Work Text:
It had been very stupid. But that's just how any of his parties turns to whenever Robin and Eddie are attending.
If it's not playing ping pong with an avocado pit or doing obstacle races through the Harrington Mannor while half drunk, it's something even more stupid than that.
It's a different kind of stupid from what Steve's past friends used to be and it's a nice change of pace. It doesn't make him feel he's doing something wrong just to spite his parents but because it's fun and his current friends won't ditch him to his luck.
That's what fighting an evil monster from another dimension does to a group of young adults — makes them bond, he guesses.
But this is completely going out from the stupidity rates.
"Robin-" Steve tries but her pushes don't relent.
"Nope! In you go!"
With one last shove, she manages to push him inside the closet, and he curses below his breath as he hits himself in the elbow with the door frame.
"We could really talk this out," Eddie chuckles nervously, but Nancy is shaking her head no, also pushing Eddie into the closet.
"You'll have enough time in there to talk," she retaliates smartly and Eddie huffs stepping beside Steve with not much resistance.
"Seven minutes, right?" Steve asks, hysteria bleeding from his voice. "Only seven minutes?"
Nancy exchanges a look with Robin, who then grins at Steve. "We'll judge that."
"Girls," he tries again but the door almost hits him in the face. "Jeez!"
He kicks the door and he hears them giggle from the other side, probably too drunk to even make sense of the chaos they had involved him in.
"Fuck," Steve says for good measure and passes his hands through his hair. "This is stupid. They're so stupid."
"Don't worry, they'll be back."
Steve pauses and looks over to Eddie, leaning against the farthest walls of the closet, head tilted to a side as he watches him in the middle of a freak-out. The closet is barely big enough to fit them and keep a feet or two between them.
Shit.
"This is not about that," Steve scoffs, rolling his eyes. "I know they'll be back."
Eddie arches an eyebrow and Steve is suddenly not so sure.
"I guess." He shrugs and looks away.
"Then why are you freaking out?" Eddie asks, as honest as he always is. "You claustrophobic?"
"I'm okay with being locked in a closet," Steve hisses.
Eddie hums, contemplating.
"You have been before, right?" Eddie inquires, something teasing in the corner of his lips. It freaks Steve out. "Locked in a closet. With someone else."
"I guess," Steve blurts out, really not wanting to remember the last time he was in a closet with someone. With a girl. Like two or four years ago. He definitely doesn't want things to go that way.
Or maybe he does. But he's too drunk for this. Too confused with himself.
"You guess?" Eddie laughs and Steve pointedly looks away. He doesn't like this. They're too close. Too much for his sanity. This isn't good.
"I don't know," Steve grumbles out, body raging and head screeching and holy shit.
"You don't know?" Eddie's eyes narrow and fuck.
"I have, okay?!" Steve almost shouts, face hot and palms sweating. "I have, but I don't want to talk about it."
Eddie watches him closely, still lazily leaned over the wall with his head tilted and hair falling on one side and neck in display-
Fuck.
"Stop staring, jeez," Steve hisses, Eddie's brow raising in surprise.
"Okay," he concedes, looking away with a smile that makes Steve's nerves jitter.
"Why are you smiling?"
Eddie's smile wobbles. "I'm not smiling."
"You are."
"I'm not."
"Is this funny to you?"
"Kinda."
Steve scoffs, turning to the door, and staring at the wood like he could open it with his mind. Of course there's no lock, but Robin is a gremlin that would've suggested to block the door somehow and Nancy is smart enough to find how.
He can't think much about it, though, feeling the heavy weight of Eddie's gaze on his back.
"I told you to stop staring," he grits out, not daring to look at him.
He expects Eddie to do as he's told and apologize with a chuckle, but he doesn't.
"Difficult not to."
Steve pauses being mad for a second, feeling his chest fluttering.
"What?" He asks, turning on his heel and catches Eddie eyeing his ass before he meets his gaze.
