#Gareth: I will once you go and fuck Steve and can stop talking about him

[plistommy]

Gareth: So, what do you think? What’s your type?

Eddie: Fat ass, big tits, nice cock and killer legs that can wrap around your waist when you fuck ’em. A pretty face too, with nice lips and big brown eyes…

Gareth:

Gareth: I meant the fucking sketches I made for the bands logo, Eddie!

Eddie: Well shit, man! You need to be more specific.

Gareth: *holding the sketches in front of Eddie’s face*

Gareth:

Gareth: I hate you.

[2btheanswertothequestion]

(part 3 of November Paramedic; part 2 is here.)

When Gareth mentioned a plan to locate Eddie’s paramedic in shining armor, Eddie assumed it'd be him getting into various accidents all over Indianapolis. It's something the little shit would've found funny, okay! But, Gareth's plan is much less hazardous and slightly more logical: lurk around the university until they spot him. Like a pair of drug dealers trying to tempt the goody-two-shoes protagonist into addiction and sin on an 80s Saturday morning cartoon.

It's not the simplest task since they don't know when Steve might be there. Also, other responsibilities mean they can only spare so many hours loitering. So, thirteen days post-hatching plan and nineteen days post-meeting Steve (not that Eddie's been counting or anything), with nothing to show for their ethically questionable behavior, Eddie is ready to give up. Especially since both of them have a rare simultaneous day off. Usually, those are spent jamming, smoking, playing D&D… literally anything other than this.

"This is fucking stupid," he says, cigarette clenched between his teeth. "We're not gonna run into him."

"Sure we are," Gareth says. He drops his butt among the dozens they've chain-smoked and lights another without meeting Eddie's gaze. "We're getting closer. I can feel it."

"The only thing you're feeling is delusional. It's time to give up."

"Eddie, c'mon-"

"Nope." One last drag and Eddie stomps out his cig. "Fuck this; I'm out."

He stalks toward his van at the far end of the parking lot. Gareth curses before running after him.

"Dude!" he exclaims, jogging to keep up with Eddie's longer strides. "You can't just give up! What about what you said-"

"I was being stupid. What was I even imagining? We orchestrate another meeting and, what, I use my freakish wiles and seduce him? And then we'll live happily ever after…" Eddie shakes his head. "It doesn't work like that. He'd probably turn out to be a douche anyhow."

"No, listen!" Gareth seizes Eddie's arm and yanks him to a stop in the middle of the lot. "You always do this. Self-sabotage and cut things short, even when there's potential."

Eddie scoffs. "You know what else always happens? I end up liking them more than they like me. It's not fun."

"You don't know it'll be like that this time. You have to try."

"No."

Eddie takes a step back. He's done; he's out. Gareth reaches for his wrist to pull him back in. He jerks away, almost losing his footing and stumbling into the burgundy car behind him. Gareth's arms shoot out to help, but Eddie steadies himself before crashing. For a second, silence reigns as they assure everyone's on solid ground. Then Eddie opens his mouth to once and for all-

"Eddie? Gareth?"

Their heads snap to the side, eyes landing on… Max? Looking unusually dressy in high-waisted shorts and a fitted top under an oversized jacket, and her hair in a high ponytail. She's got her skateboard under her arm, a messenger bag with a textbook sticking out, and a confused furrow between her eyebrows.

"What are you doing here?" she asks.

Fuck. They can't tell her the truth – she'll never let him live it down. Fortunately, Gareth realizes this too, because he says:

"Uh, I go to school here? What are you doing here? The math building is way over there."

She rolls her eyes and leans on the burgundy car. It's a shiny BMW M5 – the limited anniversary edition. Jesus fucking Christ, Eddie almost dented that thing! It's worth more than his life. And Max is slouching against it like it's nothing. He could warn her not to scratch it, but she's unlikely to care; she's always been metal that way.

"Waiting for my friends," she says. "We have dinner on Tuesdays."

Eddie's ears ignite. Dinner? With friends? While wearing what's basically a date outfit?

"Ooohhh…" he says, sharing a grin with Gareth. "And do these friends include someone special?"

She shrugs, looking anywhere but at him. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"C'mon, Red! You're killing me! I need to know if he's good enough for you."

His fingers hover over her ponytail, as if to tug at it. She slaps his hand away.

"You're annoying."

He laughs. This terrible day just became infinitely better. He won't rest until he gets what he wants – or until she punches him, which'll probably come first. He's about to tell her so when a voice calls her name. Both turn to look, and…

It's a boy Max's age. He's beaming and waving, quickening his steps toward her. She smiles too, almost shyly, as she waves back. It's the perfect opportunity for teasing, if Eddie's day hadn't just become infinitely better.

His tongue is heavy, his skin is itching, his heart is bruising his ribs from the inside. Sweat is gathering in his pits and it's getting a little hard to breathe. Because walking half a pace behind the boy, carrying a huge duffel with such ease it might actually be stuffed with feathers, is… is…

"Yesssss!" Gareth hisses next to him. He may also be fist-pumping. Eddie isn't looking.

"Hey!" The boy stops in front of Max. "Sorry, practice ran late."

"It's okay," she says, cooler than ice, though her eyes are glittering. "I just got here."

She says something else, or maybe the boy does? It's all background noise, because Steve has caught up. Steve, in jeans and a polo that must've been tailored to his exact measurements because oooooooooohhhh boy. Steve, unshouldering the bag, muscles shifting and straining under his shirt with the movement. Steve, smiling, his golden eyes flying over Eddie.

"Hey! Eddie and Gareth, right?"

Eddie draws a sharp breath. He remembers!

"Y-Yeah!" he squeaks, hands fluttering to either wave or shake hands, ultimately doing neither. "Hi! You're here!"

"I am," Steve says, casual, as if inane conversations with former patients happen on the regular.

(It better not – Eddie doesn't do well in competitive settings.)

Max, keen eyes darting between them, asks, "You know each other?"

"Met at work," Steve says. "Or, I was working and he…"

"Ah." Max taps her temple. "That."

"How do you know them?" the boy asks her.

She points at Eddie. "Neighbor. And that's the guy who dumpster dives outside our apartment building."

Gareth flips her off. Eddie would laugh, but he's busy pretending he doesn't know what Steve looks like shirtless. It's hard (pun slowly growing more relevant) – his gaze keeps dropping to the polo's undone top button. Steve is just as gorgeous out of uniform, and now Eddie's thighs are tingling with want. He could stare at him forever…

Unfortunately, 'forever' is cut short by a woman arriving in a flurry. Wait, no. 'Flurry' implies some sort of graceful whimsy, while this person… she's a hurricane crashing into a house.

"Sorry I'm late! Nielsen wouldn't stop talking and got angry when people started leaving because it's an important lecture so this girl called him out for not keeping time because he goes on all these tangents and he said they're interesting tidbits and she said it's disrespecting our time and-" She pauses for breath. "You don't care, do you?"

Max, Steve, and the boy shake their heads.

"Right. Sorry." The woman turns to Eddie and Gareth. "Hi! I'm Robin. And you are?"

"My neighbor and his friend. Steve treated his concussion," Max rattles off, glaring at them. "You didn't answer my question: why are you here?"

Gareth frowns. "I told you," he says, pointing at the building. "School." He points at himself. "Student."

Max glares harder. "You don't have class on Tuesdays. And Eddie doesn't go here at all."

"I had stuff I needed to drop off."

"Is tagging along a crime? Jesus."

Max doesn't reply, though her glare remains.

Robin hums. "Okay, so this is super-enjoyable, I love just standing around, but I'm starving, so…" She looks at Steve, who nods.

"Yeah, we're going," he says, but neither moves. He glances at Eddie, which makes her glance at Eddie, and then they make a series of eyebrow-movements at each other, ending in a shared smile. Steve asks, "Have you guys eaten yet?"

Eddie shakes his head, pulse racing. Is this going where he thinks it is?

"D'you wanna come with? There's this diner we like…"

Holyshityesitis!

"Yeah!" Fuck, too eager. "I mean, uh, sure, sounds good."

"Cool." Grinning, Steve clicks a remote car key; the burgundy BMW beeps. What the fuck? How high is a paramedic's salary?! "Did you drive here?"

"I, uh…" Eddie falters. Shit, wasn't he supposed to? It's been three weeks and he feels fine – he thought he was in the green!

"Nope! I did!" Gareth says, 'proving' it by hauling his house keys from his pocket and jingling them.

Steve nods. "Should be safe for you to drive again, but the less strain you put on your brain, the better. Even a mild concussion isn't anything to sneeze at."

"Y-Yeah, I've been taking it easy. Basically done nothing. Until now."

Max snorts. Eddie is going to pour coffee through her mail slot.

They decide Eddie and Gareth will follow Steve's car to the diner, since Steve can't fit all of them (the real reason he asked if they drove here, duh). It's good because Eddie gets the chance to panic/gush/collect himself in the privacy of his van. It's bad because Gareth drives, lest their fib be revealed. Gareth spends the ten-minute journey gloating about driving Eddie's beloved girl, interspersed with 'I told you so!'s.

The diner is cozy, all wooden furniture and sepia photographs on the walls. A graying waitress who smells like tobacco directs them to a booth and takes their orders. An awkward silence then falls as they wait for someone to speak.

The boy clears his throat. "My name is Lucas, by the way. I don't think I said." After shaking his hand and introducing themselves, Lucas says to Eddie, "I think Max has mentioned you."

"Oh yeah? I've been dying for her to mention y- Ow!"

Eddie rubs where Max kicked his shin. Her glare is murderous. Lucas is blushing happily, though.

"So, what d'you guys do?" Robin asks.

Right. Time to small-talk like adults. Eddie gets his job as a mechanic out of the way, then gives the word to Gareth, who tells them he's a creative writing major. Robin turns out to be getting a masters in linguistics and Lucas studies biology.

"I don't actually know what I want to do, but biology feels broad enough to give me options, y'know? I can go to med school, or forensics, or, I don't know, paleontology?" he says. Max glows brighter with every word that comes out of his mouth. Cute.

This then segues into talking about their friends, who by the sound of it lead incredibly interesting lives.

"Dustin's at MIT, Mike's at Oxford, Will's in San Francisco…" Lucas says, counting on his fingers.

Max interjects, "El's in Africa building houses and teaching kids English."

"Erica is still at home, finishing high school and drowning in early acceptance letters to, like, every Ivy League there is," Steve says with a look of pure pride.

"Nancy and Jonathan – they're our age – are chasing scoops in Afghanistan… " Robin says.

"... and Argyle is also in California," Lucas finishes.

Eddie whistles. "And here we are, still in Indianapolis."

"Dude, I'm surprised I got this far," Steve says. "Wouldn't've managed without her."

He jerks a thumb in Robin's direction, who preens at the acknowledgment. Robin's cool, Eddie decides. Garrulous but fun and nice… and verrrrrrrrry close to Steve. The kind of close where they're always in each other's space. Where they wordlessly transfer food between their plates. Where Steve unceremoniously wipes a speck of ketchup off Robin's chin after she repeatedly fails to get it. They're comfortable, but not necessarily romantically affectionate. Like they're siblings rather than lovers.

(Dear God, if you are in heaven, let them be siblings.)

Conversation flows. They joke around, tell stories, swap opinions. Robin gets passionate about tonal shifts when stage shows are adapted to film, and Eddie tries not to stare at Steve's mouth as he eats. And then, once their plates are cleaned and they're waiting for dessert, Gareth leans his elbows on the table and fixes Steve with a purposeful look.

"I figured out where I've seen you before."

Eddie stiffens.

Steve blinks. "At campus, right?"

"Thought so, but no. I realized it's actually…" Gareth chuckles. "It's ridiculous, but uh, my mom had this calendar…"

Steve recoils, red flooding his face. Robin, Lucas, and Max shriek in delight, Robin grabbing Steve's arm and shaking it as he hides behind his hands.

"And my mom," Gareth says between bursts of laughter, "she's shameless, all right? She kept it in our kitchen. So during, what was it, November?"

"November," Steve confirms, muffled.

"For 30 days, if I wanted to check the date or make a notation… I saw you."

Tears stream down Robin's face, she's laughing so hard. She and Max have started chanting 'Slut! Slut! Slut!' at the still crimson Steve.

"You don't understand," Lucas says, gesturing for emphasis. "We've been waiting for someone to come up and say 'hey, weren't you…?' for years. Thank you so much!"

"Hey, thank my mom," Gareth says. Eddie's quite stunned he'd throw his own mother under the bus like that. She's a really nice person, too!

"Makes sense," Max says. "Moms love Steve."

"All parents do," Lucas says.

Cackling, Robin pinches Steve's cheek. "Gotta hide your mom and your dad around Steve!"

Steve bats her off, flushed but smiling. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. You got your wish, now shut it."

That only makes the three restart the chant to ridicule him for his harlotry. Steve's indignant squawk that 'it was for charity!' merely has everyone laugh more.

And Eddie? Well. As he sits beholding this man who works as a paramedic and drives a luxury car, who models for charity and allows his friends to mock him for it, who blushes and giggles when they lovingly call him a whore…

All Eddie can think is that he's in fucking trouble.

Afterward, it only makes sense for Eddie to drive Max home. Steve shakes his hand outside the diner, saying it was nice to see him again. Eddie, not knowing how to ask for Steve's contact info without seeming weird, agrees. He waits until the BMW drives off, then tells Gareth to get the fuck out of his seat. Gareth relocates to the backseat, whining since Max already called shotgun.

The initial minutes, they're quiet. Then Max turns to Gareth and says:

"When were you telling me Eddie is your mom?"

"Huh?"

"You said you knew about the calendar because of your mom. But that's not true."

The warmth drains from Eddie's face; his knuckles crack around the steering wheel. Gareth's expression is the epitome of 'oh shit' when he meets Eddie's gaze in the rear-view mirror.

"Yes, it is," Gareth says.

"It's not," Max says.

"It is!"

"It's not! The calendar was for 2021, and in November '21 you were a freshman and had already moved into the dorms! If your mom kept it in her kitchen, you wouldn't have seen it!"

She scowls at Gareth, mouth pinched and eyes flashing, daring him to contradict her.

Gareth swallows thickly. "It… wasn't for 2021."

"Yes, it was."

"How do you know?"

She puts her hands in her lap and lifts her chin, almost primly. Eddie gasps as the penny drops.

Gareth screams, "WHAT!"

"You have it?" Eddie cries. "Why do you have it?"

She scoffs. "You know why – you've seen his pecs."

"I don't- Okay, how're you so sure it's me?"

"Because you spent all of dinner looking like you wanted to crawl inside his mouth and live there." Her nose wrinkles. "At least I hope it was his mouth you want to crawl into-"

She's cut off by Gareth shouting "I can't hear you! Lalalalalalala-"

Eddie crumples in his seat. He's depleted of blood, air, life, everything. Behind, Gareth is grilling Max for information: are Steve and Robin together? Is Steve single? Is he queer?

Max replies: no, yes, and 'that's not for me to tell, moron'.

Gareth nods, satisfied. "That means he is. If he was straight, you'd say so." He slaps Eddie's arm. "You got a shot, man!"

"You… don't know that…" Eddie wheezes.

Max tuts, shaking her head. "You actually want to hit on my chauffeur."

"He prefers the term 'seduce'," Gareth says.

