Hypotheticals

17-Reciprocation

The air is thick with Eddie's confession. Steve's stomach bursts into flames, and there is a glimmer of hope. Not believeing the words that he just processed, his eyes widened slightly. He reaches forward for Eddie's hand. Eddie said that it was him, now Steve wanted to show Eddie that he was Steve's you. Eddie rips his hand from Steve's clutch, leaving the latter baffled. He told Steve it was him. Did he get the wrong idea? He knew it would be humiliating. 

"Don't." Eddie spits out, dejectedly, shamefully. 

"Eddie wait I'm-" Steve tries to reason with him, losing the other's eye contact fast. 

"I-I don't want you to pity me, Steve. Don't just do what you think will make me feel better. That's humiliating." Eddie is convinced Steve was just acting like he thought he should. His stomach churns as he looks back into Steve's sad eyes. 

"I'm not- I'm not. Eddie no." He realizes Eddie doesn't think Steve reciprocates. He does, he fucking reciprocates. Eddie's heart ached at the gentleness in Steve's  voice. If only it were true. He shifts on the bed, so he is no longer facing Steve, but the wall beside the bed. He stares hard at the wall, finding his words. He could feel a third wave of tears welling. 

"Don't lie to me, Steve." His knee begins to bounce, shaking the mattress. 

"Eddie listen!" Steve raises his voice but Eddie does not listen. 

"No, Steve- don't you dare tempt me, with your stupid, beautiful face and hands and frustratingly fit body." Eddie turns and pushes at Steve's chest. "And your gentle words, and my name. My name that sounds painfully beautiful on your tongue. You make my stomach twist and turn, make knots that don't even exsist so please-" Steve groans and shouts out. He reaches for Eddie's face and turns it towards himself. 

"No Eddie don't you get it?! You can't just throw these words, and accusations at me! Not when you have a beautiful face, and hair and- and stupidly beautiful, stupid collarbones. And the nicknames, god- you don't even know the way my stomach engulfs in flames when you call me by those names!" Steve sighs outward, frustrated. He lets go of Eddie's face. He turns back to face Steve. Eddie's hand comes up and Steve expects a well deserved slap across the face. 

Instead he finds himself being pulled forwards. Eddie grabs his shirt aggressively and pulls him in close. And their lips collide. Eddie has been waiting nearly two years for this. He feels his stomach flipping like a roller coaster. Steve can feel fireworks exploding at the base of his stomach. Neither of them had ever wanted anything more in the moment. 

This was not like any kiss Steve had ever had. It was rough. It was Eddie. Eddie's lips were rough and chapped. It was an experience unlike all others he's ever had. Eddie feels like he could die happy now. Steve's hands flew into Eddie's wild hair. Eddie slowly let go of Steve's shirt, moving his hands up to cup his cheeks. Eddie could feel his heart beating fast. This might be the fastest it's ever beaten. They part, foreheads resting on each other. 

"Steve,"

"no-"

"Steve I-

"Eddie"

"Steve I'm sorry, I didn't mean-" Steve pulls his head back to look Eddie in the eyes. 

"Eddie, in this moment, I do not care. Just please kiss me again." Eddie nods. 

"OK." And they kiss.  

---

"It's okay." Steve blurts out. They are lying side by side on his bed, holding hands. Eddie looks over. "What?" "Earlier you said sorry, and I'm saying it's okay. You were frustrated, I get it." Eddie smiles at the guy, and squeezes his hand. Steve feels blissful, he never wants this scene to end. 

Eddie feels euphoric. Steve Harrington kissed him. Many times, might he add. he feels comfortable, things feel right. They way their hands fit together so perfectly. The way their bodies are so very close to one another. the way the mattress dips to accomadate  their body weight. Eddie stares at Steve affectionately. His eyes move around to different body part. He moves them back up to admire his hair for the first time since he got here. He lets go of Steve's hand to cover his mouth, shocked. He sits upright quickly.  

Steve follows suit. "What?" He says, reading Eddie's expression."What is it?" Eddie smiles hard, touching Steve's hair. "Your hair, it's different." Steve realizes suddenly the state of his hair. Not styled, fluffed up, and very different than what it usually looks like. Steve puts his hands in his hair, meeting Eddie's. 

"Well if you hadn't so rudely interupted me, I would have been able to tame this." He smiles because Eddie is smiling. "Shut up-Don't be ridiculous you look beautiful." Eddie pats down his hair and gives him a swift kiss. "If we're pointing out new things, maybe now would be a great time to mention that you are wearing my coat." Steve crosses his arms and looks Eddie up and down. Eddie feels his face heat up. He prepares to take it off, give it back, but Steve stops him. 

"No- you can keep it on. you can keep it, I mean." Eddie brings the jacket back up onto his shoulders. He likes Steve's jacket, it smells like Steve. "Steve? You are the best hypothetical person, ever." He faces Steve with anticipation. 

"And you're my favourite hypothetical person, Eddie."

---

Eddie is lying down again waiting for Steve to get back upstairs. He asked Eddie if he was hungry, and Eddie replied with "Like a fucking hunter." This made Steve laugh, and he got up and walked to his kitchen. He admires that man so much, so deeply. Back upstairs, Eddie is waiting. He tilts his head to the side observing Steve's room. It was very impersonal, Eddie felt. Some bedside tables, a dresser to match. The dresser had a drawer open, clothes spilling out. 

He puts his hands into the pockets of Steve's jacket. There is no contents. No contents save for a crumple of paper. He pulls the paper out and gently unfolds it. Before he reads what is on the small paper, he thinks of putting it away. It's Steve's business he shouldn't be snooping. But by the time he thought it through, he had already read the small, scribbled numbers. Eddie beams. He feels his heart burst. Knots fasten all over his body. 

Knots fasten all over his body, because Steve Harrington kept his number on him this entire time.