#i'm scared of nancy

[herecirmsims]

Oh I forgot to share! Sax has managed to drip his way into the semifinals! I feel like the picture of him looking disheveled while crying, bleeding, and handcuffed has done a lot of heavy lifting, but here are some more memes anyway.

If you'd like to vote for or against him (whichever is funnier honestly) then you still have time!

SEMIFINALS - Simblr's Saddest, Wettest Meow Meow - Mainline

Saxen (@herecirmsims) VS. Geoffrey Landgraab (@fallstaticexit)

(polls are presented left -> right unless stated otherwise)

My oh my! Semifinals already?? The winner of this poll will go on to battle the eventual winner of the losers' bracket. So close to the finish line!

Who's sadder? Who's wetter? Most importantly, who deserves to move on to the finals, to defend their title?? Read on for more information, and vote with your heart!

What is a ‘Meow Meow’?

(taken from tumblr user @/torturelabyrinth) “The thing about a true poor little meow meow is they have to be 1) downtrodden 2) morally questionable at best 3) deeply and pathetically miserable”

Saxen

Things Sax does extremely well: fainting and bleeding (separately), fainting and bleeding (combination), rotting in bed, crying or being completely stoic (no in between), causing more problems while trying to fix his previous problems, omitting certain truths (aka lying).

Now, I don't know if he really counts as an SWMM because he's not a classic villain... but in his pursuit of Doing The Right Thing he has made some awful choices. Good intentions, poor outcomes.

I present the evidence beneath the cut:

Some of his crimes:

In an attempt to save his sister, he left his post and facilitated the escape of a world-devouring entity which he was supposed to help contain.

After his sister died he made another attempt to save her, via necromancy, and instead doomed her to an endless cycle of death and rebirth. Until recently, none of her reincarnations were healthy enough to survive infancy.

He befriended the parents of this latest incarnation without filling them in on the backstory, or his motives. After they were killed by his enemy, he took the baby and kept her hidden for 11 years (did she have grandparents, uncles, aunts? Yes, probably. He claims they couldn't have cared for her like he did and technicallyyyy he's right, since her survival required magic, but...)

He broke the arm of one of his 'adopted' adult kids (he has an enchanted cottage which has been a refuge for a lot of people) when said adult tried to prevent him from killing someone else. Yes, technically he did only push Thom and didn't intend for Thom to hit the wall so hard, but...

Long story short but his home world didn't end, it was just knocked out of its timeline for a while. Unfortunately, due to his actions on the day the Grim escaped (attacking portal guards and forcing his way through the rift, just as an unrelated-to-him group stormed the castle), he was a) assumed dead and b) immediately arrested on his return for treason and attempted regicide.

He's a constant menace and cause of stress to his man, the kindest and sweetest soul to ever live. He doesn't mean to be, it's just that his attempts to keep Fen safe often seem to involve risking himself in increasingly creative and fatal ways.

Why should you vote for Sax? Well, I think his endless complex trauma and the fact that almost all his misfortunes happened because he was trying to fix things/help people makes him pretty damn tragic and definitely very damp. He could do with a win. Plus... look at him. 🥲

Geoffrey Langraab

What makes Geoffrey a Sad, Wet Meow Meow? What’s more pathetic: marrying the girl of your dreams just for her to turn you into the biggest cuck in the tristate area or slowly gaining consciousness but still pretending you don’t see it because what’s wrong with a little sobbing into your wine glass over your cheating wife’s affair? Geoffrey’s sweet, sensitive nature has paved way for him to be a meek, spineless fluff of a man that will stand outside on the front porch with bated breath for the return of his wife after she plows yet another woman into the mattress under the guise of running a multimillion dollar company (it’s both).

This is the same man who look his own sons in the eyes and know they deserve better but will quietly beg for it from across the room because communication is scary when your wife has walls as thick as the mascara that runs down your face. And just when you start to have an ounce of faith; you’re reminded this is the man who saw with his own four eyes actual hickies on the inside of his wife thighs and chooses to do- well. NOTHING. 😀 Because if you never acknowledge your cheating wife’s passionate affair, did it actually happen? 😏

[lucassinclaer-archive]

@stcreators event 06: tropes teens & hero tropes

[freakaz0-id]

i think i might cry if they don't pair up nancy and robin again in s5. i might explode and die.

[theindescribable1]

tell me the story on when you were a jerk

:)

ah. Tis but the truth...I have not always been this kind and lovable gremlin...

Once I was a jerk! And it was some weird phase? Idk..

So basically, in my 5th grade elementary school I had a group of great friends! We'd always hang out! But I think I started talking to the mean kids and well.. Its like they converted my smooth brain to become an absolute nightmare! I was really rude to my friends and they were always just left confused. I made one 4th grade student cry because I decided to push them over and step on their hand, I made one other 5th grade student shed a tear after I yeeted him off the jungle gym.. (( I'm sorry :,] )) And once, I was talking some trash to the quiet kid, calling her some names... You know, 5th grade stuff... And she was Pissed. Ok I'm telling you DON'T MESS WITH THE QUIET KID... She dropped all of her things, cracked her knuckles, then punched me so hard in the stomach that I forgot how to breath for a solid 5 seconds. THAT WAS A STRONG PUNCH!!! I was just sitting on the floor looking at her. I was just like... trying to process what happened. She then pjcked up her stuff and walked past... well no she walked on and then past me. She stepped on my hand... Shocker.

...Don't be a jerk guys! You'll get punched so hard that you'll be knocked back to 1st grade! I was converted back to good boi after that. My friends forgave me! 🥲👍

((Shoutout to Nancy from 5th grade. You have strong punches and I'm scared of you))

[ihaveissueslol]

So.. Holly, Mike, and Karen are all in the new trailer.. but Nancy isn't.

[loumauve]

You’re Gonna Go Far (Noah Kahan, Brandi Carlile) is such a Stranger Things kids leaving Hawkins song

[futureinourhands]

Tag Dump 3/4 -- Muses, pt 1

[teaboot]

Sorry to bother you with this, but I just don't really know what to do and would like some advice.

I'm a teenager in high school and I've been reading more and more about politics and the world and it just leaves me feeling tired and hopeless.

I see violence against women every day and both political parties of my country encourage it. I feel scared and hopeless and I don't know what to do about it. I'm scared that I'll be attacked in one way or another.

Do you have any advice for this kind of thing?

Society is cyclical. One generation learns a lesson and teaches it to the children who take it to an extreme, then their children learn a lesson and teach it to their children who take it to an extreme. Like the width of your high-heeled shoes, or the height of your waistband or the size of your hair.

One thing we have seen over and over and over again is that things will swing to the furthest possible edge of a dichotomy, and when it it can go no further it swings back the other way.

It’s a scary time to be living, yes. The collapse of Rome was probably pretty scary too. The idea of big things changing like that is scary.

But also, we’re not nobility, we’re peasants, and those of us in North America are still very very blessed right now. As bad as things are, through all of (vague gesture upwards), we’re still going to have to work. We’re still going to go to school. We’re still going to wash the dishes and scoop cat litter. And through all that, we’re going to see our neighbours, and our teachers, and random kids on the street, and cashiers and homeless folks and middle-aged women named Nancy, every damn day of the week.

And while we can’t control our governments (apparently) or our economy or the fucking price of beef, we’re going to see each other far more than we’re going to see politicians and oil tycoons.

Civilizations collapse all the time. Governments fall apart all the time. The people don’t have to collapse with it.

So what you do is the best you can. You wash the dishes. You scoop the cat litter. You go to work and you go to school and keep doing all the boring and mundane and unglamorous things they don’t tell you about the end of the Roman Empire and you CARE ABOUT PEOPLE and be KIND to them, and then when you come across a clear and baldfaced injustice in front of you that you can DO something about you think to yourself, “I could help, but I don’t want to, because it’ll be hard and uncomfortable and awkward and I don’t know what I’m doing and I’ll hate it so much the entire time,” and then you do something anyway.

Because if you’re going to be scared no matter what, you might as well be scared making things better. You might as well be scared with a friend. You might as well be scared while you keep the world moving than scared in a hole in your yard, ‘cause without the bomb, the only real difference between a lone man in a bomb shelter and a dead body in a casket is a can of meat and an air filter.

Things could be worse. Things could GET worse. We’re not all going to be okay. That sucks. Now grab whoever’s on your left and hold on.

[writtenbyan-aries]

Summary: anon request - "Can you do a one shot where y/n does the Estes method and it's revealed to her that she's pregnant like no one knows not even her and can it be for Sam please and thank you!!"

Warnings: SMUT18+, strong language, pregnant reader, reader being touched and spoken to by spirits, talk of death, murder, etc., fluff with a dash of sexual innuendos, teasing, ya know until they get back to the hotel and it's unprotected shower sex, hair pulling, dirty talk, etc.

Word count: 7.6k | not edited

Today into tonight, you were investigating the Nancy Hall Mansion.

You were kind of excited about this because last night, before going to sleep, Sam talked you into doing your very first Estes session.

You can't lie, you were nervous, maybe a bit more than you honestly thought because as soon as you sat up, your stomach flipped and you headed towards the bathroom.

Sam rolls over, reaching for you, but lifts his head when he can't feel you under his arm, "Y/n?" He calls out, but you're too busy dry heaving over the toilet you can't answer him.

He gets up, making his way to the bathroom as he rubs his eyes, but quickly snaps awake when he sees you getting sick, "Shit, hey." He comes over, holding your hair back, "You're okay."

He rubs his hand soothingly up and down your back, "Little bit nervous, are we?" He laughs a slightly and you stand up, "I think so."

You clean up and walk back out to the bedroom where you lay on the bed, "We're you nervous your first time doing this?"

He sits next to you, rubbing your leg, "I mean, I don't think I puked, but yeah, I was nervous."

You lay a hand on your forehead, trying to see if you're warm or not, but you feel fine, honestly.

"Do you still want to go tonight?" Sam asks and you look at him, "Um, yeah." You smile and sit up, "I think it was just first morning jitters, I totally forgot about it until I woke up more."

"I'll be with you the whole time." Sam smiles and leans down to kiss you, and it was like you needed it without even knowing.

His kiss lit a fire inside of you and you pulled him towards you, indicating that you needed him. He smirks against your lips, "Mm.. I see what you're doing here."

"What am I doing Mr. Golbach?" You bite your lip, smiling up at him. He slips a hand between your legs and slips his fingers into the band of your sweatpants, "You know exactly what you're doing."

He leans down to kiss your neck as his hand works further into your pants, "And it's working." You close your eyes, letting out a quiet moan as his fingers circle your clit, "We have to be quick, babe. Because co-"

Colby knocks before opening the door, "Yo, yo, yo! Who's ready to talk to an old lady ghost today?"

Sam quickly pulls his hand from your sweats and moves off of you, "And he'll be there, too." Sam Sighs and laughs as he nods towards Colby.

"Awe. Is someone having scared feelings?" Colby asks in a baby voice tone as he walks over and plops down next to Sam.

You roll your eyes, "No way in hell, Brock. You actually just interu-."

"Lalala, I don't need to hear that." Colby shakes his head and you and Sam laugh.

You sit up and close your eyes as you feel dizzy, but you quickly shake it off, chalk it up to being you needing breakfast.

"I'm hungry. I'll go start cooking if you guys wanna pack the stuff up." You stand up and Sam grabs your hand, gently pressing his lips to your knuckles, "Sure thing, babe."

"Sure thing, babe." Colby repeats, mocking Sam, "Ugh, you guys are so cute, it makes me sick."

"Anytime, Colby." You give him a cheesy smile before walking downstairs. You did feel odd today. Something was off, you just couldn't put your finger on it.

"Whatcha making, gorgeous?" Sam asks walking down the stairs and you give him a small smile, "The breakfast usual."

He sits down at the island and leans forward, "are you okay, y/n?"

You turn around from the stove and nod, "Yeah. I'm good. Why?"

He shrugs, "you just seem like you're coming down with something and if-" you lean over the counter, laying your hands on his, "I feel fine, Sam. I think I just need to eat some toast or something."

He squeezes your hands and nods, "Alright. If you say so."

.·:*¨ ✘ ¨*:·.

The car ride was different, too. Usually you sit in the middle in the back, adding commentary here and there, but today you had to sit by the window or you felt car sick.

"Are you sure you feel up for this, babe?" Sam glances back at you, "You look kinda pale."

"Yeah, and you're not giving me shit, what's up with that?" Colby turns around and looks back at you from the passenger seat, "Are you feeling okay?"

You laugh slightly, "I might take a nap, I honestly just feel tired right now."

You roll your eyes, mocking Colby as he makes a smart comment about Sam keeping you up all night, "that is in fact not the case." You hold up your finger and laugh, "Now let me nap in peace."

You fold up Sam's hoodie that was thrown next to you and use it as a pillow rested up against the door.

You close your eyes, trying to nap but all you can hear is Sam and Colby talking quietly.

