#I know Eddie was supposed to be a grade above Steve until he fell behind

[corrodedbisexual]

"You know, this is the first time we've actually talked since middle school", Eddie finds himself saying, because somehow he can't stop running his mouth now. Steve just gives him a blank look. "You don't remember?" Harrington frowns and shakes his head. Eddie really, really should just leave it, the guy is here to buy and is probably regretting initiating a conversation already, but... seriously? Eddie looks away, morphing his face into a hurt expression that's only partially fake, then feigns a heart attack, clutching at his chest and falling off the bench onto the ground.

Started as a silly little sketch discussing with @sidekick-hero the 4x01 picnic table drug deal scene except Eddie meets Steve and it's an AU where there's no Vecna, he just has trouble sleeping/nightmares. Click below to read the whole thing.

The last person Eddie expected to see at his usual sale spot in the woods is Steve Harrington.

Eddie's definitely wary at first, not even looking him in the eye directly. Harrington might not be the King of Hawkins High anymore, but surely he could fuck Eddie up pretty badly even without his former jock posse around. Not that he, or they ever did that. They all mostly ignored Eddie, other than some occasional name-calling or "accidental" shoulder shove in the corridors. But witnessing the consequences of several fights in the parking lot was enough for Eddie to keep his guard up.

Except Steve just quietly sits down, glances at Eddie's lunchbox, offers him a tired smile. "Hey. How much for a half ounce?"

Straight to business, then. Eddie blinks, cautiously joins Harrington at the table across from him. "Uhm. Twenty."

"Shit. Um," the guy sighs, counting the crumpled bills in his hands - Eddie's trained eye registers 16 bucks - then rubs a hand across his face. "Make it a quarter then."

Huh, rich daddy cut you off or something, Eddie thinks, giving Harrington's clearly expensive, pristine clothes a once over, but obviously makes no comment. He might not absolutely love his face when it stares at him in the mirror, but a black eye certainly wouldn't do it any favors. It's one thing to tease these guys in the middle of the crowded school cafeteria, and completely different when it's one on one.

Eddie nods and starts unpacking his lunchbox, expecting this weird incident to be over in a minute, when Harrington asks him, suddenly, "You ever feel like you're losing your mind?", and Eddie finally allows himself to study the guy's face. Harrington oozes exhaustion, and frankly he looks more like a kicked puppy than a rabid dog Eddie usually associates with the jocks (ex-jocks? is it a thing? or once a jock, always a jock?). Whatever the fuck made him say that, and whatever made him seek out Eddie in the first place - suddenly he's pretty sure Harrington's not buying for a party. Now that he thinks about it, he hasn't heard of parties at Harrington's place in a long while. Before the guy even graduated.

Eddie softens, relaxes his shoulders, lowers his defenses a notch; he chuckles, takes a chance at a joke, "Yeah, you know... just on a daily basis". And what the fuck, Steve fucking Harrington laughs at that, and it's not mean, it's like he actually appreciates Eddie relieving that awkward, tense whatever between them. Eddie feels encouraged to continue. "Pretty sure I'm losing my mind right now. Didn't expect former Hawkins High royalty to grace my humble small business with his presence."

Steve rolls his eyes, but he's still smiling, and Eddie can't help full on grinning then, tilting his head, his defenses dropping further - he really shouldn't, but he's quickly failing to be smart and careful. His brain always gets completely stupid when someone pretty smiles at him like that. And Harrington is, has always been, so goddamn pretty. Even back in middle school, which should be illegal. Everyone's supposed to be awkward, insecure and covered in zits going through puberty.

"You know, this is the first time we've actually talked since middle school", Eddie finds himself saying, because somehow he can't stop running his mouth now. Steve just gives him a blank look. "You don't remember?" Harrington frowns and shakes his head. Eddie really, really should just leave it, the guy is here to buy and is probably regretting initiating a conversation already, but... seriously?

