Tay

“It’ll just take a few minutes.” Steve tells you as he gets out of the drive seat of your car and jogs up the walkway, disappearing into his parents house to grab the documents he needs to finish signing the paperwork on the apartment. You watch as the door closes behind him and Stevie speaks up quietly. “Mama?”

“Yeah, cupcake?”

“If we’re gonna live with Steve..” she goes quiet. Thinking carefully over the words she needs to use to ask her question because you and Steve have been working with her on speaking and words lately and she’s a very smart little girl. She smiles to herself and speaks up, “Does this mean he really is my daddy now? Do you love ‘im?”

You rub the bridge of your nose and sit there for a minute or two thinking about the best way to explain your living situation to your daughter. Because she’s a damn smart kid but she’s just a kid. You want to explain it in a way she can grasp. Without misleading her or lying to her or getting her hopes up.

“Sweetie..” you start, falling silent again for a pause to think about phrasing very carefully because this is a delicate situation. And she’s already so attached to Steve. She’s not the only one but you’re trying to push down your own attachment because that’s not the important thing. Stevie is what’s most important.

“Mama.” Stevie’s waiting, leaning around the back of your seat to try and look at you.

“Yes, I love him. But sweetie, this is a little more complicated than you think, okay?” you answer, words dying out. Stevie nods. “C-o-m-p-l-i-c-a-t-e-d.” she sounds out the word, struggling just a bit. “What’s that mean?”

“It means it’s not easy.” you answer, turning a little in the passenger seat to look at your little girl. “When you’re an adult, sweetie.. You’ll understand more, okay?” you promise, smiling at her. “For now, this is what I can tell you.. I do love Steve. And if you want to think he’s your daddy, you can, baby. As long as he’s okay with it. If it bothers him, you have to stop.”

“Pwomise.” Stevie smiles a little. “He said it won’t ever bother ‘im.”

“Sweetie, that doesn’t mean it won’t one day.” you rub the bridge of your nose and take a deep breath or two, glancing at the fancy stained glass panes at either side of the front door of his parents house.

The house was nice. Big windows in the front and a sloping drive. Expertly manicured lawns. It was the kind of house you’d have killed to grow up in when you were a kid, bouncing from shitty apartment, to strange uncle’s houses, to rundown trailers all over the place because Jenna didn’t like staying in one place too long for most of your childhood.

“Where is my real one?” Stevie asks quietly and you fill with dread. Take a few shaky breaths and for a long pause this time, you’re quiet. Trying to parse out what she’s old enough to know and what can wait until she’s later. This is the question you’ve been preparing for since the  day you left the hospital with her and you’ve been dreading it in equal measure.

“His name is Nick, cupcake. But he wasn’t a good person and he didn’t love us. I didn’t love him, either.” you admit quietly. Stevie’s sitting back in her car seat now, staring out the window at Steve’s house. After a few seconds, she speaks up. “I don’ wanna know him.”

You take a deep breath and nod, smiling at her. “And you don’t have to, sweetie. I promise.” 

“Fank you.” Stevie smiles at you and you laugh softly. Glancing back at the door to Steve’s house because it’s been a while and he’s not coming out yet.

CONTINUED

“Son, we need to have a talk. Right now.” his father’s stern voice shatters his one-tracked train of thought and Steve looks up from digging through the file cabinet to find everything he might need and setting it to the side in a pile.

“If this is about packing, hire someone.” Steve answers calmly. His father grumbles under his breath, annoyed. Steve can’t find his medical folder and given what he wants eventually, it’s kind of necessary to have, so he pushes past his father, going to search for his mom instead.

Not that she’d be any more likely to know where his medical information was at, but on the off chance she might… Steve wanders into his parents bedroom to find his mother sitting quietly, staring at a baby photo of him that sat on her vanity gathering dust for years.

“I can’t believe you’d hide a grandchild from me. From us. We’re your parents, Steve.”

Steve’s brow raises and he rolls his eyes because he almost knows exactly where this is heading. And given the time crunch he’s under, it’s the last thing he wants to deal with because if either of them pushes just a little too hard today, he’s going to explode.

“And you let that poor girl.. The mother of your child, Steve.  You let her fend for herself while you’re all over town with that girl Nancy?” his mother shakes her head in disappointment. “After all the times  you’ve heard your father and I fight about him.. The affairs..” she goes quiet, wincing a little as if she’s pained by what she thinks and this is just enough to push Steve a little closer to that anger that’s been stewing inside and building for most of his life by now.

His father’s leaned in the doorway when he turns to walk out.

“We need to have a talk. Sit.” James nods to the seat at his mother’s vanity table. Steve’s jaw clenches and he goes to step around his father instead of sitting as he’s been told. James towers over his son and commands quietly, “Sit down. You’re not leaving until we’ve talked.”

“We don’t have anything to talk about.” Steve answers, his own firm voice that of course, his father does not like hearing. It’s backtalk to the man. It’s disrespectful and most of the time, it’s the fastest way to push James Harrington right over the edge to anger. But Steve doesn’t care now. He hasn’t cared in a while.

“Oh, but we do.. Whats this I’m hearing about you fathering a child? And then you keep it hidden from us? Probably because you know we’d disapprove of the young woman.” and the clench of his father’s jaw tells Steve that young woman is anything but what he wanted to say and Steve’s fists clench. He chuckles and it’s a dark and bitter sound. “Debra, I’m guessing.”

“It doesn’t matter who told us, Steve. Answer my question. Is it true?”

Steve laughs and rubs his chin thoughtfully. Every part of him wants to tell them it is, because it’s kind of obvious they’ve already decided on their own and nothing he says beyond this point will matter. Every part of him wants to tell them that he doesn’t care if they approve of you or not, you’re the girl that somehow, sooner or later, he’ll be starting a life with. Forever.

Before he starts to answer, his father goes that final step in pushing Steve straight over the edge with his anger. James Harrington chuckles and shakes his head. “I’m going to take your silence to mean the answer is obviously yes.” he looks at Penelope, watches her face go from anger to hurt and then disappointment. “How could you, Steve? You see how your father is…” and Steve shakes his head, "I didn't. Stevie isn’t mine.. but if she was..if I had, I'd have been a better father than him." Steve is furious, he's done mincing words.

James gives his wife an annoyed look. “It’s because we coddled him, Penelope, don’t you get it? Giving him everything a kid could ever want. He’s never had t’ do without a day in his life. He’s never had to struggle and now he’s spoiled. Lazy with a mediocre and worthless job. And he doesn’t want to do better.”

