Chapter Text
“This is stupid,” Robin groaned, throwing down her hat onto the metal table the middle-aged woman in the morning used for cake decorating. It was always covered in frosting and Steve avoided it like the plague. “There is absolutely no need for a 24-hour ice cream store - no one wants ice cream at 2AM, college town or not.”
“Yeah, well, tell that to this list of DoorDash orders that are going to come in-” the loud click of the machine, printing a receipt for an online order drowned him out, “right this very second.” Steve finished as Robin groaned louder, moving towards the front floor so they could fill the undoubtedly complicated and ridiculous orders.
The two of them had been working at Hawkins Creamery since they moved to the town for college, bonding over being undecided and unmotivated. By their third year, Steve had declared a Business major and Robin declared a Humanistic Studies major, but don’t let the decisions fool you - they still had no fucking idea what they were doing. Sure, they had an apartment together off-campus and sure they cooked actual meals and worked jobs and bought groceries and wrote essays like they were functioning human beings, but it was all a front.
If you looked a little closer, with a keener eye, you would see that, for example, neither of them could hold on to their money.This was mostly due to the fact that they overused the idea of treating themselves , which was common these days, to be fair. It’s amazing the amount of purchases you can justify for yourself if you just say it's a treat .
Steve had dated an accounting major for about two weeks, and once she asked what his and Robin’s budget looked like? They were still in the honeymoon phase at the time, but nonetheless - when Steve mentioned that he couldn’t afford to pay for drinks that night, since the week before, he and Robin had spent $220 on a disco ball for their living room, when they finally got good at using the $150 rollerblades that they’d invested in, and they wanted to make their living room like a skating rink… she dumped him. Hard.
There was also the romance of it all. That was another thing that Robin and Steve fucked up pretty regularly. On opposite ends of the spectrum, though, since Robin was in love with a new girl every month and was unable to engage with a single one and Steve fucked a new person every other week and was unable to maintain any interest.
It was getting embarrassing, for both of them.
That’s not to say that they were like miserable human beings or anything! They weren’t! All things considered, they were pretty lucky, living with their best friend and sometimes considered platonic life partner. It was nice, facing life with someone you trusted and liked and who put up with just enough of your shit. And who somehow was able to get a job working at the same ice cream shop as you, finagling the same shifts as well.
“So… Nancy’s having a Halloween party next weekend.” Robin said, feigning nonchalance in simply the most pathetic way possible, as she scooped mint chocolate chip ice cream into a blender.
“And you want to fuck Nancy now, I assume?” Steve asked. There was no need to beat around the bush - the store was empty and they had four more hours of their shift. Gossip was a fun way to pass the time.
“Steve ! I would never - she’s your ex.” Robin assured right before pushing the button to roar the blender to life, conveniently preventing any reply. Steve stood up from scooping and stared at her, eyebrow raised as he waited for the noise to peter out.
“We dated two years ago, Rob, for like a month ,” Steve emphasized, “I’m not exactly riding that train anymore.”
“Yeah but… you know.” Robin shrugged.
“Great argument. Super eloquent. You’re right, you’re absolutely not allowed near her or I’ll fight you for her hand.” Steve rolled his eyes and flicked whipped cream at Robin’s face to emphasize his point.
“I don’t want to fuck her-”
“Sure you don’t. You just want to hold her hand and brush her hair and talk about your hopes and dreams, right? Maybe adopt a few plants, too? Lesbians like that kind of stuff, I’m pretty sure.”
“God, we so do. That sounds amazing.”
“Well perfect, you can go to the party, bond with Nancy over the political landscape of Western Africa or whatever it is her journalistic tendencies are leading her to study nowadays -”
“Deforestation in the Amazon.”
“Of course, sounds fascinating. Talk to her about that, and then you’ll woo her with your charm and wit, no problem. Plant babies, here you come.”
