sphynxratedr

[sphynxratedr]

“You think I should bring some roses to the date?”

Steve looks beautiful in his moss-green button-up, and Eddie wants to scream into a pillow. Not just because he can correctly name the color of Steve’s clothes now, but because the man he’s been crushing on for months is about to go on a date with someone who isn’t him.

And of course, it has to be today. Valentine’s Day.

Steve’s first date since Nancy, his long-time girlfriend, broke up with him. Eddie had wanted to wait before asking him out himself—afraid it was too soon, that Steve was still hurting. That he’d be the rebound at best.

And now, Steve was going out with Spencer. On Valentine’s Day.

God, he hates everything about it. But he loves Steve, more than he’s in love with him. So—

“He’s not going to know what hit him when he sees you, Stevie. You don’t need flowers when he won’t be able to look at anything but you.”

The brilliant, sunshine smile Eddie gets in return is worth the aching in his heart.

“Thanks, Eds. I’d better get going, don’t wanna be late. I’ll see you tomorrow—if everything goes like I planned.” Steve winks, all confidence and charm, and Eddie swallows around the lump in his throat. He’s glad to see Steve like this again. He just wishes it was for him, not some random guy who doesn’t even know that Steve always leaves a tiny sip in all his cups and glasses.

He forces himself to wish Steve fun and good luck. As soon as the door clicks shut behind him, he calls Robin.

“Uggghhhhh,” he groans into the phone as soon as she picks up.

Robin, the traitor, laughs. “Get a grip, Bambi. I already told you—man up and tell Steve how you feel. Stop whining at me.”

“You’re mean.”

“And you’re pathetic. Seriously, why can’t you just tell him? You’ve been head-over-heels for him since the day I met you.”

Eddie groans again, rubbing a hand over his face. “Because I love him, Robs. I want him to be happy.”

Robin’s voice softens. “You make him happy, you idiot. You always have. I was really worried about him after Nancy, but you pulled him out of his slump. The first time he smiled again after the breakup? That was because of you.”

Eddie doesn’t reply, because honestly, what’s there to say to that?

Robin sighs. “Just think about it, Eddie. We both love him. We both want him to be happy. I believe you can make that happen. Do you?”

After they hang up, Eddie sits in silence, Robin’s words echoing in his head. We both love him. We both want him to be happy.

Was she right? Could he make Steve happy?

No. No, he can’t. Eddie’s never had a relationship that lasted more than a few weeks. And Steve deserves better. He deserves someone worthy of the wonderful man he is. Someone who loves him loudly, carries him on their hands. Someone who knows Steve hates his birthday because he was always alone on them as a kid. Someone who doesn’t just tolerate his weird habits but loves them, because they make him Steve.

Steve deserves someone who isn’t afraid of commitment. Someone successful and put-together. Not a guy who still lives with two roommates, slings drinks at a bar, and clings to the dream that his band might one day make it.

The beeping of his phone startles him out of his thoughts. He sighs, expecting Robin, but—

It’s Steve.

Spencer’s still not here. You think he stood me up?

Eddie’s entire body tenses. That stupid son of a bitch.

If he did, he’s even stupider than his name. He types while yanking open his closet, grabbing for the one good shirt he owns. You want me to come get you?

The three dots appear. Disappear. Reappear.

Fine. That’s fine. It gives Eddie time to throw the shirt on, shove his feet into his boots, and grab his keys.

Finally, Steve’s reply pops up.

No, it’s fine. I’ll wait some more. You know how traffic can be.

Eddie clenches his jaw. He can practically hear Steve making excuses, trying to be understanding. Trying to believe in someone who doesn’t deserve it.

Screw this.

Eddie doesn’t think. He just moves.

Keys in hand, he’s already out the door.

Good thing he knows what fancy restaurant Steve wanted to take his date to. If it were him, he'd take Steve to their favorite Italian restaurant, the one with the handmade pasta and the handmade tiramisu.

Maybe they can still go there.

The second Eddie pushes through the restaurant doors, his eyes land on Steve immediately.

He’s sitting at a small table by the window, drumming his fingers against the stem of his untouched water glass, his lips pressed into a tight line. His date is nowhere to be seen.

Eddie strides over like he should be here—because, honestly? He does.

“Hey, sweetheart,” he greets, dropping into the chair across from Steve like this is their date. “Sorry I’m late. Traffic, you know how it is.”

Steve startles, blinking up at him. “What—Eddie? What are you—?”

“You weren’t answering your phone,” Eddie lies easily, tossing his keys onto the table. “Figured you were either kidnapped or too nice to walk out on that douchebag, so here I am. Your knight in shining leather.”

Steve huffs a laugh, shaking his head, but there’s something soft in his eyes. “You’re ridiculous.”

“And you look way too good to be sitting here alone.” Eddie leans back, eyes sweeping over him, exaggerating his admiration. “I mean, damn, Stevie. If I’d known you’d clean up this nice, I would’ve asked you out ages ago.”

He means it as a joke. Mostly. But something shifts in Steve’s expression—his fingers tightening slightly around the glass, his smile faltering just a little.

“…You’re serious.”

Eddie swallows. Shrugs. “I mean… yeah?”

Steve exhales sharply, shaking his head again, but this time, he’s smiling. A real one. One that makes Eddie’s chest feel too tight.

“You’re unbelievable,” Steve mutters, reaching for his jacket. “Come on, if you’re crashing my Valentine’s Day, you’re at least buying me dinner. At our restaurant.”

Eddie grins, hopping to his feet. “Now we’re talking. Babe, you know I’m the cheapest date in town.”

Steve snorts, bumping their shoulders as they head for the door. And yeah, okay—maybe Robin was right.

Because Steve looks happy. And Eddie could get used to that.

[sphynxratedr]

"You just can't handle the fact that these people aren't falling all over themselves to get your attention for once in your life!" Eddie growls, arms thrown in the air in exasperation.

"I don't care about getting their attention, Eddie!" Steve says once again because it feels like they've been arguing in circles forever when it's really only been about half an hour. Steve wishes he could say that he didn't understand how they got here but he does.

Eddie and his new friends. Friends that don't like Steve and go out of their way to make sure he knows that. Friends that throw snide remarks that Eddie chuckles along with. Friends that make Steve feel unwanted in his own home.

It's infuriating and frustrating and hurtful that Eddie just lets them talk about Steve like that, lets them talk to Steve like that.

"Right, so you've said," Eddie scoffs and rolls his eyes, like Steve's the one being immature.

