Work Text:
“In this video, we put two people in this box for a 12 hour blind date.”
The screen shows a big, white box in the center of a gray room. The camera is set right in the middle, far enough to see past the white box.
Both the contestants walk into the view. Both young adults with dramatic clashing aesthetics.
On the left, the guy has shoulder length brown hair wearing a metal shirt. Tattoos poke out. Rings nearly on every finger. His pants are ripped at the knees, and has a pair of matching black socks.
The other guy has short brown, voluminous hair with freckles and moles scattered around his face, neck and arms. His shirt is a loose polo, with Levi’s jeans. He has a pair of thin-rimmed glasses and mismatched socks, along with a white-band Apple Watch.
Their shoes are put outside of the box on their own sides. White Reeboks and green Adidas sneakers.
“I didn’t expect it to be this small.” The long hair guy stands in front of the box, measuring it to his bicep. The other boy gets on his knees to crawl in.
After getting situated, he replies with “It’s quite roomy.” He wiggles around in his spot, and the other bends down at the knees to examine it.
He shrugs and manages to not get into the other boy's space as he crawls in.
“I’m never going to be still.” The long hair guy huffs. He lifts himself up and moves around. Crosses and uncrosses his legs. He doesn’t want to invade the other guy's personal space. So he huddles up in the back left corner, as the other holds his knees up to his chest.
The other watches with his tongue poking his lip.
“I’m sure you’ll get comfortable once the date starts.” He tries to reason.
“It already started.” The guy behind the camera states. The boys look past the camera, then back to each other. “You can introduce yourself to each other whenever you’re ready.”
The long hair guy finally sits and stays still to hold out his hand. “Eddie.”
The other boy grasps Eddie’s hand and firmly shakes it. “Steve,” he says and nods. “Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you.” Eddie nods and pulls his hand away from Steve’s. He places it in his lap.
The boys glance at the guy behind the camera, and he gestures with his hands to keep going.
“So, Steve,” he turns to him. Steve's head perks up and makes eye contact with Eddie. “What do you do?”
“Well,” his eyes go wide and looks around the box. “I stream sometimes on Twitch with my best friend.”
Eddie hums. “What do you stream?”
“Mostly Minecraft or Stardew Valley . I struggle with migraines,” he gestures around his head. “And my friend likes the calmer games.”
Eddie chuckles. “ Minecraft is calm?” Steve chuckles. “Have you seen all those cutoff videos?”
Steve wipes his eyes and sighs. “I usually mine and gather resources, she usually builds home at spawn, and doesn’t venture far. Unless our other friend joins.” He looks at Eddie and they both nod at the same time.
“Cool, ya. Do you have a following?” Eddie moves closer to the edge of the box and extends his legs. He puts a barrier between Steve and the exit. All Steve does is glance, and answers the question.
“Last time I checked it was at 120 thousand.” Eddie’s eyes go wide at that. “But I never get 120 thousand viewers, you know?”
Eddie nods. “I totally get it!”
“Yeah? Do you stream too? Or…?” Steve scoots back to the right corner, and extends his legs out. If his foot taps Eddie’s foot, he doesn’t make it obvious.
Eddie begins to smirk, looking over at Steve. “Wanna take a guess?” He tilts his head down, looking at Steve through his bangs.
“Hmm,” Steve starts. His eyes begin to roam around. They start at his head of hair. It’s well kept, not frizzy at all. Looks soft. His shirt looks worn out, but the U neck doesn’t have any looseness to it. The jeans are ripped, but they could’ve come like that. And his socks are matching.
He stares longer at the tattoos that he can see. The bats going up to his bicep, a sword looking one, and a few scribbles that he can’t see from that far.
“Tattoo artist?” His voice goes high. Eddie frowns, and nods, but starts to shake his head. His smirk grows bigger.
“That’s a good guess.” He looks down at his tattoos. “But you’re wrong.”
Steve's eyebrows knit. “Then what do you do?”
“I’m in a band.” He says. His face burns up when Steve decides to check him out again.
