After the bats, Steve gets a bit self conscious about his scars, and starts going on less and less dates because he doesn’t know how to explain them to girls.
He’s hanging out with the fruity four when he starts complaining about it. Eddie snorts and says, “Imagine how I feel.”
Steve cringes and apologizes because everyone knows he got the worst of it.
Robin starts suddenly laughing maniacally, and they all look at her. Nancy asks what she’s laughing about.
Robin jokes, “Well the solution is right in front of you. Just date each other.”
Nancy joins in laughing with her, but Steve and Eddie eye each other. Steve had never thought a gaze could hold more than words until he sees the way Eddie is staring at him.
In all honesty, Steve wasn’t just missing all the physical stuff that comes with a relationship. Well, he was definitely missing it, but more importantly, he was missing the way it felt to have someone that loved him so unconditionally. In reality, he had only had the illusion of that before, but it had been nice. And it was especially nice to care for someone so deeply that it felt like his life had a whole new purpose - to make them happy.
The more he looks at Eddie, the more the laughter from the girls becomes white noise. He thinks that he could treat him that way. Hold him as if he’s doing it for him and not for himself. Call him to wish him a good morning and good night so he could be the first and last thing on his mind every day. Also, to give himself a reason to wake up and a calming voice that can lull him to sleep.
Maybe it would work. Even if Eddie’s not a girl, he thinks he might be able to overlook that. Especially with the beautiful depths of his brown eyes and the big, soft lips of his and that adorable nose even though it’s not a button nose like Steve usually likes. Honestly, Eddie is beautiful in his own way, and Steve knows he isn’t immune to it especially in large doses.
So, he shouldn’t even begin to consider the thought. Fake dating or sort of dating Eddie is completely off the table.
But Eddie’s staring at him, eyes scanning over him and settling on his lips in a way that makes Steve’s heart thud so hard he thinks everyone in the room might be able to hear it.
Okay, maybe the dating stuff isn’t completely off the table, but there’s no way he’s bringing it up first. He nods at Eddie once and looks away trying to signal an end to whatever discussion / consideration they just had. But he can still feel Eddie’s eyes linger on him the rest of the night.
-:-:-:-:-:-
A few hours later, three of the four are leaving Steve’s place with Nancy offering Robin a ride and Eddie lingering behind a bit. Steve’s been overly aware of his presence since Robin’s whole dating each other suggestion.
What makes it worse is that Eddie is also aware of what his presence does to Steve and keeps shooting him knowing looks and winks. Until now.
Now, he hovers in Steve’s doorway and watches as Nancy and Robin pile into a car and drive off. Then, he takes a few seconds before turning back to Steve saying, “Tell me I’m not the only one considering Robin’s idea, please.”
Steve thinks about it for a moment before he takes Eddie by the wrist and pulls him back inside, closing the door behind him.
“I’m not saying like… actually dating,” Eddie says, the confidence from earlier all but evaporating into thin air as he fidgets anxiously with his rings. “I mean like… we’re just each other’s rock or something. Hell, if you just let me flirt at you and tell me things are going to be okay, then I’m fine with that. You can look at it as practice while you regain your confidence with the ladies or whatever. Just…” Eddie trails off, and Steve thinks he knows exactly what he means.
He finishes Eddie’s thought out loud, “It’s hard going through everything we did without someone to hold us and tell us it’s okay to feel scared sometimes. I mean… it’s one thing to have friends, best friends even, but… they get girlfriends and while you’re their platonic soulmate, their actual soulmate always comes first a little.” Steve sits back on his couch and runs his hands over his face. He hadn’t meant to project about Robin and her relationship with Nancy because he’s happy for them really. He’s just jealous that he doesn’t have what they have.
And really, he knows that friendships are everything, and Robin is his everything but… he sighs. Sometimes it would be nice to be held and kissed and get lost in someone else so deeply that everything else disappears.
Maybe that’s just Steve though. Always running from relationship to relationship for something he’s never able to find.
The couch shifts next to him, and a hand slowly comes up to Steve’s pulling it away from his face, and intertwining their fingers together. Steve’s heart skips a beat as he turns to stare at his and Eddie’s hands together. Steve talks without really thinking, “I know relationships aren’t everything. Friendships are really what makes a person whole, and you can’t get everything out of a relationship but… I really want to trial run this thing with us. We can call it speed running to more than best friends or something.”