"Well, since you think I'm fucking lying or something, what do you think this is about?" Steve's says, hands on his hips as he stares down Eddie at the other end of the tiny galley kitchen of their apartment.

Eddie works his jaw, the way Steve's seen him do when he's holding back a comment he thinks is particularly scathing. It's been a while since Steve's been on the receiving end of this.

"Just say it, Eddie! We're never going to end this argument unless you do," Steve goads. If Eddie will just say the thing, they can talk it out. They can work through this. Steve can fix it, but only if Eddie tells him the truth.

"Maybe it's just fucking karma, Steve!" Eddie yells. "Maybe you just can't handle that I have friends who think you're not cool and they aren't going to pretend you are!"

Steve's jaw drops, the infuriating-frustrating-hurt feeling intensifying into what feels like a lead ball in Steve's gut. Karma. Karma? "Karma? Like because I was a self-centered asshole in school that I, what, deserve to be treated like trash by your so-called 'friends'!?" Steve goes as far as to make air quotes around the word friends.

"Yeah, maybe," Eddie says, quick and even like he... like he really believes that.

Like he really believes that this treatment is what Steve deserves.

"This situation is not the same," Steve shouts back.

"Seems the same to me. The group majority against the minority. It's not like you ever stood up for anyone when Hagan was trying to give everyone swirlies, or when Perkins would knock shit out of people's hands and fake laugh an apology. You just can't handle it now that you're the minority."

"That's not the fucking same! I didn't know you in high school!"

"Well, they don't know you, either!"

All the fight drains from Steve at those words. It's like Eddie has flipped the switch in his brain to see what is happening. To see it from Eddie's point of view. Or, if Steve is being kind, the point of view of Eddie's friends who don't know Steve because they refused to get to know him.

"So, what, they're allowed to treat me the way you think I treated you?" Steve asks, voice quiet and matter of fact.

"Yes," Eddie says and then his face pinches as he actually processes what Steve said. "Wait. No. That's not- It's not exactly like that. It's just, like- the guys were saying it was status quo or something."

The guys. Eddie's 'friends'.

It's strange how 'the guys' went from meaning Jeff, Gareth, and Grant to this new group of friends and Jeff, Gareth, and Grant have become The Band. A separate, new category, othering even them from Eddie's new friends.

"I- Are you even hearing yourself right now?" Steve says in disbelief. He can see Eddie getting worked up again, so he barrels on. "I'm not just some jock you don't know. I'm your boyfriend. Your fucking boyfriend, Eddie! If you were my boyfriend in high school, I wouldn't have ever let my friends speak to you the way you let them talk to me!

"And I can't even defend myself because then everything they're saying is fucking true! That I'm a bullshit dumb jock just waiting for a chance to get violent. And I'm not! I'm not a jock anymore. And I'm not dumb! And I'm not bullshit!" Steve's vision gets blurry, and he knows he's crying but he doesn't really register it. The hurt he's feeling is leaving his body and he's just feeling numb now. "Jesus Christ, Eddie, I would never let someone talk to you the way you let your friends talk to me, and about me! Because beyond it just being the goddamn decent thing to do is not let people speak about others like that, but I love you and I can't imagine ever allowing someone to treat you the way your friends treat me. Why do you like them more than you love me!?"

Eddie's face is doing something complicated, like it always does when Steve cries. Like Eddie wants to sooth him but isn't sure how.

And that's all it takes. Something in Steve crumbles but not in the way he wants it to. Steve was hoping that if they talked this out that they could be okay. They could figure out a way forward.

Because here is Eddie's face, showing how much he loves and cares for Steve and wants to help him, but all Steve realizes is that Eddie might love him, but not enough to tell his friends to treat Steve with some basic respect and kindness.

He can't be here anymore. He can't be in this kitchen and see his hurt reflected on Eddie's face. He can't be in this apartment that used to feel so cozy and comforting and now just feels like a prison. He doesn't know if he can even be in this relationship if Eddie doesn't love him the same way as he used it.

How did they get to this point? How did they get to a point where Eddie is just okay with people treating Steve this way? How did Steve let it go this long without addressing it sooner?

When did Eddie decide that the approval of his new friends was more important than his feelings for Steve?

"Steve, I-"

Steve doesn't stick around to hear whatever it is Eddie's going to say. He turns on heel, speed walking to the door where he pauses just long enough to grab his jacket from the coat rack before fleeing the apartment.

-

Inspired by @novacorpsrecruit's fic, It’s lonely at the top. Which has a happy ending, so you should read it.

[sphynxratedr]

It’s lonely at the top

Here | part 2 | part 3

Read on Ao3

wc 998 | Steddie | angst

Steve has always been the life of the party. Even at parties he wasn’t hosting. He could shot gun a beer. Take shots like water. He was popular.

Until he wasn’t. And that’s okay. He grew to like being unpopular and unnoticed.

But he was never really unnoticed, was he? He had Robin and Eddie and the kids. He felt the same love and attention in a different way. A better way.

And maybe him and Eddie start to get closer than he’s ever been with a guy. And he’s okay with that. Actually, more than okay. This is what he wants.

He wants Eddie.

And Eddie wants him.

They start to date and eventually make a plan to move to Chicago. Robin’s already there for art school. They just need to find their own apartment.

So they found a shitty little apartment near Motor Row. Eddie’s got a decent job at a record store.

Steve’s taking classes at a city college and works at a local diner. They make ends meet.

One day, Eddie comes home and says a coworker invited them to a house party. Eddie’s never been to a house party with the exception of selling on the property.

So they go.

Eddie becomes the life of the party. Quickly absorbed in the attention. Steve doesn’t blame him. He would too. Eddie deserves the attention. He deserves to have a stage.

But Steve quickly gets forgotten. Lost in the crowd of people he doesn’t know. Everyone here were metalheads or at least into the scene. Steve stood out. He was glared at. Pushed around. Pushed away from Eddie.

Eventually, Steve found refuge outside. Bummed a cigarette off of someone and waited. He wasn’t sure what he was waiting for — the party to slow, his nerves to calm down, or eddie to find him.

But none of that happened until well after midnight.

“Stevie, what are you doing out here?” Eddie asked, leaning against the porch. Steve shrugged.

“Needed some air,” Steve said, dropping his 4th cigarette on the cement and stubbing it out with his shoe. “You ready to go?”

Eddie smiled sheepishly. “I think we’re thinking about getting food. You down?”

Steve declined. He was tired. He had a 7 am class. He would meet Eddie at home. Eddie gave his cheek a quick kiss goodbye and went back inside. Steve stuck his hands in his pocket and went home.

