Archive of Our Own

The kids have been… weird lately to say the least.
For a while Steve thought, it was just the natural aftermath of surviving yet another near-apocalyptic event, but this time it was different. Because this time it was only when it involved him and Eddie.

Since the whole “I hauled your near-dead ass through an interdimensional portal and only just saved your life, and we now have matching demobat scars” debacle, he and Eddie had gotten pretty close. Like close to the point where Robin was making light-hearted jokes that she was being replaced (which stressed him out no end that he was accidentally hurting his best friend, but she reassured him that she thought it was a good thing he had a guy friend his own age with this weird devilish grin on her lips. The most they had been apart since Take 4 of the Upside Down, had been 32hrs (not that Steve had counted, because what kind of psycho counted the hours since they had last seen one of their closest friends) and even then it ended up with Steve crying at his door after yet another nightmare that they hadn’t reached Eddie and Dustin in time and he had held his body as his breathed his final breath.

Now ever since Billy beat Steve within an inch of his life, his hearing and head were never quite the same. People’s voices sounded fainter and slightly more garbled, and it was near impossible for him to hold on to a conversation if there was any substantial background noise. When he had limited energy and phone calls seemed too difficult, more often than not he found himself meandering around the town to check that everyone was okay, when his thoughts grew too loud or his nightmares became too real.
He’d scared the shit out of Eddie one night when he’d wandered by foot to his new trailer at 3am in the morning in the middle of a thunderstorm. Eddie had fussed over him, plying him up with food, gently towel drying his hair for him and lending him some dry clothes, before bundling him up in blankets and bringing him close to his chest. Steve remembered laughing softly into his chest when he’d called him an idiotic jock and falling asleep with a soft grin on his face.

Anyhow back to the issue at hand: the kids were being fucking weird.

He’d first started noticing it when Will kept giving him funny looks and giving him thumbs up whenever he and Eddie did literally anything. It was all the time over everything and nothing. They’d be in the kitchen, childishly bumping into each other while organising dinner for the kids (normally pizza) or washing up on the rare occasion that the kids didn’t yell at them and force them to sit down while they did it, he’d catch eyes with Will who would give him a secretive little grin as his eyes flicked between Steve and Eddie.
When he’d hug Eddie goodbye, giving himself a moment to nestle into his warmth, Will would be there giving a little thumbs up from the doorway before heading out with El to Jonathan’s car.
If he even stared at him for more than a few moments and met Will’s gaze, again he’d had that big encouraging grin on his face.

Steve was still trying to figure out what that was about, but while Will was terrorising him, he figured it was only fair to do the same back.
Every time Will stared at Mike a little too long or laughed a little too hard at one of his jokes, Steve would give him a cheeky nudge or a little grin, pointedly nodding his head in Mike’s direction. He’d get flustered and go bright red straight away, normally whispering that he could “fuck off” or childishly poking his tongue out, which always made Steve laugh just a little bit. Despite relentlessly teasing him,
Steve truly thought Will and Mike had a chance. Ever since Mike and El had amicably split, they’d both grown closer again and it was impossible to miss the fondness on either of their faces every time they looked at one another.
When he brought them up to Robin and Eddie one night at one of their trio movie nights, they’d both shared a look.
“How… observant of you Steven.”
“Fuck off Rob. You see it though right?”
She’d scoffed at him haughtily, “Well obviously.”
“Eds?”
Eddie had given him one of those funny soft smiles he saved just for Steve, “Well yeah, it’s almost painful to watch them skirt around each other.”
“You have no idea,” Robin raised a brow at Steve, but he just brushed it off before launching into his plans to keep gently nudging them together.

Apparently, Will’s weird behaviour was infectious though, because then Dustin started in on it too.
Dustin was famously stubborn about his shotgun rights in the Beemer (only Robin had seniority over him and that was because she bites), but any time Eddie ended up in his car, Dustin just caved.
The first time it happened Steve had just stood outside his car in shock, sharing a look with Eddie.
“Hey Dustin, bud you sure about this? Like it’s your seat man, it’s not a big deal for me to be in the backseat.”
Dustin just shrugged and grinned at them, “Like I want to be stuck being talked across when you start arguing about pineapple pizza.”
“Now that you bring it up again…”
“Oh my god Eds, pineapple does not belong on pizza, and I don’t want to hear your bullshit reasoning.”
“How dare you, I’ll have you know-”
As they bickered back and forth over the validity of pineapple pizza, Steve caught glances of Dustin just grinning toothily at them through his rear mirror.

