Crashed the wedding, Part 7
Eddie had no grand speech prepared, he had nothing, his whole job was to wing it, which was probably a good thing because anything he’d have prepared to say, would have flown right out of the metaphorical window when he saw Steve.
He’d only just managed that witty quip as he Aragon’d his way through those doors, all the breath just taken right out of him god he was still as beautiful as the day Eddie left, nine years hadn’t touched him at all. His hair still impossibly perfect, even though he’d clearly not put much effort into it for the day, his glasses still made him look like the cutest pre-school teacher ever, and the moles.
Lord have mercy on his poor soul, the moles. He was too gay for this. He just wanted to skip everything, get directly to wrapping Steve up in the cosiest of sweaters, and handing him the tastiest mug of hot cocoa like he deserved, and just cuddling him for the rest of his life.
“E-Excuse me sir, we hadn’t actually gotten to that part yet” The reverend’s voice hesitantly cut through the silence that seemed to carry on for way longer than intended. The man choosing not to mention that the senior Harringtons had instructed him to remove the offer to the guests to object from the ceremony speech citing that they wouldn’t need it.
“Yeah well, it’s not like I had a damn invitation to sit in and wait, did I?” Eddie snapped right back, shaking himself up. He had a job to do, a love of his life to rescue, and no goddamn idea as to how he was supposed to do that if Steve wasn’t reacting in any way other than just staring at him with wide-eyed, open-mouthed surprise.
“What the hell is he doing here?” Steve heard from his left, turning to find his father’s face had turned a curious shade of red in apparent anger. The man quickly turning his eye onto his son hissing “did you have something to do with this?” At him. God Steve wished. He’d have given anything to have had the courage to just pick up the damn phone and call Eddie before all this shit went down.
Nine goddamn years, he wished he’d have picked up the phone each and every single day, but he hadn’t, too many missed calls, too many excuses for him to keep trying, he’d been so sure that Eddie had just… moved on, convincing himself more and more with each failed attempt to stay in touch that maybe… maybe it was just for the best.
Eddie was famous, for something good… besides the shit that happened during Vecna’s little bitch fit, Eddie hadn’t stepped a toe out of line in nine whole years, no scandals, no drug addiction stories, no compromising paparazzi shots in the papers, he sang his songs, played his nerd games, he showed up as ‘Metal Santa’ at Children’s hospitals with the other bandmates dressed as goofy elves, giving out toys all out of his own pocket, he helped out at soup kitchens on the weekends when he wasn’t busy, did charity auctions of random shit for troubled youth charities, he was good. The only time he’d had an issue was early ’88 with a mild drinking problem but Dustin knocked some sense into him on that one and he’d cleaned up his act by September the same year.
He looked mean and scary sometimes, but nobody, not a single person could ever accuse him of being anything but good. Steve was just… Steve.
A man going nowhere, stuck in his hometown with nothing to offer him. It’d been so easy to convince himself to just stop trying. Eddie didn’t need him, Eddie probably didn’t want him, he could have anyone, why would he want him?
Steve didn’t answer his father, instead turned back to the intruder, a smile fighting at the corner of his lips as he witnessed the man telling one of the bride’s huffy aunts to pipe the fuck down. “Eddie? The hell are you doing here?” How could he let his mind force him to doubt when Eddie was right there as if he’d heard that one wish Steve had spoken only in his mind.
“Rescuing you, sweetheart, can’t say I’m the most impressive of cavalry but at least I look good, which is more than I can say for your bride, yikes ma’am you just faceplant into a cake made up entirely of makeup this morning? Not a good look, I can see where the foundation meets the rest of your neck. One word, blend.” Liar, she looked flawless, but the outraged gasp of an offended bride was worth it. The shit stirring little fucker. “It will change your life.”
“Steven—” Harriet huffed, turning to her groom expectantly “aren’t you even going to—”
“No.” Steve immediately cut her off with a short, snort of a laugh, eyes still on Eddie as the man approached, his bride immediately turning to her parents to loudly complain about the interruption, Steve tuned her out completely, he’d tuned everything out, focusing entirely on Eddie “you could have worn a shirt, man.”
