Ess

Steve used to have a housekeeper that was around far more than his parents and she didn’t speak very good English, but Steve was lonely and longed for a connection so he attempted to teach her all the English that little Stevie knew and for every word he taught her in English she’d teach him the same in Italian. Steve is fluent in Italian, no thanks to his parents, but because he wanted someone to talk to. And Robin finds out sometime after the whole Vecna debacle after hearing him speak with the former housekeeper over the phone (he likes to keep in touch with her and it’s a great opportunity to practice his Italian). Robin, already fluent in said language, is thrilled by this revelation. Flash forward a bit and whenever the two of them wanna talk about something private they can do it in front of other people and they love it. The first time the others catch them talking there are jaws dropping, because everyone knew Robin was smart as fuck and that she knows like five languages, but for whatever reason everyone had just assumed that Steve knew English - and that was it. They ask him about the story, but he tells them it’s a secret and they think he’s just trying to act mysterious and be cool, but Robin knows. And really, the reason he doesn’t immediately want to admit the real reason to the others isn’t because he’s ashamed or wants to tease them (even if it comes across like that), it’s because he doesn’t want them to pity him.

Eddie noticed whenever Steve looked down, of course he did. As much as he tried to hide it, his mask always fell the moment he thought no one was looking. Robin obviously wasn’t that blind and she’d get right to the point before Eddie could. And that’s how he’d found out several heartbreaking facts about Steve. Though he didn’t catch all of their conversation, since they were talking pretty quietly, he could make out enough words to understand that Steve’s parents were home and that they… didn’t treat him well. He heard Robin mention bruises, how she offered Steve to stay the night at hers and he’d declined because “it’d only get worse”.

As soon as Steve’s parents left again he was back to his own self. Did this mean his parents were usually not home? Or had something changed recently? Eddie didn’t know how to approach the subject, especially because he wasn’t supposed to know. This was something Steve had told Robin, and only Robin. Except he overheard. More like eavesdropped, but that’s besides the point. He mulls over what to do, but is completely caught off guard when one day he catches them talking about him. Intrigued, he tries not to let it show that he’s listening. Steve is recalling their conversation from earlier, telling Robin about how close they were standing and that all he wanted to do was grab him and… kiss him? No, he must’ve misunderstood. Robin snorts as a retort and tells him to relax, and make a fucking move. Steve states he’s tried! (What the fuck???) But that maybe Eddie’s just not into boys like that. Eddie hums at the mention of his name, purely out of spite and to see their reactions. To his amusement Steve’s cheeks taint pink while Robin just shrugs and states that it was nothing.

Eddie knows that Robin is a lesbian, and she knows that he’s gay - they had that conversation ages ago. But Steve??? Liking him back? For real? Not just teasing him by flirting back… the simple constant contact between him and Eddie… He feels stupid. For just assuming that Steve was straight and for not believing Robin the million times she’d said that Steve was “safe”.

He waits a few more days, not quite knowing what to do, but then they all hang out again. And Steve is rambling to Robin, and Eddie’s not really listening all that much, too many thoughts swirling around in his head. But then he realizes that Robin’s just sighing and telling Steve to stop and shut up, to “not think like that” and he realizes that Steve’s just talking down on himself about all sorts of things. Not being enough, being stupid and a burden, and- Eddie, just like Robin, has enough and tells Steve to shut the fuck up and not to talk like that about himself!

And everyone freezes. Robin and Steve stare at him wide eyed and there’s a dark pink creeping up Steve’s neck.

“H- what?” Steve gets out.

“Don’t say that,” Eddie answers simply and Robin replies by asking how long he’s known Italian, to which he just responds, “a while”.

They gape at him, Steve looking down at the table, as if embarrassed.

“It was supposed to be a surprise…” Eddie mumbles.