𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐬

FOUR: be together.

    

     AFTER SERVING THE three, James got to enjoy his break sitting with them and catching up. Eddie was back to working the counter again and this time with Steve as Robin was in the break room, doing some other sort of work but Eddie was unsure what it was.

He watched James, Jonathan, Nancy and Argyle, mostly James, when there wasn't many customers and smiled to himself as Steve kept glancing at him, making a root beer float. "You and James use to be together, right?" He asked suddenly and Eddie just froze, looking at Steve quickly as he could.

"What?" He asked and admittedly, a bit embarrassed because he thought he and James hid it pretty well. Hawkins now wasn't the same four years ago, there were still some homophobes and such so they avoided coming out and being together publicly. "Robin... she told me about you two being together before?" He said and Eddie nods.

"Right... uh, yeah, I--I guess we were for a while, yeah." He glanced away, shrugging and Steve shrugs. "For a while? That's two and a half years for you?" He asked and Eddie glanced at him quickly. "It wasn't that serious... why do you care so much anyway? You have a crush on James or something?" His question caught Steve off guard. "What? No." He says quickly, denying it as fast as he could.

"I was just curious... you two are acting a little weird." Steve shrugged and Eddie rolls his eyes. "Do you act normal with your exes?" He asked and Steve glanced over to where James sat with his brother and friends, staring for a moment. "Didn't think so." Eddie smiled curtly then glanced away. "I use to be with Jonahan." Steve said suddenly, looking at Eddie who refrained from dropping his jaw.

Loner Jonathan Byers use to date King Steve Harrington? No way. "You're shitting me." He looked over and Steve sighed. "Yeah. That's why it's a little awkward with James and I, he thinks I'm a douchebag because I treated Jonathan wrong or something, but I didn't. I was a gentleman." He says and Eddie looks away, rolling his eyes as he did.

"Hold on, King Steve Harrington... is gay?" Eddie turned back around and Steve just shook his head. "Bisexual, actually." He informs him and Eddie slowly nods, almost as if he's processing the information. "Cool." He turned back away and Steve glanced over to where James was sitting.

"I use to be jealous of you." Steve suddenly said, glancing away and Eddie looked at him, his brows furrowing. "Seriously?" He asked and Steve shrugged. "You seemed like you knew what you wanted, back then... even now." He says and Eddie glanced over to where James was sitting with the others to see that they were now all slowly getting up, bidding him goodbye. As the group left, Eddie looked at Steve as James approached the counter. "Eds?" He said and Eddie perked up.

"Yeah, Jamie?" He said as he leans against the counter and James did the same, in front of him. "Jon says he, Argyle and Nancy are thinking of going to the movies... like old times, yeah?" The Hopper is smiling faintly at the Munson who's brows raised slightly then he smiled back widely. "Sure." He says instantly, then he looked over at Steve. "Why don't Steve and Robin join us?" He looks back at James who glanced over at Steve, skeptically.

"Oh, what? Where?" Steve now looks over after previously just side-eyeing the pair. "Movies. The theatres, with Jonathan, Argyle and Nancy?" Eddie says then looked at James. "They can come, right? Him and Robby?" He asked and James just stared at Eddie for a split second then nodded. "Totally, the more the merrier." He merely said.

"Tonight. At 10:00. After our shift."

Their shift was actually over at 9:30, closing up and changing back into their clothes and locking up their uniforms before closing up the shop and James looks at them. "I drove myself here, so I'll meet you guys there?" He said and Robin shoved Steve hard. "Steve and I were driven here because his car got towed so we can hop on with you." She said and Steve looks at her with annoyance.