“And miss the warm Indiana breeze on my nip? I think not Steven.” Steve scrunched up his nose in distaste “Stevie? Steve-o, Ooh, ooh… Estebe?”
“That means Stebe and you know it means Stebe.”
“I know but you always thought it was cute.” He was within reaching distance now, so close he could touch him, could touch him to ensure he was real, that he hadn’t just hallucinated his way through his forced vows.
“I only thought it was cute cause you actually thought it meant Steve.” He reached, Eddie’s smile widening, only for it to drop, his eyes sharpening in barely concealed rage as Harrington Sr. grabbed the arm reaching out toward Eddie.
“Don’t even think about it, Steven. You will inform your brief, and unfortunate lapse in judgement that you were mistaken, that it meant nothing, and you’re marrying Miss Reid, do not make me remind you—”
“Sit the fuck down Harrington, nobody pulled your string.” Eddie snarled leaning in close enough for the man to release his grip in surprise.
“Eddie… he’s right, I—I have to.”
“No, no you don’t, I see nobody we know here Steve, your friends, your family they’re not here… why? Why aren’t they here Steve… on what should be the happiest day of your life, why did Nancy have to shoot a security guard in the arm just to get me in?”
“Nance did what?” Was that what that noise was?
“Surprised you didn’t hear the gunshot. Karen wheeler practically shoved this monkey suit on me and shoved me out the damn door in hopes I could get you out of this, the only reason the others aren’t here is because these assholes did well enough to have it clash with everything going on in their lives.” Not him though, Eddie would have abandoned a whole damn tour, he’d have cancelled mid-gig, if necessary, Steve needed him. He needed them. “What’s stopping you from walking out of that door right now, baby? What’s doing that?”
He saw that crack in Steve’s already crumbling resolve at the soft use of an old pet name, such a simple, generic little name but it always made Steve just a little weak hearing it from Eddie. “Eddie—Eddie I’m… I can’t…”
There were whispers, people had stood up to get a closer look, nobody in that church recognised Eddie, as famous as he was, he wasn’t their kind of famous. Eddie paid them no mind, taking those last few steps, using what little courage he had left to reach up and skim his calloused fingers along that perfect jawline, thumb caressing the soft cushion of his cheek just below where his glasses perched. “You can, baby boy… my sweet little prince, you can walk right out of here with me… whatever it is Steve, we can deal with it, money? Baby I have more in pocket change than your family’s entire net worth combined, including the shit in those offshore accounts ol John here doesn’t think anyone knows about it.” Steve’s father leaned a fraction backwards in surprise, how the fuck did Munson know about that? He could move all he wanted, Eddie wasn’t paying attention to him, his soft eyes were on Steve, watching as the man let his own drift shut, leaning into the palm cupping his cheek. “Hawkins? Sweetheart… I got here in a day, I flew first class, very fancy, if anything happens, we’ve got it, we can be back here so fast whatever that freaky-ass place throws at us, we’ll be ready for it same as always… so what is it, big boy, what’s stopping you?”
Steve let his eyes open halfway, taking in the man in front of him “I’m not worth it Eddie… just… just go, it’s okay… I’ll be fine, m’always fine” so why did that smile look so sad “…I’m not worth what you’d lose if I were to leave.”
Part 9
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Prongsmas
I like to believe that The Marauders called Christmas: Prongsmas. It became a joke when every Christmas they saw many deers as decorations and teased James saying: "Prongs, is this you?"
"What do you mean, Prongsmas?" Marlene asked them irritably when they told the girls about it "It's Christmas"
"Christmas? Bah!" Sirius answered "Why do you think there are different Prongs around as decoration? It's a Prongs Holiday, sunshine"
"This is nonsense..."
"We celebrate the day Prongs came into this world" Peter added promptly.
"But his birthday is in March" Lily said.