It wouldn’t have been so bad if the parties didn’t happen weekly. Steve tried to stay home but Eddie wouldn’t allow it. He wanted to be with Steve. He wanted them both to have fun.

But every time they got to the house, Eddie was quickly pulled away, and Steve would find himself outside again.

A routine that felt never ending.

Steve never felt so alone.

One night, Steve was done. He just got off of work before Eddie pulled him to the party. He hasn’t ate. He’s got class in the morning. He wanted to go home.

So he pushed his way through the crowd, searching for Eddie.

The music’s too loud. There’s too many people. He can’t find Eddie.

The further he moves in, the more people shove him around.

He felt one deliberate shove. “Fuck off, loser!”

Steve lost his balance. He crashed into someone. Their beer soaked his shirt.

“Steve?”

Fuck. It was Eddie.

“Steve, are you okay?” Eddie said, kneeling down next to Steve. “Hey, look at me.”

“Eddie, you know this loser?” Someone laughed. “Can’t stay on his feet.”

“I want to go home,” Steve said quietly.

Eddie frowned. “In an hour? Trick’s pulling out some weed soon.”

Steve felt his eyes swell up with tears. Another hour meant two. Then the diner. Then another late night. He pinched his nose.

“I’m going home,” he rephrased himself, leaning back on his feet to stand up.

“Steve —“

Steve pushed himself through the crowd, making his way to the front. He could hear protests, people begging Eddie not to leave.

Steve crossed the threshold of the house, feeling Eddie’s hand on his arm, pulling him to a stop.

“Why are you going?” Eddie asked. “I thought we were having fun?”

“You’re having fun,” Steve said. “I’m always outside waiting for you.”

“You’d have more fun if you were inside,” Eddie argued.

“They don’t like me!”

“Not everyone’s going to like you, Steve.”

“Nobody in there likes me,” Steve said. “Hell, I don’t think you like me in there.”

“What do you mean I don’t like you?” Eddie snapped.

“We go inside and you immediately abandon me!” Steve shouted. “Ask me how long I wait out here for you each night.”

“I’m not doing this,” Eddie said, hands up.

“Four hours,” Steve continued. “I tried talking to your friends, but nobody knows me! They think I’m just a loser who shows up here every week. We don’t even go home together!”

“You never want to get food with us!” Eddie shouted. “It’s like you’re not even trying.”

“I’m trying eddie, I am,” Steve said. “But it’s like you’re embarrassed by me. You don’t even defend me when someone calls me a loser.”

“They didn’t mean it.”

Steve let out a lifeless laugh. “Maybe we’re too different now. You got your friends. Go have fun Eddie.”

Eddie looked over his shoulder at the party that was calling his name. “You get home safe?”

“Not like you really care,” Steve said, stepping away. “We’re over, Eddie.”

“Steve —“

“No, go be the single guy you’ve been telling everyone you are. I’ll be okay.”

Steve pinched his nose as he walked away from the party. Away from Eddie.

Some part of him wished that Eddie would follow. Would walk home with him. Would choose Steve over the party.

But he didn’t.

Steve knew the second Eddie walked into the party as the crowd erupted into cheers.

He didn’t care about Steve anymore.

And maybe it was time that Steve didn’t care either.

[sphynxratedr]

Eddie walking out of his room after a long, lazy make out session with Steve, only to run into Wayne who takes one look at him and says "You know, we have snacks, if Steve's hungry."

Eddie is confused, because what?

Wayne just smirks. "Just saying, the chips in the cabinet are better eatin' than your neck is, son."

And Eddie, mortified, runs to the bathroom to discover that yeah, his entire neck is covered in bites and splotchy hickies.

They don't talk about it again.

[sphynxratedr]

Mistake P3

TW: Angst, internalised homophobia, homophobia, child abuse, a lot of slurs

The first time Eddie had introduced a friend to his dad, Al had taken one look at the kid, thrown him out and slammed the door in his face.

"𝑁𝑜 𝑓𝑎𝑔𝑔𝑦 𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑡 𝑘𝑖𝑑. 𝐺𝑜 𝑔𝑒𝑡 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑠,"

Eddie had been 10. But he thought to himself, should have known better, his dad has never been any different.

Eddie never talked to that friend again. Sometimes he missed him, Jared, the soft spoken kid with the pretty face, who always helped him out when he was scared at school.

So Eddie buried himself in metal and rock, nothing more manly than screaming about scary shit right? These were men, they were angry, loud, and they weren't q𝑢𝑒𝑒𝑟 𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒 𝑏𝑜𝑦𝑠 that his dad would hit him for even being around.

But even then Al wasn't happy.

"𝑌𝑜𝑢'𝑟𝑒 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑎 𝑓𝑢𝑐𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑔𝑖𝑟𝑙 𝐸𝑑, 𝑐𝑢𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑓𝑢𝑐𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 ℎ𝑎𝑖𝑟."

Even when he showed his dad his singers, how strong and brash they were, Al would just sneer at him and cuff his head.

So Eddie shaved it. Buzzed it all off. The only thing that reminded him of his mom.

Thing is. Eddie didn't know ����𝐡𝐲 his dad had a problem with queers. He just knew that they WERE a problem, and him BEING one was a problem and he really didn't have time to dissect it when his dad was throwing shit around and yanking him by the collar.

He learned. He accepted. He moved on.

But he never wanted to be like his dad. Looked at his Uncle Wayne with yearning, a father figure who's love didn't come with pain.

So Eddie, in his heart, never really had a problem with queers. As long as they gave him wide bearth and in a small town like Hawkins, that was easy.

Then his dad went to jail, he went to live with Wayne, he grew his hair out, he got friends he never could before.

It was easy to forget about certain things, easy to compartmentalise them into tiny boxes since he was never confronted with them.

Until Steve.

Steve Harrington was nothing he ever imagined the jock to be. He was goofy, he was silly, he was kind and he was great fucking company. Eddie loved spending time with the other guy. Nice to be able to show someone new his music, his stories, his Dnd.

They spent days and nights together and Eddie's never had a closer friend. It reminded him of Jared and fuck, he missed Jared, because like him, Steve hugged and Steve clung close, Steve lay warm by his side and never let go of his hand.

Eddie loved him. Told him so. The best friend he'd ever had.

Then Steve kissed him.

Steve fucking kissed him. Said I love you to Eddie and kissed him on the fucking lips like a 𝑔𝑜𝑑𝑑𝑎𝑚𝑛 𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑒𝑟 and Eddie really had forgotten about those little boxes he'd tucked his dad's fists away into because he'd been surprised by his own hand.

