#&. interaction ( robin buckley. )

[camrlart]

wonder who they’re thinking about

I kinda had this scene envisioned in my brain where robin is trying to comfort mike (yk by just rambling abt smth unrelated basically)and the rambling slowly turns into her just talking abt vickie and i imagine it kinda clicks for mike and makes him feel seen in the sense of his feelings but also just relating to her? idk it made sense in my head 🤷

[glittersumn]

Seeing them interact is a NEED.

[phoebebuggers]

she's gonna clock his tea so fucking hard

[taeiris]

the queer yearning squad

tender, emotional music plays…. and then-

prints, stickers and posters already up in my inprnt!!! shop here

close ups⬇️

[missingbillyhargrove]

New/old Season three promotional photos from 2019!

[bylerworld]

no other feeling will ever beat the feeling i got when i saw this for the first time

[fifthnailinstevesbat]

after the events of season 4, steve just wanting SO BADLY to be friends with eddie. just LOVING the idea of them getting closer and having eddie as a friend because hell yeah! a close male friendship with someone that is actually my age, and who i don’t have a weird history with involving bruised eyes and love triangles? count me IN! and eddie is FUN, he is actually hilarious! the way they share the same glances of understanding when dustin is being an absolute shit head, rambling on and on about some obscure topic, expecting everyone to always be on the exact same page as him. of course. and, although steve suspects that eddie actually probably is keeping up with everything dustin says, much better than he ever could, he knows that above it all eddie can appreciate the antics for what they are, and roll his eyes with steve at dustin, i concur, you dustin henderson, are a total butthead.

steve just about junps RIGHT IN to being friends with eddie. hey man, what’cha up to tonight? wanna watch a movie? get drunk, smoke a bit? hey eddie, how have you been, man? he starts calling eddie up on the phone regularly just to check in, shoot the shit, he loves it! he loves having this new friendship with eddie munson and he loves how much the other boy has surprised him with how much he actually enjoys being around him. he’s not a freak, really, well ok maybe he is a little bit, but only in the best ways. he’s kind, thoughtful, and is always looking out for the people he cares about, which is something steve can really respect in a dude. but he’s also so funny? steve never could’ve anticipated just how much eddie has managed to make him genuinely LAUGH over their short amount of time spent together. and he’s really, out there? with the way he presents himself, the way he takes up space with these big THEATRICAL movements, leaving no room for regret or shame or god forbid embarrassment. steve isn’t even sure munson is capable of feeling it at all.

eddie munson is a good dude, and steve could use a bit more of that kind of person around him. he loves all of his friends, the weird little bonded family he’s found himself apart of, and they are all good people, but it never hurts to have afew more added in here and there. it never hurts to know there are more good people out there to find.

so steve is all over eddie, it seems.

at least, from where eddie is standing. nobody else seems as phased as eddie does at this sudden change in steve’s demeanour, in his interest in what eddie munson spends his time doing these days. it seems like, to everyone else, to steve, it’s just a natural progression in their relationship, after being sort of role model figures to the same group of kids, both being the two single dudes, who fought the same monsters together last spring, it seems nobody questions too much that they’d start casually hanging around eachother more. especially since eddie has found himself to fit into his own special spot as one of the group now after it all, after he unwillingly became tangled in this whole upsidedown-superpowers-supernatural-monsters and demons debacle, and tangled quite dramatically at that, the rest of the group that’s been with this since the beginning seemed to find no trouble in taking him in and seeing him as “one of them” now.

so, steve asking eddie to smoke, to watch movies, to go for a drive with no real end destination, it’s not really something that earns them too many double takes. dustin makes a comment or two in the beginning, because steve since when did you like hanging out with eddie? you guys are like so opposite, you don’t like any of the same stuff he does? and steve barely gives a shrug and a dismissive yeah yeah whatever man in response, with a signature eye roll, and dustin had said it seemingly also not too seriously, poking fun at steve wherever he can, not really meaning anything by it, as he fidgets around and rambles in the backseat of steve’s car, eddie riding up front. after that, though, he’s dropped it. it’s never brought up again. part of eddie thinks, too, that dustin would actually be enjoying that his two older friends are becoming friends themselves.

robin seems to be the only other person to look a bit harder at their situation, lingering stares at their interactions, all squinted eyes and eyebrows raised, though from her all this seems to be almost always and only ever directed at steve. eddie’s not sure what to make of that. isn’t he the weird one? i mean, he’s the one that stands out, right? he’s the odd denominator that makes their friendship strange. why would steve harrington want to hang out with Him? HIM? but robin doesn’t spend her time studying eddie to try and search for what about him could possibly have piqued the interest of cherished steven harrington, no, shes always looking at steve. like she’s seeing him differently, almost. eddie doesn’t even think that steve notices it, either, because he doesn’t seem to be questioning or doubting anything odd or strange or out of the ordinary with their newfound time spent together. and maybe, maybe robin is seeing him differently. eddie knows he definitely has been. seeing him more, intensely. deeply. human. seeing the person that steve is, as just steve, not this idealised version of a boy that eddies starting to question ever really even existed at all, or if everyone around him just needed to believe that he did, and who was steve if not happy to comply to the wants of the people around him for who he should be?

