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Eric shouldn’t be watching Tanner’s stream. He’s live himself on his alt, trying to route Tears of the Kingdom blindfolded, but he has SmallAnt streaming in the background going into his headset just to distract himself. At least he’s on his alt. No camera, just trying to move around and get the feel for the blindfolded tech. Almost nobody in chat to see him.
And then the words register.
“I will go on a dinner date with you, if you can guess my phone number.”
Eric stops for a second, pausing the video of the blindfolded run he’s watching to route, and thinks about it as he listens to SmallAnt continue.
“Call me, right now, and I’ll take you out.”
And he realizes he has two options: either he ignore it and go back to routing and let SmallAnt’s chat potentially flood random Canadian numbers trying to reach the streamer, or… he could call the number to shut down the bit.
“I’ll be right back, guys,” he mumbles and mutes, taking out one of his earbuds as he reaches for his phone. He’s had SmallAnt’s number saved since they met up for the Anthony Padilla interview, after they swore to upkeep more open conversation and not stew on things.
Eric scrolls down to his contact, saved under an unassuming name, just in case. Only the initials matched, T C M. Biting at the skin around his pinky fingernail, Eric presses the call button and puts the phone to his ear as he closes his eyes.
And over stream, Eric can hear SmallAnt’s reaction.
“Wha– I’m actually getting a call now? Hold on, I’ve gotta take this.”
Wetting his lips with his tongue, Eric lingers, waiting. Smant’s just joking. He’d never actually go on a dinner date with a fan. They’ve both had to vet their potential partners to avoid the parasocial relationships getting in the way of actual companionship, and have even shared a few laughs over it during a late night call.
That’s what Eric had missed the most. The late night chats about everything and nothing, where nobody’s watching and nobody’s listening in. Just him, and Tanner.
“Hello?” SmallAnt’s voice rings out in an echo, and Eric realizes he’s got the stream delay in his earbud. But he doesn’t take it out.
“Hey, Smant. Just– cashing in that dinner date before anyone else can,” Eric jokes lightly, biting his tongue as he thankfully doesn’t hear his own voice in his ear. “Letting you off easy.”
Smant chuckles, and Eric checks his third monitor. He’s ducking his head and has shoved his chair back so he’s smaller in the frame, like he’s hiding behind his microphone.
“I didn’t think anybody would actually call,” he muses on the other end of the line, and it is picked up by the stream. More faintly than the ‘hello’, but still audible.
And Eric looks at chat, at how they’re all so shocked that someone actually got through to his phone. How people are worrying that Tanner’s number actually is public enough for someone to find. How some are jealous. The mods seem the most intrigued – Eric sees Sni just be a barrage of question marks.
“You don’t– you don’t actually have to honor it, I just did it so people wouldn’t go after random phone numbers trying to get you,” Eric excuses.
“No, no, I will, I mean, I promised on stream, didn’t I?” And Eric watches Smant lift his head and grin into the camera. “A dinner date.”
Eric feels his face heat up, and he turns away from his camera to look at the stream fully. “So are you… coming down here, or do I have to reach you?”
“No, you’d have to come here,” Tanner hums, and there’s a thrum down Eric’s spine at his tone, even though he knows that at least part of it – if not all – is for show. “If I’m going to take you on a dinner date, I’d have to know the area.”
Eric thinks about it, chuckling to fill the dead air as he does. Going to Calgary to see SmallAnt, to see him face to face again. It hasn’t even been that long since the Red Bull event, but Eric still feels this sort of giddy excitement at the thought of seeing Smant in the flesh again.
He's mature enough to recognize that his feelings for Tanner aren't… quite platonic. Sure, they're great friends, and Eric loves all of his friends. But he doesn't love them like he loves Tanner. He doesn't want to kiss Abby, or Trey, or Doug (although they've come close a few times), or Sam. Not like he wants to grab the front of Tanner’s shirt and pull him down into a kiss, to feel his lips against his own and press their bodies together.
