𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞

TWENTY-THREE: college.

HE SAID it, he fucking said it. Why did he say it? There James Hopper Jr. was, on top of Eddie Munson, their bodies were one and he was kissing along the older's neck as they both finished and he said it, "I love you," what the actual fuck? Why did he say it?

Ten minutes have passed, ten slow minutes where James had rolled off to the side, he's taken off the condom and discarded of it, and yet it's still quiet as he sat at the end of the bed, fidgeting with his hands. Eddie still hasn't moved, he's still laying onto his back and staring up at the ceiling with his brows furrowed together. "Wait, sorry, what?" He sat up quickly, looking over at James.

The other doesn't say anything, just continues playing with his hand. "Did I hear that correctly or was it some sort of post-orgasm thing?" He asked as he came crawling to where James was. "Um, I--I..." James looks back at him then sighed. "Yeah, I said I love you and I know it freaked you out and it's all too soon and we already said we aren't rush--" "I love you too." Eddie cut his rambling off rather quickly before leaning over to kiss him passionately.

He pulled back, smiling softly. "I think I always have..." He says, gently holding James' face in his hands as the taller looked down. "Hey, hey, what's wrong?" Eddie chuckled softly, pressing their foreheads together and James sniffled, slowly lifting his head so his teary eyes can meet with Eddie's. "I just didn't expect you to say it back." He says quietly and the Munson just chuckled softly. "Of course I would... did you expect me to go running and screaming like I'd been murdered?" Eddie asked and James just laughed at that, sniffling.

"I just, I never thought I deserved love..."

That breaks Eddie's heart for a moment, the fact that James believes that about himself. Everything that's happened to James since he was a kid... really left him scarred. And Eddie honestly doesn't blame him, he was scared of this at first too, of James getting close and realizing he's annoying, or a little shithead (as his dad would call him), stuff like that but here James was, telling him he loves him. "James..." Eddie says, tilting his head a bit.

"Eds." James whispers and Eddie leans in, kissing him hard before pulling back with a grin. "I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you." He whispers repeatedly as James' face becomes warm under his hands and his cheeks turn red. "And you deserve every ounce of my love, Jay. I promise you that. You deserve it all, okay?" He says and James smiles before leaning in, kissing him passionately. He pulled back, his face still red as he grins, "I can't believe we actually did that." He nods towards the bed.

Eddie grins wider, "it was great. You were great." He brushed his hand over James' hair and the Hopper smiled back. "You were too. I loved it." He says and Eddie smiles, tilting his head to the side a bit as James pushed his lover's hair back, tucking his hair behind his ears. "Really?" Eddie giggled and James leans closer. "If I'm being completely honest, we both sucked and didn't last long." He whispers and Eddie laughs harder, covering his mouth.

"Yeah, but we'll get good at it, don't worry," he said as he leans in, pecking James' lips before grinning widely. "I still love you, so you don't have to worry." He says and the taller smirks. "Okay, alright. Nice to know you don't wanna leave me because of my sex skills." He says making the shorter grimace.

"Don't say sex skills."

"Hey, wanna work on them now?"

"You're so gross. But yes, come here."

The rest of the summer was... nice. Spent mostly with James hanging around at Scoops Ahoy or Eddie swinging by the book store, then behind closed doors, after hours at the Hopper Cabin, they'd be kissing, touching, caressing and enjoying their love together, whispering those three words to one another.

They still spent time with Robin and Steve, but barely, and only sometimes with El since she was always busy with Max and their other friends. And his dad was always at work, or on some date with Joyce Byers. It was mostly just James and Eddie though, spending time with each other, going on dates or just... well, having sex at James' or Eddie's.

It's not a lot, but it kind of just happens. Eddie is sometimes literally just practicing playing a song on his guitar, and James comes up behind him, wrapping his arms around Eddie's waist. Or James is cooking breakfast for them and he comes up to turn of the stovetop, before kissing him. Or that time James went to Scoops Ahoy and grabbed a milkshake quickly before rushing out, not even saying a word to Eddie who came up to spend his break in the backroom of the bookstore James works at.

Or when they're smoking a cigarette, James will flick it to the side and bring Eddie into a kiss, stepping closer and closer until Eddie's back is against the wall by the front door. Sometimes they're literally just laying together, Eddie reading a Lord of The Rings book and James reading a random Stephen King book from his collection, then he glances over at Eddie who is reading pretty fast, flipping a page which made him smile softly because Eddie has the cutest concentration face.

His tongue sticks out to the side of his mouth and his brows are drawn together with his eyes slightly squinted. James is convinced he needs reading glasses and thinking that, about Eddie Munson in glasses, got him going so he put his book away and leaned over, kissing Eddie's cheek first then trailing them down to his neck. "Alright, get over here, big boy." The Munson grinned and James laughs, hovering over his lover and leaning down.

Their books get discarded to the floor, along with their clothes. "I love you," James whispered before kissing Eddie. "I love you." Eddie says in a soft voice, leaning up and kissing his boyfriend once more. James deepens their kiss as he laid Eddie down. Afterwards, the two cuddled and mostly talked about nothing and everything all at once. James loves spending time with Eddie and the other loves spending time with him.

The summer slowly coming to an end sucked. Three months wasn't long enough of a break, plus the fact he had to work during his summer break was kind of annoying but whatever, right? September was already next week and James was very frustrated with Senior year. Granted, Senior year is when it gets easier and all you have to do is extracurricular activities that will spruce up your college application and all. But the problem is just that.

College. It fucking sucks.

authors note
i fully understand james on the context that i can't figure out the whole college thing and even when i think i do, i'm like "but college is a waste of time" or "but i could be doing literally anything else" or "i'm gonna die at a young age anyway bc of global warming" or "i don't wanna part from my family" and overthinking it everytime i decide i wanna go??? anyways
whatever fuck school. i don't need it.
(yes i do i wanna live on my own and get a good job i'll actually like)