#orionwritesthingies

[orionchildofhades]

I'm thinking of Neil when he finally finishes college and has to leave Palmetto and Columbia. I don't know if they keep the House, if Nicky leaves for Germany and sells it or if it's part of the family now. but the idea of Neil having to be detached to the first place he could call home, the key tightly squeezed in his hand. idk there's angst to write about that I think

[orionchildofhades]

Neil Josten - orange cat Energy - just weird feral and unpredictable

Andrew Minyard - black cat Energy - seemingly mysterious, actually no thoughts up in the head

[orionchildofhades]

going to school with Neil -and any of the fox- must have been wild like

imagine

following the same Spanish class or math class as Neil, seeing this kind of skittish kid who refuses to speak or aknowledge another soul, he's quiet, he's fine, he does want to work with anyone but he'll do it when he has to, like to train in Spanish and pairing but it's barely if anyone knows his name

turns out he's in the exy team, the one who make the news at least once a year because of drugs, death and whatnot

he shows up on social media after his interview with riko and Kevin and like, this is a random dude in class, but hes sitting beside two international superstar of sport and he's being sassy as hell

he's always tired but that's normal until he shows up after xmas absolutely beat, he's skin looks weird you don't really know why, there are some bruises showing under the makeup at the end of the days, he has a tattoo on his face ???, he's a red head ??? no one recognized him at first

then he shows up bloodied and battered after Baltimore and at this point nobody is willing to point it out,

I just-

being a normal student must have been wild at palmetto

don't get me started on the other sport students who had nothing to do with the team but woke up once a week to a fight between Seth and Kevin, matt and Andrew, Allison and Kevin, Allison and Seth, Nicky whinnying about shit, Andrew throwing shit around, etc

and Neil at the beginning was just standing behind, looking between the other foxes. imagine coming out of your room because some of the shitty neighbours are being noisy again and there is this random new guy standing and watching with careful eyes, a bit freaky, like. nope I'm out

[orionchildofhades]

steddie swapping soulmate au part 7

part 1 |[...]| part 6 | part 7 | part 8 | Ao3

---

Steve first year in highschool trickles by slowly.

He grows into his skin, more comfortable with the dynamics of the school, accepting bit by bit the way people expect him to act. This is not middle school anymore. This is where the first steps of his future begin, this is where he can write a name for himself, remind the world of the meaning beind the name Harrington.

Or so his father says. And his mother. Or at least she nods like it's one of the wisest thing she heard. And then she comes see him after dinner, sit on the edge of his bed and look at him, remind him how she loves him and how proud the whole family will be when he graduates and join the firm.

We'll all move to New York, honey, over with this town, don't worry.

And then she, and Father, leave once more, leaving Hawkins until they decide it's time to show themselves again.

So Steve plays basket, he swims. He tries as hard as he can on his work, on essays and history dates. He doesn't get much of the things his english teacher says, but he never did. Who could even know what a writer thought when saying the tableclothe was red? Not Steve.

But he likes when the teacher explains how the universe came to be, how all matter comes from the stars. The way we're all stardusts, linked to each other and the world around us. He likes when they tell him about the velocity and aerodynamics.

Tests are a bore and he loves complaining with his friends.

Carol swaps during winter break but doesn't say much about it. No one tries to pry. And Steve would really be an hypocrite if he did. Soulmate is private buisiness. If he doesn't want to talk about it, he shouldn't have to. Same for Carol.

Tommy swaps with his soulmate, Natalie, during a cold day in January. "It's not cold. This is pretty acceptable actually, for this month. Where are we again?" She had said with a thick accent. If this wasn't cold, Steve didn't want to know what was.

Steve doesn't swap again. Not for seven entire months.

Seven months spent thinking about Eddie.

Why Eddie rejected him, why he sneers in his direction when they cross path in the corridor.

Why he still hasn't swapped.

Because what could it mean? What exept that his soulmate doesn't want him and the universe apparently agrees with it.

Long nights are spent staring at the ceiling, both fearing and hoping to swap the next day. Thinking about what he did. Replaying each words and actions of this time before the club room.

He is a mistake. Maybe what people say is true, soulmates of the same gender shouldn't exist, and Eddie hates him for it. For being there, for being the body he woke up in when he was sent by the universe itself.

If we're all made of the same stardusts, what does it matter if I'm boy?

The universe had not sent an answer to that.

So Steve watches.

Richard picks on Eddie's friends, on the kids who play chest, on the drama club. And Steve watches.

He watches when Eddie is shoved into a locker, his heart aching and tears pricking with tears that he would not let fall. He watches as the sneers Eddie bears become more violent, when he is hit by a violent growth spurt and he grows into it, using the hight advantage he has against most people. He watches as rumors starts flying around about Eddie, listen to the words people use, The Loveless, the Freak.

All wrong. But Steve doesn't say anything.

For spring break, Steve leaves Hawkins. Instead of coming back, his parents send him a plane ticket for him to come to the city. To New York. His mother swore to take him to own of her favorite broadway show, his father to show him the firm properly. He is a man now after all, he has to learn the proper way to live his life. To follow into his father's footsteps.

He leaves Hawkins and he leaves behind the worries and the dread of having a soulmate who doesn't like him.

In the late hours of night, he sometimes thinks he'd rather have what his parents have, which is not fucking much, rather than whatever it is that Eddie feels for him. Even less than not much. Even worse.