Eddie smacks his face into the steering wheel at the next red light.

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

Tag list: @rougenancy, @raisedbylibrarians, @yourebuckingkiddingme, @swimmingbirdrunningrock, @emma77645, @goodolefashionedloverboi, @eddielives1986, @stevesbipanic, @the-redthread, @fandemonium-takes-its-toll, @henderdads, @gay-little-bitch, @lordofthepointygerbils, @lenore1232, @imzadidragonfly, @zerokrox-blog, @eddiemunsonswife, @cherrycolas-things, @ediewentmissing, @princess-eddie, @atombombbibunny, @ajamlessbaby, @dogswithforks, @grimmfitzz, @cutiecusp, @cuips-not-cute, @manicallydepressedrobot, @messrs-weasley, @madaboutmunson, @mightbeasleep, @suikatto, @brassreign, @snapshotmaestro, @bea-sayan, @courtjestermunson, @csinnamon-fox, @steveisabicon, @spectrum-spectre, @spinmewriteround, @just-super-fucking-gay, @escapingthereality, @oneweirdcryptid, @deehellcat, @misticageri, @lovelyscot, @olivethenerd16, @linkydinky06, @rynnytintin, @anything-thats-rock-and-roll,

I won't be adding more to the tag list because there are already so many of you. Instead, I'll be tagging the four remaining parts (it'll definitely be seven in total, btw) as #steddie fic: november paramedic. Hopefully, they'll show up in the tags and you'll see them that way.

Thank you for reading 🖤

Part 4

[steventhusiast]

STWG prompt 11/2/24

prompt: date night

pairing/character(s): steddie, hellfire club

it's valentine's week!! hopefully i can do all the prompts this week :)

"And with that, the barkeep..."

Eddie pauses in his storytelling to glance away from the notes hidden by his DM screen and over to the clock. His eyes widen at the time. Is it really 7:53pm already? Shit.

"With that, this session is over. You'll find out what happens with the angry barkeep next week!"

Everyone in the room groans at that, a chorus of 'seriously's and 'what the hell, Eddie's starting up even as he hurries to put his notes back into his DnD folder, and dumps all his dice into his bag haphazardly.

No one seems to notice for a moment, too busy complaining about the cliffhanger, when Gareth suddenly pauses and examines Eddie with a curious look on his face.

"Hold on, you promised we'd finally find out more about the temple this session? Where was that?"

Eddie huffs in response, and doesn't even look up as he starts folding his DM screen.

"Yeah, that was before you guys decided to talk to every single person at the tavern for an hour and start a barfight."

"That's never stopped you from getting us to where you want us before!"

"Yeah!" "Exactly!" "Please, Eddie. What happens with the barkeep."

Eddie waves a hand at everyone, and looks up to see the younger kids complaining quietly to each other, and his closer friends still seeming to inspect him carefully. He supposes they're valid in that; he's not one to back down from his plans, and has never cut off a session like this before.

But. Today is special. Today he has...

"Oh my god, you have a date." Jeff suddenly says, his eyes a little wider than usual as he grabs at Freak's arm.

"What?! Who the fuck would he have a date with?" Freak scoffs.

Eddie ignores the blush fighting to appear on his cheeks and starts collecting all of his figurines scattered around the table.

"Eddie has a date?" Mike suddenly joins in from across the room.

And, great, now the baby sheep are involved too.

"It is none of you guys's business what plans I have after this session. But, really, I gotta go." Eddie tries, but now Dustin's attention is on him as well.

"That's so funny! Steve has a date tonight too- that's why we had to ask Nancy to pick us up tonight." He says with a laugh.

Eddie laughs along with him, a little strained now because Gareth, Jeff and Freak are now squinting at him.

"Yes.. What a coincidence." Gareth says slowly as Eddie continues to pointedly avoid eye contact.

"Anyway! Got a lot to, uh. Do. Running a bit behind schedule actually, so if you could.." Eddie says as he finally finishes shoving everything back into his backpack and throws it over his shoulder, gesturing toward the drama room's door.

The younger kids leave without much complaint, but Gareth, Jeff and Freak hang back and walk slowly alongside Eddie.

"So... Steve Harrington?" Jeff asks once the kids are out of earshot, his tone a little disbelieving.

"Don't say it like it's a bad thing!" Freak slaps him on the shoulder disapprovingly as he speaks.

"It's not a bad thing! Just.. unexpected!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Eddie tries.

"Sure, sure. Enjoy your totally not a date night that's totally not with Steve 'the hair' Harrington." As Gareth says that, they've finally reached the doors and Eddie can well and truly escape.

He's going to have to break a few road laws if he wants to get to Steve's on time. It's only their third date, so sue him if he wants to try to make a good impression.

Even if Steve's been his friend for a few months now, and already knows about his horrible time-keeping skills.... It's still worth a try. Anything to woo Steve Harrington.

-

part two

[jadeylovesmarvelxo]

Mean Eddie series. Part one part two

Minors shoo. More angst I'm afraid, jealous Eddie but our boy won't admit it.

💌🫣

How you've managed to avoid Eddie for a full week is anyone's guess but between cheer practice, sleepovers with Chrissy and hanging out with Steve and Robin, it's like a soothing balm for your heartache.

Except at the dead of night when the ache from missing Eddie threatens to overwhelm you. The thing is you're stubborn and you highly doubt Eddie is missing you. Why would he?

Billy Hargrove has also been trying to catch your attention, he's been flirting for the entire week and he's not shy about doing it in front of others either.

It's not like Billy isn't handsome, he is. However you've heard far too many things about him dating multiple girls, being a player. You weren't interested in being another notch on his bedpost.

As your at your locker and attempting not to look Eddie's way, his locker is right across from yours and he's busy chatting to Gareth, discussing the new Hellfire campaign he's planning.

You'd been with Eddie once while he was knee deep in campaign planning, watched as his tongue poked out while he was writing and weaving a new story for the next Hellfire night. He looked so cute and it made you giggle, Eddie smirks amused at your giggles.

"Princess, I said no interruptions if you stayed, I may need to punish you for that" he kissed you then proceeded to tickle you until you were breathless and laughing, Eddie watching you with a soft smile on his face.

It was one of the moments with him where you thought the two of you could be more. Obviously you were wrong.

Billy brings you out of your reverie and you realise he's been standing talking to you for a full minute. Shit. What did he say?

"We could go to the party then somewhere more private babe?" He winks at you and you jump as you hear a locker slam. Eddie's.

Gareth is watching him confused as he gathers up his notes. "Dude, what's up with you?" you tear your eyes away from Eddie and back to an expectancy Billy.

"Sorry, I have other plans with Chrissy" Billy frowns but spots Eddie before he can say anything else.

"Hey man, you got any weed for me? Need some tonight" Eddie's gaze briefly drifts over to you and your heart skips a beat, then he looks away and disappointment curdles in your stomach.

"No, I don't have any for you and your girlfriend" he spits out the word and you freeze. What was up with him? Evidently Billy must be thinking the same thing.

"What's crawled up your ass Munson?" Billy snaps and Eddie's brown eyes meet his, they flash dangerously. He's never been intimidated by Billy and he isn't going to start now.

"Next time you two want to flirt can you do it out of the way of us peasants. You're bringing my lunch up dude" you freeze at Eddie's tone. Seriously what the fuck was up with him?

Before Billy can reply you do. "You're insufferable Eddie. Billy's not my boyfriend. Not that is any of your business" you can feel the anger clawing inside of you and just dare Eddie to say something stupid.

He shrugs and avoids your gaze. "Your love life isn't my concern" he murmurs and you swear you're this close to losing it. You take a deep breath and shake your head.

"Whatever Munson" you're tired of crying about someone who just doesn't care. You walk away but Eddie calls out to you.

"Wait" you wait with baited breath for him to say something, anything. Come on Eddie. But he doesn't, he just stays quiet and you feel another crack in your heart.

"Never mind" whatever he was about to say it's gone now and you curse yourself for daring to hope.

Fuck you Eddie.

...

Stop, you're losin' me

I can't find a pulse

Stop, you're losin' me

Stop, you're losin' me

My heart won't start anymore

For you

'Cause you're losin' me

Taylor swift- You're losing me.

...

I don't want you to lose me, you think through your anger but nothing will ever change so what was the point of hoping.

💌❤️

[steddieas-shegoes]

Request: smooth as butter Steve flirting with Eddie while the CC boys watch in shock as their ruthless Eddie turns red(?) and gets all blushy bc he doesn't know how to deal with this STEVE???? making it better:it happens during DND the one time Eddie gets Steve to play & the entire time Steve's human bard character flirting hardcore with Eddie via his NPC's (the kids aren't involved in this one just Steddie & Corroded Coffin boys)

MY LOVEEEEEEE!!!! Okay I have never played. I know. Hush, I know. My best friend wants me to so bad she bought me dice. And like, I probably will, but like Steve, my brain is trying to not only deal with math, but also just how involved it all is. I like games that take about half a brain cell. I'm also super bad at the flirting thing, in real life and when writing. I just cannot do it my friends. But I did my best here and I hope it isn't the worst😂 - Mickala ❤️

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

He was doing this for Dustin.

He made a character sheet with Lucas, went over the basics, learned that maybe the math part wouldn’t be so bad.

And then he convinced Eddie to let him do a one shot with the Corroded Coffin guys so he could get a feel for it all without Dustin knowing.

He didn’t get that creative with his character according to Lucas, but he was also supportive and understanding that Steve wasn’t doing this as a regular thing.

Eddie explained to the guys that they needed to be patient, that Steve was genuinely trying to learn.

“Everyone was new once, so I don’t wanna hear anything from any of you about how annoying it is to have to take it so slow and explain everything. He’s trying to do a nice thing for Henderson and we’re going to be nice.”

Everyone groaned, but nodded in agreement.

“Are we talking about your crush on him yet, or is that still off the table?” Gareth had the gall to ask.

“There’s no crush to even have on the table,” Eddie said.

“Sure, dude.”

—--------------

Things were not going well.

Well, okay, they weren’t going bad.

It’s just that Lucas apparently explained to Steve that being in character was very important and Steve failed to mention that his character’s charisma was the highest possible option.

He shouldn’t be surprised by that.

Maybe he’s just surprised with all the blatant flirting.

The guys keep shooting him looks like they know that he’s struggling, that they can see that he is barely able to hold onto the power the DM usually has.

“The guard stops you, but he recognizes you. ‘You’re the one who stole the sword!’ he yells, catching the attention of the other guards. You panic because your party is still hiding in the bush with strict instructions not to be seen unless they draw their weapons on you. How will you respond?”

Steve smirked.

Not good. Run away. Get out, Munson, you’re fucked.

But he couldn’t leave.

He was the DM, and they were barely halfway done with what he had planned.

He had to see this through and he had to give Steve the best possible introduction to this game.

It was for Dustin.

“I’d probably have to insist that it wasn’t me he saw, but that I sure wish I’d seen him before. Maybe wink at him,” Steve said. “Actually, definitely wink at him.”

Steve looked at everyone else, smile silently asking for approval.

Everyone smirked at Eddie before giving him a thumbs up.

Traitors.

He’d be saying something later for sure.

“The guard is still suspicious, but waves the other guards off. He looks you over, circles you, decides to take your only weapon.”

“Not my only weapon. I still have plenty of time to distract him.”

Eddie squints at him, just as suspicious as the guard in their game.

“Roll for-”

“Persuasion, right?” Steve interrupted.

“Sure. Roll for persuasion, Stevie,” Eddie pretended not to be flustered at Steve remembering aspects of the game.

“18!” Steve yelled. “Plus the 13. So that’s…” he held his hand up while he thought about it. “31!”

Everyone at the table cheered except for Eddie.

He knew what was coming.

“I offer to let the guard check me for weapons in private if he’s still suspicious. I tell him it’s better to take all my clothes off where he can do something about it.”

Eddie hated what was happening.

He hated that he could feel how red his face was, and how much Steve was thriving off of putting Eddie off of his own game.

He hated the way the guys were all watching, literally holding their breath for Eddie’s reaction.

“The guard decides to lead you past the gate, but instead of taking you to the entrance to the castle, he leads you down a side road. It leads to a small cottage, and you start to worry that your party won’t find you.”

Steve doesn’t even hesitate.

“I let him lead me where he wants. I can take it.”

Eddie is going to die. Right here.

Steve knows what he’s doing, what he’s saying.

He knows what he is doing to Eddie.

And, okay, maybe they haven’t talked about it, maybe they’ve both been avoiding the very obvious tension between them for months. Maybe Eddie could have taken a chance any of the times they’ve been alone lately to finally talk about it.

Or maybe Steve would just keep flirting with him through this stupid game until Eddie couldn’t even do what he needed to do.

And everyone around them would just get to watch it unfold.

Jeff, his only friend at the moment, cleared his throat and decided to speak up.

“I think the rest of the party should follow. Just in case he needs backup. Guys?”

Thank God for Jeff.

It continues, the rest of the party finds a way to get past the guards, and Eddie admits to himself that he’s making it easier on purpose.

He wants, no, needs this game to end.

And he gets his wish ten minutes later when the phone rings and it’s Dustin, begging for a ride.

Eddie ignores the fact that he called his trailer knowing Steve would be here already, but the rest of the group doesn’t.

While Steve is on the phone, they all quietly tease Eddie.

“If I knew Steve would fluster you this much, I think we would have invited him a long time ago,” Grant said.

“Yeah, we probably would’ve had much easier campaigns if he joined in high school,” Gareth added.

“Yeah? Next time you all get to die, how about that? Terrible, bloody deaths. Gareth gets tortured.”

Before any of them could answer, Steve came into the room, looking a bit sad.

“Sorry about this guys. I couldn’t really come up with a reason that I couldn’t go without giving it away what I was doing. We could pause and come back to it later?”

Eddie knew the guys would be fine with just calling it here; They’d managed to get far enough along that they knew it would have been a good win for them.

“Nah, you did good. Maybe you can join us for real after Dustin’s birthday campaign,” Jeff said.

Steve beamed back at him.

“Maybe, yeah. If you guys are cool with it.”

Was he…shy?

He was just flirting up a storm! Absolutely taking the lead in a game he’d never played before! And now he was being shy?

“Hell yeah!” They all agreed.

Great, Steve was making friends with his friends.

“Alright!” Steve clapped his hands together. “I’m off to get the kid. Thanks guys!”

He started to leave, but stopped by Eddie.

Then his lips were on the top of Eddie’s head.

“Bye guys!” He said as he continued to walk out.

Eddie’s eyes were wide, unblinking. The guys were all staring at him with the same wide, unblinking eyes.

The front door to the trailer closed.

“Uh,” Eddie said.

“Did he-”

“He just-”

“On your head.”

“Uh.”

The front door opened.

Steve was standing in the doorway to the kitchen area, eyes wide, unblinking.

“Did I-”

“Uh huh,” Eddie answered.

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“Is that…okay?”

He was looking nervously between the guys and Eddie, like he expected someone to punch him.

“Oh! Yeah. No, they’re good. Um. Did you want to kiss me?”

“Yeah. I kinda…always do?”

“Always?”

“Yes. It’s kind of all I think about.”

Eddie took it all back; This was the best and he had never been happier that Steve wanted to play D&D.

He didn’t even care about the guys watching as he stood from his chair and walked to Steve in the doorway.

