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Steve was more than aware that the Party of kids that seem to always want him around can be a bit on the stupid side. Not from a lack of brain cells–those kids may just be hogging half of the brain cells in this whole dead end fucking town–but more of a lack of self-preservation. All the stuff with the Upside Down has crossed some wires in their brains between danger and fun. Things are nowhere near as interesting to them if there isn't a threat of danger involved. None of them would ever be able to have fun without a bit of danger whether that be intercepting a Russian frequency or sneaking through Scoops Ahoy to steal seats in the movie theater like little criminals.
And so when Dustin volunteered the idea of a ‘Ritual’ half of the group was more than ready to try. Will was the only one of the kids that was against it and well he was right alongside every adult in the group. But then Dustin wouldn't leave it alone. He kept pushing and pushing till he had everyone besides Steve in on his plan.
Dustin was unforgiving in his pestering. Then instead of getting Steve’s okay, he tricked him into joining instead. In hindsight, Steve should have been more wary. He felt the charge in the kids' demeanors when they all met at the old abandoned trash yard. He should have assumed they were up to something bad right off the bat but he’ll be honest, Dustin had finally made him crack, he just had not owned up to that fact quite yet.
Then the kids started pulling out all their ‘ritual supplies’, Steve couldn't just leave them to their own devices even if Robin, Nancy and Johnathan were hovering in the background.
Steve stands off to the side, his arms crossed over his chest as the group sits hand in hand in a wide circle around the pentagram and circle made of salt. There's a free spot between an over excited Dustin and an annoyed Nancy. Everything about her demeanor says that she couldn't care less about all of this and the only reason she's here is because Dustin and, no doubt, Mike wouldn't leave her alone about it. I'm sure Johnathan tagging along made this all sound more bearable, and Steve was relatively sure that he came to support Will who probably confined in him about being worried about all of this.
Dustin looks up to Steve and curls his hand in a ‘come at me’ motion. Steve frowns further. “I still don’t think this is a good idea.”
Dustin huffs. “Well, you're here already. You might as well join.”
“I'm only here because you lied to me,” Steve grumbles.
The kid shrugs dramatically. “Suck it up, man. Hurry up.”
Steve grumbles some more before begrudgingly taking the free spot between Dustin and Nancy. Dustin quickly grabs his hand while Nancy takes his at a much gentler pace.
Dustin ominously flickers his eyes from each and every person sitting around the circle. Steve follows a similar pattern, doing his best to read if any of the kids are genuinely uncomfortable and need to back out.
Will holds onto Mike’s hand anxiously but still has a small spark of excitement in his eyes. Mike looks excited as well; his hand intertwined with Eleven’s. Lucas reluctantly holds hands with Robin and Eleven.
Since everything happened with Vecna and Max was hurt, Lucas never seems to want to touch anyone else. He had a firm grip on her hand while sitting by her bedside the entire time it took for her to wake up. And now he holds her hand while they sit up and talk or as she does her physical therapy. She still hasn't been cleared to leave the hospital but visitors are always welcome and everyone in the group does their best to go and see her as much as their schedules allow.
Robin looks bored out of her mind and Steve is more than sure that there is a mantra of ‘you're all idiots. You've been spending too much time with the dingus’ playing in her head. Granted, Steve is the only one of the ‘idiots’ that was adamantly against this. Not that she would change her mind.
Jonathan and Nancy lean towards each other with their hands firmly clasped. After everything, the two of them resolved whatever issues were causing stress between them. And there had been stress, Steve would know. He noticed it the moment Nancy looked at him a bit longer than she should. Her eyes were screaming that she missed him. Steve didn’t hope that maybe she did want him again. He had buried those feelings then lost them a good while ago so there wasn't much desire for them to be rekindled.
Plus at the time he’d had his eyes on someone else. Not that his someone else was able to stay around long. Or the one before that…
Steve has practically given up on love after all his failed and miserable attempts. He wouldn't want to spark one of those failed ones just for them to fail again. His heart wouldn't be able to handle being broken again.
Dustin brings everyone’s attention to him when he starts speaking. Steve pretty much tunes it all out because he knows for a fact that whatever that kid is saying will only make this whole situation freakier than it already is. Dustin has a talent for doing that to almost anything.
