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"Alright Munsters, we've got a new one today that I'm really excited about. The wonderful folks over at Hellfire Games have given a few of us early access to their latest horror title, The Haunting of House Creel. I'm really excited to get my hands on this one, friends. Got a little bit of a personal stake in this one, as our good friend, Mister Jazzy Jeff, was involved in some of the level design for this one! Jeff last graced my most humble of channels a couple of months back for our little Left 4 Dead charity stream for the Trevor Project, which-"
"So this is the guy you are going to see? Isn't he a little old for you?"
"Oh my GOD, Steven, I don't want to date him."
Steve and Dustin sat on the well-loved striped couch in the living room, Steve's feet kicked up on the coffee table, and his arms stretched over the back of the couch. His younger brother Dustin leaned into his space, holding out his phone to show him a video of some guy who apparently plays video games for a living. He had laughed when Dustin first told him, opening his mouth to say that a professional video game player wasn't a thing, before he saw the hurt in Dustin's eyes. So he went along with it, letting his younger brother tell him all about this "Eddie the Banished" that he watched all the time on his phone.
"So you're meeting him, why?" Steve took the phone from Dustin to get a better look at the person in the corner of the screen. Only his body and chair showed on the screen; the background was not there. "Greenscreened," Dustin called it, whatever that meant.
Steve watched as the person in the video spoke, his hands dramatic, emphasizing his motions. Everything else about him seemed pretty straightforward for someone who worked as he did: a black tee with some angry-looking logo on it, indistinguishable from the small size on the phone screen. He couldn't see any hair, save for the few curly mahogany wisps that escaped from under his headset.
Steve jumped slightly as Dustin tapped his arm, pointing to his left ear. Oh, shit. He reached up, feeling behind his ear for the power button on his hearing aid. He winced as the sound cracked as it powered on before he could better hear the ambient sounds around him.
"Sorry, Dusty, got distracted with whatever this is."
"Uh huh," Dustin doubted, earning an arm around his neck to deliver sweet, sweet retribution via nerd noogies. Dustin squealed, trying to wiggle away from Steve frizzing up his hair, before he heard Claudia chastise them from the dining room, where she was working on a puzzle.
"So tell me again what this thing is that I'm taking you to?"
"Steeeeeve, we've gone over this like, eight times." Dustin bemoaned, throwing his hands up and slumping into the couch.
"Yeah, and I've forgotten to turn my hearing aid on ohhh, about 8 times." Dustin screeched again, grabbing Steve by the bicep and shaking him, Steve laughing at his little brother's frustration.
"We are going to a CONVENTION," Dustin enunciated each word obnoxiously, looking directly at Steve and speaking up so he had no excuse for not hearing him, "A bunch of game developers come and have showcases, and they preview upcoming releases that you can play in the exhibition hall."
"And what does this Banished have to do with it?"
"Eddie the Banished," Dustin chastises, "He's doing a couple of panels and a meet and greet." Steve goes to open his mouth, Dustin cuts him off, "A panel is a presentation with a table of people on a specific topic. One is running a charity stream, where he and a few other streamers talk about their experiences with them. The other is on queer representation in the streamer space. Will really wanted to go to that one."
Steve softens a little at the topics, both of which are barely related to whatever weird video game career this guy claims he has. He can respect those topics; maybe they will be a little interesting for him. He was expecting things like How to Get Good at Fart Night or something.
"The meet and greet is first, though. The convention brings in a lot of talent, like actors, voice actors, streamers, and stuff. Some of them you can get pictures with, or have them give autographs. But really it's just a chance to talk to them."
"And you're going to talk to him about…?"
"About how the digital tabletop interface impacts the modern role-playing game!" Dustin grins from ear to ear, a proud look on his face.
Steve smiles at him affectionately. He loves how his brother is completely and unabashedly himself.
"Never change, Dustin Henderson."
"I don't plan on it, Steven Henderson."
Steve was overwhelmed.
Actually, just saying he was overwhelmed was probably an understatement. But he didn't know what word to use in its place, so overwhelmed it was.
There were people everywhere. Many wore intricate costumes, with Dustin explaining that they usually made them by hand specifically for conventions. Those not in costumes were in a variety of gaming-related shirts. Dustin, Will, Mike, and Lucas, whom Steve was responsible for during this trip, were all wearing white shirts with a Hellfire Games logo. Dustin had on an open short-sleeved button-up over that with those funky little dice he used for their dragon game all over them.
They all stood in a line at the meet-and-greet area. Steve was shocked at how many people were also in line for these. He couldn't imagine waiting in line like this just to talk to someone who didn't know you. Yeah, it would be cool to meet a famous actor or actress, but more in passing instead of waiting in a big hall with tables lining the edges. They had been waiting about 45 minutes now, and Steve was getting a little restless. He had to turn his aid off; the amplified echoing noises in the hall felt like an ice pick to his temple.
"Holy shit, Steve, we're next in line!" Dustin grabbed Steve's shirt sleeve and shook it.
