notscary | inbox. duplicity.

[Steve just doesn't want to assume this Eddie might have some interest in him. It's a big assumption to make, and he doesn't really know how he feels about all of that, and it might make it more awkward for Eddie if he doesn't feel that type of way. So it's just easier to like keep the offer as open as possible, for whatever Eddie might be comfortable with.

He cheers his beer back at him before finishing the one in his hand. It's not an easy conversation to have, but at least he doesn't need a couple of shots first to have it. They're making progress.]

You can come back in a few days. They just like being obsessive with these contracts. [He rolls his eyes. It's annoying. He knows.]

You don't have to thank me. I know how shitty it can be here. You don't have a lot of choices, and I'm sure in the next week or two the city will fuck with us. On the bright side you might get your whole quota filled in a day, and be totally over it, not even caring about the quota. It just sort of happens. [He shrugs again.]

I mean, it's fun. The casual sex. I'm not saying it's not. It just also gets a little... [He gestures. He was kind of over it back home before coming here. The only plus side is that he's sort of been able to explore his sexuality and discover some kinks he didn't even know he had.] I lost two people I was close to recently though. So sometimes you don't really have a choice.

[ There's still a heavy fog of uncertainty that hangs over Eddie, so he's not inclined to assume too much. He's trying his best to listen to trusted sources, Steve the person he can lean on the most.

He huffs a little at the contract obsessiveness, smiling warmly when he sees those eyes roll. To the deflection, earnest as it is, to his gratitude has him ready with a quip, but he waits and listens. Then, Steve shares how he's lost people of late, intrigue at who they might be and pain for the other young man crossing his face. ]

So. [ Another long look down at Steve's blanket, a shift of both of his legs in place. ] I'm sorry, man. I can't promise I'll stay. Obviously. But. [ He looks back, brown eyes soft and warm. ] Since it sounds like you're cool with me staying, I can promise I'll take you up on the offer. I...really ain't go nowhere else to go, but... [ he gives a sidelong glance ] I'm glad it's you here, I mean, you pick out a pretty good pizza.

And you've been so... [ he gives a little flourish of one hand ] nice to me. Did I rub off on you last time I was here, Steve? 'Cause it sounds a little like we were close, or feels that way, with you being...well, how you're being. [ His tone is all sincere, just smiling softly and appreciatively. ] Not that two versions of me, maybe from different dimensions? Who the hell knows. But not like they have to be the same, I guess. [ Now he's just rambling, taking a drink. ]

[Steve opens the second can of beer, tossing the empty in the can across the room. It naturally bounces into the trash, and maybe he's a little proud like he's still got it clearly. It's the little things really.]

Hey, it's fine. You got a place to crash if you need it. I know the Down sucks, and the submissive apartments, if they can even call them that, are awful. Whatever you need, man.

[He offers a small smile though, glad that Eddie's taking him up on any of it. He could totally push him away given what he's told him already, but Steve's genuine about what he's said, and he does care. One hand awkwardly goes into his hair again.]

I don't know how it works. Maybe Dustin can explain it to the both of us someday. Not here hopefully. [He laughs, though he really hopes the kids never make it here.] But I don't know. I guess we were close. You were like my best friend here for the couple months we were here. We went through some really weird, typical city bullshit. And actually you were the one to get me out of the Down more often than not. Well I'd signed with Yelena already, but it wasn't like I really knew her too much then. I didn't care if I got in your hair.

[He jokes with a wide grin.]

[ Little wins every day, Steve!

A sound of derision sounds from Eddie, nodding emphatically at how much the Down indeed sucks. From everything that Steve has told him so far too, there's even more shittiness potential ahead for him.

His face beams a little when Dustin is mentioned, their little geeky friend missed but he nods with not wanting to see the kid there. No, none of those littlest teens should be subjected to the fuckery of the city. A smile lights up on his face as Steve answers, head cocking, eyes shining with a pleased surprise. ] Okay then. Consider it favors for favors. [ He empties his first beer, chucking the can over toward the trash, eyeing it long enough to be sure that it goes in. Hey, it's not as clean of a shot, but at least he didn't get your floor messy with dripping booze. ] Not that it's necessary, I know, we're friends. Best friends, somewhere, someway.

