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1 - Will
When Eddie and Will first meet, they… do not like each other.
Or rather, Will does not like Eddie, on principle, but Eddie only learns this later. At first, he wakes up in what he thinks is the hospital with Dustin and Mike practically screaming in his ear and Steve holding his hand (which is an issue for later) and another child he doesn’t know positively glaring at him.
He learns later- when he’s regained the ability to speak and move and hear things because Dustin can scream really, really loud- that he is not in the hospital. He’s in an old, abandoned cabin that belonged to the dead chief of police who isn’t actually dead and his superpowered daughter. Said daughter, whose name is Eleven but Eddie isn’t going to judge, he’s named characters way weirder things, is the one who saved Eddie’s life, and then went on to save the lives of everyone Vecna killed- Max and Chrissy included. He’s currently recovering with a bunch of stolen medical supplies in the now not-abandoned cabin because Hopper is working on clearing his name and the names of all the Hellfire Club.
He also learns that the child that does not like him is Will Byers, the kid who went missing and came back but more importantly Will the Wise who Mike Wheeler does not shut up about. He has no idea why Will Byers hates him until Steve, who actually hasn’t left the room Eddie’s stationed in since he woke up, explains it to him.
“There was a whole thing last summer about how they wouldn’t play D&D with him. Too busy talking about girls, I didn’t get the whole story. But he promised not to join another campaign, or whatever it’s called, when he left. And then all his friends went and joined one without him.”
“Oh,” Eddie says, and suddenly he understands completely why Will Byers hates him. Promising not to join another party, and then your friends all go and do it? That’s some high-class betrayal shit right there. He makes a note to talk to Will Byers as soon as possible.
There’s an odd amount of people coming in and out of his room over the next few days; Nancy and Robin stop by several times, only leaving when they’re pulled away by other people. Dustin and Steve practically never leave unless they’re physically forced to. A kid that Eddie vaguely recognizes as Jonathan Byers comes in with another kid and hugs Steve for a good five minutes.
“Fork it over,” Eddie says to the other kid, who introduced himself as Argyle. Of course he can smell the weed. Steve gives him an unimpressed look. “I’m in pain, let me smoke,” he jokes, and Steve’s look instantly morphs into one of worry.
“Why didn’t you say something, we could’ve gotten you stronger painkillers-”
And while he’s fretting around like a mother hen, Argyle slips Eddie a blunt. Score.
He doesn’t want to get the police chief’s cabin smelling like weed, so when Dustin is asleep on a cot on the other side of the room that night, Nancy and Robin curled up on an air mattress and Steve on the floor (apparently everyone’s crammed into the cabin while they figure out what the hell is going on), Eddie limps out of the room. It hurts like a bitch, but it’s that or wake everyone up with the stench, so he goes outside and sits on the front porch, then lights up the blunt.
The first hit is like Heaven in a breath of air, who cares that he coughs right after. Coughing hurts something like Hell, but it’s worth it for the second pull, when he feels the high begin to settle into his bones.
“That’s not good for you.”
“Jesus Christ !” Eddie shrieks as Will Byers approaches through the trees in front of him. “I feel like you trauma-bonded kids should know by now that sneaking up on people is not cool!”
“Sorry,” Will shrugs, not looking very sorry. “Oh, is that weed?”
“I- yes,” Eddie says stupidly.
“I thought it was a cigarette. Nevermind.”
Will sits down next to him, then holds out his hand. Eddie stares at him.
“Come on,” Will says. “You think I’ve never smoked weed before? I live- lived in California, dude.”
Will Byers is absolutely not what Eddie was expecting. He laughs and passes the blunt. Will takes a hit, then makes a face.
“Gets you every time?” Eddie teases as he takes the blunt back.
“Something like that,” Will mutters. “You get that from Argyle?”
“Yes, sir,” Eddie comments. He takes a long pull, then blows a few smoke rings in the air. Will cracks a smile. “What brings you out here, Baby Byers?”
“Nothing,” Will shrugs. “Just needed some air.”
Eddie nods. Glances at him. He looks like he has something that he wants to say. Eddie waits.
