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bmodiwrites · 2 years

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Pairing: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson Rating: Explicit (E) Notes: Haha, please enjoy the aftermath of my own experience with someone singing to ABBA Word Count: ~8.2K Warnings: There’s a tiny bit of smut in here, but it’s me writing, so when is that not the case? Summary:

Eddie, who is already nursing a pretty serious crush on Steve, walks in on a spectacle he never could've imagined. The sight before him sparks an obsession that sets Eddie down the path of making the most Steve Harrington mix tape, ever. Watch what happens when Eddie's journey to a perfect playlist leads him to love and a peculiar sense of family.

Or - a self indulgent excuse to send Eddie on a mix tape adventure.

Find it on AO3

Standing in front of the only usable mirror in the trailer, Eddie wondered again how got into the situation he found himself heading towards. He tugged at the end of the black jean vest he’d been working on since his return from the dead. A family style dinner at the Henderson house seemed like a good time to finally debut the thing. Eddie forced himself not to think about the reason why he needed to make a new one in the first place – sometimes, when Steve added Eddie’s old vest to his preppy clothes, he forgot how to breath. Recalling such information was just too much. Especially knowing he was half an hour away from meeting Dustin’s mother for the first time.

He needed to focus.

With one more full body perusal in the mirror, Eddie deemed himself satisfied; if he stood there any longer, he thought he might never make it to dinner. There was really no use in worrying about his appearance, anyway – Eddie’s reputation carried much more weight these days than any of the skull rings or band tees ever did. He was certain that Mrs. Henderson had already formed an opinion about him, despite Dustin’s many attempts to persuade him otherwise. In a lot of ways, Eddie would’ve been shocked if such a caring mom didn’t assume the worst. He’d learned that parents were the guilty until proven innocent type a long time ago. His tiny spark of charisma and that knowledge usually helped, but not always.

Not always.

Eddie tried not to dwell as he finished up the getting ready process. When Dustin presented the invitation, he’d been confident in the fact that Eddie would enjoy himself. His toothy smile didn’t waver with each new excuse Eddie brought to the table, either. In his own annoying little way, Dustin persisted, managing to finally talk Eddie into it when he brought out the big guns – throwing Steve into the mix.

Unluckily for him, Dustin caught onto Eddie’s weakness for Steve pretty early on. Out of the entire group, Steve and Dustin spent the most time with Eddie during his long weeks of recovery. At first, Eddie figured Steve was there because he too was receiving treatment – in the bunker they called a hospital, silence radiated in an eerie way – any sort of human connection was better than echoing quiet. Then, when the visits persisted, Eddie thought Steve stuck around for Dustin’s sake. When they weren’t with Eddie, Dustin and Steve were attached at the hip. The prospect of Dustin’s surrogate father dying was too much for even Eddie to think about, so their combined presence made sense.

He tried to remind himself of that every time Steve visited – the smiles that they shared, and long lingering looks Eddie couldn’t ignore didn’t mean anything; not when everyone was just so happy to be alive. Trauma and shared adventure always brought people together. It felt too much like getting hopes that he’d long put away back off the shelf, dusting them off only to have them crushed under foot once again. Eddie found it easier to push Steve’s presence off on Dustin and let it be that.

Of course, Steve broke that resolve to pieces relatively quickly when he showed up one night on his own. It’d been a few weeks since they clawed their way back from the Upside Down and Eddie was feeling restless. All but the severe bites on the surface of his skin were healed and his doctor prescribed stay in bed remedy was slowly chaffing at him, driving Eddie a few more steps towards madness. So much so that Eddie thought he managed to manifest Steve before him in hopes of a distraction. A soft throat clearing, and that sheepish smile thrown Eddie’s way said otherwise. Steve Harrington stood there in all his glory, alone and seemingly happy to see him.

“Steve, what are you doing here?” Eddie finally managed to ask. His eyes were wide as he watched Steve walk a little further into the room. Steve had been discharged for a couple of weeks now and only a few of the really deep lines on his neck remained. He looked good and Eddie almost hated him for it. One time, the sight of him wouldn’t be such a great thing for sore eyes.

Steve didn’t answer until he got to the side of Eddie’s bed. He relaxed his hip against the mattress and shrugged, like it wasn’t a legitimate shock for him to be here, like maybe they were friends or something, not just shared by an annoying kid. “I thought I’d come see how you were doing.” Steve opened his jacket then, a small smile on his lips. An issue of Metal Magazine came into view. “Family Video got a huge shipment of magazines during my shift today. When I saw this,” Steve handed the copy over to Eddie while he spoke, “I figured you might be bored in here all by yourself. So, I brought entertainment.”

The heavy pages were familiar in Eddie’s hands, its glossy finish comforting; Eddie flipped through every issue he’d been able to get his hands on since his metal fascination started. Staring down at the magazine, Eddie suddenly understood nothing. How did someone like Steve, who until a month or so ago, Eddie felt positive was a douche bag, swoop in with such a thoughtful gesture without even a lick of situational understanding? Steve and he were basically still complete strangers (despite fighting, almost dying, and surviving together), yet the younger boy already knew him so well. It was mystifying to think about – so he didn’t.