[ He grabs another beer, taking a long drink, sitting up and bringing the pillow into his lap, resting his arms on it. ] Gotta stick together, power in numbers, even if it's just a duo. [ He smirks at that. ] I'm here for you, too. Whatever I could do. [ A beat, tongue poking out as he considers his next thought. ] Which is just being fantastic company for now.

So, Harrington, city bullshit aside, did we do anything for fun? Or was it all pizzas and beer? [ He knows what he thinks fun is, but he hasn't found a place to play his guitar yet, and there's been no time to put feelers out for starting a D&D club. Plus, he does wanna pry, wants to know what his former self and Steve got up to, if it wasn't just all weird camaraderie over uncontrollable shit. ]

[Steve watches to make sure that the can also goes into the trash, because no, he does not want leaky booze spilling on the brand new carpet. But it makes it in, and Steve goes for his second slice.]

Yeah. We're even, man. [Even if Eddie was the Dominant before, Steve still would have done this for him, but if he wants to feel like squared up, that's fine with him.]

Mostly we hung out, listened to records. Some of those are yours over there, [He nods to his collection stacked up on one of the shelves.] There was a record shop here, but I think they went digital. Oh, also-- I met this guy Lee, he's like our age and I think from like 1988, maybe? Just got here like a couple months ago-- you two listen to the same kind of music, I think. He told me you'd like Metallica's album Master of Puppets.

[Steve has no idea how much Eddie actually loves that album. He's from 1985 before that album came out. He gives another shrug.]

We did what we could to like survive this place with our sanity in tact, I guess.

[ Eddie listens to the answer, curiosity and nosiness having been -- he felt -- oozing from his words. But. Well. Steve certainly answers the question, doesn't he?

He brings one hand up to rest fingers along his jaw, easing into how he sat as if he were listening to a comforting story. The records cause his eyes to light up, glancing over before his gaze slides back to meet Steve's once more. Humming softly, he knows the utter lack of awareness Steve has past simply knowing the band name and the song, having remembered it from another person telling him both. If you don't know Ozzy or Black Sabbath, you certainly don't know the names of Metallica songs! His head does this lilt back and forth, endeared in a weird way that Steve somehow mentions such a significant and beloved song.

He hums again, head nodding several times. He takes another drink, breathing in through his nose. ] Like? No. Love it more like it. But this Lee guy, gonna have to meet him. I'm glad I could broaden your musical horizons, in appreciation. But.

[ His head cocks to the side, eyes widening. ] Steve. [ A pause, head tilting back to the other side, still cocked. ] My nosiness isn't glaring? I wanna know if... [ he shrugs, shoulders holding tight for a moment ] you broadened mine, Steve. It's been months since you've done it in your bed. Was it with me, other me, or someone else? Us being... 'best friends' and all... [ It's a presumption the size of a level 7 earthquake, but here he goes. ]

[Look, just the fact that Steve got the names right at all, he's going to also take as a win. It's not entirely his music style, but he doesn't mind it either. He can appreciate some of it between his Billy Idol or Duran Duran records. So he'll just smugly sit back with a grin, and mentally he has to get Lee and Eddie to meet.

But then Eddie's shifting the conversation back, and while Steve usually catches a come on pretty easily, knows when someone is interested, Eddie always has a way of catching him off guard. That's not new.]

Oh. You said like city shenanigans aside-- [Which technically the city had nothing to do with what ended up happening between them.] You and me? It-- ugh, didn't get that far. Like all the way, I mean.

[Suddenly he's feeling a little more embarrassed, not because something happened between them to begin with, but just trying to actually explain it.]

I guess back then I hadn't really figured things out, you know. And you hated this place. Yeah, we kinda had some awkward moments because of the city-- [Although Eddie sending a dick pic was a first.] But I mean if you're asking if we slept together... [He shakes his head. That isn't to say other things hadn't happened, but if Eddie wants all the details, he might have to actually ask for them.]

And ugh, you're totally the first person in my bed in this place. If that counts. [Probably not in the way Eddie is implying.]

[ Steve should be proud, though Eddie won't be afraid to bring up his total lack of awareness over one of the most metal moments of music history with Ozzy. It feels nice to have someone show an interest in what he'd like, much less have a record collection that may have similar tracks.

He knows he's pressed, maybe too far, but it's a sex city, and Steve has said he's been nice to him, nice enough that they were best buds. None of that has to run in tandem, but if there's a chance that it could've? He wants to know.