Steve had on a short-sleeved button-up knit shirt with brown herringbone and orange stripes. He had a matching brown leather belt, pale khaki chinos, and a pair of low-top casual sneakers. He had on a watch with a brown-and-gold band, as well as his gold pendant necklace with a robin that rested just above where his chest hair grew thickest, leaving his shirt unbuttoned enough for a tasteful amount to peek out. His large, rounded glasses matched his necklace, with a thin gold frame and brown tortoiseshell plastic at the ends of the earpieces. His hair nearly brushed his shoulders, so long now, artfully messy. He knew he looked good and wore his clothing like armor in an unfamiliar environment.
As Dustin pulled Steve forward, he finally got a glance of the nerd they were going to see and-
Holy Shit.
Eddie had a love/hate relationship with Con days.
He truly loved interacting with fans. Hearing story after story about how his being out and proud as a gay man gave them courage to come out, to stand up to bullies, or to confront their own biases was something that nearly made him cry every time. He could honestly say that the convention itself was something he loved; being around all kinds of people, just excited to be themselves and show their passion for various creative works, made for an electric atmosphere.
The days were long, though, especially because Eddie made sure to stay so all of his fans in line could see him. He hated disappointing people, so dipping on his line when there were still people there felt like tearing his heart in two. That leads to him missing lunches, though Chrissy has gotten better at shoving things like smoothies or protein bars at him in between fans to compensate. He was also on his feet a lot, which he was NOT used to as a streamer. He hated how impersonal talking with a table in between him and the fan felt, so he would come around the front to stand, talk, and take pictures.
Convention halls were also HOT. The number of people crammed into the tiny space made things heat up quickly. Eddie learned very fast that going all out with his outfits was not the move. He kept things simple today, wearing his cropped Lord of the Rings black metal witch king shirt, the hem hitting just above the waist of his black stonewashed jeans, with rips in the knees and cuffed just above his black Vans slide-ons. He recently switched to the extra-comfort Vans, and while it made him feel a certain way (OLD), he has to admit they are so much nicer for long days.
For Eddie, fun on con days came from his accessories. He had a dual chain hanging from a front and back belt loop, a black leather belt made by a fan that looked like dragon scales up close; their leather business was now one he highly recommended. A few bracelets of interlocking rings similar to chainmail adorned his wrist, the silver in an intricate pattern that looked almost knotted and tied. He wore multiple rings, a couple of thin chain necklaces, one of which held his red-and-black guitar pick, and numerous earrings climbing up the sides of each earlobe in shades of silver or black. He mixed his primary earrings today, going with the Lord of the Rings theme; Anduril hanging from one ear, the Evenstar from the other.
Eddie quickly twisted his hair up into a knot at the nape of his neck, tying it off with a black scrunchie Chrissy had handed him. She had noticed his cheeks turning a bit pink from the heat, though the giggling group of girls that had just left probably hoped it was for them. Eddie adjusted his glasses - thin black frames in an octagon shape that he picked initially because of their resemblance to a 20-sided die - before wiping his sweaty hands on the back of his jeans.
He saw a group of high school-aged kids approach him, all wearing Hellfire Games shirts, which warmed his heart. It felt good seeing something that Jeff, Doug, and Gareth worked so hard for gain such widespread recommendations. As the kids trotted up, another man joined them. As Eddie took in the handsome stranger ahead of him, who looked Eddie up and down like he wanted to eat him, Eddie couldn't help the shiver that ran up his spine.
The things that he would let that man do to him were definitely NOT in the bible.
Okay, okay, take a pause. Pack away the horny thoughts. Because if there was one rule Eddie had for relationships, it was that he would never have one with a fan. Be it a relationship or a one-night stand, there was something deeply uncomfortable about it for him. He tried it a couple of times when he had just started to take off as a streamer. All of them knew so much about him from watching his streams, and he could barely remember their names. It felt like he was off balance the whole time, playing catch-up for a race he didn't know was happening.
So yeah, no fans. Didn't mean he couldn't look, though. He noticed something odd immediately, though. All four boys came up and introduced themselves enthusiastically, but the man held back, giving them their space to speak to Eddie. And boy, could they speak. They peppered him with rapid-fire questions and enthused about his work, Eddie barely able to keep up, smile wide at their enthusiasm. These were always his favorite interactions, even if he could barely get a word in edgewise. He managed to calm them for a moment, finally getting a word in.
"So, Dustin, Mike, Lucas, and Will. But I don't think I got your friend's name." The man looked genuinely surprised at Eddie's attention, Lucas yanking him over by the sleeve to join the conversation. "I'm Eddie, really nice to meet you, handsome."
The man blinked a few times in confusion at the endearment before accepting the handshake, "I'm Steve."
Steve's hands were big, and Eddie noticed a few calluses that indicated some kind of physical work. "What do you do for work, Stevie?"
