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Something Real

One movie, one confrontation, and one shared bucket of popcorn makes Eddie start to realise that maybe he never really knew Steve at all—and maybe, just maybe, he wants to. Also on AO3 [Here]

Eddie Munson has been waiting for weeks for this movie to come out.

It’s a low-budget horror flick with a cult following and a killer soundtrack. None of Eddie’s friends were available or particularly interested in going, but that’s fine, he wasn’t going to let that stop him. He’s got his overpriced popcorn, a drink the size of his head, and a seat smack in the middle of the theatre. Perfect.

Or it is up until Steve Harrington walks in.

Eddie notices him immediately. It’s hard not to. He’s got that hair, that walk, the tiny moles on his face that make him look soft and a great body. The subject of Eddie’s most hopeless, pathetic high school crush. And of course, he’s not alone. There’s a girl on his arm, pretty in a polished, too perfect kind of way.

He watches, curious despite himself. Steve’s always been a bit of an enigma. Eddie’s heard the stories. King Steve. Heartbreaker. Every bit the stereotypical leader of the jocks, treating women like objects and everyone else like loyal subjects for him to look down on.

But what Eddie sees now doesn’t match up with those stories at all.

Steve opens the door for the girl with a soft, “After you,” and she brushes past him without a word. When she stumbles on the stairs, he catches her gently by the elbow, murmurs an apology for touching her without warning, and offers his arm for balance the rest of the way.

Eddie blinks. Huh.

They settle into their seats two rows down and directly in front of Eddie.

Of course they do.

The movie doesn’t start for another thirty minutes, not even trailers yet, but Eddie’s already more interested in the Steve Harrington Show than whatever’s going to be on screen. He feels like he’s getting a sneak peek behind the scenes into Steve’s world and it’s nothing like he imagined.

They sit. She shivers under the AC, and Steve immediately shrugs off his jacket and offers it to her. Then he offers to switch seats so she’s not directly under the vent.

Surprisingly, Steve’s the perfect gentleman. He asks about her day, offers her popcorn, and laughs at a joke that leans more mean than funny—though Eddie catches the subtle flicker of discomfort in his posture when she’s not looking.

He compliments her hair and outfit, asks what kind of music she’s into, and even admits to liking '70s rock. It’s something Eddie never expected to hear from him but can’t help respecting. It’s the kind of detail that makes Eddie pause, realizing with a jolt that they might have a few songs in common. And that’s unexpectedly disarming.

Steve even double-checks if she’s sure she’s okay with horror movies, offering to see something else if she’s not.

“Why? Are you scared?” she teases.

“Terrified,” Steve replies with a grin. “But I figured if I screamed, you’d protect me.”

Eddie nearly chokes on a kernel of popcorn.

That was smooth. Like, actually smooth. It wasn’t cocky or rehearsed. It was playful and self-aware. The line showed Steve didn’t take himself too seriously, a refreshing contrast to the image-obsessed popular kids Eddie had grown up resenting. He leans forward slightly, eyes narrowing like he’s trying to solve a tricky riff. That line might’ve even worked on him. He’s always been a sucker for someone who knows how to be a little silly without losing sincerity.

“Huh,” he mutters, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. He shifts in his seat, suddenly more invested in this pre-show than the actual movie he’s paid to see.

But then the girl leans in, voice low and suggestive. “I didn’t expect you to take me on a date like this. When I said we should watch a movie, I thought we’d grab one from the rental store and watch it at your place. Or, you know… somewhere more private.”

She walks her fingers up his chest in a way that makes Eddie want to gag.

Eddie rolls his eyes. Here we go.

He braces for the shift; the moment Steve drops the nice guy act and becomes the player everyone says he is. The moment he starts acting like the stereotypical meathead jock who only cares about getting girls into bed and out again before they get too attached. God forbid a straight guy have actual emotions or care about someone beyond the surface.

But it doesn’t come.

“Oh,” Steve says, shoulders going stiff. He takes hold of her hand and moves it away from his chest but holds onto it gently. “I thought we could spend some time together. Get to know each other. This is just our first date, after all, right?”

“I guess.” The girl shrugs. “I just thought you were supposed to be into showing girls a good time. I’ve heard the rumors.”

Steve laughs, but it’s nervous. Hollow. His eyes flick toward the fire exit like he’s considering a tactical retreat.

“Yeah, uh… you don’t need to worry about that,” he says. “I was kind of a mess in junior year. I’ve learned a lot since then. Hookups were fun, sure, but they never really felt good after. I’d rather have something real now.”

“Hmm,” she says, unimpressed and takes her hand back, turning back to the screen.

Eddie frowns. Something about her tone grates on him. Dismissive. Like Steve just offered her a piece of himself and she tossed it aside without looking.

He shifts again, but this time it’s not out of amusement. His smirk is gone, replaced by a furrowed brow and a faint scowl. He watches Steve fumble through the conversation, trying to be honest and vulnerable and getting nothing but attitude in return.

And it bugs him. More than it should.

Maybe it’s because he’s seen too many guys like Steve get away with being jerks. But here’s Steve, trying to be better, trying to be real, and this girl’s treating him like he’s a joke.

Eddie knows what that feels like. To be misunderstood. To have people assume the worst of you based on old stories and high school gossip. And it sits right on his last nerve to watch it happen to someone else.

The conversation shifts.

Not in a dramatic way. There are no raised voices, no sudden outbursts, just a slow, steady unraveling. It’s like watching a thread being pulled loose from a sweater.

The girl starts interrupting Steve. Not just once, but over and over. She talks over him, cuts him off mid-sentence, contradicts him just to do it. When he mentions liking a certain band, she scoffs and says they’re overrated. When he shares a memory about a summer job, she calls it boring.

Eddie watches it all unfold like a car crash in slow motion.

Steve doesn’t snap. Doesn’t even push back. He just absorbs the impact of it. Smiles tightly. Tries to steer the conversation back to neutral ground. He’s patient, too patient. Like he’s used to this and he’s trying not to make a scene.

Eddie’s scowl deepens.

He doesn’t know why it’s bothering him so much. Maybe it’s because he expected Steve to be the problem. Expected him to be the shallow one. But instead, he’s watching Steve try—really try—to be kind, to connect and make something work. And this girl is steamrolling him like he’s not even there.

It’s uncomfortable. And not in the way Eddie usually enjoys.

The lights dim. A hush falls over the theatre. The trailers are about to start.

And then she speaks again.

“Oh wow, look at that,” she says, pointing down toward one of the lower rows. Her voice is just loud enough to carry. “I bet they think no one can see them because the lights are off.”

Eddie follows her gaze.

Two men. Sitting close. Hands intertwined.

Something drops in his stomach.

“Gross, right?” she laughs, looking at Steve for agreement.

The sound is sharp. Ugly. It cuts through the quiet like a knife.

Eddie freezes.

He doesn’t know those guys. Doesn’t need to. Because he knows that feeling. The one where you let yourself believe, just for a second, that you’re safe. That you can be like the people who are allowed to love their partner openly. That you can feel normal, just for one precious moment.

And then someone like her reminds you of exactly what the world thinks of you.

His jaw clenches. His grip tightens on the armrest. He closes his eyes, takes a deep breath through his nose and braces himself for the inevitable crushing blow of hearing his straight boy high school crush agree that men who like men are gross.

It doesn’t come.

Eddie cautiously opens his eyes.

Steve doesn’t say anything at first. But Eddie sees the way his shoulders have gone rigid, the way his head has dipped slightly, like he’s trying to disappear into the seat. And that’s when Eddie knows.

This isn’t just secondhand embarrassment. Her comment hit him somewhere deep.

The girl leans in again, not picking up on Steve’s body language silently screaming at her to stop, voice low but still audible. “I mean, it’s just weird, right? Why do they have to do that in public? It’s not like anyone wants to see it.”

Eddie’s blood runs cold.

Steve shifts. His hands curl into fists on his knees. Then, quietly but firmly, he says, “Shut up.”

The girl turns, startled. “Excuse me?”

“I said shut up,” Steve repeats, louder this time. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

He watches the girl recoil, stunned, and then scoff like she’s the one who’s been wronged. “What crawled up your ass all of a sudden?”

“They’re just two people who like each other,” Steve says. “They’re trying to enjoy a date. How is that any of your business?”

Eddie’s breath catches.

He doesn’t move. Doesn’t speak. Just stares at the back of Steve Harrington’s head like it’s suddenly the most fascinating thing in the world.

Steve had said something. Not just something, he had stood up - loud and clear and without hesitation - for two strangers. For people like Eddie. Eddie’s heart is pounding, but not from fear this time. It’s something else. Something warmer. Fiercer.

“Because it’s weird.” The girl doubles down,

“You wouldn’t think it was weird if it was those two people over there who were holding hands.” He gestures toward a man and woman sitting together near the front of the theatre.

“That’s different.”

Steve turns to her fully now, eyes sharp. “How?”

“Because it’s two men. It’s wrong. It’s disgusting,” she says. “I’d say the same if it were two women.”

Steve flinches hard, like he’s been physically hit.

There’s a beat of silence. Heavy. Final.

“I’m very close to someone who’s gay. And they’re smarter, kinder, funnier, and better than you’ll ever be,” Steve says, voice low and steady. “This date is over. Don’t bother calling me.” He goes to stand, but the girl shoves him back down and rises from her seat instead.

“You don’t get to walk out on me, I’m walking out on you,” she snaps. “I only came on this stupid date because I was bored, and I thought you’d wanna fool around like you supposedly do with all the other girls anyway. Turns out you’re a disappointment.”

She grabs her purse, mutters something under her breath, and storms out, heels clicking angrily against the floor.

Steve doesn’t watch her go. He just stares straight ahead, jaw tight, hands still clenched on his knees.

Eddie swallows hard.

He wants to say something. ‘Thank you for saying that,’ maybe. Or ‘that was brave’. Or even just ‘hey’. But all he can do is stare, stunned and a little breathless, because Steve Harrington just shattered every expectation Eddie ever had of him. And now Eddie’s sitting here while a laundry detergent commercial plays loudly in the background, heart in his throat, wondering how the hell he ever thought he had this guy figured out.

Steve puts his face in his hands and exhales deeply, like he’s trying to calm himself down. He seems tired now, defeated. Something about that doesn’t sit right with Eddie after what he just witnessed. It spurs him into action. He doesn’t know what he’s doing. He just knows he can’t keep sitting there without saying something.

So, he stands. Walks down the steps. And stops at Steve’s row.

Steve hears the footsteps and looks up, startled. His expression flickers—confusion, then recognition, then something like wariness.

“Hey,” Eddie says, voice low. “Mind if I sit?”

His heart is hammering out a beat that would rival the work of the drummers in his favourite metal bands. He’s still mentally preparing himself for this Steve to disappear and be replaced by the jerk that had existed in his brain for the past few years.

Instead, Steve blinks at him, surprised. “Uh… sure? Eddie, right?”

“That’s what all the legends call me,” Eddie confirms, dropping into the seat beside him. There’s a beat of silence. Then he turns to look at Steve and “You okay?”

