Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

They settled on a Tuesday-Friday-Saturday schedule for Steve to spend the night at Jim's. El usually spent the night at the Byers’ on Fridays, and Steve claimed it was easier to carpool for the weekly Saturday dinners to Joyce’s house if he spent the night and day at Jim’s. He would unfortunately have to leave on Sunday morning, just so he could shower and change before lunch with his parents. He'd miss borrowing Jim's clothes, though. Jim was bigger than him, and he liked the comfort of the slightly baggy fabric.

They didn’t want to overwhelm El, after all. Even though they both craved Steve moving in immediately, they both agreed that El’s comfort came first.

The first Saturday dinner they braved was the day after they’d gotten together. Steve was sure that someone would notice, would notice how Jim and Steve hovered near each other, would notice how Steve looked at Jim. How Jim looked at him.

No one said anything. Not when they arrived together, not when Jim’s hand lingered a second too long as he handed Steve a pop, not when they sat next to each other on the couch after Jim shooed Dustin away, not when Jim threw his arm behind Steve on the couch, the warmth of his arm a brand on the back of Steve’s neck, not even when they left together in Steve’s car with El following eagerly behind for a promised family game night.

Robin looked a little too knowing, eyebrows ticking up further and further up on her forehead the longer the evening went on, but she never said anything.

No, she kept quiet until their next shared shift on Monday.

“Dingus,” she intoned the moment Keith stepped out the door and left them for the closing shift.

“Robin.” Steve’s heartbeat kicked into overdrive. He was possibly more nervous than when he and Jim had sat El down just a few days ago. The store was empty and they weren’t likely to get any customers. It was a perfect time for Robin to ambush him.

He should have known that he wouldn’t be able to keep it a secret from Robin for long. Not that he wanted to, anyway.

“Hop’s getting a little cozy,” she tried to tease.

Steve tried to will his face from warming. He still felt hot when he answered with a clipped, “Yup.”

She elbowed him with a dumb little grin. “And you like it.”

“Of course I do,” Steve replied evenly. He took a deep breath. It was now or never. “Would be kinda stupid if I didn’t like my partner being cozy, wouldn’t it?”

Partner, because boyfriend felt too juvenile. Because husband or spouse was too soon, even though they had both agreed that that was what they wanted. Something they both agreed on before El had come home Saturday morning.

Another agreement was telling Robin, because Steve couldn’t keep anything from her, not when it was about his dumb love life.

As it were, her mouth hung open in shock. “What?”

Steve swallowed, messed with the stack of tapes Keith had left for him to rewind. Because even though they had kept their jobs—which he suspected was his mom’s doing—Keith had made their lives just as miserable as possible by shirking off all the shitty parts of the job on them. “Yup,” he repeated, sticking the first tape into the machine to rewind it, because no one followed the Be Kind, Rewind stickers. “Remember how I gave Jim a ride home from the hospital Friday? After he got his cast off?”

“Yeah…?”

Steve nodded, keeping his gaze on the machine. “He invited me to… hang out with him afterwards. We shared a beer. I told him I thought I was gay.”

“Steve?”

He drew in a shaky breath, hands trembling as he ejected the tape and put in a new one. He knew Robin wouldn’t judge him, but he was still afraid to voice this new part of himself. It was still raw. Fresh. A little too new. “I—told him. About—not really enjoying sex? With women? That it’s boring?”

He turned to see Robin staring at him in disbelief. “Sex with women isn’t boring,” she vehemently denied.

“I think it’s boring,” he corrected, hurriedly turning back to the machine that was still churning. “Women are beautiful, yeah. But. I don’t think I like sex with ‘em. I mean. It’s fine? But I’d rather be doing something else, yanno?”

“Oh. So. You’re not bi?”

“Jim…” Steve sighed, fiddling with the case. “His ex-wife thought sex was boring, too. But she loved Jim. He thinks I’m more like her. Maybe. He doesn’t care about sex.”

Robin shot him a look and scoffed. “Jonathan would beg to differ.”

“Jim said that that was the only way he knew how to apologize to Joyce after their fights.” Steve shrugged, removed the tape, put in a new one. Handed the finished tapes to her so that she could sort them how she pleased. “We’ve—slept. In the same bed. Twice. He didn’t even get handsy. Just held me. Told me he wasn’t gonna expect anything from me and if I wanted to… try… anything, then he’d be happy to help.” He turned away from her fully so he could hide his burning face, arms crossed tight across his chest.

“And we want the same thing,” he added quietly, trying not to feel ashamed. He knew it wasn’t anything bad, but he also knew he was young and wasn’t supposed to want these things yet. Want a family, want a spouse, want something so domestic without fire and passion and whatever else people his age were supposed to want. “We want companionship, and someone to come home to at night. Raise a kid and protect her.

“And there are things I never told you,” he added even quieter, almost whispering. He knew that it would hurt her the most, that he’d kept such a huge secret from her for so long. “About what they did to me. When we were separated. I didn’t tell you because it’s the worst thing you could ever imagine, and then some.” His throat closed up, breath coming short. He thought of Jim, holding him so gently after a nightmare Saturday night, a new one where he’d been captured with Jim, held in Russia and—

Steve cleared his throat. “Jim gets it. That was another reason why they fought so much. Joyce… didn’t understand.”

Warm arms slipped around his waist and held him tight, careful of the nearly fully healed wounds. They were still tender, and Robin was always careful with him. “I get it,” she said, leaning her cheek against his shoulder. “I’m not mad you didn’t tell me, you goof.”

Steve chuckled, grasping her wrists to keep her close. “Thanks.”

“Do I need to give him a shovel talk?”

“I think he’d be offended if you didn’t.” Besides, Jim needed some excitement in his life. If that was a high school girl threatening to castrate him if he hurt her best friend, then so be it. Jim really should expect something like that anyway.

“Who knows?”

“Just you and El.” He slipped from her grasp to rewind another tape.

“You gonna tell the others?”

Steve paused, staring down at the black tape in front of him. He wanted to. He knew it would be a bad idea. But he wanted to be able to show affection to the man he loved in front of his friends. But Jim was right—people would think Jim was taking advantage of Steve. Would think that they didn’t really love each other, or some bullshit.

“I don’t know,” he murmured quietly to the counter in front of him. “What do you think?”

“I think,” said Robin, and Steve could hear her pushing the video back and forth across the counter as she carefully chose her words, “that you should keep it to yourselves for now. Like. It’s new. You don’t have to tell people right away. I know you want all that domestic shit, but you don’t know what’ll happen. Like. Hop and Joyce were only officially together for, like, a month.”

Steve didn’t like the reminder, didn’t like how his chest constricted at the thought that Jim wouldn’t want him like he said he did.

“I don’t think—” Robin sighed, slugged the back of his shoulder. He shot her a glare, but she was frowning right back. “He’s smitten with you, dude. I think he’s really in it for the long haul.”

