Abyssal Beach

Gareth sighs. “He's the best stylist in town, and you're lucky he agreed to see you. Let's go, he doesn't like waiting.”

“The fuck?” Eddie sputters as Gareth drags him inside. “I'm a fucking rockstar, I'm never late. The show starts when I arrive.”

“Okay, Gandalf,” says a voice.

Eddie freezes. Because damn, that was a solid comeback.

Also because it came from the most gorgeous man he has seen in his life. Perfectly styled caramel hair. Cheekbones that look like they were carved from marble. He's regarding them with his hands on his hips, the seams of his pink polo straining against the muscles of his arms.

On Eddie, another seam strains. Further south.

“Eddie and Gareth, right?” says the man. There's a name stitched into his polo, in the same cursive font as the sign outside. Steve.

“That's us,” Gareth nods. “It'll be ten years since our first number one hit next week, and we have that big photoshoot.”

Steve, who has been dancing around Eddie, lifts a strand of frizzy curls between two fingers.

“His last haircut was around the same time, I guess?”

“Fuck you!” Eddie blurts. “I did cut it. Like three years ago. Also, the hair is my trademark.”

Steve gives him a look. “This isn't a trademark, it's a cry for help. Give me two hours.”

He's lucky he's hot, Eddie thinks. He'd never agree to this otherwise.

*

“Done,” Steve declares, swivelling the chair around so Eddie can look at himself in the mirror. “What do you say?”

Eddie doesn’t say anything. For one thing, he’s still weirdly floaty from the feeling of Steve’s hands in his hair, Steve’s fingers turning his head, Steve’s voice telling him to hold still or sit straighter.

For another, his jaw is currently on the floor.

Gareth puts down his magazine and whistles through his teeth.

“Amazing! It looks like his hair but … good!”

Steve smiles, spritzing Eddie’s curls with something smelling of citrus and herbs. The bottle says it’s for a glossy finish.

“One of my easiest exercises. You like it?”

“It’s not horrible,” Eddie concedes, standing from his chair and grabbing a grinning Gareth to pull him out of the shop. It’s the understatement of the century and they all know it. “Call our management about the bill, yeah?”

“Will do,” Steve promises. “Make sure to come by for a touch-up soon. Preferably sooner than ten years from now.”

Eddie guesses he will. Just because the guy is hot, obviously.

"Eddie, I don't have a choice. There's literally nothing from you! You're doing no work! Where's the beef? Not here, not from you."

Eddie laughs. Steve's funny. In a dorky way. 

"You can't fire me," Eddie says again, playing with him, just a little. He's gotten to know Steve, and has liked him a lot.

"I am, and I will. You are fired," Steve says, but doesn't seem all that sure about it.

Eddie finally smiles, "Steve. I don't work here. I've never worked here. I'm here for the free cake and good conversation."

Steve's brow creases, confusion coloring his features, "No. That's not. I put you at that desk."

Eddie nods. Yep. He definitely did that.

"You were a temp?" Steve says, voice lilting up as though he's unsure.

"Yeah, just not for you," Eddie answers, pointing to the other side of the building, "I was a temp over there, and you guys were having donuts, and I wanted donuts, and then I had a desk. It's a nice desk."

"Am I even paying you?"

Eddie shakes his head.

"Then, what do you do for work?" Steve asks, "You're here every damn day."

Eddie laughs, "I'm a musician. At night. And I'm not always here. Just Fridays. Some Tuesdays."

Steve laughs at that, running his hand down his face. Clearly exasperated.

Then, he stands, walking towards his office door, closing it with a heavy snick.

Eddie stands, too. It was just a joke. He'll pay for the cake if that's what it takes. As long as Steve doesn't call the cops. As long as he isn't trespassed and arrested.

As long as Steve isn't really mad at him.

"I didn't mean to upset you," Eddie says in a rush. "I'm sorry. I like you. I didn't mean to keep coming in."

Steve stalks towards him. Eddie keeps talking.

"I pretended I worked in the field four days a week. Then, I'd come in here, enjoy casual Friday and eat whatever the employee snack of the week was. Steve. I'm sorry."

Steve places a hand in the center of Eddie's chest. Fisting his casual Friday t-shirt.

"Eddie Munson," Steve says, then furrows his brow, "You are Eddie Munson, right?"

"I am, I've never lied about anything else, and technically I didn't even say that. You did. You gave me a desk and I just took it. I liked you, and you had donuts, so I went along."

Steve laughs, and it sounds a little unhinged. 

"Do you know that you've driven me crazy?" Steve asks.

"What—?"

He's kissed. Well and fully kissed, and Eddie leans into it. Hands finding Steve's back, pulling him closer. Kissing him, or being kissed, Eddie can't be sure which. But he likes it. He likes Steve. Steve's the reason Eddie kept coming back, because Eddie loves seeing Steve every Friday.

He'd help him run the copier, or volunteer to go with him to pick up the donuts or cake. Pizza. Tacos. Bagels. They've had everything.

And he's had fun. So much fun. 

Steve pulls back, licking his lips, eyes looking a little wild, "Do you have any idea how long I wanted to do that? But I couldn't. Because you worked here, Eddie."

Eddie gives him a sheepish smile.