"Is she okay?" Colby whispers.

"I think so." Sam says, but he could tell there was something off about you too. He just didn't know what.

.·:*¨ ✘ ¨*:·.

"What's up guys? It's Sam and Colby." Colby says they do their introductory clip, "Today we are here at the Nancy Hall Mansion."

You suddenly get a wave of nausea, repeating 'don't puke' over and over in your head as you close your eyes.

Sam notices instantly and is right by your side, "Are you okay?"

You look up at him, "Yeah, I just got kinda dizzy."

"Like from the house or?" Colby asks walking up and you nod, "Yeah, I felt a very strong presence since we've been out of the car."

"Nancy Hall is said to be a good, loving spirit, but there is one, her husband who was said to be more on the darker side of things." Sam looks between you and Colby as he rubs your back.

"Okay. I think I'm good now, but I am going to just sit here.." you point to a big rock and sit down, taking a deep breath.

"I'll be right over here, if you need me just yell." Sam kisses your head and goes back over to the camera where they continue filming until the owner arrives.

You watch as the car slowly comes to a stop and a younger looking man gets out, "Hello." He holds up his hand as he walks over to you guys, "I'm Stephan, my parents own the place."

You stand up, walking over to meet Sam and Colby as they walk up to introduce themselves.

"Y/n." You say with a smile and reach out to shake his hand.

"Are you guys ready for the tour?" He motions towards the mansion and you all nod, following him up to the door, "So you'll get activity in any room basically."

"Really?" Colby asks, "By anyone in particular?"

Stephan pushes the door open and shrugs, "I mean, I personally don't spend much time here because I'm honestly scared of places like this, but I was told to tell you that they may or may not get attached to you."

You and Colby both look at Sam and he presses his lips together and sighs through his nose, "That's.. great.. exactly what I came here for."

Stephan looks confused and Colby laughs pointing to Sam, "This dude has a new ghost up his ass each week."

"That I do." Sam sighs and looks down and Stephan laughs, "You would be the one. Alright so." He spins in a circle, "This is my, um, we'll just say there's many greats before grandmother, but this was her house."

"And she's a very kind and loving spirit right?" You ask looking over at Stephan. He nods, "Yeah, my grandma, yes. Grandpa, not so much."

"Could you tell us why that is? I tried doing research but there's absolutely nothing about her husband." Colby looks at Stephan and Stephan pauses for a moment.

"My, again, many greats, grandfather was the type of person to get what ever he wanted no matter what it took." Stephan walks over to a room and opens the door, "He killed many men in this room and never admitted to it until on his deathbed."

"Did your grandma know?" You cross your arms and he shakes his head, "Everyone thinks she died not knowing, but I think she really knew and just didn't want to be his next victim. So she turned a blind eye to it all."

You nod as your eyes scan over the wall and you stop on a picture of a pregnant lady, "Was that your grandmother?" You point and Stephan walks over, "No that would be her daughter, same name and all."

"They like to carry on the family name. I don't blame them." You walk as the guys keep talking, asking questions and such, and you stop at a mirror.

You squint, leaning to the side slowly so you can get a better glimpse of the woman, in a long flowy dress, standing at the end of the hall behind you.

"I think she's here." You turn slightly and stare at her as she watches you, "Nancy?"

The figure nods once and turns, disappearing behind the one open door.

"What was she doing?" Colby asks pointing the camera on you. You smile, "She was just watching us."

"She does that. She was always watching out for everyone." Stephan motions towards the staircase, "Well head upstairs now if you want."

.·:*¨ ✘ ¨*:·.

Throughout the tour, you kept feeling dizzy or sick. Each time you felt that way, that's when Nancy would appear, almost like she's warding off the evil spirit that was once her husband.

"You okay?" Sam asks rubbing your arm.

You nod, "Yeah. I think she's trying to ward off her husband or something because every time I feel the tiniest bit dizzy, I see her appear and then I'm fine."

He lays his arm over your shoulder, "You got yourself two protectors tonight." He smirks and winks at you before walking back over to Colby and Stephan.

"So that is everything and I hate to cut it short but like I said, I hate being here." Stephan chuckles slightly as he looks around, "I have mad respect for you guys."

"Thank you." Sam and Colby say with smiles.

"Alright, I'll leave you to it. If you need anything just give me a shout." Stephan waves as he walks to the door, pulling it shut behind him.

"Okay, so what should we do first?" You look between them and Sam sighs, "I think we should the old flashlight trick with the REM pod."

Colby nods, "Should we start down here? Work our way up?"

Sam nods and looks at you, "You alright with that?"

"Yeah, I'm fine with whatever." You smile, "we can wait to do the Estes method until later on tonight if you want."

A smirk grows on Sam's lips and he nods, "Alright."

As Colby goes out to grab some equipment, Sam grabs your arm and pull you away from the door, pinning you against the one wall, "There's just.. something about you lately.."

His lips brush over yours as his hand slides down to put pressure between your legs and you bite your lip, whispering, "Sam.. we can't.."

He bites his lips, eyes still on yours, "We can, if you really want to."

A smirk toys with your lips and just as you're about to answer, Colby walks in, stopping when he sees Sam back away from you.

You look over at him and he laughs, "Please.. for the love of god, tell me you weren't just about to do it when I was right out there."

"We weren't just about to do it when you were right out there." Sam shrugs and laughs, which causes Colby to laugh, then you.

"Okay. Okay. You can do that later. I want to find out if Nancy knew her husband was a killer or not." Colby swings his backpack over his shoulder and you follow him down the hallway.

"This is the living room area where it is said that a lot of Nancy's husband's victims were poisoned. He would bring them here, get them drunk then slip something into their drinks that would eventually kill them." Colby explains as Sam pans the camera to him.

"Do we know her husband's name?" You ask as you walk up, "I don't think Stephan told us."

Sam shakes his head, "I don't think he did either. But I think it's something like Greggory, Greg maybe?"

A knocking sound comes from behind you and you turn around quickly, "Shit."

"Was that a knock?" Sam points the camera and holds it there for a few moments, "Okay." He turns back to Colby and as he holds up the EMF, "We can figure it out with this contraption, right here. This will allow who ever is here to answer with yes or no."

"And we will also be using the Alice box to kind of give us a better understanding as to who we are talking to." Sam adds while he shows the camera the box in his hand, "I'll give that to y/n."

You take the box, switching it on the same time Colby turns on the EMF.

"Is Nancy's husband in the room with us right now?" Colby asks and it switches to red, "Is this Nancy?"

Switches to green.

"Are you looking out for us?" Sam asks and it lights up green again.

The Alice box goes off, "Safe."

You look up at them and smile slightly, "I love Nancy." They smile and the box in your hand goes off again, "Greggory."

"Is that your husband's name?" You ask and watch was the EMF lights up green, "You were right, Sam."

He smirks and nods, "Just that good." He pretends to pop his collar and you smile as you laugh.

"Nancy, did you know that your husband killed those people?" Colby chews on his nail with anticipation.

The EMF lights up green and you frown, "We're you scared he would kill you next?"

The Alice box goes off, "He did."

"Whoa. Whoa. Wait. Wait wait." Colby shakes his hands, "They never said that... it was always said that she died of old age."

"Well that's obviously a lie." Sam says and the Alice box lights up green, "Nancy, did Greggory killed you?"

The box in your hand goes off, "Poison."

"So he killed her just like everyone else." Sam shakes his head and hands Colby the camera, "Nancy, did he kill you because he knew that you knew about what he was doing?"

The box goes red, then switches to green, then back to red, then green before the lights go out.

"I think Greggory doesn't want her to answer that." You look up and jump when you feel something touch your side, "Something just .. touched me." You move over to Sam, his arm instantly going around you, "You're okay."

"What did it feel like?" Colby asks as he continues to look around, "Like a hard touch or soft bush?" You run to Sam and demonstrate, "It was like a hand just lightly laid on my side, like right.." you lay you hand on Sam's side, "Here."

You lift your shirt, "I don't have any marks or anything. Nothing hurts."

"Nancy did you touch, y/n?" Sam asks and the EMF goes off green, along with the Alice box, "Protect."

"Protect? Are you protecting y/n from Greggory?" Sam asks and the box immediately goes back to green, and the box goes off again, "Gravid."

"What does that mean?" Colby asks and Sam shrugs, "I don't.. I don't know."

"Can Greggory answer a question for us?" Colby sighs, "Greggory, if you're here, can you tell us why you killed those people?"

The EMF switches to green.

"Did you do it for their money?" Colby asks and the Alice box repeats, "Money."

"So he did it for the money?" Sam asks and the EMF goes to green, "I'd say so." He laughs slightly and looks down at you, "You doing okay?"

"I feel like I need to sit down." You whisper and look over your shoulder, "I just got dizzy again."

"Why don't we take a break. Step outside for a little bit." Colby says and you both agree. Just as you're about to switch the Alice box off, another word comes through, "Sam."

"What the fuck?" Colby comes over, showing the camera what it just said, "What the hell."

Sam switches the box off and turns, "Let's go outside."

You make your way through the hallway, heading towards the door when you hear heavy footsteps behind you.

You all whip around, looking at each other when there was nothing there. You look at Colby, "Was that you?"

He shakes his head, "Swear to god that wasn't me."

"Let's give Greggory time to settle, then we can go to another room." Sam rubs your back as you walk to the door, he goes to open it but it won't budge, "Um. What the fuck is happening."

"You have to push.." you try it? Pushing down the little part above the handle, "Okay.. that wasn't like this before."

"Here let me try." Colby hands the camera to you, and you record them trying to get out. All while they're doing that, you feel the presence of something move behind you.

You shallow, keeping the camera on them, trying to brush it off, and it was working until you feel like someone breathed on your cheek.

"Fuck." You wipe your cheek and lean to the side, moving over to Sam, "I swear something like breathed on my cheek, like I feel a puff of warm air or something."

Sam rubs his thumb over the cheek you said, "Okay. We need to open this- Nancy." He pauses, "Can you please help us with the door?"

After a few more tries, Colby finally gets the door open and Sam chuckles, "Thank you, Nancy."

"Thank you, Nancy." You and Colby repeat in unison as you walk out the door. You walk over to the rock you sat on before and sit down, elbows on your knees as you feel like you're out of breath.

"you good?" Colby asks as he walks up. Sam sits next to you, "Do you need anything?"

You shake your head, "no I think I'm okay."

"We'll just sit here. If you're sick or anything, you're more vulnerable to Greggory and whoever else may be in there." Sam lays his arm over you and pulls you to him, "Nancy and Greggory sure seem to have it out for each other, still." He chuckles and Colby nods, "Oh yeah, did you see the way they were arguing over the EMF, crazy dude."

"That was nuts." Sam shakes his head, "I've never seen two spirits argue like that."

"Nancy is that bitch." You laugh, "she probably would have ended him if it wasn't for him doing it first."

"When we go back inside, I think we should try and talk to someone Greggory killed. See what they have to say." Colby suggests and Sam nods, "That's good idea."

You sigh, "Well, I'm ready so let's go back in."

You stand up and Sam takes your hand as he stands next to you, "No need to rush, we have all night, babe."

Something in you needed Sam right now, but with Colby standing right there, you didn't want to say anything, "Yeah.. yeah I know."

Sam's brow twitches, picking up the vibes you're giving him, "I see."

You lick your lips and smile, "So. Are we ready to-"

"In a minute." Sam says glancing over at Colby, "Colby walk away."

"But I-" Colby huffs and tries to fight it, "Where am I gunna go? I'm not going in there alone."

"You'll find somewhere." Sam grabs your hand and pulls you over to the car. Sam watches as Colby walks away, grumbling to himself, "We're here to do an investigation.."

You laugh and bite your lip as you look up at Sam. He looks down at you, "We can't do anything, but I promise, as soon as we get home.." he leans in, sliding his hands around to grip your ass, "You're mine."

"Why'd you tell Colby to walk away then?" You ask with a laugh. Sam shrugs, "To get on his nerves."

He looks up over the car, seeing Colby sit on the steps of the mansion, "Let's just give it another minute or two."

"You guys are awful." You shake your head and smile. Sam shrugs, "He knows I'll do anything for him. I just have to give him a hard time every once in a while. Keep things evened out."

You roll your eyes, laughing quietly as you turn to walk over to Colby, Sam following behind you.

"Are you done?" Colby stands up and Sam sighs, "For now."

Colby tries not to laugh, "You guys are ridiculous."

"But you looove us." You poke his arm and he nods, "Yeah, sadly I do." He laughs and motions to the door, "Ate we ready?"

.·:*¨ ✘ ¨*:·.

2:30 a m

You were exhausted at this point. You felt like you just ran a marathon, or two, but you didn't want to quit.

You still had your Estes session to do.

"Alright guys." Sam says as he gets the camera rolling, "as you saw, we've had non stop activity since we came back in, like what.." he looks around at you and Colby.