At the soft crunch of Steve's face under his fingers. At the look of fear in his friend's face.

𝑊ℎ𝑦 𝑑𝑖𝑑 ℎ𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑑𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡?

He knew why, the ugly black tar of all his fathers words, of all the times his father's fist had curled, of the vile poison he'd injected into Eddie over the years.

Eddie knew why. Knew he'd punched Steve because how could he? How could Steve have kissed him like that.

𝐄𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐠. 𝐇𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧'𝐭.

Steve had gone and Eddie was left with his father's ugly voice ringing in his head, so loud that even Metallica couldn't shut it out.

But neither could he stop seeing the fear on Steve's face. The hurt. The betrayal. Each time he closed his eyes. Each time it hurt. It made his chest tight and his head full and he wanted to scream.

𝐼 𝑤𝑜𝑛'𝑡 𝑏𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑎𝑛𝑦𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒

The words grew louder in his head, beating down his dad's voice.

He didn't want Steve to not bother him. He didn't want Steve to go. He didn't want to hurt Steve.

He didn't want.

But he did. His dad, in his heart, in his head, did and Eddie let him. Let his dad hurt Steve.

Even if he was queer, Steve didn't deserve that?

Right?

Steve was good. A good person and Eddie had punched him. It wasn't right. He had to apologise. He had to.

But then he sees him.

Eyes locked across in the party.

And Eddie feels fear. Feels the cold icy dread as Steve flinches away from his stare, his nose slightly blue where Eddie had hit him.

Steve avoids him and each time he does Eddie feels the cold grow in his belly. He missed the warmth that Steve's presence had brought him, missed the way the other man hugged, listened, and talked.

He misses Steve. His friend.

"Steve-"

Steve startles so fast that Eddie wasn't prepared for it.

His body recoils away from Eddie like a gun going off like a metal coil let loose. He jerks back right into the tray of sandwiches, sending it everywhere.

and the terror in his eyes. Eddie has never seen someone afraid of him. Really. Jocks weren't scared of him.

But Steve is. Steve is terrified. Steve is shaking and jerking in panic and he takes off before Eddie can even say anything. He follows. He has to. He has to apologise. He has to try.

But then he does and his words, they're not right, still. They make Steve's face curl in anger.

They make Dustin angry. So angry. He's never seen the kid so angry.

So Eddie runs.

He flees.

He's the problem after all.

So he goes.

---

Here <- Previous Part | Next Part -> Here

---

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[sphynxratedr]

steve harrington's phone number

@steddiebingo prompt: van | 1.7k words | rated T

“Stupid- useless piece of shit!” Eddie barely manages to pull his coughing, spluttering van over to the side of the road before it chokes to a stop with a dying wheeze. “Fucking drama queen.” He gets out and gives the side of the van a good kick, chastizing it for its very loud and inconvenient death. 

Just his luck it would decide to break down here, on a nothing stretch of road several miles outside of town. Too far to walk but not all that long of a drive if his stupid car could’ve just toughed it out a little while longer. “You really couldn’t have held on for like ten more minutes?” he grumbles, kicking the van again. The van, of course, does not answer and remains quite dead. Eddie mutters a few more curses and pulls his jacket tighter around himself against the late November chill as he wanders around to the front of the car to pop the hood. 

It’s an entirely useless gesture, popping the hood. Even before he opens it he knows he’s still not going to have a single clue what’s broken or how to fix it. The inner workings of a car are utterly foreign to him, an alien language of metal and grease that he stupidly never cared to learn. He stares blankly at the incomprehensible jumble of machinery before him, cursing himself for all those times he’d evaded and complained his way out of Wayne’s attempts to teach him how to do his own auto repairs. His uncle’s boring handyman lessons would’ve really come in handy right now, if only he’d had the foresight to listen. 

With a huffed out sigh, Eddie slams the hood back down. He’s going to have to call someone.

Thankfully he can see a roadside payphone not too far off in the distance, about half a mile out maybe. He rummages through his pockets and paws around the front seat of the van for any spare change he could use. He’d just blown through most of the money he had on him at a record store in Indy, but he manages to scrounge up enough coins for one call. Just one. So he has to choose wisely. He starts his trudge to the payphone while he runs through a mental list of options, feeling increasingly frustrated and hopeless as he crosses each of them off one by one. 

A tow truck is too expensive. His uncle is at work. Half his friends can’t drive, and not a single one of them knows anything about cars anyways so they wouldn’t be much help beyond a ride home (and he’d really rather not have to just leave his van on the side of the road). He needs someone who’s free, can drive, and has enough of a working knowledge of cars to possibly be able to give his van enough of a second wind to make it home. 

Which is how he finds himself in a dingy little phone booth punching in Steve Harrington’s number - a number he’s never called before yet somehow memorized, recalling it clearly in his mind’s eye in the scrawl of Steve’s handwriting on notebook paper. 

“Harrington residence, Steve speaking,” Steve’s voice comes through the line, automatic and rehearsed.

“Okay, I’ll make fun of that weirdly formal greeting later,” Eddie decides, “but right now, uh- man, I really hate to do this, but do you happen to know anything about fixing cars?”

“Eddie, hey,” Steve sounds almost startled to hear from him. “Um, yeah, I mean, I’m no expert or anything, but I know enough to get by. Why?” 

“My van just broke down on my way back from the city and I was hoping you might be willing to do me a huge huge favor and come out here and see if you can help me get her started again.” Eddie puts all the desperation he can into his voice, which really isn’t hard. His distress is 100% genuine. “Please? I’m desperate here, Harrington. I’d be forever in your debt, I’ll-” 

“Okay,” Steve says before Eddie can start bargaining. So simply, so easily. He really wasn’t expecting it to be that easy.

“Okay?” 

“Yeah, okay. I’ll help you. Where are you?”  

Eddie breathes a sigh of relief. “Oh thank god- thank you. Thank you thank you thank you. I owe you my life, seriously-” 

“Munson,” Steve cuts him off again, repeating his question, “where are you?” 

“Right, yeah.” Eddie gives his best approximation of where he is and Steve promises to be there as soon as he can before hanging up. Feeling a little bit lighter now, Eddie treks back to wait by his van.

The sun has just dipped below the horizon, streaking the sky with pink and gold, when Steve’s BMW pulls up and he steps out of the car bathed in the orange glow of sunset, looking every bit the rescuing angel. A dashing hero straight out of a fairytale; Eddie can almost picture him with a sword in his hands instead of a toolbox, a noble steed behind him instead of a car. 

He expresses only a satirized version of that sentiment, clasping his hands over his heart and gasping theatrically in greeting, “Harrington, my hero!” And he grins as Steve rolls his eyes in response. 