New York is big. Bigger than he remembers. Bigger than Hawkins and his school, bigger than all his problems and he let the light of the city sip into his skin and bones, the lives shaking the entire ground, the noises and voices and faces all mixing in a fury of colours and movements.

That's when he swaps again.

[orionchildofhades]

steddie swapping soulmate au part 5

part 1 |[...]| part 4 | part 5 | part 6 | Ao3

---

when he wakes once more, Eddie is back in his body.

he knows because he is not hurting. and thats something.

he shift in his bed, enjoying the lack of aches and thinking over the previous day.

now that his mind is not as hazy, he tries to put the informations he learned in order. he wants to keep everything in, and make sure he understands his soulmate.

for a second he lets himself dream of waking up in his soulmates bed once more. but with his soulmate. with this person, his person, by his side. and it's stupid because they are fifteen, and Eddie is sixteen and they probably won't meet until much later when they both, hopefully, would have moved out.

he frowns. he didn't learn much though.

they can't see well, and they have a big bed in a big room in what is probably a big house.

and that's it.

I mean, they're also sick but that's only temporary, he adds, unless it's not? maybe they have, like, some disease?

he panicks for a second, not sure to be able to just leave their soulmate alone at home while suffering, everyday at every hour, without even company

he breath a little, reminding himself that both of them will be fine and that there is pretty much nothing he can do at the moment.

but it's okay. it's alright because he knows he has a soulmate know and he can carefully plan their wedding while acting cool and collected on the outside.

all thoughts are cut off when Wayne barges into his room, in very un-Wayne fashion.

"Patricia?" Eddie asks, trying to come back to earth from his little daydream

"What? No, son, why didn't you tell me you swapped? I just read over Patricia's note!"

"Patricia met my soulmate?" he jumped out of bed and almost fell over the pile of book that was not there the previous day. or the day before that perhaps.

"Yeah, and barely said nothing about them! she wrote, and I quote, 'it seems to me that Eddie has a very nice soulmate and I hope I'll can spend the day with them sometime again soon'" Wayne said before looking up from the paper he held in one hand.

Eddie on the other hand was walking to his own desk where he looked for a couple of books, which were now in the pile by his bed, before coming back and checking more titles. he could swear the last one was at the bottom of his laundry basket last time he checked. which had been a while, admittedly.

"I think Patricia and my soulmate cleaned my room..." he told Wayne with big eyes, full of both wonder, and terror.

seeing how clean and peaceful his other half's room had been, he couldn't muster the will to wonder about what his soulmate thought of him and the mess - organised mess!- of his bedroom.

with something akin to pity and understanding behind his eyes, Wayne nodded once, "that's tough kid, but at least they made cookies?" he said with a shrug before leaving the room

it's only once Eddie got back in his room, done with mopping about being shamed in his own space, and his belly filled with the delicious cookies Patricia had baked, that he saw the small note on his bedside table.

he was thinking over the fact that his soulmate had cooked him something, relishing in the addition of the sweet taste of cinnamon in the usual recipe, before he made a go for the furniture and took with careful hands, almost worshipping, the tiny piece of paper.

sorry you had to go through my flu, I didn't touch under your bed (that's personal), I enjoyed spending the day with your aunt(?), until next time ;)

Eddie lets a squeal escape his lips before falling, swooning really, on his bed, clutching the thin layer of matter witholding so many of his emotions.

he couldn't wait to meet them, he only whishes he had a name to put on them

[orionchildofhades]

steddie swapping soulmate au part 4

part 1 | [...] | part 3 | part 4 | part 5 | Ao3

---

When he awakes once more, relief floods in.

He didn't leave. He didn't swap. He still lies in this bed that isn't his, in this room that he knows nothing about, in a house he never walked in. it's probably because daylight is still pouring in. his soulmate must still be awake, somewhere, out there.

soulmate.

a heavy weight seems to fall from his shoulders as je finally realises the truth of it. he swapped. he had a soulmate. all of these hours spent wishing and dreaming for someone.

it was true.

all those nights spent dreaming, those mornings staring in the mirror, assuring out loud that he had one, that he would meet them.

it had been true.

he thinks of his soulmate walking around in his body, discovering eddie and his life the way Eddie is currently unable to.

he turns around, looks more into the details that might make the room a bit more personal. on the bedside table rests a tray of uneaten food, a bowl of soup, bread, a cup of water and a folded note.

he makes to grab it, shifting and holding in a groan.

he realises he hasn't seen anybody, hasn't heard a sound since he awoke.

blurry in front of him, Eddie manages to figure out the thin lines. he can't read it well, but there is no trace of any frame to help, no glasses around that his soulmate could have put on after waking.

probably put it somewhere else, he thinks.

there is more in the fridge, I'll be back next week, -Christina, the note says and Eddie wonders what kind of parents leaves their child alone as they are sick, or even sign with their name.

but he can't think clearly and there is not much more to say about the room.

he'd like to wander around, walk through the corridor of this house and cling to the frames hiding the secrets of his soulmates life. hed like to go to school and meet his soulmates friend.

but, as he sips on his soup, trying very hard to stay awake as the incessant ponding of his brain seems to get stronger, he thinks he has more time.

after all, he has a soulmate. he knows that now. he can wait. he'll see everything soon enough.

