Happy Anniversary!

by VioletEyedPrincess

Life has been going pretty great for Steve and Eddie since they made the move to Minnesota. They have jobs that they love, a nice apartment, and a fur-baby. As they get ready to celebrate their anniversary, they run into an old friend from Hawkins, and have a visit from their favorite curly haired adopted son. Join them as they celebrate their anniversary!

Summary: Life has been going pretty great for Steve and Eddie since they made the move to Minnesota. They have jobs that they love, a nice apartment, and a fur-baby. As they get ready to celebrate their anniversary, they run into an old friend from Hawkins, and have a visit from their favorite curly haired adopted son. Join them as they celebrate their anniversary!

Disclaimer: I own nothing besides the original characters and plot(maybe)

Warnings: Severe AU, no Upside down, everybody lives, same sex couples, swearing, slice of life, mentions of abuse/assault, Steve has shitting parents, porn with plot!, edging, ice play, Eddie has an oral fixation, Eddie is a soft dom, Steve is a pleasure dom, they switch, safe words are important, teasing, sassy boys

Main Pairing: Eddie/Steve

Side Pairings: Nancy/Barbara, Dustin/Suzie

Author's Note: So…hey everyone! For those who are my consistent readers/follows, I do apologize for the long break in my writing. I have had not enough inspiration and too much inspiration at the same time. For everyone who is new, hi! This is my first time writing anything involving Stranger Things and admittedly, I'm only up to season 3. I relied heavily on other Steddie stories I've read as well as the advice and guidance of a good friend of mine. It's thanks to him that I'm even putting this up, honestly! I do hope you all enjoy this and let me know what you think! Also, no, I will not be continuing this, it is a one-shot.

Extra: Thank you 2ghost_thinkingbacktocanyonmoon(ao3) for all your help and for being an amazing person!

-Thoughts-

Emphasis on words

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Rock music pounded through the modest, 2-bedroom, corner apartment curtesy of the speakers placed throughout the many rooms. Perched on the back of the black leather recliner in the living room was a long furred, green eyed, calico cat with 3 legs. The feline watched with a bland expression on her face as one of her owners, servants really, made a fool of himself by dancing around the living room with a duster. The man was in his mid-20's with long, curly dark brown hair and brown eyes. He was dressed in 'artfully' ripped skinny jeans, a black ACDC shirt, and socks. His hair was held up in a messy bun, with strands already falling in front of his face and sticking to his sweaty skin. However, a sudden, rapid thudding sound coming from the floor made him freeze mid-spin and land on his ass.

It was only then that he realized just how loud the music was, his cheeks heating up as he flushed. Scrambling to his feet, the man rushed over to the cellphone that was sitting on top of the entertainment stand and hurriedly lowered the volume. He waited a minute, his heart thudding rapidly in his chest before he let out a slow, long sigh. However, he winced when someone knocked on the door to the apartment rather firmly. Setting down the duster, the man walked over to the door, unlocked the deadbolt, and slowly opened the door. An elderly woman stood in front of the screen door; her dark blue eyes narrowed as she glared at the younger man.

"Eddie Munson, do you have any idea how loud your music was?" She demanded, watching as the man ducked his head sheepishly.

"Sorry, Mrs. Thompson. I was just…vibing while I was cleaning. You can't tell me you've never gotten so into the music that you can't help but dance?" Eddie said, a small grin tilting his lips as the woman sighed.

"I can understand, Eddie, but you really do need to keep it down…at least to a dull roar. Our grandson will be visiting for the summer." She explained, Eddie nodding rapidly before his eyes brightened.

"Wait, Dustin is visiting?!"

"Mhm. And, before you even ask, yes you and Stevie may have him over for a few nights and whenever you want to play Dungeons and Dragons. Claudia and Jackson have are taking a second honeymoon as they've recently renewed their vows." She explained, earning a blinding smile from the young man.

"Thank you! It'll be great seeing him in person again. We've been using discord to have our game sessions once a week." Eddie explained excitedly.

"Well, I know he's excited to see both of you as well. Now, please keep it down?" Mrs. Thompson said, earning a nod from Eddie.

"Will do, ma'am." He said, earning a chuckle and headshake from the woman.

"Cheeky brat…" She said fondly, turning and heading down the stairs as Eddie laughed.

Turning, Eddie left the door open since the screen door was locked. Looking around the room, he hummed thoughtfully before heading to the bay window and opening the 2 sliding windows. Unsurprisingly, his and Steve's cat, Duchess, immediately got up and hurried over to the open windows. She leapt onto the padded bench seat and settled down, her eyes locking onto the nearby grassy area which had plenty of trees which were home to many squirrels. Eddie chuckled and shook his head before walking back over to where he had left the duster, though he also flipped another switch that turned on the ceiling fans in the living room and dining area.

Turning on his music once more, Eddie ensured it was much quieter than it had been yet still loud enough for him to rock out to. Getting back into the vibe, Eddie was soon dancing around the apartment once more, running the duster over everything that could possibly collect dust. Reaching up, he even managed to get a few cobwebs that had collected in the corner of the room. Moving on after he finished dusting, Eddie shoved the coffee table back and grunted as he knelt on the ground and began rolling up the carpet. Someone in the complex had hung strong wire between 2 poles so everyone could hang their rugs out there to air out and dust. He had already vacuumed, but the rug hadn't been aired out since last summer. A soft grunt left him as he stood and shouldered the rug, though he carried it over to the door and set it down and leaned it against the wall to be taken out later.

Eddie soon moved onto the kitchen, in which the dishwasher was loaded and set running before he scrubbed out the sink, rooted out all the expired food from the fridge, and cupboards, and scrubbed the counters. He then set the oven to cleaning, in which he hurried over to the windows in the dining area and threw those open to air out the apartment even more. While the oven ran through its cleaning cycle, he scrubbed the stovetop, microwave, coffee machine, and their other appliances. He grinned as he checked everything over, memories flowing through his mind. Steve was definitely the cook out of both of them, though he could make some damn good burgers and 'greasy foods' as his boyfriend called them. Steve was hellbent on making healthier foods and keeping them both in shape. Hell, his Stevie-boy was the only reason why he had signed up and went to the gym once a week!

From the kitchen, he checked over the dining table and chairs, and even managed to fix a leg on one of the chairs that had come loose. He then checked the closet which held all of their winter gear, holiday decorations, and other stuff they had collected over the years. Thankfully that wasn't too messy, and all he had to do was air it out. Heading to the first room of the short hallway, he stepped into the guest room/library/game room. The right wall had floor to ceiling bookcases that had been hand built by himself, Steve, and a few of their friends. They were filled with books, figurines, boardgames, and puzzle boxes. Against the left wall was a comfortable, black, and red futon that was folded up into the 'couch' position. The center of the room had a foldable, black card table which was covered with character sheets, D&D books, and a, rather detailed, hand-drawn map.

Eddie opened the window and the sliding door to the closet which had a small chest of drawers, a large bag that held an inflatable mattress, and a stack of spare sheets, blankets, and pillows. There were some framed movie posters and puzzles that they had completed hanging on the walls. Moving further down the hall to the second, master bedroom, Eddie rubbed the back of his neck when he saw the dirty laundry on the floor near the corner of the large room where their hamper was. The king-sized bed was messy, and the covers had been kicked off the bed completely. Their closet door was open and messy, as was their dresser which had clothes spilling out of some of the drawers. Not to mention the small garbage can was full of trash.

"Fuckin' hell…" He muttered, dragging a hand down his face before letting out a huff.

Sighing deeply, Eddie frowned as he gathered up all the dirty clothes and tossed them into the hamper. He then headed into the bathroom at the end of the hall and collected all the towels, washcloths and dirty clothes that were in there which were also tossed into the hamper. That was then dragged out to the living room where he collected the money for the washer as well as the laundry soap from beneath the kitchen sink. As he dragged the hamper outside and down to the basement level, he cursed under his breath, knowing that he'd have to do it at least 3 times. Their sheets, pillowcases, and comforter all needed to be washed as well. Using a key on his keyring, he unlocked the laundry/storage room and stepped inside, the lights flickering on.

The room was rather large and had 6 washers and driers each. There were also 2 sinks and a small line of counters where residents could fold and sort their clothes. He dragged the hamper over to the first empty washer and tossed clothes in, though had to use a second washer so the first wasn't overloaded. Soon enough he had the first 2 loads going and hauled the hamper back up into the apartment. Once back in the bedroom, he completely stripped the bed and pillows, stuffing it all into the hamper which was then hauled down a 2nd time.

