Chapter Text
After facing off against a new breed of fucked up facehugger looking things with wings. Steve didn't think the night could get any weirder. But of course he was proven wrong after getting smacked in the face with Eddie's vest. He was thankful to have something other than Nancy's makeshift bandage on. He didn't mind a little breeze, but after having his ribs gnawed on like he was a rack of lamb a denim vest was better than nothing.
And having Eddie for company as he walked through the twisted mirror version of a forest wasn't too bad either. It was nice to talk to another guy who wasn't a high school freshman. He loves Dustin and his little gang of nerds but he could only handle so much intellectual conversation before he was zoning out of the conversation entirely. It helped that Eddie had aided in the saving of Steve's ass just moments ago and he figures he'd tell Eddie as much.
"Eddie! Eddie! Uh hey man I just want to say thanks for saving my ass back there."
"Shit you saved your own ass man, I mean, that was a real Ozzy move you pulled back there."
"Ozzy?" Steve asked, mildly confused.
"When you took a bite out of that bat?" Eddie said in a tone filled with disbelief.
Steve stared back at him for a moment not completely sure what he was talking about.
"Ozzy Osborne? Black Sabbath? He bit a bat's head off onstage."
"I don't, no."
"You know? it doesn't matter. It's very metal what you did. That's all I'm saying."
"Thanks."
"Henderson told me you were a badass. Insisted on the matter, in fact."
"Wait, Henderson said that?" Steve asked, his curiosity bleeding into his words.
"Oh yeah shit kid worships you dude. like, you have no idea. it's kinda annoying to be honest. I don't even know why I care what that little shrimp thinks, but uh, guess I got a little jealous, Steve." He paused for a beat before staring at Steve and meeting his gaze for a moment.
"I guess I couldn't accept the fact that Steve Harrington was actually a good dude. Rich parents, popular, chicks love him. Not a douche? No way man. No way. that, like, flies in the face of all the laws in the universe and my own personal munson doctrine." Another beat of comfortable silence fell before Eddie invaded Steve's personal space again. Steve was beginning to realize he did that a lot. But it wasn't bad, he appreciated the closeness especially after thinking he was going to die alone facing those evil juiced up bats.
"Still super jealous as hell, by the way."
"S'Great." Steve laughed through the word shaking his head at Eddie's admission
"Which is why I would never jump in that lake to save your ass, not under any uh, 'normal' circumstances." Eddie huffed to himself.
A branch snapped echoing around the pair and leaving both on high alert. Steve shining his flashlight in the direction he heard the sound come from and Eddie staring out into the woods trying to identify what could have made the sound, only continuing forward once he was sure there was no imminent danger.
"Nope, outside of dnd I am no hero. I see danger and I just turn heel and run. Or at least that's what I've learned about myself this week."
"Give yourself a break, man." Steve turned to face Eddie lightly hitting his arm.
"See, the only reason I came in here was cause those ladies came in straight after you. Now I was too ashamed to be the one who stayed behind. But Wheeler, right there she didn't waste a second. Not one second. She just dove right in." Steve listened attentively looking at Eddie and looking away anytime he would look back.
"Now I don't know what happened between you two but if I were you I would get her back, cuz that? Was as unambiguous a sign of true love as these cynical eyes have ever seen." He looked at Eddie, his eyes glancing from his lips and eyes before having his eyes forcefully pulled away as another earthquake tore through the ground making it a struggle to keep standing.
"God dammit" Steve cursed, exasperated.
Eddie looked to the sky as he fought to maintain his balance, "Here we go again."
Eddie offered his hand to help balance Steve when he heard Robin shouting Nancy's name. "Let's keep you alive long enough to rekindle that relationship yeah?"
Steve took the offered hand gladly but pondered over his words. Eddie obviously meant well but Nancy and him weren't like that anymore, I mean Steve had his share of confusion when it came to attraction but he and Nancy were just friends now. Platonic with a capital P like Robin always said. Of course he cared about her, maybe even loved to a certain degree but that romance had come and gone. Jonathan was the love of her life even if they hadn't seen each other in however many months. Steve must've zoned out because he was suddenly being snapped back into reality by Eddie.
"Hey? Harrington, you alright there?" He was holding onto Steve's shoulder shaking him.
"Yeah, yeah I'm okay thanks. But uh I don't really like Nancy that way you know, she's just a good friend." Steve rushed his words starting to jog towards Robin with Eddie following close behind.
"Guess I just thought wrong but those doe eyed stares last a while man, had to throw you my vest just to get your attention elsewhere." Eddie laughed to himself, clearly surprised his deduction was wrong.
They caught up to Nancy who was staring at the decrepit copy of her home in the distance. They started the walk over ready to get any form of protection they could but primarily Nancy's guns. The group fell back into step, with Robin walking with Nancy at a pretty quick pace and Eddie matching Steve's steps.
"I get why you'd think so. I guess I just have a staring problem or something." Steve scoffed inwardly at himself. "But I really do care about her. She's one of my best friends, don't tell Robin though she might think her job is in danger."
