Another scene from the widower!Steve verse (which Iâm calling That Same Old Feeling and Iâll be tagging anything for it tsofverse if anyone is interested in seeing more scenes/snippets); this takes place during the second time Eddie and Steve meet after not seeing each other for about 20 years, c. 2012
Just under 700 words, rated T, vaguely vaguely suggestive because it leads up to their first time together again but cuts off before the action (sorry lol but itâs me! Haha)
Itâs surreal, sitting here in Eddieâs apartment, not ten minutes from his own house. Feeling Eddieâs gaze on him, so familiar even after all these years. Shit. Itâs been so long.
Steve turns, catches Eddieâs grin, returns it. Thatâs surreal, too. The last time they met, there werenât so many smiles. Well, the last time before last night. It all feels like a dream.
Eddieâs grin turns fond, head resting in his hand, elbow resting on the back of the black leather couch. He reaches out and pokes Steveâs knee.
âWhat?â
âNothing.â Eddieâs nose screws up. âBut itâs⊠funny.â
âWhat is?â
âJust⊠It feels like a lifetimeâno, a thousand lifetimesâsince I saw you butâŠâ Eddie looks to the side, back to Steve. He lifts a shoulder and adds, âLike no time has passed, as well.â
âYeah, I know.â So much has happened to Steve since the last time he saw Eddie, and, in some ways, he feels like a completely different person. When he thought of Eddie, over the years, the distance between them felt so fucking huge. But the moment he saw Eddie, last night, it was like heâd only seen him yesterday. âI feel the way I always did with you.â
âMe too.â
Steve bites his lip against a smile and looks Eddie overâhis dark hair is still long but itâs threaded with silver, there are deeper crinkles at his eyes, and his arms are totally covered with tattoos now. He still takes Steveâs breath away, still makes his heart beat. Should he feel this way again so soon? Heâs not sure he cares. âAnd youâre still beautiful.â
Eddie lets out a nervous laugh, dipping his head in an oddly shy gesture. He tilts his head further to the side until heâs looking at Steve sideways. âAnd youâre still one smooth bastard, arenât you?â
Steve winks and catches Eddieâs chin between his forefinger and thumb. Eddie dips his head, making Steveâs thumb slip up to his lips so he can kiss it. Itâs such a small gesture, but it makes Steveâs heart leap and sends sparks skittering up his skin. He shifts his hand, cupping Eddieâs face, and leans in to kiss him softly.
When they part, Eddie has this look on his face that makes Steveâs chest squeeze tight and he canât⊠So he kisses Eddie again and again, until all heâs thinking about is being as close to Eddie as possible.
Eddie lets Steve crowd him into the corner of the couch and they make out like a couple of kids until Steve pulls back and says, âYou didnât give me a tour of your apartment yet.â
âMm?â Eddie blinks, then slowly grins. âNo, I didnât.â
âMaybe you could give me one now.â Steve kisses Eddieâs jaw, down to his neck. âStarting with the bedroom?â
Eddie laughs and pushes Steve away, getting up from the couch. âRight this way, sir,â he says, with a sweep of his hand.
Stumbling to his feet, Steve grabs Eddieâs wrist and tugs, saying, âYouâre still a total dork,â and then, âWait, which way?â
Eddie shakes his head and drags Steve to his bedroom. The pretense of a tour is lost the moment they make it through the door as they kiss and shed their clothes and giggle and Steve hasnât felt like this in longer than he can remember.
When Eddieâs knees hit the back of the bed and he goes down, he pulls Steve with him; all the memories of thisâEddie under Steve, his thighs around himâflood Steve, almost overwhelming him. And now they get to make more memories.
With that thought, Steve kisses Eddie with everything he has, with a passion he sometimes worried heâd lost and, when they part, Eddie looks as dazed as Steve feels. âDamn.â
âYeah.â
Eddie reaches up, pushing Steveâs hair out of his face, letting his hand linger along his cheek, his jaw.
âYou good?â
Steve nods, nuzzles into Eddieâs palm. âYeah.â He swallows. âYou?â
âYeah.â Eddie lets his hand drop to Steveâs neck. âFuck, I missed you,â he says, voice tight with emotion.
