Chapter Text
“Oh my god, tell me you didn’t.”
Steve looks over his shoulder at Robin, pushes his glasses up his nose, and pretends he doesn’t know what she’s talking about. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Robin’s usually sweet Alpha scent spikes with annoyance. “Steven.”
Steve raises an eyebrow at her. “Robinette.”
Robin huffs, hands on her waist, and stares pointedly down at the extra trays of baked goods Steve has cooling on the table in front of him. It’s only an extra loaf of bread. And some croissants. And maybe a hundred thumbprint cookies. No big deal.
“Care to explain?”
“No,” Steve answers quickly and, when Robin narrows his eyes at him, he throws his hands up. “I got distracted, okay?”
“And baked enough cookies to feed an army?” Robin asks, exasperated.
Steve shrugs. “It’s been known to happen.”
And it has. More times than they can both count. Steve gets distracted and goes on baking autopilot—or The Baking Daze, as Robin calls it—and comes out on the other side of it with way too much food for one person to consume. So much so their friends have gotten used to stopping by Steve’s place or the shop and going home with free baked goodies.
“Were you listening to a podcast again? You know what those do to you.”
“You’re the one who got me hooked on them! If anything, this is your fault.”
Robin presses her lips together the way she does when she’s trying very hard not to flick Steve on the forehead. “You’re lucky you own a bakery and we can at least try to sell some of these. I don’t know if we’ll have enough people stopping by to finish up the cookies, though.”
Sweet Bites, the coffeeshop bakery, is Steve’s pride and joy. His baby. His dream come true. He bought the store space and the little apartment above it five years ago with part of his trust and renovated it to his liking and specifications—though Robin and the kids did help make the place a safe space by painting the walls and finding good quality used furniture.
“Maybe we could try and do some sort of one-day-only thumbprint cookie promo? Buy something, get… ten thumbprint cookies free?” Steve suggests.
Robin frowns a little. “That could work? We could offer people a free cookie with their coffee order as a today-only deal.”
Steve claps his hands on Robin’s shoulders and squeezes them. “You’re a genius.”
Robin slaps his hands away. “And you’re a dingus.”
“Want some freshly baked bread before we open?” Steve makes a peace offering. “I still have some of Mrs. Byers’ homemade strawberry jam.”
Robin lets out a groan. “Yes, please. I love her jam.”
Steve grabs the bread knife and goes about cutting them a slice of bread each while Robin makes herself coffee and Steve some tea. They still have about an hour or so before the shop opens for the day which means it’s enough time for them to eat and get the displays organized, and put on some music to face the day.
Never, in his wildest dreams, did Steve think he would find this much happiness in a job. Or in his life, really. But here he is now, eating bread with strawberry jam and drinking breakfast tea out of his favorite pumpkin mug while Robin sips her coffee from her own preferred cow mug with udders.
It’s more than he ever thought he’d get.
“This is so good,” Robin comments through a mouthful of bread. “I don’t know how you do it.”
Steve smiles into his tea mug and bats his lashes. “The secret ingredient is love.”
Steve’s kidding, but not really. He loves baking. He loves testing out recipes and new flavors and making something out of nothing with his hands. It makes him feel like one of those magicians from that Dragon game the kids like so much: putting ingredients together and creating something entirely new and fresh out of it. It makes him feel accomplished. And there’s nothing better than the pride and satisfaction that sparks through him when people enjoy his creations.
Robin shakes her head at him, but her expression is soft. “So what do we have for today?”
“Jake and Claire are up for the morning shift, so they should be here soon. I scheduled Max and El for the afternoon since there’s less of a rush,” Steve starts. “I think El’s still having some trouble with the coffee machine?”
Robin nods. “It’s like it bugs out when she touches it? It starts making some weird noises. Max says it’s because she has too much energy about her.”
Steve laughs a little. “That’s El.”
“I still can’t believe you hired them.”
Steve shrugs a little. “They’re good workers.”
“You mean you have a huge soft spot for them,” Robin corrects him.
“Both things can be true. And I don’t see you complaining about me giving you a job.”
The truth is, Steve likes having them all close. He never thought the kids he used to babysit for some extra money would become such a big part of his life, but the little gremlins have a way of picking their people and not letting go. And Robin, as Steve’s platonic soulmate, was a surprise and a half that stuck with him like glue after they both went through the horror of working retail together. Steve can’t imagine himself doing all of this without her by his side.
Robin clicks her tongue. “You’d drown in cake batter without me and you know it.”
“I admit to nothing.” Steve drained the last of his tea. “Dustin told me he can stop by after school today to take a look at why the wi-fi’s being a bitch.”
