Nibble On A Bat, Nibble On A Steve...

by miss_seashells

Summary:

"His gaze dropped to the man's mouth again, that was pressed into a serious grim line now.
He had fangs. Fangs. Like a – vampire. He felt the hairs on his arms stand up and adrenaline rushing through his body. For a second he thought about reaching for the knife that was still tucked in the front pocket of his jeans. Fangs were meant for predators. To hunt. To hurt. To kill."

Or: Steve goes to Eddie's abandoned trailer to look for something to comfort Dustin with.
He finds a lot more than he bargained for.

Chapter 1: 𝐘𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐞, 𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐬

Notes:

I have all these ideas in my head and I am lowkey obsessed with vampire Eddie, so sue me.

This is gonna be full of angst, pining, and internal panic. But also idiots in love.
I am writing this as I go. Tags might get updated. Rating might go up for future spicyness.

Comments are LOVE!
I edited the summary because I feel it really makes a difference for people to chose to read sth or not.

- † -

 

“No! That's a terrible idea, dingus! Are you insane?! You ARE insane. Why am I even asking? ” Robin groaned and rested her head on the counter of Family Video, her arms folded underneath. She looked like a little chipmunk, the way she had puffed her cheeks and squished them up by leaning on them. Or like an angry puffer fish maybe.
It was way too early and the store empty so both of them didn't really bother keeping it quiet or avoiding Upside Down related topics. Not like the government cared about listening in anymore. Family Video hadn't been very busy lately either, with the town still covered in giant potholes and half collapsed buildings.
Many people had moved away and those that had decided to stay were trying their best to help rebuild Hawkins back to former small town glory.

It's been almost a month since the earth had cracked open, wrecking half the town. Almost a month since El had finally defeated Vecna once and for all in an epic mind battle, killing him but also nearly dying herself. The exhaustion from her use of powers had taken a toll on her, which is why even 4 weeks later, not all the gates between The Right Side Up and the messed up vines invested version on the other side were closed. But they were on it. The one on the road where Fred had died, was closed by now. It had taken several attempts but it was gone for good. They didn't really bother with the one at Lover's Lake. And since there was no there anymore to control the Upside Down, there was no real threat of any of the monsters coming through anyway. They lay somewhat dormant. It was just a matter of time to close them but more importantly letting El heal and rest properly now. And if something was up, El and Will would feel it immediately anyway.

 

It's been almost a month since Max had fallen into a coma too but had opened her eyes a few days later, vision blurry, bones broken but otherwise fine. Healing. Almost a month since things hadn't gone as planned and everything went to shit before their final victory.

Almost a month since they had lost Eddie.

Steve felt tense thinking about that. Probably because he wasn't really sure about understanding the mixture of emotions pooling in his gut.
They had barely started to know each other, mostly forced together by tragic and trauma. Total polar opposites. But Steve couldn't help but wonder if they would've ended up being friends. He liked to think so.

Eddie was also the first death that he had to mourn. He hadn't known Bob, when the Demodogs killed him. He'd mourned Hopper a bit before he'd turned out to not be dead. But this felt different. And Steve felt like he'd at least somewhat known Eddie.
And that made it worse. The glimpse he' had gotten of someone who was different and funny and loud and whom the kids had loved so so much. Their role model. Extroverted, unapologetically himself and a little weird. Dungeon master extraordinaire, outcast. All these things and probably many more. All reasons why the Party had hung onto the man like he was a goddamn rockstar. Because he had been, after all. At least to them.

Dustin was suffering the most of them all. Steve could tell.
Seeing the boy in this dark void of sadness these days made Steve feel so helpless. Fighting monsters and picking up a nail bat was something he'd gotten used to. Brute force and survival instincts something familiar, being needed like that almost a comfort to him. Give him a bat and he'd know what to do with it. But having to watch a weeping friend. Feeling and seeing Dustin pull away more day after day, avoiding to go outside. Avoiding to spend time with his friends. It hurt. And Steve was out of his depths.

Which is why he found himself recently thinking about going back to the trailer park.
Back to Eddie's trailer to be specific.
To look for- something. Not entirely sure what. Something to mend the emotional wounds with maybe. He even thought about checking the gate and go back to the Upside Down to look for Munson's body. So they could bury him properly. So they could mourn and get closure. Maybe he was looking for some form of- absolution.
But going through the gate was probably absurd and way too dangerous alone.
Maybe it was okay to just to feel closer to the man they'd lost for a bit by surrounding himself with the things Eddie had loved.

 

Eddie,the one Steve had failed to safe, failed to protect.
Maybe he could salvage some of the metal head's belongings, maybe a tape, a record, his DnD manual. Maybe Dustin would appreciate the gesture. Maybe Steve would make it worse. He wasn't sure. But he had to try at least. He couldn't sit around any longer and watch Dustin fade away and turn into a ghost. Eddie wouldn't have wanted that either, he's sure of it.

And so he'd told Robin about his vague plans and apparently she thought he was insane.
Which was- fair, he supposed. He did sound insane. But he felt this need, this twitchy feeling inside his chest. This inexplainable urge to maybe just find some idea of Eddie, hidden in the remains of his home. Like an echo he could listen in to.

“ I know it's crazy, Robbie. But, I..I need to do something. For Dustin's sake and...and for mine.” he finally said and hopped up to sit on the counter and dangle his legs in the air. He nudged her shoulder with his elbow, leaning over to her. “ I hoped you'd get that. I don't want to endanger myself but it's..I feel like I need to do this.”

Robin sighed defeated.
“ I know I can't stop you, dingus. I want to but I know it's pointless. And you know I love you. Whatever you do, please just make sure you're safe and take a walkie, okay? I'll have mine on the entire night. “

He nodded in agreement with everything. She couldn't stop him. He loved her too. He'd definitely take a walkie. And he'd try his best to stay safe.

“ I promise, Robin.”

“ Alright, Steve. I believe you. Now put on some stupid movie while we rewind yesterday's tapes. Preferably before Keith kills us.”

“Urgh..” he groaned and got to work.

- † -

 

It was evening, the sun about to set and Steve was standing next to his Beamer, parked off the road close to some trees to at least somewhat hide his very noticeable car.
Not that it was really necessary, since the whole area seemed to be dead.
He had a backpack swung over his shoulder, the nail bat sticking out over the flap. The walkie clipped to the outside with the belt clip into one of the straps. A flashlight tucked into the back pocket of his jeans, a Swiss army knife shoved into the front pocket. He looked prepared.
He felt- not so much prepared. He was a bundle of nerves but still determined to confront whatever conditions would await him in the trailer that was sitting there about hundred feet away from him. No turning back now.

He took a deep breath and eyed the half broken home and the rudiments of the trailer park as he urged closer.
It was a sunny warm evening. Sun sitting low, everything wrapped into an orange calm light, the humming of insects in the air. No one else seemed to be around this long abandoned edge of the trailer park. There was still a big crater on the gravel road further down, looking like a meteor had ripped the road open. A large tree tipped over onto an abandoned landline like forgotten laundry on a clothes line, the roots disconnected from the soil hanging in the air in a wooden spider's web.
He could see the old Mayfield trailer, sitting further down. Empty and hollow since Max was living in a new trailer on the very opposite of the trailer park with her mom now, housing supplied by the government.
It looked oddly peaceful here despite the horror that had went down just a few weeks ago.
Looking at the road now and knowing that somewhere, in the Upside Down version of this, Eddie's corpse was lying abandoned and rotting made Steve's stomach twist and his skin crawl.
Maybe this was a bad idea.

There was an eerie feeling tugging on the nape of Steve's neck even with the sun still being up and the birds chirping from somewhere in the distance.
He swallowed down the nervous lump in his throat and closed the few remaining feet to the front of the Munson trailer.

- † -

The front door was attached by only one hinge, looking slightly tilted and of course unlocked. The wind moved it around ever so slightly with a faint creak.

All the windows were broken, the glass had been blown out from the inside by brutal force, pieces littering the grass and reflecting in the low sunlight making them sparkle. There was something almost pretty about it. A kind of sentimental beauty that abandoned places seemed to carry.
Steve shivered even though the evening breeze was warm on his skin.
He rubbed his cold sweaty palms on his pant legs, clenched them into fists by his side and forced his shoulders down.
Here goes nothing, he thought as he took the few steps and grabbed the wooden door to enter the abandoned home.

He was immediately struck by stale air, feeling almost damp on his skin. A mixture of faint mold and weed, forgotten laundry and cigarettes.
Steve was glad the windows were missing because the fresh air from the outside made it bearable for him.
He took out the flashlight, because the setting sun did not provide enough light to be able to see much of the cluttered mess in the trailer.
Steve tucked the torch under his chin so he could sit down the backpack on the nearest surface of a little entryway sideboard and dug out a little camping lantern from the bottom of it. With the flick of the switch the living room/ kitchen area was drowned in a dull cool white light. He moved further down with his utensils and sat everything except the flashlight on the kitchen counter.

Steve held his breath as his eyes finally adjusted to the light and he could fully take in the living room.

 

- † -

There on the floor, was the old stained mattress, covered with the remains of tied bed sheets from when they had escaped the Upside Down.
Memories of Eddie's embarrassed face trying to explain what those stains on the mattress were, flashed before Steve's eyes. Eddie had told him it was bong water later, when the kids hadn't been around to hear, explaining how he had tipped the bong over repeatedly while playing guitar or just because he was twitching around too much, told him he'd switched to joints only for now. Offered him to smoke together later.
He had seemed like such a chaotic person but actually like a genuinely decent man. Different in the way Robin was different. A little all over the place but with a good heart and good values. Questionable music taste maybe. But then again, who was Steve to judge.

They had never smoked that joint.

Looking around Steve noticed most of the room was covered in documents, some ripped apart and thrown around carelessly. Bills, letters, notes mixed with what seemed to be family photos. Fridge magnets scattered the surface like oddly shaped colorful sprinkles.
He would definitely not check the fridge, afraid of what might wave back at him because the insides for sure were alive by now.
Steve picked up a random polaroid next to his right foot instead.

His eyes started burning at the corner with confused emotion, his chest feeling tight suddenly as he pushed down a sob that was fighting to the surface. Looking back at him was a young Eddie, hair buzzed, looking so small but grinning like a maniac, all dimples while proudly holding a guitar that looked slightly too big for him. It was the Warlock, his most loved possession, the guitar he had played to distract the demobats in the Upside Down. The boy was raising it above his head like a winners cup standing in front of a wall covered in band posters. Wayne must have taken the picture the day Eddie had gotten it.
Steve was transfixed for a moment before he carefully tucked the pictured into the inside pocket of his jacket. He couldn't bring himself to just leave it. He might go through some more later but wanted to go to Eddie's room first.

His gaze traveled along broken and chipped mugs, that had fallen off their place on the walls. A few stray beer bottles lying in the corner by the couch. There were open drawers, slashed open pillows, the filling spilling out like white fluffy brains.

Jeez, this place had been completely turned inside out.
Maybe by the government, maybe by Carvers minions. Not that it mattered either way. He felt kind of mad at whoever had trashed the place and left it like this. Like the Munson's life hadn't mattered at all. Which of course it did. He hoped he could find Wayne and talk to him at some point, maybe explain the circumstances of Eddie's passing to him. Maybe he should collect the photos and give them to him.

 

He walked further into the trailer, heading for Eddie's room in the back, that he'd never actually been to but knew it had to be there. There were only two more doors after all.
The first on to the left turned out to be the bathroom. It looked like nothing special, not cluttered like the living room. Just a few hair products littering the surface, a hair brush and two tooth brushes. A few leaves that had blown in trough the small tilted windowless frame making it look like a still life painting.

- † -

When he opened the door in the back, the room was dark, there were ratty curtains blocking most of the light and with the sun slowly vanishing he was left in relative darkness. He pointed the flashlight at the walls and noticed the background from the polaroid. Photos and posters covered almost the entire wallpaper. Most bands he had never heard of but some also vaguely familiar, like Dio, the band from Eddie's vest, that was still hanging in Steve's bedroom wardrobe, untouched like a memorial. There was Metallica of course and then..Ozzy Osbourne.
It was very metal what you did.
The bat dude, Steve recognized the name immediately.

There was a turntable sitting in one corner, stacks of tapes and records lying around, notebooks and and books stacked on top, like a Jenga tower threatening to collapse. On nail was dangling a pair of handcuffs that made heat shoot to Steve's face.

The beam of his flashlight reflected on jewelry that was filling every gap like shiny silver confetti. Rings, necklaces and studded bracelets scattered everywhere.
There was a heavy smell of weed in the room. The bed was missing the mattress, obviously, the metal skeleton holding nothing except the slatted frame.
His eyes fell onto the floor, there were the bedsheets and blankets and pillows lying next to the bed
Eddie's metal lunch box was lying around, open and empty. Someone had obviously ransacked the place for drugs and left pure chaos behind. Steve imagined this room had always been in some state of disarray, though. It seemed only fitting.