He feels Dustin let go of his hand, soon followed by Nancy. That's when he brings himself back into the moment. Everyone releases each other's hands before pulling out various sharp objects. Steve tenses. What the hell do they need those for?!
He goes to interject but everyone is cutting or poking their fingers before he can. Dustin grabs his hand, ignoring Steve’s involuntary flinch and cuts the tip of his finger.
Steve is staring at Dustin wide eyed and with betrayal written plainly across his face. When Dustin speaks, Steve has half a mind to punch the kid. He loves Henderson but damnit, you don't just grab someone’s hand and cut them without asking.
“We offer, to you, our blood. Come forth and join us.”
Steve is too slow to pull his hand back and drops of his blood soak into the ground beneath the pentagram, along with blood from everyone else gathered around the circle. He snatches his hand out of Dustin's while glaring at the kid. Dustin doesn't care or maybe he doesn't notice as the temperature around them drops.
Steve is automatically on guard. The wind picks up and the stupid cheap candles Dustin places around them flicker out. The hairs on the back of his neck rise as hushed, frightened whispers break from all around him. The moon is out, bright and high in the night sky but it’s not nearly enough for anyone to see around themselves.
The candles flicker back to life just in time for Steve to catch the fog growing in the middle of the pentagram. Fear charges the air as the fog grows and stretches high in the air. It seems to grow impossibly tall to them all as they watch with rapt attention, each of them still sitting firmly on the ground.
“Where the hell did you find this ritual Henderson!?” Steve demands as the flames on the candles grow to epic proportions. He feels the heat lick at his back. That heat is a stark contrast to the chill shoving at them from the foggy center of the circle.
“I don't know! I honestly didn't think it would work!” Dustin replies, his words high pitched and fearful. “I just thought it would be fun!” He practically cries.
“Well, obviously something is happening!” Robin yells, her voice freaked and breaking around the clog in her throat.
Steve scans the rest of the group. Nancy and Jonathan have their arms wrapped around each other. Lucas watches the fog with a hand covering his face. Mike is completely terrified, his eyes wide and mouth dropped open. On either side of him, Eleven and Will watch with completely still expressions. Steve can see their fear within the shaking of their limbs but their faces, their eyes have completely stilled.
That sets him even further on edge. Will and El have had moments like this before. And the only time those moments happened was when something involved the Upside Down. Anxiety creates a compress on his chest, a stone sinking in his stomach. Steve’s fists clench and unclench. Half of him is preparing for a fight while the other is screaming for him to run. Something about this is worse than the Upside Down. For the most part he knew what to expect in the Upside Down but this? He doesn't have a clue what to expect.
Dustin reaches out and grabs onto Steve’s arm. He grips hard enough to cut off the blood flow in his arm, but he couldn't care less about that right now.
The fog starts spiraling in angry gusts. It swirls and swirls, blowing out the candles. Everyone grabs a hold of someone else, covering their faces as salt and blades or grass fly. Steve knows that if they survive whatever this is, he'll have to spend an annoying amount of time washing grass and salt out of his perfectly quaffed hair.
Steve shivers as the chill consumes the area around them. His thin sweater isn't nearly enough to protect him from that. Dustin shoves his head into Steve’s side, wrapping himself around the man like an oversized koala.
Then stillness falls over the clearing.
Steve is the first to look. He's always the first to face the danger if the kids are around. He has to protect them so the moment things stop flying Steve opens his eyes and faces whatever the hell they just summoned.
And his throat clogs, an unbearable tightness making it difficult to breathe. Because in front of him are the two ghosts who own his broken heart.
—
“-eve. Steve!” Dustin’s voice tugs at Steve’s mind. The mind that seems to have frozen from shock. Steve swears he saw some ghosts. His eyes focus back in and yeah, those ghosts are there right in front of them. Dustin shakes his arm from his position at his side, still slightly wrapped around Steve.
Did he pass out? No. No, he just disassociated.
“What the fuck?” he croaks around that tightness still holding strong to his throat and lungs.
“Steve?” Dustin prods, his voice quieter and less frantic.
Steve looks around the clearing, the ghosts constantly in his periphery. Everyone is still in a state of disarray. No one else has looked up yet.
Has Dustin even looked yet? Steve asks himself. He nudges the kid next to him with his elbow and whispers as quietly as he can, “do you see who I see?”
