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Scoops Ahoy was completely empty.
It was an unusual occasion- in the overbearing heatwave of June in Hawkins, Indiana. Steve Harrington was certain that every kid and their unwilling parents would be flocking to the hole-in-the-wall ice cream store. Especially on a Saturday , but nevertheless, he’d been leaning against the counter staring at an empty shop for two whole hours.
He supposed it made sense that the heat wave was more likely to keep everyone in the rickety air conditioning of their own homes than have everyone in the crowded mall, but he couldn’t help but wish for at least one irritating child to walk through the door.
“Want me to track down Sinclair? I know you’d just love to give her free samples for an hour!” Robin suggested snarkily from behind the shop's back window when he’d stated as such.
Steve couldn’t help the shudder that ran through him at the mention of Erica Sinclair. The child’s ability to find a loophole in every situation presented to her and execute it flawlessly was frankly horrifying, and while it was entirely embarrassing- the eleven year old was scary enough as is without being challenged by authority figures.
Robin could laugh all she wanted, but Steve knew she was terrified of the kid too.
“Yeah… I think dropping dead would be a better option, don’t you?” He replied, throwing up his middle finger over his shoulder. Robin cackled, leaning forward through the window to wrap her arms around his torso. She laid her chin on his shoulder and pouted dramatically.
“Poor Steve, whatever will we do! We can’t let you die at work, it would be a liability to the company!” She whined. Steve huffed, rolling his eyes and shrugging her off of him.
“You’re so annoying.” He grumbled, adjusting the sailors hat on his precariously styled hair.
“You love me!” Robin singsonged, returning to her perch in the back and hopping up onto the break table.
Steve shook his head, but when the obnoxious bell above the door rang, he shot upright at the counter.
“Ahoy there! My name’s- son of a bitch. ”
“You got that right you lame ass, big headed loser.”
Speak of the devil herself.
Robin lost it, laughing harder than Steve had ever heard her laugh before. He tried to not strangle her through the shop window, instead gripping the counter with white knuckles and forcing eye contact with the child before him.
“Erica. What brings you here today? Shouldn’t you be like, playing make believe with dolls or something?” She rolled her eyes irritatingly. Steve could already feel the frustration seeping into his bones.
“I could say the same thing about you. Thought you’d be more concerned with the heat messing up your stupid hair- not that it could get any worse. And as a matter of fact, I will be playing with dolls later today. Tina just got a dreamhouse.” She said proudly.
Steve fought the urge to fix his hair in favor of sliding the ice cream scooper out of his apron pocket. Exasperatingly, he reminded himself that no matter how much he wanted to fight her, Erica was a kid… and would beat him with no resistance.
“Well good for Tina. What can I get you?” He deadpanned.
Erica pretended to think for a moment, dramatically looking over the flavors as if she hadn’t tried them all a dozen times. Steve turned around to see Robin shooting him a pair of over exaggerated thumbs up and he lowered his head in defeat.
“I think today I want to try Captain Cookie Dough.”
Steve sighed and moved to grab a cone, before Erica held up her hand.
“Hold it. I said I want to try Captain Cookie Dough. I don’t know if I’m gonna want a full sized scoop yet.” She said pointedly.
“Kid. You tried this flavor last week. You know what it tastes like.”
Erica laid her hands on the counter, pushing up and leaning into Steve’s face.
“I do recall a rule that says the customer is always right, and I think it’s quite rude of you to deny a paying customer the right to sample flavors.”
Christ. Dropping dead really was the better option.
“I seriously don’t think you’ve ever paid for anything here. And, I recall a rule that says employees can refuse service to customers that abuse company policies and exhibit unkind behaviors in the establishment.”
Erica raised her eyebrows in what seemed like genuine shock.
“Did some reading, did you? That’s new. But I don’t think you read far enough.” Her eyes steeled up and one hand moved to her hip, the other still leaning on the counter.
