Archive of Our Own

“I can’t get over this,” Gracie says and Steve rolls his eyes in the mirror, but he’s smiling.

“I know. You’ve said that about four hundred times now.”

“No, I mean you…you’re really going on a date with the Eddie Munson, that’s fucking crazy.”

“Yes, Gracie, I’m aware of how crazy it is.” He is. He’s really fucking aware, because it doesn't matter how many times Robin’s girlfriend says it, it doesn’t make it any less crazy.

This is crazy! Fucking hell. He’s seriously going on a date with Eddie. With Eddie Mr. I’m The Hottest Man Alive And Apparently Into You Too.

He has his phone number. They have texted. Like…what fucking world does he live in? In what world does Steve Harrington actually manage to get his love life on track? It’s not like he always strikes out; ever since he figured out he’s bi, he’s been back on his game about finding hook-ups but…those are still just hook-ups.

This, this is him going out to dinner with his dream man. Which is something else entirely.

“Are you?” Gracie asks. “Are you really? Because I still think you’re not reacting enough, you know? How can you be so calm about this? You’re actually just standing there, putting on some of your, by the way, ridiculously good smelling fragrance and-“

“Babe,” Robin cuts her off and hugs her waist. “Believe me when I say Steve is most definitely freaking out. He’s just doing it internally right now and you’re not helping.” She smiles. And then, with her voice dipping lower, adds, “plus…instead of focussing on Eddie Munson you could focus on how the two of us have the apartment all to ourselves for a whole night.”

Steve face screws up in disgust. “Ew, Robin,” he says. “Was that comment really necessary? I’m right here.”

“Robs, how the hell should I ever not focus on Eddie Munson? It’s really impossible.”

Robin sighs, looking defeated, as Gracie didn’t even react to her sort-of-dirty-talk. “I’m so glad I’m gay, Jesus. How the hell can you be so obsessed with a man?” She shoots Steve a look. “Both of you. It’s disgusting, honestly,” she declares, detaching herself from her girlfriend again and turning around to walk towards the kitchen. “Just call me when you leave, I need to approve your outfit.”

“I’m leaving in like three minutes, Rob,” Steve shouts back.

“Well, that outfit ain’t it, babe.”

Steve sighs and rolls his eyes. This outfit is fine. It took him two hours to decide on, so he’s not changing it now. Robin just has a problem with this sweater (which…rude. She’s probably just upset that it actually looks better on Steve than it does on her for a change).

“She knows I’m gay too, right?” Gracie says, crossing her arms, leaning forward against Steve’s back.

Steve catches Gracies eyes in the mirror and grins. “Well…you are awfully obsessed with Eddie, so…”

“Ew, as if I’d ever.”

Steve laughs and turns around, throwing an arm around her shoulders. “Go get your girlfriend to stop pouting,” he says. “I have a date to get to. And you actually do have the apartment to yourself for the whole evening so…please make good use of it, so you can be done when I get back, all right?”

Gracie grins. “Fine. I’ll go have sex with my girlfriend,” she says, in a playful annoyed tone, backing away. “But only because you asked me to.”

It takes everything in Steve to suppress his eye roll. Robin and Gracie are the most annoying part in his life.

Unfortunately they’re the best part, too.

Well, maybe other than the fact that he’s actually going on a date with Eddie now. Steve grabs his wallet, keys and checks his pockets for his phone, before reaching for his jacket.

“I’m leaving now,” he says. “Bye.”

“Have fun,” Robin calls, sounding actually genuine now, as she’s poking her head out of the kitchen, giving him a smile. “I love you, tell Eddie I said hi.”

Steve smiles back. “I love you maniacs, too. See you later.”

“Bye, Steve,” Gracie adds, seeming way calmer now about Steve leaving to go see “the Eddie Munson”, than she was two minutes ago. But the last thing he hears when he pulls the apartment door shut behind him is her squealing about something, so maybe not.

He takes the elevator down to the garage and has to take a deep breath when he’s in his car because no matter how much it helped to be the one to calm Gracie down, Robin was right when she said he’s freaking out. He needs a second to ground himself before he can start the engine.

“Okay,” he mutters to himself, driving out onto the streets. “This is actually happening.”

Which is insane. It’s crazy. It’s fucking crazy. He’s repeating himself but it doesn’t matter, because this. Is fucking. crazy. Steve turns the radio on to drown out some of his thoughts but the only thing it does is make him snort about how Eddie would probably hate the music this station is playing. But Steve himself can hardly take it, even though he’s a sucker for pop music, because…let’s be honest it seems like they’re trying to answer the question of how many times a day can we play Shape Of You until people actually stop listening to us? (Spoiler: too many times for Steve’s liking).

The drive isn’t that long and Steve feels his heart starting to beat faster in anticipation, as he searches for a good parking spot. He’s almost there. Minutes from seeing Eddie again.

Valet parking would have felt…weird, so he’s grateful he finds a spot not too far from the hotel and then he steps out, locks the car, double checks and starts walking towards…Eddie, basically.

The hotel is big and shiny and when he enters the lobby he can’t stop himself from looking up at the – really very high – ceiling. There’s a chandelier hanging in the middle of it that probably cost more than what Steve makes in a year and could kill like 12 people at once were it to fall down, so Steve sincerely hopes it doesn’t (or it would be hello concussion number 7).

“Can I help you, sir?” the receptionist asks, when he approaches her desk, and puts on the best customer service smile Steve’s ever seen. He almost buys that she’s sincerely happy to help him with every need. Steve’s a little impressed, he’s gotta say, his own is by far not that good.

“Umm, yes, please, I’m here to see Eugene Fitzherbert?” Steve drops the absolute ridiculous name Eddie told him he’s checked in under (who would have thought Mr-I’m-A-Rockstar is into Disney movies?).

“Of course, one second.” The woman smiles, clicks a few things on her computer and picks up the phone next to her.

“Mr Fitzherbert?” she asks, without the slightest glint of amusement in her eyes and Steve’s even more impressed by her professionalism. “Yes, so sorry to disturb you, sir, there’s somebody here for you. May I see any form of identification, please?” The last question directed at Steve, he nods, pulls out his wallet and hands her his ID.

“Mr Steven Harrington, sir,” she reads into the phone. “Shall I send him up?”

