Are We Going Steady?

Chapter 1: It's not a date

The gang was able to close the gate of the Upside-Down successfully. It was a team effort. Nancy had never been happier about someone snooping through her room until Robin told Eddie her favorite song. Eddie was hoping that after climbing into the regular world, he would never have to cross back into the Upside-Down... that was short-lived. He handed Steve his guitar and amp. Praying that his playing would be enough to save Nancy. It was. El and everyone else was able to get to Hawkins and help close the gate. It truly felt like a happy ending for them.

Not having to worry about Vecna, Demogorgons or Russians has allowed everyone to try to get back to normalcy. Expect that when feelings are amplified, and you think you will die any second, emotions surge, unexpected ones. At least, that is what is happening between Steve and Eddie.

**

Robin and Steve had gone back to the Family Video. Keith had chewed them a new one and scheduled them in all the slow days. At first, it was fine, but then it became quite boring at the store. Steve had stopped hitting on every chick that came into the store, which did not go unnoticed by Robin.

"I figured after an epic battle, you might have gone head first into the ladies. But you don't even flirt anymore, even when they flirt first," Robin says, raising her eyebrows at Steve, "don't tell me you gone celibate?" She gasps, throwing a hand over her mouth dramatically.

"Yea, Yea Buckley. I am a born-again virgin-" Steve's sarcastic answer was interrupted when none other than Eddie walked into the store. Like he does almost every shift they have.

"No way, Steve fucking Harrington is a born-again virgin!" Eddie chuckles. Steve thanks every god that no one comes into the store on Mondays.

His ears redden, "why so interested, Munson? Are you trying to take away my innocence?" Steve simply could not let Eddie one-up him.

Eddie raises his arms up, "no, man. I would be too much for your first time. But you can call me once you pop your cherry, princess." He winks at Steve and heads over to the VHSs.

The redness from Steve's ears moves to his whole face. He turns to Robin. She stops laughing, "very amusing seeing Eddie get under your skin."

"Whatever, since you find him so amusing, go help him find something to watch," Steve says to her and gives her a shove. He aimlessly fixed the candy by the counter, remembering how Eddie had helped him.

Ever since Eddie risked his life playing on top of his trailer while Steve protected him from the Demobats, they have become unlikely friends. They believed that near-death and having to fight side by side speed up the course of their friendship. Eddie and Steve hugged for what felt forever but not long enough when it was all done. After they checked that Nancy was okay, Eddie told Steve to go into his room to clean up his wounds.

"Those Demobats really fucked you up," Eddie says as he unwraps the makeshift bandage that Nancy made. "Chunks! I felt them take them out, Munson." Steve hisses as the air of the room hits his wounds. "Sorry, Stevie. It's only going to hurt more from here." Steve was not able to focus at all because Eddie had put his hand on his thigh reassuringly. He only realized Eddie had gone to get a first-aid kit from his bathroom when the warmth was gone. He did not give it much thought as to why that amount of contact had left him flustered; he chucked it up to finally being the one taken care of.

Eddie came back with a container and a weak smile, "I am going to have poured some alcohol on the chunks, and I would sitch it up but they look really bad. I don't want to do more damage than good." Steve finally looked down and realized just how much the bats had taken. "I guess it might be a better idea to get it stitched up by professionals. Just clean it before I decide getting an infection is better." Steve tried to chuckle at his bad joke, but it came out more like a whimper.