“Wha-?” Dustin looks up and sees what shocked Steve enough to make him freeze the way he has. A choked off sound comes from the back of his throat, and he reaches up to cover his mouth, his bottom lip quivering.
In the middle of the clearing two figures stand, looking more put together than they did when they died. One is dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a ripped white wife beater, his dirty blonde mullet frazzled. Blood stains the wife beater but the giant rip in the chest area reveals healed golden skin. The other is dressed in a hellfire t-shirt, black ripped jeans and a torn leather jacket, his black curly hair more crazy than ever. Underneath the holes in his shirt smooth, healed pale skin gleams in the moonlight.
They’re intact. They look healed. Alive.
Eddie Munson and Billy Hargrove look a little worse for wear but alive.
What the fuck!?
Steve stares, mouth gaping wide as their eyes open and automatically land on him. Eyes that are much less human than the rest of them. Eddie’s eyes are red and glowing brightly in the dark night. Billy’s are purple and what should be white is blacked out. But Steve doesn't care because it's them. There's no doubt about it. No one could ever replicate their exact stances, their exact styles, their exact injuries.
Steve scrambles to his feet and breaks free of Dustin's hold.
“Wait, Steve! It could be a trick!” Dustin’s voice urges him to not be rash. As if Henderson can say anything about being rash. The little brat was the one who brought up the idea of a Ritual in the first place. Only now, instead of resentment, Steve feels complete and utter gratitude.
He crashes into Eddie and Billy, an arm around each of their necks. They are solid against him. Completely solid. Real. Their arms wrap around his back pulling him close as he holds onto them for dear life. They were dead and now they're here, in his arms and breathing against opposite sides of his neck as they bury their faces.
“Hey there, big boy.” Eddie murmurs against his neck, his voice its normal cheerful, mocking tone.
“Harrington.” Billy murmurs on his other side, his voice darker, harder than he remembers but his nonetheless.
Steve holds onto them harder, scared that if he backs off they’ll disappear and be dead all over again.
“You survived in the Upside Down.” Eleven’s voice breaks through the clearing. Steve doesn't want to let go but he does so they can look towards El, though he keeps hold of both of them in some way. Eddie freely holds his hand, squeezing just as hard as Steve, and Billy keeps an arm around his waist while Steve holds onto his jean loop.
“How is that possible?” Dustin says frantically, as he comes to stand in front of them. The rest of the group gathers beside and behind Eleven and Will, a strong force standing against whatever Billy and Eddie may now be. Steve doesn't care what they are but the others do and they seem ready to snatch him away from the two suspicious ghosts of their past. Ghosts who notice the hostility and strengthen their hold on Steve.
“They've been changed by the upside down to become something that could survive there,” Eleven answers as she watches them with open curiosity.
“Are they safe?” Nancy asks.
“That's up to them.” An ominous answer that fits anything and everything that comes from the Upside Down.
“We're safe enough that you don't have to look like you're about to shoot us, Wheeler.” Eddie says, good natured as always.
“So, you're really you, Eddie?” Dustin asks, the fierceness and fear practically melting in his eyes as tears take their place.
“It's really me, Henderson.”
“What the hell?!” The kid sobs before he throws himself at Eddie and wraps his arms around him much like he was wrapped around Steven a few minutes ago. Eddie doesn’t let go of Steve’s hand but still returns the hug with as much vigor as possible with one arm.
Dustin ugly cries as he clings to Eddie. And the rest of the group have expressions displaying different levels of mystification. The odd one out is Lucas who looks at Billy with something akin to horror written across his face. Billy notices and calls him over with a nod of his head. Lucas gulps and makes slow steps towards them. Steve turns his attention to the interaction as Dustin’s sobs continue to play in the background.
When Lucas stops in front of them, Billy reaches up with his free hand. He ignores Lucas’s flinch and the way he curls into himself and places a firm hand on his shoulder. “Thank you for looking after my sister.”
Lucas looks up with wide eyes. He swallows. “I thought you hated that I was around Max.”
“My father would have hated it if he found out Maxine was with a black boy.” The implications of his words are not lost on the ones nearest to hear them. Billy’s hand clenches around Steve’s waist as he swallows. “I didn't go about it in the right way, but I wanted to protect Maxine from what Neil could do.”
Lucas nods, his eyes a bit glassy.
“And I appreciate you for staying by her side even after what happened with Vecna.”
