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#1Eli didn’t really think anything of it when Steve asked him to come over to his place. Sure, usually they met at Eli’s, but it wasn’t so odd. Sometimes Eli’s mom was home, or Steve wanted to show him something or….yeah those were basically the scenarios. When he parked his bike he noted Ms. Palchuk’s car was gone, and Coach Lawrence’s van was nowhere in sight. Huh, Steve must be home alone. Interesting. Eli knocked with their super-secret Creepslayerz knock (which sounded oddly like ‘shave and a haircut’) and waited for Steve to let him in. It took a full 60 seconds for Eli to realize, hey, he’d been here for kinda a while and Steve wasn’t answering. Hesitant, he tried the knock again, waiting for Steve to come answer, now on alert. Eli was just about to text Steve to make sure he was ok, when the door finally opened. “Hi,” Steve said, looking nervous. It was a weird look for Steve. “Uh, come in.”Eli walked in, confused. It was sometimes weird talking to Steve these days. Eli had sprouted up over the last few months, finally getting that growth spurt puberty had promised him, and while he still wasn’t at Steve’s level, they were getting close. “I brought my zip slippers, and some ninja stars for protection! I’ve been perfecting my throw, I wanna try out throwing from the Vespa. Just like, picture, you driving, me throwing stuff at bad guys! We’d be like in those action movies, with the car chases and stuff!”“Yeah, that sounds great,” Steve said, not sounding like he really heard Eli as he turned away, rubbing the back of his neck. “But um. I was wondering if we could put creepslaying on hold? Just for today.”Eli slumped his bag onto Steve’s kitchen table, “I mean, sure, of course,” Eli said, “What’s up? You need me to go?”“No!” Steve said, almost too quickly as he turned around, “No I need you to stay. Want you. I...Ugh, why is this so hard?” Steve said, clutching his head. Steve seemed to be literally trying to squeeze his brain back into place. “Steve.” Eli said, tone grave, “Have you been possessed?”“What? No!” He said scratching at his hair, “no, nothing like that.” He sighed and leaned against a wall.“Did a creeper get to you?” Eli asked, concerned, “Did it hurt you?” “No, no, no,” Steve groaned out, “This has nothing to do with creeper stuff. Well, kinda in that it involves us, but...ugghh.”Us? Eli thought. He paled. Oh flip, flip, fucking flip, did Steve figure out Eli had a crush on him? Fuck fuck fuck it was just a little one! Really, and purely based on like, physical attraction. Although they had been getting along a lot better and Steve was actually really nice when it was just the two of them, he was only kind of a jerk around other school kids and even then he was getting a lot better and oh God, they were both silent for too long, Steve was going to turn him down, maybe even say they shouldn’t be friends anymore, for real.Eli took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. “Just say it,” He said, wanting to get this whole thing over with. If he left soon, he could hopefully cry out all his tears before his mom came home. Steve nodded, rapidly. “Right, right, so, um,” He swallowed, “I’m sorry,” He said, staring at his hands. Eli waited for the inevitable ‘.....that I don’t feel about you that way,’ but it wasn’t coming. Honestly it was a nicer let-down than Eli was expecting, he was prepared for Steve to get grossed out by him if this got out. This was still going to hurt like a troll-punch to the face, but he would probably be spared the excess bullying at school as people once again spread rumors about who--and what--Eli was.Still, though, Steve wasn’t saying anything, just bowing his head in shame. “For what?” Eli finally asked. Steve looked at him like he’d just grown a goblin head. “For WHAT?” He asked, “For--for EVERYTHING! Everything I did, everything I’ve DONE to you. I. I was horrible. I see that now, I do, I just. I’m so sorry.” He twiddled his thumbs. Steve Palchuk was literally twiddling his thumbs so to avoid looking at Eli. “I mean, it’s not like I didn’t know it was wrong at the time, I just. I was going through a bad time. My parents just got divorced, and