#robin and eddie gay solidarity

[imfinereallyy]

Eddie’s on the couch shirtless, and Steve is having a full-on crisis.

Eddie’s bare chest is on full display on Robin and Steve’s couch, and Steve is having a full-blown, how did this not click til now, crisis.

Steve knows he’s staring. Knows he needs to stop staring. Eddie is going on a rant to them, something about society or something metal (he got distracted when Eddie whipped his shirt off), and Steve should really pay attention because he knows Eddie is going to quiz him after.

For someone who hates school so much, Eddie sure likes to test Steve.

Robin comes up behind Steve, slurping her slushy. “Oh no. I know that face. It finally caught up to you, didn’t it?”

Steve breaks his state to give Robin a wide-eyed look. “What—how—I—“ Steve’s shoulders sag; there is no point in hiding from Robin. “How’d you know?”

“Please, babe, I’ve been waiting. Glad to know you actually sped-run this. Was thinking you were going to pull a me and wait til Jenny Rodriguez asks to practice the stage kiss with you before you realized.”

“I have so many questions.”

“Don’t bother; nothing happened except me falling off the stage at rehearsal.”

Steve laughs but then chokes when he glances back at Eddie. “I think my brain just exploded, Robs. What do I do?”

Robin pats his back sympathetically, “There, there. Nothing you can do, bud. Just got to ride the gay thoughts wave.”

Steve makes a distressed noise. Robin rubs circles on his back.

Eddie interrupts their moment (clueless to the evident lesbian bisexual solidarity happening), “So what do you guys think? Should I get the sword here?” Eddie drags his hand slowly down his sternum.

“I need you to take it back.” Steve whips his head torwards Robin.

“Take it back?”

“The crisis, take it back.” Steve all but begs Robin.

“Sorry, there is a no refund policy. You can use it or push it to the side; it’s up to you. But either way, that baby is yours.” Robin uses her straw to emphasize her point.

Eddie tilts his head confused, “Uuuh guys? The tattoo?”

Steve waits a moment before responding. “Good.”

“I’m going to need more than that Stevie.”

“Good. Will look good on you. Anything looks good on you.” Steve has to resist shoving his face into his hands. He can feel the rush of heat up to his cheeks.

Eddie’s face breaks into a brilliant, and a little smug, smile. “Awe, thanks, sweetheart. Glad to know I got the Harrington approval.”

“You don’t need my approval to look good.” Steve was going to throw himself off the roof of their apartment. That didn’t even make any sense.

Eddie snorts, “Okay big boy. Whatever you say.”

It comes off flirtier than Steve thought a sarcastic comment could be. This time instead of responding, Steve just caves into the embarrassment, turns around, and starts lightly thumping his head into the wall.

“Eddie, c’mon, you broke him! Now I’m going to have to reboot him…again.”

Steve doesn’t see his face but doesn’t have to look to know that Eddie’s face is downright giddy. “Sorry.”

Steve doesn’t think he’s very sorry at all.

[lokiiied]

this picture is so powerful

[findafight]

Less wlw/mlm solidarity between Robin and Eddie more wlw/mlm hostility between them.

[resident-gay-bitch]

read part 1 HERE

“you are so stupid, ed’s.” steve had said with a love struck smile on his face, pink rosie cheeks under delicate freckles.

“yeah,” eddie hummed, grinning like a mad man at his beautiful boyfriend, “but you love me.”

“i do.” steve replied simply.

“gag.” robin poked her tongue out, sticking her finger over it, “actually about to vomit. stop being happy and gay in front of me, it’s revolting.”

“oh my god, robin!” eddie gasped, a hand pressed over his heart, “are you a… a homophobe?”

she smiled at him, tossing a peice of popcorn at his head, “only because you lovebirds make me one.”

“shut up, bobbie.” steve shook his head, “this is your fault you know.”

“yeah.” eddie agreed, “if you hadn’t ran your big mouth to steve the minute i told you about him, we’d still be hopeless and pining.”

robin sighed dramatically, “the sacrifices i make for you.”

steve laughed, pulling her into a tackle. eddie hopped off the couch, stepping away from the warzone. he walked into the kitchen, found nancy staring off into the distance, knife in hand, repetitively chopping a block of chocolate for their fondue.

“woah.” eddie reached his hands out tentatively, one resting on her wrist, “easy soldier.”

“eddie i can’t do this anymore.” she looked up at him, knife forgotten to the bench.

“do what, wheeler?” he asked, leaning against the counter, genuine concern in his voice.

she looked at him for a moment, eyes wide and staring. eddie felt a little unsure under her gaze, it was dark and daring, and usually, anyone put under it was about to be ripped to shreds.

but then she did something crazy. something eddie had never ever seen her do before.

she started to cry.

“hey-“ he reached his hands out for her, tentatively, not exactly knowing sad-wheeler protocol, “hey, it’s okay… it’s… you're okay.”

“i’m not.” she pulled herself into his arms, crying into his chest, “it’s not okay, eddie.”

eddie swallowed, she didn’t call him eddie ever, always munson or idiot if she was feeling playful, “i’m here for you, nance. you can talk to me if you need.”

she nodded, just holding him a little longer, “i don’t know what to do.”

he pulled back to look in her eyes, a big ringed hand stroking over her perfect curls, “what’s going on?”

“how do you do it?” she asked, silence sat in the room for a moment, “how do you… accept yourself?”

eddie’s eyes widened, “what do you mean?”

“i mean…” she sniffled, “how are you so okay with being gay?”

“oh.” eddie had said, face making about a million different expressions before settling on one, sorrow, “i’m… not. not really.”

she started to cry more.

“no, hey, no. i mean…” eddie shrugged, “here… here everyone is out to get people like me, you know? i’m not comfortable with it, not fully. i’m constantly living in fear of getting curb stomped or something.”

she turned into her hands, leaning over the counter now, “that’s not helping!”

