Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

This is either the stupidest idea they’ve ever had or the most brilliant, and there really is no in between. There’s a thousand ways this could go sideways and blow up in their faces and approximately one in which it works. But, well, they’ve quite literally survived explosions already, or, well, half of them have, so might as well just fucking go for it.

“Are we maybe making this more difficult than it needs to be?” Vickie asks as she adjusts her jacket. “Like, are there even cameras in the store?”

Robin snorts. “Not any that work.”

“Still, can’t be too careful.” Eddie glances at the rearview mirror. “Any sign’a slack’ll be what gets ya caught.”

Steve looks at him from the passenger seat. Notices the way his jaw is locked tight, his hands gripped tight to the steering wheel. With a surprising amount of steadiness, Steve reaches across the middle console and squeezes Eddie’s thigh, offers him a soft smile that immediately melts the tension in his face. 

“It’ll be fine.” Steve promises. “No one’ll be there.” 

“I know. Just don’t want things goin’ sideways on you.” Eddie admits with a sad look.

Robin just laughs behind him. “Trust me, can’t go any more sideways than we’ve been through already.” 

At that, Vickie and Eddie both grimace. 

“Still can’t believe the Russians were in Hawkins. Hawkins.” Vickie emphasizes.

“An alternate dimension exists and you’re caught on the Russians still?” Steve lets out an incredulous laugh. 

“Yes. Yes, I am.” Vickie responds with a fierce intensity. 

“I’m with Vick on this one. The fuck were Russians here for?” Eddie says. 

“The alternate dimension.” Robin and Steve respond in the same exact exhausted tone. 

“Really, Eds, you’re a DM. I thought you’d be more invested in these demo-whatsits.” Steve laments. 

Eddie glares at him as he turns into the alley. “I’m not even deigning that with a response.”

Steve just grins. “That was a response.”

“Buck, get your man.” Eddie grumbles, and Steve laughs something deep and hearty. 

“You’re the one that’s dating him, you dork.” Robin calls as she tumbles onto the bed in the back of the van. 

“Jesus– she’s gonna make me go gray.” Eddie sighs and shakes his head.

“You and me both.” Steve agrees. 

Eddie parks the van. They’re on a side alley, a couple of blocks from the store. It’s a loading dock street for a few storefronts, but, namely, and most conveniently, the loading dock space for The Hideout. And Eddie’s van being at The Hideout? Perfectly and completely normal. Expected, even. 

“Two minutes. Stay here, please.” Eddie hops out and runs to the back entrance, where he’s quickly met quite jovially by the owner, actually. 

“Damn, he was serious, huh?” Vickie peeks around Steve.

Robin just laughs from the back of the van where she’s shuffling things around. “Oh, yeah. Connor and Eddie are real close.”

“Really?”

“The band plays here a decent bit and, uh,” Robin shifts back on her heels, starts tying her hair back. “Eddie’ll barback. Quite a bit.”

Which is mildly surprising to Steve. “He’s – how is he allowed to barback? He’s not old enough.” 

“Well, Stephanopolous–”

“Not my name.” He groans, while Vickie giggles against his shoulder.

“How is he allowed to sell drugs?” Robin grins something sharp and sassy and it burrows its way deep in his chest.

Alright, fair, but still.

Steve resigns himself to watch through the window. The exchange itself is quick, a few words, some shuffling between hands, a tip of the hat toward the van, and Eddie is back, opening the back of the van and hopping in, before the full two minutes has passed. 

“Alright, we’re good.” Eddie pulls a few wristbands from his pocket, pointedly stashing them in the compartment Robin opens. “Our alibis, shall we need.”

Robin immediately starts pulling his hair back and twirling it into quite literally the neatest bun Steve has ever seen. Then, she’s pulling a beanie snug around his hair.

“Grab the–”

“I know what to grab.” Eddie huffs before pulling a latch on the side and another compartment Steve didn’t know existed falls open. Out of it, he pulls a box of gloves, a few neatly folded bandanas, and some sachet of tools.

Steve just looks between them, at Vickie who looks equally shocked, then back to them. “How often do you two do this that you, just, know what to do?”

“Do you really wanna know the answer, sweetheart?” 

Vickie turns, shoulder still pressed against Steve as she shakes her head. “Are we dating criminals?”

“We are dating criminals.” Steve affirms, with just the most awestruck expression on his face. 

“You are quite literally also a criminal.” Robin sasses him.

“I am not.”

“You are. You literally are. Like, several times.” 

“Excuse me.” Steve scoffs. “I saved the world.”

“By doing illegal things.” Robin bitches back.

“Can it even be considered illegal if they have no laws about it specifically?”

Robin points at him. “Semantics. Criminal.”

“Then why haven’t they arrested me?”

“Because the government is incompetent when it comes to this.” 

“Ah!” Eddie interjects as he pulls a beanie snug onto Robin’s head. “The government is just incompetent. Full stop.”

“True.” Vickie grumbles. She plops back down in her seat and starts tying her own hair back. 

“Incompetence or not, we’re all criminals.” Robin pauses, then looks at Vickie. “Except Vickie.”

Vickie just smiles something big and sharp. “How’re you sure?”

Robin just stares back with wide eyes. “...are you?”

“Why don’t you ask me later?” Vickie says in the most sickly sweet voice before leaning forward and kissing Robin with a fervor. 

Steve and Eddie make eye contact over them and both shake their heads.

They slowly creep down the alley, sticking to the exposed brick walls of quietly closed businesses. Something about that limbo period after Christmas casts a sleepy spell on the town, has the business owners closing, taking time off to be with their families or whatever other sweet bullshit, and of course, Family Video is not one of those, which is really just another thorn in Steve’s side because it means he and Robin have been working crazy hours while Keith fucks off doing god knows what under the guise of “manager privileges.” 

Steve wonders if there’s some way he can actually get that punch in tonight. 

He’s like 73% sure Hopper would bail him out, free of charge and consequence. 

The other 27% of him is just so done with caring that he would risk it regardless, honestly. 

At the mouth of the alley, Steve gets a freaky sense of deja vu as they stand there, half crouched, his arm out to pause them from proceeding. Tries to shake that memory from his mind with the promises of this situation not being anywhere near as deadly as the other one was.

And thankfully, no one here is a child. 

So, that at least gives him some comfort or reprieve. 

He peeks his head around the corner. The streets are quiet, save for the gentle swirl of mid-winter winds carrying bits of bramble and detritus about. Melvald’s is still open, the lights inside casting a soft glow on the sole car in the parking lot, which Steve recognizes to belong to Ms. Byers. He can’t see any movement in the store, though, so he figures she must be checking stock in the back or something. Gives them a perfect window.

The arcade is just closing, the games inside a kaleidoscope of flashing colors, fractals of which spill through the glass and onto the snowy iced pavement. The manager locks the store up and leaves, which leaves the entire area deserted, save for Ms. Byers at Melvald’s. 

That’s about as good as he thinks they’re gonna get, so he beckons behind himself, and they start creeping their way along the backs of the buildings until they reach the back entrance of the strip of shops caddy corner to Family Video. 

If anyone saw them right now, Steve’s sure they look like the most stereotypical band of criminals. They are literally dressed head to toe in all black. Hoodies, jeans, boots, hats, bandanas, gloves. Just, everything. The only thing peeking through being their eyes, and maybe some tufts of hair.

Jesus. 

Only one more gap to cross, but it’s the big one, the one that stretches wide open between Family Video and the other strip of stores, some awkward, caddy-cornered gap that opens into a grassy field, which is more just dead and icy now, soft patches of snow spread through. Blissfully, it isn’t snowing right now, but that doesn’t stop the bite of the air from slipping between the junction of his gloves and jacket, sending a shiver down his spine. 

“We ready, sergeant?” Eddie whispers, pressed hot against him, which now just sends a different kind of shiver through him – not one that he can do anything to acknowledge right now. 

