Tw; cute date shit. Drinking.
I wake up in the morning on one end of the couch. Robin completely sprawled out on the other side. I laugh and put a blanket over her. She's still out cold. I go check the clock above the stove and it says 11:00 AM. I start work at noon. Shit. I quickly shower and get dressed and grab my work stuff.
Robins finally awake as I'm rushing around getting my keys and vest from the kitchen. "Hey I got work, will you lock up? How long are you in town for?" She yawns and stretches out. "I'll be here till Sunday. Call me tomorrow with every possible detail. I'm staying with my parents so you know the number." I run over and give her a hug and kiss the top of her head. "Thanks again. See you later!" I'm practically sprinting out the door. "Good luck dingus! Go get your boy!" My boy. Those two words make my heart race.
I get to work with 2 minutes to spare and burst through the front door. "You look like shit, Harrington." I roll my eyes at Keith. "Yeah what else is new? Get outta here. I'll see you later." He gradually makes his way out of the store.
I spend most of my day just trying to keep my head clear. I'm so nervous about this date. I know he likes me as a friend and hell, he flirts with me more often than not. But as someone he's dating? What if this is just awkward? I really hope not. It'll be fine. Be yourself. Robins words really help calm my nerves a bit.
The front door opens while I'm in the middle of restocking some of the new releases. "Hi welcome in. I'll be with you in a sec!" I call out not checking to see who it is. Suddenly I feel hands wrap around my waist. "Okay who the fuck-?" I turn around quickly and I'm nose to nose with Eddie. My eyes widen and I freeze on the spot. He smiles and pulls away. I almost want to whine at the loss of his contact. "I wanted to see you sooner than tonight and make sure you're alive, and weren't just drunk dialing me." He laughs. I'm still stunned, but shake my head to try to restart my brain. "I swear I didn't drunk dial you. Yes alcohol was involved but I promise it was the truth."
He smiles widely. I could just melt right here. "Good. See you soon, then?" I nod. "I'll be by to come get you at 8. I wanna go home and change first." He looks me up and down a couple of times. "So no unsuspecting video store clerk role play? Boooooo." He chuckles and walks backwards towards the door. "See ya later, sweetheart." He winks at me and disappears out of the front of the store. My brain feels like it just leaked out of my ears. I've done completely dumb. What the fuck was that? Hold it together. It's just a date. But my GOD was that the cutest thing I've ever seen in my life. He came to check on me?! Only Eddie would be the one to do that.
The rest of the day drags on. It feels like ages until I finally get to close down the store. I run out to my car, get belted in and drive as fast as I possibly can without getting pulled over. Luckily it's not a long drive home. I get inside my apartment and there's a note scrawled out on a torn piece of paper on my counter.
Dingus-
Breath. It's just Eddie. You already know him. Don't get all weird and in your head. Be you. He already likes you.
Don't fuck it up.
Love,
The coolest lesbian you'll ever know R.B.
She's right. She's always fucking right and I both hate and love her for it. I take a few deep breaths and try to cool my nerves down. It's just Eddie. He's already said yes to the date and he came to check on me at work today. He does like me. Like actually likes me. Okay. I got this.
I go into my room and get dressed into something that doesn't completely wreak of old popcorn which for some reason every video store tends to smell like. I pull on a green sweater and some blue jeans. I go to the bathroom and fix my hair. Obviously it needs to look perfect. Who would I be without this mop?
I finally manage to get back down to my car and turn the radio on to the Smith's tape I've been favoring a lot lately and smoke a cigarette on my way over to Eddie's. It's a little earlier than 8 when I get there. I see Eddie sitting on his front stairs smoking a cigarette too. His eyes make contact directly with mine. I smile shyly and wave, getting out of my car and walking over. "You're early Harrington." I kick at the ground. "Yeah sorry I'm... well. I'm nervous as fuck honestly." He smiles and reaches out touching my face. "I make you, Steve. Lady killer of Hawkins, nervous? Me? You're sure?" I roll my eyes. "Yes Munson. You. Make me. Nervous." I point between the two of us. "That's adorable."
I feel my face flush with heat. He releases my cheek from his hand and smiles. "So. Where are we going?"
"I figured we could go get some dinner and then if you're up for it, karaoke? It was Robin's idea." I shift from my heels to my toes a couple of times. "That sounds like a lot of fun actually. Let's go!"
We drive out of Hawkins and into the next city over. We end up finding a pretty calm small restaurant and sit in a booth across from each other. "So tell me, what made you feel like you should ask me out?" I look up from the menu and smile softly at him and breath out. Be yourself. He already likes you. "Eds, how could I possibly not want to? The moment I laid eyes on you, there was just this... click. Like. Oh I'm gonna completely let this guy ruin my life." There's that smile. The one that reaches his eyes. I swear to god it could light this whole restaurant on its own. "You really thought that?"