my mom and I moved, and my grades were slipping…..and none of that is an excuse, so. I’m sorry. I’m sorry for keeping the cover. I’m sorry for the lockers and the homework and the lunch money and just. Everything.”Eli blinked in stunned silence at Steve’s outburst. It wasn’t like he had forgotten about the years of bullying. Quite the opposite, it colored everything they did. But Eli was determined to move past it, and the best way it seemed was to not acknowledge it ever happened. “Oh,” he said, slowly, “Oh.” He adjusted his glasses because he wasn’t sure how to respond to that. “If you don’t forgive me, I understand,” Steve said, swallowing, “I know this is...pretty late. But I do like being your friend, so, if you give me a chance I won’t do anything again. I mean I won’t do anything anyway, I just, I want to be your friend.”How was it possible for someone’s heart to warm and seize up at the same time. The word ‘friend’ was everything he wanted a few months ago. Now he wanted something else, and knowing Steve wouldn’t see him that way….hurt. He tried to focus on the warmth. “I wanna be your friend too,” Eli said. Steve finally looked up, some of that trademark Steve cockiness returning to the glint in his eye. “You do?”“Yeah,” Eli said, “I mean, as long as you keep your promise and don’t bully me anymore. Because I really like it when you’re not bullying me.” “I won’t!” Steve said, “Promise!” Eli smiled, “Thanks,” He swallowed, smiling at him. “Then...on that condition, I forgive you.”Steve lit up like a christmas tree. “Thank you. I really mean it, I just. I didn’t want you thinking that I was still...I mean I realized I never--”Before Eli truly thought about his actions, he was already stepping forward to wrap Steve in a hug.They’d never hugged before. Maybe a side hug or a shoulder clap, but never anything like this, Eli’s head on Steve’s chest. Steve stood rod-straight, frozen under Eli’s hold. Eli was about to back away, stumbling through an excuse, but then Steve’s arms wrapped around him in turn. He smiled to himself. “Thank you,” He said, unsure if he was thanking him for the apology or the hug, but Steve squeezed him either way. #2“Binoculars?” Eli asked, holding out his hand.“Binoculars,” Steve said, handing them over.“Night vision goggles?” He asked.“Goggles,” Steve offered, and Eli attached the two of them.“Duct tape?”“Duct tape.” Steve gave him as Eli taped it together. “Eli, couldn’t we have done this….NOT in the middle of the woods?”Eli opened his mouth, but closed it again. “I just wanted to get out here as soon as we could. I didn’t want there to be any aliens that might pass through that we’d miss.”Steve nodded slowly, “Gotcha.” Usually he was right there with Eli on their creepslaying missions, but he seemed kinda out of it today. “Hey, um, Eli?” He said, as Eli adjusted his binoculars to get the prime spot to look at their bait, a plate of steak. They couldn’t use a REAL cow. Well, actually they didn’t HAVE a real cow…“Whassup?” Eli asked, popping his p’s.“I have something to tell you.” Steve fiddled with the leaves of the bush they were crouched behind, “And I don’t want you to think of me as any different, and I don’t want this to affect our friendship, but you’re my friend and I want you to know.” Eli looked up from his binocular contraption. “Is everything okay, Steve?”Steve took a deep breath like he was about to nosedive into a lake. “I, am gay.” He said.Eli blinked at him. “Oh, cool.” Eli said, trying to fight down the conga line that had erupted in his brain.Steve blinked at him. “Cool?” He asked.“Yeah,” Eli said, “Being gay’s cool! Of course I won’t treat you differently, I mean, you don’t treat me differently, right?”Steve frowned at him. “I didn’t….what are you talking about?”“For being gay and trans,” Eli said, “You may have bullied me, but never for that. So, of course we’re all good.”