Steve turns and looks at all three of them, takes a deep breath. “Alright. Stay low. Fast. Stick to the plan.”

Three sets of covered eyes nod at him, not an ounce of sarcasm or doubt in sight – just pure determination. 

“Go.” Steve points, and Robin darts across. Low, fast, probably the most agile he’s ever seen her. She makes it to the back of Family Video with ease. They wait a few moments until she pokes her head around the building and gives them a thumbs up.

Steve nods, then beckons Vickie across. She’s incredibly quick and quiet, joining Robin within seconds. He spends a moment just fully shocked, which Eddie seems to share as he laughs quietly against Steve’s shoulder. 

“Guess she might be criminal after all.” Eddie whispers.

“Alright, babe. Your turn.” Steve squeezes Eddie’s arm and gently pushes him forward.

Eddie stops, though. He turns, pulls down their bandanas, and kisses Steve something hot and fierce. “Let’s go, trouble.” 

Then, Eddie repositions his bandana and darts across the field, leaving a stunned Steve behind. Steve watches as Robin gently chastises Eddie. His heart beats erratically and he knows his face is furiously blushed. “Jesus christ.” 

Steve readjusts his bandana, takes one last look around the corner, then books it across.

Getting inside is easy enough. Keith entrusted Robin with a key for some reason (aka he wanted to be able to fuck off whenever he wanted and needed someone to close the store). 

So, they literally just walk on in. Kinda anticlimactic, but, Steve feels like he’s had enough excitement for a lifetime. 

“Right. Remember, keep low, try not to be seen through the windows.” Steve instructs as they walk through the backroom. 

“Aye aye, cap’n.” Robin salutes him and opens the door to the main part of the store. 

There’s six copies of Back to the Future on the shelf. Those immediately get pulled into the backpack that Vickie insisted she carry. When pressed, she just shrugged and muttered something about being fast and agile, and that alone may have somehow destroyed Robin’s ability to think any coherent thought.  

“Just these?” Vickie whispers as she zips the bag and slings it back on.

“No.” Robin shakes her head. “No way. That asshole has so much more than just six of these. I swear he kept ordering them whenever he got pissed off at us hiding them.”

“How many are in the system?” 

Robin and Steve look at each other and then both shrug. 

“It can’t be more than, like, twelve? Fifteen? We could check?” Robin offers.

Eddie just shakes his head. “Logging in with your stuff’ll just place you here more easily.”

“I can, uh, check his office.” Steve gestures behind him. “He’s probably got some in there.”

“Why am I not thrilled about the prospect of going in his office?” Robin groans.

“I’ll do it. Just, wait here.” Steve whispers before sneaking across the aisle and slipping into Keith’s office.

Even in the quiet dark of night, the inside of Family Video is enough to make Steve physically recoil, though that’s likely just because he’s standing in Keith’s office and this place just – ugh. 

There’s used food wrappers everywhere, across the desk, spilling from the trashcan, somehow sticking out of the drawers. The desk is cluttered with papers and pens. Like, for fuck’s sake, does the guy never clean?

One of the drawers is just chock full of movies. Tons of VHS tapes just saved here. Which really explains just so much from the last few months, the occasional missing tape or relocated one, for instance, but also – “Jackpot.” 

Steve pokes his head out the door. “Vickie. C’mere.” 

She’s quick to dart over, backpack already sliding off her shoulders. “Find some?”

“You have no idea.” Steve gestures at the drawer. Vickie takes one look at it and just laughs, before stifling the sound against her hand. 

“Jesus. He must really hate you guys.” 

“Yeah, well, feeling’s pretty fuckin’ mutual.” Steve starts grabbing the tapes and shoving them into Vickie’s bag. 

“Hey.” Vickie nudges him, and he can see something soft and honest in her eyes. “We’ll get him. Don’t you worry.” 

Something about that makes Steve’s heart blossom with warmth. It’s not like this is life or death, or Keith actually did anything physically harmful, or any other catastrophic thing that Steve has lived through.

Keith is just a dick.

But, it warms his heart all the same that Vickie is standing there, looking at him so soft and kind, her voice so determined, as she shovels tapes into her bag. 

He isn’t really sure how to fit all that in a cohesive response, so he just nods, whispers out, “Yeah. I know.” 

A mere three minutes later, Keith’s office door is shut, Vickie’s bag is laden with tapes, and they make their way back out of the store, locking the door firmly shut behind them, as if nothing had ever happened. 

“We did it!” Vickie whispers excitedly, and Steve can practically see her smile through the bandana across her face.

“Now, phase two.” Robin tugs on Vickie’s arm and they all mimic their earlier pattern, effortlessly making their way back to Eddie’s van without hiccup.

The four of them creep through the fringes of the forest, something that makes Steve’s anxiety ramp. He tries to ignore it. Focus on the task at hand. Which is honestly really fucking stupid and will probably result in him and Robin getting fired, but, like, at this point, that is worth the risk in his book. 

They were careful, at least. Wore gloves the whole time. Disposed of them in different trash cans. Unspooled the tapes away from anywhere that might leave a smell that clearly identifies them.

All of these things suggested by Eddie, who, when prompted, just shrugged and said something about being his father’s son after all, a feeling Steve understands all too well. 

They’ve got fresh gloves on now. The low rustling wind of  the early winter evening works to cover their footsteps.

And, as if they’re in some shitty C-roll movie, they’re still wearing all black. All of them. Black shoes (without tread on them, that’s how they get you, fucking apparently). Black pants. Black hoodies with the hoods up. Black bandanas across their mouths. 

Literally looking as if they are going to fucking rob somebody. 

They’re at the edge of the treeline now and Steve is halfway cursing himself for doing this when Robin throws an arm out to stop them.

“Jesus - what?” Steve whispers.

“I think…I think Keith has…company?” Robin’s voice is slightly strained, wholly incredulous, maybe a bit manic.

And, like, yeah. Because, “who the fuck hangs out with Keith?” 

Which is apparently a sentiment shared amongst the group because Eddie stifles a chuckle against Steve’s shoulder and Vickie is shaking her head. 

“Um. Well.” Robin’s voice is strung out. 

“Rob?” Steve tries to look around her.

“Uh. God, you do it, I’m too gay for this.” Robin shrinks back against Steve. 

“What do you–” Steve’s eyes widen. “No. No way.”

“Unless the windows of his busted ass Civic fog all on their own…”

Eddie chuckles softly behind them. “What unfortunate soul is getting hot and heavy with Keith of all people?”

“You are more than welcome to find out for yourself.” Robin gestures in front of her. 

“As morbidly curious as I am, I feel like that might send me into shock.” 

“Theres just no way.” Steve takes a half step around Robin, strains his eyes through the darkness, and, yeah, sure enough, even from as far away as they are, he can clearly see the foggy windows of Keith’s Civic, the faintest shake every few seconds. 

Which is just confusing as hell because – “Why doesn’t he just…go inside? This is literally his house.”

“Maybe the only way he could get laid is if they did it in the darkness of night.” Eddie jokes.

“Or he doesn’t wanna walk her past his parents.” Robin whispers. 

“Or she doesn’t want to be seen by his parents.” Eddie amends.

And, yeah, he might have a point. Hooking up with Keith isn’t exactly the thing you want to be known for. Kind of an all time low, really. Steve can’t even imagine who might have such immensely low self respect.

“I think we should just…wait it out. We don’t want them climbing out of his car post-fuck and catching us.” Vickie supplies. 

“Yeah, you’re right.” Steve nods. 

“There’s a downed tree ‘bout a hundred feet that way we could use for cover.” Eddie points off to the right. 

So, they hunker down at the edge of the forest, behind the fallen tree, a few hundred feet from Keith’s house, and get everything prepped for when the coast is clear. 

“Bets on who you think it is?” Robin asks through a manic grin as she sections off a fourth of the unspooled tape. 