"Ah, I'm a physical therapist and personal trainer, why?" Steve's eyebrows knit together slightly in confusion at the question.
"Noticed the calluses. My uncle worked night shifts in a factory when I was growing up, and his were similar."
Steve smiled, rubbing the back of his neck bashfully. "Ah, well, I don't work nearly as hard as he did, I bet. But it's mostly from weights. Played sports through college, and I studied kinesiology, so I spent a lot of time in the weight room."
"I can tell," Eddie complimented, looking him up and down. He heard one of the kids groan. Dustin, he thinks it was. "Ah, I gue-"
"What about you?" Steve said as Eddie started speaking. Eddie froze in place, a bit confused.
"What about me what?"
"What do you do for work?" He questioned, face open and kind as he waited politely for an answer.
"Oh my GOD, Steve," Dustin groused loudly, "I literally told you what he does yesterday and on the way here. He's a streamer!"
"Kid has it in one," Eddie said with a smile, snapping his fingers and clapping a hand over a closed fist a couple of times.
"Well, yeah, he told me that, but I meant what do you do for your other job. Or, sorry, are we not supposed to ask that?" Steve's hand went to a necklace he wore, thumb brushing over the raised design on the front a few times before dropping it back int-
Holy fucking chest hair.
"Jesus Christ, Steve, are you trying to embarrass us?" Mike complained, pressing the heel of his hand between his eyes.
"No, I-"
"So sorry about him, Eddie," Dustin started, looping his thumbs through the straps of the backpack he wore to hoist it higher on his back, "Steve is chronically offline. He didn't even know about Twitch until I showed him your account. He doesn't even have TikTok or Instagram!"
"I don't need social media, Dustin," He snipped back, hands going to his waist in the biggest grumpy mom pose Eddie had ever seen from a man before, "We've been over this. I'm perfectly happy without it."
All four kids started talking over each other at once, Steve doing his best to fire back at all of their accusations. Eddie could see the frustration building in the set of Steve's shoulders, but also a sadness to his eyes, a self-conscious inadequacy that hit Eddie square in the chest.
"So, you guys want a picture?" Eddie projected, trying to draw their attention. As soon as their attention was away, Steve quickly met Eddie's eyes and nodded minutely, having picked up on Eddie's strategy. Steve pulled out his phone and took several pictures for them. As soon as they stepped away, crowding around Steve to approve of the pictures he took, he felt Chrissy come up behind him, hand on the small of his back to draw attention.
"That was the last group for today, Eddie," She informed, handing him a granola bar, which he munched on appreciatively. He glanced over to where Steve and the kids had stepped aside, speaking to them sternly, listing off items on his hands. He was fascinated by this man, one who went to a gaming convention with four nerdy high schoolers while having seemingly no interest in the subject whatsoever.
"-ddie? Eeeeeeeeddie?"
Eddie jumped in surprise as Chrissy smacked his arm to get his attention. "Hey, loverboy, pay attention." She chastised, tapping a clipboard, "If you want to go to that panel on-"
"Do you think he's serious?"
"Eddie, what are you going on about?" Chrissy sighed, exasperated at his lack of attention. Sometimes it was like trying to hold a squirrel's attention. Except this time, instead of his attention being on all the things around him, he was singularly focused. Kind of like a squirrel when presented with a hoard of nuts. She snorted at the apt comparison. Eddie stared at her in confusion before continuing.
"He didn't know who I am. Didn't even know that streaming was a career. Thought I did this as some kind of side hustle." He turned to her, eyes questioning, a small spark of hope within them. "Do you think he was telling the truth?"
Chrissy looked over at the man, whose glasses were pushed up into his hair as he pinched the bridge of his nose, his younger companions rapidly disappearing into the convention. She looked back at Eddie, who was watching him with open affection, already enamored with him. With the idea of him.
"I can't tell you that, Eddie. But what I can tell you is I haven't seen hearts in your eyes this big since Henry." Eddie scowled at the name before turning back to face her. "But to me, he seems genuine."
"Yeah?" Eddie questioned, Chrissy nodding in response, a wide grin on her face, "Yeah. I'm gonna…" He thumbed over his shoulder toward Steve, a bashful smile and a touch of color on his cheeks as he stuffed his hands into his jeans pockets and ambled over.
She stood back, watching them as Eddie bumped into his shoulder, leaning over towards his face to say something clearly goofy at Steve, who laughed and elbowed him away. Eddie had an ecstatic grin on his face, unable to cover how smitten he already was with him. Oh, he'd deny it, but it was clear as day to her. Because of course it was, she was his best friend. And that man right there? That was as clear a lovestruck Eddie as she's ever seen.
Eddie was mostly faced away from Chrissy at this point as he offered an elbow to Steve, who blushed red before slipping an arm through. Eddie pulled him forward at a rapid pace, Steve stumbling and laughing as he got his feet under him before they disappeared into the crowd.
Welp, guess she was going to rent another hotel room tonight, because she was NOT staying with Eddie.