Dustin’s weird behaviour had continued in lots of weird ways. Like every time they went out for milkshakes at the dinner, he’d fain that his leg (you know the same one that he broke falling through an interdimensional portal) was acting up, chucking it up onto seat to stretch it out so Eddie and Steve would be forced into the same side of the booth, the sides of their thighs pressing against each other’s.
Steve didn’t mind that part so much.
What he did mind was Dustin’s weird little grins to himself whenever Eddie bullied Steve into letting him have some of his milkshake, (which happened every single time, despite him getting the same flavour each trip) Eddie goading him into trying his milkshake, claiming competitively that it was even better than last time (it never was, but who was Steve to refuse Eddie in his eagerness to share).
He normally addressed the issue by lightly kicking Dustin under the table with a pointed look, before resting his chin on his hand and keenly listening to whatever Eddie was rambling about that day.
If he noticed Dustin calling him Mom and Eddie Dad more often, he didn’t care to mention it, simply enjoying their little outings together.

Even Lucas was in on it too.
Since the timely demise of Jason Carver and the basketball team’s hierarchy completely changing, Lucas managed to get off the bench. Which is how he and Steve ended up spending every Thursday afternoon going over drills, after he’d offhandedly mentioned that he was worried about letting the team down. It started off just being them one on one at the high school’s outdoor courts and they’d slowly gathered a crowd.
First it had been Max, who -although her eyesight was significantly reduced post-Vecna – enjoyed getting to see her boyfriend play and teasing him from the sidelines.
Naturally El quickly followed wanting to see what the whole fuss about basketball was about (she constantly had questions that Steve was more than happy to answer, and he was pretty sure he saw her deliberately messing up some of Lucas’ shots when he started getting a bit too cocky: she’d left more than once with a little bit of blood smeared under her nose) and to spend more time with Max.
Which lead to Will coming along, wanting to support Lucas’ hobbies, and wanting to check in on his sister.
And where Will was, Mike often followed, copping plenty of comments about how he still needed to make it up to Lucas for missing his big game.
Dustin ended up coming after Mike had dragged him down with him for being a shit friend.
Somehow Eddie ended up coming along with Robin, both joking that they felt like they were missing out on important family bonding time.

Steve didn’t mind them being there and relished in getting to show off a little bit, just to earn some clout with the kids – mostly teasing, but sometimes clout- but sometimes he felt like he missed important bits of conversation that happened in the background of their sessions. Lucas being the sweet kid he was, always relayed what he overheard before he once again obliterated Steve either one on one or in their drills. There was a particularly eventful day where Lucas keeled over laughing over something he overhead from the seats.
“What? What did they say?” he glanced back over to see Eddie hiding behind his hair, shushing the others who were seemingly ganging up on him.
“Oh, they were just talking about your ass,” Lucas wiped a tear from his eyes still giggling.
“My ass?”
“Well according to my girlfriend, El, Will and resoundingly Eddie, it’s quite the ass.”
Steve tried to not let his mind stutter over the resoundingly.
“Interesting, now I’m curious,” he nudged for Lucas to follow him over to the sidelines.

He feigned needing a drink of water and took a long swig from his drink bottle.
“Now Lucas here has reported that somehow my ass has been the current topic of conversation,” he grinned boyishly at them all, as he wiped his mouth with the side of his hand.
Eddie spluttered and somehow became even more red faced, muttering something unintelligible under his breath.
“Well, I had just been pointing out that even with shitty eyesight I could spot a good ass a mile away.”
“And I agreed,” El grinned.
“And I agreed on both my and Mike’s behalf, cos he won’t say it out loud.”
“Shut up,” there was no bite as he gently shoved Will and avoided Steve’s eyes.
“And I seem to remember hearing Eddie say something about how it truly was ‘a sight to behold in those tight little shorts’?” Lucas was grinning wickedly at Eddie.

