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- - - {01} - - -
“Hey shithead, grab a beer for me too while you’re up,” Steve says.
Dustin flips him off and opens the fridge to grab another. He walks back to the couch and holds out the can. “Here asshole. Scoot over! You’re encroaching on my seat now.”
Nancy sighs big and loud.
“What was that about?” Dustin asks.
“You’re just so crass, always calling each other shithead and asshole. Can’t you be nicer?”
Dustin rolls his eyes and looks over at Steve. It’s not like they’re being mean. They’ve just always done this. Steve has a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“Thanks for the beer, sweetheart,” Steve says to Dustin and then looks at Nancy. “Is that what you meant?”
Dustin lets out a startled giggle.
“What? No…I–” Nancy starts.
“Yes, honey, this is definitely what she meant.” Dustin joins right in with Steve.
“Oh my god, you guys are insufferable!” Nancy protests. “This is not what I meant!”
“Babe, look, we’re making her uncomfortable in a new way now!” Steve and Dustin grin like they’ve just won a carnival game.
Robin laughs. “Don’t worry Nance, they’ll forget about it eventually.”
Steve and Dustin keep using pet names for each other all weekend at Robin’s uncle’s house. Neither of them can pass up the opportunity to be silly and annoying. They think of every pet name variation they can and use them all. Almost everything they say to each other is punctuated by a pet name.
Dustin expects Steve to drop the pet names when they leave, but Steve just keeps using them. He doesn’t mind. It’s funny and makes them both laugh. So Dustin follows his lead and keeps using them too.
- - - {02} - - -
“Honey, I’m home!” Dustin declares as he walks into Steve’s house with a couple bags of ice. It’s the 4th of July, and Steve is having a pool party at his house. Not a rager like he used to throw. It’s just Dustin, Mike, Will, Lucas, Max, Erica, and Robin. Everyone else is already there.
Steve rounds the corner in his swim trunks and an apron–no shirt in sight. “You’re finally back! Thanks for going to pick up the ice, babe.” The endearment rolls off his tongue easily, like it was always what he called Dustin. He giggles and shakes his head as Steve grabs the bags and heads toward the back.
Dustin trails behind him, the chatter of his friends and the sound of splashing water filtering through the open back door. They’re soaking up these last couple of months together before heading off to college, and enjoying Steve’s pool as much as they can before his parents sell the house.
He steps outside. It’s like they’re in a liminal bubble of dreamy happiness full of sunshine and time.
“Dustin! You’re back!” Lucas yells. He’s leaned back against the side of the pool between Max’s legs. She’s sitting on the side with her legs in the water, having a popsicle.
“Yep. And now we’ve got ice to keep the drinks cold.”
Steve pours the ice into the cooler before going back to the grill. He’s got hamburgers and hot dogs cooking. “These’ll be done in just a couple minutes. Hon, could you make sure we’ve got everything we need?”
Dustin walks over to the table and takes stock. They’ve got chips, fruit, buns, and condiments, but no plates. He goes inside to grab a stack of paper plates from the pantry. Now they’re ready for lunch.
Steve uses the spatula to flip the burger patties onto a platter and grabs a pair of tongs to retrieve the hot dogs. “Alright you little gremlins, lunch is ready!”
Everyone makes a plate and spreads out across the lounge chairs and around the table to eat. Dustin has just sat down when he realizes he forgot to get a drink. He cups his hands around his mouth, “Hey, sweet cheeks, grab a drink for me too!”
Max splutters in the lounge chair beside him. “Who are you talking to?”
“Steve,” he says simply.
Max has the most confused look on her face as Steve walks over and hands him a can. “Anything for you, sweetie.”
“Whoa! What is going on here?” Max looks back and forth between them.
They both laugh.
“Last weekend Nancy said we should stop calling each other shithead,” Steve says as if that explains anything.
“So…you started using pet names instead?” Max asks.
“Yeah! It’s hilarious,” Dustin says.
“You don’t have anything else you want to tell us?” Lucas asks.
“What else would there be to tell you?” Dustin responds. He takes a bite of his burger.
Lucas just raises his eyebrows and shrugs, but Dustin recognizes that look in his eyes. He’s got something on his mind.
“They’ve been so obnoxious with the cute little pet names!” Robin complains as she comes to join them. “Can you believe they’ve kept this up for a whole week?”
“Nancy’s not even here, guys. You can drop it now,” Max says.
Steve shrugs. “Why? It’s funny.”
