Eddie: You Treat An Outside Wound With Rubbing Alcohol. You Treat An Inside Wound With Drinking Alcohol

Eddie: You treat an outside wound with rubbing alcohol. You treat an inside wound with drinking alcohol

*at Hellfire*

Eddie: and if you have any suggestions, feel free to put them in the suggestion box

Mike: that's a trash can

Eddie: what's your point?

after vecna is dead and the upside down is gone forever, steve decides to mark a brand new start by shaving his head. it's a spur of the moment decision, one he fears he'll regret- but he loves it. loves the lack of expectations he's put on himself. he's excited to grow it back, but he doesn't regret shaving.

bc it was a quick decision, no thoughts, he didn't think to tell anyone. everyone reacts with terrified silence, forced smiles and panicked whispers to each other bc "wtf happened is he ok is he dying????"

eddie is shocked at first, but he asks and, once he gets the reasoning, completely gets it. he encourages steve to take the chance to do all the wild shit he won't feel comfortable doing with his hair once it grows out. he helps him through the awkward stages. he makes steve feel even more comfortable with it, more confident, more like himself.

robin teases him about. mocks him without mercy. she calls him bald steve all the time, even when it grows out again.

It could have started when Eddie was basically living with Steve during his constant physical therapy post-Vecna.

It could have started when Steve took Eddie out for “adults only” dinners and movies that no other adult was invited to.

It could have started when Eddie visited Steve at work every shift to make sure he ate lunch, and giving him a very serious, no-way-you’re-getting-away-with-not-eating look.

It could have started when Steve had a migraine that almost had Robin dragging him to the hospital until Eddie stepped in and offered to keep watch over him for three days straight.

But it was hard to tell because Steve and Eddie circulated each other like the planets revolve around the sun, and circles don’t really have a beginning, or an end.

*************

“Dingus! Your boyfriend is here!”

“He’s not my boyfriend, Robs!”

Robin and Steve managed to work most shifts together, which helped the time pass. They bickered like siblings, though, and when Eddie showed up, Robin tended to annoy them both or completely disappear.

Steve was clueless as to why and Robin refused to give him any hints. “You’ll understand when you’re older,” she’d said with an eye roll and snort.

“Did you just call me his boyfriend?”

Eddie would hate to hear it, but he was like a ray of sunshine anytime he entered a room. At least if you asked Steve, that’s what he’d say, and he’d probably blush the entire time he said it.

He wouldn’t acknowledge it.

He’d pretend he thought that about a lot of people.

He’d be lying.

“I did. Maybe you two shouldn’t be so obvious all the time.”

Eddie and Steve just stared blankly at Robin.

“Steve’s not even gay!”

“Eddie doesn’t even like me like that!”

They both spoke at once, turning to each other in shock.

“I do like you like that!”

“I’m into both!”

They both spoke at once again. Robin just started laughing and walked away.

“You like me?”

“You like guys?”

Okay, deep breath. One at a time.

“You go first,” Steve said, hoping Eddie would clear any doubts from his head.

“I’ve been halfway in love with you for months, Stevie. I thought,” Eddie cleared his throat, awkwardly looking down at the floor. “I thought I was being too obvious sometimes. But I knew you weren’t into me back so. I mean we can still be friends. I don’t wanna lose you.”

Steve took a step closer to him.

“I’ve been halfway in love with you for months, too. I just thought you were being nice to me.”

Eddie chuckled and shook his head at the floor before looking up at Steve.

Beautiful, incredible, stupid Steve.

Never believing that anyone could care about him for him.

“I think maybe we’ve been dating this whole time.”

Steve’s jaw dropped, but closed quickly, his mouth settling on a soft smile.

“I guess maybe we have. What gave it away?”

“Probably the fact that you’re attached at the hip and any time someone mentions either of you to the other you get this dumb lovestruck look on your faces,” Robin stuck her head out from an aisle to yell at them.

“Shut it, Robin!”

She went back to what she was doing, deciding whatever meddling she’d managed was probably enough.

“So let me get this straight…”

“That may be difficult for both of us,” Steve let out.

Eddie cackled. “Oh god. I think I’m more than halfway in love with you,” he got out between laughter.

Steve joined him, mostly happy because Eddie was happy.

He probably should have realized this a lot sooner. Like, way sooner.

