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“My fingers hurt.”
Steve was currently sitting on Eddie’s bed. His boyfriend’s guitar was resting on his lap as he inspected his fingers.
“Yeah, that’s normal when you start playing. Once your hands get used to it, it won’t hurt at all big boy.”
Steve pouted. He had started learning how to play the guitar only a few weeks ago after Eddie had asked him if he wanted to try. Steve had accepted his offer as he had always wanted to be the cool friend who could play an instrument, so now Eddie was giving him lessons whenever they hung out in his trailer.
“Is there a way for me to play without literally scraping my hands?” Steve asked, discouraged.
Eddie looked at Steve’s fingers. They were not bleeding, but he could feel the dryness and he saw Steve wince when he pressed a bit on the pads. Eddie let go of his boyfriend’s hand before looking around his bedroom, he then stood up and went to his desk.
“Wait a sec, I think I have a guitar pick somewhere under all this shit.”
Steve chuckled while watching Eddie rummage through some papers and school books. After a minute or two Eddie finally found what he had been looking for under his old pencil case.
“Ah! Found it!”
Eddie turned back to his boyfriend, a proud smile on his face and a tiny black guitar pick between his fingers.
“Here you go baby, we don’t want to hurt your pretty hands now, do we?”
“Shut up.”
Steve blushed as Eddie gave him a peck on the lips before sitting down on the bed next to him. He took the pick between his fingers and tried to play a chord.
“Ahhhhh, it doesn’t hurt anymore, what would I do without my amazing boyfriend!”
“You would probably be hanging out with Robin and listening to mediocre pop songs.” Eddie shrugged.
“Hey,” Steve gave Eddie a small hit on his chest. “My taste in music is impeccable!”
Eddie laughed before kissing his boyfriend once more. “Yeah yeah, I was just teasing you baby.”
Steve stuck his tongue out, before refocusing his attention on the guitar.
He tried out the different chords he had learned so far while Eddie watched him intently, correcting him when his fingers weren’t in the right place.
“I’ll be right back, I’m gonna take a piss.”
Steve humed in response, he was totally concentrated on getting a particular chord right.
As Eddie left the room, Steve tried hard to hit the chord but just couldn’t get it, so he gave up and took a short break. He stretched his arms and layed down on top of Eddie’s bed, the guitar resting on his stomach. Steve was looking at the ceiling, a hand lazily brushing through his hair, then he suddenly sat up.
Maybe Eddie also needs a pick for playing. If I keep his pick, he won’t be able to play…
Determined, Steve looked around the messy bedroom, and spotted a pair of scissors on Eddie’s dresser. He smiled to himself as he stood up to take them.
Eddie came back into the room as Steve finished his little DIY project.
“Tadah!” Steve exclaimed with a smile on his face, showing the now cut in half pick proudly to his boyfriend.
“Uh… Steve?”
“Look, I thought you might also want to play with the pick, so I cut it in half! Now we can both play at the same time!!”
Eddie gave Steve a weird look. His big brown eyes analyzing his boyfriend.
With a barely suppressed laugh, he took one half of the pick from Steve.
“You do know that it will be impossible to play with half a pick, right?”
Steve’s smile withered with Eddie’s words. He looked dumbfounded at the other half of the pick that was still clasped in his hand.
“...There is no way I’m actually that dumb…”
Eddie laughed, ruffling his boyfriend’s hair. Steve gave him a sorry look, at least Eddie didn’t seem upset with him for ruining his only pick.
“Don’t worry Stevie I’ll buy another one, but until then you’ll have to play without it.”
Steve sighed, his fingers were still hurting and now he had lost his solution to playing more comfortably. He placed the guitar down against the bed frame and wrapped his arms around Eddie’s waist.
“I’m sorry, it made perfect sense in my head.”
Eddie gently stroked his hair, placing a tender kiss on his forehead.
“Like I said, you don’t need to feel bad about this… Can’t say it didn’t surprise me though.” Eddie laughed again and Steve playfully smacked him.
“Please stop, this is so embarrassing.” Steve was laughing too, his head hidden in Eddie’s chest.
Eddie kept joking about it for a while. Steve tried to keep serious but his boyfriend was just too funny. Eventually Eddie grew tired of teasing.
“Hey… give me your hand.” Eddie asked.
Steve placed his hand on Eddie’s. The older boy slowly brought them up to his face and gently kissed each one of Steve’s bruised fingers.
