Important Work (Stranger Things, Steve)

[Skylacticon]

Another short one I wrote with Steve 'the tape dealer' Harrington, just playing around. Hope you like. xx 🌼

-

 

Steve sniffled thickly. He raised the back of his hand to rub his nose, pressing it hard and making a wet squelching sound. His head tilted back slightly, his brown eyes narrowing as the stubborn, prickly itch crawled along his sensitive nasal passages. He huffed quietly, blinking sore, watery eyes. His red nostrils scrunched and twitched, leaking a steady stream of thin mucus, which irritated him even further as he kept sniffling harshly.

 

If it was painful to watch, it must have been a bunch of times worse to experience. Eddie had seen the same scene play over and over from his position leaning on the video store counter. Steve could be quite good at keeping it subtle as he worked, but the struggle carried through on some occasions. The urge to sneeze would build up over time, and hide away just as quickly, leaving him with buzzing sinuses and teary eyes. It would leave him a sniffly mess, snapping out of the haze and wiping his eyes with his shirt.

 

It had been like this ever since they changed his dosage of allergy meds, since his last prescription wasn’t effective enough. The new one seemed to be stronger, but not strong enough - just helping him enough to keep him from sneezing his brains out every few seconds. Steve seemed to have taken it and ran.

 

“*snrff!* What’s the deal with these late fees, man? *sdrf* Seems like everyohhne’s…” Steve’s voice fluttered for a moment, and he just coughed and sniffed. “Everyone’s forgetting how long they really paid for, and… *sdrff!* I just feel bad charging sometimes, when-“ Steve let out a huffy exhale and sucked in a wet sniffle. He looked away for a second, his glassy eyes blinking rapidly. “Ohhh, *sddrff!*” he sighed softly, lifting a curled index finger to give his nose another squishy rub. “...Damn. *sdrff!* Like when they look so stressed. I mean, it’s exam season.” Steve managed to finish his thought, and gave his nose a seemingly rewarding rub.

 

“You don’t wanna lose all your bounty, my liege,” Eddie replied smoothly, lowering his novel to rest on the counter. As his eyes laid on Steve, he couldn’t help but let out a humoured exhale through his nose, grinning sympathetically at his very allergic, itchy boyfriend. “Honey, are you okay?”

 

“Yeah,” Steve snuffled softly, rubbing again at his flushed nostrils. They seemed to flare in protest, widening against a tickle they couldn’t get rid of. He quickly dropped his hand and looked away again, sniffling sharply. “I’m just really…” His eyes began to narrow, as his voice floated on a soft hitch. Then came a very wet sniffle, and a sigh. “Just itchy,” Steve panted. “My nose is really itchy. But I can’t seem to  sneehhze….”

 

Eddie moved closer to Steve, grinning gently from over the counter. Steve glanced up at him sheepishly, his eyes pink and watery.

 

Slowly and carefully, Eddie moved his right hand out toward Steve. His index finger was curled. Steve’s pink, sensitive nostrils shivered in response to Eddie’s delicate touch, which became gentle pressure, tiny rubs moving downward.

 

“Oohh…” Steve breathed, his eyelids fluttering shut. “That kind of… *’hem!* tickles…” His nostrils began to widen against Eddie’s finger, warm, pulsing. Eddie applied more pressure, stroking Steve’s flaring nostrils gently just against the cartilage. 

 

“That better?” Eddie asked softly.

 

Steve was leaning forward with both arms on the counter, his soft breath warm against Eddie’s hand. Steve sniffled thickly, making Eddie pause, wondering if this was it. Then he just exhaled, and cleared his throat gently. “No, keep going.”

 

A soft grin creeped on Eddie’s features. He switched the position of his fingers - opening his fingers to rest on Steve’s cheek, while his thumb rested on the tip of his nose, rubbing in a circular motion.

 

“Ooh-“ It seemed to make Steve’s nose tickle, his eyes narrowing and losing focus.

 

“Getting there?” Eddie muttered teasingly.

 

“Yeah, I think… I think s’hohhh… *snrff!*” Steve sniffled harshly. His nose was now very flushed red, nostrils flared and running. “Ed- hih!” he choked out, followed by a shallow gasp. Steve straightened and took a step back. Eddie watched as he pivoted slightly, his head tilting back, one elbow hovering near his face.

 

It was so painful to watch.