Steve lets out a breath, a small smile appearing on his face. “Yeah. I mean, not really. But I will be.”

Eddie nods. He doesn’t push. Just lets the quiet settle for a moment. Then he says, “So that was a lot.”

Steve huffs a laugh. “Yeah. Not exactly how I pictured the night going. I assume you heard everything?”

“Yep. She sucked,” Eddie says bluntly.

Steve snorts. “Yeah. She really did.”

Another pause. Eddie shifts, glancing sideways at him. “You didn’t have to say anything,” he says. “But you did.”

Steve shrugs, but there’s tension in his shoulders. “Didn’t feel like a choice.”

“That’s kind of the point, though,” Eddie says. “Most people would’ve just let it slide. Pretended they didn’t hear it. You didn’t.”

Steve’s quiet for a second. Then he says, “I’ve let too much slide before. I’m not doing that anymore.”

Eddie studies him. There’s something in Steve’s voice, something tired, but solid. Like a line’s been drawn and he’s not stepping back from it. And Eddie feels that twist in his chest again. That strange, warm ache.

“I meant every word I said,” Steve adds, softer now. “I have a close friend, more like a platonic soulmate really, who’s gay and the best person I know." He looks wounded. “And hearing someone I put enough trust in to consider dating basically call that person gross and disgusting and wrong... I couldn’t just sit here and listen to that crap.” His fists clench. “It’s one thing if it’s me she’s saying those things about but-”

He turns to face Eddie, his eyes wide and hands shaking as he realises the implications of what he said.

And Eddie knows that feeling.

He’s worn that same expression before. In locker rooms. In hallways. In classrooms where someone said something cruel under their breath and everyone else just laughed. But Steve Harrington? King Steve? He’s not supposed to know what that feels like.

Except he does.

Eddie nods slowly. “It’s okay. I figured.” He admits as casually as possible to try and ease Steve’s panic, although he’s still reeling over the events of the past few minutes. “You’re safe with me,” he promises.

Steve’s tense shoulders deflate, and glances at him curiously. “You?”

Eddie meets his eyes. “Yeah. Me.”

There’s no shock in Steve’s face. No judgment. Just a quiet kind of understanding.

“Cool,” Steve says. And he means it.

Eddie lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. Then he grins, crooked and a little shy.

“You know,” he says, “you’re not what I expected.”

Steve raises an eyebrow. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. You’re kind of a dork from the bits of conversation I overheard before things went bad.”

Steve laughs, and it’s real this time. “Takes one to know one.”

They sit in silence for a moment longer, their eyes lingering on each other, then Steve fully relaxes into his seat and turns to face the screen. “Well, no sense in wasting my ticket,” he says, then he holds his popcorn bucket out to Eddie, who’s only just realised he left his behind. “Wanna share?”

Eddie grins and grabs a handful. “Thought you’d never ask.”

—————————

It’s the most fun Eddie’s had in a while.

Steve leans into his space every now and then, whispering snarky commentary about the characters’ terrible decisions and even worse fashion choices. He especially tears into the asshole jock character, which catches Eddie off guard in the best way.

Eddie starts leaning in too, throwing in his own jabs, and before long, they’re trading quips like they’ve done this a hundred times before. At one point, one of them says something so ridiculous that they both dissolve into laughter. It’s the kind that’s breathless and uncontrollable.

Someone turns around and shushes them, loud and annoyed.

They immediately straighten, whispering apologies like guilty schoolkids. But the second the person turns back around, they catch each other’s eyes and grin, barely holding back another round of hysterics.

Steve nudges Eddie’s shoulder with his own, playful and warm.

Eddie nudges back.

If the small, friendly gesture sends goosebumps up his arms, well—that’s for Eddie to know and nobody else to find out.

Then, near the end of the film, the tension ramps up. The music swells. Eddie’s leaning forward slightly, eyes narrowed, when a sudden jumpscare hits and Steve gasps. Before Eddie can even register what’s happening, a larger, warmer hand grabs his.

Eddie freezes.

Not because he’s scared of the movie—though the jumpscare was decent—but because Steve Harrington is holding his hand.

Tightly.

Warm fingers wrapped around his own, palm pressed flush against his. It’s instinctive, a reflex, but Steve doesn’t pull away. Doesn’t even seem to realize he’s doing it at first.

Eddie doesn’t move. Doesn’t breathe. He’s not sure if it’s the shock or the fact that his heart is currently trying to beat its way out of his chest, but he’s rooted to the spot.

Then Steve seems to realize what he’s done. His grip loosens slightly, but he doesn’t let go. Instead, he glances sideways, eyes wide, a little sheepish.

“Sorry,” he whispers. “Didn’t mean to grab you like that.”

Eddie turns his head slowly, meets his gaze. Steve’s face is flushed, his expression somewhere between embarrassed and apologetic. Eddie could make a joke. He could laugh it off, tease him.

He doesn’t.

Instead, he gives Steve’s hand a gentle squeeze.

“It’s okay,” he murmurs. “You can hold on if you want.”

Steve blinks. His eyes search Eddie’s face for a moment, like he’s trying to figure out if he’s serious. Then he smiles, small, grateful and a little shy. It warms Eddie to his very core.

He doesn’t let go.

They sit like that for the rest of the movie. Their shoulders brushing, hands clasped between them and fingers intertwined, the flickering light from the screen casting soft shadows across their faces. Eddie doesn’t even remember how the movie ends, but he remembers the way Steve’s thumb brushed lightly over his when the final girl shared a kiss with her love interest.

And he knows, without a doubt, that something’s changed and shifted between them. It’s something small, but at the same time monumental.

As the lights come up, Steve sighs. He gives Eddie’s hand one last squeeze before letting go and standing to stretch. Eddie’s hand falls to his lap, suddenly cold, and he stares at it for a second like it might still remember the shape of Steve’s fingers.

He already misses the warmth. The weight. The quiet reassurance of it.

“Did you drive here?” Steve asks suddenly.

Eddie blinks, caught off guard. He expected this to be the end. He expected they would just awkwardly part ways in silence after this, try to lose each other in the small crowd exiting the theatre and then avoid each other for the most part. Maybe they would share a nod or a half-smile the next time he wandered into Family Video, but that’s all Eddie had hoped for.

He hadn’t hoped for this, for Steve waiting for Eddie to stand too, still looking at him like he wants to keep talking.

“Uh, yeah,” Eddie says. “My van’s out back.”

Steve nods. “Cool. I parked a few rows over. You wanna walk out together?”

Eddie’s heart stutters. He stands slowly, trying to play it cool. “Yeah. Sure. Why not?”

They fall into step as they exit the theatre, the buzz of the credits still echoing faintly behind them. The lobby is mostly empty now, just a few stragglers and the hum of vending machines. Outside, the night air is cool and quiet, the parking lot bathed in soft yellow light.

For a moment, neither of them says anything.

Then Steve glances over, hands stuffed in his jacket pockets. “Thanks for sitting with me. I didn’t expect… well, any of this.”

Eddie shrugs, but there’s a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Yeah, me neither. But I’m glad I did.”

Steve smiles back, and it’s that same small, shy one from earlier. It makes Eddie feel like he’s standing too close to a bonfire, especially now with the glow of the streetlights illuminating Steve’s features. They reach the edge of the lot where their cars are parked a few rows apart. Eddie slows, not quite ready to say goodbye.

Steve hesitates too. Then, almost nervously, he says, “Hey, uh… are you hungry?”

“Yeah,” Eddie says, slower this time, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Yeah, I could eat.”

Steve’s face lights up, just a little. “There’s a diner a few blocks from here. It’s not fancy, but they’ve got decent fries and terrible coffee.”

“Sounds perfect. Lead the way, sweetheart.”

The pet name's out before Eddie can stop it.

His brain short-circuits the second it leaves his mouth. His eyes go wide, and he immediately wants to rewind time, shove the word back down his throat, and pretend it never happened.

Shit.

He curses himself silently. Nicknames have always slipped out like second nature around his friends, bandmates, even the occasional stranger. But this? This is Steve. And this moment feels different. More fragile. More real.

He risks a glance at Steve, fully expecting confusion, maybe discomfort.

But Steve’s just looking at him with that same soft smile. A little surprised, sure, but not upset. If anything, he looks… pleased?

“Sweetheart, huh?” Steve says, raising an eyebrow, but there’s a teasing lilt in his voice.

Eddie lets out a breathy, nervous laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s a reflex. I swear. I’ve called random people on the street ‘darlin’ and the guy working the counter at the gas station ‘babe’ before now.”

Steve hums, clearly amused. “Didn’t say I minded. But now I’m a little jealous of the guy at the gas station.”

Eddie blinks. “You didn’t? …You are?”

“Nope, not at all. And yeah, I am.” Steve starts walking, hands in his pockets, glancing back over his shoulder with an exaggerated pout. “Thought I might’ve been special for a second there.”

Eddie wants to kiss that look right off his face, but he reels that thought in fast. Steve’s probably just joking. Just sharing friendly banter with a guy he knows won’t hurt him for it. Who is Eddie to deny him that experience or make it awkward by assigning a deeper meaning to it?

“What can I say, Steve?” he shrugs. “The man sometimes gives me discounts on my favourite brand of cigarette. How can you compete with that?”

Steve bites his lip, clearly trying to stifle a smile. Eddie’s eyes lock on his mouth.

“I can think of a few ways,” Steve says, voice low, suggestive and just a little nervous as he sways into Eddie’s space. He gets close, so close Eddie’s stomach swoops.

Then a devilish grin curls at the corner of Steve’s lips.

“Last one to the diner pays.”

“Wha—” Eddie starts, dazed.

But Steve’s already taken off running, his laughter echoing behind him.

“Hey! That’s no fucking fair! You’re rich!” Eddie shouts, already breaking into a sprint.

Steve turns, running backward for a second just to flash him a grin. “Better catch up to me then!”

Eddie cackles, wild and breathless, as he chases after him. He sees the moment Steve realizes he’s gaining fast and the flicker of panic that crosses his face. Steve hadn’t counted on the fact that Eddie Munson has years of experience running from trouble.

Trying to push his legs to work faster turns out to be a fruitless effort for Steve because Eddie manages to catch him around the waist and spin him away from the front door of the diner just as he’s about to reach for the handle. They almost end up sprawled on the ground together from the momentum of it, but Steve manages to grasp Eddie’s forearms and fix their footing as the metalhead leans against his back and laughs uncontrollably.

They stand there for a second, tangled up in each other, catching their breath. Eddie leans into him, still chuckling, and Steve can’t help but laugh too, the sound bubbling up from somewhere deep and giddy.

“You’re fast,” Steve says, glancing over his shoulder.

“You’re slow,” Eddie counters, grinning like he’s won the lottery.

Steve rolls his eyes, but he’s smiling too. “You tackled me.”

“I redirected you,” Eddie says, mock-offended. “With grace.”

Steve turns in his grip, still holding onto Eddie’s arms, and they’re suddenly face to face. Close. Closer than they’ve been all night. The laughter fades into something quieter, softer.

Eddie’s eyes flick to Steve’s mouth for just a second. Steve notices.

