Fanfics from Ao3 - Private

i'm heading home now that i know where i come from

"You do realize you've put on Weird Science as the movie of the day, like, every single day this week, right?"
Steve's eyes flicker up from the magazine he'd been idly flipping through, meeting the eyes of none other than Eddie Munson.
"It has boobs," is all Steve says, staring back down at his magazine.
Eddie's laugh is soft and small, and Steve doesn't look back up, but he can hear Eddie move from standing by the doors to a random aisle for aimless browsing.
Or for irritating Steve beyond comprehension. Either one works, apparently.
"Dunno if that's the criteria I'd go with for picking out a movie. I mean, this is still Family Video, right? Not some secret porn shop posing as a family-friendly establishment?"
Steve finally looks up again, glaring at Eddie half-heartedly.
(He just really doesn't have it in him these days.)
"No, Eddie, it's not a fucking secret porn shop. Jesus."
Steve, growing increasingly more annoyed, mutters something else under his breath, something that sounds a lot like that'd be more entertaining than this shit, though.
He's infinitely more annoyed when Eddie's smile just widens, not even sparing Steve a glance as he slowly makes his way down the aisle. He picks up a random video, scanning the back, clearly reading nothing.
"Someone's moody today. What, did Wheeler also disagree with your movie selection or something?"
"I'm recovering from being attacked by interdimensional monsters - yet again - while saving your ass like ten times in the process, in case you forgot. So yeah, I guess you could say I'm pretty damn moody," Steve tells him. "And if you're so concerned about Nancy, do me a favor and go bother her instead."
He tries to go for an icy tone, but it just comes out sounding tired, even to Steve's ears.
For a long stretch, there's just silence, other than the sounds of Weird Science playing at low volume and the occasional noise of a car speeding by outside.
Then, a video is tossed onto the counter, landing right on the magazine page Steve was about to flip.
Steve opens his mouth to bitch at Eddie, then pauses after processing what he just threw in front of him.
"Repo Man? Are you kidding me?" Steve asks, looking up at Eddie, one brow arched in judgment.
Eddie shrugs, running a hand through his hair. "Have you ever seen it? It's a good movie, man. Top tier stuff right there."
"No, I haven't. Seriously, dude, have you seen these reviews?"
"Arbitrary," Eddie replies, shrugging him off. And then, at Steve's confused look, he explains, "reviews don't matter. They're based on personal perception. You're better off watching it yourself and forming your own opinion than you are reading reviews written by brain-dead geriatrics with no taste."
Steve, having gotten lost again at the mention of 'personal perception', just stares at Eddie blankly for a few moments too long, then sighs and scans the video.
"Repo Man it is, then."
Eddie grins like he's won something, and Steve pretends he doesn't see it.
By the time Steve is done ringing up the movie, Eddie has planted both elbows on the counter, tracing a long finger down the stack of videos Robin had set out earlier that morning.
Steve tells himself that his eyes don't track the movement. He's certainly not entranced by the motion of Eddie's hand, that's for sure. It's literally just a hand.
He really needs to get a grip.
"Seriously, though, you should check it out," Eddie says, randomly speaking up as Steve quietly processes the rental. "The movie, I mean."
Steve glances at him, giving him a measured look. "Looks like someone just checked out our only copy. Darn."
It's said with as little emotion as Steve can muster, but Eddie laughs anyway, his head tipping back enough that Steve's eyes can trace the long lines of his throat.
Unintentional. Completely unintentional.
"C'mon, man, we saved the world together and you're still too cool to hang out with the town freak? Personally, I thought we bonded. No, yeah, we definitely have a bond, dude. Don't fight it."
"I'm not fighting- wait, what? Actually, forget it. Town freak or not, I'm not actively trying to go to the demon-infested death trailer. Sorry."
Eddie doesn't seem phased, twirling a strand of hair around his finger. "I was thinking more like your place. I haven't been, you know. I never got my invite to all those crazy parties I used to hear about."
"You want to come over?" Steve asks, dumbfounded, "to my house?"
"Well, unless you've gone full nomad... " Eddie trails off, trying and failing to suppress his cheeky grin. "Yeah, your house, Steve-o."
Steve bags the movie, handing it over while the gears turn in his brain.
It must take too long, because eventually Eddie pushes off the counter, grabbing the bag with one hand and stuffing his wallet back into his pocket with the other.
"You get off at 9, right? I'll be over around 9:30. Get some snacks, too. I'd do it myself but unfortunately, the trailer demon is withholding my belongings," Eddie tells him as he walks backward towards the door, still fighting that fucking grin.
He doesn't wait for Steve to respond before grabbing the door handle.
Just before Eddie can duck outside, Steve's brain catches up.
"My house? You're actually coming to my house? Wait, how do you know what time I get off?" Steve asks, growing flustered when Eddie laughs again and slips outside without a word.
"Eddie! Dude, seriously! What the fuck is a nomad?"