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every-aj-needs-an-angel · 11 months

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Some softish wedding vibes for the lovely @flowercrowngods sorry this took all day

The wedding was beautiful. A cosy little affair in the forest surrounding the Byers-Hopper cabin, just The Party and their immediate family. The guests had a myriad of mismatched chairs decorated with pretty tulle bows, the aisle strewn with wildflower petals collected by the kids, fairy lights strung from the trees casting a warm glow over the dusk ceremony.

The older teens of the party had been on decorating duty and they’d done a great job, even if Steve did say so himself.

Joyce looked stunning in her simple, lace summer gown, Hop beaming and wiping tears from his eyes as Jon walked his mum down the aisle.

Claudia sobbed loudly, Dustin tutting but handing her tissues, shhing her every now and again, making everyone hide a smile behind their hands when she'd wailed "it's just so beautifulllllll!"

Murray had officiated, dressed in ceremonial robes and actually on his best behaviour for a change. Will was Joyce's man of honour, El was Hop's best woman, Steve had never seen either of them look more radiant.

Steve had been roped into dress shopping by El and Max because although she was doing much better, Max's eyesight wasn't what it once was and Steve was apparently the only one with any fashion sense. He was glad he'd gone with them because the three of them had had so much fun, both girls had picked beautiful dresses without really needing his help at all, not that it stopped him smiling to himself as they spun happily in front of the floor length mirror, letting the skirts flow around them, or from taking them both for new records and ice cream, that Dustin had thrown a two hour fit for missing out on.

Then somehow the mum's had talked him into taking all the boys to hire tuxedos, not that he'd minded but Eddie had tagged along when he heard from Dustin that it was going to be a fun road trip with new records and ice cream, and seeing him spin out of the dressing room, all high on life from being with the kids and out of Hawkins, his hair tied up in a messy bun had taken Steve's breath away. Luckily he'd managed to cover it up with a laugh when Dustin had popped out next dressed in a white tux, strutting around because he thought he looked like Elvis.

So they all looked gorgeous and it was all just very sweet and picturesque and romantic.

Although Steve could've done without Mike snarking in his ear at every opportunity, snapping his name like his nanny used to when he was misbehaving, except Steve wasn't doing anything wrong. In fact the first time he'd been told off he'd been up a ladder hanging lights, the second time he'd only walked out the cabin, now dressed in his suit, trying and failing to get his tie perfect. The third time he'd been stuffing cake in his mouth in a rush because his and Max's song had just come on but he was torn between moving and eating, so he'd sloppily thrown the cake in his mouth, frosting pouring out the edges of his lips. Steve didn't get his reaction, yeah it was a little gross but Max was laughing so who cared.

So as soon as the song ended and El came back to dance with Max, Steve grabbed Mike by the collar and dragged him into the cabin.

"Okay, what's your problem? You've been at me all day!" Steve demanded to know, hands on his hips.

Mike spluttered and grouched incoherently, something about Eddie, him being a person, which was just perplexingly obvious. And for someone who'd had a lot to say all day, he suddenly wasn't saying anything, but Steve knew if he just waited Mike out, he'd eventually get his thoughts out in a coherent sentence. Except Will came dashing into the cabin, eye's lighting up when they landed on Mike, grabbing him by the wrist and dragging him back out into the party, before he ever had a chance.

Steve sighed rejoining the reception, mingling and chatting and trying not to be too obvious as he watched Eddie, maybe he'd said something to Mike, maybe he'd noticed the way Steve hadn't really been able to keep his eyes to himself, since, well since forever really but he'd definitely been more consciously aware of his lingering gazes since he'd woken up in the hospital with a joke and a groan, and they'd only become more incessant since he'd first seen him in that damn tux. Christ, Steve get a hold of yourself!

He just hopes he wasn't making Eddie uncomfortable, he didn't think he was because every time Eddie glanced over, it was always with a big smile, the one that started soft but grew until his dimples were showing when Steve smiled back, so he was almost sure that probably wasn't it, surely he'd look away like Robin did when men letched over her.

The next time Mike snapped at him, he was only dancing with Robin, not closely and certainly not well. Dancing In The Moonlight by King Harvest was playing, it was a song they all knew and loved and listened to whenever they all hung out. Robin had dragged him to his feet, just as he'd sat down with Wayne to chat about next weekend's game, and forced him to dance, waggling his arms around and doing all the silly moves until he couldn't help but join in.

