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The kids left around 3:00, Eddie was in his room napping, something Steve tried but he couldn’t, so he snooped. It was a quality Robin always scolded him for but she was just as bad even if she pretended she wasn’t. His eyes roamed over the boxes that lined the walls of the guest room. Was it really so bad if he was going to be helping Eddie unpack them anyway? His eyes caught on a familiar sight of shiny red: Eddie’s guitar. Steve wandered over, eyes skimming over the scuffs and dirt that were left on it. Steve was sure Eddie’s eyes teared up a bit when he caught sight of it, he knew for sure he pulled Dustin in for a hug and whispered his thanks before everyone left. Steve had almost walked in on the moment but was unseen so he just backed up, and maybe stayed close enough to see if he could hear some of it. Snoopy, he knows.
Steve reached a finger out, running it down the strings vertically, it didn’t make a noise but Steve could feel the ridges of the metal coils. He glanced over his shoulder at Eddie, still sound asleep. Steve risked flicking a string with his nail, it emitted a small sound but it was enough to make Steve jump and grab the neck of the guitar to silence the noise. He checked again, still asleep. He examined the guitar further.
“How hard could it really be?” Steve leaned the guitar away from the wall, taking it into his arms. He checked on Eddie one last time before giving the strings a light experimental strum, it sounded like shit. Steve frowned, glancing around the room in embarrassment. He looked at one of Eddie’s posters, the man holding the guitar had his fingers pressed against the strings at the top, Steve copied him and tried again, better but still…unpleasant.
“You suck.” A voice chuckled from behind him.
“Jesus Munson!” Steve jumped, whipping around to see Eddie’s big brown eyes looking back at him, watching him. At least he looked amused instead of upset that Steve touched his shit.
Eddie just chuckled at him again, struggling to sit himself up in bed. “You’re placing your fingers down on the frets wrong.” His voice was a bit strained.
“Right.” Steve nodded, trying to hide his wince. He turned around again and went to place the guitar back where he found it, trying his best to be gentle as he leaned it against the wall. Eddie was probably at least a little annoyed that Steve was snooping, even if he was playing it off. He probably just wanted some peace and quiet.
“Hey Steve-”
“What’s this?” Steve asked before he could stop himself. There went the whole no more snooping thing.
It was a small folded piece of paper that Steve willed himself not to open right in front of Eddie’s face. Because that would be rude and it was folded for a reason. Eddie didn’t owe Steve any answers, obviously, but it would also eat away at Steve if he didn’t spill just a little. Steve wanted to think better of himself but he knew that if Eddie didn’t tell him eventually his snooping urge would come back and really he wasn’t sure he’d be able to resist. Because the paper was new. It wasn’t old, and deeply creased, and discoloured. No. It was basically brand new. Actually, Steve recognised the paper from the Wheeler’s basement. It was the same paper Max used to write the letter he never got to read. Another thing that secretly ate at him. He understood why she took it back from him, she wasn’t a very open person and well… she didn’t die so maybe there were some things in there she wasn’t ready to face yet. Fair, Steve respected that, of course he did. But God, a small part of him really did want to know.
“Oh,” Eddie’s fidgeting paused at the sight of the small square of paper in Steve’s hand. “It’s stupid, embarrassing really.”
“Well now you gotta tell me.” Steve tried to joke, but hated the way it sounded coming out of his mouth. He sounded like himself from 3 years ago. “I- I mean, only if you want to of course.” This would definitely be another thing that ate at him but he didn’t push. Because Steve wasn’t a douche; not anymore, at least.
“It’s fine.” Eddie shook his head, pulling a pillow up so he could lean against the headboard. “It’s just a list of songs.”
“Oh,” Steve nodded, “Are they special songs?”
“Yeah actually, they are.” Eddie smiled.
Oh.
“Oh uh sorry for prying.”
“Nah, it’s okay man.” Eddie shook his head once again. “Bring it here, the guitar too. I’ll show you how to play.” Steve stood frozen for a moment. He did not expect this at all. Actually, this is the last possible scenario he imagined happening.