“wh-“ eddie thought for a moment, he was not in anyway prepared for, or good at this stuff, “i’m sorry. i just… i figured you’d… understand that.”

she nodded her head, “i do.” she glanced up at him, “but… you… you're out.”

“to you guys.” eddie chuckled, “and a couple of the kids figured it out, and wayne’s known since i was ten… but, i haven’t… i’m not…”

nancy looked up at him, straightening her back out, “you're with steve.”

eddie nodded, “yeah, that’s… that’s about the only reason i felt so comfortable sharing with you and will and shit… because he- he makes it a little better.”

she licked her lips, taking a moment to breathe, eyes wet and red rimmed, “what do you mean?”

eddie smiled, “cause i love him, you know? it’s just… everything in this world is hard, everything’s out to get me, but steve… you know, he walks into the room and everything just feels a little more… doable. he makes life have more meaning.” he shrugged, “so, whilst being with him is hard, because we can’t go out or hold hands or anything like that… just having him close by and knowing that when we’re behind closed doors he can hold me in his arms, everything is gonna be okay again.”

nancys eyes drooped a little, “i didn’t think love was real.”

eddie offered her a sympathetic smile, “i didn’t either, until i met steve.”

she nodded her head a few times before grabbing his hand, turning his palm up so she could draw shapes on it with her finger. he let her. he’d always sort of had a soft spot for the wheelers. they stayed like that for a little while, whilst nancy processed things.

eddie broke the silence, “is this why you broke up with jon?”

nancy nodded her head, not looking up from his calloused palm.

eddie nodded in response, things started to click, “did you like jon?” silence hummed for a moment, “steve?”

she shook her head, “i don’t think so.”

eddie squinted his eyes, “you don’t think so?”

she looked up, “they were… nice but…”

“penis ain’t your thing, wheels?”

her cheeks turned red.

eddie grinned, chuckling softly, “secrets safe with me, nancy.”

she seemed to relax a little, “i’m sorry, eddie.”

“don’t apologise.” he smiled, pulling her back into a hug, “you know, a couple of months ago i was in this same place.”

“really?”

“well…” eddie hummed, wiggling his head as he held her a little tighter, “i knew i was gay, had for years. just hadn’t told anyone, didn’t know what to do. but i was so into steve and it got stressful because he was like… straight, you know? and so, i went to robin about it because she was a fellow weirdo and really nice, and i thought that if anyone was gonna accept me it was gonna be her.”

“oh.” nancy nodded her head, sinking into his hold, “and it helped?”

“a lot.” eddie chuckled, kissing the top of her head, “your safe with me, kay? m’not gonna tell a soul. not even stevie.”

she squeezed him, “thankyou.”

he let her go, and she went back to chopping chocolate. eddie headed to the fridge to get the fruit to help her prepare the desert. they worked together in silence, and nancy felt a even safer now around her best friend.

**

“that little… outburst…” eddie tipped his head from side to side and nancy punched his arm, “ow! hey! i was kidding.”

“jackass.” she shoved a clean plate into his hands to dry.

eddie smiled, leaning up against the cabinet, “you were feeling like that because..?”

nancy gritted her teeth, looking back over her shoulder to see steve and robin sitting on the floor of the hallway, deep in concentration in their thumb war, “it’s pointless.”

eddie followed her eye line, mouth parting when it clicked, “you like robert?”

nancy looked at him, shoving a clean fork into his hands now too, “shut the fuck up.”

“i didn’t say anything!” eddie laughed, putting the plate and fork away, ready to dry the next dish, “it’s a genuine question.”

nancy sighed, “okay, yes.”

eddie grinned, “you love her?”

nancy glared at him.

“i’ll take that as a yes.” he nodded his head, putting the dishes away, “damn wheeler.”

“mhm.” she nodded, “i hate it.”

“why?” eddie had asked, forgetting that nancy wasn’t in the know about robins sexuality.

“she’s like, totally in love with rob lowe.”

eddie laughed.

“what?” she scoffed, shoving a dripping wet plate into his chest.

“i’m sorry!” eddie laughed, wiping the plate dry, “i’m sorry that’s… where did you hear that?”

“she told me.” nancy muttered.

“when?” eddie shook his head.

“i don’t know, a while ago.” she sighed, “we were just looking through magazines together and i stopped on a page and said he had a nice smile, and then she said ‘oh my god, rob lowe is like, the love of my life!’.”

eddie bit his lip, “okay, that’s not true at all.”

“how would you know?” nancy asked.

because you are, is what eddie wanted to say, but he didn’t want to out her.

“i just do.” eddie nodded, “it’s not so bad, i think.”

“it’s hopeless.” nancy gruffed, “i’ve got all these shitty emotions about finally figuring out i like women and i don’t even have someone to make it a little better like you do.���

“hey, no.” eddie sighed, rubbing his eyes, “that’s not- i shouldn’t have said that, before. it’s not all bad.”

she glared at him.

“it’s not!” he shreiked before taking a moment to compose himself, “look, when you don’t have someone and no one knows about you, that’s when it’s shit. but that’s why i told rob, because i knew having someone that accepts me would make it a little better. your kinda standing in a room of fucking queers, nance, you’ll be fine.”

“i suppose. things are better with me and steve now.”

eddie nodded.

“maybe i can tell him.”

“yeah, exactly.”

“not robin.” she shook her head, “please don’t tell robin.”

“swear on my life.”

**

“steve.” nancy whisper shouted from the bathroom, “steve!”

“wh-“ he rubbed his eyes, backing out of the guest room to head her way, “what?”

“i need to tell you something.”

“are you doing this now?” eddie asked, voice muffled from the toothbrush in his mouth.

nancy nodded.

“i should leave-“

nancy grabbed his shirt, pushing him back into the bathroom behind her, “you are not going anywhere.”

“okay then.” eddie nodded, continuing his tooth brushing.

steve was on edge, “what’s going on?”

nancy gritted her teeth, “eddie said it’s safe to tell you, and you can’t tell robin.”

steve glanced up at eddie, and he shrugged, so he looked back down at nancy, “okay…?”