“Well, why don't I get back to you about that after your stream?” Eric settles on, a grin in his voice.
“Sure, yeah. I’ll talk to you after stream, get all the details sorted,” Smant agrees, a small nod as he moves back towards his mic. “Guess that's a date, huh?”
“I'll– I'll see you then,” Eric hums and pulls his phone away from his ear, hanging up the call and focusing back on his own stream. He doesn’t even unmute immediately, he just unpauses the video he's been tracking to continue transcribing the movement. But he hears Smant in his ear, still.
“Well, chat, look at that, huh – I actually got a date!” And Eric can't help but smile at his – apparently genuine – excitement. Like Tanner is actually excited to go on a date. Not just a date, a date with him.
Part of Eric reasons that it's just because they're friends. That he's saved Tanner the worry of potentially meeting a rabid fan. But another part of him, nestled deep in his chest, hopes that it's because his feelings are reciprocated. It suddenly doesn't sound impossible.
Eric zones out as he thinks back to the skyblock stream he'd seen clips from. Where Smant had stopped playing just to make the thumbnail for the Infinite Craft video, to push it out to give it the best chance at success. How he'd entertained chat's musings about them, about him so casually.
We're not lovers. We haven't hit that part of the arc yet.
Why does Pointcrow look so hot here? That's his face. That's just what he looks like!
Tanner’s efforts haven’t passed Eric by. In fact, he’s taken note of every single effort Tanner has made since he reached out, kept them close, and cherished them. All those things that Eric had wished Tanner had done before – then so longed for, and now it’s like he’s drowning in them.
And Eric finally understands how the virgin Mary must have felt about the stories of the angels, how she pondered them in her heart that first Christmas night. He’d never understood before, when he heard the tale of the Nativity, how she could keep it to herself and consider, but now, sitting here and remembering every little detail that Tanner had done for him, Eric thinks he gets it.
He has to scroll back the video several minutes when he realizes where he is and what he’s doing.
And that he still hasn’t unmuted.
—
Smant
Hey
Good routing?
Eric PointCrow
Yeah, got further than I thought
Will probably finish up tonight
Got a run going yet?
Smant
Had a big misplay with a Magic Guard Machamp :/
Stuck in the lab
Eric PointCrow
Damn
That happens, dude
Smant
So… about that date :smolCheese:
Eric PointCrow
Like I said, you don't have to
I was just saving your ass from chat
Smant
So you
don't
want to go on a dinner date?
I'm paying
Eric PointCrow
I mean
I'm not a man to turn down free food
Smant
You'll have to get here first, though
Eric PointCrow
I could do with a break
Feeling kind of lost in ironmon
Next week work for you?
Smant
I'll be pretty busy up until my birthday, actually
Mom is coming to stay for a bit so the guest room will be occupied
Eric PointCrow
You busy during your birthday weekend?
Smant
Surprisingly, no
Eric PointCrow
Sat May 4th?
Smant
That's a date
Eric PointCrow
I’ll let you know the details of my flights
Smant
Bring something nice to wear
If we’re doing this, we’re doing it right
Eric PointCrow
Nice?
How nice?
Like suit-and-tie nice or…
Smant
Slacks and a button-down. And a nice jacket
No tie
Eric PointCrow
You take a lot of dates to this place to know the dress code or…?
Smant
:smolCheese:
Eric PointCrow
That doesn’t answer my question
Smant
I’ll make a reservation for 7 PM
Don’t be late :smirk:
—
“Oh, yeah, chat, I probably won’t be streaming the first week of May,” Eric notes a few days later, after he’s purchased the plane tickets. Flying out to Calgary May 2nd and returning to LA the following Thursday. “Might be some streams on other channels, but I won’t be bringing my setup.”
where are you going
“Oh, out to see some friends,” he lies. Well, exaggerates. One friend. One friend that’s promised to take him on a dinner date to some fancy place that requires a reservation almost a month in advance. “I’ll be gone from Thursday to Thursday,” he reveals with a grin.
