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“Steve. Could you just give the whole pining thing a rest? I’m literally getting fucking married.” Robin whines. You know what? That’s fair—it was her wedding day. Today was her fucking day.
Steve wasn’t going to ruin it by pining. There was no pine, alright?
It was fine that Chrissy’s best friend was also walking her down the aisle. Steve would walk with Robin and then Eddie would walk with Chrissy. There was no pining.
Steve shook his head, determined to snap himself out of it.
“Robs, there’s no pining. Okay? It’s—Eddie and I are long over. It’ll be fine. You know I’m over the moon for you guys. I couldn’t be happier for you both. Eddie isn’t even a prob—“
Robin tsks, clicking her tongue behind her teeth. “Yeah, Stevie. Sure. That’s why you’re ‘Robin rambling.’ No pining. Got it?”
Steve smiled. It was fake and they both knew it.
There was no thinking about his estranged ex—that he still loved, with everything he had—there was no thinking about that.
Everything was going to be fine.
——
The wedding went well, because of course it did. Nancy Wheeler was a hell of a wedding planner. Chrissy and Robin looked gorgeous and Steve and Eddie—well. Eddie wasn’t looking at Steve the whole time, and Steve sure as hell looking at Eddie.
He wasn’t.
——
Steve had finally found some time to sit down. He had found some space to breathe, but not for long. Eddie waltzed his way up to the lone table.
“Dance with me.” Eddie says, his eyes were shining and Steve was tired.
“No thank you.” Steve answers.
“You can either dance with me or tell me you love me. Your choice.” Eddie says, and he’s smirking. The beautiful bastard.
Steve’s lips form a thin line. “Well—“ he starts, “—I’m not dancing with you, Eddie. So—“
Eddie laughs. “So you love me, then. That’s what you’re saying?”
Steve shakes his head. Yes. “No, Eddie. That’s not what I’m saying, but I’m not—we aren’t gonna make a scene at our respective best friend’s wedding. They don’t deserve that and you know it.”
Eddie looks at Steve. It feels like he’s looking straight through him. The smile he flashes is fake, hollow. “Thats not a no, Steve.”
Steve just stares at Eddie, daring him to say something else.
Eddie just shakes his head, grabbing something from his pocket and sliding it toward Steve.
It’s a fucking hotel key.
Steve scoffs. “Eddie. What the fuck is this?”
Eddie just smiles. “Don’t be stupid, baby. When you figure out why you aren’t willing to dance with me? Well, now you know where to find me.”
——
Later, after everything, Steve finds himself knocking on the door of a room at the Doubletree Inn.
Eddie answers fast. His eyes are wide, but he schools his impression quickly. “Did you decide you wanna dance, baby?”
Steve looks at him, really looks. There was never a choice. It was always going to be Eddie Munson.
“No.” Steve breathes. “It’s the other thing.”