“Can you deny or confirm these allegations, Tedward?” Robin held an imaginary mic to his face.
“First off fuck off, Roberta you know that’s not my name and secondly I have never said anything about one Steve Harrington’s ass in my entire life.”
“Huh that’s funny cos I swear we can all corroborate what Lucas overheard.”
“Dusty buns if you ever want me to drive you anywhere again you will shut your fucking mouth.”
From there it was clear the one-on-one lesson was over, completely derailed by Dustin and Eddie arguing with the others egging them on, fuelling the fire.

As they’d herded the kids and Robin into their respective cars (they had a carefully curated carpooling schedule) Steve had tugged on the sleeve on Eddie’s jacket.
“So… fond of my ass I hear?”
“Get over yourself Harrington,” Eddie scoffed, although he pointedly avoided eye contact.
“Hmm,” he considered him for a moment, before grinning boyishly and tugging on one of Eddie’s curls, “dinner tonight, yeah?”
Eddie nodded mutely, cheeks bright red, giving him a small smile, before hopping into his car. Satisfied with the reaction he’d caused, he hopped into his own car.
Dustin, Lucas, Max and Robin were all staring at him intently for a long silent moment in the car. “What.”
They all shared a look.
“It’s nothing Stevie, come on you don’t want to be late for your dinner, do you?”
He grinned and agreed, humming to himself as conversation filled the car.

He shouldn’t have been surprised when Max followed suit in the weirdness. She may have been the least nerdy and weird of the bunch, but she relished in any chance to hassle him.
Steve had been carefully sectioning her hair for braids when she broached the subject.
“So… Eddie?”
“What about him?”
She shrugged, careful not to move her head, “You guys seem really close these days.”
“Pretty sure it’s called trauma bonding and wanting to hang out with someone who isn’t twelve.”
“Is that what we call that now? Guess Mike and Will also just have a lot of trauma bonding too.”
Steve huffed under his breath, starting on braiding her left side with deft fingers. “Not sure what you’re trying to get at Mayfield.”
“You’re a lost cause, Harrington.”
“Wow you sound just like my father.”
They both broke off into giggles. Lucas was somehow the only one in the party without debilitating daddy issues, so more often than not there were an innumerable amount of dad jokes that they would cackle over at the drop of a hat.

They continued like that, cheekily goading each other, the topic of Eddie dropped for the time being. Only for seconds after Steve finished braiding Max’s left side, a knock to sound from the door.
He hopped up to his feet with a playful tug to the completed braid, Max swatting at him as he quickly moved out of the way.
He swung open to find none other than Eddie at the door.
“Munson.”
“Harrington.”
“Want to braid my hair, Munson?” Max called from where she sat in the living area.
“I’m not sure I can compete with big boy’s hairstyling skills, Red, but I’m happy to give it a shot.”
Max let a small grin onto her face, “Go for it.”

Eddie sat down behind Max and started a tragic attempt at braiding. Steve and Max were biting back giggles as he started potentially the sloppiest braid known to man. Steve sat down on the couch behind the two of them, idly twirling Eddie’s curls around his fingers as the two chatted about music.
“Having fun back there?”
Steve lightly tugged a curl at that, “Yup.”
“Well carry on then, good knight.”
He huffed at Eddie’s antics before starting on gently detangling his hair so he could braid it while Eddie was busy making a fucking mess of the right side of Max’s hair.

Despite starting his braid later than Eddie, he was well and truly done minutes before him, giggling to himself at Eddie’s attempt.
When Eddie finished up, Max reached back and felt along the braid before choking out a laugh.
“Jesus, Eddie what the fuck is this?”
“I warned you and you insisted, I can’t be faulted for your bad judgement,” he shrugged as Max turned to give him a look.
“Well yeah, but I assumed you weren’t completely incompetent.”
Steve reached over and flicked Max between her brows, “That is no way to speak to your father.”
“Sorry Mom,” she raised a brow at Steve as Eddie fake swooned back in despair into Steve’s legs, Steve leaning forward to rest his chin on top of Eddie’s head and drape his arms over his shoulders.