He pays close attention, watching Steve's body language, curious and quiet.

He chuckles, reaching to pat the bed. ] I guess. But it is...comfy. You should use it more for one of the purposes whatever...god, designed this place intended it for. [ Just some levity, or that's what he aims for. With whoever Steve wants, probably not Eddie! Probably. ]

Honestly I thought I'd ask. If I were me, past other me, well...I'd want me to know if I'd, ya know. [ His brows flick up, shrug of one shoulder. ] Done anything with you. Slept together or, whatever. [ He won't push Steve to say what their encounters together may have entailed though. ] Something did. So...your offer. With you, with someone else. Help if I need it. Just...overly curious how that all could've...panned out.

[ He breathes in slowly, trying to collect his thoughts, working to say whatever feels like the most important thing. ] 'Cause I've, never done that before. With a guy. So. It just. You've said this place messes with us, so...doesn't sound like it keeps anyone on the straight and narrow. [ He shrugs. ] I dunno. Never really thought about that before now... [ Another shrug, words hanging awkwardly there. He glances away, waiting for Steve to speak again. He's not sure what else he can say, his curiosity being no more nuanced than curiosity. His voice is nearly neutral, a hint of intrigue there but soft and trying to stay steady. ]

[Oh, so they're still going to talk about this. He clears his throat, shifts a little, and figures he might as well lay it out on the line because-- well Eddie can disappear again, and now that he knows what happens, he can't just beat around the bush. So he inhales through his nose.]

I gave you-- him, other you, whatever you want to call him, the same offer. He never took it. I don't know how you got your quota done. I just know you hated the rules. [He chews on the inside of his lip.]

There were a couple times things almost happened, like when the rain made us really horny-- but I think like you said, you never did anything with a guy before, and I think I had just barely started. So I don't really blame you for like trying to figure all of that out. I never really questioned it until I guess it kept happening, and I really kind of liked a few guys. [Another awkward head scratch.]

Last time I saw you before you left, I kissed you. It got a little heated. I think we were going to see where it went, and then-- well, I never saw you until you sent me that picture, like seven months later.

Me. Just. Me. [ He mutters under his breath, knowing he'd complicated it by referring to himself as he had. He'd been there before, even if he doesn't remember (or there's another dimension! but. they can never really know.)

Eddie couldn't hide the fact that he's eager to gauge just how Steve feels about all of this, eyes intense and intentional in continuing to peer at his body language. There are any number of comments he could've asked, but his focus draws to those last bits.

He knows he's never thought of kissing Steve Harrington; sure, he's suggestive to the point of being perceived as flirtatious to get a rise. Now though, he's hung up on Steve having kissed him, that it got heated, and he finds that he stares at his friend's lips for a few seconds. He didn't know the conversation would veer hard in this direction, to matters explicitly between the two of them, but Eddie is suddenly grateful he's settled a pillow on his lap. Curiosity turns to a deeper intrigue, and Steve's words got a reaction. Just a twitch of warm arousal in his groin, but uh, that totally happens when people talk about sex and kissing. Totally.

So, Eddie swallows, clears his throat a touch, back a little rigid. ] So you liked kissing me? [ A pointed and explicit question, zero percent rhetorical. Now, there's a desire to have affirmation. He doesn't realize that it just feels nice, the idea of someone wanting to kiss him. He's more focused on the fact that it felt like he liked the sound of the physical rather than the emotional component.

It's all he has to say, the rest of Steve's words heard but put on the back burner for the immediate question at hand. ]

[Of all the things to focus on, of course that's what Eddie picks up on. It actually eases some of the awkwardness up, because at least Eddie, this Eddie, doesn't think him weird or gross or something. Of course he wouldn't when Steve thinks about it. They didn't really have the words for people like them, people that didn't really care about gender or liked them all. Or maybe they did, but it wasn't like Hawkins, Indiana was really on the up and up for Pride lingo.

The fact Eddie kind of just takes all this in stride makes sense for the kind of person he is though. He's unabashedly himself, so he might not have to flounder around as much as Steve has, though really he didn't think much on it until he really couldn't deny it.

But he nods at the question, a smile blooming.]

Yeah, I did. [There's a bit of teasing in his tone when he looks up at him.]

