(You own) the whole of my heart

by katya1828

Summary:

When Steve gets sick, Eddie is there for him (younger teen AU). January @steddiemicrofic prompt: ‘hole’. Thank you to pearlravenlapis for being awesome and general inspiration (and I promise I will back to longer multi-chapter fic sooooon!)

Notes:

• For Pearlravenlapis.

Never thought I’d see you hiding here like a little lost sheepie.

Eddie can’t mistake the cool hair. Steve skulks behind the Middle School bike-sheds, thumping the wall angrily.

“Harrington?”

Steve startles. “Get lost.”

Eddie hugs his acoustic guitar. “This is my sports afternoon bunk-off location. Go find…” Steve sniffs. His eyes are pink. “You okay?”

“Butt out. Hey, is that guitar stolen?”

“Borrowed, man.” Without permission, but whatever. “Listen, this is a no-jock zone, Harrington, so…” Steve’s face crumples and he starts to cry. Eddie momentarily flaps then touches Steve’s shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

“Teacher said… go to the library," Steve sobs. "I mean, who goes there? You see, I can’t do sports… Tommy H literally died laughing… My swim team is out to kick my butt… and… I-I’m not supposed to run. C-can’t even run away.”

Eddie curves his arm around Steve, dead awkward: “Why?”

“My heart… the doctors found a hole. I need an operation, or... Crap, why am I telling you.”

He glowers like he might punch Eddie. Conversely, he joins the guitar strap in clinging around Eddie’s neck.

Eddie shrugs. “You can hang out here if you want.”

***

They do, every sports afternoon, though Steve grows pale, often breathless. One day, Eddie’s standing behind Steve, reaching around to direct Steve’s fingers on the guitar strings. Steve says:

“Won’t be here next week.”

Eddie’s heart squeezes painfully.

“I need the op real soon. Dad’s still arguing with the insurance company and… Mom prays tons.”

“Shiiiit,” breathes Eddie.

“Yeah.” Steve peeps back, eyes narrowed, lashes fluttering. “Do you freaks ever figure out what else you can do behind the bike-sheds?”

Am I dreaming? Eddie’s tongue darts nervously across his lips: “Even freaks hear rumors.”

“Maybe I can teach you something then.”

Steve leans in for a sweet yet messy kiss.

***

When Steve’s gone, Eddie avoids the bike-sheds. Sure, he visits Steve in hospital, but Eddie’s demons win out.

He kissed me for a joke. Or because he thought he was gonna die. First love? It’s total bullshit.

When Steve returns to school, Eddie hears somewhere Steve's gonna restart sports. Eddie slinks back to the bike-sheds solo.

He rounds the brick wall and his jaw drops. “Alone at last,” says Steve. “Gonna finish what we started?”

“Passing on my guitar genius or…?”

“My skills, dipshit.”

Eddie drops the guitar, throws his arms around Steve, and happily drowns in another epic kiss.

Notes:

Thanks for reading. Kudos and kind comments always appreciated :)

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 44 of Hard to Hate (aka Steve whump fic thread!)
• Part 2 of I got you: Katya's steddie microfic