If I Stare Too Long

Chapter 22: I Gotta Know (If Your Sweet Love Is Gonna Save Me)

Steve's kitchen smells like bacon and breakfast sausage.

Eddie's sprawled out on the island, his torso draped over the marble of the counter while Steve and Billy hover at the stove. Next to him, Robin's cutting strawberries and scooping them into a big bowl.

"You know you don't have to impress her, right?" Robin says.

She gestures at the spread of breakfast foods that are piling up on the counters—eggs, waffles, pancakes, bacon, sausage, and fruits.

Eddie gestures into the air with a sleepy hand. There's a steaming coffee next to him, but he doesn't appear quite awake, yet. "Stevie's never met an opportunity for the pomp and circumstance of entertaining that he didn't pass up."

Next to the eggs, Steve huffs. But he doesn't argue.

"Personally," Billy says. "I don't see why you're trying to impress your ex-girlfriend while her current girlfriend is right here."

"I'm not trying to impress her," Steve says, grabbing the half-damp tea towel he has slung over his shoulder to smack at Billy with. "I'm trying to break it to her gently. She doesn't exactly like you."

"Or me, for that matter," Eddie says.

"No, she likes you just fine," Robin says, patting Eddie on the shoulder. "Now, as boyfriend material for Steve, that's a different matter..."

Billy crosses his arms after flipping the last of the pancakes onto a plate. "I don't think she gets a say in it."

"Easy, tiger," Eddie says. "No need to defend my honor—though it's much appreciated."

Steve rolls his eyes, but any response he might have is interrupted by the sound of the doorbell. Robin is the first to spring for it, clearly eager and unable– or simply unwilling– to hide her eagerness. She bounds off, leaving Steve staring after her like he's not sure if he should follow.

Not because he wants to go see Nancy Wheeler as quickly as possible. But because he's probably debating whether it's impolite for someone else to greet a guest at the door or not.

His ingrained sense of hospitality is kind of adorable, Billy thinks.

"We've avoided meeting the parents," Eddie adds, shoving off of the counter so that he can pad over, a hand finding Steve's hip as he dips his head to kiss his shoulder. "We have to ask someone for approval."

"We're not asking for her approval," Steve insists. "We're just telling her."

"But her approval matters to you," Billy says, leaning on the counter. He can't keep a bit of the judgemental tone out of his voice.

"And that's okay," Eddie says quickly, giving Billy half a glare. "It's important to us that her opinion matters to you."

And Billy can't help that he's a little nervous. That he wants this to go well because Steve wants it to go well. Because it does matter to Steve—so it matters to Billy, too. More than he'd ever admit out loud.

"It doesn't–" Steve cuts himself off with a little sigh, glancing first at Billy and then at Eddie before slumping against the counter next to Billy– Eddie following close behind, chin hooking over Steve's shoulder. "It doesn't matter if she approves because it won't change anything. But, yeah, I kinda... want it."

Eddie grins. "Then we will be on our very best behavior for you."

He smacks a kiss to the side of Steve's head, lingering for just a moment, and then pulls away, bouncing on his feet before he practically skips over to Billy and steals a steaming pancake from the top of the stack. Billy's whacking him with a spatula when Robin and Nancy file into the kitchen.