*at Hellfire*

*at Hellfire*

Eddie: and if you have any suggestions, feel free to put them in the suggestion box

Mike: that's a trash can

Eddie: what's your point?

rb to protect prev from burnout

It could have started when Eddie was basically living with Steve during his constant physical therapy post-Vecna.

It could have started when Steve took Eddie out for “adults only” dinners and movies that no other adult was invited to.

It could have started when Eddie visited Steve at work every shift to make sure he ate lunch, and giving him a very serious, no-way-you’re-getting-away-with-not-eating look.

It could have started when Steve had a migraine that almost had Robin dragging him to the hospital until Eddie stepped in and offered to keep watch over him for three days straight.

But it was hard to tell because Steve and Eddie circulated each other like the planets revolve around the sun, and circles don’t really have a beginning, or an end.

*************

“Dingus! Your boyfriend is here!”

“He’s not my boyfriend, Robs!”

Robin and Steve managed to work most shifts together, which helped the time pass. They bickered like siblings, though, and when Eddie showed up, Robin tended to annoy them both or completely disappear.

Steve was clueless as to why and Robin refused to give him any hints. “You’ll understand when you’re older,” she’d said with an eye roll and snort.

“Did you just call me his boyfriend?”

Eddie would hate to hear it, but he was like a ray of sunshine anytime he entered a room. At least if you asked Steve, that’s what he’d say, and he’d probably blush the entire time he said it.

He wouldn’t acknowledge it.

He’d pretend he thought that about a lot of people.

He’d be lying.

“I did. Maybe you two shouldn’t be so obvious all the time.”

Eddie and Steve just stared blankly at Robin.

“Steve’s not even gay!”

“Eddie doesn’t even like me like that!”

They both spoke at once, turning to each other in shock.

“I do like you like that!”

“I’m into both!”

They both spoke at once again. Robin just started laughing and walked away.

“You like me?”

“You like guys?”

Okay, deep breath. One at a time.

“You go first,” Steve said, hoping Eddie would clear any doubts from his head.

“I’ve been halfway in love with you for months, Stevie. I thought,” Eddie cleared his throat, awkwardly looking down at the floor. “I thought I was being too obvious sometimes. But I knew you weren’t into me back so. I mean we can still be friends. I don’t wanna lose you.”

Steve took a step closer to him.

“I’ve been halfway in love with you for months, too. I just thought you were being nice to me.”

Eddie chuckled and shook his head at the floor before looking up at Steve.

Beautiful, incredible, stupid Steve.

Never believing that anyone could care about him for him.

“I think maybe we’ve been dating this whole time.”

Steve’s jaw dropped, but closed quickly, his mouth settling on a soft smile.

“I guess maybe we have. What gave it away?”

“Probably the fact that you’re attached at the hip and any time someone mentions either of you to the other you get this dumb lovestruck look on your faces,” Robin stuck her head out from an aisle to yell at them.

“Shut it, Robin!”

She went back to what she was doing, deciding whatever meddling she’d managed was probably enough.

“So let me get this straight…”

“That may be difficult for both of us,” Steve let out.

Eddie cackled. “Oh god. I think I’m more than halfway in love with you,” he got out between laughter.

Steve joined him, mostly happy because Eddie was happy.

He probably should have realized this a lot sooner. Like, way sooner.

When they finally calmed down, they stared at each other with the look Robin was probably describing.

Lovestruck was a word for it, but it was more than that.

They were two people who never should’ve even been in the same circle, and they weren’t until they had to be. But since then, they’d chosen to be a part of each others’ lives. They’d chosen to support each other, and rely on each other, and trust the other person to be what they needed through it all.

They existed as two separate people still, Steve would never wrap himself up in someone so much that he lost himself. Not again.

But they had spent months becoming a pair, unbeknownst to them, and it made them better, it made them find ways to grow amongst trauma no one could imagine but them.

When they kissed, there weren’t fireworks, there wasn’t a world-ending realization that this was the love of their life, or even a racing heartbeat.

There was something that settled though. Something they hadn’t realized had been waiting for months while they danced around each other.

Not even Robin’s cheering from across the store could ruin their moment.

after vecna is dead and the upside down is gone forever, steve decides to mark a brand new start by shaving his head. it's a spur of the moment decision, one he fears he'll regret- but he loves it. loves the lack of expectations he's put on himself. he's excited to grow it back, but he doesn't regret shaving.

bc it was a quick decision, no thoughts, he didn't think to tell anyone. everyone reacts with terrified silence, forced smiles and panicked whispers to each other bc "wtf happened is he ok is he dying????"

eddie is shocked at first, but he asks and, once he gets the reasoning, completely gets it. he encourages steve to take the chance to do all the wild shit he won't feel comfortable doing with his hair once it grows out. he helps him through the awkward stages. he makes steve feel even more comfortable with it, more confident, more like himself.

robin teases him about. mocks him without mercy. she calls him bald steve all the time, even when it grows out again.

Dad!Steddie with a little boy means so much to me.

Steve plays catch with him in the front yard as Eddie watches his favorite boys from the porch.

Eddie let’s him ride on his shoulders everywhere they go.

Eddie teaches him how to play guitar.

Steve lifts him up to help him shoot a basket into the net.

Eddie throws him into the air and he lets out a little squeal.

They all play tag and airplane together and he has way too many toy trains and cars (he also definitely has a doll and a teddy bear that he begs to sleep with every night)

Eddie is thrilled when he’s old enough and asks if he can teach him DND.

Steve spends a lot of time with him in the kitchen teaching him how to bake and cook actual meals.

They’re the dads they never had but always wanted.

couldn’t resist so here’s Stobin Month Day 23: Apocalypse