After All This Time (Steddie)

Ch. 12: No Take Backs

TW; love n stuff

Knowing that I have tomorrow off eases my mind a bit, so I don't have to go back to being out in the open. Potentially risking my safety bubble of staying inside my apartment. Thank god Keith was at least understanding of that. He's a creep, not an asshole. Surprising honestly that he isn't like a lot of people in this town. Being an outcast has its perks I suppose, makes you more open minded.

Eddie's busy in the kitchen humming to himself making something for dinner. I wasn't fully aware of his cooking skills outside of microwaved dinners and maybe a bag of popcorn. But he's not burning anything yet so, let's keep that faith in him. It's nice having someone cook for me for once.

"Hey Eds?" I call out from the living room, still reading the apartment adds from the paper Eddie brought with him. "Yeah babe?" His voice echos back to me, anything this man says sounds like music. "So my lease is up in June..."

"Yeah? Okay. Well that's a little under a month away. We should start looking into places sooner than later." He emerges from the kitchen with two bowls of spaghetti. "Don't judge my cooking skills, I tried." A bowl gets set in front of me and I lean forward to grab it."No judgement. No one ever cooks for me." I smile and eat a few bites. "See I'm not dying. It's perfect. Thank you for cooking."

He smiles up at me, beaming. A proud look on his face. "Maybe you could teach me how to cook better than just the basics? Since we're moving somewhere new I could learn a new thing or two."

"I'd love to." We finish eating dinner and I go to the kitchen to clean up. All of this feels so natural, spending nights together. Cooking for each other. Discussing the future. I could get used to this.

The living room is empty when I return. I can hear Eddie rummaging around in my bedroom for something. Curiosity gets the best of me, so I walk in to find him under my bed. I laugh seeing only his calves and feet sticking out. "What the hell are you doing under there?" I hear a thump. "Fuck owww my head. I was.. -thump- ow. I was looking for something."

"I don't have anything under there except for boxes of winter clothes. What are you looking for?"

He wiggles his way out. I laugh, his hair has dust in it and he looks completely disheveled. "Don't you have an acoustic somewhere?" I nod. "In the closet. Why would I keep that under my bed?" He shrugs and stands up and goes to dig through the closet tossing things aside. "You're making a mess!" He chuckles and pulls the guitar out. "Geez mom I'm sorry I'll clean up my room" I glare at him, such a pain.

"Come out to the living room with me and sing. Please? It'll make me feel better." He gives me soft smile and I just cannot help but to nod in agreement. Music is an excellent escape to help destress this fucked up past day. I wanna get lost in his warm voice and not worry for a few minutes. Even if it is just for a few minutes.

He tunes my neglected guitar. It's just been sitting in my closet for months. Unloved, and unused. It makes sense he would remember I had one, even if it was stashed away behind all my belongings. I haven't played in a long time.

He strums a couple of times and starts to sing the song he wrote for me again. I match harmonies and sing along with him. How could I forget those words? The rush I first felt hearing it flows over me. Warm, full of love. I know this is the right choice. I know he's my forever. We have to make this move happen.

The song comes to an end and he strums mindlessly. "You're sure you want to do this? We have a plan in motion. All's that's left to do is for me to talk to my band about uprooting."

"More sure than I've been about anything before. I swear."

"We'll start calling places tomorrow then?" He has a hopeful grin, watching my face carefully. I smile softly down at my feet. "I think this is the start of forever for us."

"Forever?" I feel Eddie lifting up my chin to meet his gaze. "Hey remember no take backs. Don't fuck around with me now."

"No I mean that. I mean it from the bottom of my heart"

"Darlin those are some strong words."

"Eddie I promise you. I've never felt more sure. I can't stand going a day without you. You think all those random calls from me were just because I was bored? You think me stopping by after work more often than not was because I had nothing else to do? I could've come home and slept in my own bed and not on your couch. I could have spent nights alone and on my own. But I couldn't do that. I missed you. I craved your presence around me. It's completely engulfed me now. I never wanna be without you. I understand that now."

I feel my heart rate pick up at my own honesty. I can't live without him. I don't want to live without him. I can picture the rest of my days just spending moments with him like this.

"Steve, you're incredible."

"No take backs!" I laugh and hold one of his hands in mine. "So you're in? Forever?"

"Until you're sick of my shit." He smirks, squeezing my hand softly.

"I could never." I lean in and wrap my arms around him snugly. I couldn't imagine even just a few days ago making such quick decisions but that's what happens when you find your person I guess. I want happiness. I want good memories. I want all of the things that come along with being with your forever. And I really think we can make that happen.

I truly could almost thank that group of douchebags for ruining my car. Making me feel threatened, unwelcome. It's giving me just the right push I need to get out of here.

We have a little under one month left until graduation. I can see the light at the end of this tunnel. I can't wait. Breathing him in, and letting my head rest on his shoulder, I could confess my love over and over again and it would never be enough. "Thank you."

"For what?" He asks with a puzzled tone, slightly pulling back from our embrace. "For being who you are. For never leaving my side even when shits gotten rough, through all these years. You've seen me change into someone I'm proud to be. I just... thank you. So much."

"Baby you've done all that changing on your own. I've just been on the sidelines rooting for you. I gotta say though, I never thought I'd see the day of you confessing your love for me."

He's not wrong. I have gone through a ton of life altering changes pretty consistently. From fighting for my life in a very literal way, concurring the upside down alongside some really unlikely people, to ending up here in these quiet moments, I have done a lot of introspection and deciding I no longer want to hide who I am or how I feel. I've beat odds totally not in my favor.

This will be a completely new adventure. And I couldn't ask for a better one to be by my side.