“You guys know what happened with him?” Steve asks, surprised. Sure, Eddie was around for the first bit, but he wouldn't have known about Max getting hurt, and neither would Billy. Unless they were there the whole time. Did they just watch it unfold?
“Billy knows better than me but there was like this film in front of us any time we tried to reach out to you after we both died. We were in the Upside Down but it's like we were in a slightly different version from the one you guys were in, except we could see you and you couldn't see us. We would have stepped in if we could. We would have let someone know we were still alive, but it didn't work that way. Believe us, we tried.” Eddie says one arm still around Dustin.
“There wasn't much we didn't try.” Billy adds on.
“I don’t even know what to do with the whole situation,” Nancy chews on her lip while still holding onto Johnathan like a lifeline. Seems like everyone can share that sentiment. It's not like Steve knows what to do either. He just knows that he plans on holding onto the two of them even if they somehow get pulled back into the Upside Down. He will gladly dive back into that hell hole right alongside them.
“I don't even get how the ritual actually ended up working. I was pretty much bullshitting the entire time,” Dustin yells frantically, his hands digging into his messy hair.
“You should be glad you somehow managed to convince Steve to join in,” Eddie sings, tugging Steve closer till he can wrap an arm around his waist like Billy.
“Why?” Robin asks, lifting her eyebrows in a near comical display.
“We wouldn't have been able to come through if Steve’s blood wasn't involved in the ritual.” Billy clarifies.
“Why is his blood so important?” Nancy asks. Then winces, “no offense Steve.”
He shrugs, the movement slightly restricted by the two men wrapped around him, “none taken.”
“While I love some of you guys,” Eddie starts, looking around at the kids attached to Hellfire, "I don't care for you guys the same way I care for Steve.”
“And honestly past an appreciation for Lucas I don't care for any of you besides Steve,” Billy says, his words harsh but true and not unexpected. Granted most of the group is surprised to hear that he cares for Steve in any capacity. From their point of view, Steve and Billy always butted heads, they'd actually come to blows on a few occasions.
“I still don't get it.” Dustin grumbles, rubbing at the back of his neck sheepishly.
“Holy shit,” Robin shouts. Then her voice lowers to something almost as quiet as a whisper, "you're both in love with Steve.”
The group stands in stunned silence, their heads swinging back and forth between Robin for her revelation and to Steve, Eddie, and Billy who are all wrapped around each other in a way that speaks of closeness past friendship.
Steve’s skin begins to warm under the attention, the heat spreading from the nape of his neck and down his back. A blush forms on his face and he tries not to squirm under the attention of all of his friends staring at him with such surprise and blatant curiosity.
“Is that true?” Steve’s surprised to hear that Lucas was the one to speak up with the group first.
Steve is even more surprised when both men answer with a confident ‘yes’.
“Holy shit.” Dustin whispers and Steve tenses, worried that maybe his friends won't be accepting of his attraction to men and in extension his attraction for Billy and Eddie. Some of them have inklings about Robin’s sway towards women but it normally goes unthought of. It's not the first time he has worried about it. He’s spent many nights antagonizing over it.
“How did I not know!?” Robin shouts, throwing an accusing look Steve’s way. He winces but also appreciates her endlessly because that one comment has the rest of the group adding into that same sentiment. Not a mean word within hearing range.
Eddie and Billy arms tighten around Steve, pulling him against their chests as the group theorizes about moments that were romantically charged.
Steve sighs, the sound both exhausted and relieved at the same time. He sinks into the bodies behind him as much as he can without actually allowing his legs to give out like they want to.
He still can't believe they're right there. They're here, alive and as well as they can be.
It's insane and his brain can't fully comprehend it.
What if it's just a trick? What if this is a dream and he'll wake up in his bed inside of his empty house with no warmth in his bed or body?
As if sensing his thoughts Eddie and Billy press further into him.
“We're here, Steve. We’re real,” Eddie whispers in his ear, the words for him and him alone.
“And we don't plan on ever leaving you again,” Billy adds on, his own voice down at a whisper.
The pressure in Steve's chest lessens, the tightness around his lungs and hard slowly releasing.