“i’m gay.”

his eyebrows shot up, “what?”

“that’s… that’s why i thought it was… bullshit.” she cleared her throat, having a hard time keeping eye contact, “i’m sorry.”

steve smiled, reaching out for her shoulder, “it’s okay. i get it… i mean… i like, only like dudes now so.”

“oh.” nancy smiled, a laugh of relief slipping out, “oh god, we’re hopeless.”

“yeah.” steve laughed.

“just, please don’t tell rob.” she shook her head, “i’m about to share a bed with her and i don’t want her freaking out and figuring out i’m into her.”

“your into bobbie?” steve whisper shouted, shock taking over him.

nancy nodded.

“okay.” steve said, “goodnight.”

“okay, goodnight.” nancy smiled.

steve slowly stepped away from the bathroom before bolting for nancys bedroom, flinging the door open rather agressively. robin screached, falling over, pyjama bottoms half way on.

“steve!” she rubbed her head.

“kiss her.” steve grinned.

“wh-“

“steve!” he heard eddie yell, then his footsteps.

“you didn’t hear it from me, but nancys gay for you.”

“wh-“ robin was about to scream before eddie was tackling his boyfriend to the ground, a hand over his mouth, begging him to shut up.

“did you-“ nancy stopped behind eddie in the doorway.

“steve…” eddie hummed, not caring about steve licking his hand, “did you tell her?”

steve didn’t answer. eddie looked over at robin, who was red cheeked and sitting on the floor with her pants half on, staring up at nancy. eddie groaned.

“goddamnit steve! she literally just figured it out!” eddie looked up at nancy, “i should have realised sooner. you can’t tell one of these two a secret without the other finding out.”

nancy slumped against the wall, ready to scream cry and run away.

eddie grinned up at her, “does it help if i tell you that robin is sitting there with her pants half on, freaking out because she’s got this massive lesbian crush on you too?” eddie began to pull steve away from the room.

“what?” nancy asked, staring at him.

“eddie!” robin called out.

“you did it to me.” eddie chuckled, “at least i had the decency to wait a couple of hours!”

nancy turned into the doorway, “your gay?”

“your gay?” robin said back, pants fully on now.

“you like me?” nancy swallowed.

“like…” robin shrugged, visibly riddled with nerves, “yeah, a lot.”

nancy shut the door behind her. steve looked back at eddie, who had finally let him go. he kissed his boyfriend once on the lips.

“you waited that long to stop me on purpose, didn’t you?”

“i promised her i wouldn’t tell anyone.” eddie grinned, “didn’t mean you couldn’t.”

[screeching-tragedy-wasteland]

I need more fics with eddie/robin/will interaction. i need the two of them to see will in all of his barely closeted glory and clock him immediately. i need them to look at will, then each other, and to just know.

[mytranssnakes]

i need more robin & eddy wlw - mlm solidarity, i need fics, art, hcs, anything

[aviirenti]

robin and eddie are lesbian and gay solidarity. end post

[depths-of-misery]

Some old moodboards

[himbosandhardwear]

It's a stupid fucking scheme, and he never would've gone along with it if he was sober, but she really didn't give him much time to contemplate it, she just shoved him into the pantry and yelled for Eddie to come into the kitchen.

Now he's got his head pressed against the slats while Rob asks Eddie if he thinks Steve is cute. Like they're in the fifth grade.

“Uhh,” Eddie drawls, clearly confused and put on the spot.

“C'mon,” she coaxes, “you can tell me, gay to lesbian solidarity.”

That's terrible, using that to weasel the information out of him.

“I mean…sure, I guess he's alright,” Eddie admits. “He's not really my type though.”

Oh.

Well…that's…fine.

“Seriously?” Rob asks like she doesn't believe him. “You don't think he's hot?”

“I wouldn't kick him out of bed for eating crackers, but, yeah, seriously. Not my thing. He's too…I don't know, high maintenance or something. I like my guys a little more, like, dingy.”

Steve nods to himself in understanding. He should've seen that coming but he hadn't. It's sobering.

Robin isn't finished arguing her case, the beautiful idiot. “Steve's dingy!” She yells, making Eddie laugh. “He is! He's plenty dingy! And he has other fine qualities! Like, uh, loyalty! And being helpful!”

“Are you trying to set me up with your painfully straight best friend or a golden retriever?”

“Steve's not-”

“Okay!” Steve shouts, bursting out of the pantry, yes he understands the irony, with both hands waving. “This was fun but let's wrap it up.”

Eddie stares at him, wide-eyed, but it quickly melts into anger. “What the fuck, Buckley? What kind of weird, pointless ambush is this?”

“It wasn't pointless, you fucking troglodyte. If you were paying attention-”

“Rob.” Steve didn't mean for his voice to do that but it has the intended effect. She clamps her mouth shut and pouts. “Sorry,” he says to both of them. To Eddie, “Seriously, it was a stupid idea. We're both drunk and being stupid, just forget this happened.”

Unfortunately, it doesn't look as though Eddie is going to forget any time soon. In fact, it's more like he's studying them both for clues, the wheels turning despite the whiskey and weed gumming them up.

Steve's about to turn tail and run when the lightbulb goes off. Eddie doesn't look like he believes the conclusion he's come to but he's figured it out nonetheless. “Wait. No. Seriously? No way.”

His eyeballs are aching. He pushes against them, causing starbursts behind the eyelids. “Can we please not do this?” He begs.

Eddie sputters. “If this is me finding out you're queer, Steve Harrington, then yes, we most certainly are!” He looks at Robin but she's stonewalling him in solidarity.

The fact that neither of them has said anything to the contrary is damning enough. Steve might as well have ‘bisexual’ tattooed across his forehead.

“Holy shit.” Eddie snatches Robin by the wrist, she tries to wrestle her way out but he's jangling her about like a rag doll. “Holy shit! You were trying to set us up! Holy shit!”

“Let go, asshole! You ruined it, remember?”

