And All That Could Have Been (Steddie)

Your Touch

Late May 1985

Eddie paced nervously back and forth in front of Skull Rock. He knew it was a stupid idea to ask Steve to meet him here. But there was something Eddie wanted to say. Honestly, more than just wanting to say it, he needed to say it. And Skull Rock was the one place they didn't have to worry about anyone interrupting them. Because this was going to be hard enough for him as it was; he didn't need an audience.

Eddie and Steve had been friends for a while. But long before Dustin introduced them, Eddie had noticed Steve. Who wouldn't? He was absolutely gorgeous. And that hair! Eddie had dreamed about touching his hair so many times. Mostly he dreamed about running his fingers through it. But once or twice he may have dreamed about clutching a handful of it in his fist while Steve was on his knees in front of him, giving him a blow job. Shit, that would be a beautiful thing to see; those soft pink lips of his wrapped around . . .

Eddie jumped when he heard Steve's car pull up. He shook his head, pushing away the images of Steve doing things Steve Harrington would never do. It was a nice fantasy, but it was one Eddie didn't let himself indulge in very often. What would be the point of torturing himself with something he would never have. Hell, after the conversation they were about to have, it was most likely that he was about to end up with his ass kicked and minus one friend. He'd had his ass kicked before, though; and he always did prefer a small group of friends.

Steve got out of his car and smiled as Eddie propped himself against a rock, crossed his arms over his chest, and adopted that 'I'm so cool and I don't care' air about him that he used to make people think he was indifferent to the world around him. Though, in reality, he was far from indifferent. He felt things on a deeper level than most people. He felt everything that those whom he cared about felt. He was empathetic to a fault. But most people didn't know that. They didn't see that side of Eddie. They just saw the indifference he projected. That was all he wanted them to see.

"This." Steve held up a cassette and Eddie tried to hide a smirk. "Besides the fact that I hate it," he began as he tossed the cassette he'd borrowed from Eddie to him. "My mom saw it and now she's trying to make me go to church with her this weekend."

"Well, at least you returned it, and she didn't burn it." Eddie slipped the Slayer cassette into his pocket. "Hell Awaits is an excellent album. How could you hate it?"

"It's awful." Steve sat down on the ground, his back resting against the rocks, then tilted his head back to look up at Eddie. Eddie raised his Polaroid and snapped a picture of Steve. "Let me see the other pictures you took while waiting for me?" Eddie reached into his pocket and took out a dozen or so photos that he handed to Steve. "Sorry I'm late, by the way." Eddie just shrugged while Steve looked through the photos. A close-up shot of a deep crack in one side of Skull Rock, a picture of the sky, a picture of a crushed and faded Coke can in the leaves, a picture of a rabbit that had obviously been killed and picked clean by a larger animal. He held that one up. "Where'd you find this?"

"There." Eddie nodded towards the underbrush near the edge of the clearing. He had his arms crossed again, looking as disinterested as ever. "It would make an awesome album cover."

"That's a little sick and twisted," Steve laughed. "But whatever you say." Steve reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. Tucked neatly inside was a joint. "Let me borrow your lighter." Eddie tossed it to him, and he lit the joint, took a long, deep hit, and held it out to Eddie. Eddie shook his head and Steve's eyes went wide. "Something wrong, Munson? I've never seen you turn down a toke before."

"I've got something to say." Steve sat up straighter. If Eddie had something to say, it was most definitely going to be something important. He didn't just speak for the sake of hearing his own voice like Steve did sometimes. "I should probably be clear headed."