“Genuinely, I have no idea who would ever stoop so low as to go out with Keith.” Steve makes a sound of disgust. He hands Vickie a section of tape, helps her readjust her bandana.

“For what it’s worth, this isn’t exactly going out.” Eddie adds.

“Okay, well, what’s worse? Going out with him or fucking him?” Steve questions.

Everyone actually takes a moment to think it over before deciding unanimously, “Going out.” 

“Least with a fuck, it can be one and done.” Vickie whispers.

“Still. Is there no one better to have a one night stand with?” Steve shakes his head.

“Yeah, seriously. He is the human embodiment of a slug.” Robin chirps, a knowing smile thrown towards Steve, who wholeheartedly agrees. 

“Think someone lost a bet?”

“What kind of bet ends in fucking in Keith’s car?”

“A bet Keith won?” 

It’s barely been five minutes before they hear the undeniable sound of a car door opening. They all go immediately quiet and still, four sets of eyes peeking over the tree, trained on the car, watching as a figure stumbles out. The only light they have to go by spilling down from the moon and the shitty interior light of Keith’s car. 

It’s still enough.

“No fucking way.” Steve whispers. 

“Wha– you know who it is?” Eddie looks between Steve and the car. “How?”

But, Steve would unfortunately know that outline anywhere. Even in the dark of night. 

Especially in the dark of night.

He glances at Robin with a grin. “Speaking of slugs.”

Her eyes immediately widen. “No fucking way.” 

“Care to share with the class, wonder twins?” Eddie leans against Steve, eyes darting between them and Keith’s car, where two figures are now standing. 

“Yeah, just…one sec.” Steve whispers. He leans forward a bit, eyes squinted, searching the darkness for – “Binoculars?” 

Vickie hands hers off quickly. Steve uses them to look away from the house down the street. It takes him only a few seconds to find it, and he barely holds back a laugh. 

“Slug?” Robin asks, all too gleefully. 

“Slug.” Steve agrees. 

“Do you know what slug means?” Vickie whispers at Eddie, who just shrugs.

Steve holds the binoculars out and points to some vague spot a bit further down the street. “Car look familiar?”

Eddie quirks a brow at him, then takes the binoculars, looks through them for approximately two seconds, before barely stifling a laugh. “Holy shit.” 

“Let me see!” Vickie tugs on Eddie’s arm and he hands her back the binoculars, to which she immediately looks through. “Alright, what exactly am I supposed to be recognizing?” 

Robin and Eddie both look at Steve, who just grins and whispers out, “It’s Tommy.”

Vickie pauses. Looks at each of the three of them. Looks at Keith’s car and the two shadowy figures who have slowly moved to the back of the car. Looks back at Steve. “Tommy.”

Steve nods. 

“As in Tommy Hagan?” Vickie clarifies.

“Yep.” 

“Well.” Vickie scrunches her face in disgust. “Guess we found out why he’s fucking in his car. Not exactly a high point for either of them.”

Eddie barely contains a laugh, has to hide his face in Steve’s chest, who is having his own trouble biting his tongue. 

“Guys…I, uh, I don’t think they’re done.” Robin’s voice takes an incredulous edge. 

Sure enough, as they look back, they see Keith pulling Tommy closer, the two of them slipping through the side door of Keith’s house, the sound of a lock clicking shut behind them.

“What the – if he’s gonna take him inside, why fuck in the car?” Eddie says through a laugh.

“I have no idea how his brain works and I don’t want to.” Robin shakes her head. 

Vickie leans forward with a mischievous glint to her eye. “Steve, you and Tommy aren’t friends anymore, right?”

“Fuck, no.” Steve laughs. 

“Thought so.” 

He narrows his eyes at her. “What’re you thinkin’?”

“I’m thinking maybe we have a little two-for-one kind of moment.” 

Robin’s eyes grow wide and Steve swears he sees hearts pop above her head. “Vi, I love your brain.”

Even in the darkness of the night, the blush on Vickie’s cheeks is impossible to miss. 

“Ya know. It would feel so fuckin’ good to fuck his shit up too.” Steve presses his tongue against his lip as he nods. “Seems good a time as any.”

“Well, my fellow lovely people, I’d say we have some vandalizing to do, and a very short window in which to do it.” Eddie grins something maniacal, and Steve feels himself falling a little bit more in love. 

They move quickly then, seamlessly breaking into pairs – Eddie and Vickie take Keith’s car, Robin and Steve take Tommy’s. 

“Wanna know somethin’, Rob?” Steve whispers as they crouch beside Tommy’s car.

“I have a feeling I do.” 

Steve just grins at her and reaches his hand into the tire well. “Dumbass never did learn anything I didn’t teach him.” 

He pulls out the spare key to Tommy’s car. The moonlight glints off of it, sending a shallow spark across his wicked smile. 

“Oh, fuck yes.” Robin’s smile is just as wide and wicked.

They didn’t exactly plan for this, though, so he feels momentarily paralyzed by what exactly to do to Tommy’s car. Robin drops the small bag with all the supplies in it, starts pulling out the unspooled tape. He looks at the bag, sees a few cans and some liquid chalk markers, and inspiration strikes. 

“Oh, I know what that look means.” Robin laughs. “You’ve got something evil brewing.”

“You work on the tape. I’ve got a message to leave.” 

They’re all quick. Methodical. The rolls and rolls of tape winding around car hoods and doors and antennae. It doesn’t quite make sense for Tommy’s car, but, well, not like they planned to get him tonight too. More so, they’re just enjoying the act of it. 

Steve uses the spare key to open Tommy’s driver’s side door, immediately leaning in to switch off the dome light. He glances around the car and feels a brief aching pang – an ache for days where he’d spend time in this car, shooting the shit with Tommy, laughing and carrying on. He swallows that feeling down, though, because it was never really real. It was all fake, all built off lies, off putting other people down just to feel something good. 

He thinks about the times they’d end up in the backseat here, or in Steve’s car. The way their breaths were hot and vicious as they clashed together. Nothing about it soft and sweet. Nothing about it even close to how Eddie touches him. No. Tommy was always too rough, too bruising in his touches, too disgusted afterward for anything more than shoving Steve away and pretending like nothing ever happened.

“Hey, you good?” Robin is crouched outside the door, hand softly placed on his leg. 

“Yeah.” Steve nods. “Just…remembering.” 

“He’s an asshole and he deserves you fucking his shit up.” Robin responds with the utmost certainty. 

Steve laughs. “You’re probably right.”

“I am right.”

She is.

He knows she is.

So, he shakes his head, and gets to work. 

Steve pulls down the driver’s side visor, flips open the tiny mirror. He shakes the chalk pen to prime it. Then, he starts writing. The mirror is small and the pen’s a bit too big for it, but he manages to get what he wants on there. He flips the passenger side down and finishes the message.

In blocky letters, the same on each side: I SEE YOU.

He slips out of the car and grabs a can of shaving cream before opening the backseat. He takes a few moments to stare at the glistening leather before grinning maniacally and writing across the seat. 

TOP OR BOTTOM?

Robin laughs behind him. "Oh, my god. He's gonna kill you." 

"Nah." Steve shakes his head. "He's too scared to do that." 

And, he is. Steve knows he is. Tommy has never been able to actually confront anything on his own in his entire life. Always has to hide behind somebody else for protection. 

Steve feels like Keith isn't exactly gonna be the best protection.

Steve shuts the doors and replaces the key in the tire well. Then, because he just can't fucking help himself, across the back window, written in liquid chalk: MISS ME? :)

Robin grins maniacally at Steve as she pulls out a can of shaving cream and proceeds to write SLUG across the windshield. They both laugh at how it slowly drips, just adding on to the message.

God, he loves her. He loves her so fucking much. 

The porch light flicks on, which sends all four of them darting back toward the woods.

Except for Steve. 

Steve, who breaks away from Robin, and darts for Keith’s car. Because he has his own little note to leave for Keith. He can’t resist, even if it means he might get caught. 

