It was weird having his parents in the house. For the first time in a very long time, not exactly bad weird, but still strange enough that Steve was on edge. The way his dad shut himself in his office with coffee and toast was not overly unusual. His dad had been a workaholic for years, so it was normal behaviour. His mom, on the other hand, was very much present.

She had a surprisingly lively debate with Dustin over breakfast about why Star Trek was far superior to Star Wars. Steve hadn't even been aware his mother knew what Star Trek was, let alone that she had apparently been a fan when she was younger. From the way she actually knew all the characters' names, Steve suspected his mom might have even been a closet nerd. It blew his mind.

He also realised he was never ever going to be allowed to forget it, no matter how long his parents decided to stay in town.

The way all the kids lined up to help load the dishwasher once breakfast was done made him feel a bit like a proud parent himself. Not that he was ever going to admit to his mother he usually had to cajole them into it. The living room was also returned to a tidy state remarkably quickly.

Nancy showed up soon after breakfast to pick up Mike and Lucas, which left Steve to drop off Dustin, Max, El and Will. It was all very civilised, but it didn't stop Steve speeding on the way home because he had once again left Robin and Eddie alone with his parents.

"It's like a compulsion," were the words he heard from Robin after making it back through the door.

"Yeah, Steve can't help himself when someone needs something," Eddie agreed. "Did he ever tell you how he first met Dustin?"

"No, I don't believe he did," his mom replied while he followed their voices to the kitchen.

"Helping to look for his lost cat," Robin supplied. "The way Steve tells it, he drove Dustin around for a bit before they took a little walk. The way Dustin tells it, they were out there for hours."

"Ended up at the junkyard with Lucas and Max, where Steve fought off jacked-up dogs with his baseball bat to keep the kids safe," Eddie added.

"It was Jonathan's bat originally," Steve said, feeling he had listened long enough.

His mom looked up from where she was sitting at the small kitchen table with Robin and Eddie.

"Everyone home safe?" she asked.

"Well until Dustin comes up with some new hairbrained experiment, yes," he replied. "Dustin's mom sent some of her secret recipe peanut bars," he added, placing the Tupperware box on the counter.

"Oh my god, gimmie," Eddie said, making grabby hands.

"You only just had breakfast," Steve pointed out.

"You have tasted those bars, right?" Eddie insisted.

"He has a point," Robin agreed.

Steve rolled his eyes and moved the box to the table.

"If either of you decide to jump in the pool fully clothed because you are on a sugar rush, I am not rescuing you," he said.

Eddie turned to look at Robin with his eyebrows raised.

"It was one time," she protested, "and I didn't jump in, I fell in. It was an accident."

Steve could tell his mom was trying not to laugh.

"And don't lie in front of your mother, Steven, you'd be in there like a shot dragging my sorry ass out," Robin said as she stole one of the bars.

"That's it, I'm locking the back door," he replied, and his mother did finally let out a quiet laugh.

He noticed her smile turn fond when Eddie broke one of the bars in half and passed part of it to him. It wasn't like he could refuse after that.

"You really should try one," he told him mom as he sat down. "I'm not sure what Claudia puts in them, but they're almost as good as Grandma Lucy's cookies."

"High praise indeed," his mom said, "but I unfortunately am no longer close to twenty and my blood sugar would hate me. If there are any left, I will try one later."

"Do you have a safe?" Eddie asked with a grin. "I think that might be the only way to stop Robin eating the lot."

"Hey," Robin complained, "you're one to talk Mr I-can-eat-an-entire-box-of-cereal-in-one-sitting."

Steve snorted a laugh as his best friend and his boyfriend continued to bicker. That his mother was watching them with a slightly bemused, but pleased expression on her face was strange, but it was also good. He let himself enjoy it while it lasted, even if the voice of doubt in the back of his mind was still waiting for the other shoe to drop.

~*~

It was late when Steve and Eddie got back after Steve's shift at Family Video. He'd been on closing and since Robin had not been on with him, Eddie had insisted on accompanying him. It had become something of a habit. Eddie was no longer going full incognito, but it seemed as if Hawkins was beginning to mostly ignore him once more. Not that Steve was on board with people ignoring Eddie, but it was much better than the alternative.

