newgrangespirals

[newgrangespirals]

AU where Eddie comes back as a vampire and Steve straight doesn’t notice. Eddie is a weird little freak on a good day and half of their interactions over the years ended because Eddie bit him.

That’s the same shit he’s doing now that he’s undead. Not Steve’s fault that he didn’t notice.

[newgrangespirals]

Eddie whose band never makes it big. They hang up their dreams after a few years of trying, and Eddie becomes a studio musician, playing for other bands but never really sharing his own music anymore. He ends up playing guitar on the debut album for up-and-coming artist Steve Harrington, and Eddie is ass-over-tit for the man the moment he sees him.

Steve technically plays pop, but there's an edge to it Eddie likes, and it turns out Steve likes Eddie's playing a lot. He likes that Eddie's a bit more heavy-handed with his guitar, likes the rough, metal edge Eddie brings to his songs. They end up spending time together after the recording sessions, both of them hanging out in a spare room, talking and throwing music back and forth.

By the time they're done recording, Eddie has the biggest fucking crush on Steve. He knows that Steve is gonna be big, and is proven right when the album releases a few months later. Eddie listens to it on loop, reliving the days he spent with Steve and the rest of his band and regretting not asking Steve out.

So he's surprised about a month later when he gets a text from an unknown number that turns out to be Steve, telling Eddie that he really enjoyed recording with him, and would Eddie be interested in joining him on tour? It's approaching quickly, and Steve says he can't imaging touring without Eddie's guitar backing him up the whole way.

Eddie agrees and is finally able to somewhat live out his high school dreams of going on tour, of playing to thousands upon thousands of people at a time. He and Steve have great chemistry on stage, and Steve isn't afraid to give Eddie his moments to shine, blasting through guitar solos that have people screaming.

He dances around his feelings for Steve, too afraid to say anything just in case Steve turns him down, or worse-- asks Eddie to leave the tour.

It all comes to a head during the last show. They're just finishing up the last song before the encore -- an upbeat, hopeful number about finding love in odd places -- when Steve bounds over with a manic determination and kisses Eddie.

Square on the mouth, in front of a stadium full of people.

Eddie kisses back-- he can't not kiss back-- abandoning his guitar in favor of clutching at Steve, keeping him close as he pours months and months of feelings into the kiss.

Steve breaks it when the cheering of the crowd becomes overwhelming, and he just beams at Eddie. "We're gonna write the next album together, okay?"

[newgrangespirals]

Love Psych for having Shawn Spencer be both a fake psychic and raging skeptic.

Like in the span of ten minutes he goes “OH THE SPIRITS ARE TELLING ME HER SOCKS WERE BLUE” and then tell Gus that ghosts aren’t real and he’s being hysterical.

[newgrangespirals]

prompt: lollipop

(originally posted on my bluesky here)

au where Steve and Robin had their bathroom floor conversation/platonic soulmate initiation ceremony way back in 1983, like two weeks after Jonathan rocked Steve’s shit and by the time everyone gets back from winter break they’ve become SteveandRobin.

Steve knows all about Robin’s crush on Tammy Thompson and Robin knows all about the fact that Steve thinks one Eddie Munson is really pretty, actually, when he’s not being a grubby little gremlin.

In this au, Steve and Nancy mutually broke it off after the whole monster-fighting thing and so for the next few months after break, SteveandRobin try to wingman each other but also the ‘you rule/you suck’ board makes an appearance, this time in an unused corner of the band room.

So far Steve hasn’t gotten a single tally in the ‘you rule’ column. He is deeply offended by this and is trying to figure out why he seems to have lost his mojo. He needs to prove to Robin that he is very suave, actually, and no, his reputation is not a fluke. Jesus.

Which leads us to a Thursday evening in late May where band practice is getting out at the same time as Hellfire club. Steve suddenly finds himself being possessed by the ghost of Casanova himself or something because the next thing he knows, he’s abandoning Robin with a quick “be right back” and swaggering up to Eddie, who eyes Steve warily before leaning up against the side of the school building with a smirk paired with a dangerous glint in his eye.

“Hey, Munson,” Steve starts, keeping it causal.

Eddie pulls the lollipop he’d been sucking on out of his mouth with a wet pop and Steve fervently doesn’t have any feelings about that whatsoever.

“Steve Harrington,” he purrs. “What can this lowly peasant do for such esteemed royalty as yourself, hmm?”