He was stepping further into the room now, thinking about what to do now that he was here. He felt a little overwhelmed, a little out of place. This trailer was so full of memories, full of someone's life, someone he didn't really know but somehow felt connected to.
It felt right to be here though. He was glad he came.
His fingers absentmindedly wandered over the layer of dust on a nearby sitting drawer. The air was full of it, dust particles reflecting in the light from the torch.

There was a notebook lying on top, looking well loved and used. He grabbed it and flipped it open, revealing a kind of journal.
There were thoughts and lyrics, scribbles and little cartoons filling the pages, he flipped through a few and decided he wanted a proper look.
The blanket on the floor seemed inviting enough so he pushed it up against the legs of the bed as cushion and sitting pillow and dropped himself to the floor with a sigh. The blanket felt soft and comforting under him. It smelled like faint smoke and male aftershave.

He felt a little bad for invading a dead man's privacy but then again. No one could blame him for wanting to find out about the guy the Party had basically worshiped.
Before he fully immersed himself in the notebook he remembered he had left the Walkie on the kitchen counter. It was probably best to get it and let Robin know he was okay first. She was probably worried sick, holding hers to her chest, waiting for any sign of him. He could imagine her walking circles into the fluffy carpet in her room.
“God, I just sat down, for fucks sake” he mumbled and made a move to get up, when the beam of the flashlight hit the corner next to the door he entered through.

The journal landed on the ground with a soft thud, falling open on a random page.
His breath caught in his throat before it picked back up with double speed, blood and pulse hammering in his veins.
There, in the dusty dark corner of the room, pressed as far into it as possible, almost seeming like a statue, was a human shape, crouched, hunched over and not making a sound. Head resting between bent knees, dark messy curls hiding most of the body.
Bloodied hands wrapped around ripped jeans. It looked like a mirage, an illusion, trick of light or just Steve loosing his shit completely.


He would recognize that mop of hair anywhere

“What the fucking hell?”, Steve breathed.

- † -

Notes:

What do you think? Lemme know!
Also: I swear, there will be more dialogue in the future. I LOVE writing dialogue.

Chapter 2: 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧?

Summary:

Steve is seeing dead people.
Only maybe probably Eddie isn't quite dead.

Notes:

Second chapter here we gooooooo~

- † -

 

“ What the fucking hell?” Steve whispered again, his skin prickling like ants crawling underneath with a feeling he couldn't really name. He was terrified, confused, shocked and- hopeful.
Like incense, hope was lighting up his insides, burning down to his very core. He felt warmth spreading through his chest, too much almost. It made his chest feel too tight so he took a deep breath trying to calm down. He was afraid to blink to much. Afraid the human shape- afraid Eddie would disappear again like an illusion of water in the desert.

Seeing the head full of messy tangled curls, so familiar sure felt like seeing water for the first time in month. Or coming up for air finally, after almost drowning. Being able to hear clearly after the static of water blocking out most of it. Steve felt- alive. For the first time during the past four weeks he didn't feel the numbness in the back of his mind that had been like a gray blanket covering his every move. His every thought.
But he was also so very very afraid.
How was this real? How was there an Eddie shaped pile in his dark moldy trailer, shoved as far back as possible, trying to hard not to be noticed. Not even moving. Like- like a corpse.

Maybe he'd been too quick to assume.

“ E-Eddie?” he whispered not daring to move closer, not daring to raise his voice above the level of the wind whistling through the cracked windows. Afraid of what he might confirm.

The second the name had passed his lips the pile of folded limps in the corner tensed. Downright flinched, pressing into the corner further. If that was even possible.
So he was alive. Not a corpse. Definitely not a corpse but pretending to be one. Or a statue, furniture. An immovable object, easily overlooked in the clutter of things in Eddie's room.

But Steve had looked. Steve had seen. And now he couldn't unsee.

 

- † -

He felt like he was handling the most fragile thing, any wrong move might breaking it irreparably.
The flashlight was still pointing at the curled up body, he couldn't see a face, the head still firmly tucked between two pulled up knees, covered in ripped pants. Arms firmly wrapped around, showing dirty, muddy and skin beneath shreds of fabric. Some of it dark with dried blood, some of it dark with faintly familiar ink, some of it broken and ruined, some of it pale and smooth. So so pale, though beneath the grime.
Steve inhaled once. All the way till his lungs wouldn't expand any further. Exhaled in the same way. Inhaled again. He nodded once, to no one particular. More to himself in a you can do it manner.
Then he inched closer, on all fours, crawling basically.
His movement halted immediately when he heard the low raspy voice.

 

“ P-lease” it begged, sounding like the concept of speaking had been a foreign one for way too long. Out of practice talking. A shaky breath came right after. Just one very long one. The air flow faltering again and again, like when you've been crying and try to breath evenly but fail. A stutter in the dusty stuffy trailer air. “ Please don't look at me.” It was a plea.

And huh , what was happening? Steve was utterly confused.

Eddie sounded wrecked. Tense, on the very edge of- something.
Steve knew he should be alarmed. Maybe this wasn't even Eddie. Maybe he'd been wrong. Maybe this was some fucked up Vecna shit after all.
But. This voice. This raspy broken sound was so undeniably Eddie Munson. It felt like back in the boat house all over again. It had to be real.

“ Eddie- I” Steve moved closer, inch by inch till he was kneeling almost right in front of him. The trembling body of a broken man. He wanted to reach out so badly, felt frustrated and overcome with the sudden need to touch. To check for injuries, to check if this was their friend. If he was whole. He needed confirmation.
“ Am I -losing my mind, Munson?” he asked, tentatively raising a hand, about to feel skin or maybe reach right through the illusion making it dissolve into thin air but before he could, he jerked back in shock.
Steve fell back right onto his ass, leaning on his hands for support.

Because Eddie had lifted his head finally and looked right at him. And for the fraction of a second the beam of the flashlight had reflected right in Eddie's eyes, making them light up like head beams on the highway. Like cat's eyes did. Like- definitely not human eyes did.
And then the reflection was gone and deep brown pools looked back at him all unsure and afraid.
Steve took it all in.
Eddie looked- rough for a lack of better word.
His hair was mattered and filthy with dirt and grime, his skin equally dirty. His cheek bones seemed a little sharper or his cheeks just more sunken in to make it seem that way. Steve wasn't sure. Wasn't sure if the version in his mind, the one he remembered was even correct.
Eddie's big round eyes looked bloodshot, redness showing in the white of his eyes, but also on the skin surrounding them.
There was a scar long and narrow slicing right through his eyebrow all the way over his left cheek, reaching to his chin, edges sharp and clean, like a claw had ripped right through. Steve couldn't tell if it went on to the man's throat, maybe even further down. The view was blocked by Eddie's legs still tightly drawn against his body. Like he was bracing for something to go sideways any second now.

“ Is it really you?” Steve chocked out, he could feel the sting, the burning at the corner of his eyes. His body expressing what his mind was unable to comprehend. There was a dead man sitting on front of him. A dead man with very not dead eyes, that seemed to pin him right were he sat.
The man he'd failed to protect. The man he'd let die.

Guilt was radiating off of Steve in waves. If emotions were visible like fog, you wouldn't be able to even see the hand right on front of you.
“ I am so sorry” he choked on a sob, trying to push it down but it came right back up, snapping back like a stretched rubber band when he spoke again making his voice break. “I- I'm sorry I left you there.”
There was a single tear that had dared to escape, rolling down his cheek before it dripped from his chin and disappeared into the fabric of his shirt. He rubbed a sleeved arm over his face, frantically trying to erase not only the tears but also the mix of emotions making it almost unbearable to breath.
He was drowning. In emotions, in questions, in doubt and guilt.
It felt like someone had ripped open every single drawer containing every possible emotion and then fled the room to leave Steve to deal with the consequences.
He felt so overwhelmed. Saw flashes of the Upside Down before his eyes. Blood. There had been so much blood. And Dustin. Dustin had lost the sparkle in his eyes that same day. The curious excited eyes looking dull these days. All his fault.
It was all his fault. It should've been him instead. He was the expendable one. The one that was supposed to protect them all. And he had failed. Failed to protect Eddie from death. Failed to protect Dustin from being swallowed by grief. Steve was spiraling. Down. Down. In free fall. Like he jumped off a cliff without a parachute.
He was a failure. Just like his parents had always told him. Bullshit. He would always be bullshit after all.

- † -

 

He only noticed he was hyperventilating when Eddie's concerned voice told him to “ Breath, Harrington. Fuck. Shit. Deep breaths, come on.”
Eddie.
He was still here. Hadn't been some fucked up invention of his deranged mind. He war real. Real and and alive. And looking at him. All concern and worry despite seeming like he'd just been through hell.

“ Harrington? Hey, hey! St-Steve? Look at me breathing. See. In-” Eddie audibly filled his lungs, his hands now on his knees that had fallen to the sides, letting him sit crossed legged. “And out.”
Steve could almost feel the breath grazing over his skin as Eddie exhaled. He wanted it to. Needed proof the man in front of him was real. He still wasn't sure. But he was not going to find out of he fainted so he tried his very best and followed Eddie's instruction, taking in deep breath after breath, long and controlled. After a short while he felt a little more calm, equally confused but not at the verge of going completely crazy anymore. The bad thoughts were muted, pushed further down where they rested just like they always did. Silent but never quiet gone. Everything else was simply louder. He knew he was not okay and that he should probably talk to someone about everything at some point but for now there were more important things at hand.

Once he felt like his voice wouldn't give out on him he looked straight at the other man, hazel meeting brown. Steve didn't think he'd ever see these eyes again. Curious. Always looking curious.

“ Are you really here?” he asked, afraid but hopeful. “Are you real?”

“ Yeah, Harrington. I'm real. Thanks for not fainting on me.”

“ Are you-are you okay?” Steve wasn't sure why he even asked. “Sorry, that's- ridiculous.”
Eddie almost snorted in response.
“ Nah, man. Pretty far from okay, big boy.”

And Oh. That was such an Eddie thing to say. There was no way this man in front of him wasn't Eddie.
Before he could even think about it he leaned forward, nearly tipped over and pretty much fell into the other mans arms, wrapping him in a desperate embrace. Needed to make sure he was made of flesh and bone.
He reeked of filth from the Upside Down but Steve didn't care. He felt the curly hair against his cheeks, the very faint smell of underlying cigarettes and weed still clinging to them.
Eddie's body felt rigid and cool under his finger, though. Neither of them made a sound. For a moment none of them was moving before Steve was pushed off with so much force he yet again found himself on his ass. Eddie was gone in the fraction of a second.
Vanished right before his eyes in a blur of color and then he was alone in the room. What the hell?

 

- † -

The next thing he heard was a ceramic blast of something smashing against the trailer walls of the living room.
Steve didn't even bother picking up the flashlight, he sorted out his limbs and stumbled out of the room, not wasting another second.
When he entered the other room, the first thing his noticed was a random smashed mug right in front of his feet that hadn't been there before. Like fresh evidence the shards lay there, fallen victim to emotions too raw. Sometimes breaking things was easier. Steve knew.
For the first time his gaze actually went to the ceiling, to the gate. He saw now why he hadn't really payed attention to it. It was shrunken, crumbled into itself, looking more like a man made crack and less like a gaping hole to another dimension. He was sure a human could still squeeze through of they wanted to. And for a second he was afraid. Afraid he'd lost Eddie. Again.
But scanning the room, he pretty much found Eddie immediately, surrounded by the chaos Steve had inspected earlier. The man was sitting on top of the kitchen counter, perched like a weathered humanoid Gargoyle, eyes wide, nostrils flaring.
“ Don't touch me, Harrington.” he gritted his teeth while speaking , jaw tight, lips locked. He wasn't asking, not being nice about it. The was no room to question that.

“ What- What happened to you, Munson?” Steve couldn't help but ask because- that was the crux of it, wasn't it? Eddie was obviously here but there was something wrong. The way his eyes had reflected the light for a moment, how a was sitting on his kitchen counter like a vulture on a branch looking for food right now.
Like a predator. Smashing mugs instead of accepting hugs.
There was something undeniably off about him. Something that made Steve's skin tingle with adrenaline.
He had a hundred questions and no idea where to start.

