Eleven rejoined them a few hours later and handed back the necklace with a shake of her head. "I can't sense him."

It just confirmed to everyone else that Steve was delusional. When Dustin returned he couldn't even look at Steve and the others just shook their heads when he tried to talk to the younger boy. Did they really think he was saying Eddie was alive without being sure?

By mid-afternoon, everyone had left. Hopper stayed behind long enough to say, "I'm sorry kid. I shouldn't have let you go yesterday. Take some time to get your head straight. We need you focused, Steve."

"Right."

"Get some rest." He squeezed Steve's shoulder and then paused in the doorway. "And no trying to sneak through the gates." He gave them a knowing look. "It won't work. We'll see you tomorrow at the cabin."

Now alone with Robin, the two sat down on the sofa to discuss their next move. "So the gates are a no-go." She sighed and rested forward, elbows on her knees. "Do you think we can get Eleven to open a new one?"

"Even if she did, then what? We wander around in the Upside Down looking for Eddie?"

"You said he's in your house."

"Yeah but it's not the Upside Down. There's nothing outside, just darkness."

"So... Vecna put him in another dimension?"

"And how do we get there?" Steve kicked a stray cup off the table in his frustration. "We ask him nicely to give Eddie back?"

"I know what you are."

For the first time in days, those words came back to him. Steve still didn't understand what they meant. What exactly was he? A connection to Eddie maybe? After all, why him? Eddie had plenty of other friends, people he was certainly closer to than Steve. Did Vecna sense that connection even then?

It hurt his head to try and think about so he decided to lighten the conversation. "So you'd marry me, huh?"

"Oh my God!" Robin covered her face in embarrassment. "Look I was high and we were talking shit! You were off your game and I was like yeah I'll marry Steve. Or at least I would've but Eddie's had a crush on you since middle school so I'm not about to come between you."

Steve, who had been laughing found himself sitting upright at the words. Ignoring the way his cheeks were burning he looked at Robin in surprise. "Middle school?"

"I, um, wasn't supposed to tell you that." Her laughter came out a little wild as she flailed her hands. "You can't tell Eddie, he'll die of like, embarrassment or something. I know I would. Imagine crushing on someone for years and they don't even know you exist only to fucking die when you finally become friends. Not that Eddie is dead and you're the one visiting him so..." She stopped abruptly. "Let's just forget this whole conversation."

"Holy shit," Steve felt himself spiralling too. "Eddie's liked me for years? I've been kissing him Robs! I don't want him to think it's because he died! Christ, what do I say to him?"

Robin grabbed his hands as he fisted his hair. "Hey, hey, you just have to say you like him. After that, I don't think he'll care what you say."

"Okay." He felt nervous which was stupid. He'd told plenty of girls he liked them. Why should Eddie be any different? Probably because Eddie made him feel so different compared to anyone else.

"Kissing huh?" Robin waggled her eyebrows. "That a recent development or..."

"Recent."

"Do you like him?" Steve's face was burning. He stared determinedly at the overturned cup on the floor. "Oh, you do!" Robin squealed and shook him. "Eddie's gonna freak!"

"Yeah, yeah, get it over with." He covered his face as she laughed. "It's not like he doesn't know I like him. I have been kissing him."

"Doesn't mean you like him." She sang. "Do you wanna date him, hold his hand and kiss in the rain?"

Steve shoved her face away as she started making kissing noises at him. "So what if I do?"

Robin's expression softened. "You got it bad, don't you?"

"Yeah. So let's get him back."

"We will." Robin took his hand again and squeezed it. "Just gotta find out how."

"I'll see if there's anything there tonight. Some way to figure out where he is." Steve stood and ran his hands through his hair, sorting out the mussed locks. "We'll figure out a plan and with enough evidence the others will come around."

"Whatever it takes." Robin stood and hugged him.

"Whatever," Steve promised, hugging back.

When he woke up in the other version of his home later that night, Eddie was not in bed. Steve found him downstairs, sat cross-legged on the sofa, tongue sticking out of his mouth as he worked at a Rubix cube. When he glanced up and saw Steve he threw it aside and grinned. "Stevie!"

"Robin said you have a crush on me since middle school?" The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. Out of everything he'd learned the past few days, this was the one thing he really wanted to know.

Eddie's smile froze and then he looked almost sick. "Damn it, Robin! Why couldn't she keep her mouth shut?"

"You know Robin." Steve approached him carefully because he looked ready to run, not that there was anywhere to go. "So it's true?"