And Eric refuses to talk about it, he moves on to more Kaizo Ironmon, but he’s not as worn out by Ironmon today as he usually gets. He gets a few Pokémon out of the lab, but none of them make it very far. He just has bad luck. He hadn’t been joking when he told Tanner that Ironmon made him feel lost.
It’s like Smant knows Eric’s thinking about him. Because a message ticks in, and he stops to read it. As he does, another two pop up, one after another.
Smant
I just tried to book a table for Saturday
Someone’s rented out the entire place for a Star Wars thing
We good to do Friday instead?
Eric tries to school his features as he reads the messages, and chat immediately reacts. But he doesn’t really care as he reaches over to tab into the right message bar.
Eric PointCrow
lol right
may the fourth be with you
A birthday dinner date?
He can’t help the small grin on his lips as the “ Smant is typing…” bubble appears. But it wouldn’t feel right having Tanner take him out on a date on Tanner’s birthday, only for him to not even pay for it.
Smant
Oh
Right
There’s a pause, and Eric returns to Ironmon as he waits for Tanner to reply to him. It takes a while. Like Tanner has to call to make a reservation. What kind of place is he being taken to?
They have a table for us Sunday at 7
Eric PointCrow
That’s a date
Eric wets his lips with his tongue as he repeats Tanner’s own words back to him. As if he still can’t believe it, that Tanner is inviting him to stay at his house for an entire week, the same week as his birthday, just to take him on a single dinner date.
Tanner’s birthday.
Eric will have to find him a gift. A good gift. A really good gift.
At least he still has time.
—
“So you’re really going?” Abby asks over their barely-classified-as-homemade dinner that night.
“Yeah,” Eric grins. “You should be glad! I’ll be out of your hair for a week, and I won’t be able to get myself into trouble.”
“You’re going to Canada,” Abby reminds him. “If anything, I’m going to be more worried about you getting into trouble where I can’t come pick you up because you tried one too many drinks on Doug’s insistence,” she muses teasingly. “It’s been a month since Smant was here. It’s not like it’s been ages since you saw him in person.”
“Well, for one, Doug’s not going there with me, and Tanner doesn’t drink. For two, he flew down here and back home in the same day, we barely got to talk in person before he had to leave,” Eric pouts.
“I can’t believe you called his actual phone while you were both live, by the way.”
“It was for the greater good!”
“The greater good, or your greater good?” Abby prods.
“It– it’s not like that,” Eric argues, lying through his teeth.
“He’s taking you on a date.”
“It doesn’t mean anything!” No matter how much you want it to. “He’s calling it a dinner date because that’s what he told chat it was.”
“You’ve sent your jacket, nice shirt and pants to the dry cleaner for this dinner date.”
“You say that like– like I’ve only got the one nice shirt,” Eric pouts. “And only one pair of nice slacks.”
“Because you do!”
“Either way, it’s because whatever place Smant picked apparently has a dress code.”
“Or maybe he’s just teasing you.”
Eric stops, his face flushing. “I– I think he’s being serious about the place. We even had to switch the day because there were no reservations on Saturday. The entire place was rented out to some Star Wars thing.”
Abby snickers. “You were going to go on a date on Star Wars day and didn’t think people would have booked tables?”
“Smant’s first suggestion was to change it to the day before.”
“On his birthday?”
“It was like it didn’t even occur to him that it was, until I pointed it out.”
“Are you sure you should take that week off?” Abby asks.
“I’m not going to travel out of the country with my setup, that’s just too risky. If I do anything, maybe I’ll ask nicely and Smant will let me borrow his setup for the day,” Eric jokes, chuckling.
“Would you let anyone borrow your setup for a stream?” Abby counters.
“If their job depended on it and I didn’t need it for myself, yeah,” Eric shrugs. “I’ll talk to Smant, though, maybe we’ll do some real life collab stuff while I’m out there.”
Abby rolls her eyes and sighs. “As long as you know what you’re doing.”
Eric isn’t sure he does.