"Oh completely and totally. You sparked this... this weird feeling in my gut. Something I couldn't put my finger on in the moment." He nods and smiles. A waitress comes over to take our orders and leaves with the menus. I order a chicken sandwich, fries and a coke. Eddie orders a burger, fries and a coke as well. I probably could have ordered it for him since I already assumed that's what he would get. "I had the same feeling. But I figured you weren't into guys after seeing you flirt with girls all the time. To be honest there's been a few times I've felt some jealousy. Wishing I was the one you were leaning up next to flirting with. And that smile? If I thought I'd had a chance I would've snatched you up a long time ago."
"If I would've just figured my shit out sooner I honestly can say this would have started probably about a week or so after meeting you."
"A week?" He scrunches up his face trying to place and time that would have been. "Mhm." He puts his hand over his mouth, thinking deeply for a moment. "Okay help me out here. I'm trying to figure out what moment that was?"
"We were deep in the bullshit. If you know what I mean. Following Nancy around in those damned woods. And then you just started rambling at me. Telling me to try to get Nancy back and this whole thing about how much Dustin cares about me. Watching the way you got all animated and passionate about what you were talking about when it came to him. I knew." I sigh out and look down at the table, then back up to meet his gaze. His eyes look almost... watery? I grab his hand from across the table. "You okay?"
He smiles again, sniffling a little. "I remember that. You just walked with me and listened to me ramble at you. You looked uncomfortable as hell then there was this... shift. You looked at me in a softer way after I told you how much Dustin admires you." I nod my head and squeeze his hand. "Yup. Exactly then." He shakes his head in disbelief. "I'll have to thank that kid later."
Our food arrives and we eat in silence for a bit. It's nice just being here with him. I don't feel weird or uncomfortable at all. This is the most me I've actually felt in a long time. Although his eyes occasionally meeting mine made my heart race.
"You wanna know when I knew?" Eddie breaks the comfortable silence. "Enlighten me." He picks at the last bits of food on his plate and takes a drink of his soda. "Okay don't laugh at me." I smirk. "I can't promise that."
"Okay so we made the plan to try to..." he makes a knife cutting his neck gesture. "Vecna. And we had to run around and borrow that poor couples RV. I was trying to get you to drive it. I let the first flirty words slip right out just to test you. You looked honestly horrified and it was the cutest shit." I shake my head. "Of course it was then. Why wouldn't it have been then? You're such an ass!" He laughs and we both spend another few minutes stealing glances at each other. I'm loving every moment of this date so far. I really hope he is too.
I pay the dinner bill after much argument from Eddie saying he is totally capable of paying for himself. Which he is. But I won the argument since I was the one who asked him out. Only after insisting that he would be paying for drinks at the karaoke bar.
While walking out of the restaurant I grab ahold of Eddie's hand, interlacing our fingers together. He glances down at my action and grins to himself, squeezing slightly. Before we get into the car I go and open up his door for him, and kiss his hand before he sits. "Oooh gentleman Stevie. I like it." I shake my head and close his door and go get in on the drivers side. I reach out for his hand again and hold it tightly. He's smiling the whole time we drive to the karaoke place.
When we walk in we can see it's crowded but not nearly as bad as I anticipated. We go to the bar and order a couple of drinks. "Whatcha drinkin, sugar?" Eddie asks me with a grin. "A shot of whisky and a beer back. Please." He nods and goes to pay for the drinks. He orders the same thing.
I can only have this one drink tonight since I'm driving. But I quickly take the shot and take a sip from my beer when we sit down at a table. There's a song list already placed there and I look through the hundreds of song titles. "You're actually gonna sing?" I smirk, looking up from the paper to him. "Might as well. What? You don't like my singing?" He laughs. "No no it's not that! I just didn't expect you to... well. Actually go through with it!" I spot the perfect song and go tell the karaoke DJ and he gives me an estimate of how long I have to wait. 2 people in front of me in line for songs.
Eddie looks through the songs as well. Trying to decide if he has the nerve to sing in front of a room full of strangers. "Eds cmon we'll probably never see these people again. Plus you're in a fucking band. You can't tell me that singing in front of crowds makes you nervous!" He chuckles. "I'm not nervous about singing! I just don't know any of these... shit there's one. Okay. Be right back." He goes to tell the DJ his song pick as well with a huge smile on his face. I officially am worried for his song choice, but you know what? Fuck it. Right? I watch carefully as he walks away. Completely not hiding the fact I'm checking him out. He starts to walk back with a smile when he sits down. "Were you just checking me out, Harrington?" I let out a soft laugh. "Uh. Yeah actually. I was." I lean forward a bit in my seat. "View's great by the way." I wink and sit back again. His whole face turns bright red. Mission accomplished.
The DJ calls out my name from his mic and I go up to the stage. We were sitting pretty close to one of the sides and I look over to Eddie smiling as my song starts. 'How Soon Is Now?' By The Smiths starts to play over the speaker system.
