Work Text:
Waiting for two days to pass was mild torture, especially after the handjob and blowjob from Steve. They hadn’t done anything else that day, except get clean from the mess he’d made of Steve, and the anticipation of what their date would hold was living like a parasite in Eddie’s brain. Why was Steve so adamant about sticking to rules that Eddie put in place? Didn’t Steve also feel on the verge of going insane with the fact that they had two wait two whole school days for their date?
“Mr. Munson, please, control those restless legs of yours. You’re jingling,” the teacher reprimanded.
Eddie sighed and stopped moving his legs from causing the chain on his pants from sounding. He couldn’t help but kind of smirk in amusement about the ‘jingling’ part. There was always a first for everything to be said to him and that was definitely one of them. He glanced over at Steve, who was smiling over at him. Good to know they both saw the humor in the jingle-jangle.
When Steve focused on the lesson, Eddie remained staring at Steve. He’d occasionally look at his watch to check the time and then the clock on the wall to see if the school was behind in minutes, but they were the same. Eddie knew he should’ve been listening to the lesson and the assignment that was going to be given with it, but it was the last fucking class of the day…And today was the day. Date day.
He just wanted it to be fucking over. He could work with Steve later on catching up with what he missed in class, but he needed the hands on the clock to move faster. Eddie looked away from the time and back to Steve, finding that that helped relax his anxious nerves. Man, Steve looked so good today. He really had listened to giving Eddie the full Steve Harrington experience. Yeah, Steve always looked good, but it was clear that he’d put his best clothes on and did his hair just right.
Eddie had caught a whiff of cologne—or maybe it was Steve’s soap—while sitting next to him at lunch today with Eddie’s friends. What had Eddie done to look nice for today? He’d showered and then showered again, just to be sure, then he put on his jeans that he didn’t put holes in the knees of, and he actually wore a normal black t-shirt…Nothing on it. It was shocking to him that he even owned such an item in his closet. He preferred to have bands on it or his own designs he’d ironed/painted on. This plain shirt obviously missed the latter. He also didn’t have his vest on, keeping it simple with his leather jacket. He looked sleek and ready for picture day…Minus the chain on his pants that was jingling again because his legs were mindlessly bouncing.
“Mr. Munson,” the teacher began.
The bell rang.
Everyone screeched their chairs away from the desks to stand, and Eddie hopped over his desk with his backpack in hand, moving between students and desks to get to Steve.
“Freak,” someone muttered.
That didn’t matter. What mattered was Steve as he settled right in front of him with a big smile.
“I’m ready for my present,” Eddie said.
“Present?” Steve asked playfully. “I didn’t know that I was supposed to bring a present. That seems a little pricey for a first date.”
Eddie rolled his eyes. “You are my present, Steve. The date is just the bow and wrapping paper.”
Steve took Eddie’s hand in his and exited the classroom with him.
Even two days after Steve’s public speech in the cafeteria, Eddie was still shocked that Steve really didn’t care about his reputation anymore. It had been constant public displays of affection with Steve on Tuesday and today—Wednesday—regardless if they were alone or not. Steve’s love language was definitely touch and quality time, and Eddie had never thought in his wildest dreams that he would love it and be scared by it. Being scared was more because of the fact that not everyone looked the other way with them, like any normal couple. While they didn’t make-out in the hallways, they did kiss and hold hands. Steve even liked to put his hand in Eddie’s right back pocket, since the left was always occupied by a bandana, and he’d lean into Eddie.
It was nice. Protective. Eddie felt safe with Steve.
Those that ignored them still respected Steve, not knowing how to shift their view of the guy they knew to dating ‘the Freak’…someone of the same sex. Then, the ones that struggled the most and weren’t so kind…
“Anyone know a way to break a spell?” Tommy called from where he was leaning beside Billy’s locker with Carol as Steve and Eddie passed in the hallway.
“Probably thinks he’s with a girl with that hair. Went from one brunette to the next. He has a type,” Carol smirked.
Not the first time he’d been compared to a girl, but Eddie hadn’t thought about how he and Nancy were similar with their hair. She also had curls. Steve really did have a type.
Eddie squeezed Steve’s hand in his to assure him that what was said was okay. He pulled Steve to Steve’s locker, since it was the first one they ran into. The sooner they got their stuff the better.
“Sure made up fast. If I remember, from that speech, Steve had two days. That’s today. They’ve been with each other in that time,” Tommy observed.