“Doesn’t it, like, take a lot of effort to remember to do it?” Robin asks.
“No,” they reply in unison.
- - - {03} - - -
Steve and Dustin get in the truck to head to Robin’s uncle’s to meet up with Nancy, Jonathan, and Robin at the end of July. Even though Dustin was not part of that conversation on the roof of the radio station, Steve always wants him to come too.
They cruise down the road, singing along to mixtape Dustin made with all of their favorite songs. Three hours into the drive, Dustin groans. “Fuck. Babe, we’re going to have to stop. I’m going to die if I don’t pee soon. Had too much coffee.”
Steve laughs. “That’s alright. I’m down to a quarter tank of gas, so we can refuel and hit the head.”
Steve pulls off the interstate at the next exit and parks by the pump at the gas station. They both get out of the truck and stretch their legs. As Dustin walks toward the store, Steve yells, “Hey Henderson! Get us some snacks while you’re in there.”
“Sure thing!” They censor themselves when they’re out in public. They’re not stupid. They know they can’t just go around calling each other pet names around strangers. There’s too many homophobic assholes in the world to take that risk. Not that they’re gay, but they both know it would be easy for people to jump to that conclusion.
After visiting the bathroom, Dustin walks through the gas station looking for Peanut Butter Boppers and Ripplin’s chips. He finally locates both and grabs a bag of Doritos for himself. Dustin pays and walks back out to the truck. He climbs into the passenger seat and deposits Steve’s food on the center console.
Steve sticks his head in through his door and lights up when he sees what Dustin got for him. “You got my favorites! Thanks.” The soft look in Steve’s eyes warms Dustin from the inside out. “I’m going to pay. Be back in a few minutes.”
Two more stops and six hours later, they finally make it to their destination. They grab their bags and head straight to the basement. Steve groans and complains the whole way.
“You’re gettin old, babe! Those knees can’t take 9 hours in a car anymore,” Dusin says.
“Oh my god, please don’t tell me you’re still going with the pet name thing!” Nancy exclaims.
“Of course we are! We’re not quitters. Besides, isn’t it nicer? That’s what you wanted, right?” Steve asks. He lays down in the floor, stretching out as much as he can. “Honey, can you pop my back?”
Dustin rolls his eyes, but gets down in the floor to do as Steve asked. He sits on his knees beside Steve and presses both hands down hard into the middle of his back. It cracks. Dustin moves up and does it again to get another good pop.
Steve lets out a contented sigh. “That’s better. Thanks.”
“Anytime, muffin,” Dustin says with a grin before looking at Nancy. She puts her hands on her hips and shakes her head. Why is this so fun?
“So you guys are doing this all the time?” Jonathan asks.
Dustin shrugs. “Yeah, pretty much.”
Jonathan hums and nods his head, considering Steve and Dustin. He just keeps looking back and forth between them.
“I mean, we do it around friends and when it’s just us. It’s not like we’re doing it in public,” Dustin clarifies. Why must they keep explaining this?
“It’s funny,” Steve says, partially muffled by the floor.
- - - {04} - - -
Dustin rolls and groans. He’s going to take damage from that.
Dustin, Mike, Will, Lucas, and Max are gathered around the table in the Wheelers basement. They decided to start a new campaign for the summer, and it’s their last game before everyone heads off for college.
Steve is laying on the couch behind him tossing a tin foil ball in the air. “Uh oh. Did you die, sweetheart?”
“No. I didn’t die. Just took some damage.”
“Why do you keep asking if he died?” Mike asks, irritation slipping into his voice.
“It’s because he’s counting down the time until we’re done. He thinks if Dustin dies that they could leave,” Will says.
“That is not true! I’m just trying to keep track of what’s going on. And he made a bad noise,” Steve says.
“I think he actually likes listening to the story as we play,” Dustin whispers.
“I could still hear you, hon.”
“God, I can’t believe you two are keeping that pet name thing going still!” Mike says. “It’s so stupid.”
Dustin shrugs. They’ve been doing it for about six weeks. He doesn’t really think about it much anymore. It’s just second nature for them to use pet names with each other now.
“I don’t know. I think it’s kind of cute. They don’t even laugh about it anymore. It’s just part of them.” Lucas waves both hands around in a circle toward them.
- - - {05} - - -
Dustin is setting the table when Steve walks into the kitchen. “Hey, babe! You got here right on time.” He goes to give Steve a hug but stops at the stunned look on his face. “Steve? You ok?” He’s looking past Dustin. Dustin turns around.