"What?" Eddie asks back, amusement making his voice lighter, and Steve feels himself flush.
"Stop," Steve says again, but it lacks the heat from before.
Eddie tilts his head to the other side, playfully making a show of looking Steve head to toe.
"Eddie," Steve grumbles and Eddie looks him in the eye.
"Yeah?"
And it's fucking infuriating how he's so effortlessly hot. Steve's head is overheating.
"I told you to stop."
Eddie hums, making another once over, and Steve shifts uncomfortably. "Sorry, you don't like it?"
Steve's breath hitches. "What?"
"That I look at you," Eddie replies easily. "You don't seem to mind when girls do it."
"I-" He chokes, "This isn't about that."
"It's not about me not being one of your girls?"
"There are no girls," Steve huffs, shaking his head and feeling terribly dizzy. "Just stop, man."
"That's it." Eddie snaps his fingers, stepping away from the wall. "I'm a man."
"I- Yes?" Steve says, and Eddie hums. "What about it?"
"That I'm a man and I look at you," Eddie explains, vague but too accurate for Steve's comfort. "The same way girls look at you."
Steve mouths, words completely out of his head, and stumbles away when Eddie plants himself in front of him, awfully close.
"The same way you look at me," he mutters, chin high and with a confidence Steve shouldn't think it's devastatingly arousing.
"I-" Steve gulps, "I don't-"
Eddie tilts his head again, eyes slowly roaming down to Steve's neck, to his heaving chest, to his twitching hands. It's too much. Steve hates it. Hates how much he loves it. Hates how much it burns him from inside out.
"Oh, Harrington," Eddie coos appreciatively, leaning even closer and making Steve's gaze find his mouth, pursued and so close- "Do you have a crush on me?"
The words settle, but Steve cares little when he disappears the distance and kisses Eddie.
It's not great. Steve has had many better kisses than this one. But his heart hammers like it wants to punch a hole through his ribcage and his mouth feels funny and his face is too hot he might pass out.
But it's good. And Steve likes it.
Except Eddie has gone awfully still.
That's not meant to happen. That's not what it happens when Steve kisses someone. When he kisses a girl.
They kiss back. They always kiss back.
But yet again, Steve has never kissed a boy in his life.
"I-" Steve chokes out, panic settling a bunch of angry bees on his stomach, and stares at Eddie's wide eyes. He mouths, trying to apologize, trying to say something, anything, "I shouldn't- fuck- shit-"
Eddie blinks out of his stupor then, frowning. "What?"
"This isn't-" Steve pushes his hair away from his face, feeling like he's about to die. "I shouldn't have- You're-"
Eddie waits, shockingly patient for Steve to string out more than two coherent words together.
But he can't — this is so wrong.
"I like girls," Steve says with what sounds very much like a whine, "I've never-"
"I like girls, too."
Steve stops panicking, blinking at Eddie's thoughtful expression.
"What?" Steve asks with a voice so tiny it might get lost in the air. But Eddie hears him. Listens.
"I like girls," Eddie repeats with a shrug, "And boys. And everything in between and out of it. People are just fascinating."
He remarks it with a gesture of his hand, something vague but terribly accurate for Steve. He doesn't get it, but he does get it.
"Oh."
Eddie looks at him in the eye, a small smile curving his lips. "Is it your case, too?"
Steve mouths, frowning. "I don't know."
Eddie nods, but doesn't press Steve to elaborate. He waits until Steve's head is clear enough to think, to form words that make sense.
"I do know I like girls," he says, throwing a hand over his shoulder. "I dated Nancy, had a crush on Robin, I've been with many girls in high school."
"Okay, tiger," Eddie teases, "No need to go into details."
"I wasn't-" Steve blushes. "Whatever. What I'm trying to say is-"
He gestures between them and Eddie follows the motion with his eyes.
"Not with a man?" Eddie asks and Steve wheezes.
