Fall gives way to winter, which means cozy sweaters and scarves. Steve is nothing if not excited for the cooler weather, since comfy sweaters are kind of his thing. It doesn't hurt that he borrowed (ok, stole) Eddie's jacket to wear today. Eddie's dragging him, Robin, and Vickie into seeing some creepy movie called Child's Play, so Steve is standing on the curb waiting for Robin to pick him up.
When she pulls up, the passenger side window is rolled down and Vicke looks him up and down, "Are you wearing Munson's jacket?"
Steve shrugs, "Maybe."
Vickie rolls her eyes toward Robin.
"Get in, you adorable idiot."
Steve slides into the backseat, and they're off to pick up Eddie. Eddie's uncle Wayne is renting a condo in Mansfield, which is a rural little town that's only about 10 minutes East of Hawkins. When they pull up, Eddie spots Steve in the backseat and grins. He's dressed handsomely in a black leather jacket, faded blue jeans, and a well-loved Hawkin's High football tee.
As he slides onto the bench seat Eddie says teasingly, "Nice jacket Steve."
"Thanks," Steve blushes, "It's a crazy story, this thing survived being chewed on by demobats!"
Eddie rolls his eyes, "I still want that back, even though you wear it well. It's my lucky jacket." He winks at Steve and pinches his thigh gently.
Robin pulls away from Eddie's house and flicks the radio on, The Whispers blare out, and Vickie laughs. As the song gets toward the chorus the girls take turns belting out, "And we begin to rock, Steddie!" Giggling like two hyenas and throwing glances to the backseat where Steve and Eddie are both cherry red with embarrassment.
When they finally reach the theater, the girls are breathless from laughing and clamber out of the car for some fresh air. Steve and Eddie linger a bit longer, Eddie taking a moment to smooth the short hairs on the back of Steve's head.
"I think they're onto us," he says quietly.
"No shit."
They haven't actually done anything, and yet it still feels illicit. They haven't even given themselves proper titles yet, because to do so feels official, and officially they can't be an item. When they're drunk Eddie calls Steve his boyfriend, which makes Steve's heart sizzle and his body long for Eddie's touch. Sometimes Eddie's hand will travel along Steve's thigh until it's dangerously close to the V of his groin, but he never goes any further. They're waffling in the abyss between "fuck it, lets fuck" and "fuck no, we can't fuck", and truthfully it is agonizing.
"I think Robin has always known," Steve says, squeezing Eddie's hand and sliding out of the car. He hears Eddie mumble something to himself before getting out as well.
They sit on opposite sides of Robin and Vickie, as though that'll quell their suspicions. Instead, all it does is make Steve wish he could rest his hand on Eddie's lap and share popcorn with him, like Robin and Vickie are currently doing. For some reason people seem less apt to stare at two chicks holding hands rather than two dudes, a fact that makes Steve utterly annoyed.
When the movie's over they stuff themselves back into Robin's car. Steve is wide awake, still feeling the effects of the thriller they just saw. Eddie, on the other hand, leans up against Steve's shoulder and almost immediately falls asleep. Robin makes eye contact with Steve in the rearview mirror and smiles.
"It's ok if you don't want to tell me," Robin says softly, "But how long have you two been a thing?"
Steve blushes, "We're not. Well, not officially anyway."
"Well then, unofficially, good for you," Robin says, "I can tell he's smitten. You're good for each other. You soften each other's rough patches."
At that, Steve smiles, patting Eddie's knee.
"When you're ready, both of you, just know we're here for you," Vickie smiles warmly over her shoulder, "I know it's tough. I'm lucky, my parents love Rob. I don't know what we'd do if we didn't have a support system. Even with good people surrounding us, sometimes it still feels wicked scary."
"It's terrifying," Steve admits, "I feel like I don't know who I am anymore, while I simultaneously feel more like myself than I ever have."
Robin pulls up to Steve's apartment and parks, turning to face him, "Speaking of, nice haircut. Glad to see Steve "The Hair" Harrington 2.0 is up and running."
Steve blushes but grins, then says sheepishly, "Eddie really likes it too."
"Speaking of, are you taking your muppet with you for a slumber party, or shall we drag him back to his own humble abode?"
Steve strokes Eddie's forehead to rouse him, "Eds, you wanna crash at my place?"
Eddie, half unconscious, leans forward and gives Steve a chaste kiss, "Sounds good to me Stevie."
Before Robin and Vickie can let out an "aww" or a "took you long enough" Steve throws the door open, dragging Eddie by his sleeve, and bids the girls goodnight.