Steve found himself walking down one of the paths for the track team, then passed the old oak tree that many Hawkins seniors for the past thirty or so years had carved their names into.
Steve's own name was there, as he grinned knowing that this was where to turn and get off the path. Walking, he ventured through the woods. It only took him a few minutes, before he found the clearing where a few old picnic tables were. Steve never understood why these were there, but never questioned it. He knew this was a usual place for stoners to take a quick few drags of a joint or homemade bong before venturing back to P.E. He walked out there, not nervous since Eddie had sworn to him that nobody ever went out here after school. Entering the clearing, he looked down, his sneakers crunching on the dried up dead leaves from last winter and looked around. Somewhere off in the distance, he heard a bird cry.
Just then two arms slipped around his waist, and squeezed tight. He felt Eddie's warm breath against his neck, as he nuzzled against him.
"Mmmm! You smell good!"
Steve, being ticklish, laughed, before turning around, and looking straight into Eddie Munson's handsome dark eyes. He took a deep breath smiling, before nuzzling his nose with him.
"I only got a few minutes, wanted to see you."
Eddie grinned and gave Steve's waist a tight squeeze.
"Me too."
Without even caring about looking, they started going at it like wild animals. Their mouths opened and closed frantically, as Steve shoved his hands right into Eddie's wild hair. Eddie moaned against his lips, his tongue slipping into Steve's mouth, before both pressed up against each other, their arms wrapped around each other so hard, if somebody passed by and happened to glance over they might think they were trying to kill each other. Finally Steve pulled back, flushed before he smirked.
"I get off around ten tonight. My parents are away for the weekend visiting my aunt...can you still come over?"
Eddie grinned at him.
"Of course, I'll swing by my trailer after then grab us some beers. We'll party."
Steve locked his hand into Eddie's, feeling the warm metal of his rings press gently against his fingers.
"You think you can spend the whole weekend?"
"Sure, tomorrow though I have Hellfire. I can swing by after."
Steve smirked looking at him. He then remembered he was going to the championship game, as well as being Robin's ride. He knew Eddie's D&D club roughly lasted an hour or so, and that he would have plenty of time to get ready after dropping Robin off.
"Hellfire. Give that little shit Henderson a hard time for me."
Eddie smirked and brushed back some of Steve's hair behind his ear.
"You know it."
"Man, if he ever knew about us he would shit. We're like his two favorite people."
Eddie chuckled.
"Who do you think he worships more? You? Or me?"
"Definitely me."
Steve said, standing back, pretending to fix his hair. Eddie rolled his eyes and gave a playful push.
"Dick!"
Steve cracked up, before he reached over and lifted Eddie's wrist where his watch was. Rolling his eyes once he saw the time, he groaned, and let go of Eddie's wrist.
"Shit, I gotta go get Robin."
Eddie leaned forward, giving Steve a wet sloppy kiss. Steve smiled through it, before Eddie pulled away, his dark brown eyes locking with Steve's light brown ones.
"I'll be around ten. I'll bring supplies."
Steve smirked, his arms wrapping around Eddie's waist, pulling him closer.
"Easy fella, it's a school night."
Eddie cracked up, before leaning in, and giving Steve's neck a playful nip. Steve laughed, before kissing Eddie one last time, and turned around to head up the path. He turned, and watched Eddie walking backwards, that big goofy grin on his face, as he blew Steve a kiss. Unable to help the fluttering in his stomach, he laughed, waved then turned back to head back on the path. He walked past the trees, his sneakers crunching. Feeling in the best mood, he had been in, he kept thinking about tonight and how much he was looking forward to stripping Mr. Munson naked.
He chuckled to himself when suddenly he snapped out of his little day dream and walked right into Max.
"Whoa! Max. You nearly gave me a heart attack!"