She nods a couple times. “All right, thank you for confirmation, sir, have a nice evening.” She adds, “oh, thanks,” about two seconds later, looking almost surprised now, like Eddie said something to surprise her, and if Steve had to guess he’d say he probably wished her a pleasant evening too.

She hangs up, hands Steve his ID back and writes something on a card. She slides that over to him too and says “Room 4B 27, just take the elevator to fourth floor and you’ll find it.”

“Thank you so much,” Steve takes the card that just has the room number on it (thank god, because the six concussions weren’t really nice to his memorizing skills either).

“Anytime.”

Steve gives her a last smile (and really means it) and turns to the elevators. That are out of glass, holy shit. He feels a little bit out of place in this fancy shmancy hotel, but at least he’s wearing his best jeans and the most expensive sneakers he owns, so he isn’t afraid of running into someone and being immediately judged.

When he presses the button to the 4^th floor he thinks about how his father spends a lot of time in hotels just like this and immediately feels better. If Richard Harrington can run around these places and think he’s deserved it, then so can Steve. Fuck this whole rich people are better mentality.

He actually manages to find the room in no time and then he’s in front of the door and needs to take a deep breath. Holy shit. He feels a little like inside the empty dressing room just a week ago, like he hasn’t taken enough time to freak out about this, but that didn’t help him then and it won’t help him now, so his hand reaches out before he can stop it and knocks.

Fuck. Okay. His heart sinks but he just takes another deep breath. And before he can freak out more, the door is pulled open.

And there he is. Eddie smiles at him, happy and soft, and Steve feels himself melting immediately. How can this practically stranger have such a huge impact on him? From just looking? That just has to mean something right?

Eddie’s dressed in simple black jeans (without a single hole), countless chains wrapped around his waist as a belt and a dark grey band shirt (of a band Steve’s never heard of). His hair is still damp like he took a shower not too long ago, but the strands curl perfectly around his face to frame it in just the right way to look breathtaking. The soft smile on his lips just adds to it all.

He really is devastatingly handsome.

And so hot.

They haven’t seen each other in a week, since the night of the concert, and now Eddie’s back here, because they played a second Chicago show and are taking a week long break before starting the next leg of tour. And he wanted to spend his first night of the break with Steve, which honestly – still shocks him.

“Hi Steve,” Eddie says and lets his gaze wander up and down Steve’s body, shamelessly checking him out. Steve feels a spike of insecurity blast through him but it’s gone as soon as it came and replaced with a little bit of arousal, when Eddie immediately adds, “you look good.”

Steve feels his own lips stretch into a wide smile. “Thank you,” he says. “Mr Fitzherbert.”

Eddie chuckles and confidently pulls Steve into a gentle hug. Fuck, he smells so good. He feels so good. Jesus, Steve needs to get a grip. Again.

“Welcome to my humble abode” he says, when Steve steps into the room behind him. Well. Room doesn’t quite sell it. Suite would be a better fitting word. The thing is huge, with nothing really in it except for a minibar, a big mirror, a tv and a huge bed (that, and Steve internally scolds himself for immediately thinking this, they could do a lot of…really exciting stuff in), and there’s two other doors, probably leading to two more rooms.

“Well, I don’t know where you grew up, but this is not something I’d call humble,” he jokes.

“I grew up in a trailer park,” Eddie says dryly, closing the door. Steve turns to him. “Oh,” he says.

“So, no. Not very humble, you’re right,” Eddie adds. Steve feels a little awkward, doesn’t really know what to do with himself or say but Eddie just puts a gentle hand on his lower back (which…takes Steve’s breath away for a second, because of how natural it feels, like it belongs there) and pushes him forward, apparently not having taken any offense whatsoever from what Steve said.

“Right through here,” he says, pushing one of the other two doors open. It leads to a lounge type of thing, though all the sofas are pushed out of the way, to make room for a beautifully set dinner table. Steve immediately mourns the loss of the grounding warmth when Eddie detaches his hand from Steve’s back.

“Again, I’m really sorry about this,” Eddie apologizes (??) and has the audacity to actually look sheepish. For a second Steve doesn’t even know what he’s talking about. “Usually I would not have done it like this, you know, I would have taken you to out to a nice restaurant and then charmed you so badly you’d desperately wanted to come back to the hotel with me. Not just order you here.” His smile is so charming that Steve is certain it would have taken Eddie less than three seconds to charm him to that level had they actually gone to a restaurant.

“But uh…you know, with Chicago being home base and all…people actually know us here. Which is still crazy to me because we’re really just starting to get a little more attention and I’m still not used at all to people seeing me on the street and recognizing me, like-” He throws Steve a look. “And now I’m bragging about my tiny bit of fame which is even worse, I’m sorry.”

Eddie, Steve realizes, is also a bit nervous about this. It’s so endearing Steve can’t help but smile at him. It also takes some of the tension out of his shoulders. “Hey, it’s absolutely okay,” he reassures and tries his best to let his sincerity show in his smile. “I just want to have dinner with you. I don’t care where we are.”

And god, that was awfully cheesy for a first date, right?

Luckily, Eddie, being the guy that he is who always knows what to say,…knows what to say.

“So…what, you’d have come to…a date at landfill if I’d asked you?” he jokes, the exact smirk appearing in the corner of his lips that made Steve lose it at the concert last week. It’s still just as attractive as in his memory.

“Eddie,” he says, tone dripping with charm. “I’d have come to the moon if you’d asked me to,” knowing that pushing it over the top makes it teasing and gets him out of that come-on-a-little-too-strong-zone. Even though he feels like Eddie wouldn’t even mind, which is just…such a nice thing to feel.

It just feels like it works, this thing between them. Like Steve can just let go and be himself and Eddie would still look at him like he wants to devour him, and that’s fucking crazy because they don’t…well, no, they don’t know each other at all. They’re practically strangers but Steve feels so so comfortable around him and that’s just…well, yes it’s weird, but it’s…so nice.

Apart from the whole…pent up sexual tension thing, maybe, that’s a little annoying. He almost feels like they should just do it now to get that out of the way but…but, no, he’s gonna do this right. And if that involves being turned on for a whole evening, then so be it.

“Good to know,” Eddie says and honest to god winks at Steve before turning away to pull a chair back. Steve takes that second of Eddie being distracted to close his eyes. Eddie really seems to not realize the power of his winks.

