Hypotheticals

22-Surface level things

Steve decides to take his new perspective by the horns, and not let it control him completely. His Friday shift with Eddie and Robin is nearly over. It is incredibly hard keeping secrets from Robin. Especially when she was always the one who knew his secrets. He and Eddie were actually decent at hiding their relationship. Sometimes they slip up a bit, but Eddie plays it off with his Eddieness. For Steve it mainly felt like it did when he sat, pining over Eddie. Granted it was only for a week, maybe, but he still had experience.

At the moment, Eddie is across the room, with a cart of films in need of shelving. Steve, like normal, was watching him peacefully. Robin announces her presence calmly with a little sniff. Steve knows that this is her trying to clear her throat, without clearing her throat so as to not seem intruding. She looks between the two men in the store with her. All at once, both Eddie and Steve notice this, and a customer walks in. In a quick panic Steve spits out "Family Video, you want it we've got it.'' He shoots up and offers the boy a welcoming smile.

Truth be told, that is how they are supposed to greet all customers. Nobody really does anymore. It quickly fizzled out over the spring break. Steve just needs a way to distract Robin. "Can we help you with anything?" The boy, who is maybe six, just looks at Steve quizzically. Quickly after, a woman comes in to gather the boy. "Oh Joseph, I'm sorry, he runs off sometimes." The mother picks up her son and walks off. Eddie and Robin burst out in laughter. Steve's face flushes in embarrassment.

The phone rings, and Robin picks it up. "Hey dingus it's for you." Steve turns and reaches for the receiver. "Steve! Come over. Come to my house after work I still need to show you those shoes. And I wanna hang out." Steve smiles. "Okay, I'll come over, my shift ends in an hour." He puts the phone back on the wall and sits down at the computer Robin abandoned. When he looks up, he feels a pair of eyes on him. Eddie looks at him confused and concerned. Robin, knowing who it was on the phone, looks at Eddie, with a devilish smile. "O-Oh! It was Dustin, Dustin was on the phone." He swallows and points behind him.

---

As Steve hugs Robin goodbye, from behind her, Eddie blows an air kiss at him, winking. They can't hug so why not make the best of it, Eddie thinks. Steve just about dies on the spot. "Bye, dingus have fun with Henderson." Eddie nods in agreement. Eddie offered to drive Robin home, so Steve could go straight to Dustin's. Steve's heart was leaking out of his chest, he loves Eddie so much. He gets in his car and drives away.

"And would you look at the colour!" Dustin is just about shoving his new shoes in Steve's face, the latter trying not to laugh. He nods. "Y-yeah they're, they're definitely something." Dustin had previously explained that Lucas helped him pick them out a month and a bit ago.

"So uh, Suzie huh?" Dustin puts the shoes back and turns to Steve perlpexed. "What about Suzie?" Steve realizes he didn't even think about what he was planning on saying. Should he? Should he not? Too late, Dustin is staring at him hard.

"Do- you love her right?" Dustin smiles. "Of course I do." He says, as if it was obvious. Steve nods his head.

"And, um, how did you figure this out?" Steve is finding it hard to make eye contact. He plays with the comforter on Dustin's bed. The boy racks his brain for the right words.

"Well, it was always there I guess, I just never noticed. Once I got over the surface level things, I found it. Like for example, Suzie is hot, she's gorgeous, but she's also very smart, and rather clever. And she always listens to what I have to say." Dustin grins, and jokingly glares at Steve with the last sentence. Steve smiles apologetically.

"Were you sure it was love right away, or did it take a bit to process?" Dustin, still confused, provides an answer.

"I think I was scared that it wasn't what I thought, and that I was rushing. But honestly it depends on the person. Anyways, why are you asking? Are you back with Nancy? " He gasps. "Is it Robin?!" He is in Steve's face again. Steve shakes his head agressively.

"No, no absolutely not. I love Robin as a friend, no. Platonic-" "With a capital P, yeah yeah you've told us. What about Nancy, you never denied that." Dustin looks pleased, thinking he cracked the case. Steve exhales, shaking his head.

"No, kid it's not Nancy, she's got her own problems with Jonathan."

"Then who is it? Tell me Tell me!"

"NO! You- you wouldn't really understand. I'll tell you another time." Dustin nods.

"Ok, ok, take your time, I get it." He frowns. Steve feels bad. He looks over at Dustin's book shelf cluttered with comic books. he points.

"Got any new issues? Let's see em." Dustin's face lights up again, as he hops up and grabs a few comics. In total, he grabs four. Steve notices that they all have similar covers. All with a icy blue man, titled Iceman. Dustin reaches for the first of the four.

"Noe, these aren't new as of this year, buuutttt, I found them recently and man are they cool!" Steve listens, and looks and watches as Dustin explains the plot. He shows him certain pictures, and acts out his favourite scenes. It all flies right over Steve's head, but he's happy that Dustin is happy. In the moment he's so very happy. Dustin is healthy and happy, Robin hasn't gotten sick of him yet, and Eddie is the one he loves.