"It's been at least a few hours now." Colby says nodding, "We've actually had to take quite a few breaks throughout the course of being here and it's not so much Nancy herself.. I don't even know how to explain it really."

"The fighting between her and Greggory." You say and Sam turns the camera to you, "The two have so much power over this house and it's just... a lot."

Right as you say that, it sounds like walking downstairs, "Listen." You hold your hand out and point to the door.

"Is someone coming up the stairs?" Sam whispers and looks at Colby. He shrugs, "It sounds like it."

"We just-" Sam gets cut off by the sound of something walking in the hall, "Fuck, dude."

It stops and you all let out the breath you were holding, "Let's just go into Nancy's room." You point and walk out of the one room and into her bedroom."

"We are now in the room that Nancy not only resided in, but also died in." Sam says panning the camera slowly around.

"I feel oddly safe in this room." Colby says with a laugh, "Like out of all the rooms and stuff, like walking up those steps, I was looking behind me and shit."

"No I know what you mean. As soon as we walked through the door, I felt ten times better." You look around, "Her husband must not be allowed in here."

"What makes you say that?" Sam looks over at you and you point, "I have a feeling, but there's absolutely no pictures of him in here. Like look.." you walk over, shining the flashlight on the pictures as they follow you, "There's pictures of her, but you can tell that someone was cut out of them and on this one, the man's face is scribbled out."

"What the hell." Sam whispers as he picks up a frame to show the camera. Colby walks around and snaps, "Hey guys, all of the people in this picture are scribbled out but her."

"That's so weird." Sam says as he moves the camera up, "Maybe there was mo-"

A loud thud coming from the hallway makes all of you turn to the door, footsteps following quickly.

You're all silent as you listen for anything else.

"That was definitely footsteps." Sam looks between you and Colby. You and Colby agree, "Uh huh."

"Okay, so we have our REM pod that y/n is placing on the ground between the door and the foot of the bed, with this, they'll be able to touch it, let us know they're here. So with that.." Sam looks over at Colby and he sighs, "Hello, I'm Colby. That's Sam and that's y/n. We are here to just ask some questions, specifically for Nancy, we mean no disrespect to you or anyone that wants to speak with us. You are more than welcome. Just come up and touch that little box on the ground, make the light go off."

A few seconds later, the red light flashes.

"Nancy Hall, if that's you can you make the light go off again." Sam glances over at you, seeing that your eyes are glued to the door way, "Y/n? You see something?"

As soon as Sam moves over the dark figure you see vanishes.

"There was something standing over there, diagonal from me. Just watching, but it was dark." You slowly look over at Sam and the light goes off.

You jump slightly, "Shit."

"Nancy? Was that you?" Colby asks looking between the pod and you and Sam, "Touch it again if it was, just so we know."

The red light flashes again and you kinda feel relieved, "Nancy, hi. My name is y/n. Would you like to speak with us?"

The red light flashes and you look at Sam, "I'm taking that as a yes." He smirks and nods, "So am I."

Colby pulls the headphones and spirit box from the backpack, along with the red blindfold, "Think it's too early?"

Sam shakes his head, looking over at you, "Your call."

"Let's do it." You reach out and take the blindfold from Colby, moving to sit on the center of Nancy's bed. You take a deep breath and look over at Sam who's setting the camera up to face you guys.

"Well bring you put if it gets too bad." Colby says switching on the box, loud static playing, "Whenever you're ready."

You look at Sam and he's smiles, turning to the camera, "I just want to say that this is her first time doing an Estes session." He turns back around and watches as you shake your head, tying the blindfold over your eyes.

You hold your hands out and Colby places the headphones in your hands, and you move them to lay on your ears.

You can't hear shit outside of the static, and you instantly start hearing words.

"Talking to you."

"Are we talking to Nancy?" Sam asks as his eyes stay on you.

"Yes, Nancy." You pause, "You're safe."

"Are we safe from your husband, Nancy?" Colby asks and you instantly reply to them.

"He can't hurt you."

"Did you know about-" Sam raises his eyebrows as you cut him off,

"Baby."

"Baby?" Colby questions, "Did you have a baby?"

"You're safe with me."

"We feel safe with you, Nancy." Sam assures, "was there a baby here?"

"Yes, right now."

"Right now?" Colby shakes his head, "I don't understand." Sam shrugs, "Maybe someone bad a baby here?"

"I promise."

"You promise what, Nancy?" Sam asks, his eyes staying focused on your still body, "Can you tell us?"

"You don't know.."

"What don't we know, Nancy? Do you think you can tell us?" Colby lays a hand on his lips, waiting for your response.

"Sam.. not Colby."

"Okay? What don't I know?" Sam chews on his lip, "Can you tell me?"

"Baby. You have.."

Colby looks at Sam, his eyes wide, "You don't think.. Sam.. is she-"

You cut Colby off, "Surprised. are we happy?"

Sam stands there in shock, "What the.. what the actual fuck." Colby looks from Sam and back to you, closing his eyes, "Nancy, are you trying to tell us that.." he pauses and takes a deep breath, "..y/n is pregnant with Sam's baby?"

"Yes.. I am. Exactly."

You feel tapping on your arms from both Sam and Colby and you push the headphones off, lifting the blindfold off your eyes.

You look between them and they both looked like they just seen something horrifying.

"What?" You look between them, getting anxious the longer they just stare at you, "What happened?"

Sam brushes hair from your face, "Um.. well.." he laughs nervously, "From what we gathered.." he runs a hand through his own hair and sighs, "Apparently you're pregnant."

Your mouth drops open, "What did you just say?"

Colby jumps in, explaining the questions they asked and what your answers were, "I started piecing it together, and finally I asked if Nancy was trying to tell us that you were pregnant and that's when you said, yes I am. Exactly."

You can feel your heart racing as you try to comprehend what Colby just explained, "I-I don't.. I don't.." you shake your head, eyes closed as you take a slow deep breath, "So I'm pregnant?"

"That's what Nancy thinks, apparently." Sam sits down next to you, "You know, you getting sick this morning.. I didn't even think about that."

You laugh, still in shock, "Oh god. I didn't.. what do we do?"

Colby sighs, "If you are.. we need to get you out of here because what I gathered is that Greggory doesn't like it."

Sam looks up at him and nods, "Yeah, yeah, you're right." He nods towards the camera, "You wanna grab that?"

Colby nods, "Yeah." He walks over grabbing the camera as you and Sam grab everything else, "Come on." Sam wraps an arm around your waist, leading you out of the room and down the steps.

As you're walking, something grabs your arm and pulls you back slightly, "You cannot touch me, we're leaving."

"You're fine." Sam whispers pulling you closer to him, "Almost there." You grab his sweatshirt and hang into it, thinking about all the times you felt sick or dizzy.

Being pregnant would make sense, you just didn't want to believe it, not until you peed on the stick.

Sam walks you to the car, putting the stuff in the trunk before turning to you, "you okay?" He looks over your face, "Did you know?"

You shake your head, "Honest to god Sam, no. That didn't even pop into my head, I just thought I was anxious about this."

He nods and pulls you in for a hug, "Well have to stop, get some tests. We need to know for sure."

"I'm going to shit my pants if you are." Colby says walking up, "That shit was fucking crazy." He puts his stuff into the trunk and shuts it.

"Let's go, we need to.." Sam sighs, obviously flustered over this whole situation. You take the keys from his pocket, handing them to Colby, "Come on." You walk him to the side of the car and he motions for you to get in.

You get in as Colby gets into the drivers seat and he looks back at you, "Do you feel any different now or?"

You sigh, "I don't even know what I'm feeling at the moment." He nods, "Fair enough." Sam opens the passenger door and gets it.

Colby and you both look at him as he stares at the dash silent.

"You good, brother?" Colby asks laying a hand on his shoulder and Sam nods, "I just don't.." he groans, "We just need to know for sure because i just don't-"

"We will. Okay, Sam?" You reach up, rubbing the back of his neck, "We'll find out."

.·:*¨ ✘ ¨*:·.

You never thought you'd be at a gas station, in a different state, at four am, peeing on a stick in the bathroom to find out if a ghost was right about something.

You could have waited until you got back but you, Sam and even Colby needed to know tonight and not tomorrow or two days from now.

You cap the stick, shoving everything into your pockets before you walk back out to the car.

"Everything come out okay?" Colby turns as you get in and you nod, "Never thought I'd be doing this but here we are."

Sam turns around, "Yeah but how many people find out they're pregnant through a ghost?"

"Probably not many." You shake your head, taking a deep breath as you pull the stick from your pocket, "Should we let Colby look?"

Sam nods, "Yeah, please."

You hand the face down stick to Colby, "I wiped it off, don't worry." He laughs slightly and takes it from you, "No worries."

He looks between you and Sam, anxiety frozen on your faces, "Ready?"

You look at Sam and he takes your hand, "Yeah."

Colby flips it over and licks his lips.

"What, Colby? What does it say?" You ask as you and Sam lean forward. Colby turns the test away and takes a deep breath, "Call me uncle Colby."

He turns the test around and it's a very dark, visible positive.

"No fucking way." You whisper, "No.. fucking.. way."

Sam looks back at you, his jaw dropped, "Holy shit." He looks at Colby, "Holy shit." He takes the test, studying it, "No fucking way."

"In the words of Nancy, surprise. Are we happy?" Colby smirks slightly as he looks from you to Sam.

Sam leans over the seat, coming back to hug you, "Oh my god." He repeats over and over again, "Holy shit."

"Sam, hey. That can't be good for the baby. And I mean the actual baby, not y/n." Colby laughs and you laugh as Sam moves to sit next to you.

"How the hell.." Sam shakes his head and Colby sighs, "Well I can te-"

"Got that." You hold your hand up and smile as you shake your head, "What a crazy turn of events."

Sam lays a hand on your stomach, "I just don't.." he smiled and shakes his head, "Were not releasing this video until we're ready to announce it."

Colby nods, "Oh yeah I had the same idea. So if we're doing that..." he reaches over to the floor of the passenger's side and picks up the camera.

He turns it on and points it so it's on all of you, "So.. as you probably already know, Nancy, the loving spirit of the place we just left from, told us that y/n here.. is pregnant.." he can't help but smile, just like you and Sam, "We actually have the answer as to whether Nancy was right or not."

You look at Sam and Sam smiles, "We're having a baby!" Him and Colby both cheer, yell like they normally would to celebrate something, "Uncle Colby in the house!"

You laugh, "And to answer the question that Nancy asked, yes. We are very surprised, but also super happy."

"That we are. I think I was just in shock about hearing my name and baby in the same sentence, and I mean you seen y/n's reaction." Sam shakes his head smiling and then he sighs, "We just wanted to say sorry for lying about the lost footage, we actually did have it. Nothing got deleted.. we just wanted to wait until y/n and the baby were at a good spot in the pregnancy to announce it and we thought that holding onto this video was the perfect way to do so."

You look at Sam confused and he smirks, "I'm going to tweet that the footage mysteriously disappeared or something like that, I don't know."

"We'll figure it out, let's just head to the hotel and go from there." Colby sets the camera down and starts driving.

The whole way back to the hotel, Sam stayed next to you in the back, hand on your stomach as you guys talked about everything.

"If you guys have a boy, can his name be Colby?" Colby glances back at you and you laugh, "Your name is definitely going to be in it somewhere, Brock." You smile and he looked shocked that you said that.

"Wait.. really?" He asks and you and Sam both nod.

"Of course it's going to be, Colby. You've been there for me through everything." Sam reaches up and pats his shoulder.

Colby clears his throat, "I'm going to need you guys to get out of the car so you don't see me crying."

You laugh, "Aww, Colby." You reach up and squeeze his shoulder, "Don't act so surprised."

Colby laughs slightly, "I just.. I kinda knew that was going to happen but just the confirmation of it, you know?"

"I know, but I couldn't not do that." Sam chuckles, "You know that."

Colby nods and pulls into the hotel parking lot, "yeah yeah." He puts the car in park and gets out, knocking on the window for you guys to get out.

Sam gets out, walking around to open your door before Colby engulfs him in a hug. You take your phone out, recording them having their little celebration, smiling as they do a little dancey dance.

Colby points to you, "You're not getting off that easy, come here." You walk over and he hugs you, "Congratulations."

You smile, "Thanks uncle Colby."

He laughs, "You guys are going to be the best parents ever."

Sam walks up and it's now a group hug, "You know, I don't think there's any better way for us to find out, like we found out doing what we do."

"It was just perfect. Shocking, yes. But perfect for us." You rest your head on Sam's shoulder, "I can't wait to go to bed though. I'm so tired."

"Alright let's take this party inside." Sam rubs your back as you walk into the hotel, making your way up to your room.

"I'm going to post a snap, making it seem like tonight wasn't a good night." Colby says as he plops down on his bed.

You interlock your hand with Sam, pulling him to the bathroom, "I'm going to go shower."

"Mhm." Colby laughs and you hear him start talking to his phone, "So.. guys.. bad news.."

