Thinking about a fic idea right now where it's pre-season four Steddie. They're in an established relationship. They're in a screaming match type argument because Steve's being secretive (about the Upside Down trauma he's experienced), and he's basically like "No, Eddie, I don't want you to know. I don't need you to fucking know."
And Eddie, mid screaming match, just yells out, "I worry because I fucking love you! Is that so hard to comprehend? Jesus Christ! I wanna know why I wake up in the middle of the night to you fuckin' shaking and sobbing, and I immediately reach over and hold you, or why you get these awful fucking headaches from head trauma you won't talk about, or why it's so fucking important that all these random middle school kids are in your life. I just wanna fucking know you. Because I love you! But how dare I, I guess, for loving you, right? 'Cause maybe there's a wall here. Maybe we just aren't on the same page."
And then Eddie shoulders around Steve, grabs his car keys, and makes haste to the front door. Behind him, Steve just goes, wetly and croaky, "Where are you going?"
"I'm going out. I can't...I can't be here right now. Not like this." But before he slams the door behind himself, he just says one more time, "I love you. Is that so hard to believe?"
When Eddie comes back later, it's to Steve still awake on the couch. Eyes puffy, cheeks red and inflamed. He rises from the sofa, apologies blazing from his tongue, half-choked explanations. And then Eddie just amends, "No, shhh, stop. I'm sorry. I know you're sorry, I know. But I...I can't just go prodding an already painful bruise. I'm sorry, baby, I'm sorry."
Steve wants to explain so bad, but he can't. Not only because it's hard, but because he wants to keep Eddie safe.
That is...until Eddie accidentally joins in on cracking the secret Russian code.