—
Tanner isn’t worried, when he tells the chat member claiming to have his phone number to call him. In fact, he’s so confident that he makes it a bet.
“I will go on a dinner date with you, if you can guess my phone number. Call me, right now.”
He knows nobody will call. Barely anybody has his number these days. So he continues playing Ironmon, unbothered and laughing at chat trying to call him.
And then his phone rings.
“Wha– I’m actually getting a call now? Hold on, I’ve gotta take this.” Tanner’s heart is in his throat as he picks up his phone. But his panic is smoothed over quickly when he sees that it’s one of his contacts.
But it’s not just one of his saved contacts. It’s Eric. Isn’t he live? Quickly scanning his following list, Tanner confirms that yeah, Eric is live on his alt. Was he watching his stream while live?
“Hello?”
“Hey, Smant. Just– cashing in that dinner date before anyone else can.” Eric’s voice is quiet over the phone as Tanner pushes away from his microphone. Chat doesn’t need to know who’s calling. “Letting you off easy.”
“I didn’t think anybody would actually call.” Tanner feels his voice slip away from his streamer tone, into something more gentle.
“You don’t– you don’t actually have to honor it, I just did it so people wouldn’t go after random phone numbers trying to get you,” Eric says, and it sounds like an excuse, like he doesn’t want to inconvenience Tanner.
“No, no, I will, I mean, I promised on stream, didn’t I?” Tanner lifts his head and grins into the camera. “A dinner date.”
There’s a pause before Eric speaks again. “So are you… coming down here, or do I have to reach you?”
“No, you’d have to come here,” Tanner hums. “If I’m going to take you on a dinner date, I’d have to know the area.”
There’s a pause as Eric chuckles, and Tanner looks at his chat, just a wall of messages of curiosity and wonder at what was happening on screen in front of them.
Eric. Eric called to ‘claim’ the dinner date for himself. And Tanner can’t help but think about taking Eric out on a date. An actual date. Just the two of them, out at a restaurant. Maybe they could even watch a movie after.
“Well, why don't I get back to you about that after your stream?” Eric says finally, once his laughter dies, a grin in his voice.
“Sure, yeah. I’ll talk to you after stream, get all the details sorted,” Tanner agrees, a small nod as he moves back towards his mic. “Guess that's a date, huh?” He can’t help the smirk on his lips.
“I'll– I'll see you then,” and is Eric nervous? Tanner can’t tell over his heart hammering in his chest. Tanner hangs up and smiles down at his phone before he puts it to the side before reaching back to his desk to continue playing Ironmon.
“Well, chat, look at that, huh – I actually got a date!” He chuckles. “Who was it? I’m not telling you. Whoever called can tell you themselves.”
And Tanner can say that, because Eric is streaming himself and isn’t in chat at all, unavailable for comment. So he goes back to playing Kaizo Ironmon, although his mind is swirling with thoughts of Eric PointCrow.
He doesn’t know what his feelings for Eric are. But he can recognize that he’s… a little weird about him. Always has been. But Eric’s special, in a way Tanner finds so hard to put to words. And thinking about taking Eric on a date, an actual date, ignites a warmth in his heart that Tanner can’t deny.
He’s never felt that way just thinking about a date before. Sure he’s felt it while on dates, but never just thinking about going on one. Maybe it’s Eric.
It hasn’t even been that long since they met in real life last – the scuffed-as-heck Red Bull event had been their last face-to-face interaction, before Tanner had been flown back to Canada that same night. He didn’t even have time to really congratulate Eric on his victory.
Maybe this is his second chance.
—
Tanner isn’t freaking out. Nope. He’s not overthinking every little detail, or making the bed in the guest room for the fifth time to make sure it looks just right. He hasn’t gone over every surface in every room with a cloth to remove any loose dust particles from the shelves. Nope.
It’s just Eric. He’s staying for a week. Tanner’s friend, that shot right up the list of his closest friends almost as soon as Eric had opened up their DMs again to talk it out.
Even his mom had noticed he was fretting about something.