“Here you go, my liege.” He gestures for Steve to sit down and even hints at a bow. Steve loves his dramatics. They were hot on stage and they’re hot now, when it’s just the two of them in a dimly lit hotel room.

“Why, thank you, sir,” he grins and sits down. Eddie takes a seat opposite him, smiling widely and Steve just lets himself take Eddie in for a second. He’s so pretty. He’s so, so pretty, so beautiful and he’s actually here with Steve. They’re actually on a date.

“What are we having?”

“I thought I’d let you decide,” Eddie replies and hands him three different flyers.

“Take out?” Steve asks, thrilled.

Eddie shrugs. “Best first date food in my opinion. Plus, I gotta say I’m just not one for fancy food. I’ve tried it and uh…at least whatever this hotel restaurant has to offer just…isn’t for me.”

“Is it like…tiny and just tastes weird?”

“Yeah, hey, have you been here before?” Eddie jokes and just nods to the flyers again. “Just pick, I’ll have Carrie from reception call there and it’ll be here in no time.”

“Her name’s Carrie?”

“I hope so, otherwise I’ve been calling her by something that’s not her name since we were here last week.”

Steve snorts. “Well, all right, Mr Fitzherbert.”

“You really like that I chose that name, huh?”

Steve chuckles and shrugs. “I mean, my best friend and I have been obsessed with Disney movies for a while, so…yeah.”

“Your best friend Robin?”

“Yeah,” Steve nods, always forgetting that Edie has met her. That he talked to her before he even talked to him.

“It’s just comfort, right?” Eddie then tracks back to the movies and Steve has to collect himself for a second because…yes. Fucking yes.

Robin and him were having a real hard time after The Accident, anxiety lingering around every corner. Fear of something happening to Robin for Steve and fear of something happening to Steve for Robin. They had to reassure each other all the goddamn time, sleep in one bed for weeks (really, Steve loves Gracie for understanding. He loves her so, so much. She knew from the beginning to never get between Robin and Steve, always stating that they were platonically in love and it was just beautiful to see. Now, as many times as it still is RobinAndSteve it’s also RobinAndSteveAndGracie a lot of the times and Steve loves it. She just fits in with them. And she makes Robin so happy and that, by extension, makes Steve happy, so…really, Gracie’s the best thing that’s happened to the both of them in a long time.) (Except for maybe…this. Maybe Eddie could be Steve’s Gracie, he thinks for a second and wow, he’s really getting ahead of himself.) (The hope that the thought was still true lingers.)

And then one night Robin brought home an old Beauty and The Beast DVD when she got back from her parents’ place and it was just…it was just so soothing. They opened a Disney+ account and now, every time one of them is down or anxious or just not feeling it, they watch a different movie. The happy endings are just…yeah, like Eddie said. They’re just pure comfort.

“Yeah,” Steve says. “Yeah, they really are.

And if Tangled is one of Steve’s favorites because of said Eugene Fitzherbert, then…well, then he’s just like every straight girl on the planet so it’s not really something to be embarrassed about. Emotional maturity is hot, what can he say?

So, is it a sign that Eddie chose that specific prince? Maybe. (Yes, is what Steve decides. Definitely a sign).

“How do you feel about Chinese?”

“I’d love Chinese,” Eddie says.

“Perfect.” They pick out their food, Eddie calls the reception and afterwards they fall into light chatter until it arrives and it’s just so easy. It’s all easy and natural and Steve can’t believe he’s feeling like this. It’s never felt like this before. Not with anyone.

“You know, Robin was a little perplexed when I asked her ‘who that Gareth guy was’,” Steve confesses after a while.

“What?” Eddie asks with a full mouth and chews amusedly. “You didn’t know?”

“Well, it’s not my fault you’re so hot I couldn’t focus on anything else on that stage.” Steve shrugs and picks up a spring roll. “It’s not like I had a choice.”

“You seriously didn’t recognize Gareth after the show?”

Steve just shakes his head.

Eddie leans back in the chair, narrowing his eyes a little, scanning Steve in a way. “You are somethin’ else, Steve,” he says. Steve grows a little hot under the intense gaze and then awkwardly coughs to get to hide the fact that he’s blushing behind his napkin. Eddie seems to see it anyway judging from the mischievous glint in his eyes. He likes to make Steve blush. Noted.

“You should really appreciate Gareth, though, he’s a great drummer,” Eddie says and Steve just scoffs.

“Oh please,” he counters. “Don’t pretend you wouldn’t be offended if my eyes would leave you for a second in the entirety of the next show I’m attending.”

At that Eddie looks a little surprised and there’s a new sparkle in his eye Steve can’t really read.

“You’re coming to another show?”

And oh, that just…slipped out.

“Ih- uh,” Steve stutters, swallowing. “I just meant…well, if you…” Okay, calm down, his brain tells him. Eddie likes you. Steve takes a deep breath and smiles. “If you want me to.”

“I want you there at every show,” Eddie says, no hesitation. “First row. Or actually, you know what, maybe even watching from the wings. Waiting for me backstage.”

They stare at each other for a few seconds until Steve breaks the eye contact, looks down at his plate and shoves another forkful (chopstickful? There needs to be a better word) rice in his mouth. Because they might joke about this really turning into something but fuck – Steve wants that. He wants that so, so much.

“Anyways,” Eddie says, changing the subject. “Gareth is also in charge of all our social media, so uh, we kinda have him to thank for every tiny bit of success we have. He’s a marketing genius, I honestly don’t know how he does it.”

He’s talking about something else, but Steve can see that new sparkle in his eyes glint and he can read it now. It’s hope.

Eddie wants it, too. For this to work. For this to really turn into something.

That overwhelms Steve for a second because…well, because Eddie, this random guy, makes him feel wanted, really, really wanted for the first time in ages. Just by looking at him like that.

Steve smiles so widely he shoves another spring roll in his mouth to conceal it a little.

Time flies with Eddie. Steve’s smiling so much and they’re just talking about the most random things. But Eddie’s brain is fascinating in a way and everything is new and exciting on the one hand but on the other it sort of feels like they’ve known each other for ages. It feels so familiar and easy, Steve’s so comfortable, it’s crazy. (Again, he’s repeating himself, or rather Gracie, but crazy really is the only word to describe this whole evening up until now.)

