#steddilly

The bus driver in question:

Distracted boyfriend meme but make it Harringroveson

The kids were all excited to go scope things out, which he couldn’t even attempt to argue with, so he decided to just keep his cool and coast through the night as if it were anywhere else.

Because that was a better plan than making a scene over nothing.

He and Steve have been cool, for the most part, since everything happened. The guy, no matter how charismatic or friendly he is, gives Eddie the shakes in a lukewarm, neutral sort of way. Makes him feel like he’s about to crawl out of his skin or smile so hard his face explodes.

And then there’s his roommate.

From what Max has shared within their little circle, Steve went and shacked up with Billy Hargrove. Probably the only other guy in town that Eddie has a fearful crush on.

He sees less of Hargrove. Only hears about him, really. Smiles and nods when Steve mentions his workout equipment taking up the garage and how the guy goes through groceries like nothing else. Max swears up and down that they’re friends, or something. Heavy emphasis on something.

Just another reason for Eddie’s hands to sweat when he pulls into the cracked driveway and sees the garage door wide open.

Steve is standing there with his arms folded over his chest, right beside the bench press. Striped polo tucked into his jeans, looking like perfect boy next door material.

Then there’s Billy.

Everyone else files out of the van, but Eddie stays put behind the wheel. Fingers wrapped around it like a tether. He almost jumps when Steve looks over his shoulder and smiles.

When Eddie finally climbs out of the van, the kids have all filtered into the house, leaving just the three of them outside.

It shouldn’t feel like they’re on a different planet, with the door still wide open and voices so close by, but it does. Steve nods at him, and Eddie shoves his hands into his vest pockets.

“How goes it?” Steve greets.

Eddie nods. Then shrugs. Then chuckles nervously, eyes flitting briefly to the bench press behind the other brunet.

Billy breathes softly, counting under his breath, but all Eddie can manage to think about is his happy trail peaking out from under his shirt, and how his shorts are almost too little. He catches a glimpse of the edge of a puckered, pink scar before he tears his eyes away.

“It goes,” Eddie manages, clearing his throat when his voice cracks. “What about you?”

Steve gives a half shrug.

“We just finished unpacking the last few boxes this morning, so we’re pretty much settled.”

There’s the clink of the barbell setting on the rack, followed by a grunt as Billy sits up. Eddie feels a little perverse just looking at him.

When did he get so thick?

“I’ve been settled since the first day,” Billy muses. Grabs the bottom of his shirt and lifts it up to wipe his face. “It’s all your damn trinkets that took so long.”

“Trinkets like the toilet brush and silverware?”

Steve bumps Billy’s shoulder with his hip, and the blond chuckles. Reaches out and sets his hand on the brunet’s other hip from behind, snaking a couple of his fingers under the belt loop there.

“Exactly.”

Steve shakes his head amusedly. Turns back to Eddie and almost makes him jump out of his skin again.

“So, how’s tonight gonna work?” he asks.

Eddie’s brows shoot up.

“What do you mean?”

“Like, the game,” Steve clarifies. “We probably just have to watch, huh?”

With both sets of eyes trained on him, Eddie’s blood runs cold.

“Yeah,” he says. Fiddles with the inner fabric of his pocket. “We’re in the middle of a campaign, so it’d be too late to introduce new players. You could join the next game, though, if you want. I could show y—“

“Pass,” Billy interrupts.

Steve turns and flicks his temple, which earns a hiss.

“Don’t be bitchy,” he scolds.

“No offense,” Billy says with a chuckle. “But I’ll probably just hang back out here.”

Now, Steve pouts, and Eddie mirrors it internally.

“All by yourself?”

Steve reaches out to lightly comb his fingers through Billy’s curls, and the blond cracks a smile.

“Unless somebody wants to join me.”

“So my choices are watch the nerd game or watch you be sweaty in the garage? I’m having trouble deciding, they both sound so fun.”

“I’m done, that was my last set,” Billy muses. “We could go on a walk, or crack open a couple of beers or something. Stevie’s choice.”

