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No one notices when Steve slips out the front door. No one but Eddie, who tells Jonathan he’s going out for a smoke and follows him.
There are only woods around the Hopper-Byers cabin, and the only light comes from the Christmas lights hanging from the roof so it takes a moment for Eddie’s eyes to adjust to the near darkness. He sees Steve sitting on the steps with his head between his knees and taking slow, deep breaths.
“Steve?” Eddie speaks softly, trying not to startle him but Steve still flinches. “You okay?”
“I’m fine,” Steve mumbles, keeping his head down.
Eddie sits next to him. “Wanna try again? That wasn’t very convincing.”
Steve groans but it’s not his ‘Eddie is being annoying’ groan, it’s a pained groan.
“‘S just a headache, ‘m fine,” Steve insists but his voice sounds weak.
“Look at me.” Eddie squeezes his knee. “Stevie, please, look at me.”
Steve sighs but lifts his head. Eddie can’t help but wince at how he looks. His face is twisted into a grimace, his skin is paper-white and there are tears in his eyes.
“Oh, Steve. It’s a migraine, isn’t it? A bad one?” He gently brushes some hair off Steve’s face. Steve gives a tiny nod. “When did it start?”
“A few hours ago,” Steve says with a shuddery breath. “While shopping with Robin, all the lights, the music and the crowds–”
“Why didn’t you say something?”
Steve shrugs, then winces. “Didn’t want to worry anyone.”
“Of course not.” That’s why Steve still showed up to the Hopper-Byers Christmas party, knowing there would be loud music and even louder kids, and then forced himself to smile through his pain. Eddie sighs. “C’mon, I’m taking you home.”
“No, Eds–” Steve protests weakly. “I can drive myself-”
Eddie huffs. “Steve, you can’t even keep your eyes open right now.”
“But the party–”
“–will carry on without us,” Eddie finishes, rolling his eyes. “Wait here, okay?”
Steve sighs and nods, and Eddie squeezes his knee again before heading back inside.
He finds Robin and tells her that Steve isn’t feeling well and he’s taking him home.
“Do you want me to come?” She asks, worried.
“Nah, I got him,” Eddie says. Steve wouldn’t want someone else to leave the party early because of him. “Just tell Hopper I’ll pick up the van tomorrow, okay?”
“Okay, thanks, Eddie,” she says with a quick hug.
Outside, Eddie finds Steve leaning against the railing, looking like he’s about to keel over.
“Alright, big boy. Let’s get you home,” he says, leading them to the Beemer.
“No van?”
“Nope. You complain about how fucking loud my van is on a good day. Figured you wouldn’t appreciate it today of all days.”
Steve chuckles weakly. “Admit it, you just want an excuse to drive a cool car for once.”
Eddie scoffs indignantly. “My van is plenty cool, Harrington.”
“Uh huh.”
He sticks his tongue out at Steve and starts the car. The drive to his house is quiet. Eddie turns the radio all the way off, Steve keeps his head against the window and his eyes closed, and Eddie tries his best not to jostle the car too much.
He has to gently shake Steve’s shoulder once they arrive and then he follows him inside.
He goes straight to his bedroom and collapses on the bed, taking his shoes off but leaving his jeans and his ugly Christmas sweater on.
Eddie finds some sleeping clothes and tosses them his way. “Take those jeans off, Harrington.”
Steve huffs. “At least buy me dinner first, Munson,” he says, his hands working on his belt buckle.
Eddie’s cheeks turn pink but with just the moonlight illuminating the room through the curtains, he doubts Steve can see it. “So that’s what it takes to get into Steve Harrington’s pants?”
“Usually,” Steve says, shoving his jeans off before sliding on sweatpants, keeping his movements slow to not make his headache worse. “But for a guy as hot as you, I can make an exception.”
Eddie chokes on his spit. Leave it to Steve to flirt while his head is waging a war against the rest of him.
After changing out of his Christmas sweater, Steve falls back into bed, burrowing his face into his pillow with a groan. The mattress dips when Eddie sits next to him, his back against the headboard. Steve blinks one eye open. “You don’t have to stay, I’m–”
“-in no condition to be alone right now,” Eddie finishes, rolling his eyes.
“You should go back to the party. I didn’t mean to ruin your night–”
“Steve Harrington called me hot. Nothing could ruin my night after that,” he jokes even if there’s some truth to it.
Steve groans– this time it is his ‘Eddie is being annoying’ groan. “I’m gonna regret saying that.”
“Because you didn’t mean it or–”
“Oh, I meant it,” Steve says, rolling to his side and looking up at Eddie through half-lidded eyes that might not have anything to do with his migraine. “But now you can hold it against me.”
“It would be kind of hypocritical of me since I also find you hot,” Eddie says, playing with a rip in his jeans.
Steve’s fingers find his, intertwining them. “If my head wasn’t about to explode I would suggest we do something about that.”
Eddie’s widen. “Something like–”
“Like kissing. Though I could be persuaded to do other things.”
“Jesus,” Eddie says laughing shakily. “Now my head feels like it might explode.”
“We can talk in the morning,” Steve says, shifting until he finds a comfortable position.
“Thought you didn’t want me to stay,” Eddie teases.
“Said you didn’t have to stay, Eds. I always want you here.”
Eddie’s stomach flutters. “Okay,” he says, sliding down until he’s lying next to Steve, their fingers still intertwined.
“Thanks for taking care of me,” Steve whispers, half asleep already.
“Anytime, sweetheart,” Eddie says softly, kissing Steve’s forehead. “Anytime.”