He laughed, clutching his chest. Max just glared at him, clearly not happy. Instantly a knot twisted inside of Steve's stomach, as white hot panic went through him. His first thought was that she had spotted them, and kicked himself for meeting Eddie in such a public place so close to the school. His smile faded, before he cocked his head to the side, trying to hide how nervous he was.
"You okay?"
Max continued to glare at him, before she dug into her hoodie's pocket, and produced a necklace. She handed it to him. It took Steve a second, before he slowly reached out and took the necklace. That's when his stomach officially dropped.
It was Billy's St. Christopher's necklace.
Steve at first didn't know what to do. Instead, after a few awkward seconds of silence, he reached and took it.
He stared down at the necklace he so often used to play with after fooling around with Billy in the Camaro. Always playing with it against his tanned firm chest. Feeling awful, his eyes lifted full of guilt, and looked at Max. Before he could speak, she started talking.
"I found this the other day. Figured you would want it."
Before Steve could say anything, Max walked past him, walking quickly away. That's when it hit Steve. She knew. He sighed, an awful ache in his chest as he glanced down at the necklace, and sighed before he called after her.
"Max!"
She ignored him and just continued walking away. He was tempted to walk after her, but instead he just froze. Looking down at the silver necklace, a million awful feelings washed over him. Now for the first time in what seemed like forever, he could see Billy. His hazel eyes, his tanned skin, his long beautiful dirty blond hair. He remembered just days before everything happened last summer, the two shared a very similar time, that Steve had been planning for Eddie and him this weekend. He gulped, staring down at it, and felt tears start to well up in his eyes. Max had seen them, or somehow followed them...and this was her way of showing him what a piece of shit he was for less than a year hooking up with somebody else. He thought of Billy, laying on the mall floor, his chest ripped open, and blood splattered all down his face, before he choked out softly...
"I'm sorry."
Steve stood there, real tears actually appearing, before a bird cried off in the distance, snapping him out of his thoughts. Lifting his head, looking around, he quickly used his sleeve to wipe his eyes, before he sniffled, and shoved the necklace into his pocket before heading down the path back towards the high school.
Later...
Steve had just finished telling Robin all about what happened in the woods with Max. He had also produced the necklace that Robin looked at, before handing it back to him. Steve started forward, feeling miserable, and guilt ridden.
"Steve, you don't know if she really knows..."
Steve rolled his eyes.
"Bullshit, there's no way Robin. You know that."
Robin sighed, and faced him as he continued to drive.
"Finding somebody else, and trying to pick up the pieces and go on with your life doesn't make you a bad person. If Max really knows, sure it might have come as a shock, but you know what kind of person she is. She isn't angry with you. If I were you, find some time this weekend to maybe swing by and see her. Take her out for a burger and just explain everything."
"Jesus Robin, how can I explain this?!"
"Max will understand. Don't let this ruin your night with Eddie. Enjoy yourself. You two deserve it. Just find the time to talk to her. The kids know about you and Billy, they're just...Jesus I don't know either too polite or too weirded to ask you...but has Dustin, or any of the others ever given you a hard time about it?"
"Jesus no."
"You told me about that time Max watched when you told off Billy's father. She was happy that you two were together. She's a good kid. She'll understand."
Steve sighed, looking forward gripping the steering wheel, really not feeling so sure.
Later that night...
Steve tried as hard as he could to keep what had happened earlier with Max off his mind. He got home after dropping Robin off, and collected the mail, and did a few chores around the house. The old Steve would have thrown a huge party if his parents were away. There certainly had been plenty.
Then...Barb happened, and he swore to himself he would never have another party again.
