𝙎𝙩𝙚𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙀𝙙𝙙𝙞𝙚 𝙊𝙣𝙚-𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙩𝙨 (gay warning)

15- 𝘾𝙧𝙮 (𝙏𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙈𝙚 𝙋2)

Steve slammed his door shut and locked it behind him, tears escaping from his eyes as soon as he took a step closer to Eddie.

"Come here." Eddie said, with the intention to make Steve feel at least a tiny bit better.

Steve ran into his arms and sobbed. Why did his parents always find a way to get to him?

"It's gonna be alright, love, they don't matter." Eddie spoke in a soothing voice, which made Steve feel calmer.

"Yeah, I know it just... it hurts so much."

"I know."

"But they're assholes who just don't want me to be happy so I'll just ignore them." He looked Eddie in the eyes. "Because I'm happy with you, and what they think about you dosent matter because I think you're awesome."

"You make me happy too, Stevie."

"My parents, they were a big reason why I tried to push away my bisexuality, but I- when I'm with you I feel like I can be myself and I don't feel like I have to lie to myself anymore."

"I'm glad you feel like that." Eddie was surprised, yet he was happy that he made Steve comfortable.

"Eddie, I really want to kiss you, can I?"

Eddie smiled, nodding his head. Steve held his face in his hands softly, touching Eddie as if he was breakable, like he could mess everything up with one wrong move. Their lips crashed together, and the kiss wasn't desperate, nor slow. The two showed shared emotions, and Eddie had wanted this for so, so long.

Eddie pulled away and Steve looked into his brown eyes again. They captivated him, he wished he could dive into them and escape the reality of what was on the floor below him in the kitchen.

But what could they really do? The best thing to happen in his life was Eddie, and in that moment he knew that nothing was going to get in the way of something amazing.

That something was the relationship that Steve knew he would be able to share with Eddie, official or not, they had something special. He couldn't let things like homophobes and hurtful words wreck his chance of happiness.

"Steve, I don't care about what your parents think of us, I'm gonna fight for you. Will you be my boyfriend?"

It seemed like Eddie felt the same way, and Steve felt as more tears came to his eyes, but this time they came from a happy place in his heart, not a sad one. A smile made its way to his face.

He hasn't gotten this before, someone who was willing to be within even if it wasn't just going to be easy and casual. He had always wanted someone to be with him not just when things were good, but when they happened to be good.

Steve could picture it now: his dream of 6 little nuggets. Henderson, Wheeler, Sinclair, Byers, El, and Max.

But Eddie was there too.

He had always dreamed of having someone else there so he wasn't just the babysitter, growing gray hairs each time he was with the kids. Eddie had been there all along, and Steve realized that what he had felt before wasn't jealousy, but simply longing.

It was always him.

"Shit, I'm crying again, aren't I?" Steve wasted, vulnerability visible with his tone of voice.

"Steve, are you okay?" Eddie asked, concern apparent in his eyes.

"I'm-" he sobbed. "Just really happy, that's all."

Moments later, Steve was able to pull himself together. "So we're boyfriends now?"

"Yes we are, Harrington."

"And as a good boyfriend, you're going to sleep here, and I'm gonna make sure you're okay. I know it's hard with all the shit that happened, and I'll be there right by your side if you have a nightmare or you can't sleep or anything at all."

"Thank you, Stevie. Thank you so much." Eddie deserved the whole world, and Steve was going to spend the rest of his life trying to give it to him, if it was the last thing he would do.

Steve got into his bed, followed by Eddie. He allowed Steve to wrap his arms around him, one hand moving so Steve could run it through Eddie's hair. Eddie's hands came to rest comfortably on Steve's chest, and he moved Eddie closer to him by his waist.

They were cuddled together in silence, which was soon broken. "Goodnight, Eddie." Steve said softly.

"Goodnight."

"Promise you'll wake me up if you have a nightmare?"

"Promise."

Eddie was scared, as he didn't want another nightmare but he felt the safest he had ever felt in Steve's arms. It was a secure place.

Steve's grasp on Eddie tightened. He didn't want Eddie to be awake by himself just in case he wouldn't be able to sleep. Once he saw the man next to him drift of into a peaceful sleep, he allowed himself to do the same himself.

♡︎