Steve's eyes immediately snapped to Eddie, who was sitting by the edge of the makeshift dance floor, looking more miserable than Steve had ever seen him, even when he was a wanted man and on the run. Steve handed Robin to Mike, who protested about being forced to dance, but Robin had had a few glasses of wine and didn't seem too fussed about who she was dancing with, so long as she had a dance partner.

Wayne had his arm slung over the back of Eddie's chair but Eddie was slouched forward head in his hands forlornly watching everyone dance instead of joining like he usually would. Wayne and Steve shared a smile as he headed towards them, Wayne jumping up with a mumbled excuse, disappearing over to the buffet table to chat with Claudia.

Steve loved how he never needed words with Wayne, it was like he could read Steve like a book, had since their first meeting in Eddie's hospital room, he'd just given Steve a hard stare and for a second he thought he was about to get a smack or at least thrown out but Wayne had just given him a soft smile and pulled out another uncomfortable plastic chair for Steve to sit with him at Eddie's bedside.

They'd been fast friends, bonding over stories of Eddie, sports and an adoration of cheese of all things. Wayne even called him son, like he did with Eddie but that was probably just because there hadn't been a weekend since Eddie left the hospital, where Steve hadn't been at their new government bought apartment, screaming at the tv or the radio with Wayne, Eddie huffing and rolling his eyes and bemoaning that he was being forced to put up with two sports fanatics.

But Steve quickly learned the easiest way to settle Eddie was through his stomach, staying after the game to make fresh pizza or four cheese gnocchi or manicotti, from recipes he'd stolen from an old trunk in his attic, watching with pride as both Munson's wolfed down his food, was the easiest way to make Eddie beam at him.

Eddie hadn't noticed Steve coming over, didn't even perceive his presence until there was nothing but a pair of legs directly in his eyeline, forcing Eddie to look up at him.

"Hi," Steve said tentatively, Eddie's smile settling quickly back into place but not quite meeting his eyes.

"Stevie," Eddie greeted, aiming for normality but just the fact that he hadn't drawn out the e gave him away, "nice moves," he teased, sounding a bit too grouchy to be playful.

Steve adored that about their dynamic, the playful mocking, the poking and tickling and doing whatever they could to make the other bite back or laugh hysterically or both but it felt less like their playful banter and more like a defense mechanism, like maybe Eddie was mad with him.

And maybe it was something about the soft warm lighting or the giant strawberry moon peering down on them or the fact that they were at a wedding but something felt bigger, heavier but at the same time incredibly delicate like one wrong move could destroy them both.

"Dance with me," Steve murmured instead of teasing him back, holding his hand out for Eddie to take. Eddie furrowed his brows and blinked owlishly at him, Steve couldn't help thinking he looked adorable but if he let his introspection go on too long, he'd be lost for the night. Steve wafted his hand impatiently, trying to snap Eddie into the present but he only blinked slowly at his outstretched hand too.

"Aren't you dancing with Robin?" Eddie eventually asked hesitantly, which confused the living bejesus out of Steve because surely he couldn't mean…

Steve shook his head vigorously trying to send that mental image back to the pits of hell where it belonged, glancing purposefully over to the dance floor, he could see Robin'd got her arms around Nancy's neck blushing deeply as she babbled constantly. He knew she hadn't quite been able to look at Nancy the same way since they'd visited Creel together but Nancy had her arms securely around Robin's waist, listening intently and grinning and maybe, just maybe…

"I think she's content with her new partner," Steve mumbled, knowing full well that Eddie knew Robin almost as closely as he did, knew that Eddie could see what he saw and that whatever he was doing was some kind of avoidance technique, "dance with me."

They'd danced before, alone and in front of the party, there was no reason for Eddie to be nervous, didn't stop him looking anxiously around Steve's legs at the dancefloor, "There's people," Eddie muttered dejectedly.

Steve glanced over his shoulder and then back to Eddie, with a confused frown, "You mean all the people who love and care about us?" he asked affectionately.

Eddie snorted and huffed, "You," he corrected shortly.

Steve's brows furrowed deeply, "Huh?"