Instead, Eddie turned his confusion into an almost crazed grin, the mask he worked so hard on over the years slipping into place. “I have contemplated chewing off a foot in my misery.” The joke landed exactly how he wanted it to – Steve rolled his eyes and grinned, his head shaking in the way Eddie had come to recognize as fond. It was enough to pull Eddie away from his thoughts and into the moment where nothing but Aerosmith and the warm press of Steve’s thigh near his knee deserved any of his focus.

That visit started a trend that continued long past Eddie getting out of the hospital. As the days went on, it seemed as if he were actually friends with the likes of Steve Harrington. And while that wasn’t the whole truth of the matter, at least on Eddie’s end, he appreciated the camaraderie and developing closeness. At the end of the day, Steve’s personality shaped up to be something Eddie loved to be around. His ignorant first and second and third impressions were easily erased with long walks in the hospital hallways and quiet moments where Steve merely shared space with Eddie because he understood the need for someone else’s presence. It was nice – being Steve’s friend was nice.

But admittedly not enough and Dustin, the pesky little shit, somehow knew that.

Eddie wasn’t all that sure when the kid picked up on his changing feelings. He wrapped himself so tightly into his own battle with them that Eddie hardly recognized Dustin’s realization happening. By the time he understood what the knowing look in Dustin’s eyes meant, it was already too late. The manipulative little bastard had something on him – knowing a little bit about how Dustin thought, Eddie feared for the future trouble coming his way.

Surprisingly, the younger boy didn’t toss around his weight the way Eddie expected him to. Most teens that age would’ve been hanging such a secret over Eddie’s head in hopes of free rides and access to rated R movies. Hell, Eddie did that to some of his older friends a time or two. The days before being able to buy his own cigarettes were literal hell.

Dustin, however, had the mind of an evil genius – his manipulations were subtle and always contributed to some sort of master plan. He’d bat his eyelashes when Eddie tried to bail out of movie nights with him and Steve. That toothy grin would widen the second Eddie started to protest outside presence at Hellfire Club meetings. His latest swing of the blackmail bat was the reason why he was running his hands over his jeans restlessly on the way to Dustin’s house.

In a lot of ways, Eddie figured being hung out to dry for cigarettes and beer would’ve been better than this.

Pulling up outside Dustin’s house, Eddie sat behind the wheel, drumming out a rhythm that only existed in his own head. He understood the notion of stalling, yet never got the motive until that very moment. There were suddenly a billion things in the van that needed his attention. It’d be easy to just reach for the pile of tapes on the floor and sort through them, anything to just buy himself another second. It was of no use, though – the moment the clock hit 6, Dustin would be on his toes, ready to start looking for Eddie any minute.

He remembered Dustin told him to head to the side door when he got there, so Eddie reluctantly climbed out of the van and made the trek. His steps were slow, as if that’d buy him more time – until the sound of music caught his attention. The beat was perky, fast, and pop-y, somewhat recognizable but not enough to immediately light Eddie’s memory up. Intrigue and curiosity carried him more quickly towards the screen door emitting the music.

What he saw in the kitchen stopped him dead in his tracks. Eddie barely caught himself before running into the door in hopes of not disturbing the scene playing out.

Dustin’s mother was happily sitting at the kitchen table, bopping her head to the beat with what looked like sweet tea in her hand. She too was watching the show taking place in her kitchen. Steve, who looked shockingly comfortable in such a domestic setting, was at the stove, alternating his spoon stirring with on the beat movements of his shoulders to the music. His voice was rich and full, forming around the sang lyrics easily. Trim hips shifted to the beat, making it hard for Eddie to look at anything else.

Dustin, who Eddie hadn’t been paying much attention to, suddenly crossed behind Steve (and into Eddie’s vision), who fluidly turned as the chorus came back around, so they were facing the same way. Then, in tandem, Dustin and Steve danced to whatever ABBA monstrosity they were listening to. Not only did they move flawlessly, but the steps looked practiced, like they’d done the same thing so many times that moving together became second nature. There were smiles on both their faces as the song progressed and the choreographed routine shifted back into upbeat cooking. Dustin grabbed the salt and pepper shakers, spinning into his tradeoff with Steve. In that moment, their happiness was tangible. Steve’s eyes were alight, almost to the point of glowing through the screen of the door.

In all of his life, Eddie had never seen anything better.

He would’ve been happy to continue watching if it weren’t for the flimsy screen door. Eddie leaned slightly forward in his excitement and knocked against the outside wood, sending it thumping into the frame. The noise was just loud enough for ears to perk up and all eyes to shift towards the door. Without a second of hesitation, Dustin flew across the kitchen to flip off the radio, a look of definitive horror in his eyes. Eddie tried not to laugh as Steve opened and closed his mouth a time or two before silently turning back towards the bubbling pan on the stove. His neck and cheeks were bright with blush – it was almost too bad that the redness looked so damn good contrasting his pale skin.

