The Fae Fire

He looked over at where Eddie had fallen, his eyes shining with unshed tears. How could this have happened? All they had to do was follow the plan and now here they were, everything a mess. He moved slowly over to Eddie lain on the ground, the noise of Dustin's wailing like muffled cries to his ears.

“Eddie, Eds, c'mon man. Open your eyes, you can't do this! I told you not to be cute!” Steve pulled him into his lap, he felt the jolt of Eddie's body signaling some life still within. He reached his hands out pressing into the flesh, and felt warmth flooding through his palms, a golden light emitting from each wound, his own eyes filling with tears that fell in golden drops absorbing into Eddie's skin, “you can't leave me. Don't you dare fucking leave me. I'm not done getting to know you! I have so much to say to you, so much to talk about. Please, Eddie, stay with me!!?” 

A violent gasp wrenched itself from Eddie's chest who opened his eyes, his own shining silver looking at Steve. He smiled, and grasped Steve's hands, his own tears falling in silvery pools down his cheeks. He felt a cool rush through his body and he grasped Steve harder pulling him down into a kiss as sparks of golden and silver light shot off around them. 

“I'm here, big boy, I'm here.” He smiled wetly against Steve's lips, “Let's go home.” 

Steve nodded against him pulling him up, as they looked up at Dustin who stood eyes wide taking in his two best friends.

“What the fuck?” Dustin screeched, gesturing at them, “not the time, kid.” Eddiesaid as he turned his head seeing his own silver wings like lace and lightning, beside Steve's whose golden wings looked like thorns and sunlight, he knew at that moment the tales Wayne had told him as a child were more than simply fairy tales, they were something old, something different. Something most humans had long forgotten about.

They made their way to the portal pushing Dustin through first and landing before their friends who looked on in awe. 

“I knew it.” Robin quietly said as she approached Steve, “you're like me.” She reached out a single finger running it against his wing, her own lilac wings spreading out no longer hidden and eyes shining the same shade, “there's much to discuss, we need to get to the colony. Wayne, Eddie's back, and he's changed.” She said the last part over her shoulder to the man who stood gaping at the vision before him, the light shimmered before his own silver and black wings unfurled, his skin turning alabaster. He walked to Eddie pulling him into a tight embrace, his own leather and lace wings wrapping around him protectively.

As they made their way through the forests surrounding Hawkins Steve felt as though the world finally felt different, like maybe he was destined to find where he belonged. He'd never felt like he was truly a Harrington. The way he had been fawned over by people in the town always didn't sit quite right with him, yet when they got to know him would run in the opposite direction. Steve wondered if maybe his fae roots had something to do with this, they came upon a copse of trees, the air shimmering just before the clearing and as they stepped in his eyes went wide to see a sprawling city within the forest he'd never known existed. 

Eddie pulled him close, their sides plastered together as they made their way to the center where a woman with long golden locks and eyes the color of the sun came from an almost imposing building, she walked to the group regally, her posture rigid until her eyes fell upon Steve. The air around her ignited in golden sparks, her smile more radiant than any sunrise Steve had ever witnessed, her aura warm and inviting as she stepped towards him. 

“My son, you've returned.” Her musical voice rang to him as she reached a hand out cupping his cheek, “I've searched for you for many moons, but the realm won't let me cross over. My soldiers searched far and wide for you. Where have you been?” 

Steve looked into her face and saw sadness mixed with awe, love and devotion, he'd never known someone could look at him in such a way while calling him their kin.

“I was raised in Hawkins, by Richard and Clarissa Harrington. They said I was their son, but they're not like me?” He whispered in response, leaning into her touch, it felt like home.

“They are not. You were stolen from me by a witch, a human woman who pretended to love me and stole her way into my heart. She helped me with you for the first year of your life, and on the eve of your father's betrayal and murder she stole you away from me. You are my son, named Seraphino Tuskal, though I know they stole that name from you as well. You are royalty, the prince of the realm. And you are home.” 

Steve's eyes blurred with tears, and for a moment he couldn't speak, until a grating voice sounded from behind him, he turned, hands automatically finding their way to his hips as he faced Henderson. There stood his brood of children, all with wings and eyes shining in the sun, he smiled for a moment though he was still confused, and then a laugh burst forth as he spotted Micheal Wheeler, his hair a fire red, eyes crystal white and ivory horns in his unruly hair. He alone, along with his family had no wings, they resembled goats, or satyrs as Eddie had called a creature he'd described for Steve just the other day. It made him ponder if that was why he and Nancy had been so incompatible, but then he remembered, no, what made them that way was her inability to show or acknowledge others emotions. He loved her, truly, but he felt too much and too deeply for them to work properly.