 

“hihhh… eih? *snrff* hehh…?” Steve’s breath hitched for a bit, his red nostrils flaring wide - then he let out a breathy sigh, followed by some thick sniffles. “Oh, god damn it… *snnrff!*” He rubbed his itchy nose hard with the back of his hand. “It’s too damb good. Dope. Dot godda sdeeze,” Steve muttered, with breathy resignation. He sniffled sharply with an air of frustration, and put his hands on his hips.

 

“Okay, come here,” Eddie chuckled gently, extending two open palms. His gaze connected with Steve’s, which looked itchy and tired.

 

“I just can’t do it, *snnrff!*” Steve mumbled, slipping one hand into Eddie’s and wiping his eyes with the other.

 

“Well, come on now…” Eddie breathed smoothly, his deep voice easing Steve’s nerves. Eddie took Steve’s hand in both of his. He gently patted the countertop. “Here. One more time.”

 

Steve’s frame sank with a soft exhale, and he leaned forward again with his arms forward on the counter. He closed his eyes as Eddie lifted his hand, and rested the tips of his fingers on the side of his face. “This is sohhh… ohh by gh-“ Steve's voice came out wobbly. Eddie could feel Steve’s pulsing nostrils widening against the inner tip of his thumb, watching his eyebrows knit together as the itch seemed to intensify.

 

“More?” Eddie heard himself breathe.

 

“huHh,” Steve hitched softly. His chin began to move faintly up and down. “hh’yeahh…” he exhaled, almost a whimper.

 

Eddie kept rubbing Steve’s nose in small circles, now going a little slower, adding more pressure. Steve’s nose ran in protest, leaking down his upper lip. Eddie kept going, now with a new pattern: clockwise, making a circle ending at one point, then counterclockwise back in the same motion.

 

“ihhHh…”

 

“More?” Steve nodded again.

 

Eddie stopped the circular rubbing, and raised his other hand. He rested his fingers on the other side of Steve’s face, mirroring the first hand - and started gently rubbing his thumbs in slow circles on either side of Steve’s itching nose.

 

“hhaAHhh… Ndo, do the other-“

 

“Just one?”

 

“Yeah.” Eddie switched back to just one thumb.

 

“What the heck are you guys doing?” A third voice piped up. Robin emerged from the back, looking perplexed.

 

“Important work, Buckley,” Eddie said softly, still focused on Steve’s nose. Steve didn’t move. In fact, his eyes were still shut. As Robin peeked over Steve’s shoulder, her expression went from amused to curious and in between.

 

“Important like the work I’ve been doing all day?” she teased, leaning on the counter near the two.

 

“Hold od, Rob, I just,” Steve huffed. “I just deed to… hihhH! huHt’dDJSCHHIEWW!!!” he sneezed softly, but quite hard, misting Eddie’s hand. “Oh by god, I’b-” Steve quickly pivoted away from Eddie to let out another desperate sneeze, but then there was Robin- “huHt’ieyYESSCHHIEWW!! I’b so soh- huh!- sorry, hihhHh!-“

 

“Steve!”

 

“HeaAH'ESSCHHIEWW!!! *snrf!* ...Unhh, shit. Fuck. *snnrfff!* I’b sorry if i sdeezed od you, *sdrff!*” Steve panted, snuffling wetly.

 

“It’s okay,” Robin sighed.

 

“Bless you, hon.” Eddie reached over the counter and grabbed a few tissues from the tissue box. He walked along the counter to the end and gently offered them to Steve, who had paced to the back wall, wiping his eyes with his wrists.

 

“*snrk!* Oh, thagk you, *snrff!*” Blinking through tears, he folded a couple of tissues and lifted them over his nose. He gave a short, wet blow, and sighed, still sniffling afterward. “Jesus Christ.” Steve muttered. Then he let out a soft chuckle, glancing up with bleary eyes. “...Finally. *snrff!*”

Edited June 28, 2023 by Skylacticon

[funbusej]

Oh WOW...that was intense.  I really, really, really liked the buildup!!  I love these 2 SOOOOO much, and I love the way you write them just as much!!!

[Glitch-y]

Oh, this was excellent. 

[Skylacticon]

@funbusej Thank you! Your comments always brighten my day ☺️❤️

@Glitch-y Thanks~ 😊

[Prongs]

🤯 um…yeah. Excellent. Long ticklish buildups are my fav. So this was, yeah. 

[Skylacticon]

@Prongs Thanks. Glad you liked it~