"I am the son and the heir. Of shyness that is criminally vulgar. I am the son and heir, of nothing in particular."
I watch Eddie's face. He looks completely enthralled by me performing, even in this crowded room. I hear a few whoots from some drunk strangers. I feel my confidence building.
"You shut your mouth. How can you say, I go about things the wrong way? I am human and I need to be loved. Just like everybody else does."
I give the rest of the song my complete all. Making sure to keep my eyes on Eddie throughout the whole thing. He's just beaming. I set the mic down and the crowd cheers for me, I smile and take a bow and walk back over to Eddie. He grabs ahold of me, pulling me close, inches away from my lips I can feel his breath is heavy and smells like beer. He leans in and plants a kiss right in my mouth. It was nervous. It was electrifying. It was exactly what I was aiming for. I feel my whole body turn warm and I wrap my arms around his neck and we finally pull away. His smile completely melting any sort of anxiety I had away. "Okay I'm up." He pulls back and jogs off to the front of the bar and pics up the mic.
There's that direct eye contact again that sends a shock through my body. 'Faithfully' by Journey begins to play. He smiles at me and starts to sing.
"Highway run. Into the midnight sun.. Wheels go round and round. You're on my mind..."
His voice is like pouring warm honey. I close my eyes momentarily and let it just pour over me. I've heard Eddie a few times at his shows I've gone to. But never singing a ballad before. Wow. He should slow down more. I feel my heart jump as the chorus starts.
"They say that the road ain't no place to start a family. Right down the line, it's been you and me. And lovin' a music man ain't always what it's supposed to be. Oh, boy, you stand by me. I'm forever yours. Faithfully."
He winks at me on 'faithfully' and I'm a fucking mess. I feel like I could start crying right here. I have goosebumps all over my arms and neck. Fuck what is this? He knew exactly what he was doing when he chose this damn song. He's such an ass! A beautiful, talented, perfect, amazing one... but goddamnit Eddie.
His song comes to and end and he bounds back over to me with a huge shit eating grin on his face wrapping me in another hug. The crowd roars up in a cheer. "Did you like it?" We pull apart and I smack his arm. "Jesus Christ Eddie. Feel this! Feel my heart!" I place his hand on my chest, so he can feel how hard my hearts pounding. He chuckles a bit and pulls his hand away. "I'm taking that as a yes." We sit back down and finish off our beers listening to another person go up and try to sing. I wouldn't want to follow that act.
"Hey, you wanna get out of here? I'm tired of listening to all the squawking." I nod and we lock hands again and head outside. I start to slow as we get close to my car, turning to look at him. I pull him closer to me, and push his back against the drivers side door, leaning down so our faces are close together, and nearly whispering say, "Do you have any idea, any single fucking clue, how much you mean to me?" His eyes widen and he stammers. "I uh... uhm... I hope as much, as you mean to me, Steve." He looks down to my lips then back to my eyes again. I feel myself smile and fall right into a kiss. He puts his hands behind my neck pulling me closer, making the kiss deeper. I feel the world stop under my feet. Nothing could ever in a million years ruin this exact moment for me. I'd do anything to live in this tiny bit of space for the rest of my life.
We finally pull away and I place my forehead on his and breath out heavily. "I absolutely adore you." He chuckles. "You sure about that, sweetheart? No take backs now." I nod and pull back more, looking back and forth into both of his eyes. They're sparkling under the dark sky above us. "More sure than I've been about anything."
We drive back home and I drop Eddie back off at his trailer, I open his door for him and he kisses me one more time. "Want to come in?" He smirks. "Munson are you trying to get me into bed with you already? What kinda girl to do take me for?!" I jokingly push him and laugh. "No I just... I wanna hold you. For real this time. Not like before... Please?" How can I say no?
We go inside and walk back to his room. He tosses some pajama bottoms and one of his shirts to me to change into so I don't have to sleep in jeans. Which I greatly appreciate. I quickly get changed in the bathroom, splashing some cool water on my face. Is this really happening? Am I actually here right now? Eddie knocks at the door, I must have been in here for too long "hey Steve? You okay?" I take a deep breath and open the door. "Amazing. Actually." He's standing there with his hair tied back in a low bun, pajamas already on and lets out a breathy laugh. "I uh. Need to pee. Shoo. Off to bed with you." I smile and head back into his room and flop back on the bed.
I've been here dozens of times and never noticed how good the pillows smell? Like shampoo and tobacco. I close my eyes, hands resting on my stomach and let out a happy sigh. Today's been the best.
Eddie comes back into the room quietly just watching me from the doorway. "You're adorable." I open my eyes and look over to him, "Cmere baby." I see his face flush over again and he crawls into bed next to me, laying his head on my chest and I wrap my arms around him. He sets his arm across my stomach. "Is this okay?" I nod and hum in response. "Mhm. This is nice." I slowly drift off to sleep rubbing his back. I feel like myself for the first time in a very long time.