Eddie stops his van in front of Dustin’s house. His was the last stop of the drop off after the dnd session at Gareth’s house. Dustin turns towards Eddie. He is drumming his fingers on the wheel to the beat of the DIO song playing, never still. When Dustin doesn’t move, he turns to look at him with his eyebrows raised.
“Anything wrong, Henderson?”
He is looking at him with his big eyes and Dustin gulps. Even after everything they have been through, Dustin can’t help but feel nervous. There is still this feeling that tells him he has to try to impress Eddie, to be cool enough to be his friend.
“Will you teach me how to play guitar?” Dustin blurts before he chickens out.
Eddie looks at him with surprise, blinking a few times. He was clearly not expecting that question.
“Sure.”
“Wait- really?” Dustin is genuinely surprised. A part of him knew that Eddie wouldn’t say no, but he fully expected some teasing, some ‘what, Henderson, you wanna be like me?’ which. Yes. But he didn’t want Eddie to say it.
“Yeah dude, why not?”
Dustin lets out a delighted laugh and slaps the dashboard. “Yes! Thank you! When are we starting? Any time is good for me-“
“Calm down,” Eddie says with a chuckle.
“What about tomorrow? I can do tomorrow. I will bike to your house after school and you can teach me the basics or-“
“Calm down Henderson,” Eddie repeats louder. Dustin shuts up. “I can’t do tomorrow.”
Dustin’s heart breaks a little. “Why?”
“Because this humble bard has a date with Steve Harrington.” He has a stupid smile on his face when he says it.
Am I late to the party on this? I just found out that Hellfire Club is an actual club. A gay BDSM club in Chicago that was founded in 1971.
Look at this fucking logo and TELL ME Eddie isn’t gay!
I love the thought of this queer little nerd in the suburbs of Indiana, having to be hush-hush because of 80’s homophobia, just subtly naming the D&D club and designing the logo based off of a GAY SEX CLUB and everyone has no idea! Such a glorious middle finger to everyone, it’s amazing and I love this for him.
“Holy shit, Ed,” Steve hisses. “We’re going to die.”
Eddie, teeth chattering, rolls his eyes. “No, we’re not, you big baby,” he says. Sure, it’s January and there’s a foot of snow outside and the heater in their little shithole apartment is dead. But they’re not going to die. “Go get under the electric blanket.”
Steve shuffles off, still complaining. “You won’t love me anymore if my toes fall off. You’ll call me stump feet and leave me for a man with 10 more toes than me.”
“Oh my god,” Eddie says, laughing. Steve’s lucky he’s cute. “I’ll love you even if both your legs fall off.”
“Will you love me if I’m dead? Because I’m going to die.”
“Oh, just you now?” Eddie turns on the burners and the oven, opens the oven door wide, and starts a pot of water boiling.
“I forgot you’re indestructible. Unkillable.”
“Hell yeah I am. Like a vampire.”
“Or a roach.”
“Wow, maybe I won’t make any hot chocolate afterall.”
“Eddie, nooo,” Steve whines, instantly pitiful. “Baby, I love you and all your roach qualities. They’re my favorite qualities.”
“Okay, fuck you, I’m making hot chocolate for myself.”
“Nooo,” Steve wails. From the couch, Eddie can see him flopping over dramatically, already burritoed in two blankets. “I am forsaken. Left to despair and desolation. Banished into the cold, chocolate-less night.”
“Damn, we’ve really expanded your vocabulary.”
“Fuck you,” Steve says, before falling back to whining. “Will anyone save me? Will anyone take this cold, weary soul into his arms? Where is my roach prince?”
Eddie, face hurting from grinning, takes over two mugs to the couch. “Here you goof, now quit bitchin.’”
