the fun thing about steddie meeting at the s2 halloween party in the stancy aftermath is that steve would 100% keep drinking if he stayed out, so he'd be completely blackout drunk and with how needy he was that season? he'd be all over eddie. but the fun part is that he'd be hungover the next day, nancy wouldn't have found him playing basketball. she'd find him with eddie, who would probably be all over him bc they've established a close touchy feely relationship in the short time they've already known each other
((okay Iβve napped and stuff, so!Β have a more coherent babble stream than my tags last night!Β ...or the night before?Β time is fake, whatever, just read!))
needy Steve stumbling over to the quietest, darkest spot he can find, drunk as a skunk, and he ends up basically draped over Eddieβs shoulder mostly on accident. Β he didnβt expect to buy weed tonight but fuck it, whatever, Munsonβs here and offering and heβs got the cash so why not, right? Β Maybe itβll dull shit enough that heβs not crying when he tries to sleep tonight.
And Eddie sighs and offers him a light.
(Eddie, internally: Β βI knew the urge to adopt strays ran strong but why this one.β he knows itβs too late; his feral little brain has taken one look at Steve in Sad Cute Pathetic hours and decided that he is a Lost Little Sheepie and His Now. Β He doesnβt bother fighting it right now; heβll save that for tomorrow, when itβs no longer Sad Cute Pathetic hours.)
So Eddie doesnβt object to him sticking around. Β Which is weird, but.. kinda nice? Β itβs almost like having someone want him around, and since he canβt seem to tell the difference between want and toleranceβwhatever, Eddieβs nice and Steveβs got too many thoughts all clanging around in his brain and none of them are happy ones and he just needs them out so.. he starts talking. Β Just, about anything at first. Β Whatever might distract him, give him two seconds of peace. Β Then, when Eddie doesnβt complain, even when some of the darker/heavier/worse thoughts slip out, even responds back a few times (thatβs not the most common thing in the world either??), he just lets his mouth run.
(Steve knows Eddieβs just being nice, that this is one night and all he gets and tomorrow heβll be waking up alone in his big empty house again, that heβs probably annoying the shit out of him right now, but he just.. he canβt stop talking. Β He keeps the secrets he has to, but what he can say, he does.)
(Eddie knows this is unusual for King Steve but it sounds like this is A Lot and has been A Lot for A Long Time. Β He looks at how drunk Steve is right now, and listens as he talks, and decides heβs taking him home and Steve will just have to deal with waking up in the trailer park; heβs genuinely concerned the guy might accidentally drown himself in his bathtub if left alone. Β Or worse, not accidentally.)
So Eddie steals Steveβs car keys and drags him home with him. Β Uncle Wayne gives him the βboy, wtf are you doing??β look on his way out the door; Eddie gives him the βexplain later, crisis now!β look back and shoves Steve into his bedroom, because like fuck is he letting Steve die of alcohol poisoning on his watch.
Steve wakes up in yesterdayβs clothes with a headache that beats out the one Jonathan Byers gave him last year and a warm weight wrapped around him.
And fuck but it feels so nice.
Not nice enough to distract him from his heartbreak, but nice enough that heβs gonna remain clingy for as long as Eddie lets him, even sober. Β (Eddieβs surprised Steve isnβt freaking out, but rolls with it. Β The βThis Is Mine Nowβ feeling gets stronger and steadier.) Β (Steve is also surprised heβs not freaking out, but he had a shit night after a year of struggling and paranoia and heβs just.. overloaded on the ability to freak out right now.Β Weβre sorry, the emotions youβre looking for are disconnected, please call back when the hangover eases.Β Heβs not sure heβd even freak out all that much if another monster tore through the walls.)
((Oh Steve. Β Youβre gonna regret that thought in about, mmm, 24 to 48 hours?))
so they get up and Eddie offers to skive off school, help Steve play hooky and keep him company βcause that was fucking rough last night, and Steve didnβt even talk about it all that much.Β Β Steve is suuuuuper tempted, but reluctantly declinesβas sucky as the routine of a regular school day is gonna feel, itβll be worse if he just lets himself drift aimlessly. Β (Itβs bad enough on the weekends when Nan- when everyoneβs busy and he ends up just drifting around his house like a ghost, he doesnβt need to add nothingness time.) Β So they go to school, Steve borrowing a set of Eddieβs jeans and snagging a shirt out of his trunk; Eddie shoves advil, breakfast, and like three water bottles at him and glares until heβs had everything.
Steve charms the coach into letting him sit out today, avoids catching attention from Hargrove and his hangers-on (thank fuck for that bit of luck), and quietly vanishes outside when no one is looking to go flop across Eddieβs lap.
(Eddie is dying, burning to a cinder, because not only is there a hot jock boy sprawling across his lap, and willingly at that, but heβs doing so in BROAD FUCKING DAYLIGHT, bold and reckless like they wonβt be seen and get fucking murdered. He manages to rearrange Steve to a less compromising position without upsetting him.)
Nancy finds them back to back under some shade, Steve using Eddieβs shoulder as a pillow with his sunglasses on and slowly sipping at another bottle of water. Β sheβs a bit angry and a bit hurt because she doesnβt remember what he canβt forget, doesnβt remember why he might not want to be in close quarters with her alone for a while. Β They argue (Eddie in the middle like βummmmmm... do yβall want me to like. Go?β), neither of them 100% sure why or what about aside from itβs not just whatever is coming out of their mouths; Nancy stalks off, both of them feeling like theyβd just had Schrodingerβs breakup.
They talk more; Eddie asks Steve what he wants to do.Β Does he want to officially break up and never see her again (as unrealistic a prospect that is)? Β Does he want to officially break up but still be friends? Β Does he want to get back together with her? Does he just want to clear the air and go from there?
And thatβs how they end up at that door with Dustin dragging Steve and thus Eddie into β84s Code Red...