Eddie sighed, shoulders sagging in defeat. "Fine, fine! Yes, it's true."

Steve closed the distance between them quickly and pulled Eddie into his arms. He only had time to make a small noise of surprise before they were kissing. Steve held him close, trying to convey just how much he felt in the kiss. It seemed to work because Eddie smiled at him dazedly when they broke apart.

"So... we're cool?"

"We're more than cool." Steve smiled and brushed his curls behind his ear. "So let's get you out of here."

"Great!" Eddie stepped back and clapped his hands together. "So what's the plan?"

"We don't have one." He hurried on as Eddie's face fell. "The others didn't believe me! They think I-I'm delusional or something and that you're not real! We have to figure this out between us and Robin. No one else will help. Eleven couldn't find you."

"Hey, hey." Eddie grabbed his hands. "We'll figure this out, somehow."

"How? How am I supposed to get you out of here if we don't even know where here is?" Steve laughed bitterly. "I wish I was stuck out here with you so we could figure this out together. I hate leaving you here all alone."

"Do you ever stop?"

"Stop what?"

Eddie's smile turned sly as he grabbed Steve's shirt and guided him backwards. He fell onto the sofa with a huff, not that he could complain because Eddie settled on his lap a moment later. "Using that Harrington Charm of yours. It's like you don't have an off switch."

"Do you want me to stop?" Steve was aware he came on too strong sometimes. It wasn't like he did it on purpose but he could try and tone it down.

"No, you don't have to change anything. I like you the way you are. Maybe King Steve wasn't my favourite iteration of you but this version I quite like." Eddie's smile seemed to radiate in the darkness and the lingering sense of unease Steve felt seemed to melt away. It didn't matter where they were or what they were going to do. At that moment it was just the two of them. Steve ran his hands up Eddie's thighs and pulled him closer, earning himself a little huff. "Steve... how far are you wanting to go here?"

He considered that. Eddie was not helping as he tilted Steve's head up and started kissing along his jaw and down his neck. Every press of those warm lips was turning his brain to static, warmth pooling in his stomach. The sharp sting of teeth made him jerk back. "Eds!"

He laughed and pressed a soft kiss to the forming bruise. "Now you've got proof." Steve's breath left him in a shuddering gasp as Eddie did it again. "So when they ask who gave it to you, tell them it was me."

"I will."

"Such a good boy." Why did that sound so fucking sinful? Eddie smiled wide, flashing his sharp teeth. "Oh, we'll have to explore that later."

"Okay," Steve replied breathlessly. He didn't know why he was agreeing so easily to Eddie but he didn't really care either.

"See, if I knew you were like this I would've jumped you years ago. Consequences be damned."

"Yeah, well, three years ago I would've punched you in the face for making a pass at me." Steve knew it was true. That if past Steve could see him now he'd be appalled. But a lot had changed and he couldn't even pretend he wasn't happy with Eddie sitting on his lap teasing him like this. "So I can thank the Upside Down for something I guess." And Nancy but it didn't seem right to mention his ex-girlfriend right now.

"I suppose I should thank Vecna too," Eddie hummed and leaned down to give Steve a chaste kiss. "For bringing us together too."

"Now we've just gotta make him let you go."

"You think this is Vecna's doing?"

"I don't know." Steve sighed in frustration and let his head fall back against the cushions. "I hope not because I can't exactly ask him to give you back."

"Maybe ask to join me?"

"Sorry, I'm not giving up my hot showers. Imagine the state of my hair."

"Oh no, not Steve 'The Hair' Harrington without his famous trademark quaff," Eddie smirked and before Steve could stop him, he ran his hands through his hair and messed it up.

"Hey!" He couldn't help smiling though at Eddie's wild laughter. So he grabbed him by the hips and flipped their positions. Now he was the one to smirk at Eddie's shocked gasp. "Something to say, Munson?"

"That was hot."

"Yeah?"

"Fuck yeah." He lunged forward to capture Steve's mouth in a heated kiss. Mindful of the wounds on Eddie's sides this time they had no reason to break apart. "Steve, unless you actually wanna like, fuck on your sofa in this creepy alternate dimension, we gotta stop."

"You got a point." Steve sighed and sat up, putting some distance between them so he could cool down. "Alright, as soon as we get you back and everyone's said hello, I'm locking the damn door."

"Good because I'm not down to have sex with this residual self-image of yours."