Eddie raises his eyebrows. “That sounds like friends with benefits.”
Steve rolls the term around a bit in his head and squeezes Eddie’s hand while shrugging. “That works too,” Steve mutters.
Eddie shifts towards him and looks him in the eye. “You’ve gotta clear up what that means, man. Terms and conditions and shit.”
Steve’s eyes flicker down to Eddie’s lips. “I wouldn’t mind kissing you. Going on dates or hanging out or whatever you want to call it. Cuddling - hell, anything touching I’m fine with… with reason,” Steve says although with the way Eddie is staring at this lips and the warmth coursing through his body, he’s not sure he has a limit to the whole touching thing. Shit. He knew he wouldn’t be immune to Eddie.
“I’m good with that. Yeah, just… communication is key here, right?” Eddie asks eyes still dipping down to Steve’s lips and back to his eyes between his words.
“Communication,” Steve echoes, staring at Eddie’s lips before communicating, “I really want to kiss you.”
“Finally,” Eddie says before leaning forward and locking their lips together, his hand squeezing Steve’s but he can hardly register it because of how badly he wants to do nothing but kiss Eddie until he’s forgotten any bad thing to ever happen to him.
Then, Steve feels it. The small (big) part of his heart that’s screaming at him that he needs this to be more than a friends with benefits trial run. He needs Eddie to be his and only his if a simple kiss can ruin him like this.
He pulls away and looks at Eddie, searching his gaze and seeing something there he hadn’t seen before. “Eddie, remember everything I literally just said about the trial run and friends with benefits.”
Eddie nods in response. His hand still in Steve’s squeezes.
“I don’t want that,” Steve says and panics when he sees the broken look cross over Eddie’s face as he pulls his hand away.
“Sorry, man. I shouldn’t have-”
Steve cuts him off. “It’s because I want more than that, and you deserve more than that. Screw this trial run and all that shit. I want to date you. Like… actually date you and give this a shot. If you want to that is.”
Eddie’s tongue quickly swipes over his top lip over and over nervously as he stares at Steve. “You’re serious?”
“Dead serious. God, Eddie, I can’t believe I even suggested friends with benefits like a dick,” Steve says with a groan running a hand through his hair.
“I’m the one who accepted it very willingly I might add,” Eddie says with a big smile that fades to a smaller one. “But I’d love more than anything to make this something more.”
Steve’s stomach flips and he feels absolutely giddy with joy. “Quickest trial run ever, right?”
Eddie laughs. “Thank god.”
Steve leans in and kisses him again before pulling back and saying, “Best communication ever, right? Good thinking on your part.”
“The best thinking,” Eddie says then kisses Steve again.
Steve thinks that maybe he’s finally found what he’s always been searching for (but really doesn’t want to give Robin the credit).
i cant believe his name is fucking joker. like of course i knew somewhere in my brain that in japanese, he is referred to as joker. but oh my god. joker?!?!?!?!? from persona 5?!?!?!?!??! guy who played p5, didnt understand the message, and went "oh my god im Him" like OMFGGGG
god. one of the funnier things about the yellowjackets Inciting Event(s) being related to jeff having money problems is like...it is the year 2021. shauna has exactly one child, who is 16 years old and barely even comes home except to like, get clean clothes. she is in her early 40, is able-bodied, and is at least able to convincingly fake mental stability. babe could you maybe get a job??? you literally don't have to spend your days ironing laundry and making stew. she doesn't even have any hobbies!! go to a knitting group at the library. girl.
SOME BIRFDAY ART FOR MY FRIEND, FEATURING ALL OF OUR OCS. Tilaa, the tallest one, is the "motherly figure" to all the other animatronics, and thus I imagined they'd all throw a party for her :D
The two humans are also owned by the same friend!! <3
Feat.
Tilaa, Khowell, Kaynin - @kh0well
Callisto - Me :3c
Pluto - @muffinsmadhouse
Accimer - @end3rf0x
Myrtus - @ilsole
Beepo - @threateningwatercress
I LOVE OUR SILLAYS!! <3