“Hi, Eddie.” Steve approaches, plunks his toolbox on the front of the van and leans against it. “You know, I’m surprised you called me. It didn’t seem like you were ever going to.” 

Eddie shrugs, hands in his pockets. “Yeah, I just- I couldn’t think of anyone else who’d be able to help me. I’m sorry if me calling you, like, freaked you out for a second there.” 

Steve’s eyes narrow and his head tilts like a confused puppy. “Why would you calling freak me out?” 

“Well, I mean, you only gave me your number in case something happened with the kids, right?” Eddie states. “So, I didn’t mean to make you worried at first that there might’ve been, like, a Dustin emergency or something.” 

“Oh…” A number of emotions flicker across Steve’s face as he seems to come to some sort of realization, and his expression ultimately settles on vaguely amused. “Right, yeah. Totally.” 

Now Eddie’s the one who’s confused, feeling like he’s missed a punchline. “Is that…not why you gave me your number?” It’s not like it had actually been explicitly stated, but they’d just been talking about the kids right before Steve had written his number down, so Eddie had just assumed that was the reason. 

“No, it-” Steve shakes his head and smiles, a little bit fond, a little bit like he’s still sharing some kind of inside joke with himself. “It’s not important right now,” he decides. “Let’s just figure out your van first, alright? What was going on with it before it broke down?” 

“Well, I don't actually know,” Eddie says, “but she was being very loud and dramatic about it.” 

“Huh, I’ve heard of pets developing similar personalities to their owners but I’ve never heard of cars doing it.” 

“Oh shut up.” 

Steve grins, pushing himself off the front of the car so he can open the hood and take a look. He immediately starts to tinker around with some stuff. Eddie has absolutely no idea what he’s doing, but he sure looks good doing it. There’s a cold breeze in the air, getting colder by the minute with the slowly darkening sky, but something about watching Steve’s arms as he works a wrench into the machinery has Eddie feeling strangely warm. 

Steve’s talking, probably trying to explain what he’s doing or what’s wrong with the van, though Eddie’s not catching a word of it. He couldn’t pay attention even if he tried, and not just because he’s distracted by Steve’s arms. The other half of his mind is still stubbornly stuck on the whole thing about Steve’s number, racking his brain trying to figure out why the hell else he would’ve given it to him. 

He spends way too long replaying that moment, and all their previous and subsequent interactions, over and over again in his head before his memory finally starts to give notice to all Steve’s lingering glances, subtle once-overs, and suggestive smirks.

“Holy shit, you were flirting with me!” Eddie blurts out the realization as soon as it hits him. “When you gave me your number - you were trying to hit on me!”

Steve, who had been interrupted mid sentence, barks out a laugh. “Now he gets it,” he teases as he glances over at Eddie. “You know, I couldn't figure you out for a while. All this time you never called but would still say hi to me when I picked the kids up from Hellfire, I figured it was some sort of soft rejection. But you really were just completely oblivious, huh?” 

“No yeah, I just have fucking rocks for brains apparently,” Eddie says, shaking his head self-deprecatingly as he rushes to reassure him, “I was definitely not rejecting you. Definitely, definitely not. Believe me, if I’d’ve known- I would’ve called so fast, man. I mean, trust me, your phone would’ve never stopped ringing.” 

“Good to know.” Steve smiles, his eyes so golden and warm in the dusk it almost seems as if the sun is on its way back up. He returns his attention to the van, just for half a second to give the machinery one last tweak, and then he straightens and closes the hood, wiping the car grease from his hands off on his jeans as he announces, “Well, your car should start now, if you wanna test it out and make sure. And then we can, uh, continue this conversation?” 

Eddie nods, hops back in the van, and turns his key in the ignition. It rumbles to life, and he lets out a laugh like a cheer. “You’re a goddamn miracle worker, Stevie!” he shouts.

“Glad I could help,” Steve calls back proudly. 

Eddie revels in the sound of his not-dead van for a moment longer before he takes a deep breath, turns off the engine, and jumps out to stand in front of Steve again. “So.” 

“So.” 

There’s a brief beat of buzzing silence. Eddie finds he doesn’t have all that much left to say, and he’s feeling far too giddy right now to be able to stand through some sappy discussion about how they feel about each other when it’s entirely unnecessary. He suggests instead, “Do you wanna just skip the conversation and go make out in the back of my van?” 

Steve grins at him. “Absolutely.” 

[sphynxratedr]

[sphynxratedr]

We should have more interpretations of Steve being just strange enough that once everybody really gets to know him they’re like “…this guy was considered cool?”

[sphynxratedr]

I was feeling inspired and wrote the first little bit of this Yoga Steve Steddie and Buckingham au I was playing with yesterday. Not sure if I'll continue with it, but I had some dialogue floating around in my head and wanted to let it out.

I'm not really experienced in writing dialogue so my apologies if it came out weird.

------

Steve thinks Robin is being ridiculous, but at the same time, he knows firsthand how far someone will go for a crush. Robin calls him a “loverboy” which, is not completely off the mark but feels unnecessary to point out right after Steve gets ghosted…again.

But that’s beside the point. The point being that Robin has been going off about how she cornered herself into going to an intermediate yoga class to try and woo the cute girl who sits in front of her in her mandatory Writing 212 class. Apparently, Robin got a full two minutes of conversation in with said girl, a real feat since Robin usually spends the whole class psyching herself up to talk to her and then chickens out and dashes out the door as soon as class lets out. During said conversation, Robin found out Chrissy is a yoga instructor at the rec off campus, which resulted in Robin blurting out that she’s been meaning to take up yoga again (she’s never been) and that she’ll stop by a class sometime.

Which leads to now.

“-and I’ve never done yoga! I’ve never even thought about yoga except for that one time my hippie aunt Jen came to stay with us for a week and took up the entire living room every morning to do her weird stretches-” breath “and you know how clumsy I am! I’m going completely fall on my face and the angle that is Chrissy Cunningham is going to know that I’m a failed jock with no coordination and she’ll never fall in love with me!” she finally stops, taking a big heaving breath.

Steve, used to these occasional Robin Buckley rants had been leaning against the breakfast bar letting her go on for the last three and a half minutes. Sometimes it’s just better to let her get it out first.

“You done?” Steve asks, raising an eyebrow.

“I’m done,” she replies, flopping on the sofa behind her like all the wind has gone out of her sails. Steve hates to see her upset, but at the end of the day, it’s an easy fix.

