Baby metalhead

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Steve let out a groan when he heard his alarm going off. It was Saturday but he had to go to work in about two hours, so he needed to get ready.
Still pretty much asleep, he got up and went over to his drawer, pulling out his work clothes and laying them onto his chair.

It was then when he heard a stifled cry, and basically shot around.
There he thought he was having a normal morning before work, but he had completely forgotten the dude he had over.
Steve shook his head, trying to figure out where the cry had come from, because he couldn't see Eddie in his room.
The bed was empty, hence why Steve didn't remember right away that he had company the night before.

In an attempt to find Eddie, he left his room, looked up and down the hallway, and sure enough, there sat Eddie Munson, leaning against the wall, tears streaming down his face and the sweater he had given the other yesterday was pressed against his mouth with force in an attempt to be quiet.

Steve felt sad for the other, but was also pretty confused.
His friends from years before, back when he was an absolute asshole, had often brought drugs to his parties. But none of them ever acted the way Eddie did yesterday, and Steve just guessed the high hadn't worn off still, which was also weird.

So he just made his way over, closing the small distance between them, and just like in the boathouse, knelt down in front of the other.

„Hey man, uh...are you still, like...high or something?" he asked, unsure how to approach. But given that Eddie jolted back against the wall, tear filled eyes now looking at him in a panic, gave Steve the impression that this had been the wrong question.

Eddie let his head hang low and wiped his face in frustration, and tried to get the tears off his face inconspicuously, which Steve brushed off, not wanting to mention to the other that he had seen him cry already.

„I'm sorry dude..." Eddie whispered, his voice sounding broken and weak.
„I wasn't high...and i'm not...i don't understand what was going on with me yesterday, but it happens sometimes...I am sorry you had to deal with me, but please don't tell Henderson...you can punch me or something if that's satisfying enough but please..." he pleaded, and Steve paused for a second.

„Why would i punch you dude? Because you acted weird? Slept in bed with me when you clearly needed it? It's fine, really." he tried to reassure the other, who looked at him for the first time, completely taken aback by what he just heard.

So Harrington didn't want to hurt him? But he acted like an actual freak, and there was no way the other didn't hear the nickname he let slip out yesterday.

Steve sighed.
„Look, how about we eat something and then i can call over the others. We, or at least Dustin, is completely sure that you didn't kill that girl...And if i trust someone's impression of people, it's him. Don't tell him that though."

Eddie laughed weakly at that.
He knew, once he really told them what happened, they wouldn't be so sure about him being innocent anymore. He knew how this shit sounded. And he couldn't blame them.
But breakfast didn't sound bad, so he gave a shy nod to signal the other his agreement.

Steve got up at that, and offered Eddie a hand. He could've gotten up himself, but Steve wanted the other to feel heard and seen, and what better way to do than to believe him for now and to show that.

Eddie took his hand, and let go off it just as fast once he was on his feet, not wanting to make the other feel weird.
He didn't know if Steve knew of his sexual orientation, but it was probably obvious by how he walked around.
Always the outcast.

Steve made them omelette, the only thing he could cook, and while Eddie was eating after the other assured him it was fine, he called Dustin on the walkie-talkie.