“Do you want my apartment?” he asked, instead of responding like a rational person.

“What the fuck, Steve.”

He just laughed, turning back to his work. “When I move in with Jim. We’re trying to take it slow, for El’s sake, but… When I do, do you want my apartment? You can keep all the furniture and shit. Jim’s already got everything else we need.”

“You’re such a fucking lesbian.”

Chapter Text

Steve’s parents found out… sort of on accident.

Honest.

Steve had just wanted to… ease them in to the idea that he was with a man. Or could potentially be with one. Maybe. Possibly.

It wasn’t going how he expected it.

They were just finishing lunch in late July when Steve cleared his throat. He was ready to bolt, just in case. He had kept his keys and wallet in his pockets for a quick getaway in case things went south. Jim knew he was going to tell his parents he was… queer. He wanted to be there, but Steve had begged for him to stay home so Steve could run to him if things went poorly. He was starting to regret that decision. He sort of wanted to throw up. “Mom? Dad? I have something I need to tell you.”

They exchanged knowing looks. His mom looked… smug? His dad was already sighing in disappointment. “Yes, dear?” his mom asked, primly tapping her napkin against her smug smile.

“I, uh… I’m. So.” God, why was it so hard to just say— “I think I’m gay.”

His dad heaved an even bigger sigh, eyes rolled to the ceiling as he pulled out his wallet. He handed his mom a few bills. “You couldn’t have waited until Thanksgiving?”

“What the fuck?”

“Language, dear.” His mom waved the bills teasingly in his dad’s face. “Thank you for the new purse, darling.” To Steve, she asked, “So, are you seeing anyone, then?”

“Uh, yeah—Jim. Hopper.” He didn’t even think to keep his trap shut. What the absolute fuck was going on?

It was his mom’s turn to sigh as she gave back half the money with a teasing glare at him. “You couldn’t pick someone your own age?”

“What? What is happening right now?”

“Violet, have you seen our son? He exudes wanting to marry a single father.” His dad turned to him after taking the bills back. He didn’t look very impressed, but that wasn’t new. “But Jim Hopper? Really?” He sounded like it was an absurd idea. “You couldn’t have dated any other older man? It had to be him?”

Steve bristled. “Hey! There’s nothing wrong with Jim! I love him.”

“He smokes weed,” his dad hissed, shoving his chair back and gathering his dishes.

“That’s your problem?” Steve stared after him, mouth agape. “Not that he’s a man, not that you went to school with him. But because he smokes weed for his chronic pain after—after the fire?” Steve bit his tongue. His parents didn’t need to know about Russia, just because he was in shock.

His dad sneered at him, but it didn’t seem like his heart was quite in it. “Pain?” he asked, pausing before he reached the sink.

“Yeah. He was crushed in the rubble.” Steve was pretty sure that was the story, anyway. “He only smokes just to take the edge off, and never when he’s on duty.” Steve shrugged at their mildly concerned looks. “I don’t join him—” He never would be able to again, unfortunately. Fucking Russians. “We’d rather he smoked a little weed than got addicted to pain killers.”

His mom’s soft hand reached across the table to touch his hand. “That’s fine, dear. And it’s okay that you date him. We’ve been… discussing it. You haven’t been very subtle.” She chuckled, gathering her own dishes as she stood. “Honestly, you and Tommy were horrendously terrible at keeping it a secret. I knew that Nancy girl was just a cover.”

“Me and Tommy? What?” Steve stared after her, then scrambled up with his own dishes when he realized she wasn’t sticking around to answer. “Hey! What do you mean, me and Tommy? Nancy wasn't a cover!"

His dad was already filling the sink. They were weird and washed the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher to wash again. His dad took his plate with a roll of his eyes. “Yes, you and Tommy. You were insufferable when you were dating.”

“I never dated Tommy,” Steve couldn’t help but say, because what the actual fuck. “I didn’t figure out I was queer until, like, this last March!”

“Huh,” was all his mom had to say about it. “Bring him to lunch next week so we can meet him as your… boyfriend?”

Steve shrugged. “We’ve agreed on ‘partners’ for now, I guess. We’re not in high school and we can’t really get married, so…” He pushed his glasses up, watching as his dad washed and his mom loaded the dishes. “He’s got a daughter.”

“That’s right!” His mom leaned on the counter so she could smile warmly at him. “Eleanor, right? She’s friends with Dustin.”

“Jane Eleanor, yeah. She usually goes by El.”

“Bring them both!” his mom demanded.

And that was that, apparently.

Steve sighed. He didn’t know what the hell he was going to tell Jim.

“How’d it go?” Jim looked up from the game as Steve walked in. El was struggling with a knot in her yarn as she tried to crochet a scarf for Max. She wasn’t making great progress with it.

“… Good?” Steve slipped off his shoes, tossed his wallet and keys into his bowl on the entry table, and sank onto the couch next to El. He took the yarn from her grasp and started untangling the knot for her. “They knew, I guess?” He still couldn't quite wrap his head around it.

“What do you mean, they knew?”

“They made a fucking bet.” Steve sighed and handed the untangled mess back to El who quietly thanked him and returned to her project with vigor. “My dad bet I wouldn’t come out until Thanksgiving, but that I was dating an older man. My mom bet before September and that I was dating someone I went to school with.” He flopped back with a groan. “Their only problem with you is that you smoke weed.”

“Good lord.”

“You’re coming to lunch with me next week.”

“Fucking Christ.”

Chapter Text

Honestly, Steve was maybe regretting that they were adding an extra night for him to spend the night at Jim’s. It was mid-August and sticky and miserable and the thought of sleeping next to Jim seemed like a little bit of a nightmare but he also didn’t want to be anywhere else, honestly. He’d stopped by the store on his way home from work to get the fixings for sandwiches because it was entirely too hot to cook, and he hoped the ice cream he had also grabbed hadn’t melted too much on the drive home.

He paused in the doorway and blinked at Max in Jim’s recliner. Both her and El stared at him with wide eyes.

“I forgot,” El whispered, looking a little too afraid for Steve’s liking.

“Hey, it’s okay, Ellie.” Steve kicked off his shoes and placed his keys in his bowl by the door.

“You said it was a secret.”

Max shot them confused looks, but Steve did his best to ignore that as he hurried to the kitchen. Honestly, he was more concerned about the groceries than he was about Max. He could… figure out a little white lie. Maybe.

Except Max was smarter than him, for sure.

El followed close on his heels, looking small and afraid and Steve hated that he was the one who potentially put that look on her face. He tried to give her a reassuring smile but El didn’t look like she was going to fall for it. Which was valid. Steve wasn’t mad—or even upset—but he knew Jim probably wouldn’t like the kids knowing without being prepared for any potential backlash.

