Chapter Text
The Party had since return from their bike ride once the evening heat sucked the oxygen out of the air, seeking refuge in Steve's air conditioned home. Dustin and Steve had already been downstairs for a while beforehand, flitting around each other after sharing the heated moment only hours prior. The two found everything else to be unentertaining, seeing each other as the most enamoring things they'd ever laid eyes on. Steve would make little remarks and comments, give little praises at a time while skimming Dustin's lower back with the tips of his fingers, or planting a chaste kiss somewhere on his face. He'd lost count how many he'd given since coming downstairs, but it hardly mattered when it'd become a regular thing.
Before the Party had arrived, Steve was quick to cook the two of them a decent lunch to avoid having to cook for them all, not knowing when they planned to come back. At Dustin's request, a simple grilled cheese with tomato soup had sounded good that afternoon, and Steve was more than happy to do it for him.
In the peak of the afternoon around three-or-so, Hawkins managed to hit the high ninety degree mark for the week, which meant going outside might end up off of the table. Between Dustin's leg and not having much left he could plan, it might not make a difference, but it was something to think about.
They'd huddled up close to each other at the table rather than sitting across from one another, leaning their heads together and intertwining their inner legs together. Thinking on what was in store for the day, Steve made the decision to call Robin back and apologize for leaving her hanging the third time that week. It wasn't his fault, but an apology was in check.
"I'm gonna give Robin a call," Steve said, trying to pull himself away from Dustin. He almost choked on his sandwich and made a noise of disapproval, telling him not to go, but Steve continued to pry himself away. With a soft smile, he kissed Dustin's curls. "I'll come right back, just give me two minutes Dusty," and Dustin let him go, under the condition of an exact two minutes. Making the most of the time he was allotted, Steve punched in Family Video's number hastily, letting it ring out until he heard Robin on the other end.
"Robin," Steve greeted with a gaiety tone, "I just wanted to say sorry, for leaving you hanging, again."
"That's okay dingus. You can pay me back anytime," Steve could feel the smirk in her words, "you sound really happy. That's not the Steve that I last spoke to. Pray tell what, or who, rather?" Steve felt a faint blush on his face, but he looked over at Dustin who sat and watched him intently, waiting for him to come back.
"Just got some things off of my chest, long overdue." Dustin's stare loosened, feeling a level of comfort from Steve's confession.
Robin scoffed at Steve, paired with an eye roll. "You're telling me! I so called it."
"Oh shut up," Steve recoiled, shaking his head. He knew she was right, and she knew he knew, but he wasn't going to feed into her teasing when Steve knew he'd get plenty in the hours to come. "on another note," he lowers his voice so Dustin can't hear him, and the stare comes back on full throttle, "what are your thoughts for the night, Robin? It's the last night everyone spends here, I want to do something, fun, I guess," Steve cuts up, making a hand gesture to himself.
She thinks for a moment, taking everything into account. While something like bowling sounded nice and rowdy for the crew as a way to end things off, Dustin was out for the count. Most of the ideas she had put him in that position, so she settled on an easy idea. "Tell Dustin he needs to heal faster so we can go do something fun like bowling," she says in a way that can be interpreted as a joke or in all seriousness, "I think a nice dinner out would be good. We haven't eaten out yet technically. I'll even pay for half of your children."
Steve grimaced at the thought, as Dustin had been since upgraded from one of his children. "The five children are also your nephews and nieces then, seeing as you're the aunt of the Party." Steve hears Dustin approve of the fact, and he grins into the phone, huffing in laughter. "Even Dustin said so!"
"I didn't think I'd become an aunt so soon, especially having no siblings and all, but hey, it's Hawkins after all. Nothing stranger than that right?" Steve nodded to himself, pursing his lips at the coincidence, acting like she really was an aunt all of the sudden. "Before I get back to work, Steve," Robin grins to herself devilishly, "on a scale of one to ten, how good was it?"
He didn't plan on answering, but looking at Dustin, he smirked and gave into Robin's nosiness. "Broke the scale. Have fun Robin." and hung the phone up, right after hearing the high pitch voice come through the speaker. Sighing at Robin, even though not around to bear witness, he shook his head in mirth and headed back to sit with Dustin when he heard commotion at the front door. Looking down at Dustin, it raised the question of whether or not they'd play it off as if nothing happened in front of the Party. Steve wasn't sure how Dustin felt about telling his friends, and the thought hadn't crossed either of their minds after it all.
"Do we tell them?" Dustin asks the question of Steve's mind, looking up at him with a straight face. Steve shrugged, unsure of what he really wanted. On one hand, they were going to find out sooner or later, but he didn't mind keeping the revelation between Dustin and him for a little while.
