Exalted

The month had flown by for Eddie, seeming like a blur when he thought of it as a whole, but a kaleidoscope of singular, sharp images burned behind his eyes whenever he closed them.

Steve, trying on the muslin of the suit for the first time, caught by a shaft of sunlight pouring through the half-open studio door and glowing so brightly it hurt Eddie’s eyes.

Chrissy, in her dress and collar, twirling in place and striking a pose for Robin, who stared and stared like if she could just open her eyes wider she could see more and never forget it.

Steve, bringing homemade pot roast, complete with warm dinner rolls, to the studio and making Eddie stop to eat. Eddie hadn’t even noticed he was hungry until his plate was empty before Steve even finished half.

Wayne, coming up the weekend before the show to drag Eddie out to eat, listening to him ramble on with a proud smile. The wrapped gift Eddie found on his bed after he’d left, with the framed photo of Eddie’s first day of school inside.

Steve, in his suit for the last fitting, the first time Eddie had wrapped the scarlet cord around him before guiding his arms into the jacket, trying out poses in front of the mirror and practicing the walk Chrissy had taught him.

Steve, looking like every saint and every sin Eddie had ever heard of, draped in white suiting and bound in red rope.

It was the morning of the show, and Eddie had taken the day before completely off, at Chrissy’s insistence and his professor’s urging. He was ready, he knew he was ready, he knew he was just going to make things worse by overthinking. So he had delivered everything to the school, locked it into the professor’s office so nobody could move anything and lose it, and then gone home and gotten as high as his supply would allow him, ate three bowls of cereal, and fell asleep for sixteen hours.

Eddie wheeled the garment rack into the studio space at school, each outfit zipped into its own labeled bag, ready for them to put on and rustling quietly as he pulled the rack into place. There were two tiny closets for dressing rooms, and a brightly-lit counter with mirrors for them to do hair and makeup. The girls and he would do their own, and between the three of them they would get Steve ready. Eddie was going light on Steve’s makeup, for contrast to everyone else’s stronger looks. Just enough to take the shine off. He started a playlist - loud enough for him, not so loud that it distracted everyone else - and laid out the makeup.

Chrissy was the first to join him, excited and chattering, wrapping him in a bouncing hug before grabbing her bag and almost skipping to put it on. Eddie smiled fondly after her. She’d been a rock through the preparations, and he owed her for her discretion in keeping her comments about the gray area he and Steve were floating in to herself until after the show.

She popped back out of the dressing room, bright red heels in hand and collar hanging loose atop her white dress when the door opened and Robin and Steve entered, Robin complaining that it had taken Steve forever to walk there from the parking lot. For his part, Steve was clearly paying no heed to her complaints, just juggling both of their belongings with a patient expression.

“He might walk faster if you carried your own stuff,” Chrissy pointed out gently, hugging Robin quickly and reaching out to relieve Steve of Robin’s bag. 

“I needed my coffee,” Robin said meekly, shooting Steve a scrunched up apology face. “I forgot all about my bag, honestly.”

“I know,” Steve laughed. “Thanks, Chrissy.” He left Robin to follow Chrissy to change and approached Eddie, who’d been observing the scene from the mirror. “What’s the plan?”

Eddie took a deep breath. “Change into your outfit first - you can leave off the jacket - and then we’ll do your makeup.” Eddie raised his hands as Steve eyed the spread out cosmetics dubiously. “Nothing drastic, I promise.” His face stretched in a manic grin. “Leave the drastic to me; I’ve got enough for both of us.”

“I have no doubt,” Steve said with a smile as Eddie handed him the bag and pointed him to the changing room.

Robin was seated at the mirror when Steve emerged, Chrissy dragging a dramatic black wing from the edge of her eye nearly to her hairline. Bright red lipstick sat at the ready, and if Robin was worried about wearing far more dramatic makeup than usual Chrissy was enough of a distraction for her not to focus on it.

Eddie had quickly changed into his own outfit, mirroring the style of Steve’s suit but in black. His jacket still hung on the rack, but he had chosen a scarlet button-up shirt for himself, a corset panel in the back ensuring the perfect fit, with a banded collar and hidden buttons. It had almost hit the scrap pile, but Steve had seen him trying it on before he’d even added the corset pieces, and the look in his eyes had been enough to ensure Eddie would finish it if it killed him.

