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The sunlight coming through the trees cast dappled shadows over Eddie's thighs. Steve watched them raptly, the way the patterns shifted and stretched as the day wore on. He wanted to reach out and touch them, to see if there would be a textural difference where shadow and light met.
A shriek of laughter cut through Steve's focus, drawing his attention away from Eddie's legs and back to the lake. Max was perched on Lucas's shoulders and El was climbing back up onto Mike's shoulders. It was amazing, really, that they were all here in one place together, that they were each still in one piece. It'd been such a close thing, but they'd all made it through to the other side.
And now an era was coming to an end. He and Robin would be heading to Chicago in a week for Robin to start school, and Eddie would be going to Indianapolis to get things ready for the band. They'd known it was coming all summer, but that didn't make it any easier to swallow.
Steve's attention was pulled back to Eddie. He couldn't stop watching the way Eddie's fingers wrapped around his beer bottle, the way his throat bobbed as he took a drink. His mind flashed back to the night before, to the way those fingers had been wrapped around his cock. He could almost feel the wet press of Eddie's tongue, the dig of his teeth into hipbone as he marked his territory.
Steve shoved that thought out of his head. There was nothing to be claimed. They were just fooling around. A deadline had hung over their heads all summer, they couldn't be more than what they were even if Eddie had wanted to be, too. They'd both agreed to it, to enjoying the time they had until it was time for Steve to leave. And then that would be it, they would move on.
Steve should've known to account for the way his heart would ache a little more as summer drew to a close. Robin told him he fell too hard too fast and she'd been right. Steve had known she was right. He couldn't just let Eddie pass him by without giving things a shot, though. Not when whatever they'd been building towards was so strong, had so much pull over them both.
Enough pull to have them crossing lines and boundaries the first chance they had. They'd shared a joint, they'd each had a beer. It wasn't enough to be the reason they fell into one another, into Eddie's bed, into this agreement that might ruin him by the end.
Steve pushed himself to his feet. He could keep sitting there pining over something that could never be, or he could join the game of chicken the kids had going on. In the game of heartache or head injury, Steve would bet on head injury every time.
The game had been a good distraction, especially when Robin and Eddie decided to join them, too. It was impossible to focus on being sad when Robin's bony knees were digging into his back, or when he was dodging getting an elbow in the eye. Dinner after had been chaos. The kids had fought over who got to eat first, like there weren't more burgers on the grill already. Soda was spilled on a plate of waiting buns, causing a fight that might have come to blows with anyone else. Everything had calmed down again by the time the s'mores ingredients were brought out. Mike and Lucas helped Max and El roast their marshmallows (not that they needed the help, but the girls were happy to sit back and make the boyfriends do the work). Dustin and Robin started up a competition to see who could roast the perfect marshmallow, and soon Will and Erica were pulled into it, too.
It was the perfect time for Eddie to get up and slip away from the fire. Steve waited for a few minutes before climbing to his feet and following after.
The sleeping bags and pillows were already spread out on the floor of the van. Steve's heart skipped a beat at the sight of Eddie, propped up on his elbow with a space beside him meant just for Steve. Steve closed the van door and slipped into the space easily.
"How the hell does your hair still look good?" Eddie's grin was wide as he reached out to push Steve's hair out of his face. "You were swimming all day."
"I call it lakewater chic." Steve leaned towards Eddie's hand and gave him a smile.
"It works." Eddie's fingers ran down a strand of hair. He curled his hand around Steve's jaw and pulled him in for a kiss.
Steve would never get tired of kissing Eddie. Eddie tasted like chocolate and burnt marshmallows, like beginnings and endings. To help push the thought of endings out of his head Steve reached out to wrap his arm around Eddie and pull him closer.
Eddie's weight settled over him as the kiss was deepened. Steve moaned, sucked on Eddie's tongue as his fingers found the hem of Eddie's shirt.
"Impatient tonight, Stevie?" Eddie teased. That didn't stop him from lifting himself up to help get rid of the offending garment.
"Always." Steve leaned up and latched on to the juncture of neck and shoulder. He bit down, sucked just gentle enough to not leave a bruise that would be too obvious tomorrow.
"Fuck—" Eddie rolled down towards the space between Steve's thighs. Steve met the movement, let their bodies rock together as he kept working Eddie's skin between his teeth. Maybe it wouldn't be such a subtle bruise, he wasn't sure he had it in him to hold back just then.