“Sweet. So I’ll just go with you alright? And when you completely biff it and fall on your face I’ll just,” he steps away from the bar and mimes falling onto the couch next to her, ignoring her over-exaggerated oof, “fall even harder, or whatever. Make a whole scene of it.” Robin glares a little at the when, but ultimately can’t be upset when they both know it’s inevitable.

“Seriously?” she asks, eyes big and blue in a way that always makes Steve want to punch a wall. He doesn’t. Only did it once when they were both supremely drunk and feeling emotional, but he does wrap his arms around her narrow shoulders.

“Eh, why not? Maybe I’ll even find a cool yoga babe of my own to woo,” he says while waggling his brows in a way that makes her scrunch up her nose.

“As if Harrington. I bet you’ll fall even more than me. You’re big jock muscles aren’t designed for flexibility,” she says with a faux pretentious accent.

“We’ll see about that, Buckley.”

------

Steve, much to Robin’s chagrin, does not fall on his face. Well, he does once, but it’s only because he’s following through on his promise to crash out for her when she falls on her face. Which she does almost as soon as Chrissy gives the instruction to lift their left leg while in downward dog. Unfortunately, it only worked the first time. The second time Robin crashed down, Steve wasn’t in a safe position to fall with her. By the time he was, the moment had passed. Luckily it’s nearing the end of the class when it happens and Chrissy mercifully releases them to relax in a corpse pose which, if you asked Robin, was perfectly fitting given the situation.

Steve though.

Steve really enjoyed the class.

Robin was right when he said his usual exercise regime wasn’t necessarily focused on flexibility and balance, but he finds yoga challenging in a gentler way than basketball or swimming. By the end of the day, he’s signing up for the full 12-week course and talking to Chrissy about what kind of equipment he should invest in.

“The most important thing is the grip. Mine was really expensive but I use it for work so I wouldn’t get the same one unless you’re planning to use it every day. If you’re comfortable giving me your number, I can send you some links to more reasonably priced ones.” Wow, Steve gets why Robin likes her so much. She’s like a walking ray of sunshine. Part of him wonders if she’s hitting on him, but she seems like she genuinely wants to help, not take him on a date.

“Sure, yeah, that would be great. Let me just…” he pulls out his phone and unlocks it, handing it over to the girl in front of him. She puts in her name and number, which, is always good. Steve is so bad with names he wouldn’t want to spell it wrong and give Robin another reason to make fun of him. She hands it back and Steve is getting ready to say his goodbyes and go hunt down Robin, who fled as soon as the class went out, but Chrissy starts talking before he can.

“You came with Robin, right? Robin Buckley?” She blurts out, clearly nervous. “We’re in class together but I didn’t know she had a boyfriend. It’s nice to meet you!” It’s not that Steve thinks she’s lying, but there’s an undercut of something that makes him think Robin might not be alone in her pining.

“Yeah, we came in together.” He lets it hang, watching as her shoulders slump a little. “But we’re not dating or anything. I’m, uh, not really her type.” Her eyes go a little wide at his emphasis on type, perking up at the knowledge that Robin isn’t dating.

Oh yeah, he thinks, she’s got it just as bad.

[sphynxratedr]

as much as i adore oblivious steve. what ab oblivious eddie, who had never had anyone have a crush on him (an incorrect fact that eddie firmly believes is true just bc no one ever made it obvious)

like steve, who is the sweetest man on earth to eddie, taking care of him after the bats, driving him to every doctors appointment, grocery run, med pick up - okay driving him everywhere he wants all the time, just to make things move along quicker

steve cooks for him, hell he practically lives with him and wayne now, he goes back to his own place maybe two nights a week just to check on things.

whenever someone asks ab how much time and effort steve puts into their relationship eddie just scoffs and is like “yeah i disabled myself to keep his kid safe, he’s like. doing this weird version of paying me back. even tho i’d do it a thousand times over with no hesitation”

and everyone’s just like. “ok. sure. that doesn’t explain why he sleeps at your house. in your bed. and makes you breakfast every morning. and says kisses your head when you ask him to get you something. and plays your shitty music even when you’re not around. and-“

at some point even dustin himself is like so painfully aware of how his dads are crushing on each other. it’s sickening. finally nancy is the one that has to pull steve side and just be blunt as fuck ab it.

“so. you like eddie”

and steve, like at this point he thinks it’s pretty fucking obvious so he just nods and mhms before rolling his hand in the air to prompt her to continue

she just has to sigh and be like “he doesn’t know”

“tf you mean he doesn’t know?”

“he literally has no fucking idea. he thinks you’re doing this to repay him for saving dustin”

“that’s not true”

“steve”

“no, that can’t be true. I HAVE KISSED HIM. SO MANY TIMES.”

“we have pointed it out to him but he refuses to believe us”

“believe you?! what ab believing me?! how on earth-“ he stands there with on hand on his hip, and the other pinching the bridge of his nose as he sighs

eddie, with his perfect timing, limps up to them, his weight heavy on his cane, “what’s wrong? you guys look like there’s another world ending event”

when no one speaks up for a second, just turning to look at him like he’s an idiot, he freezes. “there’s not is there? come on i already died once!”

“and you’re about to again”

“what-“

“steve-“

“no! you don’t know i like you? i mean what is wrong with you? it’s been six months!” steve shouts

“wait you like who?” eddie says

“ah!” steve throws up his hands as he exclaims and stomps off back to eddie’s trailer, ignoring all their friends who look at him worriedly. he slams the door behind him. leaving everyone to look over at eddie and nancy.

“you’re so smart. you’re so smart and yet so fucking stupid” nancy murmurs to herself, making eddie squawk in offense

“i’m not stupid! he’s not clear!”

“he’s been SO clear! you’re just so. so. oblivious!”

“fuck off, no i’m not! now if you’ll excuse me, i know for a fact that motherfucker is gonna start putting my favorite cups on the top shelf where i can’t reach anymore so i’m gonna go grovel my ass off” and with that, eddie turns and walks away, his cane doing all the heavy lifting to keep him balanced and off his bad leg. leaving nancy standing there, shaking her head.

she really thought she’d never care ab steve’s relationships again after breaking up with him, how she was the one out of all of them to get in the middle of this is beyond her.

[sphynxratedr]

Had an idea at work but couldn't write it out until now lmao

Down on his luck Steve who refuses to give in to his parents and is desperately trying to figure things out for himself. But putting himself through school (i can never decide between nursing or education) is expensive. So he works two jobs, trying to save up and taking a few classes here and there, and the one job is in a restaurant. It's a fancier place, usually gets him decent tips, but the best nights are the ones where he's not waiting tables. The best nights are the ones where he plays the piano and sets the mood and has a little more freedom to enjoy himself.