He does let her go, so he can stare at Steve in horror. “No! Fuck! Steve, I was bullshitting! I was lying my ass off, I swear!” He tries to round the corner of the island but Steve moves to keep it between them, unsure of this sudden development. Eddie stops when it's clear Steve isn't reciprocating.

They stare at each other until Robin breaks the awkward silence. “Prove it.”

Eddie shakes off the cobwebs. “Huh? I mean, how? I wasn't exactly doodling Mr Edward Harrington into my journals.”

She crosses her arms. “Then I guess we're done here.”

Steve doesn't point out that she's not actually in charge of this situation because it seems to motivate Eddie into action. He gives them the ‘one moment’ finger and then dashes outside.

“You believe him?” She mumbles.

“I don't know. At this point I'd probably settle for him looking to turn me into a bedpost notch.”

“Have some self-respect.”

“Nah.”

Eddie comes back, dragging Jeff by the arm.

“Tell him!” He shouts, finger pointed at Steve.

“Tell him what?”

“The thing that shall not be spoken.”

Jeff raises one eyebrow. “How am I supposed to-”

“Oh my god, just tell him.”

“No.”

Eddie blanches. “No? What do you mean, no?”

“You made me swear.”

“So?! I'm unswearing you! This is important! I need you to unfuck this situation, pronto! You can give him all the gory details, I don't give a fuck, just tell him!”

A gleam sparkles in Jeff's eye. “Every gory detail?”

Now Eddie, correctly wary, hesitates, glancing at Steve nervously. “Well, maybe not all-”

Jeff interrupts Eddie, turning fully toward Steve with, “Eddie is bananas in love with you. Probably has been since school, but it's gotten so much worse since this spring. I'd say seventy five percent of the songs he's written are about you. He's also got a fully fleshed out fantasy life involving you, including, but not limited to, five adopted Vietnamese kids, two cats and a dog.” He turns back to Eddie. “Can I go back outside now? Those hotdogs aren't going to eat themselves.”

Eddie, eyes closed, waves him away.

Before he's fully out of the kitchen, he turns and says, “Oh, also he has a VHS copy of one of your swim meets. Bought it off of some AV kid for sixty bucks.”

Steve's stomach, already roiling with excited nerves, erupts in butterflies.

Eddie does not notice this, head buried under crossed arms on the island.

“I think we've swung too far in the other direction,” Rob points out, oblivious to Steve's excitement. When she finally does notice, it's met with rolled eyes. “Of course you're into that. Absolute freaks, the both of you. You know what? Good. Take each other off the market. My job here is done.”

She hops off the stool and leaves them alone.

Eddie cautiously pokes his head up, sees Steve smiling at him and jolts up straight like a prairie dog. “You believe me?”

He wants to toy with him for a minute, a touch of revenge for the dismissal he made earlier. “What swim meet was it?” He asks, like a test.

Without missing a beat, Eddie answers, “March of ‘85. You beat some kid from West Jefferson by four seconds.”

Steve preens. Eddie isn't bullshitting, he really did beat that kid from West Jeff. Only someone who gave a shit to pay attention would know that off hand. The whiskey makes another appearance in his bloodstream, giving him the courage to lean over the counter, into Eddie's space.

“So…you like me?”

Eddie has this incredibly endearing habit of hiding behind his hair when he’s nervous, it takes Steve out at the knees every time he sees it. “I'm gonna be really pissed off if this is some convoluted prank but…yeah, man, I fucking like you. Romantically. In case that was in question.”

“Mmm,” Steve agrees. “What are our kids' names?”

Eddie closes his eyes against Steve's smug stare. “I hate Jeff so much.”

“I don't. I'll thank him at our wedding. Maybe we name one of the kids after him.”

When Eddie peeks at him, one eyed, Steve does his best to convey his amusement and fondness both.

His body goes lax, finally, at seeing Steve take all it seriously. “Okay, so I like the idea of all of them keeping their Vietnamese names, except one who we name James.”

“After Hetfield?”

“Can I kiss you?”

“Yes. Please.”

Some time later, after making out in the pantry for a while, Steve vetoes James, but only because he doesn't want the poor kid to grow up with a complex.

“We’ll call the dog Jimmy.”

“Cool.”

[steviewashere]

Thinking about a fic idea right now where Steve comes out (maybe with a little Steddie...maybe; might be best to start them pre-relationship in this). Walk with me here.

Steve Harrington who has always been a huge Wham! fan. And then eventually a huge George Michael fan. He's got all their albums. Collects magazines with interviews in them (y'know, if there's a U.S. release). So, he's pretty much up to date with all news, music info; that kind of thing. He's always on the money about when interviews are.

George Michael who comes out publicly in 1998 after his arrest. Which, you can watch the clip from the interview here. He's thirty-four at the time, had been private about his sexuality and romantic life up until then.

Steve who's freshly in his thirties.

He's thirty-one. He's had some thoughts in regards to his sexuality for years now. Since Robin came out to him in 1985, he's thought about little things. The way certain guys walked that caught his attention, maybe the plushness of their lips, how they styled their hair. She's introduced him to queer culture at the time—pride parades & protests, some lingo, the handkerchief code, etc. So, he's well aware of a lot of things before the CNN interview airs. He hasn't made any hard connections between his sexuality and the thoughts in his head; maybe he's had a few, soft, questioning moments like: Am I gay? Am I bisexual? Is this what I really think or am I searching for something I don't actually want? Am I just being too observant?

(Okay, thinking about pre-Steddie now. And a lot of platonic soulmates Stobin. Also, I totally (accidentally) half-wrote a fic. Stay with me here.)

Eddie's been a part of Steve's life since 1986. Somehow he survives (don't ask me the fine details, I don't know). And Steve tries his hand at being Eddie's friend because he kind of—no, really—wants a guy friend who's around his age. Cue their shenanigans: the chaos they cause together, the pranks they pull on their other friends, the shit Eddie makes Steve get into (drag racing (cars), stealing scrap from the junkyard, throwing rocks over the quarry to guess the impact they made, other little town shit). Eddie who learns that Steve's a true ally to Robin, so he comes out to Steve, too. They all form a very great, deep bond of solidarity. Become roommates outside of Hawkins, somewhere a little more progressive. They protect each other. Listen to each other.