“Right.. Coddling means abandonment now, I guess?” Steve blurts it out before he can stop himself and he steps up into his father, making himself taller. “Since I’m such a failure and a disappointment.. How about I make things easier on both of you.. I’m moving out.” he smirks as he says it, watching his mom gape and immediately speak up, - “ You’re not mature enough to have a family. You’re not mature enough..” she trails off and Steve continues, “You can have your stupid cards and the fucking BMW is parked at the video store. I’ll drive it over later. Neither of you even have to think about me anymore.” as he throws the keys at his father’s feet and takes out his wallet, throwing the credit cards down onto the floor too.

“Son..” Penelope’s trying to speak up, she’s trying to get father and son calm again so they can all talk rationally but then she sees the pain and anger in her son’s eyes. And the coldness in his father’s eyes. And she thinks about how lately, all she can do is replay all the things she wishes she’d done as a mother. How hurt she was to find out her son didn’t trust her enough or care enough to come to her when he landed himself in the situation her friend Debra seems to think he’s in.

How she wants to fix everything. Be a mother to her son and a grandmother to this grandchild that’s been kept from her. She wants to make things right.

,, Maybe it’s too late.” the thought comes and she flinches, not just because Steve and his father are shouting, shoving each other back and forth in anger, prompting her to step between the two just so they stop before it goes too far.

But it goes too far because it was always going to. Steve’s been left alone, made to feel like he’s not good enough, made to feel unworthy of love in any capacity for so long that he’s just fucking done. When his father shoves him, his anger gets the best of him and he takes a swing at the old man.

James stands there gaping, holding his jaw as he shakes in the anger he’s seething in. Then he smirks. “Get out.”

“My pleasure, asshole.” Steve’s jaw flutters as he says it. Penelope speaks up. “Not yet.”

Steve’s gaze settles on his mother and he tugs at his hair, taking a shaky breath or two to calm himself. “Why not? You both know everything.”

“Son..” Penelope swallows hard. “I wish you’d just listen to reason. You’re not mature enough to–” she’s trying to be as delicate with the words as she can but she’s worried. Scared for her little boy and she just wants to better understand everything.

“Stevie isn’t mine.. Yet.” Steve mumbles. “When I have a family, don’t worry. I won’t bother letting either of you know.” and he takes a long and deep breath, pausing to mull over what else he wants to get out of his system. “I was mature enough to leave alone all the time. I was mature enough to cook my own meals. Do whatever bullshit errands that lazy asshole wanted before you two came back for a day or two between trips.” Steve glares at his father and then sighs, shaking his head, “I was mature enough to have exactly two weeks to recover from nearly dying.. And not just once, Mom.. Twice..” he reminds her, “One of those times you couldn’t even be bothered to answer the call when I got Dustin’s mom to call you. I didn’t even call the last time because I knew neither of you would give a damn..” he rubs the bridge of his nose, “I’m mature enough to be given a deadline to move out. I think I’m mature enough to have a kid.. Or anything else I want.” he chuckles bitterly, “But thanks for your motherly concern, Penelope.”

James steps up to his son, glaring. “Apologize to your mother right this instant.”

“Or what? You’re getting your shitty car back, James. And I gave you all the cards back. I don’t need ‘em. Don’t need either of you either. I’m fine.” Steve steps up to his father, fist clenched at his side. “Mail me my medical records.. Or don’t, I’ll call somebody and get the name of my doctors and shit when I need ‘em. I got everything I needed to finish signing paperwork for my apartment.” he smirks at his father, angry and defiant and done giving a shit about stepping on the toes or tiptoeing around with his parents. “Anything else to say, James? Wanna try to hit me again? Tell me I’m a disappointment?”

His father steps back a little and Steve rolls his shoulders and laughs. “I won’t bother either of you again. I’m not steppin foot back in this house after I drop your stupid fucking car off later this afternoon. I’ll figure out how to get around.”

And Steve shoves right past his parents, letting the front door to the house slam shut and rattle as it does. Penelope breaks down, sobbing so hard she’s shaking as it hits her just how badly everything has just gone.

She realizes just how much of a mistake she’s made in life when she looks over at her husband and she doesn’t even see a hint of remorse for anything. Not even a shred of regret for the way they chose to parent their only child. 

“I’m leaving you, James. I.. I can’t pretend anymore. I finally realize I married a cold-hearted jackass. Have fun being free. I’ll call a cab when I’m packed.”

“Penelo-” James starts to call out to her as she goes upstairs and slams the door to their bedroom but her name dies on his lips because honestly, he’d be a lot farther in life by now if he hadn’t knocked up his summer fling and been forced by his own parents to do the right thing and marry her. He hasn’t loved her in years and now that she’s leaving, it feels like a weight’s been lifted. Now that he doesn’t have to deal with his useless son, he feels free.

And it feels so good.

CONTINUED

You can tell something is wrong with Steve by the way he rushes out of the house and down to your car, getting into the drivers seat wordlessly. Even Stevie picks up on it.

“Daddy?”

“Yeah, scout?”

“You otay?”

Steve takes a deep breath. He can break down later on. When he’s got a few minutes to himself away from you or Robin or Dustin or Stevie. Then he can deal with what he’s just done and how he feels about it.

Or this is what he tells himself. Until he locks eyes with you as he pulls away from the curb of his parents old house and starts to drive away. “Steve, what’s wrong?” - and maybe it’s the softness in your gaze, maybe it’s that sweet and quiet little drawl that sounds so concerned.. Worried about him.

Whatever it is, Steve just kind of takes a few wavering breaths and plasters on a weak smile. “Tell you later.” he mumbles so that you can hear him. Stevie repeats her question because he didn’t answer it and she’s worried too. He plasters on a slightly better weak smile to look back at her when he pulls to a stop at the sign on the end of his block. “Yeah. I’m okay. Everything is okay.”

Stevie nods. “We go home now?”

Steve chuckles. “Not for a while yet, scout..” and you smile, stealing a look at him, answering Stevie with a soft laugh. “We don’t get to move in until the 3rd of July.. Remember when I told you that was, cupcake?” you ask and Stevie giggles. “Next week?” she asks.

“Yeah! Good girl, you’re so smart!” you smile even brighter. 

The apartment complex comes into view and you share a look with Steve. As your car pulls to a stop in front of the office, you take a deep breath. Looking over at him again. “You’re absolutely sure you wanna do this..”

“I want to do this.” Steve repeats. “What about you?”