For a heartbeat, neither of them moves.

Then the diner door swings open behind them with a loud ding, and a couple walks out, chatting loudly and breaking the moment. Eddie steps back, clearing his throat. “Guess we should, uh… go inside before they run out of terrible coffee.”

Steve nods, still smiling. “Yeah. Let’s go.”

————————

“So, what you’re telling me is that you’re basically a single parent to six?”

They’re sat in a booth in the back corner, chatting animatedly and occasionally stealing each other’s fries even though they got exactly the same thing. They’d foregone the crappy coffee for milkshakes though, Steve’s strawberry and Eddie’s chocolate.

“Seven if you count Erica, Lucas’ little sister,” Steve corrects him. “But jury’s still out on whether she’s actually a child or whether Lucas is just living with the consequences of feeding a mogwai after midnight.”

“God you are such a nerd,” Eddie laughs, delighted. “’Mogwai’? You didn’t even use the incorrect term - ‘gremlin’ - like most people would. You just went straight in there with ‘mogwai’.”

Steve grins, clearly pleased with himself. “What can I say? I take my pop culture references seriously.”

Eddie leans back in the booth, shaking his head with a smile. “You’re a walking contradiction, Steve. You look like you should be quarterbacking some all-American football team, but you talk like you’ve got the entire catalogue of Family Video memorised.”

Steve sips his milkshake, eyes twinkling. “Maybe I do.”

Eddie raises an eyebrow. “Do you?”

Steve shrugs, all faux-casual. “You’ll have to hang out with me again to find out.”

Eddie’s caught off guard for a second, not by the words, but by the way Steve says them. Like it’s not a joke. Like he means it. Eddie, who’s spent most of his life waiting for the other shoe to drop, finds himself hoping just a little that maybe this time it won’t.

He smiles, softer now. “So, if you don’t mind me asking, how does King of the jocks and certified lady-killer Steve Harrington become an actually decent and interesting guy with a brood of little lost ducklings?”

Steve leans back in the booth, fingers idly tracing the condensation on his milkshake glass.

“It’s a long story, but I guess I just got tired of pretending I wanted the same things I used to,” he says. “Back in high school, it was all about the image. The parties, the girls, the reputation. I thought that was what I was supposed to want. What everyone expected from me.”

Eddie watches him, the teasing gone from his expression.

“But somewhere along the way, I realized I didn’t want to keep chasing something that never really made me feel good. I started figuring out that what I actually want is something that feels real. Something that lasts.”

He glances up, meets Eddie’s eyes. There’s something open in his expression. It’s unguarded, but cautious. Eddie’s heart does something strange in his chest, tightens and softens all at once. He reminds himself that shouldn’t be reading into things; Steve might just be getting used to having someone he can talk to about all this.

He nods slowly, voice quiet. “Yeah. I get that.”

They share a soft, secret smile.

“So,” Steve says. “You like metal, right? I don’t think I’ve ever listened to that before. What do you like about it?”

It’s a hard pivot in the topic of conversation, but Eddie allows it. Mostly because the fact that Steve seems to realise how important music is to Eddie and makes a point to ask him about it. Eddie’s eyes light up at the question, and he sits up a little straighter.

“Oh man, where do I even start?” he says, grinning. “Okay, so it’s loud, it’s chaotic. But it’s also honest. It doesn’t pretend to be something it’s not. It’s raw and messy and emotional, and it doesn’t apologise for any of it.”

Steve watches him, chin propped on one hand, milkshake forgotten for the moment.

Eddie continues, more animated now. “And a lot of the songs are about overcoming adversity. About going through hell and somehow still fighting and persevering. It’s about taking back power when the world is trying to crush you. It makes me feel confident for a change, like I could take on anything. And people complain that it’s just noise but that’s so far from the truth. It takes so much talent and years of dedication and-”

He pauses, his eyes flicking to Steve’s, suddenly self-conscious. “Sorry. I’m rambling.”

Steve shakes his head, smiling. “No, I like it. You talk about it like it’s more than just music.”

“It is,” Eddie shrugs, a little sheepish. “It kind of saved my life, y’know? When everything else felt like it was falling apart and I had nowhere I belonged, metal was the one place I could just be and feel accepted. No masks. No pretending.”

Steve’s expression softens. “That makes sense.”

There’s a beat of quiet between them, not awkward, just full. Like the air’s thick with things unsaid but understood. Then Steve leans forward, a playful glint in his eye. “So, if I wanted to dip my toe into the world of metal, where would I start? What’s, like, the gateway drug?”

“Really? You want to give up your metal virginity?”

“Didn’t have to put it like that,” Steve says, his face scrunching up in a way that’s far too cute to do anything good for Eddie’s heart.

“Okay, you’re coming over to my trailer as soon as possible and I’m going to play you some songs. I’m already mentally writing a list. This is gonna be so good.” Eddie laughs ecstatically and rubs his hands together deviously. “We’ll make a metalhead out of you yet, Steve.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” Steve replies, his expression so open and honest that it gives Eddie pause.

Eddie’s demeanor turns softer. “You don’t have to like it though, y’know. I won’t be offended.”

“I know,” Steve meets his gaze, steady. “I want to understand the things that matter to you.”

Eddie’s caught off guard again. His heart does that weird fluttery thing, and he has to look away before he says something stupid.

“Cool,” he says, voice a little rough. “Yeah. Cool.”

They go back to their fries, the silence between them now warm and companionable. Outside, the neon sign of the diner flickers softly, casting pink and blue shadows across the table.

——————————

The bell chimes above their heads and a nice, middle-aged lady calls out a, “Thank you for coming, be sure to get home safe,” as Eddie holds the door open for Steve and they step back out into the cold night air.

Steve sidles up next to him. “Thank you for getting the door for me, Sweetheart,” he says, teasing.

Eddie groans loudly. “You are not going to let me forget about that, are you?"

“Never,” Steve beams.

They settle into a comfortable silence as they walk. Their shoulders touch once, then again, and neither of them moves away. Their hands are so close that they constantly brush against each other and it’s driving Eddie mad. All he would have to do is reach out a little and he could be holding Steve’s hand again. He isn’t able to summon the courage for that because he’s still not quite sure if Steve feels anything more than a budding sense of friendship toward him.

They walk in step down the quiet street, the night air crisp and laced with the scent of damp pavement and distant woodsmoke. The town is mostly asleep, windows glowing softly in the distance, the occasional car humming by like a lullaby.

Their hands brush again. This time, Steve doesn’t pull away. In fact, he lets his fingers linger just a second longer than before. Eddie’s heart stutters.

He swallows. “Hey, uh… you don’t have to say yes or anything, but would you ever want to come to a show sometime, like one of the local gigs I play or even just hang out while I practice? Hear some live music.”

Steve looks over at him, eyes warm. “I’d love that.”

Eddie blinks. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Steve says, like it’s the easiest thing in the world. “I want to see you in your element. I bet you look cool as hell on stage.”

Eddie laughs, a little breathless. “I mean, I do, obviously. But I appreciate the vote of confidence.”

They stop next to Eddie’s van. Neither of them moves to leave just yet.

Steve rocks on his heels. “Thanks for tonight. I had more fun than I probably had in years if I’m being honest.”

Eddie nods, his voice soft. “Yeah. Me too.”

There’s a pause. Neither of them moves.

Then Steve clears his throat and pulls one hand free, fishing around in his back pocket. “Before I forget,” He pulls out a pen and the crumpled diner receipt, scribbles something down, and hands it to Eddie. “My number. For whenever you want to hang out or just talk.”

Eddie takes it, fingers brushing Steve’s. He looks down at the messy scrawl of digits, then back up, heart thudding. “Thank you. I’ll definitely call you to set something up soon, and let you know as soon as I know when the next gig’s going to be.”

“Cool, I can’t wait,” Steve smiles.

He hesitates for a second, then steps a little closer, his gaze drifting to Eddie’s lips. “Also, I’ve been thinking about doing this all night.”

Eddie barely has time to process that before Steve leans in and kisses him.

The kiss is soft and tentative at first, like a question asked in a language neither of them is fluent in yet. Steve’s lips brush against Eddie’s with a kind of reverence, like he’s afraid to push too far, too fast. But Eddie’s breath catches, and instinct takes over. He leans in, closing the distance, answering the question with a quiet certainty.

His hands find their way to Steve’s waist, fingers curling into the fabric of his jacket like they’ve always belonged there. Steve’s hands hover for a moment before settling gently on Eddie’s shoulders, grounding them both.

The world fades. The cold night air, the hum of a distant streetlamp, the faint creak of the van’s metal frame, all of it disappears. It’s just them. Just this.

Steve tilts his head slightly, deepening the kiss, and Eddie feels it like a spark down his spine. It’s still gentle, still careful, but there’s something more now. It’s something that says ‘I see you’ and ‘I want this’. It’s terrifying and exhilarating all at once.

When they finally part, it’s slow, reluctant. Steve’s eyes flutter open, and he looks at Eddie like he’s trying to memorize every detail of his face.

“Was that okay?” Steve asks, voice barely above a whisper.

Eddie blinks, dazed, lips tingling, heart pounding. Then he grins, wide and a little breathless. “Yeah. Yeah, that was more than okay.”

Steve lets out a soft laugh, relief blooming across his face. “Good.”

They linger there, close enough to feel each other’s breath in the space between them. Steve leans in again, slower this time, and kisses him once more. It’s just as soft and just as sure. It’s the kind of kiss that says this isn’t a one-time thing.

“I’ll call you,” Eddie says, still smiling as they hesitantly move away from each other. “God, it might even be as soon as I get home after a kiss like that.”

“I’ll be waiting,” Steve replies, stepping back slowly, like he’s reluctant to go.

Eddie watches him walk away, heart pounding, fingers still curled around the scrap of paper like it’s something precious.

Steve turns back to face him and, he’s smiling, nervous, but genuine. “Goodnight, Eddie.”

Eddie’s frozen for a second, then grins, wide and a little dazed. “Goodnight, Sweetheart.”

They part ways, both of them feeling a little lighter than before.

#fic queue

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mugloversonly · 3 hours ago

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Eddie complains non-stop when the weather is cold.

It's kinda funny, really, because he's always saying how he hates summer and the stifling hot weather, but he's no better when it gets cold. Robin ran out of patience to deal with it a long time ago, but Steve thinks it's cute.

"My hands are getting numb," Eddie whines, pouting like a kid and dramatically laying his upper body over the counter at Family Video. "I think they are freezing for real."

"Then wear gloves next time, dumbass," Robin says, from her place at the register.

"You're so mean, Buckley."

Steve chuckles. "Here, let me," he says, taking Eddie's cold hands and rubbing them with his gloved ones.

His cheeks burn, but he can't take his eyes off his and Steve's joined hands.

"Please, stop flirting in front of me."

"Mean, Buckley. Mean!!" he then turns to Steve. "Keep going, sweetheart. Don't listen to the mean lady."

#eddie is me

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mugloversonly · 4 hours ago

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Eddie is the fun parent and Steve is the strict one, sure. But let’s talk about the times Eddie gets mad.