“I don’t know you very well,” Will says eventually. “Or at all. So I feel like you’ll give me an objective opinion.”
“Okay,” Eddie says slowly, not sure where this is going.
“Dustin says you like boys.”
“Dustin is a rat bastard snitch,” Eddie replies without missing a beat. Will laughs. Yes, he told Dustin he’s gay, he told the kid months ago when he started prying into Eddie’s love life. He was assuming the kid knew how to keep his mouth shut. “Why’d he tell you that?”
“Because Dustin is surprisingly adept at figuring people out,” Will says dryly. “And I think… I think he knew I needed to know that I’m not alone.”
Oh. Ohhhh, that makes so much sense, Eddie thinks. But he totally still doesn’t know where this is going, because he is not a gay mentor or whatever the fuck it is, he’s twenty years old and his coping mechanisms are not healthy, thank you very much. He can’t give gay advice to a gay kid.
But it seems like he doesn’t really have a choice, because Will keeps talking.
“I’ve known for a really long time,” Will says. “That I’m… gay.” And Eddie can see how hard it is for Will to admit that out loud, so he just nods and waits for the kid to continue. “And I just- have you ever been in love with a straight guy?”
“Yes,” Eddie answers instantly. Too fucking many. Hawkins isn’t exactly chalk full of options, which is why he drives his musty-ass van down to Indianapolis once a month.
“Because I just- it hurts, you know? And I’m trying to move on, but distance didn’t do anything and he’s so clearly in love with a girl and-”
“You’re talking about Wheeler, right?” Eddie interrupts, and Will flushes. “The kid who’s dating your sister?”
“Yeah,” Will mutters. “I’m talking about Mike.”
Eddie doesn’t want to give the kid false hope if there isn’t any, so he doesn’t say anything about how much Baby Wheeler talks about him. Instead, he pats the kid on the back, and is completely shocked when he leans into his side.
“I’m kind of sick of this,” Will says. “Of being different.”
“If everyone was the same, life would be really fucking boring,” Eddie declares, and Will snorts. “Besides, you’re not the only one who’s different. Alright? You’ve always got me in your corner.”
“Thanks, Eddie,” Will says, smiling.
From then on, Will Byers does not hate Eddie, which he counts as a complete and total win.
2 - Eleven
Eddie doesn’t know Eleven super well. Or at all, really. But he’s living in her house, along with everyone else while Hawkins falls apart and the government hunts them down, so he knows almost immediately when she and Mike break up. Neither of them seem too upset about it, and a fair amount of tension in the house fades.
“It’s been a long time coming, I think,” Nancy comments when it comes up in conversation. Eddie’s been able to move around more; it still hurts, but it’s getting better. Steve rarely leaves his side, which isn’t helping his impending gay crisis but he keeps telling himself that that’s a later issue. “They’ll both be happier this way.”
Eddie is also there when Will comes out to his sister, mostly because Will does it in his room. He drags her and Jonathan and his mother into Eddie’s room, kicks out Steve and Nancy and Robin and promises this won’t be long, and then sits down on the bed next to Eddie. Eddie knows what’s happening almost immediately.
“And I’m here… why?” Eddie hisses.
“In case things go wrong,” Will says firmly, staring at Joyce. Joyce has been a fucking godsend, taking care of Eddie like he’s her own kid, going to see Wayne to let him know Eddie’s okay; there’s no way she’s not gonna be accepting. Jonathan, too. And Eleven… Eddie kind of gets the idea, after learning about Eleven’s history, that the kid might be a little confused.
And he’s right. He always is.
“So,” Will says. “Um. I have something I need to tell you guys.”
There’s silence for a moment. Eddie nods encouragingly.
“I like boys,” Will blurts out. Joyce just smiles and holds out her arms, and Will dives into them. Jonathan joins them in the hug, and Eleven just looks a bit confused.
“Why is this a big deal?” she asks as Will pulls away. “I like boys, too.”
Oh, this poor sweet summer child.