“Me too.”

He pulled Steve against him, ignoring the whistles and cheers from the table, and kissed him.

The kiss left them both breathless, despite being barely more than a peck.

“Um, I should go get Dustin,” Steve whispered.

“Yeah. Come back after?”

“Will everyone still be here?” Steve asked nervously.

“Nope, just you and me, sweetheart,” Eddie replied.

“Good. I’ll be back soon, then.”

When Steve left, Eddie turned back to the group, lovestruck grin on his face.

“So it’s off the table now, right?” Gareth asked, smirking.

“Shut up.”

[dreamwatch]

Exposure

Written for @corrodedcoffinfest

Day #24 - Prompt: Behind The Scenes | Word Count: 1000 | Rating: T | CW: scars, ableism, facial differences seen negatively by others (a photographer) | POV: Eddie | Pairing: Steddie | Tags: emotional hurt/comfort, photoshoots

It was inevitable, honestly.

Their first professional photoshoot, not just Matty’s brother, Brian, with the family Pentax, shooting in black and white because it’s ‘artistic.’ Usually they didn’t put photographs on the flyers, just their logo, but once they moved to Indy a couple of independent labels came for a sniff of the goods and they wanted photos. Thank you, Brian, your services to photography will be forever remembered.

Once they were signed though, the label wanted professional photographs, which was fair, because honestly Gareth’s garage didn’t make the sexiest back drop. So anyway, here they were in a studio in Indianapolis getting their photographs taken, with a real professional photographer.

He doesn’t know a lot about this kind of gig, but he knows guys on TV get their makeup done all the time on account of the lights making their faces shiny, so at first it’s like, whatever. But then they’ve got them all lined up, real Metal Hammer pose, cloudy blue and gray backdrop like some extreme high school portrait, and the photographer is eyeballing him. Like hard stares. And he’s not looking him in the eye. He’s looking at his cheek.

Then the guy’s in a huddle with the makeup artist, and she’s looking at him and the photographers looking at him, and now they’ve got the assistant there. 

“What the fuck is the hold up,” whispers Gareth, and the boys mutter but Eddie says nothing because he knows. He knows and he’s dying a little inside.

Then the huddle is broken, and they’re getting moved around and now Eddie’s facing a different direction (‘we can just flip the neg’) but that’s not working for them either, and the studio lights are getting dimmed on his side, and his heart is racing, and the makeup girl is in his face, “Sorry,” she says, and she’s being gentle, likes she’s trying to be respectful, but she’s painting this shit on his face, on his neck, and he can see the shock, the way her eyes go wide when she starts to move the collar of his shirt and she realises it goes further down and that’s it—

“Can you—“ he snaps, ducking backwards.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean…” she says all sheepish and apologetic, and she probably means it but he doesn’t care, he’s done, he wants out.

The photographer wraps it up, and he’s talking but Eddie’s not listening, he’s gone, out to the Jeff’s car waiting by the door, but they’re up in the studio playing rockstars, like they’re not driving to gigs in shitty vans, and he’s had it actually, fuck this.

He walks for an hour and then stops at Molly’s and has a few beers. And it feels stupid, at this point, like he’s over reacting, it’s a scar, and they’re in the image industry, and of course they’ll try to hide it. So what? So fucking what?

It’s dark when he finally comes up for air and heads back to their dank little apartment. The guys do that thing where they’re being casual but watching him out of the corner of their eye, but he shoos them away, he’s fine, thanks, nothing to worry about. Gets himself a sandwich and then goes to his room to sleep the day off.

He’s half asleep when he hears his door click, the dip of the bed as someone sits down. He opens his eyes, checks his watch, it’s a little after two in the morning, and when he flips over in the bed Steve Harrington is sitting next to him.

“Heard you had a day.”

“Who called you?” he asks.

Steve kicks his shoes off and slides up the bed, back against the headboard. 

“Gareth. He told me what happened. It fucking sucks.”

Eddie sits up, pulls himself next to Steve. “You drove all the way here to commiserate with me on my sucky day?”

“I drove all the way here to make sure you were okay,” Steve says, like it’s nothing, like Eddie can’t feel his heart squeezing tight at the words.

He doesn’t say anything for a while, needs to process it, what to say.

“I just wasn’t expecting it you know? Which is fucking stupid, and all, but you know, when have I ever been known for my smarts?” he jokes, half assed, because none of this is funny. “It’s just… like, it was so… they looked at me like, how do we fix this? How do we make this go away? Like I was ruining the shoot with my…” he gestures to his cheek, to the jagged red scar that runs all the way down his neck.

Steve listens, because he’s good at that, doesn’t butt in even when you know he’s trying to think of ways of fixing everything.

“And like the thing is, if we make it, it’s gonna be a thing you know? It won’t be the last time.”

Eventually Steve chips in. “I know mine are easier to hide, so I don’t like, know how it is, exactly, but… but people see them and then they’ll forget about them. People look out of curiosity, you can’t stop that, but then they just, they’re not bothered, you know? Like, your fans—“

“Fans?’ Eddie scoffs.

“Yeah, fans! They’re not gonna give a fuck, man. I know that doesn’t really help, not right now, but…  I think it’ll get easier.”

“It doesn’t feel like it,” Eddie says under his breath. He rolls his head to the side, making eye contact for the first time.

Steve kicks his jeans off and they climb under the covers, Steve’s back against his.

“You know when you’re rich and famous, first thing you need to do is get a bigger bed. This is ridiculous.”

Eddie can’t help himself, lets the giggles take him, feels Steve’s arm wrap around his waist and pull him close. He finds himself being infinitely grateful to his friends for knowing what he needed, and infinitely grateful for Steve Harrington.

[thisapplepielife]

Written for @corrodedcoffinfest.

If It Makes You Happy

Day #24 - Behind the Scenes | Word Count: 1000 | Rating: T | CW: Language | POV: Goodie (Freak) | Pairing: Goodie/OFCs, Minor Steddie | Tags: 1990s, Touring Corroded Coffin, Superstitions, Goodie Just Wants To Go To This By Himself, But No, Fucking Road Manager Steve Harrington

"What's the big rush?" Eddie asks, propping his feet up on the coffee table, in another hotel room, in another city. Another tour date among dozens of others. Nothing particularly special about it.

"Nothin'. Just, you know. Stuff," Goodie says, "I'll be back later. Don't wait up."

"Well, where are you goin'? Maybe I wanna go with," Eddie says, and that's not happening. 

Not no way, not no how. 

"Nowhere," Goodie says, "stop harassing me."

"Stop being so weird, and I will," Eddie pops off, slipping a cigarette between his lips. 

Eddie won't stop being intrusive, never will, and being harassed by Eddie is just part of life. Has been since Goodie was a teen.

"I have plans, okay? Without you."

"Do you have a date?" Eddie asks, sitting up.

"Yes. Happy? I have a date."

"Gareth! Gareth!" Eddie screams, "Goodie has a date!" Eddie bleats, hoping to draw Gareth out of the neighboring suite. 

Gareth doesn't show up, and Goodie is getting out of here before any more questions can be asked. 

"Gotta go. Gonna be late," Goodie says, slipping his leather jacket over his shoulders, "for my date."

Goodie gets into the taxi outside of the hotel, and has the cabbie take him right back to the venue that they played at last night.

When he gets out, he looks at the ticket that's burning a hole in his pocket.

Front row, dead center. 

Sheryl Crow.

Goodie is impatiently waiting for the opening act to get on with it, when he's jostled from the side, and when he turns to look…

Eddie. 

He tilts his head back, as if to ask God why? What did he ever do to deserve this?

Eddie jabs his fingers into his ribs on his way by, and Goodie swats him away. Then sees that Gareth and Jeff are flanked by security, squeezing past everyone else around, drawing a whole shitpot full of attention onto themselves. Jeff is falling over himself apologizing, but nobody gives a fuck, because they aren't known. Not here. Not in this crowd, which is what Goodie had counted on when he planned to come all by himself.

Blend in. 

Fucking Steve Harrington. 

Steve must have told Eddie, and then got them all tickets. Not just the one, single ticket Goodie had requested to have a night to himself, looking up at Sheryl Crow. Listening to her sing and play the guitar, like a badass.

Now, he has to look at Eddie, Jeff and Gareth. And that's way less enticing of a prospect. 

He's been stuck looking at their ugly mugs for the past decade.

He knew Eddie dating Steve was a horrible, terrible, awful idea right from the start. 

And there is the little Judas now. Steve is pulling up the rear with Robin, and Goodie glares, and Steve looks back at him, absolutely unphased. Asshole.

After the show, they pile out of the arena with the rest of the crowd, and Eddie leans into him as they walk to the waiting van, their driver sitting behind the wheel.

Once they're situated, Eddie wraps his arms around Goodie's neck from behind, tight, squeezing, choking him a little.

"Just tell us if you want to do something, next time."

And Goodie nods.

Then Eddie slaps a shirt over his shoulder. 

Goodie pulls it down, and laughs. It's her silhouette, backed with blue. 

It's cool, and something he'd have picked for himself if maybe he'd been alone. 

"I expect you to wear it tomorrow night on stage."

"Don't think I won't," Goodie answers, dryly. 

Eddie squeezes his shoulders, shaking him, "If it makes you happy, then it can't be that bad," he teases, leaning over the backseat, talking right into Goodie's ear. 

And then he kisses the back of Goodie's head, and the rest of them laugh.

The next night, he does wear the shirt, with his leather jacket over it. 

And there's a girl in the front row that points at it, and then makes a heart with her hands. 

Maybe this will be his new lucky shirt. 

He thinks that really might be true when she's waiting outside of the stage door, looking for him. Not Eddie. Not Jeff. Not Gareth. 

Him. 

And it is his lucky shirt. 

Every goddamn night he wears it, he pulls, and without much effort. The women damn nearly throw themselves at him. 

Gareth is seething with jealousy, as Goodie holds his hotel room door open for the woman from last night to be on her way. 

She runs her hand over his chest, and leans up to kiss him again. 

The shirt, now soft with wear and magic, is the best thing that ever happened to him. 

And then it's lost in the laundry. 

Steve's gonna die. Goodie will make sure of it. 

"It'll turn up," Steve says, not looking up from his clipboard. 

"Steve. I need it." 

"It. Will. Turn. Up," Steve stresses, and then walks away. 

Goodie resigns himself to a dry spell, but he takes the stage, and kind of forgets about it. 

He gets the same attention he got the last time he wore it. 

And that happens again. And again. 

Then, about a month later, Eddie slaps it over his shoulder again, just like he did the first night. 

"It was never the shirt. I don't know why it finally gave you the confidence to flirt back with women, but it did and I just wanted you to know it was you. Not the shirt." 

Goodie doesn't say anything, can't think of what he could possibly say to that. 

It's still his favorite shirt. The most comfortable one he owns, and he wears it at least once a week, but now, it's not always on stage. 

Sometimes he wears it on travel days, or off-days, when nobody sees him but the guys. 

And, yeah, sometimes he still wears it on stage, even as the print fades. Because he likes it. 

But he doesn't need it.

Not anymore. 

If you want to write your own, or see more entries for this challenge, pop on over to @corrodedcoffinfest and follow along with the fun! 🦇

Notes: That does appear to be a Sheryl Crow tour shirt from the 90s, I found it on eBay, but I'm not sure what year. So, just pretend it's right for this, haha.

[petersbaby]

I’m kinda fucked up rn, I’m posting this anyways because I know my Gareth girlies are out there and I love you guys

7 minutes to forever - Gareth Emerson x Reader

HE IS AGED UP TO 18

Warnings: Gareth is a virgin, boner talk, male masturbation, smut, first time sex, mutual pining, awkwardness, I don’t like talking about condoms they gross me out but I tried to use one for once

-

It was a small party of sorts at Steve’s house, and of course Eddie was going to be there because that’s his boyfriend.

Eddie tried to invite all the people from the club, so his friends can meet Steve and Steve’s friends, hoping everyone could kind of merge and coexist but you and Gareth were the only two to show up out of the group.

The rest were just a few of Steve and Eddie’s mutual friends, including Robin. Lately, Eddie’s been on your ass about a certain something and he sees it as some sort of sign that you and Gareth both came.

“It’s been way too long. Just go fucking tell him.” Eddie begs you.

“Tell him fucking what, exactly??”

“That you literally want to fuck him. Have you seen this dude? Zero chance he’ll reject you. He’s such a virgin he’d probably cream his pants just from you speaking to him.”

“Eddie, EW.”

“I’m just saying.”

“That’s just it, I don’t wanna like… fucking corrupt him.”

“He wants you to corrupt him.”

“What??”

“Yep.” He shrugs. “He wants you too, it’s so PAINFULLY obvious to everyone except you guys. We’re all tired of hearing about it.” He gestures to the rest of your shared friends.

“No, I- I don’t believe you. He doesn’t like me, that’s why I haven’t fucking said anything.” You whisper, now.

“Alright.” Eddie announces a little louder than he needs to be, and gets up. He grabs your wrist and starts pulling you.

“No, no, no. Eddie, stop, I’m so serious.”

And now you were standing in front of him.

“Gareth, here. Talk to her.”

You start to try and run the other way, away from this confrontational situation, but Eddie catches you.

“Jesus Christ, it’s like taking care of literal children. If you won’t say it, I will. Y/N, Gareth has a huge crush on you. Gareth, Y/N is practically obsessed with you, won’t shut up about how cute you are.”

You put your head in your hands.

“There, I said it, now be normal human beings.” He says, patting you both on the shoulder and walking away, leaving just the two of you standing near the kitchen while everyone else was in the living room, in another world.

“I’m sorry. About him, uh, yeah. I don’t know why he did that.” You say quietly, looking at the ground.

“Was that true?”

“Maybe.”

“That’s a relief. I don’t think either of us were gonna say something.”

“Yeah, probably not.” You laugh.

-

“Okay, so we’re locked in here.” You sigh.

“Yeah..” he agrees.

Eddie basically shoved you two into a hall closet, yelling about “seven minutes in heaven,” which was a stupid game thing you thought only middle schoolers did. You protested, but he was very insistent, and you gave up. He was just fucking with you two, being extra mischievous tonight for some reason.

“You know you don’t have to listen to him, right? You don’t need to do anything, you know, sexually. It’s perfectly fine to not want to.”

“I- well, I want to.”

“Why don’t you then?”

“Don’t know. Nervous, I guess. Just really nervous.”

“Would it help if I made the first move?”

He nods.

You lean in quickly after that to press your lips against his. Even though he knew it was coming, it still shocked him, enough to jump a little a draw back.

“No? It’s okay.” You try to reassure him despite all the mixed signals you were getting from this boy.

“Yes. Please. I’m sorry about that.”

“You do it then. I know you can.” You smile.

This time he leans in, despite his anxiety screaming in his brain. It’s sweet, so sweet, and his lips are soft and gentle. You reach up to rest your hand on the side of his face, lightly rubbing your thumb against his cheek while you kiss him.

His hands find your waist and rest there while you try to let him lead so you don’t overwhelm him. But soon, he suddenly pushes you against the wall. Not too rough but not as gentle as he had been, but you liked it either way, draping your arms over his shoulders.

This was something you’d always wanted, to kiss him, and you never thought it would happen in a million years. You thought he probably thought of you as just one of the guys, but apparently he didn’t. He adored you, but he’d never say that to you out loud.