[orionchildofhades]

steddie swapping soulmate au part 9

part 1 |[...]| part 8 | part 9 | part 10 | Ao3

---

the fist thought in Eddie's head as he awakes is finally.

this is not his bed.

he swapped again.

the last months were painful, the idea of being left alone without the soulmate he was promised like a burn in his heart. with that and highschool going terribly as always, it wasn't very fun.

What he realises quickly is, even if this is not his bed, it's also not his soulmate's. At least not the one he woke up in the first time. The room is even emptier than the previous. White walls, white ceiling, white wardrobe. It feels even less personal than the first time around.

Everything is a bit fuzzy around the edges when he sits himself on the soft sheets. At least the bed is very comfortable.

He doesn't have much time to put everything together when the door on his right beeps - beeps? - and burst open. A tall and honestly, even for Eddie's gay heart, gorgeous woman enters. Caramel hair fall like around her face in waves, her skin porcelain and gently decorated with beauty marks under her eyes, above her lips, on her hairline. Her eyes are a shade of brown strangely familiar. What's not is the feint twitch of it when her eyes land on Eddie.

"What are you still doing in bed? We are leaving in ten minutes, I told you to be ready at half past!" She huffs and goes to open the wardrobe as Eddie watch in bewilderment. A glance at the clock above the door shows 10:18. "Come on, get up." A pair of jeans and a polo are shoved his way and the woman hurries him toward another door, on his left. He ends up very quickly in a bathroom, as white and clean as the room, and she constant rummaging of the woman pushes him to speed up any process. He throws his pajamas - his soulmate's pajamas - off with blushing cheeks and gets out of the room in the process of putting on a shirt.

This is not how he intended to meet any of his soulmate's family.

"Oh, honey." There's a hint of fondness in the voice this time as Eddie is dragged in front of the woman, dare he assumes the mother of his bonded soul?, and she starts working with his hair with strong but gentle fingers. "You are such a mess this morning. Be thankful your father is busy today."

And soon enough Eddie ends up outside, at the very bottom of a building that is far too tall to be safe if anyone was to ask him his opinion.

And he's in New York.

That comes as a surprise and a logical explanation as to why the room was different.

It's called a hotel Eddie, comes Frank's sarcastic voice in his mind.

This is the first time he has the actual chance to roam around a big city. And not any big city, but New York. That's just too cool.

The woman, the mother really, it would be weird otherwise, gets them a taxi and takes them for brunch before another taxi brings them to Time Square.

Eddie cannot believe he has such a chance.

He ignores the slightly disappointment remarks coming and going from the woman and happily enjoys his day.

A fleeting feeling of guilt rises in his chest at the thought of his soulmate missing such a day but he shrugs it off. There is no reason for him to feel bad, he can't change any of it. He'll just have to keep every detail in mind and recount everything once he meets his soulmate.

-

on a different note, i'm looking for a potential beta reader for a harry potter fic, if anyone has a bit of time, likes the fandom, would be willing to check some texts and ideas with me don't hesitate to comment, send a text

on another note, the second part of a mha fic i wrote is out on ao3, if anyone likes this sort of stuff it's villain!traitor!deku and people seem to think it's not too much trash so it's there if you are looking for a fic in mha

[orionchildofhades]

steddie swapping soulmate au part 6

part 1 |[...]| part 5 | part 6 | part 7 | Ao3

---

Walking the halls of highschool for the first time ever is more than a little intimidating.

Steve remembered the way his father had announced all and every single of his expectation before leaving.

the name Harrington means something around here and Steve has to remind everyone of it.

but those thoughts were easily out of the window by the idea of his soulmate.

just thinking of it was enough to make his heart beat fast, faster than any of the cars his father had shown him during the trips this summer.

and he might meet him just today

him

he remembered waking up, fifteen for barely a couple of day, in a new bed. in his soulmate's. in Eddie's.

relief, to find the proof of it, of him being meant for someone else, had soon left room for a frantic panic has he realised how he had turned into panic.

he was in a boy's body, and even though he did not mean to peek, his soulmate had gone to sleep in a lack of close that left almost nothing to the imagination.

except from a pair of boxer hiding the worst, he could see everything from shoulder length hair to very flat chest to a single pierced nipple that Steve had hurried to cover in the first shirt he found on the floor.

said floor had been covered in a frenzy of notebooks and clothes and a couple of papers crumbled and thrown in the vague direction of a trash can.

horror upon the view had taken hold of Steve's chest, hearing from here the screech his mother would let out of she ever found his own room in such a state before a startled laugh burst out of his lips.

it was so fucked up.

his father would kill him if he learnt his soulmate was another man.

but after a second, or a minute, of careful breath, Steve had stood up and went around the room, something reverent burning softly in his chest. his hands had followed the wood of the shelves, the spines of well loved books, caressed the glossy red of a stunning electric guitar.

it was scary.

it was exalting.

the idea of soulmate had always been a far away dream. no tangible reality to cling to. his parents relationship could be described as rocky at best and they always told everyone they were soulmates, the perfect couple written in the stars, god sent and blessed by the heavens.