“Here, this will make you feel better.”
“I’m not sure about that, but thanks.” Steve smiled at Eddie and gently kissed his lips again. Eddie kissed him back, his own fingers tangling into Steve’s hair.
“Can I keep my destroyed pick at least? As a souvenir of you being an idiot?” Eddie asked against his boyfriend’s lips.
“It was yours in the first place.”
“Let’s say one half is mine, and the other half is yours. What do you think?”
“Yeah, so I can also keep a souvenir of my dumb ass.”
Eddie laughed again. “Yeah, that’s the idea.”
“I hate you.”
“We both know you love me Stevie.” Eddie winked at him and squeezed him even tighter.
“Shut up, that’s a secret.”
Eddie hummed, his cheek pressed against the top of Steve’s head. He also loved his boyfriend.
Several months later
Steve was seated across from Eddie, they were enjoying a meal at a small diner not too far away from Hawkins. Steve had asked Robin if she wanted to join them but she had said something about third wheeling so the two boys were alone.
“Hey Eds, do you remember that pick I cut in half?”
“How can I forget!” Eddie wiggled his eyebrows and Steve gave him a defeated look.
“Anyway, do you still have it?”
“Yup, it’s in my wallet actually.”
Steve stared at Eddie as he stole some whipped cream from his ice cream.
“In your wallet?”
Eddie nodded as he looked playfully at Steve, a spoon in his mouth.
“What?”
“I don’t know. It’s weird to keep a guitar pick in your wallet.”
“I mean it’s weird to cut a pick in half in the first place.” Eddie teased Steve.
Steve rolled his eyes and smirked, “It makes me think of the men who keep a pic of their girlfriends in their wallet.”
“Yeah that’s the idea.” Eddie smiled.
“Do you think you could give it to me?” Steve asked, slightly flustered by Eddie’s cavalier response.
“The pick?”
“Yeah.”
“Why do you need it?” Eddie asked, an eyebrow raised, his curiosity was piqued.
“Just y’know, I want to see if I can glue the two parts back together.”
Eddie gave Steve a weird look, not convinced about his boyfriend’s answer. But he still took his wallet out of his jean’s back pocket, placing it on the table between them, and sliding the pick to his boyfriend. Steve looked at him as he took it between his fingers.
“Here ya go Stevie.” Eddie winked at him.
“Thanks.”
Steve put it away in his own wallet, the parallel making him smile.
They finished their desserts - obviously Eddie kept stealing some of his boyfriend’s ice cream. Steve acted as if he saw nothing, but he had a smile on his face the whole time they were at the diner and it was still there when Eddie drove him home.
He gently pecked his boyfriend’s lips before jumping out of the van. Before he left, Steve leaned down to the car’s window.
“See you tomorrow at the trailer?”
“Yeah sure!”
“Bye Eddie… and by the way… I’m really digging that whipped cream taste.” Steve winked at Eddie and gave him a mischievous grin before entering his house.
His parents were once again away, probably on one of their usual business trips, so Steve was all alone for a few days - well when Eddie wasn’t crashing at his place anyway.
After locking the front door behind him and removing his shoes, Steve went upstairs to his bedroom. He sat down at his desk and took Eddie’s pick out, inspecting it. His boyfriend had taken great care of it as it was just like when he had cut it.
“Perfect.” Steve said out loud as he looked for his lighter.
Since in a few days it was going to be their first anniversary, Steve wanted to make a little something for his boyfriend… something special he had made all by himself.
Sure, Steve was not the most creative guy out there but the simple thought of making Eddie happy was enough to kick his mind into gear.
The idea he had in mind was a matching pair of bracelets, made from the pick he had cut earlier this year. One for Eddie and one for him. He had kept his half in his bedside table, and now he had Eddie’s in his hands.
Steve took his old compass out and flicked his lighter. He started to heat the tip of the compass’ needle with the flame until the metal changed color.
Steve was focused, his tongue sticking out of his lips (a habit he had caught from Eddie), as he took the pick in his other hand and melted a hole in it with the now heated needle. He blew for a bit on both the pick and the tip until they had both cooled down, nodding as he looked at his work.
Steve then redid the same thing but this time on his own pick. Finally, he added a thin leather cord he had bought earlier this week to both halves.
“Done!”
