I Can't, Eddie... (Steddie)

27

The next morning, Steve woke up slowly. At first he didn't recognize where he was, but when his eyes fell on Eddie's guitar in its corner of the room, he smiled. His eyes fluttered closed again as he replayed a few of the moments from last night in his mind. They stayed up late getting into all sorts of compromising positions, exploring new ways to please each other over and over again. Steve couldn't imagine it was possible for him to have morning wood after last night, and yet. He smiled to himself and opened his eyes again. Then he sat up abruptly. He was alone in Eddie's bed. Actually, alone in Eddie's room. His boyfriend was nowhere to be found.

Where did Munson go off to?

He slipped on some sweatpants over his boxers, not bothering with a shirt in his sleepy daze. The whole trailer seemed to be empty. Steve peeked out of the front window and saw his car sitting where he parked it last night. His eyes briefly glazed over as he remembered the very intense makeout session in that exact spot after they got back from the show.

Focus, Harrington.

Steve continued his search through the trailer, still coming up empty. Finally, he opened the back door and blinked several times into the sudden bright light outside. The cold air bit at his skin and he idly regretted not finding a shirt to put on. Once his vision cleared, he saw two pairs of legs sticking out from under Eddie's piece of junk van. Muffled voices floated over to Steve as he took in the scene.

Oh, shit. Uncle Wayne. Okay, be cool, be friendly.

Steve ran a hand through his hair several times to try and do literally anything with his mop of bed head. Then he glanced down and again realized he was in nothing but a loose pair of pants and blushed deeply, cursing internally and weighing the odds of successfully sneaking back inside to throw on an actual outfit. The odds were zero, because the thinner pair of legs suddenly slid out from under the vehicle and looked up at Steve.

"Hey! Good morning!" Eddie grinned, looking Steve up and down with raised eyebrows. "Really dressed to impress, huh?"

"You know me." Steve muttered with an awkward chuckle. He walked down the stairs to their makeshift workshop and Eddie popped up to meet Steve halfway. Eddie's hair was pulled back again and he had a grease stain under his left eye. He had on a black tank top and a pair of coveralls tied off at his waist. Steve tilted his head to the side and bit his lip, scrunching his nose up and nodding slowly.

First rockstar Eddie last night, now gearhead Eddie? Fuck. Me.

"Damn," he mouthed, moving his hand up and down in front of Eddie's body. Eddie laughed openly, shaking his head. Behind him, his uncle had moved out into the open as well and Eddie turned back.

"Wayne, this is my—my friend Steve."

Uncle Wayne stood up, wiping his hands off on his coveralls before sticking one out to shake Steve's. He was a small man, with short gray hair and a beard to match. Steve took his hand firmly and nodded.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Munson!"

"Call me Wayne, kid. Thanks for taking Eddie here in for a few days last week. You've been a real good friend to him." Wayne ruffled Eddie's hair and offered a small polite smile to Steve, but his eyes were deep with gratitude. This man clearly loved his nephew as his own.

A surge of affection rose in Steve for Eddie's uncle. He returned the smile and tried to convey the same depth of emotion in his own expression.

"It was no problem at all. I don't mind having him around one bit," Steve replied.

Shit. Was that too much? Too obvious?

One look at Eddie's face erased any doubt Steve had. Eddie was gazing at this exchange with so much adoration that Steve couldn't help blushing slightly. He cleared his throat and changed the subject, but not before Wayne glanced over at Eddie as well. You'd have to be an idiot to not pick up on some kind of vibe between the two boys, and Wayne was not an idiot.

"So, what do you guys have going on over here?" Steve pointed to the workshop and ambled over, looking at the massive wall of equipment and assorted toolboxes. "This is quite the operation," he added.

"Yeah, it's just a hobby, really," Eddie said, bringing a hand to his neck.

Is he... bashful?

"Ed's being modest," Wayne said, "he's great with cars. We work on his old hunk of junk here almost every weekend!"

Eddie rolled his eyes, "Well you got the 'hunk of junk' part right."

"Well I'm totally clueless with cars, so I'm impressed when someone can change a tire!" Steve said, laughing with Wayne. Eddie rolled his eyes and headed back toward the trailer.

"Come on, Steve. You've got to be freezing." Eddie pulled Steve's elbow back toward the house. Steve chuckled and raised a hand in farewell to Uncle Wayne, who reciprocated the gesture.

Once they were back inside Steve put a finger under Eddie's chin, tipping his face up slightly and planting a kiss on his lips before gently wiping away the grease mark on his face. Eddie smirked.

"Hi." Eddie said quietly.

"You already said hi to me."

"I wanted to say it again." Eddie leaned in for another kiss.

"Hey, I thought that went pretty well, right?" Steve asked suddenly, pointing his thumb to the door they had just come through. Eddie smiled and cradled Steve's face.

"Yes. In the least shocking news of the century, Steve Harrington is great with parental figures." Now it was Steve's turn to smile.

"What can I say, Munson? I'm just a lovable guy." Steve shrugged and shook his head, "Can't explain it. Natural charisma, they call it." Eddie laughed and shook his head.

"And yet, I'm suddenly so turned off? Actually you can just leave my house now, thanks." Eddie playfully pushed Steve away from him. Steve took the bait, swinging his arm behind Eddie's leg to literally sweep him off his feet. Eddie yelped as he fell back into Steve's arms, who then proceeded to carry him back to his bedroom and toss him on the bed, pinning him down by his wrists.

"Nope. I'm not leaving," Steve said, kissing Eddie's nose. Eddie strained his head up to meet Steve for another kiss. "Wow, you are a terrible hostage. Absolutely no resistance whatsoever."

"Oh. Whoops," Eddie said, then pretended to struggle intensely before going totally limp and sighing loudly. "I give up. Guess I'm stuck here forever, Harrington. Actually, while I have you here—"

"Munson, I'm the one pinning you down!"

"That's exactly what I want you to think." Eddie winked.

"Whatever. What do you want?"

"As I was saying," Eddie strained his head up again and Steve leaned in for a kiss, only for Eddie to lick Steve from his chin to his nose. Steve jerked back, sputtering and wiping his face while Eddie laughed and laughed.

"What is with the licking?"

"You didn't seem to mind last night."

"Oh, fuck off. That's different." Steve waved a hand in dismissal. "Is that what you wanted to say? Trick me into being on the receiving end of your gross expressions of affection?"

"Well, yes, always," Eddie replied, "but no. What I really wanted to ask was—" Eddie paused.

Uh oh.

"Harrington, when are you going to fuck me?"