“I promise I’m not mad, Ellie,” Steve said, pressing a kiss to her forehead after shoving the groceries in the fridge. “Me being here today is a new thing for all of us. I can leave. Pretend I was just dropping off groceries for you…”

Max scoffed from behind El. They both jumped, not having heard her. “You and Hop are dating, aren’t you?” she asked, glaring up at him.

Steve winced. “Uh. I mean, kinda, yeah.”

“The hell does that mean?”

“They’re more like Mr. and Mrs. Sinclair,” said El, looking hopeful. “Steve is my dad, too. I have a grandma, now,” she added in a tiny whisper, still awed about that recent development. They’d only had two lunches with his parents and El had been loving it so far. His dad had been a little more reluctant about being called ‘grandpa’ but Violet corrected El every time. It was cute, honestly.

Max seemed to think so, too, because she gave El a tiny smile. She turned her judgmental gaze to Steve and looked highly unimpressed. “Hop? Really?”

Steve shrugged. “Yeah, man. What can I say? I have a thing for single fathers.”

“Disgusting.”

But she didn’t actually look disgusted, Steve mused as she complained about having to stand. El hurried her back to Jim’s chair. Steve knew that Max and Lucas were also a rather… unconventional couple. He’d heard remarks, heard the complaints. Did what he could to shut that down if he heard it. He wondered if that was why she was okay with them, knew he wouldn’t get an answer even if he begged.

Jim came through the door not long after that, freezing just as Steve had at the three of them sitting peacefully in the living room. Steve had been trying to help El get her things sorted for school starting on Monday. Jim hadn’t been able to get the day off, but Steve had had a free day the day before and had offered to drive her up to Indianapolis to make a day of it, get her new clothes and school supplies. If El had gotten an extra notebook, and, oh, Max, do you want it? Well, Max only grumbled a little about it.

“Hello,” said Jim, adorably awkward as he bent down to take off his boots.

“She knows.”

The alarm on Jim’s face was too funny. Max straight up laughed at him, but Steve at least tried to hide his amusement.

Max rolled her eyes. "I'm not gonna tell, if that's what you're worried about."

“Alrighty, then.” Jim ruffled El’s hair, bent to give Steve a kiss, much to Max’s pretend retching, and finished it off by messing up Max’s hair, too. “Plans for dinner, or am I taking y’all to the diner?”

“I got stuff for sandwiches,” said Steve, ignoring Max's protests. “You just want to gossip with Annabelle.”

“No, I want ice cream,” Jim grumbled back, heading off towards their room to change.

“Which I got.” Steve rolled his eyes at the giggling girls and followed after Jim. He wrinkled his nose at the sweaty pile growing on the floor. He should probably wash Jim’s uniform tonight before it stunk up the bedroom. “Put it in the chute and I’ll wash it for you after dinner.”

Jim kissed him sweetly, clad in only his pants. “You’re too good for me.”

“No, it’s because I don’t want our room to smell.”

Jim smiled against his lips, still sweaty and gross and stinky but Steve didn’t love him any less for it. Loved him more, maybe. “You love me.”

“Regrettably.” Steve pressed another kiss to his lips and pulled Jim's pants and underwear down for him, despite Jim’s squawk for protest. Despite never doing anything more than kissing, they'd been naked enough around each other. “Take a shower. You stink.”

“Love you, too.” One more kiss, then Jim had wrapped a towel around his waist and was scurrying to the bathroom for a quick shower.

Steve rolled his eyes at the clothes on the floor. He checked the fifty-three thousand pockets Jim had in his uniform before dropping them in the chute to take care of after dinner. He called for the girls as he pulled out the meat and cheese and bread and whatever else they asked for to go on their sandwiches. He did shut down the eggo-as-bread request, but promised El that she could have one to go with her ice cream if she really, desperately needed it.

It was a good night, and Steve kind of liked taking care of two kids, even if Max was surly and ornery and not really his.

… He’d have to remember to ask Jim what he thought about taking his dad up on his offer to adopt some more kids.

Chapter Text

The phone was ringing way too fucking early in the morning for a Saturday. Jim grumbled under his breath as he picked it up, mumbling a guttural “hello” into his second cup of coffee. He was tempted to ignore it, but there was always a chance it was El and he would hate himself if he ignored a call from her and she needed him.

“Good morning to you, too, Jim,” said a very chipper Diane.

Why the hell was Jim’s type fucking morning people? First Diane, then Steve. It was so annoying.

“Good morning, Diane,” he intoned, just to be obnoxious. It was her fault for calling at fucking… nine o’clock on a Saturday.

“Sorry I missed your call yesterday,” she said, not exactly sounding too sorry. “Benjamin just turned three so it’s been a little hectic…”

“Oh, yeah?” Jim sipped at his coffee. Surprisingly, it didn’t hurt to hear about that. Not like it would have a few years ago, at least. “Well, happy birthday, Ben.”

Diane laughed. “Yeah, he’s been loving the books you sent.”

Jim hadn’t sent any books. He frowned at the phone. Maybe he had and he hadn’t remembered? He blinked down at his coffee. He needed another cup, probably. “Oh. Yeah. No problem.”

Diane just laughed at him. “You said you had something to tell me?”

“Oh. Yeah. Thought I’d let you know I was dating again.”

“Really?” She didn’t seem too surprised. “Good for you, Jim. Who’s the lucky lady?” she teased.

“I don’t think you know him.”

Diane was quiet for a moment. Jim’s heart was nearly beating out of his chest. He had hoped that Diane wouldn’t be… angry about it, but he wasn’t sure. It wasn’t exactly something they had ever talked about. Eventually, she said, “Him? Huh. I’d kind of wondered. But good for you! Do I know him?”

Jim blew out a breath. He knew her well enough to know that she wasn’t angry or upset, at least. “Do you remember the Harringtons?”

“You’re dating Samuel?” she nearly screeched. “I thought he was married to Violet! When did they get divorced?”

“No.” He set down his coffee before he could spill it from his shaking hands. “They’re still together.”

“Oh. I didn’t know Samuel had a brother.”

“He doesn’t.”

“Huh?”

Jim drew in a deep breath. This was the part he was really dreading. Steve was only a few years older than Sara would have been, after all. “I’m dating his son,” he admitted quietly. “He’s… like you.”

“Like… me?”

“Funny about, yanno, sex or whatever.” That disastrous attempt had only happened two weeks ago and Steve was still throwing sad little apologetic looks his way. It was heartbreaking. Maybe he could ask Diane if she would talk with him about it, or something. Weird, sure, but Steve was all broken up about it and Jim hated seeing him so miserable. Well, as long as Diane didn't hate him for dating someone so much younger than him. “So I’m not, like, taking advantage of him like that or anything. Just… We both wanted a family, and…”

“Things are making a lot more sense, now,” Diane muttered on the other end.

“What’s that?”

“Is his name Steve?”

“Uh… Yeah.”