(wait a couple of days of seeing him around before talking)

but they weren't exactly perfect.

they were screams and silences, evenings spent without a word, sharing a meal without warmth. they were wine bottles and glass full of bourbon. they were blank eyes upon harsh words. orders and expectation. they were not there.

the idea of a soulmate had always been a far away nightmare. something he wished so badly was different, would not happen to him, something binding him and someone else who would offer him nothing but quiet and loneliness.

but this room... it had been full of life. so unlike all his family had ever shown him.

it was like what his grandparents had tried to show little Steve once before they died and their memories faded in the past of a life that was not his anymore.

it was life and personality and a slight ordeal of chaos and, while Steve roamed the room, he slowly learned that, maybe, just a small and quiet maybe, this soulmate might not be so bad.

and he had learned about him, about Eddie. About this boy a year older than him, who lived with his uncle in a trailer park, who cooked and burned eggs when he was too preoccupied by his music but who, apparently, could make killer pancakes when he wanted. about the way he grew up, vaguely, hints here and there from Patricia, another soulmate, just as sweet as the smell of the cookies they had cooked, and much nicer than his own parents. once more.

maybe this all soulmate business is not as terrible as i thought, maybe the only terrible soulmates are my parents.

the voice was quickly shut down.

nonetheless, Steve had had the time of his life for a couple hours, using all the time he had to bath in the warmth of it all.

and the best part ? his soulmate lived in Hawkins.

So Steve walks down the halls of this new school, apprehention burning beneath his skin and the shimmer of excitment making everything glow a little bit brighter.

After all, not many soulmate can meet each other so soon. Wouldn't it be fantastic to actually learn from him, instead of through him?

Steve spends a few days trying to get a hold of the situation, understand the dynamics of the school and get a look at his soulmate.

He signs up in a few clubs, excited to see all the sports team he can join. He hangs around a couple of friends he had since childhood, the daughter of one of his dad's co-worker and the son of his mom's favorite neighbour.

Carol and Tommy. Carol was nice, a bit loud when she wanted attention and excited like never before to storm the world. Tommy had always been quieter, sticking to his friends and waiting for things to unfold. The three of them were close, years spent at each other's house, playing and fighting like children do, growing into gossiping and sharing secrets.

He did not yet told them about Eddie though.

Simply because Eddie is his to keep and his to know.

Soon, he thinks, i'll meet him soon.

At lunch this day, Steve sits between Carol and Tommy, a couple of older students across from them with smiles on their faces. The eldest Haggans, Richard, is senior and smile devishly at his brother when he annonces he joined the basketball team, laughing at his brother's expense when he explained he might try to get a scholarship this way. They all run in the same circles, even came several time at the Harrington's household when they organised parties for work.

In the corner of his eyes, he spies Eddie comming in the cafeteria alongside his friends. In the last week, he gleaned as many information about him as possible. He intends to see if he can talk to him after class during his club activities, perhaps even join it if he manages to find a way to hide it from his father.

He doesn't really understand the whole role playing business. Patricia had tried to tell him what she knew of it, which was not a lot. Things about magic and dragons and maths? somehow. Still, Steve became curious and couldn't wait to discover more about his soulmate.

Eddie's eyes slid on him across the room, before snorting at a joke from his friend. A bit of bread is thrown across the table, hitting one of the people on his cheek before they started bickering in midly wild gesture. He didn't glance at him a second time.

That is another strange thing about this situation.

Eddie had not come to him at all.

Steve has an excuse, except for his slight nervousness obviously. he barely knows the way to his classroom. Eddie on the other end, had all the time in the world to look for him.

But it was fine.

Steve remembers the way his head pounded when he came back to his room after swapping, to his body. Ideas and names might not be the clearest thing to remember.

All of it would certainly come back when, this afternoon, Steve would go to him.

It is with a sliht tremor in his hands and sweat dripping down his back that he makes his way toward the room in which the Hellfire club holds session. But the hope is stronger than the fear, the idea of someone taking care of him and being loved by him so important his heart swells and he steps forward, hand ready to knock.

the doors open by themselves, or rather by Eddie, who stands being them, arms wide open, towering over him with a hint of darkness behind his eyes.

"Well, would you look at that. A lost sheep." He announces with a booming voice, a sly grin on his lips. Steve can't tell whether it is directed at him or at his expense.

Nervousness creeps back, clinging at his shoulders and his cheeks tint lightly.

Behind Eddie, the rest of the club observes the scene with keen eyes, not saying anything. The table in the middle of the room is filled with papers, dice and small dolls? more like the things in the monopoly, thown across the board. They probably represent the characters, Steve realises.

"I, hum, I came to talk to you?" That sounded wrong. More like a question than an actual answer.

Shaking his head, Steve tries to stand a bit taller, straightning his back and looks at Eddie in the eyes. Big eyes, full of all the life he found in his room last time.

He shouldn't be scared. This is his soulmate. No use being nervous.

"And what would a Harrington want with little old me?"

Surprise hits Steve in the chest.

So he does know who I am?

Doubt starts to creep it's way into his brain.

"I wanted to join your club," he says, he glances behind his soulmate once more to look at who he thinks is the head of the club, trying to send a smile her way.

"And what club would that be?"

With a frown, Steve drags out his answer, "Hellfire," he reads of Eddie's shirt even if he knows it, showing the design with a finger and grin, hopping to take the strange tension in the air own a notch, "the dragons and dungeons club?"

Someone snorts in the room and Eddie's eyes darken slightly.

"Listen, we don't accept jocks here, everyone heard the loud statements you and your little friends are making by joining every sport club okay, and we don't accept the kind of people who hangs out with Richard fucking Haggan. This was a funny encounter, now move along."

