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The first time Eddie flirts with Steve is after Robin tells him Steve is a safe person to come out to in one of those deep talks he had been having with her lately.

This, of course, Eddie finds ridiculous. There's no way former jock and king of hawkins high is an ally in any way.

So he does it more to prove a point and because he has no regard of his safety. If Steve punches his teeth out he would at least be right about his doctrine.

But Steve doesn't.

He looks a bit taken a back but just shrugs it off and keeps inviting Eddie over for the party's weekly movie night.

Eddie is baffled, he tries again, just to test the waters and when it's clear that Robin was right, he just keeps doing it.

Steve never says anything, he sometimes laughs at his pick-up lines or rolls his eyes when he calls him gorgeous or princess but never actually says anything about it.

Eddie never means the flirting, not really. He had made peace with the knowledge that he might have never be able to flirt with a guy out in the open, but with Steve, he found a way to scratch that itch. Even if it amounts to nothing, it doesn't matter to him because for a couple of minutes he can be himself without consequences.

So obviously he had to mess it up. By catching feeling for Steve.

It's not about the flirting, it's actually how Steve is outside the flirting bits. He is kind and caring and funny and a bit dorky but ultimately such a delight to be around.

The more Eddie falls for Steve, the least he actually flirts.

Because now he wants to meant it, he feel those things about him, and he can't allow himself to make things awkward, so he doesn't do it as much until he just stops.

Eddie doesn't think it matters, Steve wouldn't even notice that Eddie stopped, right?

"No 'sweetheart' today?" Steve asks

"W-what?"

"You never call me Steve, is always 'sweetheart' or 'princess' or 'darling' or any other thing really"

The little interaction cut short when the kids start yelling for them to get inside so they can start the movie. And Eddie wants to believe that's it.

But then Steve starts to flirt with him.

It's obvious because he has seen him do it with girls back at school and because even Dustin calls him out on it. Saying Steve is doing what he told Dustin to do when he met someone he liked.

It keeps going for over a week and Eddie thinks Steve is just taunting him for stopping their little game or something. But the more Steve does it, the more unnerved Eddie feels.

There's just no way Steve knows about Eddie's feelings, right? he is just joking around, keeping up with the game Eddie started. But he can't control the unneasiness he feels.

They are re-filling the popcorn bowls in Steve's kitchen, another movie night with the party, while the others keep watching it play on Steve's living room when it finally blows.

Steve so casually says "thanks, honey" when Eddie passes him the other bowl and Eddie can't take it anymore.

"Steve, this, I- this has to stop" he begs and gains a very confused expression on Steve's face.

"I don't know if it's a joke or something but I just can't take it anymore" Eddie explains but Steve is still stunned.

"Look, I'm so sorry if I made you uncomfortable or something, you can punch my teeth out if you want but let's just get over with it" Eddie keeps adding and Steve just sights and puts the bowl and everything down.

"Eddie, you're not making any sense, I don't want to punch you and you've never made me uncomfortable, what is this about?"

"The flirting! please, I won't do it again so you can just stop joking about it" Eddie pleads.

"Eddie" Steve fully turns to him, to get his attention "I wasn't joking. I don't want you to stop, kind of the opposite, it's our thing, right?" he says calmly, reaching for Eddie. "I really miss you calling me names and the dorky lines that I can't imagine where you get from"

"You- liked it?"

"Yeah! they really make my day, that's why I began doing it back, thought that way maybe you would continue"

Eddie relaxes a bit, at least Steve is not mocking him but, it still not what Eddie wants. Not when he has felt what it is to have Steve attention on him.

"I can't Steve, I'm sorry"

"Why? Is it something I did? I can assure you I don't mind it..." Steve tries hurriedly to reassure him.

"Because I want you to mind it" Eddie interrupts, he looks at Steve but his expressing is completely freezed mid-sentence "I can't keep doing it because I mean it, I like you like that and I can't do it as a game anymore" Eddie says, defeated.

Eddie doesn't want to but he puts a brave front and looks at Steve expression. Whatever it is, he needs to know to move on.

Steve expression is completely still but Eddie can tell he is processing what Eddie has just confessed.

Steve takes a whole second, only blinking rapidly when he seems done with it, like he just restarted his brain in front of Eddie.

"Ok..." he says, like he just made up his mind "then do it, keep flirting with me"

Eddie scoffs incredulous at first. Scanning Steve's expressions to see if he falters even a bit but he doesn't.

"Wait, are you serious?" Eddie ask and Steve only nods "What are you- but you're straight" Eddie fights.

"Apparently, I am not" Steve says simply but when Eddie doesn't seem to buy it, he adds "Look, Eddie, I don't know what I am or am not but it doesn't matter, I know that I like you, like really like you, and that should be enough for now, right?"

Eddie bits his cheek, this is just too good to be true and he has proof of how the universe is always fucking with him but, he is desperate for this and he knows his eyes are already bretaying him, shining with the hope he so wish to latch to and his lips are already breaking into a full smile behind the strand of hair he pulled to cover himself with "You mean it?"

"I mean it" Steve says, giving Eddie's hand a soft squeeze.

And they smile softly at each other, at least until they hear Dustin scream that Erica just stole his last bit of popcorn, and they have to make their way back to reign the kids. Just, when they do, their hands are intertwined.