You make out with him to the point you almost can’t breathe but couldn’t bare breaking the kiss to get air. You fingers tangled in his soft, curly hair, accidentally pulling it a little forgetting that to some people that just hurts. He didn’t say anything, though, and you just continued running your fingers through his locks at the back of his head.

“Seven minutes are up!!” Eddie calls, walking towards the closet to free you.

“Shit, um..” Gareth looks down, which was a mistake because it made you look down too.

“Oh.”

He got a boner just from kissing you, but now that your time is up, he doesn’t know what to do.

“Sorry.” You whispered.

“It’s not your fault.” He laughed a little.

“So, what’d you two get up to in here?” Eddie asks, after swinging the door open. Gareth moves quickly past him and into the bathroom as swiftly as he can.

“You can’t just put people in closets, Eddie.”

“I did, though, so yeah. I can. Please tell me you at least kissed.”

“That is SO none of your business.”

“I’ll take that as a yes. Finally.” He exclaims the last word. You walk back with him to where everyone was gathered in the living room and once you sat down, you started daydreaming about what Gareth’s doing in there. You know what he’s doing, realistically, but you couldn’t stop imagining it.

In the bathroom, he stands in front of the sink with his dick in his hand, desperately fucking his fist just needing to get this out of his system. Instead of having to see his reflection in the mirror in front of him, he shut his eyes and thought of you.

God, all the things he wanted to do with you, to do to you. But just then, the way you kissed him deep, the way your fingers tangled in and pulled on his hair, the way he had you up against the wall. He finishes quickly thanks to these thoughts and mental images, release spurting out into the sink and the last bit of it dripping onto his hand.

He tries to catch his breath, washing his hands and cleaning up his mess, then looked at himself. He fixed his hair to look as normal as possible, cooled off, and went back to join everyone.

“Where the hell have you been?” Steve asks, only just noticing the boy’s absence.

“I had to use the bathroom, okay?” He answers defensively.

“Okay, jeez.” Steve said, raising his hands.

Gareth finds that his previous seat had been taken, and looks around nervously. You lock eyes with him and pat the place beside you on the couch. He smiles shyly and comes to sit.

As you all watched the movie, and no one was paying attention, you grabbed his hand and held it in yours, scooting closer. You leaned your head to rest on his shoulder, and he smiled secretly.

He made you feel all warm and happy on the inside, just like the perfect boy. That night really solidified your feelings for him, and you hope it did to him too. You thought about him a lot. Were you on his mind too?

-

Well, maybe tonight you could find out. DND was done and a couple of people were going back to Eddie’s for some beers or whatever alcohol his uncle had around. It was a Friday, after all.

When you got dropped off, it looked like everyone was already there. That meant he was too. He didn’t have a car, so he had to have ridden with somebody. Why did you have butterflies in your stomach at the thought of going into Eddie’s trailer? Since when is that a big deal?

You pushed it aside, the nervousness, and stepped in anyway.

“HEY, look who’s here. Thought you weren’t coming for a while there.” Eddie says.

“Sorry, I had to go home and change and everything, you know..”

“Alright, so… drinks. We’ve got two options. You ready?”

“So excited.” You say sarcastically.

“Beer or vodka.”

“Oh, god. Terrible. They’re both terrible. A beer, I guess.”

He laughs and gets you one. You head into the living room again where everyone is, taking a sip of the shitty and not very cold beer.

The couch is full so you take a seat on the floor, it looked like they were all passing a joint around. When it comes to you, you decline, giving it to the next person. The next person was Gareth, who also declined.

“You guys are total losers.” Eddie said, calling you out for not participating.

“I’m not a loser, I just don’t wanna be high.” Gareth says defensively.

“Yeah, me neither. Realistically, I don’t even want this beer. It’s gross, Eddie.”

“Well when none of us are 21 yet, you take what you can get.”

-

“I’m tired of sitting on the floor. Can me and Gare go hang out in your room?”

“Go have fun, you crazy kids. We’ll be in here, watching TV and talking VERY loudly.” Eddie wiggles his eyebrows at you.

“Whatever.” You roll your eyes, walking back to Eddie’s bedroom while Gareth follows and shuts the door behind him.

“Listen, I’m not trying to push anything on you. I didn’t want time alone to do that stuff, I just wanted to spend time with you.” You say, sitting down on the bed.

“Yeah, okay. I wanna spend time with you too.” He laughs. So cute.

“Cuddle?”

He laughs, blushing a little. “Sure.”

You lay down together, becoming intertwined, resting your head on his chest. You stay that way for a while, you could’ve stayed that way forever.

“Hey,” he says after about 15 minutes, and you lift up, resting on your elbow.

“Hm?”

“Can I kiss you again?”

“Of course.”

His lips come to meet yours and they melt together, and suddenly so do your bodies. They press against each other, radiating heat and warmth. He wants more, he wants more so bad, but he doesn’t want to push it and he also just doesn’t know how to ask. His hand is on your waist again, hovering slightly.

“Could I- would it be okay if-“ he starts.

“Gareth?”

“Yeah?” He asks anxiously.

“You can do literally whatever you want to me.” You assure him.

“Jesus Christ.”

Immediately hard as a rock, immediately entranced. It was true, in your defense, you liked him *so* much,

“I mean it.” You whisper.

His hand starts to move, ending up on your ass, squeezing tightly. It also pulled you impossibly closer to him, bodies pressed together. You put your hand on his face again, holding it sweetly but firmly while you kiss.

Your tongues explored each other’s mouths again, more familiar this time, and his hand moves up to squeeze one of your tits while the other arm props him up on his side. He needed more than this, he needed to feel your skin.

He slipped his hand into your sweater from the bottom, moving up until he felt your bare breast which he wasn’t fully expecting. He thought you were wearing something, anything underneath but you weren’t.

His cool fingers run over your hard nipples, making you gasp a bit, and so he goes farther and pinches one of them which makes you squeak in surprise. He just continued to feel your torso, hands running all over your stomach and chest and hips and tits.

You reached for the bottom hem of the sweater and pulled it off over your head, letting him be able to see what he’s doing, and his eyes grew wide as saucers. His eyes wandered shamelessly, curiously, all over, nearly burning a hole in you.

“You… you like them?” You ask, giggling a little bit. He was so beyond fascinated and you could see that.

“Yes, holy shit, yes.” He responds almost under his breath.

“Gare?”

“Hm?”

You take some of his soft locks in your hand and guide him down, wanting him to try sucking on or licking your nipples. He does, latching on quickly, expertly.

You start to melt now, holding onto his hair while you moan quietly. He climbs on top of you and brings his mouth to the other nipple, giving it the same attention. He gets the idea to move up to your neck, and starts kissing there.

This is where you totally fall apart, your weakness. Your noises encourage him to kiss your neck with more passion and fervor and you can feel his erection pressed against your thigh.

You reach down to grab onto it, palm it, and he sucks a particularly harsh mark onto your neck in the sweet spot when you do. You’ll definitely have a bruise, but you don’t mind at all.

“Fuck,” he breathes into your shoulder, stopped for a moment.

“You okay?” You check in, pushing him up so you can look him in the eyes.

“Think I’m just… god, I’m nervous. That’s so embarrassing.”

“No, that’s okay.” You reassure. “What do you want?”

He burns red. He’s not gonna be able to say it out loud himself.

“Do you want to have sex? Be honest.”

“Yes.”

“Good, because I do too. But Gare, we can stop at any moment. Just tell me, okay?”

“Okay.” He breathes.

You reach down to untie the strings on the waistband of your sweatpants and pull them off your body, leaving you in pink panties in front of him.

You feel him staring again, at the sight of you anxiously squeezing your legs together and waiting for him to make the next move.

You were so turned on it was unbelievable, with him have not even touched you there yet. You were sure you were soaking. He fumbles with his button and zipper, looking behind him.

“Yes, the door’s locked.”

“Oh. Good.” He half-laughed, because that is indeed what he was checking for. He takes his pants off and climbs back on top of you, only in his t shirt and boxers now.

He slots himself between your legs after you happily spread them for him. You could feel his cock so much better now, rock solid and a really nice size. He ruts his hips up against you, only the barriers of your respective underwear blocking the way.

He buries his face between your shoulder and neck, kissing on it again, and his hard cock continually presses against your cunt. You accidentally moan, a moan too loud for the situation, but you just have to hope no one heard it because you couldn’t help it.

“Shh,” he soothes, covering your mouth with his.

“Sorry,” you whisper, into the kiss, smiling. You can feel him smiling too.

“Should- can- what should we…”

“It’s up to you, remember? Whatever you want, however you wanna do it.” You remind him, trying to give him some confidence.

“Right. Can I take these off, then?” He asks, slipping his finger into the waistband of your panties.

“Yes, please do.”

You didn’t want to come off as desperate and impatient, but you were growing to be. It wasn’t his fault, though, you had to remind yourself he’s never done this before. He does, pulling the fabric down your legs and leaving you bare. Quickly after that, he pulls his own underwear off.

“I’m really wet, so whenever you’re ready, I’m ready.”

“Oh, shit, okay. Wait, don’t we need a condom?”

“Eddie should have some, if you want.”

You didn’t need one, being on birth control, but you wanted to do whatever made him more comfortable. He digs around in the nightstand and quickly finds some, taking one and putting it on.

“Okay.” He repeats, finally ready. You smile as if to tell him ‘go ahead’. You immediately learn that he isn’t familiar with easing into it, as he fills you up completely right away. This made you gasp, but luckily not too loud.

“Ohh, fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck.” He groans.

“So good, you feel so good. Start moving, baby boy.”

That slipped out. That did slip out but he did not seem to mind the pet name at all, only listening to what you said and starting to thrust in and out.

You bite down on your bottom lip to keep quiet, only letting whimpers and soft moans out every now and then. You looked him in the eyes longingly, even though he was right there, and you felt yourself starting to love him in that moment.

He lets his dominant hand roam up to your throat, only to rest there. Thinking. You nod, reading his mind, answering his silent question and he squeezes gently. Soft but intoxicating. He continues to choke you with his big hand wrapped around your neck and leans down to kiss you again.

He finds a rhythm he likes, and starts to fuck you with more confidence. He wasn’t the biggest you’d ever had, but he still stretched you out and reached pretty deep inside.

Amazingly full of him, you still keep your noises quiet as much as you can. You couldn’t believe it, Gareth, you and Gareth were having sex. If the you from a month ago heard that, she would say “no fucking way.” But here you were. He wasn’t being super vocal, so you only hoped he felt good too. Damn, it would be nice to hear him though.

“Still okay?” You ask.

“The best.” He replies, and you smile.

He moves his hand from your throat back to fondling your breast, other one holding up his body weight over you.

He ends up getting quite aggressive while chasing his high, slamming into you quickly and filling the room with the sounds of sex. You think back to what Eddie said about watching TV and talking loudly and you stop worrying about that.

You were close, walls fluttering around him, but you knew you most likely wouldn’t get to finish. You’d just do it yourself later when you got home. The memory of this will be more than enough to masturbate to for a really long time, you think.

Coincidentally, he starts getting sloppy, thrusting haphazardly and clearly searching for something. Determined, he soon found it, cock twitching inside of you as he filled the condom and let out a long string of curse words and groans when he came.

He once again leant forward, resting his head on your shoulder for a moment. Neither of you wanted to move, and the pressure of him on top of you was so comforting, but eventually he had to.

-

Once all was done, you lay together, just as you had started out.

“Do you… like, actually like me?” He asks, head turning to you.

“No shit, Gareth. Yes, I like you.” You say sarcastically. You hope it didn’t come out mean. Thankfully it didn’t, because he laughed.

“So, you can totally tell me to fuck off if this is stupid, but… do you want to be together? You and me? Or is that stupid-“

You shut him up with a kiss, because he would’ve rambled on forever and you already had the answer.

“Yes. I’d like that.” You smile.

“Oh, okay. Cool, cool.” He laughs, feeling a huge weight off his shoulders. You melt into his arms, but you get interrupted when he suddenly realizes something.

“Oh, shit. I’m terrible.” He says, out of nowhere.

“You are not. Why?”

“You were supposed to… finish….too. You didn’t- I did something wrong.” He says, covering his face with his hands.

“I don’t care about that. It’s okay, I promise. If it bothers you that much, you can next time. I’ll help you.”

“Next time…” he repeats idly.

“Yeah? I just kinda assumed there’d be a next time..”

“Yes. No, you’re right, there will be. I just liked the sound of that.”

[strangersteddierthings]

Steve, Gareth and Chrissy are cousins AU (sad edition) [prologue] [part 1] [part 2] [part 3] [part 4] [part 5] [Part 6] [Part 7] [Final Part]

"So," Dustin starts as he falls into step with Gareth, "you were pretty interested in Steve's whereabouts earlier. What's up with that?"

Gareth debates not answering at all. Just ignoring Dustin until he jogged to catch back up to Lucas and Max. That's rude, though, and he has no reason to be rude to Dustin. The thing he has to decide is how honest is he going be? "Just thought he'd be at Chrissy's funeral and he wasn't."

"I wasn't either, but you didn't shove me."

"Should I shove you now to make up for it?"

Dustin glares at him before it morphs into a frown and he mutters, more to himself than Gareth, "the storm comes, and now all friends should gather together, lest each singly be destroyed."

"What- are you quoting Lord of the Rings to me? That's-"

"What, no, I'm quoting it to myself. Were Steve and you friends once?"

This kid is way to observant. Truth it is. "Uh, yeah. But also, he's my cousin."

Dustin processes this, if the silence that follows is anything to go by. "Wait. Like your cousin but- on whose side?"

"If you're asking if Chrissy is -was- also his cousin, the answer's yes. My dad, Chrissy's dad, and Steve's mom are siblings," Gareth spells it out, and hears a gasp from ahead of them. Looking forward reveals the distance between their two little groups has vanished, as Lucas and Max are mere steps away and stopped. Eavesdropping, apparently. Max whips around to look at him with the first expression he's seen on her face since they met at Skull Rock. He's a little impressed that she can look pissed off and concerned at the same time.

"Are you telling the truth?" she demands.

"Why would I lie?" Gareth says. "Ask Steve after we rescue him if you don't believe me."

The kids exchange looks that he can't decipher. Max jams the headphones back onto her head and turns on her heel, marching onward. The three boys have no choice but to follow.

"You've been worried for Eddie and Steve, haven't you?" Lucas asks.

"Yeah," Gareth says truthfully. He's been on just this side of freaked the fuck out since yesterday, but learning his best friend and his cousin were in the alternate dimension has done nothing to calm that. He's going to strangle them both when he sees them again. For stressing him out this much.

Steve has never been happier to see Dustin than he is now, standing in the Upside Down version of the Munson trailer, looking down at him. Up at him? He doesn't want to think on that too much.

The kids haul Eddie's mattress from his room to below the gate and make a rope of sheets, and soon enough Eddie is volunteering to go first. Steve watches, almost afraid that this easy escape is almost too easy, but Eddie lands on his mattress, looking startled before a wide smile breaks across his face. Eddie should smile more. Happy is a good look on him.

Before Steve can really have to process that thought, Gareth is helping Eddie up and Robin is asking for Steve's assistance to go next.

He watches her land before turning to Nancy. "You're turn."

