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mothmanmunson · 1 year ago

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Omg this is the cutest thing.

(I'm the someone btw hehe and I do not regret a thing :3c)

santa's friend, the armadillo.

TITLE: santa's friend, the armadillo. PAIRING: steve harrington x eddie munson, insinutated robin buckley x nancy wheeler WORD COUNT: 1.9k SUMMARY: little elanor harrington-munson loves santa but she didn't get to see him this year! her #1 present this year will be a phobia of armadillos. WARNINGS: a little bit of swearing NOTES: a late secret santa gift for someone who is going to wish they didn't get me as their secret santa. i'm so sorry for putting this out into the world that i ain't even tagging it lmao. and this was quite clearly inspired by the friends episode "the one with the holiday armadillo". also elanor is the name of sam and rosie's first child in lord of the rings, eddie got that one past steve after he turned down eowyn...

Elanor Harrington-Munson is -- as Aunt Robin insists on calling her -- a shy bean. She’s four, big brown eyes with the worlds cutest smile and a complete and utter Daddy’s girl, which is good considering she’s got two of them. She likes to draw, she likes stuffies and she loves cuddles. She’s at her most content sitting between her two Daddy’s, her hand in Steve’s, her head somewhere pressed against Eddie as they watch movies.

Christmas movies are her favourite at the moment, after all, it is the season. And both Dad’s get a kick out of seeing her lost in them -- her abnormally large eyes even wider than normal (Eddie and Steve had agreed that they wouldn’t find out who had… ‘won the race’ but… well, that had kind of given it away though they’d never spoken about it. They didn’t need to, it didn’t matter, she belonged to both of them) at the sight of the twinkling lights, the snow on screen. And Santa.

Elanor Harrington-Munson is afraid of strangers -- actually, she’s afraid of some people she knows too, for instance, they don’t see much of Jonathan these days and because she doesn’t see him frequently she’ll hide behind the nearest ‘safe’ person when she does see him. But the one person she sees once a year that she isn’t afraid of? Santa. She loves Santa, she’d babble endlessly at the Starcourt mall Santa if they’d let her. Even as a one year old, Elanor had lit up and grinned when she’d seen the man in the red velvet jacket and she’d cried when they’d taken her away from him.

And this year Steve fucked that up for her.

Eddie keeps telling him that it’s not his fault, that he hadn’t known he was going to get sick and he hadn’t known that Starcourt Santa would only be around for a couple of days this year rather than a couple of weeks like normal... because he’d gotten sick too.

Pretty much every sickness bug you could imagine has ravaged Hawkins this year (Steve’d had Noro) and Starcourt Santa had gone undercover because he wasn’t getting any younger and a cold was not going to be the thing that took him out, which had left Steve feeling like an awful father because Elanor had been asking to go and see him and he’d promised they would go as soon as he was feeling better because Eddie could have taken her but he really didn’t want to miss out on seeing her pure glee.

Plus, even though Eddie had somehow freakishly managed to avoid the virus, he probably shouldn’t have been walking around the mall, spreading his husbands germs to all the other parents.

And the day before he was feeling better Starcourt Santa had retired for the season and Starcourt hadn’t replaced him. And so Elanor hadn’t gotten to see her most favourite person this year.

And Steve had never felt worse. He’d gotten down on his knees so he was making eye contact with the four year old and he’d told her Santa had had to go back to the North Pole early that year and he was so, so sorry that he’d been sick and she hadn’t been able to see him. Her tiny little lip had wobbled when he’d told her, but she’d hugged him and told him “s’okay Daddy…”

Those bug eyes of her gave away her utter disappointment though. And it had broken Steve’s heart.

And so Steve and Eddie had spent the last two days calling every costume shop they could find to see if they could secure a Santa outfit so that one of them could dress up and surprise her. But no bueno, too close to Christmas that even Target was out of those awful polyester costume versions.

There would be no visit to Santa from Elanor this year.

