The spicy eight were playing Never Have I Ever (I don't know if they played it in the 80s, but I'm going to say they did) in Steve's living room.
Eddie: Never Have I ever kissed a guy. . .
Nancy, Jonathan, Argyle, Chrissy, Vickie, Robin, and Steve all drank. Everyone looked at Steve and Robin.
Robin: What? I was experimenting. I still only like the ladies.
Steve: I've done a lot of things with guys and girls. . .I don't know why you're surprised. I keep telling you.
Eddie: *grinning* Let's keep this going then, Harrington. . .Never Have I Ever gotten a blow job from a guy.
Steve rolled his eyes but drank with Argyle.
Steve: Like I said. . .
A bazillion drinks later. . .
Steve: *slurring* I told you! I am the slut, look at these - um, these hips! Theees hips don't lie. It's gonna be a song. I know, but you don't know that I can see the future, but it doesn't make sense 'cause *hiccup* I see a pumpkin as our president. A pumpkin can't be president. It gets messy with the guts and the seeds. . .Computers in our hands. I think Eddie's going to set himself on fire and then put a baby in me. I think - I think I might have turned into a blond woman. You know, you know, I don't think but maybe it's not our world. Cause I think we might be in a TV show.
Steve passed out onto the couch.
Nancy: *wide eyes* He's done a lot of things with guys.
Robin: You're still focused on THAT?!
Eddie: *grinning* I hope one of those things is true.
Summary: Steve figures out he's bisexual and starts using a metaphor to counter people when they call him the straightest.
Author's note: I was in a Christian puppet group as a teen and in one of the sketches I had to practise puppetry to, the tree metaphor was used for a guy who wouldn't go to church if his pew was taken. After reading all the fics where spaghetti is used as a metaphor I thought the tree one fitted here too so I wrote it.
/\/\
It started with Robin, except it really didn't. Steve knew that she would listen, understand and believe him about the thoughts and feelings going through his brain. That was exactly what happened when he shared that he was fairly sure he had a crush on Eddie, that he'd probably had crushes he'd suppressed in the past.
She'd hugged him and asked if he wanted help working through it, or to just ramble about his crush. Between them they started to try and find out if there was a label for being attracted to both men and women. The discovery of bisexuality as a term took a long time to find for the pair of them, but a welcome find.
…
The actual start of it all was Dustin. The brat was somehow still convinced that Steve and Eddie didn't get along and needed to spend time around each other to do so.
Steve wasn't against the idea, actually he was going along with almost all of the kids ideas to get them talking and spending time together. He'd agreed to have Hellfire move to his house so Eddie could remain part of it and the rest of them could hang out at the same time even.
“I just don't get why you don't like Eddie.” Dustin began almost as soon as he was in the car for a lift to the arcade this time. “You and Robin have said you're trauma bonded often enough so why isn't that working here.”
Steve rolled his eyes. “I do like Eddie, probably more than you want, and the fact you refuse to see that is getting annoying now.”
“Is it because he's gay? Is that why you don't like him?” Of course Dustin didn't listen to his words, but that wasn't why Steve abruptly pulled over.
After parking he twisted in his seat expression serious, “Did Eddie tell you that and did he give you permission to tell me that?”
“Why would he need to-” It was clear Dustin was floundering with his response.
“Is Eddie meeting you at the arcade?” Steve carried on, leaving explaining for a moment.
Dusting nodded slowly, and Steve turned to start the car again. “You are shutting up now. When we get there, you, Eddie and I are going to find somewhere quiet, or possibly just get straight back in the car and discuss just how badly you talking like that could go.”
For a few moments it looked like Dustin was going to argue but couldn't find the words, then he settled to staring at Steve and then back at him. It would have been a peaceful drive if he wasn't imagining a hundred reactions Eddie could have to being outed by Dustin and hoping he wouldn't be too upset by it.
Eddie was already outside the arcade when Steve got there, waiting with the other kids and clearly looking for them. The grin he had when coming to greet them dropped quickly at Steve's stern expression and Dustin's confused one. “Hey guys, took you a while.”
“Tell the other boys to go start playing. Dustin needs to apologise to you or have it explained to him why he needs to before we're going in.” Steve smiled but it was still tense, and he nodded towards the other kids, one hand going to Dustin's wrist when he tried to head out.
