Chapter Text
He’s never felt this nervous driving to anyone’s house before, and that includes going to get his shit after breakups and dropping off injured children at their parent’s homes.
But this ride to Eddie’s has his palms sweating so profusely that he’s shocked he hasn’t driven off into a ravine yet. Granted, the streets of Hawkins aren’t really lined with many ravines, but that’s beside the point.
Eddie’s new trailer is far nicer than the old one, but the lights circling the lot still cast everything in a Mello Yello haze. It’s just starting to get dark by the time he pulls up next to Eddie’s van. He’d procrastinated the day away, dreading the words he knew he had to say out loud to his “non-platonic soulmate best friend”. Talk about a Freudian Slip.
Realistically he has zero reason to think Eddie will do anything other than A) laugh it off, or B) go along with it. It’s just, his brain keeps helpfully providing other scenarios that could unfold. Like, C) Eddie decks him in the face and knocks a tooth out, D) Eddie is so startled by Steve’s revelation that he dies on the spot, or E) Eddie books it out of the trailer, never to be seen again, and Steve has to spend the rest of his life wondering if Eddie’s ok out there on his own. The answer would probably be no. Steve knows he’s scrappy, but the guy wouldn’t have a clue how to forage or build a non-miniature shelter.
Eddie pokes his head out the doorway and looks at him questioningly, and Steve wonders how long he’s been sitting here staring at the trailer like a creep. He wipes his palms on his jeans one last time and hops out of the car, taking a deep breath.
“If I didn’t think it would work out, I wouldn’t even suggest pursuing it.”
Robin’s reassuring words thrum through his brain as he climbs the three steps into the trailer.
“To what do I owe the pleasure, kind sir?” Eddie asks, gallantly gesturing to wave him into the living room.
“I have something I want to run by you,” he says, toeing his shoes off and moving toward the couch. Eddie bounds after him and plunks down hard enough that Steve bounces slightly on the cushion.
“Do tell,” Eddie says, his expression giddy as ever, hands clasped under his chin in anticipation.
“So, I’ve been thinking a lot. About us. And, you know you’re my best friend right? Well. I was talking to Robin, and-” He’s sweating, tugging at his collar like it’s choking him despite the fact that he only did up one button. “Can we sit outside?”
Eddie looks perplexed, only for a second, before vaulting to his feet. “The roof or the porch?”
“Uh, roof?”
“As you wish.” Eddie bows, before going to shimmy the window open enough for them to crawl out and swing over to the ladder set just outside.
Once they’re comfortably side by side, Steve clears his throat. “So, I was talking to Robin, and, I think I’m bisexual.”
“Ok?”
“And, I think that she cleared a lot of things up for me, about why my dating life has been subpar the last… year, though, if I’m being honest, it’s been longer than that.”
He swears he hears Eddie mumble, “Never did make sense how anyone let you go,” or something like that, under his breath.
“She pointed out that I’ve been trying too hard, and looking in all the wrong places. Something about putting a square peg in a round hole-”
“Which only makes sense if the diameter of the circle is too small, otherwise the square should fit,” Eddie says, watching his breath disappear into the cool night air.
“Not the point,” Steve huffs.
Eddie must hear the frustration in his tone, because he rolls to his side and stares at Steve with his annoyingly pretty eyes.
“Sorry, Stevie. I just… Can’t help it sometimes. Got a bunch of useless knowledge up in here. Doesn’t do me much good does it?”
“What I’m trying to say is that I think you might be my square hole.”
He’s expecting it to sound romantic. It doesn’t.
Eddie’s clearly trying to contain his laughter but he’s not doing a great job, his shoulders are shaking and he’s wheezing a little. “I know what you were going for, and I shouldn’t be laughing, I should be kissing you, but Jesus H. Christ, Steve, you can’t just say shit like that.”
“I’m sorry,” he says sheepishly, but then it dawns on him, “Hey, wait a minute, you’re not mad at me?”
“For the lame analogy?”
“For… being queer.”
“Kinda hard for me to judge, Steve. I’m as gay as a daisy, and those are, allegedly, very gay.”
“Oh.”
“Plus, I’ve literally been flirting with you this whole time. Didn’t think it was working, but, hey a man can dream.”
“Y-you have been?”
“Uh yeah? I don’t call just anyone my Stevie Baby.”
“Well that’s be-”
“Shhh,” Eddie says, pressing a finger to his lips, “I’m aware we have no other friends named Steve, just let me have this.”
“You suck at flirting,” Steve lands on when Eddie’s finger is removed.
“You know what I don’t suck at though?” Eddie waggles his eyebrows.
“If you say sucking dick, I will get off this roof and never speak to you again.”
Eddie rolls his eyes. “I was going to say kissing, you freak.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, are you gonna prove it?”
“Are we really doing this?” Eddie asks, his face suddenly inches away from Steve’s face and very concerned. “Like, this isn’t an April Fools thing, right?”
“It’s July, dumbass.”
“Right, right. Well then.”
Steve has no time to think, speak, or otherwise respond before Eddie’s crashing their lips together. The air is damp with the day’s humidity, rendering it slightly chilly, but Eddie is warm and solid against him. He’s always thought Eddie smelled good, but up close it’s even better, and plus he tastes good too. He says as much, and Eddie laughs against his mouth.
“I’ve been wanting to do that for years,” Eddie says shyly, his fingers combing a lock of hair behind Steve’s ear.
“I didn’t know.”
“Yeah, well, for a while that was kind of my goal.”
“I didn’t even know you were gay.”
“Well, welcome to the very small club. Wayne is our President, Dustin is the Chief Butthead, and Robin’s apparently our Recruiting Officer.”
“I knew she knew!” Steve proclaims.
“She only knew because I asked her if you were.”
“… You did?”
“Like I said, a man can dream. For the record, she’s a lockbox, wouldn’t tell me diddly.”
“She didn’t tell me about you either. I just know her, and I knew she knew something. When we talked about it. About you.”
Eddie’s blushing enough that Steve can see it even in the dim lighting, and he knows he’s probably blushing just as profusely.
They sit there stealing bashful glances and sharing soft smiles with one another until Eddie stretches and lets out a yawn.
“Well, can I ask you to stay the night then, Stevie baby? I don’t know about you but this metal roof is fucking cold against my asscheeks.”
Steve can’t help the laugh that escapes. “I thought you’d never ask.”
They crawl back through the window, Eddie shimmies it closed, and then they walk down the brief hallway to his room.
They get dressed in faded sweats and tees, before slipping under Eddie’s sheets side by side.
“This went a lot more smoothly than I imagined it would,” Steve admits, curling into Eddie’s warmth.
“As if I’d have ever done anything other than be wildly flattered,” Eddie scoffs.
“I do feel kind of stupid, for not realizing how I felt sooner. I mean, Robin was pointing out all the reasons we were compatible and it was like a little light went off. It was right in front of me this whole time: you’re who I needed.”
“I’ve always been here,” Eddie says softly.
“I know that,” Steve replies just as softly, “But, now I’m here too. The same as you are.”
“I’m really glad you’re here,” Eddie murmurs, pressing a kiss to Steve’s forehead, “Really really glad.”
As he falls asleep to the steady rhythm of Eddie’s heartbeat, he can’t help but feel the same way:
Really really glad.