“Hey, little bean.” Robin walked into the room, two cups of hot chocolate clutched in her hand -- one steaming and one cooled down with milk. “That was a big sigh.” Robin had been recruited to babysit when Steve had been called in to Family Video at the last minute, something about checking out the CCTV footage from the night before because the alarms had been tripped, but as the manager it was his duty to go and check it out. And… well, she’s got no idea where Eddie is. Robin looks at the TV to see Elanor has been playing with the remote and the kids cartoon she’d left on for her had turned into a Christmas movie and Santa was on screen in all his glory. “How about Aunt Robin takes you to see him next year too? So you can see him once with Daddy and once with me and Aunt Nancy?”

Elanor just nods, her eyes on still on the screen. She wordlessly takes her hot chocolate in her favourite mug and leans into Robin when she sits down next to her. Robin’s hands find her curls and she affectionately brushes her fingers through them. “Promise?” Elanor mumbles. “Promise I can visit him next year?”

Robin will make sure she gets to see Santa next year even if it means applying for the goddamn job herself, though she suspects Eddie or Steve will beat her to it. “I promise, bean.” Elanor seems sated by this, her eyes drift back to the movie on screen, the two of them getting lost in the action playing out on the screen.

The loud bang behind them of the door being thrown open scares the both of them.

The sight of a giant Armadillo barrelling through the door scares them even more. Elanor buries her face into Robin’s chest and Robin is about five seconds away from throwing her steaming hot mug of hot chocolate at the beast. Until she realises that the armadillo has a face and it’s…

“Eddie?!”

“Who is Eddie?!” Armadillo Eddie responds, with the most obnoxious high-pitched squeaky voice he can muster. “I’m Santa’s Armadillo friend from the North Pole! And he has sent me to see his special friend, Elanor!”

Elanor nervously peeks out from Robin.

“Are you Elanor?!” Eddie asks.

Elanor shakes her head.

Eddie is somehow not perturbed by his daughters obvious fear. “Santa has lots of friends in the North Pole, so sometimes when he’s very busy he sends us out to see his favourite people to make sure they’re okay! He’s very busy this year, you see.”

Elanor eyes him warily as Robin tries not to laugh.

“Come and give your Armadillo friend a hug!” Robin thinks Eddie is trying to open his arms, but the ones on the costume are stubby and so he flails more than anything.

“Nu-uh!” Elanor mumbles from Robin’s chest, defiantly.

Eddie the Armadillo sighs. “Aww, come on kid. You know some kids have Dad’s who really just want to make them smile so they dress up in the only goddamn costume they can find in the costume shop at the mall even though it means making a complete joke of themselves.”

Elanor’s eyes lighten up and Eddie’s heart soars. She’s warming to Santa’s Armadillo friend.

And then a deep voice calls out behind them. “Ho ho ho!”

Both Robin and Eddie (with great difficulty) whirl round to see who’s behind them. And there stands Steve in what must be the last Santa suit in the whole of Indiana. Steve visibly blanches at the sight of Eddie, but manages to pull it back as Elanor wiggles to be put down and immediately runs into Santa Steve’s arms.

“Santa! You came to see me!”

“That’s right!” Steve attempts to deepen his voice, shifting his overexcited little one onto his hip. “I couldn’t miss a visit with my special friend Elanor this year, so I took a tiny little break to come and surprise her.”

“Thank you!” Elanor’s voice is full of wonder and joy as she gazes up at her Dad, clearly the big white beard is doing it’s job because she doesn’t seem to recognise. “Your friend is scary.”

“My friend?” Steve blinks.

“That’s right, Santa!” Robin steps in quickly. “You sent your Armadillo friend to come and visit Elanor because you weren’t sure you would make it, isn’t that right?”

“Yes… yes, I guess I did.” Steve quickly catches on. “But I did manage to make it, so thank you to Mr. Armadillo for… his… attempt?” Elanor’s eyes have been firmly glued to Santa from the moment he walked into the room, she hasn’t even looked back in Eddie’s direction much to his disappointment.

“You’re here now… so I guess… I should go?” Eddie mumbles, walking backwards out of the room trying not to knock anything over. Elanor does not spare him a glance or a goodbye, too busy clutching onto Santa who is leading her towards the couch so he can sit down.

When Eddie reappears a few moments later, his hair even more of a mess than usual, Elanor is deep into her list of things that she wants Santa to bring her for Christmas. A baby doll, a colouring book, all of the new My Little Pony’s, a Barbie. “Oh,” she tells Santa Steve. “And I want my Daddy’s to have a baby!” They’ve got the doll, several colouring books, a couple of ponies and Barbie’s little sister Kelly wrapped up under the tree already. Eddie can’t promise the baby, but it’s sure something he’s open to.