eddie likes having steve as his friend, too. don’t get it twisted. he loves how unexpectedly expressive steve is about everything, even really small things. steve LOVES to raise his voice, rest a hand on his popped hip, scolding the kids for something stupid with no real heat or malice behind it. and steve is, like, kinda bitchy too. eddie knew he had the capacity to be a real asshole when he wanted to be, that’s all he knew steve for back in the day, when he was back in high school, hanging around tommy h and the basketball boys, the jocks. eddie would spend his days hearing only whispers and gossip in the hallways of the parties at king steve’s house and the fights king steve had started and won on the court or out in the fields, only ever getting as close as a shove into a locker with the guy at the time, but eddie knew how it could go. he knew all about what steve had done to jonathan, what he’d said to him, the words he’d used. eddie knew it all. he’d seen enough, and been through enough himself, to know how these guys acted in response to guys like him, like jonathan, people who were lower on the social food chain. so, eddie knew about steve’s “mean streak”, if you will, but this kind of snarky bitchiness was something new to him. harrington was almost, sassy, when he wanted to be. it was less so cruel and more just, just sass. if he’s being completely honest it kind of blew eddie away, at first. he thought steve was one of those dull headed jocks who thought with their fists more than their actual brains, but that couldn’t have been farther from the truth. steve’s insults were well thought out, they were FUNNY, he was smart with his words. and silly. oh my god steve harrington could be so fucking silly, real honest to god goofball when the moment called for it, when he felt comfortable enough. eddie had caught on multiple occasions steve mimicking lightsabers to play fight with dustin, or the stupid fucking shit he would do or say just to make robin laugh, singing along to a song playing on the radio with a funny voice.

it was all a little, intoxicating, to watch. eddie didn’t know what gave him the right to be in on this now, to get to see this side of steve and better yet to be at the other end of some of his best qualities. it was fun, all the time they spent together, but there was always something else tugging inside eddie everytime they spent close time together, too. something, he knew steve wasn’t aware of. something he knew steve wasn’t equipped to deal with. something he knew, was him. was him, making things something more than they should be, because, nobody seemed to be questioning that they could become friends, so why ruin that? why disrupt it?

- robin and steve

“Steve.”

“-but then like, it wasn’t that I didn’t want to watch it I just thought, hey, y’know, let’s try something different for a change, but then he- oh my god he honest to god TACKLED ME Robin — I mean, it was so fucking funny and it happened so quick — and all over a fucking Tom Cruise movie-“

“STEVE.” Robin lightly slammed a hand onto the counter. She had been standing behind it for no short of 20 minutes, watching Steve as he paced around, supposed to be stacking tapes onto shelves, but ended up spending the whole time going on and on, and ON, about how movie night went with Eddie last night. She thought she was bad…

Steve jumped, almost running into a shelf and knocking down his hard work, and seemed to snap out of whatever trance he had found himself in after starting to tell Robin a story about something funny Eddie had done last night.

“Shit, sorry. Sorry, what were you saying? Were you- were you saying something?”

To this, Robin just rolls her eyes and let’s out a laugh, “You, sir, are goddamn hopeless.”

“Sorry. How long was I talking for?” Steve wandered his way over to lean his arms onto the counter from the opposite side.

“Oh, I dunno Steve, just about half an HOUR?”

“That is an over exaggeration Robin, it’s only been like-“

“Honestly, man, i’m concerned for you. You are like next level OBSESSED with Eddie. Eddie Munson. You do realise this right??? You are obsessed with him, Steve.”

To this Steve sputters, lazily waving his hands back and forth.

“No, Robin, what the hell are you talking about? I am not OBSESSED. No need to be jealous, alright, Stevie-Boy here can have more than one friend. Your spot in my heart isn’t any less special now that it’s beginning to be shared by another.” He bats his eyelashes up at her, holding both hands over his chest as if to cradle his heart.

“Oh my GOD! You even SOUND LIKE HIM!”, she playfully slaps his shoulder. “Steve. You are obsessed.”

“I am not obsessed! He’s just a really great guy, alright-“

“Blah blah, yep whatever you say, lover boy.” Robin quips, plopping down onto the chair chair infront of their staff computer, turning herself to face it.

“Wha- what? Lover boy? What the hell Robin, that is not- that doesn’t even make any sense!”

She is just smiling at him now, enjoying seeing him spiral like this. Steve let’s out a sigh as he puts his hands on his hips, and shakes his head, looking at her right back.

He opens and closes his mouth afew times, like he’s really thinking about what he wants to say next. Or like he has no idea what to say next, and his brain is not moving fast enough to formulate the next sentence his mouth knows he wants to say. He wasn’t obsessed. That’s not- that’s like- no. No he was not, Robin was just playing around with him, she knew how to get on his nerves. Get him all wound up over little things just to see him react like this.

After a minute or two, Robin realises Steve was not going to reply anytime soon, so she turns fully back toward him. Saving him from his spiral.

“So, what are you’re plans for tonight Steve-O?”

He lets out a chuckle and walks around the counter till he’s behind it with Robin, leaning his back against it so he can stand across from her and face her.

“Well, not really sure. Parents aren’t home, no early shift tomorrow, might drink afew beers, listen to some music, —“

“See what Eddie’s doin?” Robin finishes for him, quirking her eyebrows up and down as she does it.

“Oh shut up!” Steve just laughs and softly throws a tape from the counter at her chest. “As a matter of fact, yeah I will see what he’s up to. Because we are friends now, Robin. Is that a problem? Actually I was also gonna ask you what you were up to after work, too, but you know what after this I’m having second thoughts, I mean, the way you’ve been treating me lately-“

“Oh my god, you are the worst. Yes, I’m free, of course I’ll hang out with you dingus. You and your tweedle dee.”

Steve laughs at this, then tilts his head.

“Wait, does that make me dumb? Tweedle dumb?! That’s how you see me?”

“Yeah it is actually, got a problem?”

“Oh wow, she’s feisty today. Can’t believe you think I’m dumb, Rob’s. When you come knockin’ tonight, do not expect a warm greeting at my front door.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll take my chances.”

- later. steve’s house. to be continued?