You nod, a smile too big when you answer. “I want to do this too. And we already know each other, we’re friends. It’s going to be fine, Steve.”

Steve almost leans into you just a little too close. He almost just goes for it and kisses you but he reminds himself that he’s trying to take things at least a little slow. Let you realize that you can trust him and he’s not going anywhere. That he wants to be with you and he loves you both more than he can put to words already. 

Instead of kissing you like he’s tempted to, he raises a hand, brushes some hair away from your forehead. Then he smiles at you. “So we’re doing this.”

“We’re doing this.” you take a deep breath and smile back.

CONTINUED

You’re more than a little angry at Steve’s parents because their heads are apparently so far up their own asses that they can’t see what an amazing guy he really is. And he’s your best friend, -also the man you’re in love with, and when he starts to tell you and Robin everything that happened when you had to stop by his parents house earlier that afternoon, you and Robin share a look.

“Steve.. Are you sure you’re okay?” Robin asks, leaning against her best friend’s side. “I mean, are you absolutely sure you’re fine? Because that was.. A lot.” 

You move to sit closer, leaning against his other side. “It was.” you mumble, resting your head against his shoulder as he shrugs and laughs it off as if it’s nothing. You look up at him in concern. “It’s okay if you’re not okay, Steve.” you and Robin both say it at the same time. 

Stevie wanders in from her nap, rubbing her eyes. You hold out your arms to her and she comes over, settling into both your lap and Steve’s until she’s fully awake. 

“I feel really good, actually. Like.. If I’d known I’d feel this good after saying all that earlier, I’d have said it the first time they didn’t care enough to show up at the hospital.” 

Your brow raises. “They left you.. Sitting in a hospital? What the hell?” and Robin smiles to herself as soon as she looks at you and sees just how angry you are after hearing what Steve’s just said. “It was after the Starcourt thing.. Right? Because you tried to call from the payphone. And you told me they were probably just sleeping. I remember.”

“Yeah.” Steve answers, resting his chin against the top of Stevie’s head. Smiling just a little more because having you and Robin with him right now feels a lot better. Stevie leans up against him and yawns. “We go play?” she asks, looking from you to Steve and then over at Robin with big begging eyes.

You nod. “Course, cupcake. Hey.. we can go to the splash pads they opened at the park.”

Steve nods. “Yeah, that’s on the way back from James and Penelope’s house anyway. I told him I’d bring him his shitty car back.”

“Good idea.” you mutter, holding his gaze. “We’ll figure something out.” and you don’t realize just how much what you’ve just said means to him. There was no hesitation, there was no second to think. There wasn’t any of that. 

Robin laughs softly to herself. And when Steve gets up to go grab himself a soda from the drink machine in the break room, she looks at you. Starts to hum the wedding march all over again with a smirk. You stick out your tongue and flip her off before a dreamy sigh leaves your mouth. “In a heartbeat. If he asked.. Since you’re going to give me shit either way we go.” you feel lighter. Confessing the way you feel to Robin and your daughter is.. It takes away the constant urge you have to just blurt it all out to him and risk blowing everything up completely.

Robin gapes for a second and then she’s smirking and oh so smug. “I knew it!”

“The thing is, Robin.. We both know it’s not going to happen. If all I get is the chance to be his friend, I’ll live with that.” you lean your head back against the wall and laugh at yourself, shaking your head as you watch your daughter color in her Strawberry Shortcake coloring book. “I’m down bad, okay? And like.. It’s not just.. It’s everything?”

“Awww.. it’s so sweet.” Robin teases. Eyes glued to Barb when the bell over the door jingles and Barb steps through it, shaking off the raindrops in her hair and on her maroon raincoat. “Hey! How’d it go?”

“We move in next week. On the 3rd.” you smile. And you nudge Robin. “Stop staring and do something already, oh my god.” as you pull yourself up off the floor where you’d been sitting. “I’m gonna go get a drink too.” 

You make your way into the back room and spot Steve lightly punching the drink machine. And even though you know it’s probably not a good idea -especially not for you, not with the way you feel about him and how touching him will be torture for you later when you’re alone and you can’t stop thinking about how his body feels against yours or under your hands- you slip your arms around him and hug against his back. “Steve, it’s okay. It’s gonna be fine. They needed to hear it.”

Steve’s breath hangs in his throat because you’re melted against him and it feels so good. Too good. He turns to face you and this means you’re now hugging against him chest to chest. He slips his arms back around you and leans into you heavily. “It just pisses me off.”

“I know.” you mumble, soft and sweet as you finally pull yourself together enough to look into his eyes. “I know, Steve. But they did deserve it. They’re the ones who abandoned you over and over.”

He nods. “Yeah. They definitely did that.”

“We’ll take your car back on the way to the park later.”

“Shit.” Steve palms his face. “I threw the keys at him earlier. And I don’t know where the hell the spare key is anymore, I think it’s up in my room.”

“Okay, so you can call from here and tell him where it is. Tell him if he wants it, get it himself.”

Steve takes a deep breath. Smirks just a little. “Yeah.  That’s exactly what I’ll do.”

Steve goes off to find a phone to call his father and tell him to pick up the car for himself if he wants it and you lean heavy against the soda machine, pulling yourself together. Robin wanders in and leans next to you, taking some deep breaths of her own and you look at her, concern in your eyes. “What’s up?”

“I uh.. I almost kissed her. I was this close but then Mrs. Fletcher came in just as I was leaning in. Fuck!” Robin takes a swing at the machine and you laugh softly. “Screw what anyone else thinks. And Mrs. Fletcher’s half blind anyway, I doubt she saw anything.”

“But if she did..”

“Robin, stop trying to panic. Everything will be fine.”

“Not if she’s not.. You know.. Like me?” Robin throws up her hands and you grip her upper arms gently. “Calm down, woman. Take a few deep breaths. Look at me, okay?”

“Yeah?”

“There’s nothing wrong with the way you feel. There’s nothing wrong with you.”

“Yeah, well.. Tell that to those kids over in the next town that got jumped outside the bowling alley there. Tell that to every church billboard sign outside.”

You shake your head. “Oh my god, stop having a meltdown. Just.. Relax. Breathe. I’m telling you, Robin.. All that matters is you and her. Okay? Okay.” you laugh softly as she nods and takes several shaky breaths. “She was just.. She’s so good with Stevie it does things to me when I watch them coloring or playing, aghhh.. Fuck. I’m in love with her and it’s driving me crazy.”

Barb is frozen in the doorway, staring at Robin.

