Seven o'clock rolls around far too quickly. Willow loses track of time easily after her conversation with Robin at the diner, frustrations and anxieties placed on a backburner as they went to the store and picked up snacks for the night. Between Robin's ridiculous riding of the shopping cart that nearly gets them kicked out, countless arguments over what snacks would be appropriate (it took Willow nearly ten minutes to pry frozen bagel bites out of Robin's hands), and one too many dad jokes in the chip aisle, they'd finally made it back to Willow's house right as Steve parked his BMW in her driveway.

"Did you guys walk to the store? I could have given a ride if you asked," he calls out over his door as Robin maneuvers her bike up the driveway. A few bags of the groceries they'd got were hanging off the handlebars.

Willow shrugs, slinging a bag in his direction as she passes him, "We didn't have a phone. We survived."

"Hardly!" Robin yells over her shoulder, and Willow holds back her laughter, "Take note, dingus: Willow has shit balance."

"Huh?" he questions, looking to Willow for an explanation. She has to reign herself in before she can explain.

"We, uh, tried to have me sit on her handlebars at some point," she embarrassingly admits with her friends on her heels as she unlocks her front door, "Let's just say I won't be trying that again."

"That makes two of us," Robin huffs as she shoves into the cool living room. She wastes no time making a beeline for the kitchen with the bags of snacks. Steve and Willow simply watch her, taking their time entering the house. They share a look, Willow rolling her eyes and Steve smirking.

They managed to get everything they could think of; microwaveable popcorn, chips, candy, and even two-liters of both Sprite and Coca-Cola. It had made the trip back fairly miserable for the two girls, both of them complaining about their aching shoulders and taking one too many breaks, but Willow was glad now as they stood around her kitchen counter and unloaded.

"Did you really need both sour and normal gummy worms?" Steve asks them, grabbing a few packs of the candy they'd snagged.

Willow snatches them from him before he can continue to judge them, "We couldn't agree on which kind."

"Everyone knows sour is best," he says, oblivious to the argument he nearly initiates once more between them.

"That's what I said!" Willow shouts, giving Robin an 'I-told-you-so' look immediately.

"Yeah, but sour hurts my mouth," Robin whines, shoving the sodas into Willow's fridge. "Hey, speaking of my mouth hurting, did Willow tell you what she and loverboy did last night?"

Willow freezes immediately, her playful looks at Robin becoming a hard glare immediately. She didn't want to talk about Eddie to Steve yet. Really, she wanted to avoid the topic altogether unless Steve was the one to bring it up.

Clearly, Steve is just as uncomfortable with the topic as he clears his throat, "Oh, uh, no. You never called last night, though."

"Sorry about that," Willow apologizes half-heartedly, unable to meet Steve's concerned glance, "It was a... late night."

Steve doesn't respond, scrunching his face up from the opposite side of her counter, and Willow prepares to defend herself. He clearly thought something far dirtier than what was reality.

"It wasn't that kind of late night," she assures him despite Robin giving her a soft kick to her shin. She doesn't care if she needed to convince Steve that her and Eddie were an item - he knew her well enough to know she wouldn't do that with someone so quickly. Not after two weeks of knowing them. "He just- he just asked me to be his girlfriend."

The statement hangs in the air, Robin still bustling around the kitchen as Steve deflates. Willow tries not to read into it too much, the same as she had done her dream; he couldn't be upset because Willow was now 'officially off the market', according to Robin, but simply because of the implications that her getting into a relationship meant. It meant less time for their friendship, less time for just the three of them. It meant change. That had to be the driving force for the droop in his shoulders.

"What did you say?" Steve asks her, but he clearly already knows the answer.

It doesn't stop Willow from hesitating before she says it aloud. "I said yes."

Robin gives a small yelp of something between excitement and congratulations as she suddenly appears at Willow's side, constricting Willow in an embrace awkwardly around her shoulders as her chin comes down on top of it, clearly looking at Steve, "They just grow up so fast, don't they, Stevie?"