The younger boys were saved from having to acknowledge Eddie’s presence by Mrs. Henderson, who happily leapt to her feet to make her way towards the door. The springs creaked slightly as the door swung out towards Eddie, its sound making up for the now deafening quiet.

Where Eddie was expecting disdain, he found only a happy mother staring back at him. He thought he might see hate in Mrs. Henderson’s face, yet she smiled widely, her eyes beaming like Dustin’s did so very often. “You must be Eddie Munson. I’m so excited to finally meet you.” Mrs. Henderson waved him in as she spoke, her smile still firmly in place. “Dusty talks about you so often, I feel like I already know you. It’s great to put a face to the name.”

And just like that – Eddie became a part of the family.

In all his worrying about the evening, Eddie never stopped to think about what a successful outcome might look like. It certainly didn’t include the inability to stop staring at Steve Harrington, who was still blushing and trying avidly not to meet Eddie’s eyes. Despite that, or maybe because of it, Eddie couldn’t drag his glance away.

Sure, he made small talk with Mrs. Henderson and prattled on with Dustin about the newest Hellfire campaign. He even threw the boys a compliment about the food – their teamwork skills were above par, no matter how embarrassing some of them were.

And that was the thing – Eddie was totally taken aback by Steve and his sneaky talent. He always assumed that the girls gossiping about Steve’s prowess were just adding sticks to stir the gossip mill. Remembering the way Steve’s hips swiveled and thrust, Eddie now understood the story sharing and inherent thirst the girls of Hawkins’ High had. It only made sense that Steve would be both gorgeous and incredibly talented in the bedroom department. Some guys got all the luck.

That wasn’t all, though. Eddie’s original attraction to Steve’s performance was the relaxed way he leaned into singing the notes and moving to the music. He looked blissed out with his head thrown back and his shoulders shaking. Despite the song being complete garbage, Eddie truly wanted to listen to Steve sing it. His voice was gorgeous and surprisingly well tuned for someone Eddie presumed only listened to mainstream tapes while in the car with his friends. That little performance absolutely proved Eddie otherwise.

Steve could sing – and he looked damn good doing it.

And so began the obsession.

After leaving Dustin’s house that evening, Eddie drove around the familiar streets of Hawkins, looking for inspiration. He got the idea in his head to put together a mix that might spark the same sort of passion in Steve as he saw in the kitchen. And while most of the music Eddie knew Steve to like wasn’t anywhere near what Eddie normally listened to, he figured stepping outside of his comfort zone could be worth it – seeing Steve like that again was quickly outweighing Eddie’s desire not to bend outside the norm.

Which, of course, led him to Robin Buckley. No one, not even Eddie himself, knew Steve the way that she did. For whatever reason, her and Harrington were cut from the same cloth. Many times, Eddie thought they’d be able to the rule the world if merging together ever became possible. She was his best friend and the only person to go to for advice.

Of course, he didn’t seek her out right away – no, that would be too easy. Instead, Eddie made up excuses for Steve to pick him up for useless things. There was still lingering tension and Eddie needed it out of the way.

His time as a drug dealer made him enough money to stay out of Wayne’s way, so the need for a job wasn’t all that pressing. Usually, when Eddie wasn’t at school, dealing, or grouped with the Hellfire Club, he holed himself away in his room with a guitar and his latest song hyper fixation. He’d learned many guitar lines in that exact way. His distinct lack of a life outside of his nerdom made it hard, but Eddie found a way to draw Steve’s attention.

At first, Steve still seemed a little uncomfortable to be in Eddie’s presence after what he’d walked into at the Henderson house. Eddie noticed that the old part of Steve that actually cared about what others thought came out to play every now and again – though, it thankfully didn’t stick around long. As Eddie kept asking for rides and making up excuses to spend time with him, Steve started to loosen back up.

Despite Eddie’s quickly developing need to see Steve on a performance high, the solidity of their friendship was much, much, much more important.

When Eddie felt like things were pretty much back to normal, he finally sought out Robin.

Finding her on a day that Steve wasn’t around proved to be difficult, however. He and Steve had multiple conversations about how easy it was to make his schedule close to Robin’s because of the rides he gave her and the convenience that brought about. Eddie first thought it was sweet, for Steve to be such a caring friend – now, it just got in the way.

Eddie got lucky one Friday afternoon – not only was Robin alone, but the store was empty and primed perfectly for an awkward conversation. Upon walking through the door, Eddie cursed the bell and the instantaneous attention it brought. A few minutes of pretending to look around to clear his head would’ve been primo – but alas, Robin came around the corner before Eddie planted himself against the front counter.

“Eddie, Steve’s not here. He doesn’t come in until the after dinner crowd hits.” Her voice carried as she approached him and settled on her side of the counter. Eddie figured she’d go on, at least say hi. Yet, her quirked brow said otherwise. Okay, then.