"Eddie?"

Eddie blinked and looked up as he spotted a rather pretty young woman with wavy, shoulder length brown hair and dark blue eyes. It took him only a few seconds to recognize her.

"Nancy?! Nancy Wheeler?!" He asked, his eyes widening as she gave him a gentle smile as she held the door to the laundry room open.

"Yeah, it's me." Nancy said, laughing as Eddie hurried over and pulled her into a warm hug.

"Dude, it's been what…seven years?!" He asked, stepping back and grabbing his hamper.

"Eight actually, but yeah, it's been a long time. How are you?" Nancy asked, walking alongside Eddie as they headed to the washers.

"Good! Really good actually. I'm uh, I'm one of the managers at The Golden Lantern bar and club nearby. I'm also part of a band that plays locally, Dragon Masters." Eddie said, pride in his voice as he and Nancy began loading the washers.

"That's cool. Are you and Steve…" She trailed off, a hint of hesitation in her voice until she relaxed when she saw the goofy grin on Eddie's face.

"Yeah, we're still together. He's actually at work right now which is why I'm cleanin'. Sadly the G.L. is going through some renovations so I'm not workin' until it gets done. But my band's played a few gigs so I'm still bringin' in some cash!" Eddie explained, Nancy nodding with interest.

"And what about you? Are you and Jon still…?" He asked, watching as Nancy shook her head.

"No, we broke up two years ago. I'm…I'm actually dating Barbara now. I don't think you-"

"Barbara as in Barbara Holland?! Isn't she like, some super smart researcher?!" Eddie asked, wonder in his voice as Nancy blinked in surprise.

"Yeah, yeah she is. She's working at one of the big hospitals in the main part of the city. I'm still looking for a job in journalism." Nancy answered, pride in her voice as Eddie beamed.

"That's great! I know that the local paper was hiring for journalists, so you might wanna think about applying there if you haven't already. Though, I know blogs are all the rage right now." He added, rolling his eyes as Nancy giggled.

"So, which apartment are you in?" Eddie asked after a few minutes.

"Um, two-oh-four."

"Dude! Steve and I are in two-oh-one! You and Barbara should totally come over and hang sometime! We have a killer movie collection now. I promise, it's not all horror movies." Eddie said, grinning as he led the way out of the laundry room.

"I'll have to check with Barb before making any plans. She's been working a lot since before we even got our apartment. She moved over here first, and I've only just moved in." Nancy explained, earning a nod from her friend.

"Sure thing. Feel free to knock on the door whenever, okay? It'd be nice to catch up sometime." Eddie said, smiling as Nancy nodded and smiled back.

"Thanks, Eddie."

Eddie watched as Nancy headed down towards her apartment before he turned and entered his own. He couldn't believe that Nancy and Barbara had moved all the way out here. Afterall, not many thought to head up to Minnesota from Indiana…though it wasn't entirely impossible of course. He and Steve had, at first, thought about moving to Michigan but had decided on Minnesota since it would be a new and exciting adventure. Sadly, Eddie knew that a huge part of it was because of what Steve's parentals had done after his man had come out fully.

-We've been together for six years now.- Eddie thought, a goofy grin spreading across his face even though his eyes were filled with sadness.

Steve had, at first, planned on staying in Hawkins even after they had graduated from high school. He had wanted to go to college for a vet degree even though his parents had strongly disagreed. His parents had wanted him to take over the family business, but Steve hadn't wanted anything to do with his dad's business. Steve had taken the advice of all his friends, including the Hellfire club members, and had taken off a gap year to just relax and unwind from school. That was the year the two of them had finally stopped dancing around each other and he had kissed Harrington senseless. When Steve's parents had discovered their new relationship things had gotten…bad to say the least. The cops had been called and Eddie had almost been arrested until Steve had proven that his new boyfriend had been protecting him from his dad.

It had been…rough to say the least. But their friends had all helped them get solid jobs and Eddie had been grateful that his uncle had given him and Steve the trailer to live in. With it, they had saved enough money to get decent cars and Steve had gone to college. He had gained his bartending license and things had gotten even better. Leaving Hawkins hadn't been easy, especially since they were leaving their friends behind. But it had proven to be totally worth it.

"Duchess, are you chattering at the birds? They can't hear you." Eddie said, grinning when he saw the cat with her paw on the screen as she chattered at the birds flying around outside.

Duchess didn't even glance at him, which made Eddie chuckle before he headed back to his and Steve's bedroom to continue cleaning. He grabbed all the trash laying around the room, even going so far as to lay on his stomach and fish out any trash under the bed. He blinked and smirked when he saw a few…items…that had been knocked underneath during his and Steve's more wild times. With a dirty smirk on his face, Eddie swiftly finished cleaning the bedroom. The items were cleaned and checked over to ensure they hadn't been damaged before being tucked away in the small trunk that held their other toys and items they used whenever they were feeling a little more adventurous in bed. The trash was emptied, and a plastic bag put inside as a new trash bag. He even shoved furniture around to vacuum the floor as best he could.

Next to last was the bathroom…which was admittedly the worst room in the apartment. Opening the linen closet inside the bathroom, he shuffled things around and checked over their stock of toiletries before ensuring things were neat and orderly. Next, he cleared off the vanity, in which he was grateful that they had managed to get one of the few apartments with double sinks and a deeper bathtub. Steve would never admit it, but his boyfriend loved soaking in the tub after a long day of work. Shaking his head, Eddie sprayed the sinks with cleaner, before adding cleaner to the toilet bowl. He let that soak in while he cleaned the litter box and took out all the trash he had gathered from the entire apartment. On his way back to the apartment he checked on the laundry and moved everything over to the dryers, and also texted Nancy to tell her that her laundry was ready to be switched over.

He spent a good 5 minutes scrubbing the toilet, sinks, and the countertop of the vanity. He even cleaned the mirrors and hurriedly dusted the light bulbs and rechecked the bathroom vent, which was dusted off as well after he unscrewed the vent cover. The shower/tub was sprayed down after everything was removed from the shelves inside and then he spent nearly 10 minutes scrubbing the hell out of it. Once everything was done and put back in place, all he had left was to sweep and mop the floor. By the time he was finished, he was red-faced and sweaty. However, he also felt rather good that everything was nice and clean and would be done by the time Steve got home.

"I kicked some ass today." He said, grinning as he exited the bathroom and headed to the kitchen to get something cold to drink.

-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX-

"E-baby, you home…"

Eddie looked up and grinned when he saw Steve step through the door and look around with wide eyes. Steve Harrington had and still was considered the stereotypical 'woman's dream man'. He had practically perfectly cut light brown hair that was longer in the back and shorter in the front and was always perfectly styled. His doe brown eyes could melt even the hardest of hearts. He was warmly tanned and stood at 5'11" with warmly tanned skin, broad shoulder, and a fit figure. He was currently dressed in his work uniform which consisted of a dark blue tee with the words: Kozy Cat's Café on the front and a cute drawing of a cat sleeping around a coffee cup on the back, and black jeans. However, Eddie fought back a smirk at the sight of the adorable dark brown cat ears that were clipped into his boyfriend's hair.

"Hey, kitten." Eddie said, smirking as a blush immediately spread across Steve's cheeks and began spreading down his neck.

"Shut up, ass…" Steve mumbled, reaching up and hurriedly pulling out the ears.

"Aw, baby, don't be like that." Eddie cooed, walking over and pulling Steve into his arms.

"Eddie, I'm all sweaty and covered with fur." Steve said, though a smile tugged at the corners of his lips as his eyes softened.

"…And? Nothin's gonna stop me from kissin' my boy…and considerin' how I was kissin' you last night…" Eddie trailed off, an absolutely filthy smirk on his lips as Steve's entire face lit up a bright red.

"Perv!" Steve hissed, pushing against the side of Eddie's face as the older man laughed.

"Go get cleaned up, babe. I got dinner goin' and I got a treat for dessert." Eddie said, planting a quick kiss on Steve's cheek before releasing him.

"Oh? And did you clean?" Steve asked before he yelped when Eddie smacked his ass playfully.

"Yup! The chores are my responsibility while I'm outta work. You just shower and relax. You mentioned earlier during your lunch that there was an emergency you had to help with." Eddie said, watching as Steve toed off his shoes and nodded.

"Yeah, one of the new kittens broke her leg when she tried jumping off a perch she had climbed onto. Someone had left the kitten enclosure open to the main room in the café." Steve said, a hint of distress and anger in his voice.

"Luckily the café has such a talented vet on hand." Eddie said, pride in his voice as Steve's face softened and he smiled bashfully.