“Who do you think fucks who?” Carol asked, then grabbed onto Tommy’s arm as she laughed. “Oh my god, I just…I just had the grossest image of them having sex.”
Tommy made a face of disgust and pushed himself away from the locker. Eddie didn’t like how Tommy was looking at Steve.
“Steve probably fucked him. Steve’s too chicken shit to take it from another guy. Then again…he’s always been a whiny, pathetic bitch,” Tommy spat.
Before Eddie could get truly angry, he flinched at the sound of Steve slamming his locker and shooting across the hall to Tommy. Eddie watched Steve press Tommy into the wall of lockers.
“What are you going to do, huh? Fight me? We all saw how that went with Jonathan last year and that fight you lost with someone in November,” Tommy further provoked.
Eddie came up behind Steve to place his hand on his shoulder, pulling him back and off. Stepping between Steve and Tommy, he locked eyes with Steve for a moment, then turned around to face the asshole glaring at them.
“Go be jealous somewhere else, Hagan,” Eddie replied.
Tommy scoffed and became flustered in confusion and rage. “What?”
“You heard me,” Eddie said, taking a step closer. “The green monster is a nasty bitch, but even more so when it is stuck in the closet.”
“He’s not gay,” Carol defended.
There was silence as Tommy was still boiling and trying to figure out how to retaliate.
Carol frowned and came away from the lockers to stand more in front of Tommy to look at his face better. “You’re not gay.”
“I…” Tommy stuttered.
“You have feelings for Steve?!” Carol yelled.
Holy shit. Eddie was right? He’d just said it without thinking.
Carol glanced between the three men, then stormed off.
“Carol!” Tommy called after her and ran to follow her into the bathroom.
They could be heard yelling in there. There was something about a threesome that they’d had with Steve and asking if that was the moment and—
“We’re done here,” Billy gruffly spoke, shutting his locker and moving away from the dramatic moment that had happened to head to the doors to the parking lot.
Steve stepped closer to Eddie and lowered his voice. “How did you know? I didn’t even know.”
Eddie turned to face him. “I didn’t.”
Slowly, they began to laugh in disbelief.
“You had a threesome with Tommy and Carol?” Eddie asked.
Steve lightly pushed his shoulder and led them to Eddie’s locker for his stuff next. Eddie bounced after Steve, trying to figure out when all of this happened and if it happened more than once because wow. He wouldn’t have thought Steve was that adventurous.
He opened his locker to grab his lunchbox and other books from the classes that had homework. While he did so, he wondered…
“Did you two ever…you know…during…” Eddie dropped off.
Steve shook his head. “No. We kept it very separate. Carol was the main feature.”
Eddie tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. “How?”
“We were drunk after a party at someone’s house and went back to Tommy’s to hang out. It kind of evolved into that. We never did it again after. So, if you are wondering if I’m still a virgin in terms of being with another guy…I am. You have the three firsts,” Steve assured.
Well, that was good. Eddie cherished those firsts with Steve on both accounts. There was something selfishly amazing about that fact that they were going through this together.
“Okay,” Eddie nodded and closed his locker, slinging his backpack over his shoulder. “So you have an ex that isn’t Nancy, without knowing you had an ex. I can work with that.”
“You’re okay that I had a threesome with my old best friends?” Steve asked.
“Yep. I think the more important question is…are you okay? You just found out that Tommy had feelings for you.”
They began to walk to the door to the school to head out.
He could tell that Steve was pondering that question pretty seriously. As he should. It was a pretty hefty realization that the friend that you had was in love with you. Eddie wouldn’t know what that felt like, but he could image that it was world shaking. Just how long had Tommy liked Steve? With how Tommy acted around Steve for years…Eddie was guessing it had been a long time. Probably many years before the threesome even happened. Being drunk and having Carol there was just the perfect excuse.
Poor Carol.
Oh jeez. Eddie was feeling bad for Carol?
“Yeah, I think I am. I don’t feel that way about him. He’s always just been my best friend, who now isn’t. It does kind of explain some things, now that I think about it,” Steve dropped off.
“Like?” Eddie prompted, gently nudging Steve with his elbow.
“Like how he got so uptight and jealous when Nancy came into the picture. When I told him that she was different than the other girls. A more serious relationship than I’ve had,” Steve replied.
“Ah,” Eddie nodded. “And now he’s even worse because Nancy wasn’t the one and you turned to me. A guy. The Freak…Not him.”
Stopping at Steve’s car together, since they had come to school with each other to save gas and time for their date today, Steve stared at Eddie. He looked down at their hands as Steve took them and squeezed.