Eddie looks away, morphing his face into a hurt expression that's only partially fake, then feigns a heart attack, clutching at his chest and falling off the bench onto the ground. The last few of his rational braincells are yelling at him - WHAT THE FUCK EDDIE, BEHAVE LIKE A NORMAL HUMAN - but they're quickly silenced, because as he's scrambling to get up, he sees Harrington already up on his feet, a slight frown on his face, like - like he was worried for a second that Eddie wasn't faking it? And then, Harrington laughs again, and that simple sound really shouldn't have that much power over Eddie's heart rate. It's not fair.

"You, uh... You have leaves in your hair," Steve points, still chuckling, then looks away and bites his lip, like... Is he suddenly shy? "You didn't have all that", he wriggles his fingers around his face, imitating the shape of long curls. "In middle school, I mean."

Eddie quickly turns around, trying to hide his blush as he hastily plucks the leaves out. "Yeah, uh. My hair was buzzed back then." He grins as he turns back, folding his arms against his chest. "A-ha! So you do remember me."

"'Course I remember you, Munson. I was just messing with you," Harrington says, sounding unfairly casual. Be still, Eddie's poor, gullible heart. "We had that project together? Pick an animal and make a presentation about its biology, behavior, habitat and all that stuff?"

"Yeah, and we both wanted to pick something cute. And spent an hour arguing what constitutes a cute animal."

"You picked vampire bats, dude!" Harrington frowns, shakes his head incredulously. He remembers. What the fuck, he remembers.

"And I stand by it!" Eddie exclaims, approaching the table again in three big leaps and leaning forward, kneeling on the bench, hands gripping the table edge. "They cuddle together for warmth! And groom each other! How are they less cute than penguins?"

"Penguins mate for life! That's like... super romantic, or whatever." Oh fuck, Harrington's blushing. It makes Eddie feel so much better about acting like a total clown just a minute ago. He sighs, rolling his eyes dramatically.

"And this is why we had to compromise at sea otters."

Steve nods. "'Cause they hold hands in the water so they don't float away from each other."

"Yeah, that's hella cute. Can't argue with that." You're cuter though, he doesn't say, thank god his brain-to-mouth filter is at least partially functional.

They stare at each other for a moment, grinning, and Eddie's the first to clear his throat and look away, worried that if he keeps eye contact for another second, he'll absolutely do something stupid.

"Tell you what, Harrington." He sits back down and rummages through his lunchbox again, taking out a bag and pushing it across the table towards Steve. "I can get you a special former cute animal project buddy discount. Sixteen for a half. Even if you're wrong about bats."

"Oh. Shit. Thanks, man." Steve sounds sincerely grateful. He picks up the bag, fiddles with it, before glancing up at Eddie. "You're totally right. Bats are the best."

Smooth bastard. Eddie chuckles, then reaches out, picking up the bills one by one, but leaving a dollar on the table. "Flattery works with me." He winks at Harrington before he can stop himself. Like he's allowed to do that - him, the local freak - and apparently, miraculously, he is. No fists come flying as Steve ducks his head at that, moving to put the bag and remaining dollar bill away into his jacket pocket. What's more, for the second time today, Eddie registers a faint blush on the guy's cheeks. And it's definitely not embarrassment this time.

Eddie was absolutely, one hundred percent unashamedly flirting, and now Harrington's blushing. That's a lot to unpack, and Eddie doesn't feel like he has the brain power to do that right now. So he stands, frantically digging through his brain for some non-awkward way to wrap up their encounter; but before he says anything, his newfound client speaks first.

"Hey Eddie?" It shouldn't be so weird to hear. They did call each other by their first names back in middle school.

"Yes... Steve?" He replies in an inquiring tone. Steve looks nervous. Which makes Eddie double nervous.

"You wanna maybe... Join me? To be honest, I've never tried anything besides booze, well... Except one time, and it was kind of... An accident." Something dark briefly passes over Steve's expression, and Eddie figures he shouldn't ask. "So, yeah. I wouldn't mind some company."

"Someone to hold your hair while you puke your guts out?" Eddie defaults to humor, because his brain is still processing the request.

"Ha-ha. Fuck you," Steve replies, but there's no bite to it, and he's smiling again.