His mom is staring at them, her mouth hanging open with the most surprised look on her face.
Steve starts, “Ms. H, this isn’t–”
Dustin says at the same time, “Mom we can–”
Claudia cuts both of them off. “Oh my boys, you don’t have to hide this from me! Dusty, you know I support the gays. I always did wonder a little about you, Steve, what with all your hair products. Is this new or have you been together for a while?”
Dustin is so stunned he doesn’t know how to respond. He feels strangely relieved knowing this would be his mom’s reaction to him being gay. He’s not gay though; he likes girls, so it’s not like it matters.
“Uh, I think maybe you’ve gotten the wrong impression,” Steve tries.
“Nonsense. Men don’t call each other babe unless they’re gay. It’s ok, though. I can keep your secret.”
“No, mom, really. We started using pet names with each other a few weeks ago to mess with one of our friends,” Dustin realizes how dumb that sounds while trying to explain it to his mom. God, why had he called Steve babe in front of her?
Claudia holds one of Dustin’s hands and one of Steve’s hands. “Ok. We don’t have to talk about it right now. It’s going to be about ten minutes until dinner is finished.” She says the last part pointedly before walking back to the stove.
Dustin grabs Steve’s hand and drags him down the hallway to his room. He tugs him inside and closes the door behind them before dropping Steve’s hand and leaning back against it. “What the hell? Why doesn’t she believe us?”
“Well, I’m sure pulling me into your bedroom didn’t help!” Steve rubs his face with both hands.
“Why was she so quick to think we’re together anyway?”
Steve throws his hands into the air. “I don’t know! We’re just normal friends, right?”
“Yeah. Yeah, of course we are.”
They rejoin Claudia at the dinner table like nothing has happened. They’re careful not to use pet names the whole time, and the banter between the three of them settles into a normal flow. Dustin breathes a sigh of relief. He’ll try talking to his mom about it in a day or two when Steve isn’t around. Maybe she’ll listen to him then.
They help clean up after dinner, and Dustin quickly packs his duffle to go spend the night at Steve’s. He wonders for a minute if it will give his mom the wrong impression, but it’s the last chance they’ve got before Dustin heads off to college. He doesn’t want to give it up.
Dustin comes back to the living room to find his mom hugging Steve.
“Thanks for dinner, Ms. H.”
“You’re always welcome here, Steve. I hope you know that.” She kisses him on the cheek.
“You ready?” Steve asks.
“Yeah. I’ve got my stuff.” Dustin goes to give his mom a hug. “Bye mom. I’ll be back tomorrow evening.”
As they walk toward the door, his mom says, “Have fun! Be safe! Always use condoms!”
“Oh my god, mom,” Dustin groans. “Love you. Bye.”
- - - {+1} - - -
Dustin slides into the passenger seat of Steve’s truck and looks over at him. Steve doesn’t put the key in the ignition. They just stare for a few moments and then burst out laughing. How the hell had the silly pet names spiralled into his mom telling them to use condoms.
“Well, sweetheart, I think we’ve really done it this time!”
“At least she took our fictional relationship well,” Dustin says.
“At least there’s that.”
“I’ll talk to her when I go home tomorrow. It’ll be fine.” Dustin hits play on their mixtape, and they sing all the way to Steve’s house.
The sun is setting as they pull into the driveway. Dustin grabs his bag and heads up the stairs to the guest room he usually sleeps in.
Steve follows him and leans in the doorway. “Let’s go swimming.”
They both get changed and meet in the hallway. Dustin reaches toward Steve’s side, fingers running over the scars from the demobat bites.
Steve’s breath catches, and Dustin looks up at him, letting his hand fall away.
“Come on.” Steve grabs his hand and leads him down the stairs and out to the backyard. The sun is right on the horizon, golden light pouring over the trees. The crickets have started singing and lighting bugs are just visible, their intermittent flashes dotting the woods around the house.
“Together?” Dustin asks.
“Together.” They jump into the pool with their hands still clasped. They come apart in the water, but still surface near each other. Steve shoves his hair back out of his eyes.
Steve swims closer, his lithe muscles shifting in his arms as he treads water. “I’m really going to miss you.” His voice sounds thick with emotion.
“Oh, baby, I know. I’m going to miss you too. Come here.” Dustin swims to the shallow end and leans back against the wall. Steve lands beside him and clasp hands, lacing their fingers together.
“You know, your mom wasn’t the first person who thought we were together,” Steve says.
“What? Really? Who else has?”