It's tense. Steve becomes a statue, and Willow is once more reminded why she's grateful for Robin. When she had promised to be her wing-woman tonight, both regarding Eddie and Steve, she'd clearly meant it. Even though that meant stirring unpleasant feelings.

"Wow," Steve whispers, eyes fluttering down to the ground, swallowing hard before putting on a grin that Willow could tell was fake. It was convincing, especially to less prying eyes, Willow could give him that, "That's, uh- That's great. Guess we'll be seeing a lot more of Munson, huh?"

Willow nods curtly, eyes unmoving from Steve's figure. She wills him silently to look up at her, to smile a genuine smile at her, anything . He was resembling a wounded puppy right now and her heart almost couldn't take it.

"We can only hope. Or a lot less of a hot-shot redhead here," Robin pipes up, unrelenting in maintaining a cheery attitude despite her friends, "You haven't even heard the best part, though."

"Oh?" Steve's eyes finally lift, and Willow feels ridiculous as she musters an apologetic smile to him.

Why does she feel so guilty?

"Tell him where he took you, 'Low."

Robin was pushing it now. But Willow had asked that of her, had practically begged that of her. She knew she didn't have the will to push herself.

Steve's eyes are trained on her, and only her, awaiting her answer. "He took me to Lover's Lake."

His eyebrows shoot up at this revelation, "Lover's Lake? I... didn't take him for the type."

"What's that mean?" Willow asks softly, no malice in her voice.

"Well, you know the reputation of that place. You didn't... you stood your ground, right? Didn't make any bad decisions?" Steve struggles to make his point, clearly trying to avoid insinuating anything rude.

"No, I didn't make any bad decisions," Willow says as Robin finally lets go of her, turning to grab one of the bags of popcorn, "I wasn't even thinking about the reputation, he was being a perfect gentleman."

There's no need for her final comment, no need to defend Eddie. But she does it as naturally as she breathes the air around them - she refuses to leave room for assumptions. Eddie Munson had been the perfect gentleman. If anyone was being particularly rebellious, acting out of character and having sinful thoughts, it was Willow. Not that she'd ever admit that to Steve, and especially not to Eddie.

"Good, good," Steve nods, eyes glazing over as they do when he runs off into his own mind. Willow only glances over her shoulder to see the moment happen, and fights her urge to pull him back.

It was part of the plan. A plan that Willow was starting to regret more and more by the minute.

"We should probably start setting the movie up. What time is loverboy showing up?" Robin interrupts just as Willow starts the microwave, a soft popping filling the atmosphere along with the mouth-watering scent of butter.

"Uh," Willow glances around her kitchen before she catches sight of the clock, "Probably here in like, ten minutes."

Steve is wordless as he heads back into the living room. Immediately, Willow turns and smacks Robin on her shoulder.

"Ow," Robin whispers, facing Willow wildly, "What was that for?"

"Did you have to lay it on so thick?" Willow whispers back urgently.

Robin nods, seeming very secure in how the interaction went, "If you want to get under his skin, we do. Remember that for when Munson is here."

At the mention of Eddie's presence, Willow's palms begin to sweat. Her nerves about the entire interaction were back - so much could potentially go wrong tonight. Not only that, but her dream is still stubbornly lingering in the back of her mind. She isn't quite sure she'll be able to look Eddie in his eyes right now without blushing an embarrassing amount.

"What's that look for?" Robin interrogates as she piles all of the candy into one bag to take to the living room.

"What look?"

"You're blushing again. Oh my God, are you thinking about your dream? Gross."

"Am not!" Willow's voice finally rises, but it cracks as well, blowing Willow's defense. Robin can only cackle as Willow is left huffing, glowing cheeks and shaking knees.

I'm never living that dream down.

The popcorn finishes and the beeping immediately causes Willow to jump, on edge now more than ever. Everything that could possibly go wrong tonight is swirling around in her mind, every possibility jumbling together just to make Willow nearly spiral into a panic attack. She chews on her lip so hard she's sure it's going to be bleeding by the time she lets go.

She can't believe she's thinking this, but she wishes Eddie would hurry up and finally get here.