So he doesn’t want it to be even close to over when they’re done with the food and Eddie gathers all of the cartons and boxes to put into a bag to throw away. Steve clears his throat.

“Umm, so,” he says. “I uh…when you texted me about the not going out and meeting you at the hotel thing, I uh…I thought about that a little. And…and I don’t know if this is a good idea or not, probably not, but…but there’s this movie screening thing at the stadium parking lot. Like a drive-in kinda thing, so we’d just stay in the car. And it’s dark and late and I mean I think the chances are pretty low of you being recognized in a random car driving by at night, right?” Steve gulps, not looking up because he’s scared of scaring Eddie away with having planned this.

“They’re showing a bunch of 80’s movies this month and this week it’s The Terminator. Which is an awful movie but it’s so bad it’s actually funny and- I mean you’ve probably seen it, so…” He awkwardly laughs. “Yeah, I just thought maybe we could…maybe we could go…umm…only if you want to, of course.”

His voice trails off a little in the end, getting quieter and quieter cause he’s a little insecure but when he finally does look up to meet Eddie’s eyes, he’s not prepared for the expression on his face. He looks like a surprised puppy. Like he can’t really believe that just came out of Steve’s mouth. And fuck, it is such a pretty look on him.

“You’ve really…you’ve really thought about this, huh?” he asks, voice soft and low and Steve’s heart tightens at that. But in a positive way. In a I-wanna-protect-you-forever-kinda-way. Everything about him, just…he kinda feels like he’s already in love, which is stupid and most likely not true, but it’s just…he’s never fucking felt like this.

“I,” he says, “uh.”

“No, it’s sweet,” Eddie cuts him off. “It’s really, really sweet, Steve. I’d love to.”

Steve can’t stop the wide smile spreading on his face. “Really?”

“Yeah,” Eddie nods. “Really. But we need to take you car, I don’t…I don’t have one here. Well, except if you want to show up at the drive-in with a tour bus kidnapped from our security team. Or call one of the hotel drivers and have them crash our date from the front seat.”

Steve chuckles. “Let’s just take my car,” he says.

“All right,” Eddie says. “Lead the way.”

They get all their things, Eddie grabbing sun glasses and a cap, just in case, and leave. Carrie from reception sends them another one of those almost sincere smiles and then they’re outside. There’s barely anyone out here, the two old guys on the other side of the street don’t seem interested in Eddie and Steve whatsoever, so Eddie just lets Steve pull him along.

“There she is,” Steve announces and gestures towards the burgundy model.

“This is your car?” Eddie asks, eyes wide, staring at the vintage BMW.

“No,” Steve clarifies. “This is my baby.”

“What the fuck,” Eddie says.

“What?” Steve asks, teasing. “You didn’t take me for the type?”

“Oh, no, Steve, you’re definitely the type, just…” Eddie runs his finger over the hood. “What year is it?”

“83,” Steve states, proudly.

Eddie’s eyes find his, his fingers still on the car in a light touch and Steve’s so obsessed with Eddie’s hands, it messes with his brain, how jealous he is of his car right now. “Are you rich or something?”

Steve cringes a little at the question, his shoulders rising up an almost unnoticeable amount. But Eddie seems to notice, his face looking like he wants to backtrack the question, but it’s not a big deal, really, so Steve answers before Eddie has a chance to.

“My parents are,” he says. “I’m not. The car was a present years ago, I don’t really…I don’t really have the best relationship with them. It’s…it’s complicated, it was already bad before I came out and since then…it’s pretty much just gotten worse.”

A crease settles in between Eddie’s brows and Steve immediately feels bad for making it appear. “I’m sorry I made you think about it,” Eddie says.

“No, I…it’s not your fault,” Steve rushes to say. “I’ve had the car so long it’s mine, you know? There’s nothing of them about it except for the fact that they gave it to me ages ago. Just…I’m not rich, is what I’m trying to say. I guess.”

Eddie smiles. “Wouldn’t have judged you if you were, sweetheart.”

Sweetheart. Oh god. Steve died and went to heaven.

“Plus I mean, sure, eat the rich and all but I can’t exactly say shit like that anymore when our management has us stay in hotels like this one, you know? Hypocrisy.”

Steve is still hung up on the pet name and apparently looks as frozen as he feels, because Eddie just chuckles and steps a little closer, to put his hand on Steve’s lower back again. Which is not helping to get Steve’s heart back on track, thank you very much. “C’mon, let’s go,” he says, looking at Steve’s lips and holy Jesus, Steve is weak for this man. So, so weak.

“Yeah,” he agrees. “Let’s go.” But he can’t move until Eddie has let of him again and stepped around to the passenger side. Steve unlocks the car, gets in and manually opens Eddie’s door from the inside (which was not the real gentleman way, he realizes a second too late, but Eddie doesn’t seem to mind).

Eddie sits down beside him, pulling the door shut and puts his seat belt on. Then he catches Steve’s eyes, nodding at him. “Off we go,” he says. “Terminator, here we come.”

Steve nods back, pulls his phone out of his pocket to put it on the dash, cause it’s digging into his side, puts his own seat belt on, sets the car in reverse and pulls out of the parking space. “You can just put on whichever music you want,” he says. “I do have a couple tapes in the glove compartment, but there must be the aux cassette thing too. You can see if it works, I haven’t gotten a chance to try it yet.”

“This thing?” Eddie asks and pulls out the tape with a cord attached to it.

“Yeah,” Steve says. “It’s a little weird, right? I don’t really trust this mix of analog and digital but the Amazon reviews said it works.”

“Huh,” Eddie says and presses it into the tape deck, the cable sticking out. “And now I just…plug that into my phone and play something?”

“That’s how it’s supposed to work.”

Eddie tries it and about a minute later there’s rock music coming out of the speakers. “Wait, it really works? That’s so strange,” Steve says.

“Why haven’t you tried it?”

“I got it pretty recently and when I’m in the car it’s mostly with Robin and/or Gracie. Robin loves Fleetwood Mac, so it’s always just one of those tapes. And Gracie always just puts your tape in. Why do you even sell your album on tapes? That’s so strange.”

“It’s retro,” Eddie says, grinning. “You gotta worship the vintage, all right?”