Cue the day in 1998 when the CNN interview is being aired live, unseen up until then. Steve's already ready to watch, having taken up the middle cushion on the couch. Robin's on his left, criss-cross and making a set of beaded bracelets for the three of them. Eddie's on Steve's right, uncapping a couple bottles of beer to pass over. And they're watching with Steve because Steve likes George Michael and, well, they like Steve and his interests. So they're all there when George Michael comes out. They're all there when the words are said live.

Robin and Eddie are wide-eyed, then laughing something a bit triumphant, high-fiving over Steve's head, maybe chanting something: "One of us! One of us!" Maybe becoming huge George Michael fans as they speak. But, Steve's silent. He's sitting on the edge of his cushion, palms down on his thighs, staring off into nothing. All the celebration stops as the interview continues, words being missed. And Robin and Eddie share an odd glance, a questioning one. Until, finally, Robin asks, "Steve-O? You OD over there?"

Steve blinks back into existence. Mutters, "Did George Michael just come out on live TV?" Eddie answers him truthfully, voice a bit soft and concerned. Steve licks his lips, doesn't move his eyes from his socked feet. "...He knew for a little while," he comments. "Right? He knew for a while."

"Sure, Steve," Eddie answers again. "He probably knew about himself for a long time. Probably...Honestly, probably while he was still in Wham."

Maybe Steve nods at that. Maybe he just stays kind of stoic, thinking too hard. "He's thirty-four," Steve points out.

"That he is," Robin answers this time. "Thirty-four and proudly out."

Steve hums some sort of acknowledgement and then goes back to watching the TV, moment drifting away. He sort of watches in a daze. Up until he turns in for the night. Well after Robin has slumped over on the couch and Eddie's gone to bed earlier—because he has work, or so Eddie's said. And Steve maybe sits in his bedroom, up at his headboard, looking down at his albums. At his Wham! and George Michael albums. Turning the tapes over in his hands, reading the track lists, maybe tracing the edges of the cases with his thumbs. Thinking about how George had said he was telling his life story, even through some of his earlier solo work. He's thinking about how successful George Michael has been. And then he thinks about how George Michael came out later in his life. In his thirties, not in his twenties, not in his teens. Sure, yes, it was definitely more negatively criticized to do so, but it means something to Steve. To be thirty-four and freshly out. And he thinks, too, about being thirty-one and things clicking into shiny clarity—he's into guys, too. He's into women, but he's into guys. That word, "bisexual" looking like the final jigsaw piece. To be thirty-one and proudly out, too.

And he's comforted in that thought, as he drifts off to sleep.

And when he wakes up in the morning, he bustles around Eddie and Robin in the kitchen. They make a shared breakfast of scrambled eggs and sausage and toast with jam. They sit at the dining table, forks against plates, shooting the shit back and forth.

Steve cuts a slice of sausage, puts it in his mouth, eats as usual. And just as the conversation is beginning to drift again, he finally speaks what's on his mind. "I'm bisexual," he's able to proudly state.

Maybe Eddie and Robin cheer, too for that. They ask him for his taste in guys. Maybe they tease him a little. Maybe Eddie realizes he fits the bill a little; maybe he waits a little bit before taking a shot, but he still does eventually.

And right before they head off for their respective, regular lives outside of the comfortable space of their apartment, Robin knocks their shoulders together. "Proud of you," she states. "Thirty-one and proudly out. How does it feel?"

They're in the kitchen, washing and drying the dishes because Eddie left for work already with a promise to bring home pizza for dinner. They're in the kitchen, the lights a little fluorescent like the Starcourt bathroom. They're in the kitchen, in each other's orbits, two friends who've seen it all and will continue to see the world together.

"It feels...I feel good. Excited."

Robin smiles at him, something soft and understanding. And as his focus goes back to the plate he's about to hand off, she snorts. "So, Eddie, huh?" And he scoffs, rolling his eyes. She just laughs to herself. Then, when she's calmed a little bit, she states, "He kind of looks like Rowlf. You and I have a thing for Muppets, Stevie. Muppets."

And after their laughter dies down and they live out the rest of the day, Steve thinks about how he can send a letter of thanks to George Michael. And maybe he cherishes those albums a little closer. And he is confident in himself for the first time in a while, all because the representation he didn't know he was seeking, is finally right in his face.

Sorry that got long. But I'm just thinking about Steve who comes out later in his life. Maybe he couldn't make those connections because he didn't have the safe atmosphere to do so; feared the worst if his parents ever realized he didn't care too much about women sometimes, if his eyes drifted to men a little too much, fearing that they'd catch his contemplation. Maybe he found his safe space through Robin and Eddie, but needed a little more of a push and he just didn't find it yet. Up until now.

[artiststarme]

Eddie and Steve only break up once. It’s not because of a fight or a disagreement. There’s nothing nefarious about it but it isn’t quite a mutual decision either.

They break up at Steve’s request for a night so he can properly commiserate with Robin about being single.

He felt like he can’t accurately discuss her feelings and feels badly about giving her advice that he can’t even fathom anymore, not since falling in love with Eddie. As her bestest friend and the co-owner of their shared brain cell, he decides to fully support Robin by being single with her for a night.

He plans on going to gay bars with her, hyping her up as the best single wingman he could be, and commiserating the impossible dating scene with her. That’s not quite what happens though.

Instead of having a fun night out on the town as single queers in the big city, Steve spends the night wrapped up in Robins arms under a fluffy blanket on the couch wailing about not being loved anymore and Eddie breaking up with him.

Robin very much thinks it’s real, very much hates Eddie for approximately 14 hours for breaking Steve’s heart and comforts Steve to the best of her ability. She even watches sucky rom-coms with him and listens to Tears for Fears on repeat.