His throat swells with telltale feeling of tears. Confusion and a strange pain course through his body. He takes a step back, frowning, trying to come up with something to understand why his soulmate, who clearly told him he recognised him, rejects him like that.

Did Steve do something?

"But, I wanted to-"

"Not interested," Eddie finishes.

The doors clap back right in his face, leaving him alone in the empty corridor, alone with the turmoil of feelings hacking at his heart and brain.

he swallows up tears before nodding vaguely.

well, that was just humiliating.

---

i love angst :)

remember, both Eddie and Steve are years younger than what we see in the show. We meet Eddie when he is 20/21 yo in s4, and Steve is 17/18 in s1 and 19/20 in s4. Here they are -barely turned-15 for Steve and 16 for Eddie. I decided to change a few things about how they act compared to later.

hope you liked Steve POV

this chapter is longer than my usal!

(i started this fic during my holidays and i only had my phone to type on, this is on a computer, therefore, longer. And with probably with more typos)

[orionchildofhades]

steddie swapping soulmate au part 3

part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4 | Ao3

---

surprisingly, swapping is very quiet, motionless and peaceful. something soft. simply and terribly natural.

Eddie wakes up in a bed that isn't his.

after the long seconds for his mind to shift from the sluggish thoughts of sleep, he realises that, yes, finally. he swapped.

the first thing that hits him is the silence. the deep quietness of the room, the house, the world. it is so glaringly different from what he is used to. from the thin walls of his trailer and the sounds of the world waking alongside him, of Wayne coming home after a night shift, of the neighborhood down the road putting on the radio to listen to the news a bit too loudly. it's different from what the apartment with broken windows and the sound of rushing traffic, of the loud sirens of police cars chasing some petty thief.

so eddie lays, in this body that he's now a bit too intimidated to discover, in a room that feels both too big and too empty.

the second thing that hits him is the pain.

it's not obvious and throbbing like a hit but the dull aches, eating away strength and breath of sickness.

his soulmate has a really bad flue.

which is kind of stupid since summer is barely over but the headache eating over Eddie's head keeps him away from too many thoughts.

his mouth feels pasty, his throat hurts and his nose is too full and eddie almost wants to laugh because never had he imagined that he'd meet his soulmate, have his first peek into their lives, while they were sick.

with heavy muscles, he manages to stand a little. his neck is so sore he just wants to fall back on his mattress, on the so soft pillow hugging his head and put the comforter up his face to hide the bright light.

but he wants to see the room.

and so he does. he looks around, blinking away the ray of light flashing in front of his eyes.

the room his big, and honestly, a little bare. a queen sized bed rest in the middle of it, a desk is pushed against the wall on the other side, a mess of clothes and scattered notebooks on top of it.

not a head, then, huh? eddie thinks with a slow smile.

there is a closet and a door, a shelf empty of books aside from the bottom one, with a couple of pictures too far away for him to see, trophies and...that's it.

there is another door to his right, and the window to his left. his head is getting heavy again, too much to bear as he tries to see the outside. trees and leaves dancing around in a soundless wind, the light moving alongside it around the room to some inaudible tune.

against his will, his eyes close once more, and he tries very hard to keep awake. to take in more. but he can't and his eyes close shut once more.

[orionchildofhades]

steddie swapping soulmate au part 8

part 1 |[...]| part 7 | part 8 | part 9 | Ao3

---

He wakes up in Eddie's bed, the sheets tangled in this legs, dark hair in his mouth.

It is painful.

Not the body, Eddie seems to be fine, healthy even. And it's great.

Because Steve couldn't, even if he really wanted, hate Eddie. He wishes him the best with all his might, all of his prayer, all of his breath and tears and the pain scratching against his ribs when he though too long about their last discussion.

No, it's the idea of Eddie that hurts, the fact that he can't let the pain heal, the constant -or almost because thankfully swapping are not a daily occurence- reminder of his pain held within the very definition of his DNA, the fact that he cannot get rid of it and let both Eddie and himself have a life away from one another.

Steve stands up quickly, makes his way to the bathroom and shuts himself in it quietly, locking the door. He sits on the floor, head between his hands, trying hard not the cry.

He just wants to go home now.

But he can't.

So he grabs the sink and gets himself on his feet, finds the hairbrush full of long hair and starts working on the nest that is Eddie's hair.

The least he can do is take care of this body while he is in it. Even if he is not welcome to be.

He takes his time, works on the tangled locks of brown hair, on the dry ends that seemes to be fused together to a molecular level. He wets them and brush under the water. His hair are so different but he'll be damn if he let's all the advice his mother ever gave him go to waste.

A knock at the door startles him enough to make him drop the brush.

Truning off the tape, he asks: "Yes?"

"Damn kid, what got you so polite this morning? I made coffee. Get out of here."

Steve straighten a bit before nodding, realising too late how useless this is. It's not like his uncle can see him in there. And it's probably his uncle.

Wayne, Steve recalls, as if any elements of his soulmate's life could be forgotten like this.

And it does sound like Wayne because Patricia had this accent and this tone that made Wayne's voice sound completly different.

He gets out of the room and follows the corridor to the smell of coffee. He finds Wayne sitting on the couch, reading the paper with a slight frown.

