“I’m coming!” He yelled back to Robin, still searching through his closet for the pants he planned for their night out. “Where the hell are they?”
He was throwing things out of the way, not caring where they landed.
That was a problem for future Steve.
Current Steve needed to look as hot as possible.
His dry spell would be over tonight. He wasn’t leaving the bar until it was.
“Robin! Where are the jeans?”
“The jeans! The ones that you told me to wear!”
“Didn’t you wear them yesterday?”
But Steve looked over at his laundry basket where his shirt was hanging over and the pair of jeans he was looking for peeked through.
He did wear them yesterday.
The dark jeans that actually probably belonged to someone else and didn’t fit his thighs right? No, he needed to show off his thighs.
The light jeans he hadn’t worn in at least a year because there was a questionable stain that wouldn’t come out? Well, it would be dark in the bar, but no. He’d know about it.
The jeans he wore earlier that weren’t special but also weren’t bad? How would that help him get laid? No.
So he looked back the jeans in his hamper, ignoring Robin’s angry yelling from outside his door.
“Found them! Two minutes!”
He put on the jeans, hoping they didn’t smell or have any stains on them.
He ignored Robin as he threw on his coat that was hanging on the back of the couch and ignored the dull headache blossoming across his temples.
He opened the door and started to leave.
“You coming?” He asked over his shoulder, laughing when Robin smacked his arm as she passed by him.
“Don’t act like you’re waiting on me. I’ve been waiting on you for 30 minutes!”
They barely spoke on the way to the bar, Robin already sensing his headache and probably hoping the silence would make it better before the night got started.
Steve couldn’t live without her.
But hopefully, they’d both find someone tonight. They needed it.
Steve wasn’t having any luck. In fact, he’d never had worse luck.
His head was pounding at this point, music much louder than usual, more people crowded around his usual spot. The three men and one woman he’d danced with so far were fun, but not really his type. He’d been a little upset about seemingly wasting his time, but swallowed down the bitter feeling when he saw Robin dancing with the same girl for three songs, huge smile on her face.
At least one of them was getting something from tonight.
He stood at the far corner of the bar, trying to be out of the way as best he could. He needed to have some water, but he knew the bartender wouldn’t be pleased about getting pulled away from actual paying customers. He would wait for a lull and then get his attention.
It was a new guy, or at least one who didn’t normally work the shifts Steve was here. He was pretty.
There was no other way to describe him; long, curly hair, tattoos everywhere, wide Bambi eyes, tall and thin frame that still held hidden muscle. Steve’s dream, really.
Too bad his vision was getting blurry from the headache.
He had to reevaluate his plan and get water now before he went into full migraine territory. He couldn’t pull Robin away from her night just because he had to get home safely with a debilitating migraine.
He started trying to wave to the bartender anytime he looked over towards Steve’s end of the bar, but it didn’t work.
He tried yelling over the crowd and music, but it ended up making his head throb worse.
He finally managed to throw a napkin at him when he was standing a few feet away.
Not his finest moment, but he’d apologize when he had water.
The bartender looked over at him with raised brows.
Steve couldn’t help the shame he felt about literally everything happening at that moment.
The bartender nodded once and grabbed a cup to fill with ice and water. Steve felt some of his muscles relax knowing that he was going to be able to hydrate a little.
When he placed it in front of Steve, he slid a small cup of lemons with it.
“Squeeze a little in there. Helps with headaches.”
Steve knew he was looking at Eddie like the sun shone out of his ass. It would be embarrassing if he wasn’t so dreadfully miserable from the almost-migraine.
“Thanks.” Then he realized how shitty he must look if the bartender knew what was going on from just looking at him. “Wait. How’d you know?”
“My uncle gets them bad. He always gets pale and his eyes get bloodshot when one’s coming. You looked in the mirror lately?”
Steve shook his head, then winced at the way it made his head pound.
“Need me to have an announcement made for her?”
“No, let me drink this first.”
The bartender nodded, but Steve noticed he kept checking on him between serving other drinks to people.
Steve used more lemon than he probably should have, but he had a whole cup of it, and it couldn’t hurt to use more.
He rested his head against the wall next to him, wincing at the excessive vibrations from the music.
Normally, he loved that their hole in the wall bar got loud and fun once a week. Tonight, he wished he could be surrounded by silence.
He knew he was getting worse, but he didn’t want to bother Robin, who was still dancing with the same girl. She’d probably go home with her as long as Steve didn’t interrupt.
He felt a hand on his forehead, slowly brushing sweaty hair away. He tried opening his eyes, but even the small amount of light seeping through his eyelids was too much.
“Hey, I’m Eddie. I’m the bartender. My relief just walked in so I’m gonna help you to the back, okay?”
Steve could barely nod, the pain in his head throbbing down his jaw and neck. He reached his hand towards the voice and managed to make contact with Eddie. Hopefully, Eddie understood he was not gonna be able to do anything helpful at this point.
He felt an arm around his waist, guiding him away from the bar, but Steve still didn’t want to try opening his eyes. He had to trust Eddie.
He should’ve stayed home. He knew the dull pain he felt earlier would turn into worse, but he was so stuck on getting in bed with someone, he came anyway.