Nancy claps her hands loudly, breaking the moment between the three men and the shouting from the rest of the extended party. “Nows not the time to psychoanalyze their relationships. And it's certainly not kind to do it while they are standing right there,” she chastises, pointing towards the triad. “Also it's late and we're all tired. I'm sure Eddie and Billy are even more so than we are. This had been a lot on all of us. I say we each go home and regroup tomorrow.”
“Okay, yeah I can do that,” Robin practically mutters to herself.
“What do we do about the two guys that are back from the dead?” Dustin asks the obvious question, his arm flung out in their direction.
“They’ll have to stay with Steve,” Eleven says in that calm I-know-something-you-don’t tone.
“And why is that?” Dustin asks, again, the obvious question.
“They're tied to him. They won't want to be anywhere else than right beside him,” Eleven answers with that same tone.
“We can unpack that tomorrow. For now, Steve, can they stay with you?” Nancy asks.
He shakes himself when he realizes she's talking directly to him and nods. “Y-yeah, they can. My parents aren't really ever around. They're on a trip right now so it’s safe.”
“So that’s settled, we will regroup tomorrow. We’ll meet at Steve’s house around noon. Everyone needs plenty of time to rest.” Everyone nods along with Nancy’s plan.
“Were just going to leave Steve with them?” Lucas asks, uncertain. “No offense guys but we don't know how the Upside Down has changed them. They can ‘choose’ to be safe? That's not entirely reassuring.”
Steve doesn't care that Lucas brings up a good point. Right now, he just wants to go home and sleep. Billy and Eddie are alive. He's going to allow himself to believe that for a little bit and it'll just have to be proven true when he wakes up and realizes they're still right beside him. He doesn't plan on allowing them to sleep in separate beds. He’ll tie them down to keep them beside him if he has to. But something tells Steve that convincing them to sleep in his bed won't be much of an issue at all.
“I trust El’s judgment," Steve says because honestly this is about his safety, right? If he feels safe, then it shouldn't be an issue. “I don't think they would hurt me.” And he really doesn’t think they will. Call it foolish hope or just plain ignorance, he doesn't care.
“Well, if you don't mind, Steve.” Lucas murmurs, trailing off at the end, his worry still somewhat evident.
After that the group starts dispersing, smaller groups heading to their individual cars and modes of transportation. But Eleven stays firmly in place in front of the three men.
She tilts her head as she considers Eddie. “You’ll have to get a hold of that hunger you feel. Use self-control and don't drink too much at once.”
Steve can feel Eddie tense then he can hear the sound as he swallows, the action as if he's suddenly parched.
Then she looks at Billy. “Only take as much as he is able to give. Never more.”
Billy’s arm tightens around Steve as Steve’s confusion deepens. “I won't."
She nods like everything has been resolved and walks away to the car Johnathan, Nancy, Will and Mike are already waiting in.
Steve feels even more confused than before.
“What did that mean?” he asks, uncertainty. It sounded ominous, that's for sure.
“Well explain when we get back to your place, Stevie,” Eddie smiles, looking sheepish.
Steve brings a hand up and rubs his forehead. He just leaves that conversation at that. He doesn't even have the energy to demand a better answer after all the emotional turmoil this whole ritual thing has caused. He just wants to get home, shower, then climb into bed and sleep like the dead.
He takes a deep breath then nods resolutely. “Okay, let's go.”
—
Steve closes the front door to his too dark, too empty house behind him after pushing Billy and Eddie ahead of him. He clicks on the hall light and walks around the two men, heading straight up the stairs. The ghosts are quickly on his tail, following him up the steps. He walks into his room and goes straight to his dresser looking for comfortable clothes for all three of them to wear. Luckily they're all about the same size so his clothes should fit them just fine.
“Showers first, then we can do explaining after. Actually, we could also just go to sleep, I'm tired.”
“Whatever you prefer, Stevie.”
Steve smiles at Eddie and hands him a small stack of clothes. Then hands another to Billy and keeps a third separate stack in his own hands.
“I’ve got three bathrooms here so we can all shower at the same time. Come on, I'll show you two to the bathrooms.”
They follow right after him once again. He drops Eddie off at the shower in the hallway by his bedroom then takes Billy downstairs to the bathroom near the backdoor. It's a convenient shower since the pull is right out there.
Before Steve can walk away to his own shower, Billy grabs his wrist and pulls him close. He wraps a hand around the back of Steve’s head and tucks him into his neck, holding onto him like he'll disappear any moment.