"Residual self-image? Speak English, Eds, not nerd."

"Ugh, a projection of your ideal body." Eddie tapped his cheek. "You had no moles originally and you still don't have scars. Question, why did your moles come back?"

Steve's cheeks flushed and he cleared his throat, muttering his reply. "You said you liked them so I guess they came back."

"Aww, that's sweet, Stevie."

"Shut up." He was glad for the darkness to hide his red face. With a sigh he got up and went to the front door, Eddie trailing behind him. "So, where are we?" He opened it to be met with a wall of blackness. "Got the flashlight?" Steve shone it outside but it made no difference. When he went to step out, Eddie grabbed his wrist. "What?"

"What if you fall or something? We don't even know if there's ground."

"You think we're floating?"

"Maybe."

"Ok, um… grab the stupid carriage clock." Between the two of them, they carried it to the door. "On three we drop it, one, two, three!"

It smashed at their feet with a resounding crash. "Well, I guess there's a floor at least."

"Ok, so… we could just walk out there?"

"Into nothingness?" Eddie deadpanned. "And when you disappear on me I'll be out there alone? No thanks."

"Let's go out a few minutes. If I feel faint, we'll come straight back. Do you have another flashlight? We'll leave it at the door so we can get back." They barely made it ten feet when Eddie stopped. "What's wrong?"

"I can't do this, Steve. We can barely see the other flashlight!"

Steve couldn't see Eddie all that well but the panic in his voice made him reconsider. "Okay, let's go back."

Eddie sighed in relief as they reentered the house. "I'm sorry."

"No, it's fine. Stupid idea anyway."

"I don't want to get stuck outside in the dark."

"Okay, we'll figure out something else." Steve wrapped his arms around Eddie and was surprised to find he was shaking. "Yeah, we're not going back outside."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Steve held him closer and kissed the top of his head. "Eds, you're allowed to be scared. Hell, I would be too if I was stuck here." Steve couldn't blame him for wanting to stay in the house. "We'll get you out."

"The sun's going to blind me." Eddie laughed. "Fresh air man, I can't wait."

"The air isn't so fresh in Hawkins. It's like the Upside Down."

"Don't ruin my fantasies." He started kissing Steve's jaw. "Warm sunlight, hot showers, loud and annoying kids, making out with Steve Harrington every night..."

"Every night?"

"Every night," Eddie promised. "I probably should've started with this but I really like you, Steve."

Something bright and warm settled in Steve's chest. It made it hard to talk. He touched Eddie's face, tracing his fingers over his cheekbones and leaned in to kiss him again. It was soft and sweet and Steve was almost crying from the tenderness. Love, he realised. He was in love with Eddie Munson. "Eds, I like you too, so fucking much."

"You're going to find me, right?"

"I promise. I won't stop looking."

Eddie smiled against his cheek. "I'll hold you to that."

Steve held him tightly as the wave of nausea hit him. "I'll come back."

"You better or I'll haunt your ass."

Eddie's small laugh echoed in his ears for a moment before being replaced by Robin's voice. "Steve! Steve, wake up!"

"W-what?"

"You were supposed to pick me up half an hour ago! I biked over because I was worried!"

"Shit, I'm sorry Robs I must've forgotten to set the alarm." He sat up and rubbed his face, wincing at the stickiness. "God's sake, another nosebleed."

"I'll get you something." Robin went into the bathroom to wet a cloth and helped clean up the mess. "How many nosebleeds have you had?"

"Too many to count." Steve tentatively felt his face but there was no fresh blood. "Every morning I wake up with one."

"Maybe you should see a doctor?"

"The hospital has bigger problems than my nosebleeds." Steve swung himself out of bed with a groan. "I'll shower and then we can go."

"They're gonna be pissed we're late!"

"We'll tell them I was resting." Steve rolled his eyes and shut the bathroom door. Ignoring the cracked glass as he washed, Steve instead thought about Eddie and all those kisses. Abruptly he realised that was a bad idea because he was getting hard and shut off the shower. Robin was waiting downstairs as he hurried into the kitchen to grab some food. "Let's get going."

"Okay, okay." She grabbed the bread roll he tossed her and they hurried out to his car. "What's up with you?"

"Nothing."

"Mmm, your neck says different."

"What?"

"You've got hickeys."

Steve slammed on the brakes and brought them to a stop. Ignoring Robin's yell of surprise he pulled down the visor to check his reflection. Yes, he had two dark marks on his neck. Steve touched one, pressed against and inhaled sharply at the pain. "They're real..."