Trying to eat one of the customers because they were nasty to Eddie would definitely get him fired.

"Hi, Mom," he said as he put his keys in the bowl by the door.

His mother was watching TV while also apparently reading a book. Now that he thought about it, he remembered her doing it a lot when he was small.

"Hello, Darling," his mom said, turning and giving him a smile. "How was work?"

"I only had to explain twice that movies that are still in theatres aren't available to rent, so pretty good," he replied.

"I still say you should just give them a random tape from a shelf every time they ask," Eddie added. "They probably don't even know what they're asking about."

"And I've explained I kind of want to keep my job," Steve replied. "Coffee?"

"Yeah, thanks," Eddie replied.

Steve had no idea how Eddie did it, but he could drink coffee last thing at night and still sleep. Steve was more of a hot chocolate kind of guy. He had enough trouble with interrupted sleep that he did not need caffeine in the mix.

"Mom, can I get you anything?" he asked.

"I'm good," his mom replied.

Heading into the kitchen, he flipped on the light and started on the drinks. By the time he made it back into the living room, Eddie was sitting on the couch near his mom, and they appeared to be talking about the book she had been reading. He handed Eddie a mug while doing his best to stifle a yawn.

Apparently, he didn't do a very good job, because Eddie noticed instantly.

"Okay, bed for you," Eddie said.

Steve gave his boyfriend his best bitchy stare for that.

"Do not make me break out your full name," Eddie threatened.

"You don't even know my full name," Steve pointed out.

"Well then don't make me subject your lovely mother to my truly terrible guesses," Eddie said with a sweet smile. "Last night was bad for you and you've been on the go all day."

"I slept all the way through last night," he countered.

"Kinda," was all Eddie said.

That wasn't exactly a settling response. Steve did not remember waking up the previous night. He didn't even remember any dreams, but Eddie seemed to be suggesting that wasn't the case.

The fact was, he had been about to suggest they head upstairs anyway, but he was nothing if not stubborn. He put one hand on his hip.

"Steven Au...."

"Okay, okay," he surrendered before Eddie could get going. "But only because I do not want my mom mentally scarred by whatever you come up with."

His mom was being absolutely no help, just sitting there smiling demurely. He was beginning to think his mom might have a very wicked sense of humour that he had never been able to appreciate when he was younger and that had been hidden from him for his teenage years.

"Impressive," his mom said. "I'm afraid Steve gets his stubborn side from me. There was this one time..."

"Mom!" he protested.

She smiled sweetly at him.

"I'm going, I'm going," he said and headed for the stairs with his hot chocolate in hand. "Good night, mom," he added as he reached the stairs with Eddie close behind him.

"Good night, Darling," his mom replied.

On the landing, Eddie paused, looking over at the door to the room that was technically his, but that he'd never actually slept in.

"Yeah, no," Steve said without having to think about it, "I do not plan on waking up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night."

Eddie still had nightmares and Steve had gained a whole new set to go with his old ones, sleeping alone was like playing Russian roulette with only one chamber empty in the gun. They might have to forgo the cuddling that had become something of a thing, while his parents were home, but he needed Eddie close. He wasn't up for that battle any time soon. Really, he never wanted to have that battle at all if he could help it. Given how Eddie put up no fight at all, he was sure they were on the same page.

What he hadn't anticipated was having his hot chocolate taken away and put on the side, before being crowded up against the wall next to the bathroom as soon as his bedroom door closed behind them.

"Been dying to do this all day," Eddie said quietly before diving in for a kiss.

The moment Eddie's lips touched his, Steve melted into the touch. He hadn't been aware of how much tension he was carrying around until it flowed away. Wrapping his arms around Eddie, he pulled him closer and kissed back for all he was worth. Not that either of them dared to try for tongues. They'd had a lot of practice and they were quite good at it, but it was still too much of a risk. If blood became involved, they would be loud, very loud.

When Eddie broke away and started kissing across his chin and down his neck, he put his head back and just enjoyed it. Sometimes he wondered how he had ever lived without this. Nothing in the world could ever make him give it up as long as Eddie would have him.