“You’re GAY?!” Steve shouted, loud enough that if there WERE any aliens in the forest, no way they didn’t hear him. Suddenly, Eli remembered all at once that Steve had only moved to Arcadia in high school, and had missed all of middle school. He’d never gone to school with Eli when he went by his deadname, he wasn’t there for the transition that, even if it weren’t for his braniac tendencies, ensured he’d never get beyond the bottom of the social ladder. He wasn’t there for the assembly all surrounding him, where their elementary school principal pulled him forward and taught them how to treat members of the LGBT+ community. Eli had just kinda assumed someone had told Steve along the way, but with all of Eli’s attempts to fade into the background, he guessed it just didn’t come up.“Um,” Eli said, “Yeah, I mean. I think so. Some kind of….queer...umbrella...I generally just say gay.”“And….did you say trans?” Steve asked. Eli nodded, “Is that like….isn’t that the thing where you used to be a girl?” Eli shrank into his shoulders like a turtle facing a hawk. “Um, I mean….kinda. It’s more like...I mean people usually say afab, like, I was assigned….the doctors thought…” He stumbled over his words “But I just didn’t feel like that, you know, in my heart, and Mom was really good about it, and so I went on puberty blockers and stuff…” Oh God, what was he saying, Steve didn’t need his entire medical history! “So. Yeah. Trans.” He gave a half-hearted shrug. “Oh,” Steve said, looking puzzled. “I never met a trans person before.”Eli shrugged, “That you know of,” he said.“Of course! I mean--” It was Steve’s turn to stumble over his words, “I don’t mean to be insensitive or whatever, you’re different. I mean! NOT different, I mean…”“Steve,” Eli cut him off, “It’s ok if you’re uncomfortable with this at first. It can take some getting used to, but I’m the same guy, you know?”“Of course!” Steve said, his voice raising up high, “I mean, it doesn’t affect ME, just like my being gay doesn’t. So. Like.it’s fine, and--” he looked over to the clearing, “Eli, the steak’s gone.”Eli whipped around. Indeed, the steak had disappeared off his mother’s plate. “Aw dammit! Did you see if it was an alien?”“It might have just been an animal,” Steve said, still seeming off.Eli sighed, “I guess we’ll have to start over later, once we get more bait.”Steve sighed and stood up, “I guess we should just turn in.”Eli nodded, going over to collect the plate. “Yeah. I guess,” He cleared his throat. “Let’s go.”They went back to Steve’s vespa without talking and got on, heading back home. After some half-hearted goodbyes, Eli was sure, something was different between them now. “What if he’s disgusted with me?” He asked his mother ignoring the pizza bites she made him. “Then he’s not a good friend,” She said, sitting next to him, subtly trying to push the pizza rolls forward. “But he’s my only friend!” Eli said. Toby was close, in that they talked more and were friendly, but they didn’t exactly hang out.“Give him time,” Ms. Pepperjack said, “He didn’t react badly, did he?”“No, not really,” Eli said, “He was just...weird.”“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” His mom said, “No matter what, you know I’m here for you.”Eli smiled, “Thanks, mom.” At that moment his phone rang. He swallowed, seeing it was Steve. “Um, Mom, I gotta take this, I’ll be in my room.”“I’ll put your pizza rolls in the oven!” His mom called after him.“Hello?” Eli said, answering. “Hey,” Steve’s voice answered, “Have you been wearing a binder on creepslaying missions?” Eli blinked in surprise. What? “Is this how you answer the phone now?” Eli said, because Eli panicked and deflected. “Yes, that is how I answer the phone because I just found out about it and it can apparently hurt you?” Steve’s voice came out worried. “Steve….” Eli said, pinching the bridge of his nose, pushing his glasses up, “Look, I know this is new to you and you’re freaking out.”“No, I--”“But that’s really kinda my business, not yours.”“Look,” Steve said, and Eli could hear the apprehension in his voice, “I’m sorry, I’m just--I’m just worried is all.”Eli sighed. “Steve, if this whole thing bothers you, then maybe we shouldn’t--”“No, of course it doesn’t bother me, I just care about you!” Steve burst out. Eli was stunned, hearing the words echo in his brain like a cavern. ‘I care about you!’ Steve Palchuk cared about him. “Thanks, Steve,” Eli said, glad Steve wasn’t there to see him blushing. “Really, it...it means a lot.”There was silence for a second before Steve said, “So, you’re not hurting yourself, right?”