Enter Rockstar!Eddie, who got out of Hawkins quick and never looked back. Who's at this fancy place for a work dinner and, as his bandmates (Jeff) demanded, he's trying to behave himself and remember which fork is which. But that's just not possible, not entirely, when he catches glimpses of a beautiful face, a face only rarely darting up from the piano in front of him. And look, Eddie's only human. He's smitten just from glimpses. He manages to get through the dinner, constantly watching to see if the piano man will look up again, but he's still playing by the time they're wrapping up.

So he skips out on riding back to the hotel with the others, goes to the bar area and decides it's not that creepy to wait for him. He waits and waits and waits and listens for the music to stop. The bartender is all but shoving him out the door when it does. With no other choice, he waits outside, smokes a cigarette to calm his nerves while he looks for a head of chestnut hair with an angel's face. Just as he's about to give up, he sees him. And he recognizes him. But just as much as that dismays him, he's still got hope enough to give it a shot.

He doesn't think Steve will recognize him anyway, but even if he does, Eddie's never been accused of making the best decisions.

So he slinks out from the shadows, which is a bad decision, and tries to get Steve's attention, which is a bad decision, and surprises Steve, who's first instinct is a fight response, resulting in Eddie getting punched in the face.

Because bad decisions.

Steve is obviously very apologetic, takes Eddie back home to get him ice for his face, and Eddie can't even protest because Pain. But once his face is numb and Steve's cleaning up the blood from his nose (very bruised but not broken) he's kinda staring and Steve, clearly embarrassed, is doing concussion tests. When asked "what's today's date" he responds with "our future anniversary". And when Steve asks him "what's your name" he responds with "your future husband" and Steve gives up on questions after that.

They obviously make out about it, even though they keep accidentally injuring Eddie further by knocking his nose.

And Eddie is right, it is their anniversary after all.

[sphynxratedr]

Steve, who made a move on Eddie right after they first met and Eddie, having known Steve's reputation way longer than he knows Steve gets a little cold feet, gets scared he's going to be just a fun little adventure before Harrington goes on to marry a girl his parents approve of.

And even then, he knows he won't survive Steve Harrington if Steve decides he doesn't want Eddie anymore. Can't handle things between them being just casual, so when Steve makes a move, Eddie turns him down. Gently. 

He doesn't say it's because he doesn't think Steve will stick to his newly discovered bisexuality. Doesn't explain to him that he thinks maybe being around Buckley and himself is making Steve a little confused. 

Just says they are better off friends. And for a while, they stay friends. The best of friends.

Steve is sad, at first. He's always looking at Eddie with puppy eyes that are hard to resist, but eventually, he starts moving on. 

He starts going on dates again. And Eddie doesn't feel so shitty anymore. Steve's going to find a nice girl to marry and they are going to be friends forever. All is right in the world. 

Except. 

Except Steve comes to weekly dinner one night with his arms wrapped around a guy. And the guy... he looks a hell lot like Eddie.

Long hair, though his is knotted on the top of his head. Eyeliner and black clothes

Chains and a big Metallica tattoo peeking out from his t-shirt. It's impossible not to notice the resemblance, but Steve pretends not to. 

But Eddie can't unsee it. And as Steve's relationship evolves, so does Eddie's feeling that he has made a big, big mistake.

Or; Steve starts to date a metalhead and Eddie is miserable because he doesn't understand why not him.

[sphynxratedr]

Here’s an out of the ordinary career option for Steve: teppanyaki chef. You know, the guys at Japanese hibachi restaurants that do the whole show of cooking your food right there at a big grill on the table and tossing food into people’s mouths and flipping their cooking implements like it’s no big. 

Inspired largely by the fact that I had teppanyaki earlier this week and the chef, in addition to flipping eggs into his hat and then onto his spatula to break them, was making shrimp fried rice and spelled “I” with the shrimp, “❤️” with the rice, and “U” either the veg and egg. 

Just picture Steve, in the goofy tall hat that does even fewer favors for his hair than the Scoops hat, doing that with the same goofy grin on his face as during the lightsaber handshake bit.

Maybe rockstar Eddie comes in with the band and an entourage one night. He notices Steve making silly faces back and forth with Robin (one of the bartenders or a seating host or something) across the room, and thinks it’s cute. He joins in making silly faces at Steve, who is *delighted* and 100% starts doing it back because usually the customers are too wrapped up in their own lives to notice. 

Robin is a little annoyed that her work buddy has been co-opted for the night, but once she gets a better look at Eddie she just rolls her eyes and laughs under her breath because he is definitely Steve’s type. Then her eyes move a fraction to the left and she notices Corroded Coffin’s manager, Chrissy Cunningham, and immediately goes 😍 for the rest of their stay.

Steve is supposed to spread his attention equally around the table, and he sort of does, but Eddie definitely gets more food tossed in his mouth than anyone else. Maybe he brought a date (possibly a groupie, possibly just someone willing to put out for a celebrity, he’d just sort of shrugged like “okay, sure” when they attached themself to him) for the evening that he’s totally ignoring, because as far as he’s concerned no one else is as interesting as the pretty chef. The date gets visibly more grumpy, which the rest of the band definitely notices, but they all just sort of roll their eyes and sigh because Steve is definitely Eddie’s type, sorry friend, don’t know what to tell ya. Eventually the date gets up saying they’re going to the bathroom, but they take their coat. It takes Eddie, like, half an hour to notice. 

And Steve keeps doing those little flippy things, like with his ice cream scoop and the nail bat, all. The. Time. It’s not even a gimicky restaurant thing, he’s just Like That. He says he can do it with anything and Gareth immediately produces drumsticks (I have never met a drummer who did not have drumsticks on them at all times, often even when another pair has been confiscated), and Steve takes about three seconds to figure out how to twirl them like a pro. Eddie is already removing a ring to propose. Chrissy makes some sort of comment about being in the color guard for marching band (in addition to cheerleading) and speculating whether Steve could spin a saber or rifle and he’s so confident he could do it that Eddie is like, “When is your next break, that could be our honeymoon baby” because he is going to eat this man alive. 

Suffice it to say, Steve ends the night with his dick sucked and within a week he’s gotten Chrissy’s number for Robin, who he’s been talking up incessantly. A month later, he puts Gareth in touch with Will about some sort of artistic commission that Gareth wants, which eventually leads to Will finally ending his pining over Mike streak. 