Well, damn. What is Eddie's life? Ten minutes ago he was wondering if he's gonna end up with a black eye, and now he's about to smoke out Steve goddamn Harrington. Who for some reason keeps smiling at him, like they are friends or whatever.

"You're not what I expected, Steve Harrington", he finds himself saying in wonder. "Sure. Fuck it. Let's get wasted."

Steve grins, standing and shoving his hands in his pockets. And as they head back to the school parking lot, side by side, he suddenly bumps Eddie's shoulder, making him jump just an inch.

"You're not what I expected either, Eddie Munson."

[join-the-joywrite]

Women in War -- 2

All Maggie Maravillla ever wanted was to help people. She never imagined losing damn near everything when winning a war.

WiW masterpost

Chapter 2

1935

"I would've enlisted today if the war had gone on now, Buck, no hesitation. "

Maggie's laugh was long and had Steve not known how she meant her different laughs, it would have been mighty insulting.

Bucky grinned. "You wouldn't have lasted two days in training, pal."

Steve rolled his eyes, which caused him to wince as his headache protested. He pressed the ice pack against his forehead even harder. "Always a bully somewhere," he grumbled, "first Hodge, now these jerks."

"You just need to learn to pick your battles," Maggie said, smiling. "Or you could, you know, enjoy your birthday like a normal person."

"Not an option," Steve said, grinning at Maggie, "and aren't you supposed to be preparing for college? With Becky? In Cambridge?"

"Yeah, but I couldn't miss little Steve's birthday. Besides, you should cagar on Bucky. He brought me out to Brooklyn to see you. Becky has a couple of bonus quizzes tomorrow for the really -- desalado? -- the eager ones, and she really wants to excell. She's been talking about moving to London permanently. Apparently, the boys there are cute."

"How would she even know?" Steve asked. "She spends all day in your dorm studying."

"True," Maggie said, shrugging.

"All she knows is that American boys aren't," Bucky said.

"Ow," Steve said flatly, staring at Bucky.

"I actually had an orientation session this week," Maggie said, staring off to the side, "but it doesn't matter. As long as I keep my grades above average, I get to keep my scholarship. I didn't even expect to get in, let alone earn a scholarship."

"Don't sell yourself short, Mags," Bucky said, leaning back in his chair, "you're brilliant. We're proud of you for even going to college."

"It's hard sometimes. I know I've been here my whole life, but I grew up learning from Papá. Do you know how smart I am in Spanish?"

Steve smiled. "Yeah, we know."

"I actually have a hard time keeping up with you when you're mad, and I've been studying Spanish for like, six years. Tio Hugo is a miracle teacher, I'll give him that."

"You're just dumb," Steve said, rolling his eyes again.

"You'll make a fine doctor," Bucky told Maggie, ignoring Steve, "just set your sights on becoming the great Doctor Maravilla and never look back."

Maggie smiled. "Doctor Maravilla," she repeated, "sí, that's gonna be me."

The table was silent for a while. In the background, Evie could be heard chatting away from some friend of hers. The Barnes household was never truly silent. It was something Maggie always loved about Bucky's home -- her home, as Winnifred always made her feel. Maggie hated silence. Silence filled her own house on the days where her father went to work and she was left alone with her mother. Silence was what happened when the teachers caught her and Becky fighting with Hodge or any of his cronies. Silence was what happened when Angel had friends over. Everytime Maggie was subject to silence, it was around someone she didn't quite like.

Maggie hated silence more than she hated bullies. Maggie learnt English curses just to swear biligually whenever she was told to be silent.

So Maggie loved the Barnes household, where someone or the other would always be doing something. Sometimes it would be Allie and Steve arguing about who had the homework answers right. Sometimes it would be Evie loudly chatting on the telephone. Often, she could hear Winnifred and Becky bustling about in the kitchen, trying out new recipes and experimenting with bizarre flavours. Every odd weekend, George Barnes would make a loud noise in the garage, fiddling with some old piece of tech. Becky would join him too.

And very rarely, Maggie would hear Bucky humming to himself as he went about doing whatever he did.

"I ought to get going," Maggie said, wishing with all her heart that she could just stay in her home.