Eddie sighed, rolling his eyes, "All the people who care about you," he clarified grumpily.

Oh no, he's gone down the rabbit hole.

Steve sighed heavily, "Okay, that's not even close to the truth, but for the sake of not arguing, if they care about me, they have to care about you," he informed him.

Eddie sniggered, "Why, you gonna beat 'em up if they don't?" Eddie tried to tease but it came out too flat.

"No," Steve sighed, hooking his finger under Eddie's chin and forcing him to look at him, "anyone who doesn't care about you, doesn't get to care about me. These people are my family but if it came down to a choice of them or you, I'd pick you every time," Steve admitted sincerely.

Eddie's breath hitched but he didn't say anything, looked like he might cry if he did.

Steve decided it was time to just use his trump card, "Dance with me. Please."

And just like that Eddie jumped to his feet dragging Steve onto the dancefloor, because Eddie never denied Steve anything when he said please, not that Eddie ever denied him anything really but it was like a little button that overpowered all Eddie's apprehension and theatrics.

"Can I stay with you please?"

"C'mon Eddie, up, Owens says it'll be good for you to go for a little walk. No? Please?"

"Could you just keep talking until I fall asleep please?"

"Can you pick Dustin up tonight please?"

"Could you bring milk when you come over please?"

"What's wrong Eds? Talk to me, please."

They got situated just as the song changed to a much slower one, At Last by Etta James. Appropriate, Steve thought gleefully. Eddie just stood there, a little shell-shocked and unsure but not running away so Steve gently took his hands and put them on his waist, circling his own around Eddie's neck, except Eddie had his arms perfectly straight keeping a space between them.

"What're you doing?" Steve asked, fond amusement in his voice, it wasn't like they'd never been close before.

"Leaving room for Jesus," Eddie replied, Steve recognised it as an autopilot response, Eddie long lost to his mind, but Steve couldn't help it, the bubble of laughter just burst right out of him. Sometimes Eddie was just inadvertently funny and when Steve laughed he'd stand there like he was replaying the conversation until Eddie was laughing too at his own comment but Eddie's face crumbled, trying to pull away but Steve just held on tighter.

"Hey, no, Eds. I wasn't laughing at you, just maybe we're a bit old for Jesus to need to dance with us. C'mere," Steve said, pulling Eddie closer, wrapping his arms more tightly around him, swaying slowly to the music.

The look in Eddie's eyes as they listened to the song told Steve all he needed to know about why Eddie had been avoiding him, why he was only looking his way when he thought Steve wasn't looking, why he was being so evasive, how he'd managed to spiral so far that he thought he and Robin, ugh, Steve can't even think it.

Even Mike's snapping made a whole lot more sense, "Stop messing with Eddie," boy really needs to learn to stop grumbling, "he's a person, he has feelings!" Mike could see Eddie pining and had taken it on himself to try to stop Steve doing whatever mundane task that had Eddie yearning.

It was probably the sweetest thing Steve had ever seen Mike do for someone who wasn't El or Will, even if it pissed Steve off that he'd always be a cad in Mike's eyes, that he just assumed that Steve was a bad guy (when he's done nothing but throw himself in front of him and his friends time and again to protect them) that he was purposefully leading Eddie on, being intentionally enticing just to hurt him.

Not that it mattered what Mike thought, he could only hope that it was all his biases and not that Eddie hadn't been venting to the kids, all that mattered was that that wasn't what Eddie thought of him.

The whole atmosphere of the night had changed, everyone had slowed and quietened, couples solely focused on the person in their arms. But Steve felt the ground under his feet change, drew from Captain Steve the guy who'd thrown the first punch at Billy to protect his kids, felt Sir Steve crawl up his throat, the Knight who'd gone into battle against an all-powerful beast and brought his comrades out of the pits of hell because he'd seen now, seen clearly for the first time in god knows how long and he couldn't just go back to pretending, not without giving this is best shot. And thank god for Etta James because she was going to help him, because he could do this, he could be brave and fight for what he wanted for a change.

He had a horrible singing voice but Eddie already knew that, told him so often and in many imaginative ways.

"I found a dream that I could speak to, a dream that I can call my own," he sang quietly, trying to copy Wayne's looking into your soul look, trying to let Eddie see that his feelings are reciprocated, classing it as a win when Eddie grins, blushing deeply and mushes his face into Steve's neck.