Steve would stay with her in his lap all day listening to all of her wants, but he knows that the magic of Santa is that Elanor only gets to have a few moments with him every year, he’s very, very busy after all. And so with a heavy heart and a few more minutes of listening to her, Steve gently tells her he has to go back to the North Pole. And Elanor pouts, but she gives him a fierce cuddle.

And thanks him for making his ‘scary friend’ go away.

She, Robin and Eddie walk him to the door and wave him off as he slips round the back of the house and Elanor excitedly tells Robin all about what happened, as if Robin wasn’t there to witness it all.

Eddie waits back at the door to let Steve walk back in. “Shit, how’d you pull that off?”

“I was telling the cop that came to check out the store about how I made her miss Christmas and couldn’t find a Santa suit, only for him to drop it off ten minutes later. He was a good guy.”

“She wants her Daddy’s to have a baby, huh?” Eddie says with a smirk.

There’s a twinkle in Steve’s eye. “Yeah, maybe she’s got a point there… maybe it’s time.”

Eddie’s smirk softens. “I think so too.”

Steve closes the gap between him and his husband with a kiss.

Eddie smirks again. “How long do we have the suit for?”

“Santa?” Steve teases. “Really?”

Eddie shrugs. “What can I say?”

“Daddy?” Elanor’s voice calls out and her little feet tap their way into the hall, her face breaks out into a grin as she spots Steve and she raises her arms to be picked up. “Santa came to visit me!”

“No way!” Steve gasps. “And I missed it?”

“You did!” Elanor nods. “He said I’m a good girl!” She beams, proudly. “So I didn’t tell him the friend he bought was ugly….”

Steve tries not to laugh at the vaguely offended look on Eddie’s face. His husband tried at least, which is more than what most fathers would do. Steve looks down at Elanor and then back at Eddie with a grin.

His little family is everything. And this is going to be the best Christmas.

#hawkins post #fics by pix #this is so cute #i loved this episode of friends

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mothmanmunson · 2 years ago

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Merry Holidays!

the night before christmas

steddie | wc: 1,377 | cw: none | emma's pov

emma gets to meet a very special someone

permanent taglist: @yournowheregirl @judasofsuburbia @steves-strapcollection @thefreakandthehair @stobinesque @vecnuthy @scarcrossdlvrs @starrystevie @inairbinad @flowercrowngods @starryeyedjanai @matchingbatbites @corrodedbisexual @theheadlessphilosopher @sidekick-hero @patchworkgargoyle @sentient-trash @wormdebut @legitcookie @corrodedcoughin @steddieas-shegoes @wynnyfryd

it's a little after midnight for me, so merry christmas to those who celebrate!

The house is silent, save for the clock ticking on the mantle in the living room, dimly lit by the Christmas tree in front of the window, covered in different colored lights and handmade ornaments—some from decades long since passed, family heirlooms handed down, and some more recent. Little ceramic handprints and popsicle picture frames. Reindeer and gingerbread men painted with a toddler's unsteady hand.

The plate of cookies and the glass of milk remain untouched as the occupants of the house sleep soundly in their beds with dreams of sugar plum fairies dancing through their heads.

Snow falls outside in fat flakes, covering everything in a cold, heavy blanket and there's not a soul in sight. It's the night before Christmas and everyone is eagerly awaiting morning to come to see what Santa brought them.

But someone is about to find out ahead of schedule.

Tucked all snug and warm in her bed, five year old Emma Munson snaps awake at the sound of a clatter coming from downstairs.

—

The carpeted runner muffles her footsteps as she carefully walks down the hallway. She can see a light on in the living room from the top of the stairs and she gasps quietly as she crouches down and looks between the bars of the banister.

A lamp is turned on, illuminating a figure dressed in red and white putting presents under the tree.

As quietly as she can, Emma makes her way down the stairs. She doesn’t know if this will put her on the Naughty List or not, but she might not ever get this chance again in her whole life.

“Santa?”

