
breaking the ice
written for the prompt 'pool' | word count: 442 | rating: T | cw: swearing, alcohol mention (they're in a bar), suggestive flirting but nothing explicit, background rockie (robin/vickie)
A/N: if you're not aware already, @steddiemicrofic is doing a monthly challenge where you get a prompt and a (strict!) word count between 300-600 words, so this is written for the july prompt! this was a Lot of fun and i highly recommend giving it a shot if you have time <3
also if you don't play pool: 'breaking'/'the break' is what it's called when you start the game by hitting the cue ball into the rest of the balls to scatter them.
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One of Steve’s favorite things about Vickie is her knack for finding really cool places to hang out.
Tonight, the three of them have landed at a pool lounge. Steve hasn’t played pool in years, not since he moved out of his parents’ home and lost access to their table. Robin has never played a game of pool in her life, so Vickie – apparently a regular here – is oh-so-generously offering to teach her. Steve can see the flush spreading across Robin’s face from the other side of the table, so he excuses himself to head to the bar for a drink; he doesn’t want to get hit by a stray pool cue while Robin's distracted.
Steve orders himself a beer, aiming to thread the needle between “sober enough to drive them home later” and “drunk enough to third wheel without crying about it”. He loiters at the bar after getting his drink, not wanting to interrupt the girls, when the loud clatter of pool balls catches his attention.
Steve turns his head towards the noise and oh, shit. There’s a guy a couple tables over who’s just broken, pool balls spinning out across the table, but that’s not where Steve’s looking. He’s looking at the man’s ass in those jeans as he leans forward – the sight makes something in Steve want to sink his teeth in. Steve watches the guy straighten up and pace around the table, evaluating the outcome of his break. It lets Steve take in the rest of him; the glint of his rings under the dim lights, the dark curly hair cascading around his shoulders, the doe-like eyes that are looking right at Steve.
The guy grins. Winks at Steve.
Game on, Steve thinks.
“I think this is supposed to be a two-player game,” Steve says as he reaches the guy’s table. He somehow looks even better up close.
“Maybe I like playing with myself," says the guy, giving Steve a (pretty blatant, if you ask Steve) once-over. Well, if he wants shameless, Steve can absolutely do shameless. It might even distract him from how nice the guy's voice is.
“Maybe so. But I think you're looking for someone else to do it for a change." That lights a spark in the guy's eyes, a flash of hunger that darkens them. He leans in.
“I'm Eddie. What's your name, pretty boy?" Something swoops in Steve's gut at the pet name.
"Steve."
"So, Steve," Eddie drawls, his eyes flicking down to Steve's lips momentarily. "Think you can handle playing with me?"
Steve smiles, wide and eager. "Only if you buy me a drink when I win."