"I've found a thrill to press my cheek to, a thrill that I've never known," he continued, nuzzling further into Eddie's neck because now he was this close it was like he couldn't get close enough.

"You smiled," Steve murmured against his skin, unable to wipe the lovesick smile off of his face. He and Eddie had always been close but they both knew this was different.

Originally it started with helping him limp around when he'd refuse to use his crutches, then when Wayne had to go back to work Steve started staying the night so Eddie could sleep without having to worry about waking up alone after a nightmare, he'd only spent the first few hours on the sofa before Eddie woke up screaming, sweaty and shaking, Steve hadn't even thought about it just clambered in behind Eddie pulling him flush against him, shhing him and running his fingers through his hair to get it out of his face, he didn't bother with the sofa again after that, they just shared Eddie's bed, soothing both their nightmares with the others presence.

But they've had time and distance from their trauma since then, most of them have been to therapy and they're all doing better, they can sleep in their own houses, in their own beds, they can all actually sleep for eight hours and wake up well rested. But he and Eddie stayed as close as ever, it's rare that they're never not touching, if Eddie's tired he'll attach himself to Steve like a backpack. They hug, they hold hands, Eddie even kissed him on the cheek one time, Steve's pretty sure it was an accident but he'd been so busy trying to hide the blush that'd sprung to his cheeks to really read the situation, maybe if he had they might've got here sooner because looking back Steve's not really sure how he missed all the signs, Eddie sits in his lap on movie nights for god sake.

"You smiled," Steve sang, pulling back to look at Eddie, to look at the adorable endeared grin and the pretty blush he can't hide because his hair's all tied up, still neat as a pin, showing just how much hairspray Claudia had used to hold it in place.

"And then the spell was cast," he crooned, because it was, from all the way back in school when Eddie would taunt the other jocks but there was never any bite in it when it came to Steve, his teasing came with a smile he never saw directed at anyone else, and he still remembers how it would make him preen a little and how he'd always feel a little peppier for the rest of the day.

But it felt like magic when they met for real, not the king and the jester but Steve and Eddie, battling the unknown side by side, Eddie smiling real smiles, teeth and dimples, all for Steve, because of Steve. And then of course he'd just had to be the hero and Steve had swore at him the whole way to the hospital because he'd been so mad but after days at his bedside, the first time he woke up and smiled at Steve, he knew from that moment on he was done for.

He'd just never thought they could have this, never dreamed Eddie would feel the same way so he buried that feeling deep down, enjoyed his friendship, relished being someone Eddie could rely on, being his confidant and still even when Eddie said "don't punch me but…" Steve had been too scared to rock the boat, didn't want to lose what they had because just because Eddie was interested in men didn't mean he was interested in him.

Who'd've thought Mike Wheeler would've been the one to make Steve see what was right on the end of his nose.

"And here we are in heaven," Steve trilled, resting his forehead against Eddie's trying to calm his heart before it beats right out of his chest, because there's butterflies taking flight and Steve's never in his life been nervous about a kiss but this one feels monumental and he can feel it coming and he wants it now and he also wants to wait and let this moment last forever.

"For you are mine," Eddie crooned, sounding more like a question. And as much as Steve always melts whenever Eddie sings, the fact that Eddie's still questioning his intentions, after he declared that Eddie's the most important person in his life, after what they're currently doing, just makes Steve realise how long Eddie's been his, how blind they've both been, how they've both been so wrapped up in what they can't have neither of them noticed it was right there for the taking.

Steve beams at him, let's Eddie see the way he makes him feel, the way he's always made him feel, nods like he's agreeing to a marriage proposal, deliriously happy and tear streaked.

"At last," Etta sings into the moonlit evening, as the boys seal their promise with a kiss.

#i apologise in advance for all the tense changes and terrible grammar if i proof read this again it'll end up in the bin #idek how to tag this #steddie #steve x eddie #platonic stobin #steve is wayne's pre-son-in-law #steve being an amazing big brother to el and max because they're his favourites. shh don't tell dustin. i joke ofc he loves them all #background jopper #background pre ronance #steve harrington #eddie munson #wayne munson #the party #aj writes #i promise i'll go back to working on my vegas au now

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