Steve settled on the edge of the bed, planting one foot on the floor with the other bent and resting on the bed so he could face Eddie. He went to hand the note to Eddie but he just shook his head.
“Nah go ahead and read it.” He waved his hand.
Wow Steve should definitely not gamble because once again he was surprised. He brought his hands back towards himself and began to unfold the paper, eyes flicking up to check and see Eddie’s reaction, ready to stop at any moment. But Eddie just watched with an unreadable expression on his face.
“It’s everyone’s Vecna songs.” Steve said as he looked over the list, eyes scanning over all the nicknames and annotations made by Eddie. “Wait, everyone is on here but me.” He frowned looking up at Eddie.
“Yeah, sorry about that.” Eddie scratched at the back of his neck. It almost looked like he was blushing, but why would he be? “I was uh, too embarrassed to ask, I guess.”
“Embarrassed, why?” Steve’s brows furrowed. He got that he was an ass but this list was important, life saving even, well at the time anyway.
“Because we got rid of Vecna anyway so it’s not like I even need it.” Eddie looked away. He was definitely blushing.
“Well it’s my turn to be embarrassed.” Steve spoke, gaining Eddie’s attention. He reached over and grabbed a pen from the bedside table by Eddie’s journal giving it to him along with the paper. “Mine is ‘If It Wasn’t For The Nights’ by ABBA.”
“Jesus, you were right about being embarrassed,” Eddie teased but nonetheless he clicked the pen and began scribbling the song down. “This song is so cheesy.”
“It’s romantic- whatever.” Steve tried to defend himself but couldn’t stop the heat that rose up from the back of his neck to his ears. He hoped he wasn’t bright red.
“There, King Steve is officially on the royal decree of mind-saving songs.” Eddie held the list up which now included Steve’s song messily scribbled at the bottom.
“I told you man, he’s long gone. I’m not like that anymore.”
“Right, sorry.” Eddie chuckled. He spoke again after an awkward moment of silence, “I can uh, teach you how to play.” He gestured to the guitar. “Like, properly, so you don’t scare off animals.”
Steve nodded and scooted forward just a bit, mindful to be sure his knee didn’t press into Eddie’s sides. It seemed Eddie wasn’t one for personal space though, he reached out and grabbed Steve’s hands placing them against the guitar manually, even going as far as to bend Steve’s fingers for him.
“There.” He leaned back against the pillows again. “Now try strumming, shouldn’t make any ears bleed now.” He chuckled at Steve’s frown.
“This is so uncomfortable dude.” Steve sighed, glancing down at his hand. His fingers were bent in the way he thought they would if he slammed them in a car door or something. How the hell did Eddie do this all the time?
Eddie just scoffed, so Steve rolled his eyes back and ran his fingers over the strings at the soundhole of the guitar. It did sound a lot better than before, he had to admit.
“Good.” Eddie sat up again. “That was a C note, now try D.” Eddie once again took Steve’s hand in his own and manipulated his fingers across the fretts. As he did so, Steve noticed the calluses on his fingers. It made sense with all the guitar playing, but Steve couldn’t help but note how soft the rest of his hands were.
Eddie sat back and Steve strummed again. He ran his fingers over the strings a few times, listening to the D note ring out between them in the quiet room. Then he looked to Eddie again, already anticipating the touch of his hands.
“Scoot closer Harrington, I’m supposed to be resting yet here I am doing crunches because you’re musically challenged.” Eddie smirked, he looked like he could eat Steve alive.
Steve could feel himself blush but he moved closer despite it. His knee was resting along the side of Eddie's ribs, tense so he didn’t put his full weight on his injuries. Once he settled he looked up again, surprised at how close Eddie’s face was.
“Alright lets try ‘E’.” Eddie’s smirk was gone, instead replaced with a small smile. He moved Steve’s hand again, but this time when he finished they remained touching. He rested his hand on Steve’s knee and gave him a nod of encouragement.
Steve’s eyes flicked down to where they were touching, then back up to Eddie who was watching him. He strummed the guitar again and tried not to blush even harder.