“Billy,” Steve whispers against his neck.
Billy doesn't say anything, simply holds him for a few moments before letting go and pressing a kiss to Steve’s forehead.
“I'll kiss you properly later. After I brush my teeth.”
Steve’s cheeks flush and he smiles. “Theres spare toothbrushes and toothpaste under the sink.”
Billy watches hungrily as Steve walks off. The desire to devour almost strong enough for him to grab Steve and have his way with him now, fuck showers and clean breath. But he reigns himself in somehow and puts the bathroom door between him and the view of Steve’s ass as he disappears around the corner.
Steve bends his head back, allowing the spray of hot water from the shower head to run over his hair, cleaning out the salt and grass and dirt. Tonight, he's too tired to care about the fact that he's going to be messing up his hair care routine by using his mother's earthy scented shampoo and conditioner. He just wants to be clean.
He spends so long in the shower that his fingers prune but he didn't stop washing till he couldn’t feel any more salt in his hair.
He dries off as his mind begins to wander to Billy’s earlier promise.
“I'll kiss you properly later.”
That's a promise that Steve looks forward to. He never got a chance to kiss either of them and it always felt so devastating to think about.
Wait…How would they feel knowing he wants both of them?
He lost them once already and honestly now he's too selfish to let either of them go.
So, he'll just have to convince them that a little threesome dynamic can work.
Steve pauses in drying his hair. That's even more unconventional than just two men being together. What would the party think?
Does he really care? Is their opinion more important than having them now that he can?
No. It's not. That conclusion is an easy one to come to.
He dresses himself in the clothes he grabbed. A pair of boxers, black sweat shorts and a loose slightly cropped white t-shirt. Then he makes his way back up the stairs, first passing the bathroom he directed Billy to. After seeing it was empty he headed back upstairs, checking his bathroom. Empty as well. Then he finally walked back to his room.
Billy and Eddie are leaning towards one another, having a hushed conversation that quickly ends when Steve pushes open the door to his bedroom and walks in.
He doesn't have the energy to really question their weird behavior. Honestly they were in the Upside Down together, both changed by the Upside Down, they've got to have a relationship that Steve will never understand. He finds that he's okay with that. They are related to one another in a way that might make them more willing to be in a dynamic involving all three of them. Maybe they'll even enjoy it.
Walking past the two men sitting on his bedroom’s plush carpet, Steve throws himself on his bed.
As silence descends, a tenseness infects the air and forces energy to zap into Steve. Energy fueled by adrenaline. There's no other way he could possibly have energy at this moment.
He pushes himself up with a groan and sits on the edge of the bed, his legs crossed. “Okay, what's up? What do you need to explain that causes you to tense this much?”
Eddie and Billy share a guilty look that makes Steve tense all the much more. Billy lifts an eyebrow and Steve watches as they have an entirely silent conversation between a few looks and eyebrow raises. Really close then. That still doesn't bother Steve. So long as this conversation isn't about them finding each other and not needing him anymore. But even as the thought invades he knows it's stupid. They only were able to come through since they love him, right?
Oh wait… he’d almost forgotten that.
They love him.
Eddie sighs and takes the lead. Steve involuntarily tenses. “You remember what El said before we parted?”
The tension practically pours out of him like a river. He'd forgotten they even said they wanted to explain what Eleven meant by those mysterious statements.
He nods, slowly, though he was calmer than he was moments ago.
“The thing is, being in the Upside Down changed us. I'm sure you and the others already gathered that, plus even Eleven said it did. But the way it changed us changed one big thing that we can't live without…” he hesitates to continue.
“Okay, I'm following but I can't really understand unless you tell me everything you need to, Eddie.”
Eddie swallows and continues. “We can't eat like normal people anymore.”
“Okay… and?” Steve pushes.
“I have to drink blood to sustain myself. And well Billy has to absorb, how do I put this,” he whisper-yells to Billy with a slightly embarrassed blush on his face.
“I have to absorb sexual energy.”
Eddie nods. “Yeah, that.”
Steve stares dumbfounded. Eddie’s like what? A vampire? And what would that even make Billy?
Then another thought hits him. “Wait, how were you able to sustain yourself in the Upside Down?”
Another look passed between them.
“We fed off each other,” Billy answered.