Eddie was walking slowly, keeping a firm grip on Steve so he wouldn’t jostle him around too much. Maybe if Steve weren’t getting his brain attacked by hammers and knives, he’d be trying to get Eddie in bed.
That thought came and went though as he realized how pitiful it was that a grown man couldn’t even walk himself home because he had a migraine.
Eddie would probably tell this incredibly embarrassing story to everyone here and laugh about it for weeks.
Steve was in and out of it for the next few minutes, unable to really focus on anything around him besides the warm hand on his hip. Despite being sweaty enough to wring water from his shirt, he still felt cold, shivers occasionally wracking his body.
This was a really bad one.
He was so stupid for being stuck in a bar for this.
His brain registered a door closing, then a fan turning on. It wasn’t completely silent, but the outside noise was a small echo in his brain compared to the banging it had been previously.
“Gonna set you on the couch in the corner and get some ice.”
Steve didn’t acknowledge him, but he let out the most ridiculous whimper when Eddie set him down on the couch, slowly laying him back so his whole body was flat. He heard the door open and close, but was so focused on how nice the air from the fan felt, he didn’t hear the door open and close when Eddie came back in.
“Alright, gonna put this on your head. Where’s it hurt?”
Eddie sighed, but placed the bag of ice on his forehead to start.
Steve appreciated his very low voice, knowing that anything at a regular volume would probably be too much in this quiet room.
“I grabbed you more water too. Think you can have a sip?”
He heard Eddie laughing quietly, but he couldn’t smile back at him.
“Welcome to my humble abode. I own the bar, work at the bar, and live at the bar. Technically this is the staff office, but upstairs is my bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom. If you think you can handle the stairs, you can sleep in my bed and I’ll take the couch. I’ll let your friend know you’re here too if you give me a name.”
“Your friend’s name is Steve?”
“Okay, what’s your friend’s name, Steve?”
He tried opening his eyes so he could see his surroundings, but they were so heavy. Leave it to Steve to end up suffering with the worst migraine he’s had all year at a bar with a hot bartender taking care of him and he can’t even open his eyes to fully appreciate it.
He distantly heard the door again, but must’ve fallen asleep for a bit because the next thing he knew, he felt hands on his face.
“You’re sure he can stay here?”
“Steve. You idiot. You should’ve told me it was getting worse.”
She was whispering, but she was angry with him and he knew she would be yelling if she was a worse friend.
“Eddie’s gonna handle it. I’m gonna take Chrissy home. You call me as soon as you’re up, got it? I’ll send the cops here to break down the doors if I don’t hear by lunch time tomorrow.”
He was gonna forget, but hopefully Eddie would remind him.
When he had bad migraines, he pretty much forget everything he did or said. None of the doctors could explain it. He’d had scans done, and there were no signs of memory diseases, so it was just a part of the trauma from multiple concussions.
He could hear Robin telling Eddie the same thing. If he could make his face work, he’d probably smile.
He drifted again, but he could hear Robin still talking to Eddie as he did.
The next time he was fully aware, he was in a bed. The bed was huge, and there were so many pillows around him, it felt like a fort.
Two blankets were on top of him, one so soft he couldn’t help rubbing his cheek against it. He was surrounded by a cozy, light cologne smell.
He was also fully clothed.
His jeans were itchy, and he suddenly felt claustrophobic as he realized the sun was up and he was alone in a stranger’s bed.
He sat up and looked around.
The room itself wasn’t that big, the bed taking up most of the space. The door was closed, but he could hear someone moving around outside of it. He looked to the right to see a door that must lead to a bathroom.
He quickly got out of the bed, shoving his shoes on and grabbing his wallet off the table. He opened the door and saw the back of a man with long, curly hair.
Eddie had taken care of him during his migraine. His migraine that he should’ve known was coming and stayed the hell home.
When Eddie turned around, he felt his heart stop.
Like, Steve might have to change up the nights he comes to the bar just to get a glimpse of this beautiful man.
“Hey. Feeling better? Must be since you’re standing without support.”
Steve blushed. He’d never been in this position before, and he had no idea what the proper etiquette is for thanking someone for taking care of you when you’re unable to even move or talk.
“Uh. Yeah, much better. Um.” Steve awkwardly stood by the counter while Eddie continued mixing coffee in a mug. “Thanks for. All that.”
Eddie was laughing. In another circumstance, Steve may have found it cute, maybe been proud of himself for making a hot guy laugh.
But he was dealing with a migraine hangover, which usually left him grumpy.
Eddie must’ve noticed because he stopped laughing abruptly.
His head tilted to the side as he looked Steve up and down.
“You know, Robin called four times already this morning to check on you. You should probably call her and let her know I didn’t murder you and hide the body already.”
“Okay. Yeah. I.” He felt around in his pockets and couldn’t feel his phone. Shit.
“Over there. Charging.” Eddie said as he pointed towards the table by his front door.
Steve walked over to his phone to see 33 missed calls from Robin.
He called her back immediately, not wanting her to actually show up with a SWAT team.
“Thank god! Steve, I told you to call by lunch. I was just about to call Hop.”