“Oh please tell me you’re not one of those back then, when music was still real music, oh good times. That was when people were still musicians, when they understood their craft blah blah. Because if you are, I’m afraid I’ll have to pull over and cut the date short. I’m not saying I don’t appreciate good music from the last millennium but like…come on.”

Eddie chuckles. “Don’t worry, Steve,” he says. “As somebody who actually does make music nowadays…I do appreciate good music whatever the release date.”

“Oh. Phew,” Steve says, pretending to wipe sweat off his forehead.

“However,” Eddie says, “if you listen to like…Ava Max and call that good music, then maybe I need to cut this date short.”

Steve snorts. “Oh please.”

“Good,” Eddie says, watching Steve from the side. “Actually,” he adds as an afterthought. “Your face might actually be so great I could forgive you for that.”

Eddie’s the most confident flirter Steve has ever met. He loves it. It’s the hottest thing ever.

“Really?” he asks, skeptical.

“Well,” Eddie says. “That is, if you come crawling on your knees, begging for forgiveness and swear that you were wrong.”

Blood rushes up into Steve’s face. And…down too. Look, it’s not his fault Eddie mentioned him on his knees, all right?

“Jesus, Eddie,” Steve says, a little breathless. “You sure know how to rile a guy up.”

“Oh, would you like begging on your knees?” The tone is playful, voice dipping lower and fuck, Steve is driving, this is starting to get dangerous, okay?

He takes a deep breath, ready to answer…well, he’s not really come up with anything, when suddenly his ringtone sounds through the car.

“Oh,” Eddie says, lowering the volume of the music. He stretches a little to take a look at the phone. “Some…Max is calling you.”

“Max?” Steve asks, confused because…Max usually doesn’t just call at night unless something’s wrong. Especially not when she knows Steve has plans. “Hold on.”

He pulls over to the side of the road and kills the engine to reach for his phone.

“Max? Is something wrong?”

“I uh-”

Steve’s heart drops. She doesn’t sound okay. “Hey,” he immediately says, a little softer. “What’s going on, what happened?”

“I, uh- It’s…it’s stupid, I-”

“It’s not stupid. Wait a second, I’ll step outside of the car for a moment, tell me what’s going on.”

“Car? Where are yo-” He can practically hear from her voice how her eyes widen as the realization hits her. “Oh, my god, today’s your date, right? I’m so, so sorry, Steve, I didn’t…I didn’t mean to- oh my god, never mind me and my silly problems, just-”

“Max-”

“No, I’m…I’m so sorry. Please just carry on. I love you, bye.”

She hangs up. Steve curses, tries calling her back but she doesn’t answer. Look, he loves her, but the stupid stubbornness is really annoying sometimes.

Eddie looks concerned.

“It’s my sister,” Steve explains. “She…something’s wrong. I…do you mind if I check in with her? It won’t be long, I mean, we’ll probably miss the beginning of the movie, but I just-”

“Yeah, of course,” Eddie says immediately. “Go, please. Family’s more important.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

Steve sighs relieved. “Thank you,” he says.

“No need to thank me, really,” Eddie says, vehemently, and Steve feels his heart swell a little. Eddie’s the sweetest guy in the universe. And at the same time the hottest and just…that’s such a deadly combination, but Steve isn’t scared. No, he can hardly believe his luck that he gets to be the one going out with him tonight.

“I didn’t know you had a sister,” Eddie says as Steve starts the car again and pulls onto the empty road.

“Well, she’s not biologically,” Steve says, the words feeling ridiculous, even though they’re true. “But-”

“But family isn’t all genetics,” Eddie ends for him. “Trust me, I get it.”

Eddie gets him. He gets the most strange feeling parts of Steve, the ones that when he told other people were often met with judgement or in some cases maybe acceptance but not understanding, but Eddie…Eddie gets them all.

It’s so weird to open up to someone and instead of “okay, all right, if you say so” being met with “yeah, of course.”

Steve isn’t used to it.

But he damn well could get used to it.

“Yeah,” he says. “In every other sense, she’s my little sister.”

“That’s beautiful,” Eddie says and sounds like he means it, like he’s never been more sincere. “Honestly, the more people you have to love, really love, the better. Right?”

Steve throws him a look, wishes he could watch him for longer (he can’t, he’s a responsible driver), because…every new part Eddie reveals of himself makes him even more beautiful which Steve thought hardly possible, but now he’s sure he must be blinded by Eddie’s beauty soon enough.

He nods. Keeps his gaze on the road.

Eddie seems to feel what he needs, gets him, yet again, and just turns the music a little louder.

It’s not a long drive to Max’s, it’s just a tiny detour, really, so that’s convenient.

“It really won’t take long,” Steve assures, when he parks and pulls the hand brake. “She just spirals sometimes and needs somebody to tell her she’s being stupid. I don’t know what it’s about today, but…”

He gets out of the car and turns around for Eddie but…

Eddie frowns. “What are you waiting for?”

“Uh,” Steve says. “You?”

“Me?”

“Yeah?”

“I…I thought-”

“Oh my god, you don’t have to wait down here.”

“I don’t mind waiting in the car, Steve.”

“Eddie-”

“No, really. I don’t wanna intrude, I don’t mind waiting, please just go up and check on her. I’ll be here when you get back.”

Steve isn’t entirely convinced but Eddie’s looking at him like he isn’t arguing about this, so Steve just sighs and nods. “Okay, fine. I’ll be quick.”

“Don’t worry, Steve.” Eddie smiles again, before Steve nods and turns around. He has keys for Max’s, so he can just easily slip into the building and make his ways up the stairs. There’s light coming out from under the door and when he opens it, he frowns.

“Max?” he calls, stepping into the apartment. The doors to the living room on his right and the bathroom on his left are both open but he can’t see her, despite the bathroom lights being on. “Maxine? Where are you?”

“Don’t call me that,” comes a weak voice out of the kitchen from the end of the hallway.

“I knew that would work,” Steve teases, trying to lighten her mood and makes his way over there. Max is leaning against the radiator opposite from the door, knees pulled to her chest, face in her arms. She’s wearing one of Lucas’s blue sweaters and she looks up, probably because of his footsteps approaching him. Her eyes look watery, but she doesn’t really look sad, which Steve definitely counts as a win. So he’s not here because she broke up with Lucas again. That’s good.

She’s fidgeting with the too long sleeves. “Hi,” she says.