“A band?”
“Drums, guitar, bass and all!” He nervously chuckles. He scratches his nape and makes eye contact with Steve.
“What type of music do you make?”
“Metal.”
Steve nods. He eyes the shirt. “Yeah, it makes sense.”
“It makes sense?”
“Of course it does.” He gestures towards his hair and points to the shirt. “You have long hair and a band shirt I don’t know but definitely recognize.”
Eddie’s eyes go wide. He pinches his shirt and pulls it up. Cool air hits his midriff.
“You recognize Dio?”
Steve's eyebrows knit again. “Yeah? Why? Should I not be able to?”
Eddie barks out a laugh. He pulls himself up to sit criss cross. “You just don’t look like the type.”
Steve gasps. “I don’t look the type?”
This time, it’s Eddie’s turn to check out Steve. His hair is perfectly kept. The front pieces are pushed behind his ears, the glasses frame are the same color as the highlights in his hair. His shirt is pastel, his pants are from Levi’s, and his socks are mismatched. Even the print!
“Come on babe, it looks like you just walked out of a JCPenney ad.” He scoffs and crosses his arms.
Steve dramatically grabs his chest. “Ouch, dude.”
“Hey,” he points at Steve then the camera. “We are on a date, don’t call me dude.”
Steve rolls his eyes.
After a few moments of both the boys moving around and getting situated. Eddie lays on his back, and props his legs up the wall as Steve finds his way back to the right corner. Legs drawn out, and crossed at the ankles.
“How tall are you?” Eddie asks the ceiling.
“Five eleven I think.” Eddie looks over. “What about you?”
He glared up at Steve. “Five nine.” He looks away, back to the ceiling. Steve chuckles.
“You like taller guys?” Steve jokes, but Eddie freezes.
“I don’t really care about the height.”
“But you like taller guys?” Steve pokes around the bush. Eddie side-eyes him.
“It definitely feels nice having someone be taller. Taking control of some things.” He whispers. Steve looks away, past Eddie, and his mouth falls open as he slowly turns back to Eddie.
Eddie shakes his head. He extends his hand out to Steve’s chin, and lightly pushes up. Steve instantly closes his mouth.
“Uh, well,” Steve coughs. “What do you look for in a partner?” Steve asks. Eddie slides himself back, so both his feet are on the ground. He then sits up and sits against the left wall, facing Steve.
“Cute glasses and moles.” He answers. Steve’s cheeks and the tip of his nose turn red.
Steve pulls his knees up to his chest, and scoots over so his feet are in front of Eddie’s.
“You know, you rarely ask questions?” Steve tilts his head and Eddie frowns.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“I ask the question, you answer, but you never ask me the question back.”
Eddie nods. “Okay. What do you look for in a partner?”
Steve smirks. He looks Eddie up and down. “Long hair and tattoos.”
Eddie’s tongue wets his bottom lip before holding it between his teeth.
“It’s our lucky day, huh?”
“I guess so,” Steve looks down at his watch. “But it’s only been an hour,” he sucks in a breath. “You could become a handful.” He tsks.
“I could’ve told you that.” Eddie rolls his eyes.
“That you’re a handful?”
“Yeah! You should’ve seen me during my rebellious teen years. Insufferable.” Eddie slaps his thighs and Steve chuckles.
“I was so annoying in highschool.” Steve rubs his eyes with the heel of his hands.
“You were?” Eddie asks. Looking at Steve through his bangs.
Steve frowns, and stares down at his socks.
“Yeah I was known as the king.” Eddie gasps and Steve just nods. “Every girl at my feet.” He smiles, but it quickly fades. “I was quite the dick though.”
“All kings are.” Eddie adds. Steve shoots him a glance, and he just shrugs. Steve chuckles.
“Yeah. I don’t know. I said some bad things to my ex girlfriend's new boyfriend? Ex boyfriend? They weren’t dating at the time, but I saw them hanging out more. I was scared of losing her, but was also jealous.”
Eddie nods. Steve keeps going.