"I- yes? Like, I'm not sure what I feel. I've never felt this way. Like, ever. And you're just there, in all you splendor and I'm-"
He gestures again, threading his hands through his hair and messing up his hairdo even more.
"Steve," Eddie tries, but words suddenly keep pushing out of him.
"I'm a fucking mess, okay? I've never felt like this and then you're there, so over-confident and hot and fuck."
"Fuck?" Eddie parrots, a hint of a blush creeping up his cheeks and making him look so pretty and Steve is a disaster.
"I-I'm just..." he rambles, "I feel so wrong. I like girls. I've always liked girls, but then you..."
Eddie raises his eyebrows, "Are not a girl?"
"Not a girl," Steve mutters, frowning. "And it feels like... weird. Not bad weird. Just... very weird. Not knowing if I..."
"Do you want to?"
Steve looks at Eddie, finding him smiling, head tilted in consideration.
"What?"
"Do you want to know? Find out?"
Steve mouths like a fish out of the water, shaking his head in confusion. "I- Find out what?"
"If you like boys." Eddie winces and corrects, "Well, men."
Steve stares. "How?"
Eddie shrugs. "Well, you already kissed me."
"Is that enough?" Steve asks despite himself.
"Does it feel like enough?" Eddie asks back, to which Steve shakes his head. "Then, how about you touch me?"
Steve feels himself flush. "T-touch-"
"Not in that way, you pervert." Eddie grins and Steve feels faint, "Just test the waters. Poke here and there. See how it feels."
Steve hesitates. "A-are you sure?"
Eddie just extends his arms to his sides as much as the space leaves him. "I'm offering, right?"
Steve's throat works around a gulp, eyes wandering down Eddie's figure before he can help it.
Offering. Eddie's offering.
And it's just so ridiculous. Why is he offering? Why would he try to help Steve out in this?
"Okay," Steve mutters quietly, almost afraid. Seven minutes should've passed by now. Nancy and Robin might be coming back for them any minute now. "Okay."
Eddie nods curtly, fingers flourishing, and Steve takes a deep breath, gaze falling to Eddie's slightly crooked nose, his jaw with the shadow of a stubble, his strong neck, his Adam's apple, his shoulders kept in a strong line. His shirt, a simple washed-down black tee with a white skull at the front, is a little loose, but the fabric looks soft to the touch, just like Eddie's pecs look under it.
Steve refuses to go lower, hyper-fixating there instead. There are no curves or a cleavage to be dumbed by. It's just a man's chest, with the slightly-there divot in the middle. Eddie doesn't work out, Steve knows, but it's still a little dizzying to think about how his pecs are firm under the shirt.
It shouldn't be hot. It shouldn't be catching Steve's attention. It's so different from every girl he's been with before. Eddie isn't a girl. But the thought, instead of repulsing him, makes it attractive.
Eddie isn't a girl and Steve might like him.
"Well?" Eddie presses, tilting his head to meet Steve's gaze.
Steve feels himself flush. "Yeah, I know. Okay."
"Okay." Eddie drops his arms at his sides, seemingly exhausted to be kept in the 'offering' position. "Take your time."
Steve gulps, throat clicking, and feels Eddie's gaze on it, following the bob of it. It's maddening. How is he so sure he likes everything or anything? How is he so sure he likes men, that he likes people like Steve?
"Okay," Steve repeats to himself, raising one hand and planting on the center of Eddie's chest, gaining him a quiet 'oomf' from him. "Okay."
"Easy there," Eddie chuckles, hand halfway to take Steve's wrist because of the uncontrolled force of his palm, but he doesn't try to stop him, keeping still.
Except he's not completely still. Steve could feel the rumble of the quiet laugh under his fingers, the soft hum of his voice travelling from where Steve's hand is pressed to his chest to where it falls from his grin.
He can feel the warmth seeping through the thin and definitely soft shirt. He can feel the barely there give of his pec under his fingertips when he presses just so. He can feel his ribcage expanding with a deep breath, pressing closer to Steve's palm.