“Rule number 6 on the Starcourt Mall policy direct says, and I quote: Employees have the right to refuse customer service to those who cause physical damage to the immediate property, attempt to loiter or shoplift, express harmful behavior to other customers or employees, or refuse to cooperate in situations of uncertainty or danger, therefore placing the company and its employees in danger.”
Steve’s jaw dropped. He heard Robin softly mutter “Holy shit .” And he had to agree.
“I don’t think requesting a sample exhibits harmful behavior, property damage, or loitering. Do you?” She sassed.
“I can't let you win.” Is all he could muster, staring blankly ahead as Erica smirked triumphantly.
“I can.” In an instant, Robin was beside him at the counter with a dollar in her hand. She handed it to Erica, dumbfounded.
“Any cone you want. That was brilliant.” She muttered.
“I think I’ll take that Captain Cookie Dough. Make it a double. I have a feeling I’ll like it.” She smiled sickly sweet, handing Steve the dollar Robin had just given her.
He blinked once, twice, to make sure he wasn’t dreaming- that an eleven year old girl hadn’t just ruined life as he knew it, and all for an ice cream. He held eye contact as he scooped, the face of picture perfect innocence staring right back at him.
He handed her the cone, not bothering to mention that a double was $1.10.
“Thank you, Robin!” She smiled brightly at the girl at his side- completely ignoring Steve. He shut his eyes, attempting composure.
“Oh my god.” He muttered as Erica skipped out of the shop gleefully. He lowered himself to his elbows on the counter, dropping his head in defeat. Robin patted him on the back consolingly before heading to the back once more- to probably recover herself… or scream inside the walk-in freezer.
With his head still resting against his forearms, the last few minutes replaying in his head like a fever dream, he barely registered the sound of the bell jingling obnoxiously at the door. The sound of footsteps is what alerted him.
“Erica, please. Is a free double not enough?” He groaned.
“Woah, no Ahoy there for me?” A deep voice laughed.
Steve stood up quickly, about to apologize to the customer that was not a Sinclair , but his words got caught in his throat.
This guy was about his height- maybe a little shorter, and about his age- maybe a little older. His long curly hair was tied messily into a dark ponytail and his equally dark eyes were playfully narrowed. His arms were spattered with tattoos and one peeked out on his chest from behind his black tank top (not that Steve was looking).
He looked vaguely familiar but Steve couldn’t exactly pinpoint how- the fuzz of embarrassment still clouding his brain.
“Sorry- uh- ahoy there . What can I get for you?” He said, waving awkwardly as he greeted the admittedly handsome customer.
“Something easy for me- judging by the happy child who just skipped past me and the misery in your eyes, I'm gonna say you need an easy one. I’ll have one scoop of Mint Mountain.” He said teasingly.
“Yeah,” Steve sighed with relief, shaking the dizziness away. “Coming right up.” He quickly rinsed his scooper in the water tub and grabbed a cone.
“So, what does that name have to do with the branding of this place?” Huh? His face must have conveyed his confusion because the guy kept talking.
“You know? Mint Mountain … what’s that got to do with the whole sailor brand this place has going on.”
Steve thought for a moment. This guy was weird… but he had a point.
“Man, I gotta say… I have no clue.” Weird guy laughed loudly- a nice sound. Steve found himself drawn to the way his eyes crinkled and a loose curl found its way out of his ponytail and onto his forehead.
Almost forgetting to do so, Steve handed him his ice cream. Their fingers brushed as he took the cone and Steve almost dropped it in the process.
“Uh- that’ll be a dollar.” He managed, finally taking off his stupid hat and running a hand through his hair.
“Sure.” Weird guy said, tracking the movement of Steve’s hand and reaching into the pocket of his ripped jeans and handing over the bill. “Thanks, Steve.” He said with a nod.
“How do you-“ he started, confused and dizzy all over again as his mind replayed the sound of his name on his lips.
“Your name tag, sweetheart.” He chuckled, something hesitant and resigned in his eyes. Steve glanced down at the white pin on his uniform- sure enough his name looked back at him. He felt himself blush- unsure of why- and shook his head, flustered.