“Oh no.” you mumble quietly, looking from where Barb stands to your cousin. “Robbie?”

“She just heard me.” Robin mumbles and her stomach twists in knots.

“Mhm. You two need to talk, okay? I’m going out front with Stevie. Talk to her, holy shit.” you disappear out the door, leaving the two of them to stand quietly.

But the silence doesn’t last long at all. Barb steps into the breakroom and lets the door bang shut softly behind her. “Finally.”

Robin’s brow raises as Barb makes her way over, stepping up into her. Robin’s back connects with the soda machine in a soft smack as Barb places a hand on her hip and the column of her neck and rests her forehead right against Robin’s. Laughing softly. “I’ve been wanting to say the same thing..” she pauses, swallowing down a lump in her throat and fighting off a swarm of butterflies that suddenly fill her stomach, “And I’ve been wanting to kiss you since the day Nancy introduced us I was just.. Y ou know how hard it is, right? To be like this?”

Robin nods. Melting herself into Barb as her hand raises, carding fingers over Barb’s scalp. “I love you, B. And I don’t care who says it’s wrong or we’re wrong and I can’t like.. I can’t fight it anymore.”

“I love you too, Robbie.” Barb responds, their mouths crashing against each other, the tips of their noses banging against each other’s nose as Barb’s hand clutches the front of Robin’s favorite black shirt and she uses her grip to pull Robin into her completely. The kiss deepens, both girls seeing stars as it comes to a gentle end and they’re left to stare at each other and take it all in. 

“Do you want to go to the drive in with me later? And not just as friends.. I want to hold your hand and I wanna feel your head on my shoulder. I wanna lay my head in your lap and stargaze after.” Barb mumbles softly, Robin giggling and turning red in the face as she’s so flustered for once that words completely fail her. “I can’t believe this is really happening, I.. I tried to plan so many times in my head how I’d tell you.”

“You can make it up to me.” Barb teases gently, a hand raised to caress Robin’s face.

“I will. I promise. As much as you want, as long as it takes.” 

CONTINUED

“If you want the car, it's parked outside Family Video.”

“You’ll bring it to me, Steve.”

“If you want the car, James, you’ll come get it.” Steve flips off the phone and slams it back down on the cradle and you look at him in concern. Stevie’s coloring at the desk nearby and Steve steps up into you, squeezing your hips in his hands. Because you make him calmer. You make him feel better.

And right now, that’s what he needs.

Stevie slips out of the chair and wanders over, holding up the coloring sheet she’s just finished to him. “I make you picture.”

He smiles. Takes a few deep breaths and scoops her up so that she can show him the picture. 

The cab pulls to a stop outside the video store and Steve tenses up all over. You're staring up at him in concern. "Everything okay, Steve?" you question.

"That's my mom. And I didn't think either of 'em would show up this quick." he laughs and the sound is bitter. "It's the car, they're getting something, of course they're gonna show up this time." the hurt and sarcasm in his voice is enough to make you completely forget your normal reservation and reach down, letting your fingers mesh with his as he takes a few deep breaths.

Robin and Barb wander out trying to straighten themselves up and when Robin recognizes Steve's mom, she gives him a concerned look. "Steve?"

"It's okay, Robbie." Steve is shrugging as if it's nothing but he's watching his mom try keys and stop as if she's holding back tears. He feels like shit but everything he said needed to come out because everything he said is the biggest reason he's struggled so long. Its the reason he had such a hard time letting go when he shouldn't have.

Then his mom looks up and right at him. Lingering in front of the store like she wants to come in but she doesn't dare. She manages a weak smile when she sees him with your daughter in his arms and the way you've stepped as close as you can to her son…like you want to protect him and you love him. Her mind is eased and maybe she stands there long enough to realize that somehow, entirely on his own, her son grew up. Became so much more mature than she could have ever hoped.

And she longs to go inside, to say something before she leaves town on her own for a while, but she wants to give him time before she reaches out. She needs to work through everything for herself too. And it's selfish but she wants to give her son time to cool down. Because he was honest but the harsh words stung just a little too much and right now, she can't handle it.

Steve doesn't see her watching but you do. And it only makes you step a little closer. Squeezing the hand beneath yours. "Hey..it'll be fine. Screw them."

And it's easy for you to say. So easy. Too easy. But you know it kills him. He's sweeter. So much sweeter. More sensitive. It's the whole reason you love him.

Watching him deal with this kills you. And there's only so much you can do. ,,but I can do something." the thought comes. 

"Steve.. it'll be okay. It's okay not to be okay." you mumble quietly. He shrugs. "I'm fine. I said what I needed to."

Stevie puts her arms around his neck to hug him and he lets her, laughing quietly. Robin looks from Steve and the way he's standing so close right now, to you as she mouths, "Your turn."

And she's not wrong. You love him. The one thing that stops you is knowing he deserves better. 

CONTINUED

" There's been a small change of plans, I am terribly sorry to do this on short notice, but we'd like the things on this list kept separate from the other things in the house. They need to be taken to this address." Penelope Harrington is calm and smiling as she charms the moving company in the same way she charmed the owner of the apartment complex her son will be moving into soon. 

It's not nearly enough but she hopes it's something to help the two of you start out. She slips out the letter she's spent all afternoon writing and pushes it towards the clerk. "I'd like this to be put in one of the boxes too."

"Yeah, alright. All this is gonna cost ya eighty extra." the young clerk tells her and she slides some money across to him. "Thank you for doing this."

CONTINUED

"Okay, where the hell are we going?" Steve's laughing as you lead him down to the duck pond at the park. "Steve, it's called a surprise." you answer, leading him by the hand.

Nancy leans against the trunk of a tree behind the two of you and she's laughing to herself. She'd come to say goodbye but watching you with him feels like she's intruding on an intimate moment so she turns and walks away. 

You gently push him down to a sitting position on the old comforter. Then you lean into him and raise the scarf you had tied over his eyes and when he sees the Enzos takeout container, he doesn't know what to say. Or do, this is a first for him. Normally, this is what he'd do.

As you're raising the scarf up, you can't resist the urge to gingerly just barely caress his cheek. His breath hangs and he has to fight to keep himself in control of his emotions.

"I, uh.. you had a bad day. I-i.. I wanted to do something." you explain, wishing that you could just do it already, say and do what you want to so badly.

Steve bites his lip as he gets lost in your eyes, going quiet. You're staring right back. "Hope your hungry because I smelled their pasta and I may have went crazy." -it's an attempt to make conversation without it being awkward.