As soon as you shut the bathroom door, Sam is on you, "I knew there was something off about you." His lips move to yours and you moan against him.

"I've needed you all night." You whimper as you take off your sweatshirt and shirt in one swoop, "You have no idea."

"Think i needed you just as bad." He works to undo your jeans, and you push them down as he works on getting undressed himself.

He walks over turning the water on before coming back to you, "You just got so much more prettier." He bites his lip as his hand slides slowly over your stomach, "So much sexier."

You lay your hand on his, "We're going to have a baby."

He smiles and nods, "we sure are." He wraps an arm around you, "You're going to look so good with a baby bump. Shit, I can picture it already."

He pulls you into the shower with him, kissing you as the water washes over both of you.

"Sam.." you whimper quietly, "Please."

He lens down to slide his hands to the back of your thighs, "You know I'm going to be extra protective of you now."

"It'll be much hotter than it was before." You run your hand over his wet hair, moving it from his forehead.

He smirks, closing his eyes to your touch, "hmm."

He holds you up, your back pressed against the wall as he slides his hand between your bodies, gently rubbing your clit.

You gasp, closing your eyes as you rest your head against the wall, "Sam." You moan out quietly, "Please."

You feel his two fingers slide down, dipping inside of you as he curls them, watching your face twist as finally receiving some type of pleasure after waiting all day and night.

"Shit, daddy." You whimper and look at him, a smirk toying with your lips. His eyebrows raise and his head tilts slightly, "mhm. That's right."

You smile and he replaces his fingers with his cock, causing your eyes to roll back as you moan. Your back lifts from the wall and your nails dig into his shoulders, "F-fuck."

"You like that? Hmm. Is this what you wanted all day?" Sam's voice is quiet and he groans as he starts to thrust, "Fuck."

"You tighten your legs around him, moaning as he builds up to a pace that's absolutely perfect, "M'so close, daddy."

He leans in, kissing up your chest and neck, "Cum for me, mama."

His words, the tone of voice, and especially your hormones out of all sorts of wack right now sends you into overdrive.

You clench around him, filling the bathroom with moans as you let go around him, your orgasm ransacking your body until every inch or your body was feeling fuzzy.

"F-fuck." You whimper as he fucks you through your high, "Yes, yes yes."

Sam plants one hand on the wall, crashing his lips onto yours as you feel his cock twitch inside of you.

You lay your hands on his cheeks, gently pressing kisses to his cheeks as he slowly pulls out with a low groan.

He sets you down, helping you regain your balance and he pulls you in, "I'm so excited."

You nod, "Me too, Sam." You sigh, "I'm honestly glad it worked out this way and the fact that we have it on recording is even better."

He nods, "No one would believe us if we didn't."

You laugh slightly, "Yeah, no you're right. Speaking of, I kinda wanna go back and watch it." He smiles and nods, "You finish in here, I'll go get everything set up."

He gives you a kiss, cupping your cheeks as he leans back, "I love you."

You smile, "We love you."

.·:*¨ ✘ ¨*:·.

Here's a little bonus :) enjoy!

Five months later.

"Are you going to upload it today?" Colby asks walking into the living room, "I mean, you can't hide it much longer, right?"

You shrug and look down at Sam's hand on your bump, "I mean, not really. He's growing like a weed." You laugh slightly and Colby's eyes go wide, "I'm.. sorry.. did you just.." he looks between you and Sam, "He?"

You laugh and cover your mouth, "Oh shit. I'm sorry. I thought you told him already." You look over at Sam, "No I wanted to tell him in person, but it worked out." He looks over at Colby, "you wanna know the name?"

Colby moves to sit down in front of you guys and nods, "Um yes please."

Sam moves the laptop off of his lap and sits up, "I think we're going to go with, Cole John Golbach."

You can see the tears welling up in Colby's eyes, you've never seen that man cry before.

"Colby?" You lean forward and tap his shoulder, "Are you okay?"

He nods, "Mhm." You can tell he's trying not to cry and if he speaks, the flood gates will open, "Yeah I just.." he stands up, covering his face and you hear him sniffle, "Thank you." He turns and you and Sam both get up and hug him.

You start crying because that's what pregnancy does to you.

"We love you, Colby." Sam pats Colby's chest and sniffles, "Alright. So are we ready to post this?"

You all move to the couch, on either side of Sam and watch as he works on posting the final video.

You bite your lip, watching as the video uploads and Sam pulls out his phone, going on twitter

@/samgolbach: new video coming here in a few minutes and let me tell you.. It's a must watch.

You tap him and point when it's uploaded and thousands of people flood the likes and comments.

@/fanuser: Wait... I thought this footage was lost or got deleted? What is going on!?

@/fanuser1: STOP IT why did they wait until now to post this? There's something happening..

"I can't wait until they get to the end." Colby chuckles, "They're going to lose their minds."

Sam nods, laying his hand on your bump, "I just wanted to make sure they were good before any type of announcement."

You told your close friends, but that's about it. You made sure that they promised to keep it under lock and key until the time came.

"Oh, and Colby." You lean forward to look at him and he looks up at you, "Yeah?"

"No one but us three knows the name of this baby." You smile and he starts to get choked up again, "O-okay." He laughs and shakes his head, "Damn it, dude."

You pick up your phone, sighing as you see a bunch of notifications, "They know." You laugh slightly, "I guess it's time now, I can post one of our bump pics, letting them know how far along we are."

You scroll through your pictures, finding the perfect one.

INSTAGRAM

@/yourusername: Guess the cats out of the bag, we will be welcoming a beautiful baby boy to the Golbach family in about four months or so. Shoutout to Nancy at the mansion for the news. @/samgolbach

.·:*¨ ✘ ¨*:·.

Hope you liked this!

Likes and reblogs are majorly appreciated!

[inthedarknessofnight]

Steve Harrington has OCD. There are days when he can barely hear his own thoughts. Days when he can't focus on anything else but whatever is triggering him. Days when he just wants to crawl out of his own skin.

No one around him gets it. Like, really gets it. He loves having everyone over at his place, loves filling the empty house with joy and laughter he never experienced as a child. But over and over again, he feels like he can't really be present in the moment. Because he gets stuck in a never-ending loop of mental checklists, pinpointing every single item that will need to be cleaned or put back in its place after they leave. Crumbs all over the couch. Henderson touching everything in his general vicinity with greasy, pizza-stained fingers. People walking straight into the house after swimming in the pool. Rug on the bathroom floor always wrinkled and askew. Tiny specs all over the kitchen that only he seems to notice. He knows they're little things. Unimportant, right? A little mess can't hurt you? He knows... He just wishes his brain would get it, too.

And it doesn't just impact him, either. His incessant bitching sets others around him on edge. That's probably the worst part of it all. Nancy used to get so annoyed with him whenever he'd ask her to not sit on his bed in her 'outside clothes'. He's pretty sure Robin hates cooking with him because of all the rules he has in the kitchen, but she usually just sighs and rolls her eyes. Dustin deliberately misunderstands his requests or, better yet, pretends he doesn't hear him at all.

Not Eddie, though. Because Eddie notices. The way Steve seems unfocused at times, like he's somewhere far away. The way his eyes tend to dart around the room. The way his posture changes when someone unknowingly does something that triggers him. He makes little mental notes of all the triggers and makes sure to remember them. So he starts taking off his shoes at the door, placing them on the rack. He cleans up after the kids, quickly wiping the kitchen counter and floor as Steve's busy walking everyone out of the house. He straightens the bathroom rugs. He wipes the floor after taking a shower at Steve's, so that there isn't a single droplet of water to be found anywhere outside the shower cabin. He changes his clothes before lounging around on Steve's bed. It takes Steve some time to notice everything Eddie's been doing to help out with his triggers.

It's a little after midnight, and Steve has finally managed to kick the little dipshits out of the house. He walks back into the kitchen where he is met with the sight of Eddie crouched down, a whisk broom and dustpan in hand. Something clicks then, stopping him in his tracks.

"Wait... How long have you been doing this?"

Eddie freezes then and glances up quickly, looking every bit like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Oh, sorry, it's just- I noticed the stuff on the kitchen floor makes you kinda uncomfortable, so I thought I'd help out a bit," Eddie says softly, like he's scared he's done something wrong. Steve feels something warm spread around in his chest, followed by a familiar burning sensation behind his eyes.

"And the rugs? Was that also you?" Steve's voice is shaking now. But he can no longer prevent it. He's about to have a full-on breakdown in front of Eddie Munson.

Of course, Eddie, the perceptive bastard that he is, has already picked up on what's about to happen. He quickly sets the tools aside and straightens up, taking a few strides towards Steve, ducking his head to catch Steve's downcast gaze. To make sure he's okay.

"Hey, Steve, look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. I shouldn't have overstepped. I'm so sorry," says Eddie, gently placing his hands on Steve's shoulders to offer a reassuring touch. There are now silent tears rolling down Steve's cheeks, but he brings himself to meet Eddie's gaze nevertheless.

"No, no, Eddie, you didn't. It's just- How did you know?" Steve asks, somewhat hesitantly.

"Because," Eddie moves his hands up to cup Steve's face, looking at Steve like he's trying to see straight into his soul, "because I see you, Steve Harrington."

[rythyme]

I’m lowkey scared to ask this but. What is pit babe about

I'm so glad you asked!!!

I made a presentation about this last week for some friends so most of this is already locked and loaded

What is Pit Babe?

Pit Babe: The Series is a Thai BL drama

it's about race car drivers

it's omegaverse

most characters also have super powers

the main plot revolves around uncovering mysterious evil deeds and fighting back against a secret evil crime syndicate

tl;dr: it's vroom vroom omegaverse X-Men Umbrella Academy in Gay Riverdale with Nancy Drew

Ok what the fuck?

yeah. it's good though.

What's the actual plot??

Babe (main character) is trying to finally break free of his rich abusive adoptive father’s influence. He does this via racecar driving.

The protagonists’ racing team (X Hunter) is rivals with Red Racing (owned by Babe’s evil dad). The rival team has no integrity and will cheat and commit crimes to win races.

Babe is a "special alpha" which means he has superpowers — in his case, super senses. These senses help him race, but they come with a price: he'll be overstimulated and distracted if he doesn't get dicked down before every race.

Enter: Boytoy Charlie, the main love interest.

To summarize...

The show revolves around Babe's new relationship with Charlie and his team's mission to take down Babe's evil mob boss father — both on and off the race track. There are lots of mysteries to solve, dicks to ride, and plots to twist along the way.

Where do you even watch this??

On YouTube, of course! They post it there legally. For free. With English subtitles. (Thai dramas are just like that sometimes.)

Anyway, I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions or just want to chat about my most beloved and unhinged show 🏎️❤️🏁

[stevesgother]

The 4th - S.H

Pairing: Steve Harrington x Fem!Reader

WC: 2.2k

Warnings: SMUT 18+ MDNI NSFW, cursing, drinking, characters are all of age, takes place after the events of ST3, slight exhibitionism only bc they’re technically outside, it’s that slightly awkward but endearing sex you have when you fuck someone you like for the first time. It's realistic. Sue me.

AN: first time writing smut, i'm so nervous. fast times au?? If you squint?? the last half isn't proofread bc i simply cannot bring myself to read my own smut

‘American Woman’ by The Guess Who blares loudly from a twin pair of Hitachi speakers stationed on Steve Harrington’s back deck. On the hottest day of the year, The Party had decided to congregate at the only non-public pool they had unlimited access to.

To his relief, Steve had been assigned to grill duty again. The cherry red bikini you had sauntered through his sliding glass door wearing was starting to seriously inconvenience him. He had his Ray Bans on, albeit low on the bridge of his nose, to disguise where his gaze had been lingering all afternoon; the large propane grill hiding his lower half.

Lounging poolside on your towel, you hear before you feel a large ‘SPLASH’, and suddenly you’re soaked head to toe in overly chlorinated pool water.

“Ugh! Henderson!” you scold as you stand to replace your now drenched towel. The cheeky boy looks up at you from where he floats in the pool and mouths a half-hearted ‘Sorry’. 

“Steve! Would you happen to have an extra towel?” you shout to him as you hold up your ruined one, shooting him a deadpan expression. “Yeah, ‘course,” he sets down the grill tongs and awkwardly shuffles his way inside, keeping his back to you. Weird, you think.

Steve caught one look at you, hair wet and dripping, water beading down your neck and disappearing among the curve of your breasts; nipples taught from the sudden shock of cold water and visible through the fabric of your swimsuit, and he was grateful for the reprieve inside would offer him.

After close to 15 minutes of no Steve and more importantly, no towel, you decide to venture into the spacious house yourself. “Steve! – Oh!-” you startle as you run chest to chest into him, both turning a corner. “You scared me,” you say with a hand to your racing heart, “I was just wondering where you went,” you chuckle awkwardly.

