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After Eddie comes out to the party, Steve starts noticeably avoiding him. Eddie is a little hurt, but he knows homophobia runs deep in Hawkins, and he couldn’t expect everyone to accept him.
But it still bothers him that whenever they happen to be in the same room together - no thanks to Dustin - Eddie can feel Steve staring at him. As soon as he tries to look back, Steve is hastily looking away. Eddie almost announces, “You can’t become gay from eye contact.” But he doesn’t want to raise the obvious tension in the room.
Dustin starts to become bothered that his two older male friends aren’t getting along. He promises Eddie that Steve isn’t homophobic, and he does like him. But that’s definitely untrue based on the way Steve jumps when he sees Eddie and tries to stand on the opposite side of whatever room they’re in.
One afternoon, Dustin is clearly on edge about to snap and no one in the party can get him to calm down. Eddie and Steve don’t even bother to correct his tone because they’re both seemingly afraid of what will happen.
Dustin asks for everyone to sit around the table but tells Steve to grab something for him. He reluctantly agrees and goes into the other room, and while he's gone, for some reason, Dustin doesn’t let anyone sit next to Eddie, so the only seat left when Steve comes in the room is the one to Eddie’s right. “Sit down,” Dustin demands.
Steve’s eyes dart around and finally land on the only empty chair. Eddie is sure that there is no way he can get out of this. But then, he finally settles his back again the wall saying, “I’m more comfortable standing.”
Then Dustin snaps. He slams his hands on the table. “Steve. Eddie. Come with me!”
Everyone else at the table start whispering to each other, but Eddie finds Max to be smirking at him for whatever reason. Eddie groans and gets out of his chair at the exact time that Steve is passing by. The other boy freezes and Eddie dramatically bows and gestures for him to go in front of him. He swears Steve looks like he’s also about to burst especially now that his face looks like a tomato.
Steve obliges and rushes off towards Dustin. Eddie follows at a slower pace, letting his eyes linger lower than they should.
They stop at the end of a hallway and Dustin gestures toward a walk-in closet. Eddie tries to ignore the irony. Steve puts his hands on his hips and raises his eyebrows. “You going to tell us what you need, Henderson?”
Dustin huffs, “There’s something in the back that I can’t reach. Please grab it for me. Both of you!”
Eddie and Steve both stare at Dustin.
“It’s really heavy,” Dustin explains.
Steve sighs and reluctantly opens the door and walks in, and Eddie follows close behind. “This is what got your panties in a twist?” Eddie asks Dustin, being careful not to touch Steve although the closet is smaller than he thought.
Instead of an answer, the door slams shut behind them, surround them in darkness. Then, there’s the click of a lock.
“Dustin!”
“Son of a bitch!”
The two scramble towards the door and Eddie starts twisting the handle and slamming his hand against the door. Steve, in his haste to get to the door, accidentally presses his entire body against Eddie’s. The sudden body warmth is quickly gone.
“I’m not letting you out until you solve whatever shit is going on between you two! Also, I turned the lock around yesterday, and there’s no way to pick it. I’ll be back!”
“Don’t you fucking dare, Henderson!” Steve shouts but he gets no response.
Silence surrounds them for a few awkward moments.
“Stuck in the closet again,” Eddie jokes.
Steve doesn’t respond.
Eddie figures he has nothing to lose. “I get it, man. You’re uncomfortable with me being gay, I’m used to homophobes by now, but for Dustin and the other kids’ sake can you try to act somewhat normal?”
Silence fills the closet. A hand finds its way onto Eddie’s shoulder causing him to jump, but then there’s a hand on both his shoulders.
“I’m not homophobic, man,” Steve insists while being the closest he’s been to Eddie in weeks. Eddie swallows hard. His eyes start adjusting to the dark enough to see how close Steve’s face is to his. “I just…”
“You just what?”
Steve’s hands squeeze Eddie’s shoulder probably unconsciously. “I just don’t know how to act around you anymore.”
“The same as you did before.”
“But things aren’t the same!” Steve’s voice raises. Then he immediately quiets down. “Things aren’t the same.”
Eddie’s hands flex. He wants to fiddle with his rings but he’s pretty sure Steve is so close that his body would block the movement. “Why aren’t they the same?” Eddie asks instead.
“Can being gay be contagious?” Steve blurts out.
Eddie takes a deep breath. He doesn’t know what the fuck to say to that.
Steve finally lets go of Eddie’s shoulders. “Ever since you came out, I can’t stop thinking about what it would be like to be gay. And every time you’re close it’s like… I want… I want…” Steve takes a deep breath, and Eddie doesn’t know what the fuck is happening. “I want to kiss you! I don’t know why. I’m not gay. But I just… want… that,” Steve finishes lamely.
Eddie tries to reply, but Steve cuts him off. “Then, I noticed that there are other guys that I wouldn’t mind… you know. Like Tom Cruise! And Tim Cury in Rocky Horror Picture Show.”
“You watched Rocky Horror Picture Show?”
“But I like girls! And boobies! I love boobies. But then…” Steve sighs.
Eddie takes a moment and carefully wracks his brain. “Do you know what bisexuality is?”
“Hm?”
Eddie fidgets with his rings. “It’s when you like girls and boys.”
“Oh,” Steve says then takes a while to think. “So, you’re bisex…?”
“Bisexual,” Eddie fills in. “And no. I’m gay, but… maybe you’re bisexual.”
Silence fills the closet once again, and now Steve is thinking even harder. Eddie doesn’t know what to do.
Steve breaks the silence. “How do I know if I don’t kiss a guy?”
Eddie hesitates then whispers, “Do you want to?”
He can hear and almost see Steve try to make his way towards him. He suddenly jerks back, and his hand reaches up.
Light floods the closet. Eddie sees the light that was in the middle of the closet the whole time with Steve’s hand on the chain. He feels slightly like an idiot for not thinking about it sooner, but also there are more important things happening at the moment. Like Steve approaching him with slightly wide eyes and a flush on his cheek.
Steve stops in front of Eddie and nods.
“What do you want, Steve?”
Steve’s eye flicker down to Eddie’s lips.
“You’ve got to tell me,” Eddie whispers.
Steve swallows and turns even more red. “I want to kiss you.”
Eddie immediately closes the distance between them and presses his lips against Steve’s. It takes a moment, but then Steve relaxes into the kiss and begins kissing back. When they part for air Steve says, “I think I’m bisexual.”
“You think?” is all Eddie says before pushing Steve back against the shelves in the closet and kissing him again. Steve groans and runs his hands through Eddie’s hair, raking his nails against his scalp.
“You two better not be fighti- OH MY GOD!”
The two boys look towards the now open door where Dustin is standing with his mouth gaping open. Before they can respond, Dustin is running away yelling to everyone else, “They’re not fighting, they’re making out!”
Steve groans and rests his forehead on Eddie’s shoulder. Eddie softly chuckles and says, “Come on, time to face the music.” Steve nods but holds Eddie back by his wrist when he tries to leave.
“Hey,” Steve says, eyes looking anywhere but at Eddie, “Do you want to do that again something? Maybe. I don’t know uh...”
“A date?” Eddie hopes.
Steve looks at Eddie and his lips quirk up into a small smile. “Yeah. A date.”
Eddie tries to hide his smile as he replies, “I’d like that.”
They both stare at each other for a moment, but then Eddie bows and signals for Steve to leave the closet first. The other boy laughs and grabs Eddie’s hand leading the way to where all the kids have strangely lined up.
“What a way to come out of the closet,” Eddie jokes.
Everyone groans, but at least Steve squeezes his hand.