Steve stands there for a moment, bathing in the strange normalicy of it, the familiarity between uncle and nephew. The routine. Clearly Eddie and Wayne are comfortable around each other. They don't leave in a big mansion with thousands of room filled to the brim with silence and emptiness. They live together, they share the space and the time they have in each other's life.

It's so startingly alien to Steve that he doesn't know what to say or do.

Wayne looks up at him and frowns before putting down his paper.

"Are you alright?" He asks, concern pouring out of his words, "What have you done with your hair?"

"I- huh, I'm sorry, sir, I'm not Eddie, I'm his...soulmate" His voice breaks at the end of the sentence, tears burning behind eyes that are not his.

The older man scrambles up, almost falling in the process, "Yes, oh shit. Of course. Do you even like coffee, you don't have to drink it. Shit, drop the sir nonsense would ya?"

"It wouldn't be proper..." Steve says, and i don't want to be too close to you because your nephew hates me, he thinks silently.

Wayne scoffs at the mention of proper and drags things out of the cupboards with frantic movements, cursing under his breath at every turn.

"Sorry kid, I'm not good at that. Breakfast?" He finally says while showing the table covered in jam and cereals, coffee, orange juice and pancakes from the fridge.

"At that? Do you often end up with Eddie's soulmate roaming around?" He can't help but ask, a small smile on his lips despite the situation.

"No, I meant all social things, Patricia clearly got the right skills."

"She does seem rather social."

Wayne beams at him sitting on a chair and inviting him over.

"It's true that you met her already. Come on, eat something. Eddie is usually never awake at this time, enjoy all the breakfast he never gets to eat."

Steve gives up, the drag of hunger taking him to the table.

It's not like he can help it anyway, he's here for the day, he better make it worthwhile.

He feels a small tug at the memory of the broadway show he was supposed to watch with is

, sad to miss it given the lack of opportunities he has to spent time with any of his parents.

He hids it all behind a smile and he helps himself with some coffee, thanking Wayne as he goes.

At least his uncle doesn't treat him too badly, even if his nephew can't bear the sight of him.

[orionchildofhades]

steddie swapping soulmate au part 2

part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | Ao3

---

for a year, and more, Eddie doesn't swaps.

he wakes every single day, perhaps not morning given his late nights spent working on campaigns and his guitar, but he wakes every day in his own bed. in his own body.

his entire freshman year is spent seeing people meet and learn about their soulmate while waiting for his own to show up.

in private, Eddie isn't worried. he expected to swap soon after his birthday, to finally see this other person meant to be his, but he figured soon enough that his soulmate must be younger. he can wait. it's alright. at the end of the road he'll have someone by his side and who cares how long it takes. not him. the sooner the better but... he can wait. Eddie learned to be patient for things that really matter.

but I'm school, it's harder. he doesn't really have a name of his own, he's just the weird kid who lives in a trailer park, with hair longer than a boy's should be and who still haven't met his soulmate.

and teenagers are stupid. teenagers like to play grown-ups and what they think it means so they attack, they judge and they laugh and when Eddie still doesn't show any sign of having a soulmate, whispers start.

Eddie the unloved.

it's a silly nickname first in his grade, no one really cares about a lone kid like him. but then he joins hellfire and the rumour mill start its work. it's only 80 but the fear of the satanic rise is already there, settled over the mind of small, religious town. a club named hellfire about people trying to become other, talking about monsters and whatnot, with strange people joining, who dress weird, who don't have soulmates.

but still, eddie waits, and he's sure he'll find his soulmate soon. he works. on dnd, on his sweetheart, on all the things he'll be able to do in the future, in a big town full of people. with his soulmate. he can't wait to swap and see the world, to discover his soulmates universe. he imagine himself in Germany like Wayne, or in Japan like Sandy. he sees New York or Los Angeles. he even sees another small town, maybe not so far away so be could meet them. a wishful thought.

Eddie waits and waits until he blows another set of candles and jump forward to another year of highschool.

and finally

finally

he swaps.

[orionchildofhades]

I'm at the pool rn and I can't stop thinking of the Party at the Harrington's household during the summer, using the pool.

Robin is chilling on the stairs, will hit you if you dare splash her

edit : and Erica is also there, sitting beside Robin, trowing balls and using water guns to piss of everyone and using robin as a cover so she's untouched

Nancy, Jonathan, and Lucas are on the side, in the sun, little lizards enjoying the warmth

Dustin and Mike and being arseholes and moving around, making the whole water move.

Max is teaching El to swim, Will is swimming around and giving tips

You got Argyle and Eddie on those inflatable donuts thingy, chatting and all.

and then Steve, ex-swimmer Steve staying underwater for ages to give everyone a good scare, swimming beneath everyone.

when he gets under Eddie he gives a good squeeze on his arse just because he can.

or popping up up between eddies legs or something to give him a kiss, even if it's a little straightforward in front of everyone and the kids are definitely complaining

edit : no but I really imagine steve grabbing a handful of eddies arse, making him startle, almost falling in the water, his hair are wet and clinging to his face in a mess of curls and knots and steve just comes out of the water, dazzling, beautiful, the right shake behind the perfect haircut, winks and asks, as if fucking nothing, if eddies alright

[orionchildofhades]

back to business I guess? idk, I'm going back to my mha fic because it's been a while (*cough* two years 😬) since I've touched it but there's been a lot of traffic on it (I've heard it's been rec-ed on Reddit or something) so I'm going to try and finally finish it (I believe I had something like 50k words planned for the last part so let's see where this is going

I might have forgotten half of the plot but whatever

[orionchildofhades]

steddie swapping soulmate au part 11

part 1 | [...] | part 10 | part 11 | part 12 | Ao3

---

Somehow, the link between them had seemed to answer to the demand, Eddie wanted nothing to do with Steve and Steve wanted to respect his wishes.