He walked over to the kitchen island carefully slow, his hands raised in surrender as he approached Eddie. Like he would approach a wild animal maybe.
“ I promise I won't touch you again but.. I. How- I got to know how you got here.. How is this even possible? You were dead. I literally watched you die! “ The sting in his eyes was back to mock him. He was refusing to cry. Instead felt himself getting mad. He wasn't sure at whom are why. But there was anger throbbing behind his forehead, mean and painful.
“ There is a freaking bodiless grave on the graveyard, Munson! The headstone has your name on it! Talk to me, for fucks sake! How the hell did it take you four weeks to just- come back? Were you even going to show yourself? Or were you hoping I was going to leave without ever knowing you were here, huh?!”
In the light of the living room, fueled by the camping lantern he was actually able to properly look at Eddie now. He looked sick. The bloodshot eyes. His skin so pale it seemed almost translucent. Body too thin, bloody rags hanging off of him. There was so much blood. Steve wasn't sure if it was all his. Some of it seemed too black for that. More like the demobat's blood. None of it looked to be fresh, though.

“ I was dead, Harrington. I did die.” Eddie spoke now, quiet, rushed. While he talked, he grabbed the kitchen counter around the edge with both hands, let his legs fall open around them and sat down, feet dangling in the air. He looked slightly more relaxed but still alert and ready so pounce.

“ There were so many bats, man. I had to buy you guys more time. I.. The last thing I remember is telling Dustin to take care of the sheep for me. I- I was dead and then- I wasn't. And now.. now I..I am something else. I am wrong, man. I feel wrong. And- and I am scared. Scared of what's wrong with me. I had no idea it's been that long. I just woke up like.. a day ago and.. and then I- “ he swallowed, his Adams apple moving against his veiny throat. “ I knew I had to try and get back. And.. and then I got here. And I still feel all wrong and I was going to figure it out before I hurt anyone but- I guess if I tell you too fuck off you're not going to, hm, Harrington?” Eddie tilted his head to one side, eyes slightly narrowed.

It looked like he was sniffing the air, pulling in oxygen in short huffs, his chest contracting with every intake. Like he was picking up the scent of- Steve?

“ Fat chance, Munson” Steve replied, frowning. “You're not staying here. I- I just need to know why you're so tense, man. What's wrong with you exactly? And how can I help?”

“ You gonna take me home, Stevie? Introduce me to your parents? They'll be thrilled I am sure. Fucked up murder suspect satanic freak freshly delivered from the grimy Upside Down right to the Harrington's pristine doorstep.” Eddie's mouth curled in a humorless smile, lips still solemnly pressed together into a thin line. “Also, I can't tell you what's wrong exactly. Because I have no clue. I just know I need to keep my distance before I do something reckless. There is this- feeling in my gut. Like violence just waiting to push out. And it was worse when I just fucking tackled me, man. I- I won't risk it. Just stay back as far as you can.”

“ Okay-” Steve nodded, running a hand frantically through his messy hair. Eddies nostrils flared again and he leaned as far back as possible.
“ Okay, yeah I am taking you home. No parents around to complain, Munson. We'll- figure this out. You reek. You need a shower and some proper food and water and then we'll figure all of this out, okay?”

Steve sounded almost confident but in reality he felt like the opposite. What was he going to do? As if he knew anything? Maybe Eddie was dangerous? He wasn't good at this. Figuring things out. He was the stupid one. The kids had always been the brains of any operation and now it was just him and Eddie. But he was not going to let the kids in on this now, because what if Eddie really was dangerous? He couldn't risk the kids getting hurt. He couldn't risk Dustin getting even worse because of false hope. No, he had to make sure it was safe first. And an empty big house was not the worst idea to house a potentially dangerous not-quiet-human Eddie. Steve was pretty sure Eddie was not human, not entirely or more than. There was something wild about him. More so than when he'd been alive. Feral, like a wild animal driven by instincts. The way his head kept twitching ever so slightly, the way he kept sniffing. The way he'd bolted out of his bedroom, almost too fast for the human eye.

“Alright Munson. I will pick up my flashlight and the rest of my shit and then we'll get out of here.” His voice didn't leave any room for arguments as he headed back to Eddie's bedroom.

 

- † -

 

When Steve came back into the living room, he found Eddie leaning against the wall right next to the entrance door of the trailer, curious eyes tracking his every movement.
He grabbed his backpack from the counter and shoved his flashlight into it, together with the journal he had picked up from the floor, a few random tapes from Eddie's collection and a few shirts he had randomly pulled from an open drawer. They smelled bad and felt slightly damp. He needed to put them into the washing machine first but maybe Eddie would appreciate having something familiar.
“ Ah shit” he murmured when his eyes landed on the walkie. He curtly unclipped it from his bag, pulled out the antenna, switched to the correct channel and pressed the talk button.
“ Birdy? This is Hair, operation trailer went safely. I will update you when I see you at work the day after tomorrow, alright? I'll rest for now. I am safe and sound. Over and Out.” He didn't wait for an answer, and shoved the equipment into the backpack as well before he grabbed the lantern and made his was over to Munson, who had an eyebrow raised in slight amusement. Very human.
Steve shrugged. The code names had somehow stuck. He wasn't embarrassed about it.
“ Just didn't want Robin to worry. Let's go.” He gestured to the door and Eddie hesitantly pulled it open to step out of the trailer.

They were met with slightly cooler and definitely fresher air. No more mold spores and wet fabric. Eddie jumped down the stairs all at once, bringing distance between himself an Steve, scanning his surroundings. Turning his while body around, knees slightly bend he looked ready to attack. But it was just them, the empty trailer park, the broken road and the constant buzzing of insects sitting in the grass. The sun had almost completely vanished behind the horizon, covering everything with a blue filter.
“ Come on, Munson. Car's over there.” He pointed into the distance were his Beamer sat in the near darkness and made his way over, Eddie trailing after him, boots dragging over the gravel road.
Everything about this felt surreal. Downright bizarre. But he couldn't let himself think about all of this too much, not yet. He needed to get Eddie home first. Home.

 

He needed to fix this. He needed to make it right. The last weeks had left him in some sort of meaningless limbo but now he felt like he had a purpose. A mission. He was needed again. He felt like he wasn't utterly useless.
He was going to look after a dead man. House him. Bathe him. And then everything would be okay again. Dustin would be okay again. And maybe that gaping hole in his chest was finally going to start closing. Didn't matter what Eddie was now. He was here. And he was moving and breathing and sure, he was slightly off – but Steve felt himself not really caring as long as he got to have him around at all.

“ I would let you ride shotgun but I am afraid we can't risk anyone seeing you, so- “ he apologetically raised his shoulders and opened the trunk with one hand , gesturing to the tight space while he threw his backpack into the backseat.
Steve looked back at Eddie who still kept a safe distance. His face was pulled into an unbelieving grimace. The metal head looked at his feet for a moment, taking a few deep breaths before looking back at Steve with a small smile, a dimple cutting through the scar running over his cheek.
It made his pulse pick up for some reason.

“ Well, my liege. I expect compensation of some sort. Kidnapping roleplay was definitely not on my kink list.” he barked out in a still raspy voice and approached the vehicle.

Steve couldn't stop the blush from rising too his cheeks. A choked laugh escape his lips.
Fucker. Only Eddie Munson could say obnoxious things like this.

He was really back.

- † -

Notes:

I love a slightly feral Eddie.

See you in the next one!
Leave some feedback, pretty pretty please?

Chapter 3: 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐬?

Summary:

Steve just can't seem to do anything right.

Notes:

Thanks for all the kind comments, folks! It means a lot! Keep em coming! 🖤

- † -

 

The drive home was silent. Obviously. Since Steve had a man lying in his trunk. It wasn't exactly a position to have a conversation in. He also didn't dare to put on any music in case Eddie did say something or needed out. He wished he could play some Tears For Fears. That would probably calm him down a bit right now. Instead he drove in silence, the only sound the car moving along the road. Rubber against asphalt.
He checked in once or twice, yelling “ You ok?” to the back of his car and getting a slightly annoyed “Whaddayathink?” as the only answer. Bitchy. Snappy. He could practically hear the eye roll that came along with it. He'd forgotten what a nuisance Eddie Munson could be.
It made him smile. He had kind of missed this. This kind of banter. Being a little mean without actually meaning it. He wanted more of it. It left him with a strange soothing warmth pooling right in his chest.

It was similar to how he was with Robin, joking, pulling pigtails, lots of sarcasm. It was Steve's love language somehow. Or like- like language.

 

Steve parked the Beamer in the driveway, as close to the front door as possible and after checking for nosy neighbors which he luckily didn't find, he opened the trunk and stepped back to go ahead and unlock the door, make as much space for Eddie to just quickly get inside.
His worries turned out to be unfounded because in a matter of milliseconds a dark colored Eddie shaped blur had unfolded from the car and rushed to the safety of his house disappear from potential witnesses eyes.
He locked his car after he grabbed his things and followed, toeing off his shoes right next to the door and bolting it shut behind them. Now he was locked in a house with Eddie The Freak Maybe Not Human Anymore Munson.
Eddie, who was standing at the very end of the hallway, right in the middle like someone out of a freaking horror movie. All still, eyes burning right into his. They looked almost completely black under she shadow of his matted bangs. The man needed conditioner. Desperately.

“Dude, can you at least try to be a little less creepy?” Steve laughed and turned to his left walking into the living room and dropped his backpack onto the coffee table.
It was nice to not be alone with his thoughts even though Eddie didn't exactly seem chatty.

Not yet anyway. Steve was determined to make Eddie come out of his defensive shell.
When he turned around the metalhead was standing in the doorway, his head slightly tilted again, otherwise silent. Observing with curious eyes. Seemingly judging the cold, almost sterile looking designer furniture sitting on too white, too shiny tiles. Not that Steve didn't get it. He hated everything about this house. From the bullshit fancy interior, to the bad memories that clung to the wallpaper like dirt under his fingernails. His parent's had tried their very best to never make this place feel like a home. So Steve hadn't bothered either now that he was left to deal with it by himself.
His parents just hadn't showed up again after the so called “earth quake”. Called once to let him know they had acquired another house in god-knows-where because they had so much business to do there. His mother had told him to take care of the Hawkins residence. The least he could do, since he hadn't even bothered to try and go to college. Her words.
Maybe he should tear everything down at some point and start from scratch. Create something new from the ruins of his childhood. He was pretty convinced his parent's wouldn't come back. They'd abandoned him like so often before. This time it might've been for good. Maybe he was finally free. Like a puppet, who's string finally got cut off. He could decide for himself now.
And he could start by housing a fugitive that he knew his parents would hate with gusto.
A fugitive that, in the proper ceiling light of the Harrington house, looked so out of place and in way worse condition than Steve had anticipated.

He should probably check to clean his trunk tomorrow and get rid of the smelly gooey blood that surely must've stuck to his car interior during the ride.
But first he needed to clean Eddie. And probably do some first aid judging by the dark red fabric drenched in blood that clung to his slim frame. He knew the man wasn't dead but he sure looked like it. Or- undead maybe. Since he was literally standing and breathing.
He cleared his throat when Eddie didn't say anything and rolled up the sleeves of his loose thin sweater.
Robin had been good training in dealing with awkwardness but Steve felt himself getting more nervous by the second.
He offered a comforting, slightly forced smile. Or at least he hoped it looked comforting.

“Alright. I'd say we get you out of those disgusting clothes and put you in the shower, kay? I'll get you something of mine to wear, might not be your style but it's gonna be more comfortable than whatever you've got going on. Would you mind dropping you boots off at the door, man? I just mopped the other- day.” he finished lamely.
Once he said that last part he wanted to smack himself. He sounded like a freaking house wife. No wonder the kids called him mother of the party all the time.
Eddie only raised an eyebrow again, a tiny smile threatening to tug at the corner of his mouth for a second, before he turned around and left. He stuck his head around the doorway just a second later, looking almost smug.

“Done. Lead the way, - mom.” he mock saluted with two fingers, hands looking so dirty they were almost black before he moved to wait in the hallway. He was missing one of his rings, Steve noticed. The ugly one with the pig was no longer there, must've gotten lost in the chaos of their final battle. He sighed, didn't like the strange distance between them. It felt so different from Eddie's usual persona, who had ignored the idea of personal space whenever he could. But he understood he had to respect Eddie's boundaries if he wanted some answers.

 

- † -

He moved to take the stairs up to his room so Eddie could use the bathroom in his en suite.
Sock covered feet dragged after him, heavy with exhaustion, up the stairs. Steve turned into his room at the very end and stood at the furthest corner from the door when Eddie walked past the doorway. Steve felt slightly embarrassed by the condition of his bedroom. Guests had not been on the list of things he'd been expecting. He kept the downstairs tidy in case the kids or Robin wanted to come over but his room was usually a mess. Just like his mind. It made his palms sweaty and his neck tingly.