“Bless that little technology nerd,” Robin says with a sigh.
“I’m sure Will and Mike will come with him,” Steve continues. “Lucas has basketball practice, so him and Erica will probably show up late in the afternoon? And Hopper said he’ll come over at closing with more jam.”
“Chief is so lucky to be married to Joyce,” Robin says with a dreamy look on her face.
“Your crush on her is showing,” Steve teases Robin and laughs when she sticks her tongue out at him. Right then, Steve’s phone alarm starts beeping. “Well, guess that’s our cue.”
“I’ll wash our mugs and get the food from the kitchen,” Robin tells him and they both break so they can start their day.
It’s a busy morning, but they’re used to it. Sweet Bites has become a real staple in the community since Steve officially opened it almost five years ago. He prides himself on the quality of the food and beverages he offers and Hawkins’ people reward him by turning into regular customers and always coming back for more.
It’s about half an hour before his regular lunch break when it happens. Steve’s kneeling down behind the display counter, trying to squeeze a croissant or two to one of the trays, when he hears Robin suck in a harsh breath by his side.
“What?” Steve stands and rounds up to her, one hand on her arm. “What is it?”
Robin blinks at one of the windows and then whispers, “Is that Chrissy Cunningham?”
“The cheerleader you had a crush on in high school?” Steve asks, brows furrowed. Chrissy had been one or two years behind him at school, so most of his memories of her come from her cheering for the basketball team during their games.
Robin nods weakly. “Please tell me if that’s her.”
Steve turns so he can look out to the sidewalk through one of the big front windows. And yup, there Chrissy is. Blond hair tied up with a scrunchie, big smile on her face, looking about the same as she did in high school as she obviously waits for someone to get out of the car she just climbed out of.
“That’s her.” Steve moves his hand to Robin’s back and starts rubbing circles between her shoulder blades. His scent also spreads out a little, an attempt to help Robin calm down. “Are you going to freak out?”
“She’s still so pretty,” Robin whispers, eyes glued to Chrissy. “I didn’t know she was back in Hawkins.”
“Maybe she’s visiting family.”
“Her family doesn’t live here anymore.”
Steve side-eyes Robin. “It’s a little creepy that you know that.”
Robin slaps him on the chest and hisses, “Shut up. It’s not creepy to be informed.”
“Right,” Steve drawls out. “If she’s back, maybe you’ll get a chance to talk to her.”
Robin makes a choked up sound like Steve just stuck his wet finger in her ear. “Oh god, what if she comes in? What do I do? I’m going to make a fool of myself in front of a pretty girl, Steve. She’s going to hate me.”
Steve stares out at Chrissy again. She’s still smiling like pure sunshine. “I think she’s incapable of hating anyone.”
Robin groans and hides her face behind her hands. She stays like that for one second before she straightens up and grabs Steve by the collar of his yellow sweater. “You have to help me.”
“Help you with what?”
“Talk to her,” Robin tells him. “You’re my best friend. It’s your job. You can’t let me say anything embarrassing.”
Steve scoffs. “When have I ever?”
Robin widens her eyes and stares at him with so much force that Steve thinks she’s trying to make his head explode with the power of her mind. “Promise me, Steve.”
“I promise, Rob,” Steve says and pats her arms. “Now can you let go? And who says she’s even coming here?”
“That says.” Robin gulps and points towards Chrissy and… someone else. She squints. “Wait, is that…”
Steve looks outside again and wishes he hadn’t. Because he knows that person. He knows that gait and those bony knees and that curly long hair. He knows those brown eyes and pink lips and the glint of those silver rings. He knows that sharp smile and bouncy energy and big laugh.
He knows.
“Eddie,” Steve breathes out and his heart skips a beat. He knows his scent must also be doing something weird and mushy because Robin twirls around to face him and starts slapping his arm.
“Eddie Munson,” Robin adds, as if Steve needs any sort of clarification. “Isn’t that the nerd you had a crush on in high school?”
“No,” Steve lies, voice breaking at the end. He knows Robin can tell because the utter delight that crosses her face makes his stomach lurch.
Here’s the thing: Steve always thought Eddie was interesting. He’d been a year ahead of Steve in school and refused to be anything but himself—even after he presented as an Alpha. Considering Steve’s entire home life and being squeezed into the mold his parents’ thought fit him, watching someone at school be so free had a certain appeal. It also helped that Steve thought Eddie was hot as burning with his long hair and band t-shirts and jewelry. It was inevitable that Steve would crush on him.
Really.