Nancy's got a look on her face Steve hasn't seen in a long time. It's mischievous, almost teasing. She hasn't looked at him like that since before Barb died. "Steve Harrington. Who would have thought?"

"What?" Steve asks, confused.

"Eddie says one nice thing to you and you can't take your eyes off him?" Nancy says, using the same fake tone of surprise and shock that Carol used to use when she was making fun of someone.

"I don't know what you're talking about but we gotta go. Come on," he gestures for her to step closer, but she just smiles, almost too wide.

"Don't think I didn't notice," Eddie shouts from above him. Steve whips his head back to look up. Eddie, Robin, Dustin, Lucas, Max, and Gareth are standing in a circle around the sheet rope, all looking up at him. "You kept looking down at my lips, like you couldn't believe the words I was saying."

"Sure. Or another, less platonic reason," Robin wiggles her eyebrows at him.

"Is this really the time for any sort of conversation?" Steve asks, incredulously. "The heckling can wait until we're back on the right side."

"Was all the shit about trying to warn me to stay away from Eddie so you could stare without consequences? Didn't want a witness to your crime?" Gareth's voice comes out cruel. "Is that why it was so easy to toss me and Chrissy aside? You thought if we weren't close enough, we wouldn't see the cracks in your foundation?"

"Steve. Steve!" Nancy's shouting grabs everyone's attention, and Gareth scrambles to look up at what is happening. Nancy has her hands on Steve's shoulders, shaking him as he just stands there.

"What's-" Gareth starts to ask but Robin cuts him off.

"Music! Eddie, do you have Tears for Fears!?"

Eddie looks insulted at being asked but that quickly gives way to fear. He takes off to his room, Robin and the kids quick on his heel but Gareth stays. He doesn't understand why they need music. Not that he could take his eyes off Steve anyway. "Is Steve- What is happening?"

Nancy looks down (up?) at him, and says, "It's Vecna's curse. Music can reach part of your mind that other things can't. It helps pull you back, away from Vecna."

"Steve is- like what happened with Chrissy?" Gareth asks, unable to keep the rising fear and panic from his voice.

It looks like it pains Nancy to say, "Yes."

Steve isn't in the trailer anymore. Instead, he's watching as four gates spread and tear Hawkins apart, devouring the town building by building, slowly creepy towards him but he can't seem to bring himself to move.

"Just one more gate, Steve Harrington."

Steve blinks and he's not looking at the destruction of Hawkins anymore. In front of him is a monster.

"I could have picked you. Instead of Chrissy. Instead of Maxine. But I think I have a better use of you."

"I'm not doing shit for you," Steve spits with more bravado than he actually feels.

The monster, who can only be Vecna, just twists his lip up in a disgusting grin before Steve finds himself rapidly closing in until Vecna is inches from his face. "You will tell Eleven that I am coming for her. You will live to deliver this message. In return, I will let you choose."

"Choose what?"

"I will take one more life for my gates. It can be Maxine, or another."

"Me. Leave Max alone!" Steve screams in his face, fights against the force holding him hostage. He wants so bad to swing his fist into Vecna's stupid face.

"No. No. I took one cousin from you, and now you've only one family member left to might care that you exist at all, Steve. I took Chrissy, and now, perhaps, I'll take the other cousin, too. Gareth."

"If you even try-"

"Maxine or Gareth. Which means more to you? Who would you sacrifice to save the other? I think I know. Or, if you cannot choose, I can take both."

Everyone watches as Steve drops like a stone to his knees, hands shooting out to stop his decent further. It takes a second for that to sink in. That he's not dead.

Gareth almost cries over it. All his anger at Steve, the resentment, fades into nothing but relief. It feels so stupid to hold a grudge suddenly. What does he gain from being mad at Steve? For something he originally asked for? He told Steve, and Chrissy, to pretend to not know him. He can't be mad that Steve did that, even after graduating. Gareth never took back his request! How was Steve to know he didn't care about that anymore?

And now that Steve could have- that Vecna tried to- it just seems stupid.

There's more fussing and fretting but eventually Nancy and Steve drop onto the mattress and everyone crowds Steve.

Gareth waits just a few minutes before he bully he's was in. He takes Dustin by the back of his shirt, like Eddie does all the time, and drags him bodily backwards. Dustin fights for all of four seconds, until he turns to see who's moving him, then he lets himself be moved. All the kids take a step back, give him room.

Steve meets his eye and he looks so haunted. So hurt. Steve opens his mouth but Gareth beats him to speaking.

"I'm sorry. God, I'm so sorry," he says, then launches himself at Steve. Steve catches him easily and hugs him back almost too tightly.

In a barely perceptible whisper, Steve says, "I'm sorry, too."

Later, much later, Steve sneaks out to get some fresh air. He doesn't go far from Max's home, just around the back into the dark, hidden from the street lamps.

He lets himself break down, for just a moment, where no one can see and keeps his sobs silent so no one will hear.

He's going to hate himself for the rest of his life. Because Vecna told him to choose, and God help him.

He had.

[writer-in-theory]

TW: mentioned past homophobia (steve's dad), steve uses the q slur to refer to himself once (quoting his dad), this is a happy ending i promise y'all

When Steve sent the invitations, he never expected his parents to actually attend. He never expected them to actually see the envelopes, even. It had been a fleeting moment of impulsivity that had led to him sending them at all, figuring it would be better to get the hurt out of the way before the ceremony came and passed without either of the people who gave him life in attendance.

And yet, when the wedding ceremony was over and the party was starting, he saw her.

His mom.

She wasn't sitting in the front row of chairs where the rest of their family was. Eddie had tried to convince Steve not to leave two chairs open beside Wayne for his parents, but he needed to see it for himself. Those empty chairs needed to be front and center, a reminder that the only people worth caring about were the ones filling their assigned chairs. Steve's mom wasn't sitting in hers, but she was there, stood in the very back where Hopper was keeping watch over the whole thing, daring anyone who disagreed with the scene to get anywhere near them.

Maggie Harrington wasn't dressed as prim and proper as she could've been, the only way Steve had ever seen her. No, today she was in a simple sundress, hair flying wildly around her shoulders in a way that reminded him with painful clarity of where he'd gotten his appearance from. The same brunette waves, the same doe eyes now staring at him like she'd never seen anything so wonderful and terrible before.

Even as everyone got up from their chairs to convert the outdoor space into the after-party, she stayed at the edge of everything, exactly as she'd been on the fray of his life since he'd left Hawkins at 19 and never looked back.

"Go talk to her," Eddie spoke, notching his chin over Steve's shoulder from behind, wrapping his arms around his middle and interlocking his fingers over Steve's belly.

"I don't know what to say." Visions of the night he'd left flashed unbidden in Steve's mind—all the shouting from his dad, the crying from his mom, him begging his mom to say something, anything. Eddie picking him up from Robin's house after he'd called, promising they could go anywhere they wanted. They'd left for Chicago the same night, and Steve had never looked back.

"Hi is a good start," Eddie teased gently, pressing a kiss to Steve's jaw before stepping back from him. "You can do it. I'll be over with Gareth and the others when you're done."

It was Eddie's quiet support—his husband's support—that pushes Steve's feet to action. Before he could begin to think of what to say, he was standing in front of her. There was too much to say, nothing at all that could rise to his lips, so he said the first thing his mind could supply.

"You didn't RSVP."

His mom winced, hands raising then stopping, fingers clenching as though she physically stopped herself from touching him. "I know, Steven, I know. I'm sorry."

This was too much. It was all too much and Steve wished he'd never sent the invitation, that he'd just listened to Eddie's fucking advice because he always seemed to know Steve best, better than even himself. "Most people RSVP for events. It's the polite thing to do, proper etiquette and all. You taught me that."

"Steven, please," his mom tried again, voice wobbling enough that some of the anger began to leech out of him. And that, well that made him more angry. What right did she have to show up on the happiest day of his life? To choose now to make him confront everything he'd fought so hard to forget? "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry for everything. I want my son back."

"It took you five years to realize you missed me? That's really great, Mom, we should really give you the Mother of the Year award for that one."

"Steven," his mom finally snapped, and again her expression could have mirrored his own, that familiar flash of uncontrollable anger and hurt across her eyes before it was reined back in to a disquieted coolness. "I am trying. I am doing the best thing I can to be the mother you needed back then."

"You think I wasn't trying?" Steve's voice was eerily calm, an even-tone that clashed loudly with the tears beginning to blur his vision. "Do you think I didn't spend my life trying to be the son you wanted so badly? I did everything perfect, exactly what you and Dad expected and it still wasn't enough. It would never be enough, not once you found out what I am, right? The sports were fine, and the friends, and even retaking my SATs so I could go to college, but none of it could ever make up for the queerness could it?"

"Steven, stop it," his mom begged, tears falling down her own face now. They were drawing a crowd in the way his fights used to in school. No one was outright staring, but all of them lingered nearby, ears turned to listen, eyes glancing by every so often to catch the scene. He'd like to think they were waiting for him, waiting to see if they needed to step in.

"Oh, I'm sorry, how could I forget Dad's exact words? It's fine if I don't act on it, if I find some woman I don't love and settle down. It's fine if I become like the two of you, marrying for reputation and making my kids fucking miserable."

That did it for his mom. He could see the moment the switch flipped, when the tears turned into something harder, more focused. "Steven, I did not come here to be berated. I came to apologize, for everything."

And that, well, that was new. Harringtons don't apologize.

"I shouldn't have let your father say all those things, I shouldn't have let you leave. I didn't...you can't understand, but I was scared," she tried, reaching out for his hand and wincing when he took a half-step back to evade her touch. "But losing you, not knowing where you were or if you were happy...that was the worst thing to ever happen to me, Steven."

"Good," Steve forced out through the tears, though he's not sure he believed it. He wasn't sure what he believed. "You should've said something then, not five years later."

"I know, I know that, and that is going to weigh on me for the rest of my life. But Steven, Steve, let me try again, please," his mom begged, and God he wanted to tell her to stop because Harringtons don't beg, they demand, but she kept going and going and it reminded him of himself. "It took me too long but...I got there. I'm here. I'm here, Steve, and I promise I'll try to be the mom you always deserved. I understand we can't get that time back, we can't have what it should've been from the beginning, but please, I want to see my baby's life."

Steve wanted to yell at her. He wanted to scream and throw something and tell her to get out. He wanted to spit every vile word he could come up with at her, to make her hurt the way his dad had made him hurt. And yet, this was everything he'd ever dreamed out, all those nights when he'd cried in Eddie's arms for his parents, for them to see the life he'd built for himself.

"I can't just..." Steve sighed, looking up to the sky as if the clouds might provide him with an answer. "I can't trust you, right away. I need time, Eddie'll need time he...he's pretty protective, you know."

"Good," his mom answered, pulling a small, tearful laugh out of Steve. "You deserve to have someone looking out for you like that."

"Do you..." Steve sighed, fighting the urge to mess with his hair lest Nancy kills him for it. He glanced to Eddie, seeing him with his chin tilted back as he laughed joyously across the space, hand gripped around a champagne glass. "Do you want to meet him?"

The smile that warmed his mother's expression was worth all of it. Steve had never seen her so open, so emotional. Maybe she really had changed, really come to every realization he'd wished she'd made five years ago.

"I'd like that very much."

It would take time. There would be good moments and bad, some where Steve wondered if any of it would work out and some where he'd laughed with his mom more than he ever had as a kid. Slowly, not-so-gracefully, they found a way to make it work. She came over for weekly dinners with him and his husband (who asked more than once if her pull in the Indiana statehouse could get them an official license), she called once a week and asked about his friends, his studies, the kids he worked with at his job.

And before Steve could even blink, he had his mom back.

[afewproblems]

Part Two of my Stranger Things Steddie AU, Steve always fall first, falls fastest. You can read part one Here!

Eddie watches as Steve peels out of the driveway, staring straight ahead with a blank vacant expression on his face. He looks at Jeff, who shrugs and takes one last hit from their joint before flicking it onto the concrete and stubbing it out.

Eddie frowns, Steve usually waits until Eddie is ready to leave before they both drive home, saying one last goodnight on the driveway.

The evenings grow longer and longer with each passing day as they crawl their way into summer, but it's dark now. The warmth of the day gives way to a cool breeze that ruffles Eddie's hair, and rustles the grass. He shivers lightly and rolls his shoulders before turning on his heel towards the garage. Light streams out from the door, illuminating Eddie's puzzled face as he walks back inside.

Gareth looks up at him, catching his eyes once before they drop to the bottle in his hands. His fingers play with the paper label, peeling it up at the corners.

Steve would always show up, like clockwork, every Sunday with a six pack of some variety, and sit in on their practices. It's nice, not something he ever would have predicted after surviving being nearly eaten alive by a bunch of bats from another dimension.

But if the new scars and nightmares come as a set with a few new friends that had dragged him out of Hell, who was he to complain?

He likes Robin, likes her dry wit and stubborn attitude, she loves fiercely once you've been chosen but doesn't seem shy about calling you an idiot if you deserve it.

He likes Nancy, likes how smart and unexpectedly tough she is, the woman can shoot a gun like no one's business. She's a bit more prickly than Robin, which is saying something, but she cares a lot.

He likes Steve.

He really likes Steve.

Steve, who had picked him up when he was bleeding out and ragdolling in the Upside Down and carried him through the last open gate. 

Steve, who sings along to Tears for Fears and Wham! in his car only to turn around and pull out a Queen cassette from the glove department.

Steve, who bitches and moans about driving the kids around to the arcade or to the Munson trailer for D&D nights, but never says no.

Steve, who stays up with Eddie during movie nights and listens to his wild ramblings without interrupting. He smiles and asks questions that prompt even longer responses, and seems content to simply listen.

Steve, who is definitely straight as an arrow, and would probably panic if he found out about Eddie and his little secret.

"Hey uh," Eddie asks after a beat, reaching for the last unopened beer in the cardboard, "did Steve have to go?"

He twists the cap and flicks it towards the bin, it bounces off the lip and clinks against the floor.

"Woah, I didn't know we knew Larry Bird?" Jeff snorts as he wanders through the door and exaggeratedly ducks with his hands over his head before dropping next to Gareth on the couch. Eddie rolls his eyes as Jeff relaxes against the sagging cushions and drapes his arms along the back.

Gareth's eyes flick once to Jeff before coming back to rest on Eddie's face, "I uh, dunno man, I think Steve  just had to go home. He didn't really get into it".

Eddie frowns at the tense line of the bassist's shoulders.

"Who cares man,” Jeff scoffs with a smirk, “now we can actually talk about our set list without having to stop and explain every little thing”.

Gareth winces and closes his eyes with a shake of his head.

"Oh, fuck off," Eddie snarls as he steps towards Jeff who freezes at the sudden proximity, "I didn't say anything when you insisted on bringing Mary O'Donnell around to every other practice two years ago--"

"What the fuck does that have to do with anything?" Jeff growls as he stands up, rising up to Eddie's eye level, "I liked Mary, you told me to go for it?"

"Exactly!" Eddie yells. He breathes in sharply as the words finally register.

Oh shit.

"Oh shit..." Gareth whispers.

Jeff's mouth opens and closes, his expression jumps from incredulity before dropping into shock.

