Eddie likes to creep up on Steve. It started off because he wanted to jumpscare Steve.
He'd been cooking in Eddie's little kitchen, looking so happy and peaceful. It was so sweet. Eddie wanted to bite him. He settled for a little scare.
But Steve didn't jump. He tensed for a second, but immediately relaxed. He had leant back against Eddie, turning to give him a kiss on the cheek. He murmured something about being careful, that the pots are hot. He'd been so relaxed.
Eddie was, at the time, very satisfied. It was rare that Steve would be in a good enough mood in the morning for physical affection and Eddie wasn't going to waste the opportunity by being disappointed.
The next morning though, that was free game. He had been more careful, borderline silent, yelled a little when he grabbed Steve around the waist.
Steve snorted, side eyeing him with a smirk. "Oh no, the big bad wolf has caught me, whatever will I do?"
Eddie grumbled, annoyed. But Steve wasn't pushing him away, again, so he curled his arms around his waist and plastered himself to his back.
The next day, he tried again. Only to get the same results, the same teasing. Steve was still open to physical affection though, which was odd, but Eddie didn't think it was that significant.
It wasn't until Eddie had been trying to spook him for a month that he finally cracked.
"Does nothing scare you?" Eddie drops his head onto Steve's shoulder, huffing.
"Plenty," Steve sounds a little distracted with seasoning, following the recipe to a painfully accurate degree. "Just... not you."
"Yeah. Sorry to cut your ego or whatever but you're not a scary guy. You're a big softie."
"So you don't get spooked by me jumping at you because... I'm nice?"
Steve shrugs, ears turning a little pink. "You, uh... you make me feel safe."
Eddie is silent for a moment, letting that sink in. "Oh."
"Was that too much? Shit. Sorry. You just sound, like, disappointed. Or something. Sorry. Didn't mean to ruin your... fun or whatever."
"Ruin my fun," Eddie echoes with a chuckle. He tightens his arms, trying to press closer. "You really feel that safe with me?"
He turns back to his cooking, like he said the most casual thing in the world. Something that just... Isn't a big deal.
Eddie's world feels like it's been flipped on its head. Having Wayne trust him so unconditionally always felt like it was once in a million, something that would never happen again, yet here was Steve...
Steve turns, beaming. He always looks just as pleased as he did when Eddie first confessed. He always looks like Eddie just told him the best news he could get. He always made Eddie feel like he's a good thing.
