ic inbox.

[heatmetal]

[ his voicemail greeting is just a guitar riff ]

Comments

[heatmetal]

And if he comes at you with a plate, I'll come at him with a bottle. I got you, babe.

[ chinese food it is. but that really gives him pause. ]

We're okay, Steve. You can relax.

[retromix]

[ The gentleness calms his lingering nerves and he tips his head against his phone as he talks, nodding even though he can't be seen. Just like that, this isn't really about Billy anymore, he was just the catalyst. ]

I don't want to screw things up again.

[ And it's not really about this little tiff today, either. ]

[heatmetal]

Again?

[ he can make a guess as to where this is coming from and suddenly has a sinking feeling. it didn't escape even his notice that nancy wheeler went from dating the king of hawkins high to dating jonathan byers. ]

[retromix]

[ Knowing he would have to share this at some point doesn't make it any easier to admit or dredge back up. ]

Nance, she. She, uh, said we were bullshit. That I was bullshit, actually. It really hurt. She was right, but it still gutted me. Turns out that for all my dating I'm shitty with people long-term.

I don't want to be a bullshit boyfriend to you too. That's all.

[heatmetal]

[ right on the money. ]

Steve... [ he lets the word hang heavy in the air. ] The guy you were back then? Not the guy you are now. You think he would've gone out of his way to clear my name? Drove all the way up to my little hide-y hole to bring creature comforts and company?

[ ... ]

I don't know the first thing about dating, but I know you're not bullshit.

[retromix]

[ Aw, babe. But, ]

I thought you'd been with guys before?

[heatmetal]

[ - oh right, yeah. ]

Rarely got names.

[retromix]

Then how —?

[ His eyes widen as he pauses, the penny dropping in his head. ]

Oh. That's kind of sad, dude. I didn't know.

cw homophobia

[heatmetal]

[ he scrubs a hand down his face, then shoves it through his hair. what does he even say. he scratches his throat, lets the words hang a little longer. if they're doing emotional honesty, then... ]

Being queer back home means you can't live out in the open. I always knew just how much of being me I could get away with being. Wasn't safe for me to come any further out of the closet, and wasn't safe for anybody dumb enough to hop onboard the freak train. They can spread the rumors all that want, but if they ever got any concrete proof...

[ he was already the town pariah. eddie sinks down further against his headboard. ]

cw homophobia

[retromix]

I get it. [ Because of Robin. ] I mean, I see your point.

[ Time was, Steve was calling people queer and beating them up. Would he have beaten up Eddie? Not if that moment with the broken bottle was anything to go by in recent months, sure, but with a hoard of high schools goons at his back like Tommy H? He doesn't want to think about it.

He aims for a slightly lighter tone. ]

... So what you're saying is, I'm your first boyfriend.

cw homophobia

[heatmetal]

[ eddie munson wears his reputation like armor. he's dangerous. he's mean, he's scary. he keeps everyone at arm's length and thrives on appearing unpredictable and wild, so they know better than to try. it wasn't always this way. back when he had a shaved head and no tattoos, back when people would gang up on him. wreck what little he hard. always keep him on the outside looking in.

but that wasn't where he'd learned to fight back.

the levity keeps him from wandering too far down that path. ]

You are. And the only date you've taken me out on involved a third wheel. So maybe you should be planning to make that up to me.

[retromix]

God, I can't wait to spoil you rotten.

1/2

[heatmetal]

[ ... okay it's going to take a minute to recover from that one. there's no sound, just. eddie smiling stupidly. ]

[heatmetal]

Actually - before we get too off topic and I forget again. And - not to bring the mood down, but we do need to talk about Hargrove.

[retromix]

[ :) :( ]

Yeah, I guess.

[ He was starting to plan a really good date involving an ice rink he saw, but he shelves that idea for later. ]

[heatmetal]

[ ... probably not a conversation to have over the phone. ]

You in your room?

[retromix]

Yeah. Come over.

[ ... Hurriedly shoving some dirty laundry in the right basket as he hangs up. Bit of tidying, then back on the bed as he waits for Eddie. Steve is antsy, heels digging into his duvet as he tries to be patient; as soon as he gets Eddie in his arms ...

His imagination is a hunting ground for one man called Munson. ]

[heatmetal]

[ usually other people's emotional baggage is his secret to keep. eddie doesn't go around telling other people's stories. it's the price to pay when you're easy to talk to and have a knack for picking up the damage.

the door opens and he sing-songs a honey, i'm home before flicking the lock and stepping inside, taking stock of the clean room with the visible floor and marveling as he does every single time. ]

[retromix]

Hey!

[ Steve all but bounces his way over the bed to kneel on the end, hands open to beckon Eddie over. ]

Come over here for a minute. [ Remembering what he was told earlier, he ducks his chin snd pouts like he's done wrong. ] Please come over here?

[heatmetal]

[ raising his eyebrows. ]

Good boy. [ deep praise. he makes his way on over, reaching out to slide his fingers through steve's ridiculous hair. ]

[retromix]

[ If he did have a tail it would be wagging. He loops his arms around Eddie and tilts his head into the fingers combing through his hair, dropping a soft, sweet kiss by way of an apology on that praising smile. ]

Can we have five minutes of saying hello to each other first? Pretty please?

[ Steve bats his lashes, teasing and demanding in the same breath. They can talk about Billy, sure, but he missed Eddie and it shows in the way he sways into his body, kneeling on the bed like a begging supplicant.

Billy could have had a slice if he'd been nicer. ]

[heatmetal]

[ he should say no. he really should. but those big brown eyes are so full of adoration and eddie is weak in the knees. ]

Four minutes. [ he slides onto the bed with him, kissing hard as he backs him back down against the mattress. ]

[retromix]

[ Those four minutes are sheer hedonistic bliss for Steve who gets his hands under Eddie's shirt and in his hair, pawing at him hungrily as the kisses turn filthy with an ease borne of comfort. Steve runs his nails up the back of Eddie's shirt to drag it higher and hikes up his knees to bracket him in, moving with him as they make-out, so that when their self-imposed time-limit is up Steve is pink-cheeked and breathless beneath him, dark eyes hooded, relaxed and happy. ]

So. You wanted ... to talk?

[heatmetal]

[ this boy will be (and was) the death of him. eddie's brain needs a moment to reboot, trying to remember why he came in here if not to just ravage steve.

right.

right. ]

About Hargrove. Yeah. [ his eyes are on steve's lips. ] Uh... [ okay, look at his eyes. and while he doesn't move away, he does try to roll them into a better position to cuddle and talk. ]

[retromix]

Mmhmm?

[ Steve is absolutely no use as they roll onto their sides, fingers running idly in circles around Eddie's bare hip that somehow wriggled free of his jeans with all their squirming. He tips his head back and bites a lip. ]

You want to do that right now, big boy?

[ Touché, sir. ]