When they finally calmed down, they stared at each other with the look Robin was probably describing.

Lovestruck was a word for it, but it was more than that.

They were two people who never should’ve even been in the same circle, and they weren’t until they had to be. But since then, they’d chosen to be a part of each others’ lives. They’d chosen to support each other, and rely on each other, and trust the other person to be what they needed through it all.

They existed as two separate people still, Steve would never wrap himself up in someone so much that he lost himself. Not again.

But they had spent months becoming a pair, unbeknownst to them, and it made them better, it made them find ways to grow amongst trauma no one could imagine but them.

When they kissed, there weren’t fireworks, there wasn’t a world-ending realization that this was the love of their life, or even a racing heartbeat.

There was something that settled though. Something they hadn’t realized had been waiting for months while they danced around each other.

Not even Robin’s cheering from across the store could ruin their moment.

Mama Ricci Knows Best (last chapter)

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 AO3

"I don't understand why you two won't just date already."

They're pulling up into the small driveway of the home Steve's known for most of his life. The miniscule beige bungalow is significantly less impressive than the white walls that had trapped him for the earlier parts of his childhood. Once upon a time this place had only been one that he longed to visit every holiday. Those days seem like a distant memory now, compared with the new ones he'd created actually living there.

Mama Ricci is still going as she eases herself into the loveseat at the edge of the living room. Steve's trying his hardest not to make eye contact, because as much as he'd been prepared for this, well it's still a little hard to reel his ego back when she's this insistent. To say the confessions that are already sitting at the tip of his tongue.

"I'm old, not blind, I can see he clearly likes you. And you've been into him since the first day you saw him."

Steve's hand freezes where it'd been sifting through a small pile of mail. There's a defensive bunch to his shoulders as the smug voice in her tone registers into the most competitive, pettiest parts of his brain. 

"Well I wouldn't say that." He lies, and the look of utter disbelief Mama Ricci sends him is enough to push the confessions down his throat.

"What? he's an attractive and decently nice guy but that still doesn't mean I automatically want to date him." It sounds like bullshit even to his own ears, but still the sarcastic laugh it earns him brings a flood of warmth to his cheeks.

"Oh please. I knew from the start that you'd like my Eddie, but you should have seen yourself when you two first met. I've never been more right about anything." 

And there are 2 things Steve Harrington absolutely cannot stand. 1, being wrong about the things he's usually an expert at, and 2, being mocked for it. He was already dead wrong about Mama Ricci having no chance in finding a guy he'd actually like, but now that she was clearly intent on letting him never forget it? There was no way he was going to admit to it, no matter how close he'd come to doing so just seconds ago.

"Fine." He says, shoulders relaxing as he feels his signature stubbornness slide into place.

"If you end up being right and something does happen between us, I'll let you know."

"We absolutely cannot let her know."

Eddie looks up, brows dipping into a furrow of confusion as a quiet 'huh?' falls past his lips. He's struggling to slip into a pair of tight jeans, wriggling around on the bed in a way that should look far too stupid to be attractive. Yet every part of Steve wants to wrap his arms and legs around the dumbass and never let go. 

They'd exchanged numbers the next visit after Mama Ricci's little intervention ploy. Getting each other's numbers turned into days of consistent texting, entailing a shit ton of shameless flirting–a lot of which made whatever the hell Steve had been feeling for the guy, settle into something significantly warmer and rose scented. Something that wished for permanence instead of the mere satisfaction of a good lay.

Eddie wasn't just a great guy, he was full on amazing. Funny and smart in that quick and witty way that always has Steve smiling to himself. By all accounts Eddie's also one hell of a strange dude, Steve knows he's an over dramatic person himself, but doubts he'll ever find anyone with as much of a dramatic flare and chaotic lack of predictability as the metalhead. Not to mention he was a total nerd. Gosh there'd be times they'd be talking and Steve swears he'd only understand a solid 10% of whatever Eddie's saying. But he never minds listening to it, or reading over texts that has him googling more words and references than he's willing to admit.

The nighttime hours Steve usually spent browsing his media pages and wasting away on his guilty pleasure shows, were quickly replaced with Eddie. Still they mostly danced around their blatant interest in each other, didn't bother to define whatever the hell they were doing.