As he did laundry, unloaded the dishwasher, and picked up around the house, ready to take a shower and get ready, he kept thinking of those days alone with Billy here last summer. He actually really loved whenever his parents went away. He always did. Still, as much as he tried to keep himself busy, he couldn't help but keep thinking about Max's face, so full of disappointment and anger, and of course the necklace that was currently sitting on his nightstand. His stomach twisted, and he kept debating whether or not to tell Eddie about what happened. Feeling extremely overwhelmed, he finished up what he was doing, turned on the pool's lights, before heading upstairs and taking a nice long hot shower. Memories of Billy and him having sex in this same exact spot kept coming back to him, and the look of concern on his face, after he was afraid that he had been too rough. He swore under his breath as he tilted back his head, letting the hot steaming water pour over his head and thick hair, as he held back tears. Later... Steve was wearing jeans, and a short sleeve dark blue shirt. He had messed with his hair for what seemed like a lifetime, spraying and styling it. He then sprayed some cologne on himself, before eyeing in the reflection of the mirror the St. Christopher's necklace laying on the nightstand. Sighing, he forced himself to stay focused. He then ventured downstairs, clicking on a few lights now that night had fallen. That's when the doorbell rang. Knowing that it was Eddie, he took a deep breath, feeling the nervous giddy excitement, before he took a deep breath and headed down the hallway. He rubbed his hands against the leg of his jeans, before walking to the door, and opening it.
Eddie stood there, wearing his signature torn jeans, leather jacket, metal T-shirt, and vest.
He was holding two six packs, and his old batten worn out looking gym bag swung over one shoulder. The second Steve saw his smile, suddenly all of his guilt ridden anxieties floated away. Eddie smiled.
"Why hell.."
Before he could finish, Steve without even caring stepped forward, took hold of Eddie's face with both hands, pulled his forward, and roughly kissed him, catching him completely off guard. Eddie's eyes widened in surprise, as Steve shut his, and found an escape in Eddie's warm plump lips. He moaned, as his lips mashed against Eddie's, before finally Eddie pulled away, stunned, and out of breath. Grinning, he laughed, still looking very surprised, before using the back of his sleeve to wipe his mouth.
"Well, that was awesome."
Steve stared at Eddie, before Steve couldn't take it any longer. He took a handful of Eddie's T-shirt, and pulled him forward, making him nearly trip and drop the beers. Nervously laughing, Eddie allowed himself to be pulled in, before using his leg to kick the front door closed.
Later...
Steve sweated all over, before he grunted, and took his sheets into his fists, clutching onto them, and gripping onto them for dear life, as he felt himself get pushed into the mattress. Eddie was thrusting away behind him, mounted against him, as Steve was bent over, his ass up, as his face turned to the side, gasping for breath against the pillows. They had been going at it for a while now, and Steve found an escape in his worries by the pleasure Eddie had been giving him. The two had barely made it up the stairs, before Steve in a complete frenzy began undressing Eddie, struggling to pull his clothes off. Eddie seemed amused and a little taken aback by this, but allowed it. Steve felt himself getting pumped into, his body gently bouncing against Eddie as he thrusted into him in a steady rhythm. Steve snapped his eyes shut, feeling himself coming close. He tried to hold back, but instantly he felt his penis twitch, feeling rock hard against his inner thigh as he roughly came all over his sheets. He cried out loudly, as Eddie's hands reached around, and gently stroked his softened sex, before he felt Eddie thrust into him, once, twice, then the pressure of him climaxing as well. Steve heard Eddie moan, before pulling roughly out of him. The two, completely drenched in sweat, collapsed against each other. Eddie gasped for breath, his tattooed chest hitching, before Steve turned his face to look at him. Both laid less than a few inches away from each other, and right away Steve knew, as guilty as he did feel...he loved Eddie.
He laid there, before Eddie smiled and reached forward and gently brushed his sweaty bangs out of his face.
"Well, well, well Mr. Harrington. That was certainly fun."
Steve smirked, feeling the dull ache inside of him, and that light headed feeling from coming so strong pounding lightly in his head. Looking over at him, he sighed and smiled.
"I'm glad you're here. Ever since we parted ways my day has royally sucked."
Eddie raised an eyebrow, instant concern feeling his dark eyes.
"What's wrong?" Steve sighed, knowing he was going to tell Eddie everything, before he motioned to the nightstand on Eddie's side.