But Steve shakes his head, "All this time. All this time I could have asked if you wanted to go out for a drink. Or dinner. Anything. But I didn't. Because it would have been inappropriate."

"I'm sorry," Eddie says, because he never thought Steve liked him like that. Eddie had a crush. But what's new? Eddie always has a crush on people he shouldn't. And sure, Steve was nice and friendly while Eddie flirted shamelessly, but Eddie never thought he had a chance. Not even once, or he'd…

"Just," Steve says, looking exhausted, "Do you want to get a fucking drink?"

Eddie laughs, guffaws actually, nodding. "I'd love that."

"Well, good. Now, are you gonna go with me to pick up the build your own sundae bar?"

"Absolutely," Eddie confirms, bowing, holding out his arm for Steve to go first.

"And then you'll tell all your co-workers what you've been doing?" 

"Uh," Eddie says, sheepish, "I'm pretty sure they already know."

Steve shakes his head, but huffs out a laugh.

Before

Eddie sees the donuts being carried in. Box after white box. 

And well, Eddie wants a donut. So, he follows the handsome man in the suit into the meeting room, and takes a seat along the window. Out of the way. Hoping to go unnoticed.

Eddie gets his donut. And then a second, but when he tries to sneak away, he's caught.

"Steve Harrington, CEO," Steve Harrington, CEO says. 

Eddie nods.

"Eddie. Eddie Munson," Eddie offers.

"Welcome, Eddie. It's always nice to see a new face. Do you have a desk yet?"

Eddie shakes his head. He most certainly does not.

"Well, let me find you one."

If you want to write your own, or see more entries for this challenge, pop on over to @corrodedcoffinfest and follow along with the fun! 🦇

Jeff isn’t an idiot. Chrissy is beautiful. He’s also learned she’s incredibly nice and funny once she gets comfortable with you. It didn’t take him longer than crossing the state line of Indiana to develop a crush.

He didn’t think sharing a bed tonight would be a problem, but now that he sees her bouncing on what is clearly a waterbed, he’s not sure he’ll be able to sleep at all.

“Oh my gosh, my friend has one of these. It’s like being on a boat!” She giggles again as she bounces a bit more.

Jeff smiles at her. He can’t help it. She’s been pretty quiet for most of the trip. Obviously scared about the future, worried about having to make a new life for herself. Jeff would be scared, too. Shit, he is scared, and he’s just one step in her journey.

“Come here!” She waves him over with one hand and pats the bed next to her with the other. “It’s fun!”

Jeff’s pretty sure he’ll do anything to see her keep smiling, so he joins her. She nudges his shoulder and he bounces himself, which bounces her, and then they’re both laughing. They bounce more, even after Jeff stopped trying to, and eventually lose their balance, falling backwards on the bed.

He looks over to see her smiling up at the ceiling as both of their bodies keep moving to the rhythm the bed’s made.

When she looks over at him, he quickly looks up at the ceiling, hoping she doesn’t notice he was staring.

Her arm touches his, then her hand finds his and she laces their fingers together. He feels like he can’t breathe.

“Thank you for doing this,” she says quietly. There’s still a hint of a smile in her voice, but she’s gotten more serious now. “I know it’s a lot to take on. Risking yourself and everything. I just…”

“Needed to get out, I know.”

Jeff turns to look at her again and she doesn’t look nearly as sad as she did this morning. She’s almost glowing. Distance from Hawkins has clearly done wonders for her.

“Will you stay when we get there?”

“Oh.” Jeff breathes out. “Probably for a bit, so it’s not suspicious that I was only gone for a few days. But I have to get back to my parents.”

“Right.”

Her smile drops, but she doesn’t look away.

“Will you visit?” She asks. She almost sounds hopeful.

“Definitely. Once Steve and Eddie have a new place, I’ll probably bring more of their stuff to them,” Jeff says. “And I’m sure they’ll bring you with them.”

“What if they bring me somewhere else?”

“Then I’ll visit you there.”

He doesn’t know that he could, really. He has quite a bit of allowance money saved up, but he used some of it for this trip since Steve and Eddie pretty much had to start over and don’t have much to their name. If they take her somewhere he has to fly, he’d eat up a lot more of it. Maybe all of it. He doesn’t know how far they’ll go to keep her safe.

He’s pretty sure he’d go anywhere, though.

“You’re a good guy, Jeff.”

He can feel the heat on his face as she leans her head over to rest against his shoulder. He can’t help but lean his head down on top of hers.

“You wanna take a shower?” Jeff asks after they lay like that for a few minutes.

Chrissy sighs and stands up from the bed, laughing when she almost loses her balance from the water making sloshing noises as she moves.

She walks towards the bathroom and strips off her shirt. Jeff pretends not to look.

“I’ll be quick,” she says. When Jeff thinks it’s safe to look, he sees her taking off her pants. He doesn’t look away fast enough. She winks at him. He’s dead. “Or we could just both take one. Since there’s probably not much hot water.”

That could be true, but he’s fine with a cold one. Or he was, until this offer presented itself.

“Like…naked?” Jeff sits up.

“Well, yes. We do have to get clean,” Chrissy giggles again. It’s so cute. “Or maybe I read this wrong…”

“No!” Jeff stands up as quickly as he can. “I want to do that! Let’s shower!”