Said Steve stomped up the stairs, brushing away the hair in his face as he stepped into the kitchen from the basement with a basket of laundry on his hip. He’d been up since sunrise working on it. He paused, frowning briefly at Jim. “Who you talkin’ to?” he asked.

“Diane.”

“Yes?”

“No—Not—I was talking to Steve.”

“Put him on,” said Diane at the same time Steve made a grabbing motion for the receiver. The laundry was abandoned by the fridge.

Bemused, Jim handed Steve the receiver. “Diane! Hi,” said Steve cheerfully.

What the fuck.

“Oh! Uh. Yeah. Yeah, we are,” Steve said, eyeing Jim with a fond smile. “Sorry I didn’t tell you. It was Jim’s news to share. Yeah—no—oh! I’m so glad Ben had a good birthday! Tell me all about it.”

Jim watched Steve talk to his ex-wife, not quite sure what he was feeling about the whole situation. Humor? Confusion? He wasn’t upset. He just… needed more coffee. It was too damn early for this shit. He filled up his cup, narrowing his eyes as Steve laughed at something Diane said. Steve was making those eyes at him, the eyes that were begging for Jim to hold him. Jim obliged, wrapping an arm around Steve’s waist from behind and resting his head on the back of Steve’s, surely messing up his hair but that was a problem for later Jim to deal with as he sipped at his wonderful coffee.

“It’s for you,” Steve said eventually, holding the phone back to Jim.

“Hey.”

Diane laughed at him. “He’s good. For you, I mean.”

“He’s alright.” He laughed when Steve scoffed at him. “Hey, do you wanna meet up? I can meet Ben and Bill and you can meet Steve and El?”

“Oh!” Diane rustled with something on her end. “Bill and I have off work between Christmas and the New Year, if you’re okay with that? We can come down—I know winter is a bit busier for you.”

Jim squeezed Steve who wheezed and squirmed, laughing under his breath as Jim started to tickle him. “Sounds good. Just call with details.”

“Alright. Talk to you later, Jim.”

Jim was just barely able to hang up before Steve started squirming in earnest. “Let me go!”

“Never.” Jim started tickling Steve’s sensitive ribs and laughed in his ear. “You been talkin’ to my ex-wife behind my back?”

“I thought you knew!” Steve howled between his laughter. “Where else do you think I got the picture?”

Jim stopped, and Steve wiggled out of his grasp, gasping for breath. He turned to face Jim. Jim didn’t know what his face looked like, but Steve looked a little alarmed. “You didn’t know?”

“I thought you’d found it in storage, honestly.”

It was a nice picture, too. Larger than he remembered having, but he figured it was just the distance of Russia that made him forget. It was a picture from just before Sara’s diagnosis, when she’d still been a happy, healthy little girl. It was of the two of them making leaf angels in a pile of orange and brown leaves. Steve had gifted it to him about a month after they’d gotten together, shy and nervous as he presented it and stuttering through an explanation of buying a new frame for it since the last one had been damaged and he had noticed that there wasn't a picture of Sara up and thought Jim would want one. It was the only picture Jim let himself have of Sara, and he’d thought it had been lost after his supposed death. It sat on the mantle with a candle to each side, unlit but ready for whenever Jim felt it necessary.

“I called Diane for a copy,” Steve admitted, suddenly shy. Unsure. Jim didn’t like the uncertainty. It was weird, coming from Steve. “I… You’re not mad?”

“Why the hell would I be mad?”

Steve shrugged. “Because I didn’t exactly tell you I’ve been talking to her? I just… assumed you knew.”

“When the hell do you even talk to her?” That was the weirdest part, honestly. Sure, Steve got home before Jim did, and he still spent a night or two at his apartment that he could have called Diane, but… That didn’t make sense either.

Steve blinked up at him. “Like. Every other Saturday morning? You’ve been there for some of them.”

“Have I?” Honestly, it was probably true, he wouldn’t really remember if it was before his coffee. Jim rolled his eyes. “Morning people. It should be a crime.”

Steve shook his head with a fond smile. He held out his wrists. “Well, officer?”

“That’s ‘Chief” to you, punk.”

Steve yelped and jumped away as Jim dove for him. “Jim! I have laundry!”

“Get back here!”

Chapter Text

“So, you and the chief, huh?” Eddie asked the moment Steve set down his drink. Eddie immediately stuck a straw in it and took a sip, looking up through his lashes at Steve.

Steve froze. “What?”

Eddie rolled his eyes. “You and the chief. He’s the guy you’re dating, right?” Eddie wrinkled his nose. “You could do so much better. A cop? Really?”

“Hey! He’s a good guy,” Steve bit back. His heart was still racing as he glanced around the empty diner. Only Martha was at the front counter, watching them with her sharp eyes. She looked ready to intervene if it looked like it was going to take a bad turn. It was just past two o’clock and Eddie was the only customer. Probably on purpose, really. Steve forced himself to take a calming breath, hiding his anxiety with hands on his hips, something the twerps called his “mom pose” whatever that meant. “We wanted similar things, so. We’re together.”

Eddie’s eyebrow quirked. “Similar things?”

“Family. Stability.” Steve waved a hand around. “He wanted a second parent for El, I just want a spouse and kids, someone to settle down with. Neither of us cared about—yanno, if we were with a man or woman about it. Him and Joyce argued a lot. They have different parenting styles and she didn’t understand the, yanno, Russian stuff. I do. So.” He shrugged at Eddie’s incredulous stare. “What?”

“Putting a pin on the Russian thing. You’re both—bisexual?”

Again, Steve shrugged. “I can’t say for Jim. I’m…” Steve hunched his shoulders. “I’m maybe gay. Maybe something else. All I know is I love Jim and he… He doesn’t pressure me to do things I don’t want to do,” he admitted softly, sliding into the bench across from Eddie. He’d pushed his drink to the side to give Steve his full attention. “Girls only wanted me for sex. Jim wants me outside of that.”

There was a dopey smile playing across Eddie’s lips. “He’s being good to you?”

“Yeah.” Steve pulled the utensils over to him so he could play with the paper that held them together. “We’re thinking of, I dunno, adopting another kid.” It was something they had talked about, after Thanksgiving. Steve hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it since Diane promised to come with Ben and Bill around Christmas. He’d pretty much fully moved into Jim’s house, and Robin had moved into his apartment. They shared the bed on the rare occasion Steve slept over. “My dad has a lawyer who will help us out with that.”

Eddie whistled lowly, looking impressed, anyway. “Jeez. Pays to be rich, huh?”

Swallowing thickly, Steve shook his head. “Nah. I think my dad just wants to make my mom happy, and my mom loves being a grandma for El. She’s good at it, I think. He knows she wants lots of grandbabies, and I want a lot of kids, so…”

The ice clinked against the plastic cup as Eddie swirled his straw in thought. “How’s El feel about that?” he teased.