"See that necklace over there?"
Eddie turned slightly, before allowing himself to sit up, leaning against Steve's headboard. Steve did the same, and watched with faint amusement as Eddie snapped his condom off, and slid out of bed for a second to toss it into the wastepaper basket near Steve's desk. Eddie eyed the nightstand, and necklace, before tossing the condom out, and snapping off two cans of beers from Steve's other dresser. Watching him, Steve couldn't help but smile. Eddie was skinny, and pretty pale, but his random tattoos were what he loved the best about him. He looked down at his penis, his thighs, his long legs, and sighed with a faint smile on his face. Eddie hopped back beside him in bed, handing him a beer, before cracking his open, and looking over at the nightstand. Leaning down, he picked up the St. Christopher's necklace, and closely examined it.
He looked over at Steve, confused. Steve sighed, and reached over and took it.
"Max Mayfield...Billy's little stepsister, you know Dustin's friend...Lucas' ex...she gave that to me right after we met in the woods when I went back on the path. She seemed angry...and she said she wanted to give this to me. She knows about us."
Eddie sighed, and looked at the necklace in Steve's hand.
"Shit..."
Steve sighed, holding the necklace up, letting it slowly sway back and forth as he looked at it.
"Yeah...shit is right."
"Did she say anything?"
"No, I tried calling out to her but she ignored me. I think she saw us...she's pissed."
Eddie sighed, taking a sip of his beer before putting it on the nightstand. He turned towards Steve, before he leaned over, and rubbed his arm.
"Steve?"
Steve glanced over, looking miserable.
"Don't feel guilty...or as if you did anything wrong. She's just a kid. She doesn't understand."
Steve sighed, putting the necklace on the nightstand, along with his undrank beer. He sighed, hating that he was on the verge of tears. He stared forward, looking at the plaid wallpaper of his bedroom.
"I just...feel like shit. I mean I know she won't say anything about us. She's a great kid. I know Billy gave her a lot of shit...but he really did care for her deep down inside. After his dad left, we had this long talk and she seemed to understand. She never told anyone. I mean...I think Dustin and the others knew, but they never said anything. She could have told the whole town, could have freaked out, but she was actually really sweet. I've only seen her a few times around town. I heard from Dustin that she's been having a hard time lately. Right around this past winter. Maybe the grief or reality came back. Maybe it's PTSD after seeing him die..."
"She saw him die? She was at the mall?"
Steve wanted to kick himself for slipping. Quickly he thought of a lie as much as he hated to do this to Eddie, who he was currently pouring his heart out to.
"Um, sorta. She had gone to the earlier show at the movies, and I guess she was nearby when the fires started. She...she him get wheeled out."
Eddie sighed.
"Jesus..."
Steve was relieved to see that he bought that. Knowing he was rambling, he crossed his arms, and sighed staring down at his hands.
"I just feel like shit. Robin told me maybe I should try and talk to her this weekend..."
"You should. Maybe swing by the trailer park. I gotta do a little business Saturday afternoon in Treeport for an hour or so. Maybe drive over, see if she's home. She might be pissed, she might slam the door in your face, but see if she'll take a walk with you. Just be straight with her."
Steve couldn't help but smirk and look over at Eddie. He caught it and gave a half smirk, and reached behind Steve's head, and gently stroked his hair. Steve instantly felt relaxed as he listened to Eddie continue.
"Just explain to her that you loved Billy, always will. That...whatever is going on with me has nothing to do with what you had with Billy. Just be honest. She might be upset no matter what, but just tell the truth."
"What? Less than a year since I was secretly dating her brother, I'm now head over heels in love with you?"
Eddie stared at Steve, and actually looked touched.
"Head over heels huh?"
Steve smiled.
"Shut up."
Eddie smirked and leaned in, softly kissing him. Their lips smacked. Pulling away, Eddie was still smiling, before he deeply looked into Steve's eyes.