Their kids would be throwing tantrums or being difficult for the sake of being difficult and Steve would try to deal with them. A teenage daughter getting frustrated because Steve won’t let her go to a party everybody is going to that weekend because they’re supposed to visit grandpa Wayne back in Hawkins.

She tries to argue, to plead, but Steve keeps saying no. It’s been three months since they paid Wayne a visit and it’s his freaking birthday so, no, she can’t miss the trip and go to a party. And in the middle of their argument, their daughter screams “I HATE YOU!!” to Steve with such rage that Steve stops, stunned.

When he recovers from the shock, he just says, “Hate me all you want, you’re still not going to that party,” then leaves their daughter’s room.

Five minutes later Eddie comes in and closes the door quietly behind him. Their daughter is about to snap at him too, but she closes her mouth when she sees her Papa’s dead serious expression. He crosses the room and stops right before the bed, where their daughter is sitting, and looks her straight in the eye.

“Listen here, darling, you’re gonna put on the best regretful face you can, apologize to your father and you’re gonna mean it. Do you understand?”

“But—”

“Nah, ah. I don't think you're understanding. This is not a discussion, so I'm gonna say it again. You're gonna go downstairs right now, you're gonna apologize to your father and you're gonna mean it. Do. You. Understand?”

“Yes, Papa.”

“Good. You’re also grounded for however long I’m still pissed. So, if I were you, I’d be in my best behavior when we visit Wayne this weekend.”

(Nobody makes Eddie’s husband cry. Not even their own daughter.)

#when the fun parent gets mad #you know you fucked up

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mugloversonly · 5 hours ago

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I think one of eddie’s many favorite things about raising kids with steve is watching their kids start to outsmart them (which, to eddie’s delight, starts way sooner than he’d expected it to).

One notable instance of this is when Moe is about two-and-a-half – maybe closer to three – and just starting to have real opinions about things, and one of the first things she had a very strong opinion about was how she did not want Steve going back to work after the parental leave he took when Robbie was born.

Look – Moe is who she is.

She likes a routine and she’s been stuck to Steve like glue pretty much since day-one, so she and Steve had both loved the way his pat-leave had allowed for three straight months of starting the day with some serious cuddles, but alas, that came to an end when Steve went back to work.

Thing is, Moe is also a smart cookie, so it didn't take long at all for her to realize that if she just woke up before Steve’s alarm, she could sneak into their bed and get her morning cuddles in which, sure, was cute at first, until Eddie was spending the rest of day with a toddler who got two hours less sleep than she was supposed to.

Which...isn’t ideal.

One morning though, Moe doesn’t wake up early. Steve points it out somewhat glumly as he gets out of bed, woken up by his alarm instead of their oldest daughter, and Eddie just groggily mutters, “Please don’t jinx this for me, Steve."

The early morning is notably Moe-less as Eddie heads downstairs to start the coffee maker and make Robbie's bottle while Steve gets himself ready for work. Still, Eddie has a funny feeling they'll be seeing Moe before Steve has a chance to head out for the day, and sure enough, just as Steve is sitting on the couch to pull his shoes on, Moe appears in the doorway, eyes bleary and blonde hair sticking up in every direction.

“Oh jeez,” Eddie says from his spot on the couch beside Steve, baby Robbie cradled in one arm as he helps her hold up her bottle, “Look who’s up.”

“Why are you out of bed?” she pouts at Steve.

“I woke up before you this morning,” he tells her gently as he finishes tying the laces on his sneakers.

Moe only stares at him blankly for a while, hands fiddling with the hem of her Cinderella t-shirt.

“But…” she says slowly, “But what about our snuggles?”

Steve lets Moe climb into his lap, gathering her up in his arms.

"We'll have so many snuggles when I get home from work," he tells her, "Promise. You've just been a bit of a grump lately and I wanted to let you sleep."

"You didn't get me," Moe says, ignoring what Eddie thinks is a fairly valid point. “I would’a got you if I woke up first.”

And Eddie can’t help the snort he lets out as Steve tiredly says, “Yeah, I know, babe.”

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mugloversonly · 5 hours ago

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Eddie confesses his love for Steve who very awkwardly explains he’s straight and not into him like that. Eddie is surprisingly okay with this, like he didn’t expect anything else, claiming he just wanted to tell him so he knew how loved he was. That sentiment does things to Steve but he doesn’t really know what, just knows it makes him warm and almost wish he wasn’t straight just so he could accept all the love Eddie clearly has to give. At first Steve thinks they’ll go back to normal and they kind of do, now with the shadow of Eddie’s love peeking through but not a hinderance, until Eddie tells them he’s going on a date with a cute guy and Steve? Steve sees green. Had no idea he was even capable of being this jealous but suddenly he realizes that lingering bad feeling has been regret. He regrets turning Eddie down, he regrets not taking what was his when he had the chance, he regrets not realizing he isn’t straight fast enough. Steve does his absolute best not to speed on his way over to Eddie’s and is so relieved to see him through his window still home. He practically stumbles into the house in his haste.

“Don’t go on that date,” Steve says before the door even closes behind him.

“Why?” Eddie asks in complete confusion.

“I didn’t know.”

“Didn’t know what?”

“I didn’t know I loved you.”

“Oh.”

“Do you…did you stop loving me?”

“Never.”

“Then don’t go on that date.”

“Canceled. You’re serious?”

“Come here please,” Steve says and draws him into his arms.

When Eddie kisses him he truly doesn’t understand how he could have ended up anywhere but here, like this, with someone he loves. Someone who loves him back.

#ficlet queue

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mugloversonly · 7 hours ago

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hi! coming off anon but i'm having more sabrina carpenter!steve thoughts. also to make things easier i'm just gonna call this au juno (bc duh). anyways! the thoughts!!

(the thoughts got wildly out of control so this is fairly long)

o!steve (former disney star, current pop icon) and robin (i don't have a specific preference for her designation anyways she's an actress) are Best Friends and have been for years. they first met at a charity event and weren't close for awhile but eventually they realized they fit together So Well and Had to be best friends. robin stars in as many of steve's music videos as she can swing with her agent, and steve begs his manager to allow his songs in any of her movies/shows that ask for it. when you think of best friends in hollywood you think of steve harrington and robin buckley.

a!eddie and the cc boys- o!gareth, b!freak, a!jeff- are an indie metal band, finding their footing and hitting their stride with the rise of tiktok. they're not super big, but they've opened for some other bands touring through the midwest. once all of them graduated high school they got tf out of hawkins and moved to chicago to pursue music (and day jobs to pay for rent).

ever since steve left his previous record company, hollywood records (owned by disney), who signed him at 15 years old to a five album contract (essentially shackling him for anywhere from five to potentially fifteen years) steve's been trying to put forth a more mature image and leave behind the squeaky clean disney image. in his first album with his new company he actually gets to cuss and be explicit in his songs. when he goes on tour for this album he performs nonsense which goes viral on tiktok for the location-specific outros.

gareth, chronically online king, sees the nonsense outros and gets interested in steve's music even if it isn't his typical cup of tea. gareth find's steve's music empowering- it's fun, flirty, silly, emotional, and embraces their designation as omegas. gareth becomes a certified Stan. the cc boys lowk get annoyed with how much he plays this pop garbage.

(crazy interlude bc i'm reading sabrina's wikipedia rn and somehow her and feather are linked to eric adams getting indicted???? anyways)

after like a year or so of cc hearing steve anytime gareth gets aux they are now inundated with steve's new mega viral single, espresso. and like... it's not bad but it's pop and it's repetitive and overplayed- gareth for the love of god skip this damn song! not only is steve doing Numbers with espresso but he releases a new single, please please please. the music video for please×3 features his current boyfriend and hollywood bad boy a!billy hargrove. after a little over a year of dating and the start of steve's new tour for his album, it's speculated that billy cheated on steve and they broke up.

steve has this song, juno, that's sexual and liberating and fun and gareth loves it along with the rest of the album. even though the tickets are wildly expensive thanks to steve's launch into mega stardom gareth gets the boys to go to a show for his birthday and be in the pit. he is dedicated to camping, he wants to be as close to barricade as humanly possible. even tho the other guys don't dress up in the style of the album they still camp with him for barricade, and god dammit they will enjoy this concert. live music is live music, even if it's pop and eddie will enjoy this night so help me god. cc ends up getting barricade and during the wait meet a couple fans (super unexpected considering the genres but whatever).

when it comes time for steve to perform juno he comes out onstage in a gorgeous maxi length sparkly set. eddie is already kinda in love at this point, this gorgeous omega is an amazing performer and his songs maybe just a little bit are good (don't tell gareth). with their miraculous luck getting barricade and even more insane luck, eddie gets arrested right before juno starts for being too hot. and gareth has seen the juno clips, he knows what's about to happen, but eddie hasn't. and then this gorgeous omega who just arrested him for being hot ?? is having his clothing drop into a short, sexy number and ???? eddie is so ??? and then steve dangles these fluffy handcuffs at him??? what is happening???

gareth is losing his mind, that's his best friend getting juno arrested. on the big screen. in front of everybody. in front of steve harrington. jeff and freak are also going insane bc wtf is happening at this show?? eddie is 404 error message not found and his brain is just cable tv channel with no signal static. and steve can Barely see the audience with all the stage lights but he always uses his intuition for juno arrests, and he tries to subtly sneak a peak at the big screen to check just who he's picked. and Maybe the skirt dropping is a planned gag for comedic effect, but if this random metalhead who looks so out of place at his concert asked for his number right now in front of thousands of people he'd give it out. and Maybe his subtle sneak peak to the big screen is a Little more noticeable (if you're anyone but those two lost in each other's beauty).

anyways, after all his post-show routine and duties steve Finally checks his phone. as usual, tonight's juno arrest and pose are already on tiktok and twitter and wherever else. however, unlike after a normal show, he has like fifty million missed texts from the kids and a thousand missed calls from dustin specifically. steve ignores those in favor of checking in with robin first, who sent her love and tells him he's talented and hot and he's gonna kill it onstage. and then he gets to his texts with dustin. dustin who has been freaking the fuck out because steve juno arrested eddie fucking munson. and steve is like "..... who is that?" and dustin is gobsmacked and appalled!!! eddie munson as in the lead guitarist for his and mike's current favorite indie metal band corroded coffin. and all of cc were literally on the screen!!!! gareth was filming eddie and steve and the camera!!! and jeff was filming the big screen!!!!! and steve is like "i'm glad i arrested him he was hot :)" and dustin is so ???? ew bc steve is like his brother but ALSO this could be his in to nerd out with his favorite band! steve is just like "ok man cool i gotta go to bed bc touring is Tiring".

next day, after eddie.exe has finally started running again and chronically online king gareth has had time to sloppily edit together a tiktok the official cc tiktok account gets a new post. it's a mix of gareths footage, jeff's, and footage from random internet users who posted already. and the caption just says "what the hell happened last night". all the comments are either cc fans like "??? you guys went to steve harrington??", steve fans being like "can't believe the juno arrest from last night is a musician", some random account called dustybuns who said "my brother arrested you can we meet now", and a handful of people saying "my worlds are colliding".

steve still hasn't really seen much of the fuss abt last night's show, he's been resting as much as he can on a busy tour. robin texts him like "dude last night is going viral" and he just 👍-reacts to the text. dustin is begging steve to dm cc, to dm eddie's personal acc, to dm ANYONE STEVE PLEASE!!!!! steve is resolutely ignoring this in favor of drinking soothing tea and running his dancing and blocking for the show.

okay this has ran so far away from me and idk where it's going. if anyone feels strongly i might try to continue having these Thoughts and sharing them for slick sunday. tysm for hosting lexi and tysm to everyone who seemed to enjoy my idea last week! if anyone wants to flesh this out and make a whole fic of it i definitely won't say no to that :3

i love the idea of Steve managing to fluster Eddie so badly like this🤭

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mugloversonly · 9 hours ago

Text

Capture the Moment

“Wait, you want me to be the focal point?” Eddie asked incredulously. Nancy paced the length of their kitchen, waving her hands as she spoke.

