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

EPILOGUE: May 17, 2004

Steve's phone was buzzing for the second time in ten minutes. He hated answering his cell phone while driving, and the drive home from the university where he was a professor was only twenty minutes. He hardly ever got calls, though, so he wrenched it out of his pocket and glanced at the screen. It was the home phone.

Oh my god. The verdict must be in.

He flipped the phone open and pressed a button, pressing it to his ear way harder than necessary.

"Hello?"

"DAD?!" The frantic voice of his ten-year-old daughter, Molly, was on the line. She was an odd child, much like her other dad. She was deeply interested in local politics, particularly when it involved her family directly, so Steve wasn't surprised that she was the one calling him. Eddie often lost track of time in his studio anyway.

"What is it, Molls? Is it out?"

"YES!" She shrieked, "THEY RULED IT UNCONSTITUTIONAL! YOU AND DADDY CAN GET MARRIED!"

Steve gasped and had to pull over his car. He brought his face into his palms, shaking with sobs. Molly was crying and laughing and yelling into the phone with him. Steve took a few steady breaths and found himself mostly under control, although he felt the grin on his face would simply be there permanently.

"Where's daddy right now?" Steve asked.

"He's—he's painting. Can I tell him?" Molly asked in an uncharacteristically polite manner.

"Sure, baby. I'll be home really soon. You and your brothers get to pick whatever you want for dinner. We're celebrating tonight!"

Steve and Eddie's younger children, James and Patrick, were four and six. They wouldn't understand the implications of the day, but would definitely be excited for the pizza that Molly would inevitably coerce them into agreeing to.

Steve was buzzing for the rest of the ride home. He tried to call Robin but she didn't answer, so he spent the rest of the ride going over ideas for how to propose to Eddie as soon as possible. Ideally in the next twenty four hours. He already had a ring tucked in the back of his sock drawer. They had been following this case for awhile, and although the result wasn't exactly a shock, given that they had chosen to remain in Massachusetts for its generally progressive citizens, it was still an irrevocably life changing moment. They had been together for nearly two decades, had three children together, and they would finally be able to be legally married. So many of their friends would be able to be legally married. Robin could marry her longtime partner, a lawyer named Rachel. Steve rubbed the base of the ring finger on his left hand, which he always did in moments of stress or excitement. It was where the only tattoo he had ever gotten was placed. A thin black line encircling his entire finger.

Steve smiled to himself as he threw his car into park in front of their large house. He was making a beeline for Eddie's studio, a small building separate from the main house where he worked on his very successful art career. Eddie's work was featured in museums worldwide, and had afforded them a lifestyle he never could have dreamt of growing up in the trailer park in Indiana.

Steve threw open the door of the studio, eyes wide and expectant, anticipating Eddie curled over his drawing table, shirtless and blaring music in his headphones. Instead he was met with a pitch black entryway. Confused, the door swung shut behind him, removing all of the daylight. As his eyes adjusted, he realized the room wasn't pitch black at all. In fact, there were actually hundreds, if not thousands, of small candles lit on every surface. Every messy shelf, every table, even on a few easels.

Oh my god.

There was a gap in candles in front of him clearly creating a pathway further into the room. He followed them slowly, rounding the corner to find still more candles leading to the back door of the studio. Steve opened the door to the private terrace, which just so happened to be his favorite spot in their home.

It was there that Eddie stood, waiting patiently for Steve. He was casually dressed in a white v neck and black jeans. His style hadn't changed much from high school, and age had only done him favors. His arms were fully tattooed sleeves now (along with most of his legs, back, and chest) and his hair was shorter than in his youth, but it still hung in soft waves to just above his shoulders, streaked with gray in a few subtle spots. He had several small ear piercings that winked out at Steve in the sunlight. His nails were still painted black, and he had a tattoo encircling his left ring finger to match Steve's.

Steve pursed his lips, still managing to roll his eyes at Eddie's dramatic tendencies.

"Hey, Harrington," Eddie broke the silence, bringing one corner of his mouth up. Twenty years had gone by, and yet hearing those two words still made Steve's stomach do little flip flops.

"Hi, Eddie," Steve replied, approaching his partner. Eddie held out a hand and Steve took it wordlessly.

"I have to know—" Steve started and Eddie put a finger on his lips.

"Shhh."

"But babe—" Steve spoke around Eddie's finger still pressed against his mouth.

Eddie shook his head.

"How did you do this in the like five minutes since Molly told you?" Steve demanded, gesturing behind him at the candlelit studio.

"She lied," Eddie shrugged, laughing at Steve's expression.

"So you've known for hours?"

"This is really not the time to hash out these details." Eddie stated, raising his eyebrows.

"No, I mean, you're totally right—" Steve suddenly found himself nervous.

"Steve."

"—but I just—"

"Stevie."

"—this is such a fire hazard by the way,"

Eddie rolled his eyes.

"I just have so many questions—"

Eddie dropped down to one knee, pulling a small box out of his pocket.

"Stevie, there's only one question that matters right now." Eddie said, watching Steve's breath catch. Eddie took a deep breath in and the two men locked eyes. A thousand memories and feelings passed through them.

"Steve Harrington, will you marry me?"

The answer was simple. In some ways, he had been barreling toward answering this question since that moment in the dark room after school, where his lips had briefly touched Eddie Munson's and his entire world had been flipped upside down. Steve had thought he knew what it meant to have your world fundamentally altered well before that moment, and yet all of the unbelievable parts of his life fell to the wayside when he fell in love with this man kneeling before him. The way Steve saw it, if alternate dimensions and people with superpowers existed, why couldn't soulmates? He had all of the proof right in front of him. This man was the father of his children, his best friend, his partner in all things. And so, Steve couldn't help but laugh at the silliness of such an obvious question. He yanked Eddie up from his crouched position and pulled their bodies tightly together, parting Eddie's lips with his own. Steve traced Eddie's lips with his tongue and his hand lightly grazed the earrings dotting Eddie's ears. They kissed deeply for several long moments before Steve finally pulled back, still holding Eddie's face between his hands. Eddie held onto Steve's hips and held his breath until Steve smiled and uttered the single word they both needed to hear.

"Yes."