âYeah,â Steve says, âI missed you too,â and, when he kisses Eddie again, the years between them fall away.
I'd like to suggest number eight for that mistletoe game, it very much feels Steddie coded to me. Eddie would 100% blow a kiss at Steve from one foot away hehe tysm!
23 was Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace by Cheap Trick
I feel like Iâm cheating a little, here, because this is a snippet from a WIP (called Ainât Even Done With the Night where Steve and Eddie go to a concert somewhere and then Steve wants to pick up a couple of girls when they go to a bar after and Eddie goes along with it because he just does) that just happens to have this song on the âsoundtrackâ. But I do think it fits the song? And I did write it just for this, so hopefully that counts!!!
âSoâŠâ Steve shifts, making the ancient mattress dip as he moves; the springs creak, echoed moments later through the wall from the bed in the adjoining room. Those springs are probably squeaking for a different reason though. âAre you going to see that chick again?â
Eddie glances over at Steve. Thereâs something guarded in the tone of his voice, and his face doesnât give anything away either. âMaybe.â
âCool.â Steve nods, pressing his lips together. âI mean, she gave you her address, and weâre not that far away, so it would be easy.â
âYeah, she said we could be penpals.â
Steve huffs. âIs that what theyâre calling it these days?â
âIt would just be as friends,â Eddie says, cautiously, wondering at the bitterness in Steveâs voice. Or maybe heâs imagining it.
âSure.â
âNo, really.â Eddieâs brow furrows. âIâm not interested in her. She wasnât interested in me.â He pauses, then adds, âExcept as a friend.â
âThen whyâŠâ Steve shakes his head. âWhy did you agree to go back to their place?â
âBecause you wanted to.â
Steve blinks. âYouâre saying you just went along with it because I wanted to?â
âYeah. I didnât want to ruin your night.â Eddie lets his head tip back, thunking against the wall. âWhich I guess I did, anyway.â
âDude. I told youââ A muscle in Steveâs jaw ticks. âLook, if I cared more about getting laid than I cared about you, I wouldnât be here. Iâd be back there with her.â
âAww, shucks.â The beat of Eddieâs heart belies his teasing tone, and heâs glad Steve canât hear it.
âI mean it. You donât knowâŠâ Steve toys with the comforter. âYou donât know how much youâŠâ He sighs, shaking his head.
âSteve?â
âNothing, man.â Steve runs a hand over his face. Silence stretches out, punctuated by the continued creaks from the other room, now accompanied by grunts and moans, and the buzzing of the bare bulb, the traffic outside. âLook, Iâm glad youâre feeling better andâŠâ He sighs again. âWe should probably get some sleep if we want to get back early.â
Eddie doesnât say anything, just watches as Steve slips down, rolling over so his back is toward Eddie. Thereâs a churning in his stomach and, before he knows what heâs doing, heâs saying, âI wasnât sick.â
âWhat?â Steve glances over his shoulder.
âI didnât feel sick, back at the apartment.â
More creaks as Steve pushes himself up, sitting beside Eddie again. âThen whatâŠâ
âI justâŠâ This is it, Munson. Now or never. Eddie draws in a deep breath and says, âI couldnât be there, knowing you were with her.â He looks at Steve. âYou know?â
âDid you like her?â
Eddie sighs. âSteve.â
Steve gives a little shakes of his head.
âCâmon, man,â Eddie says, hating the pleading tone in his voice, âdonât make me say it.â
Thereâs a sharp inhale of breath and then a soft, âOh,â and Eddieâs chest goes tight and his stomach drops.
âYeahâŠâ The noise from the next room over stops; a door opens and closes down the hall. âDo you want me to get another room?â Eddie tries to keep his tone light, but heâs pretty sure he fails. Spectacularly.
âNo.â Steveâs voice is certain, brooks no arguments, and when Eddie looks at him, he doesnât see disgust or pity or anything except⊠Oh. Oh shit. âNo,â Steve repeats, hand darting across the worn comforter, stopping short of grabbing Eddieâs, âI want you to stay,â and itâs all Eddie needs to hear.