Steddie: A Stranger Things Parallel Universe

Chapter 4

Eddie was looking at Steve with an expression that was making him feel dizzy, while his fingers circled the rim of the wine glass that he was holding.

"When your mother returns home, make sure you tell her that I enjoyed drinking out of her glassware."

Steve scoffed.

"Yeah, like she wouldn't kill me if she found out that we were using these, or that you were even here in the first place."

Eddie pouted into his glass and came up for air.

    "Now why wouldn't the lovely Mrs. Harrington want me, the crown jewel of Hawkins High, to dine in her house?"

    "It's because of what we are doing here in my mother's house."

    Eddie raised his eyebrows at the implication of Steve's words.
    "Oh?" A slow grin bloomed on his face. "Are you planning on getting lucky tonight, Stevie?"

    Steve felt his face heat up and he played with the edges of the tablecloth.
    "I hope so." It came out in a whisper.

    "So...tell me." Eddie had Steve pinned under his stare. "Who's the lucky girl?"

    Steve swallowed.
    "I mean..."

    Eddie raised an eyebrow. His hand twitched on the tablecloth. Steve kept his eyes on the rings that glinted across his knuckles, a wave of dizziness crashing over him.

    "Never mind, actually," he mumbled and pushed back from the table, still not looking at Eddie. "I'll be in the kitchen."

    He picked up the dishes in front him and walked out of the room and down the hall as quickly as he could. Once he got to the kitchen, he dropped the plates into the sink with a clatter and braced himself against the counter. The granite was cold and Steve wanted to press his flushed skin against it, maybe even drown in it.

Eddie liked to play with him, but this was different. This time, Steve had totally misread everything and he couldn't stand it. Fuck. He pressed his face into his arms. Why couldn't it have been Nancy?

    "You alright, Harrington?" Eddie's voice came from behind him and Steve's lungs tightened. Not now, Munson.

"I'm fine." He spoke into his skin. "Just dizzy, probably dehydrated or something. You know, summer and all that." He forced out a thin laugh. Please just leave me alone. "I'll be out in a minute, but if you have to go already, the door is where it was when you arrived."

   Steve didn't care that his voice had a hard edge to it or that he really wanted Eddie to go home.

The boy behind him exhaled sharply.
"Could've put it a little lighter, Harrington."

Steve was convinced that Eddie was incapable of feeling annoyed at him because even now, there was still a hint off a smile in his voice.

"Sorry Eddie, I'm just too tired right now."
It wasn't a complete lie, he did feel exhausted.

    "You're shivering." Eddie's voice was so much closer than before.

    Steve lifted his head to look at his own arms and saw the goosebumps crawling up to his shoulders.
    "The window is open." He shrugged dismissively.

    "I swear to god, Harrington, if you're about to die on me..."

    Eddie pulled the kitchen window shut and then his arms were wrapped around Steve's torso.
    "You don't have to do that, Eddie. I'll be fine."

    "Hugging you wasn't part of the plan, but I don't really want to kiss you in front of your mother's wine glasses."

    Steve could only hear his hammering heart beat.

"Sorry Eddie, but teasing feels like a bit too much for me right now."

    "Who said I was kidding?"

    Eddie's breath tickled down his spine. The insistent tap of a woodpecker sounded from outside. His hands travelled to Steve's waist.

    "Would you hate me if I kissed you anyways?"

    Steve shook his head as he turned to face Eddie.

"Why are you fucking with me, Eddie?"

"I swear on my life, I'm not fucking with you Steve."

Eddie's eyes were pleading with Steve.

"Don't die on me again."
"I won't."