Until 2 nights ago when Eddie had invited him to watch a gig at one of the bars he plays at.

As if Steve was supposed to watch the guy jump around a smokey stage dripping sweat and sex appeal and just keep his hands to himself after.

Pff. Yeah right.

So here they were, cooped inside Eddie's small, crowded but unbelievably cozy room the morning after, half dazed by the fuzziness of sleep and the lingering sensations of the night before.

"We can't tell my grandmother that we're.." Steve tries to find the words, momentarily distracted by a stretch of ink that slowly disappears under the black fabric Eddie pulls over his head. When his head pops out from under the T-shirt's collar, Eddie has an eyebrow raised, clearly interested in whatever definition Steve might give to their current standing.

"Together…?" He words it as a question and Steve forces down the sudden apprehension boiling in his stomach as he stares down to fidget with the strings of his borrowed sweatpants.

"If you're okay with that."

The silence that follows does nothing to ease his screaming nerves, and for a second he wonders if he'd read their entire dynamic wrong. 

Now wouldn't that just be embarrassing?

But a scratchy laugh breaks into his doubts, and Eddie sounds a mixture of shocked and relieved when he speaks

"Shit, yeah– yeah I'm okay with that." He wheezes out, and when Steve looks up he feels instantly relieved by the wide grin on Eddie's face. "Probably should have wined and dined you first but..I like the sound of together. Like a lot."

There's no way Steve doesn't look like an idiot with how wide his lips are stretched, but considering the far more compromising expressions he's shown in the last few hours alone, it can't be that bad. 

"But what's this about not telling Mama Ricci?" 

The question is enough to reach past his giddiness, and Steve readjusts his seated position so he's fully facing Eddie. They're a little short on time since Eddie had scored a meeting last night with an agent impressed by the band's performance– which was deserved because Metal fan or not, the energy at the show had been nothing short of electric. They'd agreed to meet up quickly for coffee in about an hour for further details before Eddie had to head off for a shift at the record store he worked at.

Busy guy. Hardworking, just like Mama Ricci had said all those days back when Steve had been so sure that whoever Eddie was couldn't be that impressive. Ugh. He hated how right Mama Ricci was.

"She really can't know. It's one thing that she was totally right about you being my type" Eddie places a hand on his chest and lets out a comically loud 'awe' that Steve chooses to ignore. "But she'll never let me live it down if she finds out I got with you this fast after all the fuss I made." 

Eddie looks very clearly amused at first, but when Steve narrows his eyes and lets out a very pointed "She can't know." The expression slowly morphs into..guilt?

Which, wait? Why would Eddie look guilty?

"Eds." 

Suddenly the ceiling seems a little too interesting to the metal-head, and the panic that fills Steve is instantaneous.

"Dude." He repeats, and it must sound serious enough because it's what finally makes Eddie crack. 

"Okay fine! She knows. I told her, but in my defense I didn't know we were supposed to be keeping this a secret."

And Steve has to gape because between the handful of times Eddie's been at the restaurant after they'd exchanged numbers, and the fact that this is technically part of their first out of shop and out of text hangout, he can't think of when the guy would have had the time to rat. 

"When did you even- how??" It's not the most eloquent version of the question Steve can come up with, but Eddie seems to understand. At least if the way he cringes into himself is any indication.

"After the day we spoke out back she texted me–" 

"She has your number??" Steve pretends his voice doesn't crack slightly because exactly how many steps ahead of him had this woman been? Eddie on the other hand seems equally surprised, but more so at the fact that Steve himself didn't already know.

"Well yeah, had it since like the third time I came in. She sends me recipes for stuff and like… coupons and shit." There's fondness in Eddie's tone despite the casual nature of his words, and Steve's caught between cooing at just how close the two apparently are and gasping with offense because what the heck, Mama Ricci never sends him coupons. 

"Anyways, she texted me and asked if I had your number yet. I said no and she very subtly hinted that I should get it next time I came in." Steve can already imagine the absolute lack of subtlety that conversation must have had, but he lets Eddie continue.

"I asked for your number and we started talking so that was great."

The memory of Mama Ricci's voice rings loudly in Steve's ears.

"I don't understand why you two won't just date already."

He and Eddie had already been talking pretty consistently since then. She definitely knew about it and had the audacity– and surprisingly, the skill– to play dumb. Oh he hates her so so much.