He leaves a single Razzle candy on the hood of Keith’s car. 

Something that Robin chastises him for with a wry grin as he tumbles back into the forest with her. 

They’re out of breath still, laughter trailing so hot and sweet between them, as Eddie parks the van in Steve’s driveway. It’s well past midnight. Crackles of ice and snow blur the world soft around the edges, make it feel a bit smaller, a bit less chaotic.

“You think they’ll figure it out?” Vickie asks as she pops out of the van. 

“Oh, 1000% they will.” Steve laughs as he leads them up to the door, fishes his keys out of his pocket. 

“Yeah, because dingus over here left a fuckin’ calling card like a serial killer.” Robin snipes, but the sound itself is so warm that it does nothing but blanket softly over Steve.

“You did what?” Vickie’s eyes go wide.

Steve stops at the door, fingers fiddling with his keys, and shrugs, a sly grin tugging at his lips. “I just…left Keith something to fuck with him.”

“Alright, what’s that?” Eddie steps between Steve and the door, hand reaching out to drift lightly down Steve’s side. 

“God, there was this whole thing dealing with candy at the store, and Keith was being a dick. So, Steve ate every box of Razzles–”

“Okay, no, I didn’t eat all of them.” Steve corrects with a bitchy glare. “Some of them are in the kitchen.” 

“Steve took every box of Razzles.”

“Thank you.”

“And then he left, like, a singular piece on Keith’s car as we left.”

Eddie and Vickie both burst into the same chaotic laughter, and Steve’s chest feels tight with emotion. Robin smiles and leans against him, eyes twinkling like stars guiding him home. He takes in a deep breath, the chilled air coating his lungs, making him shiver a bit, but, god, he doesn’t even care, because he has truly never felt this alive. 

He would fight a thousand demogorgons, take down the Russian base again, face it all if it meant he got to keep this – this soft, fragile, precious thing that’s being crafted before his very eyes. 

Steve moves to unlock the door and Eddie stops him, fingers wrapping around his wrist. 

“Uh, you okay?”

“Just, uh,” Eddie clears his throat, eyes darting between the girls, then back to Steve. “Just wantin’ to hold your hand, sweetheart.”

Steve gives him just the most quizzical look. “You’re holding my wrist.”

Eddie looks down. Just kinda…stares at their hands. Then murmurs, “Oh. Yeah.” 

Then, Eddie swipes Steve’s keys, and Steve feels himself being pulled backwards, a hand bunched in the back of his hoodie. He stumbles slightly as he’s whirled around, coming face to face with a maniacally grinning Robin. 

“The fuck?” 

“Need your help, uh, getting the, you know – the van, stuff, yeah.” Robin starts pulling him back down the walkway toward Eddie’s van. 

“What stuff?” 

“You know. The entertainment for the night.” Vickie adds as she slips her arm through his and starts pulling. 

“The en– doesn’t–?” Steve looks over his shoulder, but Eddie is just…gone. Not standing in front of the door anymore. Not following them. Just wholly gone. 

Steve quirks a brow at the girls, because they’re acting weird. 

All of them are acting weird. 

“What did you do to my house?” 

“What makes you think we did something?” Robin asks.

“You stole my keys and forcibly pushed me down the driveway.” Steve glares.

“We just need your help.” Vickie says just way too sweetly.

“You’re both terrible liars.”

“Yeah, well,” Robin shrugs and opens the van. “You’re stuck with us.” 

Steve shakes his head and sighs. He climbs over the seat and pulls out Eddie’s lunchbox. Once he slips back out and shuts the door, he lifts a brow. “Okay. Here.” He shoves the lunchbox in Vickie’s arms. “Can I go in my house now?” 

Robin looks up the driveway, her mouth open in hesitation. “Well–”

Then, Eddie opens the door and beckons at them, and Steve feels himself being forcibly pushed back toward the door. 

“Jesus – I can walk, ya know?” 

“We know.” Vickie and Robin say in perfect unison, still softly pushing him along, until he stops right in front of Eddie. 

“Hi.” Eddie whispers, his smile so incredibly soft.

“Hi?” Steve asks. “What’s going on?” 

“Uh. Just. Why don’t you check it out?” Eddie gently guides him to the door and stops just behind him.

There’s a bit of fear laced in his chest as he looks between the three of them. They’re all smiling in similar soft, but maniacal ways, and he feels like he’s definitely missed a chapter here. He has no idea what to expect when he opens the door, and he’s honestly a bit scared to find out.

When Steve steps inside, he freezes, all the breath immediately ripped from his lungs. He can’t move or think or anything, the only thing his body holds onto is the ability to just stand there. Just stand there and look.

Warm hands softly drift up his back, the smell of tobacco and leather curling around him, somehow rebooting his nervous system, giving him the capability to blink, to shake his head, to mutter out a quiet, “What?”

Because his house. 

His big, stupid, incredibly deserted house.

The house that has brought him nothing but a slew of lonely, painful nights.

That has been nothing more than a museum that’s long since been shut down, the exhibits dusty and half-assembled.

His stupid, cold, soulless house is full. 

There are Christmas lights strung everywhere. Across the foyer, the stair banister, in loops high on the wall. All sparkling in a kaleidoscope of colors, casting the most beautiful lights across everything. 

Garland is intertwined with the lights on the banister, little bows, pinecones, bunches of holly sticking out in haphazard patterns all the way up. Christmas music drifts softly from the living room into the foyer, coating everything in just a warm haze.

“What the fuck?” Steve whispers, slowly stepping further into the house.

And when he steps into the living room, his entire vision whites out. His heart thrums in his ears, his breath still somewhere left behind, outside, swirling in the late night winds that hold the secrets of their evening escapades.

Because his entire living room – the room that only has some sense of warmth from the perpetual cushion bed he covers the floor with. The room that he only exists in when Robin and Eddie and Vickie are here, or when the kids want to come hang out. 

His living room is completely and utterly covered in decorations. Lights, garland, wreaths, ribbon, figurines, and somehow, a tree – a tree that stands bare in the corner. 

“I don’t – I, but,” Steve scoffs, shakes his head. “Why? How?”

“We have ways.” Robin says as she smiles.

“Ways?” 

“Yup.” 

“But, like, when?” 

Because they’ve spent like the last couple of days practically glued to each other setting up their little escapade. When the fuck did they have time to do this? 

Robin cocks her head, looks down a bit. “We, uh, we had help.” 

Steve blinks. “Help?”

“Indeedy do, sweetheart.” Eddie links their fingers together, starts pulling Steve further into the living room.

“But, who – who would even?” He sputters.

“Everyone.” Robin says, as if it’s the most simple thing in the universe. 

“Everyone?” Steve hears his voice crack. 

“Yeah.” Robin steps closer. “I may’ve talked to Ms. Byers and she helped us plan the whole thing.”

“What? But, she – she hates me.” Steve’s voice comes out so small that he’s not even sure if he said it at all. 

Robin looks at him with the utmost confusion. “She does not hate you.” 

“Yes, she does.” 

“That woman adores you.”

“But… all that shit I did to Jonathan.” 

“That he rightfully deserved.” 

“Okay, well, I’m sure she doesn’t think that.”

“Well, she doesn’t know what he did, now, does she?” Robin snipes. 

Which makes Steve stop. And, like, shit. 

“But, she was – wasn’t her car at Melvald’s? She was working?” 

“We’re not the only ones who can plant cars where they need to be.” Vickie says through a sparkling grin. 

“You–” Steve scoffs. “You planted her car?” 

“Had to build the illusion, sweetheart.” Eddie presses a soft kiss to his shoulder.

“But…why?” Steve shakes his head.

“Because. You should have good memories. And no, it didn’t have to be Christmas related.” Eddie hedges. “We just happened to be right around it, so, like,” he shrugs, “why not.”

Robin stares hard at Eddie. “And we may’ve found out that you haven’t really had a good Christmas. So, we wanted to fix it.”