"Fascinating, isn't it?"
Steve meets Eddie's eyes. It's no surprise that he's watching his reactions, but it's still a shock to see the dark brown of his irises, something in them making goosebumps raise on his skin.
"Uh," Steve says eloquently, cheeks aflame and feeling faint. "Yeah?"
Eddie's small smile twitches. "Keep going."
Steve looks down at his hand, fingers spread on Eddie's chest, and nods, slowly moving it to the side and up. He follows Eddie's clavicle with the tip of his fingers, rounding over the ball of his shoulder.
Eddie doesn't work out, he has to remind himself, feeling the strong muscle under the fabric, under the skin. Steve blinks, watching his hand trail down to his bicep and squeezing. His breathing hitches as Eddie flexes his arm and the muscle pops out into Steve's fingers.
It's not visible, but Steve can feel it under his touch.
"Good?"
Steve's mouth quivers. "Yeah."
"Yeah," Eddie mutters back. "Good."
It's not a question this time. More like an affirmation. It's good that it's good.
"I-"
"Yes, Harrington?"
Steve bites on his lip, squeezing again and feeling so damned pleased when Eddie flexes again. "Nothing."
There's silence from Eddie, a sort of amused one. Steve doesn't want to see the way he's looking at him, or how his smile crooks at the right side of his mouth.
Instead, he drags his hand down Eddie's arm, brushing over his skin, over the thin hair covering his forearms. He knows women also have body hair, there's no juxtaposition with it. But he has never acknowledged it when it comes to them.
Now, with his fingers caressing Eddie's, he's so aware of it he can't stop thinking about it.
It's attractive. He likes it.
"Getting romantic, aren't we?" Eddie mutters as Steve slides down to his hand, thumbing over his knuckles and cradling the back of it.
"Shut up," Steve mumbles, eyes fixated on the similar sizes, on the rough edges. A man's hand, his mind unhelpfully supplies.
He turns it to instead brush his fingertips over the palm, and watches the goosebumps that raise along Eddie's arm.
"Sensitive?" Steve tries to tease, but his smile disappears when he meets Eddie's eyes, expression serious. "What?"
Eddie shakes his head, the movement so little it's barely-there. "Nothing."
Steve looks away, afraid of the intensity in Eddie's gaze.
Touching someone's hand doesn't have such an intimacy, Steve tries to tell himself, but as he slides his fingers over the thick skin on Eddie's fingertips and slides his thumb over his bitten nails, it feels like so much.
He pulls his hand away and sees Eddie's hand chase after it, pausing before they touch. Steve gives Eddie's face a fleeting glance, heart skipping with Eddie's attentive eyes on him.
"Uh," Steve babbles, eyes falling to Eddie's half reaching hand, and clears his throat. "I'll-"
He chokes when his gaze travels to the side, to where Eddie's belt is, pants low on his hips and shirt bunched a little.
That's dangerous territory. He can't just-
"Is that all?"
Steve gapes his mouth like a dying fish. "I- um-"
Here, he thinks as his hand finds Eddie's waist, fingers curling around his side, Here is safe.
It's not entirely safe, with his pinky brushing over the edge of Eddie's pants and his thumb landing on Eddie's stomach. It quivers beneath his finger pad, like he can't help it.
It's not, his head thunders at him, dazzled by Eddie's reaction.
"Sorry," he whispers without thinking and Eddie takes a deep breath, one that makes his chest fill, calling for Steve's attention.
"It's fine," Eddie mutters back with a weak chuckle, "just ticklish."
Steve bites his lip, feeling Eddie's gaze on it immediately. He doesn't look.
"Okay, uh. What if..." Steve mulls, pulling his hand away and instead sliding it up Eddie's chest. His fingertips brush over the nub of his nipple accidentally and Eddie flinches. "S-sorry."
"It's fine," Eddie says again, looking much more affected than before. "Keep going."