Why? You wanna find out how good it was? [He really didn't expect things to get to this point so quickly, but honestly he isn't going to pass up the opportunity either.]

[ Eddie's always allowed what he's feeling to take centerstage, his uncertainty about kissing or having sex with men purely because he genuinely hasn't thought about it before. If anything, his foray into sex has included a small window of opportunities with women who had no attachment to who he actually is, fleeting and gone as quick as they came, perhaps in a bar with alcohol as a component. No, no, no one has ever wanted Eddie in a way that he's seen with how the general population of girls and boys flirt and date. Maybe it's even a boon to his nonconformity that no romantic relationships have ever manifested.

Of course, this is only about kissing. Relief floods through his body when he catches Steve teasing, spotting that for what it is. The confirmation and warmth makes his stomach flutter, and he has to smile back. He really does take all of this moment by moment, not consciously anticipating or expecting anything specific. But then his chin lifts just so, eyes locked with Steve's when that prompt, that push, is given.

Eddie's lips turn in a slow, small smile. ] Yeah, it's not, like...totally obvious? [ His lips press together, desire racing through him, gaze playful as he stares at Steve. He can't help feeling awkward, much as he wants to see if he thinks it's good too, letting Steve make any real move. ]

[Steve is still a little surprised how this turned out, but it does feel normal... as normal as something in this city can. Eddie's questions make sense given the gaps in his memory or whatever it was causing him to not remember the first time. Steve would want to know, too. It's a natural curiosity, and Steve's been open about everything else so far. He's not going to stop now.

So if this turns into something a little more intimate between them, he's going to go with it. His smirk slides further back on his face as Eddie confirms it, and he shifts forward to sit up instead of leaning on the head board. Sliding the pizza box out of the way, he moves so that one arm is on the other side of Eddie while he's still over him. Eyes look down at him just laying there on his bed, and there's a heat that he feels building now, too.

He doesn't respond verbally, he just leans over him to press his lips against his. They've only done this once before, but the electricity that shoots through him reminds him of the first time all over again, that sort of want that drives him further.]

[ Eddie wants to feel what it's like for Steve to kiss him, to kiss back. His thoughts don't go beyond that immediate urge, his wondering about being intimate with men as an unknown being set aside. He'll come back to a more nuanced train of thought later, focus on how Steve moves closer to him.

In that moment, he can't remember how long it's been since he's kissed someone, only that it's been awhile. The swirling desire building within him, he's confident he's never felt anything quite like it. Maybe it's because this feels so new, or maybe because it's Steve. Again, he's enraptured in how he can feel the warmth of Steve's body closer to his, eyes wide and lusty when he's actually over him, the arm beside him triggering a more adamant twitch in his pants. No doubt at all that he likes this, having Steve over him, close and about to kiss him.

A murmur that's definitely a stifled moan rumbles in his throat when their lips touch, hesitating for a second only due to the nature of how good it does feel. Well, Steve was right. No wonder things got heated between them before. He eases into the kiss, leaving it as soft and tender as Steve does at its start. His arm does lift, sliding against Steve's back, fingers drifting to the nape of his neck and tangling slightly into his hair. His head lifts, pressing his lips a little harder to deepen the kiss a bit further.

He pushes the pillow down and knees it away, the chemistry between clear and he sees no need to hide how he's feeling. ]

[This feels good. It feels right. He knows he wanted it last time, just testing the waters, seeing where it could go. Eddie might not have that memory, but he clearly trusts Steve enough to know that he was genuine, and he likely can feel that connection between them.

It's not a chaste kiss, and Eddie's response back is just as clear as the message he's sending him. Steve leans further, softly pressing him into his mattress as he kisses Eddie back. He can feel him accept it, deepening the kiss before his hands move around him. It doesn't take much at all before Steve's reacting to the hand in his own hair, stifling an all out moan into a hum against his lips.

His jeans hide the tenting in his pants, but he can feel himself hardening and pressing in against Eddie. The feeling is clearly mutual after he shucks the pillow away. He doesn't want to push too much, rush too fast, but he is aware, and he likes the knowledge that Eddie clearly likes this as much as he does.]

[ Steve's weight on him is welcome, and Eddie's breath hitches into their kiss, another stifled sound, moan through and through, in response to hearing that sound come from the man kissing him.