“Yeah no, sorry, I just uh- got distracted,” he says, avoiding contact and handing you the fresh linen. You glance down, and notice the slight tent in his maybe too-tight swim trunks. You feel the heat of a rosy blush crawl up your cheeks, and a sudden flip of your stomach. Were you really the reason why he was acting so strange? That felt incredibly presumptuous of you.

“Well um…” you trail off, trying to keep your cool, “thanks. For the towel, I mean.” Steve had never made you feel so bashful and uncertain before. Something about the newly exposed skin and the salty smell of sweat mixed musk that radiates off of him from this proximity making your mind short circuit.

 –

When the cookout had dwindled down to just the adults and the sun dipped just below the trees, a joint had started to be passed around your small circle. “Well, we should probably head home,” Nancy announces in her usual demure tone, grabbing Jonathan’s hand helping him to stand. A chorus of goodbyes echo throughout the group, eventually leaving just you, Steve, Robin and Eddie.

An exaggerated yawn escapes Robin as she declares she’s exhausted and needs Eddie to drive her home in his rinky dink van.

“C’mon man! I just rolled this joi-”

Robin cuts him off with a harsh clear of her throat and an even harsher jab to his ribs.

“I. Really think. We. Should. Go.” She punctuates each word with a forced smile. Why was everyone acting so fucking odd today? You try to send her a panicked glance, fearing the potential awkwardness of being left here alone with Steve.

Being best friends with both of you, she was well aware of the searing crushes the two of you had on each other. This barbeque was her opportunity to light a fire under your asses to do something about it.

“That’s okay, Rob. Go home if you’re tired.” Always the gentleman. Right now you could kick him for it. If Robin notices your glaring, she doesn’t acknowledge it as she rises to her feet and heads toward the gate leading to the driveway.

“Bye losers!” She waggles her fingers at you as they make their exit, sending you a subtle wink that sets your cheeks ablaze. You now know without a doubt that this was intentional.

A hand on your knee as he says, “I can walk you home if you want.”

“No, that’s okay. We can finish the joint at least,” you smile timidly at him. Free weed wasn’t easy to come by these days, what was the harm in staying just a little longer?

–

2 hours later, you’re lying shoulder to shoulder on the rough concrete surrounding the Harrington’s pool. The joint had been snuffed out on the ground between you an hour ago, but with your thoughts dulled like this it was becoming increasingly easy to bask in the space you two had created for each other. The desire to turn heel and run with your other friends had long fizzled out.

“Hey, what was up with you today?” you ask after a few minutes of comfortable silence, “You just seemed really off,”

He looks suddenly nervous, “Oh I uh– I don’t know. Julys’ always a weird month for me, I guess,” he lies, carding a hand through his hair.

Taking the hand that’s not in his hair in your own, you ask, “Are you doing okay?” When he turns his head to meet you, your sincerity makes him blush - neck to ears. Your faces are closer than he thought they would be. He can count every eyelash from this proximity.

“Yeah– you know what,” He clears his throat, “I’m actually really warm,” he sits up clumsily as he pulls his shirt over his head by the collar, ruffling his hair and exposing the constellation of freckles and moles he has spattering the skin on his toned back.

“Okay–” You go to stand with him but he’s already dove into the pool. When he breaches the surface, he shakes his hair out like a dog and grins at you. You can’t help your eyes wandering to the dark patch of hair covering his chest. You’re starting to feel that warmth he had been complaining of.

“You gonna come in? Or just stand there and gawk?” He laughs as he floats over to you.

So you peel your shirt off and watch him stare intently as you unbutton your shorts, letting them drop to your feet. A less than elegant swan dive and you’re disappearing under the artificially blue water. The sudden coolness of it shocks you, sobering you up a bit.

You’re much more graceful than the boy when it’s your turn to come up for air, gently pushing back the hair that sticks to your face. He swims over to you unsuspectingly, then in the next breath and with a mischievous grin he lifts your body over his shoulder and essentially bodyslams you back under the surface.

More than the gesture itself, what shocks you the most is the warm expanse of his broad shoulders caressing you. You both emerge laughing, “Asshole!” you swat at his chest playfully.

When the laughter dies and fizzles out into an anxious energy, the air is filled with a sort of anticipation. The two of you are bobbing in the pool, faces no more than an inch apart.

“You have got to stop looking at me like that,” you whisper, breathlessly.

Just then he surges forward and presses his lips firmly to yours. The kiss is close-mouthed and chaste at first, giving you a chance to pull away. When you don’t take the opportunity, he deepens it. Your wet hands move to hold his face, breaching the water with a small splashing sound and his strong arms hug you at the waist, bringing you impossible closer. Pressed up against him like this you can feel all of him. The scratch of curls on his chest, the bulge of his biceps around your middle, the hard length of him pressed against your thigh.

Gasping into the kiss, you give him the opening he needs to lick hotly into your mouth, eliciting a breathy moan from your chest that sends Steve reeling. He starts to slowly kick his legs, swimming to push your back up against a vinyl clad wall.

Your lips move to lick the vein that runs down his neck, then up to a spot just below his ear. He groans when you take his earlobe gently into your mouth. Grasping your cheek in his hand, he forces your face out of the refuge his neck had provided from his intense gaze.

“Can I touch you?” He shudders when he speaks, having dreamt about this exact moment for years. Your response is an enthusiastic nod and another searing kiss to his lips - plush and pink and made for your own.

Steve’s knee moves to rest bookended between your thighs, keeping you open for him. In the water, he can’t feel how pathetically wet you are beneath your bright red bikini bottoms. You’re thankful for that, but even so, the whine that you release when his swift fingers push aside the fabric and start slowly massaging your clit is enough to give you away.

Your grip on his shoulders tightens, leaving small crescent shapes in his perfect skin. “Oh!-- God, keep doing that,” you pant.

“You like that, baby?” Steve tries to sound suave. Mr. Confident. King Steve. Honestly, he’s terrified. He has half a mind to stop and ask you to pinch him, not entirely convinced this is even real. But the sweet, sweet sounds you’re making are enough to persuade him otherwise.

“Yes! Ah– please, don’t stop,” you beg, even though you don’t have to. Steve’s positive he would do just about anything you asked of him right now. You have the sudden urge to return the favor, reaching down between your two bodies and palming him through his swim trunks.

“Oh -- my God, don’t,” he warns, the sheepish smile on his face signals to you that he’s not actually uncomfortable, “I’ll come in my pants like a damn teenager,” he gives an embarrassed chuckle.

Growing desperate for more, you say, “I want you to fuck me.” with an impossible finality. It makes Steve’s breath hitch in his throat.

“Wh-what?” He needs to make sure he heard you correctly.

“Steve. I need you to fuck me. Now.” Your voice is slightly muffled as you begin to press open-mouth kisses to his neck again.

“Oh my God,” The boy sounds absolutely wrecked already, barely able to contain himself. His hands fumble blindly for the ties on your bikini bottoms and he pulls when he finds them. Unwrapping you like his very own Christmas present.

You pull his trunks down and over his hips, just enough to fish his red and swollen cock out, careful to not let them fall to the bottom of the pool lest someone have to dive and retrieve them. You line him up hurriedly with your entrance, but he stops you with a hand on your wrist.

“Are you sure about this?” His brows furrow in that way they always do, when he's unsure. He has a crinkle above his nose.

“Yes” you half moan before getting a look at his face, “Wait, are you?”

“Yes! Yes– of course. I just– want you to be sure,” He kisses you softly after he asks

It’s so tender, you feel so safe with him like this. You fear you might be falling in love.

“I promise, I’m su–Oh!” he slides into you without warning, nearly knocking the breath out of you. He lets out a guttural groan into the space where your shoulder meets your neck as he starts to keep a steady rhythm.

“God, you feel so good,” he pants into your open mouth, “i’ve wanted this for so long,”

His words have you keening. He wraps his broad arms fully around you now, hugging you close as he pistons his hips into you. Repeatedly hitting that spot inside your walls where you need him the most.

“Oh, Steve!” you moan loudly, no longer concerned about the neighbors hearing you. The pool water begins to form waves from Steve’s thrusting and splash up onto the concrete beside your head.

“Fuck, say my name like that again,” you can feel his hips stuttering slightly.

“Steve!” He whines directly into your ear when you say it, you never would’ve thought he’d be so vocal.

“Touch yourself baby, I’m close,”

You do as you’re asked and start to keep a frenzied pace on your sensitive bud. Having both kinds of stimulation, mixed with Steve’s sweet praise, is sending you closer and closer to your edge.

As you reach your high, Steve can feel your warm pussy clench around him, making him hurtle towards his orgasm with you.

With a strangled cry, “fuck- I'm cumming,” You finish together as hips slow and he rides out his orgasm with you. His body curls in on itself and he trembles slightly. You run a warm, soft hand through his hair and down his back, soothing him through the intensity of it.

“Shit- my parents are going to kill me,” he laughs and kisses you again.

Maybe you did like swimming. Just a little bit.

tags: @daisy-munson, @megxplryxb

[lihhelsing]

"What do you mean you don't remember your first kiss?" Eddie asked, giving Steve that look he always got whenever he made the mistake of mentioning that piece of information about his past.

Steve shrugged, feeling uncomfortable and hoped Eddie would drop it. "I just don't remember it. Guess it wasn't memorable."

Eddie rolled his eyes, "You're telling me your first kiss wasn't memorable?"

"Yeah, man. It's whatever."

Now, both Eddie and Steve knew that was a lie. Not that Steve necessarily cared about something like a first kiss, but it bothered him that everyone seemed to have either a funny or sweet story to tell.

Like how Robin's first kiss had happened under a tree with her first girl crush, or how Nancy's first kiss only happened because the guy was kind of scared of her, or how Jonathan's first kiss only happened with Nancy.

"Do you remember yours?" Steve asked and Eddie nodded instantly.

"Of course I do."

Steve raised a brow at him and Eddie chuckled.

"It wasn't anything special, really. I kissed a guy under the bleachers and he never spoke to me again after that, the end."

Eddie was using that voice he always used whenever something bothered him.

"So it wasn't good," Steve said as he placed his hand on top of Eddie's. What was worse, not remembering your first kiss or feeling like shit about it?

"The kiss was ok. It was barely a kiss, I had no idea what to do with my hands and tongue and it was a little weird. Nothing to write home about, that's for sure. But I lost a friend that day and it really sucked. It made me think kisses are more powerful than they have any right to be."

And wasn't that the truth? Steve remembered other first kisses. Like his first kiss with Nancy, that he thought was gonna be the last first kiss of his life. He was wrong about that, of course.

"I know what you mean," Steve said. His hand was still on top of Eddie's but now Eddie was smiling.

And then he was grinning.

"I have an idea," he said, looking like a maniac. And Steve knew that couldn't be a good thing.

"Should I be scared?"

Eddie laughed. "Probably. What if..."

"Yeah?"

"We kissed."

Time seemed to stop for a second and then Steve was frowning at Eddie.

"What?"

"Yeah! Think about it, Steve," Eddie said, getting up. He always got restless when his brain started to work in full power. Steve thought it was kind of cute. "You can pretend this was your first kiss, so then when people tell you you can picture it and just make up some story about it."

Steve raised a brow, "I'm pretty sure that's not how first kisses work. Plus, what's in it for you? You remember your first kiss."

Eddie shrugged, throwing himself back on the couch and landing much closer to Steve than he was before. "Sure. But then I can will my brain to understand kisses don't have to mean something. This could just be a friendly kiss between two friends. Nothing else."

For some reason that didn't seem right, but Steve nodded anyway.

"Ok."

Eddie's eyes widened. "Ok?"

"Yeah, ok. Let's kiss and see what happens," Steve said. "What?"

Eddie bit his lower lip, "I don't know. I just didn't think you were gonna say yes."

Steve laughed, throwing his head back. Classic Eddie. His mouth was too big for his own good. Steve fucking loved it.

"Well, that's ok. I'll help you," Steve said, leaning in close.

He could see Eddie's eyelashes and the way his cheeks were tinted red. Steve placed a hand on the nape of his neck and heard the exact moment Eddies's breath hitched in his chest.

"Is this ok?" he asked. Eddie might talk a big talk but Steve wasn't about to cross any boundaries. If he said he was just joking Steve would pull back and pretend it had never happened.

But Eddie didn't, so Steve stayed. Close to him but still not kissing him.

"Y-yeah," Eddie said, nodding slightly. Steve smiled and buried his hand on Eddie's hair before leaning in and pressing their lips together.

The kiss was slow and sweet and Eddie was pliant on Steve's hand. For all his attitude, Steve kind of liked to shut him up like that.

Steve was about to pull back when Eddie whined in the back of his throat and pulled him close by the waist. He had no idea where all that came from but before he noticed he was straddling Eddie's lap and kissing him like his life depended on it.

Eddie tasted like cigarettes and Mountain Dew and Steve thought that combination might be his new favorite. He was so responsive as he kissed Steve back, opening his mouth and letting Steve explore as much as he wanted and all that while holding on to his hips.