—
“What’s on your mind, Tanner?” She asks so fondly.
“So, uh, a bit ago, there was this chatter that claimed to have my phone number,” Tanner begins, because he doesn’t know where else to. “It was like two weeks ago, and I didn’t believe them, so I, I placed a bet with chat. I told chat that I’d take whoever called me on a dinner date if they could find my number.”
“Oh, Tanner… You really should know better,” Smom teases lightly, but Tanner can tell that she’s worried.
“The person that found what they thought was my number sent it to me, and it wasn’t even an area code anywhere nearby,” Tanner reassures her. “But, uh, I did get a call.”
Smom looks puzzled. “What do you mean?”
“Eric called.”
A smile breaks out across her face. “Oh, so you’re going on a date with Eric!” Smom’s hands curl together in front of her in a move Tanner recognizes as fond.
“Well, yes, a friend date, mom,” Tanner corrects, smiling awkwardly. “I’m not gay,” he reminds her.
There’s a glint in his mother’s eye that Tanner isn’t sure what means. “So… Eric called you when you told your chat that you’d take one of them on a date?”
“Yes? He did it so chat would stop trying random phone numbers?”
“Uh huh.” Smom looks at him skeptically. “So you’re saying that Eric, who was also streaming, right? He took a break from his own stream, just to call you to bail you out of your own bit?”
“Well, when you put it like that, it sounds weird, mom, but we’re in each other’s chats all the time,” Tanner shrugs. “Maybe not chatting, but I will keep his stream open on my phone. I’d bail him out if he got himself into a stupid bit like that too.”
“Tanner…”
“Mom, it’s not like that. Eric and I are just friends.”
Smom nods, smiling at him. “So he’s coming here?”
“Yes, I got his flight details yesterday. He’s landing on the 2nd and going back the 9th.”
“Oh, so he’s staying here for your birthday!”
Tanner nods, looking down at his fingers as his eyebrows twitch. “Yeah, I was going to be busy until then.”
She chuckles lightly. “Well, do you know where you’re taking him?”
“I’ve already made the reservation.”
“Oh, is it that place you’ve wanted to go but haven’t had an excuse for?”
“Yep.”
“Well, do you know what you’re going to wear, then? It’s quite the fancy place, isn’t it?”
Tanner scratches the back of his head. “I’ve told Eric that there’s a dress code. I don’t know if there actually is, but if we’re going to take it, you know, a little seriously, we can’t be showing up in sweatpants.”
“You and I are going to go shopping,” Smom insists. “You haven’t worn a suit since your high school graduation, and even that was a struggle. You need new clothes.”
Tanner chuckles. “You’ve got a point. Alright, we should go before stream tomorrow?”
His mom nods. “Yes. I’m not letting you go out on a proper date in ill-fitting clothes.”
—
Smant
I’m trying to put together some people for SMO H&S next week, you interested?
Trying to hook a bunch of skill levels for some team stuff
Eric PointCrow
Sure! That sounds super fun
Which day next week?
Smant
Great! I was thinking of trying for Tuesday, does that work for you?
Eric PointCrow
Tuesday works
See you then?
Smant
Awesome
See you then :smolCheese:
—
Smant
Congrats on the hide n seek win, dude! Good luck on your ironmon run
I’m gonna take a nap, but I’m keeping your stream open
—
Eric PointCrow
I’m looking forward to our date <message deleted>
I’d be down to do this again sometime
Hope you got some good sleep, though I’m not sure how I feel about you falling asleep to my stream :pcrowWink:
Smant
I’m looking forward to it too <draft>
—
Eric PointCrow
Should I just get an Uber to your place from the airport?
Smant
I’ll pick you up
When’s your flight supposed to land?