“You’re not a freak,” Steve breathed.
Eddie squeezed Steve’s hands back. “As long as I’m in this town, I am.” He let one hand go, lifting his up to cup Steve’s cheek. “But that’s okay. It’s kind of like a badge of honor for me.”
He smiled and kissed Steve on the lips. It started out soft, then Steve tugged Eddie in closer and opened his mouth to welcome a deeper kiss with tongue. Eddie sighed into the moment that was kind of a confirmation that Steve really didn’t want anyone else and had actually chosen him of all people in Hawkins. He couldn’t help but feel a little smug that Tommy was put out by them being a couple. For once, Eddie got to have something that no one could have and wanted. Call it petty, but Eddie kind of deserved to be that way in this town…in this moment…with Steve.
Pulling back from the kiss, they rested their foreheads together and just smiled at each other. A bit of cold, wintry wind washed over them, making them shiver.
“Okay, time to get in the car to warm up and head to our date,” Steve broke the silence.
Eddie nodded and watched as Steve opened the passenger side door for him to get in. Such a gentleman. He smiled like a fool as his eyes followed Steve going around the front of the car to the driver’s side before climbing in to start the car. They had to wait for the heaters to do their magic, then Eddie was pretty much there for the ride to figure out where they were going for their first date. The problem with Hawkins was that if you’d grown up there you knew exactly where everything was. Every source of entertainment, place to eat, and make-out spot.
What was completely unexpected was the fact that Steve was pulling up into the parking lot of The Hide Out. It was just outside of town, it was where Eddie played with his band on Tuesday nights, and…the place was packed on a Wednesday night. What on earth was going on? Eddie looked at the marquee.
“No,” Eddie said, then vehemently shook his head. “No, no, no. Nope. Nah uh. I’m not fucking line dancing. I didn’t even know that they did this shit here. Why are there so many people?”
He looked at Steve, who was grinning devilishly.
“You wanted the Harrington Experience, this is it,” Steve replied.
“This is cruel,” Eddie fired back, but unbuckled his seatbelt anyways. “I am vastly uncoordinated when it comes to dancing. It’s why I jump and headbang.”
Getting out of the car, Eddie pouted and deflated. He could get why a girl would be excited to do something like this with Steve. He had wanted to find out what it was like to go on a Steve Harrington date that was gushed about in the school halls, and Steve was right…This was it. He looked at Steve, who came around the back of the car to sneak up and take Eddie’s hand in his.
“It’ll be fun. Trust me,” Steve whispered.
He sighed and nodded. “I do.”
He did. He trusted Steve. Even through the pain of the holidays and the uncertainty of Steve after the Halloween Party…he trusted him.
Eddie let himself be led inside, paying at the coat check and getting their hand stamped for the event. It was standard to put another stamp on to indicate who was underage for the bartenders to know, but Eddie had been there plenty of times with his band that they let him have a free pass. With Steve being his guest, he was included in that, which had Steve raising his brows in intrigue.
“I’ve known the owner since I was 8 and my uncle needed someone to babysit me during his night shifts. She used to live in the trailer park, but now lives in the studio apartment attached to the back of this place that she renovated. Ever since, I get free snacks and drinks…though, my taste in drinks has evolved since I was that young,” he winked.
Entering the main space of the bar, Eddie soon paled upon seeing people in their most Southern outfits. Some had cowboy boots and hats that they got god knows where, while others just kept to the general theme of jeans and some form of the Dukes of Hazard shirts that the family would wear in the show. His uncle loved that show, while Eddie really only liked the car.
“Want to jump right in or get some food first?” Steve asked.
“Neither,” Eddie replied fast from the fear talking.
Steve leaned in. “Do I need to dare you to get on the dancefloor?”
Eddie frowned and looked at him, only to chuckle in realization. “Maybe. Might have to dare me throughout the entire thing.”
“Oh? Multiple dares in one evening? That’s going to be a record.”
It definitely would be. So far, they had done one dare in a day, but they recently progressed to two dares in the same day on Monday during lunch and at Steve’s house. New year, more dares.
“Okay, let’s see,” Steve paused to look around and determine how to do this. “I guess we start with the obvious. I dare you to come with me out onto the dancefloor.”
His nerves skyrocketed at that, but he just had to remember that it was a dare. A challenge. Eddie wouldn’t back down from a challenge, would he?