Even in her embarrassment from her private dream, she knows just the act of him being here will make her feel better. Obviously, she's anxious about him being here with her, with her friends, infiltrating yet another aspect of her life without care. But Eddie Munson has a way with calming Willow down, fried nerves and all, with just a single glance. It had quickly become one of her favorite things about him - from her panic attack in the bathroom after his fight to mornings where all she can do is rant about her latest math assignment. Brown eyes would meet hers, shining with reassurance as his mouth formed all the right words, and every anxiety that had troubled her would melt away.

She's so deep in her thoughts of Eddie that she almost doesn't notice that she's managed to fill two bowls full of popcorn. Robin had persisted that they would ensure that Willow and Eddie sat together tonight, leaving no room nor chance for Steve to interfere with that. She hated to admit it, but Robin was a damn good wing-woman.

The sound of the doorbell scares Willow.

"Willow! Door!" Robin's voice chases her from the living room. She doesn't waste any time carrying the popcorn with her, entering to take in the scene in front of her. Robin has draped herself over her couch with extensive comfort as Steve sits criss-crossed on the floor in front of her TV, fiddling with her VHS player.

"Remember," she shakily begins to warn, sitting both bowls of popcorn down on the coffee table, "You guys need to play nice."

"When am I ever not nice?" Robin bites back, Steve humming in agreement as his focus remains on the TV remote now.

Willow gives a pointed glare as a few hesitant knocks sound from the door, "I can name a few times, Buckley."

Steve snorts at this, finally tearing his attention away from setting up the movie and looking up at Willow. He's nodding in agreement passionately, opening his mouth to probably bring up one of those times, when the doorbell rings again.

"As much as I support this Robin slander, you should get the door," he says instead of whatever his original thought was.

Willow is already crossing the room, though, far too eager to see the metalhead on the other side of the door.

Here goes nothing. This will either go terribly right, or terribly wrong.

She flings the door open with unnecessary force, a seemingly nervous Eddie standing on the other side. His hair is messy, as always, framing his face as her porch light illuminates him from behind. For a moment, he looks like a knight in shining armor. All of Willow's anxieties take a backseat as his big, brown eyes shine and look into hers, lighting up as he smiles.

"Hey, Red."

"Eddie," she breathes, immediately stepping to the side and waving him in, "Hey."

"Hi," he greets her softly for a second time, and it's then she can see he truly is just as nervous as she is. She was in her element - these were her friends, originally her plans. She'd forgotten Eddie was the one who probably felt like an intruder, who had reason to be driving himself crazy with possibilities.

She'd say that he seemed slightly out of place as he stood in the threshold of her home once again, awkwardly shifting his weight between his feet, but he fits right in for Willow. It's the same comfort as Robin spreading out on her bed after they've been studying, or Steve interrupting breakfast with her mother - he belongs there.

"Just on time," Willow smiles, launching herself into a reassuring mode, "Make yourself at home, Munson."

He looks around the living room, at Robin on the couch and Steve on the ground, both of which are staring right back at him. Clearly, for them, Eddie does look out of place.

"Well look at that," Steve finally muses as if he wasn't the one who invited him, head tilted back to get a good look, "Eddie Munson."

"In the flesh," Eddie bites back without hesitating. But once the playful words leave his lips, Willow can see a flash of both hesitation and worry cross his features.

Robin leaves no room for him to overthink it as a smile spreads across her face. "Welcome to the party!"

Eddie's shoulders slump as he relaxes a bit. Willow takes the opportunity to grab his bicep softly, all but dragging him over to the couch, "Don't be shy, sit. We're just finishing setting up. I promise Robin won't bite."

"You don't know that," Robin teases right as Willow forces Eddie to sit down on the opposite end of the couch from her.

Eddie turns his head, looking at her with wide, questioning eyes.

"She's joking," Willow immediately assures, "Aren't you?"

Robin just shrugs. Willow immediately reaches out to her and smacks her on the back of her head.

"Hey, do you guys have any more batteries for this thing?" Steve asks suddenly, waving the remote to the VCR in the air without glancing back at Willow.

"What size?"