It had long since been determined by the party that Steve was the mom and Eddie was the cool dad, Robin naturally assuming the role of wine aunt (on that note Dustin has weirdly stopped hounding him to get with Robin in recent weeks… Steve still wasn’t sure why he suddenly gave up on it after being so insistent for so long) getting the fun role of doting on the kids without any of the responsibility. Steve couldn’t really knock it all considered
“Well, I suppose we can’t keep shitting on his skills if we don’t teach him. Scoot forward the both of you and undo that fucking monstrosity.”
For once they listened with minimal complaints and Steve slid in behind Eddie, resting his chin on his shoulder. Eddie was tense for a moment before he let out a breath and relaxed.
“Alright, teach me your ways, Harrington.”

It took way longer than it should have to teach Eddie, with Steve constantly clicking his tongue and gently covering Eddie’s hands in his, guiding him on how to hold the multiple sections of hair and how to grab more as he moved along; but they ended up with a half decent braid.
“Wow Munson this is only mostly shit.”
“Ever the cynic, Red.”
“Remember that’s basically a compliment from Max, take what you can get.”
Max immediately took offence to that and started brutally roasting them both. He couldn’t really bring himself to care all that much, as he tried his best not to get whacked by Eddie’s expressive hands, letting his arms circle his waist and rest his forehead against the base of the metalhead’s neck. If Steve dozed off for moment, it was no one’s business but his.
It was also no one’s business that he swore Eddie’s gusto in his usually wild hand movements rapidly reduced as Steve’s head had grown heavier against his back.

El by default was weird. Funnily enough experimentation since childhood with minimal socialisation would do that to a kid. And Steven adored her oddness, his chest always growing soft as he spent time answering her many questions. And fucking hell did she always have an abundance of them.
He hadn’t really expected the conversation he was about to have over Eggos though.
“Can girls like girls?”
Steve almost choked on his bite. He swallowed it down quickly. “It’s a lot more complicated than it sounds, but yeah they can.”
El frowned. “Complicated?”
“Well…” Steve searched for the words carefully, wanting to make sure he gave her the right information, “there’s nothing wrong with girls liking girls, it’s normal but just not like super common. But not everyone thinks it’s normal and some people can be very mean and like violent to girls who like girls.”
“Why?”
“You know how some people are mean to Lucas?”
She nodded; those big eyes trained on him as she listened attentively.
“Well, it’s like how some people don’t like Lucas cos of his skin colour: some people don’t like girls that like girls just because.”
“That is fucked.”
He had to hold back a laugh at her bluntness, “Super fucked.”
“Not bitchin’”
“Not bitchin’,” he agreed.

“Are people the same with boys who like boys?”
“Yep.”
“Like Will and Mike.”
Steve felt his heart soften, “You’ve noticed?”
“Steve,” her deadpan tone alone told him she’d been spending plenty of time with Max, “it is very obvious.”
He laughed warmly, “It is, isn’t it?”

“Like you and Eddie,” she nodded to herself returning to her Eggos.
Steve froze. Everything stopped, as he felt everything click into place. His constant need to make Eddie blush. How he gravitated into Eddie’s space, just needing to be in his orbit. The weird encouragement from the kids with all their little grins and bringing him and Eddie up all the time. The fact that the only nights he slept through were the ones were Eddie was curled into his back, gentle breaths huffing into his neck. How just being near him put him at ease, while still making his hair stand on end. He didn’t want to just be best friends: he wanted to be Eddie’s in every single way.

“I like Eddie.”
“Yes,” she gave him a weird look.
“And I think Eddie might like me.”
“Steve, did you not know this?”
“What would you say if I said no?”
She shook her head at him, “Steve, everyone knows.”
“Well, I know that now.”
El sighed, “Boys are stupid.”
“Can’t disagree with you there.”
She went over to the coffee table where her walkie talkie was. Steve watched confused as she changed the frequency and held down the button.
“Steve did not know.”
It was barely 5 seconds before indignant squawks of noise came shrieking through the walkie.
“What the fuck Steve! How did you not know?”
He sat down on the catch and grabbed the walkie from El.
“Can we please hold up on the judgement, Dustin? I’m having a fucking gay crisis right now!”
“Oh, boo hoo the guy you like likes you back, grow up!”
Steve groaned and pinched his nose.