Eddie immediately ducks his head, drags a hand through his hair. “Maybe that too.”

“This is just…it’s too much. You didn’t have to do this.” Steve shakes his head and takes a half step back. 

“Hey, no.” Robin gently grabs his wrist. “We did it because we wanted to, okay? No one made us.”

“Yeah, sweetheart. You’re always takin’ care of everyone, giving them good memories. Let us do that for you.” Eddie squeezes his hand.

“So, what better way to start than by decorating the tree?” Vickie grins as she pulls out, just, an obscenely large box of ornaments from behind the tree. 

“It’s, like, one in the morning.” Steve scoffs a laugh. 

“So?” Vickie opens a pack of sparkly yellow ornaments and Steve thinks he might cry.

“You got anywhere else to be?” Eddie pulls him along.

Steve just…he just can’t stop smiling. “I mean, no, but–”

“But nothing, dingus.”

So, he lets himself be pulled deeper into the living room, toward the tree, toward the overflowing box of ornaments. There’s just so much. Candy canes, balls, figures, letters, santas – just, the sheer variety of ornaments is astounding. 

“Was this – did this all come from the attic?” Steve looks up at Eddie. 

“Not all of it.” Eddie clasps his hands behind his back and leans forward slightly. “There may’ve been donations for the cause.” 

“Donations?” Steve looks down at the box, brows etched in confusion. It only takes a second, as if he knew it was there all along, was just waiting for the prompt to appear to find it.

He reaches down into a small box that looks full of varied shapes and colors and pulls out a small ornament. It’s half a foot or so in length. One side is black with soft sparkles. The other side is red and has… the fuck?

Steve looks up at everyone again, the room suddenly much, much blurrier than it was before. 

Robin walks over and gently loops her arm around his middle, slotting perfectly into his side. 

“What?” Steve whispers.

“Well, the kids – or, wait, they call themselves ‘The Party’, don’t they?” Vickie looks between Steve and Robin who both nod. “Right. Yeah. The Party. They, well,” she laughs, “funnily enough, had a party! A real one. Where they all got together and made these.”

“They what?” Steve looks down at the mismatched array of ornaments in the small box and feels his heart tighten.

“Yeah, they wanted to chip in.”

Steve blinks. Looks back at his hand, where he’s holding a handmade ornament – a handmade skateboard ornament. “For my brother, Steve – Max” painted on the underside in the smallest, neatest letters.

He thinks his heart might genuinely explode. 

“Fuck.” 

The tears spill freely and Steve suddenly feels himself crushed by three pairs of arms. He’s surrounded by warmth, by kind and loving hands, by the absolute sweetest people he has ever met. His heart aches with how full it feels. Steve doesn’t think he’s ever loved a group of people this much. Doesn’t really know what to do with that realization.

“Now.” Robin pulls back, holds his face in her hands. “We’ve got a tree to decorate.” 

“And so many decorations to use!” Vickie sings as she moves back over to the bin, her cheeks suspiciously wet. 

So, for once, Steve lets himself try to relax. Lets himself fall into the easy laughter and dance as they decorate the tree.

Robin slides on a new record first, and it’s – 

Steve groans, drops his head into his hands. “Why? Why do you hate me?”

Robin just cackles and starts dancing around the room, and Steve thinks he might just melt into the floor to get away from this. 

“This is cruel.” Steve whines.

“You own Shaun Cassidy’s stuff?” Eddie laughs.

Which just makes everyone freeze. 

“You know Shaun Cassidy’s stuff?” Steve asks through a barely contained grin. 

That is precisely the moment that Eddie’s face blanches. “Uh – no, I mean, uh, I just – ‘course I know he exists, ya know! And, uh, I saw the, the record! Saw Buck hold it up, uh, yeah.” 

Everyone immediately starts laughing, something warm and hearty, bubbling around the softly lit living room, cocooning around them, and Eddie groans as he slumps down in a chair.  “I’m never gonna hear the end of this, am I?”

“Never.” Robin agrees all too gleefully. 

“What’s your favorite track?” Vickie asks. 

Steve at least takes mild pity on him and slumps down beside him, plants a soft kiss to his cheek. Waits approximately three seconds before saying. “I bet you sing him in the shower.” 

And then he’s laughing as Eddie falls back with a pained groan.

“What if he hates me?”

“He’s not gonna hate you.” Robin promises.

“But what if he does?” Steve runs a hand through his hair for about the seventh time in the last two minutes. 

“He won’t.” 

"He's gonna love you, sweetheart." Eddie promises with a kiss to his cheek.

Steve sighs something heavy. Feels like his heart might actually explode out of his chest. "Alright. Let's go."

“Wayne, there’s, uh, someone I’d like you to meet.” Eddie shifts on his feet, eyes pointedly focused on the arm of Wayne’s chair.

“That so?” Wayne leans forward, props his elbows on his knees. 

“Yeah. He’s, uh, important. To me.”

“Alright, then, boy. Bring ‘em in.” 

Eddie sticks his hand out through the open door, links it with Steve’s, and pulls Steve inside. “This is Steve. My boyfriend.”

“Uh. Hi.”

Steve isn’t sure what to do. He doesn’t really know where to look or what to say or what not to say. He’s not exactly used to meeting parents. No, his dating record much more reflects short flings, nothing too serious, nothing with anchors. With Nancy, he thinks he just got lucky with her dad not really caring enough and her mom just being immediately for his charm.

He doesn’t think that will really work here. 

Is it different to meet a boyfriend’s parents? Or, well. The person who is essentially their parent. Fuck, Steve really should’ve practiced his speech more.

Wayne studies him carefully. Eyes roaming over his body like he can see right through every single layer that makes up who he is, can see right through to the dusty core of his being. There’s an ice cold moment where Steve realizes Wayne has to know his parents, probably even went to school with them, and that’s enough to have him mentally making his own obituary because no way in hell is he– 

“You’re the boy Ed won’t shuddup ‘bout?” Wayne’s eyes search his face. 

“Wayne. Jesus.” Eddie grumbles beside him. 

“I, uh, I guess? Sir.” Steve nods. 

“Hm. You the reason ‘e came home knowin’ the fuck a triple-double was?” 

Steve blinks. Looks slowly from Wayne to Eddie, the latter of which is completely red in the face. “You did what?”

“That’s the last time I tell you anything, old man.” Eddie shakes his head.

“You remembered?” Steve whispers. Can’t help the pure shock and wonder in his voice as he scans Eddie’s anxious expression. 

“...maybe.”

“You really – you came home and talked to him about it?”

“Just, like, a bit.”

At that, Wayne chuckles. “Dontchu go lyin’ to yer boy now, Ed. He came on home askin’ me how I felt ‘bout Richardson whippin’ that out ‘gainst the Pacers. Near had me a heart attack right here. He ain’t ever been able to say two words ‘bout sports.” 

“You–” Steve scoffs a laugh. “You did what?”

“Wouldn’t shuddup ‘bout it ‘til I taught ‘im how the game works.” Wayne grins something lopsided and Steve is struck by how much Eddie favors him in that moment. The same title of the head, crook of the lip, warmth evident everywhere. 

“Betrayal.” Eddie points accusingly at Wayne. “This is betrayal of the highest order.”

“I can’t believe you did that.” Steve whispers.

“Well, I, uh,” Eddie sighs, looks to panic for about four seconds, before dropping the act, smiling softly. “‘Course I did, sweetheart.” He shrugs. “It’s important to you.” 

“That – oh my god.” Steve shakes his head. 

And, no. Steve is not about to cry the first time he meets Wayne. Absolutely the fuck not.

“Must be somethin’ real special to get ‘im wantin’ to learn sports.” 

Before he can stop himself, Steve says, with complete steadiness, “No. He’s the special one.” 

Eddie blushes so furiously it covers his neck to his ears. Wayne chuckles, a soft smile now taking his face. Steve squeezes Eddie’s hand tight, trying to convey all the warmth and happiness currently coursing through him. 

