Chapter Text
Steve hesitates, looking confused for a moment before he enters the trailer and shuts the door behind him. He knew Eddie was freaking out a little about this, but he didn't expect him to be so... distant.
He chews on his lip a little, trying to decide where to start, wishing that Eddie would just come and sit on the couch with him instead of leaning against the wall so defensively. It breaks Steve's heart, but he sits down alone anyway.
"There's no mob, Eds," laughing softly, nerves dancing around the edges of it. "I'm not mad or- weirded out, or whatever it is you're worried about. I- I didn't mean to force you into outing yourself, so I'm sorry, but It's fine that you're gay, y'know?"
He wants to say more, and he almost does, but he looks up at the other boy instead, curious about whether or not it's actually helping any.
To his minor relief, he thinks it is.
Eddie is still leaning against the wall, but he's a little more slumped into it, not so tense now. The hands that were so fiercely gripping his sleeves are now crossed more normally, fingers tapping anxiously. The jittery movement was better, because it meant Eddie was thinking, taking him seriously.
Steve watches as those big brown doe eyes of his dart up to meet him in the eyes, scanning him for traces of a lie, internally debating whether or not Steve means it. Whatever he sees must be enough though, because he sighs and pushes himself off the wall, coming closer to lean on the arm of the couch instead.
"Okay, so- hypothetically," Eddie starts, pointedly avoiding eye contact now that he's closer. "If what I said wasn't a total fucking joke- you'd be okay with that? Really?"
Steve smiles softly but looks up at him seriously. He nods, "Of course, Eds."
Eddie Squints.
"Why?"
The question catches Steve off guard. He blinks, and makes that confused little face he makes when something should be obvious.
"What do you mean, 'why?', because you're one of my best friends-" He shakes his head laughing, but his heart skips a beat as he takes a breath, "And, well, you're not the-"
Eddie cuts him off before he can get anywhere close to his confession, a frantic, "That's not an answer Steve!" and a finger in his face shutting him up quickly so Eddie can be dramatic for another moment.
"Plenty of best friends don't put up with that shit, I would know- one minute it's 'let's hang out', and the next it's 'I don't want you spending the night anymore'- not to mention everyone knows Robin is your best friend,"
Steve can't help but roll his eyes at the irony that Eddie misses from that statement, but he doesn't stop him, simply watching as he waves his hands around and whines about all the reasons Steve might change his mind about hanging out with him.
Steve just leans back into the couch and lets him talk, until eventually he can't help but crack a smile and laugh at something he says.
Eddie stops and frowns at him, hands paused in mid-air, "What? What about that is funny Harrington?"
Steve laughs softly again and shakes his head, pushing his hair back, "Nothing- just- Eds, we were literally cuddling last week at movie night, I think I missed my chance to be scared of gay shit by now. And- you think you're the only gay in Hawkins? I mean, reasonable, but... not true,"
He shrugs a bit as he says it, like it should be obvious, but Eddie stares at him like he just explained the Upside Down all over again.
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"
Steve hums for a second, "I mean... I mean what I said. You're not the only gay guy in town. Or- like, not-straight guy? Not-straight anyone- You- you know what I mean, right?"
He's a little flustered about it now, but the red on his cheeks is only confusing Eddie more. He slides down off the arm and sinks into the couch cushion, leaning towards Steve as if proximity will suddenly help him understand.
"Steven Harrington, are you telling me you know other gays?"
Steve laughs again, nodding.
"Yes- yeah, man- that's what I'm saying. I mean, I guess technically it's only one- or two? depending on how it counts..."
Eddie leans in more which extremely does not help Steve process his thoughts any better. He's squinting at him the way he glares at the kids during DnD, when he's trying to use his dungeon master charisma to trick them into screwing up.
"Steve."
He swallows.
"Yeah?"
A small glance down at Eddie's lips.
"What're you saying here?"
Steve squirms for a second, but he just ends up laughing again.
"...That I... wasn't really wrong for wearing your bandana like that earlier?"
Eddie stares at him blankly for a second before his eyes go wide and his face goes bright red. Steve expects him to clarify, or pounce on him, but Eddie ends up laughing and looking mortified, pulling back and slapping a hand to his face.
"NO- nope, no, god, fuck Stevie- don't say that, oh my god,"
Steve frowns. Eddie's still laughing about it, but Steve feels like he missed a joke, and it honestly kind of hurts.
"What? Eds- that's not funny, I just- I'm serious!"
Eddie laughs again but whines apologetically this time, "No- no, I know you are but- god, you really don't mean that-"
"Yes I do! I like Men!"
He looks a bit surprised to hear Steve say it so plainly, but goddamn if he doesn't look pleased about it after everything. It only makes Steve even more lost as to what Eddie's laughing about.
"I'm sure- I mean- I believe you sweetheart- about that at least, you'd have to be an idiot to lie about- but I mean- the bandana Stevie, it uh. It doesn't...*just* mean that you're... gay,"
Eddie's still giggling, biting his lip now, his usual goofy self back where it belongs. Steve meanwhile, is beyond confused and wondering how his confession has gone so, so wrong so many times in one day.
"It...doesn't? But you said-"
"I know- yeah, well- you wanted an answer and we were in the middle of Family Video for Christ's sake, I couldn't blurt the whole definition, exactly,"
Steve quirks an eyebrow at him and leans in, filling the space left from when Eddie pulled away. He steals another quick glance at the metal head's lips, entirely too aware of how red they are from having been chewed on all day.
When he looks back up into his eyes it's obvious Eddie's embarrassed to say it, and Steve takes note of the way he's dying to hide behind his hair if not for how close their faces are already.
"So then? What's it mean, Eds?"