“I usually wear a sports bra when I’m doing anything athletic. And my chest really isn’t that big anyway since I took puberty blockers and now testosterone.”“Test--?” Steve asked, confused, “You know what, it’s not my business. Just. Wanted to make sure my Pepperbuddy was ok.” If Eli was blushing before, he must have been the color of a fire truck now. “Are you up for trying again on the alien hunting tomorrow?”“Yeah, sounds good,” Eli said, “I’m thinking maybe we can set up some video cameras in case we’re not looking again.”“Oh, that’s really smart!” Steve said, “I think Coach Lawrence has a camcorder, I’ll ask if I can borrow it.”“Awesome. See you then, then” Eli winced at the awkward phrasing. Steve just chuckled, “See ya later, Peppers.”And it was stupid, more than stupid, but Eli couldn’t help grinning like an idiot as he lay on his bed, grinning from ear to ear and kicking his legs in the air that Steve cared for him. AND he was gay. That didn’t mean he’d like Eli, but it was more than Eli could have ever hoped for. #3Steve liked Eli. Steve LIKED Eli. Steve had asked him to homecoming (which had started off as kind of a disaster, but it evened out eventually.) They’d danced together in front of the whole school. He’d asked him on a DATE. Needless to say, Eli had been doing a lot of screaming. Unfortunately, Steve was grounded the week between the dance and their date, so Eli didn’t get to see him much outside of school. And at school, they had a silent agreement not to have too much PDA (the school dance was an outlier and should not have been counted.) So, they just talked as normal. And maybe shared a few hidden glances at each other. And MAYBE their hands brushed up against each other once or twice. But other than that, they hadn’t much discussed their status together.Eli’s mom dropped him off at the school at the end of saturday detention. He waved to her goodbye, and waited by Steve’s vespa. It took just enough time for Eli to grow anxious before Steve opened up the doors, and ran down the steps. He took a moment to look around, eyes locking on Eli. Eli smiled and gave a little wave as Steve half-jogged over to him. “Hey,” Steve said, sticking his hands in his pockets. Eli blushed, finding it hard to meet Steve’s eyes all of a sudden. “Hey.”“So,” Steve said, “Since things got kinda...complicated with the dance and stuff, I was thinking, maybe we go simple? Go out to see a movie, maybe grab something to eat after?”“Oh, yeah!” Eli said, “There’s a new horror film out, have you seen ‘Hereditary?’” Steve blinked, not guessing that Eli would jump to that. “I...can’t say I have. What’s it about?”“Not totally sure,” Eli said, “A lot of the reviews have been vague, apparently there are a lot of spoilers, but in general it’s a family that seems to be cursed somehow. You wanna check it out?”Steve shrugged, “Sure! Hop on.” Steve seemed a little distressed at the movie. For one, he had actually seemed disappointed that the theater they went to apparently had installed lounge chairs. Second, he didn’t seem as keen on the horror parts as Eli might have thought. In just the commercials, he was flinching a great deal. Once the movie started, Steve was gripping the arm of his seat in a vice. He covered his eyes several times, and once, when the movie was a bit calmer, Eli could have sworn he tried to use ‘the move’ on Eli. It didn’t work with how separated the chairs were, so he tried to play it off, but it wasn’t very subtle. Getting an idea, though, Eli slipped out of his own chair, and sat in Steve’s instead, trying to be subtle. Steve stayed stiff, not pushing him off even as Eli sat on his thigh. Instead, he shifted, making room for him so they could cuddle up together, and allowing Steve to get that arm around him he wanted.Once the credits rolled, Steve seemed a lot calmer. “You know,” he said, “Next time, we should just get the one ticket, since that’s all we seem to need. Eli chuckled, “I don’t think they’ll let us in with only one ticket.”Steve shrugged, giving Eli’s shoulders a squeeze and resting his head on Eli’s. “Worth a shot.” They waited until the theater cleared out a bit