He looked back to Eddie who stared at him in awe, and realized a rather large group of people now surrounded him and his family. The woman, his mother, placed a silver circlet upon his head, and kissed his temple, leading him and his entourage into the palace behind them. She showed them all to a large room before leading Steve and Eddie to a separate one, she sat on an ornate chair in the room and gestured to the chaise couch in front of her where both boys sat.

“My son, I'm happy to have you home. This place is yours, for however long you choose to be here. You don't need to rule, but I would like you to perhaps learn about your kingdom so should the day come you can lead our people on. I see you found your soul’s mate,” she turned her knowing eyes to Eddie, “I could choose no one better for my only son. A kind, brave, selfless spirit to be by his side. You truly are magnificent.” 

“Mother, I, I'm honored to be here with you, this feels right. But I am confused and would like time to maybe unwind for the day, perhaps we could discuss ruling and kingdoms tomorrow? It has been a long and trying lifetime without you, and I would like to be fully in my own head correctly before I take the time to get to know my mother.” Steve reached out clasping her hands in his own, “and though they stole my true name, can we still call me Steve? It's the only name I've known, and perhaps now it could just be how we shorten Seraphino? I am honored to have such a regal name, and never would wish to throw it away, but I need something familiar to hold onto. Please.” 

“Anything you desire, my love, your happiness is my only concern.” She smiled at him, “My name is Delphine.” She said turning to Eddie for a moment, “but you may call me anything you wish, I would like to welcome you to our family. Your uncle has served us for many, many moons now, and I am honored to have you with us as well. Have you seen your sister perhaps in the other realm? She was stolen from me years later by a traitor amongst our kingdom. She was not the only child taken, but I do miss her so.”

Steve's head shot up, “A sister? I have a sister?” His eyes filled with tears anew, “I wish I had known, I'd have fought anything in my way to protect her.” 

Delphine came and knelt beside him, her hands on his cheeks looking up into his eyes, “I know you have, it worries me that she's still lost as well. Maybe, maybe she's okay?” She whispered. 

“We will find her, mother, now that I know she exists I will burn this world to the ground to find her if I must.” Steve squeezed her hands in his own, “I will not lose my family now that I've found you all. Though time will be required for me to fully adjust to all of these new revelations I never want to lose you again. I feel at home, like this is where I should have always been. My sister deserves the same, I just pray she had been treated well.”

The next morning greeted Steve and Eddie curled in a huge ornate bed that appeared as though it was grown straight in the forest, purple wisteria creating curtains around the bed.

Steve rolled to his side, reaching out to Eddie pulling him in close and inhaling his scent, cloves, spice, leather and a touch of weed. He loved Eddie's scent, his lips curling into a smile as the man in his arms began to stir.

“G’mornin’” he croaked, placing a kiss on Eddie's neck.

“Mmmm, morning big boy.” Eddie murmured wiggling in closer, “yesterday still feels like a dream. How are you coping?”

Steve's arms tightened around Eddie for a moment, “If you had told me last year, or even yesterday morning that I was a prince, especially a fae prince I'd have laughed or thought you were playing a trick on me, but this place? These wings? And whatever that golden light was that healed you? Well, we can't fake those things.” Eddie hummed, and Steve continued, “Unless of course I still am dreaming, maybe I hit my head again and this is all a hallucination from the concussion. If it is though, I don't want to ever wake up.”

Eddie turned in Steve's arms looking up into his eyes, a small smile on his lips.

“And why's that Stevie?” 

“Because it means if this is a dream I left you, and you had been dying. It means if I survive whatever hallucination this is that I wake up and go back to that crypt I call home to parents who don't even acknowledge that they have a son. It means I never get the chance to tell you I've loved you for eons, and I don't want that to be my reality. I want the one where you shone just as brightly back at me, the one that has you in my arms within an enchanting bed, where I can have you close,” he kissed eddie's cheek, “where I can feel you,” his forehead, “see you,” his other cheek, “taste you.” And dives into kissing Eddie with every ounce of love and devotion he felt. Eddie melted into his embrace, their limbs tangled together, before Eddie arched into him and Steve gasped into the kiss feeling his length filled out against him.