"Chin up, Mags," Steve said, "give it time, you'll be one of America's most sought-after doctors sooner or later."

Steve had no idea how right he was.

1939

Four years later, they found themselves in well into the midst of a world war.

Mi dulce Magpie,

I'm going to bind Steve to the leg of my dining room table and lock the table in someone's safe. He's heard about the war, you know. Do you remember when we had just graduated? You came from Cambridge for Steve's birthday. The little pedazo de mierda got it in his head then already about signing up for war. Now he tells me it's fate. Won't you write him a scathing letter, doll? Maybe he'll listen to you. I'd love to sit and write more, but Evie says she just saw Steve get dragged into an alley. Do remind my scatterbrained sister to read my letters. You're still coming home for Christmas, right? Allie misses your dumb face, doll. I hope to see you here at least a week in advance.

With love,

The better Barnes twin.

P.S. I'll only stop calling you Magpie if you stop calling me Buckwheat.

Maggie smiled as she folded up the letter again. She slipped it into her purse as she walked along the hallway.

"Can I help you, Miss?"

"No, thank you, I'm just here to visit someone."

The young woman raised her eyebrows at Maggie. "Ma'am. . . I don't--"

"I've been here before, angel, I know my way around the office. Mr Edwards' is straight down, right?"

"Er, yes. Uhm, good luck, ma'am."

Maggie never used the endearment 'angel' to mean anything other than 'estúpida mierda'. Making sure the letter she'd read thrice now was still tucked into her little bag, Maggie walked along until she came up on the open office out side Mr Edwards'.

"Rebecca Latimer Barnes, we'll be back after New Year's. We're not going off to war!"

The group of young women dispersed, allowing Maggie a glimpse of the woman that had previously been in the centre of the laughs and smiles. "Felicidades por el engagement, Peggy. Beck, we're gonna miss the plane."

Peggy Carter smiled. "Gracias, Maggie. Do say hello to everyone at home from me."

"You should send a photo, Pegs," Becky said, leaning on Peggy's desk, "although it's a pity Fred proposed. I was sure Buck would've liked to take you out."

Maggie laughed, despite being upset that Becky still hadn't left the office. "If that were true, we'd be offering Peggy condolences. Vamanos, Beck, your bag's already in the car."

Becky sighed dramatically. "I'll see you in the new year, ladies. Let's go, Dr Maravilla."

"Almost a doctor," Maggie said as she waved goodbye to the Bletchley Park women and left, Becky trailing behind.

"Back to work, ladies," Mr Edwards said as he opened his office door. "Miss Carter, a word?"

"Of course, Mr Edwards."

"Has Miss Barnes left already?"

"Just missed her, sir."

"Pity. Remind me to speak to her when she returns in the new year."

///////////////

Becky pulled her suitcase along behind her. "How'd you even meet the guy? And what are you doing for him that he's paying for both your education and our visits home?"

Maggie frowned as she thought back. "I was waiting tables in our eleventh year, you remember? He stopped by and I waited on him. He was a mess -- he still is -- and his food and drink fell everywhere. Last time I cursed like that was when that perra Lucy Kinney stole my shift at the hospital and I had to work the graveyard shift."

"You know, given that you work part-time in a hospital, I really wouldn't suggest calling it the graveyard shift."

Maggie smiled. "Very funny, Becks. Anyway, so he's surprisingly super apologetic about it. Turns out he was stressed over some college exams or something and long story short, we got to talking about college and he felt really bad about ruining my shift at the diner that he offered to pay for my college tuition -- provided I didn't slack off or things like that."

Becky shook her head. "I don't get it. Why? Why would someone just randomly decide to pay for someone else's tuition?"

"Well, he comes from a rich family."

"That makes it all the more unlikely that he'd be so generous."

"Look, Becks, I'm not gonna look a gift horse in the mouth. If the man sees potential in me and is willing to pay for college, I'm grabbing it with both hands and hanging on until I graduate. You and me both know my father could never afford getting me into medicine."

"Your mom could."

"Yeah, but who needs her help? I'm actually going to see her before I come by your place."

"I thought you were meeting your darling benefactor?"