“Steve, we swore you knew! Why did you think I gave you so many thumbs up?”
“I don’t know! I though it might’ve been a weird nerd thing I didn’t know about?”
More groans came across the line.
Shockingly enough it was Mike, he spoke up. “Are you going to go and do something or just sit around like a baby having a cry about it.”
“Whoa a bit harsh, Wheeler,” Lucas’ voice piped in through the walkie.
“I don’t know seems pretty fair.”
“I don’t need your snark right now, Mayfield.”
“Fine, but I’m just saying Eddie’s van is outside the trailer right now. If you want to do something, now’s your chance.”

Steve’s heartbeat hard against his chest. He stood up and flexed his hands are a few times.
“Hey El-“
“Say hi to Eddie for me, please.”
He grinned at her, pressing a kiss to the top of her head before grabbing his car keys and jacket and sprinting out of Hopper’s shack. As he left, he heard El speak into the walkie, “He is going to Eddie’s now,” shrieks of excitement coming through, as he shut the front door behind him, fumbling to unlock his car and slide into the driver’s seat.

When he pulled up to Eddie’s trailer he was almost shaking. He glanced at Max’s trailer to see both Max and Lucas keenly watching through the window, both of them giving him a thumbs up and encouraging smiles. Steve took a deep breath before sliding out of his car, slamming the door, and quickly walking up to the door of the Munson’s trailer, fists clutched at his sides.
He didn’t even have the chance to knock before the door swung open revealing the object of his crisis.
“Ah King Steve what do I owe the- you alright Stevie?” his cocky demeanour quickly fell and he gently took Steve’s face in his hands, thumb brushing along his cheek, “You look like you’re about to throw up.”
“Can’t say I’m not going to,” he tried not to melt into Eddie’s touch.
Eddie’s eyes were soft and worried as he searched his eyes, “What’s going on in that big head of yours Stevie?”
“I think I’m a little bit in love with you.”
He froze, “What?”
“I think I’m a little bit in love with you,” he repeated, waiting for something awful to happen.

It felt like the longest moment of his life as he watched Eddie’s eyes cloud as he disappeared into his own head for a moment, thumb no longer rubbing over Steve’s cheekbone, but his hands staying on his face.
“How long?”
“What?”
“How long?”
Steve avoided Eddie’s gaze, “I’m not exactly sure, but probably since you called me big boy in the Winnebago, maybe a bit earlier.”
“It’s literally been three months.”
“I’m a little slow okay, I only realised today because El thought I knew.”
Eddie burst out laughing, “Only you Steve.”
“Give me a break I’m having a sexuality crisis right now.”
“You’re trying to tell me you never felt a little something something for Tommy H?” he waggled his brows at him.
Steve stared at him in horror, “Oh my god I definitely did.”
“Whelp sucks to be Tommy H.”
“Why?”
Eddie’s thumb rubbed over his cheekbone again and Steve leaned into the soft touch. “Because you are all mine now, Harrington.”
He let his head fall slightly forward so their foreheads rested against one another’s.

Steve grinned at him and let his hands rest on Eddie’s hips.
“I do have to draw the line at kissing you for the first time in front of the kids though,” Steve glanced behind them and saw the curtains to Max’s trailer close super quickly with a flash of red hair.
“Well, you have a perfectly nice trailer right here, reckon we can go to the other side of the door.”
“I think that can be arranged.”

With far more grace than Steve thought Eddie possessed, he swung them both into the threshold, kicking the door closed before gently pressing Steve into it.
Steve felt his whole face heat up and he finally understood why the girl’s he’d been with had been so into those kinds of moves.
“You alright there Stevie.”
He covered his face with his hands. “Shut up.”
Eddie gently pried his hands from his face and pressed a gentle kiss into the base of the palm of each.
“You’re awfully cute when you’re embarrassed.”
Steve glared at him with rosy cheeks. “Shut up.”
“Make me.”