The words got Eddie yelling over his shoulder still trying to figure out what was happening and deciding to climb in the back of the Beamer when he realised how ready Dustin was to run off with his friends away from whatever had happened. “So that sounds ominous. What's up?”
“This shithead is still set that we don't like each other and was rambling trying to figure out why on the drive.” Steve gestured when Dustin remained silent for once.
“And he's gone insane. All I asked was if he doesn't like you because you're gay.” Dustin chose that point to exclaim, getting two frowns directed at him.
Steve nodded though. “That. That is not your place to share with anyone. Eddie has not told me that himself, and given you had no clue why I'd ask if he gave you permission to share it, he hasn't. You Do Not share anyone's sexuality with anybody else, unless they have given explicit permission to. I don't care that I'm safe. I don't care if you think you can tell who's safe and who's trustworthy. You do not share that information for other people.” He lectured, arms crossed to stop from pointing or getting in Dustin's face to emphasis.
“Geez Kid, I told that to Hellfire because Wheeler was being a shithead about some NPC's. For a bunch of little genius's if you're gonna out me for no reason I'll go hang with Jason to see how long I survive.” Eddie groaned. “Everything Steve just said. Don't out me to anyone, don't out anybody to anyone else unless they've told you to.”
“Another secret to keep? Why the fuck does everything need to be a secret?” Dustin tried to argue. “I want to talk with my friends about them sometimes.”
Steve levelled a glare at him. “And that should not include information that could easily get them killed. It's easy to not mention someone's sexuality. We do it every fucking day. You need to apologise for it and never do it again.”
“Sorry, I guess. I just thought it was why you two don't get along cause You suspected and are like the straightest of the straights.” Dustin grumbled, barely even turning to look at Eddie when he wanted to keep arguing the point.
Steve huffed a little but decided against openly saying anything about it. “Definitely not the non-existent reason Eddie and I don't get along. I like Eddie. He's my friend just like you are and deserves a better apology than that.”
“And seeing Mom Steve defensive for me does not qualify as that apology. It's just very flattering and I'm so grateful this was your response to Mr Thoughtless's words.” Eddie grinned, softening Steve's expression with how relaxed he was being over it.
Dustin looked between them, frowning before letting out a heavy sigh. “I'm sorry alright. I didn't realise it was such a big thing to do. I won't do it again.”
Steve looked back at Eddie, waiting until he nodded, accepting the apology with a “Your PC will die if you do it again.”
“Let's go see Max destroy you all at video games then.” he agreed, unsurprised when Dustin was immediately out of the car and racing into the arcade.
“Thanks for doing that, Steve. I really wasn't sure if you'd accept me coming out.” Eddie lingered, speaking quietly so people passing didn't hear.
Steve just shrugged, locking his car and heading into the arcade, “Course man, I'd hate it if that happened to me.”
“Wait what?”
He smirked over his shoulder, glancing over the trees that lined the street. “I've decided to take a few lessons from the trees. I bet that one bends and waves when storms come in.” He stated before disappearing through the doors. It had been one of the things that he and Robin had tried using to describe who he's attracted to and he liked it more than spaghetti. Trees are strong and stood tall, even a toddler could break uncooked spaghetti into pieces.
…
It happened again during a Hellfire night a few weeks later and honestly Steve wasn't annoyed by it.
He'd been absently listening to the game, treating it like a story with actors except he could hear the thoughts of the people writing it. At the point they'd reached there had been a discussion going on about how to get information from a guard they'd yet to annoy and Gareth had suggested flirting with him.
“No, man, no. I get that you think you'll be able to get all the information that way but just look at him – he's... Actually Eddie other than in the kingdom's armour what does this guy look like?” Jeff had protested, making a few of them grin at his argument against Gareth's plan being interrupted to ask for description.
Eddie smirked, but sat up to begin narrating, “Currently the guard is watching you huddle away from him in bemusement, an eyebrow arched in curiosity over what you're doing. His hair is carefully styled away from his face with his helmet held under one arm. He's got piercing brown eyes and a clear tan on his face and hands.”
“You're making our strategising take time in the game, dude.” Mike groaned, “No fair.”
“Besides that makes my point. This guard sounds like if Harrington was a guard and couldn't have his fluffy hair. He's not going to go for your flirting Gareth.” Jeff insisted, turning along with most of the table when Steve snickered.