“Sorry- that kind of day I guess.” He tried to laugh but it sounded pitiful.
Weird guy smiled softly. “I get it. Hopefully it’s only up from here. Thanks, pretty boy.” He raised his ice cream with a wink and walked backwards to the door, opening it with a flourish, and saluting his way out.
“Shit man, are you having a stroke or something? Why are you so red?” Robin said, suddenly beside him again. Steve jumped back, startled, and flicked his eyes between Robin and the retreating, long haired figure outside.
“Oh. Oh!” Robin exclaimed, following Steve’s gaze.
“What?” He asked, feeling very warm in his uniform.
“So who is she?” Robin teased, wiggling her eyebrows.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. He was a customer.” He said evenly.
Robin paused. She leaned back to look at Weird Guy's swishing ponytail again as he finally turned the corner, leaving their sight.
“ He?” She squeaked.
Steve stared at her, confused.
“Yeah… he? What are you talking about?”
She looked away for a moment, silent except for the tapping of her finger against the counter.
“Nothing! All good. Glad you’re not dying of boredom anymore!” She said, finitely.
He decided not to press her- it really could’ve just been Robin being weird.
The rest of Steve’s shift dragged on, thoughts of a curly ponytail and dark eyes inexplicably occupying his mind.
The following day, things seemed to have picked up again. The heat wasn’t as severe, and the mall was crowded again. Steve was thankful to be busy again, even if it came with his idiot children pleading to use the ‘secret entrance’ to get into the movies again.
“Seriously, Michael. Can’t you buy tickets like a normal human?” Mike only fixed him with a challenging glare.
“Not when you can get us in for free, Steven.”
With a roll of his eyes, he ushered them to the back so Robin could let them through. Not like he could say no to them anyways.
When he came back to the counter, he was met with a familiar face.
“Good afternoon, pretty boy.”
“ Ahoy there .” He saluted mockingly at Weird guy with a smile. Suddenly the heat was back in his cheeks and he unconsciously fiddled with his shorts pocket.
“Hit me with a single Mint Mountain, please and thank you.” He grinned.
His hair was down today, falling around his shoulders in ringlets. Steve couldn’t think of why he felt light headed.
Mustering his charm, he flipped the scooper with a smirk. “You sure you want me to hit you with this?”
He only smiled wider, leaning towards Steve against the counter.
“Anything’s fair game, sweetheart.”
He almost dropped the scooper.
“Name’s Eddie, by the way.” He’d offered, handing Steve a crumpled dollar bill and shamelessly looking him up and down.
Suddenly the fog of vague recognition floating in Steve’s head lifted. He knew this guy was familiar- and now he felt like kicking himself for forgetting him.
They went to school together. Eddie Munson was always loud and abrasive in class, speaking without raising his hand during lectures and challenging the popular kids who called him “freak”. He was in Steve’s graduating class- the word ‘graduation’ being relative in Eddie’s case, if he recalled correctly.
In retrospect, Steve felt guilty for being a part of the driving force in his bullying- merely sitting aloof while Tommy spat obscenities in Eddie’s direction. But, Steve considered himself a relatively changed man and Eddie’s presence could provide a means of reparation between them…
“Eddie Munson. Holy shit. I’m so sorry, man- I knew I knew you from somewhere but-“ he exclaimed.
Eddie laughed. “I don’t blame you, King Steve Harrington.” He said sardonically. “I wouldn’t remember me either.”
“No! It’s not that- it’s just,” Steve suddenly felt self conscious, reaching up to habitually fix his hair.
“If I’m honest, I’ve tried my hardest to block out high school all together. I’d like to think I’m not that guy anymore…” Eddie grinned.
“I see… the king has been dethroned. He now sits atop a decorative display of waffle cones.” He bowed dramatically and poorly stifled his laughter.
“Well, once a pretty boy, always a pretty boy. Thanks again, Steve.” With a wink, he was gone, leaving Steve swimming in embarrassment and something else .