Eddie grinned as Steve gave him a quick, chaste, kiss before heading to the bedroom. Eddie, meanwhile, closed and locked the door before closing the windows and blinds. For what he had planned, he didn't want anyone to be able to peer inside. He wasn't totally positive, but he swore he had seen Mrs. Kelly from the building across the parking lot watching him and Steve one evening when things had gotten hot and dirty between them rather quickly.

-God, what a night though! Stevie has always been possessive, but…I wasn't able to walk right for days.- Eddie thought, a delighted shiver racing up and down his spine at the memory.

Shaking himself, he headed into the kitchen and checked on the hamburger that was cooking on the stove. He listened as the door to the bathroom shut and the fan was turned on. As he worked on making a small taco spread, which included fresh toppings and some homemade sauce that Joyce had taught him back when he was in high school. He also grated his own cheese, grateful that the small corner grocers had fresh meat and cheeses instead of the processed shit that was sold at the other stores. He also checked the covered box that held tonight's dessert. Freshly made chocolate covered strawberries. He had made them himself that morning and now all he had to do was make sure Steve didn't see them before he was ready. A buddy of his had also given him a bottle of cherry mead and a bottle of blackberry mead. While he was fan of the harder stuff, normally, Steve was shockingly a fan of the fruiter stuff. Then again, 'girlie' drinks often had a shit ton more alcohol than normal 'guy' drinks. Robin had been the one to teach him that one evening at a local bowling alley that had a very nice bar.

"Eddie, did you seriously clean the entire apartment?!" Steve asked as he walked out of the bathroom wearing boxers and toweling his hair dry.

"Hey, our anniversary is comin' up and I don't wanna be distracted through it by a dirty apartment. This way, all I'll have to do is vacuum, some light dusting, and maybe a load of laundry." Eddie said, looking over as Steve appeared.

"Tacos?!" Steve asked, his face lighting up at the smell.

"Yup. I may have done a little shopping earlier this mornin' and got fresh ingredients too." Eddie said, looking over and pausing as he stared at his mostly naked boyfriend.

Steve flushed but grinned at the reaction he got from Eddie. He knew he was good looking. There was a reason why he had been the King of Hawkins High and why all the girls had loved him. Even after graduating and moving he had kept up his workout routine and even played basketball with some of his coworkers and other people here in the complex. He still considered it a high accomplishment that he had been able to get Eddie to start working out. Though he was even happier that he had been able to get his boyfriend to put on some much-needed weight. Yes, Eddie could still be a tad self-conscious when it came to the scars on his body, but Steve had proven to him that he didn't care. Besides, he had his own scars from some trouble he had gotten into and from when his dear ol' dad had learned he was bisexual and dating another guy.

Eddie huffed as Steve winked and headed back to their bedroom. He hoped, that after dinner and dessert, he'd get a chance to have his wicked way with Steve. It had been a few days since they weren't busy or too tired to do more than a simple blowjob or hand job while making out in the shower or before Steve had to go to work. Sadly, Steve also had a part-time job at a local vet's and that job kept him pretty damn busy. Though Eddie was helping maintenance around the complex which meant their rent was lowered by a couple hundred bucks thankfully. He couldn't wait until the bar reopened and Steve didn't have to pick up so many shifts. His boyfriend may have said it was alright, but Eddie still worried about him burning himself out from work.

Steve soon returned wearing a pair of sweatpants and a tank, which earned him a wolf-whistle from his boyfriend. However, Steve simply rolled his eyes and got the plates and cups while Eddie dished everything out into bowls and onto plates. Soon they were settled at the dining table, which was getting a lot more use surprisingly, and they were brushing their feet and ankles against each other as they made up their first few tacos.

"So, I discovered our new neighbors a few doors down." Eddie said, taking a ravenous bite as Steve cocked an eyebrow at him.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, it's Nancy and her girlfriend Barbara." Eddie answered, watching as Steve nearly spat out his mouthful of water.

"Nancy and Barbara?!" He asked incredulously.

"Yup. Barbara is a researcher or something and Nancy is looking for a job to put her degree to good use." Eddie explained, watching as Steve hummed thoughtfully.

"You know…I always wondered if Nancy had feelings for Barbara back in high school. It was always kinda obvious Barbara had a thing for her. I'm glad they got together. Barbara was always looking out for Nancy." Steve said, nodding firmly as Eddie smiled.

"Well, I told her that she and Barbara are always welcome here. Oh! Dustin's also gonna be staying downstairs this summer! His parents are going on a second honeymoon or something and didn't want him to be alone. Mrs. Thompson has already agreed to let him stay with us for a little." Eddie said, chuckling at the beaming smile he got from his partner.

They spend the rest of dinner chatting about different things. Steve talked about how he wanted to visit the kiddos in Indiana sometime in the fall, which Eddie gladly agreed with. Even though said kiddos were now adults, sadly. They also talked about how Ell and Mike had moved out and into their own place while Will had finally found a boyfriend. Dustin and his girlfriend were still going strong, and Lucas and Max were still quite the power couple. Though, according to Max her brother was doing well in therapy and anger management and had managed to hold down his job for longer than a month. They missed their friends terribly, but they had a feeling that the kids would soon be moving away from Hawkins considering how small the town really was and the sheer amount of opportunities that were out there in the world.

After dinner, Steve practically picked Eddie up and tossed him out of the kitchen when the older man tried to do the dishes. Instead, Eddie huffed and pouted before he headed to the bathroom to take a shower himself. Steve loaded the dishwasher and fed Duchess before he headed into the living room and flopped down on the couch. Flipping on the TV, he flipped through channel after channel while waiting for Eddie to join him. Eventually he settled on a new Paranormal show: The Holzer Files. Admittedly, the kids and Eddie had gotten him interested in the paranormal. Hell, Eddie had even taken him, Nancy, and Robin to a few haunted houses to do their own investigations. He would never admit it, but some of them had been pretty damn terrifying.

"Here we are!"

Steve jumped slightly as Eddie sat down beside him, his eyes wide as he looked at his boyfriend. Eddie smirked at him, laughing when Steve shot him a dirty look.

"Sorry, sweetheart, didn't mean to scare you. I have a surprise!" Eddie said, holding up the bottle of blackberry mead, two glasses, and the box of strawberries.

"The hell?! When…when did you do this?!" Steve asked, his eyes wide as Eddie poured them both a glass before opening the case of strawberries.

"Nick gave me the mead and I made the strawberries this morning." Eddie explained, smiling warmly at the faint blush that rose on Steve's cheeks.

"Thanks, baby. I really appreciate it." Steve said, leaning over and pressing a loving kiss to Eddie's lips.

Eddie hummed contently and reached up, cupping the back of Steve's neck as he pulled him closer and deepened the kiss slightly. With his other hand, he reached over to the strawberries and held it by the top before he pulled back from the kiss. Before the whine could leave Steve's lips, he pressed the tip of the strawberry to Steve's mouth and grinned when the younger man's eyes lit up and he happily bit into the strawberry. Though…Eddie didn't think about the fact that Steve let out a small moan at the taste of the chocolate covered fruit. Nor did he anticipate Steve's eagerness to eat as much of the fruit as possible. His eyes darkened as Steve looked at him through his lashes and coyly licked at the juices on his fingertips.

Swallowing back his groan, Eddie practically tossed the strawberry stem aside and grabbed another one. Steve eagerly bit into the new fruit, breathing in deeply through his nose as he continued to stare at Eddie. This time, Eddie tossed the stem before Steve could lick away the juices, though Steve simply grabbed Eddie's wrist in his hand and brought the older man's fingers into his mouth. A low growl rumbled through Eddie's chest as Steve's tongue licked and twisted around his fingers. Steve practically deep throated his fingers, all the while never breaking eye contact. Steve finally released Eddie's fingers, only to gasp when Eddie pushed him back until he was lying on the couch with the older man on top of him.

Steve whined, high and needy, as Eddie slid his pointer finger into his mouth again. Eddie pushed down on his tongue firmly enough for him to open his mouth. Steve gripped his wrist again, another whine, this time utterly filthy, escaping him as Eddie slowly dragged his finger up his tongue as he lowered his face closer.

"Fuck. You look so good with something in your mouth, sweetheart." Eddie growled, earning another needy sound from Steve before he captured the other man's mouth in a kiss filled with utter desire.