"You remember my birthday, eh Evans?" James winked.
Lily blushed "Whatever... It's... It's... Because you make a whole deal out of it"
"Because James Potter's birthday is a national day, Ginger" Sirius said.
James nodded. Lily rolled her eyes.
"Prongsmas is not the day James Potter was born..." Sirius continued.
James shook his head.
"It is the day Prongs came into this world"
James nodded again.
"You mean the nickname?" Marlene asked.
The boys giggled amongst themselves.
"Prongs! Prongs! Marlene..." Sirius snapped and James tutted "If you don't know the concept of Prongs, then..." he shook his head.
"Prongs is more than a nickname..." Remus added.
"It's a movement..." Peter nodded.
"A life style..." Sirius said.
"A spirit..." Remus added as well.
"You know that Christmas is actually when Jesus Christ was born?" Mary tutted with a smile.
"Oh that Jesus bloke? He is just trying to steal Prongs' spotlight"
"Dear God... Remus, you too?" Lily exclaimed as she rolled her eyes discreetly.
Remus smirked.
"I don't celebrate Christmas, darling. I do celebrate Prongsmas" he hit Sirius' palm.
"We all celebrate Prongsmas" Peter pointed to the decorations around, especially the little deers.
"What about the Christmas tree?" Mary raised an eyebrow.
"The Prongsmas tree, you mean?" Sirius laughed "Come on, Macdonald. We all know where the nickname Prongs came from"
They all remembered when James, in their fourth year, climbed a tree to be able to spy on Lily, and he fell from there. When he stood up, dizzyly, he had two branches that looked like antlers.
The group of friends laughed, except for James and Lily who were slightly blushing.
"Okay, okay..." Marlene sighed "How do you explain, Santa Klaus?"
"That's Fleamont" James answered, making his friends giggle. "Yeah...he..." chuckles "He is Prongs' father after all, my father..." he cleared his throat.
"But for whatever reason they make him seem fatter, with white hair and a bigger beard" Sirius added.
"Yeah" James nodded.
Lily leaned on the table "And he is all dressed in red because..."
"Gryffindor colors" Remus said quickly "Naturally"
"Also Prongs' favorite color" James pointed out.
"And the green?" Mary teased "Slytherin?"
The four boys gasped.
"Blasphemy" Peter murmured.
"Disgusting" Sirius added.
"The green... The green... Is the color of my eyes" James shrugged.
"You don't have green eyes, Potter" Marlene frowned.
"No?"
Sirius chuckled.
"It's the color of Lily's eyes of course" Remus carried on "The woman he loves"
Lily went scarlet red while James winked at her.
"How sweet" Mary commented.
"Yes it is esmelard green" Sirius prompted "Not the disgusting green those Slytherins have"
"And Fleamont delivers presents all around the world because he is rich and generous" Peter added.
"And mostly because he is glorified to have such an amazing son as me" James smirked.
"Prongsmas!" Sirius exclaimed.
Lily was still blushing when she shook her head "This is ridiculous"
"Very" Marlene agreed.
Mary frowned "So it is Prongs or you James?"
James snorted.
"Prongs is in essence James, and James can be Prongs but not quite James, in difference to the previous two but nothing at all..."
"What?" Marlene asked confused.
"They are basically the same but... Prongs is Prongs" Sirius shrugged.
"And Prongsmas is Prongsmas" Remus agreed.
"Ridiculous!" Marlene snapped.
"Prongsmas... Prongsmas..."
The boys started chanting and hitting the table in the process.
"Prongsmas.... Prongsmas... Prongsmas... Prongsmas..."
Lily shook her head but she was smiling "They are impossible"
Mary laughed "Oh my boys"
Marlene rolled her eyes.
"Prongsmas... Prongsmas... Prongsmas..."
It all started as a joke at some point in their teenage years. But it eventually became a tradition amongst friends to make a tiny celebration of Prongsmas.
With family and other people they would celebrate Christmas but between them it would be Prongsmas.
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