“She’s the one who asked when we got home Saturday.” It had been a somber question. The candles by Sara’s picture had been almost permanently lit since the Monday before Thanksgiving. Steve had bought newer, thicker candles so they could burn longer. He’d been the one to hold a teary Jim at night for the last week because of it. Saturday, El had asked what Sara was to her, if they were sisters, if they were thinking about more kids. If she could have another sibling or two.

They had promised to think about it, to keep her in the loop.

Decided that they weren’t quite ready, maybe. They’d only been together six months, after all.

“Damn.” Eddie took an obnoxious sip. “How long have you been together?”

“Since he got his cast off. That night, actually.”

“Damn,” Eddie repeated with a crooked grin.

Steve just rolled his eyes and scooted out of the booth so he could check on Eddie’s food. He came back with Eddie’s burger and a chocolate shake and some fries for himself. Eddie was somber, more contemplative as he watched Steve set down their food. Annabelle had given him the extra fries with a look and told him to take his break. Not like there was any work for him, anyway. Not until three when the middle and high schools got out.

“What’s the long face for?” he asked as he dipped his fry in his shake.

Eddie sneered at Steve’s choice of sauce for his fries but didn’t comment. Just shrugged, shook some ketchup onto his plate. “Just thinking.”

“Yeah? Share with the class?”

Eddie shrugged again. “Just wondering. It could have been me. Dating you, I guess.”

Steve frowned down at his plate. Thought a moment. Decided to go with, “I don’t think so. Not a dig against you,” he added quickly at Eddie’s hurt look. “A dig at me. I liked Jim a lot because he was older. More settled. More willing to settle down. To be in it for the express purpose of having a family, not for fun, or for sex.” He huddled closer to his milkshake, drowned a fry, ate it. Admitted quietly, “I don’t like sex. That’s why I love Jim. Because he gets it. And he never pressures me for it or makes me feel bad about it.” Didn’t mention Diane, how Jim had already done a sexless relationship once and had been fine with it. Didn't mention the one disastrous attempt at sex that still made Steve upset sometimes if he thought too hard about it.

“Huh.” Eddie smothered his own fry in ketchup. Popped it in his mouth. Stared at Steve for a long moment as he chewed. “I get it, but I don’t. I don’t think I could, like. Not want sex.”

“Eh.” He swirled another fry in his shake. “It’s not for everyone. That’s why it never worked out with all the girls I’d been with. Jim just wants me for me.”

“Huh.” Eddie smothered another fry. “Good for you, though. Buckley the only one who knows?”

“Yeah.” Well. “Well. She knows. And Max and El, of course. And my parents, of course. And Jim’s ex-wife.”

“Max knew before me?”

Steve grinned. “It was an accident. Scheduling mishap. And El and Jim come with me for family lunch every Sunday so of course my parents know.”

“His ex-wife?”

At that, Steve gave him a sheepish grin. “I talk to her every other weekend. She’s nice.”

Eddie’s eyes nearly popped from his skull. “The balls on you to talk to his ex-wife.”

“They parted on messy terms but, you know, they’re still friendly. I needed her help with a gift and we just… Kept talking. She’s coming down for Christmas with her husband and kid.”

Eddie shook his head in disbelief. “You gonna come out to the rest of us?” He took a messy bite of his burger. Steve wrinkled his nose as a pickle plopped out.

“Maybe around Christmas. Dunno yet.”

“Make sure I’m there,” said Eddie, mouth full but grinning. “I wanna make bets.”

Steve rolled his eyes. “Of course you do.”

"So," said Eddie after a few moments of silence. "About those Russians."

Chapter Text

“El, can you run up to the door and grab Robin, please? See if she needs help?”

“Okay!” A burst of cold air infiltrated the car as she scurried out. She slipped and slid across the snowy grass, hat pulled so low she could barely see.

Steve leaned on the middle console so he was in Jim’s space. Luckily, Jim didn’t have to be on call since he had worked Christmas day. Jim turned and gave him a tiny smirk.

“We’re gonna have a baby soon,” Steve whispered against Jim’s lips.

Jim hummed against his mouth. “Yeah. Be prepared for no sleep.”

“I’ll be fine.”

Diane had left the day before. Her, Bill, and little Ben had visited for the week between Christmas and New Year’s. It had been nice to catch up with them. Both Steve and Jim had taken off what they could from work and they had enjoyed a nice week with them, meet them in person. Steve had loved little Benjamin, pretty much kidnapping him if Diane and Bill weren’t careful enough to keep a closer eye on him. They let him, thankful for a babysitter as they caught up with Jim and learned more about El.

Diane had taken them aside before bed on their third night with an odd look in her eye and a question on if they were still thinking about adopting. Said she had a coworker, Claire, nineteen and a secretary at the school she worked at. Said that she didn’t want an abortion but also didn’t want the baby. That it had been an accident, but she wanted to know her baby was going to a good family.

They took the night to ask El her thoughts, told Diane the next day that they’d love to.

Diane called the girl that afternoon so they could talk. Samuel’s attorney friend had already started the paperwork. She was due in March.

And Steve had been excited every day since.

As soon as Robin and El had gotten back to the car with Robin’s Secret Santa gift and the crackers and salami and cheese she had been tasked to bring, Steve stuck his hand out so Robin could look at his ring. She’d just gotten back into town herself after visiting relatives and they hadn’t been able to talk in person since him and Jim had gotten ‘married’ on Christmas Eve.

“I’m going to have a sibling!” El burst before Steve could say anything.

“What!” Robin slapped at Steve as Jim cackled and carefully pulled away from the curb. “When was this decided!”

“The other day! Ow!” Steve smacked at her hands. “Stop that!”

“Would you two stop.” Jim rolled his eyes, white knuckling the steering wheel. “It’s icy as hell out here and I’d rather not spend the last day of ’86 in the hospital, thanks.”

They settled back into their seats, El giggling at them from behind Steve. “Dad’s ex-wife has a friend who is having a baby and she wants it to go to a gay couple.”

“Ugh, that’s sickeningly sweet.”

“Also, we’re going to come out to everyone tonight.” The plan was just to act natural and like it was old news. Not overly affectionate but not hiding, either. “Eddie wants to place bets with you and Max.”

“Uh, no, no betting,” Jim interjected before Robin could get going again.

Steve turned to shoot Robin a look. She waggled her eyebrows.

“Stop that,” Jim grumbled.

“I didn’t say anything!”

“You two are, like. Psychically linked. I know you’re scheming.”

They made it to the Byers’ in one piece, thankfully. Steve knew he wouldn’t have heard the end of it if it had ended otherwise. As soon as they were inside, shoes off and coats abandoned, Robin took off to find Eddie. Wayne was even there, hiding in the dining room as the kids took over the living room. Steve rolled his eyes as he watched Eddie and Robin escort Max down the hallway to place their bets. While Jim took the gifts towards the tree, El and Steve took their food to the kitchen.