"You didn't have to do this.."

"I know." you shrug, "Wanted to." you laugh softly as you look over at him. "Are you really okay, Steve?" you question, gazing at him in concern. 

He shrugs. "Kind of. I've had a long time to get used to it."

"To what?"

"Being alone." he shrugs. You reach out, gently gripping his jaw. "You're not, y'know. You have Robin.. those kids, they adore you.." you go quiet. "Stevie loves you. And you're my friend too, Steve."

You wish you could just get the nerve to say what you really mean. Both of you sit there quietly. You shift to lean against him and speak up quietly. " Least we won't turn into our parents."

Steve nods in agreement and chuckles quietly. "That's true."

He slips an arm around you and it pulls you into his side a little better. "Thank you..for this."

"I couldn't just do nothing. I could tell it was bothering you." you admit, going quiet. 

FIVE

“ She told me she wishes he was her daddy.” you’re munching on some french fries from Wendy’s as you watch Steve and Stevie down at the pond, feeding the ducks together. Steve has Stevie sitting on his shoulders and you can hear her laughter as it echoes through the park.

You can’t stop staring. Your eyes roam freely. You tell yourself that if you can’t be with him, you can stare as much as you like but honestly, you’re not stupid. All you’re managing to do is torture yourself every single time you wind up doing it.

Barb laughs softly and Robin snickers at the faraway look in your eyes as they glue themselves to Steve’s body all over again. You’ve been stealing glances a lot more lately. 

You got so caught up in it when everyone met to hang out at the pool two afternoons ago that you nearly face planted the door to the women’s restroom just because he went off the high dive, answering a dare that guy across the street who works as a lifeguard gave him.

“Pick your jaw up off the table, woman.”

You jump a little, broken out of your daze by your cousin’s teasing so you flip her off. The two of you share a look and while Barb is busy grabbing herself a soda from the vending machine nearby, you smile at your cousin. “You need to do something, okay? Who cares what anybody thinks? Screw them. And I don’t see aunt Janet being as horrified as you have yourself believing she will be. Now grandma Ethel.. Possibly. But she clutches pearls at everything, Robbie.”

“You do something and maybe I will. You’re the older one. Lead by example.”

“Robin..” you sigh and shake your head, taking another bite of your double cheeseburger. Groaning at the taste as it fills your mouth because you haven’t really eaten anything today. It’s been busy at the office.

In a desperate bid to change the subject because you’ve told your cousin so many times exactly why you can’t just  throw caution to the wind and the more you have to tell her, the more convincing her arguments are as to why you can -and should, do that very thing are starting to become.. In a desperate bid to get off the current topic and on to a new one, you speak up.

“I think I might have found an apartment. We can go look at it later.. If you wanna come with me?”

“You and sparkles should stay with mom and I longer.” Robin shakes her head. Pouting a little. “I don’t wanna lose my little buddy.. Or you and our nighttime talks. C’mon, it hasn’t been that bad.”

“It hasn’t. But I need to stand on my own again too. Like.. I know this is putting a huge strain on aunt Janet as far as money goes. And if I’m living in my own place, it won’t be as bad. They just gave me a raise and more hours.”

Robin’s still not thrilled, but she nods. “Yeah, okay. But you’re still stuck with me, woman.” “Duh.. We have a blood pact. Remember?” you laugh and so does she. “Where is the apartment?” she asks after a second or two. You’re distracted, watching Steve and Stevie again, he’s pushing her on the swings now. “Hm?” you ask as you take a sip of your vanilla Frosty.

“Woman, oh my god.. If you don’t do something it’s going to drive you insane. And lately, whenever you two are around each other, the air’s almost heavy enough to choke somebody. Everybody notices it.”

“It’s not!” you’re laughing. But there’s this small part of you that cannot deny that lately, since you and Steve have gotten closer and opened up to each other more, there’s something different between you.

He’s more touchy. He teases you more. You caught yourself flirting with him on more than one occasion because you couldn’t resist doing it and it happened before you could catch yourself. There’s the way you seem to lack a sense of boundaries when he’s around.

And Robin isn’t wrong, you’re starting to find it really hard to resist just going for it.

“Everybody hasn’t noticed because it’s not like that.” you insist.

Barb laughs as she slips down onto the bench right next to Robin and hands her a Tab. “Okay, am I allowed to call bullshit? Because that is exactly what you’ve just said is… Total bullshit. Everybody’s noticed it, ___.”

“There’s nothing to notice! We’re friends.” you insist.

“Friends don’t look like they’re a second away from kissing each other, ___. Which is exactly what you two looked like the other night when we all went to see that movie together at Starcourt.” Robin is patient when she says it. Laughing as she remembers turning to find Steve dragging his thumb over the butter smeared on your cheeks. Or later, finding you leaned against him, the two of you and Stevie whispering back and forth as you all stared up at the screen and shared popcorn from the same mega sized bucket.

Or even later, when the crowd leaving the theater as the movie ended got so thick that Robin watched as Steve pulled one of his patented Harrington moves out, resting his hand against the small of your back as you all wandered out.  

She’s annoyed that neither of you are willing to budge but it’s oh so painfully obvious.

“Even Eddie’s asked if you have something going on! And Eddie, he’s practically the most oblivious guy on Earth!” Robin insists, throwing up her hands in exasperation as you calmly shake your head no and insist all over again, “He’s not into me like that. I’d know it if he were! Body language expert, remember?”

“My ass you are.” Robin grumbles, the two of you flipping each other off as your laughter dies away.

“Where’s the apartment?”

You cringe a little because you know your cousin well enough to know that when you tell her it’s over that one bar on the wrong side of town, she’s not going to be thrilled. And honestly, you’re not either.

But you refuse to keep burdening your aunt and you know it’s putting a strain on her  having two more mouths and more of a mess to keep up with. You help as much as you can. And you really love being there, you just know that you need to stand on your own again.

“Okay, there’s a teeeny flaw with the place.”

“I’m not liking it already.” Robin’s shaking her head, taking a sip of her  soda after she’s opened the tab. 

“It’s over that bar on the way out of town. The owner.. He uh.. He came in to the office for a consult and he mentioned that he was going to open up the empty units and start renting them out. He told me if I did all my own repairs and stuff he’d knock it off the rent, too. And he’s only charging like… I think he said 400 a month for a two bedroom?”

“Absolutely not. Do you know how often the cops are called to that place? And Eddie’s band, they played there once, said there was a brawl in the middle of their set so bad that an ambulance had to be called.”

