A week later Eddie is back at Scoops Ahoy! and Steve is working the counter again. Eddie's Hellfire Club shirt looks incredibly soft and inviting, and Steve would have given anything to wrap his arms around the guy and hold him close right then and there. To drink in all that was Eddie Munson was Steve's truest desire. But there were too many people in the mall, and pretty much no one in Indiana in 1988 was okay enough with homosexuals to allow Steve's dream to come true.

"One Nauti with cherry shell?" Steve gives Eddie a friendly smile.

"You guessed it."

Today the mall is quiet. It's a Thursday, school hasn't let out for the day yet. Steve's always preferred this shift since he gets a lot of time to himself. No one else comes into work until later in the afternoon, so his day is fairly quiet and he can listen to whatever music he wants.

"Are you listening to Black Sabbath?" Eddie smirks, "Aren't you supposed to have, I dunno, like pirate music on?"

Shit.

Steve had put on Black Sabbath two days this week because it reminded him of Eddie.

"Technically I'm supposed to play "family-friendly" music, but no one's here, so I was kind of breaking that rule."

"Oh ho ho," Eddie smirks again, "Goody-Two-Shoes Steve Harrington's a rebel at heart after all."

Steve could feel himself involuntarily blushing so rather than say something stupid in response he just rolled his eyes and fixed Eddie his ice cream.

This time, after he gave Eddie his cone, Eddie went and sat at one of the tiny metal tables in front of Scoops Ahoy! He kicked his boot-clad feet up on one of the chairs and leaned back in another before taking a bite of his cone. The last time he'd taken his cone and walked off. This time he was just sitting there, right in front of Steve, like it was nothing. Well, because it was nothing. Eddie had no idea how Steve felt.

Up until two years ago, Steve was content thinking he was straight, and that he and Nancy were going to have a regular, boring, life together. But everything changed. Not all at once, but gradually. And suddenly Steve realized that a big part of him had no interest in Nancy. It wasn't her fault, he just wasn't into her "like that". No matter what they tried it wasn't clicking. But inside Steve's head, something was clicking: he was gay. It made perfect sense the more he thought about it. All the arrogant shit he'd said, the ignorant crap he'd pulled, it was all because deep down inside he'd been locking away a dirty little secret. It was easier to be cocky and a bit of a player than it was to admit his true nature.

Eventually, he and Nancy split. She was tired of him making excuses, and truthfully, he was tired of making them. It was the third and final time they'd called things off, and this time Steve didn't feel heartbroken, he felt relieved.

Eventually, Eddie finished off his ice cream and walked over to the trash, before sauntering back up to the counter.

"Do they let you take that uniform home?"

Steve tried not to look caught off guard, though he was, "Uh, yeah. To wash it. We only get one each."

"I bet Nancy thinks it's cute. Bet she makes you strip tease for her with it."

Steve's face went flushed again. "We broke up," he squeaked out.

Eddie shook his head, "Shame. What's that make it, break up number three? I guess the third time wasn't the charm." He flashed Steve a shit-eating grin.

"It's for good this time," Steve let out a sigh.

"From what I know, girls are difficult."

"From what you know?" Steve asked stupidly.

Eddie raised an eyebrow, "Never actually dated one, Harrington."

"Oh," Steve said quietly, thinking Eddie was going to spill some important dating knowledge on him. Instead, he'd just admitted to Steve he was gay, which was making Steve short-circuit.

"Oh ?" Eddie looked dismayed, "Well, that's a different reaction than normal. I told my dad I was gay and he threatened to shave my head and send me to boot camp. I told my uncle and he just gave me a hug and said "I know". But I tell the Steve Harrington, and all I get is oh."

"I just… I would have thought you had a lot of dating experience, with girls I mean. I wasn't expecting-"

"It's fine," Eddie smiled reassuringly, "I didn't mean to drop that on you, Stevie. I just figured with you knowing Robin and all that you'd be cool about it. I actually kind of wondered if…" his voice trailed off and he shook his head, "Nevermind. I've gotta go."

"You were wondering if what, Eddie?"

Eddie bit his lip and shook his head again.

"Were you wondering… were you wondering if that's why Nancy and I broke up?"

Eddie took a sharp break and bit his lip a bit more firmly like he was trying to clamp his mouth closed, but he lost the battle, "I was, kind of. Listen, Steve, it's ok if you don't-"

"It's ok, Eddie. It took me a long time to come to terms with it, but yeah."

A small smile crept back onto Eddie's face but it didn't last, "I really do have to go."

Steve nodded and watched as Eddie wandered off into the mall, which was just starting to get a bit busier. He couldn't believe he'd just come out to Eddie Munson, but it was true. It had happened. Right there at the cash register. And he didn't even have time to think about it because a horde of customers was now starting to flock toward his booth.