After explaining the concept of homophobia to her- apparently they also had to explain racism to her after Lucas was called a name and she was similarly enraged as she is now- she hugs Will very, very tightly.
“I’m proud of you,” she says, and Eddie can see the tears in Will’s eyes.
She and Joyce and Will clear out, but Jonathan lingers.
“Why were you here for that?” he asks.
“I’m the kid’s gay mentor, or something,” Eddie says. Jonathan just laughs.
Somehow, Eleven finds her way back to Eddie’s room that night. Steve, Nancy, and Robin groan as they’re kicked out in the middle of a very intense round of Go Fish (Nancy is winning). Eleven just sits down on the floor and stares at Eddie for several long moments.
“Kid,” Eddie says eventually. “Are you reading my mind?”
“No,” Eleven says. “I am… trying to figure out how to say this.”
“Okay,” Eddie says. “Take your time.” He reaches over and lifts up Nancy’s cards. Oh, he knew she had that 7 he wanted.
“You said you are Will’s… gay mentor,” Eleven says, like she’s testing the waters. Of course she heard that. “What does that mean?”
“Uh,” Eddie says dumbly. “It’s kind of like… I’m also queer, and since I’m older and have more experience, if Will needs help with something, he knows he can come to me.”
Eleven nods, as if this makes perfect sense. Maybe it does. Eddie’s just kind of spitting out words.
“Will you be my gay mentor, too?” Eleven asks. Eddie stares at her.
“I don’t think that’s how it works, kid,” he says. “Liking boys if you’re a girl is normal.”
“What about… liking girls if you’re a girl?” Eleven asks. Eddie’s brain short-circuits for a second. Eleven looks very determined, however.
“Then that’s a different story,” Eddie says. “That would make you queer.”
“I am queer,” Eleven says, like she’s testing out the words. She looks pleased. “I like girls.” Then, “I like Max.”
Eddie’s brain short-circuits again. The kid went from learning about gay people to becoming one in the span of, like, half a day.
“Alright,” Eddie says. “I can work with this.”
He spends the rest of the night teaching Eleven about all things Queer History, because God knows no one else is gonna teach her. She’s a fast learner, picks up all the terms right away, learns what to say and what not to say, and also learns not to go around announcing that she’s queer. He teaches her about the dangers queer people face (something that makes her very mad) and about the movement for queer liberation.
“Thank you,” she says later that night, when Steve, Nancy, and Robin have come back into the room to kick her out so they can sleep. The Go Fish cards are scattered around the floor; they’re not picking that game back up. “For teaching me.”
“No problem, kid,” Eddie says. “And if you need anything- just come to me, yeah?”
“Yeah,” Eleven agrees, smiling as she goes.
“What was that all about?” Robin asks, eyes following Eleven as she leaves. Eddie just mimes zipping his lips shut.
Robin seems to get it.
3 - Chrissy
They sneak Eddie into the hospital so he can join them in visiting Max, about a month after everything goes down. He’s not exactly the town pariah anymore, but the government is still hunting them, supposedly, so they’ve got to be careful. Max’s bones are healing nicely and some of her sight has come back, enough that she recognizes him when he enters.
“It’s the hair,” she jokes. “It’s totally the hair.”
He sits with her and Lucas for a while, just chatting, catching her up on all of the very incredible things he’s been doing at the cabin. Lots of card games. Lots of reading. Lots of plotting a new campaign to keep the kids busy over the summer. The doctors come in and while Lucas is allowed to stay, probably because he’s been here almost twenty-four/seven and the doctors all know him, Eddie is kicked out. He wanders down the hall until he stumbles upon-
Chrissy. Chrissy Cunningham, flipping through a book despite the fact that her arms are all cast up. Her eyes look like they never left her head, which is kind of a relief, and she glances up like she can sense him standing there.
“Eddie!” she says, breaking into a grin. Eddie glances around to make sure there isn’t a different Eddie she could be referring to. She laughs and beckons him inside, and he takes a seat next to her bed. “How are you? Your friend with the buzzcut- Eleven, right?” Eddie nods. “She told me everything. I mean, about what happened, with- with Vecna. That’s what he’s called? Vecna.”