And if sometimes, after Eddie graduated and said goodbye to Hawkins while Steve stayed to finish high school and presented as an Omega, Steve had daydreams about Eddie coming back and sweeping him off his feet? It was no one’s business but his own.
Steve is too busy thinking about the Eddie from back then that he misses when the delight on Robin’s face turns to sheer horror the closer Eddie and Chrissy get to the door.
“Oh my god, we’re hopeless.”
“What?” Steve squawks.
“We’re hopeless,” Robin repeats. “They’re going to come inside in a second and we’re both going to crash and burn because we’re hopeless when we have a crush. We’ll say something so idiotic that they’ll never want to see us again.”
“I won’t let you be stupid if you won’t let me be stupid,” Steve rushes to say and raises a pinkie between them.
Robin hooks her pinkie through Steve’s own. “Promise.”
The bell above the door jingles just as Steve and Robin lower their hands. They both watch as Chrissy and Eddie step inside the store and glance around the place with what Steve wants to think are appreciative looks in their eyes. He preens a little and then swears under his breath when Robin jams him on the side with a finger.
“What the hell?”
“Don’t be fucking stupid,” Robin hisses at him in reminder.
Steve grumbles a little and then molds his expression into something welcoming and not at all embarrassed when Chrissy and Eddie reach the counter. They both look like they’re fighting back laughter of their own.
“Welcome to Sweet Bites! How can we serve you?” Robin asks in her best customer service voice and then immediately winces.
“Hi!” Chrissy says with a big smile, not bothered at all. “It’s Robin, right? I don’t know if you remember me? I’m—”
“Chrissy,” Robin blurts out. She starts blushing too, starting from the bridge of her nose and spilling over his cheeks. Steve sneaks a hand towards her and pinches her on the back of her hand which is hidden behind the counter. She relaxes a little. “I remember you.”
Chrissy’s smile gets impossibly brighter and her voice is soft and sweet when she says, “I remember you too.”
Steve’s eyebrows raise at that and he glances from Robin to Chrissy and back again when neither of them say anything else. He decides to cut in because there’s also nothing from Eddie.
Steve doesn’t remember Eddie ever being this quiet in high school, so he sneaks a glance at him and bites the inside of his cheek when he finds Eddie already staring back at him. Steve will deal with that in a bit. After he makes sure Robin and Chrissy aren’t going to spend the rest of the day doing whatever it is they’re doing now.
“I’m Steve,” Steve says and, like a dork, points a thumb at himself. “I also remember you.”
Chrissy flushes a little and Steve gets the first hint of her scent when she turns to him. Omega. And unmated at that, since her scent doesn’t have the distinct back the fuck off twinge to it that mated people usually carry. “Hi, Steve. It’s nice seeing you again! I couldn’t believe it when Uncle Wayne told us you had a bakery here.”
“You too,” Steve says and finds that he means it. “Uncle Wayne?”
“Wayne Munson? Eddie’s uncle.” Chrissy tilts her head towards Eddie. “Do you remember Eddie?”
Steve finally lets himself look at Eddie properly. Eddie’s already staring back at him, big brown eyes focused on Steve’s face, and there’s something behind his gaze that makes Steve want to take a step closer to him.
Eddie looks good, is the thing. Better than he did when they were in school. It’s like he’s grown into himself, sure and confident in a way that’s not a performance, and knows exactly how much space he occupies in a room. He doesn’t need to draw attention to himself because everyone’s already looking. Steve included.
It does seem that Eddie still favors black and band t-shirts, though. The black and ripped jeans he’s wearing cling to him in all the right spots and Steve glimpses Iron Maiden’s own Eddie peeking from under the leather jacket Eddie has on. The boots are familiar and so is the studded belt around his hips. Too bad Eddie has his hands in his pockets now so Steve can’t see the rings up close.
And then there’s Eddie’s Alpha scent. Also unmated. Steve still hadn’t presented when Eddie left Hawkins, but now he’s able to take a deep breath and commit it to memory. It’s all leather and smoke and spice and Steve wants to roll around in it. He actually finds himself leaning forward a little, as if to get closer, before he catches himself.
“Steve remembers Eddie,” Robin pipes up, smug as hell, when Steve doesn’t say anything.
Steve shifts in place so he can step on Robin’s foot and get her back for that. He drowns out her hiss by saying, “Yeah, I remember. How are you doing, Eddie?”
“I’m good,” Eddie answers and the deep sound of his voice has Steve holding back a shiver. He smiles a little, one dimple showing, and tilts his chin up. “I like the tavern music.”
Steve’s cheeks turn pink at Eddie’s comment on the ambience music for today. “Thank you. It’s a favorite.”