“Yeah, yeah - that’s a perfect plan… You’ll come with me to ensure that’s the outcome, right, Stevie?” Robin asked, bagging the three shakes she poured and holding it out so Steve could slip in the hand-packed pints of sugar-free vanilla. She gave him puppy dog eyes as she did it - which honestly, didn’t look that different from her usual face. Steve sighed.
“I have plans on Halloween.” Steve argued pitifully.
“Uhh, your plans are to get high with Dustin and watch shitty movies.”
“I like those plans.”
“Those plans are lame,” Robin said, dropping the bag into the freezer to wait and then poking Steve in the chest firmly, “ You are not lame.”
“That’s kind of you to say.”
“You are young and hot and fun and you are not going to spend your Halloween with some dorky loser freshman, when you could be spending it helping your gorgeous and amazing best friend connect with the love of her life.”
“You know, I happen to know Dustin too, and I think it’s kind of harsh to call him a dorky loser.” A new voice said, causing Robin and Steve’s heads to swivel to the front counter.
Waiting at the register, hair thrown back into a messy bun and mouth set in a smirk was Eddie Munson, someone Steve was acutely interested in, despite the fact that he had never said that out loud to anyone.
Steve had heard about Eddie Munson non-stop since Dustin started at Hawkins University. Whenever they’d meet up it would be Eddie did this or Eddie said that or Geez Steve, why can’t you be as cool as Eddie . It irked Steve something fierce and he’d promised to hate the boy for as long as he continued his campaign to steal Dustin from him.
Of course, then he’d actually seen him. It was just a story on Dustin’s instagram, a ten second video scanning his Dragons and Dungeons group or whatever. Steve almost hadn’t watched because it was just Wheeler and some kid with an awful haircut but out of boredom he’d stayed and watched the prettiest dude he’d ever seen pop on screen, tongue out with his fingers in a rock and roll salute. Steve distinctly remembered sitting up in his bed and watching that story about fifteen times, pausing on Eddie’s face, before stalking his profile (which disappointingly had like three posts and two of them were drawings. One was a video of him playing guitar, the shot just the guitar, his fingers, and the ends of his hair barely in view. Steve still watched it 9 times).
He’d then made a solemn vow to himself that instead of hating Eddie Munson, Steve would bang him.
It was just, at the time, Steve was still dating Serena Taylor. And then after she explained to him why she thought all vegetables were better than fruit and he obviously broke up with her, he had started hooking up with JJ Gomez. He was starting quarterback for the college football team and while he was a little bit dumb, he also had way too nice of an ass to say no to. That ended about a week prior when JJ said he needed to focus on school. Aaaand in between all of that, Steve had heard Dustin go on and on about how creative Eddie was and how funny he was and how sexy Eddie looked with his hair pulled back -
Okay he never actually said that last one, but he did post a picture to his story of Lucas french braiding Eddie’s hair and it was… endearing. Distracting. Memorable .
All this to say - Steve felt fortunate to have the object of his recent obsession very much fall in his lap, looking sleepy and unbelievably sexy. So, Steve lovingly took Robin’s finger off his chest and pushed her towards the back of the store.
“Robin, go take your ten.” he insisted.
“Umm… Roger that, captain.” she drawled with a mock salute. Steve could see in his peripheral that she was eyeing Steve, probably mocking him with her eyebrows, but he didn’t feel like looking. Looking at Eddie was way more interesting.
Steve strolled over to Eddie, excitement practically making him vibrate out of his skin. He pushed up the sleeves of his shirt to expose his forearms before leaning on the front counter in a way he knew would make his arms look good. If the way Eddie’s eyes tracked the movement meant what he thought it meant, the other boy totally agreed.
“You’re Eddie Munson.” Steve said with a grin. Eddie’s eyebrows raised and his own smile got a little bit less cocky as he registered the greeting.
“I… am. Dustin mentioned me, I take it?”
“Practically non-stop. I think he deserves some opera credits for all the praises he’s sung you.”
“Really?” Eddie laughed. Steve reveled in the high of making him laugh - giggle really, he was so fucking adorable.