Eddie had done a lot of growing in the last few weeks if he did say so himself, and he did - loudly and to whoever would listen. He could be brave, he had proved that with Dustin and the bats, he had proved that by diving into Lovers Lake to chase after Steve.

Bravery was no longer a first for him, he could stand his ground and hold firm in the face of adversity. 

But the Upside Down had nothing on admitting that he had a crush on the former ‘King-Steve’ to his two best friends. 

Eddie whirls around and walks out of the garage. 

He makes it about twenty feet before rapid footsteps echo behind him, not that he had been moving all that quickly.

The world feels as though he's wading through quicksand, each step dragging him down, he sighs and stops walking. 

Gareth catches up, mild surprise etched on his face. 

Eddie's eyes trail from Gareth back towards the garage, Jeff stands in silhouette just outside the door. 

"Come on man," Gareth says softly, "just come back inside, we didn't know--"

"What am I even doing," Eddie mutters, he scrubs a rough hand against his face, "I know how it sounds dude, you don't have to chase after me, I know I'm being an idiot". 

Gareth freezes for a moment and crosses his arms. His eyes scan Eddie's face as though he can read every wild thought traipsing through his mind, it's not a comfortable feeling.

In the distance Jeff cups his hands around his mouth and yells, "Gareth! Did you tell him, we didn't know?" 

Gareth rolls his eyes and throws a hand behind him to swat the air, as though he wishes Jeff's head were there instead.

"For what it's worth," Gareth says with a sigh, "I don't think you're being an idiot…" the words come out in stops and starts, as though each one is weighed carefully before being released. 

Gareth was always careful when he spoke, more level headed than Eddie and Jeff, that's why they worked well together. Whenever Eddie or Jeff said something that went too far, Gareth was ready to pull them both back down to earth. 

"Steve actually seems like a decent guy I guess, kinda surprised about it but whatever,"  Gareth shakes his head once before breathing out through his nose, "and you're absolutely sure about this?"

Eddie doesn't even think before he nods, "Yeah man, I'm crazy about him". 

Gareth hums, his eyes haven't left Eddie's face once the entire time they've been standing on the sidewalk in the dark, they are in between street lights but that doesn’t seem to stop Gareth from reading Eddie like a book. 

"Okay, I'm going to tell you something, but if this goes absolutely sideways, I cannot be held responsible in any way," Gareth says once again in that slow, measured pace.

"Jesus, I've never known you to be this cryptic man, I kind of love it," Eddie huffs nervously, his hands dropping to his jeans to wipe the sweat from his palms. A light breeze catches him once again, caressing his hair as it billows down the lane, he shivers. 

"Steve likes you, we all know -well maybe not Bozo over there," Gareth gestures back towards the garage where Jeff continues to linger, "but you're not an idiot".

Eddie blinks. 

Steve likes him. 

Steve likes him? 

"What uh…what are you talking about?" Eddie manages, the words stick to his tongue, his mouth suddenly drier than the sahara. 

Gareth breathes out heavily and shifts, his hands come back up to cross over his chest. 

"Dude, please don't make me explain it, you seriously didn't know?"

"No?!" Eddie hisses, his hands climb to his hair, gripping the wild curls and pulling harshly. Steve liked him? How long had this been going on for? How long had he been completely oblivious? 

"I mean, I kinda thought you were waiting him out, trying to let him down easy, you're not the kind of person to string someone along so I hoped it wasn't because you liked the attention," Gareth mumbles with a shrug. 

Eddie's heart beats a wild staccato as the information continues to sink in, Steve likes him…

"Oh my God," Eddie whispers, "oh my God I-I have to go," he steps away, his shoes crunching against gravel as he turns on the spot, "I have to talk to him!" 

Gareth nods, a small bewildered smile blooms on his face as he shakes his head, "I mean, yeah man, go get him?" 

Eddie takes off past Gareth towards his van, still parked on the driveway, he flips off Jeff as the other man hoots and blows a kiss after him.

But it doesn't matter. A giddy euphoria bubbles up from his chest and throws itself from his lips as a wild cackle. He tosses open the door to the van and scrambles inside, Gareth's words echo over and over in his mind, Steve likes him, he has a chance!

The normally twenty-minute drive from Gareth's parents place seems to take forever, he hits all eight lights on the normally sleepy mainstreet and with every stop Eddie feels like he's vibrating out of his pants. 

He finally reaches the Harrington House, pulls haphazardly onto the drive and flings himself out of the van, just barely turning off the engine and pulling the Emergency brake on.

Eddie races toward the front steps and raps his knuckles against the door with three successive knocks. The house is dark, no lights, not even the flashes of the sitting room television can be seen from the front window.

For a moment there is nothing, no sound from the other side of the door. Eddie swallows and knocks again.

Then, the porch light flicks on with a metallic click.

The door opens just enough for Eddie to make out the shape of Steve, the hall light remains off, leaving Steve in shadow.

"Eddie?" Steve says, his voice rough, "What are you doing here?" 

"Hey, uh, hey Stevie,” Eddie manages, a wry smile threatening to take over his face the longer he stands in the doorway, “can I come in?" 

Steve hesitates, his hands remain fixed on the door but a slight tremble runs up his arm to his shoulder. 

Eddie falters for a moment, a hint of anxiety slithers through his chest. Was Gareth wrong?  

Steve sighs suddenly and pulls open the door, sliding sideways to let him pass. 

The giddy feeling in Eddie's chest slowly dissipates as he steps over the threshold into the dark foyer. He reaches over to the light switch on the wall and turns it on as Steve curses and turns away abruptly.

"Stevie?" Eddie says, his voice pitched with alarm, "hey what's going on?" 

"Don't, please don't call me that Eds," Steve whispers, his shoulders shake but he remains facing the opposite wall.

Eddie's stomach drops at the wet sound to his voice, the slight hitch, the shake of his shoulders.

"Oh shit Stevie, come here," Eddie says as he reaches for Steve’s shoulder, he grasps it lightly and gently begins to turn the other man towards him. Steve doesn’t move at first, holding firm, staring straight ahead and away from Eddie. 

He only has to smooth his ringed hand along Steve’s shoulder and up his neck and suddenly his arms are full as Steve crashes into him. 

“Oh sweetheart, its okay,” Eddie whispers. He brings his arms up around Steve, one hand curls into his hair while the other comes up around the small of his back. 

Steve’s face is tucked into his shoulder, his hands grip the fabric of Eddie’s shirt and vest harshly. He shudders and breathes, as though trying to stop the tears as they continue to fall, wetting Eddie's shoulder. 

“Sorry,” Steve mumbles, the words catch in Eddie's hair but he shakes his head at the sound. 

Eddie frowns, “What on earth are you sorry for?”

Steve is quiet for a moment, Eddie takes it as an opportunity to kick the door closed behind them before planting his feet to stabilize the weight of Steve in his arms. 

When he looks back, Steve is facing him. His large hazel eyes are red rimmed and shining with tears, his nose and cheeks are flushed and his hair is a wild mess, but he looks beautiful to Eddie.

“I don’t,” Steve whispers eventually, “I don’t want to make you uncomfortable".

It clicks.

Why Gareth was being so careful, so cryptic earlier, why Steve must have left early. 

"Did Gareth say something to you?" Eddie murmurs, the words are soft but there's a hint of anger there. 

Steve stiffens and shakes his head, a little too quickly. He bites his lip and makes to pull away but Eddie holds him tight. 

"Stevie, come on, I can't help if I don't know what's going on inside that pretty little head of yours," Eddie says, his heart beats wildly in his chest as Steve slowly raises his head to catch Eddie's eyes once more.

Steve's eyebrows are furrowed slightly, but the slightest hint of hope lingers in those hazel eyes. 

Eddie swallows down his inner voice that screams, run, over and over and over - because isn't that the first tenant of bravery? 

Doing something, even though you're scared shit less?

"I'm going to try something here sweetheart," Eddie says slowly, carefully, all the years hanging out with Gareth have paid off in the strangest way.

He slowly leans in and presses his lips, dry and chapped, to Steve's.

It's soft, nothing more than skin to skin, Steve is frozen as though his body doesn't know how to process what's happening and God Dammit that's not what Eddie is hoping for. 

But then, Steve's eyes flutter closed and his body melts and his arms slide from the front of Eddie's shirt into his hair and around his neck and he's kissing him.

He's kissing him!

It's a little wet, Steve tastes like tears and his nose is running slightly but it's still perfect.

Eddie smiles and reaches us to cup Steve's cheek with one hand, his thumb caresses along his cheekbone across the constellation of freckles and moles on Steve's face.

Beautiful.

Eddie swipes the barest hint of tongue along the seam of Steve's lips before catching himself, slow and steady.

Eddie pulls back but leaves his hand on Steve's face and smiles widely at the dazed expression on his face. 

"You with me sweetheart?" Eddie whispers, grazing his thumb once more across Steve's cheek as he says it.

A deep blush blooms across Steve's face, spanning from the tips of his ears, across his cheeks, and down to his neck. Eddie files that reaction away for later.

"Yeah Eds, I'm with you," Steve says softly with his own small smile. 

There's a lot to talk about still, but it's certainly a start as Eddie leads Steve down the familiar hallway and into the sitting room.

And Eddie can't wait.

For everyone that asked to be tagged once part two was up, here you go! (I hope these tags worked, I haven't used Tumblr in FOREVER)

@what-am-i-doing-with-my-non-lifeon-life @henderdads @unclewaynemunson @wearelosersyoudumbfuck @samcoxramblings @stevesbipanic @cicadabeat @xthehatchick @cr0w-culture @moonshadows-13 @tv-mind @classicdinosaurdeathpose

And to @monstrousfemale who wrote such a beautiful second part to my initial post (please go check it out because it is lovely) I hope this holds a candle to yours! Thank you again for going over linking posts!!

[ladykailitha]

Star Child Part 8

Out of the frying pan, but did they land in the fire? Steve certainly thinks so.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7

***

Eddie and the rest of Corroded Coffin had barely gotten to the parking lot when suddenly all their phones were blowing up. Steve had tried contacting Eddie first, but when that failed, he had tried all of them. Whatever it was the matter, it certainly had freaked Steve out enough to try and get a hold them by any means necessary.

Jeff was the one that managed to answer his phone before Steve hit voicemail and called one of the others.

“Hey, man,” he said. “What’s wrong?”

“Is everyone okay?” Steve asked, his voice trembling.

“I’m going to put you on speaker so you can hear all of us at once, okay?” Jeff said soothingly.

“Yeah...” Steve muttered. “Yeah.”

Jeff put it on speaker and one by one the others chimed in.

“Gareth here,” he said, “You’re kinda freaking us out, man.”

“Are you guys still at the club?” Steve gasped.

“No, dude,” Brian said. “That place is creepy as fuck.”

“You got out okay?” Steve asked, his voice cracking from emotion.

“Stevie baby,” Eddie cooed. “I’m okay. But um...you’re not going to like this.”

“Your Uber driver is pissed you left him hanging?” Steve breathed through the speaker of Jeff’s phone.

All four members looked at each other in shock.

Eddie gulped. “What’s going on, sweetheart?”

“Are you still in the parking lot?” Steve asked.

“Our Uber just pulled up,” Brian said and wandered to the car, but Jeff stopped him.

“Call the driver,” Gareth said. “Make sure it’s the right guy.”

Brian stopped dead in his tracks and looked back at the club. The music could still be dimly heard out here on the pavement. The lights pulsed in a twisted way. He pulled out his phone and dialed the number the app gave him.

And instantly the man in the sedan picked up his phone.

They all sighed in relief.

Brian walked up to the driver’s side window and the man rolled down the window.

“Hey, man,” Brian said, waving his phone. “We’re tourists and wanted to make sure we had the right car. You’re Vince, right?”

“Hey, no troubles,” Vince said. “I’m one of the few drivers willing to pick up from this club, so I get it.”

Dread pooled in Eddie’s stomach. “Steve baby,” he said to Jeff’s phone, “Can I call you back on my phone? It’ll be quick I promise.”

Steve let out a shuddering breath. “Yeah okay.”

Jeff hung up and they piled into the car, Brian taking the front seat. Eddie called Steve up and immediately Steve answered.

“Hey,” Eddie whispered. “What’s got you around the twist, Stevie?”

“I’ll tell you once you’re at the hotel,” Steve said. “But um...I don’t want to hang up.”

“And I won’t,” Eddie murmured. “So talk to me, tell me about how recording is going.”

“We’re stalled out for the moment,” Steve murmured. “The label is pissed that I did four of the five albums in three years and am about to churn out the last one.”

Eddie winced. “You able to do anything about that?”

“Robin and I have a meeting with a kick ass contract lawyer tomorrow,” Steve said with the first hint of smile Eddie’s heard all night. “Plus, Robin is super smart and made it air tight.”

“That’s good, sweetheart,” Eddie said. “You still writing songs for this album?”

“Hell no,” Steve said. “I haven’t wrote anything new for these guys ever. I have notebooks filled with old songs and I pick the ten or so worst songs imaginable and record those.”

Eddie blinked, his jaw dropping. “Are you telling me those absolutely horrific songs that you have been putting out is a deliberate fuck you to your record label?”

Steve laughed, bright and beautiful and Eddie’s heart clenched at the sound. God, if this kept up, Eddie would have to admit to being in love with this boy.

“Yep,” Steve said, popping the P.

Eddie laughed too. “Oh my god, that makes so much more sense, because you are so fucking talented...”

“And those songs are shit?” Steve teased.

“You have no idea, Stevie,” Eddie said grinning.

The car came to a stop and they were at their hotel.

“We’re at the hotel,” Eddie said as they all piled out.

Steve let out another shuddering breath. “‘Kay, now stay in the lobby or go to the restaurant.”

Jeff and Eddie share glance as they do as Steve asked.

They all huddle around the phone at a table in the hotel restaurant. They order drinks and an appetizer.

“What’s going on, Steve?” Brian asked.

“Okay,” Steve said, “I want to apologize for the cloak and dagger routine, but you guys were in the club of the biggest crime lord in the Austin area.”

The Corroded Coffin boys went offline.

After a moment Gareth squeaked, “Come again?”

“I’m going to send you a link to the documentary I did the voice over for a couple years back on the guy,” Steve said. “But the tl’dr of the whole thing is that he is absolutely the most dangerous man you’ll ever meet.”

“Fuck,” Eddie hissed. “I pissed him off.”

Steve let out a noise that was somewhere in the vicinity of a whimper and a scream. “Why?”

“He wanted me to stay in town tomorrow,” Eddie explained, “and let the band take the bus to the next venue and then I would take his private jet to Santa Fe to be in time for the sound check.”

“Oh,” Steve breathed as though he had been sucker punched. “Oh god. I’m so glad you turned him down, but Jesus H Christ, Eds.”

Eddie nodded even though Steve couldn’t see him. “What would have happened, Stevie?” There was silence. “Don’t. Don’t go there. Don’t make me find out from a fucking documentary. Just...tell me.”

“Depends on what he wanted from you, I guess,” he whispered.

Eddie closed his eyes and could fill in the rest. Yeah, he wouldn’t have made it out of Austin. He would have been drugged and ‘he’ would send a message to the band that he was staying in Austin with Henry Creel. And then probably dropped off a complete mess, addicted to all kinds of drugs and drunk off his ass in the middle of nowhere when Henry was done with him.

“Shit, Steve-o,” Jeff murmured. “What would this dude want with Eddie?”