Steve has to formally apologize to Jeff and Doug for not having any more single friends to introduce them to, but he promises to keep an eye out. In the meantime, have they ever tried Purple Palm Tree Delight? Because he knows a guy…

[sphynxratedr]

Steve calling Eddie Teddy specially when he's sleepy or want to convince him of something (it always works)

Initially Steve kept that nickname in his head since he thought Eddie may not like it. Until one day he's snuggling into him before falling asleep, sighs a "goodnight Teddy" and sees Eddie's face *melting* (no one ever called him that before but he think he wouldn't accept if it wasn't Steve anyway)

He not so secretly loves being Steve's Teddy. It sounds like he's soft and a source of comfort. Like a teddy bear 🧸 and Steve makes it very clear that he is.

[sphynxratedr]

Idiot

Written for @steddiebingo Countdown to Midnight Prompt: Blind Date

Rating: T | WC: 840

Thank you @oh-stars for betaing!!

Eddie shifts nervously in his seat and checks his phone again. 

7:16pm

He sighs, turning to glance at the entrance to the restaurant. He knew this was a bad idea. Why did he agree to go on this stupid date in the first place? Who even goes on blind dates anymore? 

Fucking Buckley. She promised him this guy was great. Talked him up so much he sounded damn near perfect. 

Well, Mr. Perfect is almost twenty minutes late already. He’s probably not even going to show. Or– fuck. Maybe he did show, saw Eddie, and fucking left. That would be Eddie’s luck, honestly. Regardless, he’s not thrilled about being stuck at this stupid restaurant alone. The waitress keeps giving him this little pity smile when he says he’s “still waiting on someone” and he’s pretty sure the couple two tables over are watching him like he’s a fucking car crash happening right before their eyes. 

Eddie snatches his phone up again, his leg bouncing in annoyance. 

7:21pm

Eddie shakes his head and opens his texts. 

Eddie (7:21pm): I hate you.

Buckley (7:21pm): 🥺 What did I do!?

Eddie (7:22pm): Your magical mystery man is standing me up. 

Buckley (7:22pm): ???? 

Buckley (7:22pm): There’s no way. 

Eddie (7:23pm): Me and the empty table in front of me are having a great time. Really. 

Buckley (7:24pm): Please hold. 

Eddie rolls his eyes and contemplates getting up and bailing for the millionth time since he sat down. At this point even if the guy shows up, this hasn’t gone exactly well. He’s annoyed, and embarrassed, and starting to feel like this whole thing was a pity set up or something and–

His phone buzzes on the table and he grabs it, a message from Robin lighting up the screen.

Buckley (7:26pm): Where are you, idiot?

Eddie’s mouth drops open in offense, his thumbs thudding against the screen as he types back. 

Eddie (7:26pm): I’m at the fucking restaurant! How does that make me an idiot? Other than thinking this was a good idea in the first place.

Buckley (7:27pm): No. Steve is at the agreed upon restaurant. Idk where tf you are. 

Eddie’s brow scrunches together and he shakes his head, scrolling up in their conversation to find the details for tonight.

Buckley (4:13pm): Enzo’s at 7 on Friday. Look hot.

Eddie drops his head to the table with a thunk. He is an idiot. 

Eddie (7:28pm): …I’m at Alonzo’s. 

Buckley (7:28pm): 🙄

Buckley (7:29pm): Idiot. 

Eddie gets up and grabs his jacket off the back of his chair, tossing a ten on the table for wasting the poor waitress’s time and heading out the door. 

Eddie (7:30pm): Is he pissed? 

Eddie sighs, digging his keys out of his pocket. Of course the guy is pissed. Eddie was pissed two seconds ago when he thought he was the one being stood up. 

Buckley (7:30pm): No. He was worried about you.

Buckley (7:30pm): Because he’s amazing. 

Eddie curses under his breath as he hurries across the street to his car. He hadn’t even considered something being wrong to make Steve this late. Just assumed he was an asshole and not showing up.

Eddie (7:31pm): Tell him I’m sorry and I’m on my way. 

Eddie (7:31pm): Please.

Buckley (7:31pm): I will. 

Buckley (7:32pm): You better make it up to him, dipshit.

Eddie sighs and tosses his phone on the passenger seat. He cranks his van to life and hopes he still can. 

Eddie pulls up outside the restaurant and slams the van in park, rushing to get inside, He glances at his phone as he walks in. 

7:45pm

Fuck. This poor guy has been waiting on him for almost an hour. 

He hurries over to the host stand, out of breath and frantic. “Hi! I’m supposed to be meeting someone here. I’m a little late.”

“Eddie?”

Eddie turns in the direction of his name, eyes landing on the most beautiful man he’s ever seen in his entire life. He’s waving at Eddie with a huge grin like he didn’t just spend an hour waiting on him. 

 “Fuck me. I’m such a fucking idiot,” He mumbles under his breath as he stands there, staring like an absolute moron. 

Steve drops his hand and shifts in his seat. 

Right. Go over there, dummy. 

Eddie nearly trips over himself as he makes his way to the table and slides into his seat across from Steve. “I’m so sorry. I went to the wrong place.” 

Steve flashes him a pretty grin and shrugs. “That’s okay. I’m just glad you made it.” 

Eddie’s heart swells as he realizes this guy means it. He’s genuinely just glad Eddie is okay and got here eventually. He doesn’t even seem annoyed. 

Buckley’s right. He thinks he’s probably going to spend the rest of his life trying to make it up to him. 

He returns Steve’s smile and nods. “Me too.”

[sphynxratedr]

"’I burn for you’? Who talks like this?” Steve asks, squinting at the note in hands. “What does that even mean?”

“Think it means he has the hots for you,” Robin says, waggling her eyebrows.

“He?” Steve asks, his voice pitching up almost comically.

“Oh, please. You can't tell me you don't recognize that chicken scratch.”

At Steve's confused look, Robin pulls him into the kitchen, pointing at one of the many post-it notes that have taken over his fridge’s surface.

Eddie’s handwriting on the note reminding Steve of his eye doctor appointment matches the note in his hand.

“Oh.”

[sphynxratedr]

omega steve who hates all the feminization surrounding male omegas. no, he doesn't want to wear dresses or skirts, he doesn't want his hair long and feminine, and he's going to punch the next asshole who says they'll make a "good housewife" out of him. he's a man, designation be damned, and he wants to be treated like one.

so when he hooks up with alpha eddie for the first time and he starts spouting the same bullshit as every other small minded idiot, steve hisses and pushes eddie off of him and immediately goes on a rant that's fueled by years long frustration.

poor eddie, who's never been with *any* omega before this, is at a loss.