Santa’s hat gets caught on the tree when he jumps in surprise. He struggles with it for a second before fixing it on his head and slowly turning around. He doesn’t look like the Santa in the picture books on her bookshelf, but Emma remembers her daddies telling her that nobody has ever actually seen Santa before so they’re just drawing what they think he looks like.

He’s not round like people say he is, but he’s tall. Almost as tall as her daddies. She doesn’t feel as anxious as before. Her daddies are tall and they make her feel safe, so it has to be the same way with Santa.

With that thought in her head, she takes a confident step forward, wringing her hands in her pajama top nervously.

“Are you really Santa?”

Santa looks a little surprised, like no one has ever asked him that before. After a second, he sits on the coffee table with a light chuckle and pats his knee with a soft look in his twinkling brown eyes.

Emma doesn’t hesitate to run over and climb into his lap, looking up at him in awe.

His beard is as white as the snow outside and soft to the touch. He gives her the same look her daddy Eddie does before he scoops her up and makes her squeal and laugh with kisses all over her face, all soft and happy.

Yeah, it’s definitely the same way with Santa.

“Are you really Emma Louise Munson?” Santa asks kindly, mirth shining in his eyes.

Emma gasps. “How do you know my name?”

Santa laughs again. “Because I’m Santa Claus. How else would I know your name or where you live?”

Emma scrunches her nose and pushes up her glasses. They’re too big for her face still but daddy Steve says she’ll grow into them. She thinks for a minute and then that nervousness returns.

“If you’re the real Santa, does that mean I’m on the Naughty List now and you’ll take my presents away?” she asks in a small voice.

“Of course not, swe–” Santa cuts himself off but he rubs her back comfortingly, like her daddy Eddie does when she’s sad. “I don’t put kids on the Naughty List just for being awake. Here, I’ll tell you what.”

He lifts her off his lap and guides her over to the tree, crouching down in front of it. He picks up a smaller present that’s wrapped in red and white paper with little candy canes all over it. “I’ll let you open one early as a treat.” He boops her on the nose with a smile that makes his eyes crinkle. “As long as you keep it our little secret.”

Emma nods excitedly, her curls bouncing. “Yeah!” she says, a little too loudly, and apologizes when Santa gently hushes her. “Don’t worry, Santa, I’m a great secret keeper. You can ask my best friend, Caleb. One time he spilled red paint on his mom’s white purse and he didn’t want to get in trouble so he said the cat did it.”

Santa raises his eyebrows as she speaks and Emma’s eyes go wide when she realizes she just told Santa Claus the biggest secret she’s ever kept. “Oops. I shouldn’t have said that,” she says quietly.

“Probably not,” Santa says, sounding like he’s trying not to laugh. “But that’s alright, I still trust you to keep our secret.” He motions to the gift in her hands. “Go ahead, open it.”

Emma doesn’t hold back as she excitedly tears at the wrapping paper. She gasps so hard she’s afraid she’ll need her inhaler, but Santa must really be magic because she doesn’t. She gapes down at the pack of modeling clay she remembers putting in her letter to Santa.

“You remembered!”

Santa gives a chuckle that comes from deep in his belly. “Of course I did! You said you wanted it because you wanted to bake like your daddy, but he said you were still too little to go near the oven.”

Emma nods. “Uh-huh!”

She looks down at the clay and rolls her lips inwards, so focused on deciding what she’s gonna make first, that she doesn’t notice Santa glancing up at the top of the stairs and doesn’t hear his quiet, “Oh shit.”

“Alright, kiddo,” Santa says, dragging Emma’s attention back to him. “Other kids still need to get their gifts, too.”

Emma frowns, but nods, holding the clay close to her chest. “You won’t tell my daddies about this, will you?”

Santa ruffles her hair with a gloved hand. “I won’t tell anyone if you don’t.”

Emma mimes zipping her lips and locking them and throwing away the key.

“Good girl,” Santa laughs. “Now run along back up to bed, okay?”

“Aw, I don’t get to see you go back up the chimney?”

Santa hefts his toy back over his shoulder and winks. “Santa still has to keep some surprises.”

Emma frowns but nods. She gives him one last hug and then dashes back up the stairs and to her room, quickly trying to fall back to sleep so she can open the rest of her presents in the morning.

—

“Nice going, Santa,” Steve smirks as Eddie sneaks into their bedroom and shuts the door behind him, still in the Santa costume.