"You don't give yourself enough credit Steve. Just because you're moving on doesn't make you a bad person. I know you loved Billy, and so doesn't his sister. She would have wanted him to move on if it was the other way around. Stop beating yourself up. I've known plenty of awful people. Trust me. You aren't one. I promise."
Steve gazed into Eddie's deep dark eyes, and couldn't help but smile.
"I swear to Christ...maybe I'm just saying this to make myself feel better, but maybe...just maybe Billy in some strange way...send you into my life to save me."
Eddie softly smiled, before he leaned in again softly kissing him. Steve closed his eyes, allowing Eddie to kiss him slowly down his jawline, and down to his neck. Soon the soft sweet kisses, and the feeling of his hair sweeping across his bare chest, began to keep going lower, and lower, and lower... Finally Steve opened his eyes, and stiffened as Eddie softly began to kiss his cock, right down the shaft, and onto the head. Steve instantly felt himself starting to harden. He dove his hands into Eddie's thick wild hair that was pooled all over his lap, before he felt his warm wet mouth take in his full length. Steve snapped his eyes shut, and focused on breathing, all the while his worries slowly melted away.
Later...
Steve and Eddie stood in his kitchen less than an hour later. Steve opened the fridge, and took out the other beers that had been chilling. He smiled, as he tossed one to Eddie, who was sitting on the center island of the kitchen, just wearing his boxers. Catching it, he stuck his tongue out at Steve, and cracked the can open. Steve smirked, shutting the door, and cracked open his own. Walking over, he nudged himself up between Eddie's knees, making him open his legs, before he looked up at him.
"Fuck my boyfriend is sexy."
Eddie laughed, pretending to flip his wild hair back over his shoulders.
"Yeah, mine isn't too bad either."
Smiling, the two clinked cans and drank. Steve smiled, closely looking at Eddie, before lowering his can. Both took turns burping, and laughing at each other, before Steve reached, and gently tugged on his hair.
"So, this weekend can I finally start messing with this rat's nest?"
Eddie tilted his head back and laughed, before pretending to pat Steve's styled hair.
"Yeah I guess so. Just promise me I'll look as cool as you Steve 'the hair' Harrington."
Steve smirked, and tilted his head in, deeply kissing Eddie. Eddie smiled through the kiss, before pulling back a bit, and tilting his head to the side.
"So, if you get to mess with my hair. We're starting the Hobbit. I have my copy in my bag."
Steve rolled his eyes, still smiling before nodding and kissing Eddie again.
"A deal is a deal."
Eddie smiled, before looking out through the window above the kitchen sink.
"So you keep your pool open all year around?"
Steve turned slightly, and looked out at the glowing blue pool outside.
"We only close it for December, January, and February. My dad always bitches about how much money it costs to maintain it, but I never see him use it besides the summer."
"That's cool though. Closest thing I came to a pool as a kid was this cheap blow up kiddie pool my uncle bought the first summer after my dad took off. I guess he was trying to take my mind off everything. I used the shit out of it that summer. I mean the thing was tiny as Hell, but I would spend hours in it right outside of his trailer. Making up stupid stories in my head, pretending I was some merman, or exploer. It was sorta like an escape for me since there weren't a lot of kids my age at the park back then."
"Yeah?"
Eddie shrugged.
"Wasn't so bad. My uncle busted his ass, and was really good to me. He had to work, so I was alone a lot. Not his fault. Guess that's where I found my escape in D&D, and music. Would read those books all the time, and make up stories of my own. Most of them were about my mom and sister living, and somehow we win the lottery, and they show up like two magical princesses, and pick my uncle and me up and live in this giant mansion in a pool."
Steve felt his heart ache just by listening to this story. He stared at Eddie and sadly smiled.
"Do you know what your mom looked like?"
"Yeah, my uncle has some photos of her that he gave me. My dad would never talk about her. He was always too fucked up, and would get angry whenever I asked. I mean, I didn't know any better. Just...would be nice to remember you know."
