Title: sand
Fandom: Stranger Things
Characters/Pairings: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson
Rating: PG-13
Length: 1,363
Content notes: spoilers for Stranger Things 5 finale!
Author notes: written for Challenge #502: Sand.
Summary: Eddie fucking hates sand.

Eddie fucking hates sand.

That’s the first thing he feels under his fingers when he grasps the edge of the opening to wherever fucking world the monsters that hunt his nightmares come from. It sets him on edge, makes him grit his teeth, right up until Steve is grabbing him by the wrist and pulling him up and out.

“I fucking hate sand,” Eddie spits out as he stumbles a little, pressing into Steve’s chest. “Of course this place would be fucking full of it.”

“At least there’s the only thing that seems to be here,” Steve says, eyes cutting across from Eddie to the others and the empty space around them.

All they can see are mountains and sand and rocks. No demogorgons, demodogs, demobats. The emptiness and silence of it, in comparison to the Upside Down, sends shivers down Eddie’s spine. It looks wrong for this place to be this quiet.

“C’mon.” Steve tugs at his wrist. “We better get moving.”

Eddie moves his arm so he can slide his hand down and squeeze Steve’s own before letting go. It wouldn’t do for them to be holding hands here, not when there’s a possibility they might have to cut and run or defend themselves.

Eddie breathes in deep, surprised that he can do that in this place without blowing himself up or suffocating, and tries to focus on the feeling of the spear and shield he carries on his back. It’s the one he built with Dustin what seems like years ago.

Steve has his trusty bat, the nails rusty but still sharp as anything. He’s relieved Steve had the presence of mind to grab it from the trunk of his car after it got stuck on that weird wall in the Upside Down. It’s a weapon that’s served his boyfriend well these past few years.

Also, wielding it makes Steve look hot as fuck.

Not that Eddie should be thinking about that right this second. They have a plan, a mission, a quest. Possibly their final one, if things work out as they should.

Eddie hopes to hell everyone one of them comes out of this alive.

There’s only so much his poor heart can take, and Steve almost falling out of that stupid tower already took it out of him. Thank fuck for Jonathan Byers and his sharp reflexes.

Eddie makes a mental note to get him as much weed as he wants for the rest of their lives. Guy deserves it.

That’s mostly what Eddie’s thinking about when he sees it. It looks like a dead spider at first, but huge, its many legs curled up towards this place’s version of the sky.

Eddie doesn’t like it.

Not even a little bit.

Even more so when everyone but him tenses up. It takes him about two seconds to realize that shit, that’s probably the Mind Flayer. And then another three for his stomach to drop and his heart freeze in his chest and the thing starts moving.

He doesn’t know who turns and runs first. All he knows is that he’s gripping the sleeve of Steve’s jacket and getting the hell out of dodge. He’s not about to let himself or his boyfriend or their friends get fucking eaten up by a giant monster in a place filled with sand.

“I fucking hate this place!” Eddie screams while they run, doing their best to dodge those freaky giant spider monster legs.

“You’re not the only one!” Steve yells back.

They catch a break when Eleven throws a huge rock at that thing, and then it’s all making plans and Nancy being a badass and Eddie catching a break so he can pull Steve to him and knock their foreheads together.

“Promise me we’re getting out of here,” Eddie pants, wishing he had stopped smoking after he got himself half eaten by a bunch of demobats last year.

“I’m not letting you die here,” Steve breathes out, pushing his forehead more firmly against Eddie’s. “I know how much sand makes you itchy.”

“It’s the devil’s dust.” Eddie closes his eyes, nose filling with the scent of sweat and dirt and Steve he loves so much. “We’re taking a trip to the middle of the woods after this is all over. I want trees as far as I can see, sweetheart. I love trees.”

“Whatever you want,” Steve promises. He leans in for a bruising kiss, and his eyes are shining with sheer determination when he pulls back. “I love you.”

Eddie’s insides turn to mush, as it always happens when Steve tells him that. “I love you too.”
“We’ll finish this.”

“We will,” Eddie agrees, but he refuses to think otherwise. They’re going to put an end to this. They have to. They’re going to fuck Henry up and squash the Mind Flayer like a bug and then Eddie’s going to take Steve to the woods and kiss him until their lips hurt.

That’s a fucking promise.

*

“I love you,” Eddie says and doesn’t even bother opening his eyes when he hears Steve snort.

“Should I be jealous?” Steve asks, obviously amused.

Eddie ignores him in favor of going to the next tree, wrapping his arms around it, and hugging it tight. “And you, I love you too.”

The Hawkins woods is as familiar to Eddie as the palm of his hand. From going camping with Wayne to coming out here to smoke or sell to bringing Steve here so they can make out.

It smells green and there’s birds singing and, for miles and miles, no sand.

“Should I go? Leave you all alone for an hour or two?” Steve asks.

Eddie lets go of the tree, turning on his feet so he can lean back against it. He makes grabby hands at Steve. “Come here.”

Steve goes, letting Eddie grab him by the waist and gather him close. “Hi.”

“Hey.” Eddie rubs their noses together before pressing a soft kiss to Steve’s lips. “Thanks for being here.”

“You pushed me into the van and refused to let me go,” Steve reminds him.

Eddie shrugs one shoulder and kisses Steve again. “Thought it’d be good to come here for a little while. Just us.”

The past few months have been a whirlwind of dealing with the aftermath of ending Henry and destroying the Upside Down. Eddie doesn’t know what threats Eleven made to the military, but it took them less than a month to pack everything up and leave Hawkins for good.

They’re focused on rebuilding now, and little by little life feels like it’s getting back to normal. Maybe a little better, considering Steve’s parents left him the house and the Party is up there almost every day.

Eddie smiles a little, knowing how much Steve loves when he has a full house. Soon enough, the gremlins will graduate high school. He doesn’t really know what the rest of the Party is doing, but Dustin’s already making plans for college.

(It’s been a whole thing, with Steve insisting Dustin needs to apply to all of the fancy schools while Dustin wants to stay close to home. Eddie lets them argue about it. He knows Dustin is going to win, if only because Steve will love having him only an hour away.)

“Just us,” Steve murmurs, cupping Eddie’s face between his hands and kissing him slow and deep.

Eddie hums into it, licking into Steve’s mouth and swallowing his sigh. They both have plans, with Steve looking into coaching at Hawkins Middle School while Eddie does an apprenticeship at the new Tacher Tires. They plan on staying in town, or at least close to it, for the foreseeable future. Wayne’s here for now, and so are the kids—their family. They’re not about to let them go.

“Did you ever think you’d be here?” Eddie asks, nuzzling Steve’s hand.

Steve smiles at him, small and in love, and says, “I dreamed of it. You made it true.”

Eddie swallows past a lump in his throat. “You make my dreams come true too, Steve.”

Steve’s smile widens, as bright as the afternoon sun. “Love you, Eddie.”

“Love you too, sweetheart.”