𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞

THIRTY-ONE: acceptance.

      

     JAMES WOKE up the next morning with Eddie's back pressed to his chest, their hands interlocked over the shorter's waist when Eddie hums and flips over. "Finally you're up." He smiles softly and James chuckles. "Good morning." He says, smiling and Eddie just sighed, laying onto his side. He smiles wider, "any morning I wake up to your face is a really good morning..." He tells him.

"I could say the same thing." He leans down, planning to press a small kiss to Eddie's lips but then the older pushes him away. "James, I love you, I really do, but I can't be letting you kiss me with our morning breath." He says and James laughs. "Can you give me a toothbrush, some toothpaste and some mouthwash then? Because I love kissing you." He grins and Eddie, of course, shows him to the bathroom where the two of them both brush, then use some of the mouthwash before James turning to Eddie, "can I kiss you now?" He asks.

"Yes." Eddie is giddy, a wide grin on his face that always shows off those cute dimples of his that James adores the most about him. James grabs his face gently, leaning down and pressing their lips together. Eddie hums into it, his arms slipping around James' waist as the other pushes him gently against the wall, their kiss deepening. "Jay," Eddie pulls back, panting softly against the other's lips.

"Eds," James softly brushes his thumb over his boyfriend's cheek and Eddie's face turns red. "Can we go back to bed?" He bites his bottom lip, still grinning at the same time somehow. James laughs, connecting their lips again before pulling back, "of course." Eddie yelps when James lifted him up by grabbing the back of his thighs, his legs swinging around his boyfriend's waist right away as he held onto his shoulders for support, giggling loudly.

In Eddie's room, James kicked the door closed. 45 (or so) minutes after, they got to have their breakfast. Just 2 bowls of cereal and some toast, watching tv in the livingroom. Eddie finished his cereal first and put the bowl onto the coffee table, stretching out and relaxing onto James' lap. "Hmm," James pulls him closer and Eddie smiles, grabbing James' spoon and lifting it up to his lips, feeding him.

When James finished his cereal, Eddie put it to the side and leaned up, tasting the Honeycomb flavour on his lips and tongue making him want more as he sat up onto his boyfriend's lap instead. And then round 2. After that one, they sort of had to sit on opposite ends of the couch because Eddie's uncle Wayne got home and was cooking himself some breakfast since he just got home from his night shift.

"Eds, I'm gonna head out." James says quietly, slowly getting up but then remembered that Wayne knows, so he leans down and pecks a little kiss to Eddie's cheek. "Okay. I'll see you later?" Eddie asked and James nods. "Yeah." He grins so Eddie leans up for a kiss on the lips this time, smiling blissfully.

After James left, Wayne sat at the table and smiled at his nephew who's staring at the tv with a wide smile. "He's a good one, kid." He says and Eddie glanced over quickly. "Hmm?" He says and Wayne points with his fork to the door before stabbing some scrambled eggs on it. "Your boy. He's a good one... You're a lucky guy." He says and Eddie grins. "I am lucky, aren't I?" He agrees with his uncle.

When the time came and responses from their colleges came, James and Eddie sat down together in the Hopper-Byers home, holding hands. "Whatever responses we have... we'll be okay, right?" James asked and Eddie quickly nods, looking at him.

"Of course... I love you." He says, smiling faintly and James smiles back, leaning in and giving him a small peck on the lips. "I love you too." He murmurs as he pulls back and Eddie just smiled before the two open their envelopes and take out the papers. Dear Mr. Hopper, we are pleased-- Dear Mr. Munson, we regret to inform you-- Eddie set down his paper and stared off into the distance. His plans for him and James just came crashing down.