Steve thought taking Eddie to Indianapolis should have been more exciting. But it turned out they were craft shopping. He watched Eddie walk down the aisles, picking out needles, special scissors, and yarn—lots and lots of yarn. Steve had never seen a basket so full of the material before, and Eddie kept bringing over more.

"What exactly are you making again?"

"It's a surprise," Eddie said, winking at Steve as he tipped black and brown yarn into the basket. "Come on, I just need a few more, and then we're done."

Steve rolled his eyes but followed Eddie down the aisle. They stopped abruptly when Eddie turned to look at him, his expression so serious that Steve didn't say anything but stared back at Eddie in surprise. After a moment, he nodded and picked up another bundle, adding it to the pile.

"Uh, what was that?"

"Nothing. Nothing. Just needed to double check."

Steve let it go, deciding not to press. Eddie was in his own world right now, and Steve was happy to watch him concentrate. Whatever Eddie was planning, it clearly meant something to him. Steve was not going to ruin it.

It was all craft shopping apparently because that night, Eddie took him out to a club he'd mentioned before that Steve had been dying to go to. It was dark and loud and full of people who didn't give a shit when Eddie pulled him in for a kiss. It was perfect, even when he woke up in the motel the morning after with a hangover.

Eddie just laughed and got him a coffee and aspirin. "For a guy who was called King Steve all through high school, you sure can't hold your liquor anymore."

"Mhmm, and whose fault is that?" Because these days, Steve was more likely to be found spending his nights at home, curled up with Eddie on the couch watching movies or hosting another one of his DnD parties. Going out clubbing wasn't really their style, and they couldn't be together in public like that. "You're driving home."

"Aye, aye, Captain."

"Ugh." Steve covered his head with a pillow, wishing he hadn't brought up Scoops Ahoy the night before.

In the aftermath of their night out, Steve barely remembered their trip to Indianapolis. And it wasn't until a few weeks later that Eddie surprised him with a gift. "Ta-da!" Eddie proclaimed loudly, dropping a badly wrapped present on Steve's lap. "I made you something."

At first, Steve panicked, trying to figure out if he'd forgotten an anniversary or something, but no, he was pretty sure it was a normal day. "Uh, thank you?"

"Jesus Christ, it's a gift, not a bomb. Open it!"

Steve did, noting how squishy the thing was. Once he got the paper off, he saw it was a doll. Curious, he turned it over, laughing when he saw the resemblance. "It's you!"

"Yep. I got one, too." And he produced a Steve doll from behind his back. It even had little moles.

"You made these?" Steve asked in amazement. He knew Eddie could do all sorts of things with his hands, but this was something else. "It must have taken forever."

"Don't worry about it." Eddie shifted closer, pressing the Eddie doll into Steve's chest. "Think of it as a lucky charm or something. For when I'm not there. Now I am."

Steve wanted to cry. He hugged the doll close and laughed wetly, not surprised when Eddie reached out to rub the tears away. "God, what did I do to deserve you?"

"I dunno, maybe almost dying and having the world a few times tipped the scales in your favor a little?" Eddie teased, kissing the tears away. "You're owed something good."

"Well, I got it. I love you."

"I love you too, sweetheart."

Steve pulled Eddie closer, squishing the two dolls between them. He promised himself he would find somewhere special to put it for those rare times Eddie wasn't with him, but for now, he wanted to make the most of his boyfriend's presence—for now and forever.