[imsonormalipromise]

Can't wait for S5 Rovickie

I need to see Vickie join the main gang

I need to see her and Robin have lots of interactions especially when there's danger

I need to see more of their dynamic

I need Vickie to not just be Robin's love interest

I need to see Rovickie interact with Byler at some point

I need to see their dynamic with Steve, Nancy and Jonathan too

Please please please please please don't fuck them up Duffers please please please please please do them justice I'm begging

If their dynamic isn't fleshed out enough I will be very upset

[thai-09]

I drew Mike crying because why not

She's helping him :)

[rosesgf-blog]

mike and robin haven’t been allowed to be in a scene together yet because it would take her 0.00003 seconds to clock mike’s homobehavior

[rotteneldritchhorror]

Eddie pulls Robin aside after noticing how she's interacting with Nance and how she keeps reassuring that shes Not Dating Steve and asks her if shes "a friend of dorothy"

[streamafterlaughter]

Soundtrack to Disaster

Chapter XX: Second Chances Won't Leave You Alone

masterlist | playlist | pin | prev | read on ao3 | read bee's diary (more entries coming!)

songs for this chapter: parking lot by hunny, kissing in cars by pierce the veil, you’ve haunted me all my life by death cab for cutie (these r gonna spoil some things btw so listen to it after u read. or don’t. im not ur boss.) 

chapter tags: lots of dialogue (everyones a gd yapper!) as well as text convos, not a lot of action happening. well– nvm actually just read the chapter. FLUFF! finally!, angst, hurt/comfort, swearing, smoking, mentions of drinking, arguing. lmk if i missed anything!  | fic tags: Angst, hurt/(eventual) comfort, (eventual) smut, slow burn, enemies to friends to lovers, Eddie Munson x Fem!OC!Reader, Modern AU | REMINDER: THIS FIC IS RATED EXPLICIT. 18+ mdni.

a/n: everyone take a deep breath, you made it! love u mean it pls read this i am so proud of it!!!!! i have been looking at this chapter for too long so please take it and enjoy bc i will not be looking at it for a LONG TIME

taglist (open!) @children-of-the-grave @five-bi-five @kellsck @faggotinie @xplrnowornever @taccobelle @micheledawn1975 @mewchiili @dreamerjj @losingmygrasponreality @munsonburn3r @justalotoffanfiction @bl0ssomanddie @eddiesgirl1944 @longlivedelusion @aliensfeltmyjoy

DISCLAIMER: I do not consent to having my work fed to AI engines, or reposted in any way, shape, or form on other websites. Unless otherwise stated, my tumblr and ao3 are the only account that feature and contain this work, and any replication was done without my consent. Please let me know if you see my work elsewhere Reblog to support the author!

--

This cannot be happening. Since jogging your memory of the Halloween party, it has been the only thing on your mind for the last week and a half.

Why did I bite him? Why did I let him bite me? And why the fuck didn’t Robin stop me?!

You scroll through the messages exchanged between you, Robin, and Steve, investigating the photos they’ve sent like a police detective searching for clues. The first one seems to have been taken by Steve, depicting a very drunk Robin posing next to the animatronic clown she’d bought several years prior. The next one shows you, Robin, and Max posing as the characters you’re dressed as, and the one after is of you and Steve, with Robin’s middle finger sticking up behind Steve’s head. The last one, though, catches you by surprise. From the looks of it, you have no idea the picture is even being taken. You’re facing away from the camera, drink in your hand as you laugh about something, nose scrunched and eyes half closed, a wide and toothy smile plastered on your face. 

> who took that last one? i look so cute! bobbins: u cant yell at me. > why would i yell at u? stevie: Bc neither of us took that pic… > then who?? bobbins: …:) > oh no stevie: Yea… > im gonna kms i stg bobbins: nooo dont kys ur so sexy! stevie: U just said u looked cute!

You stare at your screen, examining the photo. Your eyes seem to shine in the dim light, dress hugging your form in such a satisfying, perfect way. You do look cute, but you also look really happy. 

“Fuck it, whatever.” You mumble to yourself, begrudgingly tapping the screen to change your  profile picture to the photo Eddie took. Not stopping there, you upload it to your feed with the caption: “wish i looked this magical all the time. happy halloween everyone! thx for the pic @thefreakmunson”

Not three seconds later, you receive the notification “@ thefreakmunson liked your post” directly followed by: @ thefreakmunson commented: lookin’ good enough 2 eat ; )  

You exhale through your nostrils, feeling your face warm as you tap the heart next to his comment. Your phone vibrates with a text from Robin, sent separately from the group chat.

bobbins: oh my god u posted it AND YOU TAGGED HIM??? bobbins: are u guys gonna fuck???!!!!! bobbins: pls say yes this is exhausting bobbins: and i could use the money >ROBIN! >NO! >SHUT UP!!! >just bc i like a photo he took does not mean we’re gonna fuck can u be normal for five seconds please bobbins: absolutely no i cannot wtf do u mean bobbins: theres somethin goin on between u two and imma figure it out MARK MY WORDS bobbins: also. that comment is insane. like u cant tell me he didnt mean it like that  bobbins: u guys are so gonna fuck!!!!! > ok u know what im blocking u for the rest of the day. 

You exit out of your messages and refresh your feed again, receiving another notification:

@ thefreakmunson tagged you in a post.

Clicking on the photo, you immediately feel your heart rate spike. It’s another photo taken at the party, though you can’t pinpoint exactly when in the night it was taken. Your elf ears are gone, so it must have been later, and your hair has been taken out of its elvish braids and draped over your shoulders. You have a can in your hand, and a joint between your fingers, cherry glowing, idle as it waits for you to take a hit. Your focus is not on the camera, but whoever’s behind it, entranced with a soft smile on your lips. 