Eric PointCrow
6 PM
You don’t have to do that
Smant
I want to
Eric PointCrow
Oh
Thanks
—
Eric PointCrow
Flight’s a little late
Problems at the gate
Eric PointCrow
Got my luggage
—
Tanner’s leaning against the wall, looking at all the arrivals and seeking out Eric. He’s scanning every crowd, until finally, he spies a familiar head of hair. Pushing away from the wall, Tanner starts weaving between reuniting families and other waiting people. He can tell when Eric notices him, because the other streamer straightens up and throws a hand in the air as a greeting. They meet in the crowd, and Tanner doesn’t know if Eric’s going to go in for a hug, or a high five, or a handshake, until they’re face to face and Eric’s raised arm wraps around his chest and pulls him into a hug.
“It’s good to see you, man.” Eric’s voice sounds different than over the phone, or in Tanner’s headset. Maybe he’s imagining it. Maybe Eric’s voice is softer when they’re together.
“It’s good to see you too,” Tanner replies softly before pulling back. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”
“You really didn’t have to pick me up, I would have just taken an Uber.”
“I couldn’t let my date just get an Uber the first time he’s visiting,” Tanner grins, holding out his arm for Eric to take. Eric laughs and holds his arm as the other is wrangling his suitcase.
“You’re really clinging to this being a date.”
“Yep. That’s what we said it was. That’s what it is.”
Eric ducks his head as Tanner walks them out into the mid-spring sun, and immediately, he feels Eric shudder. The weather hasn’t heated up that much yet, and it’s probably much colder than LA. When Tanner had been in the States for the Red Bull event, it’d been plenty warm already. Eric’s probably cold.
“Sorry, I should have warned you about the weather,” Tanner apologizes.
“I could have done my research better,” Eric shrugs. “How far away did you park?” He chuckles teasingly.
“It’s a bit of a walk, the lot’s so full that I could not find anything closer.”
“It’s fine, man, don’t worry about it.”
“How was customs?”
Eric huffs. “Dude, it was weird. I always thought you’d exaggerated what the border patrol guys are like, but– but now, they– they’re just like that.”
“That’s what I’m telling you!” Tanner exclaims, chuckling.
“Yeah, I get it. You keep doing that just for events?”
“You get used to it,” Tanner shrugs.
“Still, it’s gotta be a pain in the ass.”
“Yeah, I mean, it’s never fun, but it’s worth it to see people.”
Eric nods. “I get it.”
—
Smant’s house is bigger than Eric anticipated. Two floors and a basement, an open-plan main floor and three bedrooms on the second floor. Tanner had showed him to the guest bedroom and the adjacent bathroom, and now Eric’s sat on the bed, phone in hands and Tanner’s birthday gift neatly wrapped next to him.
Eric PointCrow
Made it to Smant’s
AbbyBagel
Good
Everything okay?
Eric PointCrow
Why am I nervous?
It’s just Smant
AbbyBagel
You’re going on a date with him on Sunday, that’s why
Take some good pictures for Twitter
Eric PointCrow
I’m not gonna tell Twitter I went on a date with him!!
AbbyBagel
Scenic pics, idiot
Eric PointCrow
Oh
Right
Will do
—
“I got this gift from PointCrow, it came in a couple days ago,” Smant tells chat, holding up the rectangular package to the camera. “He told me I should open it on camera,” he laughs as he begins pulling at the tape. “I’m gonna be real, chat, it feels like a book.”
He looks down as he opens the gift, pulling away the colorful wrapping paper to unveil that he was correct. It is a book.
“Ha ha!” He exclaims triumphantly as he holds the book up to the camera. Mistborn: The Final Empire, by Brandon Sanderson. “I was right, chat, it was a book.” He opens it and looks at the inside of the cover. There’s writing there.
“Heard you were taking book recommendations,” Tanner reads out loud. “So I thought I’d get you one of my own.” He can’t help his smile as he closes the book and holds it up to show chat again. “Is it a good book, chat?”
He scans chat and sees approving messages from several chatters, and he chuckles. “Right, that was the only birthday present I got this year, chat,” he lies, pouting into the camera. “Not even my own mother got me anything this year.”
SmallAntMom gifted 10 subs to Smallant ’s community!!