The brunet considers his options for a moment. Eddie watches with bated breath, internally wishing that Steve chooses to stay — as anxious as he was to come over, the thought of either of them leaving makes him feel worse.

Steve presses his lips into a line and tilts his head to the side.

“I promised Dustin I’d sit in on this one,” he says. Eddie’s stomach fills with relieved butterflies. “C’mon, there’s snacks. We can hang out on the couch and share popcorn.”

Steve’s doe eyes must be a weakness of Billy’s, because he huffs and rolls his eyes.

“M’kay, but I’m gonna shower first.”

The simple agreement has Steve’s face lighting up.

“Good, I don’t wanna have your stinky sweat on me anyway.”

As if being issued a challenge, Billy grins mischievously and stands up. Opens his arms around Steve, grabbing his opposite wrist and locking him in against his chest.

Steve squirms and pushes, huffing from laughter as he struggles, and it’s painfully obvious how genuinely trapped he is, unless they take things to the floor.

All Eddie can think about is how hard Billy’s muscles look, bulging beneath his skin, still glistening with sweat. How he’d look good rubbed down with oil.

“Oh yeah, pretty boy? Scared I’m gonna dirty you up?”

Steve snickers, face mere inches from Billy’s. The blond’s eyes flit down to Steve’s lips.

“Stop it, or I’m gonna have to shower too!”

“I mean, there’s enough room…” Billy murmurs flirtatiously. Loosens his grip ever so slightly, just enough so that Steve stops struggling. “If you aren’t too chicken.”

For a moment, Steve just huffs softly with that grin still plastered on his face. Then he shuffles one of his arms loose and pats Billy’s chest.

“Go shower, freak.”

Billy tsks, but lets go. Reaches down to grab his towel and his previously discarded Walkman and headphones before he heads inside. Steve watches him until he’s gone, and chuckles when Billy passes by the couch. Shoves Dustin off of the arm where he sits and sends him straight into Mike and Lucas’ laps.

There’s bickering from inside. Eddie finds himself smiling a bit, too, especially when Steve turns around to face him again.

“So, what was the plan? Am I ordering pizza?” Steve asks.

Eddie stares for a second, registering that he’s being spoken to, and shrugs.

“If you want,” he says. Then chews his lip, looking away momentarily. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

Steve looks on with faint amusement, likely because Eddie’s ears are burning red at the tips.

“You and Hargrove…” Eddie begins.

“Yeah?”

The words are right on the tip of his tongue, but suddenly there’s a lump in his throat.

“Do you… how’d you guys…” Eddie trails off. Knows that his face is painting red because Steve’s smile widens. “How’d you guys become roommates?”

Steve reminisces as he hums thoughtfully, and shrugs.

“I dunno, it sorta just happened.” Steve’s expression dims ever so slightly, and he purses his lips. “We’d been acquaintances for a bit after all the, y’know, stuff happened. We only really clicked after his dad skipped town.”

Eddie nods. He’d heard about Billy’s dad before, mostly through Max.

And only really about the fact she’s glad he’s gone.

“Seems like you guys are pretty solid now.”

“People on the block think we’re dating, so, yeah,” Steve chuckles.

Eddie’s brows raise slightly.

“You’re not?” he blurts.

For a beat, there’s silence. Steve’s face changes to something unreadable. Something between almost offended and surprised, and something else. Contemplative.

Before Eddie can backpedal, his skin steaming with embarrassment, there’s a loud thud as Dustin swings into the open doorframe.

“Guys,” he says, and makes them both jump. “You coming or what?”

“Yeah,” Steve murmurs.

He looks lost in thought as he turns around, and Eddie wants nothing more than to haul ass down the street as fast as he can, but he falls in step behind Steve instead.

New (very long) chapter of Allison!

(Which is Part 2 of Seven if you’re new here)

Come read and screech (or cry) with meeee!

Eh time to badly choose which Heathers suit them best.

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