-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX-

The next few days passed rather quickly and much to Eddie's dismay, he and Steve hadn't had much time to discuss their upcoming anniversary. June 28th was coming up quickly and he had no idea what the hell to give his boyfriend. He knew he wanted to take Steve out to eat, but the question was where? He also had no idea what kind of gift to give Steve, especially since Steve wasn't all that materialistic. Those burning questions led him to seeking out Nancy, and was how he found himself seated on her's and Barbara's couch no long after Steve had headed off to work.

"So why are you panicking?" Nancy asked, looking up and smiling as Barbara walked over and handed her a can of soda.

"I wanna do something nice for Stevie. He's been working so hard lately because we're waiting for the bar to reopen. Yeah, I got the maintenance gig going on and my band has been getting some gigs at the local bars and clubs, but still!" Eddie said, his voice strained as Barbara sat down beside Nancy and gave him a sympathetic look.

"Sounds like how I was for our last anniversary." Barbara said, a small smile on her lips as she glanced at Nancy.

"Barb here almost made herself sick with worry." Nancy said fondly, smiling as she took one of the redhead's hands.

Eddie chuckled softly at that, though he knew how Barbara felt. He was a little surprised when Nancy began asking him questions about Steve's hobbies, what they did together, where their favorite places to eat, drink, and hang out were and so forth. He told her that there was this amazing Mongolian restaurant that Steve absolutely loved, but they didn't go too often because they were trying to save up so Eddie could finally get a better car other than his beat-up van, and were also hoping to move into a nice house some day. He talked about how they often went to the Mall of America, even if it was to just wander around and window shop, or they went to a nearby bowling alley that had a decent arcade. That made Nancy and Barbara giggle. Eddie also talked about how he had finally gotten Steve to join a new DnD campaign he had started with the kids.

"Really?! I thought Steve wasn't interested in the game." Nancy said, frowning as Eddie smiled sappily.

"He sat in on some of the sessions we played and finally asked me about the possibility of joining. I talked to the others, and they were surprised but happy to let him join once we finished the campaign. So, after it was finished and we decided to start a new one, Steve made his character and joined in. It's been going great so far!" Eddie gushed, earning a soft giggle from Barbara as Nancy shook her head in amusement.

"Never thought I would see the day when Steve would do something so…dorky." She said, raising her hands in defense at the narrowed look from Eddie.

"Well, why not get him his own set of dice? I know they have some amazing sets online." Barbara offered, smiling as Eddie blinked before he grinned.

"That's…that's a good idea!"

"Also, I know his favorite basketball team will be playing sometime this fall. Tickets are already on sale if you want to spend that kinda cash." Nancy offered.

"I…I might have enough saved for something like that. Though...I know Steve has also been wanting a dog." Eddie said, his eyes gleaming with ideas.

"That's a good idea. His parents refused to let him get a dog, or any kind of pet really." Nancy said, Barbara nodding in agreement.

"Have…Have you heard from his parents at all?" Barbara asked, watching as Eddie stiffened before he scowled.

"Steve doesn't have any contact with his parents since his dad was taken away for assault. Dustin and Hopper kept us updated for a little while, but we haven't really wanted any updates since we finally settled here. Last I heard, his dad got out on parole for good behavior and his mom had been struggling to hold down the business." Eddie said, shrugging as Nancy and Barbara looked at each other.

"Well…his parents aren't in Hawkins anymore. They barely escaped federal prison actually." Nancy said, watching as Eddie blinked before he looked at her in shock.

"What?!"

"Yeah. The company was doing some shady stuff. You remember the research lab, right? Well apparently they were helping to fund the lab and its more...illegal testing. They were practically run out of town." Nancy said, watching as Eddie snorted and shook his head.

"Why am I not surprised. I might tell Steve, but I don't want him stressing about his parentals." Eddie said, earning nods from the pair.

With some new ideas for gifts in mind, Eddie thanked the girls and headed out. He drove into town and headed to the new gaming store that had opened a few months ago. It didn't take him long at all to find a set of stunning DnD dice, and he only hesitated for a second when he saw the price for them. He also eagerly snatched up some more bottles of paint and paint brushes. Paying for everything, he headed over to the gym he and Steve worked out at and got a gift card for the shop attached to the gym. Steve was more into using protein powders, pre-workouts and such so he knew it'd be a good gift for him. As he drove back home, Eddie paused when he saw that the local animal shelter was still open. Warring with himself for a few minutes, he finally gave him and pulled into the parking lot. Turning off the van, he exited and walked into the building.

"Hello, Sir, how can I help you?" The receptionist asked, his dark blue eyes kind as he looked up.

"Um…I was wondering if you might have a dog that's good for apartment living?" Eddie asked, watching as the man blinked before he hummed.

"Do you have a preference on age, or breed?"

"Not really. Housetrained, obviously, and friendly with cats." Eddie said, the man nodding as he typed a few things into his computer and waited for a minute.

"Well, it looks like we have a few dogs like that. I can show you if you'd like." He offered, earning a nod from Eddie.

Eddie followed the man down a hallway and through a door. Inside were the kennels for the dogs, in which were there were 20 in total. Immediately the room became noisy as the dogs barked, yiped, and whined in excitement. Eddie felt his heart go out to each animal, and he smiled sadly as they walked down the row. They soon stopped in front of one kennel that held a long haired Chihuahua, black and white in coloring with adorable dark brown eyes. According to the laminated paper its name was Oreo, male, and 7 years-old. Oreo was blind in his right eye, very sweet, and rather quiet, but loved playing. Next was a Pitbull/German Shephard mix named Layla who was very quiet and sweet and was 10. Then there was Moxie, a black lab, who was more on the active side but rather quiet and could be very laid back. He was 12. Next up was a female Jack Russel Terrier named Dixie who had 3 legs, and a spunky attitude. She was 4 years old and also loved cuddles. Lastly was a Min-Pin named Kiki who was 4.

The worker explained that the dogs had been in the shelter for over a year, mainly because their disabilities and their breeds. Eddie's heart ached for the poor pups, but he knew that he would need Steve's input before they adopted. He hurriedly explained why he was there, and the worker smiled and agreed that it would be best for them to wait until Steve was there as well. Eddie did give the man his number and asked that he text or call if one of the dogs was adopted before he and Steve got there. He did hope the pups would find forever homes, but he still wanted to get a dog for their little family. Thanking the worker, Eddie left the shelter and headed home. Pulling into a spot, he blinked and grinned when he saw a familiar curly haired teen sitting on a plastic chair outside the apartment below his and Steve's.

"There you are!" Dustin said, though his grin softened his exclamation.

"What, am I not allowed to have some time to myself?!" Eddie asked, getting out of the driver's seat with his bags.

"Not when I concluded that you'd need help with yours and Steve's anniversary." Dustin said, raising an eyebrow as Eddie rolled his eyes.

"For your information, I have a plan, dork." Eddie said, ruffling Dustin's hair and grinning at the squawk he got.

"Oh really? What have you got?" Dustin asked, eagerly following after Eddie up to the apartment.

Eddie chuckled and unlocked the door, leading the way inside and tossing his keys into the bowl on the small table next to the door. Dustin closed the door behind him and toed off his shoes, watching as Eddie did the same before setting his bags on the coffee table.

"I got him a nice set of dice for our campaign, a hundred-dollar gift card for the shop at the gym we go to, and I want to take him out his favorite restaurant." Eddie explained, earning a nod from the teen.

"Sounds good so far, man. Anything else?" Dustin asked, watching as Eddie's smile turned into a smirk.

"Oh, I have a few ideas, man." Eddie said, chucklingly lowly as Dustin's face morphed into one of disgust.

"Ugh, ewww! Child present!" He exclaimed, dodging a throw pillow as it was tossed at his head.

"Oh, shut it! I know you and Suzie finally got to do the nasty, remember?! You came to Steve and I for advice!" Eddie laughed, catching the pillow as it was tossed back at him while Dustin's face tried to mimic a tomato.

Eddie continued to chuckle even as Dustin glared and muttered something under his breath, though he couldn't deny what Eddie said. He had been very nervous to finally go all the way with Suzie and had expressed said nervousness to the two men he thought of as family: Eddie and Steve. Surprisingly it had been Steve who had given him the most advice, as apparently Eddie had known he was gay from an early age and had only experimented with girls once or twice. But the advice had been sound and he was grateful for it…as was Suzie.

"Any other plans?" Dustin asked, almost desperate to change the subject.

"Well…I did go to the local shelter and asked if they had any dogs good with cats and for apartments. I know Steve has been wanting a dog for some time, but we were thinking of waiting until we saved up enough to get an actual house." Eddie added, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Dude that'd be awesome! Steve's parents never let him have any pets, so a dog would be perfect!" Dustin said, grinning as Eddie nodded with a smile.