Eddie rips off the fake beard and huffs, putting his hands on his knees like he’s just ran a marathon. “That was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. She’s gonna be asking to open a present early every year now.”

He takes off the rest of the costume that he was forced to wear for the label’s holiday party. A prank devised by Chrissy because she’s an actual menace to society.

There’s only one man he wants sitting on his lap, thank you very much.

Steve watches from where he’s sat up in bed, sliding an appreciative gaze over his husband, still in the red coat. “I don’t know, baby, this is kinda doing something for me.”

Eddie chokes on his spit and looks back at Steve with wide eyes. “Are you developing a Santa kink? Is that what’s happening right now?”

Steve only throws the blankets off of himself and crawls down the bed toward Eddie, like he’s a tiger stalking his prey.

Eddie holds his discarded clothes in front of him like a shield and slowly walks backward towards their ensuite. “Stevie, please, think about the repercussions. The ramifications this could have–ack!”

He shuts the bathroom door just as Steve pounces, laughter spilling from both of their lips.

#hawkins post #steve harrington #steddie dads #steddie fic #steddie ficlet

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mothmanmunson · 2 years ago

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The Christian population of Gaza is now something like ~1000 people. Given Israel's average, the whole population can be wiped out in 2-3 attacks.

Obviously this isn't a solid prediction but can you imagine?

My husband's extended family is part of this 1000. They are the only branch of the family that has been living in Gaza. Can you imagine that their presence can be totally obliterated?

A whole Palestinian ethnic group, the oldest Christians in the world, with its people, churches, culture and traditions - all can be disappeared in no time? And then we will tell our kids "there used to be..."?

#red lightning

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mothmanmunson · 2 years ago

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Stranger Things Writers Guild daily drabble for today is Island. I think I did pretty decent.

When Steve Harrington first noticed Eddie Munson, they were in a class together. It was clear Eddie wasn't feeling it, since he was leaning back in his seat staring at the ceiling, and Steve couldn't help but stare.

At lunch that day, Steve took his usual place with Tommy and Carol, who were talking about something Steve lost interest in the moment they started.

“Hey, do either of you know Eddie Munson?” Steve interrupted, which made Tommy stare at him in confusion.

“No? Why would I know that weirdo? Why do you wanna know anyway?” Steve huffed and shook his head, letting the two return to their rambling. He had seen Eddie sitting along in almost every class together, and everyone he asked about the long-haired kid had the same responses.

Either “Why do you wanna know?” or “Why would I hang out with that freak?” He never got a straight answer about this kid, this island of a guy that seemed to just mesmerize him. So he decided to go directly to the source, which was most likely gonna backfire.

—

“Hey, Munson, can I sit here?” Steve purposefully came to class late so that his usual seat would be occupied when he got there. Usually he wouldn't have a problem charming the occupant into giving it back, but he had a plan today, and this was part of it.

“Why not just use your signature Harrington charm to get yours back?” Steve rolled his eyes and sat in one of the empty seats, relieved when Eddie didn't stop him.

“Why do you sit by yourself?”

“Don't try to make conversation with me, Harrington. It's bad enough you're next to me.” Steve furrowed his brow and shook his head, which made Eddie chuckle under his breath.

“Y’know I'm not doing this to be mean to you, right?”

“Doesn't really change much either way. Unless you can get your dead-beat dad to lower the rent.” Steve's eyes sparked a bit at the recollection. Of course Eddie lives at the trailer park, wouldn't that be just his luck? He tapped his pencil against his notebook and hummed.

“Yeah, no, I'm lucky if he's even home long enough to say hi to him.”

“Sucks to be you, doesn't it? Poor King Harrington’s daddy never hugged him, have pity on him."

“I don't need pity.”

“Sure. That's totally not why you sat next to the freak. If not pity or malice, why grace me with your presence?” Steve could feel the sarcasm and aggression dripping off Eddie, and he studied his profile. His hair was fairly long, longer than Steve's anyway, and looked as if he was growing it out from a buzz cut.

“Maybe I'm trying to be nice… Rosemary helps with hair growth, by the way.” Eddie looked up at him for the first time before rolling his eyes, a small smirk on his face.