“Oh yeah,” Steve assured, smiling his best panty-dropping grin, “Made me pretty amped to meet you.”
“Why’s that?”
“Well I’ve always loved a challenge. And he’s hyped you up so fucking much, I’m just… I’ve been just desperate to find a flaw.” Eddie laughed again, eyebrows vaulting up in surprise.
“Shit, tell me what you really mean, Stevie. Well? You find any?” he asked, holding his arms out wide in presentation. Steve took a long moment to eye the other boy up and down, looking closely at everything from the countless piercings on his ears to the cut out sides of his muscle tee to the rolled up ripped jeans, silver rings, and black fingernails.
“Not a single one.” Steve said, leaning closer to Eddie across the counter. Eddie blinked slowly, smile slowly dropping from his face as he was watching Steve’s motions appraisingly.
“I must be higher than I thought I was.” Eddie whispered, making Steve bark out a laugh.
“You’re high , Munson?” Steve asked, reaching up to take Eddie’s chin in his hand, bringing him closer under the pretense of looking into his eyes. Now that he really looked, they were edged in red - bloodshot with more than just sleeplessness.
“Always,” Eddie breathed. They were so close now, foreheads practically touching and Steve couldn’t stop smiling, “Are you… flirting with me, Harrington?”
Steve laughed again, quieter now so as not to spook him, “Definitely, yes. Was I not being obvious enough?” he asked as he shifted his hand from Eddie’s chin to his neck, tangling in his hair.
“Oh, you certainly are.” Eddie gulped.
“I can be more brazen, if you’d like. I could tell you how sexy you look with your hair like that, how irresistible you are when you smile at me, how much better you’d look spread out on my-”
“Whoa, okay, um- wait a second,” Eddie sputtered, pulling back, cheeks bright red and hair a little mussed from Steve’s grip. Steve took a deep breath and gripped the edge of the counter, watching Eddie shake his head and slap himself on the cheeks a couple of times, “I’m… um, I’m not gay.”
Oh.
That possibility literally never crossed Steve’s mind.
“Oh.” Steve said, taking a step back and leaning against the metal counter behind him, trying not to look too disappointed, “that’s a huge fucking bummer.” Eddie laughed again, this time sounding a little delirious.
“Sorry.” he choked out, moving towards the case of ice cream, muttering something to himself that Steve couldn’t hear.
“Hey, man, no need to apologize. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable-” Steve apologized himself, but Eddie made some weird noises with his mouth to cut him off.
“No, no, it’s not - I’m not uncomfortable. It’s… flattering , actually,” Eddie smiled.
“Oh yeah?” Steve asked, strolling over to where Eddie was pursuing the ice cream, both of them forcing a casual nature.
“Of course! Getting hit on by the campus-renowned Steve Harrington is a big compliment, you know?”
“It is?”
“ Yeah. Practically everyone on campus has at least thought about having their shit rocked by King Steve.” Eddie chuckled, smiling wryly. Steve nodded, twitching only slightly at that stupid nickname, a relic from his high school days.
“Everyone… except the lesbians and straight boys.” Steve added, trying to keep the bitterness out of his voice. Taking rejection poorly was a huge dick move and one Steve had avoided easily since he was 15. But given how hard it was to find his cool now, apparently he’d missed how badly he actually wanted Eddie.
“Right,” Eddie agreed, “...right. Not them.”
The conversation stopped for a moment, awkward enough that Steve regretted sending Robin to the back - although come to think of it, Robin wasn’t really good at deescalating the awkwardness of situations. If anything, she was a pro at maximizing them.
“So,” Steve said to fill the silence that regretfully stretched between them, “It seems I may have dropped the ball on my job here - you did come to an ice cream store, stoned, at two in the morning so… you must want some ice cream, yeah?” Eddie smiled softly, glad for the topic change, and nodded.