“Uncle Wayne told us to stop by now that we moved back here,” Chrissy adds and bounces a little on her feet. “He said we couldn’t go around without having tried something you baked.”
“That’s really kind,” Steve says and his face is on fire now. “We have a deal today: buy one coffee and get one thumbprint cookie free.”
Chrissy perks up while Eddie bites down on his bottom lip. Steve tries very hard not to let his eyes linger.
“Uh, what kind of jam is it?” Eddie asks.
“Strawberry,” Steve replies and his gut tightens when Eddie’s face falls. “What is it?”
“I’m allergic to strawberries,” Eddie answers and… is that a pout?
“We have a bunch of other things!” Robin offers. “And they’re just as good. Steve here is an amazing baker.”
Eddie grins. “Is he?”
“I’m alright.” Steve ducks his head and rubs at the back of his neck. This puts the croissants in his line of sight. “How about you get a croissant? On the house. I made an extra batch.”
Eddie’s eyes widen. “I couldn’t accept—”
“Seriously, take one. Both of you.” Robin gestures to him and Chrissy. “Steve was in The Baking Daze and made too many goodies today. You can consider it a welcome-back-to-Hawkins gift.”
“The Baking Daze,” Eddie mouths under his breath.
Steve, watching him, blushes a little. Of course Robin makes him sound like a dork in front of his… in front of Eddie.
“I’ll take that.” Chrissy beams. “Eddie?”
“Are you sure?” Eddie checks in with Steve.
“I’ll get you your croissants while you order your drinks,” Steve answers and tries to will his blush away. “Will you be eating here?”
“Yes,” Chrissy says before Eddie can open his mouth to answer. “We will.”
Steve grabs plates for the croissants while Robin works the register. He keeps sneaking glances at Eddie while Robin and Chrissy chat—Robin is back to normal now, mostly, and manages to ask Chrissy what their plans are now that they’re back—and Eddie is always staring right back.
“I got the guidance counselor job at the high school,” Chrissy explains. She’s leaning against the display counter and has eyes only for Robin. “Ms. Kelley decided to retire in the middle of the school year, so.”
“Oh, you might get to know some of Steve’s kids!” Robin says with a bright smile.
“Kids?” Eddie asks in a faint voice.
“Kids I babysit,” Steve rushes to clarify. “Or, well… that I used to babysit. They all graduate this year.”
“Wait, you mean those pups you used to take to the arcade every Friday?” Eddie asks, face bright. Steve’s stomach flip flops at the thought of Eddie having paid enough attention to him back then to even know that.
“They’re all grown now,” Steve says, fondly. “Mostly. But yeah.”
“You’re still close?”
Steve nods at Eddie. His scent turns sweet with affection whenever he talks about the kids and, by the little flare of Eddie’s nose, he’s sure Eddie’s caught it. “We kind of adopted each other.”
“Two of them work here,” Robin says as she hands Chrissy and Eddie their drinks—Chrissy’s in a mug with daisies all over it and Eddie’s in one of their black mugs with bat wings on the sides. Chrissy seems to favor green tea while Eddie’s coffee looks about as dark as his clothes. “You might get to meet them if you stay a while. They always end up here in the afternoons. Even when we don’t want them to.”
Chrissy giggles a little. “I’m not sure we’ll be able to, but that’s good to know. Eddie has some work things to get done.”
“Can I ask what you’re doing for work?” Steve asks Eddie.
Eddie shrugs one shoulder and seems bashful when he says, “You know Tacher Tires?”
“Yeah. It closed down a few months ago.”
“Steve’s been complaining ever since that he has to take his car to the next county over to get service done,” Robin chimes in.
“It’s an hour drive!” Steve complains. “I shouldn’t have to drive an hour for that.”
Eddie laughs. “Well, you won’t have to anymore.”
“What…” Steve trails off and his jaw goes slack. “You bought the garage?”
“Eddie bought the garage!” Chrissy says and claps her hands once.
“My buddy Gareth told me there wasn’t an auto shop in town anymore,” Eddie says and lifts one hand so he can run it through his hair. Steve does not stare at his fingers or his rings. “I was looking to leave Chicago and had enough money for the space, so. It all worked out.”
“Eddie did custom jobs in the city,” Chrissy says proudly. “He’s one of the best.”
Steve swallows. “What made you decide to move back?”
Eddie smiles at him, small and sweet, and something about his tone of voice strikes Steve right in the chest. “I thought it was time to come back. Hawkins has a lot to offer, don’t you think?”
And Steve did.
Especially now that Eddie was here.