"I'll leave it up to you, since you see them more than I do. Whatever you're comfortable with them knowing, I'm on the same page." Dustin nods to that, his mind already made up as he turns his attention back to his ever growing cold sandwich. Leaving Dustin to his food, Steve decided to greet his children at the door, and as soon as the thought crossed him, he facepalmed himself, planning to give Robin smack for getting him to call them his children.
He wasn't aware, but the Party had locked the door behind them on their way out, which he found rather odd when it was the middle of the day and the two of them were home the whole time. Double checking the peephole, Mike's head was expanded in view, and Steve let out a snort in amusement. Finally opening the door, the group looked up, cutting their conversation off at Steve standing there, sporting a look with an inkling suspicion that something was up.
"Welcome back-" Max was the first to push through past Steve as he greeted, red in the face with a clear coat of sweat on her forehead.
"You can welcome us all you want once we're out of this god forsaken heat dude." Mike was next, less aggressive than Max. Steve rolled his eyes and stepped aside for the rest of them to rush inside.
"Better get in here now then, you're letting all the cold air out!" Steve exclaimed in response, mumbling something under his breath when he was able to shut the door, leaving it unlocked this time.
El was the last inside the door, giving it a gentle nudge closing it behind her. The kids dispersed in several directions, too much going on at once to keep up with, so Steve just grunts and drags himself back to the kitchen.
"So, how was your outdoor adventure? Fun I hope?" Steve prompts to the few lounging in his living room and dining area. Mostly all he gets in return are shrugs and half-witted comments. He knows they're exhausted from the insane heat, sparing them the smart remarks for the time being.
Dustin makes no move to approach Steve, and vise versa, but both share an intense look, readable by any given person in the house. Max snorts at the two of them as she fishes out a popsicle from the freezer, rolling her eyes at their obliviousness.
"Hey, you cooked for him and not us? Not cool Steve!" Mike complains, Lucas behind him, nodding like a lackey to his villain.
"Get over it bud. We're taking all of you out to dinner tonight, that should make up for it." The boys light up, suddenly caring less about the obvious favoritism and more about dinner.
"Oh, where? We should go to Applebee's! Aw yeah!" Lucas and Mike high five, releasing their inner child for the rest of the party to laugh at. The recommendation did interest Steve though, seeing as it was a new restaurant that made it's way into Hawkins of all places.
With a shrug, Steve stuffs the rest of his sandwich into his face. "Yeah, okay," he says, but no one understands him, nodding to make it seem like they knew what he was talking about.
What was left of the afternoon, the party had spent comfortably, talking amongst themselves and eyeing the newest couple suspiciously anytime they'd make an off remark towards one another. Whether or not something had happened, they seemed all that much closer than prior in the day.
When Robin comes home, the vehicles are split accordingly, Steve taking the extra step to ensure Dustin was comfortable the whole way. Things were definitely off with them, but the boys couldn't figure out what just from looking.
Will, Max, El, and Robin took off earlier, getting away from the duo and morons with them.
It wasn't until they had been seated in Applebee's that Lucas and Mike made a joke about them, not expecting anything serious out of it.
Oh man, did Steve and Dustin deliver.
Linking hands on the table long enough for them to see it, and short enough not to stir gossip amongst passing staff, Dustin and Steve laughed at the two when they went stiff as a board, red like the booths they sat on. Robin and Will smiled thoughtfully at the two, genuinely happy for the two and their development. The party took advantage of Steve and Robin's offer to pay, ordering more in quantity or price, smirking at them for their mistake.
The whole thing felt like a family gathering to Steve. Annoying, sure, but so comforting to know he has a real family, right here in Hawkins, not more than a call away.
Looking back on the week Steve had to put up with, dealing with the kids and Robin, with Dustin, and the little things in between, he could say it was a total pain in the ass all day. And it was the truth, but he gained much more than he lost in the week.
He found his world, the best reasons to get up in the morning and slave away dreadfully for hours each day, reasons to enjoy the smallest, simplest things life had to offer. One day, Dustin and him might get the opportunity to enjoy small intimacies in public, safely and comfortably; until then, the warm exchanges they offer one another would have to be enough behind closed doors. Those days might prove to be worth the wait, and they both hold on to that idea.
Robin helped him in more ways than one, as did Will. Neither of them would have clicked right if it weren't for the intelligent people in their lives, thank god for that. Two was indeed good, but he wouldn't give up any of the seven who'd walked with him all the way through.
So yeah, the week was hell and he knows Robin can back him up on it. But he'd absolutely be lying if he said he wouldn't do it again, and a distant part of him hopes it'll happen again, no matter the tribulations to overcome.