Taking initiative, Eddie gripped Steve’s hand in his tightly and pulled Steve onto the dancefloor with everyone else. He had them join at the back of the group, so as not to mess anyone else up. Of course, once he was among everyone moving around, he didn’t know what else to do. It all seemed too complicated with how their legs wove with the beat. How did everyone know what move was next? Was there some kind of class they all took? There was no way this was just for normal people to just jump into the mix without any prep.
“Steve…” Eddie prompted.
“I dare you to follow along and dance with me,” Steve provided.
Slowly, and somewhat shakily, Eddie crossed his right leg over his left when everyone did, but he wasn’t nearly as fast as they were. He tried to hurry and do the next move, but he was one move behind…now two…now three.
“I can’t, Steve. This is—”
“You can,” Steve assured.
Inhaling deeply, Eddie held it for a moment as he mimicked to the best of his capabilities the next move. He could tell that they were repeating the moves that he was struggling with, so it was a little relieving to see that there was a pattern to it. Like a song. You repeat certain chords for the verse and chorus, it was just about finding the placement of his body instead of his fingers.
“There you go,” Steve praised, seeing Eddie starting to get it…even through the stumbling and tangling of his legs.
Eddie gave a twitch of a smile at the encouragement. He bit his bottom lip and exhaled through his nose, letting his tongue sneak out during his concentration. He was getting it. He was actually getting it.
The song was over.
“Wait, wait. What? I was just doing the thing!” Eddie whined and stopped dancing when everyone did.
“There’s always more songs,” Steve smiled as another one started up.
Eddie frowned. “Yeah, but the dance is different. How the fuck am I supposed to learn something, if they keep changing it?”
That kind of hit a little too close to home. It was how he felt with school, especially with this being his second year as a senior, things didn’t look the same as they had the first time around.
Hands smoothed to his waist to give a small squeeze as Steve faced him. Eddie met his eyes in their own little bubble that they’d created, and Eddie’s frustrations melted fraction by fraction the longer they were like this.
“I’m right here to help you.”
Okay, so Eddie melted fully at that. Steve knew exactly what to say, and Eddie couldn’t have been more thankful that Steve was doing this with him. That he wasn’t alone.
“Dare me again,” Eddie said.
“I dare your Bambi on ice legs to dance with me,” Steve voiced the dare one more time.
“Bambi on ice, huh?” Eddie teased, but it wasn’t too far off.
Separating from each other, Eddie faced the direction everyone else was and tried again…and again, and again. By the fourth song, Eddie was actually having fun and moving in time with everyone. He was still a little clumsy, but he had the general mechanics of line dancing. It did give him an idea to incorporate it into a D&D session to have his Hellfire Club members get information they needed from a source. If someone tried to roll for persuasion to bypass the rules and succeeded, he could either have them be the only ones to do the dance and the party would be exempt, or they would could sit on the sidelines to offer support for their party to complete the task instead.
Look at Eddie turning something normie into D&D.
Eddie also got another idea as he smiled and laughed, coming to a stop while everyone waited for the next song to be chosen.
“Hey Steve?”
“Mhm?” Steve hummed.
“I dare you to kiss me,” Eddie said. “With everyone watching.”
Steve had a deer in headlights look about him. Who was Bambi now, huh?
“You know…for the Steve Harrington Date Experience?” he added.
Steve realized what Eddie meant and nodded.
It was one thing to step up on the cafeteria tables and proclaim to the school his feelings for Eddie, but another to kiss in public…in a room full of adults that were dancing beside them. It was a big step, but Eddie wouldn’t have dared Steve to do something so scary if he didn’t think that Steve was ready. They both knew that they could back out of any dare if it was truly not what they wanted to do as two consenting young adults. Besides, the place was a safe place. Becky, the owner, made sure of that, what with having a girlfriend herself, but she’d also been the one to find out first that Eddie liked guys before Wayne. Hell, before even Eddie fully realized it himself.
He gasped as Steve reached an arm around his waist to press into his back and bring them chest to chest. The kiss came without any hesitance and Eddie melted into it. It made him forget the country music playing and people line dancing. It made him feel like they were the only two people in the world.
When the kiss broke, Eddie was left in a daze, swaying idly side to side with Steve. He smiled lazily and opened his eyes to see Steve smiling as well.
“I think I’m done dancing,” Eddie hummed.
“Me too. Let’s get something to eat and drink,” Steve agreed.
Taking each other’s hand, they left the dancefloor and went to the bar to see Becky and her girlfriend smirking.
“Well, well. I thought I’d never see the day that you’d find someone to bring here for a date, let alone on a line dancing night,” Becky commented.
