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The older members of their little group had made the executive decision to go check on Steve, that weekend.
Robin had learned that he took a few days off work because he was sick, despite sounding perfectly fine when she talked to him over the phone or radio, so she told Nancy, who told Jonathan, and they all became incredibly worried about him.
When they arrived, Robin hesitantly knocked on the door, mulling over whether or not to just get the spare key in advance when the door opened.
It was Dustin, standing there in his pajamas, like he'd spent the night.
He frowned before stepping out of the doorway, leaving it open, and wandering off somewhere.
Nancy walked in first, clearly the most courageous out of all of them, and followed the sounds of voices into the kitchen.
What greeted them was truly a sight to behold.
Steve was standing at the stove, making pancakes, with Dustin standing next to him, absolutely mesmerized, while Eddie was sitting at the dining table next to Max, pointing towards a sheet of paper and speaking in a low tone, like he didn't want to disturb anyone.
"Steve?" Nancy asked. "What the hell is going on?"
Steve looked up and smiled. "Morning, Nance! Robin, Jonathan." He sighed softly, turning to cast a forlorn look towards the table. "You guys should've told me you were coming over, I would've set extra places." He lifted the bowl of pancake batter that sat next to him on the counter and seemed to evaluate it for a moment, before sitting it back down, then saying, "I should have enough for everybody. Dustin, could you please set a few more places at the table?"
Dustin looked absolutely affronted. "Why can't Max do it?!"
"Max is busy right now, working on her character sheet." Steve replied easily.
Max glanced up at the mention of her name and smiled at everyone, before turning her attention back to Eddie and the paper on the table in front of her.
"But mooom," Dustin whined, practically throwing himself backwards into the counter behind him. "I was sick yesterday! What if it kills me?"
Steve sighed, turning to face Dustin with his hands on his hips. "Your fever broke the day before that, and I've checked, you're perfectly well enough to get a few plates out of the cabinets." Then, he arched an eyebrow and added, "And if this is what ends up killing you, after all the shit we've been through…"
Dustin let out one last, heavy sigh, grumbling the whole time as he got three extra plates and sets of silverware out of the cabinet, setting them down on the table before taking his own seat, crossing his arms.
Jonathan for one, hurried and took a seat, before Nancy could go all journalist, because God, those pancakes smelled delicious.
Robin was next, leaving Nancy looking a little stunned in the hallway, just outside the kitchen.
"Hey, man," Jonathan said to Eddie, with a curt nod.
"Hey, Byers," Eddie replied.
He glanced up towards Steve, glanced at their extra guests, then turned his attention back towards Max.
"Hey, kiddo, why don't you go put that upstairs, since breakfast is almost ready, and we'll work on it later?"
"Okay, dad." Max replied, easily, scooping up the paper, pencil, and eraser, before padding out of the kitchen.
She returned empty-handed, sitting back down next to Eddie, just as Steve put two plates down for them.
Robin hopped up from her chair, guided Nancy towards the table, then scurried over to the counter, to help Steve put the plates out.
Once everyone had food in front of them, things were a bit more comfortable, until Eddie spoke up,
"These are great, as always, babe,"
Steve smiled at him. "Thank you, love," He responded, earning twin gags from Max and Dustin.
"Really? While I'm eating breakfast?" Max groaned, earning a sympathetic nod from Robin.
"Yeah, you two. Quit being gross," She shuddered dramatically, as if it was so disgusting it elicited a physical response. "It's bad enough I have to deal with you guys hiding in the aisles of the family video making out, like damn, some of us are still single, Harrington. We can't all live the two-point-five kids, white picket fence lifestyle."
Nancy's head shot up.
"You
what?!"