“My guess?” Steve said solemnly. “A pet rockstar. Who better then Eddie Munson of Corroded Coffin? He probably would have let Eddie release a couple of solo albums just to prove how much control he had over him, but yeah. It’s fucking terrifying.”

“What should we do?” Gareth asked.

Steve took in a deep breath. “Take a flight to Santa Fe. Have the bus follow behind. Make sure your instruments are on separate bus.”

Jeff let out a whine. “You have to understand how insane that sounds.”

“I know,” Steve murmured. “But I really, really don’t want to read the headline tomorrow night that your tour bus rolled over and you’re dead or in the hospital on life support.”

“Babe,” Eddie said desperate. “I’ll do it for your sake. But shit this sounds batshit crazy.”

“Just–just watch the documentary, okay,” Steve said softly. “And then tell me I’m being paranoid.”

Brian buried his head in his hands and dragged his fingers over his face. “No, I’m with Steve on this one. That place gave of these vibes that screamed death and pain. And if this guy is even an ounce of evil he says he is, then we do as Steve-o says.”

The band looked around the table and then nodded.

*

Later that night when they were huddled in Eddie’s hotel room on the bed as the credits rolled on the documentary Steve sent them, the room as so silent a pin dropping would have sounded like a bomb going off.

“Okay,” Gareth said, his voice trembling. “Does anyone else think Steve undersold how creepy this guy is?”

Brian let out a shaky breath. “Maybe not quite undersold, but yeah, I don’t think there is anyone that would have believed it if not for the documentary.”

“Now I understand why he was blowing up our phones,” Jeff murmured.

But Eddie stayed silent. He tapped out a message on his phone.

-I’m sorry I scared you. But after seeing the doc, I don’t think I could have avoided meeting him if I wanted to.

A brief moment passed before Eddie got a response.

-I’m starting to get that, yeah. I’m so glad you got out of there, you have no idea.

Eddie sighed and laid down on the bed. The rest of the band cuddled around him.  

-Looks like Corroded Coffin is avoiding Austin for a while.

Steve message was almost instantaneous.

-I’m sorry sunshine. I’m sorry he picked you.

Eddie shook and Gareth pulled him closer.  

-I’m glad you reached out. How did you find out about it anyway?

-Gareth’s ig auto updates his location so fans know where you guys are if you guys are down to party

Eddie kissed Gareth hard on the top of his head. “You absolute menace! I love you!”

Gareth looked up at him confused. “What did I do?”

“Steve found out where we were because your god damn Instagram!” Eddie kissed his head again.

Gareth’s eyes went wide. “Seriously? Mine or CCofficial?”

Eddie asked.

-CCofficial, but it’s the worst kept secret that it’s Gareth that runs it.

“He says official,” he told the band.

Jeff sat up and pulled out his phone. He began searching through the millions of followers on their official Instagram. “Holy shit, guys. He’s been following us for as long as we’ve had ig account.”

Brian shrugged. “We all know he’s a fan. So what if he’s been our fan since the beginning?”

The rest of them thought about that for a minute and then shrugged.

-Good to know

-Me and the boys are all in my hotel room and going to sleep now

Steve sent back a message

-Sweet dreams, and let me know when you’re on your way out of town

-Will do, babydoll

Eddie set his phone on the nightstand and snuggled up with his band. It had been a couple of years since they had to do this, but they all knew they would sleep better together than apart.

One by one the boys dropped off until it was just Eddie watching over the men that had become his family. The Munsons had always run thin aground on the genetic department, but Eddie had found his family as surely as god made them.

***

Part 9  Part 10  Part 11  Part 12  Part 13  Part 14 Part 15  Part 16

Tag List:

@bejeweledbaby @eboyawstenn @moonshadows-13 @ohlook-afrog @goodolefashionedloverboi @linkydinky06 @livelaughlexa @spectrum-spectre @cutepumpkin4 @whatthemeepever @gleek4twd @anything-thats-rock-and-roll @novelnovella @celtrose-ish @artiststarme @plasticcrotches  @failedstarsandgoldenclouds @anaibis @nelotegreitic @steddieassheg0es @abstractnaturaldisaster @scheodingers-muppet @tiny-enthusiast @yes-im-your-mom @thegingerrapunzel @milf-harrington @avacrebs @gregre369 @raisedbylibrarians @reverseteehee @lillys-weird-world @deadlydodos @runyousillydetective @justrandomfandomstm @piebook67 @clumsywriter @donttouchmycarrots @fiore-della-valle @idkareallyreallygoodname  @idontgetpaidenoughforthisshit @ravenpainter @ellietheasexylibrarian @maya-custodios-dionach @child-of-cthulhu

[steddieas-shegoes]

i'm coming out

for @corrodedcoffinfest prompt 'pride'

rated t | 880 words | no cw | tags: coming out, bisexual king gareth, side steddie

🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈

Gareth hated to admit it, but he was jealous.

He was jealous of Steve still being able to hide under the radar enough that he could go to gay clubs and pride events without anyone batting an eye. He was jealous of Eddie being out publicly, not having to keep any part of his life a secret except for what he truly wanted to. And he was jealous of his own boyfriend, Sam, for not even having to worry about how the public would react if they knew he was gay.

"I just think it sounds like you want to come out," he said over the phone. "If Eddie can, why can't you?"

"It's not that easy!" Gareth argued, though he wasn't really sure how to back that argument up. It was that easy. Nobody in the band would care if he decided to come out, and most of the fans would be fine with it if they went off their reaction to Eddie coming out.

"Why not?" Sam asked, calm in Gareth's chaos.

"Because if people don't like Eddie, it can be for any number of reasons. He's loud, or a nerd, or too hyper. If they don't like me, it's definitely just because I like men." Gareth had never actually acknowledged that thought before, but here he was, saying it out loud on the phone to his boyfriend. "I don't want people to hate me."

"Baby..." Sam started. He sighed. "It's your choice. You know I would never pressure you to do anything you aren't ready for. But it does sound like the only person who is holding you back is you."

Gareth didn't feel like talking about it more, but Sam let him change the subject and the rest of the conversation went fine.

"Think about it, Gare," Sam said as they hung up.

That's all he did for days. He saw countless posts about pride events in the cities they were stopping in on the tour, Eddie even made an appearance at a drag brunch and left VIP tickets for the performers to come to Corroded Coffin's show that night. He thought about being able to be a part of the community in the way he knew he could be.

"Ed?" He asked right before they all went to bed.

"Yeah?" Eddie was typing out a text on his phone, probably some long and romantic and disgusting ode to Steve.

"You're going to the parade in Boston right?"

Eddie looked up from his phone, brows furrowing. "Yeah, why?"

"Mind if I come with you?"

"You're always welcome, you know that." Eddie smiled. "You coming as an ally or as the 'B' in LGBTQIA+?"

"I think I'm gonna come as me."

****

He didn't tell Sam what he was doing, figured he would have time between getting back to the tour bus and when news started hitting.

He forgot that Sam tracked alerts on Twitter for him.

His phone started ringing the moment he hit the end of the parade route.

"Hey, love," Gareth couldn't stop smiling. He'd never felt like he belonged here quite like he did today. "All okay?"

"I'm so fuckin' proud of you." Sam's smile was evident in his voice. "You could've given me a little warning though. Seeing 20 notifications pop up at once is a bit terrifying."

"Sorry. Wanted to surprise you. Did you like my shirt?" Gareth looked down at the shirt he was wearing.

"You mean the "ask me about my boyfriend" with a bi pride flag shirt? Yeah, I'd like a matching one as soon as possible."

"Yeah?"

They both laughed as Gareth found a small corner of the alley they'd stopped in to be alone.

"I can't wait to kiss you. This is the hottest thing you've ever done."

"What about that time I fucked you against my drum set?" Gareth asked with a smirk.

"Okay. The second hottest thing you've ever done. Still don't know how you had the strength to hold most of my weight for that long," Sam sounded like his thoughts were drifting to the memory of that day. "Anyway! I don't wanna keep you from having fun. But call me later."

"Okay, babe. Wish you were here," Gareth said softly. "Miss you."

"Miss you too. But only three weeks until you're home."

"Feels like forever."

"Dramatic." Sam laughed. "I love you, baby."

"I love you, too. If you see me getting drunk in a gay bar later, no you don't."

"I'd buy you a drink if I was there."

"Three weeks."

"21 days."

"You two are disgusting." Eddie yelled from a few feet away.

Sam laughed and said goodbye as Gareth walked over to Eddie.

"Not any more disgusting than you and Steve," he grumbled. "At least Steve comes with you for most of the tour."

"Can you imagine if he didn't? The world would end."

Gareth rolled his eyes. "Uh huh. Drinks?"

"Drinks!" Eddie threw his arms up and started running down the block, ignoring the yells of people recognizing him as he made his way to the bar they'd already chosen.

Gareth followed, unable to wipe the smile from his face. He was out, and maybe he'd have to do it more officially later on, but for now, this was enough.

[boldlyvoid]

Heartbreak Princess

Summary: After breaking up with her on the phone and ignoring her, Y/N and her band, decide to play a special gig at the hideout... right before Eddie's set to go on and play.

Warnings: childhood friends to lovers to ex's. Angst with a happy ending. background Jancy breakup, mentions of Ronance, the drummer is Gareth's little sister, (hastily proofread)

SET LIST

Word Count: 2.5k

Ah, childhood romance, one of the most precious things you can have… Flirting on the playground, getting married with 25-cent machine rings in the 5th grade, kissing for the first time at a Sadie Hawkins dance, losing their virginity to each other in the middle of the summer between freshman and sophomore year… in their Senior year, they won prom king and queen even though they weren’t on track to graduate at all. In their 5th year together they just had fun, they really stopped trying to pass at that point, but Y/N did anyway. She graduated in Steve Harrington’s year, it was weird accepting her diploma without Eddie, but she did it. 

She graduated, she got into hairdressing school, she took out some loans she got an apartment and she was living in Indianapolis with the preconceived notion that Eddie would try this year and move in with her once he was free of Hawkins High…

And now she’s sitting in her room, alone, without a best friend or a boyfriend because he’s an idiot. Something happened over his march break, something that he wouldn’t tell her about, something that caused him to be on an FBI watchlist. And then something in him said they should break up because he was holding her back… from what? She had no fucking idea?? He just dumped her. Like it was easy like he had no problem doing it, on the phone in 27 seconds and then he was gone. 

It’s not like she had huge life goals and they both knew success in high school didn’t translate after… just look at Steve Harrington at scoops ahoy? And now the video store? He was on track to be the most successful just because he was the most popular at school, where was Y/N on that list? She didn’t know, but it was probably closer to the bottom. 

She calls him again, not getting him, only Wayne. “Dude, I’m in hairdressing school it’s not like I’m going to be the fucking president? What does he mean holding me back?” 

“I don’t know,” Wayne sighs. “I can’t keep telling ya his secrets, you’re gonna have to talk to him about it.” 

“He won’t talk to me?!” 

“He’ll have to if you just showed up here?” 

He was right. She knew it. “okay.. I’ll see what I can do.” And she left him alone after that. 

She couldn’t get back to Hawkins for a while, she knew he wouldn’t be in Indianapolis for the unforeseeable future, so she just had to sit and stew in her feelings. Something she wasn’t really good at doing. She didn’t like to keep them in and she no longer had him there to tell everything to. She hated it. 

She wanted to get the feelings out so she picked up a pencil and started scribbling out her feelings, noticing how some of it fit and rhymed and made sense more as a song. A breakup song, mildly angry, mostly confused… but a song nonetheless. 

She was tapping on her desk, humming, “call me, say it’s over… I was your best friend we were the perfect shade… out of every colour, how did our love turn, how did our love turn grey?” She sings to herself. 

With some of his stuff already at her apartment, the place he was supposed to move into next month, she finds his first ever electric guitar and his old amp, the ones that mean the most to him (much like how she felt) and plugged them in. She couldn’t stop herself from finding a riff, bounding her leg along, imagining hard drums, the kind of music she and the boys used to pretend to make in Gareth’s garage.. and it makes sense. 

And it’s good. 

So the plan changes, she makes a few phone calls, and then she has a band and then they’re coming over for practice and then it becomes a real song. She knew a few girls from the school band that had their hearts broken, she knew they’d be able to bring the energy that she wanted to this song and they sure fuckin did. 

Gareth’s little sister, Gretchen, was her drummer, she was just as pissed off at Eddie for breaking up with Y/N as she was, and even angrier that the whole mess resulted in Jason breaking her brother's hand. Buckley could read notes, so transferring from trumpet to Key’s was easy for her and she really enjoyed it. She even added some extra sounds, synth, sandbags, and a cowbell? It brought another level to the song she didn’t know they needed, and the finishing touch was someone she never even knew had any musical talent, but Robin vogued for her. Nancy Wheeler could play guitar and she was fucking awesome at it. And also incredibly pissed at her ex, Jonathan. So it helped. It helped a lot. 

The 4 of them were all angry and talented, and so the song reflected it. 

So, on a stormy Tuesday, with all their stuff piled into the back of Nancy’s station wagon, they drove from practice in Indianapolis all the way to the Hideout in Hawkins. She knew they had a gig, or Eddie did, they weren’t a full band with Gareth’s hand still in a cast, so the boys just sat in the audience, turning his crowd from 3 to 6. 

When Y/N called the hideout and booked their spot she gave them direct orders to not advertise who else was playing before Eddie’s spot. They didn’t care, it was a weird request but they kept their word. Eddie had no idea when he walked in that his ex-girlfriend would be coming out in a few minutes with his old guitar in his old clothes, singing a song about how he fucking hurt her for no reason. 

He gets a drink to calm his pre-show nerves like always, sitting at the bar and watching the roadies set up the stage. It’s not unusual for him to not know who was playing, it was however for no one working there to give him a hint or a name, or anything really about who it was. For some reason he thought it was someone famous, he thought maybe the town being on the news brought someone new in, and the growing crowd fed his suspicion. 

And then people he knew started coming in. 

Steve and Dustin, who had a blue wristband on to let the bartender know not to serve him. “What are you doing here?” 

“Oh, Robin's playing tonight,” Steve shrugs it off. 

“She joined a band?” 

He laughs, not knowing that Eddie didn’t know yet. “Yeah, with Nancy and Y/N?” 

“What?” He barely has time to get a response out of Steve when the lights dim and the curtain closes. 

Steve places a hand on his back, “get ready, man.” 

“Fuck…” his heart drops to his stomach, he feels absolutely sick about having to see her… but he also wants to cry because he’s missed her so fucking much. Hating himself for the choice he made from the second he hung up the phone, he hasn’t been able to face her in the wake of everything. 

He just couldn’t ruin her life being associated with him that closely. 

When the curtain opens again the lights turn red and blue, making her glow a beautiful purple as she stands there with his guitar swung around her shoulders. He makes his way through the crowd to the front, watching her with big eyes as she introduces everyone. 

“Hi,” she smiles, unable to see past the blinding lights, she had no idea he was this close to the stage. “I’m Y/N, and we’re Heartbreak Princess… and we’re really excited to share our first song with you guys.” 

She turns around singling to Gretchen to start the song, it was really happening now. With light drums, she turns back to the mic, eyes closed, she takes a deep breath, “Everything was simple, I was your best friend. We were the perfect shade. Out of every colour… How did our love turn, how did our love turn grey?” 