He could tell El was running out of patience to be with her friends. He playfully rolled his eyes and told her to scram once she had set down Robin’s goodies. She scampered away, much to Wayne’s amusement as he followed them into the kitchen. Murray was by the stove, stirring a large pot of chili. It would go great with the corn bread and cinnamon rolls Steve had made earlier that day. Joyce was next to Murray, putting together a fruit salad. Dmitri was standing in the corner behind Wayne. His wife and son were apparently sick, according to Jim earlier.

“What’s cookin’ good lookin’?” Steve said as he shimmied up to Murray.

Murray raised an eyebrow, dutifully unimpressed. “What do you want, kid?”

“I’ve got the baked goods. Cinnamon rolls and cornbread.” He raised his four pans of breaded goods. “For the chili.” He nodded at the bowl on top. “And El made some chocolate pudding for dessert.”

Murray looked almost scandalized. “Cinnamon rolls?”

“Try before you deny.” A loud “heeeeeyyyy!” echoed from Argyle from the other room. Steve set them next to the stove, dividing them appropriately. Thankfully they had lids to keep them fresh and unsquished. The kids were a dangerous tornado when it came to food. “Use the cinnamon rolls to scoop up the chili,” he snarked back at Murray as he shoved the pudding into the fridge. “Tear a piece off. It’s divine.”

Murray looked like he was going to be sick. Whatever. More for Steve. He pulled over the fancy plate Joyce had left out for the cheese and crackers and salami. Robin had already sliced the cheese and meat, thankfully. All Steve had to do was arrange them on the plate.

“We have a hungry horde!” Jim called out, bracing himself as he stumbled back into the kitchen. He had a hand playfully on El’s face, trying to keep her back as she laughed. The boys and Erica were close behind her. Steve had to try his hardest not to swoon on the spot. Jim looked really good being all goofy with the kids.

It was Wayne who whistled shrilly. Everyone covered their ears, glaring at a grinning Wayne. “Single file. Eds, I see you pushin’ that Henderson boy. Back o’ the line.”

“Wayne,” Eddie whined.

“Ladies first. Be a gentleman. Jesus.”

“Yeah, Jesus, Eddie.” Robin elbowed her way to the front, leading Max who hobbled close behind.

It was apparently not a great day. She was grimacing as she gripped her forearm crutches tight. He could tell from the other side of the kitchen that she was putting all of her weight on her crutches.

“You have your hands full, Max,” said Steve quietly as she neared. He was trying not to bring attention to her obvious need for help. “What do you want?”

She glared up at him. He sighed, rolled his eyes, leaned close. “What was your bet? I’ll help ya win if you let me help.”

She continued to stare up at him. “I don’t need your help to win.”

If he rolled his eyes any harder they would get stuck. “Fine, shithead. Then I’ll make you that baked spaghetti you like.”

She gave him the stink-eye. “With homemade garlic bread?”

“Yeah.”

“Fine. Some of everything, please,” she spat.

“Cinnamon roll and corn bread?”

“The fuck are you doing with the cinnamon roll?”

Steve sighed up at the ceiling. “The boys can explain it to you. Heathen.”

He dished up her food, bowl in one hand and plate in the other. He loaded the plate with plenty of everything and sprinkled cheese and a dollop of sour cream on top of the chili like she asked. He didn’t know how well cinnamon rolls would go with that, but he didn’t press. He sat her down at the end of the two card tables the kids were using in the living room for their table. The oldest half of the group would be eating in the dining room, since there was no way to fit everyone in one room to eat. He brought her a water as the others were filing in with their plates and bowls.

Once the kids were all situated, Steve moved back to the kitchen and got in line behind Eddie. “So,” he said, laughing when Eddie jumped in surprise. “What bets did you make?”

“Uh, no,” scoffed Eddie. “You’ll throw it if you know.”

“Party pooper.”

Steve, at the end of the line, watched as his friends continued their conversations. Nancy still wouldn’t properly look at him, which—well. Was a bit of a problem but he would deal with it. He had hoped to get her alone sooner, but she hadn’t been willing to talk to him since Thanksgiving when he had come out.

Whether intentional or not, the last spot was between Jim and Robin. Steve shimmied in, laughing as Robin feigned offense. He tore off a piece of his cinnamon roll and held it up to show Murray. “Like this, dude.” He spooned some of the chili onto the roll, making sure to get a little bit of everything. He shoved it into his mouth and grinned obnoxiously at a queasy Murray.

“And you like that?” Murray asked, utterly appalled. Dmitri looked just as scandalized beside him.

“I thought it was weird, too, my dude!” Argyle brandished his own piece of cinnamon roll proudly. “But it’s so good. Sweet and savory.”

“I’m… good, thanks.”

Dinner went without a hitch. No one said anything about the matching gold bands or the sappy looks Jim kept giving him. Robin kept elbowing him when he returned the looks, but whatever. Murray across from them was looking at them like a puzzle, but hadn’t said anything yet. From what Steve knew, Murray always had something to say. Especially about relationships. Whatever. There was still most of the night left, anyway.

Jonathan and Argyle offered to wash the dishes as the rest set about rearranging the living room. Steve broke down one table, Jim the other, and the boys each grabbed two chairs to move around so they could sit in a lopsided circle. Erica was already sorting through the gifts and El helped her with making some sort of system. It made sense to them, so Steve wasn’t going to comment. Once everything was put away, Steve had Jim hang back to give him a kiss.

“I’m surprised no one has said anything,” said Steve, lifting up on his toes so he could wrap his arms around Jim’s shoulders.

“I think Murray wants to say something,” Jim muttered against his lips.

Somehow, they made it all the way through exchanging gifts with no one ever noticing. Not even when Jim sat next to Max on the couch and pulled Steve into the miniscule space left. Not even when Steve leaned close, nearly on Jim’s lap with how much they were cuddling.

Somehow, it was when Steve had returned with a beer for Jim and nothing for himself that Murray finally said something.

“When the hell did you get married?” he blurted out as Jim took a swig of his beer.

Steve raised a challenging eyebrow. “Who?”

Murray looked at Jim, left hand grasping the beer as Steve cuddled right back up against his side. He looked at Steve, left hand against his stomach as he leaned into Jim. He cocked his head, took a deep pull of his own beer. “Huh. You two sure are a surprise.”

“Who?” Jonathan asked, leaning over from his spot by the tree where he had been conversing with Eddie, who looked very upset about what was happening.

To Hop’s left, Max looked a little too excited.

“How long has this been a thing?” Murray asked instead of answering. He was nearly falling out of his seat as he tried to get close to them. “Long enough for matching wedding rings.”

All other conversation finally stopped. “Who are you talking about?” Joyce was the one to ask.

Murray gestured at Jim and Steve. “These two! They have wedding rings, and they’re cuddling. Why did no one tell me they were together?”