Useless useless. Can't even take care of the house, Steven. His father's angry voice was ringing through his head. We gave you everything and you can't even do what your mother asked you to?!
He shook his head to stop the dawning spiral and tried to focus on the present instead. It seemed to work for now, his focus shifting back to Eddie.
“Sorry 'bout the mess. Didn't expect guests.” he offered apologetically, scratching his neck.
Eddies eyes traveled over the pile of dirty laundry that rose above the edge of his hamper, single socks and boxer briefs lying in the floor around it. He eyed the messy bed sheets, the open wardrobe, the ashtray on the nightstand with last nights cigarette ashes and the stack of cassette tapes on the desk, some open, loose tapes scattered in front of a boom box. It smelled like sleep and Steve.
His eyes came to rest on the thick book that lay on one of the pillows on Steve's bed. Eddie didn't ask about the title. He shrugged indifferently instead.

“It's fine. Kind of cozy actually. 'Cept for the plaid hell. Who picked this wallpaper, Harrington? Not you, I hope. Whoever it was- they should be burned at the stake, man. If I look to long I might go blind. Or crazy. Or both. ” His mouth was pulled into a grimace of mock disdain.

Steve laughed and felt himself relaxing a bit. Of course Eddie didn't care about the mess. He felt stupid.

“My mum picked it, duh. I was eleven. Shit happens. Anyway, uhm- you can just use the bathroom through the door. Just drop your dirty laundry into the sink for now. I'll do a washing later. In case anything's salvageable. You can use any of my shampoos and soaps and things. New toothbrush is under the sink. Oh-and I'd recommend two rinses with conditioner before shampooing. Maybe comb in the shower to detangle. Or let me- I mean. Whatever. “

Let me? Let me?! What was he even saying? Were they going to brush each other's hair like it was an all girls sleepover? Stupid. You're so stupid. He cleared his throat.
“Fresh towels are on the shelf. Just- take your time. Be careful if you're injured. If you want I'll check and clean your wounds after, put some bandages if you need. I'll bring you clothes over in a minute. And I'll be right here, next door in case you need help, alright?”

“Always the mother hen, huh, pretty boy? You worried about my lack of hair care routine? You'd turn into dust if you came in contact with 3-in-One, wouldn't you Harrington?” he snickered and headed straight for the bathroom, pulling the door shut after him without looking back. It had seemed almost normal. Like they were hanging out and just messing with each other. If it wasn't for the obvious physical distance between them and the animalistic glint in Eddie's red rimmed eyes. And the way he was covered in dried blood. And more importantly, the very fact that Eddie was supposed to be dead. Pretty boy. Pretty boy. It was still resonating in his skull like an echo. It felt like a slap in the face. Maybe he really was a mother hen.

By default, Steve was a caring sort of person. He liked to help, he liked to support, he liked to fix and be of use. And the fact that he couldn't even get close enough to the man to be able to tell if there even was something to fix, made his fingers twitch and his pulse rise. It felt like he wasn't doing enough. Never doing enough. Never enough. Never.

Then he remembered Tommy and Carol and how one evening at a party a couple years ago Carol had drunkenly told him “You're just too much Steve. You're so needy and dependent and just always there, clinging to Tommy like you're incapable of being alone. It's sad, Steve. And kind of pathetic.” Too much. Too much but never enough. He wasn't sure how he was supposed to be, wrong either way. Was was he even doing?

- † -

 

Steve dropped down on the end of his bed for a moment.
He heard the spray of his shower through the wall and it made him realize that Eddie was here for real. In his house. In his bathroom. Taking a shower. Like it was a thing.
When he'd decided to go to the trailer park today, this had definitely not been on his bingo card. And to be honest, there was still a tiny part of him that wondered if he'd just hit his head really hard and was hallucinating it all.
Maybe if Eddie was still here tomorrow, it would finally sink in.
He rubbed his faced against the sleeve of this sweater and sighed. Mission 'Dress the Munson' fist. One task after another. No point in doing the third step before the first. He would at least get that right.

By the time Steve had put together an outfit, the sound of running water had stopped.
He must've zoned out for a while if it had been enough time for Eddie to scrub himself clean.
He was balancing a stack of clothes in his arms as he went over to his bathroom. He'd picked the softest pair of sweatpants, light gray, with a matching simple gray hoodie and a plain dark green t-shirt. A pair of socks and a pair of boxer shorts were lying folded on top. It would have to do.

The thing was, the guys in the locker rooms had never really bothered with modesty back in High School. He was used to being around naked jocks, people in public showers, obviously not looking- looking was how you got punched in the face if you weren't careful. But he was used to guys just not bothering to knock and being in each other's space.
So that's what he did. Not bother to knock.
Which, in hindsight might've not been his best decision.

 

- † -

 

When Steve opened the bathroom door he was hit with humid warm air that smelled like his shampoo and shower gel. The fog dissolved fast with the cool air coming in from his bedroom.
“Hey man, I got you something to-” he stopped mid sentence, right in the doorway nearly dropping the bundle of clothes in his arms. He was stunned, glued to the spot. Couldn't look away.

Eddie was standing in front of the bathroom mirror, towel wrapped around his narrow waist, hanging dangerously low. He had his wet hair up in a messy bun, tied with a black velvet scrunchie Robin must've left at his place after a sleepover because it wasn't his and it obviously wasn't Eddie's. Dark now clean damp strands were messily coming lose from his lazy up-do and were dripping all over his bare shoulders and neck. The drops lazily searched their way all over Eddie's back finding their destination in the soft fabric he was wrapped in. He looked pale and gaunt now that all the dirt had been washed away, the knobs of his spine visibly poking through the ghostly skin that looked almost purple around the bones.

Eddie had roughly wiped the steamy layer from the bathroom mirror with a palm, so he could look at his reflection.

Looking into the mirror, Steve saw that Eddie's skin was littered with scars of various sizes, his back was mostly undamaged but his sides and chest were full of broken skin that had been ripped apart and tried it's best to fuse back together. Leaving faint lines in some places, but most of the tissue visibly raised and scarred.
Steve's gaze followed the dark scarcely growing hair from under Eddie's belly button all the way up to his chest, stopping for a moment on the ink that was sitting over his heart and collarbone.
He saw now that the thin clean cut from Eddie's face indeed carried on all the way over his throat stopping right above his left nipple. He looked rough. Like he'd been chewed up and left to pick up the pieces. All of his scars looked way older than merely four weeks though, the color not a fresh pink but a darker duller shade that had already settled in the skin. They were not going to need bandages at least. There were no fresh wounds, no cuts to be taken care of. He looked – healed. As much as he could anyway.

What made Steve's breath catch in his throat, was when he actually looked at Eddies face in the mirror.
He had just barged into the room without ever really thinking twice about it and now Eddie stared back at him with those red rimmed eyes, supporting himself with one hand on the sink, that was full with his bloodied clothes, leaning into the mirror and his other hand still raised, mid action, holding his upper lip and showing two sets of very prominent, very sharp looking fangs jutting out from his gums. Two smaller ones on the bottom half of his jaw, and two bigger canines at the top.

The moment Steve's eyes fell onto Eddie's mouth the metal head spun around, jaw locked tight again. He looked incredibly pissed of.
“Get the fuck out, Harrington”, he snapped, jaw locked, voice deep and laced with a simmering rage, about to boil over. “Ever heard of knocking?!”

“I- sorry- I didn't-” Steve stuttered, unable to form a coherent sentence because his brain was desperately trying to put the puzzles pieces together that made up one Eddie Munson. His gaze dropped to the man's mouth again, that was pressed into a serious grim line now.
He had fangs. Fangs. Like a – vampire. He felt the hairs on his arms stand up and adrenaline rushing through his body. For a second he thought about reaching for the Swiss army knife that was still tucked in the front pocket of his jeans. Fangs were meant for predators. To hunt. To hurt. To kill.

 

“Leave. Now. Or I'll make you.” Eddie was nearly growling now. His voice sounded like a gravel road, dark, threatening. There was something changing in his eyes. Like a dark fog his eyes seemed to turn completely black for a moment, swallowing his iris and sclera whole. He looked like a monster, downright terrifying but somehow oddly – sublime. Like a higher being. It made Steve shiver all over.
The next time he blinked, Eddie's eyes had turned back to their normal rich brown. Humanity seemed to have flickered on an off like a broken light bulb behind his eyes, before Eddie finally snapped out of it. His chest was heaving with shortened breaths as he wrapped his armed tight around himself, as if he could hold himself together and not fall apart. Stop himself from doing something reckless.
He looked so utterly lost. It made Steve's heart hurt.
Despite being scared, he still wanted to reach out and comfort him. He could only imagine how confusing and all over the place Eddie's emotions must be. How much strength it must've costed Eddie to just try and seem normal around him. Until now. He could tell Eddie was mere seconds away from losing his shit. So he didn't offer comfort. Because he didn't have a death wish.

Instead Steve placed the clothes he was still holding onto like a soft buffer on the shelf beside him and raised his hands in a defensive manner for the second time this evening.
He had a lot of proper apologizing to do at some point.

“I'm going. I'm sorry. Again. I should've knocked. Take your time and then we'll- talk, alright? Just talk. I – I'll keep you safe, okay? But we have to talk about – whatever you're going through. You know that. I'll make some food real quick okay? Meet me downstairs when you're ready?”

He quickly pulled the door shut without waiting for an answer and fled the room.
God, he needed a cigarette. Or twenty.
Just to get the imagine of black eyes and white razor sharp fangs out of his mind.

Notes:

Cat's out the bag now.
What do we think?

Chapter 4: 𝐋𝐞𝐭'𝐬 𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦

Summary:

They eat, they talk, they - are just idiots :D

Notes:

I had a lot of fun writing this chapter so it turned out a little longer than the others. Hope you don't mind ;)

- † -
 

The thing with having a conversation is that it usually helped if you're actually up for talking.
Steve was leaning against the the wall of his house having a smoke in the soothing breeze of the evening air.
He eyed the pool and the dark water that looked like an uninviting void in the night. One day he'd be able to swim in peace again.
It was one of the things that his parents had forced him to do that he actually ended up legitimately enjoying. But for now he had more important things to worry about. He thought about how to stark talking about everything that had happened tonight with Eddie and what it meant.

Steve was ready, he was downright eager to get some answers. He just wasn't convinced the metal head felt the same.
Understandably to be honest. Not after Steve had fucked up so fundamentally. Again. He hadn't been thinking at all when he'd barged in and caught Eddie checking out his new - features. He must've felt so caught off guard and overwhelmed, maybe even embarrassed. He probably had no idea what was happening to him and then Steve just barged in and didn't even give him time to process or wrap his head around things. Steve wanted to strangle himself for being such an idiot.
His rational mind told him he should be cautious now because Eddie clearly came back different. Maybe he was not even entirely Eddie anymore. And maybe he should keep a distance and make sure to be ready to defend himself.
His not so rational mind told him that Eddie was still Eddie, member of the Party, inevitably a friend because their friends were friends. So they were kind of too? And you don't let your friends down. After all they had shared trauma and fought literal monsters together. Eddie deserved to not be let down for once. Not again after Steve had already done so by leaving him in the Upside Down to rot.

It was his responsibility to make it right now. To fix it.

He didn't want to imagine the pain Eddie had endured and probably still did. It couldn't be easy to adapt to your body suddenly changing.
He still wasn't completely sure what Eddie was now.

The fangs were a good indicator but everything he knew about vampires was from pop culture and folklore. High chance it was all inaccurate and just myths. So he shouldn't go and make assumptions.

Did Eddie actually need – blood now? And how exactly would that work? Did he have to physically bite someone? Steve didn't even want to imagine it but his mind immediately supplied him with imagines of Eddie, fangs buried deep in another person's neck, eagerly clinging to the body and draining their blood while the other person had their fingers buried in dark curls and tilting their head back to give better access. Steve felt his cheeks getting hot. What was wrong with him? Why exactly was he imagining a person voluntarily enjoying that? He had clearly suffered one to many concussions. That or the lack of proper sleep had finally taken it's toll on his sanity. Robin would mock him so bad if she knew. He kind of hoped he could tell her about all of this sooner rather than later.


With a last drag of his burned down cigarette he dropped the bud into an ashtray sitting on the ground next to the sliding glass door that led back inside.
He'd make some food now that – hopefully – both of them would be able to enjoy. And then they would figure all of this out. Together.

- † -

 

By the time Eddie came down into the kitchen area, wearing the gray sweatpants, the soft forest green tee and also wearing a very hesitant frown like it was part of the outfit, Steve was piling up two bowls with pasta and some tomato sauce he had thrown together on a whim. He was in the middle of grating some Parmesan on top.
When he noticed the other man's presence Steve couldn't stop his eyes from immediately dropping to Eddie's full lips like being pulled in by a magnet. He felt heat pool at the back of his neck, thinking about what was hiding behind them. Razor sharp and potentially dangerous.
He quickly pulled his eyes away and generally took in the metal heads state. He looked just as pale as before, the dark tattoo of the bats on his forearm a stark contrast to his skin. His eyes were warm and brown but still bloodshot. Steve's clothes were slightly too big on him which made Eddie seem kind of smaller than usual, his insecure demeanor adding to it.
But freshly showered and all clean and properly dressed he looked kind of cozy. Like he could belong here, with his messy hair and socked feet, just taking up space in Steve's usually quiet house. Like Steve just had a friend over for a comfortable movie night or something. Except he wasn't.