Eddie rolled his eyes. “It’s our first date, and Steve planned it. You’re not the only one surprised that I’m here. I didn’t even know that you hosted this kind of thing.”
Becky began to pop off caps from a couple of beer bottles that she slid over to them. Eddie’s usual.
“Congrats on your first date. Nice to meet you, Steve,” she replied. “And the line dancing has been going on for the past year? Right, babe?”
Lisa nodded in confirmation as she pulled out an order slip to write down what to send back to Hank in the kitchen.
“It was her idea,” Becky smiled.
“And look at us now, full house,” Lisa playfully bumped Becky’s hip. “What’ll you boys have?”
Eddie loved seeing Becky and Lisa so happy. Becky was a lot like him that she loved metal, which was why she allowed his band to play on Tuesday nights, while Lisa still liked it, she loved pop and country music more. They matched each other pretty well in other ways, even when their music tastes deviated slightly.
“I’ll have a cheeseburger with tots, a pickle spear on the side, and a side of ranch and ketchup, please,” Eddie ordered.
“That actually sounds really good, I’ll have the same, but can I please I have bacon on my burger?” Steve asked.
“Sure can,” Lisa nodded and headed off to give the order to Hank.
Steve leaned over. “Why the side of ranch?”
“I like to dip my tots and fries into both the ketchup and the ranch at the same time. Trust me, it has such a good zing to it,” Eddie replied.
“That’s our Eddie. A good zing,” Becky winked and went to fill more drink orders from people coming to the bar between dancing.
He appreciated her kind words. She always knew that he was nothing like his father, seeing the good in him and his potential. Eddie had a good support system, and he didn’t know where he’d be without them, honestly. Maybe he would’ve fully followed his dad’s footsteps? The thought made him internally shudder at the idea of being in jail like his dad was right now.
Thumbing the label on the beer bottle, he looked at Steve, who was watching him with a soft, considering expression on his face.
“What?” Eddie asked.
“A good zing,” Steve said.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah,” Steve smiled and took a pull from his beer.
Eddie blushed and tilted his chin down to let his hair curtain more around his face in a bashful manner. Jeez, Steve really knew how to make a guy feel like the only person in the world, even though he was just repeating what Becky had said.
The rest of the time at The Hide Out was just enjoying each other’s company as they ate and drank, along with brushing limbs and giving furtive glances. They were heavily flirting without even saying a single word. It was electric, and Eddie couldn’t wait for them to leave this place to find out where else they were going to go.
When they left, it was with waves and well wishes from Becky and Lisa to have a fun rest of their first date. Steve wrapped his arm around Eddie’s back, and Eddie did the same before they found their hands into the back pockets of their pants. Very couple-like. It was really nice…like really nice. It was something that Eddie didn’t think he’d find in Hawkins, but maybe in a big city that couldn’t care less what you were doing because they had other things on their minds. Unlike a small town. Doing this with Steve made Eddie feel like they had nothing and no one to worry about.
Eddie yelped from Steve suddenly squeezing his ass cheek through the pocket and using that leverage to turn Eddie and press into the side of Steve’s car. He willingly accepted the kiss, tilting his head for a better angle as their tongues brushed against each other’s and their bodies slotted perfectly in line. After a bit of making out, Steve stopped and looked at him.
“I’d normally take a girl to Skull Rock or go back to my place,” Steve said.
“But…” Eddie provided slowly, knowing that there was a ‘but’ left unsaid.
“I don’t want to have our first time at a rock, in the back of a car, or somewhere that I’ve been with others. I want a first time with the place too.”
Oh.
Eddie searched Steve’s eyes, seeing that he meant it. Fuck, those eyes and words really warmed his heart.
“I think I know a place,” Eddie replied, sliding his hand to the front pocket of Steve’s jeans to remove the keys. “But I’m driving.”
He smirked and jingled them in the air.
Steve laughed, giving Eddie a peck on the lips. “Works for me.”
Slipping out from between Steve and the car, Eddie went around to the driver’s side to climb in and behind. It was kind of weird being at the wheel of Steve’s vehicle. This would probably be most people’s dream, what with it being such a nice ride and…belonging to Steve Harrington. He inserted the key into the ignition, ready to get going, only to be reminded to put his seatbelt on from Steve. Rolling his eyes, Eddie did what was told of him to make Steve happy, then he backed out of the parking spot to head to one of his favorite spots in all of Hawkins during the winter.
He drove and drove, passing trees and really confusing Steve. By the time they pulled up to the cabin, Eddie was smiling like a fool at how dumbfounded Steve was.