Barb speaks up. “Wasn’t Steve looking at a place, Robbie? And it’s near the school. It’s one of the two that the guy who owns the Post just opened up and completely remodeled.”

You give both of them a playful dirty look. “Mhm, like it’s not obvious what you’re getting at.” you laugh as you finish off your Frosty. “I’d fold like a deck of cards if I had to live with him.” you’re doing it again, staring at him openly as you fan yourself with a stack of napkins. “And it’s not even like.. Okay, he’s fucking gorgeous, don’t get me wrong. But that’s not even why I fell in the first place.” you nod to the way he’s waiting on Stevie at the end of the big spiral shaped slide on the playset, “Its the way he is with her. It’s the way he treats everybody.. Like.. I can’t explain it but god, it just turns me on.”

“Because he’s a good guy. He has changed a lot since high school. But anyway, why not look at the place Steve is looking at? You guys are getting to know each other and you’ve gotten to be really good friends.” Barb’s looking at you, giving you a smirk that only makes you stick out your tongue at her. “I just told you why, B! If I live with that man, I will fold like laundry.”

“That’s kind of why she suggested it. One of you needs to, jesus.. The tension is getting to the rest of us outside the little bubble the three of you have formed lately…” Robin laughs and shakes her head. “So stubborn. Why keep fighting it? What if it ends up being amazing? I mean, you said it yourself. He’s good with her. He’s good to you.. To everyone, actually. Why not just go for it?”

“What if it completely blows up though?” you counter, biting your lip. “I can’t.. I won’t put her through what Jenna put me through.”

“Speaking of.. She called last night. I dunno what she said to Mom but Mom exploded. It was great. She told her she was the worst mother to ever exist and hung up. Told her to call back when it wasn’t about something she wanted or something she needed.”

“She didn’t even ask about Stevie.” you guess, frowning and rolling your eyes when Robin’s look confirms it. You shrug. “It’s her loss. We’re fine without her.”

“Definitely.” Robin agrees, reaching out to steal some of the fries you have left.

“Will you guys just come with me to look at the place? Please?” you ask them both, giving them a pleading look.

“Fine.. But I’m not gonna like it.”

“And I agree with her.”

You laugh and slip off the bench, making your way over to where Steve and Stevie are by the swings again. Stevie loves the swings. The day before, you brought her to the park and she refused to leave until she’d spent at least an hour swinging. An hour that you happily obliged because one day, she’ll be older and you already know that you’re going to miss this.

You take advantage of every little moment you’re allowed because they’re moments you won’t ever be able to get back.

CONTINUED

“Daddy! Higher! My feet almost touch clouds!”

When she says it, she’s giggling. Her eyes squeezed shut against harsh afternoon sun. Smiling so big that it’s probably ten times brighter than the sun itself. Steve is frozen and at first, he doesn’t know how to respond.

All he knows is that when she calls him Daddy, he finds himself wishing that it wasn’t just an accidental slip-up. That he really was her father. Because that’d mean he got both of you, all to himself for the rest of your lives. If it were true, nothing would make him happier.

The swing comes back down, Steve catches it and brings it to a stop. "Higher, huh?" he laughs as he locks eyes with you because you're standing nearby, watching. He's gazing down at Stevie now and he chuckles. "Dunno if it's a good idea, scout." 

"Pwease?" She's begging and it's adorable. He still can't decide what to do about her calling him Daddy, so for the time being, selfish as it might be, maybe he just pretends that he is. And that she's his little girl, the two of you are his girls.

Everything feels better, he notices, when he pretends like it's true and he acts like it's true. He doesn't feel as alone until later on when he actually is alone and the realization sets in all over again.

A brunette nudges you in your side, nodding to Steve as he pushes your daughter in the swings.

"Hi."

"Hey." you turn your attention to her after calling out to Stevie not to hang the way she is off the swing. "Something you want?"

"Is Steve her father?"

You shake your head. Smile fading a little. One, because you're pretty sure her entire reason for asking has everything to do with her interest in Steve and this makes you just a little jealous and two, without even realizing it, you were kind of imagining what it might be like if things were totally different. If Steve was actually her father. If the two of you were together.

"She called him daddy. Just now." the brunette states. "Either he is or he isn't." and she's pretty sure he's no, after all they were close friends, there's no way he could've hidden something this massive from her and Tommy. And she likes to think he wouldn't have attempted it, either. But the little girl calling her best friend daddy did make 

"He isn't. Closest thing she's known t' one though."

"She looks like he did when we were all kids." and it hits Carol that she hasn't actually introduced herself yet. She laughs quietly and palms her face. "I'm Carol. Steve is an old friend. The two boys on the slide are mine." she points out her sons and you smile. Stevie is racing towards you and you drop, holding your arms out for her as Steve jogs over behind her, laughing. 

Carol watches as you scoop up the little girl and cover her face in noisy kisses. Steve is staring at you, oh you can bet she picks right up on that. And she's thinking about the way you were all soft eyed and staring as he pushed the cute little girl on the swings just now.

,,this is what he deserves. He needs to find the confidence he had in high school and just go for it already because the air is so thick between them I cannot breathe." 

"Carol."

"Steve." she smiles, giving him a thumbs up as she nods to you and Stevie. Steve raises a brow because usually, Carol is nothing if not a harsh critic of anyone he dates or shows interest in and it only doubled down after things ended with Nancy.

"What's her name?"Carol's attention turns back to you and she's smiling. Curious, with the strong feeling that Steve is definitely falling hard and fast for you because he's gone into protective mode without even seeming to realize. She knows because he's stepped closer to you and Stevie as if to shield you both. 

"Stevie." you answer. She smiles, nodding towards the slides again. "Tommy and Hunter."

Carol makes her way over to the slide where her sons are and Steve gives you an apologetic smile. "She wasn't like…rude or anything, right?"

But you're distracted, between what she revealed to you about Stevie looking a lot like Steve and Carol revealing that Stevie called Steve daddy, you have a lot on your mind at the moment.

Steve repeats his question and you smile, you shake your head no. "No, she wasn't."

You're just wondering.. how did Steve react to your little girl calling him Daddy? 

And more importantly, how should you react to it?

CONTINUED

"Yeah, I don't like this place." this is said by Steve who offered to come over and really look at the little two bedroom apartment you were told about earlier in the week. Robin speaks up next. "What is that smell?" and Barb asks the same question. "I'm agreeing with them."