Steve’s jaw dropped. Did that mean they fucked? He's honestly kind of jealous. But also, not at the same time because that jealousy would be incredibly selfish. They were in the Upside Down for god's sake!
Eddie must have read his expression as bad because he quickly tries to explain himself. “-but honestly Steve, that wouldn't work here. We'd quickly drain each other. The Upside Down is weird. You're in a state of suspense while also not at the same time. It's an incredibly hard concept to explain or fuck, to even grasp. I don't really get it myself.”
Steve snorts. “I think the only guy who probably does is Vecna and we can't really ask him for a beginner's course to understanding the Upside Down.”
Eddie smiles at Steve as he begins to laugh. After having a laughing fit that honestly hurts his stomach he calms down and looks back towards Billy and Eddie. This is all so unbelievable and if he's to believe them then Eddie drinks blood and Billy’s like some Upside Down version of a succubus.
Weird but okay… why not? What's another impossible thing in the most basic of basic towns Hawkins, Indiana?
“Okay. So, we'll just have to brainstorm on how exactly we'll go about getting blood for you Eddie, and well, Billy I'm sure you can figure that out,” Steve says, feeling a bit like Nancy.
They exchanged a look again, one that Steve didn't understand in the least.
“What?”
“Harrington, we were thinking about feeding off of you,” Billy says, ever so blunt.
“If you're okay with that, Stevie," Eddie follows up, throwing a warning look to Billy who just shrugs and stares deeply into Steve’s eyes, already looking like he was on the verge of devouring Steve whole.
Steve swears his brain short circuits. He really can be so dim sometimes. Maybe he got some of his moms' blonde genes and they're just on the inside rather than the outside.
“So, you'll drink my blood and you- what exactly would you do Billy?” Steve asks, the tips of his ears turning red to match the blush that has blossomed and spread across his face.
Billy smirks. “Ill suck you off while he,” he points to Eddie with his thumb, “will drink from you.”
Steve almost chokes on his own spit. An image of Billy on his knees with Steve's cock in his mouth won't leave his brain long enough for him to get a proper word out.
“You broke him, Billy.”
Steve swears he hears a hint of sadistic satisfaction in Eddie's voice. But he can't fully analyze it because that image is still taunting him.
“I don't think Stevie here could handle more than a blow job from you tonight, Billy. Actually I'm not so sure he could even handle a blow job.” Eddie says in a tone that borders on mocking. It's playful and it so easily gets Steve’s competitive side to come to the surface.
“I can handle a blow job, Munson,” Steve says, rolling his eyes.
Eddie smirks. “Sure, Stevie.”
Steve glares.
“Does that mean you agree, Princess?” Billy asks.
“Don't call me princess.”
“Yes or no, Steve."
He swallows around the lump in his throat. His body is already more than on board with the plan but his brain is still a bit behind.
But they're sitting there, looking at him like they're starved for him and he can't bring himself to day no.
He's wanted this for a while after all. Ever since Billy first pushed up all against his back in basketball practice during their ‘my dick is bigger than yours’ contest. Ever since Eddie leaned in close and called him ‘big boy’ in a joking manner and Steve could only ignore his semi because he had to get them the hell out of dodge.
“Yes.”
The word is barely out of his mouth before they pounce on him. Eddie jumps on the bed and slots himself against Steve’s back, pressing kisses into the side of his throat where his pulse jumps at a feverish pace. Billy sits on the floor right in front of Steve's crossed legs.
“Put your feet on the floor so that we can start our dinner, please Stevie,” Eddie sinfully whispers in his ear, his breath brushing against the sensitive shell.
Steve listens. He would have listened with a simple ‘put your legs down’ but he's not any sort of opposed to hearing Eddie say please like that again.
“Spread your legs wide so he has room.”
Steve complies. His bulge looks more prominent at the change of position and he can't find himself embarrassed for already being hard when they've barely even touched him. He hasn't gotten laid in mouths and this is Billy and Eddie! It's like a dream come true for him. Obviously he's a bit pent up.
Eddie starts kissing his neck, nibbling and sucking in a way that makes Steve putty in his hands. He lends his head back against his shoulder and embraces the feeling of having the two men he fell in love with touching him in such an intimate way.
Billy tugs on his pants and boxers and pulls them down in one go. Steve barely even had to lift his own hips. They did all the work for him.