“Hey,” he says, voice even softer now, and lowers himself onto the floor next to her to pull her into a hug.

She clings to him, buries her face in his chest and breathes. He holds her. “What’s wrong, what happened?”

She pulls back to look at Steve and wipes the last remaining tear off her cheek. “Lucas is in New York with Dustin, Mike and Will.”

“And?”

The anxiety in Max’s eyes flares up again.

“And I couldn’t…I thought I could do this alone but I can’t. And you’re…you were the first person I thought of.”

“Do…what exactly?”

She takes a deep breath, wrapping her arms around herself again. “I uh…I need you to look at the…thing on the table”, she says, not explaining anything. “And then tell me what it says.”

“The thing on the-” Steve turns around and spots…something…white on the kitchen table. He shifts on his knees to get a better look and- oh.

Look, he had enough sex in high school (yes, he was a douchebag, but the kind of douchebag that got laid) to know what a pregnancy test looks like.

Fuck, he should have known. That look on Max’s face is the exact same one Kelly Barrett had, sitting on the toilet lid in the adjoined bathroom of Steve’s bedroom in his parents’ house, her knee nervously bouncing up and down, as Steve chewed on his thumb nail, both of them waiting for the result to show on the small stick in her hands.

“Oh,” he says.

“Yeah,” Max repeats with a dry, humorless laugh. “Oh.”

“How…long are you-”

“Just a couple days. But like…better safe than sorry, right?”

“I…guess. Do you-”

“Steve,” she says, impatiently. “Could you please just look at it?”

“Yeah, sure. Sorry.” He stands up and, just to make sure, grabs the packaging of the test, to not give her the wrong result. When he’s skimmed over the important part he lowers his gaze onto the white stick. He takes it, turns to look at her and offers a small smile.

“Well?” Max urges.

“It’s negative.”

Max just stares at him. Then, a small smile appears in the corner of her mouth.

“Really?”

“Yeah,” Steve assures. “It’s negative.”

Relief seems to flow through Max, the tension falling out of her shoulders, a quiet laugh escaping her lips. “Oh thank god,” she sighs and smiles. “Thank. God.” She sighs, takes a few deep breaths. “I was so scared, you have no idea.”

“Oh, I think I can imagine.” Steve sets the test back down and holds his hands out for her to take. Max chokes out another laugh and takes them, letting him pull her up into standing and into another hug.

“You all right?”

“Yeah,” she sniffs and laughs again. “Yeah, it’s okay. I’m not pregnant.”

Steve holds her tighter and smiles into her hair.

“Just for the record, though,” he says, when he pulls away to hold her at an arm’s length. “Even if you were…no matter what you would have decided would have been completely, completely okay. All right? I would support you with every decision. I would have driven you anywhere. You know that. Right?”

Max smiles and nods again. “Yeah,” she says. “I know. And thank you. But now I don’t…I don’t have to make that decision.”

“That’s true.” Steve smiles. Max hugs him again.

“Thank you for coming, Steve,” she says and he just drops a kiss to her hair and closes his eyes for a second, enjoying her warmth.

“Anytime,” he whispers and then, after a couple of seconds, she suddenly pulls back with gasp.

“No, no, no, no.”

“What?” He watches her confused.

“I was so relieved you were here I forgot about your date! Steve! Why are you here?”

“Wha- You needed me.”

Max sighs, looking really unhappy. “I didn’t want you to…Steve. I didn’t wanna interrupt your date. Especially because you sounded so gone for the guy already and now it’s my fault if it doesn't work out. I don’t…I’m so sorry, I-”

“Max,” Steve interrupts her. “The date isn’t over.”

Her face screws up in confusion. “What?”

“He’s downstairs.”

She still looks confused and then her brows shoot up. “Steven Grant Harrington,” she says and oh no, not the middle name call. “Please tell me you didn’t tell him to wait in the car?”

“Well,” Steve says. “No, I didn’t tell him. But he said he didn’t mind and we still wanted to-”

“Get him up here now! Jesus. You don’t just leave your date in a car! Did nobody teach you manners?” She realizes in that exact second that that last comment wasn’t okay and adds a little, “sorry,” but Steve has already forgiven her. She’s still pretty agitated from her pregnancy scare, so he doesn’t hold it against her. Not that he usually would, it was just a little insensitive, is all.

“All right, all right, Jesus.” He gets his phone out and calls Eddie, because in this emotional state and that tone he knows not to argue with Max. Plus, he doesn’t really feel like leaving her alone just yet anyway, so…

“Yeah?” he answers after one ring. “Everything all right? Is she okay, are you okay?” And oh god, Steve practically melts. Eddie is really just it, isn’t he? He’s got it all. The looks, the brains, the heart.

“We’re okay. Max is just scolding me for leaving you in the car, so could you maybe come up here? There’s another set of car keys in the glove compartment, or at least there should be, so you can lock it?”

“There should be-oh. Yeah, here they are. Do you already trust me with your baby?” The tone is teasing and even through the phone Steve’s getting flustered.

“Just lock it and get up here. 3^rd floor.”

“Okay,” Eddie sing-songs and hangs up.

“God, you really like this guy, huh?” Max says, an almost wondrous look on her face. Steve can’t lie. His face can’t lie. His smile’s too real for that.

“Yeah”, he sighs. “Yeah, I really like him.”

Max just smiles back. “You go buzz him in and wait at the door, I’m making tea,” she decides and pushes him out of the kitchen.

Steve does what she told him and soon enough Eddie jogs the last two steps towards him (because of course the guy has good stamina. Steve decides not to think too much about that fact.)

“Hey,” he says, smiling.

“Hi,” Steve says back and wants to kiss Eddie. He wants to kiss him so badly. He’s so kissable.

“Uhm,” he says like a sane person (instead of lunging forward and just doing it). “I’m really sorry, but…but are you maybe, by the slightest chance, okay with having a little tea with my sister and then ending the date there and I’ll take you back to the hotel? I’m sorry, really, I just…I can’t leave her alone just yet, she needs a little comfort now and I just-”

“Tea sounds perfect,” Eddie cuts him off and looks him deep in the eyes, which makes Steve swoon. Seriously. Swoon. He didn’t know he’d be able to even do that. Swoon, what a ridiculous word. But Eddie manages.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, totally.” Eddie comes closer and okay, yeah, this time Steve puts a hand on his back. He can also date, you know, it’s not his first time. (It’s just his first time being this incredibly invested and a mess about it, but shh).