Steve raises a single eyebrow. “Well, first of all, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’m not exactly Hawkins High royalty anymore. Apparently jocks and band geeks can’t be friends,” Steve adds with a roll of his eyes.

“Second of all…” Steve glances left and right, making sure there’s no one in earshot before giving Eddie a once-over and taking a deliberate step forward so the toes of their shoes are almost touching. “I think we both know you’re too pretty and too smart to be stuck as a peasant.”

Eddie’s eyes go wide for a moment before narrowing, his dimpled grin somehow managing to be sharp as a knife. “Careful, big boy. You don’t wanna play this game.”

“Who says this is a game?”

Eddie scoffs, putting his lollipop back in his mouth and straightening like he’s going to move past Steve, but Steve stops him with a hand to the wall behind Eddie’s head.

He makes sure to leave enough room for Eddie to be able to walk away if he really wants to, doesn’t want him to feel trapped or pressured in any way. But he also wants Eddie to know he’s being serious.

“Look, you can tell me to fuck off if you really want, and I will, swear to god.”

Eddie stares at him with wide eyes and slowly nods his head.

“But I really hope you don’t,” Steve continues, leaning forward until their noses are just inches from touching, “because it turns out I really have a thing for curly-headed nerds.”

Steve relishes in the way Eddie’s jaw drops open and a blush works its way over his cheeks and up to the tips of his ears. It’s really fucking cute.

“I know I can’t exactly wine-and-dine you like if you were a girl, but maybe I could get us some pizza and beers and you could come over to my place one of these days?”

Steve raises his eyebrows, trying to only let a little bit of his excitement at the idea through — he doesn’t want to scare Eddie off.

Eddie stares for a moment, two. Eventually, he blurts, “Is— Is this— Are you being serious right now?” He hadn’t bothered to take out the lollipop before speaking, seems like he’s completely frozen, actually, making the question slightly garbled.

“As a heart attack.”

“Jesus fucking Christ.”

“So?” Steve asks, biting his lower lip. He watches Eddie track the movement and gives himself a mental high-five.

“I’m— fuck, okay.” Eddie looks at Steve’s lips again before looking into his eyes incredulously. “I’m pretty sure this is a dream, but whatever, fuck it, I’ll go on a date with Steve goddamn Harrington, I guess.”

“Not dreaming,” Steve grins, finally leaning back a little bit. “And I’m gonna hold you to that,” he promises. On a whim, he reaches out and plucks Eddie’s lollipop from between his lips before placing it in his own mouth, making sure to maintain eye contact the entire time. Eddie’s eyes are as wide as saucers as he visibly swallows.

“Uh.”

“I’ll find you at lunch tomorrow, figure out what day works,” Steve says casually, leaning back and starting to walk backwards towards the parking lot. He points the lollipop at Eddie and commands, “Better not stand me up, Munson,” before putting it back in his mouth, shoving his hands in his pockets, and turning to walk back to where Robin is waiting by his car.

He doesn’t look back, even though he really really wants to, because he still wants to make sure he looks cool and aloof.

“Steven Marie,” Robin whisper yells once he’s close enough to hear her. “What the fuck was that? What did you do to Munson?”

Steve ignores her questions. “What’s he doing, Bobbie?”

Robin, bless her, answers him. “He’s just… standing there. And now he’s pulling his hair over his face and squatting. Did you break him?”

Steve grins, pleased. “Not yet.”

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean? Wait, where did you get the lollipop? You didn’t have one a few minutes ago.”

“I might’ve stolen it from Munson, right after I got him to agree to go on a date with me.”

Robin freezes, staring at him like she’s buffering as her entire worldview gets rearranged. “Steve, Stevie, I need you to know I’m so happy for you and proud of you. But also I am going to actually strangle you to death in your sleep what the actual fuck.”

“Love you too, Robs.”

+ Bonus:

Steve, 5 min later after he’s started driving to drop Robin off at home: ohmygod. Robin.

Robin: What.

Steve: Eddie and I basically kissed.

Robin: What?????

Steve: His spit is in my mouth as we speak.

Robin: wHAT??!!!?!!!