They cuddle together on the small couch in their apartment, loving each other and scolding Eddie in solidarity. Robin spews words of anger towards the dumbass metalhead that decided to break her best friend’s heart so callously on a random Friday night. And for no reason as well! Blasphemous in her mind.

She stews quietly all night and much more loudly when she and Steve are awoken to Eddie bringing them coffee and waffles from their favorite cafe down the street.

When she finds out that they only broke up for the night and it was very much not real, Robin is absolutely furious and makes them take her to a Blondie concert in revenge. It’s the least they can do after stressing her out so much in just one night. Deep down though, she’s happy it wasn’t real because she can see how happy they are together, if not the stupidest people she knows.

[imfinereallyy]

“Good morning, Robs.” Steve nods to Robin’s sprawled figure on their couch.

“Good morning, dingus.” Robin looks up at Steve with a sleepy smile into her morning coffee.

“How was your date last night?” Steve makes a cup of coffee and walks over to the couch. He lifts Robin's legs and lays them across his lap as he settles into the worn-down furniture.

“Oh! It was so good.” Robin perks up. “God, it’s so nice to actually know other gay people in the city and have safe places to go, unlike Hawkins. Violet was so sweet, and she took us to the little lesbian bar on 4th, and we just talked and drank for hours! I felt bad at first about missing movie night with you and Eddie, but I’m sorry, babes, but it was worth it!”

Steve smiles at his platonic soulmate with as much love as he can muster. He’s so happy for her, finding herself in college, especially after the disaster that was Vickie and the post-apocalypse. Besides, he really couldn’t be mad she missed out. “I’m glad you had a good night, Birdie.”

“Steve! You have no idea! She wore this cute skirt with knee-highs, and oh god, I could see her thighs! You know how I feel about thighs.” Robin gave him a pointed look, and Steve couldn’t help but hum in agreement. Thighs were nice. “And she gave me the softest kiss while we were still inside the bar like she wasn’t embarrassed by all my rambling and thinking out loud. Which she said she thought was cute, after I said that out loud. And Steve, I need to tell you about the less soft kisses we had later, but first, I have a question.”

Steve laughed lightly at Robin's antics. She had no idea the power she had. It was hard not to fall in love with her, platonically or romantically. “Sure, Robs. Shoot.” Steve took a sip of his coffee, not thinking much of it.

Robin ever so calmly stated, “Why do you have a hickey on your neck?”

Steve choked on his coffee. He had to lean forward to stop himself from going blue. Robin pushed herself up and pats his back. Steve barely managed out a spluttered out, “What?”

Robin put down her coffee and gave him a kind but pointed look. “The giant ass hickey on your neck. When did you get that.”

“I do not have a hickey on my neck!” Steve’s voice went a pitch higher than normal, not particularly helping his case.

Robin gave him a ‘seriously’ face before she reached over and dug her fingers into the bruise on his neck.

“Owww!” Steve slapped her hand away.

“Want to explain what that is then, Steven.”

Steve scrunched his face up, “Ew, don’t call me Steven.”

“Stop avoiding the question. Why do you have a hickey? As far as I’m concerned, I’m the one who went on a date last night. You only had Eddie over for movie—“ A look of realization crossed Robin’s face before it broke out into pure glee. “No! You didn’t!”

Steve spluttered again, despite the coffee being nowhere near him. “I didn’t do anything!” He continued to deny it.

“Oh you did! You finally did! You made out with Eddie!”

Steve knew it was useless to fight her on it, but he couldn’t help it. He was stubborn. “Ssshh, nothing happened. It’s just a bruise. Stop making this bigger than it is.”

Robin cackled, “Oh Steve, I know I should be mad you’re trying to lie right now. But I can’t be; I’m just too happy. First Violet, and now this? This is the happiest, gayest day of my life!”

Steve put his head in his hands, no longer denying.

“Besides, why are you shushing me? It’s not like there is anyone else here…” Robin trailed off, and Steve could tell the moment she put it all together. If he thought she looked happy before, now she looked straight up devious. “…Oh my god! Steve! Is he in your bed? Is he naked?” Robin was shaking Steve with excitement. At this rate, he would get a concussion from his brain being smacked around his skull.

“…no.” Steve said shyly as images of the night before came to his mind.

The boring movie. Eddie’s head thrown back at Steve’s jokes. The leaning together. Eddie’s grip on Steve’s thigh. The nose brush. The crash of lips. The tearing off of clothes. The stumbling to the bedroom. The moans.

Now is not the time to get a boner. Not while his best friend is still shaking the shit out of him.

“No? Really, so if I go into your room right now, I won’t find Eddie in it?” Robin stared at him. They both got completely still. It was as if that weird telepathy thing the kids always think they have, was actually true. Because Steve can sense it. Can sense that Robin was going to make a break for the door.

She took off in a dash, but Steve was quicker. He tackles her to the ground with a loud ‘oof’. “Get off me, dingus! I need to know!”

Steve tried to pin her to the ground, but she was freakishly strong and yanked him by the hair, “No, Robin, let me have some privacy!”

They tumble around for a few minutes, yelling and scrapping at each other. Neither of them truly got the upper hand. Then suddenly, a door opens. Both Robin and Steve’s heads snap up in the direction of footsteps approaching them.

Then, in front of them, is Eddie in only boxers covered from head to thigh in hickies. “I always forget you two are morning people.” Eddie rubbed the early hours out of his eyes, leaned down to place a kiss on top of Steve’s head, and made his way into the kitchen.

A blush makes its way to Steve’s face but he knows he’s sporting a goofy smile.

“Wow, Dingus. You really marked your territory.” Robin snorts below him. Then Robin leaned over to the side to peek at Eddie’s back. “Is that hickey in the shape of a heart?!”

Steve leapt off of Robin and into the safety of the kitchen, behind the said bruised back.

“So much for soft mornings with you and Robs.” Eddie giggles into his coffee.

