The first time he thinks about kissing—real kissing, not like the fake ones on TV—is when he sees Mom and Aunt Liz.
He and Eddie are 11-12 respectively, running around and playing in the mud like dad never allowed. Steve jumps from the puddle when he sees-
Marie Harrington finally has enough the day she catches John about to strike Steve for spilling water on the carpet.
He’s 5! He’s bound to make a mess! Not like he made one considering it was Just. Water.
She leaves in the night, prenup be damned, lawyers and-
Mom’s worried when he slams into his apron for a hug, but doesn’t question further when he shakes his head in despair.
Liz rubs his back, gloved hands still a bit soapy from the dish water. It feels nice anyway.
He weeps for lost love, one that can simply never be.
Mom’s worried when he slams into his apron for a hug, but doesn’t question further when he shakes his head in despair.
Liz rubs his back, gloved hands still a bit soapy from the dish water. It feels nice anyway.
He weeps for lost love, one that can simply never be.
His face is red, his heart pounding, and his mood fluctuating wildly.
It was true. He was a freak. Because kissing Eddie, even in his sleep, had been the best thing he’d ever felt.
Steve starts to tear up, eyes burning at bright as his cheeks.
He stifles a sniffle-
His face is red, his heart pounding, and his mood fluctuating wildly.
It was true. He was a freak. Because kissing Eddie, even in his sleep, had been the best thing he’d ever felt.
Steve starts to tear up, eyes burning at bright as his cheeks.
He stifles a sniffle-
He sighs at the feel, the heat from Eddie’s mouth calming and heady. Steve presses closer, relishing in the minuscule dampness of spit from Eddie’s mild snoring.
He’s certain he can go a bit further, until Eddie snorts in his sleep, scaring Steve up and off the bed and into the corner-
He sighs at the feel, the heat from Eddie’s mouth calming and heady. Steve presses closer, relishing in the minuscule dampness of spit from Eddie’s mild snoring.
He’s certain he can go a bit further, until Eddie snorts in his sleep, scaring Steve up and off the bed and into the corner-
He can prove to himself, right here right now, that he isn’t a freak, that he isn’t in love with Eddie. He can have his first kiss be a secret, a test.
Steve sidles up to the bed, hands bracketing either side of Eddie’s growing, messy mane, and, as gently as he can, he presses-
He can prove to himself, right here right now, that he isn’t a freak, that he isn’t in love with Eddie. He can have his first kiss be a secret, a test.
Steve sidles up to the bed, hands bracketing either side of Eddie’s growing, messy mane, and, as gently as he can, he presses-
Eddie ruffles his chlorine soaked hair again before plonking onto their bed face first and falling asleep.
Steve showers, coming back to their room and seeing Eddie’s rolled onto his back.
This is it.
Eddie ruffles his chlorine soaked hair again before plonking onto their bed face first and falling asleep.
Steve showers, coming back to their room and seeing Eddie’s rolled onto his back.
This is it.
He does, kinda, cause his dad did, but Eddie’s too busy making mini figurines and teaching Steve to paint them to peddle drugs like his dad did
He does, kinda, cause his dad did, but Eddie’s too busy making mini figurines and teaching Steve to paint them to peddle drugs like his dad did
He sleeps that night in stops and starts, groggy and terse the next morning. Eddie ruffles his ‘swoopy hair’ and tells him to ‘knock ‘em dead’ at school cause they have different friend groups despite living together.
At lunch-
He sleeps that night in stops and starts, groggy and terse the next morning. Eddie ruffles his ‘swoopy hair’ and tells him to ‘knock ‘em dead’ at school cause they have different friend groups despite living together.
At lunch-
Thinking about Eddie’s plush lips and Eddie’s big hands and Eddie’s gangly limbs from his latest growth spurt, thinking about being cocooned in him like Aunt Liz cocooned his Mom.
Like Eddie was now, holding him close while he slept.
‘He’s just being a good-
Thinking about Eddie’s plush lips and Eddie’s big hands and Eddie’s gangly limbs from his latest growth spurt, thinking about being cocooned in him like Aunt Liz cocooned his Mom.
Like Eddie was now, holding him close while he slept.
‘He’s just being a good-
Sure, Mom and Aunt Liz aren’t married, nor is Wayne interested in marriage at all, especially not to Liz’s Doll, but the way they held each other in the window screamed /love/ a thousand times louder than whatever half-assed bullshit his dad put out.
Sure, Mom and Aunt Liz aren’t married, nor is Wayne interested in marriage at all, especially not to Liz’s Doll, but the way they held each other in the window screamed /love/ a thousand times louder than whatever half-assed bullshit his dad put out.
But later that night, snuggled close to Eddie’s chest—cause they shared a room, and a bed, just like Mom and Liz—and he thinks about them kissing.
Then he thinks about kissing Eddie.
It’s wrong, he knows, not just to think about kissing other-
But later that night, snuggled close to Eddie’s chest—cause they shared a room, and a bed, just like Mom and Liz—and he thinks about them kissing.
Then he thinks about kissing Eddie.
It’s wrong, he knows, not just to think about kissing other-
“Whatcha doin?” He asks, mud in his teeth, and Steve yanks him away from the window so they won’t be caught peeking.
Luckily, they stumble upon some lizards on a log-
“Whatcha doin?” He asks, mud in his teeth, and Steve yanks him away from the window so they won’t be caught peeking.
Luckily, they stumble upon some lizards on a log-
Mom and Aunt Liz, kissing.
Not just pecks on the cheek like his father’s European clients, real-life kissing.
Kissing like they’re in love.
Mom and Aunt Liz, kissing.
Not just pecks on the cheek like his father’s European clients, real-life kissing.
Kissing like they’re in love.
The last thing she wants is to explain the birds and the bees to two 5-6 year olds while sprinkling 🌈lesbianism🌈 into the mix.
For now, it’s just a sleepover.
The last thing she wants is to explain the birds and the bees to two 5-6 year olds while sprinkling 🌈lesbianism🌈 into the mix.
For now, it’s just a sleepover.
They keep sharing a room.
Marie… Marie is happy.
And so is Steve.
So maybe, just maybe, she can
They keep sharing a room.
Marie… Marie is happy.
And so is Steve.
So maybe, just maybe, she can