Billy kisses his inner thighs, pretty much completely ignoring the hard cock in his face. Steve almost whines. He wants Billy’s mouth on him now but he's not desperate enough to beg. Not yet at least.
Billy's hand roams up Steve’s thigh before he wraps it around Steve’s cock. He does an experimental, light stroke, watching amused as the light touch makes Steve’s cock jump and spill precum from the tip. He leans forward and licks a long strip up the underside of his cock at the same time as Eddie sinks his conjured fangs into Steve’s neck.
Steve’s back bows as he moans as a blissful mixture of pain and pleasure assault him at the same time. From how pent up he is, he feels like he could come from that moment alone, but Billy pulls back and continues lavishing kisses to his thighs.
His head is fuzzy, and self-dignity just flew out of his bedroom window, so he whines like an immature brat at the loss of simulation directly on him.
Billy smirks and he can hear Eddie huff a laugh against his neck as he takes leisurely pulls of blood from Steve’s body. Eddie drinking his blood is a whole other brand of pleasure all to itself. After the initial sting of the bite, pleasure flooded his system and made him desperate and wanting as Billy continued to tease.
Eddie’s teeth slip out of his neck and a zap of pleasure flies up his spine. He moans and his hips twitch in a desperate seek of friction.
Billy's mouth finds its way to Steve’s cock again. He swirls his tongue around the thick head then sucks it into his mouth. His cheeks hollow and the suction has Steve groaning loudly as he bites his lip. Billy’s head descends on him. Steve cracks his eyes open to watch, fascinated, as each inch of his dick slowly disappears inside of Billy Hargrove's mouth. The Billy Hargrove.
Billy slowly, torturously sucks and licks his cock. He takes his precious time doing it too. Each time Steve gets right on the edge, Billy pulls back and kisses along his thighs and fluttering stomach. Eddie holds him in place, at one point even grabbing his arms and holding him back from escaping the borderline torture all the while he kisses Steve’s throat and riles him up further.
“He likes to play with his food,” Eddie whispers in his ear when he’s almost too delirious from pleasure to hear him. “Says it makes his dinner taste better. I must say, I much prefer seeing you in this state than being the one on the brink.” Steve shudders thinking about the fact that at some point, Billy has been on his knees just like this for Eddie and tortured Eddie just as heavily.
“When are you gonna beg, big boy?” Eddie asks as Billy once again pulls off his cock just as he was about to cum. Frustrated tears fall from his eyes as he whimpers. Eddie coos and turns his face to lick up his tears.
“Just beg, pretty boy. He'll give you whatever you want if you beg.”
Steve turns his head away in an act of sexually frustrated defiance. His action is met with amused chuckles from both of the men teasing him.
Steve tried to act like he could hold out a little more. That's what that defiance was for but he cracks the next time Billy pulls away anyway. He feels his orgasm just on the cusp of falling over the cliff and hates to feel it recede. Hates it so much that he just begs.
“Please Billy, please, please just let me come. You can play all you want next time. Just let me come.” He sounds oh so whiney to his own ears but can't bring himself to be embarrassed because Billy smirks before swallowing him down and practically throwing him over that goddamn edge so fast he sees stars as he comes down his throat. His back arches away from Eddie as his legs shake from the intensity.
His body falls lax into Eddie's hold, his breaths fast and unsteady. His head feels fuzzy as little jolts of pleasure keep his hips twitching. He feels Billy pull off his cock and the slow drag on his hypersensitive flesh has him whining pathetically, his body attempting to curl up to escape the overstimulated sensation.
“Such a good boy for us, Stevie,” Eddie whispers in his ear. “So perfect.”
Steve can barely open his eyes as he feels a damp cloth wiping at the wound on his neck. Cant even manage to protest when Billy picks him up and lays him down in the middle of the bed. He doesn't even try when the both of them climb on either side of him and settle in from a night of coma like sleep.
—
Steve just barely calms down his overprotective brats the next day when they saw the evidence of Eddie’s feed all over his neck. That was awkward and difficult to explain and honestly Steve just wanted the floor to open up and swallow him whole.
When he looked over and saw Eddie and Billy laughing as the kids attempted to reprimand them for their rough treatment of Steve, thought just evaporated. He'd rather stay here even if they knock him out like that every night. Actually on second though, especially if they knock him out exactly like that.