It took effort not to think too hard about the easy way she assumed he was there to see Steve. It wasn’t productive to dwell on the fact that he’d easily moved past intrigue and into the dangerous territory crushing on a straight guy was. If Eddie pretended that he merely liked the way Steve looked in the throes of singing from one musician to another, he naively believed control over the situation would remain in his grasp. Though, that logic certainly wasn’t holding up.

“How weird would it be if I told you I’m actually here to see you?” Eddie smiled through the odd question, already knowing the sarcastic answer he’d get back.

“I’d say very, but I’m talking to you, Munson.” And there it was. She continued with a smirk on her face. “What can I do for you? If you’re not looking for Steve, it must be about him.”

Trying not to frown at how evilly perceptive she was, Eddie shifted until he could lean his cheek against his fist, like the relaxed posture might help him play it cool somehow. He fiddled with the edge of the countertop before nodding in answer. “You know Steve well.”

She cut him off with a brisk – “that’s an understatement.”

Eddie rolled his eyes at her but continued. “I witnessed him and Dustin singing and dancing to ABBA the other night and I haven’t been able to get the sight out of my head. Baby boy can sing, Robin.” His voice sounded breathy then, like the mere thought was exhilarating. “I need you, the almighty best friend, to recommend some music he might like.” The part of that sentence Eddie didn’t say lingered in the air, polluting the conversation with heady pining no one else needed to be privy to. Luckily, she seemed to understand.

“You’re going to make him a mix tape,” Robin knowingly said around her sassy little grin, successfully pushing all the could’ve been awkwardness away. She stared at him hard for a second, probably looking deeply into his soul, before stepping back from the counter enough to dig into a drawer by the register. A thick note pad hit the counter with a smack. “I’m giving you the keys to the kingdom, Munson. Don’t fuck it up.”

From there, Eddie and Robin went back and forth about the merits of a widespread love of music and bands they both could agree weren’t the best. Despite only being a metal head, Eddie understood the appeal of artists like Bowie and Madonna (and wouldn’t hate having to listen to them). His eyes were opened to a few other blips of music he might actually enjoy, though Eddie refused to tell Robin that. She already had a haughty look on her face Eddie was certain wouldn’t be fleeting any time soon. Especially when she said – “be careful with him, Eddie.”

The serious tone of her voice had him looking up from the sheets of paper spread along the counter. Their scribbled notes suddenly didn’t matter. “What’s that supposed to mean?” Eddie’s first instinct was to clap back, to take the words as fodder for an aggressive disposition. The look in her eyes, though, that stopped him.

“Steve doesn’t always know what’s best for himself. The guy makes it look like he’s all put together but he’s kicking his feet for survival under the surface just like everyone else.” Her lip went between her teeth for a moment, then she went on. “The way you look at him could be so good, Eddie. But it could also be bad.”

Eddie hadn’t totally understood the weight of her warning until she brought up the way he looked at Steve. Suddenly, it made sense that Robin wasn’t all that surprised Eddie was here asking for help. Had he truly been that obvious? Or did Robin have the kind of superpower that made her privy to other gays and their feelings. He stumbled out a – “I’m not – I don’t –“

“Look, Eddie,” Robin said, effectively stopping his nonsensical babble, “what I’m trying to say is that the prospect of getting hurt here is very real. Steve only knows what he wants after it’s come and gone. Don’t let that happen with you.”

The words were cryptic, so very much so that Eddie simply nodded, completely unable to come up with anything to say in response. What did it all mean? Was Robin cueing him into Steve’s atmosphere, or out? As he collected their doodled and crossed out sheets of paper to take home and ponder over, Eddie tossed Robin’s statement around in his head. It sounded a lot like Steve might be feeling the same as Eddie, though wishful thinking was absolutely a thing. His harrowing thoughts stayed with him throughout the drive and into the trailer where he toiled over them for the rest of the night.

Eddie continued to chew on Robin’s advice for the next couple of days. He took himself off the map to bury his head into the task of completing the mix tape he was still hell bent and determined on making for Steve. Though he wasn’t all that sure where Harrington’s brain was at, Eddie’s feelings certainly hadn’t gone anywhere. The small burst of hope tickling the back of his mind made it so that Eddie’s heart beat even faster any time Steve was concerned. If he simply thought about him, Eddie experienced heady palpitations.

Stuck in that endless cycle of does he, does he not was exhausting – but also exciting and somewhat liberating, too. In the long span of understanding both himself and his sexuality, Eddie couldn’t remember a time when he was so lit up about another person. Despite what the general consensus thought, Eddie had never been intimate with another soul. Not sexually or otherwise. The mask he wore and reputation that followed him made it hard for others to even look at him, let alone contemplate other things. Never mind the fact that Eddie didn’t bother to make lasting connections. There were people in his life that served a purpose and that worked. At least, it did before Steve and his kids, and their meddling came along. He cared now and that meant something. The feelings he had were real – living in them, once he reminded himself of the blank existence he used to have, didn’t feel so bad anymore.