Steve sighed, and gently brushed back Eddie's hair.
"What was your sister's name gonna be?"
"Emma."
Steve smiled.
"Eddie and Emma. I like that."
They stared at each other, before Steve smiled, gently rubbing Eddie's tattooed clad legs.
"Say? Wanna go for a midnight dip?"
Eddie raised an eyebrow, surprised. He looked out towards the window again.
"Outside? Aren't you afraid of somebody seeing?"
Steve stared at Eddie, and smiled, shaking his head.
"Honestly? No. I don't." Eddie smiled, before Steve shrugged and stood back, taking another sip of his beer. "Besides, I have no neighbors around. I live in the middle of nowhere."
Eddie grinned, before he slid off the counter, and playfully jumped on Steve's back. Steve laughed, letting him ride piggyback, until he nearly dropped him near the sliding glass doors. Eddie slid off him, playfully grabbing at him as Steve laughed. Together, they opened the sliding glass door, and walked out onto the patio in their bare feet. Eddie and Steve circled around the giant pool, and vaguely Steve thought of how scared he was to go out here with Billy. He actually really hadn't used the pool much since that whole night he first went all the way with Nancy, and Barb was killed. Looking out at the dark woods, he sighed, before Eddie walked beside him, staring down at the gently rippling water. The blueish light reflected against his face, as his wide dark eyes looked down at it. Steve loved seeing the child like glee on his face as he looked down at it.
"How deep is it?"
"About ten feet."
Eddie grinned, and carefully dipped his toe into the water, before he laughed.
"Jesus! It really is warm. What the Hell?!"
Steve then no longer cared if neighbors, Max, Jonthan with his camera, or monsters were out there. He wasn't going to live in fear like he did with Billy. He regretted never coming out here with him, and would be damned if he wasted his time with Eddie. Looking at him, carefully studying his doe shaped eyes, his long hair, his pale skin, and his tattoos going down his chest, arms, and legs, he smiled. "Hey you." Eddie raised an eyebrow, a little bit of his bangs falling in his face as he turned and looked at Steve. Smiling, Steve stepped forward, and deeply kissed Eddie. His arms, slowly wrapping around him. Eddie smiled through the kiss, before they slowly pulled apart, gazing at each other smiling...before Steve grinned. Wrapping his arms tighter around Eddie, he threw himself and him straight into the water with a massive splash. Both dunked under water, before resurfacing, spitting out water, and laughing. Eddie, who looked like a drenched rat, laughed like a mad man, before swimming towards Steve. "Think that's funny huh?!" Steve cracked up, flipping his hair back, and swimming backwards, as Eddie swam after him. Both splashing, and horsing around, trying to dunk each other. Finally, once they calmed down, after acting like a pair of stupid kids, they swam close to each other, floating and staring at each other, before Steve held onto Eddie as they floated together across from each other.
"I really mean it. Once you graduate, I'm leaving Hawkins with you."
Eddie smiled. "You better mean it. I'll drag you out of here by that beautiful hair if I have to." Steve laughed, completely no longer caring before swimming in a little closer, and kissing Eddie as the two clung onto each other, slowly bouncing up and down in the lapping water.
Later that night...
Steve laid in bed, completely content. In fact, somehow his worries from earlier today had drifted away. Eddie and him had made sandwiches in the kitchen after toweling off. They stood in the kitchen, hair still dripping wet, eating, listening to music, and laughing. Steve knew Eddie was trying extra hard to cheer him up, and in all honesty...it was working. Once they finished up, they took a nice long hot shower together. They fooled around in the shower, before toweling off again, and changing for bed. Steve had tossed their wet boxers into the dryer. When he came back in a dry new pair of boxers, and his Hellfire Club shirt. He had been saving to wear it for tonight. He found Eddie wearing a fresh set of red boxers, his hair still damp from the shower, leaning down in the hallway, looking down at framed photographs of Steve when he was little. Instantly Steve rolled his eyes, walking over, wearing sweats, before putting his hands on his hips.
