Chapter Text
Two months. That's how long it's been since Robin found that movie. Two months since they were stuck in the Byers' living room and forced to watch a movie about his past. He answered every question he could, if he couldn't, they didn't push or force him too. They didn't walk on eggshells around him, but they tried their best to avoid the topic unless Steve brought it up. El was probably the one having a harder time with it, besides Steve, that is.
Steve had to sit her down and explain to her that he wasn't like her, his 'gift' and her powers were entirely different. She didn't believe him, of course, and even took to helping him practice at least twice a week. With her help, it took a while but, Steve figured out how to see the ghosts on his own. When he told the group, everyone smiled and hugged him. It was one of the greatest feelings in the world.
Joyce and Hopper, and pretty much everyone else, convinced Steve to go to therapy once every two weeks. The two offered to pay and nothing Steve said could talk them out of it. Not some crappy therapist in their small town, Hop's words not his, but a therapist in Indianapolis which was a good hour away. He, or course refused, trying to convince them Indianapolis was too far and too expensive, plus the gas money, but Joyce wouldn't hear it. 'Only the best for one of my boys.' That's what she said. He'd be lying if he didn't cry at her words.
As it turns out, the reason they go to his nan- no, his house is because the kids wanted to do something fun for the fourth of July and he offered up the house without even thinking about it. Eddie had pulled him aside as soon as he offered to see if that's what he really wanted. There was no hesitation in his voice when he said 'Yeah, I want everyone there.' They played all sorts of games when they got there, including Hide-and-Clap, and swam in the pool until Mike was redder than a tomato.
"I told you to put more sunscreen on."
"Shut up, Steve!"
Which brings us too now, Steve pacing the front hall with Eddis and Robin sitting on the stairs watching him. They've been at the house for a week and Steve got a phone call. Gwen decided to come visit early. She was supposed to visit on July first and say till the seventh, but she decided to change her flight without telling him. She called him from the airport after she landed and told him not to worry about picking her up, she already paid for a cab.
"Just calm down, Steve. I'm sure everything's fine." Of course, Robin would say that. She was always trying to calm him down. Which, you know, was a good thing, but sometimes it didn't work.
"She called over an hour ago," His pacing didn't stop. If anything, it sped up, "The airport is only forty-five minutes away. What if something happened?" He was being paranoid, he knew this, but that didn't change the fact that might have happened without him knowing.
"Look, Stephanopoulos-"
"Where the fuck did you get Stephanopoulos?"
"Not the point Steverly," Ever since the movie, Eddie had fun trying to find random way to say his name. Eddie said it was just because he was bored but he knew it was to make him smile. "The point is airport traffic is a bitch. You just need to close your eyes, take a breath, and let all your troubles wash away." Steve rolled his eyes but did as he said with a small smile. Dr. Brown, his therapist, said that doing this would help him. He even told Joyce about this small action who, in turn, told the rest of their family so that whenever he forgot, which was often, they would help him.
"I'm going to my room; I think I'll take a nap." He opened his eyes and saw Robin walking up the stairs, leaving him and Eddie alone. He knew what Robin was doing, she still trying her hardest to push the two of them together. He'd be lying if he said he was opposed to the idea, but he was just too scared.
"Look, Stevert-"
"Is that supposed to be a play on Robert?"
"Steve," Eddie stood up from his spot on the stairs and moved to where he was standing in front of him. "You just need to relax, maybe talk about something else."
Steve crossed his arms, and raised an eyebrow, "Like what?"
"Maybe," He hesitated. Eddie was nervous, he could tell because of the way Eddie started to shuffle on his feet, "Maybe we could talk about why you lied to me?"
"What?" In his shock, Steve dropped his arms to his side. Lied to him? When did he lie to him? "What are you talking about?"
"When I was in the hospital, you told me that you would drop Dustin off because you didn't like seeing me that way," Oh, this is what he wanted to talk about. Okay, he could do that. "but in the movie, it showed you laying on the hospital bed with me and Dustin. Why did you lie?" How was he supposed to explain that? How was he supposed to explain that he felt guilty, like he was the one responsible to Eddie being in that bed? How was he supposed to explain that he was scared he'd lose the person he was in love with? "You're in love with me?" Shit.
"Did I-" his throat felt dry. "Did I say that out loud?"
"Yeah," Eddie nodded as he took a step forward, "you did." He raised his hand and slowly placed it at the base of Steve's neck. "Can I?" His voice was just barley over a whisper. Slowly, Steve nodded, his eyes never leaving Eddie's face. Next thing he knew, Eddie was placing his lips over his. It was soft and slow, neither of them had a reason to rush it. It felt different than when Eddie kissed him for his panic attack, this felt more real. Steve brought his hands up to the collar of Eddie's shirt, so he had something to grab onto. It was only a few seconds before Eddies pulled away, but it felt like hours. He kept his eyes closed as Eddie press his forehead to his. He wanted this moment to last forever, nothing could break him away from it.
Before he got a chance to open his eyes, he heard the front door open. "Stevie!" His eyes flew open and quickly pulled away from Eddie. There in the doorway was his lovely cousin. She was taller than the last time he saw her, now standing at about 5'8, and her hair was to her shoulders. She ran forward and wrapped her arms around his neck, Steve's arms going around her waist. His face turned red, worried at what she might have seen, as he buried his nose in her hair.
"What the hell took you so long?" He pulled away from her, keeping his arms on her shoulders so he could see her better. She was wearing a striped shirt and a pair of overall shorts, her tattoo on her forearm was in full view. He smiled a little, she turned into a beautiful young woman.
"Come on Jerkface," she pushed his arms off her, her smile never leaving her face, "There was traffic."
"That what I said," Eddie piped in from behind him causing Steve to roll his eyes.
"Eds," He turned away from his cousin to look at his friend(?) They'd have to talk about what they later. "How about you go get the kids inside, they've been in the sun long enough."
"You're such a mom." Eddie laughed but did what he was asked, nonetheless. Turning back to his cousin, Steve saw that she had a smirk on her face which was unsettling.
"What's with the look?" He raised his eyebrow. When Gwen got this look on her face, he knew it wasn't good for him.
"He your boyfriend?" Okay, was not expecting that.
"What? No. It- It's not- Uh." His eyes were wide, and his jaw dropped. This was not a conversation he thought he would be having with her.
"Hmm," She squinted her eyes at him, "You should probably wipe your mouth, right there," she pointed to the corner of her lip. Steve lifted his hand and wiped his mouth, trying to get whatever was there, "yeah, right there. No, there's still bullshit on your lips!" She laughed as he pushed her away. "Seriously, what's going on there, and why didn't you tell me?"
"Well, it all started with a movie."
"Ooh," She shook her shoulders at him, "a movie. Tell me more while you show me to my room." It wasn't a question, and he knew that.
"You're going to be rooming with my friend Robin, hope that's okay?" The name seemed to catch her of guard.
"Robin?" Her smiled turned into a frown which, in turn, made him frown.
"Yeah, her name is Robin, you can call her Rob if you want, I do."
"Yeah," She nodded her head before shaking her head. "Now," She smiled widely as she handed him her back, "tell me about the movie and about, you said his name was Eds?"
"Eddie, yeah." He started walking upstairs with her at his heels. He started recalling the night he pulled up to the Byers' house three minutes late.