“I'm not a zoo attraction, man” Eddie mumbled and shuffled back and forth not sure where to stand, how close to get and how to behave now.
It felt incredibly awkward. Steve hated it. It had never been awkward with Eddie. He had always just claimed the room he walked into, gestures a little too big, mouth a little too cheeky. Not worried about personal space or other people's opinions.

“I'm sorry, Munson” Steve gave an apologetic shrug. “It's just all really - strange, you know? Not you I mean, just like – generally everything that happened today. I made some pasta as an apology, though. So...have at it. I – will leave your bowl here on the counter and sit over there at the coffee table. That okay? I can make you something else if you want. I just..wasn't sure what you liked and this was easy enough.”

Eddie looked at him a little surprised, raising an eyebrow. “You – made this?” he asked in disbelieve. “Like – from scratch?”

“It's just some pasta sauce, man. I am not a gourmet cook.” Steve took his bowl and sat down with it, trying his best not to stare as Eddie approached the counter and pulled his whole body on top of it. Sitting like a kid on a swing, legs dangling. Balancing the bowl on his lap and eyeing it with slight suspicion.
“You sure are something else, man. Just.. Did you – Man this feels so stupid. But did you put garlic in there by chance?” Munson asked, voice low and kind of embarrassed looking at the pasta.
Like it could kill him. Which –
Maybe Steve was an absolute idiot after all. He face palmed. Hard.
“Shit. I totally didn't think about that. I'll cook something else. I mean. Fuck - “

“No. No it's all good. It might be some made up bullshit anyway. But if I start coughing my lungs up or something. We'll know why. He shoved the fork into his mouth and started chewing in the most exaggerated way.
Then he closed his eyes and let out a small groan.
Steve was about to ask if he was okay when Eddie opened his eyes and looked over at him, lips pulled into a small smile, showing the faintest bit of a fang maybe.
“Holy fucking shit, Stevie!” he exclaimed and quickly took another fork. “This is amazing. God I'm starving. I want like a ton of this!”

Stevie. Not Harrington, not some other silly pet name but just a cutesy version if his first name. It made his chest feel tight for a second because it was the real Eddie peaking through.
“There's more on the stove if you want. Just glad I didn't accidentally kill you. Guess we can scratch garlic off the list.” He dug into his own bowl of food and thought about the other myths that existed about 'creatures of the night' .

“You made a list, Harrington? How freaky is the freak on a scale from 1 – 10 ?” Eddie asked with his mouth full, chewing loudly with a tilted head. He looked like a curious child. Just – a little more undead. Overall he looked the most himself now than he had all evening.
Steve shook his head and swallowed before answering. Because he had manners after all.
“Not really, but I guess sunlight, crosses and silver should be on it? And like... dietary habits?” he grimaced at the last part. He felt like he might've crossed a line with mentioning that, kind of wished he hadn't mentioned it, could take it back again.

Eddie's eyes went wide, dropping the fork into the bowl.
“Nope. Nope. No, we're talking about anything but that. Waterboard me with holy water for all I care but I am eating pasta. And I will for the foreseeable future.“
Steve raised his hands in a defensive gesture. It seemed to become a habit of his. Maybe he should stop being so insensitive then he wouldn't have to constantly apologize. But he felt like he was getting whiplash being around Eddie. He was used to not think twice about what he'd say and Eddie had usually been teasing and saying shit before he'd died and then un-died. He was way more reserved, on edge and scared. He could tell the old Eddie was still there, drizzling through the cracks often enough. But there was a constant tension, like a lingering sense of impending doom. Like they were both just waiting for the other shoe to drop and everything to go sideways. Not even sure what that even meant. It felt like Steve was balancing on a tightrope and wasn't really good at it so he was constantly falling on his ass.

He was good at getting back up, though.

 

- † -

After finishing their dinner in silence Steve dropped the dishes in the sink and quickly washed them. “Ready to get some sleep, Munson? Can't imagine how exhausted you must be.” he asked while drying his hands on a towel that was lazily pulled through a drawer handle.

“We can worry about everything else tomorrow I guess. Like – I thought about maybe calling Robin over tomorrow to help us figure everything out? Only if – if that's something you'd be comfortable with, though. I am not gonna push you to do anything. I am just...” -his breath hitched for a second when this feeling in his chest started to make sense suddenly and he felt overwhelmed with the realization of it.

“I just really missed you, man. I know we didn't even know each other that well and I used to be such an asshole anyway but – you mean a lot to the kids, to all of us. To me, too. You're part of this, man. This weird ass group of strange people. And you – you left this gaping hole. So having you here now in my living room, even if the circumstances are a little weird. It's – it feels right. And... and I wish I could give you a hug or something to make sure you know I actually mean it but I get why it's better not to. And... and that's why I think we need to figure out how to make this as easy for you as possible. And – yeah. No. That's – that's about it.” Steve scratched his head, a little embarrassed about this sudden rush of monologue.

Eddie just looked at him like he was doubting his sanity, eyes wide, pulling a strand of hair over his face. It looked almost – coy.
He cleared his throat, taking a few moments to reply, like he was pushing around words in his head to decide what was the right thing to say.
“H..how is everyone doing anyway?” he finally asked, voice quiet.

Eddie hopped off the counter and almost immediately started walking circles into the floor. He had an arm slung around his middle, the other was still twisting the long curl around his finger.
“I feel so bad for making everyone.. grief” he spat the last word out like it was something disgusting. “Don't even want to imagine how much I fucking traumatized Henderson. He's never gonna want to see me again, man! It's just.. I feel so guilty. It's like I don't even deserve to be here after everything I made you go through!”
Seeing the man so torn up made Steve only want to hug him more. He hated the kitchen counter and all that space between them. It felt unfair he couldn't offer the comfort he wanted to. Because Eddie had it all wrong. Dustin would love nothing more than to see him again. So he told him.

 

“Dustin would literally fuse himself to your side and never let go again if he knew you're here, man. He loves you! And he never stopped. Not a second. And he never blamed you. You're a hero, Munson. To all of us. Even if I asked you not to be you went ahead and sacrificed yourself for a fucking dumbass town that hated you because they are narrow minded dipshits! You're a good person. And no one blamed you for that. We..we're all here man. And we missed you every day. Nothing. Literally nothing is ever going to make any of us hate you!”

Steve felt his eyes burning and he quickly rubbed a sleeve over his face because he was not going to cry, for fucks sake. He choked out a single laugh, sounding slightly wet with unshed tears.

 

“Jeez man, can.. Can we do more of this tomorrow? My body can only handle so many emotions and I feel like I am just gonna keel soon if I don't get rest.” Looking over at Eddie, he swore his eyes looked glassy under the kitchen light as well. The metal head took a few deep breath and then met his gaze.

“Okay. Yeah. Okay. Let's get some rest and sort all of this out tomorrow. I feel like a zombie anyway. Just, like- “ he looked truly embarrassed now.

“This is going to sound insane, man but I need you to hear me out and consider. I think you need to like - lock me into a room or like - “ he choked out an unamused laugh “ - freaking restrain me or something because no way in hell do I trust myself sleeping anywhere close to you were I could just.. snap anytime and do – whatever. “ Do what exactly?!

 

“I'm not gonna tie you to a bed, Munson.” Steve deadpanned, cheeks turning undeniably red as soon as the words had left his mouth.

“Wow okay. Way to kink shame, Harrington.” There was a shit eating grin flashing over Eddies face, all teeth and dimples. It was gone so fast Steve almost missed it. Just that he didn't.
His stomach was clenching with something he didn't even dare to give a name, nor another thought.

“Excuse me?” Steve's voice cracked. Because what the actual fuck?

“I am fucking with you, man. Well. Not about actually restraining me, though. Where exactly did you plan on letting me crash anyway? Couch?” he stopped in his tracks looking at a still very flushed Steve. He shook himself out of whatever weirdness had just gone down and bit his lips, thinking about the logistics and how to make it safe for both of their sake.

“Nah man, you can sleep in the guest room, it's just opposite mine and I – I might still have a metal chain in the garage with a large padlock. Maybe we can like – at least give you some wiggle room?” he was still chewing on his bottom lip and then stopped immediately, realizing the last thing he needed was to make himself bleed.
“Sure, sounds good. Well. Not good but you get what I mean.” Eddie shrugged staring at his lips for second and then honest to god winked at him

“Take me to bed, will ya?” he snickered gesturing to the hallway.
And Steve was so out of his depth his jaw opened like a fish and nothing came out.
How was Eddie so Eddie and so clearly not at the same time? It made Steve feel almost dizzy from this Dr Jekyll and Mr Hide like situation. One second he was like a frightened animal and the next his was almost – flirting?
So instead of answering he just snorted and pushed past the metal head, maybe totally by accident, invading Eddie's space more than he had dared to all evening. Steve swore he could smell the faint fragrance of his conditioner on Eddie as he walked past. It felt like a dangerous game of push and pull. A game where he wasn't even sure what kind of reaction he was provoking from Eddie in the first place.
Part of him enjoyed it for that exact reason. He felt like a sicko, like a freak who enjoyed playing with fire a bit to much. Not caring if he burned himself. Or even secretly hoping he would. Maybe he was finally going insane. Or maybe he couldn't cope with the fact that maybe for once things seemed to be getting better and not worse.

- † -

Steve showed Eddie the guest room, put down a glass of water on the nightstand like the good host he was and told Eddie he could use the bathroom down the hall or Steve's if he wanted to brush his - teeth before bed.

He busied himself with sprinting back down to the garage to dig through a pile of junk that had accumulated when they'd prepared for the final fight in the Upside Down and had raided the Warzone for supplies leaving Steve with several weapons, knifes, a machete, a spade leaning against the wall, and several ropes and chains in piles on the floor. His garage could very well belong to a serial killer judging by the contents inside.
But it wasn't like anyone would go and check on Steve. His parent's would probably never come home again anyway and the neighbors only cared about themselves. The only people that mattered knew why his house looked the way it did and why his nail bat was usually in reach next to his bed. Why his freezer was full with Eggos and why he had a Walkman in every room and a Walkie usually tucked under a pillow of his bed.
Looking from chains to rope back to the chains, he was contemplating what would work best.
Eventually he decided to go with the metal chains because he really didn't have the skills to properly tie anyone up. His thoughts drifted for a moment and he wondered if Eddie had the skills to do so.
Judging by the handcuffs on the bedroom wall in the trailer it was very likely he was into some freaky shit. They didn't call him The Freak for nothing.

It made him feel squirmy and he wondered why the hell he was even thinking about it. What was it to him what Eddie did with his hook ups or girlfriends? Or if he even had any. If he liked tying girls up or spanking them and talking dirty. Had he been popular? Steve could see it. The bad boy imagine, rough exterior but actually just a goofy nerd with a heart of gold. Seemed like a good combination to appeal to the ladies. He was also a musician, maybe he's had some groupies cheering him on in the Hideout when he'd played with his band. Some goth chicks maybe, dressed in all black with fishnets and died hair. Was that his type? Or did he like preppy girls, cheerleaders maybe? He had always kind of wondered if Eddie had wanted to hook up with Chrissy back then but no way he was ever going to ask. I didn't really matter anyway. It wasn't his business.

He shook his head to end this weird spiral of thoughts and grabbed two long medium sized chains and four sturdy padlocks with matching keys and headed back upstairs.

- † -

 

He found Eddie sitting on the edge of the bed in the guest room, kneading his hands in a self soothing manner. He'd stripped off the sweatpants and was now in boxer shorts and Steve's t-shirt looking like a lost puppy with his big Bambi eyes and the tense frown. His hair was lose now and cascading down over his shoulders in messy curls stopping around his collar bone.
Steve found his hair oddly pretty. Girls must be really jealous of the sheer volume of hair framing Eddies face, giving him a kind of a purposefully disheveled look. He could use a good new hair care routine though, get some more definition into the curls. Steve wasn't The Hair for nothing. And admittedly the metal head had lots of it so of course he'd notice.

When Steve shuffled closer into the room Eddie's attentions was pulled to the metal chains he was carrying in his arms.
“Kinky, Harrington. Guess I've been a bad girl?” Eddie joked, but his voice was tense and cracked with nervousness. He was hiding be hind a mask of bad jokes and they both knew it. Didn't mean Steve couldn't play along.

“Should've gotten the duct tape as well, huh Munson? I still can, if you want me to.” he offered with a cocky grin, reminiscent of his old Kind Steve persona. It felt oddly intimate, here in the quiet of his home, the night air hanging like a weighted blanked over everything.