They didn't shift for nearly another year.

When Steve open his eyes, nearly a year and a half after his first shift, all he feels is dread.

He could not believe that it had taken only two shifts for him to link a shift with pain. He almost wished it actually caused bodily pain, it was so much easier to ignore it, to grow past it. The constant reminder that the person meant for him could not bear to see his face was worse than any punch or push he had ever fallen victim of.

But the room he awakes in is definitely not Eddie's.

It speaks of another type of chaos, something a bit more organized and dignified. A tad more feminine to be honest.

That is even worse.

Did he just woke up in bed with Eddie's hookup?

He could throw up at this point.

But after a second or two staring blearily at the ceiling, it just didn't feel right.

He sits, falling on the side before catching himself on the wall. His arms are so much thinner!

He stares at his hand for a moment, chewed nails and long fingers. Nothing like his own or even Eddie's.

Glancing at the bed he looks back up to stare at the wall.

Someone likes to sleep without shirts and someone has breast.

He reaches for the cover tangled between his legs, a least who ever's body he is currently inhabiting had the decency to wear pants before going to bed. Dragging back the cover on himself he covers his, or his soulmate's -???- chest with it.

None of makes sense.

The bed sheets arecolourful in a way that spoke of a childhood bed still used in adolescence, designs of flowers covering the pillow case. The walls are a pale orange, the wardrobe in front of him baby pink. The desk on his right is covered in all manner of papers and pens. The floor has a couple of clothes scattered around, a bag half open and the uniform of Hawkins High marching band.

Seriously?

Steve struggles to make sense of it for an instant.

He has apparently not one, but two soulmates. Eddie, who despised him, and this stranger apparently also in the same highschool as him, and in the marching band nonetheless.

Hope rises in his chest in a sudden bursts.

Maybe Eddie hates him, but he might not be alone, after all. He might deserve at least a little bit of love. This is definitely a way from the universe to right the balance created with Eddie's hate.

Right?

Today was Wednesday, a school day. All he has to do is find himself in the throngs of people and find his soulmate. The right one.

Getting up, he grabs the first shirt he can find and decides to dress as fast as possible, eyes shut close.

This might not be as terrible of a day as he expected!

[orionchildofhades]

steddie swapping soulmate au part 13

part 1 |[...]| part 12 | part 13 | part 14 | Ao3

---

What follows is the longest talk Steve ever had.

He sits numbly beside Robin, the silence surprisingly easy between them.

Or perhpas it's not that suprising, given they both stripped their souls bare.

Robin doesn't like Steve.

Not because he's unlikeable but because Steve is a boy and he isn't a girl. And Robin, who is a girl, also likes girls.

It doesn't shock Steve has much as it could have, not when he knows his other soulmate is a boy. Not when he knows that he would do anything to not see the disdain in Eddie's eyes. Not when he knows he would have fallen in love, if Eddie had not clearly showed him he didn't want him.

But Robin says that, if Steve won't be a dick about it, they can still try to be friends. They're going to share a body, after all. Several time in their lives.

Steve, in returns, explain what happen with Eddie.

Robin seems surprised that he has two soulmates. Even more surprised to learn that Eddie, defensor of minorities, rejected Steve so straighforwardly because he is a man.

When Robin attempts to hug him, it feels very strange. Not many people have tried of offer him physical comfort in the past. And none of them were taller than him.

He doesn't find it uncomfortable.

It takes a while longer for them to settle into some sort of agreement. Robin was not expecting a relationship, of any sort, and Steve could clearly see how afraid of him she had been.

Yet they are soulmates, even if they are meant to stay platonic, which Steve is ready to accept if it means he has someone by his side. There is a reason why they are supposed to be linked.

Even if the universe made mistakes before.

Still, Robin agrees to give him a chance at friendship, as long as he doesn't drag her as his girlfriend, or tries to make her join the popular crowds.

"I like being a nerd, you're not all nice about it but I'd rather have good grades, band practices and people with whom can hold a meaningful conversations rather than being some eye candy, and speak of nothing but silly rumours."

Stings a little bit, but he can understand.

He, too, would like to have some meaningful conversations.

They don't really part for the rest of the day, but they stay away from the crowds. They don't really talk either.

Robin is fast to grab her own bag and start working on the class she is currently missing.

Steve is the one to go out and join society for a little while, just to grab them some food. He is amazed by how easily he can cross the corridors with Robin's appearance. He probably shouldn't, realising that she probably is often made fun of, but he can't help but wish for the same kind of invisibleness. It feels so much more peaceful.

They both go back home, Steve to Robin's, Robin to Steve's. He tries to apoligise for the empty walls and lonesomness of his own, knowing how uncomfortable it make him, who is now used to it, feel. Robin just waves him off.

She cares so little about it, Steve wonders if he is overreacting.