At least, when all was said and done, he was actually living.

Throughout all of his pining and thought and freaking out, Eddie managed to put together a list of songs he felt good about and thought Steve would like. For a mix tape to be both perfect and usable, there needed to be a good combination of sounds and tracks that led from one to the other, so the playlist arrangement was important. At least, that’s the excuse Eddie gave himself when he realized several days were taken up just by that alone.

Thankfully, the fun part of the mix tape process was finally upon him. Eddie mixed tapes all the time and enjoyed the tedious nature of cultivating the songs he was recording. Many of the records still sitting on his shelf were given to him ‘to borrow’ to spin a mix. He got to go on scavenger hunts and ring in unpaid favors. In a lot of ways, making a mix was like creating one of his DnD campaigns – Eddie got to use his manic energy to put together something new and exciting. And for what it was worth, his time and effort actually meant something.

The problem, Eddie came to find out pretty fast, was his lack of owning any of the music he wanted to put on the mix. His singular Queen tape was battered and old, worn out from being the mood neutralizer in mixed company. Not everyone could find similar ground with Metallica, but Freddie Mercury brought happiness to just about everybody. All the other bands and artists existing on the list were on the other side of Eddie’s ball park, so the work was cut out for him.

He started with Max, simply because of proximity. She looked at him oddly when he asked about Madonna, though dutifully gave him the tapes she had. Before he could leave, her hand gripped the leather of his jacket. “Bring them back, or else.” Her red eyebrows were drawn together in what Eddie assumed to be an attempt at menacing, though the look just came off cute, instead.

“You got it, Red.”

Eddie’s next stop was a little less heartwarming. Standing on Gareth’s front steps, Eddie couldn’t help but feel out of place. His drummer had laughed at him on the phone when Eddie first made the request, probably believing it was a joke. When Eddie stayed quiet and didn’t jump into the chuckling fray, Gareth sobered up. “You’re for real, Munson?”

Admitting that yes, he was in fact being serious was difficult – mostly because Eddie knew Gareth (and the rest of Corroded Coffin) would never let him live it down. He wondered briefly if admitting who he was collecting music for would earn him back some cool points, but quickly brushed that thought aside. While he jumped on the Steve Harrington train after learning about the surprisingly nice personality the younger boy had, the rest of Eddie’s acquaintances hadn’t and wouldn’t be any time soon. They lacked the trauma bonding a near death experience forced upon people. Without it, Eddie probably wouldn’t have looked close enough at Steve to truly see him.

Well, that wasn’t the complete truth, but some secrets really needed to stay hidden.

The handoff with Gareth went exactly as Eddie figured it would – Gareth ragged him ruthlessly as he handed over Blondie and more ABBA than Eddie wanted to think about. Eddie took the shots with minimal clap back just to get the hell out of there. Though Gareth’s taunting “whoever you’re making this for better be worth it” stopped him.

Clutching the stack of vinyl close to his chest, Eddie turned back around sharply. Many words were on the tip of his tongue, but he settled for the primitive flipping of the bird. They shared a quick shit eating grin, then Eddie nodded and hightailed it the fuck out of there. He didn’t need to dig himself any further into the hole before him.

Robin, thankfully, supplied him with the rest. They made a stealth handoff during a shift Robin swore Steve always took his turn on tape rewinding duty. It would do little good for Steve to see Robin giving Eddie tapes and vinyl he’d never listen to on his own. It was fun, anyway, to play it off like a secret spy handoff – Robin even attempted to roll across the hood of his van (unsuccessfully) to really get into the part. She left him with a knowing look and the lamest finger guns shot his way. The chuckle it pulled from him was worth the moment of secondhand embarrassment.

With most of the heavy lifting done, Eddie waited until his uncle went to work for the evening to cut the tape. The late hour and empty house made it perfectly silent, which meant very little background noise as he recorded. His skill in making clean tapes came in clutch in a situation where it actually mattered. By the time the sun was coming up, Eddie finished his final listen through of the tape. A soft smile sat on his face as the music cut off – the tape was good, and he’d never been quite so proud of himself.

Adding the finishing touches was always Eddie’s favorite part. The type of tapes he liked to use had a thick line of white, unmarked space across the front where he always doodled or wrote something stupid. It was his final signature on the work. For Steve, Eddie simply put to – you, from – me in tight script, making sure each letter was completely perfect. The cassette case itself had a white sleeve that Eddie painted a scene from the Upside Down on. While it wasn’t a happy place or somewhere Eddie ever wanted to go again, he understood the sad beauty of it. Something in his gut said Steve would, too.

The finished tape, finally done after more than two weeks’ worth of research, hunting, and labor, sat on the small desk in Eddie’s room, taunting him. Throughout the process of making the thing, Eddie felt so confident in himself and the gift he was creating. Now that he was finally able to share it, Eddie’s stomach churned with anxiety. He knew, intellectually, that Steve would like it. Eddie did well more than enough ground work to be concrete in that knowledge. Yet, a small voice in the back of his mind had him doubting the whole thing. Was the risk worth the reward? Steve’s friendship meant a lot to him. The thought of having a hand in his own downfall was scary, but so was the idea of being stagnant, of inaction. That was the old Eddie Munson. The Upside Down changed him and he sought to prove it. Not just to Steve, but to himself, too.

