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Being Spider-Man should’ve been a paying job. Then Steve wouldn’t have to be going on job interviews every week, only to be rejected due to his “lack of experience.” He resisted the urge to tell them how he could have any experience when all he had time for was saving lives ? The nerve of these people, honestly. Still, he did have that freelance job sending pictures of Spider-Man to the Daily Bugle, which was fine. It helped pay his rent (barely), but it was good enough.
Still, he wanted an actual job that didn’t end with an email exchange about how much Jameson hated Spider-Man. Really, if Steve had a nickel for every time Jameson trash talked his alter ego, he’d be able to afford to live alone.
Not that living with Eddie and Robin was bad . It was great, actually. The three of them were beginning to be pretty close. Well, as close as they could get without knowing about Steve’s side job. It wasn’t that Steve didn’t trust them. He just didn’t want them to get hurt. He would never forgive himself if he caused either of them to get hurt or - even worse - killed .
Sometimes he thought Robin was onto him. He always kept his door shut, insisting that it was off limits (due to his ridiculous amount of tech and his very obvious suit blueprints on his wall), but he could’ve sworn he had seen her exiting his room one afternoon. He had confronted her about it, but she had just shrugged him off, denying it.
Whatever, Steve thought. If she found out he would deal with it.
Eddie was - a different situation.
Mostly because Steve made it a habit of following Eddie home on his late nights walking back from band practice. And Eddie noticed. So then sometimes Steve would hold onto Eddie and swing him through the city. And maybe they kissed a few times. And now Steve was fucking head over heels for his best friend/roomate and said best friend/roomate had no idea .
It was torture, but it was self-inflicted, so he just had to deal with it.
It was moments like this, though, when Steve’s intrusive thoughts almost won. Eddie was making breakfast, wearing a worn pair of plaid pajama pants and an old concert tee, his hair in a bun, a couple strands hanging in his face. It was so domestic and he was fucking humming and the pancakes smelled so good and Steve felt like he was going to need to jump out the window before he did something he would regret.
“What’re your plans for this lovely Sunday morning, Stevie?” Eddie turned to him, smiling. God, those fucking eyes . “Other than eating my delicious breakfast, of course.”
Steve shrugged, tearing his gaze away from Eddie. He glanced outside. It was raining. Ugh. he hated swinging in the rain. It felt like tiny daggers in his skin. Maybe he should update his suit to not let that happen. He filed that thought away for later. “Eh, nothing much. Might run a few errands. Do some laundry.”
Eddie snorted. “Sounds like a super fun day, dude.”
Steve looked back at Eddie. He was putting pancakes on three plates. “Is Rob still asleep?” Steve asked.
Eddie rolled his eyes. “Probably. I heard her facetiming Nancy until, like, three in the morning.”
“At least one of us has a love life,” Steve grumbled, sitting at the table and drowning his pancakes in syrup.
Steve caught Eddie blushing. “Yeah, right. We’re both pretty hopeless, huh?”
Steve raised an eyebrow. “Eds? You got something to tell the class?”
Robin entered the room, yawning. “Morning losers. What’re we talking about?”
Eddie waved a dismissing hand. “Nothin’, Buckley. Eat your pancakes.”
“Eddie was just about to share why he was blushing when I mentioned my shitty love life,” Steve smirked, having an idea as to why exactly Eddie had been embarrassed. Eddie hadn’t really talked about his little dates with Spider-Man with Steve or Robin, so he was waiting for him to finally spill the beans.
Robin nodded, plopping down next to Steve. “Probably because he fucks Spider-Man.”
Eddie’s eyes bulged out of his skull, his face resembling a tomato. “ Robin! ”
Robin shrugged. “What? It’s true .” Steve knew for a fact that it wasn’t true, but he still gaped at Eddie.
“No, no , okay? We’ve just…kissed a few times,” Eddie mumbled, sitting next to Steve at the table and stuffing his mouth with pancakes.
“More like at least twice a week,” Robin looked at Steve. “Honestly. I hear him tapping on Eddie’s window all the time . And don’t get me started on how Spidey likes to take Eddie on little dates .”
“Oh my God , Robin, fuck off ,” Eddie hid his face in his hands. Steve was enjoying this a little too much. “It’s whatever, okay? It doesn’t even count. I don’t know who he is. Just that he’s a good kisser and he’s funny and likes to take me on picnics on top of the Empire State building.”
“So he’s a good kisser, Eds?” Steve ws grinning, nudging Eddie with his elbow.
