ic inbox.

[heatmetal]

[ his voicemail greeting is just a guitar riff ]

Comments

[heatmetal]

I'd be pretty stupid to go cruising when I've got you, wouldn't I?

[ he raises his eyebrows. ]

I'm all in. But if we break up I'm taking Dustin and the cat. You can keep Sinclair, Red and Wheeler.

[retromix]

[ Why is that so touching? Maybe because it feels like a touchstone, some kind of stable reference point in their relationship? He never had that with Nancy. One day she loved him, the next she didn't; he was stupid enough to spew his idle daydreams that included her and for all her long gazes, her soft words, she couldn't wait to kiss Jonathan once they were reunited.

The paranoid voice in the back of his head that's been insisting he's going to lose Eddie somehow, to someone, is mollified by the simple fact Eddie doesn't wear his dumb bandana in his back pocket anymore.

Steve swallows, nodding. Yeah, it would be stupid to cruise while he's here! So ... stupid.

He glances sideways. ]

Guess we'd better not get divorced then, that'd get ugly.

[heatmetal]

Oh, I know. [ Eddie grins. ] Actually, scratch that. I'd want Mad Max too. We can trade Dustin off on weekends.

[retromix]

[ It feels like sunshine warms his chest from the inside-out. ]

He'd escape to visit me anyway, you know he would.

[heatmetal]

I know, I know. And he'd come back singing your praises until I fall in love all over again.

[ - that's a joke but it's maybe said a little more softly than it should be ]

[retromix]

Y-You've fallen in love with me?

[ OH GOD HOW DOES HE DRIVE? OH NO HE NEEDS TO FIND SOMEWHERE TO PARK, WHOAAA SHIT. ]

[heatmetal]

[ okay please don't crash this car ]

E-easy, man.

[retromix]

[ It's fine, it's fine! Eyes on the road! ]

I am easy! [ Welp. ] I got it, I got it!

Do you ... ? Did you mean that?

[heatmetal]

[ shit. ]

We're still getting to know each other, and it's kinda... Fast but... Yeah? I mean... [ he laughs, breathless suddenly. ] kinda hard not to fall for a guy whose risking life in prison just to bring you snacks.

[retromix]

God, you've got no idea.

[ Sighing as he drives and rakes a hand through his hair, he keeps to his route despite the blush rising in his neck and cheeks (it isn't the way back to the hotel). ]

When we get out of this car I'm going to kiss you a lot, just so you know.

[heatmetal]

Good, because if you weren't, I'd be making a break for the woods. Local man humiliates himself in front of boyfriend, escapes to live a life amongst bears. And let me tell you lumberjacks are not my type.

[retromix]

Thought you liked a full forest on a chest?

[ Pulling up beside the nerd shop he promised to take Eddie to, he jerks his chin at it. Makes obvious eyes. ]

It's a Wednesday.

[heatmetal]

The hair is not the problem.

[ Oh. Oh. His eyes go wide.

On one hand, he really wants to drag Steve back to the hotel and finally show him just what he can do.

On the other he might be going into DND withdrawal. ]

You're gonna see me at my worst, you know.

[retromix]

I've seen it. It's called 3AM snoring.

[ Before Eddie can vanish into the ether of nerds, Steve makes good on his promise outside the shop where a few of the dorks are chatting and smoking, reeling him in to brush Eddie's hair back and kiss him soundly. They get a few whoops; Steve smiles. ]

Let's go buy a bunch of junk.

[heatmetal]

[ it takes getting used to. being able to do this in public. Having people react positively. Eddie breaks away, flushed and wearing a smile too big for his face. ]

Hell yes.

[ this is eddies element, for sure. This fashion gets some comments from the other patrons - as does the ridiculously extensive knowledge he has if the earlier versions of d&d. Poor Steve has to listen to a painfully long conversation about the difference between what eddies used to and the latest edition.

He says he DMs but he's not up to date on any of this shit, Wizards of the Coast didn't even publish the version he plays, some people want to try an old school campaign and he's practically vibrating.

And then he's finally ready to shop. ]

[retromix]

[ Steve absorbs information by proximity, which means he catches snippets (Eddie plays the "old" version, rude) and nerds flock to him for both the prestige that brings and out of eagerness to update him. Meanwhile, Steve's attention wanders to the miniatures he picks up and inspects in their boxes, accepting a little basket when a helpful salesgirl offers it; he puts three little guys in there. A warlock(?) who has long hair and a dramatic pose like a certain someone currently basking in nerdy attention, a fella with guns who could be Billy, and a guy with a sword for himself. He has no intention of painting them but they're kind of neat to look at.

He gets swallowed up in the back room where a bunch of foam larping weapons are hanging up on the wall. Whenever Eddie finds him, Steve is weighting a longsword with a falchion and laughing at how light they both are. ]

[heatmetal]

Not up to your standards?

[ Eddie makes his presence known before he slinks up behind him, glancing st the replica weapons and his little mini haul with a grin. ]

[retromix]

[ As if Steve knows anything about weapons beyond how how hard to hit things with them. He leans back into him, dropping a kiss on Eddie's cheek, and offers him the curved sword. ]

Wanna go one-on-one and find out?

[ Swordfight!!! ]

[heatmetal]

Mmm. Yes. Yes, I think I would.

[ taking it, testing the weight. Dropping into a dramatic fighting pose. ]

Have at you!

[retromix]

[ Arcing the longsword to cut through Eddie, if it was real, from shoulder to hip! HYAAARGHH! ]

[heatmetal]

[ bringing his own sword up to parry!! making LIGHT SABER sound effects!! ]

[retromix]

Are you being the Dark Vader right now?

[ Laughing as he swivels on the spot, he telegraphs an undercut (only just: Eddie has bf privileges). ]

[heatmetal]

[ ohhh going easy on him. and that

earns a big old laugh

eddie dances out of range, twirling gracefully and bowing before going in with a slow-motion overhead swing. ]

How have the kids not A Clockwork Orange'd you?

[retromix]

I watch movies, okay, but not a lot of it sticks when it's the best part of three hours long. I liked the little teddy bear guys from Star Wars! They were cute for a hot second, all,

[ Attacking with some jabs designed to poke at Eddie's legs, he mumbles what is apparently an impression of said bears. Memrmlmlem! ]

And the swords? Super cool. Absolutely. Do I cream myself over them? No.

[heatmetal]

[ this is cheating. cheating because eddie almost loses his footing between the poking and the sound effects, bringing the sword down to make it aside. ]

Ewoks. My man watches Star Wars and remembers Ewoks.