"It's not that bad." You're wandering around the empty space. It's bigger and brighter than your old apartment. And considering it's over a bar, the floor is so thick that barely any noise seeps up through worn hardwood flooring. "It's bigger than the last one."

" I just don't think this is a good idea, __." Steve repeats. The door lock isn't the best but honestly, that's the least of the things he's noticed. He can tell you're determined but so is he. "There's other places, ___. Maybe we should look at em before you decide anything."

"Yeah, I'm going to agree with the dingus here."

"I'm agreeing with Robin. And Steve."

You're not entirely sold on the place either but you're determined to find something soon. You've never been the kind to wear out your welcome and you're just so used to doing everything alone that you don't know how to take help when it's offered.

Or this is what both Robin and your aunt keep telling you.

"Okay. Alright. I'll look a little more." you promise the three of them. Stevie stirs in your arms and buries her nose down in your neck. "Mama, somethin stink."

"We're leaving now, cupcake." you laugh softly. "Good. Smell make me wanna barf." she grumbles. “Don’t wanna live here cos it stinky. Like old cheese. Feet.”

All of you wander out, Robin and Barb getting into Barb's car and after you've fastened Stevie into her carseat, you get into the passenger seat of your Mustang. Steve's driving like he usually offers to whenever everyone goes out together lately and you decide to take your car. As he merges in traffic, he speaks up. "You'll find somethin better."

"Not at that price. And it's two bedrooms."

"There was a murder in the alley behind the place..this guy I know..Jim..he worked the scene. I think it was like..my junior year?"

"Oh. Yeah, I didn't know that."

"People don't talk about it a lot." Steve answers. "That place is dangerous. Just trust me."

You nod before you even realize you've done it. You, the headstrong and argumentative, stubborn one. You, the one who always does whatever she wants whenever she wants. And when you realize that you're just going along now, you're stunned to a state of silence. 

He pulls into the spot next to Barb's Volvo and kills the engine and nods to the car seat in your back seat. "She's out."

"She sleeps so well when she goes for a ride." you tell him as you quietly pull open your door. As you're unfastening her seatbelt, she looks up at you all groggy from her nap. "Wan' daddy t' carry me."

Your breath hangs and you're frozen. It was fine when she'd do this, call him that whenever it was just you two. You usually just gently remind her that she can't blurt it out and she needs to call him Steve or Mr.Steve. But she's just done it all over again right in front of him.

Steve is about to speak up and say something strictly because he doesn't want to make you uncomfortable or anything, and he figures you're about to anyway. But then, instead of saying anything, you turn to him with an apologetic smile. "I keep telling her she can't do it when we're not alone, that you might not like it."

As he starts to realize what you're getting at, he's stunned speechless. The implication that she's done this before..that she does it a lot when it's just the two of you and the further implication that you're okay with it.. the smallest glimmer of hope is in bloom and the wheels are turning in his mind. 

"I got her." he reaches out to take Stevie and she wraps little arms around his neck and yawns because she's beginning to wake up. "Good nap, wasn't it?"

"Mhm." Stevie answers. "Now I sooooo hungry."she giggles. You gape at him. "How is it she's not a little grouch right now? She's a grouch waking up for me?"

Steve shrugs. Smirks a little as he pulls open the door to the diner just in time to come face to face with Nancy, Jonathan and Jonathan's friend Argyle as they come out with grease stained bags. Upon seeing him, Nancy is kind of frozen, definitely shocked to see Steve with a little girl in his arms and even more shocked that she's seeing just a hint of the side he opened up to her when they were together.

,, everyone kept telling me he met someone. They all said he was finally happy again. And that weird rumor that he had a kid and somehow nobody knew.. I can see why it started."

"Hey Steve."

"Nance. Hey. You haven't left yet?" and it's honestly no an act to make her think he's okay this time, this is what shocks him most. He's honestly just been so busy lately, he's been so preoccupied with fighting the nightmares, the mess Vecna left in his head when he was done with him and since the end of April, his feelings and the attachment he's forming with Stevie and you that honestly, he hasn't given her a whole lot of thought. Lately, he's given her none at all and when this hits him, he's more than a little shocked. 

"We leave next week.. Monday?" she looks to Jonathan as if she's not sure and he smiles and nods. "Yeah. Monday…hey, we're having a get together with everyone this weekend. You guys should come." Nancy looks from Steve to you as she says it. Her gaze lingers on you just a little longer. Taking in the way you’ve molded yourself right against Steve’s side and you’re standing just a little taller. As if to protect him.

Steve starts to say no. But between the tension you're picking up on and you'd die before admitting it, the slightest bit of jealousy and anger you feel upon meeting the ex girlfriend, you speak up before he gets a chance. "We can if you want to, Steve. It's up to you." you’re trying to act as a buffer. 

Pretending things between you and Steve are more serious. More intimate than they actually are all while coming to the realization that his ex girlfriend is a very good and clear reminder as to why he’d never willingly settle for you. Nancy’s beautiful and she’s got this good girl look about her. Not to mention, her life is together and yours, well.. You make yourself stop thinking too hard and picking yourself apart before you get too deep into doing it.

His brow raises. And he tells himself there's no way, you can't be jealous, but there's just something about the way you melt into his side just a little more..and of course, the tiniest hint of mischief in those beautiful eyes of yours as you look up to hold his gaze as you're doing it, as if you do it all the time. He chuckles. "We'll try, Nance. I'm not promising anything."

"Mama, can you take me to bathroom?" Stevie speaks up, reaching for you. "Wait for you inside?" you ask Steve, glad your daughter needs to use the bathroom because the more you stand there, the more you compare yourself to his ex. The more you tell yourself there's no way he'd just settle for you and your jealousy -as well as the knee jerk reaction it caused just now, are pointless.

You go in with Stevie and Steve is left to stand there. This is made further awkward when Jonathan steals a kiss before walking away to Argyle's van. This leaves the two of them alone.

Nancy laughs. 

"What?" Steve raises a brow.

"She really likes you. A lot. Robin said it was obvious but wow.." Nancy smiles up at him and keeps laughing, " You feel something too. Didn't almost dying teach you anything, Steve?"

Steve blows out a breath and shifts his feet. "Yeah."

"So do something! You could have your dream life. Don’t you want that?"

He nods.

She fluffs his hair and goes to step past him, pausing for a few seconds. "You'll be okay.. i.. I was worried about you after…you know.. I just want you to be happy. Like me." and with a smile, she's gone. Rushing over to the van just as the rain starts.’

