@steddie-week day 1: hunger / pining / Somebody to Love by Queen
"I'm going to murder Steve if he tries to flirt hopelessly with another girl when he likes Eddie," Robin says with a groan.
"Keep your hands still," Nancy gently reminds Robin as she paints another black layer on her nails. "Does Steve know that he likes Eddie?" Nancy asks with a laugh.
Robin resists the urge to use her hands to speak. "No! But even you have seen the pining. I thought he was going to have a meltdown when he saw Gareth jokingly flirt with Eddie."
Nancy blows on Robin's nails before frowning and scraping off some polish that got on her fingers. "Maybe Gareth is in love with Eddie," Nancy jokes.
Robin laughs. "He's been asking me if you're single for months now."
"If only he knew..." Nancy says with a wide smile before laying a kiss on her girlfriend's hand. "But hey, I'm dealing with Eddie who is hopelessly trying to get over his crush on Steve. He would be willing to be set up with anyone, I swear."
Robin throws her hands up. "That's it!"
"Robin your nails-"
"We set them up on a blind date. Steve has been trying to get me to find someone for him forever now, and Eddie wants the same thing from you! It can be operation... Find Them Somebody to Love."
"You just got that from my Queen tape."
"But it's a great plan!" Robin says with a victorious smile. She holds out her hand to shake on it.
Nancy rolls her eyes and shakes Robin's hand. "If this works, I'll repaint your nails."
Robin's brow furrows. "What do you mean..." she trails off as she looks at them.
"There's some in your hair," Nancy says with a wince.
Robin starts to scrape the paint off. "You call Eddie while I get this off."
Nancy watches her struggle for a moment before handing her some nail polish remover. "I hope this works for our sake."
-:-:-:-:-:-
To say Steve is surprised when Robin excitedly calls him to set him up with someone is an understatement. He may be a bit clueless and naive, but he knows when she's up to something. But maybe she's excited and thinks it's just a really good match, but he thinks that's just the hopeless romantic in him talking.
He also thinks it's strange that the date is at a burger joint that Eddie really likes, but maybe Eddie helped Robin with the date? He really hopes not but doesn't know why. He also knows that maybe the burger joint is a coincidence and the Eddie thought is just because Steve can't stop thinking about him.
It's weird. He's never really had a friend like him before, but he thinks it's part of the trauma bonding that makes Steve feel so intensely about him. But it's different from Robin it's... he doesn't know.
But he doesn't have much time to think about it as he parks outside the food joint. Time to lay on the Harrington charm.
As he walks in he notices only one table that has one person at it. The girl is facing away from Steve in a booth, her long dark curly hair being the only thing visible. She's definitely Steve's type.
As Steve approaches the table he runs a hand through his hair and tries not to think about how she has hair like Eddie's. As he turns to the girl with his most charming smile, it quickly turns into a real smile. "Eddie?" Steve asks.
Eddie's head snaps up and multiple emotions cross over his face as he takes in Steve. "Steve? What are you doing here?"
"Blind date, and you?"
Eddie replies, "Same here, man. Nancy set me up."
Steve tries to ignore the way his heart seems to break. He gives Eddie a smile but it's too tight and entirely fake. "Robin set me up, but hey, that's great, Munson." Steve goes as far as patting Eddie on the back which makes him internally cringe. What's happening?
Eddie slowly glances at Steve's arm and gives it a confused look as his hand still stays on his back. "Right, sorry," Steve apologizes and feels entirely not like himself. Why is he so damn nervous? "But hey, what if I waited here with you until our dates come and we can keep each other company?"
It looks like Eddie wants to say no, but Steve is already sliding into the booth. Eddies just continues to stare at Steve as if he's the last person he wants to see at the moment. Steve ignores those signs and continues talking, "So a blind date? I didn't know you were looking for someone."
Eddie huffs and looks down at the table. "I'm not really looking for someone, I'm just trying to get over someone."
Steve feels that familiar pang in his chest. "Someone I know?"
"Like you wouldn't believe," Eddie mutters. Steve just nods because he has no idea what that means. Eddie continues, "I didn't want to like this guy, but it just kind of happened. And they're incredible and way out of my league, so here I am. But they're somehow just always around..." Eddie trails off staring at Steve.
He almost feels like Eddie is trying to hint at something, but he isn't sure what. "I've been there. It took me a while to get over Nance, but eventually with time it happened. But hey, I don't know how someone could be out of your league, man. I mean you're really uh... well," Steve takes a moment to really look at Eddie and he weirdly feels his cheeks heat up, "You've got really nice eyes, and hair of course, and nice... lips."
Eddie squirms a bit in his seat and glances away. "You don't have to take pity on me, Harrington."
"I'm not!" Steve insists a little louder than he intends to. He lowers his voice and repeats, "I'm not. I'm just stating the facts. You're a really attractive guy. Plus, you're really smart and creative, and you can play the guitar well which I'm sure other guys dig, and you're also uhh really funny and kind-"
"Please stop, there's only so many words of affirmation I can receive in a day before I combust," Eddie jokes but there's a light flush on his face.
Steve holds his hands up and says, "I'm just saying you're a catch. Anyone who doesn't see that isn't good enough for you anyways."
