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“Why do you always get vanilla?” Robin complained, taking a slurp from the straw of Steve’s milkshake.
Steve batted her hands away from his glass. “Why do you keep stealing it if you don’t like it?”
“It’s not that I don’t like it,” Robin rolled her eyes, “It’s just that it’s so boring.”
“Drink your own then!” Steve grumbled.
Under the diner table, Eddie’s foot brushed up the inside of Steve’s calf. “Don’t worry Robin,” Eddie said, smirking into his own drink, “He’s not totally vanilla. One time he asked me to -”
“Ok, ok!” Robin threw her hands up, “I don’t need to know, thanks.”
Steve’s cheeks flushed a little but he laughed softly, meeting Eddie’s twinkling eyes.
It had been Robin’s idea to have a double date at the local diner, and the others had readily agreed, Steve taking a moment longer due to his concern about the locals reacting to two queer couples. But as Eddie had pointed out, Steve could sit with Robin and Eddie with Nancy on the other side of the table, and no questions would be asked.
So here they were, sat across from their respective partners, doing their best to keep their hands to themselves.
Or some of them were, anyway.
Robin had gone into full character, draping an arm over Steve’s shoulders and gushing over him when the waitress arrived to take their orders.
“Oh, he’ll have the salad,” Robin grinned, ignoring Steve’s frown, “He’s watching his figure. I keep telling him he doesn’t need to, he’s too damn handsome, don’t you think?” Robin’s fingers squeezed at his cheek, and she wiggled his face a little bit.
The waitress blushed, shifting uncomfortably on her feet. “You definitely don’t need to, sir,” she squeaked out.
Steve extracted Robin’s hand from his face. “Good, because I wanted the burger,” he ground out, looking pointedly at Robin before flashing the waitress a tight smile.
The rest of them ordered, and as soon as the waitress left Robin pushed Steve away a little.
“Laying it on a bit thick, don’t you think?” Steve hissed at her.
Robin grinned and blew him a kiss before turning her attention back to Nancy across from her.
Eddie reached across, feigning grabbing the menu to brush his fingers up against Steve’s hand where it was resting on the table. The cool of his fingers felt nice, Steve’s hand still slightly red from his now-fading burn. He must have noticed the way Steve was glancing around, anxious in the busy diner, the noise building around them as groups kept flooding in.
It was a Friday evening, so of course it was going to be busy, and Steve was kicking himself at not suggesting they pick a quieter night, because what if someone picks up on their odd dynamic, what if someone like the men that beat him and Eddie up outside Melvald’s were to come in…
“Hey,” Eddie said quietly, eyes finding Steve’s, “You ok?”
Steve nodded. Eddie’s foot prodded him gently in the leg until it forced a soft laugh from him.
“There he is,” Eddie murmured, smile lighting up his face.
As the evening progressed and no one seemed to be giving them a second glance, Steve relaxed, munching on his burger and listening to Nancy telling a story about her shift in comms a while back.
“…and Chrissy accidently had the radio locked open the entire time,” Nancy was saying, trying to stop herself from laughing so she could finish the story.
“So everyone could hear her gushing about the crew?” Robin snorted into her strawberry milkshake.
“Yes!” Nancy wiped at the tears gathering in her eyes, nearly doubled over with laughter now. “She was talking about how she was peeking out the window during the last fitness test and just watching you two and Billy run,” Nancy gestured at Steve and Eddie, “And how happy she was that the comms window faced the field, and then Benny managed to cut over her radio and awkwardly tell her his crew was hearing everything. Chrissy nearly died she was so embarrassed.”
“I wouldn’t exactly call what Eddie was doing running,” Robin scoffed, “But that’s hilarious. Poor Chrissy.”
“I don’t blame her,” Eddie said, looking at Steve with heated eyes, “I’d be up against the window too. You damn near made me fail that test.”
“Oh, it was my fault now, was it?” Steve teased, tossing one of his fries at Eddie.
Eddie picked up the fry, dipped it in his milkshake, and then stuffed it in his mouth and chewed noisily, much to Robin’s disgust.
Steve laughed, warmth filling him in the presence of his boyfriend and closest friends. The time stretched on, the four of them staying on for dessert before finally calling it a night with the promise they’d do this again soon.
As soon as they got home, Eddie’s mouth was on Steve’s. Steve smiled into it, arms finding Eddie’s waist and wrapping around it, pushing him up against the hallway wall and deepening the kiss. Eddie still tasted of a strange mix of milkshake and fries, but Steve didn’t care, licked his way into his mouth anyway and swallowed the small noises coming from Eddie as his boyfriend’s hands lowered to grasp Steve’s ass and pull him even closer.
Slowly, bumping up against every object in their reluctance to take their hands off each other, they made their way into the lounge. Eddie was gently pushing at Steve’s chest, encouraging him down onto the couch when Steve saw the blinking light on their answerphone from the corner of his eye.
“Eds,” he murmured into Eddie’s mouth.
“Mmm?” Eddie grunted, distracted.
“Wait, the phone, there’s a message.”
Eddie pulled back, his lips red and cheeks flushed. “So?” he mumbled, before attacking Steve’s mouth again.
Steve laughed, tilted his head as Eddie kissed his way under his jaw. The light on the phone flashed red again. What if it was important? They didn’t get many voicemails, what if someone had been trying to call them into work for an emergency?
Eddie paused, having felt Steve tense up under him. With a loud groan, he rolled off him, stomping over to the phone. “Honestly, if this is anything but something life or death I’m going to be seriously pissed off,” he huffed, stabbing the play button.