Surprisingly, Steve was more than happy to hear from him when Eddie finally bucked up the courage to call. His deep voice coming down the line drew goosebumps to the surface of Eddie’s skin – he hadn’t realized until that moment how much he simply missed talking to the other boy. Steve, it seemed, shared that opinion.

“Eddie, hey! Missed you, man. I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever!” His tone was chipper and upbeat, despite the lateness of the hour.

Eddie had to bite into his lip to ground himself – he felt giddy just because Steve missed him. Genuinely and truly missed him. Clearing his throat, Eddie forced his lips and throat to cooperate – forming words suddenly became like a puzzle scattered around, waiting to be pieced back together. “I finally decided I needed to get the van back in working order.” The lie tasted bitter in his mouth for a second, but he pressed on. “That’s actually why I’m calling. I thought I’d see if I could repay all those rides you gave me. Want to hang out?”

Steve’s answer was instantaneous, the ‘yes’ ringing loudly in Eddie’s ears. His chest tightened and that same flash of giddiness roared to the surface. It’d be a miracle if Eddie made it through the night alive, or at least, not completely melted into a puddle of sappy goo.

“Good. I’ll pick you up in twenty.

Steve was waiting for him when Eddie pulled up against the curb. His tall legs were bent at the knee as he sat on the front step, looking devastatingly gorgeous. Eddie idled by the curb, knowing Steve would make his way into the passenger seat without any further prompting. When the door opened, Eddie let out a happy laugh. “Fuck, it’s so good to see you, Stevie.”

“Right? Don’t go disappearing like that on me again, Munson,” Steve said back as he climbed into the seat. He immediately turned to take Eddie in, a wide, unguarded smile on his face. “The van seems to be running well, at least.”

Ducking his head, Eddie suppressed a cheeky grin. “Yeah, about that. I actually lied – a little. I bowed out for a bit to make this.” He held the tape out towards Steve, a look of hope in his eyes. “Sorry, not sorry?” Eddie tried for a smile then, though the success of it was questionable. The nerves were eating him alive.

A strong, sure hand reached across the space between their seats to grab the cassette from Eddie’s grasp. Steve’s fingers were reverent as they held the case and even more so as they skated along the plastic covered design Eddie painted on the front. “You made all of this? The painting, too?” His eyes were glistening when they turned back to Eddie. “It’s beautiful,”

Slightly taken aback, Eddie shifted in his seat to see Steve a little better. “Yeah, I get a little carried away when the creativity strikes.”

“I didn’t even know you could paint. You’re so talented, Eddie. And your view of the Upside Down – it’s a little less frightening this way, kind of pretty somehow, even.” He brushed his thumb over the case once more, then opened it. His eyes got even bigger as he took in the words there.

“Take me somewhere quiet where we can listen to this,” Steve said after a thick moment of silence. “This deserves dedicated focus.”

All Eddie could do was nod and comply. He put the van into gear and pulled away from the Harrington house, steering towards the end of the street to turn around. Eddie drove through the main part of town until they were near the outskirts. Turning down a dirt road a mile or so away from the Hawkins border, Eddie took the path until the dirt turned back into grass. When he parked, they were facing the tall hills of Hawkins. In the high beam light, all of the summer flowers were visible, eerily dancing in the late evening wind.

Cutting the outside lights, Eddie let the dashboard panel light the way. Without being asked, Steve stuffed the tape into the player, then proceeded to climb over the passenger seat and into the back of the van Eddie still had open and empty from carrying band equipment around. Steve opened the back doors from the inside, letting the breeze in. Eddie didn’t join him until Steve settled by the bumper, his feet hanging out the back of the van.

Nimble fingers cranked up the volume before Eddie climbed out of his door and joined Steve in seated along the raised bumper. Two whole songs played in silence.

“I thought for sure this was your subtle way of putting me down the metal path.” Steve bumped Eddie with his shoulder. “You couldn’t have enjoyed making this.”

Eddie nudged Steve back, using the move as an excuse to get into the other’s space. “I did, actually. I thought it might’ve been a little worse than it was, but – you’ve got interesting taste. The more I listen, the more I understand.” Eddie stopped dreading the dulcet tones of Madonna after his second listen through of her most recent tape. Her songs were good and the woman herself was fierce. Eddie couldn’t argue with a bad bitch.

Steve hummed in response, closing his eyes while the next couple of songs played.

Then, the track Eddie had been waiting for finally sounded throughout the van. Steve’s eyes blinked open wide, his cheeks coloring. It looked for a second like Steve wanted to crawl back into the van and turn the sound off, but he didn’t. Instead, Steve got up from his seated position, grabbing Eddie along with him. Once they were up on their feet, Steve started to sing, catching the first Voulez-Vous of the chorus perfectly.