“You’re the one who left me here.”
“Yes, assuming you’d wake up early enough that I wouldn’t assume you’ve been murdered!”
“Fuck. Okay. I’m leaving now.”
Eddie cleared his throat and nodded at the counter, which now had a plate of fried eggs, toast, bacon, and sausage on it.
“Okay I’m eating, then I’m leaving.”
“You better text me. I’ll show up with Hop!”
“Robin. Jesus.” Steve felt a bit lightheaded. “I am literally at the bar. You know where I am and who I’m with. Chill.”
“You were incapacitated.”
“And now I’m not. I can escape if I have to.”
“You’re not as strong as you think you are!”
He hung up before she kept going. She would stay on the phone for hours if he let her, and he wasn’t in the mood.
He made his way to the counter and sat down, smiling at the steaming food.
“You didn’t have to cook all this. Especially this late in the afternoon. You probably have to head down to the bar.”
“Nah. I own the place. I just work there to keep myself busy. I’m all yours until you’re good to go home.”
Steve didn’t have much of a response for that, his brain still firing on the bare minimum. Migraine hangovers were worse than actual hangovers.
He ate a few bites silently, then looked up to see Eddie setting a cup of tea in front of him.
“Technically, sleepy time tea. But it works really well for headaches.”
“Oh. Thanks. It won’t like, make me fall asleep?”
Eddie laughed and Steve decided he was happy to hear it now.
“No. It has relaxing properties to it, but it doesn’t actually make you drowsy.”
Steve took a few small sips and smiled.
“My uncle says I make the best.” Eddie leaned over the counter with a smile. “So, you thought going to a bar was a good idea with a headache? On our DJ night?”
“It wasn’t that bad when I left. Thought I’d be okay.”
“Mhm. So you get these a lot?”
“Well. I mean I do get migraines a lot. But that one was one of the worst I’ve had in a while. I can usually still talk and walk enough to get to my own bed.”
“Do you remember everything?”
Steve knew he had a lot of blank spots in his memory from last night. If Eddie wasn’t such a nice guy, he’d probably be more worried about it.
“No. I have memory problems when I get them.”
“Ah. Well that’s okay. I got you into bed pretty easily. You only woke up twice. Once to use the bathroom, which you managed to do alone. The second time you were crying about having to sleep alone? I couldn’t understand all of it, but that seemed to be the gist.”
“Oh.” Steve sighed. “That’s super embarrassing. Guess I’ll never come back here. Maybe never leave my house again.”
Eddie smirked. “I dunno. I think maybe I could fix the sleeping alone thing. You know, when you’re not incapacitated from a migraine.”
“You saw me like that and would actually want to be around me again?”
“I was hoping for more than around you. Maybe on you? In you? Next to you? All of those sound good.”
Steve choked on his next bite.
He took a sip of the tea to help clear his throat, ignoring the way Eddie was moving around the counter.
“You know, Robin kept me on the phone for about an hour earlier, telling me all about how you’re the best guy she’s ever known and she’s a lesbian for a reason so that means a lot. Said you guys come here once a week because it’s the best place to find decent people, not just anyone. Said you’ve both had a bit of a dry spell.”
“Oh, so it hasn’t been eight months since you’ve taken someone home?”
Eddie’s eyebrows raised in a challenge.
“My bar hasn’t been good to you, I guess.”
“Up until last night, I guess not. But I still prefer it over the clubs.”
“Yeah. The guy who owns the place kind of rescued me and let me sleep in his really comfy bed. He probably deserves something for that.”
“Oh? What does he deserve?”
“Well, I’d offer a blowjob, but I’m out of practice and might disappoint.”
“But maybe he’d be okay with a real date?”
“When would this date be?”
“Hm. He has to check the bar schedule, make sure no one needs coverage.”
“He can text me later to confirm.”
“I sure hope you’re giving me your number to do that.”
Steve laughed and held his hand out. Eddie placed his phone in his hand and waited for him to type his name and number in his contacts.
When Steve handed it back, their hands grazed each other. Eddie wrapped his fingers around Steve’s wrist, squeezing for a moment.
“I thought you had to check the schedule.”
“Nah, just needed your number. I make the schedule, I know it like the back of my hand.”
“Can’t start a relationship on lies.”
“Oh, a relationship? You move quick don’t you.”
Steve did. He knew he did. It’s why he’d never been able to keep anyone around. He moved like he was ready for marriage on the first date, and usually people didn’t like that.
He looked down at his lap, already prepared to lose Eddie’s interest.
But he felt a hand on his cheek, slowly guiding him to look up.
Eddie smirked at him before he placed a soft kiss on his lips.
“Just be yourself, Steve. I like you just fine. And I’ve already seen you at your worst and your crazy best friend. It’s all uphill from here.” Eddie pulled away and moved back to start cleaning dishes from his cooking. “Who knows? Maybe we’ll end up married by the end of the year.”
“Now you’re making fun of me.”
Eddie looked over his shoulder, serious look on his face.
“No. Stranger things have happened.”
janainaart
turnnoffyourmind
titsay
jbbartram-illu
izzy806
2087