So, it became a regular occurrence. Time would slow down as Steve scooped ice cream, thoughts occupied with Eddie for reasons beyond his comprehension, then the aforementioned brunette would strut into the store and get a scoop of mint ice cream (a horrid choice, Steve couldn’t help but think, but it was endearing) and would leave with an air of something between them.
Robin observed all the while, nudging Steve encouragingly whenever he’d stroll in- though he thought it was unnecessary of her. She seemed to relax more at work. Where she’d sometimes tense up when the bell dinged, now she essentially attached herself to Steve’s hip, and of course he wasn’t complaining because Robin was probably his best friend, but it was certainly new.
She’d chalked it up to something along the lines of “I’m just glad we have a lot in common! Can I not enjoy the company of my sweet Steven?” Which he’d always rolled his eyes at.
The ‘typical Robin behavior’ became simply weird when she decided to join in the conversation with Eddie one day. The customer flow wasn’t too busy that day and Eddie had come in earlier than he usually did to strike up some easy banter with Steve. It wasn’t long before Robin sauntered up to the counter alongside him and leaned on his shoulder.
“Eddie, is it?” She’d asked.
“The very same.” He replied easily. “Robin, I presume?” he nodded towards her nametag and she shrugged.
“Seems to be. I’m gonna cut to the chase. It appears that the three of us are kindred spirits- one in the same, if you will. So, as we stand here today in this sacred ice cream shop, I want to know what your intentions are with my Steven.” She interrogated, eyes narrowed.
Eddie raised his eyebrows and exhaled dramatically, reaching up to twirl a piece of hair around his finger in a way that Steve found quite distracting as he attempted to digest Robin’s declaration.
“Well Robin- if that is your real name- I can assure that your Steven is in very good hands. As for intentions… Well, I intend to continue blowing all of my money on ice cream for a thirty-second small talk every day in the hopes that maybe I’ll grow a pair and ask him to hang out in a place with less jingly music to make my ears bleed and less tacky uniform to take in.”
Eddie finished with a flourish and Robin couldn’t stifle a snort behind her hand.
Steve’s face was screwed up, his cheeks sporting an annoying tint and his hands resting on his hips. He suddenly felt self conscious and plucked the dumb sailors hat from his head. No sooner had he dropped the hat onto the counter, had he felt self conscious about his hair too and tried to discreetly fiddle with it before Eddie leaned in close.
“Relax sweetheart, you look picture perfect.” he lifted one hand to the side of his mouth so he could ‘whisper’ to Steve (Robin could obviously hear him nonetheless). “Besides- between the two of us- you look hot in the uniform. I dig it. Just don’t tell Robin.” He snickered.
All at once it became a bit too much for Steve and he frowned, shaking his head with a step backwards. The feeling that's been fluttering around in his chest since the first time Eddie strolled into the shop doubled and he still couldn’t place what it was.
At first, the teasing had been friendly enough… and the pet names. Steve quickly grew familiar with the dynamic they had- a seemingly consistent back and forth- and it seemed that Eddie had too. Then Robin started acting weird about it. She seemed more comfortable since he’d become friends with Eddie- which he supposed wasn’t weird - But now? As much as he tried to convince himself that Eddie was laying on the theatrics more than ever with his previous confession of sorts… Steve couldn’t be so sure anymore. Was the friendly flirting as friendly as he thought? Did Eddie actually think he was…
“What’s wrong, pretty boy?” Eddie asked, backing away himself. His voice was tinged with an unfamiliar nervousness. “Don’t get your hair all twisted…”
“Don’t call me that…” Steve couldn’t even recall speaking. He caught Robin’s eye in his peripheral vision and her face scrunched up in a mixture of confusion and shock. Eddie looked to her for guidance, but she could only look at Steve.
“I… I didn’t mean to overstep, Steve…” he muttered shakily, pretty face paling.