“Steve and Hop?” Lucas asked.

“Yes! Yes! Steve and Jim!” Murray looked almost unhinged. Steve would have thought it was kind of funny, if his heart weren’t about to escape his chest from beating so hard.

Several voices broke out almost at once, all from the kids. Nancy was staring at him with an unreadable look. Argyle looked pleased, anyway. Jonathan looked confused. Dmitri looked like he’d had some questions answered. Dustin looked maybe a little scandalized, a little betrayed, maybe. 

But Joyce—

“You broke up with me for a child?”

“Whoa! Hey, now, that’s uncalled for.” Steve could feel Jim bristling with anger. “He’s not a child.”

“I’m a consenting adult,” Steve added, doing his best to remain calm. “There is absolutely nothing wrong with our relationship.”

“You’re a child—”

Steve stood, towering over her. Behind him, he felt Jim move close to rest a hand on his opposite hip. “I’m not a child! I haven’t been—for years. I’m an adult, Jim’s not taking advantage of me. Even my parents approve of him, even though I don’t need their approval for who I date and marry. But they’re perfectly fine with me being with him! We are happy together. I’m sorry your relationship didn’t work out, but that’s no reason to make Jim into a villain he’s not.”

Joyce looked like he had slapped her. She stood, and although her height was not impressive, Steve was still a little afraid of her with how angry she was. “I’m not—It’s not about—” She huffed, fists clenched as she tried to gather her thoughts. She looked past Steve to Jim. Almost like she was pleading with him.

“There’s things you don’t understand, Joyce,” Jim started, tone low and even. “I’m sorry we didn’t work out. But Steve—He understands me on a level no one else can. And I get him. There’s—I’m not airing all that out because you don’t need to know the details. Me ‘n Steve have an understanding, and y’all just need to live with that. We love each other. And that’s all you need to know.”

“But—”

El stood, startling everyone. She came up to Steve’s other side and grasped his hand. “I appreciate you being the mom I needed when Jim was dead,” she started haltingly. “I appreciate you still caring about me even though you don’t have to. But I love my dads. I get to have a grandma and a Samuel, now. Steve is good at taking care of me. And they love each other a lot. They are like Lucas and Erica’s parents. And they love me, too. They made sure that I was comfortable with every step of their relationship. Because they care about me just as much as they care about each other. They said—” She looked at him, then, almost apologetically. She turned back to Joyce, tall and proud as she continued. “They told me, when they first got together, that people would not like them because they are gay. They told me that people would not like them because Jim is the same age as his dad, because of—of a power imbalance, or something. But there is not. They are equal. Steve is not a child. He is my dad. And he is Jim’s husband. We are happy, and we would appreciate it if you were happy for us, too.”

The house was a little too quiet as Joyce stared them down. She deflated somewhat, gave them a tentative smile. “Why are you just now… telling us?”

Behind him, Jim shrugged. “Seemed like a good time as any. We can’t legally get married, but we have paperwork that’s as good as. Figured that you all should know, what with our track record of the world going to shit every few months.”

“You nerds owe me money,” Max said suddenly.

Of course pandemonium broke out over that. Largely, it seemed like betrayal was the main theme. Steve rolled his eyes and broke away for the kitchen to pull out the pudding. It seemed like the tension had dissipated enough that he could leave Jim on his own, anyway.

He had expected Nancy to follow him so didn’t jump when she stopped next to him and started separating the bowls for him.

“Is that why we didn’t work out?” Nancy asked quietly.

“A little,” Steve answered honestly. “I didn’t know it at the time, but… I think so.” At her alarmed look he was quick to amend, “Not like that! I didn’t fall in love with him until he got back from Russia. And he didn’t ever look at me like that. Always thought I was a dumb kid until I told him about—about what happened to me under the mall. After he got back from Russia.”

Nancy seemed appeased with that. She held onto the last bowl, couldn’t meet his gaze as she asked, “So. Were you always gay, then?”

“I dunno,” he answered honestly. “I loved you, I know that.”

“You always… When we…” She blushed just as prettily as she always had. “You never let me touch you back.”

“Wasn’t a you thing. Or a girl thing,” he added with a shrug when she finally looked back up at him. “Tried it with Jim, too. Didn’t like it. It’s just a me thing.”

She stared at him with her wide, intense gaze that he always loved, always found a little thrilling. “And he’s okay with that?”

“More than.” She gave him an unimpressed look and he chuckled, turning his attention back to the pudding. “I’m serious. He gets it. Has never pressured me about it. We tried once and I said no more and he said okay and that he’ll love me regardless.” Steve wiggled his hand. “Even put a ring on it.”

Her smile was soft as she took his hand. He wiggled the ring off to show her the inscription.

“That was quick,” she said. “I didn’t know engravers worked that fast.”

“He had the rings prepared,” Steve told her, slipping it back on. He felt naked without it, even though it had only been a week. “Had everything all planned out. Even had the paperwork ready when he asked. We said ‘I do’ in front of El and… yeah.”

“You’re such a sap,” Nancy teased. “You deserve it, though. I—I’m glad he makes you happy.”

“Me, too.”

She wrapped her arms around him. He hugged her back, tension finally melting away. She wouldn’t be hugging him if she were truly upset with him.

“What about your six little Harrington nuggets?” she asked, pulling back with a teasing tilt in her smile. “Where are you getting the other five?”

Steve tried to fight his own grin. “We have a baby lined up to adopt already.”

“No way!” She playfully smacked his chest.

“Yes way! His ex-wife’s coworker wanted a gay couple and to know the kid would be going somewhere good,” he told her happily, putting the extra pudding away so he could gather the bowls to take to whoever wanted some. “Since we’re connected to Diane, she was more than happy to agree.”

Nancy helped him stack the bowls precariously in his arms and took the remaining few. Her smile was genuine when she said, “Good. I’m glad. You deserve it.”

“Thanks, Nance.” He bumped her with his hip. “Let’s go save Jim, I guess.”

She laughed as she followed along behind him.

Chapter Text

July 4^th landed on a Saturday that year. At least it lined up with the weekly dinners, Steve thought a little wryly as he popped into the police station on his way to Joyce’s house. He had Kimberly on his hip, babbling away at him and patting his chest with unrestrained glee as he padded through the quiet station. From Jim’s complaints the night before, most of the department was out at the memorial service the mayor was holding at the community center. Just like the year before, Jim had spent the entire evening complaining about it, how the dumbass mayor had wanted Jim to attend.

“Why should I?” Jim had grumbled into his spaghetti, splashing sauce everywhere. “It was one of the worst days of my life. I should attend a memorial service for that? I didn’t go last year. Why the hell would I say yes this time?”

Steve hadn’t argued, had just shaken his head as he held Kimberly’s bottle, had just tapped El’s foot under the table to prevent her from speaking for the moment. Jim just needed to get his feelings out about it, didn’t really need input from them just yet.