“Thank you for the reminder. Yeah, um… one strawberry layered sundae, please.” Eddie asked. He reached up to pull out his hair tie, re-doing the bun that had loosened. Steve tried not to watch out of the corner or his eye as he reached for the sundae cup.
“Sure. You want that with marshmallow fluff or chocolate syrup?”
“Both. Definitely both.”
“Smart man.” Steve went about making the sundae as quick as he could, slightly uncomfortable at the silence and Eddie’s persistent - and apparently non-sexual - gaze.
“So, are you going to charge me extra?” Eddie asked as Steve handed over the sundae and the two of them moved to the cash register.
“Huh?” Steve tapped away on the screen and then looked at Eddie with a confused look, “For the double sauce? Nah man, it’s good.”
“No,” Eddie laughed awkwardly, “For the um… rejection, thing.”
“Oh,” Steve waved his hand and made a dismissive noise, “No, dude, of course not. There isn’t even a button for that.”
“Right.”
“Seriously though. I’m not butt-hurt about it. Rejection is part of life. You can’t be everybody’s cup of tea.” Steve shrugged and pushed the cash register back in as it popped out once Eddie’s card transaction went through. He handed Eddie the receipt and the other boy took it slowly, staring at Steve as he shook his head slightly.
“Unreal .” he said and Steve raised an eyebrow.
“What do you mean?”
“It’s just… it’s not fair.” Eddie laughed, quiet and private.
“What’s not fair? My unbelievable good looks and sparkling personality?”
“Yes .”
“Oof. Careful. Sounding pretty gay there, Eddie.” Steve joked.
“I mean, I’ve seen you around campus and it’s just… It’s not fair that you’re as hot as they say and as funny as they say and as … good at sex as they say and also… nice . Good. That’s fucked up. I guess, to quote you, I’m waiting for a flaw.” Eddie explained and goddamn, if Eddie hadn’t said he was straight about one page back, Steve would be pulling him to the back bathroom for an amazingly sloppy and giving blowjob right now.
“Oh, well if you’re looking for a flaw. Look no further… I can fill you in, easy.” Steve said, puffing up his chest and looking out the window pensively.
“What is it?”
“Well, it’s… my cock is just… too goddamn big, Eddie.” Steve grinned, breaking character as Eddie sputtered and laughed, rolling his eyes again.
“Of fucking course.”
“I’m serious!” Steve laughed, “It’s hard! People are often put off, overwhelmed with the massive girth. Makes my sex life a gamble, bro.”
“You’re ridiculous.” Eddie insulted, but he was smiling widely again, the awkwardness from earlier dispelled.
“Anything to get you to smile.” Steve was a huge fucking cheeseball and he winced right after he said it, especially when Eddie’s eyes widened and cheeks flushed, “Shit, sorry. Fuck, there’s my actual flaw. Ha, broken gaydar.”
“Oh, no worries. You know, I hear there’s an operation you can get, to get a new one installed. It’s pretty invasive though.”
“How invasive?”
“Brain surgery, man. They gotta remove the skull and move around tissue and - it’s gnarly. I heard some people come out of it straight .”
“Oh, so not worth it. I think I’ll stick with the one I have, then.”
“Might be for the best,” Eddie shrugged, “Yours isn’t… that bad, anyway.” he looked up at Steve through his lashes - a phrase that honestly had never made any fucking sense to Steve before seeing Eddie Munson’s doe eyes - and Steve felt his fingers tingle with excitement again.
“It’s not?” he asked, intrigued. Eddie just shrugged again and then swung his leg over the other to start walking towards the door.
“I’ll see you around, Harrington.” he said through a mouthful of ice cream. He didn’t turn around again, so Steve didn’t say anything, choosing instead to watch his ass in those jeans instead, for as long as he could.
When he was out of his line of sight, turning a right out the door to walk home, Steve sighed and turned around to grab Robin. Of course, she was already there though - standing in the doorway to the back with a huge, shit-eating grin.
“What the fuck was that, Steve?”