#splash!

He tries to explain the non-speaking-ness of his new friend to the employee trying to close up their part of the store when the man suddenly speaks, "Hi Steve, how was your day?"

The employee ushers them out and the pair leave, walking back into town. Steve asks, "So what's your name, anyway? Did you learn it from the TV?"

The man rolls his eyes, "I had a name before today, sweetheart."

Steve's stomach flips at the term of endearment, assuming it's just a product of whatever commercials he may have seen today, maybe he thought it was a normal thing to call your friend..they are friends, right?

"O-okay, what is it?"

"It's kinda hard to pronounce in english,"

"Try me, I wanna know."

The man gives him a look, but does, squealing out something more suited for something living in the tanks at Sea World than for a person.

He grimaces at Steve's bewildered look, "I told you."

"Uh.. yeah. Well hey! That's okay, we just need to find something else to call you."

"Like what?"

"Well lets see.. There's Andrew?"

"No.."

"Joseph?"

Another no.

"James? Isaac? Brad? Seymour? John?" more and more names and 'no's until they're nearly home (and no closer to a decision). "Wayne maybe? Where are we... Ah! Edmonton." Steve mutters to himself. Only a couple more streets to go.

The name 'Pablo' is on the tip of his tongue when he's stopped by "Edmonton! I like that one."

Steve snorts out a laugh, "Edmonton isn't really a name, it's--" he cuts himself off this time, seeing the horrible kicked puppy look on the other man's face. "Hey, no, okay, Edmonton it is! We'll call you Eddie for short!"

Eddie grins at him so bright and sincere in that moment, that Steve can feel it hit him, and snap something into place inside him.

He's going to fall in love with this man.