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Season 15 Dean: "Bring back MY angel"

Their relationship was tentative at best.

Eddie had made out with a bruised Steve Harrington after he and Billy got into a fight. Eddie had looked at his lips for a second too long to be fully heterosexual and BAM! Kissing. (No Eddie wouldn’t tell him this was his first kiss.)

The details Eddie got were hazy at best, but Steve’s concussion could be the cause of the vague details.

It’s not like they were necessarily close. Emotionally, not physically.

Eddie sometimes worried that Steve’s queerness was something that would soon be blamed on the concussion.

But faithfully, every day, Eddie received a scrap of paper with either the location of a bathroom or empty classroom.

He’d go there, mildly expecting being jumped for being queer, but instead Steve would jump out at him and press him against the closest wall. He’d pull up on the underside of Eddie’s thighs and sometimes sit him on the sinks or the empty desks.

Eddie almost felt like Steve’s girlfriend. He had heard whispers about how he’d meet women in bathrooms for a little midday makeout session.

They obviously couldn’t be seen in public, but in their private spaces, Steve would nose along Eddie’s neck. Breathing him in and tasting him like it was all he wanted.

It was enough to give a guy mixed signals.

Steve was like king jock (not anymore, but still) guys like that didn’t engage in actual meaningful homosexual affairs.

It wasn’t until Eddie was given a time and date, accompanied by the location Skull Rock.

He was again suspicious, like any queer in a small town.

He nearly shat himself when he was tackled by a laughing Steve Harrington. They rolled over a few times on the leafy ground. Eddie’s panic rapidly faded into awkward laughter as he noticed there was nobody else.

“Heya Teddie!” Steve laughed out, a distinct tinge to his voice as he tried out the new nickname on his tongue.

“Heya Stevie!” Eddie mocked, finally laughing in earnest.

“Sorry we can’t meet in public. Kinda kills me that I can’t show you off.” Steve was nosing along Eddie’s neck, seeming most at home tucked as closely to Eddie as possible.

“Yea.” Eddie replied in a stringy tone, suddenly breathless at the implication of Steve’s words.

“I got this ready for us instead.” Steve gestured towards skull rock, but Eddie couldn’t see it yet. He had to wait until Steve was done peppering kisses up the side of Eddie’s face. Eddie’s face scrunched, a little ticklish at Steve’s quick kisses.

When Steve pulled away, Eddie was released of Steve’s weight, allowing him to look at what Steve had previously been gesturing to.

And oh my goodness.

What sat at the base of skull rock was a picnic. There was a plaid patterned blanket, little throw pillows, fucking candles, and a goddamn rose in a little vase.

So maybe Eddie had missed a few obvious signals that he and Steve were dating. But holy shit, even in his best dreams it was some guy in a dingy bar or an alley. He had never even allowed himself to imagine being dated.

It was a strange and new idea that Eddie found himself quickly falling in love with.

“Thought four months was long enough without an actual date.” Steve laughed self consciously, evidently nervous at his mistake.

“Nah, it’s no problem.” Eddie shrugs, unable to tear his eyes away from the FUCKING PICNIC BASKET.

Steve pulls Eddie up off the ground and guides him over to sit on a little strawberry printed throw pillow. It’s so goddamn sickly sweet that Eddie feels warmth pulse in his chest. His face was hot and red as he got a closer look at the setup.

There were little sandwiches, cut into precise triangles. They didn’t even look store bought!

He could see a little thermos and strawberries peeking out of the basket.

Instead of wine or any sort of booze, there was a large pitcher filled with apple juice.

Steve finally sat himself down too, right next to Eddie, letting their thighs press together.

Steve pulled the food from the basket. Unloaded carefully cut apple slices and grapes.

“Seedless.” Steve clarified. Eddie was suddenly struck with how closely Steve had been paying attention to him. His childish preference for seedless being carried with a sort of intimacy he wasn’t used to.

Eddie couldn’t help it. He kissed Steve, who was in the middle of still unloading the basket. The thermos he was holding clattered to the ground as Steve quickly hiked his leg over Eddie’s and pushed Eddie down onto the blanket.

A sudden snap interrupted the moment, making Eddie tense. But Steve just stroked his cheekbone gently.

“It’s okay!” Steve comforted, before kissing Eddie again.

Steve’s refusal to pull away struck Eddie like a knife. His chest felt so tender, like his heart was visible and the gravity of such a small gesture sunk into his bones.

Even when they stopped kissing, Eddie couldn’t bring himself to let go of Steve. He met Eddie’s inability to let go with a laugh and pulled him up with him, leaning back slightly to extract the small sandwiches.

Steve turned back and Eddie’s eyes were full of tears.

“What’s wrong?” Steve probed, but Eddie couldn’t speak. He choked, unable to talk as tears began to carve rivers down his cheeks.

Eddie was crying, and his chest was heaving without his consent as he buried his face in Steve’s shoulder.

Half formed words choked out from Eddie’s throat. Each emerging wet and unrecognizable from their original intent. In the absence of words, Eddie shook his head, hard, attempting to indicate that there was nothing wrong.

“Are you okay?” Steve questioned, his hands coming back to Eddie’s face and trying to wipe away his tears. His calloused hands rubbed over Eddie’s cheeks gently. It was an awkward angle as Eddie’s face was still half buried in the side of Steve’s neck.

Eddie couldn’t help, but cry harder. He had never dreamed of feeling so revered and cared for that all the warmth was bubbling up from his chest and spilling out of him.

Eddie is nodding through the tears, but Steve still doesn’t seem fully convinced. He just rubs Eddie’s back as his crying putters out.

“ ‘m sorry. It’s just really nice.” Eddie finally manages to choke out. “Never thought I’d get this.”

And Steve’s heart just breaks a little at his words. He was just dating Eddie how he’d date anyone else. Concocting intimate dates to really get to know someone. Stolen moments during the day when scheduling won’t allow contact.

Steve hadn’t known that just because Eddie was a man, it’d be different.

He’d tried to make this date a little extra special to make up for his inability to take Eddie to a diner or movie theater. But he didn’t expect this response.

When they trade kisses during the date, it still mildly tastes like salt. As they eat, it changes, the salt gives way to strawberry and chocolate.