“Stevie,” Eddie groaned tugging on Steve's hair who flipped them so he was overtop of Eddie in the bed, his broad chest pinning the thinner man beneath him, he rolled his hips down experimentally against Eddie and felt him moan into the kiss.

“Yeah baby?” He said, pulling away to look down at him.

“Touch me, please.” Eddie whimpered.

“I am touching you, my love.” Steve smirked down at him watching as Eddie's face bloomed in color.

“Steeeevieeee” he whined.

“Words, love.” He said, nipping the tip of his nose.

Instead Eddie weaseled his hand between them and gripped Steve through his trousers earning a deep, guttural moan from him his pupils blown, “shit”

Eddie licked into Steve's mouth moving his hand slowly over the hard length, the fabric almost scratchy against the sensitive skin, Steve panting over him rolling his hips into it to chase the friction.

Eddie finds his neck licking and sucking bruises into the column of it, his hands still working him over, he pulls back looking up into Steve's eyes, his pupils blown before reaching his hand up to his mouth and licking his palm. He pulls the trousers down with his free hand and then wraps his damp palm back around him, stroking.

“F-fuck, baby, yes like that. Oh you're so good f’me. Ah, ooh, fuck, fuck.” Steve mumbles into Eddie's neck. His own arms are shaking trying to hold him up as he fights not to cum yet, it's too soon and he needs to feel Eddie first, he pulls back out of his hand and flips Eddie over. He moves down his back placing kisses down in a trail before coming face to face with the other's pelvis still covered in his own flowing fabric. He licks across the waistband and pulls them down, biting on one of the ass cheeks he freed before licking over the mark.

“Ah, shit. Stevie, what are you doing to me?” Eddie moans down into the fabrics of the bed, Steve pulls him up so that his chest is still flat on the mattress but he is sitting up on his knees, back arched so gracefully before pulling his cheeks apart and looking at his prize, the pink hole staring back at him, he spits once onto it watching Eddie pulse beneath him as though trying to suck it in before diving in between and licking into him.

“Fuuuck!” Eddie groans loudly pushing back into him, Steve's fingers come up by his tongue and ever so slowly begin circling around the puckered moist skin. Steve pictures driving into him his own member twitching in exceedingly desperate interest, he looks over to the right and sees a pot of rose oil on the small stand and reaches over before dribbling some onto Eddie and working a digit in gently, he waits until there's little to no resistance and then works in the second angling his fingers until he finds that spongy spot within and rubs over it reveling in the high pitched keen he receives in return. He dips his free hand into more oil and reaches around to Eddie's length moving his hand over him to help him relax before adding the third finger. After a while he feels like Eddie is ready to take him, he pushes in slowly, eyes rolling back at the velvety feel and tightness as they both let out breathy moans, he moves slowly until finally bottoming out staying still so Eddie can adjust. 

“Ah, ‘m so full.” Eddie keens, “move Stevie, you c’n move” 

Steve starts a slow pace holding onto Eddie's hips, his tip brushing over that spot repeatedly as Eddie's own erection is leaking into the mattress it's trapped on under his body, he rolls his hips back to meet Steve's thrusts as Steve leans down to entwine their fingers, plastering his chest to Eddie's back his opposite hand still clutching onto his hip leaving bruises he's sure. His head spins from the idea of bruises and hickeys left as proof that Eddie is his. ‘Mine’ his brain growls as he bites into the shoulder blade, kissing and sucking a bruise to follow the teeth marks, his hips start pistoning faster as Eddie moans under him, already beginning to clamp down in his release.

“I love you, fuck, I love you so much.” Steve whimpers chasing his own release and falling into the white hot oblivion after Eddie, they both lay there still connected for a while panting for breaths, eventually Steve pulls out slowly much to Eddie's dismay as he whines at the loss. 

“Shhh, baby, just gonna clean us up.” Steve says as he grabs a silky sheet from the mess of bedding, wiping them down and pulling Eddie close. 

“Did you mean it?” Eddie says after a few moments face still hidden in Steve's shoulder as they lay curled together.

“Hmm?” Steve whispers back.

“Did you mean it when you said you loved me?” Eddie watches his finger playing in the dense curls of Steve's chest hair as he asks.

“Yes, I meant it. I love you Eddie Munson. I love you as the sun loves the moon. I love you as much as I need air to fill my lungs, and I will love you everyday until my dying breath.” Steve whispers down into his hair, “Is that alright by you?”

“Is that alright by me?" he asks. “As though I didn't let you take me apart and put me back together.”