He really isn't thinking about what could happen next, about moving in any way to push ahead what they're doing. Pressing into Steve is natural, again mirroring what he feels, fingers gripping tightly into dark hair when he feels the fabric of their jeans come together, his erection pushing against Steve's. He does realize how unfamiliar and new that is, but the sensation of hard against hard makes his hips buck a bit and his lips part against Steve's, wanton moan sounding out. It feels incredible, and he can't help the bit of a grind he adds, working to let his tongue slip into Steve's mouth.

It's fast as hell, but he's driven by a horniness he was not at all expecting to feel. There, kissing Steve and unabashedly showing him how he makes him feel, he's confident and safe. Not how he expected pizza and beer to go. ]

[Steve isn't thinking a whole lot either when his hips move back against Steve's like that. His fingers clench into the blanket on his bed, trying to keep some semblance of mind to himself instead of wildly bucking back. Eddie's already admitted to not doing anything with a guy before, and while he kind of really wants to be the person that does more with him, he also doesn't want to put the cart before the horse either.

Besides his lungs are screaming at him for air at the moment. He pulls back just enough to breathe before he's looking down and smirking at him, daring to not separate, yet.]

Heated, yeah. [He nods, grinning from ear to ear. Hopefully this time Eddie doesn't disappear on him.]

[ Their coming together is special, Eddie already knows that, but he'll reconsider how awful the city is if these are the sorts of experiences he might get to have. Besides, he thinks he'd choose to stay there, living (and being around, with, Steve) a damn plus.

His head spins, grip in Steve's hair tightening with urgency when he feels him pulling back. Eddie's caught in a mixture of disappointment and curiosity, smiling back when Steve only pulls so far, admiring that smirk.

A faint sound, snort more than anything else, registers with that. ] I'm not gonna regret feeding your ego, am I? Cause [ his face tilts up, brushing open lips against Steve's ] yeah, it's good. Really good. [ Part of him wants to say he can see what all the fuss over King Steve is, but the thought leaves his mind and is replaced by the awe over what he's really doing in that moment.

Eddie smirks too. ] Like, good. Everywhere. [ It comes out in a whisper, dirty talk not even a thought, just a light jut of his hips against Steve's again. He's not clamouring to stop or cool down, focused entirely on expressing to Steve how he's making him feel, not on what any next step is. ]

[He can't help the wide grin he's got going on, looking down at Eddie in this position. Eddie, who is on his bed. He likes it though. He's been sort of stuck in a rut of just managing quota lately, though there are some people in the city he likes, things in the past couple weeks have made it harder to have some sort of connection, a deeper one anyway.

So this? Eddie's right. It feels good. It's something he's needed. It's nice to actually know someone, too, to not have to work as hard at that connection with someone when he already knows the reciprocity is there in some capacity. It's confirmed now, especially when Eddie rolls his hips against his in a very pointed way.]

Mm-- [The noise gets caught in his throat as he exhales.] Yeah, I got that.

[The way he rocks his hips back is a little slower, grinding down so Eddie could feel him back. His eyes are locked on the other's, the intensity already there. He knows what he's doing, and he knows where it could go.]

Look, I know you said you haven't-- done anything with guys. I don't want to push you if that's not something you're thinking about. I really just meant to kiss you.

[And Steve knows how to restrain himself even if that ache in his pants is trying to say otherwise. He's gotta pull back a little though if that's the case. He's going to go by what Eddie feels though, how he wants to proceed.]

[ Eddie curses under his breath, a jesus christ through clenched teeth, his legs vibrating with desire at how Steve's hips roll against his. It feels amazing and his body craves more, to be touched directly. He swallows hard, lips pursing hard when those words vie to steal his focus. A stubborn and impulsive man, Eddie wants to just crush his lips against Steve's, let his hands wander and see what happens; he exhales slowly through his mouth as those words sink in. His eyes shut for a second, soft hum and body jerking a tiny bit from his arousal, hips shifting to the side and stomach sinking down for a moment.

It's a fair set of statements, his own need too consuming to have made any of those points. His hand at Steve's neck sinks down, smoothing over his back until it settles in the middle, face tilting faintly to the side. ] Well. You kissed me good. [ He tries for a smile, not necessarily wanting to make the call that his brain is poking him to. It feels like a betrayal, a slight, to end it there, especially when he was still rock hard.