“Where are we?” Steve asked.
“A friend of mine lives here, but he keeps getting thrown into jail for dealing and possession of drugs, only to come back home in a couple months because they can’t make it stick without the proper evidence. He’s basically a regular there, and I kind of think he likes the free meals and care he receives,” Eddie said. “Anyways, he lets me come here to crash whenever I want. I don’t come here often, but it’s nice to know I have a safehouse outside of Wayne’s if ever there was an occasion.”
“Like sex?” Steve smirked.
Eddie gave him a look and got out of the car. They walked to the front door together, but he noticed that Steve was looking off to the side, while he pulled out the hidden spare key.
“That’s the boathouse,” Eddie explained and unlocked the door, tucking the key back into place. “We’re on Lovers Lake. Only been in the boat a couple times with Wayne to fish. He didn’t like that it was Rick’s house, but he appreciated having a free boat for the lake, so he looked the other way those times.”
Eddie entered first, flipping on the lights to illuminate the living room on the left and a bar top on the right that usually hosted people doing lines of coke, or other drug matters, besides just strictly being drink related. There was a hallway ahead that led to the kitchen, a guest bedroom, and a half bath, while a second hallway was along the left wall, behind a cream colored, high-backed chair. The sun room was that way, along with the master bedroom and bathroom in the back of the house. That was probably the last place that he wanted to go with Steve. Who knew what the state of Rick’s bed was, and it seemed rude to go the distance there anyways. The guest bedroom wasn’t really any better, what with the people that Rick would have over to stay with him…
Why did Eddie bring them here? Did he really want their first time to be at Reefer Rick’s? It wasn’t like he could go out on the boat onto the lake and do it there either. It was fucking January, the coldest month. Of course, the other obvious was that the boat would probably rock so much they’d fall into the lake and that was just not a fun idea. Coming here had sounded like a good prospect, at the time, but now? Eddie felt like a deer in headlights. What did he do? Where would they go?
“Hey, are you okay?” Steve asked, placing a gentle hand on Eddie’s shoulder.
Slowly, Eddie looked at Steve and the worries went away. Staring into those beautiful, brown eyes just seemed to make things right.
“We don’t have to do anything here or even tonight,” Steve assured.
“Are you a mind reader?” Eddie replied.
Steve’s lips quirked into an amused half smile.
“Does he have hot chocolate in the house?” Steve voiced.
“Who is supposed to be in charge of this portion of the surprise?”
“I’m just giving some hints.”
Eddie nodded. “Yeah, he should. Follow me.”
They walked down the main hallway to the kitchen, where they collected two mugs, found some hot chocolate that was expired by 4 months, and heated up some water to make their drinks. Once a hot beverage was in hand, Eddie took the lead again and brought them to the sun room. He didn’t turn the light on, wanting to see the lights sparkle of other houses sporadically spaced around the large lake through the windows. Before sitting down, they grabbed a couple blankets and sat close together on the couch to snuggle while their drinks cooled down a bit.
Eddie’s head rested on Steve’s shoulder, and Steve’s cheek rested on top of Eddie’s head in return.
“So, how did I do for our first date? Was it everything you wanted?” Steve whispered.
“It was unexpected…but perfect,” Eddie said. “The best date ever…My only date, actually.”
Steve shifted and tucked a knuckle under Eddie’s chin to lift and meet Eddie’s eyes.
“I was your first date?”
Eddie nodded. “Yeah. No one is exactly knocking down my door to take me out or anything special like that. They usually only knock to ask for drugs.”
Steve frowned. “They’re missing out.”
Eddie slowly shook his head and reached a hand up to cup Steve’s face. “Not really. The only person I ever really wanted was you, and it’s a miracle that that ever came true. You think I should send a gift basket to Tommy and Billy for setting us up from a dare?”
Steve snorted, and they both laughed at the idea of that.
“I’m glad that I could be your first…not just a date, or kiss, or whatever…but…everything,” Steve breathed.
“Me too,” Eddie softly replied.
Eddie watched Steve’s eyes flick from his to Eddie’s lips and back again before leaning in and closing the distance to kiss Eddie. He sighed into the kiss, taking their time just enjoying the moment and each other.
When they finally separated, they continued to cuddle in silence, and occasionally sipped their hot cocoa until it was gone. Snuggled in warm blankets with warm drinks in their bellies, they closed their eyes and fell asleep wrapped in each other’s arms…in their own bubble, in their own small corner of Hawkins.