There was a wet pop as Steve pulled off. Eddie was right there, capturing his mouth in another heated kiss. They worked together to get Steve's shirt off. Eddie's hands were warm where they traveled over Steve's chest. His lips left a trail of heat that Steve was sure had to be leaving scorch marks against his skin.
"Fuck, Steve." Eddie bit down above Steve's navel. There was nothing gentle about it, nothing careful. Steve cried out, moaned as he held on to Eddie's hair with both hands. The sting was sharp enough to bring tears to his eyes. Just when he was ready to beg for mercy Eddie's tongue was there, soothing the bruise with little flicks that had Steve's entire body vibrating with need.
"Eddie," Steve panted. "Please—"
"I know." Eddie bit down beneath Steve's navel, more gently but still hard enough that there would be a twin bruise. "I'll take care of you." His fingers curled around the waistband of Steve's swim trunks. He tugged them down until he could get his lips around the head of Steve's cock. He didn't stay there long, gave a teasing suck as he kept pushing Steve's trunks down until Steve could kick out of them.
Steve expected Eddie to stay down there, but Eddie had other plans. He covered Steve's body again, leaned in for a kiss so tender that Steve couldn't help the way he trembled. He met Eddie's tongue, tried to arch closer, to get more. It was a relief when Eddie's lube-slick fingers pressed against his entrance, started working him open.
"Steve." Eddie buried his face in Steve's neck. Again there was the dig of teeth. Steve didn't have enough brainpower left to remind Eddie that everyone would see, would know. Maybe he'd run out of room to care if they got caught at this point. Even if he had been able to remember why everyone finding out was a bad thing, Eddie's fingers dragging over his prostate killed the admonioshment in his mouth.
"Yes—"
Eddie groaned against the edge of his jaw. "You know how fucking sexy you sound, Steve?" he murmured. "How fucking beautiful you are like this?"
"Eddie—" Steve tugged Eddie up to kiss him again. His hips rolled down against Eddie's fingers, his body clenching tight to pull him deeper.
Eddie rocked down, dragging his cock against Steve's hip as they moved together. Two fingers became three and it was all Steve could do to keep it together, to keep himself from coming before Eddie's cock was even inside of him.
"Please— need you, Ed—" Blunt nails dug into Eddie's biceps like that would get him where Steve needed him. "Please."
Eddie's fingers slipped out of him, leaving Steve aching and empty. It wasn't for long, just long enough for Eddie to get his own trunks off and to smear the excess lube over his cock. He lined up, pushed inside slowly.
Steve buried his moan in Eddie's neck. One hand moved to Eddie's hip while the other held on to the back of his neck, fingers tangled in the hair at the base of his skull.
"I've got you." Eddie braced a hand against the floor of the van beside Steve's head. His other hand caught Steve's thigh, pulled it higher, letting their bodies slot even closer together.
"Please," Steve breathed against Eddie's lips again. They were so close, sharing the same breaths.
Eddie's hold shifted from Steve's leg up to his hip, to the small of his back. He lifted Steve's ass off of the floor as he pulled his hips back. The next thrust was hard, deep, sent pleasure lighting up his nerves.
"Yes!" Steve clung tighter, his fingers tugging carefully at Eddie's hair. "Eddie—"
"Yeah—" Eddie drove harder, held Steve impossibly closer. Steve's cock was trapped between their bodies, getting friction from Eddie's movements and smearing precome over his own stomach.
Steve dragged his hand down from Eddie's neck to his bicep, leaving pink scratches on Eddie's pale skin. He wrapped his leg around Eddie so there would be as little room between them as possible even when Eddie was pulling out.
"So good— so fuckin' beautiful—" Eddie released Steve's back, caught his hand, pinned it up by his head.
Steve was overwhelmed in the best way. He tightened his legs around Eddie's hips as he sped up even more. Between kisses, shared breaths, between one thrust and the next, Steve toppled over the edge and spilled between their bodies.
"Fuck— Steve—" Eddie's movements became more erratic. Steve held on tight to Eddie's ass to make sure he didn't pull out.
"Eddie— wanna feel you, please—"
Eddie followed after him. He came with his hips pressed to Steve's ass, with his lips pressed to the two moles beneath Steve's jaw. His movements slowed until he was just grinding, pushing his come deeper into Steve's body.