“Lucas, Jonathan, and Robin.”
Dustin moves to stand in front of Steve, still holding hands. “Wait, seriously?”
Steve just nods and swallows hard. Dustin’s eyes trace his face and the slight stubble on his neck. There’s a look in Steve’s eyes that he can’t quite place.
“And what do you think about that?”
“I think…” Steve takes a deep breath. “I think, I um, maybe am attracted to guys sometimes. So maybe they could, like, see that.”
“Ok. That’s–that’s cool! I–uh, who, who have you been attracted to?”
“Sweetheart.” Steve says it imploringly, like Dustin is being really stupid, and it should be obvious.
And then it hits him all at once. People had thought they were together. “Oh. Oh. You mean–”
“Can I kiss you?” Steve asks.
And Dustin freezes. His brain is short circuiting. How the hell was this happening? Obviously, Steve was incredibly good looking. It was just an objective fact that Dustin had accepted a long time ago. He had never thought about being with Steve, or any other guy, like that, but the heat filling his belly at Steve’s question was undeniable. He did want to kiss Steve.
Dustin pulls in a ragged breath and nods.
Steve uses their clasped hands to pull him closer. The way Steve’s leaning against the wall with his legs splayed out in front of him makes them almost the same height.
Steve brings his other hand up to cup Dustin’s cheek, a soft smile gracing his face. God, Steve is beautiful. It’s like a dam blocking all his attraction toward Steve has been opened. Dustin leans in, and Steve closes the last of the gap between them. Their lips meet in a plush, slow press, slotting together.
It’s the best first kiss Dustin has ever had. It feels as natural for them as using pet names. Like this was just another layer to their relationship that had been waiting until the right time to unfold.
Steve pulls back with a tentative look on his face. “If you don’t–”
Dustin can’t even let Steve finish the question, needing to offer him immediate reassurance. “Baby, I do. I do want this too.” Dustin nods his head to emphasize his point and pulls Steve back in for another kiss.
This time Dustin pushes into Steve’s space, threading his fingers into Steve’s hair and pressing their bodies together. He angles his head and slides his tongue along the seam of Steve’s lips.
Steve opens for him, groaning softly and putting a hand on Dustin’s lower back to hold him in place. Their tongues swirl together, already moving in sync.
Dustin pulls back, panting, to look Steve in the eyes. “Holy shit. Is this for real, babe? What does this even mean for us?”
“Well, I was hoping that you would be my boyfriend, but if that’s not–”
“Boyfriends.” Dustin giggles and rests his head against Steve’s shoulder. “Thirty minutes ago I didn’t even know I wanted this, and now I have a boyfriend.”
“Wait. What do you mean you didn’t even know? I thought we were feeling the same way for a while now.”
Dustin moves back to look at Steve. “Don’t freak out, ok? I think I had, like, turned off this part of myself or something. I don’t know how to explain it. I definitely want this though! I want to be your boyfriend.”
“Yeah?”
Dustin hates how unsure Steve looks now. “Fuck yeah. You’re my best friend and you’re the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen.”
Steve preens under the praise and reels Dustin back in for another kiss. They stay in the pool for a while, making out. Hands exploring all their exposed skin. Eventually, Dustin wraps his legs around Steve’s waist, taking advantage of the buoyancy of the water.
He can feel Steve’s arousal pressing up against his own. Steve sucks on his neck, eliciting a moan from Dustin. “Babe, how about we move this up to your room?”
“Yeah,” Steve breathes against his neck before licking a long stripe up to his jaw. “As long as you’re sure.”
“Very sure. Never been more sure about anything in my life.”
Steve laughs and hugs him close, burying his face into Dustin’s neck. “Alright then. Off, so we can get out.” He pushes Dustin’s legs off of him, and they both stand up for the first time in a while.
They get out and grab their towels from the lounger. Dustin doesn’t stop himself from looking Steve up and down, appreciating every part of him. His dripping hair that still looks so full and voluminous even when wet. His warm hazel eyes and perfect jawline. The bob of his adam’s apple when he swallows. The hair on his chest and happy trail leading down. The hard length of his dick jutting forward and straining against his trunks. Dustin feels hot all over at the knowledge that he caused Steve to be so turned on.
Steve wraps his towel around his waist. He hums and walks right up to Dustin, grasping his hips. “Never seen you look at me like that before.”
“Like what?”
“Like you want to devour me.”
Dustin feels his cheeks heat. “Oh, uh, sorry, I–”
“Don’t apologize, honey. I like it,” Steve sighs against his lips before kissing him again.
