It's 10:30 on a Sunday night and normally Steve would already be wrapped up in bed, but tonight he's a little drunk. He and Eddie are squashed onto Steve's loveseat, which doubles as Dustin's bed when he's in town. He's currently got his head perched on Eddie's shoulder.
Ok, he's a lotta drunk, but who's asking?
Eddie is thumbing through his job application forms for the record store. "Maybe tomorrow you can help me fill this in," Eddie sighs, holding up his hand so Steve can see how it is still shaky.
Eddie dropped Steve off after his shift at Scoops, and despite Steve's protest, Eddie ended up coming inside his apartment. "I wanna see your digs," Eddie said, "Plus I've really gotta take a leak."
Somehow that turned into sitting on the loveseat, bullshitting about sports, and drinking beer.
"Yeah, of course, I'll help you tomorrow. If you come by Scoops we can fill it in during my lunch break."
"Thanks," Eddie says, turning to kiss Steve's cheek.
They haven't decided what this is, but Steve's ok with that for now. He's enjoying stolen moments alone together, and sneaky kisses when no one is looking. Sometimes he'll rearrange Eddie's bangs, correcting a curl that's out of place, and his hands will linger a little extra. Sometimes Eddie will reach over and squeeze Steve's thigh when they're sitting at a restaurant.
They've been like this for two months. Steve is pretty sure Robin has figured them out. They went on a "NOT double-date double-date" with her and Vickie twice now, and Robin kept throwing knowing glances at the two of them and then rolling her eyes at Vickie when she thought the guys weren't looking. Had it been anyone else Steve would have panicked, but Robin was good people.
Steve reciprocates, pressing a kiss into the back of Eddie's head. He twists a lock of Eddie's hair around one finger, "Why'd you cut it?"
Eddie lays the papers down on his lap and runs a hand through his hair, mussing it up.
"When I was in the hospital they shaved a patch off so they could get to the wound. Like, right up in the front. Once I woke up, I wore a hat or a bandana over it. No way in Hell I was going to buzz it! So then once it grew out enough that I wouldn't look too ugly, I cut the rest off to match. Just hasn't made it back to its former glory yet. Though, my hair will never look as good as yours, Big Boy."
Steve rubbed his thumb over the split in Eddie's eyebrow, which now that his bangs were longer again, was mostly obscured. "I'm actually thinking about cutting mine…"
Eddie's head snapped toward Steve, eyes wide, "What? Why?"
Eddie toyed with the ends of Steve's hair, which curled at the back of his neck. He's been cutting his hair himself in the bathroom of his apartment for the last two years, and it's longer than it ever used to be. Mainly because he's too much of a chicken to do anything other than trim it. He doesn't really mind it, but it also doesn't feel like him anymore when he looks in the mirror. High school Steve Harrington is long gone, swept away with the last of the debris that had littered the streets of Hawkins. Adult Steve doesn't recognize himself with his grown-out hair, or maybe he just doesn't recognize himself period. He's not sure a haircut would help, but he feels like he needs to try something.
"It just doesn't feel like me anymore."
Eddie nods slowly, "I kind of like it long."
He twists a lock of Steve's hair around his fingers, the same gesture Steve had done moments before. "But I get it, a lot has changed. A lot of changes you couldn't control."
Somehow Eddie understands, and Steve's heart sings.
They snuggle on the couch after they've both had two more beers and they're too sleepy to care that their limbs are entangled. Steve's starting to fall asleep, staring into Eddie's heavy-lidded eyes.
One of Eddie's hands is tucked under Steve's side, scrubbing lazy circles into his tee shirt. The other is carding through the hair at his nape.
"Don't cut it too short, m'kay Stevie?" He tugs on Steve's hair, pulling him close and giving him a sloppy kiss.
"I promise," Steve murmurs, kissing Eddie's forehead, "I just want to make you happy."
He kisses Eddie's nose, then his lips. His words tumble out, half garbled into the corner of Eddie's mouth. "Anything you want from me, if you're happy, I'm happy."
"I'm happy right here with you," Eddie's voice is a soft whisper, "I just wish it could be like this, always."
"Maybe it could be," Steve muses, winding his fingers in Eddie's hair and letting his other hand slide up under Eddie's shirt, "Maybe someday."
"If you let me stay the night I'll give you a ride to work," Eddie says, eyes fluttering closed. He's half asleep, a content smile splayed across his lips.
"Deal," Steve replies, giving in to his own heavy eyelids, "Goodnight, Eds."
"Goodnight, Stevie boy."