Steve knew he was scaring the two of them- there was something happening between Eddie and Robin that he was unaware of, but his heart was racing and he couldn’t quite take a full breath. He fumbled blindly for the door behind him and whispered out “I’m sorry-” before taking off through the swinging door.
He heard Robin call out to him, maybe Eddie swore- but the ringing in his ears was getting louder and he needed to sit down before his body took matters into its own hands. His chest seized unpleasantly as he collapsed onto the tattered break room couch.
What is that fucking feeling he gets every time Eddie’s around.
It’s dizzying, really, his heart seems to race a mile a minute, and his head feels too light- in retrospect he wonders if the reason laughter came to him so easily around Eddie was because the blood genuinely stopped flowing to his brain-
The stupid part of his brain considered that he’d been getting second hand intoxication from whatever the fuck Eddie always smoked before heading to the mall. Drugs would definitely explain the unfamiliar feelings.
But the smarter- much smarter- part of his brain knew he’d felt parts of this feeling before. The fluttering chest, light head… he’d felt it around Joanna Peterson in second grade when she’d pressed a kiss to his cheek on Valentine’s Day, and he hadn’t felt it again until Nancy Wheeler loaned him her notes in Junior year… the feeling was like butterfl-
Oh .
But he wasn’t…
He almost jumped three feet in the air when he was startled out of his panic induced spiral by Robin gently shaking his shoulder.
He looked up at her with wide eyes and frowned when he noticed her own eyes were red rimmed.
“Are you okay?” He asked after a moment of remembering how to speak.
“I could say the same about you! What happened, Steve?”
Distantly he noted that she’d called him by his real name maybe four times in the three months they’d known each other, but he decided it wasn’t important enough to tell her.
“I- I don’t know.” He choked out. Robin sat next to him on the fraying leather couch- keeping a cautious distance.
“Talk to me… it’s okay… come on, Steve I don’t know how to help you if you don’t tell me what the hell just happened to you…”
“I think somethings wrong with me.” He spit out, realizing all at once that his hands were shaking and his cheeks were wet with tears.
“Why do you say that?” Robin asked softly, delicately, like she knew the answer but couldn’t answer for him. She tried to pull focus from the fact that her hands were shaking in her lap.
“I think I like Eddie… as more than a friend. But I- I can’t- I mean I can’t like a guy, Robin. I’m not…” his voice broke off and he balled up his fist in his lap.
Robin reached out her hand and took one of Steve’s own, the tension seeping out of her shoulders.
“Steve… I know. It’s okay…” She offered kindly, with a smile in attempts to calm him down.
“It’s not okay , Robin! I like girls! I’m not- gay!” He stuttered and the way he spat out the word like a curse made Robin flinch.
“Steve. Listen to me. Please.” She begged. “If you know you like girls, you aren’t gay. Not that it’s wrong… right?” Her tone was almost challenging and her steely eyes bore into Steve’s in a way that made him curl into himself.
“No… it’s not. I’m sorry…” he felt too small all of a sudden. “I just freaked out. I don’t know what’s happening to me…”
Robin’s heart broke. As much as she’d tortured herself for it over the years, she never struggled this hard to come to terms with her sexuality. It was always present, always lingering inside her, she only had to accept it for what it was.
But, that wasn’t the case with the boy in front of her. It was almost like Steve had fallen face first into the realization that he maybe isn’t the person he thought he was for the last 18 years of his life. She couldn’t blame him for being scared and confused.
“Everything’s gonna be okay, Steve. Can I tell you a secret?” She asked, voice bordering on teasing.
“What?” He replied. Robin was thankful that it seemed to distract him from the overall panic he was feeling.
“You can like girls and guys .” She said matter-of-factly.
“ Huh?” Steve said, brows furrowing and cheeks flushing.
“It’s called bisexual. You can be attracted to girls and guys. It’s not as uncommon as you might think.” She smiled.
“Oh. Bowie, right?” Steve asked, hope dawning on his features.