The caption reads truly the fairest of them all and you have to read it three more times before it sinks in that you’re looking at Eddie— who has apparently taken not one, but multiple pictures of you— like you’re head over heels in love with him. And now there is indisputable evidence of that on his public page. For all twelve thousand of his followers and Corroded Coffin fans to see. So why aren’t you freaking out right now?

bobbins: HELLO?!?!? BE SO FUCKIN FR RN.  stevie: Wtf did I miss why is Eddie posting that pic of u like ur his gf stevie: R u his gf??? stevie: Bee I stg if ur his gf and u didnt tell us >SHUT UP STEVE!!! bobbins: u better get that checkbook out stevie > i am not his gf! > idk why he said that! i dont even remember it being taken! stevie: Well. I mean. Ur definitely in love w him thats the same thing > what the fuck no i am not stevie: We’re looking at the same picture right? bobbins: i hate to agree with dingus but… i mean look at the material.  > i am not in love w him i was DRUNK bobbins: what do they say about drunken actions again? > im gonna kill both of u bobbins: hey now dont do anything hasty! stevie: Does Eddie know ur in love w him? >IM NOT! IN LOVE! WTHI HIM!! >*WIGT >**WITH!!! FUCK bobbins laughed at your message “**WITH!!! FUCK” stevie: He HAS to know ur in love w him > oh my god bobbins: can i officiate the wedding?

You let out a loud, guttural groan, and receive the response of a knock on your bedroom door. 

“Come in.” You mumble.

Chris pushes your door open and leans against the doorframe. “You okay?”

You throw the comforter over your head. “No. Sick.” You know if you look at him, you’ll crack.

“Eddie turn you into a vampire or something?”

You uncover yourself again to look at your brother with wide eyes. “How do you know anything about that?”

“I don’t think there’s a single person in Hawkins under the age of thirty that doesn’t know about that. What was that, by the way?” If you didn’t know any better, you’d think your brother sounds irritated. “And the pictures?”

So, you react the only way you know how to. “It wasn’t anything, Chris. Why do you care?”

“You’re my little sister, Bee.”

“That didn’t matter when you were stealing the chief of police’s convertible.” It is far too early for this, but the words leave your mouth before you can stop yourself.

Chris gathers his composure, looking up to the ceiling as a heavy sigh leaves his body. “Eddie is also my friend. I don’t wanna see him get hurt.”

“Right, I forgot. Eddie can’t get hurt. You’d rather go to jail for him and traumatize your flesh and blood than see Eddie fucking Munson be reprimanded for his stupid choices.”

Chris slams his open palm into the doorframe, startling you. “Would you stop? You don’t think I feel guilty enough already? I know, Bee. I was fuckin’ awful to you. I’m sorry. I can’t do anything about it now.”

You scoff, choking back a sob. “You could stop treating me that way, maybe. You’re the one that encouraged me to give Eddie another chance! I don’t get why you’re suddenly so pissed off about it.”

“I’m not! I’m happy for you both, seriously! I just. Ugh, I worry about you, Bee. I know how you are.”

They’re not the words you’d expected. “What is that supposed to mean?”

Chris meanders further into your room, his composure returning as he takes a seat on the end of your bed. You curl your feet into your body to make more room for him. 

“I don’t mean it as a dig. You have such a big heart, and you love everyone with the whole thing. I worry he’s not, y’know, receptive to that.” 

“I–” You don’t know what to say. “Chris, I’m not, like, proposing to him. We’re just catching up. Like platonic, completely aromantic friends.” It tastes weird, coming out of your mouth. 

“Bee.”

“Chris.”

“You know you can’t lie to me like you lie to yourself. Not forever.” He says it with a smirk on his face. “One of these days you’re gonna come to me breaking down because you accidentally told Eddie you love him, or something equally as ridiculous.” 

“Why does everyone think I’m in love with Eddie?” Seriously, where are they all getting this?

“You have always been so oblivious. He has loved you forever, Bee.”

“Yeah, and that’s why he abandoned me after you went away.” You cross your arms over your chest, thinking you’ve got him stumped.

“He left because he loves you. He left because he thought he’d ruined your life, and that you’d never forgive him. He thought, and he was probably right to a certain point, that you’d never be able to look at him the same way.”

“And you know this because you can read minds all of a sudden?”

Chris rolls his eyes. “No, wise ass. I know because Eddie is not a good liar. I flat out asked him what his intentions were with you.”

“When the fuck did you do that?” 

–

Three Days Ago (as told by Chris)

He walks into the bar for his shift on Saturday. He’d decided to be a nice big brother, relieving you of having to work the Saturday rush while older men stared at you like a piece of meat. Instead, he’d be stuck getting screamed at when he inevitably cut the creeps off after hitting on women far too young for them.

“Hey,” Eddie leans over the bar like he’s got a secret to tell. “Where’s your sister?”

“I took her shift, she’s home. Why?”

Eddie scratches his head as he talks, suddenly shy. “I uh, wanted to ask her something.” 

“Can I take a message for you?”

Eddie stares at him like a deer caught in headlights. “Nah, man. I’ll just text her tomorrow.” He turns to walk away, but Chris thinks better of it.

“Hey, Ed?”

“Yeah?’ He spins on his heel to face Chris again.

“What’s the plan here?”

He cocks his head to the side, confused. “Plan?”

“With Bee. What’s your, like, end game?”

“I don't–”

“Because to me,” Chris interrupts, “it seems like you wanna take her out. Wine and dine her, maybe get a little frisky? Am I on the right track here?”

“Whoa, dude, I never–”

“Look, man,” Chris throws the bar rag over his shoulder and leans across the counter, signaling Eddie to do the same. “I see the way you guys look at each other. She wouldn’t admit it to me if I begged, but I’m not stupid. That weirdo shit I saw you guys doing at the party–”

Eddie blushes bright red. “You saw that?”

