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It was no secret, not anymore at least, that Steve and Eddie were… Together.
Like, together- together.
Steve wore a ring that Eddie got him, on the ring finger of his right hand, they lived together, were pretty much attached at the hip. They even shared finances!
That was as close to married as they could get in this shitty, prejudiced time period.
Which was why Mike found himself outside their household.
Max answered the door, her only response a raised eyebrow.
She looked him up and down, with a small frown.
"I'm assuming you're here for dad?" She asked.
Mike tried to ignore the fact that she had one of the Lord of the Rings books clutched under her arm as he looked at her and shook his head.
"For Mo- Erm… Steve. I'm here for Steve." He replied, frowning at the way her lips lifted up into a smile at his blunder.
"Okay," She turned on her heel and walked inside, which Mike took as his cue to follow.
Steve was sitting at the table, looking over what appeared to be a budget.
"Max and, oh! Hello, Mike." And Steve really did just look happy to see him, like he was simply glad that Mike was there.
"Hi, Steve." Mike said, shuffling in place.
He glanced over at Max.
He really wanted to talk to Steve but he just…
He couldn't get the words out while Max was here.
She seemed to notice, rolling her eyes.
"I'm gonna go upstairs and read my book." She shot a look at Mike. "Don't have too much fun down here."
With that, Max left Mike and Steve alone in the kitchen.
Steve used his foot to push the chair across from him out from under the table, gesturing for Mike to sit down.
Mike complied and swallowed, thickly.
"Um… How did you know?" He managed, a bit weakly.
"Know what?" Steve asked, and he sounded so gentle and comforting, but all Mike could feel was the urge to run away itching beneath his skin.
"That you liked…" Mike gestured to the ring on Steve's finger. "Instead of… Y'know, girls."
Steve's eyebrows shot up.
He reached out and took one of Mike's hands.
"Mike, honey, You can like both."
"You can?" Mike asked, his eyes going wide as he struggled to process the new information being set before him.
He wasn't a freak or an anomaly or something that wasn't supposed to exist.
He was okay.
He was allowed to have liked El and to like Will now.
Steve rounded the table and knelt in front of Mike.
"Okay, I'm gonna use a weird analogy so bear with me, okay?" Mike nodded in agreement. "When I was with your sister, I really did like her, and I had a crush on Robin for a while, and then I met Eddie and I fell in love with him. I really did love Nancy, but I love Eddie too."
Mike sniffled and vaguely realized he was crying.
Steve reached up and brushed a lock of his hair behind his ear, before cradling Mike's cheek in his hand.
"You are not a freak, Mike. You're you and who you love is who you love." Steve murmured.
Mike lurched forward out of the chair and threw his arms around Steve's neck, letting himself cry.
Steve held him, rocking Mike back and forth in his arms, murmuring soft, soothing words to him and pressing kisses against Mike's hair.
"Thank you, mom," Mike sobbed.
"Of course, baby, of course," Steve whispered back.
Mike pulls back, still sniffling, pulling one hand away from Steve's shoulders, the other still curled tightly in the back of his shirt, to wipe at his eyes.
"I-I-" He tried to say it but the words got caught in his throat. But as Steve rubbed his back, the tension in his shoulders loosened and he managed, "I think I'm in love with Will. Like, in love with him."
Steve only smiled and pulled him in for another hug.