before getting out themselves. Steve reached out for Eli’s hand, which he gladly accepted. “Hey, Peppers?” Steve said, “Are we….can we be like...boyfriends?”Eli smiled and blushed. “Yeah. Yeah that sounds good,” Steve squeezed his hand. #4 “Happy Halloween to me,” Eli muttered under his breath. Steve still heard him, giving him a wink, “Looks good?” He said, posing with his shield. Steve had a deep emotional connection to Captain America, that Eli didn’t understand very much giving Cap’s opinion on bullies, but he would accept it for the way the spandex hugged Steve’s biceps.Steve had just gotten the outfit in the mail and was showing it off for Eli. “Oh, I just had the greatest idea!” Steve said, “you should dress up as Tony Stark!”Eli frowned. He hadn’t decided his costume yet, but was planning for some sort of obscure monster as usual. “But if I was Tony we’d have to fight each other.”“Only in civil war,” Steve said, “and besides everyone knows that was just ‘sexual tension.’” Steve rose his eyebrows up and down at him.Eli took a long gulp of his soda, “as your boyfriend, I am worried about what you consider to be ‘sexual tension.’”Eli very specifically used the word ‘boyfriend,’ because every time he did, it made Steve flush and smile a little to himself and it was really cute. “Oh come on. You’ve been gay longer than I have. Look at the subtext.”Eli snorted, “I’ve been OUT longer than you have, that’s not the same thing.”“Yes, But you’re also 3 months older, so, longer.” Steve said, smiling. Eli rolled his eyes, “trust me, I am a master of looking at the gay subtext. But Steve CLEARLY is in love with Bucky.”Steve scowled at him. “Oh your one of THOSE,” he said, playing with his shield. Eli scowled at him, mouth hanging open. “One of WHAT?”Steve smiled, leaning against the wall, and trying to look as attractive as possible. Damn him, it worked. “Those who believe Steve and Bucky’s relationship was romantic instead of platonic best friends.”Eli scrunched up his nose at him, “did you even SEE Winter Soldier? Steve’s ‘I’m with you til the end of the line?’ Doesn’t get gayer than that.”“I’m not saying they don’t love each other, it’s just not romantic,” Steve said, “because the only time where they would have had to be romantically involved was back during the war, when Steve was clearly in love with Peggy.” Eli grumbled. “Coulda been polyamory.”“I don’t think so.” Steve said.“But Steve and Tony didn’t really spend enough time with each other, definitely not enough to fall in love. Besides, Tony’s with Pepper.”Steve snorted, “sure, just like Steve’s with Peggy’s niece.”Eli opened his mouth to argue but didn’t say anything. Instead he grumped, turning away, “I still don’t think Steve and Tony were in love,” he muttered.Steve sneaked up behind him and hugged him. “Besides,” Steve said, his mask hanging off the cowell behind him, “Tony’s a smaller, black haired genius. Just like somebody else I know.” He pokes Eli’s cheek, making Eli smile despite himself. “I’m not a billionaire. Or a playboy or a philanthropist.”“Well, the billionaire parts a shame, but I’m kinda glad you’re not a playboy.” Steve said, making Eli snort. “Besides, I love you, but there’s no WAY you can pull off Bucky Barnes.”Eli froze up. Steve held him for a long second as he figured out Eli wasn’t responding. “Something up?”“You love me?” Eli asked.Steve blinked at him, and Eli could practically see him rewinding the conversation and going over his words, “oh,” he said, removing his hands from around Eli. “Um, you...you didn’t need to say anything, we can just pretend that didn’t happen.”Eli bit his lip, “but um,” Eli said, “what if...what if I don’t want to pretend.”He could feel the heat radiating off Steve. Then again, that could have been the heat radiating off himself. “Ok,” Steve said. He wrapped his arms back around Eli, “then we won’t.”Eli blushed as Steve held him close, holding onto Steve’s wrist. “So, you want me to dress as Tony?”“Please?” Steve said, nuzzling him. “Hmm,” Eli said, “I have always wondered what I’d look like with a goatee…”Steve smiled, “Thank you,” and pecked his cheek, before backing away, leaving Eli’s face a bright red.