When he falls asleep in Robin's colourful sheets, he tries to enjoy the few seconds of warmth, hearing the sounds of the TV playing in the living room, the faint light under the door, nothing like the creepy cricking of his empty house and the cold morning he'll face, alone again tomorrow.

Steve tries not to feel down when he does wake up alone.

He is used to it.

He ignores thoughts of Eddie, a well-oiled routine, but his mind does stop on Robin.

He wonders if the universe truly hates him, wonders what he did to deserve two soulmates who wanted nothing to do with him.

Not Robin, she said she'd give me a chance, he reminds himself. He'd take whatever she was willing to give, even a half hearted friendship.

In the corridors of the school, alone for once, his head full, he doesn't realise when he bumps into no other than Eddie Munson.

The man is still taller than him, his hair flowing around his face with something akin to grace.

"Congratulation, man," the other man says, bumping a heavy ringed hand against his shoulder.

Steve almost wonders what it means before Eddie continues. "Your soulmate. Did a right number on me yesterday," he laughs, something deep and it would perhaps be enjoyable if it did not stab Steve's heart in a thousand different ways, if it wasn't at his expense. Does the man really hate him so much that he can't accept that Steve has someone else? At least he should feel free of the burden Steve was.

He just pushes past Eddie, not caring if he bumped into his shoulder and made the other man's bag fall.

He tries as hard as possible to keep the tears in.

He only manages to until he reaches the bathroom.

[orionchildofhades]

steddie swapping soulmate au part 12

part 1 | [...] | part 11 | part 12 | part 13 | Ao3

-

Robin is seriously panicking.

Like full on panic attack type of panic, I cannot remember how to breath type of panic. The my-soulmate-is-a-man-and-men-are-definitely-not-for-me-to-not-say-gross type of panic.

Not only that, but she woke up in the body of one Steve fucking Harrington, rising star of Hawkins High, popular in thousands of way, playing thirty billiards of sports and hanging with twice that number of people and being flooded with interested girls and-

Robin needs to breath.

In for four, hold, out for eight.

Again.

This is just fine.

Please make it be just fine.

Make Robin's body fall suddenly in a coma or something and Harrington unable to attend school and broadcast to the rest of the universe his link with Robin.

Please.

She dries her tears in front of the mirror, unwilling to do much in the body she currently is in.

She hates it.

She doesn't have something against men as themselves. Well, she does, and in several forms and ideas, but the point remain is, she doesn't hate men. But having to stand in a body so profoundly foreign, so different from hers. It feels awful.

And she has to spend the day like that, and change, and interact with people. And she has to speak to Harrington before he makes a big mess out of everything but everything is already a big mess and-

In for four, hold, out for eight.

At school, half an hour late and running madly around in search for her own body, rushing through the corridors to the room she is supposed to be, she run directly into someone chest.

"You good Harrington?"

She looks at the other person's face, feeling weird out to not have to look up. Eddie Munson is looking attentively at her, big brown eyes shifting from curiosity to concern for a brief second before settling on a strange light not unlike recognition.

Robin doesn't have time for that!

"Soulmate business," She blurts, too preoccupied by the idea of Harrington running rampage in her body around school, doing God's know what and saying probably an immense amount of bullshit.

In for four, hold, out for eight.

"Then by all means," Munson slightly bow, something akin to a smile on his lips, "good luck."

And Robin is rushing by without another thought.

She finds herself before her room, looking at her timetable with a nervous look. Harrington looks up from it at the sound of her footfalls and follows the strangest thing Robin has ever lived.

Harrington, with her face, seems to melt with relief. It's strange because her face doesn't do that, doesn't just shift from a nervous look, to a unbelievably blank one to this.

And of all the things she had expected of him, this was not it. Tease, flirt, inappropriate comments maybe about waking up in her body and-

Oh God, she went to bed shirtless last night.

Her cheeks heat up and the odd response from Harrington erases itself from her thoughts.

Without waiting for him to speak, which he was clearly about to do, she grabs his wrist, hers?, and drags him out of the school. To hell with class and the world.

She might just commit murder today.

Because nothing else strikes her fancy, and because she is self-sabotaging if nothing else, she brings Steve beneath the bleachers of the court.

Bad, bad idea.

Honestly reading her own face way harder than it should be. But there is definitely an air of excitement and blind hope, so eager and honest. It takes Robin off guard, her blood already bubbling with anger. It kind of cut off the whole speech she was preparing and a sudden feeling of guilt.

And for a second it's all too much.

Since the day began she had been in a fair state, frantic and erratic, fear and adrenaline fighting in her veins. All kind of thoughts flying in her head, tumbling against one another, coming and going, spiraling.

"I don't like you," she blurts out, and it's not loud, nor angry. More like a bland fact, cold and just, there.

She closes her eyes when she sees Steve recoil, his flinch. Something in his eye dims.

Fuck.

All of the sudden it's all too much. She falls on the ground, limp, her hands closing behind her nape, head fallen between her knees. She feels distantly the tears running down her cheeks.

"I don't like you, I can't like you. You're not-" her voice breaks, "I'm broken."

Harrington has dropped to his knees before her, pain clear on his face. Yet, what predominates is a stark concern. An inviation to speak.

---

here is another chapter!

this will be the last one of October, I leave the stage to the smut writers for kinktober and i'll come back by November for some more content.

(and with a HP fic on ao3 if anyone is intrested)

loads of love to you