Eddie wondered why Steve dragged him up too until hands found his hips. Steve gripped him there, smirking all the while. “You put it on here, you might as well learn the steps.”

Eyes bulging, Eddie tried to protest – “Fuck no, Steve. I – “ but the words caught in his throat when Steve started to move with him. He mimed the steps Eddie watched him dance with Dustin weeks earlier, pushing and using his hands on Eddie’s hips to guide him from place to place. It was so hard to fight back against Steve’s voice and warm grasp – so, he didn’t.

Just when Eddie was starting to get a hang of it, he stepped on Steve’s foot, tripping over himself. The solid wall of Steve’s chest stopped him. Though, the resulting blush that flew to his cheeks might’ve been worse than actually hitting the ground. Steve’s arms were solid around him, however, and that, that was well worth the embarrassment.

When Eddie managed to right himself, he realized how close they’d gotten. The music they’d been playfully dancing to was forgotten, blown out of Eddie’s head by Steve looking at his lips, by breath shared and strong hands holding him. Eddie had no idea how they got where they were in that moment, but he certainly didn’t care.

“You like me, right, Eddie?” Steve asked, shifting his eyes back to meet Eddie’s. Earnestness and desire were tangible in the question, in the gleam of Steve’s stare.

“Yes. Fuck – I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. Wanting you.” He kept up the unblinking eye contact, and with each word Eddie delivered, Steve moved closer, crossing his eyes slightly. By the time Eddie had to blink to straighten out his vision, Steve’s breath ghosted over his lips.

The word ‘good’ and a soft inhale of breath were the only thing Eddie remembered before Steve was kissing him. It took Eddie a second to register what exactly was happening, then he pressed forward and kissed back. His brain was offline, currently in the dirt somewhere with the rest of his sense. He let Steve kiss him breathless, giving back as good as he got, until his hips tried to shift forward and seek friction. Breaking away, Eddie shook his head.

“You don’t even like guys, Steve. I can’t do anything with you halfway.” He was trying to get out of Steve’s grip, trying not to look up and take in kiss swollen lips – trying, after tasting the sweetest poison, to keep himself together.

Steve used his years of sports ball strength to grip Eddie around the wrists, keeping him close. “Who said I wasn’t into guys?” Steve questioned, quirking a brow. “It’s not all that safe to tell people about your bisexuality, Eddie. I’m sure you know that. I wouldn’t fuck up our friendship like that. You’re too important.” By then, his hands had let Eddie’s wrists go, only to cup his cheeks, instead. His thumbs restlessly roved over the soft skin there. “Now, may I kiss you again?”

Eddie didn’t waste any time with words, not when the moment still felt so much like a dream. He surged forward, stealing Steve’s breath with a hard kiss.

They quickly made their way back into the empty pit of the van. Eddie was suddenly very happy for his procrastination skills, all of the open space made it easy for Steve to sprawl out on his back. Taking him in, Eddie cataloged Steve’s blush and the sharp rise and fall of his chest. He did his best to remember the way kiss swollen lips formed around his name while Steve asked for him. Eddie took a large, calming breath before swinging a leg over Steve’s hips to straddle strong thighs.

Leaning down, Eddie brushed a rogue hair off of Steve’s forehead, mumbling a soft “hi”.

Steve smiled up at him, those brown eyes wide. “Hey yourself. You’re kind of beautiful like this.” Long hands made their way into Eddie’s hair as Steve spoke. “I’m happy we finally got here.”

Speechless, and more than a little overcome by how raw and real Steve could be, Eddie dipped his head, hiding his embarrassment in a soft kiss. And Steve allowed it, because they were already taking a big step and if Eddie was reading the room right, there’d be plenty of time later on to talk.

So, Eddie turned his attention to the kissing, instead. Little by little, Eddie got himself into a better position to feel and explore all of Steve. The humidity of the car had them shrugging out of their shirts pretty quickly. Eddie traced Steve’s pecs and arms, first with his eyes, then with eager fingers. He got distracted by the mat of chest hair more than a few times. He tugged and gripped and categorized all of the open skin before him.

Then, antsy hands were on Eddie’s hips, pressing him more firmly into Steve’s lap. Eddie broke out of the kiss with a gasp – getting acquainted with Steve’s stiff cock was so much better than Eddie could’ve imagined. They shared a look, both bare chests rising and falling in a steady pant. “Is this okay?” Eddie asked as he rocked his hips.

Steve threw his head back, pinching his eyes closed for a second. “More than, Eddie. Please – “

Not one to pass up good things, Eddie nodded and went back to what he was doing. As Eddie swiveled and shifted, Steve gripped his hips hard, giving Eddie guidance in subtle pushes and pulls in one direction or the other. They didn’t kiss, not when staring at each other and watching the scene unfold was so much better.

Steve’s hand on his chest stopped him a few minutes later. Eddie tilted his head, a question heavy in his eye. His own movements were hypnotic, and he’d been seconds away from floating away.