Eddie's unnaturally pale face seemed to turn a faint shade of pink. He rubbed both of his hands across his face, as if he could rub the blush off of it.
Apparently he wasn't immune when hit back with the same sense of teasing he usually dished out.

“Whatever, man.” he scoffed and motioned for Steve to drop the chains on the bed.
He could've sworn the metal head held his breath while he did so and quickly stepped back to the doorway to offer some more space.
“Alright, how to you wanna do this, Munson?” he asked and leaned against the door frame, arms crossed.
Eddie went ahead and made sure to securely close all the curtains and turned on one of the nightstand lights. Then he crouched down next to the bed and pulled one of the chains down and locked one end of it to the very solid bed frame. He did the same on the other side, the other ends lying on the bed sheets. He tugged on the locks to check if they would hold.
When he was satisfied the climbed into bed and pulled the covers up to his waist. This whole get up seemed – bizarre. To put it mildly.

“Alright. This is fucking awkward. Let's just never talk about it. Ever. Alright?” Eddie murmured as he wrapped the chain around one of his wrists with shaking hands and pulled the lock through two links so it was securely held in place. It was a bit of a stretch but he reached his others wrist as well and snapped the lock in place.
“Okay, catch!” Munson warned before he threw all four sets of keys at Steve, which caught him slightly of guard. Sports involving throwing and catching had taken up most of his High School activities though, so he still caught every single one with ease, his grin not even slipping the slightest and arms still crossed.
“Showoff” Eddie muttered but his lips were curled into a small smile. “Alright, sweet dreams Harrington. See you in the morning.” he tugged on the chains a little and rested his cuffed hands on the top of the blanket, the whimsical floral pattern of the soft duvet a sharp contrast to the heaviness of the metal hardware.
Steve nodded once and pushed himself off the frame. “Night, man. Don't do anything stupid.”
He turned on his heel and was about to leave, when Eddie stopped him in his tracks.

 

“Hey, Steve?” he asked tentatively.

Steve looked over his shoulder, back at the slim pale frame of Eddie Munson chained up in his guest bed. “Yeah?”

“Thank you. For – everything.”

“Anytime, Eddie. Anytime.” Steve assured and left to go to his own bedroom.

He left the door open, stripped off his clothes and quickly brushed his teeth before he turned off the lights and fell right into bed staring at the ceiling for a while. Thoughts all over the place and not quiet getting anywhere he eventually fell into a restless sleep.

- † -

 

 

Consciousness was slowly slipping back into his bones. There were several things Steve noticed to be very different from how they were supposed to be. Trying to shift in bed he noticed he was unable to move further than a few inches because there was a very apparent weight on him, his hips and chest pushed into the mattress. The second thing he noticed was a throbbing pain in his left cheek, pulsing with heat under his skin.
Steve still felt drunk with sleep and not all there when he peaked his eyes open in irritation, blinking slowly against the sunlight of the very early morning, the sun barely rising over the horizon but mercilessly falling through his window, almost blinding him. It took him a second to process what he was seeing.
He was met with the very real body of one Eddie Munson, sitting on his hips, pretty much straddling him. His eyes were wide and completely black, no iris, no nothing, two black voids staring right into his soul. His chest was heaving and he was loudly breathing through his nose, upper lip pulled back, baring his teeth at him. Steve could feel the cool air of Eddie's breath repeatedly tickling his face.
He noticed Eddie still had shaky palm raised, a solid chain of metal still locked around his wrist, the end though dangling in the air, obviously ripped apart.
Still drowsy he reached for said palm by grabbing Eddies cuffed wrist, eyeing it like it was evidence, turning it over like it held the answers of the universe.

“Dude- “ his voice was deep and hoarse with sleep. “Did you just fucking slap me?!”

 

Notes:

Kudos, comments or any kind of feedback is MAJORLY appreciated!

Chapter 5: 𝐑𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰

Summary:

Steve is experiencing confusing emotions.

Eddie gets hungry.

Notes:

Hi there fellow freaks! Have another chapter :)

I am on vacation starting Tuesday and traveling to Copenhagen (yay!)
So there probably won't be an update until the week after that. Just saying!

 

- † -

 

“What the..?” Steve tried again, blinking the sleepiness away , the realization of his position slowly sinking in. He was lying in his bed. Half naked, half asleep still. Being straddled by a not-quiet-human Eddie Munson. This was definitely a scenario he had never ever imagined to find himself in.
His mind was still not fully there, the remains of bad feelings lingering somewhere on the back of his mind. He wasn't entirely sure but he thought he'd had a nightmare again. Sometimes he remembered and sometimes, like today, he didn't. The only evidence a hollow empty feeling in his too tight chest.

“Why are you here, Munson? Thought you wanted distance. This isn't how it works“ he slurred rubbing his eyes. How did the metal head even get here? Last time he checked he'd been literally chained to a bed. And he was pretty sure the keys were still on his nightstand.

Eddie tilted his head, like he sometimes did now, looking completely out of it. All wild and feral. The mess of his bed hair framing his face like a frizzy halo. The morning sunlight hitting the side of his head, making one side of his body glow in golds . He looked oddly surreal. And also very tired, dark shadows of exhaustion under his eyes, faint veins showing through his skin.
Steve's heart was beating rapidly in his chest, the sudden closeness making it very obvious just how different Eddie was.
There were still some light freckles sprinkled over his nose, maybe even more visible now as they contrasted with his fair skin.
There was a faint stubble just above his lips. Lips that were still pulled up, the two sets of fangs on full display, the pointed tops surely able to pierce through skin like a knife through butter.
Steve felt somewhat cornered, trapped into the confinement of his bed like he was the one that'd been chained to it.
Black eyes were frantically searching his face. It was hard to tell what Eddie was thinking but despite his monstrous appearance he mainly seemed to be worried.
His breath came out in ragged uneven huffs. He visibly struggled with trying to collect himself clenching his hands into fists. Steve could feel the fingers dragging over his stomach through the thin blanket. He shivered.

Eventually Eddie found his voice.
“Are...are you okay? Are you fine? Are you in pain?!” he choked out, one hesitant hand reaching to grab Steve's face by the jaw, turning it from left to right to make sure he was unharmed. Silence stretched between them. Steve wasn't sure what to say. Of course he was fine. He'd been sleeping after all.
Eddie's eyes narrowed on his still pulsing cheek. It seemed like he was mad at finding his skin not completely unmarred. There was a very low, audible growl coming from the metal head, primal and unhinged, before – to Steve's complete and utter shock – he leaned in, a cold nose bumping against his cheek, breath cool against his skin. All sense of personal space thrown over board. Then a wet tongue darted out, licking in one apologetic long strip right across his red cheek.

Steve eyes must've been almost comically large, his whole body going rigid.
For a second, Steve felt Eddie's breath against his neck, the faintest idea of lips grazing against were his pulse hammered under his skin. Eddie then pulled his head back faster than humanly possible, wide eyes staring at him in utter shock. Every nerve in his face said “I don't know why I did that. Please don't hate me.” but he was unable to speak, his jaw tightly pressed together, lips pulled in thin line, eyes wide and frightened.

Steve felt himself blushing like a school girl. What was happening exactly?
This wasn't something you would just let another man do! Former Steve would've probably thrown punches already. This had felt downright possessive on Eddie's end. Primal. Like instincts had taken the wheel for a second.
Steve felt hyper aware of all the places their bodies were touching, the pressure on his waist still keeping him firmly pressed onto his bed, their thighs touching against each other's. He felt way too hot under the blanket, grateful for the barrier it provided though.

 

Sweat prickled at the nape of his neck, hot with embarrassment and overwhelm. He wanted to look away but couldn't because his chin was still kept in a vice grip by the man above him. This felt entirely too intimate. Not anything he'd ever wanted to experience, and definitely not with a man of all things! He wanted to sink through the bed into ground and hide.
He cleared his throat instead, his raspy voice cutting the silence like knife.

“I'm- I'm fine man, you're - freaking me out. What happened?” Steve was clearly missing some important information to be able to comprehend the situation. Then again he wasn't sure even with the blanks filled he'd be able to process what had just happened.

Eddie seemed just as confused. He pulled his hands back like he'd been stung by a bee.
“What happ – what? Oh my fucking god. I'm so sorry. I – I dunno what just came over me. I swear I...I didn't mean to do that. It's – you... You were screaming like you were dying! I thought you – you.. “
he stuttered and gestured his hands around to emphasize his attempt at an explanation.

“You just kept screaming and...and you wouldn't stop and I...I kept hearing you and I couldn't not check on you! And then you just lay there thrashing around. And you wouldn't wake up! So I – slapped you. Shit, I'm sorry. I was so afraid you'd be stuck in it. Like... like..” his voice broke of and he swallowed loudly, throat trying to move against the tightness of his voice cords. He suddenly jumped up from where he had been sitting and started pacing back and forth at the end of Steve's bed just a little faster than any human would.
Steve let out a shuddering breath he didn't even know he had been holding. He was glad for the increase of space between them now, still completely flabbergasted by the fact that Eddie had pinned him to the bed and licked his freaking face of all things just a minute ago.

Eddie was pacing, his arms still wildly moving. The chains were clanking and dangling in the air. An obvious testament of Eddie's new strengths.
Maybe other people would be six feet deep into a meltdown by now but either he wasn't awake enough yet to freak out or he simply had so sense of self preservation left in him. Or maybe deep down he was just convinced Eddie would never hurt him. Or anyone for that matter.

“I was - afraid you'd be stuck like Chrissy, man. I was fucking terrified! “ Eddie finally confessed, collapsing onto Steve's desk chair.

Steve didn't know what to say to that. He figured he'd had a nightmare but wasn't aware he was apparently screaming in his sleep like a possessed man. He felt kind of guilty. So he didn't say anything. The alarm clock showed it was 6:15 am. Way to early still. But there was no way he'd be able to go back to sleep again after this!
After the silence had stretched into what felt like minutes of pure torture, Eddie was the one to speak up first.
“I – I think I might've broken your guest bed, Harrington.” he murmured finally.
Their eyes met, brown sneaking back into Eddie's vision like liquid amber while he scratched the back of his neck in a self conscious way. After a few seconds they were back to their human version, the sun leaking through his blinds making them look almost gold. Steve felt himself relax a little. Munson look a lot less threatening now.

Looking over at the window Steve mentally scratched sunlight from his 'vampire myths list'. At least Eddie wouldn't have to hide in the dark and sleep during the day. He wasn't sure were he'd let Eddie sleep at all now though since apparently they were down a bed, the couch was the most uncomfortable thing in the worlds and his parents bedroom was just not an option.

“Maybe we should get you a casket.” he joked sitting up and secretly tried to fix his bed hair. It was pressed flat against the back of his head and wildly flopping around at the top.
Eddie was looking at him downright offended before he realized Steve was joking. Then he smirked.

“I'll take a coffin, Harrington. A corroded one to be exact.” He winked in such a silly way Steve couldn't keep from snorting out a laugh.
“Really, Munson? Dad level joke bout your band? That's where we're at right now?” He reached over to the floor and pulled last nights shirt over his head to feel a little less exposed. He caught Eddie watching him once he settled back into a sitting position.
He looked like a deer caught in the headlight, fitting Bambi eyes to go with it. Quickly he busied himself with scanning the mess of Steve's desk instead and randomly grabbed a green rubber band, pulling it onto his wrist like a bracelet. He pulled at it and let it flick against his wrist with the loud snap.
He didn't even flinch, like it hadn't even hurt. Huh.

“I'm sorry.” Eddie apologized again looking at the floor. “Not just about the bed. Also 'bout..uhm – well. Whatever the fuck is wrong with me. I – I didn't mean to.. assault you like that, I swear!”

“Well, you could've probably killed me in my sleep and instead you slapped and..licked me. So. Thanks, I guess? For being an incapable undead person?” he snickered to hide his shame. Hopefully they would just never talk about this. Ever. Again.

Eddie didn't laugh. He looked solemnly, almost grim. 
“I.. I... think. I think I am - “ he took a deep breath. “I think I'm getting hungry though. Like.. not for..pasta or eggs and bacon.”

“Oh.” Oh fucking shit.

“Yeah – oh. You still thinking about involving Buckley? I think now would be a good time.”

“Shit yeah. I'll call her now. Well, in a minute. I feel like I'm gonna piss my pants.” Steve mentally slapped himself. Why did he say that? Why was he unable to handle any awkward situation like a normal human being? “Key for the locks are on the nightstand, help yourself!” he yelped and basically sprinted to his bathroom. He locked the door behind him, resting his forehead against the cold solid wood for a second. Inhaling. Exhaling.
When he'd complained about his life feeling empty and repetitive, this was not the turnaround he had expected.