#5Eli was driving himself nuts. He and Steve had been dating for a couple weeks, though they tried to keep it on the downlow at school as much as they could. They still got stares no matter what, but still, neither of them particularly liked the attention, so kept things private as much as they could. In private they were still getting used to each other as well. They’d gotten the hang of hand-holding, hugging, some snuggles here and there, and Steve had even kissed him on the cheek or top of his head a couple times. But Eli hadn’t kissed him yet. And they definitely hadn’t kissed on the lips. Eli wanted to, but he was terrified about bringing the concept up. He was a massive overthinker by nature, so it was difficult for him to get the words past his brain and out of his mouth. Steve was a notorious under-thinker. But he was also emotionally constipated by default, so it was impossible to tell what he thought on the subject. Eli had been learning, long before they’d gotten together, how to coax him out. He had some minor success, but didn’t know how to approach this one. One day, they were walking home, and Steve wasn’t talking much. They’d planned to meet at Eli’s to do homework. Steve’s face was screwed up in the way Eli could tell he was thinking particularly hard. They were still in the early stages where interrupting to rush Steve to speak would only make the thoughts half-formed and hard to understand. He’d wait a bit, for Steve to figure out what the words were. Once they reached Eli’s house and got up to his room, Eli decided it had been long enough. “Everything alright?” “Hmm?” Steve said, “Oh, yeah, I um,” He sighed, “Coach made me read a book.”Eli raised an eyebrow, “That sounds….interesting.”Steve sighed, “Yeah. And the worst part is some of it made sense.”“Tragic,” Eli said, sitting on his bed. Steve nodded as though Eli had not said it sarcastically. “It’s just...it’s got me thinking, and like. We don’t talk much,” he said, “We don’t...talk much about our feelings. Or, I don’t.” He sighed again, “And the book was all about how important communication and such was in relationship.”Eli nodded, “Yeah, yeah it is,” He said, starting to squirm. He knew it was important to talk, but everytime they talked about their relationship, there was a part of him that was sure Steve was going to leave him in the dust. “Right,” Steve said, “So we should just talk when we have something that we want to say. It’s easy.” He seemed to be trying to convince himself rather than Eli. “So...here goes.” He took a deep breath. “I want to kiss you.” Steve turned to Eli, hands behind his back as he waited for Eli’s response. “Oh,” Was most of what Eli managed. Even with just that, his mouth went dry. He wanted to be excited, but all he could be was nervous. “It’s ok if you’re not ready,” Steve said, “I can wait, but I wanted to tell you that’s...that’s what I want.”Eli licked his lips, struggling to keep eye contact with Steve. He was trying to stay confident, Eli could tell, but his eyes wavered looking at Eli. “No,” Eli said, and watched in panic as Steve’s face fell, “I mean, no, it’s not that I’m not ready. I--I want to kiss you too,” He played with the ends of his shirt, stretching it, which couldn’t be good fo it. He glimpsed up as Steve smiled, and honestly, Steve looked many things, but cute was rarely one of them. But dammit he was cute. “Really?” he said, “I thought….it sometimes seemed like you didn’t want to.”Eli shrugged, “It’s not that I don’t, I’m just, nervous.” He bit his lip, giving up on eye contact completely. “I’ve never really kissed anyone before.” He muttered the last few words until they were practically inaudible. Steve heard them anyway, as Eli heard him moving and found Steve squatting in front of him, face level with his own, and positively beaming. “I’m gonna be your first kiss?”Eli blushed, and shrugged again. “I guess so,” He said, “Have you...ever…”Steve’s smile faltered a bit. “Um, once or twice,” He said, “Football, player, you know? Some things are expected…” He trailed off thinking back on the memories. “Never really saw what the fuss was about. I just couldn’t ever figure out when all the butterflies and fireworks and stuff was supposed to kick