“Yeah,” Eddie says. “That’s what he’s called.”
“How are you?” she looks genuinely concerned, but her face brightens. “Battle scars, right?”
“Right,” he laughs.
“Hey,” she says, looking mischievous. “You think you could take me outside?”
He helps her into a wheelchair and they go to sit outside in the hospital’s courtyard. No one looks at them funny; Chrissy is beaming.
“I’m sorry,” Eddie says eventually. “That I couldn’t do anything that night.”
“Hey,” Chrissy says, reaching out to grip his hand with hers. “It’s okay. I don’t blame you. And you helped stop him, didn’t you?”
“Yeah,” Eddie agrees.
“Then it doesn’t matter,” she says firmly.
“And I’m sorry about Jason, too,” he adds after a moment, because while Eleven was able to bring back the four Vecna killed, she couldn’t bring back the ones who died when the gates were briefly opened.
“It’s okay,” Chrissy says eventually, looking like she’s debating what she wants to say next. “He wasn’t… I wasn’t in love with him, or anything. I mean, I’m still sad, but… I was dating him because he was safe. You know?” And she fixes him with such an intense gaze that yeah, he gets it, he gets it right away.
“Yeah,” Eddie says. “I know.” He squeezes her hand a little bit.
She smiles and takes in a watery breath, looking up at the sky and then back down at him.
“Does it ever get better?” she asks. “You’re- you’re older. You’re loud and proud about being the freak. But does it- for someone like me, does it ever get better?”
“Yes,” he says, with no hesitation. “I promise you, Chrissy. It gets better.”
“Okay,” Chrissy says, half-convinced. She smiles at him again; the tears haven’t fallen yet. “Okay.”
4 - Lucas
He goes back to the hospital every couple of days, to visit Max and Chrissy both. It’s coming up on the date when their casts can come off, same with Patrick and Fred, and everyone is looking forward to it. There’s already a space being saved at the cabin for Max.
The cabin is practically buzzing with excitement. There’s a bit of nervous tension in the air, too; Lucas especially seems to be worried for some reason every time he’s around. Eddie assumes it’s because of the amount of time he spends with Max in the hospital; he can’t show his nerves there, so he lets them flow free at the cabin.
Eddie’s partially right, but Lucas seeks him out the day before Max is due to come home. Eddie’s sitting out back smoking, and he hastily hides the cigarette when he hears the back door open. Robin has a habit of smelling smoke from a mile away and rushing in out of nowhere to smack the cigarette out of his hands, fire hazard be damned.
It’s not Robin, but Eddie sighs and keeps it hidden as Lucas leans against a tree across from him.
“How’re you doing, kid?” Eddie asks gruffly, not really sure if Lucas just needs some air or what.
“I need advice,” Lucas blurts out, and Eddie has to keep himself from rolling his eyes. He has no idea where these kids got it in his head that he’s a good person to come to when they need help (God knows he can’t even help himself), but it’s not like he’s going to leave them hanging. He doesn’t say anything, just waits for Lucas to continue. Lucas stares at him pointedly, like he’s waiting for permission.
“Yeah, yeah,” Eddie huffs. “Go ahead. God knows I can’t stop you.”
“I love Max,” Lucas blurts out.
“I’m aware.”
“I do. I really, really love Max, she’s incredible and amazing and so strong and-”
“Sinclair,” Eddie says, because his cigarette is burning out and he really wants to finish it since this is one of the only times no one is going to stop him. “Where is this going?”
“Um,” Lucas says, and he rubs the back of his neck awkwardly. “So I love Max.”
“We’ve established this.”
“But do you ever just… wonder? What it would be like to… like … a guy?”
He stares at Eddie like he’s expecting him to attack him. Eddie just laughs, which was clearly not the reaction Lucas was anticipating.
“All the time,” Eddie says wisely. “Dude, I am extremely homosexual.”
“Oh,” Lucas says, sighing with what must be relief. “Okay. Um. So I love Max-”
“You can like both,” Eddie interrupts. Fuck it; he takes a puff off the cigarette. Lucas pretends not to notice, or maybe he genuinely doesn’t notice because he looks completely stunned.