Steve: Robin stop screaming I’m having a crisis

{send me a 📝 and a one-word prompt and i will try and write a lil steddie microfic for you! (it will almost certainly be much shorter than this one but who knows, i might get Inspired™️)}

[newgrangespirals]

NYC Steddie, my beloved

Eddie keeps running into this gorgeous librarian-type guy on the weekday 7:49am 2 train from Brooklyn into Midtown. They always seem to wind up in the same car, sometimes exchanging shy nods over each other’s choices of books or iced coffee, but never more. Eddie’s been dying to say something, but has never worked up the nerve.

Until one morning as Eddie’s stepping off, Hot Librarian stammers something about liking Eddie’s band tee right as the doors close between them.

Eddie decides then and there: tomorrow, he’s asking for his number.

But the next morning, Eddie oversleeps. He misses the 7:49 train.

And the next day? No Hot Librarian.

This kicks off six weeks of Eddie chasing the presumed love of his life across the MTA: he tries the 7:41, then the 7:54, then switches to the B train, then the Q. He takes a different route home every day, and starts haunting bars and parks all along the 2 line. He spends so much time at train stations that his friends start calling him the Subway Surfer.

But no sign of Hot Librarian.

It’s just starting to feel like autumn when Eddie gives up. Tired and defeated, he finally returns to the 7:49 2 train. He slumps into a seat, head down and sulking.

A pair of impeccably clean Nikes stop right in front of him, stepping between his boots.

He looks up— and there’s Hot Librarian, a little breathless but grinning wide.

“Hey, Rockstar,” he says. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

[newgrangespirals]

Lord knows that the United States has and continues to commit atrocities. I can't justify that. And the current political situation here is scary as hell. But I love this place. I love the Atlantic Ocean and New York City and the Pacific Northwest. I love my Blue Ridge Mountains with my whole entire heart. I love cardinals and mockingbirds and kudzu and possums and black rat snakes and the way the woods smell in the mornings. 

I love that Americans are known for complimenting strangers. I love that we fry everything, and that we do it well. I love 12-foot-high plastic Halloween skeletons in people’s yards and tacky Christmas lights that stay up too long. I love that we are an unabashedly goofy people.

I love bluegrass music. I love stepping. I love that there are always folklorico dancers in my town’s Mardi Gras parade. I love that my town has a Mardi Gras parade, even though most people here aren’t Catholic or French and didn’t grow up with any kind of Carnivale tradition. I love that if "Livin On A Prayer" comes on a pizzeria, at least one person at each table won't be able to stop themselves from singing along. I love that the middle school gym shakes to the rafters when families cheer for THEIR baby finishing eighth grade and that they bring balloons and bouquets and flower garlands to celebrate.

I love the 80 year old couple at our local No Kings protest. I love all the little kids there with their families, too. I love the brass band that always shows up at protests here and plays old union songs and gospel music. I cry like a damn baby every time I hear “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing.”

This country is horrible and selfish and destructive, but it’s also wonderful and kind and full of people loving and fighting and trying to make things better. And the people saying that there’s only one kind of real American, and that if you don’t look like they do or talk like they do or think like they do, then you don’t count, those people can go pound sand. I’m as real American as they come, and those people aren’t the only ones who get to love our country.

[newgrangespirals]

It's the way that Shawn spent his childhood and young adulthood resenting his dad for pushing his mom away only to find out that his mom chose to be absent and left his dad and him and said she felt like it was "a new start".

[newgrangespirals]

i feel like an often-overlooked downside to 10-episode seasons and the death of the "monster of the week" format is that we get way less whump variety nowadays. used to be that there'd be dozens of opportunities for your fave to get punched or kidnapped or hypnotized or what have you. these days if it doesn't fit into the main plot, it just doesn't happen. this is a tragedy. we should be protesting.

[newgrangespirals]

The best tragedies will have you thinking "I wish it could've gone any other way" and "this is the only way it could've ended" at the same time

[newgrangespirals]

My Very Educated Take on Steve Harrington and his Bisexual Awakening: Instructions Very Much Included

Absolutely understand those who write Steve Harrington as a shy, new bisexual who has Eddie show him the ropes of queer intimacy. From one angle, I'd almost be inclined to agree.

And then I remember that this is King Steve. Yes, he left the moniker behind, but that doesn't mean the legacy is gone! Royalty doesn't just vanish into oblivion! Kings and Queens of olde are remembered through their tales of greatness and tragedy, and Steve's great legacy is the fact that this man is a bona fide harlot who proudly gave the ladies of Hawkins, ages 16-18 the time of their fucking lives in the golden chariot that is his Beemer.