Steve huffed out a laugh and finally let his legs loosen from around Eddie's hips. He would be sore tomorrow, but it would be more than worth it. He closed his eyes as the world settled around them. "Fuck, I love you."
Eddie froze in Steve's arms. "What?"
"Hmm?" Steve didn't bother opening his eyes, just stroked lazily over Eddie's spine.
"Say that again."
Steve thought back, tried to remember what he'd— oh fuck. Panic swelled in his chest. His stomach rolled, tears pricked at the back of his eyes. "It's— I—" He couldn't get the words out, could only nudge Eddie off of him.
"Steve, wait—"
Steve had already found his swim trunks, was already pulling them back on. "I've gotta— Robin's probably wondering where I am, we left her out there alone—"
"She's not alone, she's with the kids. Steve, just— wait—"
"I have to—" Steve dug through the blankets, trying to find his shirt. He found one and pulled it on, didn't care whether it actually was his or if it was Eddie's.
"Steve—"
"It's—"
"Steve!"
Steve froze with his hand on the door. He couldn't bear to look at Eddie, to see what he could already feel coming written on Eddie's face. He fixed his gaze on the window and did his best to stave off the impending meltdown. "I'm sorry. It's— I didn't—"
"Hey." Eddie reached out slowly, knowing Steve was a spooked animal who could run at any moment. It didn't feel like a far off comparison. "Will you come back over here and just sit with me for a minute? Buckley's fine, the kids are all fine. Just… c'mere."
Steve actually felt his lip wobble as he removed himself from the safety of the door handle. He cleared his throat and folded himself onto the blankets again. "I didn't mean to say that. It's okay, Eddie, I know that— there were rules, I crossed a line, I fucked up, we can just— pretend like it didn't happen. I don't expect you to say anything. I—"
Eddie caught both of Steve's hands and pulled them to his chest. "Steve. Sunshine, just look at me, okay?"
Steve lifted his head and finally met Eddie's gaze. "Yeah?"
Eddie's expression was soft. He pulled Steve's hands to his lips and pressed a kiss to each of his knuckles. "You didn't give me enough time to respond," he murmured. "You started freaking out before there was any reason to." He unfolded Steve's hand, pressed a kiss to the center of his palm. "I've wanted to tell you I love you for weeks now."
Steve's breath hitched in his chest. "What?"
"Yeah." Eddie pressed Steve's palm to his chest and held it there with his own hand. "I didn't want to say anything that could ruin your plans with Robin, but…" He rested their foreheads together. Steve hadn't realized it was possible for Eddie's eyes to look even more tender than they already had. "Even if I could stand to be away from you, that's not what I want. I could make it big in Indy tomorrow and it wouldn't mean shit if you weren't there beside me."
Steve's eyes welled up again. He swallowed past the lump in his throat. "Really?"
"Yeah, sunshine. Really." Eddie wrapped both arms around Steve's waist. Under any other circumstances Steve would feel silly for being the only one wearing clothes. Just then he couldn't care less, not when Eddie was petting his hair and pressing gentle kisses to the exposed skin of his shoulder.
"I've already been talking to Robin about it. There's a music scene in Chicago, too, we can break out there just as easily." Eddie took Steve's face in his hands. "I don't want to be somewhere you're not, Steve Harrington. Because I love you."
Steve made a choking sound. His hands tangled in Eddie's hair again as their lips met in a salt tinged kiss. When he broke the kiss his cheeks were wet and his heart was pounding harder than he was sure it'd ever gone before. "Eddie Munson, if you're joking—"
"I'm not!" Eddie assured him. "I wouldn't do that. It's all true, you can ask Robin." He wiped Steve's tears away with his thumbs. "We were going to bring it up to you after the camping trip, see what you thought about splitting rent three ways instead of two."
Steve locked his arms around Eddie's neck. "We already had a two bedroom picked out," he said. "I think… maybe you'll just have to deal with splitting rent three ways and sharing a room."
Eddie's laugh thawed more the panic from Steve's body. "I think that's a pretty fair deal." He bumped their noses together, stole another soft kiss. "So long as you won't keep running off, every time you tell me you love me."
"We can test that right now." Steve sat back to see Eddie's face better in the light that came through the windows. "I love you, Eddie Munson." He looked around, like he'd expected himself to disappear. He grinned and finally looked back at Eddie. "What do you know, looks like I'm not running away this time, either."