Ever since Steve had laid eyes on Eddie he was deemed the nickname "hellboy". It all started in highschool when he would occasionally catch a glance at Eddie. He called him hellboy as an insult, he was a nuisance, a itch you couldn't scratch. Steve really didn't think much of him until he was face to face with him for the first time, eye to eye, sharing breaths. This time he was called hellboy as a curse.
Hellboy for causing Steve to feel a certain way, hellboy for making Steve think of him when he was alone. Steve often thought about how he felt towards Eddie but always pushed it down, clearly failing. He thought about Eddie throughout most days, secretly hoping he would come into Family Video to talk about whatever nonsense he wanted. For christ's sake Eddie could come in for whatever he just needed to see him. He would find things to do to keep himself busy but his desire to see the metalhead was rarely fulfilled.
Eddie and Steve were good friends. That was it. They hung out often but Eddie was usually hanging out with Nancy and when they did hang out it was almost never one on one. Steve thought to himself as he stared at his inventory sheet, clicking a pen against his teeth. The words on the page were morphing into one blob as he slowly drifted into a state of dissociation.
"Yo, what's up with you? Why are you so out of it?" Robin tapped his shoulder behind him as she hung up the Family Video phone. Steve blinked and turned to face her. "Oh uh, nothing, just thinking." He shook his head and looked back at his paper. "Yeah cause inventory is that interesting." She rolled her eyes. Steve sighed and turned to her again, he leaned against the counter and crossed his arms. "Do you remember, Munson?" Steve asked. Robin furrowed her brows. "Remember? We just saw him at Troy's party last week." She picked at her nails.
Steve sighed. ".. Right.. I just.." he looked around awkwardly. What did he have to say about him? There was so much he wanted to know but the concept of being bisexual still struggled to connect in his brain. "Never mind." Steve shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. Now Robin leaned against the counter. "No-No, tell me." Robin insisted. Steve thought back to all of the thoughts he had about Eddie before and he felt his body tense up.
"Have you.. you ever liked a girl but wished they were a boy?" Steve looked away from Robin and stared at his shoelaces instead. Robin let out a "oh boy" sigh. "Yeah, I guess so, is this about Eddie?" She asked carefully. Steve felt his heart flip at the question. "Maybe? I think I like him but I don't want to like him?? He's like a disease he's all I can think about!" Steve stammered out, panicked. He felt sweat run down his forehead as he thought about hellboy.
"That's normal Steve. God, you were raised as a classic good boy american. It's no surprise this is a weird concept for you. Not to mention you've only known you're bisexual for a week. Give yourself time." She gave him a pat on the shoulder before she started working on inventory herself. The door bell jingled as response and almost as if it was his que, Eddie walked in. Robin glanced up. "Speak of the devil."
Eddie shot her a grin. "Oh! You two talking about 'ol Munson?" He snickered. Steve shot Robin a pleading look of "shut up" which she mouthed a "sorry!" in reply. Eddie looked Steve up and down quickly. "How are you doing, Harrington." He stuffed his hands in his jacket. Steves eyes narrowed to try and take the attention to let his cheeks return to the pale color they were before. "Just great, what can I help you with." He huffed. Eddie kept his loud grin as he stared at Steve. Hellboy, Hellboy, Hellboy. Steve cursed in his head.
"I was hopin' you'd come to my corroded coffin show tonight. I got a extra ticket and Nance can't make it." He pulled a hand out from his pocket and held out a red ticket with large letters spelling "CORRODED COFFIN" stamped on it. Steve examined the ticket between Eddie's fingers and he felt a headache form. "Whattt? You invite the prune but not me? That's hurtful." Robin sighed. "Next time it's yours, Robbie!" Eddie leaned forward against the counter, being centimeters away from entering Steves bubble.