Eddie laughed lightly at his words,"And what's that position?"
"Steve's professional shrink and Wingman." He said, holding his hands out as if the words were on a plaque.
"Is she accepting anymore clients because I, uh, haven't been having too many successful dating campaigns lately." Eddie laughed at the jab he made at his own love life.
"It is a little sad isn't it? Dustin having us both beat at having a successful romantic relationship?"
"God you didn't have to remind me, the little punk's charisma stats are way too high." Eddie swatted his hands in front of him to try and show just how high those stats were.
"His what?"
Eddie couldn't contain the giggle that escaped upon hearing that, "God you really are lucky you're so pretty. His charisma you know? Charm? In dnd it's what helps you persuade people, and other stuff. Like bluffing and intimidation." Eddie could see the cogs turning in Steve’s head, he hoped his ‘nerdy’ knowledge wasn’t shocking the man too much.
"I can see why Henderson likes you so much, you understand all his nerd shit. He used to beg me to play before he joined your club. But hey maybe after this is all over once and for all, you can explain it to me in like, layman's terms." Steve tried not to think about the flip he felt his stomach do after hearing Eddie call him pretty. It was just nausea right? The blood loss was starting to kick in and his cheeks definitely were not red.
"I don't think he thinks that highly of me, kid just liked my monologues I think. But another party member is always welcome, if you uh, mean it." Eddie kept his gaze glued to the ground trying to ignore Steve's glances at him.
"Yeah I think I would, I have enough real world experience to play a game about monsters. Also stop kidding yourself dude Dustin never shuts up about you."
"Really?"
"Yeah he's always talking about Eddie and how cool he is with his leather jacket and his band and his club called Hellfire I mean that's a pretty badass name if you ask me." Steve elbowed Eddie as he spoke trying to lighten the mood.
"Thanks Steve, guess during the end of the world I can die knowing the retired king of Hawkins thinks I'm a badass." Eddie let out a laugh that morphed into a tired sigh.
"I've been demoted to babysitter these days."
"Better than some of the things I get up to." Eddie chuckled to himself.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, there was a reason you found me hiding out at Reefer Rick's and it's not because I wanted to take a dip with the Hawkins high basketball team." Eddie put his hands in his pockets looking ahead to where Nancy and Robin had already reached the door.
"You guys gonna keep gossiping like some grannies at bingo night or are you gonna get in here?" Robin shouted from the front door.
"Yeah yeah we're coming!" Steve yelled back. "We should catch up before one of them keels over and dies."
"Good plan."
"Last year me and Robin went on a bit of a bender actually, we were so out of it we both." Steve stopped in his tracks realizing what he almost said.
Eddie held the door open for Steve and followed him in making sure it shut behind them. "You both what?" He asked, genuinely interested in what Steve had to say.
Steve thought for a moment a million things going through his head, he couldn't out Robin, she trusted him so much and he never wanted to break it. But Eddie was being so open and understanding with everything Steve was saying. It wasn't super likely a guy known for playing dnd was gonna hate crime him. And looking into his dark welcoming eyes that were clearly expecting something Steve didn't want to disappoint. He took a deep breath and looked to make sure Nancy and Robin had already gone up the stairs.
"Well it wasn't both of us uh it was just me I uhh kinda inadvertently told her I swing both ways and now i’m telling you on purpose, and if you don't know what I'm referring to great! Pretend I didn't say anything it'll probably be better that way but if you do I'm sorry if that like weirds you out or anything because I don't mean to-" Steve was silenced by Eddie grabbing his shoulder and shushing him gently.
"Listen Steve hey it's okay I get that believe me I'm 100% cool with that I'm not some fuckin hick, or uh a school bully, I'm not exactly a one way door myself." Eddie was blushing while he spoke, he grabbed onto the vest Steve was currently wearing and opened the left breast pocket revealing a little pin with a faded rainbow on it.
"I'd have it on the outside if I didn't live in this town, or maybe if I was less of a coward." Eddie took his hand off the vest and left Steve missing the warmth that emanated from it.
"Eddie you, you're like a million times braver than me, I, I wouldn't even be able to buy myself a pin like that without being worried of what everyone was thinking of me. Let alone wear it, and who gives a shit if it's in your pocket that's still something. And that is better than nothing." It was Steve's turn to hold onto Eddie's shoulder and look him in the eye, trying to process the fact there was another guy in town who liked dudes. And suddenly the flip he had felt his stomach do after Eddie's compliments made sense. But Eddie accepting who Steve was and telling him he was queer was one thing. And reciprocating feelings for someone you just met during an apocalyptic event was another. But the hope in Eddie's eyes and the soft smile he showed Steve made his heart beat faster than it had in a long time. Eddie looked down and coughed inwardly losing their involuntary staring contest.
"We should go help them look shouldn't we? I don't want to seem any more useless than before." Eddie started up the stairs climbing in a similar way to his venture up skull rock.
Steve smiled to himself before following close behind Eddie. "Yeah totally, wouldn't want to worry them or anything."