"You don't know what size battery your remote takes, Jenkins?"

"No, I don't. Considering I've never had to change them before. I'm taking this as a sign that we need to start having movie nights at Rob's," Willow walks over to where Steve is sitting on the ground, dropping to her knees, "Let me see it."

Steve finally looks at her, taking his time to put the remote in her outstretched hand. Once he does, she immediately flips it over and starts to fiddle with the back panel, attempting to pry it open to see the batteries already in it.

"Nope! Not happening," Robin calls out from the couch behind them, "You know my mom would never be okay with it."

"Oh, come on, your mom would cream herself at the opportunity to make us snacks," Steve teases, leaning back and looking over at their friend as Willow continues to attempt to pry the remote open.

"Why can't we have them at Steve's?" Robin suggests.

"Because he lives in the middle of nowhere, and I'm not in the mood to end up starring in a real-life slasher film," Willow mumbles softly in her intense focus, still struggling.

Her hands are shaking, making it impossible to get a decent grip.

"My house is not in the middle of nowhere. Stop saying that just because I have trees in my yard."

"Where is your nearest neighbor?" Willow persists, taking a break from the remote and looking up at him with a pointed look.

"We have privacy. Sue us."

"Privacy is great until some psycho breaks free, and the headline of the news the next morning is 'four dead bodies of high schoolers found in Harrington mansion'!" Robin joins in with the teasing. Willow finds her heart fawning over the inclusion of Eddie, however little it was - the acceptance as part of the group.

"I'm not a high schooler," Steve corrects defensively.

"You act like one," Robin bites back.

Willow looks between her two friends, rolling her eyes before finally looking at a peculiarly silent Eddie. He's sitting with his hands in his lap, fiddling with his rings. She figures it's a nervous habit at this point, but it mesmerizes her all the same. She makes a mental note to ask him more about them, where he got them and what they mean, next time they're alone.

It takes a moment of her staring before he suddenly looks up, meeting her gaze. She musters her softest smile, trying to channel as much comfort across the room as she is capable of. She tunes out the arguing continuing between Robin and Steve. The moment Eddie's eyes met hers, they became background noise - it was just Willow and Eddie right now, in the middle of her living room, both nervous wrecks.

You good? She mouths to him across the room. He simply gives her a thumbs up.

"Need me to open it for you?" Steve suddenly asks Willow with a smirk, breaking the moment between Eddie and Willow as he raises an eyebrow and holds his hand out.

"Nope."

"You sure?"

Willow's tongue pokes out slightly as she finally looks down from Eddie and starts to struggle once more, "I'm positive."

"Alright," Steve drawls out, leaning back on his hands and watching her carefully.

At his doubts, she suddenly finds herself steadying her hands and getting her nail under a crevice of the back, finally popping it open.

"Aha!" she cheers, excitedly holding up the remote with its back now exposed in triumph, "Told you."

Steve is rolling his eyes at her and huffing, but she can see Eddie gleaming at her from her peripherals. When she turns her attention to him, he scrunches his face up and nods in joking approval. She couldn't bite back the smile he caused if she tried.

She flips the remote back to look at the battery size. "Double As, perfect. We have some in the garage," she stands up from the floor, passing the remote back to Steve.

"I'll come with you," Eddie is up in an instant, his words more of a request than a suggestion.

All Willow can do is nod, not facing either of her friends in fear of the blush that is surely overtaking her features at the thought of being alone with him. She wishes she was braver, that she would have suggested that first. But they both know she never would have - it's exactly why Eddie jumped at the opportunity.

As she makes her way to her garage, she knows Eddie is right on her heels. She can hear Robin whistling at them as they leave.

Despite her personal embarrassment, she feels just as eager as Eddie appears to have a moment alone with him. She knows the moment it's just the two of them in a room, no crowd to please and no act to put on, she'll be able to set them back to normal; it can be as if her dream never happened, as if last night she hadn't considered kissing him, as if his presence alone didn't have such a monumental effect on her.

They can just get back to being Willow and Eddie, two idiots who were fake-dating for personal gain. Two friends helping each other out.