“Oh, of course you'd know that. I could smell the hairspray the moment you walked in.” Before Steve could respond, the teacher entered the room, which deadened all conversation.

Steve passed Eddie a note, which made him raise an eyebrow curiously.

If you wanna, we could just be class friends. So you don't have to be an island.

Eddie looked over at Steve, who smiled and shrugged, before scribbling something on the note and passing it back.

An Island?

He passed it back, and Steve responds:

Well, nobody sits around you. Kind of makes you look like an Island in the ocean.

Eddie hummed softly and nodded before scribbling on the paper again.

If you wanna risk your squeaky clean reputation by being seen with “The Freak” then I won't stop you.

Steve sighed softly and rested his head in his hand as he wrote his last response, handing the note to Eddie as the bell rang for their next classes.

It's not my reputation, really. It's my parent's. You and I are both islands, even if it's in different ways.

#hawkins library #eddie munson #steve harrington #stranger things #st4

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mothmanmunson · 2 years ago

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Aftershocks

A hurt/comfort Steddie blurb while I take a break from my main fic.

“Something's up with Steve, Eddie.”

Robin was pacing back and forth in front of Eddie, who was sitting on his couch in the trailer the government had so graciously gifted him and Wayne after the spring break incident, and after they finally cleared Eddie's name.

“And?”

“He won't tell me! He tells me everything.”

“And you're coming to me because?”

Robin huffed and gestured to Eddie, as if to try and emphasize the fact he was sitting there at all as the reason, and she had a point. If it hadn't been for Steve he'd probably have just bled out in the Upside Down.

Dustin had explained what happened when Eddie woke up in the hospital. How Steve carried him out of the gate that was in his old trailer, even though he had several broken ribs, and then insisted on being near him.

“Cause according to him, you two bonded in the Upside Down… I know he won't talk to anyone else, so you're the guy.”

Eddie sighed softly.

“Robin, Steve and I haven't talked since I got out of the hospital.”

“Exactly! Don't you think that's weird? He literally fought with the doctors when they tried treating him because he didn't wanna leave you or Max alone, and then once you're both out he just goes radio silent on you?”

Eddie shrugged. He had just chalked it up to him going back to prepping for college or whatever now that Hawkins was safe again. Robin huffed once again, which brought Eddie out of his thoughts.

“Will you just… will you talk to him? For me? He looks terrible and I'm worried about him.”

“Yeah, I will. Just don't get your hopes up, okay?”

—

Steve sat on his couch after getting home from chauffeuring the kids to their different activities for the day, Will had art club, Max, El, and Erica had gone to the new mall they had built where Starcourt used to be, and Dustin, Lucas and Mike were hanging out at the arcade.

He had been running around non-stop since everything settled after spring break, and that was just with them. He only got short breaks between all the drop offs and pickups, and those were usually filled with college prep, house work, or doing favors for the older kids, much to Robin's dismay.

“Steve if you keep this up you're gonna make yourself sick or something,”

She had said one day while her, Nancy, and Jonathan were over. They had offered to take over some of the driving duties so Steve could have a break, but he refused.

“I'm fine, guys, really. I appreciate it but you've all got your own stuff going on.”

“Well, so do you.” Nancy chimed in.

“Steve, the last drafts of your college application essays had so many typos in them it looked like you were writing them in your sleep.” Steve scoffed softly and shook his head.

“Well, then it's a good thing I had you look over them, isn't it?” After more bickering back and forth, the three had left empty-handed, and Steve continued on his self-destructive helping spree.

Which is why he was surprised when Eddie showed up on his porch on a Friday afternoon unannounced and out of nowhere, a grocery bag of snacks and drinks in hand.

“Hey, uh, can I come in? I wanna talk to you.” Steve let him in and noticed Eddie had slipped off his shoes at the door.

“What's up, Eddie?”

“I could ask the same of you. You look like… well you don't look great.” Steve scoffed softly at the comment before considering the fact Eddie had clearly said something less harsh than he was originally going to.

“I've just been busy.”

“Busy enough to skip meals?”

“Eddie. Not you, too.” Eddie stuffed his hands in his Jacket pockets after setting the bag on the coffee table.

“What do you mean, ‘not me, too’?”

“You're here to ask to take over driving the kids around, aren't you?” Eddie let out a short laugh.