Dustin pushes up onto his toes to meet him, wrapping an arm around his neck. The kiss turns heated quickly. When Steve pulls away, Dustin chases him with his mouth for just a moment, not wanting the kiss to end.
“Come on,” Steve whispers and takes Dustin’s hand, lacing their fingers together. Dustin follows him to the bedroom. Steve closes the door behind them and presses Dustin up against it, kissing him solidly.
Heat pools in Dustin’s belly at the feeling of Steve manhandling him. He had no idea how much he would like that. This whole day has been full of so many surprises. He grabs Steve’s ass and pushes at the waistband of his trunks.
Steve groans. “Yeah. Let’s get these wet clothes off.” He steps back and shucks off his trunks.
And yeah, ok, Dustin knew that Steve had a reputation for having a big dick, but seeing it in person like this was a little intimidating. But also thrilling. Dustin yanks down his own trunks and looks up at Steve.
Steve leads him over to the bed, guiding him to sit down on the edge. Then he drops to his knees in front of Dustin.
Dustin sucks in a breath looking down at Steve.
“Can I blow you?” Steve bites his lip nervously. Like he’s actually worried that Dustin will say no.
“Yeah.” Dustin rasped.
Steve starts slow, kissing up Dustin’s thighs. Dustin widens them even more as Steve moves higher. Steve nips at his inner thigh, and Dustin just wants him to touch him, feels like he’s dying for it after so much build up. “Please, babe,” Dustin begs.
Dustin moans when Steve licks a stripe up his cock from base to tip, swirling his tongue around the head. Then he kisses up the sides, taking his time, teasing him. “Fuck,” Dustin threads his fingers into Steve’s hair. “Baby, I need you, please.”
Steve wraps a hand around Dustin’s cock and sucks the head into his mouth. Dustin groans and throws his head back. He’s no virgin, but he’s never had a blow job, and it is exceeding all of his expectations.
Steve slides his lips down to meet his hand and then back up, flicking his tongue into his slit before sliding back down. He builds a rhythm, slicking the way for his hand with spit. Their eyes meet, and Dustin can’t look away.
“Your mouth feels so fucking good, babe,” Dustin pants. He guides Steve into a faster pace with the hand on the back of his head. Steve hums around him. “Shit! Yeah, just like that.” He lets out a deep moan. Suddenly, Dustin feels that familiar tightening sensation as pleasure courses through him. “Baby, I’m gonna–” He tugs gently at Steve’s hair.
Steve pulls back so he’s just sucking on the head of Dustin’s cock, pumping his fist up and down. Dustin spills across his tongue as his orgasm rushes through him. He’s breathing hard with his heart pounding in his chest as he comes back from the pleasure high. “Holy shit, babe, that was amazing!”
Steve grins up at him, clearly pleased with himself.
“Come here.” Dustin tugs at Steve to get him to join him on the bed. Steve is still hard, and Dustin wants to make him feel just as good as he does. Steve lays down on his back. Dustin leans over him and kisses him, filthy and deep, tasting himself on Steve’s tongue.
Dustin lets his hands roam down Steve’s body. He teases his nipples and squeezes one of his hips. He kisses down Steve’s jaw and sucks on his neck. Finally, he wraps a hand around Steve’s dick, thumbing at the pre-cum leaking from the tip. Steve moans.
“Lotion. Top drawer of night stand.”
Dustin rummages through the drawer until he finds the lotion. He squirts some into his hand and spreads it over Steve’s dick. His legs fall open wider. Dustin keeps kissing him while he jerks him off.
Dustin moves to lay alongside him so he can get a better angle, watching Steve’s face as he pumps him, gradually increasing his speed, twisting and thumbing at his slit.
“Fuck. I’m so close. You’re so good. Kiss me again.”
Dustin leans up to capture Steve’s lips, fucking his tongue into his mouth.
Steve groans, his release painting his stomach and pouring over Dustin’s hand. Dustin grabs a couple tissues from the nightstand to clean them up.
He lays his head on Steve’s chest, listening to the beat of his heart.
Dustin wishes he could freeze time right here and stay in their liminal summertime bubble forever. But time keeps moving, and they have responsibilities. Dustin will only be two and a half hours away at Purdue. They’ll be able to see each other regularly. He knows that they’ll figure out how to make this work because Steve is his forever. He’s certain about that.
“Baby?”
“Hmm?” Steve hums.
“I love you.”
Steve grins. “I love you too, honey.”