With and Without You

chapter 7

I awake at around 8 and get ready for the day. I start making breakfast. Bacon, eggs, and pancakes. It is something that I like to do for Steve when he comes to get me. After all the driving he does for me, it's the least I could do. Suddenly, a knock on the door. I look at the clock and see it's only 8:20. Steve's early. I walk over to the door, unlocking it.
"Hey, you're........oh, Eddie, hey." Eddie stands at the door with wide eyes. He looks me up and down. A cold wind comes through the doorway, brushing my bare legs. "Come in." I say eagerly, letting him in wanting to keep the cold out.

Eddie's POV:

I walk inside out of the cold. Immediately, the aroma of bacon fills my nose. Y/n closes the door behind me and walks to the kitchen. I watch her carefully as she's is only in a shirt and her hair is thrown up. This is one of the rare times she's wears short sleeves. All her scars are visible, but so are her tattoos. She has bat tattoos, identical to mine, just opposite arms. She also has a chinese dragon along her thigh that is seeing sunlight for a change. She is obsessed with dragons. However, im mainly drawn to what looks like could be a tattoo on her back. One I've never seen before. I can't help but wonder what else could be under her shirt. I've always dreamt of it but never could get the courage to tell her how I really feel. I fell for her the minute I saw her at our place in the woods. She became my best friend, but my jealousy took over and messed up what was once a beautiful thing. Fortunately, we were getting back to that, but my feelings are just getting too strong. Losing her for those 6 months felt like a lifetime and made me realize I never wanted to be without her again. I want more but would rather have her friendship than nothing at all. I just can't risk losing that friendship for a small hope that she might feel the same. The flirting, the fighting. She makes it hard to tell. She places a full plate at the bar. "Well, what are you waiting for? Dig in."
"I can't......"
"Don't start. I made plenty." She interrupts. I eye the plate, causing my stomach to growl. We used to cook for each other all the time. Ok, she cooked, I got take out. I do have her orders down if that counts for anything. I couldn't resist.
"Mmmmm." I say with a moan, taking a bite of the bacon. "I definitely needed this."
"Not my fault you dont eat breakfast unless it's over here." She smarts off. She fills a second plate and sits it next to me. I assumed it was for her, but she began to make a third.
"Am I interrupting?" I asked, confused.
"Oh no, Steve is coming over. I'm going car shopping today." God Steve. Why am I not surprised. How they became such good friends so fast over a fire, I don't know. I'm fairly certain they are more, but I know not to say anything else. I can't lose her again. I avoid the Steve topic.
"Finally getting yourself something bigger than a board. Bout time."
"I still plan on using my board, but probably only when it's warm. It's sucks when it's this cold. It's time for an upgrade." She smiles at me. Seeing her face light up, I can't help but smile back.
"So hey, I was wondering if maybe you might want to hang out later." I ask. Over this past month, I've finally decided to take the chance to tell her how I feel. I can feel my cheeks start to blush. I go back to eating when a knock on the door.
"It's open." She yelled. The door opened, followed by Steve entering.
"Jesus, it has gotten cold. Do we really need to do this today?" He asked, rubbing his hands together.
"Yes. It's not gonna get any warmer. Do you wanna keep driving me everywhere?" She replies. Steve looks at me and I at him.
"Do you want me to come back?" He asks her.
"Not unless you don't want your breakfast." Y/n and I look at each other. "We're just catching up." She adds.
Steve walks over and sits next to me.
"Dude, seriously? You forgot again?" He says, gesturing to his plate.
"I didn't forget. Eddie ate all the bacon." She says. I look between them both with wide eyes. I about choke on the pancake in my mouth. I swallow.
"I did not." I look at her grinning. She walks over to the stove and walks back to us, sitting a plate of bacon in-between Steve and I.
"Such big babies." She says, grabbing her mug and leaning against the counter.
"Ah, come here, beautiful." Says Steve.