Eddie narrows his eyes at Steve for a moment then glances over his shoulder. "So, uh, doesn't look like our dates are here yet."
Steve glances around and notices no one is sitting alone and no one else has walked in. Weird.
A waiter walks their way and takes their drink orders and gives them a few more minutes to look over the menu. As soon as he's out of earshot, Steve asks Eddie, "Do you think it's rude to put in an order when they're not here?"
Eddie glances around and his eyes settle on the wall. Steve looks over and notices the clock. "If they're not here in the next ten minutes which is fifteen minutes after the date start time, then we can order," Eddie states.
Steve smiles but suddenly his stomach makes an obnoxious growling noise. Eddie's eyes widen. "We can make that five minutes if you'll last that long."
"I can last ten minutes it's alright," Steve replies.
Two minutes later, Steve is already giving in, "Okay, what if we just ordered when the waiter comes back?"
Eddie smiles at him for the first time that evening. "You're weak, Harrington," he jokes.
"Hey, I was strong enough to lug your body around."
"If only I was conscious for that."
Before Steve can think of a response their lovely waiter interrupts them and asks for their order. Steve ends up ordering the same thing as Eddie which has Eddie scoffing, "I thought you thought my taste in food was bad."
"If putting strawberry jelly on a turkey sandwich is your idea of food, then I stand by what I said."
"I'm going to make you try it one day," Eddie says with a wide smile.
Steve leans forwards. "Is that a threat?"
"If you want it to be," Eddie says with a wink.
Steve laughs and has the sudden thought that he really doesn't want his or Eddie's dates to show up. He just wants Eddie to himself.
What?
"What, are you traumatized by the thought of it or something?" Eddie asks after Steve has gone silent.
Steve looks up and really takes in Eddie again. You're a catch. Anyone who doesn't see that isn't good enough for you anyways.
Oh shit.
Steve glances towards the door and outside and doesn't see any cars approaching. He looks back to Eddie and says, "If our dates don't show up in the next five minutes, what if we agreed to be each other's date."
Eddie looks at him for a moment with narrowed eyes. "As in... we're just like... hanging out or...?"
Steve takes a deep breath and says, "A real date."
Eddie's eyes widen and he looks around. "The kids didn't put you up to this, did they?"
"No, Eddie, I- I would really like to go on a real date with you."
Eddie stares at him again then asks, "You swear that this isn't a joke?"
"On Dustin's mother," Steve jokes then holds out his pinky.
"You know how much a pinky promise means to me."
"I know, it's a promise that can never be broken," Steve says.
Eddie hesitates then wraps his pinky around Steve's. "I hope our dates don't show up then," Eddie says with a big smile.
"Me neither," Steve agrees.
-:-:-:-:-:-
"I can't believe it's working!" Robin excitedly shouts from the passenger seat of Nancy's car.
"Me either," Nancy agrees as she watches Eddie rant while flailing his hands and Steve laughs. After a moment, Steve rests his hand over one of Eddie's and gives it a squeeze. Eddie flushes enough that Robin and Nancy can notice from the slight distance.
"Do you think they're going to kill us when they see us?" Robin asks.
Nancy scoffs, "No, they'll probably be over the moon thanking us. I'm just surprised that they agreed to go along with the date without thinking we were pranking them or something."
"Maybe the dinguses just finally sucked it up and admitted they liked each other when they figured out the plan," Robin says with a shrug as she watches the two get up. "And it looks like it's our time to leave."
Nancy shakes her head and looks at Robin. "Wouldn't that draw more attention to us though? We should just let them go first while they're so absorbed in each other's company."
"That's a good ide-" Robin stops as she looks back at the pair. "They've spotted us. Shit."
"Like I said, they're probably going to thank us," Nancy says, praying she's right. She rolls down the window as they approach.
Steve waves with a big smile. "Hey! We thought it was you, but we just wanted to let you know that your dates for us stood us up, but that's okay. Great really because Eddie and I decided you know..."
"I finally confessed that I've been pining after him," Eddie says nearly bouncing up and down.
Steve turns to look at him. "Wait, the person you said was out of your league, that was me you were talking about me earlier?"
"Steve, I thought you realized that after I told you I've had a crush on you for years now."
"Oh. Hey, I'm not out of your league at all, if anything you're out of my..." Steve trails off and seems to realize Robin and Nancy are still there, "Well, we're going to make up for lost time, but it was good seeing you. Thank you for attempting to set us up!"
Eddie and Steve wave as they leave, laughing about something moments later.
"Oh my god, did they just...."
"Holy shit, do they really think..."
Robin and Nancy look at each other and nod. "Dingues," they agree.
They look back as Steve and Eddie seem to argue about what car to take back and Robin sighs, "They'll eventually realize, right?"
"I doubt it," Nancy says.
Steve and Eddie walk towards their own cars seeming to realize that they don't have to drive together. "Gosh, they were made for each other."
It's years down the line when Steve and Eddie are telling the story of their first date when Nancy and Robin finally get fed up and tell the truth, but Steve and Eddie still don't believe them. Once a dingus, always a dingus.
