“monster” also means “sign”

they're making out on eddie's couch one night when eddie murmurs "we should get hitched" against steve's lips. steve's hand is cupping eddie's throat, his thumb rubbing his collarbone. they're both high, kisses lazy and heads fuzzy and they're both half dressed.

"mh, yeah?" steve asks, his lips never fully leaving eddie's.

eddie nods and pulls steve closer from where his hand is splayed on his lower back between him and the couch.

"yeah. get hitched and then dump this shithole." he nips at steve's jawline as he kisses down to his throat. steve lets out a contented sigh and tips his head back against the arm of the couch, his other hand tangling in eddie's thick hair.

neither of them will pretend like they haven't thought about it; the kids are off to their respective colleges in a couple weeks, and robin and nancy have already moved out of hawkins and into their own apartment in ohio. other than uncle wayne, there's nothing else holding them to their small town.

steve pulls eddie back up from where he's working on leaving a second hickey on his skin and kisses him, running his tongue across eddie's bottom lip like a tease.

"let's do it."

eddie grins down at him, big brown eyes shining. "yeah?"

"yeah." steve has a matching expression with flushed cheeks and red lips.

eddie sits up a bit and pulls the ring off his right ring finger. "better make it official then, before you change your mind." he winks at him and kisses the ring before he slides it onto the same finger on steve's right hand.

steve lifts his hand to admire it and he hears eddie's breath hitch along with his. steve never thought he'd be into wearing any kind of jewelry, but this one looks like it belongs on him. eddie takes his hand and kisses the ring again, and then kisses steve, deep and slow, cupping both of his cheeks.

they can't do it legally, of course, it'd be in name only. a private thing between just the two of them and their small gang of friends. but they'd be fine with one day in the future. after a handful of years fighting monsters from hell, they deserve quiet and happy.