Steve smirked into Eddie's hair pulling him closer, and pressed a kiss to the top of his head as a knock came from the chamber doors.

“Your majesty? The Queen asked me to fetch you and your partner for breakfast, may I enter?” A timid female voice came from beyond the door.

“Just a moment, please.” Steve pulled himself and Eddie from the bed scrambling to pull on trousers, and attempting to calm his hair just a fraction, “you may enter.” He called as soon as they were clothed.

The door opened to a petite woman with long white curls, and dark eyes. She looked them over for a moment before quirking a brow at Eddie who had hickeys and bruises all along his throat and moved to the wardrobe in the corner pulling out a fine golden tunic, black pants and a starry black and gold cape and handing them to Steve before going back to gather black pants, a silver tunic, and matching cape for Eddie. 

They made their way side by side to the gardens where Delphine sat at what almost appeared to be a giant sunflower made into a table, they sat down on flower chairs and Delphine smiled over at them.

“Good morning my sweet boy, I wanted to take breakfast with you and Eddie this morning. See how you feel about the palace so far, and if your room was satisfactory, maybe if there was anything else you boys needed.” Delphine took a sip of her tea.

“Oh, everything has been lovely, your majesty.” Eddie was quick to say.

“Delphine, my dear. To you I am Delphine, or should I be so lucky someday, maybe even mother, should you choose to join our family.” Eddie choked on his drink, his face flashing crimson and eyes wide.

“We enjoyed everything so far, our room was beautiful and the bed was something out of my dreams. Beautiful and comfortable, like sleeping in a cloud.” Steve said as he ran his hand down Eddie's back in soothing strokes.

They finished breakfast talking over the palace and how it ran, and Delphine was sure to tell Steve that the young woman who'd come to his room to fetch him that morning was his chamber maiden. Her name was Khalia and she was Steve's personal assistant in every sense he could understand.

__________________________

When they make their way to the half to dinner that night Steve can feel the awkwardness from Eddie as though he's nervous about something now. He reaches out taking Eddie hand into his own tangling their fingers together and pulls him closer reaching over to cup his cheek as Eddie looks at him eyes wide.

“What's going on in that pretty head of yours hmm?” Steve whispers leaning in close.

“N-nothing.” Eddie stutters, cheeks rosy, “just, just thinking is all.” 

Steve leans in and kisses him softly before pulling back.

“I love you Eddie Munson, no matter what's going through your head I promise I love you and I'm going nowhere. Until the day you tell me you no longer want me I'm here to stay by your side.” Steve whispers against his lips and then leads them into the dining hall where they sit side by side. Robin looks up at them, her eyebrows raised, and Steve looks back a smirk gracing his lips. 

“Eddie, can you come with me for a walk later in the garden?” Dustin says as soon as their seated, “I wanted to stargaze and would like to spend time with my favorite metalhead”

Eddie nods, leaning into Steve's arm, and looks over at Robin, “Sure, that gives you time with your best friend, right Birdie?”

“Right!” She grins widely back at him and turns to Steve, “besides I have something I want to talk to you about! Platonic Best friend to another!” Her energy is contagious and Steve finds himself chuckling and nodding at her.

“Sounds great.” 

After dinner Dustin and Eddie head to the gardens as Steve and Robin head back to Robin's room. She opens the door and Steve sees her bed covered in ivy and purple wisteria, lights dancing in the air and purple sheer sheets flowing around the ornate windows. He sits on the bed cross-legged as she sits across from him.

“Do you know that fae Khalia? She's been helping me when she's not serving her prince,” she says, slapping his arm, as he nods, “well, she told me I was the most beautiful creature she's ever seen, and then wove me this." She pulls out a flower crown made of the same purple wisteria with white baby’s breath and other small flowers strung through it. 

“Robin, I think she likes you.” Steve says grinning at her, “are you asking my permission to pursue my hand maiden?” 

“Dingus!” She falls back on the bed groaning, “what if she's just really nice and wants to be my friend?? I don't want her to think I'm weird or clingy or whatever. I really like her.” She covers her face in her hands, “besides, I don't know if dating girls is still bad in this realm or if it's just the humans who are so weird about it!” 

“Well, my mom pretty much proposed to Eddie for me at tea earlier today, so I'm pretty sure same sex couples is not a weird or taboo thing here. She said if she was so lucky she'd be Mother to him once he married her beloved son.”

Robin squeaked, launching herself back up, “You have to ask him to marry you! Oh my God! Can you imagine Eddie Munson and you waking up everyday as husbands?! Steve! You have to!!” 