“Well. Alright, now, Ed. You let yer boy take a seat ‘n get ‘im a drink.” 

“Oh, uh,” Steve ducks his head. “I don’t actually drink.” 

“Soda?”

“Uh, yeah, yeah, soda is good.”

“Smoke?” 

Steve takes a second before nodding. “Yeah.”  

“Right then. Ed, get yer boy a soda and bring some good stuff on out.” 

“The good stuff?” Eddie grins a bit wide. “You tryna bribe him?”

“I’m tryna treat yer boy well, smartass.”

Eddie laughs and points Steve to the couch where he takes a seat. “Fine, fine.” 

But, instead of going to get a drink or weed, Eddie just sticks his head back out the front door.

“Uh, actually. Hey, Wayne.” Robin slowly steps through the open door. “Now, uh, there’s someone that I’d like for you to meet.” 

“Jesus. ‘Course y’all’d do this the same day.” Wayne can’t help but chuckle and shake his head. “Bring ‘er in.”

Robin pulls a very anxious Vickie into the trailer. Vickie looks up at Wayne, smiles, and says, “Hi, Mr. Wayne. Nice to meet you, sir.”

“Hell. Where’d y’all find these ‘uns? All respectful.” 

“Hey, are you saying we aren’t respectful, old man?” Eddie snipes from the kitchen. 

“Y’know damn well that’s what ‘m sayin’, boy.”

“Wow, attacked. I’m being attacked.” Robin shakes her head.

“Truly. We are the most respectful.” Eddie says as he throws an arm around Robin’s shoulders.

In perfect union, Vickie and Steve say, “You are not.”

Which just makes Wayne laugh something fierce. Full blown, bent over, slapping his knee laughter.

After a few moments, he catches his breath, shakes his head as he looks up at everyone. “Ed, you go ‘head ‘n order us some pizza. Y’know what they like?"

“You know it.” Eddie grins.

Steve feels something loosen in his chest as Robin drops down beside him on the couch. The air in the trailer is warm with the kind of hominess that comes from years of love and care. The way Robin banters with Wayne so easily, how Wayne seems to genuinely care, how Wayne isn’t being curt or rude or dismissive of any of them, how Wayne seems to treat them all like they’re…human – it all just curls up in that cavern in Steve’s chest and starts to knit him back together from the inside out. 

“So, these two tell y’all how they met?”

Robin and Eddie immediately jump up and forward, words overlapping, a mixture of “shut up” and “no” and the like. 

Steve looks at Vickie, looks at Robin and Eddie, then back to Vickie, and smiles before turning to Wayne. “Now that you mention it, no. They haven’t.” 

“Well then,”  Wayne leans back slowly in his chair. “I suggest y’all get comfy now.”

“Oh, it’s a whole thing, isn’t it?” Vickie asks, her eyes sparkling as she glances at Robin, who is standing there just completely mortified. 

“Yeah, somethin’ like that.” Wayne chuckles.

“You’re evil.” Eddie looks like he might vibrate out of his skin. Robin doesn’t look much better standing beside him, looking like she might just throw herself full speed out the door. 

“So, Ed over ‘ere, ‘fore he was livin’ with me, comes stay with me one summer when he was a youngin’. Prolly ‘bout eight or nine.”

Eddie groans and fully walks away, head in his hands. 

“He was real into animals. Loved ‘em. Always talkin’ ‘bout ‘em. Cats, dogs, horses, giraffes, bears, elephants. You name it, he loved ‘em.” 

Steve looks over and sees Eddie at the end of the hall pressing his forehead against the wall. Robin is looking between Eddie and the door still, and it almost makes Steve laugh how she seems torn between standing with Eddie or getting herself the hell out of here. 

“Well, he ain’t ever really get to to the zoo much on account a my brother bein’ a worthless shit.” Wayne’s nose turns up at that. 

“But, well, I got lil’ Ed and took ‘im up to the zoo. Kid had stars in his eyes, I swear it. Woulda thought I gave ‘im the moon.” Wayne smiles softly, and Steve feels a tightness in his chest. He looks down the hall and sees Eddie watching him, an almost unreadable look on his face.

“We’re makin’ our way ‘round the zoo. Ed’s tellin’ me all these things ‘bout the animals. These facts ‘n such he’d been learnin’. Then, we get to the pettin’ zoo. They had some goats ‘n horses ‘n stuff out there. Kid was havin’ a blast. Well, I turn ‘round  to grab ‘im some feed from the stand, ‘n when I turn back, kid’s gone.” 

“Wha – gone?” Vickie gasps, looks between Eddie and Wayne.

Wayne just nods. “Yup. Scared the hell outta me. He’s lucky that pettin’ zoo ain’t no bigger than the playground ‘cause I found ‘im real quick like.”

Steve notices Robin slowly inching her way toward the door and he narrows his eyes at her. “He was with you, wasn’t he?”

She stops dead in her tracks. “Uhhhh.” 

“You know it.” Wayne chuckles. “Found ‘em both inside the smaller pen. They were sittin’ there holdin’ them baby chickens, cryin’ bout how small ‘n soft they were. Just sobbin’ ‘n carryin’ on. Ed looked up at me with the biggest, wettest eyes you ever did see, askin’ me if’n we could take one of ‘em home.” 

“Aw.” Vickie coos as she leans deeper into the couch. “That’s so sweet.” 

“Yeah, well, you ain’t the one that had to deal with gettin’ ‘im outta that pen, or takin’ ‘im home all covered in chicken shit ‘cause he plopped his happy ass on down in there without a thought.”

“I did too have thoughts! Thoughts of cute baby chickens!” Eddie cries from down the hall where he has now fully slumped onto the floor. 

Robin still stands frozen a few paces from the door, just frantically looking at Wayne, quiet pleas falling from her lips. Steve quirks a brow at that and turns to Wayne. “And what about Robin here?”

“Oh, lil’ Buck o’er here. Ed’d gone into that pen when he saw her tryna reach dem chicks. He just marched on in and picked one o’ ‘em up and handed it to her. I guess seein’ my lil’ hellion march his happy ass on in gave her the go ‘head to follow ‘im.” 

“So, it’s Eddie’s fault?” Steve asks. 

Wayne looks at him, some soft twinkle to his eye as he shakes his head. “Now, Ed may’ve gotten her into that pen. But this one? This one right here? Wooo-eee. She was somethin’ else.”

“Wayne, please, don’t.” Robin looks almost genuinely terrified as she keeps inching closer to the door. 

“Buck o’er there.” Wayne points at her. “She planted the idea of takin’ dem chicks on home. Shoved one o’ ‘em in her pocket, did the same to Ed.”

“What?” Vickie shrieks as she leans forward. 

Steve can’t help but laugh. 

“Those two tried walkin’ on outta there like they weren’t squirmin’ like they sat their asses in a fire ant bed. They barely made it to the edge of the enclosure ‘fore one o’ the workers stopped ‘em with a shake o’ their head and told ‘em to cough up.” Wayne laughs and shakes his head. “I couldn’t stop laughin’. Couldn’t believe outta all the people in that zoo, Ed’d met the one that was just like ‘im. They been inseparable chaos since.” 

“Nice knowing you.” Robin salutes and opens the door, only to be met with the pizza delivery person. She jumps back half a foot with a yelp, before immediately apologizing profusely. 

The pizza delivery person just laughs a bit. “No worries. It’ll be $26.50.”

Wayne just laughs. “C’mere, Ed. Come get my wallet for the pizzas, please.” 

“Oh, hey, I can get it.” Steve immediately stands and pulls out his wallet.

“Now, why on earth would I let you pay when yer a guest?” Wayne looks at Steve like he’s insane.

“Ah, that’s kind of his thing.” Robin shrugs. 

“Exceptionally so.” Vickie agrees. 