“My article is on the duality of the control in kink; giving and taking.” Nancy explained.

“Right, but what does that have to do with me?” Eddie raised his eyebrows in confusion. His girlfriend stopped, turning to him with a gentle smile.

“Eddie, you’re the only person I know who can take control just as freely as give it.” Nancy knelt next to his chair and took his hands in hers. “You’re the only one I trust to do this.” Then she made her final point. “You’re the only one Steve trusts.”

------------------------------

That was two weeks ago. Last week was the session with Steve and today they got the first set of pictures. Eddie flicked through the freshly developed photos, a blush high on his cheeks. Dozens of pictures portraying him and Steve in a variety of positions.

A close up of his ringed hand against Steve’s throat, his rings the focus. Another with Steve choking on his strap, the mascara Eddie applied for him running down his pretty face. Steve's thick ass covered in crisscrossed red lines from a crop, the jiggling flesh caught in a still frame as Eddie pounded into him.

But his favorite was the shot of the aftermath. Steve’s arms were attached to the headboard and each calf was bound to a thigh in a perfect frog-tie, his face was covered in his own cum.

He fucked Steve for hours that night, edging him over and over until he was begging and drooling.

“You wanna cum, slut?” He asked teasingly.

“Yes, please. Sir I can’t take anymore.” Steve whined. Eddie grabbed Steve’s neglected dick and aimed it away from himself.

“Cum then.” He said as he thrust punishingly against Steve’s prostate, laughing devilishly as ropes of cum shot up his body so far they landed in Steve’s hair.

The sounds of the camera snapping shot after shot didn’t phase him at all; even if it was his girlfriend behind the lens.

Tonight, Eddie and Nancy would take the stage.

In true Nancy fashion, she wouldn’t do anything half-assed; meaning just like the first time, everything was organic in nature. No staged pictures, no poses, just the two of them twisted in the throws of passion…and Steve with a camera.

For some reason Eddie was more nervous tonight than last time, maybe because he’d be the vulnerable one? More likely because he’s never been this vulnerable in front of Steve. He was Nancy's coworker, a friend they've done other art projects with; but, Eddie's never subbed in front of him.

He shook his head to clear away the anxiety. He's subbed for Nancy frequently, if he did what he did the first time and ignored the camera he'd be fine.

He’s startled from his thoughts by the keys jingling in the lock. Like a puppy eagerly awaiting its master, he darted to the front door pulling Nancy into his arms.

“Welcome home.” He said, kissing her deeply. It's not like they'd gone a long time without seeing each other, but the pictures and the plan for tonight had him wet and ready.

“I take it you're ready to get this show on the road.” Nancy laughed.

“I can't help it. Been thinking about tonight since last week.” He mumbled into her neck. She giggled cutely before snapping her fingers once. Immediately, Eddie stepped away with his hands behind his back.

“Go get the bedroom set up while Steve and I get the camera ready.” She said authoritatively. Eddie scampered off to the bedroom, turned on the bright filming lights, and stripped down to nothing. He grabbed Nancy's favorite harness and the dildo he wanted, dropping them both on the bed, before kneeling on his cushion with his back straight, eyes forward, hands clasped in his lap.

The sound of the camera’s shutter alerted him to Nancy and Steve's presence, but he didn't flinch. She wanted him to be a perfect statue and that's what he'd be.

“Good boy.” She said, the smile clear in her tone. Eddie suppressed the shudder those words caused, flexing his fingers just a little.

“Want to help me get this on?” Nancy asked.

“Yes, please.” He tried desperately to hold still, but he wiggled impatiently. Luckily, she was forgiving today.

“Go ahead, baby.”

Eddie quickly turned to find his girlfriend completely naked, holding the strap on out to him. With an audible gulp, he held the harness steady for Nancy to step into and attached the dildo properly. She pet his hair in thanks before jumping on the bed, scooting until her back was against the headboard.

“Can I get you ready?” She asked him as she pat her leg. Eddie sat in Nancy’s lap, knees spread on either side of her small thigh.

Their size difference always tickled Eddie; he was nearly a foot taller than her, yet with a single touch he was a puddle at her feet.

Nancy stroked along Eddie’s cunt smiling softly when his breathing hitched. Her middle finger pushed inside him and he blushed at the wet squelch that filled the room. The camera shuttered and his eyes darted over to see Steve crouched near the bed.

A slap landed on his thigh and he yelped turning back to his girlfriend.

“Eyes on me, baby. Ignore him.” She reminded him softly.

“Yes, ma’am.” He stared deeply into her eyes and gasped when she added two fingers at once. With three fingers deep inside his cunt, Nancy nudged against his g-spot, twisting her wrist to rub the tip of his cock at the same time.

Moaning low in his throat, Eddie rocked against Nancy’s hand leaving a trail of pre along her thigh. His hands twitched by his sides and he bit his lip making his eyes as big and wet as he could, hoping she'd hear the silent request.

“You can touch, baby.” Immediately Eddie groped a tit with each hand, squeezing and pinching her nipples. “Suck on them.” Nancy grabbed a fistful of his hair and yanked him down to her chest. He groaned and leaned forward sucking a nipple into his mouth harshly.

As he rocked his hips harder, he switched to her other nipple rolling the bud between his teeth as he ran his thumb along the supple skin. Nancy bullied a forth finger inside him and he cried out.

“I’m close, mistress. Can I cum?” He whined. Nancy raised her eyebrow challengingly.

“Is that who I am?” She asked skeptically. Eddie furrowed his brows in concentration, he was starting to float to that place where words lost their meaning. When he finally understood what she meant he flushed from head to toe.

“Please can I cum, mommy?” He asked properly. A gentle smile lit up her face and she nodded. “Thank you, mommy. Thank you.” He sighed, his eyes squeezing shut. His cunt pulsed around her fingers as she worked him through it, stilling once he relaxed against her chest.

“You think you can ride me baby?” Nancy asked after he caught his breath. He pulled back to stare at her through heavy lidded eyes.

“Always.” But when he rose to his knees, and over her strap, Nancy stopped him with a hand on his hip.

“I want you to turn around so your back is to my chest and ride me that way. Can you do that?” Nancy asked.

“Yes, mommy.” He mumbled as he shimmed around carefully so as not to kick his girlfriend in the face. That’s when he remembered they weren’t alone. Steve stood at the foot of the bed, camera at the ready.

“Um, mommy.” Eddie whispered nervously, curling into himself a little. It was ludicrous, he’d been on camera before and besides he didn’t want to be bad.

“Shh, it’s okay baby. Mommy’s here. Just close your eyes, love.” She whispered. Eddie did as he was told, letting his eyes slip shut and focused on her hands on his hips, slowly lowering him down until the tip of the strap rested at his entrance.

“Can I put it in now?” Nancy asked and when he nodded, she entered him slowly like he was fragile. Eddie’s eyes burst open in shock for a moment, not expecting her to do so without forcing him to speak.

“You’re being so nice to me today.” Eddie sighed as he leaned his head back against the headboard; he was too tall to rest on her shoulder like he wanted so he had to settle for her hands around his waist.

“You deserve it, love. You’re doing so well today and letting me use you for my project. The least I can do is be nice right?” Nancy laughed. He was truly floating now that the dildo was in to the hilt. His half lidded eyes gazed down at Steve but he didn’t mind anymore.

Whispered praises, good boy, perfect love, and so gorgeous, blessed him as he held still, adjusting to the weight inside him. His mind emptied and his body turned syrupy.

He didn’t know how long they stayed like that, with Nancy’s strap filling him up, his cunt stretched around the base, and her hands caressing the length of his body as he relaxed on a cloud. But eventually, he wanted more.

“Mommy?” He asked, though the words were slurred.

“Yes, my love?” Nancy’s breath blew hot on his neck, making him shiver.

“Can you be mean?” The request was so quiet if Nancy wasn’t so close she wouldn’t have heard it.

“Yeah, baby? You want mean mommy?” She growled and grabbed his hair tightly pulling him back.

“Yes, please.” He keened. Teeth dug into the meat of his shoulder and he moaned in pleasure.

“Get up, all fours baby.” Punctuating the demand with a slap to his thigh. Eddie popped off her strap, whining at the empty feeling before falling forward onto his hands and knees. He dropped down to his elbows, the arch of his back deepening.

“Good boy.” The praise made Eddie preen and he spread his knees, showing off his wet cunt to her.

“Like what you see?” Eddie teased, wiggling his ass back and forth. A harsh slap landed on his ass making him cry out. Nancy gave him no time to recover as she spanked one cheek after the other until he was sure his ass would be red and sore. He jerked forward with each hit desperate for some friction.

“You gonna cum from this?” Nancy sneered.

“Yeah, hurts so good, gonna-fuck!” He cried as the next slap hit his cunt instead.

“Cum whenever you want.” Nancy smiled and spanked his pussy harder. The audible wet smack brought a flush to his cheeks and he buried his head in the blankets.

He lost count, as the hits alternated between his ass and cunt, until he threw his head back with a moan, cumming hard enough to see stars. His cunt was still fluttering with after shocks when he glanced over his shoulder just as Steve snapped a picture.

He groaned, imagining what he looked like; face down, ass up, hair a wild mess, eyes glazed over, the cheeks on his face just as red as his ass, and if he had to guess, he’d bet the shot was focused on his pussy, glistening with cum.

“You want to tease me again, baby?” Nancy asked threateningly before biting down on the reddened skin.

“Fuck! No, no mommy. I’m sorry.” Eddie cried, tears filling his eyes. No doubt about it, his ass would be bruised tomorrow.

“That’s what I thought.” With no warning, Nancy shoved the strap inside Eddie’s dripping cunt setting a brutal pace.

“Oh God!” Eddie screamed gripping the sheets tightly to keep himself in place. He rocked back into Nancy’s thrusts, fucking himself deeper each time.

“You like that, baby?” Nancy smirked.

“Harder, mommy please.” Eddie begged. He bit the blanket under him attempting to stifle his noises.

“Yeah? You want me to pound your tight pussy?” Gathering Eddie’s long hair into a ponytail, she used it to yank him up, so he could be heard clearly.