He's not just out there romancing, either! Robin will need to grudgingly admit, at some point, that his charm is actually so insanely effective that he managed to snag her - the resident Steve Harrington Hater and Local Lesbian - into a lifelong soulmate partnership.

And it gets worse! Because not only is he an absolute charmer, but he's a total slut for true love!

Someone can look at him, at Steve the Hair, Steve the Loverboy, Steve the King of "guess what my jeans are made of relationship material" Harrington and think that he's going to tiptoe and tremble his way through a sexual awakening with Eddie Munson as his guide?

That, to me, is as ridiculous as the thought of Eddie being anything less than a midwestern gay nerd overcompensating with confident speeches and loud proclamations of how he's a bad boy. Like he's not actually a virgin who lies on his stomach, kicking his little feeties in the air, writing tiny stories about being swept off his combat boots by a big strong man with nice hair and a polo shirt and a flock of little nerdy kids behind him.

Like I said. I respect other opinions. But you cannot sway me.

In my head, there is only one true outcome.

Steve Harrington realized he was bisexual, got pumped up because holy shit more people equals more love, Robin, why did you not tell me this was a thing sooner don't be a gay gatekeeper, and then showed up the next day at Eddie's door (with flowers, a hidden box of condoms in one back pocket, and a stapled pile of handwritten instructions - that include detailed charts and graphs and footnotes that he studied and copied down in glitter gel pen in the library - folded up in the other) to tell a very confused Wayne that he just realized his feelings for Eddie were also romantic and he'd very much like to woo his son now, thank you very much.

[newgrangespirals]

I think Leverage has a really neat take on the concept of revenge.

Because a lot of times, revenge gets framed as this inherently immoral act, like it doesn't matter how evil the person you want revenge on is, it doesn't matter that stopping them is a net positive for the world, revenge is just bad and wanting it makes you bad.

But I think that a lot of the problems with most revenge narratives come from the fact that the person/people seeking revenge put too much importance on getting revenge, but there's not enough catharsis in the actual act of taking revenge. They end up left with a whole lot of left-over righteous anger, and no acceptable targets left to vent it on. That way lies the bloodline ending feuds of greek tragedy and the like.

But Leverage says "No, actually you're right, that guy is absolutely terrible, he does need to be stopped and his victims should be awarded the catharsis of revenge." But then, instead of taking the easy way out of having Hardison siphon all the money out of their accounts, or sending Elliot over to their house with a baseball bat, they complicate the revenge plot. Instead of walking the easier path of the quick and unsatisfying revenge, they insist on poetic justice and dramatic irony and the complete and utter, very public destruction of the worst people in the world.

That's why I think Leverage feels different to, say, The Count of Monte Cristo, or other revenge-centric stories. They go the extra mile to tailor their revenge to the target, and give them Exactly what they deserve.

[newgrangespirals]

the reason Phineas and Ferb is one of my favorite shows of all time is because adult jokes in other family shows are usually about sex. in Phineas and Ferb they are referencing classic literature and bureaucracy.

[newgrangespirals]

Don't bring a gun to an Eliot Spencer fight

[newgrangespirals]

The bar started playing one of Steve’s favorite songs as they walked in, so he immediately pulled his date onto the dance floor, not even stopping to order drinks.

“So what do you do for work?” Steve leaned in and asked over the music. It was a cliche first date question, but you’ve gotta get the basics out of the way.

Eddie laughed and then admitted, “I don't actually know yet. I just got hired and my first day is next Monday. It's some type of office work I guess?”

“You don't know the position you interviewed for?” Steve asked, thoroughly amused.

“Dude, I was applying for every job available. I think I applied to four different positions at that same company alone, not to mention everywhere else hiring in a five mile radius!”

“I guess it does increase your odds, yeah,” Steve laughed, charmed. “What is the company?”

“Harrington and Sons.”

Steve blinked. “...It's Harrington and Son. Son is singular.”

“How would you know that?” Eddie asked, now the one leading the dance, since Steve had stopped.

“I'm Son in Harrington and Son,” Steve admitted. 

“Oh. OH… Oh, so you're, like, my boss probably, then, huh?” 

“Yeah, it would seem so.”

They both stood there, arms still loosely slung around each other's bodies but not dancing anymore. A few other couples bumped into them as they stood still on the dance floor, but they ignored them.