“Mom!” Tanner laughs. “I swear, chat, I wasn’t fishing for gift subs,” he giggles as he pulls up Pokérogue. “Are we ready to get into this?”
—
Eric’s fixing his shirt collar for the sixth time. He’s been spending the last hour and a half getting ready for his date with Smant. With Tanner. He’s showered, shaved, spent half an hour on his hair alone, and he’s wearing his (admittedly only) nice shirt and pants, with a dark tie that had taken him frankly too long to get the knot right on. He’s usually good at that. But he’s nervous.
Knock. Knock.
“You okay in there, Crow? We’ve gotta leave in, like, five minutes,” he hears through the door. It’s now or never.
Taking a deep breath, Eric steps over to the door and pulls it open. On the other side is Tanner, dressed in a well-fitting gray button down and a pair of nice black slacks. Looking up at his face, Eric finds himself looking at a grin and a lightly tilted head. Tanner steps forward and reaches up to Eric’s throat, and Eric’s eyes widen as Tanner pulls loose the meticulous knot.
“I thought I’d specified no ties,” Tanner mumbles into the narrow space between them. Eric’s heart races in his chest. They’re so close.
And then Tanner slips the tie out from Eric’s shirt collar as he steps back, rolling it up and holding it out to Eric. “We have to get going, or we’ll get stuck in traffic,” he warns.
Taking the rolled-up tie, Eric nods dumbly as he blinks, and with his free hand, he reaches up and unbuttons the top button of his shirt, just for comfort. “Right, right. Let’s– let’s go.”
He just hopes his heart will survive the night.
—
Tanner can’t let his heart believe this is actually a date. No matter how sweetly Eric’s smiling at him from across the table. No matter how easily he finds the laughter sitting in his chest. No matter how Eric reached out with the napkin to wipe away sauce from the corner of Tanner’s mouth, and his brain had shut off for several minutes, his body running on autopilot to make sure Eric didn’t catch on.
It’s a date. It’s supposed to be a date.
When their meal is finished, the waitress comes over, gives both of them a look, and places the card reader in front of Eric.
“Oh, no, I’m paying,” Tanner interrupts, pulling out his wallet. The waitress’s eyebrows raise for a moment, but she moves the card reader in front of him, and he pulls out his card and pays. When he returns his attention to the table, Eric has his suit jacket over his arm and smiles at him.
“Ready to go?”
Tanner nods, smiling. He wants to kiss him so badly. But he can’t. If he kisses him, and Eric doesn’t feel the same, he’ll just tear them apart again.
“I’ve only ever heard about that happening on the internet,” Eric chuckles when they’re outside.
“What happening?”
“Two same-sex friends going out to eat somewhere, and the waitress or waiter deciding who pays unless they’ve announced they’re splitting the bill,” Eric explains. “I’ve seen them say it’s the waiter assigning who’s the top in the, y’know, assumed relationship.”
“Would you ever go out with a guy?” Tanner can’t help himself. He can pick his heart up from being shattered if Eric says no. He doesn’t know if he can let it soar if he says yes.
“I mean, we’re going out right now, aren’t we?” Eric grins.
“No, I mean, like, a real date.”
“Isn’t this a real date?”
Tanner lets out a breath. “Eric.”
“Oh, shit, you’re serious? Dude, I’m sorry,” Eric’s grin turns into a grimace. “I– I mean, yeah. I… I would, I think. With the right guy.”
With the right guy. Tanner can’t dare to dream. But he still reaches out and brushes his knuckles against Eric’s hand. “Me too.”
Eric turns his hand and catches Tanner’s fingers, twining their fingers together easily. He even squeezes Tanner’s hand. “Thanks for taking me out tonight. It’s been nice.”
“Why are you saying that like it’s over?” Tanner asks, trying to regain his footing and his confidence.
“Well– well, we had dinner, that’s– that’s what you said, you’d take the chatter out to dinner.”
“I believe I said on a date.” Tanner smirks. “There’s a movie starting in 20 minutes. Wanna share a popcorn?”
