The Drive-In

20

Steve had tried everything.

Everything he could think of, everything Robin could think of, everything anyone that would engage him in conversation about winning someone over could think of.

His original plan with Theresa was more complex than he thought. Steve was a quick study, but not as fast as he had hoped. So that idea had to go on the back burner, but if Steve knew anything about dating, he knew he just had to get Eddie to think about him.

Once Steve realised his feelings, he could not be stopped, but thankfully he had Robin on hand to reign him in on occasion. To remind him that Eddie wasn't one of his sportsball games. To remind him that Eddie might not be where Steve is with things and needs more time. She even suggested that maybe Eddie didn't feel like that at all, but to Steve, that was impossible.

"Steve, are you one hundred per cent sure, he's into you? Maybe it was a dream, or-or your brain has embellished some details, or, you know, all those knocks to the head are finally coming home to roost?" She had asked as carefully as she could, as Steve was handwriting a note to attach to one of the dozen red roses he'd spray-painted black.

"Do you think I'd be risking everything in a maybe?! I wish I could just take my memories and throw them up on a screen for you. It's in his eyes, his smile, and the way we touched." Steve lets out a cartoon-princess-level sigh and looks out of the window.

"Well, maybe you're coming on too strong for Eddie? Maybe you're scaring him. At the very least, you're scaring me. Are you obsessed with him? Are you like his stalker now?" Robin asks, her tone and eyes getting more excited with each question.

"No, Robin, I'm not. It's just my original idea is the one. I know it. It ticks all the boxes. It's gonna sweep him right off his feet, but it's taking time. In said time, someone else could swoop in and intercept him, and I'm not gonna let that happen. Not again"

"Oh my god...this again?? That was a unique set of circumstances, Steve, otherworldly ones, and honestly, from the sounds of things, Nancy wasn't all that into you anyway. Otherwise, she wouldn't have ended up with Jonathan. So if Eddie is into you as much as you think he is, he's not gonna just get with someone else."

"Hey! Why don't you let me handle what I know? I know this stuff, Robin. He asked me to stop calling I did. You told me to stop leaving dice on his steps because they were a hazard, so I did. Max told me to stop jogging to her house every day because her mom was beginning to ask questions about some of the clothes I might have forgotten there. So I did, even though it was a perfect view and enabled me to hide the custom-made guitar picks with our initials around his trailer. I saw him at least three times pick those up and put them in his pocket. He smiled at one I saw."

Steve knew deep down he was right on the money with this, but he also knew that his friends were only trying to help him. It was so frustrating that no one else could see what Steve had.

Yes, Eddie had bellowed at him down the phone, but after what happened, it was music to Steve's ears. The fact that Eddie was so mad, even though Steve wished that hadn't happened, meant that he cared.

Steve needed to learn Eddie better to narrow down what form of flirting worked on him best. So Steve had tried to show him he would jog across town just to see him. He had taken note of his interests. He would send him little messages and personalised gifts. He would swamp Eddie Munson with romance until Steve was penniless if he had to.

All he wanted was a chance. Was that so bad?

"Yes, but then what happened to the others?" Robin asks. Steve can tell she's trying to make him recall the whole sequence of events, not just his personally selected highlights.

"What after he heard me cheer?" Steve winces, knowing what is coming next.

"Yes, after he heard you cheer behind the trash cans, Steve," Robin says. Though her tone softens, she is still trying to be as straight-talking as possible.

"He pulled out a bag of them, started throwing them at me, and shouting. They were really sharp too. " Steve subconsciously rubs his arm, "He has great aim when he's mad. I can't believe he wasn't into sports." Steve says with genuine admiration and laughs to try and deflect the fastball of reality coming his way.

"Steve", Robin holds his upper arms and turns him towards her, so she can look into his eyes, "I understand you want to get his attention, but you're just making him mad. Maybe after this next idea, maybe you let him miss you a little bit?"

"Miss me? You mean forget me? No, no way!" Steve waves his hand in front of him and turns back to start writing another note card, "What rhymes with Slayer?" Steve asks, desperately trying to avoid the inevitable moment of realising Robin is right.

"You ever heard the phrase, Absence makes the heart grow fonder? Have you never sat on your bed dreamily thinking of someone because you haven't heard from them in a while? After this week, it would be impossible, without a large chunk of hypnotherapy, for Eddie to ever forget you. Ever, ok?"

Steve sighs and slumps in the nearest chair, "I just want another Saturday, but just the good bits, you know. I just want a chance. That's all I'm asking him for."

"Steve, I know you aren't a bad guy, but your behaviour is starting to go that way right now. So maybe respect his boundaries instead of ignoring them. Maybe don't demand he gives you a chance. Maybe if he had some time, that thought might pop into his own fluffy-headed brain. So after the roses, we give him a break. Maybe just send one. Quality, not quantity, you know?" Robin sits next to him and puts a hand on his shoulder to console him, but Steve knows something she doesn't.

Steve bites his lips together as their eyes meet, and Robin's eyes go wide with horror.

"What else is there, Steve?" Robin says seriously.

"Well...um...maybe there is a sing-a-gram, and erm, the um corroded coffin balloons, and that new D&D module."

"Steve..." Robin tries gently and gives him that look that finally sends it home that he is overdoing it.

"Fine. I'll cancel the sing-a-gram and the balloons even though I can't get a refund now. But I'm sending a rose with two notes and the module!" Steve says defiantly.

Steve begrudgingly tries to pick his two favourite notes to attach to the best rose of the bunch. Finally, a smile begins to emerge on his face. Maybe none of these little trivial gifts would work, but his big plan, he is absolutely one hundred per cent confident, is going to absolutely floor Eddie. 

Steve was going to make Eddie Munson completely speechless, and he could hardly wait.