She steps away from the mic, biting her lip as she prepares for the reaction, “Fuck yeah!” Robin shouts as the beat drops and the song kicks in. 

Stepping back in, playing along, she sings: “I’ve never known the glitter and gold or why I feel numb at 20 years old? Oh, why do I always do this again, again?

Tried to fill a boy who was empty inside. Traced around the edges, started crossing the line. Don’t just tell me it’s all in it’s all in my head.” 

“It’s all in my head!” The girls sing backup.

“Call me, say it’s over. I was your best friend. We were the perfect shade. Out of every colour, how did our love turn, how did our love turn grey?"

Gretchen fucking kills the drums, angry as possible, really making it hit. 

Letting Nancy take over as she mimes along… “Here we go, we’re at it again, I need a little time, could you pencil me in. I’ll make you hate me just to see if you can,” she puts in the dramatics.

“Let’s see if you can!” The girls sing back.

“Out of every colour,” Robin sings, first, followed by Y/N, “You were my favourite.” “We were the perfect shade,” they sing together into the silence. 

And then the base drops and she jumps, singing loud enough still that the mic picks up her cry, “Oooh! Oh!” 

Gretchen goes off! Nancy shreds so hard a press on nail pops off onto the stage, and the whole room erupts into chaos! It’s incredible. 

“How could you say it’s over? When I was your best friend and we were a perfect shade. Out of every colour, why did our love turn, why did our love turn grey?”

She steps away, joining Nancy in the most epic guitar solo known to man, the two of them facing each other, letting Robin sing the rest of the song as they played together. 

“Why did our love turn grey?”

She plays out the last few notes, turning back to the microphone as the band stops but the room doesn’t go quiet. “Thank you.” 

He’s absolutely dumbfounded. 

Standing in the front, bombarded by people rushing to the front in the heat of the moment, just absolutely blown away by how amazing she is. 

He had no idea she had that in her, and by god was he proud of her for doing it. He claps and cheers, whistling so loud she locks eyes with him and knows he’s there close to the stage. And it pisses her off a bit. 

“That was for my dickhead ex, this one is for me,” she announces before they start another song, a cover this time, Edge of Seventeen by Stevie Nicks to be exact. 

She has a whole set to finish before he’s allowed to talk to her before he can say sorry, so he backs up into the crowd and gives the front to someone who wants it, letting Y/N have her moment. 

And he’s gotta give it to the girls, Gretchen is kicking ass almost better than her brother… and he’s spent a lot of time playing in front of Gareth to know. Nancy is fucking awesome, he didn’t even know she knew how to play and he bet she could play better than him with those delicate fingers. And Robin can sing. Like really sing! Singing most of Edge of seventeen, hitting every high note of the background music, it was fucking amazing. 

And with the song fading to quiet, Robin shows off again with her piano work as an all too familiar favourite of Eddie’s comes on. Head Over Heels, by Tears For Fears… it’s like she’s singing right into his soul. 

He was wasting time. He took her heart, he broke her heart and he threw it away and she didn’t want any of it. 

Like she’s singing right into his soul, he can’t believe he’s hurt her like this all for his own peace of mind. She didn’t give a fuck if he actually killed those people, she’d still come to knock on the glass and hold that prison phone each week to talk to him. She loved him more than anything. 

He knew that now. 

And in their last song, bringing them to the end of their 20-minute set, Nancy switches place with Y/N to sing Separate Ways by Journey. Which is when Eddie sees Jonathan head towards the door and right out of the bar. 

All the girls up there were going through something. Eddie knew more than most people in the crowd, that confusion that Nancy was singing about was her newfound interest in Robin and her betrayal from Jonathan, changing the plans they had. And she lets out every feeling on that stage because of it, Nancy Wheeler is a rockstar.

There’s a 25-minute interval after gigs, a random playlist is played to fill the silence as everyone mingles back to the bar to refuel and Eddie heads backstage, waiting for her to come out and talk to him like she’s been dying to. 

“I’m sorry,” are the first words to leave his mouth when he sees her.

She takes off her, well, his guitar and places it in its case before she pays him any mind. He can’t take it so he walks over to her, crowding her space but not touching her, “I’m so sorry.” 

“You better be,” she crosses her arms and looks up at him. “That was so fucked up, you know? Not everyone in the world hates you, and so fucking what? I don’t! Let me love you, you fucking idiot.” 

“Okay,” he doesn’t fight her. “I am an idiot, I really thought you wouldn’t want to go through life associated with me…” 

“I don’t care what people say, and you shouldn’t either, we both know it’s not the truth,” she reminds him, stepping closer to him and placing her hands on his chest as she looks up into his eyes. “I love you.” 

“I love you,” he cups her cheek in his one hand, caressing her with his thumb. “It’s been so hard ignoring you I’m literally so fucking stupid, I can’t believe I—

“It’s okay now,” she takes a deep breath and gives him a smile. “But I’m still going to perform that song all the time.” 

He laughs, “as you should it’s fucking amazing. You’re amazing.” 

He leans in for a kiss, pressing their smiling lips together as their noses bump. He breathes her in, the kiss softens and his hands both wander to her back to pull her in flush with him. She holds him back just as tight, very content with him back in her life. 

Of course, all it took was a song for him to get that they were meant to be together forever. But at least he got it now.  

Taglist:

@fightingdragonswithwho @mrs-dr-reid @kyomito @reidselle @venomsvl @nomajdetective @girl-with-an-orange-cat @stevesmunsons @blairscott @sweetyyhippyy @wroteclassicaly @reidsbookclub

[medusapelagia]

Handcuffs

Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson Tags: Angst with happy ending

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

“Come on Steve! It was just a joke!” “Don’t fucking talk to me, Munson.” “How many times do I have to tell you how sorry I am?” “Don’t. Fucking. Talk. To. Me.” Ok. That’s bad. He is really pissed. It was only a joke! Eddie thought it was funny putting a pair of handcuffs in Steve’s luggage! Thought they could have fun later on when Steve would have opened his luggage in their room. Now, after Steve spent more than an hour dealing with the airport security, it doesn’t seem so fun anymore. “I’m sorry, ok? I didn’t think…” “That’s the problem with you, Munson. You never think.” Fuck that hurt. “You know what? Fuck you, Harrington, ok? Do you wanna be pissed? So be it! I’m not going to follow you around like a fucking puppy!”

Then he turns around, going back to the VIP area where the other members of the band are eating at the buffet. “He is still pissed?” Gareth asks with a big chunk of sandwich in his mouth. “Yeah. It was just a stupid prank, ok? I didn’t mean to cause any trouble.” Gareth shrugs “You know he is royalty. He is too good for us.” Eddie nods, asking for a beer and sitting back at the table with them. “Buckley?” He asks Nancy, who is looking at him very seriously. “With Steve.” “Come on! He is not a fucking child, ok? He can deal with a couple of security guys, ok?” Nancy keeps glaring at him while Dustin gets closer to him “A word, Eddie. Please.” He sighs loudly and follows Dustin to a secluded area of the lounge. “What? Are you going to harass me too for a stupid prank?” “Eddie. You know what happened at the Starcourt a few years ago. Don’t you?” “The mind flayer thing?” He asks, confused. “Yeah, but I was referring to what happened to Steve with the Russians.” “Oh, you mean when he discovered that the Russians were trying to open another portal to the Upside Down?” Dustin looks at him confused “You don’t know. You really don’t know!” He exclaims looking at him astonished while Eddie is still trying to understand what he is missing. A slap on his face takes him by surprise, while a very angry Robin Buckley is glaring at him. “How the fuck could you think that was funny?” “Ok. It’s clear that we don’t have the same idea of joking ok? Now can we fucking forget about it and go on with our lives?” Eddie asks, he is starting to get really pissed. He didn’t kill anyone for Christ's sake! “Robin! Ho doesn’t know!” Dustin intervenes, getting between the two of them. “Listen, Dustin, I know Eddie is like your favorite person but what he did to Steve was horrible and..” “He doesn’t know about” he lowers his voice “the Russian” “What the fuck do you mean? anyone knows about it! I mean… we all know about it.” “Can you tell me once and for all what the fuck are you talking about? And stop it with this mysterious shit. The Upside Down is no longer a problem.” Eddie stops, staring at Steve who has red puffy eyes but keeps smiling like nothing is wrong. “What the fuck?!” he murmurs while Robin leaves them and goes to Steve, sitting with him at one of the tables in the back. Dustin grabs Eddie by his arm and whispers in his ear “Steve was tortured by Russians. Like really tortured. Like they beat him until he was unconscious and drugged him. That kind of torture. And Robin had to watch. That’s how they bonded.” Tortured? By Russians. “I didn’t…” “Can you understand how scary it was for him to be held for an hour by the security who asked him questions he didn’t know how to answer?” Holy fucking shit. He totally fucked up. He has to apologize, but Robin is guarding him like a lioness her cubs, so he has to wait until they get on the plane. Steve's seat is at his side.

[youmakemyhearthowl]

Punk Princess

Ao3| Part 1| Part 2| Part 3| Part 4| Part 5 | Part 6| Part 7| Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10| Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 (Next Part)

Steve is still riding high on the win they got last night as him and Robin stumble towards the bleachers for free period. Gareth, Jeff and Mack hooting and hollering at them as they get closer.

“I get the old King Steve title now man, you fucking dominated on that court yesterday.” Jeff’s practically shouting and Steve beams, as Robin steals his vest to slip on, leaving him in his cut off cargos and ripped up shirt covered in enough holes you can see the long sleeved mesh shirt that’s under it. Despite his outward good mood, Steve’s deep black eyeshadow that’s smudged down his cheeks is a better representation of how he’s feeling deep down, where he pushed the pain he was still feeling about Eddie.

He’d spent an hour before the game just sitting in the back of his car crying into Robin's shoulder, where she passionately and repeatedly offered to go beat up Eddie. She never once made him feel like he was over reacting or acting stupid. She just told him it was okay to cry, and that he deserved good things, deserved friends who loved him for every part of him.

God he was so thankful for her.

He takes a seat on the end of the bleachers next to Robin, leaving no space next to him, with Gareth at his back who clapped him on the shoulder.

“That was such a good game man, I had no idea what was happening half the time, but you’re a natural.” Steve relishes in the compliment. Still trying to wrap his head around the face that the three guys had given up the night of their own beloved game to come watch Steve play. He felt a small sliver of warmth wrap around the hollow feeling Eddie had left him gutted with. These were his friends, these 4 people sitting with Steve cared about him and supported the things he liked, and he'd never experienced that kind of affection before. He was overwhelmed by it a bit.

Steve can feel Robin tense up next to him and he looks up, following her gaze to where Eddie is making his way over to them, he’s chewing on his thumb nail when he finally sits down on the other side of Jeff.

“Uh, hey guys.”

“Eddie.” Mack nods in greeting, shooting him a look that gets Eddie sighing as he turns and locks his eyes on Steve. “I over reacted, and I’m sorry.”

The apology feels hollow to Steve. Like Eddie means it but doesn’t fully understand what he’s apologizing for and Steve’s really just so tired and doesn’t want to stop hanging out with the friends sitting around him so he nods, accepting it at face value and offers Eddie a neutral smile. The skin between his eyebrows crease as he looks at Steve, but he nods in return and that’s that.

Steve doesn’t feel like anything was really resolved, but he’s not really sure how to bring up the fact that Eddie obviously doesn’t see him as anyone important, or as a friend even, so he just chews on his cheek and tunes into whatever Gareth and Robin have started talking about.

He still feels the lead brick sitting heavy in his stomach.

The weight stays with him all day, barely able to hold any eye contact with Eddie whenever they talk. And he’s pulling on everything he used to be to just pretend like he’s fine and everything’s good now, but he can’t stop feeling a little bit like his heart’s been pulverized.

Because really, when all is said and done, the love he feels for Eddie won’t just go away like he so wishes it would. It’s eating at him the same way his love for Nancy did and it’s taking all of his will power not to just ditch school and drive to Indy to get lost in alcohol for the weekend. But Hopper and Joyce are going out of town, and Steve's on big brother babysitting duty for El, so he’s stuck sober and actively present in his life.

Steve throws himself down on the couch when he gets home, El stampeding out of her bedroom to launch onto Steve's back with a happy giggle.

“Welcome home!” She’s always so excited when he comes home, no matter how long he’s been out and it makes Steve’s heart feel full and content most days. Today he just feels hollow.

“Hey love bug, how was your day?” He turns his face sideways so he’s not mumbling into the couch as she latches onto his back in a hug.

“A little boring, but Dad came home for lunch and we had Egos, so that made it a lot better.” Steve feels some of his hollowness fill as she rambles on. Her speech has gotten so much better over the last few months, and she seems to be having more good days than bad lately, and it makes everything feel just a little bit brighter.

“Why are you sad?” She pulls her face up closer to his ear to ask the question, running her hand through his hair the same way he’s seen Hopper do to her when she’s upset, and it fills his heart a little bit more. “I heard you crying last night, and you are still sad now.” 

Steve feels a few cracks form in his heart. No one, besides Robin, has ever really asked him about how he’s feeling before. No one’s cared enough to take the time to learn what’s going on in his head, and El’s always surprising him with how fucking huge her heart is after everything she’s been through.

“Just… found out I wasn’t really friends with someone the way I thought we were.”

“That can happen?”

“Not with your friends El. The Party is way too loud about how they feel about things to ever pretend to be your friend if they didn’t care about you.” She frowns at him.

“But someone you are close to has done this?”

“Yeah, but I’ll be okay, Bug. Have you eaten dinner?” She shakes her head softly, carding her hands through his hair some more and Steve hums happily, muscles he didn’t even know were tense relaxing at the touch.

“Well we are friends. And you’re my brother. I have not pretended about that.”

And if she sees a tear roll down his cheek she doesn’t say anything, just keeps running her hands through his hair and clinging tightly to his back.

~

It’s been awhile since Steve woke up screaming from a nightmare. Usually he can keep it to a swift jolt up in bed and heavy breathing. But the memory of Billy’s fists and the Demodogs in the tunnels is heavy in the front of his mind as he screams awake. El clamoring into his room with her arm outstretched ready to fight whatever was hurting Steve.

“I’m okay El, It was just a bad dream.” She crawls across his bed, gently pushing aside the guitar laying next to him to curl up into his side and wrap her arms around him.

“I have them too, sometimes.” Her words are quiet and she nuzzles in closer to him as his arm comes around to rest on her shoulder. “Dad told me that it’s normal after everything I have been through.”

“Yea kiddo it is.”

“Was it the Billy one again?” She’s hesitant when she asks the question, tilting her head up to look at his face.

“Again? You been checking on me in the mind place when I’m sleeping?” He makes sure to add a teasing tone to his voice, not wanting her to ever think he’s mad at her.

“I worry.” 

Fuck what did Steve do to earn this precious girls love. The little sister he’s always wanted, found through trauma and an interdimensional monster. The him of a year and a half ago would have gone straight to the looney bin if you tried to tell him this was his life now.

“I’m lucky to call you my sister, El.” He whispers, squeezing her shoulder briefly before letting sleep take him again.

Ao3| Part 1| Part 2| Part 3| Part 4| Part 5 | Part 6| Part 7| Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10| Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 (Next Part)