"Would you and the bacon like a room?" Y/n jokes. Things started to feel awkward. I had agreed to play nice with Stever for y/n/n, so I decided to try and make conversation.
"So, y/n/n says you're taking her car shopping?" I ask him. He nods.
"Yea, cause if someone doesn't go with her, then she will just pick one because of the color."
"Hey!" She objects.
"He's not wrong." I say.
"Ok, this is not gang up on y/n/n day. I'm going to go get dressed." Steve and I both quietly laugh. She puts away the syrup in the top cabinet. When she does, it raises her shirt just enough to reveal her red underwear. My favorite color. God, I wish I could see more. She walks off towards her bedroom, and my eyes can't help but follow her every movement. Once she leaves my sight, I notice Steve looking over at me, grinning. Does he know what I'm thinking? Doesn't he mind? I finish what's on my plate and put it in the sink. Steve broke the silence. "I'm glad you guys are hanging out  again."
"Yea, me too."
"She's been a pain in the ass. I don't know what it is, but when she's around you, she's calm."
"You sound just like how Henderson has been describing me."
"Listen, I want to clear up something." he says, putting his plate in the sink.
"Y/n and I, we've never......we were never together. We don't see each other that way. We're friends. Nothing more. I swear. We saw Billy die in that... fire. She needed someone who was there to talk to and went through something similar. She took all the weight on herself to try to help Max through that without getting help herself. She carries a lot of guilt, thinking that if she was with him, then he wouldn't have been killed. I made her talk to me. She wanted to talk with you but never figured out how to approach you about it."
"So I accused her over nothing?" I mumble to myself. A wave of guilt hits me.
"She tried telling you. She would never hurt you like that." It was a dick comment but the truth.
"I'm going to make it up to her." I look at him. He really isn't a bad guy. "Listen, Harrington. I'm sorry I judged you. Between Henderson worshiping you and y/n, i didn't want to believe that Steve Harrington was actually a good guy." I stick out my hand. He takes it, and we shake hand.
"We're good, man. Just don't hurt her again." Suddenly, y/n's bedroom door opens, and she emerges.
"What's this?" Ask y/n. She's wearing red jeans, a black knit sweater, and white reeboks. What this girl does to me.
"Uh...." I sa,  unable to form words. I star,  and she smiles at m,  blushing. Steve saves my ass.
"Just playing nice like you want." Steve says.
"Good. I'm glad." She replies.
"Um......right. so I'm gonna head out. Thanks for breakfast. Hang out soon?" I ask.
"Hey, why don't you come over tonight? Having a small get-together. Nancy, Robin, oh, and Steve is bringing the alcohol." She asks, walking up to me. That group? I'm not sure we would have fun. It's just not a lot in common.
"I'm not sure." I hesitate.
"Please, Eddie?! Come on. For me. Please?" She says, folding her hands together, acting like she's begging.
"How can I say no to that?" I say, looking at Steve.
"You can't." She smarts off. She wraps her arms around me, hugging me tight. I wrap my arms around her. She always smells amazing. Like lavender and lilac but a hint of cigarettes. She must have smoked while she was getting ready. That scent calms me, yet my heart still beats a mile a minute with her arms around me. I kiss the top of her head.
"Alright. I will see you guys tonight then."
"Around 730. I'm ordering pizza. Oh, and could you maybe bring a little of the good stuff."
"Really?"
"Please, darling." And that right there is why she will always have me wrapped around her finger. The way that left her lips. It set me a flame. I would do anything for her.
"Sure, sweetheart." I say, walking out the door.

Y/n POV:

"Darling? Sweetheart? Could you be more obvious?" Steve says.
"Oh hush. We have nicknames, too." I say pointing between us.
"Bug and Stevie is nothing like those."
"Don't forget sis and bro." I add.
"He clearly likes you." He says.
"What are you talking about? No, he doesn't."
"He does anything for you. Even after not talking for 6 months. If he doesn't like you, then I know nothing about girls." I look at him with a slight glare.
"You know nothing about girls." I say, grabbing my coat. "Come on. Let's find me a car."