ic inbox.

[heatmetal]

[ his voicemail greeting is just a guitar riff ]

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[retromix]

[ Taking a moment to rephrase himself, Steve exhales steadily. ]

He makes me feel like ... like I'm unprepared to deal with being attracted to men. It's a game to him, or he ... makes it feel that way. Insincere, as if he's trying to knock me down on the court again in front of everybody.

[heatmetal]

[ well. billy knows what he has and isn't afraid to flaunt it. he rubs the pad of his thumb along steve's cheekbone. ]

It's his tone, right? [ a stab at levity. the way dustin always said the wrong thing in the wrong way and made you want to strangle him just a little. ]

[retromix]

[ That makes him snort a laugh, nodding. ]

Yeah.

[ Bringing both hands up to cup Eddie's face, Steve spends a long moment staring at him. ]

You're so confident. You took shit from my crowd for it but you were never a dickhead to anyone, you always stayed a good person. I wish I'd been more like you in school.

[heatmetal]

[ yeah. yeah. it's so hard to be yourself when the world is bearing down on you, demanding you be something else. ]

You know why I never gave a shit about any of that?

[retromix]

Because you're cooler than any of them put together?

[heatmetal]

Well, yes, obviously. They all have trash taste in music and have probably never had a creative thought in their lives.

[ but. ]

But before all that, I tried to fit in... pretty hard, actually. [ his tone takes on that melodic sing-song ] Waaaay back in those early years, where my hair was buzzed and my Saturdays were spent learning the old family biz. It never worked. No matter how hard I tried, I was just a square peg jammed in a round hole, and people always saw through that.

[retromix]

Like I said, [ he leans up for a slow kiss, smiling into it, ] too cool.

[ It's so relaxing to have Eddie all to himself, to touch and to bounce his thoughts off. The lowkey simmer of Steve's desire never goes away, it just undercurrents his gaze with warmth. ]

All those popular kids, you know, they're all miserable. Tommy H and the rest? Hate their parents, just like I did. They can't admit it so they get nastier as they grow up. If it hadn't been for a Demogorgon busting through Jonathan Byers' wall I might never have had my priorities straightened out and stayed that way.

[heatmetal]

Nothing like a little dose of supernatural terror to reset your life path.

[ and its still so hard to believe that steve looks at him like this. touches him like this. especially when he thinks back to the person he used to be, the crowd he used to keep. ]

Remind me when we get home I need to introduce you to my uncle. [ another slow, soft kiss. ] He'll show you what a parent is supposed to act like.

[retromix]

That'd be nice. Dustin said he's a good man, the kid has been looking out for him.

[ Kisses nuzzle their way along Eddie's cheek, lazy and affectionate without any (well, much) heat to go beyond cuddling. ]

Do you think we'll keep these new powers when we go home? I could do with the cash to get my own place for us.

[heatmetal]

[ thinking about wayne is unexpectedly difficult. eddie goes a little quiet, immensely thankful for the kindness of dustin henderson. hopefully someone's making sure the man eats. that he's not just roaming the streets of hawkins putting up fliers, trying to find his troublemaking nephew.

eddie tries to push the thought down. blinking past the burning in his eyes, trying to focus on the warmth of steve's touches. ]

Dunno. I still haven't even figured out what mine are.

[retromix]

Pft. [ Gesturing to himself, Steve scoffs. ] C'mon. Seriously? Clearly being a master of seduction ranks there somewhere.

[heatmetal]

Now, I want all of this [ he runs a hand down Steve's chest ] to be all me, baby.

[retromix]

[ Steve shivers. He drags Eddie closer by the hip, leg curling tighter. ]

Afraid I'm going to run off and leave you in my dust, Munson?

[heatmetal]

More like one day I'll wake up and you'll have just been one glorious wet dream.

[ Jesus Christ this man. He soaks in the shiver, the heat of him. ]

[retromix]

You might wake up but I won't be a dream, even if I am wet.

[ His chest shakes with laughter as he grins, waggling his eyebrows. ]

[heatmetal]

[ disgusting. he laughs and leans in, kissing him soft and sweet. ]

[retromix]

[ The tenderest, sweetest smooch ... and then he splats his hand in the middle of Eddie's face to shove him sideways, reaching into his own back pocket for his phone. ]

Now go entertain yourself while I talk to Hargrove.

[heatmetal]

[ WOW???? flopping dramatically on the bed, clutching a hand to his chest. ]

You are a cruel, callous man, Steve Harrington.

[retromix]

You're the one encouraging me to pay attention to half-naked men.

[ TELL HIM HE'S WRONG! Oh wait, Eddie can't! ]

[heatmetal]

Oh yeah? Uh-huh? While you got this half-naked man [ okay like maybe a quarter naked, his jeans are sliding pretty far down ] in your bed?

[ but he's kidding, and he makes it clear with a wide grin before steve can slip into worry mode. ]

Have your little feelings fest.

[retromix]

I'm going to get you a hundred-percent naked later, I have patience.

[ Shooting him a narrow look! Steve sits up against the headboard and starts texting, feet nudging at Eddie. ]

You could make us something to eat.

[heatmetal]

[ cackling, letting his fingers dance along steve's feet before sitting up. ]

So order take-out. Got it. Try not to kill each other while I'm foraging.

[retromix]

One of these days I'm cooking us a real meal ...

[ Ah! Ticklish feet!! Off the bed, demon. ]

[heatmetal]

[ clocking that for mischief later. ]

You can cook?

[retromix]

Well, yeah, it's not like we've had any staff since I was thirteen.

[ Old enough to operate the oven, in other words. ]