Steve liked how Eddie's hands curled around him. Like they belonged there.

When it was becoming clear neither of them was interested in stopping, Steve pulled back so he could look at Eddie's face. All he could see was the pure want in his eyes.

"That's a pretty nice first kiss," Steve said playfully and Eddie snorted, squeezing at his waist.

"Oh, sweetheart. I'm glad," Eddie smiled at him and it was the greatest thing ever. "I can't say the same for my part of the deal though."

Steve frowned. "What do you mean?"

Eddie let his head fall back into the couch and closed his eyes. Steve felt his heart hammering in his chest. Had Eddie hated the kiss?

When he opened his eyes there was an intensity behind them that made Steve want to get up and run.

"I can't pretend it doesn't mean anything, Stevie."

Oh.

Before he knew it, Steve was leaning in and stealing another kiss from Eddie's lips. This time when they parted Steve didn't bother moving too far from him.

"Then don't."

[lizzie-boo]

Christmas Party

Steve Harrington x Reader

Ficmas Day 9

Summary: When your best friend Steve overhears you joking with Nancy it changes the course of your friendship forever.

Words: 1.2k

A/N: Happy last day of ficmas. I wanted to write 12 stories but that never happened. Honestly, though, I'm really happy with writing 9 becuase I never intended to do ficmas at all this year. Divider by @saradika-graphics

“Are we sure this is a good idea, what if someone calls the cops?” You ask, still not fully onboard with the idea of throwing a Christmas party. 

“Don’t worry it’s just for our group of friends plus if the cops get called we’re fine. Remember Chief Hopper is Jonathan and Will’s stepdad and he’d never bust them for having a party,” Steve reassures you as he hands you another box of decorations. 

Removing the lid from the box you grab out a couple strands of garland and begin to place them around the living room. Steve follows behind you stringing up lights as he goes. 

“You’re sure we won’t get in trouble?” 

“It’s just a casual Christmas party, not a rager I promise. Plus half the people coming are practically children. It’s just gonna be us hanging out and eating snacks for a few hours.” 

You knew Steve put his old habits behind him years ago but you were always nervous he would revert to his old ways. That this party would snap him back to who he used to be and what would start as an innocent group hang out would spiral into the party of the century. The fears that if he went back to his old ways he would drop you and you would be without a best friend once more rattled around your brain. As his words finally sink in you let your shoulders relax.

“Plus, Dustin is bringing Suzie and I don’t want to scare her off. He seems to really like her so as surrogate mom I need to make a good impression,” Steve jokes and the last of your reservations disappear. 

You continue to joke and talk as you finish putting up the last of the decorations. Every so often stopping to sneak a glance at your best friend wondering if there would ever be a chance for the two of you to be more. 

The doorbell rings right at seven and you make your way to the entryway. You open the door for Nancy, Jonathan, and Robin ushering them in from the cold. Nancy pulls you into a quick hug as Jonathan offers a quiet hello. 

“So where is the dingus?” Robin asks as she wiggles her eyebrows at you. 

Pushing her shoulder lightly you respond, “He’s in the kitchen finishing up getting snacks ready.” 

“I’ll go help him,” Robin announces before rushing off to the kitchen. 

“I’m guessing this means you haven’t talked to him about how you feel yet,” Nancy says as she loops her arm with yours and pulls you into the living room leaving Jonathan to get the door for the kids. 

You take a seat next to her on the couch. “I don’t wanna screw up what we have. He’s my best friend. Why risk losing him when I can just stay his friend forever and at least have him in my life.” 

Nancy pats your arm giving you the same sad look her and Robin use everytime they bring up the topic and you and Steve being something more. You reach out and tap her nose breaking the awkward tension forming. Just then the kids, Jonathan, and Eddie file into the living room taking up all the available seats. 

Glancing over your shoulder you look for any sign of Steve or Robin, wondering what is taking them so long. Turning your attention back to the room you smile at Eddie as he tries to mediate a fight between Lucas and Dustin about what Christmas movie everyone should watch. 

Steve and Robin make their way toward the living room right as Nancy leans over, “Maybe some alone time with Eddie could help you forget about your feelings for Steve,” she jokes. 

“I don’t doubt that, he could probably make me forget my own name,” you joke back, bumping your shoulder into hers and you both laugh. 

Behind you Steve shoves the tray of snacks he’s holding into Robin’s hands and rushes back into the kitchen needing some time to think. Robin takes it in stride and sets it on the coffee table with a loud thud. 

“I think I hurt my wrist carrying the tray. Do you think you can go help Steve with the rest?” Robin asks as she plops down on the couch between you and Nancy. Before you can even answer her and Nancy are already chatting away about something one of the kids said. 

Pushing off the couch you make your way into the kitchen to find Steve with his palms pushed against the countertop. His head hangs and his eyes are screwed shut. The sight of him sends a pang of panic to your chest. 

“What’s wrong?” you ask as you place a hand on his back. 

“Do you actually wanna fuck Munson?” he bites out as he curls a hand into a fist. 

Your hand drops to your side as quickly as your mouth falls open. You hadn’t realized that he heard your joke. If you knew he was standing there you never would have said anything. 

You take a moment to assess the situation before settling on your response, “It was just a dumb joke between me and Nancy. Plus I never said that I wanted to fuck him, just that he would probably be good at it.” 

“So you don’t wanna get under him?” His tone is gentler this time as he turns to look at you. 

“No, never. It was just a joke.” You run a hand along his arm hoping to calm him down so you can head back to the party in the other room. 

His hand reaches out and grabs your free hand holding you in place. “So do you still want to forget about your feelings for me?” His eyes search yours as if he’s trying to figure out what you are going to say. 

“Only if you want me to,” you whisper, now realizing the space between you had lessened. 

He drops your hand, stepping in to cup your cheek. “That’s the last thing I want baby” he mumbles before crashing his lips to yours. Your hands tangle in his hair as your lips move in sync. Taking a step back he presses you into the counter. The cool press against your back sends a shiver down your spine and you tug at his hair in an attempt to deepen the kiss. 

He pulls back and you drop your hands to his shoulders. You both take a moment to catch your breaths. He shoots you a smile before hoisting you onto the counter. Your legs instinctively wrap around his waist and he wastes no time diving back in for another kiss. 

This time when he pulls away it’s to trail a line of kisses down your neck. He works his way back up and gently nips at your earlobe causing you to let out a moan that you try to muffle with your hand. His lips press against your ear and he whispers, “The only one who is allowed to make you forget your name from now on is me.” You pull him back into another searing kiss completely forgetting about the party in the other room. 

[alloftheimaginesblog]

first love {e.m}

plot: you were eddie's first love and you never forget your first love.

character: eddie munson x reader

Everyone knew about you. A day never passed without Eddie mentioning you and your name whether it be a passing "(y/n) loved that" or a more in depth conversation about you or a memory but Eddie always spoke about you. You and Eddie were high school sweethearts. You'd been friends for years and everyone thought that you'd eventually end up together and they were right.

Eddie was your first. First boyfriend, first kiss, first love. You were the same for him and everybody knew it.

The way Eddie spoke about you made everyone smile. He spoke so highly of you, always complimenting you and telling the craziest stories. The two of you were the perfect couple; the 'it' couple as they say. The pair of you together were free, no cares in the world and just happy. God, the two of you were just so damn happy.

"Well, where is she?" Dustin asked with that toothy grin after Eddie had finished telling him a story about the time you and him broke into the school and ended up catching two teachers making out, "You're always talking about her but where is she?"

Eddie's face fell and it was in that moment that Dustin knew he'd fucked up.

Around the room, everyone who knew the truth's eyes widened and stared at Dustin then Eddie then Dustin. Eddie's eyes glazed over face unreadable as Dustin frowned and looked around the room, "What?" He asked, "Did I say something I shouldn't have? I was only asking where (y/n) is, you all look like you've seen a ghost- Oh."

With a horror filled expression, Dustin turned to Eddie and his suspicion was confirmed, "Oh fuck," Dustin whispered, "Eddie, I'm so- fuck, man, I didn't know- I'm so sorry-"

Eddie shook his head, swallowing hard and forcing a quick smile, "It's fine." He stood and cleared his throat, "I just need to get some air."

The room was dead silent until Eddie left and then Steve whacked Dustin on the arm, "Dude!"

"Why did none of you freaking tell me his girlfriend is dead?!" Dustin hissed to Nancy and Steve, "You- You made me look like an idiot! Fuck!"

Outside, Eddie was on the hood of his car, pulling a cigarette out of his pocket along with a lighter to light it up. He looked up to the darkening sky as he took a puff and closed his eyes. He liked to imagine you up there with all the legends, partying and singing away, just waiting until it was his turn to come and then you'd party for all eternity with each other. It had been almost two years since he lost you and there wasn't a moment where he didn't think about you. Every single decision Eddie made, every thought he had... it was all connected to you. Eddie had bought his new van based on what he thought you'd say about it. Eddie wore the outfits you bought him or at least modelled himself in similar items of clothing to ones he knew that you liked. You were gone but you truly lived on in Eddie Munson's day to day life.

It was a few minutes later when Eddie was pressing the cigarette into the grass under his boot that Dustin came out, "Hey, kid," Eddie said, glancing over his shoulder at him, "Come, sit."

Dustin awkwardly sat beside Eddie on the hood of the car, he was shit scared and Eddie could tell, "Dude, I'm so-"

"S'alright," Eddie said with a half smile.

"No, Eddie, seriously, I didn't-"

"Dustin," Eddie's voice was louder but he wasn't angry, he was calm. This was probably the calmest Eddie had ever been now that Dustin was thinking about it, "It's alright."

Dustin nodded and released a long breath allowing his shoulders to sag. He was silent for a few seconds before he said it anyway, "I didn't know... I'm really sorry."

The older boy dug around in his pocket before he pulled out two things; a photo and his lighter. He handed them both to Dustin, "There's my girl." The smile on Eddie's face when he looked at your picture said it all, "That's (y/n) and that lighter was (y/n)'s. She carved our initials into it, see?" Dustin flipped the lighter and sure enough, yours and Eddie's initials were carved onto the black metal, "I carry those everywhere I go... so that she's always with me."

"Can- Can I ask what happened?" Dustin handed the picture and lighter back to Eddie.

Eddie shrugged, "I lost her, that's the long and short of it all. Got hit by a drunk driver one night when we were stopped at a red light. She was gone instantly. I..." Eddie sucked in breath and released it, "Sometimes I wish I'd gone that night too." Dustin didn't speak, he just let Eddie talk, "She hadn't wanted to go out, she wanted to stay in but I wanted more beer. Had I not wanted it-"

"It's not your fault, Eddie."

Eddie nodded, staring down at his photo of you, "Would you believe me if I said it makes it easier if I blame me? No use blaming the other driver, he died that night in hospital. He's dead, can't blame a dead man but I can blame me... and if I blame me, it means that I can be better; I can better myself for her, for (y/n)."

"What was she like?" Eddie spoke about you that much that Dustin already had a pretty good idea of what you were like but he wanted to hear it from Eddie in this heartbreakingly raw moment.

Eddie's face stretched into a wide smile, "Henderson, you would've loved her. She was fiery, didn't take anyone's shit. She was funny, could make friends just like that. She loved D&D, she was the one that coined the name Hellfire Club. She was... She would've done great things. She would've loved you."

The pair smiled at one another before Eddie's eyes returned to the sky, "S'alright, Henderson. You didn't know, don't feel bad about it."

Dustin nodded, realising that was Eddie ending the conversation, "You coming back in?" He jumped from the hood of the car and looked expectantly at the older boy.

"In a minute," Eddie sighed, "just gonna chat to my girl for a minute."

"Say hi to her from me."

"Will do."

Dustin gave him a small smile before walking back inside. Eddie's eyes closed as he looked up, "I wish you could meet them all, pretty eyes, Henderson especially. I think he would've loved you almost as much as I do... Ah well, I better go back in. Don't want them thinking I've gone all soft, eh?" He opened his eyes and looked at your picture once more before pressing a gentle kiss to it, "I love you."

[thisapplepielife]

Written for the @corrodedcoffinfest May Mayhem Bingo event and my main card over at @steddiebingo.

Even Strokes

CCF Prompt: Lounge Singer AU || Steddie Bingo Prompt: Chef AU | Word Count: 5430 | Rating: T | CW: Recreational Alcohol Consumption, Language | Relationship(s): Steddie | Tags: Chef Steve, Lounge Singer Eddie, Wooing With Food, First Kiss, Getting Together, Fluff

Also on ao3.

Steve is running the pass, slides two plates forward, and then another two. He wipes the edge of the plate, and straightens a piece of garnish, "Order up."

He waits, and nobody appears. 

"Chris! Order up!" he shouts louder, and Chrissy isn't anywhere to be seen. She's usually right where she's supposed to be, without fail. He's never had any server in this place be as on top of it as she is, and she could be working a white-tablecloth somewhere, making real cash. If such a thing existed out here in BFE.