“So I went to apologize to him.” He sighs. “He forgave me, but I’ve never forgiven myself.”
“Oh, Steve .”
Steve starts to laugh. He rubs his hands down his face and shakes his head.
“It’s okay. I think. Sorry for the unsolicited rant.”
Eddie half frowns, and smirks. “Well, this is a first date. To get to know each other.”
Steve shrugs. “Then tell me about yourself?”
Eddie cracks his fingers, and sits up. “Buckle in.”
He inhales.
“My mom died when I was young. Not super young. I understood the whole concept. It fucked me up for about a week and some.” He nibbles at the skin around his fingers. “And my old man, he started to get bored of taking care of me. So, the next best option was my uncle. Moved in with him in his trailer at the trailer park. He gave me his room and slept on a cot.”
“That’s sweet,” Steve says. Eddie glances up at Steve. “Of your uncle.” He adds.
“Yeah. It was kinda hard moving here to Oregon. But we keep in touch.” Steve nods. “Somehow got him to download Snapchat and he loves it.” Eddie lifts his head up and makes eye contact with Steve. “He’s always sending me pictures of when he eats dinner, so I get reminded to eat.”
Steve tilts his head.
“Because of touring. Little gigs, and big gigs. Time is such a blur. I don’t remember. But I will always ,” he slaps the floor. “ Always open his snaps.”
A smile creeps up on Steve.
“What?” Eddie juts his chin.
“That’s just really sweet.” He nods. Tears filled his eyes. “I’ve never had any parental figures.”
“How come?” Eddie’s hand reaches over at Steve’s knee. His thumb, tracing little circles.
“They never loved me. Dad was on business trips, and my mom didn’t trust him. So, they were always on the road. Never calling home. They didn’t even come home for Thanksgiving or Christmas. They always spent it in whatever country they were in.”
His hand wipes away the silent tear drops.
“And they’re old school. Don’t post anything. I don’t even know if they’re still alive.”
Eddie pouts. His grasp on Steve’s knee has become two. Both hands holding each knee. Lightly grabbing.
“I’m sorry to hear that. No one deserves that.”
Steve shrugs.
“I have family here though. The friend I stream with?” Eddie nods. “We have an apartment together. And I have some streamer friends who live here, and I can see them whenever our schedules are free. I’m fine.”
“That’s good.” He nods.
“Your band mates. Do you consider them family?”
Eddie chuckles. “Of course I do. I’ve known them since Freshman year of high school. I love those fuckers.”
“What are you in your band?” Steve crosses his arms. Eddie pulls away his hands from Steve’s knees. He scoots over to extend them out. His right leg, pressed against Steve.
“Take a good look at me. Down to the smallest detail.”
His breath hitches when Steve actually takes a closer look at him. He puts his legs down, and scoots up.
“Hm.” He stares hard at Eddie’s hands. Then up his arms, to his face. “Definitely a guitarist.” He scoots back to his spot until his back hits the wall.
“Just a guitarist?” Eddie tilts his head.
“Are you implying you are more than just the guitarist?”
Eddie holds back a smile. Exaggerates on nodding.
“You’re the singer too?” Steve exclaims.
“Sure am, baby.” He claps.
“Wow. That’s cool. I sing too.”
Eddie’s mouth falls open. “No.”
“No? What do you mean?” Steve nervously asks. Side-eying the camera.
“You wear glasses, have perfect hair, cute style, and can sing? That’s a package deal.” He grins.
“So now you’re betting on me?” Steve wiggles in his spot. Holding back laughter.
“I called dibs first.” He looks him up and down, hunger hidden behind his eyes.
Eddie pauses. He looks over at the camera man. “Can I go piss?”
“Go ahead.” The cameraman speaks. Eddie crawls out of the box and Steve watches. He scoots closer to the opening.
“So, Steve. Are you enjoying the date?” The cameraman asks. Steve blushes and looks down at his lap.
“Yeah. He’s pretty attractive.”
“Can you imagine a second date?”