He brings a leg to brush against one of Steve's, gentle and physical contact that isn't what he wants but still keeping his heart racing. ] Yeah. [ It's clear how much they both want it, so he doesn't feel the need to say so. ] You wouldn't be pushing. Per say. [ He doesn't look away, each moment precious to him, wanting to get this across perfectly. ] There's just. Part of me that's saying not to rush it. And, fuck, man. [ He steals a glance up to roll his eyes, partially committing to stopping where they are. A little indulgence never hurts though, and he can't help but tack on -- ] Just...kiss me again? Once?

[This feels good, better than expected. If he was with someone else or someone he knew might be okay with going further, he would only have just checked in and made sure this was okay, but since it's Eddie, and Eddie already said where he was with all this, the last thing Steve wants is to just push through this.

And maybe some part wants it to be a little more special than just pizza and beer and fucking because it was some sort of tease or a challenge. He's not complaining about how all this came about, but if they do anything more than this, he just wants to make sure it's right. Even if hormones and his cock is telling him otherwise.

He's still smiling, looking down at him as Eddie sort of puts it together. The compliment about his kissing gets a little crinkle of his nose, pleased with himself. He still hasn't pulled away though, still wanting some sort of definitive answer on where Eddie is with all this before he tells him to kiss him again. Once. Just once. God, that's going to be hard.

He doesn't need to say anything else. Steve just dips down again, giving him what he wants. He leans in to kiss him again, this time one hand going to the side of his face. If it's going to be one kiss, it's going to be memorable, bodies already pressed against one another. He's so hard, but he's able to pull his mind from that, opening his mouth to commit Eddie's taste to memory instead.]

[ All of Eddie really had wanted Steve to prove it to him, to show him, just how good it might be. Any challenge had dissipated into their throes, however temporary for the moment, of passion and is forgotten.

He wouldn't have been the one to bring speaking at length into the situation, but he's grateful that Steve did. It's comforting to hear and feel that consideration, to know they're on the same page, on even ground. Eddie is not incredibly experienced as it is, and a part of his brain tells him that he doesn't want to rush in and just smash together with Steve.

Eddie files away how adorable that crinkling of Steve's nose is, taken aback at the surges of deeper appreciation and attraction. He knows the request for one more kiss is tricky, his body perfectly amenable to allowing his cock to get the sensations it craves. He can't help himself though, not wanting the contact to end. He's torn on whether or not the kiss will cause him to ramp it all back up physically again, no matter what the small part of his logical brain has to say.

There are absolutely no regrets in asking for it though, humming a soft moan when he feels Steve's palm against his cheek. Naturally he leans a bit into that touch, satisfaction pouring in and mixing with his desire. One whispered word escapes him before lips press to his again, quietly speaking 'Steve.' All of his need and muddled emotions radiate as he says the name, matching how Steve deepens the kiss, moaning again into their connecting mouths.

His free hand clutches blanket, the one on Steve's back lowering, lingering at his waist until it drifts down and caresses over one side of his ass, brief and firm, shifting again to settle over the band of Steve's jeans.

He smiles into the kiss, tangling his tongue with Steve's, drawing away relcutantly but with a strange certainty. Kissing and physical contact quite like this? Not at all what he's accustom to, and he kind of just wants to stare at Steve for a bit.

So he pulls back to end the kiss, not moving or shifting or indicating that he wants Steve to move away just yet. He keeps his eyes locked with Steve's, intense and gracious. ] Hey, well. New. And. Glad I asked about it. About us. [ This is all new territory for him, including the stopping once you've started going so he's not going to be the best at guiding the situation. ] I was right, too. Bed is comfy. But more, more importantly... [ his hand wanders back up over Steve's back, running fingertips just into his hair ] you're...really hot. [ It's what he's thinking in the moment, so it comes out, grin rising. ]

[The kiss is exactly what he needed. It's just heated enough to remind him exactly why he likes this, why he wanted this from the beginning. He's glad nothing feels different or off like it might have. Certainly he knows it's a lot for Eddie, and he could have just been done with all of it.

But he's glad this hasn't played out like that.

Steve pulls back when Eddie does, smirking and breathing sharply through his nose. As much as his body is aching for more, he knows that mentally he wants this to develop a little more organically before they do anything else. At least they have this sort of confirmation though. Steve can live with that.