“You make it sound like I forcibly control the money.” Steve grumbles as he walks to the door.

“Says the man paying for dinner.” Robin sings. 

He just glares at her and says, “Grab the pizzas, asshole.” 

She mocks his words back to him, but indeed does grab the pizzas.

Steve nods at the delivery person and hands over some cash. “‘Preciate it. Here ya go.” 

The delivery person looks down at what Steve paid, then back up with wide eyes. “Dude, it’s only, like, $26.” 

“Yep. Rest is for you. Stay safe out there. And, uh, do something nice for yourself.” Steve smiles. 

The delivery person slowly grins and shakes their head. “Thanks, man. You rock. Have a nice night!” And they run back to their car. 

“Now, what on earth didya pay ‘em to make ‘em react that way?” Wayne asks. 

“Nothin’ much.” Steve shrugs and walks to the kitchen where Robin is, starts helping her get the paper plates and napkins and sodas out and ready. 

Wayne just looks at them bustle around his kitchen in sync, then at Vickie who is staring with just hearts in her eyes, and at Eddie who is leaned against the arch at the end of the hall, arms crossed, staring so softly at them in the kitchen, his smile quite possibly the sweetest Wayne’s ever seen on him, and Wayne just shakes his head. His kids are in deep, and so are their partners. And he couldn’t be happier. 

“This doesn’t seem like a good idea.” Vickie shakes her head, watches as Eddie props the ladder against the side of the trailer. 

“Relax, Lady Vick. We do it all the time.” Eddie grins at her.

“That’s not comforting, Eddie. Like, at all.” 

Steve just laughs beside her and shakes his head. “See! Not just me.” 

Robin and Eddie give them both the finger before Robin effortlessly pulls herself up onto the roof, much to Vickie’s astonishment. 

Vickie turns to Steve. “Okay. Why was that so hot?”

“Okay, ew,” Steve makes a sound of disgust. “That is my soulmate. Please do not make me think of her like that.” 

“But it was.” Vickie groans, which quickly turns into a wicked grin that Steve shakes his head at. 

“Heathen. Go.” He points at the ladder and she reluctantly makes her way to it.

“Takes one to know one.”

“Yeah, yeah.” He follows her and steadies the ladder.

“If this ladder fails, it’s on your heads.” She gripes.

“I mean. Yeah.” Eddie says plainly. 

“Oh, fuck off.” 

Eddie laughs and helps Vickie onto the ladder, him and Steve steadying it as she climbs up. Robin meets her at the top and helps pull her safely onto the roof. 

“Alright, two down, two to go.” Eddie says through a grin. 

“Mmm, I can think of something I’d like to go down on.” Steve smirks, stepping closer to Eddie.

“Gross! We can hear you!” Robin yells from above them. 

“Wasn’t bein’ quiet!” Steve yells back. 

Eddie laughs, loops his finger through Steve’s belt loop, pulls him until their bodies are flush together. Their lips brush together, soft and warm. Eddie murmurs, “I can help ya keep quiet, sweetheart.” 

“That a threat or a promise?” Steve nips at Eddie’s bottom lip and relishes in the light groan Eddie lets out, how their bodies press more firmly together. 

“You’ll just have to stick around and find out, won’t you?” 

“You two are not fucking tonight.” Robin gripes, her head dangling over the side of the roof. “Keep it in your pants for when we aren’t here.” 

“Long as you keep it in yours too, Buck.” Eddie looks up at her with a manic grin. 

Robin’s face goes red and Steve thinks it only partly has to do with how she’s leaning over the edge. She sticks her tongue out and then disappears back on top of the roof. 

Eddie uses his thumb and pointer finger to grip Steve’s chin and softly pull him back in for a long, syrupy sweet kiss. Steve melts into it, one hand snaking around the back of Eddie’s neck. And that’s how they stand for a few moments, before Steve grins, using the leverage to pull Eddie’s head to the side, exposing the long, beautiful expanse of his neck. Steve mouths a hot trail of kisses across Eddie’s cheek, down his jaw, before taking up residence at the soft spot beneath his ear, sucking hard, letting the soft gasps Eddie makes wash over him. When he pulls back, his tongue laves over the freshly speckled spot, soft kisses soothing over it. 

“God, you’re a fuckin’ dream, sweetheart.” Eddie rasps against his ear.

“All for you, baby.” Steve croons.

“We’re gonna eat all the brownies!” Vickie yells from the roof. 

Eddie and Steve laugh together. Steve kisses Eddie softly, just a brush of lips that makes every nerve ending in his body light up. Then, Steve is stepping back, and climbing the ladder, Eddie smacking his ass lightly on the way up.

They pass the joint between them, trading lazy hits among sharing Wayne’s ultimate brownies, fresh from the oven. 

“Can you marry baked goods?” Steve mumbles around a mouthful of brownie. “‘Cause I would. I would marry this brownie so hard.” 

“I don’t think that’s legal.” Robin supplies.

“Since when have I been concerned with what’s legal?”

“Fair.” Robin breaks a brownie in half, hands one part to Vickie, who gleefully takes it.  And, just because she can, Robin leans in and kisses Vickie, the sticky warm chocolate of the brownie melting between their lips.

“Wow. Gay. Gay on my roof?” Eddie snipes.

Vickie pulls away from Robin who whines softly. “I’m bisexual, actually.”

Steve pauses, brownie half-chewed in his mouth, joint between his fingers. 

“My apologies, madam.” Eddie half bows. “Bisexuality? On my roof?”

“Thank you.” Vickie nods and grins. 

“Where’s my lesbian representation?” Robin gripes. 

Eddie just laughs something warm and hearty. “Damn. Okay. Bisexual? Lesbian? On my roof?” 

“Better.” Robin smiles before turning back to Vickie, nuzzling her head against Vickie’s neck, pressing soft kisses there.

Meanwhile, Steve is about four seconds away from choking on the half-chewed brownie in his mouth. He manages to swallow roughly, clears his throat once. 

Then, Steve turns to Vickie, and in the quietest voice, he asks, “Bisexual?” 

“Hm?” Vickie looks up from where she’s pressing soft kisses to Robin’s hair.

“You said you’re…bisexual?”

“Oh, yeah! I didn’t tell you?”

Steve blinks, lightly shakes his head. “No. I mean, I don’t – I don’t know. Maybe? I just – uh, well.” 

“Sweetheart?” Eddie lays a gentle hand on Steve’s back, just between his shoulder blades.

“Sorry. Yeah. Uh. What is, um – what’s bisexual?”

“Oh!” Vickie’s eyes go wide. 

Robin pulls away from her, looking immensely gone, high off weed and Vickie’s general existence. “Oh, shit. I meant to – ‘m sorry.” 

Steve furrows his brow. “Why’re you sorry?”

“Because!” Robin whines and bumps their shoulders together. “I meant to tell you, but it got all,” she waves her hands in an indescribable shape.

“Blobby?” Steve supplies knowingly.

“Blobby.” Robin nods.

“No worries, Rob.” Steve presses his shoulder firmly against hers. “You can tell me now.”

“Right! Uh, well.” She turns to Vickie with a sheepish smile.

Vickie shakes her head fondly. “I got it.” 

“You’re the greatest ever.” 

“I know.” Then, Vickie looks back to Steve. “Bisexual is basically liking more than one gender. Like, wanting to date them and be with them and stuff.”

“Oh.” 

“So, for me, it means I like guys and girls. I find them both attractive. And lately, I’ve figured that I just might find women more attractive.” Vickie shrugs. “And that’s okay. It’s different, I think, for everyone.”

The information swirls softly around Steve, seeps into his pores, settles something that’s been unsteady for as long as he can remember, pulls it back from the teetering edge. It’s like this chaotic mess he’s lived in is finally unwinding, the threads softly stitching themselves into the fabric of his being, firm and sure. 

“I, uh. I think I’m bisexual?” Steve’s voice lilts at the edges.