Well, he didn’t need to be told twice. He brought his hands up to cup Eddie’s cheeks and gently pulled him to him, pressing their lips together. Eddie’s hands fell from his wrists, one coming up to thread through his hair and cup the back of his head, the other wrapping around his waist, hand pressed to his lower back pulling him close.
It wasn’t the most heated of kisses, but it was soft and sweet, and he still found his knees were struggling to keep him up.
Which simply would not do he was fucking Steve “The Hair” Harrington.
He pulled away, failing to hide his smirk as Eddie chased after him. He also failed to hide his laugh when Eddie whined a little at him and made a sulky face.
The sulky face quickly dissipated when he gently guided Eddie’s arms to be around his shoulders and let his hands fall to cup the back of his thighs. “Up.”

Eddie’s face went beet red, but he dutifully hopped up, Steve easily adjusting to carrying Eddie. In the small space of the trailer it took him only a few steps to take them both to the kitchen, placing Eddie on the counter and sliding into the space between his legs.
With the new setup Eddie was a few inches taller than him. He grinned and glanced up at a still furiously blushing Eddie.
“Do you manhandle all your dates like this?”
“You left yourself open for a really good joke there, but no just the ones I really like.”
He hid behind some of his curls. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.”

As he placed his hands on Eddie’s hips, Eddie draped his own arms over Steve’s shoulders, bringing him up into another kiss.
This one significantly more heated than the last, Steve’s grip tightening and Eddie using his arms to pull Steve impossibly closer. Steve looped a finger into the belt loops of Eddie’s jeans to reel him in further (as if there was an inch of space between them at this point, but hey it was a valiant effort).

Naturally because they couldn’t catch a fucking break the phone rang.
They pulled apart panting.
“I vote we let it ring out.”
“What if it’s one of the kids and they need us?”
Eddie grumbled.
“I’ll quickly answer it and we can get back to it, alright.”
He sighed, “Fine, I guess that’s an acceptable compromise.”
Steve hummed and pressed a quick peck against his lips before taking the few steps over to the phone.

“Munson residence, Steve speaking?”
He ignored Eddie cackling at his opening.
He didn’t need any help ignoring him when an ear-piercing screech came through the phone. One that was recognisably one, Robin Buckley.
“Fucking hell, Rob! Are you trying to ruin the little bit of hearing I have left?”
“Oh my god, did you sort your shit out?”
It took him a beat before he understood, “If you mean Eddie, then yes.”
Another ear-piercing screech, although it almost sounded like someone else was there too.

“Steve Harrington you fucking legend. Took you fucking long enough.”
“Nance? Wait what are you doing at Buckley’s? And when the fuck did you start swearing so much, fucking sailor.”
“Umm… let’s just say you aren’t the only bisexual in this group. Moving on, are you guys a thing?”
“Okay we are one hundred percent coming back to that later,” he felt arms wrap around his waist from behind, Eddie seemingly wanting to listen along to the conversation at present, “Hey babe are we are thing?”
“I think you could say that.”
More squeals. “Eddie, I think it’s important you know that everything you are going to enjoy, is a result of my hard work.”
“I resent you implying that you taught me how to be a good boyfriend… but also not wrong.”

“Now I feel like you two must know you ruined a perfect nice make out session just now,” Eddie’s breath brushed his ear, and he supressed a shiver, “you two are fucking cockblocks.”
“Bold of you to assume you were getting past second base, Eds.”
“Well we may never know now thanks to these two deviants.”
“Sorry guys, we heard from the kids and had to make sure.”
“Max and Lucas?”
“Yeah they called us straight away.”
“Fucking narcs.”
“Fucking narcs,” Steve agreed. “Now I ‘spose we should ah leave you two to it?”
“Are you suggesting I would hook up with your ex?”
“Rob.”
“… I have your blessing right?”
“Oh my god, Robin, obviously.”
Eddie took the phone from him, “Now you kids have fun byeeeeeee!”
And slammed it down on the receiver.

“Well, that was kind of rude,” he turned to face Eddie, smiling.
“Well, they were rude first.”
Steve chuckled and rested his forehead against Eddie’s. They stayed like that for a moment slightly swaying in one another’s arms.
“Max and Lucas are for sure going to have a massive gossip if I’m here for ages won’t they?”
“For sure.”
“We should probably be good and let them know we have our shit sorted so they can tell the others right.”
“Yeah, that won’t be an issue.” Steve frowned, as Eddie tugged him to the window.
There they saw a gaggle of kids (their kids) bike into the trailer park.
“They didn’t.”
“Oh, they did.”

