller of the sharks in a touch-pool. Eddie tried to keep his distance during that time, his instinct being to protect his kin from another predator. He knew it was illogical, but he could also sense the sharks tended to avoid wherever he stood.
Will and Erica both thought that the penguins were cute, and even though reluctantly, Max also had to agree they were her favorite as well, even if they smelled.
Mike was raving about how awesome the moray eels were, long thick bodies wrapped around the coral with massive jaws opening revealing needle-like teeth. Everyone else thought he was crazy, but he insisted they were the coolest thing here.
Lucas thought it was amazing that they got to pet the rays that were available here. Their flat bodies gliding around the water. Sometimes they would breach slightly, their fins flapping and sending splash of water on the unsuspecting guests that watched them.
Steve was enjoying one of the fruit parfaits that the café offered, and Eddie stared enraptured as the younger boy enjoyed the treat without hesitation. It had taken a long time for them to get to this point. Where Steve felt comfortable enough to eat in front of everyone without feeling guilty about not eating enough or being ashamed that he wasn’t eating at all.
Now he recognized that he no longer wanted meat, and Eddie was more than willing to accommodate whatever tastes suited Steve best. The weight that Steve had shed was slowly returning, and his clothes were becoming tighter against his broad and well-muscled chest.
Eddie was enormously proud of him but didn’t need to tell Steve that. The younger boy had some serious aversions to compliments, which Eddie also spent time trying to alleviate.
Steve was having fun, eating better and Eddie Munson was incredibly in love with him. Though he could no longer enjoy food, Eddie still bit into Robin’s chocolate cake, grimacing at the artificial sweetness that coated his tongue.
His friends laughed as he gagged at the taste, trying to dodge Buckley swatting at him with her fork. Eddie hid behind Steve’s chair, reaching a long arm over his boyfriend’s shoulder to grab a napkin to get whatever remnants of chocolate still clinging to his tastebuds. Truthfully the only thing Eddie ever craved was the sweet red of Steve’s blood.
The taste of chocolate was worth the smile on his love’s face.
***
It was reaching the end of their visit, having explored most of the entire aquarium and growing tired after a full day of running around, the Party was starting to run on empty.
They had raided the giftshop with a fervor only teenagers could, searching through the many baubles and trinkets that the shop had to offer. Everyone had picked out some kind of souvenir of their trip, all of which were too expensive and plenty cute for what they got.
Eddie noticed that Steve didn’t pick anything out for himself.
The younger boy only helped others choose their own souvenir, always excited for whichever choice his friend would make. Max had grabbed the biggest penguin stuffed animal in the shop and wouldn’t let it go, Eddie chuckled watching the black and white bird on her lap as she wheeled out of the shop.
Lucas and Erica had both chosen key chains, one with a stingray and the other with a dolphin, an animal that they hadn’t seen here but was still cute. Though Eddie thought he read somewhere that dolphins could be real assholes.
El had taken a hint from Max, also grabbing a way too large shark stuffed animal and staring at Hopper until he pulled out his wallet.
Will grabbed a snow globe off one of the shelves, the inside full of glitter and a coral reef with swimming fish within the globe. Mike had a t-shirt and a handful of colored rocks, the teen telling them excitedly they were from the ocean.
After everyone gathered their items they started back towards the entrance, the orange and pink sunset shining through the open windows of the aquarium. Before they could fully exit, Eddie grabbed Steve’s hand in his, turning to the younger boy with a sly grin.
“One more stop?” He asked.
The younger boy nodded, turning back to yell at the rest of the group that they weren’t done. But Eddie stopped him.
“Just you and me sweetheart.” He explained, taking Steve back through the exhibits as the sunset began to fade into more blues and purples. He had told Robin ahead of time that he would be taking a few extra minutes alone with Steve, so he didn’t have to worry about the kids running after them when they didn’t exit with everyone else.
Eddie brought Steve to the one exhibit they had not explored yet, a space that went down into the depths of the aquarium. The space was almost completely dark, and although the soft blue black glow of the tank they now approached illuminated the area around them, Steve still gripped onto his hand tightly.
When they completely entered the space Eddie and Steve were standing in a room surrounded by one massive tank. It encompassed a good three-quarters of the chamber, and in the lowlight Eddie watched Steve’s eyes widen in amazement.
Bioluminescent sea creatures came alive in the quiet dark that surrounded them. Glowing yellow and blue fish swimming gently within their space. A small striped zebra shark glided along the bottom of the tank. Spiny crustaceans walked lazily in the sand and on the coral covered rocks that surrounded them. Tiny faintly shining seahorses played together in the seaweed and anemone.
A place brimming with life.
Even in the pitch darkness that engulfed them.
They shined like stars.
Eddie reached into his pocket.
“I know you said you loved the sharks,” Eddie began, holding out his hand for Steve to grab what he offered, “But I thought maybe you’d like this too.”
Eddie held in his hand a tiny glass seahorse.
It’s colors were mottled with teals and emerald, its tail delicately curled to the front in a thin spiral. It was small, not even the size of his palm.
Steve reached out, cupping the seahorse into his hands gently, staring into Eddie’s eyes with all the love and adoration that made Eddie shudder.
“You really know how to make a guy feel special.” Steve whispered; his hands still cupped around the trinket he’d been gifted.
Eddie grinned, placing his hands on Steve’s face so he could pull them together, forehead to forehead. Steve trembled in his grasp, eyes closed and mouth slightly parted. Eddie could see a single tear slide down his cheek.
Eddie was quick to kiss it away.
“I love you so much Stevie.” Eddie ground out, the intensity of his feelings building as he held the boy in front of him close, “I’m yours sweetheart. Always will be.”
Steve broke the distance, pressing his lips to Eddie’s in a searing kiss. Eddie thought that even in this quiet space, with only the lights of nature surrounding them, Steve Harrington shined the brightest.
“Thank you.” Steve smiled, “Thank you for loving me. I don’t know what I did to deserve it.”
Eddie kissed him again, his chest tight with the raw emotion that consumed the both of them.
“You are Steve.” Eddie assured him, “Loving you is the best thing I can do.”
Steve held him close, the softness in his voice when he whispered “I love you Eddie” into his ear sent shivers down his spine.
They stayed together, through the walk out of the aquarium, into the parking lot where their friends waited for them. Eddie held Steve’s hand the entire way back to the home they now shared. He wondered fondly what they were doing next.