“You can?” he asks. Eddie nods.
“It’s called being bisexual,” he says.
“Oh,” Lucas says. “Oh, that- that makes sense. I didn’t- I didn’t know that was a thing.”
There’s silence for several long moments.
“So guys don’t just go around thinking other guys are pretty, right? Like, that’s a gay thing to do?”
Eddie laughs. “Yeah, kinda. I mean, do you want to kiss a guy?”
“Hypothetically,” Lucas shrugs. “Mostly I just want to kiss Max.”
Eddie has had enough of the straight people pining. He takes a long drag off the cigarette, finishes it off, and then flicks it onto the ground, snubbing it out with the heel of his boot. Then, seeing the look on Lucas’s face, he picks it up and puts it in his pocket to be thrown away later.
“You should tell her,” Eddie comments, remembering the very strong looks she’s given him on multiple occasions, usually whenever Steve comes up in conversation, or when Steve is in the room, or when anything has even anything remote to do with Steve. “She loves you too, kid. No matter what. Don’t worry about that.”
“Okay,” Lucas agrees. Then, “Smoking will kill you, you know.”
“Yeah, I know,” Eddie snorts.
Max comes back the next day, one hand in Lucas’s and one hand in Eleven’s. They’re both beaming at her the same way. Eddie smiles. Young love.
Steve wraps an arm around Eddie’s shoulder and Eddie has to try his best not to completely freeze. He glances over; Steve is smiling at him. He’s probably just happy to have Max home, Eddie thinks. Yeah, that’s definitely it.
5 - Mike
Will comes out to the whole cabin two days after Max comes home. He says he wasn’t particularly waiting for her to be there, but when it got closer to her release date, he figured he’d wait. Everyone is more than accepting, telling him everything is perfectly alright and they’re proud of him and it’s all wonderful. They feel like a real family. Will even hugs Eddie when it’s done, muttering that he couldn’t have done this without him.
Well, geez, Eddie thinks. What a way to make a guy cry.
Precisely two hours after Will comes out, Mike finds Eddie, grabs him by the wrist, and drags him outside. Eddie accepts his fate, sending an apologetic look to Steve, whose lap he was just pulled out of.
“My blanket,” Steve calls pathetically, making grabby hands as Nancy, Robin, Jonathan, and Argyle all laugh at him. Eddie sends the group a ring-clad middle finger and follows Mike outside.
They keep walking, deep into the woods. “Are you taking me out here to murder me?” Eddie comments. Mike doesn’t answer, and he doesn’t stop until the cabin is no longer in sight. “Baby Wheeler?”
Mike rounds on him, and oh, shit, Eddie thinks, he looks a little bit like he’s been crying. Angry crying, maybe, but definitely crying.
“Hey, hey, hey. What’s up?” Eddie asks, dropping whatever act he was putting on immediately. Screw it, he cares about these kids, and if something is making Mike Wheeler cry, Eddie’s going to kill it.
“Will’s gay, ” Mike says. Eddie can’t get a read on his tone.
“Is that a problem?”
“No!” Mike rushes to answer. “No, no, definitely not, I- El told me she thinks she’s queer, and, good for her. That’s really good for her, she’s my best friend and I’m happy for her, and- Will is my best friend too and I should be happy for him but I just feel- I just feel weird inside. You know? Like- like my stomach feels all weird and I’m not homophobic but-”
“Mike,” Eddie says slowly. “Have you considered the possibility that you may have a crush on Will?” Because, honestly, it’s kind of obvious. He doesn’t say that part out loud.
“But I like girls,” Mike points out. Then, “Oh my God, can you like both?”
Way to go! Eddie thinks. You figured it out! He also doesn’t say that out loud.
“Yeah,” he says. “Yeah, you can.”
“Oh my God. Eddie. I’m in love with Will. Oh my God.”
Eddie wants to slam his head into the nearest tree.
“What are you going to do about it?” he asks instead, and Mike’s eyes widen. Then he turns and sprints back to the cabin.