They watched curiously as the Party (Dustin, Mike, Will and El) went over to Max’s trailer to grab the two of them before all setting their sights on Eddie’s trailer. Steve and Eddie groaned slumping into each other.
“We had a nice 5 minutes, right?”
“A super nice 5 minutes.”
“Alrighty, Dad let’s tell the kids.”
Eddie sighed and went over to the door swinging it open, shocking Dustin who stood their mid-knock.
“Hello brats.”

A cacophony of noise came from the lot of them as they all spoke over each other, pushing their way into Eddie’s trailer. Steve cringed, struggling to discern a single word from any of them. Eddie noticing his discomfort, pressed a gentle kiss to his temple and wrapped his arm around his waist.
“Shut up!”
They all went silent, piled tightly between the couch and the coffee table.
“One question at a time you menaces.”
When they begrudgingly raised their hands, Steve had to stifle a laugh into Eddie’s shoulder.

“Red.”
“Do you guys have your shit sorted or not? Because I refuse to sit through anymore aimless flirting.”
“Can confirm our shit is sorted,” Eddie saluted at her.
Steve grinned a little as he saw a small smile form on her own face as she settled in the crook of Lucas’ arm.
“Dusty buns.”
“Firstly, rude. Secondly, are you guys like actually dating now.”
“Yes, Mum and Dad are officially together we are no longer living in sin.”
Steve whacked Eddie’s shoulder, “That would imply we actually had done something before today other than flirting like idiots.”
Eddie shrugged but grinned at him fondly.
They got a mix of gagging and awws from that particular interaction.

“Yes, Will the Wise?”
“Steve, really though what did you think I was doing for months. I kept like trying to be encouraging.”
“I wish I could tell you; I just thought you were being weird.”
“That tracks,” Will lightly shoved Mike for that one, the both of them growing rosy in the cheeks.
“Little Wheeler?”
“So, you for sure are not ever going to date my sister again?”
Steve groaned, “You’re never going to get over that are you.”
“No.”
“Well, the answer is no, we are well and truly friends and only friends now.”
“Reckon he’s going to have a fit when he realises Robin is with her,” Eddie whispered under his breath to him.
“Absolutely.”
“What are you two whispering about.”
“You’re learn soon enough Little Wheeler.”
He scowled at them but softened when Will gently squeezed his knee and placated him with a smile. If they weren’t so sweet, it would be sickening honestly.

“El?” Steve smiled kindly at her, as she’d waited patiently.
“I do not have a question I just wanted to say I am very happy for you.”
This kid was going to steal his heart and keep it one day, he swore. “Thank you, El.”
“Nothing to ask Lucas?” Eddie quirked a bro at him.
He shrugged, “I know everything I need to.”

Satisfied with everyone’s responses and questions it dawned on Steve that after they had all ridden their bikes hear there was zero chance of getting them to leave for at least a few hours.
“You guys aren’t leaving any time soon are you.”
The shared sheepish grin from the Party said plenty.
“You guys suck,” Eddie said with zero bite.
The sheepish grin turned cheeky and genuine.

Steve clapped his hands together, “Alright well we may as well order Pizza and put on a movie.”
The space erupted with whoops, as they all reconfigured themselves to face the small TV, Dustin helping himself to going through the movie collection and starting the debate on what they should watch.
“Do you want to see what Pizza they’d like? I’ll give the others a ring and see if they want to come over too.”
Eddie nodded and swooped forward to brief a brief kiss to his mouth, “I can handle that.”
It had gotten weirdly quiet, and they both peered over to see the kids quickly pivot around, clearly having been watching them.
They laughed between themselves, before separating to do their respective tasks.
“Alright perverts what fucking pizza do you want?”
The room erupted with noise again, Steve smiling as he busied himself with calling up the other older kids.