“Yeah?” Vickie is smiling at him so kindly. 

“Yeah. Yeah, I am. And, uh, maybe I like guys more.” Steve pauses and looks at Eddie. “Least right now, I really do.” 

Eddie leans in and presses a soft kiss to Steve’s cheek. Steve’s heart sings at the touch, greedily leans into it. Lets the warmth and softness of Eddie’s skin against his calm him, make him feel like this is okay, that he’s not broken, not fucked up or wrong or anything other than loved. 

“So, uh, I know this’ll make all of you want to jump in and be nice and whatever, but, please just let me get through it first?” Steve looks at each of them earnestly, catalogues the anxiety written across their faces as they reluctantly agree, before taking a deep breath and diving into a story he’s never quite verbalized.

“I’d always thought, growing up, that something was wrong with me. That I was broken somehow. I remember liking boys. Thinking they were cute and sweet just like I did about girls. And I didn’t know that was wrong until my parents caught me holding hands with some boy on the playground. 

“And then, it just got worse as I got older, because it didn’t go away. It got…bigger. And still, everyone around me was saying it was wrong, even the guys who would kiss me or wrestle around in the weight room or whatever. Just a quick and dirty moment and then we act like nothing ever happened. I got it. Like, obviously, shit’s hard here. Small town, being gay, not worth the trouble of being out because you’d end up just… yeah.

“But, what I was so confused about. I knew that the guys who would fool around, knew they were gay, but just pretending to like girls in public. But, me? I…I actually did like girls. I do like them. I like girls and guys. The feelings I have about them are basically the same.

“It was so confusing. Still is. Because, gay people exist, obviously. And straight people. And I thought I was just broken. Like whoever made me forgot to flip off one of the switches. Just sent me off with ‘likes girls’ and ‘likes guys’ both flipped on. So, I just kept thinking that, like, I was supposed to ignore one of those. And I did, for a long time. Just pushed it down. Tried really fucking hard. Then, something happened.”

“What’s that?” Vickie asks with a knowing smile.

“Well, I got kicked around a Russian bunker with this girl. Who then came out to me and made me feel seen, even though I didn’t tell her at the time. Then, she introduced me to this guy. Who I really talked to for the first time. Really got to know. And he scrambled my brain hard. I’d never felt that strongly about anyone before, girl or guy.”

Eddie looks about two seconds away from crying. Steve reaches his hand up and cups Eddie’s cheek, softly brushes his thumb under one eye, catching the damp there, before he turns back to Robin and grabs her hand. 

“And I ended up back on the floor of a bathroom with that girl, but this time, it was me coming out. Finally talking about it. And she just told me so simply that it was okay to like more than one gender. She said it so obviously and confidently that it managed to shut down, like, 90% of the doubts I’d had my whole life about it.”

Robin squeezes his hand, her eyes equally damp with tears.

“Now, I’m here. And…there’s a name for it. A name to who I am. And I know, labels aren’t everything, but,” Steve shakes his head. “It just…I don’t know. Makes me feel like maybe I’m not so fucked up after all.”

Robin throws her arms around him and hugs him tight, which he returns in earnest. “I’m so proud of you.” She whispers against his ear. He tucks his head into her neck and lets tears spill free, like a valve finally releasing pressure that’s been building for far too long. 

Barely a few seconds pass before they’re crushed together by Eddie and Vickie joining the hug. They all laugh, arms squeezing tight, hands rubbing soothing patterns, hearts beating in sync, and, god, Steve’s never felt more loved.

They tumble back, spilling apart, backs pressed flat to the roof, hands linked together, as they laugh and cry and let out what feels like a million different emotions into the late-night sky. 

Steve links his fingers with Robin’s and squeezes softly. 

Things aren’t perfect by any means. There’s still so much to talk about and so far left to go. The trauma they share still has ugly edges that need to be processed. The trauma Steve has from all of the last few years needs a full-on professional to sort through. 

Their jobs were already shaky at best, but now that they’d caught Keith going at it in the backseat of his ugly ass car with Tommy motherfucking Hagan, well – their jobs weren’t exactly a worry anymore. Steve and Robin both know that they would never out somebody – not even Keith. But, that doesn’t mean they won’t leverage the information every chance they get. It only takes a month before they’ve gotten raises and more control over the store. 

Back to the Future permanently stays off the shelves. 

The money-filled secret government sanctioned accounts finally hit, releasing some of the anxious pressure on Steve and Robin.

Steve finally checks the P.O. Box, the contents of which were more or less what he expected. The deed to the Harrington house sits on Steve’s desk next to an unopened letter from his parents, a set of keys, and a check. He thinks about the house. How open and empty it is. How he really doesn’t want to stay here any longer than he truly has to. But, he knows there’s unfinished business here. People he needs to stay for. Things he needs to finish, to resolve. 

The empty rooms slowly start to fill. One, with bits of Eddie, as a music room – posters, picks, cables, amps, guitars, notebooks. One, with bits of Robin, and eventually Vickie, too – sketchbooks, flannels, makeup, pencils, stray patches, paints, books. His own bedroom becomes warmer, with the addition of Eddie’s clothes in his dresser and pillow in his bed, photos of everyone pinned up, Robin’s artwork on the walls.  

The kitchen cabinets slowly transform, no longer just holding expired soup and a metric fuck ton of popcorn. Now, the shelves are filled with favorites for everyone – chips, chocolate, sour candies, gummy candies, crackers, nuts, cookies, and still far too many Razzles. 

The kids make the house their hub. Always coming and going. The living room floor now a perpetual slab of cushions between couches and chairs. Slowly accumulating more and more to put down, to widen the bed. More and more blankets start showing up and he learns not to question whatever the kids bring in with them to make the space more cozy and comfy. The other guest rooms fill with their stuff, too, always ready for them to stay over whenever they need. 

Steve tries not to cry the day Max shows up asking if she can stay with him for a while. 

He fails miserably.

So does she.

The skateboard ornament permanently lives in a small shadow box he sets up in the living room. Max calls him a sap for it, but more than once, he’s caught her standing there staring at it, her smile so incredibly soft. 

Hellfire starts hosting there. Eddie had to do a lot of talking to the guys of Corroded Coffin to convince them it was safe. It took weeks of Eddie talking and exactly one visit to the house for them to believe him. Because that first time they visited, they found their seats prepped with each of their favorite snacks. The table fully prepped. Dinner mystically arriving while they were ass deep in a dungeon fighting for their lives. But the thing that really sold them was the way that Steve looked at Eddie. The way he openly expressed his want and care. And, somehow more surprising, the way he showed a softer, more intense love for Robin. How he easily slid beside her, like a jigsaw piece slotting into place. How Robin lit up. And, most importantly, how they saw Robin relax. Her perpetually anxious eyes and tense shoulders softening instantly when Steve was nearby. 

So, yeah, Harrington Hellfire is now a thing, but so is the guys coming over to hang out outside of the campaign. And Steve doesn’t really know what to do with that. Has never had so many friends, or people who want to be his friends, that are actually, seemingly, good people. People he wants to be around. Wants to protect. Wants to watch bad movies with and laugh and feel free.

And at the center of it all is Robin. 

Robin, who stumbled out of a Russian bunker with him.

Robin, who slid off her roof and into his car.

Robin, who researched and found a job where they could work together.

Robin, who asked him with genuine curiosity who he is.

Robin, who helped him feel comfortable enough to be himself.

Robin, who never made him feel too stupid or too much.

Robin, who through it all keeps choosing him.

Steve realizes then with a startling clarity that what he needed all along wasn’t his parents’ approval or romantic love or any number of ridiculous things that had been ingrained in his brain since he was a kid.

What he needed was to build his own family. A family that he chose and that chose him. That continues to choose him, day after day. 

And as they all lay there, laughing and breathless and tangled together on the roof of Eddie’s trailer, Steve Harrington finally, for the first time in his achingly long and painful life, feels peace.