“Yep.” She popped the P with a smile. “You’re not alone in your feelings, I promise. I know we’re stuck in Indiana, and that doesn’t always bode well for people like us who feel isolated and outcast by the society around us… and it’s gonna take some time for you to ask questions and find comfort in your own skin- whatever that amounts to. But, we’ve got each other and we’ve got Eddie so I think we’re gonna be okay. Don’t you?” She finished sweetly.
Steve laughed lightly and wondered what on earth he did to deserve the girl beside him.
“Yeah… in time…” he ran his fingers through his messed up hair and accepted the fist bump she held out with a chuckle.
It was only a moment later, when the break room had lulled into a comfortable silence, that Steve’s head shot up to stare at Robin incredulously.
“Wait- people like us? ”
Robin chuckled nervously. She flitted her gaze around the room before landing back on Steve with a sigh.
“Surprise?” She grimaced. “You know what, we can talk more about this later… for now? You have a guy out there who really likes you and you just admitted you like him too. I think you two should talk.” She patted Steve on the shoulder, and he reluctantly stood from the couch.
“Yeah… thanks for- everything- I’m serious…” he smiled.
His best friend returned the smile, even standing to wrap her arms around him. “It’s the least I can do. I’m always here for you, dingus. Don’t forget it.”
“You won’t let me forget it!” Steve called over his shoulder as he turned to walk back out into the parlor front.
“Damn straight! Well-“ Robin cut herself off, cackling, and all Steve could do was fondly flip her off with a shake of his head.
When he pushed his way back into the parlor, Eddie had his hands on the door and his back to the shop. Steve momentarily thanked anyone who was listening that he hadn’t run off right away.
“Eddie!” He called. The other boy turned around and eyed Steve warily.
“What can I do for you, your highness?” He asked sarcastically, though Steve could see the resignation in his eyes.
“No, Eddie I- can we just talk?” He feared he was getting cold feet. The confidence Robin had instilled in him was fading, and fading fast. Eddie’s dark eyes, ringed fingers, and lack of response did nothing to slow his racing heart.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have reacted like that. I didn’t mean to react like that- I got scared.” Steve kept talking, fearful that if he stopped he wouldn’t be able to speak again. Slowly, Eddie retracted his hand from the metal handle of the door and nodded almost imperceptibly for him to continue.
“I got scared because you make me feel things I’ve never felt for anyone before. Well, I’ve been nervous around people before, usually girls… which was what startled me because,” he chuckled nervously. “You’re not a girl…”
Eddie blinked a few times, fiddling with the chain of his belt.
“Do you want me to be a girl, Steve? ” He asked snarkily.
“What? No! I want you to be you, Eddie. Listen, I just had what I think is an epiphany about myself back there- something I never once thought was possible about myself- so I’m trying my best here. I want you to know, before I ruin things even more, that I really like you, man. Like, you’ve made this stupid job feel worthwhile and I feel like a better person when you’re around- I’m just happier.” He replied, feeling the embarrassingly bright blush creeping onto his cheeks.
Eddie could only stare for a moment before his facade fell and a sweet, genuine smile spread across his face. He shook his head lightly, letting the dark curls wave around his shoulders.
“You really are something else, huh?” Steve flushed further when he realized that Eddie’s cheeks were tinted red too.
“I… like you too, for the record. Funny thing, I really thought you were into guys the whole time. I mean, I guess you were- or are - but I at least thought you knew…” he laughed gently.
“What gave it away?” Steve asked sheepishly.
“Well, I’d attribute it to a few things. The slutty sailor suit, the way you acted like a middle school girl with a crush, I mean… the general atmosphere really … the slutty sailor suit- ” he listed, looking Steve up and down and earning a disapproving hand-on-the-hip stance in return.
“Besides, it takes one to know one, right?” Eddie added, taking a step closer.
“I feel like I’m the last person to know. Thanks though, for not hating me.” Steve sighed.
“Hey, I couldn’t ever hate you for figuring yourself out, sweetheart. That’s what it’s all about, I mean I’ve been a freaky outcast my whole life, but it wasn’t until I was fourteen that I could add queer to the list of obscurities. It takes time, Steve.” He clapped a reassuring hand over Steve’s shoulder.