- † -

“I need  you to come over, Robbie. I'll explain everything when you get here. Can.. can you call in sick today? “ Steve was sitting on the edge of his bed, twisting the phone cord around his finger while he spoke to Robin. She'd been yawning into the phone receiver instead of a hello, asking if this was a Code Red situation. Steve told here it was more of an orangey thing and to not get the kids involved. Yet.

“What the hell is up with you, dingus? You sound spooked. Did you like, have a ghost encounter yesterday or some shit? My grandma Margo always told me ghosts were real! I never believe her. Maybe she was right! Maybe - “

“No, Rob. I did not see a ghost. I..I found something I need to show you. Just. Find an excuse and then come to my place as soon as you can? I'll even make you breakfast. Promise!”

“Okay, Mister Mystery. I'll make it happen. Give me half an hour.”

Eddie snickered at the name, still sitting at the desk. Apparently he had super human hearing now too. Otherwise he would've not heard Robin through the telephone.

“Are you having someone over, Steve? Who was that?”

“See you soon, Rob! Byeee” he stopped her and simply hung up.

“Don't. Say. Anything.” He narrowed his eyes at Eddie, who grinned at him. Not even trying to hide his fangs. His cheeks were pulled up high, all dimples and mischief.

“Okay, Mister Mystery. Let's make breakfast, huh? So we can bribe Buckley not to stake me at first sight.”

“This nickname is NOT sticking, Munson. Forget it!” he pointed a finger at him.

“Sure thing, sweetheart. Wouldn't wanna get in trouble, huh?” Eddie stuck out his tongue.

“No you really don't, Count Chocula.”

“Oh, bite me, Harrington”

“Nah. That's your job, Munson.” Steve shrugged, feigning indifference and got up to pull a fresh set of clothes from his wardrobe.
When he turned around with his arms full, he was met with a set of black eyes boring into his.
Steve felt his pulse picking up again at the sight. For some reason it made him feel all twitchy to see Eddie like this. He wasn't scared of him. It felt more like - an odd kind of excitement. Some kind of obviously misplaced emotion he couldn't exactly specify. It wasn't like he enjoyed feeling inferior. That would be absurd. Right? Why would he like that?

Black eyes still picked him apart, held him in a chokehold.
“Not... fair.” Eddie spoke, teeth grinding together tightly like he was trying his best to keep it together. Steve felt like they were toeing a line. Not sure of what.

“Sorry man”, he quickly apologized. “That..yeah sorry. Sore topic. I'll uh..get changed. You can grab whatever. I took some of your shirts to wash but for now you'll have to live with sports wear or Polos I'm afraid.” he didn't bother looking back and locked himself in the bathroom. Again.

 

- † -

 

 

The washing machine was going. Bacon was sizzling in a pan. Eggs in a second pan. Toast ready to be toasted.

Steve was wearing some old basketball short, bordering on being considered too short. Paired with an old Hawkins swim team Hoodie, he was practically screaming 'jock'.
When Eddie joined him in the kitchen he raised an amused eyebrow at his outfit choice.
“Lucky lady world, Mr Mystery. Bet the girls love those hot-pants.” his eyes seemed to linger on his thighs a little too long. It could've been a reflection of the light but Steve could've sworn Eddies eyes turned black again for a second before he busied himself with pulling his body up onto the kitchen counter again. Like it was his spot now.
Just that Steve was a lot closer now since he was still cooking so Eddie was sitting right beside him now. He was wearing the same gray sweatpants from the evening before and a fresh white sleeveless shirt. It suited him surprisingly well. Steve was still glad he could give Eddie some kind of normality soon and give him his own clothes back.
Flipping the bacon he wondered what happened to the safety distance Eddie had kind of insisted on till now but he wasn't complaining. This felt almost normal.
Almost.

Then the doorbell rang and Eddie went stiff.
“What do I do, Harrington? Do I hide? What.. how... How are we doing this?” he was frantically looking between the hallway and Steve like he was watching a tennis match. It was kind of adorable.
Steve softly nudged his elbow against Eddies knee aiming for casual but Eddie just went more rigid.
Okay. Too much proximity. Got it.
He held out the kitchen utensil for Eddie to take instead. The metal head hesitantly reached for it and slid off the counter resulting in both of them standing right in front of each other.
Way too close. Eddie's eyes were flickering to his neck. Steve felt it. He saw it. His heart rate increasing involuntarily.
Then he quickly pushed past him aiming for the hallway.
“You make sure to not burn the bacon! I'll try and ease Robin into this.” he called over his shoulder and then tried his best to calm his fluttering heart down that somehow seemed to be about to jump out of his chest.

With a deep breath he opened the door.
“Hi Birdy..” he greeted offering a slightly lopsided smile.

“What the fuck is going on, dingus?” Robin greeted, arms crossed and eyebrow raised in suspicion. She was wearing a Joan Jett tee over a longsleeve shirt and simple jeans with converse that were hanging on for live by a hair's width.
“I called Keith and told him we both have a stomach bug and are hurling our guts out. He told us to stay the hell away for the rest of the week to not spread our bacteria around. So. Why did I lie exactly? And why did I do bicycle to your house at 7 in the morning? ”
She pushed past him into the house without another word an started toeing off her shoes, nearly losing balance and holding onto the front of his hoodie to prevent from toppling over. She struggled a bit before she straightened up and let go of his hoodie, expectant expression still on her face.

“Okay, Rob. I.. I need you to not freak out okay. Like. For real. Don't. I know freaking out is like almost your default setting but.. just let me explain. “ Steve pushed a nervous hand through his messy hair and inconspicuous blocked her from walking further into his home.

“Spill, Steve. Now. “

“Okay. Okay. So. You said how you thought I saw a ghost?”

“Yes, Steevus. I remember. It was like thirty minutes ago.”

“Okay. So. You weren't right. But... I did see.. something – someone. And... and you gotta believe me he's not actually dangerous. He might look like it but I swear he's not. I'm pretty sure he's not human either, might actually potentially be a vampire actually. I think it's like.. the demo bats maybe doing that? I haven't really thought about it and- “

“Wait.. Wait, what are you saying, Steve?”

“I- I found Eddie, Rob. I found him. And he's not actually dead. Well. Undead maybe. I suppose? Not exactly sure what's the right term here. Don't want to be offensive or like.. a creature phobic? A creaturephobe? That a thing? ”

Robin held up a hand to stop his rambling, concern flashing over her face now. Right. He had told her not to freak out and here he was. Kind of freaking out.
She grabbed Steve by the arm as if to ground him. Her voice was close to a whisper.
“Steve..” she asked. “ Are you going insane? Do you even hear yourself?”

“I know Rob, I know how this sounds but I swear he's like.. a vampire or some shit. Like fangs and black eyes and weird animalistic behaviour. I mean... weirder than before. He's always been a little weird. But like without growling and sniffing and shit. Anyway. Not the point.-- “ he broke off.

Then there were soft steps behind him. The hairs on his neck rising with the presence of Eddie.
When he looked over his shoulder he saw him standing at the end of the hallway. Kitchen spatula raised like an improvised white flag, waving it hesitantly in Robins direction.

“Hi Buckley.” he greeted, shy smile tugging at his lips.
“ I figured Steve was gonna shit himself if he kept on talking. So... Ta-da? He's not actually insane?”

Robin looked like she was gonna faint. Eyes nearly budging out of her skull, jaw hanging open in complete shock as she fisted Steve's hoodie in her hands, hanging onto him like he was a life line.

“I'm tripping.” she mumbled. “I'm tripping Steve. There is a dead man in your house. Grandma was right.” She tried hiding her head in Steve's chest, peaking through her hair.”

“Rob. Robin. Birdy. Hey- “ Steve patted her on the back tugging her into himself for an awkward hug, his voice smooth and comforting, like he was talking to a child almost.
“You're not insane. This is real. Eddie's here. He's not a ghost. But he's also not entirely human. So I called you. Because you're like wicked smart and we need your help figuring this out – Right, Eds?”
he looked over, definitely ignoring wherever that pet name had crawled out from.

Eddie looked startled for a moment, stumbling over his words. “Y-yeah. Uh-huh. Yes, Buckley. He's right. You're not hallucinating. Neither is Stevie, here.“

Robin looked from Steve to Eddie. Then back at Steve. Back at Eddie.
Then she took a deep breath.

“I need alcohol. Or weed. Or both.”

Eddie laughed, turning to walk back to the kitchen.
“Well, we got bacon. That'll do, right?”

- † -

Notes:

I love comments! They keep me healthy and moisturized.

Chapter 6: 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐩.

Notes:

I am back from vacation. Denmark was amaziiing!

- † -

They were sitting on the couch. After the bacon and the eggs had been successfully devoured in awkward silence they had migrated over to the safe comfort of the living room. Eddie was occupying the recliner, watching Robin and Steve from opposite the coffee table.

Robin was the first to break the silence.
“Soooo... Can we talk about what the fuck is going on so I can hug you, like I really really want to, Eddie?” she opened, fiddling with her necklace, a small silver ice cream cone Steve had given her some time ago. Her fingers were trembling, her legs bouncing on her heels, eyes glassy like she was going to cry. Steve held up an arm as a silent offer of comfort which she gladly took be tugging herself into his side, his hand coming to rest on her shoulder. “ I don't get what's happening” she whispered.

Eddie cleared his throat.
“Yeah no, so- Hugging is no good at the moment, Birdy. Not that I don't want to. I – Shit. Uhm. Steve? Would you...I just. I am not sure how to do any of this.”

Steve looked at the metal head, small and curled in on himself. He was hogging a throw blanket to his lap like it was his life line. Like it would offer him some kind of support. The red shadows under his eyes and the veins under his skin were getting more prominent by the hour. Eddie looked sick and miserable. And the proximity to two humans when what he needed most was blood was probably not helpful at all.

So Steve nodded in determination and gave Robin a summary of last nights events. How he'd found Eddie in the trailer, hidden. How he'd behaved so very strange. How he looked so different now. That he was probably not human anymore. That he was getting hungry for more than food. That they wanted to make sure he wasn't dangerous before they'd let anyone else know. But that they needed Robins help figuring things out. Like how they'd get blood without anyone suspecting anything.
He deliberately left out the details of this mornings disaster, when Eddie had literally straddled him in bed and licked his face. Really, no one needed to know that. It was bad enough as it was.
Steve could feel his heart rate picking back up thinking about it.
Eddie looked like he was in pain.
Did he know? Could he hear the nervous drumming of is heart against his ribcage? Shit.

“So let me get this straight” Robin coughed. “You're an actual vampire now. Like. For real for real?” She looked at Eddie, eyebrows creased in confusion and slight disbelieve.

The metal head scratched his head and shrugged. “I guess? I mean I don't know what exactly I am but I guess that label fits best.”

“Prove it.”

“How? What do you want me to do? It's not like I can turn into a bat, Buckley.” he scoffed offering a small tight lipped smile.

“Just show her your fangs and the thing you do with your eyes, man” Steve offered, gesturing to to his own face. Eddie looked confused and didn't say anything for a moment.

“What thing do I do with my eyes, Harrington?”

Oh. Guess he hadn't seem himself like that yet. With the black voids looking so inhuman and disarming. How they made him feel pinned in place, immobilized and small. How irritating it felt seeing Eddie that way. How he kind of liked it, thought he looked pretty that way. In some fucked up way.
“Y-your eyes turn completely black sometimes. Like, totally. Even the white. Looks kind of badass”, he tried explaining without making it seem like a big deal and also because he was lacking better adjectives to describe what emotions Eddie's feral look evoked in him.

“What? When?!” Eddie nearly slipped off the seat of the recliner as he stared at Steve.

“Like – this morning?” Steve reluctantly admitted. “You now, when... Well and like when you get angry or exited I guess?”

Robing was moving her head between them like she was watching a tennis match.
“What happened this morning?” She asked, disregarding the fact that Steve obviously didn't want to talk about it.

“Nothing!” they yelled in unison. Way too loud to be actually believable and looking everywhere but at each other.

“Okaaaaaay. We'll circle back to that later then. I will just pretend to act like I don't think that's a bunch of crap. But I'll leave it. For now.” Robin laughed and shook her head.”This is so surreal. You were dead, Eddie. Dead! And now you're here in dingus' living room. And and you tell me you're one of the Lost Boys now? That sounds insane! Also I still want that proof. Show me the pearls. “

 

And so Eddie did. In an awkward motion he leaned in even further and opened his mouth pulling back his upper lip with his fingers. He looked like he wanted to sink into a hole in the ground while he did.
But Steve was distracted with the two sets of pointy fangs, looking lethal and otherwordly. It made his breath hitch and his blood boil. For a second he allowed his mind to drift and wondered if those fangs would hurt buried inside of his flesh. If Eddie would lose it as the sight and taste of his blood. If he would actually hurt him. No doubt he could now, obviously stronger than him like this. But for some reason he couldn't imagine Eddie putting him in danger or hurting him. Not unless Steve allowed it. And he probably would, wouldn't he? If that meant that Eddie would feel better? Shit, he'd probably offer him his own blood if it helped.
He shivered, goosebumps raising on his arm at the thought.