In the end they watched Footloose and then ET before they were rounded up, Robin and Nancy taking some of the kids home and Jonathan and Argyle taking the others. As they herded them all out the door, they both received hugs from each sleepy kid, Eddie volunteering to walk Max back to her trailer despite her protests as the others bundled themselves into their respective cars.
Steve smiled softly as he watched Eddie and Max banter.
“I’m really happy for you guys.”
He turned to Jonathan and grinned, “Thanks, man.”
“You know, dude, I totally thought you guys were already together,” Argyle said.
Steve laughed, “Yeah the kids have already told us we had our heads up our asses.”
“Take care, man.”
He accepted the hug -albeit kind of an awkward one- from Jonathan and the ferocious bear hug from Argyle (the dude gave some of the best hugs honestly), watching the two do the same to Eddie as he meandered his way back over to his trailer.

Dustin rudely honked the horn of Nancy’s station wagon impatiently.
“You guys better get going before he becomes a fucking monster.”
Robin and Nancy laughed, “Yeah we should get going, we still have plans.”
“Uh huh... like a sleepover perhaps?”
Robin shoved Eddie slightly at that, her whole face going red, “Shut up.”
“Well, you two enjoy yourselves and most of all be safe.”
“Same to you, Munson,” Nancy’s face grew stern, “Also you break his heart and I put a bullet through you, capeesh?”
Eddie gulped and nodded, “Noted.”
Nancy grinned and pressed a kiss to each other their cheeks, “Alright, night!”
She waltzed down to the car, as the three of them stared after her.

Robin whistled. “Fucking hell.”
“She’s fucking terrifying.”
Steve and Robin nodded in agreement. She swept the both of them into a fierce hug.
“I love you dinguses, you know that right.”
Steve laughed and patted her back, “Yeah we know.”
“Remember we open tomorrow, so no funny business.”
“Us?” Eddie put a hand to his chest, “We would never.”
“I know where you live Munson, watch yourself,” she made the ill-advised attempt of walking backwards towards the car almost falling over multiple times, “I’ll see you two around.”
They called their goodbyes and watched as they drove off, already able to see Dustin, Lucas and Mike bickering in the back.

“I cannot believe you and Robin have the same type.”
Steve burst out laughing, “That’s all you took away from tonight? That Rob and I like wide-eyed curious brunettes with curly hair.”
“Well when you say it like that...”
He playfully shoved Eddie back inside, Eddie laughing all the while. The moment the door was closed behind them, he was being pulled in close, noses brushing.
“So… we’ve had a good day.”
Steve absentmindedly tucked a curl behind Eddie’s ear, “You could say that.”
Eddie lightly pinched his sides, eliciting a giggle. “Don’t get cocky with me.
Steve gave him a once over with a cheeky grin.
“Do not even go there.”
“You set it up so well for me, though,” Steve pouted.
His pout was gently kissed away.

Further kissing was rudely interrupting by Steve yawning and the trail on effect of Eddie yawning. They giggled and Steve played with the hem of Eddie’s shirt, letting his head fall forward onto his shoulder.
“It’s been a long day.”
“Mmm hmm,” a kiss was pressed idly to the top of his head.
“I vote that we head to bed.”
“I’d make a joke about our cocks finally being unblocked but fuck I’m tired too.”

They easily fell into their usual routine. Steve happily took one of Eddie’s shirts to sleep in and stripped down to his boxers, while Eddie started brushing his teeth. They traded places with ease, Steve grinning dopily at the new addition of extra fleeting touches and lips pressed to his cheek. Once Eddie was changed, he slipped back into the bathroom, winding his arms around his waist, and pressing a kiss to his shoulder, Steve in the middle of brushing his teeth.
It was far harder to spit out toothpaste with someone latched onto his back, but Steve managed to make it work and they waddled back through the trailer, refusing to separate once, collapsing into Eddie’s bed.

For once it was Eddie was nestled into Steve’s shoulder, his nose brushing his neck. Steve smiled softly and wrapped his arms around Eddie, already coming to terms with the fact he was going to have dead ass arm when he woke up, but he didn’t mind so much. Not when he had his boyfriend (they were boyfriends right? Like ‘shit sorted’ implied they were proper boyfriends? He’d have to check with Eddie in the morning) curled up in his arms, the little puffs of breath against his neck already beginning to slow.

His chest warmed thinking of his little family that he had made for himself and the undying support he had from them.
The kids were weird for sure.
But maybe the kids were alright.