With her free hand, she gripped his hip hard enough to bruise, pulling him back onto the strap. Sounds of their slapping skin filled the room, Eddie whining in harmony. Each thrust nailed his g-spot, ratcheting his pleasure up and punching loud, high pitched ah, ah, ahs out of him.

“Touch your cock, Eddie. I wanna feel you cum on my dick.” Nancy growled. He raised a shaky hand to his cock, tugging on it with two fingers and his thumb. It only took two strokes.

“Please, please. Mommy can I cum? Please let me cum!” He begged. An agonizing amount of time passed and he really thought she’d deny him. “Please, I’ve been a good boy haven't I? I wanna cum on your cock. Please mommy, please. Please.” He babbled over and over.

“Count to five, baby. Then ask again.” Nancy brought her hand back down on his ass again; that’s when he realized it wasn’t seconds he was counting.

“One.” He cried out. Smack.

“Two!” Each blow brought him closer to the edge, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to hold back. Smack.

“Three!” He shouted. “Oh fuck, I’m so close, I can’t make it.” He whined, but his hand on his cock never slowed.

“You can and you will.” Nancy said, her hips moving faster in retaliation. Smack.

“Four! Please, mommy.” Eddie’s toes curled, his muscles twitched with the effort to hold back.

“One more, you can do it.” Smack.

“Five. Please can I cum?” He shouted, sobs racked his body as his limbs shook from exhaustion.

“Cum, baby.” Nancy ordered. Eddie’s eyes rolled back into his head and his vision whited out as he finally gave in.

“Shit, shit, shit.” Eddie keened, his cunt clenched down so hard the strap popped right out, he curled forward as jolts of pleasure shot through him, zipping down his spine. Then everything faded.

When he finally came back down, he was cleaned up, and dressed in his boxers. The bedsheets were fresh, but he was all alone in them. Confused tears sprang to his eyes as he looked around for any sign of his girlfriend but found none. A pitiful whine escaped his throat as the tears fell.

In no time he was sobbing, curled up on his side, arms around his knees in an attempt to hold himself together. Then, the bedroom door creaked open.

“Mommy?” He mumbled, blinking his eyes quickly to clear his blurry vision. There Nancy was, holding a tray of fruit in one hand, a mug of hot chocolate in the other, with a bottle of water tucked under each arm. The gentle smile on her face slipped into a frown of concern when she saw his tear stained face.

“Honey, what’s wrong?” She asked as she quickly set everything down and crawled back into bed. He clung to her shirt, burying his face in the soft fabric.

“I woke up and you were gone.” He hiccuped. “Thought you weren’t coming back.”

Nancy cooed softly, and pulled Eddie away from her chest so she could press kisses all over his face.

“I’m sorry, darling. I went to let Steve out and grab you a snack. It took a little longer than I thought.” She cupped his cheeks gently. “But, I will always come back, okay?”

“Promise?” Eddie sniffled, placing his hands on top of hers.

“Promise.” Nancy whispered. “You’re my baby boy. The best boy, and I love you. I’m never leaving my best boy.”

Eddie sighed contently, accepting that she meant it, and sat up against the headboard. He pulled her in between his legs, mindful off his sore bottom, and let her feed him from the tray. She alternated between the fruit, hot chocolate, and water until everything was gone.

“Let’s go to sleep, baby.” Nancy whispered, petting along Eddie’s wild mane.

“Promise you’ll be here when I wake up?” He pouted. A part of him was embarrassed by the question but a larger part of him couldn’t go to sleep if he’d wake up alone again.

“I will, I promise.”

And Nancy always keeps her promises.

---------------------------------------------

A few days later, the pictures of Eddie and Nancy arrived. Just like the week before, Eddie flipped through them finding his favorites and comparing the two sets.

One showed Eddie perched on Nancy’s lap, her fingers in his cunt as he gazed down at her adoringly. In the next one, he sat unmoving, impaled on the strap; the view was focused on Nancy’s tiny hands that rested on his thighs, his glassy eyes stared right at the camera.

His face heated up when he flipped to the next one and saw himself mid-orgasm; his head was thrown back, showing off his neck, his lips parted around a scream, and only the whites of his eyes were visible.

His favorite though must have been taken while he was out of it. Nancy was on her back, with Eddie splayed out on top of her. He had one leg thrown over her lap, his slick was still wet on his thighs, and hand prints marked his ass. But, it was the look of love and adoration on Nancy’s face that had him in a choke hold.

He’d never admit it, but he teared up when he saw that; he loved her in a way he’d never loved before and he always thought she never felt as strongly. Even though they’ve been together for a few years, he still had a hard time believing she wouldn’t leave him for someone better.

But the way she looked at him in this picture, made him trust that she meant it when she said she wasn’t going anywhere. She meant it when she called him perfect. She meant it when she said I love you.

This time he didn’t hear the door open, just felt tiny hands wrap around his waist.

“Can we keep this one?” Eddie whispered, holding the photo up.

“Of course, baby. You are a work of art.” Nancy kissed his cheek. “I want every moment we have together frozen in time so I can carry them around in my pocket.” The soft words caught him off guard and he didn’t know how to tell her that it was her image frozen in that moment that he needed with him forever.

She skipped toward the bedroom, saying something about changing out of her work clothes. Once she disappeared around the corner, Eddie pulled the little velvet box from it’s hiding place and decided he didn't need the perfect moment.

Dropping the picture onto the kitchen table, he ran after his girlfriend. Any moment was perfect if it was with her.

permanent tag list(open):

@katyawriteswhump

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mugloversonly · 9 hours ago

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I’m late for the party oh well

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mugloversonly · 10 hours ago

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Beautiful Things ❤️

An Eddie Munson one shot

TW: Talks of Eddie's rough life as a child but the rest is pure sweet fluff❤️

I was inspired by the lyrics in Beautiful Things by Benson Boone this weekend......

Eddie Munson hadn’t had the easiest life. As a matter of fact it had been really rough for him growing up. At an early age all he had known was neglect and abandonment, he was the Son of a criminal with no Mother around, no real home and no friends . There were times when he didn't think he would make it out alive, times when he almost didn't want to, but he pushed through it, beat back the darkness within himself and survived.

Thank God for Wayne, his Saint of an Uncle that took him in when he had nowhere else to go . Who worked long hours to keep a roof over his head and food in his belly. The man had a gruff exterior and a heart of gold and that man was more of a father to him than his biological Father had ever been.

He thanked God for his friends. For the longest time he was a loner, he didn't know what it was like to have real, true friends. He had met them when the world had truly gone to shit. Not just his world, the WHOLE world. They were nothing but a band of misfits, a rag tag group of kids that formed a lifelong bond, that fought and bled together, that saved the world together as a team without the world even knowing they were at risk . They had seen things, things that were horrible and terrifying, things that they would never forget and have nightmares about. But they had won, defeated the threat and then tried to resume normal life again. It had been hard, but they stuck together , solid and strong , more then friends now, they were family.

And then there was you. It had been destiny that made your beat up old car die just down the road from his garage, destiny that everyone else had been out of the shop for lunch and that he had decided that he would work through because they had been short handed and he needed to get things done.

Eddie had heard the bells on the entrance door ring and went out to the waiting area only to find you standing there,the prettiest girl he has ever seen,completely soaked to the skin from head to toe. You had been stranded on the side of the road, unsure of what to do, having absolutely no idea how to diagnose what was wrong with your broken car and decided that you would take you chances and walk into the town of Hawkins, look for a garage or a gas station and find help.

Eddie jumped immediately into action, asking if you were ok, if you had been in an accident, if you were hurt, then he even went as far as offering you a hoodie that he has hanging in his locker to warm you up. He insisted that you wear it. He showed you where the restroom was and after drying yourself off as best as you could he made a coffee for you and got you a snack from the vending machine. He would finish up what he was doing and as soon as the others returned he would hop in the wrecker and go and check out your car.

That was exactly what he did. The ancient vehicle had many problems, but when he had found out it had been a beloved family members car that had been passed down to you he made it his mission to get it back up and running again. The car clearly was special and had sentimental value to you .

You were new to town, didn’t have any friends or family around and were basically starting from scratch. You had gotten a job and your very first apartment above Melvalds general store. You were going to prove to everyone that you could make it on your own. Eddie could respect that. You were also very low on funds at the moment -the move, the apartment, the rent- it didn’t leave much in your nearly depleted savings. Eddie could sympathize with that too , knowing exactly what is was like to constantly struggle, to live paycheck to paycheck. He got the ok from his Bossman to use the garage after work hours, he would fix the car for only the cost of the parts and not charge for labor.

At first you refused, it was too much, he was practically a stranger, why would be do something so nice? Eddie again insisted . That was one of the good things about living in a rinky dink town , people helping people, he stated with a smile. You had no idea the people of this godforsaken town would never do a damn thing for him but he certainly was going to taint your dreams.

So every night after Eddie clocked out he worked on your car, every day you would stop by on your lunch break to thank him, check on progress and sometimes bring him a treat, it was the least you could do . You couldn’t afford much but you could make some amazing chocolate chip cookies for the sweet boy that was spending his free time working on your car. And you would repay him someday, somehow.

Eddie looked forward to the visits, looked forward to talking and getting to know you better. By the time he was finished with the vehicle you had become fast friends , a bond growing between the two of you that seemed light and fun , like it was meant to be. Eddie then introduced you to his friends and they loved you and instantly you were part of the group.

Over time something between the two of you changed , the connection went deeper and real ,true feelings developed. The close friendship had evolved, blossomed and turned into something more , it turned into love.

At first it scared Eddie, he had never felt like this before. He had never been in a relationship . He didn’t know how to be a boyfriend ,what if he screwed it up? What if you didn’t love him as much as he loved you? What if you broke his heart, or even worse what if he fucked up and broke yours?

All of these thoughts swarmed through his head. Things were going so well in his life for once, he felt like he was always waiting for the other shoe to drop. Did he take a chance, or was he just setting himself up for heartache? What would he do if he lost you? Should he live his life in fear ? He was Eddie Munson, town pariah, a freak, did he really deserve someone as wonderful as you? Should he risk it? Did he really deserve love?

The answer was yes. He did ,and he found it with you. It was so natural and easy and sweet. And it was REAL. And he was thankful.

He was thankful for this moment he had with you right now, thankful that he was holding you in his arms, bodies sticky and sweaty and tangled from the love that you had made. He lowered his face to your hair and drew in a deep breath, taking in the light floral scent of your perfume and shampoo. It was his favorite scent, it smelled like home. You were his home.

He watched goosebumps rise on your dewy skin and you shivered as he drew lazy circles on your back, he felt your even breathing, and the steady rhythm of your heart beating against his chest. He could hold you like this forever. He WOULD hold you like this forever .

He had given you a ring tonight , gotten down on one knee and told you that you were his everything, his world, his one and only love and that he wanted to spend every day of his life with you, and you hadn’t hesitated not even one second to say yes.