 Steve lingers for a minute, trying to figure out where she came to the conclusion that you like him as much as she seemed to think. Mulling over the advice she gave that he didn't ask for.

You're sitting in the booth with Robin and Barb, feeding Stevie fries as you watch the two of them outside but try to make it seem as if you're not. And of course, Robin picks right up on it and clears her throat. You nod to them. "Yeah, if that's not a reminder of why I need to ignore the way I feel…" you muse as you take some fries for yourself. Barb and Robin share a look and then they're both looking at you.

"What? You see her! She's a knockout and she's got her life together."

"She really doesn't, though." Barb speaks up, laughing to herself. Robin agrees. "You need to stop ignoring it and do something about it. What happened, huh? You used to be the brave one?"

You laugh and roll your eyes. "Yeah, when it comes to dumb stuff. Emotional risks have never been my thing."

"The fact that you sit here so confidently convinced that he doesn't feel the same way when everyone knows that he does. I can't. You're the single most stubborn.." Robin laughs and Barb laughs with her, slipping fries out of the shared tray between them.

Steve wanders in and as he makes his way over to the table, Barb nudges Robin and leans in, whispering against her ear, "Okay, whatever Nance said to him… he's looking more like King Steve right now than he has in a really long time.."

"Maybe he's finally going to do something." Robin adds, nodding in agreement. Your breath hangs in your throat when instead of grabbing a chair and pulling it to the booth like usual, Steve seats himself in the space beside you. As his designer cologne envelopes you and your sides brush, you need to go pull yourself together. "I'll be right back."

You hurry to the bathroom and when Robin peeks in a few seconds later and sees you visibly flustered, trying to pull yourself together, she doubles over laughing and steps inside. "You okay?"

"I, uh… never better?" you're trying to pull yourself together because the way he looked at you when you locked eyes before you rushed in the restroom to cool down.. you can still feel it's effects. And the scent of his cologne surrounding you, the way he sat down and got as close to you as he could get.

It's all combined to do a number on you.

"You're in for it now." Robin muses,  giving you a smirk. She knows something you don't, of that, you're certain.

"Huh?"

Robin shrugs. "Oh trust me. You'll figure it out. Especially if what I think is about to happen actually happens."

"Context?"

"Oh no.. no, because if I do that, you won't believe me."

"Seriously?" 

"As a heart attack."

CONTINUED

Your red Mustang pulls to a stop in the driveway of your aunt's trailer. Stevie is sleeping in the back, in her car seat and as Steve kills the engine and holds out your keys, he closes his hand around yours when you reach for them. Steps as close as he can and when he does, your breath promptly hangs in your throat.

"If Stevie calling you that earlier…if it bothers you.."

"It doesn't." Steve looks over at you, "does it bother you?" and for a few seconds, he's searching your face for something..any indication that Nancy..Robin, Dustin and even Billy, that they're all completely wrong.

He doesn't find that. Instead, what he actually finds is just enough for the flimsy bit of hope to grow just a little more because you're looking up at him and . You're unfastening Stevie from her car seat and he gets out, holding your aunt's front door open for you as you walk through with Stevie asleep on you. 

You can feel the air getting thicker. Something is different. It's not bad, only intense. So intense you almost feel like you can't breathe. 

,, I have to be imagining it. This is just wishful thinking because i want to let it happen so bad that it's driving me crazy." 

"You're sure it doesn't?" you question, tilting your head to look up at him and he chuckles quietly, shrugging as he answers, " I actually like it. If it bothered me at all, I swear I'd say something. Are you sure it doesn't bother you?" and then he steps closer. Pushes open the bedroom door for you as you step inside to put Stevie to sleep for the night. " It doesn't. If it did I would have stopped her the few times she's said it when it's just the two of us." you answer, looking up at him. Holding his gaze and God help you, squirming just a shade when it feels like he's looking deeper at you as he does the same. 

"See you tomorrow." he finally manages to pull himself out of his daze and the temptation to touch you is so strong that he clenches his hand at his side.

You fall back into the bed beside your sleeping daughter and take several very shaky deep breaths.

CONTINUED

The whole drive across town to his parents empty house consists of him having the mother of all internal dilemmas. Instead of going home, he winds up at Dustin's house.

Dustin raises his window and gives Steve a concerned sleepy look. "Something wrong?"

Steve immediately starts the pacing as soon as he’s climbed through Dustin’s window. And rambling as he paces. And when Dustin figures out what's causing his best friend to pace a hole through his bedroom floor, he's snickering about it. 

" She does it like all the time, man. You're just noticing Stevie calls you daddy?"

"Today is the first time she's actually said it to me directly." Steve answers, gaping as Dustin's statement sinks in. "Wait..she's done it in front of you then?"

Dustin nods to the chair at his desk and Steve sinks down to sit. "Yeah. She actually started like..a week ago? Two, maybe?” Dustin yawns and smiles, falling silent for a few seconds before picking up where he left off, explaining the situation to Steve as Stevie explained it to him, “ This girl in her daycare group named Sadie has her convinced that if she picks her dad then whoever she picks automatically just..is. I tried t' talk to her but she's stubborn and she plugged her ears, started to hum. She said her mind was made up. That even if she couldn't tell you, she still knew and that was okay with her. She was afraid you might be mad so her saying it directly to you man.." Dustin pauses, rubs his eyes as he chuckles quietly, "That's huge."

Steve's chuckling too. "Yeah, the uh..the stubborn thing, that’s like 1000 percent her mom." he drags a hand through his hair. "I saw Nancy earlier. We talked. Well, she talked. I thought I'd have more to say but I didn't."

Dustin nods. Looks up at Steve in concern but Steve shrugs. "It's over. It's been over. I get it now."

"Okay, so what about ___?"

Steve rubs his chin as he thinks about it. He knows he can't keep fighting it, not with everything he's either accidentally overheard or he's figuring out only just now. He wants to fight. He wants to win.

"I'll figure it out. The uh.. the letting Stevie call me daddy thing though.. that won't mess her up, right?" and he wants to laugh at himself, he's asking a literal teenager for advice right now but…Dustin Henderson is the second person he trusts the most in the world. Robin Buckley is the other person and he's definitely going to bounce all of this off her tomorrow.

Because he's determined that this time..this time the ending he wants most in the world is absolutely going to stick.

"No? Why would it? Her father is some asshole who didn't even want her to be born, man. If anything, it's clearly for the best this way, Steve."

Steve nods quietly. "To not fucking this up, right?"

Dustin grins even brighter. "You're finally going to do something then?"