“The whole town saw it, dumb ass. That solidified what I already knew.”

“Chris, I swear I have no ulterior motives with your sister.”

Chris leans back. “No, ‘course not. Just the pure intention of loving her forever and ever until you both get old and die in each other’s arms.” 

Eddie blinks rapidly, trying to recover from the verbal whiplash. “I can’t tell which side you’re on here, man.”

“I’m on yours. And Bee’s. Whatever you guys end up doing, if it’s what you want then I’m happy for you. I just have to ask you one favor.”

He hesitates. “What would that be?”

“You can’t break her heart again.”

“Yeah, because I totally plan on doing that.” He crosses his arms over his chest, leaning away. Guarded.

“Ed, you know what I mean. You can’t just disappear back to a fuckin’ bunker in the woods every time things get hard.”

Present Day

“What did he say?” You find yourself waiting with bated breath for Chris’s story to continue, and you inwardly cringe at your eagerness.

Chris is far more nonchalant, shrugging. “He promised me he wouldn’t. I don’t know what that means for you, though. If you haven’t noticed, he’s not the best decision maker when it comes to people’s feelings. He might think ‘not hurting’ means leaving you alone forever. Which, I hope, is not the case. I have a bet I need to win.”

You gasp in fake offense, kicking your brother in the leg. “Even my own flesh and blood is betting on my love life. I have a hard time believing this is such an interest of yours.”

“Are you kidding? This would make up for everything! If you and Eddie get together I have paid my debt to you with interest!”

“I can’t even begin to respond to that. Get out of my room. Now.” 

Chris puts his hands up in surrender and stands from your bed. “Alright, alright. I’m done teasing. Just, give it some thought, okay? Real reflection. Let me know when you come around to the reality the rest of us are living in.” And he shrugs like he’s just dropped a massive truth bomb so big you can’t even comprehend it. 

“Get. Out.”

And he closes the door behind him. Not knowing what else to do, you snatch your phone from your bedside table. 

> can i come over?  eddie (block later): weeeird. i was gonna ask u that eddie (block later): need a ride? eddie: let me pick u up  > kk, i’ll be here eddie: see u in ten eddie: : )

–

You wait for him on the curb, an attempt to avoid seeing Chris’s smug face when Eddie picks you up. You hear the van before you see it, practically screeching as it chugs down your street, music blaring from its ancient speakers, smoke pouring out from the windows. At first, no words are exchanged, the drive back to Eddie’s apartment spent in comfortable quiet as his music hummed in the speakers. He’d turned down the radio upon you getting into the van, but neither of you have been able to say the first hello. 

He seems to sense it, too. “So, um… how’s your day goin’?” His eyes are glued to his windshield.

“It’s goin’.” You nod awkwardly, and he hums in response. “Chris gave me a lecture this morning.” You offer the subject cautiously.

“Oh yeah? What about?” 

You’re not sure you should divulge that, suddenly. “Oh, um… you, I guess.” No response. You hesitate, but he turns his head slightly to look at you in his peripheral vision, anticipating your next words. “He told me he talked to you after the party.” 

“Oh, yeah. I’d call it more of a lecture than a conversation though..” 

You frown at his tone. “How come?”

“Because he didn’t let me explain. I could have given him a million different scenarios, and he’d still tell me I’m not…” He trails off.

“Not what, Ed?”

He doesn’t answer, cutting sharply into the parking lot of his building, throwing the ancient vehicle into park. He cuts the engine, the music stopping abruptly as Eddie, who’d already been unbuckled, turns his body to face you. “That I’m not good enough for you, Bee. That I don’t deserve you, your friendship, whatever. And I can’t even say he’s wrong.” 

You frown at him.“What about me asking to see you tells you that I want you to stay away from me, Ed?” 

“I– uh,” You’ve seemed to have rendered him speechless, temporarily. 

“Sure, being friends with you… it’s torture. Every time I look at you, it feels like grieving all over again.” You take on a lighter, more playful cadence that Eddie somehow seems to miss.

“Oh. Christ, ouch.” The way he says it sounds like a heart cracking. He doesn’t ask you to explain, the look on his face tells you he’s already convinced himself of what you’re saying, before you’re allowed to elaborate. “Look, at least let me plead my case before you curse my name forever. I know I didn’t do the right thing. We’ve been over all of this. What you don’t know, though, is what I was doing, when we stopped being friends. You wanna know what I was doing?”

You gulp. You kind of do really want to know, so you nod. 

“Moping. Weeping. It was months before I could fall asleep before four a.m. I was fuckin’ pathetic.” He’s barely able to look you in the eye as he continues, the words tumbling out of his mouth without even pausing to breathe. He leaves no room for you to interject to correct his assumption, so you watch as he falls apart, helpless. “Wayne sent me to see Hopper. He’s got like this bunker thing in the forest out in Vermont, told me he’d help me get my shit together. And he did, I can tell you all about that later. Wait, shit. No, I can’t. Not if you’re— hold on, sorry. I’m nervous.” He scratches his head, gathering his scattered thoughts. “Anyway. I didn’t move on, but I… I coped. I was numb, honestly. I bounced around out there for a bit, met some really cool people, worked at a bookstore. Figured I’d make a life for myself out there, y’know?”

“Sounds like you had it pretty good.” You’re antagonizing him now, bitterness seeping into your tone. 

“Sure, from an outsider’s perspective. I never let myself fully heal, though. I couldn’t make myself reach out. I wanted to, and I know that’s a terrible excuse, but it’s the truth. But I didn’t think you’d wanna hear from me. I thought about it every single day, though. Stalked your pages, typed out messages I could never make myself send. Figured I’d dug my own grave and had to get over it.” You almost break, the way he looks at you, wounded. Guilt ridden. “And I wanna make it clear, I’m not asking for you to forgive any of it. You have every right to stay mad at me, for however long you need to be. Even if that means forever. I just have to say my piece before I lose the chance. I don’t wanna run away again.” 