"Yeah, I miss having a dog. My uncle had one for a few years when I first moved in with him. Sadly, Cooper passed from old age. We loved that mutt." He said fondly.

Dustin chuckled and shook his head, a grin on his lips. He was glad that his two adopted parentals had gotten together. It had been rather painful and embarrassing watching the pair dance around each other for practically 2 years before they finally pulled their heads out of the sand and admitted their feelings. Then it had been rather scarring the few times he and the others had accidentally walked in on them making out or practically humping each other through their clothes. All of them had learned to knock before entering any room they thought Eddie and Steve would be in together.

"So, you ready to play tomorrow?" Eddie asked, grinning as Dustin's eyes lit up.

"Fuck yeah! Though, Suzie can't join because of a family thing." Dustin said, his smile drooping a bit.

"It's okay, man, we'll do what we normally do when a player can't make it. 'sides, she already sent me a message explaining her absence. I'm surprised she didn't drag you along to her family reunion. You two are getting pretty serious." Eddie said, his voice taking on a more serious tone as Dustin blushed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"I…I kinda wanna get her a promise ring in a year. I mean, we've been together since Freshmen year, and we've visited each other during the holidays. Mom and Dad love her, and her parents seem to like me at least." Dustin said, shrugging even as Eddie smiled.

"Do what feels right, man. If it means getting her a promise ring, then get her a promise ring. Just, nothing too flashy, ya know?" He suggested, earning a nod from Dustin.

"I know. She'd kill me if I got her an expensive gift." Dustin chuckled, earning a grin from Eddie.

"You'll find something, man, don't worry." Eddie said, clapping Dustin on the shoulder.

-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX-

The last week before Steve and Eddie's anniversary seemed to fly by, and yet at times it seemed to drag on impossibly slowly. Steve did manage to get the entire day off, and the day after off from both jobs, which was basically unheard of. Eddie cheered at that, which had caused Steve to roll his eyes even as he grinned at his boyfriend's antics. Eddie also managed to think of one final gift to give Steve, something he had discovered during one of their softer passionate moments. Honestly, it had taken him by surprise a little, and yet he figured he should've seen something like it coming based on their relationship.

Steve was almost exclusively the receiver in their sex lives. Despite him being as strong, if not stronger, than Eddie, he loved being on the bottom. Eddie had no issues with giving rather than taking, and besides, the sex and/or love making was equally pleasurable for both of them. They always took care of each other, though they had certainly fallen into their own roles as well. Therefore, every time Steve became more dominate, it sent a thrill through Eddie. The transition was always seamless and natural. That was when he saw what the girls of Hawkins High had seen and bragged about in the hallways. Of course, he and Steve had experimented a lot more than what Steve had dared to try while in school. In fact, there had only been a small handful of things they had both decided to never do.

So, on the morning of their anniversary, Eddie had a plan in mind and one he planned on putting into action as soon as they returned home from their night out. He was surprised, but happy when Steve entered their room with a tray containing 2 plates of breakfast and drinks for them both. Sitting up in bed, they happily chatted while they ate, sometimes even going so far as to feed each other small forkfuls of eggs and fresh fruit. They mainly discussed what they had planned for that day. They both wanted to go to the Science Museum of Minnesota as they were apparently having a special exhibit on music that was only there for another week. Since that was about an hour and a half away both ways, it would be best for them to head out soon.

They had already talked about going to the Mall of America but had decided against it since they went at least once a month. That and they had already taken the 'behind the scenes' tour of the aquarium at the mall as well. The museum was something special since it was so far away. Steve wanted to take him to the bowling alley, so they could spend some time just hanging out and chilling there. Eddie then explained he had plans to take him somewhere special for dinner, which made Steve grin even as he blushed. When it came time to exchange gifts, though, it was Eddie's turn to be made speechless as Steve handed him a simple envelope.

"I remembered you had mentioned about wanting to see them in person. I may have saved up for a while." Steve said, a worried grin on his lips as Eddied stared at him wide-eyed before opening the envelope.

His eyes widened even more in shock as 2 tickets and 2 VIP concert passes slid out and landed on his hand. His breath caught in his throat when he saw they were tickets to the upcoming Halestorm concert in November.

"Stevie…but…how…?" He breathed, his voice hardly above a whisper as Steve shrugged lightly.

"Like I said, I know you like them, and I saved up to get them. We also have an exclusive pass to hang out with the band and have a meal with them. I figured that this is kinda like a 'once in a lifetime' thing. You've been to their concert before, but never got to meet them." Steve said, smiling as Eddie swallowed thickly.

"Man…I can't thank you enough for this…" Eddie croaked, carefully putting the tickets and passes back into the envelope which then went into the bedside table drawer for safe keeping.

"I'm more than happy to do this for you, E-baby." Steve said, smiling as he cupped Eddie's jaw and drew him into a loving kiss.

"Damn…now my gifts pale in comparison to that…" Eddie mumbled against Steve's lips, earning a frown from his boyfriend as Steve drew back.

"Hey, none of that. We agreed a long time ago that this wasn't a competition." Steve scolded, earning a small wince and nod from Eddie.

"Sorry. But, that must've cost a fortune!" Eddie said, glancing towards the drawer before looking at Steve when he scoffed.

"Money doesn't matter. All that matters is that you have a great time and enjoy your gift. Both of us will love the concert, I know that." Steve said, Eddie smiling in agreement.

Eddie then passed over his gifts to Steve, who chuckled at the messy wrapping paper. However, he eagerly tore into the presents and his eyes lit up when he saw the set of dice. Opening the gift-card box, his eyes widened in delight and surprise when he saw that the gift-card was to his favorite workout store, though he was shocked at how much it was worth. With his store membership and the upcoming membership sales in a month he'd be able to get all of what he wanted without spending an arm and a leg and would likely be able to stock up too! He grinned and practically crawled onto Eddie's lap, earning a smirk from the older man before that smirk disappeared as he kissed Eddie fiercely.

The kiss rapidly heated up, and Eddie lowered himself down onto the bed completely, giving Steve free reign. However, when Steve shifted to lay on top of him completely, the younger man's leg knocked into the tray, sending the empty cups to the ground. The pair jumped apart, their eyes wide and chests heaving as they looked down at the ground. Sighing in relief that the cups didn't break, they looked at each other before breaking out laughing. Getting up, Eddie grabbed the dishes and carried them out to rinse and add to the dishwasher while Steve dressed, washed his face, and brushed his teeth.

Eddie then dressed and ran through his own morning routine. Due to the heat, he decided to tie his hair back in a high ponytail for the day, not wanting the thick locks on his neck. Walking out to the living room, he smiled as Steve cuddled with Duchess and gave her a few treats. He had seen that Steve had already filled her food and water dishes so she would be fine while they were out. They pulled on their shoes and grabbed their wallets and keys before heading out and locking up. Taking Steve's car, they were soon on the road to the museum. During the drive, Eddie controlled the radio and had them both rocking out to the newest Halestorm CD before switching to ADCD, and Aerosmith. Steve had an almost permanent grin on his face as Eddie rocked out beside him, singing along to nearly every song and playing the air guitar to boot. Of course, he joined along, mainly using the steering wheel as a drum but to Eddie's delight and amusement.

Reaching the museum, they paid for each other's tickets and were soon eagerly wandering around and visiting the many exhibits. Steve practically dragged Eddie towards the dinosaur exhibit, his eyes alight with wonder and delight when he saw that it had been expanded since the last time they had visited a year ago. Eddie grinned and indulged in his boyfriend as Steve began rattling off different facts about the many dinosaurs, nodding along as he watched him. He didn't even try to pull Steve away as they wandered the exhibit, patiently holding Steve's hand and smiling all the while. When they reached the end, Steve led the way to the next exhibit, both of them wandering around and toying around with the interactive exhibits just like other kids and teens were. Both also ignored some of the frowns and disgusted stares, though they also noticed a few looks of envy and even happiness. They were even more pleased when they saw a few queer couples wandering around as well.

It took nearly half-an-hour for them to finally reach the new music exhibit, in which Eddie dragged Steve through the doors as soon as he saw the sign pointing the way. Exactly as Eddie had done with Steve, Steve smiled as he followed Eddie around the exhibit, listening as his boyfriend gushed over different instruments, photos, clothes, props, and more that were on display. He was a little surprise that Eddie knew so much, even when it came to blues, classical, and folk music bands. They also took plenty of pictures which would be uploaded onto their social media later that night or tomorrow. All their friends knew it was their anniversary, so neither of them expected to be bothered besides a few texts wishing them a happy anniversary. Much to Eddie's dismay, they finished walking the exhibit in only 20 minutes, but he was just glad that the exhibit was there. It strongly reminded him of the Henry Ford Museum in Michigan which he had visited back when he had lived in Hawkins. That had been a trip he and Steve had taken all the kiddos on one summer and it had been a blast.