“I’m so close, at least let me touch you before I embarrass myself,” Steve managed to huff out as his right hand moved from Eddie’s chest to the button on his jeans. At once, Eddie understood the assignment. He fumbled down the zipper of his pants, sighing in relief when the pressure lessened.

Eddie returned the favor for Steve, shifting back on his heels just enough to get tight jeans open and his fist inside of Steve’s boxers. He gave him a few brisk tugs, then moved until both of their bare lengths were lined up. Steve’s hand joined Eddie’s, their fingers tangling together in a deliciously tight squeeze. With his other hand, Steve gripped the back of Eddie’s neck, bringing him down for a toothy and rough kiss.

And that was alright, because the pace Eddie set for them wasn’t meant for a long distance run towards the finish line. Every nerve in his body was alight with fire, flaming the want inside of him that Eddie thought he’d never get to explore. With Steve’s cock twitching and leaking against his own, Eddie knew there’d be no lingering, not this time around.

Yet, until he got overrun by that burning desire, he clung to Steve and the connection they were creating. He kissed back hard and thrust his hips into their joint grip. Moans dripped from Eddie’s mouth as Steve tangled their tongues together and yanked on the strands of hair fisted in Steve’s hand. When the end did eventually come, Eddie was strung out and beat, like their frotting against each other was years long instead of the handful of minutes it’d truly been.

Watching Steve come down after the fact was almost as good as the heart stopping orgasm Eddie just experienced. Steve’s forehead was slick with sweat, making the hair there stick to his skin. His pale cheeks were warm and rosy, so beautifully upturned into a soft smile that Eddie wanted to kiss it away just to have a moment of reprieve. He looked happy and content and Eddie got to see that because he was the one to make Steve Harrington that way. It was almost like existing in a parallel universe for a second.

Though, the shock of sticky, cooling cum against his stomach quickly pushed that thought to the side. Yelping, Eddie shifted his position on Steve’s chest, so he wasn’t laying directly in their combined spend. They’d need to move and clean up in the next few minutes to avoid sticking together, Eddie knew as much. Yet, he couldn’t bring himself to say anything or suggest even the basics of aftercare clean up. Steve looked blissed out and Eddie thought he deserved the ability to revel.

A couple of months later found Eddie at Dustin Henderson’s 16th birthday party, laughing at each of the kids as they got up on the small stage for their shot at karaoke. Eddie had no idea what possessed Dustin to decide to throw such a shindig, but everyone seemed to be having fun. Especially Steve. He’d been on the stage almost as much as the kids, belting out bull shit while looking adorable doing it. In the time since Eddie made his mix tape, he’d gotten much closer to Steve and the rest of his boyfriend’s found family. He belonged somewhere – even if it was the rec center singing karaoke.

So lost in his daydream, Eddie failed to recognize when Steve left his side and made it onto the stage. Eddie’s eyes widened when he saw that both he and Dustin had changed into matching black jean vests, much like the one Eddie had on over his favorite Iron Maiden shirt at that very moment. Dustin had a face splitting grin breaking his cheeks and the microphone gripped strongly in his hand. He didn’t need to listen to the little brat call him up – Steve and Dustin looking at him so expectantly meant one thing, and one thing only.

Sucking in a deep breath, Eddie got up from his chair and walked slowly towards the front of the stage. All of the kids were gaping at him, their mouths wide open like fish waiting for hooks. He tried to shoot them all a scary glare, but the look shifted into something entertained as he passed by Max and Lucas. Over the weeks of being with Steve and learning how to exist in such a close knit circle, Eddie showed sides of himself that made even his meanest of glares mean next to nothing. The kids knew him as he was – a nerdy goofball. They were about to see that point driven home in full.

Dustin flipped his eyes over to his mom, who started the background track, bringing Eddie’s ABBA nightmares to life. He rolled his eyes before sneaking in next to Steve. As the first line of lyrics approached, Eddie thought back to the day Dustin heard this song playing in his car. His eyes got wide, like he was fighting back embarrassment, before a knowing smirk slipped across his lips. “Steve’s got you so whipped, Eddie.”

And he did – that was the only explanation for the easy way he moved through the lame dance steps he now knew just as easily as the bridge into Master of Puppets. It should’ve seemed silly, dancing around like an asshole to a song he still didn’t even like, but that emotion wasn’t there. All Eddie knew, felt, understood, was the ever growing happiness being around Steve (and Dustin, by extension) brought him. The kids’ laughs and pointed stares were like music to his ears instead of ammo for his isolation.

As the song came to an end, Eddie felt Steve press against his back, draping a long arm over Eddie’s shoulder. He pressed his hand into Eddie’s stomach, gripping there for a second. “I love you,” Steve whispered in his ear, placing a messy kiss there before backing away and stepping off the stage. Eddie followed him, only to make it a few steps before a swarm of children were wrapping him up in a hug.

Maybe, when all was said and done, Eddie didn’t hate that stupid song so much after all.

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