Eddie immediately stiffened. Fingers curling into fists as his whole body went rigid.
“Steve”, he growled, his eyes clouding with the familiar black while they could watch. It looked like smoke moving from the outer corner, first darkening the white of his eyes, then wrapping around his iris before they swallowed everything and turned into black voids. His nostrils flared as those eyes were burning into his.
There was something really wrong with Steve. There must be because for some reason he felt excited at the sight.

“Could you maybe kindly get your fucking heart rate under control, Harrington? I am having a hard time as it is already - Shit.” Eddie's upper lip was trembling, slightly pulling back, baring his fangs.
“ I – I am gonna go upstairs for a hot minute. Just. Figure something out, yeah?” he chocked out between gritted teeth before he basically jumped up from his seat and fled the room at a speed that was just too fast to be normal.

- † -

 

Steve and Robin were left with a deafening silence, the wall clock an awkward metronome in the background.

“Holy. Fucking. Shit.” Robin breathed out after a bit and grabbed both of Steve's hands, eyes wide with something close to excitement . “Holy Shit, Steve. He... he... he really is a – that's so wicked!”

 

“Wicked is maybe not how I would describe it but... Yeah he is. And as you just saw he's really starting to struggle so we gotta find a solution. And fast. It's not like we can just get him a blood bag from the hospital. So what do we do? I kind of hate seeing him like this. I just want him to be able to go back to being himself. As much as possible” Steve didn't want to postpone this any longer. Eddie needed to – feed. Sooner rather than later.

Robin looked thoughtful, absentmindedly scratching her cheek and looking around the room.
Her eyes came to rest on the sliding glass door to the backyard.
“Alright. I know this might be insane, specially in broad daylight – wait, is daylight a problem?”

“Nah, it's fine. Debunked as a myth.” Steve shrugged, the imagine of Eddie glowing under the rays of morning sun in his bed flickering before his eyes. Annoyed with himself he shook his head to clear his mind. Stay focused, Steve.

“Okay, awesome.” Robin clapped her hands together. “So, I'd say since you have a private backyard and the forest real close, let him go there and he can drink from like – Bambi's mum? Does that work? Do we know if animal blood is fine? Should be right? I mean. Otherwise I don't really have an idea to be honest. I mean. It's not like he can just – bite any of us.”

“I guess your right. Not sure I like the idea of him running around in the woods alone. I think I should stay close. Just – in case? In case someone else is out there or in case the animal blood is no good. What do we do then?” Steve felt warm all over. It's almost like he wanted for the animal blood not to work. He'd be insane, right? Absolutely insane to actually rather feed his own blood to the other man and risk getting hurt. He felt mad at himself. For being a terrible friend. For not actually wanting to really help. For not understanding why he felt like that. The warmth felt suffocation all of a sudden. It felt like something that was dragging him down, pulling him somewhere he wasn't supposed to go.
So he mentally slapped himself and refused to allow these thoughts.

Eddie was going to go into his backyard and drink animal blood. And then everything was going to be fine. End of story.

- † -

Except everything turned out not to be fine.

Eddie came back down after a while. His hands were shaking as he descended the stairs down to join them back in the living room.
He didn't look like he calmed down one bit. Quite the opposite actually. He avoided any eye contact, gaze stubbornly fixed to the shiny cold tile floor, trying to hide his face behind his hair.

Steve guessed he had seem himself in the mirror and didn't like what he'd found.
He hated this. Eddie shouldn't feel like they thought of him as a monster. He didn't. And he'd make sure Eddie knew that as well.
“Hey, Eddie. You know we don't give a shit you look different now, okay?” Steve offered with a comforting smile on his face making sure to keep his distance even though he wanted to do the opposite.

Black eyes met his. Eddie looked downright terrified. “ That's bullshit! How can you seriously say that? I look like a monster, Harrington! Like a fucking – creature from a horror movie. It's fucked up! It's – it's... How am I supposed to just accept this? I don't even want to look at myself. How's anyone else ever going to be okay with this?” he gestured to himself, lips curled in disgust.

 

“I'm okay with it, Eddie. I am. I only care you're here.” He looked over at Robin beside him.
“And I'm sure everyone else is gonna care about only that as well. What matters is that we got you back. And we're gonna get you some blood now and then you'll feel better, okay?”

Robin nudged him approvingly in the side and then walked over to slide the door open that led to the backyard.
“Steve's right. I for one think you looks absolutely badass. Dustin will flip his shit. You look like an actual DnD character now, doofus.”

“Oh so I'm doofus now?” Eddie scoffed ignoring everything else Robin had said.

“Yeah you are. Dingus and doofus. The dream team” , she snickered and stepped out to the terrace next to the pool waving for them to follow after.
Steve liked the sound of that. Of them being a team. Figuring things out together. He wanted to.

He gestured for Eddie to step out to the backyard and kept a distance before he followed after. The three of them stood in the early morning sun, air still a little chilly making goosebumps rise on Steve's arm. The trees behind his house were rustling in the wind, the sun peeking through the leaves making the light dance in little circles before his eyes. It all seemed so peaceful now, that the danger of potential Demogorgon roaming the area was gone.

“Okay, so here's what we'll do. I'll go with you into the woods and since your senses seem to be somewhat heightened you should be able to like pick up a..scent? And then we'll find you a deer or a rabbit or whatever and hopefully that will fix your – cravings. “ Steve explained, trying to sound confident in the plan.

Eddie raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms in front of his chest. He opened his mouth to speak and then closed it. Opened it again. He kinds of looked like a sulking fish on land.
It would be kind of adorable if the circumstances were different. And if those black eyes weren't burning right into his soul. Guess they were not changing any time soon, hunger too strong now.
When he finally spoke he sounded mildly scandalized, voice high and shrill.
“You want me to – kill an animal? And stay round to watch me do so? Are you actually crazy?”

Steve shrugged his shoulders. “Well, you could always try to not kill whatever you find. Just – you know – take a couple drops. Maybe you don't need much.”

“Sure. Okay. Yeah, of course. Sounds easy peasy, Steve. Just your every morning breakfast routine, you know. I'll just – nibble a little. Yeah. ” Eddie's voice cracked.

Steve couldn't help but laugh. It was too cute.
Well. Not. Not cute. Just – whatever.

“Let's just try. We got nothing to lose. Come on, Dracula” and so he went ahead and walked into the forest, motioning for Robin to wait by the door and check if anyone would be able to see them.

- † -

Steve was leaning against a tree about twenty feet away, his hands buried in the front pocket of his swim team hoodie. He was watching Eddie crouching down on his legs, hands buried in the leaves and dirt of the forest ground, sniffing the air around him.

“Here goes nothing, Harrington.” he growled, voice rumbling deep in his chest now, instincts and hunger taking the upper hand.
Then he stilled, looking somewhere behind Steve for a second and then he was gone, leaving Steve standing alone in the small clearing, ran of so fast it looked like he teleported.
Since he couldn't hear anything he could only wonder what was happening but shortly after a rush of color reappeared. Eddie pretty much fell back into his field of vision. He leaned over on all fours, sputtering and couching, red dripping from his mouth onto the leaves.

“Shit, Eddie. Tell me what happened!” Steve immediately wanted to run to him but Eddie held up a bloody hand, telling him to stay back. His chest was heaving, he was spitting and retching.

“Uh – Let me guess. Animals don't work?” Steve stated the obvious.
His mind was already spiraling with what that meant. Actually meant. Eddie was still hungry. He needed blood. Human blood.

Eddie shook his head, leaves falling from his tangled curls.
“No” he coughed. “Guess they don't. Shit tastes like fucking acid. And I am so hungry, man.”

“Well shit.”

They needed a solution and they needed it now. His fingers were fumbling in his his hoodie pocket, coming to grab the small item in it. Fingers gliding over the cool edge of his pocket knife. He'd taken it with him, for safety. Now he was thinking to do something else with it. Something really stupid.

But Steve was know for diving head first into danger. Acting then thinking. So far he'd always come out the other end, damaged maybe but eventually fine. If Eddie didn't do it , Robin might actually attempt to kill him for this but he had made his decision.
This was going to be fine.

Hopefully.

He curtly unfolded the pocket knife as he approached Eddie, who was still crouching in the dirt.
“Alright, Munson. Only a drop, no biting. No funny business.” he said with feinted certainty in his voice.
Eddie raised his head, cleaning his face with the back of his hand and arm, spreading grime and blood all over. His borrowed white shirt was splattered with little drops of blood and his sweats were covered in soil.
“What the fuck do you - ?” he began but stopped mid sentence when his eyes fell on the knife in Steve's hand. His eyes widened and he began trembling.

And then Steve lifted the blade to the thumb of his left hand and pricked himself in the finger with the pointy tip of the knife. For a second nothing happened, when he folded the knife back into itself to put it away. Then a tiny red line appeared first, growing. Turning into a drop, turning larger before the surface tension broke and it started to run down in a narrow trail down his finger.

 

Before he could even blink Steve found himself pressed into the nearest tree, bark rough against his back. A solid body was pressed against his, two hands keeping his arm in a vice grip as Eddie's lips were firmly wrapped around his finger, licking the blood off of it.
Steve could hear his own pulse rushing in his ears, his heart fluttering at an abnormal speed in his chest at the sudden proximity.
Eddie smelled like his detergent mixed with earthy forest smells, his shoulder jammed against his chest to keep him in place. On of his legs was wedged between Steve's, the pressure of their legs touching feeling way to prominent and intimate.
And then there was Eddie's mouth. Touching him. Licking his finger.
His tongue was curling around it, like he was feasting on the best popsicle on the planet, small moans and groans escaping his bloodied lips as he moved to push his finger in deeper, as far as possible, lips touching the soft skin in the middle between his thumb and pointer finger. It made him shiver all over. There was about a hundred different emotions going through his body, one more confusing than the other. Then he felt Eddie sucking greedily at the wound, hollowing his cheeks and trying to get another drop out of it. But Steve hadn't actually hurt himself enough to keep the blood flowing for long.

“More” Eddie moaned, coming our slurred because he still kept his grip on Steve, not letting go if his finger. He sounded almost drunk. Overwhelmed from this little bit of human blood. “Please. One more drop. Please. I need it.”
The desperate tone made his stomach do a somersault. Eddie pressed his hip into his abdomen and he could swear he felt something there he really didn't want to think about.
This was wrong. But Eddie needed to feed. That's what was most important now.

“O-Open your mouth, Eddie.” he commanded, voice a little affected by the whole situation, slightly stumbling over his words.
And Eddie obeyed, pulled back, leaving his thumb wet with saliva. Eddie's saliva. For a split second Steve thought about liking it himself.
Ridiculous. Sick. His father was right. He was wrong. A disappointment. Damaged goods. No one in their right mind would think something like that.

His heart was hammering at full speed. Eddie looked at him, eyelids heavy and half closed, lips pulled back over his fangs, his tongue hanging out, still red with blood. His blood. He looked obscene.
Terrifying but so - tantalizing. His pale skin pure white under the sun that had risen high above them, killing their shadows. His dark hair contrasting with it, all wild and frizzy. Bloodied clothes, eyes still fixed on him, dark with hunger and something like desire.

Steve realized he was part of him now. His blood was inside of Eddie, nourishing him.
It sparked something like possessiveness. He was going to make him feel better. It was him.
He was useful. He was needed.
An affectionate smile was pulling at his lips as he moved his fingers closer to the vampire again.
“Don't move, Eddie. I'll give you a tiny bit more, okay? You're doing perfect.” he praised and then he carefully traced his thumb over one of Eddie's fangs. Like a scalpel it cut though the flesh, a stinging pain making him frown is displeasure until he felt Eddie's tongue darting out, lapping at the blood.
Pain forgotten he let out a little whine, high and embarrassing.
His free hand hovered in the air for a moment, before it came to slowly rest on top of Eddies head, his fingers finally raking through dark curls. It felt like an embrace. Finally. Ever since he'd found him at the trailer, he finally felt like there was no distance, like he finally believed Eddie was here wit him. Alive.

Hot tears were spilling over, running down his face while he smiled. Grief, joy and pain overwhelming him completely while Eddie Munson, pronounced dead man was drinking his blood.


“Holy shit!” Robins voice ripped through the silence of the woods and made both men jump, their heads spinning around back to the direction of the Harrington backyard.
“Well I guess that answers the question if the animal blood worked.” she deadpanned as her small figure appeared between the trees. She looked equal parts angry and baffled.

- † -

Notes:

People who comment will have the shiniest hair and a soft cold pillow at night! I love you!