“ I can’t believe this is real.” You picked your head up off his chest and brought your hand up , admiring your ring. It was so much more than just

a diamond , it was a promise. The smile on your face was beautiful and priceless and it made Eddie’s heart feel like it was going to burst . You leaned forward and kissed his lips. “ I’m the luckiest girl in the world . Just think, in a couple of months I will be Mrs. Munson .”

Eddie grinned.” A couple of months?Sweetheart , we have our whole lives to be together. I want you to have everything you have ever wanted in a wedding, I’m sure that takes time to plan-“

“ I don’t need expensive and elaborate, all I need is you.”

“ What about the dress and the flowers, you know, all the fancy shit?”

” I don’t need the fancy shit Eddie. As long as you are standing beside me as my husband and I am your wife that is all I want.”

“Really? You haven't been dreaming about this since you were a little girl? "

You laughed.” I have been dreaming of a man just like you since I was a little girl. Handsome, kind ,funny. You are the complete package.” You reached up and ran a hand through his curly mane.” If I have you then the Baby and I will have everything we will ever need.”

The Baby and I will have everything we will ever need…

His breath caught in his throat.” Wait, wait,wait,wait- the Baby?”

You smiled widely, dimples popping and eyes sparkling.” A Baby, Mr. Munson. YOUR baby. I’m pregnant. You are going to be a Daddy.”

“ Holy Shit.” The reality of your words were sinking in. He was going to be a Husband, AND he was going to be a Father. Happiness filled his heart. “ When did you find out?”

“ I took a test and it was positive, I wanted to be absolutely sure before I told you so I went to the Doctor today for confirmation – I was going to tell you tonight but with the proposal I was so excited and flustered –“

Eddie smiled.” You said you had something you needed to tell me but then I said I had something to tell you first! Dollface, do you know what this means?”

You grinned.” We are going to get Married and we are going to be Parents! “ You took his face in your hands. ”I know it’s a lot at once- Eddie, are you happy? Please tell me your happy-“

Eddie cut off your words with a kiss. Happy didn’t even begin to describe the feeling in Eddie’s heart . Elated, ecstatic , giddy, over the moon- He kissed you with everything he had, held you close as tears of joy rolled down his cheeks. He couldn’t help it. He had fought so hard his whole life, if you had asked him when he was younger if he ever thought that he would ever find love, or have a family or be this happy he would have laughed. But now he was living it, living his dream, he really had it all.

It may have taken a while but he finally had everything that he wanted. Eddie Munson was the luckiest man in the world and maybe, just maybe he would have his happy ending after all.

Tag list Lovlies : @tlclick73 @fairymunson @micheledawn1975 @elegantkoalapaper @retrorage86 @hideoutside @veemoon @erinekc @babyloutattoo89 @amberolivia666 @eddiesxangel @eddiesacousticguitar @munsons-mayhem28 @munsonsmullet @maskofmirrors @blainetiberiuswinchester @bexreadstoomuch @candice-1983 @harrywavycurly @corkadymu @eddiesguitarskills @munsoneightysixx @sariahs-stuff @skulliecadaver-blog @myherometalhead @eddiemunsonfuxks @mmunson86 @ches-86 @ali-r3n @talknerdytome5391 @kjohnson97 @daveythorntonslocker @mugloversonly @hannahmassey30 @chels04xx @sapphire4082 @loserboysandlithium @cinemabean @abitchyouhate @3rd-conchord @emmyisoffduty

#im sobbing rn

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mugloversonly · 11 hours ago

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Fic where the person who adjusts to Steve losing his hearing the best is Hopper and everybody thinks it’s weird.

#op tags>>#youd think it’d be Robin but she picks up als a lot faster than Steve and her signs get sloppy and fast the longer she goes #Dustin has a habit of just talking lower and slower to him #Jonathan avoids talking to him #Nancy tries to talk over him #Eddie forgets to look at him when he talks #The kids all talk over each other so he can’t follow their conversations at all #Max is pretty good at remembering in one on one settings and will write stuff down #but it’s stilted and Steve kinda hates it #Argyle is actually great. he’s got a cousin whose deaf and has been helpful teaching Steve to sign but he’s going back to cali to return #his van soon so that’s going away #it’s just Hopper who learns sign as awkward aand slow as Steve is #and who always remembers to face him when talking and writes down the important bits in bullet points

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mugloversonly · 12 hours ago

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In the same way that Steve was making Hopper’s life difficult, he was putting his kindergarten teacher through the ringer.

Steve didn’t go to pre-school so there was no one to warn her that she was going to have an indignant five year old tell her that she was being unconstitutional in the middle of the cafeteria.

She told him and Tommy to stop talking during nap time and Steve told her that telling him to be quiet was against his first amen-ment right.

She made the class empty their pockets when her diamond earrings went missing off her desk and Steve protested because it was an ‘a-legal search an’ sea-drawer.’

He didn’t even have the earrings.

One time, she told him to stand next to her during recess because he had gotten in trouble and lost five minutes. Steve asked her if she was going to arrest him, “If you’re not gonna arrest me then I can leave. That’s the law.”

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mugloversonly · 12 hours ago

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Alpha Robin & Omega Steve still encounter the same problem as in canon of ppl deciding they must b together & to combat these assumptions they decide one of them has to get a partner except Robin decides quickly it shouldn't b her, so tht leads to some pointless flirting from steve the rest of the summer till the younger party r in high school & suddenly Eddie Munson is around more & Steve always exchanges a friendly nod or word when he occasionally (always) picks up Dustin from Hellfire nights

& Eddie is goofy & his laugh is loud but it's so genuine & his eyes r so dark & omg Robin the things I could do to fix his hair, Steve laments almost every shift

Blah blah blah

Robin gets to observe steddie interact & sees tht Eddie is just as gone for her dingus & somehow overhears Eddie talking abt having a crush on Steve but not being a home wrecker so Robin decides to nip tht in the bud & approaches Eddie at his picnic table instead of going to her Trigonometry class

Eddie is worried he's abt to know the fury of a band geek till Robin is glaring him down & telling him tht Steve is important to her BUT IN A PLATONIC SIBLING WAY tht Steve is very much single BUT DONT THINK U CAN JUST ASSUME ANYTHING no Eddie must impress Robin w written up plans for 5 first dates tht he will take Steve on & she wants a full itinerary for each date too. Only then will she put in a good word for him to Steve

Eddie does this & more

Something something something

Steve gets to give chrissy the same task when buckingham r flirting bc my Robin deserves to b wooed Cunningham come on

hehe Stobin are actually a dating nightmare

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mugloversonly · 13 hours ago

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[start here]

“What do you mean you forgot?!”

Eddie flails his hands wildly.

“I just did!” he yells back.

“What the fuck, Eddie?!”

“Language!” Claudia Henderson pipes up from somewhere in the house. Turns out, she could be just as loud as her son when she wanted, but that’s a given when you have to rise him by yourself.

“Sorry!” Dustin yells back. And then, after a thoughtful frown in his friend’s direction, yells again, not breaking eye contact: “Can Eddie stay the night?!”

“What?!” Eddie hisses through his teeth.

“Sure!” His mom’s answer is immediate. “As long as his uncle knows!”

Ms. Claudia knew he was living with his uncle? How much has their sons shared about him? Has he spilled unknowingly?

“Of course!”

Eddie was for now the only person maintaining a reasonable volume. He turned his whisper-hiss on Dustin again.

“I can’t just impose on your house like that, Henderson!”

“You’re not imposing, mom said it's okay.”

Eddie throws his hands in the air. As always, Dustin was right in the most infuriating way.

“You’ll stay over until you finish the paper.”

“I don’t need babysitting to do my work!”

“You kind of do,” his friend points out, right yet again. “And here you won’t get distracted with your guitar or campaign.”

“Do you think it’s all I do?” Eddie bristles, at which Dustin waves his hand dismissively.

“Or a book, or a nap, or whatever gross shit you ‘almost adults’ get up to.” He makes a face, as apparently talking about jerking off is below him.

“A nap sounds great, to be honest…” he hums thoughtfully, his mind zeroing in on its pick. Dustin huffs.

“Well, write an outline and we can discuss a nap.”

Eddie did not expect being held hostage in Henderson’s house to write a paper, on a weekday night no less, but here he was. He’s been in worse predicaments, that’s for sure, considering this cell had a radio, a soft couch, and snacks. And as much hot tea as he can stomach, though Claudia Henderson might be underestimating his love for a good earl gray blend.

The afternoon goes more or less as usual, he and Dustin do their homework in the boy’s bedroom, and then Eddie gets dragged into a family dinner. But instead of finishing up or going home, he’s being approached by Mrs. Henderson holding a huge bundle of spare bedding.

“Is the couch okay? Steve got the guest bedroom, but if you ask nicely, he’d probably switch with you.”

Eddie is shaking his head before she finishes talking, but Dustin is first actually to speak up.

“Can’t he sleep here?”

His mom frowns.

“This isn’t a sleepover. Your curfew still applies.”

“But!--!”

“No buts! Eddie, sweetie.” She turns to the older boy again. “I’ll leave the bedding on the couch, you can sleep there or talk it out with Steve when he comes back.”

“Thank you.” He smiles at her, knowing he won’t be talking with the guy.

Dustin keeps trying to argue, so she adds:

“Dusty’s curfew is at 10 and don’t let him tell you otherwise.”

“I’ll tuck him in myself, madam.”

“Traitors! Both of you!”

When the outline is done, his belly full of toast and the outside properly dark, Eddie finds himself alone in the living room. Claudia advised him to help himself to the kitchen if he got hungry and not to stay up too late. She also told him Steve had a closing shift that day and always drives his friend home, but should be back soon as well.

Eddie manages to write the beginning of his stupid essay before he hears the keys jingle at the front door. He’s itching to look up and seek out Steve, but only does so when he hears him stop by the doorway. He’s surprised to see him but quickly schools his expression into an easy smile.

“Eddie! Hi!”

“Hi.” Eddie gives him a small wave.

“Staying over?” Steve walks in, eyeing the bedding next to him.

“Yeah.” He nods and points at the notebook in front of him. “Gotta finish an essay for tomorrow.”

“Uh, good luck.” Steve winces. “Want something to eat? Drink?” He points towards the kitchen, where he’s headed. Eddie shakes his head.

“I’m good, thanks.”

He’s written three sentences by the time Steve leaves the kitchen and walks towards the bathroom. The sound of a running shower is incredibly distracting. He can picture a small waterfall, deep in the forest and glistening in the golden green sunbeams. Close by is a clearing, created by countless adventurers stopping by to refresh before continuing their journey. They’d strip naked, men and women alike, fighters and mages, dipping in the chilly water to clean off the dirt of the road, the sweat from fighting off petty criminals. The water would be just deep enough to tease at the curve of his ass, lapping against the skin and mocking any bystanders for their solid form, making them wish they could liquify too and slip over the rippling muscles, trace the dips and—

Bad Eddie!

He blinks so rapidly that he gets dizzy, but the paper in front of him becomes visible again. The shower is still running and he reminds himself he’s not into jocks. He’s not into his friends’ siblings, not into whatever Steve Henderson is, no matter how objectively attractive.

