𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐬

TEN: uss butterscotch.

EDDIE TURNED TO look at Steve walking in, his eyes fixated on the Harrington who approached his locker by Eddie, opening it up to take out his uniform to get dressed. He continues to ignore Eddie who's eyes are still fixated on him as he got dressed before finally looking at Eddie, sighing.

"What?" He murmured and kept avoiding the Munson's eye gaze. Eddie smiled widely, "you like James." He says simply put, making Steve quickly glance up at him. "What? No." He said and Eddie raised his brows. "No? Then what's with the blushing and smiling or giggling like a little school girl around him?" Steve looks embarrassed by this, then he sighed. "Look, I'm sorry. I--I'll stop since you guys are getting back together, I just--" "what? James and I are not getting back together." He said and Steve just looked confused by that.

"What? I--I got here five minutes early and saw you guys kissing so I left... then came back." He said and Eddie sighs, leaning against the locker. "I rejected him... he--he wanted to because he thought you weren't into him. But you are, right?" He looks at the Harrington who just stared blankly. He went to his car to cry for nothing? "No--no!" He said and Eddie sighs. "Listen, I never hated anyone as much as I hated you in high school, but Robin vouches for you hardcore and I trust Robby, so I believe you changed." He nodded.

"Oh." Steve whispered, glancing away. "So... I'll help." Eddie says making Steve quickly look up at him. "I'll help you and James get together." He explains and Steve just laughed loudly. "You--you're gonna play cupid for me and your ex? No. No way." He denied quickly and Eddie just snorts. "How else will you get with him?" He asked and he had a point.

Steve stood no chance. Whatsoever. "Okay, fine..." He says and Eddie nods, standing up straight. "No more stupid shit like country. Robin says you listen to country. No more, same with that rap shit by like Jack Harlow or Kanye West. James likes the Smiths. And Radiohead. And Hobo Johnson." He explains and Steve perks up. "I love the Smiths." The Harrington says and Eddie just shook his head.

"Yeah, don't tell James that, he seems like the type to bark at you to name three songs and that he doesn't accept the popular ones as an answer. Actually, doesn't seem like it, I've seen him do it to a poor freshman back in high school." Eddie says and Steve sighs. "Okay... what else?" He asked quietly.

"Compliment him a lot. Give him hugs. If he lets you, he really likes those... really hugs you tight and... breaths in your scent. It's cute." Eddie shrugged and Steve's face turns red at the thought of hugging James. "He's also hung." The Munson laughs softly and Steve looks at him with a bewildered look. "Oh, my God, shut up!" He shoves Eddie's shoulder gently as they now laughed together.

Out in the main area, James was scrubbing down tables as Robin was refilling their straws, napkins, sugar, cream, coffee stirrers, cup sleeves area up as Steve and Eddie are working the two front registers. A blond male stumbled in, adjusting his sunglasses to look around. "Morning." He grumbled tiredly to them. "It's five in the afternoon but goodmorning." James nods to bid the man a greeting who just rolled his eyes behind his sunglasses. Prick. He thought as he approached the front counter, looking at the long haired brunette.

"Ahoy! What can I get you?" Eddie says in his best cheerful tone. "Medium pepperoni and cheese pizza." He yawned and Eddie furrows his brows. "Pizza?" He looked to Steve who quickly shook his head as if to say we're a fucking ice cream shop, not a pizza shop. Eddie looks back at the blond.

"We don't sell pizza." He said and Rhys pulls off his sunglasses. "Wait, what? This isn't Domino's?" He said and Eddie furrows his brows. "No. What the fuck is wrong with you--" He leaned closer and saw the blodshot eyes then chuckled. "Wait, I know you." He pointed at the blond who squints his eyes. "Yeah? You a cop?" He asked and Eddie laughed. "Rhys! Right?" He leaned closer and the blond leans closer too. "Depends. You a cop?" He asked and the Munson frowns.

"It's me, Eddie! Eds? From Hawkins High? You use to be a God to me because you graduated early." He said and smiled widely. "Oh, yeah... Silas' classmate. I remember you. Shit, how long's it been?" He asked and Eddie shrugs. "Four years..." He answers and Rhys raised his brows. "No shit, really?" He asked and Eddie nods, smiling widely.

"So... what can I get here?" Rhys glanced up at the menu above Eddie, squinting his eyes. "Well, if you're so stoned you feel like you're floating, I definitely recommend the USS Butterscotch, delicious while sober and even more while high." He says snd Rhys looks at him, grinning. "Then I'll get that. I'll be over there." He set down a couple bills then went to sit at a booth by the window, staring outside with his sunglasses back on.

"Who was that? And what is he on?" James asked as he came to stand by the counter, his arms crossed. "That's Rhys. Dirty Harry, remember him?" Eddie is grinning as he put together the Butterscotch sundae and James glanced at Steve who shrugged because why would he know guys like "Dirty Harry" in high school. "He was my drug dealer. When I--I started getting stoned more." Eddie said and James softly nods because that meant around the time they'd broken up.

"Oh. Cool..." He mumbled then looked at Steve who's already staring at him. Deep down, Steve thought it was jealousy but quickly dismissed it as he looked away. A part of it was maybe jealousy but mostly curiosity because of how friendly Rhys was with Eddie compared to when he first walked into the ice cream shop and just murmured out a "morning".

Eddie brought over to the sundae to Rhys now so Robin took over the other register as more customers came in. "I can take over if you want." James offers Steve, standing directly in front of him now. "Yeah, thanks." The Harrington sais quickly, standing up. "I'm gonna go take my break for the day..." He said, heading off towards the breakroom as James nodded then looked at Robin who's looking down at her phone with a big grin on her face.

"What are you smiling at, Buckley?"

"Nothing!" The girl set down her phone quickly, smiling smaller and blushing now as James squinted his eyes at her. She hadn't mentioned meeting anyone. And her smile was that meeting someone new smile. He knows because it's different to her forced ones or her friendly smiles. It showed, but he didn't wanna push her so he looks away, smiling faintly at how happy she had seemed.

Then he saw Rhys and Eddie, sitting together and laughing. It should sting, yeah, but he just watched them with a smile on his face. Especially the way Eddie was hiding his smile with his hair. He use to do that a lot around James. Right before they got together. The Hopper now glanced down, fidgeting with his hands before looking up. "Ahoy! What can I get you?" He asked the customer that had just walked up to the front counter.

authors note
jeddie <33 they own my heart, even though hoppington are soulmates 🥹