It didn’t help that Jim was having to work overtime, too.

Steve let himself into Jim’s office, grinning as Jim refused to look up. “I said no, Cal.”

“I ain’t Cal,” Steve drawled, mocking Jim.

Jim looked up in surprise, grinning widely as Kimberly squealed at him. “Hey! I didn’t know you were stopping by.”

Steve deposited their daughter onto Jim’s lap and dropped the paper bag he’d been carrying onto Jim’s desk. He sat on the edge, smile soft as he watched Jim play keep away with his finger. Kimberly’s favorite thing lately had been to gnaw on Jim’s fingers. It was cute as could be. “I’m on my way to Joyce’s. Figured I’d stop by with your lunch.”

The plan for the evening was to have a low-key barbeque away from the crowds. No one was quite up for the fireworks display or the fair. Murray was keeping his distance, Steve knew. Something about some Russian dying in his care. He knew Robin and Dustin and Erica were sure to stick close as the night wore on. It had been the same the year before, back when his relationship with Jim was still new and shiny.

Steve honestly wasn’t looking forward to it, but… Whatever.

It helped, a little, that El had finally stopped being so clingy after his ER stay a few months back. He loved her to pieces, but she had been devastated about his allergy and had forced Dustin to teach her how to read food labels. She had watched him like a hawk for every meal, his epipen clattering to the table every time she sat. She had refused to attend the Party’s weekly Friday night sleepovers for weeks until Max had finally dragged her to one.

He wasn’t going to be upset about it. He knew it was just her way of processing the whole thing. It was sweet, and he felt loved, so he wasn’t too upset that she was expressing her needs.

As it were, she was actually spending the day with the Wheelers. Even though her and Mike had broken up around the time Jim and Joyce had, they had still remained friendly, especially when El framed the break up as wanting to spend time with her dad after his stint in Russia. Jim had recently been grumbling that she was getting chummy with Mike again. Steve had just smirked back and placed a bet on her and Max getting together since Max and Lucas had—apparently officially for real this time, guys—broken up once again around the Vecna anniversary.

Whatever made El happy.

“I made that pasta salad you like,” Steve continued, leaning forward a little to be in Jim’s space. It was safe—the door was closed and no one was in the building, it didn’t seem like.

“Nice.” Jim leaned up to give him a kiss.

Someone knocked twice quickly and entered before Jim could say anything. “Chief, do you know anything about—Oh.” Officer Powell—Cal, he insisted every time Steve called him otherwise—cleared his throat. “Hello, Steve.” His face brightened when Kimberly cooed between them. “And little Kimberly! I didn’t know you were stopping by.”

He wasn’t giving them weird looks, or getting upset, or saying anything, despite how they had obviously been showing each other affection. Steve was frozen in fear, too afraid to move, too afraid to draw too much attention to himself. This was bad.

Jim cleared his throat and Steve finally moved away, keeping his wide eyes on Cal, looking for… something. But the man was annoyingly calm. Looked almost fond. Or smug, maybe, if the smirk was anything to go by.

Florence shoved Cal out of the way. “You snuck in!” she chided, bustling over to Jim and taking Kimberly from him, much to their surprise. “Oh, you’re just so precious,” she told Kimberly, tickling her tummy. “Your daddies thought you could sneak past me.” She scoffed, shooting them mock offended looks.

“You…?” But Jim didn’t finish, looking gobsmacked as Flo continued to cuddle their baby.

Flo scoffed again. “You think you’re so slick,” she said with a roll of her eyes.

“Wait,” said Cal, looking between them. “You thought we didn’t know? I thought we all knew about each other.”

“What?” Ah, shit. Jim was about to go apoplectic any second.

Cal laughed at him. “Chief, you have matching rings. He’s your “live-in nanny” and you go everywhere together.”

“And the power of attorneys,” Flo added, sounding less than impressed.

Jim’s mouth was open in shock. Steve, however, had to know, “Does anyone else… know?”

“Nah,” said Cal, crossing his arms to lean across the door jam. “You know Callahan couldn’t investigate his way out of a paper bag. The other officers couldn't tell you their ass from their hands.”

Steve laughed. It was true, for the most part. Callahan had outrageous theories that no one really ever took seriously, and the whole thing last year with Eddie hadn't put much faith in the police force, for the most part. “Why didn’t you ever say anything?”

Cal shrugged. “Thought you knew we knew. Why do you think we love eating at Benny’s?”

“You—?” Jim started, but stopped himself with a frown. “But I’ve met your wife. And your husband!”

“Jim—” Flo turned a confused little smile to them both. “My husband and I are both gay. It was safer for us to marry. I made a comment about it when you asked me to put the power of attorney paperwork in your file.”

“And Sharon was one of the leading ladies at Stonewall,” Cal added. “You commented on the brick she kept.”

“Huh? Stonewall?” Steve asked, feeling just as lost as Jim looked.

“A riot,” Cal said simply. “It was a gay club that police infiltrated and tried to arrest people. Sharon was there. I asked her to marry me when she got home from it.” He turned his frown back to Jim. “I thought you knew that.”

“I… did,” Jim replied with a confused little frown. “I guess I never… put that together.” He sat back and rubbed his hands over his eyes. “Shiiiiiiit.”

But Flo was laughing at him, depositing a squirmy Kimberly back in Jim’s lap. “The power of attorneys was a good idea,” she said thoughtfully. “But it was safer for us to get married and pretend.”

Steve turned his curious frown to Cal. There was one thing that didn’t make sense. “Is it the same for you?” he asked. “Are you and your wife gay like Flo?”

“Oh, no,” Cal chuckled. “Stonewall had a lot of drag queens and transsexuals, too. I love my wife no matter what package she comes in.”

“That’s sweet,” Steve murmured, looking back at a still shocked Jim. Steve rolled his eyes. “Look at you, making friends.”

Jim scoffed at him, finally coming out of his shock. “Brat.”

By the door, Cal cleared his throat. “You’re good to him, aren’t you?” he asked.

But he wasn’t looking at Jim. He was staring at Steve. And Flo’s harsh gaze wasn’t any kinder.

Which—Which made Steve’s heart a little full and he couldn’t help but grin goofily back. All of their friends, so far, had given Jim some level of threats about hurting Steve. Robin’s, of course, had been the most visceral, back when their relationship had been new and Jim was unsure about her as a whole. But after nearly a year and then coming out to their friends, Steve could still tell that the constant don’t hurt him had worn Jim down. It had taken a lot of reassurance and reminders that Steve knew they were just looking out for him, not that they were thinking poorly of Jim.

And now someone was—hopefully—threatening Steve about not hurting Jim.

“I love him,” Steve replied sincerely. “Even went and stole a baby for him.”

“Steve,” Jim said, appalled.

Flo and Cal cackled.