The Unnamed Feeling (Steddie)

Never Alive More Than Right Here Tonight

Eddie tried to block out the chatter from the back seat as Wheeler and Henderson discussed The Exorcist. Listening to their colorful descriptions of what they'd seen was almost as bad as actually watching the movie. But Eddie had plenty of medication in him, both prescribed and not, with all the weed he'd smoked and the scotch he'd drank, so he just focused on the soft music coming from the radio. Steve kept glancing over at him. He could see that the conversation in the back seat was bothering him, but they were almost to Mike's house. It would be over soon. He reached over and took Eddie's hand in his and held it on the seat between them. Eddie smiled at him and squeezed his hand.

Steve pulled to a stop in front of the Wheeler house. Mrs. Wheeler stepped outside onto the porch, like she'd been waiting at the window for them. Steve rolled his window down, stuck his arm out, and waved at her. She waved back. Finally, he turned to the boys in the back seat.

"Okay, what movie did we watch tonight?"

"Pee-Wee's Big Adventure," Dustin and Mike chanted in unison, making Eddie laugh.

"Good boys." Steve reached back and tousled Mike's hair. "Tell your sister I said hi."

"Catch you later, Wheeler," Eddie called as Mike got out and slammed the door shut.

They waited until Mike joined his mother at the front door and turned back to wave at them. Once they were inside, Steve headed for Dustin's house. Dustin chattered non-stop in the back seat, jumping from one topic to another faster than either Eddie or Steve could keep up with. By the time Steve parked in front of his house, all they knew for certain was that Dustin was already planning another movie night because he really wanted to see the second Nightmare on Elm Street movie that was supposed to be coming out on home video in a few months.

"Please!" They turned to look back at Dustin. "Your parents travel for your dad's business a lot," Dustin said. "We could do two nights. The first Nightmare on a Friday and the second one on Saturday."

"Only if Eddie agrees," Steve told him. So, Dustin turned his pleading eyes to Eddie. Eddie frowned. He wanted to see it, too, but he wasn't going to give in to Dustin that damned easy.

"Don't let your mom know about tonight, or that I will be there, and I'll consider it."

"Oh, I'll never tell her about tonight," Dustin laughed. "She'd put me in a suit and tie and drag me to church every weekend if she knew what I'd just seen." Steve and Eddie laughed at the image of Dustin in a suit and tie, though Steve had seen it before, when he drove Dustin to The Snow Ball back in middle school. He actually was a cute kid. "And she doesn't care if I hang out with you," Dustin told Eddie. "She thinks you're just a misunderstood softie."

"Hey! Not fucking cool!"

"She's cool with you, Eddie," Dustin said. "But I promise not to say anything." Dustin opened the back door to get out. "I'll see you at school, Eddie."

"Do you want me to walk you to the door," Steve asked.

"I'll be okay, mom."

"Watch it, kid," Steve grumbled. He blew a kiss to Steve and thumped Eddie on the back of the head, then got out of the car and slammed the door before Eddie could retaliate. They watched him run up to the house then disappear inside. "Back to my place?" Eddie nodded and Steve took his hand again as he started for home. "Thanks for doing this with me. It was much more enjoyable with someone my own age there." He gave Eddie a sideways glance. "And I'm sorry again about the movie."

"It's all good," Eddie said. "As long as you're with me, I'll be okay."

Eddie dozed off in the passenger seat, clutching Steve's hand in his. When they got back to Steve's, he squeezed Eddie's hand as he reached over with his other hand and brushed Eddie's hair back off his forehead. Eddie's eyes fluttered open and he smiled. Steve nodded towards the house and Eddie sat up straight.