Steve compared the two bracelets. Yes they were definitely not perfect, but he had made them himself. It was a meaningful gift for his boyfriend, so he was actually quite proud of his hand made jewelry. He couldn’t wait to show them to Eddie and see his reaction - he was sure he would love it.
A few days later, Steve found himself sitting on the hood of Eddie’s car with his boyfriend next to him. His head rested comfortably on Eddie’s shoulder as they looked at Lover’s Lake from their parking place. The sun had set earlier but it wasn’t dark thanks to the car’s headlights. Eddie sighed in contentment, his ringed fingers lazily tracing patterns on Steve’s arm.
Steve dug his free hand inside his jean’s pocket, retrieving a small parcel. Eddie raised his head from his shoulder, looking at his boyfriend questioningly.
“Hey… so you know the other day when I asked for your pick?” Steve started.
Eddie nodded, his big brown eyes drowning in his boyfriend’s gaze.
“Well, I made something out of it…”
Eddie raised an eyebrow, his curiosity tickled. He looked at Steve as he handed him the small packet.
“Open it.” Steve said with a smile.
Eddie emptied the parcel into the palm of his hand, revealing the two bracelets that had been carefully wrapped inside. He examined them closely.
“Is that my pick?” Eddie asked.
Steve nodded. “Since it’s our first anniversary, I wanted to make something a bit special for you, I know it’s not like fine jewelry, but I thought you would like-” Steve was cut off mid sentence by Eddie’s lips crashing on his. It was a tender kiss, full of love and passion. Steve felt Eddie smile into the kiss, as his stomach suddenly started doing somersaults.
“I love it, baby. I really do… and it’s a matching pair too… God I love you Steve Harrington, you’re the best boyfriend ever.” Eddie kissed him again and again, until they had almost no air left in their lungs.
Steve giggled as he looked at his boyfriend - his cheeks were red and his hair a complete mess (Steve was partially to blame for that one). Eddie was still holding the bracelets.
“Hey, let me have your bracelet. I’ll tie it around your wrist.” Steve said, smiling.
Eddie stretched out his right arm and handed Steve one of the bracelets. Steve tied it not too tightly around his wrist and then burned the end with his lighter to avoid it from unraveling itself. Eddie looked fondly at his boyfriend as he finished.
“Here you go Eds.”
Eddie thanked him by pecking his lips once more. Steve laughed as his boyfriend started to press kisses down his throat.
“Well, I didn’t imagine you would like it that much.”
“I love you so much Steve.”
“Love you too Eddie.” Steve answered as Eddie hid his head in the crook of his neck, his arms wrapped around Steve’s waist.
They cuddled like that for a bit, Steve rocking them gently, kissing Eddie’s wild curls every now and then. Eddie finally rose from Steve’s arms. Gently, he took Steve’s hand and without saying a word he tied the other bracelet around his wrist.
“Now we match!”
“Yeah we do.”
“God we sound like those cheesy straight couples that appear on TV,” Eddie groaned.
Steve laughed, not expecting that from his boyfriend. “You’re right, we do sound like them.”
“I’m glad Robin is not here, she would tease us until our dying breath.”
“God yeah.” They both laughed, thinking about Robin teasing them. As if she wasn’t any better with Nancy…
“Anyway, I also have something for you Steve.” Eddie said with a mischievous smile.
Steve raised an eyebrow, he was not expecting to receive a gift from Eddie. He looked at his boyfriend as he hopped down from the car’s hood, walking to the truck. As he came back, Steve saw him holding a big thing in his arms. Since it was a bit dark, he couldn’t clearly see what it was until Eddie faced him.
“It was too big for me to wrap it, but I figured out that you would like it.”
Steve couldn’t believe it, his boyfriend had gifted him a guitar. He stepped down from the hood and jumped into Eddie’s arms (gently so as not to damage the guitar).
“Eddie, are you crazy? You didn’t have to gift me a whole ass guitar.” Steve exclaimed, still shocked by his gift.
Eddie leaned down a bit, still holding the guitar and gently kissed Steve. Steve wrapped his hands around Eddie’s neck, deepening the kiss.
“One of my neighbors was selling it, so I thought maybe it was time for you to have your own… and at least now I’ll be sure that you won’t try to cut my guitar in half.” Eddie laughed. Steve smacked him, but he was also laughing.
“Please, it's not funny. God you’re so dumb, I love you.”
They both laughed, the guitar squeezed between them as they kept kissing again and again.