After All This Time (Steddie)

Ch.6: Are You Lonely?

A/N; okay this songs been stuck in my head for days and days and I highly recommend listening to it when you read this chapter. "This Side of Paradise" by: Coyote Theory (I don't own rights it just sounds like something Eddie would write in this story since he's a big squish and Ik it's not from the eighties but try to tell me it's not their song in this story. I'll die in this hill.)  I do apologize for all the dialog in this one. Steve's got a lot to say. Lol.

TW; love, emotional moments, drug use, light smut at the very end. (I don't think I'll be adding too much smut to this tbh so sorry out there to you thirsty ones 😂)

I wake up a few hours later to an empty bed. I stretch out and yawn, there's the sound of light guitar playing from the living room. I'm assuming Eddie is practicing for Corroded Coffin's next show but it sounds... different. Slower. Gentle and sweet.

I hear him stop, and restart a few times before deciding I should probably get out of bed. Even if it's comforting just laying here listening to guitar lowly in the background. It's nearly noon.

I pad out to the living room and Eddie is facing the other way, still strumming mindlessly and singing quietly. "Are you lonely...our fingers crashing dancing when they meet...you seem so lonely...I'll be the only dream you seek...so if you're lonely, no need to show me. If you're lonely come be lonely with me..." I don't want to interrupt. He seems really focused. But he freezes momentarily. Noticing me watching him from the hall, I'm sure. "I uh. I'm working on something. Come sit. I'll sing it for you." I come and sit in the space next to him on the couch.

"The sound's different for you. You're usually all metal." He grins and looks over at me. "I'm not always metal, darlin." The nickname makes me breath hitch. Him being soft isn't something I've gotten to see much of. He's usually all sass and humor. But he's quiet and gentle in this moment, I guess feelings can help someone calm their wild sides down a bit.

"Hear me out. We've been spending a lot of time together and I had this... idea. I know you've been lonely. I know after all of our friends left it's been hard on you. We have the kids, obviously. But they're so caught up in their own shit most the time. And I've been... well inspired. And I just finished writing it this morning while you've been asleep."

"You wrote me a song, Eds?"

He smiles softly down at his guitar. "Uh yeah... I did. So. Just sit there and look pretty and let me sing to you. But, do me a favor. Look at this sheet for me, sing the parts in parentheses. If you would so kindly. I need someone to harmonize."

He hands me a sheet of paper with a bunch of stuff crossed off and music notes messily scrawled across lines. He starts in on his guitar, smiling up at me then back down at his hands.

"Ask me why my heart's inside my throat. I've never been in love, I've been alone. Feel like I've been living life asleep. Love so strong it makes me feel so weak. Are you lonely? (Are you lonely?) Our fingers dancing when they meet. You seem so lonely (are you lonely?) I'll be the only dream you seek. So if you're lonely, no need to show me. If you're lonely, come be lonely with me. Lonely (are you lonely?) Passion is crashing as we speak. You seem so lonely (are you lonely?) You're the ground my feet won't reach. So if you're lonely, darling you're glowing. If you're lonely, come be lonely with me. Underneath the pale moonlight. Dreaming of a circus life. Carousels and Ferris heights. I'll be yours if you'll be mine. 'Cause I'm lonely, I'm so lonely. If you hold me, I'll be your only. Are you lonely? (Are you lonely?) Our fingers dancing when they meet. You seem so lonely (are you lonely?) I'll be the only dream you seek. So if you're lonely, no need to show me. If you're lonely, come be lonely with me. Are you lonely? Passion is crashing as we speak. You seem so lonely. You're the ground my feet won't reach. So if you're lonely. Darling, you're glowing. If you're lonely, come be lonely with me"