He writes another two sentences by the time the bathroom door opens and he makes a point of not looking up. The smell of coconut walks by and he focuses on the tip of his pen. He hears the fridge door open and the steps reach his spot by the couch again.

“Beer?”

The water still clings to the weary adventurer, dripping from his hair. He has no shame, no place for it in the life he leads, not with a body like that. There’s a towel strewn around his shoulders and he was nice enough to put on underwear. He’s holding two cans of chilled beer, and all Eddie can say is:

“Please.”

He’s not expecting him to sit down next to him, smelling of coconut and damp skin, reddened from hot water and scrubbing it with a towel.

“Cherish it, we’re drinking half of my weekly allowance.”

“You have a beer allowance?” Eddie gapes at him and Steve just nods, like it’s normal.

“I’m not 21 yet but Claudia knows I’ve been drinking already anyway. So as long as I’m doing it safely and out of Dustin’s eyesight, she’s okay with it. We share wine sometimes.”

"That's nice." Eddie smiles, cracking his can open. "Wayne doesn't monitor my alcohol intake, but it's not like I'm partying much. I just drink with him or with my band sometimes." He shrugs and takes a sip. It's a more expensive brand than he's used to but all beer tastes the same to him anyway.

"Wayne is your uncle, right?" Steve asks, lowering his own can.

Eddie suddenly realizes it's nice to be remembered as something more than a freak or a Satanist. He gulps down the bitter liquid.

"Uh, yeah. I live with him. Been since I started middle school."

Steve nods thoughtfully, staring at the wall. For reasons he doesn't dare to name, Eddie wishes his eyes were on him instead.

"Your band is uh, something Coffin? Sorry, I don't remember." He turns towards him and smiles sheepishly and Eddie is taking it all back, take these dark brown eyes away from his face immediately. Steve knows half of his band's name? Be still his traitorous heart!

"Corroded Coffin," he chokes out.

Steve snaps his fingers.

"That's it! You guys were at the talent show a couple of years back, right?"

Be still, be still, be still.

"Yeah," he manages. "I'm surprised you remember."

Steve chuckles, but it's not a pleasant one. Eddie prepares himself to be ripped into shreds. Again. He should be used to that by this point, shouldn't he? But his ego is as easily bruised as it is big.

"How could I not? The biggest disaster Hawkins middle has seen in years."

Eddie winces. It was expected and it still hurt. At least his not-crush could finally go further into the 'not; category.

Bust Steve had to open his stupid mouth again.

"It was stupid, in my opinion. You guys are clearly talented, and the music you play shouldn't matter. Most people don't like metal--hell, I don't like metal." He slaps his hand onto his bare chest, making Eddie nod, because yes, he's listening, he's paying attention, and he is looking at his hairy pecs, thank you. "But it was a talent show, judges should be more objective." He slumps into the back of the couch. "You were great on the guitar, I've never heard anyone play like that. I was surprised you could sing too," he says, rolling his head to the side to look at Eddie, who chuckles nervously.

"Why, do I not look like I have an angelic voice?" he asks, tilting his head.

Steve shakes his head, making a lazy motion against the couch cushion. The closing shift and the beer seem to be getting to him.

"I guess I wasn't expecting you to be so..." He tilts his head to the side and rolls it back, considering his thoughts and how to voice them out. "Multifaceted?" he offers hesitantly like it's not a word he uses often. Eddie can relate. "I had heard the music teacher talk about your ear, how you can pick up any song insanely fast. I know your English essays get praised, and I know you're unafraid to be yourself, against all odds. It's something I couldn't do..." he trails off, suddenly looking sadder than Eddie knew how to deal with. But to his relief, Steve shakes his head to get back on track. "I just wasn't expecting you to have a nice voice like that. In Hellfire, too. It's like you're taking on a completely new persona. It sounds..." He hesitates before his next words." Freeing." He decides, nodding minutely to himself. "Like you can just tap into another dimension, a nice one," he presses for some reason. "And just live it out. Like for a moment, you're becoming a different person."

Eddie considers him. The thoughtful look on his face that he's still not qualified to deal with.

"What's wrong with you?" he asks and he hopes against all hope that it doesn't come off condescending. He's genuinely curious, hell, genuinely worried. What makes someone like Steve--America's poster boy, attractive and athletic--think this way?

Steve rolls his head towards him again and his smile is everything but joyful.

"I'm not sure," he admits. "The adult life is more than I've bargained for, I guess." He shrugs, but Eddie knows it's the easy, dismissive answer. And he feels like he needs to get to the bottom of this, his essay be damned. Happily.

"You live with Ms. Henderson, though. You don't have to be an adult-adult," he points out and waits, hoping he's not prying too much.

"Yeah, but..." Steve seems to be collapsing in on himself. "A lot has happened," he says as much as Eddie knows at this point. "And I've been feeling so small against the world, against the universe..."

Eddie's surprised at the mention of the whole universe, but it's not like he hasn't been thinking about it too, so he nods encouragingly.

"And I'm so grateful that Claudia took me in, I'm so relieved..." He hesitates for a millisecond before his face hardens. "That I don't have to deal with my parents anymore," he finishes with conviction. "But at this point, I don't know who I am. High school doesn't matter, the sports teams don't matter. I didn't get to college, I'm working a shitty job, and not even full-time!" He throws a hand in the air. "Actual high schoolers are taking up all the hours."

Eddie winces.

"You're talking to a super super senior here, I don't think I'm doing much better," he points out.

"But you have the band," Steve counters. "It's fun, you have friends for it and if you do it right, it's a great career path."

"If we do it right."

Steve turns abruptly towards him, eyes wide, before he settles back down with a sigh.

"I believe you can. With your insane guitar skills and all," he offers.

Eddie chuckles.

"Thanks, man. But I'm pretty sure you can figure something out, too. I don't believe your 'sports don't matter' thing, there's a lot of money put into it," he points out, not hiding his disdain but Steve only snorts at his tone. "And you probably could land a role in a hair commercial if you tried. Hell, with your looks you could easily become an actor," he reassures his reluctant night companion.

"So you think all there is to me is my good looks?" Steve asks, rolling his head towards him again, this time pouting.

It kind of is what he said, isn't it?

"Well, no." He straightens up, ready to fix his mistake. Well, maybe not ready, but hoping. "Henderson, uh, Dustin, sings you praises all the time and none of them are about your great hair."

"Good to know a high schooler values me," Steve scoffs, his pout deepening.

"So!" Eddie ignores him. "If you're a good person and a pretty face, that's a whole world opening up for you. Because as sad as it is, people are simple and need pretty things to ogle. It's what sells and you could totally use it."

He looks at Steve again and when the pout doesn't disappear, he realizes he just dug himself a deeper hole, doubling down on relying on looks being Steve's only option. He stares at his bottom lip as if it could somehow pull him out. It moves and he's hoping for some guidance, but all he gets is...

"Should I just become a stripper, then?"

The flash of images is like a bullet to his head. Steve in fishnets and ridiculously high heels, bending on a pole, chest hair sticking to his pecs with sweat and shining with glitter. His lips tinted with lip gloss--

"I mean, um..." Why is Steve's hairy chest right there for him to see? "Who am I to stop you, right?" he offers with a nervous smile. "If it makes you money, it's a job."

"I guess." He shrugs, eyes still on Eddie, but the pout is finally gone, so he can breathe easier. It's been replaced with a thoughtful expression. Steve presses the back of his hand to his arm. "Would you come to watch me?"

"Huh?" Eddie frowns at him, at the hand touching him, a single finger running against the sleeve of his shirt.

"If I was a stripper," Steve clarifies.

Would he?

It's never been something he considered, the environment more fit for sleazy older guys who can't get a girl, or businessmen too busy to bother with one. Or bachelor parties. Would he go to a strip club then, if he was invited? Probably. But would he go for someone specifically? That sounds stalkery. Would he go if it was Gareth?

Gareth would look stupid in fishnets.

But if he asked Eddie, for moral support, would he? Probably. He tries to be a good friend. So he half-nods, half-shrugs.

"If you wanted me to."

"But would you want to?" Steve presses.

"I've never been to a strip club, I don't know." Eddie raises his shoulder in a defensive shrug, kind of lost in the weird turn their conversation has taken.

Even more lost when Steve's hand drops lower, the back of his fingers reaching the hem of his sleeve and touching skin. The light scrape of his fingernails sends a shiver across his bones. He goes lower and lower, tantalizingly slow into the ticklish spot on Eddie's elbow.

"I'd give you a preview before the show, you could judge if it's good enough," he offers instead, hand sliding down to his thigh, resting just above the knee. Squeezing gently.

Eddie doesn't see Steve anymore. Just his big hand wrapped around his leg. There's a tiny mole on his wrist and a light dusting of hair all the way to his fingers.

"Would you want me to strip for you?" Steve presses, snapping his attention back to himself.

His brain is uncharacteristically empty, and It takes him a long while to register, process and understand the heavy gaze Steve's giving him, the fingers digging into the meat of his thigh, the boy next to him leaning in, his eyes dropping to Eddie's lips.

Eddie jumps up.

"What?!"

Steve is up as well, hands out like he's placating a wild animal. Understandably, because Eddie feels like one. He wants to run like a startled gazelle, or drop dead like an opossum. But he's there frozen like a deer caught in car's headlights. Are the doors locked? How much time would he lose looking for the key if it's not in the lock? Maybe he should try the window instead?

"Shhh, please," Steve's hissing in desperation, but Eddie doesn't want to look at him. "I'll leave, I'm sorry. Please forget about it, I'm sorry."

He sounds even worse than Eddie feels, so he risks a glance towards him. His face is pale in the dim-lit living room, eyes widened in panic.

Maybe Eddie has been the car all along.

He knows Steve would flee if he reached out, so he doesn't dare to, slowly shows his open palms again, empty of weapons or judgement.

"Hey, no, it's okay. I don't care about that. You just surprised me." Understatement of the century. Henderson's brother coming onto him? Impossible, abstract, a fever dream. Maybe he did have too much of Ms. Claudia's delicious earl grey. Something must have been in the tea, the school has been trying to tell him not to trust the Brits all along.

"You don't care?" Steve repeats, not looking like he's going to puke at the very least.

Eddie considers his words.

"Not in a 'I'm gonna punch you' way," he offers the best he's got for now. Which even he has to admit, is fucking shit.

Steve finally relaxes, or rather deflates, half turning towards the dark corridor.

"Thanks. Goodnight."

As the stairs creak under his steps, Eddie is still processing. He slumps back down onto the couch and for once is happy to find a distraction from his thoughts in the form of an unfinished essay. The thing gets done in no time but he barely sleeps that night.

tags: @i-have-three-feelings @mblogs @awkwardgravity1 @imacowboy3 @just-a-tiny-void @clumsiluni @shotgunhallelujah @halfadoginatank @carlprocastinator1000 @irregular-child @dreamercec @mightbeasleep @nerdyglassescheeseychick @ellietheasexylibrarian @wheneverfeasible @wormapothacary @estrellami-1 @tinyplanet95 @steddiefication @blasvemous

#steve have mercy on him please #he's just a man

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