“Yeah… it does.” He replied with a small smile, finding that he didn’t need many words to convey his understanding.
Eddie leaned over the counter and pulled a marker from the pen holder beside the cash register. He uncapped it dramatically and took Steve’s hand in his, surprisingly tenderly, and scribbled something along his forearm.
“How about when you get out of this preppy nightmare later, give me a call and we’ll go out somewhere?” He offered with a grin.
Steve smiled back, running his hand through his hair habitually. “What did you have in mind?” He asked quietly, realizing that Eddie was still quite close to him. The air was suddenly thick as he glanced down at his lips and noticed that his heartbeat was audible to his own ears.
Eddie’s reply came equally as quiet, though with a shit eating grin that brought Steve’s concentration back to earth.
“I was thinking… ice cream?”
Steve groaned and turned away from Eddie, sulkingly. “You’re an idiot.” He mumbled lightheartedly.
Before he could fully turn away, Eddie reached out and grabbed his wrist, yanking him back towards him. Without hesitation, he pulled Steve’s face to his and kissed him hard on the lips.
With a shocking reaction time, Steve melted into the embrace and slung his arms around Eddie’s waist. They stood there for what could’ve been hours, wrapped up in each other. Eddie had backed Steve up against the display window, and he was suddenly grateful for the cold glass. It was the only thing tethering him to earth as Eddie’s hands wandered, toying with the collar of his shirt and along his chest.
When they finally parted for air, it was to the sound of a throat clearing.
Instantly, dread washed over the pair. Steve prayed that it was Robin but he knew it wasn’t. He only hoped that it wasn’t a customer who was about to report them for public indecency… or much worse…
“Now that we’re done with the smooch fest, maybe you should get back to work and serve the loyal customer that would rather eat ice cream than watch you eat each other. ”
Steve’s head dropped. Eddie stayed silent. Erica Sinclair only stared at them- entirely judgingly- and tapped her pink sneakers against the linoleum impatiently.
Awkwardly, Eddie stepped to the side, allowing Steve to shuffle around the counter. He looked dead in the eyes and Eddie was torn between feeling bad for the guy and laughing, since the reason for his discomfort was seemingly less about being caught kissing a man and more about the eleven year old girl in front of them.
“Kid. What can I get for you on this lovely day?” He greeted in possibly the most deadpan voice to ever speak.
“Good day, Steven! Is Robin here?” Erica asked cheerfully. Steve groaned in reply.
“Yeah, she’s here. Now what can I get for you?”
Erica raised her eyebrows. “You can get me Robin. I would like her to serve me today.” She smiled. That conniving little-
Eddie snorted. He couldn’t help it. This was purely the best interaction he’d ever witnessed. While part of him wanted nothing more than to have Steve to himself again, the cynical, evil part of him wanted to see how he’d fare against the child.
Without replying, Steve turned heel and stomped to the back. It was kind of endearing , Eddie mused.
Moments later, he returned to the front, dragging Robin by the hand to the counter.
“Here you go. One Robin.” He announced unceremoniously.
“Hi, Erica.” Robin said tentatively.
The girl waved back innocently. In seconds though, she shot Steve a menacing glare and he threw his hands into the air.
“That’s it. I’m taking my break.” He exclaimed.
He strolled around the counter again and reached for Eddie’s hand. The curly haired boy gladly took it and they started towards the door.
With one last look behind them, Steve pointed at Erica and narrowed his eyes.
“You tell anyone what you saw and you’re dead. Got it?”
Erica looked between them, and then at Robin- who sent them an encouraging thumbs up and a grin- and back at Steve and Eddie.
Finally, she spoke with certainty.
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
With a smile, the two boys walked out of Scoops Ahoy, hand in hand, and walked into the mostly empty Starcourt Mall. Eddie playfully nudged their shoulders together and looked over with a smirk.
“So, about that ice cream…”