"So when they ask who gave it to you, tell them it was me."

"Eddie... Eddie did this!" His grin, although a little insane, wasn't forced. "We got proof!"

Robin's eyes widened and she reached out to tentatively touch a mark. "Holy shit..." Then she laughed. "We should've got Eddie to punch you days ago!"

"Yeah well, I'm glad he didn't."

"Oh, you're so telling me everything later."

They were in high spirits by the time they pulled up at Hopper's cabin. Not even the exasperated looks sent their way could dampen Steve's mood. Nancy was the first one to speak. "You know, Steve, I can't believe you're shirking responsibility to go get laid."

He smiled back. "I wasn't getting laid."

"Dude, someone took a bite out of your neck." Mike pointed out and his eyes travelled to Robin. "Is that why you two are late?"

"Uh, no."

"Gross," Robin whispered.

Steve ignored her. "Actually, it was Eddie." He held up his hands as their expressions closed off. "I know what you're going to say. But this is proof! I haven't been sleeping with anyone and Eddie did this when I saw him last night. The fact the marks are still there means he's real!"

"But why would Eddie give you a hickey?" Lucas asked, bewildered.

"I think we know why." Dustin rolled his eyes. "It's pretty obvious." He smiled at Steve, a brilliant, beaming smile that meant he believed. "Question is, how?"

"You said you saw him?" Eleven walked over and frowned, reaching out to take his hand. "A dream?"

"Something like that."

She searched his face, hand closing around his scarred wrist. "Nosebleeds?"

"Yeah." Something sharp like pain radiated from her touch and he jerked back. Eleven's eyes widened and something about her expression scared him. "What?"

"Alpha. It's you."

"I know what you are."

"I don't..." He looked at the others who - all except Hopper - wore similar looks of confusion. "What?"

"You're the one I've been trying to find. Every night you visit Eddie. Every night I can sense you. You're weak though..."

"But, but I have parents! I wasn't raised in the lab!" Steve was starting to panic.

"Do you remember anything?"

"What about your parents?"

"You can't seriously think Steve is like Eleven!"

Steve couldn't make out the rest as everyone started talking over each other. He didn't remember much of his childhood, any of it really. He'd always put it down to shitty parents and not wanting to remember. What was his earliest memory? That was easy, the hospital, the burn on his wrist... The same place where Eleven had a tattoo. How old was he, seven, maybe eight? Was this the reason his parents didn't love him?

It was too fucking loud.

He covered his ears and yelled, "Shut up!"

Everyone jumped as the glass blew out on all the windows. In the silence that followed, they all looked at Eleven. "Not me," She said softly, pointing at Steve.

He touched his face and his hand came away bloody. Just like Eleven, he thought dazedly. "I'm gonna be sick." He mumbled, barely making it to the bathroom before throwing up his meagre breakfast.

"Steve," It was Robin. She closed the door and knelt beside him, almost sitting on him in the cramped space. "Hey, talk to me."

"Christ, where do I start? My parents aren't my parents? I was fucking experimented on as a kid and I can't remember? Who the hell am I, Robin?!"

"You're Steve." She brushed his hair back and hugged him tightly. "You're my best friend. You're the kid's friend, their protector. This, this other stuff… it doesn't change anything, okay? I will always be your best friend, even if you've suddenly got weird powers."

"I don't have powers."

"I dunno, those broken windows might have something to say about that." Robin kissed his forehead and sighed. "Maybe that's why you found Eddie, you were the only one who could."

Steve thought back to that first night. He'd gone to sleep holding Eddie's jacket. He was always holding something of Eddie's. It hadn't worked for Eleven because she didn't know him… but Steve did. "I can find him." He whispered. "If… if Eleven shows me how I can find Eddie."

"Let's do it."

Steve wanted to talk to her straight away but as he opened the bathroom door he was surprised to find Dustin blocking the way. He was crying and without a word threw himself into Steve's arms. "Why didn't you tell me?!"

Eddie.

He sighed and ruffled Dustin's hair. "You didn't believe me, kid. No one did."

"I-is he okay, is he hurt?"

"No, he's fine. Hey, I promise he's fine." Steve gripped his shoulders and looked at him meaningfully. "We'll get Eddie back. He's safe for now we just have to find him."

"I'm sorry I didn't believe you."

"It's okay, it took me a while too." He looked up to find everyone watching them but focused on Eleven. "I need your help."