The Drive-In

7

They've been driving for a few minutes in silence, and Eddie is uncomfortable in it. Not because he's currently in a car with the previous King of Hawkins High, Steve Harrington, but because silence meant nothing was attempting to block out his intrusive thoughts and recently roused memories.

Right now, Eddie's thoughts were loud. So very loud. Flashes of Steve smiling at him, running his hands through his hair, or how muscular his shoulder felt under Eddie's hand.

STOP IT! He berates himself internally.

This is simply a big mad mixture of memories, and getting knocked out, Eddie attempts to reason with himself.

Eddie tries a gentle hum of one of his favourite songs, and he feels the comfort gently wash over him. His mind pushes out these weird new thoughts to make room for known lyrics and chugging imaginary power chords.

"What's that you're humming? One of your band's songs?" Steve asks while concentrating on the road.

"Er....no, just something I like. I'm not great with silence," Eddie deadpans and looks out the window, widening his eyes at his inability to keep his thoughts to himself.

Idiot.

I'm not great with silence? Who the fuck says that? It did not escape his notice that Steve had remembered he was in a band, but Eddie had, on occasion, told the whole cafeteria about that.

"Anyone, I might know?" Steve is obviously trying to make conversation here, so Eddie obliges the only way he knows how. With the truth.

"It's called The Antichrist by a band called Slayer. You heard of them?" Eddie suspected he already knew the answer, but he didn't want to cut Steve off with an obnoxious, You probably haven't heard of them. He knew next to nothing about Steve. Maybe he liked metal?

"Ah, must have missed that one," Steve nods tight-lipped, still looking out onto the road.

The silence returns, and with it, the thoughts again. Eddie can't stand it, so he lets an impulse win.

He knew it wasn't the done thing in someone else's vehicle, but in a way, he was curious now. He leans over, quickly switches on Steve's radio and turns the dial some to ensure it's pretty loud.

"Heeeeeey," Steve starts to complain, but Eddie's hand still holds onto the dial. Steve would have to wrestle it from his cold dead fingers if he wanted to turn it down or off.

The speakers blare out a song part of the way through.

Come on, baby

Let's not fight

We'll go dancing

Everything will be alright

Wake me up before you go-go

Eddie turns his head to Steve, who already has a finger raised at him, "May I remind you, Munson, we just got back to this friendly place, and I do not wanna have to be the guy that kicks you out of his car in the middle of nowhere, ok?"

Eddie grins broadly, "What? Am I not allowed an opinion on this? I happen to really dig it." Eddie acts offended, his words coated in the sweetest sarcasm he can muster, and proceeds to dance violently in his seat to the song.

Eddie watches Steve's face for a reaction, and he's holding back a smile. "Huh, you like these moves, Harrington?"

Ever the performer, Eddie cannot resist chasing down a laugh.

Steve coughs out a singular laugh, and that's good enough for Eddie to relax back into his seat with a feeling of accomplishment as he glances back at Steve once more, and an almost proud smile sneaks onto his own face.

"So...Wham. That's what Harrington likes to listen to, huh? Wouldn't have picked it out for you myself, but I guess you are pretty mainstream. You gotta go with the conforming flow." Eddie makes a sea wave gesture with his hand towards the windshield as he tries to recognize where he is.

The next song starts, but it's not Wham this time; it's Madonna. Eddie definitely knows her voice. Christ, she was hot as hell.

Eddie pushes eject on the tape, it pops out, and he just makes out the writing. Felicity's Mix. He furrows his brow in thought. "Harrington, here is another thing you clearly don't know. The driver picks the music, dude. It's the rules of the road."

"Funny you say that, Munson. As you are currently the passenger messing with my radio!" Steve says, in that familiar snarky tone with an eye roll. Though, this time, Eddie notes it ends in a smirk and glance his way.

Eddie folds his arms and feigns grumpiness. "So sue me for not wanting to drive around in silence!"

There is a small patch of quiet again as Eddie looks back onto the road, taking in the details of the town rushing past. Due to the nature of his part-time business, he'd seen all sides of this town. The houses were getting grander now, cars more recent models or classics, and the streets quiet. It was how the other half lived. Not a shambling drunk or screeching arguing couple in sight. They must be nearly at Steve's now.

"Why don't you let me hear one of your songs?" Steve eventually asks.

Eddie leaps at the chance and rapidly pats himself down and the checks in his lunch pail, but he has no tape. The one time someone asks, and he doesn't have one. "Ah shit. Don't got a tape on me." Eddie hits himself in the head. Idiot.

He suddenly feels a tight grip around his forearm, "Hey man, don't do that! You've already had several knocks to the head tonight. You could...you know...be making it worse!" There is an urgency in Steve's voice, but also something else, especially towards the end when it softened. He gave a shit.

Eddie looks over at Steve, who is occasionally turning his head to Eddie, still holding his arm but much more loosely now. "Ok," Eddie mumbles, pulling his arm away from Steve's grasp.

Steve's hand quickly returns to the wheel, "Anyway, that's not quite what I meant about your music. I didn't expect you to happen to be carrying around a tape," Steve scoffs, raising his hand in a shrugging gesture.

All the cogs in Eddie's brain seize a moment, and he huffs a laugh. Did King Steve want to hear him sing? No...surely not. Eddie notices Steve's hand nervously tap at the steering wheel. He was waiting for a response. Eddie drops into the old faithful mode, leaning into Steve's space.

"Did you want the mighty lead singer and lead guitarist, might I add, of Corroded Coffin to serenade you, Harrington?" Eddie makes his voice low and husky to add to the teasing effect before chuckling and leaning back in his seat with a huge grin.

Eddie sees Steve's eyes flash, and he taps the side of his hand against the steering wheel. His voice raised in annoyance. "My God! Why are you making it weird? It's not weird to sing in the car, alright?! Me and Robin do it all the time!" He notices Steve readjust his sitting position and flicks his hair slightly with a quick turn of his head.

Eddie raises his hands to his shoulders. "Whoa, ok, ok! I wasn't judging! I was just asking, man." He turns away from Steve and grins wildly out of the side window, tapping his fingertips against his knees.

Eddie just found a new favourite thing to do. Get Steve Harrington all worked up like this.