“Robin, we only just started dating, I don't think proposing to him so soon is a good idea. What if he thinks it's too fast? This is already such a huge adjustment for us.” 

“Well, how about at the moonlit festival then? That's in six months time and you can skirt the subject to him and see how he feels, I mean, he would be royalty as well should he marry you. And then you can also see if he also sees a forever with you too?” 

“Maybe…”

In the garden Dustin and Eddie are laying in a bed of flowers, staring up into the stars quietly. 

“Eddie?” Dustin starts. 

“Yeah?” He says back quietly.

“Do you think you and Steve will always be together?” Dustin turns to look at him, an open vulnerability in his young face. Eddie stared for a moment taking him in.

“I want to be. He's the best person I've ever met, he's strong, brave, and the kindest person. He's also so bitchy, and I can't picture a life without him. Why?” Eddie's voice is quiet.

“I was just thinking about Suzie, and how maybe this is going to change things between us. Iean, I'm a faerie, and she's human! As far as I know anyway, I mean what if she finds out I'm not human and breaks up with me?! I love her so much Eddie, she's, she's just so much to me!” Dustin had started crying midway through his explanation and Eddie pulled him into an embrace holding him close.

“I don't know what I would do if she didn't want to be with me anymore, she means the world to me.” Dustin hiccuped into Eddie's shoulder.

“How about we talk to Steve when we get back? He might have an idea of where to go from here.” Eddie was trying to stay calm, but his heart was shattering for the boy clinging to him. If Steve had chosen to walk away from him altogether after finding out he was different Eddie would have been upset too, and they hadn't even confessed to each other yet. Eddie froze as he realized actually only Steve had confessed. Eddie had never actually said the words back, he'd only made a comment sarcastically before Steve's mother had offered him to marry into their family. Shit! What if Steve didn't know how he felt? 

Meanwhile Steve and Robin were laying across her bed staring up into the flickering lights of the fireflies flitting about her ceiling, Steve turned on his side to face her.

“Robs?” His eyes were almost wet.

“Yeah, Stevie?” She turned towards him too, lacing their fingers together.

“I just realized. I never heard Eddie say he loves me too, what if to him I'm just a conquest? What if he only sees the royalty and everything he could achieve from being with me?” Steve played with her fingers, his lip wobbling dangerously.

“Oh, dingus.” She pulled him close to her, hugging him tightly.

The next day when Steve and Eddie woke in their room Steve rose from the bed making his way to the large bathtub filling it with warm water, oils, and flower petals before sinking into the water. He hadn't spoken to Eddie at all that previous night, and he and Eddie both were panicking. 

Eddie made his way to sit beside the large tub before dipping his fingers into the water, looking tentatively up at Steve through his eyelashes. 

“Stevie?” He started and the other man blinked one eye open, “Um. I, well.” He took a deep breath, “I just realized last night I never said anything back. I want you to know I'm in love with you. I've been in love with you for years. I just, I never knew I could have you before now and I was scared you didn't mean it. Then, you know, your mom. And , I just. Ugh. Okay, what I'm trying to say is I was overwhelmed, I never knew a future with you was a possibility for me. But I want it. I do.” Eddie had looked away before he began to ramble.

Steve sat forward reaching a hand out to trace a finger down his cheek, and turned his face towards him to look into those huge dark eyes, he leaned in more and kissed Eddie's lips once chastely.

“Thank you, I had started to spiral wondering if I was becoming too much for you.” Steve whispered still close enough to Eddie that he could feel the warm air ghosting over his lips as Steve spoke.

__________________________

Almost a week had gone by and Suzie was getting worried, typically she heard from Dustin before now, but it had been radio silence. Her mother rushed in showing her father and siblings a letter sent to them, it sparkled with its magick, and Suzie knew it was from Aunt Delphine, they rushed to the entrance and made their way to the castle corridor. 

After a while someone brought Suzie to a side room where Dustin was sat amongst a rather large group of other fae and creatures. He looked up taking her in, her pale pink wings shimmering in the light, her eyes shining a bright gold and the magic around her fizzing and jumping in anticipation and excitement upon seeing him, his own seafoam green wings fluttering and eyes shining the same shade as he took her in. He stood rushing to her before kissing her frantically, she smiled into the kiss before pulling back and looking in amazement at the pink blossoms blooming around them, she looked into Dustin's eyes and knew that they were meant for each other.