He's not letting these die on the pass.

"Hands!" he yells. Someone, anyone, will do.

Chrissy pops up, "Sorry, Chef. I'm here!"

He nods. It's fine. He just has higher standards than this casino really, truly allows. It's not even pretending to be fine dining, he's over qualified for the position. But he's not coming down to their level. He'll drag them all kicking and screaming up to his own.

Either way, for now, another four-top has plates down.

Honestly, the casino isn't all bad. Sometimes the tips are great when a whale gets hot, getting generous, even with the kitchen staff. He's a chef, but this place doesn't really have the need for one, so he's working more like a line cook with far too much experience.

He doesn't really mind.

Steve prefers the heat of the kitchen to doing paperwork in an office any day. He's got a good crew, and he doesn't mind rolling up his sleeves and working elbow to elbow with them. Even when they are in the weeds, like they are tonight.

Argyle brings him three more plates.

"Pick up, table three!" Steve announces, wiping the edge of one of the plates, and rings the bell. He hates the bell. But it works better than yelling all the time. Just because they aren't a Michelin star establishment doesn't mean he can't make things look nice.

Chrissy grabs it from the window with a smile, and is off again. She works her tail off, and that's why she easily makes the most on nights like this. They do steady business most nights, but on the nights when the lounge singer is here, it quadruples. Steve doesn't get the hype. He hasn't seen him, but he's heard him, and he's fine. But definitely nothing to bum rush the place about. Music stuck in the fifties and sixties, chosen carefully to please the masses. Straight out of Kellerman's, with no Johnny Castle to shake things up.

Sometimes he has a live band, sometimes he doesn't. 

Steve pauses, listens, and thinks tonight is a solo set. He's singing Be-Bop-a-Lula, and Steve can hear the crowd's drunken hooting. 

Nancy drops off another ticket, and he picks it up, yelling over the constant noise a kitchen brings, "Kill a ribeye, SOS ranch sub, fire!"

He hears the groaning and moaning, but Argyle throws down the cut of meat he's been tasked with cooking to death. Robin is plating the salad, putting ranch dressing in a ramekin on the side, instead of Steve's own homemade house dressing.

Steve's tried to bring up the quality of the place, but he can't make the clientele eat out of their comfort zones. This isn't that kind of establishment. So, a well done steak and passing on a fantastic dressing they're scared to try is par for the fucking course.

Oh well. He'll continue to do what he does best, and accept that that's all he can control. Not being able to grasp that is what made him end up here in the first place. 

He's bullshit. 

A fraud.

Closing his eyes, he counts to five, takes a deep breath, and heads back to his station, grabbing a ribeye roast from the walk-in along the way. 

Picking up his boning knife, he trims the lip off the edge of the roast, getting rid of the excess fat. Then he switches knives, and lets his blade do the work, cutting precise, even steaks.

He looks up at the clock.

Three hours to go.

Steve's finishing up his closing routine, when Chrissy pops her head into the kitchen through the swinging door. She's got a guy he's never seen before at her elbow, and she asks, "Hey, Chef. Is it too late to order something?"

It's absolutely too fucking late to order anything. The kitchen is closed, the crew already long gone. 

But Steve looks him up and down. He's got long, dark hair pulled up on the top of his head, and one dimple as he smiles sheepishly. And it's Chrissy. She's beyond sweet, and if she's found a straggler she wants fed, Steve can wax this table himself. Because if this guy is important to her, then he's important to Steve. They're family. That's just the way this works. 

Steve waves him in, and points to a stool in the corner. 

"Thanks, Chef. This is Eddie. He's the singer," she says, then turns back to Eddie, patting his shoulder, "Steve will take real good care of you."

Steve wipes his hands on the towel slung over his shoulder, "Hey, man. The kitchen's closed, but I'll see what I can do."

"Thanks, my van won't start, so I'm stuck waiting for my friends to come help me, and I'm starving."

"You picky?" Steve asks.

Eddie shakes his head, "Not even a little."

Steve smiles at that, and it makes him more willing to fire the grill back up. If he can stretch his skills, use the muscles that are lying dormant in this place, he's thrilled for the opportunity.

Especially for someone that looks like Eddie.

He hasn't eaten either, but usually settles for a PB&J at home after a long day in the kitchen, unwilling to cook for himself once he gets home. But, if he's already doing it for Eddie, adding something for himself isn't a big deal.

Pulling the remaining piece of ribeye loin from the walk-in that he was going to use as a small prime rib roast, he instead hand cuts two steaks. Thick, and perfectly even. He doesn't need a scale to know that. He can feel it these days, see it. He can also feel Eddie's eyes on him, watching his every move.

"So, you're the lounge singer?" Steve asks. They can't just sit in silence. 

"That's me," Eddie laughs.

"You're not what I imagined," Steve admits. 

"Oh yeah?" Eddie asks, and when Steve cuts a glance at him, he's grinning. "What you'd imagine?"

"Older," Steve says, "pudgier. Maybe a toupee."

Eddie tosses back his head, laughing like he's delighted. And Steve can't help but notice that he's gorgeous. He really should have made time to see his show sooner. Nobody told him. He'll have to fire them all.

"Not yet. Maybe in a few more years," Eddie says, and Steve's very charmed by this guy Chrissy dropped in his lap. He won't fire her, he decides.

Steve works while they talk. Chopping lettuce, and tomatoes. Grabbing other prep containers from the walk-in, and when he's done, he puts a salad down on the worktop in front of Eddie. He can at least get started with that. Tide himself over.

"This dressing is amazing," Eddie says, jabbing his fork into the lettuce again.

"Thanks, man, that's my own recipe," Steve says, and someone willing to try it, let alone liking it, is a rarity these days.

"And the croutons!" he adds.

"Homemade," Steve confirms. He uses the leftover bread from the day before and makes them fresh. There's a difference, for sure, and he appreciates that Eddie can tell. Not everyone can, he's learned. Most are just fine with the commercially available bags. 

Steve's not, though.

Maybe Eddie needs to work in the kitchen instead of on the stage. That way he could see him every night.

Once he's done cooking, Steve pulls up another stool, and puts down both plates. Steaks, duck fat fried potatoes and steamed veggies.

"This is amazing," Eddie says, picking up his knife, "I was fine with a PB&J, anything."

Steve grins, "That's what I usually eat when I get home."

"No way! When you can do all this? Blasphemy." 

Fork to his mouth, Steve chuckles, "I do this all day, every day. I don't usually find the energy to do it at home, after. I just melt into the couch, and subside on scotch and cigarettes."

"Sounds familiar," Eddie says with a grin, "I'm glad you decided to eat with me tonight, then. We can both eat peanut butter tomorrow."

And Steve laughs at that. They can indeed.

Eddie's singing again tonight. Steve's been paying close attention, waiting, which is a little pathetic. But he's been thinking about him since the other night. His smile, his kind eyes. 

He's nursing a hell of a crush like he's some kind of kid. And he hasn't been a kid in a long fucking time.

Steve takes off his apron, and picks up the two sandwiches he'd wrapped in wax paper.

"I'll be back to help clean up," Steve tells Robin, and she rolls her eyes.

"Sure you will."

"I will," he stresses, and then he pushes through the swinging doors out to the floor, and makes his way backstage. He's not even sure if Eddie's still around. He may get the hell out of here fast. Steve would if he could.

But Steve stands in the hall outside of the dressing room for the acts that perform every night. When Eddie finally opens the door, Steve holds up one of the sandwiches, an offer. 

"I think peanut butter and jelly sandwiches were mentioned."

Eddie chuckles, and takes it from him, dropping his duffel at his feet. Then they both lean against the wall, and unwrap their sandwiches. The bread is a little fancier than store bought sliced white sandwich, but the concept is the same. Better, even, Steve hopes.

"Damn, this jam is good," Eddie says, licking some off his fingers, which Steve watches intently.

"I made it," Steve says, and he's showing off. He knows that. Trying to woo the cute dude with his jam making skills. He's gotta use what he's got. And kitchen skills are about it.

"Well, I'm impressed," and Steve feels his cheeks flush. He definitely wants to impress Eddie.

The next time Eddie has a set, Steve repeats the process. If it worked once, it's apt to work a second time, too.

When Steve walks into the corridor this time, Eddie has left open the door of the sparse dressing room they let him use.

"Hey! C'mon in," Eddie says, sitting on the couch, like he has nowhere else better to be. Lucky for Steve.

Steve hands over one of the sandwiches, and watches as Eddie unwraps it, and takes a big bite.

"Damn, these are grilled. I've never had anything like it," Eddie declares, grinning, patting the couch next to him. Urging Steve to sit, to stay.

Steve sits, getting a little drunk off Eddie's open palate and easy-flowing praise. He's got a praise kink, one that works even more when it's about his food being good. At least, when the compliments are falling out of Eddie's mouth, that is.

These sandwiches have bacon and caramelized onions. He was definitely trying to impress him by doing something different, something special, he can't lie to himself about that. Caramelizing onions takes a long time, nearly every recipe on earth lies about how long knowing a home cook won't do it if they have that information up front, but Eddie was worth the time he invested in the process.

Steve eats his own sandwich, splitting his attention between it and Eddie. With all the happy moaning and groaning he's doing on the other end of the couch, all Steve can think about is how fucking good it would be if Eddie would just press him back into the cushions.

He doesn't. 

But they talk until Carl the night janitor pauses in the doorway, clearly surprised to find that he's not alone. 

They take the hint and part ways, but Steve will ride the high of Eddie's presence for the rest of the night.

Two weeks later, Eddie's finally back on the schedule, but this time has his full band, and since Steve isn't sure where they actually stand with each other, he just stays in the kitchen. He doesn't want to embarrass Eddie or himself. For all he knows, Eddie has a family at home, and he's just the overly friendly casino cook that keeps feeding him and monopolizing his time.

Steve's wiping down his worktop when the door opens, Eddie peeking his head in.

And he's not alone.

"Eddie really talks your food up," the shortest one says, "I'm ready to be impressed."

"Gareth," Eddie warns, then meets Steve's eyes, "you don't have to cook for him, for any of us. Ignore him. I just wanted to say hey."

"Hey," Steve answers, and smiles, already turning the flat top back on. The one he just cleaned.

Steve will cook for them, he wants to. If he can win over Eddie's friends, well, that can only work in his favor, he supposes.

He goes out to the darkened dining room, and flips over chairs that were already balanced atop a four-top.

"Where's the menu?" Gareth asks, and Eddie cuffs him on the back of his head.

"You'll eat what he makes, got it?" Eddie asks, and Steve wants to kiss him. Eddie needs to work every table, every night, in charge of passing along that message to the rest of the customers. Steve would have a lot more fun if he did.

"Geez, fine," Gareth says, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Any allergies or anything?" Steve asks, and they all shake their heads, so Steve turns to head back to the kitchen. 

Pushing through the swinging doors, he realizes Eddie's on his heels.

"Can I help?" Eddie asks.

"Sure," Steve says. He tosses him an onion, "Can you finely chop that up?"

"You betcha," Eddie answers, and Steve starts prepping the rest of the food.

When he looks over, the onion is being butchered. Massacred. It's a crime scene on the bench.

He laughs and walks over, a fresh onion in hand. 

Then, Steve slides up behind Eddie, getting close, probably too close, but reaches around, and brushes the half of the onion Eddie's already chopped off to the side, "Here. Let me show you."

And Eddie nods, hair brushing Steve's cheek as Steve puts both of his arms around Eddie, and picks up the knife, "Leave the root on," he says, cutting the onion in half.

Then he slides one half around, "Let your knuckle be the guide. Don't cut your fingers off."

Eddie laughs, and Steve smiles. He smells good, and his hair is damp, so he must have showered after the show.

"Tip towards the root," Steve says, sliding the knife through the onion over and over, quickly, uniformly. 

"Press it together," he instructs, doing just that, "slide it in halfway," he says, drawing out the words as he's making horizontal cuts, "and then squeeze it all together. Get a good grip on it."

He hears Eddie swallow. Literally hears his throat working, and Steve grins.

Turning the onion, he says, "And then, even strokes. Use the weight of the knife, feel it slide in and out, all the way to the root."

"Jesus Christ," Eddie mutters, and Steve laughs, delighted.

"You try the other half," Steve insists, and he puts his hand over Eddie's, helping him line everything up, and watches as he cuts it. It's not perfect. It's not fast. But it's ten times better than the original onion he was chopping up all willy-nilly.

Once it's all cut up, Steve takes a regrettable step backwards, "That's good. You did real good."

Eddie nods, rapidly.

"Want me to show you how to sauté them?"

"I'm not sure I'd survive it," Eddie admits, and Steve just grins, thankful they both appear to be on the exact same page.

Steve can feel Eddie's eyes on him as he plates each dish, careful with the presentation, even if he's absolutely certain not a one of them is gonna care about what it looks like. Still, he likes Eddie's attention and praise.

