#baking date

You were baking with Sho. It wasn’t his forte and neither was it yours. 

He slides a plastic spoon in your direction before turning to rummage through the fridge.

“Can you taste it?”

You dip the spoon in the bowl and pop it into your mouth. 

“Mmmm. A bit sweet.” 

Sho clicks his tongue. 

“Knew it.” 

“You should taste it too.” 

Sho turns around just in time to see you holding the spoon like a catapult, ready to launch. 

“What are you doing, senpai?" 

You squint at the spoon thoughtfully 

“You know I hate wasting food,” Sho says.

“Is it wasting if it lands in your mouth?”

“Senpai,” he warns as you pull the spoon back even further, “Don’t–” 

You let go. 

Whipped cream lands square on his nose.

Silence.

The corner of his mouth twitches.

“Oops.”

He slowly wipes the cream on his nose. His eyes sharpen.

“Just wait till I catch you.”

He lunges.

You shriek and dart around the table. 

The two of you circle around like kids, laughing, knocking into chairs.

“Sho, don’t you dare-” He pulls the ultimate move and jumps over the table. 

You bolt for the couch. But of course, you don’t stand a chance against his speed. He catches you easily and tackles you onto the couch.

The cushions dip beneath your weight, your laughter intertwining with his. 

He hovers over you, grinning.

“Now,” you pant lightly, “should we go back to baking?”

“Wow. Not even an apology?” Sho flicks your forehead softly. 

“Well, we don't want to finish late.” 

He doesn't move.

"C'mon, get off."

His hands grab your waist.

“I don’t think you’re in a position to boss me around.” 

His fingers tickle you mercilessly. 

You laugh uncontrollably until your stomach hurts. 

“Okay! Okay, I surrender. I’m sorry.” He stops instantly, looking satisfied.

After catching your breath, you say, “I’ll make it up to you.” 

“How?”

“I’ll clean up the mess.” 

His eyebrows raise.

He definitely didn’t expect you to lean forward and lick the remaining cream off his nose.

You smile mischievously.

“Yup. Still a bit sweet.” 

He freezes.

“Seriously senpai?” He mutters, voice low. “You’re so oblivious.” 

He smears the cream left on his finger across your lips.

Your breath catches. 

His hand slides up, cradling the back of your neck, holding you there. 

He leans in until his lips press deeply against yours. 

He doesn’t pull back until every last bit of cream is gone. 

When he lifts his head, you see that familiar smug smirk.

“You’re right,” he murmurs, brushing through your head lightly. 

“It is a bit sweet.”

And he wrote of them finding ways to accept their home could be safe and could be theirs through the people they care about. 

It was both a fantasy and a way of figuring out how he and this family they'd made could help him move past his parents shadows,painted over as he now imagined them to be. 

...

"THIS WAS NOT YOUR PARENTS DOING!!" The yell rang through the house, overpowering the stunned yells of what that were underneath it and Steve was laughing as he hurried from his kitchen to the dining room. 

"Sorry Dustin, I don't think the people three streets away heard you. Did you need to call your mum or something?" He laughed, looking between Dustin, Mike and Lucas as they all stared from the mural to Eddie's painting to the throne at the head of the table. 

"This is your house! You must own it to have done any of this." Dustin insisted, gesturing wildly at the pictures. "What the hell was Will painting elsewhere? Don't deny that's what he was doing when his artwork is right there!" 

Steve shrugs. "You're right, Will did another mural for me upstairs but on that thought where is Will, or your dungeon master for that matter?"

"Eddie insisted on bringing sweets and cakes for a movie night after this and Will offered to help carry them through. Didn't you pass them out of the kitchen?" Lucas explained. "Guessing that's to celebrate your redecoration."

Mike huffed, moving to sit down at the table and start setting his stuff for DnD out. "We are still playing tonight right? This was meant to be the end of our campaign."

"You are, and it's not quite finished so I'm not sure why we're celebrating now." Steve confirmed, falling quiet as he was draped over from behind.

There was only a moment of the relaxed posture before the rings hands around him tensed and Eddie's arms momentarily felt cage like. "You got me that? Steve! If this is how you're asking me out I definitely accept!"

Steve blinked for a second before grinning, leaning his head back on Eddie's shoulder to attempt to see his expression. "Wasn't my intention, cause then I'd have made sure you saw it without the audience, but it beats anything I would come up with. So I'll plan our date while you torment the kids."

A cough from behind them got snickers from said kids. "Not sure we agree with being included with the brats even if Eddie torments us constantly." Jeff said, nudging the pair out of the way to get set up for DnD. Gareth and Grant following behind him. 

"True, you have self-preservation instincts they're still trying to discover."

With a grin Steve wandered out of his dining room to join the others setting up a film to watch. 

Given he'd basically just asked Eddie out and been accepted before doing so kept him from focusing on the film however. Steve wanted the perfect date for them and was struggling to figure out what that could be. 

He had plenty of ideas for dates Eddie would love and he'd enjoy being with him and seeing his reactions but that's not the same as a shared experience. What he really wanted was a date they could work together for something while just chatting. 

And Steve was not going to have a first date be moving furniture around his house. 

... 

The answer came when laughing with Robin over the worst of the customers they dealt with. He could let Eddie teach him a little about DnD just by asking what people would be in it and bake or cook dinner with him. 

It's private so they'll be safe but doesn't focus on anything happening outside of them. Not even the house or the kids would be stealing their focus and it would combine their interests enough they'd both be getting to know each other better. 

And Eddie turning up at Family Video while he was trying to explain and perfect his date idea with Robin just made it easier to plan. 

"You two are giggling over something. What trouble are the kids in now?" Eddie asked walking over to the counter immediately. 

Steve tilted his head to one side. "I'm trying not to ask. They haven't been in here yet today at least. We were planning our date. All I need is for when you're free so it can happen." 

"That was serious? I actually get to date you?" Eddie blinked for a moment. "I should have confirmed after Hellfire cause I wasn't certain you meant it after my comment thanking you for my throne." 

Robin groaned. "Yes. Steve is and was serious. Now when are you free to actually have your date with Steve?"

"Any evening there isn't Hellfire or some party get together. Which includes tonight." He answered now, grinning so widely it seemed to split his face. 

"I get off at 7 so meet me at mine at half past?" Steve suggests. "I'll need to buy a few things on the way home so can't do sooner." 

"See you there Sunshine."

... 

"This is an apron." Eddie stated, looking from Steve unlocking his door to the fabric just shoved into his arms and then to the bag at Steve's feet. 

"Correct. We're making dinner together and going to find out if there's a way for me to understand more about DnD while doing so. Questions?" he explains smiling and leading the way inside. 

Eddie let out an amused huff, following. "Many, but most prominent is why this? I mean I had no idea what you'd come up with but expected something closer to the dates those girls in school gossiped about having with king Steve." 

"In Hawkins? Yeah we don't need to get hate crimed on our first date. Besides this gets us to share our interests together. That's all I try to include when planning dates." Steve shrugged, unloading the bags before glancing over his shoulder uncertain. "Is this okay?" 

Eddie shook his head but his words were soft, "Sweetheart, you care so much. It's perfect."