Eddie sighs and hobbles after him. The other five young adults are right where he left them, and they laugh at the look on his face as he drops back down into Steve’s lap.
“Any reason why Mike sprinted through here looking like the Devil was chasing him?” Nancy asks.
“I hate kids,” Eddie groans, burying his head in Steve’s shoulder, and they all laugh again. Steve’s arms wrap around Eddie’s waist, and he tries not to jump when they brush up against the scars from the demobats. Instead he settles down, lets himself relax.
6 - Nancy
His relaxation does not last for very long, all things considered. Maybe five minutes before Mike comes running back in, Will in tow. Their hands are linked together; Will looks like he’s about to have a heart attack, but he’s grinning. Mike is also grinning.
“Nancy,” he says very seriously. “I’m bisexual. I’m also dating Will.”
“Yup,” Will echoes, and oh yeah, he’s totally on a different plane right now. Eddie, Steve, and Robin applaud. Argyle gives Will a high-five, and Jonathan beams. Nancy nods, eyes wide and smiling.
“Good,” she says proudly. “Good. I’m happy for you.”
Mike grins and drags Will off to the next room. Nancy turns to Eddie.
“Bisexual?” she asks. “Is that… liking both?”
“Yep,” Eddie says. He’s not quite sure why she’s asking him when Robin is sitting literally right next to her and has been out to the group for weeks, but he’s not gonna press it.
“That’s a thing?” Steve asks, and Robin rolls her eyes.
“Yes, Steve, it’s a thing,” Jonathan says, pointing to himself. Slowly, Nancy raises her hand and points to herself, too.
“Holy shit,” Robin says excitedly. “Wait. You’re both bi?”
Jonathan and Nancy are looking at each other and beaming. Eddie feels severely like this is a private moment; he turns to Steve, who is staring at the wall like he’s contemplating his entire existence.
“Apparently,” Nancy says after a silent conversation with Jonathan, and Robin literally squeals with glee. Eddie would like to never hear that noise from her again, actually, it feels very unnatural.
They’ve dispersed later, Steve dragging Robin out of the room while Eddie is in the bathroom.
“He said it was very important,” Argyle says as he and Jonathan go outside to get high. Nancy lingers, looping her arm through Eddie’s.
“Yes?” he asks as she steers him toward the back door. “This is the second time tonight a Wheeler has kidnapped me out the back door.”
“It’s not kidnapping, you’re coming willingly,” Nancy hums. Once they’re outside, she drops his arm and looks at him seriously. “If I have questions, can I come to you?”
And she turns those Wheeler Puppy Dog Eyes on him, so of course he sighs and says yes. And she grins, and he absolutely knows she’s going to take him up on that.
7 - Max
Three days after Will and Mike get together- although it feels like longer, just because nothing has really changed except the two are always holding hands or pressed up against each other- Max comes to Eddie.
He was trying to take a nap. Steve was also trying to take a nap, which is just as important considering he and Steve are in the same bed, Eddie curled up in Steve’s arms. Steve does a koala bear type thing when he sleeps, so there’s no way Eddie is escaping. Max doesn’t comment on it, just gives him a look and sits down on the floor.
“Hey,” he whispers, not wanting to wake Steve. “What’s up?”
“I’m bi,” Max starts, then waits for a response.
“Cool,” Eddie says after a moment. “That all?”
“No,” Max says. “So, you can like boys and girls. Can you like two people at once?”
“Sure,” Eddie says, trying to shrug. Steve tightens his hold, like he thinks Eddie is trying to leave. Eddie settles back down. It’s true- polyamory is a thing, he knows plenty of people (okay, not that many, but still more than a few) who are in multiple relationships or have multiple partners. “It’s called polyamory. Why?”
Max looks… surprised, almost. That it’s a thing. She purses her lips.
“Healthy communication,” Eddie says after a moment. “That’s the key. Constant communication with both partners. Don’t force your partners to have a relationship with each other, though it’s nice if they have a friendship like Eleven and Lucas do.”
Oops, did he say that out loud? he thinks sarcastically. Max stares at him.