“Keep talking.” Your voice gets caught in your throat as you speak, playful demeanor cracking pathetically quick. You let yourself look at him without flinching. The freckles on his face, though barely visible if you’re not looking for them, are more prominent to you now as the sun shines through the windshield. You can practically see every pore, every wisp of hair on his face.

“I’m sorry.” His voice barely reaches your ears. “I am so fucking sorry. I know you’re tired of hearing it, but, y’know, I’d change every goddamn thing leading up to that day if I could. No question. I don’t know how I can even begin to prove that to you. I know nothing I say will be enough to forgive me, but I don’t think I can go back to never speaking to you.”

 You look at him, and this time it feels like exhaling. It’s taken this long to dawn on you that Eddie is here, let alone that he feels this remorseful. You had made him out to be careless– even mean– when he’d been wracked with guilt to the point of running away. There is no doubt in your mind that he means every word, that he really would do anything to make it up to you.

“You know… you didn’t let me finish.” You finally respond, your tone steady now. He only blinks at you, the chatterbox somehow at a loss for words, eyes shining with the tears he hasn’t let fall. “It’s not that I don’t want to be your friend. I just… I can’t. I keep telling myself I can, and every time I look at you it feels like I’m grieving all over again, mourning the loss of everything we could have possibly had.” You’re leaning in, over the console as you speak, distracting yourself from the line you’re about to cross, before you’re even sure it’s the right move.“You can stop me. I might be wrong, but I’m about to do something really scary and I don’t know how you’re gonna react.” You wait for him to answer, and he nods, still not a word leaving his lips. You close the gap, squeezing your eyes shut like you’re bracing for impact. He catches your mouth with his, and you hear him breathe out like he’d been holding it the whole car ride. 

He lets you lead, mouth moving only as a response to your own, and you test the waters by nipping at his bottom lip. Without hesitating, Eddie parts his lips and you slip your tongue past them, earning a strangled groan that you swallow with a newfound pride as his tongue slides against yours. Eagerly, your hands fly to his neck and tangle in his curls, knotted by the prior winds from the open windows. His own hands move slowly to caress your face as if you’re made of glass, like you’re something precious he’s afraid to break, and it makes your head fuzzy. You break the contact only to catch your breath, and Eddie’s lips chase after yours like he needs them to keep breathing. 

“Not yet,” He mumbles between kisses, “Please. Few more.” You can’t help but giggle, immediately embarrassed by the way your stomach is flipping, but he just keeps his lips on yours. You let him take over, and he wastes no time adjusting your position, pulling you impossibly closer to him, over the center console so that you’re practically in his lap. Despite the quickness of his movements, Eddie kisses you impossibly slow. Time seems to stop, and all you can focus on is the way it feels: like a missing piece falling into place, a blurry picture into focus. He’s infiltrated your senses, your thoughts, removing any semblance of the world outside his van. 

“Should we go inside?” Your words are rushed, refusing to detach from him for too long. 

“Maybe,” kiss. “Only if we can keep doing this though.” Kiss, kiss. 

You snort a laugh. “That works for me.” Eddie moves from your lips then, to your jaw and down the column of your throat, and you are suddenly far too aware of how hard you’re breathing. “You’re so fuckin’ pretty.” He’s talking under his breath, barely reaching your ears, but you are still too taken by surprise to respond. You can only giggle again as his nose and lips tickle your skin. 

“You can do it again, if you want.”

“Do what?”

“Bite me.”

He doesn’t need to think. Eddie sucks your skin between his teeth, and you can feel the sharp pinch of his bite, soothed by his tongue before he repeats the process until you’re practically writhing in his grip, losing your breath each time he moves to a new spot.

–

You barely make it into Eddie’s apartment before you’re shoving him against the wall of the entryway, simultaneously kicking your shoes off as you crane your neck to keep your lips attached to his skin. 

“Christ, doll. Breathe, I’m not goin’ anywhere.” 

You only hum in response, trailing soft kisses down his neck, hands sliding over the soft fabric of his worn out t-shirt. You have no idea where the confidence came from, where you finally grew the guts to kiss him, and keep kissing him. Sure, you’d always had a level of feelings for Eddie you couldn’t quite describe, and everyone else constantly teased you for it, but finally letting that part of you see the light of day has been invigorating so far. 

“Can’t be so sure.” You eventually mumble a response between planting kisses at the point where his jaw meets his ear, and Eddie shudders. 

“Hey,” He pulls back then, face lost of any blush from before. “I’m serious. I’m right here. Nowhere else I’d rather be.”

“Not even the Playboy mansion?” You tease, suddenly bashful as you poke his shoulder, not meeting his eyes. 

Eddie cups his hand under your shin, bringing your head up to look at him. “First of all, gross. Secondly, not even the Playboy mansion. Not even on stage with Metallica.” “Whoa, hold on, let’s not get crazy.” You’re not good with this much attention, especially from him. It’s like you weren’t just all over him mere seconds ago. 

“Bee, I know it’s gonna take you a lot of time to trust me, but I’ll keep tellin’ you ‘til I’m blue in the face. I’m gonna prove it to you.” This time, he closes the gap between you, sealing his promise with a soft, slow kiss, and your eyes flutter closed. 

–

Eventually, you do have to stop kissing him, much to your dismay. You don’t want to, and from the way he pouted when you’d mentioned taking a break, Eddie doesn't either. “You wanna smoke?”

His eyes light up at the offer. “You’re asking me to smoke with you?”

“Eddie, you just had your tongue down my throat. I think we’re past the point of this being a surprise.”