“This is probably considered a conflict of interest,” Steve admitted.

“Yeah,” Eddie said. He started to reluctantly remove his hands, but Steve stopped him.

“Unless! Unless we were already dating before I became your boss. And since you asked me out before we knew, I think it would be morally correct to just say we started dating earlier and we both forgot to mention it to my dad. I mean, if you want to.”

A mischievous smile started to bloom on Eddie’s face and he restarted their dancing. “Plus, we have a full eight days until I officially start. We could really hammer home this relationship in eight days. If you’re interested, of course.”

“Tomorrow morning I’ll call my parents and set up a dinner to introduce them to my boyfriend, finally, who I just forgot to mention before now. Too bad he doesn’t do interviews or hiring himself, it would be fun to watch him sweat when he saw you at dinner. Guess I’ll get to see that next Monday instead.”

“Oh,” Eddie exclaimed, “I’m gonna like you a lot!”

[newgrangespirals]

Heavy Metal References- metalhead!Eddie Details for Your Headcanons (and fanfic)-

To start off: It’s kinda hilarious how we’re guilty of sometimes switching Eddie’s white sneakers for boots cuz we want to give him an edgier look (and yes black leather boots are also metalhead fashion) but also:

White high-tops were metal in the 80s, they’re literally iconic and indicative of thrasher metal bands, and still are. Seen in bands like: Metallica and Megadeth. It’s kinda theorized that this fashion came up to differentiate themselves from hair/ glam metal that were going mainstream, but Dave Mustaine (Metallica Guitarist and Megadeth frontman) said that white Nike high-tops were given to some of the bands as a way to advertise them by their record label.

Bullet belts, battle jackets, spikes and studs were influenced by established Punk fashion and then incorporated into the metal scene thanks to bands like Judas Priest and Motörhead.

I’ve read in some fics where wearing band merch of the band you’re seeing is a Big No, but from what I can find this isn’t really a thing in the metal genre, past or present. It seems more like a rule that has emerged in more recent years, specifically in the punk scene, but I can’t find much about it.

Ozzy Osbourne biting the head of a dead bat that was thrown on stage is tale of legends and references by Eddie as we know, but here are some other significant moments in metal history:

Ozzy Osbourne pursued a solo career after he was fired from Black Sabbath in 1979 (Eddie would’ve been ~13) because of his erratic behavior and drug abuse, he’s replaced by Ronnie James Dio

W.A.S.P debut their first album in 1984 with the song “Animal (F**k Like A Beast)” being released as a single to avoid having their albums banned from chain record stores. They were a main target for the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) for their obscenity but W.A.S.P pretty much road high on the publicity, they are that shit up despite all the death threats they received.

Parental Advisory Explicit Content label was introduced in 1985 (around when Stranger Things S3 takes place), and it hilariously had the opposite effect of deterring the sales of explicitly labeled music.

Cliff Burton, the bassist for Metallica, died on tour in March 1986 when the bus skidded then rolled on the road; Burton was thrown from the window and crushed. “To Live Is to Die” is song dedicated to him composed with his unused riffs.

Other Metal facts:

Black Sabbath’s guitarist Tommi Lommi lost the tips of his fretting fingers (on his right hand) in a sheet metal factory accident, he was inspired by jazz guitarist Dango Reinhardt who played with only two fingers on the fretboard due to burn injuries. Lommi made prosthetic tips and tuned down his guitar so he could keep playing. This gave Black Sabbath its unique sound.

Ronnie James Dio is accredited with popularizing the infamous devil horns sign🤘 in interviews he said his grandmother used to use that sign to ward off evil. Speaking of,

While he isn’t Power Metal (a genre that heavily incorporates themes of fantasy with clean and fast guitar that emerged around the mid-80s), Dio is basically the father of it as he had such a big influence over this genre along with bands like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden

Side Bar: I think if he was given the chance to properly establish his own sound, Eddie would’ve been the frontman of a sick ass Power Metal band beloved by DnD nerds.

Patches on Eddie’s Battle Jacket:

Motörhead, Megadeth, Iron Maiden, Dio, Mercyful Fate, Judas Priest

[newgrangespirals]

"steve's parents probably aren't actually that rich" i said to myself before i pulled out my inflation converter and then realized that steve's car cost 100k in today money