Steve nods. “I definitely want to take him out. See what he likes and doesn’t like. Go watch the stars, go to festivals, all that.”
“Can you imagine kissing him?”
Steve's face flushes red.
“Robin’s going to watch this and make me look and feel like a complete fool.” Steve rests his head in his hands. “Yes I do.”
He nods and the door swings open.
“My turn.” Steve says as Eddie crawls into the box.
Eddie moves his hair away from his face, and sits against the back wall.
“Eddie! How are you liking the date?”
“On a scale?” He asks. The cameraman nods.
“About 9 and a half. Hell, give it a 10. I think I fell in love or something.”
“Do you want to kiss him?”
Eddie perks up. “Does he want to kiss me? What did he tell you?” He scoots closer to the edge of the box. The cameraman just smiles and shakes his head.
The door swings open and Steve walks in. He quietly closes the door and walks back to the box.
“The soap smells good.” He says as he crawls into the right corner. Eddie chuckles and watches as he sits down.
“It’s been three hours in. Anything special you two want to do?” The cameraman asks.
Steve and Eddie look at each other. They frown and shake their heads.
“Don’t know. You’re the host.” Eddie jokes.
“How about rapid fire questions?” The cameraman suggests.
Eddie looks over at Steve.
“You cool with that?”
“Sure.” He smiles, and looks over at the host.
“Okay. But you two have to be sitting in front of each other.”
Their eyebrows knit, but they obey the rule. They both slowly but surely situate each other in front of another.
“Favorite season?”
“Autumn,” they say in unison. Their eyes went wide.
“Favorite animal?”
“Dragon,”
“Cat,” they tilt their head and open their mouths, but quickly shuts them.
“Day or night?”
“Night,” they both say. They nod at each other.
“Favorite holiday?”
“Halloween,”
“Thanksgiving.” Steve replies, and Eddie gawks at him.
“What? Why?”
“Hanging out with friends with delicious food!”
“And do you cook the delicious food?” Eddie crosses his arms.
“Why yes I do.” Steve copies Eddie. Crosses his arms in a dramatic way.
“I bet you get up at 4am to start the turkey.” Eddie says, but when he gets no reaction from Steve, his eyes go wide. “You do! Don’t you?”
“I don’t trust it being on overnight!” Steve whines. “My friends usually spend Wednesday night, and we all wake up and start cooking assigned dishes.”
Eddie chuckles. “Don’t expect me to wake up at 4am just to beat potatoes.”
“It wouldn’t be at the same time! Like, I’ll be the only one awake at that time. Doing stuff around the house as quietly as I can. And whenever they start waking up, they can start on their dish.”
“I can be there to set the table.” Eddie says matter of factly, nodding his head enthusiastically.
“So I wouldn’t see you?” Steve frowns.
“Once there are another pair of eyes on the turkey, I know you’ll be sneaking to your room just to see me.”
“Oh! In my room, huh?” Steve sits up. “Who says you won’t be in the guest room?”
“You have a guest room?”
Steve glances away from the eye contact. Cheeks slightly turning red.
“ No, because that’s Robin’s room.”
“Robin?”
“My best friend! Streamer buddy.”
Eddie smirks. “You’re just further proving my point,”
Steve huffs. “Fine.”
The room is quiet for a few minutes. Other than the shuffling of clothing.
They’re trying to find a new comfortable position. Can only figure it out when Eddie is sitting against the right wall, near the back, with Steve laying his head on his lap. Legs crossed at the ankles.
“Big spoon or little spoon?” Eddie asks.
Steve hums. Fiddling with his thumbs that rest on his stomach.
“Back then I’d say big spoon, but lately I’ve been feeling little spoon.”
Eddie looks down at Steve. “Back then?”
“Yeah,” Steve agrees, looking up at the ceiling. “I used to date around. It always felt good to make the girl feel safe, wrapped in my embrace. Because I knew I’d never let anything get to her.”
Steve glances up at Eddie to see if he’s fond of his answer, but Eddie quickly looks up. Staring at the empty, white wall.
