After the upside down was closed for good and Vecna was defeated, it took a while for things to settle down again. If they ever could. Steve still struggled to sleep, had done since his encounter with the first demogorgan. It was a rare morning he didn't wake up covered in sweat, heart pounding with a mix of fear and adrenaline.
The fourth apocalypse did bring something good into his life, though: Eddie Munson. It turned out Eddie's presence helped Steve's racing mind and for the first time in years, he was sleeping properly again.
The Munson's new home had quickly become Steve's too, night after night spent there. What at first had been guarding against the darkness gradually shifted to a need that Steve felt in his bones even night, an urge to lie next to Eddie in the darkness and listen to his breathing, proof he was still alive. That they were both still alive.
Some nights it was more difficult to relax. The whistling of wind sounded too much like a monsters roar or the creak of a tree just outside the window might actually be a demobat appearing to finish the job. On those long nights, Steve would lie with his head in Eddie's lap, listening to him sing softly to whatever song had captivated his attention. Steve was in awe of how Eddie managed to make metal songs sound as soft as lullabies in the darkness.
But it worked. The gentle combing of fingers through his hair and softly sung words never failed to lull him into a dreamless sleep, waking up to a new day with relief and darkly circled eyes.
Eddie was different though, he liked stories not songs and Steve had to read to him on nights he struggled to sleep, page after page of long, complicated books that Steve didn't quite understand but it helped Eddie, so he read on. Eventually, Steve began giving the characters voices, laughing along with Eddie and the darkness was kept at bay.
They helped each other and eventually, the need became love. Steve kissed Eddie one night and after that, they never spent a night apart again.