Eddie lowered his hands, glaring at both of them. “You know what? This is the last time I’m making breakfast for you two. You’re cut off.”
Robin whined. “Eddie! C’mon, we’re just teasing!”
Eddie ignored her, shoveling more food into his mouth.
–
Steve visited Eddie that night (as Spider-Man, of course). Eddie was already at his window when Steve knocked, and soon they were laying on Eddie’s floor, Eddie complaining about his “annoying roommates.” It was pretty entertaining, to say the least.
“You told them I was a good kisser?” Steve snorted, remembering Eddie’s red face that morning at breakfast.
“Oh, shut up,’ Eddie shoved Steve’s arm. “I mean, you are .”
They laid there in silence for a moment.
“Eddie?”
“Yeah, Spidey?” Eddie smirked.
Steve sighed. “Does it…bother you? That you don’t know who I am?”
Eddie sat up on his elbows, thinking. “Dunno. Don’t think so. I mean, it would be nice to know who you are, but…I get it.”
“I would tell you, I really would, but…” Steve sat up too. “I feel like you’d be disappointed.”
Eddie scoffed. “Yeah, sure. Why would I be disappointed?”
Steve didn't think before he blurted out, “Because you know me as my civilian self and I don’t think you like me in that way.” He stood up. “Shit. I - I shouldn't have said that. Forget I said that.”
Eddie was still on the floor, his eyes wide. “I know you? Like, I’ve talked to you and been around you when you’re not Spider-Man?”
“Shit,” Steve rubbed a hand over his face. “Look, Eds - let’s forget I said anything. It’s not important, really.”
Eddie stood up, walking up to be inches away from Steve. “Sorry, babe, that isn’t something I’m gonna forget anytime soon.”
Steve tensed as Eddie pulled up the bottom of his mask, stopping at the bridge of his nose. Eddie kissed him softly, pulling away before Steve would’ve liked him too. Eddie looked at Steve’s lips, the wheels in his head turning. Steve aggressively pulled the mask down and headed for the window.
“Uh, gotta go. Duty calls!”
He swung off, trying to get that hint of recognition he had seen on Eddie’s face out of his head.
–
Steve awoke to a banging on his bedroom door. He groaned, checking the time. Seven in the morning. He mumbled an, “I’m coming, Jesus ” as he shuffled to the door. He opened it a crack to see Eddie standing there, hair sticking up on one side of his head. Steve laughed. “Have a good night's sleep, Eds?”
“Fuck off, Steve,” Eddie looked serious. Steve’s smile vanished. “Let me in or I swear to God I’ll break the door down.”
Steve glanced back, where his Spidey suit was casually hanging on his bedpost. He turned back to the fuming Eddie, “Uh. Room’s messy. Rain check?”
Eddie rolled his eyes. “Oh, for the love of Christ ,” and then he shoved the door open, causing Steve to stumble backward. Shit.
Steve stood in front of his bed, hoping that he was blocking Eddie’s view. Eddie just stood in one spot looking around the room. His eyes caught the bulletin board of suit mock-ups. Steve felt his stomach drop. Shit. Maybe he could just say he was a super fan or -
“It’s you,” Eddie turned to lock eyes with Steve. “Isn’t it?”
“What’s me?” Steve tried his best to act clueless, but he could feel the sweat forming on his forehead.
Eddie stepped closer. “You’re him. You’re Spider-Man.”
Steve barked out a laugh. “That’s ridiculous . Me ? You think I’m -” And then he thought of an idea. A dumb one, maybe. But an idea nonetheless. “I mean, okay - I work with Spider-Man, but I’m definitely not him.”
Then Eddie was kissing him, and Steve couldn’t help but lean into it. Eddie pulled away, a smirk on his lips, anger gone. “Oh, no, it’s you. I’d know those lips anywhere.”
“Foiled by my impressive kissing abilities,” Steve covered his face in his hands, not daring to look at Eddie. “God. You’re disappointed, aren’t you? I knew it.”
“Stevie, babe,” Eddie took Steve's wrists and pulled his hands away from his face. “Why the fuck did you think I’d be disappointed? You know I had a stupid fat crush on you in high school, right?”
“Wha - huh?”
Eddie laughed. “Wow. You didn’t, did you? Well. Guess cat's outta the bag now, huh?”
“So…this is fine?” Steve placed a hand on the back of Eddie’s neck. “Me being…him?”
“Oh it’s more than fine, Stevie,” Eddie grinned. “It’s fucking
metal
.”