“What about you?”
It takes Eddie a few seconds to reply.
“Big spoon definitely. I’m like, really clingy. Never want to let go.” He chuckles.
Steve makes an approving hum.
“Did you do sports in highschool?” Eddie asks. His hands, inching their way down past his thighs.
“Yeah. Baseball, basketball, and swim team.”
“No football?”
“No football.” Steve confirms.
“Which one was your favorite?”
He pauses. “Swimming.”
“Swimming?” Eddie's voice raises.
Steve chuckles. “Yes. Swimming. It was always nice.”
“I would pay to see you in a speedo.” Eddie whispers, but Steve could hear it.
He starts laughing. Clutching at his stomach.
“You’re willing to pay to see me in a speedo?”
Eddie’s eyes go wide. He slowly turns his head to the camera. His face heats up.
“No, yeah. Sure, like. Haha.”
Steve sits up. He turns a little bit so his feet are touching the right wall. He looks up at Eddie, and leans in close.
“If you take me out to dinner I’ll let you see it for free.”
Steve leans back, smirking. Leaving Eddie with his mouth open and eyes wide. This goes on for a few minutes.
“Steve,” the cameraman says. Forcing the two boys to look away from each other. “You said earlier you sing.”
Steve nods. Looking down at his lap. Only glancing at Eddie.
“Care to elaborate?” The cameraman asks, and steps back.
Steve chuckles and looks up at Eddie.
“Yeah, tell me all about that.” Eddie smirks.
“Well,” he starts. He scoots back to lean up against the left wall. His feet tuck underneath Eddie’s arm.
“I occasionally sang around the house when I was younger. No one was home, empty walls made it sound great. I guess I never really stopped since.” His lips form a straight line and Eddie smiles.
“Any inspiration?”
Steve scoffs. “It was the early 2010s, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry.”
“Katy Perry?” Eddie chuckles and Steve taps his side with his foot.
“Stop it.” Steve runs his hands through his hair. “One day Robin forced me to watch Mamma Mia! and ever since then I’ve been an ABBA fan.”
“That’s significantly better.” Eddie says below a whisper. Steve chuckles.
“Then I expanded my music horizons.” Steve shrugs. “The Beatles, Fleetwood Mac, AC/DC, Kate Bush, it’s just all over.”
“You should sing for me.” Eddie says randomly and Steve's head shoots up. His eyes go wide.
“Not right now.” He looks around the box. Eddie chuckles.
“Didn’t say now. Just said you should. I wanna hear it.”
“Oh, I promise you will.”
Eddie quirks an eyebrow and Steve beams at him.
The boys move around the box. This time, Steve lays his head near the entrance with his legs out, and hands underneath his head. While Eddie is sitting next to him, with his back against the back wall. Right arm on top of Steve’s shin.
“When’s your birthday?” Steve asks.
“It’s a holiday.” Eddie replies. Steve huffs, and sits up on his hands.
“Why are you always making me guess things?”
Eddie cracks a smile. “Cause it’s fun.” He winks. Steve shakes his head and lays back down,
Steve’s quiet for a minute.
“Well, I think if it was Halloween you would’ve already brought it up, or began to rant about how it’s the best holiday or whatever.” Eddie tries to protest. “It would really suck if it was Christmas, but I think if you’re born on any holiday it sucks.”
“Yeah.” Eddie agrees.
“So am I right?” Steve sits up, and props himself on his elbows.
“I mean. Technically it sucks being on a holiday and it’s not Halloween or Christmas. So yes you’re right.”
Steve giggles.
“It’s Valentine’s Day.” Eddie answers. Steve's eyes go wide. He slowly shakes his head.
“Oh, that’s sweet.” He tilts his head but Eddie shakes his.
“It sucks.” He pulls one knee up to his chest and rests his left arm on it. “Did you ever make valentines boxes in elementary school?”
Steve nods.
“Well, no matter how long I took on making one, and making my own cards. I never got a card. Like, the thirty pack that comes with heart stickers at the dollar store?” Steve nods. “Never had one put in my box.”