"I am. I'm seeing them both today and then I'll come home. Do me a favour and fetch my father?"

"Sure, no problem. Did your darling benefactor call you a cab?"

"I called you a cab." Both women stopped walking at the new voice. "And we all know I'm not Maggie's darling benefactor."

"Howard," Maggie greeted, "good to see you."

Howard dipped his head slightly. "Mags. Mr Jarvis will take your bags to Ms Barnes' taxi, if you'd like?"

Maggie smiled at the young man following Howard. "Hola, Eddie, como estas?"

Jarvis smiled back. "Bien, gracias, Mags. ¿Y usted mismo?"

"Always a pleasure, Eddie. Thank you so much."

Jarvis nodded as he took hold of Maggie's suitcase and gestured for Becky to walk with him.

"So, darling benefactor?"

"She's insane. Leave it to the great Becky Barnes to see through the rosiest of rose-lenses."

"Isn't she a really good codebreaker?"

"Surprisingly, yes. She's actually one of two top codebreakers at Bletchley Park. Our friend Peggy is the other."

"Peggy . . . that wouldn't be Margaret Carter, would it?"

"It would. What a small world, Mr Stark."

"Indeed, Dr Maravilla, it's a very small world. Come on, we have business to discuss."

"Business?" Maggie echoed with a frown as she placed her hands around the arm Howard offered her.

"Business," Howard repeated with a nod, pulling Maggie through the busy airport.

///////////////

"Hypothetically? No. I went to Cambridge to study and become a doctor. I wouldn't want any part in your whimsical ideas, Howard."

"What if the situation weren't hypothetical?"

Maggie sipped her tea slowly. "No. Besides, you can't make superheroes. ¡Eso es ridículo! Maybe when you've got proof this . . . super soldier thing . . . will work, I will consider helping you out."

"Maggie, hear me out, you're England's finest and you're not even qualified yet. How they hate to say your name, because you're better than them all. I could really use your help on this."

"This was never hypothetical to begin with, was it?"

Meekly, Howard shook his head. "No. Look, there's this German doctor who's developing a formula. If I can just persuade some people upstairs to go after the doctor, we could have that formula. We could win the war before it's fully begun."

"I'm sorry, Howard. I truly appreciate all you've done for me, but this isn't the way to repay you. I can't understake . . . missions . . . without any solid proof that I'm doing something right. I'm really sorry, Howard, truly."

Howard nodded as Maggie gathered her things and stood up.

"What about a nurse?"

Howard's voice stopped Maggie. She stood behind his chair, staring at the door. Howard stared at her vacant seat.

"I wanted to be a doctor, Howard."

"You'll have to climb that ladder, Maggie, and you can either work as a nurse in that shitty hospital and sit through years and years of college until they finally think a young Hispanic woman is capable of being a fully-fledged doctor, or you can start as a base camp nurse and actually put your skills to use as you climb the ranks. Your skill is beyond the average nurse, Mags, and you'll get everyone to call you a doctor within months at best."

Maggie squinted at the door.

"Think about it," Howard said, stirring his cup. "I expect an answer by New Year's. Enjoy the Christmas week, Miss Maravilla."

"Likewise, Mr Stark," Maggie said as she left, realising just how much she loved being called Dr Maravilla.

///////////////

Bucky was waiting on the front steps when Maggie got out of the cab. She stood behind the front gate and smiled. "How long have you been sitting there, Buckwheat?"

"Not long, Magpie. How was your meeting with your mother?"

Maggie's expression twisted as she pushed open the gate and walked up to the steps. "I didn't go see her. I was with Howard all this time. He offered me a job."

"That's brilliant, Mags!"

"Sí, but not the job I want. Bucky, I want to be a doctor. Howard wants to make me an army nurse."

Bucky turned his head to look at the woman sitting beside him. "Why do you want to be a doctor, Maggie?"

"I want to help people, I want to fix them, I want to make them better."

"Well, doll, then maybe being an army nurse is more suited to you than studying forever at a college that doesn't really want it's girls to go out there."

"I don't know, Buck. I think I can be one of the lucky ones. I . . . just don't know."

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