Little Free Library pt.4
T (Language, underage drinking not depicted) mutual pining and just dumb boys bein' silly and cute.
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Friday night and unsurprisingly enough Steve had nothing on the docket. His date he'd on Robin’s bequest hyped himself up for fell through and Robin had some party at another band kids house. She had invited him but Steve insisted she could use it as a way to gauge if Vickie might be an option for her.
He still stood firmly by his Fast Times theory and the Phoebe Cates scene. Vickie must like boobies. Why else would she have paused there? Not to mention the way she laughed at Robin’s recycled joke about Tammy Thompson. Steve had observed the two together at Lucas’s first big game and he thought there was chemistry there.
She looked down at Robin’s lips twice. A point he’d never fail to bring up during their debates on the matter at Family Video. These conversations often had a certain pot dealing dungeon master coming up more and more frequently. Robin had asked if he was still jealous of the time the Party spent with the other man. Steve had been stunned into silence. Not realizing he had been bringing Munson up so often.
So to preserve his own sanity and to be a good wingman for Robs he had opted to stay in with his new book. His stomach still comfortably full from his cheese fries ritual. He always felt more settled on a ritual day. Heidi would make a point to sit with him no matter if there were other customers or not. She had a way of always working into the conversation how employable he’d be at the diner and how happy she’d be to have him.
She had a way of making Steve feel like where he was in life wasn’t a massive disappointment. For the time he was in the safe space of the diner he was allowed to let his mind wander between turning pages and being checked in on by Heidi.
Steve was currently curled up in his armchair devouring the words on the page in front of him. He had the next day off and couldn’t get enough of the story. The evening wore into night time as he wrapped the blanket on the back of the chair around himself and followed the unfolding story.
Something about this most recent post-it note had wormed it’s way into his psyche. Like maybe the person leaving them knew exactly how Steve felt too.
He saw headlights shine into his living room as he turned the page. For as much trouble as he had in school with completing assignments and getting the big picture of lesson plans it seemed effortless now to finish a book in a day or two if it grabbed his attention. He almost had trouble putting it down if it wasn’t a good stopping point.
He squinted towards his driveway as the headlights still illuminated his house.
He flipped to the next page.
There was a persistent pounding on the door that had his heartbeat skyrocketing at the suddenness of the racket.
“Steeevie! Open up it’s your best friend.” Came through the other side.
He heard the murmured conversation between two people as he wrenched open the door with the throw blanket still wrapped over his shoulders.
“Hoppin’ Friday night Harrington.” Eddie drawled out with a faux-laziness to his tone.
Steve realized in that moment that he had on ratty grey sweatpants and a white undershirt. The book was held in one hand as he propped the door open with the other.
“Your fair maiden Buckley insisted to be brought to your castle.” He continued as he clearly propped up a drunk Robin.
Robin pushed Eddie’s hand off her upper arm and stumbled, “I’m not his fair anything. Steve 911! Vickie-“
Steve darted his hand out and covered Robin’s still moving mouth. He pulled them both in, “Robin sit on the couch while I grab you water to chug- do not move.” He turned his gaze to Eddie, “You, come with me.”
Robin lounged further into the comfy couch as the two men walked to the kitchen. Eddie trailing behind Steve, “I kinda get why the kids use ‘mom’s mad’ in these situations.”
Steve turned to face him with his hands on his hips.
Eddie smothered a laugh, hands adorned with heavy rings and black nail polish covered his wide smile, “I’m trying to take you seriously but you’re wearing a blanket like a little old lady shall and I just-“ The absurdity won over and Eddie laughed brightly with his hands braced on his knees.
It started to dwindle as Steve stood exactly as he had been, “You good? Got your composure Munson?”
Eddie giggled again. It was just bizarre, he couldn’t help but be tickled by the sight of the blanketed former King of Hawkins. He was in Steve Harrington’s house with his drunken band geek friend.
He felt like he had stepped into some crack in his daily life a rip in time and space. He looked to the book Steve had set on the kitchen counter and sobered immediately, it was the one he had just left. He knew what was written on the paper between the pages. It launched him back into the here and now, “Yup, yeah, I’m good. Water for Buckley?”
Steve narrowed his eyes but grabbed a cup and started filling it with water, “I was gonna offer you a coke or I’ve got sprite, Dustin loves it…but only if you can handle yourself.”
Eddie put his hands up, “Promise I’m house trained Harrington. Sprite-“ he bowed with a flourish his wild curls spilling over his shoulders, “Please, m’lord.”
Steve rolled his eyes but offered Eddie a can from the fridge and walked the water out to Robin who was already zonked out on the couch he set it down on the table and would deal with her later.
Steve walked back into the kitchen, “Okay, now explain.” He gestured back to his living room.
“Oh, Buckley? So I was just passing through a house party that may have gotten bigger than intended-“ Eddie spun his tale.
Steve cut him off, “Passing through, or…?”
Eddie bounced on the balls of his feet, “Dealing, but, Gareth was invited since he is in fact one of the percussionists in band.”
Steve nodded as Eddie continued, “And miss Buckley was teamed up with a certain red head for beer pong against some harmless band dweebs. Cut to my stash being gone and me ready to high tail it- I went to use the bathroom when an aforementioned miss Buckley stumbled out and grabbed my arm demanding to be brought to you.”
He gestured around himself, “Lo and behold I had thought you two to be practically conjoined so I helped look for you- for almost a half hour. When Buckley graciously informs me you were at home.”
The amusement painted over Steve’s features as Eddie’s grin broke wider, “She could’ve lead with that but no. Well that brought us to…” Eddie stalled the word and poked Steve in the center of his chest, “You.”
They were standing close Steve dressed down and barefoot and Eddie decked out in his usual layers of leather jacket and battle vest, dated Reeboks on his feet. Eddie took both his hands and held the edges of Steve’s throw blanket and wrapped them tighter around him.
The taller long haired man started to laugh again, “I cant believe I just burrito wrapped you, I couldn’t help myself.”
They were very close together.
Eddie’s eyes like two deep brown, soulful orbs. Steve realized he was staring. His eyes flicked down to Eddie’s lips as he heard a crash in the next room.
He jumped back.
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