“Well, all right then. This way.” He leads him into the apartment, closes the door and gently pushes him forward towards the kitchen.

Max is standing there, smiling at them, the water in the kettle boiling next to her.

“Hi,” she says. “You’re Eddie?”

“Yeah,” he replies, from where he stopped in the doorframe. “And you’re the sister?”

“I’m the sister,” Max confirms with a soft smile and Steve can’t believe how good it feels to hear that from her lips. It’s not like they haven’t been saying this for ages now, but it still feels special every time.

Max chuckles. “And you can come closer, I don’t bite.” She takes three mugs out of the cupboard and then throws Eddie another look. “Well, as long as you don’t hurt Steve, of course.”

“Of course,” Eddie says, seriously and steps into the room while Steve cringes a little because…well, because Jesus, it’s way too early for a comment like that! And the way Eddie just seemed to take it seriously messes with his mind.

“What kinda tea do you like?”

“What kind do you have?”

“Everything,” Max says. “My boyfriend’s tea obsessed, don’t ask me where it comes from.”

Steve steps closer too, gets Eddie to sit down on one of the chairs with a hand on his shoulder and takes a seat next to him.

“Well, then I’d love some peppermint.”

“Coming right up. Rose for you, Steve?”

“Yup,” Steve nods and just a couple moments later Max joins them at the table setting down three steaming mugs on the dark wood.

“So are you all right?” Eddie asks, because of course he cares, and Max smiles. “Yeah, I’m all right. Had a little pregnancy scare but…but it’s all good.”

Eddie smiles. “Meaning you’re not pregnant?”

“Nope,” Max says, still seeming incredibly relieved. Understandably. “But I don’t really wanna talk about it anymore, so-”

“Got it, so we’ll talk about something else,” Eddie says like it’s totally normal to end up at your date’s sister’s kitchen table, talking (or not talking) about pregnancy. “What’s your favorite movie?” he just easily changes the topic and then Eddie and Max are off to talk about some horror flicks and how the Nightmare series is way better than a lot of modern ones and Steve just drinks his tea, listens and smiles to himself. Because from the looks of it, it’s not just him and Eddie that work. It’s Eddie with yet another person he loves and…and god, how is he supposed to not think about a future together?

He tries to blink it away, the image of Eddie and Max joking about something on the couch next to a Christmas tree…but it’s there and Steve can’t help but love it.

They stay in the kitchen for almost an hour, before Eddie remarks that it’s starting to get pretty late and Max announces that she wants to call Lucas, so Steve and Eddie get going. Together, which feels…so couple-y, it’s insane.

They walk down the stairs and at some point Eddie playfully puts his hands on Steve’s shoulders from behind him and Steve leans into the touch. He’s seriously almost sad when Eddie pulls back as they step outside.

“Okay,” Steve says, getting in the car. “Off to the hotel?”

“Yeah, please,” Eddie says from the passenger seat, a soft smile on his lips and Steve’s heart skips a beat. He can’t fucking get used to Eddie’s beauty. It’s out of this world. Gotta be. Maybe he’s actually an alien. Steve just internally snorts at that stupid thought and starts the engine.

Or rather. He tries. Because, unfortunately, his car’s not cooperating. The engine sputters and then nothing happens.

“Oh no,” Steve sighs. “No, no, no, why now?”

“Does that happen a lot?” Eddie asks, only amusement on his lips. Steve whines. “No. Just once. Problem is I know the issue and it takes a while to repair.”

“You mean like…by yourself?”

Steve nods. “Yeah, one of the main reasons she’s up and running so smoothly is because I know my way around cars.”

“That’s…pretty impressive.”

Steve blushes a little. “Well, I obviously didn’t fix it well enough, so I don’t know about that,” he says, trying again. Still nothing. He groans, pulls the lever to pop the hood and gets out of the car.

“C’mon, baby, don’t do this to me,” he mutters opening he hood and taking a look at it.

“So?” Eddie asks, sticking his head out of the window. “What’s the diagnosis?”

“Yeah, this is definitely not a fast fix.”

“Then I have a suggestion.”

“What?”

“I’ll call one of the hotel drivers I mentioned earlier, he’ll pick us up, drop you home and you can take care of this tomorrow. Because it’s getting really late.”

Steve looks at him, his dark puppy eyes, the tentative smile. He reluctantly nods.

“As much as I’d prefer taking care of this now, you’re probably right,” he says. “It is pretty late. And I’m a little tired anyway.”

“I’ll call,” Eddie says before Steve can change his mind and gets his phone out. Steve closes the hood shut and joins him in the car.

A car came to pick them up, they’re in front of the apartment building Steve lives in and…and…and he had such a good time with Eddie but fuck- what if there won’t be a second date?

“I’ll walk you up to your door,” Eddie says in the next moment though, and diminishes his doubts. Steve forces himself to be reasonable about this. They had a great time, right? Both of them. It might have been an unusual or unconventional date (you know with the whole drinking tea with the sister thing) but it was still a good one.

And as they’re in the elevator riding up to Steve’s apartment Eddie’s standing so close to him, Steve can hardly pull himself together. Eddie’s still, obviously, so, so hot, but he’s also so sweet and Steve can, in all honesty, say, that he’s a little gone for him already. He wants this to be a thing. He wants this to become something big.

He wants to date Eddie, really date him. He wants a relationship. He just wants Eddie, and sure he wants to have sex with him, but he also really just wants to kiss him, soft and innocent, and hold hands and fall asleep next to each other.

He knows that, shit, there he goes again, he’s in too deep already, but he doesn’t fucking mind. Eddie’s incredible and if Steve’s falling so fast for someone, then fuck yeah, let it be this guy!

They’ve reached his door and he turns to Eddie who smiles at him.

“So. This is me.”

“Yeah,” Eddie says. “Unfortunately.”

Jesus.

“I’m sorry we had to cut it short.”

Eddie just laughs a little but Steve’s serious.

“No, Eddie, seriously, again, I just want to say how sorry I am about all of this. I know this is not how you imagined our date going, I didn’t mean to ruin your night, I really didn’t and-”

“Steve,” Eddie interrupts him with a low chuckle, getting closer, effectively crowding him against the wall of the hallway. Steve’s breath hitches a little and he swallows.