in.” He massaged the back of his neck, “Guess I probably shoulda caught onto the ‘gay’ thing earlier.”Eli chuckled. “And...and now?” He asked.Steve sat on the bed beside Eli, “Well, looking at you, I can definitely get the fuss.”Eli was pretty sure he was going to explode if he turned any redder. “Oh-ok,” He said, swallowing, “So, we’re doing this?” Steve nodded, leaning in. Eli looked into his eyes, until said eyes started to flutter closed. Eli tried to close his eyes too, but instead he backed away, “Wait,” he squeaked out.Steve blinked his eyes open. “What? What’s up?”Eli gulped. “I’m too nervous. What if you don’t get fireworks with me either? What if I mess up because I’ve never kissed anyone before? What if my breath smells bad?”“You’re breath doesn’t smell bad,” Steve said.But it was too late, Eli was already self-conscious. “Maybe I should just chew some gum--” he reached over for his bag, but Steve grabbed his arm, pulling him back. “Eli, you’re overthinking this,” “Thanks for the insight, Palchuk!” Steve actually snorted at that. “Look, it’s just a kiss. It doesn’t matter how good it is. That’s what practice is for.” He gave him seductive eyebrows, that Eli would have scowled at him for if his entire body wasn’t just one huge knot of nerves. “But you said...the fireworks…”“Eli, I kissed those girls, because I was told it was something I should enjoy,” he said, reaching up to cradle Eli’s face, “I want to kiss you because it’s you.”Eli shivered. “Ok….if you’re sure.”“We don’t have to,” Steve said, “I meant it, I’ll wait.”“No, no,” Eli said, more confident than he felt, “I don’t--I think It’s just something I need to get over with.”“Just what someone wants to hear before their first kiss,” Steve said sarcastically.Eli groaned, “You know what I mean, just kiss-”Steve apparently did know what he meant as he pulled him forward. Steve’s lips hit his teeth at first, which was remarkably uncomfortable, but he closed his mouth and it was better. He slowly opened it just a little, allowing their mouths to slot together better, noses up against one another. His panic settled and let himself get comfortable with Steve holding him. One kiss melted into a second as Steve wrapped the hand on his face back to Eli’s hair, pulling him closer. Wanting to respond in kind, Eli put his hands on Steve’s waist. Steve hummed, content as he tilted his head more to deepen the kiss. Once the tension had finally left his shoulders, he could feel how this was nice. This was really nice, he didn’t know why he was so worried. Eventually, Steve pulled him close enough that his nose hit Eli’s glasses, and they separated laughing. “So…” Eli said, licking his bottom lip to get the last little taste of Steve, “Fireworks?”Steve nodded, “Definitely fireworks.”+1“Are you sure about this?” Toby said, “This seems like a lot of effort.”Beside him, Darci looked equally skeptical, and more than a bit nervous as Eli covered her mascot uniform.“It HAS to be!” Eli said, “It’s got to be perfect, and SOON, or else Steve’s gonna ask me first.”He ripped off a piece of duct tape and slapped it onto the mole mascot, completely covering it in fabric. “There! How does that look!” Darci whined, looking at her precious mascot uniform Eli used as a base for his troll costume. Toby put a hand on her shoulder, patting her for comfort. “It looks great, Eli. I’m sure he’ll love it,” Toby said.Eli sighed, checking his phone. “OH JEEZ,” He said, “It’s already so late! Put the costume on! Gogogogogo!” He thrust the costume at Darci and ran off to his bike. He just barely heard Darci asked, “Why are we helping him again?” but he was already speeding away before he heard Toby’s answer. He had to go fast...he could make it...he had to get there before….Success! Steve was just leaving practice in the gym. His hair was wet like he’d just showered...Ahh, Eli could admire that some other time. “Steeeeeve!” He called as he rode over.Steve broke into a smile, “Hey Peps!” He said, as Eli screeched to a stop in front of him, “Whoa, where’s the fire?”“Not a fire, a creep!” Eli said, “It’s running around the city and it grabbed Toby!” “What? A troll during the day?” Steve said, looking up at the sun.