"What are you doing?"
Eddie looked up and grinned.
"Oh, just admiring the most adorable looking baby in the whole world!"
Eddie held up a framed photo of Steve at age two, which instantly made Steve make a disgusted face as he walked over.
"Yuck."
Eddie chuckled, still looking at all of the photos of Steve growing up, ranging from when he was a baby, to him in his basketball uniform with Tommy H from a few years ago. Steve watched Eddie, as he smiled, scanning all of the photos when it suddenly hit him. He probably didn't know what growing up with this kind of childhood was like. Steve knew Eddie's uncle was a good guy, and had given Eddie a good enough life as he could, but his mother and sister had died, and his father sounded like a royal piece of shit. Smiling, he softly rubbed Eddie's shoulders.
"Hey, this isn't fair. Now you'll need to show me embarrassing photos from when you were little."
Eddie made a face still smiling.
"Good luck finding me. Besides, all you would see was a pale little nerd. Not much has changed."
Steve kissed Eddie's bare shoulder, nuzzling up against him.
"No way. You're a Goddamn rockstar Eddie Munson."
Eddie laughed, before Steve wrapped his arms around Eddie's waist, and pulled him back to him. Both had fooled around a little while more, before having a few more beers in bed. Steve had made a joke telling Eddie he had no idea how the Hell he was going to wake up for school the next day? Eddie had shrugged saying this wasn't his first late night on a school night, and that he would just grab a coffee on his way there. Steve had offered to drive him since he was already getting Robin. Eddie seemed truly touched.
"Don't you think people might wonder why Eddie 'the freak' Munson is sitting in your car?" Steve had kissed Eddie before shaking his head.
"I don't care. You know that."
Eddie smiled through the kiss.
"I know, and that's why I'm fucking crazy about you."
Steve smiled, before Eddie explained he had to swing by his place in the morning. The plan was that even though he had Hellfire, and Steve was Robin's ride to the basketball game, that they would try to get together around ten tomorrow night. If anything came up, to just call each other. Eddie said it sounded good, before he wrapped his arms around him, and snuggled in close. Steve felt warm, and safe, and actually truly relaxed. He drifted into a nice easy sleep, all the while listening to the comforting sound of Eddie breathing beside him, and feeling his damp hair against his shoulders. He loved the firm, yet gentle feeling of Eddie's arms over him, as he allowed sleep to slowly take over, a smile on his face knowing that this was what it would be like when they lived out on the West Coast. Sleeping in Eddie's arms, feeling safe...and feeling loved.
Later...
"NO!"
Steve screamed, shooting up, and sitting straight up in bed, eyes wide, scared, and shaking. He was drenched with sweat, pale, and actually took a second as his eyes darted around the dark bedroom. It wasn't until he felt Eddie's arms around him, that he jumped, and knew he was truly awake. Eddie looked at him, worried.
"Steve?"
Steve took a second, chest heaving, before Eddie snaked his arm over to the nightstand, and turned the lamp on. Somehow with him doing this, Steve knew he was fully awake. He took a second, heart pounding in his chest. He shook all over, before Eddie gently squeezed him, one arm around him, the other gently rubbing his back.
"Shhhh...it's okay. You were just having a nightmare. It's okay...
" Steve took a second, before he brought his hands to his face, and rubbed hard. He couldn't believe how hard he was sweating. After a few moments of silence, Steve half turned and looked at Eddie. His hair was dry now, but a complete mess. He looked concerned, staring at him.
"Jesus..."
His hand slipped under Steve's shirt, and up over Steve's chest, his palm gently rubbed over the hair there.
"Your heart is racing...do you need a downer or something? I have some in my bag..."
Steve took a second, before he gave a nervous chuckle and shook his head.
"No. I'm sorry. Just...felt like I couldn't wake up."
