Steve doesn't get that many days off. The mall is open every day, and Steve needs the money, so he's there almost every day. He can't bear the thought of having to move back in with his parents, those negligent fucks, so he works as many hours as the manger will allow him to, in order to maintain his shitty apartment and his shitty independent existence.

That's why today is an exception. His manager accidentally put a different person in for a double, so Steve is free to do as he pleases on what is turning out to be a rainy Wednesday. He decides that the one place he can have some free, dry, entertainment, as well as a functioning air conditioner, is the library. Somehow the Hawkins Public Library is one of the few buildings to have survived the horrible earthquakes that plagued the town. Sure it's a bit dinged up, but it's still standing, and that's what counts.

Once inside, Steve relishes in the quiet and dimly sunlight-filled atmosphere. His apartment has one measly window that barely lets in any light, and doesn't open, so the library's enormous windows are truly a welcome change of pace. Even though it's dreary outside, Steve can at least see the outdoors. He kicks back in one of the well-worn oversized chairs tucked in an alcove of the adult section of the library. He's picked up a copy of The Bourne Identity, which is so far really very good. He's never been much of a reader, but reading is free, and now that he's able to choose any books he wants, he does enjoy it a lot more than any of the times he had to read for class.

He's so engrossed in his book that he almost doesn't see Eddie, who's poking through the murder mystery section a row over from where Steve is sitting. He's dressed in threadbare dark wash jeans, his infamous jean jacket, and an Anthrax tee. If Steve is being honest with himself, he's always thought Eddie was handsome. Even before he showed up to Scoops Ahoy, Steve knew, somewhere deep down, that he longed to run his fingers through Eddie's voluminous curls. But now he just felt lovesick, because thinking about Eddie also meant thinking about the fact that none of what he wanted in life would ever be a reality.

Eddie catches Steve's gaze and smiles, making his way toward where Steve is sitting. He perches himself on the armrest of the chair next to Steve's, "What's up, Harrington?"

Eddie's smile is infectious. It's the reason Steve almost babbled his whole truth to Eddie that very moment he laid eyes on him a month ago.

"Not much, you?"

"Thought maybe I'd see if they wrote any books about me yet," Eddie laughed, though there was a sadness in his eyes as he said it. Eddie'd been cleared of all charges in Chrissy's murder, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt him to have been so closely associated with what went on.

"You're an idiot," Steve laughed, punching Eddie's leg lightly, "What really brings you to the HPL?"

"Well, Big Boy, I've been job hunting."

"And you're interested in being a librarian?"

Eddie barked out a laugh, "No, I just needed to duck out of the rain. Not sure how I feel about working in Hawkins, but Mansfield doesn't really have that many job opportunities."

"I heard Family Video is hiring," Steve offered, "Or what about that record store on Franklin Ave?"

"There's a record store on Franklin? Since when?" Eddie's eyes glittered, which made Steve's heart skip a beat.

"It opened where the old pharmacy was, which um, burned down."

"Right. Guess some stuff has changed since I've been around full-time."

Steve nodded, "Not too much though, it's mostly still the same old Hawkins."

Eddie slid fully into the chair and swung one leg over the armrest, swiveling so he was staring straight at Steve, "So, about the other day-"

"We really don't need to talk about it," Steve blurted, "You're right, I'm just figuring all of this out."

Eddie blushed, "I shouldn't have projected on to you like that, Stevie. That wasn't fair of me. I've known how I felt for a few years now but that doesn't make me any less uptight about it. When I realized you might feel the same way, and more specifically that you might feel the same way about me, I panicked."

"I panicked too," Steve mumbled, "I saw you, and it was like years of repressed thoughts all came flooding back in an instant, and I just wanted to tell you the truth."

"I'm glad you eventually bucked up the courage to do so," Eddie said, "I'm just not sure where we go from here."

"Well, we can't go back to pretending like nothing happened," Steve said wistfully, "Because we're always gonna know it isn't the same between us."

"Right," Eddie locked eyes with him, "And, I'm not even sure I want to pretend like nothing happened… Steve, do you really think enough people have changed, that maybe we could be ok?"

"I dunno," Steve bit his lip, "I want to believe that. Robin and Vickie seem happy enough, but they do have to be a little less… obvious, than some people I know who are together."

Eddie shifted in his chair and leaned over the armrest so his face was awfully close to Steve's, "How much do you trust me?"

"You almost sacrificed yourself to save me and my friends, I'd say I trust you, a lot."

Eddie was leaning so far over in his chair that Steve could feel his breath on his cheek. He absentmindedly brushed an errant curl from Eddie's forehead, and Eddie leaned in even further. Steve kicked himself for yet another display of affection, but he couldn't help it, he wanted to touch Eddie, to be close to him.

Then, it was as if Eddie read his mind. The moment their lips pressed together it was like Steve had been struck by lightning. His whole body fizzled with electricity, in a way it never had kissing Nancy. Eddie's lips were perfectly soft, and his faint stubble brushing up against Steve's cheeks was a new, welcome, sensation.

When they pulled apart Eddie's eyes were deep lusty puddles, "I never did properly thank you for saving my ass. After you pulled me out of there… I got whisked off in an ambulance, and the rest was a blur. I didn't even know you were the one who carried me to safety until a month ago when Wayne told me."

"Don't mention it," Steve said breathlessly, "Once I realized you were still alive, that the demobats hadn't completely shredded you, I knew I had to get you out. We made it work, we had to. No one got left behind."

Steve remembered tossing Eddie's crumpled body over his shoulders and the blare of sirens. It was the kind of memory Steve had tried, unsuccessfully, to bury. He shook his head, realizing how stupid he was to ask Eddie about his guitar, because Steve should have been able to remember that it wasn't on Eddie's lifeless body that day. It was lost to the demobats. But thankfully, Eddie was not.

"Thank you, Stevie," Eddie kissed him again, "Thank you thank you thank you."