“Am I that obvious?” she hisses, looking around.
“No,” Eddie says. “I have a good gay radar. A gaydar, if you will.”
Max snorts, then laughs harder. Eddie laughs, too, and Steve mutters something in his sleep about settling down. Eddie really, really tries, but Max keeps laughing and he can’t help himself.
“Shh,” Steve says, one hand coming up to latch onto Eddie’s face. Eddie freezes. Max laughs harder.
“I’ll leave you two alone,” she says. “But I’m coming back when we have questions.”
Of course she is. And she does, several times, most of the time with Lucas holding one hand and Eleven holding the other. Eleven and Lucas both seem perfectly content with this arrangement, Max even more so.
Ah, he thinks. Young love indeed.
8 - Dustin
“I’m straight,” is how Dustin begins their conversation. Eddie looks up from the comic he’s reading over Steve’s shoulder.
“Okay?” Steve says. “Good for you, man.”
“I wasn’t talking to you,” Dustin snaps. He looks at Eddie, whose chin is hooked in the crook of Steve’s neck, arms and legs wrapped around his torso as they sit on the bed. “Eddie. You’re gay.”
“Yes,” Eddie says dryly. “I am aware.”
“And everyone else comes to you when they have gay problems. Don’t deny it, I know it’s the truth.”
“Yes,” Eddie admits eventually. “I am the unwilling Gay Mentor of everyone in this damn cabin. But you are straight.”
“But my girlfriend isn’t,” Dustin says. “What can I do to fully support her? I want to make sure she understands that she’s loved no matter what, and-”
“Hold up,” Steve says. “Your super religious girlfriend with a super religious family is… queer?”
“Yes, Steve, keep up,” Dustin says impatiently. “I want to do everything I can so she knows she can always come to me if she sees a pretty girl, or if she wants to explore, or if-”
“Dustin,” Eddie says. “Deep breath.”
Dustin takes a deep breath, then looks like he’s going to continue talking. Eddie stops him.
“You tell her that,” he says. “You tell her everything you just said to me. And then you leave me the hell alone so I can go back to reading this stupid comic book.”
Steve laughs. Dustin does not look amused.
“Fine,” he says. Then, stilted: “Thank you. For helping everyone, I mean. We all really appreciate it.”
And he leaves.
“Kids,” Steve mutters.
1 - Steve
“Right?” Eddie laughs. “I swear, they didn’t even give me a choice, they just see an older queer figure and latch on-”
“I’m bi,” Steve says.
“Oh,” Eddie says, every other word dying in his mouth and every other thought rotting in his brain. “Cool.”
“Cool,” Steve agrees. He pulls himself out of Eddie’s grip; Eddie, disappointed, lets him. But he just sets the comic book to the side and sits back down so they’re facing each other. “Can I come to you if I have questions? Because I have Robin, too, but- I hear you give good advice.”
“I don’t know about that,” Eddie says, and Steve is looking at him so intently that he can feel himself blushing. “They didn’t really give me a choice-”
“I know,” Steve says. “So I’m giving you one.”
And somehow, Eddie doesn’t think Steve’s talking about answering questions.
“Yeah,” Eddie breathes out. “Yeah, you can come to me if you need advice.”
“So say there’s this guy,” Steve says. “And you think all of his qualities are perfect. You’re sitting in a bed with him and you’re right next to each other and you really want to kiss him. How would you go about asking him out?”
“Steve Harrington,” Eddie says, grinning. “Are you coming on to me?”
“Maybe,” Steve says. “Is it working?”
“Yeah,” Eddie laughs. “Yeah, it’s working.”
“Can I kiss you, then?” Steve asks, leaning a bit closer.
“Duh,” Eddie breathes out, and they close the distance at the same time.
“Close the door !” someone that’s probably Robin screeches, and Steve and Eddie pull away to laugh at the same time, resting their foreheads together.
Alright, Eddie thinks. He’ll be the gay mentor. It’s not that bad a gig, after all, and Steve wraps him in his arms and they fall back against the bed and they’re laughing and yeah, it’s pretty alright.