𝙎𝙩𝙚𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙀𝙙𝙙𝙞𝙚 𝙊𝙣𝙚-𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙩𝙨 (gay warning)

2－ 𝙄 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙔𝙤𝙪

We were all together, finally. Robin, Nancy, Jonathan, Eddie, Argyle, Myself, and some of the kids. (I don't give a shit that they're in high school- they'll always be kids to me.) The group decided that the best hangout place would be a diner close to Hawkins.

"Alright I'm taking a smoke break in the parking lot." Eddie left, taking Argyle with him. Jonathan decided to stop smoking.

"Steve" El said, getting my attention. "I think the aggressive one likes you." She smiled.

"You mean Eddie?" Mike laughed. "Totally."

"If you get married then I'll have two babysitter parents." Dustin said, agreeing with the others.

"I agree 100%, I always know when someone is gay, and he definitely is for you." Robin said.

I buried my head in my arms. I don't think Eddie's gay. This is all so confusing. I'm bi, and he's the first guy that I've liked. I feel the way that I felt when I first liked Nancy.

It's everything about him: the way he's such a caring person even though he doesn't seem to be, how he has eyes that I could look into for hours, his smile. I never ever thought I would think these things about a guy, but Eddie's not like any other guy. He's special to me.

"Guys." Lucas got my attention, and I lost my train of thought. He seemed serious about this.

"How do I get Max to be my girlfriend again?" As I suspected, everyone started talking over each other.

"Don't be an asshole."

"Don't lie about how you feel."

"Tell her you love her."

"Don't date like Steve." Robin of course had to say that, but I knew she was joking anyway.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Eddie asked, raising an eyebrow. Why did Robin start this?

"He goes on many dates with many different girls but never seems to stay with them." She laughed. "He hasn't done that for a while, probably since he met you. I wonder why." I love her but she's a bitch when she does things like this.

He looked up at me then away again, becoming silent. I'll admit, Eddie Munson snapped me out of my phase of constant dating.

They continued giving Lucas grand gesture ideas. Personally, I think he should just tell her why he wants to get back together, and why he loves her, that would be the best way to go. Maybe he should tell her how much he loves her without actually saying it.

—
It was late now, and I let Robin use my car to go on a date with Vickie, so Eddie said he would drive me home. I know he's a reckless driver, but I don't think I care. We were in the parking lot in his van.

"Steve?" I like the way he says my name.

"Yea?"

"Do you like me, Harrington?" He looked at me with those eyes that I couldn't look away from.

"What do you mean?" Did he mean it in the way that it really was- the romantic gay way? Or the ' platonic best pals' way?

"I mean do you like me the way Robin likes Vickie?" So he did mean the gay way. I like him a lot, more than Robin likes Vickie, but how the fuck do I say it?

"Eddie, I like you the way El likes Mike."

He smiled at me- he has the best smile I have ever seen. It's just so smiley but not the way people train themselves to or fake smile, it's so real, and I love it.

He intertwined his hand with mine. "Can I kiss you?" He seems hesitant, like he thought I would say no. I didn't want him to feel like that, to feel like I didn't want him.

Before I said anything, I put my lips on his, and kissed him slowly. He moved his hands to both of the sides of my face, they were calloused, likely from playing guitar, and I put my arms around his neck. No matter how tough he appeared, he was so vulnerable right now, and it felt so right.

My hands moved to his hair. God, it was so soft. It had just hit me: he liked me. But how come I never saw it? Did he ever look at me the way I looked at him? If he liked me why did he tell me to be with Nancy?

I pulled away first. He looked at me with this face- I couldn't describe it but it's so perfect.

Is this what falling in love feels like?

"Why did you tell me to date Nancy in the Upside-Down if you like me?"

"Steve, I thought that's what you wanted to do, and I want you to be happy over wanting you to be with me. I want you so, so badly, but I also want you to be happy." He sighed. "I thought you were straight as an arrow and that you were in love with Nancy."

I thought back to the beginning, my first interaction being him with his knife to my throat, the way he was kinda mean to me at first but then he slowly opened up to me, every moment that made me fall for him.

"You make me happy Ed, I- I love you."

"You love me? You're being honest right, you're not lying or joking?"

"No, I'm not, it's true." Who hurt him?

Eddie hugged me tightly, I don't think I've ever seen him so happy. "I love you too." He quietly said into my ear.

He started driving to my house. It was dark. "I hope you know you're mine now, Stevie."

"Only if you're mine too."

"No shit, Harrington, I've clearly shown that I'm in love with you."

I laughed. I swear he'll be the death of me.