“What? You think I'd let the Hellions into my van? Mike and Dustin are lucky I don't make them walk home from sessions.”

“So… Robin didn't tell you to come see me?” Steve had just guessed, but the way Eddie shrugged confirmed his suspicion. Of course Robin would go to Eddie-she knew if anyone was gonna get through to Steve it'd be him, especially after he insisted on being by Eddie's side in the hospital. She saw something spark up in Steve that she knew was the starts of a crush.

“Oh, no, she totally did. But I'm not gonna try a tactic that already didn't work. I just came to hang out, to encourage you to take a break.”

“Well, I have to work on my essays for my applications, so maybe some other time, yeah?” Eddie shook his head, which made Steve mentally curse both him and Robin.

“No can do, big boy, it's my turn to dolt around for you. Sit.”

“Eddie I really don't th-”

“Steve. I'm doing this for Robin's sake and for yours. Pick a movie, sit your ass down, and relax.” Eddie went over and nudged Steve in the direction of the movie shelf.

“Otherwise I'm gonna go grab 'The American Werewolf in London' outta the van and we're watching that.”

“Why is it in your van?”

“Cause it's a rental and if I leave it in there I'll remember to return it.” Steve raised his eyebrows and nodded, picking out The Dark Crystal and popping it into the player before sitting down.

—

The two watched the movie for a while, and Eddie kept an eye on Steve, who had visibly relaxed.

“Hey, so, I've gotta ask, why have you been running yourself into the ground, Harrington?” Steve looked over at him before looking back at the movie. It looked like he was trying to figure out how to say what was on his mind.

“I just…I don't wanna be stagnant, I guess.”

“Steve, c’mon, tell me the truth. I'm not gonna force it out of you but I can't help if you don't tell me, man.” Steve let out a soft sigh and sat up, placing his drink on the table as he did. Eddie watched as the tension made itself at home in Steve again as he moved, and part of him wished he hadn't opened his big mouth.

“The night Starcourt burned down.”

“Yeah?”

“Hopper wasn't the only one who went through shit that night.” Eddie let Steve take his time, watching him with wide eyes. The brunette looked like he wanted to crawl under the table and hide, and Eddie didn't blame him.

“Well, to make a long story short, Starcourt was a front for a Russian military base and they captured Robin and I. It was awful, we were only there for hours, but it felt like days…” Steve took a shaky breath and ran his hand through his hair nervously.

“I felt so useless. I couldn't help Robin even though she was right there, and it felt like the ground was ripped out from under me. I told myself if I survived I never wanted to feel like that again.” Eddie frowned and furrowed his brow, twisting the rings on his hand as he did.

“Steve. You're not useless, you were just as trapped as she was.” He reached out and grabbed Steve's shoulder supportively.

“I know but-”

“No buts. From now on, if you start to feel that way, tell someone. Hell, tell me. Just, don't dig yourself into a hole you can't get out of, okay? You've got so many people that care about you, but we can't help you if you don't ask for it.” Steve looked at Eddie for a moment before looking down at his hands.

“Yeah… okay… Thanks, Eddie. Really.” Eddie smiled and nodded, giving Steve's shoulder a squeeze, and went back to watching the movie.

It wasn't long before Eddie felt Steve's head on his shoulder and he smiled as he adjusted himself so both he and Steve would be more comfortable.

“One more question.”

“Yeah, Eddie?”

“Why didn't you tell Robin? She'd be able to comfort you a bit better than any of us.” Steve shrugged a bit, which made Eddie sigh.

“Steve. She's your best friend, and who else would know how you felt better than her?”

“It's not just Starcourt, Eddie.” Eddie raised his eyebrows expectantly and it was Steve's turn to sigh as he pulled his knees up to his chest. It was a defense mechanism he had picked up after all the body blows he'd taken throughout the past year, and it seemed to have latched onto his mental health as well.

“I thought you were gonna die… You did, a couple of times, on the way to the hospital… Then I saw Lucas and Max and I started feeling helpless again. Dustin told me what you did and all I remember is hearing this voice in my head telling me it was my fault you were even in that position in the first place. You and Max are just as much a part of this weird, fucked up family as the rest of us and-” Steve stopped when Eddie put a hand on his knee, looking up at him with those big doe eyes.