“Uhh...yeah!” Eli said, “It’s a day troll, super rare, I read about it in one of Blinky’s books! We gotta hurry!”Steve ran over to his Vespa, “Hop on!” he said, and revved the engine. Eli did as asked, directing him towards where he left Darci and Toby behind. “There it is!” Eli shouted, pointing at where Darci was pulling Toby, apparently ‘tied up’, in Toby’s red wagon. Steve smirked, cocky, “Looks weak for a troll. We can take it easy! Do you have your ninja stars?”“Um,” Eli said, thinking, “I read about this, the daytroll’s….Immune! To Ninja stars.”“Hm,” Steve said, “Seems specific,” Eli gulped, wondering if Steve saw through his brilliant plan, but he just continued on, “How do we kill it?”“We have to follow it back to it’s layer, and then say a special encantation!” Eli said. Steve sighed, “Damn, these creeps are always so weird,” he shook his head. “Come on, no way they’re getting away!”Steve pressed on the gas, catching up to the pair of them remarkably fast. “Whoa! Steve slow down!” Eli cried out.“But we almost got ‘em!” Steve said, Darci picking up her speed ahead of them. “We have to chase it back to it’s lair, remember?” Eli said, “Let it get a bit ahead.” Steve grumbled. “It doesn’t look too tough, I bet we could take it.”“Trust me,” Eli said, “this is the ONLY way.”With a sigh, Steve lay off the gas, letting Darci get a bit of a headstart. Darci lead them to a hill, and Steve pulled his vespa to a halt. “It must be getting close to it’s lair,” Eli said, “We’ll have to follow it on foot!”“Finally!” Steve said charging forward. Here’s where Eli miscalculated. Steve was faster than him. A LOT faster than him. So as soon as they left the vespa behind, Steve charged Darci down. Darci did what anyone would do if a football player charged at them while they were heavily weighed down, and screamed. She dropped the wagon with Toby inside it. Toby went spinning down the hill with a scream of his own. Steve jumped forward and tackled Darci to the ground. Eli heard the crunch he hoped was just the mascot costume. “I got it!” Steve cried out, “Peppers, say the enchantment!!” “Uhh,” Eli said, unsure as Steve put Darci into a full nelson. “Um, well the enchantment is...uh…” He swallowed “You’re my favorite creepslayer, you make me feel gayer,” oh god this felt so dumb to say now. I think it’d be the bomb...if you’d...go with me to...prom…”Everyone froze as Steve stared at Eli in disbelief. A moment later, the head of the mascot popped off revealing Darci. “Daarciiiiiii!” Toby yelled, running up the hill, “Let her go, Steve!”Steve rolled off of Darci who gasped for breath, tearing at the zipper for her mascot costume. Toby came up to help her. “You owe me BIG Pepperjack,” Darci said, sweating buckets. “Uh,” Steve said, looking around, as Toby helped Darci down the hill. She sat on the red wagon, letting Toby pull her along. “Pep, what’s going on?” “Uh,” Eli said, “I was...trying to---I mean I wanted to ask you to Prom,” He said, shrugging, “I mean I like, I thought I’d take you out on a creepslaying mission, ‘cause like, that’s what brought us together, and-and we came to the hill where you asked me to homecoming,” he indicated the hill. “Toby and Darci agreed to help but uh...well, I probably owe Darci doing all her homework for her,” he massaged the back of his neck, “Through college….”Steve stared at him for a moment, in silent disbelief. Then he snorted. And then started laughing in full, falling back and rolling on the floor, laughing his heart out. Eli wasn’t sure if that was a good reaction or not, so he just stood there awkwardly, watching Steve laugh, awkwardly clutching his stomach. “Um…” Eli said, “So--I know this didn’t go to plan, but-I mean. It’s ok, right?” Steve grabbed Eli’s hand and pulled him down, using himself to cushion Eli’s fall. “Of course I’ll go to prom with you,” He said, still laughing and making Eli bounce up and down, “This was...the most ridiculous...and the most ELI way of asking someone to prom,” He just kept chuckling. Eli frowned, laying practically half on top of him. “So...you liked it?” Steve pulled him down into a kiss, “Of course I like it, you NERD.” he said, still chuckling. And this time, Eli couldn’t help but join in.