They really took their time going through the museum, exploring every exhibit that was offered except for the ones they had to pay extra for. Hell, they even ate an early lunch in the small food court as well as visited the gift shop. Steve had a goofy grin on his face as he walked out with a plush raptor that Eddie had bought. Eddie, meanwhile, had a huge grin on his face as he held onto the plush guitar Steve had gotten him. Heading out, they soon headed back to their own city and stopped at their apartment to drop their stuff off. After giving Duchess some love, they walked to the local bowling alley to enjoy the sunny day and warm weather. Eddie managed to pay for their lane and a couple games, which caused Steve to roll his eyes but his smile never left his face. They had a great time bowling and competing against each other, in which Steve managed to beat Eddie 2 to 1, though it was a close game!

They also played a few games of pool in the bar area, in which another couple joined them, and they all had a wonderful time laughing and joking around with each other. They also managed to restrain themselves to only a single beer each, given that Eddie had dinner plans for them in a couple hours. Heading into the arcade room, Steve watched with amusement as Eddie went from game to game, racking up points and putting his initials on the leaderboards. He was reminded of the kids, especially on how obsessive they had gotten when they had learned that Max was just as good, if not better than them at some of the games. It had amused the hell out of him and that competitive streak had only gotten worse the older the kids had gotten.

Dustin had often called him and complained on how Max had utterly destroyed them while playing COD, and Apex, and other MMO's. It wasn't surprising that she was planning on going to college for game design and animation. He knew she would go far, especially with her ideas and dreams. Hell, all of the kids could go far so long as they stuck with their schooling and managed to find the right job that helped to support them and help them grow. Steve shook himself from his thoughts when Eddie called his name, and he allowed his boyfriend to pull him onto one of the motorcycle racing games. Surprisingly, he actually managed to win 3 out of the 4 races which shocked both him and Eddie.

"Damn! Beginner's luck." Eddie huffed, smirking as Steve snorted.

"Yeah right, more like better driving." Steve taunted, earning a glare from his boyfriend.

"Do over. I demand a rematch, man." Eddie growled.

"Alright, but don't get mad when you loose again." Steve taunted, sliding a dollar into the machine.

They ended up place 2 more times, with Edde winning the second time and beating Steve in all 4 races. However, the last 4 races ended in a complete tie with both of them winning 2 each. They playfully teased and huffed at each other but were smiling the whole way. Eddie reminded Steve that they needed to head back and get the car or van so he could take Steve to dinner, which resulted in Steve pestering him gently on the walk back to the apartment. Unfortunately for him, he had fallen in love with someone who was just as, if not even more, stubborn as he was. Steve actually pouted for most of the drive as Eddie refused to even give him a hint as to where they were going for dinner. However, he soon recognized the streets they were taking, and his pout disappeared the more Eddie drove. By the time they pulled into the busy parking lot of Mongolian BBQ, his eyes were bright, and he had a huge smile on his face.

"Dude! Really!" Steve asked, a grin on his lips as he looked at Eddie who smiled.

"Yeah, man. This is your favorite place. I had to bring you here." Eddie said, laughing as Steve gave him a quick kiss to his cheek before scrambling out of the van.

Eddie laughed and followed after his boyfriend, eventually catching up at the door and leading the way inside. Thanks to having called ahead, they were shown to a quieter area of the restaurant and given a drink menu before they were asked if they wanted the endless buffet or only a certain amount of bowls. Eddie asked for the endless and also asked for cheese and soft taco shells. Once their drinks were delivered, they joined the lines to the various stations and loaded up on meats, veggies, and sauces before taking their bowls to one of the 2 hibachi grills. The cooks were doing various tricks and flares, and their tip jars were overflowing with money thanks to how busy the restaurant was.

Overall, Steve and Eddie went up a total of 3 times for different foods. Conversation was easy and they had plenty to talk about. Steve talked about his work while Eddie raved about a future gig his band and gotten. They also talked about Dustin and the fact that he had gotten a promise ring for Suzie that they were positive she would love. Dustin had also applied to his dream university which would bring him closer to Suzie as she had applied there as well. The only thing that bummed the kid out was the fact that the 'gang' was basically splitting up now that they were out of high school and were thinking about and planning for their futures. Of course, Hawkins would always be homebase, but still, there was that fear they would grow apart from each other while they were away.

"They'll do fine. Those kids have a bond that is rather scary sometimes. Nothing can pull them apart." Steve said, Eddie nodding in agreement.

"I've told Dustin and the others the same thing. I know Ell is struggling the most with it, as is Max. But I think they'll be fine." Eddie added.

-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX-

After dinner they took a long walk in the nearby park to work off some of their dinner. Neither of them felt the need to walk, rather they just held hands as they walked around and stood next to each other on the bridge that spanned the river. Unsurprisingly, as they headed back to the van the mood shifted into something heavier, more exciting. Eddie nearly sped down the quiet roads back to the apartment as Steve leaned over and began peppering open-mouthed kisses and nips to his jawline and neck, the younger man's hand rubbing along the inside of his thigh. Eddie struggled to park correctly in front of their building and practically ripped his seatbelt off as Steve chuckled lowly and unbuckled. Though Steve yelped as Eddie hauled him over the center counsel and out the van. The door was slammed shut and Eddie almost forgot to lock his van but Steve took his keys and locked it for him.

They were practically attached at the mouth as they stumbled up the stairs and to their door, Steve slamming Eddie against it and crowding the shorter man against it. Eddie moaned into Steve's mouth, nipping on the taller man's tongue before lightly sucking on it which caused Steve to groan and push their hips together. The sharp shot of arousal broke Eddie from the haze of Steve's drugging kisses and he managed to gently push Steve away before turning and unlocking the door. They nearly stumbled inside, Steve kicking the door shut behind him and fumbling for the locks. Though a mixture of a whine and a growl left him as Eddie firmly pushed him back against the door and kissed him hard.

"I'm gonna take a quick shower, then I want you to get your pretty ass in there and take a shower too while I get the bedroom ready. I've got one last gift for ya." Eddie said, his voice low and rough as Steve's eyes widened even as they darkened.

"Oh?" He panted, earning a smirk and nod from the other man.

"Yeah. So, take your time when it's your turn to shower." Eddie said, his smirk sending a shiver of desire down Steve's spine.

Steve watched as Eddie sauntered away from him, his eyes locking onto the other's hips and ass as Eddie walked. Shaking himself, he cleared his throat and puttered around the apartment. He set the dishes going, petted Duchess and ensured she was fed and had enough water, and also double checked all the windows and the door. When Eddie walked out of the bathroom wearing a simple towel around his waist, Steve swallowed heavily, his eyes locked onto his boyfriend and the fact that Eddie hadn't bother to dry his hair that much. Eddie's low chuckle brought him out of his thoughts and Steve glared lightly at the older man before hurrying past him and into the bathroom himself. Eddie smirked, his amusement high as he walked into the bedroom and began getting ready. Tonight, was all about Steve and what Steve wanted. Therefore, he had already spent some time in the shower loosening himself up.

All day there had been an undercurrent of desire between them. Even though he liked to imagine that they would be able to last a few hours and just have their fun with each other, he knew it'd likely be quick, dirty, and so much fun. Shaking himself, he walked over to the closet and pulled out his and Steve's favorite pair of his skinny jeans. They rode low on his hips, showing off that tantalizing 'v' that Steve always loved to trace with his tongue, teeth, and fingers. Pulling them on, he didn't bother to zip or button them, letting them sit even lower on his slender hips. He then reached into their toy trunk and grabbed a pair of sturdy leather cuffs and a black blindfold. Normally he would've gone for handcuffs, but the last time he and Steve had used them, his boyfriend had nearly sent himself into a tizzy because Eddie had pulled a little too hard and the cuffs had cut into his wrists and caused them to bleed for a bit.