Eric considers it, his fingertips tapping against Tanner’s knuckles where they’re connected. And then he looks up at Tanner and grins. “Back row?”
“That makes it sound like you want to make out instead of actually watching the movie,” Tanner notes.
Eric laughs. “Well, if it’s a date, we should treat it like one,” he teases.
Tanner nods. “You’re right,” he muses. “Come on, then, we wouldn’t want to be late.”
—
Eric doesn’t know why he suggested the back row. There’s almost nobody else in the theatre, and he’s pretty sure they have the back half of the theatre to themselves. Just him, and Tanner, and a shared bucket of popcorn that they both happen to shove their hands into at the same time.
At least they’re not being disturbed, nor disturbing anyone, as Tanner leans over to mutter jokes about the movie into his ear, only to make Eric laugh soundlessly, shaking in his seat as he tries not to make too much noise. It also doesn’t help that Tanner has his arm around the back of Eric’s seat the entire time.
He doesn’t get why Tanner asked so seriously about him dating a guy. Eric’s heart wants it to be because Tanner wants this to be real. To be for them.
His head isn’t as hopeful.
But his heart races when Tanner, over halfway through the movie – that is mid at best – leans over and rests his chin on Eric’s shoulder. He doesn’t even say anything. He’s just there. Eric can’t focus on the movie, and begins eating popcorn faster just to occupy his head and his hands and his mouth. So he doesn’t say anything he’ll regret.
And then the popcorn bucket is empty, and Eric doesn’t have that excuse anymore. But Tanner pulls away, and Eric misses his warmth. It takes him over a minute to realize that the credits have started rolling, and that’s just because the room suddenly got brighter.
Get yourself together.
He stands up and stretches, and Tanner grabs their jackets and the empty bucket. “Ready to get out of here?”
“Why don’t we hide and stay for the next screening?” Eric jokes. “That was a painfully lacking makeout session.”
Tanner snorts. “I’d rather have you home for that. More resources there.”
“Resources?” Eric questions, chuckling.
“Yeah. Figured if you’re gonna get handsy, might be good to have something on hand to help us out,” Tanner says, far too seriously for a joke. Eric coughs.
“God, Smant,” he breathes out, looking down as he makes his way to the aisle. There’s only so many jokes like that his soul can take before he presses Tanner against a wall and kisses him.
They don’t say much on the way back to Tanner’s car, but as they get in, Eric speaks up.
“I had a good time today.”
“Me too. Definitely one of the better dates I’ve ever been on,” Tanner admits as he turns the key in the ignition.
“Yeah?”
“Definitely,” Tanner hums, pulling out of the parking lot. “Especially since I’m taking my date home,” he teases.
“You’re such a tease,” Eric huffs. “I’d love to see you actually follow through sometime, y’know?”
“Yeah? So you want me to give you the authentic date night treatment?” Tanner asks.
“Yes.”
Tanner hums and drums his fingers on the steering wheel as he drives them back to his place. “As long as you promise it won’t change us.”
Eric swallows. He has a decision to make here. If Tanner kisses him, right here, right now, is he going to be capable of not letting it change them? “That depends on how good of a kisser you are,” he decides to say.
It makes Tanner chuckle. It’s not his stream laughs, nor the regular laughs he manages to eek out of Tanner on their private calls. It’s a gentler sound, something more… contemplating.
When Tanner parks in his garage, Eric unbuckles, but is stopped by Tanner’s hand on his knee. Eric turns to ask what’s up, but Tanner has already taken off his glasses and leaned in, and their lips slot together slowly. Eric reaches up and holds him close as he starts kissing back.
“I lied,” Eric whimpers when he pulls back. “I can’t– Tanner. I like you. Like– like– I like you. I have for a long time. That kiss– it–”
Tanner’s breath hitches. “You– Eric, I love you. I’ve been wanting to kiss you all night.”
“Can it change us?” Eric asks quietly, closing his eyes.
“Yes,” Tanner mutters and kisses him again.