“Mmm, no. I don’t think so. This is still the highest honor. C’mon, you,” Eddie turns his attention to the cat, who is definitely less than pleased to be disturbed. “We can smoke on the balcony, it’s nice out.” He plucks a lighter from his coffee table, and you pull a joint from its tube in your bag.

“You roll that?”

“No, I had Robin help me out. You know, being in a state where weed isn’t legal is making my life really difficult. In New York they have dispensaries fuckin’ everywhere.”

Eddie tsks at you. “You know those places are putting me out of business, right?”

You roll your eyes. “You’ll be fine if you plan on staying somewhere like Hawkins, don’t worry. Plenty of rich kids to overcharge for your product.” You nudge him, snatching the lighter from his fingers and opening the sliding door to his small balcony. It’s cozy, a bug net draped along the railing, a small table with an ashtray and lantern in the middle, with cozy patio chairs on either side. 

“So,” Eddie brings the lighter to the end of the joint, lighting it for you. You inhale, eyes closing as you focus on the feeling of your lungs filling with smoke. “Why now?”

“Hm?”

“You kissed me. We kissed. I’m not, like, complaining. Far from it. I just wanna know what changed.”

“That’s the thing,” You pluck the joint from your lips and exhale, handing it off. “I don’t really know if anything changed. Not explicitly, anyway. I just… wanted to.” 

He seems to shy away from your words, a small smile on his lips as his eyes dart to the ground. Eddie is not a bashful person, anyone could vouch for that. He’s loud, obnoxious, and extremely talkative. He says what he thinks, usually without filtering his words through the part of his brain that stops him from saying stupid shit. What he’s doing now is foreign to you, but it somehow boosts your own confidence.

Eddie takes a pull from the joint as you continue. “I know our relationship isn’t the simplest thing in the world. I also know that, when we stopped talking, it was the worst thing that had ever happened to me. We were kids, and everything felt like the end of the world, but I had never lost someone like that before. I don’t ever wanna go through that again.” 

“What does that mean for us, then?”

It’s a good question, and you’re not sure you have a good enough answer for him. “I’m not sure. I know you’re important to me, and I know how I feel when I’m with you. I just… I don’t wanna make a promise I can’t keep.”

He nods, handing the joint back to you. “I get it. No rush, by the way. Like I said, I don’t plan on going anywhere.”

“Well, what do you want this to be?” You take a drag, looking out at the distant horizon of your small town. It all feels so far away, like the world around you is on mute. 

“I just want you in my life. However you want, whatever that may mean. My feelings for you have been out there forever, but I don’t want you to think they have to be reciprocated. It’s okay if they’re not.”

“Your feelings for me?”

He nods, watching intently as you ash the joint, not meeting your eyes. “I mean, c’mon. All of our friends, your brother, even Wayne knows. I’ve never been known for my subtlety.” He chuckles softly, and you look at him. “I’ve had a thing for you since we were kids, Bee. I thought you knew that?” Deep down, you’re sure you’d known. That doesn’t make hearing it from him isn’t jarring. “It’s always been you. Everything else was a waste of time, a distraction from the pain I’d caused us both.”

“Even Chrissy?” You challenge, smirking.

He nods, though, face free of any humor. “Especially Chrissy. I’m pretty sure she knew it, too.”

You roll your eyes. “Such a heartbreaker.”

“I know. I don’t condone who I was then, but I was trying to get over you. All that progress is out the window now though.”

You give him a toothy grin as you hand the smoke back to him. “If it makes you feel any better, I'm pretty sure I had those feelings, too.”

“Had? Past tense?”

“Yeah, totally past tense, proven by the way I was sucking on your face half an hour ago.” You roll your eyes at him, and he laughs loudly, making your stomach flip again. “Just, give me some time. Let’s maybe not tell anyone about this yet?” It’s not that you’re ashamed, or that you want to keep this from your friends. You just don’t know what this is, and you kind of want to keep Eddie all to yourself for now.

“Aye, aye. On one condition, though.”

“What’s that?”

“I get to keep kissing you.” He turns redder than you’d thought possible. “If you’re cool with that.”

“I think I can live with that condition.” You lean over the arm of the chair, and he quickly snubs the joint in the ashtray before meeting you in the middle, his lips already molding perfectly against yours, like they’d been made for each other. You can feel the way his lips curl into a smile as you deepen the kiss, already unwilling to let him go again. 

“I gotta pace myself.” He breaks the kiss eventually to speak, and you pout at him. “I’m gonna get greedy.”

There’s a heat in the pit of your stomach, and you try not to squirm under his gaze. “Would it be helpful or harmful to inform you that I want you to keep going?”

“Fuck. C’mere.” His words slur together as he offers his hand out to you. When you grab it, he pulls you from your own chair, onto his lap and buries his head in your neck, breathing deeply. “You’re so soft. Y’smell so good, too. Can’t believe you’re lettin’ any of this slide.” As if on autopilot, Eddie returns to marking up your neck. You let him, sighing into his touch as you try to focus on the way his hands grip your hips like he’s afraid you’ll slip through his fingers.

“Makes two of us,” Your dig is without malice, because it’s the least surprising thing, if you were to ask anyone you and Eddie had grown up with. “Can’t believe it hadn’t happened sooner.” You feel him shift, and he looks up at you.

“Really? You think we’d have tried it out in high school?

You shrug. “All things considered, I know we would’ve at least given it a shot eventually. There is no universe where we don’t. Not if you make me feel like this.”

When you look at him again, your heart practically shatters at the sight: silent tears streaming down his cheeks, bottom lip quivering, nostrils flaring in an attempt to hold back the sob in his throat. “I- I don’t even know what to say.”