Eddie leaned down and gently kissed Steve's shoulder.
"Ugh, I fucking hate that. If I get too wasted that sometimes happens. I always have the same dream of me falling, and I swear to God my stomach flips like I dropped on some kind of roller coaster or something."
Steve eyed his alarm clock and saw that it was a little after three in the morning. Sighing, he gulped trying his hardest to calm himself down. Eddie continued rubbing his back, before he slowed his breathing down, and looked over at Eddie.
"Sorry. Jesus..."
Eddie gently kissed his cheek, still rubbing his back.
"Don't be. Was it bad?"
Steve continued looking forward, hating that he could clearly remember every single detail of what the nightmare was. He had been dreaming that he was still in bed, feeling Eddie breathing against the back of his neck, arms still draped over him. In the dream, Steve had turned over, and ended up looking face to face with Billy, who looked exactly as he did the night he died. Dark blood running out of his mouth and nose, running down, staining his undershirt. He laid there instead of Eddie, and glared at Steve. That's when Steve snapped awake. He wasn't surprised this had happened. Still, he felt shaken over it.
"Was it...about Billy?"
Steve couldn't believe it. He slowly turned and was about to lie and tell him that he couldn't remember. Instead, as soon as he locked eyes with Eddie, the most overwhelming feeling came crashing down on him, and his eyes watered with tears. "I..." He couldn't seem to finish, as a stray tear ran down his face. Eddie shook his head, wrapping his arms around him, and slowly laying the two of them back down.
"Shhhh...it's okay. You don't need to talk about it. It's okay I'm here."
Steve was ready to be embarrassed. Ready to try and explain himself. Instead, he truly felt exhausted, and the tight feeling of Eddie holding him suddenly felt very comforting.
Just like... He thought of Billy for just a second, but pushed it away. He wanted so badly to tell Eddie all about his nightmare, and apologize about how crazy he was acting. He was sure that the guilt he was feeling about Max probably knowing about them was why he had dreamed about Billy.
The scary thing was...this wasn't the first time.
Instead, he decided to not say a single word about it. He knew Eddie wouldn't judge him, or be freaked out. Instead, he just wanted to fall asleep in his boyfriend's arms, and try to feel safe again. He hated that a small part of his mind was afraid if he shut his eyes again, the very same nightmare would come back. Sighing, he laid there with Eddie, before half turning and facing him. "Sorry, I'm fine now." Eddie shook his head.
"Sorry pal. I'm not letting go."
Steve smiled, feeling grateful. He stared across at him.
"I'm glad you're here Eddie. I love you."
"I love you too. Now shhh...relax."
Steve noticed Eddie made no move to turn off the light, and somehow deep down inside knew there was a reason behind that. He smiled, resting his head on Eddie's chest, as Eddie's arms held him, gently rubbing his side. Steve shut his eyes, and focused on listening to Eddie's heartbeat. It was a steady, strong sound, and before he knew it...he drifted off listening to it, and was relieved he ventured into a peaceful dreamless sleep.
The next morning...
Steve awoke to his alarm beeping. His eyes fluttered open, and he found himself instead of laying in Eddie's arms, but laying in the middle of his bed, the lamp on his nightstand still on. He blinked a few times, before he reached over and blindly shut the alarm off, before noticing a note written in Eddie's messy handwriting laying on his pillow. Didn't want to wake you sleeping beauty. Meet me behind the gym at 750 before the game. Love Eddie. PS. Left my stuff here hope that's okay?! - E Steve smiled, throwing back the blanket. His eyes scanned the note again smiling, before he got up and spotted Billy's necklace laying on the nightstand.
He instantly felt his heart sink remembering the vivid dream last night. Sighing, his entire expression changing, he simply stood there for a second, before knowing he needed to get a move on if he was going to pick Robin up on time. Walking towards the bathroom, he tried humming to distract himself...having absolutely no idea that tonight was the night that everything was going to change.