Steve scoffs a little sheepishly when Eddie calls him hot. Yeah, he might have known it. He's surely been called hot more than once. It almost gets old, but for Eddie to say it, it just feels nice. He knows Eddie isn't just trying to get into his pants.]

Thanks. I'm-- ugh, glad you enjoyed that. [It's not so bad having him hold him close. There's more they can do, he knows, but he's willing to pace this. Yeah, the city would probably want them fucking by now, and really Steve knows it's better for this to happen before Eddie just gets completely swept into whatever the city wants for them. He takes a deep breath though.]

And look, I'm not saying I don't want more. I just don't want you to like be rushed into anything. This place can do that-- a lot. So if you just want to hang out for a bit or whatever, like I'm good with that. If we want to see where it goes, like that's cool, too.

[ That scoff gets a wide grin from Eddie, cheeks high. He'd meant it, but that doesn't mean it's not fun to see Steve react accordingly to what he might expect.

The blazing pace his physical impulses for Steve has taken -- no urging needed from the city, just having the seed of their kissing planted -- still has Eddie's head spinning. So he hums softly under his breath, still not moving and letting his body feel whatever it's going to feel. The ache of his cock probably won't have much of a chance of diminishing until he makes the move to commit to pulling away but damn if being up against Steve isn't one of the best feelings he's had in awhile.

He realized his eyes had shut for a few moments while drinking in how good, positive, he feels, when he hears Steve speaking with more than an endearing gratitude and short phrase. Eyes opening slowly, his head tilts at the comment about how fast the city likes to make people go. He nods, breathing in and out in a way that seems measured, but really he's just contemplating the very basic two options Steve has presented. His breath hitches a bit as he settles on what he knows he wants, the sensible (he thinks, he hopes) choice clear.

With a small groan, he glances off to the side and nudges his forehead softly to Steve's. ] Let's hang out. See how it goes later.

[ And, finally, his body very very slowly starts to shift away, staring at Steve the whole time. He doesn't really wanna move away, brown eyes reluctant but not lacking in certainty once he's laying down on his side, having grabbed a pillow to prop under his head, arm inclined.

Questions for Steve start to pop up in his mind, ones about his experiences, what all he's done with guys. Eddie doesn't ask, yet, though. He worries that if he's open in that moment then he'll stay hard, get harder, and the whole thing will fire back up. Which would be fine if not for what they both want, a pace that's easy, not forced.

So, instead he points out the food, the beer. He's still hungry, that's for sure. It's difficult to not think about how soft Steve's lips and fingers are, how he'd felt his cock grinding on Eddie's that same day, but Eddie is determined to let the kissing be what it is. An exploration, a tease that turned into a very deal attraction, and well, nothing else has changed other than that they like kissing each other, right?

So he hangs out with Steve, chatting and eating, finding it's easy to be with him, has been since he arrived and in Hawkins. Steve is more confident about the lay of the land, experiencing what the city has to throw at them, and he's grateful to have him to rely on.

Eventually as the night wears on, he brings up maybe one of the most important possessions Steve's told him about. ] So. Those records. There's nothing, like, embarrassing in there, is there? [ He smirks, teasing but also...I mean, he's a metalhead with a very specific set of musical interests, so. There is a level of seriousness, too! Sorry, Steve. ]

[Actually pulling away from the kiss, and rolling back onto his side of the bed takes real effort, but he inhales sharply and is able to pry himself back. He wants more. Every part of him wants to start stripping off clothes, but this is good. This is a good step forward, and Steve's willing to make sure this goes really well.

Because he does care. If that's not abundantly clear from trying to get Eddie out of the Down, to teaching him to navigate this place, to his offer of being a quota partner. He knows enough about Eddie's life to know he got a shit deal, especially if he ends up dead at the hands of whatever that thing he saw in his nightmares. No one deserves that.

So he eases back into a natural banter with him, something that he's been able to do already. They finish off the pizza, still sipping on beer as eventually they end up on the floor.]

Take a look, man. I'm not embarrassed by anything. Might not be entirely to your standards, but like I said, some of them up there are yours. Once you get set up in a place, you can have them back. [Lee has similar tastes to Eddie, but he hasn't knocked his taste in music. Other people have in the city, but then they've said shit about his fashion and looks just based on the fact he's from the 80s, so that's a pretty stupid opinion to him anyway. Who cares about being modern when he's modern for being from 1985.]

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