“That’s a first.” You quip, swiping your thumb across his wet cheek. “You don’t have to say anything. Let me give you something else to do with your mouth, hm?”

He nods, neck straining towards you without even realizing. You place your hand on his cheek and take another look at him, one that hopefully conveys the millions of thoughts racing through your head right now, and lean in to kiss him yet again. His lips are slightly salty from his tears, but you relish in the honesty he’d shown you, the vulnerability you weren’t used to seeing from Eddie. He ‘s finally being real with you, and you cannot take that for granted.

–

crispy: u comin’ home? The message lights up your screen, and you look from the TV flashing images of an old slasher movie to respond: > maybe. not sure yet, dont wait up crispy: u with ed? > dont u have my location crispy: wanted to see if u’d lie > asshole crispy: use protection! c u later ;p

You roll your eyes, tossing your phone onto the empty cushion, and reach over to pet Ethel, who’s asleep purring in Eddie’s lap. Eddie casually stretches his arm out, resting it on the back of the sofa, and you hesitate only for a minute before scooching into the space he’s made for you against his ribcage. You rest your head on his chest, closing your eyes to focus solely on the rise and fall of his chest, heartbeat steady but a little quicker than seems normal, making you bloom with a quiet pride. For once, there is no sense of impending doom, no waiting for the other shoe to drop. Being here, with him, feels right.

[jmr-observingfromafar]

Hi!! What's your fav Ronance related scene in Stranger Things?

aaa hello!!!! (this is so exciting)

ok fav ronance scene lets go!

i feel like any ronancer out here adores the library scene lmao that one's kinda obvious (for good reason too) – but besides that, the scene where Robin's looking thru Nancy's room ("you have a tom cruise poster") is so so funny Robin's such a cutie in this one and Nancy is so done with her shit i love it so much

in terms of which one makes me crash out the most, the super short bit where they're at the stairs and Look at each other for a second before Nancy goes "we have a plan" (asdjhsadsladjldjs i can'tttt) lmao it's so short but it's the best thing ever

ty so much for the ask! ok your turn im curious what ur favorite scene is!!!

[ravenlikesth1ngs]

the way we just keep winning

[astreinomane]

Robin: I wasn't that drunk last night.

Mike: You asked Nancy if she was a horse so you could ride her like a cowboy.

Robin: And who convinced you I don't say things like that to her when I'm sober?

Mike: ...........I'm sorry, WHAT?!

[steviesbicrisis]

The Choice is Yours, Steve Harrington

When Steve Harrington starts getting threatening texts from an unknown number, he tries to take matters into his own hands. Little does he know that every choice he makes could have major consequences. His choices matter, and so do yours. So, what’s it gonna be? (An interactive modern day AU! by @steviesbicrisis and @hairstevington)

✦•······················•✦•······················•✦

Ugh. Hargrove.

The guy was just - he really sucked, and Steve wished he was fucking gone. Now he was threatening Henderson? No way. Steve was going to settle this once and for all. Billy wasn’t going to mess with him anymore, he’d make sure of it.

Of course, Dustin was at the stupid concert. Steve really wanted to avoid it, but obviously he would do anything to protect his friends. He headed off to the Fairgrounds, practicing his speech to Billy the whole drive.

Listen to me, asshole. You’re gonna stay away from me and you’re definitely gonna stay away from my friends, or else. Got it?

By the time Steve got to the concert, it was winding down. People were pouring into the parking lot and speeding away in their cars. Steve knew that the kids planned on sticking around afterwards in hopes of meeting the band, so he figured they’d still be there.

It was kind of scary, being there alone at night. Robin was around somewhere, though, so that gave him some peace. He could probably just say her name three times and she’d appear beside him.

He continued looking for his friends as the place emptied out, feeling chills down his spine with every passing moment.

And then, he heard Billy’s voice. He sounded angry, as always. Steve followed the voice, puffing his chest out and trying to make himself look as intimidating as possible.

“Hargrove,” he said once he rounded the corner. Billy was alone, and he smiled the moment he realized it was Steve approaching him.

“Harrington!” he cheered wickedly. “To what do I owe the pleasure?” Steve rolled his eyes.

“You’re gonna leave us alone,” Steve demanded. “Me, Dustin, my other friends, all of us.” Billy smiled, fearlessly closing the gap between him and Steve until their faces were inches apart.

“Or what?” Billy teased between gritted teeth. “What are ya gonna do to me, Steve? You think you could take me down?”

Steve swallowed. Something about Billy always brought out his worst, most violent urges. Truthfully, Steve knew he wouldn’t win in a fight with Hargrove, and yet - he threw the first punch.

Steve’s fist clocked into Billy’s jaw. He laughed in response, then tried to hit back, but Steve dodged it. He was doing well at first - keeping up, at least - and then Billy got the upper hand.

Steve fell to the floor. Billy got on top of him. There was punch after punch after punch, and then everything went black.

When Steve came to, his ears were ringing and his head felt like it was going to explode. He’d failed. He’d come here to protect Dustin, and now who knew where he was or if he was safe? Steve sat up, and that’s when he saw that he still wasn’t alone.

Billy was on the floor across from him, sitting up with his back to the wall. He wasn’t moving. Steve couldn’t see much in the dim light, so he used his phone to get a better look.

Oh.

Oh, shit. There was blood everywhere, all stemming from stab wounds to the stomach and cuts on his arms.

Billy was dead.

Steve jumped backwards, falling over and skittering across the floor to get as much distance from the body as possible. This wasn’t happening. No, this wasn’t - who could have done this?

His shaky hand went back to his phone, which he’d dropped on the floor upon his discovery. He picked it up to call the police, because that’s what he knew he was supposed to do next. Even in his shock, he knew that’s what he had to do.

He dialed 9-1-1, and then his phone buzzed.

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