It's an easy command to follow, caressing his hand up his clavicle and then to his throat. His hand lingers there, thumb over the Adam's apple, thrilled by the strong line of it. Eddie's hair, unruly and wild, brush over his knuckles as he touches up his neck and finds his jaw.
It's different. So damned different. So damned good.
"Is it?"
Eddie's voice thrums through the thin skin and into his fingertips, and Steve realizes he said it out loud.
"Yeah," Steve strains out, knowing there is no use in lying, "It's good."
Eddie opens his mouth, jaw working open on Steve's fingers, and sighs.
"Aren't you a thing," he says, mostly to himself, and Steve frowns.
"What?" He tries, eyes finally finding way in meeting Eddie's.
There's no response, other than Eddie gazing down to Steve's lips intently.
"You're incredibly dangerous, Harrington," Eddie continues, as if Steve knows what he's talking about. "Looking at me like that, touching me like this."
Steve finds it hard to breathe. "W-what-"
Rough hands cup his face then, pulling him closer, and Steve gasps into Eddie's mouth. The shock brings a head rush to Steve, dizzy with Eddie's kissing. It's slow but intense, and Steve feels at a loss, letting Eddie take whatever he wants from him.
For a long moment, any question or hesitation is eclipsed by desire. His mind doesn't care about Eddie's gender anymore — he just wants him. Eddie must want him too, since he presses Steve against the door, sliding his fingers through and wrapping his arm around his shoulder.
Steve tries to do something similar, clumsy with the daze, but he manages to slip his hand into Eddie's hair, circling his neck and pulling Eddie impossibly closer. They're already chest to chest, one of Eddie's legs between his, and Steve wants him closer.
He's never had a need like this. An urge threatening to consume every of his rational thoughts. He wants Eddie. In ways he has never wanted someone else.
But that's a dangerous path to follow only ten minutes after their first kiss, during their first make out session.
Steve can give Eddie everything he wants, but he refuses to if they're still in a damned closet.
"E-Eddie, wait-"
Eddie pecks his cupid's bow, the corner of his mouth, nips into his lower lip. "Yeah?"
Steve shivers with the rough quality of Eddie's voice against his mouth.
He wants more of it, if he can help it.
"M-maybe we should, uh."
Eddie frowns. "What?"
Steve knocks on the door. "Get out of the closet?"
Eddie's gaze, dark with desire, lights up in sudden amusement.
"Oh, you ready to tell the world who you really are?"
Steve feels his blood rush from south to north. "I-I-I d-don't-"
"Kidding, Harrington." Eddie grins and pecks the tip of his nose. "Gorgeous piece of ass."
Steve squeaks when Eddie's hands squeeze his backside, not realizing when they had found place there. "Munson!"
Eddie chuckles, nose wrinkled and cheeks ablaze. It's the most beautiful thing Steve has ever seen.
"Enough with the pet names, pretty. Let's get out of here."
Steve grumbles, letting Eddie push him off the door and reach for the doorknob.
"Wait, isn't it-"
The door clicks open easily and Steve stares as Eddie pushes the door open.
"Locked," Steve finishes, gaping at the opened door, and the easily gotten freedom, "Are you fucking kidding me?"
Eddie chuckles, grinning at Steve when he glares. "There was no other way, Harrington."
Steve mouths uselessly, watching Eddie walk past him and out of the closet. "Y-you knew?!"
Eddie smirks at him over his shoulder, looking so infuriatingly gorgeous Steve wants to die.
"It was my idea," Eddie informs him nonchalantly, "I didn't know you were going to be so... dangerous. But I knew it'd work."
Steve grumbles. "Munson!"
He tries to catch him and Eddie is quick to slip out of his grasp, giggling as he sprints to the stairs.
And it's not how Steve imagined they'd get together, or how Eddie would end up in his bedroom for the first time, Nancy's car long gone.
But if they'd ask him if he would change a thing, he wouldn't.