𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐬

FORTY: me, you and our friends.

THE TWO DIDN'T talk about it for the rest of the night, just watching Black Mirror until they both fell asleep, or at least, were sleeping. Steve woke up around four in the morning, sweaty and freaking out over a weird dream where he and James were married, with six kids, traveling in an RV across the country. Definitely weird. He panted as he rubs his eyes before turning his head to look at his boyfriend.

It was probably too soon to say it, he wanted to get on the same page with James so badly, that it was just gonna absentmindedly slip his mouth without another thought but who was he kidding. With James looking like that, sleeping peacefully, his long eyelashes, his perfect lips and the way he sighs softly in his sleep. He's totally enamoured, he's also extremely lucky James played it off as nothing.

That Steve had meant to say he loved the back massage, because he really did, he just accidentally let it slip he also loves James. "Hey, Jamie?" He whispered, scooting closer and the Hopper hums softly in his sleep. "Jamie." He shook him gently and James groans. "Five more minutes." He said and Steve shook him more. "Baby?" He says and James' eyes shot open right away at that.

"What?" He says, lost because he had just been woken up from his sleep. "Hey, remember, uh, the thing I said earlier?" Steve whispers, leaning closer and James hums. "Vaguely." He says and the other sighs quietly. "I--I didn't mean to, you know? So, if like, it's the other way around now and you're the one about to go running off because of me, I--" "Steve." James interrupted quietly, cupping his boyfriend's face. "You couldn't sleep because of it?" He asked and Steve sighs.

"A little. But not really. I just had a really weird dream... and I don't know, I guess I liked it and it made me scared it would never happen." He whispers and James leans in, kissing his cheek then his neck, then his forehead and finally his lips. A gentle little peck, smiling softly, "Stevie?" He whispers and the Harrington hums, leaning closer. "I love you." He says.

Steve was about to say it back but then James' lips were back on his so he kisses back, bunching up his hands into fists. James completely climbs over his boyfriend, hand in Steve's hair as the other is holding him up then the Harrington abruptly pulls back. "I love you." He says quietly back and James smiles wider before leaning down, kissing Steve's neck this time as the shorter is giggling from being ticklish, his arms around his waist.

As for Rhys and Eddie that night, they spent the first half "wrestling" in bed under the sheets of Rhys' bed then laying together on the mattress in the livingroom, watching tv because 1, Nora was at her boyfriends and 2, Avery and Silas were out on some weekend trip together. Rhys had his arms around Eddie's waist who's facing towards the tv.

"Man, this show's fucked up." Eddie whispers and Rhys giggles, kissing his boyfriend's neck. "You know what? We should all go on a roadtrip together. Me, you and our friends." He says quietly into his lover's soft skin. "Our friends?" Eddie murmured and Rhys nods.

He's asking because sometimes it doesn't even feel like James and Steve are his friends. And maybe it's better that way, maybe he's okay with it like that. But he also sort of knows it's mostly because of their new relationship being so exciting for them. Eddie has caught them kissing in the breakroom like seven time this past week, including Robin's nine, that's, like, 16 times they make out that much in their breakroom. The first few times were awkward but then Eddie started cracking a put a sock on the door joke after the fourth time.

In summary, Eddie's happy for them, so he can't really blame them for being distant, he was kind of the same. Every time they're done work, he comes to Rhys, at some point Rhys started picking up which he never minded, in fact he leaves fifteen minutes earlier than usual because of it. No one says anything so he's happy about that, because then they spend about five minutes just talking in the parking lot, then head to Eddie's or Rhys'.

Mostly Rhys'. They go at it, making out, for a while in Rhys' doorway area then make their way to his bedroom, then come back out like nothing happened and eat, or watch a movie, or lay on the couch or mattress together. It was... nice. Something domestic to it. Like coming home to your significant other.

"Hey, do you wanna move in together?" Eddie asked suddenly, moving to lay onto his back and Rhys raised his brows. "Sorry?" He asked and Eddie shrugs. "Just a thought... I'm thinking of getting a job here and, you know... you're here." He raised his hand to Rhys' chest and the blond chuckled just softly, Eddie can't read the expression on his face.

"I don't know, darling. That's... I'd have to think about it." He says and Eddie crawls on top of him, legs going on either sides of his waist as he hugs him tightly. "Just an idea." He mumbled then he frowns. "I just don't want this to be only a summer fling." He whispers and Rhys just hugs him back just as tight.

"Never, darling... I waited too long for you just to let you go." He whispers as he softly presses a kiss into the side of Eddie's head and his fingers run through the soft brown hair. "Hey, what about you, you move in here? You've practically been living here all week." He says and Eddie quickly sat up, staring down at him. "Wait, what?" Is all he reacts with.

"Yeah..." Rhys smiles, his hands finding their way to Eddie's hips. "Wayne's not gonna miss you too much, right? I hear he and Flora been hitting it off lately, maybe you been cockblocking." He says and Eddie grimaced. "Don't be weird about it!" He said as his hands fly over his boyfriend's mouth.

"Or I will never come here again." He says and Rhys holds back a laugh as he just raised his hands to his boyfriend's, grabbing onto them. He pulls Eddie down towards him again. "Once you move in, you'll come here a lot." Rhys is grinning and Eddie is rolling his eyes before the pair connected their lips together. Yeah. Eddie might just move in, but first he'd want Rhys to make sure it was okay with his friends, but ultimately, yeah, he'd love to move in.

authors note
road trip with hoppington, dirty munson, jargyle and ronance? i think, uh, yes