Steve just huffed a laugh into the crease between Eddie’s spine and shoulder.

***

happy pride! wanted something soft to get me back in the groove of writing and the start to my pride month pieces.

[sarcasticassian]

whenever someone asks how Robin and Eddie became best friends they just say it was through Steve because the soulmate of my soulmate is my best friend blah blah blah

what they don't tell people is they jumped headfirst into being besties when one day Steve was having a lollipop and of course he's gonna share it with Robin, they're platonic soulmates, its not gross to share the same lollipop but then later without thinking Steve also offers it to Eddie because Eddie has had Steve's dick in his mouth before, he's not gonna care about sharing a lollipop so all three of them share it without realising, sometimes it goes straight from Robin to Eddie and back without Steve even having a lick and afterwards they realise and decide, fuck it, the pact of friendship has been sealed with saliva, gay solidarity and a love of Steve so we may as well go all in

[resident-gay-bitch]

“i don’t…” eddie swallowed, “i don’t know who else to go to.”

robin nodded her head slowly, “okay.” she reached her hand out, sweeping some of eddie’s wet bangs back out of his fearful eyes, “what’s going on?”

“i just… i know we’re not close like that… not really.” eddie picked at the threads on his jeans, they were damp, all of him was, “but i think… i think your the only one who might understand. your… your an outcast too.”

robin smiled at him softly, “yeah.”

“it’s…” eddie glanced up, “your parents aren’t gonna walk in, right?”

robin looked back at the door and got up to close it, “not anymore.”

“okay.” eddie sighed, nodding his head, hyping himself up.

“ed, you can trust me.” she offered, sitting back on the bed, “you can trust me.”

eddie looked at her for a moment, eyes locked and searching. yeah, he could trust her. probably. he jumped up, needing to pace a little, to hype himself up. his shoes squelched, damn this fucking rain and the buckleys obscenely long drive way.

“i’m gay.” he blurted out.

robins eyes widened, “what?”

“if you hate me… that’s fine i guess, just please don’t tell anyone.” eddie started to panic, pacing faster.

“you're gay?” robin stood up from the bed, eyes locked on him.

eddie stopped to look at her, cleared his throat, “so gay.”

robin smiled, “me too.”

eddie had never felt more relief than he had in that moment, “you are?”

“so fucking gay.” she nodded.

he rushed to her, and they hugged, tight. they stayed like that for a while, holding eachother, hands stroking the others hair. robin didn’t even care that her clothes and arms and cheek and everything was all wet now, she had someone. someone like her. she was on air. eddie felt higher.

“jesus fuck, buckley.” he muttered into her shoulder, voice wet “why didn’t we figure this out five months ago?”

robin laughed, and eddie heard her sniffle, “i don’t know.”

“you're my best friend now, kay?”

“kay.” she smiled, hugging him a little tighter.

“shit.” he laughed softly, releasing her from the hug and holding her shoulders, “i gotta tell you something so bad.”

“okay!” she pulled him back to the bed, “wait, take your shoes and wet clothes off.”

“okay.” eddie kicked off his shoes and stripped off his jacket, hanging it over the back of her desk chair.

“here.” robin handed him a pair of sweats, turning around to face the door so he could change, “they’re steve’s, so they’ll fit.”

“they’ll probably be too big,” eddie smiled, starting to change pants, “have you seen that guys thighs?”

“i know!” robin laughed, “he’s started working out again, he’s crazy.”

“mhm.” eddie hummed, “okay, decent.”

robin spun back to him, smiling and pulling him down onto her bed, wrapping him up in a blanket, “okay, tell me.”

eddie sighed, “you’re sworn to secrecy, okay robert?”

“got it.” she nodded, grabbing her old manky teddy to fiddle with, “this secret shall never breach these walls.”

eddie smiled at her, “i’m like, probably full on in love or something.”

her jaw dropped, “you are?”

eddie nodded, “i think so. i’ve never been in love before.” he hummed, thinking on it, “but… it feels like how love would be.”

she smiled, “i think i’m in love too.”

eddie’s eyes widened, “yeah?”

she nodded her head, “wheeler.”

eddie grinned, “your gay for wheeler?”

she nodded again, “she’s wonderful.”

“yeah.” eddie agreed, “badass too.”

“so badass, it’s crazy hot.” robin stared off into the room.

“careful, rob.” eddie elbowed her gently, “you got a little drool.”

robin turned a little pink at that, giggled, “i’m lost on her, eddie.”

“sorry, bob.” eddie sighed, tipping his head to rest on hers, “liking someone straight sucks ass.”

“yeah.” she muttered low.

“i get it.” eddie hummed, “too many guys… and steve.”

robin sat up straight, “you like steve?”

“yea-“

“wait!” she clasped her hands on eddie’s shoulders, staring him down, “you love steve?”

eddie nodded.

“steve harrington?”

eddie nodded again.

“my best friend and partner in crime, always the babysitter, steve no-middle-name harrington?”

“he doesn’t have a middle name?” eddie asked, looking to his lap, “no wonder i haven’t guessed it yet. he’s been leading me on with that for months.”

robin grabbed his face aggressively, turning his attention back on her, “eddie! you love steve?”

eddie nodded his head, “yeah.” he shrugged, “he’s like, perfect.”

robins eyes softened and she relaxed her grip, “you think?”

eddie smiled, “i mean, look at him, bobbie! even you can tell he’s beautiful. perfect hair, lovely skin, gorgeous eyes, pretty pink lips, the light layer of freckles that cover his cheeks, his moles…” eddie trailed off for a second, “and damn, since he’s been working out again he’s been driving me insane with his thighs and biceps. i have never wanted to take a bite out of someone so bad.”

“oh…” robin looked at him, “so… he’s pretty?”

“the prettiest.” eddie hummed, cheeks pink and a little love struck, “and he’s so nice, robert. i mean, he’s an absolute bitch but he’s sweet about it. i like it when he puts me in my place too, gets all… commander mean girl about it. and… he’s soft.”

