Eddie couldn't believe this was his life now. Finally graduating high school, getting a decent job at the local body shop and somehow ending up sending most nights in Steve Harrington's bed. It had definitely been a life-changing year for him.

"I'm gonna get a shower quickly, you wanna join or...?" Steve got up and as tempting as the idea was, Eddie couldn't feel his legs yet.

"In a bit." But he pulled Steve back for another kiss.

He laughed against Eddie's mouth. "Insatiable."

"Only for you."

"Seriously, I feel gross."

"And whose fault is that?"

"Yours." Steve kissed him hard and got free. "Don't go anywhere."

"Nowhere else I'd rather be." Eddie made a show of getting comfortable and Steve laughed. "Go sort out your hair pretty boy, I'll still be here when you get back."

"Okay." Steve paused to look back in the doorway and his smile made Eddie's heart skip a beat. "You know, I kinda like you, Eds."

He rolled his eyes, throwing a pillow at him. "Funnily enough, I like you too. Now go."

He easily dodged the pillow and shut the bathroom door with a soft click. Eddie fell back on one of the many others with a tired sigh. Steve sure knew how to exhaust him. It was so different from any other relationship he'd experienced and by far the best. He didn't want to let Steve go.

Sometimes, like tonight, he wondered if this was what love felt like.

It was a scary thought though and he quickly shoved it away. People he loved tended to leave so he tried not to think about that word. Especially not about Steve.

Eddie sat up and began rummaging through Steve's bedside drawers for a distraction. He found it in the form of a small notebook and turned it over curiously. It was plain black and there was no indication of what it was. So he opened it to find out. On the first page, there was a scribbled note in Robin's familiar slanted writing.

'Steve - start writing your shit down and maybe you'll understand what's happening. Trust me, when you read this back you'll feel like an even bigger dingus.

Love ya, Robs.'

Eddie smiled and began flicking through the pages. It was some sort of diary and at first, Steve barely wrote in the thing. The dates were sporadic and the context annoyingly vague. Usually complaining about Keith or one of his many babysitting errands. When he saw his own name, Eddie paused.

'Eddie came into the store again. He was wearing that stupid crop top. Why is it so stupid? Nobody wants to look at his tattoos, even if they are interesting and look good on his skin.

Never mind, that was a weird thing to write.

Robin if you ever read this I'll kill you.'

Eddie laughed quietly because he'd come to realise Steve had a fascination with his tattoos and would often spend hours tracing them at night. He sometimes woke to the gentle touch on his arms or chest.

'Went to the arcade with the kids and Eddie. He's good with them and they actually listen to him. Whenever I think about high school it's like a punch to the gut. I wish I realised sooner who was better for me. No apology could make up for what I did to him.'

Steve had apologised several times to Eddie until he threatened him, saying no more apologies or he'd punch him. High school had been rough and Eddie didn't think about it much anymore. He knew Steve was a different person now, a far cry from his King Steve days and didn't hold the past against him.

He hoped Steve wasn't carrying around this guilt still. It had been months since he'd tried apologising. Maybe he'd finally forgiven himself.

Flipping ahead, Eddie saw his name jump out more and more until it became a running dialogue of their time together. The last entry was dated six months ago and he realised with a jolt it was the morning Steve asked him out.

'Okay, Robin, you were right, I'm a dingus.

Eddie Munson is brilliant and gorgeous and I'm going to make a complete fool of myself today and ask him out on a date. I think I might love him.

Maybe don't mention that part, Steve, you don't know if he likes you back.

You got this.'

"What're you doing?"

Eddie jolted upright and snapped the diary shut, looking up at Steve guiltily. "Nothing!"

Steve frowned and when he noticed what Eddie was holding his face turned pink. It was rather adorable, especially because he was only wearing a towel. "Oh my god, I should've burned that thing ages ago!" He made a grab for the book but Eddie held it away.

"Why?"

"It's embarrassing! Tell me you didn't read the whole thing?"

"No... only bits of it."

"The worst bits no doubt."

Eddie smiled and tugged him to sit on the bed. "Did it really take you that long to realise you had a crush on me?"

"Yes," He muttered petulantly. "I've struggled with my feelings after... Nancy. It was hard to admit that I liked you, even more than her. Kinda scared you'd laugh at me or something."

"Steve," Eddie caught his hand and squeezed, leaning in to kiss his cheek. "I'm not going anywhere. You do realise you're stuck with me for life, right?"

"That a promise?"

"It's a threat." Eddie grabbed his chin, turning his head so they could kiss properly. "And for the record, I fell in love with you during middle school when you yelled at Tommy to stop laughing at me during dodgeball."

Steve laughed. "Yeah, that ball to the face must've hurt." He sobered up suddenly, looking surprised. "Since middle school?"

Eddie hummed, nuzzling into his neck to hide his face. "Exactly. So now we're here, I don't plan on leaving. I love you, Steve."

He exhaled, body going slack under Eddie. "I love you too," He whispered, almost like a prayer. "Christ, Eds, I love you so much."

When they kissed it somehow felt different. Eddie couldn't put his finger on it but their dynamic had shifted. He smiled against Steve's lips and murmured, "we're keeping this diary."