So, he had ordered some good leather cuffs that were able to handle the strain of him pulling on them. Those were looped around one of the bars of their headboard. The blindfold was set on the bed, which was then joined by a tube of lube. Lastly, Eddie opened the small mini-fridge they had in their room and grabbed the small bowl of ice they kept in the freezer compartment of it. That was set onto the bedside table and was in easy reach of the bed. Climbing onto the bed, Eddie propped a few pillows up behind his back and closed his eyes. It took him a few tries, but he managed to locate the cuffs blind twice. Only then did he actually put on the blindfold before he reclined back and worked to cuff himself. Again, it took him a few tries, but soon his wrists were wrapped in the leather cuffs securely. He easily slipped into a relaxed type of arousal. Steve would come in and find him and he'd get all the time he'd want to have fun…both of them would.

Steve sighed as he walked out of the bathroom, smiling as he hurriedly toweled his hair dry. He hadn't bothered putting anything on, knowing that whatever Eddie had in store would likely require no clothing at all. Stepping into the bedroom, he was about to say something before the words died in his throat and he stared wide-eyed and mouth hanging open as he caught sight of his lover.

"E-Eddie?" He asked, his voice high and breathy as Eddie smirked from where he was on the bed.

"Happy anniversary, babe. I'm all yours." Eddie purred, his head turned in the direction where he had heard Steve speak.

A strangled sound left Steve's mouth as he took in his lover. Eddie looked gorgeous in the low light coming from a few smaller lamps on the bedside tables and the tall dresser they had where their bedroom TV was. His wrists were poised above the headboard, overlapping each other. The thick, black leather bands were a stark contrast against his pale skin. His hair hung in damp curls down past his shoulders, almost long enough now to cover the tattoo on his pec. The blindfold completely obscured his eyes, and Steve briefly pouted at that, but he smirked instead at the endless possibilities that this presented him with. His mouth watered though, at the sight of the low-slung skinny jeans that did nothing to hide Eddie's growing excitement.

Steve swallowed heavily, dropping the towel, and walking quietly over to the bed. Eddie tilted his head to the side slightly, straining to pick up any sound. He glanced at the side table and his eyes lit up with delight at the sight of the melting ice cubes. He and Eddie had experimented with temperature play before, and holy fuck it had been the best thing ever! Drawing in a shaky breath to calm himself, Steve grabbed a melting ice cube and popped it into his mouth. Drying his hand off on his chest, he turned his focus on Eddie and smirked. Eddie startled slightly at the first light touch of Steve's finger-tips trailing over his collarbone. Sighing, he gladly tilted his head back, humming as Steve's fingers traced up his neck. His heart began pounding when Steve's hand suddenly wrapped around his throat, his boyfriend applying pressure on the sides of his neck.

"So pretty for me, Eddie." Steve purred, carefully speaking around the now small chip of ice in his mouth.

"All yours baby." Eddie breathed, a high whine leaving him as Steve added more pressure briefly before releasing his throat.

His breath hitched and a high-pitched moan escaped him when cool lips suddenly pressed against the side of his neck, an even colder tongue laving over the clean skin. He shuddered bared his neck even more to Steve, moaning when the other man bit down, hard. Steve smirked as Eddie moaned, and shuddered, the older man breathing raggedly as he tried to keep still. Eddie whined and shifted as Steve trailed more cool kisses across his skin, nipping at his jaw and undoubtedly leaving bruises and marks, ones that Eddie would be proud to wear. Meanwhile, Steve blindly reached over to the bowl and dipped his fingers into the freezing water, holding them there for as long as he could stand it before pulling them out. The other hand, he curled into a fist on the middle of Eddie's chest to heat up those fingers. He knew the contrast would drive Eddie wild.

"Fuck!" Eddie cried, arching his chest as his wrists pulled at the cuffs when Steve began toying with one of his nipples with froze fingers.

Steve smirked at the moans and cries escaped his boyfriend, the sounds only increasing when he replaced his cold fingers with his hot ones. Arousal and need burned through his body like a fire, but he firmly pushed it to the back of his mind in favor of teasing his boyfriend and enjoying his final gift for the evening. Popping one of the smaller ice cubes into his mouth, Steve eagerly captured Eddie's lips in a cold kiss, earning a whining moan from his boyfriend as Eddie eagerly opened his mouth to Steve's demanding tongue. Holding the kiss, and warring for dominance, Steve managed to move up onto the bed and straddled Eddie's lower stomach. They pulled away with a gasp, panting for breath.

"Fuckin' hell, babe! You're killing me here!" Eddie groaned, earning a dark chuckle from the younger man.

"You can take it, baby. After all, you're my gift. I get to do whatever I want, right?" Steve asked, smirking at the whine he received.

Eddie jerked slightly, straining against the cuffs. Why did he ever come up with this?! He hated not being able to touch Steve, to run his hands over Steve's delicious body and drive him just as wild as Steve was to him. A yelp escaped him as freezing water landed on his chest, his back arching as a warm tongue chased after those same drops. There was no pattern to it, and Steve seemed hellbent on wringing out every sound possible from Eddie as he made his way from the other's collarbones, down his chest and torso, to the v of his hips. Steve grinned as he sat on Eddie's upper thighs, his eyes glinting with amusement and desire as Eddie whined and writhed against the cuffs, his hips attempting to lift at the freezing water. Shifting on the bed, he moved off completely before reaching up and tugging on the hem of Eddie's jeans.

"Fuck yes." Eddie hissed, lifting his hips to help Steve pull down his jeans.

He listened as the offending article of clothing was tossed away, hearing the 'thump' of it hitting the floor. However, he frowned when he felt Steve shift and then fall still. Frowning, he shifted impatiently on the bed before wrapping his fingers around the wooden bar of the headboard. Whenever Steve had gotten silent and still like this, it was because he was coming up with something deviously sexy. He drew in a deep breath as Steve settled back onto the bed, gladly parting his legs as his boyfriend settled between them.

He jolted when something brushed up against his lips, and it took him a few seconds before he realized that Steve was brushing icy fingers against him. A low moan pushed out of his mouth as he eagerly opened his mouth and Steve immediately pushed three fingers inside. Steve cursed lowly as Eddie eagerly swallowed and tongued at his fingers, the skin rapidly heating up as he pushed on his boyfriend's tongue before trapping it between two digits and tugging. His eyes became hooded as he watched Eddie open his mouth, moaning and whining around his fingers. His boyfriend's oral fixation could be a blessing and a curse, honestly. Though he was grateful that Eddie had cut back on smoking…but it just meant Eddie almost always had some kind of sucker or an oral fidget in his mouth.

With his other hand, he carefully grabbed one of the last remaining ice chips and popped it into his mouth. While he waited for his mouth to cool, he turned most of his focus to Eddie's cock which stood proudly a few inches in front of him. The head was already weeping a stead stream of pre and he was amazed and amused at just how riled up his boyfriend was. Laying down fully, he managed to keep the fingers of his one hand held up for Eddie to enjoy before wrapping his free hand around Eddie's cock, squeezing the base enough to earn a high-pitched moan followed by a muffled curse from the man. Smirking, he slowly stroked Eddie's length, gathering the pre at the tip to ease the glide. Using his shoulders, he managed to keep Eddie's hips relatively pinned down as his boyfriend tried to buck up into his hand.

"Easy, babe, easy." Steve cooed, smirking at the drawn-out whine he got in response.

With the last of the ice chip melted, Steve gently blew on the head of Eddie's cock, smirking at the sharp gasp and feeling the other man's hips strain underneath him. Looking up at Eddie through his lashes, he watched his boyfriend's face as he took the head into his mouth. Eddie cried out, his knuckles turning white from how tightly he was gripping onto the headboard and his back arching high off the pillows. Whimpers, whines, and moans flowed freely from Eddie's throat as Steve leisurely began bobbing his head, sucking every time he pulled up and pausing just long enough to swallow every time he went down. Eddie's hair began sticking to his skin from sweat while drool streamed from the corners of his mouth and tongue even as Steve continued to toy with his mouth. Steve kept his free hand firmly on Eddie's hip to keep him as still as possible, and he never looked away from his boyfriend's face.

His mouth had since warmed up again, and he listened as Eddie's cries began to rise in pitch. His breath came out in sharp, rapid pants, and his legs began shaking. Quickly, just as Eddie's legs started to tense, he pulled off Eddie's cock with an obscenely filthy sound and wrapped his fingers around the base, applying just the right amount of pressure and tightness to thwart Eddie's orgasm.

"S-Steve! Please…please baby…I-I need…" Eddie babbled, gasping as Steve pulled his fingers away.

"Don't worry, babe, calm down." Steve cooed, moving up his boyfriend's body and kissing away the tears of frustration that were slowly sliding down Eddie's cheeks.

"Yellow?" He asked, watching as Eddie continued to shift desperately beneath him for a minute.