“soft?” robin asked, voice whispered.

“mhm.” eddie nodded, “soft. he’s… he’s hurt, deep inside, but he puts on a show of everything’s okay. but when he does let the hurt through, it’s tender. and he’s so caring, it’s a little concerning sometimes. but he checks in on me, and he makes sure i’ve eaten every day because he knows i forget to a lot, and he doesn’t mind when i forget things… he lets me go on all these forty minuet one sided conversations about weirdo nerd or music shit, even though i know he has better things to do. he makes sure i have a blanket on movie nights, and gets my favourite drinks and the popcorn i like.” eddie chuckled to himself softly, “i could go on for days, bob.”

she sighed, content and smiling with a slight redness to her cheeks, “you really do love him.”

eddie nodded, “probably the most i’ve loved anything, other than my guitar and wayne.” his smile wavered, “which is why it totally sucks, because steve is a lady killer and i… i’m not a lady.”

robin opened and closed her mouth a few times, thinking, before settling on something to say, “sorry, eddie. m’here for you.”

“thanks, robert.”

robin squeezed his hand, linking their fingers together.

“you wanna tell me more about nance?” eddie asked, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand, “then we can cry together about how sad our love lives are.”

robin nodded, “will you let me paint your nails whilst we do it?” she shrugged, “steve doesn’t like it.”

eddie grinned, “do you have black?”

she nodded, a big smile on her face, “let’s be sad!”

“okay!” eddie giggled, watching her climb up to get the nail polish, “tell me about the wonderful wheeler.”

“well…” robin huffed, sitting back down and grabbing eddie’s hand.

**

“god, what?” steve groaned, rubbing his eyes as he opened the front door, “what could you possibly need at this fucking hour, robin?”

robin held up a finger, huffing and puffing, “just… gimme… a second…”

steve sighed, standing there, watching her, “you coming inside? it’s pouring out there.” he looked at her some more, “hey! did you seriously run here? in this weather? at fucking three in the morning?”

robin nodded her head, standing now, but leaning her weight entirely on the doorframe, an arm over her eyes, “jesus, steve. how do you work out every day?”

steve shrugged, “what’s going on?” he folded his arms, “what was so important you couldn’t just call?”

robin stood properly, hands braced on the small of her back as she stretched out, taking a second before speaking, “i forgot that i had a phone in the kitchen.” she nodded, “couldn’t call you from mine because eddie’s asleep in my bed.”

steve’s face did a weird thing, going through about fifty emotions, “why is eddie in your bed?”

“we bonded.” robin grinned, “anyway, you should ask him out tomorrow.”

“rob-“

“okay, bye.” she smiled, stepping back out into the rain.

“robin!” steve called after her.

“ask him out!” she called back, setting into a jog, “and bring me some cold medicine tomorrow!”

“i’ll just drive you?” steve grabbed his keys from the side table and rushed out the door behind her.

“no!” robin shrieked, “i’ll say too much!”

“ro-“

“okay, fine!” robin rolled her eyes dramatically, walking over to his car, “you got me! i’ll tell you!”

“… okay then.”

“he’s like… totally in love with you too, dingus.” robin grinned, sitting down in his car and getting his seat wet, “BUT YOU DIDN’T HEAR IT FROM ME, OKAY?”

“OKAY!” steve nodded, insides on fire.

**

next part with ronance because it's necessary

[hotluncheddie]

stop being a goblin and let me kiss you

part 1

˚✧₊⁎ ⁎⁺˳✧༚ ⁎⁺˳✧༚

eddie’s at the diner with steve and robin, after loitering in the store for a couple hours till they could lock up and hang out. he used to go and pretend to look for something to rent but that went away after steve offered to just rent whatever he wanted with their employee discount because quote, ‘then we can just all watch together!’ robin may have clocked him for coming in to ogle steve but eddie likes to ignore that part. so they’re at the diner and it’s a super fun wholesome time had all round, sharing fries and talking about dumb shit.

eddie was sitting across from steve who had ordered a strawberry milkshake like the god damn stereotype he was and eddie was very subtly taking in the view that was steve scooping his whipped cream up using the cherry on top. while also holding the conversation just fine thanks, no drool or little floating hears around his head, no no, just commentary on the state of this diners hash brows compared to one he vaguely remembered having in the spring of 75.

steve eventually stopped with the cream, putting the cherry in his mouth and eddie thought he was scott free from any further torment until steve took the stem out, having tied it in a knot in about three second flat. like it was nothing, like it was easy, simple, a day to day steve harrington move. which eddie supposed it kind of could be considering the guys reputation. but still. fuck!

then like a demon, steve fucking winks at him. fully just sending eddie into orbit. choking on his soda like an idiot.

he’s beet red and he knows it. robin seems none the wiser waxing lyrical about mint chocolate ice cream but eddie honestly thinks she might just be throwing him and bone. gay solidarity or whatever. steve however, must know nothing of gay solidarity because if he did he would not be so homosexual in front of eddies desperate, filthy, virgin eyes.

eddie excuses himself to the bathroom, being his own saving grace for once. just needing a little break from stupid steve and his stupid skilled tongue. definitely ignoring robin slapping steve on the arm and his mirth filled ‘what? what? he liked it bobbie!’

˚✧₊⁎ ⁎⁺˳✧༚ ⁎⁺˳✧༚

part 2 (steve) part 3 (eddie) part 4 (steve) part 5 (eddie) part 6 (steve) part 7 (eddie)

[qprstobin]

Gonna be frank, y'all constantly making posts about Robin and (gay) Eddie being friends based on their queerness that is its own thing separate from Steve, almost always paired with st/ddie being a thing is biphobic lol. It's always like omg wlw/mlm solidarity!!! Even tho stobin is already there being two queer people as friends? Like y'all are straight up treating Steve's queerness as different and lesser than Robin and Eddie's (especially bc I only ever see this with gay Eddie, never with bi Eddie). Y'all can make Eddie and Robin friends without the biphobia, y'all know that right?