He hands two of the plates to Eddie, and carries the other three himself. 

They all oh and ah, and Steve loves this part of cooking for people.

Eddie sits at the table with his friends, and Steve leans up against one of the high tops nearby, and settles in to eat. But Eddie has grabbed another chair from a nearby table, and scooted his own chair over, making room.

"Sit down," Eddie demands. Steve's used to being on his feet, used to eating standing up, but if Eddie wants him to sit, he'll sit. 

"So, you're a band?" Steve asks, but nobody's paying attention to him, all too focused on their plates. He chooses to take it as a compliment, and not a slight. 

Eddie's paying attention, though.

"Yeah, we haven't made it big or anything. That's why we play these gigs, to make ends meet, you know? But someday, maybe."

Steve nods. He gets it. You gotta start from the ground up. You don't just walk into a place and immediately become the head chef, or a famous band, he supposes. But they aren't young. Eddie seems close to his own age, and he feels bad for thinking it's probably not gonna happen for them if it hasn't by now. He doesn't know about the music industry, but he kind of feels like breaking into it is most often a young man's game.

"What kind of music do you play?" he asks, because he assumes it's not what they do here in the casino. 

"Metal," Eddie answers with a grin, "we're Corroded Coffin."

Steve smiles. That seems right. It fits him better than covering the standards for the early bird seniors ever has.

Getting to spend a little time with Eddie is worth all the extra clean-up he's gonna have to repeat tonight.

Steve's bored. He's in a meeting with all the heads of department, and all he's thinking about is the prep he could be doing for tonight's dinner service instead.

The casino is hosting a charity event full of entertainment industry people to promote the soft opening of the new theater at the casino. They're hoping to get more acts, bigger acts, booked and they're dragging everybody out to wine and dine them. That means Steve is catering a charity event. He's done it before. But it'd be nice to be asked, instead of told.

There are three rich, old ladies holding court at the front of the room, talking ideas. He's uninterested. They'll give him a boring, basic menu and he'll follow it. That's how these things always go. He's well versed by now.

"And we're short a band, one of the opener's fell through," one of them says, "we've got feelers out. But if anyone has a connection, let us know."

Steve sits up straighter. He has a connection, and maybe getting Eddie and his band in a room full of industry insiders is just what they need.

He raises his hand.

It isn't until after he's made his pitch and left the meeting that he realizes he doesn't exactly have a way to get a hold of Eddie, unless he waits for him to be scheduled for the dinner theater stage. 

He doesn't have that kind of time.

That's how he finds himself digging through the Rolodex on Gary's desk, Robin holding the flashlight, an accomplice. 

"We're both gonna get fired," she whispers, and well, maybe. But he's not especially concerned. Who else are they gonna get to run their kitchen? It's not as if it's a highly sought after position. 

Flipping the cards, he hopes that it's in here, because taking a number from a Rolodex sitting out in the open on a desk is far less creepy than picking the lock for the personnel file cabinet to find it.

Luckily, it's there.

"He's gonna be so weirded out that you dug up his number," Robin says, and Steve has thought about that. But he's trying to do Eddie a favor. Surely that's a good enough reason.

"Thanks, Rob. That makes me feel great about this decision."

She shrugs, "I'm just saying. He's gonna think you're a big creep."

Well, that's the risk he's gonna have to take. 

Eddie doesn't seem to even question how or why Steve is able to call him, far too focused on the information Steve's just dumped all over him.

"We don't have a manager!" Eddie shouts on the other end of the phone, after Steve's given him the details on how they can book this event, probably pretty easily. The committee women had seemed very interested in having an easy fix, and Steve had offered them a very easy fix.

He didn't provide any additional information that they didn't explicitly ask of him. It's not like they said no to heavy metal, anyway.

"Just pretend to be your own manager," Steve says, that's what he'd do. "Talk your way into what you want. Lie."

"I can't just pretend to be our manager! They'll know I'm lying," Eddie shouts, "I'm a terrible liar!"

Steve smiles into the receiver, "It's gonna be fine. These old broads aren't gonna know or care about the music industry. They just know they need another band, and with the people they're gonna have in the room that night, I think you should be that band."

"Steve, I think this is a little bit above our level. Those are real bands, playing for real industry insiders. We're just a garage band. A bar band."

"You're good! I've heard you play."

"No, you haven't! You've only heard the bullshit we do at the casino. That's nothing like we really are. They'll hate us!"

"Who cares? Maybe somebody in the room won't? Maybe somebody will hear you and want to sign you!"

Eddie laughs, sounding a little hysterical, "Maybe I'll get fired! Ever think of that?"

Steve laughs. He thought this would be an easy sell. He had no idea Eddie was gonna be such a weird chicken about it.

This is only making him feel fonder. 

Steve rolls his eyes, "Fine. I'll call them. How much do you want to make for it?"

"They're gonna pay us?!" Eddie shrieks. 

"Well, I fucking hope so," Steve laughs. "I'll call them. Pretend I'm your manager, I guess. But I don't know what the going rates are. At least give me a ballpark quote. Can you at least do that?"

Eddie laughs, and Steve grabs a pen and notepad off his desk.

It was easy. They didn't even question him. And Eddie's ballpark was so low, it was ridiculous. So, Steve haggled for an even higher appearance fee than their first offer, just to see if he could. He did, and it wasn't even hard.

If he ever wants to leave the restaurant business, maybe he's got a career in being a band manager waiting for him. He laughs at the thought.

"They're gonna pay us what?!" Eddie asks, voice getting loud and high. 

Steve just giggles into the phone, "You're welcome. Just get ready. Don't let your manager down." 

Catering for two-fifty means Steve isn't gonna have the time to see much of Eddie's set, and that kind of sucks. 

The theater is bustling with action, wheeling and dealing, schmoozing. Trying to make sure the millions of dollars they put into this expansion won't be for nothing. It's not a huge theater, it is off a casino, after all, but it's much bigger than the one off the dining room where Eddie usually plays. 

They wanted a place where they could host all kinds of acts from different genres. Be the go-to spot in the community. So, tonight, they've put together a lineup to show what different acts could look like playing in the space. Eddie's band won't be out of place at all, just another option among many.

There's even a small ballet troupe, showcasing that they could put on The Nutcracker at Christmas.

Steve carries out a tray of stuffed mushrooms, looking for a server to hand them to, to swap out for an empty tray. Usually he'd wait in the kitchen for them to come to him, but he can't seem to keep himself from peeking, waiting to see if he'll get a glimpse of Eddie and Corroded Coffin. 

Right now there's a young singer on the stage, just a girl and her guitar. She's brave, Steve's pretty sure. There are a few people paying close attention to her, but the room is mainly filled with the low hum of conversation. Steve worries that Eddie's gonna feel like this isn't what he signed up for, but it's too late now. 

Chrissy sees him, and switches trays. There's one lone goat cheese stuffed date left on her tray. They are going through them at the exact pace he'd imagined, which is good. That means they aren't gonna get in the weeds before the dinner course. 

"He hasn't played yet," she says, smiling knowingly. "I imagine my tray will need to be refilled the moment he does, though."

Steve squeezes her shoulder, and smiles at her, before heading back to the kitchen. If she's gonna give him the heads up, he can get back to work until then. He just hopes it's not when the sit down service starts. He'll definitely not have time to linger around watching if that's the case. 

Steve's checking on all his held dishes, making sure they aren't deteriorating, when Chrissy is suddenly at his shoulder.

"He's going on," she says, and picks up a tray of pigs in the blanket. 

"Thanks," he says, looking at his watch. He only has about twelve minutes before he has to supervise plating the mains. 

But he pushes out of the kitchen and walks across the floor, and slides into the back of the theater. Trying not to stand out in the sea of fancy clothes in his white jacket, inevitable stains on the front. 

The first thing he notices is that Eddie isn't at the mic, Jeff is. When they start playing, he realizes he'd always just assumed that Eddie was their singer, but he's not. He's off to the side, digging deep on a gorgeous, sharp-looking guitar with a red and black finish.

They sound good, and Eddie looks good. Really good. He's in leather pants, and Steve's not sure he was prepared for that. He watches, listening to them, eyes trained on Eddie as his hand moves up and down the frets. 

When Robin appears at his side, he knows he's stayed longer than he'd planned.

"Sorry," he says, looking down at her, "he's good."

She nods, but he knows she's just concerned with getting the food out the door.

He follows her back across the casino floor, the machines chiming and ringing out as players keep feeding their hard-earned money into them.

"Just ask him out," Robin says, as they turn the corner towards the hallway to the kitchen. 

Steve just shakes his head. Eddie's never acted that interested, at least not enough to ask Steve out himself, so Steve's held back, too. It's been nice to have a friend, even if half of their interactions feel sexually charged. At least to Steve.

The onion. He thinks of the onion.

He's probably delusional.

"Did you see him up there? He doesn't want me," Steve says, holding out his hands, his burn-scarred arms. He's a nobody. A chef at a medium-sized casino because he couldn't handle the stress of a big city kitchen. He can cook at that level, he knows that, but he couldn't handle all the other stress and drama that came with it.

He's headed down, Eddie's headed up. It'll never work. 

"Steve. Stop being a dingus. He wants you," Robin says, pushing open the swinging door to the kitchen, and the discussion is over. They've got work to do.

Steve is leaned all the way back in his office chair, feet up, a glass of scotch resting on his knee. His feet are killing him, and he's absolutely certain he wasn't paid enough for the extra work that tonight entailed. There was talk of a bonus, but until it's in his hand, he's not counting his chickens before they hatch.

The kitchen is dark, everybody long gone, every last dish done. He runs a tight ship, he doesn't want anybody having to stay longer than he does, not even the dishwashers, so he makes sure nothing piles up. Even if that means he has to help do them himself once his other work is caught up. Being a team player matters. He doesn't want to be the kind of head chef that stands around and yells at everyone. That's what drove him out of the impressive big city kitchen he'd worked so hard to earn his way into, only to find out he couldn't actually hack it.

He hears the door to the kitchen swing open, and then closed, assuming Robin's here to collect him.

It's not Robin.

Eddie appears in the doorway, and Steve smiles. 

"You guys were good, what little I got to see," Steve says, and Eddie strides over, leaning down. Sliding his hand behind Steve's neck, pulling him into a kiss. 

Steve's surprised, but kisses him back. Trying to keep from toppling all the way backwards to the floor.

When Eddie pulls back from the kiss, he's smiling, "I think we have interest, real interest, from a label. Thank you."

"I didn't do it, you did," Steve says, pulling his feet down off his desk, moving to stand. He's stiff. He feels twenty years older than he is. 

He puts his glass down on the desk, and leads Eddie back through the kitchen. The only thing running is one of the warmers, and he pulls out a plate. Eddie reaches for it, and pulls his hand back, "Goddamn, that's hot. How did you just touch that with your bare hands?"

Steve laughs, "Time and experience. Calluses."

"I've got some of those from years of playing the guitar, but they must not be in the right places," Eddie laughs, blowing on his fingers.

Steve uses his foot to drag over a stool, and pushes Eddie down onto it. He'd saved a little bit of everything he could back for Eddie, on the off-chance that he'd show up after he was done playing. This late, he'd assumed he was long gone.

"We had a meeting, and like, we need to get a manager—"

"—what am I? Chopped liver?"

Eddie laughs, "A real manager. An agent. A lawyer, something, but I think we're gonna get offered a deal. A little deal, I'm sure. But a deal. A chance."

"That's great, Eddie. I'm so proud of you."

"You were the first person I wanted to tell," Eddie admits, his big brown eyes looking right into Steve's, and Steve knows he's so far gone on this man that he may never recover.

Steve rests his hand on Eddie's shoulder.

"Are we finally gonna do this thing? You and me?" Eddie asks, reaching up, covering Steve's hand with his own. Thumb brushing against his scarred skin. "I'm tired of tiptoeing around it. Tired of wanting, of waiting, and not having."

Steve's tired, too. Maybe it won't work. Maybe Eddie will leave town with his band, never to be seen again. But for now? Steve wants this. Wants him, wants all of him for as long as he can have him.

"Fuck yes, we are. Eat up, you're gonna need your energy for what I have planned for you tonight."

Eddie grins, a wicked expression, as he picks up his fork and starts shoveling it into his mouth, only pausing to praise Steve's cooking. 

Steve wraps his arms around Eddie's neck from behind, leaning down, hugging him as he eats and talks. He's unsure of what will happen in the future for them, he can't know that. Life changes all the time. What you thought you'd be, you aren't. Where you thought you'd live, you don't. 

But Steve's absolutely certain that whatever happens tonight is another major fork in the road, and one that will change his whole goddamn life.

And if you want to write your own, or see more entries in this pop-up, check out @corrodedcoffinfest to see other entries for the May Mayhem Bingo Event! And don't forget to head over to @steddiebingo - you still have time to sign up for card two!