“Ready for me?” Steve asked, approaching him with his jacket over his arm. “Makeup or tying up first?” He joked, and Eddie breathed out a laugh.

“Binding, I think. Before I have a chance to think about it too much.” Eddie hung Steve’s jacket and approached him with the cord, biting his lip. “I know we’ve practiced this,” he said, remembering the close call for his self-control that had turned out to be, “but I have to say it again: if anything about this makes you uncomfortable, you just say the word and it’s off.”

“‘Up to and including the whole goddamn show,’” Steve quoted back at him. “I know, and thank you.” Warm hazel eyes met Eddie’s, and Steve smiled. “I’m not uncomfortable.”

Eddie nodded once and focused on wrapping and overlapping the cord, trying to look at Steve as if he was a mannequin and not Steve. Except mannequins didn’t have all that chest hair. Or smell that good, Eddie discovered as he leaned close to Steve to look over his shoulder and straighten a twist. His head swam for a second, and Steve put a hand on his hip as he swayed. “I’m okay,” Eddie quickly righted himself. “Just a little off-balance.”

“You sure?” Steve’s concerned face was inches from his own. “You’re looking a little flushed, are you feeling okay?”

“I feel fine,” Eddie assured him. “I mean, stressed, but it’s okay, really.” Steve still looked dubious, and Eddie gave in. Just a little is fine. It’s almost time to get moving, right? The show is almost over. Just a little. He leaned in again, his lips grazing Steve’s ear as he murmured: “You just look so damn good, I lost my head for a second.”

Pink flooded Steve’s cheeks, and he blinked rapidly at Eddie. “Keep it in your pants for one more day,” he whispered back, and Eddie bit his lip and cocked his head.

“No kisses for good luck?” He teased, finishing the final knot. “Not even a little making out, just to settle my nerves?”

Steve nodded over his shoulder. “Do you really want the paparazzi over there filming it?”

Eddie looked behind himself to see both Chrissy and Robin watching them, phones at the ready. Chrissy blew a loud wolf whistle. “Come on, my Instagram will love this,” she called.

“And to think you used to be a cheerleader,” Eddie sneered. “Well, now that we’ve killed the moment, let’s get your makeup on.” 

The photographer arrived just as the girls finished Steve’s makeup, and the rest of the day barreled on at ever-increasing speed. Steve had been the smash hit of both the photo shoot and the show, centered in every picture and brought back to walk at the end of the show with the program head. Eddie only had time to glance at some of the photos, but he already knew two he was selecting to submit: one had Steve reclining on a rubbed velvet chaise, every line of his body a lush invitation to hedonism wrapped in purest white and bound in scarlet. The other had him standing on that same chaise, with the girls sitting on either side and Eddie standing behind. Steve had a casual hand in Eddie’s hair, staring straight at the camera with his chin slightly tilted, like an angel that had given up the wings but not the arrogance. 

An appreciative murmur had gone up from the small crowd of students and advisors when Chrissy had started her walk, the white swing dress living up to it’s name as she made her turn. She had dropped a wink at Robin as he passed her, and Robin had quickly shot out her tongue before resuming her ‘model face.’ Eddie had noticed some nods as he walked, and he knew the instant Steve came into sight - tipped off by an audible ‘goddamn’ from someone in the crowd and an unusual smattering of applause. He made his turn, and as he approached Steve their eyes met and Eddie just had time to note the mischievous look on Steve’s face before Steve caught his hand across the makeshift runway and raised it to his lips without breaking stride as he released it and continued. Eddie could feel a smirk trying to fight its way onto his face, and he didn’t even care.

He missed Steve dropping a bow to the elderly program head before making his turn. She had been a famous model herself in her day, and she was utterly charmed and insisted that Steve accompany her for her walk down the runway to close the show. He did hear no less than three students asking Chrissy who Steve was, and flushed as red as his shirt when Chrissy casually told them: “Eddie’s boyfriend.” She had rolled her eyes at his cautioning look and mouthed “close enough” at him.

Eddie’s professor had cornered him after the show, before he had a chance to change. “Well, Mr. Munson, I don’t make a habit of giving out evaluations before I’ve had a chance to sit down and review everything, but I think it’s safe to say you’ve got nothing to worry about.” He patted Eddie on the shoulder. “Good work, truly. I’m looking forward to the shots.”