“You didn’t ruin anything. This date was perfect,” Eddie says, and judging from the genuine look in his eyes he really means that. He’s too much for Steve’s brain. “Don’t worry. I mean, sure, I didn’t know we’d end up at your sister’s place but…look, I got to see the real you tonight.” He smiles. “And you know what it made me wanna do? Even more than I’ve already been wanting to ever since I first laid eyes on you, which I thought was hardly possible?”

His voice is low, almost purring in a way, sending shivers down Steve’s spine, but the tone is soft, too, and he’s so close. Steve can smell his cologne and still the wine they had for dinner even after they’ve had tea and something else he can’t quite put his finger on, but it’s fucking intoxicating. Eddie’s hands come up to Steve’s waist like second nature, like it’s just where they belong, like Eddie didn’t even need to think, their bodies just took over. Steve’s hands gently find their place on Eddie’s collar, barely grazing the skin there, but it’s enough to send another shock wave through him.

“What?” Steve asks, voice almost inaudible and it’s impossible to not let his gaze dip down to Eddie’s lips. Not if they’re right there, just inches away and fuck, they’re just so…Eddie’s so pretty it’s almost physically hurting Steve.

“Well…this,” Eddie whispers back, pulling Steve even closer, letting his left hand run onto Steve’s lower back, the right one squeezing his waist gently, in a way that just screams ‘I want you’. He leans in, getting closer and closer, until Steve can feel his breath on his lips.

But then Eddie stays there, hovering in the air, holding him close but not moving further and after a second Steve realizes that he’s waiting for permission. For Steve to consent, to actually say ‘yes, please kiss me, I want this’.

So yeah, Steve’s pretty convinced he’s in love with him now.

And fucking fuck, he has never wanted to kiss anyone as badly as he wants to kiss Eddie right now.

So he just closes the last distance, softly pressing his lips to Eddie’s in a way that’s so tentative and soft he almost can’t believe it after all the built up sexual tension between them.

Eddie doesn’t waste a second, though, to sigh into the kiss, deepen it, and when he wraps both of his arms around Steve’s waist, one arm meets bare skin under the soft sweater. It makes Steve anxious and insecure about his scars there for a second, but Eddie either doesn’t feel them or doesn’t care, either way he just pulls Steve close, flush against his body and Steve lets himself relax and his left hand wander to the nape of his neck, grabbing a handful of that beautiful hair.

Eddie’s a slow kisser, which feels so different from his radiant, energetic personality, but strangely just makes sense. And Steve happily gives up control and just follows along as Eddie explores his mouth in a way that makes Steve weak in the knees. Shit, this man knows how to kiss. He’s so confident about it, too, like he knows exactly what he’s doing to Steve right now and that’s just so. fucking. hot.

When Steve grabs Eddie’s hair a little tighter, Eddie softly moans into the kiss, and even though the sound is muffled by Steve’s lips, he’s never heard anything more arousing. Eddie kisses him harder and deeper and just more and brings his lips down to Steve’s neck, to softly kiss and suck and bite the delicate skin there, and all Steve can do is cling to Eddie, sigh happily and breathe shakily.

After a while (he will definitely wake up with a hell of a hickey tomorrow) Steve can feel Eddie’s lips stretch into a grin on his skin and then he’s chuckling into the crease of his neck. “Fuck, Steve,” he sighs and pulls back a little. “You’re killing me.”

“Huh?” Steve asks, a little detached from reality, which just widens Eddie’s smile even more. He presses a soft kiss to Steve’s lips and then says, “please tell me you wanna do this again.”

“The making out or the date?”

“Both, preferably,” Eddie replies and Steve realizes how breathless the guy is. And that Steve caused that. Steve caused Eddie to look like that, like he can’t believe his luck, like this is one of the best things to ever happen to him.

That he’s asking Steve right now if he wants to do this again.

This, Steve thinks for the one hundred millionth time tonight, is crazy.

“Well, obviously I do,” he says and the smile that Eddie gives him is the softest thing Steve has ever seen.

“Thank god,” Eddie sighs and presses another three kisses to Steve’s mouth. The next one is deeper and slower again and then Eddie pulls back and takes a deep breath. “I should really…I should really get back to the hotel,” he says and looks like it physically pains him to say those words out loud. “The guys would never let me live this down if I stayed now, not with how I thirsted after you at the show.” He leans his forehead against Steve’s, his eyes closed, and Steve doesn’t know why he keeps being surprised by these gentle touches and gestures but it just…it comes so unexpected.

Eddie always manages to rile him up and turn him on and make him freak out, just to do the softest, sweetest, most delicate thing in the next moment and completely throw him off.

Steve loves it.

“Plus, I…I don’t really want this to be…” Steve can hear him swallowing. “I mean- don’t get me wrong I definitely want…but I don’t uh…”

“Yeah, me too,” Steve reassures him before he even has a chance to turn anxious or get the idea that Steve feels differently about this.

“Yeah?” Eddie’s voice is dripping with hope and it’s still so, so soft Steve kind of wants to stay wrapped up in Eddie’s arms forever.

“Yeah,” he says and gently cups Eddie’s face in his hands because he deserves to get the same tenderness back. “Yes, Eddie.”

Eddie smiles. “Well…perfect.”

For a second they just stand there, in the dim hallway, looking at each other. “Just so you know,” Eddie then says. “I am gonna text you the second I step out of that elevator. Don’t get spooked.”

“I don’t get spooked,” Steve replies.

“Well, good.”

Steve smiles. “I should probably get inside.” He gestures to the door behind him.

“And I should probably leave.”

Steve pulls Eddie in for another kiss.

And another one.

“Last one,” he mumbles after the third one. Kisses him again. And another time.

Eddie giggles by the time they separate (which…is the cutest thing in the world??). “Okay. Bye, now.”

He then grabs Steve’s hand to press a gentle kiss to his knuckles before he actually turns to leave and Steve can’t decide what’s sweeter; that, or the way Eddie mimes his heart beating fast with his hands on his chest from the elevator.

It’s only when the doors have slid closed in front of Eddie that Steve turns around and gets his keys out.

He hasn’t even unlocked the door when his phone vibrates in his pocket.

Steve smiles. He lied to Eddie. He definitely does get spooked.

But only by scary things.

Not by this.