"Then she kind of huh, suggested I ask you to see me play at the bar."

Steve almost chokes, eyes going comically wide. He lets out a loud disbelieving laugh and falls back on the bed, bringing an arm over to cover his face because oh the shame.

"Heyy, It's nothing to be embarrassed about." Eddie tries to console him, and Steve just has to wrench his hand back to stare incredulously at him. He's embarrassed yeah but this man can't be serious right now.

"It's nothing to be– dude! you should be embarrassed. My grandmother was literally your entire game."

And the deep flush that settles on Eddie's face shouldn't be nearly as satisfying as it is. But it's well and deserved because he can't be the only one suffering out of this. There's a second of incoherent stuttering and strange arm gestures before Eddie sputters out a defensive "Listen- I'm not the best at this, I needed all the help I could get okay?" 

Steve groans, turns to press his face into the freshly changed sheets. It's enough to throw his mind back to last night, when he'd been pressed against the sheet in a pretty similar manner. The thought alone makes him groan louder.

"Can't believe I just got laid because of my grandmother." 

Eddie's laughter is sharp and does very little to alleviate his internal embarrassment, but it sounds nice, reminds Steve that at least he's getting a precious boyfriend out of this.

Eddie drops him off, even gives him hand a little squeeze that is meant to be reassuring. As if Steve's suffering isn't a direct product of his existence. The little shit.

Steve knows Mama Ricci will be home because apart from the shop and the supermarket she hardly ever leaves the house, and the pantry's been stocked for days while the shop doesn't open for another few hours.

What he doesn't expect to find is the old woman seated against the nearest couch, arms resting neatly on her lap like she's been awaiting his return (which is likely the case in light of the recent revelations). It's not like it's the first time he's ever returned at this time since highschool, if anything this type of behavior is nothing if not expected from him. But there's a cheeky smile on her face when she sees him, and Steve has to will every bone in his body not to turn around and walk right back out.

"Morning." He says dryly. Mama Ricci's grin widens.

"Nice shirt." She remarks and Steve purposefully does not stare down at the band tee Eddie had lent him. He also does not grace the comment with a response, simply slips his shoes off and makes his way to the kitchen. In seconds alone, he hears shuffling steps joining him.

"What happened to telling me if something happened between you two."

And oh the smugness dripping from her tone. Steve knows his entire face is red by now, but he forces it to remain expressionless. When she still doesn't get a proper reaction, Mama Ricci makes a sound. It's the quiet, ominous hum that means she's searching for the most impactual words to use as weapons. It doesn't take her long to find them.

"The bar was Robin's idea you know."

Steve's swears he's going to snap his neck by the end of the day with all the bomb being dropped on him. Mama Ricci laughs, clearly satisfied with herself, and Steve knows he must look ridiculous trying to glare at her through his shock.

"What? You bother her 24/7 with your pining and think she wouldn't get tired of it eventually?" 

He's going to kill Robin Buckly. He'll burn her stash of lesbian celebrity merch and then kill her.

"I hate you both, so much." Steve hisses, and because the universe hates him so, it's at that moment that a quiet ping vibrates against his leg. He pulls his phone out from the pocket of his– no, Eddie's sweats, and on the phone screen is a single text message that reads

'So. How was metalhead dick?'

Steve unlocks his phone and blocks Roobies Boobies from his contact list. 

Of course he has no choice but to unblock Robin after because as fake angry as he is, there's no one else he can rant to about his new probably soon to be rockstar boyfriend who's just as sweet and dorky as he is amazing in bed.

As was predicted, Mama Ricci is absolutely unbearable about the new development. Every date and anniversary is met with a reminder of 'don't forget who got you two together', every holiday is a new day to be remined of how easily they'd played into her hands. Heck even when he and Eddie fight, their issues are always resolved with at least one 'don't undo all my hardwork' sneaked in there somewhere.

But Steve learns to let it go. To give that one significant win to her because if he's being real, it's kind of the best thing that ever happens to him.

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Steve: Can I say something?

Eddie: Sure.

Steve: Your smile is the prettiest smile I have ever seen.

Eddie: Can I say something as well?

Steve: Sure.

Eddie: This smile only exists when I'm with you.

Robin, disgusted: I think I'm gonna throw up what the fuck