Steve just gestured out the window. “I'm like a tree out there. Pretty bendable if necessary and I choose what's necessary.”
“That makes no sense!” A few of the kids exclaimed but Gareth and Eddie both had considering looks on their faces.
A moment later Gareth's decision was made as he reached out for a die. “I want to flirt with the guard to ask if he knows whether the treasure we want is owned by the kingdom.”
“Roll charisma.” Eddie agreed, over the top of Jeff's repeated protests.
…
The final time Steve confused everyone with his tree metaphor was a film night and he didn't need to say it to be the one confusing them all.
He'd made a comment about Luke's boots and started a conversation or rather a debate among the kids over whether you could assume someone's sexuality based on what they wear. It was quite amusing to see, especially when Eddie decided to try fanning the flames with contradictory comments the kids could have known which were meant and which weren't if they'd only watched his expression. Some he grinned as he said them, others were said through a smirk one twitch away from becoming a grimace but all of them had someone arguing with them.
Nancy was the one to eventually get annoyed with the debate after it was around twenty minutes long. “Come on guys, you're slowly deciding that any guy wearing fancy clothes or who puts time into his looks must be gay and that entirely ignores the evidence that is Steve sitting right there, straighter than anyone.”
Robin, Steve and Eddie all snickered at that, even more so when Dustin piped up, “Can't say that Nancy. He'll compare himself to a tree again and refuse to explain more.”
“Now now, Dusty-bun, tree metaphors can be very enlightening if you only pay attention to how they're described.” Eddie leaned over putting on a voice as if he were disclosing sage advice.
“He just stays the trees are straight too but bendable in the weather. It's nonsense.” Mike protested.
Steve shrugged when Nancy and Jonathan turned to look at him. “So you are bendable? What are you subtly trying to say you are?” Jonathan asked, eyes narrowed as if already anticipating the answer.
“That I'm not as straight as you all keep insisting I am? I'm bisexual, attracted to both, and kind of getting bored of everyone calling me the straightest of the straights.” He explained easily, leaning back between Eddie and Robin on the sofa.
Most of them nodded then, before Dustin exclaimed, “But why trees? Seriously? So many other things could be used for that but you keep going on about trees? Are you a gardener without telling us?”
“One, why would I tell you about gardening if that was my hobby? You only ever want to talk about your game and I've had you try to give me a character type enough time that I don't need new ones considering any hobbies I might not have shared with you? Two, Trees are strong. They're so strong that we make houses, furniture, a whole host of things from them, and while everyone thinks they're completely still they move a heck of a lot, not just with the wind but in growth and with the seasons. Course I want to be a tree, I'm like the strength of the group trying to fight the battles head on so you guys can do something smart to actually defeat the monsters while they're distracted. It fits.” Steve rambled now, enjoying giving in more to the way he found easiest to identify as if uncertain how accepting people would be.
“Plus I really want to climb you like a tree. So it even works there.” Eddie quipped, getting groans from the kids but a curious smile from Steve.
Before Steve could reply Robin's hand was over his mouth. “Thanks for that image, Eddie, how about you put a pin in that to talk about when you and Steve are alone and not in front of the kids or me.”
Eddie grinned then, nodding, “Sounds good to me. When are we sneaking off together, Stevie?”
“We could now.” Steve offered, shifting to stand before Robin pulled him back down.
“After the film is over and we're heading home.” Nancy stated to pouts from both men.
When they disappeared under the guise of getting more snacks and drinks 10 minutes later she just sighed.
reading a fic with bartenders steve, robin and eddie at a gay bar where eddie also plays with his band sometimes...what can i say...i'm down bad for the concept
fanfic: archiveofourown.org/works/40900020 . the drawings aren't 100% like the fic i had some fun w it hehe
credit to Rubeus_Ix on twt for the bartender poses + used a edward van halen one for eddie playing. lol
Honestly I find it weird that people are so pressed about queer headcanons to the point where they feel the need to reiterate that it isn't canon when everyone knows that. In terms of ST yes it was the 80s, but that doesn't mean no one was queer it just means that not many people were out or got to explore their identities and I really don't have to care that much anyway because it's a headcanon and my silly little queer self can do this for fun and I will (plus is helps me navigate the fandom space which is highly underrated). I'm also going to treat bi Steve as if it's canon for fun and bc I know it would piss people off!