"N-No…no…I-I'm good. Green." Eddie breathed, a slight hiccup to his voice as Steve stared at him.

"Eddie…it doesn't matter if this is our anniversary or not. You need to stop we stop." Steve said sternly.

"I'm good Stevie, I promise." Eddie said, his voice steadier as Steve nodded.

"Alright."

He knew how overwhelming temperature play could be. It had taken them some time to fully get into it and learn their own limits. Both had had to use their safe words in the beginning, but now it was rare when they had to. Sometimes, they had to slow down, thus them using the traffic-light colors. Shaking himself, Steve reached up and slowly removed the blindfold, smiling as Eddie blinked a few times and looked around as his eyes adjusted to the low light. Meeting his boyfriend's gaze, Steve grinned and leaned forward, kissing Eddie hungrily, in which Eddie moaned and kissed him back just as eagerly. Eddie whined, whined, when Steve pulled away, though his eyes widened when his boyfriend reached over and grabbed the lube. Rising to his knees, and hovering over Eddie's lower abdomen, Steve slicked up three of his own fingers before recapping the tube and tossing it to the side near Eddie's legs.

"Now, you get to watch as I prepare myself for you. Unable to touch or hurry things along." Steve purred, smirking at the low rumble coming from the older man.

Eddie watched ravenously as Steve's hand disappeared behind him, his eyes locked onto his boyfriend's face as Steve sucked in a sharp breath and that ended with a breathy moan. The chains of the cuffs rattled as Eddie tried to reach towards Steve, growling when the cuffs only kept his hands in place. A breathy laugh escaped Steve, before a moan cut it off and he tossed his head back in pleasure. It didn't take long before slick sounds filled the air, accompanied by breathy moans, gasps, and whines from the brunette above him. Eddie continued to struggle against the cuffs, longing to touch and kiss, to markup Steve's skin and show the world who this amazing man belonged to. His eyes widened when Steve's back arched suddenly, a high, loud moan ripping from his boyfriend's mouth.

"E-Eddie!" Steve whined, squirming as his fingers brushed against his prostate.

"Steve…" Eddie growled, jerking at the cuffs and squirming beneath him.

Continuous moans flowed from Steve, tears pricking the corners of his eyes at the delicious pleasure that raced through him. However, the rattling of the cuffs finally managed to break him out of his haze and he hurriedly grasped the base of his own cock tightly, whimpering as his orgasm was quickly stopped. Panting heavily, he looked down at Eddie with dazed eyes, a faint whimper leaving him at the look on his boyfriend's face. Swallowing heavily, he fumbled for the lube before lifting and moving so he was straddling Eddie's upper legs again. Uncapping the tube, he poured some into his hand before tossing the tube aside and rubbing his hands together.

Eddie tossed his head back with a low moan as Steve took his cock in hand, though he hissed when the touch was only long enough to simply coat him. However, his breath hitched when Steve rose up once more and took his cock in one hand before slowly lowering himself onto it. Steve tossed his head back, letting out a thin moan as the head of Eddie's cock slowly pushed inside. Eddie moaned, his head falling back against the pillows as he fought the urge to snap his hips up into the welcoming heat of his boyfriend. He whined and moaned; his eyes tightly closed as his legs shook with the effort of not moving. Both he and Steve let out a huge breath of air once Steve was sitting flush on Eddie's lap, both of them panting heavily and sweating profusely.

"Babe?" Eddie asked, his voice more of a croak as he lifted his head and looked at Steve.

"I'm good...just…so god damn full…" Steve moaned, a blissed-out look on his face as Eddie growled and shifted.

It wasn't long before Steve finally started moving, his head falling back as moans fell freely from his lips. Eddie groaned every time Steve rose, and every time Steve pulled up higher and higher, his hips speeding up. It wasn't long before Steve was practically pulling off his cock completely before letting gravity take hold and help. However, Eddie also saw that Steve was beginning to tire, his legs slowly beginning to shake from exertion. Shifting, he planted his feet firmly on the bed and began thrusting up every time Steve began to lower himself down, causing Steve to almost scream in pleasure as his back arched and his nails raked down Eddie's torso. Shifting slightly, Eddie smirked viciously when Steve jolted, his eyes flying open as his mouth opened in a silent scream.

"Found ya." Eddie hissed, thrusting up at that same angle.

"E-Eddie!" Steve wailed, tears falling from the sheer amount of pleasure as Eddie ruthlessly battered his prostate.

Grunting, Eddie watched as Steve practically collapsed on top of him, no longer able to keep lifting himself. Fumbling with his cuffs, Eddie managed to undo them and grasped Steve's waist, a gasp escaping the younger man. Steve sobbed into Eddie's chest as his boyfriend took over, relentlessly lifting him up and down, every brutal thrust hitting his prostate and bringing him closer to the edge. He whined, high and loud, as Eddie suddenly sat up, the man wrapping his arms around him and holding him tight to his chest. With his cock pinned against Eddie's toned stomach, the friction was enough to have him releasing sobbing moans and cries. He gripped onto Eddie's shoulders tightly, his nails digging into the man's skin enough to nearly break skin.

"Come on, baby. Cum for me." Eddie snarled, biting down on Steve's neck.

"Eddie!" Steve wailed, his body shaking as his orgasm crashed over him.

Eddie groaned deeply as Steve's channel tightened around him, his hips stuttering as he followed his boyfriend into climax. He gently thrusted a few more times, riding out both of their climaxes as Steve clung to him whimpering softly. Falling still, he pulled back far enough to really look at Steve and gently brushed a hand over his boyfriend's cheek.

"Babe?" He asked, his voice rough and fucked-out.

"Mmm." Steve hummed, earning a low chuckle from Eddie.

Eddie placed a gentle kissed to Steve's lips before slowly moving. Steve hissed and whined as Eddie lifted him off his softening cock, only to sigh in happiness when Eddie shifted him so he was sitting sideways on his lap.

"Now it's my turn to look after you." Eddie muttered, kissing Steve's forehead.

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Eddie carefully laid Steve on his side on the bed, a smile on his lips as Steve whined and reached towards him. However, he placated his boyfriend with a soothing kiss and a promise to hurry back. Standing, he groaned as his joints popped, wincing as he twisted to loosen his body. Sighing, he headed to the bathroom and retrieved a soaked washcloth before returning to the bedroom. Before cleaning Steve, he bent down and dug out Steve's favorite Gatorade from the mini-fridge along with a cold bottle of water. Setting those down on the bedside table, he hurriedly cleaned himself up before carefully cleaning Steve. At every whine, he made a low, soothing sound, a smile on his lips at how blissed out his baby was. Once all traces of their activities were gone from their bodies, besides the marks that is, he grabbed the tube of lube and the cuffs, which were put away in their proper places.

Only then did he lay on the bed and pull Steve against his side. He managed to coax Steve into taking long sips of his Gatorade, which earned him a tired, but blissful smile from the younger man.

"How you feeling, baby?" Eddie asked after a few minutes of peaceful silence.

"Good. You? How are your wrists?" Steve asked, his voice still rough as Eddie smiled.

"I'm good. They're a little red, but nothin' that won't go away in an hour or so." Eddie said, letting Steve examine his wrists.

"Good." Steve hummed, settling down and resting his head against Eddie's shoulder.

Steve lazily traced a few randoms designs into Eddie's skin, sometimes following the patterns of his tattoos. Eddie smiled gently, brushing kisses to the top of Steve's head or his forehead.

"You know, I was thinking that Duchess might be a little lonely when we're gone." Eddie said, earning a look from Steve.

"What do you mean?" Steve asked, frowning as Eddie grinned.

"I may have gone to the local animal shelter…"

"You didn't?!" Steve gasped, his eyes widening as Eddie laughed.

"There are a few dogs who are good around cats and would do well in an apartment." Eddie explained, smiling at the shocked look he received.

"Eddie…are you serious?!"

"I am. Some of them have a disability, but I think they'd be perfect for us. You'd be able to take them on walks, and we'd both be getting out more." Eddie said, yelping when he was tackled in a tight hug.

"I'd love that! When can we go?!" Steve asked, excitement in his voice as Eddie laughed.

"We can head over there tomorrow and look them over. I think they'll allow us to spend some time with them, see if they'll fit into our little family." Eddie said, his laughter silenced by Steve's lips crashing onto his in a delighted kiss.

"You're the best!" Steve said, his eyes glimmering with happiness and love.

"So are you, babe." Eddie said, the same loving look in his eyes as he looked at his boyfriend.

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