“Steve, you weren't the one that made me do anything. None of this was your fault, and I'd have done it despite what you had to say. Like you said, we're a weird, fucked up family, and I'd literally kill for Dustin, so of course I'd do what I could to help.” Eddie watched Steve wipe at his face with his sleeve and reached over to gently grab his arm, pulling him into a hug. Steve had stiffened up a bit in surprise, but Eddie soon felt his body shake as he sobbed, and rubbed his back comfortingly.

After a while, and a lot of crying, Steve finally pulled back and looked at Eddie. His face was red, and his eyes were puffy from crying, but his eyes were full of something Eddie never really saw much when he'd try comforting someone.

Gratitude.

Usually it would wind up in the person getting upset with him, which he didn't mind because it took their focus off of what was upsetting them in the first place, but he never got so much as a thank you for it.

“Thank you… Sorry for soaking your shirt.”

Eddie laughed softly and shook his head, taking Steve's hands in his.

“It's alright, Steve. You feel better?”

Steve nodded and let out a soft laugh, wiping at his face with his sleeve before rubbing his face fully.

“God… that was such an ugly cry. I can't believe you let me go for so long.”

Eddie laughed as well and wrapped an arm around him playfully, giving him a squeeze.

“You should see me cry, like, really cry. Snot gets everywhere.”

Steve stuck his tongue out at the thought, making a disgusted sound.

“Gross.”

“Right? At least you managed to stay pretty somehow.”

Steve tilted his head and smirked softly, heart jumping into his throat for a moment before he managed to speak.

“You think I'm pretty?” Eddie's face went red and he cleared his throat, which confirmed it for Steve before he even started talking.

“Well…yeah. Even when your hair's a mess you still look like some deity, couple that with how caring you really are and any girl would have to be blind and dumb not to want you.” Steve's heart dropped like a rock just as quickly as it had leaped, and he was hoping it wasn’t readable in his body language.

“Actually…I don't think I'm all that into girls anymore.” Steve noticed Eddie's head tilt to the side just the slightest bit before he glanced around, avoiding eye contact. Was Eddie nervous? Steve couldn't tell, equating Eddie's neutral expression to that of a scared puppy.

“When did… when did that happen?”

“Well… I guess I've always felt like that, but just avoided it, y’know? I know how hard it is to be anything but straight in Indiana but…when we were alone in the Upside Down, it kind of confirmed it for me, I guess.” Eddie finally made eye contact, and his eyes were full of confusion and a bit of fear.

“I…I was your gay awakening?” Steve let out a soft laugh and shrugged. He hadn't really thought about that. Sure, he knew he had a crush on the metalhead, but he didn't think of it as a sexual awakening or anything.

“I mean, I guess? I never really thought of it like that until now but… I dunno, it's dumb.” Eddie leaned over and grabbed Steve's face in his hands, the confusion and fear in his eyes replaced with an intense passion.

“Don't ever call anything you think dumb, Steve Harrington.” They were so close to each other their noses were almost touching, and Steve took in the scent of cigarettes and sweat. All he had to do was lean forward just the slightest bit…

“Eddie?”

“Yeah?”

“I… uh…” I love you, I wanna hold you and kiss you and never let you go. He wanted desperately to tell Eddie how he felt, how badly he wanted to kiss him, but he found himself, instead, swallowing his words.

“You…?” Eddie dragged, the passion replaced with a softness that made Steve melt. He squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath, leaning in to softly kiss Eddie's lips before pulling away.

When he finally mustered up the courage to open his eyes, Steve was greeted by a red-faced Eddie, who sat there dumb-founded and blushing.

“Eddie? I-Im sorry, I shouldn't have done-” Eddie shook his head, which made Steve stop.

“No, no, it's okay. It was…a wonderful surprise.” Steve felt his heart skip a beat once again and bit his lip. He couldn't tell if Eddie meant that as a good thing or not, his voice was so soft and monotone in that moment it felt like he was replaced with a robot while Steve had his eyes closed.

“Is that a good thing or…?” Eddie smiled softly and leaned in to close the distance Steve had created.

“It's a good thing. I promise.”

#hawkins library #eddie munson #steve harrington #stranger things #steddie stranger things #vintage gays #st4 #post s4

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