Eddie escaped at last to change, finding Steve back into his own clothes and carefully zipping the suit into its bag. “Hey, there you are - “

Steve got no further, as Eddie hadn’t even slowed his stride from the doorway upon seeing Steve, closing the distance in seconds and cupping his face between his hands before he pressed a fervent kiss to Steve’s lips. Steve gave a surprised start, but then smiled against Eddie’s lips, sliding his arms around his waist and pulling him closer. “I couldn’t wait,” Eddie rested his forehead against Steve’s. “Not even another minute.”

He was moving to kiss Steve again, deeper this time, when a throat was cleared behind him. “As I was saying,” Steve began again. “There you are: your uncle is here to see you.”

Eddie closed his eyes for a brief moment of abject humiliation. “Wayne,” he said, swinging around and hugging his very amused uncle. “I obviously get my timing from you.”

Steve moved off to help the girls hang their clothes and pack everything else away, and Wayne laughed. “Don’t blame me, you were born like that.”

“I didn’t know you were coming,” Eddie said, pulling back to look at him. “I thought you had work?”

“Like I wouldn’t take a day for this,” Wayne scoffed. “Not like you’re going to go to your graduation,” he added. He was right: he’d managed to bully and guilt Eddie into the cap and gown for his high school graduation, but that had been fueled by teenage rebellion against the principal who hadn’t expected Eddie to make it. With no administrative grudges to play on, Wayne knew he wouldn’t be as successful a second time. “You go finish up what you need to do, and then we’ll all go eat to celebrate.”

Eddie nodded, blinking back an unexpected film of tears as he hurried to change and pack away his outfit. The group was having a logistics meeting when he emerged to add his bag to the rack. “Eddie!” Chrissy was bouncing on her toes. “I’m going to ride with Wayne, and Steve and Robin are going together. Are you going to take your van or ride with one of us?”

“I’ll take the van,” Eddie said. “I just need to drop these with the professor. Where are we heading?”

“Cabo’s Pizza,” Chrissy told him, and he gave her a thumbs up as his stomach rumbled. Pizza sounded like heaven. Speaking of heaven, he thought turning to Steve. “Sure you don’t want to let Robin take your car and you ride with me?” He asked, fluttering his lashes exaggeratedly.

“As tempting as that offer is,” Steve laughed, “you have clearly never experienced Robin’s driving. I need my car in one piece.”

“That was one time,” Robin protested loudly. “And I barely clipped the side of the garage.” She turned to Chrissy and Wayne. “I was learning to park in the garage.”

Steve blinked at her slowly. “Dad had to have the side panel replaced.” He paused. “And the trim on the door. And it was last year.” 

“I am riding with Chrissy and Wayne,” Robin announced, folding her arms. 

“Long as you don’t want to drive,” Wayne laughed, and her lips twitched into a smile.

“It’s not the driving, it’s the parking. But I am happy to leave it up to you.” She and Chrissy each linked an arm through Wayne’s and he swept them from the room, much to Eddie’s amusement.

“Look at my old man, having the time of his life,” he chuckled to Steve. “I’ll meet you there, it’ll only take me a few minutes. I won’t leave you with those three too long.”

“Please don’t,” Steve begged. “Robin is bad enough, but Robin showing off for Chrissy and your uncle?’ He shuddered. “I’m not sure we shouldn’t just ditch them.”

Eddie smirked. “Don’t give me bad ideas, Steve,” he warned, and Steve smiled lazily back at him. “Unless you want to give me bad ideas, that is,” he corrected.

“Oh, I definitely do,” Steve agreed. “But there is pizza, sleep, and conversation between us and good or bad ideas.” Steve pressed a kiss to Eddie’s cheek as he brushed past him. “See you there.”

Eddie rolled the garment rack to his professor’s office again, dropping the key back with the receptionist and hurrying to the parking lot. Chrissy was texting him before he even made it to the van, sending him links to the school’s Instagram where shots from the show were featured - the lead one being Steve, dazzling in the spotlight at the end of the runway. He had just finished his bow, and a wicked grin lit up his face as the program head was wagging her finger at him in mock scolding to hide her delight. More shots from the show had started to spread around the internet, posted by other students and reposted by friends, fashion enthusiasts, and the merely curious or mildly thirsty. Eddie immediately saved some before starting the van and heading for pizza, sleep, and eventually the promised conversation, completely unaware that the student show he had thought of as little more than a vehicle to graduate was carrying images of Steve far and wide.