“Hello, this is Hawkins Memorial Hospital calling, we’re trying to make contact with Eddie Munson in regards to a Wayne Munson, he’s been brought into hospital tonight. Please give us a call when you get this message.”
Steve watched the colour drain from Eddie’s face as he listened, watched him fold in on himself as the message sunk in.
“Steve…” Eddie whispered, turning wide eyes on him.
Steve hopped up, closing the space between them and taking Eddie’s hands. “It’s ok, Eds,” he breathed, even as his own heart started to thump. “Let’s not think the worst, ok? How about we give the hospital a call, or would you rather I drive you straight down there?”
“I wanna go now,” Eddie blurted, his grip on Steve’s hand bordering on painful.
Steve let him squeeze as hard as he needed to. “Come on, in the car.” He kissed the top of Eddie’s head then ushered him outside, grabbing Eddie’s jacket that had been excitedly stripped off only a few minutes earlier.
The short ride to the hospital was silent, Eddie staring out the window and wringing his hands in his lap. Steve had tried to speak, but he was only getting one-word answers or hums in response. Eddie did this when he was stressed; wound himself into a tight ball of tension but struggled to get his words out. Steve reached over and wrapped a hand just above his knee, kept it there for the duration of the trip.
He parked the beamer, Eddie pausing before he opened the door.
“You’re coming in, right?” he asked Steve, his voice small.
“Of course,” Steve replied, “Unless you’d rather I wait here?”
“No,” Eddie shook his head quickly, “Want you with me. Just…I know you don’t like hospitals after your time spent there, and -”
“Eddie,” Steve cut him off, bringing his hand up to his lips to kiss his knuckles, “If you want me there, I’m coming.”
Eddie nodded, and Steve followed him inside, giving their details to the nurse at reception while Eddie jittered beside him.
After a bit of a wait, they were met by another nurse and led down several hallways and finally guided into a room.
Wayne was inside, looking pale and smaller than Steve had ever seen him in the hospital bed. Several machines were beeping beside him, an IV line hooked up to his hand. He opened his eyes when they entered his room, a tired smile stretching his lips.
“Hi, boys,” he said hoarsely, the words followed by a harsh cough.
Eddie made a strangled noise next to Steve, running to Wayne’s bedside and crouching down next to him. “What happened?” he asked, hand fisting in the sheets next to Wayne’s hand.
Wayne took a shaky breath, eyes meeting Steve’s for a moment.
And Steve knew. Knew from the heaviness in Wayne’s gaze that the news wasn’t going to be good, knew what Wayne was trying to tell him.
Steve pulled the two plastic visitor’s chairs over, urged Eddie to sit down in one. He did, but his leg was bouncing with nervous energy, twisting one of his rings incessantly until Steve took his hand and brought it to his own lap, grounding him.
“There’s no easy way to tell you this Eds, but…” Wayne’s voice was croaky, his throat sounding parched and sore. “I got cancer. My lungs, they…the smoking, the work at the plant, they think that’s caused it.”
Steve felt Eddie crumple beside him. Wayne had been Eddie’s world for so long now, his father figure, his family. And while Steve had only known the man for a short time, Wayne had always seemed so strong, a real rock for Eddie to fall back on every time he needed to.
Cancer.
Steve’s heart seemed to slow as he became aware of every beat, the seconds ticking past as Eddie digested that news.
“It’s not all bad, son, they think they can treat it, it’s just…going to be a long road,” Wayne forced a smile, but it was sad. “And a damn expensive one, too.”
“How long have you known?” Eddie forced out, his voice unnaturally tight.
Wayne sighed. Placed his hand over Eddie’s in the sheets. “A while,” he admitted, eyes growing misty.
A small whine escaped Eddie. “But you didn’t…you didn’t tell me, I heard you coughing sometimes but you always told me you were fine, why didn’t you -”
“Because,” Wayne interrupted him gently, “If I’d told ya, you wouldn’t have bought that house with Steve here. You would’ve moved back in with me, spent all your time and money takin’ care of me.”
“What’s wrong with that?” Eddie said through tears. Steve squeezed his hand.
“I didn’t want that,” Wayne told him firmly, “You love that house, it’s perfect for you both. I don’t want you missin’ out on life just to take care of an old man like me, you hear?”
“I hate you,” Eddie said through clenched teeth, tears spilling down his cheeks now as he shuffled closer to Wayne. “I hate you for not telling me, we could’ve helped, I hate you.”
Eddie slumped forward, leaning over Wayne now, and Steve moved with him, letting his boyfriend crumple and break.
“No, you don’t,” Wayne murmured, lifting a hand to weakly soothe it over Eddie’s back.
“I don’t,” Eddie sobbed, “I don’t, I’m sorry.”
“It’s alright, Eds,” Wayne hushed him. “I gotcha, and Steve does too. We’ll be ok.”
Steve’s heart broke, both for the sickly-looking man in the bed and for his boyfriend beside him, his face swollen from crying. He dragged his chair closer, one hand on the bed next to Wayne’s arm and the other curled around Eddie’s waist.
Quietly, as late night ticked over to early morning, the trio grieved until Eddie cried himself to sleep with his head on Steve’s shoulder.
“I’m gonna take him home,” Steve whispered to Wayne, not sure if the man was still awake or not.
Wayne cracked open an eye. “You look after him, you hear? I know he acts like a clown a lot of the time, but he’s sensitive. He’s gonna take this real hard.”
Steve nodded sadly. “I know. And I will.”
Wayne managed a small smile. “I’m happy he found you, Steve.”