“Kids are mean.”
“Yeah.” Eddie sighs. “It got worse in high school. Knowing that this is the time you find out who your real friends are. Never got a rose from anyone.”
“And since it’s my birthday, no one told me happy birthday. All they cared about was putting cards in their crushes and friends boxes and eating candy all day.”
“You never got anything from your parents?”
Eddie shakes his head. “I got love from my mom,” he shrugs. “I don’t know. It got better moving in with my uncle Wayne. He worked a ton, and I rarely got to see him, but he always made sure to get me a slice of chocolate cake from the store.”
“Is that your favorite flavor?”
Eddie grins. “Oh yeah. I love chocolate. Especially when there’s chunks of other chocolate in it, and those bits melt on your tongue. Yum!”
“What about you?” Eddie asks.
“Yeah chocolate is good.” He nods.
“I meant your birthday.”
“Oh!” Steve rolls his eyes. “Duh. It’s April 20th, nothing special.”
“Nothing special?” Eddie smirks. “Babe, you were born on the best day of the entire year.”
Steve cocks his head. “What?”
“Four twenty.” He gestures his fingers to his lips.
Steve looks down. “Huh. Never noticed that.”
“Technically we were both born on holidays.” Eddie chuckles. Steve nods and looks over his shoulder at the cameraman. He looks down at his watch.
“It’s been five hours.” Steve says.
“You getting tired of me?” Eddie pokes Steve's thigh with his foot.
Steve quickly turns around to Eddie.
“No! No, of course not. I just think the lights are finally catching up to me.”
“Migraine?”
Steve slightly nods.
“If you two are both done with this date. Then I can stop the camera and you two can leave, and decide what to do afterwards.” The cameraman says.
Eddie nods and looks over at Steve.
“You wanna continue?”
“I don’t want to overdo myself.”
Eddie nods enthusiastically. “Of course.”
“I really didn’t want this to end so soon, but when the brain starts to hurt, there’s not much I can do.” Steve says. Talking to both Eddie and the cameraman.
“Okay. I’m just going to ask a few more questions and then we’ll stop. Sounds good?” The cameraman asks.
Eddie doesn’t nod until Steve does.
“Eddie, could you turn around?” The cameraman asks, and he does. “Steve, on your fingers, rate the date one to ten.”
Steve smirks, holding up both hands.
“Okay. Now, Steve, could you turn around and Eddie could you face me?”
The boys giggle as they turn around, bumping each other in the process.
“Eddie. Scale from one to ten?”
He puts both his hands up, and flashes them.
“Okay. Steve, you can turn back around.”
Eddie looks over his shoulder as he watches Steve turn around. They end up sitting right next to each other with their knees touching.
“Before leaving. Do you guys want to, maybe, kiss?” The cameraman asks.
Eddie smirks and slowly looks over at Steve. His mouth is open, and eyes are wide looking at the cameraman.
“What do you say?” Eddie bumps Steve with his shoulder.
Steve looks over and closes his mouth. “Do you want to?”
“Only if you want to.” He whispers.
“Okay,” Steve let’s go of the breath he didn’t know he was holding. “I never kissed anyone on camera before.”
Eddie side-eyes the camera. “Just pretend it isn’t there.” He whispers. Slowly leaning in.
Eddie’s hand slowly finds its way to Steve’s cheek. He lightly cups it while he starts to lean in, staring at Steve’s lips. Steve's hand flies onto Eddie’s, holding it there, while his other hand lays on Eddie’s shoulder. Thumb ghosting his neck.
“What are you waiting for?” Eddie asks.
He leans in and Eddie meets him in the middle. Just a peck. Just long enough to feel each other's lips.
Steve’s thumb rubs up and down on Eddie’s hand, and Eddie pulls away.
They start to giggle as they hold onto each other.
“That’s a wrap!” The cameraman says and the screen stops.
The screen stops. Steve and Eddie are holding each other, with wide smiles.